This letter is from Nan Crouse.
I was invited to join CSAN after some members saw a letter I’d written. It was a last ditch effort to encourage people to vote for the two neighborhood-friendly City Council candidates who were running in the last election, and I was sending the letter to everyone I knew, as well as distributing in Eastgate, where I’ve lived since 1984. I came to College Station as a student, met my husband here. As students, we lived one street over from where we bought a house seven years later when we returned here with two young children. I feel like I have been fighting to protect our neighborhood since we moved back, but only recently realized the only real change would have to effected by political action. I am so grateful for CSAN. They “get it” – it’s not my neighborhood, or yours, but ALL of ours, and we can have a say. I would often hear from various city staff after another battle for the neighborhood (usually lost), “You Ashburn and Munson people always come out for a cause, and then you disappear.” A valid observation. Many of the people who have fought for our neighborhood stopped being involved out of frustration and repeated disappointments. Some moved, some have stayed but are saddened and fearful of what has and is happening to our neighborhood. Moving to another area with more protections is always a consideration in the back of many of my neighbors’ minds.This is crazy – this is our home. Our neighborhoods can band together and we can be a force and make a difference - united we stand to win.
When I became involved with CSAN in September 2017, the focus was to get Bob Brick and Linda Harvell elected. With a very small volunteer staff and a few modest donations we were able to reach out to 2000 people via postcards. We enlisted volunteers who knocked on doors, made phone calls, sent letters and emails and distributed yardsigns. While we were not the only organization working to get Harvell and Brick elected, we had an impact, and it was a significant successful campaign against the odds. The upcoming election in November is just as important, and will determine if the make-up of City Council can FINALLY be changed to a majority of pro-neighborhood members. We have lots of work to do. The more support we have, the more successful we are likely to be. We have the opportunity to join together, help each other and shape this city and our neighborhoods into what we want – but it takes time, and a willingness to show up. I’m Nan Crouse, and I show up for CSAN, because I love where I live and I have found an organization that I believe knows how to work for change that is good for all of us by being informed, involved and productive. Please join me in showing up for CSAN - our neighborhoods and our city - are worth it.