mtwashington.org

 Mount Washington Association Meeting
January 23, 2011 7:30 - 9
Jack and Denny Smith Auditorium
Mount Washington School
3981 San Rafael Ave

Natalie Seaman

This year we are welcoming Pilar Buelna as the new President of the Mount Washington Association (MWA). Pilar has been a resident and active member of the community for many years and is notable for her work with the Mount Washington PTA and the Friends of Mount Washington Elementary. We asked her onto the MWA board last year in the hopes that she would bring greater interface with the school community. She was active on the board and definitely represented the value of Mount Washington Elementary school for all residents, not just parents.

Pilar Buelna

It was 1983 and I was a freshman at Sacred Heart High School in Lincoln Heights when I was first introduced to Mount Washington by a friend, whose family were long-time residents. The winding, narrow road and the trees that lead to her house were a world apart from my 90 minute RTD ride from South Los Angeles. Her house was tucked in somewhere on Jessica Drive, with a breathtaking view of Downtown LA. It was love at first sight and when it came time to buy a house, it couldn’t be anywhere else. Mount Washington has been home to my husband Gabriel, our three daughters and me for thirteen years.

Carol Jacques

For as long as I can remember, I have lived in the 45^th Assembly District (AD)  I was born and raised in Chavez Ravine, grew up in the Mission Junction area of Silver Lake, and have also resided in Echo Park, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, Atwater (before it was a village) and, now, in Mount Washington. 

Bill Rumble

President Rob Schraff convened the meeting at 7:35 PM.

Announcements

Pat Griffith

Mount Washington Preschools first opened La Casita Verde in the newly restore Ziegler Estate in 2001, after a lengthy, but historically accurate renovation by the City’s CRA. The estate had been purchased by the City in 1992, with the intent to provide a child care center for NE LA. Addressing the chronic broken-windows syndrome occurring in the dilapidated mansion was a happy side-effect, and they also were able to create a transit-oriented center near the to-be-developed Southwest Museum Gold Line station.

Bennie Padilla

Thanks to the generosity of many of our members, and to Maria Gray and Natalie Seaman who arranged for the printing and posting of the posters, the December food drive was an unmitigated success. What follows are some incredibly sweet thank-you letters from those who benefited at the N.E. Wellness Center.

Nina Zippay

Last month I attended a dinner party set amongst the hills of Mount Washington. In the company of several more “veteran” Mount Washingtonians I was bold enough to confess that, although I knew the name Jack Smith (how could one not living where we do?), I had never read anything by the man. I’m proud to say I live among the civilized, for I was not immediately thrown out on my ear.

Rob Schraff

Your Mount Washington Association has been active this year on the public safety front, hosting LAPD Neighborhood Watch public outreach officers to guide us through the process of creating Neighborhood Watches, and working with the ASNC to attempt to get Neighborhood Watch signs. We are also lucky, even with recent modest surges in property crime, that Mount Washington remains a relatively low crime neighborhood.

Anna Carpenter

During the holiday season the biggest concern seemed to be keeping the UPS, Fedex, and other packages from being stolen, since there were people following the delivery trucks. In fact, thieves were caught on video (again by Eric on Glenalbyn) checking out his neighbor’s front door, then taking down one of his cameras. (You can check out the surveillance video on the MWA Facebook page, if you wish.)