Oh, Snow!

Oh, Snow!!
Tonight's Member Potluck is postponed due to the Dearborn Public Schools being closed today. We're hoping to reschedule for next week. We'll email association members updated information when we know more.

SODA supporting Business Members

Remember this Saturday and everyday, support our SODA supporting Business Members #ShopSmall #SODAdearborn
http://www.sodadearborn.com/p/business-members.html

November SODA Meeting 2017

November SODA MEETING
Thursday Nov. 9th @ 7:00pm
in the auditorium at Whitmore-Bolles Elementary
21501 Whitmore St, Dearborn, MI 48124

Special Guests:
Councilman David Bazzy
Wayne County Chair Gary Woronchak

Guest Speaker:
ACCESS - ASAP Community Coalition
"Addiction Awareness and Discussing the Opioid Epidemic"
Guest panelists will provide addiction awareness and discuss the opioid epidemic locally

Win Prizes At The Meeting:
- Member Raffle for any paid regular members in attendance.
- Attendance Raffle for ANYONE in attendance.
- 50/50 Raffle

The only requirement for winning is attending the association meeting. For the Member Raffle we pull names from the entire member list until we pull the name of a paid regular member in attendance. For the Attendance Raffle we draw names of anyone that signed in when attending the meeting. You must be present to win.

*All prizes are donated by our supporters and business advertisers.

OTB Give Back Night Fundraiser

SODA Fundraiser @ On The Border
Nov 13th 2017

Bring a copy of the flyer and 20% of your purchase will be donated to the Southwestern Outer Drive Neighborhood Association.

Donations will be used to help offset the cost of our events like the Track or Treat

On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina
3310 Fairlane Dr., Allen Park, MI 48101

Download and Print the flyer:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-uV5Whn0DykelhWSVJGQWJFSzA

New 5ft Passing City Ordinance

New City of Dearborn Ordinance

The ordinance specifies drivers must leave at least five feet between any part of the vehicle and a bicyclist.  Drivers must always pass on the bicycle’s left side. Violating the ordinance is a
civil infraction.

Yes, Sally, there is a Great Pumpkin!

Yes, Sally, there is a Great Pumpkin!
But don't miss out on Trick-or-Treating!

SODA Track or Treat has become a huge success. In it's 4th year it's only getting bigger. Attracting at least 1,500 people to Penn-Vassar park this year!!! Kids in the costumes, parents in tow, treat station volunteers, Police Explorers, Fire Fighters; everyone has made it the success it has become. But SODA Track or Treat is just an extra fun event to get the neighborhood and families out together.

Trick-or-Treating is definitely happening on Halloween!

A couple things to note about Oct. 31st Halloween Trick-or-Treaters:

• Trick-or-Treaking Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm or until your candy runs out
• Turn ON your porch light to let the kids know you have candy
• Turn OFF your porch light when you'tr done, otherwise you'll have knocking well past 8:00pm

Later in the evening (or even earlier) you may see a car load of kids come around. It's OK. Not every neighborhood does Trick-or-Treating, and/or not every neighborhood is a place where kids can feel safe. Be happy that these families are out enjoying Halloween together, and take pride in the fact that our neighborhood is a safe place for them to enjoy it.
And that group of almost adult, half costumed, pillow case carrying teens; they know their childhood is almost over, don't make them feel worse for it. Give them a piece of candy with a smile. They will all to soon be adults, let them have some fun trick-or-treating while they still can.

This year Smartasset.com ranked the City of Dearborn 6th in the entire nation for the Best Places To Trick-Or-Treat. While some of that ranking was due to "Hallowe'en in Greenfield Village", it should not be overlooked that it's also due to the many houses that give out candy, the short distances kids have to travel, and community safety.

The Dearborn Police have put together a list of Halloween Safety Tips:

1. Parents should help their children pick out a costume that will be safe. The costumes should be fire resistant, masks should have eyeholes large enough to allow for good peripheral vision and the costume should allow free movement.
2. If your child will be carrying a prop such as a pitchfork or sword make sure the tips are flexible enough to not cause injury if fallen on. Of course, never carry real weapons of any kind.
3. If you set jack-o-lanterns on your porch with candles in them, make sure that they are far enough out of the way so that children’s costumes will not accidentally be set on fire. Better yet, use battery operated pumpkin lights.
4. Make sure you know the route your children will be taking for trick or treating, if you are not going with them.
5. The best bet is to make sure that an adult is going with the children during trick or treating. If you cannot go with your child see if another parent or a teenage sibling can.
6. Children should stay together as a group if going trick or treating without an adult.
7. Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars. Tell your children to only cross streets at cross walks.
8. Instruct your children never to go into the home of a stranger or get into their car.
9. Make sure you set a time for your children to be home and stress the importance for them to be home at that time. Finally, instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you.

