SitemapAmong the life lessons high-school students who participate in Sojourn to the Past learn are the importance of reaching beyond themselves for the greater good and building a deeper sense of community, and working cooperatively with others.
For the 10 students who recently returned from the weeklong traveling American history journey through the Deep South to learn about the civil-rights movement, those lessons were aptly on display Saturday.
Beforehand, the 3-acre parcel behind the club had been the site of several decades’ worth of overgrowth and neglect that made it invisible to those on nearby Market Street. The cleanup, however, was the first phase of a project to make the area increasingly viable and productive for the more than 800 youngsters age 6 to 18 who belong to the Boys & Girls Club, noted Germaine McAlpine, executive director.
Early last week, the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department cut down about 600 trees, said McAlpine, who’s also known as “Mr. Mac.”
Plans for the property include converting much of it to green space, planting grass in several muddy areas, painting portions of the fence surrounding the huge yard and installing basketball and/or tennis courts, he said.
Participants such as Phil Kidd, associate director of CityScape and founder of the Defend Youngstown website and movement, removed tree stumps, raked and bagged numerous clusters of leaves and twigs, picked up litter and debris, added topsoil, trimmed weeds and fed branches into a wood chipper to convert them to mulch. Over the years, many piles of leaves and much trash had accumulated next to the fence.
“It’s a good example of what is possible when the community comes together on all types of levels in Youngstown,” said Kidd, who spent much of his time raking leaves and getting rid of excess branches and tendrils.
Kidd predicted that Saturday’s five-hour hands-on effort would add greater visibility to and awareness of the club and its offerings.
Clearing a portion of the property line of overgrowth, some of which had grown into and compromised part of the fence, and pulling weeds were a major part of Sue Marshall-Jones’ tasks.
Marshall-Jones, who also was part of CityScape’s founding committee, said she learned of the cleanup via social media and wanted to contribute.
In addition, she plans to take part in the organization’s annual Streetscape on June 4, in which people plant foliage and beautify downtown Youngstown. That effort also has acted as a prelude for CityScape to spread into many Youngstown neighborhoods and participate in projects such as Saturday’s cleanup, Marshall-Jones explained.
Don Duda, a YSU sophomore and chemical engineering major, was happy to use a weed trimmer to make the perimeter of the marshy area in front of the Boys & Girls Club a bit more attractive.
“Living in Youngstown, you just want to make the community a better place,” said Duda, who’s also a Sigma Chi fraternity member. “I just want to get out here and do as much as I can.”
Duda added that his fraternity hosted a recent philanthropic event that raised more than $800 for the Boys & Girls Club, money that likely will be used to renovate a home.
“This is a great day to support [the Boys & Girls Club],” said Penny Wells, Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past’s executive director, who noted that Sojourn’s themes include giving back to and improving communities.
McAlpine, the club’s executive director, expressed his gratitude to those who participated Saturday. He also thanked the community for its support.
“Without all of these people coming together, this would not be possible,” he said.
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