Benton-Stephens Community

There’ll be no first Saturday coffee shop in June, but stay tuned, as we’ll get back on track for July.

Enjoy another installment of the Benton-Stephens e-Newsletter by the Missourian.  Please sign up for this service through the Missourian and read it for all neighborhood news.

Wednesday, May 6 • 5:00-8:30 p.m.
ARC, 1701 West Ash

The public is invited to a special event called “Keys to the City” on the Wednesday evening, May 6 from 5:00-8:30 p.m. at the ARC, 1701 West Ash.  The purpose of the event is to provide the public with additional information on city government and additional access to both elected officials and city staff. This event will also include a Neighborhood Congress to engage residents on planning issues important to neighborhood organizations.

The schedule for the event includes: 
Council Office Hours and Information Fair - 5:00-7:00 p.m.:

• “Office hours” where residents can visit with city council members on issues of importance to them, particularly as council works on the fiscal year 2010 budget.
• Information Fair featuring staff from several city departments.

 
Neighborhood Congress - 7:00-8:30 p.m.:

• A Neighborhood Congress will be led by the city’s Planning Department to discuss neighborhood participation in city planning.  This session will include dialogue on a number of issues, including the development process, public improvement projects, traffic management, code enforcement and public safety.

The new Harvest of the Month program at Benton Elementary School will begin Wednesday, May 6 and volunteers from the Benton-Stephens Neighborhood Association are invited to assist. “Harvest of the Month” features hands-on experiences for students to learn about a food staple that is grown locally. 

The May “Harvest” will feature guest beekeeper Vera Gelder (and her observation hive) teaching fifth grade students about how honey is produced. Students will also rotate through two other learning stations: the Art Teacher will lead a session on making beeswax candles and, at the third station, students will put together a simple recipe using honey from different flower sources so that the variations can be tasted.

We need three Benton-Stephens volunteers to help with the honey tasting station who can arrive by noon on May 6 and stay until 2:30 p.m.
If you are interested, please e-mail Jim Ronald, the Boone County 4-H Specialist or phone 445-9792 during business hours by Monday, May 4. 

Saturday, May 2 • 8 a.m. to Noon 
1601 Windsor Street (corner of William and Windsor St.)

Join us; it really is a good time!

I am very pleased to announce that Jim Ronald received word late this last week that his grant proposal to bring the “Harvest of the Month” program to Benton Elementary School was accepted. Jim put in a lot of time on this grant. This is a very exciting opportunity for our neighborhood and for the children who will soon have access to this project with local farmers. We will be calling on volunteers to help in different capacities. We are very grateful to Jim’s dedication to this project and his dedication to the local food movement. Please contact me for more information or to volunteer.
-Kip

Saturday, April 4th • 8 a.m. to Noon
1601 Windsor Street (corner of William and Windsor St.)
Join us; it really is a good time! 

Wednesday, April 8 • 5:30-7 p.m.
Benton Elementary School Media Center

Get About Columbia wants your input on a couple of proposed projects for our neighborhood. The projects up for discussion are a “bike boulevard”  on Windsor & Ash (from 10th St. to Ann St.) and a new sidewalk on Walnut (from William St. to Old Hwy 63).

See more about the projects at Get About Columbia’s web site.

What is a bike boulevard?

April 25
Mark April 25th on your calendar! This event is a way to show our appreciation for our neighborhood and our wonderful neighborhood park. Even more important, it will be a chance to build community. Clean-Up Benton-Stephens Day details:

1. This event will be a (fun) contest.
2. Talk with your neighbors/friends and form a team. Teams can be as large or as small (one individual) as you like. The teams pick up trash all throughout the neighborhood.  I would hope that we can cover every street in Benton-Stephens.  Teams can start at whatever time that they want to start on April 25th. Teams will separate recyclables and trash.
3. Teams meet at the Lions-Stephens Park at 1 p.m. The team with the most weight and/or full bags win a prize. The most unusual trash/recyclable discovered will also win a prize.
4. Once all of the teams are at the Park, we have a park clean-up, including a Stream-Team clean-up as a large group.
5. We then conclude the day with a dessert potluck at the park and host a jam session with fiddler Paul Grace at around 3 p.m. Please plan to bring a small batch of cookies, brownies, or your favorite desert for this event.

More details to come in the future. Please talk with neighbors and recruit for this event. It should be our goal to have over 50 participants.  Maybe 75??!! This is a lofty goal. But, it is very attainable. Contact me to let me know you plan to participate and/or with your team composition. I am confident that this will be a community building day with plenty of entertainment.
-Kip

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