Minutes from the June 14, 2004

Meeting of Martin Drive Neighborhood Association

We had 29 people when the meeting started at 6: 35. Tamara Grigsby introduced herself identifying that she was a candidate for the State Assembly. Tamara presently lives on 42^nd Street. Gilbert Wright put his realtor announcements on the table. Gilbert also lives on 42^nd Street and has frequently attended meetings.

This was Jacqueline Ward's first year trying to organize the cleanup for several neighborhoods and each first is a new learning experience. Al Siemsen reported that the Saturday clean-up had 5 people trying to pick up litter and distribute plants to those who asked for them. Neighbors acknowledged that they had forgotten and would have appreciated a message, possibly from Maggie, reminding them of the event.

Due to the mess with the dumpster on 45^th and Juneau some of the neighbors had called Alderman Murphy's office as well as the City Department of Public Works. We need to emphasize that trash should never be placed outside the dumpsters. The next dumpsters will be delivered on 8/13 to 42^nd & McKinley, Juneau between 44^th and 45^th, and Juneau closer to 46^th.

Our neighborhood rummage sale is scheduled for July 24^th from 8:00 to 3:30. Sharon requested help in distributing door hangers encouraging neighbors to participate in this all neighborhood event. Sharon will deliver the door hangers to the volunteers before the weekend of July 9^th when we need to get the hangers on the doors. The people responsible for placing the meeting signs will be sure to put them out with the rummage sale information on the frames by July 17^th. The volunteers are: 46^th Street - Linda and Kari; 45^th - Manuel; 44^th lower end - Sally R.; 43^rd St. - Katrina; 42^nd & McKinley, Vliet and west side of Highland - Gilbert; Martin Drive from 43^rd to 46^th Street - Frank; Vliet from 42nd west to 46^th - Sara Harrington; South of Martin Drive, 46^th and 47^th - Greta. Be good to your neighbors and be sure to pick up any litter that might come from our flyers.

Jacqueline Ward reminded us that several people work to get news of the neighborhood to the areas around Washington Park in a paper identified as the Wash. Park Beat. If you have any news or articles of interest, the deadline is July 1^st. Be sure to pick up your copy from our local businesses.

David Weber of Community Partners spoke as a guest informing us that the Martin Drive Neighborhood has a very low crime rate. The Third District will recognize the National Night Out at 49^th & Lisbon on August 5 from 5 - 8 P.M. The new Thirty-seventh Street School will be a neighborhood school and will hopefully create a cohesiveness in that neighborhood. Our new Police Chief has determined to have an anti-gang unit in each district. Sgt. Fahrenkrug is in charge of the Third District AGU. He can be reached at 559 - 0662 with serious details and accurate information. Pat Devitt continues to act as our neighborhood contact with the Third District.

Our next meeting will be at 4145 W. McKinley with our hostess, Terri Bartlett, beginning at

6:30 P. M. Mark your calendars for July 12^th and plan to attend. Everyone attending improves our organization by their presence. We missed several of our faithful neighbors this past Monday but were thrilled to meet some new neighbors.

Coming Events:

Saturday - June 19^th to July 15^th Neighborhood survey for Making Connections

Saturday - July 10 to Sunday July 11 - distribute door hangers for rummage sale

Monday - July 12^th Monthly meeting at 4145 W. McKinley at 6:30

Saturday - July 17 - place signs in lawns for rummage sale

Saturday - July 24^th Martin Drive Area Rummage Sale - Call Sharon with your address

Thursday - August 5^th - National Night Out at Third District Police Station 49^th & Lisbon

Terri Bartlett and Sharon Williams presented their grant proposal to the neighbors. Terri and Sharon have been attending workshops since March in conjunction with an effort called Making Connections. The purpose is to connect neighborhoods. For 10-12 years, Neighborhood Housing Service supported our work in this neighborhood. NHS was a federally funded program. Because we have done so well, we are ready to move to the next level, which is the Making Connections program. We are grateful to Terri and Sharon who were willing to give so many Saturdays to make this happen in our neighborhood. We neighbors become involved in their effort by completing a survey designed by Sharon, Terri and Greta Manguson from 45^th St. Once again volunteers stepped to the front and will be visiting neighbors in our area between now and early July. Please be respectful and kind to the canvassers. We would also hope that anyone receiving these minutes would tell other neighbors about this effort.

Neighborhood Teens - Your help is needed! Call Terri Bartlett or Sharon to volunteer to interview other teens in our neighborhood. These ladies want to make the lives of teens better in the

Martin Drive Neighborhood.

Volunteers are:

46^th Street - Help Needed - Please call Sharon W. 933 - 6800

Kari - west side of 46^th 1200 - 1300,

45^th Street

Enrique & Elaine - west side of 45^th St 1200 - 1300, Eileen S.- west side of on 45^th 1300 to Vliet,

Mary K. - east side of 45^th St 1200 - 1300., Maggie - east side on 45^th 1300 to Vliet, Pete - 45^th Street west side of 1001 - 1171, Someone needed for - east side of 1000 to 1172 45^th Street.

44^th Street - Help Needed - call Sharon

Sharon - south of Juneau, east and west sides of 44^th St.

43^rd Street - Help Needed - call Sharon

42^nd Street

Al - east side of 42^nd Street, Terri - west side of 42^nd Street

McKinley Blvd.

Susan W. - both sides

Highland Blvd. west side only - Help Needed - call Sharon

Martin Drive - Help Needed - call Sharon

East end of Martin Drive from 42^nd to Highland

Frank - both sides of MD from 43^rd to 46^th

I have tried to identify several opportunities for neighbors to help others who are devoting very much of their time to improving Martin Drive Neighborhood. If you like living here, try to give some of your time. If this is not the right time for you to volunteer with us, do your best to keep the outside of your home and lawn, neat and litter free. We all know that we are judged by the amount of litter in the gutters and public areas of our neighborhood. Everyone can help here.