Looking Forward To Seeing You Tonight!

 As you must have heard via all my emails, Facebook and LinkedIn postings, Strycker's Bay will host COMMUNITY MATTERS a community networking event, this Thursday, January 20, 2011.  In an age of the social networking frenzy, Community Matters offers a throwback at networking in-person, with business cards, rather than Blackberries in hand, the forging of connections face-to-face, rather than on Facebook. I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. 

Recognizing the need for strong networks as non-profits and their communities struggle to keep existing resources and secure new ones, the Community Matters networking event is designed to bring together neighborhood residents and organizations. It will be an evening of empowering conversation, sharing of ideas, and promoting of partnerships that will strengthen the Upper West Side Community. This inaugural event is being held in the home of Councilmember Gale Brewer and her husband, Cal Snyder. 

The idea behind The Community Matters event is to foster connections and relationships within the community that can help strengthen non-profits like Strycker's Bay, through partnerships and alliances.  Meeting the people of Strycker’s Bay as a teen back in 1975 changed how viewed and connected with my neighbors and community. I did not know my own power or that of a community to effect change until then. I learned from Strycker's Bay how much community matters.

Engaging emerging leaders is as crucial to building and strengthening communities.  Tonight he Community Matters event serve as the backdrop for a very special award ceremony for The Third Annual Doris Rosenblum Youth Leadership Award to be presented by Councilmember Gale Brewer.  The teen recipients of the award this year, Diana Metz,  Lauren Howard, and William Breslau, have all shown exemplary leadership and growth within Strycker's Bay's LACASA After School Program.  

The award commemorates the memory of Doris Rosenblum, Executive Board member of SBNC, District Manager of Community Board 7 and Manhattan Borough Historian. Doris was leader and mentor to many. Her husband, Paul “Pete” Rosenblum and other family members are expected to attend.

I look forward to seeing you tonight at 6PM at The Home of Councilmember Gale Brewer,  29 West 95th Street.

Until the next post....

Kelley