Set A Date – work out with family and friends the best date for the party. It may not happen on the actual birthday so pick a date that is right for everyone.
Decide On a Venue – depending on the number of guests will determine where to hold the party. If you don’t invite a large number of people to the party then you may decide to hold it in your home or even a restaurant. The benefit of holding it at a restaurant is that it is much easier to get the guest of honor there!
Sending Invitations – enlist the help of the guest of honor’s spouse and friends to help you make your list of guests. You may just decide to invite close family and friends but don’t forget co-workers as well. Be sure to note on the invitation that it is a “surprise” party. Tell guests to RSVP to your private email address so that the guest of honor does not find out. The best way to get your neighbors together is to use OneTwib
Planning the Menu – your menu can be really elegant or you may decide to order in pizzas. You could also plan a barbecue or have it catered. To cut down on costs you could ask each guest to bring a plate of food so that you can all share. Another idea is to theme the menu such as Italian or Mexican.
Decorating the Party – if you have known the person for a long time, get photos of the guest of honor as a baby and growing up through the years. Put out yearbooks, school report cards and any other awards they may have won throughout the years. Pick out music to play from their era and fill the room with balloons.
Playing Party Games – you can organize a few different games for your guests to play and you could ask each guest to say something special or humorous about the guest of honor. You could also arrange a “This Is Your Life” game so that everyone can say what they know about him/her. Trivia games are always a lot of fun and you could theme the questions around the birthday person.
Giving A Special Gift – put together a scrapbook of the life and times of the guest of honor, adding paper clippings, postcards from countries they may have visited and special notes etc. that you present to him/her at the party. Put together a funny birthday card and get all the guests to add a humorous saying to it.

Planning a surprise party can be a lot of fun for the person organizing it and if you need help with ideas about what to do, ask a couple of neighbors or friends to offer their suggestions.

• Fill a jar with candy and place it near the front entrance so that they have to go past it. Have each guest write their name on a piece of paper, with the number of pieces they think are in the jar. The one with the closest number to the actual number wins the candy.
• Place a number of items in paper bags or boxes and let each guest feel inside and guess what the contents are. You could use items such as plastic toys, jelly candies, rubber balls, sandpaper, marbles and anything else you can think of.
• Ask everyone in attendance to supply baby pictures of themselves and then try to match up which photo belongs to whom.
• As each guest arrives, give them a small card and the name tag of another person at the party. The idea is to circulate and ask questions about the person on the name tag, jot down the clues you’ve collected. At the end of the activity each person will use their notes to introduce the person on their name tag.
• Use a dictionary and use an unfamiliar word and ask each guest to write down what they think the word means. Everyone then takes turns to read out their definition. The closest one to the correct meaning is the winner.
• Ask each guest to write down three things about themselves. Two will be the truth but the third one is a lie. Each person reads their own statements and it is up to the guests to figure out which one is a lie.
• Gather in a circle and have everyone take off their shoes, tie them together and place them in the middle of the circle. One at a time each guest comes forward and picks up a pair of shoes and makes statements about the owner of the shoes based on the condition or the characteristics of the shoes. The owner of the shoes then stands up and either acknowledges that the information is correct or refutes it. They then pick up the next pair of shoes.
• Play a variety of songs and ask the guests to identify the title, artist and date it was from. You could total up the number of correct answers and the person with the highest number wins a prize.
• Pick a selection of dates or years and give each person a chance to tell everyone what they were doing at the time.

There are many different games you can use as ice-breakers and it’s a great way to meet your new neighbors while you’re all having fun.

Have you ever considered a treasure hunt? Some people think that treasure hunt’s are for children only, but that isn’t the case. The adults can have just as much fun and to make it particularly special, why not pick a theme such as a “pirate” theme? Everyone loved the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and because you’re organizing a treasure chest it’s the obvious choice. Have everyone come dressed up as a pirate so that they get into the spirit of the day. If you’ve taken on the task yourself to organize the treasure hunt, you could hand out to each person a black eye patch and a sword to save them dressing up.

