Antelope Lions provided hot dogs to guests. Photo by Natalee Price

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - It was a great week to be a good neighbor.

Good Neighbor Week was observed in Citrus Heights from September 28th through Wednesday, October 4th. Individual special events included a Community Yard Sale co-sponsored by Citrus Heights Arts and Sylvan Old Auburn Road (SOAR) Area 10 on September 30th.

A Neighborhood Block Party was also held on September 30th at the Sylvan Community Clubhouse at 7521 Community Drive, co-sponsored by SOAR, the Kiwanis Club of Citrus Heights, Antelope Lions Club and Citrus Heights Arts.

The purpose of this year’s first “Good Neighbor Week” sought to bring a greater sense of unity and civic pride to the community. That goal was fully achieved and then some, according to event chairperson, and REACH president, Natalee Price.

Citrus Heights Councilmember Jayna Karpinski-Costa (center left) and REACH president, Natalee Price (center right) hold a banner during the Citrus Heights City Council Proclamation at the organization's reception during Good Neighbor Week. Photo by Meghan Huber

The members of Residents Empowerment Association of Citrus Heights (REACH) will recognize many of their neighbors who have demonstrated their commitment to make their neighborhood a great place to live. Individual winners of the Citrus Heights Good Neighbor Award who are selected by the REACH Good Neighborhood Committee along with the city council will receive special citywide recognition in November.

In observance of national “Good Neighbor Day,” on September 28th, the Citrus Heights City Council also issued a proclamation recognizing September 28th-October 4 as its own Citrus Heights Good Neighbor Week.

The idea for observing Good Neighbor Week was brought back by Price for her attendance at the NUSA (neighborhood USA) conference in El Paso, Texas. She shared the concept with REACH members, of which she is the president, and received support from its board to move forward with Good Neighbor Week as a REACH project for the city of Citrus Heights.

With just a month and a half to generate resident awareness, REACH members distributed Good Neighborhood Week fliers to their own neighborhood email lists, promoted the event at the city’s annual Sunday Funday, and actively used social media for promotion.

A SurveyMonkey page was also created to allow residents to report their own act of good neighboring and to nominate an individual resident for a Citrus Heights Good Neighbor Award.

“We received 18 nominations for the Citrus Heights Good Neighbor Award. We loved hearing about all the ‘neighborhood grandmothers’ and so many others who lend to the unity in our community,” Price said.

In all, 416 residents participated in community events (block parties, yard sales, neighborhood socials, haunted houses, bbqs, etc.)

Some 170 residents did a neighborly “good deed” (mowed lawn, took out trash, ran errands, gave rides, serviced dog poop collection bins, loaned tools, etc.)

Another 78 residents received good neighbor baked goods. Multiple residents participated in various trash pickups to the benefit of an estimated 100 local residents.

In all, some 764 individual acts of “good neighboring” were registered during the week, exceeding a goal by REACH members of 500 acts.

“We have residents who make children's quilts to give to the members of our Citrus Heights Police Department, run errands for disabled neighbors, share baked goods and garden bounty all year round, and help to clear trash and blight in their own neighborhoods,” she said.

Many who were nominated were those who simply walk in their neighborhoods and who chat with everyone.

“They don't know the true impact which they make, to spread joy and help everyone feel safe in their own neighborhoods,” she said.

Price described this year’s opening Citrus Heights Good Neighbor Week event as just a prelude to an annual celebration of good will and community spirit.

“We also hosted our 1st annual Good Neighbor Saturday Citywide Yard Sale and look forward to more neighbors hosting similar sales next year,” she said.

The color station was a hit with families. Photo by Natalee Price

One of the lessons learned from this year’s Good Neighbor Week was not to host block parties and yard sales on the same day as it made it difficult for many hosting yard sales to participate in other activities.

The members of REACH and the individual neighborhoods within the city are planning many more “Good Neighbor Week” engagement opportunities in 2024, Price said.

Residents can expect to see a 2024 calendar of Good Neighbor Week planned activities released at the annual Community Potluck hosted by REACH in March 2024.

“My favorite part of the individual surveys turned in during Good Neighbor Week was reading the comments we received from those who participated,” Price said.

Comments included:

“The Good Neighbor initiative encouraged me to hang out and catch up with my neighbor,” one wrote.

“Plenty of smiles and thank you messages came in for a few days after I did my act of neighboring,” wrote another.

Birkley Price and Jaxon Koch loved the Lion Games! Photo by Natalee Price

“One neighbor said she would try to get her whole residential court more involved next year,” Price said.

“This project is a lovely way to remind people to be neighborly. It makes a difference when you know you can count on your neighbors,” wrote another.

“Love everything about it,” one wrote.

And, most importantly, Price said, “Let’s keep it going!”