EPA Reverses Decision!

Members of the Glenwood Neighborhood Association, the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation and residents from the Glenwood neighborhood met with officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Evansville on March 3 at the Glenwood Middle School to discuss the transporting of lead-contaminated soil from the Jacobsville area to the Glenwood area. After days of deliberation and the March 3 meeting, the EPA said it would not store the contaminated soil near the Glenwood Middle School.

The Glenwood Community expresses its sincerest thanks to the many people who worked hard to protect the health and safety of our school children and the entire community. A big shout-out goes to Glenwood residents Dave and Pam Gorman for bringing this issue to our attention, and to Carrie Hillyard, Glenwood principal, for not letting up until she saw that the EPA would reverse its decision. Way to go Dave, Pam and Carrie! (Pictured above are Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel, Kim Gorman, Shelby Gorman and Pam Gorman. Photo by John Blair.)

John Blair, director of Valley Watch, worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure the EPA got the information it needed. Thank you, John, for being the tenacious person you are! Of course, where would this community be without the strong guidance of the Glenwood Neighborhood Association? President Lucy Williams, Vice-President Mike Reed and Treasurer Steve Moore were determined to protect the interests of the neighborhood. Thank you GNA for leading us to this victory!

Many thanks are owed as well to the city officials who spoke up on behalf of the community. Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and City Council members Wendy Bredhold and Connie Robinson recognized the importance of keeping this contaminated soil out of the Glenwood neighborhood and rallied their support behind us. Thank you, city officials, for everything that you did, and continue to do, for us.

There were many others who knocked on doors and called on their neighbors to let them know what was happening, or about to happen, in their neighborhood. What treasures we have right here in our own community! You have demonstrated what can happen when concerned citizens stand up for what is right!

This also demonstrates the importance of having a strong system of communication in place, a way for community residents to stay connected. This blog is one way, and our system of Block Captains is another way. Block Captains watch out for their neighbors and make sure that they are informed of events and issues regarding Glenwood. If you would like more information on becoming a Block Captain, please leave us a comment, and we will get back in touch with you.

To leave a comment you must first register. Click “sign in” in the upper right-hand column of your screen. Then click “Create A Blog.” You don’t actually have to create a blog, just register. After filling in the requested information, click “Continue.” Scroll down to the box marked “Blogs I’m Following.” Click the blue box marked “Add.” The next box that pops up asks for the URL of the Blog you want to follow. Insert http://glenwoodcommunity.blogspot.com/ and then “Next.” You can then select whether you want to follow this blog publicly or anonymously. You will now see a link to the blog. Click on it and start blogging! Your name will automatically appear in the drop-down menu where it says “Comment as.” Then, next time you want to blog, just go directly to the Glenwood blog and then click sign in.

Once again, thank you to the many people who worked hard to protect the Glenwood neighborhood!

Evansville, Indiana (February 20, 2010) – Habitat for Humanity of Evansville and its partners with the Glenwood Community Development Initiative met Saturday, Feb. 20, for its fifth Community Discussion. They gave updates on progress seen so far and discussed forming a development corporation to drive the initiative. A corporation with an executive director will allow greater concentration on community mobilization and economic development.

“There are a lot of things that need to happen that we can’t do,” said Lori Reed, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Evansville. “We can help start up new ideas, but there’s no entity that can own the entire initiative and push it long term.”

Partners of the initiative include the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation, the Welborn Foundation, the Glenwood Neighborhood Association and many others. They have been meeting for nearly two years to map out strategies that will revitalize the Glenwood neighborhood, bordered by U.S. 41, Veterans Memorial Parkway and Riverside Drive.

Last year they formed six priority teams to focus on areas that residents said in focus groups needed addressing. These areas are housing, education, clean and green, business and commerce, safety and health and well being.

The teams and residents already have undertaken several activities to improve the neighborhood, including clean-up days, a community garden and a health fair. Habitat for Humanity of Evansville has planned a development called Shadewood Place, next to the Glenwood Middle School, that will include 19 Habitat homes and four market-rate homes built by Bussing Construction. Construction on it will begin in the summer.

The business and commerce team is working on developing a retail district at Riverside Drive and Governor Street. Team leader Steve Moore has had conversations with several businesses that indicated they will consider locating in the Glenwood area if the district comes through. Moore also wants to bring in restaurants and a farmers market.

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation is transforming the Glenwood school into a K-8 Leadership Academy that will focus on leadership development and community partnerships. Last year school officials hosted a Leadership Summit with Leadership Evansville, and students are engaged in research projects to write a book about the history of the John M. Culver Elementary School.

There are also plans to implement Project CHILD, a research-based teaching model that emphasizes reading, writing and math with social studies and science incorporated into the curriculums. Three teachers will form a cluster and will work with the same students for three years, k-2 and 3-5.

“Project CHILD schools have proven to be effective,” said Carrie Hillyard, principal of both the Glenwood and Culver schools. “Students are independent, self-regulated and engaged, and they are problem solvers.” Hillyard will be principal of the k-8 school next year when it opens.

After the teams gave updates about their plans for this year, they discussed what they needed as well.

• Housing – Habitat will need volunteers to help with construction of homes. If interested, call Alaina Bartley, Habitat volunteer coordinator, at (812) 423-5623.
• Education – Glenwood school officials want to connect students with the community through service-learning projects. The school also needs a digital marquee to inform the community of ongoing projects. Call Carrie Hillyard at (812) 435-8242 for more information.
• Health and Wellness – Anyone with a passion to create a healthy community is welcome to join this team. Contact Andrea Hayes at (812) 437-8260 for more information.
• Business and Commerce – The Business and Commerce team wants more information on what retail Glenwood residents want in the neighborhood. Contact Steve Moore at (812) 987-8045 for more information.

If you would like more information about the Glenwood Community Development Initiative, please call Lori Reed, Habitat executive director, at (812) 423-5623.

How would you like to become involved in the Glenwood Community Development Initiative?