City Stars Players a Big Hit at Lonnie Burton Rec Center

Lighthouse, Inc. and Heaventrain, two organizations that have been dedicated to the Central, Kinsman, and Garden Valley neighborhoods, recently held an event at Lonnie Burten Recreation Center whereby players from the Cleveland City Stars soccer team mentored kids from the community. The following is an excerpt from the Cleveland City Stars e-newsletter.
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Community Day at the Lonnie Burton Recreation Center was held Thursday afternoon and the event proved successful.

Over 180 children from 19 different rec centers from across Cleveland attended the event, which was hosted by the Cleveland City Stars in partnership with The City of Cleveland Recreation Department, HeavenTrain and DownTheWay.

The event consisted of soccer training from the Cleveland City Stars as well as small sided games for the kids to put their new skills to the test. At the conclusion of the games, the kids had a chance to watch Midfielder #16 Dana McGregor show off some of his soccer tricks. The day ended with an inspirational talk from CCS captain Mark Schulte about "achieving your dreams" that included a question and answer session. The soccer equipment for the clinic was kindly donated by Dick´s Sporting Goods and Charter One Bank.

"To see these kids from rival neighborhoods in Cleveland come together to play soccer is great to see," said Andy Batten from HeavenTrain. "People sometimes assume that bad things will happen if you bring these neighborhoods together, but today is proof that good things can happen and if we put in the time we can make it happen more often.We sometimes have trouble getting people to come down here to help us out, but the City Stars came out on their own and we're very appreciative of that."

Every child in attendance at Thursday's event received free tickets, courtesy of SwissTTP, to attend Saturday's match with Real Maryland. After spending a day playing with the Stars, the children will now have a chance to come out and watch their new friends and role models in action.

"This was a life-changing event for us because we were able to bring so many kids together that normally wouldn't have a chance to interact. We have kids from all across the city that were able to play with new people and make new friends," said City Stars General Manager Mark Geissbauer. "With SwissTTP donating the tickets, we're excited to have the children out for Saturday's game so our players can put on a show for them."

City Year Volunteers Make a Difference in Ward 5

On May 14 and 15, volunteers from City Year took to the streets to help a senior citizen in need. As part of its 100 Hours of Power event, over forty young persons participated in the painting of a Cape Cod-style home on Colfax Road. The project was performed in concert with BBC's strategy for its Bridgeport Model Block, and paint and supplies were furnished through the City of Cleveland Paint Program.

City Year will also work with BBC to paint a second house in the Kingsbury Model Block, which encompasses Fuller and Easton Avenues between East 93rd Street and Kingsbury Boulevard, in June.

BBC sincerely thanks City Year for all of its great work and commitment to our neighborhoods.

This is the first in a series of exciting volunteer projects to take place in our Model Blocks this summer. Stay tuned for more information.

Quincy Avenue Re-Paving

Do you live, work, or drive down Quincy Avenue? If so, please be aware that the Quincy Avenue Rehabilitation Project is scheduled to begin in May 2008. Highlights of the improvement include:

• New asphalt pavement
  
• New concrete bus pads
  
• New curbs, sidewalks and driveway aprons
  
• New tree lawns
  
• New 2-foot wide brick pavers from E. 71^st to E. 88^th Streets
  

What this means in the short term is traffic pattern changes and Detours for Quincy Avenue. Drivers will only be able to travel West Bound from E. 55^th to E. 79^th Streets. The detour will re-direct traffic to Central and Cedar Avenues. Also of note, the traffic signal at E. 46^th St and Quincy is scheduled to be removed. What this means for the long-term is a brand new, freshly paved street with improved Streetscape for a major thoroughfare through the Central neighborhood.

The project is expected to be complete by November 2009. If you have any questions, please call Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland's office at (216) 664-2309.

Neighborhood Leadership Development Program

The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP) will soon be organizing its second cohort of sixteen (16) emerging leaders who are currently residing in the neighborhoods of Cleveland for participation in a unique 8-month program designed to enhance their capacity to lead and create change.

If you know anyone that would be interested in the program, please have them visit the NLDP's website for a complete program description at www.neighborhoodleadershipdevelopment.com.

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Mission Statement

The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program seeks to uniquely develop the diverse leadership abilities of engaged Clevelanders who are committed to creating a city and region which works for everyone.

 

The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program is sponsored by the Mandel Foundation

Youth Safety Fair This Saturday

The City of Cleveland Bureau of Community Policing presents a

YOUTH SAFETY FAIR
Saturday, April 12, 2008
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
at Central Cadillac Hummer
2801 Carnegie Ave.

Featuring Free Fingerprinting and DNA ID Kits for youth

Other activities include:

• Cleveland Police DARE Truck
• Eddie the Eagle & McGruff the Crime Dog
• Cleveland Fire Department
• Cleveland EMS
• Cleveland Motorcycle and Mounted Unit

For more information, please contact the Bureau of Community Policing at (216) 623-5080.

Spring 2008 Community Connector now online

The latest issue of BBC's quarterly newsletter, The Community Connector, is now online!

It includes the following articles:

- Community Family Parade and Festival
- Free Paint and Supplies Available for a Limited Time
- Bridgeport Place Grand Opening
- Community Gardens Create Healthier Neighborhoods
- Residents Striving to Make Colfax Road & Fuller Avenue Model Blocks
- Check the Locks!
- Ameridream Down Payment Gift Program
- Attention Ward 5 Senior Citizens!
- Turn Off Your Car, 5 Tips to Financial Health
- and more!

To download a copy, please click here.

Pay Day Lending Forum

FORUM ON PAY DAY LENDING
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SATURDAY, APRIL 5**9AM-12:30PM
HOLY TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH
3808 E. 131st St., Cleveland, OH 44105
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AGENDA INCLUDES:
- INVITED KEY NOTE SPEAKER ATTORNEY GENERAL MARC DANN
- PANEL DISCUSSION WITH INVITED SPEAKERS FROM THE PAY DAY LENDING INDUSTRY AND ELECTED OFFICIALS
- LOCAL AGENCIES REGARDING DEBT RESOLUTION OPTIONS
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Fliers provided by ESOP: 3631 Perkins, Fourth Floor, www.esop-cleveland.org, 216-361-0718