Front Steps

A newsletter for neighborhoods and the people who live in them -- Autumn 1997
Front Steps is made possible in part by a grant from SAFECO Corporation.

Porch Chat

Cooler, shorter days make it harder to keep in touch with neighbors up and down the block. We all end up indoors, waiting for spring, without the informal contacts that are such a pleasant bonus on warm summer evenings. This issue of Front Steps has some ideas for ways to make a little extra effort to keep the neighborly spirit active in the winter months while preparing to meet any surprises winter weather might bring your way.

This is the point of Front Steps: To collect up good ideas about working and relaxing with people who live nearby. We at The Evergreen State Society are excited to be in partnership with neighborhood organizations across the country to bring Front Steps to you four times a year. We are grateful, too, for the financial and inkind assistance of SAFECO Corporation which helps make Front Steps possible.

More later,

Putnam Barber
President, The Evergreen State Society

Front Steps -- Volume 1, Number 2, Autumn 1997
Marie Sauter, Managing Editor
Larry Williams, Communications Consultant
Kathryn True, Writer
Terri Nakamura, Designer

©1997 The Evergreen State Society www.tess.org
1122 East Pike Street, #444
Seattle, WA 98122-3934 USA
Email: frontsteps@tess.org

The Evergreen State Society works to encourage healthy communities by furthering nonprofits and informal organizations. It was founded in 1990 in Seattle.

This online version of Front Steps lacks the graphics and other features of printed copies. Free printed copies of Front Steps are available by post; please send a complete postal address to the email address above.

Multiple copies of Front Steps are available at no charge to individuals and groups who will distribute them on a non-partisan, non-sectarian basis to low- and moderate-income urban householders. Contact The Evergreen State Society for more information about becoming a distributor.

Smoothing the Way Back to School

Probably the most widespread fall tradition is the mass migration known as "back to school."Here are some ways to clear common obstacles:

• Being the "new kid" is never easy. Help children new to your neighborhood by answering questions about the school and community. A list of locations of often-visited places (grocery store, car repair, public ball court, video shop) can be a huge help to new families.
• Every child wants to go back to school looking "cool," but the latest fashions may not fit the family budget. Consider a swap-meet to keep back-to-school expenses low. Start by contacting people whose children are in the same grade as yours. Work with them to choose a weekend and find a yard or community center room where every-one can bring their outgrown clothes, plus sports gear, old equipment and uniforms. Afterwards, call a local char-ity to take the leftovers to a thrift shop.
• If a lot of neighborhood children ride bikes, consider holding a bike repair/bike safety day. Ask a local repair shop to help tune-up bikes for free or at a group rate, and contact a community agency to help you find a bike safety expert. Don't forget that bike helmets need to be checked for fit, too.
• If you do not have school-age kids, you can help by being a resource to children at home alone after school, volunteering in a school or helping to make your neighborhood safer for schoolchildren. (See the checklist for latchkey kids on the last page for some ideas.) Work with neighbors and local officials to make sure stop signs are clearly visible. Maybe there are street crossings that could benefit from crossing guards? Are sidewalks and bus stops clear of overhanging brush?

Harvesting the Best of Fall

During the new moon in late October or early November, floating candlelit offerings celebrate Kali, the goddess of strength and death, in Bengal. Oktoberfest is a former king's birthday turned beer and bratwurst feast in Germany. Japan celebrates the Otsukimi (moon viewing) festival, when families and friends gather to watch the rising of the first full harvest moon. In temperate climates, autumn marks the end of the growing season and a time of feasting and celebration-if you want to learn more, ask your librarian for books about fall festivals held around the world. Here are a few ideas of ways city dwellers can feast and fest:

• Hold a food fair with the extra vegetables from your home or community garden harvest. It can be organized just like a yard sale, with items offered free or for trade.
• If you have a tradition of trick-or-treating, try going from door to door giving a treat instead. Surprise your neighbors with a specially carved jack-o-lantern, roasted pumpkin seeds or cookies.
• Work with a nearby senior center to organize a trip to a pumpkin patch for neighbors and senior center residents.
• Call local food banks or service centers to see if they can use your extra garden produce.

