2016 Trees For Troops At Bustard’s Christmas Trees

Christmas tree delivery to a military base thanks to Trees for Troops.

Trees for Troops (T4T) was launched by the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation in 2005. Since then, more than 176,096 real trees have been delivered via T4T partner FedEx to military families at 65 military bases throughout the United States and overseas. In 2015, 18,633 trees were shipped to every branch of the military.

Bustard’s Christmas Trees joins about 400 other Christmas tree growers and retail lots in 26 states throughout the U.S. Since the local Christmas tree farm began participating in Trees for Troops, it has contributed 2,300 trees. Last year, one of Bustard’s Fraser firs graced the White House Blue Room, which adds pride to military families who receive a tree from the 87-year-old family-owned business.

“People who are unable to attend T4T Weekend can still donate a tree,” advises Jay Bustard. “Make a check for $35 payable to Christmas Spirit Foundation and send it to Bustard’s Christmas Trees, 2210 Bustard Road, Lansdale, PA 19446. Checks must be received by December 5th. We will add these trees to the FedEx truck collection.”

Bustard’s Christmas Trees will launch the holiday season Friday, November 25th, the weekend before T4T. In addition to real Christmas trees, it sells handcrafted wreaths, swags, garlands and grave blankets. Real Christmas trees are also sold at Vernfield Village Market, 883 Main Street in Vernfield. Both locations will be open through December 23rd daily from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Both sites provide Bustard’s 2016 calendars, a Santa mailbox for kids and tree tying and bottom-trimming services. The Bustard Road store brews hot chocolate on weekends for customers to enjoy while shopping for trees and wreaths. For details, visit bustardschristmastrees.com or call 610.584.4058 or Jay Bustard at 484.300.0634. Go to christmasspiritfoundation.org for Trees for Troops, a 501(c)3 public charity.

MOSAIC GARDEN NEWS AND UPDATES

Happy Earth Day to all of our supporters, gardeners, volunteers and to those who care about gardens (and our planet)!

 

Memberships are NOW Due!

 

If you have not done so already, please take a few moments to fill out a membership packet and send your membership fee sooner than later so you can start growing at the gardens on Opening Day(s)!   2016-garden-plot-registration, 2016-mosaic-membership-application, clt-demographic-survey-individuals-1-19-16 (1)

 

…Already Completed Your Paperwork?…

 

To those who have completed all of the necessary documents and paid the membership fees, WE THANK YOU!  Garden bed location and plot assignments will be sent out no later than Thursday, May 12, 2016.  This will allow for our “later-bloomers” to sign up and be added to the plot assignment list. Please be patient as we want as many families as possible to be a part of the gardens and the beginning process of growing great garden goodies…mmmm, we can almost taste the tomatoes!

 

Additional Community Garden Details and Opening Dates

 

A “blueprint” of the garden will be sent to every gardener providing a layout of the land and the location of everyone’s specific garden plot(s).  Each plot will be numbered and last name written on the assigned plot accordingly.  A gardener’s guide will be included in the email for your review in order to learn more about the gardens prior to opening day.

 

Speaking of opening day…

 

Our first planting days are Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15, from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Yippee! 

 

Each day, we will provide a brief tour at each garden location, learn how to open and close the gardens each visit, discuss the importance of your log entries each time you visit the garden and harvest vegetables, resolve any incomplete membership packets and answer any questions you may have about gardening.  At that point, it will be TIME TO PLANT!

 

Plants and seeds will be provided to each gardener and support will be offered in order for you and your neighbors to have your best growing season yet!

 

Composting Workshop Rescheduled

 

Our next garden workshop, “Breaking Down: Composting Basics” scheduled for Tuesday, April 26, has been RESCHEDULED – Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at the 615 Chestnut Street Community Gardens from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM.

 

Our Home Garden Contest is Also Near – Enter Today!

 

Home Garden Contest

Mosaic’s Annual Home Garden Contest is underway!  Contest details, categories and a list of awesome prizes can be viewed athttp://www.homegardencontest.com/. This year, you can enter the contest online!  Kudos, to The Pottstown Mercury Fit for Life, the Pottstown Health and Wellness Foundation, Colonial Garden, Pine Hill Tree Farms, Achin’ Bank, the Pottstown Garden Club and others for your support!

Another Note of Thanks!

Mosaic wants to also thank Genesis Housing, Pottstown School District, XL Insurance, our private supporters and other volunteers for your continued support of our community garden and land trust initiatives!

