Neighborhood Champion

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood when people like Kris McCall are hard at work.

If you agree that the American dream starts in the neighborhoods, we need more like her. She’s a Neighborhood Champion.

A resident of Rancho Cordova for more than 15 years, Kris has been actively working to improve the Lincoln Village neighborhood. A Girl Scout troop leader for more than 8 years and a PTA Mom, this proud wife and mother of two decided to take it upon herself to make Mr. Rogers’ vision of a beautiful day in the neighborhood a reality.

Several years ago, following a serious outbreak of crime in Lincoln Village, Kris decided her neighborhood was her responsibility and dedicated herself to bringing neighbors together to solve problems and have fun.

Taking the lead with many events planned to engage Lincoln Village neighbors, those watching her in action say she not only has gotten the ball rolling, she is boosting the social capital in her neighborhood by getting others to follow her lead.

Lorianne Ulm from the City of Rancho Cordova said Kris is the type of leader who really walks the talk.

She has connected with hundreds of neighbors, and connected them with each other, as leader of Lincoln Village Trunk or Treat for three years and two years as leader of the Lincoln Village Christmas Parade. She has championed drought tolerant landscape projects, neighborhood tree planting and outreach by Rancho Cordova Police through National Night Out and other efforts.

Her inspiring leadership is even more so when you consider this superhero volunteer has a fulltime job and with husband Stacey, two children to raise. Her extraordinary efforts to improve the Lincoln Village neighborhood earned her an invitation to attend special neighborhood leadership training in Los Angeles where she not only was able to share her lessons learned, but also connect with creative ideas showing success elsewhere. She said she gained a new appreciation for how well Rancho Cordova works, compared with other places.

Kris is a leader among those who have joined together to form “It Takes a Lincoln Village” to tackle the problems which work against successful neighborhoods.  

There’s a lot at stake.

Neighborhoods are the building blocks of successful cities – and a successful country. “Love thy neighbor” has been good advice since the beginning of time.

But in some neighborhoods its takes some hard work, and that’s why Kris McCall is so important.  

Kris, you are a Neighborhood Champion, a Superhero for sure! Your efforts boost the community of Lincoln Village, and thereby strengthen our city. It does “take a Lincoln Village” to improve quality of life, but somebody needs to be the spark. That’s you!  

Thank you for your stalwart efforts and congratulations for being a Neighborhood Champion!