ACNA - Newsletter 2012 06 June Final

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

ACNA NEWSLETTER June 2012
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
Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association - Who Are We? We are the Association 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. to the task of cleaning up meant that large areas of public space in our neighbourhood look so much better now. Thank you to the City of Kitchener for providing supplies and support, and to the Tim Hortons outlet at Ottawa and Strasburg for free coffee to help keep Your Front Gardens Beautify the Neighbour- our volunteers warm in such blustery weather. Most of all, THANK YOU to those who volunhood - We Recognize The Best! Just a reminder of our Garden Contest. Front gar- teered and picked up the litter. dens in the neighbourhood will be judged by our ACNA volunteer judges, picking the best for recognition by ACNA in this newsletter and online. We will be picking a new winner this year. Previous winners were at 6 Lucerne (2010) and 112 Geneva (2011). The ACNA Earth Day Cleanup Makes a Difference After a one day delay due to rain, we held our annual ACNA Earth Day Cleanup on Sunday, April 22nd, a month after the start of Spring, only you wouldn't believe it judging from the weather - cold and windy. That might have limited the number of people who turned out to participate in picking up litter. Even so, their dedication
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Neighbourhood
Alpine Neighbourhood Garage Sale - Reminder On Saturday June 9th, we have our annual Alpine Neighbourhood garage sale. Everyone in the Alpine area is encouraged to have their sale on that date. Last year we had around 30 households participating. How many will there be this year?
Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association Newsletter June 2012 Contact: Graham Jeffery, 519-578-9603, gwjeffery@rogers.com or Anne Zeiger - azeiger@rogers.com
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Dear Residents, On June 10, the City of Kitchener will begin to celebrate the most exciting occasion of 2012the anniversary of our 100 years of cityhood! Thats right. In 1912 the town of Berlin, known today as Kitchener, celebrated its Achievement of Cityhood. Events to commemorate our history and culture are taking place throughout the year, closing with a climactic celebration on New Years Eve. A dedicated website has been created to give you all the latest event details, as well as provide a place for you to share and view pictures and stories of by-gone years in the City of Kitchener. All this and more can be found at www.kitchener100.ca. These events plus all the great summer downtown events like the Multicultural Festival in June, Blues Fest, Craft Beer and Ribfest, Cruising on King, and more, can all be found on the City of Kitchener event calendar at www.kitchener.ca or at www.downtownkitchener.ca. Visual appeal, location and amenities are only a part of what makes a great neighbourhood to live in. When we are connected and engaged with our neighbours we create a strong and healthy community to live and play in. This is why I think it is important to recognize and thank the Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association volunteers for their many accomplishments and contributions to making the Alpine neighbourhood an even greater place to live over the past year. They keep us up-to-date with four newsletters, an online blog and Facebook group page. They also organized a Halloween food drive, collecting 742 lbs of food for the Foodbank of Waterloo Region; organized a community clean-up in recognition of Earth Day in which 20 bags in total were collected; promoted a successful neighbourhood garage sale; awarded recognition to the residences with the best front garden and Christmas decorations; were part of the McLennan Park Movie Night planning group, and more! Im sure many of you were affected by at least one of these accomplishments, possibly talking to neighbours for the first time, or having the opportunity to meet some new neighbours, or just being kept in the loop with the neighbourhood goings on. As we move forward in 2012, I will continue to represent the needs of the Ward 6 community. I encourage you to contact me with your questions and ward or city wide concerns at the office 519-741-2793, by email paul.singh@kitchener.ca, or follow me on Twitter @paulsinghward6. Sincerely,
Councillor Paul Singh Ward 6

