About Us

Neighbors Network of Lee County is a “hub and spoke” village, one that delivers administrative support for all villages that form throughout Lee County. This hub is called Neighbor’s Network of Lee County.

Our First SPOKE

The Neighbors Network of Six Mile Cypress is our first spoke. It is located along the Six Mile Cypress Expressway Corridor.

Neighbors by Choice
Founders by Shared Passion

These volunteers have taken on the task of building this network of neighbors from scratch.

Board of Directors

Barbara Shearer
President

Patty Duncan
Vice-President and Secretary

Bernice Kertavage
Treasurer

James Brooks
Board Member

Maricela Morado
Board Member

Mary Poster
Board Member

Message from the President: Why I’m Doing This.

My mother was a vibrant, engaged person, with a love of learning and teaching. She bought a 10-pound Webster’s dictionary and directed us children to it whenever we asked how to spell a word or learn a definition. She read to me for hours from our Childcraft book collection and when her eyes were tired from reading, she made up stories for me every night. My mother drove us to the public library on Saturdays for story hour and to check out books. I am now a retired librarian and, as I do often, I thank my mother for all of this, though she has been gone for many years.

One day my mother was doing well, walking several miles at a time, but then, she began relying on her neighbors to take her shopping and help her up when she fell near her home during her walks. For lack of a way for my mother to meet her needs without relying solely on one or two of her closest neighbors, my mother moved from the home she knew so well.

After my mother passed away, I promised myself that something good would come from her struggle. I began to research alternatives to help others so they would not endure what my mother had.

This search led me to learn of a new construct for what a neighborhood can mean for all generations. The Village to Village Network model described on this webpage captured my interest which has transformed into a passion to start a hub and spoke network of villages throughout Lee County.

I know each person has a story. We want to honor our parents, their sacrifices, and the examples they set. We want to be positive role models for future generations by being joyful people who have friends and hobbies, are engaged in lifelong learning activities, and are vital and engaged members of our community.

I can still hear my mother laugh when we watched Carol Burnett together as she sat in her easy chair grading school papers. Laughter binds. When we laugh, we are at our best, and relationships forged during lighthearted moments help us stay positive and generous. Let’s create a joyful village together where we can age in our homes and communities that we know so well.