Cross the Street to meet neighbors
Continued
Webb encourages participants to hang fuschia door hangers to introduce residents to the initiative. They are available at the Public Libraries of Saginaw and at www.crossthestreet.org. Residents also can take a pop quiz at the Web site to compare the level of residential interaction with other communities. A kickoff event will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of Faith Harvest Church, 1734 N. Mason in Saginaw. The free gathering will feature food, music and games.
When the Detroit native moved to Saginaw in 2001, Webb said she was saddened because no one greeted her in her neighborhood. She used the experience to launch Cross the Street Day in 2003 after completing the 1000 Leaders Initiative of Saginaw County Vision 2020.
"The more people you acquaint yourself with, the more you can enjoy a stronger sense of community and stability," she said. "Neighbors will look out for each other." Webb said daily pressures from work, school and other commitments have crowded neighborhood interaction. "Families are always on the go. Once we get home, we close our doors, tend to our families and get ready for the next day," she said. "We need to reach out and establish permanent relationships among neighbors."
Saginaw Township Manager Ron Lee said he misses the days when people hung out on their front porches. Lee is expecting township board members today to adopt a resolution to recognize Cross the Street Day. "The event is a great concept. Neighbors truly make the community," he said.
State Rep. Andy Coulouris, a Saginaw Democrat, said the outreach is timeless. "Those who participate in the Cross the Street festivities contribute to the social fabric of our community in a way that is undeniably important: neighbors meeting neighbors."
The Rev. Ronald E. Chipp, pastor of Faith Harvest Church, sees the initiative as a tool to touch people. "Our world is so technologically based, and sometimes technology has the tendency to break the link of personal contact with people . Cross the Street Day keeps us in contact with people other than our immediate family," he said. "As our world becomes more globally minded, we need to remember that local relationships are important. No amount of technology can replace that. Cross the Street will bring us back to people."
Continued
Webb encourages participants to hang fuschia door hangers to introduce residents to the initiative. They are available at the Public Libraries of Saginaw and at www.crossthestreet.org. Residents also can take a pop quiz at the Web site to compare the level of residential interaction with other communities. A kickoff event will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of Faith Harvest Church, 1734 N. Mason in Saginaw. The free gathering will feature food, music and games.
When the Detroit native moved to Saginaw in 2001, Webb said she was saddened because no one greeted her in her neighborhood. She used the experience to launch Cross the Street Day in 2003 after completing the 1000 Leaders Initiative of Saginaw County Vision 2020.
"The more people you acquaint yourself with, the more you can enjoy a stronger sense of community and stability," she said. "Neighbors will look out for each other." Webb said daily pressures from work, school and other commitments have crowded neighborhood interaction. "Families are always on the go. Once we get home, we close our doors, tend to our families and get ready for the next day," she said. "We need to reach out and establish permanent relationships among neighbors."
Saginaw Township Manager Ron Lee said he misses the days when people hung out on their front porches. Lee is expecting township board members today to adopt a resolution to recognize Cross the Street Day. "The event is a great concept. Neighbors truly make the community," he said.
State Rep. Andy Coulouris, a Saginaw Democrat, said the outreach is timeless. "Those who participate in the Cross the Street festivities contribute to the social fabric of our community in a way that is undeniably important: neighbors meeting neighbors."
The Rev. Ronald E. Chipp, pastor of Faith Harvest Church, sees the initiative as a tool to touch people. "Our world is so technologically based, and sometimes technology has the tendency to break the link of personal contact with people . Cross the Street Day keeps us in contact with people other than our immediate family," he said. "As our world becomes more globally minded, we need to remember that local relationships are important. No amount of technology can replace that. Cross the Street will bring us back to people."
