As a young boy growing up on Vera Street on the side of Codman Hill, I can well remember a wonderful neighbor who always took pride in our little neighborhood.

We knew him as Mr. Babikian, a lovely man who had emigrated to this country from Armenia, and worked hard as a cobbler in a little store in Codman Square.

It is easy to recall this man getting out on our little dead end street early on a Saturday morning and sweeping it down. He would go down one side of the street, then the other, sweeping away the dirt, the grime and the assorted scraps of debris that had settled in the gutter of this little street. There were just five houses on each side, the street maybe the length of a football field, and Mr. Babikian swept it all down and made it sparkle. He had great pride in his home, his family and his neighborhood, and his simple little gesture made everyone feel a sense of pride in our surroundings. His strong sense of community shone through, and his volunteer effort of perhaps an hour's labor added greatly to our sense that our little corner of the world was special.

This weekend is a big weekend for city residents.

Saturday, June 14 Mayor Thomas Menino and his administration are planning a major cleanup of the city neighborhoods.

Organized by the city's Office of Neighborhood Services, the Mayor has called on civic groups, religious organizations, colleges and universities and residents everywhere to pitch-in for what he terms "a day of beautifying Boston."

The Mayor has committed to supplying the trucks, the brooms, and the rubbish containers and enough city workers to deal with rubbish disposal. He asking residents everywhere to express some provide in their neighborhood by donating just a few hours on Saturday to help in the effort.

The cleanup begins at 8:30 Saturday morning, June 14, and will continue through 2 pm, rain or shine. Much of the effort will be focused on the usually busy main streets&emdash; Dorchester Ave., Washington Street, River Street, Blue Hill Ave.&emdash; but there are plenty of side streets in need of cleaning, and that's precisely where everyone can help.

Residents everywhere can assist by simply taking a broom, a shovel and an empty wastebasket and going out on their own sidewalk and sweeping things down. It really will only take ten minutes, and it can make a great deal of difference. Imagine how spotless our neighborhoods would be of everyone pitched in!

Wouldn't Mr. Babikian, rest his soul, be proud to see that, 50 years later, neighborhood pride and a strong sense of community still flourishes in Dorchester.

-Ed Forry