The President’s Message

Again the start of the Moss-Bradley year was busy. The activities started early with numerous residents helping to staff a water station for the first River City Marathon. That same afternoon, several Moss Avenue residents opened their homes for the “Best Ever” Home Tour. Next came the Moss Avenue Sale and Festival. The weather was beautiful, the mix of vendors was great, the food was a good mix of snacks to savory sandwich’s and pizza and the turnout was awesome. Hats off to Jan Krouse and her team.

The July 4th event changed in sponsorship some this year, but refreshments were served, ponies were ridden and the Peoria Pops music was enjoyed by all. Another event was the Welcome Back to the Neighborhood cookout co hosted by MBRA and the Bradley Campus Coalition for Wellness. Many thanks to all volunteers that gave of their time, talent and energy to make these events happen.

Also, in transition is the newsletter. By now, you are aware we are moving to an online offering.  There are many advantages to an online version, but not to worry, hard copy will still be available if so desired. The newsletter team is doing an excellent job of getting the word out and we feel good things are yet to come.

Our first membership meeting will be Wednesday, September 4th at 7:00p.m. First, we will have a report from the city regarding a concern we have for our trees that beautify our neighborhood. Many established trees have been cut back or completely cut down, so we intend to raise our concerns. Second, we will have a report on the activities of the Greenway, also busy and in need of support.

In closing, we would ask you to consider becoming involved. You see many are already active, but there is room for more. “To dance, one must get on the floor.”

Jim Evenhuis,
President MBRA

Community Indoor Garage Sale – Call for Vendors

Peoria Park District’s Franciscan Recreation Complex (FRC) is looking for interested persons who would like to have a space to sell items at its Community Indoor Garage Sale on Saturday, September 28 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost is $17 for a 10 foot long space.

More information can be found at www.peoriaparks.org/frc or by calling FRC at 309.677.6705.

The Central Illinois Jazz Society

Submitted by: Dick Marsho, President

Sunday, September  15, 2013

The Starting Gate Banquet Room
Landmark Recreation Center

CIJS House Band at 6:00 p.m.

Guest Group: Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project at 7:15 p.m.

The Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project features outstanding jazz soloists, rich, Afro-Cuban inspired rhythms, and fresh arrangements of jazz standards. Their most recent CD, “Mambo Influenciado” from 2010, spent several months on the national jazz radio charts where it reached as high as #16 in the country. The recording was also chosen as CD of the month by KUVO Denver, one of the country’s foremost jazz stations.

The group’s leader is drumset artist and percussionist Craig Russo. Craig Russo has a special interest in Afro-Cuban music styles and has studied at Cuba’s prestigious National School of Arts in Havana. Originally from Syracuse, New York, Craig has worked as a Latin percussionist and drum set artist for twenty years, performing on the east coast and in the Midwest with a wide variety of jazz, salsa, Latin jazz, and R&B groups.

The group will feature Kevin Hart on piano, Jeff Magby on drums/congas, Andy Crawford on bass and a horn player TBA.

The Central Illinois Jazz Society (CIJS) House Band will play during the first set, under the leadership of Larry Harms. For more information call 692-5330 or visit www.peoriajazz.com.

St. Mark School Event

St. Mark School welcomed our students, teachers and staff back for the 2013-14 school year on August 19th. With school back in session, the neighborhood will be alive with the sounds of children. We hope our neighbors don’t mind the added noise!

We are excited to welcome Dr. Noreen Dillon as our new principal. Dr. Dillon comes to us from Bradley University so she is familiar with the area. We invite our neighbors to stop by anytime to say hello or take a tour of the school.

If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact the school office.

We want to do our part to be a good neighbor!

A Recipe for the “Art-of-Being-Neighborly”

Submitted by: Joanne Bannon

When MBRA members gather, we typically share some combination of lively discussion, interesting entertainment, delicious food, and the ‘art-of-being-neighborly’! The May 2013 Annual Membership Meeting and Dinner was, of course, no exception!

The recipe for this years’ event included the following:

1 “Starter Batch” of neighbors to organize and plan the details, and recruit volunteers:

Shelly Funk, Paul Masick, Matthew Kindred, Rita Speck, Joanne Bannon

 

A handful of “Neighborhood Faithfuls” to help with logistics:

Skip Cravens – VIP invitation mailing, Marge Klise – dish arrangement, Karin Lorenz and Abby Alexande – dessert slicing and serving, Shelly Funk and Rick Melby – greeters and membership dues, Paul Masick – Fellowship Hall arrangements

 

3 History Buffs:

Matthew Kindred and Shelly Funk – MBRA 40th Anniversary trivia cards and photos

Guest Robert Anton – Mark Twain Portrayal

 

One Half Dozen Entrée Cooks:

Rita Speck, Remy Winget, Jane Lee, Karin Lorenz, Carol Spengel, Joanne Bannon – meat dishes

 

A Heaping Cup of Roll-Up-Your-Sleeve Helpers:

Many neighbors helped with set-up, dessert slicing and serving, clean-up, hosting our guests, and other efforts that made the event so lovely! Thanks to all!

 

1 Hearty Dash of MBRA Board Direction and Generosity:

2012-2013 President Rod Lorenz and Board Members to support event expenditures

 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this perfect blend of the “art-of-being-neighborly”!!

Thank You from Dan Scharfenberg

princess

I would like to thank my neighbors for their help in locating my lost cats Tony and Princess while I was out of town. They escaped through a hole they made in the thin plastic fold out sides of a window air conditioning unit.

Tony was found in a few days however Princess was lost for ten days. I had given up hope of finding Princess, who is a spoiled house cat, but she was fine except for matted hair and being thinner and very hungry.

Thank you Tatiana, Wayne, Matt, Jeremy, Michelle, Al, Susie and everybody else that helped in the search!

– Dan Scharfenberg

Thru the Windshield

How do we look to those passing by? Observations…questions…hopes…concerns

by Marjorie Klise

It doesn’t happen very often. As citizens go about their daily lives they seldom meet that politician who is a truly integrated human being. Oh, some are glib. Others are smart. Many work hard. A few really care about the populace rather than their political careers.

But to see it all wrapped up in one person is rare indeed. We don’t often find someone who is willing to stand up to the slings and arrows of the folks who prefer fast to thorough. The loneliness of the 9 to 1 vote is too hard for most of us.  And the council person is rare who gives so freely of their personal lives and institutional knowledge to answer the call of any citizen with a question or a problem or a grievance.

We had it for a while. We knew the importance of putting all five votes into the box for a single candidate. It was imperative that our city hear that point of view when it came to making civic decisions. His experience and his tenacity were matched by none. And other representatives knew the quality of that one voice even when they shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads. They disparaged the information and ignored it, but often at their own peril.

So, Gary Sandberg is gone, but there are lessons for us all:

1. Don’t miss a chance to thank someone for a job well done, or a kind gesture, or a brave act.
You may not have another chance.

2. Find that thing that excites your heart. Take it seriously and learn the rules. Do your homework.
Stand by your principles even when you stand alone.

 3. And when the music plays, dance!