GIVING BACK AND BEING PART OF THE SOLUTION

At the Annual Potluck and the Community Planning Meeting in November 2014  Habitat shared some of the information that was collected so far from Lowe's community wide surveys. They shared what we said was important like our desire to have a safe place to live, getting youth programming right here in West Willow and much, much more. Taking the survey is a part of the residents giving back to Lowe's for the grant they so graciously awarded to us! It is a mandatory obligation we promised to complete.  We see the wonderful new fencing  neighbors received for free because of the grant. Doesn't it look good and inviting to the outside community? It shows we care about keeping up our property. So a special thanks to the Lowe employees, Habitat workers and the West Willow residents who all came out and put the fence up. Other things that the grant paid for were more  home exterior improvements that brought painting, gutters and guard improvement and landscape improvements to many West Willow residents. We also look forward to the pavilion that will be built at the Community Resource Center on Tyler rd. 
  There are many residents who have benefited from the work of Habitat's Community Revitalization Project and the Lowe Grant. Neighbors, it's time to step up and finish our responsibility to complete and collect enough surveys. It's time to give back! We have not met that magical number. We still need a little under 100 surveys to complete our part of the grant commitment. So please if you have not done a survey please contact me (Linda Mealing) at 734-483-8195 or contact Shataura Clayborne at 734-478-6331 of Habitat to get a copy to fill out. Copies are also available at the monthly community open meetings.
  The information already gathered also gives residents the opportunity to be a part of the solution to the problems we identified as needing to change. There are 6 action groups that have been formed to address the problems we identified as needing to improve or be resolved. If you have not connected with a group to help the community for CHANGE please consider joining one soon.  You can find the meeting dates on Nextdoor.com or call Shataura or Linda for information. The groups are :

Drug Activity

Access to Amenities

Vandalism & Break-ins

Poor Stree Maintenance & Lighting/Litter, Trash, Debris

Youth

Neighbor Relations

May we all be a part of making West Willow a great place to live. I look forward to meeting more residents and working side by side on our projects like the upcoming pavilion & Habitat rehab homes in West Willow work days and other plans for a greater neighborhood. Working hand in hand, helping our neighbors, caring for the good of each other, partnering with our churches and other community groups will all lead to a stronger and safer community! 

A special thanks to our partners and supporters: Habitat of Huron Valley, Shataura Clayborne/ Habitat's West Willow Community Development staff, Lowe's, Ypsilanti Township Board and Ypsi Paint who also have done landscape and painting in West Willow. And not forgetting a special thanks to Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation, MiWorks and Washtenaw Cty. Grandparents Program who have helped support the Summer program for years.

Linda Mealing 

NWWNA President