SUMMER 2020 NANA NEWS Volume LVIIII No. 10
Published by the North Avondale Neighborhood Association
Your monthly news & updates
NANA EXECUTIVE BOARD MESSAGE
Dear Neighbors,

2020 has been a unique year in the history of our city and our nation. We are faced with great challenges, but also great opportunities. As we move forward as a new Executive Board we want to address our neighborhood and as a group make it clear where we stand as representatives of North Avondale.

Our Neighborhood Association was founded with specific goals for and responsibilities to the constituency we serve. Among the founding purposes of our organization are the commitments:
  • To welcome all good neighbors, without prejudice,
  • To strive to maintain a diverse neighborhood,
  • To actively promote neighborhood solidarity and harmony,
As board members it is our responsibility to uphold these principals not only in our ideals, but in our actions.

We have heard from people in our neighborhood who are concerned that our actions have not lived up to our ideals. We hear you and we are committed to doing better. As a group we are working to improve our outreach and communication so that our active membership and our board are more diverse and more accurately represent the population of our neighborhood.

We also want to be clear that NANA condemns any form of discrimination based on race, sex, age, ethnicity, or religion. As community leaders we will work toward dismantling any and all bias, implicit or otherwise, that threatens the unity and solidarity of our neighborhood. We will work to support People of Color in our neighborhood and our city in the quest for equitable treatment in our society and the dismantling of systems of oppression. In North Avondale, Black lives matter. 

We hope that you will join us in our mission to carry on the legacy of NANA’s founders and continue to make North Avondale Cincinnati’s best address. 

Sincerely,
North Avondale Neighborhood Association Executive Board
NANA GENERAL MEETING 
  Tuseday, July 14, 7:00 pm

VIA ZOOM at https://us04web.zoom.us/j/4627492892
Meeting ID: 462 749 2892
Password :  9tTTPt

NO August NANA General Meeting
  
 THANK YOU FOR PAYING YOUR 2020 NANA DUES  

COMMITTEE UPDATES

BEAUTIFICATION

Seasongood Square and Marion Triangle Gardens
Thank you to everyone who offered to help with the Seasongood Square and Marion Triangle Gardens. This area desperately needs a tune up. I have been helping with these gardens, but down two gardeners this year. 

A few hours a month would be so helpful and a little expertise would be great as well. Please come and get in the dirt with your neighbors. Please bring your own gloves and tools.

I plan to be there this Friday, 7/10 9-11:00 am
Also Saturday, 7/18 9-11:00 am. 
Sarah Koucky
Neighborhood Flower Pots

We are taking donations for 2020 to pay the Parks to maintain the flower pots along Reading Road. You can make a donation on line at: northavondalecincinnati.com/donate/ and check Other and put: flower pots or you can mail a donation to: NANA, 617 Clinton Springs Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45229, ATTN: Beautification.

Please consider helping with a tax deductible donation so we can continue making our neighborhood beautiful! Thank you! 
NANA Beautification Team
MEMBERSHIP

Hello Neighbors, 
 
The recent murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd have ignited conversations on racial injustices highlighted by the trend of police brutality against Black people in this country. The comments surrounding diversity, inclusion, and equity in relation to NANA at the most recent general body meeting highlight the importance of acknowledging, learning, and working to dismantle these issues to create a more inclusive community.
 
Below is a link that provides a list of movies, shows, and documentaries that can help educate on the injustices that are the foundation of the protests we’re witnessing not only in the United States, but worldwide. Not acknowledging the issues will not make them disappear, but will in fact serve to protect these issues while allowing them to continue to perpetuate racial injustice. These pieces provide a perspective that is important to understand as North Avondale continues the work of becoming a more inclusive and equitable neighborhood. Feel free to share with your family and friends. Education and the conversations that follow are imperative if change is to occur.
 
 
Tristen Yarborough, Chairperson
FUN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
● The 3rd Annual North Avondale Neighborhood Yard Sale will take place on Saturday July 11 from 8 am til noon (or as late as need be). Rain date is July 18. Approximately 2 dozen households will be selling items--safely, with precautions in place.

The map of addresses can be found now at  tinyurl.com/NAYardSaleMap2020
or 

The Facebook page for the event will also publish all the addresses on Friday June 10: North Avondale Neighborhood Yard Sale or redirected from  tinyurl.com/NAYardSale2020

For those already planning to hold a sale: Tips for running a successful sale, including safety precautions, can be found on the Facebook page for the sale, in the "Discussion" section. Laurie welcomes additional tips by anyone who has them--you can post them to the Discussion section.

