WARREN Group to conduct north-end cleanup

The third neighborhood cleanup is set for Saturday.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Members of a citizens group focused on cleaning up the city's north end think their efforts are making a difference.
North End Environmental Development, which formed in March 2002, will conduct its third neighborhood cleanup from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Participants will meet at St. Joseph Church.
"We'll be cutting grass for elderly people or anyone who needs their grass cut and can't get to it," said Leslie Dunlap, group secretary. "And we'll be cleaning up garbage."
The effort actually starts Friday when pupils will spruce things up around Roosevelt Elementary and Turner Middle schools.
NEED is made up of about 20 north-end residents who were concerned about the safety and condition of their neighborhood.
Started by the Rev. Frederick E. Trucksis of St. Joseph Church, the group meets weekly to address concerns, but they've made other strides, too.
Last summer, the group started a community garden on a vacant city-owned lot at the end of North Street.
"We're going to have arts and crafts for children and adults, starting in August," Dunlap said.
Meeting scheduled
A joint meeting of NEED and Warren Safe Streets in Neighborhoods, of which Dunlap also is a member, is set for 5:30 p.m. May 21 in the church.
"We hope to inform them of what we've been doing and help them along since we've been together for more than a year now," she said.
Warren Safe Streets in Neighborhoods formed earlier this year to address neighborhood concerns and quality-of-life issues throughout the city.
Father Trucksis said students at Turner Middle School are painting trash barrels that will be placed on corners to discourage littering.
He also has seen subtle changes in the neighborhood since the group's formation.
"It seems to be that things are staying better," he said. 'We clean up and do different things and they stay that way."
Dunlap said there are still some vacant houses that NEED hopes to address before they become more dilapidated, but she's happy with the progress so far.
"A think everyone is a little bit more alert now," she said.
Father Trucksis agreed that pockets of the neighborhood still need attention, but vandalism that affected the area around the church seems to have stopped.
"There's been movement and little clues that we see that it's catching on," he said. "There's still a lot of work to do."
dick@vindy.com