(Disclaimer: All opinions stated here are my own and do not imply any official endorsement by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association)
  Homes Tour Kudos, Membership and Participation Opportunities

W ell neighbors, we have another successful Historic Hyde Park Homes Tour behind us! Things were looking pretty grim with the drenching the city received on Friday night, but come Saturday morning the skies had cleared to a beautiful blue. We were up and running.

Thanks to the selfless efforts of our house captains, docents, trolley tour guides, and countless other volunteers, the '03 Homes Tour was pulled off with nary a hitch. Additional thanks go to our many generous sponsors. I'd like to give special recognition to the owners of the seven homes on the tour. Without exception, they all went above and beyond the call of duty, opening their homes to an estimated 2,000 visitors Pecan Press The Pecan Press is published monthly by the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association in Austin, Texas. Editor Grant Thomas   454-7284   <hgthomas@palnet.org> Associate Editor Sarah Sitton   459-4530   307 E. 39th St. Poetry Editor Nancy Taylor Day   892-0127   <NancyLTD@aol.com> Crime Reporter Bruce Nadig   323-0779   <motorbruce@hotmail.com> Advertising Director Mike Capochiano   4904 Avenue H   467-9198 Production Manager Robert M. Farr   731-0617   <bobfarr@austin.rr.com> Mail Ads to: Print Deluxe 7500 Chelmsford Dr. Austin, TX 78736 Note: Each month's ad and editorial deadline is the 15th of month preceding publication. Distribution Coordinator Herb Dickson   4401 Avenue D   458-4335 Area Coordinators North of 45th/West of Duval - Pam Dozler 458-8927 North of 45th/East of Duval - Sarah Heather 452-8486 South of 45th/West of Speedway - The Gossetts 452-3654 South of 45th/East of Speedway - Martha Campbell 452-2815 Contributors Bruce Banner,Candy Gray Becker,Cynthia Beeman,Laurence Becker, Mary Collins Blackmon,George Bristol,Lewis Brownlow,Katherine Bryn,Mark Burkhardt,Amon Burtoe,Martha Campbell,Inga Maric Carmel,Josephine Casey, Nicole Caspers,Kitty Clark,Carol Cohen Burton,Mike Capochiano,Susan Crites-Krumm,Celeste Cromack,Rob D'Amico,Herb Dickson,Avis Davis,Don Davis,Lynn Denton,Pam Dozler,Cathy Echols,Jordan Erdos,Jack Evins,Patricia Florence,Merle Franke,Gregory Free,Larry Frelich,Robert Garrett,Mary Carolyn George,Larry Gilg,Susan Gilg,Ann S. Graham,Carolyn E. Grimes,Ben Heimsath,John Kerr,Susan Kerr,Bo Kersey,Deanna King,Susan Kirk,Anna Kotecki,Karen McGraw,Sharon Majors,Barbara Manson,Alan Marburger,Peter Maxon,Brook Meggs,Fred Meredith,Susan Moffat,Catherine Moore,Jill Nokes,Wanda Penn,Cecil Pennington,Linda Pennington,Peter Pfeiffer,Dorothy Richter,Walter Richter,Margie Sanford,Sheree Scarborough,Cathy Short,Sarah Sitton,Thad Sitton,Julie Strong,Kathleen Strong,Lao Tzu,Jennifer Vickers,Katie Vignery,Sandra Villalaz-Dickson,Lorre Weidlich,Joe Wiseman

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over a two-day period. Finally, we need to give special recognition to the Austin State Hospital staff and volunteers for welcoming us to their grounds and making the tour memorable by opening their historic Main Building to us.     Bob Breeze, Homes Tour chairperson, should be given an even higher level of recognition. Due to his strong organizational skills and managerial ability, every detail of planning and running the Homes Tour was addressed. At this time using just the early dollar figures in, it appears that this yearŐs tour was one of the most successful in the 27-year history of the tour. As this is the major fund raising event for the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, this is an important accomplishment. I personally want to thank Bob publicly. I'd encourage everyone to thank Bob the next time they see him.     On another topic, I'd like to thank all of the new HPNA members who have joined since I wrote four months ago about the importance of joining. I canŐt count the number of people that have told me that they sent in their membership dues after reading that column. We are happy to have all of you on board and we look forward to seeing you at more of our meetings and events.     I would like to stress, however, that membership is more than just sending in a check (remember it is still the best deal in town: $1.00 for individual members, $2.00 for families, $5.00 for sustaining individual membership, and $10.00 for sustaining family memberships). In addition to your money, we

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also need your involvement. There are many ways to become involved. Of course, the main activity are our regular monthly meetings (held the first Monday of the month from 7:00-8:30pm at Hyde Park United Methodist Church -- at the northeast corner of 40th and Speedway). At each of these meetings we try to have an interesting speaker sharing information on an endless range of topics. Often we have speakers from the City of Austin explaining new programs or policies. Recently Nelda Wells-Spear, Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector, and her staff spoke regarding property valuation, tax collection, tax appeals procedures and other issues they deal with on a daily basis. Our July speaker will make a presentation on the democratization of information in an age where just a few Continued on page 5 Hyde Park Neighborhood Association P.O.Box 49427 - Austin, TX 78765 http://www.hydepark-na.org --- HPNA Officers --- Co-Pres. -Gary Penn 3913 Ave G 452-3103 Co-Pres. -Bruce Nadig 615 E 48th 323-0779 Sec. -Glenn Coleman 207B E. 43rd 407-9357 Trea. -Mike Capochiano 4904 Ave H 467-9198 Trea. Emerita - Josephine Casey HPNA Committee/Task Forces AISD     Ann Graham 3815 Ave H 458-8096 Alley Coordinator -Volunteer needed Beautification     Margot Thomas 4106 Ave F 454-7284     Merle Franke 4102 Ave D 452-0414 Children's Programs     Anne Graham 3815 Ave H 458-8096 Church Liasion     Niyanta Spelman 3802 Ave F 459-8349 Communications/Web     Mark Fishman 3905 Ave G 371-7920 Crime and Safety     Bruce Nadig 615 E 48th 323-0779 Development Review     Stan Kozinsky 4604 Ave G 451-4455 Homes Tour 2003 -Volunteer needed Membership     Wanda Penn 3913 Ave G 452-3103 Neighborhood Planning     Karen McGraw 4315 Ave C 459-2261 Mueller Task Force     John Kerr 4209 Ave F 451-3931 Shipe Park     Suzee Brooks 4900 Ave H 459-5115 Sidewalks -Volunteer needed 38th Street Taskforce -Volunteer needed Triangle Development     Cathy Echols 4002 Ave C 206-0726 Zoning     Dorothy Richter 3901 Ave G 452-5117 Austin Neighborhoods Council Rep.     Volunteer needed