Dear Editor,

We walked through briars, vines and decomposed plant matter retrieving years of carelessly tossed glass and plastic bottles, Styrofoam cups, food carryout containers, aluminum cans and other unsightly trash from the wooded area bordering the concrete sidewalk.

This was the scene on Saturday morning, Oct. 21, in the Lincoln Place Community (Ward 2). Residents from the Lincoln Place Neighborhood Association in partnership with Serve Selma joined together to accomplish this goal.

Volunteers of all ages, genders, races, communities and wards across the city of Selma gathered to participate in what was termed, a “Major Lincoln Drive Clean-up” from Highland Avenue to La Foret Drive. Even a frequent visitor to the neighborhood from Nova Scotia, Canada participated.

We were favored with perfect weather for this outdoors event and gave thanks with grateful hearts to God for a cool morning temperature, bright sunshine, a mild breeze and kindred souls all gathered to share a huge task.

Every volunteer arrived at the meeting site with a cheerful, “good morning,” and a ready to work attitude. This was simply awesome since many of us were meeting, becoming acquainted and working together for the first time.

Throughout the almost two-hour, non-stop cleanup, sounds of laughter and chatter were continuous, particularly among the younger volunteers. Their effervescing energy and enthusiasm were true motivators for the more senior persons and kept everyone focused and on task through its completion.

This was a wonderful experience, the first of many, which we look forward to share in other communities across Selma: Simply coming together for a specific purpose, to achieve a common goal.

We are truly grateful for the collaboration and spirit of community now forged between the Lincoln Place Neighborhood Association and Matthew (Matt) Murphy, community service director of Serve Selma. Our initial telephone contact to him for information regarding the program resonated with energy and enthusiasm.

A day or so later, at a face-to-face meeting, the date and time was set for our roadside clean up. He assured us that Serve Selma would provide the workers and other materials needed for trash collection and proper disposal.

We say, thank you to our Ward 2 Councilwoman, Susan Youngblood, for her consistent encouragement, support and follow-through as we voiced our concerns, submitted requests and received the desired city hall assistance.

A special thank you to Ward 3 Councilwoman Miah Jackson, members of her family and the Ward 3 constituents who, without a personal invitation, came out, brought trash grabber tools, joined in and helped us to get the job done. That is the true spirit of community. Kudos to city hall and Mr. Sean Vandiver for responding to our request to have overhanging tree limbs trimmed in advance of the clean-up. Kudos to the men of the Public Works Department for making it happen and for picking up the filled trash bags and tree branches immediately following our clean-up.

We, the Lincoln Place Neighborhood Association, are vested in our community and committed to maintaining the safety and well-being of our families and neighbors and the integrity of our homes. We shall continue our day-to-day litter checks and pick-up patrols, leading by example as we demonstrate civic pride, good land stewardship, and a respect for nature conservation. We recognize that we are all imperfect people living in an imperfect world. We are first to admit that there is bad in the best of us, good in the worst of us and room for improvement in all of us.

Carolyn V. Pickett
Selma