Events Committee Meeting Minutes, 4/29/25

Chairs: Alix Giannetti, Michelle Miller
Minutes: Doreen Miller
Also in attendance: Bill Bonnice, Katrina Martin, Heidi Moesinger

Dorchester North Committee (DNC) – Pleasant Street Block Party

• Third annual to take place on September 6 from noon to 6 PM – on the same day as the Neighborhood Yard Sale
• There will be food, games, and music.
• Turnout is estimated to be about 600 people.
• DNC is reaching out to the two other local civic associations – Jones Hill and Meetinghouse Hill – for support as well.
• DNC is looking for monetary support – $500 was mentioned.
  • The Events Committee (EC) budgeted an additional $1,000 to cover new events and overrides.
  • The EC did not factor in the Pleasant Street Block Party at the time of creating the budget.
  • The EC chairs would like to see their total budget for the event.
    • How much is needed to cover the costs of the event?
    • How much money have they raised in the past and what were those sources?
• The EC could set up a table but would be unable to man it due to the conflicting event. DNC said they would be able to staff it.
• EC offered to
  • Redesign its Neighborhood Yard Sale flyer to include the Pleasant Street Block party.
  • Put the block party on the CSHCA calendar as well as social media sites.
  • Include the block party in the 2026 budget.
• Options to support the block party event include:
  • Having DNC submit their own budget that includes the party to the CSHCA for membership approval.
  • Requesting a donation for this event directly from membership, which would have to be made in June as membership does not meet in July and August.
  • Using part of the additional line item on the already approved EC budget. An amount would have to be approved by the EC.
• What does DNC expect from us?
  • Who will be responsible for raising funds and finding sponsors?
  • We need to further discuss with the DNC chairs details, expectations, and coordination at our next EC meeting at the end of May.
  • Is this to be seen as a CSHCA event where we collaborate on the event, or simply as a CSHCA sponsorship where you do all the organizing where we simply donate money?
• Bill will email Alix documented data on past block parties, expected costs, and questions raised.

Surfrider Beach and Shores Clean-up

• Saturday, June 7, 10 AM – 1 PM, set up at the Malibu parking lot off Morrissey.
• Heidi will have 50 flyers printed on rain resistant paper at UMB Quinn Graphics.
• Michelle has created a PowerPoint with information and photos from last year to share with people.
• Heidi has posted the event on Facebook.
• Doreen has posted the event on the CSHCA calendar.
• Katrina is doing outreach and advertising to other social groups on Facebook.
• • We are hoping to get lots of locals to help clean up.
  • The EC has a tent and some supplies we can use as needed as a backup.
• Is UMass Boston (UMB) involved in any way?
  • Not this year.
  • Heidi mentioned having applied to be part of the UMB Sustainability Program, which might be a good match for such an event. She will keep us posted.
  • The UMB Urban Harbor Institute might also be a good connection.
• Katrina has reached out to
  • The local yacht clubs, which will help promote the event.The Boys and Girls ClubBC High School
  • Cristo Rey, although a Saturday is problematic.
• Another suggestion is Mass DOT, as the highway generates a lot trash that ends up on our beaches in the water. Katrina will look into it.
• Costs are covered by Surfrider, which brings the tent and clean-up supplies, and gets the DCR permits.
• Surfrider is meeting the Wednesday before the event to finalize details.
• If Katrina needs more, email the EC chairs.

Spring Clean-Up

• Five bags of debris were collected.
• Alix was disappointed that no one from Senator Collins office showed up despite their promise.
• High tide presented a problem with collecting trash along the shore. Alix will go in later to do so.

Fundraising Ideas for Future Events

• CSHCA merchandise such as tote bags.
  • Heidi will resend Alix the CSHCA logo and share the Canva link.Production costs are needed before determining a price.
  • We can use the extra money budgeted to cover the initial outlay costs.
• CSHCA T-Shirts
  • Blue is the more popular color.
  • We need more of the larger sizes.
  • Are other colors available?
    • A white logo on black, for instance
    • Heather gray or light green
• Ideas for free swag to hand out at events
  • Stickers
  • Yoyos
  • Magnets
  • Keychains
  • Chip clip

Dorchester Day Parade Table, June 1

• Set up and man a table with information, water, and swag in shifts. People who said they would be willing and available to man the table include:
  • Kristine Hoag
  • Juliana Jackson
  • Bill Walczak
• Can we get other E-Board members to commit?

