Clean up the streets of Harrisburg

My sphere of influence in the Harrisburg area recently allowed me to discover a group that I am rather excited about. Floored about, in fact, particularly because of what they're trying to accomplish within the local community.

First, let me tell you how you can help. Then I'll tell you about the group.

Sycamore House is organizing a Trash Away Day and Neighborhood Bar-B-Q for Saturday, May 30. Allison Hill is often known as an area where some shameful individuals choose to randomly dump their garbage and unwanted possessions. The group hopes to help reverse that trend a bit by cleaning up the alleys of this neighborhood between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. that day. They will concentrate on the areas from Market Street to Regina Street, between 18th and 20th streets. Trash bags and a free lunch at noon will be made available to all who are able to attend.

The group will meet at the corner of Market and 19th streets in Harrisburg at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. A Bar-B-Q will take place around 4 p.m. at this same spot following the clean-up as an opportunity to socialize and spend some quality time with your neighbors. What a great way to make a difference -- at no cost whatsoever -- while interacting and connecting with the community. I invite you all to come out and help clean up the streets.

So what in the world is the Sycamore House? It is an intentional Christian community that calls Harrisburg home. The idea is for members of the house to help each other, their church and (perhaps most importantly) the surrounding community in any way, shape or form possible. In essence, they’re looking to make a positive difference in the lives of those less fortunate living within our own community. This is at the very essence and core of what Change 101 is all about.

The group began with its first community downtown about three years ago along Front Street in conjunction with St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral. This year a sister community erected in the Allison Hill neighborhood of Harrisburg next to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. The church allows the house members to live in the rectory rent free in return for a certain number of hours of community volunteer work each week. I love it.

If you can’t make it May 30, perhaps you’ll have some time to stop by the group’s used book sale the weekend before during Artsfest. The festival is scheduled for May 23 through May 25 along Riverfront Park in Harrisburg. The book sale will take place at 223 N. Front Street, in front of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The proceeds will benefit Sycamore House.

-JLB-