Good Neighbor Deadline Approaching

Thu., July 13, 2000

With less than two weeks to go before the Good Neighbor contest deadline, the field is still wide open.

This leaves us wondering: Where are all the entries?

Is everyone waiting until the last minute to nominate a neighbor? Are North Side residents all away on vacation? Or are people simply not as nice as they used to be?

Last year, we received more than 130 Good Neighbor nominations.

So far this year, we’re way, way behind that mark.

It’s time to pick up the pace.

You can help by nominating the person - or perhaps the couple - who goes the extra mile to make your neighborhood a nice place to live.

Who mows your lawn, feeds your cat and picks up your mail when you’re out of town? Who volunteers to drive your elderly neighbor to the doctor’s office or grocery store? Who shares the bounty of his or her garden? Who organizes your neighborhood’s block party?

The Good Neighbor contest is simple enough to enter. Just settle on a special person who deserves recognition, then drop us a quick note describing the things that make them such a great neighbor.

We’re not looking for Shakespeare. All we really need is a few sincere words.

Remember that we’re looking to honor people who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to helping others. We’re looking for folks who consistently help many neighbors - if not the whole neighborhood - rather than someone who performed a one-time act of kindness. Contest judges are always impressed more by people who give their time and energy when a neighbor is in need rather than simply writing a check.

If you’ve entered the Good Neighbor contest in the past and were disappointed that your nominee didn’t win, please seize the opportunity to enter again. Our panel of judges - made up of past Good Neighbor contest honorees - will pick one winner each from the North Side, the South Side and the Spokane Valley.

In return for all of their kindness, the winning Good Neighbors will be featured in a Voice cover story, will get an engraved plaque and we’ll throw a catered neighborhood block party in their honor.

Don’t let your chance to say thanks slip by. The 250-word letters of nomination must be in our hands by Wednesday, July 26.

You can mail your nomination to: Good Neighbor Contest, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615. You can also send a nomination via e-mail to: goodneighbor@spokesman.com. Be sure to include names, addresses and telephone numbers for both you and your neighbor.

Let’s make this year’s Good Neighbor contest a grand success!

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