Most folks in Lake Highlands know their neighbors. Most know about the programs and activities at the schools. Most also probably know our community’s general challenges and successes.

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          But how many residents know what their street, schools or community were like 50 or more years ago?

 

          If Robin Norcross has her way, the answer will soon be “lots of them.” She’s the founder and president of the Lake Highlands Historical Association, which recently came under the umbrella of the Lake Highlands Area Improvement Association (LHAIA). This year, she hopes to increase the organization’s activities and impact on the community.

 

          Norcross, who grew up in Lake Highlands, started the group three years ago. She had help from founding board members, Charlie Brim, Sally Russell Grinsfelder and Roger Pryor, in getting things going.

 

While many communities’ efforts have focused on preserving architecturally significant buildings, Norcross says most of what she hopes to preserve are the stories of people who helped form our community. The group’s first effort was an interview with Grace Myers Kadane, which they videotaped with help from Lake Highlands High School broadcast journalism students.

 

“She was 92 when we interviewed her,” says Norcross. “She had been one of the first female Realtors of the city, buying her property in the ’50s when there wasn’t anything out here. She was an incredible woman and had a very interesting life. And there are a lot of other stories here, which we really need to get before these people are gone.”

 

The group held a fund-raiser a couple of years ago, raising approximately $2,000. But so far, nothing has been done with that money.

 

“It’s still sitting in a bank account,” Norcross says. “That’s what happens sometimes with new organizations. Life happens, and people get busy, and you don’t get everything done that you wanted to.”

 

Norcross hopes to begin regular association meetings this year, as well as new projects.

 

“We’re hoping that by aligning with LHAIA, we can make our meetings more accessible to people who are interested and have a more formal board or steering committee,” she says. “We will probably have monthly board meetings and quarterly membership meetings with a program of some sort.

 

“The next big push I’d like to make is an all-call for photos, so we can start a community album. Then we can post it on the Web site, which we’ll also be planning this year.”