MAY 2006

19^th AVE PARK NEWSLETTER

Website: www.19thavepark.com

Our next meeting:

Date:    Thursday, MAY 11, 2006

Time:    7:30 PM

Place:    Marriott Hotel (meeting room, refreshments and parking courtesy of the Marriott Hotel)

Our next meeting is an OPEN HOUSE for all our 19^th Ave Park residents. We want to welcome all new residents and those that have lived here for many years. Come and get acquainted with your neighbors. If there is an emergency and you need some help, could you count on your neighbor to help you? We have many senior residents living in 19^th Ave Park, wouldn’t it be nice to know that the person next door was OK. Come and bring your neighbors. Please join us on Thursday, May 11^th at 7:30 PM.

At our last Homeowner’s meeting, Fire fighter Robert Cook gave the group some very good information regarding Earthquake Safety. The major point is to be prepared for at least 72 hours without any services. That’s 3 days of supplies to keep you alive.  Medications, water, batteries, flashlights and a portable radio were some examples. Find a place outside your home to store these items, for example a large garbage can will do the job.  Fire fighter Cook also gave the group some tips for our Eichler homes. Make sure that there are smoke alarms in each room of the house. Smoke Alarms can and do save lives and every minute counts in our homes. Clean up and get rid of STUFF that you have been keeping for years and never use. This is fuel for a fire. Have at least one fire extinguisher in the house, just to put out any kitchen fire or small fires. Everything mentioned costs less than a hundred dollars but may save your life.

Street Sweeping and Recycling Schedule: MAY 2006

Street Sweeping will be on Mondays, MAY 1st and 15th and Wednesdays, MAY 3rd and 17^th. The sweeper will be here between 9-11 AM, so please remember to move your vehicles in order to avoid a ticket! Recycling by Allied Waste/BFI is on Fridays, MAY 12^th and 26^th. Please recycle all your newspapers, cans, plastics, glass, and cardboard (please remember to cut cardboard into square pieces). Don’t forget your garden clippings as well. Just a note to remind residents that your cans must be stored out of sight after Allied Waste/BFI makes its pickup! We all want to be good neighbors!

Thank our Neighbor

We just learned that Tenesha Blake, the San Mateo K Mart manager has hired a second landscaping contractor to improve the property’s appearance while she goes through the 60-day formality of terminating the unsatisfactory contractor and hiring a replacement. She deserves our thanks for this effort to improve the appearance of the neighborhood. Whenever you shop at K Mart, please tell Tenesha her effort is appreciated.

IVY on the Fence!

For those homes that back up to the fence on Delaware and Concar, please take a look and see if the ivy is growing over and under the fence. Please remove it from the fence, so that it does not cause any damage. With all the rain we have had the ivy is sure to grow this spring. If you get it under control now, you will save yourself problems in the future.  The ivy growing is on your side of the property. They are many products on the market that can be useful to get rid of the ivy. Check with Home Depot or OSH stores, for assistance.

Report from San Mateo United Homeowner’s Association- Jeff Hylton

Disaster Preparedness Day- Saturday, May 13^th, 9:30 AM to Noon, Location – City Hall Council Chambers, 330 West 20^th Ave.

Did you know these essential life-saving facts?

At any time, there are only 23 firefighters plus EMT on duty in our City – They cannot meet the needs of 93,000 San Mateo residents when- not if – the earthquake or disaster happens. Many of our 19^th Ave Park neighbors are older and will need our help. 19^th Ave Park needs volunteers trained, first responders in every block to connect with the City’s emergency services and supplies.

U. S. G. S. predicts that there will be an earthquake 30 times stronger than 1989 before 2035. We will need to be self-sufficient for 7 to 10 days after a disaster hits since, as we know from recent disasters, FEMA and government services cannot be relied upon. The City is holding a kick-off meeting for disaster preparedness on Saturday, May 13^th for those willing to help. We need a minimum of one person per 19^th Ave Park neighborhood block to be trained. After the May 13^th meeting, there will be a comprehensive training for first responders in all of the 6 city-designated response districts. Details will be discussed on May 13^th. For more information call San Mateo Firefighter/Paramedic Robert Cook at 522-7522 with questions or check out their website at www.cityofsanmateo.org/evens/dp.html

Several local organizations are co-sponsoring an educational forum, “Communities of Today and Tomorrow: the What, Where and How of Housing and Transportation.” Topics include: high quality, green affordable developments; growth trends and expectations for California and San Mateo County; public transportation and its connection with housing; environmental effects of different growth patterns and where and how housing and transportation makes sense to protect the natural environment. Thursday, May 18^th, 6:45-8:30 PM King Center Community Center; 725 Monte Diablo.

The Senior Center of the San Mateo Park and Recreation Department is presenting a Senior Housing Options Faire on Thursday, May 25^th, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the Senior Center, 2645 Alameda de las Pulgas.

The Soul Stroll for Health 2006 on Saturday, May 20^th, 10:00AM- 1:00PM at Coyote Point Park features free health screenings and information, breakfast and lunch, and children’s activities. The $15 registration helps fund the African American Community Health Committee’s work including free screenings and education. Go to www.aachac.org for more information.

Seniors should be reminded that on May 15, 2006 is the deadline for Medicare Part D registration. Seniors who do not enroll in a plan by that deadline will be subject to a one percent tax on the monthly premium for every past the deadline. For as long as they use Medicare, this is typically for the rest of their lives! For advice and information, call the San Mateo County Health Insurance Consulting and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1 800 434-0222. Or  www.hicapsanmateocounty.org all services are free of charge.   Marshall Loring

Those who are over 18, live or work in San Mateo County and have not used public transportation to commute to work, they probably are eligible for a free ticket on BART, Samtrans, Caltrain, VTA, Dumbarton Express or M Line (Hillsdale to Hayward and Castro Valley). Be among the first to complete the questionnaire on the website shown or call (650) 588-8170 and ask how to get an application. Marshall Loring

19^th Ave Park Homeowner’s Membership DUES for 2006

It is time to renew your membership in 19^th Ave Park for the year 2006. Our HOA depends on member’s dues to support its functions throughout the year and 19^th Ave Park dues are a bargain still only $12.00 a year per household! The membership fee covers costs for printing our newsletters and incidental expenses of running the association. Residents receive monthly newsletters keeping them up to date on important events in the neighborhood and our community. We have a general meeting that is open to all our residents at the Marriott Hotel on the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

  19^TH Ave Park HOA represents all our residents whether you’re a homeowner or a renter. 

We stay on top of important issues that come before the City Council, and sponsor speakers of interest at our meetings. Please join our neighborhood association and make your voice heard! Send your check to Ed Halbrook our Treasurer at 1767 Wolfe Drive, SM CA. 94402, or drop it off at either his home or at our President’s home at 1603 Wolfe Drive.

Better yet bring it to our next homeowner’s meeting on May 11^th.

Residents of 19^th Ave Park can do two things to support our Association, 1) Attend our once-a-month meeting on the second Thursday of each month at the Marriott Hotel at 7:30 PM. (The Marriott Hotel provides us with a meeting room and refreshments.) and 2) please join us by making out a check for the annual dues for only $12.00.

One-dollar a month! You’ll be glad you did! Thank you.  Jeanne Burke-President

Henry Friedlander, 19^th Ave Park Newsletter Editor—We welcome your articles and suggestions