It began as many good and great community things do – from humble beginnings.

Barbara Stronczer, one of Bedford Park’s community pillars, remembers working with her neighbors to tie a tree (illegally she admits) to a lamppost in the 1970s. That was a time when the city, unable to ensure the most basic of services like heat and hot water for tenants, was actually considering shuttering the 52nd Precinct. Ceremonial tree lightings, with all the attendant glee and festivity, were, to put it kindly, not on the agenda.

But that small Bedford Park gesture of community and holiday spirit paved the way for the legal, official and very well attended Christmas tree lighting on Mosholu Parkway that has become a staple of the holiday season.

(A couple of years ago, Bronx Parks Commissioner Bill Castro had a Christmas tree planted in the spot where the event takes place every year at the intersection with Bainbridge Avenue.)

This year, with the organizing help of Community Board 7 staff, three local schools (the New School, PS 56 and PS 280) made tree decorations. The Parks Department provided the lights and the Wenger Wagon and the 52nd Precinct delivered Santa Claus. Council Member Oliver Koppell and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz showed up as did 52nd Precinct Commander Joseph Hoch. And the St. Brendan’s School of Music, led by Renee Guerrero, provided musical entertainment.

Not far away on Marion Avenue, Elba Flores began building community on a smaller but no less important, level on Marion Avenue 30 years ago. She decorated her door and urged her neighbors to do the same (see photo on this page). Now virtually everyone in the building gets into the act and gathers together for a building-wide celebration.

“We take this day to put all our worries aside,” said tenant Jeanette Figueroa. “It doesn’t cost anything to unite people and become humble with one another.”

There are so many examples of how the seeds of tradition planted by individuals have grown and deepened the sense of community in our buildings, on our blocks, and in our neighborhoods.

We’re just telling you about a couple this holiday season so that you may be inspired to start your own.

We wish all our readers and advertisers a wonderful New Year!

More News Than Ever
If you missed our previous issue or the Metro Section story in The New York Times highlighting an exciting new project spearheaded by the Norwood News called the West Bronx News Network, we hope you’ll take the time to check it out on the Web at thebeehive.org/wbnn.

Working with the Highbridge Horizon, our sister nonprofit newspaper in the southwest Bronx, and the Mount Hope Housing Company, we have formed the West Bronx News Network, which provides more news and information to all West Bronx residents via the Web. It features the Mount Hope Monitor, an on-line newspaper, thebeehive.org/mounthopemonitor, which brings coverage to Mount Hope and the other neighborhoods of Community District 5 for the first time.

We have also introduced the West Bronx Blog (westbronxnews.blogspot.com) which brings readers regular updates and links to stories of interest. We’re hoping readers will participate in the blog by posting comments and suggesting ways we can improve the blog and both news sites.

So log on and tell us what you think!