Pottstown’s Memorial Day Parade starts at 10 am
The Pottstown Memorial Day parade begins at 10 a.m. today at Goodwill Fire Company at 714 E. High Street. It is being organized by VFW Post 780. All veterans are encouraged to walk in the parade, which will continue down to the Vietnam veterans monument in Memorial Park at the end of King Street. There will be a ceremony there that includes a short speech from Severin Fayerman, a survivor of the Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Sachsenhausen concentration camps and eventual co-founder of Baldwin Hardware in Reading, PA. Mr. Fayerman has recorded his story as part of StoryCorps, an independent nonprofit oral history project. His story will be archived in the Library of Congress along with other stories from around the country.
Goodwill is also serving breakfast today, so grab your lawn chair, head out early, get a bite and then watch the parade begin!
The Gallery School of Pottstown is excited to offer three free summer programs for students ages 8-12.
1) Kids Art Academy is a general arts exploration class, where students will explore two- and three-dimensional arts.
2) Students in Clay Academy will delve into all aspects of creating with clay, including using a pottery
wheel.
3) The third class, Asian Arts, will take students on a journey through the art traditions of many Asian countries.
Art Academy and Clay academy begin in June, while Asian Arts starts in July. Applications must be received by June 8, 2012 for all three programs. Applications can be found online at http://www.galleryonhigh.com/programs.html, or in person at the school at 254 E. High St., Pottstown, PA.
All three programs are funded by the Greater Pottstown Foundation and are free for the students, with the exception of a small registration fee. While preference is given to those students who qualify for free or reduced lunch, students who do not qualify are also encouraged to apply. Questions can be emailed to info@galleryonhigh.com, or asked over the phone at 610-326-2506.
The Gallery School of Pottstown is a 501c3 non-profit community art school and gallery. The School offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. The Gallery on High hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The Gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items. The Gallery on High is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-4:30pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The Gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.
Parents: MCCC’s Green STEM Camp Seeks Pottstown Middle School students for FREE summer program
Students: Do you ever wonder what a scientist sees through the microscope lens in the laboratory? What actually lives in the water and soil around us?
Montgomery County Community College is offering a free one-week opportunity from June 25-29 for Pottstown middle school students to step into a lab and find out.
For the second year, the College is hosting this free G-STEM—Green Science, Technology, Engineering and Math—camp at the West Campus in Pottstown, as the result of a $10,000 grant from TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank.
Students will get to do a variety of hands-on activities, including collecting water samples, gathering specimens and making observations during field explorations. In the laboratory, students can examine the miniscule life and microbial diversity that can only be seen with through the magnification of lenses.
At the conclusion of the week, the students get to their data and discoveries through Power Point presentations.
“What makes this program truly unique is that it is done at a community college with middle school students within five days,” said Program Director Dr. Davi Gonzales. “Usually, these types of programs are done by research universities with much older students.”
To sign up for the program, contact your school counselor immediately, complete and submit the application form. The camp’s hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Lunch is provided.
If you are interested in science and the environment, this program is for you. For additional information, contact Dr. Davi Gonzales at dgonzales@mc3.edu or 610-718-1883.
New to the market today, 542 Chestnut Street is the latest renovation by LointerHOME, the residential construction team headed by Amanda and Cristian DeSeta. 542 Chestnut is a New American Craftsman that boasts 1,736 square feett, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and features a jacuzzi tub, all granite counters, and stainless steel appliances. The new gas-fired heating system provides long-term savings on heating bills, and the 2-car garage is relatively rare in Pottstown. 542 Chestnut is within a couple blocks of the Hill School, the Chestnut Street playground, MOSAIC Community Garden, and downtown Pottstown. It is listed at $125,000.
If you’ve been keeping an eye on the Pottstown real estate market, you’ll have noted that in the past year LointerHOME has successfully renovated and sold homes at 116 King Street, 467 Farmington Avenue, and 426 King Street. All of their homes are brought back to life with major systems overhauls and an attention to historic details like hardwood floors, lighting fixtures, and facades. Clean lines, cool palettes, and stainless steel appliances have brought these properties into the 21st century. (542 Chestnut includes one of my favorite materials of all time: “subway tiles.”)
