Morris Park Community Association

Maybe no news is good news these days.  By the time you read this, hopefully there will be some plan to get this country’s economy out of some deep doo-doo.  We sure hope so. 

Top story for us this week is Mayor Bloomberg’s decision to cut funding to our senior center.  The mayor is taking Borough President Adolfo Carrion’s discretionary funds earmarked for local senior centers and depositing them in a pot at the Department of Aging to be accessed through a competitive RFP process.  Non-competitive applications are out.  The MPCA and many other groups will be forced into a competitive RFP process to get our piece of the pie, competing with other agencies without the resources of expert RFP and grant writers.  This hardly seems fair.

Mr. Mayor, we protest this action.  There has got to be a better way.  We have over 75 seniors who depend on this daily program.  With such a blow to our budget, there will be no choice but to cut out activities that were already budgeted and planned.  Our seniors deserve more–not-less–from this city! 

The Bronx Columbus Day Parade Dinner Dance is set for October 3 at Maestro’s.  Tickets are still available at $70 per person, which includes cocktail hour, dinner and more.  Entertainment provided by DJ Serge.  Also, vendors wanted day of the parade.  Vending space will be located on Morris Park Avenue, between Tomlinson & Haight avenues.  Contact Tony Signorile at (917) 715-2210 for tickets, banners, sponsorships, space requests..

The parade will kick off on Sunday, October 12, at noon from White Plains Road and Morris Park Avenue.  The traditional Mass will be held at 10 a.m. at St. Dominic’s Church followed by a continental breakfast sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Mary Queen of Peace Council in the church’s lower hall.

Glad to report that 50 sites marred with graffiti around the district were cleaned up last week thanks to Michael Carriere of CB 11’s Sanitation Committee and MPCA’s Marc Anthony.  Graffiti is a crime—not-art—and is punishable to the fullest extent of the law.  Go to www.nyc.gov and check out the Anti-Graffiti Unit page for more info.

Coming on Saturday, October 18, Delgado Karate Sports will offer “Defensive Spray Tactics” a free self-defense workshop for women by specially trained instructors who will take participants through the basics of defensive and awareness training.  Two sessions will be held at their studio:  9 to 11 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.   Call Delgado Karate Sports at (718) 904-1403.

No date yet for the city’s HEAP applications.  That’s the Home Energy Assistance Program, a federally funded program which helps eligible homeowners and renters pay bills for heating fuel, equipment and repairs by awarding grants from $40 to $540 per year.  Last year it was November 1.  We’ll keep you posted.

Welcome fall.  If  you’re cleaning out your closets, donate your gently used clothing to someone in need.  Also, you’ll notice a growing number of yard sales every weekend all over the place.  One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!  Find yours.  Meetings held every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.; free coffee and cake served.  Have a great week.