A block party in Culliton Park this weekend will offer not only food, games and entertainment but a message: A call to take a stand against gun violence.
The “Peace in Our Streets” event will take place from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the park, 210 S. Water St., Lancaster.
It is a collaboration between SoWe, which organizes annual block parties for Lancaster’s southwest neighborhood; and The Kendall Movement, started by Lindsey Martin in honor of her fiancé, Kendall Cook, who was killed in a shooting in May 2021. Also helping out is the organization Pay It Forward.
The festivities will include music, a basketball tournament, children’s activities, free refreshments and booths set up by local nonprofits and community groups. There will also be speeches by community leaders and an open mic for those wishing to speak out against violence or share personal stories.
Martin organized a cookout in the park last year and hosts an annual Thanksgiving community meal to raise awareness of the toll that shootings take on families and the community.
Saturday, she said, will be a day “full of family fun, free food and, most importantly, honoring Kendell Cook and all those who have lost their lives or have been affected by gun violence.”
