Where To Be On Saturday

A July 4th Party - Taste of Troost

Black-Eyed Susan Project Update

Many thanks to all of you who supported our recent plant sale at Center High School. Because of you, the CHS Poetry Club Write Now will be able to host many more Poetry Slams next year. And that's good because poems are important!

We are also grateful to the George Harrison Memorial Foundation who donated the gazillions of seeds, flats and Pro-Mix to our CHS Greenhouse Project this year making us now ready to blanket Troost Avenue (and its surrounding neighborhoods) with this spectacular native flower.

And, we appreciated the help from Rockhurst University students and Ms. Evans class too which helped us plant and transplant over 100,000 seedlings now looking for good homes.

We kind of expect that we won't have enough TOT volunteers to plant all of our 100,000+ plants on our Volunteer Planting Day, Saturday May 30th. So, starting today we're GIVING them away to anyone who believes in

Flower Power

Just please plant them kind of close to Troost Avenue...like within the city limits if you know what we mean and that includes the Westside Beautification team, the Troost Folks, our friends on Benton Boulevard and ALL the rest of you hopeful souls in between.

Call or email to schedule your plant pick-up:
(816) 812-8530
durwinrice@durwinrice.com

We've also got Purple Coneflowers, Shasta Daisies, Marigolds, Zinnias
and delicious Roma Tomatoes!

PEACE

Buy a Plant, Support a Poet

Write Now is having a plant sale this Saturday, May 9, 2009 from 9am to 2pm at Center High School (8715 Holmes).

All of the plants for the sale have been GROWN FROM SEED in the greenhouse at Center High School with the help of TOT volunteers from Rockhurst University and Ms. Evans CHS class. Proceeds from the sale will provide funds for the Write Now Poetry Team to compete in Chicago at the International Brave New Voices Teen Poetry Slam AND will support Ms Evans' class greenhouse studies AND will further the planting of native species on Troost Avenue.

PLEASE HELP US PROMOTE THIS EVENT by re-posting where you can. We also have flyer artwork that you can request via email: durwinrice@durwinrice.com

Thanks for your support!

Contact: Durwin Rice (816) 812-8530

Come Find Out How Beautiful You Are

One of the buildings in Southtown that UMKC students recently circled in tulips.

Why Do New Businesses Continue To Open In Southtown?

Because it's BEAUTIFUL! If you didn't already know that, maybe it's because you haven't been attending the Annual Southtown Beautification Awards Dinner where community leaders and businesses making a real difference in KC get recognized.

This year's recipients:

Small Business
Mad Jack's
Hall's Sales & Service

Medium Business
Soil Service Nursery
Greg Patterson & Associates

New Construction
Oak Place Apartments
SE Community Center

Good Housekeeping
Center High School

Public Achievement
Scott Burnet

Institution
Stowers Institute

Outstanding Tulip Achievement
UMKC Office of Student Life
UMKC Alumni Association

Southtowner of the Year
Bill Kalahurka

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Benjamin Ranch, 6401 E. 87thy St.
6-7:00pm Social Hour
7-9:00pm Buffet Dinner and Ceremony

$40 per ticket, $500 for table of ten sponsorship
Tickets at Southtown.org

Earth Day 2009 At Sprint

TOT's Imagine Peace Tree in action on Earth Day 2009 at Sprint in Overland Park, KS. It's a Japanese Clethra that's still looking for the perfect home on Troost Avenue! Does anybody know of a great spot for this tree? Thanks to the Center High School poets who invited us to join them on Earth Day at Sprint!

Center High School & The Black Eyed Susan

Center High School students have been VERY BUSY growing native perennials (and some other fun stuff) for Troost Avenue.

Really, really busy!

Now that's some urban renewal!!!

At The Site Of The New Troost Bridge

Tulip - Light of the East

From Holland With Peace: Unique Photo Art Expo Amsterdam

Turning a wood bowl from green wood

Biggest Origami Flower Making

TOT Spring Fever Celebration

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Starts at 10AM

Coffee Break

5400 Troost Avenue

Step Up Not On This

These are what tulips look like today.

We're plotting to grow one million blooms
on Troost Avenue so...

KEEP YOUR BIG FEET OFF THEM!

And the other top five things you can do to help...

Volunteer Saturdays Between Noon & 3PM
at the Center High School greenhouse
(8715 Holmes Avenue).

Join our TOT Development Team
at 7:30AM any Friday at the Coffee Break

Use This Link To Make a Tax-deductible Contribution
to Southtown Foundation

Join the Facebook Tulips on Troost Cause
& Recruit Your Friends

Come Out & Experience the Tulips & the Entertainment
beginning at 10AM on April 4th, 2009
(Maps available at Tulip Headquarters aka Coffee Break)

Contact Us: (816) 812-8530

Have You Called 311 Today?

The weather's nice....you should walk outside and FIND SOMETHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT unless THIS is the way you want your city to look.

Just Call 311 and report the exact location of the scene that you find disgusting and you'll get a RFS # (that's Request For Service) so YOU can be the first to know the city's response. Then you can watch and see what gets done about it before you send in your feedback.... "Great job Mayor (or Council) or "Heck NO, this is NOT the way I think we should be running our town!"

Heaving sidewalks, holes in the street, streetlights that are dim and trash on the street. ANYTHING that's broken....anything that's not working...any building that is boarded up is NOT a City That Works! And, what are you going to do about it?

Call 311...it's the easy way for YOU to let City Hall know all about your satisfaction with services or lack of such.

You can speak with a city employee whose job it is to CARE about your complaints weekdays from 7AM to 8PM and on Saturdays & Sundays from 8AM to 5PM. Or, leave a message at other times or email actioncenter@kcmo.org with your complaints.

So STOP yelling at your neighbors and your spouse & pick up your phone and Call 311 at least once a day!

Yes, sad to say, there IS that much to complain about.

Spend A Year With Us & Create Positive Change In Kansas City

Tulips on Troost offers an exciting opportunity to work/volunteer with community leaders, businesses, foundations and government officials to change Kansas City's future. Our goal is simple. To plant one million tulips along Troost Avenue, spur development and renew economic opportunities for all residents of Kansas City urban core.

We are seeking someone with excellent communication skills to develop and lead our fund-raising and volunteer recruitment, supervise and promote all public events. Software and internet skills are required. Call (816) 812-8530 to apply or send your resume to Durwin Rice, 4518 Troost Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64110

This is a Vista-sponsored position. To learn more about the Americorps Vista program visit: the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Must See

For us, it was the tulips The Everyman is planting in Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison's current exhibition at the Nelson Atkins here in Kansas City, MO. It's a show not to be missed with a Gallery Walk next week....1/9/09.

Restoration: The Everyman's Journey
Through February 8, 2009