 Scenes at the July 19 Westside Neighbors Picnic in Bancroft Park... Taylor Saulsbury, 5, who was joined at times by her mom Page, added dancing flair to the musical strains of Floyd Frame’s Midland Brass Band. Westside Pioneer photo
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They enjoyed the food and drink, featuring barbecued bratwursts and hotdogs, donated side dishes and lemonade that used water from Manitou's 7-Minute Spring. And they enjoyed the entertainment, topped by music from Floyd Frame's Midland Brass Band and supplemented by children's activities (face painting, games and a “bounce house”).
The roughly two-hour event was coordinated by the Organization of Westside Neighbors (OWN), the volunteeer advocacy group for Colorado Springs' older Westside; with help from staff and volunteers from the West Center, the city-operated community center at 1628 W. Bijou St.
 ABOVE: Organization of Westside Neighbors (OWN) board member Terry Brunette manned the grill for the entire two hours, cooking up a total of 300 hotdogs and 200 bratwursts. BELOW: Westsider Michelle Goedel was a repeat attendee to the picnic. including a new addition this year – music-loving 6 1/2-month-old son Trystian Jensen- Goedel. Westside Pioneer photos  |
OWN President Welling Clark described it as one of the best picnics in the eight-year span and expressed a hope that Frame can return with his band next year. He was also impressed at how patiently people stood in line for food - 10 minutes or so at the high point, and in spite of occasional raindrops. “Everyone was nice and orderly,” he said. “It went very well.”
Westsider Michelle Goedel, a repeat picnic attendee who came with several family members, was among many diners who lingered afterward to listen to the music. “Our daughter [Jasmyn] had more fun running around to the band,” she laughed. “And our son [Trystian] got upset every time they stopped playing.”
Among those in attendance were City Council members Randy Purvis (a Westside resident) and Larry Small and County Commissioner (also a Westsider) Sallie Clark.
The principals of three older-Westside schools - Terry Martinez (the new West Elementary), Clay Gomez (West Middle School) and Manuel Ramsey (Bristol Elementary) were also present, fielding questions from families with questions about a coming school year that will have major school and boundary changes.
OWN board member Terry Brunette was the picnic's unsung hero, manning the barbecue almost single-handedly. He said he started cooking about a half-hour early, which allowed him to keep ahead of the food demand.
 Theresa Warner, whose daughters Sarah (left) will be in eighth grade at West Middle School and Elizabeth (next to her) in second at the new West Elementary, asks a question about bus schedules of Terry Martinez (far right) and Clay Gomez. the elementary and middle school principals, respectively. Westside Pioneer photo
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After the picnic, there was an effort to pinpoint attendance through the math of food and drink. For example, OWN and West Center had obtained 300 hotdogs, 200 bratwurst and a like number of buns, and afterward all of the meat had been cooked with fewer than 10 brats/dogs left uneaten. As for beverages, there were soft drinks and the Manitou lemonade. The latter ran out just before the end. OWN board member Travers Jordan, who was event director this year, said that according to his calculations he had mixed 27 gallons (enough for 216 servings of a pint each).
Westside Pioneer article