THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

Lizzie Houston recalled how her neighborhood was when she moved there back in early 1940s. She remembered the families’ names, even though their homes are no longer there, only a grassy lot.

On Thursday she had plenty of company. There were 15 AmeriCorps workers and volunteers from Alagasco, who were training the volunteers on how to install weather stripping and weatherizing a home.

Before volunteers got started the 95-year old could stand at her dining room table and see the ground outside, through cracks next to her air conditioning window unit. When the training was done the cracks were sealed.

Taking a look outside, Houston couldn’t believe how fast the AmeriCorps workers had tightened her lawn.

Brush was trimmed and the leaves raked and bagged.

Joseph Hampton, Alagasco’s Selma division manager, and Mayor James Perkins Jr., visited with Houston. The Selma-Dallas Community Action Agency and Alagasco have an ongoing home weatherization program, and now AmeriCorps is involved.

AmeriCorps workers and Alagasco teamed to weatherize two homes. Their next stop was in the 1500 block of St. Phillip St., at the Benford residence.