In this issue:
Harvest Fest is October 7!
Update on park tree removals, replacements
Magic Grove sculpture renovation is completed.
Report on Farmers Market revival
Exploration of possible stage construction continues.
Check out the Trick or Treat deets.
Who will win this year's Halloween decorating contest?
Kudos to the Concert Committee (and congrats to raffle winners!)
What EPNA can -- and can't -- control
EPNA is booming. Have you renewed or joined?
Note to members: How about posting a 'Proud EPNA Member' window sign?
We welcome Celeste Hallisey, our new board member.
Mark your calendar for 2024 EPNA events!
Want to come to a board meeting?
Come to Harvest Fest for one last farmers market, bargains on fall plants and more!
Saturday October 7 9 a.m. to noon at the park
This year’s edition of the Enderis Park neighborhood fall festival will take place on Saturday, October 7th from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will feature the return of our popular farmers’ market along with music, fall-flavored arts and crafts for kids and the annual Build-a-Scarecrow opportunity where you bring the clothing and we provide everything else. You'll also have the chance to purchase pumpkins and beautiful mum plants. The high-quality mums will be provided by Minors Garden Center. They'll be sold at discounted prices of $5 for a one-gallon pot, $10 for a two-gallon pot and $20 for a 12-inch pot. There will be a limited number of plants available. To better ensure that everyone has an opportunity to buy at least one, please limit your purchase to no more than 2 plants until 11 a.m. After that, if there are plants still available, you can buy as many as you wish. We'll also be collecting gently used children's books, jackets and other cold-weather apparel at Harvest Fest. So bring them if you've got them to spare and we'll make sure they get to where they're needed.
Dead and diseased trees are gone, new ones to come Much to the relief of neighbors concerned about safety, the long-dead trees in the Farmers Market area as well as other dead or diseased trees around the park recently were removed. The cutting and disposal were part of a larger project that MPS is conducting to ensure that its parks and playfields contain only healthy trees. Phase Two of the project will see the planting of new trees in Enderis Park and other MPS properties, with a timeline for that work yet to be announced.
...and speaking of trees, Magic Grove touch-up is complete
Our iconic "Magic Grove" is back to its original vibrancy after a crew spent days cleaning, removing rust spots and painting the base of the metal trees. The sculpture was installed 20 years ago. Those in the know say it should now be good for another 20 years.
Farmers Market exceeded expectations
Kudos to a hard-working committee of neighborhood volunteers who brought the Enderis Park Farmers Market back to life this summer after a three-year hiatus. The market consistently drew more than 400 shoppers each Sunday from June 18 through August 27, with a rotating group of 12-15 vendors.
The committee did a wonderful job of recruiting musicians and giving each week its own theme featuring special guests and activities. Said Committee Chair Linda Tanner, "We received lots of feedback from both vendors and shoppers and are excited to use that feedback for an even better market in 2024. We would like to increase the number of vendors and extend the season into early fall."
In the meantime, one more "end of season" Farmers Market will be held at Harvest Fest on October 7. Hope to see you there!
Many thanks to our wonderful Farmers Market committee members. In addition to Linda, the group includes Laurel Heebsch, Melissa Anderson, Celeste Jantz, Celeste Hallisey, Sandy Szymkowski, and Pat Yahle. Thanks also to the 20 other neighbors who volunteered to help at markets over the course of the season.
Exploration of possible permanent stage continues
Thanks to the many attendees at two farmers markets and the July 13 concert who gave feedback on renderings of several possible designs and locations in the park for a permanent performance stage. The construction of a stage to be used for concerts and other purposes is a long way from being approved by MPS, the City of Milwaukee and the EPNA board. But the groundwork required to conduct more serious feasibility discussions took a big step forward with the development of the conceptual renderings by Quorum Architects and the gathering of reactions from more than 100 neighbors. Next steps include incorporating feedback from the Concert Committee, zeroing in on a preferred design and developing a cost estimate for discussion with MPS and the city.
