January 2003 ARTS ON THE POINT *Upcoming Events* There are no scheduled Arts on the Point events for the month of January what with the school not being in session. Beginning in February we will be launching another community residency project - this one turning teens at Daniel Marr into videographers. We will also be initiating a mentoring project with art students from Arts a la Carte. Wendy Baring-Gould UMass/Boston Director of Education and Community Outreach 617-287-5347 artsonthepoint@umb.edu Cleanup Boston Beaches - Working Assets Boston Harbor's $4 Billion cleanup is among the country's true environmental success stories. Its' ultimate goal is to have a harbor safe for swimming. Yet, as the cleanup nears completion, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) is considering dropping plans to treat excess sewage and storm waters before they are released near the popular South Boston Beaches. These waters carry oil, animal feces and other toxic contaminants. If the MWRA is to continue the practice of releasing these wastes, residents will once again see "Beach Closed" signs this coming summer. Please urge Fred Laskey of the MWRA, to stop this practice. Call: 617-788-1170 Bing Broderick CSHCA Food Collection We will again be collecting nonperishable food-stuffs for the Little House Food Pantry at our general meeting, January 6th. Items such as soups, pasta, sauces and cereals would be most appreciated. Chatter The CSHCA requests that at our general meetings, all personal conversations be held outside the hall. We also request that all beepers and cell phones be turned off so as not to be disruptive to the proceedings. Dorchester Day Committee - Essay Contest This years' Parade theme is "A Salute to the Senior Citizens of Dorchester" so taking that into account, the essay is to be on the topic: "What senior citizen has had the most influence in my life". This essay contest is open to all Dorchester students grades 5 - 12. The 5th through 8th graders essays should be 500 words or less and the 9th through 12th graders 1000 words or less. Prizes are to be awarded by Fleet Bank and all entrants will be awarded an award certificate for their submitted essay. Grand Prizes: A $25 Savings Bond for ONE winner in the 5th or 6th grade A $50 Savings Bond for ONE winner in the 7th or 8th grade A $100 Savings Bond for ONE winner in the 9th or 10th grade A $200 Savings Bond for ONE winner in the 11th or 12th grade The essays must be mailed to: Ed Geary , Jr. 74 Pleasant Street, Dorchester, MA 02125 and postmarked by February 28th. Winners will be chosen by neighborhood judges and prizes will be awarded at the Dorchester Celebrations Kick-Off Dinner, March 27th at the First Parish Church on Meetinghouse Hill. Informational flyers will be on hand at our next CSHCA general meeting on January 6th. Ed Geary, Jr. Essay Contest Chair Little House - Ski Trips The Little House has planned 4 day ski trips, January 4th and 18th and February 15th and 22nd. $40 cost includes equipment rental, lift tickets and transportation. Call John at The Little House 617-282-2180 (after 12 PM) if your youngster would like to participate. Sign up soon! Dorchester Day Planning Committee We will be meeting January 27th at 7:30 PM at the Howard Johnson's Breakfast Room on Morrissey Boulevard (across the way from Stop & Shop) The Celebrations Committee will be meeting just before that @ 6:30 PM at the same location. Do Join Us!! Share a cup of java! Columbia/Savin Hill Civic Association Update on CPCP By Audrey Morgenbesser For those of you who do not know, Columbia Point Community Partnership (CPCP) is a non-profit organization with the mission to create partnership activities between and among the organizations at Columbia Point in order to build a more cohesive community and to develop the peninsula into a more dynamic, attractive area of the city. CPCP is a private, independent organization. Many of you are aware that CPCP held a large Community Visioning Event at the John F. Kennedy Library on Saturday, September 21st. This event took place following 13 community meetings with residents of Harbor Point and employees of several institutions on the peninsula. A total of 150 people participated in the 13 community meetings and 85 people attend the Community Visioning Event. Since the Community Visioning Event, the CPCP Board of Directors has compiled and reviewed participants' ideas and suggestions, and has decided to pursue the following major goals: * To increase peninsula-wide communication and participation * To make Columbia Point an increasingly beautiful and inviting community * To continue planning for the social, economic, and physical development of Columbia Point CPCP has hired Moira Convey to work full-time in the role of Community Initiatives Coordinator. Moira will assist the Executive Director, Audrey Morgenbesser, in working with community members toward these major goals. CPCP has moved into a beautiful new office space at 15 Harbor Point Boulevard, Suite 101. The space is inside Harbor Point Apartment Community in the same building as the Management Office but on the opposite end of the building. CPCP would like to take this opportunity to thank several of our partnering institutions for the special role that they have played in making this move possible. First, we would like to thank the Harbor Point Community Task Force for approving our move into the office. We'd also like to thank Corcoran Jennison and Harbor Point Management for making several needed renovations to the space. In addition, the Boston Globe donated 3 desks, 3 filing cabinets, and a bookcase to furnish the office. Finally, we would like to extend a sincere and heartfelt thank you to the Geiger Gibson Community Health Center for providing free space to CPCP during its first fifteen months of operation. For more information about CPCP's initiatives or to get involved, please contact Moira Convey at 617.822.2221. DCAE Winter, 2003 Catalog now available Quality classes at affordable prices. Take classes in Crocheting, Drawing, Knitting, Keyboarding, Accounting, Computers, Beginning Guitar, Cape Verdean Creole, Public Speaking, Spanish, Yoga, Tai Chi, Fiber Arts, Computer Repair, Photography, Home Based Business, Basic Home Repair, and so much more!! Call 617-474-1170 for your free catalog. Thank You Thanks again to all the wonderful area businesses for helping make the Holiday Party such a huge success! Dianna Wilson Newsletter Submissions Do you have something that you would like to share in "The Neighbors"? We welcome all "appropriate submissions". Letters to the Editor, op-eds, write-ups about a neighborhood event, local announcements...etc. Please keep your written text on the short side (recommended: several paragraphs 1/2 to 2/3 of a page) and single spaced. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for clarity or due to space constraints. Call: 617-282-1277 or email: dleewilson@earthlink.net and cc: janderson@uusc.org Note: The February newsletter deadline is January 22nd. CSHCA Membership Renewal/Application for Membership Please keep current with your annual membership dues if you wish to remain as a voting member in good standing and continue to receive a copy of this newsletter, "The Neighbors". NOTE: Check the mailing address label for your membership expiration date!!! Many of our memberships run out in December. It would be greatly appreciated if your memberships were to be renewed early. CSHCA Annual Memberships are only $5 per person. Checks can be made payable to: CSHCA Simply fill out the below form and give it with payment to the CSHCA Treasurer, Dianna Wilson, at the treasurer's table at our next general meeting or mail to: CSHCA, c/o Dianna Wilson, PO Box 255822, Dorchester, MA 02125-5822 Name(s)_______________________________________ Street________________________ Apt.__________ City/Town______________________State_____ Postal Code_________ Phone_______________________ Email________________________ A tip of the hat to SPIRE for the printing our newsletter!