By Derrick Muska
There's something I need to tell you. I miss ya!
Now that I’ve got that out of the way...the spring season brings some new faces to the BHCA! We've added four new members to our Board of Directors, rounding out this group of quirky community volunteers to a total of nine. Please join me in welcoming Jill Unze, Jack Cunningham, Diana Muska, and Julie Folcik to the Board.
In late March, our active BHCA members approved a $1,000 donation to support Meals on Wheels of Long Beach, a private, non-profit organization based in Belmont Heights. This donation will help hundreds of home-bound adults and veterans by delivering meals directly to them. The need for home-delivered meals has skyrocketed since the "Stay at Home" order. This gift represents the largest single donation in BHCA history. I want to thank our amazing members for making this contribution possible.
The BHCA would like to make additional donations to our community during this period. Our membership is comprised of homeowners, renters, and business owners who seek to provide a healthy forum for neighborhood solutions and community gatherings. If you live or work in Belmont Heights, please consider becoming a member at MyBelmontHeights.org and clicking on JOIN NOW.
Have you had a chance to visit our newly revamped website at MyBelmontHeights.org? A big tip of the hat goes to BHCA Secretary, Gina Redican, who was instrumental in the design and development of our new community website. We hope you find the site easy to navigate and full of useful neighborhood information. Don't forget to bookmark the new website and check it from time to time to get caught up on neighborhood happenings.
Now, let's talk about the future of our neighborhood over the next year. I think it's essential we start a dialogue of ideas on how we can come together as a neighborhood after the "Safer at Home" order is officially lifted. As I am safe at home right now, my mind and heart are open to all ideas. I would love to see the BHCA help sponsor events for neighbors to reconnect face to face with lots of smiles and laughs. How about neighborhood parties as well as architectural strolls, pack walks, art openings, and family events? What else can we come up with to turn this challenging time into a positive for our community?
One area that the BHCA would like to focus on is to support our small and micro businesses, which genuinely add to the quality of our life in Belmont Heights. How do we reconnect with them and help them grow? Let me know your ideas: If you have time on your hands, send me an email with your thoughts at President@MyBelmontHeights.org.
Finally, I want to give a big BHCA hug to Linda Pemberton. After years of service to the BHCA board, Linda has decided to dedicate her energy to other meaningful, non-profit endeavors. Linda has been an essential part of the BHCA and our community for years, serving in the roles of Secretary and Vice President, as well as playing a vital role in organizing and maintaining our membership. Her community knowledge, kindness, and friendship will be missed. Thank you, Linda, for a job well done. It will be hard to fill your shoes, my friend.