Welcome to October! We hope everyone is hanging in there under the rains of Hurricane Ian. Join us for our monthly public Board meeting taking place next Tuesday, 9/13, at 7 PM on Zoom. Stay informed about what’s happening in the neighborhood.

Zoom links will be sent out next week, but can always be found on our Civic calendar on the website. Click here or perhaps this one is better for you phone.

Annual Fall Clean Up – Dec 3

Mark your calendar for the annual WSWCA-hosted clean up day – in partnership with Philadelphia Streets Department.

Saturday December 3 from 9AM – 2PM.

Supplies available for pick up at Seger Park. More info to follow.

Miss the Solarize Philly Event?

Even if you missed the in-person informational session last night, the Philadelphia Energy Authority has you covered. Check out the Residential Solar 101 webinar. For those who did attend, you can quickly buzz through to the slides you were interested in getting a closer look at. Ready to get started? Start here for your consultation, and know that it will be at least 6 months before your panels are installed. 

Fosters Needed!

Morris Animal Refuge currently has 2 puppies who need 2-week placement in a foster home while they get big enough to adopt. They also have several cats who don’t love the shelter environment and need a home to decompress in. Are you the one who can provide that need?

Learn more about fostering here. 

Annual Garden Party

The American Philosophical Society Museum is hosting their Annual Garden Party this Sunday, October 9 from 12PM-3PM. The event is free and takes place at the Jefferson Garden located at 105 S. 5th Street. Fun for guests of all ages. The exhibit Becoming Weatherwise will be open throughout the garden party times.

Hazardous Waste Drop Off

On Saturday, October 22 from 9AM-3PM, residents can drop off their household hazardous waste. Pre-registration is now required so be sure to Sign Up here. The link also provides an overview of acceptable items. 

Location: Streets Dept Facility at 3033 S. 63rd Street

Up & Coming Kindergarteners

McCall is our award winning neighborhood public school -elementary and middle. They are resuming in person tours for prospective parents. Click this link to sign up for tour date. Limited to 20 individuals.

The HSA is also hosting their annual fund-drive. Click here to donate to the McCall Annual Fund today and help McCall maintain its streak of excellence.

Midtown Village Fall Festival

Hurricane Ian rains impacted this weekend’s festival despite the original rain or shine intention.

New date is Saturday October 29 from 12PM – 8PM. 

Stay in the know on what’s happening on this neighborhood commercial corridor by visiting their website here. 

Learn a New Language for Free!

Whether you are aiming to learn a new language or brush up on the one you already know, you can add a foreign language to your repertoire using the Free Library’s Mango Languages.

The Free Library also offers language learning classes, supporting individual literacy and learning goals of all Philadelphians through the Parkway Central Library’s Languages and Learning Center.

Grab your library card, create a Mango account, and pick your next language!

Need a library card? Start your journey here.

Neighborhood Community Gardens

As the growing season begins to come to a close, the neighborhood community gardens are gathering the last harvests to donate to local food banks. We love all the benefits our community gardens provide to the neighborhood. 

Find out more about our neighborhood gardens and sign up for your own plot on the Civic website. 

Get to Know the Neighborhood

Are you a lover of all things random but relevant? The Wiki-Around website is bound to delight. Using your location, it provides history and current insights on things around you. 

Despite seeing it daily, it was through this resource that I learned that the southern side of the 900 block of Spruce is known as Portico Row. It reveals history in plain sight.

Join Our Civic Association (or Renew)

The WSWCA is a volunteer led civic organization that focuses on improving the lives of WSW residents. We rely on membership dues to provide services to our neighborhood. Did you know that we hire Center City District to do fortnightly (every 2 weeks) sidewalk sweeping at the cost of a Benefactor AND Leadership Membership each sweeping!

That’s why we need everyone to join. Our wide range of scales for membership meets our neighbors where they are. Then together, we can make an even larger impact. Please consider joining us as a member today. 

Free Library Resources

Although Independence Free Library at 18 S. 7th Street doesn’t have many events these days, they are a great resource for accessing the Barbara Gittings GLBT Collection. 

And our just south of the WSW border is Charles Santore Library who consistently host events that cater to a variety of user groups, including an upcoming Chess Club.  Find out more here. 

Protect the migrating birds

August 15 – November 15

As millions of birds swing through Philly during fall migration, many get killed flying into buildings. The city is urging building owners, tenants, businesses and residents to join together to prevent night-time bird collisions. 

Visit Lights Outs to find out how you can help. 

Join PA Senator Nikil Saval & Preservation Alliance

On Thursday, 9/29 at 2 PM, learn more about the Whole Home Repairs program that is designed to assist residents and landlords to preserve older homes while creating jobs. 

Find out more about the event here. Find out more about the program here.

Senator Casey is Hiring in Philly

Senator Casey is hiring a Constituent Advocate to serve in his Philadelphia office. This position will manage constituent requests for assistance with federal agencies and will serve as a liaison, facilitator, and advocate when working with Pennsylvanians, government agencies, and community organizations. 

Find out more – along with the salary & how to apply – here.

Work for the City

Did you know that the City of Philadelphia has a job’s posting board that has over 160 opportunities open to the public? The job diversity is astounding and your dream job may be on the list. Check it out here.