Burch15 Magazine - Issue One

burch15magazine

ISSU

E O

NE

WHO IS THIS MAN?

GET THE FACTS!

A GREEN ROOF?

SCHOOL RANK!

ECO-FRIENDLY OPTIONS

15th WARD CRIME STATS

EDUCATION =’s FUTURE

Meet AldermanicCandidate Wil Burch

he has a plan and a platform!PAID FOR BY:CITIZENSFORBURCH.ORG

Burch15 Magazine es una publicacióndedicado a la plataforma y las iniciativasde William N. Burch, un prominente líderde la comunidad que se enorgullece deservir a su comunidad para asegurarmejora para los ciudadanos que llamen al15a Ward de la casa de Chicago.

A Message from William N. Burch:

I am committed to providing quality public service to the residents and business owners of the 15th Ward. I amdevoted to making changes in our neighborhoods; making it safe for our seniors and families. I’m dedicated tomaking sure that every person in our ward has an equal opportunity for employment, education, and housing.

With your continued support, we can continue to make a difference in our community. Every day, our volunteers and Iare challenged with concerns from the 15th ward residents and businesses. The 15th Ward is one of the most diversewards in the city of Chicago. It comprises many of Chicago’s residents of Englewood, West Englewood, Chicago Lawnand Marquette Park. I find great joy in eagerly working with youth and seniors. I also think there is priorities inhelping homeowners feel safe and secure in their homes. Members of the 15th ward business community and thoseconsidering re-locating to the ward can count on Burch 15 Magazine to be fair-minded and objective.

I am available for your comments and recommendations. My number at Team 15 United is 773-306-1958 my officesare located at 2440 W. 63rd Street. I encourage you to join me in ongoing efforts to keep the 15th Ward clean as acommunity and strong as a vital part of this beautiful city we all love.Sincerely,William N. Burch

Contact Burch15 Magazine!2440 W. 63rd Street / Chicago, IL 60629773-306-1958BURCH15 Magazine is funded by:TheCitizensForBurch.org2010 COPYRIGHT BURCH15 MAGAZINE - ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDDISCLAIMER - ALL IMAGES USED IN THIS PUBLICATION WERE USED WITH PERMISSION WITH NO

FEATURES:

Who is this man?Meet William N.Burch! - Page 4

Rooftop View!Eco FriendlyOptions - Page 10

Stopping TheViolence!The Lasting Effectsof CommunityViolence - Page 16

burch15 - 2

burch15 - 3

FIND US! We are looking forward to hearing from you! Ifyou are reading this Burch15 Magazine Online, Click thelive links below to donate, learn more about the campaignand for comments and suggestions! The time is NOW!

www.citizensforburch.org

WHO IS THIS MAN?

burch15 - 4

With a platform and a plan!

he has a plan and a platform!

There are many reasons Williamwill be a great Alderman, andthey center around a couple ofkey concepts–ability and vision.For over 10 years, William hasdedicated himself to helpingpeople and organizations in ourarea. As a businessman, William

Burch is widely recognized asone of the best. His goal hasalways been powerfully simple:provide great products greatservice to all his customers. Hisinvolvement in and for localindustry stems from his ability to

see a need or an opportunity, getothers around him interested andmotivated, and then working harduntil the goals are met. WilliamBurch has been called many things

over the years–an encourager, amotivator–but one term that fits himperfectly is achiever. Some leadershave the gift of persuasion and thepower to communicate a need,while others have the ability tofocus and get things done.

William has both.The number of people who havedone business with William overthe years is considerable, yet it

pales in comparison to thenumber of lives he's touched as aconcerned and involved citizen.His decades-long work with non-profits and charitableorganizations in has not only

Who is this man? That's the questionmany residents of Chicago's 15th ward are askingthese days. This man is currently providing acommunity uprising. There are a few things that areimportant to remember. His plan, his platform and hisname! Meet Mr. William Burch!

Chicago Aldermanic candidate William Burch is lookingforward to becoming a great community leader for the15th Ward. His passion for a better place for allChicagoans is more than evident. William Burch islooking forward to the future and he is looking forwardto February 22, 2011. His "the time is now" tag line,introduces a sense of urgency for the ripple effect thateffective community leadership will bring to the 15thward. His name is William Burch and he wants yourvote!

burch15 - 5

Meet William N. BurchAldermanic Candidate for Chicago’s 15th Ward

Community first!

burch15 - 6

generated record increases infundraising, he routinely becomes achampion of their causes andeducates the public to theirmessage in the process. His serviceand dedication also extend toeducation where he is quick toshare his story and his lifelongpassion for reading and learning.William motivates and encouragesstudents of all ages. Finally, hisparticipation and efforts to establishcommunity economic partnershipsare a vital part of his vision for astronger, healthier community.William Burch is an individual who,like all of us, has to be intenselyfocused on the present, but youwon't meet anyone who has a morepositive attitude about the future.

