If you live between Baltimore and Kingsessing Avenues, and between 47th and 49th Streets, the 48th Street Neighbors group is inviting you to be one of the hosts at the next Porch Hop Party on Saturday, August 4. Nine porches participated in the first Porch Hop on May 19 and those who attended this event had a great time. The hosts reported that it was the easiest party they’ve ever thrown with little preparation and no clean up!

If you would like to host the next Porch Hop please or have questions, send an email to: slbumgarner@gmail.com. Please include your street address in your email. You can also leave a message on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/events/361878197200583/

Please respond by Monday, July 2.

St. Francis de Sales is holding its Annual Fundraising Flea Market this Saturday, June 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and you can donate your items to be sold at the de Sales table. Donations will be accepted all day Friday (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) in the de Sales School Auditorium (47th & Windsor Ave). You can bring anything except clothing and large furniture.

If you want to be a vendor at this flea market you may rent tables for $25 each. To rent a table, volunteer or get more information, call 215-222-2255.

The 48th Street Neighbors group is organizing their first Porch Hop this Saturday, May 19, from 4 – 7 p.m. and everyone is invited. Nine porches both north and south of Baltimore Avenue along 47th and 48th streets are participating in this event and it’s a great opportunity to meet, greet and hang out with your neighbors. Stop by one porch and then hop over to another.

The 48th Street Neighbors is a community group that has been meeting since September with the goal of making the neighborhood more vibrant and less vulnerable. Laura Crandall, one of the group members and Porch Hop organizer, said that this event will help bring people in the neighborhood together to build community. The group is hoping to continue organizing social events throughout the summer. They have also been taking neighborhood strolls in the evening and hosting monthly potluck meetings.

Everyone is welcome to come to the Porch Hop, but especially folks from Spruce Street down to Kingsessing which are within a few blocks from the most northerly and southerly porches hosting this event.

Drinks and snacks will be provided at each porch and you are encouraged (but not required) to bring drinks (alcoholic or not) and/or snacks to the first porch you visit. All of the details, including addresses are included in the flyer below.

You can RSVP and invite your friends on the event’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/events/405856216103211/

A huge multi-home porch sale is being held this Saturday, May 12, on Melville and Locust Streets beginning at 9 a.m. Check out the flyer below for more details.

Here are three community meetings and public hearings scheduled this week:

• On Tuesday, May 8, the Spruce Hill Community Association is holding its monthly board meeting at the SHCA office at 257 S. 45th Street. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm. For more information, please call 215-349-7825 or visit: www.sprucehillca.org.

• This Thursday, May 10, from 6 – 8 p.m. there will be a School District Community Budget Session at West Philadelphia High School. Neighbors can learn about and discuss the reorganization plan proposed by the School District and the Actual Value Initiative proposed by the Mayor. The Actual Value Initiative’s goal is to reassess properties in Philadelphia based on their actual market value, which basically means higher property taxes for many homeowners. The current proposal would help generate approximately $90 million to support Philadelphia’s schools. To read more about what will be discussed at the meeting, take a look at the following documents: A Blueprint for Transforming Philadelphia’s Public Schools, Actual Value Initiative (AVI), Property Tax Reassessment Talking Points.

• Also on Thursday, community members are invited to attend a presentation and a brainstorming session to generate ideas on how we can create greener, more sustainable schoolyards in Philadelphia. One of the schools whose schoolyard is being proposed for this project is West Philadelphia’s Lea Elementary (47th & Locust). The presentation is organized by the Community Design Collaborative, AIA Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Water Department. The presentation will take place from 4 – 6 p.m. at the Center for Architecture, 1218 Arch Street. To RSVP, go here. For more information, contact Cedar Park Neighbors Vice President, David Hincher, at david.hincher@gmail.com or visit the Community Design Collaborative’s website.

A group of community members helped clean up and beautify Barkan Park at 50th and Spruce on Saturday. Mark Mendenhall of Garden Court Community Association sends word that the next clean up and Spring Planting at Barkan Park will be held on Saturday, May 19, from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information, call (215) 476-2983.