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Our Annual General Meeting We held our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, May 1st and selected our new executive team. Last year we had 8 on the executive and we decided to reduce that to 6 for this coming year. That way, we can conduct meetings with fewer executive members required to have a quorum. Of course, all residents in the ACNA area are encouraged to come out to our meetings, as all residents are automatically members of the Neighbourhood Association and have a full voice in ACNA. The executive for the period of May 1, 2012 to April 30, 2013 is: President - Graham Jeffery Vice-President - Anne Zeiger Secretary - Colleen Coulson Members-at-Large - Jeff McKinnon, Dennis Haid, Peter Kahner
Cat Was Lost. Cat Was Found! Sandra and Jeff's cat "Kao" ran away from their Roberts Crescent home around the middle of April, and about three weeks later was found under a deck at an Alpine Road home. Now that Kao is home, Sandra and Jeff wanted to make sure that our Alpine Road neighbour was thanked and recognized. It's great when a neighbour helps out! Something for Everyone I changed my iPod's name to Titanic. It's syncing now. When chemists die, they barium. Jokes about German sausage are the wurst. I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop any time. How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it. (contd)
Kitchener's 100 Years of Cityhood. Let's Join In The Celebration. In 1912, the town of Berlin's (now Kitchener) dynamic growth and prosperity meant it was officially time to be recognized as a city. This year, we celebrate that milestone. Here are some events we can participate in.... June 10 (Sunday) - The Centennial Kickoff event. A Street Party on King Street between College and Gaukel. Noon to 5 p.m. Activities and Demonstrations; including Mental Floss, Kitchener Fire Department, Waterloo Region Museum, bands, other musical acts, food vendors, etc. It's going to be big. July 15 (Sunday) - Guinness World's Longest Picnic. Help break the current record. Bring your own food or buy some there, and sit down at tables lining King Street from Water to Frederick, then up Duke Street. Some downtown restaurants will be taking orders for box lunches. Come at 11:00 a.m., as the official Guinness measurement will take place at noon, so we have to be in our seats at that time. More details on each of these events will be posted online closer to the event date - at kitchener100.ca You can find information about other Kitchener events at the same site, or keep an eye on our blog and Facebook pages for updates.
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Eco spring cleaning After being cooped up in a stuffy house all winter long, its finally time to fling open the windows, shoo away the cobwebs, and take on your annual spring cleaning. But often, the chemicals found in conventional cleaning products can be more dangerous than the dirt theyre intended to clean. And the way we clean (with lots of disposable paper towels) isnt exactly earth-friendly. Thankfully, there are many alternatives available that can help you make your home squeaky cleanand green. Green cleaning products The last thing you want to do is dump toxic chemicals into the environment in the name of cleaning, right? These days, you dont have to make a special trip to the natural foods store to seek out environmentallysensitive cleaning products. Seventh Generation, Method and Biokleen are three companies that make full lines of household cleaners, and you can find them in just about every store. These products work just as well as their conventional counterparts. Or you can stock your natural cleaning kit with homemade cleanersmaking them yourself is super easy. The basic supplies youll need to make your own green cleaners include: Distilled white vinegar (sold in the cooking section of most supermarkets) Baking soda Olive oil Borax (sold in a box in the laundry aisle) Liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bronner's brand, found in most natural foods stores) Essential oils (super concentrated natural plant oils found in natural foods stores, usually in the cosmetics section) Microfiber cleaning cloths Newspaper Here are a few basic recipes and techniques to get you started: Glass: Mix 1/4 cup vinegar with 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray on glass and wipe clean with old newspaper or a lint-free cloth. Countertops and bathroom tile: Mix 2 parts vinegar and 1 part baking soda with 4 parts water. Apply with a sponge, scour, and wipe away. Floors: Mix 4 cups of white distilled vinegar with about a gallon of hot water. If desired, add a few drops of pure peppermint or lemon oil for a pleasant scent. After damp mopping the floors, the smell of vinegar will dissipate quickly, leaving behind only the scent of the oil. Wood furniture: Mix equal parts of lemon juice and olive oil. Apply a small amount to a cloth, and rub onto the furniture in long, even strokes. Toilet bowl cleaner: Sprinkle a toilet brush with baking soda and scrub away! Occasionally disinfect your toilet by scrubbing with borax instead. Wipe the outside of the toilet clean with straight vinegar. Disinfectant: Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar, 3 cups hot water, and 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use a spray bottle. Wipe clean. Mold and mildew: Wipe with straight vinegar. Air freshener: Sprinkle essential oil on a cotton ball, and stash it in a corner of the room. If you have kids, make sure it is out of their reach as essential oils are very strong and could irritate their skin. Lavender is a relaxing scent that is great for bedrooms, and cinnamon, clove, and citrus oils are great for the rest of the
