April 2005

Items that missed the printed issue:
Nothing to note

Click Here for CSHCA Beautification Committee Updates


First Annual Blessed Mother Teresa School Garden Spring Clean-up
Neighbors and friends are invited to volunteer at the Blessed Mother Teresa School's First annual Garden Spring Cleanup on Saturday, April 9th. Where: 100 Savin Hill Avenue ... Time: 8 AM Everyone is welcome to join in and help clean up the grounds and plant for Spring. Please bring along any garden tools that you may have. For more information, call the school @ 617-265-7110.
~ Marta Carney


Support Our Local Businesses who Support the CSHCA!

Below is a list of the Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association's Merchant Members. The folks who run these businesses support us and have invested in our community. Please extend the same support to them by shopping in their stores, eating in their restaurants, and seeking their services.

A Hohmann Oil Co. Inc. 1146 Dorchester Avenue
Anna's Bakery, Inc. 1035 Dorchester Avenue
At Home Real Estate Group 109 Savin Hill Avenue
Avenue Auto Wholesales, Inc.  1121 Dorchester Avenue
Avenue Liquors 82 Savin Hill Avenue
The Banshee Pub 934 Dorchester Avenue
Bayside Exposition Center 200 Mt. Vernon Street
Best Liquors 1088 Dorchester Avenue
The Boston Globe 135 Morrissey Blvd.
C.F. Donovan's Restaurant 120 Savin Hill Avenue
Coleen’s Flower Shop 912 Dorchester Avenue
Corcoran Jennison Mgmt 150 Mt. Vernon Street
Creative Wrappings 22 Carson Street  
Dorchester Avenue Auto Repair   887 Dorchester Avenue
Dorchester Tire Service, Inc. 1160 Dorchester Avenue
Dorchester Market 951 Dorchester Avenue
Gately Insurance Co. 983A Dorchester Avenue
The Harp & Bard Restaurant 1099 Dorchester Avenue
Lee Myles Transmission 1110 Dorchester Avenue
Lee's Store & Bakery 982 Dorchester Avenue
McKenna’s Café 113 Savin Hill Avenue
Murphy Funeral Home 1020 Dorchester Avenue
Nash’s Pub 1154 Dorchester Avenue
NEALCO Environmental Svcs. 5 Caspian Way
Olde Towne Real Estate 862 Dorchester Avenue
P. Gioioso & Sons Construction 50 Sprague Street, Hyde Park (BWS project)
Pat Jay’s Pharmacy 940 Dorchester Avenue
Restaurante Laura 688 Columbia Road
Savin Hill Variety 110 Savin Hill Avenue
Shanti Restaurant 1111 Dorchester Avenue
SPIRE Printing 65 Bay Street
Sports Lab 1152 Dorchester Avenue
Venice Pizza 39 Savin Hill Avenue
Victorian Realty 1859 Dorchester Avenue
Vina Realty/MSC Travel 988 Dorchester Avenue

Merchant Memberships are $25.00 a year. Please note that this is a non-voting membership. If interested in becoming a Merchant Member please print out and complete the membership form at the bottom of this online newsletter and forward with your check in the amount of $25.00 made payable to the Columbia-Savin Hill Civic Association. We will list all Merchant Members each month in our newsletter. Funds will be used towards neighborhood improvement projects/activities.


Click here for the Dorchester Avenue Project Flyer


E-Lert
Some patterns of crime were apparent in the period since the last newsletter up to the newsletter deadline (three stolen cars March 5-6, three breaking & enterings on March 2, but it's difficult to see a geographic pattern. If you notice one, please contact me at wwalczak@codman.org). There were robberies on March 11 and 12, both very close to JFK station or where the Savin Hill T van picks up. We should be looking at better lighting and policing in those areas, as this is the second month in a row that we have had robberies near the stations. To repeat last month's recommendation: try not to walk alone, but if you have to, walk in the middle of the street. Some crime prevention experts recommend taking a whistle to blow if you believe you are going to be accosted.

The E-Lert system continues, with over 100 Columbia Savin Hill residents getting information on crime occurring in the neighborhood 2-3 times per week. You can sign up by sending an email to wwalczak@codman.org. Click here for a PDF of the incidents for February 20th - March 17th.
~Bill Walczak


Dorchester Parade 10K Drawing
The Dorchester Parade Committee is selling tickets for the Annual 10K Drawing. The tickets are selling for $100 each and this includes dinner the night of the drawing. The drawing will be held Thursday, April 28 at Florian Hall starting at 7 p.m. This event is the primary source of funding for the Dorchester Day Parade so please consider purchasing a ticket. You may even walk away a big winner that night! To purchase tickets please call 617-287-0085 or send a check payable to: Dorchester Day Parade Committee and mail to:

The Dorchester Day Parade Committee
36 Parkman Street
Dorchester, MA 02122
~Ed Geary Jr.


