MIRANDA JAMISONExcelsior Springs residents are being asked to dust off their lawn chairs, fire up their grills and meet the neighbors they may have waved at for years but never really got to know.To strengthen community ties, Mayor Mark Spohn has launched the Mayor’s Block Party Challenge, a citywide push to organize 50 neighborhood gatherings between Easter and Halloween.The challenge was officially unveiled at a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon and already has two registered events. But city leaders are hoping that number will grow quickly as word spreads and more neighborhoods take up the call to connect.Laura Mize, the city’s neighborhood specialist, is spearheading the effort after being inspired by similar challenges in other cities. She participates in a monthly virtual class called Neighboring 101, hosted by the University of Missouri Extension, where community-building strategies are regul...