East Atlanta Community Association
Newsletter
July 12, 2010 
In This Issue
Beltline Study Group
EACA Neighbor in Need
Early Voting for DeKalb General Primary Election
Keep DeKalb Beautiful
Oakleaf Mennonite Farm
Atlanta Freedom Bands
EACA Beautification Day
Burgess-Peterson Academy Garden Workdays
B*ATL: Battle of Atlanta
Burgess-Peterson Community Day/Open House
Intown Academy
East Atlanta Security Patrol
EACA Public Safety Crime Reports
Join Our Mailing List!
Quick Links
 Greetings!

EACA  Logo
Hello,

Don't forget that tomorrow, July 13, is EACA's Monthly Meeting!  It starts at 7:00 pm at the Brownwood Park Recreation Center, 205 Emerson St. SE.  See you there!


Enjoy this week's newsletter!


Beltline Study Group
Have You Participated in a Study Group Meeting Lately?


Here's your chance to be a part of the planning process!  Atlanta BeltLine Study Groups are free and open to the public so come and join the conversation.
 
For more information about Study Groups click here.


EACA Neighbor in Need
Endorsed by community vote in May of 2010 our mission is to help low income elderly living in East Atlanta make emergency home repairs and prevent the downward spiral that often leads them to lose their homes.  We look to strengthen our community by helping those who need it most. 

With the recent tough economic times, rising property taxes, health-care costs and dwindling resources, seniors have been faced with difficult decisions.  Many of our neighbors have had to let maintenance on their homes take a backseat due to the lack of funds to correct roofing, plumbing, heating and air issues.  Once these issues start to accumulate it often results in the homeowner having to give up or sell their property.  Our goal is to help our residents keep their homes and remain in the community as long as possible.  

Currently, we are operating under the non-profit status of Eastlake Neighbor in Need where this program was originated and has been very successful.  Several members of the community have been meeting over the last few months to get this project moving forward.  We are looking to raise money through donations, grants and future fundraisers.  We are also looking to engage local contractors looking to be community partners in this endeavor.   For more information please contact Jeff Whitehouse at [email protected]
 
Early Voting for DeKalb General Primary Election
DeKalb County Board of Registration & Elections is encouraging voters to cast ballots early for the General Primary Election on July 20.  Early voting in person is available now without having to providing a reason. The Absentee Poll at 4380 Memorial Drive is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for Early Voting. 
 
During Advance Voting Week, July 12 - 16, extended hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and four additional sites will also be available for voting before Election Day. 
 
The additional Advance Voting locations are: 
Voters who wish to vote absentee by mail can submit their request now.  They should note on the application that it is for the July 20 General Primary Election and remember to mark party preference. 
 
For additional information, visit www.dekalbvotes.com or call 404-298-4020.

 

Keep DeKalb Beautiful
Checklist ImageKeep DeKalb Beautiful is having a litter campaign slogan contest, and needs your help! 
 
Please see the attached flyer for exciting details about this contest.
 
We look forward to seeing your ideas and responses by July 16th!


Oakleaf Mennonite Farm
Come get a taste of the summer harvest at Oakleaf Mennonite Farm! We're hosting a free neighborhood meal at the farm on Saturday, July 17 at 6:30 pm.  We'll be featuring produce from the gardens as well as other local products.  It's a great chance to see the farm, meet some neighbors, and eat a delicious meal.  We'll provide the food, but we ask that you bring lawn chairs, plates, and silverware. Our address is 1088 Bouldercrest Road SE.

Please R.S.V.P by July 12th to [email protected]

Thanks and we'll see you there!
 


Atlanta Freedom Bands: AMERICANA musical celebration
Join your LGBT community concert band for an event that celebrates the musical heritage we share.  The program features music from composers representing a wide range of the American experience.  The patriotism of George M. Cohan meets the exuberance of the newly arrived immigrant Ernest Bloch.  The words of lesbian poet Katherine Bates meet today's arrangements of James Swearingen.  The modern sounds of Paul Creston meet the beloved songs of Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg.  Our concert will stir your spirit and set your feet tapping as we put our LGBT stamp on this great body of music.
 
"Americana" will mark the debut of our new Music Director, Dr. Patrick Carney, currently the Director of Bands at Clayton State University and the Director of the Atlanta Wind Symphony.   Dr. Carney brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the podium and is excited to take part in the growth of our concert band program.
 
Saturday, July 17, 8 PM
St. Paul United Methodist Church
Free street-side parking
 
Tickets: $10, $5 for students/seniors, available at the door.
Stay for our reception after the show.
EACA Beautification Day
Checklist ImageThe July EAV cleanup will take place on Sunday, July 18th at 9:00 am.  Please join us in making our village a better place by maintaining our environment and fostering a sense of pride and community.  We will meet in front of Joe's Coffee shop, and send teams out into the neighborhood to tidy up the streets.  We will also be working in and around the village.  If you would like to become more involved in our efforts please join us and bring a friend or two.  We continue to have fewer volunteers than we really need and we do rely only on you, the residents of EAV.
 
