DOWN THE hall from a classroom where I am teaching this semester is a poster which lists 100 ideas under the heading "How to build community." Seeing that poster has gotten me thinking about additional ways to sustain and renew the communities in which we live. I came up with seven ideas:
1. Walk around your block. A long time ago, I had a neighbor who would walk around the block almost every evening around 10 pm. She and her husband -- and their two dogs -- would circle the block. That's how they got to know the comings and goings of everyone. We called her "the mayor" of the block because of this accumulated knowledge. Now, as the weather warms up, is a great time to start doing this on your block.
2. Shop at locally-owned stores. These are the businesses which add stability and personality to our community. All over town there are delightful businesses waiting to be discovered. Take an afternoon to explore what's out there.
3. Do something with your block. It could be as simple as planning a similar seasonal decoration for every door. Or it could be as elaborate as organizing a progressive dinner.
4. Introduce yourself to a new neighbor. Invite them over to see you or take them out for coffee. You might even consider reviving the almost lost art of welcoming them with a hot dish or dessert.
5.Ride the bus. If you drive your car all the time, you're missing a slice of our town. A bus ride -- even on a free downtown shuttle -- will introduce you to people you would otherwise never meet. Don't have bus service in your community? Consider taking on the assignment to change that.
6. Acknowledge young people. When I talk with young people, they often ask me why adults move away from them at street corners and bus stops. There's a gap there which you can help bridge. Young people want to be recognized, so take a moment to say hi the next time you pass a teenager.
7. Go to the park. There's nothing like a stroll through one of the city parks to restore one's sanity. Every community has at least one. Many have several; one for whatever mood you might be in.
I'm sure you have many other ideas for building community. How about sharing some of yours.
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2 comments:
Those are some great ideas. Now days everyone is so busy and always on the go that we sometimes forget things that are important to us. Being active in the community is very important. I see that it would be harder in a bigger town such as Sioux Falls. I am originally from a small town and find that it is much easier to be involved in the community. In smaller towns you are looked at as a person instead of just a number. Now living back in a small town with my mom, I do a few of the things that you have listed. My mom and I take the dog for walks a few times a week. We usually try to shop locally. My mom owns a business so she likes to help out the people in the community that help her out. I remember when I was younger, people used to have block parties and invite all the people that lived in the neighborhood. I have not heard of this for a long time. When I lived in another small town with my boyfriend we would go over and visit with our neighbors. This was nice to get to know the ones that are living around you. As for the bus system, the last 2 towns that I have lived in have been way to small to have a bus system, besides school busses. In my old neighbor hood, our neighbors had a younger boy that we would talk to all the time. He would always be over selling us candy bars for some school event or just simply asking us if we could help us with skate boarding or throwing the baseball around. And lastly, my mom and i walk through the park in the evenings, and I take my cousin to go play there. I think that going to the park is a good thing to lift your spirits. It gives you a chance to let your guard down and act like a kid again!
Your comments have got me thinking again about the structure of cities. I think cities are really a collection of small towns -- neighborhoods. Even a downtown is a neighborhood. What we have to figure out is how to strengthen all of those little towns which make up a city. I once heard about a way to measure a good neighborhood called the "Popsicle Test." Goes like this: Can a young person of 9 or 10 ride her bike safely to a store and buy a Popsicle? If so, you've got a good neighborhood.
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