BHA Newsletter, May, 1996


NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH
Excerpts from a recent article by Adele Akouri, entitled The Emergence of 
Gangs in Ann Arbor in Crime Watch: A Publication of the Ann Arbor Police 
Department.

	A street gang, as defined by the National Drug Intelligence 
Center is a group or association of three or more persons who may have a 
common identifying sign, symbol or name, and who individiually or 
collectively engage in, or have engaged in, criminal activity, or who 
have--as juveniles--commited acts that if committed by an adult would be 
criminal acts.  Gangs recognize themselves as distinct groups and prompt 
a negative response from the community.  There are different types of 
gangs ranging from social or neighborhood gangs involved only in minor 
community disturbances, to delinquent gangs with more frequent police 
contacts, to traditional gangs who commit serious violent crimes.

...

	The Ann Arbor Police Department has received reports of gang 
related incidents occurring in the city.  These reports increased in 
number in the Fall of 1994 and their number has continued to increase. ...
	The Police Department has been tracking gang related incidents 
since July of 1995 and from then until February 1996 has had 
approzimately 108 gang-related incidents reported.  These incidents 
include malicious destruction of property, felonious assault, shots 
fired, and one homicide.  The police department ahs been able to identify 
5 gangs operating within the Ann Arbor city limits; the estimated number 
of members (total) is believed to be about 100. ...
	The gang situation is *NOT* just a law enforcement issue, but 
rather a complex community issue that can only be solved through 
community wide attention, support, and intervention.


BROMLEY YOUTH OLYMPIAD--AWARDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED BY MAYOR SHELDON
	Mark your calendars and join in on the First Bromley Youth 
Community Service Olympiad.  As set forth broadly in the published agenda 
from the January BHA meeting, this Olympiad will offer an opportunity for 
Community Service during the summer:  June 15 to August 15 is the period 
for the competition with awards to be distributed by Mayor Ingrid Sheldon 
(assuming a reasonable level of participation).  All participants will 
receive a handsome certificate of participation and all will have the 
opportunity to participate in the closing ceremony.  We wish to encourage 
as many participants as possible...young people may work with parents or 
with friends.  Awards will be given in the following categories, by age:
     0-4; 5-7; 8-12; 13-18.  The age category to which a participant 
belongs will be determined by age at midnight, June 14, 1996.  Youth 
should reside in Bromley, either full-time or part-time.  Call a BHA 
board member if you have questions.

To enter the Olympiad:
1.  Fill out the attached Project Proposal form and return it to 2790 
Briarcliff.
2.  Work on project; a helpful hint is to keep a log of all activities, 
thoughts, and related ideas that you have concerning your project.  Enter 
material in the log each day (or frequently).  That way, at the end, you 
can pull together material from the log to document your activities over 
a two month period.
3.  Fill out the attached Final Project Description form and return it to 
2790 Briarcliff no later than midnight, August 15, 1996.

THANK YOU NOTE TO CURRENT MEMBERS OF BHA
	BHA thanks each household that has been considerate enough to pay 
the $5.00 dues to BHA; so, if you have forgotten, and certainly it is 
easy to forget, please remember to turn your dues in to Colleen Thurston, 
2819 Briarcliff, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; mail them or leave a check in an 
envelope in the drop box on Colleen's front porch.  Remember, dues cover 
the academic year plus the summer--that is, from September 1 to August 
31.  This year we will once again thank all members in good standing, for 
1995-96, in the August BHA Newsletter.  
Current BHA members, alphabetically by one last name, as of press 
time--let BHA know of any corrections:
	Abahazy, Ager, Alson, Arlinghaus, Barclay, Barkley, Batra, 
Beechler, Borodkin, Bos, Brewer, Busch, Campbell, Chamness, Chrisp, 
Colburn, Cooper, Crawford, Dennis (Gene and Myra), Dodge, Dunning, 
Eisses, Elliott, Engle, Evans, Farvar, Firestone, Folk, Forchheimer, 
Frederick, Gasiorek, Gibbons, Greenough, Gurtowsky, Guttendorf, 
Henderson, Henry, Hewens, Hofacker, Homan, Johnson, Johnstone, Kagel, 
Kaldjian, Keeney, Kell, Kiesling, Kosek, Kraker, Kresowik, Lengnick, 
Levens, Lovdahl, Mahowald, McCall, McCarthy, McGrath, Michniewicz, Mudd, 
Nordblom, Parker, Perry, Raiyn, Ramanujan, Rao, Rau, Ray, Reik, Rengan, 
Rice, Rohs, Rye, Schafer, Sercel, Sharma, Sherman, Shih, Socha, Sohoni, 
Spiegel, Sridharan, Steiner, Stevenson, Stock, Taber, Thurston, Tracy, 
Vandeven, Wan, Wang, Williams, Ying, Yu.

