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Springfield Township Newsletter 

April / May 2010
Issue 10

Dear ,


- Ahh.... Spring! It is finally here! Time to get outdoors, do a little gardening and catch up with your neighbors. It's also the perfect time to take advantage of living so close to Winton Woods Park! Bustling with walkers and bikers alike, it sure is great to have such an amenity right here is Springfield Township. Enjoy this spring season!
 
Sincerely,

Your Trustees -
Joseph Honerlaw, Gwen McFarlin and Tom Bryan
Features
Great American Clean Up
Tire Recycling
Community Garage Sale
Police & Fire Camps
Master Plan Update
Centenial Barn
Residents & Businesses of Springfield Township Unite To Clean Gateways, Parks, Business Areas And Neighborhoods on April 24! You Can Make A Difference!!!

It will be a full spring cleaning in Springfield Township on April 24th, the  National Great American Cleanup day set by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful. This year will mark Springfield Township's ninth year participating in the one-day clean sweep. This year we set our goals high; to have 180 volunteers out in full force cleaning the gateways to the community, sprucing up the neighborhoods and picking up the litter along the roadways.

Major Projects Underway:
Brentwood Park: Students in the Finneytown School District selected Brentwood Park as a place they would like to see rejuvenated. After several meetings, private fundraisers and a major volunteer recruitment effort by residents, a plan is in place to spruce up the passive neighborhood park. Springfield Township has already taken down a large dead tree, removed a railing in disrepair and furnished two new picnic tables for the tree covered park. Projects that are scheduled to be completed in Brentwood Park include sanding and painting the existing playground equipment, painting the pedestrian footbridge, cleaning the creek, removing spray paint from players benches and adding landscaping elements to the front entrance sign to the park.



Cross County Highway Ramps - Cross County Highway is a major gateway to the community. Apparently, it's the hot spot to litter. Cans, bottles, paper, gas cans, - you name it - we have found it at some time! This trash collects and residents who live here are tired of seeing this on an everyday basis. Mercy Franciscan has taken this project on for the Great American Cleanup. They have recruited several volunteers and will be prepared to take on one of Springfield Township's most traveled thoroughfares. To keep up their hard work, Springfield Township has recently received an agreement with the Hamilton County Solid Waste District and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. As part of an existing rehabilitation program, litter will now be picked up along Cross County Highway in 2010.

Your Help Is Needed:
West College Hill Neighborhood Service Center Shed:
The WCHNSC would like to tear down a small shed on April 24th and is looking for a few helping hands. A dumpster will be on site. Residents in the West College Hill neighborhood may also take advantage of the dumpster.

Litter Routes: Several streets in Springfield Township will be targeted for a litter walk. Groups of volunteers are greatly needed! A complete list of streets can be found at
http://www.springfieldtwp.org/GreatAmericanCleanUp.cfm.

How to Volunteer:
Preregistration will help in setting up teams in advance. Preregister online here. A last minute decision maker? Simply show up at 8:00 a.m. at one of our check-in sites. A liability waiver will need to be filled out. A light breakfast will be available.

Check-In Sites:
The Grove Banquet Hall
9158 Winton Road
(Behind the Fire Station and Senior Center)


Pleasant Run Farms Swim Club
11955 Elkwood Drive
(Meet here if you want to help clean Pleasant Run Farms Neighborhood)
Tire Recycling For Residents of Springfield Township on April 24th 9am - 12 noon!

Residents can drop off old tires for recycling on April 24, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon at the Administration Complex, 9150 Winton Road. The recycle dumpster is being provided by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and is just one new feature of the Great American Cleanup Event this year. CERT volunteers will be on hand to accept the tires.
One Man's Trash Is Another's Treasure - Get your booth space now for the Community Garage Sale

garage sale

Mark your calendars for June 5th! It's Springfield Township's LARGEST community garage sale event. Indoor and outdoor booth spaces are now on sale for $5 - $15. Hurry, only 63 spaces are available!
For more information and to download a registration form, click here!
Registrations will need to be mailed in with a check. First come, first served.
Police and Fire Camps For Kids

Register Online!!!!


firecamp

The Springfield Township children's Fire and Police Academies are now accepting enrollment for their highly anticipated summer camp programs! (The child MUST be a Springfield Township resident.)

