FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date: 11 Nov 2025

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:10 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

NOTE: Before the meeting, we had a special display of Forest Park history. Those who attended were able to view past photographs from FPCA events, historic Forester newsletters dating back to 1963, and other memorable items from our community’s past. These items will be delivered to the Main Library downtown to begin our archival project with them.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – edvanasdale@fpcivic.org

1. Open Forum at the North YMCA (on Karl Rd.) in Studio A on Tuesday, December 9th at 7:00 PM. Tell us what you expect from the FPCA, what’s working, and what needs to change. A “Forest Park Civic Association Community Survey” has been emailed to all members, and a link with a QR code has been added in the Forester. Please take a few minutes to give us your thoughts so that you can have a say in how we move forward. Link to survey.
2. Holiday gathering date and place announcement: Fiesta Jalisco, Dec. 17th, Wednesday @ 6:30 pm. This is for Board members, Committee Chairs, and Area Reps. Lou will send an Evite to your email.
3. Block Watch and 311 meetings have been put on hold/canceled until further notice. Changes will be taking place in the new year, you will be updated as those changes are being implemented.

Guest Speaker: None

Vice President  Mark Bell – markbell@fpcivic.org  

The homeless issue from the Cleveland Ave./Minerva area was cleared out, they moved, and now they are back. We will continue to work on this issue.

Secretary Lou Bernard – secretary@fpcivic.org

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, MB, LB, CL, MSg, RW, DVM, KVM, SL, LV, EM, MSt, TS, KG, QM, DP, SB, AH
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: 100% in Attendance
• Area Reps in Attendance: 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 13
• Area Reps Absent: 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 (Areas 6, 8,14 are ALL vacant – if interested in helping your area out, please contact Erin @ erinmateru@fpcivic.org
• Total meeting attendance: 24

1. Reviewed minutes from October, no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru November: Online

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cheryllutman@fpcivic.org

1. We received 9 more household memberships.
2. See spreadsheet in Forester for all expenses and income for the month.

Public Relations Mary Sguerra – marysguerra@fpcivic.org  No Report

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester@fpcivic.org

1. The Jan./Feb. issue of the Forester will be ONLINE ONLY.
2. We still need people to deliver the Forester. It is an easy way to volunteer – you would deliver between 25-75 Foresters to households in FP. It takes about 30 mins of your time. Please contact Rita W. if you are interested.

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – darylvanmercetta@fpcivic.org, Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@fpcivic.org, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

1. Since there will no longer be a separate 311 or Block Watch meeting. Officer Yandrich will now be coming to the general meeting at 7:00 pm for a brief report. 
2. See full report in the Forester.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – sheridanlandon@fpcivic.org  

Sheridan has made phone calls to past business members. Many are interested in renewing their membership. He needs a “Business Welcome Packet” to present to them.

Civic Action Officer  Vacant

In January, Ed Vanasdale will take over this position once his term as president ends.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Latia VanDyke – latiavandyke@fpcivic.org

We continue to provide Welcome Folders to new residents, and using the Area Representatives to deliver them.

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – erinmateru@fpcivic.org

1. The slate of candidates for the upcoming year will be posted online as well as in the Forester. If you are interested in running for one of these positions, please contact Erin or Lou.
2. Vacant positions: Business Representative, NCC Representative, Area Representatives for Areas: 6, 8, and 14
3. Ken Gilbert has offered to continue to be one of the NCC Reps and mentor Latia VanDyke
4. During the discussion of open positions, Quentin Monden and Ashley Howard volunteered to be Co-Presidents for the upcoming year. Congratulations and thank you for stepping up to the challenge!!

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – mikestone@fpcivic.org

1. Mike has hand delivered thank you notes to all FPCA members with whom we do not have email addresses (90). The only ones remaining to get such considerations are to follow up on any remaining memberships that came through the mail. 
2. Again, thank you to the area reps who made visits to the regular joiners who had not yet joined this cycle. 

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – tsmith1599@yahoo.com

We had a successful Trunk or Treat Event with the YMCA. The event was held inside the Y instead of outside due to the weather.

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kengilbert@fpcivic.org, Mark Bell – markbell@fpcivic.org

See report in the Forester.

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – edvanasdale@fpcivic.org

See report on the website: https://www.fpcivic.org/development-reports/

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – quentinmonden@fpcivic.org, Laura Hayes – laurahayes@fpcivic.org

Thanking everyone who helped with the tree planting. The city wants to do a final inspection; the city arborist will be going around with the Grant Writing Committee on Saturday, Nov. 15th to complete this process. 

Outreach Committee Chair  Michael Cote – michaelcote@fpcivic.org

1.  Meeting with teachers at NHS (10/15) to prepare for The Big Table event with the Superintendent.
2.  Attended a meeting of the Columbus Tree Coalition (10/15) led by Julie Smiley and Shelley Douglas of Green Columbus. Green Columbus and FLOW will inform FPCA about future tree planting events at Woodward Park.
3.  Meeting with Alex Abrokwa, Director of INPREM (10/18) to discuss volunteer recruitment for the Food Pantry
4.  Attended The Big Table Event (10/21) at Karl Road Library with Alex Abrokwa, Director of INPREM.
5.  Attended The Big Table Event (10/21) at NHS to learn more about the District’s support of the Community Campus School initiative.
6.  Attended The Big Table Event (10/21) at Focus Learning Academy, a Somali-led Charter School. Meeting with Abdi Soofe and Lindora Howard-Diawara of the Department of Neighborhoods. Both complemented the FPCA for the grant that we received to host the New Americans Party hosted at Woodward Park Community Center (6/28). They both stated that they are looking forward to receiving a report and evaluation about our use of the grant.
7.  Meeting with Katy Spittell-Jaime, Youth Experience Director at the YMCA (10/23) to discuss future development of the garden.
8.  Attended the NHS Marching Band Concert (10/28) and met the Music Director, Danny Gleich and the Principal, Dr. J. Johnson.
9.  Attended Trunk or Treat at the YMCA (10/29).
10.  Attended the Fall Festival at Woodward Park Community Center (10/29).
11.  Attended the Walk With A Doc End of Season Celebration with the Woodward Park Walking Club at SFranklin Park (11/1).
12.  Meeting with Alejandra Rodriquez, Director of the YMCA New Americans Service Center (11/6).
13.  Attended the Veterans’ Day Celebration at Gillie Senior Recreation Center (11/6).
14.  Meeting with Sherrie Johnson, Director of North YMCA (11/7) to discuss upcoming events and future opportunities for collaboration. 

Website Administrators Scott Biggs – scottbiggs@fpcivic.org (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul – dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website)  Ashley Howard – ashleyhoward@fpcivic.org  (Instagram/Facebook)  

Our website/Facebook page is always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow us.

OLD BUSINESS   None

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

There are Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities available at area food pantries:

• INPREM volunteers can sign up online at https://inprem.org/
• Community Free Store at Elevate Northland with Our Helpers, a women-led non-profit serving the New American and Refugee communities living in Northland. Volunteer time slots available at“Sign Up Genius” at   https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945A4AC28A1FAC43-59406107-thanksgiving#/

Meeting adjourned at 8:17 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA

FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date: 14 Oct 2025

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:03 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – edvanasdale@fpcivic.org

Officer, committee chairs, and area representative elections are fast approaching. If you are interested in holding or running for a position, please contact Erin (Volunteer Coordinator) or Lou Bernard (Secretary) and they will get your name on the slate of candidates. Elections will take place in January.

