Habitat for Humanity, Lowes and TAP join forces for community upgrade
by S. Rotan Hale
Representatives from Habitat for Humanity, Lowes Home Improvement and TAP gathered Thursday morning March 23 for a media kick-off to a group revitalization project involving Price Memorial AME Zion Church.
The event was to announce the construction of a new handicap ramp at the church.
Located at the West corner of 15th St. and Moorman Rd., the church is adjacent to Melrose Park Northwest where the press conference was held.
Church pastor Rev. Alonzo Smith, surrounded by several members of his congregation expressed nothing but words of praise and gratitude for the group’s mission to upgrade facilities the church has been in dire need of for years.
“In the 4 years I’ve been pastor, one of my main concerns was church access by those who couldn’t get up the front steps,” said Rev. Smith. “This ramp is not just for our members who continue to support the church but for visitors and the entire community.”
Due to AME routine pastor rotation policy, Smith, who hails from Baltimore, MD, was assigned to Roanoke and has headed the small church for almost 5 years.
He has been quite vocal and actively involved with the NAACP. Rev.Smith has also engaged in many local issues that have violated the civil rights of the valley’s citizens.
One most instrumental in securing the project’s grant was Habitat’s development director, Jenny Lee who along with Karen Mason, the organization’s executive director, both made the project a reality from a grant through Lowes Home Improvement.
In her opening remarks Lee said though she secured the grant, the project was actually Mason’s vision and thanked her for “her efforts in leading Habitat through it all.”
Her closing remarks humbly centered around her gratitude for the church’s willingness to partner with Habitat.
“This partnership and the project is so beneficial to the church and it’s all about building strong communities,” said Mayor Sherman Lea, Sr., – one of the many who braved the cold to be a part of the momentous occasion.
“It’s a great example of what can happen when we come together and work together to the benefit of all the valley’s citizens,” added Mayor Lea who also expressed his gratitude for Habitat in their efforts to undertake such a project.
“Its a good day for the Melrose neighborhood,” Mayor Lea added.
Part of the revitalization efforts involved the replacement of classic etched bricks of a walkway that spans diagonally from one end of the park to the other.
After all the fanfare it was time for the army of workers to resume operation on the project that had already been underway for several days.
