BAPA Update 

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New Neighbors Meet and Greet 

If you’re new to Beverly/Morgan Park and interested in learning more about the community and meeting other news neighbors in an outdoor, socially distant setting, you’re invited to BAPA’s new neighbor meet and greet on Fri., Aug. 14. Look for an invitation in the mail or contact BAPA, 773-233-3100 or bapa@bapa.org to share your information.  

 Reach Out and Help a School Family 

The 2020-21 school year is quickly approaching as schools consider a return to the classroom, hybrid options or remote learning. After all that we’ve been through as a community and the continued run of COVID-19, our school families need support, and with your help, BAPA would like to arrange it. If you are a retired educator who would like to contribute to our community by tutoring area students,  contact Tina Jenkins Bell, BAPA School Liaison, tbell@bapa.org. 

 

BAPA Porch Concerts Continue 

BAPA’s popular Friday Night Live series of live streamed porch concerts is continuing!  Neighbors who have a porch or yard large enough to accommodate the musicians and some socially distancing neighbors, and musicians interested in performing are invited to contact BAPA, bapa@bapa.org or 773-233-3100, for more information. Friday Night Live has been a real hit, with thousands of people viewing on Facebook. Concerts can still be accessed, in case you missed any of them!   

 

Take a Ride 

Enjoy one of the many splendid safe biking routes on BAPA’s new Bike Beverly online map. The routes offer several options that are family-friendly, avoid busy streets whenever possible, and feature stop signs and traffic lights. Find the maps at www.bapa.org.   

 

Take it Slow Out There 

It’s the summer of COVID and it seems like everyone is outside walking, running, skating and biking. For the safety of our neighbors, drivers need to slow down! BAPA’s Slow Down for our neighbors’ sake lawn signs are popping around the community, and now available to people who would like one for their yard or corner. Email bapa@bapa.org. A donation of $15 will help cover costs.  

 

Weeding Wednesdays 

BAPA and the 19th Ward are partnering neighborhood volunteers to beautify public areas throughout the community. Volunteers meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays. Bring gardening gloves. For locations, email BAPA Executive Director Mary Jo Viero, mjviero@bapa.org. 

 

Volunteer Opportunities for Teens 

Local teens interested in helping their neighbors and earning community service hours are welcome to join other teens already volunteering through BAPA’s Teen Service Corps. Contact Tina Bell tbell@bapa.org for meeting dates and more information.  

 

Get the Job Done 

BAPA’s expanded, updated and easier-to-use online BAPA Trades Referral List is now available at www.bapa.org. Look for the BAPA Verified badge for companies that are BAPA business members and have supplied current letters of recommendation from local customers. Is your business interested in getting on BAPA’s list? Contact BAPA Business Liaison Brittany Wiley, bwiley@bapa.org.   

  

Musicians Jazz Up Friday Night Porch Concert  

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By Kristin Boza 

Dakarai Barclay only moved to Beverly/Morgan Park a few months ago but the young musician already has many local fans.  

Barclay brought his musical talents to BAPA’s Friday Night Live Porch Concert series in July with his equally talented friends, performing together as the Dakarai Barclay Quartet. They were a big hit with the small, socially distant, audience that gathered in the large yard of the Longwood Drive home where they performed, as well as the large audience of neighbors who watched the live streamed concert on Facebook.  

A 2013 graduate of Whitney Young Magnet High School and a 2017 graduate from Morehouse College as a math major, Barclay’s jazz journey began in high school. He started playing the trumpet with classical instruction, and later joined the jazz ensembles Whitney Young offered.  

“I later participated in the After School Matters affiliate, Gallery 37, during my senior year under the direction of Jarrard Harris, and I continued to play in college,” Barclay said. “Most recently, I performed at the 2019 Chicago Jazz Festival and had an opportunity to play a trumpet previously owned by Miles Davis before it went to auction in October 2019.”  

The Chicago Jazz Festival designates a few spots in its lineup for up-and-coming musicians on the NextGen Stage. Barclay was noticed at the Jazz Fest by someone who was working on the Miles Davis trumpet auction, who asked Barclay to play the famed trumpet for a local press feature and live at a pre-auction dinner for prospective buyers.  

