Bicycle Hill: Clean and Green

The annual VEHA Dickie Putnam Park clean-up took place on Saturday, April 21.
(Photos by Juli Saad)

Dickie Putnam Park, often called "Bicycle Hill" (or "Sledding Hill," depending upon the season) is now clean and green. Green, thanks to the annual magic of nature; and clean thanks to the annual efforts of VEHA members who volunteer to rake leaves, bundle brush and bag debris to ready the park for a summer of neighborhood fun.

This year's effort took place on a sunny, but chilly, Saturday (April 21), with volunteers of all ages lending their hands to the cleanup. The bags and bundles at the curb, ready for pickup, are evidence of how hard they worked.

When you visit the park this summer and enjoy the baseball diamond, the swings and - of course - the hill, remember the folks who spent an April afternoon getting it ready for you - and think about joining them next April.

VEHA Block/Yard/Garage Sales

Remember the dates for this year's annual VEHA Block/Yard/Garage Sales - Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 18, 19 and 20. Turn unwanted items into cash for summer vacation spending and get reacquainted with your neighbors!

Send news and information for VEHA Memo to Dan Saad, VEHA Memo Editor at daniel.saad@djscomm.com

Signs of Spring in the VEHA

The VEHA annual Dickie Putnam Park clean-up is Saturday, April 21, 1 p.m.

In springs past, I've often written with relief about the arrival of the season after a hard winter in the VEHA (see last year's edition archived here for the story and photos about the "Ground Hog Day Blizzard"). This year, while the blossoms and green grass are welcome, they follow a rather mild winter in which I enjoyed several spring-like evenings in the backyard, and relaxing on my patio - and counting the days until the "official" start of the season.

And official it is now - not only because the calendar says so, but because the dates have been announced for our annual VEHA neighborhood events!

'Bicycle Hill' Clean-up

VEHA friends and neighbors will gather at Dickie Putnam Park - popularly known as "Bicycle Hill" (... or "Sledding Hill," depending upon the season!), on Vinsetta Blvd., on Saturday, April 21 at 1 p.m. for the annual park clean-up. Volunteers are needed to rake leaves, pick up branches, trash and debris, and get the park ready for a summer of family fun.

This is a great opportunity to get reacquainted with your neighbors and show your neighborhood pride. Please bring your own rakes and work gloves; bags will be provided. The whole family is welcome to help - the more helpers, the quicker the work!

Garage/Block/Yard Sale in mid-May

Another great way to get reacquainted with friends, and meet new neighbors (and turn unwanted or unused items into summer vacation cash), is the annual VEHA Garage/Block/Yard Sale - this year scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 18-20. Sales hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and you can participate on any one, or all of the days. The VEHA will purchase advertising to support the sale, and if you need signs, contact Norma Regenold at 248.585.7021. (Check the archive on this site for photos from previous sales.)

No VEHA Picnic in 2012

Do to a lack of participation and support over that past several years, the annual VEHA Picnic, traditionally held in mid-June at Waterworks Park, has been officially cancelled. If any neighbors are interested in re-launching this annual event, or a similar event, contact Norma Regenold, Events Chair, at 248.585.7021. (For a history of the VEHA Picnic, and photos from past events, browse the VEHA Memo archive on this site.) The picnic was a wonderful tradition, and an opportunity for neighborhood bonds to strengthen.

VEHA Neighborhood News

After 24 years as a secretary with the Royal Oak Schools, Janet Richards (of Potawatomi Blvd.) is happily retired. She and husband Dave enjoyed a trip to England and Scotland in September of 2011 - no more "back to school" for Janet! Dave reports that he will never try driving in the UK again. Congratulations, Janet - and thank you for your years of service!

If you have neighborhood news, post a comment to this site or send an email to Dan Saad, VEHA Memo Editor at daniel.saad@djscomm.com - send photos too!

Your VEHA Leadership

• Kathy Howell, Vice President - 248.288.4806
• Carl Culver, Treasurer - 248.588.1641
• Norma Regenold, Events Chair - 248.585.7021

A Little Christmas (tree) Cheer in the VEHA!

Juli's Christmas Tree

Juli's Christmas Tree - close-up of her hand-made ornaments

In just a few hours, the VEHA will be lighting up our corner of the world with our annual Christmas Eve luminary display; but my youngest daughter, Juli, got a head start brightening the neighborhood by decorating the little evergreen in our front yard with her hand-made ornaments. She carefully laminated each one to protect it from the weather. It's her personal, living "Christmas card" to our neighbors in the VEHA ... stop and see it, if you're passing our house at 406 Potawatomi - it's saying "Happy Holidays!" to everyone in her own personal style.

Note: This little evergreen started as a cutting we got in exchange for recycling one of our Christmas trees several years ago, as it grows, it will become an even bigger part of our outdoor Christmas celebration every year.

Merry Christmas to everyone in the VEHA!