Guest Speaker: None

Vice President  Mark Bell – markbell@fpcivic.org  No Report

Secretary Lou Bernard – secretary@fpcivic.org

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, MB, LB, MSg, RW, DVM, KVM, LV, EM, MSt, TS, KG, SB
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: CL, SL, QM, DP, AH
• Area Reps in Attendance: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14
• Area Reps Absent: 6, 8, 10
• Total meeting attendance: 30

1. Reviewed minutes from September, no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru October

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cheryllutman@fpcivic.org

• 30 new household memberships! We are now only 27 away from meeting our goal.
• We also received a $500 grant/donation Laura Hayes got from her previous employer.

Public Relations Mary Sguerra – marysguerra@fpcivic.org  No Report

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester@fpcivic.org

• NOV/DEC is a combined issue. The deadline for articles/photos/ads/etc. is October 31. The plan is to get it to the printer early in November and back to the stuffers and delivery folks by 2nd week of November so folks have leisure to deliver up until December 1st.  
• We still need a delivery person for Rockwood Ave in FP West and 2 other areas in FP East. Thanks to those folks who have stepped up and are covering things to lighten Rita’s load a bit. 
• January and February will both be online issues.  
• We have enough clear bags to get us thru this year, will have to purchase more bags for delivery in March 

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – darylvanmercetta@fpcivic.org, Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@fpcivic.org, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

• IMPORTANT: Many people have requested to meet with our security patrol people. So we have arranged for a representative from the supplemental security company, US Protection Services, at the November Block Watch meeting – Nov. 11, 6:00 PM. 
• See report in the Forester.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – sheridanlandon@fpcivic.org  No Report

Civic Action Officer  Vacant

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Latia VanDyke – latiavandyke@fpcivic.org

• Area 6 Rep Cindy F. said she is no longer able to deliver welcome folders. She does not know anyone that can fill her space. Area 8 Rep Frances L. never responded to Latia when contacted about giving her the new residents welcome folders. Latia has started delivering the folders for both areas, but we will need to find new reps for these areas. 
• We need some of the Forester bags so if residents are not home we can hang the folders on their door.
• Thoughts on a small postcard asking for volunteers from the areas needed for Forester and welcome folders deliveries? This will be discussed in the next meeting.

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – erinmateru@fpcivic.org

Positions that need to be filled in the new year:

• President: Ed Vanasdale is stepping down after a 3 year, 2nd term.
• Civic Action/311 Officer: Vacant
• Business Members Representative: Vacant (We need 2 reps)
• NCC Representative: Ken Gilbert is stepping down.
• Area 6: Cindy Fenstemaker is stepping down from her position.
• Area 8: Is being removed from their position for lack of attendance per our bylaws.
• Area 14: Vacant
• We are also in need of volunteers for weeding and decorating the corner located at Sandalwood at Yellowwood.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – mikestone@fpcivic.org

Thank you to everyone who assisted with this year’s membership drive. Results were mixed—some encouraging, some less so—but teamwork during the April drive made the process smoother than ever. Initial returns were lower than in previous years, possibly due to changes in how the mulch sale form was distributed. A key improvement this year was the timeliness of updates, which allowed quicker thank-you notes, more accurate reports to area representatives, and more frequent neighborhood updates. Looking ahead, greater direct contact with households—particularly those without email—and earlier, ongoing involvement from area representatives will be important for growth. Encouragingly, many new or returning members joined who had not participated last cycle, though some non-renewals were due to residents moving away or concerns about association effectiveness. Overall, we made progress operationally and identified clear steps to strengthen membership efforts in the year ahead.

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – tiffanysmith@fpcivic.org

October 29, 2025 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. is the “Trunk or Treat” event at the North YMCA. Participants are required to register their cars if you are handing out candy. We have flyers that can be distributed to the community.

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kengilbert@fpcivic.org, Mark Bell – markbell@fpcivic.org

See Report in the Forester

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – edvanasdale@fpcivic.org

The next and final meeting in 2025 of the NCC Development Committee will be on December 3, 2025.  The first meeting of 2026 will be on January 28, 2026.

See Report on the website: https://www.fpcivic.org/development-reports/

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – quentinmonden@fpcivic.org, Laura Hayes – laurahayes@fpcivic.org

The tree grant update – we know that 21 of the 22 total trees we distributed are planted. Thanks everyone for your help. Don’t forget to water your tree! 

Outreach Committee Chair  Michael Cote – michaelcote@fpcivic.org

In our ongoing efforts to maintain and develop relations with other organizations in our community, several conversations have been initiated with the following: North YMCA, Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, Elevate Northland, Karl Road Library, Woodward Park Community Center, Northland High School, and INPREM Food Pantry. We have agreed to meet regularly to exchange information, share news of interest and of concern to residents of Forest Park, and mutually support our organizations through cooperation and publicity of community events.   

Website Administrators Scott Biggs – scottbiggs@fpcivic.org (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul – dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website)  Ashley Howard – ashleyhoward@fpcivic.org  (Instagram/Facebook)  

In October, we have been featuring our advertisers and business members on social media to thank them for their support and invite new businesses to partner with us. We invite everyone to follow the official FPCA social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram for neighborhood information from FPCA, The City of Columbus, Franklin County, and Northland area organizations.

OLD BUSINESS

In September, Google Workspace for Nonprofits training was conducted by Laura Hayes and Lou Bernard for members of the Board and Committee Chairs. All members have a new email address where they can be contacted using the @fpcivic.org domain. All Board members and chairs will use the organizational domain for enhanced security, more professional presence, and centralized administration.

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS  

• We’re excited to share that the Forest Park Civic Association will be partnering with the Columbus Metropolitan Library to preserve our 63 years of history. Lou reached out to Eugene Rutigliano at CML, and together they are establishing a special FPCA collection to archive all of our historical materials. CML will digitize, catalog, and securely store everything, creating an online, publicly accessible, and fully searchable collection for future generations to explore. At the November meeting, there will be a display for attendees to browse through old Foresters and photographs before they are transferred downtown. After the meeting, Lou and Rita will deliver the materials to the library. (This partnership was approved by the membership at the September meeting.)
• Rita wanted to have a Forester drawing for Kroger gift cards like we did earlier in the year. One of our past winners became a volunteer for us! The motion was passed.

Meeting adjourned at 8:04 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA

FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date: 9 September 2025

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:02 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – president@fpcivic.org  – No Report

Guest Speaker: Erin’s idea at the August meeting was to revisit the work done at the July brainstorming meeting and see how to proceed. Copies were printed out for all in attendance, but due to some important discussions, this discussion was tabled until the October meeting. All Chairs affected by this (e.g. business members, membership, social activities and Forester) must be ready to present their action plan. This plan should include: What are your roadblocks? What solutions have you tried from the meeting? What else do you need?

Vice President  Mark Bell – vice_president@fpcivic.org Absent – No Report

Secretary Lou Bernard – secretary@fpcivic.org

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, LB, CL, MSg, DVM, KVM, SL, LV, EM, MSt, TS, KG, QM, AH
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: MB, RW, DP, SB
• Area Reps in Attendance: 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12
• Area Reps Absent: 1, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14
• Total meeting attendance: 29

1. Reviewed minutes from August, no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru September.

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – treasurer@fpcivic.org

1. 20 new household memberships in August, bringing our total to 393. We still need 57 more. We received two new ones at the last trip to the post office and we’ve received 9 through PayPal since September. We still have a ways to go, and appreciate Mike’s efforts to get the word out!
2. The main expense was using our grant money for our New American’s party.
3. In big news, in August, we received a grant from Laura Hayes’ former employer. They apparently had a system where employees who did volunteer work could essentially request the organization be “paid” for the employee’s time. We received $500, which I happily took to the bank today. The grant committee is deciding where to use the funds.

Public Relations Mary Sguerra –  public_relations@fpcivic.org

(Note: By the time the minutes are printed, this will have already taken place.) We have the Forest Park Community Garage Sale this Saturday, Sept. 13th, starting at 9 a.m.

