.....This week we highlight the impact of community engagement with two stories of Fondren residents who took it upon themselves to make Fondren a better, safer place.
.....Thank you Valerie Plested and Jim Johnston with help from Hinds County District 2 Supervisor David Archie.
.....Valerie tackled a vacant, neglected lot on Pine Hill Drive and single-handedly turned the corner into a park-like setting.
.....Discovering a dangerous break in the pavement, (large enough for a child to fall through) exposing a 12-foot deep hole on Glenway Drive, Jim Johnston worked with Supervisor Archie to cover the hole with a steel plate.
4087 Pine Hill Drive - Before
4087 Pine Hill Drive - After
Glenway Drive - Before
Glenway Drive - After
Guide to "Common Ground" symbols
"Common Ground" on Duling
.....Fondren's new street mural debuted last weekend during "Dining on Duling." It was made possible by The Fertile Ground Project and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
.....Design and installation was by A Plus Signs and Creative of Fondren, led by owner Scott Allen.
.....Artist Statement: Common Ground is designed to be an energetic invitation to the public to participate in the communal activity of dining in a space usually reserved for vehicular traffic. This mural visually transforms one of Fondren’s most bustling streets, reaching a wide audience of public viewers. .....Functionally, the ground mural assists in the practice of social distancing guidelines related to COVID-19. The mural acts as an extended outdoor space for local Fondren restaurants to utilize as they limit their capacity indoors.
.....The bright grid is composed of 8’ x 8’ squares, making it easy to gauge the distance between peers, while still enjoying community and food. This ground mural emphasizes the importance of community and recovery during a season of social distress. Common Ground evokes the restorative power of relationships that sprout as a result of southern food culture.
Art, food and music on Duling, June 10 - 13
Habitat, St. Luke's rehab house
.....Habitat Mississippi Capital Area, with the support of Fondren's St. Luke's United Methodist Church, recently rehabbed and dedicated this house at 4636 Casablanca Drive.
.....Six houses have been rehabbed and one new house built since Habitat announced an initiative in June 2019 to rehab or build 100 houses in five years in the Broadmoor neighborhood, just north of Fondren.
.....The non-profit is staying committed to its goals in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the schedule for the remainder of 2020 is the construction of two new houses, the rehabbing of four houses and the demolishing of five unredeemable houses.
.....For information about becoming a Habitat donor or volunteer, call 601-353-6060 or visit www.habitatmca.org.
Bring on the smiles for FRF
.....If you must shop on Amazon, please use Smile.Amazon.comand register FRF as your favorite charity. You'll see "Supporting: Fondren Renaissance Foundation" when you have successfully registered. Then, every time you order from Amazon, you will log into Smile.Amazon.com, which mirrors the regular Amazon site (your wish list, order history, etc. will all be there). By using Smile.Amazon.com, .5% of your purchases will be donated to FRF.
Fondren residentfeatured in video
.....Sammy Moon, Executive Director of the Mississippi Alliance for Nonprofits and Philanthropy, is featured in the Community Foundation for Mississippi's recent video series highlighting innovative philanthropy that inspires giving and community care.
Documenting sewer issues
.....FRF is working with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to document all sewer issues in Fondren. If you have an issue to report, please contact your Street Captain. If you don't know who your Street Captain, contact FRF.
Broadcast nationally, live from Duling Ave: Following our recent Dining on Duling concert by Scott Albert Johnson and Chalmers Davis, the two musicians were featured on "United We Stand" in support of George Floyd's family from their make-shift stage in front of Saltine. The broadcast featured one musical group from each state. Johnson and Davis represented Mississippi with a song they wrote, Fragments.Click here for the music video of Fragments.
'Adopt a Spot' for July!
.......Help us keep Fondren beautiful by adopting a spot to maintain for July.
.....Our work day is Saturday, June 27. Preferred start time is 9 a.m. Teams will beautify their spot on Saturday and maintain it during the month of July. We will supply gloves, masks, garbage bags and water.
.....Use the button below to sign up and select your spot. We'll be in touch with more details on Thursday.