Send flyers around your neighborhood asking your neighbors to let you know who will be participating so that you have an idea of numbers. Another way is to user OneTwib, this is a great website to meet your neighbors. Ask if any of them want to help you organize the treasure hunt and you may be surprised to find out that you will get some volunteers. Some people don’t like to get involved unless there is someone there to lead them. If you have a few of your neighbors involved, you’ll be able to brainstorm and work out directions and what you will be rewarding the neighbors with as the “treasure.”

To make it even more authentic, draw a map of your yard if you are holding it at home, or in a park or anywhere else you choose. You can easily make a map using old newspaper cut out roughly, stain it with coffee and burn the edges. You can then use a pen such as a black Sharpie so that you can see the print clearly. Make the clues on the map very cryptic so that they have to work out what they mean in order to find the treasure. Everyone will be excited once they see the effort you have put into it, and be sure to name objects such as cars in “pirate sayings” such as the “Black Hawk” to give the treasure hunt a more realistic feel.

Choose items to find along the way to the real treasure so that everyone has the incentive to keep looking. It doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money as you can buy low cost trinkets to hide. You could buy some small candies such as candy canes to hide along the way to the real treasure. Spend a bit more money on the major prize so that the neighbors feel as though they have been gallantly rewarded for their actions. As an example, you could fill a “treasure chest”, which I’m sure could be bought in a store or one of your neighbors may build one for you, and fill it up with gold chocolate coins. They really will feel as though they’ve found a treasure chest!

There may be issues in the neighborhood such as cars speeding through the streets, or a house is known on the street as the place to go for dealing drugs. Whatever the issue, if it affects you or your family living in that same neighborhood, then you have to do something about it. How do you organize a monthly meeting?

• The other residents in your neighborhood must also be concerned with what is happening then they will be willing to go along to a meeting to discuss it. Ask all your neighbors using OneTwib
• If your neighborhood is relatively small then you can arrange for the meetings to be held in someone’s home, or maybe your local school or church will let you use their hall for a couple of hours a month.
• If you have an issue of public safety then it would be advisable to ask your local enforcement officers to send a representative to your meeting. If you collaborate together you will be able to reach a solution which will be satisfactory not only to you the residents, but also to the local police department. In conjunction with the local police, you could help them out by gathering information for them. The information could then be handed over at the monthly meeting. This will make it so much easier for them to apprehend the persons causing the problems.
• If you have speeders in the neighborhood, try to take down the model, make and number plates so that you can pass on the details. It would also help if you could video tape the cars speeding through your neighborhood. The more information you can supply the quicker you will have the speedsters off your street.
• If the issue in your neighborhood is a drug problem, then you really will have to be in contact with law enforcement agencies so that you can be re-assured that you aren’t doing anything wrong.
  They will probably ask you to observe who goes in and out of the house in question and find out as much as you can about the residents without raising their suspicion.

The importance of holding a monthly meeting to solve these and any other issues in the neighborhood will become more evident as time goes by. Being able to report findings once a month will enable your local police department to follow up on your information and then you and your neighbors will be anxious to find out at the next meeting if there has been any resolution.

Doing things within your community which will benefit everyone will be a rewarding experience and allows you to liaise with other residents in your neighborhood as well as the local law enforcement agency. Anything that brings the neighborhood together can only be good.

If you don’t do something about your weeds they can spread rapidly and can choke rivers and streams endangering marine plants and animals. The best way to control them is to be alert and remove them as quickly as possible. Some of the main culprits are field bindweed, spurge, puncture vine and thistles. If they spread throughout your neighborhood you will have a hard time eradicating all of them. Their seeds spread rapidly and before long can take over parks and vacant lots.

