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del.icio.usHomeless men help neighborhood cleanup
BY TIM POTTER
The Wichita Eagle
On one level, the cleanup Saturday in Matlock Heights was about helping residents save money and about helping a neighborhood stay blight-free.
On another level, it was about helping troubled men find their self-worth.
Residents from 21st Street to 27th Street North and from Grove to Estelle brought out bulky trash for several homeless men from Union Rescue Mission who loaded debris onto disposal trucks.
"It gives you a strength and a hope" to help the residents, said Charles, a 42-year-old homeless man from the Rescue Mission.
"I have a substance abuse problem, and I want to get my family back," said Charles, his muscular arms covered in faded tattoos.
Another one of the men, Omer, said he came to Wichita from New Mexico. "As I looked for jobs, my habits followed," he said. "I knew I needed to make a change. I needed more foundation and structure."
Many of the Rescue Mission men have substance abuse problems, and giving back is part of their recovery, said Scott Walls, a Rescue Mission director.
The Eagle agreed not to use the men's full names because of their substance abuse histories.
The annual project also helps bind the neighborhood, said Romona Henry, president of Matlock Heights Neighborhood Association.
People volunteer to help with the cleanup.
Henry hopes that a second phase of the cleanup will occur this summer in the rest of Matlock Heights, from Estelle to Hillside and 21st to 27th North.
Community policing Officer Paul Kimble, who coordinated the project, said the cleanup collected dozens and dozens of tires for recycling.
The project allows residents to get rid of tons of useless building materials, worn-out furniture and heaps of brush, without having to pay disposal fees.
The city of Wichita provided equipment and covered disposal costs.
Edna Trent set out downed tree limbs she had been collecting from her yard.
"I look forward to this every year," Trent said.
"You can see the neighborhood look better."
Reach Tim Potter at 316-268-6684or tpotter@wichitaeagle.com.
