Author Archive: Maryann Spikes
Maryann Spikes holds an Associate of Arts degree in Humanities through Modesto Junior College, manages the Positive Modesto News page on Facebook, and enjoys coordinating Orchard Park Neighborhood Alliance under the umbrella of Modesto Neighborhoods Inc. Her favorite local coffee shop is the Queen Bean, and she calls Redeemer home. Maryann and her husband, Lee, are very proud of their young men, Ethan and David. Email Maryann at maryannspikes77@gmail.com with CommunityView story ideas.
CommunityView – Orchard Park Alliance
CommunityView: Orchard Park Neighborhood Alliance – then and now by Maryann Spikes, Alliance Chair Neighbors who live between Oakdale and Roselle, and between Floyd and Briggsmore, live within the Orchard Park Neighborhood Alliance boundaries. They may be one of almost 130 neighbors in Mike Casares’ Facebook group, Orchard Park Neighborhood, started up December of 2013, […]
CommunityView: Five Ways to Be Modesto’s Valentine
CommunityView: Five Ways to Be Modesto’s Valentine by MaryAnn Spikes Sign up for a Love Modesto volunteer project at LoveModesto.com/april-8 April 8 Festivities begin at 8:00am on I & 10th Streets, right in front of the Gallo Center (NOT at your project location). Free “Love Modesto” t-shirts given out to volunteers […]
CommunityView: Fighting Poverty & Homelessness in 2017
As we look ahead to 2017 in our focus on prevention of homelessness, we must first take stock of what led us here. David Moore was one of 39 people remembered on December 21, the first night of winter and longest night of the year, when the Salvation Army hosted the Not Forgotten homeless persons […]
Community View – Do Good for the Holidays
Do Good for the Holidays By Maryann Spikes I am honored to know someone, who has next to nothing, who gave one of his few pairs of socks to a bare-footed elderly woman so she could put on a pair of donated shoes. Those who have less sure do seem to give more, don’t they? […]
CommunityView: Modesto Family Promise
As cold weather sets in, it is time to talk warmer options for those who sleep outside Modesto’s emergency shelters, which are geared to singles, not couples or families. Do you know of a family living on the street with children? Next time you see them, please tell them about Modesto Family Promise. Modesto […]
Community View What’s New in the Neighborhoods
What’s New in the Neighborhoods La Loma Neighborhood Develops Native Plant Garden An idea to transform a blighted area in the La Loma neighborhood has blossomed into a community native garden project. Several La Loma volunteers, led by Rhonda Allen, have already spent many hours preparing the land for use. The native plant […]
CommunityView – Neighborhood Engagement
CommunityView By MaryAnn Spikes Would you leave a woman stranded on the street with her groceries due to a bulky item policy? Ever kick anyone who loiters in front of your store? Have you displaced families from the safety of their tent community? Maybe there are better ways to engage people experiencing homelessness. Note the […]
Community View: Addressing Homelessness
Community View By MaryAnn Spikes Would you leave a woman stranded on the street with her groceries due to a bulky item policy? Ever kick anyone who loiters in front of your store? Have you displaced families from the safety of their tent community? Maybe there are better ways to engage people experiencing homelessness. Note […]
CommunityView – Unity for Law Enforcement
Community View By Maryann Spikes Have you noticed the great diversity of local vigils in support of unity between law enforcement and the community? Is your porch light blue? Is there a strip of blue tape on the rear window of your vehicle? Blue paint stripe on your curb? If you answered yes to any […]
CommunityView – Beautiful to Be a Neighbor
CommunityView By Maryann Spikes It’s a beautiful day to be a neighbor. In my neighborhood, we talk about a lot of issues in our Facebook group and on Nextdoor.com, but we also do something about them. Rather than whining that another mailbox was broken into, we petition the postmaster to go back to steel community […]
CommunityView – Cleansing Hope
Community View By Maryann Spikes Cleansing Hope Shower Shuttle makes Modesto beautiful by finding a need and filling it Nothing like a hot shower when you’re grimy to give you a fresh outlook on the day, right? I was honored to interview #GreatNeighbors Dean Dodd and Doran and Kelli Ott of Church in the Park […]
CommunityView – Standing With You
CommunityView By Maryann Spikes There are several upcoming opportunities to show your support for local law enforcement – especially the May 21 “Standing with You” event! Please note updated maps. Here are updated district maps with MPD officer contact info. to send thank-you emails and keep in touch on neighborhood crime concerns: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8Fs6QfjIUmvR0ZMbVF5aHIzVms&usp=sharing At Coffee […]
Community View – Guardian Angels
Community View By Maryann Spikes Meet one of Modesto’s great neighbors, David Lambert, leader of the Modesto chapter of the Guardian Angels (GAs) and the Facebook-born group, Homelessness & Poverty in Stanislaus. We met for the first time at the most recent Focus on Prevention meeting geared to neighborhood leaders. Then his Facebook group had […]
CommunityView – Be A Neighbor
Introducing Neighborhood Spotlights By Maryann Spikes The ViewCrew would like to put a spotlight on your neighborhood to showcase everything you love about living in it. Neighbors moving into your neighborhood want to know what’s good in the ‘hood. Send your neighbors’ answers to Maryann at ichthus77@me.com<mailto:ichthus77@me.com> and yours may be the next neighborhood under […]
CommunityView – Yo Knows Modesto
CommunityView By Maryanne Spikes Yo Knows Modesto – Volunteer Yolanda Newell “Pays it Forward” to Local Job Hunters Yo Knows Modesto (YKM) is a popular, one-stop Facebook page connecting job seekers and employers from Modesto and surrounding areas, as well as sharing local resources for those in crisis, and affordable activities for all ages. Launched […]