Dorchester Day Parade Committee
The next Parade Committee meeting will be held on April 25, 2005 at 7 p.m. We will meet at the Quality Inn, 900 Morrissey Boulevard (across from the Stop & Shop). Come have a cup of coffee and get involved with the 2005 Dorchester Day Parade planning.
~ Ed Geary Jr.


Mayor of Dorchester Contest 2005
The Mayor of Dorchester Contest has only one candidate running for the office this year. His name is David Crowley and he is a neighbor of ours living here in Savin Hill. Leading up to the parade in June, there will be neighborhood events and parties held in David's honor to help raise money for the parade. Please do what you can to help raise the funds for this year's parade. Thanks.
~ Ed Geary Jr.


Little Miss Dorchester Contest
How does one enter the contest? Who is eligible? Ages? How do I get an applicant entry form...? For this information and other questions you may have about the contest call: Annissa George @ 617-474-0797. The finalist will be presented on Saturday, May 21 at the St. Gregory School @ 12 noon.


Edward Everett Elementary Annual SpringFest
The 6th Annual Spring Festival will be held at the Edward Everett Elementary School, 71 Pleasant Street, on Saturday June 11th from 1 - 4 PM. Sponsored by the Friends of the Edward Everett Schoolyard and the School Parent Council, the free event brings together students, parents, teachers, friends and neighbors for an afternoon filled with music, crafts, and games. Throughout the day, students from every class will be performing on the mainstage under the direction of their music teachers. Other activities include The Nature Exchange, face painting, chess tournaments, beach ball volleyball, and recycled art projects sponsored by the Dorchester Recycling Coalition. Volunteers from business partner John Hancock will be on hand to help staff the activities.

Pizza, drinks and cotton candy will be sold, as well as ethnic food from local vendors. At the Welcome table, visitors can buy raffle tickets and the new "I Love the Edward Everett Schoolyard" lanyards. Funds raised from the event will go towards the ongoing maintenance and programming of the new schoolyard, and to support the activities of the School Parent Council.

For additional information, contact Alicia Zipp by email at alicia@night-kitchen.com, or by phone at 617-282-6722.


Click here for the CSHCA St. William's Church Re-Use Committee Updates


CSHCA Meeting - Childcare Offering
At our general meetings we offer free childcare for our membership and guests. Please bring along any personal items that your child may need during the course of the evening. It is advised that you arrive on the early side to give your child some time to adjust and settle in. Our childcare attendant for this year is Sylvi Naci.


The Little House Food Pantry
At our monthly meetings the CSHCA collects non-perishable food, toiletries and household cleaning items to donate to The Little House Food Pantry. We place a collection basket at the sign in desk. Thanks so much !!!


50 / 50 Raffle
The CSHCA runs a 50/50 raffle at each of our general meetings. Tickets are only $1 each and three for $2. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the front desk when signing in. The winning ticket will be drawn at the conclusion of the meeting. Please participate and good luck!!!



CSHCA Membership Renewal/Application for Membership
Please keep current with your annual membership dues if you wish to remain a voting member in good standing and continue to receive a copy of the newsletter, "The Neighbors". NOTE: Check address label for your membership expiration date. It would be greatly appreciated if your memberships were renewed early.

CSHCA Annual Memberships are only $5 per person ($25 Merchant Sponsor - non-voting member) Checks can be made payable to: CSHCA

Simply print out the form below and give with payment to our Treasurer, Nora McDonnell at our next meeting or mail to:

CSHCA Membership
c/o Ms. Nora McDonnell, CSHCA Treas.
7 Buttonwood Court
Dorchester, MA 02125

Individual membership(s) ____
Merchant Sponsor _____


Name(s): ____________________________________________

Street: _____________________________ Apt: __________

City/Town: ___________________________ State: _____

Postal Code: ____________

Phone: ______________________________

Email: ______________________________

Merchant Sponsor Name: _____________________________


Newsletter Submissions
Do you have you something that you'd like to share in "The Neighbors"? We welcome all appropriate submissions. Letters to the Editor, write-ups about a neighborhood event, local announcements, committee reports...etc. Please keep your written text on the short side, several paragraphs in length, and single spaced. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for clarity and or due to space constraints. Call (617) 282-1277 or email janderson@uusc.org

Our deadline for the next newsletter is April 19, 2005.


Many Thanks to Spire and UMass for their printing and mailing of this newsletter !!!


Dorchester Recycling Coalition
To receive your FREE blue recycling bin or for more information about how to recycle call (617) 635-4959.



© 2005 Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association