One Event For Neighbors Of All Colors and Background

About four years ago I was house-shopping in Richmond, VA. I'd been in my two-bedroom brick rancher for seven years and it was time for a change.

After seeing a house located in Richmond's Carillon neighborhood, I fell in love and quickly snapped up the two-story Colonial. Little did I know I'd bought not just a house, but a whole neighborhood.

The first day in the house I was out front in my Pod, wrestling with a large sofa so that I could get to smaller items in the back of the storage unit. At 5'2" I don't look very strong, and the couch outweighed me by a few pounds.

As I was sweating and cursing, the first angel of mercy came to my rescue. Miss Sally, my energetic 60+ year old neighbor (she'll tsk-tsk me if I tell you her real age), came dashing across the street with a, "Girl, let me help you with that sofa," at which point she proceeded to hoist up an end and heading for the house.

That was my first taste of of what a "neighbor"hood is really like.

Since then I have discovered that the neighbors have organized what is practically their own little city. We don't have an official neighborhood watch system, but I know every time I leave for vacation, all of my neighbors keep an eye on my house.

They've even gone so far as to organize "safe yards" for dogs that get out. I know that if my beloved Gracie (my Ibizan hound) gets loose while I'm at work, I can go to one of two designated yards in the 'hood where she will be waiting for me. When neighbors look out for my dog, I'm impressed.

Perhaps the most amazing thing that happens in the Carillon is Arts In The Park.

Started in 1971 by Pat Lovelace and her family, it has become a huge city event. The Carillon is a very racially diverse neighborhood in a city that has suffered from racial tension for centuries. It is also very economically diverse, with houses at one end of my street selling for $120,000 and at the other end for over $1,000,000.

Seeing the diversity and wanting to do something to get people talking to each other, Pat decided that it was time to do a neighborhood project "to draw the community closer together in one event for neighbors of all colors and backgrounds."

Arts in the Park started with 131 artists who spread out their wares in Byrd Park. It was just supposed to be a community event, staffed by volunteers from the neighborhood, who would get to know each other by working together. Money raised from the event would be used for neighborhood beautification projects.

Now, 36 years later, Arts in the Park is still a neighborhood event.

In early March, everyone gets a call from Pat or her daughter, Paige, and is asked where they will be volunteering this year. It's a community honor to serve at the event and it's a wonderful time for us to get to make new friendships and renew old ones.

After the festivities, everyone gathers at the Fisher's house for a neighborhood cookout. Kids race around as adults sip cold beverages and tell stories about this year's event.

One of the unexpected things that came out of organizing the group and putting on what has become a huge event (Over 100,000 visitors in two days) is the money that is raised. The Carillon Civic Association uses the money to clean up Byrd Park as well to host concerts and plays at the Carillon and to fund neighborhood beautification projects in other parts of the city.

I tell you this story simply to let you know that every community, no matter how diverse or disconnected, can be brought together. Maybe this week you can find a way to reach out to a neighbor. Rake a yard, put their newspaper on the porch, clean the snow from their windshield, or just stop and say a warm hello.

Who knows, you might end up starting something big.

As dear old Mr. Rogers said, "Won't you be my neighbor?"

And don't forget to tell us about things happening in your neighborhood that are bringing people together.

Comments

[Lynn (Your Queen)]

You think in life it's the big things that make an impact. Not always so, my dear girl, not always.

Take for instance a 'little' thing that happened to me just this morning.

I was up and at 'em early running an errand at the grocery store before work. There was nothing out of the ordinary, really, except that at this particular grocery store (Ukrops, in Richmond, VA), it appears to me that the employees are selected for their caring and helpful nature. It's the kind of place where they ask, "paper or plastic bags, Ma'am," and then proceed to take your groceries to the car with no tip expectations at all!

Okay, so what happened? It was just a simple encounter with an octogenarian gentleman. This very pleasant man bagged my grocery order and proceeded to 'follow me' to deliver my purchase to my car. In the process, one of us commented about the unusually warm weather, which led to smiles on both of our faces. (I remember thinking, this man's smile is so sincere, it has to be coming straight from his soul!) I said to him that this would be a good day, and he immediately responded with, "Yes, I think so. After all, I buried one the day before yesterday and will bury another one tomorrow!"

If you can imagine being surprised and a little more than shocked, yep, you'd be looking right at me at that moment. He then went on to say that he'd lost two friends in the last week or so, one was 81 years of age and the other was 95! But since he was feeling "pretty good today" and coupled with the fact that he was only 85, he though that it certainly would be a good day today.

Geez. How does one separate themselves from their daily stresses and urgencies to respond to that kind of outlook on life? All I could say was, "Yes. You're so right. It's times like this that I count my many blessings." Then I asked if I could give him a hug - to "make my day." He smiled again and said it would be okay.

As that 85-year-old angel walked away, a tear dripped off my cheek onto my white blouse and left a spot. Upon arriving at work, I thought about putting water on that spot to remove it and decided to leave it right where it was. My boss noticed it, creating the perfect opportunity to share with her my wonderful encounter. While smiling, her eyes welled up. I wasn't surprised.

It just makes you wonder about how big the 'little things' really are, doesn't it?

Thanks for giving me this venue to share my little story, some pretty sincere smiles, and even another tear or two.

L-

[Laura]

I was so touched when you shared that story with me this morning. I'm so glad you shared it with our readers too.
It's stories like that really do give you faith in humanity. Let's hope it brought lots of other smiles today.

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