COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A South Side woman has been fighting to keep her neighborhood streets safe for years.
Some temporary visitors could be the answer she needs.
NBC 4's Lauren Diedrich reported on WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU.
Katie Radford has called the city's South Side home for years.
She's watched as the neighborhoods' crime has increased as well as graffiti.
As a proud member of the Southside United Neighbors Blockwatch, Radford knows what it takes to make and keep her neighborhood clean.
We figure if we can clean up the neighborhood, it will encourage people to come here to live," Radford said.
Radford said she wouldn't move into the neighborhoods, either, as they are now.
"I wouldn't move into a neighborhood like this," she said.
Help could be on the way.
Soon help may be on the way.
"I just jumped for joy when I heard it -- when I could have so many people," Radford said.
The help could come in the way of thousands of volunteers.
Mennonite Church USA's Convention 2009 was set to be in Columbus Tuesday, June 30, through Saturday, July 4.
Attendees are required to donate time to neighborhoods such as Radford's while in town.
"They're going to do part of the graffiti, clean up alleys, empty lots, clean streets," she said.
Radford has asked for her neighbors' help, too.
The volunteers from the church will need the neighborhood's assistance to get all of the work done.
Radford is hopeful that all her hard work for all these years would prove worthwhile.
"The neighborhood is going to have to keep it up. This surely should wake them up -- give them a thought about what can be done," she said.
Want to donate your time to help? Call Southside United Neighbors Blockwatch at 614-444-5692.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com -- Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail stories@nbc4i.com.
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