A Helping Hand
Dear Mrs. Pam,
There are special people who make a neighborhood feel like a community, and you are one of those for us.
Every morning, you walk our elementary-school-aged children to school, but what you give them along the way is so much more than a safe walk. You listen - really listen - to their stories, ideas, and silly jokes. You laugh with them, remember what matters to them, and impart your wisdom and worldly perspective. I am struck by how you understand and embrace children’s curiosity. Their questions can be wonderfully direct, and you are never offended or dismissive - you simply make space for honest, thoughtful explanations, always meeting them with openness and without judgment.
And then, as if that weren’t enough, you open your home on Sundays for Crochet Club, patiently teaching a new generation how to make something with their own two hands - all while letting them explore every inch of your home! You give them your time, attention, and a place to belong. So much of what you do for others is done quietly and generously, with nothing asked for in return.
Our neighborhood is better, warmer, and more connected because of you - thank you.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Your Crestline Neighbors
Warm Gestures
Dear Katherine,
My mother put so much love into the things she knitted. Years ago, she decided to make each of her three grandchildren a blanket to take to college. She finished Emmeline’s and Duncan’s, and had begun Lucy’s.
We lost Mom in December, just weeks after learning how ill she was. Among the things she left behind were 11 squares for Lucy’s blanket, along with her yarn, pattern, and her notes. I knew how much she had wanted Lucy to have a blanket from her Gaga, but I couldn’t imagine how we would finish it.
My childhood best friend, Charlotte, encouraged me to reach out to you. You offered to complete the blanket before Lucy graduates in 2028. You’re even planning to add a tiny mark to the back of each square Mom made, so Lucy will always know which ones were knitted by her grandmother.
Your kindness means more to us than I can put into words. Thank you for caring for Mom’s work so thoughtfully, and for helping Lucy carry a piece of her Gaga’s love into this next chapter.
With gratitude,
Phyllis
Community Thread
Dear Neighbors,
For all the times I texted “hey, is anyone else’s water pressure dropped?” or “um, I need a roofing guy, STAT.” or “Who does this cat belong to because I kinda like him hanging around…”, thank you.
I so appreciate that we have a group chat for our street (and a private Facebook group for the neighborhood) where we actively practice the art of being neighborly. A spot to welcome new babies (beyond the pink or blue bows on mailboxes); the thread where we let folks know we’re on vacation and to keep an extra eye out. A place we can say “hey, can someone please roll my trashcan back in after pick-up?”
Where we live is more than four walls (and, in my case, a feral backyard situation): it is community and care and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
Love,
Christiana
To Love and Friendship
To Caroline Bruce,
No matter which way you put it, there is no combination of words to tell you how grateful I am to be your friend. Your heart is gold, and your laugh is magic. Thank you for bringing out the creativity in all of us and for your steadfast support, even when we fail. I love being your friend!
Love, Casey
To Carl,
"For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love." - Carl Sagan
Thank you for all your love.
Love, Casey
Love Your Neighbors
Dear Neighbors,
When my daughter and I moved here two and a half years ago during a difficult time in our lives, we didn’t know anyone nearby. Since then, you’ve become people we can count on. From the first day we moved, my three neighbors—two on my left and one on my right—have adopted my daughter and me as their family.
Michelle, you’ve arranged for people to mow and landscape my yard, run errands, and pick up groceries for me. Miss Teresa, thank you for spending time with my daughter when I've needed a hand. You’ve all taken turns caring for our cats when we’re at the hospital or Ronald McDonald House. MJ and Lisa, you help fix things around the house and yard, and I don’t even have to ask!
I’ve never had such amazing neighbors and friends! God has brought us so many blessings through this very hard trial we’ve gone through!
Thank you and God Bless,
Michelle