May 2005
Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter Neighbors Spring Into Their Park: A Cedar Tree for Cedar Park! n Saturday, May 7, a young red O Cedar tree arrived in Cedar Park to take root in the new planting bed established behind the War Memorial at the 49th Street entrance. Approximately 25 neighbors sprung into action to spruce up Cedar Park as part of a citywide “Spring Into Your Park” event, sponsored by the Philadelphia Green Parks Revitalization Program. Tree pits were mulched, the Memorial Garden was renewed and the new garden was planted. We hope that our Cedar tree will flourish for years to come and grow tall to better frame the Memorial. We owe special gratitude to the children from Catharine Street and the men of Pi Kappa Alpha who did some heavy lifting and shoveling to open up the new garden bed. Our neighbors on Catharine have been generous with supplying water to get the plants started. Residents will also notice other positive changes in Cedar Park this season as the Cedar Park Improvement Committee continues its work. Most recently we achieved our goal to remove the unsightly perimeter fence, giving the Park a more open and welcoming feel. Come and enjoy the park!
Neighbors gathered on May 7 to plant a Cedar tree in the new planting bed in Cedar Park.
Obituary: Cedar Park Grieves Loss of our Wonderful Neighbor, Beth Showell any in Cedar Park were shocked and M saddened to learn of the sudden death of long-time Cedar Park resident Beth Showell, due to a fire in her home on the evening of Saturday, April 2. Beth was a member of Cedar Park Neighbors for many years and served as its president in the mid-eighties. Beth taught many of our young people biology at West Philadelphia High School until she retired in the early 90s. She was an active member of Calvary United Methodist Church where she became known as the chef extraordinaire for the Calvary Café which served delicious meals to concert goers attending the
Crossroads Music Series. Many enjoyed her nutrition and cooking demonstrations at the Clark Park Farmer’s Market. She had a love of nature and worked with neighbors to establish Florence Garden on a vacant lot near her home. Beth was a an accomplished potter and tireless supporter of the University City Arts League. Beth Showell was active in so many neighborhood efforts and organizations that her Memorial Service at Calvary Church was filled to overflowing and was a fitting and inspiring tribute to a life that was committed to service and so fully embraced the diversity of our community.
Photo: Tu Huynh
Scholarship Story: How Far One Can Go with the Support of Neighbors By Judith Harvey here was never a question in my T mind as to whether or not I would go to college. The only question was how I was going to pay for it and what I would study. As the fifth of eight children, my brothers and sisters had all done college and scholarship applications before me, and I knew that I was in for a long and difficult road. I went to Philadelphia High School for Girls, and my guidance counselor suggested that I look at Chestnut Hill College. Since Chestnut Hill is an allwomen’s college, they had scholarship money available for students from single sex high schools. I fell in love with the school and was thrilled to be accepted. The College did have a small scholarship available and I got another one from my high school, based on merit and need. There was, however a gap between what I won in scholarship and how much each year of tuition would be and I didn’t know how I was going to make that up. I am not sure now who mentioned Cedar Park Neighbors to me, but I certainly am glad that they did. I had done some work with CPN—but only as a volunteer—and I had no idea that they were a source for college funding. I filled out the application, and sent it off, thinking that maybe something would happen. I was thrilled to find out that I had been chosen for a $500 scholarship, along with three or four other neighbors. The scholarship covered all four years of college and was something I could always depend on. The night of the awards ceremony was a really exciting one. Besides the members of CPN, the families of all the award winners were there, including my own parents. For all the students and their parents, this award was a public declaration of how much the neighborhood valued, trusted, and wanted to support the young students. It was an honor to feel that pride and support from our neighbors. It was interesting to see the diversity of my fellow students, some of whom I knew and some who were new to me. The thing that we all had in common was the desire to learn and then, in turn, give back to the communities that had raised us. In my four years of college (1996-2000) Page 2
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the check from CPN helped me out in many ways. I was able to buy books, and supplies, all with no strings attached. The fact that the check was made out to me, rather than the College directly, gave me flexibility, and more importantly, a proud feeling that I was being entrusted with such a big responsibility. I graduated from Chestnut Hill College with a BA in Fine Arts & Technology and was an Interdisciplinary Scholar. This was a special program that allowed students to participate in seminar-style classes that combined disciplines, like Philosophy and Biology. This gave me a great desire to pursue the interdisciplinary approach to learning. I found a program at the University of Chicago that used this approach to graduate learning, and in 2000 I applied to the program and got accepted. I moved to Chicago in the summer of 2000 and quickly realized that I was not prepared for the expense of graduate school right away. I took a year to work and get my financial aid, including scholarships and grants, in line. My undergraduate degree helped my get a job doing Graphic Design, which helped me save for grad school. I began the program in 2001 and was thankful that I had so few loans from my undergraduate years. I graduated from the University of Chicago in 2002 with a Master’s degree in Humanities. After graduation, I was offered a promotion and stayed with my job in design. The confidence I got from having completed my Master’s degree really gave me the self-assurance to achieve bigger and bigger things. Looking back, that feeling is very similar to the pride and self-reliance that I felt standing in from of the CPN Board, receiving my scholarship check. It was a great feeling, then and now. I have recently moved to Oregon and bought a house for the first time, and all of a sudden I am thinking of my neighborhood in a very different way. I have joined our neighborhood association and even volunteered to chair our Neighborhood Watch. I thank the neighbors of Cedar Park and the Board, for having the vision to begin the Scholarship Fund. Hopefully it will be well funded into the future to help more young people learn the values of trust, hard-work, and how far one can go with the support of their neighbors.
