Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Welcome to Springs and Things, the podcast where two close friends spill the tea on all things Colorado Springs! From culture and community to hidden gems and neighborhood lore, we’ve got it covered. Join us as we sip our coffee (or maybe something stronger) and dive into the stories and secrets that make this city so unique. Whether you're a local or just passing through, our fun, light-hearted, and always entertaining take on the quirks, hot topics, and insider tips will keep you coming back for more. Discover what’s really happening in the Springs—beyond the mountains and parks!
What if the antidote to feeling alone was living right across the street this whole time? This week on Springs and Things, Kelly Bull of Hey Neighbor joins Lauren and I to show how Colorado Springs neighbors are turning lonely blocks into genuine community. Driveway parties, shared gardens, text chains that light up over everything from bears to block barbecues, and it doesn't take a big personality or a welcome wagon. It just takes one first step. So if you've been craving connection, keep listening.
Carly Ries:This And episode is brought to you by Vanguard Aesthetics. If that summer sun has taken a toll on your skin, be sure to give them a call, and it's time for that glow up. Hey, everyone. I'm Carly. And I'm Lauren.
Carly Ries:We're two Colorado Springs locals who love uncovering everything that makes this city special.
Lauren Ferrara:If you're the kind of person who wants to know where
Kelly Bull:to go, what's happening, and
Carly Ries:the stories behind it all, then you're in
Kelly Bull:the right place. Welcome to Springs of Things, your insider's path
Lauren Ferrara:to hidden gems, local flavor, and unexpected moments that make The Springs one of a kind.
Kelly Bull:From secret spots and can't miss events to arts, eats, and those you've gotta hear about at local stories.
Lauren Ferrara:We've got you covered.
Kelly Bull:So grab your coffee, settle in, and get ready to fall
Lauren Ferrara:a little more in love with Colorado Springs.
Carly Ries:Let's dive in to Springs and things. Okay. So I was in a meeting the other day, and it paused, and I was thinking, and I went and the people I was on the meeting with, they were like, what was that? I was like and I was like, where did I get that?
Lauren Ferrara:You. I do that? You. Didn't she just do that? She just did it when we hit.
Lauren Ferrara:Your little squirrel.
Carly Ries:You do it. You when you're thinking, you go, oh my god. I was just like, what is she doing with her mouth? I do this. I got this from you.
Lauren Ferrara:Oh my Oh my gosh. What a terrible habit. Will you, like, punch me in the face if I do that again?
Carly Ries:You I love you so much. It's like you do it. It's like a
Lauren Ferrara:thing because I Yeah. But nobody has pointed out this.
Carly Ries:I had that epiphany before we came here today, and then you did it when we were in here. And I started doing No.
Lauren Ferrara:I started doing well, that's like yours is cute. That's just weird. But so I love the way you answer the phone. I call Carly, and she goes, hello. So now I'm starting to dance with the phone that way.
Carly Ries:Good. I know. You know what? That is for my mom. I don't I've come to realize I don't have a personality.
Carly Ries:I just take everybody else's sentence and kind of morph it together. So yeah. So if you interact with me in the community,
Lauren Ferrara:just know that I probably Now I'm, like, super content. Like but, yeah, I I was about to do it. Like
Carly Ries:Yeah. I'll I'll put it out next time. It's really funny. Well, speaking of the community and feeling comfortable around people and turning into them, we're sitting here with Kelly Bull of Hey Neighbor. And, Kelly, I might pick up on up on some things from you today as well.
Carly Ries:So just know, can it be
Lauren Ferrara:can it be gardening and landscaping?
Carly Ries:Oh my god. It needs to be gardening. You were telling us offline. So it's funny. I feel like we've already done the interview, and we just didn't hit record because we've been getting to know each other for the past ten minutes.
Carly Ries:So, yeah, I wanna pivot. I wanna talk about our origin stories, but in in regards to, like, gardening, our origin, not our birth stories, but how we got here with a neighbor.
