You can become a board member! Board members decide and organize the activities of neighborhood association. If you have ideas for what the association should be doing, this is the place for you. You must be a resident of the Eastside or own a business in the Eastside to run for election. Board members are expected to attend meetings on the third Thursday of every month (except December) and the four general membership meetings. They also help out with the activities of the association.

If you’re not interested in joining the board, but still want to help improve the neighborhood, we have lots of other volunteer opportunities! The newsletter always needs writers, advertisers, and delivery volunteers. Board members Chad Akins and Tim McLeod are working to build a neighborhood garden club and would appreciate any volunteers who want help out and we’re always looking for folks interested in crime-prevention and vandalism clean-up.

If you have an idea for a project: neighborhood beautification, traffic calming, safety, we’ll help you get your idea out to others in the neighborhood who want to help. We can also help you connect your project with the right people at the city or even apply for city grants.

Speaking of grants, if you have any experience with grantwriting or fundraising, the Eastside Neighborhood Association can use your help, too.

Whatever your skills or interests, if you want to improve our neighborhood through the Eastside Neighborhood Association, we want your help. Contact the ENA President at pr*******@**************ia.org with questions or to volunteer. To volunteer as a board member, please feel free to drop the President an email at pr*******@**************ia.org and attend the February General Membership meeting.

What do you like to do for fun?
We like to cook and visit museums like the Children’s Museum and the Seattle Science Museum.  We also like the Olympia Farmer’s Market.

What do you like about living in the Eastside?
We like the proximity.  We bought this house so we could walk downtown.  We like the sense of community – we had a great time playing in the snow this winter.  The neighborhood potluck in Lion’s Park is great too.

What would you change about the neighborhood?
It would be nice to have more stable residents in the immediate area.There are a lot of empty houses near us.

Your house is really interesting, when was it built?
There’s actually an interesting story with the house.  It was built in the 1920s and an addition added in the 1940’s. A major renovation was done in 2003 with a main floor, basement, and attic added. Right after they signed the papers to purchase the house, a city backhoe rammed into the house knocking it off it’s foundation. It worked out well because the city had to make some changes like earthquake proofing and removing the asbestos shingles when they did the repairs.