Find out what the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council is all about and get fed at the same time!  The Dayton’s Bluff Community Council Annual Meeting is on Monday, October 15th from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at 798 East 7th Street. 
   The annual meeting will be preceded by a chicken and corn barbecue beginning at 6 p.m.  At 7 p.m. the polls close for the Board of Directors election and the annual meeting convenes.  While the election results are being tabulated, the 2001 Board of Directors will share the Community Council’s 2001 accomplishments and the new five-year strategic plan with the public.  Then, the 2002 Board will be seated. 
   So come to eat and chat with friends, then stay to learn more about what we can all do to improve the community.
   If you would like to help with the barbecue, that would be great.  And a quick call to say that you will be attending will assist us in estimating how much food is needed.  Please call Mary Poe at 774-3437.

Don’t Forget to Vote For Your Community Council Representative!

   The annual Dayton’s Bluff Community Council Board of Directors election is Monday, October 15th.  The polls will be open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. at 798 East 7th Street.  Any Dayton’s Bluff resident age 18 or over is eligible to vote.
   Voters can cast ballots for their Sub-district Representatives and for an At-Large seat.  Write-in candidates are also permitted. 
   The Board of Directors totals 18 members of which 16 represent four sub-districts and two are At-Large positions.  Sub-district Representatives must be residents of that particular sub-district while an At-Large Director can be either a resident of Dayton’s Bluff, a business owner, or even the manager of a local business or organization (including churches).
   Below are the current registered candidates and the number of seats that can be filled:
At-Large
1 one-year term open
Candidate: 
1.  Christine Geurts.  Christine has lived on North Street by Swede Hollow since 1998.  She is completing a two-year term as a Sub-District A Representative.
What do you want to achieve on the board?  To represent the interests of homeowners and renters.  To support economic development per the Community Council’s strategic plan.  To promote a design district for East 7th Street.
What challenges do you see facing the community?  Lack of interest by current mayor to fund Dayton’s Bluff initiatives. Improve the perception of the East Side and Dayton’s Bluff as a great place to live.
Sub-District A
3 two-year terms open
Candidates:
1.  Angela Burton:  Angela recently moved back to St. Paul from Duluth where she was involved with a number of community-based organizations and charities.  She lives on the 1200 block of Ross.  She contacted the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council to see how she could get involved in the community.
What do you want to achieve on the Board?  To help families learn how to advocate and to be more resourceful with school law and educational rights.  To assist families with becoming more self-sufficient.  To help youth and adults become more effective advocates with government, particularly with education public policy.
What challenges do you see facing the community?  More teen activities, better housing, mentoring programs, and the need for more diverse groups to come together to enhance this community – for all, not just some.
2.  Mary Benton Hummel:  Mary lives on East 7th near Atlantic.  She has resided in Dayton’s Bluff for two years and has also been on the Board for that time.  In addition to pursuing her fifth college degree, she noted on her candidate filing form that she is “a small woman with b-a-d attitude”!
What do want to achieve on the Board?  To make the entire district a better place to live with an emphasis on affordable housing.
What challenges do you see facing the community?  Overcoming inertia and seeing ourselves as one powerful team.
Sub-District B
2 one-year terms and 1 one-year term open
Candidates:
1.  Charles Daily:  Charles lives on the 700 block of East 3rd Street.  He noted on his filing form that he has been a Legislative Assistant for the Minnesota Senate prior to his current career in real estate financing.
What do you want to achieve on the Board?  To focus on housing improvements.
What challenges do you see facing the community?  Housing issues; e.g., nuisance properties, the deterioration of the housing stock, conflicts between historic preservation and affordability, code enforcement, absentee landlords/non-owner occupied properties, etc.  Also, the negative perceptions of the East Side, student turnover at Dayton’s Bluff Elementary and teacher retention there, façade and gateway improvements, traffic calming, brownfield pollution, and transportation issues.
2.  Sharon McCrea:  Sharon is finishing her first term on the Board.  She moved to St. Paul in 1996 and currently resides on the 800 block of Wilson.  She stated on her filing form that she joined the Community council originally to fight against drugs.
What do you want to achieve on the Board?  Her goal is to get out into the streets and to find out what the people really want, particularly in the area of run-down rental properties, making the local school better, and making the streets safe for the elderly.
What challenges do you see facing the community?  Better housing for the elderly, safer and better recreational centers for our young and elderly, and better social services at Dayton’s Bluff Elementary School.
3.  Larry Ronning:  Larry is a St. Paul native who has lived in Dayton’s Bluff since 2000.  He is an apartment caretaker and a self-described “one of the working people”.
What do you want to achieve on the board?  Eradicate crime in the neighborhood, eliminate vacant housing problems, increase property values, and clean up the neighborhood.
What challenges do you see facing the community?  Organizing residents for the best interests of the neighborhood.
Sub-District C
2 two-year terms open
Candidates:
1.  Greg Auge:  Greg has lived in St. Paul for the past 50 years.
What do you want to achieve on the Board?  To be more open to the ideas of the East Side.
What challenges do you see facing the community?  Crime and housing.
2.  Tracy Nelson:  Tracy lives on the 1200 block of East 6th Street, is a life long resident of the East Side, a Harding grad, is currently a realtor, and has a number of school and youth athletic organization affiliations.
What do you want to achieve on the Board?  A comprehensive plan aimed at developing block clubs that will be geared toward educating residents on current issues and will create a network for future projects.
What challenges do you see facing the community?  The main focus of changing peoples’ perspectives by working through the block club network to promote a positive image of Dayton’s Bluff to its residents, businesses and throughout greater St. Paul.
Sub-District D
2 two-year terms open
Note:  There are 2 two-year seats open in Sub-District D (Mounds Park), but no registered candidates.
    Please call Community Organizer John Vaughn at 772-2075 for more information.   Please also visit the Community Council’s web site election page at www.DaytonsBluff.org/councilelections.html. 

