Community Building Series Part IV

I recently attended a funeral of a local man. He raised four kids, stayed married for fifty years, knew success in his career, and had many remarkable traits. His eulogy was full of all the great stuff we often hear, but there was something more mentioned that was a very high compliment: he was a good neighbor. Story after story was shared about how this man was known to say hi to others, pay attention to people around him, find ways to care for folks next door, talk to passersby, befriend local teenagers, and even share his roses and vegetables with neighbors.

The notion of being a contributor to the health of a community is seldom on the radar in today’s culture. Somewhere along the way we lost the value for connectedness and are now more isolated and self-reliant. If we can re-believe though that it really does matter to have residents involved in neighborhood life, then our communities will thrive.

Whose responsibility is it anyway to help a neighborhood grow in the right direction? Is it the City and its programs? Council members? An HOA? Apartment managers? Local Business? Police? Code Enforcement? The answer is all of the above, but most of all it is the privilege of residents to shape the values of their tract. Just as each of us needs to eat certain foods to yield a healthy body, in neighborhoods individual households help to nourish the overall wellbeing of their area. Not everyone has a desire to be social or get to know others, and that is understandable, but as more and more residents choose to be intentional about their community, we will experience a vibrancy that no HOA fee could ever create.

When we begin to put effort into the stream of subdivision life we will see stronger relationships and a greater sense of communal vision, not to mention having a whole lot of fun. This is not about taking on big neighborhood projects, but instead buying into a belief that our individual contributions and giftedness are valuable for the soul of the neighborhood. Let’s begin to re-believe that each household has something to offer for the health of the community and then act accordingly.

You are important for your neighborhood. Do you believe that?

Bonus Material: The following are thirteen examples of residents who believe in community participation.

1. David the Photographer: He has taken pictures at neighborhood events several times.
2. Elaine the Host: Elaine has invited groups of residents into her home.
3. Janel the Garage Sale Queen: Janel planned a neighborhood garage sale.
4. Ruth, Jamie & The Beatification Posse: They grew tired of seeing two neighborhood entrance corners looking unkempt, so they pulled out plants and got to work.
5. Gary the Painter: Gary takes the initiative to cover tagging in inconspicuous places.
6. David the Woodworker: He cut, sanded, and painted new letters which say “Cordova Towne” for an entrance corner on Mather Field Road
7. Brandon & Jen The Organic Pool Couple: They have shared from their vegetable garden multiple times and they hosted a pool party this Summer
8. Clark the Walker: Clark likes to hike, so he asked a few people to begin walking the neighborhood 1-2 times per month.
9. Mark & Sarah the Prayer Duo: Last year they invited residents into their home to pray together over a series of months.
10. Swansea Way Heroes: A number of residents on Swansea Way are putting effort into helping their street communicate more regularly through street events.
11. Donna & Jerry the Weed & Seeders: They both sit on the Weed & Seed Steering Committee (a federal program) which directly impacts the neighborhood.
12. Christian the Activist: He was not happy when the City added a median to block off a neighborhood street so he passed out flyers to do something about it.
13. Helen & Lee the Pillars: They have both lived in the neighborhood for many decades and are active in the local police zone meetings.

Part V: A Legacy for our Children