High Street Neighborhood News

by Adelle Foley

Saturday in the Snow

A group of children spent a magical Saturday in the snow at Soda Springs as a reward for six months of hard work. The Boys and Girls Club members earned the special trip by their excellent grades, leadership among their peers, the responsibility they assumed at home, and their service to the Club and the community. For many of the youngsters, all under 12, this was their first experience building snowmen, throwing snowballs, or riding inner tubes down the hills. Branch Director Maribel Corral thanked the Maxwell Park neighborhood for helping to make the trip possible by donating winter clothing to children without cold-weather gear. She was also very pleased to report the favorable feedback on the children's behavior from the bus driver and other families enjoying the snow.

Maribel invited the community to visit the Anne Marie Whalen Branch during National Boys and Girls Club Week. The clubhouse will be open from 3 to 7 p.m., from Tuesday, April 4, through Friday, April 7.

A March Morning Out

We've mapped out our Saturday morning walks to pass by the sites of violent crime. The message is support for the victims and the presence of the community on our streets. We don't want to intrude, and we don't plan to stop where incidents occurred. So we were surprised, when we asked someone near the home of a shooting victim how he is doing, to find him emerging from his yard to greet us. He described the incident, and we expressed our hope for a speedy recovery. Our next stop was Courtland Creek Park, where we admired the plum blossoms and let the children discover the least urban part of the neighborhood.

As we came up the hill, we were startled by the sound of a burglar alarm. A cell phone came in handy to call the number on the alarm box. The Oakland Police arrived soon, but we had already discovered a broken window near the back of the house. The residents had moved in recently and appeared to be away. We talked with the officers and invited the neighbors to join the community online or at regular meetings.

Family Reading Night

When I dropped in at the Melrose Branch, children's librarian Sharon Sensor was excited about the Family Reading Night program. She explained that elementary school children come to their schools in PJ's. They munch on pizza, listen to stories, work on crafts, and come home with a free book. The program's organizers hope that they'll bring home excitement about reading together as well.

C'mon Down to Courtland Creek

As I write this column, it's still winter, but we hope for nice weather for the Earth Day cleanup on Saturday, April 22. We will come out rain or shine. We'll gather at the Brookdale end of the park at 9 a.m. for some weeding, spring cleaning, and good company. I'll never forget my first Earth Day at the creek. We planted plum trees in the mud and rain. My boots were never the same, but when I see the trees in blossom, I know that it was worth it.

Adelle Foley can be reached at jandafoley\@sbcglobal.net.