NMCA Newsletter (9/12)

Want to follow the foliage?  Go to Fall Foliage in the Southeast

 

* The Board of Directors meets the first Wednesday of most months at 6:30 PM at the Northgate Soda Shop or other local venues …check the website for the date of the next meeting or email pgilreath@aol.com for the location and if we are meeting that month.

2013 NMCA Elections – Call for Nominations

It’s time to start thinking about NMCA elections for the coming year.  We need some new blood!  All officers must reside within the geographical boundaries of the NMCA for the entire period they hold office, Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2013.  All officers must have been a member in good standing for a minimum of 12 months prior to the election and must be 18 years or older.  The President and Vice President may serve 2 consecutive terms and may then run for any office other than the one currently held.  The Treasurer, Recording Secretary and Membership Secretary will be able to succeed her or himself as elected by the members.  This is a call for nominations for the 2013 NMCA Board of Directors.  Any member may nominate someone for office.  The nomination must be submitted no later than October 15.  You may email the nomination to pgilreath@aol.com or mail to PO Box 571, Greenville, SC  29602.  The person nominated must agree to serve if elected and a brief statement of their qualifications and past contributions would be helpful.  Election ballots will be emailed or mailed to all members in November.

Welcome to NMCA’s Newest Business Members

Sullivan Company was started in October 1974, merged with a national public insurance brokerage firm in May 1994 and was reestablished January 1, 2000 in order to start the new millennium as an independent insurance brokerage firm with an emphasis on excellent service. Sullivan Company’s employees have a combined professional experience of over 380 years. We provide a variety of commercial, professional, personal and benefits coverages including bond services. Our goal and commitment is to know your business as well as possible. Armed with that knowledge, we can design a flexible plan of insurance products to suit your individual needs.”

 

Please join us in welcoming The Silver Screen Café! Located at 1540 Wade Hampton Blvd. next door to the Arnold Bakery Thrift Store and near BJU, they offer breakfast and lunch. Browse their walls, covered in pictures and posters from some of the most memorable movies ever made. Check out the tables for even more movie history while you wait on your order. Please note that breakfast has been discontinued until further notice…however, they are considering extending their hours to include dinner. (Maybe until 8pm) They are looking for customer feedback to see if there is enough interest in this.  So go to their Facebook page and let them know if this is something you would like!

Welcome and thank you for your support of NMCA!

 

Don’t forget…voter registration deadline is Saturday, October 6.  In order to vote, South Carolina law requires one must first register to vote at least 30 days prior to the election.You can register to vote by visiting your county voter registration board and completing an application. You may also download the mail-in voter registration application, complete it and mail it to your county board of voter registration. The registration form can also be used to update your address and make other changes to your voter registration information.  Remember…if you don’t vote, you can’t complain!  http://elections.mytimetovote.com/south_carolina.html

Update on Rain Garden at Rotary Park

For those who noticed the digging going on down by the bridge near the ball field at the North Main Rotary Park, the city Parks & Rec dept. (with financial assistance from NMCA) has installed a ‘Rain Garden’ to help capture and filter water that flows down and accumulates in that area.  The garden has now been completed as you can see in the photo.  Stop by and take a look for yourself!

Working in the Park

Before
After

Now that fall is approaching, the weather is much more conducive to getting out and working in the garden and at the North Main Rotary Park!  Cudos to Jean Martin for initiating the recent weeding project at the triangular perennial bed near the ball field.  It had been neglected for too long and looks much better now as you can see by the before and after pictures!  (That’s Jean behind all the weeds in the ‘before’ photo).  We’ll be doing some planting and rock work there soon.  Thanks also to Joanne Conner for helping and to Joanne and to Joyce Murphy for weeding and pruning at our North Main Entrance Sign behind the Rite Aid.

We’ll likely plan a work day this fall for pulling kudzu and other weeds at the park so if you want to help, just send an email to pgilreath@aol.com and we’ll put you on the list to make sure you get the date.

 

Neighborhood Halloween Celebrations

Halloween will be here before we know it!  As we did last year, we want to provide our members with a list of Halloween celebrations going on in the community.  So send us your info!  We will once again be joining Earle Street in their Halloween Parade.  Last year we also had events on Buist, Avondale and Parkwood.  Send us the dates and times for your events and we’ll get the word out!

