Free events, with your support

Please Become a Friends of the Parks' Member or Make a Donation and Attend our Free Events

Quick Links Volunteer! Become a Member! Donate! Save the Dates Saturday, April 20 Earth Day Parks and Preserves Clean-Up Parks & Preserves Friday, April 26 Parks Ball Honoring Peoples Gas Galleria Marchetti The calendar marks that spring is less than a month away! When you shed your winter coats and head to the parks, please remember that Friends of the Parks works with communities across the city to make them safe and clean. Did you know Friends of the Parks is offering the following lectures and workshops, free of charge? Park Advocacy Conference: Our Park - Our Community and Special Security Summit A free half-day conference for park activists and park advisory members to learn best practices for park programming, communication, security and special events. Saturday, March 9 at 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. South Shore Cultural Center 7059 South shore Drive Register now Friends of the Parks' Walter Netsch Lecture - The Growing Worlds of Urban Gardens and Farms Erika Allen, Executive Director of Growing Power, will talk about the new Chicago movement for planting edible gardens, hosting green outdoor markets and developing urban farms in vacant lots and in parks throughout the city. Thursday, March 14 at 12:15 p.m. Chicago Cultural Center 78 E. Washington - Claudia Cassidy Auditorium Please become a member or renew your membership to Friends of the Parks. Because public parks are essential to the well-being of children and adults, your support will be used for Friends of the Parks key programs: Neighborhood Parks - helping advisory councils build safer parks Planning, Policy, and Research - protecting our lakefront from encroachments Education - training out next generation of stewards Volunteer - cleaning and greening our precious public land Your support makes a difference! Become a member or renew your membership or Make a donation Thank you!

Free Workshop on Tax Representation & Preparation at Chatham SBA Micro Lending Day Event Invitation

 

Chatham SBA Lending Initiative

Chatham Business Association was chosen and trained as an Affiliate Micro-lender by the City of Chicago Micro-lending Institute and will now be able to offer our business community microloans of up to $25,000.00. If you are a business owner who may have been turned down by a bank, you should come and learn more about the micro lending initiative. This is a bank supported BUT NOT A BANK RUN INITIATIVE.
Quick Application process and turn-a-around!

Sponsored by: PNC, Fifth Third Bank, Seaway Bank, Bank of America, Urban Partnership Bank, and Citi Bank

Light Breakfast and Lunch will be provided.
For questions or to confirm attendance contact Richard Willis. Email:Richardwillis@cbaworks.orgor Phone: 773-994-5006 x 1007

Date:		February 28, 2013
Time:		09:00 AM - 03:00 PM
Website:		http://www.cbatechworks.org
Location:		800 East 78th Street (CBA Tech Center)
Contact:		Richard Willis
Email:		richardwillis@cbaworks.org
Date/Time Details:		9:00AM - 3:00PM

Click Here for More Information

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Attend 2013 Park Advocacy Conference 'Our Park...Our Community'

2013 Park Advocacy Conference "Our Park...Our Community"

When Saturday March 9, 2013 from 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM CST Add to Calendar Where South Shore Cultural Center 7059 S. South Shore Drive Chicago, IL Driving Directions

