Better Together Block Party celebrates the community in style

By Ian Swaby
| 11:30 a.m. April 6, 2024

Snowden Mowry, 11, paints a "Better Together" mural on the digital graffiti wall.

Sarasota
Neighbors

Megan Howell, CEO of Second Heart Homes, said the Better Together Block Party by Gulf Coast Community Foundation proved true to its name.

At the event, which was held April 4, she found attendees were joining together effortlessly for the origami activity she was overseeing at the Health & Human Services table.

Those who had never done origami before were quickly becoming teachers for others, and by the end of the event, she was able to proudly display an origami collage.

"I think it was amazing. I couldn't have done it without everybody coming by and being curious," she said. "It was a community effort, and we are better together."

The collage was just one one of the sights at the event, which also featured bubble performers, a butterfly release, live music by Jah Movement and more.

The occasion marked the foundation's second year of hosting the block party-style event on State Street, which celebrates the ways community organizations are transforming Sarasota.

"It really provides access for folks who maybe otherwise wouldn't have access to the Community Foundation, so it is a way for us to either create new bonds or build stronger bonds," said Philip Lanham, CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

Matt DeMasi, Vince Marino, Sam Jeffcoat, Elizabeth Moore, Dom Marino and Jon Thaxton. Event guests created a stack of over 100 vertical oyster gardens for Oyster Boys Conservation.

London Walsh, 8, Jaxon Walsh, 13, CJ Walsh, 9 and Kendall Walsh, 11.

Megan Howell and Jennifer Johnston stand beside an oragami collage created by guests at the event.

Piper Borgia-Howard, 5, chases a bubble, as Emilie Campos looks on.

Denise Kowal and Bill Baranowski marvel at the bubbles.

Butterfly farmer Cathy Strong performs a butterfly release with Jayden Toth, 7, of Sarasota and Althea Stetler, 10 and Matthew Stetler, 5, of North Port.

Marley McDonald, 4, releases a butterfly.

Emory Arthur, 7 and Ellie Arthur, 9 perform a science experiment at the Suncoast Science Center table.

Snowden Mowry, 11, paints a "Better Together" mural on the digital graffiti wall.

Blaise Ryndes of Spheres Bubble Show, a Tampa-based business featured on America's Got Talent.

Ken Parrish, Jennifer Wilson, Harriet Thompson and Gigi Sanchez peform an oragami activity at the Health & Human Services table.

Maeve McLean, 2, Jack McLean, 3, and Beth McLean, enjoy some popcorn on the sidelines.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.