The Mayor’s eMemo
Dear Ronnie:
Lady Bird Johnson once noted that good neighbors were important on the frontier because people lived so far apart — but that good neighbors are even more important now because people live so close together.
Last week I was proud to honor 29 businesses, organizations and individuals as recipients of Boise’s 2011 Good Neighbor Awards. Presented for the first time this year, these awards are intended to recognize those who go above and beyond in helping make our neighborhoods a great place to live — the unsung heroes who give that little extra to make Boise neighborhoods and communities stronger.
Space doesn’t permit me to recognize all 29 recipients here, but I’d like to highlight a few, with the words of their nominees:
Mary Hansen: “Mary is always there for you whenever you need help or just a friendly ear. When Mary appears with her twinkling eyes and infectious smile and her Schnauzer, Lucy, at her side, you know it is going to be okay and will be taken care of.”
- Aaron Hassemer: “He has been seen mowing areas, moving rocks for neighbors, and shoveling snow before the plows arrive so our neighbors can make it to work on time. He has removed vandalism as well as hung Christmas wreaths. Aaron has been the Neighborhood Watch captain and has served on the Neighborhood Associations Board a few times.”
- Roosevelt Market: “It is truly a ‘community’ market … if you want to meet a friend and chat, are thirsty while riding your bike, want to rest while walking your dog, need a bottle of wine for unexpected company, are hungry for a scone or cupcake, want to display an ad for an apartment to rent, lost pet, or community event.”
- Sojourn Church: “A core group of young families … volunteer in the classrooms of Hawthorne and Whitney Elementary Schools, as well as serve on the PTO boards. They volunteered at Whitney Community Center’s first annual block party. These families also held a clean-up day to clean up trash around the school and neighborhood, abandoned houses, and they did yard work for the elderly.”
We should all be so fortunate to have neighbors like these. And thankfully, many of us are.
Until next time …
