Ania Camargo Brings Her Lesson From Bogota to Beacon Hill
Inspired by her hardworking and passionate mother, Camargo, chairwoman of the Beacon Hill Civic Association, spends hours giving back to the community. Article by Kimberly Ashton from Patch.com, October 21, 2011
As a girl in Colombia, Ania Camargo learned by example from her mother the extraordinary things that can happen through dedication to community service.
Although she had seven children, Camargo's mother used what unimaginable spare time she had to start a cultural center dedicated to teaching lower-income people in Bogota how to speak English. Within 10 years it had grown to become a university of 10,000 people, with Camargo's mother as the volunteer director.
"So that's my role model," Camargo, the Beacon Hill mother who runs a business and chairs the Beacon Hill Civic Association, said. "She's a very passionate person, she does what she believes in. That joy that she gets from helping other people, that's part of the reason why I volunteer."
For Camargo, like her mother, volunteering has always been important. "I have volunteered my entire life," she said. "I think some people are rigged one way, I was rigged that way."
A Musical Feast: An Evening of Concert, Cocktails and Comfort Food
Last year's Jazz on the Hill series was so popular that its sponsors, the Beacon Hill Civic Association and the Beacon Hill Seminars, decided to add some extra beats to it.
A broader range of music will be featured at this year's A Musical Feast on Beacon Hill, three evenings of concert, cocktails and comfort food at the Hampshire House, 84 Beacon Street, beginning on October 20.
The series begins at 6:00 p.m. with a bountiful three course dinner buffet featuring delicious comfort foods such as maple roasted turkey and oven roasted pork loin. Pianist Steve Sussman will play a variety of selections. Sussman performs frequently in the New England area as a soloist, accompanist, chamber musician and orchestral member. He is a stylist pianist and an avid improvisor whose versatility spans from the classical to the jazz genres.
The series will continue on February 9 with songs from the American Songbook and April 5 with a jazz trio.
Advance reservations are required by October 17. Reserve online here or contact the BHCA at 617-227-1922. The cost per person is $40 for Beacon Hill Civic Association and Beacon Hill Seminars members and $45 for non-members. The price includes dinner, dessert, concert ticket and gratuity. There will be a cash bar.
How to Research Your Historic Home
As part of the Beacon Hill Civic Association’s new ‘How To” series, architecture buff Mark Kiefer of the Beacon Hill Architectural Commission will give tips on How to Research Your Historic Home on October 25 at the Harrison Gray Otis House, 141 Cambridge Street.
This is an opportunity to hear ways to find information on your own home's history: centuries old ways of construction, renovation and making repairs as well as colorful stories of past inhabitants. Sally Zimmerman, manager of preservations at Historic New England, will also provide useful resources available to owners of historic properties.
A wine and cheese reception plus optional tours of the Otis House begin at 5:00 p.m., followed by the program at 6:00 p.m. Co-sponsored with Historic New England. Reservations in advance are recommended. Admission is $10 for BHCA and HNE members; $20 for nonmembers. Reserve online here.
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Mayor Menino awarding the Golden Broom to Anna's Taqueria, Michael Kamio and Isidro Mota. |
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Annie Krahl |
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Mayor Menino presenting the Golden Broom to resident Jack Fitzgerald. |
First Golden Brooms awarded
Jack and Mary Fitzgerald of Irving Street and Anna’s Taqueria of Cambridge Street were presented with the first Golden Broom Awards by the Beacon Hill Civic Association at a ceremony held last week on Charles Street
“We are all here because we care about our neighborhood,” said Mayor Thomas Menino, who presented the awards. “Let’s keep working together to make this a cleaner city.”
The awards are part of the Clean.Sweep.Repeat. Once a week. campaign launched earlier this year to encourage residents and businesses to assume the responsibility of cleaning up the area in front of their homes. The Fitzgeralds and Anna’s Taqueria were chosen from the many nominees to receive the award because of their continuing efforts to keep the area around their properties clean and litter-free.
