Adnan and Senada Sokocevic came to this country from Bosnia during the war. They have worked VERY hard, sometimes at two or three jobs, to realize their dreams. They recently bought a home in ward 7, their son is a student at UVM, and both Senada and their son have black belts in karate!
Adnan can fix anything! He works 2nd shift, and during the day he is always helping neighbors -- we don't know when or if he ever sleeps! He's the kind of neighbor everyone wishes they had!
And Senada we also honor you tonight. Senada works in a health care office as a dentist's assistant, where she helps everyone feel comfortable and safe. And when people in her neighborhood are alone, or sick, or have a birthday or other family event, her delicious cooking makes the day special.
Senada and Adnan, we honor you tonight ...now let's see if those noisemakers work!
Regina Brault and FRIENDS! This team of girlfriends have created a salon [a hall for exhibition of art]
in North Burlington. Thanks to them, in the spacious and beautifully restored upstairs ballroom of the Heineberg Center, an art gallery has appeared and flourishes. 
Currently the gallery features a program called IMAGERY, which unites artists and poets in a new and exciting celebration of art and poetry.
At it's inaugural event in September, Victoria Shalvah Herzberg showed her watercolors --
they will be on display in the salon for the next month -- and her husband Don Herzberg read his poetry.
Victoria was selected to attend Vermont's Artist's Week at Vermont Studio Center in 2005, and became affiliated with Two Rivers Print Making Studio that same year. Two of her watercolors were selected for postcards by Vermont Watercolor Society's exhibit in 2006, and she became a signature member of the society.
Don has published poems in the Northern New England Review, the Alembic, and in collaboration with his wife published a collection entitles "Our Land, Prints and Poems." My favorite is Sumac. This program, IMAGERY, and the gallery are the inspiration of Regina Brault, who has been inspiring and inspired by fellow artists at the Center for years. She's quick to say that she didn't do it alone, and we know a woman can accomplish anything with the help of girlfriends.
Let's make a lot of noise for Regina and her friends!
Debbie Zeno! We honor you for making beautiful bird houses and garden art, for everyone's enjoyment who walks by your house. Debbie, with her mom Marion, her dad Norm have a garden so full of surprises, you can't take it all in at once. There's a village of small birdhouse cottages, surrounded by flowers and miniature people and things. 
There's a wise old fox fishing in the pond out back, and an old-fashioned washing machine overflowing with flowers.
The common theme is Debbie's birdhouses,
they are everywhere you look.
This young woman spends her days in a power chair and she doesn't go far, but you can easily
see that in her
imagination she flys like a bird!
For Debbie, let's make pretty, sweet noise!
Bob Schwartz
of Rebuilding Together is part of a group of local builders who appear like the shoemaker's elves, and remodel a house in less time than it takes Debbie to make one of her birdhouses! After months of planning and collecting many donated materials, Rebuilding Together Greater Burlington gathered their volunteers on
to work on the building and grounds of the Heineberg Senior Center in Burlington, VT.
They replaced windows, installed attic insulation, patched walls and painted / varnished, exterior landscaping, exterior trim replacement and repair, roof repairs, heating system consultation, kitchen repairs, and numerous other items.
Click here for a slideshow of photos from this event. The Heineberg Senior Center is located at 14 Heineberg Road, Burlington. It is a self supporting community center serving North Burlington. This center receives no outside funding. There are presently 300 plus members. The center offers many activities, for all age groups, like poetry readings, walkfit, breakfast, bingo, scrabble, movies, bbque's, and MORE. For Rebuilding Together, for Bob and the elves--
LET'S MAKE A BIG NOISE!
Heineberg Center, Board of Directors. Now as many of us know, the Heineberg Center might have had to lock it's doors if it weren't for the dedicated staff and amazing board members who grabbed the reins when the buggy broke loose, swung aboard a runaway horse and rode 'er all the way home to the barn. Well, didn't they?
Would HSCC board members, past and present, and future, please stand up, and
LET'S MAKE multi-generational NOIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEE!
CARMEN GEORGE: After the murder of two women in Burlington, Carmen didn’t feel as safe walking at night. She wanted to get some exercise but was a little too fearful to go out by herself. She wondered if there were others who might be interested in getting out at night.
She sent out an email on the Front Porch Forum. It was a simple invitation to go for a walk. The response was good, mostly mothers who were up for getting out of the house for a bit and having some good adult conversation. It’s a nice way to connect.
Carmen does a lot of other things in the neighborhood. She plans block parties, progressive dinners, playdates. She likes knowing her neighbors. She lived in a neighborhood growing up that was close knit and she wants that for her daughter. "We don’t want to walk down the street and see strangers, we want to be among friends." Thanks to Carmen, this is becoming a reality for many people in her neighborhood. We salute you, Carmen – and for these walkers, let's stomp our feet and MAKE SOME NOISE!
