By Mary Jo Viero
BAPA Executive Director
I don’t know about you, but the day after Valentines Day is one of my favorite days of the year. Why? Because for me, it’s the start of spring.
I put away all of my winter decorations, from snowflakes to pinecones to hearts, and I replace them with shamrocks. It puts a smile on my face all day. The color green throughout my house brings me a sense of excitement and energy about the good things to come.
One of those good things is the South Side Irish Parade. I always look forward to parade day because it is a day that celebrates who we are as a community. On parade day it’s not just about being Irish, it’s about being part of what makes Beverly/Morgan Park a uniquely special neighborhood. Ours is a community that loves tradition and values faith, family and friendship — which is also the message in the Irish Claddagh symbol.
On parade day, our community opens its doors and welcomes family and friends from all over to join us in celebrating all things family and heritage. We’re so lucky that at BAPA we get to do that all year long! In the spring, BAPA welcomes new people to our community through the Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour and Ridge Run and Memorial Day Parade. We’re already well into the planning for those events and planning for Bikes and Brews and other summer programs will be starting soon.
This month we are launching BAPA’s New Neighbor Program. We want every new Beverly/Morgan Park resident to feel at home here, so BAPA is reaching out to say welcome, and to provide information on where to do, what to do and how to get involved in our community.
We encourage anyone who is new to the neighborhood – or knows someone who is — to get in touch. I want every new person, couple or family that moves in to feel excited about their choice in a community. Look for our New Neighbor profile on page 12 and call me at 773-233-3100.
Mary Jo
