Get Ready - Fun Fridays are Busting Loose in July!
Written by Tim Buckley, June 2025
Ramp it up!
Dial it in!
Fun Fridays are happening again!
As COVID began to drive us into our shelters, CBEL found a way to bring us back together, creating safe, fun and functional neighborhood events, beginning in 2020.
In each of the last five years, the number of individuals and families attending Fun Fridays has increased. Families come to meet, eat, play and be resourced, finding new friends and social connections in a relaxed outdoor setting.
Each year, the number of Neighborhood Family Councils (NFC) has grown, from one in 2020 to five this year. The synergy among councils has also grown, so partnerships in hosting Fun Fridays have resulted in teaming up to host events.
Here’s the JULY 2025 FUN FRIDAY schedule, 4:30 to 7:30 each day:
July 11 - The Hallman/Northgate & Washington Councils will host you in Northgate Park
July 18th – Highland (with other NFC volunteers) hosts at Salem Evangelical Church
July 25th – Kennedy & Cummings host at St. Edward Church
Through the Lens of Volunteers
Ron Berkley, Vice-Chair of the Kennedy NFC, said he is naturally shy and couldn’t imagine five years ago that he would be a neighborhood leader. His interest in the neighborhood stems from his love of, and concern for, children.
“I’ve come to see that it really only takes a few leaders to make a difference,” he said. The Council investigates what we can do, how we can do better by teaming up, how that supports the health of the neighborhood, and how we can better assure that our kids are not left behind. The Fun Fridays and other events we host are examples.”
“Being involved in the Council work has changed me and helped me to grow in different ways. My focus has always been on the family, and that focus has broadened as my experience of helping others has grown.”
“When I share my personal story with those who haven’t experienced hardship in the same way I have, it breaks down barriers between us as it builds trust and a mindset of inclusion.”
“Being a volunteer has become kind of like a magnet for others to come out and join us. So, I find myself at the grill at Fun Fridays, spending quality time with other neighbors on the cooking and serving crew. I’ve gotten to know the Mayor of Keizer and the Chief of Police that way, too, and those relationships are important to me, and not just when we need support from the city.”
Leslye Garcia Quevado was a neighborhood volunteer before becoming a CBEL staff member. Her experience networking with families caught the attention of Lisa Harnisch, Director of the Marion-Polk Early Learning Hub, who then hired Leslye full time as a READY! For Kindergarten Coordinator.
Leslye, who helped coordinate Fun Fridays in the past, now regularly attends the events as an ambassador for the Early Learning Hub, which provides fun activities for kids and important resources for families. Currently service as a CBEL partner, Leslye also sits on the CBEL’s communications committee.
“Fun Fridays are important events, because parents can easily connect to free and low-cost resources to help their young children. The Hub is one of more than 40 nonprofits that show up at each event.”
“We offer parent classes geared for early literacy, social/emotional wellbeing, and kindergarten readiness. We help families become their children’s first teacher, engaging them with activities and books appropriate for each stage of children’s development. We’re also a local source for free books through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program and books provided at events and the local Little Free Libraries.”
“The Neighborhood Family Councils are an important link for nonprofit organizations like ours, because they have established trusted relationships with hundreds of families. That trust opens doors for us in neighborhoods where personal relationships are key to gaining access and confidence. Likewise, it gives families in need access to resources that improve their lives and the opportunities for their children.”
