In October, my husband and I sold our home in Woodridge, right off of Rhode Island Ave NE, that we bought back in 2008. It was bittersweet, to say the least.

When we purchased our home, we bought it because we saw the potential of Rhode Island Ave NE. It was a “diamond in the District” as planning documents from the City called it. We decided to start this blog to make sure that we could bring attention to the Avenue from residents and City leaders, and to be a source for the community. Several years later, a couple of our neighbors reached out to us and asked if we could get together to discuss what we can do to help reinvigorate a stagnant retail and business community along RIA. That original group of me, Daniel, Stephanie, Sara, and James happened at San Antonio Grill, and from it we decided to start a community group around the same ideals called the Friends of RIA. We went out, recruited other neighbors and business owners, started cleaning up the Avenue on the weekends, and did “Rhode” trips to other businesses to encourage them to come to the Avenue.

Fast forward a little, and that Friends of RIA became the Rhode Island Ave Main Street, with an Executive Director (Kyle) who has taken what we created so many years ago to even bigger and better heights. We could not be more proud about how this community came together and not only helped the Avenue but became our friends.

The road of life takes us in so many different directions but we will always have a piece of our heart in the Rhode Island Ave NE community.

I am happy and thrilled to announce that this blog will live on (and most likely get updated more often now) with Danielle Henry as its new editor and owner. Danielle has lived in the community as or longer than me, and she is always involved in whatever is going on in the community. She is the former Chair of the RIA Main Street.

Thank you for everything, RIA Community!