Dan Saad, VEHA Memo Editor
daniel.saad@djscomm.com

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas - Except for the Leaves at the Curbs

Our ROPD led the 2011 Royal Oak Holiday Magic Parade

The ROFD added Christmas red to the start of the parade

Borgo School of Dance (Royal Oak) Dance Team

ROHS Marching Band

ROHS Dance Team

Holiday Market sponsored Toys for Tots (and Gina drove the van)

Our neighborhood Northwood Girl Scouts dressed as holiday presents

Thousands of friends and neighbors lined Washington for the parade

Oakland County Sheriff Bouchard

Hello Santa (and Mrs. Claus)!

Mayor Ellison, Santa and Grand Marshal Jim Harper officially start the holiday season in Royal Oak

The Saad family - Doris, Amanda, Juli and Dan (taking the picture) wish the VEHA Happy Holidays!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the VEHA - except for the leaves still piled at our curb sides.! The holiday season officially began here in Royal Oak with the 11th annual Holiday Magic Parade Downtown on Saturday, November 19. Thousands of friends and neighbors lined the parade route to cheer our Royal Oak Police and Fire Departments, the Royal Oak High School Marching Band and Dance Team; and many other special members of the community including Borgo School of Dance (whose Dance Team performed) and Holiday Market (sponsor of this year's Marine Corps "Toys for Tots").

My neighbors are taking advantage of the mild November weather to put up their Christmas lights and set up other outdoor decorations. I admire them. I have a tradition of my own, however. I put up my lights and outdoor decorations the first weekend of December that we record a single-digit wind chill index. Smart? No. But what are the holidays without tradition?

Speaking of tradition - we will soon be "... lighting up our corner of the world" (as Luminary Chairperson Norma Regenold always says) with our traditional VEHA Luminary display on Christmas Eve. Your Block Captains will be delivering order forms before and after Thanksgiving - be sure to take part; the warm, gentle glow on Christmas Eve reflects the spirit of the VEHA and everyone who lives here in our corner of the world.

And when you're out there on Christmas Eve, take a moment to wish your neighbor a "Merry Christmas!"

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Dan Saad, VEHA Editor
daniel.saad@djscomm.com

Send me news and information for January - I'll be posting holiday "afterglow" photos from the VEHA and catching everyone up on the latest in our neighborhood!

Red Alert(s)!

The leaves on my Maple tree are turning red - autumn's here in the VEHA.

It happened even before the first official day of autumn - the leaves on the Maple tree in my backyard began to turn red, signaling the arrival of fall in the VEHA, no matter what the calendar (at the time) said.

But, like I've often written, every season in the VEHA is something to savor. The rich colors that will soon be lining each of our streets, as the leaves turn, will give us all an "up north" experience just by stepping out our doors and strolling along the sidewalk.

We had a wonderful summer. A little warm some days, but even when I had to resort to turning on the air conditioner for up to a week at a time, I kept reminding myself, "... you don't have to shovel heat!" Most of our "signature" VEHA events are behind us for the year - the annual VEHA Yard/Garage Sale was a little soggy, keeping traffic down, and attendance at the summer picnic suffered a little from the heat; but nonetheless the VEHA neighborhood spirit came through.

Ahead, in December, is our annual Luminary Night - Christmas Eve - when we, as Norma Regenold says, "Light up our corner of the world" and spread some holiday cheer. There will be news of that in a printed newsletter, and an update here, very soon. Before we light up our corner of the world with luminaries, however, we'll be lighting up our corner of the world with jack-o-lanterns on Hallowe'en. The VEHA is a wonderful place for trick-or-treaters and I always enjoy the visits with neighbors as we stand outside that evening handing out treats.

Another 'Red' alert

Many of you recall the filming of the movie "Red Dawn" right here in the VEHA in the late spring of 2009. It was especially exciting for those of us on Vinsetta, where a big chase scene was filmed. Check out the VEHA Memo archive and read the Winter 2009 edition for the full story.

Well, here's an update. More than two years after filming was finished, it seems we may be close to the film being released. The Emagine Theater, right here in Royal Oak, had a promo on its website a week ago announcing a September 23 premier. That date has come and gone, however, and the film in not yet showing. Check back at the Emagine website regularly and see if there's any hint of a new release date. Wouldn't it be great to have a "premier party" at the theater for VEHA neighbors to celebrate the "celebrity" status of our neighborhood in the film? Here's the link to the Emagine Royal Oak theater:
http://www.emagine-entertainment.com/showtimes/visshowtimes.aspx?cinemaid=1006

The stars and crew of the film "Red Dawn" prepare for a take of the chase scene on Vinsetta in 2009

 Watch for a winter 2011 VEHA Memo update soon; and keep reading, posting and enjoying!

Dan Saad, VEHA Memo Editor
daniel.saad@djscomm.com

NO Hibernating!

The VEHA can truly be a winter wonderland. The neighborhood is still calling out to you to enjoy it, only sometimes the snow muffles the call a little bit.

My cross country skis, after three loops of the boulevard on Vinsetta on a snowy January Saturday.

Even on days like the Ground Hog Day Blizzard, there's fun and adventure in the VEHA! After shoveling our walks and driveways, my family (l-r: Juli, Doris, Amanda) and I "hiked" to National Coney Island at 12 Mile and Main, just about a half-mile from our house, for lunch.

