Althouse Arboretum Events

Save Our Ash 5K Dash

October 8 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Althouse Arboretum   ($15 fun walk/run, $25 5K trail race)

Come on out and give the short but challenging “Save Our Ash” 5K trail run a try, and help save the beautiful Arboretum’s ash forest from a killer invasive beetle!

> 3.1 Mile Trail Run starts at 10:00 am
> 1.3 or 2.4 mile (your choice!) Fun Walk/Run begins at about 10:05.
> New for 2016: Race Timing by Pretzel City Sports

Find out more »

Family Night Hike

October 14 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Due to high demand for this event we will be having two nights you can attend this year, Friday October 14th or Saturday October 15th. Both nights come anytime between 6pm – 9pm. Our most popular event! Families can walk through candle-lit trails to storytellers, then end the evening with marshmallows and the bonfire. Additional games and children’s activities will take place beneath the pavilion. This is a great event for young children as alternative to traditional Halloween activities. $2.50…

Haunted Woods

October 29 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Unlike our Family Night Hike which is not scary at all, we have this terrifying event made for the thrill seekers in our community. Come in your best costume to watch a classic horror movie in the Arboretum meadow, and if you dare try venturing out into our haunted woods, but you won’t be alone… $5 per person

Visit us at http://althousearboretum.org/ for future events or to sign up for our newsletter!

It’s Spring!‏ At the Althouse Arboretum

Volunteer Day!  We need YOU!

It’s time to start creating our community center! The basement has been cleared out, beams added, April 23rd we’ll be installing stud walls. We can use people with some “construction” experience to help.  We will also be painting, working on trails, clearing areas for our “playground features”,  and more…. something for everyone! Please come!

Saturday, April 23rd, starting at 9am
We’ll be there all day.
Picnic lunch provided!
Rain date:  Sunday, 24th

We have some but can use more if you’d like to bring them!
If you’re willing to work on the house:  Nail gun, electric saw, tools in general
Outside work:  Need shovels, rakes, clippers
Painting:  Bring extra brushes, extension roller, scraper
Everyone:  Work Gloves!

Friends of the Arboretum

Monday, May 2nd, 7pm
2019 Mimosa Lane
(around the corner from the Arboretum, off Snyder Road)

So much going on! Find out what’s happening, add your ideas!

(Here’s more about the Friends)

And the Winner Is…

PENN”S WOODS TRAIL!
Watch for your chance to participate in making this a model of native plants and education.

Summer Camp

Time to sign up for Summer Camp! Three choices this year: Water Week, Wildlife Week and Outdoor Science Week. Discount when you sign up for all three!

 

GreenAllies News

• GreenAllies received a grant to complete the Arboretum’s Master Plan including a Low Ropes Course and a Children’s Forest Trail.  Work will begin this spring and continue throughout 2016.
•  Franklin Institute will provide the funding for GreenAllies to run a Climate Change Action Summit for college students at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. College volunteers will be trained in climate action projects for middle and high school students for the purpose of serving as mentors during the upcoming school year.  The goal is to inspire student environmental projects across the region.
• Emerald Ash Borer:  The invasive insect is forcing the township to cut down all the ash trees near trails and other “targets” throughout the township. Althouse Arboretum has over 200 ash trees on its property.  Plans are being formulated to cut some trees immediately; monitor and cut other ash trees when needed in the future; and to SAVE some of the most important trees through chemical treatment.  Looking for supporters to sponsor a tree and help fund the chemical treatment to SAVE THE TREES.

The Althouse Arboretum Is The Happening Place!‏

Althouse Arboretum

February, 2016

Awesome First Year! Trails, programs, conferences, mobile lab and more! Read about all the accomplishment of GreenAllies and the Althouse Arboretum in their first year! Tori Bateman, one of our college interns, put together this entertaining and educational report. As you read it see if your name or picture is in it! Friends of the Arboretum Monday, February 22, 7pm 2019 Mimosa Lane, Pottstown (around the corner from the Arboretum, off Snyder Road) Join us! All invited! Find out what’s happening, student projects, new opportunities and more! We are a group of interested friends, neighbors, and students who come together once per season to learn, exchange ideas, and discuss possibilities for enriching the Arboretum experience for the community. We have some new ideas we’d like to share. Hope you can come! (Here’s more about the Friends) Programs are Up! We’ve posted our programs for the coming year. There are children’s programs and adult and family programs. Some details will be added as we go and we’ll keep you posted on the website, on Facebook and in this newsletter. Native Plant Business Area high school students are invited to attend a three month class starting February 24th on growing and selling native plants. Here’s more information. In the News Ken Hamilton was awarded the prestigious Schuykill Highlands 2015 Trails and best Practices Award at their annual awards meeting. See more here. More News Know a high school or college student interested in the environment and sustainability? Send them this link to the Green Allies College Campus Conference. Last year’s conference was highly rated by all and this year’s is looking even better Sincerely, Ken Hamilton, Executive Director, Green Allies, Director, Althouse Arboretum Nancy Baker, Community Coordinator, Althouse Arboretum The Arboretum Through cross-easement agreements with Upper Pottsgrove Township, the parcel purchased by the Township will be used as an environmental education center, complete with trails, outdoor classrooms and nature education sites managed and run by GreenAllies with no cost to the Township. All programs, activities, trail work and more is done by Green Allies with input from local students and community members. The Alliance is solely funded by grants and donations. More information is available here  Join us on Facebook! Visit us on Pinterest. Our website! Find even more events and programs as well as information and history about the Arboretum, and even a wish list. Check it out there! Upcoming Events Last chance to vote! All these projects are worth while and will eventually get done but the project with the most votes gets all! Make your tax-deductible vote NOW for your favorite project! (Make sure to include the feature you want your $’s to vote for!) Appliance Recycling Day Saturday, February 27th   9am to 3pm Appliances (Air conditioners, dehumidifiers, refrigerators, washers,driers, microwave, etc….) NO TVs or electronics. Please drop off only during recycling hours. Free, Donations appreciated! Scrap Metal Recycling Day Saturday, April 2nd   9am to 3pm Volunteer Days 10am to 3pm – Come any time! Earth Day – Saturday, April 23rd Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22nd Sunday, June 26th Join the fun! We create and maintain the trails, activity areas, and other features of the Arboretum, plant gardens, work on the house and more! Bring the entire family, introduce friends or make new ones at this new community resource.

