MESSAGE FROM THE NAC CHAIR: LORI WEIDENHAMMER

The Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) is proud to announce our photo of a fisherman down by the Bertolet Dock along the Schuylkill River (see detail on cover) has won second place ($40) in RiverPlace’s 2008 photo contest and will be used on their annual poster. It is one of the pictures we use to promote advantages of living in the Ten Points neighborhood along with our tagline “At the Center of Everything: Friendly & Affordable too!” Other photos include Ten Points proximity to the museum, hospital, pool and Main Street shopping.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The second annual Ten Points Summer Block Party is scheduled for Saturday, August 23^rd from 4:00 to 6:30 PM in the 100 block of Yarnell Street. Of course there will be free food, games, prizes and music for everyone. We will also have free bird house building and painting kits for the kids. Finally, a way to get even with that neighbor who annoys you or your favorite borough official! We will have about 500 water balloons for the first-ever Annual Ten Points Water Fight. Bring your water bazookas and join in the soaking during Weidenhammer’s wild, wet, wacky, water wonderland!

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH

This month Don Haines, of the 100 block of Franklin Street, was voted NAC’s Volunteer of the Month. Don epitomizes the words ‘civic duty’. As Chairman of the NAC’s Design Committee, Don works to preserve the character, scale and architectural integrity of the Ten Points neighborhood. He often attends Borough Council, Planning Committee and Traffic Committee meetings and reports on how their activities affect our neighborhood. Recently, Don was appointed the NAC representative to RiverPlace. He also can always be counted on to help out with NAC cleanups, projects like the Community Garden and special events like our Summer Block Party or Halloween Party. Thank you Don!

Nominations for the Volunteer of the Month can be made by anyone. Just contact us and say why you think they deserve recognition. All winners get a free T-shirt with the Ten Points logo.

COMMUNITY GARDEN BY DASHA GARDECKI

Just when your garden is cruising along you discover some strange white stuff on your plant.  Keep your plots tidy.  Don’t let diseased leaves sit around in the soil.  Most mildews and fungal diseases thrive in humid, warm environments and can cause rot.  Pruning increases air circulation around the leaves then compost the cuttings in our bins.  Applying 1 tsp. of baking soda in 1 quart of water may help to control the powdery mildew.  Use a sprayer to apply this solution on the leaves of the diseased plant.
 

POLICE BLOTTER

Never assume anything except a 5% mortgage. Don’t be a victim. There where fourteen car break-ins the first weekend in August in the borough. In every case but one the car was left unlocked by the owner. Items stolen include music CD’s, loose change, a digital camera and GPS locaters. Police remind residents to lock their cars and take GPS devices off the windshield and hide them.

SECOND QUARTER RESULTS

Below is a summary of West Reading Elm Street’s accomplishments for the first half of 2008 (1.1.08 to 06.30.08).
 

CATEGORY		AS OF 06.30.08
Programs & Services:
Number of volunteers		212
Number of volunteer hours		623
Value of volunteer labor1		$10,890
Residents attending training		2
Number of Tool Shed users		41
Number of homebuyer loans2		0
Value of homebuyer loans		0
Number of properties rehabbed3		6
Value of rehab assistance		$120,000
Number of Façade Grants		6
Value of Façade Grants		$18,000
Number Energy Efficiency Grants4		6
Value Energy Efficiency Grants		$6,000
Value infrastructure improvements		$10,761
Total Investment		$165,651
Dollars Raised:
Corporate		$5,885
Foundation		$3,532
In-Kind5		$1,953
Fees		$220
State		$50,000
Total Operating Dollars Raised		$61,590
Other:
Number of new building permits		22
Value of building permits		$107,779
Number of Special Events		1
Positive Media Stories:
	Newspaper	1
	Magazine	1
	Radio/Web	0
	TV	2
	Number of Positive Media Stories:	4

¹www.IndependentSector.com has figured the value of volunteer labor in Pennsylvania to be $17.48/hour. This is based on federal Bureau of Labor Statistics figures for non-management and non-supervisory wages and adding an additional 14% for benefits.
² This program is currently out of funding.
³ Ibid
⁴ Ibid
⁵ Met-Ed time & material to upgrade 5 street lights = $390.50/light x 5 lights = $1,953

YOU & YOUR CREDIT

Eight billion pre-approved credit-card applications are mailed to Americans every year. That’s 73 credit-card offers for every household in the USA. Credit-card companies reserve the right to add fees and increase rates at any time for any reason. A federal Government Accountability Office study showed one of every three card holders were issued a penalty in 2005 at an average fee of $33.64—a 160% increase from 1995. Did you know if you don’t pay your balance in full every month, the interest charged is often retroactive for the entire month? That means if you have a $5,020 balance and pay $5,000 your balance will be $20 but your interest charge will be almost double that since you’ll be paying interest on the whole $5,020—your entire ‘grace period’ is revoked. Here’s what you need top know: a) Pay your balance in full every month by the due date or your fall from grace will be swift and unforgiving. b) Once you’ve fallen from grace, for any reason, stop using that credit card immediately and use another. c) Pay by mail not on the phone. Card collection departments charge steep fees—from $5 to $15 just to pay by phone. d) Don’t confuse Minimum Payment or Payment Due with Balance Payment. Always ask how much to pay your card off “in full” and don’t trust the first answer you get. Next month: Why retail store cards always have the worse terms.

NEIGHBORHOOD JOB BANK

Do you run a business from your home or have a hobby that can generate some spare cash? If so, we want to hear from you and post your service in our free Job Bank.

LABOR: Dennis is looking to make a little extra cash during summer break. Need help with grass? Got an odd job? Need a helping hand? Call: 484.769.6107.

CONTRACTOR: Nicholas Gardecki, DANK Construction, 200 block of Chestnut Street, no job too big or too small. Call: 484.769.1231.

UPCOMING EVENTS
 

AUGUST:
9th	Ten Points Work Day: Help cleanup and plant flowers at the Community Vegetable Garden from 10AM-12PM.
15th-17th	Penn Avenue, West Reading Sidewalk Sale, 10AM-5PM
21st	NAC Meeting at Borough Hall, 7PM
23rd	Annual Ten Points Summer Block Party and Water Fight, 100 block of Yarnell & Community Garden Social Area, 4-6:30PM
SEPTEMBER:
13th	Tons of Trucks, VF Parking Lot - Park Road, Wyomissing (Behind TGI Friday's) 9AM-4PM
18th	NAC Meeting at Borough Hall, 7PM
19th	Help build a kayak ramp, paint the dock and plant flowers.
20th	West Reading Flea Market (Borough-Wide), Located in the Grove Next to the Pool along Sycamore Road,  7AM-12PM
20th	West Reading’s Fall Festival on the Avenue, 1PM-9PM
25th	Borough of West Reading Fall Clean-Up
Also, remember the First Thursday of every month on Penn Avenue for shopping and music. A free shuttle runs from Viva’s Restaurant in Wyomissing to Reading’s City Park from 5PM until midnight.

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