SUMTER, S.C. — Revitalizing and re-invigorating Sumter’s Westend is the goal of a community association, which has recently been officially recognized by the city.
Residents are working to connect the community to work together toward growth while remembering the area’s history.
“We're getting more exposure,” Westend Community Association Vice President Dia Clyburn explains. “We’re getting people to pay attention.”
The group is officially recognized now that renovations to Birnie Hope Center are finished. Clyburn says this is helping with their goal.
“This area was known to be one of the most prominent areas for African Americans in Sumter,” Clyburn shares. “So we’re just kind of trying to get that back.”
Clyburn is working with association president Keith Ivey to make that happen through addressing blight, connecting health resources to the community and beautifying the area.
“What we are trying to do is give everyone a sense of pride in their in their community, in their properties on their blocks on the streets, just to look after each other,” Ivey explains.
It’s a message that City Councilman James Blassingame supports.
“[The association is a] great asset to the community, very great asset and I’m very impressed with them,” Blassingame says. “We need each other. It takes a village. You heard that before. It takes a village so…neighbors you know, we tried to get to know each other and make people feel safe to live in their homes in this community.”
It’s why Sterling Tabon joined the board.
“I think a lot of times we see what's going on nationally, statewide, and we kind of feel insecure that we can do anything about it or kind of just feel like troubled by the issues and really with a board like this and with the west end I've kind of felt like if you focus more of your community, focus local, you have more possibilities of getting things done,” Tabon shares.
According to Tabon, the best way to accomplish that is to build on the past.
“There's probably two things that we should do as a community. I think one thing is kind of learn where we came from, learn what's been done, learn how innovative we’ve already been, how resilient we are, how much love that we share amongst each other, learn just the past history of that,” Tabon explains. “And then secondly is just to kind of reclaim and kind of have an idea of where we're going where we're headed towards.”
“We have a future and our kids, our next generation that's coming behind us, they're going to need to see that,” Ivey adds. “It’s a breath of fresh air to see different generations bring something to the table that is needed in a community.”
“I mean to be pretty transparent, I wanted the future to look like whether you go to Memorial Park across the street near like the Swan Lake area or near downtown area and then you cross over here you don't see any difference,” Tabon says.
Now with the renovated Birnie Hope Center as a meeting place, the organization is working toward that goal.
The group is currently planning a community health fair to take place on Sept. 16.
“We're hopefully being an infectious part of the community, wherein we're bringing in positive vibes, positive ideas, new ideas,” Clyburn smiles. “This end of Sumter in particular is just one of those growing communities where you can see the progress starting to happen. It’s slow, you know, but it's happening.”