0403cpn

March 2004

Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter President’s Message: Good News and Bad News

By Maureen Tate ast Fall, the Board set a goal for the L coming year: to engage more of the membership in the activity of the organization, particularly leadership opportunities. Over the past several months Board members and committee members have reached out to invite more residents into the ongoing work of CPN. We have put a better system of matching members with interests in place. We have more defined projects so that members can contribute depending on availability.

Jim Kurtz and the Membership Committee have worked hard at this and have more ideas to pursue.

With this year’s CPN Board election you will see that the Board has made significant progress on its goal to develop community leadership for Cedar Park.

In this issue, the Nominations Committee presents the fruit of its work, a slate of neighbors who are willing to serve their community in a leadership capacity on the CPN Board. We are very grateful for the committee’s efforts and to the Cedar Park residents who have come forward to offer to serve in this capacity.

Photos by Robert Siddall

This brings us to the good news and the bad news. The good news is that so

many have said yes to our invitation to serve on the Board that we have more candidates for positions on the Board than we have openings, given the restrictions of our by-laws. This is a great tribute to the confidence that residents feel about our neighborhood and the association. The bad news is that our members will have to make choices. Hmmm... Is this good news or bad news? Can it ever be bad news that a community has too many people willing to get involved?

Perish the thought!

We urge our members to read about the wonderful neighbors who are willing to stand for election. Come to the election to show that you appreciate their generosity of spirit! This is no contested election. There could be any number of reasons for choosing one or another, having nothing to do with the individual merits of the nominees but perhaps choices about geographical representation, skills, concerns and interests you share with them. As to the matter of who does not get elected, well, this could be the proverbial win-win situation for Cedar Park if everyone is truly welcome to participation in the great work of building our community, which is a goal that we all share.

General Membership Meeting and Election Mark Your Calendar Now! Monday, April 19 6:30-7:00 pm Meet the candidates 7:00-8:30 pm General Membership Meeting Calvary Church 48th & Baltimore Refreshments by Abbraccio Restaurant Firehouse Farmer’s Market Sugar Hill Bakery

Sugar Hill Bakery: Open for Business Be sure to visit Bilal and Kameelah Bell, owners of the newly opened Sugar Hill Bakery on the 4900 Block of Baltimore Avenue.

Congratulations, Bilal and Kameelah!

On the Agenda: CPN Board Recommends Revisions to Bylaws; Membership Will Vote at Meeting n addition to choosing new directors and officers, voters attending CPN’s General Membership meeting on April 19th will be asked to ratify the newly-revised CPN bylaws. Bylaws committee members Karen Allen, Melani Lamond and Wayne Marquardt have spent the last few months bringing the bylaws, last revised in 1984, into the 21st century. (A summary of the revisions can be found below.)

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Copies of both the current and proposed bylaws will be available at the general meeting and are also available for members who would like to read them in advance. The documents are long, so CPN is making them available in three ways. Members may: 1. find them on our website, www.cedarparkneighbors.org 2. have a copy emailed to you.

3. have a copy delivered to you if you do not have access to the web and email.

To get a copy emailed to you, email your request to us at contact@cedarparkneighbors.org.

If you would like a copy handdelivered, please call CPN at 267-531-4147, and leave a message with your address and the method of delivery you are requesting.

Report of the Bylaws Committee The Bylaws Committee has completed its work in reviewing and revising the Bylaws of Cedar Park Neighbors. There are a number of changes, the most obvious being the change in format. The new document groups all logically related issues together in chapters, sections, and subsections. A table of contents allows for easy access to the various topics.

The major substantive changes deal with term limits for the President, and the method of making interim appointments to replace absent Directors. There are also new sections drafted from the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law. Page 2

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Extension of the Term Limit for President From Two to Four Terms (Section 607)

A discussion of term limits at the January, 2004 CPN Board meeting showed that there was no consensus around the idea of imposing term limits on members of the Executive besides the President. In fact, there was some sentiment that the current presidential term limit of two consecutive one year terms was too short. With this in mind, the Bylaws Committee voted to recommend extension of the term limit for President from two to four consecutive one-year terms. In addition, the Board also recommended adding a provision allowing former Presidents to serve additional terms as President, so long as there is break of at least one term between periods of service.

