On June 12, dozens of volunteers showed up to give one block – the 900 block of Jefferson Street in Great Bend – an exterior makeover. At the city’s first Damn It, Do It Day, people helped with weeding, mowing, painting and repairing, hauling away trash and trimming trees.

Organizers Sara Hayden and Ryan Fairchild didn’t intend this to be a one-time effort. This week, they invited people to nominate another block for a similar makeover, scheduled for October 2. People are invited to fill out a form online at https://fs10.formsite.com/puqL9s/keskngdpe4/index.html to suggest a location. On July 9 they’ll announce the Top 5 options. Hayden posted this on Facebook:

“There is no specific criteria, however, we would prefer you keep in mind these 2 things:

“Is the block visible (do people drive past the area often)? We want people to see it and continue to be inspired to help out in their community!

“Is the block primarily owned by people only owning one home? If the block has a lot of landlord-owned homes it’s not disqualified, but we would likely ask that the landlord’s support or participate in some way.”

The sponsors have warned anyone who’s listening that they want to crush apathy in our community. When you see a need and think, “someone should do something about that,” ask if the “someone” is you.

Volunteers in Action of Central Kansas/AmeriCorps Seniors can help potential volunteers find something that fits their skills and abilities. At present, volunteers are also being sought to help with the Barton County Fair (going on now) and United Way of Central Kansas’s Stuff the Bus on July 21.

If you’re looking for a way to become more involved in the community, these are a few suggestions for how to start.