There are many ways to get involved and meet neighbors based on your interests. Special shoutout to all our Community Captains, committee leads, group admins and awesome volunteers who make MPUM so special!

get involved

Meet Your New Community Captains

Group of four smiling people standing outside in front of a house on a sunny day, with green grass and trees in the background. One person is holding a drink, another has a can, and one person is wearing a t-shirt that reads 'Dallas Fort Worth.'

MPUM Community Captains are your go-to neighbors who help bring MPUM together—one street at a time. Over 20 volunteers have stepped up to represent each street and help make our community a welcoming place to live.

See below for who is representing your block and be sure to give them a big THANK YOU! To get in touch with your Community Captain, please email info@mpum.com for their contact info.

HERE ARE YOUR MPUM COMMUNITY CAPTAINS:

  • Arboreal: Russell Johnson

  • Edgerton: Jordan Torrey & Suzeanne Bryant

  • Fenton: Marla Svedeman & Dottie Giesler

  • Freemont: Mary Shannon Woodrum & Elizabeth Cunningham

  • Kingsbury: Glenys Rodriguez

  • Larmanda: Clayten Gouws

  • Town North: Yvette Flores & Katie Barham

  • Whitehill Southwest of Hotchkiss + Berryhill: Marco Alvarez & Cynthia Watkins

  • Whitehill Northeast of Hotchkiss: Amy Barbour & Jered Batten

  • Walling Edgerton-Town North: Lisa Knudson

  • Walling Town North-Kingsbury: Amy Koh

  • Walling Edgerton-NWH: Gretchen Seller

  • Wakefield St + Wakefield Cir: Brenna Rivas

  • Wild Valley: Codi Knight

  • Winchester: Edie Diaz Ochel & Brooklyn Montgomery

As Community Captain, these individuals will help welcome new neighbors with a new “MPUM Welcome Kit”, work with the Neighborhood Association Board team to provide feedback and build community, distribute occasional flyers, and serve as your resource by answering questions or directing neighbors to the right place.

We could always use a few more volunteers, especially on larger streets like Kingsbury and Walling. Please email info@mpum.com if you are interested!

Group of dads and children at a playground, with a slide and climbing structure, on a sunny day with clear blue sky and barren trees in the background.
Five women standing together at a party, smiling, with a backdrop of black curtains and blue and white balloons on the left. Hotchkiss Elementary school PTA fundraising event
People gathered in a room with blue curtains and chairs, engaging in conversation and holding papers. Neighborhood Association all neighborhood meeting and board elections
Soccer practice on a grassy field with other kids and a coach in the background, trees and a house visible beyond the field. Hotchkiss soccer field
A woman and two children smiling outside during daytime, with the woman wearing sunglasses and the children holding a Halloween bucket. Trunk or treat
Silver VIP Patrol SUV parked in a driveway with a logo for volunteers in patrol on the side

Volunteers in Patrol (VIP)

For many years, MPUM has had an active team of Volunteers in Patrol (VIP), a City of Dallas program where trained residents patrol the neighborhood on their own time. The VIP patrollers serve as extra eyes and ears for the police. They are trained by DPD in the best ways to observe, record, and report suspicious people and activities within MPUM. The training ensures that our patrols are easy, completely non-confrontational, and yet effective in reducing crime.

To help to keep our neighborhood safe by patrolling the streets on your own time, email vip@mpum.com for more information.

And thank you to all of the current VIP volunteers who dedicated their time to train and continue to help keep our neighborhood a safer place to live!

Sign promoting 'Yard of the Month' in Merriman Park/University Manor Lake & Garden District, sponsored by Brumley Gardens, with colorful spring flowers at the bottom.

Check out the winning yards that wowed the Dallas County Master Gardeners! Each month, a winner is chosen by The Dallas County Master Gardener Association and receives a $50 gift certificate from sponsor Brumley Gardens to keep the blooms going. Think you have what it takes? See the guidelines and get growing!

To nominate a deserving neighbor, email info@mpum.com

Yard of the Month

YOTM Guidelines

  • SEPTEMBER 2026

  • August 2026

  • July 2026

  • May 2026

  • June 2026

  • A blue house with dark shutters and a brown shingle roof, surrounded by a neatly maintained lawn with flowers. A sign in front of the house reads 'Yard of the Month' and lists names and sponsors, with a cloudy sky and trees in the background.

    APRIL 2026

  • A single-story house decorated for Christmas, with wreaths and figurines on the porch, a large leafless tree with hanging lanterns, and a palm tree in the front yard. There is a lawn with some fallen leaves and a sign in the yard.

    December 2025

  • A modern single-story house with gray brick exterior, orange front door, lush green lawn, and garden decorations, including a sign indicating 'Yard of the Month' and small animal statues.

    October 2025

  • Residential yard with a brick house partially visible behind large trees, a curved brick pathway, and a variety of plants and flowers along the edges, illuminated by sunlight.

    September 2025

  • A brick house with a large tree in the front yard, lush green grass, and a sign that reads "Yard of the Month" in the foreground.

    August 2025

  • Single-story brick house with white-framed windows, black shutters, and a front door, surrounded by a well-maintained lawn with a large tree and a yard sign, on a sunny day.

    July 2025

  • A house with a blue exterior and white brick detailing is surrounded by a well-maintained lawn with a flower bed and a sidewalk. There is a large tree in the front yard, and a sign indicating that this yard was the Yard of the Month, sponsored by Brumley's Gardens, located at Merriman Park / University Manor in Texas.

    June 2025

  • Front yard of a house with a sidewalk, lush green lawn, various trees including a red-leafed tree, and a house with black shutters and an American flag near the front door.

    May 2025

  • A brick house with a large tree in the front yard. The yard is landscaped with various flowers and plants. A sign in the yard reads 'Yard of the Month' sponsored by Brumley Gardens in Texas.

    April 2025

SOCIAL GROUPS & cOMMITTEES

Group of moms and children at the Hotchkiss elementary school playground on a sunny day, with a blue sky and trees in the background.
People planting trees and working on a community gardening project in a park. Beautification committee

Meet other parents and families in your neighborhood. Join the MPUM Parents Facebook Group and the MPUM Parents group in the MPUM WhatsApp Community.

Beautification

Keep your neighborhood looking gorgeous and nominate a deserving neighbor for Yard of the Month. Email info@mpum.com to help out.

A group of five smiling adults sitting together at a restaurant or bar, with drinks on the table and a television showing a baseball game in the background.

MPUM Parents

A group of women smiling and posing together in a room with a window in the background. Book club meets monthly

The group meets monthly to chat about its latest read and enjoy good conversation. Join the “MPUM Book Club” group in the MPUM WhatsApp Community for details.

Vino Our Neighbors

Book Club

Connect with neighbors over food, wine and good company. You don’t have to drink wine to enjoy. Email vino@mpum.com to join. Cheers!