NOVEMBER 2020 NANA NEWS Volume LX No. 3
Published by the North Avondale Neighborhood Association
Your monthly news & updates
NANA EXECUTIVE BOARD MESSAGE
Hi Neighbors,
 
As we move into November and away from this hectic election season, I have been spending time reflecting on how grateful I am to live in such a great neighborhood. We have so many things to be thankful for in North Avondale!
 
One of those things is our amazing Rec Center. While we have not been able to visit as much as we would like during this pandemic, the CRC staff have continued to be of service to the community and the children of North Avondale Montessori. We have 2 opportunities this month to support them and give back to those in need in our community. 
Diaper Drive November 9-25
CRC is accepting donations of diapers and money to support Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank.
 
Coat Drive and Turkey Give Away November 21 10am - 1pm
Powered by Southern Baptist Church 3556 Reading Rd. 
You may drop off coats at the Hirsch Rec Center and the North Avondale Rec Center to benefit those in our community who need some help staying warm this winter. 
See "Recreation" Section below for more details 

Do you know of any other ways we can show our support and gratitude in the community?
Please reach out to me with any events and we will help to spread the word!
 
We are planning on updating our Branding and Website. Please sent your resume and examples of your work if you are interested.

We have updated the Zoom meeting info to make it easier to join and to eliminate the time restrictions from previous meetings. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7228542133 and our meeting ID is 722 854 2133.
 
See you then,
Ethan Perry
NANA GENERAL MEETING 
 Tuesday, November 10, 7:00 pm

VIA ZOOM at Here is the new link:
Here is the new Meeting ID:
722 854 2133

Rosemary’s Babies Company

Next NANA General Meeting December 8
  
 THANK YOU FOR PAYING YOUR 2020 NANA DUES 

NANA NEEDS YOUR FEEDBACK

Proposed Rosemary’s Babies Company Residential Parent Housing for teens 16-21 at 3864 Reading Road
Rosemary’s Babies Company (RBC) is a local 501c3, a nonprofit organization supporting teen parents and their families. They are asking NANA to support their mission-driven work on November 10, 2020, at our general meeting.
 
Rosemary's Babies Co. has been a lifeline for more than 400 adolescent parents in our local community since 2016. These young children who must now face the difficult transition from child to adult and child to parent overnight. Of teen parents served, 30% have housing insecurities and are homeless. At present, there are no options for parenting teens under 18 in Cincinnati. Without support, this leaves these youths and their babies at risk. Rosemary's Babies believe no parenting child should be without support and living on the streets with their baby. This is why the organization is looking to provide a safe house for teen parents (ages 16-21) to stop the cycle right here in Avondale. As more than 30% of the population, the organization serves live in this area.
 
RBC wants to invest in The Rubel House (3864 Reading Road), to provide Residential Parent Housing for teens for up to one year. Their vision is to transform the current blighted property, that has remained vacant since 2014, into a multi-use commercial space to provide housing and support for up to 14 occupants, as well as education and workforce development to teen parents. Rosemary, the Founder & CEO, was a former teen parent with roots in Avondale, who knows this community and understands this future residence will be the best place to nurture teen parents into productive citizens who will understand their due diligence; to give back to their community.
 
Rosemary's Babies Co. will bring a positive spotlight to this community as they are leading the charge in this area of work. This space will be the only one in Cincinnati and surrounding areas. The organization has the support of its community partners, The City of Cincinnati, The Urban League, and many others. The acquisition of this property from The Port Authority is dependent on a letter of support from NANA as an endorsement from the community. RBC will speak at the next NANA meeting for consideration and a vote. This letter will be used in a Case for Support with The Port by/before November 28, 2020. Rosemary's Babies is asking the North Avondale community and NANA to join their investment into impacting lives and our community. To learn more about our organization: https://www.rosemarysbabies.co/

To view the PDF on: Rosemary’s Babies Company and City Of Cincinnati – City Of Cincinnati Invests $184,000 Into Supportive Housing Click Here
Rosemary Oglesby-Henry, CEO