Please join Friends of the Parks and the Chicago Park District on Saturday, March 9, 2013 for the 4th Annual Parks Advocacy Conference. This year's Conference will focus on giving Park Advisory Council's a sense of ownership to their parks. The Conference breakout sessions will highlight Communications, Programming, Finance, and the Chicago Park District's strategic plan. 2013 Park Advocacy Conference "Our Park...Our Neighborhood" Saturday, March 9, 2013 8:15 am registration and networking 9:00 am keynote address 10:00 am Breakout Session 11:00 am Breakout Session 12:00 noon Breakout Session 1:00 pm Park Security Summit Please click on the link below to Register. Register Now! I can't make it Following the sessions please participate in the Park Security Summit. With summer right around the corner park advisory council members want to be proactive about keeping their parks safe. From numerous conversations with PAC's we understand that it is important and necessary to discuss safety and security in our parks. The PAC Conference Committee has coordinated a panel of community members and officials to hear concerns, ideas, and successes from PAC's across the city. The panel will share ideas and plans for park safety this summer and give the park advisory councils advice on working with the Police Department and the Park District to improve security issues in parks. The panel would focus on security issues in the parks that our park advisory councils have identified as problems including drug sales, gang turf issues, vagrants taking over the parks, security cameras (both police and OEMC), and vandalism . Invited to participate on the panel are: Superintendent Garry Mc Carthy (Chicago Police Department), Sargent Chapman (3rd District), Thomas Byrne (Chicago Park District Security Manager) and Alderman Cappleman. The Summit will begin at 1:00 pm. We want you to share with us your thoughts on park safety! When you register please submit any questions of success to be included in the panel discussion.

March 2013 is Anti-Abuse Month

March 2013 is Anti-Abuse Month

Chatham Avalon Park Community Council

is seeking

Essays, Poems, your suggestions & comments

on how to eradicate

Verbal, Mental, Domestic, Physical, Sexual & Emotional

ABUSE

Break the cycle , speak out & stand up against

Together we can Heal & Uplift our Community !!!

We will host anti-abuse workshops during the month of March 2013.

For more information, please contact the CAPCC Office at 1-866-272-1215

WWW.CHATHAM AVALONPARKCOMMUNITYCOUNCIL.BLOGSPOT.COM

CAPCC

" ADDRESSING QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES IS WHAT WE DO "

SINCE 1955

CITIZENS UTILITY BOARD PHONE CLINIC AT THE CAPCC FEBRUARY 11, 2013 GENERAL MEETING

CHATHAM AVALON PARK COMMUNITY COUNCIL
2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Thanks THE CITIZENS UTILITY BOARD

for hosting a Phone Bill Clinic

at our

Monday, February 11, 2013 General Monthly Meeting

Special thanks to:

Mr. Rajiv Ravulapati, Outreach Coordinator &
Ms. Pat Clark, Associate Director

Cub is the only Not-For-Profit Organization in

Illinois 100% on lowering utility rates.

www. citizensutilityboard.org

Chatham Fields Lutheran Church

8050 South St. Lawrence Avenue

Chicago, Illinois 60619 6:30pm

Rev. Kennety Gee, Senior Pastor

Keith Tate, President Maryellen Drake, Executive Vice President

CAPCC

" Addressing Quality of Life Issues, Is What We Do"

since 1955

www.chathamavalonparkcommunitycouncil.blogspot.com

1-866-272-1215

Keep In Your Prayers

Keep Rev. Attorney & Mrs. Elliott Powell & Family

in your prayers!!

Their son Michael Powell , age 24

was killed on Monday, February 18, 2013.

Please embrace them with your love and support at this

time of bereavement .

Thank you for your support.

This is a message from the: Chatham Avalon Park Community Council Board of Directors.

www.chathamavalonparkcommunitycouncil.blogspot.com.

1-866-272-1215

CAPCC

" Addressing Quality of Life Issues Is What We Do"

Since 1955

You can't survive the gangs and streets of Chicago if you don't

You can't survive the gangs and streets of Chicago if you don't know the rules!

By Phillip Jackson

The Black Star Project

February 18, 2013

(This essay was greatly inspired by a radio documentary by Linda Lutton on WBEZ Radio in Chicago. Click Here and click on "Rules to Live By!")

With 513 people killed last year, do you know what it takes for a teenager to stay alive in Chicago? Most adults in Chicago or anywhere in America don't have a clue. Gangs are the defining social structure of too many Chicago schools and communities. There are no "neutrons" (youth who elect not to join gangs) anymore. You cannot simply "opt-out" or reject gang membership or affiliation.

