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Sometimes you just need a helping hand, or a half-dozen pairs of them.

Saturday morning, a group of men from Church of the Living God crossed Fairview Avenue to help a neighbor improve his living conditions. 

Robert Rucker said he purchased his house five years ago from his father, but hasn’t been able to keep up with the maintenance. He said the roof on the back of his house was failing. A lot next to his home was vacant and had become home to people engaged in questionable pursuits, who left a lot of trash around the property.

“I’ve tried to spend money on (the roof) and get it fixed,” Rucker said. “It’s a big honor for them to come out and do this. I just want to thank the church.”

While one group was cleaning up the lot and hauling the debris to a roll-off container, Steve Morris and Michael Atwood were dealing with a tree in Rucker’s front yard.

“They guys from the church came to clean up the mess and that property today … just because we can,” Morris said. “This tree had to come down.”

Morris said a roofing crew was scheduled to come make those repairs this week. 

“It’s neighbors taking care of neighbors,” Morris said. 

For Rucker, it means he and his roommate, Phillip White, can stay in the house longer. 

“I bought the house and want to keep it in the family,” he said.