*I wonder what happens when the heavily-armed prepper wing of the block club meets the Linux install group.
*Also, what happens when the block is attacked by post-apocalyptic former Microsoft executives while they are trying to paint street murals for the latchkey kids.
http://pages.e-democracy.org/Block_club_activities
Block activities
(Redirected from Block club activities)
Back to Neighborly, Inclusive Social Media (((as opposed to actually knowing your neighbors because you used to marry the girl next door instead of wandering around in a daze taking cellphone calls)))
In many communities there are intentional efforts to organize "block clubs" among neighbors. They are often promoted by police departments because neighbors who know each other, watch out for each other.
In some communities, neighborhood councils play this role. Because organizers typically have a goal in mind, like "crime prevention," the support materials and systems do not document in detail the wide range of activities block clubs/neighbors can organize among themselves.
With the Neighborly experiment, the open source initiative for nearest neighbor networking, ideas beyond private group messaging have been proposed like being able to securely list tools you have to share or skills you might exchange. To what extent it makes sense to specialize Neighborly with options to support specific block club activities is unknown (will make the website more complex, people might use the general tool anyway), but here is the list of potential activities to inspire our deliberations.
This list was drafted by Jim Diers, the author of Neighbor Power and former head of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods. Steven Clift, with E-Democracy.org, met Jim at a Recentering Democracy conference about local communities in February 2010.
Suggestions for Block Activities
Add more below to this wiki page.
Crime prevention
Emergency preparedness
Block parties
Skills exchanges
Share tools, pickup truck, camping equipment, etc.
Buy in bulk
Policy discussions
Support for latchkey kids
Support for housebound seniors
Support for one another
Rideshares
Create community garden on vacant lot or someone’s yard
Create pocket park on vacant lot or someone’s yard
Install benches, picnic tables or other community furniture in front yards
Improve/maintain common spaces: alley, median, park traffic circle, etc.
Paint mural in intersection
Plant street trees
Provide base for neighborhood association
Slow traffic with signs/art
Create placards for doorway of each home representing that family
Create website for block
Create a manifesto of block values and commitments to one another
Create a directory of available expertise (recycling, technology, etc)
Create a green block in which each household commits to reducing carbon footprint
Conduct a talent show
Celebrate Good Neighbor Day by recognizing good deeds
[edit] Add More (((I hate to make fun of harmless, neighborly people conducting a talent show, but how about "grow and distribute huge amounts of semi-licit marijuana" or "create gang colors and arcane hand signals for your block club" or "establish a witches' coven that kidnaps and sacrifices small children from neighboring block clubs" or "form global guerrilla group that schemes to take over city with improvised explosive devices." And I could ADD EVEN MORE.)))
Add what you know a block club or a group of neighbors has done somewhere:
Outdoor movie night
Kids activities
Parents network/facilitate baby sitting swapping
Play groups for dads
Play groups for kids of certain ages
Gather for Christmas Carols
House concerts
Tailgate for major sports games, either on TV or in person
Shovel snow planning
Trash bash (pick up trash on streets)
Grafitti removal (paint over tags and vandal marks)
Candidate nights (coffee with one or more candidates)
Roving Party, pub crawl, moving pot luck, a HOUSE TOUR with food.
Game night(s). Bingo, chess, checkers, board games, card games (bridge club).
Car wash.
Joint yard sale, swap meet, flea market.
Book group (discussions after all read the same book - or even article)
Swarm for Geo-Mapping and GIS Tagging
Linux Install Fest (bring by an older PC and reformat it with Linux, OpenOffice.org, etc.)
Easter Egg Hunt (roll if on Pennsylvania Ave in DC)
Firetruck and EMS (ambulance) visit. Officer friendly, outreach with public safety folks as they bring their gear to examine.
Visit with Santa Claus, grab bag, secret friends, stocking swap, light-up night.
[edit] Related resources
Please add links to block club guides and other useful resources.
Block party guide - Oakland, PDF
National Night Out
Retrieved from "http://pages.e-democracy.org/Block_activities"
