Blessing of Pets Church Service

Wednesday, July 28^th

6:30 p.m.

Chester Park United Methodist Church

(corner of 18^th Ave. East and 8^th St.)

Come join this celebration of our pets. All pets big and small (and their humans, too) are welcomed as we gather on the front lawn for a time of songs, storytelling, goodies for pets and their owners and a service of blessing. If weather is inclement, we’ll meet in our fellowship hall downstairs.

Chester Park Church is also collecting “Pennies for Pets” (any change or monetary bills for area animal shelters. If you’d like to contribute, bring offering on the night of the Blessing of Pets.

This year, we will also have a table/altar for pictures, memorabilia, etc. in remembrance of deceased pets.

Even if you don’t have a pet to bring, still feel free to join us for this blessing of creation!

If you have any questions, please call Chester Park Church at 724-4969 or visit our website at www.chesterparkumc.org.

Twin Port’s Green Jobs Action Plans

At 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 16, participate in the unveiling of the Twin Port’s Green Jobs Action Plans. Developed through 120 community members’ input over four months, the Green Jobs Action Plans include Natural Resource Protection, Food Systems, Built Environment, Energy Production and Transportation. Breakout session I (Food Systems and Natural Resource Protection) begins at 2:45 p.m. and breakout session II (Built Environment and Energy Production) starts at 4:00 p.m.

These events are part of the Duluth Sustainable Community Summit, being held June 15-17, 2010. In conjunction with the public events described above, the Summit is also engaging a diverse group of local, state and national community investors in multiple discussions and tours throughout Duluth . These tours and discussions are meant to highlight the collaborative and innovative work taking place in Duluth around community development.

About Keynote Speaker: Majora Carter

From 2001 to 2008, Majora Carter was Executive Director of the non-profit she founded: Sustainable South Bronx – where she pioneered green-collar job training and placement systems in one of the most environmentally and economically challenged parts of the US . This MacArthur “genius” is now president of her own economic consulting firm, a co-host on Sundance Channel’s ‘The Green’, and host of a new special public radio series called, ‘The Promised Land’.

For additional information about the Clean Economy Dinner featuring Majora Carter or the Green Jobs Action Plans, contact Laura Carlson at A.H. Zeppa Family Foundation, laura@zeppa.org or call 218-726-5430.

WHERE: DECC/ Duluth Event & Convention Center, 350 Harbor Drive, Duluth

The Clean Economy Dinner will be in the Harbor Side Ballroom; the Green Jobs Action Plans Roll-out in the Harbor Side Conference Room.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 5:30 p.m. The pre-dinner event, Green Jobs Action Plan Roll-out, begins at 2:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

WHO: Zeppa Co-Executive Director Tony Cuneo , Duluth LISC Executive Director Pam Kramer, city and elected officials, visiting community investors, community leaders and residents.

.

DULUTH COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH

Saturday, June 19th
The community is invited to join in the Juneteenth Celebration on June 19th from Noon to 7 pm at the Central Hillside Community Center at 12 E 4th St, Duluth. Juneteenth is a holiday that celebrates the Emancipation of African Americans from slavery but has come to signify a Freedom Jubilee for people of all ethnic and cultural heritages. It is celebrated in June, the month that the last African Americans were informed of their Emancipation after the end of the Civil War. This year, the Duluth Juneteenth celebration will include a health fair, children's activities and a variety of vendors and community groups. Musical acts will include Voices of Vision, directed by Gabe Green.

The African American Men's Group will be serving a free lunch for the community. If you are interested in more information or having a table at the event, contact Brendan Hanschen at bhanschen@nhsduluth.org (218) 727-8604 ext.19 or Claudie
Washington at washingclaud@yahoo.com (218) 590-9009.

June 16 and 17 Upcoming informational meetings on transportation priorities for the Duluth-Superior region

The Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council (MIC) will be holding 2 Informational and Comment Meetings next week to discuss the future direction of transportation for the region. This discussion will include projects scheduled for the next 4 years as well as projects and priorities for the next 20 years.