Changes in Making Interim Appointments to the Board (Section 524)

Previously, a person who was appointed to fill in a vacant Board seat was required to stand for election if one year remained in the unexpired term. This proved cumbersome in practice, as it conflicted with the intention to elect eight new board members to a two year term each year while eight experienced members served out the second year of their two-year term.

The Board recommended changing the provision to an appointment in which the appointee simply serves out the time remaining in the term.

New Sections Drafted From the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law

These sections govern activities of all nonprofit corporations, and while not previously included in the Bylaws, are nonetheless rules that CPN has followed in the past in conducting its business.

Provision for Use of Absentee Ballots in the Annual Election of Board Members (Not Recommended at This Time)

Bylaws Committee Member Wayne Marquardt believed that the

current requirement or practice of holding the Board election at a specific date and time effectively worked to disenfranchise persons whose work or other obligations prevented them from attending the meeting. The Bylaws Committee drafted sections in the Elections chapter to set in place an absentee ballot provision for those who were unable to attend a scheduled meeting. The key issues considered in drafting the provisions were ballot security and ballot secrecy.

In order to avoid the fact or appearance of voting irregularities, any absentee ballot procedure must ensure that all ballots received are from eligible voters, and that no unauthorized votes have been cast.

Additionally, each voter must be assured of his or her right to cast a secret ballot.

The Bylaws Committee drafted a double envelope system which would allow the voter to cast his or her vote and seal it in a generic ballot envelope. The ballot envelope would in turn be sealed in a return envelope, which would provide identifying information that permits the Election Committee to ascertain whether the ballot was mailed by a person eligible to vote.

Another section set forth a verification process for opening the ballots, which sought to ensure that no duplicate or fraudulent ballots are cast in the absentee process.

The verification process would also maintain the secrecy of the ballot by making the opening of the ballot envelopes a separate step from the removal of the ballot envelopes from the mailing envelopes.

After thoughtful discussion, the Board voted to table this provision.

The Board’s main concerns were its workability in actual practice, and the potential for fraud. Instead, the Board agreed to test the feasibility of using absentee ballots in a pilot project during a future election before recommending an amendment to the bylaws.

Meet the Candidates: Executive Committee Nominees

Meet the Interim Appointees

President

Second Vice-President

Lisa Johanningsmeier 800 block of S. St. Bernard Street

Jim Kurtz 800 block of S. 48th Street

Three interim directors are standing for re-election to a one-year term.

I have lived in the Cedar Park area since 1980 and have owned a home here since 1990. I am married with no children. I work in the family manufacturing business located in Conshohocken. I have served on the Cedar Park Board for four years and have been co-chair of the Zoning Committee. In addition to zoning issues, I am interested in improving the housing and commercial areas within Cedar Park.

As President I hope to continue with projects already underway and support the organization’s efforts to develop community leadership for the future.

We have owned our present home since 1997 and I have lived in our home since 2000 with my wife, Viet-Huong and two sons, Jacob and Micah. I have served on the CPN board for three years and have been active on the CPN Fair Committee.

Currently I am the acting chairperson of the Membership Committee. My interest lies in expanding the CPN membership both in numbers and involvement.

First Vice-President Sean Joe, MSW, Ph.D. 4800 block of Hazel Avenue

I am a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Work and live on the 4800 black of Hazel Ave with my wife Emanique and two sons. A member of the Cedar Park Neighbors board since 2000, I have served as the 2nd Vice President and have chaired or co-chaired several committees (Neighborhood Marketing Plan, Website, Cedar Park Improvement). My professional career is characterized by the continual expansion of professional roles as a researcher, activist/organizer, practitioner, and educator. Through these various roles I engage in research-based social change organizing to enhance the quality of life for youth in our society. I have an extensive 16-year history of organizing and activism focused on building indigenous youth leadership and capacity in economically poor communities of color. My activist experience ranges from working with local community based agencies in Philadelphia and New York to national groups such as the Children’s Defense Fund. Currently, a board member of the Suicide Prevention Action Network USA and the Local Initiative Support Training Education Network (LISTEN) Inc, a Washington, D.C. based youth intermediary. My neighborhood goal is to improve the opportunities for young families with children to have safe and enjoyable spaces for play and learning.

Board members continuing for a second year of their two-year term are John Ellingsworth, Eric Grau, James Lander, Wayne Marquardt and Reggie Morgan.

