A new look came to some of the residents and community areas in East Chattanooga this past Saturday.
The Chattanooga Rugby team along with Glass House Collective and Empower Chattanooga worked side by side with residents to make simple repairs and clean up yards along North Chamberlain and Glass Street. The groups were brought together through United Way’s Day of Caring.
Glass House Collective has focused on the commercial corridor of Glass Street for the past few years but is now extending their reach to residents living near the business district. Homeowners have lived in the community for decades and now need a simple helping hand with yard work and painting. One of the projects was partnering with a recent widower. His wife was the gardener in the family and since her passing away last year, he has been unable to maintain his yard. The Chattanooga Rugby team assisted with overgrowth removal and landscaping of his yard.
Chattanooga Rugby was established in 1978, and has slowly and consistently grown ever since. Under strong leadership of a few dedicated "old boys" and Kirk Neubauer, the club has exploded since 2010, with the mission statement Improving Chattanooga Through Rugby. Nooga Rugby has not lost in its last two regular seasons, going 22-0, and typically winning by vast margins. It has made the South Championships for three consecutive years, which is the step just short of Nationals.
Chattanooga has been very active in the community during that time as well. “Each year, we partner with at least one local non-profit to complete a project that helps to improve the community, “ said Derek Hilley, President of Chattanooga Rugby. They use their enthusiastic brawn to help beautify their beloved city.
This is just the first of many projects that will be compeleted by Glass House Collective and the residents. “We were just meeting yesterday about our project for November, planting trees along Dodson and Glass Street and have three residents now leading the team,” said Teal Thibaud, executive director of Glass House Collective.