Neighbors Giving the Recession Little Respect
October 19th, 2009 by Steven Gardner
Tough times, these have been, perhaps. But just like the Facebook messages proclaiming, “You can have your recession. I want no part,” the work done in the Veneta Avenue area in Bremerton shows off a collection of recession resistors.
Last year those folks (including one of our regular commenters here on the Caucus) got a grant from the city to help beautify 10th Street. This year they wanted to spread the love to Veneta, but there was no grant money to be had. They did it anyway.
The story also throws into dispute the argument that government workers are, by and large, most skilled at watching the clock and depositing paychecks. It shows that even when the city hall can’t be an ATM, it can be a big help. Jaime Forsyth, who helped organize the event Saturday, had high praise for Bremerton public works employees.
“Anybody who complains about city workers should have seen these guys Wednesday and Thursday,” Forsyth said.
One little morning of free labor among about 40 people might not be the antidote for all our economic ills, but the fact that these residents were able to pull off Saturday’s effort without the financial help they had last year should be case law for anyone disinclined to see “one way” as “the only way.”
“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.” ~Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus), Satires
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Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
October 19th, 2009 at 5:48 am
Hey Steven, Big thanks to the Sun for covering this story. Last year was just the kick off to what we can do as a neighborhood. I was not able to be a part of the project this last weekend due to the scheduling of Nick’s pee wee football game and my husband Jason being out of town, but I heard you were asking for me. In fact I was just down the street at Carpenter Field most of the afternoon, while the work party was going on, watching his game and working the snack shack for the club.
Last year even though we received the grant money from the city a majority of us, who participated, gladly spent and contributed more of our own money for the project than the amount we received from the city. Since that first coming together last year, we organized and gathered for a large block party (held in my yard) this past July where we had upwards of 30 to 40 people from the neighborhood attend. We had several of the candidates running for office there and at least one currently elected official, who lives in the area, attend as well. The church on Veneta has hosted several neighborhood meetings over the past year. We have also already had one super fun neighborhood Bunko night and have another one coming up this weekend.
Just last night, Carlos Jara and his wife came over to my next door neighbors house and we spent a couple of hours as a group sitting outside talking a chatting about the project and what we can tackle next. We know and interact with the people in our area more frequently, we help one another and we look out for each other.
The City gave us the initial reason, funding and resources to get started last year on physical improvements to our neighborhoods. But the friendships and connections that we have with one another, as a group and the motivation we have to continue to improve our neighborhoods is something that money can not provide and that is why it is recession proof. Keep watching…we are not even close to done yet.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Colleen,
When I found out you weren’t there, I thought to myself, “I bet the boy is playing football.”
Steven Gardner
Kitsap Sun reporter
October 19th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Yep. And congrats to North Perry who beat us, Warren Avenue D-String 24 to 0. Our first loss in 14 games (a season and a half). The boy and his teammates will be extra motivated at practice this week because of it.
Speaking of neighborhood improvements, Warren Avenue Pee Wee’s worked with the Bremerton Parks Department this summer on an improvement project at Carpenter Field. The Parks Department came in with some big equipment to clear brush and move some dirt on the hillside at one end of the field. This was so the Pee Wee organization could purchase all of the materials and start building a new retaining wall. Jason and I were part of a large work party in August for this. It was one of the biggest turn outs for a work party that the organization had seen in quite a while with between 20 to 30 people there with their shovels, rakes and manpower. The wall is approximately half way completed. We will be working on it more when the weather clears up again.
I am pretty proud of the people in this section of West Bremerton. They have proven more than once that they are willing to put in their own money and time in to improvement projects wherever it is needed. And a BIG thanks to the City for helping out its citizens again with projects like these.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Jaime Forsyth, who helped organize the event Saturday, had high praise for Bremerton public works employees.
Go Jaime. She’s great…