LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Volunteers were up and at it on a Saturday morning to lend a helping hand to the newly formed Lima Community Development Corporation. Their first project was to spruce up Momma Dot's kitchen with a fresh coat of paint. The hope is that this will start a wave of change on Lima's south side.
"Particularly with St. Johns and 3rd street being an entry into our city, it will be good to come into the city and see that we do have some development going on, not just in the downtown," says Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith.
The day of service included free hot dogs and hamburgers, and the opportunity to meet neighbors and share available resources from the organizations' partners. Volunteers ranged from Coach Q's basketball team from Lima Senior to those volunteering with Mary Alice's House, and Lima residents who just wanted to help spark a change. We even spotted Dr. Kris Harley who came out to represent St. Rita's Medical Center. He tells us he recently moved to Lima and wants to see a brighter future for his new hometown.
"One of the four things that any community needs is a school, a bank, a grocery store, and it needs a hospital. I'm a part of the hospital and I'll try my best to represent Mercy St. Rita's," says St. Rita's Trauma Medical Director Kris Harley.
As rewarding as it is for the volunteers, it's even more special for those who work with Momma Dot's Kitchen. They tell us the owner is deserving of this service and hope that it will draw more people to the restaurant.
"This is a wonderful lady. She cooks great food and I just love her. Now the restaurant has a fresh new look, and it's a way upwards," says Austella Jennings, a volunteer with Momma Dot's Soul Food Kitchen.
The organization says they are just getting warmed up with many projects down the line. They tell us that when businesses like Momma Dot's thrive, the whole neighborhood thrives.