Calling All Volunteers!‏

Night Hike was awesome!

Nothing but rave reviews for an awesome program planned and carried out by Spark the Wave students! If you missed it be sure to join us next year!

Calling All Volunteers!!

Saturday, October 31st, Sunday, November 1st

Saturday, November 7th & 14th

Come anytime between 10am to 3pm

We’ll be planting lots of trees and shrubs along Penn’s Woods Trail and can use all the help we can get! Bring shovels and other large digging tools if you have them. Hope to see you there!

Althouse Arboretum In the News

Connecting trail to Sussel Park is done! Now for your walking pleasure you can enjoy not only the Arboretum but Sussel Park too all in one walk. Lovely ponds at Sussel and good exercise walking the hill.

We now have a shed!Thanks to an Eagle Scout project the shed is finished and already being put to good use by our student interns. Lots going on!

Have you seen our ID Garden across from the shed? Created by student interns the garden will give you the names and show you the native plants you may see in the Arboretum.

Plant Sale. Next to the shed you’ll find a plant sale of mostly native, locally grown plants. If you want a quantity of any one plant contact Nancy. Prices are below what you find at the garden center and 100% of the proceeds go towards funding Arboretum projects.

Mark Saturday, September 26th in your calendar now. You’ll be glad you did. It’s the Arboretum’s Grand Opening Celebration and you’ll be amazed as what we have planned!

There’s a classroom in the woods. Can you find it?

Last chance to sign up for June’s Summer Camp! Starts Tomorrow!
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 ScrapMetal & Tires

Saturday, June 27th, 9 am to 1 pm
Have you been meaning to clean out the garage? Get rid of the broken tools? Copper, aluminum, brass, steel and more.
No fee, all donations appreciated
(Please drop off only during recycling hours)

Volunteer Weekend

June 27th & 28th, 2015,
The last Saturday and Sunday of each month,
Come any time in between 10am & 3pm
Much of what you see at the Arboretum has been done by volunteers. Join in! We’ll be doing a little of everything! Planting, weeding, moving, building, clearing, choose your favorite activity, meet your neighbors and have fun! A great family activity! No experience necessary! No preregistration required!

Upcoming April Activities At The Althouse Arboretum

Friends of the Arboretum

Monday, April 13th, 6:30 pm
Under the Pavillion

A group of interested friends, neighbors and students who come together to share ideas, resources, and possibilities to enrich the Arboretum experience for all. You can volunteer your time and talent, or become part of a community team to discuss, plan and work together to make our land a first-class outdoor destination for the community.Come join us and explore the possibilities! Everyone invited!

Free Tree Tender Training for you?

Thursday evenings  April 16, 23, 30, from 6:00 -9:00pm.
Chester Springs (33 minutes south of the Arboretum)

The PA Horticulture Society has offered to provide us with free trees if we have individuals with Tree Tender Training. The SAVE Alliance Foundation has offered to pay for anyone to take the training who agrees to complete the training and volunteer time to plant trees at the Althouse Arboretum. We can carpool from the Arboretum. How about it?

During three energetic sessions learn the basics of tree planting and care including tree biology, identification, stresses, planting , pruning and root care – and how to use these skills in your home landscape and in helping to restore the tree canopy in your neighborhood and the region. Skills to use at home too!

Register by this Monday by contacting khamilton@thesavealliance.org

Click here for more information about the Althouse Arboretum:

https://althousearboretum.wordpress.com/

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/

Man Attacks West Pottsgrove Target Windows With Sledgehammer

English: Logo of Target, US-based retail chain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WEST POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA — A man who reportedly had a dead snake on him smashed out windows at a Target with a sledgehammer before being shocked with a police stun gun Saturday afternoon.

