Help Build a Playground!

Signup information is posted!

For prep days:

http://www3.signupgenius.com/mobile/index.cfm?action=signups.signup&URLID=10c0449aaad2ca1fb6-kaboom1

For build day:

http://www3.signupgenius.com/mobile/index.cfm?action=signups.signup&URLID=10c0449aaad2ca1fb6-kaboom

More information:

Sign up for playground build day! View this email in your browser The Inspired Teaching School at 200 Douglas St is getting a new KaBoom! playground, and we need YOUR help! Greetings from the Inspired Families Association! The Inspired Families Association (IFA) is the PTA / PTO organization of the Inspired Teaching School, and we are THRILLED to move to our permanent home in the Edgewood community. We recently got word that our school has been chosen as a site for a brand new KaBoom! playground, and we are looking for volunteers to help make Build Day a success! Our KaBoom! build's sponsor, the National Corporation for National and Community Service, will provide us with the bulk of the day's volunteers, but we are looking for ONE HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS to help out on Build Day. Volunteers do not to be skilled in construction or have any special tools; they just have to be enthusiastic, energetic, willing to work, and have fun, fun, fun! (And be at least 16 years of age). What are some of the jobs you might do on build day? Mix cement, put together playground equipment, direct volunteers, paint, build benches, help with side projects, and haul mulch... LOTS of mulch :) We also have a limited number of volunteer slots available on the Planning Committee for people who want to help with volunteer recruitment and registration, food, public relations, and logistics. Join us as an individual or come with an entire team. Ask your company if they will give hours worked credit for volunteering on this day as part of the September 11National Day of Service & Remembrance. We are looking for 100 volunteers for this project, and everyone must be pre-registered. We’ll provide breakfast, lunch, beverages, and music, along with an opening and special closing ceremony at 2:30PM. The build will happen RAIN or SHINE!   SIGN UP FOR BUILD DAY NOW! http://bit.ly/itsbuildday OTHER VOLUNTEER NEEDS BUILD PREP DAYS On September 8, 9, and 10 we are looking for 20 volunteers to help to prepare the site for Build Day. Can you volunteer on one of those days? PLEASE SIGN UPFOR PREP DAYS http://bit.ly/itsbuildprep BUILD CAPTAINS 3-4 skilled builders are invited to become Build Captains to take on a leadership role on September 11. If you can serve as a Build Captain, please contactallison.acosta@gmail.com   PLANNING COMMITTEES We need volunteers to serve on the following committees. If you interested in helping with any of these, please contact allison.acosta@gmail.com FOOD (help secure food, beverage, paper goods, and develop plan for serving food) LOGISTICS (transportation, electricity source, tables, tents, chairs, signage, recycling plan, etc) PUBLIC RELATIONS (recruit DJ & photographer, invite media & VIPs, send press releases, etc) RECRUITMENT & REGISTRATION (recruit volunteers, build captains, create registration process) We look forward to getting to know our neighbors & working together for many years to come!   BUILD DAY SEPTEMBER 11 8AM-3PM PREP DAYS SEPTEMBER 8-10 8AM-3PM OTHER VOLUNTEER ROLES CONTACT allison.acosta@gmail.com Share Tweet Forward Facebook Website BUILD DAY IS LESS THAN 3 WEEKS AWAY!  Please make your plans to be there on Build Day and REGISTER NOW! Copyright © 2014 Inspired Families Association, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have a student at the Inspired Teaching School. Our mailing address is: Inspired Families Association 200 Douglas St NE Washington, Dc 20011 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

New Playground in Edgewood!

Thanks to Inspired Teaching School, Kaboom and AmeriCorps a new playground is coming to Edgewood next to the Shaed school building.  On September 11, 2014 the National Day of Service hundreds of volunteers will come together and complete a playground, garden and mural to make a new play area for the charter schools and the neighborhood.  After school hours and the weekends the space will be open for the neighborhood to enjoy.  

There will be three prep days as well prior to the build day.  Volunteers are requested so if you can please come out!  All volunteers must be 16 or older and more information will be coming on times for each day.  They need about 20 volunteers for the prep days and 75 volunteers for the build day.  Let me know if you can volunteer and I will keep you in the loop.  

REMINDER: Edgewood Neighborhood Cleanup TOMORROW!

Just wanted to send out a reminder that tomorrow is the Edgewood Neighborhood monthly cleanup. The group meets in front of the Edgewood Rec Center at the corner of 3rd and Evarts NE at 10:30 a.m. The cleanup is sponsored by the Friends of Edgewood Recreation Center and occurs the first Saturday of every month same time and location. The group picks up trash around the neighborhood including the rec center and has a cookout afterwards.

