St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, Fla. 
Author: ADRIENNE P. SAMUELS
Date: Jun 30, 2005
Start Page: 1
Text Word Count: 687
 
   
Copyright Times Publishing Co. Jun 30, 2005
Just be nice.

That was the overarching point of Tuesday night’s discussion on building social capital in North Pinellas, and the Tampa Bay area in general.

Around 70 people met for two hours to trade tips on on how to make friends of strangers and acquaintances, which leads to more social capital, or better networks like those established between friends, close-knit neighborhoods and families.

It’s a concept that was first brought up by Harvard professor Robert Putnam, who has said in his book Bowling Alone that social capital is on the decline, leading to an increase in crime, poor test scores in schools and an overall sense of distrust in the community.

That’s why CreativeTampaBay, a group dedicated to improving the bay area’s social atmosphere, hosted a conversation on social capital at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Tuesday’s discussion was the third of four held across Tampa Bay.

"It’s about the value of our connections with each other," said Peter Kageyama, a marketing consultant and president of CreativeTampaBay. "The goal here tonight was to investigate new ways of connecting."

And sometimes new ways of connecting are scary, said participants.

One Largo real estate consultant is inviting her entire block to a front-yard barbecue. She doesn’t know them all that well, but she’s determined to try.

"These ideas can get very conceptual and ideological, so I thought, how can I do something," said Michelle Malott, 29, of Largo. "I’m going to bring my grill out front instead of in the back yard. I’m just going to try it and see what happens."

Clearwater resident Carol Alexander is doing her part by inviting strangers to private chamber music nights at her house, where friends listen to small performances by the Florida Orchestra.

It’s those little movements toward community that lead to trust, which in turn leads to more socialization, said Putnam, who has said that people without social networks are at higher risk of death.

Having friends counters that risk. Not only do friends bring you chicken soup, but they also bring you germs that your body learns to fight, he has said.

North Pinellas’ social capital conversation started at 7:30 p.m., after attendees bought small cups of merlot. Participants sat four to a table and were given discussion points: How do you experience social capital in Tampa Bay? What could you do to improve it?

After a series of 15-minute discussion segments, the crowd had a few answers.

The area’s social capital is at its best during Gasparilla in Tampa or First Night in downtown St. Petersburg, some said. Safety Harbor and Dunedin have the best examples of neighborhood activities, though that’s likely because people living in smaller cities have an easier time making friends, they said.

Social capital is low because much of Tampa Bay’s population is mobile, and residents don’t plan to stay long, some participants said. Others pointed out that people work so much, and so hard, they don’t have time to join traditional social venues such as the Jaycees or Rotary.

Some options for building social capital included reintroducing the block party, the front porch and potluck dinners. Kageyama suggested that people create activities that mix groups together. For example, he said, instead of just having a book club, host a book club meeting at a retirement home in order to enlarge the circle.

The challenge now is to reinvent the next generation of community groups at a time when people often choose solitary activities over participation in civic groups, Kageyama said.

Some of those groups exist already.

Emerge Tampa, a group of 500 or so young professionals, is booming because young people in the Tampa Bay area have found a way to combine volunteerism with networking and dating prospects. The organization 100 Black Men of Tampa Bay gives black men a chance to volunteer, educate the community and network in an area so spread out geographically it’s often difficult to meet like-minded individuals.

The conversation continues at 5:30 p.m. tonight in St. Petersburg at Studio@620, on 620 First Ave. S. For more information, visit www.creativetampabay.com.

Adrienne Samuels can be reached at (727) 445-4157 or samuels@sptimes.com.

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission. 
 
 
 
 Abstract (Document Summary)
 
 
 
That’s why CreativeTampaBay, a group dedicated to improving the bay area’s social atmosphere, hosted a conversation on social capital at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Tuesday’s discussion was the third of four held across Tampa Bay.

North Pinellas’ social capital conversation started at 7:30 p.m., after attendees bought small cups of merlot. Participants sat four to a table and were given discussion points: How do you experience social capital in Tampa Bay? What could you do to improve it?

Emerge Tampa, a group of 500 or so young professionals, is booming because young people in the Tampa Bay area have found a way to combine volunteerism with networking and dating prospects. The organization 100 Black Men of Tampa Bay gives black men a chance to volunteer, educate the community and network in an area so spread out geographically it’s often difficult to meet like-minded individuals.

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.