“The Miles Davis performance was so fun; as a trumpet player, I’ve always looked up to him as an innovator and as a musician,” Barclay said. “It was fun to step into his shoes for a night. Also, his trumpet was the best trumpet I’ve ever played on, so it was fun to window shop/test out a horn of that caliber.” For both the Jazz Fest and Miles Davis performances, Barclay played with 2014 Morgan Park High School (MPHS) alum and recent Roosevelt University graduate Nick Davis on bass. 

The Dakarai Barclay Quartet that played for the BAPA concert included Nick Davis on bass; MPHS alum and current University of Louisville sophomore, Frank Morrison, on drums; and Elio Wijiya, a DePaul University music student from Indonesia, on piano.  

“The Friday Night Live Porch Concert was the first time this group of friends played together — ever! I love what each member brings to the table and I plan to have a few more outdoor shows with them, either in Morgan Park or elsewhere in the city,” Barclay said. 

BAPA plans to host the quartet at a porch concert in August.  

Stay up to date on Barclay and the Dakarai Barclay Quartet by following him on Instagram @b_rcl_y, along with bandmates Elio Wijaya (@elioadrianow), Frank Morrison (@fmdrums), and Nick Davis (@nick_fmbs). 

Free Stores Assist Neighbors 

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Continuing to respond to the ever-changing economic and living situations influenced by the pandemic, the local Free Store last month added an emergency food option for area families. The all-volunteer group provides a Free Store for hygiene and first aid products at the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) Community Room, 11109 S. Longwood Dr., and a Free Store for food items at Morgan Park Presbyterian Church, 110th Place at Longwood Drive. The stores operate Wednesdays, 5 to 7 p.m.  

Volunteers from Turpin Cares, BAPA and the 19th Ward Mutual Aid group staff the Free Stores. Donations are accepted and can be dropped off at the Free Store during open hours. 

Another Mutual Aid partnership which includes the Beverly Area Arts Alliance, Edna White Community Garden and Turpin Cares, has installed a Neighborhood Pantry Box the Edna White Garden at 111th and Esmond. The Pantry Box provides 24/7 access to items for people who need food assistance. Neighbors can donate shelf–stable, unopened and not expired, food at any time. For more information, contact turpincares@gmail.com.  

To learn more about 19th Ward Mutual Aid, follow them on Facebook contact them at info@19aid.com or 773-980-6043.  

 

  

Community Resources 

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Free Store. People in need of personal hygiene and first aid items, food supplies and connections to other resources are welcome at the Free Store, Wednesdays, 5 to 7 p.m., BAPA Community Room, 111th and Longwood Drive, and Morgan Park Presbyterian Church, 110th and Longwood Drive. The stores are hosted by 19th Ward Mutual Aid, Turpin Cares and BAPA. Details on Free Store and other resources at 19th Ward Mutual Aid, www.19aid.com. 

Legal Services. People who have federally-backed mortgages and are having trouble making their payments because of COVID-19 may be eligible for up to one year of deferred mortgage payments. Contact Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, 312-332-8785, covid@cvls.org or www.cvls.org/covid. Be ready to provide this information: Name, phone number, property address and court case number if a foreclosure has been filed.   

 

 

Teen Corps Opens Door to Community Service, Creativity, Internships 

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By Tina Jenkins Bell 

In June, BAPA Executive Director Mary Jo Viero unveiled the BAPA Teen Service Corps, an initiative to help willing youth build community service hours to satisfy school requirements, use their talents to promote area businesses and create public service messages of kindness, collaboration, and eco-friendly actions, and benefit from work–readiness and personal narrative writing workshops as well as potential internship opportunities. 

“Teen Corps is their organization,” said Viero. “We hope they will not only use it to discover volunteer opportunities but create their own contributions.” 

Currently, there are approximately ten Teen Corps members, but the door is still open for anyone, between the ages of 12-18, who wants to join. Activities will be age appropriate. 

