Hazleton Moves Airport Project Forward

HAZLETON, PA — The City Council accepted a $1.3 million Aviation Grant Tuesday night to fund a Runway Safety Area at the City Airport.

As part of the agreement, 5 percent of the project, or $70,000, must be paid for with funds from airport revenues.

A contract for the project was awarded to the only bidder, Hazleton Site Contractors, a member of the H&K Group.

When questioned by several members of council in regard to the airport’s ability to pay for its portion of the project, city engineer Dominic Yannuzzi said the airport had a $56,000 surplus and fuel valued at $60,000, which would be sold for revenue.

Read more:

http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/153327730/Hazleton-moves-airport-project-forward

Althouse Arboretum April News‏

Friends of the Arboretum, Hark!

Monday, April 13th 6:30 pm
Under the pavilion at the Arboretum
in case of bad weather, 2019 Mimosa Lane
Will post on the website and Facebook if we move it from the Arboretum.

If you want to know more about what’s going on at the Arboretum (lots!),  if you’d like to participate in the Friends mission to share ideas, develop resources, and plan ways to enrich the Arboretum experience for all, if you want to see how you can become part of the action – come! All invited!

If you can’t attend the meeting, you can still email us your ideas! Your input is valuable!

 

Forest Easter Egg Hunt – A Success!

Over 150 people came out to search for eggs and visit with our very own Easter Bunny. The event was planned, organized and run by Pottsgrove High School’s Spark the Wave Club with healthy snacks donated by Kimberton Whole Foods Douglassville.

Heard someone leaving say, “See, this is what we used to do for Easter at Grandma’s.” – ah, family memories and good times in the making!

Here’s a wonderful article with delightful pictures by the Sanatoga Post where you can read all about it.

 

Pottstown Challenge

Another success! Over $5,000 was raised to meet the Pottstown Challenge. The Greater Pottstown Foundation will now match our $5,000 giving us the funds to provide special summer programs for at-risk and low income children at the Arboretum. The money will pay for transportation, program costs, and provide scholarships for local high school student interns who will run the programs.

Individuals and businesses who contributed will be featured on our soon to be available trail map. You’ll be able to pick one up at the Arboretum or download one from the website. We strongly encourage you to support our sponsors and thank the individuals who support the Arboretum and its programs. There’s still time for individual’s to get on on the map. Just click the Matching Grant Donation button at the website. Put the name you want on the rock in the box and add your $50 donation so we can let everyone know ‘you rock!’ Hurry! Only a little time left!

 

Just for Fun

April is “Garden and Poetry Month!” (No foolin’!)
Message us on Facebook or email us  with your best original short garden or Arboretum Poem. Winners will be announced in May and the winning poem will win a gift card and be posted at the Arboretum!

Althouse Arboretum Seeking Donations And Matching Grant For Youth Programs

Below you’ll find the proposed trail map, letter from the Executive Director (Ken) and both the business and individual donation requests (PDF files).  Our goal is to reach $5,000 by March 20^th and the only way we will do that is with your help.  This is the Arboretum’s first matching funds grant and it would be awesome to start off with a great success.

All donations will be matched by The Greater Pottstown Foundation to allow the SAVE Alliance Foundation to provide free after-school and summer outdoor experiences for low income and at-risk youth from the Pottstown area.  Not only will the donation help create a first-class arboretum, but it will also go to provide such a wonderful service for the region’s children.

Ex Dir letter with donation info, Trail map letter individual, Trail map letter business

January Arboretum Happenings‏

The Pottstown Challenge!

We’ve received a challenge grant from the Greater Pottstown Foundation. If we can raise $5,000 for the Althouse Arboretum, the Greater Pottstown Foundation will match it with another $5,000 for special summer programs for at-risk and low income children at the Arboretum. The money will pay for transportation, program costs, and provide scholarships for local student interns to run the programs.

Ways to donate:

• Bring your donation to Christmas Tree Recycling Day or Friends of the Arboretum meeting
• You can donate directly through paypal.
• Send a check to “The SAVE Alliance Foundation”  35 King Rd. Green Lane PA  18054 and write “challenge” in the memo.
• At the SAVE Alliance Foundation website.
• Drop off donations at Nancy’s, 2019 Mimosa Lane, Pottstown
  (right off Snyder, less than a mile from the Arboretum)All donations are tax deductible. Our deadline is the first day of Spring, March 20th, 2015.  All amounts appreciated!

Recycle your Christmas Tree

Saturday, January 10th, 2015
 9am to 3pm, at Althouse Arboretum

Give your tree a second purpose and drop it off. Local students and Alliance volunteers will be there to assist you. Trees will be chipped by Upper Pottsgrove Township and donated back to the Arboretum to be used on our trails.

Friends of the Arboretum

Monday, January 19th, 2015
6:30pm to 8:30pm
2019 Mimosa Lane, Pottstown (right off Snyder, less than a mile from the Arboretum)

Friends of the Arboretum is a new group and just getting started. This is where you actually make the Arboretum yours by brainstorming, planning and putting into action what happens in the Arboretum. Students are already busy planning and creating Zen gardens, a children’s forest and a low ropes course. What programs would you like to see at the Arboretum? What events could be held? What’s possible? Come share your ideas.

We are looking for community members to become part of the Althouse Arboretum. You can volunteer your time and talent, or if you would like, become part of a community to discuss, plan and work together to make our Arboretum a first-class outdoor destination for the community.

We’ll be meeting to discuss prospects, potentials and ideas.  Come join us! (RSVP to Ken or  Nancyappreciated but not necessary)

If you can’t attend the meeting, you can still email us your ideas! Your input is valuable!

Sincerely,

Ken Hamilton, Executive Director, The SAVE Alliance Foundation
Nancy Baker, Friends of the Arboretum Coordinator

The Althouse Arboretum website is https://althousearboretum.wordpress.com/

State To Cover Cost Of BARTA, Red Rose Management Pact

English: BARTA bus in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania, July 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The state has agreed to cover the cost of the management pact between BARTA and Lancaster’s Red Rose Transit Authority, BARTA directors learned Monday.

That means PennDOT will pick up the $60,000 tab BARTA agreed to pay Red Rose for a six-month management contract approved last month. BARTA only has to put up $1,800 in matching funds to get the grant.

The agencies are testing whether it makes sense to share management.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=520180