This award was a public declaration of how much the neighborhood valued, trusted, and wanted to support the students.
The students, in turn, shared a desire to give something back to the communities that raised us.
We dare you to read this! We double-dare you to conquer the challenge! A generous Cedar Park resident has challenged neighbors to raise $3,000 for this year’s scholarship fund. Our anonymous donor will match it – dollar for dollar – up to $3,000! That means that CPN has the possibility to raise at least $6,000 for this years scholarship drive. This is an unprecedented gift. Never before has a fellow resident shown such generosity. Now everyone must do their part to reach at least $3,000. And we need to act immediately.
Shortly, you will receive your letter and donor form to contribute to the scholarship fund. Don’t recycle it… Don’t throw it away… Don’t put it in a stack of papers to look at later… Sit down, write your check to Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarship Fund, complete the donor form, and send both back in the self-addressed envelope. Every dollar brings us closer to our goal. Please give as much as you can. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Help our students buy books, pay for transportation or purchase much needed supplies. Invest in the future of our students and our community.
abbracci restaurant
supports OUR students and invites you to attend a Scholarship Brunch
820 S. 47th Street 11 am - 2: 30 pm Sunday May 22nd • Sunday June 26th • Sunday July 24th • Sunday August 28 5% of Proceeds support Scholarships for Students in Cedar Park
CPN SCHOLARSHIP DONATION FORM In response to this annual scholarship fund appeal, to assist youth committed to our neighbors, in post-secondary schools, please enter my contribution as follows: ____
$ 25
Neighbor
____
$ 50
Friend
____
$100
Educator
____
$150
Mentor (a quarter scholarship)
____
$300
Patron (a half scholarship)
____
$600
Benefactor (a full scholarship)
AMOUNT OF MY CONTRIBUTION: $_____________
Please make your check payable to “CPN Scholarships”.
Name: Address: City, State, Zip: Telephone:
Email Address
Cedar Park Neighbors is a 501[c]3 not-for-profit organization.
All contributions are fully tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes. Page 2
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May 2005
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Citizens Bank Awards $6000 Grant to CPN for Block Organizing Project By Maureen Tate, Block Organizing Committee he CPN Block Organizing Committee T was pleased to learn that our Block Organizing Proposal was recently accepted for funding by the Citizens Bank Neighborhood Partnership Fund. Block Organizing was identified by the CPN Board as one of 4 major components of a long range plan in the Spring of 2003. Since that time the Committee has sponsored a Block Leaders Conference, initiated Cedar Park Block Improvement Grants and conducts an email Network for block contacts. Members of the Committee: Angie Coghlan, Trina Dow, Sarah Scheckter, Marianne Smith, Maureen Tate and Carol Walker. The $6000 grant from Citizens Bank will be matched with $2,000 from Cedar Park Neighbors plus volunteer services and sweat equity valued at $4,000. The Block Organizing Project will address four needs identified by block leaders: communication, education, resources and intervention. Elements of the Project include: • Expansion of the Block Improvement Grant Program
• Development of the Block Network of Block Leaders • Implementation of a Second Block Leaders Conference on November 5, 2005 • An Outreach Campaign to extend the efforts and membership of Cedar Park Neighbors to areas of the community where residents have not been reached previously. Specifically grant funds will be used to implement 6 Block Improvement Grants, pay for cement removal for tree planting, finance a special issue of the Cedar Park Newsletter to be delivered to all households within Cedar Park as part of our upcoming Block Canvasing Campaign as well as cover expenses for the fall Block Conference. The grant will also fund an Intern Position to assist the Block Organizing Committee. A job description has been developed for the Intern and we encourage all members to review the job description and direct inquiries of interested applicants to: Maureen Tate, (215)726-8664; tatemch@aol.com
Block Improvement Grants: Neighbors Work to Beautify Farragut and St. Bernard Streets
Block Improvement Grant Deadline – June 30, 2005 Residents interested in working with neighbors on greening, tree planting and other improvement projects are encouraged to submit applications for Fall projects by June 30, 2005. Information about Block Improvement Grants, project ideas and applications are available on the CPN website: www.cedarparkneighbors.org Blocks that have already successfully completed projects include: 900 and 1000 blocks of Farragut St. (pictured at left) and the 800 and 1000 blocks of S. St. Bernard St. (pictured above). Page 4
