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DETROIT (11/5/2014) -- It was a day after Halloween and while a lot of college kids were home relaxing, the University of Detroit Mercy men's and women's lacrosse teams were busy helping out the local community by taking part in Blight Busters.
 
The Blight Busters have been working to rebuild the Old Redford neighborhood. Anchored by Artist Village and the restoration of the Old Redford Resource Center, Blight Busters ignited a spark that started a community down the path of redemption. It's a way to gather resources and bring the citizens of Northwest Detroit together to continue to sow the seeds of change.
 
"This was just a great day and everyone had so much fun out there," said Amanda Guthrie, a senior on the Titan women's lacrosse team and one of the event organizers. "I know that I feel and all of us feel that we want to help make a difference here at Detroit. We are a family at UDM and I never felt more a part of the Titan family than that day with both of the teams working so hard for the community."
 
The teams started the day by doing some landscaping and planting trees in the neighborhood. After that was finished, it was on to a bit more landscaping as the Titans set mulch all around the area.

"It was really cool to see both teams working together," said senior Mike Birney of the men's lacrosse team. "Even though my sister is on the women's team, I still don't know a lot of the freshmen and it gave all of us a chance to really get to know each other while accomplishing something great for the community."
 
Both teams will remain involved with Blight Busters and already have a few more volunteer dates picked out for the future, including one in a few weeks.
 
"I started getting involved in Blight Busters two years ago. I loved it and I came back to UDM and talked to Steve Corder '98 (Assistant Athletic Director for NCAA Compliance) and Amy Gasahl '11 (MBA) (Director of Athletic Academics, SA Welfare & Eligibility) and I told them I really believe in this and that student athletes should graduate with this experience. We all love Detroit and we want to make a difference and that is what we did," said Guthrie. 

"It was not like we just split up and the guys were just with the guys. Both teams split up and worked together and that was the best part about it, just all of us working together as one team," added Birney. 

The Titans weren't the only ones who helped out at the community service project as Five Brothers Default Management Solutions were a big help with the funding of supplies for everyone. The contributions allowed the Titans to work hard and safely throughout the day. 
 
In its remarkable 25 year history, Motor City Blight Busters in conjunction with its coalition of community partners can proudly claim 120,000 volunteers, who have contributed more than 658,000 volunteer hours to paint 684 homes, board up and secure 379 abandoned buildings, renovate 176 houses and build 114 new ones to make suitable housing for 1,160 people.
 
In the process, they used 21,000 gallons of paint, 15,500 pounds of nails and 15,470 sheets of plywood.
 
They demolished 113 houses with sledgehammers and people power and undertook 3,850 neighborhood clean-ups that resulted in 1,550 dumpsters of trash and 70,000 garbage bags.
 
Always working to bridge the gap between groups, Motor City Blightbusters has hosted more than 500 suburban teens over the last two years who volunteered for inner city projects through the "Summer in the City" program, brought together 150 people in the JACOB (the Jewish and Chaldean Opportunity Builders) to assist in projects and helped 20 urban teen-age girls find fun and healthy activities in another Motor City Blight Busters program, Girlfriendz.
 
Motor City Blight Busters Founder, John J. George, has been awarded the "Points of Light" award by President Clinton. This award honors people who have done outstanding volunteer work. Please consider donating to fund one of our 2014 Programs.