Akron, Ohio – The Goodyear Heights Community Development Corp. (CDC) is calling on neighborhood volunteers to sign up for its inaugural Shine Up Your Block program. Applications are open until Friday, Oct. 9, and the nonprofit will select one block for a day of collective improvements, including trash pickup, yard cleaning and modest repairs.
Community‑focused effort
Fred Strelbicki, board president of the CDC, says the event is as much about fostering neighborly connections as it is about physical beautification. “When anybody thinks of a nice neighborhood, they think of kept yards, trash being picked up and things just being clean,” Strelbicki explained. “It doesn’t need to be perfectly spotless, but we’re all doing it together. Neighbors are coming out, they’re interacting, and they’re getting to know each other.”
Faith‑based roots
The program’s name, Project Shine, draws from a faith‑based home‑improvement initiative previously led by the Residents Improving Goodyear Heights Together (R.I.G.H.T.) committee. While this is the CDC’s first year coordinating the event, the organization has a track record of hosting community‑building activities since its founding in 2024.
Scope of work
Unlike earlier, more ambitious projects, this year’s focus is on less‑intensive tasks that match the skill set of available volunteers. Yard and trash clean‑up, simple repairs and basic landscaping are on the agenda. More specialized work, such as repairing wooden porch steps, will be considered if a volunteer with the appropriate trade—carpentry, drywall, etc.—is present.
“We’ve got to gather materials and match up to the skill sets of the base of volunteers we have coming through the door,” Strelbicki said. “If somebody’s asking for their wooden front porch steps to be repaired and we have a volunteer with carpenter skills, great. But if it’s something else, like we’ve got a drywaller, I don’t know if it’s the same conversation.”
Long‑term vision
Strelbicki hopes the day‑long event will become a recurring tradition that showcases residents’ love for their neighborhood. “I just hope that from the time we start to the end of the day, you notice a difference,” he said. “The best way to say that is, in Goodyear Heights, our emphasis is that we are ‘for the good.’ We want to leave it better than it was.”
How to apply
Interested households should submit a brief application outlining the block they wish to improve and any specific needs they anticipate. Applications can be mailed to the CDC office or submitted online via the organization’s website. The selection committee will review submissions and announce the chosen block by the end of the week following the deadline.
Local journalists Jessica Rice and Etta Thompson first reported the program at the Sept. 15 Ward 10 council meeting, highlighting the CDC’s commitment to strengthening community bonds through hands‑on service.
Get involved
Residents who wish to volunteer on the day of the event are encouraged to register early, as the CDC will coordinate tools, supplies and safety guidelines. Whether you bring a rake, a pair of gloves or a skill set, your participation helps keep Goodyear Heights a welcoming, well‑maintained place for families and future generations.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
