Last night was National Night Out. From what I gather it is meant to be a celebration of neighborhood and community. I was pretty excited about the event myself. I guess my neighborhood has the best one of these events in all of morgantown, or so I heard.
I live on Wiles Hill. I have lived here for 3 years, and yet, I do not know any of my neighbors. I met tons of people, including several city government representatives.
I met a preacher who works in a church down the street from me, and I met the parents of my friend and co-worker, Mark Byrer.
It was really cool to finally connect with people in the neighborhood. There is one guy, who every time I have ever walked by his house, he has greeted me. he has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years. His name is Charlie Williams (which is also my dad's name!). Mr. Williams sees everything that happens in the neighborhood, and reminds me a bit of some of the older people who watched out for trouble in the neighborhood where I grew up.
Over 100 people came out for the festivities, but unfortunately there weren't many people close to my age. It appears that either the neighborhood is an older neighborhood, or younger people just don't value the idea of community as much.
I think we miss out on so much by not being rooted in a neighborhood community. This get together was probably the first event I've been to in a long time where people didn't have a microphone and a PA system. It was refreshing to see a simpler way of living and being.
I hope this won't be the last opportunity I have to interact with my neighbors until next year.
Do you know your neighbors?
I live on Wiles Hill. I have lived here for 3 years, and yet, I do not know any of my neighbors. I met tons of people, including several city government representatives.
I met a preacher who works in a church down the street from me, and I met the parents of my friend and co-worker, Mark Byrer.
It was really cool to finally connect with people in the neighborhood. There is one guy, who every time I have ever walked by his house, he has greeted me. he has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years. His name is Charlie Williams (which is also my dad's name!). Mr. Williams sees everything that happens in the neighborhood, and reminds me a bit of some of the older people who watched out for trouble in the neighborhood where I grew up.
Over 100 people came out for the festivities, but unfortunately there weren't many people close to my age. It appears that either the neighborhood is an older neighborhood, or younger people just don't value the idea of community as much.
I think we miss out on so much by not being rooted in a neighborhood community. This get together was probably the first event I've been to in a long time where people didn't have a microphone and a PA system. It was refreshing to see a simpler way of living and being.
I hope this won't be the last opportunity I have to interact with my neighbors until next year.
Do you know your neighbors?
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