I grew up in a small town. Yes, one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone and no one knew more than my neighbor, Mrs. Hoeffner. Mrs. Hoeffner saw everything from her living room window. She knew when the kids in our neighborhood were arguing or a few minutes late getting home from a date. And, yes, she called our parents and told them. She baked cookies for us on Halloween and called parents if there was any “meanness”. We did NOT like Mrs. Hoeffner because she was constantly watching us. Our parents LOVED Mrs. Hoeffner because she was constantly watching us.
Do you know your neighbors? I don’t. I’ll admit it. I’ve lived in the same house for almost thirty years. I know two of my neighbors by name and could probably call them in an emergency – if I had their phone numbers! If someone in my neighborhood fell or was ill and couldn’t call for help, I wouldn’t know it. I’m not sure that I am attentive enough to notice if someone’s mail is piling up or their car hasn’t moved in a while. Would you? It’s not that I don’t care about my neighborhood. I have just allowed myself to get caught up in my own life of work and family that I haven’t made the time to reach out.
When people think of working in the community, they often think they must contribute a large sum of money or spend hours volunteering. While donating money and volunteering are wonderful and necessary for our community to thrive, every action big or small matters. What could you do in your circle of influence or your neighborhood to improve the lives of those around you? I’m thinking of organizing a neighborhood picnic or dog-walking group. Maybe that will help me get to know my neighbors better. It might even lead to a discussion of neighbors that we never see or issues in our neighborhood. Maybe that one little spark will grow to include more neighborhoods and spread to the community as a whole.
What will you do?
Our mission at NTAUW is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of community. Community includes every person. We believe that the way to tackle society’s problems begins with one caring person reaching out. We hope you will join us.
-Carol Marlar, Executive Director
