Events Committee Meeting minutes, 3/24/24

Co-chairs: Alix Giannetti, Michelle Miller
Also in attendance: Heidi Moesinger, Dorothy Manning, Bill Walczak
Minutes: Doreen Miller
Special Guests:  Kate Evarts, Katrina Martin

Spring Clean-Up 40^th Annual

• Flyers
  • Were handed out at the Easter Egg Hunt to be posted throughout the neighborhood.
  • Michelle will hand out to local businesses.
  • Alix will cover around the cove area.
  • Bill has plastic sleeves to keep the rain off the flyers.
  • For future reference, Heidi and Doreen have light-tan-colored water-resistant paper that was donated by a neighbor.
  • We must be vigilant about removing flyers after the event has passed.
• A request for funds will be made at the April 1 General Membership meeting for approval/voting by the membership.
  • $85 for donuts
  • $250 for gravel to use in the park
  • Michelle will send the voting items to Bill, Des, and Taufiq so that they can be included in the April meeting agenda and that a google voting form be created.
• Three carafes of coffee are being donated by The Daily.
• Other Publicity
  • Bill will write something up for The Reporter and The City Paper.
  • Alix will post the flyer to social media.
  • Heidi will post the flyer to the CSHCA website and to Facebook.
  • Des should email the general membership and include the flyer in the agenda.
• Tools – Help needed for pick up and distribution.
  • The Parks Department is supplying tools for Savin Hill Park that will be dropped off at Bill’s house on the 5^th. Kirk and Bill are the contacts for this area.
  • DCR is supplying gloves, bags and possible rakes for Patten’s Cove that will be dropped off on the 5^th. They will also pick up trash. Anyone working at the cove will need to sign a liability waiver form for DCR. Alix is the contact for this area.
  • Love Your Block has agreed to provide tools for the area across from the wildlife garden along the expressway that will be dropped off on the 5^th. Should the tools be dropped off at the wildlife garden or left at someone’s house? Dorothy is the contact for this area.
  • It is possible to get Home Depot to donate a $50 gift card to purchase tools. This must be done in person with the manager signing off on it. Bring a CSHCA flyer of the event for proof. Dorothy will look into this.
• Special Concerns for the Area Along the Expressway
  • The focus should be on the removal of trash, trimming back weeds, removing logs, and pruning of overgrowth. Logs could be either discarded or repurposed in the garden or at the cove.
  • Lavinia is offering the help of 26 volunteers from the wildlife garden group. Various tools will be needed to distribute among them.
• Special Request
  • The Slow Down for Savin Hill signs along that section have been stolen except for one.
  • Help is needed to replace them and post them higher up on poles by someone tall using a kitchen step stool.
• Bill will send Alix his record of volunteers and a blank sign-up sheet to use the day of the event so that thank you’s can be sent out.
• Do we want to do something special to honor the 40^th annual? Bill suggested extra munchies!
• CSHCA T-Shirts
  • CSHCA members should wear their CHSCA T-shirts to promote the association.
  • T-Shirts will be available for purchase at the cove for the cost of $25 each. People can pay via Venmo to Des Rohan – a QR code for this will be available on site.

Surf Rider Beach Clean-up, Sunday, June 9, 9 AM-12 PM (Katrina Martin)

• Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) is collaborating on this event.
• Last year over 350 pounds of trash was collected and inventoried. Most places gather about 80 pounds, so this was a significant haul.
• Katrina will announce this event at both the May and June General Membership meetings.
• Flyers with a QR code for people to sign up will be created, posted locally, and shared for posting on social media and the CSHCA website.

Getting Kids from the Edward Everett School Involved (Kate Evarts)

• Kate is on both the School Site Council and the School Parent Council.
• She would like the kids to get involved in community events. Ideas include:
  • The Dorchester Day CHSCA float
    • They could help with the float decoration, or simply be a part of the parade.
    • The theme is Turkey Beach Party. They could dress up as turkeys in in beachwear.
    • They could help design a poster.
  • Ryan Playground Mural
    • Details on who is creating the mural still need to be worked out. Once details are known, Alix will circle back to Kate on ways the kids could be involved.

Possible Community Service Resources

• BC High School has a requirement for community services.
• Cristo Rey might have such a requirement as well.
• The Boys’ and Girls’ Club has after school programs and is interested in helping the community.
• Dot Art may be another organization to tap into.
• Bill will make some phone calls to schools and organizations to see if they would like to participate in some kind of community event.

Dorchester Day Parade Sub-Committee

• A Parade sub-committee is needed to do the following:     
  • Contact local schools and organizations for help.
  • Design a float and a flyer.
  • Create a budget.
  • Decorate the float.
  • Other?
• The Events Committee chairs will raise this topic at the April General Membership meeting to gauge interest in people helping out on this committee.