●Proposed Name Change of Reading Road to President Barack Obama Avenue
North Avondale Councilmembers Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney and Wendell Young put forth a motion that City Council passed to change the name of Reading Road to President Barack Obama Avenue. Kearney states, "When my mother first tried to rent an apartment in North Avondale in the early 1960s, she was told, 'We don’t rent to Negroes.' We’ve come a long way, not only as a community but as a country. Let’s not ever be afraid of positive change. Electing an African American president was something that my mother and many others never thought would be possible in their lifetime. We have come a long way, but we have far to go. Racial disparities continue to exist. Many in our community are suffering and feeling hopeless. Let President Barack Obama Avenue be a sign to our youth and to all of us, regardless of political ideology, that we are capable of overcoming the horrors of our past. Let it shine a light on our ability to come together and move forward as a country. Therein lies the true greatness of America." Kearney approached Councilmember Young several years ago with the idea, and Young began working on the name change, but the issue was sidetracked by other matters. This past summer, a Walnut Hills High School graduate, Caleb Price, came to Council to ask for the street renaming. He had already collected thousands of signatures. "Caleb inspired us to get back to work on the name change," Kearney said. Given the pandemic, the City's tight budget, and pressing needs of communities, the three agreed that outside fundraising was necessary. "There has been overwhelming positive feedback," Kearney said. "Of course, as with all change, there will be pushback, and I understand different viewpoints." She encourages anyone with questions or comments to contact her at (513) 352.5205 or Jan-Michele.Kearney@cincinnati-oh.gov.
COMMITTEE UPDATES
BEAUTIFICATION

The Xavier students committed to working with NANA for nine consecutive Wednesday morning helping in our gardens and picking up trash! Check out the Flower pots along Reading Rd. They look great and ready for fall enjoyment! THANK YOU: Sarah Koucky, Beth Ewing, Kim Hubbard, Jolene Struebbe Jane Sillet, Janet Neidhard, Ann Wong, Teresa Harten, Jennifer Harten, Emily Harten, Tricia Renneker and Sarah Pontius Cornell Family and the Xavier students. Quick work finished up potting pansies and kale in the flower pots on Wednesday and Saturday mornings!

Thank you Ann Wong and our Xavier students for picking up tires and many, many bags of trash along Asmann Ave. The morning was sunny and beautiful and many hands made the task go quickly.
A couple of pics of the North Avondale Recreation Center Garden the XU students have been so helpful with!! Unseen in the photo are loads of Iris, daffodil, tulip and daylily bulbs. It will look beautiful in the Spring. The Recreation Center staff is super appreciative. 
  • Thank you Xavier X-Change students for your help with the beautification of our neighborhood. 
Beth Ewing (Winding Way) & Sarah Koucky (Rose Hill Ave.)

HEALTH & WELLNESS
 The dreaded time of the year has finally arrived – the confluence of the flu season and COVID 19. Both are respiratory illnesses, but the flu is the only one with a vaccine. The CDC recommends getting a flu vaccination to reduce the overall impact of respiratory illnesses on the population and to decrease overloading the healthcare system during the COVID pandemic. As we watch COVID cases increase in Ohio and in our county, it is important to do everything possible to conserve health care resources.

COVID 19 is still relatively new and there is a lot that is just not known yet. Scientists are still researching the disease, but there are several things that are facts.
  1. The flu and COVID are contagious respiratory diseases caused by different viruses.
  2. Some symptoms of the flu and COVID are similar, but testing is needed to confirm a COVID diagnosis.
  3. There is a test for the flu and a test for COVID. Taking a test for both at the same time will help scientists learn more about how the flu and COVID are spreading as well as steps for prevention.
  4. A flu vaccine will not provide protection against COVID.
  5. Both the flu and COVID are serious illnesses and both can cause hospitalization or death.