Duluth-Superior Transportation Plan & Program

Informational & Comment Meetings

Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Hampton Inn – Canal Park 5pm – 6pm

Thursday, June 17, 2010 Superior Public Library 5pm – 6pm

Transportation Priorities & Projects Highlights of the Plan:

• Preserving the current roadway system.
• Planning for all modes of transportation.
• Complete Streets efforts.
• Planning for New DTA Transit Center.
• Tower Ave. Reconstruction.
• Trail connection from the Munger Trail to Downtown & Canal Park.
• Potential commuter rail connection to the Twin Cities.
• Lakewalk Trail extension to Brighton Beach.
• Connecting the Munger Trail to Canal Park.

Police, interest groups move closer to creating a citizens review board

Opinion

By Doug Bowen-Bailey
Here in Duluth, we are very familiar with bridges. Geographically, you have to cross over 20 streams going from end to end of town. The Blatnik and Bong bridges span the St. Louis River to Superior and the Aerial Lift Bridge delivers travelers across the Duluth entry and onto Park Point. But physical divides are not the only things needing bridges in our community. The reality is that we also face division among people and that to close those gaps, we need to have structures in place that build trust and respect.

One of those divides deals with relations between the Duluth Police Department and various aspects of the community. The Duluth Police Department works very hard to cultivate positive relations with all parts of the community. Past surveys have shown that a significant portion of Duluth citizens give the police a high approval rating. At times, however, incidents do occur which cause some members of the Duluth community to question how much they can trust the police. This lack of trust then causes impediments for the police to be able to effectively carry out their work.

A group of community members and representatives from the Duluth Police Department has been working for several years to figure out how to strengthen accountability between the police and the communities they serve and protect. After some time, this more informal group became the Duluth Task Force for Improved Community Police Accountability with a set membership that allowed us to discuss the issues before us and make decisions about how to proceed.
The Task Force has been focusing on developing a Civilian Review Board and an improved complaint handling process with the overall goal of increasing trust and respect to bring the community together. Too often, people in the community may have an experience with the police that they are not satisfied with, but don’t know how to complain - or don’t trust that the complaint would be investigated adequately.

To assess this, the Task Force contracted with Prof. Eileen Luna-Firebaugh, who has experience with developing recommendations for cities about how to strength complaint processes and implement civilian review of complaints. She has been assessing the community -- through surveys of police and community, public forums, and focus groups -- to get an accurate picture of what the nature of the divide is so that the recommendations she makes will really fit Duluth. She also has assessed the complaint process from the Duluth Police Department - looking through the records of the police to see what actually has taken place and how that corresponds with the perceptions in the community.

From this, Ms. Luna-Firebaugh will make a recommendation by August to the Task Force for what type of Civilian Review Board will be most effective in meeting the goal of building trust and respect - to better protect all of Duluth’s citizens and most effectively allow police to do their work. Then, the Task Force will bring those recommendations to the broader community, Police Department, and city government.

In many respects, this work is frustratingly slow. However, much like building a physical bridge, it is important to lay a strong foundation. The Task Force determined that a community assessment by someone with experience and knowledge of these issues was an important step in that. In the past, civilian oversight processes have been tried but didn’t have the authority and integrity that led community members to have an increased sense of trust. We want this to attempt to be one that lasts and truly brings the community together. The foundation is being laid. We look forward to what is built upon it.

--Doug Bowen-Bailey is a member of the Duluth Task Force for Improved Community Police Accountability. The Task Force includes representation from the African-American Men’s Group, the Duluth Police Department, the People’s Institute North, the Peace UCC Dismantling Racism Team, Lake Superior College Multicultural Services, the Duluth American Indian Commission, Community Action Duluth, the Duluth Human Rights Office, the Duluth YWCA, and community members. Our work carries on in memory of Anthony LaDeaux, an original Task Force member.

Consultant meets with public on Police Citizens Review Board

Throughout Duluth five forums, called Building Trust Between the Community and the Police were held in the month of May. They served to gather more information to create an effective citizens review board for the police department. Duluth/Community Police satisfaction surveys were distributed in previous months and so far over 1000 have been returned.

Consultant Eileen Luna-Firebaugh has been hired as an consultant in helping the city set up an effective review board. Luna-Firebaugh said that is a respectable sampling for a city our size.
At a meeting on May 18 over 30 people met at the Central Hillside Community Building. The audience was curious to what makes the most effective model for a civilian review board.

Luna-Firebaugh immediately said it depends on what each city wants. The right match for Duluth will be the model that is well used. Chief Ramsay said he was skeptical of a civilian review board for the Duluth Police at first, but the more he looked into it he found, the civilian review board, would be a “tremendous asset.”

