There is something telling about a Progressive Insurance commercial that has been making the rounds. It’s called “ Neighborhood Mayor ,” and it features an enthusiastic woman who seems to know everything happening on her street. She waves at passersby, visits over the hedges, knows who’s coming and going, and appears to have appointed herself the unofficial mayor of the neighborhood. The joke is that she’s gone too far. She’s intrusive, overly involved, and just a little creepy. It’s funny. But I wonder if we’ve become so uncomfortable with the idea of knowing our neighbors that we’ve lost sight of something important. When did being interested in the people who live around us become something to laugh about? There is a legitimate difference between being a meddling neighbor and being an engaged neighbor. Nobody is suggesting we need to monitor everyone’s activities, insert ourselves into private matters, or know everybody’s business. Privacy matters. Personal boundaries matter. ...

  Photo left to right: David Burton, Kristy Holman and Tylan Holman in front of Bolton's Store. At Bolton’s General Store in the Walnut Grove and Willard area, customers find more than good food, reasonable prices, and everyday necessities. They find a place where people know their names, remember their preferences, and make them feel welcome. Six Missouri businesses were selected on Oct. 2 to receive the 2026 Missouri Good Neighbor Week Most Neighborly Business Award, recognizing businesses that go beyond transactions to build trust, uplift people and strengthen their communities. The 2026 honorees are: D'Zines by T, Macon;   Villainous Grounds, Perryville; Mama Lisa's Grille, Sweet Springs; Bolton's General Store, Walnut Grove; Granny Barb's Pies and More LLC, Bismarck; Leopold Country Store, Leopold. “The six winners were selected from a strong group of 30 businesses nominated from across Missouri,” said David Burton, community development specialist with...

  Key idea: How small actions, personal invitations, and effective storytelling can turn neighborhood projects into lasting community change. You can have the greatest idea in the world for improving your neighborhood. You can organize a wonderful project, identify community assets, recruit volunteers, and develop a thoughtful plan. But if nobody knows about your project, understands why it matters, or feels personally invited to participate, your impact will be limited. That is one of the important lessons I teach in our Neighborhood Leadership Academy. Neighborhood leadership isn't just about having good ideas or getting things done. It is also about helping other people see the possibilities, understand the purpose, and become part of something bigger than themselves. Good neighborhood leaders don't just organize activities. They create ripples of change and learn how to help those ripples spread. 1. Never Underestimate the Ripple Effect Imagine standing beside a quiet pond ...

Loneliness is more than a personal health concern. It is quietly weakening the trust, relationships, and sense of belonging that hold our communities together. Many years ago, my wife and I had a friend who came home to discover that her husband had died on their front porch. Their home was located along a busy street. Cars passed by regularly, and people walked through the neighborhood. We have often wondered how many people might have seen him lying there without stopping to investigate or offer help. We will never know the answer. Perhaps nobody noticed. Perhaps someone saw him but did not recognize that something was wrong. But the experience has stayed with me because it raises an uncomfortable question: Have we become so disconnected from the people around us that we no longer notice when they need us? I believe that question points to one of the most serious challenges facing American communities today. We talk frequently about loneliness. We hear about its impact on mental heal...

  Every once in a while, something pops up in my Facebook memories that makes me smile. Today, it was a letter of recommendation from the Michigan Municipal League following a keynote presentation I delivered at its annual convention on Mackinac Island in September 2024. The letter reminded me of a wonderful experience sharing the importance of neighboring with municipal leaders who were interested in building stronger, more connected communities. The event planner wrote that my presentation exceeded expectations and was engaging, interactive, and practical. She also shared this feedback from one of the attendees: "The session on 'Neighboring' was insightful. He provided examples of how municipalities can focus on customer service. Something that resonated with me was how we can treat constituents like our next-door neighbors." I especially appreciated that comment because it captures something I believe deeply: Neighboring is not just about the people who live next d...