Donating Made Easy – Use AmazonSmile

Don’t forget, 

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.  Preservation Pottstown (our 501c3 registered name, also known as Mosaic CLT) is now available as your charitable organization on Amazon Smile!  The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases. The purchase price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and excluding shipping & handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes, or service charges. Use smile.amazon.com and choose Preservation Pottstown as your designated non-profit organization you wish to donate to!

 

‘Nough Said…for now.  Visit our Facebook page to take a look at all of our recent activity buzzin’ around our community gardens over the past few weeks!  Share your love of the gardens by sharing our posts on Facebook with all of your friends and family!

 

HAPPY EARTH DAY! – now get out there and plant a tree, or a bean plant, or an herb, or a vegetable, or a…..you get the idea! 🙂

CRIBS For KIDS Holiday Donation Drive

Give The Gift Of Warmth Through The United Way

MCCC Student Nurses, Veterans Participate In White House Tree Selection

PHOTO: Members of the Student Nurses Club (SNC) and Student Veterans Organization (SVO) from Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) participated in the selection of the 2015 White House Christmas tree at Bustard’s Christmas Tree Farm in Lehighton, Pa. on Sept. 30. Pictured (from left) Dansel Landingin, SVO, Psychology major, with Trigger; Hector, Figueroa, SVO president, Social Sciences major; Kristin Davies, Nursing instructor; Jay Bustard, Bustard’s Christmas Trees co-owner; Aaron Hull, SVO, Life Sciences major; Courtney Bagwell, SNC, Nursing major; Kathryn Hall, SNC, Nursing major; Joe Long, SVO and Veterans Services assistant, Engineering major; Dr. Linda Roy, Nursing program director; and Michael Brown, Veterans Services coordinator. Photo by Sandi Yanisko

Lehighton, Pa.—Members of the Student Nurses Club and Student Veterans Organization from Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) traveled to Bustard’s Christmas Tree Farm in Lehighton, Pa. on Sept. 30 for the selection of the 2015 official White House Christmas tree.

During a special press event, White House officials, along with representatives from the National Christmas Tree Association, identified a 19-foot Fraser Fir that will soon be headed to the White House’s Blue Room. Bustard’s was selected as the provider for this year’s tree after being named Grand Champion at the National Christmas Trees Association’s biannual meeting, held this past summer in Illinois.

The Bustard family invited MCCC students to be part of the ceremonial tree selection at its Carbon County farm to recognize the Student Nurses Club’s commitment to the national Trees for Troops program.

Over the past several years, the Student Nurses Club has raised funds and has donated more than 60 trees to Trees for Troops, which provides holiday trees to the families of deployed service men and woman. Each December, MCCC Nursing and Veterans students gather at Bustard’s Christmas Tree Farm in Lansdale to purchase, tag and prepare trees for shipment to military families.

The Nursing program’s participation in Trees for Troops aligns with Joining Forces, a national initiative calling on Americans to rally around service members, veterans and their families and to support them through wellness, education and employment opportunities. To learn more about Joining Forces, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces.

In addition to Trees for Troops, the Student Nurses Club raised over $3,000 for last year’s Hometown Hero Walk in Lansdale, and the group has sponsored donation drives for personal care items that were delivered to military troops stationed abroad and to the Veteran’s Center of Montgomery County.

To learn more about national Trees for Troops program, visit http://www/treesfortroops.org.

Montgomery County Nonprofit Workshop Series, Thursday, September 10th

BOYERTOWN AREA MULTI-SERVICE, INC. BASKET RAFFLE

BOYERTOWN AREA MULTI-SERVICE, INC. Save the Date and Join the Fun BASKET RAFFLE Friday, August 28th, 2015 at 5:00pm Binder Hall at Gilbertsville Fire Company

5:00 pm – Preview all baskets, place raffle tickets in the baskets of your choice, enjoy a bit to eat and drink with your friends. Vote for your favorite basket. Food will be available for purchase, but outside food will not be permitted.

Basket Raffle Tickets – Additional raffle tickets will be available for purchase from 5 pm to 7:20 pm. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted.

Special Raffle Tickets – Special tickets will be available to purchase for the larger Specialty Items and 50/50 cash drawing.

7:30 pm – The drawing of all winning tickets for the baskets, Specialty Items, 50/50, and Door Prizes. You must be present to win.

Award Presentation – The basket voted as the ‘favorite’ will receive an award.

