By Monica Allison, CPN President On Saturday August 6th, 2011, neighbors came together to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Cedar Park and the 50th anniversary of Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN). Even with overcast skies, it turned out to be a wonderful day. The children enjoyed themselves on the two moon bounces provided by Pearson Entertainment, and the park was full of neighbors enjoying music from local talent, including our DJ Jamar, Rosemary Fiki Band, Gretchen Elise, The Independent Rock School and, of course, the Elgins. The park was also alive with craft vendors and was well-served by a variety of food vendors. Thank you for making the day so special. The icing on the cake is the Centennial Commemorative Booklet! If you haven’t received your copy, you don’t know what you are missing. Peggy Kovich and Mara Hincher did a superb job of capturing the history of our Park and of Cedar Park Neighbors. See page 2 for details about how to receive a copy.
Our community was hit hard in September with the death of one of our neighbors, friend and volunteer Bruce J. Hansen. His wife, Sarah, helped me to appreciate how precious every moment of our lives are. We send our love to Sarah, Sadie and Beatrice, who was born October 14, 2011.
On October 4th, we had our fall Meet and Greet at Aksum, one of the newest restaurant additions to Baltimore Avenue. If you have not sampled their Mediterranean cuisine, you’ve missed a great experience. We thank the staff and owner, Saba Tedla, for their hospitality.
Cedar Park has experienced recent damage from vandals, and CPN made a plea to neighbors to help us replace the plantings. We received overwhelming support and have received more than $500 in donations. Thank you to all that contributed! You should see an improvement to the park gardens in the coming weeks.
The holidays are upon us, and one of the highlights of the season is the Holiday Basket campaign. This is one of the areas in which our neighborhood shines. Last year we fed over 150 families. With the economy in a state of flux, more families will need our help. When you receive our solicitation, give generously, and save the date, December 17, 2011, when we will pack and give out the baskets.
Cedar Park Neighbors is shifting to an annual membership renewal date. This change will help smooth our administration of membership. We are looking forward to serving our larger community, and if you are not already one of our 327 members, consider joining! Your dollars go far in helping us to fulfill our mission.
Looking forward, Mariposa Food Coop is on track and scheduled to open at their new location, 4824 Baltimore Avenue, in January 2012. Check out their website for updates. Finally, I would personally like to wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Check on neighbors throughout the winter, visit the businesses along the Avenue, and remember…