WHYY and Lewes Public Library bring community together at end-of-summer neighborhood block party

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About 400 people filled the backyard pavilion outside of Lewes Public Library on Saturday morning to attend an end-of-summer neighborhood block party hosted by WHYY and the library.

The family-friendly event featured lawn games, music, giveaways, arts and crafts, and other hands-on activities. It also gave attendees an opportunity to meet local organizations and learn about community resources.

Increasing presence in Sussex County

Gianna Tripodi-Bhise, who oversees foundation and corporate relations and events for WHYY, said the block party was a way to build a stronger relationship with communities in Sussex County, Delaware.

“We have a lot of listeners and viewers in this county, and we want to be here more. We keep hearing from people, everywhere we’re going around the state: ‘Come back to be here more,’” Tripodi-Bhise said. “Today’s event is an opportunity to be out here.”

Much of that work is funded by a grant from the Longwood Foundation, she said, and more WHYY events will be coming to the county.

She also said meeting people face to face is part of the organization’s mission.

“We are supported by the community and we’re for the community. That’s why it’s public media,” Tripodi-Bhise said.

Bringing together community

The library is one of the few places left where everyone is welcome, said Jill DiPaolo, the library’s director.

“That’s hard to find in life,” DiPaolo said. “And when you bring everybody from all walks of life together in one space, that’s when the magic happens, I think. And that’s why the library is such a great magical space, especially for community events like this.”

A big draw for the youngest attendees was a screening of WHYY-TV’s “Albie’s Elevator,” and a live interactive performance and storytime session with “Albie” herself. Library staff also sang songs and assisted Albie with the performance.

“Any time you have a big, big character come to life for kiddos, it’s just really fun and exciting,” DiPaolo said.

Attendees munching on treats from Philly Pretzel Factory and Frios Gourmet Pops had the opportunity to explore the interiors of various community vehicles, including a school bus, fire engine and U.S. Postal Service truck. The Lewes Junction Railroad & Bridge Association also offered tours of the Red Caboose, a 1917 Pennsylvania Railroad cabin car stationed outside the library.

“At some level, what child doesn’t like a train? And especially a caboose,” said Andrea Brock, a member of the association’s board of directors.

Brock said attending events like the block party can help encourage children to learn more about history and their community.

“If you can introduce them to that via something like a bright red caboose, then that’s wonderful. It gets them enthused about making the connection between themselves and their lives in the wider world,” Brock said. “Who knows what it’ll lead to for them?”

Historic Lewes, the local historic society, offered attendees temporary sailor tattoos, which connect back to the city’s maritime history.

“Most of the people 250 years ago, during the age of the American Revolution, were somehow connected to the water. They lived beside it. They worked upon it. They ate food from it,” said Ryan Schwartz, the director of interpretation at Historic Lewes. “This maritime culture was very much alive here.”

Representatives from Cape Henlopen State Park led educational activities about animals found in the park, and the library’s chapter of Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots, a teenager-led environmental organization, were on hand to teach attendees about composting.

DiPaolo also said getting to serve the community is important for the library, and she hopes children and families attending the event were able to walk away with positive feelings.

“It’s nice to have an experience like this where people are together, and you really don’t need to spend any money to make that happen,” DiPaolo said.

Open conversation at the Lewes Public Library

The Lewes Public Library has worked with WHYY before. It hosted a community discussion in May as part of the ongoing Bridging Blocks series, which takes place in libraries throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The project aims to create open civic dialogue on a wide range of complex and potentially divisive issues, including public transportation, immigration and mental health.

Anthony Cuffie, senior manager of community engagement at WHYY, said the block party was the result of May’s Bridging Blocks discussion, which invited community members to reflect on the meaning of democracy as the United States approached its 250th anniversary.

“We wanted to figure out a way to bring the community together, and at the same time, have them have a better understanding of what WHYY represents, and the value of public media. And this was a perfect setup,” Cuffie said.

The library will be hosting a Bridging Blocks discussion in September on how social media is reshaping news, civic life and public understanding.