Stop by 4330 N Greenview for more information.
Category: Events & Announcements
If you’ve been following us on facebook or instagram you’ve seen a few photos from GWCAfests of the past… This year we’ll make some new memories…Sunday, 9/12 from 1-5 pm on the 4100 block of Greenview. More info on Facebook here.
When Graceland West Community Association (GWCA) was just getting started, it was decided that an annual block party would provide a venue for fund raising and a chance for neighbors to meet and talk (“fun raising” ).
Early block parties were pot lucks and our neighbor, DJ Gil Munoz would bring out his gear & provide music. That first year it was decided to have a chili contest – and then they added all of them to the pot luck meal.
As years went on, different people tried different things:
- A group of Dads grilled burgers & brats
- A neighbor and her family members made awesome tacos right there in the street
- We held a talent contest & discovered some amazing talents in our neighbors (choir members, dancers, kazoo bands, rock bands & more)
- Neighborhood teens performed (a few have gone on to careers as musicians, some just do it nights & weekends)
- People sponsored acts like the Jesse White Tumblers, the Roberto Clemente High School Steel Drum Band & a rising new singer LisaB
- For many years, the party kicked off with a pet parade. Everyone dressed up and costumed & ribboned their pets: dogs, cats, bunnies and even fish (in a bowl in a wagon). One man even brought a pet python!
- We’ve had the Lake View High School cheerleaders, jazz band & percussionists perform for us
- We’ve done rummage sales, silent auctions & live auctions to help fund the organization
- Fortune telling by Madame Sonia
- Chair massages
- We’ve tried Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, one year we even did an afternoon party for kids & an evening party for adults only (parents hired babysitters, showered & changed and came back to party with the adults)
- We’ve moved it around the neighborhood, every couple of years on a new street ! Then for years we did it on Warner by Warner Park & Gardens
- We’ve had bounce houses, pony rides, petting zoos, dunk tanks and arcade games to amuse the children
- One of our neighbors, Liz Thomas, painted bean bag & ring toss boards for us to use. And then freshened them up ten years later.
- One year, using a dog run & a cowboy hat, the Sheriff made his first appearance. For one ticket he would arrest anyone you pointed out to him. Then they had to serve a 15 minute sentence in “jail” or, since this is Chicago, for 2 tickets they could purchase an immediate release (hey, it’s all for the good of the organization).
This year we’ll make some new memories…Today, Sunday, 9/12 from 1-5 pm on the 4100 block of Greenview. More info on Facebook here.
Tim McGonegle will be re-creating his role as Sheriff, with some assistance from his Grandson, Dawson. So there’s a new Sheriff in town!
Next year the block party could try something new that you suggest. Let us know what would get you to come next year and whether you could help to turn your idea in to reality at next year’s celebration
Magic by Randy at Sunday’s block party GWCAfest
For more than 30 years Randy Bernstein has been delighting children & adults with has own brand of stand up comedy and magic. He has been a perennial favorite at our block parties and we are delighted he will be performing this year at GWCAfest, Sunday, 9/12 at 4 pm in the 4100 block of Greenview. His nuanced performances keep the little ones engaged & adults laughing at his double entendres. Our children eagerly volunteer to “help” Randy perform his tricks. And even up close, sometimes don’t know how the trick worked.
Randy hasn’t been sitting home idle during this pandemic – he created a series of virtual magic show & classes so that children could still enjoy his unique brand of comedy magic.
For more information or to hire Randy for your next event:
www.MagicByRandy.com
(Note: there is a Groupon available for his virtual sessions)
Want to help? Call or text Barbara Sullivan at 773-727-3419. We need volunteers for 2 hour shifts from 1-3 or 3-5
We need treats for our bake sale table. Drop off individually wrapped treats, or bring a whole pan. Please wear a mask when baking.
Most importantly: Come, bring family & friends & enjoy the afternoon!
Next Sunday, 9/12 from 1-5 pm
4100 block of Greenview
Want to help? Call or text Barbara Sullivan at 773-727-3419. We need volunteers for 2 hour shifts from 1-3 or 3-5
We need treats for our bake sale table. Drop off individually wrapped treats, or bring a whole pan. Please wear a mask when baking.
Most importantly: Come, bring family & friends & enjoy the afternoon!
Live music will be provided by solo artist MUSIC BY LISA B
Lisa lives in Madison, WI, but has been traveling down to Chicago to play at our block party nearly every year since she first performed at GWCAfest in 2001. She has been a frequent supporter of Graceland West Communiy Association and we are lucky to have her come down to help us each year.
