Saturday’s combined fall block party and Latino Health Fair saw large turnout from the community Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m, with clear, fair weather.
The event — planned by St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Lebanon Family Health Services, Making a Difference of Lebanon, PA, and the Chestnut Street Community Center — offered free food, crafts, entertainment, and health vendors promoting their services.
This is the second year of the St. Luke’s fall block party, but the first year it has combined with the Latino Health Fair.
“It was full last year and I think it’s going to be even fuller this year,” said Cornell Wilson of Making a Difference of Lebanon PA. He added that his favorite part of the event was “that the kids and the families can come out and have fun, get candy, do different activities, get food and a night of fun and safety.”
At 6 p.m. sharp, Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello started the evening’s entertainment roster by reading from Visit Lebanon Valley’s The Adventures of Lebanon Lilly, with Spanish translation read by Jessica Medina.
Read More: Lebanon Lilly book now available for purchase and borrowing
Members of St. Luke’s choir and music staff also provided live music for kids through the night, performing numbers from Frozen, Moana, Wicked, and more. Some acts were accentuated by a fog machine.
Attendees could count on being well fed, with St. Luke’s providing sweet treats like cupcakes and candy, rice and beans, hot dogs, and more.
Health vendors included Domestic Violence Intervention, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Lebanon Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center, SNAP, and more.
The Latino Health Fair has been ongoing for over 20 years, said Maggie Progin of Community Health Council.
“Health is at the heart of who we are and what we do, and it makes us able to function,” Progin said. “It’s really important that we’re feeding the community’s health and making sure that they’re thinking of how they can move forward and address their health needs, and where they can get services free or low cost in our community.”
Vendors were set up with information available in English and Spanish, with Progin noting that over 46 percent of downtown Lebanon resident’s are Hispanic and many primarily speak Spanish.
“We want to make sure that they’re understanding their health needs and they’re able to know what is happening for them in their language so that they can feel comfortable,” said Progin.
Steven Doster, senior warden at St. Luke’s, said planning started in March, with a focus on “letting folks meet their neighbors and meet the organizations that are here to serve them.”
Several community organizations are based near 6th and Chestnut, where the block party was held, such as several churches, the Christian Ministries Fresh Start Shelter and the IU13 program, which are housed inside the Chestnut Street Community Center.
The historic St. Luke’s church was open to the public during the block party.
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