Community Council to Focus on Education and Recreation Issues

   The Dayton’s Bluff Community Council has created a Recreation and Education Committee and is looking for members.  The purpose of this committee is to improve the quality of life in Dayton’s Bluff in five areas, which are:
1. Better school achievement and better school facilities!  Healthy communities and healthy schools are pretty much one in the same.  There is a great deal that this community can do to increase the quality of Dayton’s Bluff’s educational environment  - from holding the public school system accountable, to advocating for more school alternatives, to advocating for an exterior renovation of Dayton’s Bluff Elementary  Also, kudos to: Dayton’s Bluff Elementary and their great start this year under new Principal Von Shepard, Mounds Park All Nations School for their steady progress the past few years and congratulations to Hope Academy for their auspicious beginning last school year.
2. More green space!  Excluding Mounds Park and Swede Hollow, there’s not a lot of green space for kids and families in Dayton’s Bluff  in the middle of the neighborhood to relax in and to enjoy.  The Recreation and Education Committee will be developing a plan to increase green space and will then put that plan into operation over the next few years.
3. More Arts and Cultural events!  The goal here is to attract more arts and culture to the community.  The Recreation and Education will be devising ways to do this.  The Mounds Theater renovation project is a great example of what the community can accomplish.  The Moundstock Blues Festival and the recent Minnesota Folk Festival are the kinds of thing of which we need more.
4. More public recreational facilities and programs!  This is an area where Dayton’s Bluff lags behind many of the more affluent neighborhoods of the City.  The new Rec Center at Dayton’s Bluff Elementary is a move in the right direction, but more is needed to serve a growing, diverse population.
5. Strengthening the relationship between Metro State and the community!  Many people do not realize it, but Metro State is extraordinary in its efforts to be a good institutional neighbor.  Many colleges or universities simply proceed with their plans and largely ignore their neighbors.  That is not the case here.  Since the future will likely bring significant development at Metro State – their new campus expansion plan, the new library, a possible transit station – it is in the community’s interest to be as involved in this as possible - and the opportunity is definitely there.
   If you feel strongly about one or more of the above issues, this is chance to join with others to get results.   This will not be a committee that spends your time admiring the problem, but will instead move ahead assertively to achieve solutions.
   The first meeting of the Recreation and Education Committee will be on Monday, October 29th, from 7PM until 8PM at the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council at 798 East 7th Street.  The first task will be to choose what to work on first.  Feel free to bring your kids.  We like kids and will have someone on hand to help keep them occupied – unless they want to work with the committee.  Please call John Vaughn at 772-2075 for more information.

School Year Theme At Trinity Catholic That Of Peace

   Peace has been chosen for the 2001-2002 school year theme. Recent happenings in our country have given the students a much deeper meaning of the concept of peace. Goals for the year in the area of peace are:
.   Empowering students to develop their problem solving and conflict resolution skills
.   Realizing the impact of acts of violence on health, emotions, society, and the legal system
.   Recognizing the importance of anger management, self-respect, and respect for others
.   Promoting opportunities for dialogue among students, staff, and the community
   The ultimate goal of the program is to impact on a life long basis to make systemic changes in the life patterns of students, their families, and our community.
   As fourth graders began the discussion on Peace, some of their thoughts gave us pause for reflection:
   “Peace means a lot to me. - - - I could help someone and instead of them paying me back, they could pay it forward (doing a good deed for someone else). “    Sara
   “Peace means people getting along and people sharing and helping each other. I plan to help and share and I hope other people will help bring peace to this world.  I plan to start at home and at school.” Hannah
   “To me, peace means to be friends with others and to make the world a better place for everyone.”      Elizabeth
   “I think peace means to get along with people and to be helpful to others. Don’t tease people. I can bring peace to my friends.”   Kyle
   Class circles and conflict resolution skills are an integral part of the classroom structure at Trinity. The staff at Trinity believes that each child is a peacemaker and can be an influence and witness to peace in their own area of the world.

TRINITY - An Educational Choice

   Trinity Catholic School, the only Catholic School in Dayton’s Bluff, wants to thank the donors who have responded to their request for additional tuition assistance and school supplies for students.
   Trinity has a $1700 tuition fee per student. The desire of the Board of Directors is to give every child who so desires an opportunity for a Catholic education.  Many families need assistance and the school’s designated funds for assistance were already depleted. A request to their benefactors brought forth some additional assistance. To these generous friends they publicly say “Thank You”. These gifts have assisted some families in having a choice in education.
   Hundreds and hundreds of school supplies were also gifted to students in need. Trinity expresses their gratitude to those who so generously gave in abundance.  This year the 23 members of the teaching staff at Trinity have a collective teaching experience of 396 years. This experience is a wonderful and dedicated gift to their students. This experience will also be helpful to staff as they begin a self-study process this year. This study is in preparation for renewing their school accreditation with Minnesota Nonpublic School Accrediting Association in school year 2002-2003. Trinity is that choice on the East Side of St. Paul for parents and children who desire something more in education...a choice.

Spooky Music at the Mounds Theater

   Are you looking for something new to do on Halloween?  Why not consider coming to the old Mounds Theater to enjoy an evening of “Spooky Music”?
   The Nobles eXperimental interMedia Group will present a special Halloween program, “Music From the Dark Side”, on Halloween evening at 8 p.m. at the Mounds Theater at 1029  Hudson Road.  The Metro State musical group, led by professor David Means, will feature San Antonio-based composer-performer Johnny Rodriquez.  Also performing experimental vocal and instrumental music will be Steve Carlino, Mary Garvie, M. Serdar Guvenc and students from Metro State’s eXperimental interMedia Program.
   The event is a fund-raiser for the rehabilitation of the Mounds Theater as a community arts space and a donation of $10 is suggested.  “We are excited to present new music in this fantastic acoustic space and hope that folks will find the sounds and sights sufficiently spooky for the occasion.” said Means, who will perform live electronics and guitar.  Audience members will be encouraged to join the musicians using microphones, small percussion instruments and electronic processing of the sounds they make in order to add to the dark sound of the occasion.
   The event is sponsored by Metro State’s Program in eXperimental interMedia Art and is funded in part by the American Composers Forum through the 2000 McKnight Composers Fellowship Program.