Lauren Ferrara:It's gonna be a long This
Lauren Ferrara:is episode.
Carly Ries:Yeah. We're gonna be very squirrel like. But Kelly was saying Kelly was saying that her like, she has a passion for horticulture. You said that right. Right?
Carly Ries:Yeah. And gardening. And that you, like, did your neighbors front landscaping for free? And anybody that is in my community knows I'm in desperate need of some backyard landscaping. So I'm gonna probably try to pull that card after this.
Carly Ries:But moral the story, Kelly, welcome to the show. Thank you.
Lauren Ferrara:Thank you so much for having me. I feel this is gonna be fun.
Carly Ries:It's gonna be so fun. We may go way off script. Okay. Lauren, you how did you want you had an angle.
Lauren Ferrara:Oh, I did have an angle. My angle was I feel like so from our conversation, we were like, we just need to hit record. Our different experiences well, you were obviously, you know, raised here, but our different experiences moving to Colorado Springs, what a neighborhood looks like, how neighbors were, how people were. So I grew up in Texas, and then, you know, you run or drive by somebody. You wave.
Lauren Ferrara:Like, that was just expected. It's, like, odd not to. So and I hopped around a lot and then ended up here thirteen years ago, but I have been you know, people say, oh, it's not back like it was back in my day when our neighbors knew each other. It has been like that for me the the whole time I've lived in Colorado Springs. So first, we were downtown and lit and there weren't weren't a whole lot of downtown residents at the time, so we all knew each other.
Lauren Ferrara:We'd have parade parties. It was super fun. One of my neighbors was the nanny to my children, and then we moved to Skyway area. And we we moved there because of the house. We liked the house.
Lauren Ferrara:We didn't know it came with all these awesome neighbors. And so now I have a group text where, like, text another family like, hey. If you have my kids, will you send them home for dinner and to sleep? Like, it's a really my kids go over a couple you know, they go there's a retired teacher they do puzzles with, and they bring her treats, and she makes them brownies. And it's just like, I have been so lucky for thirteen years in Colorado Springs and the places I've lived and the neighbors I've had.
Carly Ries:Well, and like you said, I'm originally from here. So, of course, I had those roots, but so many of my friends did leave. Some of them are coming back. A lot of them have come back.
Lauren Ferrara:Cute little neighborhood. Like, you guys
Carly Ries:are tight. We have a texting. Like, there's a mountain line in one of our neighbor's driveways, and the text went out to all nine of our houses of, hey. Heads up. There's a mountain lion.
Carly Ries:Like, put everybody inside. But, yeah, people assume, like, well, since you grew up here, but I did kinda have to re I'm not gonna say I started from zero, obviously, because I am from here, but most of my friendships are adult friendships here minus a handful. It wasn't like I brought everything with me from kindergarten. Mhmm. Up this way.
Carly Ries:But, Kelly, you've had a completely different story. And you're probably sitting here like, you two suck.
Lauren Ferrara:I know. Yes. That's a wild story. Tell us everything.
Carly Ries:Yeah. Yours is different and kind of like why we're gonna get into hey neighbor and everything today. So, yeah, give us give us all the details.
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah. I moved here. So I grew up in Georgia. We knew our neighbors. Like, kids were feral, we ran around, everybody knew everybody, everyone took care of us.
Lauren Ferrara:And then I've lived in many different communities ever since, and I worked in a lot of schools, so you kind of get like an instant community, and I've worked in like boarding school, so you just kind of dropped into your community. And then I moved here five years ago, and it was the first time I really experienced no community, where I always tell the story that we unpacked the U Haul, I got settled in, I was ready for a knock at the door with my welcome basket of muffins, and it never came, and it didn't come that day or that week or that month or six months went by, and people weren't returning my waves. And it was just really lonely and not fun, and then eventually, I realized how unsafe it is to not know your neighbors. And one day, about it was less than a year moving in, probably, like, around eight months, I wake up early in the morning to the SWAT team surrounding my neighbors, and my next door neighbors, and there were guns drawn at their house, guns drawn at my house, and I am just peeking out the window and hitting the deck when I see guns drawn, and just listening to what's going on and realizing that I don't have a single neighbor's phone number to check-in on, and for anyone to check-in on me, or to see, like, if they can see out the window because I don't want to look out mine, and so it was really scary, and it just feels so unsafe to not know your neighbors for me.
