Dear Neighbors -
 
Happy Anniversary! 2005 marks the 10 year anniversary of the Damon Woods Neighborhood Association. 
In honor of our 10th anniversary as a neighborhood organization, we will publishing a very special August issue of our newsletter. So dig through your photos and rack your memories for any pictures or stories that should be included in this edition. We will also be offering neighborhood t-shirts. 
Many thanks to Carol Janssen for hosting the May TGIF. We still have some openings for future hosts, so please contact Kris Gehrke if you are interested. 
A reminder to all to sign up for our annual meeting which this year will be a pig & chicken roast. It should be a great time. If you have not done so already, this is also your last chance to renew your membership to be included in and receive the convenient neighborhood directory. 
The Board recently reviewed and slightly revised the by-laws and policies and procedures. The updated version can be found on our website. The review process was a good one, it helped us as a board better understand our mission. I'm including the purpose of our association below as I think it is a good reminder for all of us:

1. To promote communication and coordination with governmental, private and public resources to strengthen the neighborhood, to ensure greater safety through block watch groups, and to lessen the burdens of government.
2. To promote neighborhood stability and encourage beautification projects.
3. To give the neighborhood a greater sense of identity.
4. To bring neighbors together for social events.

See you at the Annual Meeting / Pig & Chicken Roast!

Karen McNeely
 

SPRING HAS FINALLY ARRIVED
It may have taken a bit longer to for the “real thing” to show up, but Spring rains and warmth produced some of the beautiful flower gardens and flowering trees all over the Damon Woods Neighborhood. The flowering crab tree at the home of Jim and Bev Washcovick on  N. 81st St. was especially spectacular.

PLAY GROUP NEWS
The neighborhood playgroup is open to all moms, dads and kids in the neighborhood association. We will meet on the following Thursdays from 9:30 until 11:30. The host house provides light refreshments for all. Please join us for a morning of fun! Contact Julie Janisch with questions at info@damonwoods.org.

UPCOMING LOWELL DAMON WOODS ASSOCIATION EVENTS

	June 3rd and 4th - Neighborhood Rummage Sale
	July 9th - Annual Chicken & Pig Roast and Association Meeting
	October TBA - Damon Woods Harvest Fest
	October 31st - Trick-or-Treat
	December 3rd - Christmas Tree pickup and Christmas Cookie Exchange

UPCOMING TGIF PARTIES
The TGIF'S start at 7:00 p.m. Please bring an appetizer and beverage to share. If you are interested in hosting an upcoming month, please contact Kris Gehrke at info@damonwoods.org. This is a great opportunity to meet new neighbors and reacquaint yourself with old neighbors. 

Look for the new TGIF sign outside the host’s home the week before the party.

	Theo Baier will be hosts at her home on 81st St. on June 17th.
	There won't be a July TGIF due to the Annual Meeting / Chicken & Pig Roast.

MEMORY WALK TEAM FORMING
If you'd like to join your neighbors on the Damon Woods Memory Walk team on Saturday, Oct. 1st, please email Chris Vogel at info@damonwoods.org by Aug. 25th, and she'll get a brochure to you. She's putting together a team for the two or three-mile walk that begins at Mount Mary College and ends back on campus with a hot-dog cookout and live music. The Walk begins at 11 a.m., with registration, warm-ups, team photos and music beginning at 9:30 a.m.
The Memory Walk raises money to support services of the Alzheimer's Association of Southeastern Wisconsin. The $18 ($8 for children under 12) walk fee includes a short-sleeved T-shirt. A walk fee of $20 includes a long-sleeved T-shirt. Walkers are encouraged to seek pledges, as well. If you aren't able to walk, but would like to make a pledge, Chris would be delighted to hear from you!

BOOK CLUB
Date: Tuesday, July 12th, 2005 at 7:30 pm 
Place: Rachael VerDuin's home on Woodland Ave.
For the next meeting of the Damon Woods Book Club, YOU CHOOSE THE BOOK!.
 
In his books, Dr. Gary Chapman identifies five basic languages for communicating love and then guides the reader towards a better understanding of each. These "love languages" delineate expressions that serve to strengthen bonds with any other person to whom you need to communicate your love and support. Choose any of his five books that discuss the love languages in context of each situation. Five Love Languages of Children, Five Love Languages of Teenagers, Five Love Languages for Singles, Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate, or Five Love Languages of God. Choose the book that best fits your interest. We will explore similarities and differences.

NEXT BOARD MEETING
he neighborhood association's next board meeting is at 9:00 am, on July 9th at the Damon Woods House, before the Pig & Chicken Roast. Please join us and share your ideas.
 

 
NEWS TO SHARE?
Has someone in the neighborhood had a birth? How about newsworthy items or accomplishments in your family. Pass it on to Larry Kopperud at info@damonwoods.org for inclusion in the next newsletter. 