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CPN Seeks Intern for Block Organizing Project Internship Opportunity Neighborhood Network Intern edar Park Neighbors is a not-for-profit C association of diverse households and businesses based in the Cedar Park neighborhood of West Philadelphia. The organization fosters collaboration among members of the neighborhood, promotes community development, provides a forum for communication and community education, responds to neighborhood concerns, and advocates for the general welfare of the Cedar Park community. We are seeking an intern who is passionate about improving urban communities. The position would start September, 2005, and the intern will work with the Cedar Park Neighbors Block Organizing Committee. The intern will be required to attend several meetings throughout the season. The goal of the intern position is to: • help CPN meet new residents of the community • register resident questions and concerns • help the Block Organizing Committee identify block leaders • update the Block Network database • Assist the Block Organizing Committee in planning and execution of the biannual block leaders conference in November, 2005. The goal of this conference is to bring members of the Cedar Park Community together to address issues such as maintenance
of open/green space, zoning concerns, crime and safety issues, etc. This internship offers the chance to have an in-depth view of working for a nonprofit community organization. The intern will become acquainted with the value of neighborhood networks and will participate in shaping a strategy to solicit and respond to community feedback. CPN will work with the intern to ensure that non-traditional hours work with the intern’s schedule. We are looking for someone who is a team player with good attention to detail. The ideal candidate will also be self-motivated, out-going, open-minded, willing to learn, have good computer skills, and will enjoy working with and listening to community members. Terms of compensation: Maximum of 100 hours @ $10/hour Application deadline: August 1, 2005 Application instructions: Email your resume and a cover letter to contact@cedarparkneighbors.org or mail it to Intern Position, Cedar Park Neighbors, c/o Calvary Community Center, 4740 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia PA 19143. Please indicate the following: area of study (if currently a student); any degrees held; prior community or volunteer experience; relevant experience for this position; reasons for your interest in this position.
This issue of the Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter is sponsored by O’Donnell Real Estate.
Coming to a Block Near You... Volunteers Needed for Limited Engagement edar Park Neighbors is embarking C on an ambitious campaign this spring to reach out to residents in the community. On Saturday, June 11, from 10 am - 1 pm, rain or shine, thirty volunteers sporting stylish CPN T-shirts will go door to door throughout Cedar Park in teams of two, to meet neighbors, distribute information about CPN and listen to neighbors’ concerns. A special issue of the Cedar Park Newsletter, funded by Citizens Bank, will
be distributed to all households, containing helpful contact information to address problems, crime prevention and safety tips as well as descriptions of CPN projects to invite greater participation. We need canvassing volunteers! Our goodwill ambassadors will gather at Calvary Church at 9:30 am for coffee, doughnuts and a brief orientation. If you can join us, please contact Maureen Tate; (215)726-8664; tatemch@aol.com. We expect to have a good time!! May 2005
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President’s Message: Cedar Park – an Exciting Mix of Old and New s residents of the Cedar Park area we A are constantly reminded of the good and not so good of living in a very old city! Spring has brought forth the greening and “covering”of our many mature trees and shrubs against the backdrop of large, well built and often historical buildings (houses, apartments, churches etc) all around us. Isn’t it beautiful? And the not so good…Recently my neighbor was forced to dig up old water and sewer pipes leading to his house. Another friend described how her sidewalk was caving in on her street. And just yesterday I noticed the State finally “refilling and covering over” two large sinkholes on Baltimore Avenue. Those of us who are homeowners all know the constancy of keeping up with the minor (and sometimes not so minor) repair jobs on our one hundred plus year old buildings and streets. It is within this context Cedar Park Neighbors Community Association members work and persevere. We are an old community organization with a nice mix of the old and new of Cedar Park represented in our Association. (even with a few “old sinkholes” and new “rough edges”). I have been privileged to be part of the leadership of this Association over the past year. I have learned how hard the work is as a completely volunteer organization to
encourage and foster the existing good in our neighborhood and effect change in areas of need. Our Cedar Park Revitalization committee works to take what is good in “our park …Cedar Park” and make it better by tearing down fences, providing new greenery and planning to upgrade the equipment in the park. Our Crime and Safety Committee aims to make our stable neighborhood even safer. Our Zoning Committee becomes involved when residents want to alter a building or its intended use… or when neighbors want to resist that change. Our Block Grants Committee offers money, advice and assistance to blocks within CPN who want to plant trees to complement the existing uniqueness of their street. Cedar Park Neighbors will continue to respond to the old and new in our neighborhood. I am confident our president-elect Carol Walker will take CPN to an even more prominent role in our community. The best thing we can do to help Carol do this is to VOLUNTEER (or continue to volunteer) on a CPN committee, project or activity. We are only as good as our volunteers! Finally, Thank you for the privilege to serve on the leadership team of CPN for the past year. What a good bunch of people you all are!!
