Neighborhood Leaders Gather to Strengthen Springfield Communities
Photo: keynote speaker John Drake Robinson signs a book for a summit attendee.
The keynote speaker, John Drake Robinson, an Emmy
Award-winning author, inspired attendees with stories from his journey across
every road in Missouri. His appearance was sponsored by MU Extension and its
Engaged Neighbor program.
Called the “King of the Road” by Missouri Life Magazine, Robinson
lives in Columbia, Missouri when he isn't sleeping in his car. His articles are
regularly featured in a half dozen magazines.
“I have traveled every single mile of road in Missouri and seen
the out of the way places, and the out of the way people too,” said Robinson. “This
state is filled with interesting stories, and so is your neighborhood. All that
is requires is for you to be curious and ask a few questions to get your
neighbors talking about their past experiences and future dreams.”
Robinson encouraged neighborhood leaders to uncover the
hidden gems in their own neighborhoods and tell those stories.
“I need to do a better job of telling the stories in our
neighborhood — the people, the history, our assets, and our impact,” said
Melanie Bach, president of the Galloway Neighborhood Association.
Echo Schneider, another participant who lives near rural
Highlandville, shared how much Robinson’s stories reminded her of the spirit of
neighboring.
“Robinson encourage me in my rural setting to look for
stories in the people,” said Echo. “And of course, right in the middle of all
of this, was David Burton, our resident neighboring expert, who keep drawing us
back to thinking how we could tell the stories of our neighborhoods to increase
involvement from and connections with our own neighbors.”
Many left the summit ready to make new connections and
strengthen their communities.
Along with inspiring stories, the summit offered practical
sessions on recruiting members, managing finances, and leading effective
neighborhood associations. The City of Springfield also offered an overview of
the new packet for neighborhood associations, including a streamlined process
for creating an association and staying in good standing. The lessons learned
will help leaders bring more people together and create lasting improvements.
The summit also celebrated past successes like Clean Green
and neighborhood cleanups. This year’s event earned glowing reviews, scoring
9.5 out of 10, and left leaders excited for what’s next. Planning for the 2026
summit is already underway.
MORE INFORMATION
Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or visit his website at http://engagedneighbor.com.
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