Since 1998, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has required students to complete 40 service-learning hours to graduate. CPS.edu cites this reason “Service learning engages students in projects that serve the community while building social, civic, and academic skills.” Many Catholic schools have a similar requirement. 

Beyond school requirements, Teen Corps members have front row access to various community service events occurring in the Beverly/Morgan Park area. They will be allowed to create their own “service” activities, such as business promo videos to help businesses struggling to emerge from the devastating impact of COVID-19 as well as social media campaigns for promoting kindness and ecofriendly actions. 

Members will also benefit from internships and work–readiness, personal narrative writing, and other workshops. 

For more information, email Tina Bell, tbell@bapa.org. 

Please Support BAPA’s Work in Our Community

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CANCELLED

The pandemic forced the cancellation of BAPA’s major fundraising events – Home Tour, Ridge Run & Memorial Day Parade, and Beverly Hills Cycling Classic Bikes & Brews – eliminating funding sources vital to our operations.

ACCOMPLISHED

Restrictions inspired BAPA to invest our scarce resources into free programs to meet the changing needs of our neighborhood. Here are some of the things we accomplished:

Small Business Support

  • Promoting your business on Instagram webinar with expert Maggie O’Reilly
  • Digital marketing webinar with expert Jason Wiley
  • Business planning webinar with Ivan Ruiz from Beverly Bank & Trust
  • Special business coverage in The Villager

Community Spirit

  • Bike Beverly initiative with online maps of safe local bike routes
  • Support of Divvy bikes
  • Retooled History Mystery Bike Adventure for summer/fall family-friendly games
  • Friday Night Live livestreamed porch concert series supporting local musicians
  • We Love Smith Village vehicle parade
  • Happy Birthday to Korean War vet Rico Miller vehicle parade
  • Remembering Brian Piccolo vehicle parade

Community Outreach

  • Donated Home Tour booties to a hospital in need during COVID-19 treatment crisis
  • Slow Down safe driving campaign
  • Delivered senior meals donated by Franconello restaurant
  • Supported 19th Ward Youth Foundation free meals to area first responders and medical personnel
  • Donated to and supported Maple Morgan Park Community Food Pantry
  • Brought Beverly Bakery donuts to 22nd District police officers
  • Developed BAPA Cares COVID-19 Response resources at bapa.org
  • Co-hosts weekly Free Store with Turpin Cares and 19th Ward Mutual Aid
  • Hosted a job search webinar with expert Megan Connolly
  • Listed local business/restaurant updates to promote shopping and eating locally in weekly enews and The Villager

School and Teens

  • Presented CPS Community Service Awards to students in neighborhood public schools
  • Launched the BAPA Teen Service Corps volunteer group
  • Presented the BAPA Cares pandemic response webinar

Beautification

  • Socially distant spring clean and green clean-ups
  • Weeding Wednesdays at area parks and public areas
  • Pitch in for the Parks special park clean-ups

PLEASE HELP!

As a not-for-profit organization, BAPA depends on donations from residents and businesses to continue working on the issues that keep our community strong, safe, connected and thriving. Support us by making a donation or joining as a BAPA residential or business member.

Bike Beverly: BAPA Creates Bike Map to Guide Residents, New History Mystery Puzzle & Online Store  

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By Cathriona Fey 
BAPA Community Outreach & Improvement  

The past few months, you may have noticed an increase in biking activity throughout the community. In addition to the warmer weather, as social distancing guidelines and various closures and restrictions went into place due to COVID-19, many local residents and people across the country turned to bicycling as a form of alternative transportation, leisure and exercise.  

Evident by the many bike stores in the U.S. are experiencing a shortage of inventory, the spike in demand for bikes has left many bike shops out of stock and long lists of pre-orders. According to the New York Times, “… since the pandemic upended daily life in the United States, cycling has taken on a crucial, sanity-saving role: bikes are a way to exercise while gyms stay closed and an inexpensive means of getting around cities where more than 90 percent of riders have abandoned public transportation.” With many new bike riders on the road and the idea that COVID-19 may have permanently changed the role of bikes into something more essential, promoting safe biking has become a priority for the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA). 

