Betty Jo- From Empty City Lot to Community Gathering Grounds
Betty Jo, a much-loved community leader and the visionary behind “Light up the Park,” which was a new Rally CLE project last year, eagerly watched as the welcome tent was propped up, bouncy houses were inflated and hot dogs were placed on the smoky grill. This year was Betty Jo’s second year as a Rally CLE grant participant and she was 2/2 for sunny skies to host an outdoor event at Storer Park - a typically unused green space in her neighborhood.
Volunteers from City Church Heights, City Church Near West and Cove City Church partnered with Betty Jo to set-up the park for fun, be a loving presence throughout the day and clean up when the event was over. Whether volunteers passed out flyers, painted butterflies on children’s faces, or joined in on a game of kickball, God’s people came together to serve the neighborhood in a tangible way.
“I loved seeing the kids' faces and talking to different neighbors that stopped by the park about their experience. Some people told me they had nowhere to go that day and they were thankful for the invitation. They said that the attention we gave to that park brought them hope for a day where we can have a permanent park in the space to gather often,” says Betty Jo.
Betty Jo is not done dreaming! With the momentum from two years of Rally CLE projects and city leaders behind her mission, she’s ready to create a park council committee, consisting of various community members that will present future plans to city council for a permanent park.
“It’s a piece of land and space that currently has no lights and no name. It’s like nobody cares about it. The only way it comes alive is when you have an event there, and I want to cast a vision for what this park could look like one day,” says Betty Jo. Maybe 2023 will be the year God makes it happen!
We are thankful for resident leaders like Betty Jo, who sow seeds of hope, vision and restoration in her neighborhood, and we look forward with expectation at all that God will do!