Lauren Ferrara:And so after that SWAT team left and the next door neighbors went to jail, the rest of the neighbors kind of came out in the street and they were like, what is going on? Oh my gosh. And then I made it like a game to collect people's phone numbers, and so that was the starting point where I got a phone like, at least one neighbor's phone number then. And then it started growing, and then new neighbors would move in, and they were kind of easier to get, that I was breaking that cycle of not welcoming neighbors that I would run over there as soon as their U Haul was unloaded and bring them flowers from my garden and with a Post it note with my phone number on there. And so as new people have moved in, we've grown the phone list, and you mentioned the mountain lion in your driveway.
Lauren Ferrara:We've come a really long way because I went from zero phone numbers five years ago to we have about text chain of, like, maybe 30 neighbors now, and there was a bear in my backyard last week, which is really unusual for our neighborhood, so I texted the chain, let them know about the bear, and so we actually have communication now, and it's come so far, and we have a group of neighbors that we go out to dinner at a local restaurant about like monthly, every other month now, and it's just been so different. We have hot chocolate parties in my driveway, we had a cornhole tournament, and it's really turned things around so much, and I just want everyone to have that experience, so Well, even tell
Carly Ries:them about the gardening and everything, and it led all the way to the mayor showing up, and the governor, Right?
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah. So my background is all, like you said, horticulture and landscape design, and so I really used my strength to bring neighbors together. And I volunteered to landscape my neighbor's yard, and they said, okay. And I brought a bunch of neighbors and friends together, and we overhauled the whole yard in one day, and planted fruit trees and berry bushes and herbs and flowers, and it coincided with the mayor's 1,000 gatherings in 2025 and 2024. And so he was there, I can point to the shrub that Mayor Yemi planted, and then also Governor Polis came, and it was just really amazing.
Lauren Ferrara:All the stars collided, and their stars aligned, and worlds collided, and it worked out to be an amazing event. And so now, since then, in two and a half years, we've done five planting parties and transformed five neighbors' yards all on my block on my street and one a couple blocks away. And so it's been amazing to see all these yards transforming and neighbors getting together, and so cool to to see what you can accomplish when you know your neighbors and you get them together.
Lauren Ferrara:And I feel like it takes just, like, one or two people to make it all happen. And, like, we have, yeah, we have a neighborhood barbecue. We have somebody in the neighborhood organizes, like, food truck nights over the summer. Mhmm. And and I'm so grateful for those, like, key people, but I feel like there's probably key people all over the Springs that are just haven't done it yet.
Lauren Ferrara:What do you say to them?
Carly Ries:Well, yeah. So to piggyback off of that, you most people, I feel like, would be like, I'm gonna stick in my community, and, look, I'm really good at building relationships, and I'm gonna do that here. And then you went the you now were with you're with Hey Neighbor. You're top dog at Hey Neighbor. So how yeah.
Carly Ries:Yeah. Just basically what Lauren said.
Lauren Ferrara:And tell so I have kind of so Hey Neighbor originated as council of neighbors and organizations, then became Cono, and now is Hey Neighbor. Can you take us back, like, to the beginning of it? Because I interviewed years ago this guy who basically started this, and he was just like, neighborhoods have to be more than people, like, complaining about somebody else's fence. Fence.
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah. Definitely. So it's always been an organization that the mission is to inspire neighbors to create vibrant communities and, always neighbor focused. It was started actually in 1976, so this is our fiftieth year. And so, yeah, it started as the Council of Neighborhood Organizations.
