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East Atlanta Community Association Newsletter Weekly Update
December 8, 2008
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President's Letter
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I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have supported EACA and its efforts over the past couple of years while I have been in office, and to thank our board for its efforts as well. While we all have other commitments and obligations in our daily life, we continue to improve our neighborhood by bringing neighbors together to discuss and address important issues that impact East Atlanta.
If you haven't had a chance to participate in EACA in recent years, I encourage you to do so in the coming year. The new leadership will need your support, and your input. Be sure to give them feedback in the coming months, identifying issues of importance to you and how they can help make your life better. At the same time, try to find one issue that interests you, and volunteer to help a few hours per month.
Happy Holidays,
Myron Polster |
Annual EACA Potluck Dinner
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The EACA holds its annual Potluck dinner on December 9th at 7:00 p.m. Please join your neighbors for a holiday meal that immediately follows our brief monthly meeting. You are encouraged to bring your children or any other members of your household (except pets).
To help get the meeting started promptly, we encourage you to bring a dish to share shortly before 7:00, so that all the food can be ready to eat at the conclusion of our meeting at 7:30. While attendance is usually around 75 people, you don't have to cook for that many! A dish that serves 5-10 people is more than adequate. Items such as side dishes, salads, main courses and desserts are all acceptable. Please bring any bowls, plates or utensils that are needed to serve your dish, as well as any condiments that might be appropriate.
The EACA will provide forks, spoons, knives, napkins, plates and drinks. Happy Holidays, and we'll see you on December 9th!
As part of the EACA holiday potluck, we are inviting people to bring some canned food to donate to the Kingfisher Academy food drive. The shelves at the Atlanta Food Bank are in desperate need of food. It's a rough time for even middle class families and the need for more canned food is tremendous. The kids at Kingfisher will be doing a house to house collection on an upcoming Saturday and are hoping to kick off their food drive at the EACA Potluck. |
EACA looking for new leaders in 2009
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EACA is actively seeking new leadership for next year. Current President Myron Polster and Vice-President Heath Turner are not eligible to return in those positions in 2009, and Sarah Palin is back in Alaska, so we need some new blood at the top. This is a great chance to improve your neighborhood in areas such as Public Safety, Code Enforcement, Land Use and Zoning, Education and Transportation to name just a few. Elections will be held at the December 9th EACA meeting for all four officer positions, including Secretary and Treasurer.
To learn more, contact one of the nominating committee members, either Henry Bryant at 404-377-6148 or Dennis Madsen at 404-577-8656. |
East Atlanta Business Association - Election Results
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Congratulations to the new slate of EABA officers for 2009. Here are the new officers for the upcoming year:
President - Marc Takacs - Keller Williams Realty
Vice - Gabe Simpson - The Glenwood
Treasurer - David Warren - W Commercial and Development
Secretary - Callie Nix - Origins Realty
There are also some committee chairs that have been identified as well:
Bar/Restaurant - Philip Christenson - The Graveyard
EAV-O-Ween - Rick Gagnon - My Coach Pro
Taste of East Atlanta and Chili Cookoff - Jonathan Tescher - Farmer's Market
Marketing - Chad Becker - The Capital Image Promotional Products
Public Safety - Kevin Rainey - Executive Off Duty Security
Should you have any comments or suggestions for EABA, please contact Marc Takacs at marc@mdteam.net or 404-538-6849. |
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Toys for Tots in the East Atlanta Village
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The newly formed Decatur Chapter of Kiwanis International has partnered with the United Sates Marines this holiday season to host a Toys for Tots toy drive in Decatur, East Atlanta Village, and surrounding communities.
The mission of our Toys for Tots campaign is to collect new, unwrapped toys during the months of November and December for transfer to the local US Marines Reserve Unit for distribution as Christmas gifts to needy children in the Atlanta area.
The primary goal of this campaign is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders. Various businesses in the East Atlanta Village will have drop off bins so make sure to keep an eye out as you're doing your holiday shopping and enjoying the festivities of the season.
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Atlanta Education Fund - Discussion about Atlanta Public Schools
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Thursday, December 11, 2008 6:45 PM - 8 PM
The Atlanta Education Fund (AEF) is holding several small community discussions throughout the City of Atlanta to talk about Atlanta Public Schools. On Thursday, December 11, Don & Rebecca Wallace and Michael & Jennifer Halicki will host a small gathering at St. Paul Methodist Church. Refreshments will be provided.
These gatherings are intended to engage parents with children enrolled in Atlanta Public Schools (APS); parents with young children that are making decisions about where to enroll their child in school; and other members of the community who have an interest in APS' education reform strategy.
