EACA Newsletter for May 17, 2010

Hello,

Only about 400 tickets remain for the East Atlanta Beer Festival. While dusting off your drinking cleats, please remember that it'll be best to walk to Brownwood Park, as all the streets around the Festival will be closed. Also, be sure to drop by EACA's booth for delicious burgers and pretzels -- all the salt and grease your body requires

For those interested the minutes from the May meeting can be found here.

Enjoy this week's newsletter!!

Show Your Support!

Since 1982, the East Atlanta Community Association (EACA) has been an all-volunteer organization committed to making East Atlanta the best neighborhood around. To fulfill our mission, we need your help in getting all of this good work accomplished.

Do you appreciate the information you receive in our newsletter? Do you participate in the East Atlanta Security Patrol? In the Parents Network? In Brownwood Park improvement activities? All of these efforts are part of EACA.

We have exciting new programs this year, but we can't do it without financial support from the community we serve. EACA annual memberships are only $10.00 per household. Join us, and show your support for all of the volunteers that make East Atlanta the great community it is!

You can sign up for your 2010 EACA membership and order EACA Yard Signs on-line! Pay electronically through your online banking site or via Paypal HERE.

EACA Burger Booth - Calling all Grill Masters!

In honor of our long standing tradition, EACA will be hosting a Burger Booth at the East Atlanta Beer Festival. We are looking for Grill Masters and volunteers who want to flip burgers in support of their community. Time slots are available from 12-6 pm on May 22nd.

And, if you are attending, be sure to stop by and get a delicious burger!!! All proceeds will benefit the ongoing activities of EACA.

Volunteers and Grill Masters contact Rose Bigelow 404-664-7920 or email secretary@eaca.net

Neighbor in Need

An all-volunteer, nonprofit organization based in Atlanta's East Lake neighborhood, the mission of Neighbor in Need is to help low income, elderly homeowners make emergency home repairs. Its vision is to increase home value and, more importantly, help neighbors keep their homes.

On May 11, 2010, by unanimous community vote, EACA formalized a partnership with Neighbor in Need and extended its model to the entire East Atlanta community. EACA's initiative will raise funds for East Atlanta neighbors and leverage pre-existing relationships with Neighbor in Need in East Lake. Over time, EACA's Neighbor in Need initiative plans to broaden its own network of local business and corporate partners to get the work done. This initiative is a grassroots, relationship-based, block-by-block effort; if you have a neighbor that might need some help, let us know! Also, if you have questions or would like to get involved, please contact Jeff Whitehouse, Chairperson of EACA's Neighbor in Need initiative.

Sylvester Cemetery Clean-Up

There's a clean-up for the Sylvester Cemetery on Saturday, May 22, from 9:30 am until 1:30 pm. Volunteers meet and sign in on the Braeburn Circle side of the cemetery. Please wear sturdy shoes or boots and bring garden gloves to protect your hands. Bottled water and trail-mix bars are provided. If you can, bring a rake.

What's Sylvester Cemetery?

Historic Sylvester Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in DeKalb County; the first burials took place in the 1830s. The cemetery was originally a family burial plot for the Terry family who owned and operated two mills in what is now East Atlanta. In 1872, Sylvester Terry, the 16-year-old son of Mary Thurman Terry, died and was buried there. Sylvester Church was built and named in his honor, and it was attended by the Terrys and their friends and relatives (the Browns, the McWilliams, etc.) and operated as a Methodist Church. The church closed and was rededicated in 1883 as the Sylvester Baptist Church, which then built new structures in 1887 and 1955 as well as a schoolhouse in 1959. The congregation disbanded and closed the church in 1972.

Today more than 1,400 persons are buried at Sylvester Cemetery: veterans of the Civil War, the Spanish American War, the 1st and 2nd World Wars, the Korean and Vietnam Wars as well as a former Sheriff of DeKalb County, along with his wife, who was the county jailer. The most well known figure buried there is Fiddlin' John Carson, who is widely considered to be the Father of Country and Western Music. He was the first to record a country music album, first to have his own radio program (1923) and the first to travel widely giving country music performances. He was elected to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1984.

The efforts to cleanup the cemetery began in 2002, after many years of neglect and misuse. The Sylvester Cemetery Foundation, incorporated in 2003, was formed by neighbors of the cemetery, the families of those buried there and residents eager to reclaim an important part of Georgia history. The Foundation began hosting tours and events in 2006.

Burgess-Peterson Academy Teacher and Paraprofessional of the Year

Congratulations to teacher of the year, Betty Jackson, and paraprofessional of the year, Cynthia Gore. All members of the community are invited to celebrate these honors.

When: Monday, May 17, 2010
Where: Burgess-Peterson Academy

480 Clifton Street, S.E. Atlanta, GA 30316

404-802-3401

Time: 1pm~2pm

Kindergarten "Class of 2014" Playgroup forming!

Do you have a child born between 9/1/2008 and 8/31/2009 and wish to connect with other parents and children of the same age in the neighborhood? EAPN is starting a playgroup for the Kindergarten class of 2014 and hope you are interested in joining!