In his Ten years of working with thepeople it has taught William thatimportant community issuesshouldn't be about politics, butabout passion and teamwork.Helping the most vulnerable,supporting our faith, educating ouryouth and keeping our economystrong: these are things we all want.They are the essence of everysuccessful community, and theytranscend any boundary. Our newAlderman must be someone whoshares the community's views andis willing to preserve the ideals wehold dear. We must also insist onsomeone who has the ability andvision needed to move the 15th

Ward forward in good times andwhen times are tough. Focused andpositive–our choice for Alderman isWilliam Burch.

Meet William N. BurchAldermanic Candidate for Chicago’s 15th Ward

Community first!

burch15 - 7

WHO IS THIS MAN?With a platform and a plan!

Q&A WITH COMMUNITY LEADER WIL BURCHInterview by: Maria Flores

We thought that it might be goodto to get to know the man behindthe man! Yes William Burch is agreat community leader, and sureto become the next Alderman ofthe 15th ward (with your voteFebruary 22, 2011) because ofthis, we wanted to see if there wasanything else! What we found isthat there was so much more todiscover about William Burch,enter the Q&A interview!

> Maria: When it comes toChicago, why do you have agreat love for the city?

> William Burch: I have agreat love for Chicago because Ipersonally feel we are the mostprogressive and entreprenurialminded city in the United States.

>Maria: Do you think thatChicago has "untapped"resources? If so, what are they?

> William Burch: Chicago isa very much untapped resource,primarily because of all the rawtalent and creativity we have righthere in our midst.

> Maria: Why is the 15th ward soimportant to you?

> William Burch: The 15thward is so important tome becauseI have watched our warddetioriorate over various leadersand administrations and when Ihere individuals reference the 15thward I often here people say howour ward is unattractive. Well thatmay be because our leadershiphasn't really put the thought andcreativity into getting thecommunity involved in the strategicrevitalization process.

> Maria: How important isfamily to you?

> William Burch: Family isvery important to me because theyare the backbone of all projectsand events. With out a strongfamily spearheaded by myGrandmother I wouldn't be able tobe the person I am today. Not onlyis family important but a prayingfamily is the most importantbecause God is the center piece ofour Family.

burch15 - 8

> Maria: What do you feel is themost important thing an Aldermancan do for his/her ward?

> William Burch: I would haveto say that including the communityin all decision making processes andtaking their feedback inconsideration when working torevitalize the community is the mostimportant thing that an Aldermancan do for his/her ward.

> Maria: What is your favoritequote?

> William Burch: “problems areopportunities” - author unknown

Lemon Garlic Baked Tilapia

> Maria: Let’s talk about some ofyour favorites...What is yourfavorite Chicago food?

> William Burch: Baked TilapiaFish.

Read More of my Q&Ainterview with Mr. William Burchin Issue 2 of Burch 15 Magazine!

Q&A WITH COMMUNITY LEADER WIL BURCH

Q&A WITH COMMUNITY LEADER WIL BURCHQ&A WITH COMMUNITY LEADER WIL BURCH

burch15 - 9

Rooftop ViewECO FRIENDLY OPTIONS, WILL THEY WORK IN THE 15th WARD?

burch15 - 10

burch15 - 11

Rooftop Gardening can providean excellent alternative, especially for citydwellers where large amounts of land canbe limited. These gardens have numerousbenefits as well. For instance, rooftopgardens make use of space that wouldotherwise go unnoticed or unused and canbe quite attractive. Rooftop gardens notonly provide a unique way for urbanitegardening, but can also save on energysince rooftop plants supply buildings withadditional insulation and shade.Furthermore, rooftop gardens can absorbrainfall as well, reducing runoff.

Nearly any type of roof can accommodatea rooftop garden. However, it’s importantthat you have a licensed professional checkout the structural capacity of the buildingbeforehand in order to assess whether ornot the roof is stable enough to supportthe additional weight of a rooftop garden.This will ultimately determine the type ofrooftop garden design specific to yoursituation and offers more flexibility, and isless expensive.

In addition to being attractive, rooftopgardens are energy efficient and easy tocare, requiring little maintenance onceestablished, other than occasional weedingor watering. Remember, the sky’s the limit,and with a rooftop garden, you’re thatmuch closer to achieving your goals.

Can we have rooftop gardens in the 15thward? YES WE CAN!

William N. Burchplan & platform

Community first!

burch15 - 14

V ACANT PROBLEM

It seems that there are asmany different opinionsabout how things should bedone as there are people in

the 15th Ward. What weknow is that, smalldifferences aside, it’samazing how many of usagree on the larger, criticalissues. We want to bebuilders of goodwill, bothwithin the city and when wereach out to our neighbors.

We’restronger when we work in unison, andit’s our goal to clarify the issues,present them to our community, andwork hard to bring understanding of allthe points of view to the table ofgovernment. When all the facts aregathered and everyone is heard, itbecomes much easier to reachagreement on what is best for all of us.

My position is this: “I will fight forpeople, not with people.” Unwarrantedconfrontation rarely gets things done,but some fights are necessary. I will doall I can to bring people together, but Ialso promise not to shy away from thetough decisions.