Halloween is one of my personal favorites, and as my birthday is only 4 days before Halloween it has always felt like an extended birthday party. Although I may not dress up and go out tricking for treats anymore, I still enjoy taking my own kids around on the 31st and decorating our home for the fun frightful night. More and more residents in the neighborhood are decorating their houses for Halloween, and SODA will be announcing decoration awards at our November 9th General Meeting for the best Halloween decorations.

From myself and the rest of the SODA board,
have a safe and fun time Trick-or-Treating!
Happy Halloween!!

Timothy S. Harrison
SODA President

SODA Track or Treat 2017

Another successful Track or Treat!
Thank You to all our treat stations and volunteers
Thank You to the Police Explorers and Fire Fighters
And especially Thank You to everyone that came out and enjoyed themselves at the park.
#SODAdearborn

Fall Adopt -A- Tree Well

As part of SODA's commitment to the Dearborn community we're participating the this year's Fall Adopt -A- Tree Well program on Michigan Ave. You can find our tree well between Lue Thai and Moose's Martini Bar.
Decorations will be up between October 1st and November 1st.

A special Thank You to these Members for helping with the project:

Decorations:
Kelly Featherston, Michele Featherston, and Linda Snow

Painted Rocks:
Dan Featherston

Plants/Flowers:
Linda Snow

Dearborn Candidates MEET & GREET

Southwestern Outer Drive Neighborhood Association of Dearborn (SODA) is sponsoring a Meet and Greet forum for Dearborn candidates for mayor, city council, and city clerk on:

Thursday, October 12, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Whitmore-Bolles Elementary
21501 Whitmore St, Dearborn, MI 48124

SODA members and the general public are invited. We very much hope that you will be able to participate.

All candidates have been sent an invitation letter.

SODA is a registered Michigan domestic non-profit corporation with the mission to promote common interest and welfare of people who are members of SODA. To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas for the improvement of our community and neighborhood. And to engage in social, charitable, and other activities which make our neighborhood and community a better place to live.

SODA is a non-political organization, as such we do not endorse candidates and we are not affiliated with political parties. In the regular course of business we work closely with Dearborn elected officials and we feel it is important that all candidates seeking election understand the needs and concerns of the residents of the Southwestern Outer Drive Neighborhood.

Penn-Vassar Park Flower Box

A big thank you to Walt Cerulla, and Dan and Michele Featherston. They spent several hours cleaning out the flower box at Penn-Vassar Park. The next group of volunteers will rebuilt the flower box. Plans are underway to plant tulips and daffodils, followed by annual flowers next year. The volunteers were very appreciative of the residents who stopped and said thank you or waved as the work was completed.
FYI: 13 years ago the flower box was built by Boy Scouts in Troop 1112 with the assistance of SODA members.

4th Annual SODA Track or Treat

Sunday, October 29, 2017
5:30 pm
4th Annual SODA
TRACK or TREAT
Penn-Vassar Park

A fun evening in the park for the whole family.
Kids "trick or treat" around the track at Penn-Vassar park and collect candy from decorated treat stations.

Prizes Best Candy Station

You do not have to be a SODA member to have a treat station or volunteer.
If you are interested in having a treat station, donating, or volunteering for this event; email Sarah Ford
sford@vividclean.com

Printable Flyer

Highlights from Track or Treat 2016

Adopt -A- Tree Well

As part of SODA's commitment to the Dearborn community we're participating in this year's Fall Adopt -A- Tree Well program on Michigan Ave.

If you would like to help decorate our Tree Well between Lue Thai & Moose's either reply HERE or contact Kelly Featherston.

Decorations will be up between Oct 1st and Nov 3rd. The City will place a sign at the Tree Well with SODA's name recognize our efforts.

September SODA Meeting

September SODA Meeting
Thursday Sept 7th @ 7:00pm
in the auditorium at Whitmore-Bolles Elementary
21501 Whitmore St, Dearborn, MI 48124

Win Prizes At The Meeting
Member Raffle - FREE for any paid Regular Members in attendance.
Attendance Raffle - FREE for ANYONE in attendance.
50/50 Raffle

The only requirement for winning is attending the association meeting. For the Member Raffle we pull names from the entire member list until we pull the name of a paid regular member in attendance. For the Attendance Raffle we draw names of anyone that signed in when attending the meeting. You must be present to win.

