ROCKLAND, Maine – A new set of message kiosks will better deliver messages to residents in the Sunset Terrace ROC.
The kiosks were installed after the community received a Better Together Community Grant. Four kiosks for the project were installed on each of the four streets in the 76-home community.
Previously, one or two Members would be responsible for going door to door to let everyone know about things happening in the community. Though notices were often posted on the front door of the office, getting there in the winter months wasn’t always safe, particularly for older residents who live farthest from the office, said Brenda Perkins, a ROC Member who coordinated the project.
“It’s accessible to everybody,” Perkins said. “It’s going to be a lot safer for residents.”
This was the first time the community used a grant to fund an improvement project. The resource was something Perkins said she were grateful for it, as it allowed them to tackle the project sooner rather than later. In all, the project cost $2,600, $600 of which came from the ROC itself.
Using the grant to complete the project helps foster a great sense of community and ownership among ROC residents, said Brenda Burningham, another ROC resident who helped coordinate the project.
“It’s really important for that,” she said.
Tackling projects like this also encourages residents to volunteer when they are needed, with many coming out this time around to help install the kiosks.
“When people see things getting done, they are more likely to come help,” Perkins said.
In October 2010, the ROC leaders who attended the Community Leadership Institute in Louisville developed a community grants program idea that would both help a fellow ROC as well as engage new leadership in the resident corporation. ROC USA® has included funding for the Better Together Community Grants program in its budget ever since.
The projects are meant to meet safety and health needs, as well as bring together neighbors to solidify the already growing feeling of camaraderie.
Learn more about the program click here. The 2019 application process will be announced in coming weeks.