ANDERSON, Ind. — Peggy Kruse acknowledges that she is overwhelmed by the condition of her own home.

Clutter — some in piles, some under tarpaulins — is strewn about the yard of her ranch-style house not far from Mounds State Park.

Kruse, a retired teachers who has lived by herself in the Eastwood subdivision off Donnelly Road for 25 years said she simply can’t correct the enormity of the problem by herself.

And neighbors, like John Hume who lives next door, are fed up with the ongoing mess. It’s been a problem for eight years, he said.

“We are just at a loss as to what to do,” Hume said. “We’ve just learned to live with it.”

Some neighbors contacted the Madison County Plan Commission in 2008. Kruse was cited for repeated violations of county laws covering the outdoor accumulation of junk and debris.

Hume said one of Kruse’s sons cleaned up the property a couple of years ago, but it didn’t last long and the clutter returned.

Neighbors trapped some of the cats that seemed to congregate at Kruse’s home.

Hume said his grandchildren routinely feed her dog, Poncho.

On a recent visit, Poncho pranced around the front yard on his leash. Several cats lazed in the autumn sun on Kruse’s roof. But it was nearly impossible for a visitor to reach her front door due to boxes and other clutter blocking the entrance.

Bins and totes surround the house, along with cast-off furniture, stuffed animals, holiday wreaths, bicycles, lawn equipment lawn ornaments and abandoned clothing. A wet Bible was under some leaves in the driveway.

Several blue tarpaulins scattered around the property cover piles of items Kruse wants to protect. She had difficulty describing what memories any of those held.

Kruse, 75, makes ends meet on a small pension as a retired teacher and from Social Security. She said she has occasionally hired local teens or itinerant day laborers to help clean up but several costly home repairs including the installation of a new roof and furnace have made even that impossible.

Boy Scouts to assist

Since its founding 102 years ago, the Boy Scouts of America slogan has been “do a good turn daily.”

Boys from scout troops 253 and 240 in Anderson will put that slogan into practice on Friday, coming to Kruse’s aid.

The pledge of assistance came last week when County Commissioner Jeff Hardin, D-Middle District, heard of Kruse’s plight. He called his pastor at First Baptist Church in Anderson. The minister referred him to Jim Wehrly, assistant scoutmaster of Troop 253, who offered scouts to the rescue.

“This is just the kind of stuff our boys want to do,” he said. Any way we can demonstrate the importance of good citizenship, it’s good for these boys.”

Wehrly, in turn, called the scoutmaster of Troop 240 at Bethany Christian Church, which also agreed to provide scouts to help in the effort.

Then, Hardin called Kruse, a woman he has known for several years. He told her help is on the way.

Hardin said her reaction was, “‘I can’t believe somebody wants to help me.’“

On Friday, Kruse said, “I think I slept through the night last night for the first time in three years. ... I’d gotten to the point where I was so depressed I’d wake up crying and think, ‘Oh no, another day.’“

Kruse did acknowledge that she has grown children of her own but they have been reluctant to help her clean up the house or yard.

Wehrly drove by Kruse’s house Thursday evening. He said the amount of material that needs to be take away can’t be handled by trash bags and pickup trucks.

He said he hopes to contact a company that would be willing to donate a dumpster to help cart most of the items away. And he said the scouts are willing to work through the weekend to help clear the yard.

Find Stu Hirsch on Facebook and @StuHirsch on Twitter, or call 640-4861.