The Dayton View Triangle Federation Trustees elected officers and I am pleased that I am continuing as your president for another year. I am also very glad that two of your officers from last year are also continuing: K. Rizer as secretary and Gloria Hudson as treasurer. Our two new officers are Steve Blatt as vice president and Mike Dolinsky as Parliamentarian. This is a great team. We will work with you and the trustees to keep the Dayton View Triangle a great place to live.

You and your neighbors have been busy this quarter with neighborhood activities. We finished the summer concert series in late August and are looking forward to something new -- winter concerts. Elsewhere in the Triangletter you will find a registration form to participate in a neighborhood talent showcase this February. We are also hosting a Musica! concert in January.

Steve Blatt organized a group of neighbors to do curbside pickup of bulky waste. In October K. Rizer and Mary Johnson organized a party for neighborhood ghosts and goblins. An awesome time was had by all; thanks to K. and Mary.

October also saw the renovation of the playground at United Theological Seminary. A very small group of volunteers worked all day to make these changes. I hope that next year we will be able to continue work on the playground. I encourage you to get involved. The Seminary is a good neighbor. It provides to all of us meeting space and access to the playground and exercise stations.

Elsewhere in this issue you will find information about Adopt-A-Family. This program has been very successful, thanks to the generous support of individuals in the neighborhood.

And it's time again to go caroling with Carol Jones (277-7113). Carol will once again lead us in song and then share her holiday hospitality with the carolers. No singing skill is required If you would like to be serenaded or to send a song to a neighbor, call Carol. It's a fun evening and your neighbors won't mind if the tunes are a bit offkey, so join us! As you walk around singing, look at the beautiful homes. Ami Bement (275-7493) is already hard at work planning the 1999 Home Tour, and she would welcome your suggestions of homes to consider for the tour.

New trustees were elected at the Dayton View Triangle 4th quarter general meeting November 15. The Trustee list has been updated. Your trustee is the key to helping you know what's going on in our neighborhood and to making your voice heard.

You will also receive a membership packet in the mail. The many activities and servies of the Federation are supported by your nominal dues and contributions, and are planned and run by volunteers. The dues are for the upcoming year. This is your organization, so join and get involved in keeping this a good place to live.

For all of the officers and trustees of the Dayton View Triangle Federaton, I wish you very happy holiday season filled with the warmth of friendship and family. See you in the neighborhood!

We had a happy Halloween party here in the Triangle. About thirty-five neighborhood children and grandchildren enjoyed the Halloween party sponsored by the Dayton View Triangle Federation on Saturday, Oct. 24. Several party games with a holiday theme came before the Parade of Costumes, where the children showed off their wonderful outfits and disguises.

Breathless and excited party attendees drank orange punch supplied by McDonald's and ate cookies shaped like ghosts, pumpkins and black cats. Each child received a goody bag with candy, plastic spiders and a Halloween whistle. Board of Trustee members Mary Johnson and K. Rizer organized the event. Neighbors Brenda Dixon and Dennis Scroll and with several moms pitched in to help decorate and lend extra hands where needed to make this a successful celebration.

A delegation from Slovakia visited United Theological Seminary in Dayton as part of a tour of U.S. cities. Former Dayton City Manager Jim Kunde has arranged for the delegation so that Slovakians could see how citizens actively participate in their government. Neighborhood President Sandi Simmons and I shared details of how the Triangle functions as a neighborhood organization, as well as explaining the structure of the Board of Trustees. What surprised them most was the Home Tour. As Sandi told them that it was our main way to raise money for projects, they said in amazement, "You actually allow people to go through your house?" This led to a discussion of housing construction. Their homes are smaller, they said, and some of the houses are 400 years old.

One of the delegates remarked that they were having to relearn their methods of dealing with people in Slovakia. "Before," she said," we told people what to do. Now we must learn to ask them what they want to do."

Asking what people want to do, and providing the opportunity for them to do what they feel is needed is very much what our neighborhood organization is all about. We have a Board of Trustees to make it easier to provide service to this neighborhood of more than 2000 people. Each of our 10 districts in the Triangle and the Seminary elect two trustees each year. At the next general meeting, you will have a chance to be part of the democratic process and to be of service to your neighbors. You could be a trustee, and be part of something we have been doing here for over 25 years. Slovakia has had democracy for only two years.

