Bettie Hayes, President of the Bartlett Park Neighborhood Association has been busy with the Feet With Prayer daily walkers. This exercise walk includes litter pickup, outreach to residents and reporting of problems like trash dumping. Association Treasurer Rutha Mae Gavin, super volunteer Addie Williams, and members Evelyn Wooten, , Ruby Turner and Betty Cannady have been part of this. Many of them also visit Pinellas County Jail inmates on Sundays to offer prayer and encouragement.
The Times recognized our members contributions with an editorial Goodwill Forever in Season.
The women, who range in age from 60 to 83, live in Bartlett Park in St. Petersburg, a neighborhood that has struggled with blight, drug sales and violence. Given that environment, they could have been excused for remaining closeted in the safe cocoons of their homes.
But the women started walking every morning to improve their health. And as they walked, they saw up close all the trash that littered Bartlett Park. So they brought along bags every day and collected trash. They did it for the neighborhood. Soon the streets were looking better, and people started to notice.
The women, who dubbed their group "Feet With Prayer," said they are praying that their efforts will encourage other Bartlett Park residents to pick up and clean up. They believe that will give them more pride in their homes and neighborhood and help bring the community back from the brink. It has worked in other places; it can work in Bartlett Park.
Now the women are going beyond just picking up trash. They also have started lobbying the city to inspect vacant properties for code violations and do something about garbage truck crews that let litter escape when they empty trash bins in the alleys. The women have adopted the hymn, May the Work I've Done Speak for Me, as their anthem.
And with an earlier story with photos.
Your neighbors thank you.
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