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The idea is, if you show up on a Monday or Wednesday with $5 in your pocket there is going to be something for you to do.
It’s the Talk of the Neighborhood, a new brand of programming at the Recreation Park Community Center.
The brain-child of Ypsilanti resident Georgie Pachella, Talk of the Neighborhood is a play on the name of National Public Radio’s daily program Talk of the Nation. Pachella said similar to the radio show, there will be experts in the field presenting on a variety of different topics almost every Monday and Wednesday beginning next Monday.
Topics in September are multi-cultural cuisine, antique and collectible appraisals, pet health and nutrition and differences in the male and female brain. Monday’s multi-cultural cuisine topic features Saul Davis, the manager of J. Neil’s Mongolian Grille.
“He was born in Des Moines Iowa and lived in Samoa and the Dominican Republic so his food background is very interesting,” Pachella said. “He will show cooking techniques from around the world.”
Steve Gross, formally the owner of Depot Town's Depot Exchange Antiques and owner and lead auctioneer of Ypsilanti’s Premier Auction Services, will lead next Wednesday’s topic on antique and collectible appraisals.
“Steve Gross he is a big personality and he is a lot of fun to watch so even if you aren’t bringing in a collectible to appraise it’s an interesting show,” Pachella said.
So far Pachella has programs scheduled through the end of October and future programs in the works for November and December.
“One I definitely want to highlight is far away, but I would like it on everyone’s calendar, is on December 21 the Detroit Opera Theater is coming to our community center to do a special holiday show just for us,” she said.
Pachella said the idea for Talk of the Neighborhood was sparked in an effort to bring some “longevity” to the building at 1015 N. Congress St. She said the average age of those who use the center is 80 and in the past 15 years the community center has been labeled as more of a senior center.
“I love what they’re doing,” she said of the senior programming, “but we’re trying to bring it back to a community center – senior programming by day, open at night.”
Ideas for topics for Talk of the Neighborhood were generated from approximately 2,500 surveys offered at the community center as well as distributed to houses between the borders of Hewitt Rd. and Huron Street and Washtenaw Avenue and Michigan Avenue.
Based on the response, residents showed support for programming showcasing non-profit organizations, music nights, gallery nights, eco-friendly living and do-it-yourself projects among other things.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Gross said. “It’s a chance for everybody to get together and even if it's something your not interested in you might be interested in it by the time the program is finished.”
The $5 cover charge goes directly to programming according to Pachella. She said cost of materials for most of the classes as well as the cost of printing schedules contributes to the cost of general programming.
“If we charged according to the needs of each program we would create a schedule where some program fees would be $1.00 to cover coffee and cookies and others $25 to cover materials,” Pachella explained in the first printed schedule distributed to the community. “We created a schedule that does not encourage attendance for a topic based on affordability.”
Volunteers who help set-up, manage the entrance table and help with clean up have the opportunity to have tier fee for a topic waved. A ten-program pass will also be offered for a 40 percent discount (a $30 savings.)
Although a schedule of topics for September and October were delivered door-to-door, Pachella said that wouldn’t be a common practice. She said from now on the schedules (for the following month) would be available on the first of each month.
“You can get the schedule on the Web site, in the box in the front of the community center or at various businesses,” she said.
Twenty-five businesses including Bombadill’s, Sidetrack Bar and Grill, Simply deVine and the library will have copies available.
Pachella said it’s the volunteers offering to participate leading a program and lending a helping hand with distribution that have made the program successful before it has even started.
“It has really been overwhelming the kind of response we have gotten,” she said. “People have really stepped forward.”
But she said she is always looking for volunteers to continue to help spread the word - whether it be through helping with distribution, working a night of programming or just word of mouth.
For a complete schedule and more information about the program and upcoming topics visit visit Talk of the Neighborhood online.