Admission Ticket $20 Admission tickets purchased in advance will receive 15 Basket Raffle Tickets. Admission tickets purchased at the door will include 10 Basket Raffle Tickets. Admission ticket is the door prize ticket.

We are looking for Basket Builders! We are looking for organizations, special groups, businesses, individuals, teams, etc. to donate baskets to be raffled. Baskets should range in value from $25 and up. A list of basket contents should accompany the basket. Here’s something new! When you donate a basket for the raffle, you will receive a coupon good for 5 free raffle tickets at the basket raffle. Your basket needs to be received at Multi-Service by Friday, August 21, 2015. Any baskets received after the deadline will not be listed in the program.

We would like to have at least 120 baskets for the raffle.

If you would like to build a basket or put a team together to build a basket for the raffle, please let us know. Either complete and submit the following information to: Boyertown Area Multi-Service, 200 West Spring Street, Boyertown, PA 19512, or send an email to jhoward@boyertownareamulti-service.org. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please send again until your receive an acknowledgement.

Name of Basket Donor: ___________________________________________________

Contact Name: ___________________________________

Phone# __________________________

E-mail address: _______________________________________________________

Theme for your basket:___________________________________________

Contact Karen Youse or Jill Howard at 610-367-6957 with any questions. Thank you for your support!!!

8th Annual Stop The Drugs Stop Violence Crusade Coming To Pottstown

On July 25th, Harris Family Ministries and Pottstown New Life Assembly of God will be holding the 8th Annual Stop the Drugs Stop the Violence Crusade in Pottstown.  The event runs from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm in Riverfront Park, Pottstown.  The park is located on College Drive across the street from Montgomery County Community College’s West Campus.  There will be free food and beverages.

The theme is Love Can Build a Bridge and the keynote speaker is Pastor Luis Sanchez of Casa de Oracion of Pottstown, PA.

If you would like more information of would like to make a donation of Hot dogs, Hamburgers, Rolls, soft drinks, water, snack packs or cash, contact the Rev. G. Harris at  610-764-4984.  All donations are tax deductible.

Tuesday Nights Backyard Gardening Series At Althouse Aboretum

A lecture series presented by Master Gardeners and other experts in their field.
Please preregister here

Native Plants for Every Garden

JUNE 9th        7:00 pm           Donation: $5
Learn how you can add beauty and reduce maintenance  while at the same time improving the ecosystem of your own backyard by using native plants in your landscape with Marc Randell, Master Gardener.  You can preregister here

Certified Wildlife Habitats

JUNE 16^th   7:00 pm           Donation: $5
Certified Wildlife Habitats are a program run by the National Wildlife Federation to provide recognition for any property that provides food, water, shelter, nesting spaces and sustainable gardening practices that support wildlife. Whether you have a small yard, a balcony or acres of land, this program will help you attract beautiful wildlife to your property and reduce storm water in the process.  You can preregister here
~ Rachel Rosenfeld, Master Gardener

Garden Tips & Tricks, a Show & Tell

JUNE 23^rd   7:00 pm          Donation: $5

Find fresh ideas to use in  your garden this summer. Learn about items in your home or yard that can be re-purposed or recycled in  ways you may not have thought of. Get the down and dirty with Kathy Klein, Master Gardener  You can preregister here

Garden in Place and Bring Nature Home

JUNE 30^th   7:00 pm          Donation: $5
To garden in place and bring nature home not only beautifies your environment, feeds birds and wildlife and makes maintenance easier, but it also shows a personal commitment to preserving our natural world.  Preserving our natural world in this way supports life not only in your backyard but on the planet as well. Putting this concept into practice may be easier than you think, with greater rewards than you imagine. Learn more with Leslie Bass, Master Grardener.  You can preregister here

News From The Althouse Arboretum‏

In the News

The entrance to our parking lot is done! Soon (with the help of our volunteers!) the handicapped gardens will be in place. The shed is almost finished so we’ll be able to move all the gardening tools out of the house. Plants are blooming, some we identify and add pictures of on our facebook page. Come visit!

Gardening Series

A lecture series presented by Master Gardeners and other experts in their field. Please preregister here Starts Tuesday, May 26, 7pm Donation $5 First in our series is Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Composting. Do you need a bin? If so what size? What do you put in it? How do you use it? All questions answered! Also a limited supply of native plants will be available for purchase.