Weather Tidbits

According to climate data, the average maximum temperature for Greenville in September is 81.2°(doesn’t sound much like fall temperatures to me!), the average low is 61.3°F and the average precipitation is 4.0”.  The record maximum for the period 1962-2006 was 96°F on September 4, 1975.  The record minimum was 36°F on September 30, 1967.  Record high rainfall was in 1975 with 11.65”.   Record minimum precipitation was 0.00” back in 1962.  http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html   http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/index.php

From September 6-7, 2004, Tropical Storm Frances triggered a record 47 tornadoes as it tracked up the spine of the Appalachians. The National Weather Service, using the F0-F5 Fujita scale, identified 26 F0s, 17 F1s, 3 F2s and 1 F3 during the 2-day period.

Fall for 2012 begins in the Northern Hemisphere on September 22, 10:49 A.M. EDT. This is the Autumn Equinox.  The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night.” The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator. http://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-fall-autumnal-equinox

Greenville Parks & Rec Youth Commission

The City of Greenville is looking for youth interested in serving on the Youth Commission.  The Greenville Youth Commission is an official commission established by City Council to increase youth input and involvement in Greenville. The purpose of the Youth Commission is to advise City Council, the City Manager and other city staff, to ensure an ongoing and official place in the city’s comprehensive planning, to increase communication between the city’s adults and youth, and to ensure that the youth in the community are an integral part of government decision making.

The Youth Commission will consist of 16-24 members enrolled in or entering grades 9-12. Commissioners must live within the city limits. Additionally, no more than four college students under the age of 20 attending a college in the greater Greenville area may serve. Terms of office are yearly with eligibility to continue until the age limit is reached. For more information, or to apply, please go to this website

North Main Crime Update

We try to keep our community updated on crime issues that affect you.  To receive these timely email alerts, you must be a member of NMCA.  See information at the end of the newsletter about membership.  This month, we’re passing along a ‘tongue in cheek’ list that some may have seen but it bears repeating and keeping in mind.  “Confessions of a Burglar” include 22 things a burglar would NEVER tell you, including:

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste… and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

For the complete list, go to this website.  And remember, let us know about crimes or suspicious activity in your area so we can alert our neighbors!

North Main Community Yard Sale

Mark your calendars and starting cleaning out those closets and basements!  The third annual North Main Community Yard Sale will be held October 13 at the Northgate Soda Shop back parking lot from 7 am to 2 pm.  All spaces are FREE, first come first served.  When you arrive, please unload, set up around the perimeter of the parking lot and move your car to the street.  This will give more room for more people and will permit access to the Soda Shop and Beauty Shop.  Sell what you can and the money is yours.  Anything you do not want to take home with you can be left with Judy McBrearty and she will donate the items to charity.  She will be at the light pole as you pull in, in the white Chevy truck.

Safe City Celebration

Enjoy your Fall Saturday in McPherson Park…the oldest Park in the City of Greenville located downtown at the corner of North Main Street and E. Park Avenue. This fun filled day will offer many family opportunities on October 6 from 10am to 2 pm. The City of Greenville Police Department will be offering the Second Annual Safe City Event and the Parks and Recreation Department will be offering tours and activities for everyone.  If you want to insure you have food, just contact NMCA and we’ll make sure they reserve a ticket for you.

This year they are emphasizing the dangers of impaired driving.  They will have on-hand the “impaired driver simulator” car as well as the DUI “Fatal Vision” goggles. Explore and meet with:  Animal Control, Swat Team, K-9 Unit, Fire Truck, Free Child ID Kits, Equipment Displays.  Enjoy free food, putt-putt, basketball, goodie bags, plus giveaways and drawings.

HABITUS Focus Group for October – Participants Needed!

Dr. Kerstin Blomquist, an assistant professor of clinical psychology at Furman University and head of the Healthy and Active Bodies in the UpState (HABITUS) lab, is seeking to partner with the North Main Community.  She wants to hear residents’ thoughts and concerns about nutrition, eating behaviors and physical activity, in order to identify new opportunities for community-based initiatives. We had our first focus group in July.  She will be organizing another small focus group of 6-8 residents later in October, depending on the schedule of those who would like to participate.  It only takes a couple of hours.  If you are interested in participating in this second group, please contact Dr. Blomquist at habitus.lab@gmail.com or call 864-294-2811. She will work with you to determine the best day/time to best suit your busy schedules.  For more information on the program, go to the HABITUS website.

