Join local community groups this Saturday (Nov. 17) for Love Your Park Day and help prep neighborhood parks for the winter. Here’s how and where you can help:

• Clark Park (43rd and Chester) – Friends of Clark Park will be raking leaves, spreading mulch, weeding, and picking up trash. Meet at the green and white shed on 45th St. between Chester and Woodland Aves. at 9:00 a.m., or just stop by when you can. RSVP here.
• Malcolm X Park (51st and Pine) – Friends of Malcolm X Park (Facebook page) will be doing some cleaning, bulb-planting, and leaf-raking in the park. Tools and refreshments provided. 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. For more information contact Greg Cojulun at 215-748-5329.
• Barkan Park (50th and Spruce) – Barkan Park cleanup is scheduled between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. For more information contact Mark Mendenhall at 215-476-2983.

If you know of other clean-ups, please let us know in the comments.

The 48th Street Neighbors group and the University City District are inviting all neighbors to the “Welcome to the Neighborhood – Meet the Grassroots” event this Sunday, Nov. 18, from 4 to 6 p.m., at Studio 34 (4522 Baltimore Ave).

There will be an opportunity to meet some dynamic people and get information on resources and opportunities in the neighborhood. Come to this event if you want to be a part of this living, growing, and effective community. And you’re welcome to bring a friend, especially if they are new to the neighborhood.

Here’s a list of the neighborhood groups and organizations participating in the event: 48th St. Neighbors, UCD, Garden Court Community Association, Cedar Park Neighbors, Protecting Our Waters, The Children’s Community School, West Philadelphia Coalition for Neighborhood Schools, Fred Kauffman and “Heeding God’s Call” – a group dedicated to getting illegal guns off the street, Shakespeare in Clark Park, West Philly Tool Library, Camp Sojourner, Girls’ Leadership Camp, International Student Support Group, Books through Bars, A-Space, City Kitties, Curio Theater Company and others.

Also, the event will include local activist Iris Bloom leading a safety/self-defense session from 5 to 6 p.m.

Refreshments will be served. Please contact Patty Bulack at pbulack@gmail.com with any questions.

VIX Emporium, the popular everything-cool-and-artsy shop, opened its doors five years ago this month and now the shop owners, Emily and Sean Dorn, need your help to celebrate the 5th anniversary. This Saturday, Nov. 17, all are welcome to the AnniVIXary V party at the shop near 50th and Baltimore. The party runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The party will include festive refreshments, merriment and music by Philly blues legend Shakey Lyman (Facebook page), who will be playing his 1938 National steel guitar from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Shakey also played VIX’s grand opening. VIX’s own Sean Dorn will be on upright bass.

This will also be a good chance to scope out some holiday gifts. Fiber Artist Elissa Kara, the owner of Nice Things Handmade (Facebook page), will be on hand to talk about her crocheted wooly hats, which she has been making for more than a decade. Kara was the featured artist at the very first VIX holiday party back in 2007. Kara will also debut an assortment of pouches and purses in vintage fabrics. These were made from a collection of donated fabrics with wacky 1950s and 60s patterns mysteriously left on VIX’s doorstep a few years ago. A note was attached to the fabrics that read “for a deserving crafter.”

There are two important community meetings taking place in West Philly on Tuesday, Nov. 13. If you want to help shape up the future of your neighborhood, you are encouraged to attend these meetings or at least one of them since they are scheduled within an hour from one another.

• Philadelphia City Planning Commission Meeting – 6:30 p.m., Enterprise Center (4548 Market St.)

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission is inviting residents to the first meeting about their University City/Southwest Philly District Plan. The plan will make recommendations for zoning changes, city-owned land and facilities, and public investments and, when finalized, will have some far reaching implications for West Philly’s future development. Here’s what you can expect at the meeting:

– Learn about the planning process and existing conditions

– Help shape future development and public investment

– Work with Planning Commission staff and your neighbors in small groups.

For more information about this project visit: www.phila2035.org. There is also a need for volunteers who help facilitate table exercises with community members. If you’re interested, contact Andrew Meloney at: andrew.meloney@phila.gov or 215-683-4656.

• Annual Meeting of the Spruce Hill Community Association, 7:30 p.m., Spruce Hill Christian School Chapel (42nd & Baltimore)

This is Spruce Hill Community Association‘s biggest meeting of the year, where neighbors are invited to come renew their dues and vote for officers and directors to the 2013 Board. The full slate of nominees and their bios will be available at the meeting.

In addition, Matt Bergheiser, Executive Director of University City District, will present the project on rejuvenation of the 40th Street Trolley Portal. Plans and renderings of the proposed design will be shown and residents’ input and feedback is welcome.

All neighbors are welcome. Light refreshments will be served and the first 50 people to arrive at the meeting will receive free leaf bags. Spruce Hill is bounded by Market St., Woodland Ave., S. 38th St., and S. 46th St. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

As the weather seems to be improving, why not go out and try your luck in the Second Friday Scavenger Hunt tonight on Lancaster Avenue, from 5 to 8 p.m. Collect as many tickets as possible at the 15 participating businesses in order to be in the running for some great prizes.

Here’s are the rules:

1. Start at the Community Education Center (3500 Lancaster Ave).
2. Pick up your Lancaster Avenue tote bag with a list of all participating businesses.
3. Visit at least 10 out of the 15 locations listed to collect as many tickets as possible to increase your chances of winning.
4. There will be bonus 5 tickets for those who visit Vintage Villa Antiques.
5. At 8 p.m., make your way to 3848 Lancaster Avenue for live music and drawings of the winners!

Prizes include $25 gift cards at Powelton Pizza, Central Resellers Market and Vintage Villa Antiques.

There will also be a prize for the person who checks in the most on foursquare at the different locations and a bonus random drawing from a bowl for a bag of goodies.

Also while you’re on the scavenger hunt, feel free to drop off canned goods or other non-perishables at CEC to support a local food pantry.

Finally, make sure to check out a new exhibit by ceramic artists Angela Klaerner Clark and Jimmy Clark opening at the Art on the Avenue Gallery. The gallery is located at 3808 Lancaster Ave and the opening reception is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. For more information visit www.artonave.org.

This Saturday, families with young children are invited to a fun and educational event: the Parent Infant Center, which provides early learning and after school care for infants to grade 6 and is dedicated to promoting literacy and pre-literacy as a family activity, is organizing a Family Book Fest at the Rotunda (40th & Walnut). This is a free event and open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

There will be lots of reading, crafts and other family fun activities for ages 7-under. WXPN’s Kathy O’Connell, host of Kids’ Corner, will join in with read-aloud stories, followed by a concert with Two of a Kind.

Bring a slightly used children’s book for the swap table and take home some new stories to share with your family.