ArroyoFest Bulletin #3 – April 7, 2002

Sponsorship Packet Ready for Distribution - Por fin, the Official ArroyoFest Sponsorship Package is ready to go. If you or your organization is interested in helping sponsor ArroyoFest, or you know an individual or company who might be, tell us and we’ll get you packet to pass along. These personal contacts are the backbone of our fundraising drive.

Environment NOW pledges $5,000 - Environment NOW, a local environmental foundation, has pledged $5,000 to ArroyoFest. This is the second grant given to UEPI’s work in the Arroyo and first dedicated specifically to ArroyoFest. The steering committee wishes to thank Environment NOW for kicking off our fundraising drive with this generous gift.

ArroyoFest Speakers Training on 22nd - Do you want to help spread the word about ArroyoFest? Learn everything you need to know to answer the questions of friends, family and colleagues about ArroyoFest. The ArroyoFest Outreach Committee will hold a short training for those willing to make 5-15 minute presentations on ArroyoFest or answer ArroyoFest questions at events and local meetings. Time and place: April 22nd from 7:30 - 9 p.m. at Hathaway Family Resource Center, 840 North Avenue 66 in Highland Park.

Return Bike Route Chosen - Intrepid Bike Committee scouts Kip Harper, Paul Shattuck and Bill Nagle have identified a scenic and pleasant return route to Rose Bowl for cyclists completing the bike ride down to the River Center. The question of how to safely get cyclists back up the Arroyo has been a challenging one. The chosen route will take cyclists past Heritage Square Museum, offers great picnic opportunities and will showcase the existing commuter bikeway in the flood control channel.

ArroyoFest Hits City Hall - This past Friday, members of the Steering Committee had a very positive meeting with Councilmember Ed Reyes at L.A.’s City Hall. The councilmember continues to be strongly supportive of the event, offered his assistance in working with the city and had several excellent ideas for engaging the local community.

New Fliers Take Off - We’ve developed some new fliers with specific information on how to get involved with ArroyoFest and a calendar of upcoming meetings. We’d like to get these fliers out into the community. If you can help distribute them at meetings or events, let us know and we’ll send some along. Thanks to the Bike Coalition for taking our fliers at the Bike Expo and Heather Tindall for distributing fliers at Pasadena Heritage’s Spring Home tour.

Diversity on Order for Festival Performers - The Walk/Festival Committee has decided on criteria for the festival performers at Sycamore Grove Park. In choosing performers, the committee will give preference to those acts that are local and that represent the cultural, linguistic and generational diversity of the Arroyo communities.

Every Blade of Grass Measured at Area Parks - “No, we don’t work for the Parks Department.” This is the answer our student workers had to give repeatedly as they measured Sycamore Grove Park this past week to determine available space for people and exhibitor booths. Even so, park visitors gave both Jonathan and Vanessa several suggestions on how to improve the park.