• Bevo Area Community Improvement Corporation (Bevo)
• Chippewa Park / Chester Heights Community Association
• Holly Hills Improvement Association
• Newport Heights Improvement Association

Bevo

In 1971 Father Bernard Boessen, then pastor of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, was concerned about the condition of the area surrounding his parish. He met with some of the local residents and some of the Gravois Businessmen. At that time, they decided to begin a new corporation that would bring together all of the existing neighborhood organizations.

The first Board of Directors was elected in May of 1972, and consisted of members of the Gravois Businessmen, St. John's parish, Chippewa Park Community Association, Holly Hills Improvement Association and Newport Heights Improvement Association. The Board also included the pastors of St. John the Baptist Church, Christy Memorial Methodist Church and Grace United Church of Christ. Since that time, a new organization was formed, Chester Heights Improvement Association, to represent an area not previously having an organization of its own. In 2000, Chester Heights Improvement Association merged with Chippewa Park Community Association.

Funds were obviously going to be a problem, and the first Bevo Day was organized in 1972. Bevo Day remains the chief means of funding for the Bevo Corporation. The 32nd Bevo Day will be held on Sunday, August 24, 2003. Bevo began an annual golf classic in 2001. The next Bevo Golf Classic is tentatively scheduled for June 8, 2003, at the soon to be re-opened Forest Park Golf Course.

The property at 4705 Ridgewood was donated by H.K. Porter Company in May of 1976, through the efforts of Mr. Alex Aboussie. This property consists of a two-story brick building, used as the office, and a single-story building, used as a senior center (the Alice & Alex Aboussie Senior Citizens Center). The property contains 3.6 acres of ground, and has a small athletic field used by area children.

The property had been vacant for a number of years and required extensive repairs. The Community Development Agency helped with $50,000. Proposals were written and the buildings were made usable again. In 1995 the offices were extensively remodeled, and the Alice & Alex Aboussie Senior Citizens Center was remodeled again in 1996 after extensive damage from a fire.

The Alice & Alex Aboussie Senior Citizens Center is the place to be on weekdays. There are card games, bingo, dances, parties and activities to please everyone. A delicious meal is served at noon. For those who can't get out any more, home-delivered meals are provided.

Bevo also operates a minivan, three modified vans and a minibus to provide elderly transportation in the area. In 2001, two of the Bevo vans had more than 100,000 miles on them. Mr. Alex Aboussie met with members of the Busch family to apprise them of the community's need to replace these vehicles. Due to Mr. Aboussie's efforts, Bevo received two modified vans in May, 2002. These vans provide more than 2,000 trips every month by taking area residents to the doctor, shopping, for necessary business, such as banking, and bringing them to the senior center.

Bevo also has a small in-home service program in which a worker helps keep a senior's home clean and safe. These programs are funded by client contributions, grants from the Division of Aging, the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging, the Missouri Department of Transportation, the Community Development Agency and matching funds from the Bevo Corporation. As with all government programs, funding has been cut during the past several years and deeper government funding cuts are projected for the coming year. Bevo is working hard not to have to cut services by earning the needed funds through other sources.

In 1987 the St. Louis Public Library closed the Gravois Branch Library, the library that served the Bevo Area. Bevo immediately called together area residents to plead with the Library Board not to let this happen. When the library was closed, Bevo negotiated with the St. Louis Board of Education to keep the space available and negotiated with the St. Louis Public Library for technical support and a means of ordering books for patrons. A Librarian was hired, and the Gravois-Bevo Community Library was opened. It became the "Little Library that Could."

The Bevo Corporation has accomplished much during the past 30 years. Some of the more notable projects are: the erection of the Bevo Medalion at the intersection of Gravois, Morganford and Delor across from the Bevo Mill; the construction of a Bavarian-style bandstand; working with the Gravois Businessmen to develop the Businessmen's Parking Lot and moving a house to Delor rather than razing it.

Another major community project was the installation of a mural (pictured at the beginning of this Web site) in 1992 with a grant from CitiCorp and donations from area businesses. The mural was designed by On-the-Wall-Productions. It was painted by volunteers from the neighborhood and art students from St. John the Baptist College Preparatory High School. Volunteers also erected and took down the scaffolding used for this project. This mural was instrumental in attracting a new business to the area, Russell Florist. However, it was covered over when the building underwent major renovation.

Other accomplishments include a 10% rebate program initially funded by Bevo and then later by the Community Development Agency. More than $80,000 was distributed to area residents as rebates on exterior repairs to their homes. New city programs have since taken the place of the original Bevo Rebate Program.

The Bevo Board of Directors under the leadership of it's President, Kevin Brock, is planning an ambitious project. In order to meet the needs of a growing senior population and provide a much-needed, multi-use facility for the Bevo community, the Board is beginning plans for a capital improvement campaign to enlarge and remodel the Alice & Alex Aboussie Senior Citizens Center.

When Bevo was begun, its main objective was the improvement of the housing stock in the area. Since that time, it became apparent that there was a great need for social services. Much of the corporation's efforts are now directed toward the delivery of these services. Bevo works in collaboration with the area St. Vincent de Paul Societies, the Human Development Corporation and the St. Louis Area Food Bank to provide services for area residents. Bevo operates a large food pantry. Much of the food in the pantry is purchased from the St. Louis Area Food Bank with money earned at Bevo fundraisers and from donations. Area churches and organizations also donate food and money to the pantry. Food is also picked up from various businesses. A dedicated group of volunteers stock the pantry, screen clients for eligibility and fill food orders -- and new volunteers are warmly welcomed.

The Bevo Corporation is governed by a Board of Directors. Members of the Board are elected in May of even-dated years. The balance of the Board members are appointed by various organizations in the Bevo Area. All members, both elected and appointed, have the same rights and duties. The Board of Directors elects the officers of the Corporation. The Officers of the Corporation are: Kevin Brock, President; Jim Sahaida, Vice President; Gina Joly, Treasurer; and Dorothy Boxdorfer, Secretary.

Board meetings are held the fourth Wednesday of the month at 8:00 p.m. at the Bevo Center. General meetings are held the fourth Wednesday of February, May and August and the third Wednesday of November at 8:00 p.m. at the Bevo Center. Membership in the Bevo Corporation is available to any person over eighteen years of age. Membership dues are $7 for an individual and $25 for a business.

It takes hundreds of volunteers to operate the Bevo Corporation. Help is always needed on Bevo Day, at fundraisers, in the office, in the food pantry, delivering meals and preparing tax returns for the elderly. Everyone is welcome, and you'll be surprised how much fun you can have!

Chippewa Park / Chester Heights Community Association

The area bound by Chippewa, South Kingshighway, Christy and Gravois is in the Chippewa Park Neighborhood. The President is Paul James and Janie Ambrose serves as Vice President, and the meetings are the first Thursday of the month (except January and July) at 7:30 p.m. at the Alice & Alex Aboussie Senior Citizens Center at 4705 Ridgewood. For more information call (314)352-0141.

Holly Hills Improvement Association

Sandra Dannehold is the President of Holly Hills Improvement Association. Meetings are held the 4th Monday of March, May, July, September and December at Southern Commercial Bank, 5515 South Grand.

Newport Heights Improvement Association