WHAT CAN I DO TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR?

Hello from work MU Extension in St. Charles County, MO, and from my home, Warrenton, MO. I'm working with colleagues on a neighboring program. It's about connecting with neighbors to help each other, watch out for each other. I aim to share some of my past, current and future acts of kindness experiences through this blog.


GOAL: Reach out to your neighbor, friend or family.
HOW: Offer to help them with something. Send a card, take them food. Any small gesture to let the know you care. They will appreciate your gesture, and they may pay it forward by doing a good deed for someone else.
WHY? The more people who take action, the more people will be connected. Being connected nearby and down the road keeps isolation at bay. When more people watch out for each other, you potentially reduce the risk of becoming a crime victim. When you do a good deed for someone else, often you benefit as much ore more than the recipient.

Please share your experiences of kindnesses you have seen in and around your neighborhood.

ACTS OF KINDNESS CONTRIBUTED BY OTHERS: THANK YOU FOR CONTRIBUTING.

"One early morning in December last year I was leaving to go to a meeting. There was a lot of fog in the area and as I drove up Birdie Hills Road a deer ran out in front of me. I hit its hind quarter and it spun around and took off. When I got to my destination I noticed that some trim on the front of my car had been knocked loose. A few pieces snapped right back in. However, the lower driver side was pushed in and I couldn't get it back in place. My neighbor, who works for a local car dealer sent someone over to pick up my car, take it to their shop and fixed the damaged trim, and then delivered the car back to me at no cost. What a great neighbor I have. They also pick up our mail for us when we are out of town. Like a Good Neighbor, they are there for us. We love them and their entire family."


"I live on a court in a subdivision. The people on this street have developed special relationships and are always willing to help one another. We have had neighbors move furniture for us, get our mail when we are out of town, and even bring me a birthday cake on my birthday! It is a wonderful place to live."


"We have such great neighbors! We have watched the kids across the street grow up. We used to purchase their favorite candies for Halloween. The lady next door to us lives alone. So we call her and check in with her - she is a bit of a hermit. On the other side, our neighbor is profoundly deaf. But, he knows EVERYTHING going on in the neighborhood. He walks his service dog and stops to chat everywhere. He also brings up trash cans for a select few. Since I keep him supplied with cookies and cake, we have made his list. ❤❤❤🌞🌞🌞"

WHEN SOMEONE ELSE WAS KIND TO ME:  I've lived in my home 19 years.  The first, and many winters since, when it snowed heavily, a neighbor cleared my entire driveway and all the rest on the street.  Some of the men that did this are only sweet memories now, but other younger men have continued the tradition on our street. No one ever asks. These men just go out and with their snow blowers, clean off driveway.  To pay it forward,  occasionally, I go across the street to shovel a friend's drive from the door to the mailbox. We try to get her mail so she doesn't have to go outside. 


Check out this website for more information. https://www.facebook.com/BecominganEngagedNeighbor

THANK YOU FOR READING!
DEANA TUCKER DOTHAGE

Comments

  1. Suzanne Olszewski ChisumJune 19, 2023 at 12:07 PM

    A year ago, I started having block meetings. Since then, we have had 11 block meetings and two block parties. But the benefits go much father! We are a connected, cohesive community now. Whereas before, you might know one or two neighbors, now, those that chose to participate know twenty. And those who do participte in person often visit our Facebook Group. Yesterday, I had a window AC unit delivered two days before it was supposed to. When I discovered it, it was about to rain. I called upon my neighbors to help, and the AC was moved easily into my home and out of the weather. Those little acts of kindness truly make it worthwhile. I live in Tower Grove South in St. Louis.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

Image
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS Submitted by Deana Tucker Dothage, March 26, 2024 The beautiful woman in this photograph is my mother, Alice. The picture was taken in 2019 during a trip to Oklahoma. In 2024 she turned 94 years old. From mid 30's to retirement , she was a career woman, and before that a mother of four. After she retired, she worked in my insurance agency taking on the bookkeeping and payroll.  During her late 80's to now, she has had some health setbacks, and recently, a terrible fall resulting in multiple broken bones. After a brief hospital stay to treat wounds, she is home with me and my brother, where she has lived for the past 13 years.  As neighbors learned that she left and returned by ambulance, they started reaching out to find out what was wrong and if we needed anything. Soon after, pizza was delivered. Next, a plate of dessert arrives. Many texts, private messages and phone calls as well as a shout out from a neigbhor's driveway have been received, i
Read more
Image
  GETTING TO KNOW MY NEIGHBORS June 2023 Deana Tucker Dothage Buckhorn Court has been my home for 19 years. We have babies through age 95 who live here. People move out, move in and some lived their last days in homes on this street. My son and one of his closest friends were raised here. My neighborhood is green! Lots of trees and well-maintained landscaped yards. There is a pond in the backyard on both sides of our street. It’s a joy to wake up and look out the windows, to sit on the deck or front porch. As my involvement in the Engaged Neighbor increased by delivering programs about being a good neighbor and getting to know your neighbors, it occurred to me that I could be a better neighbor. Gathering printed materials about Engaged Neighbor events, newsletters, Good Neighbor Week and Engaged Neighbor St. Charles (8/29/2023) to distribute on my street was easy. Putting pen to paper, I composed a letter of introduction that starts with “Let’s get to know each other.” One reques
Read more

BIRTHDAY PARTY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

Image
 BIRTHDAY PARTY  IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD Carol Braun, 90 Marie Moore, 95 In June 2023, I walked door to door on my street distributing Engaged Neighbor program information and a letter about myself. My goal was to encourage my neighbors to get to know each other for the first time or again. One neighbor, Carol,  told me her 90th birthday was in September. Another neighbor, Marie, was celebrating her 95th birthday in August, the same day my son turned 22.  My neighbor Carmen and I decided to throw a birthday party for Carol and Marie. We created a flyer and distributed the invitation door to door. Calls came quickly, offering to contribute food for the event.  Years ago, neighbors on my street had a semi-annual front yard cookout. The cookouts ended after losing some of the incredible people on our street. Tonight, our tradition comes back to life.  Most of the people on our street gathered in my yard. Seeing everyone walk or drive over with generous contributions was so sweet. We shared foo
Read more