We all love our neighborhood for a variety of reasons. From the historic homes, to the mature trees, to the community events such as First Friday, concerts in the park, the home tour, movies in the park or Curtis Fest, there is a lot to appreciate. However, none of these things have happened by chance. Over the decades our neighborhood has been home to neighborhood leaders who have worked countless hours to protect, preserve and enhance our neighborhood and our city as a whole.
As a councilmember from Curtis Park, I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of city leaders such as former mayors Phil Isenberg, and Joe Serna. They left big shoes to fill, and I hope I’m doing my part. However elected office is not the only way of giving back to our community. Over the decades Curtis Park has been fortunate to be home to a dedicated group of neighbors working tirelessly to make our neighborhood great.
This month I wanted to give a shout out to a few of these leaders like SCNA President Eric Johnson. Eric has told me on more than one occasion that he ran for president to help shepherd the neighborhood through the Curtis Park/Crocker Village development, assuming it would take a year or so. Eric was just reelected to his fifth term. Maybe this will be the year. In any case, thank you Eric for your tremendous dedication and hard work. In addition to Eric, there is a group of individuals who have spent years protecting our trees, planning events and defending the integrity of the neighborhood. John Mathews, Rosanna Herber, Dan Pskowski, Andrea Rosen, and the SCNA board of directors. We all owe you a huge “thank you.”
As we know, this neighborhood doesn’t always agree on the issues. Whether it was street closures, the location of the children’s playground, or a fuel center, there have always been folks on both sides of the issues. We should acknowledge our neighbors who we might not always agree with but who are sincere in their love for Curtis Park and advocate for what they think is best. Every voice is welcome and the debate makes us better.
Finally, I would like to give huge kudos to some of our neighborhood’s youngest leaders: Luna, Ellee, Mariah and Mira of Fifth Avenue. Last month, after the tragic passing of a classmate at Leonardo DaVinci school, these young leaders set up a lemonade stand and raised $237 to defray burial expenses for the grieving family. I mourn with them for the loss of their friend, and, I was deeply moved by their act of kindness.
There is no lack of leadership in Curtis Park, it’s one reason we all live here. As a councilmember, I am thankful for the partnership I have with the SCNA board and the other neighborhood leaders. Together we get things done and make our neighborhood and city a better place to live. To my neighbors who love our community, appreciate the events that make Curtis Park special but maybe have not engaged or volunteered to make them happen, don’t be shy. Dig in. It is your community too, and it takes a village.