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Neighbor sees kid 'tearing up' his driveway. People are loving the way he took action.

"This was the coolest and most heartwarming 'clickbait' I've come across thus far."

Canyon Chasers/Youtube

This is too good not to share.

Many of us had one of those neighbors growing up—the one who gave us the stink eye if we so much as looked at their perfectly mowed lawn and shooed us away if even our shadows crept onto their flower beds. There's a reason "Get off my lawn!" was a meme before memes were even a thing.

Then there are neighbors who rock. The ones who smile and wave through the window and share their fresh-baked cookies with the neighborhood kids. The folks who genuinely enjoy the vibrant energy that children bring to the block and embrace the idea of "it takes a village."

neighbors, feel good stories, positive news, community, kids, kids on bikes, neighborhood, canyon chasers May we all have neighbors like this. media4.giphy.com

When Dave, one of the guys behind Canyon Chasers, a motorcycle enthusiast website, shared a video of how he handled a kid who kept playing in his driveway when he wasn't home, it wasn't clear at first which kind of neighbor he was going to be. But then he explains how his security footage showed a preschooler riding his bike around his flat concrete driveway every evening, and how he decided to do something about it.

And what ensued was the best Anti-Get-Off-My-Lawn move that ended up pleasing more neighbors than he anticipated.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

How fun would that have been when you were a kid, seeing a chalk outline of a racetrack, made just for you, as if by magic? And how great that he made a new one each time it rained? And how delightful is it that people of all ages showed up to enjoy it?

Needless to say, there was a lot of praise for what Dave did, and many were relieved the story took an unexpected wholesome turn.

"One of the coolest things that a person can do to support the youths in his neighborhood."

"This was the coolest and most heartwarming 'clickbait' I've come across thus far."

"This is an example of how a small gesture could change a world for all to live in..."

neighbors, feel good stories, positive news, community, kids, kids on bikes, neighborhood, canyon chasers Good Neighbors Make Great Communities media0.giphy.com

Inquiring minds also wondered if the two ever met.

"I did. He's a super sweet kid," Dave wrote in the comments. "After a rain storm had washed the track away, I came out and he was drawing on my driveway with chalk. So I asked him what he was doing. He said 'I'm drawing a racetrack for you.'"

Imagine a world where all neighbors were this thoughtful and generous with their time and property. More of this, please.

This article originally appeared five years ago.

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'Ordinary' video of a neighborhood street Sunday has people raving about America at its best

"It takes a village. This is wonderful."

Image via Canva

Neighborhood spends a Sunday evening together gathered and creating community.

Growing up in a connected neighborhood can, arguably, create the best childhood. Core memories and a sense of community are created through neighborhood kids riding bikes, playing games in the cul-de-sac, spending time together in backyards, and having porch chats with parents. These days, neighborhoods like that are becoming a rarity.

But TikTokers The Butan Fam (@thebutanfam), a family of 6 living in Southern Florida, shared a sentimental video of their neighborhood getting together on a Sunday to have dinner together on their street. Its wholesome, "gold old days" vibe has viewers reminiscing about their childhood neighborhoods.

"POV: You won the neighborhood lottery. This is just a random Sunday on our street," she captioned the video. Set to "The Sound of Peace" by Damluhe, the camera pans to her street at dusk, revealing an idyllic scene of community.

@thebutanfam

We decided to have dinner together. #Neighborhood #bestneighbors #lifeinthesuburbs #SuburbanLiving

In the caption, she wrote, "We decided to have dinner together." The entire neighborhood came out to spend time together on a lovely Sunday night. Dads and moms are gathered together in a group talking, while one dad and his kids are shooting hoops. The camera pans to a group of kids sitting on the sidewalk together painting on canvases.

Essentially, everything seems right in the world. Families are together and socializing with their neighbors in a safe setting, and viewers are loving how connected and present everyone is.

@thebutanfam

Stay at home mom Chronicles! #lifeonarandomtuesday life on a random Wednesday. #Life. #StayAtHomeMom.

One viewer commented, "You got that 2003 type neighborhood."

Another added, "Now THIS is COMMUNITY. The America we all want."

Another wrote, "I grew up in a neighborhood like this. Kids all hung out, parents got a long, one of the best times of my life."

In another comment, a viewer added, "You guys are RICH rich. Community is amazing 😭", and The Butan Fam replied, "Yes we are! The things money can’t buy!"

One person noted that with so many envious people, the same sense of community can be found if you initiate it. "For everyone watching this wishing it could be you… you could be the first villager. The first to host a barbecue. The first to put the basketball net in the street. We need to be individually responsible for creating community," they wrote.