Flu vaccines are available at Cincinnati Health Centers. 
Call (513) 357.7320 for an appointment.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
  • Enroll, reenroll or change your insurance plan for 2021 through the Open Enrollment Health Insurance Marketplace: November 1 – December 15, 2020
  • Change your Managed Care Plan (MCP): Ohio Medicaid November 1, 2020 – November 30, 2020
Kimya Moyo, Health Liaison
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
I'd like to share how fun and easy it is to participate in Keep Cincinnati Beautiful's "Adopt-a-Spot" program. You select the area you'd like to keep cleaned up--it could be a small one, like your own street or part of a park. You commit to cleaning it up once a month (any more is up to you). KCB provides you with gloves, buckets, bags, pickers--you name it! And they will even put up a sign thanking you for adopting the spot!

This photo shows my young family members Zuri and Jasper after one of our "pick 'n' strolls." You can find details about the Adopt-a-Spot program at keepcincinnatibeautiful.org/programs/great-american-cleanup/adopt-a-spot.html 
Laurie Pike (Warwick)
REMINDER CONCERNING RAKING LEAVES
 
Under the City Municipal Code, raking leaves into the street or right-of-way is prohibited and is PUNISHABLE BY LAW.
 
  • Please compost yard waste at home whenever possible.
  • Your yard waste is collected every other week on your recycling day.
  • Make sure to put it in a separately marked container or the special paper bags.
  • Also this is a good time trim hedges and plants that have grown out over the sidewalks making it difficult to walk safely and easily.
FUN AROUND TOWN

Rosemary’s Babies Company is reaching out to our city, community partners, friends and family requesting your online presence for the 2020 Legends Showcase: Covid Edition. 
 
This event is being LIVESTREAMED from Cincinnati's 20th Century Theater right into your homes to keep you safe. Proceeds from this event support housing for our babies, newborn to twenty. This is a unique project for our city as 30% parenting children are homeless, housing insecure, or live with someone other than a parent. Housing is essential. 
 
This Saturday, November 7, 2020 at 5:30pm the Pre-show kicks off with DJ Vader. Then at 6pm we open our show w/ Charice Rodgers, Makenzie Thomas of The Voice & The Former Ladies of The Supremes. 
 
Please watch, share, and care enough to give. 
 
3 ways to watch 
Facebook: @rosemarysbabies.cincy
 
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?vrFJpmiEpr5s
 
Website
https://www.rosemarysbabies.co/legendslive2020
 
By the way, our Rose, Rose', & More auction is open. Check it out on Rosemarysbabies.co 

Thank you in advance for watching and sharing.

How well do you know Cincinnati?
Join us for the Great Cincy Race, Nov. 14th from 12-4 pm to find out!
The Great Cincy Race is a socially distanced city-wide scavenger-hunt adventure, where teams compete in fun games to earn clues that send them to their next location. Each location is selected to feature a “hidden gem” of Cincinnati -- places that are often overlooked but still help our Queen City's crown shine. The teams that figure out the clues and finish first will win big prize!
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Sat Nov 21 | 8:00 pm EST livestream premiere
Louis Langrée and the CSO are back in Music Hall for a digital performance featuring Anthony Davis’ poignant and powerful You Have the Right to Remain Silent with recent Avery Fisher Prize winner and clarinet soloist Anthony McGill. Ohioan Julia Perry’s music opens the program followed by Schubert’s intensely personal Unfinished Symphony.

Click Here for more information on how to watch the concert.

.FROM YOUR NEIGHBORS

Would love if my neighbors register and participate in this virtual sip and paint fundraiser hosted by Pinot's Palette! A portion of each registration will go to UpSpring, my organization, to support youth experiencing homelessness. www.upspring.org/events
Maurice B Stewart (Paddock Road)
South Avondale mural offers hope and sense of pride

