2 New Jersey Women Give Declining Neighborhood a Makeover
The declining community of Brittany Woods in Gloucester Township, New Jersey will soon have a new face, thanks to Shirley Johnson and Carolyn Grace.
The two women, who serve as the leaders of a group of volunteers, once again organized the annual clean-up day in their community for the second time in a row.
The group that was armed with rakes, trash bags, as well as some spray paint will try to change the look of the neighborhood where almost 10 percent of its 388 homes were vacated and left uninhabited three years ago.
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According to the township mayor David Mayer said in an interview with CBS News that Johnson and Grace's group called the Brittany Woods Community Action Group is trying to revive used to be one of the best spots in Gloucester during its prime. "But through the 80s, what happened was a lot of absentee landlords came in and bought property here. So the neighborhood kind of went through a decline," Mayer stated.
In January, the two women explained to Philadelphia Inquirer why they wanted to bring the glory back to Brittany Woods. According to Grace, the community has a family-oriented vibe and her kids had a good educational foundation from the township. "The kids here need to realize they're living in a good community, and that there are opportunities for them," she stated.
Johnson, on the other hand, believes that the community is fabulous, and everyone used to know each other.
She also told CBS News that her roots came from the community, and she never thought of leaving even if some things went awry in the recent times.
Despite the ongoing success of their project, the ladies also give credit to the township's mayor for helping them reach their goals in cleaning up Brittany Woods for the current and future residents of the community.
