Dear WPHA Residents,
I had hoped this letter would be a celebratory one, recounting the wonderful connections we had made at the Longtime Resident Appreciation, the success of the Members Only Dumpster Day and Harvesters Food Drive, the fun conversations at Thirsty Thursday, and the exciting plans for June’s Hawaiian Ice Truck, another Members Only event.
Sadly, Covid-19 altered WPHA’s spring and summer plans, canceling some events and postponing others. This pandemic has affected our lives—both individually and collectively—in unprecedented ways, and individually and collectively, we are trying to find ways to cope with the myriad changes it has wrought.
As of this writing, we are optimistic that the 4th of July Picnic will happen, albeit with new rules to help assuage the potential spread of Coronavirus. I am personally hopeful that we can find a way to hold the annual Mums Sale and Neighborhood Night Out.
Please know that WPHA will alert you as we become aware of new information that effects our events. And, we will continue seeking ways to safely come together to build the bonds of community.
Please reach out to us at wardparkwayhomes@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Nancy Bader
President, WPHA Board of Directors
Pursuant to recent ’10/10/10 Rules’ for Kansas City which allows a ‘soft opening’ and the end of the Recovery Plan’s Phase One on May 15, the WPHA Board of Directors has determined that it is in the better interest of our community to cancel the Garage Sale Weekend originally scheduled for May 15 and May 16. If this event is rescheduled, we will alert you with more information.
Click the link for more information on KCMO Reopens.
More than 100 WPHA homes participated in the Easter Egg Quest. Thank you to everyone who colored and posted pages for our eager Questers to seek and find! From our Quest submissions, here are lucky winners:
Each winning home receives a $25 gift card to Brookside Toy & Science.
In lieu of our originally-planned Easter Egg Hunt on the lawn of Ward Parkway Presbyterian, we’re hosting an Easter Egg Quest.
Here’s how the WPHA 2020 Easter Egg Quest works.
1) Follow the link at the bottom to download coloring pages.
2) Print and color as many of the pages as you would like. We have included images for older participants to color as well.
3) Tape the colored pages to your windows or doors that face your front yard before Friday, April 3, 2020.
4) Between April 3rd and 5th, walk the neighborhood. As you do, find as many “eggs” as you can find, and keep count.
5) By NOON, on Monday, April 6, submit an email using this link.
6) On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, the WPHA will randomly draw 5 names from the submissions sent in. Each of the 5 names drawn will win a $25 Gift Card to Brookside Toy and Science!
7) Prizes will be distributed by April 10, 2020.
A big thank you to WPHA volunteer and member, Becky Schubkegel, for bringing us this idea. She is a special needs educator and a new WPHA resident.
For more than a decade, residents of WPHA have held a food drive to benefit Harvesters. Collectively, we have donated many tons of food to help our neighbors throughout the 26 counties, including Jackson, that Harvesters serves.
Sadly, pursuant to local orders and guidelines, WPHA finds it necessary to postpone our food drive, originally scheduled for April 25.
We hope that you will consider making a donation to help Harvesters help our neighbors.
1) Due to Covid-19, the Coronavirus, it is expected that food insecurity will increase exponentially among residents of Harvesters service area.
2) Many of our WPHA neighbors might find themselves unable to find or buy groceries and could themselves rely on Harvesters.
How can you help?
Make a donation. Every dollar donated to Harvesters helps ensure they have the food and resources on hand to meet any additional demand. It also helps provide means to get the food out more effectively and efficiently.
Harvesters still needs volunteers, though they have to limit the number and timeframe. In Kansas City, they can have 30 volunteers per shift who will work in three different areas.
You can still donate food to Harvesters; in fact, there are blue donation barrels at area Price Chopper stores.
What if you need help?
Many homes will find themselves missing meals or without enough food for the entire family at any one meal. You can find out how to use Harvesters services here.
Neighbors can help neighbors.
If you are not in a high risk group but have neighbors who are, maybe you can help shop for them?
WPHA is a community of neighbors with a long history of helping one another and others. During this most challenging of times, WPHA thanks everyone for all you are doing to ensure that you, and others, stay healthy.