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house. You can stash a few in the car tootry peppermint, which may help you to stay alert. And while youre at it, consider these 6 additional ways to green up while you clean up: 1. Hang dry your laundry. Drying your clothes in an electric or gas dryer isnt just hard on your clothes; its also hard on the environment. Dont stop with natural laundry detergent. Stay green every step of the way and install a clothesline in your backyard. If space (or aesthetics) is an issue, look for a retractable clothesline like one from Gaiam. Weather permitting, line-dry your clothes outside to reduce pollution, cut your energy bill, get more exercise, enjoy the sunshine, and extend the life of your clothes. Plus, theyll smell like a clean breeze, not a fake clean breeze scent. 2. Add a little greenery. Install a living air filterhouseplants! Some of the most efficient air-cleaning houseplants include Spider plants, English ivy, rubber plants, and peace lilies. Youll need 15 to 18 medium-sized (6 to 8-inch diameter container) houseplants for the average 1,800 square foot house. If that sounds like a lot, place a few plants in the room where you spend the most time. 3. De-clutter your wardrobe. Donate gently worn items to charity, where theyll get a second life, and donate torn and stained items (if theyre made of an absorbent fabric) to your rag collection, where theyll replace wasteful paper towels. And as youre packing up your winter sweaters, replace those stinky mothballs with a natural and better-smelling version: Stuff a lonely unpaired sock with cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and whole cloves and tie it at the end. 4. Paint your walls green. If spring cleaning at your house involves a fresh coat of paint, consider the VOC content of the paint when choosing your paint. VOC's, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are chemicals that form vapors at room temperature. Some VOCs, like the ones in many paints, contribute to smog and indoor air pollution, and can cause a host of short and long-term health problems. The good news is that many paint manufacturers have started making low or noVOC paints. The bad news is that many of those manufacturers have simply substituted VOC's with other non-VOC-yet-still-toxic chemicals. For truly eco-conscious safe paint, check out these products: Eco-Spec, by Benjamin Moore; Clarity, by Dutch Boy; Enviro-Pure, by MAB Paint; American Pride Paint; and BioShield Milk Paint. 5. Swap out your Swiffer. Instead of continually buying expensive single-use mop pads, invest in a reuseable mop. Casabella is one brand thats widely available in health food stores and general stores. Their mop heads can be washed in your washing machine, hung dry, and used again and againwell worth their moderate price tag. 6. Ditch the paper towels. Save trees, cash and landfill waste. You can buy specially-made, washable cleaning and dusting cloths (in all types of fabrics from cotton to microfiber). But better yet? Use what you already have and give an old piece of cloth (stained towels, ratty sheets and pillowcases, too-small T-shirts, etc.) a new life. Simply cut or tear your old item into smaller squares (if you want to get fancy, finish the edges with a sewing machine), and voila! Pop them in the washing machine with your laundry to clean, and use them again and again. Cleaning up your home for spring doesnt have to be dirty work. When you implement some of these ideas and products, you can rest assured that youre benefiting your body, your home and the planet all at once. Many of these changes are small ones, but their impact on your health and the environment can really add up over time. Happy spring cleaning!
from : http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=1073............... Submitted by Roberta Ness.
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More of Something for Everyone I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Then it dawned on me. This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I'd never met herbivore.
I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough. Haunted French pancakes give me the crpes. Velcro what a rip off!
I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can't A cartoonist was found dead in his home. Details put it down. are sketchy. I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words. Venison for dinner again? Oh deer!