Lisa has a successful career as a solo artist, as well as keyboard & vocals for Rachelle & the Red Hot Ramblers. She also is a proud member of V05 – a dance band that will really get you moving!
For more information about Lisa, check out her website at
www.MeetLisaB.com
Our 41st annual GWCAfest (neighborhood block party) will be held:
Next Sunday, 9/12
from 1-5 pm
4100 block of Greenview
Come buy a beer or pop, or a glass of wine and enjoy the weather, the music & kick back and stay awhile. An opportunity to meet new neighbors (many new ones since our last block party) and a chance to reconnect with those you already know.
This year will be a bit simpler than in past years. Due to pandemic, we are not allowed to have a bounce house – but plenty of other things happening!
Live music by Lisa B all afternoon
Sheriff will be on duty from 1-3
The infamous “Silly String Battles” ever hour beginning at 1:30
Magic by Randy at 4
In order to offset costs there will be a charge for drinks (soft drinks, water, beer & wine), food, baked goods & children’s games. Cash or Venmo (and we are working on setting up credit card capability).
We are asking everyone to wear a mask and to maintain social distancing. Hand sanitizer & antiseptic wipes will be available
Don’t miss this opportunity to interact with your neighbors!
Stay safe!
Wildcat Families –
Our construction crews are finishing up, our cleaning crews are working overtime, and our teachers are jumping into professional learning and planning meetings to be ready for your students to start on Monday, August 30. We’re excited to be launching several new courses, including our new Freshman Seminar and, for our seniors, the College in High School course Poetry in America: The Streets from Whitman to Hip-Hop, taught by Harvard Professor Elisa New.
To make sure our return to 100% in-person learning is healthy and safe for all students and staff, we’re using the following protocols:
- Mask protocols: All students and staff will be masked at all times, regardless of vaccination status. CDC guidance, based on current research, is that returning to school is safe when everyone masks and avoids extended close contact.
- Entry protocols: We are using two entrances to help avoid “clumping” as students walk in the. building. Students in grades 9 and 11 will enter through the usual door, Door 3, off Ashland Avenue. Students in grades 10 and 12 will enter from Door 10, off the field.
- Health protocols: Students should complete the screener before coming to school and stay home if sick. If a student gets sick during the school day with COVID-like symptoms, they will be taken to the care room, and will need to be picked up by an adult.
Please come to this Thursday’s virtual town meeting at 5pm (Link is Detailed Below) to learn more about what we’re doing to keep everyone safe, and to get your questions answered! And don’t forget Wednesday’s Welcome HOME bash!
Sincerely,
Paul J. Karafiol, Ed.D. (preferred pronouns: he/him — more information on pronouns here)
Principal
Lake View High School
4015 N. Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60613
Stormwater flooded the 4000 block of Greenview and other areas in the neighborhood on June 20, Father’s Day and AGAIN on June 26. If you experienced street, sidewalk, alley, basement or vehicle flooding on one of these dates, can you please fill out this anonymous survey: https://forms.gle/Stx8uXKehXkfJEv96 If you wish to provide additional information, reach out to us at info@gracelandwest.org. This information will be helpful in our discussions with our local, state and federal representatives.
It has been 16 months since our last in-person GWCA meeting, so we are extremely excited for tonight’s meeting from 6:00 – 7:30 pm Warner Park.
Agenda:
- Council Updates: Leaders, Council Election, GWCA 2021 Proposed Budget and vote
- Committee Updates: 39th Annual Garden Walk, GWCAFest, GWCA ECO-Green Committee, Tree Canopy
- Presentation: Provide Bird and Butterfly Habitat in practically any spot (yard, parkway, balcony, deck, patio, flat roof)
- Panel: Judith Pollock, President, Chicago Audubon Society and Patrick Sbordone, horticulturist and butterfly habitat consultant
- Summer Solstice Social
After review of our application, an Openlands staff arborist completed a site visit and determined that 16 parkway spots from our list of neighbors who were interested are suitable for planting. The team from Openlands will be planting on Tuesday May 11th.
Very special thanks to GWCA Council member Joel McFarland for making this initiative happen and for helping re-plant our Tree Canopy. Joel has reached out individually to those neighbors whose empty parkway spot have been selected.
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Openlands is a local environmental nonprofit and their TreePlanters grants help neighborhoods replace their street trees and grow their parkway canopy. They coordinate with the city, get all underground utilities marked ahead of time, etc. The city does some tree planting on its own, but they are massively backlogged, so Openlands helps fill the gap. Growing our neighborhood tree canopy should help us mitigate stormwater runoff, and is particularly important right now given that we’re likely to lose a lot of trees over the next few years due to the Emerald Ash Borer.