• These noxious weeds cause so much trouble in some states that they have laws to address the issue of weed control. If you have a neighbor who refuses to control his noxious weeds you can take the following steps.
• Before you do anything about your neighbor, find out if there is an identification guide of all the weeds in your state. The publication should also contain information on the laws pertaining to that state.
• Go to your local nursery or call them and ask them what the best methods are for controlling the weeds in your neighbor’s yard. Once you have all your information you can then approach your neighbor.
• Do not be confronting when you approach your neighbor. Tell him about the information you have and show him pictures which will identify his weeds. Explain to him that you have been advised that the weeds can spread if they are not eradicated quickly. If the meeting is pleasant you should be able to resolve the issue amicably and the weeds will be removed.
• If on the other hand your neighbor is totally unreasonable, then you will have to get the local authorities involved. Many states will enforce the noxious weed laws, but there are those that won’t.

If you don’t have an agency set up in your city to control noxious weeds, then your county should have a local office. Their job is to monitor the spread of weeds and have ways of dealing with them. They will usually contact the owner of the yard with the noxious weeds telling them to control them within one week. If the owner fails to comply with the notice, the county will deal with them and then send the owner the bill.

Do the right thing in your neighborhood and control the spread of these noxious weeds. The county has enough to do without checking on all residents to make sure they are doing the right thing. Help your community by dealing with your weed issues and encourage your neighbors to do the right thing also. If everyone does their part you’ll not only be helping each other but ensure that these noxious weeds don’t overtake your community.

If you are an animal lover and you want to take care of lost or injured animals, why not organize an animal rescue center in your neighborhood? Many of our animal rescue centers are overcrowded and are always looking for people to take sick and injured animals into their homes. You must be prepared to be on call 24 hours a day when you have an animal rescue center so don’t take it on if you aren’t prepared to put the time into it.

If you are interested in becoming a carer within your neighborhood then it might be a good idea to talk to your local animal shelter and ask them what is required for you to be a volunteer. You may need to undertake a course learning how to care for the animals and you may have to show that you have your house and yard set up to look after the animals properly.

Many people who organize rescue centers in their neighborhoods fund it themselves but others may need some help, so why not get the neighborhood involved and arrange a fund raising event? If your neighbors know that you have a rescue center in your home they will contact you if they come across stray, sick or injured animals.

If you want to set up a permanent animal rescue center in your neighborhood, find suitable premises and ask the landlord to lower the rent for a good cause and if it’s not possible to do that, organize a fund raising event in your neighborhood which will not only help you raise the funds you need to open your center, but it also lets the neighbors know all about you.

If you can get the whole community involved in your rescue center, you will never be short of volunteers to help man it. It’s very hard to take a break if you are running an animal rescue center on your own as it can be a 24 hour service. Taking time out for a vacation will be out of the question if you are there on your own. If you ask for volunteers to help you, you may find yourself inundated with offers because many people have a soft spot for animals and their welfare.

You could even specialize in particular animals to take care of such as birds. Once you’re known throughout the neighborhood to take in birds that are sick and injured your reputation will grow.

Setting up an animal rescue center in your neighborhood is a great idea especially if you live in an area which has a lot of wildlife. Any injured animals can be taken to your rescue center for immediate attention.

• Organizing the Party: If you’ve planned a party before then you will know the initial steps to take in organizing it. Finding out if he/she has any special interests can also be a help in choosing a theme. Once you’ve chosen a theme eg. movie stars, what are the next steps?
  - Try to find invitations to reflect your theme and carry that through to paper napkins etc.
  - Choose a date to hold your party and make sure that there are no conflicting events on that day.
  - Send invitations out to your guest list telling them to come dressed as a character from your theme. In the case of movie stars they will have many actors and actresses to choose from.
  I’ve found a pretty good tool to send invitations to your neighbors, it is called OneTwib
• Choosing a Venue: If your neighbor decides to hold the party at their house then you will have to decide whether or not to hold it inside or outside. If you hold it outside then you have to allow for changes in the weather, so make sure you have shelter arranged.
  Holding a party in your home can also present a problem with noise, so if you aren’t inviting your nearest neighbors, inform them beforehand that there will be some noise coming from your home. It’s the polite thing to do and may stop you from getting a late night visit from your local police department!
  Choosing to hold the party in a hall or some other venue will save your home from being damaged in any way. There’s always the risk of someone dropping a glass of red wine on your nice white carpet!
• What to Do At the Party: If you love music and have a really good sound system, then load up your CD player with all your favorite CD’s and have them playing in the background.
  If you decided to have a Rock ‘n Roll theme, you could hire a jukebox filled with all the hits from the 50’s and 60’s. Set aside a place in your yard or home for your guests to dance. If you’re in a hall then there is probably a set area for a dance floor.
  Play some party games. Games are not only for the kids! Adults can play too. Pick games such as Charades, Trivia questions or even a “Name That Tune”. This will bring back a lot of memories for the guest of honor and the guests attending.

