Free Dinner

Break-Ins on Orchard Hill

Hi all,

Please be extra careful and also watchful as Orchard Hill Street has been experiencing numerous house-breaks.

Three weeks ago, a purse was stolen out of a house, and last night (July 4) there were somewhere between 5 and 8 attempted break-ins on Orchard Hill (two successful). A police dog tracked a suspect into the cemetery, and an emptied purse was found in the Morton Street Woods.

Help the Hyde Square Task Force

Hi all,
Paul Trunnell of the Hyde Square Task Force sent this email asking for help - please read down and see how easily you can provide support for the development of new opportunities for JP youth. For more information, or if you know of a good distribution list to use to spread the word, contact Paul@hydesquare.org.
Happy Clicking,
Liz



You'll remember that a few months ago the Hyde Square Task Force
entered a competition through an organization called RE-ZOOM, where we needed to click every day on their website in hopes of winning a $5,000 regional prize... well, WE WON! Thanks to your clicking, and those of our colleagues and supporters, friends and family.

Starting MONDAY, JULY 9, we have a chance to win an additional $100,000 through a national "clicking" contest. We are competing against 20 other non-profits nationwide - but I think our tech savvy and broad base of supporters gives us a distinct advantage over many of our competitors.

See http://www.rezoom.com/ABETTERWORLD/ for more details.

$100,000... is pretty close to what it's costing us to move into the Cheverus School, which as you know will give us added capacity to expand and improve our programs. Key features of the new space include a soon-to be renovated Dance Studio (think of how good Ritmo can get when they can actually practice in front of real mirrors!), an expanded computer lab , a youth space for YCO's, H-CAP and all our youth teams, and 1000 square feet of music studio space through a new collaboration with the Music and Youth Initiative and Berklee College of Music, beginning this fall. Altogether, we can expect to serve at least 100 additional youth through our new and expanded programs in the coming year!

What you can do:

CLICK! Sign up at rezoom.com/ABETTERWORLD and click once a day, starting Monday, July 9 until Friday, August 10.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS! To be competitive, we are going to need over 15,000 clicks - that's at least 500 clicks a day! Tell your friends and family now so they are ready to click for us every day until the end of the contest.

ASK YOUR COLLEAGUES! We work with dozens of community professionals every day - please let them know they can help us raise $100,000 through their clicks.

This is also a great time to get the word out to everyone we are connected with about what amazing things we are doing, and to emphasize the importance of our move to the Cheverus as a stepping stone in our growth and expansion, which will lead us in a few fast-moving years to the proposed Youth & Family Center. A national contest will bring us national exposure: the more competitive we are, the more we will be able to share our story with potential supporters across the country.

I am attaching two documents - a press release that we will be circulating to local media sources, and a statement of need that will be posted on re-zoom's national website about what impact the $100,000 would have on our organization.

PLEASE TAKE TWO MINUTES AND FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO AT LEAST FIVE FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. We need to get the word out now, to maximize the number of clicks we receive every day between July 9 and August 10. Together we can promote our work and earn the Hyde Square Task Force $100,000 to support our youth and community development programs.

Hey you, join this! It's free and cool.

Through everyday transactions at participating merchants, Boston Community Change cardholders receive cash rewards while directing money to designated local non- profits or schools. These simple transactions help to channel money back through the local economy and positively contribute to the Boston’s overall quality of life.

Click here to get more information and to join up.

From the Franklin Park Coalition

Franklin Park Friends:

It seems the helicopter issue is not dead. We may still have landings in Franklin Park this summer. Our city councilors are holding a hearing on the issue at the golf clubhouse this coming Tuesday, May 1st at 6:00 pm. Please come out to show that this is unacceptable in our park. The hearing offers an opportunity to question how city officials could've considered Franklin Park's Playstead as "vacant land" suitable for helicopter landings in the first place. A big showing on Tuesday protesting the helicopters will help send the message that Franklin Park - and all parks - must be treated as protected land, not as available space for whatever's needed. Inserted below is the order calling for the hearing sent by Councillor Turner's office.

Especially needed are dog owners and those concerned about wildlife. The park will not be a place for animals if the helicopters arrive.

Don't forget the Franklin Park History Tour this weekend - Sunday at 1:00 pm, meet at the rear entrance to the Zoo.

--
Franklin Park Coalition
617-282-2881
www.franklinparkcoalition.org



City of Boston
In City Council

Hearing Order On Franklin Park Helicopter Launching Pad

By Councillors Chuck Turner, Charles C. Yancey and Sam Yoon
April 4, 2007


Whereas, constituents from the Roxbury side and the Jamaica Plain side of Franklin Park have complained about the sitting of a Public Safety helicopterpad in the Park; and

Whereas, there has been no public discussion of the sitting of the helicopterpad in Franklin Park; Therefore Be It

Ordered, that the appropriate committee of the Boston City Council hold apublic hearing and invite representatives of the Boston Police Department andany relative law enforcement agencies as well as Boston the Parks & Recreation Department to discuss such issues as: what led to the decision; were other sites considered; was there any discussion with the civic leaders or political leaders surrounding the park; expected effect on the park; who paysfor the negative effect on the park and zoo animals; and has there been any consideration of air pollution.

And Be It Further Ordered that the public be invited to give their perspective on the locating of a helicopter pad in Franklin Park.

Plea for Help

Hello Neighbors

As you may know, the 22nd Annual Neighborhood Cleanup is going to be on Sat. April 28. Generally, our area gets a pretty small turnout, though that small dedicated group manages to do a great job getting the trash cleared from the Morton Street Woods.

This year, we'd like to be a bit more ambitious and are asking you to join in by volunteering to clean up either the Woods or the street between the Woods and the corner of Hyde Park Ave and Morton. That stretch, running from the FitzInn lot to the Morton St. woods badly needs our attention, so please consider volunteering (and recruiting your friends, family and neighbors) to join us on Sat. morning.

The cleanup will be from 9 am to 1pm at which time the city picks up the tools and our trash bags. If you can't come for all four hours, come for what you can manage.

If you are able to volunteer, please send an email to Nigel Shaw at nigel_shaw@nps.gov to let us know (so that we can be sure to order enough trash bags, rakes, etc.) and most importantly, THANKS.

We look forward to seeing you on Sat. April 28th.

Nigel Shaw
Bruce Wallin
Liz O'Connor

Survey Results

Thanks to all of the residents (29 in total) who participated in the survey. The results are visible here.

We are also forwarding the results to the BRA for their inclusion as they collect neighborhood responses to planning options related to the sale of the MBTA parcels near Forest Hills.

Thanks again, all.

Liz and Bruce