 
“NEW NEIGHBORS” WEB PAGE TAB
Look for the new selection tab on our neighborhood association web page. The tab can be found on the left hand side of the web page. You can fill in a brief new neighbors form or you can e-mail the neighborhood association directly using the hot link on the page. The New Newcomers Group will stop by with a nice welcoming packet for you and your family. 

BUCKBEE BIRTH
Mark and Amy Buckbee announced a new addition (the first) to their family. Clare Louisa Wettengel Buckbee was born May 9th.

CONDOLENCES
Our sympathies to the George DeJarlais family of 81st Street. George's father George H. DeJarlais, age 75, passed away May 12th. Our sympathies to the Elsa Lamelas family of Stickney Ave. Elsa's husband Frank, age 85 passed away on May 17th.

NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS CANDIDATES
 
Hello, LDW neighbors! My name is Amy Giampetroni and I've been a resident of Wauwatosa since the summer of 1998, and part of the LDW neighborhood since June of 2001 when we purchased our home on Wauwatosa Avenue. I would like to be on the LDWNA Board of Directors for four reasons:

1. Every organization can benefit from some fresh perspectives and ideas, and our neighborhood association is no different. I believe that change is a good thing - any group that remains constant and never changes becomes stagnant and ineffective. I will bring to the table a fresh perspective and new energy and ideas to invigorate the LDWNA.

2. Given that the Lowell Damon neighborhood is one of the most desirable in Wauwatosa, I believe that we have to be creative to ensure that we continue to offer the value added touches that will keep attracting great new neighbors. I have some unique ideas that can help the LDWNA strengthen its appeal to prospective homebuyers to ensure that we keep our neighborhood strong and at the top of the list for people looking to relocate to the Tosa area.

3. Having worked in the legal department of my company for over three years, I can bring a solid legal and business background to the LDWNA that will benefit the Board of Directors as well as the members in matters such as reviewing and updating the Bylaws.

4. I have a strong personal interest in getting more involved in civic activities to broaden my experience and perspective. Additionally, I love our neighborhood - and I hope to meet more of you, my neighbors, by becoming more active in the neighborhood association and activities.

It is my sincere hope that you will elect me to the Board of Directors this summer. I look forward to serving you!
  - Amy Giampetroni

My husband Sean and I moved to Damon Woods in May from Brookfield. Both UW-Whitewater graduates, my husband and I were looking for a close-knit, family-friendly neighborhood to live. Often complaining that our old neighborhood was lonely and almost ghost-town like, we were looking for a neighborhood with friendly and outgoing neighbors and lots of activities and opportunities to get involved. Joining the neighborhood association was one of the first things we did when we moved in. Finding a house in Damon Woods was easy as I work full-time as a real estate agent with Shorewest Realtors. I also do public relations and special event planning part-time as well. My husband and I have one "baby," our rat terrier, Joey. Right now, we're keeping busy taking Joey for walks to help him get acquainted with the neighborhood (he loves the sidewalks and so do I!), gardening in our yard, and tackling the many house projects we've started. I am looking forward to working with the neighborhood association and helping promote Damon Woods as a wonderful, safe place to live!
  - Maria Watson

Tom and his wife Karen live on Aberdeen Ct. and are originally from Milwaukee. Tom has been a Wauwatosa resident since 1964. He graduated from UW Madison with a BS degree in Economics. Tom and Karen have five grown children that all attended Wauwatosa schools. Tom served as a US Naval Officer in the western Pacific for three years and also served as Second District Alderman from 1982 to 1990. He has worked as a commercial real estate broker for the James T. Barry Co for 18 years.
  - Tom Rowe

10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST
Can you believe that the Damon Woods Neighborhood Association is 10 years old this year? The association will be offering t-shirts and sweatshirts to commemorate the event. WE WANT YOU to participate. Get creative and come up with your own great design to adorn our new garb. Entries should be submitted to Laurie Lehman, on Jackson Park Blvd, no later than May 30th. The winning design will be selected by vote by members of the association at the Annual Meeting / Pig & Chicken Roast on July 9th. Orders will be taken at the picnic and the following few weeks. Shirts will be available for pick up on or before Harvest Fest. Specific pricing and delivery info will be available at the picnic.

