Jump Start! by Donna Reames Rich (georgiablue...

One day, on a low-slung white building in my neighborhood, these words were scrawled in huge, black spray-painted letters: You Suck Pigs. In the hollowed-out windows of the building, metal appliance parts jutted out, crammed with paper trash and rusting tools.

That day, as I walked with my dogs in our little community, I picked up Coke bottles, papers, used coffee filters and dirty baby diapers “decorating” our side streets.

When I got home, I sat down and wrote a letter to the editors of two community newspapers. I wrote about the dirt and grime and hopelessness in a community that once was proud and welcoming. I mentioned another area of concern: slack-eyed teenagers roaming the streets at all hours of the day and night. I suggested we come together as a community, clean up the trash, get rid of the filth, and create a community center, where kids and families can hang out. One week later, the papers printed my letter. For the next two days, someone dumped trash in my yard. Every afternoon I collected used plastic bowls half-filled with food, dirty diapers, and other junk from my yard. It discouraged and saddened me. On the third day, however, I saw something that gave me hope. Someone spray-painted over the vulgarity and written “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do?) on the white building, with smiley faces around what used to be a socially derogatory statement.

Someone listened. Someone else wants positive changes here. The next day the grass was cut in that yard, and the metal debris was gone from the windows. Since then five neighbors have cleaned up their yards. Someone is picking up trash on streets I haven’t gotten to yet. A lady at City Hall, whose son lives in my area, read the letter and volunteered to help us. I contacted the local Fire Department with my idea for a community-driven Beautification Project. I’ve talked to three teens on my street, who have agreed to pick up trash whenever they see it, and help paint where needed. Together, we can turn our world upside down. Together.