Getting Together With a Few Friends
Every once in a while some of us in Southern Gables get together for a little gathering and talk about things around the neighborhood. It’s a congenial occasion and we all enjoy each other’s company. We call it a Board meeting.
The Southern Gables Neighborhood Association operates within a tradition that dates back to ancient times when the Sumerians first occupied Mesopotamia. Either that or a set of bylaws discovered on stone tablets in Southern Gables in 1973, whichever is later. The bylaws require the Board to meet periodically, and we do that.
At the March Board meeting we reviewed the year-end donations and the Holiday mailbox decoration contest, and made plans for the spring and summer. We provided support to Sustainable Southern Gables in promoting a free workshop for tree selection and planting in connection with the Lakewood Tree Sale. We made some assignments for articles to go in the spring newsletter to be printed and delivered around the neighborhood next month. We agreed to see about forming a book club. We talked about progress on signing up local and well recommended businesses for our Business Supporter program. We started setting up logistics for the Southern Gables Tote Bag deliveries. Neighbors who run a local business or recommend one can contact us to make a recommendation for businesses to join the program, with a deadline of April 18 for getting materials in for the Tote Bags. Then in August the businesses can participate in Neighborhood Night Out, But first…
Annual Meeting May 7
The date for the Annual Business Meeting of the Association was noted, Tuesday May 7. A permit has been issued for the use of the Green Gables Elementary building. The meeting will start at 7:00. Last year’s Taco Bar was popular and we are trying to get it provided by Sustainable Southern Gables again this year. We will need to know before the spring newsletter goes out, to adjust the starting time if needed. The meeting is for all Southern Gables neighbors, not just Association members.
Community Garage Sale Weekend June 7-8
Last year’s garage sale weekend went pretty well, actually very well for a rainy weekend. We responded positively to several suggestions that mid-May was too early in the season, and chose June 7 & 8 for this year. As we did last year, we coordinated the dates with the neighborhood across Garrison Street, to increase the effectiveness of advertising jointly in order to draw more shoppers. We will produce a map to guide shoppers to all the participants. Information on getting listed on the map will be in the spring newsletter.
Block Parties
We will again sponsor block parties with a stipend of $100 during June and July, asking only that the organizer tell us how many they will invite, and afterward send us some information and pictures of how it turned out. Email us when you are startng your plans. Marnie suggested that other parties outside the June-July timeframe could be sponsored. We decided they could, provided they don’t interfere with our Night Out in August, and that they invite more than just a few households. In addition, we recommend the City of Lakewood’s program in which a larger grant can be obtained, with a little documentation and providing receipts. They call it a Get-Together grant. Details: Lakewood.org/GTgrant.
Neighborhood Night Out Friday, August 23
The highlight of the summer in Southern Gables gets neighbors together at the Green Gables Elementary School campus for socializing with a live DJ, free hot dogs and lemonade, a free raffle, and booths with games and prizes from our Business Supporters. Getting artists to do face painting for the kids has sometimes been a problem, but we seem to have a handle on it this year. With the rain having caused a cancellation last year, we will work towatd having a pre-agreed backup date (one week later) and ask participants to voluntarily support it if needed.
All in all it was a pretty good evening with friends, and we set out some plans and objectives for the coming months. The meeting minutes (24-3-6 Board Meeting Minutes) are in our public records folder, which is always accessible from the About SGNA page.
Summer in our wonderful neighborhood is always a great time of year for neighbors to enjoy the great place where we live. We’ll see you around the neighborhood if you’re at the Annual Meeting on May 7, having a block party with lots of neighbors, shopping or selling on Community Garage Sale Weekend June 7-8, and at Neighborhood Night Out on August 23.
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