A community member, Gabe Green, said, “Building healthy relationships between people of color and the police is an urgent need.”

Ramsay said he welcomes invitations to events at black churches and other events where police officers and community members can mix it up in some positive ways.

Officers in some police departments write up their police reports in local coffee houses so people see police around town in some regular interactions, not just during an incident.

In a separate interview, Donna Ennis, who is co-chair of the Duluth American Indian Commission, said, “Most police departments are very suspicious of a community’s efforts at police accountability but in Duluth’s case the Police Chief has been at the table from the beginning”

Board members and community members will be an important educational force in letting high school students and others know about some of the constructive review work our police are taking on.

The public can take the survey on the opposite page and mail it in. Call 726 -1665 for more information on this project or to take the survey online visit: http://www.digiterp.com/DTFICPA

Girl Power announces its summer programs

YWCA Girl Power! Program announced its summer programs. The 2010 summer camp, YWCA will be implementing Girl’s Inc Leadership and Community Action, in collaboration with the YWCA Minneapolis. This program enables girls to join in partnership with women leaders in Duluth to develop and practice leadership/advocacy skills. Leadership and Community Action is an experiential curriculum driven by the girls own planning process ─ they have ownership and it partners them with women leaders from the community. The partners (girls and women leaders) will decide what issues to address. For more information about Girls Inc, go to www.girlsinc.org

YWCA staff was trained in this new program and it will be incorporated into the mornings of day camp over a 10-week period this summer at Washington Center from 8:30-4:30 Monday-Friday. Girl Power is for girls ages 9 through 15 and located at Washington Center at 310 N. 1st Ave. West. Transportation can be arranged within YWCA boundaries. It is offered based on a sliding fee scale. For more information call the Girl Power site at 218-740-0348 or contact the youth director at 218-722-7425 ext 116.

Themes and dates of summer camps:

Teambuilding and Friendships ─ June 21 - July 2 ─ Spend two weeks building strong friendships and learning to find success as part of a team. The session will end with a low and high challenge course adventure!

Animal Lovers ─ July 5 to July 16 ─ will encounter fun with many different animals and explore careers that involve working with animals at the zoo, animal shelter and horse ranch.

Girls vs. Wild ─ July 19 to July 30 ─ Can you imagine what it would be like to climb up a rock face, canoe down a river and experience the beauty of a waterfall all in the course of 2 weeks? Step into new experiences as we try new activities including an overnight camping trip and a week at Positive Energy Outdoor (ed)Ventures!

Amazing Art ─ August 2 to August 27 ─ What is your favorite way to express yourself? Painting? Drawing? Music? Photography? Dance? Acting? Throughout the month of August, we will be diving into as many aspects of art as we can along with meeting many artists in the Duluth community.

Senior citizens, childcare center seek funds for unique intergenerational partnership

By Peg Johnson

The Lakeshore senior community in Duluth is proposing a unique and innovative new partnership with Little Treasures Center, a child care center serving children ages six weeks through pre-school, with a particular focus on at-risk children and families. Lakeshore is proposing to create a new intergenerational community that will foster the healthy development of children and increase the quality of life of older adults. In order for this to happen Lakeshore will build-out an existing, undeveloped space to house Little Treasures and its programs at Lakeshore. This partnership will integrate older adults in the Lakeshore community with children at Little Treasures.

Little Treasures has been searching for a permanent site in the East Hillside for over two years. The daycare found a new space but it is in a different neighborhood, Lakeside. Many of the current families will follow the daycare and new families in Lakeside will enroll.
A capital campaign to raise funds for the build-out project has been started by Lakeshore. It is their hope that pre-construction activities will begin in summer 2010, with construction completed and Little Treasures moved in by September 1, 2010. The two organizations will also share food services, kitchen space, and meeting space, and leverage other resources when possible.

The goal is to engage older adults at Lakeshore and the broader community in volunteering at Little Treasures. Older adults will work one-on-one with children and activities will range from rocking infants to reading a book with a toddler to helping preschoolers learn their letters. These kinds of relationships have proven to be beneficial for all involved.
One-half of the funds necessary for this build-out have already been raised through individual contributions and foundations. The public can help move this exciting project forward by making a donation or a pledge. Please contact Judy Poss at Lakeshore at (218) 625-7845 for more details.

