If you’ve been on the hunt for a low-cost, high-impact, superhero-worthy way to give back — I’ve got a community service idea that will leave you feeling virtuous, sweaty, and slightly smug all at the same time.
Let me set the scene.
There’s a local grocery store on our main street — a staple in our small town — but somewhere along the way, it started looking a little… tired.
The kind of tired where the weeds in the sidewalk cracks were stretching taller than a middle schooler, and the garbage had settled in like it was paying rent. The sign came down during a storm months ago, but is far too heavy to re-hang alone, and the bars over the windows and doors have been set into the plaster from years ago when it was the townhall.
From across the street, it had that “abandoned for years” vibe. Not great for attracting shoppers. Not great for community pride. And definitely not great for the store owner, who works hard inside but couldn’t find the time to tackle the outside.
In case you haven’t caught the overall vibe of 100Things2Do – it’s about before and afters…
Making something out of nothing / making something better where even small improvements count. Yes, one of my love languages is “acts of service” and I really love my little Village.
So, I asked if I could help.
Step 1: Permission Granted
You can’t just show up with a lawn mower and start hacking away at someone’s storefront — apparently that’s called “trespassing.” So I asked the owner if I could give the place a little TLC. They said yes (possibly because they thought I was joking, possibly because they’ve had complaints and were sick of the grief). But why complain if you aren’t coming up with a solution right?
Solution? ChatGPT to the rescue!!
Fresh, clean, cute, but waaaaaaay out of budget.
So I asked for another image keeping the existing paint:
This would be adorable, but would also require that I build a door, and all of the metalwork on the front of the building… I’m not that talented unfortunately.
Finally:
This is closer to do-able.
Challenge accepted!
Step 2: Suit Up
This community service idea doesn’t require a cape — just:
- A lawn mower
- A whipper snipper (weed trimmer for you city folks)
- A sturdy broom
- Garbage bags
- compost bags
- leaf blower if you have one
- a playlist that makes you feel like a montage from an 80’s movie
- Oh, and bug spray. You will meet the local mosquito population up close.
Step 3: Operation “Bye-Bye Blight”
Over the course of two visits (about 10 hours total), I:
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Mowed the grass to something shorter than my inseam
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Whipper snipped the weeds until the sidewalk actually… looked like a sidewalk
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Swept enough debris to fill a sandbox (Literally! I swept up enough of the winter sand they spread for safety, to refill their sand box almost half full again!)
- Pruned, plucked and weeded
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Picked up every scrap of litter, bottle, and rogue chip bag
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Moved the shovels, mop, mats and other eyesores
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Even cleaned the edges where the road meets the curb so it looked sharp and fresh
- I would have given just about anything to pressure wash, but I couldn’t find an outdoor spigot until after the clean-up around the side, and the store owner said she didn’t even know there was one outside. (But if you see this article – the offer stands – I’m a pressure washing junkie just itching to be let-loose!)
The transformation?
Let’s just say you won’t have to squint to tell the before and after apart — the “before” photos are practically auditioning for a zombie movie, and the “after” looks like a business you’d actually want to walk into.
Step 4: Revel in the Glory
Cars slowed down to watch. People stopped to chat, ask for my business card to do their yard, and I even received some fresh-cut lettuce and a jar of elderberry syrup from a kind neighbour! Someone even honked in appreciation (or impatience — I’m choosing appreciation). And the store owner? Beyond grateful.
That’s the thing about this kind of community service idea — it’s cheap (zero dollars if you already have the tools), it’s instant gratification, and it makes a visible difference that boosts the whole street’s morale.
Why This Works as a Community Service Idea
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No special skills required — if you can push a mower or wield a broom, you’re qualified.
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Immediate impact — people notice right away.
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Contagious effect — seeing one building cleaned up often inspires neighbouring businesses to spruce up too.
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Self-esteem booster — not only does the place look better, but you’ll walk away feeling really good about yourself. (So was my act selfless? Not in the least – I received the gratification, pride, exercise, sense of accomplishment and sense of community in far greater amounts than I gave.)
And yes… there will be sweat. But that’s just proof you worked hard for your town.
Did you notice the bench (that now hides the winter mats behind it)? I told a person on FB marketplace what I was doing and they cut me a ridiculous deal on some 2″x8″x10′ boards so that I could whip up a little bench like in the chatgpt photo.
If I had a forklift I would have totally moved the planters to surround it.
I’ll be honest, I’m still drooling over that window box as well. lol
So, if you’re itching to make a difference (and maybe burn a few calories while you’re at it), grab your gear and try this community service idea. You don’t need a budget. You don’t need a team. Just the willingness to turn an eyesore into an asset.
#I love Thorndale!