| Community Event Unifies Neighborhood
Andrea Anderson-Lucas, Site Coordinator
Residents take part in a neighborhood event to stop community violence. |
In a park once plagued and overrun with illegal activities, hundreds of people gathered this summer to celebrate their work to make the community safer.
North Omaha Weed and Seed community residents and organizations have vowed to take a stand and send the message "Stop The Violence." Violence disrupts neighborhoods and destroys families, residents say, and they are no longer tolerating it in their communities or homes.
The Third Annual Communities United Against Violence neighborhood event was held on July 23 in Fontenelle Park to bring the community together in a unified, positive environment for the common goal of living in nonviolent neighborhoods. Sponsors for the day's activities included the North Omaha Weed and Seed site; the U.S. Attorney's Office; Project Safe Neighborhoods; the city of Omaha; the Mayor's Office; the Omaha Police Department; the Douglas County Probation Office, District 4; and Campfire USA. In addition, various private businesses in North Omaha donated money and products for the event.
This year's festivities, which attracted about 900 people, began with a prayer rally led by several North Omaha pastors and ministers. Next, a parade traveled through a major residential neighborhood within the target site and culminated at the park, where staff and volunteers had set up information booths, youth group entertainment, a fire hydrant party, rope climbing, an antigang video presentation, food and drinks, and other activities and resources for area residents. Omaha Police Chief Thomas Warren addressed the crowd with updates on enforcement operations and encouraged residents to continue their reporting and neighborhood restoration efforts. U.S. Attorney Michael Heavican, who had led the parade, encouraged the crowd not to give up hope in their efforts to stop violence. Residents openly demonstrated that they would not accept the kinds of criminal activities currently plaguing various neighborhoods.
During the past several months, a recent flareup of violent events in North Omaha has reinforced the need for continued initiatives, such as Weed and Seed, through which residents can join with community and faith organizations and law enforcement agencies to take back their neighborhoods. North Omaha Weed and Seed will continue to bring forth programs and events to educate residents and to help sustain the energy and drive to improve the community.
Next year, the North Omaha site hopes to double the number of people it drew this year to Fontenelle Park. The site wants to see a continued emphasis placed on prevention, intervention, and treatment programming available for next year and hopes to have more information available about ex-offender reentry programs, along with information about employment opportunities, job preparedness, and educational opportunities for area residents.
For more information, contact:
Andrea Anderson-Lucas
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