A good neighbor comes in many forms.
It may be someone who keeps an eye on your kids when they’re playing outside or someone who pet sits for you when your family is on vacation. Some even go above and beyond to make your community a great place to live by picking up trash in neighborhood parks or volunteering to start youth programs at the local library.
Celebrate the people who make your community thrive by honoring them on National Good Neighbor Day today.
We see it in communities throughout our region.
In the Tri-Cities area, 11 people were honored last week at the 2nd Annual Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Leadership awards ceremony.
In Newark, seven people are now helping police watch over neighborhoods as part of a new citizen patrol program.
In San Leandro last week, residents in the Broadmoor neighborhood saved an escaped parrot from the clutches of a cat.
Earlier this month in San Ramon, volunteers from Special Spaces did a bedroom makeover for a 10-year-old cancer survivor.
In the Tri-Valley, Patch readers last week helped two dogs find new homes.
At Castro Valley High School, students have started a program to recycle the food scraps from their cafeteria lunches.
The concept of National Good Neighbor Day began in the early 1970s when Montana resident Becky Mattson pushed to create a holiday that would recognize people who make their neighborhoods a great place to live.
The annual event became a National Holiday in 2003 when Sen. Max Baucus sponsored resolution naming Sept. 28 National Good Neighbor Day.
Are there people in your community who exemplify being a good neighbor? Today is a good time to tell them that you—and the entire neighborhood—appreciate all they do.
TELL US: Who are the great neighbors in your town? Who makes your town a great place to live? Honor them by sharing your story in the comments section below.
I made many amazing friendships that grew closer throughout the years, even in the midst of relocations, deaths and new lives being born. And united! (In fact, right now I am in LA visiting a former neighbor that moved to Michigan in 1998, then Alabama in 2002.) I remember being a teen traveling for the first time bymyself to visit this particular family in MI every year for many years.
The neighborhood had a close bond- havin "Friday night court parties" and neighborhood block parties. I remember the HOA hiring lifeguards and DJ's, at the neighborhood pool so parents can socialize and kids can dance the marcerena whilr posing for pictures to Spice Girl Songs. (we have never lived down those photos!) Dunk tanks were rented and yes, being the local babysitter I volunteered to go in for a shift. I have very fond memories of my neighborhood in Danville. It is sad to see (my dad still lives in the neighborhood) the closeness gone between the neighbors. No more block or holiday parties... No more "bike parades" at lemonade stands. Am I wishing to raise kids in a neighborhood that doesn't exist anymore? Being 30, my fondest memories included my Vista Tassajara neighbors, as many of us are still friends, attending eachothers weddings and being bridesmaids and/or groomsmen. I look at my "list" for future bridesmaids, and ALL of these amazing women, I met in Danville. Thank you Danville (and of course my family) for aiding my upbringing into who I am today!
I think having those three characteristics go a long way in preventing someone as being labeled as the neighbor from hell.
-Take care of your home (clean, neat, kept up well) Duh! -Keep your yard clean and manicured. Duh! it's your investment -Park cars in garage or in driveway NOT on street! -Control your dog so it doesn't bark/disturb people (even in daytime) -Control your kids. Supervise them when they play. NO screaming/yelling! -Don't let your kids play on or around street! that's what the park/backyard is for. -Don't be a loud moron. No music loud enough for us to hear in our own homes! -Cease noisy activities between 7a.m. and 10:00 p.m. to be courteous. -Don't ring my bell to sell me stuff. I don't care what your kid is fundraising for! -Follow the rules of the road when driving in your own neighborhood (duh!) -If you borrow a tool, return in CLEAN. If you break it, replace it. -Share the cost of fixing/replacing the fence. Don't be a jerk about it. Do be warm, friendly and let us know if you need anything. We'll be there for you, we'll watch your home when you're gone, we'll let you borrow stuff, we'll drop you off at the mechanic etc. if need be. We'll take in your mail and paper, Just be kind and courteous, please!
But I celebrate September 28 for other reasons. The Battle of Hastings was fought on this day in 1066. Even though my ancestors lost, England has never been invaded since then, at least politically or militarily. The Poles surrendered to the Germans on this day in 1939. William Windom, the actor who played "Commodor Decker" on 'Star Trek', was born on this day (he died on August 16th). So was Moon Unit Zappa. I was also born on this day, too, so many years ago to the point that I celebrate it as the __ anniversary of my 39th Birthday these days. As for being a neighbor, I'm not "Mr. Rogers" by any means. But I also believe that good neighbors are also defined by their fences and that they know when to stay on their side of the fence, which should be most of the time. They shouldn't make too much noise or be too much of a nuisance (which I probably failed for my own neighbors, especially around here on Patch) or too much of an obstacle. "Live and let live" is always a good policy, especially around my neighbors. As long as their noise is not too loud, their pets are not digging up my plants and ruining the wax finish on my car, or their activities are proving to be a nuisance to everybody around them (and ranting on "Patch" doesn't count), we'll get along just fine.
