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With a few trash bags and a lot of heart, Elaine Fera has developed a full-proof formula to keep her block spick-and-span.
Through 20 years of block captain experience, she has enticed the nearly 50 families on her 2400 block of South 21st Street to occasionally pitch in for the beautification of the neighborhood.
From spring to fall, Fera distributes flyers for "Clean Your Block Days," which awakens the avid cleaner in her fellow neighbors.
"They’re out there with their hoses and they’re cleaning up their street and their bagging up their brown bags and they put them on the corner," she said.
Over the years, Fera has found cleanliness on the block can trigger a chain reaction – one tidy street can lead to thriving neighborhoods, something the Girard Estate resident has witnessed firsthand.
"People are coming back to the city," she said. "It’s a big hotspot right now. Neighborhoods you wouldn’t think would be around are blooming all of a sudden."
As the area flourishes, Fera plans to keep her street clean for future generations, especially now that her daughter Victoria serves as a junior block captain.
Aware of their efforts, the city will thank them this Saturday at a block captain rally at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee, a division of the Streets Department Sanitation Division that coordinates the city’s 6,300 registered block captains, will host the free event.
"Year-round, we have people concerned about their community," said Clarena Tolson, Streets Department commissioner. "We think those block captains and their blocks should be recognized for their efforts."
STARTED IN 1945, the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee has spurred more than just beautification efforts throughout the city. It disseminates information about youth mentorship, elder care and tutoring programs to block captains, Tolson said.
The committee scheduled nearly 10,000 cleanups and enlisted the support of 90,000 volunteers last year. It also has a clean block contest, something Fera would like to win.
While it is not a yearly occurrence, the rally has taken place before, Tolson said, adding blocks with captains are typically cleaner, safer and have higher property values.
"When you can gather over 100 like-minded individuals who are interested in making the community better, the energy in that room is just spectacular," she said.
Besides the celebration – which features a drill team to boost excitement – the event, beginning at 10 a.m., will include nine informational workshops to prepare block captains for the upcoming cleaning season. The city’s Fire Department, for example, will discuss fire safety, while Home Depot representatives will explain house and community improvement opportunities. Rounding out the itinerary is the announcement of the Community Spirit Award winner for "a block that has tackled a task that has affected their community in a special and unique way," Tolson said.
Fera, who attended the event last year, is excited that the city’s block captains will come together this weekend.
"There’s a lot of fun things that people can get out of that particular day and the city goes all out because they want the neighborhoods to stay strong," said Fera, also secretary for Girard Estate Area Residents.
Youth block captains graduating from high school this year also will receive special recognition at the celebration.
Fera’s daughter, a senior at Girard Academic Music Program, 22nd and Ritner streets, is currently participating in her own efforts to keep the community clean. As part of the school’s mandatory community service project, GAMP agreed to let Victoria and others participate in cleanups around the school.
"I see more happy faces on the neighbors instead of complaining about our kids," Fera said. "It’s so gratifying."
Fera isn’t alone in her enthusiasm for the city’s beautification. Elijah Mason plays his part as he oversees seven block captains at the Whitman Park development. Following Saturday’s event, he plans to return with valuable information for those in the 120 residences of his community.
Mason, who attended last year’s rally, uses the opportunity to network and "find out what others are doing" and "share information that can be helpful to others."
As a block captain, he enjoys the cultural diversity of his neighborhood and their ability to come together for a common purpose. Mason tries to exemplify this to his three junior captains.
"They’ll learn at a young age what we’re trying to [protect] out here, how to keep the community clean, how to connect with others," he said.
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For more information on becoming a block captain, call the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee at 215-685-3981.