Currently we only have approximately 10 entries so far. We are looking for volunteers to hand out the list at the islands on Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester@fpcivic.org

1. All items for October Forester are due Friday Sept 19, but go ahead and get it to Rita this week so she can get started.
2. Still need routes covered:
   1. 38 homes on Rockwood, FP west, need Sept issue delivered. If anyone wants to do it, the bag of newsletters is on my porch. – (Note: This was performed by Area 4 Rep Suzanne Conway. Thank you, Suzanne.)
3. Other areas that need covered definitely for October:
   1. Torchwood drive/loop FP east, 45 homes (Note: This route was accepted by Michael Cote, our new Outreach Chairperson. Thank you, Michael)
   2. Green Apple area, 42 homes, FP east.  
4. Daryl VanMercetta has 2 routes that need to be covered. (He can tell you the streets. Call or email him if you are willing to help.)
5. We did get a new deliverer that is taking over a route. 
6. Would love to see Area Reps call, ask, check with neighbors to cover just a street if possible. Thanks to George and Daryl for covering areas with the September deliveries. 
7. Need a sub delivery person for October for FP west on Pegwood and Firwood areas. Approximately 102 houses. 

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – security@fpcivic.org, Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@fpcivic.org, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

See report in the Forester.

Civic Action/311 Officer  Vacant 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – business@fpcivic.org  

Has not been able to secure any new memberships.

Welcome Committee Chair Latia VanDyke – welcome@fpcivic.org

There are 50 Welcome Folders to be delivered. We need the Area Reps to step up and do their jobs. All Reps, please contact Latia.

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – volunteer@fpcivic.org

1. A resident asked for volunteers to tend to the Sandalwood at Yellowwood corner flower bed. 
2. TREE PLANTING GRANT UPDATE: The owner of Sequoia Bowling Lanes told us that we can use their lot for the tree delivery. Still in need of volunteers and shovels to dig/plant trees on Oct. 5th. Forest Park resident Joe Nichols, from the City of Columbus Forestry, spoke at the meeting and will be here for the planting.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – membership_chair@fpcivic.org

1. Membership Data:
   1. 80 new households who didn’t join last year. Some may have skipped a year, while others are new to the neighborhood.
   2. 128 households who have not yet renewed from the previous cycle. While a few have moved away, most are still here.
2. Area representatives, it is time to step up! Earlier this summer, data was shared and we asked for assistance in securing memberships from these FPCA-friendly households. We are asking again now as we enter the final stretch of our campaign.
3. At the meeting, Mike provided each area representative with a packet that included:
   1. An updated list of your area’s membership status, highlighting households who joined last year but not yet this year.
   2. Blank household data sheets for collecting new information.
4. We are asking each of you to personally visit 10 households before the October meeting to help secure memberships. (In some areas, there are fewer than 10 homes to visit.) After that meeting, our membership campaign will close.
5. We believe you will find this process both rewarding and impactful. You will certainly collect memberships from supportive households, help us meet our neighborhood goals, and deepen your connection with the community you represent. Your effort makes a real difference—thank you for all you do.

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – activities@fpcivic.org

Tiffany will be contacting Sherrie Johnson-Dantzler to see if they are interested in hosting a Trunk or Treat this year. If so, more info will come soon – FPCA will set up an info table during the event.

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – ncc_rep@fpcivic.org, Mark Bell – vice_president@fpcivic.org

See report in the Forester.

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – president@fpcivic.org

See report on our website at fpcivic.org/development-reports/

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – quentinmonden@fpcivic.org, Laura Hayes – laurahayes@fpcivic.org

1. We submitted our narrative and financial report for the Civic Integration Seed Grant on Aug. 29.
2. We are waiting to hear back from the New American Program at the Department of Neighborhoods regarding the second phase.
3. The committee met on Sept. 4th to discuss the current open grants and next steps.

Outreach Committee Chair  Michael Cote – outreach@fpcivic.org

1. Mark your calendars for the upcoming Harvest Festival on Friday, Sept 19, 2025, 10am – 1pm. The Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio is inviting Forest Park and friends to its first Harvest Festival at the New American Community Garden and Farm Stand located at the North YMCA.
2. The Northland Unity Festival 2025! – Saturday, September 20th – 3pm-7pm New location! Woodward Park Rec Center, 5147 Karl Road. https://elevatenorthland.org/events/northland-unity-festival/

Website Administrators Scott Biggs – website@fpcivic.org (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website)  Ashley Howard ashleyhoward@fpcivic.org  (Instagram/Facebook)  

1. The Foresters are now available online as PDFs in four languages: English, Spanish, Somali, and Nepali. After The Forester Editor posts each month, the Website Administrator translates them with an online translator and posts the separate PDFs as links on the same web page. The translations may not be perfect as they currently receive no review by a native speaker.
2. Events and news continue to be posted on Facebook and Instagram. Follow and Like the FPCA socials for helpful updates.
3. Our website/Facebook page is always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow us.

OLD BUSINESS

(This will have taken place by the time the minutes come out.)

Our Board and Chairs are participating in a required Google Workspace for Nonprofits Training.

• Thursday, September 11 or Wednesday, September 17
• Time: 7:00–8:30 p.m. 
• Location: Northgate Intermediate School, 6655 Sharon Woods Blvd, Columbus, OH 43229

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS`

NEW POSITION CREATED: FPCA President Ed Vanasdale, in accordance with the FPCA bylaws, created a new position: Outreach Committee Chair. The Outreach Committee Chair will lead efforts to connect the FPCA with residents, community partners, and local organizations. This role focuses on building relationships, improving communication, and encouraging active participation in FPCA activities and neighborhood initiatives. We are pleased to announce that Michael Cote has accepted the position of Outreach Committee Chair. Michael brings energy and dedication to this role, and we look forward to the positive impact his leadership will bring to our community connections.

REVIEW OF BRAINSTORMING MEETING NOTES: Next month all chairs of the Membership, Forester, Social Activities, and Business Membership need to look over the notes passed out and be prepared to report on what was reported, what you have tried or done, what your plans moving forward are, and where you need help.

Meeting adjourned at 8:03 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA

FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date: 12 August 2025

Location: NCC Annual Picnic, Blendon Woods Metro Park

Meeting called to order @ 7:30 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

Ed thanked all for coming.

Guest Speaker: None

Vice President  Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com – Absent – No Report

Secretary Lou Bernard – secretary@fpcivic.org

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, LB, MSg, SL, EM, TS, DP
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: MB, CL, RW, DVM, KVM, LV, MSt, KG, QM, SB, AH
• Area Reps in Attendance: 9, 11
• Area Reps Absent: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14
• Total meeting attendance: 12

1. Reviewed minutes from July, no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru July will be online.

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com – Absent  

1. We received 34 new household memberships, but did have a check returned to us, so we’re at net 33 as of 7/30/2025. Cindy Fenstermaker also renewed her business membership for another year – thank you! The rest of our income for the month is self-explanatory. See the spreadsheet in the Forester.
2. Expenses were in line with expectations. A couple of notable expenses include a $15 fee from the bank for a returned check plus a donation to CAPA in memory of Bob Hinebaugh.
3. We stand at a total of 373 household members, and need 77 more to make our goal. We’ve received 5 more in through PayPal through the time of these minutes

Public Relations Mary Sguerra –  marysguerra@howardhanna.com

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, September 13, 2025 will be the Forest Park Fall Community Garage Sale. Look for the sign up form in the Forester.

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester@fpcivic.org – Absent

1. All articles, photos, ads are needed to Rita by this Friday, August 15th. We want to get it together so it’s ready and back to us for delivery before Labor day weekend.  
2. Rita is not sure what is going on but we have lost 3 more delivery folks. She is working on replacements and shifting some folks, hopefully, but not sure, if all will get covered. Most of the coverage needed is in Forest Park East. 

