Butchers Hill May 2012 News

Butchers Hill May 2012 News
May 2012 BHA Flea Market & Craft Fair I hope you have been enjoying the mild temperatures and ample sunshine we’ve experienced the last few weeks. Hopefully this weather will result in great results for our neighborhood gardeners on the June 3rd Garden Tour! At our May 2nd general meeting Talib Horne from Living Classrooms will be speaking about the Patterson Park UTZ Field renovation and the plans for the Ralph J. Young Recreation Center. Please come and hear about these important developments at the Park. Also, we will have a gardening expert in attendance to answer all of your questions about plants and container gardening. Please see the “General Meeting” box on page 4 for more details. Also, on June 6th, the Executive Committee will be sponsoring our Spring Stoop Sitting event in lieu of our usual general meeting at St. Andrew Church. If you have never attended one, I encourage you to come out and share a drink or a snack with neighbors while strolling around Butchers Hill. We still need to find three to four volunteers to host parties on their stoops. If you’d like to volunteer please contact me, or any other member of the Executive Committee. Hosting a stoop party is very easy, as the Executive Committee provides support in terms of food and drink, and all of our hosts seem to enjoy themselves and much as the guests. Have a great month, and keep your fingers crossed that we have a great weather for our May 12th Flea Market! ‐ Heather Gorius Saturday, May 12, 2012, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Recycling, bargains, music and food, and the pagoda will be OPEN! We are a little more than a week away from the BEST Flea Market ever! The weather will be great, buyers will appear in abundance, and the vendors will occupy a quarter‐mile or more of spaces! Success, as always, depends on neighbors volunteering. Every year, this event’s dedicated volunteers labor to earn money for our neighborhood schools, and all the other non‐profits BHA supports. And they enjoy the day in Patterson Park! To volunteer, contact Rick Gilmour: 410‐825‐0157 or [email protected]. To get a Flea‐Market space, contact Bev Wall: 410‐675‐0148. To donate items to the BHA Flea Market Booth, and get a tax receipt, drop items off May 12, 7‐9 a.m. at the Lombard St. entrance to Patterson Park. President We Teamed Up • Cleaned Up • Met Up • Ate Up • Drank Up • and Won Prizes Teamed Up ‐ Saturday, April 21, the annual city‐wide Spring Clean‐Up day, 24 teams registered with the Streetscape Committee stationed next to the community dumpster at the corner of E Fairmount Avenue and N Chester Street. The challenge and the reward – clean up your neighborhood and be eligible to win a prize. Cleaned Up ‐ Teams then set off to clean up sidewalks, gutters, alleys, and near‐by parks. (Continued on page 3.)
Butchers Hill
neighbors
gathered
Saturday, April
21, for Spring
Clean up Day.
They spruced
up areas in
front of their
homes,
collected trash
from streets
and sidewalks
and enjoyed
the day’s
camaraderie.
May 2012 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Streetscape Committee 2 BHA General Meeting 3 4 Flower Mart, Mt. Vernon Square 5 Kinetic Sculpture Race 6 Battle Against Obesity (Patterson Park) 7 8 Book Club 9 House Tour Committee Mtg. Citizens on Patrol 10 Executive Cmmty Meeting 11 12 Flea Market Fells Pt Fmr’s Mkt Big Truck Day 13 Mother’s Day 14 Land Use Committee Mtg. 15 BHA Newsletter deadline 16 Crime Prevention Committee Mtg. 17 18 19 Preakness 20 Bike Jam (Patterson Park) 21 22 23 Butchers Hill Citizens on Patrol (COP) 24 Friends of Patterson Park Wine Tasting 2012 25 Household Hazardous Waste Drop‐off >>> 26 Brew at the Zoo 27 28 Memorial Day 29 30 31 1 2 Calendar Reminders
May ‐ 5/12 Spring Flea Market June ‐ 6/3 Garden Tour July ‐ 7/6 Summer Picnic Committee
Sept ‐ 9/15 Fall Flea Market Oct ‐ 10/13 Fall Clean‐up Nov ‐ 11/14 Art Night Chair(s)
Book Club Anne Puckett, [email protected] 410‐675‐8765 Butchers Hill Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.) Crime Prevention Evan Helfrich, [email protected] 410‐342‐2148 Carolyn Boitnott, [email protected] 410‐522‐4991 Heather Gorius, [email protected]
Executive Committee Flea Market Committee Garden Tour Committee Rick Gilmour, [email protected] 410‐825‐0157 Joe Rehak, [email protected] 410‐327‐1533 Dec ‐ 12/2 Holiday Potluck
Meeting
Tuesday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. The book to be discussed is “La Dame aux Camelias” by Alexander Dumas, fils. Meeting 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m. Patterson Park Ave. and Lombard St. Wednesday, May 16, at 7 p.m. 2105 E Baltimore St. Thursday, May 10, at 7 p.m. 19 S. Castle St. Contact Rick Gilmour for details: 410‐825‐0157. Contact Joe Rehak for details about this month’s meeting: 410‐327‐1533. House Tour Committee Dee Lundelius, [email protected] and Wednesday, May 9, at 7 p.m. Sue Noonan, [email protected] 2029 E. Pratt St. Land Use Committee Virgil Bartram, [email protected] 410‐327‐4964 Monday, May 14, at 7 p.m. at the White House in Patterson Park. Streetscape Committee Amy Finney, [email protected] 443‐465‐5958, and Betsy Wadsworth, [email protected], 410‐558‐1312 Tuesday, May 1, 7 p.m., 2211 E. Lombard Street; Interested in affecting positive changes in our BH neighborhood? Join us to make it happen! For newsletter questions, comments and submissions, email the Editor ‐ [email protected] Dr. Ralph J. Young (1893 – 1968)