Students at South Avondale Elementary School (North Avondale's neighborhood school) can now get an important life lesson in a place you might least expect: on the school playground. In a matter of two weeks, Brent Billingsley and Michael Coppage transformed a white concrete wall into something spectacular. It’s easy to see the two Cincinnati Children’s team members have a passion for art and the community. The mural, you can’t miss it. Its bold and bright and catches your attention for many reasons. With strokes of expert artistry and a whole lot of love, the duo have provided a gift to the students of South Avondale Elementary and the community. “For me it’s perpetuating our history, telling stories that could be scrubbed from history if we don’t continue to tell them,” said Coppage. The mural features the late Cincinnati Vice Mayor Marian Spencer and community leader and former South Avondale Elementary School teacher, William Joel McCray. Both have roots in Avondale. One end of the mural shows the leaders as children, the other end shows them as adults. And in the middle a jungle, to illustrate their struggle. “Once they understand who these people are and what they’ve done, I’d like for them to see themselves in the children, and understand that you have to go through some things in life to be the people we all hope to be recognized by history, respected and accomplished,” Coppage said. Billingsley and Coppage both work with patients at the College Hill campus, using art as therapy for children who are dealing with trauma and mental health challenges. “When patients are zoned in and working on a project, it’s refreshing to see them just be in the moment that’s when they open up and start telling you everything. They’ll start draining off some emotions,” Billingsley said. In this case though, Billingsley and Coppage are the ones who poured out their emotions onto a concrete canvas. A labor of love. The community sent that love right back. At various stages of the project, children of all ages showed up to see how they could help. In some cases, creating their own art with sidewalk chalk. “We love it. We want the community to feel a sense of ownership. This is for everyone to enjoy and find inspiration. It’s special, knowing that this mural is at an elementary school makes me very, very happy,” said Billingsley. The final touches on the mural will come from students at South Avondale Elementary who will put handprints on a section of the wall, so they can make their own mark.

The mural project is part of the Reds Community Makeover, a partnership with the Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati Children’s, Proctor and Gamble, the Cincinnati Zoo and others. Most of the community projects are on hold until 2021, due to COVID-19. This is the second major project for Billingsley and Coppage. Both worked on the Black Lives Matter mural in downtown Cincinnati. If you get a chance, stop by to see the mural at South Avondale Elementary. It’s worth the trip to see how paint on a concrete wall is creating a sense of community pride and hope.
Michelle Hopkins Senior Specialist, Community Relations, Cincinnati Children's
FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFITS
 Got two minutes? Interested in providing feedback on OKI’s transportation planning process? Complete their survey by November 13, 2020 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LNJTBWP
Thanks,
Florence Parker, Public Involvement Specialist

An emergency care research study of bleeding in the brain is to be performed in this area.
The University of Cincinnati is joining researchers at more than 100 other hospitals across the United States and other countries to conduct a research study of bleeding in the brain called FASTEST. This research study may affect you or someone you know. FASTEST is a research study involving patients who have had bleeding in the brain, also called intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). ICH occurs when a weakened blood vessel in the brain breaks and bleeding accumulates in the brain. Most of this bleeding occurs within a few hours of onset of symptoms. The brain injury from ICH is usually very severe, over 40% of people with ICH die within a month, and only 20% can independently care for themselves after 6 months. There is currently no treatment for ICH that is scientifically proven to improve outcome. The FASTEST research study is being done to determine if recombinant Factor VIIa (rFVIIa), a protein that our body makes to stop bleeding at the site of injury to a blood vessel, can slow bleeding in the brain and improve outcome. rFVIIa is approved for treatment of bleeding in patients who have inherited lack of clotting factors but is not approved for treatment of ICH. Participants in the FASTEST research study are placed at random, that is by chance, into one of 2 groups. They have an equal chance of getting rFVIIa or placebo (no active ingredient). One group receives rFVIIa intravenously over 2 minutes within two hours of onset of symptoms and the other group receives placebo. We do not know if rFVIIa is better than placebo for patients with bleeding in the brain. The results of the FASTEST research study will help doctors discover if rFVIIa improves outcome in patients with bleeding in the brain. Medical care otherwise will be identical for the two treatment groups, including close management of blood pressure and care within an intensive care unit. Some patients will be enrolled without consent if a family member or representative is not rapidly available. Before the research study starts, we will consult with the community. We welcome your feedback and questions. For more information or to decline participation in this research study, please visit http://nihstrokenet.org/fastest/community-resources or contact our research study staff at
(513)558.4536.
Primary Investigator: Dr. Kyle Walsh, MD
Study Coordinator: Stephanie Thomas
Feedback Links: 
OR
 Scan the QR Code
Alternatively, if you have a device that has an app capable of reading QR codes, you may
scan the QR code below, which should take you directly to the survey in a web browser.
WELCOME NEW NEIGHBORS 