This is a great way to meet your neighbors and show pride in our neighborhood!

If you cannot come try and cleanup around your block today or tomorrow morning so we can cover more areas!!!

Edgewood Community Garden

Please see the message below about the expansion of the Edgewood Community Garden this year!  This is a great community amenity and a way to meet your neighbors!  I am excited that they are taking over from me and expanding the garden!!  Please read below and join them.

Good Morning!

I want to make sure everyone know they don't have to sign up for the WHOLE day on the dates listed.  If you can come for an hour, 2, 3, 5, etc., that is AOK!  Whatever you can do, will be great!  Just respond back to this e-mail and let us know, when you know, which date(s) you would like to help out. 

Also!  If you have kids, bring 'em on down!  There is a playground next to where the garden is and a soccer field and so many wonderful things for the kids to be involved with, not just playing in dirt (who didn't love playing or even eating dirt as a kid?!). 

And lastly, we intend on having food and drinks available on these days, so knowing how many can help out ahead of time will ensure that we will have enough on hand.  Of course, this is still a few weeks away, so we just want to make sure that we at least given everyone a head start in planning ahead. 

We are looking forward to seeing, meeting you in April!  Thank you for considering in volunteering your time with us in building a garden in the Edgewood DC neighborhood, in Ward 5!
Karin & Cassie
--
Cassie Phillips & Karin Bleeg
Edgewood Community Garden*

E-mail: edgewoodcg@gmail.com
Blog: http://edgewoodcommunitygardendc.blogspot.com/
*sponsored & supported by the Public Service Grant Commission, a program of The George Washington University's Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service

REMINDER: Edgewood Neighborhood Cleanup TOMORROW!

The weather is looking good for a February cleanup!  I have asked the Ward 5 candidates if they are coming and I think we may see a few.  Please join us in making our neighborhood a better place.

Just wanted to send out a reminder that tomorrow is the Edgewood Neighborhood monthly cleanup. The group meets in front of the Edgewood Rec Center at the corner of 3rd and Evarts NE at 10:30 a.m. The cleanup is sponsored by the Friends of Edgewood Recreation Center and occurs the first Saturday of every month same time and location. The group picks up trash around the neighborhood including the rec center and has a cookout afterwards.

This is a great way to meet your neighbors and show pride in our neighborhood!

If you cannot come try and cleanup around your block today or tomorrow morning so we can cover more areas!!!

REMINDER: Edgewood Neighborhood Cleanup TOMORROW!

I've been organizing these cleanups every month for over 3 years now!  If you have not been to one now is the time to join us!!!

Just wanted to send out a reminder that tomorrow is the Edgewood Neighborhood monthly cleanup. The group meets in front of the Edgewood Rec Center at the corner of 3rd and Evarts NE at 10:30 a.m. The cleanup is sponsored by the Friends of Edgewood Recreation Center and occurs the first Saturday of every month same time and location. The group picks up trash around the neighborhood including the rec center and has a cookout afterwards.

This is a great way to meet your neighbors and show pride in our neighborhood!

If you cannot come try and cleanup around your block today or tomorrow morning so we can cover more areas!!!

Still devastated about DC schools?

Last year I wrote about a program that I decided to volunteer with because I am disheartened about the state of DC schools especially the ones in my own neighborhood.  So many times blogs are filled with pieces about gentrification and crime, but rarely are solutions or plans offered.  While I am not saying that volunteering with Reading Partners will solve any of these larger problems I do think that it is an action that will change the life of a child and the volunteer.  Imagine if all DC students read at or above their grade level and the impact that would have on their education and future.


I am starting my second year volunteering with Reading Partners and I am determined to recruit even more of our community to join!!  The commitment is less than 2 hours a week including travel time and the lesson plans are already prepared for you.  If you can read you can tutor and you can make a huge difference in the life of a child.  The program has expanded to more schools this year and you can volunteer at any one of them. 

•Brightwood Elementary School (Brightwood, NW)
•Center City PCS - Congress Heights (Congress Heights, SE)
•Community Academy PCS - Butler Global (Logan Circle, NW)
•Community Academy PCS - Rand Campus (Fort Totten, NE)
•DC Bilingual Public Charter School (Columbia Heights, NW)
•DC Preparatory Academy - Edgewood Campus (Edgewood, NE)
•Septima Clark (Anacostia)
•Wheatley Elementary (Trinidad, NE)

I cannot encourage it enough!!  Please feel free to email me if you have any questions!

Sign up and learn more here.