For those who would like to hold a sale: It's not too late! And there is no fee to participate. You may add your address to the sale at any time by emailing Laurie Pike at  [email protected].

Promotions for the sale include recommendations that shoppers use digital payment forms such as Venmo or PayPal. Masks will be required, per new Ohio law.

Last but not least, there is a voluntary give-back, a suggested donation of 10% of your sale proceeds to the Beautification Committee of NANA. This is entirely up to the person holding the sale.

Special thanks to Sarah Rich for starting this annual tradition by spearheading the first neighborhood yard sale in 2018.
Laurie Pike
● North Avondale Covid Garden Stroll

The Garden Stroll that I quickly put together (in less than 3 weeks) to give neighbors something safe to do, away from their homes, turned out better than I could have anticipated! Neighbors were so generous in offering their gardens and I want to say a special thank you to them here: Burton Woods Lane-Sue and Ben Blaney; Marion Avenue-The Messer Family; Winding Way-Sue Kenford and Jim Heubner; Rose Hill Avenue-Lois and Mel Nizny, Richard Jackson, Maria and Robert Krzeski, Jack Emery and Thomas Cochill, Kim and Jeff Geoppinger; Betula Ave-Bob and Marian Pitcairn; B eechwood Avenue-Jim Miller (and myself), John Hinger and Bryan Goodpaster. The Mitchell Triangle Park cared for by the Belvedere was also featured. Our publicity team of Leslie Druley and Carolyn Gillman both of Redbud Ave, and Sarah Rich on Rose Hill helped me get the word out. 

Gardens featured on June 14, 2020 included a fabulous rain garden, several ponds, delightful shade gardens, formal gardens, and small arboretums! The Stroll included gardens of different sizes, terrains and plant material. It was fun to learn what others liked the best about each of our gardens! I for one had to brush up on the names of the plants in mine!

 The weather was absolutely perfect and we had a steady stream of visitors, upwards of 100, all afternoon. Most wore masks and I observed careful social distancing! Several additional neighbors offered their gardens post deadline time and I hope to be able to include them (and you!) should we all decide to do another Stroll in 2021—Hopefully not a Covid one!! Please let me, Jolene Struebbe, know if you might be interested! (Now you’ll have a whole year to get ready!)  [email protected]

Burton Woods Lane (Blaney)
‌
Marion (Messer)
Winding Way (Kenford and Heubner)
Rose Hill (Ninzy)
Rose Hill (Jackson)
Rose Hill (Krzeski)





Rose Hill (Emery and Cochill)
Rose Hill (Geoppinger)
Betula (Pitcairn)
Beechwood (Struebbe and Swift)





Beechwood (Hinger and Goodpaster)
People enjoying the tour
The Mitchell Triangle (Belvedere)
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
● From the Cincinnati Preservation News and Updates: The Belvedere: Grand Luxury in North Avondale
by Deb Del Valle
The Belvedere  was one of the first luxury apartment buildings built in Cincinnati. This Second Renaissance Revival high rise was constructed in North Avondale in 1926. The building was marketed to affluent residents, and the accommodations included separate servants’ quarters. The Belvedere was converted into condominiums in the 1980s.

The lobby features an elaborate plaster ceiling, incorporating beautiful oil paintings on canvas by Herman Wessel, a noted Cincinnati artist; inlaid marble floors, large solid brass mailboxes and walnut trim. Many of these details have been lovingly preserved. Amenities originally included a first-floor restaurant, now utilized as a workout space and community room. A rooftop garden is still enjoyed by residents and their guests to this day.

In 2016, CPA presented an award for the restoration of the Belvedere’s lobby, which was executed by Kris Lemmon of  Deco Works Studio
ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORS
● Jordan Shepherd of Warwick graduates from St. Clement. He will be going to Roger Bacon next year and playing football. Congratulations Jordan!!
● Car Parade Held for Local Volunteer, Former Educator, Barbara Smitherman

YWCA honored longtime volunteer, former educator and community matriarch, Barbara Smitherman on Saturday, June 20 th with a car parade past her family home in historic North Avondale. As the YWCA’s Career Women of Achievement season came to a close for 2020 with their broadcast on June 18 th , the organization gathered committee members and board members to thank Barbara Smitherman for her role as Co-Chair for their Mamie Earl Sells Scholarship. Nearly 30 years ago, Mrs. Smitherman helped create this scholarship in memory of her good friend and YWCA board member, Mamie Earl Sells . Since then, over 200 young African-American women have received this award.

