Resilient Diamond Heights (RDH) In Person and Zoom Meeting
Saturday, September 24, 3:00 pm

Now that pandemic-related restrictions on public meetings are easing, RDH wants to re-start its planning and training activities. An event is scheduled for Saturday, September 24, from 3:00-5:00pm, at St. Aidan’s Church, 101 Gold Mine Drive across from the Diamond Heights Shopping Center. Diamond Heights residents who attended previous RDH events will be invited, but the meeting will be open to new participants and will be advertised to the broader community.  The agenda will include a review of RDH goals and activities, with a focus on the use of St. Aidan’s as a Support Center, and will end with a presentation of the plan for the physical organization of the church for disaster response. Attendees may participate in-person or by Zoom.   
 
Current St. Aidan’s guidelines for use of the church will be followed including wearing masks.
 
Please reply to let us know if you plan to attend in person or virtually. If virtually, a Zoom link will be emailed to you closer to the meeting.
 
If you are not familiar with RDH, please see the info below.
 
Stay Safe and Well,
 
Betsy Eddy for the Resilient Diamond Heights Steering Committee 

RDH Information 
Resilient Diamond Heights (RDH) is a local volunteer community organization that helps Diamond Heights residents and businesses prepare for, and recover from, disasters including earthquakes, extreme heat and wildfires. RDH is led by a Steering Committee composed of Jill Borofka, Greg Carey, Betsy Eddy, Ed Sheffner and Cynthia Wu. St. Aidan’s Church has cooperated closely with RDH, serving as a pre-COVID site for RDH meetings and trainings. St. Aidan’s has agreed to serve as a neighborhood Support Center after an emergency such an earthquake of fire. 
 
Prior to the restrictions on public meetings imposed by the pandemic, RDH sponsored trainings and informational meetings were attended regularly by up to 25 people at each occasion. During the COVID related restrictions, RDH sponsored several trainings via Zoom. RDH hopes to encourage new membership and meet regularly at St. Aidan’s.
 
More information is available at: Select Resilient Diamond Heights (Disaster Prep) at the top of the home page.

 
The DHCA and Resilient Diamond Heights encourage all blocks to have a Neighborhood Watch group along with a Strong Block program to prepare for emergencies and help with crime prevention. Below is some information about doing a Block Party from Jackie Thornhill, Legislative Aide in Supervisor Mandelman’s office. Supervisor Mandelman has given RDH funds to do Block Parties this year providing the benefits listed below. 
 
Block Party Information:

Launched in 2016 by the City’s Neighborhood Empowerment Network (NEN), Neighborfest offers residents a fun and meaningful way to connect with their neighbors and build safer, more resilient communities:

Participants in this year’s program will receive the largest suite of benefits yet.  They include

• Zero cost to hosts for street closure and sound permits    
• Free, delivered street closure barricades  
• Liability insurance     
• Guest registration door prizes    
• Door hangers for outreach    
• An updated Playbook to guide the Host Committee’s planning activities    
• Live online orientation and host support workshops    
• A dedicated program manager who provides end to end support for the application and event production. 

To apply for a Block Party go to the following link. You may need to cut and paste it into a tab.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YHQeo1javjVYMkb-rJkSNEqrXzgfS3iE8HcHxEFAurQ/edit

All deadlines for events taking place before the last weekend of September or first week of October have passed:

• For October 15th or 16th – Last day to apply is Monday, August 29th, 2022
• For October 22nd or 23rd– Last day to apply is Monday, September 5th, 2022
• For October 29th or 30th – Last day to apply is Monday, September 12, 2022

If you have any questions about the program, its benefits or eligibility, please contact Neighborfest@livablecity.org. You may also reply to this message and Betsy Eddy, RDH Coordinator, will be glad to answer questions.

Join Habitat for Humanity Greater SF on Friday, August 19, from 8:30 – 4PM to help build affordable homes for eight homeowner families! Due to a cancellation, shifts are wide open for this day and we would love to invite you to work alongside us that day! No experience necessary and minimum age is 16. If you are retired, between jobs, or enjoy Volunteer Time Off benefit at work, please consider joining us! Sign up here! Or here https://habitatgsf.secure.force.com/Volunteers/HFHVolunteerSignup?Calendar=1&shiftId=a1v5d00000OzgyfAAB&jobId=a1t5d00000FwFSCAA3!

