In a virtual version of a neighborhood potluck, the Dublin Community Center invites residents to get to know their neighbors.
On Thursday, the Dublin Community Center kicks off “Neighbor to Neighbor,” a Zoom call for long-established residents to get to know ones who are new in town.
First up in what is planned to be a monthly event are Nancy and Phil Cayford, welcoming Maria and James Finnegan.
Nancy and Phil are 40-year residents of town, and Nancy helped found the community center. The Finnegans, who live on Boulder Drive a few doors down, moved to Dublin last year.
This isn’t a first meeting between the couples – Nancy was one of the first people the Finnegans met, said Phil in an interview Monday. This is an opportunity to introduce the Finnegans to other new neighbors and help them feel welcomed to town.
“We have no clue how it’s going to go,” said Phil. “I don’t know how it’s going to work, but in theory, I think it’s a good idea.”
June Brening, a member of the Dublin Community Center board, said the idea was inspired by a similar neighbor meet-and-greet sponsored by the Dublin Community Church, and past events at the community center.
Brening said the center once sponsored an event where local businesses were invited to set up tables and new residents were invited to learn what the community had to offer. What they hope to do with the Neighbor to Neighbor event is to provide that same welcome, through more-personal connections.
Currently, the center plans to hold the event virtually throughout the winter, once a month. In the spring, they hope to be able to hold these meet-and-greets in person, Brening said.
Residents can join the conversation to welcome the Finnegans by Zoom Thursday at 8 p.m. The link to join is us02web.zoom.us/j/85104326452?pwd=NmlwUkJTVEpNVmhpNzd2VzU4UjcrZz09. For information about future Neighbor to Neighbor events, visit dublincommunitycenter.org.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.