Peace UCC displays locally designed and created sculpture

Peace United Church of Christ dedicated its new sculpture affixed to the south side of its building Sunday, May 15. Approximately 200 church and community members attended the event at the North 11th Avenue location. The piece was designed by local artist Gail Blum and cast in bronze by Tom Christiansen of Lutsen. Blum explained that the dove on the piece is taking flight as a symbol of the church’s philosophy.

Photo by Lucie B. Amundsen

Lincoln Park Citizen Patrol, what does the name mean?

What’s in the name?

By Pam Kleinschmidt

Lincoln Park, also referred to as West End, is a geographical area that runs from the Point of Rocks by M&H Gas Station to the Ore Docks near Wade Stadium and from the waterfront to Skyline Drive. Citizen is defined as an inhabitant of a city or town. Patrol is the action of traversing a district or beat for observation or the maintenance of security.

The Duluth Police Department has developed a program of citizen patrols throughout the city to utilize volunteers to alert police to potential threats to the peace and safety of the citizens of Duluth as well as relay concerns brought to them by those living and working in the area in which the members serve. The aim of the program is to build safer neighborhoods by engaging residents to know their neighbors and to act responsibly on their behalf. Members pass a mandatory criminal background check and have a code of conduct they must observe. The Duluth Police Department has oversight of the organization city-wide and it is the task of the Community Police Officer to liaison with each group.

The Lincoln Park Citizen Patrol members patrol the district in vehicles or as they walk enjoying a stroll with family and making personal contact with their neighbors. Some folks like to ride their bikes. Recently, members living in two of our larger apartment complexes have joined to form a patrol group that concentrates solely on their building and parking lots. The Lincoln Park Citizen Patrol has received honors for service to the community by providing volunteers for a variety of civic events and community service projects.

The Lincoln Park Police Substation, located at 2012 West Superior Street, is staffed by the Lincoln Park Citizen Patrol Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Call 730-5565 with questions about The Citizen Patrol, general questions for the Police Department or messages for Community Police Officer, James Hansen. If you have an emergency please call 911, NOT our office.

Kleinschmidt is the captain of the Lincoln Park Citizen patrol

A View from the Park by Heath Hickok

Lincoln Park is the site of many events this month. The Third Annual Clean Sweep is scheduled for Monday, June 7 at 10:30 a.m. on the corner of 20th Avenue West and Superior Street. An ice-cream social hosted by Neighborhood Housing Services NHS Duluth will follow later that day at the Harrison Community Center. A vacant lot clean-up has been organized for Thursday, June 10.

On Saturday, June 19 the 10th Annual Lincoln Park Walleye Open will take place on the St. Louis River. This fishing tournament, produced by the Lincoln Park Business Group (LPBG), has continued to grow each year.

With more than $20,000 in cash and prizes to be won, many participants are expected. Last year, the tournament had a record 412 participants and weighed in 165 walleyes. Marine General is a presenting sponsor this year.

Russ Francisco, owner of Marine General, believes in supporting local community events. “The Lincoln Park Walleye Open is a well run event that supports the community.” Francisco said. Ten percent of the proceeds from this year’s tournament will be donated to the Twin Ports Miracle League, a charitable organization that provides children with mental and/or physical challenges an opportunity to play baseball as a team member in an organized league. Funds are needed to build a Miracle League baseball diamond next to the Harrison Community Center. [Last year the LPBG donated $1,500 to the Boys and Girls Club]

First through 39th place all take home prizes with the largest cash prize of $1,000 going to 40th Place. A special 10th Anniversary Prize valued at $500 will be given to the 10th place walleye.
A bonus prize this year is $500 cash that will be raffled off and won by a participant attending the awards ceremony. All participants are eligible for the drawing at 8 p.m., but you must be present to win. For more information, visit www.lincolnparkfishing.com.

Houle opens Native Chef Catering and Deli

Richard Houle Jr. [left] owns and operates Native Chef Catering & Deli. His daughter, Jeannie Houle manages the deli.

Richard Houle Jr. opened Native Chef Catering & Deli at 320 W. Superior St. in January. His daughter Jeannie manages the deli while he and his son Richard Houle III manage the catering business. Houle, whose nickname is Chef Houlio, said the deli is an inexpensive place for downtown workers to get a lunch. “Your walking out of here with food drink everything under $10.00,” he said. Houle encourages people to try the Thursday pasta bar.