Kids playing, neighborhood, community, village, neighbors Happy Music Video GIF by Chrissy MetzGiphy

Others noted, ""It takes a village. This is wonderful." Another recalled how they miss this sense of community that they had in their childhood. "This reminds me of growing up in the 80s. I felt so free to go outside and just enjoy the day. Now in my 50s I don't really go out like that anymore. It feels like people are much more guarded and definitely less friendly. I miss the simpler days," one wrote.

In an Instagram response post, The Butan Fam shared, "Never in a million years did I think my last video would go mega viral (14 million views on TikTok 😱). I was just soaking in the moment in my neighborhood and decided to share it with you all. Thank you so much for the love," they wrote. "No, it’s not AI and no, I won’t be sharing my exact location. I have to keep myself safe lol. But I do want to say this. Florida is an incredible state. I’ve lived all over South Florida. I was born and raised in Fort Lauderdale and have lived in so many different cities across the state, including just 30 minutes from Orlando."

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Bike mechanic explains why he keeps unlimited snacks and drinks in his home garage

"I'm becoming the adult that I needed."

Representative photo credit: Canva

It takes a village to raise a neighborhood of kids.

As individuals, we might sometimes feel like we can't make much of an impact, but one person's simple gesture can sometimes make a huge difference in someone else's life. That's especially true when it comes to kids who don't have ideal home situations.

As an example, someone on TikTok who calls himself the Neighborhood Bike Repair Dude shared a video explaining why he keeps his garage stocked with snacks and drinks.

"So I had somebody tell me the other day that if I kept giving snacks to the neighborhood kids they were going to keep showing up at my door asking for snacks," he said. "And I just kinda stared at them blankly for a minute before saying, 'That is, in fact, the point.'"

"I don't know who had breakfast this morning. I don't know who's going to have dinner tonight. I don't know whose parents can afford to get them a snack after school. And frankly, it's none of my business. But what I do know is that every single kid can show up in my garage and get a snack and a drink, no questions asked. No one gets singled out and no one gets left out."


@murphys_law_irl

And id do it again. 😤 #neighboorhoodbikerepairdude #foodinsecurity #yeet

He explained the had been raised in a household where he got in trouble for getting food out of the refrigerator, not because his parents were cruel, but because that's the reality of food insecurity.

"Money was so tight that every meal had to be meticulously planned, and if we ate part of that meal, we might have just destroyed an entire dinner," he said, explaining that having something like a neighbor's garage where he could go get a snack any time he needed one would have been amazing as a kid.

"I had somebody comment that I'm becoming the adult that I needed," he added, "and I could not think of anything I'd be prouder to be."

People loved the idea and shared their own stories of having or being a neighbor like this, and how it really does make a difference.

"I had a neighbour that did this - we’d knock on her door once a day and she’d hand out snacks to all of us, no matter what time or season. Loved her so much. RIP Frida ❤️"

"This. I have a garage fridge full of snacks and drinks. All kids know they can use as needed, and it’s never been abused. I’ve had neighbors drop off stuff FOR the fridge. It takes a village. 💗"

"Thank you for giving those babies a full belly and a safe place. You’re who so many of us needed as children. You deserve all the good in the world."

"We have an elderly couple that lives across the street and they do the same thing! The entire neighborhood will go over and have afternoon snacks with Jim and Jane 💜"

"My dad was this parent in our apartment complex. All the kids hung out/played together and if they wound up at my dads, he fed them. He took in me and my sisters friends if there was trouble at home. He became the neighborhood ‘dad.’"

"I’m that dad now for my friends kids and my kids friends. I always make extra for dinner should they need a meal, and have a spare room or couch should they need a place to stay. I remember too many nights spent hungry and cold, sleeping in an abandoned house because that was preferable to going home."

"Even if not one of those kids is lacking the food at home, they’re watching an adult treat them with value and that alone will impact them forever."

But people didn't stop with praise, though. Several people suggested that he add snacks to an Amazon wish list and let people help out with supplying food items to keep the garage stocked. Not only did supporters step up, they provided so many snacks that Neighbood Bike Repair Dude took the link down because he didn't want to take more than he actually needed.

"We have been so incredibly blessed, like so blessed, oh my gosh," he shared. Watch this heartwarming update:

@murphys_law_irl

10/17/24 Amazon Wishlist Update! Thank you to everyone who’s helped! The kids appreciate everyrhing and are very excited! #neighboorhoodbikerepairdude #yeet #amazonwishlist

And to add just one more layer of awesomeness to this story, Neighborhood Bike Repair Dude's garage isn't just stocked with snacks. It's also got art supplies, woodworking supplies and other hand-son activities that kids can come use and learn with. So while he works on bikes, kids can hang out and do creative things. (Small language warning.)

