columbiaheights
Laura Lacy lives in Columbia Heights. She likes her neighborhood, and she wants other neighbors in the area to like it, too, especially on Facebook, where she helps coordinate the Columbia Heights Neighborhood Association page on the social media platform.
Lacy, the production manager at Thoroughbred Times magazine, serves on the neighborhood association’s board, for which she has designed the neighborhood’s logo and an illustrated map of the neighborhood’s boundaries. She also produces the organization’s newsletter. She says interactive and online tools, like Facebook, are an efficient and engaging way to communicate with neighbors and others in the area about issues, activities and the neighborhood association in general.
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“I encourage everybody in the neighborhood to start using Facebook to get our name out there and try to get more people interested in our neighborhood association,” she said. “I encourage my friends that live around (nearby) Woodland Park or live in Hollywood or anywhere in the area to also join.”
While it is helpful and convenient to keep up with neighborhood activities online, one component of Columbia Heights’ Facebook profile is to foster a way in which neighbors can get out of the house and interact with each other without involving an electronic device. One Tuesday a month the neighborhood association hosts a “Walk to Dine” event, where neighbors meet at a nearby restaurant for fellowship – the organization uses Facebook to promote attendance.
“We try to go to places within walking distance, and there’s so many in our area,” Lacy said. “We meet and not necessarily discuss neighborhood issues, per se, but just get together to hang out and be with our neighbors more than to discuss neighborhood issues.”
For the next Walk to Dine event, Columbia Heights neighbors are doing something a little different, opting to take advantage of the Lextran Colt Trolley, a free downtown circulator which recently extended its blue route to include areas near Columbia Heights. Neighbors plan to meet at the corner of South Ashland Avenue and Euclid Avenue and ride the trolley to Grey Goose, a restaurant on Jefferson Street.
Lacy said this event will serve a two-pronged purpose: allow neighbors the chance to get to know each other better and help familiarize residents with the Colt Trolley service.
“Maybe with the trolley, people might be fearful riding it the first time, and maybe they’ll use the opportunity to go with a group to actually take advantage of it and get more familiar with the route.”
Lacy said neighbors will meet at 6:15 p.m. July 19 in front of Dominos to take the trolley. Anybody, especially nearby neighbors, are encouraged to come.
To keep up with the Columbia Heights Neighborhood Association, visit their profile online at https://www.facebook.com/ColumbiaHeightsNA.
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