What does “quality of life” mean to you?  Collaborate with your neighbors from throughout the mid-North area on a united vision and plan to support neighborhood quality of life.

Share your ideas.  Get involved.  Create a plan.  Put it to work.

See the midnorthplan.org website for more details.

As you know, Project Home Indy (located next to the alley on 32nd Street) is very close to opening and serving 5 young women and their babies.  We plan to open in April, but want to take this opportunity to ask those of you who have green thumbs to help us out with the yard if you are interested.  As a non-profit, we currently have one staff member (me!), and while we continue to hire more staff in the next month, we will still not have a staff member designated for maintenance, per se.  You have likely noticed, the yard is VERY large and in need of some help to be a welcoming space for the young families that will live here.

Sharon Gamble has mentioned that some of you may be willing to split some of your perennials for our yard.  As you can see in the attached picture, we intend to have a large mulched perennial garden on the east side of back yard and I would love for it to be colorful and cheery.  If you have ANY perennials that you are willing so split, we would be honored to have them.  As you’re planning your own spring garden, take a close look at those hostas, daylilies, or other plants that are taking over:)  I can find them an excellent home.

We plan to create a brick patio and walk in the back.  If you happen to have a heap of used brick, I would be happy to take it off your hands!

If you are interested in volunteering for a few hours to help with the yard- I would be delighted to have you.

And if you haven’t seen PHI yet, please email me for a time to visit. I’d love to meet you and show you around!

Sarah Nielsen

Rules:

1. All canines welcome – come one, come all!
2. Be prepared to control your pet.
3. Avoid bringing very aggressive dogs. If your dog misbehaves, please depart gracefully.
4. Feel free to bring toys and treats (humans like treats, too)!

Indy residents are encouraged to bring their non-invasive plants, seedlings or seeds including divided perennials, bulbs, tubers, pond plants or indoor plants, vegetable or flower seeds or seedlings to share. Likewise, anyone is welcome to take what he or she needs from the wide variety of plants at the exchange. Small donations will be accepted from those who don’t bring plants to share, but are NOT required. If possible, residents bringing plants should arrive fifteen minutes early and label their plant donations (perennial, biennial, annual, herb, seeds, bulbs, indoor, etc.) and note whether the plant thrives in sun or shade as well as flower color, if applicable.

If you’d like to donate plants but need help dividing the ones in your yard, please contact Sarah Wiehe at indytilth@gmail.com or at 317.797.3392. Volunteers are needed to dig perennials the two weekends before the Plant Exchange (April 24- 25 and May 1-2). Additionally, volunteers are needed to organize the plants and give advice on plant care during the Plant Exchange (May 8, 1-2 PM). If you’d like to volunteer or drop off extra plants prior to the event, contact Wiehe ASAP at the number/email address above.

More than 80 people from around Indianapolis participated in last year’s inaugural Plant Exchange. “Last year’s exchange was a big hit with far more interest projected this year,” stated organizer Sarah Wiehe, a MFC resident and MFC Unity group member. “Several other cities around the US are already doing very successful annual free plant exchanges,” noted Master Gardener and Plant Exchange committee member Dawn Marie.

Additional information and promotional flyers to pass to your friends and neighbors can be found at the IndyTilth website at http://www.indytilth.org/plantexchange.html. If you would like a brief presentation made to your organization, please email indytilth@gmail.com.

The MFC Unity Group consists of an informal collection of neighbors from all parts of the MFC area served by the Mapleton-Fall Creek Development Corporation, including the Historic Meridian Park, Watson-McCord, traditional Mapleton-Fall Creek neighborhoods, and Haywood Park. The Plant Exchange grew from discussions held at neighborhood-wide Unity Forums staged to develop camaraderie, cohesiveness, and engagement. These forums were made possible through an IMAGINE grant from the Great Indy Neighborhoods Initiative.

There are several ways to ensure that MFC can keep the recycling bin:

• Make sure only the allowed materials are deposited into the bin
• Do not leave trash around the outside container
• RECYCLE! A great way to show that we need the bin is by using it!

Materials accepted in the City’s Recycle Indianapolis program include:

• Glass
• #1 and #2 plastics
• Aluminum, tin, and steel beverage and food cans
• Newspapers and magazines

Any other materials will be considered contamination!

Lets all work together to ensure we will continue to have a community recycling bin in our neighborhood!

“We are extremely grateful and excited to have been awarded this grant,” said Project HOME Indy Board president Kristen Schunk Moreland. “Our goal is to provide a nurturing residential environment to help these girls and their children. We want to help them build self-sufficiency, create opportunities to expand life skills, access healthcare, and realize greater educational success.”

“This grant allows us to move ahead quickly to renovate the home we will use to serve teen moms desperate for a stable living environment and appropriate social services,” said Emily Styron, Project HOME Indy executive director. “Project HOME Indy is fortunate to receive this assistance and increasing support from the local community and partner organizations.”

To learn more about Project HOME Indy, visit it on the web at www.projecthomeindy.org.

Attendees are welcome to bring snacks or desserts to share at this neighborhood pitch-in and social event. If you are a new to the neighborhood or know someone who is, please contact Karla Johnson at 926-5431.

Information about the members of Board of Directors is available on the Neighborhood Association page.

HMP President Doug Day (right) recognizes Past President Larry Sanner for his many years of service on the board of directors.

Naughty or nice? Santa consults with Dick Luchtman and Dr. Steve Towns.