POTTSTOWN PA – The 300 block of King Street was blanketed Saturday (Oct. 21, 2023) by the blended sounds of music, conversations, and laughter (at top and below), as the YWCA Tri-County Area community block party closed that organization’s 2023 Week Without Violence annual observance.
Hundreds of people attended the event. Children savored treats and enjoyed games, while adults gathered information from local non-profits and vendors.
Representatives of the YWCA Dignity Kitchen were on hand (above), offering meal items prepared by cooks trained in its free workforce development program. At booths specifically intended for the young, kids picked up books (below), trivia knowledge, and snacks.
Anywhere one looked on the block, spaces were filled with banners, tables, and activities. Some guests in need sought immediate assistance. Others, planning ahead, asked vendors about services on which they might rely in the future. Thinking about potential emergencies, the YWCA even set up a first-aid training session in its offices on the corner of King and North Charlotte street.
YWCA CEO Stacey Woodland joined the crowd, recognizing faces, calling several visitors by name, and pointing others toward not-to-be-missed exhibits or helpful resources.
The party served as a celebratory ending to the organization’s annual anti-violence campaign. Participants say it creates awareness of, and seeks solutions for, acts of violence plaguing Pottstown and other municipalities.
One activity completed ahead of the block party was the restoration of a street art installation outside the YWCA’s offices at 315 King St. (right). The mural was created in 2021, was since partially worn away due to traffic and weather. Volunteers worked Thursday and Friday to repaint and refurbish it.
The YWCA national theme of this year’s observance, also reflected locally, is “Not On Our Screens, Not In Our Streets: A Movement Toward Violence-Free Communities.”
Photos by Travels With The Post
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