By LORETTA FULTON

The Alameda Neighborhood Association hosted its annual patriotic parade June 29 in front of the Alameda Community Center. The festivities were started by the former New Haven Community Church.

“Now it’s a neighborhood thing,” said Erica Currie, associate pastor for missions at nearby Pioneer Drive Baptist Church.

The church owns the property where the community center is located and has missions connections with it.

“I love the kids,” Currie said. “I just wanted to hang out a with them a little while.”

Several neighbors pitched in, providing a cookout and helping with face painting, parade entry decorating, and other events associated with the Fourth of July. Seeing so many neighbors volunteering to help the association put on the event was uplifting to Currie.

“That makes my heart soar more than anything,” she said.