CELEBRATE GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY – September 28
Good neighborliness defines how pleasant and comfortable our neighborhood is ‑ neighbors can make or break your experience of living in an area. Being a good neighbor helps us build solid and long‑lasting relationships. Good neighbors are like umbrellas on a rainy day, lending a helping hand in times of emergency.
Previous generations tended to engage their neighbors in a lot of activities. They invited them to parties and balls, went riding with them, worked on their farms, invited them over for dinner, and took care of their homes whenever they went away. Nowadays, with everyone’s busy schedules and technological advancements, there is often not as much interaction.
In the early 1970s, Becky Mattson of Lakeside, Montana created National Good Neighbor Day as a day to connect with and recognize the importance of strong leaders. President Jimmy Carter later proclaimed it as an official holiday in 1978.
September 28 is Good Neighbor Day. This is a special day set aside to encourage everyone to reach out and get to know your neighbors. It is a blessing to have good neighbors; let’s show them how much we appreciate them!
Here are some simple ways to reach out to your neighbors:
· Paint kindness rocks and hide them for your neighbors to find
· Bring in your neighbor’s trash can from the curb
· Deliver some home-baked cookies or a cake
· Share extra vegetables or fruit from your garden
· Go on a family walk or bike ride and resolve to say “hello” to everyone you pass
· Offer to rake leaves, weed the flower bed, or other yard work a neighbor may need help with
· Invite a neighboring family over for backyard games, a BBQ, or dessert
· Leave a gift basket when someone has a new baby
· Smile at every single person you see during the day
· Arrange a babysitting swap night with another family
· Have your kids draw pictures for an elderly neighbor and then drop them off with a visit
· Just be friendly!
Remember … it’s nice to be nice!