Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

CONTACTS: President of ACNA, Graham Jeffery, 519-578-9603, gwjeffery@rogers.com or Vice President of ACNA Anne Zeiger - azeiger@rogers.com Website: http://alpine-cna.blogspot.com/ Alpine Community

ACNA NEWSLETTER October 2012

Our Halloween Food Drive is 5 Years Old Once again, we will be holding our Halloween night food drive on Wednesday October 31st. We will come around to your homes during the evening, asking for donations to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Each year, we have collected more food than the previous year - 742 lbs (336 kg) last year. So let's get together and break that record in 2012! Depending on how many volunteers we have (see below), we may not get to every house on the 31st so if we miss you, call 519-578-9603 for a pickup. You can call for pickup any time during the period of a week before Halloween to a week after. VOLUNTEERS! Come out and join us Halloween night starting at 5:30 pm, for just two to three hours of going door-to-door. Again, call 519-578-9603 if you are interested or for more information. Or email gwjeffery@rogers.com. Whether you're a volunteer or a donor, we hope to see you then.

Neighbourhood Association

Free Weekend Skating Session at The Aud Alpine Community N.A. has won a free hour of weekend skating at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium ("The Aud") on Sunday, December 23rd. This will be at 1:00PM on the Kinsman Arena ice sheet. Normally, weekend Family Skating requires payment from each skater or family, but this session is free. So come on out and join us at The Aud for fun and exercise.
R091412
Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association Newsletter October 2012 Contact: Graham Jeffery, 519-578-9603, gwjeffery@rogers.com or Anne Zeiger - azeiger@rogers.com

Page 1 of 6

Alpine Public School's Breakfast Club - Looking for Volunteers and Donations As parents and children have been gearing up for the new school year, a small group of dedicated volunteers have also been getting ready to provide a nutritional breakfast for the children of Alpine Public School each morning. Every school day from the 3rd week of September to the 3rd week of June, a well rounded breakfast meal is served to an average of about 40 children/day. Funding for food and equipment comes from donations from Nutrition for Learning, Breakfast for Learning, The Teachers' Association, parents and community donors. We also accept donations of healthy breakfast items, such as whole grain products (bread, bagels and cereals), dairy products (white and chocolate milk, yoghurt and cheese), fresh fruit, and 100% fruit juices (fresh or frozen concentrate). We are always looking for additional volunteers who love children and desire to see that every child arrives in the classroom each day well nourished. We would like to invite community members to join our dedicated team. Time commitment is usually about 1 to 1.5 hours a day, and as little as one day a week, up to 5 days a week. Nutrition for Learning even offers training in safe food handling and first aid, free of charge to volunteers. Food preparation is 8:00 - 8:30, breakfast is served from 8:30 - 9:00, and clean-up usually takes about a half hour following breakfast. For more information on how to volunteer or provide a donation, please contact Tim Bryson, Program Coordinator, at 519-742-9517, or timandjuanita@hotmail.com, or Gail Green, Alpine P.S. Office Administrator, at 519-743-4338. Garden Contest Winner 2012 Looking beyond my yellow wheat fields - Sorry, I meant my front lawn - I see in the distant horizon green grass, lush flowers and greenery. Where is this oasis of foliage? Its in your Alpine Neighbourhood of course. Once again I have volunteered to be the judge in the ACNA garden contest, alongside my co-judge Anne Zeiger. In order to keep this contest fair and square, I asked Anne to walk the neighbourhood and jot down addresses that she believed to be contenders. I too, did the same. With no bribes involved (however I am willing to accept themha ha) we both agreed on a home that looks well-manicured and beautifully landscaped from the front, and a refuge or tamed hinterland to say the least in the back. I have to admit that I do enjoy meeting the winners of this contest every year. Each and every winner that I have met in the past has been so welcoming to me that I am grateful to live in Kitchener. On behalf of Anne Zeiger and myself, I would like to say "Congratulations" to this year's Garden Contest Winner at 14 Gracefield Crescent. It was a pleasure meeting you both, and keep up the Good Work. Roberta Ness

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association Newsletter October 2012 Contact: Graham Jeffery, 519-578-9603, gwjeffery@rogers.com or Anne Zeiger - azeiger@rogers.com

