The Winter Holiday General Meeting on December 10th served a dual purpose: It was both an opportunity to review the past-year’s projects and activities and to honor those responsible for their success. Acknowledgements included the following:
- BWNA Board: Currently there are 4 officers and 7 at-large directors all of whom played major roles in the organizing and implementing of various projects and activities.
- Newsletter team: Special recognition was paid to BWNA Treasurer Bob McKibben in his role as Articles, Ads, and Announcements Manager, to Board members Al Ellis, Dave Anderson, Michael Gray, and Serah Breakstone for their article writing, to Ethan Derner as copy editor, to Debbie Schwing as graphic designer, and again to Serah Breakstone as Distribution Coordinator along with her team of captains & distributors.
- Pizzicato Pizza owner Tracy Frankel: As the front-page story in the Nov./Dec. issue explained, Ms. Frankel delighted the neighborhood with her gracious offer to sponsor a sign design contest to replace the large “Pizzicato” sign above the parlor on Fremont St. with a “Beaumont-Wilshire” sign welcoming the public to our neighborhood. The winner was announced on December 31st, and all costs will be covered by Pizzicato.
- McPeet’s Tavern owner Chris Peterson: Mr. Peterson was honored for his participation and cooperation in a “good neighbor” meeting that resulted in agreed-upon initiatives to help mitigate the problem of excessive late-night noise and rowdiness by some of McPete’s outdoor patrons. You can read more about the Good Neighbor Understanding reached with Mr. Peterson in this issue’s President’s Message.
- Beaumont Business Association President Dan Johnson: A former BWNA Board member, Treasurer, and editor of this Newsletter, Dan has continued to contribute significantly to the neighborhood through his leadership in BBA (which contributes 10% of new membership dues to help fund BWNA projects) and as an annual barbecue chef at the National Night Out Picnic in Wilshire Park.
- Wilshire Park Mural Preservation Project participants: The beloved community mural that has come under repeated attack from graffiti vandals is being given extended life through the efforts of Graffiti Abatement coordinators Marcia Dennis and Dennis LoGiudice, Parks & Recreation Maintenance supervisor Sue Glen and Mike Grosso, Regional Arts & Culture Council Public Arts Manager Peggy Kendellen, and B-W residents Helen Stewart and Mary Hansel as lead volunteers on the neighborhood mural monitoring team.
- National Night Out Picnic participants: Special acknowledgement was again paid to Helen Stewart, who, as a congregant of Wilshire United Methodist Native American Fellowship, arranged for BWNA to borrow several long tables and dozens of folding chairs that were transported over to Wilshire Park by Troop 107 Scoutmaster Chris Labuhn and then set up by a group of his scouts.
- Beaumont-Wilshire Committee for Responsible Growth members: Under the leadership of John Golden, and in collaboration with BWNA, concerned residents have organized to oppose construction of a 4-story Fremont Street apartment building with no on-site parking, a structure that would overshadow existing structures and residences while increasing the number of parked cars on residential side streets.