Please enjoy these photos by Betsy Barron Photography. If you like what you see, check out the listing here and get in touch with realtor Lori Vanderbilt of Coldwell Banker Hearthside in Collegeville today at 610-489-7700.
Thank you to LointerHOME for recognizing the architectural gems here in Pottstown and continuing to invest in the Borough’s future!
FREE Dress for Success event tomorrow
This just in…
FREE Dress for Success Event
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
10am – 1pm
Salvation Army of Greater Pottstown
137 King Street
Pottstown, PA 19464
Registration Required! Call for your appointment NOW!
Call TCN to register for a Free Appointment at 610-705-3301
Choose from our 100s of outfits to find the ensemble that helps you stand above the rest!
Register for our free event and have help picking your best interview outfit, accessories and shoes. (Sizes are limited.)
SPONSORED BY THE TCN Homeless Services Program, Soroptimists Program, The Nottage Project, In Ian’s Boots, The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, and The Salvation Army.
TriCounty Community Network
Partnering to improve health, social and environmental conditions
The “Buy Local” movement is sweeping across the country and it has arrived in Pottstown like a force from Mother Nature. So, what does it mean to “buy local?” It’s pretty simple: By shifting even a fraction of your spending to locally-owned businesses in your hometown, you are supporting the employment base, the tax base, the school system, and your neighbors and friends. And, when the word gets out that there is support for local businesses from area residents, Pottstown could become a more attractive place for those considering expanding or opening up a new business.
During the month of May, the Pottstown School District and the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority, otherwise known as PDIDA (puh-dee-duh), have teamed up to help Pottstown flex its economic muscle with a “Buy Local” competition in the school district. All the schools and the administration are competing to see who can spend the most money during the month of May in the PDIDA district. PDIDA encompasses High Street from York to Evans Streets and Hanover and Charlotte Streets from Queen to King Streets. Students, staff and their families are shopping in those areas, getting a receipt, asking the merchant for a “Buy Local” sticker for the receipt and then turning it in at a School District building. In just two weeks, more than $16,000 was spent in the downtown! See Evan Brandt’s article here.
Did you know that there’s another Buy Local wave rolling through the region?
Local radio station WBZH, The Buzz (1370 AM), has been living and breathing the “buy local” philosophy 24/7 since February, when they announced that “buying local” would be the essence behind everything they do.
While their programming has always included local voices and up-to-the-minute local news and coverage, they have come up with advertising packages with customizable options that fit every business budget. They even offer free “buy local” taglines that you can record, along with your business name and location, to get the word out about the importance of supporting the people who are working and making an investment in your community.
We are bringing these two entities together for the next Positively!Pottstown Happy Hour, taking place tomorrow, Friday, May 18 from 5-7 pm at the PDIDA office at 17 N. Hanover Street. WBZH will be broadcasting the “Suki Says!” show live from 4-7 pm. Come out to network and meet local folks who are running businesses and trying to support local business, arts and culture in Pottstown every day. A $5 cover charge will get you food from Giuseppe’s, a new Italian restaurant and pizza place at 864 E. High Street; chocolate-dipped pretzels by Sugar High, a new sweet shoppe at 250 E. High Street; and complimentary beverages.
To rsvp, send an email to positivelypottstown@gmail.com; we also won’t turn anyone away at the door, so just stop by to get your weekend started right, right here at home, keeping it local.
The YWCA – Tri-County Area has been presenting the Girl Talk Series of programs during their Year of the Young Woman, and the series continues this Saturday with a talk on Non-Traditional Careers.
Entitled Who Said “It’s A Man’s World?”, the program will take place Saturday, May 19 from 10 am – 2 pm at the YWCA at 315 King Street, Pottstown. This discussion will explore non-traditional careers for women, consider where women should start to pursue a non-traditional career, and will provide examples.
