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Spring 2023 Newsletter

Updated: Apr 11, 2023

In this issue:

  • What a summer concert series we've got coming your way!

  • Speed humps are now more affordable.

  • Your neighborhood association's financial health has never been better.

  • We'll be experimenting with a "community" pickleball net.

  • Got kids or local grandkids? Mark your calendar for the April 1 Easter Egg Hunt.

  • Join our spring clean-up crew on April 22.

  • Featured sponsor: FreshChef supports EPNA and community health.

  • Can you volunteer for at least one activity this year?

  • WANTED: Webmaster and a bit of carpentry help.

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Announcing…one terrific summer concert schedule! Mark your calendar now for EPNA’s 2023 Concerts on the Green series. We’re betting you won’t want to miss a single performance when you see the strong lineup our dedicated concert committee has put together. The season begins June 22 with a concert featuring Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound (shown here, with Paul in pink). One of Milwaukee’s most well known musicians, Paul’s reputation extends far beyond the city. An NPR profile described him as “a prime mover and promulgator of funky Afro-Caribbean-inflected Americana since the 1980s. His material has ranged from surf instrumentals and blues-rock to worldbeat and many points in between.” Also on the opening night program will be bass virtuoso and vocalist Charles Barber of the award-winning local band "Mirage." On July 13, western swing sounds will fill the air, with The Best Westerns as our headliners preceded by special guest Tangled Lines Trio. As described in a review on the Milwaukee Stomp web side, “The Best Westerns deliver constant danceable swing tunes…traditional western swing and blues with an eclectic range of tunes from waltzes to jumps – think Hank Williams backed by Artie Shaw.” July 27 will bring soulful jazz and blues from The Donna Woodall Group. Donna blends the musical styles of artists such as Carole King, Cassandra Wilson, Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jones, Sting, Marvin Gaye and Tracy Chapman with elements of traditional jazz and blues. The result is a fresh new twist on familiar pop songs. Guitarist and vocalist Emmett Mulrooney will lead off the evening. The season’s final concert on August 17 will feature Bockenplautz, a trio who describe themselves as “Milwaukee’s hardest working superior acoustic powerpop outfit…performing exuberant sets of carefully selected and arranged cover tunes since 1991.” The group adds, “All of our performances contain three and only three pure ingredients: acoustic instruments, tight harmonies and gusto!!!” The evening’s special guest will be Loud Library, an indie/funk/jam band. Wow. Are we lucky to live in this neighborhood or what?

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Speed humps have become more affordable. The Milwaukee Common Council has allocated additional funds to continue offering a very popular program: “discount” speed humps. Where in the past the average Milwaukee homeowner had to pay $250 ($6.50 per frontage foot) to cover 90% of their share of the installation cost, the same homeowner now pays $80 ($2 per frontage foot), or 33% of the cost with the city picking up the balance. Sparked by Alderman Michael Murphy, the reduced charge went into effect in 2021 using a temporary source of funds that was depleted by yearend 2022. The Council last month voted to allocate dollars from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to continue the program as part of the city’s plan to curb reckless driving. If you believe your neighborhood would benefit from one or more speed humps, you can either contact Alderman Murphy’s office at 414-286-2074 to get a packet of forms mailed to you or go to https://city.milwaukee.gov/dpw/infrastructure/Neighborhood-Traffic-Management to download the forms. They include a petition that must be signed by at least 50% of the residents on the block(s) involved. Once that hurdle is cleared, the Department of Public Works will conduct a 48-hour speed study and traffic count to determine whether installation criteria are met. __________________________________________________________________________________

We’ll experiment with a “community” pickleball net. Last summer MPS painted boundary lines for four pickleball courts in the Enderis Park tennis court area. The new pickleball courts lack nets thus necessitating that players acquire one and bring it along with them. That may not be a problem for avid pickleballers who probably already own a net. But beginners who simply want to try the sport could be discouraged. To promote greater use of the pickleball courts, EPNA plans to purchase a net for first come, first served community use. It will be set up in the court area later this spring. When using the community net, players are asked to carefully move it into position on an open pickleball court and, when finished playing, move it off to the side so it will not interfere with tennis play. Note that the plan for a community net is an experiment. EPNA asks that pickleballers who already own a net continue to use theirs so that those who do not own one can take advantage of the community net. Beginners will still need to provide their own paddles and pickleballs.

