The Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity is celebrating Building Community Week with a number of activities to promote awareness of environmental and economical problems occurring throughout Lycoming County.
This week's activities kick off with Habitat's "photo-petition," which will go on throughout the week, with a theme of "What will you build?"
Todd Fox, executive director for the local nonprofit, said the photo-petition is a commitment to the community and showing the community that people do care.
Habitat is asking participants all week to submit answers online to what they would build in the community.
"Anyone has the opportunity to take a picture of what they would like to see built in the community," Fox said. "They are able to take a picture of them holding the sign stating what they would build and submit it online to our Habitat branch."
Staff members of Habitat will use the pictures in a photo book that will be given to Mayor Gabriel J. Campana at the conclusion of Building Community week.
The recipient of Habitats' 45th home, Angela Shannon, and Habitat staff will welcome the public into Shannon's home from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at 2107 W. Third St. for an open house.
Shannon and building volunteers will be available to answer questions about the Habitat homeownership process.
In addition, The Campbell Street Family Youth and Community Association will hold an after-school activity Thursday.
The Center will be stenciling sidewalk sewer drains in hopes to promote clean water and remind the community that garbage, which goes into the drains, is polluting the community's streams. Fox said this event is weather permitting.
Also on Thursday, the Dudley Street documentary "Holding Ground" will be shown at 7 p.m. in room G-11 at the Heim Building at Lycoming College. The documentary is based on the revitalization of the Dudley Street neighborhood in Roxbury, Maine.
There, neighborhood residents fought to close down illegal dumps, gain control of land from City Hall and create a plan to rebuild their community.
Lastly, to wrap up the week's activities, Habitat will hold its biggest event of the week, Trash Removal Day, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at 505 Center St.
Funded by the city, the day will allow residents of the Park Avenue neighborhood to dump their garbage for free into provided Dumpsters.
Proof of residency is required for free trash removal and Habitat urges residents not to bring kitchen garbage or food waste.
Additional information on the activities can be found at www.lycominghabitat.org.
