COLD LAKE – Hot dogs were handed out, kids were laughing, and freezies were melting fast in the hands of happy families at Lefebvre Heights Park on July 17, as Cold Lake and District FCSS hosted a Neighbourhood Block Party.
From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the park was filled with community spirit. Children played games while adults mingled and relaxed under the warm summer sun, all part of FCSS’s ongoing mission to foster strong neighbourhood bonds.
“It’s really about community connectedness. And when people know each other, it increases safety as well,” said Kim Schmitz, manager of Cold Lake and District FCSS.
The block party is part of a broader FCSS initiative to encourage residents to connect face-to-face, especially in a time dominated by screens and isolation. “We’re just encouraging a resurgence of disconnecting to connect,” Schmitz said.
Every year, FCSS selects a different location for a block party, often choosing neighbourhoods where few residents have hosted their own. “Every year we choose a new location . . . in an area where there hasn’t been an uptake really for a while,” she explained.
The events are also a way to showcase what FCSS has to offer.
“We’re here to promote FCSS programs, but we’re just here to promote people getting to know other people as well,” she said. “Hopefully those conversations and that neighbourliness carries on after we leave. That’s the purpose.”
From showcasing their equipment loan program to reimbursing up to $150 for residents who want to host their own neighbourhood get-togethers, FCSS is putting its community-first philosophy into action.
“You can say it’s important to do all sorts of things, but you need to practice what you preach,” Schmitz said.
The turnout included people of all ages enjoying a free meal and fun.
“I think people are super surprised that they can come and have a meal and just enjoy the things that we bring,” she added.
