Village Viewpoint
Every autumn, BAPA’s Teen Service Corps comes back to life, and Beverly/Morgan Park starts building their next generation of neighbors. These teenagers, showing up for their first meeting and perhaps not quite sure what they signed up for, are the neighbors we’ll count on ten years from now. They will join a committee, organize a […]
Village Viewpoint
How is it September already, neighbors? I can’t believe it’s here, but the final Porch Concert of the year is upon us and will not be held on a porch at all. Taste of Western gathers us at County Fair instead on Sept. 12, and for one night a neighborhood mainstay becomes the place where […]
Village Viewpoint
There is a moment every August when the neighborhood seems to take a breath. Summer camps wind down, the pools post their final hours and somewhere in the back of a closet a backpack gets pulled out and inspected for survival potential. School is coming. In our house, that means a middle schooler who seems to have grown two […]
Village Viewpoint
250 Years of Showing Up This year, America turns 250. It is a number big enough to feel abstract, the kind of milestone that lives in fireworks and bunting and then fades by the time the school supplies hit the shelves. But behind every big anniversary is something much smaller and much more powerful: people […]
Village Viewpoint
Recently someone asked me a question that’s stuck with me. We were at a neighborhood gathering, and he had just learned I was the new Executive Director of BAPA. He looked at me and said, “So what does BAPA do, exactly?” I smiled. Not because it was a funny question, but because it is one […]
Village Viewpoint
Spring Cleaning with Less Waste Submitted By: Randi Alexander Each spring, as the days grow longer and sunlight finally returns to our homes after a long Chicago winter, many of us feel the urge to open the windows, clear the clutter and start fresh. Spring cleaning has long been a seasonal ritual, offering a chance to reset […]
Village Viewpoint
By Dave Konkol BAPA Board Member Who’s that lady? That BAPA lady? That’s Mary Jo Viero. You’ve probably seen her walking Mabel, her miniature Aussie Shepherd, or maybe you’ve seen her appreciating any of the magnificent old trees that enhance the Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood. Next time you meet Mary Jo consider saying “Thanks”, “Congratulations” or […]
Village Viewpoint
By Mary Jo Viero Executive Director BAPA has finished our community events for the season, and we are grateful to everyone who participated. It was so fun to see the community come together! Whether you ran in the Ridge Run, marched in the Memorial Day Parade, attended the Home Tour, Garden Walk, our summer Porch […]
Village Viewpoint
Hello neighbors, I hope you enjoyed this hot summer and many wonderful memories. I don’t know about you, but August was an emotional rollercoaster for me. I hosted a celebration of life for my incredible mom, Noelle, who passed away earlier in June. She taught me so much and I could go on and on […]
Village Viewpoint, August 2025
By Mary Jo Viero BAPA Executive Director I hope you are enjoying what is left of the hot summer of 2025. It was great to see so many of you at the last Porch Concert in North Beverly and then more of you two days later at the incredible Garden Walk. What a weekend! This […]