Sgt. Dave Mulford
Many of you have had an opportunity to meet and work with Sgt. Dave Mulford, a member of the Neighborhood Based Service Delivery (NBSD) Team that works in the Drake Neighborhood. Sgt. Mulford suffered a minor stroke in mid-January. Fortunately, we understand that the stroke has left him with no physical impairments and that his condition had improved enough for him to be discharged from the hospital in less than a week. However, he will still require some rehabilitative therapy and will likely be unable to return to work for several months.
If you'd like to send a card to Sgt. Mulford, please mail it to him c/o Lt. Joseph Gonzales, DMPD, 25 East 1st Street, DM, 50309. The DMPD will collect the cards and deliver them to Sgt. Mulford.
During Sgt. Mulford's absence, you can contact one of the following two NBSD Officers regarding issues in the Drake neighborhood:
SPO Yanira (Janita) Scarlett, 202-8022, yscarlett@dmgov.org
Sgt. Bernell Edwards, 205-1312, bledwards@dmgov.org
Remember to also contact Eric Moore, Neighborhood Inspections Division (208-0303, elmoore@dmgov.org), regarding these issues as he is the best person to ensure coordination with the rest of the NBSD Team.
Sgt. Mulford is a tremendous asset to both the DMPD and our NBSD Team. Let's all hope for his complete and speedy recovery!
Drake Neighborhood Association
Potluck & Quarterly Meeting
The Drake Neighborhood Association will hold a Potluck and Quarterly Meeting on Monday, December 12, from 6:30-8:00PM, in the Fellowship Hall at Grace United Methodist Church, 38th Street & Cottage Grove Avenue. Board elections will also be held at the meeting.
For information, please click here to download a flyer with additional details.
Neighbors Plants Trees Near Drake Park
Neighbors planted eleven trees in public spaces near Drake Park in May. The trees were purchased with money from a MetroWaste Neighborhood Beautification grant, matched by the Drake Neighborhood Association.
Three oaks were planted along 24th Street just north of Cottage Grove, in a line of Swamp White Oaks that had been started by the Neighborhood Association in 2004 (but that had suffered some loss several years ago when a vehicle ran up over the curb). Five small Autumn Blaze Maples were planted along the south side of Cottage Grove, which should grow rapidly and provide a great sight to people entering the neighborhood from the east. Finally, a large London Plant Tree and two Littleleaf Lindens were planted on the south side of Day Street.
Click here for pictures from the tree planting event.
Drake Neighborhood Association Home Tour
June 4th & 5th
The Drake Neighborhood Association Home Tour will be on Saturday June 4th & Sunday June 5th. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 day of the tour. Tickets can be purchased at:
Mars Cafe, 2318 University Ave
Gateway Market, 2002 Woodland Ave
Drake Diner, 1111 25th Street
Dahl's Foods, 3425 Ingersoll Ave
Dahl's Foods, 1819 Beaver Ave
Also, persons with a ticket stub from the Greek Food Fair (see below) will receive a $2 discount for Drake Neighborhood Home Tour tickets purchased the day of the tour.
Greek Food Fair
Greek Orthodox Church of St. George
June 4th & 5th
The 33rd annual Greek Food Fair will be held at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, 35th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, on Saturday, June 4th from 11am - 8pm, and on Sunday, June 5th from 11am - 6pm.
Come and take part in the food, dance and atmosphere of the Greek Isles. While there, tour and enjoy the unique and historic interior of the church. The Food Fair is a family event with activities for children. So, come savor the flavors and be a Greek for a day!
Tickets are $12 in advance and $14 at the door. Advance tickets are available at Dahl's Food Stores and at the St. George Church. Tickets are also available at www.stgeorge.ia.goarch.org.
Persons with a ticket stub from the Drake Neighborhood Home Tour will receive a $2 discount for Food Fair tickets bought at the door. Also, persons with a ticket stub from the Greek Food Fair will receive a $2 discount for Drake Neighborhood Home Tour tickets purchased the day of the tour.
For more information please contact secretary@DSMOrthodox.org or call (515) 277-0780.
