Mentelle Neighborhood Association
Lexington, Kentucky
From contest coordinator Esther Hurlburt:
Toy drum roll, please … Members of the Mentelle Neighborhood Association have voted the home of Melissa and Jeremy Miller at 709 Aurora Ave. as winner of the Holiday Decorating Contest! A basket of goodies provided by Warehouse Block will be delivered to their home!
Thanks to all who entered and voted.
Tuesday at 10 p.m. is the deadline for casting your vote for the Mentelle neighborhood’s best holiday decorations and lights. We have seven entries:
Rules of voting are based on trust:
The prize will be announced on Wednesday, December 22. The winner will receive a basket of goodies from Warehouse Block merchants.
Get out in the neighborhood tonight and tomorrow evening and join in the fun!
We have seven entries in our holiday lights and decorations contest. Join in the merriment by wandering through our neighborhood to enjoy each home’s expression of holiday cheer. Our entrants are:
Rules of voting are based on trust:
The prize will be announced on Wednesday, December 22. The winner will receive a basket of goodies from Warehouse Block merchants.
Join the fun!
Monday (Dec. 13) is the deadline for entering the Mentelle Neighborhood Association’s second annual holiday decoration contest. To enter, a note to Esther Hurlburt at echurlburt@gmail.com.
There will be one grand prize for the home judged to have the best decorations: a gift basket donated by Warehouse Block businesses. The rules are simple:
You must be a MNA member to enter the contest. If you qualify but are not a member, you may join here.
MNA will give members a map of all of the contest entrants. You are encouraged to walk through the neighborhood to view the entries. MNA members will determine which home has the best decorations. Voting is limited to one vote per household.
Votes will be accepted from Dec. 13 to Dec. 22. Send your vote to Esther Hurlburt at echurlburt@gmail.com.
The grand prize will be delivered to the winning household.
Enjoy the fun! Bundle up! Walk through the neighborhood and spread the holiday cheer.
From board member Esther Hurlburt:
It’s time to decorate for the holiday season. Put on your lights and decorations and join the fun of the holiday decorating contest. There will be one grand prize for the home judged to have the best decorations: a gift basket donated by Warehouse Block businesses. The rules are simple:
You must be a MNA member to enter the contest. If you qualify but are not a member, you may join here.
The entry deadline is Monday, Dec. 13. Send a note that you would like to enter the contest to Esther Hurlburt at echurlburt@gmail.com.
MNA will give its members a map of all of the contest entrants. You are encouraged to walk through the neighborhood to view the entries. MNA members will determine which home has the best decorations. Voting is limited to one vote per household.
Votes will be accepted from Dec. 13 to Dec. 22. Send your vote to Esther Hurlburt at echurlburt@gmail.com.
The grand prize will be delivered to the winning household.
Enjoy the fun! Bundle up! Walk through the neighborhood and spread the holiday cheer.
The Mentelle Neighborhood Association board will have its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 17) via Zoom. Any MNA member is welcome to attend. If you would like to attend, email Tom Eblen for a Zoom link. This will be the last regular board meeting of the year; the next one will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022.
The Mentelle Neighborhood Association will have its annual membership meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, at the Children’s Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass, 162 N. Ashland Ave. The meeting room entrance is behind the center’s main building.
You must wear a face mask inside the building. As a courtesy to your neighbors, we also ask that you do not attend if you have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 or are feeling ill.
This meeting is your opportunity to learn more about what is happening in our neighborhood and offer your ideas for improvements and social events for the upcoming year.
Association members also will elect officers. The board’s nominating committee has submitted the slate of candidates below following an open solicitation to members. Other candidates may be written in on the ballot or nominated from the floor. Association members who are unable to attend the meeting may download an absentee ballot here, fill it out, scan it and email it to secretary Tom Eblen by noon on Oct. 27.
Here is the 2021 slate of candidates and a little information about them. (* denotes currently serving on the board.):
For President:
Ann Olliges * has been president of the association since 2017. She moved to the neighborhood in 1996 and for several years helped coordinate the “Aurora Fest” street party. As president, she has helped negotiate rezoning issues with the city, neighbors and developers. She would like to help protect the integrity of the community for future generations.
For Vice President:
Jamie Lucke * has lived at 914 Aurora Avenue for 27 years. In her two years on the board, she has worked with neighbors on zoning issues and helped organize a neighborhood tree walk and last year’s winter decorating prizes.
For Secretary:
Tom Eblen * and his wife, Becky, have lived on Mentelle Park since 2012. The secretary since 2016, he created and manages the neighborhood’s website, which includes news updates delivered by email and a neighborhood history page. Tom, a journalist and photographer, enjoys living in the neighborhood because it is walkable, mixed-use and filled with friendly, interesting people and an increasing number of adorable children.
For Treasurer:
Barbara Wagner is a small business owner and serial entrepreneur with three successful exits. She resided in Lexington for 12 years, got married and moved away for 12 years, and has been back in Lexington for seven happy years. She thoroughly enjoys the friendly atmosphere and mix of ages in our neighborhood.
For the Board:
Esther Hurlburt * has lived in the neighborhood since 1980. She credits the neighborhood association for many of the positive changes we have seen in the past several years. She enjoys working as a team to coordinate neighborhood activities and to advocate for necessary changes within our neighborhood.
Will Jones * and his wife, Mary Catherine, moved to the neighborhood in June 2019. You might see them on walks around the neighborhood with their son, Red, daughter, Miller, and dog, Callie. He is a partner at the Lexington-based brand design firm Bullhorn Creative. As a board member, his focus is on neighborhood camaraderie, helping create events such as Porch Songs.
Shelby Reynolds * is in his sixth year as a board member. He has lived at 710 Aurora for 34 wonderful years, 26 of them with husband David Bartley. He is co-owner of Morningside Woodcrafters on National Avenue.
Beth Hellebusch is a Lexington Native who spent her formative years in the Fairway and Kenwick neighborhoods. She and her partner, Dean Langdon, moved to Mentelle neighborhood in 2017. Beth is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works for Healthfirst Bluegrass in the LTMS Healthy Kids Clinic. She serves as the treasurer on the board of the Kentucky Society for Clinical Social Workers. Beth spends most of her free time socializing with her pandemic pup, Zelda.
Laura Beth O’Bryan is a Lexington native who moved back to the Bluegrass two years ago with her husband Brendan after several years in Chicago. They have two young kids — Gabe (3.5) and Lily (8 months) — and two dogs who take many walks around the neighborhood. Laura Beth is the Director of Stewardship for UK HealthCare, and Brendan is a civil engineer at Stantec. They love this neighborhood and its community, history, open-mindedness and walkability.
Tentative agenda for the meeting:
Introductions
Secretary Tom Eblen — Election process
Treasurer Todd Davis — Treasurer’s report and membership
President Ann Olliges — Traffic Survey
Remarks by Warehouse Block President Chad Walker
Director Shelby Reynolds — Social activities for 2021.
Vice President Jamie Lucke — Goals for 2022
The Mentelle Neighborhood Association board will have its regular monthly meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Any MNA member is welcome to attend. If you would like to attend, please email board secretary Tom Eblen for a link.
The annual membership meeting will be the following Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. Meeting location and details will be announced here later this week.
A note from Mentelle neighborhood resident Whitney Durham:
This is Whitney Durham at 19 Mentelle Park. Last night I forgot to lock my car and my purse/wallet was taken. Through the help of our neighbors, most was returned. I want to thank everyone who helped me this morning and afternoon piece it back together. If anyone finds other cards with Whitney Durham or Gatterdam on it, if they could return to 19 Mentelle Park that would be great. Love this neighborhood!❤️