“Make a Difference Day” in College Hill is Saturday, October 22, 2005 from 9:00am to noon, with prizes and celebration following. Bring a friend or neighbor and help clean up our community and green space. Volunteers will get free breakfast, t-shirts, drinks and prizes.

Meet at the vacant lot at Hamilton and Llanfair Avenues, near the community sign, across from LaRosa’s Pizza. We’ll provide garbage bags and gloves. Bring your broom, dustpan, rake, et cetera–or just show up. The City of Cincinnati will pick up and remove all the trash we collect.

For more information contact Tina Stoeberl at 513-681-4377 or tstoeberl@cinci.rr.com. Come meet your neighbors and do something good for your neighborhood.

Sponsored by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and the College Hill Forum.

As part of “Make A Difference Day”, Christ’s Community In College Hill will be conducting a Canned Food & Coat Drive. We will be collecting canned goods and new or gently used coats (preferably already dry-cleaned) at the corner of Llanfair & Hamilton on Saturday, October 22nd from 9am to noon.

We will distribute the coats and canned goods to College Hill families and residents who will need a little extra love and assistance making it through the holidays. We will distribute canned goods and coats during our Annual Thanksgiving and Christmas Basket Programs on November 22nd and December 20th.

Thank you in advance for helping us help others.

All are invited to the new Pleasant Hill Academy’s Community Open House and Tour Thursday, October 20, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Our new 84,000-square-foot air-conditioned $10.5-million state-of-the-art learning center was designed with students and families in mind. It features a computer center, large gym, media center, art and music rooms and a family center.

The Cincinnati newspapers have published very nice articles about our new school. For the Post article, click here. For the Enquirer article, click here.

College Hill residents want to know: “Why should I vote for you?” “What will you do for College Hill?” The College Hill Forum Candidates Night is Tuesday, October 25, at Twin Towers. This meeting takes the place of the regular Forum meeting at the Recreation Center.

We will have a “meet & greet” for residents and candidates from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. Starting at 7:00pm, we will have the School Board candidates introduce themselves and discuss their platform. After they speak, residents will have an opportunity to ask questions. Same for judicial candidates from 7:30pm to 8:00pm, then from 8:00pm to 10:00pm the City Council Candidates will follow the same format. All times are approximate

If you attended the College Hill Forum meeting in September, you heard about a drive-by shooting that took place at Hamilton and Cedar. A young man was injured by a shot fired from a passing car.

We are pleased to report that the prime suspect was quickly apprehended and arrested, along with two others charged with complicity. The video from the security cameras at the scene was instrumental in making these arrests. Thanks to all of our District 5 officers for their efforts to make College Hill an even better place to live.

Our security cameras on the Avenue are working! If you would like to volunteer to monitor our security cameras from a secure location, please call the Forum at 513-542-7263.

One of College Hill’s best known and hardest working volunteers walked away with the 2005 Josh Weiser Community Service Award for outstanding volunteer leadership in our community. The award was presented to Tina Stoeberl at the September 27 Forum membership meeting.

If you have lived in College Hill for any length of time at all, you probably know Tina Stoeberl. Scarcely a College Hill organization or a community event or initiative has not seen Tina heading up the effort or working on the front lines. Whether she is the chairperson or the cheerleader, the brains of the outfit or the brawn, fronting the effort or getting things done behind the scenes, Tina is the consummate can-do volunteer.

Have you ever helped with “Make a Difference Day” in October? Or bought luminaria? Did you run in the Rhythm Race or volunteer at the race or the party? Have you noticed that many of our streets are cleaner with less litter thanks to our incredible Quality of Life team? Did you Walk the Avenue on National Night Out? Or help with the Great American Clean Up in April? Have you attended a Forum meeting? Or noticed some of our community’s brightest public garden spots at Belmont or North Bend or in the parking area behind College Hill Coffee Co. thanks to the College Hill Gardeners? Did you sell or buy anything at the 2005 College Hill Community Yard Sale last May? Or submit a recipe for the upcoming College Hill cook book? Then you have benefited from one or more of the many community events and involvements that Tina starts, revitalizes, heads up or participates in – hardly catching her breath or breaking a sweat. She makes it look easy– and she makes it look fun!

