Announcing the Inner Sunset Holiday Card Challenge - updated

There are few more satisfying things in life than belonging to a community. Faces become friendly and familiar, help is always available, and company is a doorbell away. There is infinite potential in knowing your neighbors. Ringing the doorbell is one of the most revolutionary things you can do. And, if you wanted to, you could do it right now.

It helps to have a premise, though. That's why this holiday season, myself and many other community members are launching the Inner Sunset Holiday Card Challenge. Our goal is to have as many blocks in the neighborhood as possible with at least one resident hand-delivering holiday cards to their neighbors. The dream is eventually to reach every block in the neighborhood, every resident addressed as "neighbor" and feeling part of the community.

You are invited to join us! Please email me at adam@inner-sunset.org with the block to which you will deliver cards. There will be an orientation meeting on Wednesday 15th December at 7pm, 616 Irving (the old MetroPCS store) for those who want to take part.

Here's some more information and advice about the Challenge:-

1. We don't have funds for this so you need to get the cards yourself. You can make or buy them. Either way, don't spend too much money.
2. You can visit as many or as few neighbors on your block as possible. We recommend everybody if you can but do what your schedule permits.
3. Ring the doorbell first but if nobody is home, drop the card through the mailbox.
4. There is no specific date you have to do this, although after the orientation meeting is a good idea.
5. We advise not to enter apartment buildings unless you know a resident there.
6. Consider putting a contact in your card, such as an email address. This allows follow up and the possibility of more community-building after the holidays.
7. Following on from that, try to think how you might turn this important visit to your neighbors into something longer lasting. Encourage your neighbors to get in touch and think of some things you might want to do together at a later date.
   
8. If you need a buddy to do the rounds with, let me know and I'll try to partner you up.
9. If you want to photograph yourself handing a card to someone, email it to me at adam@inner-sunset.org and we'll make a montage! Please also consider emailing me after your rounds and tell me how it went.
   

Community-building is not somebody else's or the government's task, it is ours. Nobody else is going to do it apart from us. Going door to door is the only way we are going to make the Inner Sunset the real neighborhood it could be. That's why we're inviting you to get involved. And you should: Once you get going, this is tremendous fun. Every year I've done this, more neighbors have invited me in, to the point where I am fed and tipsy by the time I reach home!

And if you're reading this and do not live in the Inner Sunset, how about doing this in your neighborhood??

See you at the orientation meeting next Wednesday.

Happy holidays from your neighbor,

Adam