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – dvanmercetta@gmail.com – Absent, Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@gmail.com – Absent, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

See report in the Forester.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – slandon52@gmail.com  No Report

Civic Action Officer  Vacant

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Latia VanDyke – vandkyde.latia@gmail.com – Absent – No Report

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – mmateru@hotmail.com

Erin requested that at the September meeting we revisit the work that was done during the brainstorming sessions during the July meeting. Everyone agreed to this.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – msto0103@yahoo.com – Absent

1. No specific membership update in terms of numbers. We appreciate the July paypal report from Cheryl and want to catch up on final paperwork to see where we are at. We will maintain focus on those who joined the previous cycle.
2. Thank you’s have been emailed to everyone with whom we have addresses. So far we have 88 without and we could use some help distributing letters to these addresses. We’ll talk with the coordinators later, but if we could get some help from our volunteer coordinator and area reps that would be great.

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – tsmith1599@yahoo.com – No Report

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kgilbert78@att.net – Absent, Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com – Absent

At the NCC Picnic, the president welcomed everyone. Attendance was taken. FP was represented by the most number of residents of those present. No new business was discussed.

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

See Report Online

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – q.monden@gmail.com – Absent – No Report  

Website Administrators Scott Biggs sbiggsmail@yahoo.com (Website/Facebook) – Absent   Dave Paul dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website) Ashley Howard ahoward@ashleynicolecounseling.com (Instagram/Facebook) – Absent  

Our website/Facebook page is always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow us.

OLD BUSINESS 

A Doodle Poll was sent out to all Board members and Committee Chairs to choose the best dates for the Google Workspace for Nonprofits training meeting in September. Board members and Chairs must attend. Lou, secretary, will be sending out reminder notices.

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS  – No Report

Meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA

FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date: 08 July 2025

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:04 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

Ed requested a moment of silence for our friend, long-time FPCA member, and volunteer Bob Hinebaugh who passed away on Tuesday June 24, 2025 at the age of 92. Bob’s presence, stories, knowledge of FP history, and friendship will leave a large hole in our hearts. He will be deeply missed. We love you, Bob.

Guest Speaker: None

Vice President  Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com Absent

The encampment of unhoused people off of Cleveland Avenue has been cleared away.

Secretary Lou Bernard – secretary@fpcivic.org

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, LB, CL, MSg, RW, DVM, KVM, SL, LV, EM, MSt, KG, QM, SB, AH
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: MB, LH, TS, DP
• Area Reps in Attendance: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12
• Area Reps Absent: 6, 8, 10, 13, 14 (vacant)
• Total meeting attendance: 28 

1. Reviewed minutes from June, no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru July can be found online.

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com

1. We have 78 new household memberships, bringing us to a total of 340. Tomorrow, Cheryl will be depositing another 16 membership checks, plus we’ve received 4 more from PayPal. That leaves us 90 members to reach our goal, so continue to get the word out!
2. Although we did receive interest from a business member, they have not yet paid their fee. When they do, we’ll announce who they are. Other income includes advertising revenue and contributions to our various function areas. Also, we have received one last mulch sale check. 
3. Net proceeds from the sale are $1,322.28. Thank you to everyone who bought mulch, helped deliver mulch, and especially to The Mulch King, Scott Biggs for his hard work in coordinating the sale – and to Marty Biggs, who we are sure also played a role! 😄
4. Expenses include Forester printing, paying some of the expenses with the New American event (which was amazing – the food was stellar!), paying for some items for the Welcome Folders, and paying for our garage sale ad. The garage sale did net $43.04, and we hope everyone who participated had good sales!

Public Relations Mary Sguerra –  marysguerra@howardhanna.com

1. A BIG “Thank You” goes out to Pat Kelly, who let us decorate his pickup truck and drove it in the 4th of July Parade. Thank you to all those who helped pass out candy along the way, carry the FPCA banner, helped with the Bikes & Trikes, and to help coordinate the parade – Erin Materu, Lou Bernard, Sheridan Landon, Ken Gilbert, Catherine Gilbert, Mary Sguerra, Mike Stone, Tiffany Smith, Rita Woeste, Ashley Howard, Ernie Mack, Ed Vanasdale, and Dave Paul. We apologize if we have left anyone off this list. 
2. Save the Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025 will be the Forest Park Fall Community Garage Sale.

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester@fpcivic.org

1. Deadline for all articles, photos, and ads for the August Forester is Friday July 18th. 
2. Thanks to Connie Thompson for stepping up to deliver Foresters and thanks to Lori Johnson for her years of delivering the Forester for us. 

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – dvanmercetta@gmail.com, Katie Van Mercetta – katievanmercetta@fpcivic.org, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

See report in the Forester.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – slandon52@gmail.com  No Report

Civic Action/311 Officer  Vacant

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Laura Hayes Absent → Latia VanDyke – vandyke.latia@gmail.com

Please welcome Latia VanDyke! The new Welcome Chair member!! She has all the Welcome Folder materials and is being supported by Laura Hayes. Area Reps should be ready to work with her and help welcome our new neighbors! 

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – mmateru@hotmail.com

1. Thank you to all who participated in the New American Party. It was a great success.
2. Also, a long term resident has reached out for volunteers to help weed her yard. Please contact Erin if you are willing to help out.
3. A note from Laura: For one of our next events, we will need help with our tree planting this fall. If you’re physically able to help move trees or dig holes to plant our trees in, reach out to Erin. It will be a one day commitment, on a weekend day, in September or October. More information to come.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – msto0103@yahoo.com

1. Good News: At the midpoint of summer, we are at the mid 300s in membership, according to Cheryl’s records. Mike’s records only have 241 accounted for, meaning he has another stack to update (and very happy to do so). Of the first 241 recorded, 47 households are “Pickups” (coining a political term to emphasize new households that were not accounted for in the previous cycle). He is guessing that there is an additional number of “pickups” in this missing batch as well.  
2. Area reps– this is where we need your effort. Mike will distribute area information to you showing the paid memberships in your area that he has a record of (as of 7/7), as well as a list of paid members from the previous cycle not yet paid for the current year. As we have discussed previously, we need you to help with these outstanding homes, and also to help collect memberships from those you are close with in your area. 
3. Unfortunately, there are approximately 100 homes unaccounted for in his records but if you do not see a name that is on the list as having paid for this year, it is worth having the conversation.

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – tsmith1599@yahoo.com Absent

No Report

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kgilbert78@att.net, Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com Absent

See report in the Forester

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

See report in the Forester

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – q.monden@gmail.com  

1. Thanks to everyone who helped and supported our New Americans Party! We will be working on the next steps with the Department of Neighborhoods. We have to follow-up with some community partners, and our eyes are set on other less restrictive funds.
2. We will also be focusing on building and growing the volunteer base for Forest Park.

Website Administrators Scott Biggs sbiggsmail@yahoo.com (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website) Absent  Ashley Howard ahoward@ashleynicolecounseling.com (Instagram/Facebook)  

Our website/Facebook page is always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow us.

OLD BUSINESS

There will be NO AUGUST meeting for the FPCA. The annual Northland Community Council Picnic will be on August 12th at the Dogwood Pavilion at Blendon Woods Park. It is a potluck, and all residents of Northland are invited, especially civic association members. Please bring something to share at the potluck. Time: Dinner is at 6:30 pm, though you can come earlier.

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

During this meeting, the committee reports were cut short in order to have a brainstorming session. The people in attendance were divided up and went to 1 of 4 stations: 1) Membership, 2) Social Activities, 3) The Forester, and 4) Business Members. At those stations, the members worked with the group leader to brainstorm ideas to help solve the major roadblocks that are keeping those areas from moving forward. The sessions were very well received. The discussions were great and many new ideas were collected. The minutes from those break-out groups are posted HERE and sent to all committee and board members.

