The resilience of the McKees Rocks and many other community attributes were saluted Saturday, March 22, during WQED’s 11th annual Be My Neighbor Day, a celebration of kindness and what it means to be a caring neighbor.
The event, inspired by “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” – a beloved PBS KIDS series from Fred Rogers Productions – took place in two places: the Focus on Renewal’s Father Ryan Arts Center and the McKees Rocks Borough Council Building.
The goal of Be My Neighbor Day is to foster diverse community-building by encouraging families to connect with each other and their neighbors while promoting a welcoming environment for everyone.
Planning for the event began in October and some 30 partners were involved in that work. While organizers received grant funding from PNC Bank to put the event together, community representatives decided what to do and what kinds of activities they wanted to have for family engagement.
Abha Vaishampayan, a learning neighborhood manager with WQED Education, said upward of 250 to 300 people attended Saturday’s event, despite less than ideal weather conditions.
“It went phenomenally well,” she said. “We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout. It was received really well.”
Vaishampayan said Daniel Tiger, who was on hand to meet and greet folks in the borough building, was a popular attraction.
“And kids really enjoyed the balloon artist and the cookie decoration because they got to eat the cookie afterward,” Vaishampayan said. “And face painting was a big hit.
“The weather was on and off, but people turned out. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves despite the weather.”
Photos by Lynne Deliman
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