HPCC_NL_May_V3:Layout 1 5/3/11 3:59 PM Page 1 May 2011 Community Council Newsletter Highland Park IN THIS ISSUE: New Front A Letter from 2 the President Entrance HPCC 3 Meeting Welcomes Minutes Visitors to Cover Article: Pittsburgh 4 Theological Pittsburgh Seminary Theological HPCC 6 Launches New Website Seminary By Melissa Logan HPCC Yard 7 Sale & Bryant St. Festival Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is a graduate Around professional institution of the 8 St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church that seeks I to prepare men and women for Update from pastoral ministry and Christian the Office of lay leadership in all phases of 9 Councilman the Church’s outreach. Patrick Dowd Continued on page 4 HPCC_NL_May_V3:Layout 1 5/3/11 3:49 PM Page 2 A My campaign to promote Haiti H2O (www.haitih2o.org) here in Highland Park began from the back in November with the opportunity to join Friendship Community Church’s 2011 spring break trip to Haiti. Haiti H2O works with rural Haitian communities cultivating hope and opportunities. The Highland Park Community Council publishes Friendship works closely with Jeff and Sarah ten newsletters a year, but only one – the one you VanderMolen, Haiti H2O founders and Highland have now – is physically mailed to every address Park residents, supporting a church in the village in our neighborhood. So this is my chance to tell of Bassin Caiman, a community of 7,000 tucked you about your chance to get involved. The HPCC between a hill and the Caribbean Sea in western is an easy way for you to connect with like- Haiti. Like most of Haiti, the landscape is harsh, minded neighbors about issues that interest you. with infrequent rain. Most of the people are Whether your jollies come from being part of charcoal farmers, cutting down trees to make block parties or block watches; whether your charcoal. Haiti H2O’s partnerships with the Bassin kids’ favorite hangout is the Super Playground, Caimin Church and other U.S churches have helped Heth’s Playground or the Farmhouse; whether you establish a 150-student school, an outhouse, a have a passion for tasty coffee, majestic animals pump for fresh water, a kitchen, a meeting room, or tennis, there are ways to indulge your fancy and a bread oven, which provides local women within our neighborhood and connect to others the opportunity to make a living. Haiti H2O’s who feel the same. Through the HPCC, your latest efforts involve building composting toilets, neighbors around you are already doing great which will help prevent the spread of disease. things! Just a few weeks back, Nancy Arnold helped lead a drive to plant trees up and down I asked the Highland Park business community Portland Street. Paul Miller is gearing up for the for donation items for our Haiti team’s fundraiser annual Highland Park Yard Sale; Kelly Vitti is auction a few weeks back. I am very pleased by helping pull things together for the Bryant Street their generosity! Several wonderful items were Festival, to be held the same day. Monica Watt donated, ranging from gift certificates to gift is laboring tirelessly to bring you this community baskets and a complimentary oil change. Thank newsletter; David Atkinson has been slaving on you to Stacey’s Dynamic Salon and Barbering, Food our new website; Teri Rucker is bringing on the Glorious Food, Lou Iezzi and Sons, Inc., E2, Park children’s events. You and I have the privilege of Bruges, Bryant Street Market, and Paulette’s Hair living among all these people. And you can join Artistry! Hope and opportunity become realities for them, or make your own contribution. (Or both – the Bassin Caiman residents with these donations. we’re very open-minded!) Please support these businesses with your patronage, as they generously look to the interests So sign up for the neighborhood ListServ, of others less fortunate than themselves. and check out the local goings-on, at www.highlandparkpa.com. Join us for our The Run for Hope team (56 runners and 4 monthly meetings, third Thursdays at 7 PM at walkers) will be raising funds for Haiti H2O St. Andrew’s Church. Get into a neighborhood by participating in the Pittsburgh Marathon. discussion at www.facebook.com/highland.park. If you would like to sponsor one of them, visit pittsburgh. Spend some time hanging out on your www.active.com/donate/Haitih2o or contact porch and saying hi to the folks who live around Sarah VanderMolen at PO Box 5445, Pittsburgh, PA you. Build the sort of neighborhood that makes 15206; 412-685-4022; or [email protected]. you want to never leave – or that, if you do leave I will be at the Haiti H2O water station, supporting anyway, blesses you tons of warm memories. I hope them with cold water, smiles and encouragement. that you enjoy this newsletter (including the Our neighborhood is honored to be a Pittsburgh companion article to the right, authored by my Marathon neighborhood. Come out and show favorite Highland Park resident), and I hope to support for all the participants, especially our see you around the neighborhood sometime soon! own residents and local merchants! Eric D. Randall, HPCC President Susan Randall, First Lady of HPCC 2 HPCC_NL_May_V3:Layout 1 5/3/11 3:49 PM Page 3 March 2011 Kelly Vitti and Bob Staresinic spoke about the Marathon Party on May 15th and the Bryant Eric Randall, HPCC President, called the meeting Street Festival on June 5th, both of which will to order at 7:19 pm with a quorum present. take place on Bryant Street. Patrick Dowd, City Councilman, reported on A motion was made and duly seconded to amend the Verizon cell tower to be installed at the Zoo. the 2011-2012 HPCC Budget to include the The tower was approved by the Zoning Board, recent DCED grant monies. The motion passed contingent upon a landscaping plan approved by with 9 For, 0 Against and none Abstaining. The the community. Patrick also reported that the PA Department of Community and Economic water/sewer line insurance that the PWSA was Development provided a grant of $12,500.00 offering to all City residents has been cancelled which will be used for the Reservoir of Jazz, due to a lawsuit by a private company that Bryant Street Festival, the mass mailing of the provides the same service. newsletter, and children's activities. Kevin Bivins, Pittsburgh Fulton Principal, spoke Devon Toy from the Western Pennsylvania about the growth of the school and activities that Conservancy spoke about the School Grounds are taking place there. He is looking for involvement Greening Project. There have been plantings from the community to make the school even better. done around the schools which need care after the schools are out for the year. The Greening Nancy Arnold announced the Spring tree planting Project is looking for volunteers from the will be taking place on April 2nd, with about community to water and weed the 30 trees being planted around the school plantings to keep them alive. Jackson and Portland Street area. HPCC Kevin Bivins, Pittsburgh Fulton Monica Watt spoke about Principal, spoke about the the Newsletter going out school. The students have electronically to the Highland Meeting been increasing their scores Park email list. This is to cut in reading and consistently down on costs and see if more Minutes have the highest math scores community members get involved. in the district. Mr. Bivins is by Bob Staresinic trying to increase the music The speaker for the meeting was Com- programs available at the school. mander Linda Barone from the Pittsburgh Bureau He is looking for ideas about what the of Police. She spoke about the Community Safety community wants at Fulton. Website, which is designed to communicate and inform the public of various safety related issues. The program for the evening consisted of the The community can access alerts, police blotters District 2 School Board candidates introducing and submit tips. Additional information can be themselves and answering questions. Dara Ware found at www.communitysafety.pittsburghpa.gov. Allen, current School Board Director and Dr. Regina Holley presented what they see as the The April meeting will be held at the Union issues facing the Pittsburgh Public Schools and Project on Thursday, April 21st, starting at 7 pm. how to address these issues. Celina Basant was not present. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 pm. Valerie McDonald Roberts, candidate for County Controller, introduced herself and briefly spoke April 2011 about her experience for the position. Eric Randall, HPCC President, called the meeting The next meeting of the HPCC will be Thursday, to order at 7:13 pm with a quorum present. May 19th at St Andrews Church, beginning at 7 pm. Kevin Bivins from Pittsburgh Fulton will be Al Mann announced the annual Kiwanis Club speaking further about the school and how the fundraiser will take place Friday May 6th in community can be involved. East Liberty. 3 HPCC_NL_May_V3:Layout 1 5/3/11 3:50 PM Page 4 New Front Entrance Welcomes Visitors to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary The Seminary believes this project will enhance the cityscape along Highland Avenue and make a Continued from cover. clear statement that PTS very much wants to be a part of the community outside the grounds. Founded in 1959, the Pittsburgh Theological Scheduled for completion this spring, the new Seminary’s (PTS) 13-acre campus includes nine “front door” will physically stamp the campus buildings, among them a theological library open with the Seminary's mission of “bridging the Word to the public.