The catering business, formerly Coco’s Catering, specializes in weddings, graduations, golf outings and reunions. Hours are 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The phone is (218) 727-6060.
Houle had formerly worked at the Shack, and Bridgeview Country Club in Superior. A former resident of Detroit, and a member of the Fond du Lac band, he thought Native Chef was a good fit for a business name. Their tag line is “at your service”.

Health improvement program helps everyone live healthier lives

For the last few years I have served on the Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis Counties Community Health Services Board (CHB). This regional organization works to collectively prevent disease and promote healthy living. Many things we take for granted fall in this charge. These would include safe water and food, healthy sanitary conditions, immunizations and active disease prevention. For every diphtheria/tetanus shot that is given over $17 is saved by the public. For every $1 spent on pregnant women in the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) nutritional program well over $4 for newborns and mothers is saved in Medicaid costs.

Of the many programs the CHB is coordinating in our region and in the Hillside neighborhoods is the SHIP-Statewide Health Improvement Program. SHIP’s goal is to help Minnesotans live longer, healthier lives by reducing the burden of chronic disease. This will be done by implementing policy and practices to reduce obesity and tobacco use. Statewide 63 percent of adults are overweight or obese and 18 percent are smokers. Less that 25 percent consume the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables and only 50 percent meet the recommendations for physical activity. Minnesota had been the healthiest state in the US but we have now slipped to 4th.

There are many steps we can take to turn this around for ourselves, families and communities. Many new projects have begun in our schools, worksites and neighborhoods. If you would like to be involved or have questions please contact me or Jim Skoog at St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services at 725-5240 or skoogj@co.st-louis.mn.us. Jim coordinates many of the SHIP activities in the Hillside neighborhoods.

Steve O’Neil

Trees and plants, or lack of, affect rates of aggression in urban settings

Prof. Cricket on freshly-cut stump on a boulevard in East Hillside

It’s June and the leaves have popped out. Duluth is nice and green. Lilac bushes and flowers are blooming. We’ve had several of those Perfect Duluth Days in a row.

Last month we ran an article about the tree census in Duluth. While listening to urban forester, Judy Gibbs, I learned something fascinating: the number of trees and plants, like bushes and flowers, actually makes a difference in the rate of violence in a community. At first I had my doubts of how this could be proven, but studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Landscape and Human Health Laboratory have shown living with barren surroundings was linked to having less ability to concentrate and more stress which leads to more aggression.
Other studies show that people in hospitals recover sooner if they can see a tree while looking out their window.

Duluth lost its Tree City USA status in 1993. Since that time we have lost 19,000 urban trees. So, when Prof. Cricket and I go for a walk, we count the number of recently chopped down trees. I can easily count 11 trees that have been chopped down in a four-block radius and NOT replaced in the past three years.

We need trees and bushes because they are relaxing. In the next few months we will have a new, huge Walgreen’s at 12th Avenue East and Superior Street. Recently I walked around the area and counted 31 trees that will most likely be chopped down for this new development. Is there anything we can do to keep the Hillside green and friendly? By the way, research also shows that people spend more money when shopping centers have trees.

Naomi Yaeger-Bischoff is the editor/general manager of The Hillsider.

Scott Yeazle... Serving the Twin Ports

This year I took part in organizing the Free Democracy Summit. The week-long event had many great moments. The purpose of FDS is to educate people and motivate them to make a difference in politics and in their everyday lives. The Summit started on Sunday April 25 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation building with a reading of the play Habitat. It was a very emotional reading of the play written about homelessness in Duluth. The Summit ended with a busy Saturday. We had breakfast at the Radisson and ended the day with a picnic at the Central Hillside Community Center. For the people that came to almost all the events, the highlight of the week was seeing the San Marco video entitled No Losers. San Marco is a facility, which houses people who have struggled with chronic alcoholism or chronic homelessness. After the video, we had a panel discussion with a few residents, staff and the Central Hillside Community Officer Barry Midthun.

For the first time, FDS offered week-long series called Lunch with a Councilor. All the councilors picked great places to eat. The highlight of the series was the last lunch at Pizza Luce, which drew a crowd of 27 people and included discussion on zoning issues including the 300 foot rule and keeping Duluth safe and beautiful.

