<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Several leaders from other neighborhood associations have responded that this is an important issue, and that people have been talking about this around the city. But we should do something specific to make progress.</div><div><br></div><div>Perhaps representatives of the neighborhood associations could be convened to discuss this issue? Would this be possible for Summit leadership (or a representative) to attend if it were set up in the next two weeks? I have a volunteer facilitator for such a meeting, and I could do the busywork of sending emails for setting a time and place. The more citizens do and figure out on our own, the more solutions we have to present to the mayor, the more affordable and practical the effort, and the better chance of improved safe mobility after snow storms.</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Place to meet?</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Date?</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Time to meet? Assume it would be evening.... </div><div><br></div><div>At the risk of provoking a snow storm on this date, I propose meeting at Hope Artiste Village on Wednesday Jan 18 during the Farmers' Market (4pm to 7pm). The 11th may be too soon to bring people together, but it doesn't (yet) look like it will be snowing next Wednesday....?</div><div><br></div><div>Convene at 5:30?</div><div><br></div><div>The Downtown Improvement District has a snow removal plan that is coordinated through the Clean Team and businesses in the area. Perhaps their plan can be a model for other parts of the city?</div><div><br></div><div>And perhaps Serve RI could be helpful? They already have a volunteer matching system, but it might not be geared for this type of weather-related issue -- See Providence Journal op ed today (Friday, Jan 6) by Bernie Beaudreau on the Human Kind Experiment for inspiration. <a href="http://serverhodeisland.org/NewsEvents/ViewArticle/tabid/164/smid/605/ArticleID/63/reftab/36/t/ProJo-Editorial-Highlights-New-Volunteer-Initiative/Default.aspx">http://serverhodeisland.org/NewsEvents/ViewArticle/tabid/164/smid/605/ArticleID/63/reftab/36/t/ProJo-Editorial-Highlights-New-Volunteer-Initiative/Default.aspx</a></div><div><br></div><div>I am sure success with shoveling out the sidewalks will depend on constructive, voluntary community involvement rather than fines. We're all supposed to be conducting ourselves as responsible contributing members of society and the key is to make clearing sidewalks the cool and normal thing to do. Then fines can be imposed on the [we hope few] remaining scofflaws.</div><div><br></div><div>Perhaps Providence will be able to adapt or copy Chicago's "Snow Corps" -- or perhaps other cities have already set up a computerized system. Let's find out what other cities have done and figure out how to minimize the work of matching volunteers with those requesting help. The coordinating power of community groups to get the word out and to encourage participation will be essential, I think.</div><div><br></div><div>This is also possible to organize with a TlmeBank. See <a href="http://timebanks.org/about">http://timebanks.org/about</a> for background on the TimeBank idea and watch the video: <a href="http://vimeo.com/timebanksusa/timebankingchanginglives">http://vimeo.com/timebanksusa/timebankingchanginglives</a>. I also wrote about TimeBanking on the Providential Gardener: <a href="http://providentialgardener.typepad.com/providential_gardener/2011/08/time-banking-comes-to-rhode-island.html">http://providentialgardener.typepad.com/providential_gardener/2011/08/time-banking-comes-to-rhode-island.html</a></div><div><br></div><div>In Rhode Island we have one of the TimeBanks USA leaders, Lisa Conlan-Lewis. <a href="mailto:lisaconlan2@aol.com">lisaconlan2@aol.com</a>, who would be glad to explain the potential uses of TimeBanks to anyone interested. The RI TimeBanks website is here: <a href="http://www.ritimebanks.org/">http://www.ritimebanks.org/</a>. Early uses of the new (in 2011) system are for eldercare, but TimeBanks can be used for accomplishing exchanges of all sorts of work. The membership page (<a href="http://www.ritimebanks.org/membership.html">http://www.ritimebanks.org/membership.html</a>) seems daunting, but then there are important issues of safety for at-risk folks. It is possible for individual neighborhood organizations to use the TimeBanks software to set up their own mini-timebanks. Membership could be limited to members of the neighborhood association, and if the purpose was specifically for outdoor shoveling, security issues might be less of a concern. I think that TimeBanks may still appear to be awfully involved, but I think some groups should try this out and see if it can be implemented without driving people crazy. I just signed up at the RI TimeBanks site so I can experience it for myself. </div><div><br></div><div> As far as the problem of lack of computer access for those most needing help, leaflets distributed through social service and community organizations should reach many of those folks. </div><div><br></div><div>To be continued....</div><div><br></div><div>Sue</div><div><br></div><div><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><br></div>Sue<br><br><div>
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><div style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; ">Susan Korté<br>The Providential Gardener<br>PO Box 2556<br>Providence, RI 02906<br><br>Free Listings!</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; "><b>ADD YOUR ENVIRONMENT-RELATED EVENTS TO THE CALENDAR: <a href="http://www.whatgrowsonri.com/add_event.html">http://www.whatgrowsonri.com/add_event.html</a><br></b><br><a href="x-msg://9/skorte@providentialgardener.com" style="font-weight: normal; ">skorte@providentialgardener.com</a><br>401.273.6678<b><br></b><br><b>Providential Gardener <br></b><a href="http://www.ProvidentialGardener.com/" style="font-weight: normal; ">http://www.ProvidentialGardener.com</a></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Trebuchet MS'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><br></span></font></div></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Trebuchet MS'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><b><i>Providential Gardener Projects:</i></b></span></font></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Trebuchet MS'"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><br></span></font></div></div></span></div></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; "><b>What Grows On in Rhode Island Calendar <br></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 13px; "><a href="http://www.WhatGrowsOnRI.com/" style="font-weight: normal; ">http://www.WhatGrowsOnRI.com</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; border-collapse: separate; font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><b style="font-style: normal; ">Where the Gardens 'Used to Be'</b><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><a href="http://www.wherethegardens.providentialgardener.com/">http://www.wherethegardens.providentialgardener.com</a></div></div></span></div></span></div>
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