whitney

Thurston County Food Project Launches in the Eastside

The ENA is launching a chapter of the Thurston County Food Project and we’re looking for ENA neighbors to participate! This is an EASY way to be involved in the neighborhood and also contribute to the community at large. 

In a nutshell, here is how the program works: 
Neighbors donate a bag of food every two months. It’s incredibly easy, because we supply the bag and we pick up the food! This provides the Thurston County Food Bank with a steady, year-round supply of food and provides donors with the ongoing satisfaction of making a real difference. Participants also get to know their neighbors, which builds a powerful sense of community. 

We’re looking for: 

1. Food Donors (people who donate food every two months) 
2. Neighborhood Coordinators (people who pick up this food every two months – NCs have however many donors they want… 3, 5, 30…) 
3. People who want to be more involved (ex: participate in the steering committee) or contribute in other ways than the above (we can find something for you to do!). Donations for program supplies are also accepted and can be made online or via cash or check to the ENA. 

To learn more about the above roles, visit the project online.  

***Big thanks to neighbors Jeanne Koenings and Dan Silver for donating the funds for our first round of bags and helping us to get this project off the ground!***

whitney

Public Hearing Scheduled on City of Olympia Comprehensive Plan

From the City of Olympia on July 2, 2014

—-

Date of Release:  July 2, 2014

Released by:
Leonard Bauer, Deputy Director, Community Planning & Development
360.753.8206
[email protected]
Olympia City Council to Hold Public Hearing on Comprehensive Plan Update

The Olympia City Council will hold a public hearing on the City’s Draft Comprehensive Plan Update on Tuesday, July 22, 2014. The hearing will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Olympia City Council Chambers, 601 4th Avenue East, Olympia, Washington.


The community is invited to attend and share comments with Councilmembers regarding the Draft Comprehensive Plan, available at imagineolympia.com.

Written comments may also be submitted until 5:00 p.m., August 5, 2014. Written comments may be submitted online at imagineolympia.com, or by email to [email protected]. Comments may be mailed to Imagine Olympia, PO Box 1967, Olympia, WA 98507-1967, or hand-delivered to City Hall, 601 4th Avenue East, Olympia, Washington.

Informational open houses will be held July 9 and 10, also in the Olympia City Council Chambers, with display materials and staff available to answer questions from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. each evening.

This is the final stage of the City’s Comprehensive Plan Update. Since 2009, the City of Olympia and community members have been engaged in an update to the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is a 20-year vision for how our community will grow and develop. Olympia is expected to welcome over 20,000 new residents over the next 20 years.

As part of the Comprehensive Plan Update, the City has completed an environmental review of the proposed changes. This Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is available online at imagineolympia.com.

More information on the Comprehensive Plan Update is available at imagineolympia.com.

whitney

Imagine Olympia! – City Council Public Hearing Stage – Join in!

From the City of Olympia on June 24, 2014:

—-

City Council Review and Decision: The City of Olympia is in the final stage of updating its Comprehensive Plan – a process that began in 2009. Now is your chance to provide comments directly to the City Council.

Proposal Available Online: The City’s “Imagine Olympia” webpage – Imagine Olympia – will soon be updated for easy access to the proposal and lots of other information, including how to have your voice heard.

Coming Soon:  On Monday, June 30, a revised draft of the proposed Plan – with changes suggested by the Council – will be posted on the website. That draft will be the basis for the Council’s public hearing. Want a copy? Email [email protected], or call 360.753.8314.

The Council wants to hear from you!

Learn, ask questions and comment at:
Staff-Hosted Open Houses
Wednesday, July 9 & Thursday, July 10
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Olympia City Hall
601 Fourth Avenue East

whitney

Annual Neighborhood Garage Sale 2014

The Eastside Neighborhood is having a neighborhood-wide yard sale on Saturday, July 19th from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Everyone that lives in the neighborhood is welcome to participate. Sales are to be held at individual houses. Please make sure not to block any sidewalks or alleys.