Meeting adjourned at 8:22 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA

FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date: 10 June 2025

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:04 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com  

Welcomed everyone and let people know that since we have 2 guest speakers, the committee reports will be cut very short. 

Guest Speakers:

Rosalie Hendon, City of Columbus Forester, spoke at our meeting. She gave a very informative talk about the state of trees in the Northland area and how that compares to the overall general metro area. She explained the mission and policies, called the Columbus Urban Forestry Master Plan, that guide Columbus. Rosalie took time to answer questions from the members present. ~Thank you, M. Cote for arranging this.

Lily Schaefer from the Columbus Audubon Center spoke about this summer’s Ohio Young Birders Club, ages 12-18 years old, through Woodward Park Community Center!  It’s FREE! Join the central chapter of the Ohio Young Birders Club, sponsored by Grange Insurance Audubon Center, for three fun outdoor field trips this summer! Sign up at the Woodward Park Rec Center. ~Thank you E. Materu for arranging this.

Vice President  Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com  No Report

Secretary Lou Bernard – loubernard3@gmail.com

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, MB, LB, CL, MSg, RW, SL, LH, EM, MSt, TS, KG, QM, DP, SB, AH
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: DVM, KVM
• Area Reps in Attendance: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13
• Area Reps Absent: 2, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14
• Total meeting attendance: 31

1. Reviewed minutes from May, no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. The Attendance Sheet thru June is online.

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com

1. 97 new household memberships, bringing the total to 262. As a reminder, our budget is based on having 450, so just slightly more than halfway there. There are several more to process in the coming days. 
2. We had advertising income, donations to all our additional function areas, and another $2,750 in mulch sales. There is one additional sale to process.
3. Expenses remain in line – PayPal fees (the vast majority of folks are including the fee – thank you!!), printing the Forester, ordering bags, paying for security and island maintenance. Finally, we paid $99 to renew a plugin that helps our website run, and we did pay $1.50 for going over 100 transactions in April.
4. REMEMBER: You do not need a PayPal account to use it for your membership. You can still pay with a credit card through PayPal with no account.

Public Relations Mary Sguerra –  marysguerra@howardhanna.com

1. Mary has ordered the candy that will be handed out in the 4th of July parade.
2. We are looking for volunteers to walk in the parade behind our FPCA banner. If you are interested, please contact Mary or Erin. We will meet in the old HomeBuys/Kroger parking lot at the corner of Morse and Karl Rd. at 9:30 AM. 
3. Fall Community Garage Sale will be Saturday, September 13th, it is an OSU bye weekend, so no conflict there!!
4. From Erin-The Association would like to acknowledge our founding resident and valued member, Bob Hinebaugh, who is currently in hospice care. In a small gesture of love and appreciation, we have placed a sign in Bob’s front yard to let him know that we miss him at the meetings and are thinking of him.

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester@fpcivic.org

1. Happy to see folks responding to note in June Forester, we have received over 45 responses in just a week.  
2. Everything is needed for the July Forester by Monday, June 16th
3. We are looking for people who are willing to deliver the Forester to the homes in FP. We lost another volunteer delivery person, that’s the 4th one in the last 2 months.  
   • Need delivery for the following streets:
     • North Tamarack Blvd (36 homes)
     • Denise Dr (32 homes)
     • Green Apple (29 homes)
     • Blackgum & Sweetgum Place (21 homes)
     • And 45 homes on FP East near Coghill

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – dvanmercetta@gmail.com Absent, Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@gmail.com Absent, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

See the report in the Forester.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – slandon52@gmail.com  

We have a new business member: Sister Sister Childcare: First Steps 1300 Yellowwood Dr.

Civic Action Officer  Vacant

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Laura Hayes – hayeslaura2@gmail.com

Laura is working with some new neighbors who may take the position of Welcome Committee Chair  – look for an update next month! If you’d like to be involved, please contact me. 

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – mmateru@hotmail.com

1. We have a new Forester deliver volunteer couple – Welcome, Lydia and Jake from Area 1! 
2. New Area 13 Reps Linda and Harold Bozeman! 
3. The Forest Park Civic Association is thrilled to announce its upcoming New American Multicultural Party, Saturday, June 28th, from 1-3 p.m. at the Woodward Park Rec Center. We are excited to celebrate the many cultures that make our neighborhood so unique and beautiful. This joyful gathering is open to everyone in the community and promises to be a feast for the senses. It is free and open to all residents of Forest Park. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Erin at (614) 254-0712.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – msto0103@yahoo.com

1. Data collection is underway. Electronic submissions received through PayPal have been recorded, and thank-you messages have been sent to all contributors. Mike is especially grateful to Cheryl for providing that data—there were some encouraging surprises in the mix.
2. Although this is just an early sample, it’s worth noting that 41% of our May PayPal memberships are from new members or individuals not recorded in the previous cycle. Mike plans to compile a more complete picture by the end of the week, incorporating the mailed responses as well.
3. That said, if we’re able to retain the vast majority of last year’s members, he is cautiously optimistic that we’re on track to meet—or possibly exceed—our goals for this year.

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – tsmith1599@yahoo.com

1. Will be signing up for the 4th of July parade after the meeting.
2. We are receiving bikes for a donation for awards for Bikes-n-Trikes, along with other gifts for winners and participants.
3. A parade meeting is planned for after the FPCA meeting to finalize plans.

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kgilbert78@att.net, Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com

See the complete report in Forester.

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

Four cases were heard at the May 28th meeting. None were in the immediate FP area. To view the report, visit the website under the “Development Reports” tab on the homepage.

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – q.monden@gmail.com  

1. We met on June 1 & June 4 as a committee to continue our work. Primary focus New Americans Grant – Festival planned for June 28th. 
2. We applied for, but did not receive the National Night Out Grant. 
3. Tree grant update – Thanks to all our neighbors who took time to speak with our arborist Julie on June 6th. We are finalizing tree types and will place our order soon! Remember, we won’t get our trees until the fall. Enjoy your summer! 

Website Administrators Scott Biggs sbiggsmail@yahoo.com (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website) Ashley Howard ahoward@ashleynicolecounseling.com (Instagram/Facebook)  

Our website/Facebook page is always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow us. Also, please tag and reshare any posted info on your FB page or Instagram account.

OLD BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

1. There is a team that is finishing up the work of bringing Google Workspace for nonprofits to the FPCA. Officers and committee chairs can expect to receive more information within the next month about policies and procedures, and training opportunities.
2. The next FPCA meeting will be July 8, 2025.
3. There will be NO AUGUST meeting for the FPCA. The annual Northland Community Council Picnic will be on August 12th at the Dogwood Pavilion at Blendon Woods Park. It is a potluck, and all residents of Northland are invited, especially civic association members. Time: Dinner is at 6:30 pm, though you can come earlier.

Meeting adjourned at 8:18 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA

FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date: 13 May 2025

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:05 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com   No Report

Guest Speaker: Brandon Thomas – Karl Rd. Library Branch Manager

1. Brandon lives in the Northland Area and is back working at the Karl Rd. branch.
2. May 31st – Beginning of Summer Reading Challenge, but the BIG KICK OFF is June 2nd from 11am-1 pm, there will be a bouncy house and other fun stuff.
3. Reading Buddies is coming back this summer.
4. Summer Programs: (pick up a calendar at the library)
   1. JUNE: Balloon Art with Picasso (the Turtle), Baby and Me Yoga (BYOB-bring our own baby–babies not provided!), Baby Splash Time outside, and more.
   2. JULY: Foxes and Folklore (real foxes), Steel Drum Band from Trinidad (2-3 pm), DJ workshop, Young Scientist – Owls and Owl Pellets, and more
5. Free Breakfast and Lunches for youth this summer @ the branch.
6. In July – at the Main Library branch – Columbus Book Festival: Saturday July 12, 2025, 10 am-6 pm; Sunday, July 13, 2025, 10 am-5 pm

NEXT MONTH’S SPEAKER: The City of Columbus Forester, Rosalie Hendon. She’ll be happy to address any issues of concern about tree maintenance, planting, and updates on the urban forest master plan. Thank you Michael Cote for arranging this.