FDS included 23 events and was funded by MPIRG [Minnesota Public Interest Research Group], Community Action Duluth and the Duluth Central Labor Body. We had a very diverse crowd for most of the events and that is the best part to me. One of my personal highlights of the week was at the Friday Poetry slam and open mic. My wife wrote a very nice poem about Twin Ports Action Coalition and she read it at the event.

Scott Yeazle is active in many community-based organizations. He is the chair of TPAC, a board member of Duluth Neighborhood Housing Services, vice-president of the Hillsider board, treasurer of the Central Hillside Community Club, serves on the Human Rights Commission, and is active in many other committees working to eradicate poverty and injustice.

Tea Party and anti-war movement are far from agreement

In the last Hillsider, Celia Scheer of the Northern Liberty Alliance (NLA) pointed out the opportunity for common ground between her group and the anti-war movement. It makes sense. NLA members are worried about big government. A shocking 50 cents of every dollar you pay in income taxes goes to the military -- there is no bigger government program than that. And NLA members want to cut the national debt. War spending is the largest contributor to the debt.

But while Ms. Scheer agrees with the anti-war movement on this issue, most of her fellow Tea Partiers do not. Listen to the entire two-hour NLA tax day rally online and you won’t hear a peep about war spending from any of the speakers. However, you will hear scornful attacks on welfare and health care reform. You’ll hear loud applause for the man who wants to end
subsidized breakfasts for poor schoolchildren. You’ll hear lots of scapegoats and straw men, but nothing about what Ms. Scheer and I agree is an out-of-control war machine.

Joel Kilgour
For the Northland Anti-War Coalition

The NLA targets the wrong people, heaping blame for our national economic woes on “socialist” bogeymen and poor kids who have the nerve to go to school hungry. This rhetoric is unhelpful and potentially dangerous.

The message of the Northland Anti-War Coalition is very different. We believe that our country can and should invest MORE money toward the common good -- in things like schools, health care, transportation and clean energy -- and less in killing.

I appreciate Ms. Scheer’s letter, but she has a lot of work ahead of her to educate NLA members about the cost of war. The day NAWC can show up at a Tea Party rally and not be ignored or denounced as “un-American” by 90 percent of the crowd will be the day we can have an honest conversation about our common ground.

It’s time to beautify our neighborhoods, here’s how

“I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.” --Lily Tomlin

If you notice a cleaner Duluth, that’s because community volunteers have been working hard to make our neighborhoods beautiful, cleaned up and looking their best. Better Neighbors and Citizens for a Cleaner Community Program (3CP) both held cleanup events in the Hillside this spring, and they are not done yet. The first week of each June is National NeighborWorks Week, where NHS Duluth, and a host of others will be organizing cleanup events across the city. We welcome you to join your friends and neighbors as we clean Duluth up, celebrate our community pride, and have a great time in the process.

In the meantime, volunteers are needed for the following events:
Flower Fest:
Date: June 5 at 9 a.m. until the plants are gone
Plants: Bedding plants and flowers. Sponsored by Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS).
Only residents of East Hillside, Central Hillside, Lincoln Park, and Morgan Park are eligible to receive flowers from the site in their neighborhood. Each adult resident (not children) will receive up to 8-12 flowers and/or bedding plants.
Central and East Hillside Residents
Place: Neighborhood Housing Services, 224 East Fourth Street
Flower Fest for Lincoln Park Residents
Place: Harrison Community Center, 3002 W. Third St.
East Fourth Street Clean Sweep
Date: June 8
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Do not park here, it’s their delivery day.
Start Place: Last Chance Liquor Store
Clothes: Old clothes that can get dirty. Bring your own work gloves, if you can; NHS will provide some
Tools: Bring, if you can, rakes, and/or brooms; NHS will bring some tools.
Water: NHS will provide water Sponsored by 3CP
Clean-up of Vacant Lots on East Fourth Street in Central Hillside
Date: June 12
Time: 11 a.m. until done
Start Place: Central Hillside Community Building, corner of Lake Avenue and Fourth Street.
Clothes: Old clothes that can get dirty. Bring your own work gloves, if you can; NHS will provide some
Tools: 3CP will provide some tools
Water: NHS will provide water
Sponsor: 3CP

Clean-up of Alleys in Central Hillside
Date: June 12
Time: 11:00 a.m. until done
Start Place: Central Hillside Community Center, corner of Lake Avenue and Fourth Street.
Clothes: Old clothes that can get dirty and bring your own work gloves, if you can; NHS will provide some
Needed: Pick-up trucks
Tools: NHS will provide some tools, but if you can bring brooms, rakes, clippers, and/or loppers; NHS will provide water. Sponsor: Central Hillside Community Club
For information contact Brendan Hanschen, Neighborhood Housing Services, 224 E. Fourth Street, 218-727-8604, bhanschen@nhsduluth.org

Award ceremony fetes six overcoming poverty

Allegra Henderson, employment advocate, hugs Velvet Robinson, winner of the Community Action Duluth Empowerment Award for making big personal strides. Over 260 people attended the dinner and award ceremony.

