Neighbor's Day
September 27, 2008
Annually the last Saturday of September
The Better Neighbors Program is a grass roots movement dedicated to helping students everywhere become better and more responsible neighbors. Developed by Michael Corrigan, the author of the story Neighbor's Day, the Neighbor's Day—Better Neighbors Program will help to inspire our youth to create healthier neighborhoods. It is the intention of the Better Neighbors Program to build stronger, safer communities through communication.
"It seems that so many of us don't even know our neighbors anymore," states Corrigan, "And in a world of so many strangers, wouldn't it be nice to know the people we live around?" Corrigan with assistance from numerous educators has designed lesson plans and activities that will assist teachers in instructing students about what it means to become more responsible and considerate neighbors. The Better Neighbors Program hopes that many schools and educators will work these neighborly teachings into their regular curriculums during the month of September.
As the students begin the lessons and discussions, they will be instructed to take home assignments to work on with their parents. "I remember as a child bringing home a tree sapling and sharing the meaning of Earth Day (formerly know as Arbor Day) with my mother," Corrigan reflects, "I believe that having children bring home the news of Neighbor's Day will help many adults become better neighbors as well."
At the end of the month students will take home what they have learned to celebrate Neighbor's Day with their families and neighbors on the last Saturday of September. The Better Neighbors Program believes that if violence continues to breed violence across our country, then surely harmony will begin to breed harmony if we all work together. And what could be a better day to start working together than Neighbor's Day?
"I
like to compare neighborhoods to security blankets," says Corrigan, "If
the blanket is loosely woven cold air will easily slip through, but if
the blanket is tightly knit the child will be safe and warm. The same thing
happens when a neighborhood is loosely connected. The criminals can slip
in without being noticed. But when a neighborhood is comprised of friendly
and familiar faces, it becomes much more difficult for the bad element
to exist." Visit www.neighborsday.org for more information
on the Better Neighbors Program and Neighbor's Day.
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