They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure but for Betsy Peters, the treasure is volunteering for the City of Columbia. In the past year Betsy has played an integral role in improving the cleanliness of the East Campus area. As a landlord in the East Campus neighborhood, Betsy has been a valuable resource in connecting the neighborhood to opportunities to improve and clean up the area.
“Rather than just complaining about the trash or the deteriorating sidewalks, it seemed better use of my time to get involved,” Betsy says.
In the fall of 2014 she has helped lead monthly cleanups in the neighborhood, greatly improving the environment in the East Campus neighborhood.
During the student move out period, Betsy assisted the Office of Neighborhood Services in deciding where to place dumpsters and encouraged other landlords to donate to cover the cost of the bins, as well as made a significant contribution herself. Bill Cantin calls Betsy’s impact significant and says her direct, no-nonsense attitude makes her a great asset. “Not only does this help ONS further its mission to improve the safety and livability of Columbia’s neighborhoods,” Bill says, “but it also has a direct impact on the interaction of residents of the East Campus neighborhood amongst themselves.”
Written by volunteer Abby Holman.
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