In an effort to build community spirit and beautify the neighborhood, the Graduate Student Center organized a clean-up event Friday through the sponsorship of the University City District.
Covering the area between Woodland Terrace, Baltimore Avenue and 40th Street, a small group of graduate students set out to clean the garden areas for a couple of hours, preparing them for the winter months.
"People really like the idea that something like this is going on in the community," GSC Community Service Fellow Stephanie Saunders said. "It's great for the graduate student community to give back to the area."
Participants, too, were pleased with the opportunity to work for the community.
"I like working outdoors, and while I'm doing that I'll be doing something worthwhile for the community," bioethics master's student Irma Ugalde said. The clean-up "is an interesting idea, and it's really nice out today."
The participation of GSC members was part of a larger community project that also involved Woodland Terrace residents, who planned to spend the whole day cleaning the area.
This larger project is a routine event that takes place two or three times a year.
"The basic idea is that you get to develop a community sense," Woodland Terrace resident and University City Garden Club President Lauren Leatherbarrow said. "Hardly anyone can argue that beautification is a bad thing."
Leatherbarrow -- who was there with her children Sarah and Ethan -- said she uses gardening as a "safe vehicle" for community involvement, and that her mission is to plant and care for as much greenery as possible.
"I tend to plant whatever looks good and will survive," she said.
First conceived by UCD, this project organizes outreach opportunities for Penn students to collaborate with the West Philadelphia community in beautifying the neighborhood.
Funds are allocated by federally funded grants such as the Baltimore Avenue in Bloom grant, as well as organizations like the Spruce Hill Association.
UCD determines which projects are in most need of assistance and assigns them to student organizations who want to get involved in activities within the neighborhood surrounding campus.
"Different community groups are always looking to do different things to clean up and green up the neighborhood," UCD Operations Director John Fenton said. "We supply them with personnel and tools."
"We need tons of people," Leatherbarrow said. "But you need someone to tell them what to do."