Treasurer Karen Allen 4700 block of Warrington Avenue

I have been a resident of Cedar Park for 22 years and homeowner for 15 years. In addition to my duties as CPN Treasurer during the past year, I chaired the CPN Budget Committee, which drafted the organization’s 2004 budget. I also chaired the Bylaws Committee, which overhauled CPN’s Bylaws, which had been in need of review. Additionally, I have worked on the Crime and Safety Committee and I currently serve on the Board of the 18th District Police District Advisory Council. I believe that the upcoming term on the CPN Board will be an exciting time to be involved in the community. The members of the past year’s Board of Directors have been extremely effective in bringing various initiatives into fruition, including the Crossroads Project and the Park Improvement Project, and I look forward to working with the incoming Board to continue those efforts.

Secretary Dorothy Berlind 500 block S. 48th Street

I bought my home in Cedar Park in 1976, and early on was so occupied with raising my son and a demanding full time job at University City New School that I didn’t get out much! More recently I served on the Board of Cedar Park Neighbors and have been CPN’s representative to the University City District. This service has been a great pleasure; the progress that our community is making is just terrific. I want to continue to be part of that forward movement and believe that I can make a contribution as Secretary.

Bilal Bell 4800 block of Hazel Avenue

I have lived in Cedar Park for two and one half years with my wife, Kameelah, and daughter Laila. I am also the coowner, with Kameelah, of Sugar Hill Bakery. I am interested in the revitalization of the 4900 Block of Baltimore Avenue and strengthening relationships of business owners along this block of the corridor. I am also working towards increasing business owners’ interest in the advantages of investing in other aspects of the community (housing, education, crime, cleanliness) and such efforts as the CPN Crossroads Project.

Judy Lamirand 4900 block of Cedar Avenue

I have lived in Cedar Park for 15 years and in Garden Court for six years prior to that. My husband, Bob, and I bought our house in 1990. We have two daughters and a dog. I am a partner in my own graphic design firm, Parallel Design, and I work at home. I am also a member of St. Francis De Sales parish and am active in its choir and Organ Restoration Society. I serve on the Cedar Park Neighbors membership committee and have been designing the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter for the past year. I have served on the Board since January as an appointed interim member. My interest is in helping Cedar Park Neighbors achieve its goals by producing informative, attractive and easy to read materials.

Josh Seven 4600 block of Springfield Avenue

Since moving to Cedar Park with my wife, Naomi, in December 2003, I have served as an interim appointment to the CPN board. I am an economic development consultant with the planning firm Urban Partners, which does work in commercial corridors like Baltimore Avenue throughout the Philadelphia region. I also serve on the board of Young Involved Philadelphia, a grassroots civic organization, and am a volunteer tax preparer for the Campaign for Working Families. My main community interests are in strengthening business along Baltimore Avenue and addressing vacant/delinquent properties.

March 2004

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Meet the CPN Board Nominees Members will vote for eight Directors to serve for a two-year term.

Monica Allison 4900 Block of Catharine St

I’ve been in the Cedar Park community for 7 years and have lived in West Philadelphia my entire life. I am a mother and grandmother and surrogate Aunt to the neighborhood children. No one ever has to know my address, they just look for the house surrounded by children! I became involved with CPN when the Park Improvement Project was presented during a block meeting. When asked to serve on that committee, I realized I had a true passion for change in the heart of our community, and that I could make a difference. My interest and concerns in the Cedar Park community are the Park Improvement Project, block organizing and ultimately, positive mentoring of our youth, particularly in the 8-15 age group.

I look forward to contributing to our neighborhood through service on the CPN Board of Directors.

Patty Bulack 900 block S. 49th Street

Our family moved into Cedar Park about 10 years ago. We sensed that our young family would need more room to grow and were thankful to find a home to accommodate us. We now have six children, ages 18 to 3, and others who live with us. Having a community rich in interesting, talented, and generous people has made our homeschooling a wonderful adventure. We are members of Christ Memorial Reformed Episcopal Church which has an education resource through its classical school and has given me an opportunity to play piano and organ for services. I also teach piano to the neighborhood children and organized a recital last year to feature some of them. Our home is also host to a jazz group, Point of Convergence, made up of local musicians.

