COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Residents of Colorado Springs’ University Park neighborhood came together Saturday for food, fellowship and fun. The community event was part of the city’s 1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings initiative.
The block party featured food trucks, line dancing, cornhole, horseshoes, a bicycle parade and more.
Debbie Menza and a group of neighbors volunteered to organize the event, which Menza said is aimed at helping build a resilient community.
“Statistics show that if you know one of your neighbors, you’re not going to be lonely,” Menza said. “The whole idea is to bring neighbors together. After COVID, people might have been stuck at home, but the idea is to just come together and enjoy the beautiful place we live in.”
Mayor Yemi Mobolade also attended the party and joined in the line dancing, citing research that shows knowing just six people from your neighborhood can dramatically improve your mental health.
“When you look around this park you see a lot of chatter, laughter, smiles and it’s just wonderful to be in this community, that’s what this place is all about,” Mobolade said.
The U.S. Surgeon General released a report last year detailing the epidemic of loneliness and isolation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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