THE THING

Here’s the Thing! Real men understand the importance of community. They understand that communities support families and that the more they are involved, the better the community. So, Real Men get involved with civic organizations, causes and schools.

In a modern, communication-friendly world, we are finding more and more that people are doing the exact opposite and are disappearing behind gated communities and walls and not connecting.

Alone we can go far, but together we can go further, so Real Men join and form associations for the betterment of the community.

Real Men volunteer their time at schools because they understand the importance of male role models.

Real Men volunteer to be street captains in suburbs, they join community policing forums and they get involved in the ratepayers’ associations.

Instead of sitting and complaining from a distance – Real Men get involved.

THE REWARD

Strong, close-knit communities have a habit of raising strong independent children.

Strong communities foster a safer, more successful populace.

When people stand together for the common good, they build relationships and a place to experience a sense of contribution.

When we have our neighbours looking out for us, our families are safer.

THE HOW TO

  1. Pick an area in your community that you would like to see improved or that you are interested in and join.
  2. Attend the important town hall meetings.
  3. Start a civic organisation if your community doesn’t have one for a particular area. Just get involved.
  4. In my diary I have a box that I need to tick every month that shows I have done something to contribute to my community.
  5. In our last community, we upgraded, built and changed the security procedures, creating one of the best functioning road closure/ gated communities in our suburb. My wife ran and managed the entire operation while I met with suppliers, trained guards and held them accountable.
  6. Volunteer your time to be part of the community clean-up.
  7. Put your signature on a petition.
  8. Contact and introduce yourself to all of your neighbours. Have all of the contact details at arm’s length.
  9. Get to know what is happening in your community. Know who belongs there and who doesn’t, and look out for your neighbours.

TROUBLE SHOOTING

  • I just hate committees and meetings!
    I think most people feel exactly the same way. But they get involved anyway. It does take a certain type of person to run and chair an association or meeting; I am not one of those people. I will however attend a meeting, have my say and when asked, I will volunteer my time and my services. There is always something you can do.
  • No one really appreciates anything that you do.
    That is why we don’t do it for the appreciation, accolades or acknowledgement. We get involved with our community because it is something that we must do for ourselves. I really don’t care what you think, I just want to put my head down and make a difference. The rest is just noise.

WISDOM

“Individually we are one drop, together we are an ocean.” – Ryunsuke Satoro