Lauren Ferrara:It was more focused with neighborhood associations, HOAs, and eventually it kind of became, there was an advocacy component where people at Kono would then get on different boards in the city and represent neighbors in different ways, and then it evolved more. I got into so Hey Neighbor was Kono, we changed our name last year, but I got into Kono through Neighborhood University. And I was a student of Neighborhood University, which is our free civic education program, and it's twelve weeks long. It was amazing. I learned all about how the city works.
Lauren Ferrara:You learn about how city council works and how to speak a city council. You learn about the planning process. You learn from developers. You learn about housing, transportation. So you learn all about how the city works.
Lauren Ferrara:You get to meet the different people in the different departments. Carly,
Lauren Ferrara:you look like you're about to sign up. Do you do you need your computer right now?
Carly Ries:I I literally just winked at Lauren like, la
Lauren Ferrara:la la la la la is what I'm I'm gonna go. Oh, good. And you know what? This just came to me because yeah. I this is how I know Amy, our friend that does PR.
Lauren Ferrara:I interviewed her because she was one of the moms that helped start Patty Dewitt Porch Fest. So that was a Hey Neighbor at the time Kono event. Oh, great. So yeah, like, it would not have happened without Kono.
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah. So I cannot recommend this program enough, and so I finished Neighborhood University and I was like, I can't believe that was free. I can't believe that everyone I know in the city doesn't know about this program, and I can't believe everybody isn't required to take this. Because if we all understood what you learn in neighborhood university, you understand how to make change so much better.
Lauren Ferrara:I'll take it with you, Carla.
Carly Ries:You wanna do it? Oh my gosh. Get like, the yeah. And it's funny because it's been on my radar, especially because we were talking about the welcome committee. And I was like, I need to do this, but, like, I actually I it's almost September, so I do need to do it.
Carly Ries:Sorry. We cut you off. But then you get to be with your favorite teacher, Amy Miller, again. Yeah. Amy.
Carly Ries:With your team who runs Neighborhood University, is the best human, the best instructor, the best I just I adore her. Just go to meet her, honestly. Yep.
Lauren Ferrara:So did that program and just wanted to give back to the organization because I felt like I got so much out of it. And so then I volunteered to be on the board, so I got on the board. And then at that time, Sarah Voss was the executive director, and, was stepping down and the executive director position was open, and so I just stepped in as interim just until we found a new ED, and just one week of doing it, I had this poll, like, all cells resonating, buzzing, like, 'You're supposed to be doing this' moment, and I just felt like I was in the right place, and it was a surprise to me because that was just such a detour from what I've always done with plants and horticulture, but it just felt like what I was meant to be doing. And it was really amazing just getting to learn more about the organization and to really hone in on the programs that we do and what we do well and what the community needs. So, in the last two years we've really focused on that and built a really, really strong set of programs for neighbors to do to connect with each other and then make relationships with each other and then learn how to create change together.
Carly Ries:So since you've been involved, are there any heartwarming stories that you've heard from a community in town where you're like, gosh, you were saying everything was buzzing in your body. You're doing the right thing. But one story where you're just like, oh, yes.
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah. So one of them comes from my neighborhood where I had worked so hard for so many neighbors to get to know each other, invited them to all the events, and then my one next door neighbor, actually the one that lives in the house that got surrounded by the SWAT team, who's a new neighbor, and he is lovely, but really keeps to himself. He doesn't ever come to any of the events that I invite him to. But he's friendly. He waves.
Lauren Ferrara:And one day, I get a knock at the door, and it's him, and he says, hey. Sorry to bother you, but my motorcycle fell over, and it is spewing gas all over the garage. Can you come help me pick it up? His motorcycle was, like, 600 pounds, and he was like, I can't do it by myself. And he's this big burly motorcycle man, and just we just get adrenaline pumping through our veins, and we're like, ready, count to three.
