SEPTEMBER

President's Message:
First District candidates' forum. In preparation for the September 9th primary election, the Butchers Hill Association will be hosting a forum for candidates for the city council seat in the newly created 1st District. Each candidate will have a brief opportunity to address the audience, followed by a question and answer session. The forum will be held Wednesday, Sept. 3rd at 7 p.m. at St. Andrews Church, corner of Chester and Lombard.

Butchers Hill Black Knights. Another season of the Butchers Hill Black Knights will soon be underway, with resident Mike Ferreira returning as coach (see Mary Roby's profile of Mike inside). Last year sponsorship from Butchers Hill residents and the Butchers Hill Association enabled the team to by uniforms, shirts, skirts and pompoms for the team's cheerleaders, and helped fund the awards banquet at the end of the season. Several of the kids in our neighborhood play in the league and residents Doug Guidorizzi and Howard Oliver coach. A $20 contribution buys a kid a personalized football jersey. If you wish to contribute, you can drop off a check at Banner Neighborhoods or mail it to: Banner Neighborhoods, Attn: Butchers Hill Black Knights, 2412 East Fairmount Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224. Stayed tuned for Black Knights schedules and updates.

Baltimore Book Festival. The Eighth Annual Baltimore Book Festival takes place in Mount Vernon Place (600 block of North Charles Street) Friday, September 19, 5-9, and Saturday and Sunday, September 20 and 21, 11-7, rain or shine. Free! Come out to see over 160 authors and over 125 literary exhibitors. Visit www.PromotionandArts.com for a complete schedule, including Barry Levinson on Friday at 7.
-Rich Pardoe.

PATTERSON FLEA MARKET RETURNS!
Saturday, September 13th, 9 to 3
Patterson Park, Lombard St. Entrance

For the first time ever, the Patterson Park Flea Market will make a second appearance this year on September 13 from 9 to 3. The event will again feature free appraisals of antiques and collectibles from 10 to 1 (one item per person) by our own Bob and Dotti Jansen of The Antique Man in Fells Point. As usual, we will have music all day by the Paul Snyder trio and festival food, sodas, and water served up by the Butchers Hill Association.

Oh-did we mention that this is an excellent opportunity to sell furnishings, clothes, architectural elements, books, and collectibles? In addition, it's a wonderful opportunity to acquire more of the same, as neighbors always seem to "trade" items from one house to another at these events.
Sandy Sales, Chair of this Flea Market, is also looking for items contributed to the Butchers Hill booth. She's particularly seeking gently used cookbooks and children's books.

As with all Butchers Hill activities, this one is run on volunteer power. We are still looking for help in the Butchers Hill booth, the food booth, and for grounds cleanup in Patterson Park starting about 1:30. Call Sandy at 410-558-0149.

To get a space for the event, Call Bev Wall at 410-675-0148.

24th Annual House Tour, October 12
Our biggest and oldest annual event, the Butchers Hill House Tour, is coming up October 12 (Sunday) from noon to 5. A dozen neighborhood houses will offer a rare peek behind the front door, and the event will again give us an opportunity to show others what a great place our neighborhood is. This year, mosaic artist and former BHA member Will Backstrom has donated a wonderful urban mosaic inspired by Butchers Hill residences. This art work will be featured on the Tour Book cover, and the original will be offered in a Tour Day raffle. The first public showing of this mosaic (and your first chance to buy raffle tickets) will be at the September 3rd meeting. We still need volunteer house sitters (2Ω-hour shift with a free tour ticket). Please call Sue Noonan (410-522-6773) to volunteer.

BHA Committees and Monthly Meetings
Block Rep/Crime Prevention: Wednesday, September 17th, at 7 p.m., 2105 E. Baltimore St. The committee meets monthly to share information from our 20 block representatives and to coordinate action. Contact: Carolyn Boitnott, 410-522-4991, e-mail c.boitnott@verizon.net.

Crime Prevention tips: Keep a street and alley presence, check your shrubs and planters regularly, and keep your alley, sidewalk and gutter free of weeds and trash-drugs are often hidden in clusters of weeds, potato chip bags, etc. Dealers will find another spot if your area is well used and clean. Report regular spots of illegal activity to the Crime Prevention Committee. -Carolyn Boitnott.

Butchers Hill Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.) C.O.P. has been regularly patrolling the neighborhood for over three years, and conducts its walk-arounds on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. We meet at 7:30 p.m. at the intersection of Patterson Park Avenue and Lombard Street. All are welcome. For more information, please contact Evan Helfrich at 410-342-2148 or via e-mail, ubik14@netscape.net.

Education: Volunteer needed; please contact Rich Pardoe at 410 732-669 or r_pardoe@hotmail.com.