In case you missed the background information on this initiative that was sent in July, here's a repeat of the explanation from EPNA Board Member Tom Miller, chair of the Neighborhood Improvement Committee:
"After 17 years of presenting Enderis Park concerts on the green, our annual summer concert program has effectively become a neighborhood institution. From the beginning we have made do with a temporary stage that must be set up and taken down for every concert. It’s a labor-intensive undertaking that requires substantial volunteer help. The wonderful people who work diligently to put on the concerts are getting tired. They would really like to have a permanent stage built in the park that could be used not just for our summer concerts but also for a whole variety of performances and other park events. But significant challenges lie ahead. They include reaching agreement on a design, figuring out long-term maintenance responsibilities, obtaining all required approvals and, of course, raising the necessary funds. These challenges are unlikely to be overcome quickly or easily. As a volunteer organization, all we can promise is to give it our best effort."
Trick or Treat! is going to be sweet. Friday, October 27
6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Trick-or-treating will take place on Friday, October 27, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for neighborhood children and their friends 12 years old and younger. A few ground rules and requests:
Children MUST be in costumes and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
All candy and treats must be individually wrapped.
Households that wish to participate should have on their porch lights and other lights.
Non-EPNA guests are welcome and are asked to observe parking restrictions.
IMPORTANT PARKING INFORMATION
There will be no special parking restrictions posted during the hours of trick or treat. But with so many children enjoying this favorite fall activity, safety is our greatest concern. Narrow streets make it difficult for emergency vehicles to pass through if needed.
We ask that neighbors voluntarily observe parking for themselves and their guests as follows:
Park cars off the streets (in garages, parking spaces and driveways) wherever possible.
Park only on the even side of the street during the hours of Trick-or-Treat.
Encourage all guests to arrive and park before the festivities begin and to observe these voluntary parking requests.
Drive with extra care through the neighborhood during the hours of Trick-or-Treat.
...and may a great time be had by all!
Which will be the scariest home or the most fall-festive? Halloween Decorating Contest 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 27
Once again this year, EPNA invites you to enter into the spirit of Halloween by decorating your house and yard. Just imagine: Yours could be one of this year's Halloween Decorating Contest winners, with the lawn sign to prove it. As if that weren't enough excitement, the winner will also be featured on the EPNA website and facebook page. Judging will occur between 6 and 7:30 pm on Friday, October 28th, with winners selected in two categories:
Most Decorative: e.g., fall leaves and flowers, wreathes, friendly ghosts and witches, artistic scarecrows, pumpkins, orange lights, etc.
Most Scary: e.g., vampires, tombstones, scary witches and ghosts, bats, howling dogs, etc.
We can't wait to see what participating households come up with!
Thanks to our Concert Committee for a great season!
Overcast skies and a chill in the air couldn't keep Concert on the Green fans away from the last musical evening of the season on August 17. "We were doubtful about turnout, but ended up with a good crowd," said Concert Committee Chair Dave Hoose. "A lot of people stayed until the last note was played."
It was just one more in a string of successful concerts over the event's 18 years. The Concert Committee meets throughout much of the year to plan and pull off four concerts each summer. As they turn their thoughts to 2024, we want to thank them for their outstanding results.
In addition to Dave, the committee includes Steve Prueher, Cindy Thorne, J.D. Thorne, John Weber, Karen Jeschke, Daniel Pope, Julie Weber and Cheri Kent.
...and congratulations to raffle winners!
Thanks to the initiative of Dicky Heil, owner of the Thistle and Shamrock restaurant and longtime Enderis Park supporter, EPNA raised $1,240 through a raffle at our June 22 concert. Congratulations to the following winners: Jay Ares, Mary Beth La Haye (twice), Rick Hinz, Tom ?, Zak Hubsh, K. Brady, Susan Vryr, Mariane Eisner (twice), Matt J, Kim Johnson (twice), Pat Taylor, Kevin Michel (twice), Mona ?, Susan Unger, Anita Franklin, Julie Taylor, Nancy Kuch and Zac Heebsch.
What can -- and can't -- EPNA control?
EPNA regularly gets asked to address issues of concern to our members. Two recent examples highlight the extent and limits of our ability to influence what occurs in our neighborhood.
