National Night Out, Make a Difference Day In

in community stories

Lots of good stories on last night’s night out (although some got rained out and moved down)

Neighbors gather to celebrate National Night Out

San Antonio Express – Eva Ruth Moravec, Valentino Lucio – Allie Hostetter looked around the Calvary Temple parking lot as hundreds gathered to watch a local elementary school choir, grabbed a bite to eat and chatted with friends. For Hostetter and the El Chaparral-Fertile Valley Neighborhood Association, Tuesday’s inaugural National Night Out event was a complete success. “We’re really proud of all the neighbors, businesses and everyone else that have helped us,” Hostetter said. “We didn’t expect this.”

Communities gather during ‘Night Out’

Brazosport Facts – Jones Creek officials were “ecstatic” Tuesday after more than 100 adults and their children attended the city’s first National Night Out event. The front lawn of City Hall was packed with residents talking with Jones Creek marshal’s officers, volunteer firefighters, Brazoria County Sheriff Charles Wagner and Pct. 4 Constable Fred Kanter.

We met people last night from all sides of every one of these hills in our little community. And we are indeed a community, with just a few roads winding around all these hills, some houses visible from the roads, others tucked way back and hidden in the woods. Honestly, I didn’t realize that so many families were in here to begin with– so there are more houses hidden by the woods and the trees that I imagined.

More NNO news here.

Lots of buzz on Make a Difference Day

In the old news, and the new news. If you need ideas, try these: Project Ideas for Make a Difference Day, 77 ways to build community in your neighborhood, 50 ways to serve in your neighborhood, and 31 ways to create sustainable neighborhoods.

And in other news of good people doing good …

Neighborhood Harvest shares bounty

Mail Tribune – Sarah Lemon – The Ashland couple, who usually share the bounty with nearby families, decided to expand their definition of “neighbor.” Neighborhood Harvest, an organization founded in Ashland last year, picked all the plums free of charge. After the group’s volunteers kept a portion of the 30-pound harvest, local food banks received about a third, and a third was set aside for sale at the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market. “At this point, we’re totally funded by the fruit sales,” says Josh Shupack, who manages the program.

Huber Heights family devoted to volunteerism

Dayton Daily News – Beth Anspach – When Brooke Davidson of Huber Heights was just 5 years old, she began an outreach to those less fortunate that continues to this day. Now 14, Brooke and her entire family are devotees of volunteerism and believe that “giving back,” should be the center of everyone’s lives. “I went with my mom to help homeless people when I was 5,” Brooke said, “And we ended up producing a play to help bring attention to homelessness.”

NORCs: Unique Havens for an Aging America

Yahoo! News – Philip Moeller – Lillian Miceli owns her home, has no plans to leave, and looks forward to many more good years. But, at 89, with knees “that are shot,” she needs a lot of help to remain independent. Fortunately, a program in the western suburbs of St. Louis sends volunteer students from Washington University in St. Louis to tend her yard. Pete Pozefsky, a Boeing engineer who lives in the area and volunteers for the program, stops by to help her solve a computer problem, then sticks around to move some heavy boxes. Other volunteers periodically assist with physically demanding chores, and staffers of this unique program provide social and community support services.