We hope to see you!

Many thanks,

Belinda

Belinda Cruz Sullivan, CVA | Volunteer Services Manager 

She / Her / Hers

Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco  

300 Montgomery Street, Suite 450, San Francisco, CA 94104  

(415) 625-1012  •  www.habitatgsf.org  • @Habitatgsf

Ready to volunteer but not sure where to start?Visit our Volunteer pagefor more info. 

We build and sustain affordable homeownership opportunities  

for families in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties. 

Volunteer to make Diamond Heights Even Better!

Reminder: Resilient Diamond Heights Survival Preparedness Event
Saturday, August 6, Christopher Park, 10:00 to 12 Noon
Resilient Diamond Heights (RDH) invites all to view disaster response equipment and supplies. Learn how to prepare your household for emergencies. Learn Diamond Heights plans and procedures for emergency response including where disaster supplies and the neighborhood shelter and support center are located. Hear about opportunities to organize your block for disaster response and opportunities to volunteer in an emergency.
Stop by anytime between 10:00 am and 12 noon on Saturday, August 6 at the events space at Christopher Park, 5210 Diamond Heights Blvd. For more information, reply to this message or contact contact Betsy Eddy at dhcasf@gmail.com.

Diamond Heights Blvd. Median Project Workday, August 13
Join us to help improve the appearance of Diamond Heights!
Date: Saturday, August 13
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon – Joining for even an hour or two will make a difference!
Location: Meet at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church on DH Blvd. at Gold Mine Dr.
Work: Pull weeds, trim grass, rake and pick up trash on the median islands
No gardening experience required. Tools and safety jackets will be supplied
Please reply to let us know you plan to help out.
The Median Project has been active since 2014 providing more attractive median islands for Diamond Heights

Volunteer with the Diamond Heights Community Association
The DHCA is enlisting volunteers for varied community projects:

• Work with the SFPD on crime prevention
• Work with MTA on plans for the 52 and 35 bus lines
• Work on improving infrastructure needs and improving the neighborhood appearance
• Organize an Adopt a Street program for trash pick up
• Work with the Friends of Christopher Park and the SF Recreation and Park Dept. on park needs
• Work on plans to reduce fireworks and improve fire safety

Our DHCA past accomplishments include retaining the Police Academy in Diamond Heights, concrete sidewalks along the length of Diamond Heights Blvd., stop signs at DH Blvd. and Diamond and advocated for the scheduled replacement of City water pipes.

If you would like more information, reply to this message or contact Betsy Eddy at dhcasf@gmail.com. Learn more about the DHCA at www.dhcasf.org.

Please reply to this message to let us know you plan to attend.
Learn and review how to help your household prepare for, and respond to:
• Earthquakes
• Building and wildfires
• Heat emergencies
• Severe weather events

Members of the Resilient Diamond Heights community organization will distribute information and demonstrate disaster response equipment and supplies.

Come meet your neighbors, ask questions, and learn about:
• Location of, and distribution procedures for, disaster supplies including shelter kits
• Neighborhood shelters and support centers: St. Aidan’s and St. Nicolas
• Diamond Heights plans and procedures for emergency response
• Opportunities to organize your block for disaster response
• Opportunities to volunteer for disaster response and other community programs

Pick up brochures on how to prepare for a disaster and how to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy.

Come anytime between 10:00am and noon to the
event area (next to the playground) at
Christopher Park
Saturday, August 6

Stay safe and well,
Resilient Diamond Heights Steering Committee

Please join us! Even an hour of weeding or picking up trash makes a difference in the appearance of our neighborhood. We encourage more volunteers to join our team!

A big thank you to Public Works Staff who are working on the median at the south entrance to the Diamond Heights Shopping Center to fix a broken City water pipe. Once the pipe is repaired and the Median Project installed drip irrigation system is back in operation, water will again drip to plants and trees planted by the Median Project.

The Median Project has new weeding stools to make weeding easier and new kneeling pads as well.