Lauren Ferrara:One, two, three. We hold this thing up. It was amazing that we were able to pick this up, And I'm just like, yes. We did it. And I go to give him a high five, and my high five is in the air, and he swats it away.
Lauren Ferrara:And I was like, oh, and he was like, come here. And he goes in for the hug. And I was just like, yes, Lonzo. I made I made it with Lonzo, like, where we broke the bubble, and this is really good. And so that is one of my my favorite, like, just making it moments.
Lauren Ferrara:But there is a story recently that happened, and we have a story about it in our last newsletter, that one of our neighbors hosted a gathering in her neighborhood, and she invited her neighbor that doesn't come to the events either. And but she continues to invite and be inclusive. And the next day after the event, she got a knock at the door, and this neighbor has a plate of cookies for her and says, I want to let you know how important it is that you invite me to your events, and I want to thank you. And I'm sorry that I'm a cranky old man, but I just want to let you know that I appreciate you inviting me. And that is the moment that gets me the most is that we're in this epidemic of loneliness and isolation, and it's hard for people to come out of it, and for him to come and show up and just thank her for that, and go through the effort of bringing the cookies, I just think that is what we're all about, is trying to reach everybody in the neighborhood, and we really want to build belonging in neighborhoods so that everybody feels like they can trust their neighbors and that they belong where they live.
Carly Ries:Okay. Let's take a quick break to hear about our amazing sponsors. We'll start with Vanguard Aesthetics. You guys, we have an appointment coming up in a couple of weeks to see what the summer sun did to our skin. We are anxiously awaiting those results, but when it comes to your face, trust and experience matter.
Carly Ries:And at Vanguard Aesthetics, they actually sit down and figure out what's right for you without absolutely any pressure. So whether it's laser and light treatments, injectables, skin care for acne, fine lines, dark spots, you are in the right hands. If you are looking for that skin glow up, give them a call today. They are so warm, wonderful, and supportive. Their link is in our show notes.
Carly Ries:And, of course, we wanna give a big shout out Core Collective. They are a former Pilates studio right in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs, and they have been with us since the beginning. But, honestly, they are just so much more than a Pilates studio. You walk in, it just feels good. The instructors are so welcoming, and they meet you exactly where you are.
Carly Ries:Total newbie or a seasoned pro. You leave with a stronger body and a calmer mind, and you're going to want this to be your new thing. Plus, if you type in the code Springs and Things, all caps, no spaces at checkout, you get three classes for just $30. That is $10 a class. That is crazy.
Carly Ries:So go to their website today, also in our show notes. And lastly, one of our favorite times of year is almost here. Mark your calendar because the Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival here in Colorado Springs is happening October sixteenth through the eighteenth. It's three days of documentary, narrative, short, and animated films that celebrate the drive and spirit of women. And it's not just watching.
Carly Ries:There are filmmaker forums, q and a's, parties where you can actually connect with the storytellers. It is seriously one of our favorite weekends of the year. I'm not just saying that. We love, love, love this weekend. And once you go, it's hard to not make it an annual thing.
Carly Ries:So, again, that link is in our show notes as well. You'll wanna get tickets ASAP. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll do everything between.
Carly Ries:Such a wonderful way to spend a fall weekend. Okay. So let me ask you this. So for the people that feel isolated, there are quite a few people that are introverted. They're shy.
Carly Ries:They know they want that community, but they, like, they're nervous about being the one to make that first move. Do have any advice for that person listening like, I need this,
Lauren Ferrara:but I'm scared to be that person? Definitely. The biggest advice is hold something in your hand. You will have so much courage if you have something to hold in your hand. So for example, we have a program called Neighborhood Cafe, and if you get six or more of your neighbors together, the coffee's on us.
