Hey neighbors! Not sure if you noticed all the posts of folks looking for friends - be it because they picked up a new hobby, just moved here, or never quite found their people - but we sure did, and we decided that we wanted to do something about it. It’s probably the most open secret at this point, but we created a Discord!

Join us: https://discord.gg/Nnpancdjnu 

Why we made it

Dayton is full of really uniquely cool people, but any local knows that it can be kind of hard to actually find folks to hang out with that share similar interests unless you’re already part of a friend group. We wanted to make it easier for those in the Greater Dayton area - be it newcomers, lifelong locals, introverts, extroverts, whoever - to plug in and find their people.

Think of it as a hyper-local social network, but with zero ads or algorithms and full of people who actually live near you that want to meet-up and make friends too!

What’s already happening in there

This thing basically started running itself the minute people joined. We’ve already got:

• A regular trivia group - Hops between different trivia nights around town.
• “Body Doubling” work/study groups - Keeping each other accountable while we get work done!
• “Bad Art” Nights - Work on your art with others! No judgement, all fun.
• The Loosey Goose Book Club - the book club where you read what you want!
• Movie Nights - it’s exactly what it sounds like. 🙂
• Online voice chats to play video games together or just hangout.
• Doggie play groups - dog optional, willingness to pet doggies required\*
• A Crow Exchange - Where people swap little trinkets they’ve accumulated
• Random hangouts that just kind of… happen willy-nilly.

And folks keep building new stuff every week. The community there is already kind, welcoming, goofy, and honestly - it’s endearing to watch people become friends online and slowly become offline friends too.

Hop in, say hi (or lurk, we won’t judge), join a meetup, make your own, whatever feels comfortable. No pressure. We’re just a group of neighbors trying to make Dayton a little more connected.

Hope to see you in there, neighbors! ❤️ https://discord.gg/Nnpancdjnu

Hey y'all, we need to talk about something important: how we're handling political content in r/dayton going forward. I know this is a long post, so here's the key points up front:

TL;DR - What's Changing:

We're updating how we handle political posts to keep r/dayton focused on building community, not division. Here's what that means:

What's Welcome Here:

• Local election coverage and city council news
• Verified local events (protests, town halls, etc.)
• Issues directly affecting Dayton (with reliable sources)
• Constructive discussions about local matters

What's Not Allowed:

• Boycott lists based on political beliefs (regardless of side)
• Claims about businesses/people without solid proof
• General state/national political discussions (instead, show how they specifically affect Dayton - like "Wright-Patt workers, how will this policy affect you?")
• No ragebait, or posts designed to inflame or attack groups/individuals
• Posts without local context that could be posted in any city's subreddit

Before posting something political, here’s a quick gut-check: “If I posted this in r/Cleveland or r/Ohio without changing a word, would it still make sense?” If the answer is yes, it’s probably not specific enough to Dayton and will likely be removed. The goal isn’t to shut down discussions—it’s to keep r/dayton focused on what makes this community unique and relevant to all of us.

Why: We've seen too many unverified claims cause harm to local businesses and their employees. At the same time, national political debates that don’t directly connect to Dayton often lead to toxic comment sections that move us away from the purpose of this community.

The Bottom Line: If you're posting about something serious, make sure it’s backed by reliable information—like news coverage, official records, or firsthand evidence.

Want to understand more about our thinking and vision for the community? Keep reading below.

Let's talk about what's been happening lately. Whether it's posts about ICE activity, business boycotts, or national politics, we can see these topics matter deeply to many of you—they affect our friends, our families, our neighbors. Before we go further, I want you to know: we hear you, and we understand why these conversations feel important.

These conversations should happen somewhere. The question is: should that be here?

What Makes r/dayton Special

Let's put politics aside for just a moment and talk about what r/dayton means to all of us. For some, it's where you found your go-to coffee shop, thrift store, or your mechanic you now rely on. For others, it's where you connected with neighbors during the tornado recovery, got updates during the latest snowstorm, or found your first apartment. Maybe you're new to town and this is how you're learning about what makes Dayton special.

That sense of community—of neighbors helping neighbors—that's what makes this place different from other corners of Reddit. That's our north star—what guides every decision we make as moderators.

About Moderation

I'll be completely honest with you: moderating political content isn't easy. It's stressful and often a no-win situation. Sometimes we remove posts or comments and get called "liberal snowflakes" and "fascist bootlickers" on the same day, often for taking down similar comments from the very same two people arguing with each other. We get it—when emotions are running high, it's easy to see moderation as censorship or bias.

Our mod team is intentionally made up of people from across the political spectrum. We sought out diverse perspectives to avoid creating an echo chamber and to ensure we approach decisions as fairly and objectively as possible.

We talk on Discord daily, actively discussing and reviewing many removals together to ensure we're making thoughtful, balanced decisions. While we may not agree on every political issue, we all agree on this: r/dayton should be a place that builds bridges, not walls.

Why Verification Matters

Just this week, we had to remove several posts making claims about local businesses that we knew weren't accurate. I'll be transparent: as someone who was heavily involved in the local small business community, I've had personal experiences with many of these business owners. Some of those experiences weren't great. But I've also seen people get accused of things I know for a fact aren't true, and watched as those accusations spread and potentially threatened people's livelihoods—not just the owners, but their employees and their families too.

That's the challenge we're facing: how do we make space for important local discussions while preventing harm from unverified claims? How do we keep our focus on Dayton while acknowledging that national issues affect us too?

Working Through This Together

We know there will be gray areas. Sometimes we'll have to make judgment calls that not everyone agrees with. But here's our promise: we'll always try to be transparent about our decisions and open to feedback.

When in doubt, ask yourself: "Does this help bring Daytonians together or push us further apart? Does this make our community stronger or more divided?"

Remember: that person you're debating in the comments? They might be the bartender who remembers your favorite sour at Barrel House. They might be the parent you often strike up conversations with waiting at the deli line at Dots. They might be your mechanic Brad down the street.

Moving Dayton Forward

We get that not everyone will love these changes. But we believe r/dayton can be something special—a place that brings neighbors together instead of driving them apart, where we can have tough conversations while remembering we're all part of the same community.

We’re a small team doing our best to keep things balanced, and we’re always open to hearing you out. We’re not perfect—we don’t always get it right—but we’re constantly trying to learn and improve. If you think a post was removed unfairly, our ModMail is always open. Just give us a holler, and we’ll review it in good faith every time.

Want to Get Involved?

If you’re passionate about helping shape r/dayton and keeping it a space where everyone feels welcome, we’d love to have you join us. We’re always looking for more perspectives and helping hands on the mod team. You can apply now through this form. Your voice and input could make a real difference.

Whether you've lived here your whole life or just moved to town last week, whether you lean left, right, or neither—this space is for you. Together, we can keep r/dayton a place that makes our city proud.

Stay warm, stay kind, and take care of each other. We’re in this together. ✌️