Editorializing about Kids and Community

La Casa Chica provides a good vantage point from which to make sense of efforts going on in the broader community, as relate to kids.  Click here to read what I had to say about the recent Children's Movement rally that took place here in Sarasota.

Rebirth of the Beach Caravan

This summer, neighborkids discovered some of the special history of our Central-Cocoanut neighborhood and Newtown community.  They found out about the 1955 beach caravan, which was started and led by our neighbors, which ultimately resulted in Sarasota becoming a county with all beaches open to all people.  Click here to read an article that explains this special history.

This month, neighborkids have been busy creating their own version of the beach caravan.  They've spent hours and hours making signs and spreading the word throughout the neighborhood.  

When Mr. Ned and his family found out about it, they said they wanted to be a part too.  They offered to contribute their limousine for the day!  

Kids helped to get stuff ready for the big day...even some kids who did not actually go on the caravan!

And then it happened.

  

  

History reborn.

Hanging Out as Neighbors

Kids went back to school last month, and less than a month later, it feels like getting back together here on the block is already long overdue!  On Friday, Dalisha and Dareeona asked if "the girls" could get together like we used to, which of course meant we needed to go pick up Holly, who now lives five  miles away from our block on 15th Street but will always be a Central-Cocoanut neighbor at heart.  Phone service was down, so we weren't able to call ahead.  Fortunately when we dropped by her house she was there and able to come over, so the four of us headed back to the block on 15th Street.  Can you tell by the level of silliness how excited the girls were to see each other again?
  

Back home in Central-Cocoanut, the girls got busy creating a celebration - baking pizza, making tea and lighting candles.  Then Dalisha said it was time for a toast.  She explained that "a toast is when we cheer each other after you get done saying something that you really want to say."  

So here's what everybody's toasts were tonight:

"A toast to the girls night!"

"Cheers for the Cheetah girls!"

"Happy to see Miss Allison!"

"Happy to see Holly, Dalisha, and Darry!"

"To a great school year for all of the Neighborhood Scavenger Hunters!"

A few days later, it was the boys who stopped by - Quay and others who dropped in to reconnect.  

Dropping by, hanging out, with no agenda, just to say hello -- this is what it means to be neighbors.