*All prizes are donated by our supporters and business advertisers.

3nd Annual SODA Movie Night in The Park

From the team that assembled The LEGO Movie
SODA is proud to present:

The LEGO Batman Movie

3nd Annual
SODA Movie Night in The Park
When: September 23rd
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: Penn-Vassar Park
What To Bring: Chairs & Snacks
Cost: FREE

Come out for this family friendly event!
Enjoy a movie under the stars with your neighbors.

Due to the cost of the movie viewing licence any donations to help offset that cost are greatly appreciated! If you would like to donate to support more community events like this one, please Contact Us.

SODA Rocks!

Our friends over at "Dearborn Rocks" are showing us a little love. 
Thanks Dearborn!



If you find a SODA themed rock make sure to post it with the hash tag #SODAdearborn

Dearborn Rocks - Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1415715945208845/

Also check out our friends at Dearborn Art Rocks!! - Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1088248734640408/

Track or Treat 2017

All good thrillers need a good teaser trailer
4th Annual Track or Treat - Oct 29th

SAVE THE DATE - SODA Movie Night In The Park

SAVE THE DATE

3rd Annual SODA Movie Night In The Park
Penn-Vassar Park
September 23rd – 7:30 pm

Come out for this FREE family friendly event!
Enjoy a movie under the stars with your neighbors.

Due to the cost of the movie viewing license any donations to help offset that cost are greatly appreciated!

Whitmore-Bolles Splash Pad

Thank you to everyone that came out for the Whitmore-Bolles Splash Pad Grand Opening!

It turned out to be a beautiful day, and a great day for our neighborhood.
The Pad was packed with kids and adults for the ribbon cutting.

Thank You to Recreation & Parks Director Greg Orner & Mayor O'Reilly for including SODA in this celebration.

A Special Thank You to Wayne County Commission Chairman Gary Woronchak who helped secure funding that made this amenity possible for our neighborhood.

SODA Water Bottles

Come get one of these cool water bottles and show off your neighborhood pride all summer long!

Whitmore-Bolles Splash Pad
Grand Opening
with Mayor O'Reilly, Gary Woronchak, and SODA.

When: July 22nd - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Where: Whitmore-Bolles Park

Come out for a community picnic in celebration of the opening of the new Whitmore-Bolles Splash Pad!
The City will be providing hot dogs and drinks, music, and children type games.

Whitmore-Bolles Splash Pad Ribbon Cutting

Whitmore-Bolles Splash Pad Ribbon Cutting
with Mayor O'Reilly, Gary Woronchak, and SODA.

When: July 22nd - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Where: Whitmore-Bolles Park

Come out for a community picnic in celebration of the opening of the new Whitmore-Bolles Splash Pad!
The City will be providing hot dogs and drinks, music, and children type games.

SODA will be passing out custom water bottles to help you keep cool and hydrated all summer along.

SODA does not have general meetings during the summer months. Come out and visit with your neighbors in the park.

This event will take place instead of our SODA Summer Saturday event.

Supervised Summer Playground Program Penn-Vassar Park & Schemancsky Park

From Recreation & Parks Director Greg Orner;

"We had a staffing issue and we are only running half days, afternoons only this week, at Penn Vassar. We will be back at full strength beginning next week."

Playground Director Francesca will be splitting time between Schemancsky Park and Penn-Vassar Park

This week only:
Schemancsky Park: morning 9-12
Penn-Vassar Park: afternoon 1-4
Then normal schedule for the remainder of the summer.

All Parks begin June 19 - Children ages 5 – 12

MONDAY - THURSAY: 9 am - 12 noon & 1 pm - 4 pm
FRIDAYS: 10 am - 12 noon & 1 pm - 4 pm

June 19-23 Fantasy Week
June 26-30 Animal Adventure Week
July 5-7 Holiday Celebration Week
July 10-14 Challenge Week
July 17-21 Super Heroes Week
July 24-28 International Week
July 31-August 4 Out-of-this-World Science Week
August 7-11 Water Week

Parks: Cherry Hill, Oxford, Crowley, Penn-Vassar, Dearborn High Tot Lot, Rosalie (mornings only), Ford Woods (afternoons only), Schemansky, Levagood, Summer-Stephens, Myrtle-Martha, Ten Eyck

Floatie Nights

Floatie Nights return again this year at Summer Stephens pool and Ten Eyck pool.

