The Mediocre American Clean Up

Tucker’s “Great” American Clean Up last weekend was a bitter sweet experience. As organizer, I was so very impressed with , yet I couldn’t help but be disappointed in the number of attendees. The 50 or so folks who showed up last Saturday made a huge difference at the three clean-up locations around downtown Tucker. The Trees of Tucker pathway around the Rec Center looks fantastic, and the Tucker Nature Preserve's front entrance and clustered trees have been given a gorgeous new facelift.

If we had the expect 100 people we had planned for, we could have finished the job. There’s still work to be done because not enough people showed up.  I wonder if the reason so few showed wasn’t just busy schedules or aching backs, but the philosophy of “someone Else will do it.” You know, that someone Else who lives over there by that place next to that thing. You know, that guy.

Personally, I’m still trying to figure out who exactly this “Else” person is and where can I find him or her to help with our monthly Tucker Civic Give-an-Hour cleanups.

Ya wanna know who this Else person is? It’s you, that’s who.

Really, we humans just need to be better humans. It ain’t that hard. One kind act at a time, one sweet gesture a day, will help humanity at large and may just turn your crappy day around.

I worry we don’t explain, no, better yet show our children that doing something good for someone else feels, well, good. Many kids know how it feels to pick on their little sister or bully the neighborhood weakling, but have you showed them how it feels to give to others? Have they personally felt the feeling of satisfaction after a hard day’s work volunteering at their neighborhood park clean up or at the Atlanta Food Bank?

It’s our responsibility to not only empower ourselves, but to empower our children. Lead by example and your children will follow right behind you like the sweet little ducklings they are. Some modern-day philosophers (and many every day bloggers) consider the lack of ownership and accountability one of the great downfalls of our culture, but that doesn’t have to be the case here in Tucker. As the “Home of the Tigers” for the past 98 years, we need to live our Tucker Tiger brand, put our pride aside, and own the hard work it’s going to take to improve our sweet home town.

The moral of this story, you CAN make a difference in your community. And you can to, and so can you over there. And you and you and most especially, undeniably, YOU.

By stepping up, you’ll not only improve your serotonin levels but you’ll make a difference in your neighborhood, your town. We love Tucker, right? That’s why we live here, but if we keep waiting on our friend Else to show up, nothing will change. Hate to tell ya, but you are Else, so welcome aboard.

So, a great big Thank You to the folks who participated in the Great American Clean Up last weekend and I hope to see YOU and your friend Else at the next Tucker Civic Give-An-Hour at Fitzgerald Field at 4877 Lawrenceville Hwy, on Saturday, May 14 at 10 a.m.

For more information email me at parks@tuckercivic.org. You can also learn more about the Tucker Civic Association’s Give-An-Hour program in the Tucker Times, Up Close and Personal, and online.