A lifelong resident of the St. Peter's Cathedral neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas, Patty Orth hasn't let derelict rental housing or drive-by shootings or prostitutes lingering in her back alley push her out. Instead, this pragmatic neighborhood association president has worked to bring in outside resources to address the area's problems. When a group called the Local Initiatives Support Coalition wanted to spend more than $20 million to jump-start revitalization in 10 Kansas City-area neighborhoods, one of its main criteria was that the neighborhood have strong grassroots leaders, and LISC found one in Orth. And after the drive-by shooting death of 2-year-old Yelena Guzman rattled residents this past spring, Orth worked with police to bump up patrols — a presence that has calmed gang activity in the area. Despite the logistical headache, Orth worked with the public works department to get all the one-way streets in the neighborhood turned in the reverse direction, reducing through-traffic that had been creating a speedway of criminal activity and deafening car stereos. That's why, while adjacent neighborhoods are lucky to get anyone to show up at their monthly meetings, St. Peter's gatherings sometimes draw more than 50 people as well as top bureaucrats from the Unified Government and the police department. And, like any good neighbor, Orth is an expert at politely steering long-winded speakers to finish up their comments. That gets everyone home early.