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SPRING NEWSLETTER 2014 www.oldfig.org ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING Wednesday, March 19, 2014, 7pm Fig Garden Swim and Racquet Club 4722 N. Maroa Ave. Meeting Agenda: 1. Call to order 2. Introductory Remarks 3. Treasurer’s Report 4. Nomination of Directors & voting 5. Discussion of matters of general interest 6. Adjournment
Come to our annual meeting. Hear the news, meet neighbors, ask questions of County and City officials and show that you are a part of Old Fig.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Friends and Neighbors, I am honored to serve another year as
President of the Fig Garden Homeowner’s Association. I believe 2014 will be a year of prosperity for our Fig Garden neighborhood. We have seen an increase in Fig Garden home values and it is anticipated that home values will continue to rise in 2014.
Significant improvements to our streets were made in 2013 and will continue into 2015. These street projects do create temporary inconveniences, but are necessary for lasting repair and maintenance of our roads and utilities.
Some of my friends who live outside Fig Garden ask me why I love the Fig Garden neighborhood and why I think it is a great place to live. I tell them it is because of things like the historic homes and the park-like setting of our streets, but, mainly, it is because of the Fig Garden neighbors.
So, this got me wondering how others describe the qualities of a great neighborhood. Searching the Internet for what makes a great neighborhood gets you a variety of answers, which often reflect the interests and backgrounds of the posters.
Urban planners categorize great neighborhoods as those adapted for mixed
usage such as: condominiums, apartments, and other residential units located within walking distance to retail stores.
Our Fig Garden neighborhood may not fit into this category but one factor common to all the documents that I have searched is good neighbors. Without good neighbors, no matter where you live, you won’t have a great neighborhood. My search of the Internet yielded these qualities that make a good neighbor.
The first quality is Friendliness. Take a walk around Fig Garden, and if you see a neighbor outside, smile and wave hello. There is no better way of getting to know your neighbors than by walking your streets. Strike up a conversation by asking your neighbor a few questions–which could be just about anything. And, let's not forget the time-old tradition of dropping by to share with a neighbor an unexpected gift such as cookies. It is a simple gesture but one which goes a long way to making an impression as a friend and neighbor.
The second quality is Respectfulness. The Golden Rule is a fine example of showing respect: treat others the way you want to be treated. Care for your property because it reflects in the neighborhood as a whole. If you
plan an event at your house, let your neighbors know of this and minimize the impact on them. These nuisances may include loud music and traffic congestion. Be considerate and your neighbors will appreciate your efforts and will be accommodating in return.
The third quality is Awareness. Help look after your neighbors’ properties. Tell your neighbors when you plan to be away for an extended period of time. When neighbors help keep an eye on each others' homes, we all benefit. Having a safe neighborhood makes building relations much easier. Join one of the Fig Garden Neighborhood Watch Programs, it is an easy way to stay in contact with the neighbors and is a formal system for keeping everyone safe. Protecting our homes and families is an interest we all have in common, and is one we can unite over. I know that I feel safer on vacation knowing my neighbors are watching my house and can recognize what is normal or suspicious activity near my house.
The fourth quality is Communication. Stay in touch with your neighbors. Communication creates and maintains bonds between neighbors. Your neighbors are often the first ones, outside your family, to help in times of crisis. In addition, your neighbors most likely will be the first ones on the scene if something happens at your house and you need a hand.
Stay informed on community issues and get involved. Our Fig Garden neighborhood is unique and I encourage everyone to be involved to retain Fig Garden’s individuality.
The last quality involves Random Acts of Kindness and Sharing Resources. A good neighbor will help the sick or struggling. You might consider it, literally, to “pay it forward.” Do some random act of kindness. If a neighbor needs help, provide it. It may be as simple as repairing a broken sprinkler or, in my case, decorating someone’s yard for Christmas, or it may be picking up extra groceries for someone in your neighborhood you know is in need. People remember these acts of kindness and will help out others when they have their opportunity to do so.
Our Fig Garden neighborhood is rich in resources, whether it's advice we can share about landscaping, or loaning a neighbor tools or a ladder (a requirement for living on Christmas Tree Lane). We help each other with simple tasks like putting out someone’s garbage when they are on vacation.