@murphys_law_irl

October 13th, week recap! I have somehow also become an art teacher??? Idk how this happens… #neighboorhoodbikerepairdude #yeet #garagelife

Here's to people who see a need and fill it, and especially those who give others what they needed themselves and never got. Seeing "it takes a village" in action never gets old.





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Family's 98-yr-old neighbor brought over a cake and it launched a celebration of community

"This is how I thought adulthood would be as a child."

Kelly McDuff/TikTok (used with permission)

It all started with Kelly McDuff's neighbor bringing her family a chocolate cake.

We all want to live in a community where people are kind, friendly, helpful and welcoming. But sadly, many of us don't even know our neighbors at all much less feel that supportive sense of community where we live.

Perhaps that's why Kelly McDuff's exchanges with her elderly neighbor in her new neighborhood are giving people hope.

McDuff shared a video with the text, "We just moved into a house and my 98-year-old neighbor just dropped off a cake to welcome us to the neighborhood." In the video, McDuff grins and then shows the man crossing the street through her window, adding "He's lived here for 52 years and 'hopes we love it as much as he has.'" The 11-second video has been been viewed over 15 million times on TikTok.

But that's not even the whole story.

McDuff decided to reciprocate and bake the gentleman a lemon pie, excited to get to know him better. She encouraged everyone who liked the original video and thought it was cool to go and meet their neighbors—"go knock on their door and bake them some cookies, everybody likes cookies." She added that she wasn't sure what prompted her to make lemon pie, but she hoped he liked it.

Then she shared how he reacted when she took the pie to his house.

"Bless you, sweetheart! I love lemon pie," he said. "You didn't have to do that, but I'm just delighted you did."

McDuff wisely brought her neighbor a piece of paper with her family's names and numbers on it—just in case—and so began the building of a community everyone yearns for. As one person in the comments put it, "This is how I thought adulthood would be as a child."

The videos prompted other people to share their own celebration of community-building in the comments, and it's a hopeful reminder that sometimes it's as simple as taking the first step to reach out.

"We (early 30’s) moved to New Zealand, and quickly learned our 80 year old neighbour had just lost his wife to cancer. We made him banana muffins and dropped them off on his doorstep, which started a beautiful friendship. Countless dinners, laughs, and solving the world’s problems over good cheese, chocolate and wine. He became (and still is) one of our closest friends. We’ve moved back to Canada now, and we still FaceTime with him regularly… apart, but still sharing laughs and solving the world’s problems over good cheese, chocolate, and wine. ❤️"

"We had a very similar experience. We moved into our home and our 80+ year old neighbor brought over a homemade apple pie to welcome us to the neighborhood. She said they raised their 2 boys and twin grandsons in their house and were excited to see our 2 mos old son. We’ve been close ever since. It’s been 17 years. 🥹"

"A few years ago we lived next to a sweet old guy named Gus. He came over to introduce himself when we moved in and after that would come over to chat once in a while. We discovered in our conversations he was a Saxophonist and had played all the clubs in Vegas, even playing with Sinatra and hanging out with the rat pack for a little while! He said this as calmly as you please. He referred to Sinatra as old Franky and Dean Martin as Deano. You would never know this mild mannered, sweet guy had lived a wild life! He passed away suddenly from pneumonia but I still think about Gus and am thankful for his friendship."

"Love this!!! As a kid, my 70+ year old neighbor would sit on her porch with her brother and dog. I would go sit with them sometimes, go to the store for her and just relax. I eventually asked her to be my God mother and she agreed. She died when I was in the 7th grade but the love she poured in me never left my soul. Thanks for everything ❤️Ms. Bea."

"So I'm a neighbor wrangler. Every neighborhood I've lived in I've been the person to introduce myself and invite them over for a drink or if we're having an event, invite them too. I love it because neighbors who've never spoken or just did the garbage-day wave, suddenly start helping each other and become a community. Being a good neighbor is so underestimated."

"My mom bakes banana bread and has my dad deliver it every time someone new moves to the neighborhood. They’re almost 80. Very sweet. 🥧"

"This has inspired me to go knock on my 90 year old neighbors door."

Imagine if we all reached out to our neighbors, new or established, young or old, with such warm and thoughtful gestures of goodwill. Bringing someone cake or pie or cookies certainly won't solve all of humanity's problems, but it does start to build bonds and create connected communities where everyone feels welcome and valued.

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