Page 2 of 6

Dear Residents, 2013 Budget With the coming budget preparations for 2013, I want to convey my plans to give priority to maintaining an emphasis on fiscal responsibility with greater efficiency at City Hall; supporting economic development to replace lost jobs in our city; and focusing attention on responding to ward 6 constituent concerns. For me, public service means working to balance the interests of ward 6 residents and the community of Kitchener as a whole. I want to continue supporting initiatives that make our neighbourhoods a great place to live. But, this all needs to be done with cost measures that dont burden our community. I will continue to support a budget that is at, or below, the rate of inflation. Open Air Burning Making a decision on the by-law for open air burning was difficult. Council had received numerous emails and phone calls from residents, with opposing opinions. During council deliberations, I supported by-law officers being given the ability to hand out on-the-spot fines, similar to parking tickets, and revoke ones right to have a backyard fire if they are a chronic violator of the by-law. I believe these methods would strongly encourage responsible enjoyment of fire pits by residents. I believe councils decision took into account the perspective of the opposing points of view: to ban or not to ban outdoor fire pits; however, the best solution will be tolerance and consideration between neighbours. Upcoming Neighbourhood Event On a lighter note, I look forward again to joining the Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association (ACNA) members on Halloween night to scare-up some non-perishable food donations for The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Last year I had a great time joining in their fun and it was wonderful to meet and talk with so many of you at your door. I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet many Ward 6 constituents during my monthly Pop-In with Paul meetings at the Country Hills Community Centre. Meet with me every third Wednesday of the month from 7:30-8:30pm, whether that is to introduce yourself, or share your questions, ideas and concerns. I understand the restraints on your daily schedules and that some of you may not be able to visit me during this meeting time. To try and accommodate you, I will be walking the neighbourhood in the near future to visit some of you at your door, to introduce myself and hear from you. I encourage you to contact me with your questions, concerns and ideas at City Hall 519-741-2793, by email paul.singh@kitchener.ca, or follow me on Twitter @paulsinghward6. Sincerely,

Councillor Paul Singh Ward 6

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association Newsletter October 2012 Contact: Graham Jeffery, 519-578-9603, gwjeffery@rogers.com or Anne Zeiger - azeiger@rogers.com

Page 3 of 6

Home Winterization Tips We all want to save money right? So why not take a little time to winterize your home! By putting in a little effort this winter you can keep the warm air in, the cold air out, and your heating bill low! Here are 5 ways to inexpensively winterize your home!
1) Clean out your gutters! Make sure your gutters are free of fallen and stuck leaves that the autumn wind is sure to blow around. When the snow begins to fall, you will need a clear path for the snow and melting water to drain away from your home, to prevent foundation damage, and away from your roof to prevent leaking. 2) Check windows and doors for drafts and leaks! The most common sources of heat loss are the cracks around your windows and doors, especially if you live in an older home. How do I find these leaks? On a windy day, light a match, candle or incense stick and walk around your home, place it near windows, doors, electrical outlets and anywhere else you think may be drafty. If the flame flickers, you probably have a leak.

3) Check your furnace!

Now that you have found the leaks you can add door sweeps to cover the space under your doors, and apply weather stripping around the edges. To seal off windows, caulk the edges and if you have basement windows, cover your window wells on the outside of your home with a plastic or aluminum shield.

You dont want to wait until the temperature is below zero before making sure your furnace will work. Turn your furnace on, there should be a little smell when turning it on for the first time but if the smell continues turn it off and call an inspector. It is important to replace your filters roughly every 3 months but it suggested that you check them monthly for dirt and dust build up, a dirty filter can become a fire hazard! 4) Fireplaces! If your home is equipped with a fireplace it is important to make sure your chimney way is clear before use, buying a protective cap will keep unwanted animals and debris from entering your chimney. To keep out the cold air when it is not in use, make sure the chimney damper is kept closed. 5) Winterize your gardens and outdoor spaces! Pull up any bulbs that are sensitive to the cold, place them in paper bags and keep them in a cool, dry spot. If you have trees and bushes, trim the branches back and wrap them in Winter Wrap. Make sure you seal up decks and patios to prevent against rotting wood and tuck your patio furniture away to prevent rusting.