Since this is a new group, day and time and frequency of the playgroup have not yet been determined and will be worked out among its participants. Playgroup members can either take turns hosting at their homes or at kid-friendly venues (like a park or the zoo).

If you are interested in joining the playgroup, please email our new "K-14" coordinator, Julie Cureton, at aria1600@yahoo.com. She will then email you an invite to join a Google group created specifically for this playgroup.

Playgroups for the other age groups will hopefully be forming soon. If you are interested in coordinating one of these groups please contact EAPN.

Imagine Wesley 2010-11 Registration

Imagine Wesley International Academy, a tuition free charter school on Custer Ave., is accepting applications for the 2010-11 School Year for grades K-8. We have openings in several grades and wait-lists created for the other grades that are full. Classes may open when wait-list numbers increase, so please apply even if your child's grade is full. There are no application fees. School tours are ongoing every Tuesday at 10am by appointment. Please visit our website for information on tours and enrollment, or contact the Enrollment Office at 678-904-9137, ext. 8273.

Ormewood School Summer Camps

The Ormewood School located in Ormewood Park is excited to offer 5 weeks of summer camp this year for children ages 1-5! Weekly themes include "Fly Me to the Moon", "A Week Around the World", "All Creatures Great and Small", "Mad Scientist" and "Once Upon a Time". Camp hours are from 9:30am-1:30pm. A non-refundable deposit of $50 is due at registration.

For more information, visit the Ormewood School website, call (404) 627-2214 or email ormewoodschool@yahoo.com.

Montessori In Town: Camp Ladybug

CAMP LADYBUG, offering summer fun, Montessori style!

Camp Ladybug is a hands-on summer camp for preschool aged children. Sessions include nature-based explorations, gardening, art, cooperative games and water play at MIT's historic Glen Castle campus located less than a mile from EAV.

Glen Castle:

July 5-9 and July 12-16

9 am -12:30 pm M-F

Ages turning 3-6 years old

For more information please check out their website.

NCS and ACMS Proposed Merger

A proposed merger of Neighborhood Charter School (NCS) in Grant Park and Atlanta Charter Middle School (ACMS) in Ormewood Park has been under consideration for several months. As stakeholders, East Atlanta residents have the opportunity to formally share their opinion(s) on the merger.

At the EACA Monthly Meeting, Matt Underwood, Principal of ACMS, presented some aspects of the merger and fielded questions and comments from the community. Jill Kaechele, Principal of NCS, and a few NCS and ACMS board members were in attendance as well. EACA voted to postpone a decision on whether or not to support the merger for one month.

Please review the charter petition here. This matter will be voted on at the June 9 meeting.

MARTA and Georgia Aquarium Video and Blog Contest

In celebration of this year's national Dump the Pump Day on June 17th, MARTA and Georgia Aquarium are hosting a Video and Blog Contest to highlight "Why MARTA Matters to the Environment." Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their talents and compete for great prizes all while promoting how transit helps to improve the environment and quality of life for our community!

The video and blog contests, sponsored by Georgia Aquarium, will each have a youth (ages 13 to 17) and adult (18 and older) division. All submissions are due June 4, 2010, and winners will be announced on Dump the Pump Day on June 17th. First-place prize winners will receive two annual passes to the Georgia Aquarium and a MARTA Breeze card good for one year. Second-place winners will receive one annual Georgia Aquarium pass and one monthly Breeze card. All winners will have their videos and blogs posted on MARTA's website, Facebook page and YouTube site.

Attached is a registration form along with contest rules and information. MARTA has also posted a web registration form at www.itsmarta.com.

Please contact Press Secretary Cara Hodgson at 404-848-5157 with any questions.

East Atlanta Beer Festival

Tickets for the 7th Annual East Atlanta Beer Festival are now on sale!

What: 7th Annual East Atlanta Beer Festival
Where: NEW LOCATION! Brownwood Park, 205 Emerson St. SE, East Atlanta
When: Saturday, May 22, 2010 from 1:00-6:00pm (VIP Early Admission-12:00pm)

Sample over 130 craft beers, listen to rocking local bands, eat tasty local foods - all in shaded Brownwood Park in the heart of East Atlanta Village.
Admission is $30 in advance. (If there happen to be tickets left on event day, they'll be $35 at the gate).
250 limited VIP tickets are available for $55. Benefits include: 1 hour early admission to the Festival, expedited entrance line, exclusive VIP area with 12+ exclusive beer tastings, VIP-only bathrooms, and a free EABF-logo bottle opener.
Food from local East Atlanta restaurants and organizations available on-site. Cash only.
EABF Proceeds benefit community projects.
No one under 21, no children, no pets, no backpacks or coolers, no exceptions.

Tickets are available now. Visit the (new & improved) website for info & to purchase - www.eastatlantabeerfest.com

CITIZENS COURTWATCH - JONATHAN REDDING - ZONE 3 GRANT PARK