Neighbors Building Brightmoor

Neighbors Building Brightmoor seeks to mobilize our neighbors to work together to equip families and individuals to improve the quality of life in our neighborhood.

March 2012

Dates to remember
NBB mtg. and potluck March 14, 6.30-8.30. St. Christines Soup Kitchen 22261 Fenkell Friends of Eliza Howell Park Feb.8, 6-8pm St. Paul of the Cross Brightmoor Alliance Mtg. March 15, 6-8pm (meal served) Leland Baptist Church 22420 Fenkell Working with Teens Class March 19, 6-7pm St. Christines Soup Kitchen Volunteer Management Class March 26, 6-7.30 pm St. Christines Soup Kitchen Detroit Partnership Day Sat. Ma 31, 10a-3p Brightmoor Youth Garden Parent orientation Thurs. April 5, 6-7pm 15081 Grayfield Kids Corner Wednesdays 4-6pm St. Christines Soup Kitchen

Brightmoor Youth Development Collaboration Kick-off and program introduction

On Saturday March 3rd 75 youth from all over the Brightmoor area gathered at Detroit Community High School for the launch of the very new and very exciting Brightmoor Youth Development Collaboration (BYDC). The BYDC formed out of a collaboration between local partners: The Brightmoor Alliance, Detroit Community High School, Greening of Detroit, Neighbors Building Brightmoor and Detroit Youth Energy Squad. Over the past 3 months the partners have been devising a program to better suit the prospects for youth in Brightmoor and to develop the job and leadership skills necessary for finding future employment. The program is focused on hands-on skill building and training in small groups with each collaborative partner. Additionally, youth will be exposed to guest speakers, group discussions and workshops on a range of subjects including financial literacy and resume building. At the BYDC launch youth participated in individual and group exercises looking at questions surrounding work, school life, the environment of Brightmoor/Detroit and their own individual challenges and skills. Over the next few weeks the partner team will review applications and essays submitted by the participants and will hopefully be hiring 44 youth to the program come April. We look forward to building on the enthusiasm and energy put forth by all the youth that joined us for the launchthank you future leaders! The program is generously funded by Ms. Marjorie Fisher.

Special thanks to:

St. Christines and Leland Baptist Church for hosting our events. Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc. for printing this newsletter. Michael Canjar for donating $5000 Paul and Lois Grunder for donating $100 Paint Creek Congregation for donating $50 The hardy volunteers who came out to help even in February.
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NBB 2012 meeting schedule

Our NBB meetings are always on the second Wednesday of the month and are mostly held at St. Christines Soup Kitchen. They start with a potluck (bring a dish to pass) at 6.30pm and the meeting starts promptly at 7 pm. We try very hard to stop at 8.30 pm. Please put the following dates on your calendar and plan to attend and be ready to share your great ideas on neighborhood improvement. March 14... April 11... May 9 June 13 July 11 August 8...September 12...October 10...November 14...December 12

Garden Patch

Riet Schumack

By the time you get this newsletter you hopefully have picked up your GRP seeds and attended the beginning gardening class. This is an exciting garden time of the year. If you plan to start your own tomatoes and peppers, now is the time to do it. Or if you want some early collards or cabbages or kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts start the seeds now indoors. You need: little containers with draining holes in the bottom. Anything will do, yogurt or butter containers, plastic cups. You need seed starter soil which is a mix of peat moss, vermiculite and compost and seeds. Plant your seeds per instructions on the

package. Set them in a warm place to germinate. It does need light yet, so on top a the fridge, or a water heater is great. As soon as the seedlings poke above the ground, move them to a light source. A south facing window will do, but rotate your seedling every day to prevent them from getting thin and leggy. What works great is a cheap shop light hung over a table or shelf with a chain. Hang the light just a few inches above your seeds and shorten it as the seedlings grow bigger. Replant your tomatoes and peppers in bigger containers in April and keep them indoors until mid May. The collards, cabbages, kale and Brussels sprouts can be planted outside in April or as soon as your soil can be worked. Make sure to let your plants get used to the outdoors by putting them outside for a few hours in the shade for a week before planting them in your garden.

Kids Corner

Katharina Walsh

February brought a variety of fun and new activities to Kids Corner. We did a lot of painting and learned how to fold Origami balloons and trees out of paper. On the 22nd we invited neighbors of all ages to join us in a Creative Brainstorming session to design a community garden, park and murals for five houses on a block on Lamphere. Thank you to The Greening of Detroit for helping us with the event! This month we will be doing more group painting and we will be creating our very own painted aquarium! Kids Corner is FREE and open to any kids and their families in the neighborhood. We meet every WEDNESDAY from 4-6pm at St. Christines Soup Kitchen (22261 Fenkell). Snacks are provided! *Parentspermission forms and contact info. will be available at each session. For more information
dont hesitate to contact me, Katharina: 734-846-0761.
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BrightStars Early Learning Centers