I love the sound of live music being worked on in our home! I am most concerned with crime and safety. Recently I made efforts to alert neighbors to increases in car crimes by surveying neighbors and publishing and distributing the results. I feel that being aware in a timely fashion can be instrumental to all of us in the prevention of crime. I would like to concentrate my efforts on this kind of work through Cedar Park Neighbors.

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Rickey Lee 5100 block of Cedar Avenue.

Joanne Pham 4600 block of Springfield Avenue

I have been married for 16 years. I have raised a son and a niece and nephew.

Our family has been living on the 5100 block of Cedar Ave for the last 8 years. I became an official block captain 4 years ago. Our goals for the block and the community are as follows: First, to connect with other blocks and organizations for a town watch. Also to arrange scholarship programs for the youth of our block and community. Last but not least to get kids into after school programs that would help the youth grow. Some of the things I did to make progress within the community were to volunteer for the community block cleaning and paint for the PMBC contest, as well as tree cutting. My main goal would be to increase CPN membership west of 50th street.

My husband, Sonny has been in the neighborhood for 24 years, and I have been in the neighborhood for 10 years.

We came from Vietnam. We have two children. Besides helping my husband with the office work, I volunteer three hours a week at the Penn Alexander School. My major concern is safety in our neighborhood. Besides reporting crimes to the Police District, I would try my best to bring a better ideas to our Board.

Chima Murphy Orji 5000 block of Springfield Avenue

I am 48, a naturalized Citizen and live on the 4800 block of Osage Avenue and have lived in University City for over 17 years. I have fixed up a rundown property on Osage and made it my home. I opened Amigo African Market, nearly 10 years ago, on Baltimore Avenue which has served the neighborhood. I bought the old PECO Energy abandoned property at 5000 Springfield Avenue and turned it into the African Cultural Center open to all. I will bring my years of experience in business and industry to Cedar Park and hope to increase CPN’s Scholarship intake during my term, if elected, through fundraising at my Cultural Center.

Emma Paden 5000 block of Baltimore Avenue

I have lived in West Philadelphhia for 35 years. I have three children. I am retired as Supervisor of the Records Department of the Presbyterian Board of Pensions and am currently working as a Supervisor of Assistant Living at Simpson House on Belmont Avenue. I serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Peoples Baptist Church, Rev. Matthew M. Williams, Pastor, at 5039 Baltimore Avenue. I am also Vice-President of Peoples Community Center which is the planning stages for properties adjacent to the Church. I am interested in trying to help out with other efforts underway for improving the Cedar Park community.

Jerlee Rhodes 5100 block of Hazel Avenue

I have been a resident of Cedar Park for 30 years. I am a fashion designer and am interested in to teaching sewing to neighborhood young people. I have served as Block Captain for 25 years, solving problems, fundraising and organizing children’s parties, block parties and block clean-ups. I enjoy working with neighbors to get things done. As a member of the Cedar Park Board I look forward to helping Cedar Park grow and contributing to neighborhood improvement efforts. I want to work with other committed residents to build a stronger neighborhood.

Aaron Simmons 500 block of S. 49th Street

I have been a resident of Cedar Park for six years. I am owner of the CareGarden I and CareGarden II childcare centers and a father of two. I have a strong interest in education, and it is this interest in quality education that prompted me to start the CareGarden daycares. My desire to start the CareGarden center arose in part from my dissatisfaction with the types and quality of childcare that was available when I searched for my children. After searching and being disappointed with the options that were available I decided to use my experiences as a father, entrepreneur and teacher to start a childcare center. I wanted to start a facility that emphasized education and encouraged self-esteem and creativity, a place where my children would grow and be great, the facility they now attend. I hold a BA in the field of Psychology from Temple University and am currently a student at the Wharton School of Business.

Board Nominees continue on page 5

Board Nominees, continued Maureen Tate 4800 block of Florence Avenue

I have lived in Cedar Park for 27 years and on Florence Avenue for 24 years with my husband and four children. I am presently working as a national program consultant for an international women’s non-profit. In the neighborhood I have been block captain and coordinator for Florence Garden. I have served on the CPN board for 5 years, having just completed my second year as President.

I have enjoyed working with the Board and CPN membership to implement goals articulated in our long range plan. I look forward to continuing work with the Crossroads Project and Block Organizing and supporting the new leadership of CPN in advocating for the Cedar Park community.

