It’s that time of the year to gather with your neighbors for some fun as the summer approaches.  The Cypress Area Neighborhood Group will hold a Neighborhood Block Party on Sunday, May 27th on Caswell Ave. beginning at 4pm (with a brief neighborhood mtg. at 5pm).

Please join your Cypress Ave. Area Neighbors for a Neighborhood Block Party

“To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.” -Abraham Lincoln

Hi Neighbors,

I am writing to request your assistance (and also your prayers) for one of our neighbors who is facing a very difficult medical situation.  Our neighbor, Lisa Rodriguez (from the peach house at the bottom of the Cypress Ave. hill), has been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer that has metastasized to her liver, cerebellum, and bone.  Her daughters and her grandson live with her.

Recently, Lisa had to stop working due to her health and her benefits are not enough for her to take care of some household projects that she wants to resolve for her family before her health takes a significant downturn.  Lisa approached me to see if there was anything I (or any of our neighbors) could do to help her with some house projects that she needs to resolve ASAP.

There are two projects in particular that she could use help with:

• Lisa’s basement carpet has mold build-up on it due to a leaking upstairs shower.  Her grandson sleeps in the bedroom in the basement so she needs to resolve this ASAP.  For now, she is hoping that someone could help her to rip up this moldy rug, ensure the floor is level, and install some inexpensive tile.  They are not currently using the upstairs shower anymore, but she will address that issue later.
• Lisa has much difficulty sleeping and is frightened at night that someone will break in and harm her family.  She would like to have outdoor lights with motion sensors installed to serve as a deterrent and also to set her mind at ease.

How can you help?  If you have skills, you know someone with these skills, or knowledge about either of these types of projects, please contact Lisa at 978-327-9414 or stop by to see her at 30 Cypress Ave.  Or, if you are able to make a financial donation to help defray the costs of the lighting or the tiles, please make a tax-deductible donation in Lisa Rodriguez’s name to my church, “Christ Church United” and we will ensure that all the funds raised go to support Lisa’s family.  Please make checks payable to:

Christ Church United, UCC

180 E. Merrimack Street

Lowell, MA 01852

and please write “Lisa Rodriguez’s Family” on the memo line.

I believe that our neighborhood has come a long way these last few years in establishing caring & trusting relationships with each other.  I am hopeful that our neighborhood can now come together to support one of our own who is truly in need.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Sincerely,

Chris C-P

It’s that time of the year again.  We will be gathering on Tues. evening (6pm-7:30pm), August 2nd for our National Night Out Dessert Social.  We are still looking for someone to host us in their yard.  Please let me know ASAP if you’d be willing to host us in your yard this year.  All we need is a place to be…there is no set-up needed.  Click here to view photos from last year’s gathering.

Please bring a dessert to share and a chair.  The Methuen Police will be present accompanied by some characters in costume for the kids (maybe McGruff the Crime Dog).

National Night Out is a national effort to “promote neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships in our fight for a safer nation”.

Thanks.
–Chris

Good news!  Our Cypress Area Neighborhood Group has been selected for an award…”The Collective Action Award” given annually by Lawrence CommunityWorks.  They would like a few of us from the neighborhood to come to their Annual Celebration on 4/29 (5:30pm) to award it to us (168 Newbury St, Lawrence).  I am able to make it on 4/29.  Who can come with me?  The invitation can be found here.  The event is from 5:30pm-9:30pm.  You wouldn’t need to stay for the whole thing.
Let me know.  Thanks.

–Chris

We were fortunate to have a good turnout for our recent Neighborhood Annual Meeting.  In addition to neighborhood residents, several Methuen leaders also attended, including: City Councilors Jeanne Pappalardo & Jim Hajjar, School Committee member Bob Vogler, Methuen Police Sergeant Gunter & Officer Torrisi, and Methuen Charter Commission Member Joe Pappalardo.

Here are some notes from the Annual Meeting held on 3/24/11…

-Methuen High School Renovation: Bob Vogler, Methuen School Committee member, updated us on the status of the Methuen High School renovation plan.  The Central School will be used for 9th graders for the next 3 years while renovation takes place at the high school.  10th-12th graders will remain at the high school during the renovation process. Construction ought to take 28 months from start to finish.  Current 5th graders will be the first freshman class to attend the renovated high school.

-Neighborhood Safety: Methuen Police Officers’ Sgt. Gunter (978-983-8792, jgunter@ci.methuen.ma.us) & Officer Torrisi reiterated several key points to residents.  These include:

• Call Methuen Police at 978-983-8677 for any suspicious activity.  Save this number in your cell phone right now.  As always, call 911 for emergencies.
• Make yourself less likely to be a victim of crime by informing neighbors when you will be away from your house.  You can also inform the police of when you will be away and request them to make periodic rounds to check on your house.  You can request this by filling out a form at the police station.
• Be watchful of suspicious activity in the neighborhood.
• Do not show all your money in the grocery store at the checkout aisle.  Only take out of your purse/wallet the money that you will need to pay.
• Take regular walks in your neighborhood to demonstrate that this is a safe neighborhood and that there are lots of eyes watching.

-Neighborhood Cleanliness:

• It was suggested that residents bring a little trash bag on their walks around the neighborhood to pick up trash along their route to help keep the neighborhood clean.  This helps to show that ours is a neighborhood that is cared for by its residents.  A clean and cared for neighborhood with residents who take walks in their neighborhood is a crime deterrent.
• Street sweeping by the City is scheduled to take place on May 23^rd.
• The Annual Neighborhood Cleanup Day & Cookout, in conjunction with the City of Methuen, will be held on Sat., May 7th.  Cleanup is from 10:00 am-12:00 pm in Cypress Area, followed by the post cleanup cookout at the Tenney Grammar School from 12:30 pm-2:00 pm

-Getting the word out: A concern was expressed that there are still many neighbors in the area who are unaware of our Neighborhood Group.  Residents are encouraged to take responsibility to inform their neighbors and encourage them to visit our website, http://www.CypressMethuen.org and to sign up for our neighborhood e-News via YahooGroups found under the “Subscribe” tab on our website.

Upcoming Neighborhood Events:  Our annual calendar of our 6 neighborhood events can always be found under the “Calendar” tab on our website.  Here are our next several events.  Please mark your calendars.

• May 7 2011: Annual Neighborhood Cleanup Day & Cookout, in conjunction with the City of Methuen.  Cleanup is from 10:00 am-12:00 pm in Cypress Area, followed by the post cleanup cookout at the Tenney Grammar School from 12:30 pm-2:00 pm

• May 29, 2011 (Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend): Neighborhood Block Party, Caswell Ave.  4pm-7pm, with a brief neighborhood meeting at 5pm.

• August 2, 2011 (1st Tues. of August):   National Night Out Dessert Social, 6-7:30pm

• Oct. 9, 2011 (Sunday of Columbus Day Weekend):   Neighborhood Block Party.  Caswell Ave.

Hi Neighbors,

The Cypress Area Neighborhood Group’s Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 24th from 6:30pm-7:30pm at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Methuen.  We will meet in the lower meeting room under the rectory.

At the meeting, we will celebrate our past successes and make plans for future actions going forward.  Please bring a dessert to share.

Please email me with your ideas for agenda items.  What I have for agenda items thus far are…

• talk about what projects we want to work on together in the Spring
• confirm block party dates and divide up responsibilities
• continued discussions about police presence in the area

Take care.

–Chris

P.S. Thanks to Hoppy for securing our meeting space at Our Lady of Good Counsel.