Vice President  Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com

Mark introduced Harold and Linda Bozeman (Area 13). They will be taking over for him as Area 13 Area Reps since he has now accepted the position of Vice President. Welcome to Harold and Linda, we look forward to working with you and thank you for volunteering!

AUGUST MEETING and NCC PICNIC INFO: Instead of our usual meeting in August, we will be attending the annual NCC Picnic on August 12th at Blendon Woods Park, Dogwood Area. NCC has the pavilion for the entire day, so feel free to come out early and enjoy all that the park has to offer. Dinner will be served at 6:30 pm. NCC will provide hamburgers, hot dogs and brats, please bring a dish to share. At 7pm, they will have a very brief meeting. We encourage anyone from the Forest Park community to join us for a day of fun and camaraderie.

Secretary Lou Bernard – secretary@fpcivic.org

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, MB, LB, CL, MSg, RW, DVM, SL, LH, EM, MSt, KG, QM, DP, SB, AH
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: KVM, TS
• Area Reps in Attendance: 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13
• Area Reps Absent: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 14
• Total meeting attendance: 30

1. Reviewed minutes from April, no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru April: Online

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com

1. 166 household memberships so far, with a big stack still to go. If your check hasn’t cleared yet, please stand by as Cheryl is still processing checks and more memberships are coming in through PayPal. One renewed business membership.
2. Our mulch sale so far has garnered $2,385, with the check payments still to process, so we don’t have a grand total yet.
3. Thanks to Mike S. for getting the annual mailing to the post office when he did, we didn’t have to renew our permit – instead we got two years for the price of one! The postage was $2,012. Finally, food for the stuffing party was $154.11. Thanks, Ed for arranging that.
4. Our other expense was $1,000 for our security patrols.
5. Acceptance of the treasurer’s report has been tabled until more information has been received about membership numbers.

Public Relations Mary Sguerra –  marysguerra@howardhanna.com

1. Saturday is the FPCA Spring Community Garage Sale. From 9:00 – 10:30 a.m., someone will be passing out a list of households at the Karl Rd. entrances.
2. June 7th – Forest Park at Gabby’s – Join the FPCA and neighbors (6:00-9:00 p.m.) from across Forest Park for community fun at Gabby’s. No registration necessary. Just show up and enjoy! Bring a side dish/dessert. Main course provided. Live music!

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester_ed@fpcivic.org 

1. We have a delivery person moving and will finish their route in June and need a new delivery person for FP East, all of the Arrowwood Loops, E/W/N, and the Court.  Total of 51 homes. Thanks Manny for all of your help over the years of delivering the Forester. 
2. Rita wants to do a raffle for members who read the printed Forester. Just click the QR code inside the next Forester to enter – $50 was approved for gift cards! 
3. Deadline for the JULY issue is June 16th. We want to have the July Forester out to delivery folks by Monday June 30th so there may be one more reminder of the July 4th Parade, Bikes & Trikes, etc. 

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – dvanmercetta@gmail.com, Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@gmail.com, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

Citizen’s Police Academy applications are being accepted; search for “CPD Citizen’s Police Academy” for the online application. See report in the Forester.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – slandon52@gmail.com  

Sheridan has been calling and visiting past business members and trying to get them to renew their memberships.

Civic Action Officer  Vacant

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Laura Hayes – hayeslaura2@gmail.com

Laura would like to step down as Welcome Chair; she plans to spend her energy with the Grant Writing Team. She will be working with Erin to fill the position.

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – mmateru@hotmail.com

1. Thank you to all who volunteered in the rain to distribute mulch and those who purchased it. It was very well organized and Scott did an amazing job! 
2. We are reviving an old program in Forest Park called “Teen Helpers Work List”. This list will be featured in the next Forester and will have names of kids who can cut grass, pull weeds, dog walking, babysitting, snow shoveling, ect. A resident named Derek Billingsley has volunteered to be the point of contact to add kids to the list. Erin will work with Derek to get this up and running.
3. We have selected a date for the New American grant party on 6/28 at the Woodward rec center.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – msto0103@yahoo.com

1. Mike gave the Board the volunteer attendance list from the Envelope Stuffing event. Thanks Dave for creating it!!
2. Area Reps and other board members – We should have some data to work with regarding membership.  Over the next two weeks (hopefully much sooner) Mike will put out some breakdowns to show nearby neighbors that you can see about membership.  
3. Mike will begin sending out electronic updates regarding our progress to the community. We will do a “membership countdown” to keep the topic clear and present throughout the summer.

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – tsmith1599@yahoo.com  Absent   No Report

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kgilbert78@att.net, Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com

See full report in the Forester.

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

See report online.

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – q.monden@gmail.com  

1. They have had 2 meetings – April 17th and May 2nd. Quentin met with Lindora, Community Relations Coordinator, regarding the Civic Integration Seed Grant for the New American Program. They discussed our progress and plans for a kick-off event for the end of June.
2. They will apply for the National Night Out Grant (Aug. 5th), and Quentin attended the informational webinar.
3. They were awarded $3425 from the Parks and Recs Dept. for the neighborhood tree grant. Laura will be talking with people who have signed up for trees about the process. Trees will be planted by FPCA volunteers in September.

Website Administrators Scott Biggs sbiggsmail@yahoo.com (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website) Ashley Howard ahoward@ashleynicolecounseling.com (Instagram/Facebook)  

Our website/Facebook page is always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow us.

OLD BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

1. Thank you to our small but dedicated group of 2025 Mulch Day delivery volunteers. Thirteen people showed up on a rainy Saturday morning on May 3 to deliver 1,260 bags of mulch (over 25,000 pounds) to our neighbors across Forest Park East and West. 

      Volunteers included FPCA officers Erin Materu, Rita Woeste, Daryl Van Mercetta, and Mary           Sguerra. Also generously dedicating their muscles, time, and vehicles were Max Materu, Kofi       Oduro, Paulissen Owrsu-Ansah, Ed Uppenkamp, Chris Toth, Justin Moegling, James Adkins,           and Michael Wagner.

    Extra special gratitude to Mary Sguerra, who personally purchased and donated 150 bags of        mulch for the large landscaped east and west welcome islands at Karl Rd. and Sandalwood          Blvd. Mike and Diane Wagner purchased and donated five bags of mulch to the island                  landscaping. Justin Moegling of Moegling Home Improvement again this year dedicated his          van, large trailer and his muscles to serve our neighborhood. Thank you to Sequoia Pro Bowl      for allowing us to use its parking lot for our mulch storage and distribution.

    Thank you to the many households that supported the Forest Park Civic Association by                ordering bags of mulch in the 2025 Mulch Sale. ~Scott Biggs, FPCA Mulchmaster, Area 5                Representative

2. Ambrosia, from Woodward Park Rec Center, will set up a tent on Karl Rd on the 4th of July parade route.  Kids are to be encouraged to participate in the Forest Park Bikes & Trikes competition. As an incentive, up to five bikes will be awarded (donated by WWP) to kids of different age groups judged to have the best bedazzled bikes in the parade! ~Michael Cote
3. Columbus Recreation and Parks will NOT be hosting a Columbus Symphony Concert at Woodward Park or any other Community Center this year, only downtown at Bicentennial Park. ~Michael Cote
4. Woodward Park Community Center is looking forward to hosting the Forest Park Multicultural Community Festival on June 28, 2025. Preliminary plans are in the works to invite dancers from the African and Nepali communities. Additional input is welcome. ~Michael Cote

Submitted by FPCA Mulchmaster Scott Biggs, Area 5 Representative.