Kids Fire Academy (Ages 8 - 12)
June 15 - 19, 10:00 a.m. - noon
Students will learn about the daily activities of a firefighter. Basic first aid and CPR will be reviewed. Kids will also make a fire escape plan, get hands-on experience with the proper use of a fire extinguisher and be taught about severe weather safety. (Maximum of 20 participants)
More Information        Register Now!

Special Fire Academy (Children with special needs)
June 19, 2:00 p.m.
Kids with special needs and their parents are invited to a one-day program that is filled with exciting firefighter fun! Kids will enjoy many of the traditional fire academy experiences, with modifications to meet the needs of children with certain physical and/or mental limitations.
More Information           Register By Calling 521-4213, ext KIDS


Kids Police Academy  (Ages 8 - 13)
June 21 - 26, 9:00 a.m. - noon
Children participating in the program have the opportunity to interact with police officers on an individual basis while learning about the operations of a police department! Camp is held at the Springfield Township Police Department, 1130 Compton Road. The week concludes with a graduation ceremony and pizza party for the students and officers. (Maximum of 20 participants )
More Information            Register Now!

Junior Fire Academy (Ages 13 - 17)
July 26 - 30
Students will participate in hands-on fire safety activities. The program includes dressing in firefighter's gear, breathing from an SCBA, using auto extrication equipment, fire extinguisher training and basic first aid and CPR. (Maximum of 20 participants)
More Information         Register Now!

Community Master Plan Update
Approximately seventy residents gathered in March and then again in April for the first of seven meetings designed to slate the master plan for the neighborhoods of Springfield Township. The first steering committee meeting was designed to provide the residents with a solid foundation of Township basics. Steering committee members learned about the structure of federal, state and local government. They were taught how Townships were different from cities and villages. They also learned why Springfield Township's boundries are segmented, with pockets of property in Edgemont, West College Hill, Valleydale and Pleasant Run Farms.

After a one-hour crash course in Springfield Township history, the committee members met their fellow neighborhood district members in small group to exchange phone numbers and brainstorm a few ideas for keeping up communications. Some groups agreed to meet among themselves on a more regular basis. Others agreed to form neighborhood Google accounts and others plan to create newsletter articles for their Civic Association newsletters.

The steering committees met again in April to learn about Springfield Township finance and have a discussion about specific plans for the future. The results to the April meeting are now being tabulated and will be available on the website shortly.

In May the groups will discuss different marketing strategies that the Township may use and will discuss ways to fund certain residential services.

The progress for each meeting will be posted on the Township's website and will be featured in upcoming newsletters. A complete list of committee members is also on the Township's website under Neighborhood Master Plan.  Click Here 
2010 Budget on The Web

Springfield Township Trustees passed the final appropriations for 2010 at the March 9th meeting. Residents can view the budget projections here.
Register Now For Identity Theft Workshop - Presented by the Springfield Township Police Department

The Federal Trade Commission estimates that as many as nine million Americans have their identity stolen each year. In fact, you or someone you know may have experienced some form of identity theft. Identity theft is serious and can happen to you at any time.

The Springfield Township Police Department will be hosting a FREE seminar to address identity theft on Wednesday, April 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the Grove Banquet Hall. We encourage you to attend. In this informative seminar you will learn how to detect suspicious activity, how to deter identity thieves and how to defend theft as soon as it is suspected.  
 

Hazardous Waste & Yardwaste Recycling

Hazardous Waste: Hamilton County residents may drop off hazardous products such as automotive fluids, pesticides, and fertilizers that could be dangerous to dispose of in the regular trash. The drop off program runs April 10 - October 16, 2010. Using the free HHW drop-off protects waste haulers, avoids accidental poisonings and prevents hazardous waste from being poured down the drain.

Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Location:
Clean Harbors (NEW LOCATION!)
4879 Spring Grove Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45232
April 10 - October 16 2010
Tuesdays - 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturdays - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Closed for holidays on May 29, July 3 & September 4
For a list of acceptable items, click here.



Yard Waste:  Hamilton County residents may now drop off their yardwaste at no cost at 3 drop-off locations. (See days and times.)  The drop-off locations are for any resident of Hamilton County, Ohio (no landscape businesses). For details, please visit Hamilton County's website at www.hamiltoncountyrecycles.org.

