Sunday, February 28, 2010

March First Creek Neighbors Meeting

March Meeting Annoucement
First Creek Neighbors
Neighbors for a Better Eastside Community

Please join us at the monthly meeting of First Creek Neighbors. Learn about what's going on in your neighborhood, have dinner with your neighbors, and share your thoughts and concerns.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Portland Avenue Community Center
3513 Portland Avenue

For the month of March, we'll be talking about the plans for creating a Community Garden / Pea Patch for growing healthy food for your family, neighbors, or to donate to local food banks.

We'll also be talking about Spring Clean-up activities in the neighborhood. Mark your calendars, we need you support and energy for a big Spring Clean-up on April 24th. More about this at the Wednesday meeting.

The East Side Boys and Girls Club is planning to close and we'll have an update on what's going on with the club and how you can help save it.

Finally, we are having a POT-LUCK just before the meeting starts, so bring a dish to share, brigh two if you feel up to it. Who wants to bring a Costco Pizza or a bucket of Albertson's Chicken?

For more information call Dan at 253 305-2808
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

First Creek Neighbors Meeting
and Community Gardens

First Creek Neighbors and Friends,

We're planning a Community Garden / Pea Patch for the Eastside of Tacoma. Learn more about this at the March 3rd meeting of First Creek Neighbors, 6:30 Portland Ave. Community Center.

For now, I would like to invite you to the following community gardening event: Space is limited, so I urge you to RSVP as soon as possible if you're interested. Also, if you know of others interested in growing food and gardening please let them know.

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Growing Community Gardeners!
Tacoma / Pierce County Community Garden Summit
March 20th at Manitou Community Center

Kick off Spring the right way:
Come learn from expert growers how to start a new community garden, or how
to garden on your own – and meet your neighbors who are gardening too!

Highlights
Keynote speakers:
Tacoma Mayor Strickland, Carrie Little & Terry Carkner

Expert panel:
How to start a new community garden

Hands-on Workshop:
Creating a spiral garden in a small space

Neighborhood networking
…and much more! (like a free healthy lunch)

Free and open to everyone interested in growing food!

Details
When: March 20, 2010, 10am¬–4pm. (Registration starts at 9am)
Where: Manitou Community Center, 4806 S. 66th St, Tacoma WA

Contact: Janet Bissell (253) 312-4458 or janetb@tacomaparks.comRSVP by March 13th: by phone or online: http://www.cascadeland.org/events/summit/

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A major concern the we have on the Eastside, is the planned closing of the East Side Branch of the Boys and Girls Club located near 64th and McKinley Avenue. The club has been in our neighborhood for many years and we need to save it from closing. Here're links to articles in the Tacoma Weekly and Tacoma New Tribune:

http://www.tacomaweekly.com/article/4077

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/02/15/1071007/east-side-branch-of-boys-girls.html

More about how you can help at our March meeting.

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First Creek Neighbors Monthly Meeting
First Wednesday of each month:
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Portland Avenue Community Center
3513 Portland Avenue, Tacoma, 98404

We look forward to seeing you at the March meeting.

Dan Fear
First Creek Neighbors
425 260-4991
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Saturday, February 6, 2010

February Meeting Annoucement
First Creek Neighbors

WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY DO YOU WANT?

Attend the monthly meeting of
First Creek Neighbors
and help shape the future of our community!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Portland Avenue Community Center
3513 Portland Avenue

The ideas and energy of both adults and youth are needed to create and achieve our vision for our community. Youth we look forward to seeing you and your parents at the meetings of First Creek Neighbors.

For more information call Edwina at 474-7083

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Neighborhood Accomplishments So Far:

• Our first Christmas float
• Our first candidates’ forum
• Our first picnic in the Creek
• New Middle School Named for First Creek
• Cleaned up a Meth Lab
• Closed 16 Drug Houses
• Closed Marijuana Growing Operation
• Hauled 201 Tons of Junk
• Lights Restored in Portland Avenue Park
• Illegal Encampments Closed
• Organized an Active Neighborhood Patrol
• Cleaned up Numerous Problem Houses
• Our Own Blog – http://firstcreek.blogspot.com
• Resolution passed by Tacoma City Council in support of City/Puyallup Tribe/community collaboration to create a stewardship plan for First Creek


Update from our January 6, 2010 meeting

At our January meeting we began to develop a vision for our community. We brainstormed answers to 4 questions. The questions and our responses are included with our February flyer. At our February meeting we will add to and refine the work from January. Students from First Creek Middle School have been brainstorming answers to these questions. Their responses will be added. We hope to have youth in attendance at our February meeting. We hope that you will hold meetings in your homes and have your neighbors answer these questions so that we can add additional ideas. After our vision is complete, we will identify resources and activities to achieve our vision. It is encouraging that January’s notes identify activities that we can accomplish with resources readily available in our community. We look forward to seeing you at our February meeting. Please read the notes from January prior to the meeting.

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First Creek Neighbors Visioning Meeting
January 6, 2010

1. How can we build relationships in our community? Who is missing?

• Potlucks
• More follow-ups after meetings
• Sending out Thank You’s
• Promote our work w/other groups
• Drawings and prizes
• Cultural events and clean-ups
• Different groups to host meetings, events, etc…
• Market our group in news (media)
• Continue to invite city officials
• Invite athletes
• Fundraisers
• Send our info to groups who distribute newsletters
• Personal invites
• First Creek Neighbors day at the ball park
• Yard of the month
• Movie in the park
• Community Geo-tracking


2. How can we include kids?

• Reach out to middle & high schools, universities
• Court system (youth who offend and need to do community service)
• Incentives for youth
• Give kids opportunity to build and take ownership
• Have kids come and teach us
• Partnership w/newspaper and highlight things that the kids are doing
• Outreach to parents to help kids get involved
• Scholarships
• Joining PTA
• Reaching out to churches
• Forming a youth board


3. What do we want our community to look like?

• Litter free, nice yards, better lighting
• Green Eastside
• Safe and welcoming
• Play areas, walking areas, picnic areas
• Trees
• Better gateway off freeway, beauty, better sidewalks, roads, hiking trails
• Sense of identity
• Economic development, business district
• Proud community, walker friendly
• Landscaping
• Community center w/more activities
• We want our community to look like the North End


4. What more can be done?

• Begin grant writing
• Invite small businesses, churches, local organizations
• Logo (First Creek)
• 501c3
• More quality neighbors
• Solid mailing list (active list)
• Contact Bill Gates Foundation
• Visible reader board at Portland Ave Park and off the freeway
• Welcome door hangers
• Reach out to our neighbor, neighborhood councils
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