Bridlewood Neighborhood Association

We Shape Our Community

Living  in a community is both a responsibility and an opportunity. You have the  responsibility to keep your property maintained to enhance the value of the  neighborhood. You have the opportunity to make great friends and to shape your community for years to come.

A  neighborhood becomes your place in this world and allows you to establish roots  in the community that will enrich your life and the lives of your family  members by giving them a sense of belonging. Take a chance and get involved –  you can make more than friends, you can make a difference!

Why Get Involved:

Here  are some reasons why some people get involved:

• To solve a problem that affects them: For example,  if you are concerned about your children’s safety because people are driving too fast through a school zone, neighbors with children can work with the local police to improve signage, install speed bumps and find other ways to alert and slow down drivers.
• To meet people and make friends: If you are new to an area, then getting involved in something as simple as a neighborhood meeting, clean-up or block party can be a great way to meet       your neighbors.
• To use their talents and skills: If you have skills such as gardening or photography or catering, then you could volunteer your talents for community events and make new business       contacts.
• To be part of a community and have a sense of belonging: We all want to feel safe and welcome in our neighborhood. Getting involved is the first step towards building better community.

Things You Can Do to Get Involved in Your Community:

Whether  you want to join activities or take a formal leadership role, there are many  ways to get involved in your community.   It can be as simple as baking for a block party or as complicated as  serving on the board of a local community organization. Decide how you want to  get involved. Here are a few ideas:

Low-level  involvement:

• Attend  neighborhood association or crime watch meetings to find out about issues.
• Welcome  new neighbors when they move into your community.
• Help  translate at a community meeting.
• Keep  an eye out for elderly neighbors.
• Pick  up trash on your morning walk.
• Watch  the neighbor’s house while they are away.
• Report  a street light outage or graffiti.
• Clean  up after your pets.

Medium-level  involvement:

• Join  your local block club, neighborhood association or crime watch group and  participate regularly.
• Be  a coach or mentor to local youth.
• Host  a “coffee chat” at your home to introduce your neighbors and talk about  neighborhood issues.
• Speak  at a homebuyer education class about your experience buying a home.
• Organize  a neighborhood clean-up drive, dumpster delivery, and/or mulch delivery for  your street.

High-level involvement:

• Become  an officer of the local block club, neighborhood association or crime watch  group.
• Join  the board or a committee of a local nonprofit organization.
• Lead  an issue campaign to address a problem facing your neighborhood.
• Run  for political office to address policies affecting your neighborhood.
• Write  a letter to the City manager or your Council representative.
• Speak  to a news reporter about neighborhood issues.

A Word About Being a Good  Neighbor — It’s a Two Way Street

A  part of living in a community is being a good neighbor and encouraging others  to do the same. The following are good goals for everyone in the neighborhood:

• Keep houses painted and in good repair. This maintains property values and encourages       other neighbors to do the same.
• Make sure lawns are mowed regularly.
• Instead of keeping old cars in a yard, donate them to charity.
• Bring in trash containers right away after pick up.
• Keep the noise from parties and social events down so it doesn’t bother anyone.
• Dog owners should control barking and pick up after their dog.
• Get to know your neighbors, offer to keep an eye on their houses and yards and ask  them to do the same for you.
• Treat neighbors respectfully. If there is an issue, be polite and suggest ways to solve the problem. Show that you are willing to listen to their concerns and they will be willing to cooperate.