An Act of Kindness

A group of individuals and several organizations came together July 17 to perform an act of kindness for their Fostoria neighbors. It was a simple act of picking up trash along Columbus Avenue and the Jackson, Spruce and Lynn streets neighborhood – making it safer and more pleasant for the residents.

These three dozen volunteers, ages 10 to 80, came from Kiwanis Club, St Catherine’s Manor, United Way board members, Ms. Cohen’s group, Students for Change of Fostoria High School, Mrs. Berrier’s crew, Habitat board members, Getting Ahead class; Boy Scouts, Hope Lutheran Church, Nazarene Church, First Call For Help Fostoria and more.

The volunteers were supported with t-shirts, safety vests, water, grabbing sticks, gloves and refreshments made possible through a generous grant from ServeOhio (Ohio Commission on Service and Volunteerism).

Higher Ground Church and Bethel Baptist Church served as staging areas. Included in the project were large dumpsters, one at each church, that residents were encouraged to use for unwanted household items too large for regular trash pickup. D&D Hauling provided the dumpsters, WIN Waste Innovations provided free disposal service and OSS Solid Waste District provided other supplies.

Special thanks to Jason Koomen of the City who kicked off the event with a brief pep talk on the importance of keeping the neighborhoods clean and tidy.

Planning and coordinating the project were Devin Hatter and Rebekah of Fostoria Habitat for Humanity, Libra Tedrow of United Way of Fostoria and members of the Kiwanis Club of Fostoria.

Kudos to everyone involved for their caring and selfless actions. It took this group of very different people from very different backgrounds to come together to accomplish this good work. We look forward to future opportunities to help Fostorians unite for the good of the community