African‐American physician, humanitarian and pioneer By C Carter Glass The Ralph J. Young Recreation Center is located in Butchers Hill at 2031 Fayette St. The center was opened in 1969 and named after Dr. Ralph Jonathan Young, an African‐American physician, humanitarian, and pioneer in human rights, health, and recreation. Mayor Theodore McKeldin called Dr. Ralph Young “the conscience of Baltimore.” The Baltimore Afro‐American called him “the people’s doctor” and “a symbol of human kindness.” He served on numerous boards and commissions, including the State Board of Health and the City Welfare Advisory Board. He was a physician with the Baltimore Department of Health and, later, at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Ralph Jonathan Young was born in 1893 in Knoxville, TN, the same year that Paul Laurence Dunbar published his first volume of poems. He was raised in Reading, PA, and earned his doctorate at Howard Medical College in 1919. Upon graduating, Dr. Young opened an office in East Baltimore, where he practiced for 33 years. “The People’s Doctor” was in his office daily. He never increased his nominal office charge of $2.00 or $3.00 per visit. Many remember the doctor treating them, even when they could not pay him. When they could not afford hospitalization, Dr. Young did what he could for them in their homes. One of Dr. Young’s first patients was a young boy who had been signed out of a hospital by his mother and taken home to die. Dr. Young visited the boy at home, only to realize that boy’s bladder had ruptured. He put the boy in his car and took him to Johns Hopkins. Hospital staff were not accustomed to dealing with black physicians and Dr. Young was treated rudely by both nurses and doctors, but he prevailed. His diagnosis—which staff had discounted—was confirmed, surgery was performed, and the boy survived. On December 4, 1931, the horrible case of Matthew Williams in Salisbury, MD, gained the attention of African Americans throughout the State, including Dr. Young. Williams was a 35‐year old African American who shot and killed his employer over an enduring dispute involving unpaid wages. Williams attempted to commit suicide, but failed and was shot and injured by his employer’s son. He was hospitalized and placed under guard. A white mob dragged Williams from the hospital, tossed him out a window, hanged him, and set him on fire. Two‐hundred people witnessed the killing, but no one saw who did it. Not wishing to defend Williams' actions, but decrying the lack of due process, Dr. Young wrote to The Sun stating ”If Governor Ritchie is unable to protect Negro citizenry in Maryland, it is proof conclusive that our protection would be less possible if he became President of our nation.” Ritchie had been a serious contender for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1924, but failed. Ritchie tried and failed again in 1932. Dr. Ralph Young was never too busy to involve himself in the East Baltimore community. He was the driving force behind the opening of the first recreation center for African‐
American youth in Baltimore. He criticized the lack of any action by the Baltimore City Police, Liquor Board, or Health Department to combat juvenile delinquency and believed that a recreation center was needed. Together with Chick Webb—the jazz and swing music drummer and band leader—Dr. Young raised thousands of dollars for the center, which was finally built in 1947. In October of 1966, Dr. Young’s contributions to Baltimore were recognized by a crowd of 700 people who honored him with a dinner at the Belvedere Hotel. The attendees included Mayor Theodore R. McKeldin, Melvin Roy, the president of the Eastside Community, Dr. Richard D. Hahn, a colleague on the Hopkins staff, and many other friends, patients and associates. Two years later, on November 15, 1968, Dr. Ralph Jonathan Young died. His body is interred at Arbutus Memorial Park on Sulphur Spring Road in Baltimore. I hope you will join me in taking a few moments on August 27, 2012, the 119th anniversary of Dr. Young’s birth, to remember a great man who did much for our community. (Continued from page 1)
There was a steady stream to the dumpster site whether to pick up large paper bags, to borrow a tool loaned by the Friends of Patterson Park, to discard household items, or to return full brown paper bags. Many residents who chose not to register also set to work cleaning up their blocks. Met Up ‐ At noon, teams returned to the corner of E Fairmount Avenue and N Chester Street for grilled hot dogs, Mexican dip, berries, beer, water, and a drawing for prizes. Seven lucky teams, randomly selected, were winners. There were other winners also: team members commented, “We had fun and got to know neighbors we hadn’t known before!”; Butchers Hill is definitely cleaner; our storm drains will carry less litter and debris into the harbor and the bay. Thank you to all who volunteered on Saturday, especially Sandy, Randy, Michelle and Steve for manning the dumpster and hauling items to the dumpster, all block captains who distributed flyers, and the following for donating prizes:  Bistro Rx 2901 Baltimore Street  Dark Horse Canton 2324 Boston Street  Fork and Wrench 2322 Boston Street  Henninger’s Tavern 1812 Bank Street  Kirsten Lapointe Butchers Hill potter  Langermann’s 2400 Boston Street  Exclusive Butchers Hill shopping bags
