Our project was to host a Halloween Neighbourhood Event, to help promote a sense of belonging and connection within our area—a chance for neighbours to show pride and harmony with each other and their community.
We did this by having a block/street party which also included Pumpkin carving stations. Each family could choose a pumpkin and then either carve it or decorate it with markers, stickers, etc that were provided. The grant we received paid for pumpkins, hay, apples, decorations etc.
This event was planned with the creation of a neigbourhood planning committee. Donation letters were sent out to local businesses to ask for donations. Volunteers also contacted the City of Mission to apply for necessary permits, liability insurance etc. Flyers were created and distributed by volunteers to help promote the event. A sign up was also created to organize a team of volunteers to help set up, help at the event and clean up after.
What did we take away from this event? We learned that when people in a community come together with a common goal, great things can be accomplished. Many people that volunteered and also attended the event were very excited and appreciative of the event. Many people commented on wanting to be part of a similar event in the future. We also met some new neighbours who were excited to be a part of the event. From our calculations about 100 people attended the event!
Some of the challenges we faced were mostly weather related. The poor air quality due to forest fire smoke made it challenging for volunteers to distribute flyers. Rain was also forecasted for the day of our event so volunteers had to work hard to find enough pop-up tents to provide shelter.
Since our last Event in July 2022 the City of Mission has implemented a “Neighbourhood Spirit Program” which waives certain fees for small events, such as block parties. This implementation helps to reduce barriers for groups planning similar events. We are grateful to the City of Mission for this initiate.
Overall, we feel like our event was very successful and have received much positive feedback, including an online post in our local news magazine. We are very grateful for receiving this grant and look forward to applying again in the future.
Click the link below for the What’s On Mission online post about our event:
https://www.facebook.com/558730830843520/posts/5428824500500771/?sfnsn=mo
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