Highland Park Neighborhood Association

December 2004 edition in full

Dec 10, 2004

The Highlander December 2004
Newsletter of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association
http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/sat/hparkna HighlandParkNA@satx.rr.com
PO BOX 10210 San Antonio TX 78210-0210 (210) 532-4123


Annual Holiday Celebration: This year it?’s cozy!

Saturday, December 11, 10 a.m.
James Bode Community Center, 900 Rigsby Avenue

Installation of 2005 Officers
Caroling (just us singing together)
Potluck luncheon (HPNA is providing the turkey.)
Guest speaker: State Representative Robert Puente
His topic: the upcoming Alamo Community College District bond election




I?’m at my limit! A final note from Rachel Cywinski as HPNA President
When I became president of Highland Park Neighborhood Association, I had several goals not only for the association, but also for things that I thought that I could do to benefit the association and make the community stronger. Among these items was to personally contact every faith congregation and every business within our neighborhood boundaries, and give them the opportunity to be involved with HPNA. And I achieved that.
When I became association president, the fact that I had only been a homeowner in the area since 2001 was both a distraction and a blessing. At first I encountered those who said, ?“I?’ve lived here for 30 (or 50 or even 60) years, and it?’s always been done this way. No one ever said the invocation at the meeting or had a neighborhood association website or?…You haven?’t lived here as long as I have.?”
And as with so many other areas of life, I found that those who complain the most are usually those who can think of plenty of things for other persons to do but just never can seem to volunteer any time themselves. And so in some ways being a relative ?‘new kid on the block?’ became my strength. Whenever someone would tell me they had not attended a neighborhood association in ten years because they disagreed with someone, I?’d say, ?“Well, I didn?’t even live here then, so I have no idea what you argued about. But if that?’s the only thing we have to argue about, I?’d say we?’re truly blessed to not have to be worrying about how we?’re going get food to eat tomorrow or how we?’re going to stop drive-by shooters shooting out our windows. We are truly blessed, and we need everyone to participate. I don?’t know whether this person you argued with will be at the next event, but I know we need you to be there. And in fact I hope you?’re both there because to be a community we all need to be together.?” It?’s a speech I made many times.
As neighborhood association officers, we?’re all volunteers. Many times persons visiting Highland Park would ask us, ?“Who?’s paying you to do this awful work??” And my response was always, ?“No one has to pay me to take pride in and take care of my own community. That?’s my responsibility, and I?’m glad to do it.?”
Last year when there was the shooting on Bailey (or according to the San Antonio Police Department, an execution-style shooting and subsequent tossing of the body in one of our neighbor?’s yards) I was contacted by persons who had never contacted the neighborhood association before. They wanted to know if they should move to somewhere safer. I told them: The only safe place in this world is where you do your best to get involved in your own community. I thank God that we have so many of you who do that despite the odds.
Now I?’ve reached my term limit as president; but more importantly I think it?’s time for a person with even bigger and better ideas to take on this role. And we are so blessed to have someone who has exactly that!
When I became president, of all the goals that I had, the one most important?—and which I have constantly kept in mind for the last two years?—was to provide the opportunity for someone who had never been an association officer to become president when I left. Every time a new person showed interest, I wondered how I could help them develop their skills and interests to take on such a task.
As it turned out, our new president is a person who already had the skills and talents which she had developed; she just has not implemented them in this capacity before. Patricia Barrios will be one of the best things that ever happened to this neighborhood! She and her husband Carlos and all three of their children have been dedicated volunteers in the garden at Highland Park; and have shown unusual wisdom and concern for their community. Like so many before us, she believes we determine what our neighborhoods are.
And so I leave this position with my goal achieved: that someone after me will make this community the safest and best place possible for us all. Please, help her take on this new task by sharing your time.
God bless you, and keep volunteering in your community. If you don?’t do it, no one else will.


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Business Sponsors

The Power Store Solar Energy Specialists
(210) 476-0702
powerkf@flash.net
www.solarspecialtyproducts.com
930 Broadway
San Antonio TX 78215

La Madeleine French Bakery & Caf?©
(210) 829-7279
www.lamadeleine.com
4820 Broadway
San Antonio TX 78209

Wallace Cook Agency, Inc.
(210) 534-9293
www.wallacecookagency.com
3902 Clark Avenue
San Antonio TX 78223

South East Community Credit Union
(210) 534-7221
123 Waleetka
San Antonio TX 78210

Little Red Barn Steak House
(210) 532-4235
1902 South Hackberry Street
San Antonio TX 78210

Brown?’s Mexican Food
210) 533-8174
2405 South Hackberry Street
San Antonio TX 78210

Neighborhood Resource Center
210) 735-0586
www.nrc-sa.org
P. O. Box 120246
San Antonio TX 78212-0586

San Antonio Fighting Back
(210) 271-7232
www.safb.org
2803 East Commerce Street
San Antonio TX 78203

The following report was presented and unanimously APPROVED by vote during the November meeting of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association.

The Nominations Committee consisted of:
-Rachel Cywinski, Chairwoman
-Loyd LeBlanc
As specified in the by-laws, these two officers who were not planning to seek re-election served on the committee. The by-laws also specify that members of the association be elected to serve on the committee as well. During the September and October meetings President Rachel Cywinski asked for members to be nominated to serve, but the association chose not to add additional members to the committee.

The Nominations Committee recommends the following persons for
2005 officers and Directors:

President: Patricia Barrios (current Hospitality Chairwoman, current gardening volunteer, representative of married homeowners and area residents with young children)

Vice President: Jack Elder (current Director, current gardening volunteer, representative of education and of single parent homeowners, one of association members on team that won home xeriscape award and was featured on 2004 citywide tour)

Secretary: Rachel Cywinski (current President--has reached term limit as President and would automatically become Ex-Oficio Director as per the by-laws if not elected secretary; current gardening volunteer coordinator; Cellular-on-Patrol Coordinator; Newsletter Editor; Website Editor; representative of single homeowners and disabled homeowners; one of association members on team that won home xeriscape award and was featured on 2004 citywide tour)

Treasurer: Loyd LeBlanc (current Treasurer--has one year available before reaching term limit as Treasurer; former association president; representative of retired professional homeowners)
Directors:

Ramon Quintero (current Dial-a-Trailer Coordinator for association; District 3 Representative on Keep San Antonio Beautiful Board; representative of neighboring communities (Sunny Slope), and widowed homeowners)

Patrick Sandoval (current Code Compliance volunteer Coordinator for association; representative of married homeowners and retired professional homeowners)

Toni Villarreal (current gardening volunteer; representative of professional homeowners; one of association members on team that won home xeriscape award and was featured on 2004 citywide tour)

NOMINEES for these three designated spots will be presented during the December meeting, and other nominations will be accepted for election prior to the officer installation in the December meeting:

CHURCH/FAITH COMMUNITY: representative of an area church group; ideally will be willing to maintain contact with at least all 23 church groups in immediate Highland Park area on behalf of the neighborhood association; this spot remains the most difficult one to obtain a commitment.

BUSINESS: representative of a prospering area business in compliance with regulations; ideally willing to contact other businesses and serve as liaison of businesses to neighborhood association

YOUTH: representative of area high school and college age youth; ideally someone who would like to increase leadership role in community and participate more in community while continuing education; possibly a young person who would like to get a school or youth group more involved in neighborhood participation.