Residential Estate Industry Journal 5 | Page 70

COMMUNITY, HARMONY AND SPIRIT BEST PRACTICE: Residential communities are not about buildings – they’re about people, about communities. The houses are just where the people live. The community is about how they live. Inform Sustain Listen Create Ways to promote community spirit React respective jobs, or volunteers provide cards and personal calls, transportation for medical appointments and rides To promote community spirit in your community, try one of to the airport, meals for families with an illness or death in these activities: the family, loan items of medical equipment such as canes • • Support local charities and schools. Sharing your time, and crutches, loan items such as cribs and high chairs talents, and financial resources as individuals, small groups, for grandparents with visiting grandchildren, handyman and as a corporate entity is a true reflection of community services for small jobs, and an extensive resource of those spirit; giving back to the greater community has many willing to discuss their medical experiences with those facing positive knock-on effects. these challenges. Volunteers coordinate each major service under an elected programme director. • • Print a community T-shirt. Not only will this increase community spirit, but it also generates additional revenue for the association and serves as a marketing tool. • • Hold a blanket and clothing collection for less privileged communities in preparation for the winter months. • • Hold a neighbourhood swim-a-thon or other fun and challenging event. • • Build and install park benches along walking trails and ponds. Find the craftsmen in your community and have them build community park benches with materials provided by • • Create a neighbourhood assistance programme. Residents the association. This saves money and is a great community volunteer to provide neighbours with all types of assistance spirit project both for the volunteers and for the enjoyment and a monthly coordinator assigns volunteers to their of the residents. 70