The Valleyist Papers
A COLLECTION OF
ESSAYS
WRITTEN IN FAVOUR OF
THE IMPROVEMENT OF STEPHENS VALLEY
Author – William Ray
Edition 2. Issue 4.
Let’s Watch Out for Each Other
Nashville changed this week. It is certain that we all want
to help heal everyone around us, but as Norman Maclean observed in his novel A
River Runs Through It, “So it is,” he said,
using an old homiletic transition, “that we can seldom help anybody. Either we
don’t know what part to give or maybe we don’t like to give any part of
ourselves. Then, more often than not, the part that is needed is not wanted.
And even more often, we do not have the part that is needed.” But
maybe we should still try. Maybe we should talk about Neighborhood Watch during
this time. That seems like a plausible idea.
Several months ago, we had a neighborhood meeting with members
of the Williamson County Sheriff Department relative to concerns about
“visitors” who were cruising the alleys and checking out cars and other
possessions. They gave us some really good advice about how we can lock arms
and defend ourselves by employing team “my brother’s keeper” tactics. Their
recommendations were not complicated. They just suggested that we get to know
those around us. They said we should notice unusual things going on and unknown
vehicles that might be parked nearby. They said we should talk to each other
more and keep each other posted about planned absences and other changes around
our homes. They said we should be prepared to call them when something seems
amiss, even on each other’s behalf.
When you think about those recommendations, it becomes
clear that what the WCSO recommends is also what we should all be doing to
bring ourselves closer together and form an increasing bond with our neighbors.
As we’ve discussed before in The Valleyist, and as evidenced by the recent
annual “HOA” meeting, no one is going to bring us closer together unless we do
it ourselves. While clear answers to our questions are still difficult to
obtain from the developer, we can certainly provide clear and concise
information for each other, and we can sincerely care for one another.
Thanks to a group of volunteers, we have a neighborhood
directory of names, physical addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. One
way you are getting The Valleyist is through the email list created from
your cooperation with this volunteer group (chaired by Sage Nozko) in providing
the directory information. We all owe her and her volunteers a great big thank
you for doing this work! But we also owe them thanks for spearheading the
initiative to get everyone on Slack, which facilitates communications which are
far more efficient and effective than email. The more the SV owners utilize
Slack, the more effective we are at uniting and becoming one.
One of the most powerful features of Slack is the ability
to create special channels for groups that share specific interests. For
example, there is a channel called “#the-valleyist” and you can find current,
and archived, copies of this newsletter there. Even more powerful and on-point
with the Neighborhood Watch recommendations are channels like
“#webster-street-alley.” Sage created this one in direct response the WCSO
recommendations. This channel unites a segment of SV that shares a common alley
(and those of you without an alley can unite around where you pick up your
mail). Residents of that alley sought out their neighbors and urged them to
join the Webster Alley channel and they mostly have. So, now anyone in that
group can announce upcoming absences, lost/found items, odd vehicle presences,
and such. We can even alert each other if the lighting over their garage doors
is non-functioning so the lighting can be repaired.
Every alley group, or mailbox group, needs to replicate
this effort! All it takes is someone in each group to become an activist and
get their group organized. Walk around your group and collect the home
addresses, then go to the SV Directory to convert those addresses to names.
Give your proposed group a name and ask Sage (860-462-9466 sagenozko@gmail.com)
to create a channel with that name. Then start inviting your neighbors, using
their names, to join the new channel. If you cannot find them on Slack to
invite them, then use the SV directory and email them a plea to join Slack and
join the new group channel. After you have a channel populated, start using it
to watch out for each other. Use it to offer congratulations to fellow channel
members whose family did something cool. Use it to create impromptu gatherings
and eat left-overs! Smell a natural gas leak? Use the alley group to see if
others smell it too!
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