Hello everyone, Just wanted to say thank you to all who came out and visited our porches this past Saturday. Every porch reported a steady stream of people from all parts of the neighborhood, and it was a blast. Great conversations happened, ranging from getting to know new people, touching base with old friends (sometimes from quite awhile back because paths hadn't crossed in awhile!), and making new connections for working together on all kinds of things!
Lee Garner and I visited Pam Fernsler at 5339 Walnut - she is the block captain there, and is very interested in being part of whatever we do in the future. It would be nice for us to build ties that far west. She let us know that the building on 54th and Walnut has been bought by Drexel to house students, which is really interesting to me.... They are busy re-habbing their house so Lee had a great time taking a tour and seeing what had been done. Lee and I also visited 4600 Larchwood, where there was a roaring party gong on - amazing to see how many people were out. As we were leaving, Carl Ballinger, the organizer, declared to the whole crowd that they will throw in with us for next year's International Neighbor Day, and invite adjoining blocks to make it even huger. and become a destination on the Porch Hop map. I'm really excited that the momentum is already taking off. Lee saw friends he hadn't seen in years! Lee and I then went to the blocks on S. St. Bernard, and made connections for our work lives with people we had never met before, and had a great time! Fran Berge and I made the rounds to Anne Marie and Algernong's porch later, and enjoyed Canadian food and great conversations with Anne Marie's mom and other great neighbors, and then ended up on 4811 Chester at the home of 8 freshly graduated college students who are all friends, and really had fun sharing why we are in this neighborhood, and why they will love it too! Very smart, accomplished and wonderful folks! Found lots of connections for working together on things both in the community and in our work lives..... SO: We are definitely on for next May's International Neighbor Day Porch Hop! And maybe some other events before then..... will send a follow-up email about that later.... Yay! Yours, Patty
