In our little beach community of Kaleden, neighbours applied their NSG award toward a day of outdoor activites, including face painting, games, and painting banners to commemorate the day. By planning an event where all ages and abilites can participate a banner project was a nice fit for the community.
Neighbours took great interest in each other’s banners, offered suggestions, shared paint, and volunteered to help each other. “Expert” volunteers came from the Summerland Art Centre to share their knowledge, resources and equipment, such as stretchers and brushes. Local artists in the community helped others who were more hesitant in mixing paints or applying it to the banners.
People laughed, took risks, worked together, held each others banners taut to apply paint and generally have a good time, and, they were amazed at what they created! A senior neighbour created a banner with her school aged neighbour; a neighbour with Parkinson’s Disease had helping hands with other participants who helped her paint her banner.
“I now know a much broader range of people in my community; kids from the local school stop me and say “hi”; parents wave when they drive by”, the project leader added, “I would say everyone who came out now knows people they didn’t know before becuase neighbours from all over the community partcipated.”
Thank you Community Foundation South Okanangan/Similkameen and the Vancouver Foundation for such an opportuity to share with my neighbours.
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