Floatie Nights will begin the week of June 19th. 

These events are run by the friends and neighbors of each pool.
Each group charges a one time fee of $5 for each pool, which gets you in for the evening swim throughout the pool season.

All are welcome. You do not need a pool tag, this is a private pool rental so tags are not required.
All funds raised are used by each pool group for the purpose of renting the pool.

Kids and parents may bring any blow up device, noodles, or fun pool toys. Please be respectful to size of the device, we only have so much room in the pool. They will be selling a variety of different items like pizza, pop, water, chips, baked good, etc. They always accept and appreciate any donation of baked goods that they can sell during floatie nights. Feel free to just bring any item up to the pool on those nights.

These are family events and one big party in the pool, looking forward to a great 2017 summer!

Ten Eyck Pool 🐢
Monday & Wednesday
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
One time fee of $5

Summer Stephens Pool 🐸
Tuesday & Thursday
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
One time fee of $5


For more information about regular pool hours and pool tag pricing
please see the City of Dearborn website
http://www.cityofdearborn.org/community/recreation-parks/outdoor-pools

Dearborn Small Pools

Good news, Summer-Stephens Pool & Ten Eyck Pool are both currently filling! Sounds like Lapeer Pool on the other hand will be delayed with similar electrical issues as Summer-Stephens had last year.

Whitmore-Bolles Park Splash Pad *Update*

Work has begone on the Whitmore-Bolles Park Splash Pad.

Taste of Dearborn - SODA Meetup

Taste of Dearborn - SODA Meetup

June 14th 
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Meetup with SODA neighborhood members and taste what Dearborn has to offer as a group.

Meeting Place:
6:00pm in FRONT of Bryant Branch Library
22100 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48124

Recommend purchasing tickets in advance

Groupon Available
2 tickets for $30
https://www.groupon.com/deals/dearborn-area-chamber-of-commerce-5

Regular Price Tickets
Early Bird:  $25 per person
Day of event: $30 per person
https://www.dearbornareachamber.org/product/taste-of-dearborn-2017-registration/

You will turn in tickets the day of the event for a wrist band at the Chamber of Commerce (behind Bryant library).

Details about Taste of Dearborn
https://www.dearbornareachamber.org/event/jim-thorpe-ameriprise-financial-presents-taste-of-dearborn/

SODA Summer Saturdays

The return of SODA Summer Saturdays at Penn-Vassar Park!

June 10th, July 22nd, & August 12th @ Noon ☀

The association does not have general meetings over the summer months, so come to the park, bring a lunch, and visit with your neighbors.

Whitmore-Bolles Park Splash Pad

At the May SODA meeting, City of Dearborn Recreation & Parks Director Greg Orner talked about the new splash pad coming to Whitmore-Bolles Park.

Whitmore-Bolles Park is at the Northeast corner of Katherine St. and Notre Dame St.. While this City Park is adjacent to Whitmore-Bolles Elementary, the property at the corner where the old Whitmore-Bolles pool use to be is not owned by the school district and is actually city property. The park is maintained by the city.

The Splash Pad will have similar amenities as the two current splash pads in the city, but will have a different configuration.
In addition to the new Splash Pad and Comfort Station, City Council has authorized budget financing for a new playscape to be located near the splash pad.

The new Splash Pad, Comfort Station, and Playscape are all slated to begin construction this month, and some prep work has already begun.

Whitmore-Bolles Spray Park: $281,000
    - Wayne County Park Millage Allocation: $250,000 / City funding:$31,000

Playscape at Whitmore-Bolles Park: $35,000

Park Layout

Splash Pad Concept

Comfort Station

Playscape 

Similar to the structure at Edison Park

SODA Neighborhood Garage Sale

May 19th - 21st   -    9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Download Yard Sale Treasure Map app
You will be able to see sale locations the day
of the sale with the free version of the app

 

Voice Your Opinion About the Look of Downtown Dearborn

Tuesday, May 16, 2017
4 pm to 7 pm
@John Dingell Transit Center
21201 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI

The City is hosting an open house where you can drop-in to look at draft regulations, provide input and ask questions of the City and design consultants.  Maps, drawings and preliminary concepts for the downtown area will be on display. Members of the consultant team and City staff will be available throughout the evening.

