Feeling Social?

Do you really need a Social Committee? The answer is YES, YES, YES!

The power of a strong social committee is easily overlooked in communities. When reviewing the annual budget, the social event line item is often dismissed as an unnecessary expense. Apathy amongst community members is a common frustration of community association leaders. The dictionary defines apathy as the lack of concern or interest. How do you combat apathy? You generate interest! How do you generate interest in the community? –You act. Action cures fear—and apathy. The first step is finding one or more members who are willing to plan a social event.

Social events help to build relationships among community members.  As owners begin to forge relationships with one another it will increase their level of commitment to the community. The events do not have to be extravagant in order to be meaningful; but they do need to be well planned, so members will want to come to the next event. Some of the common social events that are easy to implement are as follows:

• Ice Cream Social
• Movie Night
• Pizza Party
• Cupcake Social
• Holiday Celebration

Social events promote owner involvement. As owners begin to develop a positive rapport with one another they begin to engage in more conversations about the community. Positive dialogue leads to progress and ultimately an enhanced quality of life for everyone. Ideally, others will want to become a part of a committee or serve on the Board as a result of being present at community functions.

Ultimately, strong communities are built on strong relationships. The true essence of a community is togetherness. Actions that break down a community are social cliques, apathy, and secrecy. Actions that build community include social events, owner involvement, and communication. Knowing this, we should move to increase the funding of community social events. Failed functions in the past should not dictate future efforts to plan an event. Some owners are pleased with knowing that there are people who simply care enough to make an event available for them to attend - even if they are unable to attend an event. The impact of a social event for a community is often intangible but it’s also invaluable. The action you take today determines the quality of life for your community tomorrow. Cheers!