CALENDAR OF EVENTS

APRIL
29th - Today U of M Student Presentation, 6pm Join us for final presentations of semester-long work from the Michigan Engaging Communities through the Classroom program (MECC). They will be sharing their ideas from the information that was collected from residents during their door surveys and the input forums held at the CRC. Come early for the Community Resource Fair at 5:30pm. Refreshments provided. Location: New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church, 2345 Tyler Rd.

MAY
5th- West Willow Women In Action(WWWIA) 6:00 - 7:00pm at the CRC (2057 Tyler Rd.) All women and young ladies in the West Willow area are invited to a evening of fellow-shipping with your neighbors. Come on out for personal growth and sharing. You deserve a break! Topical guest speakers are welcomed. Contact Linda Mealing for more details at 734.483.8195

6th - Voting Day, 7:00am - 8:00pm Polls will be open all day to vote on the AAATA ( The RIDE) millage to expand transit service in the community. Make you voice heard. VOTE!

10th - Promoting Ypsi PRIDE in West Willow  Informational fair at the CRC. We are looking for West Willow churches and youth to decorate their bikes and compete for prices. Final details TBD. For more information and questions contact Joann McCollum at joannmccllm@aol.com or  734.845.7362

17th - Ypsilanti P.R.I.D.E., 9:00am - 2:00pm Sign up now! We need participation from all to help beautify the West Willow community. Gather you yard tools and meet at the CRC at 9:00am. Gloves, bags and free lunch will be provided by the sponsors of this city wide event. Contact Joann.

19th - NWWNA Monthly Meeting - 7:00 - 8:00pm at the CRC  The neighbor's association regular monthly meeting

23rd - West Willow Free Summer Camp Early Sign Up, 4:00 -6:00pm  Sign kids up for our annual summer program at the CRC.

24th - West Willow Free Summer Camp Early Sign Up, 9:00-11:00am  Sign up kids at the CRC

31st - Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Orientation, 9:00am  Come learn about Habitat's work in West Willow, owning a home in the neighborhood and how to apply; free refrigerator program;critical repair and weatherization; and energy efficiency and furnace safety. Location: Greater Faith Traditional, Inc., (former Kaiser School) 670 Onandaga St.

JUNE 
23rd West Willow Summer Camp begins  and runs tell August 15th. Monday -Friday, 11:00am -4:00pm   Volunteers and parent participation are needed. Total camper's count will depend on staff size. Coordinator and Contact person: Linda Mealing 734.483.8195

** Food distribution takes place the 1st and 4th Tuesday of each month  at the Greater Faith Transitional Inc. ( former Kaiser School) 670 Onandaga St.

Sharing Thoughts and Concerns

The residents of West Willow may  share their thoughts and concerns about Transportation  on Monday, April 7th at  the CRC located at 2057 Tyler Rd. The event will be part of the West Willow Women in Action  meeting that will run 6-7pm. The U of M students will be there from 6-6:30pm. Please come out and share in the focus group and make transportation better for our residents. How are you getting around from place to place? What could make it better?

PLANNING FOR A BETTER FUTURE

 A special thanks to those residents, community leaders and supporters who filled the CRC on March17th. There was great input from many concerned residents who want our neighborhood to look better, be better and have a lowering crime rate month after month. Some concerns about the appearance of McCartney/Wiard Rd. fencing and the bike/walk path where addressed with the help of Brenda Stumbo and the Road Commissioner Office who was out and in the area the next day! Possible plans for improvement are definitely being addressed. As reports where read at the meeting one could hear there is a lot going on. The NWWNA board is volunteering a lot of time to meet new goals, address residents concerns and to get more residents involved. They  need  all residents and landlords to become an active member in NWWNA. We encourage you all to step up and help with the many projects that are in progress right now. U of M students and Professor Eric Dueweke are busy working on plans that will give us a big view of how and what we can do to  improve life in West Willow. They met with some residents Saturday, March 29th  to get input about what visibly could be changed. They need your input, so please say YES when you get a call to participant in one of their forums this month being held at the CRC. You may have gotten the flyer they passed out  Sunday asking for residents to meet Saturday, April 5th at 1pm at the CRC to share ideas about  transportation issues. There will be a final report presentation on April 29th from 6-8pm  at New Covenant Baptist Church located at 2345 Tyler Rd. for the residents, supporters and twp. and cty. elected officials. So your input is needed now as they prepare for the 29th.! Please  attend the forum/discussion group on Saturday at 1pm, CRC or to the NWWNA board  asap. Let's not let this opportunity slip by. We need you to step up and show up.
The 1st group of  U of M students who where a part of  Michigan Engaging Community through the Classroom (MECC) gave great ideas about our area and about future usage of the old plant property now owned by Racer. Racer Trust was very open to their ideas in 2013 and they continue to keep us informed on what's happening on the property. It would be great to see new  jobs available to West Willow residents.
 We do have opinions and  voices so let's make them known. SPEAK UP and EXPECT changes! We need you to help make change. We need our  twp. and cty.  officials support as we move forward to make West Willow a great place to live.

See list of other "HAPPENINGS" in West Willow:
TELLING IT (an after school program) for 7-9th graders at the CRC starts Thursday, April 3rd at 3:45-5:45pm. and will be every Thursday tell May29th. Contact person  Deb Gordon-Gurfinkel at dmgordon@umich.edu.
WWWIA(west willow women in action)- meet ever 1st Monday of the month at the CRC, 6-7pm. Guest speakers welcomed. Contact Linda at 734.483.8195  Active project now is planning for YPSI PRIDE DAY- May 17th., 9-noon. Meet at the CRC. Sign up now. We need everybody to show up and help beautify our West Willow community. Contact person Joann McCollum - 734.845.7362.
HABITAT- Partnering to buy and rehab homes. Introducing programs to help residents. Weatherization, Veterans, house repairs- in and out,free refrigerators. Contact Shataura Clayborne, 734. 478.6331  
WEST WILLOW SUMMER CAMP- needs your help and financial support. Plans in progess. Contact person Linda, 734.483.8195 and Deb. 734.487.5282.

Linda Mealing
VP NWWNA