LIFE has become so busy that we don’t know who our next door neighbours are any more.
We used to chat to our neighbours. Now we barely wave or nod when we see them.
Patrick Serepo didn’t like this growing attitude so he formed the Next Door Neighbour Social Club, two years ago in Hammanskraal.
The chairman and founder of the club said your neighbour is your keeper.
“I wanted all of us to meet and the best way was through a social club.
“Our motto is from the Bible: Love your neighbour as you love yourself.”
Unlike other clubs and groups, the 19 members do not have to wait a specific time to meet and boost their relationships.
When the members of Next Door meet, it’s mostly informal – a chat on a weekend morning, over a drink in the evening or when they bump into each other shopping.
But they do have one formal meeting every year and that’s always on New Year’s Day.
During the months of September to December, the chairman collects R50 from each member. The money is deposited in the club’s savings account.
The money is used to buy food for when they all gather at their big New Year’s Day meeting.
On that day, they cook and eat all the food but they must bring their own drinks.
“Men often get bored when they are caught in groups of chatting relatives at their houses but here they get to have fun, eat and chill,” said Serepo.
