Three local groups that exist to help people are organizing Rock the Block, a neighborhood cleanup day
set for April 26 in Bowling Green.
Habitat for Humanity of Wood County, United Way in Wood County and the Bowling Green State University
Office of Service Learning are hoping to entice the community to join the effort.
The focus that day will be on up to 10 exterior home repair and maintenance projects in a section of the
city selected from the most recent Bowling Green Exterior Housing Evaluation Survey.
Homeowners of the selected area – East Wooster Street, South College Drive, Napoleon Road, Kenwood
Avenue, Sand Ridge Road, Maple Street and Fairview Avenue, should have received a site registration form
in the mail. Homeowners can also visit the United Way at 111 S. Main St., to complete a registration
form. The forms are due in the United Way office by 3 p.m. April 4.
Rock the Block organizers will then select up to 10 properties. On April 26 volunteers and homeowners
will work together to complete the projects.
Each site may receive donated landscaping and exterior painting supplies, depending on sponsorship
support.
The event will use St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 315 S. College Drive, as a kickoff location and volunteer
communication center on April 26. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Jennifer Kephart of Habitat said that group’s board has already selected a project that will serve as a
"pilot" for the group’s plans to begin doing projects for existing homes. "We will be
doing landscaping and some minor cosmetic work. This is a look to the future for us," Kephart said.

Those submitting a project for consideration must be the home owner, must have homeowner’s insurance and
must be able to help out with the project April 26.
Volunteers need to be 16 years old and older, or younger if participating with parents. There will be no
power tools in use April 26.
The Service Learning group will involve Dr. Mamta Ojha’s social work macro community organizing class.
The class will evaluate the event development, community engagement and results of the event. The
students will then complete a Rock the Block planning guide which can be used for future events around
Wood County.
Volunteers can register with United Way’s Volunteer Center online at
http://uwtoledo.force.com/forvolunteers (Keywords: Rock the Block). Volunteer applications are available
at United Way in Wood County and the BGSU Office of Service Learning.
Monetary donations can be mailed to United Way in Wood County, 111 S. Main St. Bowling Green, OH 43402;
Memo Line – "Rock the Block – BG". For more information regarding Rock the Block fundraising,
contact Kate Sommerfeld, area director, at 419-352-2390.
Rock the Block T-shirts are available at United Way in Wood County for $12 each with half of the funds
collected from the T-shirt sale as a donation to the Rock the Block fund.
Those interested in making donations of exterior home repair and maintenance supplies and services should
contact Kephart at 419-353-5430, via cell phone at 330-221-1173, or via email at
[email protected].