The Northgate Residents’ Association Board of Directors-- they are neighbors who make a big difference in our lives. They are hard working and dedicated residents who have helped and continue to make Northgate a national model for resident owned and controlled housing. These residents are the elected representatives for Northgate neighborhood and work very hard to make sure that Northgate continues to be a wonderful place to live. In addition to their hard work as Board Members, many of these residents have taken their services even further and have helped to create and run community wide events! Special thanks to Shellie Spaulding for her dedication to the Northgate youth drop in times, to Carol Jaramillo and her family for their wonderful work in creating and running the “Family Room” where kids and families get to spend a few weekend hours together playing games and having fun, Michael Plummer for his hard working getting the Northgate library up and running, as well as, Bill Bender for helping out with our monthly Lunch and Old Time Radio shows event. The Northgate Residents’ Association is very proud to have these members on the Board and words can not express the gratitude for all the hard work they do! All of us THANK YOU! Let's hear it for the resident board -- let's hear noise from every corner of this room!
Fern Crete -- we salute you!
Fern Crete resides on Saratoga Avenue. He is employed at Fletcher Allen Health Care, and he serves as a member of the Burlington Board of Health where he is working to rid the city of gardening pollutants. He is being recognized for his organic garden and landscaping that enriches his neighborhood.
Because of his remarkable talent as a gardener, and his keen eye for beautiful and unusual things, Fern creates attractions that even a non-gardener can appreciate. Fern is a persistent, organic gardener who would prefer to pull weeds manually than to poison the environment. All of his approaches to yard care are sound and worthy of imitation by us all. On behalf of the North Burlington NPA We thank you, Fern, for leading us by example. Noisemakers -- take it away!
Janice Santiago
As the Director of the Northgate Residents’ Association in Burlington, Janice Santiago has worked tirelessly to ensure that Vermonters in affordable housing in Burlington and across the state are aware of their voting rights. Because of her efforts, hundreds of Vermonters registered to vote and then cast their ballot on Election Day. Today she's working to involve her neighbors in the Neighborhood Planning Association -- hey, that's us! Right on, Janice!
Her enthusiastic commitment to democracy will have an enduring impact in her community for years to come. She was honored by the Secretary of State and the Chief Justice of the VT Supreme Court -- Whew! how do we top that? OK, let's go over the top on the noise-meter for Janice!
ROGER SECKER-WALKER 
Now this may not look like much, but it is a turtle nesting area. Prehistoric in appearance, turtles lumber through yards in Strathmore and Apple Tree Point Farm to lay their eggs in the warm sand under Roger and Jocelyn Secker-Walker’s clothesline. One wonders how long their ancestors have been doing this, and what the land was like when it all began. Roger and Jocelyn avoid the area at this time, and watch with a camera from a respectful distance as the ancient ritual unfolds.
Turtles originated many millions of years ago. In Vermont, they live in slow-moving bodies of water, particularly those with soft bottoms and emergent vegetation. They breed in late fall and stay in underwater wintering sites in protected pools, where they absorb oxygen through their skin. In April they emerge from water, and by mid-June they are foraging up to 1000 feet away in meadow, wetlands, and woods. Females with eggs move to a nesting area in June, sometimes traveling over a mile to nest.
Roger describes the process like this: to dig the nest she uses her hind flippers, one at a time, to form a large pit. When the pit is finished, she deposits her eggs, then covers her nest with her flippers, sand flying everywhere!
The nesting ritual can take several hours and requires a great deal of patience, something Roger has mastered in life. We thank you Roger, for the quiet respectful space you have given these endangered creatures, and for the loving care you have bestowed on your land at Appletree Point Farm. Please, in honor of Roger and the turtles, make quiet noise.
Shhhhhhhh, very softly make a small noise.....
BOB DINAN organized a sporting event using Front Porch Forum.
- Softball, Soccer, Frisbee (Ultimate) Is anyone in the "Neighborhood" interested in putting together a neighborhood game of some sort? Nothing ultra-competitive, keeping it fun, maybe even playing against another neighborhood. Any ideas?
- Neighborhood softball Friday August 3rd at 6:45 I was communicating with Jim Flint and we decided to try for next Friday. It will be at the Flynn school. I have a few bats I can bring, one is a smaller one for kids. If anyone else has a favorite bat bring it along.
- Just a reminder and a note to the new people we are having a softball game this Friday at the Flynn School field on Starr Farm Rd. Time 6:45pm, meet & make teams, hopefully start playing by 7:00pm. All are welcome.
This is the awakening neighborhood spirit that FPF has brought to us via
the internet. There's a signup sheet on your tables -- check it out! Let's make new kind of noise for this one -- on three, every one shout PLAY BALL!
DOG PARK VOLUNTEERS
If a picture is worth a thousand words, these photos say more than we ever could.
This dog was rescued from a home in a town without a dog park: 
and these are our Burlington dogs:
Park Photos
Dog Park News:
- The small dog area has been completed. Visit the park and check it out. Remember, this is for dogs 30 pounds and under.
