January 2024 Newsletter
Happy New Year, neighbors! We hope everyone's 2024 is off to a great start. We have a lot of new neighborhood projects coming up and we are excited for what the year will bring.
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We are thrilled to officially have our new street signs installed! Regardless of how you enter the neighborhood, you will now be greeted with fresh and updated signage. Thank you to our friends at Sun Solutions for being great partners in the process.
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With below-freezing temperatures in the forecast, remember to prepare your home and prevent damage. Here are a few tips from the Insurance Information Institute:
- Keep your house heated to a minimum of 65 degrees: The temperature inside the walls where the pipes are located is substantially colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 65 degrees might not keep the inside walls from freezing.
- Check the location for the main water shutoff in your home. And refresh your memory on—or learn—how it works, in case you have to use it.
- Open hot and cold faucets enough to let them drip slowly. In severely frigid temperatures, keeping water moving within the pipes will help prevent freezing.
- Check to ensure fireplaces, wood stoves and electric heaters are working properly. Make sure there are no combustible items near the heat sources and watch them closely, especially the first time in the season you use them.
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Remembering Our Neighbor
Barbara Houser
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Our community sadly lost an important long-standing resident on December 18, 2023, Mrs. Barbara Houser the widow and devoted wife of 59 years to Elliott Houser, Sr. Born on July 9, 1939, in Columbia, SC, she was a lifelong member of Trinity Baptist in Columbia and married the late Elliott Houser, Sr. in 1960. The Houser family established roots in Elmwood Park in 1969 where they raised 10 children, including six sons and four daughters, in their Lincoln Street home.
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Her husband Elliott recognized for his civic leadership, served on the Columbia Council of Neighborhoods and was a founding father of the Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association. He also served on the EPNA Board of Directors as both President and Vice President and was instrumental in establishing Roy Lynch Park.
A graduate of C.A. Johnson High School in Columbia, Mrs. Houser was employed by Tapp’s Department Store and Baptist Hospital. Respected for her kind words, strong faith, and heartfelt hugs she was affectionately known by her neighbors as Mrs. Barbara and “mom” to her children’s neighborhood friends. Mrs. Houser’s children shared that she lived by two lifelong mottos: “Deal with everything with honesty and truth, and whatever you do in life, do so in order and with decency.” She was regarded as an exceptional homemaker, and a skilled seamstress and upholsterer. She leaves to cherish her fond memory nine children, 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and a host of loving relatives, and caring friends, all of whom will miss her dearly.
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The Fire Department Needs Your Help
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When you see issues or incidents of concern in the neighborhood during severe weather (or otherwise) that may be helpful for planning and emergency preparation, please send an email to board@historicelmwoodpark.org, so that we can alert the Columbia Fire Department and other stakeholders. Please always call 911 first for emergencies.
Reminder: 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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Volunteers Needed: 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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2024 Neighborhood Improvements
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As we plan for the year ahead, the Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association Board wants to hear from you! Do you have a project idea or area of improvement for our neighborhood? Whether it's big or small, submit your thoughts!
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Meet the Parents at Curiosity Coffee
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We all know how hard it is to meet people as an adult and it doesn’t get any easier the older we get. Curiosity is hosting a get-together for anyone 65+ that could use a casual night out with some folks in their same age group. If you are under 65, you’re welcome to attend as long as you bring somebody 65+ with you.
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Elmwood Park Holiday Giving
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After our successful Halloween 5k, the Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association decided to give two $500 donations to local charities working on issues of importance to our neighborhood. Our members voted and the winners are:
- Cola Town Bike Collective: A local neighborhood nonprofit, CTBC provides low and no-cost bikes and repairs for people in our community who rely on two wheels as their only form of transportation. These bikes are used to get to work, doctor appointments, pick up groceries, and other essential tasks.
- Homeless No More: Homeless No More is the preeminent organization in South Carolina’s Midlands working to stabilize, shelter and house vulnerable families. The nonprofit provides a spectrum of care — from emergency services to transitional shelter—that keeps family members together and meets their needs at the right time with meaningful and appropriate services.
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Holiday Decorating Winners
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Congratulations to the winners of the Village Church holiday decorating contest. Each house was awarded a gift card to a local restaurant:
- 2307 Lincoln St.
- 915 West Confederate St.
- 2505 Sulton St.
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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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Show Your Neighborhood Pride With Elmwood Park Merch
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Head over to the Elmwood Park website to purchase shirts, hats, cups, flags and even a new apron.
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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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Gardener’s Outpost January Tip
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January is a great time to start looking at your soil's health. Maintaining the correct pH balance of your soil allows for optimal nutrient availability for your plants. Enhance your soil's structure by adding nutrient-rich compost that will encourage the growth of microorganisms and promote a thriving ecosystem. Healthy soil is the foundation for healthy plants!
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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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