Home Warm-Up Exercises

Winterizing Your Home

There is a long to do list labeled "Get Ready for Winter" floating somewhere in your head. There are lots of ways to make preparing for winter easier and more enjoyable. One of them is getting started now before the cold digs in its heels.

Chances are that everyone on your block has the same problems preparing for winter's surprises - whether record lows, record snows or record blows. One way to prepare for the cold season is to try something like an old-time barn-raising. It is helpful to find an enthusiastic organizer. If that is not you, think about who might be willing to help. Is there someone you consider to be the home expert on your block - someone who is always out in the yard and doing small improvement projects?

Meet with neighbors informally (door to door works fine) or make a flyer like the sample shown to the right and leave it on your neighbors' doorsteps. Don't forget those who are not able to do their own home upkeep, but remember that people may be more comfortable if you ask for help or advice rather than offer it. Is there a retired electrician or carpenter on your block who could give some technical advice while you do the physical work?

When you get together you can list things that you can help each other with, like inserting storm windows, wrapping pipes or cleaning gutters (clogged gutters are a major and little-known cause of water damage). Go through the checklist on this page and write down your own memories of common winter problems in the area. Discuss how you might divide up the work. Do you want to work in groups of two or three homes each or divide up by the tasks you will be focusing on? Choose your work day and schedule a set amount of time to work. Remember to let people do what they are comfortable doing-that may be 20 minutes for one person and all day for another. Meet at the end of your work day or weekend for a well-deserved pizza party!

Winter TO DOs

At your "Prepare for Winter" meeting you may want to ask for volunteers who have useful experience - gardeners, roofers, electricians, etc. - to share their knowledge. If you cannot find someone to cover a certain area, invite a local professional in the field to help you. Many are happy to lend free advice to help promote their business.

• Yard and Grounds
  • Get together with neighbors to prune trees growing over roofs and garages that may fall in high winds. Pruning services can be purchased less expensively if there are several trees in need of pruning in your neighborhood. Knowing who on your street has a chain saw can be helpful for emergencies if trees fall across roads.
• Doors and Windows
  • Check storm doors, windows and screens for smooth operation and fit. Deal with decay or damage before cold weather arrives.
  • Add caulking around window and door frames, wherever there are gaps.
  • Adjust or replace weather stripping so doors and windows fit tightly.
• Garage
  • Adjust doors, locks and windows for good fit and secure operation.
• Electric
  • Take a walk down your street with a neighbor to make sure all overhead wires are securely fastened to buildings. Talk to the power company if wires look too close to the ground or there are other problems.
  • Check visible wires and cables for wear and damage.
• Plumbing
  • Check all fixture traps for leaks, rust or loose fittings.
  • Outdoor pipes and faucets may freeze if not specially designed. If you are not sure, shut off and drain them to avoid broken pipes. Some exterior faucets can be insulated with inexpensive kits.
• Attic
  • Are louvers and vents free of animal nests or other obstructions? Keep them open all year round for ventilation.
  • Measure the thickness of your insulation. Talk to a weatherization expert to see if adding more would be a good idea.
• Heating
  • Check and change furnace filters as needed. Make sure you understand the operation and switches of the thermostat and what to do if things do not seem to be working properly.

