Volunteers work to clean up neighborhood

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By KENDRA WALTKE / Lincoln Journal Star

You may not worry much about an alley behind your house — how narrow it gets over time, clogged by weeds and trees, paper and debris.

You may not notice the crime  concealed by the jungle.

But after five years of tackling neighborhood problems, block by block, yard by yard, the Free to Grow program does know.

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Volunteers cut and haul away overgrowth in a Hartley Neighborhood alley Thursday during the Lincoln Action Program's Community Action Challenge. (Eric Gregory)

Volunteers cut and haul away overgrowth in a Hartley Neighborhood alley Thursday during the Lincoln Action Program's Community Action Challenge. (Eric Gregory)

So Thursday morning, more than 100 volunteers labored in four alleys — roughly from 30th to 31st streets, R Street to U Street — in the Hartley neighborhood.

“We know that well-meaning people have plenty of yard to care for,” said Erik Laing, a coordinator with the Free to Grow program.

Yet when weeds and trash accumulate, “It gives the message that’s acceptable,” he said.

The yellow T-shirted volunteers stripped vines, whacked weeds, chopped trees and  painted sheds.

Most were employees of Lincoln Action Program, which administers Free to Grow. “This was something our leadership felt was important,” said Dannie Elwood, who was overseeing the teams.

The workers were joined by volunteers from Home Depot, Clinton and Hartley neighborhood residents and fifth-graders from Hartley Elementary.

Getting the whole community involved is key, Laing said.

Free to Grow fights core neighborhood decline by working with law enforcement, housing improvement agencies, support services, schools and more.

It has created visible improvement among about 250 homes in the Clinton area west of 27th and Holdrege streets, and now is spreading into Hartley.

The blocks are chosen for their home ownership, capital improvement needs and risk for crime — “Places where we can make a difference,” Laing said.

Barbecues help the neighbors become allies and get to know police and outreach services. Then comes the work — yard cleanups, grants to repaint and fix up homes,  clearing of junk cars and graffiti, the reaching out to needy or troubled neighbors.

“We develop the neighborhood leadership,” Laing said.

Donna Epp, who was trimming trees Thursday, has seen the program work.

Formerly employed in church work, she and her husband didn’t have much to spend on a home when they moved to the Clinton neighborhood.

But they’re near retirement, and Epp said they have the time and skills to invest in a place.

She said Free to Grow helped her and her neighbors get to know each other. Now residents call police if they see suspicious behavior. If they notice slum rentals, they try to pressure the landlords to do something.

“We said we can always move up in a few years. Now, if you asked me today, I’d say I wouldn’t live anywhere else in Lincoln. It’s exciting to see people take charge.”

Activities such as cleanup days help, Epp said, because they let neighbors know “You’re not alone. There’s help coming. You can get back on track.”

The cleanup also served as  a lesson in responsibility for the kids.

“Who would pick this up if we weren’t here?” asked teacher Kristen Chmelka, who helped her fifth-grade students pick up litter.

“Nobody,” the children answered.

“It’s crazy how much litter there is in one little place,” said Jerica Rood, 10. “People need to pick up even the little things that blow out of their purses.”

She picked up after the litterbugs anyhow. “You don’t think cleaning up sounds fun so you don’t do it, but once you start it’s pretty fun,” she said.

Basak Budak, 11, said volunteering was better than she expected.

“It actually is fun, because I’m helping people.”

Reach Kendra Waltke at 473-7303 or kwaltke@journalstar.com.