Hello neighbors,
What a great afternoon. It was wonderful to see so many of you, familiar faces and new ones alike, at our annual Neighborhood Block Party on Sunday, June 7. San Pierre Street was full of food, music, and conversation, and it was the kind of day that reminds us how lucky we are to live in Rex Manor.
The party only happens because so many neighbors pitch in, and this year was no exception. Thank you to the volunteers who passed out announcement flyers, and to the food prep crew who cut the fruit, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, cucumbers, and lettuce and juiced the lemons for lemonade. Thank you to everyone who lent a grill, a canopy, or a table, and to the setup crew who came early to close off the street, haul the picnic benches over from the school, lay out the food, and get the grills going. Once things were rolling, our grill masters and servers kept everyone fed, and plenty of you brought food and desserts of your own to share.
A few people went above and beyond. Gary, from the Monta Loma neighborhood, twisted balloons for the kids and donated all the balloons he brought. Wayne, Michelle, and David Watson wrote the grant that funds the party and organized the food purchasing. Lawrence Shing hauled all the borrowed grills, tables, and canopies in his trailer, sous-vided the drumsticks, and made the lemonade. Susan Keith lent us her electricity so we could play music and keep the ice cream cold in a mini freezer, and Mark Lakata provided the sound system. And when the afternoon wound down, thank you to everyone who stayed to clean up, return the benches to the school, break down the tables and canopies, and gather up the trash and leftovers.
Giving Back#
Our neighborhood’s generosity really showed this year. Thanks to your donations, we collected food and $400 in checks for the Community Services Agency, the local non-profit that provides emergency assistance, food and nutrition programs, and senior and homeless services right here in our community. Thank you for caring for our neighbors near and far.
See You Next Year#
It takes a village, and ours came through. Thank you again to everyone who came out, lent a hand, and shared the day with us. We had a wonderful time, and we hope to see you all at next year’s block party.
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— David Watson