The Beautification Committee Plant and Bake Sale

• This takes place usually in May.
• Michelle Miller will reach out to Elizabeth Doyle as to the date and details.

Art in the Park

• Sunday, June 29, from 2-4 PM with a raindate of Sunday, July 6
• Doreen has emailed interested parties to get a commitment for planning purposes. She will provide updates in May.
• The EC/CSHCA will provide a $100 stipend to artists and cover the cost of their supplies for the event.
• Doreen will apply for the park use permit in May.
• Doreen will reach out to Cristo Rey President Rosemary Powers for use of chairs and perhaps some tables.
• Should we reach out to possible sponsors? Ideas include:
  • A local art supply store (?)
  • Local Hand in Ashmont
  • Art Grants
  • The MFA
  • Local artist lofts – Is there one near the Banshee? Alix will look into it.
  • SOWA in the South End
  • The Strand Theater
  • The Stitch House
  • Jennifer Deabler’s husband is an artist. Does he want to be part of the event or sponsor an artist? Doreen will reach out.
  • Doreen will ask James Hobin for ideas on sponsors.

History Tour, July 12

• It will take place along Pleasant Street ending with a tour of the Blake House.
• Details on the time are forthcoming.
• The city has not posted a schedule for the upcoming work on the street calming measures for Pleasant.
• We will ask Earl to pick out a few homes to be highlighted and send us some information about each so we can create pamphlets for people to read and follow along as noise along the street may present auditory issues. The pamphlet should also include a QR code for people to read online via their phones.
• We can sell tickets at a “suggested donation of $20” to limit numbers and help raise funds.
• Alix will ask Earl as to the number of people allowed in the Blake House at one time.
• We should plan on making a $250 donation to the Dorchester Historical Society.

The Community Picnic, August 23

• Alix spoke with Catherine O’Neil with regards to Southline and using their space as a rain location.
  • She claims they are “broke” and cannot sponsor us monetarily.
  • We are only interested the possible use of their space in the event of rain.
  • Catherine sent Alix a form to fill out for use of the space.
  • Alix will request a tour of the space to see if it meets our needs.
• Bioversity at Southline trains high school students for the biotech fields. We could ask them if they’d be interested in setting up an interactive table at the event.
• In case of rain, an indoor space is preferable as large tents are expensive and musicians would rather be dry indoors.
• Alix will begin working on the permits needed.
• Possible Sponsors
  • Alix will ask Bill to see if we could get another donation from Eversource, especially as our neighborhood is still negatively impacted by their work.
  • Approach local businesses for raffles.
  • Yeanie’s has mentioned wanting to sponsor things in the neighborhood.
• We should look into finding a different insurance company for the event.
  • The last company was expensive, not dependable, and difficult to work with.
  • Does anyone in CSHCA work in an insurance company?
  • Would it be possible to get the insurance donated?
• Food Trucks
  • Alix will reach out to Mig’s early.
  • Lord Dawgs was well received last year and is a good alternative if Mig’s does not pan out.
  • Can we get an ice-cream truck?
    • Boston Police – ask Sgt. Golden.
    • Boston Ice Cream Events
• Games and Activities
  • Bring and set up what we have in the past.
  • Dorchester North has games as well that we could request.
  • Face Painting was a big hit. We used Carmen and paid her $250 last year.
• Music
  • Sand Machine is usually up for this event.
  • The Savin Hillbillies

Neighborhood Yard Sale

• Saturday, September 6, 9 AM- 2 PM with a raindate of Saturday, September 13.
• We can set up a table 
  • For the book swap on the sidewalk by the park
  • For water and to sell CSHCA merchandise.
• Heidi will redo the graphics of the flyers to include the Pleasant Street Block Party taking place on the same day.

Another Business

• A new Event Idea
  • A flower arranging workshop for adults with Colleen’s as a fundraising event.
  • Tickets could be sold to limit numbers and raise funds.
  • It could take place before a holiday such as Thanksgiving to create a holiday centerpiece.
• CSHCA Calendar – Doreen will see that upcoming events are posted on the calendar.

The next Events Committee meeting: Tuesday, May 27, 7 PM – possibly in person.