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    Eden Prairie Local News
    Home»City of Eden Prairie»Forging community connections at Eden Prairie’s Night to Unite
    City of Eden Prairie

    Forging community connections at Eden Prairie’s Night to Unite

    Mayor, council member and police lieutenant visit block parties across the city as neighbors celebrate and support PROP.
    Rachel HoppeBy Rachel HoppeAugust 6, 2025Updated:August 6, 20253 Mins Read
    Eden Prairie police Lt. Jen Ficcadenti poses for a photo with a group of kids Tuesday night at the Barrington Drive party during Night to Unite. Photo by Rachel Hoppe

    Neighborhoods across Eden Prairie gathered Tuesday night to celebrate the annual Night to Unite with food, friends and fundraising for PROP Food Shelf, with city officials partaking in the festivities.

    Mayor Ron Case, joined by Council Member PG Narayanan and police Lt. Jen Ficcadenti, visited five of the 159 celebrations held across the city to join the fun and connect with residents.

    After a kickoff dinner at Fire Station 1, the group began their visits in the Weston Woods neighborhood, where Case greeted partygoers warmly and thanked residents for the invitation. During the gathering, neighbors enjoyed food from the El Burrito Mercado food truck and collected donations for PROP.

    Case opened the floor for questions at each party to address residents’ concerns about city issues. Residents asked about the Metro Green Line Extension, road construction and safety on neighborhood streets.

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    Moving along to Hennepin Village, the flashing lights on Ficcadenti’s unmarked police vehicle greeted residents. While partygoers mingled with neighbors, kids bounced in an inflatable and enjoyed Domino’s pizza.

    Ruchi Giri enjoyed pizza with her daughter, Kiyara Giri, and said she valued the opportunity to connect with neighbors.

    Later in the evening, Case, Narayanan and Ficcadenti stopped by Hawthorne Drive, where they were greeted by kids playing and energetic conversations among neighbors.

    Case and Narayanan chatted with residents, while Ficcadenti handed out police badge stickers to kids in the neighborhood.

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    Nicole Smerillo and her daughter Molly said they enjoyed attending the party to connect with neighbors and take in the summer weather. Even after living in the neighborhood since 2017, they said they still meet new people who’ve been there just as long.

    Before the mayor stopped by the Wynnfield North neighborhood, members of the fire department stopped by with a firetruck. 

    Scott and Megan Bartolo sat on the curb with their son, Eddie, as he dried off from the firehose. Megan said her son enjoyed the fire department’s visit, which was the highlight of the night for them.

    The last stop of the night was on Cimarron Lane, where neighbors enjoyed a potluck dinner and chatted with one another. After giving a brief speech and answering questions, Case chatted with partygoers before heading to his own neighborhood’s gathering

    On the way back to Fire Station 1, Case said events like Night to Unite matter to the community because they allow neighbors to build relationships. He added that the celebration also helps law enforcement become a more familiar and comfortable presence in the city.

    Case said there is a good amount of Eden Prairie pride in the community. Being able to get out and celebrate neighborhood connections and law enforcement, he added, helps reinforce that pride.

    A woman and her daughter smile for a picture while enjoying a potluck dinner.
    (From left) Kiyara and Ruchi Giri enjoy dinner at the Hennepin Village festivities. Photo by Rachel Hoppe
    A group of men listens while Mayor Case gives a speech in front of a spruce tree.
    Mayor Ron Case gives a brief speech and leads a question-and-answer session with the Hennepin Village neighborhood. Photo by Rachel Hoppe
    Two women smile for a picture under a white tent.
    (From left) Nicole and Molly Smerillo smile for a photo at their neighborhood’s Night to Unite celebration on Barrington Drive. Photo by Rachel Hoppe
    A mother and father sit on the curb with their young son, where they are enjoying a potluck dinner.
    (From left) Megan, Eddie and Scott Bartolo enjoy a potluck dinner after the fire department’s visit. Photo by Rachel Hoppe
    Three men converse in a cul-de-sac. Two of the men are holding canned drinks.
    (From left) Jaime Sampson, Logan Warren and Mayor Ron Case chat with residents at the Cimarron Lane Night to Unite party. Photo by Rachel Hoppe

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