We Are Neighbors

David Burton, community development specialist with University of Missouri Extension, returned from the Neighborhoods USA conference in Lubbock, Texas (held in May) excited about what he learned, new contacts made, and the success of some friends in the awards program. If you work in or with neighborhoods, plan to attend the NUSA conference in May of 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida! " This year, we had seven attendees from Missouri—two from Springfield! We adopted a few others as Missourians because they are in Neighboring 101," said Burton. "I hope the number of Missourians attending increases again next year." Winners at the 2024 Neighborhoods USA awards program included one group from Houston, Missouri, which Burton said was extremely exciting. But he was also excited about other first-place winners at NUSA. See the names, programs and links to more information below about this top award winners at Neighborhoods USA 2024. Neighborhood of the Year - Physical 1st- P...

  The first Show-Me Neighborhood Art Week is underway and you can participate by viewing any of the 73 great installations from around the state in person or online and then voting for your favorite as part of our awards program. The  MU Extension website  includes a map of art installations across the state and photos of those that have been submitted. This page also includes a link to the ballot where you can vote for your favorite. A file exists on Google drive of all the various submissions around the state and can be accessed here . University of Missouri Extension launched this statewide public art exhibit this year to promote creative expression and public art made by residents as a contribution to the community's sense of place and residents' sense of belonging. The initiative was inspired by LAWN (Lawn Art With Neighbors), a grassroots program launched in Springfield, Missouri, in 2020. LAWN aimed to empower public art made by the people, promoting Springfield's...

Have you noticed how online communication in comment sections of social media posts often slide into insults and arguing? Don’t believe me? Try this on a Republic Facebook page: post about the benefits of round-abouts, say our water and sewer rates are reasonable, or explain how sales taxes are fair and needed, and then watch the arguments break loss in the comments section. It is a sign that our relationships and our ability to communicate, especially online, is broken. It is also a sign that people still think they can "win" an online argument. News flash: you cannot and that should not be the goal.  When it comes to communication, our goal should be to understand and be understood rather than to win an argument. This is according to Charlies Duhigg, author of "Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection." Humans have been speaking and writing to each other for thousands of years. We've developed norms and behaviors (tone and certain po...

Photo: David Burton (left) and Shari McCallister (right) in 2022. I lived through 41 National Good Neighbor Days (Sept. 28) before lifting a finger to help or celebrate a neighbor. In hindsight, this was a serious mistake. When I first learned about the holiday in 2018, it took me several days to decide what to do. I did not want to overcommit, but at the same time, I wasn’t sure if a small gesture would count. Could I celebrate a neighbor with a plate of cookies and a nice note, or did I need to throw a block party with food and a bounce house? That first year, I went with cookies and a handwritten note. I had considered delivering some fresh-cut flowers from my garden. But I could have also celebrated by making a phone call to each of my neighbors and providing encouragement! On my journey of discovery, Shari McCallister of Houston, Missouri, was one of the first people I met who took the celebration of National Good Neighbor Day seriously. Perhaps no one celebrates the big day with ...

Small decisions can lead to big changes. Many times this is a positive changes although I have seen negative examples, where people's negative choices become a slow fade into something bad. But in this case it is positive. Meet Justin Shaw. Justin is one of two council members for Ward 1 (my Ward) in Republic, Mo. Justin is also a graduate of Neighborhood Leadership Academy. He shared how efforts to make neighbor connections have impacted his life at a recent Republic City Council meeting. Read here how one simple decision, led to another, and then another, and then another, and another, and now he is serving on city council. This is the transcribed discuss and testimony from the Republic City Council meeting on Tuesday May 7, 2024. This confirms the difference that NLA can make in a person's life and in a community.  Council asked for an update on the neighboring project. They gave me five minutes. I had submitted a written report. When I was done, this happened: Mayor Frankli...

  Greene County & Springfield residents: Time to register for Neighborhood Leadership Academy!  BREAKING NEWS: Scholarship Deadline: August 1 (do this first if you need a full or partial scholarship). NLA Scholarship application link: https://bit.ly/4botrUV   Or apply without a scholarship.  Registration Deadline: August 21 (this is the second step if you are waiting to hear on a scholarship or you can do it now if no scholarship is needed or your employer is paying for your class attendance). Hybrid Class registration link BACKGROUND The Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA)  is a statewide program that draws adult students from across the state. The program has a 40 year history! Locally, there have been Republic, Springfield and Ash Grove area residents in NLA or a similar class in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. In 2024, the class will be:  Wednesday nights, Sept 11 - Nov 13 (6 p.m. - 9 p.m.) Enrollment would be in the Southwest Missouri C...

  Reciprocity means exchanging goods, services, or favors for mutual benefit. It is a behavior that lies at the heart of human interaction. In communities, reciprocity takes various forms. One form is called generalized reciprocity. Direct reciprocity involves immediate exchanges between two parties. But generalized reciprocity fosters a community's giving and receiving culture. Generalized reciprocity is key to community building and fostering social cohesion, trust, and resilience in a community. Generalized reciprocity, with its proactive nature, serves as a powerful catalyst for fostering social cohesion within communities. When individuals engage in acts of kindness and generosity without expecting immediate or direct reciprocation, it strengthens bonds and promotes a sense of belonging. In a community where generalized reciprocity prevails, members feel interconnected and valued, leading to stronger social ties and a shared sense of purpose. By actively nurturing a ...