SODA Garage Sale

SODA Neighborhood Garage Sale

May 19th - 21st, 2017
9:00am - 5:00pm
(same weekend as the St. Sebastian festival)

The association will advertise the event, make a map of the garage sale addresses, and possibly even have mapping of sales available in an app for your smart phone.

Please fill out the form below to register your address for the event.
We will contact you before the sale date to give you further information and confirm that you have obtained a garage sale permit.

Residents are responsible for getting their own permit from the City.
http://www.cityofdearborn.org/services/clerk/obtain-a-garage-sale-permit

Park Clean Up 2017

Park Clean Up
Summer Stephens Park & Pool

Sunday June 4th, 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Supported by 'Friends of Summer Stephens Pool', 'S.O.P.', and SODA.

Little Free Library

Little Free Library in
Southwestern Outer Drive

A Little Free Library is a “take a book, return a book” free book exchange. They come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common version is a small wooden box of books. Anyone may take a book or bring a book to share.


As of November 2016, there where over 50,000 registered Little Free Library book exchanges in all 50 U.S. states and over 70 countries around the world. And we're lucky enough to have two right in our neighborhood!!

Little Free Library
Harvard Square Branch
1850 Grindley Park

Little Free Library
Lexys Lamp Memorial
1800 Monroe St.
@ Good Shepherd United Methodist Church
(Btw May St. & Mason St.)

Lexys Lamp was diagnosed with DIPG three weeks after beginning kindergarten at DuVall. The library was dedicated on August 28, 2016, the day after she would have turned 7.

There are also near by locations in the Snow Woods neighborhood, the John D. Dingell Transit Center, and Dearborn Heights.

Anyone may contribute or take books. The more the merrier! If you take a book (or two) from a Library, you do not need to return that exact book. However, in order to keep the Little Library full of good choices for the whole neighborhood, the next time you swing by the Library bring a few books to share. Little Library book exchanges function on the honor system; everyone contributes to ensure there are always quality books inside. This way, we all win!

If you want to give a few books, simply put them in a Little Free Library book exchange

Find out more about Little Free Library and other location on the official website
https://littlefreelibrary.org/

Thank you to Pam Post for the updated information 

May SODA Meeting

May SODA Meeting
Thursday May 11th @ 7:00pm
in the auditorium at Whitmore-Bolles Elementary
21501 Whitmore St, Dearborn, MI 48124

Special Guest:
Greg Orner
Director
Dearborn Recreation & Parks Dept.

Win Prizes At The Meeting
Member Raffle - FREE for any paid Regular Members in attendance.
Attendance Raffle - FREE for ANYONE in attendance.
50/50 Raffle

The only requirement for winning is attending the association meeting. For the Member Raffle we pull names from the entire member list until we pull the name of a paid regular member in attendance. For the Attendance Raffle we draw names of anyone that signed in when attending the meeting. You must be present to win.

*All prizes are donated by our supporters and business advertisers.

OTB Give Back Night - April 2017

SODA Fundraiser @ On The Border, April 24th 2017

Bring a copy of the flyer and 20% of your purchase will be donated to the Southwestern Outer Drive Neighborhood Association.

Donations will be used to help offset the cost of our events like the Easter Egg Hunt and community support like the First Responder Appreciation.


On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina
3310 Fairlane Dr., Allen Park, MI 48101

Download and Print the flyer:
OTB Gives Back SODA April 2017 Flyer

Thank You! SODA Easter Egg Hunt

This years SODA Easter Egg Hunt was the biggest yet!!

We had a record turn out (200 Kids), a record number of donations and the best weather yet!!

We want to thank everyone who came out, everyone who donated items and everyone who donated their time.

Thank you!!

Without these people and businesses, these events could not happen. 
SODA thanks you for your generosity!!

David Bazzy
Gary Woronchak
Michael D. Albano
Karl and Michelle Weigand
Judy Ann Struble
Carolyn Farrell
Anne Michelis
Stacey Brown
Deb Doss Seder
Roger Sosnowski
Deborah Hodak Sosnowski
Jennifer Wilson
Gail Russell Denman
Brian & Becky Topolski
Ginny Russell
Viki Pung
Michele Featherston
Kelly Featherston
Michelle Rebecca
Donna Nemeth
Linda Snow
Nicole Schaumburger
Marie
Pat and Steve
Tammy Rayburn
Windy Webber
Girl Scout Troop 71795
Arendelle Royalty Princess Parties
Redeemer Church
Woodside Church
Dearborn Novelty Art
Lolly by Golly