Month: November 2012

Hometown Holiday activities begin this weekend in downtown Pottstown

Local arts and historic organizations and businesses, along with the Pottstown Downtown Improvement Distric Authority, otherwise known as PDIDA (puh-dee-da), iarebringing a host of Hometown Holiday events to downtown Pottstown on the weekends leading up to Christmas.

Events kick off this Saturday, Dec. 1st when Santa and his elves arrive at 5 p.m., making a healthy, heart-warming entrance at High and Evans Street, before heading down High Street to Smith Plaza for the lighting of the Christmas tree there. Smith Plaza itself will be all lit up, too!

At the Plaza, visitors can enjoy holiday music, free trolley rides from 4:40 to 8 p.m., and horse-drawn wagon rides from 5 to 7 p.m., for just $10.

Santa’s Village will be open with Santa himself, kids’ crafts, reindeer food making, and a coloring contest at Tango Marketing, 139 E. High Street, just across the street from  Smith Plaza.

In the 300 block of High Street, the Empire Hook & Ladder Fire Company will provide roasted chestnuts and other treats. Additional events, including children’s story hours, open houses and activities for children, will be held Fridays, Dec. 7, 14 and 21 and on Saturday, Dec. 8 and 15.

Throughout the holiday season, beginning next Thursday, Dec. 6th,  Steel River Playhouse’s “Annie” will be performed and run through Dec. 22. You can also stop in at ArtFusion 19464 at 254 E. High Street for their winter show, “The Secret Life of Trees”, and to pick up unique gifts.

On Sunday, Dec. 9, the Candlelight Tour of Pottsgrove Manor runs from 2 to 8 p.m., while the Pottstown Holiday Historic House Tour will be from 1 to 6 p.m. A $12 ticket includes a Victorian Tea presented by the Doe Club at the Pottstown Elks from 12noon-2pm.  All homes and buildings on the tour are open from 1pm-6pm.  Free trolley transportation and refreshments for all ticket holders. Tickets are available after Thanksgiving at Carter’s Locksmith Shop, 137 N Hanover Street. $12 in advance, $14 day of tour. For more information contact Sue Krause at (610) 323-2229.

All of these events are sponsored by the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority, Historic Pottstown Neighborhood Association, Pottgrove Manor, Steel River Playhouse, ArtFusion 19464, and individual businesses. BUY LOCAL, PLAY LOCAL, AND CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS LOCAL!

Celebrate 40 years of Christmas with the Coventry Singers!

On December 8th and 9th The Coventry Singers continue to celebrate their 40th Anniversary by performing Christmas favorites. This year’s concerts feature Bach’s Christmas Cantata No. 142 and Finzi’s Magnificat as well as familiar favorites such as Sing We Now of Christmas and Ding Dong Merrily on High. There will also be a carol sing-a-long with the audience.
See details below!
The concerts are free to the public, but free will offerings are accepted.
 
Saturday December 8th at 3:00 pm
St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church
1188 Benjamin Franklin Highway East
Douglassville, PA 19518
 
Sunday December 9th at 4:00 pm
St. James Lutheran Church
1101 East High St.
Pottstown, PA 19464

Pottstown Funky Santa 5K this Sunday

Rain, snow or shine, Pottstown’s Funky Santa 5K Run and 3-person 5K Relay takes place this Sunday, Dec. 2nd at 9:15 am at Montgomery County Community College’s West Campus. Plug 101 College Drive into your GPS and that should get you there.

This is the 3rd annual Funky Santa 5K and is part of Pottstown’s Hometown Holiday Celebration! I ran it last year, and besides being funky – people dress up in holiday-themed costumes – it’s a fun way to get your exercise over with for the day.

Race day registration will be held from 7:30-9 am. The 5K costs $20 or $45 for a relay team of 3 people.

The 5K and the relay start at the same time. The Fun Run will immediately follow the 5K. There is NO charge for the Fun Run, so this is a great opportunity to get the little ones on the road and feeling the excitement of race day.

