October 2014

Has it really been almost two years since I've posted here?  One particular neighbor told me today he commented here somewhere.  I'm looking for you!  Sorry I gave up on this page.  If you read it, please let me know!

There's a lot going on in the next few weeks.  Here's a synopsis:

Monday, 10/13  Garden Tract Meeting, 6pm, Redding Library Community Room
     Q&A session on Measure B with Turtle Bay CEO, Mike Warren as Guest Speaker, followed by
     discussion of proposed cell towers at the CarpetMart property and Sequoia School property
Tuesday, 10/14  Planning Commission Meeting, 4pm, City Council Chambers
     Public hearing for proposed Verizon tower at 877 Locust ST and proposed AT&T tower at
     Sequoia School.  We need neighbors to attend in support of our effort.  We do NOT oppose cell
     towers, but urge the City to place them on roofs and existing towers ON COMMERCIAL
     PROPERTY outside our neighborhood!
Friday, 10/24   Spooktoberfest, 6-10pm, Turtle Bay Exploration Park.
     A Halloween-themed night of family fun in Turtle Bay’s Paul Bunyan Forest Camp.  Kids of all
     ages will enjoy ghoulishly fun activities, a special Creatures of the Night animal show featuring
     some of your favorite animals at Turtle Bay, a no-host beer garden for adults, a rootbeer garden
     for kids and lots of other tricks and treats.  Anyone in costume will be eligible for a drawing for a
     special prize!  Finish your night of spooktacular fun with the movie classic Ghostbusters on the
     outdoor screen in the Forest Camp Amphitheater.  Tickets ($5/person, $20/family) are 
    available at the Museum, the Museum Store & Coffee Bar NOW!  Tickets at the door 
    $8/person, $25/family.
Saturday, 10/25  Annual Neighborhood Halloween Party, 6-8pm United Methodist Church. 
    Free.
Tuesday, 10/28  Neighborhood Block Captains' Meeting with Chief Paoletti,  5:30pm, 
    Community Room adjacent to City Council Chambers.

Friday, 10/31 Neighborhood Trick-or-Treat, dusk til you turn out your lights!

Checkout our Facebook page: Garden Tract Society or join our email list: write to moniquegaido@gmail.com.  Thanks, Neighbors, for caring about our neighborhood and local community.

Sincerely,
Monique Gaido
Chairperson

December 2012

Dear Neighbors,

I'm guilty!  I have not posted since June 2012.  That's inexcusable.  But, I will point out immediately that my neighbor, Megan Conn, has gotten a Facebook page started for our group.  (Thank you, Megan!) If you're a Facebook user, look up Garden Tract Society, and find more recent postings there.  

We have had a great fall with Cypress School starting a "Walking School Bus" on Walk to School Day (Oct 6th).  This means Cypress School staff members meet students at the United Methodist Church parking lot, including those dropped off by car who wish to walk! Up to 27 students walk with staff members to school, "picking up" others along the way and enjoying neighborly waves and smiles on their way to school.  This has continued for 2 months now!  Way to go, Cypress Elementary students!

This success was followed by a Neighborhood Cleanup Day right after Halloween, partnering with Cypress Elementary School's Community Helpers Service Group. Despite competing with the AAUW Fall Home Tour, we had a nice turnout and some recognition by the Record Searchlight: http://www.redding.com/news/2012/nov/03/cypress-school-garden-tract-neighbors-spruce-up/
It's nice to see how little things we do for others bring praise from our community.  It was a beautiful day and we collected quite a bit of treasures for the City to haul off.  Thanks, Neighbors!

Our Facebook page allowed us to see how many neighbors are avoiding Safeway shopping due to decreased security and increased loitering/begging/theft at the store.  One neighbor mailed a letter to the District Manager in September 2011 and recent comments prompted us to mail a second letter on behalf of the entire neighborhood.  The letter stated that many neighbors no longer shop there day or night and regaining the business they have lost should more than cover any security costs.

This December, we have the United Methodist Church Gifts for Good community Christmas Faire,
Dec. 2nd from 1 to 4 pm, where there are some wonderful more artsy and world-view type gift-giving ideas. We're also planning a Neighborhood Cookies and Caroling Night, details to be announced (probably Monday, Dec. 17th, 6pm).  We will walk about 3 blocks, enjoy Christmas lights, cookies and good neighbors, and do a little singing along the way!  There's nothing better to keep us in the true spirit of Christmas!

We look forward to more neighbor-time with you!

Sincerely,
Monique Gaido

June 2012

Hello Neighbors!
Although I don't post as often as I'd like, I always have much to tell.

