** PLEASE FORWARD** Claytown Collaborative Meeting NOTES

[Terry Whitfield]

Good Afternoon Everyone,

 

I know this email finds you having a great day thus far!

 

For those that were unable to attend last night's meeting, you missed a great one.  New people, new energy, and new hope for what we can truly be and become here in Chadsey/Claytown.  No matter what others may say about our neighborhood, CHADSEY/CLAYTOWN IS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK, LIVE AND PLAY!! And I'm proud to be a part of the wonderful things happening in this community.  I appreciate all who have supported the Claytown Collaborative and have been a friend to our mission of creating a Greater Claytown Community. And a special thanks to ACMH for allowing us to use their meeting space last night... THANKS KIM (Executive Director for ACMH) FOR ALL YOU DO FOR SOUTHWEST DETROIT AND THE CHADSEY/CLAYTOWN COMMUNITY!!

 

Here are the notes from last night's meeting:

 

** A report was given about the Collaborative's events on August 6th and August 7th.  The clean-up on August 6th brought out over 160 youth and 200 total people to help "spic-&-span" various parts of the community.  The four locations that saw marked improvement were:

 

1) The Old Dollar Store on Central and McGraw saw the graffiti removed (for the third time this year);

2) A vacant, open, and abandoned home on Tarnow and Kirkwood that had been tagged by neighborhood gangs was painted and decorated by youth from the Boys and Girls Club and representatives from State Representative Rashida Tlaib's office; 

3) The Old Gang Squad building on McGraw and Braden saw the overgrown trees and weeds removed from the back lot; 

4) The Claytown Community Garden saw its first two beds built and flowers planted at Bieniek Park (located at 5981 Martin between McGraw and Warren), as well as a general clean-up of the Park; 

 

There were 10-15 different organizations who took part in this event and the Collaborative would like to thank each and everyone who came out, showed up, and made a difference in the Chadsey/Claytown community. 

 

On August 7th, the Collaborative hosted its first Family Fun Day and 200 people from the Chadsey/Claytown community came out to have fun with their extended family.  A good time was had by all and it could not have happened without the help of a few dedicated residents: Valaire Taylor, Jim Puntigam, Diana Alva, & Tom Martin.  Thanks guys for stepping up to make our first Family Fun Day a smashing success! 

 

** A discussion was had about the possibilities of starting a Volunteer Radio Patrol in the Chadsey/Claytown community.  Ms Ninfa Cancel was gratious enough to come and explain the program to the group.  There are some requirements for this to happen in our community and this was only intended to introduce the idea to the community.  Ms Cancel stated that she would work with us to get a member of the Corktown Volunteer Radio Patrol to come and speak to the group at the next Collaborative meeting in regards to the pros and cons of their program, so we can see and discuss again if this is something we want to pursue for our community.  

 

** A discussion was had about the Chadsey (Claytown)/Condon Timebank and a brief discussion was had about how it would and could work in our community.  An announcement was made about an informational meeting taking place on September 9th, from 5:00p-6:00p, to be held @ 6900 McGraw, to learn more about Time Banking and what it could do for the residents of Chadsey (Claytown)/Condon. Please come out and learn how you can be a part building community in Chadsey/Claytown. 

 

** A couple of community issues were brought up for discussion:

 

1) The Issue of open drug trade @ the corner of Kirkwood and Cecil.  Residents mentioned how two young men sit at the corner and conduct "drive-thru" type drug sales at that corner.  Ms Ninfa Cancel took down the information and I went out this morning, took pictures of the corner, and submitted them to Commander Serda and Sergeant Wyatt for further investigation.  

 

2) The issue of prostitution and drugs in the Cecil/Chopin/Tarnow area of Claytown (North of I-94 and South of Michigan) was brought up again and Ms Ninfa Cancel took down the information to pass the information along to Commander Serda.  The Collaborative is working to get a meeting with Commander Serda in regards to the issues specific to the Chadsey/Claytown community, in particular, the drug/gang/prostitution issues that plague our streets.  The Collaborative is hopeful to have a meeting set by the next General Meeting. 

 

3) Another issue was brought to the Collaborative's attention this past Tuesday in regards to the old Pars/Good Humor facility at 6900 Wagner (between Larkins and Braden).  The problems are illegal dumping, scrapping, the illicit activities that the open structure attracts, and the danger it poses to the Larkins community that it sits behind.  The Collaborative is working with Southwest Detroit Business Association and their Nuisance Abatement program to help the owners of this property realize how their blighted property is affecting this community, and quite possibly bring suit to the owners to get them to demolish the building and clean up the lot it sits on.  We will keep the community up to speed with how this process is going.  

 

** Lastly but never least... UPCOMING COMMUNITY MEETINGS:

 

September 9 - Association of Children's Mental Health (ACMH) is holding its monthly community meeting @ 6900 McGraw at the East End of the building from 4:00p-5:30p.