There will be refreshments after the race for all competitors and there will be plenty of awards in various age categories, male & female divisions. Dress for the holidays in your funkiest & finest and you, too, could be a winner! Then there are other random prizes that make this feel like a race where just about everybody wins.  Let me put it to you this way: last year I got a trophy for finishing second in my age group. (I later found out that there were 4 women in my age group — woo-hoo!!) Unfortunately, my knees are feeling creaky, so I’m not sure I’ll be running this year… 

If you’ve got any questions, contact the race organizers, Breakaway Sports, at 610-775-4614 or bulrich1@aol.com or check out www.makebreak.com.

The Mercury has posted my blog entry about YWCA’s Literacy Program!

Check out the link HERE.

Remember: Clicking through to the YWCA’s Literacy Program support page and plugging in your valid email address will result in a $1 donation going to the Y’s literacy activities from an anonymous donor. Your email will not be used by the Y or anyone else to solicit you!

Please show your support today for helping others in our community learn to read and write and take on the world!

Calvary Christian to hold Coventry Christmas Celebration, give out free trees

Everyone is invited to join the folks at Calvary Christian Center for a

COVENTRY CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

Sunday, December 9th at 3pm

~ 250 FREE Christmas trees will be given out ~

 ~ 300 Christmas stockings for kids ~

~ Food ~

For more information contact Calvary Christian Center, located at 426 Laurelwood Road, Pottstown, PA,

by calling 610-323-0480.

Eagle Scout project culminates in flag raising ceremony this Saturday

Photo courtesy Neil Fuerman

Eagle Scout candidate Nathan Fuerman invites the public to join him for a short ceremony this Saturday, Dec. 1st from 10-11 am at the three flag poles located at Riverfront Park, College Drive, Pottstown, PA. Some of you may recall when Nate appeared at a Happy Hour last year at Rich Ranieri’s Paint & Carpet store to raise funds and talk about his project, which benefits the Pottstown Parks & Recreation Foundation. Now the flag poles are ready for action. Looks awesome, Nate!

The ceremony will include:

  • Singing of the National Anthem
  • Thank you from Nathan Fuerman
  • Comments from Eileen Schlegel, Director of Pottstown Parks & Rec
  • Raising the American Flag – Troop 129, Emmanuel Lutheran Church
  • Raising the Pennsylvania Flag – Local Pottstown vets
  • Raising the Borough Flag – Air Force Jr. ROTC, Pottstown High School
  • Cosing Prayer – Pastor Scott Major

All are welcome; hot chocolate and coffee will be served.

 

Pottstown Elks Lodge #814 Breakfast tomorrow morning!

 The Pottstown Elks Lodge #814 is having a breakfast tomorrow, Sunday November 25, 2012 from 8:00 AM to
11:00 AM. It is all you can eat: Adults $8.00 and children 12 and under $4.00. IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Great selection: made to order eggs, omelets, home fries, pancakes/waffles, creamed chipped beef, bacon, etc.

If you have company over the holiday, what a great way to send them off on a full stomach!

Proceeds benefit Pennsylvania children and adults with disabilities.

The Pottstown Elks Lodge #814 is located at 61 E. High Street.

ArtFusion presents holiday party & holiday show: The Secret Life of Trees

This comes from ArtFusion 19464, a GREAT place to get fun, unique, and beautiful holiday gifts!

Take a peek into the Secret Life of Trees

ArtFusion 19464’s annual holiday show opened November 10 and will be on display in their main gallery through January 5, 2013. The challenge of this show was to interpret the theme of “the secret life of trees.” 38 local artists responded with an amazing breadth of work, from oils and watercolors to recycled sculpture and ceramics. One piece will be awarded a $100 best in show prize, sponsored by Fulton Bank, Pottstown branch. Other show sponsors are: Window Sponsor Dolan& Mayerson, P.C.; NCG, Inc.; Wolf, Baldwin & Associates; and Keller Williams Realty Group.