Submitted by Dennis Haid
They told me I had type-A blood, but it was a TypeGreat One-Liners O. What do you call a sheep with no legs? A cloud Why were the Indians here first? They had reservations. What do you call a camel with 3 humps? Humphreys Were going on a class trip to the Coca-Cola facWhat do cows do for entertainment? tory. I hope there's no pop quiz. They rent moovies ! I didn't like my beard at first. Then it grew on me. What does a fish say when it runs into a wall? Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher who lost DAMN! her job because she couldn't control her pupils? When you get a bladder infection urine trouble. Broken pencils are pointless. I tried to catch some fog, but I mist. If a turtle doesnt have a shell, is it naked or homeless ? How do you stop a fish from smelling? Cut its nose off What do you call a fish with no eye ? FSH !
What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive voWhat do you call a deer with no eyes ? cabulary? A thesaurus. I have no I-Deer England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liv- What is invisible and smells like carrots? erpool. Rabbit farts. I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest. What is a dogs favourite school subject? "Dog-Ruff-E "
I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Why are there no aspirins in the jungle? Marx. Because the parrots-ate-them-all. All the toilets in New York's police stations have been stolen. The police have nothing to go on.
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the School Portable & bring a flashlight if you have one. REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Call 519741-2600 ext 4177 or email knap@kitchener.ca to register. Huron Natural Area Butterfly Count - Join volunteers and naturalists in the annual Huron Natural Area Butterfly Count. Participants will learn about the amazing variety of butterfly species found living in the Huron Natural Area and will assist with the count and inventory. Be prepared to be outside for the afternoon. Suitable for people of all ages and skill levels. - Saturday July 7, 1-4 p.m. at Huron Natural Area, 801 Trillium Drive, Kitchener. Meet at the Picnic Shelter/Washroom Building REGISTRATION REQUIRED! Call 519-741-2600 ext 4177 or email knap@kitchener.ca to register. Life in the Pond - We will take our nets and buckets and try to find and collect some of the incredible creatures that live in the ponds of the Huron Natural Area. - Saturday July 28, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Huron Natural Area, 801 Trillium Drive, Kitchener. Meet at the Picnic Shelter/Washroom Building
Enjoy and Learn More About Nature in Kitchener This Summer The Kitchener Natural Areas Program offers free events for the whole family - all ages welcome. Here are three that will be taking place this summer. All About Bats - Learn about these fascinating mammals and their amazing lives. This event will feature an indoor presentation and a night-time outdoor hike. - Saturday June 16, 2012; 8-10 p.m. at Huron Natural Area, 801 Trillium Drive, Kitchener. Meet in
Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association Meeting Dates and Locations We will have our regular monthly meetings on the following dates this coming Fall 2012. All meetings are at 7:00 p.m. - September 11th at Country Hill Community Centre - October 2nd at Alpine Public School - November 6th at Alpine P.S. - December 4th at Alpine P.S. We offer snacks at each meeting!
Last of the Great One-Liners Why was the Energizer Bunny arrested? He was charged with battery. What do you call two Mexicans playing basketball? Juan on Juan. Why do gorillas have big nostrils? Because they have big fingers!!!!!!!!!
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Quickies .................... City of Kitchener Bylaw FAQs Projects that do not require a Building Permit Structure less than 108 square feet measured from the outside face of walls (that does not contain plumbing) Gas fireplace Fence (but must comply with zoning regulations) Water softener Painting, wall papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work Door and window replacements (within the existing opening, where no structural members are changed) Installing new shingles on existing roof Removing a non-load bearing wall in a single, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling Replacing a plumbing fixture (i.e. toilet, bathtub or sink) with a new fixture in the same location For more information, please call 519-741-2433.
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.
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ACNA - Newsletter 2012 06 June Final

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Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Councillor Paul Singh Ward 6

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

Alpine Community Neighbourhood Association

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