Hyattsville resident Sue Decker recalls growing up in the house she currently lives in — back when Adelphi Road was not paved, and when neighbors would leave their doors unlocked, cut each others' lawns and baby-sit each others' children, she said.

"When somebody needed a helping hand, you just helped out," Decker, 53, of the University Hills neighborhood, said.

It is a belief she carries on as one of Hyattsville's most eager and willing volunteers, according to neighbors and officials. Decker has spent more than 100 hours this year officially volunteering for the city and is especially committed to keeping Duck Pond Park clean.

Decker's dedication to the neighborhood stems from her roots in the area. She remembered the heyday of the park, when she and her two siblings played on the playground equipment.

"Every time I go down there, I like to see things a little better," she said. "This is a little neighborhood, and it's a beautiful one."

Decker advocated for Hyattsville's annexation of University Hills in 2006, saying she wanted better code enforcement, police and public works services. And since the annexation, she has become very involved in city volunteer efforts, including regular cleanups at Duck Pond Park.

Colleen Aistis, Hyattsville's volunteer coordinator, said Decker is always among the first to respond to a call for volunteers.

"It's not beyond Sue to put on a pair of work gloves and get a litter stick and go in the most remote areas of the park," Aistis said. "That sounds like no big deal, but it's very significant because when someone with a great deal of enthusiasm gets involved, it inspires others."

Decker also serves on the city's code enforcement committee. When the code enforcement department needed to distribute fliers to houses in University Hills in the spring, Decker stepped up to the plate.

"She [helps] with such a nonchalant attitude," Aistis said. "She was only too happy to do it."

Decker, who works as a management analyst for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, maintains a positive outlook. Since annexation, she said her neighborhood is improving "not drastically, but it's positive."

Tom Slezack is a University Hills resident who met Decker nearly five years ago as they campaigned for annexation. He said she consistently tries to improve the overall quality of her neighborhood and the city.

"She's a go-getter," Slezack said. "When you work a full 40-plus hours a week and still have the time to do the things she does, I admire that."

E-mail Elahe Izadi at eizadi@gazette.net.