Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine a strong neighborhood. What do you see? Tidy houses, green lawns, white picket fences, perhaps some swingsets in the back yards. No doubt the sun is shining, and neighbors are outdoors, talking to each other.
Now open your eyes, get in your car, and drive to an area in Rockford that you may be unfamiliar with. Look around. What do you see? Crumbling sidewalks and potholed streets? Abandoned houses? Empty lots where condemned houses have been torn down?
Look harder. You will see children being led to school on a Walking School Bus. This “bus,” the only one in the country that walks every day of the school year, is a partnership between the YMCA and United Way.
You will also see Strong Neighborhood Houses, where Community Police Officers offer a safe place for residents to report crime and nuisances. You will also see the Community Police Officers hosting movie nights for neighborhood children and socializing with them over popcorn and ice cream.
Look even harder, and you will see dozens of people in this community working to make all of our neighborhoods safe and healthy, make them Strong Neighborhoods. You will see people from the West Gateway Coalition, merchants from the Midtown District Business Association, and professionals pursuing the dream of a Purpose Built Community.
These folks believe that every resident in every corner of Rockford has a right to a good education, financial stability, and a healthy lifestyle. They believe, like I do, that Strong Neighborhoods make a Strong Community.
I’m Linda Sandquist, and that’s my perspective.