We need the community’s enthusiasm,understanding and support to meet thechallenges ahead. I know how powerfulwe can be if we work together

“Let’s Make ChangeTogether!”

burch15 - 15

Community first!William N. Burch

plan & platform

Stopping The ViolenceStopping the violence meansbecoming informed on the City'spolicing system and policies.Our community needs to uniteand take a stand towards crime.It is the responsibility ofcommunity leaders to getinvolved and provide answerswith well planned solutions.

Crime in communities affectChildren and Teens the hardestand this can weaken our future!Fighting crime does not have tobe a losing battle. It can be afight that can win together!

Over one-third of girls and boysacross the country ages 10 to 16years are victims of directviolence.

burch15 - 16

In one study, over three-quarters ofchildren in a high-violence urban areareported coming into contact withcommunity violence. Of note, morethan half of the parents said that theirchildren had not been exposed toviolence in the community.

A child's exposure to communityviolence affects the whole family.Parents are often very worried abouttheir child's health and well-being.

As a parent, you might blameyourself for not being able tokeep your child safe. You mayeven become too protective.

Relations among familymembers can become strained.Parents are trying to comforttheir child while at the same timetrying to handle their own fears.This is hard, even more so if theylive in an area where violence iscommon.

Prevention programs areimportant to keep communityviolence from happening. Thisinvolves gang prevention. Also,programs can help children andteens at risk for violence learnhow to peacefully solveproblems.

Once these programs are inplace, communities can then tryto prevent high-risk behaviorssuch as alcohol and drug useand carrying weapons within ouryouth.

Many people think thatcommunity violence onlyhappens in gangs and innercities. It is true that people whoare poor, non-White, and livingin crowded inner-city areas dealwith a lot of violence.

Community violence alsooccurs, though, in White,middle-class areas, bothsuburban and rural. All kinds ofyouth are at risk for communityviolence.

burch15 - 17

Over one-third of girls and boys across thecountry ages 10 to 16 years are victims ofdirect violence. Direct violence includesattempted kidnapping, physical andsexual assault. Even more children havefaced indirect community violence.

That is, they have seen violence or theyknow a victim of community violence. Inone study, over three-quarters of childrenin a high-violence urban area reportedcoming into contact with communityviolence.

Of note, more than half of theparents said that their childrenhad not been exposed toviolence in the community.

The Chicago AlternativePolicing Strategy alsoknown as CAPS, hasformed a web site for thecommunity to receivetrusted up-to dateinformation from theChicago Police Dept. Theinformation can bedelivered by text message,online and email.

plan & platformCommunity first!William N. Burch

City Government

burch15 - 18

burch15 - 19

Because of the times andthe serious issues we’ll be tackling in thenext four years, it’s very important that wewatch every expenditure. During the nextfour years we must deal with the growingbudget deficit and job creation. We mustnot take on additional debt unless it’sessential, and future non-essentialprojects need to be pay-as-you-go.

Wherewe find waste or unnecessary spending, I’llwork to cut the fat–not the meat. Twounderlying principles will guide decision-making in my administration. The first willbe the requirement that the City continueto be fiscally sound. The second is the jobof prioritizing our “wants and needs” andestablishing clear, specific goals to ensurethe citizens of the 15th Ward have the bestof essential services..

plan & platformCommunity first!William N. Burch

Securing the FutureProvide Leadership.While education will never be the direct responsibility of the Aldermans office, the quality and overallhealth of the education system has direct implications for our community. If we all agree that our youth areour future, and if our education system suffers, we all suffer as a consequence. We can and must do better,and proactive leadership from the Alderman can be a key component in drawing the community togetherto tackle specific issues like the dropout problem and unsatisfactory test scores. Working together, ourcommunity can also confront matters related to the health and well-being of our students. Issues related tohealth, physical fitness and the growing obesity issue are also topics I plan to address.

burch15 - 20

Rebuild Trust.We must rebuild trust in our public school system. Forcompanies planning to relocate here or expand, and forfamilies and professionals interested in moving to the15th Ward, the quality of our education system is animportant standard by which we are measured.

Establish Goals.I believe we can have the very best public school systemin the nation. It’s surely a worthy goal! We will supportwhere we can, lead when we must, and promoteeducation as long as we’re in office. Our goals for ourchildren are the same as those for our community: to seethem grow and reach their full potential.

burch15 - 21

plan & platformCommunity first!William N. Burch

burch15 - 22

Expanding our job market ismuch more than simplyincreasing the number of jobswe already have. It also meanscreating a variety of new careerchoices that are appropriate forour community and ouremerging workforce. For ouryoung people, these futureopportunities will work to keepthem here instead of requiringthem to move away to makedecent livings.

For the business community itmeans new markets, more salesand new and expanding industry.Now is not the time to retreat orback off. Jobs have to be a toppriority. First of all we have tohelp strengthen existingbusinesses and work to keep thejobs we already have. TheAlderman of the 15th Ward musthave the experience and attitudethat create an environmentwhere people want to come anddo business.

JOBS ARE COMING BACK!Unemployment rates were lower in August 2010 than ayear earlier in 182 of the 372 metropolitan areas, -source , the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

plan & platformCommunity first!William N. Burch

Business in the 15th Ward

burch15 - 23