Neighborfest brings Lynners together

LYNN – Mark Dejoie went to the third annual “Neighborfest” last year because he received a Facebook invite and was curious.?I wanted to check it out and see what it was all about,” Dejoie, who brought along his wife Lisa to the event, said. “It was a lot of fun.”Dejoie had so much fun that he decided to go again at Thursday night?s fourth annual Downtown Lynn Neighborhood Association Neighborfest at Tatiana?s restaurant on Market Street.?It?s an exciting event,” Lisa Dejoie said while the couple enjoyed cocktails and met new Lynn residents.Downtown Lynn Neighborhood Association exists to explore the unique attractions of the Lynn community, promote the neighborhood and to foster interaction between residents and businesses within downtown Lynn and surrounding areas. It also provides a forum for discussion of neighborhood matters in order to promote the community, its activities and interests and to act as a voice to represent the interests of downtown residents.The organization?s founder Seth Albaum fondly remembers the huge success of the first Neighborfest. “The place was packed. It seemed like everyone in Lynn was in the restaurant,” Albaum said. “It surprised us. It was very overwhelming.”Due to the success of the first event, the organization sticks to a similar formula every year. “We always have it at Tatiana?s and we always do a fundraiser for a Lynn organization,” Albaum said.This year the association is raising money for SPIN, which attempts to provide quality care to families, children and young parents in Lynn. It does this by teaching three core elements: empowerment, understanding and education.?We thought that SPIN is so well known in the community that this year had to be about them,” Downtown Lynn Neighborhood Association board member Cheryl Ransom said. “They do such great work in the community.”The night featured raffles of local Lynn artists? works, food and drinks and a preview of Arts After Hours? upcoming play “I Love You, You?re Perfect, Now Change!”?Tonight is about getting people to meet other Lynn residents as well as getting to know the downtown area,” Albaum said. “It is am informal way to meet people. You don?t have to wear a tie here. It is all in the name. It?s ?Neighborfest.?”The association also strives to put out a positive image of downtown Lynn. “Lynn still has a negative reputation,” Ransom said. “When I tell people I am from Lynn they are like ?Oh.? We are here to show people that Lynn does have a great community and friendly, amazing people.”The night also featured Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy honoring MBTA Lt. Commander Robert E. Lenehan for his work with the association.?He is great. He helped us set up an organized community meeting between the Lynn Police, the MBTA and us. He always says to call him if we need him and he means it,” Ransom said.Lenehan has focused a lot of his attention on making the Lynn commuter rail station a safer place. “For awhile, it was a scary place. At night it would be very dark and had there was no one there. It was like from a scene from a horror movie,” Lenehan said. “I knew we had to make it more inviting.”Lenehan helped to get more lights for the station as well as cameras and clean up the station by clearing up graffiti. “They were small changes but it made a psychological difference,” he said. “I just want people to feel more safe.”The changes have seemed to work. “In terms of the MBTA, Lynn has one of the lowest amounts of crime in a station,” he said.For Lenehan, it makes sense to work so closely with the association. “They are my eyes and ears,” he said. “I can?t be everywhere.”The Downtown Lynn Neighborhood Association just wants people to have fun and enjoy themselves. “There is so much going on in Lynn,” Albaum said. “We want to share it with people.”Sara Brown can be reached at [email protected].