What: Metro State’s Nobles eXperimental interMedia Group Presents: “Music From the Dark Side”
When:  Wednesday, October 31st (Halloween), 2001 at 8:00 p.m.
Where:  The Mounds Theater at 1029 Hudson Road
Price: Suggested donation of $10
   For more information contact:  David Means, Metro State University (651) 341-7262 or Raeann Ruth, Mounds Theater/Portage for Youth (651) 772-8674

Bluffing with Science
Ghost Bluffers, Part 1
by Greg Cosimini 

   It’s October and people are once again thinking about ghosts. Let’s look at the problem of ghosts from a scientific standpoint using a simple question and answer format. Do ghosts exist? We don’t know. If they do exist, what are they? We don’t know. Can some people detect and even communicate with ghosts using some sort of psychic power? We don’t know. Do ghosts produce effects that can be detected with normal scientific equipment? We don’t know.  If ignorance is bliss, scientists should be overjoyed when it comes to studying ghosts. Despite millennia of ghost stories, there is little or no hard information on the phenomenon. It is similar to the UFO problem: lots of stories but no spaceships or aliens.
   So where do we begin? Believe it or not, knowing what we don’t know is an important first step in any scientific investigation. We have to make some basic assumptions that can guide our investigation based on what we know or don’t know. If we don’t know what we don’t know, it’s hard to know where to start. Got that? Then we have to try and find evidence to prove or disprove our assumptions.
   It doesn’t do any good to assume ghosts do not exist. You can’t really prove a negative. So let’s assume ghosts do exist. How can we try to prove it? Should we look at the true nature of ghosts? Are they lost souls wandering the earth, entities from another dimension, travelers through time, all of the above or something else altogether different? It doesn’t matter. In modern scientific terminology, this is putting the cart before the horse. Unless we can prove their existence, we can’t know what ghosts are so there is no sense worrying about it yet.
   Where can we look for evidence that ghosts exist? Some people say they can sense ghosts in a psychic manner. Should we use them as ghost detectors? Unfortunately, their observations are completely subjective. That means no one on the outside can prove or measure what they see, hear, feel or otherwise sense. What they detect could be very real to them, but we have no way to take objective, scientific measurements of whatever they experience. The best we can do is to let these people tell us where they think ghosts are, so we can perform other types of observations at that location.
   Is there anything we can measure with respect to ghosts that would stand up to scientific scrutiny? As unlikely as it seems, there may be.  According to those in the paranormal field, ghosts create many physical phenomena that can be measured and recorded. The obvious question then becomes: If this is true, don’t we already have proof of their existence?  Here’s where the scientific method gets really complicated. For example, a single photo of something that may or may not be a ghost is an oddity. Ten photos of ten different ghosts are interesting. But ten photos of the alleged ghost, taken with ten different cameras from ten different angles all at the same time under controlled conditions might really be proof of something. But to be accepted as hard scientific fact, you would need the equivalent of thousands or millions of photos, and you must be able take those photos all the time, not just under special circumstances.
   This is obviously a big job and requires a lot of hard work. Even so, why hasn’t this been seriously pursued? After all, whoever proves that ghosts exist will probably win a Nobel Prize and become a very wealthy person. For one thing, it is very difficult to get funding for ghost hunting. There is no legitimate university with a Paranormal Department. No college gives out Doctor of Ghostology degrees. No government labs are dedicated to ghost hunting. It just isn’t taken seriously. Part of the problem is the incredible number of fakes, scams and frauds that have riddled this field over the years.
   So why don’t amateurs do the work? Good question. Amateurs in other fields have made major scientific discoveries. They would need some equipment, but nothing that couldn’t be purchased after a little fundraising. As a matter of fact, many groups do dabble in scientific ghost hunting. Unfortunately, that is all they do, just dabble. The Internet has many sites dedicated to this topic but I haven’t found one yet that I would call a serious attempt at finding scientific evidence of the existence of ghosts. There are probably many reasons for this: lack of knowledge, lack of time, lack of money, lack of interest, etc. As I’ve said earlier, it is a lot of work and not nearly as much fun as listening to ghost stories and “sensing” the presence of spirits.  Next month I’ll review what has been done to scientifically detect ghosts and give some tips for those who would like to pursue it themselves. In the meantime, here are some websites to look at. Study them well. There could be a quiz. My “Orb” page contains lots of photos, mostly from around here: http://www.angelfire.com/weird/minnesotastuff/. Check the Investigation section of this next site for photos of local interest: http://northernlightspsi.tripod.com/index.htm. Here is a site that talks about ghost hunting equipment (but don’t go spending your money just yet): http://www.zerotime.com/ghosts/hunting.htm. And here is a site with links to lots of other sites, some good, some really pathetic: http://www.zerotime.com/onemillion/links/index.html.
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Bluffing with Science will appear at random times in the Forum.  It will attempt to relate topics in science and engineering to life in Dayton’s Bluff. That is the goal, not a guarantee.  Please send questions, comments or suggestions for future columns to the Dayton’s Bluff District Forum, Attention: Greg Cosimini, 798 E. 7th. St., St. Paul, MN 55106 or email me at greg_the_skeptic@angelfire.com. 

School Board Candidate Forum 
by Marion Watson from the League of Women Voters 

   A School Board Candidate Forum will be held on October 25 at  Metropolitan State University’s Great Hall, 700 East 7th Street. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the forum running  from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Six candidates for school board will participate.  The forum is sponsored by the League of Women Voters St. Paul, Support Our Schools and Metropolitan State University. 
   The school board election is important. The School District’s budget is greater than that of the City of St. Paul, over $500 million, the board  hires 8000 school teachers and administrators, writes 28 union contracts, maintains all buildings and hires the superintendent. It is important who runs for this office and who is elected. 

Dayton's Bluff Ghost Stories

 Little Blonde Girl
 As part of a paranormal team, I have done several investigations in the Dayton’s Bluff area. Here is one of the stories that came out of these investigations, told by the homeowner herself.
   It all started when my brother, sister and her 2 year old girl came to live with me. I believe now that the presence of a child in a house that was previously childless brought out the entity. Shortly after they all moved in, I was babysitting my niece while my sister worked. It was close to 2 a.m. when I suddenly woke up to find a little blonde girl about 2 years old, standing in the doorway of my open bedroom door.  She was crying softly. I raised up and thinking it was my sister’s daughter, I told her to go back to bed. I laid back down, but decided to check on her to make sure she was okay. I went where she was sleeping and that’s exactly how I found her, sleeping soundly. I was puzzled but thought that she might have been sleepwalking.
   The next day I was brushing my hair. I put the brush in the bathroom sink and turned around to get something. When I turned back around, the brush was gone. I bent to look on the floor. Not finding it, I stood up and there was the brush in the sink! I got a little scared. After that, my things always came up missing. Everyday I would “misplace” something only to find it right back in front of me. It happened whether I was in the house alone or with everyone at home. I saw the little girl several times, always at night, always in my doorway even after my sister and her daughter had moved out. It got to the point when I was so used to having my things taken and then given back that I would just say, “okay, honey, give me back my bracelet” or whatever was missing. Three times I heard a childlike giggle just before the item was returned. I grew fond of the games she played and was never afraid of her.
   When we moved from the house to another one in Dayton’s Bluff, I drove back to put the key in the mailbox for the next tenant. As I stepped onto the porch, I heard a child crying. I peeked in the front window and there she sat in the middle of the empty living room. Her hands were covering her eyes and she was sobbing. I knocked on the window and she looked up at me.  I told her, “I’m so very sorry honey, but I can’t play with you anymore. I have to leave. I’m sorry.” She smiled at me that sweetest smile and I swear to God, she just vanished. I was sad, knowing I wouldn’t see her or play our take and give back game again. But deep down I knew she somehow understood how much I cared for her.
   I think about her sometimes and wonder if she ever shared herself with anyone else. I hope they enjoyed being with her as much as I did. She shall always have a special place in my heart.

