In the wake of global efforts to rebuild communities post-pandemic, understanding and addressing the emotional pulse of community members during virtual interactions has become more critical than ever. This session unveils a novel approach to forge stronger community bonds through the development of real-time sentiment analysis tools, comingling Scala's functional programming principles with the advanced capabilities of AI Large Language Models (LLMs). Beginning with an introduction to sentiment analysis, attendees will delve into its indispensable role in nurturing inclusivity and comprehending the complex dynamics of contemporary communities. The discussion progresses to explore the synergies between Scala and GPT-4, demonstrating how Scala, fortified with powerful libraries from the Typelevel ecosystem, emerges as an exceptional choice for crafting sentiment analysis solutions. Guiding attendees through a hands-on journey, the session will illustrate the step-by-step development of a Scala application capable of performing real-time sentiment analysis during virtual community engagements. Here, attendees will learn to fetch and analyze text data, gauging the emotional undercurrents of ongoing discussions accurately. Further, strategies to seamlessly integrate this tool within existing virtual platforms will be elucidated, offering organizers a dynamic lens to view and respond to the community's emotional landscape during events. To solidify understanding, the session will share a case study spotlighting the transformative impact of implementing the sentiment analysis tool in real scenarios, thus painting a vivid picture of its practical applications. Attendees will be ready for the exciting opportunity to build a functional prototype, gaining not only a tangible skill but a deeper appreciation for the role of sentiment analysis in fostering community growth in these unprecedented times.