Neighborhood Revitalization Plan Available
The Drake Neighborhood Association worked with the City's Neighborhood Development Division for more than 2 years to develop a comprehensive Neighborhood Plan. The plan has been completed and is now available for download here.
The plan outlines a number of goals in the areas of housing, parks and trails, commercial development, infrastructure, marketing and communications. If you are interested in participating on one of the committees working on these goals, please contact us at info@drakeneighborhood.org
Drake Neighborhood Association
Perennial Plant Sale
April 30th & May 1st
9:00AM - 4:00PM
The Drake Neighborhood Association will hold its perennial plant sale in the parking lot of Papa Johns Pizza (42nd & Crocker) from 9:00AM - 4:00 on April 30 & May 1. All plants are from a local nursery. Sun and shade varieties will be available. For more information please download the flyer located here.
Volunteers Needed for Drake Relays Water Station
Saturday,
April 30th
The Drake Relays are right around the corner. Every year the Drake Neighborhood Association hosts a water station for the runners that participate in the On-the-Roads marathon.
This year the race will be on Saturday April 30th, rain or shine. Races start at 8:00am. Our water station will be at 32nd and Kingman Blvd. We need volunteers to help fill water cups and hand them to runners. We will need to start around 7:30am and be ready for runners at 8:00am.
If you can help, please email Tim Davis (mitsivad@earthlink.net) or call at 515-447-3887.
Hope to see you there!
Drake Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meeting
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
First Christian Church, 2nd Floor, 25th Street and University Avenue
Information on the speakers:
Chris Hensley, Des Moines City Council woman- Ward III, has served the City of Des Moines since 1994. Since then, Chris has partnered with the Drake Neighborhood Association (DNA) to address neighbor’s concerns and issues impacting the city. Last year, Chris played a key role in advocating on behalf of the Drake Neighborhood Association for a safe neighborhood. Please join Chris and the DNA board for an update.
Kimberly Hansen, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together Greater Des Moines, brings volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners. Rebuilding Together repairs and revitalizes homes through the generosity of volunteers and sponsors who are committed to keeping the city and neighborhoods strong. Kimberly will share information about the organization and future projects in the Drake Neighborhood.
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa Inc. (ARL) is Iowa's largest nonprofit animal shelter, caring for many thousands of pets each year. The ARL serves people and pets from across the state of Iowa through its programs, which include pet adoption, humane education, pet behavior training, spay/neuter, animal cruelty intervention and much more. Missy Harken will share information about its report on animal bites and its People Safe, Pet Friendly community initiative.
Agenda
6:30-6:40 Welcome/ DNA Updates
6:40-7:00 Chris Hensley speaks/ Q&A
7:00-7:20 Kimberly Hansen speaks/ Q &A
7:20- 7:40- Animal Rescue League/Q &A
7:45 Adjourn
Light refreshments will be served.
Neighborhood Cleanup Day
Saturday, April 9
7:00AM - Noon
The City of Des Moines will be providing FREE dumpsters in the Drake University parking lot located at 25th Street & Forest Avenue from 7:00AM to Noon on Saturday, April 9th. A flyer with details is available here.
Yard waste such as tree limbs, leaves and grass clippings must be taken to the City's Compost Site located at 1601 Harriett Street.The Compost Site and the Metro Transfer Station will both be open from 7:00AM to 1:00PM that day. A map showing the locations for both the Compost Site and Transfer Station can be downloaded here.
“Home Away From Home: Drake Student Housing through the Decades”
by Maura Lyons and Jen James
From the beginning, the development of Drake University and the residential neighborhood surrounding it have been directly connected. An upcoming historical presentation will examine the evolving impact of the University's changing housing policies on both the campus and the Drake neighborhood.
Maura Lyons, associate professor of art history at Drake University, and Jen James, one of the leaders of an intensive Drake Neighborhood Association historical survey, will deliver a presentation that will highlight new discoveries about the history of the Drake area and showcase a collection of one-of-a-kind items held in the library, including campus plans that were never realized.