We seem to be experiencing a wave of breakins. Mostly cars, back yards and sheds are visited during the day while people are at work or at night. I believe our best defense is to invest in simple alarms and/or motion lighting when at all possible. Our second strategy is to remain as informed as we can and report suspicious behavior to the police.   If you witness a crime underway = call 911.  To report suspicious behavior, call Dispatch. 225-4564.  

 We celebrated Earth Day with another Neighborhood Cleanup effort and a team of teachers, students and parents from Cypress Elementary School joined us in this effort. See the two team photos at the right?  Way to go, Everyone! It was a beautiful day.

We had shrubbery overgrowing the sidewalk near the canal on Locust St and an email to the City brought almost instant response.  Thank you, City of Redding! 

Along those same lines, we are preparing for our Annual Garden Tract Community Yard Sale, which will be on Saturday, June 23rd.  Flyers are going out to each home this week.  Next week we'll post signs in the neighborhood and advertise in the Record Searchlight, on www.anewscafe.com, and on Craigslist.  We hope you'll set a few hours aside to enjoy our neighborhood, catch up with a few neighbors and do a little shopping!

Lastly, I would like to welcome one of our newest neighbors, Lucia Ross.  With permission, I've included the photo the family posted on Facebook. 
I hope to see many of you at the Yard Sale!!!  Happy Summer!

Sincerely,
Monique Gaido
Chairperson

December 2011

Dear Neighbors,

I want to share a short tribute to our friend and co-chairperson, James Kennedy.  He died suddenly on Monday, November 21st, of a heart attack following a hang-gliding adventure with his closest friend outside of Fresno.  He lived life to its fullest, always keeping his family, his 2nd and 3rd grade students at Bonnyview Elementary, and his greater community as his top priorities.  He demonstrated his strong passion for community through our neighborhood organization and editorial letters to the Record Searchlight.  He was a big kid at heart and enjoyed roller blading the Sacramento River Trail and hang-gliding all over California.  I feel so blessed to have known him well and I know many who feel the same.

Most recently he organized a Neighborhood Cleanup Day on November 5th.  Here is a photo of our faithful neighbors.  Jim is on the very left in the top row.  In case you're wondering about those snazzy yellow vests, the City was adamant that we must all wear them in case we're "out in the street." 

Below, I have also included a classic photo of Jim in front of a vacant building on Locust, just hours before it was torn down.  We had identified a few of the major eyesores in the neighborhood and this was definitely one of them.  He was absolutely thrilled it was torn down!  He had an unforgettable passion and sense of humor.

Jim's family invites all who knew Jim to attend a celebration of his life at the Elks Lodge on Saturday, December 10th, from 2 pm to 5 pm.  There will be cookies, cocoa, live music and crafts for children.  This affair is for the entire family.  No one is under any obligation to bring anything, but if anyone feels inclined to "do more," there are two possibilities.  1) Jim's family invites us to bake a small batch of cookies to share with others.  Jim loved the idea of families baking cookies together. 2) Jim's family has created the "Jim Kennedy Memorial River Trail Fund" at the Shasta Regional Community Foundation in case anyone would like to make a monetary contribution.  We hope to see you at the celebration, Saturday, December 10th.

Thank you, Neighbors.  Your support, interest, and neighborliness have made the Garden Tract what it is today.

Sincerely,

Monique Gaido

September 2011

Hello Garden Tract Neighbors!

Another exciting few months have passed with much to share.  Our next neighborhood meeting is Monday, September 19th, at 7 pm at the Redding Library, Community Room A.  A year ago, representatives of the Churn Creek Bottom Homeowners Association joined us to share their concerns about Shasta County plans to build a shopping mall at the Knighton Rd intersection.  Since then we've read about it in the newspaper, signed petitions, and wondered how this issue would come through.  As neighbors interested in our community's growth and decision making, we've invited Larry Lees, Chief Accounting Officer for Shasta County, to attend our meeting to share more with us on this issue.  Please bring your thoughts, questions, and concerns to share with him.  We are so grateful to Mr. Lees for making the time to discuss this important issue with us.

If anyone would like to review the past press coverage on this issue and even read other pertinent stories, here are just a few links from early September:
http://www.redding.com/news/2011/sep/07/planner-quits-over-retail-center/
http://www.redding.com/news/2011/sep/07/marv-van-voy-population-cant-support-new-mall/
http://www.redding.com/news/2011/sep/06/redding-ponders-tax-sharing-pact/
http://www.redding.com/news/2011/sep/01/editorial-referendum-push-has-big-momentum-and/
The Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted in favor of the project on August 1st and the Planning Commission passed it in June.  For those brave souls who'd like more info, here's the EIR, Environmental Impact Report. http://www.co.shasta.ca.us/index/drm_index/planning_index/eirs/knighton_churn_creek_commons/knighton_feir.aspx

We hope you'll join us for this discussion!

On Tuesday, August 3rd, we  celebrated another National Night Out.  Many Gold St, Lincoln St, and Canal St neighbors gathered at a minimum of two locations to enjoy an evening together.  Here are a few photos.

Upcoming Community Events include:

Moving Planet:  A Global Day of Action.  Saturday, Sept 24th, 9 am, meet at Dana Dr/Hilltop Trailhead, 1.8 mile Walk-Bike-Run-Skate (or any other form of human movement) Wear green. Organized by First United Methodist Church, Shasta Family YMCA, Safe Routes to Schools Program, and other community members.

Fee-Free Day at Lassen, plus Art, Wine Tasting, Hors d-Oevres & Music!  Lassen Volcanic National Park announces park concessionaire, California Guest Services, will host Art & Wine of Lassen at Kohn Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center Saturday, Sept 24th, 11 am - 5 pm.  Wine tasting is $5, with commemorative glass.

Community Creek Cleanup 2011 - Restoring Henderson Open Space, behind the Raley's on Hartnell, more details to be announced

Walk This Way at Turtle Bay, October 1st, more details to be announced.

Next  Neighborhood Cleanup Day - Saturday, November 5th, 9 am, meet at 620 Lincoln St.

Also, keep in mind our daffodil campaign.  If anyone is up for another round of daffodil planting in November, let me know! (moniquegaido@gmail.com)  I wouldn't mind rallying for another effort to brighten our neighborhood.

Hope to see many of you soon at our next meeting and these great events!
Sincerely,
Monique Gaido

June 6th, 2011

Hello Neighbors!

We had a Neighborhood Cleanup Day in late April and a Dessert in the Driveway night a few weeks ago on a blustery May evening between rainstorms.  It was nice to see some of you again, those of you who are willing to where fleece in May!  One of our neighbors said they would like to host a Dessert in the Driveway in June on Gold Street, so that may happen in June - as soon as I'm convinced the weather is done playing its tricks. 

So our 3rd Annual Community Yard Sale is coming up this Saturday, June 11th, 8 am, 12 pm.  Some neighbors may have more yard sale stamina than I, and I welcome you to go all day!!!  Don't let me stop you!  I've been busy cleaning and purging today, this LAST rainy day of June (I hope!) and looking forward to a beautiful weekend.

Norman, the cockatiel, is happily home

Those of you on our email list know that we've had very few crime incidents, including a purse stolen out of a car on Garden St, around 10 pm as a neighbor unloaded her groceries!!!  And we had Norman, the 17-year-old cockatiel, escape his Lincoln St home for the first time in his life, on a stormy evening.  He was discovered, with the help of our email network and caring neighbors, the next morning and safely returned to his home.  Here's our happy Norm!

If you'd like to join our email list, contact Monique at moniquegaido@gmail.com.  Thanks for caring about our neighborhood and community.

Sincerely,
Monique

March 28th, 2011

Our neighbors are amazing!  Two years ago I didn't volunteer for anything anywhere.  I had a toddler and an infant at home, had given up my career (temporarily I hope), and never knew if I'd get sleep that night.  I stepped out of my little box to get to know my neighbors and it has been a great journey.

Garden Tract daffodils



Every time I think something's too much to handle, such as chairing the neighborhood group, I realize it's too rewarding to give up.  How do you neighbors keep me going?  I can honestly say I care about you all and I hope this neighborhood community-building experience has been as positive for you as it has for me.  We have some truly wonderful neighbors around us.



A Lincoln St peony

Tonight's meeting at the Redding Library Community Room was great.  (Thanks, Jim, for booking it!) Everyone loved the library as a meeting venue.  We had about 20 neighbors attending with RPD Officer Bob Brannon as our guest speaker.  Officer Brannon shared with us about the challenges of the Redding Police Department keeping graffiti under control and answering to the City's needs.  We asked lots of questions and got lots of answers before the library threw us out at 8 pm.  



We look forward to using the library again next fall.  The trick is to book the rooms really far in advance because they are used a lot!!!   Sorry I didn't get photos to post.  I had to use one of my kids for some eye-catching color.  Next time!

 

Monique