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Calling all kids to EPNA's annual Easter Egg Hunt! Saturday, April 1 Enderis Park Playfield We're inviting all Enderis Park neighborhood children ages 12 and under with their adult supervisors to reconnect with neighbors after a cold, snowy winter. Here’s the scoop: TIMING: Registration Begins at 9:30, event begins at 10:00 KIDS: Bring your Easter baskets to gather eggs. ADULTS: Bring cameras to capture priceless memories. EVERYBODY: Bring your loose change for the penny jar and any gently used children’s books for the Little Free Library. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:

  • Easter Egg Hunt

  • photos with the Easter Bunny

  • penny jar

  • jelly bean guess

  • chalk for sidewalk art

  • coloring sheets

  • surprises to take home

PLUS...

DECORATED EGG CONTEST: Decorate eggs at home and bring your favorite ONE to enter in the egg decorating contest. Create a hand-made stand to display your egg. Prizes will be awarded by age level for the most creative egg and display. EASTER ART DISPLAY: Draw a picture of the Easter Bunny, your favorite Easter treat or a spring day and bring your drawing for our art display.

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REGISTRATION FEE ( Day-of. Cash or check only):

  • $5.00 Per child (Enderis Park Neighborhood Association member)

  • $6.00 Per child (non-member).

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Can you serve in one of these roles:

  • Easter Bunny (Costume fits small, slender person. Must be outgoing:)

  • Greeters and Registration

  • Arts and Crafts Support

If you can help, please email enderisvolunteers@gmail.com and we'll get back to you promptly. Or you can call Pat Yahle at (414)258-9676.

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FreshChef supports EPNA and community health

In this issue we're pleased to feature FreshChef Meal Prep, a major EPNA sponsor and Concerts on the Green vendor based in Milwaukee.

FreshChef founder Austin Vetter (shown in the white t-shirt with associate Jordan Conen) started the company in 2019 to deliver fresh, nutritious, locally prepared meals to the community. Since then, FreshChef has grown to employ 22 people and serve about 160 accounts an average of 2,000 meals each week. It now serves customers in Madison as well as Milwaukee.


FreshChef got to know the Enderis Park Neighborhood Association last year. “When Cindy Thorne let me know about the concerts, I was immediately interested” in becoming a sponsor, Vetter said. “It was something a little bit out of our routine and that made it fun. We had a really good time.” At their first concert, Vetter and FreshChef staff provided information to concertgoers. At their second concert, they served hot food from a menu.


FreshChef customers can order packs of 4 to 20 meals a week. There is no fixed commitment required: Order size can vary by week and weeks can be skipped as desired. Menus including breakfasts, salads and main dishes are posted in advance at freshchefmke.com. Single-serving dishes and family-style meals are available.


All dishes are prepared at FreshChef headquarters based on orders made by noon on Thursday. The meals are delivered to customers every Monday afternoon.


The company, which recently was awarded first place in Shepherd Express magazine’s 2022 home cooking meal kits category, plans to come back to Enderis Park.


“We’ll be back. It’s a nice community and we felt welcomed,” said Vetter, who balances his career and business with family life. He and partner Maria have five children, Callan, Everett, Liam, Lillyan and RJ.


FreshChef partners with health and fitness and food businesses to help fulfill its mission of promoting health and well-being. More information can be found on its website, freshchefmke.com, and its facebook page, freshchefmke.

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Join the Spring Clean-up crew! 9.a.m. Saturday April 22 2802 N. Sholes Ave.

