I just re-read this one the other day. A great story.
The moral of the story that I got was the way to get neighbors on board is the "Slow to boil in the pot" method. This is a great approach that I know works first hand, I've used it on my neighbors. Not too the same effect, but it's better than nothing
It also makes a good point about dealing with family members and friends of friends, which is always a good topic of discussion.