Butchers Hill General Meeting: Wednesday, May 2, 7 p.m., St. Andrew Church at Chester & Lombard Talib Horne from Living Classrooms will speak about the Patterson Park UTZ Field renovation and plans for the Ralph J. Young Recreation Center. Dundalk Florist, which recently celebrated 100 years in the Nursery Business, will present information on SHADE & CONTAINER GARDENING. Everyone attending will get a ticket for items raffled at the end of the meeting. Please come! Community Bulletin Board Friday and Saturday, May 25 & 26, Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off: Now through November, on the last Friday & Saturday of each month, you can drop off your hazardous household waste at the Northwest Convenience Center, 2480 Sisson St, 9 a.m.‐5 p.m. in a City historic district. All planned exterior work including painting, must be submitted to CHAP and Butchers Hill. We are happy to help with questions. Contact Virgil Bartram: 410‐327‐4964; CHAP’s number is 410‐396‐4866. Saturday, May 5, Kinetic Sculpture Race: All over the city and multiple locations within the park. 1‐3 p.m. FREE. It’s one of the most entertaining annual city‐wide events and we’re lucky enough to have it snake through our very own park. Check out the sand pit, mud pit, and a surprise obstacle. It’s all produced by the American Visionary Art Museum. For more information visit kineticbaltimore.com. acers will leave the park at 4:15 down Lombard St., where we can all cheer them on." Butchers Hill Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.) conducts its walk‐arounds on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. We meet at 7:30 p.m. at the intersection of Patterson Park Ave. and Lombard St. All are welcome. Contact Evan Helfrich: 410‐342‐2148, [email protected]. Sunday, May 6, Battle Against Obesity: Patterson Park Tennis Courts, 11am‐2pm. Come out and get active during a day filled with tennis games, prizes, and other fun activities at he Patterson Park tennis courts. Battle Against Obesity offers fun for all ages! In case of rain, this event will be held at Du Burns Arena (1301 S. Ellwood). Saturday, May 12, Fell’s Point Farmer’s Market Opening Day: Broadway & Thames St., 8 a.m.‐ 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 20, Bike Jam: Come out for bike races, food, music, and so much more. Fun for the whole family. For more information, visit www.bikejam.org. Thursday, May 24, Friends of Patterson Park Wine Tasting 2012: Join the Friends of Patterson Park at the park’s beautiful historic Marble Fountain, adjacent to the Pagoda for this fundraiser for the Friends of Patterson Park. Wine and cuisine from local wine companies and restaurants, a silent auction, music by Rob Fahey and more! CHAP blocks in Butchers Hill: The Land Use Committee reminds homeowners in the 2100 and 2200 blocks of E. Baltimore St. and the 2200 block of E. Pratt St., that you live GARDENERS ‐ got extra plants? Friends of Patterson Park would love to use them in their many flower beds. Call 410‐276‐3676 to find out about donating. Call for Stoop‐Sitting Event Hosts. In place of the formal monthly General Meetings the Butchers Hill Association sponsors Stoop Sitting events twice a year: June and September. We are looking for volunteers, scattered throughout the 'hood, who will offer their front stoops as gathering points. BHA will provide some refreshments. The goal is for neighbors to meet and share their ideas in a more casual setting. Interested parties email: [email protected]. Self‐Employed? Local business? Promote your business while supporting your community and get exposure to 400+ patrons from Butchers Hill and surrounding neighborhoods and as far away as Baltimore County. The GARDEN TOUR BOOKLET presents information about each garden and artist and is usually kept by those who go on the tour. Ads are artfully placed and often asked about during the tour. Quarter‐page ads (business card sized) are $40; half‐page $85; full‐page $150. Those taking ads of half‐page or more will receive two complimentary tickets to the tour. For more info contact Joe Rehak: 410‐967‐9578 or [email protected]. Deadline: MAY 11. New Neighbors ‐ Contact Kathy Hackett at [email protected] to receive the newsletter through email. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BUTCHERS HILL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP
NAME: ______________________________________________ PHONE:___________________ EMAIL:_________________________
ADDRESS:_________________________________________________________________________ New Neighbor Packet? ________
Would you like to serve on a committee? ____ Which? ________________ Are you interested in volunteering at BHA events? ____ Annual dues (Jan. thru Dec.) are $10 per person, $6 for seniors and low‐income. Make checks payable to the Butchers Hill Association and return form and payment to BHA, 27 South Patterson Park Ave., Baltimore, MD 21231.