Historical September–October 1999 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
When the Board of Directors of Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council decided to try some new approaches to fundraising within our community, Jane Geiler, immediate past president of Rosedale Neighbors and a member of the Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council Board, volunteered to chair the committee.
After much brainstorming, a strategy emerged. Playground fundraising would continue to receive first priority. Grant writing would continue to focus on this project. No further special events would be organized solely as playground fundraisers, though the Playground committee would participate at National Night Out, Rags to Riches and other neighborhood — wide activities where they could continue to raise funds.
The Council’s ad hoc committee set out to plan a Neighborhood Walk, a Neighborhood Garden Tour, a Trivia Night, and a Friends of Skinker DeBaliviere direct mail campaign for the remainder of 1999.
A new T-Shirt would also generate sales and some profits for the Council.
The Neighborhood Walk, held Saturday, June 5, under the leadership of lifetime resident Debbie Hall, who lives in the 60XX block of Kingsbury, and Shirley Polk, 57XX DeGiverville, went forth and met its goal, netting over $1,023. Even the weather cooperated to make this event a fun and safe one for all who participated.
With a course set to wind through Skinker DeBaliviere, two rest stops along the way, and new white Skinker DeBaliviere “City Living at Its Best” T-shirts to identify the participants, the committee proved it truly could make an event like this a good marketing effort as well as a fundraiser for our community. Look to see a bigger and even better walk next year.
Then it was time for Susan Littlefield, 61XX Waterman and Andy Cross, 60XX McPherson, to take up the challenge and to organize the first (in a very long time) neighborhood Garden Tour.
As always, the residents of Skinker DeBaliviere rallied to the cause. Sixteen families agreed to open their home gardens to the public on Saturday • July 17. Both the McPherson Garden and the Block Unit 1035 Garden also worked hard to be all spiffed up and ready for visitors. Garden leader Ronie Haliburton spent the morning waiting for guests to appear.
If you weren’t among the visitors to this lowly little spot on Westminster, across from Hamilton school, you might want to take time before the garden is put to rest for the year and check out your neighbors’ hard work. Starbuck’s coffee agreed to sponsor the breakfast part of the tour, providing fresh brewed coffee and even the cups to accompany a continental breakfast that included baked ham and croissants, fresh fruits and juices. Linda and Andy Cross proved to be the perfect hosts for this part of the tour. Many hands pitched in to get things set up, and many guests seemed unwilling to leave the convivial atmosphere of the breakfast and to begin the actual garden tour.
As the first walkers came back to the start point (many looking for one more cup of Starbuck’s coffee) reports of the beauties to be seen on the tour lured even the most reluctant strollers on their way. Garden Tour organizer Susan Littlefield is profuse in her thanks to the gardeners, and the Council salutes the following folks for sharing their gardens with the public: Hal and Amy Kennedy, Elise and Bill Humphrey, Susan Littlefield, Amanda Jaspar, Willie Carlisle, Gary and Dee Joyce Hayes, Carla and Roger Duncan, Marjorie Brammeier and Ken Cohen, Karen Branding and Mike Schroeder, Katja and Mike Buckley. Amy and Amrit Gill, Stew Mnich, Tom and Beth Tyson, Frank and Flossie Driscole and Joe and Nancy Gruneisen, and last but not least, Jane and Joe Geller.
The Tour exceeded its fundraising goal, netting nearly $1,200.
The Council will continue its hard work to raise funds so that It can continue to provide services to the diverse constituencies it represents and serves. Watch for news of upcoming events! Of course feel free to call the Council office at 862-5122 with any questions or comments.
Original photograph caption
Neighbors at the Council fundraising walk. Photo by King Schoenfeld.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, September–October 1999.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1999_09.pdf, printed page(s) 4; PDF page(s) 4.