Also, they are always looking for more books!  If you have children's books to donate please email me and I will happily pick them up!

Met Branch Trail Day of Service - planning meeting TODAY!

Interested in being a group leader for the MBT Day of Service? Attend the Friends of the Met Branch Trail meeting TONIGHT (Monday, 8/29) at 6pm. We’re meeting at the S St. pocket park (on the trail at 4th and S Streets, NE) and will walk the trail to identify areas that need special attention. Bring a full water bottle.

AND…Join your friends and neighbors for the MBT Day of Service – Saturday, September 10 from 9am until noon. Free refreshments provided! Register today.

Hope to see you there!

____________________________________________

Kelly Pack, Director of Trail Development
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

2121 Ward Court, NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20037p: 202.974.5148 ~ f: 202.223.9257

kellyp@railstotrails.org

http://www.railstotrails.org/

Friends of the Met Branch Trail mtg this Thursday (8/11) 7pm at 459 I St, NW

Love the trail? Get involved!


What: Friends of the Met Branch Trail (re-launch)
When: This Thursday, August 11, 2011 7:00-8:00pm
Where: BicycleSpace, 459 Eye Street, NW

Join other trail lovers as the Friends of the Met Branch Trail re-launches with our first meeting to discuss September 11th Community Service Day projects along the trail. We've all been wishing we could pitch in and help get the trail in better shape – this is your chance.

BicycleSpace's shop will be open until 7pm and will be hosting a ride beginning at 8pm (http://www.bicyclespacewdc.com/).

Website: http://www.metbranchtrail.com/

Yahoo groups: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/metbranchtrail/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/metbranchtrail?ap=1

DCPS Beautifica​tion Day 2011

Save the date for the DCPS Beautifica​tion Day 2011 on Saturday, August 20th, 2011 from 8am to 1pm.

Met Branch Trail 5K Results and Thanks!

Below is the thanks from our wonderful race directors and I wanted to add my own!  It was great to see so many neighbors out to run/walk the trail for the race!  Thanks to all!

Thank you for a great inaugural event!


Despite the light rain, we had a great turnout and an incredibly successful inaugural race. Race results (http://www.gometbranch.com/results/2011) and photos (http://www.gometbranch.com/photos) are now available online.

We would like to thank the DC Road Runners Club, our sponsors, volunteers, and the runners and walkers that brought all of this together. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

Cristina von Spiegelfeld and Sherri Morgan

Metropolitan Branch Trail Tree Planting Thursday, April 21st

On Thursday, April 21, join Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as we volunteer with Casey Trees for a planting on Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT). As spring begins to bloom and the summer sun approaches, help us bring more green to neighborhoods along the MBT!


Where: At the corner of 3rd and R streets, NE

Closest Metro: New York Avenue (Red Line) - Street parking available

When: Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Bike commuters encouraged to attend!

REGISTER ONLINE

Questions? Contact Carol Herwig, Casey Trees Volunteer Coordinator (cherwig@caseytrees.org or 202.349.1907)

Dress for the weather; wear durable, close-toed shoes and bring your own water bottle. Tools and instruction are provided. This event will occur rain or shine unless the weather is severe.

This tree planting is supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation.

Happy trails,

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

REMINDER Edgewood Neighborhood Cleanup is TOMORROW!

Just wanted to send out a reminder that tomorrow is the Edgewood Neighborhood monthly cleanup. The group meets in front of the Edgewood Rec Center at the corner of 3rd and Evarts NE at 10:30 a.m. The cleanup is sponsored by the Friends of Edgewood Recreation Center and occurs the first Saturday of every month same time and location. The group picks up trash around the neighborhood including the rec center.

Also, this weekend we are pulling double duty and meeting at the Edgewood Rec Center on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. to install signs on all the storm drains in Edgewood asking folks to not throw trash into them and letting them know the water goes to our local rivers.  So, please come out one of both days to help out and meet your neighbors!!  I will be there both days!

If you cannot come try and cleanup around your block today or tomorrow morning so we can cover more areas!!!

Casey Trees Planting on Metropolitan Branch Trail

On Thursday, April 21, join Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as we volunteer with Casey Trees for a planting on Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Branch Trail(MBT). As spring begins to bloom and the summer sun approaches, help us bring more green to neighborhoods along the MBT!

Where: At the corner of 3rd and R streets, NE
Closest Metro: New York Avenue (Red Line) - Street parking available

When: Thursday, April 21, 2011 - 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Bike commuters encouraged to attend!