  There are so many things you can do to make your party special and putting in a little time and effort will be well worth it. The reward is seeing so many happy, smiling faces. The effort you and your neighbor went to, to make the party successful, will be appreciated by everyone.

  ]]> http://www.meetneighbor.com/offer-birthday-party-ideas-for-your-neighbor/feed/ 0 http://www.meetneighbor.com/national-good-neighbor-day-2009/ http://www.meetneighbor.com/national-good-neighbor-day-2009/#comments Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:08:26 +0000 admin http://www.meetneighbor.com/?p=78 There’s a poem which has been written by someone anonymous, to signify what a good neighbor is, and it sums it up beautifully.

  The path to your door worn well over time
  Trod often to pour out troubles of mine.
  We share so much joy and happiness too
  I’m so glad to have a neighbor like you!

  National Good neighbor Day was created by Mrs. Betty Mattson from Lakeside, Montana in the early 1970’s, who decided that there should be a special day to celebrate the contribution made by our neighbors. It has been celebrated every year since then and National Good Neighbor Day 2009 has just gone. So what happened and was it successful?

  As is usually the case on this special day many events were organized so that you could meet your neighbors to chat and relax in a community atmosphere. Some of the events were for the general public while others were for home gatherings. Here is a review of some of those events.

  • National Good Neighbor Day Parade: Lansing, Illinois celebrated National Good Neighbor Day by holding a parade. Their day was celebrated in May 2009 and according to all reports the sun was shining down on their parade. They awarded certificates to the best floats on the day which included professional and amateur floats, and they had marching groups, decorated vehicles, antique cars and hot rods as an example of the efforts put in by the locals to make it a special day. The streets were lined with thousands of people and all you could see was very neighborly smiles and random acts of kindness everywhere. It was a very successful day which brought neighbors and friends together and also gave them the opportunity to meet new neighbors who had moved into the neighborhood but hadn’t yet been introduced.
  • Local Backyard Barbecue: Many people decided to spend National Good Neighbor Day with their neighbors enjoying a barbecue at home. They may not have a chance to catch up with each other normally because of work and family commitments, so organizing a barbecue and inviting the neighbors is a very popular choice. Having a backyard barbecue was also a great way to introduce new neighbors into the neighborhood.
  • Picnic In The Park: National Good neighbor Day was celebrated in many different ways and at different times of the year and having a picnic in the park was a great way to celebrate and spend time with the neighbors. At the picnic the children were well catered for with many games and activities arranged to keep them amused. This allowed the parents to interact with their neighbors in a very relaxed atmosphere. Being a new neighbor can be isolating for some people, but by having a picnic together and introducing them to other neighbors, it helped to break down the barriers and made the new neighbors feel very welcome.

  National Good Neighbor Day 2009 was once again a great day and brought neighbors and friends together in a celebration of what they meant to each other.

  ]]> http://www.meetneighbor.com/national-good-neighbor-day-2009/feed/ 0 http://www.meetneighbor.com/food-drop-center/ http://www.meetneighbor.com/food-drop-center/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:08:09 +0000 admin http://www.meetneighbor.com/?p=48 The economic downturn has had a drastic affect not only those who were already homeless, but many middle-class citizens who are now finding themselves out of work, they’ve lost their homes and are virtually living on the streets.

  The need for food, shelter and clothing is becoming more desperate as time goes by. You may be doing okay but know friends or neighbors who have not done so well and are now homeless or have no money to buy for their families. So what can you do to help out? Meet neighbor is here to help.