Is the Mounds Theater Haunted?
by Micheal Ruth 

   I have been asked this question often since the Portage for Youth began the process of remodeling this old 1920s movie theater. As a person who has spent numerous hours there I would say the answer is.....OF COURSE THE THEATER IS HAUNTED! Historically, old theaters have always had their share of ghosts and goblins, just like other old buildings that have been closed up for a very long time.
   Last year an article was written on the Mounds Theater ghosts and there was also a series of ghost lectures that many of you attended, hosted by the Midwest Paranormal Team. They have done extensive investigations in the theater. The paranormal team came back and did another “walk through” about a month ago. Below is a story of what they found.  We all met in front of the theater on a very hot and humid day in July, or was it August? I can’t really remember, as we have been there so often.
   As we filed in, the air was heavy with the smell of a building long forgotten in time. We methodically made our way up to the balcony and filed into the projection room. This particular space is home to one unhappy male individual who would like very much for us to leave and never come back. In contacting him, we have found that he remains in the theater because he was wrongfully accused of some “wrong doing” just before the theater closed in the late 1960s. After all of us were comfortably seated in the projection room, we turned off the lights and went into a meditation. Three of the four persons made contact and a vision of a tall, lanky man who was huddled in a corner crying. The leader of the paranormal team spoke and told him that it was all right and that we knew he hadn’t committed whatever crime he had been accused of. As she was speaking, the man crossed the room and stood beside her. At this point, our breathing became labored and it was as if someone had attached weights to our chests. Two of us left the room and made our way down to the stage area, the other two remained in the projection booth.
   Later they rejoined us and we all sat on stage, waiting to see if entity number two would contact us again. Entity two is a little blond headed girl who plays with a ball up on stage. She has been seen once peeking into the lobby, but mostly she stays near the front of the theater. During one open house I was talking to a friend of mine near the stage. At the same moment, we both heard someone running across the stage and a ball was heard bouncing down the stairs. I myself have heard her before, but the person I was with made her way VERY QUICKLY back to the lobby of the theater. We still haven’t figured out why she remains in the theater.  The third entity is male and was an usher in the theater. There has been no contact made with him but we do know that he is very sad. We have seen him though and at least two of the paranormal team members have described the same uniform. We later found out that this was the “attire of the day” back in the 1930s. None of us were even born in the 1930s. All we really know about the third entity is that he is very sad. The reason is that he found his girlfriend in the audience with another man who was a friend of his and this “broke his heart.” At least that’s what we think, but this again is only speculation. So, there you have it. Are you still wondering if the Mounds Theater is haunted? Well don’t, as it is, but the three entities are all fairly friendly and now seem to enjoy our occasional visits. The theater will be open on Halloween night for a concert and who knows, maybe you will run into a ghost or two. Come join us for “Music from the Dark Side.”  If you would like further information on this event, please see our announcement elsewhere in this month’s Forum. or call 651-772-8674.  Have a safe and fun Halloween.

Halloween Decorating Contest

   Residents of the Bluff don’t need any incentives to decorate their houses for Halloween. Be that as it may, the Forum would like to recognize your decorating efforts with a small contest. 
   If you decorate for Halloween, let us know. We will judge your house or building and award prizes. But be forewarned. This contest will bring you fame rather than fortune. Prizes will be in the small to nonexistent category.   The rules are simple. Send us your address and we will evaluate your efforts. Tell us when your house will be decorated, preferably a few day before and after Halloween if possible, because the judges may be busy themselves on Halloween. Include any other information you think is relevant. 
   Even if you don’t send us your address, there is a chance our judges will stumble across your masterpiece. Judging will be erratic, categories arbitrary and prizes minimal. This is just for fun. Due to deadline considerations, winners won’t be announced until the December issue although they will be posted on our website much sooner. 

Bluff Memories And Musings
by Steve Trimble 

   While writing this month’s history piece in the midst of the attacks on America, it suddenly occurred to me that both a century and sixty years ago, the country was also involved in war.  The first, the Spanish-American War, erupted in 1898 and was still going on in 1901, with U. S. troops fighting against Philippine insurgents. While it did not involve huge numbers of soldiers and there was never a threat to our shores, it launched our country into international matters.
   Sixty years ago this September, World War Two was raging and the United States was on the brink of entering. As we all know, this time large numbers of national and local people would be directly involved and there was a real direct threat to the nation.
   By the way, a few people have suggested that when I mention places in the past, I let readers know where they were in relation to today. Good idea. For instance, the Red Mill, which was being robbed in last month’s column, was at 1179 East Seventh. Michael’s Bar is there now.