REGISTER ONLINE


Questions? Contact Carol Herwig, Casey Trees Volunteer Coordinator (cherwig@caseytrees.org or 202.349.1907)

Dress for the weather; wear durable, close-toed shoes and bring your own water bottle. Tools and instruction are provided. This event will occur rain or shine unless the weather is severe.

This tree planting is supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation.

Happy trails,
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Friends of Edgewood Recreation Center Meeting Tonight

Title: Friends of Edgewood Recreation Center

Date: Wednesday March 2, 2011
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Repeats: This event repeats every month on the first Wednesday.
Location: Edgewood Recreation Center 3rd and Evarts Street NE

Casey Trees announces Spring Community Tree Planting schedule

Please see the press release from Casey Trees below which outlines their very busy planting schedule in March and April all around the city. They are always looking for volunteers and from my own experience I can tell you it is a lot of fun. I always learn something and meet some great people!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jared Powell
Director, Communications
D 202.349.1894
M 202.680.3553
F 202.833.4092
E jpowell@caseytrees.org

Casey Trees announces spring Community Tree Planting schedule

Volunteers needed to help plant trees at record number of events.
(Washington, DC – X June 2010) – Casey Trees will plant more than 750 trees at 47 sites across the District this spring through its Community Tree Planting (CTP) program. The spring 2011 CTP schedule includes the greatest number of planting events Casey Trees has undertaken in one season to date.

Of note is the number of schools and learning centers — 21, another record this season — scheduled to receive trees. Casey Trees’ education department works with public, private and charter K-12 schools located in the District to coordinate tree plantings on and surrounding their campuses and to develop educational programming such as tree rallies to prepare students to plant.

Orr Elementary School students and faculty will kickoff Casey Trees’ Arbor Day celebration on April 30 by planting 15 trees on their campus. Immediately following, Casey Trees will host an Open House at its new headquarters in Brookland featuring family friendly activities, demonstrations and tours highlighting the new building’s green features.

Additionally, The Farm at Walker Jones Education Campus is one of three sites that will plant edible fruit-producing trees as part of Casey Trees’ pilot fruit tree program. The small orchard will help deepen student understanding of urban agriculture, provide hands-on learning opportunities and develop knowledge of health and nutrition.

This spring also marks the start of Casey Trees’ partnership with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. With funding from ING and The Home Depot, the Festival is underwriting the planting of 35 cherry trees spread across eight CTP sites, one site in each Ward. All additional trees at these sites will be paid for by Casey Trees.

On April 21, Casey Trees will coordinate the second and final Rails-to-Trails Conservancy-sponsored planting along the Metropolitan Branch Trail with funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation.

Casey Trees welcomes volunteer support at its CTP events, with the exception of school plantings, which are not open to the public. Advance registration is required. Individuals can register at www.caseytrees.org/education.

Established in 2005, the CTP program provides trees, tools and technical assistance to individuals and groups interested in adding 10 or more trees to private property in the District free of charge. Groups commit to watering and caring for the trees for two years following their planting. Casey Trees has planted more than 3,300 trees through the CTP program since its inception.

March
2 SEED Public Charter School
3 Hyde Leadership Public Charter School
3 Friendship Public Charter School
4 Kennedy Street NW – ANC 4D
5 The Catholic University of America
9 Columbia Heights Education Campus*
9 St. Columba’s Nursery School
10 JC Nalle Elementary School*
12 Fort Mahan Park
16 Leckie Elementary School
17 Johnson Middle School
17 Garfield Elementary School
18 Restore Mass Ave
19 Tait Triangle Park*
19 Friends of 16th Street Heights Park – Hamilton Recreation Center*
22 St. Colleta of Greater Washington
23 St. Colleta of Greater Washington
23 The Farm at Walker Jones
24 Two Rivers Public Charter School
24 J.O. Wilson Elementary School*
26 Congressional Cemetery
26 Congressional Cemetery
30 C. Melvin Sharpe Health School
30 Powell Elementary School
31 LAMB Public Charter School
31 Brightwood Education Campus

April
1 The Catholic University of America*
2 Woodland-Normanstone Neighborhood Association Centennial
4 Golden Triangle BID
6 Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys
6 THEARC
7 Calvary Baptist Church*
7 Tudor Place Foundation
9 Columbia Heights Village Tenants Association
9 Latin American Youth Center, Inc.
13 Georgetown Visitation Prep School
16 Turkey Thicket Recreation Center
16 Michigan Park Citizens Association
20 St. Paul’s at Rock Creek Church Parish
21 Metropolitan Branch Trail
22 David M. Stemper Memorial Rain Garden
22 13th & C Street SE Community Park and Garden
23 Crestwood Citizens Association
30 Orr Elementary School
30 Congress Heights Community Park
30 Ballou Senior High School*

May
7 Alice Deal Middle School

* National Cherry Blossom Festival sponsored site

Tree Planting on Met Branch Trail on December 11th

It may be cold outside, but Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and Casey Trees are already preparing for next summer’s hot sun by planting 35 trees on the Metropolitan Branch Trail – and we need your help!