  • Tracy Redding at 3976 Abington Ave.
  • Kristen Wright at 1040 Avondale Ave.
  • JJDome Properties LLC 945 Dana Ave.
  • Coral A Weigel at 3831 Edge Hill Pl.
  • Mandi M Burbridge at 684 S Fred Shuttlesworth Cr.
  • Shauna Kay Campbell at 306 Glenwood Ave.
  • Edward E & Roslyn M Khayo at 3640 Reading Rd.   
  • Dominique C Ellison 3938 Ledgewood Dr.
  • 3954 Ledgewood LLC at 3954 Ledgewood Dr.
  • Justin & Carly Stone at 4021 Rose Hill Ave.
  • Dominique C Ellison at 4037 Victory Pkwy.

RECYCLING



All parents want to leave the world a better place for their children. While it sometimes feels like we don’t have much control over what happens down the line, one of the best ways to ensure that there will be a healthy planet for future generations is to teach little ones about recycling now so that they grow up with an awareness about waste and an appreciation for preserving resources.

RECREATION

North Avondale Recreation Center - 617 Clinton Springs Ave. 513.961.1584 

  • North Avondale Recreation Center is open Monday thru Friday 9 am to 9 pm
  • Weight Room is by reservations only
  • Open Gym from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and after 6:00 pm - call for reservations 
  • Masks must be worn and your temperature must be taken upon arrival.
  • If you had an active membership on or after March 13th, there was an automatic extension put on your card. Check with the center for details.
  • North Avondale has a few spots open for both A and B days. CRC Recreation Centers who are offering School Day Enrichment and After School Enrichment programs have WIFI available for virtual learning. More info:  https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/recreation/programs/camp-crc1/after-school-school-day-enrichment-scholarship-application/
  • Youth Basketball Program starts practices in December with games starting in January. To register or for more information call the Center.at 961.1584.
Athletics Winter Programming
Volleyball
Adult Leagues (January 11, 2021)
Monday at North Avondale Starts
Thursday evenings at North Avondale
Saturdays at Pleasant Ridge
Youth Girls – In Partnership with Girls with Grit, Athletics will be offering skills development and introduction to volleyball for Girls. This program will begin in January. Program will take place in the evening. Days TBD

Basketball
Youth league - Athletics will be offering an 8U, 10U, and 12U developmental basketball. Baskets will be lowered for the 8U league. Games will be played Tuesdays and Saturdays. Game play will start January 5, 2021. Practice will start in December. NA will be made available for teams to practice on Tuesdays and Saturdays until game play begins.
Adult League – North Avondale Adult Men’s Basketball League will begin Wednesday, January 6, 2021. This is an 8 game league with the top 4 teams making it to the playoffs. 
 
Mini Camp over Break
Athletics will hold mini Camps at North Avondale during Winter Break. Volleyball, Tennis and Basketball will be offered. The camp will run from Monday – Wednesday both weeks. Snacks will be provided for individuals that stay the entire day(Will have to bring own lunch).
9:30 to 11:30 – Volleyball
12:00 pm to 2:00 pm – Tennis
2:30 to 4:30 pm - Basketball
Special Events
Dodge Ball Tournament (One Day Event) – January 16, 2021 (Adults) and January 23, 2021 (Teens)
Teen Esports league - TBD
Matthew Brown, Community Center Director