60 years ago: from the Dayton’s Bluff Booster
   October 4, 1941: The paper noted who had children, but did not include the infant’s name. Girls were born to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Avoles, 1232  Fauquier Street (now Bush Ave.) and Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Schuster 1002 Euclid; a boy to Mr. and Mrs. Herman Oswald, 2195 Reaney.  I wonder where are they celebrating their sixtieth birthdays this month?
     Operator Eddie Velat announced he had booked a man named “Tex Jones” for a visit to his Radio Theater on Saturday. Jones had been in movies with Will Rogers and Tom Mix. They would also be giving out free charcoal gum for the matinee.  The Radio Theater was at 1195 East Seventh Street. Did any readers go there? Was anyone there to see Tex Jones? Incidentally, what in the world is charcoal gum?
   The Margaret Playground was reviving the Drum and Bugle Corps and looking for girls thirteen and over. 35 were already practicing. Sibley School will be having a special “Father’s Night.”  The program will consist of the movies“Army Recruiting” and “Battle of the Sexes.” Did you know that battle was going on sixty years ago?
   October 16, 1941:  Looks like tight city budgets are not something developed recently. The Margaret Men’s Boosters have decided to put up an up-to-date, 165’ by 160’ hockey rink. “Several attempts have been made to have the city foot the expense,” they said, but were told that the playground budget had been cut by $6,000.  President John Beck has established a committee to raise money and the lumber had been ordered. Sounds familiar. 
   Mimi Rolfing of 696 Surrey Avenue and John Palumbo of 695 Magnolia were married at Holman Methodist church.  Mrs. Irene Neinaber played the organ for the wedding. The couple left for a honeymoon in the north woods.
   October 23, 1941: the Six Corners Garage located at East 7th and Minnehaha has a new owner. It will be operated by Frank Leone, a man with 18 years experience in the field, and a background in auto repair. The Swiss Men’s Benevolent Society will be giving a dance at the Dayton’s Bluff Commercial Club on Saturday. 

100 years ago: from the Pioneer Press
   Oct 6, 1901:  The Pioneer Press had a large article on what were called “mother’s clubs.” They were made up of women who gathered to study and discuss questions related to raising children. These groups, which were formed on a neighborhood basis, started asking local teachers to attend and discuss school issues. 
   The Dayton’s Bluff Mothers Club had been headed by Clara Bergmeier for its four year existence. It had 150 members and average attendance was 100.  This was all started by the parents, not the downtown school system. Could that be why it seemed to be successful and popular?  Maybe the beleaguered Dayton’s Bluff Elementary and other local schools ought to think about it.
   Oct 13, 1901:  Mr. and Mrs. Harry E. George have returned from their wedding trip to Milwaukee. The members of the Atlantic Congregational Church will give a large social sponsored by the Ladies Aid. For your information, the congregation was located at the northeast corner of Bates and Conway. There were more churches in the community a century ago, as people usually walked to services. Unlike many others in our neighborhood that have been torn down or converted to residences, it is still in use today as a church.

Clean Up Efforts are Successful
by Karin DuPaul

   The Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood Clean Up was held on September 15th.  Dayton’s Bluff Community Council Board members, residents, friends, and Reentry Services Sentence to Service played an important role in the success of the clean up.  Tons of trash and refuse left Dayton’s Bluff that day.  Some people found a number of treasures in the Free Stuff area.
   The weather was great for the clean up and all of the volunteers did an excellent job.  Volunteers included Paul Bruski, Angela Burton, Al Clausen, Donavan Cummings, Greg Cosimini, Steve Duerre, Chris Geurts, Amy Handford-Cummings, Greg Fedbriegge, Mary Benton Hummel, Dan Kadlac and sons, Sharon McCrea, Jim McDonough, Dave Murphy and his Bobcat, Ed Overmeyer-Cole, Sarah Ryan, Roger Schaefer, Stan Wandersee and a Sentence to Service crew.  Alex and Kari from the Neighborhood Energy Consortium (NEC) were on hand to answer questions about recycling and their other programs.  If I missed anyone let me know.  We appreciate everyone who helped.
   A number of local businesses supported our efforts by supplying food, beverages and services.  We would like to express our appreciation to Subway Sandwiches at East 7th Street and Willius, Holiday Gas Station at East 7th Street and Kittson, M & H on Arcade, Holiday Gas Station at 1477 East Minnehaha, Blue Bird Landscaping, and Phil Franklin.
   Earlier this year we had a number of mini clean ups in the Good Neighbor Code Enforcement areas in Dayton’s Bluff.  Throughout the year Sentence to Service crews have picked up trash and litter from the streets and parks here in Dayton’s Bluff.  All and all a lot of clean up activities have happened in Dayton’s Bluff this year.  We could not have done it without all of the help!

The Origins of Halloween

Dear Amber,
Halloween is an annual celebration, but just what is it actually a celebration of?  And how did this peculiar custom originate?  Is it, as some claim, a kind of demon worship?  Or is it just a harmless vestige of some ancient pagan ritual?
Gwen

   Good question Gwen and actually Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year.
   The word itself, “Halloween,” actually has its origins in the Catholic Church.  It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve.  November
1, “All Hallows Day” (or “All Saints Day”), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints.  But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31.  The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New Year.
   One story says that on that day, the disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year.  It was believed to be their only hope for the afterlife.  The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this period, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living.
   Naturally, the still-living did not want to be possessed.  So on the night of October 31 villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes to make them cold and undesirable. 
They would then dress up in all manner of ghoulish costumes and noisily parade around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess.
   Probably a better explanation of why the Celts extinguished their fires was not to discourage spirit possession, but so that all the Celtic tribes could relight their fires from a common source, the Druidic fire that was kept burning in the Middle of Ireland, as Usinach.
   Some accounts tell of how the Celts would burn someone at the stake who was thought to have already been possessed, as sort of a lesson to the spirits.  Other accounts of Celtic history debunk these stories as myth.
   The Romans adopted the Celtic practices as their own.  But in the first century AD, they abandoned any  practice of sacrificing of humans in favor of burning effigies.
   The thrust of the practices also changed over time to become more
ritualized.  As belief in spirit possession waned, the practice of dressing up like hobgoblins, ghosts and witches took on a more ceremonial role.
   The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840s by Irish immigrants fleeing their country’s potato famine.  At the time, the favorite pranks in New England included tipping over outhouses and unhinging fence gates.
   The custom of trick-or-treating is thought to have originated not with the Irish Celts, but with a ninth-century European custom called souling.  On November 2, All Souls Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for “soul cakes,” made out of square pieces of bread with currants.  The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors.  At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul’s passage to heaven.
   The Jack-o’-Lantern custom probably comes from Irish folklore.  As the tale is told, a man named Jack, who was notorious as a drunkard and trickster, tricked Satan into climbing a tree.  Jack then carved an image of a cross in the tree’s trunk, trapping the devil up the tree.  Jack made a deal with the devil that if he would never tempt him again, he would promise to let him down the tree.
   According to the old tale, after Jack died he was denied entrance to Heaven because of his evil ways, but he was also denied access to Hell because he had tricked the devil.  Instead the devil gave him a single ember to light his way  through the frigid darkness.  The ember was placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to keep it glowing longer.
   The Irish used turnips as their “Jack’s lanterns” originally.  But when the immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips.  So the Jack-o’-Lantern in America became a hollowed-out pumpkin lit with an ember.
   So although some pagan groups, cults and Satanists may have adopted Halloween as their favorite “holiday” the day itself did not grow out of evil practices.  It grew out of the rituals of Celts celebrating a new year, and out of Medieval prayer rituals of Europeans.  And today even many churches have Halloween parties or pumpkin carving events for the kids.
   So Gwen, I hope this answers your question. Have fun this Halloween and watch out for all of those ghosts, goblins, and things that go “bump in the night”.
 Amber

