First we had "Twister."

Then we had "Volcano," another saga about an event that forever changed the character of a neighborhood.In Orem, this week brings the Blitz - with a much happier ending than in the movies.

In the past two years, hundreds of volunteers have swarmed into a couple of low-income neighborhoods and transformed the place in a single day.

This year, Blitz '97 is running over an entire week from Monday, May 12, to "Take Pride in Utah" day Saturday, May 17, with more than a thousand volunteers getting involved, according to Stacey Spencer, community development specialist.

"We have 1,300 signed up," said Spencer, "with more coming every day."

The designated work area for Blitz '97 is the Cherry Hill neighborhood between 1300 South and 2000 South from Main Street to State Street. The volunteers will be painting, mowing, clipping hedges, fixing up park facilities, repairing fences and in the end, celebrating the sprucing up with a barbecue provided by Outback Steakhouse.

Last year, 13 homes and four sheds were painted, 20 homes landscaped, and 67 tons of garbage and 13 truckloads of green waste were hauled away. Roadsides were tidied up.

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This year will bring more of the same, said Spencer, as youth groups, families and businesses get into the spirit of renewal for the community.

Mike Anderson, a 16-year-old from Orem, has raised money and pooled resources with the city to landscape the slope at the city's south entrance.

Brigham Young University's Student Service Association is pitching in to help as well.

No experience or personal equipment is required, said Spencer. And volunteers can still sign on. Spencer's phone number is 229-7099.

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