Published:
05-31-2012
Lots of outdoor activities on the schedule in St. Louis
neighborhoods. Enjoy!Keeping Cool This Summer
As we all know, St. Louis summers are
hot. We've already hit record setting temperatures this year, and for
some individuals that means concern about home cooling utility bills.
There are steps you can take to beat the heat, for example, drink plenty
of cool water, dress in loose fitting, lightweight clothing, limit
activity in the middle of the day when temperatures are hottest, and
when indoors use an air conditioner if possible. If someone you know
needs help with utility bills during the summer months, there are
several programs that may be contacted to see if he or she qualifies for
assistance, but you must act quickly.
* May 31st is
the application deadline for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
through the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. Call (314) 615-3640
or visit http://www.usltl.org/ .
* May 31st is
the application deadline for electric bill assistance through the
Community Action Agency of St. Louis County/City Services. Call (314)
269-5210.
*
Applications will be taken from June 1st – June 15th only
for Special Utility Assistance through the City of St. Louis Department
of Human Services. Call (314) 612-5918 for an application and additional
information.
* After
June 1st, contact Cool Down St. Louis at http://www.cooldownstlouis.org/
or call (314)
241-7668 for additional utility assistance resource information.
I encourage you to take some time now to
make your plan for the hot weather ahead.
School's Out Café
Do you know children in your
neighborhood that need meals this summer? School's Out Café,
the Summer Food Service Program sponsored by the City of St. Louis
Department of Human Services will run from June 4 to August 10. Young
persons 18 years of age and under may enjoy free breakfast and/or lunch
at more than 100 sites within the metropolitan St. Louis area. The
program was created to ensure that children in lower-income areas could
continue to receive nutritious meals during the long school vacation,
when they do not have access to the National School Lunch or School
Breakfast Programs. To become a food distribution site or to find a
location in your area, contact the Department of Human Services, Youth
and Family Services at (314) 657-1695.
Upcoming Events
June 1 – Live on the Rocks, North Riverfront Park
Bring your lawn chairs and come out to
North Riverfront Park on Riverview Drive this Friday for Reggae
Live on the Rocks. From 6 p.m. to Midnight enjoy non-stop
reggae music and other fun activities for the entire family.
June 1 - A Midsummer Night's
Dream - Shakespeare in the Park, Tower GrovePark
Everyone is invited to join Stone Soup
Shakespeare as they bring you Shakespeare's classic comedy "A
Midsummer Night's Dream." This free performance will be
presented under the setting sun with actors surrounding the audience.
Come be a part of a story of love, mischief, marriage and comic mayhem.
You are encouraged to bring a picnic and your own blanket or lawn
chairs if you like. The event will run from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. at the
Wading Pool Pavilion in Tower Grove Park.
June 1 & 2 – Thurman Loop
Fest
The family-friendly 2012 Thurman
Loop Fest – a Music, Arts & BBQ Festival – will be held
this Friday and Saturday at the intersection of Shenandoah and Thurman
Avenue in the historic Shaw neighborhood. Fun activities will include
live music, a BBQ competition, storytelling, puppet shows, face
painting, art, crafts, food and more! The festival will run from 5 p.m.
to 10 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. For all the
particulars, visit http://www.thurmanloopfest.com/ .
June 2 – North City Farmers'
Market Opening Day, Crown Square
Your options to shop for locally grown
fruit and vegetables will increase on Saturday with Opening Day of
the North City Farmers' Market on Crown Square, located at 14th Street
and St. Louis Avenue, across from Crown Candy Kitchen in the Old North
St. Louis neighborhood. Enjoy live music, cooking demonstrations,
health screening and local produce. The market will be open from 9 a.m.
to Noon every Saturday from June 2 – Oct. 13.
June 2 & 3 – Lafayette
Square Spring Home & Garden Tour
The 43rd Annual
Lafayette Square Spring Home & Garden Tour will take place
this weekend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Some
of our city's most impressive Victorian homes and gardens will be on
display. Visitors may travel to a dozen homes and gardens on a free
air-conditioned trolley or amble through Lafayette Park in a horse-drawn
carriage. Tour tickets are $20 the weekend of the tour. For more
information, go to http://www.lafayettesquare.org/ or call (314) 772-5724.
June 2 – Community Day to Plant
Sweet Potatoes
The Sweet Potato Project program will
kick off in June with classes at Julia Davis Library and with the actual
planting of the first sweet potato crop on June 2nd.
Residents, potential students for the program and individuals who want
to support this worthwhile project are invited to join NACDA from 9 a.m.
to Noon on Saturday at the vacant lot in the 4500 block of Athlone
Avenue in the O'Fallon neighborhood. If you are interested in
participating, call (314)
351-7222 or send an email to whenwedreamtogether@gmail.com.
June 2 – Tour de Plants Bicycle
Tour
Interested in learning more about the
local efforts to increase access to fresh, affordable food in urban
neighborhoods? Riders in the Tour de Plants Bicycle Tour will
travel along Bike St. Louis routes, explore historic neighborhoods, and
tour community gardens. Be prepared to experience some of the greatest
greens grown in St. Louis. The free tour will begin at 8:30 a.m. at
the Bell Demonstration Garden located at 3871 Bell Avenue in the
Covenant Blu / Grand Center neighborhood. To learn more, visit the web
site at http://www.gatewaygreening.org/ .
June 2 – 2012 Volvo National
Meet & Car Show, Forest Park
Volvo Club of America will host the 2012
Volvo National Meet June 1 – 3 in St. Louis. Part of the
activities will include a car show on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at
the Upper Muny Parking Lot in beautiful Forest Park. Help celebrate 50
years of Volvo Estates. For more details, visit the web site at http://www.vcoa.org/ .
