Wayne Rogers, who lives in West Baltimore, used his day off, April 28, to help clean up the city he loves. (Photo by Roberto Alejandro)
Signs of the looting that had occurred the night before had been largely swept away by 11 a.m., Tuesday (April 28) morning, as residents from around the city and the state of Maryland joined together to clean up the mess that had been left behind in West Baltimore.
“You have to understand, these are our neighbors,” said Dale Bucks, a retired Vietnam War veteran from Elkridge, MD who is a member of Glen Mar United Methodist Church in Ellicott City.
“Our sister church is just down the street here, Ames Memorial Church, and we came to help our friends and neighbors,” said Bucks.
Wayne Rogers, who lives in community near W. North and N. Fulton Avenues where looting took place used his day off to help clean up around his neighborhood.
“I love Baltimore City,” said Rogers, “Baltimore City’s a beautiful place and I want to continue to see it look like that.”
Interdenominational prayers were offered up on many corners. (Photo by Roberto Alejandro)
Shawniece Smith said she had lived throughout the city of Baltimore, including the westside, and that she was proud of the clean up effort that had unfolded Tuesday (April 27).
“Now people see that the city is capable of coming together,” said Smith, “and this community can be rebuilt again into the West Baltimore that I’ve known and that I played in, and that I went to school in, and that I have friends and family in.”
The looting that had occurred the day before had left a CVS at near W. North and Pennsylvania Avenues destroyed, leaving a number of seniors living in an assisted living facility nearby without a place to pick up their prescription medicines.
Bilal Ali, CEO of Bilal Ali Productions, helped coordinate meals for seniors living in an assisted living facility near the intersection of W. North and Pennsylvania avenues. (Photo by Roberto Alejandro)
“As a result of the looting . . . Meals on Wheels, who normally delivers meals to the seniors, wasn’t able to do that,” said Bilal Ali, CEO of Bilal Ali Productions, “But the positive note is that you have the Muslims, the American Legion, and coordinating the seniors being able to get their prescriptions filled, and the Muslims paid for 62 meals to be delivered at 4:30 today.”
The meals were coordinated in conjunction with Dr. Faheem Younus, president of the Ahmaddiya Muslim Men’s Association USA, Del. Antonio Hayes (D-Baltimore City), and Councilman Nick Mosby (D).
ralejandro@afro.com