Meeting adjourned at 8:03 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA

FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date: 8 April 2025

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:00 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

1. Ed will be stepping down from the role of president this year. He took on the role, for the second time, after the death of our late president, Scott Prigan. He will assume the role of past president in 2026.
2. Ed wanted to thank everyone for the great work on Saturday at the membership envelope stuffing.

Guest Speaker: None

Vice President  Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com

Wanted to also thank everyone for the great job on Saturday.

Secretary Lou Bernard – loubernard3@gmail.com

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, MB, LB, CL, MSg, RW, DVM, KVM, SL, LH, EM, MSt, TS, KG, DP, SB
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: QM, AH
• Area Reps in Attendance: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13
• Area Reps Absent: 2, 6, 8, 10, 14
• Total meeting attendance: 30

1. Reviewed minutes from March; no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru April: online

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com

1. This is the last report for this fiscal year. We were 39 households shy of our target of 480.
2. Mulch sales have begun, and we did get a few online orders in March. 
3. We did get a few business memberships this year, but not the 10 we were shooting for.
4. Our two big expenses this month were the printing of envelopes and data sheets for the membership drive, printing the Forester, and paying for security patrols. We have renewed our post office box.
5. While we did end the year in the red, there were some extraordinary expenses that pushed us over. The Board has worked to trim expenses, the grant committee is working hard to find funds that way, but again, the biggest way to support us is with your household membership.

Public Relations Mary Sguerra –  marysguerra@howardhanna.com

Just a quick reminder that we have our Spring Forest Park Community Garage Sale on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Please turn in your garage sale entry form by Wednesday, May 15th.

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester_ed@fpcivic.org

1. Forester Articles for May Issue due to me by Friday, April 18.
2. Articles in May for the JUNE issue are due by Friday, May 16 (make sure Rita has info for Bikes/Trikes and any other details for the Northland 4th of July Parade).
3. Thanks to Mary for finding a new delivery person for Larkwood in FPE, and Lou for finding new delivery people, although they have not been assigned an area.
4. Area that need delivery folks for the Forester
   1. FPW – area 2, 1262-1324 Pegwood Ct. (23) & 1344-1387 Pegwood Dr. (13)
   2. FPE – area 11, 1655-1774 Pin Oak (29) 1608-1632 Sienna Ln. N (4) 4970-5029 Sienna Ln. (15) special instructions for 4975 Sienna Ln.
   3. FPE – Area 12,  2307-2425 Green Apple Ave. (29); 5262-5297 Blackgum Pl. (13); 5272-5301 Sweetgum Pl. (8) DO NOT Deliver to 5288 Sweetgum Pl.
   4. FPE – Still uncovered  1800-1868 Coghill Dr. (12), 1837-1872 Dandridge Dr. (9), 1841-1872 Judwick Dr.(8), 4901-4991 Lyle Rd. (16)

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – dvanmercetta@gmail.com, Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@gmail.com, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

1. Officer Yandrich was not able to be in attendance tonight (scheduled vacation) so we do not have a report from him for this month, but based on the crime map it looks like there has still been a lot of theft from vehicles and properties in the apartments north and south of us, but Forest Park itself has been quiet and safe.
2. Other than a few vacation request house checks (all secure), our security patrols have fortunately been uneventful with the exception of a deer that was hit by a car on Tamarack and reported by the patrol officer to Ohio Div. of Wildlife.
3. Remember to keep your house and vehicles locked up and do not have anything visible in your vehicle that would tempt a thief.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – slandon52@gmail.com  No Report

Civic Action Officer  Position Vacant – 311 Meeting 6:30-7:00 before every FPCA general meeting.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Laura Hayes – hayeslaura2@gmail.com

1. Welcome new neighbors! It’s been a busy spring. 
2. Laura has been supporting the grant committee and our web administration team and will have an update on welcome folders shortly! 

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – mmateru@hotmail.com

1. Thank you for approximately 30 volunteers that made the bulk mailing for the 2025 Membership.
2. We are now gearing up for the mulch sale in May. 
3. We still have 2 openings for delivery persons of the Forester. 
4. Also, we had over 20 people request a tree. We had overflow requests after the deadline, so we will definitely reapply in the next round.
5. Also the city is asking to meet with the New American Grant team to see where we are at before the five is the second installment of the money.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – msto0103@yahoo.com

1. Thanks to the wonderful 30 volunteers that helped us, we tied the FPCA time record of two hours to get almost 3,000 envelopes processed. Andy Hunt and Mike successfully delivered them to the post office Monday and everybody should be receiving them soon. Mike personally appreciates everyone who invested the time to make the endeavor successful.
2. We can all help facilitate the success of the membership by keeping it a current topic with our neighbors and Forest Park friends. Please remind people about the membership campaign. You can even offer to collect their membership yourself and save them the stamp!! 

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – tsmith1599@yahoo.com

Looking for information on the 4th of July parade. Members of the civic association met with Tiffany after the meeting to get her up to speed on her role in the FPCA parade planning.

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kgilbert78@att.net, Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com

See full report in the Forester.

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

NCC Development meeting – March 26, 2025

1 case was heard, see the report on the website under the “Development Reports” tab.

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – q.monden@gmail.com  

1. The grant committee has submitted our first grant application this year for the Columbus Tree Assistance Program (TAP). The grant is issued by the Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District. Our application asked for $2,100 in funding to plant 20 native trees, and 2 requests for mature tree maintenance, in our neighborhood on residential property. We were fortunate to receive a letter of support from our Ohio House Rep, and Forest Park resident, Munira Abdullahi. We should hear if we were selected for the grant by the end of the month. Contact Laura Hayes for questions.
2. We will be having a volunteer meeting to help implement the New American Grant.

Website Administrators Scott Biggs sbiggsmail@yahoo.com (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website) Ashley Howard ahoward@ashleynicolecounseling.com (Instagram/Facebook)  

Our social media pages (website/Facebook/Instagram) are always – always being updated with new and upcoming info! Please check it out!! Please subscribe/follow/like us.

OLD BUSINESS

Mulch Sale Update: online orders are coming in and the order form is included in the April Forester. Deadline to order is April 18. Delivery day is Saturday, May 3 from 9 am until noon out of the Sequoia Pro Bowl parking lot. Fit volunteers are needed to lift bags of mulch! Order and pay online at fpcivic.org/mulch. ~ Scott Biggs, Area 5 Rep, The Mulch King

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

1. Thank you 311! I’d like to remind our neighbors the importance of taking action, no matter how small. On my way to work last week I noticed a new city tree planted on Sandalwood and Cottonwood had been struck by a car and uprooted. I put in a 311 ticket, and alerted a neighbor to see if they could help. With the support of our neighbors, and 311 the tree was replanted and staked. It’s a small thing, but our actions have big impacts. Please be vigilant in protecting and caring for our neighborhood! ~Laura Hayes, Welcome Committee Chair
2. Our guest speaker from last month extended her thanks for hosting her. She gladly reported that 15 new sign-ups from residents came in and signed up for programs. ~Michael Cote
3. Woodwark Rec Center will be hosting Columbus’s Earth Day celebration and are looking for volunteers. You can register HERE! or at the rec center. ~Michael Cote

Meeting adjourned at 7:54 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA

2025 FPCA Budget Meeting

12 March 2025

Epworth United Methodist Church

Attendance: Ed Vanasdale (President), Mark Bell (Vice President), Lou Bernard (Secretary), Cheryl Lutman (Treasurer), Daryl Van Mercetta and Katie Van Mercetta (Supplemental Security), Mary Sguerra (Public Relations), Rita Woeste (Forester Editor), Laura Hayes (Welcome Committee), Scott Biggs (Website Administrator), Erin Materu (Volunteer Coordinator), and Mike Stone (Membership Coordinator)

Meeting called to order at 7:12 PM

1. Cheryl did a quick review of the budget and asked for questions or suggestions.
2. The Island Maintenance budget was discussed. The amount spent was too much last year. Mary Sguerra will be discussing the island maintenance costs with landscapers and getting new bids.
3. The Forester will be printed March thru December, with Nov/Dec as a combined issue; Jan/Feb will be online only.
4. There is a $628 budget deficit. To make a balanced budget we need 10 business memberships, and 480 home membership.
5. The new budget was voted on and approved to be put forth before the members at the next meeting for a vote.

