Clean Up Saturdays to National Night Out

In the 90s and early 2000s, Saturdays were cleaning days. My grandmother would wake us all up, give us a broom, and send us outside to pick up trash, pull weeds from the sidewalk cracks and sweep our porch. Growing up in Philadelphia not only meant that you shared walls with your neighbors, but it also meant that sometimes, the trash was abundant. However, the proximity of your neighbors made what I’ll now refer to as Clean Up Saturdays so much fun. 

Ms. Johnnie would make us treats and iced tea. My grandmom let us play with the hose. Ms. Karen would bring her dog out so we could play with it. It wasn’t just about cleaning, but about community, about the simple ways neighbors showed up for each other.

Fast forward to August 5, when I had the privilege of hosting National Night Out in Little Bohemia. As I looked around the street outside my home, I felt a wave of emotion. I thought about those block parties back in Philly. My grandmother taught us the Electric Slide, my friends and I jumped double dutch, and my cousin failed miserably at the hula hoop. And I realized that same spirit of togetherness is alive right here in West 7th. 

A few thank yous: 

• To the DeGidios Family, you are loved and appreciated. Thank you for once again keeping us full!
• To Ruth and the 620 Club, a summer event is not successful without water. Thank you for your continued donation to our hydration station, aka coolers, haha. 
• Thank you, Joe and the rest of the Get Up Mondays, for the AWESOME pop-up concert! Can we do that again next year, please? And to the lovely family who wished to share their music with us as well, please do come back. 
• Thank you, Wandering Leaf Brewery, for the gift card to allow us to give away to one lucky neighbor. 
• Thank you, Girl Scouts, for your generous donation of freezepops. 
• Last but not least, thank you to every neighbor who made this event possible and who shared their favorite treats with us. 

I want to say this: whether in Philadelphia or Little Bohemia, community starts with a good morning, a cup of coffee, or a shared joy of cleaning. As we head into another season, my challenge to you is to start something new in your community. Do you want to start a book club? Walking group? Craft night? You don’t need to be on a governing board or very extroverted like me to start something you enjoy and watch it grow.