The objectives of these small community discussions are to:
1. Conduct an abbreviated survey of parents participating in small conversations to gauge their awareness of the education reform strategy for APS, and the impact it is having on the performance of those schools.
2. Inform parent participants regarding the performance of APS schools, using the district's performance metrics/data.
3. Solicit ideas and suggestions about how to best increase meaningful community and parent engagement/involvement in APS.
4. Change the perception of Atlanta Public Schools.
5. Galvanize support and encourage engagement for Atlanta Public Schools.
Additional details:
· 6:30pm-6:45pm-Facilitator will arrive
· 7:00pm Meeting begins
Please join the conversation. Admission and parking are free.
Location:
St. Paul United Methodist Church (corner of Sydney and Grant)
Hueitt Hall
501 Grant Street
Atlanta, GA United States 30315
Hosted by:
Michael Halicki (michael@ahmann.com), 404-272-2924
Rebecca Wallace, 404-310-3179
To RSVP, email Michael at michael@ahmann.com.
About the Atlanta Education Fund:
The Atlanta Education Fund's mission is to galvanize community support to accelerate and sustain student achievement in Atlanta's public schools. Its goal is to enhance the community's capacity to lead, support, monitor, and advocate for effective education reforms for all students of the district. The AEF will focus on two key functions to carry out its mission: keeping the public informed and involved, and supporting & leading key reform initiatives in Atlanta's public schools. |
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Inman Park Cooperative Preschool - Prospective Family Meeting
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IPCP Is Holding Prospective Family Meetings for the 2009-2010 School
Year on December 13th & January 11th.
Do you want to be an integral part of your child's preschool experience?
Inman Park Cooperative Preschool, Atlanta 's premiere parent-owned
preschool, has just completed a half-million dollar campus renovation.
Please join us on December 13th at 10am, or January 11th at 1pm to
learn more! Enjoy a tour of our completely renovated Edgewood building
dedicated to three-, four- and five-year olds and the new Annex space
designed for our one- and two-year olds. In addition, explore our
Outdoor Classroom, which is a Certified Wildlife Habitat.
We offer our children a play-based, discovery curriculum, inspired by
the nationally acclaimed Creative Curriculum. Our curriculum is
designed to take each child on an optimal journey of growth and education.
We accept children one year through five years old for preschool,
extended day and enrichment, and summer camp programs.
Come see what the buzz is about!
*Attendance at a Prospective Parent meeting is strongly encouraged for
all new applicants. For questions or to RSVP, please contact
admissions@ipcp.org |
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Imagine Wesley International Academy Announces Open House Dates
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Join Imagine Wesley International Academy at an Open House Meeting. 2009 is sure to be another exciting and great year for Imagine Wesley International Academy - A Tuition-Free, Public Charter School. Settling into our new state-of-the art educational facility and serving students kindergarten through eighth grade, in a single-gender classroom setting, parents in the Atlanta City school district have an exceptional educational choice. Open House meetings, with campus tours, will be held on Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. beginning December 11, 2008. Registration begins in January. A schedule of Open House dates is listed below.
Open House Dates:
December 11, 2008
January 8, 2008
January 29, 2008
February 12, 2008
February 26, 2008
Prospect Parent Information Meetings Imagine Wesley strives to meet the specific needs of the families it currently serves and will serve in the future. As such, those interested in hosting a Parent Information Session in their home, for a church, community, feeder schools, civic and private organizations/businesses, let us know immediately. To ensure proper scheduling and adequate accommodations are made, please contact the Prospective Parent Chairperson, Lawanda Holliman, by email at LawandaHolliman@Talkamerica.net or phone at 770.309.8777. |
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SAND Begins Trolley Patrol
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After working this Fall with volunteers to finalize the organizational details, the Trolley Patrol is pleased to announce that it is now accepting membership for patrols to begin on December 15, right before the holidays. As of Tuesday, November 25th, the Trolley Patrol is an official non-profit corporation.
The Trolley Patrol has partnered with MDS Protective Service, Inc. to provide security patrol services using off-duty City of Atlanta officers. MDS officers will be operating in uniform, but in unmarked cars, at a minimum of 15 hours per week. MDS will be focusing on increasing neighborhood security by using police and community information to make arrests and deter criminal activity, as well as monitoring 911 calls to provide quicker response to incidents in the SAND communities coverage area.
Trolley Patrol membership costs $30 per month, collected quarterly. The website at www.trolleypatrol.com will launch in early December and have the ability to accept new members using online payment via Paypal. In the meantime, you may visit the site, download a form and mail your check for $90 to the address shown on the form.
