TEMPLE, Texas — The City of Temple needs all hands on deck with the launch of their Good Neighbor Program. The city is seeking volunteers who are willing and able to help Temple’s elderly and disabled residents with regular lawn care needs and other minor home improvement projects.
Temple resident and senior Ruth Beverly says this is a needed service for aging home owners.
"We're finding, even though we bought into a small property, it's still a handful," Beverly said. "There are things that go wrong. I mean, we don't see much of the helping grandma across the street thing anymore, but I think it's a really good thing for the community; for the whole community."
Beverly's husband is almost 80 and can barely manage to mow their lawn.
"My husband had a back injury where he actually broke a vertebrae and had to wear a brace for four months or six months," Beverly said. "It's really hard."
Another senior neighbor has stopped keeping with her yard after a tragedy, according to Beverly.
"Right across the street from us, we know our neighbor lost her husband," Beverly said. "Now I see her lawn is not getting mowed."
The best part of the service - volunteers can use lawn care equipment available through the Transform Temple Tool Library at no charge. Those interested must be a Temple resident, at least 18 and have a library card.
"They can get it and use it for free versus going to Home Depot or Lowe's or any hardware store and paying sometimes hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for these tools," Allison O'Connor, Public Relations Specialist for the City of Temple, said.
The work provided is endless with services ranging from lawn care, yard work, painting and minor carpentry work.
"We're here to help you," O'Connor said. "We don't want you doing these tasks on your own and potentially causing more of a problem for yourself.
All volunteers and beneficiaries must fill out the Good Neighbor Program form and consent to a background check.
Forms are already being accepted and go through Oct. 31.
Volunteer services will not begin until April 1.
"You're going to get a blessing, but you're giving a blessing at the same time to have people help you," Beverly said. "It's a good thing for the people doing it. It works for both ends."
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