Keep Allston Decent (KAD) is a project aimed at affecting positive change through community action. I have lived in Allston for two years as a student studying at Boston University and I see that there is a growing desire among my fellow students to work for the community rather than against it. We too are the residents of Allston.

     KAD had their first Allston clean-up day last December when a group of BU students descended on the streets of Allston with brooms, rakes and trash bags to clean up the mess left by its weekend revelers. Within a few weeks, it was back the way it was. This means we need to do more. We now have a bi-weekly workday that meets on the corner of Chester and Ashford Street every second and fourth Sunday. Everyone is welcome to come, and the clean up will be relaxed and fun. We're not only cleaning up Allston, but we're making it our own.

     We want to preserve the off-beat, grungy grit of Allston. Under the red cups and broken glass there lies a distinct Allston culture. To cultivate that culture, we want to plan neighborhood block parties, showcase local graffiti artists on canvas instead of buildings, and plant gardens in bare patches. The possibilities are endless if we Keep Allston Decent. Join us in our mission to change the way people think of Allston, because anyone who lives here will tell you: it's a whole lot better than living by the river.