Maxwell Park Neighborhood News

by Sarah Hipolito

Party in the Park Maxwell Park Style! The Community Building Neighborhood Action Team (CBNAT) of Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council wanted to host a fun activity. Krista Gulbransen, Helen da Silva, Jose Dorado, and Rachel Michaelsen worked over a year to plan and execute our first all-neighborhood block party. Held Saturday, September 16, it was well worth the wait. We were blessed with a day of sunshine. About 400 people frolicked in the warm weather and enjoyed making new friends and reconnecting with neighbors. There was barbecue, singing, dancing, music, Figaro the miniature horse, bicycle repair, and a host of children's art and music activities. Many energetic and talented people played a part in the success of this day. I volunteered to set up a face-painting table. I'm not really into painting kid's faces, preferring to sit back and watch what they come up with on their own. A year ago, at the El Camile block party, eight-year-old Tori came onto my porch to check out the face painting. She looked around at the kids eagerly pushing their faces forward to receive their design, and set to work. Looking intently at each customer's face, she came up with ideas, asked permission, and then went to work. I watched her gently painting suns, moons, and Batman masks on the little ones. I know talent when I see it, and Tori surely had a gift. This year, I immediately thought of asking Tori if she would work with me again. I contacted her grandmother, my neighbor Mary Washington, and asked her to pass the message on. A week later, there was a note in my mailbox from Tori, letting me know that she was available to paint faces. She would spend the night with her grandmother so she would be closer to my house. We made a date, and I picked her up the next morning at 11 a.m. She was ready and waiting for me to show up. We bundled into the car, drove to the park, and set up our wares. She attracted quite a crowd of youngsters at our booth. Like last year, I just sat back and watched her work. Tori was busy all day. Each time I looked up, she was painting a different face. Tori did not practice age discrimination either she allowed adults to enjoy her work, too. Other children watched her and wanted to face paint. Perhaps next year Tori will be instructing a crew of apprentices. The park was filled with the sights and sounds of us singing, running, dancing, laughing, painting, playing, drumming, eating, giggling, chatting, swinging, jumping, relaxing, and enjoying the fellowship of good company. Special thanks to the CBNAT, Joe Davis, Jeremy Gluskin, Nancy Latham, Charlie Cartolano, Preston Turner, Monica Wilson, Jan Hetherington, Rachel Beser, Gail Murphy, Youth Uprising and all other contributors. Visit the Maxwell Park Neighborhood Council Web site, maxwellparknc.com.