| Jail inmates help with storm recovery |
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Posted: Friday, April 29, 2011 10:37 am
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Inmates clear limbs and storm debris outside a Haynes Drive home while Sheriff Robert F. Arnold watches. Inmates worked on homes of retired senior citizens.
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Ten supervised Rutherford County Adult Detention Center inmates cleared storm debris from senior citizens’ yards Thursday on Haynes Drive.
The inmates supervised by detention center employees started at the first house affected by the storm with the intent to work their way down the street, said Sheriff Robert F. Arnold. State law allows inmates to perform labor for nonprofit or a government’s behalf. They are expected to clear more storm debris Friday.
Retired resident Bobby Clark of 202 Haynes Drive said he started cleaning the downed tree limbs from his yard and helping next-door-neighbor John Frost. Center employees and inmates volunteered to help.
“It’s very helpful to senior citizens,” Clark said, adding with a grin, “It takes us a little longer.”
Inmates raked and cleared most of the limbs in his yard and piled the debris for pickup by the city of Murfreesboro.
Clark moved into his home about 33 years ago while Frost moved into the first home in the subdivision 45 years ago.
Both men thanked Arnold who replied the work was “a little payback on your taxes. Why not get out and help citizens?”
Frost said the work helped senior citizens like him.
“It was going to take me forever and a day” to clear the large trees felled by the storm, Frost said. “I appreciate you taking care of that.”
Inmates get rehabilitation by helping someone else and doing work, Frost noted.
Registered Nurse Jolie Bell was driving to visit a patient when she stopped to take a photograph of the inmates clearing the yards.
“I thought it was a great thing to see my tax dollars at work,” Bell said. “Thank you for putting my tax dollars to good use.” |
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