Good deeds make a neighborhood great

by Marlene Berlin

A week ago, I headed down Davenport Street on my daily walk. We’d had an inch of rain the day before, and I wanted to see the impact of all of that stormwater. It did not take me long to find some storm-related damage.

At the intersection of Davenport and Broad Branch Road, I noticed that a tree branch had fallen. Drivers were weaving around large pieces of debris. I took a photo to send to 311. Then I stopped to ponder whether this merited a 911 call.

I took a second look and thought I might be able to clear the roadway myself. There were no cars approaching. I walked out to the middle of the street to test the weight of one piece. It was light enough for me to lift, so I walked it to the side of the road.

As I walked back to gather up another, I heard a vehicle stop and a door open. I glanced up to see a young man climb out of his SUV to help. Within five minutes we had both cleared the intersection of the large and small debris.

I thanked him, and we both went on our way. It felt uplifting to do a good deed, and to get help from a stranger who saw the benefit, as well.

I walked on, thinking about how good deeds create a sense of community. I thought of Paul Harrison, a new resident on Albemarle Street who cleared overgrowth from the sidewalk by Soapstone Valley Park.

I thought of how Ken Sands periodically walks up Grant Road from Broad Branch Road with a garbage bag to pick up trash, and how he clips low-hanging branches for a friend and others who are sight-impaired.

Every day, people here are doing something good for one another and for the neighborhood. What are some of the good deeds you’ve witnessed?