Like the phoenix, residents and community leaders say the Blackmon Road neighborhood is slowly but surely rising from the ashes.

Those efforts recently got a boost in the form of a $10,000 grant awarded by York Electric Cooperative Inc. to A Place for Hope, a nonprofit community center located in the neighborhood. The money will be used to provide kerosene heaters, blankets, books and other items for residents.

The Blackmon Road area has been identified by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control as the most environmentally distressed neighborhood in the state in terms of basic water and sewer utility services. The community off S.C. 72 in Rock Hill was once dubbed "Trashpile Road" because of its closeness to the city's old landfill.

"This grant will fund some things that we were unable to do. It may also help us to secure some of the other grant proposals we have forwarded on," said Tom Aggeles, director of operations for A Place for Hope. "It helps to establish a history for us. I think it also validates the work we are doing in the eyes of several people in the community."

Aggeles said the grant could not have come at a better time, especially since the first of several meetings between residents and York County political, church and community leaders is scheduled to happen Saturday. The Blackmon Road Renewal Work Group is hosting the session at the center in which participants will discuss future plans and cultivate ideas that could assist in the renaissance of the community, he said.

Hot dogs, drinks and other treats will be served by volunteers at the York County Baptist Association during the informal gathering from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Aggeles noted that several groups have come forward throughout the years to aid the neighborhood. Most recently, many of those same groups have begun pooling their resources and talents in hopes of establishing permanent results.

"There is a bit of anxiety among some people in the community because they have heard things like this before. Some feel as though it's never borne any fruit," Aggeles said. "But hopefully, this will be a nice icebreaker, a session about empowerment."

Results from a neighborhood study completed a few months ago are being used by the Blackmon Road Renewal Group as a catalyst for addressing some of the community's needs. Based on those findings, the committee has identified six target areas: housing and infrastructure; transportation; employment and education; social and health services; law enforcement and codes; and funding.

"In the community, there is a real interest and a lot of momentum regarding the upkeep of the community," Aggeles said. "I think within five years, the community will be completely different."

Contact Erica Pippins at 329-4072 or epippins@heraldonline.com.

[Tom Aggeles] said the grant could not have come at a better time, especially since the first of several meetings between residents and York County political, church and community leaders is scheduled to happen Saturday. The Blackmon Road Renewal Work Group is hosting the session at the center in which participants will discuss future plans and cultivate ideas that could assist in the renaissance of the community, he said.

Results from a neighborhood study completed a few months ago are being used by the Blackmon Road Renewal Group as a catalyst for addressing some of the community's needs. Based on those findings, the committee has identified six target areas: housing and infrastructure; transportation; employment and education; social and health services; law enforcement and codes; and funding.