MLCA seniors clean up graffiti
Moses Lake Christian Academy senior Spencer McNamara paints over graffiti at a trailer park in Moses Lake Thursday.
MOSES LAKE - A group of Moses Lake Christian Academy students spent a day this week cleaning up graffiti in a Moses Lake neighborhood.
Seven seniors from the school set out Thursday afternoon to a trailer park on West Broadway Avenue that has experienced several recent taggings by area gang members.
Jon Bartlett, of the academy, said the cleanup efforts were part of the school's Extended Learning Week, where students can provide service projects for the community.
Several hundreds of dollars in paint and supplies were donated for the project with the help of Sean Sallis, a youth pastor with First Baptist Church in Moses Lake. Sallis said he works in conjunction with local service groups and the Moses Lake Police Department to get youth involved in the community.
Rick Francis, an officer with the street crimes unit, said the groups actions are an example of community members taking a stand against gangs. Francis was out with the students Thursday in an area where several known gang members reside.
Police Chief Dave Ruffin applauded the efforts of the students and Francis, who has been working with several community groups on similar projects.
Ruffin said the students also volunteered at the soup kitchen at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church earlier in the day, including TJ Johnson, Ryan Sheppard, Spencer McNamara, Kaneesha Hemmerling, Ashley Rickards, Susan Timofeyev and Alec Naccarato.
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