On a positive note, EPNA President Pat Yahle recently received a call expressing concern that since the splash pool closed for the season, the fieldhouse restrooms have been kept locked. This poses a real inconvenience to young families using the playground when they need a bathroom break. Pat contacted the MPS Recreation Department, which controls all park facilities and operations. She explained the problem and MPS agreed to install a porta potty near the playground that will be there at least until the end of October.
It's a great example of a situation where EPNA has no formal control, but can use its influence to resolve an issue. The addition of pickleball lining to the tennis courts is another example of EPNA responding to members' requests by contacting MPS about making the courts dual-purpose.
But there's a limit to our influence. For example, several neighbors have raised concerns about two apparently homeless men who have been sleeping in the park. After the Milwaukee Police Department declined to take action, noting that it is not illegal to sleep overnight in the park, Pat brought the issue to the attention of our alderperson, Michael Murphy. He arranged for representatives of Milwaukee County's Homeless Outreach Department to contact the men, offering them a variety of resources that they declined.
The bottom line: EPNA is committed to advocating for our neighborhood and bringing people together on issues of common concern. Our president spends many hours listening to member perspectives and connecting with outside resources to address issues of common concern. But the things we actually control are quite limited. Our biggest contribution is the role we play in making Enderis Park one of the most active, friendly and desirable neighborhoods in Milwaukee.
Membership is WAY up. Can you help take it higher?
Wow. As of September 4, EPNA's membership had grown by 52% over the last two years, to 266 households versus 175. And that's real growth, not a bounce-back from a COVID decline (which did not occur). The more members we have, the more we can do to keep ours one of the very best neighborhoods in the city. It's not too late to join EPNA or renew a lapsed membership. Just use the QR code below or visit https://www.enderispark.org/pay-membership-fee-online.
How about posting a 'Proud EPNA member' sign?
Members can help keep the association strong and growing by posting a "Proud member EPNA 2023-24" sign in a front window. An EPNA sign in your window is a way to show your support for your neighborhood association and encourage others to become members. Please consider displaying one. To request a sign, email Anne Curley at anneconnects@gmail.com.
Celeste Hallisey joins the EPNA board EPNA is delighted to welcome Celeste Hallisey to the board. Shortly after moving into the neighborhood last November, Celeste became an active member of the Farmers Market Committee. Her initiative, talents and Millennial perspective make her a great addition to our leadership team. In her day job, Celeste works in the legal/compliance group at an insurance technology company. In explaining her decision to join the EPNA board, she said, "When my husband and I visited Milwaukee to look for homes, we knew that Enderis Park was the neighborhood that we wanted to establish roots in. I wanted to immediately immerse myself in the neighborhood and get acquainted with the residents that live here. I happily serve on the board because I will strive to continue to create and foster an environment that prides itself on diversity, being family-oriented (including kiddos and furry family members), and community-building." We're glad to have you, Celeste!
SAVE THE DATE: EPNA 2024 CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Mulchfest – Saturday January 6 Easter Egg Hunt – Saturday March 23 Volunteer Recognition Celebration – Wednesday April 17 Spring Clean-Up – Saturday April 20 Bloom & Groom Plant Sale – Saturday May 11 Neighborhood Rummage Sale – Saturday June 8 Farmers Market - June 16 through September 28 Concerts on the Green – June 20, July 11, July 25, and August 15 4th of July Celebration – Thursday July 4 Harvest Fest – Saturday October 5 EPNA Neighborhood Nighttime Halloween Trick-or-Treat and Decorating Contest – Friday October 27 Enderis Park Gives Back (online giving campaign) - November/December Holiday Decorating Contest – Judging on December 18
Want to come to a board meeting?
EPNA members are welcome to attend board meetings. The board almost always meets on the first Wednesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Enderis Park Field House. But once or twice a year, we may meet online via Zoom. And on rare occasions, a meeting is cancelled. So if you would like to sit in on a meeting, you may want to contact EPNA President Pat Yahle beforehand at epna.paty@gmail.com. If you would like to add an item to the meeting agenda, you should contact Pat by the end of the previous month.