Celebrate Cross the Street Day

Turn that stranger on your block into a friend

Saginaw, MI - May 1, 2008 - Don't look now but your neighbor is disappearing. Sure, you may still see their physical appearance, but what has disappeared are the friendly, trusting relationships once commonly shared among neighbors. Before you know it the concept of the kind, caring neighbor will be a thing of the past.


Cross the Street, an organization founded in 2002 creatively addresses the trend of the disappearing neighbor by its introduction of Cross the Street Day. Since May of 2003, 'Cross the Street Day has been celebrated annually; the third Saturday of May as a day in which neighborhood residents 'cross the street' and introduce themselves to a neighbor they've never met before, or one they may know very little. The 6th anniversary of this event takes place on Saturday, May 17, 2008. There are no geographical boundaries - it's celebrated wherever there are neighbors who desire to be better acquainted.

Cross the Street Day strengthens neighborhood relationships by turning strangers into friends. Rhonda Webb the founder of Cross the Street Day says 'Our neighborhoods have lost the old-fashioned allure of friendly faces, and caring neighbors. Face to face contact with our neighbors has declined sharply over the years to the degree that it's difficult to identify them as they're walking down the street.' Cross the Street Day simply asks neighbors to extend their hand in friendship to one another.

Cross the Street Day is promoted through specially designed door hangers that neighbors circulate on their own blocks. Distribution of the door hangers has increased significantly since 2003 and the celebration continues to receive the support and endorsement of several municipalities through numerous Proclamations, Tributes and Resolutions.

"Neighborhood relationships are worth the investment of the time and effort it takes to sustain them" says Rhonda Webb. "Something as simple as borrowing a cup of sugar or assisting with an emergency is more likely to happen between neighbors who already have established relationships."

Another supporter of Cross the Street Day says it this way, "You don't know you need a neighbor until you need a neighbor." Don't put off that relationship with your neighbor another day. Bring Cross the Street Day to your community. On Saturday, May 17, 2008 join the ranks of others and show your community - Cross the Street!

Rhonda Alexia Webb, the founder of Cross the Street believes that neighborhood revitalization can be enhanced by re-introducing the lost virtue of hospitality on the neighborhood block level. Cross the Street Day offers a simple, fun and practical way to casually meet and interact with our neighbors. It takes place anywhere people are willing to befriend another neighbor and it costs nothing to cross the street.

Do you have community? Take the Got Kom *mu-ni-ti? Pop quiz at this link http://www.crossthestreet.org/page.php?7 then go to the Download page and print off your door hanger to share with a neighbor on Cross the Street Day.

For more information contact Rhonda Alexia Webb (989) 482-7345 rhonda@crossthestreet.org www.crossthestreet.org

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