IT IS A BLOCK PARTY.

AND THE DATE IS SET: AUGUST 15TH.

Hey everyone,

This is my invitation to help kick off the COMMITTEE for very first block party I’ve ever been involved in, from a committee standpoint.

Hey — there’s a first time for everything.

Why am I doing this?

A lot of reasons.

Why are you being invited?

Because at some point, we connected.

Maybe you took amazing photos of one of our properties.
Maybe I bought a beer from your convenience store.
Maybe you helped organize the community garden behind my home.
Maybe we crossed paths through business, neighborhood work, hospitality, or simply life in Cleveland.

Whatever the reason — the connection mattered.

And somewhere along the way, I probably mentioned that a block party was coming.

Well… now it’s real.

Jennifer Schwelik from Story Church and I are officially inviting you to help launch the committee for what might become:

“The Best Block Party in Northeast Ohio”

(working title… open to better ideas)

Join us for an afternoon of:

Burgers or Tacos
Refreshments
Ideas
Conversation
Community
And the beginning of something meaningful

📍 Location

SWJ Edgewater XIV
Back Deck
2014 West 100th Street
Cleveland, Ohio

📅 Planning Kickoff Meeting

Sunday, May 17th

Schedule

1:30 PM — Arrival & informal gathering
2:15 PM — Official planning session begins
3:15–3:30 PM — Wrap-up, next steps, Zoom cadence, and open mingling

Weather Plan

If the weather cooperates, we’ll gather outside on the deck.
If not, we’ll use the dining room inside the property.

Bring Whatever You’d Like

Food.
Ideas.
Energy.
Stories.
Neighbors.
Yourself.

Your presence is what counts.

The Catalyst Behind This

Story Church at Madison
Jennifer Schwelik
SWJ Affordable Boutique Stays – Cleveland
City of Cleveland Special Events Department

The Goal

To promote:

True neighborhood connections
Knowledge sharing
Good vibes
Civic engagement
Prosperity
Real conversations that become real friendships

The Agenda for the Afternoon

Jennifer has already started organizing the framework for the planning session, including:

Reviewing the block party proposal
Reviewing city requirements for hosting a block party
Brainstorming what creates meaningful neighborhood connection
Discussing budget needs, realities, and priorities
Establishing cadence for Zoom and in-person planning meetings
Building momentum toward August 15th together

A grant has already been secured.

And with election season around the corner, this feels like the right time to strengthen relationships, connect neighbors, and create something meaningful together.

So let’s go.

Join us for what will hopefully be a warm Cleveland afternoon — and let’s plan the best block party we can build together.

— Jay Silva
StayWithJay

RSVP by replying to this email, or by clicking on the link.