Recycling Pays Off to the Tune of $2330 hanks to the dedicated efforts of Al T Airone, Recycling Chair, volunteers and neighbors committed to recycling, CPN has just received its latest check from Partnership Recycling for past months tonnage which amounted to $2330! These proceeds regularly fund Scholarships, greening projects and other community efforts of Cedar Park Neighbors. Keep those plastics and paper bundles coming in folks! This is a real community success story. Many thanks to all who participate. Four volunteers from City Heroes — a middle-school branch of City Year — helped out at Recycling at the Firehouse
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Farmers Market on Saturday May 7. Caylin, Calou, Mahogany and Melana sorted through many hundreds of items, removing a number of unacceptable items and several hundred bottle caps. Removing bottle caps is one of those jobs there never seems to be time for, and their help was much appreciated. The four were participating in a recycling-related program of activities organized by City Year. Al could certainly use more volunteers. If you appreciate having this program as way to cope with recycling waste, please consider helping an hour or two every month. Contact Al Airone at 215-729-5170; herons@ucwphilly.rr.com.
Jim Kurtz CPN President
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
PhillyCarShare Takes Up Residence in Cedar Park’s Firehouse Market hillyCarShare, the local communityP based non-profit car sharing organization, has officially relocated its business offices to the top floor of the historic Firehouse Market at 50th Street and Baltimore Avenue. The organization independently managed and funded a months-long renovation project on the building’s unused third floor, resulting in a breathtakingly hip redesigned office space that retains the building’s old-world flavor while providing the new tenants with a tastefully utilitarian workplace environment. The decision to move to Cedar Park reinforces PhillyCarShare’s dedication to community-building through concerted efforts to keep money circulating within the local economy. By employing local designers, contractors and laborers, PhillyCarShare cemented its investment in the neighborhood. Even a cursory glance at the refurbished space makes it clearly evident that the organization is in for the long haul.
“We’re eager to make a real, long-term investment in the neighborhood and hope that our presence enhances the commercial appeal of the area,” said Clayton Lane, one of PhillyCarShare’s co-founders. The organization was attracted to the Firehouse because of its historic character and easy accessibility via public transportation. PhillyCarShare aims to reduce reliance upon car ownership by promoting car sharing, wherein several members within a community share a single vehicle, thus reducing pollution, congestion and parking problems citywide. PhillyCarShare takes its dedication to preserving the local ecology a step further by populating its ever-growing fleet (33 vehicles, and counting) with a high percentage of gas-electric-powered hybrids. In fact, two such hybrids make their home right here in Cedar Park, in the open-air Parking Authority lot on the 4700 block of Baltimore Avenue.
For more information on our new neighbors, check them out on the web by visiting www.phillycarshare.org or call 215.730.0988.
May 2005
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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 CPN Board President Carol Walker Vice-President Maureen Tate Vice-President Josh Schneider
See Pages 2-3 inside this issue for Scholarship Stories!
May is CPN Scholarship Month All Scholarship, All the Time!
• Generous donor sets Challenge Match for Fundraising Drive!!!
By Darryl Bundrige, Chair Scholarship Committee
• Read the story of past scholarship awardee Judith Harvey who does a wonderful job of sharing how the generosity of her neighbors helped her afford the many costs associated with college.
his issue of the Cedar T Park Neighbors Newlsetter is dedicated to raising awareness and excitement about the scholarship fundraising drive underway in our neighborhood. Page 8
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• Enjoy a Scholarship Brunch at Abbbraccio
Restaurant which is donate a portion of its proceeds to the Scholarship Fund on the 4th Sundays, May through August. • Cut out the donation form and help us meet our match! • Download Scholarship Applications from the CPN website to share with local students.
Secretary Dorothy Welch Berlind Treasurer Karen Allen Directors Monica Allison Patty Bulack Andrew Diller Sean Dorn Bruce Hansen Victoria Iannotta Jim Kurtz Sarah Mack Wayne Marquardt Chima Orji Emma Paden Joanne Pham Shirley Randleman Robert Schnoll Richard Warner Rene Warnick