REGISTER TODAY – Space is limited!

When: Saturday, December 11, 8:45 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Where: Met Branch Trail between Rhode Island Avenue and Franklin Street, NE (map)
Remember:
Wear work clothes, including closed-toe shoes.
Bring a water bottle. Refreshments will be provided before we begin.

This Community Tree Planting Day is made possible by a grant from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Metropolitan Grants Program, supported by leadership funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation. More trees will be planted in Spring 2011, and all trees will be cared for by Casey Trees through 2012.

We look forward to seeing you on December 11!

Happy trails,
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Edgewood Tree Planting November 20th

November 10, 2010

Greetings Neighbors and Friends,

On Saturday, November 20, 2010, the Edgewood Civic Association in partnership with Casey Trees Endowment are excited to launch a premier tree planting project of a variety of trees to canopy one of the District of Columbia’s main street’s in Ward 5, of the Edgewood community. This is one of many cultural green landscape project designs to improve the environment and to create more beautiful,livable space in the District of Columbia. Additionally, this project will pay tribute to one of this
community’s youth, whose life was loss to senseless crime – a memorial tree will be planted and dedicated to her family and friends; it is our statement of the value we place on her life and of all of citizens these communities and of the District of Columbia.

It is our endeavor to involve all of community as a matter of civic duty. For this service project, we are seeking volunteers (schools, churches, business, citizens, etc), to serve from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM; however, any amount of time is welcome and appreciated. For any period served, we are obliged to provide a light breakfast and lunch.

For all students who volunteer; we encourage, and invite them to bring school forms to document these community service hours, official signatures will be provided.

This event promises to be a rewarding experience, as each one gives back to our community where we live, work, educate or worship.

The Edgewood Civic Association [ECA] is a 501-c3 award-winning charitable organization and a member of the DC Federation of Civic Association since 1953, ECA’s mission is to serve the citizens of Ward 5 residing in the Edgewood-Eckington communities through education, information and advocacy. The Casey Trees Endowment mission is to restore, enhance, and protect the tree canopy of the Nation’s capital.

If you or your group is interested in volunteering, please reply to Mr. Timothy Clark on 202-359-0582 or email: theedgewoodcivicassociationdc@yahoo.dc.

Sincerely,

Michael D. Clark, Sr., President
The Edgewood Civic Association

DCBIA Met Branch Trail Project

The DCBIA work on the Edgewood section of the trail is very close to completion and you should check it out if you have not yet. On October 2nd there were close to 500 volunteers cleaning out the area and planting. I was there for the whole day and it was amazing to see the amount of trash and debris that was removed - many, many truck loads. The project implementation was continued by professionals that week and a second smaller group of volunteers on the following Saturday. I really want to thank DCBIA and all of the volunteers for adding such a great amenity to our community. I was able to volunteer both Saturdays and met a lot of great people that are working on other projects in our community. I was told by the Bozzuto crew that the Rhode Island Station project is coming along nicely.

The finished project is full of edible and fruit bearing plants and will be joined by fruit trees to be planted by Casey Trees this December. I believe that close to 5,000 plants were added with this project. I hope that everything will grow, thrive and become a destination spot for our neighborhood.

Here is a link to the news story:

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/dc/15,000-newly-planted-trees-beautify-the-district-100410

Volunteers Needed for Saturday Met Branch Trail Improvements

I have been posting about this for months now and wanted to remind everyone to come and volunteer this Saturday!!!

The DCBIA (DC Building Industries Association) has selected the Metropolitan Branch Trail for their 18th Annual Community Improvement Day project.

The project will consist of landscaping the hillside between Edgwood/8th Streets and the Rhode Island Ave. Shopping Center.

Date: Saturday, October 2, 2010, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: Check in at the Rhode Island Ave. Shopping Center (just past the CVS)

Volunteers needed! If you would like to volunteer for this event to support the trail in our community, either RSVP to the email address below, or just show up at the morning of the event.

Food and t-shirts will be provided!

Additional information:
- Middle/High School students can earn community service hours
- Back-up Date: Saturday, October 9, 2010
- To volunteer, contact DCBIA at info@dcbia.org or (202) 966-8665
- Check out the DCBIA website www.dcbia.org for more information