HAMPTON, Va. — More than 20 volunteers from across Hampton Roads banded together to help clean the yard and home of an elderly women who needed a hand.
The international “We Love U” foundation partnered with the Hampton Clean City Commission to make it happen.
Ninety-two-year-old Celestine Monroe has lived in Hampton for 47 years.
She lives by herself so she usually hires help or turns to a neighbor for yard maintenance. But it hasn’t always been easy.
“I’ve always kept my property up but as you get older, you don’t have the money and with the cost of living going up – you’ll never have the money,” Monroe said.
She said she just needs a hand.
“This is what older people need," she said. "They need help.”
And today, she got help. Dozens of volunteers from the International WeLoveU Foundation worked all morning raking leaves, sweeping the porch, pulling weeds, power washing the metal siding, cleaning the swing, and painting the fence.
The Hampton Clean City Commission put out a call to help for Monroe, and the foundation responded.
“Anything we can do to serve our community to make the world a better place,” volunteer Kamaria Vasti said.
“Blood drives - we’re there; clean-ups; social welfare movements; we’re there for disaster relief.”
Volunteers said it’s all about giving back and helping others in their community who need it most.
“Pretty much help her with anything that she needs at this time,” volunteer Katherine Thomas said. “Senior citizens, they’ve pretty much been the foundation of even everything that we have now.”
For Monroe, she said she's just glad to finally get some help around here.
“I am so happy that I have someone to help me,” she said.