Our neighborhood is in between.
We live on Delaware Street in Indianapolis. At the south end is 38th Street: a border of sorts, a gulf that separates the haves from the have-nots. (It is not quite such a fixed border as it used to be. The haves and have-nots have spilled over in both directions.) Police have recently stepped up their patrols along the 38th Street corridor; the sound of gunfire south of my house is not unusual. As my late father-in-law used to say, "You can see the drug dealers from here."
At the north end of our neighborhood is 40th Street. Around the corner on Pennsylvania and Washington, the stately mansions begin. This is the old-money north side of Indianapolis. Although lots of the wealth of our city has moved to the suburbs, these are still fashionable addresses.
Our two blocks of Delaware Street aren't fancy, although many of the homes are stunning examples of early 20th Century Arts & Crafts and American Foursquare architecture. We realized recently that a couple of our houses were turning 100 this year--so we decided to have a big block party this past weekend.
Our neighborhood is decidedly middle-class. We are black and white, gay and straight, old and young, Christian and Jewish and Muslim and Atheist. We are writers and teachers and attorneys and not-for-profit executives. We are fundraisers and architects and housecleaners.
Our two blocks are the promise of America--all of us, embracing our diversity, celebrating the little part of the world we share. We live here in the city together--the way we think people should live with each other in society. We look out for each other. We love our homes and our families and our neighbors.
This is also the America that is in danger of disappearing. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and the middle class is vanishing-- slipping more toward 38th Street than 40th. As our national economy has struggled, our neighborhood has been threatened. More property crime. More desperate men looking for work. More police.
But this past Saturday, we set all of it aside. We toured each other's homes. Our kids paraded up the street on their bedazzled bikes. We prepared our favorite pitch-in dishes and grilled burgers and sat together at tables we'd set up in the street. We ate and drank and laughed and told stories until Saturday was Sunday.
Take a look, everybody. This is the American Dream. Who knows what will become of it tomorrow? But Saturday, July 17, it was alive and well in Indianapolis.
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permalinkWhat better way to get involved than volunteering for the only MKNA fundraiser, the annual Home &
Garden Tour! Home tour meetings are held approximately every three weeks, with our first meeting for
the next tour scheduled for September 21, 7 pm. Meetings are held at the homes of committee members.
Attendance at meetings is encouraged (and fun), but certainly not required.
We have a great group of volunteers that have been working together for several years. However, to make
the team even stronger, we want to add to the group! We are actively recruiting new members to help in the areas of:
- Twilight Tour Silent Auction (all proceeds benefit MKNA’s grant program);
- Marketing/Publicity (help with advertising, media relations and promotional materials);
- Ticketing (managing registrations and seating for Twilight, and working with ticket retailers);
- Home Hosting (docent in a tour home);
- Twilight Tour set-up and tear-down;
- General, At-Large committee members (help with various small tasks throughout the year).
The tour wouldn’t be possible without the generous efforts of our home owners. Volunteering your home for the tour is a great way to give back to the neighborhood. Want to learn more? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about home selection.
- Does my home need to be professionally decorated? Absolutely not! Whether your home features the latest designer decor or your own funky fleamarket finds, we would be delighted to have your home on tour!
- Dp I need to leave my home during the tour? No, it’s up to the homeowners to decide if they want to stay in their home or leave during the tour. In fact, we have found that attendees really appreciate when homeowners are present during the tour.
- What are the criteria for a home to be on the tour? There really aren’t many rigid rules for home selection. Some features we do consider are traffic flow inside the home, grouping of homes throughout the neighborhood and diversity in home size and decor.
or home, contact us at info@mkhometour.com or 317-313-6332. We look forward to seeing you at the 2011 tour!
Lead was used as a paint and varnish additive until its use was prohibited in 1978. The lead contained in
many of our city's older homes can pose a serious health risk to children as painted surfaces deteriorate
or are disturbed during a renovation. Even in small amounts lead can cause permanent neurological damage in young children. The RRP Rule was created to prevent the spread of lead hazards as a result of renovation, repair, and painting activities in homes, apartments, and child-care facilities.
The EPA's RRP Rule requires all contractors who intend to work in pre-1978 homes to register their
company and complete an 8-hour training and certification course with an accredited trainer. The course teaches how to safely contain lead in a home as it is being disturbed. Central Indiana NARI member companies were among the first in the country to go through this certification course.
Under current EPA rules, contractors are required to make homeowners and occupants aware of lead
hazards during a renovation by giving them an EPA brochure called "Renovate Right," which includes facts about lead and lead safety in the home. A number of activities are also prohibited, including:
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dry sanding or scraping
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power sanding or planning without a HEPA vacuum attached to the tool
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open flame paint removal
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use of a heat gun above 1100 degrees F.
If a homeowner has any doubts about the quality of lead safe practices being conducted in their
homes, they should call the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) at 1-800- 424-LEAD. They can also find more information on the EPA's website at EPA.gov/Lead.
