WATERBURY — Volunteers from the city and across Connecticut worked Saturday to repair and clean several homeowners' properties in four Brass City neighborhoods.
About 300 volunteers participated in the first Citywide Front Porch Day, organizers said. They repaired front stoops, removed weeds, picked up trash and more for pre-selected homeowners in the Crownbrook, Upper Fulton Park and Historic Hillside neighborhoods, as well as beautified streets in the area of the WOW/NRZ Learning Center.
Gray skies opened to a few rain drops earlier Saturday as the volunteers, wearing red T-shirts touting the event in black letters, performed the work. The event culminated with a block party and closing ceremony on Burton Street.
The Greater Waterbury Board of Realtors, the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Waterbury and the Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury joined with the Waterbury Neighborhood Council and city officials to host the cleanup.
It pulled in volunteers from many organizations including the Waterbury Police Activity League, the CT Property Owners Alliance and the Greater Hartford Church of Christ in New Britain.
Sharon Hallock, executive director of the Greater Waterbury Board of Realtors and the event's administrative coordinator, said once activity from this event settles, she will begin working on making this a foundation so efforts are ongoing. Next year's event is scheduled for June 8.
This was all volunteer, with supplies and food paid for by a $5,000 grant from the National Association of Realtors and a $200 donation from The Home Depot, Hallock said.
It's designed to be easy to go anywhere, from residential to urban, and next year's goal is to make it citywide, she said. Hallock said the homeowners selected this year had to have a financial or physical hardship.
The event also wants to strengthen neighborhood associations, to build community in neighborhoods and to bring back pride in the neighborhoods, she said.
Two sawhorses kept city traffic from entering Burton Street at North Main Street during the event. Weed trimmers buzzed, and freshly-cut weeds perfumed the air. In the Crownbrook neighborhood, people helped homeowners at 73 Burton St., 24 and 26 Elizabeth St. and 38-42 Summer St., organizers said.
In Upper Fulton Park, they tackled 168 Citizens Ave., and in Hillside, volunteers worked at 180 Prospect St.
Around the WOW/NRZ Learning Center, the Waterbury Police Explorers and Sacred Heart High School students beatified the streets in that area.
Hallock said work is set for 84 Linwood St. in Upper Fulton Park, which will be done as "A Brush with Kindness" project by Habitat for Humanity.
Lorraine Beamon, 87, and her sister Bernice Jackson, 95, who owns 73 Burton St., sat under a tent stationed on Burton, watching the bustling workers. Beamon, who lives with her sister and is her caretaker, said the work is a "miracle," and wishes this type of work will spread throughout the world.
"It's such a blessing," Beamon said. "I feel blessed. I know I'm blessed."
Work at Jackson's home included replacing a chain-link fence and painting mailboxes. On Saturday, Jackson learned that she will receive much more.
Mayor Neil M. O'Leary said Jackson's home is going to be sided, not painted.
"There's just too much," O'Leary said. "It's just an impossible task to paint it."
The work will be done by professional companies and young volunteers in the next couple of weeks, he said. Money left from his inaugural picnic will be used for materials and labor, O'Leary said. He estimated the project to cost $5,000.
Luis Quinche, who served as team captain at 180 Prospect St., said about nine volunteers helped homeowner Maxine Watts at her Greek Revival home.
They were to replace the front porch flooring, paint it and perform landscaping.
"We're just neighbors helping neighbors," Quinche said.
Watts, who has lived in the 1850-circa home since 1983, said, "I am really grateful for all the help they're giving me."
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