Locally, this increase in biking also comes as Beverly/Morgan Park prepares for the upcoming launch of new Divvy bikes and stations in the neighborhood, after which we can expect even more biking activity throughout the community. Given these current and upcoming events, the importance of bike safety and identifying safe routes has been amplified. In addition to providing bike-friendly opportunities in the community, BAPA has been sharing bike safety tips throughout the spring and summer months. To further encourage safe biking, BAPA has also put together a Bike Beverly bike map that highlights recommended routes for navigating Beverly/Morgan Park.  

The need for safe bike routes and the fear of being injured while biking are often cited as barriers to people biking or properly following biking rules of the road. Informed by the City of Chicago’s recommended bike routes, safe biking standards, and local bike advocates, the Bike Beverly map allows residents to bike more confidently throughout the neighborhood. Encouraging crossing major intersections at street lights, riding with the flow of traffic, and guiding bicyclists near parks, schools and slower traffic speed areas, the Bike Beverly map has created a connected network of routes that will allow residents and visitors to safely experience and explore Beverly/Morgan Park by bike. 

The Bike Beverly map can be accessed online through the BAPA website (www.bapa.org). Printed versions will soon be available.  

History Mystery Bike Adventure Continues 

The new month brings a new set of clues for BAPA’s History Mystery Bike Adventure. In July, participants will bike through East Beverly to solve the latest History Mystery puzzle and compete for prizes. This month’s clues combine notable architecture, art, some spookiness, and some quirkiness to create a unique family-friendly bike riding experience. Locate your July History Mystery Bike Adventure on page (##), then solve all 16 clues to complete the puzzle. Take a picture and submit your completed puzzle to bapa@bapa.org with your contact information. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will be randomly selected from entries with the correct solution. The History Mystery Bike Adventure will feature a new part of the neighborhood every month through October. Good luck! 

Bike Beverly Merchandise Available 

Local bicyclists can now show their pride in and support for biking in the community by purchasing Bike Beverly merchandise from the BAPA online store. BAPA has an array of apparel for both adults and children available, as well as hats, stickers and other items for sale. Orders will be accepted June 29 through July 12. Go to www.bapa.org to place your order today!  

BAPA looks forward to continuing to promote bike-friendly opportunities in the community throughout the summer. As always, practice safe biking and be aware of bicyclists on the road while driving. Be sure to tag BAPA on Instagram and Facebook and #beverlybikes2020 to show us your biking adventures! 

   

19th Ward Mutual Aid Continues to Assist Neighbors 

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By Cathriona Fey 
BAPA Community Outreach & Improvement  

As businesses, parks, and other establishments begin to reopen, the 19th Ward Mutual Aid group remains busy assisting members of our community who have experienced difficult times and financial hardships during these last few months. Continuing to partner with various community groups and organizations, 19th Ward Mutual Aid has built up momentum and support from all corners of Beverly/Morgan Park to provide those in need, and those who want to help, with a place to go.  

Each Wednesday in the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) Community Room, 11109 S. Longwood Dr., you can find Mutual Aid volunteers diligently packing up bags of first aid and hygiene products for patrons of the Free Store. Formed through a partnership with Turpin Cares, BAPA and the 19th Ward Mutual Aid group, the Free Store provides local residents in need with an array of products that have been donated on Wednesdays, 5 to 7 p.m. The Free Store has served over 200 families and distributed over 2,000 items. It will remain open as long as the need remains.) Donations are accepted and can be dropped off at the Free Store during open hours. 

On Tues., June 23, the first BAPA Teen Corps call was held to organize local teens interested in volunteering in the community. BAPA Teen Corps offers youth opportunities to build service hours, take advantage of work readiness and college personal statement writing workshops, and create service or volunteer projects. Teens got to work immediately, helping with BAPA’s Weeding Wednesday initiative the morning after their first call. BAPA invites teens to get involved. Want to know more? Join the BAPA Teen Corps Facebook Group or contact Mary Jo Viero, mjviero@bapa.org or 773-233-3100. 