If you have a question that you would like answered, please write me at: 

Dayton’s Bluff District Forum 
Attn. Ask Amber 
798 East 7th Street 
Saint Paul, MN 55106 
Or e-mail your question to: askamber1@hotmail.com
———————————— 
All answers given herein are solely the opinion of the writer and not the Dayton's Bluff District Forum nor the writers or advertisers or the people and businesses included in the column.  Amber's answers will be researched in depth and are accurate as opinion, but not neccessarily fact.

Cooking in the Bluff 
    by Shiela Johnstone 

Slow Cooker Baked Beans
   A good, homemade recipe for baked beans. Serve with your favorite entree, or as a meal in itself. 
Ingredients
24 ounces dry white beans
1 pound ham, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard 
Directions
1) Soak the beans overnight in water with 2tbs baking soda.
2) Drain and wash beans.
Cube the ham, add water and beans. Add the rest of the ingredients and  mix well, cover and cook on high setting for 5 to 6 hours.  Mix well and serve.
Nutrition at a glance
Calories 135
Cholesterol 44mg
Sodium 663mg
Potassium 1841mg
Total Carbohydrates 98g
Dietary Fiber 25g
Protein 32g
Sugar 16g

Mint Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients 
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 (16 ounce) can chocolate syrup
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons creme de menthe liqueur
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons butter
Directions 
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) Cream together 1-cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter or margarine. Stir in 1 cup flour and mix well. Pour in chocolate syrup. 
3) Beat eggs and add to mixture. Stir in salt and vanilla. 
4) Pour batter into 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool. 
5) To make topping: Melt 1/2-cup butter and mix with 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and creme de menthe. Let cool slightly and spread over brownies. 
6) Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons of butter and pour over the top of the mint topping. Let brownies and toppings cool completely and cut into 2 inch squares.
Nutrition at a glance
Calories 599 
Protein 5g 
Total Fat 28g 
Sodium 362mg 
Cholesterol 128mg 
Carbohydrates 85g 
Fiber 2g

Sugar Free Brownies
Ingredients 
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 cup granular sucrolose sweetener (eg.Splenda)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 (1.4 ounce) package sugar free chocolate fudge flavored instant pudding 
1 cup skim milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8x8-inch pan.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine and cocoa together, stirring
occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Stir in the sucrolose sweetener. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the
egg mixture then mix in the cocoa and margarine. Finally stir in the 1/4 cup of milk and if desired, the walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan. 
   Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. To make frosting, mix together the sugar free chocolate
pudding mix and 1 cup skim milk using an electric mixer. Mix for about two minutes or until thick. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.
Nutrition at a glance
Calories 88 
Protein 2g 
Total Fat 6g 
Sodium 70mg 
Cholesterol 17mg 
Carbohydrates 12g 
 Fiber 1g

 Tip: Lumpy sugar
 A sack of lumpy sugar won’t be, if you place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

   If you have comments, suggestions, a special recipe that you would like to share, or you are looking for a special recipe, feel free to contact me through the Dayton’s Bluff Forum. 

Write to: 
Shiela Johnstone 
Dayton's Bluff District Forum 
P.O. Box 600511 
St. Paul, MN 55106 

Email: shiela@qwest.net 
Or call: 651-772-2075 (Dayton's Bluff Community Council Office) 

Till next time, bon appetite. 

“The Men’s Line”: An Initiative for Violence-Free Families and Communities

   Family violence is a serious issue that can affectall of us in our community.   In July 1997 the Men’s Messages Action Team as part of the Initiatives for Violence-Free Families and Communities in Ramsey and Hennepin County, started what is called the “Men’s Line.”  It is a free, confidential 24-hour phone line resource for men to break isolation and address issues of stress, anger, and depression. It is the only resource of its kind in the U. S. In the first three years of operation the “Men’s Line” received over 1,600 calls from men seeking ways to live a more peaceful and healthy way. It also can help prevent family violence and improve the lives of women and children in the community who associate with the men who turn to this resource for help. It is a unique and powerful resource that has proven its effectiveness by providing men a simple and powerful way to be part of the solution and prevent violence.
   The Men’s Action Team has developed a variety of resources to help publicize the “Men’s Line.”  These resources include business-size cards, brochures, and posters. They are asking workplaces, health care providers, faith communities, law enforcement, schools, government recreation centers, and concerned citizens in the Twins Cities area to be part of the solution by passing out these cards, brochures, and posters to customers or employees. Also display them in public places or attach them to bulletins or stuff them in employee mailings or pay checks. They will also work with you to create camera ready ads to place in newspapers and other publications from your organization or community.
   Please join them in helping make this powerful resource available to those in your community that you feel could use some help in preventing domestic violence in their life. They also have additional resources available to help make your facility/organization and community a more respectful, peaceful place for everyone. Contact Don Gault, Ramsey Initiative, at 651-266-2404 to arrange to receive “Men’s Line” cards, brochures and posters. You’re the one who can make the peace and difference in your life and community!

