Wednesday on the Moore's Porch

On Wednesday, June 5, 2019, torrential rain began at 7:00 in the morning. Alas, this was the day my wife and were to host a “Wednesday on the Porch”.  By 5pm the rain was still pouring, and my wife said, “Well, I guess I’d better put these sandwiches up for another day”. Lo and behold, at 6:45pm the rain suddenly stopped, and the sun emerged.  We both thought no one will come now, seeing as how the event was to begin at 7pm.  At exactly at 7pm, we saw several of our neighbors walking down the street with dishes in hand.  By 7:30 our backyard, which was very soggy, was happily filled with several neighbors. We ate, drank and socialized until after 9:00. 

I was pleasantly surprised by how much people seemed to enjoy the fellowship with each other and how they were apparently looking forward to it.  This experience left me with several thoughts.  The first one was that we long for community and opportunities as neighbors.  Each person sharing their story of how long they have lived in the neighborhood and the many changes that took place over the years.  My second thought was that even though there was a broad age range and racial makeup, we still had much more in common than not. This reminded me to continue to look for the things that will connect us as a community and spend less time thinking about the things that will divide us.  Lastly, I was pleased with the pride that each person took in our neighborhood, sharing tips about gardening, home repairs, and even speaking up about homes that needed some TLC. 

I am so grateful to serve this community as Ward 2 Councilperson.  The people that I serve are great people who want to be proud of where they live. They want neighbors with whom they can share community, and a place where we can all raise our families with pride. 

Please consider hosting a “Wednesday on the Porch” this summer. Take the time to reach out to your neighbors and spread the fellowship.  For more details about hosting a “Wednesday on the Porch” event in your neighborhood, please email Barb Pistillo at barb.pistillo@gmail.com.