We're looking for volunteers to forward this email to neighbors and friends as well as help distribute flyers to neighbors advertising the new service. Please let me know if you're interested in helping out. The more members that belong to the Trolley Patrol, the more hours we can employ MDS to patrol. We need to increase membership quickly to put this service on solid financial footing in the first couple of months.
Thanks for your help in making our neighborhood a safer place. Feel free to call or email me with any questions you may have about the Trolley Patrol.
Amanda Blocker
amanda@trolleypatrol.com
404-247-3322 |
The East Atlanta Security Patrol is an effort to provide additional police patrols for both residential and commercial properties here in East Atlanta. Currently the Security Patrol is providing about 30 hours per week of coverage, mostly on days and times where we're experiencing the highest dates of residential burglaries. Coverage is focused on our member households, with extra emphasis for residents who are out of town. Time spent near any given member household is also adjusted based on current crime patterns. Additional foot patrols are provided in the East Atlanta Village, with the number of hours dependent on the contributions of member businesses.
If you wish to join the Security Patrol, be certain that you live in the city of Atlanta, and within EACA borders. The patrol does not currently extend to unincorporated Dekalb County since it is staffed by off-duty Atlanta police officers.
To learn more or to enroll, visit the East Atlanta Security Patrol website. The next deadline for enrollment is December 31st. The cost to join the patrol is $50 per quarter, with a 50% discount for longtime residents and those age 65 and above.
If you have additional questions, please direct them to securitypatrol@eaca.net, or call EACA President Myron Polster at 404-429-8815. |
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October Crime Reports
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We have posted the October crime report, crime maps and year-to-date statistics for East Atlanta. Click on the associated links to access the following:
As you read many of the detailed crime reports, you may notice that many of the victims of residential burglaries are out of town when the crimes occur. APD offers directed patrols for any resident who will be out of town, and all that is required is faxing a form to Zone 6. Please be sure to take advantage of this service, as your beat officers will make use of these forms as they patrol the neighborhood.
If you have any questions, or would like to get involved with the EACA Public Safety Committee, contact Public Safety Chair Ed Gilgor at publicsafety@eaca.net.
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East Atlanta Meetings and Deadlines ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
East Atlanta Community Association Monthly Meeting
Tuesday, December 9 - 7:00 p.m. Branan Towers (1200 Glenwood Avenue) For more information, contact EACA President Myron Polster at president@eaca.net. For a copy of the October meeting minutes, click here.
NPU-W Transportation Committee Meeting
Thursday, December 11 - 7:00 p.m. Martha Brown United Methodist Church (468 Moreland Avenue) For more information, contact NPU-W Transportation Chair Russell Baggett at inspired_by_design@hotmail.com.
Branan Bingo for Seniors - Holiday Edition!
Tuesday, December 16 - 6:00 p.m.
Branan Towers (1200 Glenwood Avenue)
NPU-W Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, December 17 - 7:30 p.m. Martha Brown United Methodist Church (468 Moreland Avenue) For more information, contact NPU-W Chair Ed Gilgor at npuw.chair@comcast.net
NPU-W Land Use & Zoning Committee Meeting
Tuesday, January 6 - 7:30 pm
Georgia Hill Center (250 Georgia Avenue) For more information, contact NPU-W Chair Ed Gilgor at npuw.chair@comcast.net
If you're interested in submitting an article to the EACA weekly newsletter, send it to newsletter@eaca.net by the end of the day on Friday. Include relevant dates, times, locations and contact information, as well as details of the event or announcement. If you're interested in submitting an article to the Porch Press, the deadline is the 25th of each month, for inclusion the following month (the issue usually appears around the 15th). Proofreading/Paste up is always the first Monday (unless there is a holiday or crisis). You may submit your articles to eaveditor@theporchpress.com. Don't forget that the next deadline to submit articles is January 25th, as there will not be a January issue. The next issue will come out in mid-February. |
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Local Events
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Village Holiday Decorations Are Up
The holiday lights and tree at the intersection of Flat Shoals and Glenwood have been put up thanks to a combination of the EACA Beautification
committee and members of the East Atlanta Business Association (EABA).
The EACA group, led by Mellissa Dobraski, did great work by cutting the old lights out of the trees on the west side of Flat Shoals and putting new
low voltage LED lights up. Members of EABA put up the tree at the intersection and decorated it on Saturday morning.