Community Action Duluth honored individuals who have made great strides in overcoming poverty at a celebration dinner and award ceremony early in May at the Clyde Iron Restaurant in Lincoln Park. Those honored included community partners, volunteers, the board and program participants. Northern Communities Credit Union and Lutheran Social Services both received Community Partner awards for their investment in the Jump Start Car loan program and the free tax site respectively. Through the JumpStart program some 29 low-income people have purchased an affordable reliable energy efficient car in the last 12 months. The tax site served over 1500 households this tax season. Larry Champeaux, NCCU president, said the leap of faith with the low-income people, some with poor credit ratings, has been worth it. There have been no delinquencies in payments. CAD staff member, Tom Fitzpatrick, who led the tax site, which was visited by the IRS was “As cool as a cucumber and gets compliments from the IRS every time,” according to Angie Miller, executive director.

The dinner and ceremony were held on May 5. Some 260 people attended the dinner. Childcare for 69 was provided at the Boys and Girls Club next door.

Outgoing board members Marsha Hystead and Laura Condon were honored for their six-years of service and new board members Jeff Anderson, Carl Crawford and Judy Seliga-Punyko were recognized.

Jeanette Benusa was given the Tax Site Volunteer of the Year Award for her six years of volunteer work as a tax preparer and Sharon Lohman was given the Circles of Support Volunteer of the Year Award for her year of being an ally in a matched circle with a low-income family. The highlight of the evening was the awards given to six Community Action Duluth program participants:
Tanya Danner - Masterpiece Award for mastering a task toward their chosen goal,
Shannon Redbrook- Triumph Award for overcoming adversity to achieve a goal;
Julie [last name withheld] - Prosperity Award for obtaining an asset;
Velvet Robinson - Empowerment Award for making big personal strides;
Heidi Cronick- Tenacity Award for not giving up when faced with roadblocks;
Terri Bunnell - Achievement Award for attaining significant goals.

Each award winner received a handmade bowl created by Community Action Board member Harley Blake. The mission of Community Action Duluth is to use innovative strategies that mobilize low-income people and the broader community to build assets that prevent poverty, create equality and strengthen our social fabric.

Community member [and Hillsider board president] Bruce Howell said of the event, “ This is one of the most inspiring meetings I’ve been to. They didn’t just lift themselves out of poverty; they are clearly success stories with significant accomplishments. These are some of the things that some people never accomplish.” He cited examples such as homeownership and attaining graduate degrees.

For more information about Community Action Duluth programs and to see the annual report go to their website www.communityactionduluth.org

How to keep your home safe from break-ins

Keep all doors and windows closed and secured. Open doors and windows are an invitation for burglars. Doors should have dead bolt locks with a 1" throw. All windows should have window locks.

· Always lock the doors and window to attached and unattached garages.

· Secure sliding glass doors. Place a metal rod or piece of wood in the track and install vertical bolts.

· Keep the perimeter of your home or business well lit and trim surrounding trees and shrubs. Overgrown trees and shrubs serve as perfect hiding places for burglars.

· Never leave clues that you are gone for an extended period. Have a trusted neighbor collect mail and newspapers or put a stop on their delivery.

· Keep valuables out of sight.

· Outside, lock up ladders, tools or lawn furniture.

· Never place keys under the doormat, flower pot or window ledge.

· Lock vehicles, take the keys, and remove all valuables.

• Please report any suspicious activity or persons by calling 911

Hillsider awarded the Butterfly Award

The Hillsider will be award the Butterfly Award for use of online social networking today during Tech Tuesdays. I will give a short demo of internet tools I use for the Hillsider.Tuesday, June 1st,
201011:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Ordean
Building, Room B/C424 W.
Superior St., Duluth,