Socially Distant Community Activities

Started by AnnaJ1 • 11 replies • 421 views

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AnnaJ1 (Maryland)
Posts: 95

Posted:

The Board is elated to now have neighborhood volunteers to work with us as an events committee. The challenge now is coming up with creative ideas to engage the neighborhood in this era of Covid. We can't throw a block party where everyone brings a dish anymore. Any suggestions on socially-distant and/or virtual neighborhood get-togethers?

MichaelS56 (Minnesota)
Posts: 859

Posted:

When the weather warms up many of our residents will bring a chair, wear a mask, bring a beverage, and mingle each Monday at 4pm. Our Association still has a group that golfs each Thursday, and another group that will go on a weekly bike ride.

BarbaraT1 (Texas)
Posts: 821

Posted:

What resources do you have? Do you have a website or email list? Do you have a park area, or a parking lot?

AnnaJ1 (Maryland)
Posts: 95

Posted:

Thanks for the feedback everyone. We do have a decent sized common area with a playground. We have a teeny tiny budget of $150. We have an email list and group on Nextdoor.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

If you have any teens graduating from high school later on this year, you could do a community drive by and honk congratulations - encourage the residents of those homes to decorate the outside, similar to what was done in New Orleans for Mardi Gras (the house floats).

Outdoor movie nights might also work - block off the streets and rent outdoor movie equipment. People could social distance that way and bring their own refreshments.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

BarbaraT1 (Texas)
Posts: 821

Posted:

We have done drive in bingo and trivia - people stay in their cars. You can also do bingo via Zoom. For Easter last year we had the Easter Bunny out for families to "drive by and say hi" and pick up a bag of stuffed plastic eggs. We did neighborhood scavenger hunts - a blue door, yellow flowers, that sort of thing. We had a driveway dinner party - everybody ate outside in their front yards or driveways and waved to each other.

In our area, virtually everything has completely reopened to full capacity - bars, gyms, indoor dining etc. Cities have even started hosting events again, so it's been a challenge convincing residents that we can't just go back to normal do the sorts of things we used to do. But the events I'm planning so far (food trucks, March Madness bracket, kite flying day) are all outdoors and people can stay apart, if they want.

AnnaJ1 (Maryland)
Posts: 95

Posted:

Thanks Barbara, great ideas. Thanks all for your feedback!

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Anna

Why do you feel the urge to do this? I would avoid anything I do not have to do as should your association.

AnnaJ1 (Maryland)
Posts: 95

Posted:

Hi John, good question. The board agreed to accept the committee who wants to spearhead this. This committee will be working in tandem with the board so I'd like to be in a position to help. The statement that the person who volunteered made was that they'd like to restore a neighborly vibe in the community. They feel like its been an air of division ever since the annual meeting in September, because there is an @$$hole spreading misinformation in an effort to derail an upcoming community clubhouse project. Long sordid story....

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Anna

For general information, I am curious about the upcoming project is? What is it? How much will it cost? How will it be paid for? What are the objections?
Thanks

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Restoring a good neighborhood vibe is an excellent goal, Anna. You have some good ideas here.

IF you want to post your whole sordid story, as John46 asks, do start a new thread. This one is very standalone about social activities and it'd be great if it stays that ways.

AnnaJ1 (Maryland)
Posts: 95

Posted:

I'm sure the mention of a long story piqued interest.

You guys can get an idea of what's happened with these 2 prior threads of mine:

https://www.hoatalk.com/Forum/tabid/55/view/topic/forumid/1/postid/298708/Default.aspx

(The upcoming project is the construction of the community center.)

And this is the troublemaker causing all of the division. He paints the board as selfish jerks and spreads wrong info consistently:

https://www.hoatalk.com/Forum/tabid/55/view/topic/forumid/1/postid/291313/Default.aspx

Anyhow, the committee wants to start off with an easter egg hunt for a small number of neighborhood kids. They suggested doing it in groups if there is a large amount of interest so that everyone can social distance. I'm still of the idea of virtual/in the car etc, until the pandemic is more under control. I don't want to potentially expose the HOA to any liability. Am I being a worrywart?

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