Maple Leaf now has a “neighborhood hero,” named by Seattle magazine earlier this morning.
She’s Donna Hartmann-Miller, shown here in her trademark Park Suit. (Photo courtesy Dane Doerflinger Photography.)
The magazine piece notes Donna is a member of the Maple Leaf Community Council (as is her husband, David Miller) and works at Maple Leaf Ace Hardware.
The ubiquitous Donna is also a force behind Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park (hence the Park Suit, which represents the park as it should be by this summer) and the annual Maple Leaf Parade of Costumes.
It’s the first time the magazine has polled readers to find neighborhood heroes, and it didn’t name any for neighborhoods where not enough residents voted.
Other heroes include Jeff Bezos and Phoenix Jones (as “superhero,” natch).
You can read our interview with Donna here.
Oh dear, I knew I’d forget someone. Howard Handewith is on our current Executive Board and he has been so diligent on working on the Disaster Preparedness stuff. He has attended safety seminars where he actually put out fires (I’m jealous). Emergency Preparedness is so very important to a community and we were all feeling guilty we weren’t working on it, then Howard came along. Thanks to Howard too!
Jill! Hi! Thanks! Hope you are doing well too!
Woo hoo to you, Donna, and David! Ruth sent me the link…and green is your color! You go girl! Very proud of you and glad you are doing well.
Geez, thanks. It is nice and weird at the same time. And if I am a hero in any way, I’m really more a part of a Justice League, which includes everyone who talks to me and tells me what is important to them. I consider myself lucky to get to do this stuff and be a part of a team on so many things. And I never feel like I get to thank people for their support. So I’m going to here, real quick (which means I’ll probably forget someone). I help with the newsletter as do many others in the neighborhood that help deliver it (thanks to all of them) and it is produced by Charles Harper (who is so on top of things he has already asked me for an official response!), Sydnie, and Jocelyn; Mandi G started the Halloween Kiddie Parade, totally ran it for two years and shared the responsibilities with me this year; Jill at Cloud City Coffee, Billie at Blue Saucer, Ryan at Cafe Javisti, and Snappy Dragon have all supported outreach efforts re: the Park (Cloud City also welcomed us when we had info tables outside it while working to save Waldo Woods). Barbara Maxwell, Janice Camp, Mark Schoen, and Marc Phillips all preceded me on the Executive Board and I think of them often when I am working on issues; the current members of the Executive Board (Tyler, Helen, Matt, David); Tom S allows me use the front of his building for Park issues (which I need to update, I have a diorama to get in there); Maple Leaf Life helps to get out the word on many of the issues we all work on; Mike and Kathy at Maple Leaf Ace give me lots of flexibility in my schedule so I can attend and prepare for meetings (and I am so lucky for this generousity, they never even hesitate when I ask); everyone who attends the meetings, sends in letters, and gives their support; and David Miller, who does the majority of major lifting for the neighborhood — truly, he does an extraordinary amount of research and representation of the neighborhood and whenever I volunteer him for something, he never grumbles — he is amazing, really and truly. I hope these folks are appreciated too, they are all great. (cue the music, turn off the microphone)
Words can’t express what this means to both of us after a really, really tough week… The saying, “Behind every man stands a great woman” is so absolutely true here and to see Donna get credit like this from our neighbors is truly heartwarming.
Thank you.
Cool!! Congrats!!!
Donna is the heart of Maple Leaf!! Well deserved!!
Donna is the heart of Maple Leaf!! Well deserved!!
I still think we should name the park Miller Park.
Three cheers for Donna! Way to go kid!
Well deserved Donna.