Of particular significance is the decision by Drake President Henry Harmon (1946-1961) to forgo the neoclassical architecture of many of Drake's original structures in favor of modern buildings using modern materials that would be useful for students. Between 1946 and 1966, 16 new buildings designed by distinguished architects Eliel and Eero Saarinen; Ludwig Mies van der Rohe; Harry Weese and Associates; and Brooks, Borg and Skiles were constructed on campus. The structures brought national attention to Drake. (See historical photos and video on the subject at http://www.buildingamoderncampus.com/ or via Cowles Library’s online digital heritage collections at http://library.drake.edu/.)
The lecture, titled "Home away from home: Drake student housing through the decades," is free and open to the public.
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 14th
Where: Cowles Library Reading Room, 2725 University Ave.
Reception to follow.
For more information, visit http://library.drake.edu or contact Claudia Frazer, Digital Initiatives Librarian, at claudia.frazer@drake.edu or 515-271-3776.
Neighborhood Resident Leadership Program
Do you want to be involved in community/neighborhood organizations, but are hesitant because you are not confident in your leadership skills? If so, consider taking classes in the Neighborhood Resident Leadership Program. These short-term, affordable classes were developed through a partnership between Des Moines Area Community College, Des Moines Neighborhood Resources Office and Making Connections Des Moines.
The Core Leadership Classes will help you develop key skills such as handling conflicts, motivating others and communicating effectively. Elective Classes focus on a specific question or issue with which your organization may be grappling: such as creating a plan of action, navigating county government and managing landlord & tenant issues.
Classes start in September and run through the end of November. Classes cost $65 per session. However, Drake neighborhood residents may be eligible for scholarships. To register or check your eligibility for a scholarship, call the Des Moines Neighborhood Resource Office at 280-1807 (Mon. – Fri., 8:00AM – 5:00PM). To apply for a scholarship you must call at least 2-weeks before the class starts. Non-scholarship participants can register through DMACC at 964-6800.
To learn more about the other services are provided by the Neighborhood Resource Office, visit their website at: www.dmneighborhoodresources.org/
Drake Announces Ray Society Scholarship Program
The Ray Society is a nonprofit educational organization associated with Drake University designed to provide university level noncredit educational opportunities for its members. It also offers members community and social events that bring people together to add to the social fabric of the group.
The Ray Society Instructor Recognition Scholarship Program has been developed to provide a scholarship to persons of retirement age, who might not otherwise belong to the Ray Society, the opportunity to attend one Ray Society class during the fall or spring semester. No person would be eligible for more than one scholarship. The scholarships would be offered to members of neighborhood groups in the Drake Neighborhood. For more information, contact Dolph Pulliam at dolph.pulliam@drake.edu or 271-3084.
Grace Free Medical Clinic
Grace United Methodist Church and freeClinics of Iowa are providing a Free Medical Clinic every Tuesday from 5:30-7:30PM at 3700 Cottage Grove Avenue. Among other things, the Clinic can provide school physicals for summer camps and referral services as needed. And, starting in August, they will also be operating a Mobile Clinic.
They are also in need of interpreters and drivers with a chauffeur's license who can drive the Mobile Clinic from DMU to Grace Church on Tuesday evenings. If you would like to get involved with the Grace Free Clinic Ministry, please contact Tammy Andrews at andrewstam@mchsi.com.
Be a Neighborhood Sleuth
As part of the upcoming Drake Neighborhood historic survey, the neighborhood association will be creating an online library of photographs, documents, and stories from years gone by. People with a current or past Drake Neighborhood connection are encouraged to dig through their attics and sort through their sock drawers for clues to our shared history.
Among the items that will be helpful to the historic survey are:
* Old photos showing homes and streets
* Old photos of people, families, and children
* Historic documents like marriage certificates, diplomas, and birth announcements
* Original drawings of Drake homes
* Old maps (streetcar maps, neighborhood maps)
* Newspaper articles about neighborhood residents or events
If you have historic Drake Neighborhood items that could be scanned or documented for use in the historic survey, please contact Jennifer James at jenjames123@gmail.com or Steve Wilke-Shapiro at swilkeshapiro@gmail.com.