That being said, I believe that our Fig Garden residents have all the qualities which make Fig Garden a great neighborhood. So when you get a chance, reach out and get involved with your neighborhood.
Dean Alexander
FIG GARDEN HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
OFFICERS & DIRECTORS FOR 2014
President Dean Alexander [email protected] Vice-President Tony Pings [email protected] Treasurer Robert Ware [email protected] Secretary Merilee Amos [email protected] Board of Directors: Mei Leng Cheng [email protected] Dan Gallagher [email protected] Magda Gilewicz [email protected] Prudence Zalewski [email protected]
Slate of Directors The Board of Directors nominates the following people for three-year terms on the Board:
(all are incumbents): Magda Gilewicz, Robert Ware, Prudence Zalewski
Fig Garden Electronic Neighborhood Watch Prevents Crime
Join over 1,000 of your neighbors who are already getting emails to warn them when crime happens in this area. Send your email address to [email protected] to be included on this list. Here is a sample of what you will receive:
• Time sensitive neighborhood crime alerts • Monthly crime statistics compiled by the deputies on duty through the Fig Garden Police
Protection District With just the push of a button we can all be a better informed neighborhood. JOIN NOW!
Prudence Zalewski Fig Garden Homeowners Association Board Member Fig Garden Police Protection District Commissioner
MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR: Joseph and Mary Castro by Magda Gilewicz
Fig Garden neighbors out for a walk will have a good chance of spotting the president and first lady outside the white house. No, not that president and not that white house. This white house on Van Ness Boulevard is the home of the new president and first lady of Fresno State, Joe and Mary Castro.
For the Castros, moving to Fresno last summer upon his appointment as the eighth president of Fresno State meant coming home to the Valley. They were both born and raised in the Central Valley, in Hanford and in Laton, respectively, and he is the first Fresno State
president with Valley roots. They then spent over twenty years living mostly in the Bay area, where his studies took him to UC Berkeley and Stanford, and then his jobs in higher education to several UC campuses, the latest of which was as vice chancellor for student academic affairs at UC San Francisco. They call returning to this part of the Central Valley a dream come true and are thrilled with their new house in the heart of Old Fig.
University House, donated to Fresno State by the McMahan family in 1965, is a unique home in Fig Garden. Since it serves as the
residence of Fresno State's president, it is both a private residence and a site for university and community functions and requires of those who live in it a double role: as neighbors and presidential family. On campus, they are President and Mrs Castro, but for the Fig Garden community, they are our neighbors, Joe and Mary. We see them walking, swimming at Fig Garden Swim and Racquet Club, playing in the yard with their three-year-old son Jess, getting their mail.
The Castros discovered another connection to the house, apart from its Valley location. “When we lived in Hanford, Laton, and Riverdale, we got all the furniture for our houses from McMahan furniture store. I think all the beds I slept in as a kid came from the McMahans,” divulges Joe, laughing. “It took a few weeks to get used to living here. It’s such a large place. It’s wonderful!” They love the grounds, the pool and the closeness to their families and childhood friends, one of whom lives just a few blocks away.
The move means also settling down at home for the Castros. If the frequent moving in the past separated them from the rest of their families, the spacious University House offers them the opportunity to be the hub of their immediate and extended family. Mary talks with affection and excitement about having her whole family together in the big house, under her own roof for the Christmas week, with food spread out in plenty and everybody bound by one rule: “We are not leaving this house!” For her having everybody together was the greatest gift she received for Christmas.
It was Halloween and Christmas that gave them the first taste of what living on Van Ness is about. Who wouldn’t knock on the red door of a house that gives out Fresno State’s chocolate covered almonds and offers a
glimpse of the new president! Families stopped by to meet the new neighbors, some even more recent arrivals to Old Fig than the Castros themselves, and some with moon-eyed children querying, “You are really the president?” The 300 bags of chocolate covered almonds disappeared by 9:30pm, Mary explains apologetically. But no worry—an order went out to the Gibson Farm Market at Fresno State: “Next year more almonds! More almonds! I don’t want to be the lady who runs out again.”