David Timony 500 block S. 50th Street

My wife, Jennifer, and I have lived on 50th street in Cedar Park for just over two years. I teach music at Girard College and am an Adjunct Faculty member at The University of Phoenix. One of my main goals in Cedar Park is to build unity among neighbors.

Tea for 25: CPN Honored at Philadelphia Flower Show edar Park Neighbors was C honored during a Garden Tea at the Philadelphia Flower Show by KYW 1060 and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. We are very pleased to be among the individuals and organizations recognized for motivating others to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture.

Thanks to members Nancy Krody and Pat Szabo for their nomination and support of Cedar Park Neighbors and for making such an opportunity

possible. CPN was the first community organization to receive one of the awards, which were announced weekly during February. It was great to be able to offer the 25 tickets to those who regularly volunteer for the community through their involvement in CPN. We look forward to continuing our greening efforts through tree planting, renovation of Cedar Park and the establishment of an ongoing Block Improvement Grant program. This was indeed a tribute to all of our community greening volunteers.

Live Opera in Cedar Park! Sixth Annual Bel Canto Concert set for March 28 or the sixth year in a row, St. Francis F de Sales church at 47th and Springfield Avenue in Cedar Park will host an extraordinary musical afternoon featuring some of the most gifted operatic voices on the East Coast with the Bel Canto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Salvatore Scarpa. Maestro Scarpa is assistant conductor of the Pennsylvania Ballet.

The concert is at 3 pm Sunday, March 28 and a donation is requested to support the St. Francis de Sales Organ Restoration Fund. Tickets will be on sale at the door; for ticket information and directions call the church at 215-222-5819.

Highlights of this program will be soprano Cecelia Chaisson, a Pavarotti contest winner, singing “Casta Diva” from Bellini’s opera Norma and the Trio from Norma, where Chaisson will be joined by tenor David Hobbs and mezzo Madeleine Drummond. Baritone Frank Lamont will perform “Sperate o figli!” from Verdi’s Nabucco with the Bel Canto Chorus.

Sopranos Iris Fairfax and Kristin Sims are featured in Pucinni’s “Quartteto-Dunque proprio finita” from La Boheme with tenor David Hobbs and baritone Steve Pollack.

Opera fans will undoubtedly be hearing more from Iris Fairfax, new to the company this year, who performs Leonard Bernstein’s “Glitter and be gay” from Candide.

The intermission of the concert offers the opportunity for Bruce Shultz, a master of organ improvisation and organist at St. Francis de Sales for more than 30 years, to amaze listeners with intricate elaborations of opera themes played on the church’s aging but, in Shultz’s hands, still fantastic 6000+ pipe organ.

Organist Bruce Shultz and soprano Cecelia Chaisson are both residents of Cedar Park.

It’s an indescribable treat to hear their music resonate under the acoustically perfect St. Francis de Sales dome. Welcome spring and these talented singers and orchestra members performing Bernstein’s Candide final chorus, “Make Our Garden Grow!”

Come and hear Cedar Park’s very own Diva, Cecelia Chaisson, perform selections from “Bellini to Bernstein” at the Sixth Annual Bel Canto Lyric Opera Concert on March 28.

March 2004

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African Cultural Center Celebrates Grand Opening

By Andrew Diller new community resource with a huge banquet hall is opening its doors this month: the African Cultural Center at 5000 Springfield will soon be ready for business. In addition to the large hall there is a full commercial kitchen serving food for a new eatery—the African Corner Kitchen.

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Mr. Chima ‘Murphy’ Orji is the man behind the new African Cultural Center, and its two centerpieces, the FESTAC Banquet Hall and the African Corner Kitchen. Mr. Orji sees the Banquet Hall as a much needed option for University City residents, and stresses that it’s “for the community to use.” He envisions it as a resource for any type of gathering, from block meetings, small or large community events, weddings, or any large event. The African Corner Kitchen will begin serving African and West Indian foods, specialty coffee and snacks from 10 am to 10 pm.

There are computers and high speed internet available for patrons, and Orji will soon add wireless access to the Kitchen area. The full commercial kitchen powering the Corner Kitchen is available for use with events in the Banquet Hall. There is also a VIP room that can accommodate up to 20 people.

The massive building (the Hall and Kitchen take up less than 50% of the useable space) was once a Peco substation, but had been abandoned for many years when Mr. Orji purchased the property in 1998. Since then it has been a long, hard struggle to get the building to this point.