Team Leader: Ed Sheffner
Date: Saturday, July 9
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon – volunteer one hour or more
Location: Meet at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church on DH Blvd. at Gold Mine Dr.
Work: Pull weeds, trim grass, rake, spread mulch and pick up trash on the median islands
Recommended for 12 years and older
No gardening experience required
Supplies: Kneeling pads, weeding stools, gloves, safety vests, weeding tools, trash grabbers and bottled water will be provided. You may wish to wear masks to reduce the risk to COVID variants and to avoid breathing in dust. You may also want to bring your own masks, gloves, weeding tools and trash pickers.
Bathrooms will be available in the upper level of the church.

Thank you to all the volunteers who have worked hard to improve the appearance of our median islands along Diamond Heights Blvd.!

Have a fun and safe Fourth of July,

Betsy Eddy
Diamond Heights Blvd. Median Project Coordinator

March with Supervisor Mandelman – Pride Parade on Sunday, June 26

Message from Jackie Prager, Office of the Supervisor
Hi Everyone,
This year’s Pride Parade is approaching quickly (Sunday, 6/26) and our office wanted to invite you to march with us! If you, your family members, or community members are interested in joining us in the parade, please reach out to me at your earliest convenience so I can get everyone set up!  
Please feel free to pass the message along and let me know if you have any questions!
Best, 
Jackie Prager
Legislative Aide
Office of Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, District 8
jackie.prager@sfgov.org | 415-554-6986
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Honor the Gum Tree Girls Who Saved Us from a
Freeway through Glen Canyon Park!

Gum Tree Girls Festival, Sunday July 10, 10:30 am – 3:30 pm in Glen Canyon Park

This free festival will tell the story of how Glen Canyon Park was saved from a freeway by Zoanne Theriault Nordstrom, Joan Seiwald, and Geri Arkush, as well as their predecessor, Minnie Straub Baxter. Enjoy special guests, history talk and video, nonprofit tables, children’s activities and a remembrance of those lost to COVID. Please see the flyer below for more information.

The Festival is hoping to raise $5000 by the time of the Gum Tree Girls Festival on July 10. Here is the link to the
funding raising page – our new Flipcause page (a QR code is also on the flyer) and our Festival information page. Finally, here is the link to our history of the Freeway Revolt entitled, “Wonder Women! Glen Park’s Gum Tree Girls, Minnie Straub Baxter, and the San Francisco Freeway Revolt” at GlenParkHistory.org.

Presented by Resilient Diamond Heights
Virtual Meeting – Wednesday, June 8, 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Resilient Diamond Heights (RDH) is preparing another training session to help your household prepare for emergencies such as home fires, wild fires or earthquakes. We will help you decide what to include in your shelter in place kit and go-bag, including the differences between these two essential kits and the minimum contents for each. The program will include time to answer your questions.

This event will be held virtually (Zoom) because the survey we circulated after postponing the March event told us that at least 25% of the Diamond Heights residents who responded are not yet ready to meet in person. Greg Carey will again be the presenter. He has been an active NERT volunteer since 2007 and part of the RDH Steering Committee since 2009.

Please reply to this message or contact Betsy Eddy at betsy.eddy@gmail.com to receive the link for this event.

Stay safe and well,

Resilient Diamond Heights Steering Committee

Joining for even an hour or two will make a difference!

Please consider volunteering to maintain the plants installed by the Diamond Heights Blvd. Median Project! Many more volunteers are needed to weed and pick up trash from Duncan to Diamond.

Join us!

Date: Saturday, May 14 and June 4 – Public Works staff will join us to help out
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon 
Location: Meet at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church on DH Blvd. at Gold Mine Dr.
Work: Pull weeds and pick up trash on the median islands 
Recommended for 12 years and older
No gardening experience required  
Supplies: Kneeling pads, gloves, safety vests, weeding tools and bottled water will be provided. You may wish to wear masks to reduce the risk to COVID variants and to avoid breathing in dust. You may also want to bring your own gloves, weeding tools and trash pickers.
Bathrooms will be available in the upper level of the church. 

Please reply if you plan to attend. Please reply if you have questions about the Diamond Heights Blvd. Median Project.

Thank you to all the volunteers who have worked hard to improve the appearance of our median islands along Diamond Heights Blvd.!

Betsy Eddy
Coordinator