The Member Owner Appreciation Day on October 3rd was a huge success.  A few highlights for the day include:

A huge selection of plants were swapped at our Annual Fall Plant Swap.
Elected new slate of UR board members as part of the Annual Meeting of the membership.
Launched our new website with 12 Grain Studio.
Tasted some amazing Cider with Chateau Buffalo (my favorite was the Pear cider).

Take a look at some of our photos below and the full slate of new board members can be reviewed following the photos.

 

 

 

Urban Roots 2009-2010 Proposed Slate of New Directors

Peter Ahrens
Peter Ahrens is current a Private Banker employed by Key Private Bank. Peter looks forward to helping Urban Roots develop our 3 year strategic plan, and brings his prior experience on the Finance Committee into the role of Treasurer.

Darlie Al-Haqq
D. Darlie Al-Haqq, MUP, is a Housing Development Specialist with Heart of the City Neighborhoods, Inc.  Currently, she divides her time between Grant Research/ Writing and Project Management.  She donates time to the Erie County Fair Housing Partnership, West Side Housing Partnership and the City of Buffalo Housing Court system. She enjoys gardening in her spare time.

Elaine Clutterbuck
Elaine Clutterbuck has been a gardener and a city dweller for many years. Elaine had always needed to look for supplies at suburban nurseries or big box stores and when she read about Urban Roots, she knew that she needed to find out more. Elaine has shopped (a lot) and met dedicated, helpful staff for several years now. Since Elaine needs Urban Roots to be around for a long time, now seems like the time to make a different contribution.

Laura Duquette
Laura Duquette is a writer by nature, organizer by nurture and volunteer by choice. After acting as a contributing author to Buffalo Rising Magazine, Laura realized the potential that lie in the city’s neighborhoods and chose to root herself within the limits. She and her husband Matt currently reside in one of the re-purposed factories, where they operate the creative firm, 12 Grain Studio, publish The Artery Magazine online, and raise two wise black cats. After hours, Laura can be found doing laundry at the Little Portion Friary or fostering pets for the Erie County SPCA.

Rachel Kranitz
An attorney and associate with the firm LoTempio and Brown, Kranitz is a West Side resident who has been looking for a volunteer opportunity, which fits her interests, and thinks that Urban Roots may be exactly that.  In addition to being an attorney and hoping to assist our business with common legal issues, she also has retail and managerial experience.  She has some current involvement in the West Side Community Collaborative, and appreciates the idea of a committee-driven leadership structure.  Rachel sees joining UR as a good opportunity to meet new, like-minded people.

 
Proposed Slate of Returning Directors

David Adowski
David is the Director of Food and Beverages for Double Tree Hotel. He is a Buffalo native and has been a resident on the West Side for more than 16 years. He was the first to establish a front yard garden on 15th street and inspire neighbors to follow suit and get involved with Garden Walk. He is an Urban Roots Member-Owner and serves on the planning committee for the Ride for Roswell cycling event to benefit Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Kristin Ahrens, M.D.
Kristin, a psychiatrist, serves as medical director at Horizon Health Services, and oversees all psychiatric services for Horizon’s 10 clinics in Erie, Niagara and Genesee counties.  She also has volunteer experience teaching at the UB School of Psychiatry.  A self-described City person who loves Buffalo and the West Side, she visits Urban Roots at least weekly, and tries to do all of her garden shopping with us.

Leslie Duggleby
Leslie Duggleby will be returning for her third year as Urban Roots’ Vice Chair. She is a technology coordinator with the Buffalo Public Schools. She trains teachers and staff in the integration of technology, as well as improving student achievement through the use of technology. Leslie has owned a home and gardened near the Urban Roots location for 19 years.

John Lenahan
John is a resident with his family of the Westside, he presently serves on the UR Education Committee, has volunteered at the UR information booth at past Elmwood Art’s Festivals and helped write UR’s grant application to NYS for funding of Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo. As a business consultant with ESRI, Inc, John brings proposal development, project management, and budgeting expertise to the board.  John will be entering his second year as Urban Roots Secretary.

Phoebe McKay
An art therapist, substance abuse and alcoholism counselor for Erie County Medical Center at the Downtown Clinic, Phoebe has been committed to Urban Roots as a volunteer since the first conversations about the coop came about.  A long time resident of the West Side, she is well connected to the UR neighborhood, and furthers these connections walking to work and through the neighborhood every day.  She has strong people skills, is a gardener, and is full of realistic and effective ideas for Urban Roots.

Onda Simmons
Onda is a Program Manager, Amherst Systems, Inc. She volunteers and is a docent for the Martin House Restoration Corporation, Preservation Buffalo Niagara Tours. She is a member of the Garden Walk Committee. Onda brings Urban Roots experience in project and business management and finance. Her interests include Buffalo’s architecture, history and revitalization, as well as gardening. Onda has served for two years as Treasurer and is the incoming Chair of Urban Roots.
Peter Sowiski
A professional artist, working in printmaking and paper making, and recently retired Professor of Fine Arts for Buffalo State College, Peter is a long time west side resident.  He currently serves on the board of Big Orbit Gallery and the Council for the Burchfield-Penney Art Center.  He has also volunteered for Re-Tree Buffalo and served on the board for the American Museum of Papermaking in Atlanta.

 
Returning Directors

Dan Keefe
Dan Keefe is an architect, Much of his work involves adaptive reuse and historic preservation. His most recent projects include Bistro Europa, and the reconstruction of Buffalo Public School #45 on Auburn Avenue. Dan is a founding member of Ashland/Lexington Block Club.  If a door shows up in a wall this morning even though there was none there last night – it was probably Dan, the Cobbler’s Elf of the Urban Roots Building Commitee.

Monique Watts
Monique Watts is Director of Corporate Partnerships & Retail Initiatives, Development Department, Roswell Park Cancer Institute. She is a member of the Association of Professional Fundraisers and serves on the National Philanthropy Day committee. Monique has been involved in Urban Roots since 2005.  Monique is happy to report her chickens are back in their coop, and appreciates the outpouring of community support she receive this summer.  However, Monique would prefer to not be called “Chicken Lady” any more.

Blair Woods
Blair Woods, also known as the Snow Miser,  is an independent Agent and Manager for musical acts including Joan Baez, 10,000 Maniacs, and Cowboy Junkies. He is a member of the City of Buffalo’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board and the West Side Community Collaborative. Urban Roots started with an e-mail that Blair sent out almost five years ago.  He has been on the scaffolding in front of the building ever since.