Locations:
North: Rumpke Sanitary Landfill, 3800 Struble Road (and Colerain Avenue)
Saturdays and Sundays   11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
All sites will be closed April 4 and July 4, 2010

East:
   Bzak Landscaping, 3295 Turpin Lane (off St. Rt. 32)
Anderson Township
Open Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

West:  Kuliga Park, 6717 Bridgetown Road
Green Township






2010 Backyard Compost Bin Sale!!
May 8, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010 (ONE DAY ONLY!)
9 am - 2 pm
CASH OR CHECKS ONLY!
(Checks payable to Norseman Plastics)

TWO LOCATIONS!
Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
3520 Central Parkway (Enter off Ludlow Avenue - parking lot C)
Cincinnati, Ohio 45223

Princeton High School
11080 Chester Road (Enter parking lot across from school)
Cincinnati, Ohio 45246

The Earth Machine Compost Bin will be sold for $35 (retail price is $100).
Also available will be Compost Turners ($15) and Kitchen Scrap Pails ($7).
(First Come, First Served; Quantities are limited )The Earth Machine's dimensions are 33" X 33" and has an 80 gallon capacity.

Residents are able to purchase more than one bin, but quantities are limited. There will be 1,000 compost bins available at each location and the district is not able to issue rainchecks. The sale will end promptly at 2 pm. If you are unable to participate in the sale, click here for local retailers that sell compost bins.


Franciscan Sisters Of the Poor Brings New Life and New Uses For An Old Barn in Springfield Township!
barn



A true gem has been created in Springfield Township with the restoration of this historical beauty! By looking at it now, you would never guess that just a few years ago this gorgeous building was an old barn, set for demolition. The gutters were falling off, the windows mostly broken and the second floor was too dangerous to walk on. Historical preservationists saw the potential with it's strong brick structure and architecture detail unseen in any traditional barn! Now it is the dream facility for the continued mission of Franciscan Sisters of the Poor. The sisters have invested 1.2 million dollars to restore the 1895 building to use in their care-based missionary work. Beyond their use for the facility, they plan to open the Centennial Barn to the community for rental space, programming and possibly art shows.

The challenges in reusing the old structure for modern purposes and meeting the demands of modern building codes are many.  Sister Joanne Schuster and her team engaged local design firm Addison Clipson Associated Architects, Inc., known for its expertise with historic structures, and long time maintenance contractor, L.L. Peet Construction Services, Inc. to renovate the building.

The former second floor hay and grain storage areas have been converted to large and small meeting and event spaces and also houses the caterer's kitchen. The first floor wagon loading area is now available for gallery use and social gatherings. The former tack rooms and workshops are now administrative offices, and the original animal handling areas have been converted for use as prayer space, holistic therapy rooms and young adult ministries. An outside veranda has been constructed for the enjoyment of the building occupants, which affords views of the beautiful surrounding acreage.   
Join Us!
 Springfield Township is on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube!
(Click on any link to join that group)


Digital Photography, Videography and Editing Classes Now Offered!

Attention all shutterbugs, home movie buffs and social networking divas! Springfield Township is hosting a new series of classes that will get you up to speed in the digital world of photography, videography and social networking. Each class is taught by Enquirer photojournalist/ tech savvy Malinda Hartong.

ADVANCED DIGITAL SLR PHOTOGRAPHY
TUESDAYS 4/20 - 5/11,
7-9PM, $75/85
4 Classes. This four-part class is designed for teens and adults using their own digital SLR camera or for those looking to purchase a new one.  You'll learn about the digital SLR camera and its settings, using the "manual" modes, proper use of the flash, composition tricks and more.

For More Information
To Register Now

PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS
TUESDAYS 5/18-6/8, 7-9PM, $75/85
4 Classes. This four-part class will teach you how to touch-up those all those digital photos to make them picture perfect.  You will learn how to import, format and save images; crop and tone; retouch photos; and advanced techniques including collages, layering and type effects. Participants will need to bring in their laptop and should download a trial copy of the Photoshop Element software at http:adobe.com.
For More Information
To Register Now

HOME CINEMA
SATURDAY 5/8, 9AM-NOON
We explore techniques for shooting great home movies, no matter what camera you use. These universal tips will be "in your camera bag" for the rest of your life.
For More Information
To Register Now


iMOVIE EDITING
SATURDAY 5/15, 9AM-NOON
You've probably guessed this class is a follow-up to shooting great home
movies. We use iMovie, but these editing techniques can be applied to any software and any computer system to create great home videos.
For More Information
To Register Now

SOCIAL MEDIA INTRODUCTION
THURSDAY 6/6, 7-9PM
We know you've been wondering about Twitter & Facebook, and how to
stay in touch with family & friends. We'll explore about what to do as well
as what not to do.
For More Information
To Register Now

 Sold on Springfield Township Recap

Seventy-three people registered and attended the second Sold on Springfield Township event. They all received a gift bag, $250 off closing costs and a list of ninety six addresses that were hosting open houses. Approximately 40 house hunters attended a relaxing dinner that was sponsored by our friends at Finneytown Skyline. Attendees enjoyed excellent entertainment by six local schools! Mt. Healthy, North College Hill, Northwest, Finneytown, St. John Paul II and Winton Woods all sent a few of their finest to represent their school with a five minute performance. Everything from orchestra to African drums were enjoyed by all. It was an outstanding showcase and the perfect representation from our schools.