 

World Alzheimer’s Month

September is World Alzheimer’s Month. Worldwide, 35 million people and their families are affected by dementia. Learn how you can Go Purple for the cause, be inspired by how others are facing Alzheimer’s and share your own story. Your efforts can make a difference during World Alzheimer’s Month — together, we can help end Alzheimer’s.  Learn how you can get involved during World Alzheimer’s Month >>

Flash From the Past

On January 10, 1912, 80 years after becoming a city, Greenville opened its first community hospital – the beginning of Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center.  When Greenville, South Carolina, was incorporated as a city in 1831, there was ONE doctor in town and NO hospital. By the 1890s, Greenville was a bustling blue-collar city of 10,000 with 50,000 residents in the county. More doctors had moved in. Several even ran their own mini-hospitals, called “sanitariums,” for their private patients. But for the general population, there wasn’t a hospital open to all. In 1895, the Greenville Hospital Association board was formed to raise money to build a permanent hospital. It included the Ladies Auxiliary Board of the Hospital Association. Together, they raised the private funds needed to purchase a large sanitarium, which proudly reopened as City Hospital on January 10, 1912. The 84-bed City Hospital would evolve into Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center.

 This Greenville store has been a retail landmark in downtown since the late 1800s when it was a shoe and dry goods store. It is probably best known to long-time Greenvillians as the “old Meyers-Arnold,” a locally-owned retailer which carried everything from housewares and lingerie to men’s shoes and linens. After Meyers-Arnold closed its downtown location, several other retailers occupied the building at 111 North Main Street including a public market featuring several vignettes and small shops.  Today it is better known as “Mast General Store

 

Many of you probably recognize this familiar building in downtown Greenville.  But do you remember what used to be at this site?

 

 

What about this lovely garden area?    It looks a little different today.

 

 

Caesar’s Head Hawk Watch

From early September through late November of each year, members of the Greenville County Bird Club participate in a count of migrating hawks at Caesar’s Head State Park.  The yearly counts are reported to the Hawk Migration Association of North America and to Cornell University’s Laboratory of Ornithology. 1988 was the first year a report was submitted.  The majority are broad-winged hawks and on a good day in September, hundreds even thousands of raptors might be seen passing through.  For more information about the Caesar’s Head Hawk Watch program, please contact Tim Lee, Park Interpreter, at (864) 836-6115 or by e-mail at caesars_head_sp@prt.state.sc.us.

 

Monarch Butterfly Viewing Areas in the Blue Ridge Smoky Mountains

During the autumn-fall seasons in the mountains, meadows and fields are ideal settings for viewing monarch butterfly migration, especially those areas that contain plants like asters and goldenrod. Monarch sightings are witnessed throughout all the Blue Ridge Smoky Mountains during the month of September and into October.

Many of the high mountainous areas of Tennessee, North Georgia, Up Country South Carolina and Western North Carolina are more abundantly visited than others. Many of these long distance travelers are especially fond of the higher elevations along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  http://theblueridgehighlander.com/natures-pilgrimage-the-monarch/migration-viewing-spots-in-the-Blue-Ridge-Smoky-Mountains.php

 

Calendar

City Council Formal Meeting and Work Session schedules can be found at http://www.greenvillesc.gov/city_government/meet.asp

The Hughes Main Library has numerous programs in the summer for children.  Check out the September calendar.

Starting September 5Fidelity Investments Moonlight Movie SeriesWednesdays, 8 – 10:30 pm.  Falls Park Amphitheater.  Free family fun entertainment and each week a different movie from the 50’s to the 80’s. Coolers, food, beverages, blankets, chairs are permitted.   Telephone: 864-467-4484

September 13The Hillcrest Garden Club will hold its first meeting of the 2012-2013 year on Thursday, September 13, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at the Greenville Woman’s Club, 8 Bennett St., Greenville, SC. The social hour starts at 10:00 a.m., the business meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. and the program will be held at 10:45 a.m. Dr. Judith Babb Chandler-Huse will speak on Greenville’s historic Springwood Cemetery. “Springwood Cemetery Began Simply as a Rose Garden” will focus on history, present preservation needs and future plans for enhancement.  Guests and prospective members are always welcome. Call Mary Roberts at 458 7735 for more information.

September 18 – Native Plant Society Upstate Chapter Meeting. 7pm.  Founder’s Hall Dining Commons, Southern Wesleyan University in Central.   In 1773, William Bartram set out from Charleston on a 2500-mile journey through the South, at a time when much of it was still wilderness. The account of his explorations was published in 1791 in a classic now known simply as the Travels.  The speaker, Brad Sanders, is the author of Guide to William Bartram’s Travels — Following the Trail of America’s First Great Naturalist, which describes the trail and places visited by Bartram as well as what you’d see if you retraced his route today

September 21 – Trivia is back!  7-8pm at the Northgate Soda Shop.  Check out other events at their new website.

