About West End Friends

West End Friends (WEF) is a group of residents interested in the civic life of the West End Neighborhood of Washington, DC. (See map and boundaries.)

It is non-profit corporation and a non-partisan organization. Its focus is the improvement of today's West End—a traditional neighborhood that was defined and delineated for urban renewal by the District of Columbia in 1972—and to assure that the neighborhood's residents are adequately represented.

WEF works on specific improvement projects and sees them through to completion. These projects include:

Francis Field Renovation. 

Duke Ellington Park.

An Official Dog Park.

Voter Registration.

West End Library Redevelopment.

Hilton Garden Inn Zoning Case.

WEF grew out of the Friends of Francis Field (FFF), which was organized in 1998 to improve Francis Field, a recreational and athletic field on 25th Street NW under the management of the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation.  In 2007, FFF became a party in the zoning case for the Planned Unit Development at 1255 25th Street. FFF incorporated in the District of Columbia in 2008. It was granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service in the same year.

In January 2009, FFF voted to bring into its membership and corporate structure the West End Dogs organization..

In November 2009, FFF voted to expand the group's focus to include additional projects in the West End Neighborhood, and to do business under the name of West End Friends.

Legally, West End Friends is a Committee of the Whole of the non-profit corporation Friends of Francis Field. The organization may change the corporate name in the future.

WEF is governed by a seven member Board of Directors who are elected by the membership. The Board of Directors appoints the officers, and members of an Advisory Board.

Board of Directors

George Diliberto, Gary Griffith,  James O'Connell, Patricia Tith, Patricia Wagner, Jane Wilner, Michele Wiltse

Officers

Anita Dilberto, President
Gary Griffith, Secretary
Michele Wiltse, Treasurer

Advisory Board Members

Anita Diliberto, Christopher Haspel, William P. James, Frank Licari, Tom Wilner,  Mark Wood

The corporation is a membership organization open to all District residents. Dues are $15 per year. Members have voting rights to elect the members of the Board of Directors, as their terms expire, at an annual meeting.

The mailing address for West End Friends is 2501 M Street NW #609, Washington, DC 20037. Correspondence can be directed to the secretary at that address, or by email to webmaster@westendfriends.org.