December 2010 (This is the third e-Bee for 2010)    

Recycle Your Old Holiday Lights and Earn Money for Bowmanville’s new GreenSpace!

You can recycle your old string lights at North Community Bank (5214 N. Western Avenue) between December 13 and January 18.   Each time we fill the recycling box it will result in a $45 donation to BCO GreenSpace. 

The City of Chicago and Elgin Recycling Inc. are providing holiday string light recycling at select locations across Chicago.   North Community Bank has agreed to be our collection site.  The recycling box is in the entryway to the bank.  The bank hours are 9AM to 5PM Monday through Friday and 9AM to 1PM on Saturday. 

 Scooter Raffle Tickets Make Great Stocking Stuffers & Holiday Gifts!

Better odds than the lottery…. buy some yourself and give to your friends and family! 

Raffle tickets cost $10 each or 3 for $25.  The winner of the scooter will be drawn at the March 24^th BCO Open Meeting.  Details on the raffle and prize at: http://bcochicago.org/bco_greenspace_chicago

Proceeds benefit Bowmanville’s new GreenSpace. 

Contact Craig Hanenburg to get your tickets at comm@bcochicago.org.

Local Giving opportunities – help someone in need this season!

It’s never too late to do something to help those in need.  Many drives are winding down, but you can still help others with donations dropped off very close to home.

• Scooterworks (5410 N. Damen) is accepting donations of dry food goods and blankets for the Lakeview Food Pantry.
• Care for Real (6044 N. Broadway) is Edgewater’s local food pantry.  The individuals they support include residents of Bowmanville.  You can always give to them directly – goods or $$.  Check out http://www.careforreal.org for details on how to help your neighbors.
• Rogers Park Montessori (1800 W. Balmoral) is collecting books for the Gary Comer Youth Center.  Drop off items at the front desk of the school when they re-open on Jan 3^rd. Wish List Items can be found at: http://my.barnesandnoble.com/RPMS-RPMSs-ROOTS-Philanthropy-Committee-Wish-List-for-Gary-Comer-Youth-Center/wl/16859609/

BCO GreenSpace Holiday Appeal

Did you get your Green Envelope from the BCO?  A holiday appeal was sent out to residents asking for support of the BCO GreenSpace Fundraising Campaign.  Contributions to this campaign are tax deductible.  Get yours in before the tax year ends!  We are looking forward to enjoying our new GreenSpace on Bowmanville Avenue and need your contribution to make it a reality. 

Checks can be made out to BCO GreenSpace Chicago and mailed or dropped off to:

Take a look at the conceptual site design for the space – it has been developed by your neighbors:http://bcochicago.org/bco_greenspace_chicago/bco-greenspace-chicago-news

Spring seems a long way off.  But it’s not!  Start planning for your veggie plot.

Applications for the Gateway Garden vegetable plots along Ravenswood Avenue will be available on the BCO website starting January 7^th.  Deadline for submitting your application is February 27^th. 

For more information keep your eye on the BCO website or contact gardening@bcochicago.org.

Are you ‘in the loop’ on what is happening in our neighborhood? 

Does your block have a block captain keeping you updated?  The best way to stay safe is to stay informed.  We will keep the information flowing through the block captains. 

Contact membership@bcochicago.org with the name of a person on your block who can be your liaison.  Check out the BCO Facebook page for ongoing discussions on crime, graffiti and safety. 

Keep up the fight against graffiti in Bowmanville

On November 21, nineteen neighbors came out to walk the neighborhood in a ‘Graffiti Sweep’.  We identified and reported 213 instances of graffiti to the city for cleanup.  Much of the cleanup happened the following week.  Help us stay on top of this continuing problem. 

You can easily report graffiti yourself by calling 311 or by submitting a report online at http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/streets/provdrs/graffiti_blasters/svcs/mayor_daley_s_graffitiblasters.html 

Don’t miss the next CAPS Meeting for our area (Beat 2012):

Be sure that someone from your block is there to keep you informed and voice your concerns.

Call for Content!  The Winter Issue of the Bowmanville Bee is in the works. 

Do you have news to share or want to advertise?  Tell us about something interesting that’s happening with our neighbors.  We welcome baby news, photos and other ‘shout outs’!         Contact news@bcochicago.org with submissions. 

It’s your community. We need your input.  Content deadline is January 15th.   

Seeking volunteer roles for the BCO:

• EBee and EBlast editor:  we are looking for a volunteer interested to act as editor of our online eBee and eBlast news emails.  These mails are put together in between the quarterly printed “Bowmanville Bee” newsletters and are oriented around timely information that the Bowmanville community needs to know.  The editor would be responsible to set the schedule, identify and solicit relevant contributions, edit them into a cohesive email bulletin, and manage the mailing to the BCO receiver list via our website tools.  This is a fun way to do a little writing and stay plugged in to what is going on in the neighborhood.  Please contact comm@bcochicago.org if you are interested.

• Advertising Coordinator for the Quarterly newsletter:  we are seeking someone who can coordinate sale of advertising space in our Bowmanville Bee newsletter.  This person would be the primary point of contact to any individuals or businesses advertising in the newsletter.   This volunteer would coordinate ad copy submissions and final ad lineup with the Managing editor of the Bee.  This role is a fun and easy way for someone to build valuable contacts with owners of local businesses and stay current on local happenings.  Please contact news@bcochicago.org if you are able to help out.

• Bee Delivery volunteers:  we need a few more people to take routes to deliver newsletters.  Your route will be one or two blocks, four times a year.  It’s a nice way to get out in the neighborhood and get some fresh air while helping out the BCO.  Please contact news@bcochicago.org to volunteer.

Wishing you a peaceful New Year!

Thank you for your ongoing support of the BCO and our community.  Together we have made Bowmanville a great place to be in 2010.  We have accomplished so much over this past year – tangible things we can all enjoy and be proud of.  Highlights include our newly acquired GreeenSpace, the inspiring new Berwyn tunnel mural, and our engaging gardens and fantastic annual events that just keep getting better.   We look forward to more great things to come around ‘Beautiful Bowmanville’ in 2011. 

Peace to you all.

Join the BCO on Facebook for up to the minute information & a dialogue with 161 of your neighbors:  www.facebook.com/bcochicago.  And check out our website http://bcochicago.org/

 

BCO 2010 Summer Events and News!

This is the second BCO e-Bee for 2010.  May 29, 2010

Looking for a local way to honor Memorial Day this weekend?

Monday May 31st, 10 AM

AMVET post 243 holds its annual Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 31st at 10am. The parade heads into beautiful Rosehill Cemetery through the Rosehill Ave. entrance, with a ceremony following. The public is invited to join the parade and the fun afterwards as the West Andersonville Neighbors Together (W.A.N.T.) host their annual fundraiser Pig Roast at Ravenswood Pub. Support our vets, our neighbors at W.A.N.T., and check out historic Rosehill cemetery and the Ravenswood Pub’s newly licensed patio and beer garden. See you there.

Saturday June 5th, 9 AM to 4 PM

14th Annual Yard/Street Sale

The BCO Annual Street Sale is in just 7 days!   

Saturday, June 5, 2010 is the BCO’s 14th annual Street Sale. It will be from 9AM to 4PM.  The deadline to enter has passed but your last minute application will be accepted by Barbara Wolke and the application is available on the BCO web site.   The whole neighborhood will all be under one sales permit from the City of Chicago. The BCO will do all the advertising.  Don’t forget that one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure!  Click here to go to the Street Sale web page

Come join us for the celebration party at the end of the day!

Saturday July 10, 2010 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM  

Bowmanville Garden Walk and Photo Contest 

Saturday July 10 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM

You still have time to take pictures of your favorite plant or a Bowmanville landscape or garden art found in our community for an entry in the 2010 Garden Walk Photo Contest. The contest is judged by all the visitors and participants in the Garden Walk and the winning picture is used for the poster and promotion next year!

Billy Kuczek won last year and took this picture of the seating bench in the garden of Joe Charles and Anne Boyle.

The Garden Walk needs your garden! Sign up to show your yard in this year’s event. You can also receive a consultation from the Illinois Master Gardeners.  Then at the end of the day all participants and volunteers enjoy food and drink at the Garden Walk awards party.  Last year we had vegetable gardens, container gardens, goldfish ponds, garden art, and casual gathering areas on view.  A Condo shade garden on Farragut was awarded “most improved” from year to year.  We are looking for more residents to participate and make this year fun and interesting for all. Beginner gardeners and new gardens are welcome and appreciated. Click here to download Garden Walk /Photo Contest entry form

Call for Content: Summer Edition of the Bowmanville Bee!

Do you want to be part of an exciting community project – pretty much on your own time?

We’re looking for Bowmanville-area residents interested in sharing ideas and information as contributors, reporters and/or photographers! 

If you’ve only got a minute, give us a few ideas about what you’d like to see in the next printing of the Bee.  If you’ve got a couple of hours, tell us a story about what matters to you in your neighborhood, or pick a topic from the categories of content (below) and we’ll point you in the right direction.

·    Community News (content REALLY needed here)

·     A Greener Sustainable Bowmanville

·     Bowmanville Kids & Schools

·     Health & Safety

·     Gardening

·     Arts & Culture

With a team of reporters – a few for each category – we’ll have a wealth of content to share in the next Bee. 

Help us by writing an article or trying on a reporter hat. Give it a try! You’ll likely find its more fun than your college term papers.

It’s your community. We need your input.

Contact news@bcochicago.org with any and all ideas.  Content deadline is July 7th.

Know Your Neighbors!

Do you know who your block captain is?  If not we probably need one for your block. 

Go to http://bcochicago.org/membership for details about this new program connecting  neighbors within Bowmanville.

Volunteer to become a block captain.  Contact membership@bcochicago.org for details.

Sunday August 15 – HOT sun - cold ice cream!

BCO Ice Cream Social!

Volunteers needed for one of the “coolest” BCO events!  Contact events@bcochicago.org

Hold the date! Fun starts at 2 PM at the Bowmanville green space (Bowmanville & Bell)

2010 Bowmanville Neighborhood Block Party Schedule

Plan one for your block and let us know dates so we can help you publicize it!

2200 Farragut Block Party– July 17^th

2300 Farragut Block Party– July 17^th

2100 Summerdale Block Party– August 28^th

Berwyn/Bell Block Party – August 28^th

Bowmanville Ave Potluck Supper – Sept 11^th

For city info on block parties, see: http://www.flores1stward.com/Services/SignsPermits/tabid/85/Default.aspx

Bowmanville GreenSpace Planning Continues

Keep watching for exciting progress and our fundraising kickoff as we work to create permanent green space in Bowmanville!  We are seeking input and participation from all interested community members.

For more information or to join the GreenSpace Committee, please email  Greenspace@bcochicago.org  We welcome your input.

Support our Local Businesses: Shopping local has many benefits!

Fresher produce: You can bet that the products you buy from your local pantry, bakery, and farmers market are freshly picked, placed and prepared.

Proximity: Save gas and walk or ride your bike!

Helping a neighbor: Many of the small retailers in your neighborhood have been in business for generations, and it’s what they do best. Your exchange of cash for their goods gives them a reason to continue doing what they love.

Keeping the cash at home: After the sale is made, local businesses return almost 80% of earnings right back into the community where you live

Strengthen community character: A self-sufficient community is one that can grow and prosper. Without local enterprises many more buildings stand abandoned and the appeal for launching a small business begins to diminish when there is limited local spending.
adapted information from RTownShopper.com (Wisconsin)

News from the 40th Ward office: Rabid Bat Alert‏

On Tuesday, May 11th a bat was found in the vicinity of Damen and Summerdale.  It was submitted for rabies examination and determined to be rabid by the Illinois State Public Health Laboratory.

All residents should keep their dogs, cats and ferrets on a leash when out of their homes.  If the dog, cat or ferret does not have a current rabies vaccination, please see a licensed veterinarian immediately to have the pet inoculated with this rabies vaccine.

You are advised not to handle any bats or wild animals.  If any bats are found, please call the City of Chicago at 311, and they will inform the Chicago Department of Animal Care and Control.

(Submitted by) Diane Sheehan   40th Ward Service Office

Rat sightings:Please call 311…they are back! Any sightings must be called in order for us not to have another summer of rat infestations. Dog owners please keep your yard free of doggie poo…this attracts rats!

Gentle reminder: Dog walkers: Please be courteous of where you let your dogs do their duty. Many BCO neighbors have spent lots of time and money making their yards beautiful! Please clean up after your dog…it is a hefty fine!

The next CAPS meeting is Wednesday June 9th:
Details: 2012′s Community Beat Meeting
Contact Details: Sgt. J. Sacks 312-742-8770 Ext. 119
Location: St. Gregory Gym 1609 W. Gregory

Get Involved:

There is a lot of activity in the community right now.  Come out and get involved in one of our upcoming meetings.  Email for details:

   Membership committee (membership@bcochicago.org)

   Gardening committee (gardening@bcochicago.org)

   GreenSpace committee (greenspace@bcochicago.org)

   Garden Walk and Ice Cream Social (events@bcochicago.org)

   Communications (comm@bcochicago.org)

   Planning & Development (planning@bcochicago.org)

Join the BCO on Facebook for up to the minute information & a dialogue with 107 of your neighbors: www.facebook.com/bcochicago

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The e-Bee is the email newsletter of the Bowmanville Community Organization (BCO).  