Mondays
Parent Book Club (ECRC) 10-11:30am Storytime (DCI) 10:30am-noon Transportation Available Music & Movement (ECRC) 11:30-12:30pm

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Thursdays
Lets Read (ECRC)11-12:30p Preschoolers Shake It Up (ECRC) 1-2:30pm Music & Movement (RCC) 6:00-7:30pm

Fridays
Toddler Playgroup (DCI) 10:30-noon Transportation Available Just for Fun Kids Book Club (ECRC) 1-3pm

Parent Roundtable Ready, Set COUNT! (ECFRC) 10-11 am (ECRC) 11-12:30pm Discovery Time Music & Movement (ECFRC) 11-12:30pm (RCC) 10:30-noon Nature Explorer (RCC) 12:30-2pm Nature Explorer (RCC) 6:00-7:30pm Transportation Available Sewing for Beginners (ECRC) 1-3pm Music & Movement (RCC) 6:00-7:30pm Newborn to 18mo.

Join us for an informative and interactive workshop: ADHD: Understanding this diagnosis When: Wednesday, March 21st Time: 5:30-7:30pm

BrightStars Early Learning Centers will be offering a FREE forum for any persons interested in obtaining a GED/prep or adult education options! When: Thursday, March 8th from 6:30-7:30 (Doors open at 6! Light food served from 6-6:30) Where: ECFRC 23450 Davison W, Detroit (on the DLA campus) Presented by: The Education Experience @ St. Vincent and Sarah Fisher Center Limited Child Care available! Must call to reserve a spot: 313-255-0900 ext 2125

BrightStars is proud to announce the launch of iPads into play and learn groups! As we introduce the iPad into BrightStars we would like to provide families the opportunity to sign up for 30 minute learning sessions. We will offer these sessions on Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 10:30 to 11:00 (no class on March 14Th or 29th). You must be registered to attend and must commit to attend the session for 3 weeks. Please call 313255-0900 to register or for questions. Registration begins March 1st and each session has a maximum capacity of 6 families for each day (12 total). Children must be at least 2 years of age to attend. The sessions will be held at ECFRC!

Choose from 3 locations: Development Centers, Inc. (DCI) (313) 255-0900 X 2125 17321 Telegraph Rd. (Between Grand River & 6 Mile) Redford Community Center (RCC) (313) 387-2787 12121 Hemingway (west of Beech & north of Plymouth) Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC)(Formerly DLA) (313) 766-6475 Located at 23450 Davison West (Old Church offices located on the DLA Campus-East parking lot)
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Community Corner
Reminder: Rosedale Recycles is Saturday, March 17th Rosedale Recycles takes place every 3rd Saturday of the month (March 17th), at Christ the King Church, corner of Grand River and Burt Rd, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Rosedale Recycles will take the glass, aseptics, and styrofoam that you cant put in your curbside blue-topped trash bins. Next month, Rosedale Recycles will allow recycling of hazardous waste products on Saturday, April 21st.

NBB Contacts:

DP Day
ON MARCH 31, 150 250 UM STUDENTS WILL DESCEND UPON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO HELP WITH A VARIETY OF PROJECTS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE SOME OF THESE VOLUNTEERS TO WORK WITH YOU, PLEASE COME TO OUR NEXT NBB MEETING AND VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP. THE DAY STARTS AT 10 AM WITH BREAKFAST AT ST. CHRISTINES FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS. NEIGHBORS WILL BRING THEIR GROUPS OF VOLUNTEERS TO THEIR WORKSITES AND WORK UNTIL 2.30PM. TOOLS, BAGS AND GLOVES ARE AVAILABLE AND A 40 FOOT DUMPSTER WILL BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ALL THE TRASH. BE PART OF THIS GREAT WAY TO CLEAN UP OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, START YOUR GARDENS OR BOARD UP HOUSES. RAFFLE!!!
At our NBB meeting on March 14th we will feature a free raffle where one lucky winner will receive a $10 gift certificate to Metro Foodland our neighborhood full-service grocery store on Grand River just west of the Southfield Freeway. It is also the only black-owned grocery store in Detroit. In fact, on the 27th of each month, anyone who spends at least $27 in groceries at Metro Foodland is eligible for a drawing for a $27 store gift card. The lucky number 27 matches the 27 years of loyal service Metro Foodlands owner, James Hooks, has provided to our community. Shop local. Shop Metro Foodland.

Grayfield Riet Schumack 283-8091 Beaverland Nicky Schumack 590-1965 Scot Unger 310-7052 Bramell Gwen Shivers 533-9455 Chatham Need a block captain Lamphere Bill Hickey 541-2601 Tywan Bell (248) 755-1034 Jeremy Kenward 701-2063 Dacosta Katharina Walsh 734-846-0761 Dolphin Craig Reinke 778-2710 Rockdale Ilka Lapeer 532-9272