Post #22 Community resolutions 12/22/10

Post #20 were some resolutions for the mayor and council for 2011 and onward. In following up we believe the community can have some resolutions to achieve moving forward also. Each one of us should try to be fully involved in our community and its culture, not only to maintain but to better it if possible. We all have busy lives but understand, as a whole, we ourselves are the vitality behind the boro. This is a heavy responsibility. Pick one or two or more, doesnt have to be all of them but as many as possible. Resolutions are not in any order but here goes:

1) Ask mayor Quattrocchi if you can be appointed to any position or board in town. These appointments greatly help out the community with a diversity of views from the many members involved. These boards actually guide the future of Garwood.

2) Join the celebrations committee. Watching the young children chase for the Easter eggs, or even helping make the holiday tree lighting a success, where the neighbors who haven’t seen each other all year can get together and talk gives a warm feeling during each holiday.

3) Walk to where you are going if it’s in town or even nearby. Garwood’s not even 1 mile long in any direction. Or try a bicycle.

4) If walking, each time pick up one piece of trash or paper and toss it away. There are many receptacles around town on the main roads to toss it in. If we all did this, GW would consistantly be a better and cleaner looking community.

5) Help your neighbors. If it recently snowed, in the morning not only do your sidewalk but just keep shoveling all the way down the block. If you see your neighbor unloading food bags from the car, ask if they need help. Its little things like this that make a neighborhood more friendlier

6) Help your senior neighbors or your disabled neighbors. Stop in to talk. See if they need anything done. Keep an eye on them all year round to make sure they are OK.

7) Go to a planning board meeting, a board of ed meeting, a council meeting, even a freeholder meeting. You don’t have to speak, just attend. You will be amazed the information regarding our town, the surroundings, civic functions, financials, construction, programs that are discussed. This information is invaluable to expand your understanding of the dynamic between the public and the govt. You are certainly welcomed at any of them.

8) There are even recreation committee mtgs, library and board of health meetings that you can attend. They all have a public comment section that allows you to speak if you would like.

9) Attending or joining a church is always helpful in involving people and many times being able to help out in international causes, such as third world hunger or aid relief, by donating through the church. Our spirit of giving is clearly enabled.

10) If you are over 62 join the GW seniors club. They have many functions and meet every other week. Yearly cost to join is $5.

11) Parades: Come out to watch the Baseball Parade in April. Support the community spirit. There is a Halloween parade given by the Lions. You can march in that one if you want, with or without a costume.

12) Join a local organization: Lions, Knights, VFW, different auxiliaries, scouts, Baseball, next town over are the Elks, Rotary, Red Hats, Unico, even Ghosthunters, countywatchers, Mummers, Masons, Quilters and model railroad clubs. Each has a purpose or cause and increases your civic interactions. Check out the media as to what you can join and when they meet. There are even the political clubs (but thats just asking for trouble-LOL).

13) Subscribe to a local paper: The Cranford Chronicle, Westfield Leader, Local Source. There is much more coverage and information on the local level, that regional papers such as the Star Ledger can cover.

14) 12/23/10 Always shop locally. See our post #23. Local merchants are the backbone of the community.

We as a society are starting to become complacent, expectant of entitlements, and become bitter and aggresssive if the boat is rocked. We as citizens are not supposed to become passive but are supposed to be a dynamic between community, government, commerce and labor. Volunteerism and activism is what this county is founded on if one studies how the revolutionary war took place.