People often lament the loss of community. They talk about the days when you could leave your doors unlocked, when they knew everyone on their street, when they could walk to school or work, and when summer evenings were filled with picnics. They speak as if these days are gone, never to return again. They speak of the futility of trying to make things better, often sounding resigned to a future of ever-increasing violence, depravity and neglect.

And they're wrong. There is no manifest destiny dictating that our communities will fail. The future has not predetermined that we live in fear, locked in our homes, peering through curtains at dark streets. Together, we have the ability to determine the type of community in which we will live. Together, we can make our streets as uncomfortable for criminals as they do for us. Together, we can rebuild the places where we live into vital communities of friends and neighbors.

During the past month, neighborhood groups and community organizations have held a series of meetings where residents brainstorm ways to build stronger neighborhoods. There have been nine neighborhood meetings, where hundreds of residents gathered to offer their thoughts, raise questions, and get engaged. The project is a joint effort led by several community organizations, including Create Huntington, the Neighborhood Institute of Huntington, the United Way, the Huntington Police Department and the City of Huntington, the West Virginia Center for Civic Life, and others.

All of this work culminates on Tuesday, May 25, with a city-wide town hall action meeting. The meeting will be held 7 to 8:45 p.m. at the St. Mary's Education Center, on the hospital's 5th Avenue campus, 29th Street and 5th Avenue, Huntington.

In the neighborhood meetings, your friends and neighbors began by describing what a strong, safe neighborhood looks like. The groups then identified the assets that currently exist in each neighborhood that makes them strong, and the things that are necessary for them to become more vital. The conversations culminated with a discussion of what each of us could do, what we could ask of business and organizations in our neighborhood, and what we needed government to handle for us.

I attended the neighborhood forum in the Highlawn neighborhood, where I live. There, about 25 people came together on a Tuesday night in the Fellowship Hall of Community of Grace United Methodist Church. Instead of being a "gripe session," the meeting was a positive forum where we envisioned an ideal neighborhood, talked about our strengths, and identified areas we needed to work on. I believe that most people left the meeting as I did, empowered with the knowledge that much of what was needed to build a stronger neighborhood was within my control and that by working together, neighbors could continue to address many of the challenges we face.

We described a neighborhood where neighbors know each other; with children playing, people walking dogs, well maintained lawns, and brightly lit streets. We talked of block parties and picnics; noted the importance neighborhood schools, parks, local shops and well paying jobs; and described places free of drug and personal crimes.

We identified assets, such as the presence of two community parks, quiet, tree-lined streets, St. Mary's Medical Center and other major employers, our proximity to downtown and to Marshall's campus, and the strong sense of community many in the neighborhood share. We spoke of the challenges we face with drug crimes, problems with landlords who don't care for their property, the coming loss of Enslow Middle School, and the sense of hopelessness some of our neighbors share. We concluded with a list of concrete steps we would share with others across town.

So, again, ask yourself, do you want to live in a great neighborhood? Do you want your children to be able to play in your yards? Do you want your friends to also be those who live around you? Do you want a neighborhood that is safe any time of the day? Now is your chance to take a stand, get involved, and make it happen.

Thomas McChesney is a Huntington resident.

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