New signs in historic Sanford community
SANFORD, Fla. - You might call it a sign of the times: volunteers - mostly high schoolers - turned out in Sanford on Saturday to help place markers at all the intersections in Sanford’s Georgetown neighborhood.
"They're going to remind all of us what Georgetown is, how old it is, and why we're doing stuff to make sure that people know," said Julia Wright Brunson, a local community organizer.
Sanford's Georgetown neighborhood is as old as the city itself, and gained a special status last year as a designated historic district. These new signs are meant to celebrate that.
"For the last 20 or more years we've been trying to revitalize this are and bring it back to the community it was and the community it was the community that it can be," said Art Woodruff, Sanford’s mayor.
The city bought 71 signs at a total cost of around $3,000. Organizers say it's important to recognize the Georgetown community's historic character.
"We have a steering team of about 10 or 12 people, we came together after we found out we'd been designated a historic neighborhood district and started making plans for what we thought should happen here," Brunson said.
They have big ideas for preserving the local architecture and maintaining the community atmosphere. Young people helping install the signs say they feel honored to take part.
"I came here to give back to my community. Sanford has been my home all my life. It's the least I can do to come back and help rebuild and give back to my community," said Amari Turner, a Seminole High School student and member of the civic group Young Men of Excellence.
"To be able to look at these signs and know that I was a part of putting it up," said Florence Onyiuke, president of the Sanford Mayor's Youth Council, "and I was one of the people who championed diversity in this community, is going to mean a lot."