NASHUA, NH – Hundreds of neighbors, families, and friends attended the 4th Annual Tree Street block party on Saturday, June 15. Ash Street was blocked off and Mother Nature served up beautiful summer weather for the event. Add a DJ playing great tunes, a stack of donated bikes, an assortment of volunteers, professional wrestlers, and a handful of politicians and you get quite a party.
The event was a mix of fun and community outreach featuring representatives from local service agencies with music and entertainment. It was organized by Involved to Impact, a Nashua-based nonprofit group dedicated to local service and connecting the community.
St. Joseph Hospital mobile health clinic bus was on hand for tours and community outreach. The people from Bikes for Peace held a raffle and over 20 kids went home with donated bikes from the Dublin, NH-based group. Housing Councilors, social workers, and even PBS television’s Clifford the Dog were on hand to greet with the neighborhood.
Luis Porres and Sylvia Petuck hosted an information table with the Nashua Department of Health van. For the two long-time health department employees this was their third Tree Street block party. Along with professional public health credentials they are bilingual so Porres’s Spanish and Petuck’s Portuguese/Brazilian help them connect with those communities more effectively.
Porres said, “ This event helps us inform about the services that we have for the community, this is an opportunity for us to share what we do and connect with people.” He also noted they were happy to be there and enjoying the event. “This is great. We are doing community service, we are enjoying the weather and we are informing people”
Kendra Smith, owner of the Soel Sistas Cafe was operating her food truck and happily dispensing hot dogs to the crowd for free. She was at the block party to support the neighborhood and promote her FEED THE KIDS program. This is her fourth year of providing no-cost hot dinner-time meals to families of school-aged children throughout Nashua’s neighborhoods.
Hunger is an issue, especially in the summer when the school cafeterias are closed. She donates her time and kitchen working with donations of goods and dollars to fill the gap. She said, “We provide meals two times a week and three times a week if we get enough funding and feed 100 to 150 kids each time we head out”. Kendra welcomes all and any support she can get for this effort.
Many city and state officials, politicians, and candidates were spotted making the rounds, talking with constituents, and generally enjoying the day. Both rival candidates in the Democratic primary for the 2nd congressional district, Colin VanOstern and Maggie Tamposi Goodlander, attended and each spent considerable time at the event.
The biggest hit with the crowd was the professional wrestling matches presented by the New World Wrestling Supreme promotions. Kids screamed themselves hoarse, booed, and shouted with glee as the various heroes, villains, and tag teams flung themselves about the wrestling ring.
Ward 4 Alderman Tom Lopez, founder of Involved to Impact, surveyed the scene as the event was wrapping up with a satisfied look on his face. He estimated more than 300 people came through during the event. People connected, people had fun and the Tree Street Neighborhood resonated with pride for a wonderful day.
DAN SPLAINE – Photographer/Contributor
Nashua native Dan Splaine is a commercial photographer who creates images for businesses. A strong belief in the value of local independent journalism, his Nashua roots, and his extensive background in photojournalism make contributing to the NASHUA INK LINK a natural choice.
After working in dozens of countries and throughout the US on assignments Dan will happily go local and turn his lens to capture lives and living in the Gate City. You can see his work and learn about his photography services and workshops by going to his website.