Community Representative, School 27 School Improvement Team: Carolyn Boitnott, 410-522-4991. See page 4 for school news.

Land Use: Virgil Bartram (410-327-4964). The Land Use Committee would like to remind homeowners in the 2100 and 2200 blocks of E. Baltimore Street and the 2200 block of E. Pratt Street that you live in a City historic district. All exterior work and painting must be submitted to CHAP and Butchers Hill. We are always happy to help with any questions you may have. Call Virgil Bartram: 410-327-4964. CHAP's number is 410-396-4866.

Marketing/House Tour Committee: Tuesday, September 9th, 7 p.m., place to be announced. Contact Rick Gilmour (410 342 7061), gilmour@qis.net, or Sue Noonan, 410-522-6773, tbolita@erols.com.

Trash Committee: Contact Sue Whitson, 443-527-1103, e-mail sbwhitson@hotmail.com (e-mail preferred).

BHA Executive Committee: Tuesday, September 16th, 7 p.m., 8 S. Chester St. Contact Rich Pardoe: 410-732-6669, r_pardoe@hotmail.com.

Newsletter: The deadline for OCTOBER is Friday, September 19. Contact Steve Young: steven.r.young@att.net.

Community Dumpster, Saturday, September 6th
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH There will be a Dumpster in the 100 block of South Chester on Saturday, September 6th. The dumpster is for residents of Butchers Hill. As always, no electronics, hazardous materials, batteries, paint, or appliances. There will also be a neighborhood clean-up from 9 to 11. If you can help, please meet us at the dumpster.

September BHA General Meeting
Wednesday, September 3rd. Coffee & cookies, 6:45 p.m. Meeting 7:00 p.m. St. Andrew's Church hall, corner of Chester & Lombard Sts. (entrance on Lombard). Contact Rich Pardoe, 410-732-6669.

AGENDA: First District candidates' forum. Presentations, Question-and-Answer Period

REMEMBER TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th !
Primary elections for the Baltimore City offices of mayor, City Council president, and for city council seats will be held on Tuesday, September 9th (the primary is in preparation for the next general election, which will be held on November 2, 2004). A list of candidates for each position can be found at: http://www.elections.state.md.us/current_election/baltimore_city_primary_candidates.html.

It's that time ... the October meeting is coming soon! As many of you know, we always do something special at the October meeting. This year we're spotlighting the "Art of Renovation." Come to the meeting and see the magic you can create in your home. We'll take a look at many of the special features of neighborhood homes and get a chance to talk with various renovation artists. You'll see the special effects that paint, wood, iron, glass and much more can add to your home. And, as usual, there will be wine and snacks! So come on out to one of our favorite meetings of the year!

"COACH MIKE" FERREIRA Butchers Hill's children really lucked up when the Ferreira's purchased a house in the 2000 block of East Baltimore Street about two years ago, but more on that in a moment. They were working with Neighborhood Housing Service to find a house to purchase and rehab in Butchers Hill and were impressed with the commitment of their eventual neighbors, Larcia and Andy Gray. Mike says he and his wife do note two Butchers Hills with Baltimore Street the dividing line and more problems north of Baltimore Street. However, they enjoy their home on Baltimore Street and are happy to see what Mike calls "dramatic" improvement in Castle Street Park.

Mike's job brought him and Mary to Baltimore. Mike is a fire protection engineer and works on disaster modeling, designing fire protection and smoke control systems for larger commercial type buildings. Currently, he is working on the analysis of the New York World Trade Center disaster for the National Institute of Standards and Technology-in the hope that the resulting report will make tall buildings safer in the future.

Last summer, Mike answered a call from Banner Neighborhoods for coaches for a fledgling football league that was being formed. The goal was to engage neighborhood kids who were then playing in the streets, offer them a more structured recreational environment, and play some football! Mike worked with Doug Guidorizzi and Howard Oliver, another couple of Butchers Hill residents, to coach the team. Mike solicited donations from the community for uniforms and raised enough money to also outfit cheerleaders for the team and host an awards banquet at the end of the season.
Before becoming a coach for the Butchers Hill Black Knights, Mike played various sports with the Baltimore Sports and Social Club and was an "armchair quarterback." Mike says the coaching experience has had a lot more "good and bad" than he expected. He remembers the respect he felt as a youth for his coaches and how "coach's" word was the law; this was not the case with the kids initially. Mike feels that consistent adult interest helps the kids understand that they are cared about in the community and that the lessons of sports-teamwork and a good work ethic-have served the kids well.

Mike is looking forward to the upcoming season and invites everyone to attend some of the upcoming games. Currently, he is soliciting donations through Banner Neighborhoods for uniforms and supplies. If you'd like more information, please get in touch with Mike at mferreira@haifire.com.

