The Friday Flyer • December 16, 2016

CANYON LAKE’S NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 16, 2016
Yacht Club announes Parade of Lights winners Pg. A5
Eat brunch with Santa Golf Cart Parade win- this Sunday at Lodge ners announced
Pg. A5 Pg. 10
John and Sheryl Lewis bring neighbors together
BY DONNA RITCHIE
EDITOR, THE FRIDAY FLYER
The Neighborhood Watch Program is based on the premise that one of the best crime prevention tools is a good neighbor. When neighbors know and trust each other they can work together and in partnership with law enforce- ment to create an effective crime fight- ing team. Neighborhood Watch fights the isolation that crime can create and feed upon.
How successful a Neighborhood Watch group is depends on the Block Captain and the support they re-
ceive from their neighbors. While some Neighborhood Watch groups flourish, others dwindle or disappear all together.
The key person in any Neighborhood Watch group is the Block Captain. This person is an integral component to keep- ing the block actively involved in crime prevention efforts, as well as the impor- tant process of information exchange between neighbors.
When the Canyon Lake Neighbor- hood Watch Program formed two years ago, John and Sheryl Lewis jumped at the chance to serve as Block Captains for their neighbors on Gray Fox Dr. Since then, John and Sheryl have made every effort to see that their Neighbor-
hood Watch group flourishes.
John and Sheryl facilitate the
unity of the group, distribute in- formation, host social gather- ings and provide their neigh- bors with information on ways to protect themselves
and each other.
The residents on Gray Fox
Dr. are grateful for John and Sheryl stepping up to serve as Block Captains. Resi- dent Marga Kidd says, “I am so grateful John and Sheryl have put out the effort to watch over our neighborhood. It’s these things that give Canyon Lake that intimate com-
munity feeling.”
John and Sheryl have
hosted three potluck lunches for the group. After the group eats and mix and mingles, John gives a presentation on crime and safety in Canyon Lake, which leads into a group discuss.
During their December 10 potluck lunch, the presentation and discussion centered around “crimes of opportuni- ty,” garage, package and golf cart thefts, video cameras and “Ring” doorbells, gas station card readers and Craigslist scams, drunk drivers, emergency pre- paredness and who and when to call for help.
“John and Cheryl have been the best neighbors for taking the time to organize our Neighborhood Watch group. When everybody gets together and shares ideas, emails and addresses we can help each other and know who to go to when the need arises. We have all ages that live on our long street and I especially find it helpful meeting the younger chil- dren and knowing where they live. This was our third get together and looking forward to many more,” says Donna Nunes
Kasey Blankenship say, “Our Neigh- borhood Watch program on Gray Fox has re-enforced the message for all of us to be alert and watch out for one another. The annual pot luck lunch that the John and Sheryl sponsor enables us to get to know each other much better - some- thing unusual for California.”
John and Sheryl knew very few of their neighbors before they signed up as Block Captains for their street. Through
their participation in the Neighborhood Watch Program, they now know most of the residents on Gray Fox Dr, and through their efforts as Block Captains, most of the neighbors now know each other too. John says, “The program has provided the opportunity for all our neighbors to get to know each other and help each other out when needed.” .
There are currently 17 Block Cap- tains in Canyon Lake. The goal is to have a Block Captain for every street in Canyon Lake.
The Block Captain responsibilities include:
• Serving as the spokesperson for their neighborhood group.
• Serving as the liaison between the Police Department/Community Patrol and the neighborhood group by attend- ing a city wide Block Captain meeting twice a year with other Block Captains and a representative from the Riverside Sheriff’s Department.
• Organizing two to three Neighbor- hood Watch meetings per year.
• Maintaining a master list of all members of the neighbors in the group.
• Participating in the Canyon Lake Block Captain Facebook page as a way to communicate and share ideas, infor- mation and material with other Block Captains.
Residents who are interested in serv- ing as a Block Captain should email the Canyon Lake Neighborhood Watch Pro- gram Facilitator at canyonlakecommu- nity@yahoo.com.