BAY VILLAGE, Ohio — In a community of tree-lined streets like Bay Village, leaves symbolize hope when they come on the scene each spring, a source of comfort with their summer shade, and an incredible outdoor display of art with their explosion of color each fall.
But by mid-November, resident Ken Mackin will tell you these guests have overstayed their welcome as he finds himself in a losing battle in his effort to show them the door.
"Well I've done it what seven times already this year. Never ends til it's down," he said.
That's why he was surprised and relieved to find students from Bay Village Middle School in his yard Friday afternoon taking their turn in tackling the latest pile.
"My daughter set this up and I had no idea who was doing it. I didn't realize it was young fellows and girls. It's great," he said.
The star treatment wasn't reserved for Ken alone. Throughout Bay Village, you could find teams of young rakers like 5th grader Trip Jackson and his crew hard at work.
"Today we're doing the rake out," Jackson said. "It's where you leave the school at 1 [p.m.], and you rake a house for people that can't rake a house like for the elderly."
This is no minor effort. Close to 700 students, parents and guardians were given the addresses of seniors who signed up to have their leaves raked and dispatched across the city. Now in its 30th year, it's something Bay Village Middle School Principal Sean McAndrews said the students look forward to each year.
"As you can see the kids coming out they are fired up. Hopefully, they'll transport that into the yards they have to rake," he said.
Jack Ahern is one of the parent judges.
"I think they're doing really well," he said when asked to rate his workers for the day. "I would give them about a 9 out of 10. Yeah, they're doing a great job."
And having fun in the process. As students like 6th grader Rory Dilland in the spring of their years learn what it means to help those in the autumn of theirs.
"I've always wanted to help people and do community service, but sometimes it's hard to like find things to do," she said. "And also, it's just like kind of fun to just rake leaves you know."
So does that mean she'll be raking leaves this weekend at home?
"Not necessarily," she said.