Lauren Ferrara:And we partner with Kangaroo Coffee, and so it's great coffee. Wow! Yes! What's great about this is we make you a little invitation, custom invitation, so you can print it out and you have something in your hand to go deliver to your neighbors. So it's really great if you're either brand new to a neighborhood and you're trying to meet people, or if you've lived in your neighborhood an awkward amount of time where you should know your neighbors but you don't really know your neighbors.
Lauren Ferrara:I feel like that happens. I feel like even myself, I was very, like, eager beaver at first, and like, oh, this great community, and then after a couple years, you're like, oh, it's kind of too late to knock on that door.
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah. It's never too late, and this is a good way to pop the awkward bubble. And so when you have something in your hand, what happens is and I know this from experience in my neighborhood, and it's kind of like an addicted feeling that I have I have discovered where you go knock on a door, cold knock on a door of a neighbor you don't know, and generally, this is what happens. They creak open their door an inch, and they put one eye through the door, and they're like, yes. And they're not trustworthy, and they're like, they're not trusting you, and they're just like cold.
Lauren Ferrara:And then you're like, hi. I'm your neighbor. I live right here. I'm inviting you to my coffee gathering, and then you hand them the invitation. And as soon as you hand the invitation, generally what happens is they swing the door open with a smile because they've been invited to something, and they know that you're there's this vulnerability between the two of you.
Lauren Ferrara:It's a courage for you to go and knock on the door, and now it's a courage for them to open the door, and there's just something magical that happens when you have an invitation in your hand.
Carly Ries:We've so I I told you we have a pretty close knit neighborhood, but there are some neighbors we don't know very well. And one of my neighbors does donuts on the driveway once a year. Another one through she it was her idea to throw a huge Colorado one fifty block party on August 1, and so, like, we had this big thing. But for the invitations, we sometimes have the kids make them. And then the kids will walk around like, we'll walk around with them Yeah.
Carly Ries:And go door to door. And that was another way that some of people that are a little bit less had like, it's like they have their craps in their hands just to show, like, hey. And they like being involved. Yep. And it's a way to kinda show a younger generation the importance of community and getting out there and all that.
Carly Ries:And, again, obviously, we're for the little ones, we're supervising them, but it was just a cool way to kind of break the ice. Absolutely.
Lauren Ferrara:I think use the kids. It's the best. They
Lauren Ferrara:are the best. Like, I some I feel like it they they lead us in some ways. My kids are just always meeting our neighbors, and they were girl scouts for a while too. So they would like, that was a great way to get to know people and selling girl scout cookies.
Carly Ries:Where are they not this year?
Lauren Ferrara:No. Because I was the troop leader by accident. Kinda like how you have this job by accident or not really by act, but I I was definitely the troop getter by accident. I am, you know, more of an indoors woman, as you know. And so then after a while, I was like, I can't do this anymore.
Lauren Ferrara:I don't know how to start a fire or do all the girl scout y things.
Carly Ries:Yeah. Definitely by accident.
Lauren Ferrara:I'm not I'm not selling cookies either.
Carly Ries:That was my biggest question is who am I who do I need to go to?
Lauren Ferrara:Get them from somebody else.
Carly Ries:You're talking about the coffee. You have a few other initiatives.
Lauren Ferrara:Can you
Lauren Ferrara:tell us about a 150 tables across Colorado Springs? Yeah, definitely. This is our initiative to help us celebrate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Colorado that's this year, and then also to inspire neighbors to get together. And one of the best ways to get your neighbors together is through just sharing food, and so it's 150 tables across Colorado Springs. We're hoping 150 people will just set a table.
Lauren Ferrara:It can be super simple. One of the greatest ones I saw this year was a coffee breakfast gathering where the neighbor just called a coffee truck and they came, didn't charge or anything to come, and they shut down the block. So the coffee truck was there, and then the neighbor put out a table. And then the rest of the neighbors came and brought food to share, put it on the table, and then bought their coffee from the coffee truck. There weren't chairs or anything, it was just mingling on the block.
Lauren Ferrara:There was sidewalk chalk for kids and it was so simple, it really cost so little, and it was really, really an effective way to get people together.
