November 2023 Newsletter
Halloween was a great success! We also had over 500 runners in our Nightmare in Elmwood 5k. As the weather gets cooler, we hope everyone enjoys the changing leaves and beautiful fall sights in the neighborhood. Happy fall, all!
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Adopt a Family for the Holidays
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In its 33rd year, the Families Helping Families holiday assistance program will support 3,700 families in South Carolina by providing gifts to those who need it the most. Sign up to sponsor a family or individual in need this holiday season, or volunteer at the warehouse and assist in distribution.
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Neighborhood Safety Reminder
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Please always call 911 first for immediate help and then follow up with our Community Response Team (CRT) Officers. You can also call the non-emergency number (803-252-2911) first.
CPD contacts:
- Officer Hendrix at 803-318-6986
- Corporal Rogers at 803-397-2090
- Lieutenant Brink at 803-509-1787
Please also continue to file police reports for anything of concern. There is a convenient online reporting tool for non-emergency matters.
Additional key contacts:
- Yellow Shirts: Timothy Smith, Outreach@msdcolumbia.com, 803-995-2316
- Transitions Outreach Coordinators:
- Larry Benjamin (evening): lbenjamin@transitionssc.org, 803-363-4581
- Alycia Roach (daytime): aroach@transitionssc.org, 803-467-0411
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We were joined by Assistant Chief Christopher Kip of the Columbia Fire Department at our neighborhood meeting on Monday.
The Fire Department has launched a new program called Community Connect that allows residents to securely share critical information with the Fire Department.
In the event of an emergency or fire, the responding firefighters would see any information that you choose to share, including
- Utility shut-off locations
- Pets
- Access information
- Bedroom locations
- Any special needs or alerts
When seconds count, this information could help save lives and property.
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Sharing feedback with our first responders is critical.
A great example from our meeting came up when a neighbor shared her concern that when she has called 911, the dispatchers never know where Roy Lynch Park is located.
After receiving this feedback, Chief Kip investigated and reported back to us a couple of days later,
"We found that it was not listed as a particular place in the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. Instead of "Roy Lynch Park" there is a listing of "Roy Lynch/Elmwood." A 911 call taker would read the latter as the intersection of two intersecting streets. There was no indication that it is a park. We are changing the listing to read as "Roy Lynch Park," which should alleviate confusion. I am glad she brought this up."
If you have a concern, please share!
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October 2023 Fire Department Call Statistics
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Nightmare in Elmwood 5k & Fun Run
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Our 2023 Nightmare in Elmwood 5k & Fun Run was a smashing success! With more than 540 registrants, this year blew last year's event out of the water. Folks who attended not only had wonderful things to say about the race, but also sent kudos to our neighbors for making the course so much fun. For that, we thank you. Without your help, it wouldn't have been nearly as successful.
Some of the comments were:
- "My favorite race of the year!"
- "Neighborhood support and cheering were awesome!"
- "The energy from the neighborhood was excellent."
- "Great course - challenging... but great"
- "Loved the awards - creative and cool"
- "Decorations along the route were excellent"
- "Can't wait to do this again next year"
- "Love the pictures!"
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PROFITS
This event was born in 2020 as a fundraising event for the Elmwood Park neighborhood, but due to COVID was put on hold until 2022. Last year, the funds raised were used to create a historic walking tour, with the help of Historic Columbia.
This year, the participant count reached new levels, but the real star of the show is how much the neighborhood was able to raise from this unique event. The profits from this year's race reached more than $14,000. A HUGE accomplishment for year two.
Monies raised from this year's event have yet to be allocated to any project. The plan is to involve the membership in the ideation and final vote on where and how to use the dollars. If you haven't yet signed up to be a member of the neighborhood association, now is your time to ensure you have a final vote. Sign up here.
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IT TAKES A VILLAGE
This event is a large endeavor and is a team effort, for sure. We are so appreciative of everyone who was involved and continues to support us. From our amazing race coordinator, Erin Roof with GRIT Endurance, to our event volunteers, and finally, to the MANY sponsors. Without them all, none of this would have been possible. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Be sure to mark your calendars for next year's race - Saturday, October 29, 2024. And if you're interested in being a sponsor, contact us! We'd love to have you as a supporter!