Mr. Orji is no stranger to rehab however; his first house on Osage was a shell that he rehabbed and then moved into with his family. They still live there now. Since the substation was not built to be a habited building, Mr. Orji had a chance to start from scratch, and as a consequence all the systems of the building (HVAC, electrical, plumbing) are brand new and up to date.

West Philadelphia is known for its large African population, and that is what helped Mr. Orji decide to emigrate here back in the late 1980s. He brought his family along too, and soon even his brothers left Nigeria and followed him into the area. Mr. Chima’s first entrepreneurial enterprise was the Amigo Food Store on the 4600 block of Baltimore. Business was slow at the beginning for the Amigo, said Mr. Chima, but over time the store has acquired a reputation for having very hard to find grocery and produce items. The Amigo store specializes in African and West Indian foodstuffs. After Mr. Chima purchased the African Cultural Center and began to transform the building, his brother Vita took over running the Amigo store.

Grand Opening! Thursday, March 25 at 6 pm FESTAC Banquet Hall African Cultural Center, 5000 Springfield Ave The grand opening for the FESTAC Banquet Hall is this March 25th, a Thursday. Mr. Chima has lined up over twenty vendors (from caterers to limo companies) to showcase their wares (lots of free food) for the community. All are invited to attend and see the new Banquet Hall and get a taste of the food and service options.

More information is at the website: www.africanculturalcenter.com and www.africancornerkitchen.com.

One of the first things you notice upon entering the African Cultural Center are the large masks decorating the walls on either side of the African Corner Kitchen.

These are replicas of a pair of exquisite Iyoba hip masks from 16th century Benin (now commonly known as Nigeria). These masks were traditionally created in the image of the Queen Mother (Iyoba) for their first born sons, who would become king. The Oba (Benin kings) would wear these masks as necklaces around their hips to ward off evil in ceremonies.

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Mr. Chima ‘Murphy’ Orji is the man behind the African Cultural Center

This pair was created by Oba Esigie to honor his mother, Queen Idia, who helped him re-unite the kingdom of Benin after a bloody civil war at the end of the fifteenth century. In 1977, in Nigeria hosted the FESTAC (the Festival of Arts and Culture) a celebration of the arts and culture of the African Diaspora. FESTAC used the Idia Masks as a symbol in celebrating the richness of African culture and heritage. The African Cultural Center has also chosen to use the Idia Masks as their symbol, in honor of the 1977 FESTAC.

Cedar Park Neighbors Membership Application/Renewal ___ New Member ___ Renewal

Cedar Park Neighbors welcomes your participation. Please check your areas of interest and return the form to CPN, Calvary Community Center, 4740 Baltimore Ave, Phila, PA 19143 _____ Block Organizing _____ Neighborhood Clean-up Committee

___ $7 Individual

_____ Cedar Park Fair

___ $10 Household (2 persons or more)

_____ Community Development _____ Newsletter (writing, publishing, delivery)

___ $20 Business

_____ Education

_____ Recycling Project

___ $5 Senior/Student/Unemployed

_____ Fundraising

_____ Scholarship Fund Committee

___ $30 Sponsor

_____ Greening Activities

_____ Website

Enclosed is my additional contribution

_____ Holiday Baskets

_____ Zoning Committee

of $________________________

_____ Membership Committee

YES, I want to make Cedar Park a better place. My annual Cedar Park Neighbors membership dues are enclosed.

_____ Neighborhood Safety

Name Address Phone Email ____ I would like a free CPN T-shirt with my renewal of $30 or more. Adult Size: ___M ___L ___XL

Commentary: Having Character

Spring Into Cedar Park!

Block Improvement Grants

by Dorothy Crowder

Join us for our first year of participation in the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Department of Recreation’s annual “Spring Into Your Park” On Saturday, May 1, from 10 am to 1 pm. Cedar Park residents will clean, play and celebrate in our very own Cedar Park. We will plant a new garden space in front of the World War I Memorial at the 49th Street point of Cedar Park. Restoration of the Memorial is one step in the first phase of improvement plans for the Park. Volunteers are needed to sweep, plant, weed, shovel woodchips and help with refreshments. Come celebrate new beginnings with us. For more information and to volunteer, please contact Holman Massey of the Park Improvement Committee at 215-474-2164 or CPN at 267-531-4147. Details will follow in our next newsletter.

