Over the last nine months, our Madison Valley community has joined together to try to shape the development being proposed to replace City People’s nursery. Many people working hundreds of hours have reaped the unexpected benefit of coming to know our neighbors better. It’s drawn us much closer as a community.

Some of us have lived here a while. Many in our community came together to help our neighbors a decade ago in the aftermath of the Hanukkah eve storm. We remember a significant loss from that storm: on December 14, 2006, Kate Fleming died at the end of 30th Avenue East when a flood trapped Kate in her basement.

Kate was an extraordinary person. She would light up wherever she was, and in her presence we all felt special. We miss her still and will remember Kate on Sunday, December 11 at the memorial dedicated to her.

Please join us at noon on December 11. Madison Valley residents will gather at Kate’s memorial on the south side of Madison about 30 feet west of the bus shelter across from Pagliacci Pizza to pay our respects and help weed and clean up the area around her memorial. Please join us for this important event honoring Kate.