Eight homeowners gathered Saturday at the home of Dennis and Cindy Igou for the first meeting of a new Neighborhood Team serving the upper-middle area of Row River Road. Their gathering marks the formation of the fourth Neighborhood Team in the Row River Valley.
Neighborhood Teams grew from our community’s experience with wildfire, severe weather, isolation, and the understanding that, in a rural valley, neighbors are often the first people available to help one another.
The teams create smaller networks of nearby residents who know one another, share important information, and understand who may need additional help during an emergency. They can check on neighbors during extreme heat, heavy smoke, power outages, or evacuations; help residents prepare their homes and properties; organize local wildfire mitigation projects; and assist older adults, people with disabilities, and others who may not be able to complete this work alone.
Just as importantly, Neighborhood Teams build relationships before an emergency occurs. A phone number exchanged today, a shared workday, or a conversation across the fence can make an enormous difference when communication is limited and conditions change quickly. Over time, these connections build a community that is better prepared, more responsive, and less likely to leave someone behind.
Each team develops around the needs, abilities, and interests of its own neighborhood. There are no uniforms, politics, or pressure. It is simply neighbors getting to know neighbors and finding practical ways to look out for one another.
We are grateful to Dennis and Cindy for opening their home and to the ten homeowners who took the first step toward building another connected and prepared part of our valley.
If you would like to form a Neighborhood Team in your area, contact Laura Bee at [Programs@rowrivervalley.org](mailto:Programs@rowrivervalley.org).
