HYPERLOCAL NEWS HUB BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM
Community, Church Give Long-Time Cooper-Young Resident Ramp
By Danielle Wilburn/MicroMemphis Reporter
March 13, 2012
If there is a person in need, the Cooper-Young community will come together to help out their neighbor. At 9 ‘o’ clock on a Saturday morning residents from the area showed up at the house of Robert Johnson Sr. to show how much they care for each other. The goal of the day: Build a ramp for Mr. Johnson.
Johnson has been resident of Cooper-Young since 1972. About a year-and-a-half ago he was in a car accident in the Midtown area and around this time, also suffered a stroke. “After that I just wasn’t able to do things that needed to be done around the house,” said Johnson.
A few months later, his wife of 66 years, Selderia Johnson, started to have to have knee problems “my knees started failing me about 5 years ago and things just got worse and now I can’t walk without a walker,” said Mrs. Johnson.
|
Because of limited space in the home and without a safe way for Mrs. Johnson to get in and out of the house her wheelchair is kept in the garage.
“She was at a point to where she could barely walk around the house.” Mr. Johnson said. “I wanted to build a ramp for my wife but I just wasn’t able to do it by myself” Shortly after his wife began having knee problems Johnson went to the Cooper-Young Community Association to ask Community Director, Kristan Huntley for assistance. “About a year ago we were contacted by Mr. Johnson and he asked us for help,” said Huntley. “We wanted to do it but we just didn’t have the resources or the skill set at the time.” Recently Christ City Church reached out to Huntley about helping the Cooper-Young Community. “We discussed several things but Mr. Johnson’s ramp popped in my head,” said Huntley. |
|
Christ City Church has an outreach program known as a “neighborhood parish”. They have carpenters, construction workers, and other people that help out communities such as Orange Mound and Cooper-Young. With the help of other organizations like SOS Memphis, Christ City Church provided the materials for the ramp and CYCA provided most of the volunteers.
Christ City Church member and volunteer Shane O’Connor said, “We don’t want to just meet on Sunday and worship the Lord and not have a practical demonstration.”
For Johnson this project could not have come at a better time in his life. “I just buried my youngest sister about three months ago and it just feel good to be around neighbors that care about you.” He said. “I’m the only one out of 13 siblings that’s still alive and I see my neighbors as my family.”
Kristan Huntley said this project is more than just a good deed. “We’re rallying around our neighbor and partnering with this local church,” she said. “And the main thing we want to do is build community, neighborhood relations, friendships and a bond to the neighborhood.
Christ City Church member and volunteer Shane O’Connor said, “We don’t want to just meet on Sunday and worship the Lord and not have a practical demonstration.”
For Johnson this project could not have come at a better time in his life. “I just buried my youngest sister about three months ago and it just feel good to be around neighbors that care about you.” He said. “I’m the only one out of 13 siblings that’s still alive and I see my neighbors as my family.”
Kristan Huntley said this project is more than just a good deed. “We’re rallying around our neighbor and partnering with this local church,” she said. “And the main thing we want to do is build community, neighborhood relations, friendships and a bond to the neighborhood.
Danielle J. Wilburn/ MicroMemphis reporter
Danielle Wilburn covers Community for MicroMemphis.
You can send her story ideas here.
Follow her on Twitter ( @Daniellej_08 ).
Leslie Jennings/ MicroMemphis reporter
Leslie Jennings covers Community for MicroMemphis.
You can send her story ideas here.
Follow her on Twitter ( @Journalist_DeDe ).