I don't care if you have a problem with me and my Binoculars, Camera, Telescope or anything else you might find me Holding while I'm on or near MY Property. If you have a Problem, have the common courtesy to walk out you're door, march on over to mine, and knock. If it's a really silly or Stupid Issue do know that you run the risk of getting the Finger or having me Laugh at you. It's the Risk you take when you Confront me, accept it. Besides Wasting 911's Time and Resources to send out Multiple Officers to Investigate me, you piss me off and make an Enemy of me forever. Might I also add, use the Non Emergency Line for Suspicious Persons Calls, idiot!
If you can't take care of your pets and you can't find anybody else to take care of them, take them to the nearest shelter, don't let them run around and become a nuisance to those of your neighbors that stayed.
Because if I decide to do that, you may not like the consequence that my actions may bring to you, to your property, to your reputation, and even your financial situation. If you are spying on me and it appears so, I'm going to want to know why and you hope that a third-party should be looking into it rather than me directly. For all I know, you are probably casing my home and seeing when it could be a decent time for you to rob me of what little things of value I may have left these days. Or you could be spying on me and tracking my movements in order to bring harm upon me and my family, which I'm not going to tolerate, either. If we don't know what your intentions are, neighbor, when you are spying on us, we can always presume that they anything but friendly or benevolent. So it's usually best, here, that if you don't want me in your business, don't look like you want to be in mine, neighbor, and that will go very far in keeping the peace between us. Understand?
So...my new neighbors are very nice, friendly people with nice friendly kids and I'm really glad they have moved in and I really look forward to them being there.
A great Fred Rogers remix... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzXaFbxDcM&feature=player_embedded
One of her strangest first dates was a man who glued hand-typed Chinese "fortunes" to his chest and god knows where else.
Mrs. Bee, good list, BTW.
How about a Sword Fight? lol. I get what you are saying, but what most fail to realize is that even though our Properties may consist of a Front Yard, they are in Public View which means that if I wanted to I could snap unlimited Pictures or Video of you and vice versa. This isn't my Intention, however. But if I wanted to do it, I would. The only time Privacy comes into play is when you are inside your Home. I didn't write the Law, I just follow it, sometimes. lol. I've dealt with your kind often in my Life and will be the first one to admit that I don't always play by the Rules and things often go South as I can't refrain from the urge to Verbally Antagonize people like you. Still, if you are bothered by me and what I do you better have clear proof of my Wrongs toward you because in a Court of Law what you THINK I did and what I actually did DO are two very different things. There's a reason why Cops don't care what you do behind your own Door, but do take note that your front yard is fair game.
However, that very activity against your neighbors may sow discord between you and them to the point that they will want to know why you are doing that in the first place and that they may bring in Law Enforcement to find out why and assess whether or not your activity may be harmful or even detrimental to your neighbors. In any neighborhood, every neighbor has to work to keep the peace and when you have one neighbor out there acting a little out of the ordinary by surveilling everybody even in their own front yards, that is going to arouse suspicion and even some animosity as why they are conducting such surveillance. You may be better off ceasing those activities to keep the peace and not draw so much unwanted attention and even ill-will upon yourself. Besides, the more reports Law Enforcement has on your activities, they could wind up as evidence against you in a Court of Law as each of your neighbors brings a nuisance suit against you and forces you to sacrifice time and even money to come over to court to answer for each complaint. And if your neighbors were really angry, each one would file a suit and do so on successive weeks to make your life interesting in Court. Just a thought.
I like to think of myself as Unique, others would probably call me Eclectic in Nature. I grew up in a Neighborhood where people didn't Question the stuff I did, if I wanted to Light off Bombs until the Cows came home, I could. Nobody ever called the Cops either which was sort of like a Written Rule. Everyone who lived in that Neighborhood had Skeletons in the Closet, and were Intimidated by rocking the Boat. One house grew Pot Plants, Another Sold Meth, one housed known Gang Bangers, they'd sometimes get Physical with the other Gang Bangers who lived directly across the Street. That was interesting, especially when the entire Police Force showed up. There were Normal People who lived there, just trying to raise a Family but even they had Secrets. Wife Beaters, Child Abusers, Alcoholics, etc. You could do anything in that Neighborhood except Urinate in Public, Wheel your Furniture out into the Middle of the Street and Lay back watching TV thanks to the Car Battery which was borrowed from someones vehicle down the street. Nobody gave a damn about anything and you had free reign to be as much of a clown as you wanted. Sometimes I miss that old Street, Well with exception to the Occasional Stabbing or Drug Overdose. Watching the Fire Department Hose down the pavement got old after awhile. If only I could find a Street that was half as Interesting.
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