Neighborhoods

It's not easy to get things done in any neighborhood. People today just don't want to volunteer, even in their own neighborhood. It goes back to my previous post about excuses. Everyone has one. If someone is lucky enough to live in an area where three or four people who are reliable make up the core of a group, they can get alot done.
The crime committee has been mentioned alot lately, and while I had some disagreements with them, I will stick to my statement that I believe it worked. We were at meetings with only six people, and meetings with thirty. I believe the main problem with this, or any such group, is that once the people get the answers to their perticular problem the don't return. For any such group to flourish it takes participation of different people with different ideas.
In our watch group/homeowners assn. we hosted block parties, cook outs and street fairs to bring the neighborhood together. We invited police, fire, our alderman and various other professionals to our meetings to get the information we needed. It takes work, tenacity, more work, and a firm belief that what you are trying to do is worth it.
If the city government ever gets out of the finacial hole it keeps digging, I think they should put beat cops back on the street. This helps the neighborhoods and police for obvious reasons. We also need to get the laws changed so the actual people responsible are accountable for their actions. Too many times the police arrest them only to have a judge give them a slap on the wrist. WRONG!!
The area south of Locust is a good area and worth working for. Having lived here for most of 50+ years, I like it. I even came back after my military discharge. I left Hawaii for this and have no regrets. Believe me when I say people will notice your efforts. You won't get a lot of pats on the back, or thank you's, but people who go through your neighborhood on a daily basis will notice the improvements.
Remember, it won't happen over night, but if you plan to give it a year or so you may surprise yourself.