<bt>Food. Music. Hot rods. Carnival games.
Those are things that people come to experience at a community fair. But for one community people came to experience something more important.
They came for the friendships.
They came to be a part of the community.
On Saturday, September 17, the Nauck community held a pride day at Drew Model School to commemorate the 79th anniversary of Nauck, a civic organization. Approximately 300 members of the community showed their support.
Portia Clark, who chaired the event, spent over five months getting the event ready for the neighborhood.
“The theme of [this day] is ‘connecting with those we serve,’” said Clark, who has been working on the committee for at least 10 years.
The theme of togetherness was apparent in all who were there. Two grandparents were there with their grandchild, young teenagers were there with their friends, parents were there with their children, and others were there to meet up with friends who they have not seen in a long time.
They were not there just for the food and games, but to be with people who have been part of that community for as long as they could remember.
“I am able to see people who I have not seen in a long time,” said Gwen Clark-Faulkner, who has lived in Arlington for 50 years. “I want to support the community.”
“There is friendship and camaraderie here,” said William Collins, whose family has owned a business in the community since 1947. “There is a good fellowship of people.”
Even younger people share the same values with the older generation.
“I want to chill with family and friends,” said Darius Wallace, a teenager who has been going to this Pride Day all his life. “I will be here all of my life and I want to keep those relationships.”
But the sense of community does not end with Pride Day. Nauck, with the help of Clark, will do more things throughout the year, such as events geared toward the youth population and being involved in local schools. There is also a community newsletter full of events and stories about the community that gets printed monthly called Nauck News & Views. For information on volunteering at an event, call Portia Clark at (703) 486-1075.