Bronzeville Neighborhood Association

KLBNA is pleased to announce a new fellowship with the Milo-Grogan Revitalization Willing Workers Civic Association. Milo-Grogan, formerly called the East

Fifth Area, is just north of downtown and abuts the southern edge of the Ohio State Fairgrounds. The Timken plant was formerly located in this area, and is a sizable parcel of property awaiting development.”What happens in neighborhoods around us can affect us, and what happens in our neighborhood can affect others. It’s important that these associations talk and work with one another, and consider development issues, in particular, from a broad view,” stated Willis Brown, President of KLBNA.

Members of the Milo-Grogan civic association recently attended the general meeting of KLBNA and spoke about the history of their area and its economic challenges. ~TBN

The Red Sweater Brigade/Weiland

Park division, has been recognized

for excellence by SWACO (Solid

Waste Authority of Central Ohio).

The Rev. William Amanze Pinckney,

Vice President of KLBNA, received

special mention as an integral part of

the success of the program.

“I’m proud of the young people who

demonstrate pride in our neighborhood

by helping to keep it clean. I’m

proud KLBNA, in cooperation with

the Weiland Park Civic Association,

facilitates such a strong youth development

program. And I’m thankful

for recognition of the effort overall

by entities like SWACO,” Pinckney

said.~TBN

Some current news items:

- KLBNA is facilitating a relationship between Trevitt Elementary School and local volunteer tutors.  The education of children here in Bronzeville is of utmost importance to KLBNA as a civic association and we have devised a plan to provide after school tutoring for Trevitt children, a way to feed them during this time and a small stipend to cover at least gas money for the tutors helping our children acheive a better understanding of their school work.  Thanks are due to St Mark’s church across the street from Trevitt for hosting these tutoring sessions and caring about our community enough to open their doors.

- KLBNA is in the process of developing a boy scout/girl scout troop for the near east side.  Our residents are often overlooked and neglected when it comes to these sort of outlets for our youth and our mission is to change that.

- The Red Sweater Brigade is alive and strong.  Our area teens are meeting regularly to clean our streets and those of other historic neighborhoods, staying out of trouble and getting paid.  Thanks again to the city of Columbus who has provided seed money for this and other youth programs in the Bronzeville Community.

- Look for some news soon on the fate of two extremely important parcels in our neighborhood — the former site of the Elks building and the surrounding land at the corners of Monroe and Long and the former Whitney Young apartments site.  RFPs and RFQs have been received and reviewed.  While we do not agree with the way many of the processes involved have been undertaken, we cannot stress enough the importance of these locations to the future well being of our neighborhood.

Clean-up activities begin on Saturday, June 17 @ 10-Noon and

will continue every Saturday through September.

List of upcoming activities available to Red Sweater Brigade youth:

• – Sat., April 15 @ Noon-4PM, Center of Science & Industry
• – Sat., May 13 @ 1PM, Ohio Statehouse tour
• – Wed., June 21 @ 9-11AM, City Hall tour and meet Mayor Coleman
• – Wed., July 12 @ 10-Noon, Local fruit/vegetable farm tour

THE BRIGADE IS COMING

We’re putting out a call for boys and girls, ages 9-14, to join the Red Sweater

Brigade on Saturdays from June through September. We’re also looking for

youth, ages 15-18, to become captains of the Brigade.

In return for 2 hours of neighborhood clean-up under the supervision of local

adults, the kids will receive a modest stipend for each week of work completed, a

t-shirt that affiliates them with the Brigade, and the opportunity to attend cultural

and educational events throughout the year, free of charge.

Kids are instilled with a sense of pride, learn to develop discipline and a good

work ethic, and are ambassadors of the neighborhood as they greet those with

whom they come in contact. Teens learn leadership skills as they oversee teams

of younger kids while being mentored by adults.

KLBNA thanks the City of Columbus, the Columbus Compact, the Columbus

Foundation, Community Properties of Ohio, and Broad Street Presbyterian Church

for their support of our young people through the Red Sweater Brigade.

Call Willis Brown at 258-6842 for more details, or to volunteer as a youth or

adult.~TBN