I had one more Bowerman blueberry donut in my bag after a half hour conversation with two of the neighborhood boys and their Grandpa. I left their front stoop as they screamed their excitement for the next neighborhood wide event for kids. I rounded the corner and heard the sound of a table saw. As I approached a young man in his makeshift shop, he stopped and came out to greet me. I offered him the last donut as we began talking. After I learned about the shelf that he was building for a friend, our conversation turned to what he would love to see within the neighborhood. When he mentioned his frustrated attempts at a backyard garden, I asked if he knew about our two community gardens. “There are two community gardens that are available for everyone?” he inquired. As I shared about the opportunity to garden just a block from his home, his eyes lit up. I invited him to join his neighbors and use one of the available garden plots to grow his vegetables. By the time that I walked home, I had texted his name and number to our master gardener Jeff who had then reached out to him to provide additional details on the community garden.
Community life is about slowing down on a Saturday morning to listen to the stories of those who live in the neighborhood. Sometimes, community life is empowering neighbors to start something new. Oftentimes, it is as simple as extending an invitation to someone that may feel like he/she is on the outskirts of that community. Not everyone knows that there is a place for them to use their skills and assets in their neighborhood. But there is always a place for everyone to be a part of community life. All are welcome. All are invited.
Upcoming Events:
- Washington School Neighbors Art Contest! Draw a pencil sketch of the Washington School neighborhood from your creative point of view. Submit drawing at Hope Church’s front office by August 10. Open to kids, youth and adults! Prizes awarded to the winner in both the kid/youth category and the adult category!
- Holland’s National Night Out on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at Kollen Park from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. There will be games, entertainment & food. Stop by the booth for Washington School Neighbors and enjoy our superhero photo booth! 🙂
- Wednesday, August 2, 2017 – Front Porch Ice Cream Social – Sign up to participate and get free ice cream to share with your neighbors on Wednesday, August 2! This is a simple and easy way to build relationships with those around you! Contact christen@washingtonschoolneighbors.com for more information.
- Tuesday, August 15 from 7:30-8:30pm at the community gardens – Join neighbors in the Washington School Neighborhood to share any concerns and ideas you have for community life! Any specific issues or community leaders that you’d like to hear from? Contact christen@washingtonschoolneighbors.com with your ideas and thoughts!
~Christen Bordenkircher, Neighborhood Connector