L.A. Parker Column - January 30, 2008

OK, now that Trenton City Council members demonstrated they can, like a true deli guru, construct a turkey sandwich without controversy, maybe they should shoot for whirled peas, err, world peace.

The 319 East State Street gang made their point Tuesday night when Councilwoman-at-large Cordelia Staton delivered a delicious-looking turkey sandwich complete with lettuce and tomato to yours truly.

The gift elicited much-needed levity for a group capable of great accomplishments if it can, as Pink Floyd sings, "all pull together as a team."

So they took me up on a criticism that the Council couldn't make a turkey sandwich without conflict.

Touche!

Teamwork, even created only on the street where you live, is the key to a real revitalization for the city of Trenton, Hamilton Township or Ewing. Improvement will not come in the changing of the guard, be it the mayor or a leader on City Council.

Instead, individuals must make a decision to change their daily behavior rather than lug around this misguided belief that, if we only get rid of this guy or that woman, life gets better. Life improves when individuals shed their ego and realize the personal value of teamwork.

Trenton needs coalitions like Children's Futures -- a collaboration of health care agencies --to fulfill the prenatal needs of all city children from birth to age 3.

The involved parties no longer wage wars for funding available for such endeavors. Instead, they recognize a shared goal of helping mothers, fathers and babies through the most critical times of their lives. As shareholders of one dream, their movement as one entity alleviates all drawbacks of competition.

Every child served becomes a victory for the team, which sets in motion the desire for more successful interactions with other clients.

You win and keep winning, serve and keep serving, and by the end of the year the care initiative impacts the lives of thousands.

A similar achievement can be voiced at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, where Executive Director Dennis Micai on Monday said the facility served 500 people for lunch. Seven female volunteers enjoyed their food after the multitudes had enjoyed a noontime meal.

Food always tastes better after you have performed the graceful work of helping others the way Shiloh Baptist Church on Tuesday opened its doors for Mercer County's Project Homelessness Connect. Hundreds of the area's homeless population poured into the church for food, clothing and temporary shelter while county agencies providedinformation for a list of social services.

While John Edwards dropped out of the Democratic presidential race yesterday, his message regarding raising an awareness for the poor rings throughout America. Of course they should help themselves, but first we must make every attempt to rescue those who drown in a sea of poverty, mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction.

Maybe you don't want to see these people, touch them, hear them or even smell them. Perhaps that disconnect keeps you safe from the perceived monsters beyond your front yard, but these people are real live human beings who require real support.

Everyone cannot stand and smile to serve a street person, but there must be something you can do via financial donations, charitable gifts of good clothing -- or even just a prayer.

Call me the eternal optimist, but the belief here is that a group that makes a sandwich can change -- for the better -- the city of Trenton.

L.A. Parker is a Trentonian award-winning columnist and reporter. His column appears on Thursday and Saturday. Reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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