The Castros were not new to the Christmas Tree Lane experience. When living in Clovis
about 15 years ago, they brought their two older children here. But they say they didn’t know the extent of it. In December, they opened up the windows every night to offer a view of the
Christmas decorations inside, and Jess, their “bonus baby,” as
they refer to him, stood by the window excitedly exclaiming, “The people! The people!” They entertained around 600 guests during the Christmas season, getting a good taste of what it means to reside at University House.
Joe and Mary recognize that Fig Garden is a special place. Having lived previously in north Clovis, near Alluvial, Joe says, “I found that living here orients us toward doing things downtown.” And for Mary “Fig Garden is like the center of a wheel. You can go in any direction from here.” If their most frequently traveled route is east, toward campus, they for sure have been venturing south as well, discovering places like Cuca's in Tower district, and exploring Blackstone's restaurants. A favorite with Joe is Cafe Leon, a Mexican family restaurant, just north of Ashlan. His voice livens as he talks about the place. “One of my favorite dishes is nopales, which is cactus. They have that every day, so I always
know that when I go there I can get nopales.” You can catch him there at breakfast time getting his favorite food before he starts his day of presidential responsibilities.
The Castros are gracious hosts at the house. Dressed in Bulldog-red casual before going to a Fresno State basketball game at the Save Mart Center, they display with pride the newly renovated, public downstairs part of the house. The almost quarter-century old blue of the living room is gone and replaced with modern furniture, beige with red accents, over a sumptuous Persian rug donated to the University House by a Fresno merchant.
We talk on a Saturday afternoon over a porcelain bulldog statue that sits stoutly on the coffee table. (The Castros are surely already part of the Red Wave, and Dodgers fans, by the way). Two splendid contemporary art pieces grace the mantelpiece. It was Mary's idea to display prominently Fresno State students' artwork in the living room, as well as to feature food grown and produced by the University as she designs menus for official functions at the house. Another way for her to promote the university community is featuring those most active and enthusiastic about being part of Fresno State in her weekly interviews on the campus radio station KFSR 90.7 FM every Sunday at 10:00 am.
Music is also an important part of the life at University House. Jazz floats softly from the sound system as we talk in the living room, but more significantly official guests are usually treated to live performances by the President’s quintet and Fresno State music faculty. CSU Chancellor Timothy White, a Fresno State alumnus, probably didn’t have a chance to be
treated to an exquisite violin performance at the President’s house when he was a student here, as he did recently when he visited Fresno.
What’s noteworthy about the Castros is that they don’t treat the live performances at their house as background mood-enhancer. They showcase the musicians, the same way they showcase students’ artwork, and see the occasion, Mary explains, as “an opportunity to share the talent with the community.” To Joe it’s important that the student musicians are from different small towns in the Valley. He acknowledges them, their talent and hard work. “It makes a great impact on people when they hear, ‘Oh, this person is from Visalia or Atwater,’ especially since a lot of times our guests are from those communities themselves.” University House is a busy place. Sometimes, like little Jess but looking in from the outside, we may exclaim, “The people! The people!” because nobody else receives thousands of guests at their home as they do. The Castros, however, decided to scale down the official functions because of their three-year-old and their own preference for more intimate gatherings.
For the past fifty years it’s been the Fig Garden community’s joy and privilege to house Fresno State’s first families in its midst. For this family, coming back to Fresno is also special: “We are living a dream right now. Both of us are getting an opportunity to do something bigger than we could have imagined and we are thrilled every day.” We wish them many successes with the great responsibilities they have taken on, both at the University and at home, and look forward to meeting them as neighbors.
MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR: Christa Eads by Magda Gilewicz
Nobody wants soldiers to get cold feet. So what’s the solution? You knit them wool socks. For those in the navy, blue; for the army, drab olive; for the air force, beige—all strictly normalized, twelve-inch high “regulation socks.” But you also want soldiers to have socks in fun colors. So you knit them “leisure socks” in any color of the rainbow. At least that’s what Christa Eads does. Over the past seven years, she has delivered hundreds of socks and caps to Socks for Soldiers Inc., a non-profit organization with 2,000 knitters connected through the internet who devote their time and skills to this labor of love and support for soldiers stationed now primarily in Afghanistan. “It gets cold there from what I’ve heard,” says Christa. “Very.” Christa learned how to knit socks in school in her native Schweinfurt, a town in southern Germany, which she left 46 years ago to visit her
sister in Fresno. “You come to visit, you meet the guy and you stay.” Mike Eads lived two houses down from her sister’s, and a baby-sitting job for his two sons from a previous marriage led into a new one. When, after years of living in Sunnyside, on the coast in Sunset Beach and in north Fresno they were looking for a condo, they picked one in Fig Garden. “I loved the house and he loved the backyard. Of all the homes I’ve stayed in, it’s my favorite.” Christa knitted Mike all his socks for four decades, and when he passed suddenly five years ago, it was knitting that provided her
needed comfort. A strong, no-nonsense, cheerful woman, she looks down to admit: “When Mike died, knitting was my salvation. For six months I didn’t go anywhere. I sat here and I knitted. If I hadn’t had that, I don’t know… . It was therapy for me.”
She simply loves to knit socks. A pair takes about a week to complete, and each sock brings her about twelve hours of relaxation. Hers are perfect creations, with precisely fashioned heels and exquisitely even stitching. Novice knitters don’t take on socks, which require higher levels of initiation. Those who admire them sometimes ask for a pair, adding, “I’ll pay you.” Christa laughs when she tells about it. “You can’t pay me. Yarn is so expensive in the U.S. $25 for yarn and a week’s work! Nobody would pay for that.” But soldiers get Christa’s socks for free through Socks for Soldiers Inc. Kim Opperman of Shelby, Ohio, whose son Tom served in the military, started the internet knitting circle in 2006. It proclaims itself as “a group where love is an action word and ‘Support Out Troops’ means more than a bumper sticker.” The organization provides knitters with special yarn called “superwash,” made by a German company Regia, which withstands machine washing and hot dryers. Soldiers report that they last longer than machine-made socks and, as one soldier
put it, provide “that added motivation that you need to get through some of the long days and nights.” Christa’s colorful leisure socks brightened SFC Linda Daily’s day: “I wear crocs when I’m not in my boots, and there are a couple places here that require us to remove our shoes. People now ask me where I get my socks from. Thank you so very much for your support and gratitude.” They also made a special Christmas gift for Cpt. Reginald H. Rice, CPT, EN, 41st Engineer Company Commander and his Platoon. Such notes of acknowledgment for the effort and kindheartedness are payment enough for Christa. The hundreds
of socks she’s knitted keep hundreds of feet warmly cushioned in far-away places providing some comfort in rough and often dangerous conditions. (If, by any chance, you are interested in becoming knitters for Socks for Soldiers, you can contact Kim Opperman through her website: www.socksforsoldiersinc.com
Greetings from Andreas Borgeas
Chairman, Fresno County Board of Supervisors
As I begin my second year on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors I want to express to Fig Garden neighbors how honored and privileged I am to serve you. I look forward to keeping abreast of your concerns and suggestions on how to continuously improve our community. First I would like to congratulate Fig Garden on Christmas Tree Lane’s 91st anniversary. The music, lights, decorations and spirit are appreciated by our entire County. In fact, Anna and I had a great time participating in the festivities with our sons Aleko (3) and Aris (1). The following is a brief selection of significant developments of this past year. During my first year, I am proud to have sponsored a number of initiatives that are aimed to improve Fresno County. For example, I authored the Strategic Industries Incentive Pilot Program (SIIP), which is designed to attract, expand and grow core industries in Fresno County. The targeted industries of food processing, logistics and distribution, manufacturing, clean energy, and agriculture-related activities have a record of proven success in our County, and also show the promise for developing new types of jobs and businesses for the future. A persistent challenge is dealing with an ever-increasing jail population exceeding the capacity of the County Jail. With recent realignment legislation, a greater number of inmates have been transferred to the County from the State and it will take cooperation amongst all those involved in the criminal justice system to find ways to reduce the overcrowding and the need for early-releases, which potentially endangers the public. One approach being investigated is to make more beds available by freeing up space held by pre-sentence inmates. By opening more courtrooms and assigning temporary judges to bring cases to trial sooner, less space may be taken by pre-sentence inmates in prison. One