Participating artists include: Alita Abruzzese, Denise Bennett, Roselyn Cadoff, Mary Chisak, Arline Christ, Richardson Comly, Phillip Compton, Danielle D’Aries, Peter Ehlinger, Cassie Eshelman, Teresa McWilliams Farina, Lisa Foster, Gail Fronheiser, Bob Hakun, Susan Klinger, Mary Kosar, Virginia Gaudiello, Joe Hoover, Millie Lea, Judy Lupas, Ellen Marcus, Charles McCann, Donna Meyers, Geoffrey Meyers, Cari Myford, Harriette Nadler, Beverly Nuzzo, Carol Ross Noyes, Gwendolyn Parrish, Joni Peters, Jackie Pierson, Sue Ploppert, Barbara Rambo, David Ruser, Jodie Scharadin, Dora Siemel, Connie Worth, and Arleen Yeager.

The community is invited to the official opening reception for this show on Friday, December 7 from 5-8pm. This fun event is ArtFusion’s annual holiday party.  Refreshments will be served. That evening is also the perfect chance to start your holiday shopping. Although this event is free, ArtFusion does ask that you RSVP to 610-326-2506

Artist Leigh Ritasse will be creating caricatures during the party as a fundraiser for ArtFusion.  A black and white head and shoulders image is only $20. That evening ArtFusion will also be collecting donations of canned goods for a food drive run by the Pottstown Keystone Chapter 565 of Vietnam Veterans. This food will go to local veterans and their families for the holidays. They are asking for non-perishable items like instant potatoes and stuffing, cranberry sauce, cornbread mix, etc.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center. 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. ArtFusion’s gallery hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items.  The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

Celebrate National Small Business Day & “Buy Local” this Saturday!

Did you know that shopping at small, local businesses keeps more of your money circulating in the local economy and helps keep those businesses in business? Every purchase means something to those entrepreneurs. Plus, it’s nice just getting to know the folks who have invested in your town for many years or have taken a chance starting a new business more recently.  The holidays are a perfect time to show that you care about sustaining the economic health of your own community by BUYING LOCAL. Below are a few ways you can “Buy Local,” have some fun, and feel part of a growing community of intentional shoppers.

1) This Saturday is National Small Business Day, and there will be a Cash Mob unfolding in downtown Pottstown. Here’s how you can take part…

VISIT  the Pottstown Visitor Center located at 17 N. Hanover Street, before you begin your downtown shopping, any time from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

PICK UP your “Shop Local” cash mob sticker, a map of the Downtown Pottstown Shopping District and detailed instructions on how to play the “Where In The World is Captain Buy Local and Small Biz” game while you shop throughout downtown Pottstown. (Yes, there is actually a superhero called Caption Buy Local and his sidekick Small Biz. Hey, this is Pottstown, and we have superheroes.)

PICK UP special offers and holiday treats that will be offered to Cash Mob participants throughout the day by various merchants.

RETURN your game entry with the approximate amount of money spent by you and your family during the Cash Mob to either the Visitor Center office, or Grumpy’s Hand-Carved Sandwiches, 137 E. High Street, when you are finished with your Cash Mob shopping. The BUY LOCAL organizers want to tally how much is spent in the downtown this Saturday. Remember, the School District spent $55,000 this past spring with their BUY LOCAL challenge; these efforts literally pay off for our merchants!

ArtFusion 19464

2) The Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority is running a holiday 5 for $25 Raffle. This is another way to Buy Local, only you can win some big bucks for yourself. Here’s how this works:

BUY a $25 Raffle Ticket at the Visitors’ Center at 17 N. Hanover Street or at Cole’s Tobacc0 or call  Sheila at 610-323-5400 c/ 484-948-6061

SPEND $25 at each of 4 different, participating downtown merchants who are listed on the ticket.

SAVE your receipts.

BRING YOUR RECEIPTS AND TICKET to the Visitors’ Center, Cole’s or Grumpy’s or a participating merchant when you are done shopping. You have until December 22nd at 5 pm to do your shopping and turn in your ticket & receipts!

  • All money collected from this raffle will be used to support the Hometown Holiday Events 2012.
  • ONLY 300 Raffles will be sold. Last sale date is December 22 at 12pm.
  • 1st prize is $2,000; 2nd prize is $1,000; 3rd prizes will include merchandise & gift cards.
  • The drawing for prizes will be held at The New Visitors’ Center at 17 N Hanover St. at 7pm, December 22, 2012. You do not have to be present to win. 

 

 

 

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