A LOOK BACK IN TIME
After reading about Mike and Kay Collin's home in the last newsletter, John Albee sent in some interesting information about he and his wife Dona's home on Underwood Ave. John dug out the old Abstract of Title for his home. According to John, "Most people are unaware of this dinosaur that was used for titling houses before they started doing Title Insurance. Our Abstract document is well over 50 pages long that begins in the year 1838, for the area of North Avenue to Milwaukee Ave.; 84th to Wauwatosa Ave."
John continues that the first interesting item from the Title is, "...said described real estate known as canal land was granted by U. S. by an act of congress approved 6/18/1838 to State of Wisconsin to aid in the construction of canals." The next interesting Title item is, "The north half section of Section 21, 7, 21 containing 320 acres was extended by Charles Van Deren on 7/2/1839 and then to Byron Kilbourn 5/23/1840." And it continues on, page after page, this person buying the property, then another, then subdivided into smaller and smaller parcels until it got down to the parcel of land that is where their home is located. On 9/8/1949, an entry occurred when the home was transferred to Attorney William and wife Eldora Murray. (He is deceased, Eldora lives in Elm Grove. Several of their children still live in Wauwatosa).
In August 1962, Murrays sold the home to George Poulos and the Murrays moved two doors north. The Poulos' lived in the home for five years and in September, 1967 sold it to the Albees for $23,000!
The Abstract of Title is quite interesting. Anyone wanting to see it can call John or Dona. If you have any interesting facts about your home to share, email info@damonwoods.org.

DAMON WOOD INFORMATION
Keep in touch with upcoming events and news as it happens. Sign up to be a member of our neighborhood news list at Topica.com. Send an e-mail to damonwoods@topica.com with “subscribe” as the subject. Follow the online Topica instructions. The information you fill out is confidential and you will not get e-mail spam. If you find out that you don’t like it, you can unsubscribe from the service.
   

Mike and Nanette Gaffrey are looking for volunteers to help with the Independence Day Parade to be held on Monday, July 4, 2005. Volunteers for the beginning of the parade, the end of the parade, parade officials, and at Hart Park are needed. Contact Mike or Nanette at 476-1708.

Reminders from the police department (Officer Paul Leist):

	Slow Down" signs are again available. If you would like a sign for your yard, contact the Police Department Community Support at 471-8430.
	The "Flashlight Walk" is BACK!

Park and Recreation Department:

	Tosa Skateboarders United is trying to raise money for their skateboard park. T-shirts are available for $10.00 each at Johnson's Cycle & Fitness, 6916 W. North Ave. A student from Tosa East and one from Tosa West designed the T-shirt. A benefit concert was planned for May 26th. TSU has teamed with the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design to develop a scale model of a 15,000 square foot "Skate Plaza". This model is the result of input from many meetings with skateboarders and adults.
	The Wauwatosa Parks and Forestry Department are conducting an online survey in order to assess the interests and needs of Hart Park users to determine the future recreational activities that will be constructed as part of the Hart Park Redevelopment Project. Go to www.wauwatosa. net to participate.
	The first Tosa Tonight concert will be held June 22nd at Jacobus Park and will feature the Kenny Todd Blues Band and Old Mill. Funds raised at Tosa Tonight concerts benefit the Rotary fund for the music pavilion to be built at Hart Park.
	The Mayfair Rotary Club Village Green Project is underway. In honor of their 100th Anniversary, the Rotary has chosen to renovate the "triangle" at the intersection of Harwood and Wauwatosa Ave (in front of Drew's). Green wristbands for $2 each can be purchased at various village merchants and from the Rotary Village Green website www.rotaryvillagegreen.org. Their goal is $200,000.

Hart Park Square:

The new apartment development at 6600 W. River Parkway is currently on target and the scheduled move-in date is August 1. Thirty-percent of the apartments have already been rented. Open houses are held on Tuesdays through June between 1:00 and 3:00 pm, or you may call 476-8787.

2005 VILLAGE EVENTS

	June 22nd: Tosa Tonight Concert
	July 13th: Tosa Tonight Concert
	September 9th and 10th: Tosa Fest
	September 30th: October 1st Fall Art Walk
	October 1st: Wauwatosa Historical Tour of Homes
	August 2nd: National Night Out and Tosa Tonight Concert
	August 6th: Firefly Art Fair
	August 17th: Tosa Tonight Concert

THE DAMON FAMILY LIVING HISTORY
Numerous Damon descendants have visited the Damon House since last June. Of course we are all aware of the visits and involvement of Bob (great great-grandson of Lyman Damon) and Kathy Damon and their daughters from Appleton at last years Harvest Fest. Their visits were prompted by the initial visit of Bob's brother (great-great-grandson of Lyman Damon, Lowell's brother) and his wife from Colorado Springs.
Since then, we had a couple more surprise visits from Steve of Madison and Mrs. Hartley of Kenosha (Steve's Mother), the great-great-grandson and the great-granddaughter of Luther Damon, Lowell's brother. They will be returning in Sept/Oct with the donation of a Damon family spinning wheel and numerous original photos of Damon family members.
On May 15th, Peter and Beth Bagley of Duluth, Minnesota visited the Damon House. Peter is the great-great-grandson of Lowell Damon's nephew, Lowell Jr. They will likely be returning in the fall as well to donate family Bibles to the museum. It is through Peter and Beth that we've jointly discovered additional Damon's in Denver Colorado, not too far from Tom Damon in Colorado Springs. The two Colorado Damon's are unaware of each other!

