Help!

Cleveland State University, City Year, and BBC are seeking volunteers to participate in "Make a Difference Day" on Saturday, October 25, 2008. Students, faculty, and staff of Cleveland State, City Year corps members, and many others will be concentrating on the beautification of East 33rd & 35th Streets between Central and Cedar Avenues. The Central neighborhood, one of Cleveland's greatest comeback communities in recent years, has been selected as the focus area of the event.

We're looking for volunteers to assist with the following projects:

- There is a large community garden at East 35th Street and Cedar Avenue that is maintained by five or six individuals. The bulk of production is donated to the Cleveland Foodbank to feed hungry families. However, neighborhood residents who participate in the maintenance of the garden are welcome to take fruits and vegetables for their families. They seek assistance in preparing the garden for winter, including removing and bagging plants from beds, pulling weeds from between beds, and mulching around trees and other key areas.

- There is also a need to beautify Rose Court, an alleyway that has been somewhat neglected. We would like help with weeding and other light landscaping to increase visibility and safety.
- Father Jim, a senior living on East 35th Street, is a Catholic priest that moved to Central more than twenty-five years ago to assist low-income persons and ended up permanently calling the neighborhood home. He constructed a private playground adjacent to his home that is open to kids from the neighborhood on an appointment-only basis. Father Jim seeks assistance with painting its playhouse, staining picnic tables, and possibly staining playground equipment. He also would like help in dismantling his garden from which he donates produce to neighborhood residents for the winter season.

- There is also an opportunity for the painting of a mural on the backside of the building on East 36th Street.
- We have about five low-income senior citizens who would benefit from having their porches painted and the sprucing up of their properties. Each has a unique story and reasoning for that need, whether it be disability or lack of family and friends to perform the work.

Want to participate? RSVP - email Jeff at jsugalskiATbbcdevelopmentDOTorg.