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Achievers scrub walls for 10 senior citizens
Youths show respect and demonstrate responsibility says founder Vernon Smith.
By Lisa DeNeal Correspondent Post Tribune
Photo by Larry A. Bretts/Post-Tribune
State Rep. Vernon G. Smith lends
a helping hand Friday morning to youths
in the African American Achievers Youth Corps
who helped senior citizens at the Al Thomas Senior Citizen
High Rise complex at 100 W. 11th Ave., Gary
GARY- John Tucker got a belated birthday present Friday morning when 10 members of the African American Youth Corps came to clean his third-floor apartment at the Al Thomas Senior Citizen Building at 100 W. 11th Ave.
"I turned 92 Wednesday," Tucker said as he watched boys and state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, group founder, mop his kitchen, vacuum and scrub his walls.
"This is just wonderful and thoughtful of them, because I can't do much. My hands are crippled and I can hardly see and I usually pay a woman to come and clean for me," Tucker continued.
The apartment cleanups were free, courtesy of Smith and the African American Achievers, who put on gloves, grabbed mops and buckets and tackled six apartments in the senior citizen building.
Smith said he released information about the cleanup to the building and asked people wanting apartments clean to sign a form. This is the fourth year the Achievers offered cleaning services to senior homes.
"Jesus Christ suffered for us on Good Friday and although we won't exceed the definition of what he did, this shows the boys we need to suffer a little for other people." said Smith. "This teaches the boys to give back and have responsibility and respect for others."
Kenneth Allen, 14, vacuumed Tucker's living room carpet. This is his second time participating in the cleanup. "It feels really great. I like helping people out because it's the right thing to do," Kenneth said.
Moses Vincent, 82, got his seventh-floor apartment cleaned by Smith and Pierre Barn, 14. "When they came to my door and told me what they were going to do, I asked them how much they charging," said Vincent with a laugh. "It's all right with me."
Fifth floor resident Idella Haywood, 75, said she had fun with the kids who cleaned the bottom of her shower stall and scrubbed caked-on grease of the walls of her kitchen.
"They did such a great job with the walls-they were covered with grease above the stove" she said. "I was happy to see them clean it up. We talked and laughed a lot."
Earnest Harris, 14, said doing for others is important. "Down the road, we are going to need someone to help us," he said.