The events are the project’s chief summer program promoting peace in the community. The parties include free food and performances, according to the Rev. Jerome McCorry, the project’s president.
“We are talking about bringing new life to this school, to this community, to stopping the violence,” McCorry said. “We have planned a day of peace, but we want it to be a day that will spill over into the rest of our year.”
The extra events for the Westwood Community Parade and Block Party 4 Peace became a necessity for McCorry after Ronika Owens-Clemons was killed by accidental gunfire outside of Westwood Pk-8 School, 2805 Oakridge Drive. She was 15.
“Every time I look at this playground, I think of that 15-year-old young lady,” McCorry said. “We began to think about all the homicides, and we said, ‘You know what, let’s make a difference. Let’s do something first that we would remember, but second, that we would agree to live in peace.’ ”
The parade will begin at Thurgood Marshall High School at 10:30 a.m., and end at Westwood School, where the block party will begin at 11 a.m.. The party will go until 6 p.m. At 4 p.m. there will be a tribute to the victims of slayings in the area, followed by a pledge to peace by 100 area youths.
McCorry said previous parties this summer have been well-attended, and he is pleased with the way they have gone. The Westwood party will be followed by another party Aug. 21 in Northland Village.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-0743 or nwaggenspack@ DaytonDailyNews.com.
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