Lots of Good News to share this month.
First off – a huge THANK YOU to the Jerry McClain Company for financing the finishing touches to the median rebuild project. I promised HHCA would rebuild the median as good or better than it was and at no cost to the HHCA budget. Again, I had no idea how that would get accomplished but where there is will there is a way. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mark Frazier for making contact with the Jerry McClain Company and presenting our need. After receiving the final invoices for the project last week – I was assured the check is on it’s way. What a token of community support to cover the largest part of the expenses.
We had our HHCA Picnic in the Park July 24 at 5 pm. We had a great turn out “picnickers” and given the 90 degree temperatures we were blessed to have a wonderful shelter house and pop ups for shade. We had way too much to eat, lots of cold drinks and Paul Gregory made sure all of the brats, burgers and hot dogs were cooked to order….. No event comes off without lots of pre-planning and hard work. Mary and Steve Mendicino were great hosts. They provided (and lugged) the tables- then decorated them with table clothes and vases of fresh flowers. Mary organized the food and drinks and there was plenty. THANK YOU to all who helped and attended. Mary promises next year will be even bigger and better.
In addition to all the folks involved from HHCA a huge thank you also goes out to Jeff Hoskiss Newark City Parks Director and his crew for making the park look perfect! And of course Willow, for all the Willow hugs!
HHCA is in need of an administrator for the FACEBOOK site. Sherry Cass would like to hand over the reins as she has had several computer crashes lately and won’t be buying a new computer soon. If you would like to take on this responsibility – please contact Bob Meldahl bobqsp2@windstream.net.
Doug Stout from the Licking County Library – who presented to us the information on the WWII B25 Bomber crash on Hudson Ave, has renewed his search for information on the subject. He is planning to do a video on the event and is asking if anyone in the group is aware of any pictures of the event that we can share with him. If so – contact me (Bob Meldahl) and I will get you two hooked up.
Doug, Dan Moder (Explore Licking County Director) and I were attempting to set up a memorial with the involvement of HHCA members in our area to commemorate the event and lives lost. This all came to a grinding halt with COVID for all three of us. Doug wants to keep the effort alive. I will attach the presentation highlights for those who are new to the group. If you have an interest working with Doug on behalf of HHCA. I would be happy to introduce you.
We have a few banner brackets and banners if you have a suggestion on where we can add 2 more. I need the house address nearest to the pole. Must be on Hudson as we don’t own the other poles.
Garden Greatness! Who would have guessed that the Neighborhood Gardens at North Street Park would have taken off like they did. Credit Paul Gregory with the huge turn around. The beds were on display at the neighborhood picnic. Brittany Mick, Dwight and Liz McBride, Paul Gregory, Mark Frazier Family, Sandy Gartner and Cindy Yeager are all experiencing tremendous yields.. There are 6 foot tall tomato plants in the grow shelter and the season isn’t over yet. Paul plants fall crops too!
Next year we will have 2 additional beds finished and we are then at capacity for large beds. There are also ‘tater tubs’ and side areas that can be planted. What a huge success… and thank you Paul for taking this project to heart and making it “grow”.