PennSuburban Chamber Adds ‘Greater Montgomery County’ To Name

Location of Whitpain Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whitpain Township, PA – A new name, a new website, a social media campaign, and new ways for local businesses to meet and greet.

Those are just some of the perks now being offered by the former PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce, now known as of Wednesday as the PennSuburban Chamber of Greater Montgomery County.

“We’re really excited to keep our name, keep the logo, but add that geographic reference, so if we talk to folks who don’t know who we are, we can at least tell them where we are,” said CEO Pam Kelly.

Read more: http://www.thereporteronline.com/business/20141029/pennsuburban-chamber-adds-greater-montgomery-county-to-name

Program Helps Centre County Residents Get Green Thumb

Counties constituting the Happy Valley Region of Pennsylvania (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

STATE COLLEGE, PA — The area behind the Food Bank of State College on South Atherton Street looked more like a miniature farm Friday than a parking lot.

It was full of broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, lettuce, tomato, squash and herb plants for food bank clients to plant in their own gardens.

Members of Penn State Master Gardeners, Centre County Office of Adult Services and Nutrition Links teamed up with the food bank for the annual Home Grown Project.

For the past five years, the event has helped a few hundred local families better understand the food they consume, master gardener Norman Knaub said.

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2014/05/30/4201771/program-helps-locals-get-green.html?sp=/99/116/#storylink=cpy

York’s New Arts And Culture Liaison Hopes To Connect Artists, Community

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

The words effortlessly pour out of Carla Christopher’s mouth whether she’s behind a mic reading an original poem, or sitting at a coffee table at New Grounds talking about arts in the City of York.

She’s no stranger to the talk or the mic, as she just completed a three-year stint as the city’s poet laureate.

But now, York has tasked her with a new goal — one that’s already near and dear to her heart: arts and culture liaison.

“Carla’s ability to connect to so many different people needed to be capitalized upon,” Mayor Kim Bracey said.

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_25714953/yorks-new-arts-and-culture-liaison-hopes-connect

Pottstown Area PAL Presents 3rd Annual Comedy Show

Headliner: Chris Coccia

Feature: Rubi Nicholas

MC: James Thomas

May 10th, 2014
Doors open at 7pm * Showtime is 8:15pm
TICKETS $20.00
Elks Lodge #814 * 61 E. High St., Pottstown
Contact the PAL office for tickets: 610-327-0527

Benefits ALL PAL Programs.
Snacks & Beverages provided along with sandwiches sold by the Elks Lodge. Come out for
some great laughs and lots of fun!

SPONSORED BY THE POTTSTOWN AREA POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE

Organic Gardending Worshops To Be Held In Pottstown

Laura Washington, Garden Manager for the Mosaic Community Land Trust in Pottstown will hold two organic gardening worships:

• April 11, 2014 at 10:30am – Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center, 288 Moser Rd, Pottstown

• April 22, 2014 at 6:00pm – Pottstown Regional Public Library; 500 E. High Street, Pottstown

These free workshops are presented by the TCN Environmental Health and Safety Committee.

To register call 610-705-3301, Ext 2

3rd Annual Soup Bowl Fundraiser At ArtFusion 19464 In Pottstown

Pottstown, PA – Winter Chill + Warm Soup = Perfection

ArtFusion’s popular fundraiser returns for a third year. The Soup Bowl fundraiser will take place Saturday, January 25 from 11am-1pm at 254 E. High St. in the ArtFusion facility. This year’s event will be even bigger and better than last year, with the Soup Bowl event taking over the entire building. Different soups will be set up on the first floor and also upstairs on the second floor, with more seating to accommodate a lot more soup lovers!

Guests will be able to try an amazing variety of home-cooked soups, created by local volunteer chefs and donated by local restaurants. Lunch will also include bread, beverages and homemade desserts. As a thank you for supporting the fundraiser, each guest will take home a handcrafted ceramic bowl, created by volunteers from the community throughout the previous year.

Each bowl is an artistic collaboration: one volunteer created the bowl from clay and another added the colorful decorations. Guest artists included Girl Scout troops, high school students, volunteers from local businesses, members of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program and more. This event is truly a community effort, from the soups to the bowls.

This event was a sell-out in 2013. 2014 tickets are now available for purchase at ArtFusion’s 254 E. High St. location, and also online at their website http://www.artfusion19464.org The number of tickets is limited, so ArtFusion recommends purchasing your tickets early. All proceeds benefit the non-profit community art school.

ArtFusion 19464 is a 501(c)3 non-profit community art center located at 254 E. High St. in downtown Pottstown. 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.

Civic Clubs Working To Make Pottstown A Halloween Town

POTTSTOWN, PA — Sometimes people have to be scared into action.

And so you could say that perhaps one of the best things that ever happened to the Pottstown Halloween parade was that it was almost killed off last year by lack of funding.