To date, the Township has been notified of two homes that have sold as a result of this event!  We would like to sincerely thank the performers who shared their talent and Finneytown Skyline who provided a fantastic meal. This event would not have been possible without business support!
Watch the NEW "Talking With Springfield Township" Episode on Waycross

Talking With Springfield Township is now airing regularly on Channel 23 (For Time Warner Cable subscribers). Did you know it is also available online?Click Here to watch the newest episode featuring a discussion with Township Administrator Mike Hinnenkamp giving a recap of the State of the Township Community Address; a discussion with Assistant Administrator Chris Gilbert with information on the final phases of the Winton Road project; a conversation with Assistant Police Chief Rob Browder with information about School Resource Officers and the roles they play in our local school districts; a message from Senior Center Director Thom Schneider with information about the Grove Banquet Hall restructuring; and hear from members of the Finneytown Business Network.

Previous episode clips from Talking With Springfield Township are featured on the Township's You Tube site.
Quick Links

Look in the Community Press For Springfield Township Magazine!

Exciting news! The Community Press will be publishing a second edition of Springfield Magazine in April! Look in the April 14th edition of the Hilltop and the Northwest Press for your own personal copy! There will be articles about planning a "Staycation" at the Winton Woods Campground, a feature about the YMCA's new Olympic-size outdoor pool, news on the Great American Cleanup, event highlights, school spotlightlights, and so much more! 23,000 publications will be circulated and will showcase all that makes living in Springfield Township great! Additional copies will be on hand in the Springfield Township newsletter stand at Kroger  on Winton Road.

Upcoming Community Events
See event details and more events here



April 10
Roger Bacon Dinner & Auction


April 10
Band-O-Rama Event (Greenhills)

April 13
Trustee Meeting

April 16 - 17
Wizard of Oz Musical at Winton Woods High School

April 17
Civil War Living History Day


April 24
Great American Clean Up

April 28
Lunch & Learn at Winton Woods Park

April 30 - May 2
Oklahoma! at Colerain High School

May 1
St. Vivian Toy & Clothing Sale

May 8
Composting Bin Sale

May 11
Trustee Meeting

May 21
Lunch and Learn at Winton Woods


Join Our Mailing List

Submitted Announcements

Finneytown Civic Assocation is sponsoring a photography contest to capture the essence of Finneytown. The pictures will be posted on the civic association website at fcaontheweb.org. There will be 3 prizes in the 4 age groups. 1st prize is $100. 2nd prize is $50 and 3rd prize is $25. The age groups are as follows: Child (up to 14),  Youth (14 - high school), Adult (up to 65) and senior (65 and older). Submit photos by May 1 with your JPG photo, name, age group to fcaphotocontest@gmail.com.
All submissions become property of the FCA. Winners will be announced at the FCA meeting in May 16.


 ___________________
Attention Northwest Retirees! On April 30, May 1, May 2 the Colerain High School Drama Department is producing Oklahoma!
In 1985 the Drama Department performed the musical. The alumni association and the Drama Department are now inviting all members of the 1985 Oklahoma! cast to be special guests on opening night.
 ___________________

Finneytown Local School District senior citizens are invited to a free dinner in their honor on Tuesday, April 20 at 5:30 p.m. The dinner is hosted by the Telford A. Whitaker chapter of the National Honor Society as a thank you to the senior citizens (60 and older) of the community.  The dinner will be held in the multi-purpose center of the Finneytown Secondary Campus at 8916 Fontainebleau Terrace.
 
A dinner, dessert and entertainment are part of the evening. Reservations are requested and may be made by emailing Ms. Lempert at slempert@finneytown.org or by calling the high school office at 931-0712. 

______________________
Waycross Community Media will be hosting video summer camps for kids in grades 3 - 12. For more information, click here!
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