September 21 - Community Forums: The Detroit Strategic Framework.  Let's get to work and make Detroit work - for you, this generation and generations to come.  Join us and help begin building the Detroit Strategic Framework, a plan towards a stronger city. Meeting to be held Tuesday, September 21, from 6:30p-8:30p (doors open @ 6pm) at El Kiosko Banquet Hall located at 7271 Dix Street.

September 22 - Join the Claytown Collaborative, the Chadsey/Condon Community Organization, and the Michigan Alliance of Timebanks as we host the First M.A.D Awards Dinner.  For those community residents who are Making A Difference in the Chadsey/Claytown community.  Its a free dinner and ALL ARE INVITED.  It will be held at the Boys and Girls Club at 3910 Livernois Ave from 5:00pm-7:00pm.  Come out and CELEBRATE those has been making a POSITIVE difference in the Chadsey/Claytown community, and see them receive the first ever MADDIE awards.  

September 25 - Join the Chadsey/Condon Community Organization as we CELEBRATE all the great things that are occurring in the Chadsey/Condon community.  Enjoy food, family, fun and more food!! This event is set to EXPLODE Saturday, September 25, from 12:00p-5:00p.  Bring your family, friends, and most of all, the spirit of community as we CELEBRATE as a community the great things that are happening IN our community.

September 30 - Claytown Collaborative General Meeting to be held at 6900 McGraw, from 5:00pm-6:30pm.  FOOD WILL BE SERVED!! These meeting are for and about the Chadsey/Claytown community, so come out and support the Community Organization that supports you and your community.   

  

 

I, again, would like to THANK EVERYONE who supports the work that the Claytown Collaborative has done thus far in the Chadsey/Claytown community.  As everyday "superheroes", we have enough negativity to deal with from the idiots who wish to steal, kill, and destroy our community.  And sometimes we even receive a healthy dose of negativity from people within our community.  But what keeps this work going, building and GROWING is the support that we get day in and day out from the residents of this great community who only want to make their community better.  This is why the Collaborative exists, and this is why we will continue to build and grow to make this community the best it can be.  Positivity grows while negativity destroys...

Let's continue to FEED two birds with ONE hand instead of KILLING two birds with ONE stone!!

     
Have a great weekend and please... ENJOY THE SUNSHINE!! TW

On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 11:56 AM, Terry Whitfield <tewhitf...@gmail.com> wrote:

Good Morning Everyone - I know this email finds everyone enjoying this WONDERFUL weather today!

 

Just a reminder of today's Collaborative meeting from 5:00p-6:30p.  We will be on the ACMH side of 6900 McGraw (THANKS ACMH!!).  There's a lot going on in Chadsey/Claytown and much to discuss, so we look forward to seeing you at tonight's meeting!

 

 

Claytown Collaborative

General Meeting

August 26, 2010

5:00p-6:30p

 

 

5:00p – Welcome & Dinner Served

 

5:10p – Introductions

 

5:20p – August Recap & Thank You’s

                *** Claytown Clean-Up – 200 people (140+ youth) participated

                 *** Claytown Family Fun Day – 200 people attended

 

5:30p – Chadsey/Claytown Community Radio Patrol Discussion

 

5:45p – Time Banking in Chadsey/Claytown

 

6:00p – Community “Listening” Session

 

6:15p – Community Announcements

 

6:29p – Meeting Adjourned (THANKS FOR COMING OUT!!)   

On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 4:07 PM, Terry Whitfield <tewhitf...@gmail.com> wrote:

Good Afternoon Everyone,

 

I know this email finds you having a great day so far!

Just a reminder of the Claytown Collaborative General Meeting, this Thursday, to be held at 6900 McGraw (Bridging Communities, Inc) from 5:00p-6:30p.  Some of the topics we will be covering are:

 

Review of August Events (Claytown Clean-Up and Family Fun Day)

How to start a Community Radio Patrol in the neighborhood

Time Banking in Chadsey/Claytown

Updates on Community Meetings and Events in the Claytown Community

Community "Listening" session

 

Dinner will be served PROMPTLY at 5:00p and the meeting will end PROMPTLY at 6:30p. 

 

We do look forward to seeing our Chadsey/Claytown "family" at Thursday's meeting!

--

Have a Great Day and Enjoy The Sunshine!

Sincerely,

Terry E. Whitfield
Executive Director
Community Outreach and Organizing
WJW International
Direct Line - 313-971-8985
TEWhitf...@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/TEWhitfield
http://wjwinternational.wordpress.com/
"Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men." Goethe

--
Have a Great Day and Enjoy The Sunshine!

Sincerely,

Terry E. Whitfield
Executive Director
Community Outreach and Organizing
WJW International
Direct Line - 313-971-8985
TEWhitf...@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/TEWhitfield
http://wjwinternational.wordpress.com/
"Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men." Goethe

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--
Have a Great Day and Enjoy The Sunshine!

Sincerely,

Terry E. Whitfield
Executive Director
Community Outreach and Organizing
WJW International
Direct Line - 313-971-8985
TEWhitf...@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/TEWhitfield
http://wjwinternational.wordpress.com/
"Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men." Goethe