Get your costumes and picnic recipes ready. The Valentine Neighborhood is gearing up for our annual 4th of July parade and picnic. We've invited special guests to serve as grand marshals and we'll be joined by local, state and national political figures for our celebration. We'll have prizes for the best costumes and, of course, for the best dogs in the parade.

The parade begins at noon at the Normal School, 3514 Jefferson, then jogs over to travel south on Pennsylvania and then north on Jefferson. It will end at 3668 Jefferson, Denny and Jackie Houk's home, where we will have a picnic following the parade. The picnic is open to all Valentine residents. Please bring a lawn chair and either a salad, a side dish or a dessert. VNA will supply hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks. Bring your family and friends!

The 11th annual Dance in the Park will be presented on Saturday, September 12, 2009 in the tranquil setting of Roanoke Park. Dance in the Park showcases the performances of a host of the Kansas City region's unique dance companies. This free event invites neighbors to gather and build a sense of community. The event starts at 6:30 PM with a free dance class, during which audience members of all ages are invited onstage for a lesson with professional dancers. The show starts at 7:00 PM. Bring a blanket, lawn chairs, a picnic and the whole family!

Dance in the Park is produced by City in Motion Dance Theater in conjunction with the Volker, Roanoke, Valentine, Coleman Highlands, and West Plaza neighborhood associations. Volunteers are needed to make this event a success. We are hoping for 10 volunteers from each neighborhood. Volunteers are needed prior to the event (fundraising, marketing, stage set-up) and the evening of the event (greeters, stage crew, parking control, recycling and cleanup).

If you would like to help please contact Andrea Skowronek, Artistic Co-Director, City in Motion Dance Theater at [email protected] or 816-531-0348 or Mark Carr, Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected].

As close as we can figure, this is about the 100th anniversary of most of the homes in Valentine, so we are hoping to put together a big celebration for later this year. If you'd like to get involved in planning the event, researching the history or other activities, please let Mary Jo Draper know at 753-4429 or [email protected].

Westport Security During the Summer At the May 19 VNA general meeting, Dominick Pena of the Westport Regional Business League gave us an update on the summer "Westport Plan." That plan, established the Westport Regional Business League, the police department and surrounding neighborhoods, goes into effect in late May when Westport begins to attract large crowds on weekends. It stays in effect until September or October each year. Pena said this year, gates will be used to check for IDs at the entrances to Westport on Saturday nights only. Neighbors who have questions or concerns about security in Westport may contact the league at 816-531-4370 or Pena 816-260-6530 or [email protected].

Beaumont Club We also discussed the new outdoor concerts in Westport at our May meeting. The Beaumont Club on Pennsylvania at the north end of Westport has built an outdoor venue and is planning several outdoor events. In the past, the Beaumont Club has signed an agreement with surrounding neighborhoods, and Beaumont Club owner John Lunkwicz said he is willing to sign a new agreement setting out guidelines for reducing the noise impact on the neighborhood. In the meantime, neighbors with concerns may contact his office at 816-561-2560 during regular business hours. If the noise is a problem after hours, you may call Tony Chavez, the night manager at 913-231-6600 or Lunkwicz on his cell phone at 816-405-9587 or email [email protected]. The Beaumont Club's summer concert lineup is posted online at http://westportkcmo.com/events.asp?recid=3.

Shell Station Complaint Number A neighbor reported that she had contacted the Shell Corporation to discuss a problem related to the Shell Station on Broadway. The company has a number to call if you have complaints about a particular service station. The number is 1-88-GO SHELL.

Last year, the Kansas City School District put the Norman School at 3514 Jefferson up for sale. The school has been purchased by Del Hedgepath, who plans to do a residential development on the site. The school was damaged by an arson fire in May. According to a June 8 article in the Kansas City Star, Hedgepath said he will not begin work for several months. The Star's article incorrectly portrayed VNA's position on the school. We did not either support or oppose either the Hedgepath proposal or another proposal from Kansas City Life.

VNA is looking for a CPA who lives in the neighborhood to help us out with a small project. Please let a board member know if you can help.

Valentine Neighborhood Association dues are paid on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14 each year. If you have not paid your dues, please fill out the form and send it to us.