This Fall we will be planting in the village and planning the Holiday lights.  If you have interest in volunteering please contact Ted Hitch at [email protected]

If you frequently walk the neighborhood, please take a bag with you and pick up some litter.  Every little but helps.

Burgess-Peterson Academy Garden Workdays
Save the dates!!

Saturday and Sunday, July 24 and 25, from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m., are the next volunteer days at the Burgess-Peterson garden.  We'll be prettying up the courtyard garden and working to carve an outdoor classroom out of the wooded area behind the school.

Look for more details later this month.

B*ATL: Battle of Atlanta
July 22nd will mark the 145th Anniversary of the historic Civil War Battle of Atlanta.  To commemorate the important event, the neighborhoods in Atlanta's 5th Council District have teamed up to organize B*ATL on the weekend of July 23rd-25th.  The battlefield is actually in these neighborhoods where people live and work and play today.  This will not only be an event of remembrance, but also one with fun for everyone including: a Gala Dinner and House Tour, a 5K run, Van and Walking Tours, a re-creation of the Frontlines with Re-enactment Soldiers and artillery, a Civil War Village with civilian re-enactors, historic music concerts and dramatic performances, shopping and dining in East Atlanta and Kirkwood and more!! 

For more information, including activities, locations and times, please visit the B*ATL website.
Burgess-Peterson Community Day/Open House
August 7, 10AM to 1PM

Open House - To welcome students and parents in preparation for the school year most of the teachers and school staff will be in attendance.  There will be classroom assignments and a chance for parents and children to meet their teachers.  There will also be information about the school, chance to tour classrooms and information about extracurricular activities and after care.  BPA will also provide information about how to get involved with PTA and/or volunteer at the school.  

Carnival - Food, games, crafts, face painting, jumpy-house, a real fire engine, and more.  A minimal charge for most activities and food with proceeds going to the school.  

Community Day - To encourage people (both with children and without) to get to know more about the school, and learn how you or your group can be involved with the school.  Various community groups and business will be invited to come share information about their organization/business.

If you are interested in volunteering or would like your business involved, please contact with your name, phone number, and email address.
Intown Academy
The Intown Academy is now enrolling students on a first-come, first-serve basis. More than 350 parents have already expressed an interest during Open Enrollment and are now being contacted to complete the enrollment process.  As expected, some grade levels are filling up faster than others.   Please note that enrollment will close for each grade level once that grade level is filled.  Therefore, we would like to reach out to share our message, and give everyone an opportunity to take part in this tuition-free, public charter school experience for their families.  

The Intown Academy will be located in the Old Fourth Ward at 386 Pine St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 (the former CW Hill ,Elementary site).  It will open as a K-6 school in 2010 and grow to K-8 over the next two years, serving students zoned within Atlanta Public Schools.

Please visit our website, www.intownacademy.org or contact me at (404) 915-6233 for more information or if you have any questions.
 

 East Atlanta Security Patrol
The first half of 2010 has ended on a positive note, as our two most closely watched crimes have been down substantially compared to the first six months of 2009.  Burglaries are down 45% versus a year ago, and auto break-ins are down 40%.  We'll be talking at Tuesday's EACA meeting about some of the reasons for this decline, but think that the many improvements to the EASP in 2010 have been a big contributing factor.  Hopefully we can continue to attract more members in the future, as our ability to patrol more hours does directly translate into reductions in crime, particularly reductions in residential burglaries.

To learn more about the East Atlanta Security Patrol, view updated news and notes or to enroll, visit the EASP website. There is 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 [email protected], or call EACA Public Safety Chair Myron Polster at 404-954-1568.

 EACA Public Safety - Weekly Crime Report
The weekly crime reports for weeks 24 -27 are below:
Upcoming Area Meetings
DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
Meetings: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month (07.13), 9:00 am
Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Dr, Decatur

East Atlanta Community Association, (EACA)
Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of the month (07.13), 7pm
Brownwood Park Rec Center, 205 Emerson St. SE

Atlanta City Council
Meetings: 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month (07.19), 1:00 pm
City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave SW, Atlanta, GA
 
Grant Park Neighborhood Association
Meetings: 3rd Tuesday of the month (07.20), 7:30pm
Zoo Atlanta - ARC Building - Ford Conservation Room
800 Cherokee Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30315

2010 EACA Membership

Join EACA 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.  Email questions to [email protected].
 
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.
 
East Atlanta on Facebook/Twitter
If you're a Facebook member, be sure to become a fan of both the EACA Fan Page and the East Atlanta Village page, too! Click on links below to take you directly to each.
 

 
 
 
 


Contact Information:
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://eaca.net