Gail Summers
It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine?
Could you be mine? Please, won’t you be my neighbor?
“Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood”
Most of us have heard these words from the popular afternoon TV show, Mr. Roger’s
Neighborhood. Maybe you grew up in a neighborhood like that where people knew one another, looked out for each other, gathered at different houses on the weekends for BBQ’s and an ice-cold …um … lemonade.
With the hustle and bustle of today’s families, we rarely take the time to get to know our neighbors that well. Some of us do, but overall it’s not like saying goodnight at the Waltons,
“Good night John-boy.” “Goodnight, Elizabeth. Good night Erin” and so it went.
Gail Summers hopes the newly revitalized Seven Lakes North and South National Neighborhood Watch Program will be like the “Waltons”or “Little House on the Prairie”…Neighbors Looking Out For Neighbors. “It is my hope that when someone on the South side stubs their toe, people on the North side know about it,” Gail jokingly says. “Not that we want to be nosey, but we want to be such a tight community that if there is anyone in need or in trouble, we ALL gather ‘round to help the best we can.”
The primary focus will help each other in times of need, but also to help prevent ongoing vandalism and other crimes. Online reporting has made it easier to let the proper people know what is going on in our community. If there is an immediate physical, medical or criminal emergency, or you see suspicious activity, our assigned community liaison, Deputy DiLorenzo, along with Sheriff Ronnie Fields has said to “Call 911” – always. But if you are not comfortable calling 911, then call the dedicated Neighborhood Watch number: 910-975-2329.
Or you can call with questions or concerns.
Anyone in the community can ask to be placed on the Announcements & Criminal Activity Report by emailing: seven.lakes.north.and.south.nnwp@gmail.com. The creation of a new Facebook page with the same name was started just for our Neighborhood Watch Program.
Gail also has plans to have single people, elderly, sick, disabled, or anyone else that would like to check-in by phone to let either her or the assigned Block Captain know you are A-OK.
There will be monthly training classes on “What Is Suspicious Activity”, “How to Contact the Law and What To Say”, “Easy Steps to Protect Your Home From Vandals or Burglars” “What To Do If You Are Burglarized” just to name a few. There are plans to engrave and register your valuables for insurance and identification.
Summers stated, “In less than a month since being appointed the Leader-Liaison, I have registered our community with the National Neighborhood Watch Program (NNWP), had almost 100 people sign up for the email Report, and approximately 335 people signed up on the Facebook page. There have been almost 30 families register their household for Fire/Medical/Security purposes and three “See It – Hear It – Report It” online reports turned in.
It is everyone’s responsibility to see that their community is a safer place to live by participating in the NNWP which provides the residents with the feeling of ownership for their community. I hope many of you will become Block Captains to help tie our neighborhood together.”
