The Friends of Brownwood Park is hosting a benefit show featuring the funky sounds of  "Entropy and Friends" at The Earl on Thursday, April 30th, to raise funds to match a Park Pride Community Grant for park improvements. All funds raised will be used for the implementation of the first phase of the park's Vision Plan.

 

The East Atlanta community, with the help of Park Pride, developed the Vision Plan over a year-long period through a series of public informational meetings. To view the Plan, visit www.eaca.net. Some of the park improvements include new trails, more drinking fountains with dog fountains, an extended playground area, landscaping, and much more.

Purchase tickets in advance ($8) at www.badearl.com or at the door ($10).  If you can't attend and would like to donate to the effort - click HERE.

The East Atlanta Village Farmers Market is back every Thursday from 4PM to Dusk starting on May 7th in the parking lot of Village Hardware located at 1231 Glenwood Ave. 

Some of our favorite farmers are back along with some new additions to offer between five and seven growers every week. Franco the cheese man returns along with Bernard's Bread Bakery.  www.farmeav.com

Renard Beaty is offering a Personal Public Safety course at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church on May 3rd from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. for $15.00. Click HERE for more info.

 

Dear Parents,
 
East Atlanta Community Association's LEAP (Linking Education and the Public) Committee is conducting a survey on attitudes toward education in our community.
 
LEAP works to educate the community about East Atlanta area schools and daycare options and also sponsors activities for children.  It is part of LEAP's ongoing mission to bring families together and build the relationships necessary to support the changes needed in area schools. The results of this survey will be used to guide LEAP's priorities and efforts in the coming year and will be presented in full to the community at May's LEAP meeting.
 
This online survey will be open until May 1st and should take you 10-12 minutes to complete. Please click on the below link to access the survey:
 
http://tinyurl.com/LEAPsurvey2009

 

By Corny X
 
On a sunny Saturday afternoon behind Australian Bakery, there is a buzz.  It's exciting with a pile of frames on one side and people fixing bikes.  Dupree approaches and meets Bill, a volunteer.  "I need a bike" said Dupree. "Welcome to Sopo," responds Bill. "Let's see what we can do."  This scene is repeated many times at Sopo.
 
Walking in, immediately on the left, is a mural painted by the kids of the East Atlanta Kids Club.  Sopo Bicycle Co-op has been in its space at 465-C Flat Shoals Ave since October 2005, right next to SouthStar Community Development Corporation's offices.  These 2 groups were active in bringing Sopo into East Atlanta.  What started as a meeting of bicyclists in December 2004 found a home where it remains today.
 
Further into the shop are walls of tools and bike parts.  Sopo exists to provide access to biking by providing affordable bike maintenance and education.  It's a community where not one person is an expert and knowledge is shared.  It is a safe space where everyone is encouraged to learn and share.  Even to someone who doesn't know anything about bicycles or its repair, Sopo is there so all can learn together.
 
On a desk to the right is the Sign-In sheet.  Everyone signs in each time they come into the shop.  It helps track the number of people and what they are doing.  In the first 3 months of 2009, Sopo has been visited over 1000 times.  Also they have hosted BikeBike Southeast which is a regional gathering of bike cooperatives and held its 5th annual Broken Hearts Alley Cat and Benefit fundraiser.  For the summer, there will be 2 mentors on weekends for Sopo's Youth Programming.
 
Just as Bill helped Dupree, you too can get involved.  Sopo is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization which accepts donations whether bikes, parts, wish list items, or money.  You can also become a volunteer.  Every 4th Wednesday of each month is Volunteer Orientation.  But don't wait; come by the shop and help.  You don't need to know anything about fixing bikes, they'll help you learn.  You can find out more about Sopo on their website at www.sopobikes.org, e-mail at info@sopobikes.org or call 404-425-9989.  They are open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights from 7-10pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 2-6pm.  See you at the shop.

 

EABA Business  Brief
By Marc Takacs
Keller Williams Realty

The First Friday of May is rapidly approaching and that means the businesses of the East Atlanta Village will be partnering with another local non-profit group to raise awareness, money and introduce our district to some new people. 

This month's partner is the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool as they invade the East Atlanta Village in search of their missing Mud Monster (www.gpcp.org).  A nice lineup of businesses, including Champagne Taste, Bound to Be Read, Traders, Park Pet Supply, Calavino's, The Flat Iron, House of Bling, Blah, Blah Boutique, Home Watch Care Givers, and Y-Not Antiques, are participating this month.  Luckily, Mother's Day is around the corner so you need to at least buy that wonderful lady who spent nine months of discomfort and probably several hours of sheer pain bringing you into this world, and how do you repay her, you send one stinkin' card every 3 years and never call.  This is your opportunity to get her something nice and tell her you helped some great kids as well. Click HERE for the flier.

 

The East Atlanta Business Association, in partnership with the SouthStar CDC and East Atlanta Beer Fest has been hiring the Good Samaritan House for monthly district cleanups since March.  We just discovered a grant from the Department of Labor has funded the cleanups weekly for the last month so we thought it'd make more sense to have the clean up crews hit Brownwood Park a couple of times a month so we could keep that neighborhood asset looking as good as possible.  Keep an eye out for the crews in the park over the following weeks.

 

The East Atlanta Business Association also wants to welcome several new businesses to the district. 

Buy Your Tickets Early and Save!
 
Tickets for the 6th Annual East Atlanta Beer Festival  (a local 501(c)3) are now on sale! Buy your tickets at a discount through April 28th for $25 a piece.  On April 29th, the price of an advance ticket goes to $30. Tickets available online at www.eabfonline.com.

• What:  5th Annual East Atlanta Beer Festival
• Where:  1205 Metropolitan Avenue, East Atlanta Village
• When:  Saturday, May 30, 2009 from 1:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Sample over 120 craft beers and visit the shops and restaurants of the EastAtlantaVillage.

Food from local East Atlanta restaurants and organizations available onsite. Cash only (ATM available).

New this year:

• Addition of a second stage - EABF will feature live local music from Deep Blue Sun, The Mixx, The Nashvillain Family Band, Uncle Daddy and the Kissin Cousins, and several local DJs
• 200 limited VIP Tickets available for $55. Benefits include express entrance, VIP tent with exclusive beer tastings, complimentary food offerings from one of East Atlanta's own restaurants, VIP bathrooms, and a free Festival pint glass

EABF Proceeds benefit community projects.

The weekly detailed crime report for April 11th - April 17th.

To learn more about the East Atlanta Security Patrol or to enroll, visit the EASP website (http://patrol.eaca.net). The cost to join the patrol is $50 per quarter, with a 50% discount for longtime residents and those 65+. To qualify, you must have lived at the same address for 20 years or be over age 65.  We also have a 20% discount for members of an APD-sanctioned Neighborhood Watch.  Please contact us if you're interested in setting up a Neighborhood Watch on your street.
 

If you have additional questions, please direct them to securitypatrol@eaca.net, or call EACA Public Safety Chair Myron Polster at 404-429-8815.

Join or renew your EACA membership today! Annual dues are $10 per household. As an EACA member, you can vote at EACA meetings on topics of interest within our community. Additionally, there are numerous local businesses who offer discounts to EACA members. See the official list of EACA member discounts and take advantage of them by showing your 2009 membership card throughout the Village.

You can sign up for your 2009 EACA membership and order EACA Yard Signs on-line! Pay electronically through your online banking site or via Paypal HERE.

 

Contact Information:
E-mail: newsletter@eaca.net
Website: http://eaca.net

Submissions:
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.