The Cool Neighborhood Association (CNA) began as a quiet, hopeful experiment on a front lawn at 47 Cool Street in Waterville, Maine. Retired physician Ira Mandel moved into a 100-year-old house during the pandemic and found himself outside, weeding flower beds, greeting passersby, and listening. He soon realized that many neighbors, although physically close-by, felt socially isolated and disconnected. Mandel placed a picnic table under a maple tree, set out a cooler of drinks and a sign that simply read “Be a Friend.” There were pens and note cards for anyone to leave a message. One note read, “Thank you so much — I was really thirsty,” shared by someone who visited the spot. Another read, “We live on Violette Avenue, and seeing how you transformed your space brings out how cool Cool Street is.” That simple gesture sparked something meaningful. People of all walks of life — children writing thank-you cards, adults from nearby blocks, folks experiencing homelessness — stopped by, sat down, shared stories, left notes, and in doing so began building real connections. Mandel saw how rare it was for someone on the street to say “Hi” and truly listen. He recognized that what he was fostering was much more than friendly porch conversation: it was a grassroots response to a deeper social crisis of isolation and lack of belonging. In August 2025, a local article described how Mandel hopes to form a full neighborhood association to help neighbors meet, socialize, and plan activities like potlucks, festivals, holiday celebrations, visits to nursing home residents and more. The association was named the Cool Neighborhood Association — honoring not only the street name but also Revolutionary-War soldier John Jacob Cool, who owned land here and for whom the street is named. 

Today, the Cool Neighborhood Association is rooted in that vision. We focus on creating space for connection: conversation at the picnic table, note-writing on the community board, potlucks, musical gatherings, walking groups, simple check-ins with neighbors. We believe that by bringing people together — no matter their background, age, or situation — we begin to heal the quiet epidemic of loneliness that affects our health, our relationships, and our community. Our impact is seen in the thousands of handwritten notes on our bulletin board, each one a small declaration of “I matter,” “I’m seen,” “I’m part of this.” It’s seen in the smiles of neighbors who begin to recognize each other on the sidewalk, in the people who once felt alone now taking part in a communal meal. It’s seen in the way a single front-yard project grew into neighborhood momentum.

We invite you to join us: stop by 47 Cool Street, sit at the picnic table, read the notes, leave your own. Share your story, meet someone new, and be part of making Waterville a place where neighbors don’t just live side by side — they know, support, and celebrate each other. Together, we can build something living, lasting, and full of connection.