Lauren Ferrara:I want to do that! Can we do that? Like, can anybody just call you and say, 'Hey, I'm going to do a table?'
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah, anyone can! So you go to our website, which is heyneighbors.org, and then the one fifty tables program, you just register your table, and it's how you wanna do it. Coffee gathering, it can be taco party. I saw recently on Instagram someone did a cereal party where everybody brought their favorite box of cereal, and then you just provide the milk, and then you have a cereal bar. So there's a million different ways you can do it.
Lauren Ferrara:It can be so, so simple or super fancy and a whole block party.
Lauren Ferrara:I'm I'm gonna scroll here. Well, no. It's related to cereal, but you know how Lucky Charms is the cereal ever. And, you know, it's like the top and the bottom of the box that are so good because they're extra marshmallowy.
Carly Ries:Whoever doesn't agree with that is lying. What? Whoever doesn't agree with that is
Lauren Ferrara:Oh, yeah. But so the big red r, you can buy they're not like Lucky Charms branded. It's just like, but they are the exact same marshmallows, basically. You can buy just the marshmallows. What?
Lauren Ferrara:Oh, yeah. Oh. Greatest place. Good to know.
Carly Ries:Well, so there are people doing this. So let's also talk about nominate a neighbor.
Lauren Ferrara:What is that? I mean, there's people
Carly Ries:there are people crushing it in town. Yeah. We have a
Lauren Ferrara:nominate a neighbor program, and one thing that's really great about this program is you get to spotlight and shine some gratitude on neighbors who are going above and beyond. And oftentimes, if you are the neighbor that's going above and beyond, it's kind of exhausting, and so you don't it's a thankless job. And so if you know any neighbors, that if you close your eyes and you think of the neighbor in your neighborhood who is very valuable that might not be getting the best recognition, this is a great program to nominate them. So that's again on our website. You just go and fill out a form and let us know who they are, and we follow-up and do an interview, and then spotlight them in our newsletter, and really help use that to inspire other neighbors to do other great things in their neighborhood.
Lauren Ferrara:Oh my gosh. I have so many people that I wanna nominate. Can you nominate more than one person?
Carly Ries:Of course. Okay. Yeah. Okay, Lauren. I accept.
Carly Ries:Okay. So confession time. Yeah. You are now familiar with so many of the communities here in town. Do you have a favorite?
Carly Ries:Do you have one that's, like, doing a real not even favorite, but one that's kind of leading by example with all of this?
Lauren Ferrara:Yeah. So I have a couple couple examples. One, so we have an annual community luncheon for National Good Neighbors Day, and each year, we pick a different neighborhood who's doing great work. Last year it was the Hillside neighborhood. This year we've chosen the Papeton neighborhood.
Lauren Ferrara:There's a group of neighbors who are just doing a really great job bringing neighbors together. They've been working on their parks where they're working on really, the portal pool brought them together of what to do with this pool that's dysfunctional right now, and so it got them talking to the city and opening up those lines of communication. And then they just made their Flanagan Park is getting a whole total overhaul, so they're doing a really great job. So we chose them this year to host our community luncheon. But some more well established neighborhoods is Patty Jewett is up there.
Lauren Ferrara:If you haven't been to Porchfest, you need to go. It is, I think, one of the most magical days of the year. It's just so simple, and so many people come out. I tried to get I'd
Carly Ries:gone
Lauren Ferrara:to Porchfest. I love Patty Jewett, and I tried to buy a house there when, like, I mean, houses were selling before they were listed. It was bananas. But in the seven minutes, it took me to get from my like, the realtor was like, come now. By the the seven minutes, it was under contract from getting from downtown to Patty Dewitt.
Lauren Ferrara:I believe it. Yeah.
