Q2 2025 Neighborhood Watch Meeting Recap
June 5, 2025
About 40-50 Avon Woods neighbors gathered for the second 2025 quarterly Neighborhood Watch Meeting on Thursday, June 5 at Independent Presbyterian Church. Following are meeting notes and a few of the resources that were shared:
Neighborhood Crime Report
Neighborhood Watch lead Mary K. Allen shared a look at crime incidents reported through the Avon Woods Neighborhood Watch Block Captains. Since the beginning of 2025, there have only been five incidents reported: 1 vehicle vandalism, 1 auto theft, 1 report of indecent exposure (in a car), and 2 armed robberies (both were yard crew workers robbed at gunpoint in broad daylight). Possibly additional incidents have occurred in this time period, but were not reported via our Block Captains.
Block Captains
Mary K. reported we are still at a total of 17 active Block Captains and shared a Google map showing the location of Avon Woods Block Captains and pointing out those areas still in need of Block Captains. Following is a list of streets/sections where we need block captains:
- N. Perkins between Walnut Grove and Princeton
- N. Mendenhall between Walnut Grove and Princeton
- Lynbar Avenue
- Sequoia Road
- Johnson Avenue
- Normandy Lane east of Avon Road
- Vescovo Drive between Johnson Ave. and Chickasaw Road
- Princeton Road from Avon Road to N. Mendenhall Road
- Barfield Road from Avon Road west, midway to N. Perkins Road
- S. Erwin Drive
- Princeton Forest Cove
- Avon Cove
- Princeton Wood Cove
- Lindseywood Cove
- Oma Cove
If you’re interested in volunteering as a Block Captain, please contact Mary K. Allen. Remember, the role of the block captain is simply connecting the neighbors immediately surrounding them, creating a group text, informing each other of criminal or suspicious activity, and sharing to the Block Captains text group for neighborhood-wide awareness of significant incidents.
Crime Prevention Grant Update
An update was also provided regarding the $2,500 crime prevention grant we were awarded from the Memphis Police Department in January. Since the last Neighborhood Watch Meeting in March, eight Ring doorbell cameras and two motion-sensitive flood lights have been purchased and distributed to watch group members who expressed need. Mary K informed the group that the MPD Neighborhood Watch coordinator expressed a desire to tour the neighborhood with Mary K to observe the installation of these. Most recipients had already installed their doorbell cameras or flood lights, and others were encouraged to do so as soon as possible.
The remaining balance of the grant money is earmarked for items that will improve our Avon Woods social gatherings — folding tables, pop-up canopies and a PA system.
Additionally Avon Woods Neighborhood Association has funded new yard signs for publicizing events such as our Food Truck Socials and Neighborhood Watch Meetings, as well as a supply of refrigerator magnets with “Useful Numbers” such as emergency hotlines, power and streetlight outage reporting, that were distributed to attendees at the meeting.
Upcoming Events
Avon Woods resident Derrick Von Stein shared a look at upcoming events for the Avon Woods neighborhood, including the next monthly Food Truck Social on Thursday, June 19, featuring pizza by Grisanti’s 9 Dough 1, and the Annual Avon Woods Fourth of July Parade & Picnic.
A special plea was made for volunteers to help with the Fourth of July Parade and Picnic. Help is need for set-up, food service, and clean-up/take-down. To volunteer, please contact Amanda Von Stein.
Community Voices
Neighbor Jay Perdue led a brainstorming session gathering ideas as to how we might leverage the Avon Woods Neighborhood Watch Group to curb crime in the area, how we might recruit more Block Captains, and how we might mark National Night Out (Aug. 5).
Neighborhood Watch ideas centered around social activities such as Block Parties or Outdoor Movie Nights and Welcoming Newcomers to the neighborhood. Great ideas that just require someone to step up and take the lead. A suggestion was made for notifying surrounding neighbors when you plan to be out of town on vacation — a service that falls squarely in the role of Block Captain and another way to leverage the Block Captains’ text groups. It was suggested that more could be done to get out the word regarding Neighborhood Watch. In addition to our yard signs and email blasts, what are ways we could do that?
Block Captain Recruitment ideas including promoting the need for Block Captains on the Avon Woods website (Done!), promoting at the Fourth of July Parade & Picnic (this was done at last year’s parade and could be emphasized somehow this year), and emailing the neighborhood to inform them of the need for Block Captains.
National Night Out ideas were shared regarding ways that Avon Woods could mark this nationwide event, which takes place the first Tuesday of each August — Aug. 5 this year. Suggestions included: (1) Setting up activities in your front yard such as badminton, croquet, etc. and inviting neighbors to hang out. (2) Stronger promotion of National Night Out. (This is our first year to coordinate efforts around this event, and we’re open to ideas beyond our usual yard signs and email blasts.) (3) “Pops for Cops” or furnishing frozen ice cream treats for our area first responders including MPD, Memphis Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service providers.
Closing Words
WHAT our Neighborhood Watch Group and the broader Avon Woods Neighborhood Association does depends entirely on those willing to step up and volunteer. Got an idea for a new or different focus or activity? Take the lead. Reach out to Derrick Von Stein, Torrent Johnston or any of the steering committee volunteers, and we will help guide and support your effort as we are able. If you’ve got an idea specific to Neighborhood Watch, contact Mary K. Allen.
Special Thanks
We extend sincere thanks to our neighbor Bob Hicks and Independent Presbyterian Church for hosting our Neighborhood Watch meeting. This time surrounded by castle walls and decorations for IPC’s upcoming Vacation Bible School!
