Where Is Everybody?

The Mattoon Street Historic Preservation Association, which operates in my neighborhood, has recently decided to focus some attention on the little "park" in front of the Iglesia Renovacion. It was decided that the cherry trees should be pruned, mulch laid down, and some flowers planted. One interested member of the association called for volunteers, and several people replied that they would be interested in helping out.

The cherry trees were pruned professionally, and they look pretty good. The MSHPA decided that everything else could be done by the members themselves. A few impatiens appeared in one of the planting beds two or three weeks ago.

Ken Askew, who's not a member of the organization, but who can see the little park from his front door, offered to deliver the mulch. He's a contractor with a big pickup truck. He not only delivered two loads, but prepped the beds somewhat, spading up the soil and weeding. Today he was trimming shrubs and picking up debris. Deb Ahlstrom, whose property abuts the park, has been spreading the mulch and picking up the mess.

I haven't seen anybody else pitching in, despite the supposed flurry of interest. The mulch that Ken and Debbie didn't get to remains in a pile, and the piles of trimmings and trash are just sitting there. Plenty of weeding and picking up remains.

So where is everybody?