  Create a food drop center! You may feel that you don’t have enough skills to organize a drop center but it really doesn’t require you to have any skills other than being able to organize somewhere for the food to be collected. Once you have collected quite a bit ask for volunteers in your community to help you sort it into packages which can be delivered, or the alternative is to let people know that they can drop in and choose what they want from the goods you have collected. It could be a good day to meet your neighbors.

  Don’t forget to advertise your food drop center either by securing a free ad in your local newspaper or putting up posters all over town. Get the word out whichever way you can. If you meet a neighbor, tell him!

  There are a few different ways you can create a food drop center:

  1. Ask your local church if they have a hall they would be willing to let you have for free or rent to you for a very nominal fee. If they don’t have any activities planned they may let you use it for an extended period of time. Ask people to drop in their food donations to the hall so that you have it all in one place.
  2. Does your town or city have a town hall? Ask your local authorities if they’d be willing to donate space, even if it’s only for a day, so that you can collect food for the needy.
  3. Would your local supermarket be willing to allow you to place a bin inside or outside their door for food donations? Some store managers may donate food items as well. A supermarket is a great collection point as people will be willing to donate an item from their shopping.
  4. Organize a food drop center at the local schools. Ask each child to donate a tin of food and you’ll be amazed at the response. Many families will be willing to donate one tin of food to help others not so fortunate. It’s not the same as donating money, which is tight for a lot of people.
  5. Setting up a picnic in a park and asking each participant to give a tin of food as a donation to a worthy cause is another way to create a food drop center. It doesn’t take much to pack an extra tin in with the picnic supplies.

  Creating a food drop center isn’t hard to do and if you get desperate for somewhere to store the goods you may even consider your own garage!

  ]]> http://www.meetneighbor.com/food-drop-center/feed/ 1 http://www.meetneighbor.com/dancing-party-neighbor/ http://www.meetneighbor.com/dancing-party-neighbor/#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:56:23 +0000 admin http://www.meetneighbor.com/?p=42
  
  Whenever you decide to hold an event at your home there is always some organization required. This is particularly true if you are organizing a dancing party at your home for your neighbors. There are so many things to organize you don’t know where to start! Meet Neighbor gives you a few tips to start the ball rolling. Don’t forget, this party is a good time to meet your new neighbor!
  1. Decide on the date and time and organize an invitation to either send to your neighbors or hand deliver them. Be sure to mention whether your dancing party has a theme so that your guests will dress appropriately.
  2. You have to make the decision of where in your house you’re going to hold your party. If you have a substantial sized house you may want to hold it indoors in a room large enough to fit all your guests. Make sure that you have plenty of room for a dance floor. You may decide to hold it in your backyard and this is a great idea especially if the weather is great. You can set aside an area of your yard for dancing and another area for food and drinks.
  3. What about music? Most people these days hire a juke box or they have a decent sized CD player which can hold many cd’s. Maybe one of your neighbors plays in a band or knows of a band who would be willing to play for you. It really doesn’t matter what you do as long as you have music. You cannot have a dancing party without music!
  4. If you are having a rather large party, you may need to hire chairs, crockery, cutlery and glasses, so don’t leave it until the last minute to source these items.
  5. As for food, you may decide to cater yourself, or you could ask each of your neighbors to bring a plate of food. This would cut down the cost and not take up too much of your time. The other idea is to have the party catered. There are many mobile catering services available these days and they can take the hard work out of preparing food for such an event. They bring everything you need for the party and clean up and take it all away with them when the party is finished.
  6. Not all of your neighbors will want to attend and decide instead to stay at home. It is up to you to approach them and let them know that there will be noise coming from your dancing party and you are being courteous by informing them. As long as you let people know what is happening then they are usually okay with it.

  Once you have everything in place and the evening has arrived, all you have to do is wait for your guests to arrive. As long as you have put the effort into creating a night of fun for everyone, the end of the evening will see you with a satisfied smile on your face!

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