Stay toasty my friends!

http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107899 http://homebuying.about.com/od/buyingahome/qt/92607_WinterHom.htm http://www.ehow.com/how_10817_winterize-garden.html

By: Danielle Bettke

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association Newsletter October 2012 Contact: Graham Jeffery, 519-578-9603, gwjeffery@rogers.com or Anne Zeiger - azeiger@rogers.com

Page 4 of 6

Christmas Lights Contest As the days get shorter from now until Christmas, many of us challenge the darkness with our Christmas lights and decorations. It certainly makes our streets beautiful at night. The Alpine Community N.A. chooses the best lighted display, selecting a new winner each year, who is recognized in our newsletter and on our blog and Facebook web pages. We'll be viewing homes around the first week of December. Maybe this will be your year to win!

Graham's Quick Notes

Last June's Movie Night in McLennan Park was rained out outdoors, but was still a great success, filling the gym at the Country Hills Community Centre. Three neighbourhood associations, including ours, along with City Councillor Paul Singh, hosted the event, providing volunteers and financial support. We wish to thank all the volunteers who took the time to plan this event and assist on the evening of the screening. Alpine Community N.A. is five years old. In recognition of this milestone, we were honoured at City Hall during their regular council meeting on June 11th. A certificate was presented to members Jeff McKinnon and Graham Jeffery by Mayor Carl Zehr. We were also presented with a plaque of appreciation by Councillor Paul Singh, for our volunteer contribution to the McLennan Park movie night. Our regular ACNA meetings over the next few months are on November 6th, December 4th and January 8th. These meetings are at Alpine Public School, in the Library, at 7:00 pm. Please come on time as the school doors have to remain locked after we start the meeting. The next issue of this newsletter goes out in early January. Our deadline for submissions, from anyone in the community, is December 12th. We do have some rules around what can be submitted. For example, we cannot sell advertisements or promote any commercial enterprise. And we have been asked to stay away from anything overtly religious. Questions? Want to submit something? Contact me at gwjeffery@rogers.com or 519-578-9603.

Something for everyone. So I asked my North Korean friend how his life was going. He said "Can't complain." Two radio antennae got married. The wedding was okay. The reception was great. When I found out my toaster wasn't waterproof... I was shocked! I bought some Velcro yesterday. What a rip-off!

ACNA is on Facebook. Look for our group under the name Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association and join up. The group page will provide notification of upcoming events and provide a link to our blog, where you can learn more about ACNA and our neighbourhood.

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association Newsletter October 2012 Contact: Graham Jeffery, 519-578-9603, gwjeffery@rogers.com or Anne Zeiger - azeiger@rogers.com

Page 5 of 6

What can you do to be more involved in your neighbourhood? - Come out to our monthly meetings. We enjoy getting together. We plan events, discuss issues of concern, exchange information. - Tell us what you want in this newsletter, suggest a topic, or write something yourself; perhaps an interesting story you want to share. - Pay a tribute to a special neighbour, through the newsletter, blog or Facebook page. - Get involved in our events - like our Earth Day Cleanup, or Halloween Food Drive. - Join our Facebook page and contribute there. - Help us deliver the newsletter. It's a volunteer effort! Four times a year and no more than a few dozen for each person to deliver. Call Graham at 519-578-9603 or email gwjeffery@rogers.com for details on any of these.
Four Ways to Dispose Your Autumn Leaves During October and November, the City of Kitchener will collect tons of Autumn leaves for composting. You can 1) help your own garden by mulching or composting them at home. 2) take them to a drop-off site. Lion's Arena on Rittenhouse Road is the closest to our neighbourhood. This drop-off is for leaves only, not for any other waste. Help the city by dumping the leaves from your plastic bags at the site and disposing of the bags separately. 3) You can also bag the leaves for pickup, like for any other yard waste, on the designated yard waste days, or 4) rake your leaves loose to the curb for pickup, which will take place once during November. Our blog and Facebook pages will be updated when that specific week is determined. Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association - Who Are We? We are the neighbourhood association for the area bounded by Block Line Road, Homer Watson Blvd, Strasburg Road and Ottawa Street. Anybody living within these boundaries is welcome to join. We volunteer to ensure a better social, economic and business climate in the neighbourhood. We publish this newsletter, organize events, hold an annual food drive, provide our neighbours with useful information, and focus on problems in the neighbourhood. We meet once a month during the school year, usually the first Tuesday of each month, in the Alpine Public School library, at 7:00PM. Feel free to come to a meeting! For more information, call Graham Jeffery 519-578-9603.
Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association Newsletter October 2012 Contact: Graham Jeffery, 519-578-9603, gwjeffery@rogers.com or Anne Zeiger - azeiger@rogers.com

Page 6 of 6