Looking forward to fall festival
It was great fun to read Mark Zimmaro’s detailed report on the return of the annual outdoor block party and fall festival on Saturday, Sept. 30, to raise money for HIV/AIDS service organizations (“Anniversary party for Philly AIDS Thrift,” Sept. 6).
The article reports that the festivities will be held on that date from noon to 6 p.m. on the 700 block of S. 5th Street and E. Passyunk Avenue. This event is sponsored by Philly AIDS Thrift, located at 710 S. 5th St. and co-founded by executive director Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou.
Zimmaro describes the many activities planned for that special event, including live music, games, food, a celebrity dunk tank and craft vendors. It will be emceed by award-winning DJ Robert Drake.
There will even be a pie-eating contest emceed by CBS 3’s Jim Donovan. Also a rope jumping competition. Sounds like fun.
What a thrilling way to kick off the Halloween season while raising money for a vital cause. Here’s hoping the weather cooperates and a large crowd shows up. Good luck to all the volunteers.
Gloria C. Endres
Hope for kids
Twelve-year-old Hezekiah Bernard’s homicide in West Philadelphia was extremely disturbing, disgraceful, horrific and disgusting. For the Philadelphia Police to find out days later that a young person’s body is in a Dumpster is insane.
All Philadelphia, Pennsylvania youth organizations need to come together to promote less negativity with our youth. Less criticism and more uplifting messages to the young people need to happen daily. The energy of competing with a young person is not the way to go about things.
There needs to be way more hope and encouragement for youth, not a generational divide. Parents of all children should be on top of what their kids are doing especially if they feel a vibe of their child being involved with wrong decisions.
Having more patience with our youth and not being hands up/stand offish is the most effective method of communication our youth need in this new generation world we are in today.
Alim Howell
