A Joyful Day at the Kilbourne Place Block Party: Community, Crafts, and Conservation 🌿🎨
Yesterday was an incredible success at the Kilbourne Place block party! The day was filled with art, music, and beautiful moments shared with the Mount Pleasant community. We had an amazing turnout at our craft table where children painted wooden ornaments that will be hung in the Colombian rainforest we helped protect. It was truly a celebration of what we’ve achieved together.
The night before the block party, my project partner, Ian, came by my house so we could prepare for the event. I’m so grateful for his positive energy and sense of humor, especially first thing in the morning! He even took a quick trip to the Mount Pleasant farmers market to grab us pastries and coffee while I finished gathering the last of the supplies.
By 11 AM, we were set up at the block party, right next to the bounce house and across from the ping pong table. A special shout-out to my neighbor, Bri-yanna Pakete, who lent us an extra table! We used it to display information about our rainforest project and laid out the beautiful finished ornaments to dry. We also had a shorter table (perfect for kids!) where we set up paints and brushes, and it quickly became the neighborhood craft station. Over 20 children came by to create mini works of art with us!
The atmosphere was lively, thanks to Frank, who ran the stage. He kept the energy high with fun music and welcomed several local musicians to perform throughout the day. I especially loved how Frank would jump on the microphone now and then to remind everyone to keep the block clean and beautiful. It was such a thoughtful touch that added to the positive vibes of the event.
One of the most fulfilling parts of the day was meeting the curious kids and their parents. I had the chance to share with them that this craft table was a way of celebrating our success in protecting 10 acres of land in Colombia, while also thanking the Mount Pleasant neighborhood for their unwavering support over the last year and a half. It was so rewarding to tell our story and see how our project continues to unfold and grow. I’m hopeful that some of the conversations we had, especially with folks like Tim, a teacher at Carlos Rosario Public Charter School, will lead to future collaborations and even bigger donations as we finalize our fiscal sponsorship and work toward our 501(c)(3) status.
A special moment came when the number of kids wanting to paint was more than we could handle, and a generous mom named Fabiola jumped in to help. She sanded down the wooden ornaments to make sure the edges were safe, and her two children painted with us as well. It was such a kind gesture, and it reminded me why I love this community so much—everyone pitches in when they see a need. This spirit of collaboration is exactly what I hope to instill in kids through this project. When we see a need, we step up, and together, we can make a difference.
Ian was fantastic throughout the day, bringing his violin and taking the stage with me to play music for the crowd. He played folk songs, original tunes, and even improvised kids' songs about rainforest animals! The kids loved it, and we had the whole crowd participating, clapping, and singing along.
Later in the day, my amazing boyfriend, Norman, joined us and jumped right in to help the kids paint their ornaments. Norman was essential in making this project possible. Earlier in the week, he donated wooden ornaments for the event, but when they didn’t arrive in time, he went above and beyond. The day before the event, we went to the hardware store, he bought a power saw, and the store gave us scrap wood. That evening, Norman cut the wood into small pieces for the kids to paint, ensuring we had everything we needed. He also provided the poster board that we used to share information about the project. I’m so thankful for his generosity and love—he made the entire craft project possible!
As someone who loves arts and crafts, I was well-prepared with all the supplies, from paints and brushes to tiny palettes and towels. I even had a spray bottle with soap and water for helping the kids wash their hands after painting. I pride myself on always being ready to jump into a craft project, and yesterday was no exception!
I also had the chance to meet new friends, like Carmelle, one of the singers who performed. While her son played in the bounce house, we connected over our shared background in Latin American indigenous folk practices. I’m excited to see where that new friendship will lead!
As the day wrapped up, Ian’s friend, Alex, helped us bring everything back home. We had some great conversations about the Protecting Mother Earth conference and his work with indigenous communities through the United Nations. It’s inspiring to meet so many people who are taking action to protect our planet.
We raised nearly $200 in donations at the event, and they’re still coming in! We’re looking forward to announcing our next steps soon and will be celebrating Indigenous People’s Day tomorrow with some special posts. We’re also planning a raffle of handmade crafts from Putumayo in the coming weeks to help us reach our final fundraising goal of $13,000 by Christmas. Currently, we’re about $6,000 shy, so there’s still plenty of work ahead, but with the support of this amazing community, I know we’ll get there.
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us yesterday. Your generosity and enthusiasm keep this project alive and growing, and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together next!
