This article was posted April 8, 2007 in The Charlotte Observer. For more information, visit http://www.charlotte.com. Why, thanks. That was mighty neighborly of you Residents meet each other and share ideas at annual Neighborhood Symposium by Rich Haag, The Charlotte Observer Hundreds of people from across Charlotte spent a recent day at the Convention Center learning how to nurture something they love -- their neighborhoods. The 12th annual Neighborhood Symposium was an opportunity to hear specialists in zoning and neighborhood organizing, to learn how other neighborhoods have tackled problems, and to network with other leaders. Stanley Watkins, key business executive with Neighborhood Development, challenged participants March 31 to take back at least one idea and start working on it. I thought that would also be a great idea for a column. Here's what I heard. Interest in Internet Raymond Thomas Jr. of Forest Pond particularly benefited from Madison Park leader Marty Doss' short talk on the benefits of the free Web sites offered by Neighborhood Links. "We were getting ready to spend a couple thousand dollars to launch and maintain our Web site," Thomas said. But after hearing how Madison Park uses the free site to market its homes and communicate with residents, Thomas went home and checked out the service. Forest Pond got its Neighborhood Link site on Monday. "By Wednesday I had most of our stuff in there," Thomas said. There's still more to do, but you can check out Thomas' work at www.neighborhoodlink.com/charlotte/fphoa Learning from neighbors Harriette Mahoney of Reid Park got a lesson in code enforcement from Darryl Gaston of Druid Hills. Gaston was among four community leaders who spoke at the symposium about programs they have enacted. Druid Hills has problems with people leaving trash cans at the curb all week, or putting big items at the curb but not requesting city pickup. Gaston said Druid Hills has started using the city's Call and Send program. Volunteers cruise the neighborhood the day after trash pickup, write down the items and the addresses, and then contact Neighborhood Development to get the cans put back and the trash removed. Mahoney says she was on the phone Monday with the city to find out how Reid Park can take advantage of that program, too. Mahoney praised the symposium organizers for providing a broad range of speakers. "When we looked at the four neighborhoods they represented, they came from all different kinds of neighborhoods. They were not all talking about the same thing," she said. Take care of neighbors Anna Hood, president of the Oaklawn Park Improvement Organization, and Claire Green Fallon, president of the Northeast Coalition, live on opposite sides of Charlotte but came away with the same message: The neighborhood next to yours is important, too.Hood said her goal is to continue the "togetherness and working within our organization, except expanding to the surrounding community." "It's very important to network and to see people," said Fallon. "You've got to talk to others because no neighborhood is isolated. You've got to make sure the neighborhood next to you is all right so you'll be all right." Build friendships Carrie Graves of Savannah Woods came away with renewed friendships. Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess, speaking at the start of the symposium, talked about how last year's event felt like a family reunion. That thought resonated with Graves. "It wasn't like when you go to these banquets every year and meet with folk and half-speak because you're afraid to get a spot on your clothes," she said. "Here, folks was excited to see people. And people you met last year still recognize you and call you by name! It was really exciting!" Back to News Articles Index Neighborhood Link Terms of Use © 1997 - 2007 Neighborhood Link, Inc.