DAMON WOODS GOLFERS
Clean the clubs, replenish your ball supply, pull last year's grass out of the shoes and get ready for the 1st Annual Damon Woods Invitational. We are interested in putting together a Damon Woods golf outing. Maybe more than one. But first, let's have the 1st Annual Damon Woods Invitational on the morning of Saturday, July 16th, 2005. I expect the first tee time to be around 9:00 am and the Invitational to be held at a course such as New Berlin Hills, Silver Spring CC, or Wanaki GC. The Invitational will be nine holes. Being the first such event of its kind, the number of interested golfers is unknown. Please respond to Mike Collins or Josh Riley at  info@damonwoods.org. Due date for response is July 1st, 2005. Please submit your ideas or preferences for this outing. Depending on the number of golfers, we may choose an individual, two-person, or four-person format. A lunch and a beer or two after the round should be planned for. Place to be determined. 
Fore!!!!

VOLUNTEER GARDENERS NEEDED AT DAMON HOUSE
The Damon Woods garden group is looking for reinforcements this season as it resumes its battle to regain control over the gardens surrounding the Lowell Damon House Museum, 2107 Wauwatosa Ave. Several volunteers will be weeding and otherwise trying to bring order to the gardens on the first and third Saturdays of June through September, meeting about 9:30 a.m. and staying for however long is convenient. If you can help, please just show up with gardening gloves and whatever gardening tools you prefer. If this time isn't convenient, but you'd like to periodically tackle a particular garden bed at other times, please email  info@damonwoods.org.
The museum - namesake of our neighborhood association - is owned by the Milwaukee County Historical Society and the grounds are enjoyed by the neighborhood each year during our Easter egg hunts, pig roasts and Christmas parties. The neighborhood association's help in caring for the gardens is one way of thanking the historical society and saying that we're proud that the oldest home in Wauwatosa is in our neighborhood.

EXCHANGE STUDENT
Rafael Fernades, Rotary exchange student from Brazil, arrived here in the Damon Woods Neighborhood in August of 2004. His host parents are Kurt and Barb Mueller, on Jackson Park Blvd. Rafael is attending Wauwatosa East High School and has achieved a 3.4 Grade point average, Rafael participated in Tosa Raiders Soccer this year, and has participated in many school clubs and organizations. His biggest challenges: American Literature, and American Politics and Procedures courses at Tosa East. His rewards include a broadened perspective of the USA.

Wauwatosa East High School and Rotary Exchange Students 
Jennifer Nitschke  (out-bound student to Argentina) and Rafael
 Fernandes (Inbound student from Brazil), had lunch with US
Senator Herb Kohl, Tuesday May 3rd, at a luncheon sponsored
 by the Milwaukee Rotary.

NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY TIP
With the warmer weather approaching and school ending, more and more kids will be out-and-about playing. There will be more bicyclists on the road and adults out taking those friendly neighborhood walks. A kind reminder - slow your driving down and be extra cautious of everyone on or near the streets.
Thanks!

GARLIC MUSTARD INVASION
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) has moved from the countryside and the parkways into our backyards.
For those unfamiliar, garlic mustard is an invasive (non-native) species which often chokes off the native vegetation of an area. By pulling the garlic mustard plant early in spring and removing the root, you can prevent it from going to seed and returning to spread and overrun the affected area.

Ray Farrell helps to display one of more than a dozen
plants found in a backyard on Woodland Ave.

The species is a biennial that produces hundreds of seeds per plant. The seeds are believed to be dispersed on the fur of large animals such as deer, horses, and squirrels, by flowing water and by human activities. In our areas, seeds lie dormant for 20 months prior to germination, and may remain viable for five years. Seeds germinate in early April. First-year plants appear as basal rosettes in the summer season. First-year plants remain green through the following winter, making it possible to check for the presence of this plant in your woods throughout the year. Garlic mustard begins vegetative growth early in the spring, and blooms in southern Wisconsin from May through early June. Fruits begin to ripen in mid-July, and are disseminated through August. Viable seeds are produced within days of initial flowering.
Make sure you bag the plant separately to keep the seeds from spreading. Check the Internet for more information on this quickly spreading species.

NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTION
THANK YOU - to those who helped deliver the April newsletters! Ellie Bjorkman, Pam Christopherson, Betsy Daniels, Kris Gehrke, Linda Merklein, Karen McNeely, Agnes Radabaugh, Kathleen Romfoe, Jeanine Schoen, and Frank & Joanne Shansky. If you would like to help deliver, contact Karen McNeely.