SUMTER, S.C. — Ruby Green was born and raised in south Sumter and says she remembers a time when the area was thriving.
"It was a beautiful neighborhood growing up," Green said. "It was clean; the kids would play and they were safe, but now, it's just not safe anymore."
So, she joined other community members to try to make a difference. Their group is called the Greater Turkey Neighborhood Association and was formed around 2007.
"The majority of everyone grew up here,"Josephine Young, Vice President of the group, said. "They have seen transitions. They have seen the good, the bad and the indifferent."
Since their creation, the group has adopted an area-highway to keep the streets clean, partnered with Councilman James McCain to get grant funding to remove neglected homes, and worked to bring the community together -- but there's still a long way to go.
"Now, we're trying to bring back the community to...make it better than it was," Young said.
They're hoping to see speed bumps, a park for kids, sidewalks, street lighting and other things to make the area more appealing.
For people like Ruby, seeing it improve would mean "the world."
"It would mean the world to me to see the neighborhood blossom again," Green said, "I'm getting up in age, but I tell ya, it would mean the world to me."
The group meets every third Thursday of each month at the S. Hope Center in Sumter starting at 5:30 p.m.