WINTER, 2009 Volume 23, Number 4 CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S COLUMN PG 3 DHCA BOARD BRIEFS PG 3 DHCA PARENTS NETWORK PG 4 NEIGHBORHOOD OMBUDSMAN PG 4 THE MENORAH PG 4 SCHOOL NEWS PG 5 BOOK CLUB NEWS PG 7 FAREWELL TO A FRIEND PG 7 ORIGINS OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE PG 7 FALL FOR A JAPANESE MAPLE PG 8 OBITUARY PG 8 TREEMENDOUS!PG 9 DHCA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION PG 11 Druid Hills Day A Winner! Wet Weather Creates Camaraderie By Chad and Lacy Henderson for Burbanck Park Celebration By Becky Evans Druid Hills Day 2009 was A group of more than 30 hardy souls gathered together under tents, braving the rain, on a huge success, thanks to the Saturday morning, October 31, to celebrate the re-opening of Burbanck Park, at the corner contributions of several of Clifton and N. Oxford, after completion of Phase I development. neighborhood organizations. Drew Schwartz, DHCA, as always, provided a a Druid Hills High rock climbing wall, moonwalk, School ninth grade and other free activities for the guitarist, led the kids, as well as snacks, popcorn group in a spirited and beverages. St. John’s rendition of “This Lutheran Church grilled hot Park is Your Park,” dogs and loaded them up with with apologies to all the fixins. And OLPA Woody Guthrie. (Olmstead Linear Parks Alliance) gave guided tours of the new-and- Ciannat Howett, improved Deepdene Park, along with free trolley rides between the Chair of the Deepdene and Dellwood Parks, plus free ice cream from Jake’s. Thank Burbanck Park you to everyone who contributed to a great day in the park, and to Development everyone who came out and enjoyed some of the best weather we’ve seen Committee and in Druid Hills all year! Emory’s Director of Sustainability Initiatives spoke of Robert Rodriguez and daughter Ella plant a tree. the three-year project and praised all the members of the Development Committee. She recognized volunteers Connie Brilhart, Becky Evans, Sally Sears, and Tim Ralston with gifts of lovely framed photos of Burbanck Park. Dick Shuey,President of Druid Hills Civic Association, Lois Berthaume, President of Alliance to Improve Emory Village, and Robert Rodriguez, Associate General Counsel of Emory University, all thanked the volunteers and the Emory staff who worked in partnership to This Park is Your Park develop the park and spoke of (with apologies to Woody Guthrie) the park’s value as a beautiful For Burbanck Park Celebration communal natural place of Oct 31, 2009, 9 to 11am reflection. Chorus: Becky Evans paid tribute This park is your park, this park is my park to Revival Construction’s owner From Emory Village, to Clifton and Oxford, Wright Marshall, whose From the Fernbank Forest, to the Peavine waters company won the competitive This park was made for you and me. bid and completed the Phase I development of the park, and As I was walking a ribbon of sidewalk CALL FOR NOMINATIONS to James Johnson, the Emory I saw above me the endless tree tops landscape architect who I saw below me the shaded valley The DHCA Annual Meeting is not until February 21 of the New Year, BUT the designed and monitored the This park was made for you and me Nominations Committee has to begin preparing ahead of time (and this is the closest project through the Emory and newsletter to the deadline). Chorus DeKalb County approval Nominations for Officers and Board Members of the Civic Association are process. She also expressed I’ve roamed and rambled and I’ve followed my footsteps needed and welcome. PLEASE think about people who love the neighborhood, care her appreciation to the Co- To the sparkling mica of her slippery stepping stones about the future of the neighborhood, and would set aside a little time (or already Chairs of the newly formed And all around me a voice was sounding are/have been) to do something for the neighborhood. (Yourself included!) “Friends of Burbanck Park,” This park was made for you and me. E-mail your nomination (name and address, even if only street, phone number) Mark Goldman and Perry to [email protected]. Deadline: January 15. Chorus Mitchell, the key organizers of The Nominating Committee is appointed by the DHCA President. Board the celebration who have The sun was shining as I was strolling Members serve three years. For descriptions of the duties of Board Members, as well already led workdays in the The tree limbs waving and the fall leaves rolling as all Officers, go to www.druidhills.org and click on “ByLaws.” park. She praised the 200 The fog was lifting a voice came chanting community donors, who raised This park was made for you and me. over $53,000 for development HE RUID ILLS EWS Chorus T D H N of the park over the past three Newsletter of the PRE-SORT Druid Hills Civic Association STANDARD years, and pointed out the U.S. POSTAGE P.O. Box 363 Donor Plaque