Betty Jo
Meet Betty Jo, resident leader and visionary for the “Light Up the Park” project during Rally CLE 2021, our third-annual event to invest in the people and communities of Clark-Fulton and Stockyards (CFSY).
Betty Jo has passion, a strong faith in Jesus and the hustle needed to make a difference. What gives her this drive is using her voice to enhance her neighbors’ lives.
“You might not think you can do something with your voice, but when you have others use their voices with you, then you can do anything,” shares Betty Jo about Rally CLE. This unique event, which took place this year on September 11, combines churches and resident leaders like Betty Jo to positively impact the community.
Located at 3397 W. 67th Street, there is a “park” that is more like an empty lot because it is nameless, has no lights and is not even recognized by Google as a green space. Betty Jo has lived next to the neglected park for the past three years and sees its great potential.
Neighbor and friend, DaQuavian, who attends nearby City Church West Side, joined Betty Jo’s passion for this park and helped her gain supporters around the “Light Up the Park” project. Soon, another neighbor and friend, Angel, joined their efforts along with both City Church West Side and City Church Heights as sponsors. Their combined voices helped spread the word about gathering neighbors at the park during Rally CLE.
When the big day was finally here, hundreds of people showed up at the “Light the Park” project to enjoy food, games and so much more. “It brought people together who might’ve never met each other,” shares Betty Jo with a smile. “People passing by ended up coming to the park. It was fun for the kids and adults too!”
This day was just a taste of the dreams Betty Jo and her community of friends share for this space, where they see it full of kids playing, senior citizens gathering and relationships being built. Since Rally CLE, the 30-year-old rusted, dangerous play equipment has been removed from the park, which is a step in the right direction.
Betty Jo believes this park can be something, and we do too! Will you join us in prayer for this neglected park and share her story so Betty Jo’s voice can be heard through you?