Interview with Matthew Vaky, Acting Class Teacher, Dayton’s Bluff Community Center (Part 2)
by Sarah Ryan 

   The following interview with Matthew Vaky took place on August 7th. The first part was published in the September 2000 Dayton's Bluff District Forum.
   Matthew Vaky is a professional actor who is teaching youth and adult acting classes at the Dayton's Bluff Recreational Center.  For more information call 793-3885.
Q. What made you decide to become a professional actor? 
A. Well, I grew up in Latin America. I saw a street theater troop in Columbia per-form when I was a teenager, but I never got to see the whole play, because the cops chased them away. It was a play against the Columbian government.
   These street actors were so into it, I admired them. I was impressed with how much conviction they had.  From there, I started working with a local theater group, and I volunteered to lead its youth activities. After that, I traveled to North Carolina and Pennsylvania. In North Carolina I was in a theater troupe that toured the state’s prisons, and at that time anyway, North Carolina had more prisons than any other state. And we went to nearly all of them. 
Q. How were you received?
A. They loved us! One play we did was called “The Line,” which was about people standing in line. We had one of the characters cut to the front of the line, and everybody could relate to that! Every time, people would call things out like, “You can’t do that!” Sometimes it got pretty wild, but the prisoners would always talk to the characters. We always got a response, that’s for sure! 
   After that, I moved to Pittsburgh, where I performed in street theater productions about apartheid in South Africa and the closing of the steel mills in the Pittsburgh area. We raised some money with our performances, and donated it to Amnesty International, and to one of the workers’ committees.
Q. Why do you think theater is important? What kind of value can it contribute to the community? 
A. Theater can be both a source of social change and an outlet. It’s a way for people to get together and express themselves. Especially for young people. Young  people need a way to express themselves. Because by expressing yourself, you begin to understand yourself, and you begin to understand others, and other points of view.  And it can be a kind of healing process, because through it, you learn how to create.  And once you’ve learned how to create, you don’t want to destroy anymore. 
Q. Do you have a favorite role that you’ve played? 
A. Yes. I was in a play at the Mixed Blood Theater called “The True History of Coca Cola in Mexico,” in which two actors played seventeen different characters. The play is about two guys who go to Mexico to make a documentary film, but they end up making a lot of trouble. It’s very funny. They make the trip hoping to expose exploitation, but they end up exploiting the people they meet along the way. We performed it in English and in Spanish. Even though I was born in Latin America, it was the first time I had ever acted in Spanish, and I really enjoyed that. 
   Thank you, Matthew. 

   Youth and adult acting classes for the new season have just begun.   Call the Dayton's Bluff Recreation Center at 793-3885 for more information. 

Attention All Girls 8-15 From the Dayton’s Bluff

   It’s fall and the Portage for Youth is opening up its doors to a few more young women to take part in our after-school and summer programming. Now you may be asking, “What is the Portage for Youth?” The Portage offers girls the opportunity to come together right after school and take part in a great number of fun activities. Programming usually starts at about 4 p.m. or when everyone gets here from school. This Fall we are offering:
     Monday - Ceramics/pottery class
     Tuesday - 4-H and homework help
     Wednesday - Puppet making class and stilt walking
     Thursday - Music class - a chance to write and record a song and just have fun with music
   Programs change every quarter, so there are always new programs to look forward to AND best of all, these after-school and summer programs are offered FREE to both student and parents. Bus transportation is provided in the evening in the fall and winter months when it gets dark early. During the summer months we also have our own camp. So if this is of interest to you and you’re tired of sitting around after school and watching TV, give us a call at 651-772-8674 and ask for Amber or Raeann. Or just leave a message and we will get back to you. Thanks and we hope to see a lot of new faces at the Portage this year. 

Learn About One of the Best Local Architects of the Victorian Era
by Angela DuPaul

   On October 18, 2001 at 7:00 pm at 731 East 7th Street come and learn more about the works of Augustus Gauger from David Schreier, a researcher who has been researching the works of Gauger for years.  RSVP at 776-0550.
   If you have taken time to admire the Victorian architecture in Saint Paul, you have probably come across the work of Augustus Gauger and not even known it.  Right here in Dayton’s Bluff we have several examples of Gauger design, including the Stutzman Block, the Schoch Building, and the Otto Muller house. 
   Augustus Gauger was born in Germany and moved to Wisconsin as a boy.  Eventually he started an architecture practice in Saint Paul.  His clients were often fellow Germans, such as the Hamm family for whom he designed a grand mansion that unfortunately no longer stands.  Several mansions on Summit Avenue were also designed by Gauger.
   Gauger designed residences and a few commercial buildings primarily in the 1880s and 1890s.  In an era when architecture went over the top, even Gauger’s work stood out for the rich ornamentation it often contained.  Time has intervened to tame some of his wild designs.  For example, the Stutzman Block (which most people know as that thing attached to the Swede Hollow Café) is certainly one of our best remaining Victorian commercial buildings, but much of its original exuberance is gone.  Gauger seemed to have a particular liking for towers; most of designs had them at one time.
   You can learn more about the life and designs of Augustus Gauger by attending.  To explore Gauger’s Dayton’s Bluff buildings, check out the Stutzman Block (1885-1889) at East 7th and Bates, the Schoch Building (1885) at East 6th and Maria, the Otto Muller house (1891) at 672 Greenbrier, the Darius Hevener House (1889) at 729 East 6th Street, and the Alma Helmes house (1889) at 862 East 5th Street.  Also check out the site of the Hamm Mansion, at Greenbrier and Margaret streets, which contains a nice historical plaque about the mansion.  If you want to travel farther afield, check out 295 and 465 Summit Avenue.

Trinity Art and Craft Fair November 10
   Trinity Catholic School will be sponsoring their first Art and Craft Fair on Saturday, November 10, 2001 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.  The search is still on for Artists and Crafters.  For registration forms and more information call 651-776-2763 extension 249.  Tell your friends and neighbors.

Notices

Spooky Music at the Mounds Theater
What: Metro State’s Nobles eXperimental interMedia Group Presents: “Music From the Dark Side”
When:  Wednesday, October 31st (Halloween), 2001 at 8:00 p.m.
Where:  The Mounds Theater at 1029 Hudson Road
Price: Suggested donation of $10
   For more information contact:  David Means, Metro State University (651) 341-7262 or Raeann Ruth, Mounds Theater/Portage for Youth (651) 772-8674

Recycling
   Recycling bins and lawn signs are available at 798 East 7th Street.    If you have a neighbor who does not recycle, talk to them about it. Recycling can reduce your trash by at least 40%.  In Dayton’s Bluff last year recycling tonnage (the total pounds of recycling) was down from previous years.  We are working to increase recycling in Dayton’s Bluff.  The October recycling dates are Tuesday October 9 and 23.  If you have any questions call 772-2075.