The YWCA Mamie Earl Sells Scholarship Fund was established in 1993 to provide financial assistance and support to an outstanding African-American female Greater Cincinnati high school senior entering a post-secondary institution. The scholarship is offered annually in conjunction with the YWCA Career Women of Achievement Luncheon. A committee evaluates and updates the scholarship application, assists in its distribution and promotion, and selects 10 finalists, who include two runners-up and one winner. Evaluation criteria include academic record, personal challenges and hardships, ACT and/or SAT scores, letters of recommendation, class rank, honors and awards, involvement in extra-curricular activities and community service, and employment history. Applicants are required to write two brief essays, one describing their greatest challenge and how it has affected them, and one explaining what Mamie Earl Sells’ philosophy, “Lift as we climb,” means to them. The 2020 winner is Thalia grant, graduate of DePaul Cristo Rey High School. She will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the Fall.

Mrs. Smitherman stepped down as co-chair last year and was to be honored at the annual Luncheon, but that was changed to a TV broadcast due to COVID-19. The organization didn’t want to miss the opportunity to thank their dear friend. Therefore, in the practice made so popular lately by teachers honoring students with a car parade, the YWCA decided to honor this former educator. 
● Local artists John Lanzador , an artist, painted messages of hope, justice, and community on the boarded-up windows of MiCA 12/v.Provided

John Lanzador, a North Avondale resident, is featured in Spectrum 1’s first “Voices for Change” video, a series that will include activists, leaders, and community members sharing what bought them to action.

The goal is to address discrimination head-on to create a more just world. For his part, Lanzador, an artist, painted messages of hope, justice, and community on the boarded-up windows of MiCA 12/v, which was damaged during the protests shortly after reopening. Other residents, inspired to help, have reached out to him.
To see the video, click  here .
FROM YOUR NEIGHBORS
● I found it interesting that 4 of the 9 Cincinnati City Council members live in North Avondale ! It must be the civic passion part of the NANA News motto of: "Beautiful Homes, Great Neighbors and Civic Passion". And true to North Avondale's diversity two members (Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney and Wendell Young) are Democrats, one (Jeff Pastor) is a Republican, and one (Chris Smitherman) is an Independent!  
Gerry Kraus (formerly of Stratford Pl)

● While there generally have been few problems with walking dogs around our neighborhood , this is a reminder that, according to the city municipal code:
  • Dogs must be on a leash.
  • Owners must remove excrement that their dogs deposit on other's property.
  • Dog owners are responsible for any damage done by their pet to other's property.
Ben Blaney (Burton Woods Lane, Area Block Watch Captain)
● H ow to Attract Pollinators to Your Garden
Lois Nizny (Rose Hill)
IN MEMORIAM
● Judith Bain Titchener (formerly of Rose Hill)
Judy passed away peacefully on May 11, 2020 after a long battle with dementia. She was born in Cincinnati, September 7, 1941. Devoted wife of the late James L. Titchener, MD and stepmother to late Antoinette (Annie). Judy was preceded in death by her parents Mary and Bill Bain, brother, John Bain and sister Donna Christos. Loving sister of MaryAnn (Gene) Cariola, Pat (late Bill) Nieman, Joanne (Paul) Breitenbach, Bill (Barb) Bain. Special aunt to Leslie & Mike McCarthy. Also survived by many nieces, nephews, family and friends. Judy graduated from McNicholas High School and entered the convent with the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Rhode Island. She served the order and lived in New York, Boston, St. Louis and Peru. Judy graduated from Marillac College in St Louis. She spoke fluent Spanish and after leaving the convent became a Spanish teacher at Hughes High School. She was a long-time parishioner of Bellarmine Chapel. She was a compassionate volunteer for St. Vincent De Paul Society and she and Jim were avid supporters of the Arts in Cincinnati. Judy married Jim in 1982 and they traveled the
world extensively. She was dedicated to Jim and Annie. When Jim was diagnosed with Parkinson's, she took care of him in their home with little outside assistance. Annie had Down syndrome and Judy ensured Annie's life was full, with paint workshops and daily activities and outings. The family would like to thank Bayley Place for the extraordinary care and compassion they showed Judy during the nearly four years she lived there. Due to the Corona virus, a memorial mass and celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Her cremains will be interred at Spring Grove Cemetery. Memorial donations can be made to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul 1125 Bank Street Cincinnati, OH 45214 or a  charity of your choice .  www.vittstermeranderson.com

Editor's: Note: Judith served on the NANA Board as Welcoming Chair from 1999 to 2004. We will always remember her for her special treats she brought to our meetings!

● Robert Novak (Barry Lane ) passed away on April 1, 2020 . Due to the pandemic and the family not being able to travel more information is not available at this time. I will pass on additional information when I get it.

