Party Over Here!
NorthPark Neighborhood held its 5th Annual Neighborhood Pool Party at the HSU pool last Saturday and enjoyed a good time of swimming, eating, and getting to know new neighbors.
This past Saturday almost 70 NorthPark neighbors gathered at the HSU pool for a neighborhood swim party. Neighbors Jay and Wilma Barbian prepared briskets and smoked ham for everyone to enjoy while other neighbors brought side dishes and desserts. Len Bailey donated bread and d
onuts, and JD and Gene Atkins cooked beans and Mary Jo Petty made potato salad even though they couldn't attend the party, they said, "we just want to do our part". We discovered a neighbor Ann, new to coming to neighborhood events has wonderful secretary skills and showed up early to help set up, and made sure neighbors all felt welcome and got them signed in. The kids and adults had a wonderful time swimming and playing and of course eating. The best part of the party was the two neighbors new to NorthPark neighborhood who were welcomed and several senior adult neighbors who gathered all the non-swimming adults together around one table to talk, visit, learn about one another and to make the new neighbors feel welcome to the neighborhood. It was a beautiful sight to see neighbors bringing food to share with one another and being willing to pitch in to help set up and clean up, and old neighbors sitting around welcoming new neighbors. This was one of our smallest turn outs for the pool party for various reasons and because numerous families were out of town but it truly was one of the best parties we've had because it was a great neighborhood effort and fun time of fellowship! 
Hardin-Simmons Faculty, Staff and Students also helped contribute school supplies for the neighborhood children in attendance at the party. Each child and teen received a bag of supplies including pens, pencils, paper, notebook, folders and various other items such as crayons, rulers, erasers, etc. Thank you HSU for helping make sure our neighborhood kids have what they need to start back to school, and thank you NorthPark neighbors for preparing food and joining in the fun, and most especially for making Carol and Verna feel welcome to our neighborhood!