A woman holding a dog and three teenagers sitting in front of a house


Erika Boehnke (center, holding Peanut) with Ella, Ryan, and Cameron at their home on Morton, which has been in her husband Chris’s family since his grandfather built it in 1930. The kids all walked to Burns Park elementary school. | Photo by J. Adrian Wylie

As one of the “Morton Moms,” Erika Boehnke can count on getting at least ten texts a day—and she wouldn’t have it any other way. The Morton Moms, eight women who all live within a block on Morton Ave. in Burns Park, depend on each other to help out when life happens .

One of the Moms may need help moving a heavy dresser, want to borrow some jelly jar glasses, or give away a plant. Another Mom may ask for a few minutes of child care or an extra avocado. “Have you seen the kids?,” a Mom might ask, and another will answer, “Yes, just spotted them.” 

“[Burns Park is] a community where we reach out to each other,” Erika says. She treasures these connections; they’re a huge part of why she feels so fortunate to live in the neighborhood. 

She and her husband Chris have shared their Morton Ave. home for twenty-one years, but Chris’s connection to the house goes back a bit further—it was built in 1930 by his grandfather, and his dad grew up there. 

Erika also has deep Burns Park roots. Her parents moved to Ann Arbor in 1973. Her dad, U-M kinesiology professor emeritus Victor Katch, was also the first coach of the women’s basketball team. The family originally lived on the Old West Side, but after Erika’s parents divorced, Vic bought a house on Lincoln in Burns Park. Erika divided her time between her parents’ homes, and fondly remembers summers when she and her sister would hang out at the park that gives the neighborhood its name. One of their favorite spots was a big water fountain with a play structure underneath. 

“We would play all day in the water or make lanyards at the park summer camp,” she recalls. “No one ever told us it was time to go home.”

Erika and Chris knew each other at Pioneer High but only became a couple later. They went to different colleges, and Erika lived in California for a few years. She was home visiting her parents when they bumped into each other at Top of the Park. Before long, she moved back and they started their married life together in Burns Park. 

All three of their children—Ryan, Cameron, and Ella, now sixteen, fifteen and twelve—were able to walk to Burns Park elementary school. Erika was room parent for each of them and later worked there as a substitute teacher. They could see their grandfather Vic’s house from school, and he often came over to wait with the parents for after-school pickup. He also coached one of their basketball teams for five years. 

“There’s nothing like having a former U-M coach for an elementary school team!” Erika laughs. 

There’s a culture of sharing among Burns Park families: one has a trampoline, another a play structure, and the Boehnkes have extra bikes, perfect for riding downtown to meet friends or cruising the wide neighborhood streets. For about five summers the Boehnkes had a movie club. The Morton Moms pitched in to buy a giant blow-up screen and speakers so the neighborhood could gather to watch in their backyard. 

When the air gets crisp and the leaves start to turn, Halloween is a highlight in Burns Park. Granger St. is completely shut to traffic so trick-or-treaters can roam free, and neighbors are extravagant with decorations—from giant pumpkins to talking ghouls to a haunted house. Now that they’re older, Ryan, Cameron and Ella love to “work” in the haunted house (i.e. jump out and scare people).

Of course, there’s plenty for adults to enjoy about Burns Park. Erika and Chris appreciate the ease of walking downtown to meet friends for dinner or brunch. If it gets late, they rent Spin scooters for the return trip home. 

But most important to Erika is her beloved Morton Moms group. Besides their daily texts, they make a point of meeting up every two weeks, just to be together. Erika hopes to keep adding moms to their supportive group. When someone new moves in, she and others welcome them, bringing a contact list of the neighbors. 

“We love making people feel included,” she says. “Wouldn’t it be nice to move into a neighborhood where everyone is excited you moved in and wants to welcome you?”

Related: The Many Lives of Burns Park