Calgary is buzzing about Mayor Nenshi’s new campaign called 3 Things for Calgary. It is basically 3 things that you can do to make your street, neighbourhood and city a better place; and Calgary definitely needs some improvements. You don’t necessarily have to go out and start a campaign or anything, but it can be as small as shoveling your neighbour’s side walk. Here are my ideas to for incorporating my life and community!
1. Get to know your neighbors
I know it’s a very small thing and it might just be your nerves getting in the way, but if you ever pass by them on your way to or out of your house, say hello to them! It makes living in your house a lot nicer, because your home isn’t just a shelter to live in. It’s a place where you can feel safe and have fun. I’m not telling you to go to a stranger’s house and randomly strike up a conversation, but if you happen to see them, a small conversation or a greeting surprisingly brightens up a person’s day. Or a smile–but don’t give them a creepy “I’ve totally been staring at you for the last five minutes, now I’m deciding what to do” kind of smile.
My parents took the initiative to say hi to my neighbour and he’s been so nice to us! We shared a very old fence in our backyard and both decided that getting a new one would be good. We split the bill and now we have a beautiful fence where we can feel proud of! I know it may sound silly, but nice gestures are so heart-warming and for me, they make my neighbourhood a better place to live in.
2. Start something exciting on a social networking site
Okay, now this one might sound ridiculous. How could creating an event on Facebook ever help the community? Well, recently a few people started an Audio Mob in Calgary; it simply started on Facebook (or at least I heard it from FB) and grew into a huge thing that managed to get into Metro! This event was a lot of fun and brought people from other communities into this one big family-friendly event. And who doesn’t love those? Plus it was free! All it required was a listening device where you can download files on; most people own at least one of these devices. If you’re too shy or poor to advertise around the city or neighborhood, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and all those types of sites will definitely help you get your event/ideas out there.
When I was in high school, a couple kids started heart-warming events based on popular events like “Put love on her arms” and “Wear purple to oppose homophobia” and it really got the word out there. If you’ve got a couple of Facebook friends (er, acquaintances) who have 500+ friends (especially if they’re mostly schoolmates) and love inviting people to events, then you’ve got your advertiser!
3. Volunteer at your community centre
…Or volunteer anywhere! If you feel like killing some time or meeting new people, volunteering is a fantastic way to do that! I’ve learned a lot about my own city and its issues (homelessness being one of the main ones), and getting to volunteer places has opened my eyes to the problems of Calgary Transit. If that doesn’t give me inspiration to help my community, I don’t want what does! Also, volunteering at your community center allows you to see the amazing events that happens every month or so. Some of these events you’d have to pay for, so volunteering definitely helps the organization as well as allows you to know some of the people who live in the community! I’ve met some fantastic people and it also increases your network (which is important when leaving University and trying to find a job).
Youth Central is always accepting new volunteers as well as Volunteer Calgary. There’s also a whole bunch of organizations to look out for; World Vision, Salvation Army, Mustard Seed, Dream Center, Drop-In Centre, United Way… and the list goes on. Sometimes even offices need volunteers! And this is definitely a great resume booster as well as valuable experience. SO! What are you waiting for?
Post or comment your ideas on how to improve life in Calgary! For more information, visit the Facebook page or follow them on Twitter!