Meeting adjourned at 8:44 PM

To see the new and revised budget, look in this month’s Forester or online.

FOREST PARK CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

Date:  11 March 2025

Location: Epworth United Methodist Church

Meeting called to order @ 7:03 PM by Ed Vanasdale 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Attendance was taken via roll call.

OFFICER REPORTS

President Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com  No Report

Guest Speaker: Ambrosia Lamar (manager from Woodward Park Recreation Center). Ambrosia gave a very informative talk about all of the many programs that Woodward is offering. The presentation, discussion, and Q & A session was lively and engaging. There are so many programs going on at the center most of those in attendance never knew about them. Please check them out – this is your community resource – your tax dollars are working hard at Woodward Park Rec Center. https://columbusrecparks.com/community-center/woodward-park/

Vice President  Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com  No Report

Secretary Lou Bernard – loubernard3@gmail.com

1. Attendance:

• Officers/Committee Chairs Present: EV, MB, LB, CL, MSg, RW, DVM, KVM, SL, CA, LH, EM, MSt, TS, KG, DP
• Officers/Committee Chairs Absent: QM, SB, AH
• Area Reps in Attendance: 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 12, 13
• Area Reps Absent: 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14
• Total meeting attendance: 30

1. Reviewed minutes from February, no changes or corrections needed, minutes have been approved and were entered into the official records.
2. Attendance Sheet thru March: Online

Treasurer Cheryl Lutman – cllutman17@gmail.com

1. No memberships of any kind were received in February.  
2. Expenses include the Forester printing, security patrols, and an expense relating to the Trunk or Treat Event.

Public Relations Mary Sguerra –  marysguerra@howardhanna.com  

1. Upcoming Community Garage Sale on Saturday,  May 17th
2. Also Gabby’s Night Cookout (Potluck) will be Saturday, June 11th more details to follow

Forester Editor Rita Woeste – forester_ed@fpcivic.org

1. Articles by the end of the week. This Forester will be mailed out due to it being the membership drive month.
2. We need volunteers to deliver the Foresters. You will need to deliver only eight times a year. Please help us out.
3. March Forester

Supplemental Security Daryl Van Mercetta – dvanmercetta@gmail.com, Katie Van Mercetta – kvanmercetta@gmail.com, Dan Yandrich (CPD Liaison Officer) – dyandrich@columbuspolice.org 614.645.1418

See the report in the Forester.

Business Representative Sheridan Landon – slandon52@gmail.com  

Been out to 3 different businesses. Trying to get smaller businesses who may be interested in a cheaper way to advertise.

Civic Action Officer  Vacant

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Welcome Committee Chair Laura Hayes – hayeslaura2@gmail.com

1. Thank you, Katie, for helping update the 2025 Membership form. We hope the changes are approved this week and we can print the updated form for the new welcome folders. (Changes were approved at the budget meeting on 12 March).
2. We are still working on gathering updated resources for the welcome folders, if anyone wants to volunteer some time to help in this effort, please contact me! 614-736-8812 thanks.

Volunteer Coordinator Erin Materu – mmateru@hotmail.com

1. We have over 20 households and counting for the Tree grant!
2. Will be contacting people to help with the April membership stuffing.
3. We may have found a person to take over the position of the Civic Action/311 officer. Updates next month.

Membership Coordinator  Mike Stone – msto0103@yahoo.com

1. We are set for our membership envelope stuffing day on Saturday, April 5th at Schoedinger-North.  Right now, unless we need to adjust to accommodate Schoedingers, the arrival time will be between 12:30-1:00 PM and we will start stuffing at 1:00 PM.  
2. Last year was AMAZING and we are hoping to replicate our two hour pace. To do so, we could use 20-22 stuffers.
3. For the period following the post office delivery date (April 7th), we wish to coordinate with our amazing social media team to help keep the drive current, particularly for the period before Independence Day and would love to hear other ideas to make that possible.  
4. Discussions were held to make the mulch sale open only to FPCA members. This idea was voted down. It is a significant fundraiser for the FPCA and will be open to all FP residents.

Social Activities Tiffany Smith – tsmith1599@yahoo.com   No Report

NCC Representatives Ken Gilbert – kgilbert78@att.net, Mark Bell – MarkBellncc@insight.rr.com

See the full report in the Forester

NCC Development Representative Ed Vanasdale – ed1vanasdale@gmail.com

See the full report on our website: https://www.fpcivic.org/development-reports/

Grant Writing Committee Chair  Quentin Monden – q.monden@gmail.com  

1. We had a meeting on 02/16/2025 and currently applying for the Columbus Tree Assistance Program (TAP) Grant (due March 31, 2025) – https://www.franklinswcd.org/columbus-tree-assistance-program
2. Laura’s Update: We have 20 people who would like trees, they all need to sign a release form and pick what type of tree they’d like to be submitted along with our proposal. We also spoke with Henry Stahl from the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District and he said we have a strong proposal. Lastly, we plan to contact our Ohio State House Representative and Forest Park resident, Munira Abdullahi to ask if she’d like to submit a letter of support for our application. 

Website Administrators Scott Biggs sbiggsmail@yahoo.com (Website/Facebook)   Dave Paul dwpaul@fpcivic.org (Website) Ashley Howard ahoward@ashleynicolecounseling.com (Instagram/Facebook)  

We have updated the Mulch Sale web page at fpcivic.org/mulch to get ready for the 2025 Mulch sale. As in past years, orders and payments are accepted online (in addition to manually using the paper form in the April 2025 Forester newsletter). We will promote the sale via the website, social media and in the Forester.

From Ashley: I have been researching social media management programs and will trial a free program. These will allow us to schedule posts ahead of time to allow for more timely and consistent content. Finally, these programs offer other marketing and analytic features. Some of them make it easier to manage multiple accounts from a centralized location; however, those will require paid accounts. Many of the social media management programs offer discounts for non-profits if we decide that we need a paid account in the future. 

OLD BUSINESS

The sign that was run over (again) on the corner of Pegwood and Satinwood is in the process of being replaced by the city. (Note: The sign has been replaced as of March 17th)

NEW BUSINESS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/IDEAS

Our 2025 FPCA MULCH SALE starts in April

The FPCA will hold a 2025 Mulch Sale for all Forest Park households again this year. We deliver bags of mulch to your house. No lifting, no mess, and you support your civic association! Mulch orders begin in April with driveway delivery on Saturday, May 3. The sale is completely run by volunteers so no money is spent on administration. Every paper and online order raises money for the FPCA. Look for details in your April Forester, on the FPCA social media and on this website. We are looking for fit, young volunteers to help deliver mulch on May 3 from 9 a.m. to noon. Find more information at www.fpcivic.org/mulch.

The Board of Trustees will meet on March 12th for the 2025 Budget Meeting. (Minutes are posted online and in the Forester.)

Meeting adjourned at 8:07 PM

Meeting minutes submitted by Lou Bernard, Secretary, FPCA