Homeowners and neighborhood associations who want more information may contact Central Indiana
NARI chapter President Christopher Wright at 317-506-7106, or Executive Director Larry Dorfman at 317-
638-3717. We have experts available by phone or email, as well as speakers who can present the requirements at homeowner association meetings.
About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association
dedicated solely to the remodeling industry. With more than 8,200 member companies nationwide,
the Association -- based in Des Plaines, Illinois - is "The Voice of the Remodeling Industry."TM
EDITOR'S NOTE: Central Indiana NARI can provide hi-res digital photos of remodeling projects to
accompany your story. Contact Christopher Wright with your photo request
Supporting this MIDTOWN LOVES LOCAL effort is an investment in our specific, as well as the broader area. You have most likely seen ‘MIDTOWN LOVES LOCAL‘ signs in windows, on Tshirts, pins and shopping bags. The business community is very excited about this campaign and is participating in many ways.
MKNA, as an association, wants residents to buy here and in the broader MIDTOWN area. We want to excite visitors to buy here. We want our businesses to offer vitality and draw interest. MKNA has energized to give leadership and $1000.00 of support funds to stimulate this nurturing campaign.
During the month of October six MKNA businesses will provide customer perks to any wearing or bearing the MIDTOWN LOVES LOCAL T-Shirt as part of MIDTOWN NIGHT OUT. T-shirts are now available for $10 at Marigold (65th & Cornell), Posh Petals (54th & Monon), Chelsea's (Guilford & Westfield) and the Riviera Club (5640 N. Illinois St.). Look on our website Home Page for a list of participating businesses and their perk dates.
Also note the MIDTOWN LOVES LOCAL booths at the following events:
Penrod with NUVO - Sept. 11
St. Joan of Arc French Market with MKNA - Sept.11
Recycle 100 - Sept. 15
Jazz Festival - Sept.25
Knollfest - Sat., Oct. 2
BR Gallery Walk - Oct. 8
BR Music Fest - Oct. 16
In 2007 PDA set out to show the world it's creative potential by launching it's own line of apparel called Sugar and Bruno. Sugar and Bruno loves blending the cool and passionate attitude of dancers with a commitment to nurturing the lifestyle that follows. At the core of the S&B brand are authentic, dance inspired products that have been worn by dancers and non-dancers around the world. The S&B brand is further defined by the elite class of dancers and choreographers- Lacey Schwimmer, Kameron Bink, Chelsie
Hightower, Nick Demoura, Keltie Colleen, Stacey Tookey and Tyce Diorio - that design and wear S&B on and off the dance floor. This dancewear inspired line has been seen on So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, and at the MTV movie awards. In addition to all that excitement, every summer Sugar and Bruno hosts a dance summer camp for all skill levels, which includes instruction from numerous dance professionals and celebrities!
Please contact PDA for your custom apparel or promotional needs...PDA is fast, has excellent quality - excellent design...is creative & dependable - call, email, stop by and see our show room...7260 Georgetown Rd. Indianapolis, IN 46268. 317-293-5888 sales@pdacoolstuff.com
While still busy,(MSDWT teacher and grad student) Sherri missed her association with her clients and their pets and is again servicing pets on Indy's north side. Meridian-Kessler and Broad Ripple have always been her most requested areas, and some of you may remember Sherri. In-home pet care and services companies have become quite common, but Campbell is able to offer special types of services because she is a Registered Veterinary Nurse. She is uniquely qualified to care for geriatric or special needs pets. She can give medications, injections and recognizes health concerns.
She also emphasizes that someone who has the key to your home and cares for your animal companions must be completely trustworthy and of the highest integrity. She assures that your home will be in better shape than before you left.
She also provides routine home care for no additional fees including but not limited to: using security systems, rotating lights, watering in and outdoor plants, collecting and sorting mail, taking out the trash and even filling birdfeeders. Campbell will feed, love and provide potty breaks, clean litter boxes, give daily exercise walks, take dogs to the dog park, transport pets to the groomer or veterinarian and buy and deliver food and supplies. She also occasionally agrees to keep dogs in her home.
Busy professionals and pet owners who love theirpets like family will never go back to boarding once they realize how much happier and healthier pet-sitting will make their animals. Sherri has impeccable references, is a member of Pet Sitters International and provides free in-home consultations. She can be reached at 317-374-7756 or sherrilyncamp@yahoo.com.
revitalization, the addition of bike racks supports a growing cycling trend, gives encouragement toward healthy living, and a spark to strengthening the vitality and streetscape energy to our community.
This neighborhood amenity is the result of a meeting held late this Spring with MKNA, HARMONI,
and IndyGo. Samantha L. Cross, Director of Business Development for IndyGo, was instrumental in having
these installed along the College Ave. bus line at active business sites. To show our appreciation, let's put these bike racks to heavy use.
Our business or institutional corners may want to check out IndyGo's Adopt-A-Stop program at
www.indygo.net/adopt_a_stop.htm...or there may be interest in requesting a bus stop bench, trash can et al. Requests should be submitted to feedback@indygo.net. The number for IndyGo Administration and Operations is 634-6585. The number for IndyGo Customer Service is 635-3344.
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