Soup Night anyone? What do you do to help in your community....

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I just had my first soup night in 4 years.

This started as a push just to get to know my neighbors. My neighborhood is just not like the one I grew up in. Everyone is so busy with their outside interests that we rarely see them when we are just fishing or riding bikes or whatever.

I gave it a shot again. I make several pots of soup and have several on hand. But I put up the signs at the front of the neighborhood and at the back. Anyone is invited - all I ask is that you come. If you want to bring bread, crackers or a salad that is great - but it is not necessaray - I supply the food as long as it holds out.

When I did it a few years ago, it was only a couple of families who came. This time...I ran out of soup. That has never happened before. I had the best time meeting the folks in my neighborhood though. Hopefully this will be the start of something fun and it will bring more people together to help when needed.

Today, I am putting up a road block (semi - road block) that says - Slow children playing - and asking friends to bring their kids over to ride bikes and seeing if some of the parents want to come walk. I need the exercise. My kids love to ride their bikes and making it a social event sounds like something that will keep me engaged anyway!

Doing the soup night seemed like it would be a lot of work. But it was not. It actually made me feel better - not that "depressed" exhaustion - but that "feel good" exhaustion that makes you excited about the next time.
What do you do to help your community?

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[+3] - mismi - 09/20/2011Hopefully you are very careful about your dealings or... NO SOUP FOR YOU!

@mismi,

mismi wrote:

I just had my first soup night in 4 years.

This started as a push just to get to know my neighbors. My neighborhood is just not like the one I grew up in. Everyone is so busy with their outside interests that we rarely see them when we are just fishing or riding bikes or whatever.

I gave it a shot again. I make several pots of soup and have several on hand. But I put up the signs at the front of the neighborhood and at the back. Anyone is invited - all I ask is that you come. If you want to bring bread, crackers or a salad that is great - but it is not necessaray - I supply the food as long as it holds out.

When I did it a few years ago, it was only a couple of families who came. This time...I ran out of soup. That has never happened before. I had the best time meeting the folks in my neighborhood though. Hopefully this will be the start of something fun and it will bring more people together to help when needed.

Today, I am putting up a road block (semi - road block) that says - Slow children playing - and asking friends to bring their kids over to ride bikes and seeing if some of the parents want to come walk. I need the exercise. My kids love to ride their bikes and making it a social event sounds like something that will keep me engaged anyway!

Doing the soup night seemed like it would be a lot of work. But it was not. It actually made me feel better - not that "depressed" exhaustion - but that "feel good" exhaustion that makes you excited about the next time.
What do you do to help your community?

I 've never done that.
I might possibly throw some dimes, quarters n half dollars
to the slow children while thay r playing at the road block.

David

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@mismi,

Interesting... and Good For You! for reaching out to your neighbors. The timing of this thread is interesting because last week one of my neighbors sent out an email inviting all the ladies of the neighborhood to stop by for an informal get together this Thursday evening. We have a changing neighborhood and most of us don't know many of our neighbors. I thought it was a nice gesture on her part, but I thought I'd probably skip it. Now, thanks to your post, I think I may go.

We don't do much here in the way of neighborhood activities. We're all pretty isolationist and, other than the annual block party/road association meeting in July, we almost never do any events. I'm currently on the road association board which meets a couple times per year to review the plowing/salting/repair budget for our roads and plan the annual party. I used to regularly attend all of the Village Board meetings as an observer. There were many times that I was the only person there from the community. I haven't gone to those in a while. They were usually pretty interesting, I should start attending again.

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What kind of soup did you make mismi?

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@mismi,

Those are awesome ideas.

I don't do that - any more at least. I can't stand so many of my newer neighbors. We used to have a tight community where we would go over each others houses - cards, food, watching sports, etc.

Hope to move soon. I could use your ideas.

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@JPB,

It used to be a little depressing actually - We are in a pretty big neighborhood so when you only have 2 or 3 families show up it is perplexing. But the whole point was to meet new folks. I sent out special invitations to all of the new families in the neighborhood and not one of them came. This last time we had plenty - We had about 10 families come and go over a 3 hour period - so to me - that is progress.

We have a few things with the neighborhood - a picnic, a garage sale..things like that. I really wanted this to be more personable. Inviting someone into your home usually makes it easier to get to know them...that picnic is pure chaos in my opinion! Smile

I think you should go. I bet you will have fun...

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@chai2,

I made Santa Fe soup - which is also called Taco soup and something else I think - but it has black beans and corn, ground beef, tomatoes, onions, taco seasoning and a packet of ranch dressing...sounds odd but it is delicious especially with tortillas and sour cream and cheese...holy cow. Good.