If you live on that block, you are in that gang. If you travel with a small group for protection, you are in that gang. If you want to have friends, you are in that gang. If you want to play sports, you are in that gang. You are one of them. In previous years, adults could advise their children not to join gangs. But today, many youth in Chicago don't have that option. Today, youth don't join gangs--GANGS JOIN YOUTH!

In certain communities and at certain schools, being in a gang is like breathing air and drinking water--it is second nature. It is what you do to stay alive. In these communities, gangs, and their influence, are everywhere. You can't avoid them. Being in a gang is part of your address and part of your existence. "Where do you live?" And the answer is, "Hit Squad, J-Town, Hoodville, Low Block, Terror Town, Wild Wild 'Hunneds' (One Hundreds)," and everybody knows exactly of where you speak.

You are assigned a gang, clique, set, fraction, crew or mob if you live on a particular block or in a particular neighborhood, or attend a particular school. With this assignment, you can be shot for any reason-girls, money owed, insults, being off your block, historical retaliations, having the wrong friends-or for no reason at all. Some Chicago youth live in warzones more violent than Iraq or Afghanistan. For many, being in a gang has little or nothing to do with drugs or money: it has to do with staying alive!

Here are the rules for youth to stay alive in Chicago:

• Rule number one - Know your geography and who controls what block.
• Rule number two - Never walk alone.
• Rule number three - Never walk with someone.
• Rule number four - Never walk on the sidewalk.
• Rule number five - If they shoot, don't run.
• Rule number six - You can be shot for no reason.
• Rule number seven - Don't have any friends.
• Rule number eight - Never go outside.

No longer are there large, centrally-controlled gangs or charismatic gang leaders. Gangs in Chicago have devolved into small, fierce, well-armed fighting units that might only control one block, or half of that block, with schools and parks as preferred battlegrounds. This new structure is similar to warlord-headed tribes in violence-torn Third-World countries.

Young gang members, some 9 and 10 years old, don't like the police, are not afraid of the police and are not afraid to shoot the police. They are not afraid of being arrested and they are not afraid of dying. Many of them have no hope of living past 18 years and have no vision of a productive future life. Without intervention, they are dangerous to society--but society created them!

Workable solutions to transform these endangered youth into thriving, developing, 21st-century global citizens depend foremost on strong family structures to govern the values and morals of children. And, this critical family infrastructure, in many communities, needs bolstering. Workable solutions also call for light workers--the mentors who nurture, guide and direct children; the educators who teach children better ways to realize their full potential; the business leaders who help children navigate the new global ecology and economy; and the faith leaders who share spiritual values and life-lessons that inspire children.

Building critical family infrastructure and supporting these light workers will reduce youth violence, youth murders and youth-gang activity. Cities cannot police, arrest or incarcerate their way out of youth violence. The only chance of success for stopping youth violence in Chicago and across this country will require three new operating rules from us: 1) Declare families and children struggling to survive in economically bankrupt communities as assets; 2) Implement strong, community-driven, partnerships between families, light workers and government; and 3) Invest in resource-rich, action initiatives designed to address the scale of need.

Unless we change our rules as a city and a country, the rules that govern our children will continue to destroy them!

Please click here to listen to one of the most outstanding radio documentaries on gangs and violence in the United States by Linda Lutton from radio station WBEZ in Chicago.

Where Are the Black Tiger Mamas Who will do anything to protect and educate their children? They are meeting on Thursday, February 21, 2013 6:30 pm at The Black Star Project 3509 South King Drive, Suite 2B Chicago, Illinois With two young Black girls being shot dead in the streets of metropolitan Chicago in the past three weeks, with 108 youth killed last year, with schools destroying the minds of Black children, with drug dealing being the only viable job for many young Black men...Where are the Black Tiger Mamas? Real Tiger Moms will do anything to protect, nurture and educate their children. Frances Newman is the Lead Black Tiger Mama and will lead the agenda on actions that Black Tiger Mamas can take to protect their children.