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A Community Fitness Project
Inspiring Fitness and Fun in the Neighborhood
By Mark Stackpole
Some of the best ways for neighbors to pull together are activities allowing everyone to get involved, regardless of age or skill level. Creativity can make all the difference in the world, and sometimes the most offbeat ideas turn out to have a pretty good beat after all.
Donna Edman of Fullerton, Calif., a mother of two, along with her son, Brian, established a neighborhood drum circle. One day, they simply set up some drums on the sidewalk and invited folks to join in. "Now we invite neighbors to get together once a month at a local park," Edman says. "We play for an hour or two, people come and go, and we invite onlookers to join us. It's a great way to meet new people in our community."
For Edman it's about feeling connected to the people living near her and also having fun. "We, as grownups, wish we could play again and just be silly and creative together as we did when we were children," she says.
From good deeds to steady rhythms, there are a lot of ways to increase feelings of belonging, community and friendship. Sports and physical activities have been bringing kids and families together for generations.
"Since the Tour de France has become popular in our country because of Lance Armstrong's determination, I thought it would be great to make this event accessible," says Debbie Mandel, a mother of three and the author of Turn on Your Inner Light: Fitness for Body, Mind and Soul (Busy Bee Group, 2003). "Creating a Tour de France for the own neighborhood addresses our children's sedentary lifestyle, and infuses them with basic values and strengthens community ties."
