At nights, Floyd Spencer can hear a cricket chirping in the 2400 block of Sunnyhill Drive in the Fay Apartments. He said it wasn't that way four years ago, when the street was strewn with garbage, and only sparse grass grew on the lawns.

        Mr. Spencer, a self-employed painter, decided to do something about the condition of the street.

        He started a clean-up, paint-up, grass-up campaign with the help of a few kids in the neighborhood.

        “I spent about $3,000 of my own money, buying grass seed and fertilizer,” he said. “The place looked pitiful. On this street there was several shootings. I decided we didn't have to live like that.”

        As Mr. Spencer, 66, cleared out debris and put trash in bags, a few neighbors joined in. He began to plant flowers at each apartment, some in flower boxes and some in beds.

        His idea was to make Fay Apartments look like upscale housing. He doesn't like the idea of a ghetto or a project.

        “It isn't where you live, it is how you live that matters,” he said. “I am trying to inspire young people to develop some pride in where you live and take some responsibility to help keep the place up.”

        As he walks down Sunnyhill Drive, that pride is evident as he points to geraniums, ferns, petunias, mums and sweet potato vines. He casts his eyes across well-kept lawns with healthy grass.

        “Look closely,” he said. “You don't see any glass, paper or any kind of trash on the ground. This is what I call restoring value to our community and our people.”

        His goal is to see an example of Sunnyhill Drive spread throughout the 80-acre complex with 900 units. Mr. Spencer's work has caught the eye of property manager Jerry Bowen.

        “He is super,” Mr. Bowen said. “I wish I had 20 like him. This is exactly what we need. I can manage the property, but it really belongs to the residents. It is their community.”

        LaSalle High School students started delivering canned goods Thursday that they collected in their Truck for Love project, which started Nov. 1.

        Three pickup trucks delivered canned goods to St. Vincent de Paul Societies in Oxford, at St. Ann Parish, 2940 Galbraith Road, Groesbeck, and the Haven House in Hamilton.

        The trucks rolled up in front of the Little Sisters of the Poor, 476 Riddle Road, University Heights, between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Friday, where they delivered a bundle of canned goods.

        Jim Hautman, director of student activities, said the collections were up to 40,000 cans as of Thursday.

        The students went door-to-door collecting the canned goods to feed the poor. On Nov. 9, at the suggestion of Matt Brinker, student body president, the students donated their lunch money to the project — about $700 total.

        “It was kind of interesting to have a day of fasting and see what it is like to go hungry,” said Andy Ruberg, a senior.

        La Salle is an all-male, Catholic, college preparatory high school of 887 students. It is at 3091 North Bend Road, Monfort Heights.

        About 100 horse owners, their families and friends raised $8,000 for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund during a “Horsemen for Heroes” event at Steppin' Hi Stables in Walton, Ky., last week.

        They rode through wooded, creekside terrain and returned for barbecue and bean soup. Gifts and certificates, donated by individuals and companies, were auctioned.

        Melissa Jaquay of Hebron won the grand prize, the David Stocklein Equine Series, titled, “Running In Snow.”

        Seven students in the Oak Hills High School art program are participating in Selections 2001, the 10th biennial exhibit at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Studio San Giuseppe, 5701 Delhi Road, through Dec. 9.

        Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday; 1:30-4:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.

        Allen Howard's “Some Good News” column runs Monday-Friday and Sundays. If you have suggestions about outstanding achievements, or people who are committing random acts of kindness that are uplifting to the Tristate, let him know at (513) 768-8362; at ahoward@enquirer.com; or by fax at (513) 768-8340.
       

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