EAST ST LOUIS ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT

[ Update ]

Outreach Weekend Report

September 27-28, 2002

Contents:

Summary

by Justin Placek, ESLARP Outreach Weekend Assistant

On the weekend of Sept. 27th the ESLARP team again headed down to East. St. Louis to engage in some rigorous projects. The team of 65 people, included students, staff, and volunteers who worked side by side with residents in order to complete 5 projects. With the hardwork and dedication of the team we were able to cleanup the tennis courts in Lincoln Park, a lot on 10th and tudor was cleared, a house at 2035 Trendly Ave. was fixed-up and cleaned, Illinois Ave. Playground was cleaned and mowed, and the basement of Bride of Christ Church was painted. The weekend was a total success and ESLARP would like to thank all of the people who joined with us on our Sept. Outreach weekend.

Lincoln Park Tennis Courts

Yoon Park's group of volunteers worked tirelessly removing glass, debris and grass from the park's tennis courts. The group, who worked Friday and Saturday, was able to clean up the courts and a monument in the park.

Before

After


Tudor Avenue Cleanup

Approximately 24 volunteers from UP 260 went to work removing brush, trees and debris from this almost 2-block area in the South End. Bruce Wicks, Leisure Studies, and Mike Andrejasich, Architecture, headed up the crew that accomplished much more than expected. Upon arrival, the volunteers found dense brush, garbage and lots of bees! They didn't let that detour them from clearing this large lot. Gary Kesler's group joined in on Saturday and after two days of cutting, raking, scooping and lots of hard work, almost no brush remained. A small group will return next Outreach Weekend to level the ground and remove a little more debris.

Before

After

Trendley Avenue Lot Cleanup

It took only a small group of UP260 students to re-invent the front of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis' home near the railroad tracks on Trindley Avenue in the South End neighborhood. Initially, their task was to mow down unwanted weeds and remove debris from around the residence of an elderly couple. On Friday, Jassen Johnson, ESLARP alum, worked with volunteers to clear a makeshift storage shed from the side of the house, mow most of the weeds, remove the remnants of an old fence and design a new one. Mike Andrejasich took over on Saturday to finish clearing the site and install the new lattice fence.

Before

After

Illinois Avenue Playground

A group of volunteers from Arch 373 mowed, cleaned and painted tires at the Illinois Avenue Playground in Alta Sita Friday. Kasey Kluxdal and Tebobo Schults headed up the effort. We hauled away many bags of debris and the park looked great!

Before

After

Painting Bride of Christ Church

Gary Kesler, ESLARP Director, took his group to the Bride of Christ Church in the Alta Sita neighborhood to paint the interior of the church. Gary and four volunteers spent Friday painting walls that had been recently plastered.

More photos from the weekend.

Document author(s) : Vicki Eddings, ESLARP Administrative Coordinator
Last modified: 22 October 2002, Deanna Koenigs
EAST ST LOUIS ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT