Pineapple upside-down cake, potato salad, homemade hummus and more decorated the table for a potluck organized by the Richmond Heights Neighborhood Council this past Monday.

Community members gathered at the Humboldt play lot, where neighbors mingled with members of the fire department and enjoyed a canine demonstration presented by some police officers. Children and grown ups were in awe at how well trained the officers’ Belgian Malinois dog was. Old friends got to socialize as well as connect with neighbors that they hadn’t met before.

Among the faces at the potluck was council member Ludmyrna Lopez, who lives close by the play lot.

County supervisor John Gioia, who would be re-elected for office the next day and who used to live in Richmond Heights, showed up and got together with friends and supporters.

Neighborhood council members took the opportunity to collect names and e-mails for the newsletter and inform residents about the neighborhood watch program.

The gathering stated at 6:30 pm, but at 9:00 pm the cold wind at Richmond Heights pushed the families back to their houses.

“It was very successful,” said Owen Martin, the president of the Neighborhood Council, when the potluck was over.

June 10, 2010 Richmond Confidential