The city’s Westfield In Bloom committee has developed a program to help the needy during their Westfield In Bloom campaign this spring.  The Plant a Row for the Hungry Program is aimed at urging residents to plant an extra row of fruits, veggies or herbs to donate to the designated recipient food bank for 2010. 

Participation is simple and anyone can get involved.  Simply fill out the Plant a Row Commitment Card and begin planting your garden.   “One of the most rewarding parts of the program will delivering the home grown fresh fruits and veggies to the food pantry,” says Westfield Parks Director Melody Jones.  “We have such a giving community, I am confident we can make a difference,” says Jones. 

There will be two designated drop off locations, Third Phase in Noblesville and Ameriana Bank in Westfield. 

Visit www.westfield.in.gov/parks for the Plant a Row brochure and the Commitment Card. 

Westfield City Hall, located at 130 Penn Street in Westfield, will serve as a Hamilton County Census Questionnaire Assistance Center for the public.  This Assistance Center is open now and will be open through April 19.  Hours of operation are Mondays and Wednesdays 2pm to 4:30pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays 11am to 3pm. 

The purpose of the Questionnaire Assistance Center is to assist anyone with questions related to the 2010 census or to assist residents in filling out their Census form.  The information exchanged is completely confidential. 

For additional information, call Westfield City Hall at 317-804-3001. 

The cities of Carmel and Westfield have decided to join forces to pursue a partnership with Google to bring fiber-to-the home connection to both cities.  Google plans to select a community to test their unique high speed connection later this year.  Communities nationwide will apply for this partnership and the selected communities will be the pilot cities and receive the installation of the unique high speed fiber access at no cost.

You could have access to one if Google selects Carmel/Westfield as a test site to install ultra high speed broadband network community wide. This would be about 100 times faster than most Americans have access to (more than 1 gigabit per second).

Here is how you can help:

Send us your 30 second video showing Google why they should install the high speed fiber in Carmel/Westfield. How would you benefit? How would your family benefit? How would your community benefit? Be creative, make it fun and keep it family friendly! DEADLINE – FRIDAY, MARCH 26.  Click this link to upload your video response.  http://www.youtube.com/user/CarmelWestfieldFiber

ALSO

Become a fan of “Google for Westfield/Carmel” fan page on Facebook.

AND                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Simply nominate your community by clicking here www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi

Why Participate?

The most creative video submission will win a dinner for two at The Bridgewater Club attended by both Mayor Andy Cook of Westfield and Mayor Jim Brainard of Carmel.

Hamilton County together with its cities and towns are partnering next month to celebrate Earth Day and holding a community-wide event titled “Tidy-Up, Be Bitter About Litter.”  The event is geared toward gathering families, friends, community groups and neighbors to “tidy-up” up their community.  The event will be held, April 24 from 9 a.m. to noon. 

Carmel, Cicero, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield and Hamilton County municipalities are organizing specific clean-up sites in each of their perspective city or town.  Groups will be asked to pick-up trash and litter from a specific location in their community in an effort to help beautify the community and celebrate Earth Day, a day created to promote awareness and appreciation of the earth’s environment.  Groups willing to get involved in the clean-up are urged to call their municipality of choice to register and coordinate a clean-up location. 

“We are thrilled to be able to partner with these communities for an excellent cause,” says Steve Dillinger, president, Hamilton County Board of Commissioners.  “We would like to encourage residents to gather a group of citizens, get involved and give back to your community."

To find out more information about “Tidy-Up, Be Bitter About Litter” in your community, visit www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/tidyup/ or below are registration contact information numbers for involved communities:

Carmel – 573.5243

Cicero – 984.4833

Fishers – 567.5056

Noblesville – 776.6348

Westfield – 804-3110

Hamilton County – 773.7770

Hamilton County residents Mike and Debbie Laird presented the Westfield Police Department with a generous donation to fund a Community Day to be held in Westfield July 31.  The Lairds are the parents of fallen Indianapolis Police Officer Jake Laird, who gave his life in the line of duty Aug. 18, 2004.  In his honor, the Westfield Police Department will pay tribute to Jake and promote the spirit of community by providing an afternoon of food and fun for the residents of Westfield. 

After Jake’s death, the Lairds established the Jake Laird Memorial Fund, which provides funds for local law enforcement agencies in need of new equipment, innovating new programs and assistance with officer hardships.  The Laird Family is known as friends to numerous police agencies throughout Indiana sponsoring programs that strengthen community relations.  “We are deeply grateful to the Laird’s for their generosity,” says Westfield Police Chief Joel Rush.  “We are extremely honored to be able to pay tribute to Officer Jake Laird and his family here in Westfield."

The Laird’s donation will also help fund the purchase of a bike to supplement the Police Department Bicycle Patrol Program.  Officers will be able to provide patrols in our many parks, neighborhoods and the trial system.