MMNA Family Block Party Set for Oct. 13

Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 13 – 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Memorial Baptist Church, 2800 S. Yale

The Mayo Meadow Neighborhood Association’s Family Block Party will be held (rain or shine) on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Memorial Baptist Church. Come join your neighbors for snacks (courtesy of the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market) and a good time for all. Children (young and old) will be able to get an up-close view of a police cruiser, a fire truck and an EMSA ambulance. Also, our neighbor Christine Summers and her therapy dog, Hershey, will be dropping by, too.

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News & Notes

Look for The Mayo Meadow Neighborhood Entry Gates at 21st and Pittsburg Ave and 21st and Vandalia. The Tulsa World did a story about our neighborhood project in the Sept 12th Midtown Community Section. The walls are being constructed by Al Flores Realty Construction and Development Company with funds from the city’s Vision 2025 fund. The building materials were the pink flagstones recovered from the old Mayo Meadow Center. Thanks to all the neighbors listed below who helped scavenge over 160 square feet of the flagstone at the demolition site in January 2006, and used their pickups to haul the flagstone to the backyards of the Nidiffer family and Larry Synar for storage. Seeing this project come to fruition has been an important milestone for many who were involved.

Many thanks to the efforts of the Mayo Meadow Historic Preservation Committee (Formerly Known as the Flagstone Recovery, Logistics and Storage Committee) included: Matt & Steve Smith; Larry Synar; Chuck & Spencer Thomas; Nik & Luke Thompson; Lowell Nickles; Barry & Michelle Rhodes; Nan Terry; John & Clay Nidiffer; Lea Ann & Brian Kannady; Frank Mulhern; Jeanie Newell; Carol Holly; Dillon Scullawl.

Mayo Meadow Gardeners (MMG) have met once to discuss projects. If you are interested in joining this group, call Janis Griggs at 742-0049 for information about our neighborhood beautification projects and landscaping the entry gates.

State Rep. Jeannie Mc Daniel has purchased “Keep Kids Alive, Drive 25” signs for our neighborhood. Jeannie represents us in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and the MMNA will place these donated signs on several high traffic areas in the neighborhood to urge people to keep within posted speed limits within the neighborhood.

We had about 50 neighbors attend our MMNA meeting in June. Our special guests were City Councilor Maria Barnes; Kevin Cox, Director of City Neighborhood Inspections; and Rick Bjorklund, CEO of Expo Square. Each fielded questions about parking problems and other neighborhood issues surrounding the Tulsa State Fair last year. They gathered suggestions and comments from our neighbors during the meeting, which also had members from the Lortondale, Sunset Terrace, and Hoover Neighborhood Associations. As a result of our communications with city officials, the city reinstated its practice of distributing letters to residents living near the fairgrounds to remind them of city parking ordinances. The MMNA appreciates city officials listening to our concerns and taking positive actions to address issues of public safety.

Our neighborhood dumpster was filled during the MMNA dumpster days late in June. If you didn’t get your junk to the dumpster, call the City of Tulsa Bulk Waste Pickup service. They will dispose of large household related items like furniture and appliances by appointment. Call for information, 596-9777.

Rid your home of dangerous chemical and pollutants at the Hazardous Waste Collection Event at the Fairgrounds, Gate 7, on Saturday, Oct 27, and Sunday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call the M.E. T. at 584-0584, or check the website for can be accepted, or visit http://www.metrecycle.com/agendas/hpeOct2007.htm for more information.

Our Vintage Mayo Meadow Neighbor, Dorothy Gibbons, has moved to Methodist Manor. She and her husband Dick moved into the neighborhood in 1951 and we have all benefited from their work for our neighborhood for more than fifty years. She will always be a part of our neighborhood, no matter where she lives!

One of the oldest businesses in our neighborhood is Midwest Upholstery. Finis Riggs located at 2906 S. Yale in 1954, and his children and grandchildren still work in the business. Some of his neighbors over the years were Rudy’s Fireside Store and Steven’s Hamburgers.

MMNA is looking for volunteer leaders to serve on the Board of Directors. If you are interested in making your neighborhood a better place through service on our board, please call MMNA President Jeanie Newell at 747-6389 We will elect a new Board at the October Block Party.

As a reminder: The 2007 Tulsa State Fair will run September 27th - October 7th. Remember to take any valuables you have out of your car, and lock it. Leave your porch light on, and report any disorderly conduct to the police.

The MMNA would like to express special thanks to: Cheryl Miner, Wal-Mart at Mayo Meadow for refreshments, Stephen Pond of the Press Group for printing our newsletter; and Redline Signs for signage, Bev Clark for organizing newsletter distribution.