A neighborhood of kids can drink a lot of lemonade! On August 13, Roseville firefighters played host to residents of the 1700 block of Woodbridge Court, most of whom are from the Karen community.
Five firefighters and Fire Chief Tim O’Neill and Battalion Chief David Brosnahan and the youngsters took time to get to know each other while enjoying cookies and lemonade. The kids also got to climb on the fire truck and try out the fire hose.
Firefighters want to establish closer relationships with these neighbors, in particular with the youth who, in an emergency, act as translators for parents who have not yet learned English. Firefighters provided lemonade and information and talked about fire safety, fire alarms and medical emergencies.
The Karen is an ethnic minority from Burma and Thailand. It is one of the fastest growing refugee communities in Minnesota, and many are settling in Roseville. Many of the new arrivals include families with young children. In the past few years, the City has worked with the Roseville area schools, churches and civic organizations, including the Roseville Rotary to get welcome them to the community.