Among those who stepped up into the breach, providing a needed infusion of funds, was the Stichter Lodge No. 254, F & AM Masonic Lodge which, earlier in the year, had a scare of its own.

Large pieces of cornice work had fallen off their landmark building on North Franklin Street and the members were not sure how to pay to repair it.

“We were kind of scared into action,” said Dave Hollenbach, a past master at the lodge. “We started looking into alternative ways to fund repairs to the building and it was about then that the issues with the Halloween parade cropped up.”

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131006/civic-clubs-working-to-make-pottstown-a-halloween-town

Home Team: Pittsburgh Police Should Live In The City

A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A change in state law has opened the door to eliminating a requirement that Pittsburgh police officers live in the city they are sworn to protect.

That door should be slammed shut.

Last year, a state law that said Pittsburgh police officers “shall” reside within the city was softened to say that officers “may” do so. That language would be completely meaningless — of course officers may live in the city — but for the City Code, which includes a residency provision that applies to all city employees.

The change in state law provided an opening for the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 1 to challenge the requirement, and during a recent arbitration hearing, dozens of current and former officers testified in support of abolishing the residency rule.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/editorials/home-team-pittsburgh-police-should-live-in-the-city-694537/#ixzz2YOLcFVHT

Pottstown Community Garden Taking Root In Second Site

POTTSTOWN — Say goodbye to the crumbling eyesore, say hello to Pottstown’s second community garden.

The continuing efforts by the Mosaic Community Land Trust to transform falling-down buildings and lots into productive assets took another step forward this week with the demolition of 615 Chestnut St.; the vacant site of a former neighborhood store will soon become a place where local residents can grow food for their tables and flowers for their enjoyment.

The property was owned for several years “by a fellow down in Philadelphia who eventually gave up on owning the property because he didn’t want to have to pay to demolish it, so he donated it to the land trust,” said David Jackson, chairman of the land trust’s board of directors.

That leverage, he said, was the result of pressure from the borough codes department, which cited the property repeatedly for violations.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130610/NEWS01/130609277/pottstown-community-garden-taking-root-in-second-site

Pottstown YMCA Membership Event Through May 31st

The Pottstown YMCA, a branch of the Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA, located at the corner of Adams & Jackson Streets in Pottstown is running a Membership Event through May 31st.  Become a new member and the normal joiner fee of $75 is being waived.  Join now and take advantage of access to recreational swimming year round and join as an Association member for access to outdoor pools.  Hundreds of programs offered for infants though Seniors.

Next session of programs runs June 10 – August 18, with registration for members beginning May 20th.  Camp registration is on-going, as well as, child care for ages 6 weeks through 12 years of age.

Call 610.323.7300 for details, stop by for a tour or visit us on the web at https://philaymca.org/

Annual Pottstown Family Fest

Family Services/Pottstown Family Center

Annual Pottstown Family Fest

Tuesday, March 12, 5pm-7:30pm

Pottstown Senior High School, 750 North Washington Street, Pottstown

This free family-focused event will feature information/resources from more than 30 area organizations, activities for the entire family, roving entertainment, sandwiches, drinks, Rita’s water ice, and a variety of door prizes.  Informational booths will be open from 5-7 p.m.  Door prizes will be awarded from 7-7:30 p.m. (must be present to win).  Children must be accompanied by an adult.  For more information call Jenn Brown at 610-326-1610 ext. 247

MOSAIC Community Land Trust & Genesis Housing Corporation Home Buying Basics

Tuesday, March 5th, 7pm-9pm
MOSAIC Community Land Trust, 10 S. Hanover Street, Pottstown
Real Estate Agreements & Types of Mortgages
Grants & First-Time Buyer Programs

Registration recommended as space is limited. Register online at http://www.genesishousing.org. Visit us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/genesishousing

Raffle To Benefit YWCA Literacy Programs

You could be a BIG winner! WIN $500 1st Prize an e-Nook Reader 2nd Prize or $100 3rd Prize!  You can be in the drawing by buying one ticket for $1 or 6 tickets for just $5!  Get your tickets at the YWCA‘s Main Office, 315 King Street, Pottstown or the Literacy Center 1830 E. High Street, Pottstown.  The drawing will be held December 5^th at the Pottstown Rotary Club meeting and you don’t need to be present to WIN!

Freedom Valley YMCA Members Approve Merger

English: Center City Philadelphia YMCA building. Now it looks like condos with the word “Metropolitan” over it’s doorway. On NRHP since December 2, 1980. 115 North 15th Street (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER PROVIDENCE — Several hundred members of the Freedom Valley YMCA approved a proposal to merge with the YMCA of Philadelphia & Vicinity in a vote Thursday night.  The final vote tally was 507 voting yes, 449 voting no, according to the tabulation on the Freedom Valley Y’s website.

