HARVARD HEIGHTS : Neighborhood Cleanup Pays Off

What a difference a day makes. Just ask the Harvard Heights Neighborhood Assn., which recently received national recognition--and a $1,000 donation--for a large-scale neighborhood cleanup.

The neighborhood association was one of six grand-prize winners in USA Weekend’s national “Make a Difference Day” challenge that drew a response from nearly 200,000 volunteers nationwide Nov. 14.

During the cleanup about 50 residents picked up trash, mowed grass that had grown over curbs, swept sidewalks, collected discarded furniture and painted over graffiti along Venice Boulevard.

The association called the effort Project BOND (Beautify Our Neighborhood District), said Jon Rake, association president. “We’re ecstatic to get the recognition for something we were going to do anyway,” Rake said. “We just wanted to do something that would make us feel better.”

The group plans more cleanups, he said. Since last fall’s spruce up, several neighborhood merchants have been painting out graffiti on their own, Rake said.

The winners in six categories, selected from among thousands of participants, will be honored at an awards ceremony in Washington next month and featured in the April 16-18 edition of USA Weekend. The next “Make a Difference Day” is Oct. 23.