Bob was very involved in NANA and often attended our NANA monthly meetings. He was chair of our Strategic Planning and Master Plan committee from 2004 to 2008 as well as serving on many other committees. Our condolences to his wife Mary Dee and family.
FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFITS
● Large trash pickup started June 1. For more information click here
● Victory Garden Individual Borrowing Program
Victory Gardens came into popularity during World War I and World War II in an effort to ease the pressure that was placed on the public food supply. Individuals were encouraged to plant fruits and vegetables on their own and on public land. The effects of COVID-19 have resulted in a similar burden on our food supply, and as a result we are encouraging community members to empower themselves through the construction their own food gardens.

The Cincinnati ToolBank will be opening a gardening-specific inventory for individuals to borrow in order to construct and maintain a victory garden. Tools will be available to borrow through October 31st.

Please contact our Community Engagement Coordinator, Samantha Norton, at 513.246.0015. Or for a quicker response, please email her at  [email protected]  to learn more about our guidelines, available tools and to apply for this exciting pilot program.

● Zoom and listen to Black Flowers
● KEEP CALM. STAY HOME. TAKE THE CENSUS.
Fill out the Census online at: https://my2020census.gov/ or by phone (1.844.330.2020). Mail-in questionnaires can also be requested.
WELCOME NEW NEIGHBORS  
 
  • Matt And Jace LLC at 122 Clinton Springs Ave.
  • Ambush Investments LLC at 3960 Dickson Ave.
  • Sunrise Financial LLC at 745 Greenwood Ave.
  • Lawrence Schwab at 35 Kessler Ave.
  • Ben, Amanda and Elias Schilling at 3928 Leyman Drive
  • Just moved from Colorado Springs to be closer to family. 
  • Sean Kennedy Mangan at 1008 Marion Ave.
  • Warwick 3916 LLC at 3916 Warwick Ave.
RECYCLING TIPS
If this quiz raises questions or presents ideas you’d like to talk about, start a conversation with the community in the Earth911.com Forum. Making smart sustainable choices requires practice. Earth911’s weekly sustainability quiz helps you hone your ability to recognize earth-friendly products and services.
Need a place to recycle specific items?
On June 20, there was a One Stop Drop. Here are details about each item/recycler:

  • The dental care, hair/skin care, and chip bags are being collected by Pleasant Ridge Montessori and will be mailed in to Terracycle to be recycled. For more information about starting your own Terracycle account, go to Terracycle.com.
  • Outside of this event, Kroger Pharmacy will recycle your prescription pill bottles as long as you have your prescriptions filled there. 
  • Matthew 25 Ministries also accepts pill bottles for recycling at their facility at 11060 Kenwood Road in Blue Ash. The containers are redistributed globally or recycled on site and the material sold with proceeds supporting the ministry. More info: http://m25m.org/pillbottles/
  • The PakTechs will be recycled with Rhinegeist. Rhinegeist, Madtree, and several other local breweries offer collection sites for PakTech in their taprooms. Searchable list can be found here: https://paktech-opi.com/recycle/
  • Plastic planters and flats will go to Home Depot. More info on their program: https://thd.co/2UJfifN
  • The batteries, light bulbs, and small electronics will be collected and recycled by Cleanlites. For more information and directions to their Cincinnati brick-and-mortar location, see their website: https://cleanlites.com/cincinnati-recycling-center
  • The styrofoam (EPS) coolers and protective packaging will be collected and recycled by Eco Development. They have a drop off service available to the public for EPS packaging and insulation (NO food packaging) at their facility in Mason. Please call 866-FOAM ECO for more details and to schedule an appointment.
  • The #5 plastic packaging will be recycled with Preserve's Gimme5 mail-in program. Unfortunately, the program is currently not accepting items for recycling due to Covid-19.
RECREATION AND LIBRARIES

● North Avondale Recreation Center - 617 Clinton Springs Ave. 513.961.1584 

Matthew Brown, Community Center Director
● Hirsch Recreation Center - 3620 Reading Road ● 751.3393