Special thanks goes to Neighborhood Commercial Redevelopment who had the power outlets put in at those trees a few years ago and pays the
electric bill during the holiday as a great service to their tenants.
Thanks again to the following small business owners who helped to decorate the village by supplying lights, a tree, other necessities and most importantly,
their time and good cheer:
Traders
Park Pet Supply
Village Hardware (Ace)
Marc Takacs - Keller Williams Realty
Callie Nix - Origins Realty
Rick Gagnon - My Coach Pro
Chad Becker - The Capital Image Promotional Products
Make sure to support the businesses who go out of their way to support your neighborhood and have a great Holiday.
Bound To Be Read Books
Thursday, December 11th - 7:00 p.m. Salon Join us for a free-wheeling discussion on a different topic every month. For December, we say: A Black President? So what! The historic election of Barack Obama as President of the United States presents both opportunities and hazards for race relations in the U.S. Join this open discussion of what could and should change as our country prepares to inaugurate our first African-American president. Bound To Be Read Books is located at 481-B Flat Shoals Avenue in East Atlanta Village. For more information, please call (404) 522-0877, or email them at info@boundtobereadbooks.com.
Holiday Wreath-making Workshop * Join Robin for a fun time and make your own custom holiday wreath * You will design and assemble your own custom wreath for your home * All Materials will be provided * Refreshments will be served * Only $35.00 Space is limited and filling up fast Thursdays Dec. 11th, 18th 7-9 P.M. Sunday Dec. 14th 5-7 P.M. To Register call 404-529-9980 ORGANIC GARDENING WORKSHOP Want to learn how to grow your own food the all natural way? * We are offering a 6 week intensive workshop at our farm in Stone Mountain starting February 1st. * This is an intensive hands-on workshop covering all aspects of organic gardening. For more information go to http://tinyurl.com/funnyfarm or call 770-527-0395 |
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Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes
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Join us for the 28th Annual Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes on Saturday, December 13th and Sunday, December 14th from 6:00-10:00 PM. If you haven't ever attended this beautiful holiday event, make 2008 the year to start a new holiday tradition! This year, nine Grant Park homes will be all dressed up for the holidays and viewed by ambient candlelight. This event is sure to get you in the holiday spirit and warm your heart. The Tour draws about 1,000 attendees from all over the city and benefits three important community non-profit organizations: The Grant Park Cooperative Preschool, The Grant Park Parent Network and the community ministries of St. Paul United Methodist Church.
There are several other events and activities associated with the Tour of Homes:
1) An Artist Market from 5:00-9:00 on Saturday and Sunday. Set up to resemble an outdoor bazaar, this event will feature more than 20 local artists and is located at St. Paul United Methodist Church at 501 Grant Street.
2) A Winter Wonderland celebration for kids on Saturday from 4:00-6:00 PM. Arts, crafts, snacks and pictures with Santa will brighten your kids' day! The Winter Wonderland is located at St. Paul United Methodist Church.
3) Hayride and caroling on Saturday and Sunday at 6:00 PM. Bring the kids for a fun hayride and caroling at each home on the Tour of Homes. The Hayride begins at St. Paul United Methodist Church.
Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased online or at several area businesses: Red Robin Group Real Estate Services (1153 Ormewood Avenue, Suite A-102), Six Feet Under (437 Memorial Drive), Adams Realtors (458 Cherokee Avenue), Edward Jones Financial Advisors (583 Grant Street) and Intown Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (494 Boulevard SE). The Tour of Homes requires a ticket purchase, but all other activities are complimentary.
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Second Sundays at Kirkwood Station
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"Second Sundays" at Kirkwood Station is the latest open air market to be hosted by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces. The Market will feature art, handcrafted items, organic foods as well as participate with the businesses currently located at Kirkwood Station. Approximately 24 merchant participants are expected. This monthly market will be held on the second Sunday of each month. Remaining dates for 2008:
Sunday, December 14, 2008 from noon - 5:00 p.m.
The Market will re-open in 2009 from March - December. For more info on the Artist Market visit www.affps.com |
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Local News
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Visioning Forum for Metro Atlanta
DeKalb to hold December public meetings on zoning update
Pulse of Progress - November Edition |
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Guide to Georgia Planning and Land Use Law Published
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A new handbook for citizens and elected officials on planning and land use laws and practices in the state of Georgia has been developed by the Livable Communities Coalition, a group of organization supporting smart growth and development in the Atlanta metro area.
The guide features an overview and history of planning in the state; frequently asked questions about land use law; population and demographic trends affecting future development; techniques for shaping growth, such as transportation corridors and brownfields development; and best practices in citizen engagement.
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