exciting development with this issue is that Fresno County was awarded an $80 million grant from the state to construct a new jail which will replace one of our outdated facilities. Regarding the budget, I was proud to join with my fellow Supervisors in passing a balanced County budget. Though many counties and municipalities have struggled to avoid financial uncertainty, Fresno County has aggressively pursued fiscal responsibility and has continued to grow in a positive direction. Moving forward, the County’s progress will continue to require tough contributions from County staff on all levels, but I am confident in their capabilities and feel extremely fortunate to work with such dedicated individuals. Lastly, Fig Garden residents have always taken an active role in community issues and I hope to continue to receive your input on matters of concern. One upcoming issue deals with proposed changes to the County fence ordinance. The current fence ordinance has presented many challenges for community residents, and as a result the County Public Works department has proposed a set of amendments to simplify the ordinance. I encourage you to review the proposal and contact the Public Works office with your suggestions and concerns. To learn more about the proposed changes and to submit your comments, please contact our Public Works and Planning staff by e-mail at: [email protected] or by phone at: 559-600-4078. Once again, I want you to know my District 2 staff and I are committed to working hard on your behalf. Please feel free to contact me at 600.2000 or at [email protected] to talk or set up a meeting.
Warm Regards, Andreas Borgeas
Christmas Tree Lane
by Dean Alexander
Last year marked our 91st year of decorating the Deodar Cedars with lights. And since we decorated the trees and houses our faithful visitors came. Our biggest complaint for the 2013 season was cars waiting in line to get onto Christmas Tree Lane. Our busiest day was Sunday, December 23rd. Traffic was backed up from Pep Boys on Blackstone Avenue. A line of cars approximately one mile long line was waiting to get onto Christmas Tree Lane. While this obviously is not the norm, and traffic flows freely on the weekdays, it is a very good indication of just how popular the event is. The traffic is however a concern of mine, and we are trying to resolve the issues. However, when discussing the issue with friends, they do indicate that when you have a good event or restaurant you expect to see lines to get a seat. This is a very special event that is cherished by the entire valley and it is put on solely by the Fig Garden Homeowners Association. This is something of which we neighbors can be very proud. Last year marked the completion of installing all LED lights on our Deodar Cedars. This is a great accomplishment and provides a significant energy savings. The 2013 walk nights went fairly well and again we partnered with Tree Fresno. On those two walk nights, Tree Fresno provides
all the labor and cost for putting on the event. Tree Fresno gave Christmas Tree Lane a fixed fee, no matter what it costs to run the two walk nights, or how much they collect in donations. I would especially like to thank the Fig Garden Women’s Club for providing cookies, coffee and hot chocolate. The Women’s Club has done this for more years than I can remember. In addition, they place donation boxes at the cookie tables. All the donations they collect are provided to Christmas Tree Lane. The women at the Women’s Club are doing a fantastic job and are truly being a good neighbor. Christmas Tree Lane 2014 looks like it will be another great year. For 2014, we will again provide the sleigh with the Grinch as we did in 2013. This was a great photo opportunity for our visitors and everyone enjoyed it. In 2014 we will continue to try to improve the walk nights. These improvements would include additional volunteers for trash collection and trash monitoring. The great traffic control provided by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Fresno Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol makes the event enjoyable for all. Again, Christmas Tree Lane is very special for our neighborhood and I recommend to everyone to enjoy the magical moments created by Christmas Tree Lane.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
The Fig Garden Woman’s Club Benefit Antique Show and Sale,
March 14-16 at 4550 North Van Ness Boulevard
Friday, March 14 10 am - 6 pm Saturday, March 15 10 am - 6 pm Sunday, March 16 11 am - 3 pm
The price of admittance $5 For more information please contact Marilyn Schutt at [email protected].
The Fig Garden Annual Dinner
Details about the fall annual dinner will be announced in our Fall Newsletter and on our website.
