Let me remind you that our community meetings will begin again Tuesday, February 18th and are held every other month afterwards on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at the Baltimore City Community College, Nursing Building when you enter the campus at 6:30 p.m. Please join us.
I would like to thank you for your support this past year and a special thank you to our Board of Directors. Even though we started a little late we were able to accomplish some things that I believe continued to enhance our community.
We are grateful to our funding sources that allowed us to expand our activities.
A host of landscaping activities including planting trees helped to beautify our neighborhood. The Garden Party, National Night Out, Flea Market, Octoberfest and Back-toSchool Events including a donation to provide for needed items for students at the Dr. Nathan A. Pitts Ashburton Elementary/Middle School are a few our activities. Some of those activities need more volunteers and work to get us where we are capable of performing. We need you!
Ashburton Block Captains Program
We brought back Christmas Caroling on December 23, 2024, where about 12 neighbors braved the cold. We made special stops in front of some of our elderly neighbors’ homes and serenaded them.
This year promises to be even more exciting. You should have received a postcard from our communications team asking how you want us to contact you in the future. Please take time to read it and respond.
We have a lot to share in our upcoming meetings on grants we have received, future planning that will take place, charrettes, workshops, surveys and expansion of community activities.
We have started a Block-captains program and can use your help along with a veterans group to assist the veterans in our community. Think about how you can be involved. We want to know about our neighbors and what we can do with and for them and you.
There is much more to do to keep Ashburton safe and a great place live. Working together works! Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
Sincerely,
Catherine Pugh, President
Greening the Neighborhood: Tree Giveaway & Planting Workshops for
Ashburton Homeowners
Trees are often referred to as the lungs of the Earth— purifying the air, supporting local wildlife, and providing shade and beauty to our neighborhoods. This spring, under a new Chesapeake Bay Trust (CBT) grant, Ashburton will take steps toward a greener, healthier neighborhood with free trees to homeowners willing to plant on their yards and lawns.
At the heart of this new grant are two initiatives:
(1) The first 30 registrants will receive a free tree and of those 10 residents, chosen at random, will receive white-glove planting services. Our expert arborist Maurice Ashby of Tree Baltimore and his team will help you select a native tree and prep your soil, offer a free Miss Utility check, and come to your home on a scheduled day to plant your tree for you ensuring that it’s placed in the optimal location and thrives for years to come!
Our goal is to ensure that every resident of our vibrant community is in-the-know and has access to the Ashburton Newsletter. To do that we’d like know your preferred way to receive the newsletter.
(2) We will host a series of hands-on and Q&A-style workshops, for all Ashburton neighbors, throughout the year, led by experts in the field. Topic will range from selecting the right tree to learning how to test and prep your soil to proper pruning and mulching, to managing pests, grafting classes and tree tours.
Whether you’re looking for a shade tree to cool down your yard, a fruit tree to enjoy in the coming seasons, a smaller ornamental tree for a yard with limited space, or you simply want to learn how to manage what you’ve already planted, we’ve got you covered.
In the next couple of weeks, look for yard signs throughout the neighborhood with more information about how to register for your free tree and workshop. By planting a tree, you’re not only improving your own space but also playing a key role in making Ashburton a more vibrant and eco-friendly community.
There are two ways:
1. Sent directly to your email
2. Have a printed newsletter mailed to your home.
Let us know WHICH you prefer by: Emailing: info@ashburton1920.org OR Calling Tori Burns at: 410.458.0827
A Little Free Library Comes to Ashburton
For more information on the goings-on in Ashburton you can always visit our website at: www.ashburton1920.org
If you’ve driven along Wabash Avenue, you’ve undoubtedly seen a red library box on the lawn of 3601. I was inspired to purchase and put up a Little Free Library after reading a story about the organization’s founder, Todd Bol, who built the first one in 2009 in tribute to his mother. As much as it’s meant to expand book access and inspire readers, it’s also meant to serve as a catalyst for building community.
Here’s how the Little Free Library works:
• TAKE BOOKS. If you see something you’d like to read, take it! It’s for you. Some books include a note about who gave it or has read it. You may leave your own note in it when you’re done.
• SHARE BOOKS. When you’re finished with a book, you may pass it to a friend or return it to the Library.
• LEAVE BOOKS. Your books are welcome. Especially desired are books you recommend to friends, your childhood favorites, and books that teach and spark conversation.
Anyone may use the library and the books are always free. So, the next time you’re out and about, stop by the little library at 3601 Wabash Avenue. While there, you may see a neighbor you haven’t seen in a while or meet up with a new one.
Tori K. Burns
If you would like to be on our mailing list send us an email at info@ashburton1920.org
