‘Focus is the kids’ for annual party of Neighbors Who Care
By BRIANNA SADLER, Staff WriterArticle Photos
STEUBENVILLE - The threat of rain didn't stop the party on the 1300 block of Maryland Avenue Saturday when the LaBelle Neighbors Who Care put on their annual neighborhood celebration.
Vicki May, president of the LaBelle Neighbors Who Care, said she couldn't have asked for a better 10th year.
"We'll probably have a couple hundred people here throughout the day," May said, adding that nearly 88 people had already been out at the start of the celebration at noon.
The LaBelle Neighbors Who Care is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1997 to address neighborhood safety issues and to promote a safe place for children to play.
"The main focus of our annual party is the kids," May said. "We just want to give them nice day."
This year's party, May noted, is dedicated to the memory of one of the organization's founders, the late Dianne Wilimer.
"This year's party is dedicated to her memory," May said. "She ran this party the last four or five years. It's what kept her going the last few years of her life."
Executive board member and treasurer Juanita Swearingen added that Wilimer put a lot of herself into the community organization.
"Dianne was the backbone of this organization," Swearingen said. "When she was here, she did a whole bunch of stuff that people weren't aware of. She would clean up the neighborhood and help people out financially if they needed it. She would talk to the kids, in her healthier days, and keep them out of trouble. They had a lot of respect for her."
This year's party included free food, music and giant inflatable rides.
Participants could also enroll in the Nintendo Wii challenge and show off their talent during the talent contest.
"The party helps the community to come together and gives the children a place where they can have fun," Asantewa Anyabwile said.
Anyabwile also noted that the organization could not have put the party together without the help of other local organizations.
"We really want to thank Rev. Everett Mitchell from the Tower of Power church. His congregation has donated materials and their time. We also couldn't have done this without the help of the New Hope Chapel and Mother Bass, Patty West and Councilman Greg Metcalf," Anyabwile said.
The party continued until 6 p.m., and plans for next year's block party festival are already underway.
"We're hoping it keeps getting better and bigger," Swearingen said.
(Sadler may be contacted at bsadler@heraldstaronline.com.)
