CORDATA RESIDENTS LOSE THEIR HOMES
You may have read the article in the Bellingham Herald last week about the sewer disaster at the Meadows by Vintage apartments. "A sewer back-up Tuesday, Sept. 21, at The Meadows by Vintage apartment complex in the Cordata neighborhood of Bellingham has displaced the residents of at least six units and left them looking for help." Residents who have lived in their apartments for years came home to find them flooded with raw sewage. One resident was quoted as reporting “You could smell it as soon as you walked in — it was absolutely foul. There was water overflowing the toilets and coming up through the floor, through the carpets and where the toilet meets the ground. It was coming from the shower. We had two inches of sewer water in the hallway, under the living room and underneath the laundry. We destroyed every towel I own trying to keep it from spreading to other parts of the house, but it went under the laminate to other parts. And my apartment wasn’t the worst."
The City told them that the problem was on private property and therefore there was nothing the City could do for them. The property manager had no offer of assistance either, so the residents affected by this disaster had to find a way to get their property out of the apartment before it was even more damaged, find a place to store their property, and find a place for their family to live until the damage could be repaired. All of this at the unexpected and unplanned expense of the residents.
The property manager said he anticipated "several months" before this damage can be repaired and there is any chance for them to return.
There are three families most impacted by this disaster, and we are hoping our Cordata community will help them out during the crisis. Each of these three families has set up a GoFundMe account and the links are included below.
Please consider a donation to the accounts for these three Cordata neighbors in their time of need. Just select the links below. THANK YOU!
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Community Food Pantry
Cordata Presbyterian Church (CPA) at 400 Meadowbrook Drive is offering a free food pantry. It starts on Friday, October 1st and will be conducted for the foreseeable future every Friday from 2-3:30 pm at the north end of the church. The food offered is free. There is NO obligation and is available to anyone who needs it. October dates are October 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29.
The Cordata Church has partnered with the local Miracle Food Network (MFN) to offer this food. The MFN gathers excess perfectly edible and perishable food from restaurants, grocery stores, co-ops and other food services that would be discarded unused and distributes it throughout the county. The network currently serves 6,000 people each week throughout the county. CPC is the latest drop-off point.
The food distributed is everything from fruits and vegetables to breakfast cereal to bread and bagels and milk. It's all good, nutritious and healthy food. If you or anyone you know can benefit from this “free groceries” program, visit the Church on Friday.
If you have questions or need additional information, contact Rich Emerson at [email protected]. |
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October 12 Community Meeting
We have two topics planned for this our next community meeting.
First, we have invited the Whatcom County Health Department to give us an update on Covid. What is our infection/vaccination/death rate? What do we know about the Delta variant? What is the advice for booster shots? When will vaccines be available for young children? And any other questions you may have.
Second, we have invited representatives from the Bellingham Police Department and the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office to help us understand the changes in laws involving police enforcement. What does this look like for how/when the police can respond to situations?
ZOOM Meeting:
October 12, 2021 7:00 PM
Click below to connect via Zoom
Meeting ID: 255 603 0627
Passcode: 123456
If joining by phone:
One tap mobile
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
PLEASE JOIN US!
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Welcome To Two New Cordata Neighbors |
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Located in the Bellis Fair Mall is the new Whatcom Intergenerational High School. This is a public charter school that has been in the making for several years. Whatcom Intergenerational High School envisions learning as the authentic investigation of real- world phenomena that focuses on issues important to students as well as the community. At WIHS, learning is seen as a process and is rooted in rigorous curriculum and subject knowledge designed to build real-world skills. Learners at WIHS also learn to critically examine language and texts to become more discerning citizens in a global and social media world. Through these learning processes, students develop critical consciousness and agency to solve problems and create change beyond the walls of the classroom. Intergenerational learning opportunities offer mutual benefits for everyone, as the learning environment allows for frequent interactions across generations. Students and elders give and receive support to create an extended community family. The school currently houses 9th and 10th grade; next year they will include 11th grade, with 2023 being their first full student body.
To facilitate students receiving support from their elders, Intergenerational High School relies on the voluntary support of our community. Elders are an ongoing presence at WIHS providing mentorship and support in and outside of the classroom setting. They bring work and life experience and cultural knowledge to collaborative learning experiences with students. If you have from 2-6 hours a week and the desire to offer support for a student(s), Intergeneration High School is always looking for additional mentors for students. For additional information please contact Diana Childs at [email protected] or call 360-543-8010.
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New Restaurant -- Sliced
Sliced opened in the former Boston Restaurant on the Bellis Fair Mall grounds about six weeks ago.
I spoke to Justin Oberg, Manager who shared that they have modified the menu found in their Bakersfield, California locations (operating under the name of Slice of Italy) for us. Justin describes the menu as Italian fusion with a Northwest flair. He and his staff are proud of the “quality with passion” that goes into their food. “Good food takes time,” according to Justin and they take the time to make the dressings, pastas, and sauces in-house.