Trinity Art and Craft Fair November 10
   Trinity Catholic School will be sponsoring their first Art and Craft Fair on Saturday, November 10, 2001 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Tell your friends and neighbors.

Basic Skils and ESL Tutoring forAdults
   Free tutoring is available for adults on the East Side of St. Paul.  Tutoring is being offered in basic reading, basic math, GED Prep, and English as a Second Language. 
   We are also looking for volunteer  tutors.  Training and materials are provided.  Both opportunities are on-going. 
  For more information on becoming a tutor or if you or someone you know needs assistance with basic skills or English Language skills, call East Metro Learning Center at 651-778-0111 

Recycling
   Recycling bins and lawn signs are available at 798 East 7th Street.    If you have a neighbor who does not recycle, talk to them about it. Recycling can reduce your trash by at least 40%.  In Dayton’s Bluff last year recycling tonnage (the total pounds of recycling) was down from previous years.  We are working to increase recycling in Dayton’s Bluff.  The September recycling dates are Tuesday September 11 and 25.  If you have any questions call 772-2075. 

Dayton's Bluff Up-Front Gardens

   Up-Front Gardens is a Minnesota State Horticultural Society program promoting gardening in the front yard and boulevard.  These gardens add beauty to the neighborhoods, make it easier for neighbors to stop by to chat, and can be seen all hours of the day. 
   Are you a Gloves-on-Gardener who takes joy in tending your front yard garden and the smiles it brings to the neighborhood?  The Minnesota State Horticultural Society would 
like to add your address to their growing list of  “Up-Front Gardens” in Dayton’s Bluff and across the city and state.  There are no requirements other than adding a discreet 6 inch sign to your garden that lets viewers know where to go on the Internet for more Up-Front Garden addresses and chat with those who might say hello while you’re working in the garden.  You would become part of a group of gardeners dedicated to beautifying our region. 
   Here in Dayton’s Bluff we have a lot of front yard gardens.  We are compiling a list of gardeners names and addresses of the Dayton’s Bluff Up-Front Gardens.  Please call Karin at 651-772-2075 if you have an Up-Front Garden or if you are interested starting a front yard garden. 

Community Police Meeting
   The Eastern District Police have hosted a monthly meeting with community members to listen to and address people’s concerns about crime and other issues on the East Side. This monthly meeting is held the third Friday of the month at 9:30 a.m. 
   There will now also be an evening community meeting at 6:30 p.m. on the preceding Thursday evening to accommodate those community members who cannot attend the Friday morning meetings. 
   The community meetings are held at the Eastern District police office at 722 Payne on the corner of Payne and Minnehaha Avenues. 
   Please join your neighbors and the police at either meeting. The October meetings are on Thursday, October 18th at 6:30 pm and on Friday, October 19th at 9:30 am.
 

The Best Kept Secret In Dayton's Bluff    For the past year, parents in Dayton’s Bluff have had the opportunity to provide their children with full-day, licensed, Christian daycare complete with hot meals and educational activities at very reasonable rates.     The children have participated in field trips, learned about Jesus, their Savior, developed their social and emotional skills, made lots of friends and are now ready for kindergarten!     Parents were given the opportunity to evaluate the program this past year and here’s just a sample of what they had to say: “It is very helpful to have preschool and daycare in the same program.  Since my son started the program I am very pleased with all he has learned and the progress he has made. I am very pleased with the program and would recommend JOY to anyone.”  -”It is a very safe and positive environment. My child has had a wonderful experience at JOY Preschool and Childcare.”  -”I know the children are safe and loved when they enter the classroom.”  -”It emphasizes the importance of the child’s relationship with Jesus.”

-”My child enjoys going to JOY and the Christian influence is apparent.-“My son talks about how much Jesus loves him and that he’s special because Jesus died on the cross for him.”  -”It’s a great place to take my child where I know he is safe and learning a lot.”If you want your child to be a part of the best kept secret in Dayton’s Bluff, just call Wendy at 651-771-6982 to set up a tour. JOY Preschool and Childcare, located at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 655 Forest St., operates Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Mounds Park Book Club
   The Mounds Park Book Club will be hold its second meeting on October 16. New members are welcome. The book discussion will be on "Back When We Were Grown-Ups" by Anne Tyler. The book club will continue to meet on the third Tuesday of alternate months. The meetings will take place at the HealthEast Marion Center at 200 Earl Street in Mounds Park.If you have questions, please contact Stephanie Harr at 651/774-2883. 

Good Neighbor Code Enforcement 
Volunteers Needed 
Call Karin at 772-2075 

Advertise in the Dayton's Bluff District Forum
Call Karin at 772-2075 

Take a Hike 
     Dayton's Bluff Take a Hike on the first Saturday of every month meet at 10:30 AM in Indian Mounds Park at Earl Street and Mounds Blvd. We will hike from Mounds Park through Swede Hollow Park and then walk the length of the Bruce Vento Recreational Trail (formerly the Phalen Creek Recreational Trail) to its end, near Phalen Park. Along the way we will share stories and learn some local history of the area. The hike is about 6 miles with some moderately rough terrain. Near Johnson Parkway and Maryland, transportation will be available to return to Mounds Park or you may hike back if you wish. 
     Join recreational trail supporters and explore this recreational trail. The paved trail runs from East 7th Street and Payne Avenue through Swede Hollow to Phalen Park. Dayton's Bluff Take a Hike started in December of 1990 and over the years hundreds of people have attended these events. For more information, call 776-0550. 

Free Acting Classes for Adults and Children
Dayton's Bluff Recreation Center 
800 Conway Street 
651-793-3885 
Tuesday nights at 6:00 p.m. (Adults) 
Join us. It's fun! 

MOMS Club
     Ever feel like you're the only mother who stays home? You are not alone! Come meet other at home mothers at the MOMS Club. 
     The MOMS Club is a national nonprofit organization with hundreds of chapters across the country. We are just for the at-home mother of today! 
     Local chapters have monthly meetings with speakers and discussions, park play days, holiday family parties, outings for mothers and their children, and activity groups like playgroups, arts n' crafts, a monthly MOMS Night Out, and babysitting co-ops. We also do service projects to help needy children. 
     Our activities are during the day, when mothers-at-home need support, and mothers may bring their children with them to our activities. 
     For more information about our chapter call Tracie Lemke at 651-771- 5834.