Another Mutual Aid partnership which includes the Beverly Area Arts Alliance, Edna White Memorial Garden and Turpin Cares, has installed the community’s first Neighborhood Pantry Box. Located at the Edna White Memorial Garden on the corner of 111th (Monterey) and Esmond Street, the Pantry Box provides 24/7 access to various items to anyone who needs food assistance. Neighbors can donate shelf–stable, unopened and not expired, food at any time. The Pantry Box was built and installed by Baird Campbell, Sal Campbell and Ross Weiler. For more information, contact turpincares@gmail.com.  

To learn more about the 19th Ward Mutual Aid, follow them on Facebook for news and updates. If you need of assistance or would like to volunteer your services, contact aid19ward@gmail.com or 773-980-6043.  

 

  

History Mystery Bike Adventure 

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More Mystery, More Adventure & More Fun for the Whole Family 

As most community events are being cancelled, BAPA is bringing back a retooled, social distancing-friendly version of its popular History Mystery Bike Tour. An exciting way to see the neighborhood, harness sleuthing skills, and get in some active outdoor time with family and friends, new History Mystery Bike Adventure offers four all new puzzle-solving challenges with some updates, prizes and family-friendly options.  

In its heyday, the History Mystery Tour was held as a one-day family focused biking event, coupled with food and music. For the new version, people will participate on their own using clues and maps printed in The Villager starting this month and available on BAPA’s website.   

As many residents take to the streets on two wheels to enjoy the warmer weather and stay active, the resurrected History Mystery Bike Adventure is an option for families to add some fun to their rides and discover new routes in the community. It is just one of multiple BAPA alternative events being held this summer that allow residents to practice social distancing, but still get out and participate in a community-wide activity.  

The new History Mystery Bike Adventure starts pedaling in West Beverly. Every month through September, the series will take residents to a new area of the neighborhood to solve clues using the printed map in that month’s Villager and at www.bapa.org.  

Clues will cover a wide range of topics specific to each area of the neighborhood. From architecture and history, to local businesses and everyday sights, residents can spend the summer discovering everything that makes the Beverly/Morgan Park community so unique.  

Once participants have completed the clues, they will be able to solve the History Mystery puzzle. Each month, completed puzzle answers can be submitted to BAPA via email (bapa@bapa.org) with the subject line History Mystery to be qualified for prizes for that month. Prize winners will be randomly selected from the correct puzzle answers received, one entry per family please. Future adventures will take residents to East Beverly in July, North Beverly in August, and Central Beverly in September. 

BAPA encourages bicyclists to always practice bike safety and etiquette when riding. For more tips and recommendations on how to bike safely in our community, check out Bike Safety Information. To get started on the first History Mystery Bike Adventure of the summer, find your map and list of clues here. Good luck! 

Although you won’t be able to win any prizes, you can still get out and explore the neighborhood with the previous months bike maps and clue sheets here: June, July

 

The Psychology of Finding a New Job 

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With so much change in the economy, many of us may be impacted ourselves, or connected to someone impacted by unemployment and the search for a new job. As people adjust to changes, BAPA will be hosting an online workshop to help job hunters learn to be focused, resilient and successful during their search.  

The workshop will be presented in late June by Megan Connolly, a Business Psychologist and Consultant with close to 20 years of experience solving work challenges through the science of human behavior.  

The workshop will help people refine their searches to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. Work shop participants will: 

Review which job hunt strategies have been shown to work, and which ones might not, so you can plan your search efficiently. 

Improve your awareness of your personal strengths and how you can put them to work for you during your search. 

Get acquainted with the job search experience – it’s ups and downs – and how to give yourself room to grow. 

Explore how a job is more than just a paycheck, and how to get back some of what you may be missing most during this time. 

Discover techniques for staying motivated, committed and on-point throughout the experience. 

Connolly is a Principal and Senior Consultant with Mercer, LLC in their employee listening practice. To receive more information about the workshop, email bapa@bapa.org with Job Search Workshop in the subject line.