If Tina has ever asked you to volunteer or help out or donate money or materials–if she has ever asked you for the impossible because she knows you’ll come through–if she has ever encouraged you to do more than you really wanted to and then was the biggest cheerleader and supporter of your success, then you know just what a master Tina is at getting people involved and then making sure they enjoy themselves and succeed every step of the way. Her extraordinary example, her encouragement and her skills of persuasion have all increased the quantity and quality of College Hill events and volunteers. College Hill owes a huge thank you to Tina Stoeberl and to others like her who step up whenever there is something to do that will make College Hill a community that rocks!

Unseasonably cold weather didn’t deter parishioners from the groundbreaking ceremony for St. Clare Church's new parish center. After more than a decade of planning, the church broke ground after Mass on October 9.

More than a hundred parishioners bearing shovels stood around an outline of the building painted on the grass. After a blessing from Pastor George Jacquemin, they all joined the priest in a ceremonial first shovel of dirt. Heavy equipment will begin the real work later this month, and the building will be completed by spring 2006.

The St. Clare Parish Center will be located on what is currently a grassy field on Saranac Avenue, behind the Cedar Avenue church building and the Salvia Avenue school building. It will include a full gymnasium, a kitchen and meeting rooms. The College Hill Presbyterian Church and Christ’s Community in College Hill are looking forward to using the new space, which will also be available to the neighborhood.

Since 2002, St. Clare has replaced the church’s front steps, painted the church interior, tuck pointed, re- roofed, and remodeled the school building and added air conditioning to the rectory. In the near future, the mobile building that provided extra school services will be removed, the parking lot will be expanded and a vacant house on Saranac will be torn down for parking. According to the pastor, these improvements show the parish's commitment to the neighborhood for many years to come.

“We are building not only for the present, but also for the future,” says Fr. George. “Our building is a sign of vitality and growth, and a very positive step for the larger community.”

The next Cincinnati Homeowners Association (CHA) meeting is Monday, October 24, 2005 at 7:00pm at St. Peter and St. Paul United Church of Christ, 3001 Queen City Ave (corner of Ferguson) in Westwood. Everyone is welcome.

The guest speaker will be Michael Cervay, Director of the City of Cincinnati Department of Community Development and Planning. If there is any development in your neighborhood, this department is going to be involved at some point along the way. This meeting will be a great opportunity to get an idea of what can be done in your neighborhood.

We have discussed Section 8 housing choice vouchers at almost every homeowners meeting. There have been some recent developments with the movement to have the two section 8 programs combined into one. Come to the meeting for more information, and any updates.

What's going on (good or bad) in your neighborhood? Do you attend your Community Council meetings? Let's compare notes.

For more information, contact Jim McNulty at 513- 662-8560 or cincinnatihomeowners@fuse.net

The Marvin Lewis Community Fund, Cincinnati Bengals, the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Home Depot and other corporate partners teamed up for the 7th annual NFL/United Way Hometown Huddle Tuesday, October 18. This year’s project develops an all-accessible wilderness trail and challenge course called the “Trail of Champions” at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital’s College Hill Campus.

The course will be used for the rehabilitation of children from age 5 to teenagers. The course will be approximately mile long and will consist of four stations, at which children can exercise as part of their physical rehabilitation. The facility will be open to the public when the hospital is not using it.

For more information about the Marvin Lewis Community Fund, click here. For more about the Children's Hospital campus in College Hill, click here. For more information about Cincinnati Children’s Hospital's treatment program in College Hill, click here.

Thanks to the generous gifts of time and effort by many volunteers, October 8's Pumpkin Patch Festival was a great success. The cool Fall weather (minus raindrops) was just right for the event.