Ten of your neighbors joined forces with the City of Dayton Saturday, October 10 to clean up the neighborhood. Experienced trash haulers Bev Rench, Sandi Simmons, Tom Joad, Kathy Turner, Tom Link, Victory Forte and Steve Blatt were joined by newcomers Marvin Merritt, Sarah Caplan and Charles Anderson.This energetic group of Triangle citizens filled two City of Dayton garbage trucks with bulk ppickup items. Many thanks to Bill Edwards for providing our prework breakfast of coffee, juice and donuts. And thanks to Factory Pizza for donating five delicious pizzas!

Twice a year I leave my desk job and join a crew of hearty volunteers to ride the garbage trucks for our neighborhood cleanup. In the spring, Victor and I had worked well together, so we teamed up again for fall clean-up and quickly picked our station opposite Tom and Bev on one of the trucks.

Off we went, hanging on with whitened knuckles -- at least I was! Depending on the number of stops on a street, the truck alternately flies or creeps. I prefer the slower pace becaue it allows me to release my death grip on the truck to wave (quickly) to neighbors as we pass.

The great thing about being a volunteer on clean-up day is that so many neighbors appreciate the service and willingly help load the truck. I dread, though, the houses with huge piles of trash or an entire forest of discarded shrubbery waiting collection and no one to help us load it. I'm amazed, too, that neighbors will stand and watch us pick up their trash. Fortunately this doesn't happen that often.

Some neighbors even pitch in for a block or two. We welcome the help and the chance to visit. As we load debris from a remodeling job, we learn about the project. Later we load pieces of an old kitchen and an entire family helps. We learn from another neighbor about a new resident on his block. On another street, we admire a recently painted home.

Along the way, a young man, Charles, joins us and works through the day. At noon we meet the other crew and enjoy pizza and camaraderie. We're all a little tired and dirty, but feeling pretty good that we've been able to give this gift to our community.

Our winter concert features Musica!, an a capella (voices only) choral group Sunday January 17, 1999. Musica! is at home singing Broadway or baroque, classics to spirituals, madrigals to vocal jazz. One song might be solemn, but stick around because the next may be slapstick silly.

The Datyon View Triangle is underwriting the cost, so this performance is free to the public. Invite your neighbors and friends. Our concert will be held in the chapel building of United Theological Seminary. As you drive into the circle, it is the second building on your right. The time is 6:30 to 7:30 pm. We're expecting you.

Our final concert is a do-it-yourself night of family entertainment Sunday, February 21. We have two hours to fill with stories, dance, singing or other musical performances. A keynote performer (we won't say who, just yet) has agreed to demonstrate African drums and show us African dress. We want to create a variety show, so we need to know in advance what you'll be doing. We'd like to intersperse our joke tellers with music, magic or dance. Performers can be any age.

You have MONTHS to polish your act, so if you would like to share a song, a joke or a story or you know someone who will, get in touch with Laura Haney (278-1045) before January 17 or fill out the registration form in this issue.

* Call the Recycle Hotline, 225-4999 to register for the next FREE disposal of hazardous waste or to dispose of pesticides, herbicides, pool chemicals and cleaning fluids.

It's a Triangle tradition to contribute money and non-perishable food items to be given to families in need in our area. Last year we were able to "adopt" twelve families identified by a neighborhood social service agency. This year, Chuck Porter (278-4330) has again volunteered to organize the program. Please contact Chuck if you have a non-perishable food item; he will arrange a drop-off/pick-up location. Call Chuck too, if you would like to volunteer to help collect, purchase or distribute food. You can use the form below to make a tax-deductible monetary contribution. This is another way you show why it's so great to live in the Triangle. Thank you.

The Triangle Concert Commette will get in touch with you as soon as possible after January 17 to let you know how the performances will be scheduled. We are trying to pace the showcase so that we don't have too many of a one sort in a row. Any information you can provide will help. THANK YOU.