Block party brings Campbell residents together
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CAMPBELL -- The 19th-century writer, historian and Unitarian minister Edward Everett Hale once said, "Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."
That philosophical approach spoken more than 100 years ago seems to also foreshadow the series of stops along the path that has led to a festive, communitywide gathering in which camaraderie and fellowship were plentiful and bountiful.
"It was my mom's vision. Our goal is to make it bigger and better, and bring people together," Cassandra Walker of Charlotte, North Carolina, said, referring to a goal her late mother, Jerri Butler-Montgomery, worked toward achieving. "She loved her community, she loved her family and she loved giving back."
That goal played out Saturday in the form of the all-day Campbell Soup City Block Party in Roosevelt Park.
The gathering brought together hundreds of people of all ages for a day filled with fellowship, food, fun, festivities and music, not to mention pride and a strong sense of community.
Five years ago, Butler-Montgomery founded the Campbell Inclusion committee that eventually morphed into the Campbell Soup City Block Party committee, which was dedicated to giving back to the community that impacted and shaped her life, especially the Michael J. Kirwan Homes on Jackson Street in the city. Over the years, Butler-Montgomery paid it forward via leading a variety of initiatives such as annual Trunk-or-Treat celebrations around Halloween and turkey giveaways during the holidays, Walker said.
Walker said she and her brother, Terence Walker of Campbell, are committed to fulfilling and continuing their mother's dream.
Butler-Montgomery, affectionately known as "J.B.," was a 1992 Campbell Memorial High School graduate who earned an associate degree in social work from Youngstown State University in 2013. She went on to be an assembler at Delphi Packard.
Starting at an early age, she developed a love and passion for finding ways to inspire others, according to her obituary.
Butler-Montgomery died June 23, 2025, She was 51.
Saturday's festive and family-friendly party also gave many the opportunity to recreate and share memories with one another, Walker added.
Also in the mix were 26 table vendors and several food trucks, she said.
In addition, the gathering had an unmistakable religious element to it, because several members of Neighborhood Ministries were honored for how they helped people in the city and Kirwan Homes community find God and direction in their lives. The ministry also assisted them with schoolwork, took young people on camping and ski trips, and instilled in them self-love and team-building skills, Walker added.
"The (Neighborhood Ministries) center saved a lot of us, to be honest," she said.
Those honored Saturday were Ann Moncrief, Mark Samuel, Janeen Patton, Anthony Madison, Andrea Bivens, Lynn Miller, Kim Fowler, Dorothy Snipes, Joyce Davidson, the Rev. Daryl Rodgers and Michelle Rodgers.
For some, including city Councilwoman Mary Janek, D-3rd Ward, the event took on the feeling of an extensive reunion. Specifically, Janek, who taught 30 years at Campbell Memorial High School, was able to reunite with several former students in her chemistry classes, including Cassandra and Terence Walker.
"They are great people," she said, adding, "This is what Campbell is all about -- community, family and roots."
"This is Campbell at its finest. We need to have more of this. People need to come out of their houses and enjoy the park," Mayor Bill Valentino added.
Valentino, who also coached a girls' softball team for 14 years, said he was pleased to see some of his former players at the large park.
The block party also delivered on selling an array of merchandise that included custom-made apparel, an assortment of jewelry, purses and sweatshirts, as well as foods and flavored lemonade, keychains, ornaments, tote bags, badges, bracelets, wristbands and school-related items.
Providing much of the entertainment were three disc jockeys, along with The Unit Band that played a two-hour set.
Cassandra Walker also thanked Valentino and the late Mayor Bryan K, Tedesco for their work toward making the block party successful. In addition, she expressed gratitude to Ronnie Rupert for hosting the Campbell Block Party in the Kirwan Homes' Jackson Park that, for decades, unified that community.
Butler-Montgomery's example stands as proof of how a single vision can translate into something that has long and lasting ripple effects, she said.
"What began as one woman's dream to restore a sense of pride, unity and community in the city she loved has become a growing tradition that continues to bring generations together," Walker added.