Proof, listing all the Decatur, GA 30031-0363 PAID donors whose gifts totaled $250 or more. Permit No. 515 Steven Darcy, Music Director of Glenn Memorial Methodist Church, closed the program Athens, GA by singing “Song of the Chattahoochee” by Sidney Lanier, music by Darsey. The weather cleared in the second hour so that the attendees who wanted to get down and dirty were able to plant native shrubs and trees , most of which were recently purchased from Trees Atlanta and others contributed by Emory. Commissioner Jeff Rader led the way, with the assistance of his daughter Audrey, in planting a silverbell tree near the entrance. Please support our neighborhood sponsors, Octane and Panera Bread, who provided the coffee and bagels for the gathering. Thanks to Emory’s Department of Sustainability Continued on page 10 2 THE DRUID HILLS NEWS Winter 2009 CIVIC ASSOCIATION OFFICIALS Important Numbers Emory no longer sponsors Officers Police – General Information . .404-294-2000 a recycling site at the President . .Dick Shuey . .874-0643 . .president @druidhills.org Emory Village CVS. Recyclables First Vice President . .Cathy Vandenburg 377-4817 . [email protected] Animal Services—Stray Animals . .404-294-2996 Admin. Vice-President . .Elliott Kyle . .373-4203 [email protected] Animal Services—After Hours . .404-294-2519 may be taken to Whole Foods on Comm. Vice-President. David Hill . .474-4187 . [email protected] Board of Health—DeKalb . .404-294-3700 Briarcliff, DeKalb County fire Secretary . .Ken Gibson . .378-8884 . [email protected] Chamber of Commerce-DeKalb . .404-378-8000 stations and libraries, and Treasurer . .Jim Morawetz . .378-3784 . [email protected] Code Enforcement . .770-724-7940 DeKalb Farmers Market. Division Chairs DeKalb Community Relations (Police) . .404-286-7955 To join the County curbside Division 1 (City of Atlanta) . [email protected] DeKalb Medical Center . .404-501-1000 Barbara Vogel . .377-1667 recycling program, Patricia Elam . DeKalb Medical Center – Hillandale . .404-501-8000 call 404-294-2900 or visit Division 2 (Ponce Corridor in DeKalb) . [email protected] Elections . .404-298-4020 www.co.dekalb.gov.us Robert Ballou . .378-6139 Family & Children Service (DFACS) . .404-370-5000 Division 3 (W. of Briarcliff & S. of University in DeKalb) . [email protected] Gov. Off. Of Consumer Affairs . .404-656-3790 Robert Vicevich . .249-9215 Homeland Security/Gangs . .770-216-4926 Division 4 (b/w Briarcliff, N. Decatur & Lullwater Ck.) . [email protected] Human & Community Affairs . .770-322-2950 Sean Riggin . .862-1744 Druid Hills News Division 5 (Between Peavine Ck., N. Decatur, & RR Lines) . [email protected] Information—General . .404-371-2000 Elise Riley . Keep DeKalb Beautiful . .404-371-2654 deadlines Division 6 (W. of Briarcliff, N. of Univ. to S. Peachtree Ck.) . [email protected] Law Department . .404-371-3011 The deadlines David O’Brien . .435-0278 MARTA-Complaint Line . .404-848-4800 for the winter issue are: Division 7 (“University” Streets west of Emory University) [email protected] Mental Health Emergencies . .404-892-4646 Scott Shulman . 377-7548 Neighborhood Watch . .404-286-7955 Advertising— February 1 Division 8 (Emory U., N. Decatur Rd. to S. Peachtree Ck.) [email protected] Copy— February 8 Ron Foust . .633-9932 Planning & Development . .404-371-2155 Division 9 . [email protected] Records (Police Information) . .404-294-2512 Publication will be in mid-March (D.H. Golf Course, Decatur fork of Peavine Ck. & RR Lines) Recreation, Parks . .404-371-2631 Steven Misner . .373-1523 Roads, Drainage, Trees Down, Pot Holes . .404-297-3840 After Hours . .404-294-2523 Sanitation . .404-294-2900 HELP DHCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sight Obstructions (Roads) . .404-294-2041 WANTED Past Presidents Sheriff’s Department . .404-298-8000 Div. Name Phone Email Street Lights, Speed Humps . .770-492-5200 Two Druid Hills Civic Association 5 Jim Morawetz 378-3784 [email protected] Storm Water Management . .404-297-2570 Committees need volunteers! 5 Bruce MacGregor 378-6040 [email protected] Tax Assessor’s Office . .404-371-2509 Community and Lifestyle 9 Jeff Rader 378-5070 [email protected] Tax Commissioner (property tax) . .404-298-4000 • Plan neighborhood events 4 Rolf Grun 373-5831 [email protected] Traffic Signal Malfunction . .404-297-3929 • Assist with fundraising for Ex Officio Voter Registration . .404-298-4020 neighborhood parks and Civic Association Network (CAN) rep Water—Billing . .404-378-4475 common areas Judy Yates Emergency . .770-270-6243 • Create an increased sense of Freedom Park Women’s Resource Center . .404-688-9436 community in Druid Hills 1 Allen Bradley 373-3711 [email protected] Zoning . .404-371-4915 DeKalb Civic Coalition (DCC) To volunteer, please contact 4 Judy Yates 373-2112 [email protected] Chad and Lacy Henderson at Neighborhood Planning Unit 404-872-5964.