Encouraging Acts Of Kindness: Voice Of The Township
Sunday, September 28th, is National Good Neighbor Day, and the Wayne Township Trustee Office wishes to promote all the positive values that this official holiday represents.
The idea for a Good Neighbor Day originated in the early 1970s with a woman named Becky Mattson of Lakeside, Montana. The official observance then began with a proclamation by President Richard Nixon in 1973, and the national day was established by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. The fourth Sunday of September was named National Good Neighbor Day, and then in 2002, in the aftermath of the September 11th tragedy, the date of September 28th was made the permanent national day of observance.
While Ms. Mattson gave many reasons for her inspiration, she once told her local newspaper that it was her own elderly mother, complaining that no one called on her during the day while Mattson was busy at work, that first gave her the idea for a day that encouraged good neighborly relations.
In his 1978 proclamation, President Jimmy Carter outlined what he saw as the purpose of National Good Neighbor Day, “As our Nation struggles to build friendship among the peoples of this world, we are mindful that the noblest human concern is concern for others. Understanding, love and respect build cohesive families and communities. The same bonds cement our Nation and the nations of the world. For most of us, this sense of community is nurtured and expressed in our neighborhoods where we give each other an opportunity to share and feel part of a larger family…I call upon the people of the United States and interested groups and organizations to observe such day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”
In August 2002 a Concurrent Senate Resolution was signed that stated, “Now, in the aftermath of the events of September 11, Americans have united in an unprecedented way. Strangers, friends, colleagues, classmates, and family have exhibited the best of the human spirit in the face of enormous tragedy. From the firefighters and rescue workers in New York City and at the Pentagon to the second graders who have held bake sales to raise money for the families of victims, Americans have defined the meaning of a good neighbor. Now, when illustrating the definition of a good neighbor means more than ever before, we believe that National Good Neighbor Day should be made permanent. Having a day designated to being a good neighbor will reinforce the strength of our communities and show our resolve to be united as a nation.”
Today, the need for good neighborly relations is needed as much, or more than ever before. According to the National Good Neighbor Day website, this observance encourages efforts to reverse the epidemic of loneliness and isolation, a recognized public health crisis, and it works toward building community by strengthening bonds within communities and building a greater sense of belonging. By encouraging simple acts of kindness across neighborhoods, the day helps create a more friendly and supportive environment on a personal and community level.
This Sunday, September 28th, Trustee Austin Knox and his staff here at Wayne Township encourage you to reach out to a neighbor and strengthen the bonds of community in your own small corner of the world.
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