At the most recent neighborhood party (Grove Park/Holy Crest), nearly everyone showed up to meet each other and hang out together.
#Hello neighbor in real life free#
The idea is amazingly simple basically the chapel shows up with free barbecue food, a bouncy house for the kids, and a laid back family-friendly atmosphere so people can get to know each other. These parties are the perfect opportunity for neighbors to get out and meet each other, build community relationships, and develop connections they might not otherwise have had the chance to grow.
As a way of helping to build stronger bonds within our base community, the McGuire Air Force Base Chapel has sponsored several neighborhood community parties. Sadly, somehow these electronic devices have become a substitute for face-to-face conversation, community building and relationships. If you think about it, many of us are guilty of spending way more time with our cell phone, computer or video game system than we are getting to know the people who live right next door to us. Putnam sites that more Americans are bowling than ever before, but they are not bowling in leagues or clubs, they are bowling all by themselves. As a nation, we belong to fewer and fewer organizations that meet, know our neighbors less, meet less frequently with friends, and even socialize with our families less often. When we first moved in to our house, I can remember thinking, "Oh, we'll have to go over and meet our new neighbor." Yet, the busyness of everyday life takes hold and a couple of days turn into a couple of months.Īuthor Robert Putnam in a ground-breaking book entitled, "Bowling Alone," addresses what many have called the "Collapse of American Community." He argues in his book that based on sociological data, Americans have become increasingly disconnected from family, friends and neighbors. I will admit to you, that I am guilty of living next door to a neighbor for more than six months without knowing their name. Let's face it, these days we are so busy with our lives that we barely have time to get to know our neighbors.
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