Take Action

Take Action

You have the power to bring change to your community and rename a city street for John the Baptist. Sign our your local petition to bring John the Baptist Boulevard to communities all across the country. If there is not already a petition for your community, start one today!

Build awareness across the country and bring a John the Baptist Boulevard to every state.

Bring John the Baptist Boulevard to Your City

Choose a Street

Identify a street in your area to rename. Try to choose a street with a generic name that is not already named in someone's honor. You may also be able to find a street that the community is already looking to rename. We recommend streets near or leading to a body of water.

Start a Local Petition

Create a petition identifying the street you want to rename and your reason why. Reach out to friends and neighbors and ask them to sign your petition. Keep in mind, most cities require a certain percentage of residents or property owners to sign a petition to rename a street. We recommend sharing your petition on Nextdoor.com if it is available in your area.

Contact Local Leaders

Contact your Mayor, Town Council or other local governing body. Try to obtain community support and bring a signed petition to these local leaders. Even if you are not sure you have enough local signatures, be sure to reach out to your local community leaders. They may be able to assist you with your efforts.

Community Resources

Join the movement and take action. To help you get started, we've prepared a variety of Community Resources. These materials are designed to be a starting place for a movement in your city. Downloadable letters and sample petitions can be customized and tailored as needed to address your community.

Start a Petition

Using Change.org is a free and easy way to start your petition. Be sure to include specifics that speak to your community.

Share on Social Media

Get the work out on Facebook and other social media sites. Encourage friends, family and neighbors to share your petition.

Write to Your Mayor

Depending on where you live, contacting local leadership may be all you need to do to rename a street. Even if you need a petition for support, it is best to be in contact with your local leadership to get them on board with your plan.

Involve Your HOA

If your Homeowners Association is on board with the proposed name change, they may be able to help you obtain signatures from other residents.

Contact Your Congressman

Reach out to your Congressman or Congresswoman. Tell them why you want to rename a street in honor of John the Baptist. Ask them to support your cause.

Contact Your Senator

While renaming a street is a local matter,it never hurts to have your State Senator champion your cause. Reach out to their office, inform them of you plans and ask for their support.

Meet the Founders

John the Baptist Blvd is a grass roots, community driven movement gaining popularity every day. The simple but powerful idea to recognize John the Baptist started as an idea shared by two men in Jacksonville, Florida. Meet the men who started the movement.

John D. Arwood

John D. Arwood

John D. Arwood is president of Arwood Site Services and has built nationwide waste management and site services businesses. He has built his life and company on the foundation of hard work, biblical principles, honesty, and humility. This is a foundation he attributes directly to his father and to his family upbringing. As a result he is known as a dependable, plain spoken guy, whose innovative ideas have driven positive change within the industry.

Arwood has a history of championing community driven movements. As the founder of Waste & Recycling Workers Week, he invited the nation to celebrate the men and women of the waste, recycling and sanitation industry. What started as a local effort quickly grew into a nationwide week of recognition. Following his fathers example with Sanitation Workers for Jesus, John D. Arwood is expanding his efforts to champion faith in our communities by recognizing John the Baptist.

Toney Sleiman

Toney T. Sleiman

Toney T. Sleiman is CEO and President of Sleiman Enterprises, Inc., one of Florida's largest privately held real estate companies. Owned and operated out of Jacksonville, FL, the 65-year-old company has developed more than 150 shopping centers throughout the Southeast and today owns more than 90 properties totaling over 5 million square feet of retail space. Sleiman has also volunteered on the board of multiple nonprofits, including the American Cancer Society and Goodwill.

While Sleiman may be known primarily as a businessman, he is also a compassionate philanthropist, supporting a variety of organizations. In addition to his support for nonprofits, Sleiman has shown incredible support for local churches and small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. For those who know him well, it will be no surprise to find that he is now a champion for the movement to rename Beach Blvd to John the Baptist Blvd.

Contact Us

Would you like to support our efforts to recognize John the Baptist in communities across the country? Have you had success in your community petitioning your for a street to be renamed for John the Baptist? Send us an email at [email protected] or share your story with us using the contact form.

Have you started a petition to rename a street in your community? Send us a message along with the link to your petition so we can share it with the community.