After a long, litter-trapping winter, this neighborhood is going to need some sprucing up. You can help – and even have a little fun – by serving on our spring clean-up crew for a few hours. Join participating neighbors on Saturday April 22 as we clean up the Enderis Park neighborhood and our borders - Burleigh, Lisbon, Center, 76th and 60th. To participate, show up at 9:00am (later is okay, too) at 2802 N. Sholes Ave. to receive your bag(s), gloves and litter grabber. You will be assigned an area to clean up or you can pick your own. Work with a group – it's much more fun! Volunteers will receive coupons for FREE admission to various Milwaukee County attractions, including the zoo. Questions? Contact Lori Sommervold at jodis754@aol.com or (414) 445-8742.

…And save this date too: Bloom & Groom plant sale: Saturday, May 20

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Can you help?

People often comment on what a special neighborhood this is. Often they credit the Enderis Park Neighborhood Association. But crediting EPNA is just shorthand for saying we’ve got a great group of neighbors who together contribute hundreds of hours each year to make a wide range of special events and activities happen.


The good news is that, once people volunteer, they tend to keep volunteering because it’s fun and a good way to make new friends. The other news is that we could use more help to ensure that nobody has to do too much.


If you are not already active in one or more volunteer roles, we’d appreciate even just a few hours of your time. The next opportunity is the Easter Egg Hunt on April 1. (See related article). We’re also very much in need of assistant coordinators for the July 4 festivities. And on an occasional basis we could use help with our web site.


Whatever your talent, interest and time availability, there’s probably a volunteer role for you. So please step up if you can by emailing enderisvolunteers@gmail.com and we'll get back to you promptly. Or you can call EPNA President Pat Yahle at (414)258-9676.

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Treasurer’s report: Enderis Park Neighborhood Association, Inc. (EPNA) 2022 Annual Financial Report


The year 2022 was clearly a breakout year for both the neighborhood and the Enderis Park Neighborhood Association. With the Covid virus fading and beautiful ’22 spring, summer and fall weather, EPNA rolled out a full slate of activities. These including four well attended Concerts on the Green, a successful Bloom and Groom plant sale, Fourth of July celebration/bike parade, Nighttime Trick or Treat event, Easter Egg Hunt, Holiday decorating contest, a small-scale Harvestfest and other events.


EPNA was also able to arrange for pickleball lines to be added to the park’s tennis courts, thanks to support from the Milwaukee Public Schools Recreation Department.


In financial terms, 2022 was a truly outstanding year, producing a $13,806 surplus. Concerts doubled the number of sponsors from 13 to 26, resulting in a concert surplus of $10,370. Total sponsorship revenues alone equaled $18,750 – the largest ever. Other events produced a net surplus totaling $774, largely due to over $2,500 from plant sales at ‘Bloom and Groom’.


Membership receipts totaled $8,086, a 30% increase over 2021 receipts. A big jump in membership -- to 268 at yearend 2022 vs. 229 a year earlier and 187 the year before -- fueled the revenue increase, as did a $5 dues increase, the first hike in 20 years.


At December 31, 2022, the EPNA cash balance totaled $38,023.84compared to a January 1, 2022 balance of $24,217.70 for an increase of $13,806.14 (+57%). Of the $38,023.84 year-end 2022 cash balance, $5,884.00 (16%) is being held in trust by EPNA for the exclusive use of the Metz-White Magic Grove Fund. This Fund was established to finance future maintenance and repair of the Magic Grove sculpture located in Enderis Park. It received an additional $700 in donations last year.


The fact that we have built up a substantial financial cushion enables us to look at making investments that will further enhance the quality of life in our neighborhood. As an example, the board is currently investigating the possibility of installing a permanent stage in the park that could be used not just for our summer concert series but for other activities sponsored by MPS as well as EPNA. We are a long way from a decision on this, but the fact that we are in a position to explore the idea is a testament to the financial strength of your neighborhood association.


To see the complete 2022 Annual Financial Report, visit

https://1drv.ms/x/s!AlQuszDy9O6GoRCjhYJxaYgl1bQ8

(Click on bottom tab labeled 2022 Annual Financial Report.)


Michael J. Daun

Treasurer




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