“I’ve been in and out of prison for about 30 years. It’s been a long time. I’m 71 years old now and it was hard for me to transition from prison life. I didn’t know where to go. 
 
I was looking for a job at MORCA (Mayor’s Office of Returning Citizen Affairs) and a woman handed me a flyer. It said, ‘No experience required’ and it was at Anacostia Park. I came down and walked around a little while and said to myself, ‘These people are doing something good here. I mean, really helping people.’ So, I interviewed for the position, and I’ve been with the Friends Corps since. 
 
The only place I ever found peace was in a park. I call it 'From the street to the sweet', because being here is comfort. It’s peaceful, I don’t have to walk around with my barriers up. People aren’t fighting or mean-spirited. I see sharing and lots of genuine love. 
 
Everyone feels good about what they’re doing here–not just the Friends Corps but the community as well. So, I said, ‘Okay, yeah. This is where I wanna be.’”  
 
To Wayne, his age is just a number. Whether it’s working with the grounds crew to remove invasive plants, building picnic tables, or roving the Park on a bike, he never shies away from the task at hand. In the future, he hopes to continue to see repairs throughout Anacostia Park, as well as more environmental educational activities for kids to learn about trees and other plants.