Buffalo's not a dying city, with life support like

When the news came out that Forbes magazine's top 10 list of dying cities included Buffalo, everywhere I went locals were blindly agreeing with it. Well, dying is not the same as dead, and rather than accept what that list proclaims, let's start thinking about the rebirth of Buffalo.

There's a woman on Buffalo's East Side who decided to do something about the despair in the air around her neighborhood. Twenty-one years ago, Anita Williams was sitting in Martin Luther King Park with her young children watching a basketball game. She thought, "Wouldn't it be nice to have activities in TAG Heuer Fake the park that actually addressed the woes of the neighborhood here on the East Side?"

Her annual summertime Maurice Lacroix Replica Watch event, "Takin' It To The Streets," was born. In some ways, it would remind you of a cross between Canal Fest and the Italian Festival. But more importantly, this unique event combines fun with practical assistance for people in need, making it a festival with a higher calling.

Imagine a free "party in the park" atmosphere, with free food giveaways, free back-to-school clothing giveaways, lots of lively music, bounce houses, pony rides, a kids' zone, a classic car and motorcycle show, a walk-a-thon, vendors, a job fair and the entire Good Neighbors Health Clinic brought outside to offer free health screenings and even dental exams and care. Does that sound like a "dying city" to you?

I believe it takes the actions of ordinary people like Williams to change our city for the better, to help its rebirth. Williams is a nurse by trade, and she knows that taking care of people can truly change their lives. "Takin' It To The Streets" is her way of taking care of thousands of people every year.

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I had the opportunity to meet with her a few fashion women Replica years ago, and we've since bonded and figured out ways to get people in my far-flung, well-to-do suburban area to help out people in her area. Little by little, people who normally would never step foot in each other's neighborhood are starting to see that we're all in this together.

If Buffalo "dies," so do its suburbs. Now, some of the area's tony suburbs -- like East Amherst, Orchard Park and Lewiston -- are not dying, but A.Lange&Sohne Fake parts of Buffalo, if we're being honest with ourselves, are on life support right now.

That's why it's about time more suburbanites start to notice and care for people in neighborhoods just a few miles away from them. While we can't easily change the economic climate around here, we can improve this area's collective spirit. It starts with perceptions and attitudes. For far too long, there's been a negative pessimism about this place coming from its own residents. But we've had enough of that, and it's time for a change.

If you want to see what one person did to help make Buffalo a better place, come to Martin Luther King Park this Saturday or Sunday between 11:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. for the free festivities.

Mark Weber helps promote positive events in the area through his Web site, BuffaloChristian.com