September 9, 2006
Block captains meeting
There will be a meeting for current and interested Block Captains on October. Oct.5 @7pm at the Parrish Hall at St.John’s Church. A Block Captain‘s duties include helping neighbors on your block deal with crime, problem properties, trash, abandoned cars, animal control, etc. Download the the flyer here.
For more information contact CHA Block Captain Chair Laura Daab at 649-1913.
Current block captains are listed below. Please note that due to the recent housing boom, some of these blocks may need new captains.
Susan Dickson - 000 block of N. 29th St.
Tom & Eileen Sanders - 100 block of N. 26th St.
Steve Costa - 200 block of N. 22 St.
Winnie Brown - 200 block of N. 32nd St.
Polly Cole - 2200 block of E. Broad St.
Mac & Doris Marshall - 2300 block of E. Grace St.
Richard Taranto - 2400 block of E. Grace St.
Carolyn Williamson - 2600 block of E. Broad St.
Judy Witherell - 2600 & 2700 block of E. Leigh St.
David Stock - 200 N. 27th St.
Celestine Wilson - 2100 Block of E. Clay St.
Anne Chase - 2200 block of M. St.
Shaun Jakiel - 2600 block of E. Franklin St.
Theo Wasik - 2600 block of E. Clay St.
Kim & Lee Chen - 2700 Block of E. Broad St.
Bienvenida Ochs - 2800 block of E. Broad St.
Tracey & Tony Monteleone - 2800 block of E. Franklin St.
Brett Gauthier - 2800 block of E. Grace St.
Julie Krajicek - 300 block of N. 31 St.
Gloria Francis - 3000 block of Libby Terrace
Kim & Kevin Cheeseman- 3100 Block of E. Broad St.
Carolyn Worssam - 300 Block of N. 25th St.
Cathi Young - 2800 block of E. Clay St.
Bill Hartsock - 2200 block of E. Marshall
Phyllis May - 2200 bl. Jefferson Ave.
James & Katie Adams-Parrish - 2700 bl. E. Franklin
Susan Nolan - 300 block of N. 24th St.
Barbara Walker - 3400 block of E. Broad St.
Amy Yarcich - 3500 block of E. Broad St.
Amy Corning - 400 block of N. 24th St.
Sandy Horton - 100 Block of N. 29th St.
Sarah Pharr & Eric Froden - 2700 Block of E. Grace St.
Winston & Tensy Macon - 2900 Block of E. Broad St.
Wanda Wilder - 500 block of N. 27th St.
Jim & Laura Daab - 500 block of N. 28th St.
Gloria Walker - 500 block of N. 32 St.
Carolyn & Richard Worssam - 600 block of Chimbo. Blvd.
Clara Randolf - 500 block of N. 21 St.
Jill Reynolds - 500 block of N. 22 St.
Michael Morris - 600 block of N. 21 St.
Hal Dixon-Kerr - 600 block of N. 23 St.
Ms. Daab, I’m interested in the concept of ‘Block Captains.’ Nice that Richmond has joined so many other cities and has such a program going even if it’s not city wide! It’s a start and so often our lovely city is re-active about things like this rather than active! I had just never heard of the program until recently! There are lots of good ‘Block Captain’ web sites from localities throughout the country with a lot of useful information. One such site I particularly liked (I forget just which one, there are so many) lists the streets which currently have Block Captains, kind of like the list on the flier about the October meeting. But this particular Block Captain site also lists those blocks which do NOT have captains. Can you post such a list to CHPN before the meeting in October so that those of us who are interested in the program can talk to our neighbors in the areas where covereage is needed…and a link to the Church Hill Association ‘Block Captain’ web site?
Hi Ann:
Sorry you haven’t heard about the program until now. I started the program in 2004, so it’s not really that old. I have put notices in the CHA newsletter and posters around at various neighborhood businesses, but mostly it’s been word of mouth and through announcements at the CHA membership meetings.
I haven’t had a meeting for Block Captains in more than a year. I lost my co-chair in January, and other obligations in my life have distracted me from my duties until now.
I would like to honor your request, but that’s a tall order. By my estimation, I would be listing around 400 + blocks considering that a Block Captain is responsible for one quarter of a square block on both sides. There are about 200 square blocks that could be involved in the program.
I hope that people will be able to look at the current blocks that have Block Captains and determine whether or not their block is covered.
Also, the CHA website is http://www.churchhillrichmond.com. Currently there is no Block Captain website, however, I believe there is a posting for the meeting on the CHA website.
If your block is not listed, please consider volunteering to be Captain for your block.
I have put together a great manual and materials to give to neighbors. I will be updating the current manuals and have new manuals for new Block Captains at the meeting. I’m planning on putting together 20 new manuals. Budget dictates that I limit it to 20 for the meeting. If I get more people, I’ll have to deliver manuals to them later.
I will provide materials for neighbors when volunteers let me know how much they need.
I hope this answers your questions, and you understand about not being able to post available blocks.
You can email me anytime with questions about the program.
I note that the Block Captain program in Philadelphia is tied to the city rather than a local civic association and covers between 6300 and 6500 blocks. Very impressive! As far as your program goes, can just anyone be a block captain? I believe you wrote in one post that it is a Church Hill Association program but I’d be interested in what sort of CHA committee provides oversight. Will you be addressing some of these organizational issues at the meeting in October? Thanks.
Wow, that is impressive. Unfortunately, there is no such program in Richmond, or funding for such a program. I started this program on my own without CHA help, without City help.
I started it because I had dealt with so many issues on my own block that I had accumulated alot of information around problem solving these issues. I decided to put it into a manual and start a program.
I funded it all with my own money.
Within weeks, I had around 40 people in the program. At that point, one of my Captains told me about the University of Richmond “In Your Back Yard Award” that gives awards to individuals and organizations that do things to improve ther neighborhood.
I wrote U of R and became a finalists out of several hundred applicants. I then interviewed with the jury, and was finally given the award along with a $650 grant for the program.
After this, I felt that it would be a good idea to be connected to a neighborhood association for many reasons, including future funding. I have been very involved with the CHA for many years, and knew it was the right fit. They agreed.
I am the committee. I oversee the program. That’s it. The Board, I’m sure, has oversight over me, but I think they’re just glad someone is willing to put in the time and effort to this important program.
I invite the police department to our meetings, and cc them on communication. They use my manual to help other people form Block Captain programs in the city.
You do not have to be a member of the CHA to be a Block Captain. I do, however, need everyone to fill out a backgound check sheet to turn into the police department. Up until recently, the police dept. did a background check on everyone volunteering to be a block captain. Now, they just want the form filled out, but I don’t think they run a check - I know, you got me…
Again, the program exists because I created it and continue to run it. Not to sound egotistical - it’s just reality. No one that I know of wants to put in the time or the effort to do this, so I’m the committee. The police do not have the funding or the organization to oversee this or other like programs, but they do participate when asked.
I have a good relationship with my captains, and we seem to be moving along just fine without outside oversight.
In terms of listing block without captains, I still think that it’s just as easy for people to look at the blocks that have captains, and discern whether or not they’re block is covered.
I hope this answers your questions.
Does anybody know whatever happened with the block captain thing? Was the meeting held? Are there some new block captains in place?