If you look around our country, the cities with the greatest sense of community and pride tend to have a common aspect at the heart of it all… a thriving Civic Club. The city of Shenandoah is one of those cities and has proudly had an active Civic Club for decades.
Its primary purpose is building a strong volunteer base to support civic involvement through the many group activities and social events throughout the year. In addition, they strive to foster a community spirit by developing service projects, facilitating communication to the neighborhoods, planning new programs to benefit Shenandoah residents, and promoting overall community pride.
Shenandoah is recognized throughout the area as having a calendar full of events that set the city apart from other nearby communities. Most of these events are driven by or participated in by the Civic Club members and volunteers including the Back to School Pool Party, Independence Celebration, and Arbor Day celebration. The three largest events of the year --- the Easter Egg Hunt, Lighting of the Angels, and the Independence Celebration --- have grown to their highest attendance numbers and feature top entertainment from the area and activities for kids of all ages. In addition, Civic Club members actively participate in the Public Work’s Arbor Day event as well as the Montgomery County Safety Expo, co-sponsored by Shenandoah Police Department...
The other big Civic Club special event that focuses less on festivity and more on the beauty of the city during the holidays, is the Luminary program where neighbors line the streets of Shenandoah with candle luminaries. With the help of a growing group of volunteers and area Boy Scout troops, this year is expected to be one of the largest participation in recent years.
One of their newest programs starting this July is their Neighbors Helping Neighbors group. It intends to help identify neighbors in need of assistance for small jobs like lawn maintenance, repair items, etc., and then coordinate with helpful neighbors to assist. Once monthly, the group will focus on slightly larger projects that may require more volunteers, more time, or special tools. Charley Ballmer, a 2-year member of the Civic Club is spearheading the effort and is excited to be a part of the team. He has shared that August’s large project will be near and dear to his heart --- the collection of worn/torn flags from the homes throughout the city that will include a replacement with a new flag at no cost to the homeowner. He will be coordinating with the local Boy Scout troops so that the worn flags can be retired properly and is hopeful to work with City officials to allow that ceremony to be open to the public. In his words, “A flag retirement ceremony is one of the most peaceful, and emotional, things a person proud to be an American can experience.”
For Shenandoah residents who know of a flag that needs to be replaced, please reach out to Debbie Pilcher at 832-585-8109. The Civic Club is composed of one elected officer (secretary), several City Council members who volunteer, a city staff member/presiding officer, and a group of community residents and volunteers. Civic Club is always looking for fresh input and support at the meetings and City events. Volunteers are needed before, during, and after events. There is no minimum time commitment; volunteers sign up. The meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Community Room located at the Municipal Building. Residents are invited to join the group.