This is the first BCO e-Bee for 2010.    Feb 5, 2010  

Happy Valentines Day to our BCO Community!

BCO Warm UP!  Thursday Feb 18, 2010 - 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

North Community Bank –

Bowmanville Branch located at

5241 North Western Ave 

Join us for the first 2010 BCO General Membership Meeting! Open to all residents and friends of Bowmanville.  Warm up with a hot drink and snacks and find out what is happening in Bowmanville.

Hear about:-The Block Captain program “Know Your Neighbors”, A Public Art project, and our GreenSpace initiative and meet some local business owners

Win Raffle prizes! Visit with your neighbors! We hope to see you there.

BCO reminder – Be a Good Neighbor and keep your sidewalks shoveled! It provides safety for pedestrians and keeps your mail delivered.

Gateway Garden Vegetable Plots Available for 2010 

The Gateway Garden Vegetable Plots, at 1801 W. Balmoral, are available to gardeners interested in growing vegetables and edible plants in the 2010 growing season!  Requests will be received via gardening@bcochicago.org or at our toll free phone number 1-866-837-1006, beginning January 1, 2010 through February 13, 2010.  Gardeners must be members of the BCO ($12) to be eligible to receive a plot rental.  The cost of renting the plot has remained the same low price of $10!  Gardeners are also required to contribute a minimum of ten volunteer hours each season to the BCO community garden of their choice.  Applicants will be notified of acceptance by March 1, 2010. 

The raised beds are 10’ X 10’, and 8” deep.  Because gardeners were willing to share plots, the 18 available beds provided food to over 30 families and individuals.

Congressman Mike Quigley E-NEWSLETTER 

Congressman Mike Quigley has a newsletter that you can sign up to receive.  The current issue has information about the census and the jobs that will be available in the Chicago area.  To sign up go to his web site and click on the sign-up button.  http://quigley.house.gov/

Feb 22 is deadline for Board of Review Tax assessment complaint

The Cook County Board of Review is now accepting the Real Estate Assessed Valuation Complaint Form for residents living in the Lakeview Township.  The Bowmanville neighborhood is in the Lakeview Township.  This is your opportunity to appeal the assessed value of your property for the 2009 tax year. Even if you have already appealed with the Cook County Assessor’s office, you should also file a second complaint with the Board of Review.  The deadline to file your appeal with the Board of Review is February 22, 2010.  The Real Estate Assessed Valuation Complaint form is easy to fill out and you can pick one up at the 47^th Ward office 4237 N. Lincoln Ave.  Alderman Gene Schuler’s office will also be accepting completed forms through Feb 19^th, and they will deliver them to Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Barrios before the deadline.

Additionally in the recent Bowmanville Bee we published information about the city of Chicago tax relief program.  Homeowners who have a principal residence in the City of Chicago and who make $200,000 a year or less and have seen an increase in their 2008 property tax bill can receive a Visa check card from the city. Go to this link for more information to see if you qualify for $25 to $200.00 of tax relief http://webapps.cityofchicago.org/PropertyTaxReliefWeb/org/cityofchicago/taxgrant/web/begin.do

Date Set for Bowmanville Green Space/Park Planning Meeting

 As part of the BCO’s quest to secure permanent green space within our community, the BCO GreenSpace Committee will host a charrette on Saturday, March 6, 2010 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM in the Tempel Steel Training Room, 5448 North Wolcott. 

This charrette is a collaborative planning process harnessing the talents and energies of our community to create a plan for park development. This brainstorming session will help identify the community’s priorities, suggest potential uses for the open space on Bowmanville Avenue at Bell, and develop potential designs for this space at a conceptual level. The ideas generated at this meeting will help the BCO GreenSpace Committee develop a proposal that will be utilized to acquire support and funding for this project.

We are seeking input from all interested community members. Please join us in our efforts to maintain open space in Bowmanville by participating in this key meeting. If you plan to attend the meeting, please RSVP by email to Kris Neurauter at krisneurauter@gmail.com (this will help us set up chairs in the room and have enough materials for all)

For more information or to join the GreenSpace Committee, please email Greenspace@bcochicago.org or call the BCO Toll Free number at 866-837-1006.  We welcome your input. 