Hibernating With Friends

Staying Connected Through the Cold Season

The barbecue has charred its last burger, the swimmin g suits are hung up to dry for the season and the ice-cream truck music has faded into the sunset. It feels like fall. Many of us are ready to turn our attentions to inside activities, to our families, our homes. But this welcome quiet time has its limits. Soon you may be yearning for the activities that so easily bring you together with others in the summertime. Here are some ways to stay connected with friends and neighbors:

• Ask a librarian or book store employee to help you organize a book club with active readers on your block. Young people may want to organize a similar club with others their age. Post a note at the nearest library if you need more members.
• Remember summer. Have a slide and photo night where everyone brings their favorite summer photos.
• Make or update a neighborhood map! A community gathering provides a chance to check your list of neighbors' names, numbers and other information. (See the back page for another kind of neighborhood map.)
• Autumn does not have to mean you retreat inside for the duration. In fact, it can be a great time to be outdoors. Rake leaves together...it is more fun than doing it by yourself! Start on a neighbor's lawn and work your way back to your own. Find out who likes to compost. Instead of putting leaves/lawn clippings out for pick-up, give them to a thankful neighbor who can use them.
• Another way to enjoy the fall with neighbors or friends is to walk together in a nearby park or visit a bird sanctuary. Call the parks department for a list of good walks and ask them for a list of excursions and seasonal events.

Another Neat Idea

Adopt-an-Alley: Next time you meet neighbor in your alley, ask if they would like to join you in adopting and caring for your shared back lane. Keep the alley clean and lit, and see if you can work with neighbors to clear away overgrown bushes that can cause sight problems for drivers and provide hiding places for intruders. For added security, know the cars that should be parked there and check with neighbors if you see something unexpected.

Living History

Drawing up a simple map with neighbors' names and phone numbers can help make your block a friendlier, safer place to live. (There were some ideas about how to do this in a recent issue of Front Steps. If you would like to see it, let us know by using the attached response postcard.) Another way of mapping your place is by researching local history. It is a great project for students who might like to take it on as a school assignment or a neighborhood service. All they need is a little curiosity and a desire for adventuring into the past. Here is an overview that can help get the project started:

• Ask a teacher, parent or retired neighbor to help you.
• Locate the family who has lived on your block the longest, or a store owner who has worked in the area a long time.
• Ask if they would be willing to be interviewed for a history project about the neighborhood.
• Make a list of questions beforehand (start by asking what the neighborhood was like when they first arrived).
• Bring a pen and notebook or a tape recorder.
• Once you have completed your interviews, go to the library or the historical society for further research.
• Have a librarian help you look for your home or street in the photo archives.
• Old newspapers are a good source for finding interesting stories about the past.
• Make copies of all the photos and articles you find to keep for further study or a history scrapbook.
• When you have collected enough materials, put them together in a scrapbook or make a display box.

Organizers of community events may want to use your results to introduce others to facts about your neighborhood.

Neighborhood Greats

What is great about your neighborhood? Send us a word or a sentence or two that captures the outstanding qualities of your home turf. We will print the greatest of the greats in an upcoming issue. Use our email address (frontsteps@tess.org) or write to 1122 East Pike Street, #444, Seattle, WA 98122 USA. We look forward to hearing from you. (Be sure to include your name and a post office address with your note. Thanks again!)

Safety Toolbox for Latchkey Kids

A recent study by the National Crime Prevention Council found that in this country up to 12 million children between the ages of 5 and 13 are at home alone for part of every day. The following tools can help create a safer home-alone environment for latchkey kids:

• House keys should be kept hidden inside a pocket or purse.
• Help your child establish and stick to a travel route to and from school or the bus stop. Have them walk with friends if possible.
• Establish safety rules regarding household appliances, answering the door and telephone, and who can and cannot visit.
• Teach your child basic safety skills like what to do in case of a fire, over-flowing toilet or electrical outage.
• Make a list of important telephone numbers and post it by the phone.
• Include the numbers of trusted neighbors who are willing to be called on for help or reassurance.
• Set up a comforting routine: a check-in call to a parent or neighbor, a special snack, a favorite television show or game.

The Evergreen State Society and community-based organizations across the country cooperate in producing and distributing Front Steps. This work is supported in part by SAFECO Corporation (www.safeco.com).

©1997 The Evergreen State Society, Seattle, WA USA

Permission is hereby granted to quote without alteration and with credit to The Evergreen State Society as the source.