People holding paintbrushes and rollers were crawling around the yellow house at the corner of Coccaros Alley and Alma Street in Marcus Bottom; some working on the walls and some on the soffit under the roof.

The group was a collection of adults and young people working toward one goal: to make the house — one of three selected on Coccaros — look good again. The effort is part of the Randy Naylor Foundation’s Seniors Helping Seniors program.

“It’s a program to help our senior citizens,” said Randy Naylor Jr., foundation director. “We use high school seniors who volunteer their time to come out and do yard work, paint, minor repairs … things many of our senior citizens are unable to do.

“It’s a way for them to give back to the community by helping others. We’ve had students from Vicksburg High School, Warren Central High and St. Aloysius come out and help.”

Alexis Hicks, a former Vicksburg High grad and student at Hinds Community College, was one of the people working on the house.

“I’m a member of Yeah Ministries. One of our leaders said a man who goes to Mount Carmel (Baptist Church) told her about the community service project,” she said. “I enjoy doing community service projects, so I came to help.”

Java Tonth, a former Warren Central student who now lives in Georgia, said she was in town visiting family, when she was asked by her aunt and uncle (Naylor and his wife Tonya) to help out.

“I did this last year, too, and I enjoyed it,” she said.

“We’ve been doing this program since 2014,” Naylor said. “We select several properties every year and we’re glad to help people who may not be able to do some things they used to.”

The Randy Naylor Foundation was begun in June 2014 and dedicated to the memory of the former police officer and constable who was known for his work with the Vicksburg-area youth.