Volunteer Weekend

May 30th & 31st, 2015, The last Saturday and Sunday of each month, Come any time in between 10am & 3pm We’ll be doing a little of everything! Planting, weeding, moving, choose your favorite activity, meet your neighbors and have fun! Families welcomed! No experience necessary! No preregistration required!

Summer Camps 2015

Children grades K through 4th June 22-26, 9am to 12pm –Nature Explorers Learn about nature by exploring it! Campers become detectives looking for clues to reveal each day’s nature mystery and wonder. July 13-17, 9am to 12pm – Wildlife Week Looking closely you can find wildlife everywhere in our nature center! Campers will see, collect and identify familiar and quite strange creatures in our woods, fields and ponds. (8am arrival available) Click on the picture for more info and registration.

Recycling Day – Scrap Metal and Tires

Saturday, June 27th, 9 am to 1 pm Support the Arboretum and clean out the garage at the same time! No fee, all donations appreciated. (Please drop off only during recycling hours)  

Appliance Recycling Coming To Althouse Arboretum, March 7th

Saturday, March 7th, 9am to 1pm
at Althouse Arboretum, 1794 Gilbertsville Road, Pottstown, PA 19464, USA
No fee, donations accepted

Drop off your old appliances at the Arboretum, refrigerators, air conditioners, microwaves, washers…..anything that is labeled as an “appliance.”  Volunteers will be there to assist you. Call 267-371-2288 with questions.

All you have to do is drive in, volunteers will unload and you drive out, one Spring chore off your list!

Drop off appliance during event hours only.
No electronics or TVs.

Congratulations To The TCN Homeless Services And Youth Development Committees!

17 care packages have already been distributed to local homeless teens.

 

You can help by donating any of the following items:   

X-Large Hoodies

Gloves
Hats

Socks
Toiletries
$5 Gift Cards to Local Food Stores

Prepaid Phone Cards

 

Items can be donated by contacting Paula Kamp at 610-326-9460, Ext. 209 to schedule pick up or drop off at Community Health & Dental Care at either of the following locations:

11 Robinson Street, Suite 100, Pottstown
700 Heritage Drive, Pottstown

August Wilson Center To Be Sold To Foundations

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Allegheny County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dollar Bank and the court-appointed receiver for the debt-ridden August Wilson Center for African American Culture struck a deal on Monday to sell the embattled Downtown cultural center to a coalition of foundations for $8.85 million.

The agreement nixes the proposed $9.5 million sale of the center to New York-based 980 Liberty Partners, a developer that wanted to build a 200-room luxury hotel atop the existing two stories and share space with the center.

The surprise announcement shortly before noon in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court halted what was supposed to be a two- to three-day trial over deed terms before it began. It marked a shift in course for court-appointed receiver Judith K. Fitzgerald, who had previously urged the judge to approve the sale to 980.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/6866840-74/million-center-court#ixzz3Ej4UAIHV
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

‘Save the Lights’ Yard Signs Available

‘Save the Lights’ yard signs will be available for $25 each at ALL Saturday afternoon Pottstown HS [football] home games. CASH or CHECK. Note: If paying by check, checks need to be ONLY made payable to: “The Pottstown School District / Save the Lights” [Stop-by and buy one for a worthy cause… for Friday night games again!!

 

Pennsylvania PUC Cracks Down On Lyft, Uber Drivers

The battle for Pittsburgh’s passengers has heated up, with the Public Utility Commission issuing its first citations since two ride-share companies moved into the area earlier this year.

Court records show PUC enforcement officer Charles Bowser cited 23 drivers of ride-share companies Lyft and Uber between March 31 and April 21. Each driver is cited for operating a passenger carrier without a certificate of public convenience. The citations, issued through the office of District Justice Gene Ricciardi, were all dated April 22, and are being mailed to drivers.

According to court records, the trips cited by Mr. Bowser included four to 777 Casino Drive, which is the Rivers Casino; three trips to 300 West Station Square Drive, which is the Sheraton Station Square hotel; and six trips to 600 Commonwealth Place, which is the Wyndham Grand hotel.

PUC spokeswoman Jennifer Kocher said the enforcement officer’s actions — taking rides, then citing the drivers — were not atypical for enforcement procedures.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/business/2014/04/26/PUC-cracks-down-on-Lyft-Uber-drivers/stories/201404250181#ixzz300fdROVt

Pottstown Cluster Of Religious Communities Announces Holiday Food And Toy Program

Join us for our Annual Holiday Program December 16, 2013- December 20, 2013

Annual Holiday Food and Toy Program

Each year the Pottstown Cluster holds its annual Holiday Food and Toy Program.  We offer a Holiday meal for 200 families and toys for over 400 children in the Pottstown area. We try to meet the needs for as many families as possible so each year that number increases. Your support and generosity will make this another successful year.

