PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Volunteers at a St. Pete church are stepping up to protect elementary school students by literally putting themselves between cars and kids along a busy roadway.
It comes as parents complain about a lack of school crossing guards around Melrose Elementary School.
"Kids are trying to play Russian Roulette or chicken to get across the street. It really is scary at any moment. On our cameras, we see car accidents. We see all kinds of things happening," said Tiffany Page, who lives next to Melrose Elementary School.
Tiffany Page works at Vision Discipleship Ministry and said the intersection at 19th Street South and 15th Avenue South has no speed bumps, stop lights, flashing lights, or crossing guards.
"The cars are flying by because they don't have to stop. It's very high risk, and it's scary," said Page.
Roland Mitchell and Catherine Austin's grandchildren attend Melrose, and they say the problem is getting worse.
"I worry about her all the time! Because I sit out here and watch her when she gets out of school and when she goes to school," said Austin.
"I sit out here waiting for her to cross the street," said Mitchell.
Page said despite her church contacting the school about the problem, they haven't come up with a solution.
ABC Action News contacted the St. Petersburg Police Department, which staffs crossing guards citywide.
The department said it has not received any formal complaints about the issue but states the other two sides of Melrose Elementary School have crossing guards.
They also say they are planning to do a study of traffic volume and speeding along 15th Avenue South to see if the road warrants a school zone placement and crossing guard.
Church leaders say until some crossing guards or speed bumps are put in place along 15th Avenue South, their members are going to continue volunteering to get kids to and from school safely.
"We are currently in a position now and reach out to our retired members, friends, and family members to go volunteer," said Page.
It's an effort the church is calling "#buildpastcentral." Page said the area north of Central Avenue in St. Petersburg seems to be better prioritized.
"It seems safer over there. Businesses are flourishing over there, but when you get on the Southside, which is past Central (Avenue), everything seems to go downhill," said Page.
She hopes the city and police department will do more to improve safety.
"Let's build this community back up," she said.
