Strolling around Beaumont-Wilshire with out-of-town guests on a beautiful summer’s day, it’s not uncommon to hear superlatives from the visitors, including the sylvan splendor of Wilshire Park, eclectic charm of decades-old homes, aesthetically pleasing colors and smells emanating from ubiquitous gardens, the delightful array of small businesses and cafes along Fremont Street and 42nd Avenue. But are you sure that what you experienced was actually inside our neighborhood? Wilshire Park is obvious, but perhaps not so readily discernable are the homes, gardens, and businesses you pass by. The fact is that we all walk, jog, and ride across neighborhood boundary lines every day without giving them a second thought, especially in Beaumont-Wilshire, where a single sign—albeit a prominent one—acknowledges the existence of our neighborhood. Situated in the heart of Beaumont-Wilshire atop the Pizzicato pizza parlor just east of 42nd and Fremont, this uniquely artistic landmark was the product of a neighborhood-wide sign design contest a few years back, jointly organized by the restaurant’s civic-minded owner and a grateful BWNA. (Look closely and see if you can pick out the name of your street somewhere on the sign.)
But how does this tie in with newsletter matters? Well, for starters, only those living within the neighborhood boundaries are eligible for home delivery (although access to the color version is available to anyone via www.bwna.us). So what exactly are the B-W boundaries? For your convenience, we’ve reintroduced a B-W boundary map (below) that was once a regular feature of each issue. Small in size and short on detail, it nonetheless provides the basics—Alberta Court to the north (think U.S. Bank on 42nd), 47th to the east (think Alameda Café on Fremont), 33rd to the west (think the busy stoplight corner of 33rd & Fremont), and to the south, a rather convoluted zigzag of a boundary that includes parts of Stanton, Knott, and Wistaria Streets.
A second reason for my focus on boundaries goes to the core purpose of this publication: generating articles and features on topics of interest and relevance to those who live here. But achievement of that goal is dependent on more than what can be generated solely by a thinly-stretched four-member reporter/writer staff (including the BWNA president and newsletter editor). We look to you, our readers, to add to the mix and more broadly reflect the pulse of our community with article submission of your own. So by all means, join in! And don’t let reservations about your composition skills deter you. I team with Jennie Pietka (assistant editor) and Myrna Sheie (copy editor) to catch and correct errors, retaining as much of the original text as possible and preserving your message.
As a prime example of this kind of “grass-roots journalism” in this issue, I draw your attention to the article entitled “Longtime B-W Resident Jean Wojnowski Turns 100 Years Old.” The interview-based article is the work of Helen Stewart, longtime B-W resident herself and avid supporter of BWNA, especially through her church, United Methodist Native American Fellowship, which is the source each year of the dozen or so long tables and scores of folding chairs used for the National Night Out Picnic in Wilshire Park. While Jean is especially dear to Helen and her neighbors, her heartwarming story moves us all and speaks to how fortunate we are to live in B-W.
Finally, a very different outside-the-staff submission comes to us as an “editorial announcement” of sorts by the BWNA Board—“Contemplating Selling Your Home?” While the issue extends beyond B-W boundaries, it resonates acutely within.