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Steering Committee
Chair:
Ron Hodges
David Bennett
Bill Bommarito
Margaret Bommarito
Lynn Broeder
David Brown
Jeff Croft
Gretchen Curry
Drew Ehrhardt
Pat Flynn
Chery Green
Carl Jones, Jr.
Tresa McCallie
Gene Ostendorf
Nancy Price
Scott Stearman
Wallace Ward
Consultants
Doug Bram
Linda Collins
Mission
In the quest to transform the Kirkwood Area into a prejudice-free community of highly respectful individuals, CFUH will initiate ongoing dialogue and social interaction to create an environment of understanding and healing.
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Our condolences to the Swoboda family on the passing of Mayor Mike Swoboda. The thoughts and prayers of the entire community are with you.
An Invitation to Dialogue for Understanding and Healing within our Kirkwood Community
Future Dialogue Sessions
(on First Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.)
October 4, 2008 - First Baptist Church in Meacham Park, 304 Meacham St., at the corner of Milwaukee Street across from historic Turner School. Parking will be available at the Turner School and Educare parking lots immediately west of the church.
November 1, 2008 - Location To Be Determined - Speaker will be Bob Archibald.
Here's a link to an article about our dialogues written by Bill Freivogel, formerly of the Post-Dispatch, who now writes for the St. Louis Beacon, a non-profit, online publication dedicated to news that matters for people in our region.
http://www.stlbeacon.org/issues_politics/region/kirkwood_community_meeting
Freivogel, who lives in Kirkwood and has attended all of our previous sessions as a participant, obtained permission from everyone quoted in the article to tell their stories.
Book Club
Co-sponsored by CFUH and the Kirkwood Public Library.
Our book club this summer was such a great success that we have decided to continue for the coming year.
Meetings will be at Eliot Chapel, across from the Farmer’s Market at Taylor and Argonne, on fourth Thursdays.
The October 23 book will be Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom by Lisa Delpit and Herbert Kohl.
Click here for a list of book selections. Books are available at the Library.
Bridges
Many thanks to all who have expressed interest in Bridges groups. At least four groups have been organized. More will be formed when a few more Blacks volunteer to be co-leaders in their groups. Read more about the Bridges program below.
Summer Events
Ice Cream Social at The Magic House
We had a successful evening of fun for families, children and grandchildren on July 28.
The Magic House
and our ice cream and music donors made this evening available as a way of supporting understanding and friendship
among all community members. It was an evening of camaraderie, fellowship, and an opportunity to meet other Kirkwoodians.
Music was donated by: The Scott Laytham and Karl "Trickee" Holmes Duo
Ice Cream was donated by: The Custard Station, Cold Stone Creamery, Gelato di Riso
Meacham Park Homecoming
The Meacham Park Homecoming was a great success. Our CFUH Precision Lawn Chair Brigade won a first prize trophy for "Best Drill Team." Thanks to all of our drill team marchers, and also to our contingent of marchers who followed the brigade. There are a few t-shirts left. If you would like one, send an email to us at our Contact Us address, or phone David Brown at 314-821-3130.
Community Gospel Choir
The Community Gospel Choir is a group of people from many different churches and many different parts of the St. Louis area. Through their spirited interpretation of the rich tradition of African-American gospel music, the choir is working to break down racial, cultural and economic barriers in our community. For more information, check out the website at www.communitygospelchoir.org.
Bridges Across Racial Polarization
Many of you have told us you would like some action or social opportunities as our dialogue continues. Offered through a regionally-based nonprofit called FOCUS St. Louis, the Bridges Across Racial Polarization® program will give Kirkwood residents an opportunity to create small dialogue groups which would meet regularly, generally while sharing a meal at a restaurant or in each other's homes. The aim would be similar to that of the CFUH dialogue sessions - to discuss relevant racial/social issues and gradually build trust and friendship across racial lines.
The Bridges program has been recognized nationally as a Solution for America by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change. The CFUH hopes Bridges might provide a meaningful ongoing experience for some Kirkwood residents looking to broaden the diversity of their social circle and create a stronger, more peaceful community for all of us. Bridges groups are supported by a FOCUS staff person and a Bridges Steering Committee. Bridges members are provided with other organizational support, some large-group networking opportunities, and electronic reference materials. Read more about the Bridges Across Racial Polarization® program in this brochure and think about signing up to be part of what we hope will be several Kirkwood-based groups. Or,
today and let us know of your interest.
Agreements for Great Conversations
- Listen ... with respect and curiosity
- Suspend judgement as best you can
- Be open to the ideas of others
- Speak what has personal heart and meaning
- Invite and honor diversity of opinion
- Go for honesty and depth ... without going on and on
History
This effort was initiated by the Meacham Park Neighborhood Improvement Association in order to foster understanding and healing throughout our community following the tragedy of Thursday, 7 February 2008. It is led and peopled by community volunteers who think that any problem in America can be solved if caring Americans respect the dignity of all other human beings in our society and work together in a journey for peace, healing, and reconciliation.
Our first task is to meet and talk with each other across every boundary: race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, economic status, physical challenge, etc. We start with dialogue meetings in which people share personal and cultural experiences -- with two rules: (1) be honest, (2) be courteous.
Four Dialogue Sessions were held earlier in 2008 (February, March, April, and May). An Executive Summary has been prepared outlining the results of those first four dialogues.
We want to thank STLCC-Meramec and Kirkwood Baptist, Kirkwood United Methodist, and Grace Episcopal churches for their generous support, providing their facilities at no charge in order to help the community in this effort.
In future meetings, as we begin to know and trust each other, we will continue to dialogue in our quest for understanding, and we will explore actions we can take to put us on the path to our preferred future.
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Get Involved ...
Kirkwood Human Rights Awareness and Advisory Commission Essay Contest
Topic: How can Kirkwood become a more inclusive community?
For Kirkwood residents who are high school juniors or home-schooled equivalents. (More details)
Volunteer or make a donation to help provide educational and economic resources to students and families in the Kirkwood Community.
Meeting Calendar and Meeting Minutes
MP3 recordings of meetings for the City Council, Architectural Review Board, Board Of Adjustment, and Planning & Zoning can be accessed on the same page as the Minutes for those groups.
Review the list of Kirkwood Boards and Commissions here.
Download a Volunteer Profile Form or stop by City Hall and get one from the Clerk.
Contact Us
For more information, or to volunteer:
Resource Materials
White Privilege 101 Video used at September 6 dialogue session.
Executive Summary of Dialogue Sessions February thru May 2008
Historic Overview of the Meacham Park Neighborhood and the City of Kirkwood
Reflective Communication by Rev. David Bennett
The Kirkwood Shootings by Jeannete Cooperman, St. Louis Magazine
Meacham Park: Past, Present, and Future by Don Corrigan, Webster-Kirkwood Times
Meacham Park: A History of American Change by Don Corrigan, Webster-Kirkwood Times
Kirkwood kids find it's hard to talk about tragedy
By Ryan Miller
Second "Healing" Forum Draws About 250 Residents by Janet Edwards, Webster-Kirkwood Times
KWMU St. Louis on the Air Program
A Broken Community, and Hope for Healing by Scott Stearman
What is Healing for Kirkwood? by Jim Baker
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