Northwood News ♦ April 2014

Glenwild Road Has Own Listserv

By Jacquie Bokow

Residents of Glenwild Road and Court (32 homes) are building their own sense of community by participating in a private listserv. The electronic mailing list was initiated and is moderated by Roxanne Beltran.

The invitation to join is issued via a three-page packet (available on the listserv) which welcomes newcomers to the street. Current residents can print it to hand out to new residents when they meet them.

New residents receive a copy of “Glenwild Gathers,” a three-page newsletter welcoming them and explaining the Glenwild listserv and annual block party, NFCCA (and its own listserv), Forest Knolls Pool, Forest Knolls Elementary School, the Northwest Branch Trail, and other local amenities. See “Glenwild Gathers” sample here.

The flyer, called “Glenwild Gathers,” also informs them of the street’s annual block party, which has been held since August of 2005. The block party was started by Beltran.

“The neighborhood I grew up in in Miami was not the safest or friendliest,” she said, “but I grew up watching Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and always wished I had lived in such friendly streets! So, after having the girls” [she and her husband Aleks have two daughters] “and realizing that we barely knew our neighbors down the street (despite having moved in in April of 2000), I decided I wanted them to grow up on a ‘friendly’ street, unlike me. I organized the first one and we’ve had one every year since.” Rebecca Adams and Anna Mizani have organized the parties in subsequent years.

“Statistics” on residents are gathered at the block party and updated on the packet. ■