Community Celebrates Blaine Volunteer Who Won Great Neighbor Contest
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A local woman is one of the winners in a nationwide contest that asked people to nominate their great neighbors.
CBS's show "The Neighborhood" partnered with Nextdoor to put on the contest, and they're throwing Rosie Griep, the winner, a little block party in her honor.
If you step inside the YouthWay Ministries community center in Blaine, odds are you'll be greeted by Rosie.
"We're kind of like the cheerers of the Centennial Square. You walk in that door, everybody knows your name and everybody says hi to you," she said.
For years, Rosie has happily provided the K-12 students living in the surrounding mobile home park with homework help, bike repairs, hot meals and a listening ear.
"I take kids to choir concerts and school musicals if they need a ride, and we stay and watch the performances, too," Rosie said.
Rosie says she's like a grandmother to the 60 children who come to the center every week.
"My grandkids live far away, so I'm borrowing everybody else's," Rosie said.
But this grandma has an edge.
"I worked for the Blaine Police Department for 17 years and for the Fridley Police Department for 10 as a crime prevention specialist," she said.
Her dedication does not go unnoticed, but on Friday, she'll know that.
"It's really nice to be appreciated. Sometimes, you feel like you're left alone out there and nobody notices, but this is nice," Rosie said. "It gives me purpose."