Alderman update 

The BCO held its latest in our ongoing series of face to face meetings with Alderman O’Connor on January 28^th.   We were pleased to hear that they have launched their newly updated web site.  Check it out at www.aldermanoconnor.com.  They also maintain a contact list for ward updates via email – you can contact the ward office to be added to this list ward40@cityofchicago.org or look for online signup on their website.  We discussed graffiti in the neighborhood, as many residents notice what appears to be an uptick in this activity.  He indicated calling 311 with specific addresses of sites to be cleaned is essential to keeping up with this.  The blasting cleanup of graffiti on brick work is happening fairly quick, however cleanup requiring painting is lagging due to weather and resources.  Continue to call 311 as it will get done as they are able.  Recycling continues to be on a pickup schedule for every second week.  There have been some glitches with missed routes which they are hoping to improve upon by proposing the ward take over our recycling pickup.  Coordination of recycling pickup is currently rotated amongst various city resources.  We used this meeting opportunity to make Ald. O’Connor aware of 3 of the BCO initiatives that we are focused on this year:

• a new block club/block captain program encouraging people to “Know Their Neighbors!” to improve information sharing for safety & social reasons
• an initiative to acquire permanent green space within the boundaries of Bowmanville
• an initiative around creation of some public art in the area. 

Please come to the BCO Open Meeting Feb 18^th to hear more about these great projects!  Continue to contact the alderman’s office for concerns that you have regarding our community:  773-769-1195.  Let the BCO know what your issues are too so we can help with follow up. 

Positions open for Managing Editor & Layout Production Designer for the Bowmanville Community Newsletter (the Bowmanville BEE)

 The Bowmanville Community Organization (BCO) in Chicago is looking for people to fill two critical roles to keep our quarterly hardcopy community newsletter – the Bowmanville Bee – moving forward.  The newsletter format is 8 ½ x 11, 1 color (black), average 16 pages, average 16 ads with a mixture of business card, quarter page, half page ads.  

1. Managing Editor – this person would coordinate content for one or more of the quarterly issues of the Bee.  They would work with the Advertising Coordinator, Layout Designer, and contributing writers to ensure a successful Bee is published on schedule.  There is latitude for the Managing Editor to identify content and writers, themes and featured information as we evolve our newsletter.  Ideally the person who takes this role would be a community volunteer or student internship (unpaid).  This role would benefit a not for profit community organization and be an excellent way to keep skills sharp & gain experience.   
2. Layout Production Designer – this person would take content and ads from the Managing editor and other contributors and work to lay out an exciting and professional looking newsletter according to our quarterly schedule.  There is latitude for the Layout Designer to introduce new elements into the newsletter and influence content and contributions.  The BCO has developed the Bee using both PC and MAC based software packages.  We are open to using the preferred software of the Layout Designer.  Ideally the person who takes this role would be a community volunteer or student internship (unpaid).  This role would benefit a not for profit community organization and be an excellent way to keep skills sharp & gain experience.   

Please contact us if you think you could help.  Time commitment could be for one or more issues or for an ongoing role.  We are flexible and need your expertise! 

Contact news@bcochicago.org or call the BCO hotline at 1-866 837-1006. 

For examples of past newsletters see www.bcochicago.org/bowmanville-bee-newsletter . 

BCO Summer Events!

Mark your calendar and watch for updates in the Bowmanville Bee

 14th Annual Yard/Street Sale – Saturday June 5, 2010 (9:00 AM to 4:00PM)

So now that winter is behind us it is time to think about our “Stuff”.  Most of us have said some time or another that we have too much “stuff”.  Now is your perfect opportunity to sort your ”stuff” and make some cash too. Saturday, June 5, 2010 is the BCO’s 14th annual Street Sale. It will be from 9AM to 4PM.  The application is available on the BCO web site.   We will all be under one permit.  The application fee is due to Barbara Wolke by May 21. The BCO will do all the advertising.  Don’t forget that one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure.

12th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk – Saturday July 10, 2010 (11:00 AM to 4:30 PM)

BCO Ice Cream Social – Sunday August 15, 2010 (2:00 PM to 4:00 PM) 

Get Involved:

The next CAPS meeting is scheduled for Wednesday Feb. 10 at 7:00 PM  The meeting will be held in the basement of the St. Gregory Gym building which is located on the southwest corner of Gregory and Ashland.

There is a lot of activity in the community right now.  Come out and get involved in one of our upcoming  meetings.  Email for details:

   Membership committee Feb 8 (membership@bcochicago.org)

   Gardening committee Feb 10 (gardening@bcochicago.org)

   BCO open meeting Feb 18 (membership@bcochicago.org)

   GreenSpace committee Mar 1 (greenspace@bcochicago.org)

   GreenSpace community charrette Mar 6 (greenspace@bcochicago.org)

Be sure to visit our website www.bcochicago.org and

join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bcochicago