Ten local children helped Linda Proctor clean the Fayette Street alley (even side) in Butchers Hill, on Monday, August 18th. Over 20 bags of trash were collected. Linda supplied gloves and trash bags. All of the children were very eager to help, and wanted to know when they could work again. The purpose, of course, was to clean the alley, but more importantly, to provide a safe and clean area for the children to play. They were very pleased to take some responsibility in this process. Afterwards, they were rewarded with ice cream. The children who helped clean up were Erica Stanley, Brittany Lee, Erica Doswell, Lakerra Sampson, Shontrell Hart and her brother Brandon Hart, Kenyard Jefferson, Patrick and Michael Walker, and Steven Holmes. The children have agreed to clean the area weekly.

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

WILL BACKSTROM , friend and former member of Butchers Hill, is showing his latest Mosaics September 4 through 29 at Donna's of Mount Vernon (corner Madison and Charles). Entitled Mosaico di Fiori, the mosaics are of exotic flower arrangements with borders after ancient Roman floor mosaics. The September 4 artist's reception for Will's show coincides with "First Thursday," a cultural event that takes place each month in the Mount Vernon Cultural District.

In Mosaico di Fiori, the flowers include roses, tulips, iris, red cannas, calla lilies and bird of paradise. The borders include intricate ribbons, waves, and roping patterns that can be found in Roman floors from the first century until the fall of Rome. Will has also created a mosaic street scene for the Butchers Hill House Tour. It will be reproduced on House Tour publicity material, and the original will be raffled off the day of the house tour. View this mosaic at the September 3rd General Meeting.

Historic Patterson Park Rowhouse: Live in beautiful Butchers Hill, close to Fells Point, Canton, Downtown, Johns Hopkins Hospital and 1 block from Patterson Park. Large Victorian rowhouse with beautiful architectural details available for rent as two units. May be configured in a variety of ways - one, two, or three bedrooms available from $800 to $2000 per month. Lower Unit has one or two bedrooms, laundry room, large kitchen, lush tree-canopied fenced deck, parking pad...Upper unit has two or three bedrooms, three full baths, ceiling fans throughout, two working fireplaces, full size washer & dryer in laundry room, and balcony with incredible view of harbor and City. Available as of October 1st. Pets OK. NO SMOKING. Call 410-327-7457.

Local amateur boxer John Adkins won his first belt on August 19th, at American Legion Hall in Towson, in a 5 round decision. Congratulations, John

The "Best T Shirt" is available again! The first order is here and we are starting a new list. It is a 98% grey cotton with the design in Butchers Hill purple, in sizes M, L, and XL. Call Sandy Sales, 410-558-0149.

2 Bedroom apartment on tree-lined street in historic Butcher's Hill. 1/2 block from Patterson Park and Hopkins shuttle. Working fireplace, large kitchen, washer/ dryer, garden with patio. Free heat and security system. $850/month. 410-342-9597.

TAPAS Y TEMAS '03
Saturday, September 27th, 7 p.m. till midnight.
Creative Alliance at the Patterson,
3134 Eastern Ave, Baltimore, MD 21224 (410-276-1651)
St. Michael Outreach Center/Centro Asistencial de San Miguel, a bilingual program of St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore serving low-income households in Southeast, is sponsoring it's third annual "Tapas y Temas" event. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the event is aimed at increasing understanding of the Latino immigrant community and developing the community's"ethnic literacy." We also hope to raise money for center operations. The 'tema' of this year's Tapas y Temas is domestic violence awareness and prevention; there will be a video presentation on family violence and information on the safety of women and children victims will be distributed. A panel of professionals will be available to field questions after the presentations.

The educational component will be followed by delicious ethnic food served"tapas" style, Latino music, dancing and other activities. There will also be a cash bar. Tickets are $30/person -$25 for students & Creative Alliance members; $50/person VIP tickets - includes a gift bag & a complimentary drink. Seating is limited, so advance ticket purchase is recommended. The proceeds will benefit the St. Michael Outreach Center (A portion of the ticket will be tax deductible). Contact Lisa Knickmeyer, Director of St. Michael Outreach Center: (410) 732-2176 or lknickmeyer@stmichaeloutreach.org.

CALLING ALL BUTCHERS HILL HOMEOWNERS ... show off the special features of your homes. We want to showcase creative design for the October meeting featuring the "Art of Renovation." For example, we'd love to see photos of any decorative iron work, cornice paining, plaster effects, stained glass, wood work and anything else that is interesting and unusual. Please call Howard Ehrenfeld to discuss your submission. Home 410-276-1043; Studio 410-685-3686. We'll discuss a digital photo file to include your home in the show. Also, if you know of an artist or craftsperson who we might want to feature at the October meeting, please let us know.