Additional Volunteers will be needed Friday December 13th through Friday December 20th, packing and distributing groceries and Holiday boxes, if you have a small van we need someone to help pick up some food donations; sorting toys and helping clients shop.

If you would like to donate or organize a drive, we are in need of unwrapped toys for children 16 years and younger for the Toy Program – just some suggesstions…..gift cards, educational toys, books, coloring books/crayons, DVDs, games, dolls, puzzles, sleeping bags, sports items….as long as they are age appropriate.  Have fun shopping!

Be part of our Adopt a Family program.  You can sponsor one family that is on our waiting list with a meal and presents.

For the Food box we still need eggs, butter, pie, milk and rolls.  However, we do not have the room to store these items so please drop them off December 17th.

If you have any questions, please contact Victoria Bumstead, Volunteer Coordinator

VBumstead@PottstownCluster.org or call 610-970-5995

Happy Holidays to eveyone!!!

Street Signs To Identify Reading’s Centre Park Historic District

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You may drive through Reading’s Centre Park Historic District and not even know it; no signs mark its boundaries.

That will soon change, thanks to district residents and others who are paying for the signs, and the city, which has agreed to chip in $8,000 in community development money to mount them.

“Centre Park Historic District a great place to call home” say the 18-square-inch signs with an arched top.

“We’ve been talking about it in some form or another for years, but the actual push to get something done began about three months ago,” said Michael Lauter, the district’s executive director.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=513703

Lights Go Out On Pottstown July 4th Fireworks

Editor’s note:  This day has been coming for a while now, but it makes the reality no less sad.  

The ax has finally fallen on the Pottstown Fourth of July celebration.

The committee that plans the annual event announced last week that the fireworks have been canceled for this year.  The parade will go on, but most events in Memorial Park including the popular evening fireworks display will not be held.  The decision was made in December because a $30,000 three-year contract with the fireworks company requires early notification and a sizeable deposit of $23,000.

Marcia Levengood and Chip Smale, co-chairs of the planning committee, said the group is hoping to raise $20,000 to stage the parade.  If they can get more, an expanded celebration will be resurrected in 2014.

The news comes after several years of struggle to raise the $60,000 needed for a two-day celebration including a parade and fireworks that has become a tradition in Pottstown since it started 34 years ago.  The celebration has always been funded entirely through community donations, with no tax dollars allocated for the event. In recent years, donations have been hard to come by and slow to come in, creating a last-minute plea each year to keep the celebration afloat.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130225/OPINION01/130229704/lights-go-out-on-pottstown-july-4th-fireworks#full_story

New York Parks In Less Affluent Areas Lack Big Gifts

When Frederick J. Kress, who sits on the board of the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Conservancy, heard about it, he had only one thought: What about us?

Flushing Meadows-Corona, which has been the setting for two World’s Fairs, is considerably larger than Central Park, at 1,225 acres, compared with 843. Last year, its conservancy attracted $5,000 in donations.

The park’s bicycle and walking paths are cracked and pitted, Mr. Kress said, and its natural areas are overgrown with invasive species.  “Central Park is doing pretty well,” said Mr. Kress, who is also president of the Queens Coalition for Parks and Green Spaces, noting that though Mr. Paulson’s home on Fifth Avenue overlooks Central Park, he grew up in Queens.  “I’m not saying he owes anyone anything, but how about you give Central Park $98 million and Flushing Meadows-Corona $2 million?  That two million would have gone so much further in an underappreciated park.”

Read more:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/nyregion/new-york-parks-in-less-affluent-areas-lack-big-gifts.html?hp&_r=0

Community’s Generosity Helps Ease Crunch At City School

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States Public School Districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  The “feel good” story for today 🙂

Facing a districtwide budget crunch and the melding of two schools into one, teachers at Millmont Elementary School are likely feeling the crunch trying to get ready for the upcoming school year.

But thanks to the generosity of a handful of local businesses, things should be a little easier come opening day.

Merra Lee Moffitt, senior partner at Good Life Financial Group in Wyomissing, led a campaign to collect and donate school supplies to the teachers at Millmont.

“We like being involved in the community and giving back,” she said.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=410378