The blizzard 1-2 punch that nature delivered to the VEHA first on Ground Hog Day, then again on Saturday (February 5), drove a lot of friends and neighbors deeper into their “burrows,” longing for spring.

If you only experience winter in our neighborhood when you scrape off your car, clear the snow from your walks and driveway, or negotiate the snow-lined streets on your way to-and-from work, you’re missing the best part of winter in the VEHA.

For three Saturday mornings in a row in January, I cut (and re-cut) cross country ski tracks along the boulevard of Vinsetta; for my family and myself, I thought; but on Saturday, January 29, a neighbor from Webster stopped her car along side me as I was renewing the track and said, “Thank you so much for cutting the tracks – my family and I have been using them too, and we wondered who set them!”

I smiled and said, “Well, I’m glad all this work is getting more use than just for my family and myself – have fun!” As she drove away, I was reminded what a great place this is to live year ‘round; it’s just that at some times of the year, you have to look a little harder for the fun and fellowship.

You can always meet neighbors on a snowy weekend at “Bicycle Hill Park” which, at this time of year, becomes “Sledding Hill Park.” Adults gather and catch up on neighborhood news while the kids enjoy the snow-covered hills with sleds, saucers and even snowboards. Sometimes, against their better judgment, the adults give the hill a run too … and it’s seldom pretty!

On “Blizzard 2 – the sequel” Saturday, I decided to strap on my snow shoes, instead of my skis, and as I set out down the center of the boulevard on Vinsetta, what did I see? Snow shoe tracks! Some other neighbor had the same idea but managed to get out just a little earlier than I did.

I know most of the VEHA neighbors are eagerly looking forward to our signature spring events – the annual Park Clean-up, and our VEHA-wide Yard/Garage Sale, but don’t overlook all the neighborhood has to offer until spring gets here – and even if you’re not up to skiing, show shoeing or sledding, take a walk through the winter wonderland that is the VEHA. No hibernating, friends … the neighborhood is still calling out to you, the snow just muffles it a little bit!

Neighborly Surprise
One of the nicest things to discover after a big snowfall in the VEHA, is to find that a neighbor has gone an extra 50 feet or so with their snow blower and cleared your sidewalk.

For guys like me, who still shovel, it’s a spirit-lifting surprise; especially on those blizzard-like days when it takes two (or more) outings with the shovel to keep the walks and driveways clear. I have two drives to shovel – one on Potawatomi, and the other on the back of my lot on Vinsetta. When I finished the front drive and sidewalk on Saturday, I made my way through my yard to Vinsetta to repeat the chore and found that the walk was already done by my neighbor and friend Dennis Ellison! Dennis and Karen are typical of the kind of caring neighbors who make the VEHA such a wonder place to live.

Just a few weeks until spring, friends; but until then, I’ll see you in the snow!

Dan Saad, VEHA Editor
d1saad@aol.com

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas in the VEHA

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Royal Oak, and in the VEHA. On Saturday, November 20, the ninth annual Holiday Magic Parade on Washington Avenue kicked-off the Holiday Season in Royal with the arrival of Santa Claus.

Here in the VEHA, over the Thanksgiving four-day weekend, I saw neighbors stringing seasonal lights, setting up holiday lawn decorations and trimming doors with holly wreaths.

Soon, Block Captains will be dropping off luminary order forms at homes throughout the VEHA so that we can all join in our annual tradition of lighting up our corner of the world on Christmas Eve. During the week before Christmas, the Block Captains will be delivering the orders, along with instructions for setting up and lighting the luminaries.

To help you get into the holiday spirit, here are some photos from the Holiday Magic Parade. I hope you enjoy them, and I wish all the families in the VEHA a very Happy Holiday Season and a wonderful New Year!

Dan Saad - VEHA Memo Editor
406 Potawatomi Blvd.
d1saad@aol.com
The Book Worm was one of a number of floats from The Parade Company, the organization that sponsors the annual America's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Detroit, to appear in the 2010 Royal Oak Holiday Magic Parade.
Royal Oak's own Borgo School of Dance and Gymnastics Dance Team performed a special seasonal routine in the parade.
The Royal Oak High School Marching Band was a highlight of the Holiday Magic Parade, providing seasonal music all along the parade route.
As a 1972 graduate of Cass Technical High School in Detroit, I was happy to see the CT Marching Band in the Holiday Magic Parade. The Marching Technicians drew cheers from the crowd when they performed their show band routine, just before the arrival of the most-anticipated parade participant.
Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived in Royal Oak and were greeted by Mayor Ellison with the key to the city. With the arrival of the Jolly Ol' Elf, the Holiday Season officially began in Royal Oak!

A Very VEHA Halloween


We light up our corner of the world every October 31 in the VEHA, too, except it's with jack-o-lanterns instead of luminaries! Halloween 2010 featured a perfect late-Autumn evening and the streets of the association were full of eager trick-or-treaters and their parents.

Above are a few photos I took on Potawatomi Blvd.; in front of our house, as well as on the front porch of neighbors Doug and Diane Price.