Latest news with #communitycelebration
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Celebrating senior citizens of the Basin
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – The The Area Agency On Aging Of The Permian Basin brought out the red carper for senior citizens of the Permian Basin for Older Americans and Older Texans Month. Citizens and senior care facilities of the area were awarded for their commitment and impactful roles of the community. 'Well it's great because, you know, we're getting older but we're getting better,' said Mary Pallan, a senior resident at Midland Senior Center. Hundreds of residents gathered with friends and loved ones to celebrate their wisdom and friendship, and many of them look forward to the event growing even more in the future. 'My second year doing this and I love it,' said Esmeralda Abalos, with Visiting Angels. 'Each year it seems like its growing more and more, and its nice that our community comes together to help and celebrate them.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Menasha's Jefferson Park holds dedication for new pavilion & event space
MENASHA, Wis. (WFRV) – Jefferson Park in Menasha opened last year, but it's still celebrating some milestones. The Menasha community celebrated a dedication for the park's pavilion and event space on Thursday evening. The Cool Place in Pulaski seeks community help to stay afloat amidst business slowdown The celebration included live music and food trucks, as community members took advantage of some nice weather to go outside from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. A reconstruction on the boat launch nearby will also be conducted later in 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bexley schools to transport back in time with themed decade outfits to mark 60 years
Two schools in Bexley are preparing to celebrate 60 years of being open with a community-wide celebration of music, memories and decades of education. Set to take place on Friday, June 20 from 2.30pm, the event will see pupils from Joydens Wood Infant and Junior Schools, from Reception to Year 6, transported back in time through themed outfits and performances representing each decade since the schools opened in the 1960s. Deputy Head Mrs Emma Blake, who has been part of the Joydens Wood community for the past eight years, said the celebration would be a vibrant showcase of everything the schools stand for - creativity, togetherness, and joy. She told the News Shopper: 'The children will each be given a decade and dress in clothes inspired by that era. 'The staff are going to arrange activities linked to their decade. 'Then everyone will gather on the field for the main celebration.' The event will take place on June 20 (Image: Joydens Wood Infant and Junior Schools) The schools - located on Park Way in Bexley - pride themselves on offering more than just academics. The infant school, with its vision of being 'a happy and safe place to learn and grow,' fosters a purposeful environment where every child is supported to thrive. Its close-knit relationship with families and the wider community is mirrored by the junior school's focus on fun, challenge, and high expectations, helping children become confident, independent learners. To reflect the inclusive and festive nature of the event, families will be invited to collect their children an hour early and join them on the school field. Parents are encouraged to bring picnic blankets, with activities, decorations and performances awaiting them. Mrs Blake added: 'We're going to decorate the field with bunting. 'The children are making decorations themselves, and our head teacher will give a speech. 'Each class will perform a song from their decade.' The schools have invited the Mayor of Dartford and the local MP, who will help call a raffle during the event. There are also plans for a specially made cake, thanks to the catering team, which will be included in the raffle draw. The celebrations will bring together past and present, staff and students, families and local leaders - a fitting tribute to six decades of learning, laughter and growth in the heart of Bexley.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
This year's Haitian Flag Day festivities didn't happen in Montréal-Nord. Organizers want answers
Residents and workers at a Montréal-Nord community organization are seeking clarity after they say they felt the need to cancel the borough's annual Haitian Flag Day celebration. The event, which has been held in May every year since 2009 in the heart of the borough, was cancelled for the first time last weekend. The organizer, Café-Jeunesse Multiculturel, says it was informed by the borough that police did not want to provide security services, citing safety concerns for the area. But Roberson Berlus, a youth worker with the organization, says nothing has ever gone wrong during the festivities. He added that the free celebration offers various spaces for youth to play, as well as DJ sets, food and shows featuring Haitian artists. Although the event highlights the Haitian flag and culture, Berlus noted that it attracts over 3,000 people from different ethnic communities. Some even travel from other parts of the province, Ontario and the U.S. to attend. "That's really a bad thing for us because, yes, it's Haitian Flag Day, but it's everyone who participates," he said. Without the police presence they had every year prior, organizers decided to not go ahead with the festivities. Ultimately, the group reluctantly opted to cancel. Berlus emphasized that Montreal police are part of the community and should be present on that day, alongside everyone else. "We've been doing that since 2009, nothing ever happened. Why is it dangerous now?" he said. In a statement sent to CBC, Montreal police, known by its French acronym SPVM, said no safety notice had been issued for any sector of Montréal-Nord. The SPVM said it had not received a request from the organization to assign officers to Haitian Flag Day and it is "not up to the SPVM to authorize or cancel an event taking place in the public space." Police added the borough had not made a request neither, something the borough confirmed in a statement of its own to CBC News. "The SPVM has not received a 'request for collaboration' or 'authorization,' simply because neither the borough nor the organization is required to file such a request," wrote borough spokesperson Daniel Bussières. The borough spokesperson stated that, every year, it meets with the local police station to inform officers of upcoming summer events. According to the borough, the station suggested it would be easier to ensure the celebration's safety if it were held in a park rather than on the street. But Bussières said the organization maintained its intention to hold the event on Pascal Street, where it's traditionally been organized. "We agreed to this request. We gave the OK to the organization for street closures and assured them we would provide logistical support," the borough spokesperson wrote. Organizers maintain they were told by the borough that police were not going to provide security for the event. Haitian Flag Day is more than just a public gathering for the borough. It's linked to the memory of Fredy Villanueva, an 18-year-old whose fatal shooting by police during an altercation in 2008 sparked riots in the neighbourhood heightened tensions between the community and police officers. The first Haitian Flag Day celebration in Montréal-Nord took place in the spring following Villanueva's death. Ted Rutland, a Concordia University associate professor who specializes in urban security and policing, described those festivities as a community effort to come together in a difficult moment and to show that there is a lot of love and joy in the neighbourhood. "Montreal is a city that defines itself by its public life, public events, festivals, the way we occupy public space. And here we've got a case where they're saying: 'Montreal North doesn't get to do that,'" said Rutland. Slim Hammami, a co-ordinator with Café-Jeunesse Multiculturel, says the area where the festive gathering usually takes place is very stigmatized and that the community group hosts it for the youth and young adults to show that positive things can emerge from the neighbourhood. Hammami emphasized that the organization has no conflict with the SPVM and the police station, and even said it's "always had a good relationship" with them. "So we didn't quite understand the silence toward us," he said. He said residents and regular attendees have expressed frustration over the cancellation and are still wondering why the gathering was called off. "This festival also helps Montréal-Nord to be seen in a positive light," said Hammami, adding that he hopes Haitian Flag Day will return to the borough next year. "Citizens and young people taking part and getting involved in the festival, that's what they want too."
CBC
25-05-2025
- CBC
This year's Haitian Flag Day festivities didn't happen in Montréal-Nord. Organizers want answers
Social Sharing Residents and workers at a Montréal-Nord community organization are seeking clarity after they say they felt the need to cancel the borough's annual Haitian Flag Day celebration. The event, which has been held in May every year since 2009 in the heart of the borough, was cancelled for the first time last weekend. The organizer, Café-Jeunesse Multiculturel, says it was informed by the borough that police did not want to provide security services, citing safety concerns for the area. But Roberson Berlus, a youth worker with the organization, says nothing has ever gone wrong during the festivities. He added that the free celebration offers various spaces for youth to play, as well as DJ sets, food and shows featuring Haitian artists. Although the event highlights the Haitian flag and culture, Berlus noted that it attracts over 3,000 people from different ethnic communities. Some even travel from other parts of the province, Ontario and the U.S. to attend. "That's really a bad thing for us because, yes, it's Haitian Flag Day, but it's everyone who participates," he said. Without the police presence they had every year prior, organizers decided to not go ahead with the festivities. Ultimately, the group reluctantly opted to cancel. Berlus emphasized that Montreal police are part of the community and should be present on that day, alongside everyone else. "We've been doing that since 2009, nothing ever happened. Why is it dangerous now?" he said. Conflicting messages from police, borough In a statement sent to CBC, Montreal police, known by its French acronym SPVM, said no safety notice had been issued for any sector of Montréal-Nord. The SPVM said it had not received a request from the organization to assign officers to Haitian Flag Day and it is "not up to the SPVM to authorize or cancel an event taking place in the public space." Police added the borough had not made a request neither, something the borough confirmed in a statement of its own to CBC News. "The SPVM has not received a 'request for collaboration' or 'authorization,' simply because neither the borough nor the organization is required to file such a request," wrote borough spokesperson Daniel Bussières. The borough spokesperson stated that, every year, it meets with the local police station to inform officers of upcoming summer events. According to the borough, the station suggested it would be easier to ensure the celebration's safety if it were held in a park rather than on the street. But Bussières said the organization maintained its intention to hold the event on Pascal Street, where it's traditionally been organized. "We agreed to this request. We gave the OK to the organization for street closures and assured them we would provide logistical support," the borough spokesperson wrote. Organizers maintain they were told by the borough that police were not going to provide security for the event. Coming together after killing of 18-year-old boy Haitian Flag Day is more than just a public gathering for the borough. It's linked to the memory of Fredy Villanueva, an 18-year-old whose fatal shooting by police during an altercation in 2008 sparked riots in the neighbourhood heightened tensions between the community and police officers. The first Haitian Flag Day celebration in Montréal-Nord took place in the spring following Villanueva's death. Ted Rutland, a Concordia University associate professor who specializes in urban security and policing, described those festivities as a community effort to come together in a difficult moment and to show that there is a lot of love and joy in the neighbourhood. "Montreal is a city that defines itself by its public life, public events, festivals, the way we occupy public space. And here we've got a case where they're saying: 'Montreal North doesn't get to do that,'" said Rutland. 10 years after deadly police shooting sparked riots in Montreal North, how much has changed? Slim Hammami, a co-ordinator with Café-Jeunesse Multiculturel, says the area where the festive gathering usually takes place is very stigmatized and that the community group hosts it for the youth and young adults to show that positive things can emerge from the neighbourhood. Hammami emphasized that the organization has no conflict with the SPVM and the police station, and even said it's "always had a good relationship" with them. "So we didn't quite understand the silence toward us," he said. He said residents and regular attendees have expressed frustration over the cancellation and are still wondering why the gathering was called off. "This festival also helps Montréal-Nord to be seen in a positive light," said Hammami, adding that he hopes Haitian Flag Day will return to the borough next year.