CPN is ready to proceed on another goal of our Block Organizing effort which is to establish a Block Improvement Grant program. Improvement projects at the block level build community by providing ways for neighbors to meet and work together. CPN has had a history of supporting efforts at the block level that have included tree planting, community gardens and front yard garden plantings. We want to build on earlier efforts to involve more blocks. We hope to model our program on another very successful program that is already underway in Spruce Hill.

There will be an organizational meeting for this program on Tuesday, March 30 at 7:30 pm at Calvary Church, 2nd floor (enter side door on the Baltimore Avenue side). For more information, contact Maureen Tate 215-726-8664.

A Women’s History Month Tribute for my Aunt Madge, who passed away at the age of 98 many years ago…

ave you heard “You got to have characH ter”? My great, great Aunt Madge used to say this to me often, when I was a very young girl. I know it was something special to have, just by the way she pronounced it, cha-rac-ter, speaking in slow meter.

In school the teachers would tell students, “You are responsible for your actions, therefore, you have to have character.” In church the pastor would say to the congregation, “You cannot lie or steal, you have to have character.” The Sunday school teachers said, “You have to remember the ‘Golden Rule’.

You must treat others the way you want to be treated. You have to have character.”

“Having character” was an everyday quote in my household. Disobedience was not tolerated because it showed a lack of character.

Instilling good character in someone is the greatest gift one can give. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said “you will be judged by the content of your character.”

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c/o Calvary Community Center 4740 Baltimore Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19143

CPN Mission Statement: Cedar Park Neighbors is an association of diverse households and businesses based in the Cedar Park neighborhood of West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The purpose of the association shall be to foster collaboration among all persons living and working in the Cedar Park neighborhood, to promote community development, to provide a forum for communication and community education, to respond to neighborhood concerns and to advocate for and promote the general welfare of the Cedar Park community.

Newsletter Editors: Maureen Tate & Judy Lamirand Newsletter Design: Judy Lamirand, Parallel Design To Contact Cedar Park Neighbors or submit Newsletter items: contact@cedarparkneighbors.org www.cedarparkneighbors.org 267-531-4147

Energy Conservation Workshops

Help Get Tax Credits for Working Families

Tree Tenders Basic Training

Are you spending too much on energy bills? Learn do-it-your self techniques to improve energy efficiency, reduce expenses, and find financing and funding resources at these UCD-sponsored workshops.

The Campaign for Working Families is a non-profit partnership that promotes free filing of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and connects Philadelphia residents to other tax credits, public benefits and asset-building resources.

Additional information can be found at www.gpuac.org

Wednesday, May 5, 12 and 19 5:45 – 8 :45 pm

Homeowner Energy Conservation Workshop

Thursday, April 1st, 6-9 pm Calvary Center 48th St. & Baltimore Ave. Cost: $25 Small Business Energy Conservation Workshop

Monday, April 5th, 6-9 pm UCD Operations Center 3940 Chestnut Street Cost: FREE For more info, please contact D-L Wormley at 215-243-0555 x229 or wormley@ucityphila.org Page 8

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Campaign for Working Families Sites in the West Philadelphia: Community College of Philadelphia, West Campus

4725 Chestnut Street Tuesday and Thursday, 4PM-8PM Saturday, 10 AM-2PM

Saturday, May 15th 10 am - 2 pm PHS, 100 N. 20th Street It’s a lot of fun and Cedar Park can always use more people who care about trees. Tree Tenders training only happens twice a year, so don’t miss this opportunity.

Tell your friends!

If four neighbors sign up together you will receive high-quality tree care tools to keep and use.

Ebenezer Temple Church

Interested? RSVP to Mindy at 215-988-8844.

5552 Baltimore Avenue Wednesday and Thursday, 4:30PM-8:30 PM Saturday, 1 PM-5PM

For more information visit: www. pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety. org/phlgreen/treetenders.html

CPN Board of Directors President Maureen Tate Vice-President Sean Joe Secretary Melani Lamond Treasurer Karen Allen Bilal Bell Dorothy Welch Berlind John Ellingsworth Eric Grau Roger Harman James R. Kurtz Lisa Johanningsmeier Judy Lamirand James D. Lander Jim Masen Wayne Marquardt Reggie Morgan Josh Sevin