Becky Tossey, volunteer coordinator, noted many great smiles and positive comments. Says Becky, “The entertainment was cozier and more intimate this year. The hoots and howls of the storyteller really caught people's attention. It was wonderful to see the performers engaging their audience. Kids, danced, sang, and acted. The balloon lady literally created a roving (as opposed to rolling) sea of balloons that engulfed Kevin in the scarecrow build area. So much fun! Everyone seemed a little more relaxed and ‘into the spirit’ this year. I saw many people carrying bags, children sporting new finery and other hand crafted items. The food was great! I especially appreciated the hot soup!"

College Hill Gardeners thank all the scarecrow contest entrants for their participation--the scarecrows added such a festive touch to a great day in College Hill! The entries were judged by festival goers. First Place went to CHCURC’s "Do-Si- Do Your Corners.” The Forum’s “College Hill Barbie" won second place, and third place went to the Cinquina Family and College Hill Gardeners for their "Farmer Jane" entry.

Won't you join in the friendly competition? Put up a prize-winning Scarecrow in your yard! College Hill Gardeners (CHG) is sponsoring its 3rd annual Scarecrow Contest, which kicked off at Pumpkin Patch with several paid entries. Get your creativity flowing, send in entry information (see below), and set to work to win!

Place your creation easily visible from the street for judging by the CHG Contest Team on October 24. Send your name, address, phone, email, entry title and small fee of $5 (payable to CHG) to Kevin Corcoran, 2035 Parkhurst Court,. 45224. Entry deadline is October 22.

First prize is a $20 gift card to College Hill LaRosa’s restaurant; second prize is a homemade pumpkin pie and a dozen cookies from MagPies; third prize is a gift basket from College Hill Gardeners. Winners will be notified on October 27.

Do you have a daughter, granddaughter, niece, friend or neighbor who may be interested in attending McAuley High School? The school can set up a “shadow” experience for them, where they can spend an entire school day with a McAuley student to experience first-hand what McAuley is like. Refer interested students to Kathy Dietrich at 513-681- 1800 x2272.

McAuley, a Roman Catholic High School for young women, exists to create a Christian educational community where knowledge, enlightened and enlivened by faith, is shared by teachers, staff, students and parents in a spirit of freedom and love. McAuley provides an environment in which students can develop into confident and assertive young women prepared for the diverse opportunities available in today's society.

McAuley has a comprehensive educational program providing for each student the experiences best- suited for growth at all levels. Learning assistance is available so that each young woman at McAuley can achieve success. Scholarships, financial aid, tuition grants and work-credit programs are available.

In the late spring of 1995, Contemporary Dance Theater co-sponsored a show at the old Dance Hall called "Conception Vessels." That show was the pilot for what would become the Performance & Time Arts series.

Performance & Time Arts opens its eleventh season on Friday and Saturday, October 21-22 with a fund-raiser at the College Hill Town Hall. Curtain time is 8 pm. Admission at the door will be $15 for adults, or $10 for students and seniors 65 and over.

Artists on the program have volunteered their time and talent for the benefit of the continuation of the PTA series. Performing are Adverse, Scott Dennis, P.J. Herrington, Rachel James, Rebecca Parker and Holly Price, Isabelle Provosty, Roesing Ape and F. Keith Wahle. Moving Art Dance Company will also perform but on Friday only. Also as part of the weekend festivities there will be a RAFFLE with a number of excellent prizes. There are some nice items here so be prepared to spend some money.

For more information, contact Jefferson James at Jfrsonj@aol.com or 513/591-2557.

The College Hill Pet Clinic has teamed up with Pure Concept Eco Salon & Spa and Matthew 25 Ministries to help the victims of Katrina. You can help by dropping off the following items at the College Hill Pet Clinic: cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products, canned food, blankets, diapers and baby supplies, bottled water and money.

The Hoxworth Donor Bus will be at St. Clare Church on Wednesday, October 26th, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm for the annual Blood Drive. Please contact Robin Cook for an appointment to donate "the gift of life" at 513-541-5225 (home), 513-681-5648 (office) or rlcook1@cinci.rr.com.

Together, the neighbors of College Hill can be a gift to the whole of Cincinnati.