  • Hirsch summer day camp is full.
  • Hirsch’s pool opened June 8th, there is a reservation process. Participants call the center 751.3393 to schedule a block of swim time.
  • No fitness start dates yet, stay tuned.
Blake Williams, Service Area Coordinator
● The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Hours of Service 
  • Avondale (temporarily closed due to HVAC issues) but meals still available (see below)
Book Drops 
  • All locations are accepting returns through their book drops, except Price Hill. Materials are being quarantined for 3 days before being checked-in, so it will be a few days before you see any changes reflected on your account.
Holds/Borrowing Items 
  • If you would like to borrow an item from the library, search our catalog, find the item you want, place a hold on it, and choose which location you’d like to pick up the item from. Or you can call us, and we’ll place the hold for you. 
  • When the item is ready, you will receive an email notice. You can pick it up anytime between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. If you’d like, you can call the location and schedule a time for pick-up. 
Clearing Overdue Fines from Accounts
  • Earlier this month the Library’s Board of Trustees voted to eliminate overdue fines through 2020 and to wipe existing overdue fines from customer accounts. Starting July 1st Library staff will begin removing existing overdue fines on customer accounts. This is a manual process that will take a couple of weeks. Please note that fees for materials that are unreturned after 45 days of being overdue, lost, or damaged will not be cleared and payment is still expected for those. Customers do not need to contact the Library, as overdue fines will be automatically cleared. 
Masks Inside our Buildings
  • Update: Beginning Monday, July 6, people visiting our libraries will be required to wear facial coverings. We'll provide masks to customers who need them for free. Exceptions will be made for people who are unable to wear a facial covering due to a specific medical reason. 
For More Information
S ummer Meals
  • Free meal service for children ages 18 and under will continue throughout the summer in much the same way as it has been since schools closed.
  • Children must be present to receive a meal. The meal service locations and serving times are subject to change.

Meals are available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at:
  • 1-1:30 p.m. – Avondale, Covedale
NORTH AVONDALE SCHOOLS 
North Avondale Montessori ● 615 Clinton Springs ● 
   363.3900 ● www.namrockets.org      NAM Brochure     
NAM Preschool Brochur e        


New Principal at NAM

June 2, 2020

Dear North Avondale Montessori Parents, Guardians and Neighbors:

Thank you for trusting us at North Avondale Montessori to ensure that your children receive a world-class education that prepares them for success in high school and beyond. We value your partnership and want to make sure you are always among the first to know about new developments that will impact the school.

Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, the NAM family will welcome a new instructional leader. We wish Mr. Roger Lewis the best of luck in his retirement and appreciate his massive contributions to the NAM community. We are excited to welcome Mr. Jack Corey as the new North Avondale Montessori Principal.

Mr. Corey currently serves as assistant principal at Parker Woods Montessori. He cares about our children and the NAM community, and will continue and expand upon the previous accomplishments of NAM.

Mr. Lewis and myself will be working closely with Mr. Corey for the remainder of the current school year to ensure consistency in programming and initiatives that are already in place. When students return in August 2020, Mr. Corey will be in his official role as principal.

We appreciate the contributions of our LSDMC during the principal selection process. We look forward to working with Mr. Corey as he takes on this role in the upcoming school year. I am confident that the faculty and staff, along with our NAM families will benefit greatly from the experience and dedication he brings to the field of education.
Monisha House, Director of School Leadership, Cincinnati Public Schools

The New School Montessori (TNSM) 
●  3 Burton Woods Lane ●  281.7999 ● www.newschoolmontessori.com     
The New School Montessori Receives a Gift from Its 2020 Grads

Each year, our graduating sixth graders and their families contribute to a project that celebrates their time here at The New School Montessori. When they return as alumni, they enjoy seeing their senior gifts in use and appreciated by the community.

This year’s graduating class wanted to center their gift around the two bee hives that the school has set up on campus for teaching purposes and as a hands-on way for us to support beleaguered pollinators. 

The students have named our hives “Washington Bee C” and “Honey 2020” and will be making decorative hexagonal cement tiles to lay on the ground in front of the hives as a grand and befittingly royal entrance for the subjects who serve our queens. The nameplates will be carefully affixed to each hive and the tiles will be completed and lovingly designed by each graduate over the summer. 
Ann Baumgardner, Communications Director
NANA CALENDAR
  • Tuesday, July 14, NANA General Meeting 7 pm Zoom: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/4627492892 Meeting ID: 462 749 2892 Password: 9tTTPt
  • No August Meeting - Vacation Time!
  • Tuesday, September 8, NANA General Meeting 7 pm Zoom or at North Avondale School Cafetorium
NANA EXECUTIVE BOARD AND COMMITTEES
President: Ethan Perry
1st VP: Heather Herr
2nd VP: Laura Pike
3rd VP: Patrice Watson
Corresponding Sec.:  Ilene Ross Tucker
Recording Secretary: Morgan Rottinghaus
Treasurer: Robin Senser
Block Watch: Carolyn Gillman
Law & Safety: Carolyn Gillman
Dirk Pastoor
Membership: Tristen Yarborough
USEFUL LINKS
North
Avondale
Neighborhood Association

617 Clinton Springs Ave.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45229

513.401.5356