What's the best way to give back to your neighborhood? Get involved!
It doesn't have to mean endless meetings or complicated commitments. We need everything from the loan of a grill for the July 4th picnic, to one-time help for the Winter Social, to board members and committee chairs, plus many other quick-and-dirty or longer-term activities.
Here's where we can use some help:
Coordinator: Becky Jenn (286-9571; thejenns@tds.net)
How can you help? Block Captains keep an eye out for crime on their streets and are the point person for neighbors who'd like to share information on a crime. Click on our CrimeWatch page to see if we have a block captain on your part of the street. If you'd like to help, contact Becky. For more CrimeWatch activities, see (Public Safety/Crime Action Team)
Coordinator: Diane Harrington (271-7603; dianebh@sbcglobal.net)
How can you help?
Photographers: We're always happy to accept photos for the newsletter - especially of neighborhood events! Send a digital JPEG or a snapshort (we can scan it in!) of your photo to Diane Harrington.
Proofreading Helpers: The same people aren't always available for last-minute proofreading of the newsletter before it goes to the printer. If you have email and can read PDFs, Diane can put you on the Proofreading Crew and will contact you if another crew member is unavailable.
Advertising Advocates: Sales? No way! We just proffer a bit of low-pressure encouragement to get local merchants (and neighbors with businesses) to buy ads in our newsletter (and biannual membership directory). Know some folks who might be interested in advertising? Do you frequent a store, restaurant or business that Orchard Ridge residents should know more about? Collect the quick price details and newsletter schedule from Diane, and then give 'em a shout-out. That's all there is to it!
Newsletter Delivery Crew: Our goal is increase awareness of ORNA (and save tons of money) by hand-delivering our newsletters once or twice a year to the 1,000 people in Orchard Ridge. If one person on every block was willing, it'd get done in no time! We'd also like to recruit neighbors to hand-deliver the newsletter the other three or four times a year to specific addresses: only to members, and only to members who aren't receiving the newsletter via e-mail. Check our Delivery Crew list see if your block is covered; if not, contact Diane to join the crew! [IMPORTANT NOTE: We will not start hand-delivery of every newsletter until we have enough people to cover all the blocks. If you've already volunteered, rest assured that we'll give you a call as soon as our crew is full!]
Coordinator: Diane Harrington (271-7603; dianebh@sbcglobal.net)
How can you help? Once every two years, ORNA has a membership drive. It begins early in the even-numbered years and continues through July. We're looking for new (inexpensive) ways to get renewals and new members, without printing the membership form in every issue of the newsletter. (Too many people forget they've signed up and send dues more than once!) We might consider hand-delivering invoices, or just going door to door to discuss why an ORNA membership is so terrific. If you can help us sort out the best choices, let Diane know.
We also will need people to help put the directory together: database inputters, database double-checkers, a designer, proofreaders, advertising advocates, and an administrative person (to ensure checks/cash match forms, aren't duplicating, and are submitted to the treasurer.)
In later 2008, Orchard Ridge residents gathered at two Town Hall meetings and filled out an extensive survey to pinpoint what they’d like to see the neighborhood association work – and we’ve hit the ground running, creating Action Teams to address six issues that residents felt were most pressing.
But just as everyone helped decide what was most important, we need as many of you as possible to help us plan and implement. Please choose an Action Team that best fits your interests, and give the leader a call. We’d love your input and help as we continue to make Orchard Ridge the best community it can be.
Plans to offer monthly programs and presentations on a variety of topics, with the goals of socializing, learning and participating. We need volunteers to help develop themes, schedule speakers, set venues and meeting times, and to gather suggestions from others. Topics can be of great immediate import (such as city-wide issues, advocacy, etc.) or those covering our neighbors' latest vacation, best recipes, hobbies and crafts, or Orchard Ridge history. "There is no limit to the number of volunteers this committee would need, but seven to ten volunteers would be most welcome.
We have had a successful Neighborhood Watch program over the past three years coordinated by one person with the help of now 23 volunteer block captains. Imagine the impact that the collective ideas of 5 or more people setting the course for the program could have! We are looking for people who have a vision of what our neighborhood's safety should look like, and who are interested in helping to more clearlyc hart the course for how we are going to achieve that vision.
To help Orchard Ridge residents get to know their neighbors better (and interact more often with those they do know), we established a committee to come up with fun ideas for us all. These can be anything from neighborhood coffees or cook-outs to bus trips to Miller Park, shopping in Chicago, or skiing at a local ski hill. How about an Orchard Ridge night at Concerts on the Square, or a pontoon ride on one of the lakes through the city’s Parks Department? A walking tour of the Arboretum, a class at the YMCA or Home Depot, group meals/refreshments at a local restaurant? Anything. We need volunteers of ANY age who would enjoy organizing any activity that would help neighbors get to know each other better and have some fun.
Because some neighbors have voiced concern about students’ preparation for high school and about safety and behavioral problems within and outside of Toki Middle and Orchard Ridge Elementary schools, we will work with the schools and the other neighborhood committees to address these issues. We need volunteers to help us define our scope and goals. Early work will likely include talking with parents, neighbors and teachers to clarify some of the problems and possible solutions, as well as talking with other communities to learn how they've effectively worked with local schools.
Neighborhood Plan Action Team
Mature trees, larger lots, space between houses, and quite streets are just some of the characteristics that define Orchard Ridge. The city would like us to have a Neighborhood Plan to assist as Madison grows/redevelops. It will share our goals for the future so that city actions and decisions for everything from zoning to parks maintenance to traffic engineering will be consistent with our wishes. Over the next year this committee will focus on identifying the characteristics and assets that make Orchard Ridge unique, our goals for the future, and the issues of most interest and concern to us. This will involve working with the other Action Teams to determine what data and research needs they have, as well as becoming more directly involved in ongoing city programs like the rewrite of the city zoning code and traffic changes on Whitney and Raymond. By the end of the year our goal is prepare a detailed outline of what we'd like to see our plan address as a precursor to seeking grant funds to hire a consultant to prepare the plan in 2010.
Organizational Development Action Team
The ORNA board will comprise this committee, but any past board members (or those interested in a future board position) are welcome, too. We’ll be carving out time during our monthly board meetings, which typically are held the third Sunday of the month at 6:30 p.m.