Drake University Head Start/Early Head Start Program
Head Start and Early Head Start are comprehensive child development programs which serve children from birth to age five and their families. The programs are child-focused and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.
The Drake University Head Start Program offers a variety of program options to address each family's needs. These programs are free* and include:
- Preschool classrooms for 3 and 4 year olds
- Full-day/Full-year preschool classrooms with childcare
- Home based preschool program for 3 and 4 year olds
- Toddler center-based program for 2-year olds
- Home visiting program for infants and toddlers
All services available through the Drake University Head Start program are also provided to meet the needs of children with disabilities. Bi-lingual services are also available to all families. The staff also works with families to identify transportation resources.
For more information, call 515-271-1854 or visit www.drakeheadstart.org.
*(Children from birth to age 5 who meet federal poverty guidelines may be eligible for Head Start services. Drake University Head Start has established priorities for enrolling children based upon child and family circumstances, community needs and available funds. Drake University Head Start may accept children whose family income exceeds federal poverty guidelines.)
Drake Neighborhood Association Logo Contest Winner Announced
The winner of the Drake Neighborhood Association’s logo contest is Andrew Maahs of Des Moines. The logo contest, which was open to the public from October 2009 – February 2010, attracted 19 entries. The winning design, seen above, was chosen by a committee of neighborhood residents and local marketing and design professionals. Maahs received $750 for his winning entry.
Maahs, a Des Moines native and a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, has more than eight years of professional experience as a graphic designer. He currently works at Trilix and has also started a screen printing business focused on music posters and apparel, called BASEMINT. Previous to Trilix, Maahs worked as a graphic designer for Drake University Marketing and Communications department and VIVAMEDIA as an art director.
“We were thrilled by the quality of the entries and the thought that went into the designs. We think Andrew did an outstanding job capturing the history and diversity of the neighborhood with his logo,” says Trisha Eslick-Davis, the DNA board member who chaired the selection committee.
The logo contest was created to solicit high quality logo designs to help with the neighborhood association’s branding and awareness efforts. The first use of the logo is 13 welcome signs that were installed at neighborhood entry points in April.
Successful Workshop: "Discover the History of Your Home"
The Drake Neighborhood Association sponsored a free workshop on Saturday, February 13th on how to research the history of your home. Approximately 70 people showed up at First Christian Church for this presentation provided by local historian Jennifer Irsfeld James and Des Moines Rehabbers Club founder Steve Wilke-Shapiro. If you missed this workshop, you can download the 2-handouts that were provided here. You can also download the complete PowerPoint presentation for the workshop here .
Thank you to our friends at First Christian for providing space for this event and to Mars Cafe for supplying free coffee.
Two New Ways to Stay In Touch With the DNA
Would you like to have the latest information on things that are happening in the Drake Neighborhood? Then be sure to subscribe to our Facebook page and/or follow us on Twitter!
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Recent Site Updates
| 06/4 &06/5 | Events: Home Tour |
| 04/30 &05/1 | Events: Perennial Plant Sale |
| 04/9 | Events: Neighborhood Cleanup |
| 08/3 | Events: National Night Out Cookout |
| 07/21 | Events: Jazz In July |
| 06/5 &06/6 | Events: Historic House Tour |
| 04/16 | Events: Quarterly Meeting |
| 04/15 | Events: Perennial Flower Sale |
| 2/5 | Events: Drake Sustainability Fair |
| 1/23 | Events: Free Workshop |
| 11/22 | Events: Annual Meeting & Potluck |
| 09/20 | Events: Des Moines Marathon |
| 09/19 | Events: Dogtown Fest |
| 09/05 | Events: Drake Neighborhood Concert | 08/01 | Events: National Night Out |
| 07/30 | Newsletter: July / August |
| 07/17 | Events: Quarterly Meeting |
| 07/12 | Events: Jazz in July |
| 06/09 | Newsletter: May / June |
| 05/15 | Home: Home Tour |
| 05/15 | Events: Farmers Market |