Volunteers create beauty downtown
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on April 26, 2015 1:50 AM
Full Size
News-Argus/ETHAN SMITH
Volunteers Kaia Teachey, Traycee Williams and Sharmane Powell drill a canvas into the alleyway beside the Arts Council of Wayne County.
Nearly 30 volunteers flocked to downtown alleyways and parking lots Saturday to participate in the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp.'s Community Action Day.
Beginning at 9 a.m., volunteers set out to to clean and to beautify the alleyway beside the Arts Council of Wayne County, the parking lot behind Ed's Southern Food and Spirits and the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base commemorative wings at the intersection of Center and Ash streets.
In the alleyway, volunteers painted and hung inspirational quotes on the brick walls under newly hung string lights and placed flowers in wall-mounted planters.
"I think people will love it, and I think it's a great project," said Sarah Merritt, executive director of the Arts Council. "I've always thought it was really cool when you come across an unexpected space that's been transformed in a downtown area. So we were really excited when DGDC told us they wanted to use our alley for this project. I think it'll be a cool space that we'll use a lot."
Elizabeth Rutland, DGDC's business and property development specialist, said this is the third year the organization has held a Community Action Day. The event is bi-annual, taking place in April and October ever since 2013. Mrs. Rutland said the organization paired with volunteers in previous years to beautify the downtown post office and Mid-Towne Mall on Ash Street.
"We're trying to move it around to different areas downtown so everybody benefits from what we're doing," she said.
The commemorative wings at the traffic circle on Ash Street were going to be painted, Mrs. Rutland said, but had to wait for a fresh top coat due to rain.
In the parking lot behind Ed's Southern Food and Spirits, more than a dozen volunteers planted flowers, packed down mulch and swept the lot clean throughout the morning.
"With Ed's opening, people have started using that parking lot a lot more," Mrs. Rutland said.
Tricia Haigler, with Tehillah Church Ministries, was among the volunteers working behind Ed's Southern Food and Spirits.
"Instead of just always finding something wrong in the community, we like to take action to make a positive change," Mrs. Haigler said.
"Even though Goldsboro has attracted attention for some negative things recently, there are beautiful people here and it's a beautiful place. We can always do something to better our surroundings."