Paid for past years or paid extra:
	Beechler, Henderson, Hofacker, Kell, Kraker, McGrath, Rengan, Shih.

Thanks to all!!!



DOLFINS SWIM CLUB--
	Looking for wholesome entertainment for the entire family?  Join 
Dolfins, Bromleys neighborhood pool.  Meet your neighbors at Dolfins 
Friday night potluck dinners.  Remember--an informed neighborhood is a 
safer neighborhood.  Get to know Bromley neighbors, and Bromley youth, at 
Dolfins this summer!

DOLFIN SWIM CLUB
	If you have not already done so, please remember to pay your 
yearly assessment of $35 to Connie Mahowald, 2980 Burlington, Ann Arbor, 
MI 48105; the funds from each household cover property taxes, insurance, 
and maintenance.  Please remember to pay your own way on this, rather 
than having your neighbor cover for you.  Questions?  Connie's phone 
number is:  663-0971.

KROGER FUNDRAISER CONTINUES.
	Let Kroger help support our neighborhood; when you shop at 
Kroger's use Kroger certificates.  For Dolfin's Pool, contact Sally 
Vandeven (996-0652)--a Dolfin's representative will deliver them to your 
door in exchange for your check. For Thurston School, purchase them at 
Thurston School.
Bromley Homeowners Association

OFFICIAL PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM
FIRST ANNUAL
BHA YOUTH COMMUNITY SERVICE OLYMPIAD

To enter the Olympiad:
1.  Fill out this Project Proposal form and return it to 2790 Briarcliff 
by midnight, June 14, 1996.
2.  Work on project; a helpful hint is to keep a log of all activities, 
thoughts, and related ideas that you have concerning your project.  Enter 
material in the log each day (or frequently).  That way, at the end, you 
can pull together material from the log to document your activities over 
a two month period.
3.  Fill out the attached Final Project Description form and return it to 
2790 Briarcliff no later than midnight, August 15, 1996.


PHILOSOPHY:
	It is desirable to encourage people to learn to identify problems 
as well as to solve them.  One form a proposal might take is to
		identify a problem (need for a service of benefit to the community);
		analysis of the problem (propose a strategy to solve the 
problem--at least give it some thought--it may not be the strategy that 
you wind up using);
		action you might take, or that you might recommend, to 
resolve the problem.
	Judging will be done by members of the BHA Homeowners' 
Association who have no conflict of interest.

Write a proposal of no more than two pages explaining what you would like 
to do to help your community, why you think it would be helpful, how you 
expect to achieve results, and the names of other individuals with whom 
you will work.  Feel free to use the items in the philosophy section 
above to give structure to your proposal.

Attach your written proposal to this paper; use this paper as a cover 
sheet.  Be sure to include your name, address in Bromley, phone number, 
and age as of midnight, June 14, 1996.

Return all materials to:
2790 Briarcliff

not later than midnight June 14, 1996.


Bromley Homeowners Association

OFFICIAL FINAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION FORM
FIRST ANNUAL
BHA YOUTH COMMUNITY SERVICE OLYMPIAD

To enter the Olympiad:
1.  Fill out the attached Project Proposal form and return it to 2790 
Briarcliff by midnight, June 14, 1996.
2.  Work on project; a helpful hint is to keep a log of all activities, 
thoughts, and related ideas that you have concerning your project.  Enter 
material in the log each day (or frequently).  That way, at the end, you 
can pull together material from the log to document your activities over 
a two month period.
3.  Fill out this Final Project Description form and return it to 2790 
Briarcliff no later than midnight, August 15, 1996.


PHILOSOPHY:
	It is desirable to encourage people to learn to identify problems 
as well as to solve them.  One form a Final Project Description might 
take is to

		identify a problem (need for a service of benefit to the community);
		analysis of the problem (how did you solve the 
problem--list all your efforts, including ones that might not have been 
effective--remember that others might waste time trying ineffective 
strategies, so let them know what didnt work (and why it didnt) as well 
as what did work);
		action you took, or that you might recommend, to resolve 
the problem.
		appropriate feedback--what sorts of comments did you get 
from people when you told them of your efforts; what did you learn from 
the comments of others?

	Judging will be done by members of the BHA Homeowners' 
Association who have no conflict of interest.

Write a description of your project.  Write it carefully; care taken with 
spelling, punctuation, and grammar are important, too.  Make the document 
as long as it needs to be to explain your project clearly.  Explain what 
you did, how you did it, who helped you (individuals or community 
organizations), why it is important, and how future efforts might grow 
out of yours. Feel free to use the items in the philosophy section above 
to give structure to your description.  
	Attach this sheet as a cover sheet to your final project; 
include, in addition to a written description, any other supporting 
materials (photos, video tapes, web site addresses, and so forth).  
Creative efforts that take advantage of current technology are 
appreciated as are creative efforts in a more traditional context.  Have fun!