September 21City Shredding Event.  11am-2pm.  TD Convention Center.  All paper MUST be bagged or boxed and each person is limited to three large trash bags or three small boxes of paper. Bags and boxes must be intact, with no rips or tears. Reusable bags, boxes or containers will be returned to you. Attendees will also have an opportunity to support Greenville’s Harvest Hope Food Bank, by donating new, non-perishable items during the event.  Free.

September 21  – Euphoria – Taste of the South.  6 – 10pm.  Peace Center Amphithetaer and Wyche Pavillion. Charity Fundraiser with food presented by local restaurants, alcohol and entertainment.  Ticket packages available.

September 22Upstate Native Plant Society Plant Sale.  9am – 1pm.  McAlister Square North Parking Lot.

September 22Art in the Park.  10am – 6pm: Festival.  7:30 – 11:30pm:  Art After Dark.  Sunday, Sept 23, 11am – 5pm: Festival.  South Main Street from Broad to Camperdown and at the end of Liberty Bridge at Wyche Parking Lot. Free.

September 22Bumblee Bee Fund 5K9am – 11am.  CU-ICAR.  Charity run/walk.  Registration opens at 8am.  Race starts at 9am.  This year, The BumbleBee Fund will be raising money to help 3 very deserving families. Each are taking one day at a time to make ends meet and keep their family happy, healthy, and loved. Your donation to this year’s 5k Families will help purchase groceries, gasoline, and/or assist with mortgage/rent/utility payments. Their stories are unique, but the help is the same.

September 29Project Rx: A River Remedy.  McAlister Square.  10am – 2pm.  Project Rx is local collaboration to keep our rivers and residents safe from unused medication by properly disposing of it through local law enforcement. The semi- annual, drug take-back events are free and safe for households only. The multiple locations throughout the Upstate are continuously added.   Free.

September 29Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure8am – 10am.  Fluor Field at West End.  Admission: race registration

October 6Paws for a Cause. 8am – 12 noon.  Starts at County Square on 301 Unversity Ridge Drive,
A non-competitive dogwalk dedicated to raising awareness and funds in the fight against cancer. Registration is at 8:00am and the walk begins at 9:15am.  Admission: Registration fees

October 6Textile Heritage Festival. 10am – 5pm.  Upcountry History Museum.  The Upcountry History Museum is proud to welcome back the Textile Heritage Society for the annual Textile Heritage Celebration. Enjoy delightful musical guests, meet representatives from local historical societies, & enjoy free Museum admission all weekend.

October 12Fall for Greenville.  5 – 11pm. Main St from Beattie to Camperdown including all side streets.  A food festival in downtown Greenville featuring several local restaurants, entertainment of live music and beer and wine.  Free admission. 

For other community events, check the Greenville City calendar 

Or, the Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau

 

Fall Programs at Greenville Community Centers

Program Instructors Needed

The City of Greenville Parks and Recreation Department is seeking instructors to offer fun and exciting recreational and educational classes to our community. Our department offers a wide variety of recreational programs to citizens of all ages. These programs take place in city parks, community centers and other locations.   For a full listing of programs visit  http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/RecPrograms.aspx

Music Together 

McPherson Park Log Cabin, Saturdays, September 15 – November 10. 10:30 – 11:15am.  The City of Greenville Parks and Recreation Department is offering Music Together at the Sears Shelter Cabin at McPherson Park! The instructor, Elizabeth Boone, who is a fully trained and registered Music Together teacher, works with 6-12 children and their caregiver to offer forty-five minutes of music and movement experiences. Each weekly class offers a dozen songs and rhythmic rhymes. Children and their adults have opportunities to create and improvise – making up new words to songs, offering movement ideas, making silly sounds, and sharing musical ideas from the family’s play at home. These classes are for babies through kindergarteners and their caregivers. Tuition for this 9 week session is $175/1st child and $125/sibling; Infants 8 months or younger who attend with paying sibling – FREE. There is a $15 registration fee for all new families. This fee is non-refundable. This registration fee will be waived for City of Greenville residents. City residents enter the coupon code “GREENCITY” at checkout to waive the registration fee.  Note: Registration is not available through the city of Greenville. Please visit musictogetherofgreenville.com/ to register.