Guests can park in the Evans Street lot located on King Street across from the YW. (Use the PERMIT spaces ONLY.) The program is free with reservation for women and girls age 8 and up. Just call the YW now to reserve a spot for you and your daughter: 610.323.1888.
Future events in the Girl Talk Series include:
July 28, 2012: Cyber Bullying and Stalking
September 22, 2012: Advocacy
November 10, 2012: Go Green!
For information about events, please contact the YWCA at 610-323-1888.
The Fourth annual Coventry Woods Festival will be held on Sunday, May 20, 2012 from 1 to 5 pm at the Fernbrook Entrance to the Coventry Woods, intersection of St. Peters Road and Fernbrook Lane in North Coventry. The festivities are sponsored by the Township Parks and Recreation Commission and will be held rain or shine.
This annual event celebrates healthy lands and healthy communities, and will feature music, food, goat races, community displays, and a full slate of other activities.
Bring family and friends to experience the former Camp Fernbrook which, through the hard work of North Coventry’s Open Space Committee, has added such a wonderful gateway to the over 600 acres of the Coventry Preserve. The event is truly a family affair with food, music, games, and goat races for the children. Please join in for a ceremony at 2:30 pm.
Editor’s note: This timely information about an HBO series that begins tonight comes to us from the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation.
With recent statistics suggesting that 42% of the United States population will be defined as obese by 2030, The Weight of a Nation, could not come at a more opportune time to shine the light on a national epidemic. The four-part documentary series was developed by HBO in conjunction with several of the nation’s leading research and health care organizations. Three years in the making, the documentary spotlights the facts and myths of this urgent public health issue, showing how obesity affects the health of the nation and the health care system. The series also highlights how individuals, workplaces, and communities are making positive changes.
The documentary airs on HBO on May 14 (Part 1 and 2) and May 15 (Part 3 and 4). Additionally, content will be available free on multiple digital platforms including YouTube and HBO.com. The full series will also be available from the Pottstown Foundation for organizations interested in hosting future screenings.
“Educating ourselves is the first step in getting our community to a healthier weight,” said Dave Kraybill, Executive Director of the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation. “Helping our children make good food choices at home and creating neighborhoods and schools that enable them to eat well and be active are critical to helping the next generation live healthier, happier lives.”
The Foundation also celebrates the ongoing efforts of several grantees who are dedicated to aiding the community in pursuing healthier lifestyles and combating obesity:
Boyertown Area School District’s Brain Body Connection project is an effort to measure the connection between student’s health, physical activity and academic performance. For instance, science teachers collaborate with physical education teachers on days when tests are to be given – ensuring that students receive a stimulating dose of activity before heading into the classroom to take their test. The District’s vision is to expand the focus on physical activity beyond the gymnasium, making it more of an integral and beneficial part of their students’.
Get Moving at the Freedom Valley YMCA is an exercise and health education program meant to motivate individuals to pursue healthy lifestyles. The impetus for the program came during a Relay for Life event. One team noticed others struggling to walk around the track and approached the YMCA with an idea based on community members supporting each other toward common healthy goals. The program began in January and runs through June 2012. Their goal is to see seventy-five percent of participants increase their walking/running time and distance.
Pottstown School District’s Healthy Me initiative promotes healthy living through its after school programs that focus on nutrition, diet, food preparation, exercise activities and stress reduction. The program aims to decrease the proportion of obesity in both the middle school and high school levels. It is open to all students, staff and local community at no charge.
About the Foundation
The Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation’s mission is to enhance the health and wellness of area residents, providing education, funding and programs that motivate people to adopt healthy lifestyles. Visit www.pottstownfoundation.org for more information about the Foundation. Discover Pottstown area’s online community at www.missionhealthyliving.org to learn and share great information on how to lead a healthier life – including its series on childhood obesity. You can also follow Mission Healthy Living on Facebook and Twitter.
If your organization is interested in hosting a screening of The Weight of the Nation, please contact Rose Crews at rosecrews@pottstownfoundation.org for more details.