Hirsch Recreation Center - 3620 Reading Road ● 751.3393

  • Many recreation centers are offering full daycare or afternoon/afterschool care. Check out cincyrec.org for your childcare needs.
  • Our weight room has reopened by reservation only. There are seven one hour time blocks within the day that customers can call to reserve.
  • If you had an active membership on or after March 13th, there was an automatic extension put on your card. Check with the center for details.
  • Spinning classes have resumed: Monday at 5:15pm to 6:00; M/W 6:15 – 7:00 pm. It is necessary to sign up before class. To register call 751.3393 or go to the front desk.
  • Tai Chi Monday and Wednesday 10:00A-11:30A (Starting Nov 9th; fees TBA)
  • Teen and young adult dance (20 spots max. reservation required): Friday 6:00P-7:00P
  • Teen and youth open gym is open for reservations. Call for availability.
  • Gym Schedule for all programs
Blake Williams, Service Area Coordinator
NORTH AVONDALE SCHOOLS 
North Avondale Montessori ● 615 Clinton Springs ● 
   363.3900 ● www.namrockets.org    NAM Brochure    
NAM Preschool Brochure       


Thank you North Avondale Neighborhood Association for inviting me to introduce myself. As the new principal of North Avondale Montessori, I appreciate all the warm welcomes I have received since arriving.

Cincinnati has been my home twice. I graduated from Oak Hills High School in 1986 and left shortly after graduation for the Army. After serving in the Army, I attended Boston College and graduated with a BA in English. After college, my education career has taken me to California, Texas, Oregon, Michigan, and finally back to Ohio, where my wife, Mary Beth, and I raised our two children, Mary Catherine and Joseph.

I am most recently coming from Parker Woods Montessori, where I worked as an assistant principal. Parker Woods was my first Montessori experience as an administrator. I was fortunate to learn to be a Montessori administrator while working with Principal Whitney Simmons. Some may remember Ms. Simmons as a former principal here at North Avondale Montessori.

I look forward to attending community events when this current pandemic allows us to gather again. Until then, I wish all of you the best and look forward to meeting as many members of this community as I can.

Sincerely,
Jack Corey, Principal, North Avondale Montessori

The New School Montessori (TNSM) 
● 3 Burton Woods Lane  281.7999 ●www.newschoolmontessori.com   
New School Montessori (6-9) students are working with hands-on materials, which is an important tenet of a Montessori education. First-hand experience allows each child the thrill of discovery. When a child gets to have his own "aha" moment — it sticks.
Montessori's Long Black Strip lesson gives learners perspective on how recently (in Earth's timeline) humans have entered the scene; in an instant, our brief time on Earth is clearly visible. In the original lesson, Dr. Montessori spread 328 yards (3 football fields) of black fabric down a very long street. That expanse of black fabric represented the number of years since Earth's creation. On the tip of that unspooled fabric was a single colored strip of fabric that represented the number of years humans have lived on Earth.
A century later and this lesson still inspires Wows! Amazings! And Oh my goodnesses! What a much-needed lesson in humility for us all.
(This lesson is still given by Montessori teachers today, however the length of the black strip has often been shortened due to practical issues of storage and size of school grounds.)

Ann Baumgardner, Communications Director
NANA CALENDAR
  • Tuesday, November 10 NANA General Meeting 7 pm Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7228542133
  • Tuesday, December 8, NANA General Meeting 7 pm Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7228542133
NANA EXECUTIVE BOARD AND COMMITTEES
President: Ethan Perry
1st VP: Heather Herr
2nd VP: Laura Pike
3rd VP: Patrice Watson
Corresponding Sec.:  Ilene Ross Tucker
Recording Secretary: Morgan Rottinghaus
Treasurer: Robin Senser
Block Watch: Carolyn Gillman
Law & Safety: Carolyn Gillman
Membership: Tristen Yarborough
USEFUL LINKS
North
Avondale
Neighborhood Association

617 Clinton Springs Ave.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45229

513.401.5356