Cohousing-L Mailing List: re: Community building in existing communities

[Francesca Wright (fwright]

Thank you Maggi and Rob for your open-ended questions.

> How can we support and encourage the same level of community bonding and 
> trust for
> people who are moving into cohousing communities that are already built?  
> What builds
> community bonding and trust?

As a relatively newish-comer at Muir Commons, the single most bonding 
experience was
having unsolicited volunteers from 4-50 yrs of age help me unload the moving 
van.

Then I had a buddy who oriented me to community policy, procedures, committees 
and co-ho
etiquette.  That buddy cooked with me the first time I prepared dinner for 60.  
He also
stopped by every few days to say hi, offer tools and recommendations on 
pediatricians,
etc.

The committee  infrastructure and activities, as well as the eco-structure 
provided a lot
of informal connections with my new neighbors.  It was the one-person to 
one-person
smiles and conversations...and finding ways my skills were recognized and used 
that made
me feel a part of the community.

Cesca Wright