June 2 – Yard Sales
The 1st Annual St.
Elizabeth Academy Yard Sale will take place from 8 a.m. to Noon
on Saturday at SEA, located at 3401 Arsenal Street in the Tower Grove
East neighborhood. Items collected include furniture, children's toys,
luggage, home décor, collectibles such as Anheuser-Busch beer steins,
books, Precious Moments and more! Cash and major credit cards will be
accepted. All proceeds will benefit student scholarships, tuition
assistance and general operating expenses. For more information, call (314) 771-5134.
The 2nd Annual BPW
Neighborhood-wide Garage Sale also will take place on Saturday
from 8 a.m. to Noon. This year's starting point for great deals from
independent vendors and a list of participating houses in the Benton
Park West neighborhood is the Clowder House parking lot at 3136-38
Gravois. If you would like more information, call (314) 771-0803.
June 2 – National Trails (Work)
Day on the Riverfront Trail
National Trails (Work) Day will
be observed on June 2. In honor of the occasion, volunteers of all
ages are invited to help "green" one of The Confluence's great trails on
that day. Volunteers will gather at the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing
Visitor Center at 28 East Prairie Avenue in the Near North Riverfront
neighborhood at 9 a.m. on Saturday, then take to the trail to remove
invasive species and put in native plants. Tools and gloves will be
provided. If you are interested in participating, register by visiting http://www.confluencegreenway.org/ and
clicking on the Events tab.
June 2 – Saturdays in the Plaza,
Soulard Market
Want to spice things up? Learn to
prepare your very own fresh, simple and easy homemade salsa using fresh
fruit, vegetables, and spices available at Soulard Farmers Market. The
free Culinary Institute cooking demonstration will take place at Soulard
Market Plaza from 10 a.m. to Noon on Saturday. To learn more, visit http://www.soulardmarketstl.com/ .
June 2 – Free Concerts
The Arts Council of Lafayette Square
will kick off its 30th annual season of free concerts with
the Ralph Butler Band on Saturday from 6 – 9 p.m. in Lafayette Park,
Lafayette and Mississippi.
The 2012 Budweiser Benton Park Concert
Season will begin on June 2 with the Blues in Benton Park
Concert from 5 – 7 p.m. in Benton Park, Jefferson and Arsenal.
June 2 – Immaculate Heart of
Mary Parish Picnic
The 2012 Immaculate Heart of
Mary Parish Picnic will take place this Saturday from 9 a.m. to
10 p.m. at 4092 Blow Street in the Boulevard Heights neighborhood. The
fun activities will include the IHM Parade, live bands, booths,
carnival rides, bingo, raffles, food & drink, and a fireworks show.
Questions? Call (314)
481-7543.
June 2 – Fun Fair at Franz Park
The Franz Park Community Association (in
the Dogtown neighborhood) will be hosting its 5th Annual
Family Fun Fair in Franz Park (Mitchell and Prather Avenue) on
Saturday, June 2. Starting at 6 p.m., enjoy live music by Bob Case and
Steve Vogel, youth activities and snacks, then at dusk watch "Happy
Feet 2" on the big screen under the stars. Grab a blanket and your
neighbors and spend the evening in one of the City's great parks.
June 3 – Bob Kuban Band in
Concert, Carondelet Park
The Carondelet Community Betterment
Federation will be hosting free concerts all summer
long in the beautiful parks in St. Louis. Bring your chairs, blankets,
friends and neighbors and have fun while listening to live music. The
Bob Kuban Band will be in concert on Sunday from 6 – 8 p.m. at the
Boathouse Pavilion in Carondelet Park, Loughborough Avenue and Grand
Drive in the Holly Hills neighborhood.
Save the Date
June 7 - 10 - 2012 Visa Championships USA Gymnastics Nationals, Chaifetz ArenaJune 8 – Dred & Harriet Scott Statue Dedication, Old Courthouse
June 8 – Food Truck Friday, Tower Grove Park
June 9 - St. Louis Uncorked, Soldiers' Memorial Plaza
June 9 – Live Music at the Plaza, Soulard Market
June 10 - Deutschmeister Band in Concert, Carondelet Park
June 10 - St. Joseph Annual Spring Picnic, St. Joseph Croation Church
Promoting Your Neighborhood Activities
Is there a neighborhood event on the
schedule that you would like noted in the Spotlight? If so, you
may email the information about it to me at rothe@stlouiscity.com or
to Cathy Smentkowski at smentkowskic@stlouiscity.com for consideration. You
may also post it on the City's Calendar of Events on
the City's web site: http://stlouis-mo.gov . The link to submit an event
is on the home page. The listing is free. I encourage you to take
advantage of this free way to promote your event.
Calling All Kid Chefs
In closing, I want to pass along some
information from Let's Move!, the comprehensive initiative,
launched by First Lady Michelle Obama, dedicated to solving the problem
of obesity, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able
to pursue their dreams. Children ages 8 – 12 are invited to get
creative in the kitchen and submit an original recipe for a lunch that
is nutritious and delicious. All entrants have the chance to win a trip
to Washington, D.C., and the opportunity to be invited to attend a
Kids' "State Dinner" at the White House in August, where a selection of
the winning healthy recipes will be served. Entries should represent
each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal,
including fruit, veggies, whole grains, protein, and low-fat dairy
foods. The deadline to submit a recipe is June 17. For more
information, go online at http://recipechallenge.epicurious.com/.
Eddie Roth
Director of Public Safety
City of St. Louis
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