Just for the record the event at Normandy Park - Saturday October 2, 2010 was not a S.A.B.A. South Ardmore Betterment Alliance Event. Normandy Park is available for rent from the Haverford Township Parks and Recreation Department.

I have received a few complaints, and wanted to everyone to understand that S.A.B.A. was not involved. We have had Music Events at the Park in previous years, but have not received complaints about the sound level.

The Second Annual SABA 5k, to be held on Sunday, October 10, 2010. The SABA 5k event includes a 5k run (walkers are welcome also) and a 1 mile fun run/walk. The course travels through our neighborhood, starting and ending at Normandy Park. Much of the course is on the SEPTA bus path. No need to worry about the bus. The event is being held on a Sunday and the local bus route does not operate on Sundays. This event was a lot of fun for everyone last year and it promises to be even better this year.

The proceeds from this event will support SABA's neighborhood events and community outreach. Also, this year a portion of the proceeds with be donated to the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience. This donation is being made to honor the memory of Bill Davis, a long-time neighbor and SABA volunteer who lost his battle with brain tumors in 2009. He had received treatment and support through JHN.

On October 3rd, SABA will be hosting our annual Fall Planting event at Normandy Botanical Gardens. Please come join us for some weeding and mulching on this first Sunday of October. Bring a pair of gloves, a garden spade, a favorite weeding tool and your family to meet some of your neighbors at the park. We will be focusing on four areas; the two existing garden beds at the corners of Cricket and Oakford and Cricket and Normandy, and the corner of Oakford and Aubrey and the beds surrounding the house(see pics below). Now that the house has been painted and repaired on it's exterior and the arborvitae trees have been removed it is time to focus on the beds around the house. We will be weeding and turning soil around the house and elsewhere as needed and applying mulch to all areas for the winter. Any plant donations are welcome and greatly appreciated. We ask that you bring any plants for donation to the garden on the morning of the planting.

This summer has been busy at the Ardmore Food Pantry. In June we fed 226 family members, July's total jumped to 574, not to be outdone August finished with serving 780 families!! So we are VERY appreciative of donations - food and cash -while always looking for assistance. A big thank you to all volunteers for a GREAT job during these HOT months - we all know how hot the kitchen can get! Whether helping to pack food, stock shelves, pick & wash produce, care for the gardens or donating, you are really appreciated!!!! Also a special thank to Oakmont Farmers market vendors; Lindenhof farms for donating fresh eggs & frozen meats, & Lime Valley Farm for the yummy organic produce.

Last year we held our first neighbor 5k. For a first time trying such an event, it was quite a reasonable success. This year, we want to make the event even bigger and better. Like last year, the event will be held on a Sunday and will make use of the SEPTA bus route, since the local bus does not run on Sundays. Of course, bigger and better also means we need volunteers. On the day of the event, we will need people to be safety marshals, to help with registration, etc. For now, we need you help with planning and organizing the event. We need the most help with contacting potential sponsors. Sponsorship levels are very reasonable. For only $75 a company can have its logo displayed on the race t-shirt. For a mere $25 you, your family, or a company can have a single line listing on the shirt. Please have all interested sponsors contact me at wingardner@earthlink.net. Please also consider helping with some of the tasks for preparing this event.

As many of you may have noticed, the house at Normandy Park was recently painted and it looks fantastic. First, I want to thank Steve Fischer for all of his work with coordinating this project including selecting a color that is both historic and truly fitting of the rustic, botanical feel we have wanted for the park. I would also like to thank Eric Gillard of the township Parks and Rec Department for seeing this project through and Nolan Painting for their help with the color selection and for the great job they did with painting the house.

Please remember your neighbors at the Ardmore Food Pantry. We are low on food items especially at the end of the month and the first week of a new month. Volunteers are welcomed.

We also appreciate any SURPLUS VEGETABLES from your gardens!

Any items can be brought during the opening times--Mon. and Wed. 9:30-11:30, and Thurs. 6:00-8:00. Or can be dropped off at the back of St. Mary's church on Sunday between 9:30-10:30 before/during Mass.

Thank you!

As many of you may have noticed, the large wooden playground piece at Elwell Field has been fenced off and inaccessible for a few weeks. As some of you may have noticed, it was removed from the park today. This leaves a large empty space in the park and in the hearts of the neighborhood children.

The township had determined that much of the wood was damaged, making the piece unsafe, so they fenced it off. They then determined that enough of the wood was damaged that it was beyond repair and needed to be removed.

The piece was purchased in 1990 for $30,000 and was the premier playground piece in the township at the time. Unfortunately, time has taken its toll. At the time, it was purchased with HUD funds. Some HUD funding, and possibly other resources, can be available to purchase a new piece, but not nearly enough to cover the cost.

Our next monthly SABA meeting will be held this Thursday, July 8. As usual, we will meet at the house at Normandy Park from 7:30 to 9:00. The agenda for the meeting includes:

1. Review and final accounting of the 4th of July Celebration.

2. Plans for summer maintenance of Normandy Park

3. Begin planning 2010 SABA 5k

4. Recruitment of new volunteers and vacant officer positions.

5. Additional items to discuss

Hope to see you there.

Our next monthly SABA meeting will be held this Thursday, July 8. As usual, we will meet at the house at Normandy Park from 7:30 to 9:00. The agenda for the meeting includes:

1. Review and final accounting of the 4th of July Celebration.

2. Plans for summer maintenance of Normandy Park

3. Begin planning 2010 SABA 5k

4. Recruitment of new volunteers and vacant officer positions.

5. Additional items to discuss

Hope to see you there.