Friday, September 21, 2012

Palou neighbors mix wood, poetry & community


by Peg Conley
 
In San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood, creativity, connectivity, ingenuity and perspiration are ingredients for building community and, in the case of Sarah Stangle and Chris Buck, fences.

Last April, Sarah and Chris sent a letter to their neighbors about replacing the dilapidated fence located at 1665 Palou Avenue just off 3rd Street near where the couple and daughter Taylor live.

Tapping the goodwill they had built up over the years, these highly involved community members brought neighbors together to procure materials, and to build and paint the fence. They solicited donations to cover other costs.

Once the fence was in place, the organizers embellished it with a quote, “Good fences make good neighbors!” from a poem written by Robert Frost (American poet born in San Francisco) titled “Mending Wall”. The entire poem is also on 2 slats of the fence.

Though the project is finished, and the neighborhood is benefitting, the organizers have another $150 in costs to cover. It's easy to donate online, or drop by with a check (note “fence project”) or cash to 1657 Palou.

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