Writing Workshops

In partnership with the Emrys Foundation, the City of Greenville Parks and Recreation Department is offering writing workshops this Fall at Bobby Pearse Community Center and Sears Recreation Center! For more information about these programs: at www.emrys.org.

Let’s Move Kids Fitness

Ages 5-12 | Sept. 8-Oct. 13 | Saturdays 10:30-11:30 am
Let’s get kids active! This FREE 6-week program focuses on kids’ fitness and nutrition. Let’s Move! is an initiative, launched by the First Lady, dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation. This fitness program incorporates components of this campaign. The classes are taught by our Recreation staff. Each class incorporates stretching, nutrition, sports and games. Classes meet beside the Cleveland Park Center at 2 Cleveland Park Drive.   On September 29 at 10:30am, during Let’s Move Kids Fitness, we will host USTA Free Tennis Play Day in celebration of Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play at the Cleveland Park Tennis Courts! Bring your racket and let’s play tennis

YOGA

When:  Mondays, 6:30  – 7:45pm.  September 10 – October 29.  No experience necessary.

Where: Bobby Pearse Community Center.

Fee: $32 for city residents; $40 for non-residents.

Register online or call 467-4331

 

ZUMBA

When:  Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30-6:30pm.  September 4 – November 29.

Where:  Sears Recreation Center.  McPherson Park.

Fee:  City residents $96.  Non-residents $120.

Register online or call 467-4326

  

The City of Greenville works with a variety of organizations to host programs in city facilities. Registration for these programs is available through their websites.

JAZZERCIZE

Adults | Sept. 1-Nov. 30 | Monday-Saturday classes, times vary
The Jazzercise workout program combines jazz dance, resistance training, Pilates, yoga and kickboxing movements into one 60-minute total body workout. Each workout blends dance aerobics with muscle toning and stretching movements. Our certified fitness instructors make all the routines fun and easy-to-follow. Note: Registration is not available through the city of Greenville. Please visit jcls.jazzercise.com to register.

Girls on the Run
Ages 8-11 | Sept. 13-Nov. 15 | Tues & Thurs 6pm – 7:15pm
Girls on the Run is an after school program that uses the power of running to help girls become strong, content, self-confident young women. The program combines training for a 3.1 mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts. The goals of the program are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development. Note: Registration is not available through the City of Greenville. Please register at www.ghschildrens.org.

Pickleball
Adults | Sept. 8-Nov. 24 | Saturdays 9:30am – Noon. Gower Park (24 Evelyn Ave.)
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the USA. It is easy to learn and played by persons of all ages but seniors in particular. It provides good exercise, competition, fun, and social interaction. The game is played on a shortened and narrowed tennis court, singles or doubles, with a hard paddle and a plastic, baseball-sized, light-weight whiffle ball. It’s like playing ping-pong on a tennis court. Adults of all ages and abilities are welcome to attend, but we would recommend some paddle-sport experience like tennis, or a bit of coordination and the physical ability to move around on the small court. The program is free to try, and there’s only a quarterly $10 charge for new balls if you continue. Loaner paddles will be provided until you purchase your own. Just come, wear your court shoes, bring your sense of humor, and be prepared for lots of fun.  Want more info on the sport?  Go to http://www.upstatepickleball.blogspot.com/

Senior Softball
Adult Seniors | Sept. 4-Nov. 27 | Tuesdays 10 am – Noon
Grab your glove, grab your cleats and join us on Tuesdays at 10am at Cleveland Park for Senior Softball! This program is for adults 55 years old and older and meets weekly. There is no fee to play. The goal of this program is to create a league of teams to compete with each other; however, participants will continue to meet weekly and scrimmage until there are enough players to form an adequate number of teams.

In partnership with the Greenville Sports Leagues, the City of Greenville Parks and Recreation is offering Adult Co-Ed Kickball, Adult Co-Ed Flag Football and Men’s Flag Football.

Kickball, Co-Ed
Adults | Oct. 3-Dec 7 | Wednesdays & Fridays | Games are between 6 and 10 pm
Interested in playing Adult Kickball? Join us at N. Main Rotary Park this fall with other young professionals in a sport that is fun to play and easy to learn! Note: Registration is not available through the City of Greenville. Please register at playgreenville.com

 

The use of trade names or advertisements in this publication does not constitute endorsement or discrimination by the North Main Community Association.

NMCA Newsletter (9/12)
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