Dear Neighbors,
Happy Holidays! I want to start by saying thank you to all our board, staff, committees and BAPA members for all their efforts throughout the year. I know there are many demands on your resources, and I am grateful for your investment in our organization.
This is an awesome edition of The Villager — jammed with holiday fun for all ages!! Whether you are looking for a holiday concert, to pick up Christmas tree or schedule a visit with Santa, you don’t have to go too far!
The holidays are such a busy time of year, filled with family and friends but, most of all, a time when our community shines. Every day as I meet with different stakeholders and volunteers I am reminded of what a special place Beverly/ Morgan Park is to live and raise a family. And, while as the City of Chicago and, indeed, as a nation we are facing many critical issues from safety to economic prosperity, we, as a community, continue to grow and thrive. To me that is the best Christmas present one could ask for!
We are thankful for the investment from the community and the Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust which awarded us a matching grant. That funding will allow BAPA to dedicate more programing in the important areas of education and safety — areas that have long been cornerstones of BAPA’s work in our community. We continue to empower our” back to basics” approach, guiding the staff and board to fulfill our mission to the residents and businesses every day! We believe that today, BAPA membership is more meaningful than ever. With the BAPA Card, our members have incentives to shop local every day! (If you haven’t already made your 2016 BAPA membership donation, we hope you will! A membership envelope is inserted in this issue of The Villager.)
As we look forward to ringing in 2017 and the 70th anniversary of BAPA, we are grateful for support and wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season.
All the best,
Margot
