At Wednesday night’s meeting of the Wallingford Community Council, neighbors and representatives from the Wallingford Neighborhood Association (WNA), Wallingford Community Senior Center, Family Works and the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce joined the WCC to discuss the closure of WNA and what it means to our community.
After more than a decade of service to the neighborhood, the WNA Board voted to dissolve last month. The organization, which sponsored local events such as the Kiddies Parade, the Home Tour, the Garden Tour, the neighborhood office, and produced the Wallingford E-news, has struggled with a lack of monetary and volunteer resources. Its events have relied solely on the efforts of volunteers – who have grown increasingly scarce. The WNA Board found that it no longer had the manpower or the funds to keep the WNA office open and the events going. For more information about the WNA, its history and its closure, see http://wallingford.org.
The parade and tours are widely appreciated throughout the neighborhood. They offer a venue at which neighbors can meet and enjoy neighborhood specific events. The office has provided countless neighborhood organizations with a place to meet and discuss community issues, and a staging area for neighborhood activities. The Chamber, Senior Center and WCC are considering ways to keep the office open and the events going, but sustainability is the key. To do this, the organizations need 1) volunteers who are willing to work on the events, and 2) money to produce them and keep the office open.
If you are interested in getting further information or volunteering, please contact the following:
- Maintaining the Neighborhood Office (Wallingford Community Council):
[email protected] - Home and Garden Tours (Wallingford Community Senior Center):
[email protected] - Kiddies Parade (Wallingford Chamber of Commerce):
[email protected]
This stuff is important to keeping up a quality neighborhood. So many good things done over the years by WCC. Count me in.
ASK THE CITY FO RMONEY, MOVE OPERATIONS TO THE LITTLE fREMONT CITY OFFICE, MOVE OPERATIONS TO WALLINGFORD LIBRARY.. FREE SPACE, MOVE OPERATIONS TO THAT WALLINGFORD SPACE BY LIBRARY ALL THOS E OFFICES CAN GIVE YOU SOME SPACE
Great ideas. There is also the bench on the SE corner of N 45th & Wallingford. There is an outlet at the base of the lamp post. I see a homeless guy there charging his cell phone all the time.
tbear, if you’re interested in helping out, send an email to [email protected]. I’m sure they’d love to have you on board!
Solid Ground has spaces in 3 floors
The Senior Center has been helped a lot by the different groups an dmay be willing to share soem space.
I can nto help out these days.. I found the collaborative nature which was too lengthy talking and circuitous discussions not to my personal nature. I am single and need my extra time to get work or do work, still rather low income.
It comes down to really – combine some resources.