I also just had a basic chicken noodle for the pickier ones and cans of tomato soup on hand - but they were huge pots - all gone.

I have this recipe for creamy wild rice and chicken soup I am doing next month. I love soup.

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We just had our first block party! It was very fun, I met a bunch of new people. We had a really good turnout, but sozlet had a soccer game in the middle of it (just when things were getting going), then by the time we got back, the whole party got POURED on. Everyone grabbing their stuff and runnnnnning! It was pretty funny actually.

I'm also pretty active with the local PTO, which here means community/ neighbors.

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@mismi,

I'm reworking all my soups to make them gluten free.

chicken noodle is problematic.

I bet you're a fun nebborette...

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@Linkat,

I really enjoy it...and even though we are so busy it is hard to be involved in everything...this is my way of scheduling it and knowing I can be there. I kept thinking it might help some of the folks who are struggling right now because of the economy.

It is easy these days to avoid the additional pressure and stress that comes with having to socialize with folks you don't enjoy. I know you must miss that though if you are a social kind of gal. But it would be hard to know that before you moved in. We just got lucky that we enjoy our neighbors as much as we do.

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@sozobe,

We had block parties when I was growing up...it was actually the garden society trying to raise money - but I thought they were so much fun. One of the coolest things they did one time was have everyone bring a picnic dinner. You had to list what you put in your box and everyone decorated it for Halloween. We then had an auction for the one that had the food you wanted the most. I can't remember if they had a cap on it or what - but as a child, I thought it was great big fun.

I might do that in October instead...gonna' ruminate on it. Smile

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@mismi,

I can't do that now. But not so long ago I was involved in neighborhood gatherings which turned into committees which turned into associations, and was picked by the city to hold a lot of meetings. Those about did me in, especially when the 'secretary' took lame-o notes.
Whatever. I still have at least one good friend from that time.

He told me this morning that google is going to take over the Gehry building with the Oldenburg binoculars (mere feet from my favorite cafe). This will probably change Venice.

I'm sad about this and glad about this. When I moved there, it was a redlined district, we couldn't get a loan, until the last chance, and before I moved there, maybe two years before, I rolled up my windows to drive through.

Bob, the friend I mentioned today, was positing about restaurants about to go out of their minds.
There are already good restaurants there.

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@Rockhead,

yeah...but I bet you could use rice noodles...can't you?

I am a GREAT neighbor. Love to laugh - so...try to make that happen as much as possible. Wink

- I bet you would be a fun neighbor yourself.

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@mismi,

You did great Missy - it makes a big difference and you should be proud of what you accomplished there. If you show them the way, then others may follow in your steps. Sincerely, well done.

We're a very tiny community here in the village (as you know they've helped me with the a-legged thing) and I'm not too much on doing things round here at the moment (ya know, reaons) - but our school community is thriving and we have lots going on all the time.

Well done you sweetheart - I'd feel blessed to live in your neighbourhood - we'd drink tea and walk together. Heck, we'd be doing tea parties with scones and cream and the like. Love, g'nite Dixie x

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@Izzie,

Girly - I would be at your house every day or calling you to come to mine. Seriously - would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have you as a neighbor. Smile

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@ossobuco,

I lived there in a building with seven broken windows and drunks going on at the place across the street. We fixed it, somewhat. A person of note, Barbara Dimonstein? lived there before us at some point.

Anyway, I've lived around a lot of stuff. In my experience, locals get local, assuming they don't go all hostile to people in place. I was generally not afraid at all. The Come Back Inn was two doors down. But it might have been my eyes that protected me, as I don't go out at night alone.

Venice had parades. I don't remember much help going around, except that the free clinic was a great boon, when it happened.

Hey, this is where Google is moving.

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@ossobuco,

I have a photo of Gehry's studio in Venice, a long time ago, taken from the Speedway (alley). He is not from Venice, but of it.

I'd think that I'm invasive here except that Venice has a thick neighborhood history, and neighborhood care, mixed with neighborhood decimation.

I guess this is off of soup and into getting involved into local issues.

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@ossobuco,

Sorry, Mis, I should start my own new thread, and add photos, quite a project.

Neighborhood stuff can develop.

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@mismi,

mismi wrote:

I might do that in October instead...gonna' ruminate on it.

On Halloween our neighbor runs "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" on a screen on their front lawn. Great fun.

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@mismi,

word is getting out about your get togethers - maybe it will keep snowballing and then others will get into as well.

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Soup Night anyone? What do you do to help in your community....

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