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Tyler Bailey Elected To City Council
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Congratulations to our neighbor, Tyler Bailey, on being elected as our next At-Large City Council Member! Tyler is a strong advocate for our neighborhood and we are thrilled to see his continued leadership in our city.
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2201 Lincoln Lawsuit Update
Before being elected to City Council, Tyler Bailey represented the Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association on a pro bono basis in a lawsuit filed against the investment company that owns 2201 Lincoln Street. The court found in our favor and construction & renovations are now underway at the property.
The owners have also agreed to make a $2,000 contribution to the neighborhood association, which will be used toward beautification and security enhancements in the neighborhood.
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Traffic Calming Demonstration Project
Have you seen our new traffic calming demonstration project on Park Street? We worked with the City of Columbia to trial a curb extension project, which is designed to slow traffic by visually and physically narrowing intersections.
This also allows us to move the stop signs closer to the travel lanes, shorten the distance of crosswalks, and improve pedestrian visibility.
We know the plastic bollards aren’t the prettiest – and this is only designed as a *temporary* demonstration project.
If we find them effective, we’ll eventually replace them with proper curb extensions that can be planted & beautified!
Thank you to the city staff who implemented the project!
Learn more on our website.
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Show Your Neighborhood Pride With Elmwood Park Merch
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Our new logo means new merch! Head over to the Elmwood Park website to purchase shirts, hats, cups, flags and even a new apron.
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Halloween Decorating Contest Winners
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Congratulations to our Halloween decorating contest winners!
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Most Kid-Friendly: 911 Chester Street
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Scariest: 2321 Lincoln Street
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Most Festive: 915 West Confederate Ave.
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Looking to recycle your pumpkins this year? Check out Green Solutions' recycling program! Located in Rosewood, this landscaping company will gather your old pumpkins and use them to feed animals of local farmers. Drop pumpkins off at 919 South Edisto Avenue Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., or on Saturdays between 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
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Join Village Church on Friday, December 15 for Lights on Park, featuring live music, Santa and more! Stay tuned for details on this year's holiday decorating contest.
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Village Church's Lights on Park
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Join Village Church for Lights on Park featuring live music, Santa and more. Stay tuned for updates on this year's holiday decorating contest. More to come soon!
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Renew Your EPNA Membership
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While we moved to rolling annual memberships last year, many memberships are coming up for renewal now! Please be on the lookout for your renewal email from our Wild Apricot membership platform. If you’re not yet a member yet, join us!
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Join us for our November porch party at Andy Burns' house on Friday, Nov. 17 from 6 - 8 p.m. at 1103 Bryan Street.
Interested in hosting a porch party? Email the board with your name, address and preferred month. The parties are potluck; hosts need only provide whatever food and drink they'd like, a place for people to gather, and (preferably) restroom access. We'll connect you with our Porch Party Captain, Bart Tittle, to help with coordination.
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Join Our Neighborhood Garden Renovation
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Elmwood Park recently won a grant through the Columbia Green Grant Program to renovate the neighborhood garden at Park and Barrett Streets. The garden sits in Elmwood Park but is an important interface to Earlewood with a large volume of pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic.
Interested in helping with the project? Email the board.
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Gardener’s Outpost November Tip
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'Tis the season for colder weather, perennials are going dormant, annuals are changing out for the season, and the leaves are falling. And yes, there are a lot of leaves!
You may be hearing about "leave the leaves" for beneficial bugs, but dang there are so many leaves. What to do next? Beneficial bugs will lay eggs on the leaves while still attached to the tree, then when the leaves fall the larvae overwinter in the leaf layer on the ground.
Some yards become overwhelmed with a thick layer that can actually choke out certain plants. One solution is to leave the leaves in more open areas of your yard, then mulch the rest of the leaves with a mower. The broken-down leaf matter can be used to keep the larger leaf matter in place and add nutrients to plants and lawns. A combination of "leave the leaves" and mulch provides your yard with an organic solution for a natural mulching process while still encouraging beneficial bug development.
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Need help or have questions? Visit Gardener’s Outpost at 1211 Franklin Street!
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Interested in becoming a neighborhood sponsor? We'd love to have you! Let us know!
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