A special commitment

By KATIE SEMINARA

Couple exchange vows at historic apartments of Campbell Works

111Thet got married outside the Sheet and Tube Co. apartments that are nearly 100 years old.

Robert Brooks, 46, recently of Lima, has lived at the Campbell Works company apartments for two years.

The apartments, built around 1920, were constructed for steel workers and still have many of their original qualities.

“I hope it brings goodness to the area and shows people this is a family community,” said Robert of his wedding ceremony that was attended by neighbors and friends.

Robert and his bride, Samantha Hebert, 22, of Mercer, Pa., fully intend to stay in the Campbell area and raise a family.

Using their apartment with its original clay tablet roof as the backdrop for their special day was an indicator of their commitment to the area.

Under Monday’s blue sky they made a commitment to each other.

As Samantha walked down her rose-lined sidewalk aisle toward Robert, local church bells rang in the background.

Campbell Mayor John Dill conducted the ceremony and said it’s nice that the housing is still being used and people are still moving in to the historic buildings.

“This was the cream of the crop up until the 1980s,” William Kish said of the apartments.

Kish, who owns several units and is Robert’s landlord, said that Robert is “conscientious about the appearance of the area.”

Robert and Samantha hope their actions spark an interest in others to help clean up areas once deemed “rust belts.”

“We try to beautify what we can,” said Robert.

Although Samantha could have been considered part of the beautifying plan in her white gown with deep red accents, she won’t be wearing it every day.

But even out of her wedding dress, Samantha plans to help better her home and the surrounding apartments with her husband.

“I want my kids to have a good neighborhood and a good home,” she said.