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Block Parties For Apartment Complexes
Block parties can be for more than just suburban neighborhoods. There are ways to pull these off in an apartment complexes as well. Even getting to know your neighbors through a scavenger hunt would be an event easily organized. Something like this would help people know who lives around them, and have a lot of fun while they are at it.
Get people together at a central location, such as a community clubhouse for some refreshments and mingling. You can also take the opportunity to divide people into different teams, of maybe three or four people each. Then supply each team with a different list. The first team to return with their lists completed will win a special door prize, such as 10% off their next month of rent.
Obviously, the items on the list do not need to be brought back, like when you were a little kid. These can be larger, more interesting items, such as a Wusthof knife set. At the same time, you do not want to make the items so rare that the team will not be able to find the item at all. It has to be fair.
As teams find the various items, they just need to have the resident that is the owner to initial next to it on the list. Do not forget that as they go they will meet more and more of their neighbors, which is the really fun part. After a kitchen knife set and a leather ottoman or two they will feel like they have really gotten to know those live around them.
Of course some of the items will likely be found in nearly every apartment. A 4 cup coffee maker is something that is almost a kitchen must have, even for people that do not cook or eat at home. It can serve to remind people of just how much we all have in common.
By organizing this well in advance you can get a better response. For the residents that do not wish to be disturbed on the hunt you can have a list they can sign. On the day of the event go around beforehand and stick a note to each of their doors so that the teams do not come knocking where they are not wanted. It can be both fun and respectful at the same time.
While you can not expect full participation, you will likely still have a good turn out. Ultimately people do want to be a part of a community, and that is what you are giving them. It can cause your rates of resident retention high, and create additional demand for your apartments. No matter what it will be great for business, and for the sense of belonging in your complex.
Bloc Party – Signs (MMMatthias Remix)