The situation regarding COVID-19, the coronavirus, has changed dramatically over the last few weeks and is likely to impact all of us for weeks to come. Pursuant to federal, state, and local orders and guidelines calling for the cancellation or postponement of gatherings and events greater than 10 people, WPHA finds it necessary to cancel and postpone a number events. To read more, click here.
Don’t miss out on upcoming Member Only Events, including Dumpster Day and the Hawaiian Ice Truck! Until March 31, save more than 30% on a Platinum Membership for 2020 Membership Year. For only $75, you’ll enjoy all the benefits of membership and know that you help keep our neighborhood among the safest in Kansas City. To join, click here.
Here are the homes and blocks that shone brightest during the 2019 WPHA Holiday Homes Decorating Contest.
Each winning home receives a $50 gift card to Sutherlands. (Homeowners must have paid FY2020 membership dues by Dec. 1 to be eligible.)
7300 block of Terrace Street.
Winning block wins $100 toward expenses for a block party. (Submit receipts for reimbursement. Expires 12/31/2020.)
Congrats to all and thanks to our judges (winners of the 2019 contest). You brightened up our season!
Trisha Pitts has called Washington Street home for the last 21 years. In fact, she is now the longest-tenured resident on the block! This bridge-playing seasoned traveler is keeping plenty busy during retirement.
Why did you choose to live in this neighborhood? When I came back to this area 21 years ago, I thought I would rent first, but a realtor showed me this property after showing me a number of rentals. I realized I would pay more in rent than in a mortgage payment. I decided to buy this house and then sell it after I decided where I really wanted to live. I have never moved. I just love the area.
Occupation (past or present)? I am a CPA by training, and my last position was Director of International Finances for Unbound,a nonprofit headquartered here in Kansas City. I have been retired for four years.
How do you like to spend your free time? I do volunteer work, and am a competitive duplicate bridge fanatic.
What is at the top of your bucket list? Maybe visiting Ireland and Scotland.
What is something most people don’t know about you? I was part of the first group of Peace Corps volunteers to go into Armenia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. I have lived, worked or traveled in 42 countries.
What’s the most interesting feature of, or story about, your house? It is an aggravating feature — the dip in my driveway. When the house was built in 1924, the garage was in the basement. Later, a freestanding garage was put in the back, and the driveway extended. It should have been filled in and leveled, but no.
What is your favorite event or memory of the neighborhood? Shortly after I moved in, the neighbors had a block party. I got to meet most of my neighbors, which was such a wonderful thing. We did another block party this past summer for our new neighbors.
What is your favorite area business/restaurant/meal/drink/service? Waldo Pizza.
Is there anything you would change about the neighborhood? It might be a good idea to revisit parking on the streets. The corner of 73rd and Washington Street is pretty dangerous because cars park so close to the corner, making it difficult to see if cars are coming down 73rd.
Trisha Pitts flanked by her daughter and grandson
The 2020 membership drive is off to a successful start! We had 200 homes renew or join the Ward Parkway Homes Association during the first month of the drive in October. Of those, a record number of residents signed up for the KCPD security patrol this early in the fiscal year. Several residents became members at Neighborhood Night Out held at The District in late September. It was the first time we offered a convenient online payment station at that event. The WPHA Board is excited about the momentum and enthusiasm shown by our neighbors. Thank you to all who have paid dues for the 2020 fiscal year so far!
We live in one of the safest neighborhoods in Kansas City, and we know that deterring property crime ranks high among our residents’ feedback about what they want to see from WPHA. That’s why we need you to join WPHA as a Platinum member, to ensure we are able to maintain the KCPD security patrol for our neighborhood. We only need 100 more homes to sign up for the KCPD security patrol to guarantee WPHA can continue to provide this valuable service for our entire neighborhood. Should we have to cancel it in the future, the WPHA would go to the bottom of the waiting list KCPD maintain of other neighborhoods that want to provide this service to their residents. The waiting list is long and we would likely wait many years to get the service back. You can ensure that doesn’t happen. You can ensure KCPD security patrol continues to be part of our vibrant neighborhood.
In addition to the KCPD security patrol benefit, there are also other benefits included in your membership: