2007 greeting September

Greetings again from the Shingle Creek Neighborhood Association!

Wow, have we had a busy month. We ended July with our first annual Tour de Camden, improved our turn out of block parties for National Night Out -almost doubling the amounts from last year- and met with the representatives of the School Board that are charged with finding reuses for the closed schools. Could anyone imagine that was just the beginning of what has happened in a month? We also met with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, formed two committees and board members have been invited to attend a Neighborhood Summit in Des Moines Iowa.

On July 28, we held our first annual Tour de Camden; it was a beautiful Saturday morning eight hearty souls took off for a relaxing 9 mile bike ride around the Camden Community. We also had a great volunteer from our sister neighborhood group across Humboldt Ave N, the Lind-Bohanon Neighborhood Association, who offered to provide ride support.-Michaeleen, I and SCNA extends our heart-felt thanks.

On August 2 we celebrated National Night Out, a celebration used to increase community and decrease crime. From my tour of the block parties, I had the chance to meet many of our neighbors and listened their questions and concerns. We have some very talented residents: a wine brewer, old school big wheeled bike, and many families and long time residents. Shingle Creek had over a hundred neighbors out and enjoying old and new friendship right next door. The list of programs included BBQs, potlucks, ice cream socials, chalk drawing in the street, face painting, and give-aways.

While meeting with neighbors, I heard many questions about the future of Shingle Creek Elementary School. We have formed a committee dedicated to help find
suitable uses for all parties involved, of which we’ve had very exciting possibilities and partnerships coming to the forefront. If you have an interest in helping in anyway to find a community friendly reuse for the school please contact the SCNA.

Now, as we finish the month of August and beginning the month of September, thirty people from the city of Minneapolis have been invited to attend the fourth annual Neighborhood Summit in Des Moines, Iowa. The SCNA has the honor of being included in this excellent chance to find out what other neighborhood groups are doing on the other side of the city and throughout the Midwest. Other cities that are invited to attend include Kansas City/Springfield, Omaha, and Des Moines. This year’s summit is focusing on the timely issues of Housing and Crime. We’re already excited to report back to the community as to what we learned and how it could potentially benefit the Shingle Creek Neighborhood~and we haven’t even left yet!

Well until next month, that’s just some of what the small group of volunteer neighbors known as the Shingle Creek Neighborhood Association is having fun with and working on. Feel free to contact me or SCNA at scna@stribmail.com to find out more about things going on in the neighborhood, how to take the first steps to getting a SCNA home loan or with how you can come and get involved! Everyone is welcome and our organization is free! Why not come to our next meeting to find out more!

Brock Hanson
SCNA Chair