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A new neighborhood organization is taking shape in Wheeling's Woodsdale and Edgewood neighborhoods with the simple goal of bringing neighbors together and turning community pride into positive action.
The newly formed Woodsdale-Edgewood Community Association (WECA) will hold its first neighborhood meeting at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct.13 at Christ United Methodist Church, 1232 National Road, Wheeling. The meeting will immediately follow the Wheeling Police Department's Crime Watch meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at the same location.
Founded by Woodsdale native Michael Borsuk, WECA is intended to give residents a place to meet their neighbors, develop community projects and events, celebrate the neighborhood's history and character, and build stronger relationships with local organizations and businesses.
"I've always felt that Woodsdale and Edgewood are full of good people who care about this neighborhood and want to see good things happen here," Borsuk said. "What has been missing is a way to connect those people, their ideas, and the organizations and businesses around us -- and then turn that community pride into something tangible."
Borsuk said the Association is also intended to provide an alternative to a culture in which community conversations too often begin and end online.
"Too often in this valley, we get caught up in Facebook drama, arguing about what is wrong or complaining about what somebody else should do," Borsuk said. "Ever since COVID, there aren't always enough opportunities to put the phones down, meet the people who live around us, and actually do something together. I want this Association to be one of those opportunities.”
WECA will be a voluntary, nonpolitical community organization and is not a homeowners association (HOA). Membership will not be mandatory, and the association will not impose rules or restrictions on residents or their properties. The association will initially use the boundaries of the Woodsdale-Edgewood National Register Historic District as its primary service area.
The Oct. 13 meeting will give residents an opportunity to learn about WECA, suggest projects and events, discuss priorities, and help shape the organization from its beginning.
"This isn't a place to sit around and complain about what is wrong with the neighborhood," Borsuk said. "It's a place to meet your neighbors and ask, 'What can we do about it?' We want this organization to truly be 'for Woodsdale, with Woodsdale, and by Woodsdale."
All Woodsdale and Edgewood residents interested in strengthening their community are encouraged to attend.