Published on March 20, 2024
It’s become an annual tradition for Gary Allen and his wife Susan to attend the State of the City Address. They say, there’s no better way to know what’s going on in Maricopa than to hear it from the people making it happen. What they didn’t expect was to be called to action by Mayor Nancy Smith. This year, Mayor Smith – with the help of our council members – launched an initiative to spotlight Community Champions around Maricopa. These are individuals, groups, organizations, etc., who have contributed to the betterment of our community. Mayor Smith described these individuals as being the change-makers who “embrace positivity, get educated, get empowered, and actively engage in crafting the future of Maricopa.” For the Allens that meant stepping out of their comfort zone at a neighborhood meet and greet. “My wife grabbed a couple who had just moved to our area and sat them down with us and said, ‘We’d like to take you to breakfast,” Gary shared. “It took a bit of convincing, but we told them we didn’t have a choice because the mayor challenged us to meet our neighbors.” He says he and his wife returned from that breakfast trip excited to do it again, especially after being able to share the experience with the mayor herself. “It was kind of serendipitous; we were at a local event, and we went up and told the mayor about us taking up her call to action, and about ten minutes later, she circled back and said, I just met the daughter of the couple you took to breakfast,” Gary shares. “We then got to meet the daughter, who shared how great it was to see her parents so welcomed into the community.” “It can really be as simple as taking cookies to a neighbor who just moved in or just greeting people with a hello when you’re out for a walk,” Susan shares. She says she’s glad she took up the challenge and hopes others do too. “We’ve lived in communities where we came home and drove right into the garage. There was no interaction with our neighbors,” Susan says. “Here, it’s completely different. When my neighbors are sick, we know and take them soup or watch their homes when they’re out of town.” To learn more about being a community champion, clickhere. You can also nominate an individual who you think deserves the recognition