Meet Your Neighbors Day set Friday

Recognizing the need for community connections in preventing violence, the Putnam County Commissioners (seated from left) Rick Woodall, David Berry and Don Walton sign a proclamation of Friday, May 12 as Meet Your Neighbors Day in Putnam County. Promoting the event are PREVENT Coaltion members Cari Cox (left), Elizabeth Butts (back) and Rachel Jern.

Banner Graphic/JARED JERNAGAN

All Putnam County residents are encouraged to participate in Meet Your Neighbors Day on Friday, May 12.

Sponsored by the Putnam County PREVENT Coalition, the day of sharing and fellowship is simply a chance to interact with those around us.

Celebrating Meet Your Neighbors Day can mean almost anything, provided it involves reaching out to a neighbor at home or at work.

Participants might might share contact information, have coffee or lunch together, take a break together at work or sit on the front porch and say hi to everyone who passes.

For those feeling more ambitious, organize a neighborhood phone tree, block party or neighborhood clean-up.

Those wanting to be of service might volunteer together, teach a neighbor a skill (like how to use Facebook or how to change a tire) or schedule check-ins with older residents.

Taking Part in Meet Your Neighbors Day is simply a way of promoting the well-being of the community, both at the neighborhood level and, by extension, on a community-wide scale.

Those who take part in the Meet Your Neighbors Day are also encouraged to share what they did on the PREVENT Coalition’s Facebook page. Search PREVENTcoalition. Participants can also use the hashtag #EngagingNeighbors.

The PREVENT Coalition’s mission is to prevent violence by increasing emotional health and connections in the Putnam County community.

When people feel connected to their community and the people around them, they are less likely to be violent. For more information call Family Support Services at 653-4820 or visit www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/connecting_the_dots-a.pdf.