- Check out the Tether Ball and Tire Jump at Starr Farm Dog Park. These new toys were installed by Friends of Starr Farm Dog Park.
- Our thanks to Shirley Bandoline for getting us a ten foot tunnel for our park. This tunnel was generously donated by Red Hed Supply, Colchester. More agility equipment and games will be available at Starr Farm Dog Park.
- We have a real need for volunteers. It is a minimal effort, just visit the park on your assigned day. You would not need to monitor the park. Please call one of the contacts above or Ben Pacy at Burlington Parks and Recreation, 865-7247 to help. This is a great way to give something back to our community, like these folks: Chuck, Jerome, Jan, Shirley, Rudy, Kelley, Tom, Debra, Art, Sandy, Marie, Elizabeth, Joan!
- There is now a depository for cans and bottles at Starr Farm Dog Park. Please use this for returnable cans and bottles. All proceeds go toward the improvement of the park.
- Our park is open daily, 8:00 a.m. to dusk!
It's been pretty quiet in here -- LET'S MAKE SOME NOISE and bark like a dog!
Update on Curtis Ave BLOCK PARTY:
We postponed the event until Sunday because Saturday was rainy and windy. It was a great success! People were thrilled to get together and meet their neighbors. Face painting was very popular, and the artistry was amazing! We were happy we put in the time and effort. We had a core group of five -- split the duties and covered all the bases. Charlie, John, Judy, Hans, and myself. Afterward, we sat down and made a list of do’s and don’ts for next year. ...Impressario, Mark Schroeter.
Let's make some noise for this partying neighborhood!
Will Mark Schroeter and company please take a bow!
UPDATE on Lakewood
Annual Picnic
Peg Lonegran and Katy Farnum with help from the other Board members of the Lakewood Estates Beach Club organized this year's successful picnic. A good time and good food were had by all ages.
Last but not least, we want to recognize the hard work of our
TransPlan Team --
Mary Chaffee is our representative to the TransPlan Committee. The City retained Smart Mobility, Inc. of Norwich, Vermont to lead a team of consultants in preparing a new transportation plan for the City of Burlington. On Jan 17, the team listened to the ideas of Ward 4 and 7 residents. Copies of notes from that meeting are on your tables. The project's goal was to develop a transportation plan that responded to residents, and helped the City fulfill the vision and attain the goals established in the Municipal Development Plan and the Leagcy Plan. The Project is administered by the Department of Public Works (DPW) and managed by a team of DPW, Planning and Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO) staff. 
Dan Bradley of public works is going to show us what we got for our money. We've got our noisemakers, and we're going to use them. Dan, you're the man. Friends, one more time,
let's make noise!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
LC Hunt Middle School - Cafeteria
1364 North Avenue
7th Annual Neighborhood Improvement Night Presents:
Celebration of Neighborhoods and The City Transportation Plan
Meeting Objectives: To celebrate neighborhoods! To hear about the
City Transportation Plan, and decide if neighborhood concerns are
adequately addressed. To discuss the future of transportation in
Burlington and how it affects the NNE! There will be plenty of time for
comments and questions.
6:28 Minutes Approved
6:30 Pizza Party, Neighborhood Celebration http://noisemakers4and7.blogspot.com/
6:50 Open Forum and Announcements, Ron McGarvey, Chair
7:05 TransPlan Committee & Overview Introduction, TransPlan
Consultants, Mary Chaffee, Transportation Plan Steering Committee, Ward
4, Jen Cirillo, Facilitator
7:10 Presentation: The City Transportation Plan, Lucy Gibson, Smart
Mobility; Dan Bradley, DPW; Michael Oman, Oman Analytics
7:30 Question & Answer Session, Jen Cirillo, Facilitator
8:15 Next Steps: How will the City Transportation Plan ensure
accountability to community? Dan Bradley, DPW
8:25 TransPlan Closure, Jen Cirillo, Facilitator
8:30 Prizes, SPEAK OUT and Good night, Ron McGarvey, Chair
Ward 4 & Ward 7 NPA Joint Steering Committee 2007-2008 Click here
Ward 4 NPA Steering Committee
Ralph J. Montefusco; Rmontefu@sover.net; 862-4085
Mary Chaffee; Mary.chaffee@gmail.com; 862-9355
Ron McGarvey; RMCGAR864@aol.com; 865-4424
Mary Ann Blaisdell, secretary; mab700@aol.com; 863-6673
Margaret Gundersen; fairewinds@gmail.com; 865-9955
Jim Holway; jim@holway.us; 865-4471.
Lea Terhune, lterhune@comcast.net; 658-1908
George Gamache; georgegamache@comcast.net; 865-2248
Ward 7 NPA Steering Committee
Linda Deliduka; linda@deliduka.com; 864-5114
Alan Sousie, asousie@burlingtontelecom.net; 862-0189
Joanna Cole, Joanna.cole1@comcast.net; 660-7175
Jim Thomas; thoma15263@aol.com; 657-7912