The merger proposal had been presented to members attending a Monday night town hall meeting at the Spring Valley YMCA.  The proposal will merge the Freedom Valley YMCA, with locations in West Norriton, Phoenixville, Pottstown, Limerick and Pennsburg, with the larger Philadelphia YMCA, which has 10 locations in the Philadelphia region.

Proponents of the merger plan said it would allow the combined YMCAs to build a branch in Conshohocken, pay one national YMCA fee, tap into the larger corporate donor base of the Philadelphia YMCA and achieve cost savings with the larger organization.  Fees would not be increased due to the merger, members would continue using their “home” YMCA facilities and overcrowding would not be a by-product of the merger, officials said.

On Thursday night, YMCA officials provided bus service from three of the Freedom Valley YMCAs for members who wanted to vote during a two-hour period.

Read more:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20121116/NEWS01/121119504/freedom-valley-ymca-members-approve-merger-(video)#full_story

Breakfast And Fall Fashion Show At Brookside Country Club In Pottstown

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SUPPORT LITERACY

Breakfast and Fall Fashions by ANN TAYLOR will be held on Saturday, September 29, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Brookside Country Club in Pottstown.  This event supports literacy programs that teach adults in our area reading, writing, math, workplace skills and the English language.

For more information, reservations and tickets, please call the YWCA Tri-County Area at 610-323-1888 x202.

Come on out, enjoy a lovely breakfast buffet and fashion show while supporting the YWCA Adult Literacy Program!

Braddock Mayor To Be Honored By White House As AmeriCorps Alumni

The White House Friday will honor Braddock Mayor John Fetterman as an outstanding AmeriCorps alumni who is a “Champions of Change.”

Mr. Fetterman is one of a dozen lauded for what the White House said is “leveraging their national service experience to become an influential leader in their communities.”

Mr. Fetterman, a Harvard graduate with a master’s degree in public policy, was placed in AmeriCorps service by the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council. He moved to Braddock in 2001 to do the AmeriCorps work. Four years later he became the town’s mayor — winning the election by a single vote — and has been at the forefront of a massive effort to revitalize the once-prosperous town ever since.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-east/braddock-mayor-to-be-honored-by-white-house-as-americorps-alumni-649273/#ixzz23kIFbGM7

Pottstown YMCA 21st Annual Halloween Safehouse

Pottstown YMCA

21st Annual Halloween Safehouse

Y Cares Treat Trail & Food Drive

Friday, October 28, 2011, 6-8 PM

Ages 12 & under with Adult

Admission Fee – Canned Food Item or Donation

Food donations benefit the pantries of The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities & the Salvation Army.

Monetary donations benefit the Y Cares Program of Freedom Valley YMCA

Freedom Valley YMCA at Pottstown, Adams & Jackson Streets, 610.323.7300 or  www.fvymca.org

Pottstown School District Parent Literacy Nights

Parent Literacy Nights

The Pottstown School District, in partnership with Step By Step Learning®, will be offering a series of Parent Literacy Nights for students who are pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade ages and their parents.  These Parent Literacy Nights will focus on helping parents develop the skills to assist their children in learning to read at home.  The Series is a FREE tool to help you promote literacy within your home.  Come to any or all of the Event Nights…In addition to a wealth of quality information, there will be refreshments, prizes, raffles and games each night of the series.

5:30 Tuesday Nights- Pottstown Middle School

September 13, October 4, October 25, November 15, December 6

• Refreshments! • Nightly Prizes!• Grand Prize Raffle! • Free Child Care!

To Pre-Register, please call 610-970-6603

Magic For Miracles – A Benefit For Alex’s Lemonade Stand – Sunday, September 18th

Magic Show to Benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand

Sunday September 18th, 2011 – Show starts @ 2:00pm

at 

Jacksonwald Elementary School,100 Church Lane Road

Reading,PA (ExeterTownship)

Tickets $5 each

100% of the money raised goes directly to Alex’s Lemonade Stand for childhood cancer research in memory of Shelli Lafferty.

For Ticket information contact Ryan Parsons (610) 779-5880 or email ryanparsons@comcast.net

6 magical acts for the whole family featuring members of

The Mingus Magic Club

Harrisburg’s Cultural Enrichment Fund (CEF) Exceeds Fundraising Goal

Image via Wikipedia

The Cultural Enrichment Fund (CEF) gives money to many worthy Central Pennsylvania arts and cultural groups.  This year the CEF saw an increase in fundraising donations to the tune of $15,000.  The group exceeded its $500,000 goal.  This was the first time in several years that the CEF was able to exceed their fundraising goal.

The top recipients are:

Harrisburg Symphony – $77,008

Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet – $45,903

Whitaker Center- $29,252

Open Stage of Harrisburg- $19,647

Theatre of Harrisburg – $19,609

Susquehanna Art Museum- $18,760

Thirteen groups will receive funding this year.