Berry cleans up for service
Berry College freshmen, Rome city employees and other volunteers were sweating in the heat Saturday in an effort to make Rome a little more beautiful.
Some students helped paint different wildlife pictures on the pillars of the pavilion at the ECO Center at Ridge Ferry Park. Others cleaned up the garden at the center, the North Rome Community Garden and the RomeFloyd County Recycling Center on Watters Street.
Berry professor George Gallagher said the FirstYear Service Day is a great way for freshmen to get oriented and learn how to serve their community during their first week of classes.
Serving others is a part of the history at Berry, Gallagher said.
“It’s really good for them to get out, get dirty and build new relationships,” he concluded.
Berry student Alexis Johnson said she took part in the service day at the ECO Center to help the community that she lives in and learn more about agriculture.
Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful Director Mary Hardin Thornton said Berry’s workday and the community enhancements that come with it are just a couple of the “subtle” things that make Rome a little more fun. “It’s already brought a smile to everyone’s face,” she said. “It’s a happy thing.”
Jim and Lynda Kerscher said they have celebrated their anniversary by taking part in several different mural paintings over the years, including the one at the Rome-Floyd County Library.
They said they do it to help keep Rome beautiful and because they have known Thornton for a very long time.
On Saturday they were painting at the ECO Center. Today is their 51st wedding anniversary.
Berry freshman Ashley Merritt, from Wilmington, North Carolina, said the college is attractive to her because of its community volunteer programs.