Check it out and support a new restaurant business in our area.
Sliced
70 Bellis Fair Parkway
Open 11am – 10pm (Sunday – Thursday)
Open 11am to 11pm (Friday – Saturday)
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The Cordata Neighborhood is proud of the donations our community has made to WCC students over the years. Here is another opportunity to support our community college students. The Whatcom Community College Foundation is looking for some scholarship reviewers. They have 200 applications from prospective WCC students and are asking for Cordata volunteers to help select scholarship recipients. The process includes reading applications and providing scores based on a rubric. If you would like more information about this opportunity to help our WCC students, contact Kate Imus at WCC [email protected]
The following are statements from some previous grateful scholarship recipients:
Upon receiving this scholarship, I felt a wave of relief. The main reason it has taken me until the age of nearly forty to attend college is the financial investment. Without anyone to guide me, I had no idea how to even go about acquiring grants and loans. With the help of the staff of WCC, I've been able to make my tight finances work for me. This scholarship inspires me to continue working towards my passions and goals, knowing that others think my education is a worthwhile investment. This scholarship means the world to me.
When I found out about my scholarship my hands sprang into the air, I yelled into my pillow with excitement, I called up my brother, and walked outside to get some fresh air. This scholarship is truly a blessing and will help me focus on my studies more by allowing me to worry less about my bills, provide for my daughter, help me pay for better food so that I can focus better in school, and most of all it makes me feel special because somebody out there believes in me and that I can really make a difference in this world.
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Little Libraries Coming to Cordata Park |
The Cordata Neighborhood Association was awarded a Small and Simple grant from the City of Bellingham, and we have decided to use some of it to place free little libraries in Cordata. We have received permission from the Bellingham Parks department to place two little libraries in the Cordata Park. One will be for adults and the other for children. This will be the first of several little libraries we plan to place in Cordata in the future. In order to make this successful, we are asking for two things from our neighbors:
Start putting aside books to donate to these libraries.
Consider volunteering to be a "librarian" for the little library. A volunteer librarian will select adult and children's books to stock the libraries and replace/refill as needed. If you are interested in volunteering contact Kate McDonald via email. |
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CHECK IT OUT!!
If you haven't had a chance yet, check out the Bellingham Parks Playbook. It is a great resources for teen, adult and family activities. Be sure to see the Santa 5K at Cordata announcement on Page 17. |
Looking for alternatives
to calling 911?
Homeless Outreach Team: Weekdays 7am to 9:30pm 360-312-3717
Mobile Crisis Outreach Team: 24/7 –
1-800-584-3578
Report a crime not in progress without a suspect Bellingham Police – Weekdays: 360-778-8804
Report a crime not in progress with a suspect Bellingham Police – Weekdays: 360-676-6911
Dispute Resolution Center – Not a crisis line: Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – 360-676-0122
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If you have, like many of us, watched the news about our withdrawal from Afghanistan and want to help or just learn more about how our community is helping the refugees from Afghanistan or other areas of the world, check out Whatcom Refugee Resettlement Project . ___________________________________
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Report Non-Emergencies
If you see something that you feel needs to be brought to the attention of the City, e.g., graffiti, broken glass in a bike lane, vandalism, the City wold like you to use their SEE-CLICK-FIX site. You can get more information at SeeClickFix FAQ
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We are now able to take donations through Paypal. You may continue to use a check and mail to the addresses below. If you choose to use this Paypal Link please also send an email to this CNA Link with your name, address, the amount of your donation and which of the following you choose to fund:
- Membership
- Scholarships
- Children's Library
CNA Membership
We are still happily accepting memberships to the Cordata Neighborhood Association. Our suggested donation for dues is $10 per person/per year, but all membership applications are accepted. Join either through the Paypal link above, through email LINK, or through regular mail at CNA
PO Box 30061
Bellingham, WA 98228
Donations to CNA Scholarship Fund
Whatcom Community College Foundation,
237 W Kellogg Road,
Bellingham, WA 98226-9912
Donations to a Children's Room in our Prospective Cordata Branch Library
Whatcom Community Foundation
Attn: Children's Library Fund
1500 Cornwall, #202
Bellingham, WA 98225
All donations are tax deductible: ID# 17053217309029
THANK YOU!
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COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Neighbors Helping Neighbors has a Facebook page as well as a Hotline: 360-778-2762.
The Nextdoor app or website to stay in touch with your immediate neighbors.
Common Sense Media has resources for parents and caregivers working with children at home.
Support local businesses with the help of this website.
There are lots of videos on YouTube for sewing masks. But here's a DIY mask that doesn't require a sewing machine.
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Questions, Comments, Suggestions for the City or County Representatives?
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See you Tuesday, October 12 at 7pm via ZOOM for our next
CNA Community meeting.
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