Dear Friends and Neighbors:
I’m writing this, as Tucson and the state celebrate Arizona’s Centennial. Happy Anniversary, and lets work to make the next hundred years even better for all of us.
It’s been a little while since this website has been updated. As I take up the mantle from our esteemed Elizabeth Burden, who is a whiz at all this, I’ll try to do my best to keep things updated, but I’m really just learning these tools ;-) As many of you know, the 2011 Holiday Party, hosted by Kathy Reid and Rohn Brown was a great success. Cheers to them and all for creating a wonderful atmosphere and great party.
In January, the board and alternates met on the 21st for a retreat and strategic planning session. A lot of new things came out of that meeting, many of which you will see in this year’s agendas.
This year, like last, development issues in our expanded areas to the north, and along the areas included in the Infill Incentive District- the western commercial district, will probably take a great deal of time and effort. After nearly 40 years, the city of Tucson and development interests are trying to minimize the input neighborhoods, and indeed the viability of historic neighborhoods, throughout Tucson. We need to pull together to stem this tide.
Established APNA programs such as Neighbors Feeding Neighbors, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and Community Gardens will also, hopefully grow and expand to meet the needs of our community.
There are more committees this year, also, to address expanded needs.
And we do hope to have a fall 2012 Home & Garden Tour. Last year, the membership voted to permanently fund NFN. We are the agent for NHN. And though we have a small grant to start the Community Garden, it will take more money to do these things. We need fundraising efforts. We’ll need a new chair and some new committee members to realize a successful tour. If you have any interest in helping out, please let us know!
We hope to make more venues available for the community at large to join in. And maybe a few more parties too! The world is a very changing place these days. Being active in our own community is a great way to participate in that change, for the betterment of everyone. I invite all of you to join us!
Best to all-
John Burr, President APNA, 2012