If you know of any of your neighbors who might not have computer access or access to the ENA website, please let them know. The more the merrier! This is a great opportunity to share your unwanted treasures with someone else!

Contact Lee with questions, using the form below.

whitney

June 2014 Board Meeting Minutes

Facilitated by ENA Board President Nathan Allan
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Meeting started at 6:30 pm at the Swantown Inn

Attendance

  • Board Members Present:  Nathan Allan, Whitney Bowerman, Pat Bayle, Brian Brannies, Sheena Pietzold, and Mitch Dennis
  • Board Members Absent: Katy Beattie, Sandia Slaby, Jim Longley, Kara Randall,
  • Other Attendees: MaryBeth Cline, Done Cline, Fran Potasnik, Lee Bickle

Thurston Food Bank Project

Don and MaryBeth (from Cain Road Neighborhood – CRANA) presented a video about the Food Bank Project, “The Power of One Green Bag.” They then presented about the project.

  • The Food Project was introduced at a time when CRANA lacked community-building activities. It began with a small group. Project began in Ashland, has now expanded to 22 cities around the US. CRANA currently has 22 neighborhood coordinators and 350 of the 800 CRANA households participating in the program. Other Olympia neighborhoods (Carlyon, Bigelow) have started food projects in their neighborhoods.
  • The Food Project involves collecting a bag of food from each participant every two months (2nd Saturday of the month), throughout the year. This provides the Food Bank with a regular influx of food, as opposed to receiving large amounts only during certain times of the year (holidays, for example). The project has become very important to the Food Bank, particularly with other declining sources of revenue (for example, this years’ letter carrier drive was down $20,000). It also provides the Food Bank with a greater variety of food to have available for their clients.
  • Each neighborhood coordinator has between 5 and 30 (generally on the smaller side) neighbors they pick up food from.
  • The next pick-up is the second Saturday in August.
  • The Food Bank can provide receipts for people who want to itemize on their taxes.

What do we need to get this started in the ENA?

  • With the other neighborhoods, CRANA gave 20 bags and 20 brochures. Additional bags and brochures were purchased by each neighborhood association. Bags are $1.46 each when CRANA has purchased them in bulk.
  • We need neighborhood coordinators – each will be responsible for communicating with their group of 5 to 30 neighbors, which they recruit. CRANA gives each NC a handbook (binder) with info on the program.
  • People needed for steering committee: graphics person, someone to compile data (names, addresses, email, phone numbers) in Excel – keep one central list of everyone in the neighborhood participating in the project, ENA treasurer to handle donations to the ENA for the project (for bags, etc), one contact point who will disperse info to the neighborhood coordinators and who will have the global picture.
  • Whitney and Brian will work on getting the project up and running for the ENA.

ENA By-Laws Review Committee Report

Tabled until July meeting due to absences.

Dog Waste Stations Update

Whitney will be submitting an application to the City for dog waste stations at properties throughout the ENA. Brian looked at putting a station at Lions Park. There is one existing, however it is stocked with plastic grocery bags, which will soon be obsolete.

Annual Garage Sale

The annual garage sale Saturday July 19, 9 am – 4 pm.

  • Some people will end earlier than 4 pm.
  • Lee will advertise on KGY, MIXX 96 and KAOS.
  • It is the same day Panorama City is having their patio sale, and is also the Saturday of Lakefair.
  • The ENA will post the signs with information on the garage sale. Signs will be put out twice – now (a month in advance) and again a week before the sale. Signs will be up for a week each time.
  • Nathan suggested the ENA purchase laminator sleeves to laminate the 8.5 x 11 signs. Brian motioned, Pat seconded. All aye.

Annual Picnic

Brian will organize the picnic, which will be held on August 16, 11 am – 2 pm, at Lions Park. He is going to solicit donations from stores.

New Business

Nathan attended the meeting regarding CYS’s expansion of the youth shelter. The shelter is going from 6 – 10 beds, but they are getting a permit for 12 beds.

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:00 pm
Minutes submitted by Whitney Bowerman, ENA Board Member