In the summer of 2010, Nextdoor was just an idea: that technology could help us create stronger neighborhoods by connecting us to those who live nearby. Over the course of a year, Nextdoor’s co-founders invited 176 neighborhoods to beta test Nextdoor. In celebration of these neighborhoods – and the more than 145,000 neighborhoods using Nextdoor in the U.S. – Nextdoor is proud to announce our Summer of Good Neighbors Tour. We’re visiting ten of the original 176 neighborhoods to host an ice cream social in honor of community and good neighbors everywhere.
In May, the Nextdoor team went back to where it all it all started – the Lorelei neighborhood in Menlo Park, CA. It was incredible celebration of our first community to thank the neighbors who have helped us grow to over 145,000 neighborhoods in the U.S.
Now, we’re taking our tour cross-country. This summer, we’re visiting nine more of the original 176 neighborhoods across the United States and celebrating them with an ice cream social in their neighborhood.
Our second stop in early June was in beautiful Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the Nextdoor Florence Park neighborhood.
The sign welcoming neighbors to the ice cream social.
When Nextdoor first approached neighbors of Florence Park in 2010 with the beta version of Nextdoor, it was the late Wesley Brown who jumped at the opportunity to test the product promising to better connect his large neighborhood. He became the Founding Member of his neighborhood’s Nextdoor community, and invited neighbor Lance Woolsey to join him as a neighborhood Lead.
For two years, Wesley and Lance worked together to invite neighbors to sign up for Nextdoor and because of their efforts their Nextdoor Florence Park community has nearly 70% of households signed up. And every day since then, Lance has continued to encourage neighbors to use Nextdoor in honor of Wesley, their dear friend and neighbor who suddenly passed away in 2012.
Neighbors gather in Florence Park.
Lance, an architect and civil engineer, moved to Florence Park nine years ago, when he met his wife Elizabeth. They were drawn to the Florence Park neighborhood because of its “old school” vibe.
“It’s a unique neighborhood,” said Lance. “The homes are all built in a 1920s cottage style. People get out and walk through the neighborhood and visit with each other.”
However, the size of the neighborhood made it difficult for everyone to easily connect. Nextdoor was the answer. Since then, over 800 Florence Park neighbors and over 960 communities throughout Tulsa have joined Nextdoor. According to Lance, neighbors in Florence Park use Nextdoor for everything from Urgent Alerts to organizing yard sales. The neighborhood association also uses it to keep people informed of community events and meetings.
One of Lance’s favorite ways his neighborhood uses Nextdoor is to rally the community around fundraising efforts. In one instance, the neighborhood raised money for the beautification of Pratt Park, the community’s local park, where the ice cream social was held.
More recently, the neighborhood used Nextdoor to honor their late Founding Member, Wesley, for his dedication to bringing their community together. They organized the “Deal with the Teal” drive to raise money for his family. Teal was Wesley’s favorite color, so in his honor, the community got together to decorate neighborhood trees with teal ribbons. They also used the money to install a memorial park bench for Wesley in Pratt Park, the community’s go-to gathering spot.
We’re so appreciative of the neighbors who have helped Nextdoor spread to neighborhoods across Oklahoma, and are thrilled to celebrate Nextdoor Florence Park.
We look forward to continuing our summer tour in July, with a visit to Nextdoor Agave in Austin, TX!
Join your neighborhood on Nextdoor here.
Do you have a story about how you’ve used Nextdoor in your neighborhood? Let us know.
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