Neighbour Day

Yesterday was Neighbour Day, and although we did not host another big event like we did last year, the community spirit was still alive and living in Lincoln Park.

But it always is, an ongoing thing in our community.

A couple of weeks ago I was unable to care for myself anymore and had to leave my home. My neighbour took my key and looked after my cats while I was away.

Another neighbour watches her neighbours children.

Last year I did a community mapping project with Vibrant Communities Calgary and the Calgary Interfaith Council. We hosted a Community Hubs Workshop and spoke about the Head, Heart, Hands effect of community.

While mapping this out I learned of the skills, talents, knowledge, and devotion it takes to build a strong community. And we focused on the skills that each community member has to CONTRIBUTE to the neighbourhood to make it a stronger, healthier, friendlier place to live.

Neighbour Day was simple yesterday, I watched two women finish painting their neighbours steps after last weeks community clean-up, they then came over to help me clean my house, and then my other neighbour hosted a BBQ in her back yard and invited everyone over to share.

This is what community is, caring for one another, looking out for one another, helping one another.

Not just one day out of the year, but continuously through the year. Neighbour Day is just 1 day of celebrating the successes a community has, and to recognise the hard work that people who come together to rebuild a broken city, through a flood, can come together and remain strong!