Lauren Ferrara:They also were doing a great thing where, you know, our garbage trucks, the waste trucks are out of control here. It's this it's interesting system where in other places I've lived, it's like by neighborhood, which company you get, but here's a crazy free for all. You can have 15 different companies in your neighborhood. It's just trash trucks all the time. So they're cutting back on that where they're getting their neighbors to agree to one company, and so that it's one coming through, it's less noise, it's less wear and tear on the streets.
Lauren Ferrara:So they're just organizing around the trash trucks, which is really cool to see them do that. And then also Pleasant Valley, they have a lot of great community events going on there. I went to their annual ice cream social a couple years ago, and just amazing. Just such a cool turnout. People bring different toppings, different ice creams, and it's an amazing event.
Lauren Ferrara:We're so jealous of your job right now.
Carly Ries:I know. Like, this is so fun. What a great
Lauren Ferrara:like, you get paid to do that.
Carly Ries:I know. I like oh. Well, okay. So I feel like we could talk to you all day. This has been such a fun conversation.
Carly Ries:I really am inspired. Like, I wanna go home and just plan a block party. Everybody, come to my Halloween party. Yeah. Is there anything we didn't talk about today that you want our listeners to know before we jump off?
Carly Ries:Yeah.
Lauren Ferrara:I wanna talk about our neighborhood leader program. So what we're doing is we're building this supportive network of neighbors who wanna be more engaged or who already are more engaged, and who care about community and want to be more in the loop with things. And so you register as a neighborhood leader with us, and there's zero obligation. It really just initially puts you on a separate email list where if we have more events that you might be interested in, like, we we send that to you, not to everybody on our email list. And then we also have district meetings, so depending on your city council district, we get you together and then just have people connecting and sharing resources.
Lauren Ferrara:So if you want to throw a block party in your neighborhood, then there's probably another neighborhood leader who can teach you how to do it. Just hold your hand. I mean, we also can as Hey Neighbor, but it's really just this resource sharing, supportive network of people who care about community. So we would really love for people to sign up. We're trying to get at least one neighborhood leader per neighborhood, and so we have 83 registered, like, official neighborhoods in Colorado Springs, and I think we have about 60 of the neighborhoods represented right now, and we have, I think, 150 neighborhood leaders registered, but we would like to have 10,000 neighborhood leaders registered.
Lauren Ferrara:And it doesn't mean just one leader per neighborhood, it means that you are just you're a leader, and you live in a neighborhood. So as many as we can get, the better. Okay. Can I twist our arms?
Lauren Ferrara:I'm like, yeah, wildly inspired. So thank you for doing what you do. And now we wanna know what is your pick of the week? Something it can be a dish. It can be an activity.
Lauren Ferrara:It can be a restaurant. It can be a coffee shop. Something that you are loving in The Springs right now. It could be a hey neighbor event.
Lauren Ferrara:What is bringing me the most joy in Colorado Springs right now is morning hikes. I just that is my favorite part of living here, how accessible the outdoors are. Cheyenne Canyon is close to my house, so that's my go to, or Red Rocks, and so I think just taking advantage of nature and getting out there and grabbing a neighbor and going on a walk is a really great way to experience that. So that's my pick of the week, Go on a hike.
Lauren Ferrara:So I actually have a pick of the week that is neighborhood related. The Top of Skyway neighborhood wide garage sale, inaugural garage sale is on Saturday, September 26 from eight to 2PM. So throw out some clutter. Buy some of our clutter.
Carly Ries:Love it. Kelly, thank you so much for coming on, and thank you for agreeing to be our best friend moving forward. We really appreciate that because we just wanna hang out with you all the time right now. But this has been so fun. Thanks for coming on the show.
Lauren Ferrara:Thank you for having me. This is so fun.
Carly Ries:And listeners, as always, thank you so much for tuning in. Please leave that five star review. It helps us spread the word to other locals in the Springs that should hear about this. Share this episode with a friend, especially one that wants to meet their neighbors and get more involved in the community, And subscribe to our show on Apple or Spotify, and we'll see you next week on Springs and Things.