The BHCA worked with Charles Street Supply owners, Jack and Cassie Gurnon, to promote the campaign. The ceremony was held in front of their store window, which has showcased the campaign for the last few months.
“This neighborhood is all about unsung heroes,” said City Councilor Mike Ross, who also attended the ceremony, along with City Councilor Felix Arroyo, State Representative Marty Walz and Commissioner of Public Works Joanne Massaro. “The BHCA continues to step up to new standards.”
Walz urged the BHCA to “export” the Clean.Sweep.Repeat. campaign to every other Boston neighborhood. “Just think what it would be like if all other neighborhood launched the campaign,” she said. “Take it on the road!”
Dog poop problem on Beacon Hill
FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com
Thursday, 24 Mar 2011, 6:13 AM EDT
Residents on Beacon Hill are making a big stink all over the growing problem of dog poop!
With spring officially here and the snow melting, city residents are dealing with a new problem. Boston Common and the Public Garden are now littered with leftover dog dooty, once covered by all the snow.
Tourist season is just around the corner and members of the Beacon Hill Civic Association want dog owners to help clean up the hub.
The committee is coming up with new ways to encourage dog owners to take care of business by putting up more bag dispensers, more signs and asking park rangers to issue more tickets.
Course offers Tactics on not Falling Prey to Crime (PDF)
By Dan Murphy
Beacon Hill Times
February 8, 2011
If there’s one lesson that Sgt. Gary Eblan hopes to instill in people who attend the class he is teaching on street smarts later this month, it’s to follow their gut feelings.
“If you don’t trust your instincts, you increase your chance of becoming a victim,” said Eblan, a 22-year veteran of the Boston Police Department. “If the hair on the back of your neck stands up, don’t ignore it.” Eblan, who currently oversees the training curriculum for all incoming officers as registrar of the Boston Police Department, will offer his presentation entitled “Reducing the Odds” at Hill House, 74 Joy St., on Thursday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. The free lecture is co-sponsored by the Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) Safety Committee in partnership with Boston Police Area A-1.
Ten FAQs for historic district homeowners (PDF)
Beacon Hill Times
Now there is a guide that makes it a lot easier for home renovators to navigate
their way through the various guidelines of the Beacon Hill Historic District.
Thanks to a year‐long collaboration between the Beacon Hill Civic
Association, the Boston Preservation Alliance (BPA) and the Boston Landmarks
Commission (BLC), a newly‐printed brochure is now available that answers ten
questions for historic district homeowners. They are the ten most frequently
asked questions the offices of the three preservationist groups receive, according
to Charlotte Thibodeau, who chairs BHCA’s Architectural Committee.
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2010 Beacon Award recipient Franklin B. Mead |
The Beacon Hill Civic Association has awarded the 14th annual Beacon Award to Frank Mead, Beacon Street, in recognition of decades of significant contributions to the neighborhood through community service.
To hear Mead describe his service over the years, it is “normal and average things,” but his humble portrayal does not justly characterize the scope of his contributions. From helping to write the architectural guidelines for the Beacon Hill Historic District in the 1970s to co-founding Beacon Hill Seminars and Beacon Hill Village, Mead’s gentle hand can be seen in the very preservation of the buildings on the Hill and the quality of life of those choosing to live here.
BHCA looks at options for improving Charles Street (PDF)
By Dan Murphy
Beacon Hill Times
At a Community Workshop last week, Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) members outlined options for improving Charles Street, including the installation of bike paths, the launch of a new program to keep the area clean and the creation of a public meeting place.
Steep fines for trash scofflaws
Since the Green Ticket Ordinance went into effect in May, residents who put out their trash and recycling in Whole Foods paper bags or small plastic bags are now being fined from $50 up to $250, according to ISD Code Enforcement officers. Residents who put their trash on the curbside before 5 p.m. are subject to a $25 to $50 fine. And, if the fines aren’t paid, they’ll show up on tax bills.
BHCA Has Visions Of
Bike Lanes & A Park (PDF)
by Jim Cronin
Courant News Writer