National Good Neighbor Day

National Good Neighbor Day is September 28th, but it is a day we need to celebrate every day.

Having a good neighbor is a blessing we could all agree on, I would think. However, being a good neighbor is sometimes hard isn't it?

There were times when I had neighbors that it was really hard to be nice to, especially when they turned their sprinkler on as soon as I hung out my clothes on the line. What did I do?  I stopped hanging my clothes out in the mornings I had to go to work.

Then there are times I didn’t feel like being a good neighbor when my neighbor’s dogs barked all night or their cat used my flower beds for their bathroom.  Throwing trash in my yard, never mowing their lawn, branches falling on my roof, all night beer parties, loud music, racing of cars ... I could go on.  But I suppose so could you.

So what do you do with neighbors that really don’t care to be good neighbors?  You be a good neighbor anyway. Lead by example.

Great communities aren’t made, but built on the kindness of good neighbors.  It takes time for a street to become a great one, and being a good neighbor yourself will help it grow.

There are many communities that celebrate Good Neighbors day or month.  What kind of things can we do to encourage being a good neighbor?  Take a look at some things people have done to encourage, recognize and celebrate good neighbors and citizenship in their area.

Photo by Favored1 (my nephew & his friend)

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Mister Rogers Neighborhood Open - Fred Rogers Co.

Mister Rogers Neighborhood Full Episode Learning

Mr. Rogers "It's You I Like".mp4

Sung by Mr. Rogers and Jasper Kump

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself kids song from Matthew 19:19

It all began when a neighbor herself recognized how important it was to have good neighbors surrounding you, and learning to be one at the same time. Mrs. Becky Mattson lived in Lakeside, Montana in the early 1970s when she started campaigning to congressman Michael Mansfield about selecting a day in which the entire country would celebrate our good neighbors.

With Congressman Mansfield's help, Mrs Mattson was successful in getting three presidents to come on board with her idea. Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and many other officials in government, agreed to issue statements proclaiming a National Good Neighbor Day in America.

It took over 20 years, but finally in 2003 the United States Senate agreed to make September 28th our National Good Neighbor Day.

Photo by Glitter Graphics

According to the Bible, being a good neighbor is to extend beyond our local street.  It applies to anyone who needs a helping hand.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt realized that when he made this statement during his inaugural address on March 4th, 1933:
 
"In the field of world policy I would dedicate this nation to the policy of the good neighbor ..."

I am thankful for the opportunity to be good neighbors to any country when they are in need of a helping hand. Click on link below for the rest of the address FDR gave concerning the Good Neighbor Policy.   

Good neighbor policy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Neighbor_policy
Wikipedia Free Photo FDR 1933 Inaguration Day

What does it mean to be a good neighbor?

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR "Original Music" by Steve Bartol

Mt. Lebanon Minute - Be a Good Neighbor

Good Neighbour Award 2011

My neighbours, my friends

Being a Good Neighbor

Good Neighbor ~ Repairs after a fire.

How to be a Good Neighbour

1. The easiest thing is to offer a smile or word of encouragement, but why stop there?
2. Take a meal to a neighbor who has had a difficult week.
3. Invite a neighbor in for a cup of tea or coffee and fellowship awhile.
4. Ask a few questions to help you get to know a little about them. It might give you a whole new outlook.
5. Have a street-wide barbecue.
6. Try hosting a block party with music, games and fun food.
7. Give a Good Neighbors Award in appreciation for their kindness to you throughout the year.
8. Mow or rake your neighbor's yard.
9. Offer to paint your neighbor's fence (if they have one of course).
10. Bake some cookies, a cake or pie for your neighbors.
11. Offer to trim your neighbor's bushes or trees and then remove the debris.
12. Write a thank you note to your neighbors and include a gift certificate to a local restaurant or theater.
13. Take a walk with your neighbor or go to the park.
14. Take your neighbor to lunch.
15. Take some pictures of you with your neighbors.
16. Take flowers to a neighbor.
17. Keep your own yard clean by removing any pet waste. Not cleaning your yard makes for bad neighbor relations, because it smells and draws more bugs to the area.
18. Don't begin working outside with your mower or power tools until 8 am.
19. Keep your children's toys in your own yard.
20. Don't leave flood lights on all night.
21. Park in your own yard.
22. Make sure your children know the boundaries of their own yard.
23. Keep your music low so it does not disturb your neighbor.
24. When entertaining outdoors, remember that your neighbors don't want to hear it.
25. Always let your neighbor know when you are doing work that may infringe on their privacy.

Each year our library engages in a city wide chili cook-off. It is one of the biggest events of the year. Throughout the year they host various events to stimulate community awareness such as holding programs that would include the family. Here are some more things you can do with your local library and city businesses for Good Neighbor Day:

1. In the summer hold an outdoor reading fair. Provide snow cones, lemonade or ice tea, watermelon or ice cream donated by the community grocery stores or restaurants.
2. Our community has a back-to-school event at the local civic center at the beginning of August. The entire city gets involved donating school supplies and new under garments for children in grade school. Local churches host the event, but everyone gets involved. Music, family entertainment and food are also part of some of the Good Neighbor events.
3. Hold Workshops throughout the city over the course of a week. Such as:

   Local Exhibits including refreshment booth with homemade baked goods

   Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness and Survival

   Workshops that include seniors teaching youth in your neighborhood

   Workshop on how to participate in the local gardening or landscaping of the public parks

4. Award ceremony with the mayor giving certificates to winners of a Good Neighbor contest.

Originally telecast in the 1970s, Good Neighbors is the wonderful 1970s Britcom about an upper-middle-class couple who relinquish consumerism and turn their cozy suburban London home into a self-sufficient farm.

Love Your Neighbor Clip #1 from 'Silly Little Thing Called Love'

Stand by Me - loving your neighbour

The Proud Family - Love Thy Neighbor Part 1.

The Proud Family - Love Thy Neighbor Part 2.

City Hope - Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

SpongeBob SquarePants The Movie PC Walkthrough - Chapter 1: Love Thy Neighbour

Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself by Carter Conlon - Part 1

Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself by Carter Conlon - Part 2

MIster Ed Season 4 - Love Thy Neighbor

This week's challenge on my: Daily Favor Blog