Volume 51, Issue No. 6
A Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. Publication
Get Ready…Get Set…Parade
July 2012
The Park Hill 4th of July Parade is finally here – now it’s time to get out and watch By Justin Bresler Parade Organizer It’s July in Park Hill and that can only mean one thing – time for the Park Hill 4th of July Parade to begin its march down 23rd Avenue for this fun and family-friendly affair! The lineup is set and the neighborhood is ready, so the only thing left is for neighbors to come out and watch. Park Hill families (those who aren’t already marching) are invited to spread out along 23rd Avenue from Dexter to Krameria streets and watch the parade go by. The parade starts at 1:30 p.m., followed by a street fair on Kearney Street immediately afterwards. The parade has gotten larger and more festive each year and this time is no different. There are nearly 50 (!) entries, including some new participants and some old favorites. For the third year, the parade will kick off with one of the Denver Fire Department’s big rigs, followed by a Boy Scout Color Guard and then some very special guests. And then? Let’s just say there’s something for everyone. Vintage cars? Check. Pageant queens? Check! Neighborhood floats competing in our first ever float contest? CHECK! We’re also proud to welcome back our Buffalo Soldiers – Civil War re-enactors mounted on horseback in full-dress Union uniforms – along with a platoon of B-cycles and an appearance by the Cake Crumbs Cupcake Truck. And then, in what we hope will become a Park Hill Parade tradition, a huge marching band! The parade organizers have arranged for the Hastings (MN) High School Marching Band – all 80 of them – to perform in full dress uniform! The parade couldn’t happen without the support of our sponsors: GPHC, Cake Crumbs Bakery, Spinelli’s Market, Dee Ciancio Realty, Denver B-cycle, Quebec Square Family Dentistry, Denver Welcome
Contributed Photo/Steve Crecilius
The 2012 Park Hill 4th of July Parade will be a neighborhood-wide celebration, on 23rd Avenue between Dexter and Krameria streets, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Once the parade ends, show off your patriotism at the street fair on Kearney Street.
Home, Venture Prep, Tables Restaurant, Adagio Bakery, Oblio’s Pizzeria, Park Hill Cleaners, Moss Pink Florist, Tai Chi Project, Oona’s, Holiday Inn Denver East, Bang Salon, Dardano’s, Westword and Made of Design. We’ll see you on the 4th! For more information, visit parkhillparade.org.
Parental Units The Park Hill New Parents Group offers a network for kids and parents By Erin Vanderberg Editor Rob Cuthbertson and Jill McClure moved to Park Hill from Austin and found out that they were expecting their first shortly thereafter. It occurred to them that between having very few friends with children and families that lived in longdistance area codes, it might be a good idea to start networking with other parents in the neighborhood to build up their support system. But, in 2008, there were only organized parent groups in Stapleton, Lowry and Congress Park. So Jill, Chief Operating Officer for the Colorado Oil & Gas Association, did what any self-respecting COO would do, she spearheaded the Park Hill New Parents Group with her husband Rob using the Meetup.com social networking platform. Nearly four years later, the group has grown to over 200 participants. Aided by Paula Marinelli, the three have created a volunteer-run group that generates a new playgroup every six to 12 months as younger participants reach a critical mass. There are currently ten playgroups. “The mama drama is at a minimum,” said Jill. “We have to have some structures in place, but we don’t want it to be overplanned or over-organized – we want it to have that organic feel.” The volunteer playgroup organizers follow a certain protocol to keep each playgroup running smoothly. Dues, down to $10 from $15 as a result of the large number of partici-
Park Hill Parent Group founders Paula, Jill and Rob.
pants, are collected to pay for web-hosting and picnics. “At first we published policies, but those scenarios rarely happened,” said Paula. “People have been very respectful.” In addition to the playgroups for neighborhood children of the same age, the Park Hill New Parents Group offers parents their own sort of playgroups: for moms, there is Mom’s Night Out, Craft Club and Book Club; for dads, there is Dad’s Night Out. The group also hosts family events like picnics, a Thanksgiving potluck and holiday parties, so families can mingle with other families outside their playgroups.
Contributed Photo/Jill McClure
The Meetup.com site also features a discussion forum where parents can sell their old kid stuff, pool together for nanny shares and share their recommendations with one another. Sure enough, Jill accomplished her mission to create a support network for her young family. “My very best friends in Denver are in this group,” she said. The Park Hill New Parents Group welcomes families from Park Hill, Montclair, Hilltop, Crestmoor, Mayfair and City Park. For more information, visit meetup.com/Park-Hill-New-Parents-Group.