Seeking Volunteers... Center For Neighborhoods is forming a Festival of Faiths' Neighborhood Committee. The committee will focus on how to give the 2012 theme of, Fire, meaning as it relates to homelessness in a compassionate city of neighborhoods. Festival of Faiths has invited neighborhoods to become involved in their sustained series of annual events and programs. The mission of the Festival of Faiths is to: celebrate the diversity of our faiths be grateful for our unity strengthen the role of religion in society. They accomplish their mission by exploring how the different participating faith traditions address a common issue, topic or theme. If you are interested in participating on the committee, email or call Lisa to sign up, lisad@centerforneighborhoods.org or 502.589.0343.

In This Issue Neighborhood Institute's Alumni Night Neighborhood News and Happenings AMIBA Conference March 29th - April 1st Metro Council Ad-Hoc Committee on Vacant Properties Volunteer Income Tax Preparer Schedule (VITA) Preservation Louisville: Hands On History Workshop Series Neighborhood Institute's Alumni Night Celebrate Neighborhood Institute's 25th Anniversary with us... RSVP by Monday, February 27th ALUMNI NIGHT AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD INSTITUTE SPRING 2012 Tuesday, February 28th Kosair Charities (Community Room) 6:00 - 8:30 pm Center For Neighborhoods invites all Neighborhood Institute graduates to attend "Alumni Night" during the Neighborhood Institute Spring 2102 session Meet and greet the Class of 2012 Network with old friends Barn-raise projects ideas w/participants RSVP - Email or call Donovan at donovant@centerforneighborhoods.org or 502.589.0343 to confirm your participation. Neighborhood News and Happenings Sunday, February 26th: "Meditation on Houses and Other Everyday Objects" by Gwen Kelly, artists' reception, KSA Gallery, School of Art, Tielhard Hall, Spalding University, 3rd and Breckenridge St., 2 - 4pm. The works in this show are meditations on everyday objects. They were prompted by Gwen's growing concern about the number of abandoned properties in Louisville. Monday, February 27th: District 22 Town Hall Meeting, Down Syndrome of Louisville Lifelong Learning Center, 5001 South Hurstbourne Parkway, 6 pm. For more information, contact Councilman Robin Engel's office at (502) 574-1122 or robin.engel@louisvilleky.gov Tuesday, February 28th: Shawnee/Portland Northwestern Livability Plan, Shawnee Golf Course Club House, 460 Northwestern Pkwy., 6:30 - 8 pm. The public meeting will provide the opportunity to see the plan and make comments. Thursday, March 1st: Hudson Lake Estates Annual Homeowner's Association Neighborhood Meeting, Fern Creek Community Center, 6104 Bardstown Rd., 6:30 pm. Contact: Renee Kuhlman 491-3550.. Saturday March 3rd: Wild and Scenic Film Festival hosted by Kentucky Waterways Alliance, Clifton Center, 2117 Payne St., 8:30 - 11 pm. The festival will be emceed by Ben Evans, director of YERT, Your Environmental Road Trip. A VIP opening reception will be held at 7 p.m. with food and drink provided by our sponsors Wiltshire Pantry and Wiltshire on Market, Kentucky Ale, and Little Kentucky River Winery. You can learn more about the film festival and buy tickets online at www.kwalliance.org/2012wildandscenic Monday March 5th: Keeling Place Annual Homeowner's Association Neighborhood Meeting, Fern Creek Community Center, 6104 Bardstown Rd., 7 pm. Contact: Mike Marcum 580-5898. Saturday, March 10th: 2012 St. Patrick's Day Parade hosted by The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Baxter Avenue/Bardstown Road corridor, 3 pm. The theme is "Shamrocks and Shillelaghs. Often called the "people's" parade, families join a mix of decorated vehicles and groups along the route." For more information regarding the parade, contact Erin Fischer at 724-9991 or visitwww.LouisvilleIrish.com Tuesday, March 20th: Brandywyne Subdivision Homeowner's Association Annual Property Owners meeting, Fern Creek Fire House Station 1, 6200 Bardstown Rd., 7 pm. Contact Barbara Schmidt, Treasurer at 239-1531. Wednesday, April 4th: Vacant Underutilized and Abandoned Properties Summit: THE OUTCOME, Memorial Auditorium, 970 S. 4th Street, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. Seating is limited. Pre-register by March 23 for this free at http://www.louisvilleky.gov/ipl/2011summit_rsvp.htm. Sunday, April 22nd: Deer Park Neighborhood Association 2011 Deer Park Appreciation Award Celebration to honor recipient, Stan Esterle, Deer Park Baptist Church, 1733 Bardstown Road, 5 pm. Bring your favorite dish and participate in the Highlands potluck along with a card of gratitude for Stan. AMIBA Conference March 29 - April 1 Join local business alliance leaders, government and economic development officials, and those exploring how to better localize their community for a few days certain to inspire and energize the rest of your year! LIBA is proud to host the American Independent Business Alliance Conference right here in Louisville. Read more about it and take a look at the preliminary agenda. Look for more information as we approach the conference! Thanks to LIBA local sponsors for their support: Heine Brothers' Coffee, M2 Maximum Media, Office Environment, Stock Yards Bank, and Stoll Keenon Ogden. More to be announced soon! Metro Council Ad-Hoc Committee on Vacant Properties On February 6th, the first meeting of the Metro Council Ad-Hoc Committee on Vacant Properties was held. Mission statement: "To streamline Metro laws, department policies and rules to allow for a major reduction in the negative effect of vacant properties and move forward to amend appropriate state laws." Committee members: Attica Scott (District 1), Co-chair Kelly Downard (District 16), Co-chair Cheri Bryant Hamilton (District 5) David James (District 6) Marianne Butler ( District 15) Jerry Miller (District 19) The committee's goals include, among others: involving neighborhood activists and community-based organizations in their work increasing community education about vacant property issues Mary McGuire, leader of Louisville Metro's Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative, will be a key partner in the committee's work. Volunteer Income Tax Preparer Schedule (VITA) Volunteer Income Tax Preparers (VITA Volunteers) will be onsite at Jewish Family & Career Services to assist you with your 2011 personal and small business tax filings at the dates and times listed above. This is a FREE SERVICE!! Please bring copies of your W2's, Social Security Cards and personal IDs (e.g. driver's license) for both you and your family. Date Time Topic March 13 11-3 pm Personal & Small Business Tax Filings March 15 11-3 pm Personal & Small Business Tax Filings Jewish Family & Career Services is located at 2821 Klempner Way, Louisville, KY 40205, at the corner of Cannons and Dutchmans Lanes. For questions, please contact either Griffin Cottle or Gary Liebert at (502) 452-6341. Preservation Louisville: Hands On History Workshop Series Hands on History 2011-2012 Schedule Preservation Louisville announces the 2011-2012 schedule for its popular workshop series Hands on History. Throughout the series, participants will learn practical, hands-on techniques for working with original materials and finishes to maintain, restore and preserve historic elements such as plaster, windows, and gutters. Adapting "green" concepts for historic structures and winterizing your historic home will also be explored. Workshops will be held on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 1-4 pm, September through April. The registration fee is $20 for Preservation Louisville Members or $30 for non members. Please call 502.540.5146 or email director@preservationlouisville.org for more information. Hands on History Lineup March 10, 2012 -- Designing your addition or renovation April 14, 2012 -- Greening the historic house As Metro Louisville's citywide non-profit historic preservation organization, Preservation Louisville works in partnership with local, state and national organizations to promote the preservation of our community's historic resources through education and advocacy. Preservation Louisville also provides education, technical information and resources. For more information, www.preservationlouisville.org.