By Shain Haug
Town Hall meeting
The speaker at our July 26, Town Hall Meeting was Sue Braun who brought us important information on “The Raising Of America” program — a five-part documentary series that explores the question of the failure in early childhood education and the consequences of that failure to the nation’s future. Every citizen, particularly citizens with young children and grandchildren as well as our elected representatives, ought to consider this program. More information can be obtained at raisingofamerica.org.
The minutes of this meeting will be published in the September 2016 Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council newsletter.
First Friday concerts
Our Aug. 1 concert was, once again, a grand success. We had at least 2,000 folks of all ages in attendance for the high energy and startlingly colorful Siren’s Crush. With Ideal Plumbing serving up hot dogs and community spirit, and with several of our sponsors set up to meet the public, what started as a concert series has become exuberant neighborhood picnics. Every First Friday seems to be better than the last.
At our Sept. 2, First Friday Concert we will present Rachel Aldous and The Road Home, a local group from the South Park area. They describe their repertoire as a musical stew with Americana/bluegrass instrumentation and bits and pieces of folk and pop that make for a toe-tapping, tune-humming, get-up-and-dance good time. The concert runs 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. with the public restrooms open until 9 p.m.
We are still working on a Friday, Oct. 7 concert to replace the May 6 event that was lost to rain. Your contributions at the July event have taken us a long way to that goal. More to follow in our monthly article and by way of social media.
Our concert sponsors
Our thanks to our generous sponsor Jersey Mike’s. Fred Downey operates the franchise in the Von’s shopping center at the intersection of Zion and Mission Gorge and is a great supporter of the community. Along with a lot of other great and healthy food, Jersey Mike’s specialty is Certified Angus Beef, never from a commissary but cooked to perfection on the premises. They offer a wide variety of fresh cold and hot sandwiches, wraps, and salads, all sliced and prepared to order. Open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., this is the place to go for a healthy meal, box lunches, and catering trays. Visit Jersey Mike’s online at jerseymikes.com.
Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council (AGGCC)
The AGGCC holds a Town Hall Meeting on the fourth Tuesday of each odd-numbered month at 7 p.m. at the Ascension Lutheran Church, corner of 51st Street and Zion Avenue. Our next meeting will be Sept. 27. Our police and fire department representatives will bring us up to date on local concerns. Julio DeGuzman, the community relations representative of the Office of the City Attorney, will discuss the functiions and organization of that city office. We are working on a debate between the two general election candidates for the position of City Attorney.
The AGGCC Board meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Ascension Lutheran Church. The purpose of the organization is to work toward the betterment of the Allied Gardens/Grantville area and to advise the Navajo Community Planners, Inc. (NCPI) and the city in matters related to our community. In the past several months, new members have joined the “Old Timers.” But, on the theory that “many hands make light work,” we will be so grateful for more of our neighbors to get involved. There is a place here for you.
Because of Labor Day, our next meeting will be on Oct. 3.
The minutes of our Aug. 1 meeting will be provided on request.
—Shain Haug is the President of the Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council. He can be reached at [email protected]. Your suggestions for Town Hall meetings and any topics that you feel the community council should address will be much appreciated.
