Tonight I attended a home meeting with a young teen and had an opportunity to meet other people, women. There were about seven women and one male teen. I couldn't believe my ears as I met and re-met, as in getting acquainted with these new faces, how accepting they were. I have lived where I live now for almost twenty-seven years and in all this time, I haven't met neighbors who are any where as friendly and accepting, sharing and kind as these people were.
I have to go a step backwards. My neighbors and friends/family( one family ) who live in back of me are truly very special people and they are top of any list I'd have as far as good people. It would take me too long to tell you all about "The People Across the Field."
When I moved here years ago I was told by a young man that it would take years for people to welcome and accept me as I was an outsider. He also stated that his family who lives on Stoverstown road weren't talked to by most neighbors. I thought, what the heck kind of an area did I move into? That young man was a youth minister. He said he learned to accept, that people here just want to keep to themselves. I didn't accept that, yet little by little I found that to be true, at least as far as I was concerned. The young man, the youth minister? He moved away.
As I sat and listened to people introduce themselves and talk a little about Stoverstown history and how things changed, it reminded me of where I grew up Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn has changed too. Progress? I don't think so. To me progress is being happy where you are and not moving because someone who looks different than you changes the neighborhood. If we remain, we progress in making our town better and how do we do that?
This is what this meeting was all about, how we do that. People came up with all kinds of ideas, making a community newsletter or getting involved in the one already put out by the township. Then there could be a Stoverstown book club, or a Stoverstown walking group, and even a Help Thy Neighbor group, which is concerned with as it appears to explain, helping someone who needs you. This can be anyone for anything, like a drive to a grocery store, helping to clean up a garden or start a garden, carry groceries in, clean someones refrigerator or garage and even their car.
We also thought about having an old fashioned block party, and a sing a long/musical group. Oh , back to gardening. A positive suggestion is to have community gardens. There are people who live in apartments in Spring Grove and York New Salem who might like to help out and share with a neighbor or teens who might wants to help out at home by starting a family garden.
Anything is possible when people come together for a community purpose. Remember good equals good. Next time you see a neighbor ask them this simple question...Can you tell me if there is------around here? When you say, "around here" usually they know you're new and it's a good way to hopefully start a, Community Connection .
P.S. If you're interested in it, chances are, someone else is too. Check in, don't check out.
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