Around 2:45 p.m. Saturday, the man, who was only identified Sunday as being 24-years-old and from Upper Pottsgrove, allegedly smashed windows at the front of a target in Upland Square using a sledgehammer.

He reportedly also had some kind of dead snake on his person and a source said the store was put on lockdown while police were called.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140420/updated-man-attacks-west-pottsgrove-target-windows-with-sledgehammer

Opposition Builds To Library Funding Cut By Lower Pottsgrove Township

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

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA — The township commissioners’ decision to reconsider its 2014 funding for the Pottstown Regional Public Library has resulted in a swelling of support for the library and a number of efforts to keep the funding intact.

Earlier this month when the Board of Commissioners reorganized, the new majority announced its intention to open up the 2014 budget adopted one month earlier and reduce funding to the Pottstown Regional Public Library on High Street.

Paradoxically, in December, Lower Pottsgrove had joined with both Upper Pottsgrove and Pottstown borough in increasing the allocation to the library for 2014.

In Lower Pottsgrove’s case, the commissioners had agreed in December to increase the annual allocation by $5,000 — up to $65,000.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140118/opposition-builds-to-library-funding-cut-by-l-pottstrove

Layne Steps Down As Upper Pottsgrove Township Manager

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

UPPER POTTSGROVE — The township’s worst kept secret was finally made public Monday night when it was announced that Township Manager Jack Layne has resigned to take a job as manager of Maple Shade, N.J.

Layne began his work with the township in May, 2006, taking over to fill the void left by the surprise resignation of his predecessor, Michael Cotter.

Layne had himself resigned earlier in the year as manager of Pottstown Borough and the Pottstown Borough Authority, a position he had held since January, 2003 after leaving a post in Ohio.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131216/layne-steps-down-as-u-pottsgrove-township-manager

Pottstown Regional Recreation Post Could Wear Many Hats

POTTSTOWN — Sometimes things just fall into your lap just when you need them.

Just one day after members of the Pottstown School Board and borough council brainstormed about ways they can work together to cut costs and market Pottstown to a broader region, an opportunity to do just that for free was again presenting itself.

During their first joint meeting of the year on Feb. 25, members of both Pottstown boards echoed a common lament, the need to market what Pottstown has to offer to a wider audience, to better coordinate and add to major events and the need for additional funding help from outside sources and the surrounding townships.

On Tuesday, the Pottstown Metropolitan Regional Planning Committee heard about an opportunity being developed over the last year with the help of the Pottstown Health and Wellness Foundation to do many of those things at a ridiculously low cost.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130304/NEWS01/130309833/pottstown-regional-rec-post-could-wear-many-hats#full_story

Pottsgrove School District Mulls $61 Million Budget With 3.3% Tax Hike

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

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP— Facing a potential budget shortfall of $1.9 million, the Pottsgrove School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to advertise a proposed $60.9 million budget for the 2013-14 school year that would raise taxes by $155 for the average district homeowner.

However, those figures are unlikely to remain unchanged until June, when all final school budgets must be adopted.

The district is working under the constraints of Act 1, which requires a district to either declare it will not raise taxes above a state set index — as Pottstown did last month in committing to keep any tax increase at or below 2.4 percent — or advertise a preliminary budget.

The Pottsgrove board chose the second option, voting to advertise a preliminary budget presented publicly for the first time Tuesday night by Business Manager David Nester.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130125/NEWS01/130129618/pottsgrove-mulls-61-million-budget-with-3-3-tax-hike#full_story

$59 Million Pottsgrove School District Budget Brings 2.8% Tax Hike

 

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

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP – Property taxes will rise by 2.8 percent in the Pottsgrove School District next year as the result of a 8-1 vote Tuesday by the Pottsgrove School Board.

The vote was the final word on the $58.9 million budget for the 2012-13 school year.

The board also voted to set a millage rate of 35.979 mills for the new fiscal year, an increase of .98 mills.

It will raise taxes by $35.98 for every $1,000 of assessed value, or about $118 for a home valued at $120,000, the district’s median assessment, Nester told The Sanatoga Post.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120629/NEWS01/120629285/-59-million-pottsgrove-budget-brings-2-8-tax-hike

Pottstown Regional Public Meeting – September 8, 2011 @ 7:00 PM

 

Food Network’s “Ace of Cakes” Coming To An End

The Food Network‘s popular show “Ace of Cakes” will be airing its final season in 2011.  The show has had a long run and “Ace of Cakes” star Duff Goldman may be continuing his association with the Food Network.

Upper Pottsgrove Township native Geoffrey Manthorne stars on “Ace of Cakes” and also works as Executive Sous Chef at Charm City Cakes in Baltimore which is owned by Goldman.

14-Screen Movie Theater Planned For Upper Pottsgrove

http://www.pottstownmercury.com/articles/2009/10/01/business/srv0000006525173.txt

This must be the empty field across from Highland Park… Have been wondering how long it would take for something to go in there.  Those houses sold across from Pottstown Plaza.  Not sure this is a great idea logistically.  Pottstown Plaza needs tenants!  Wonder why they didn’t revamp their current cinema in Norco or use already vacant space in Pottstown Plaza… Guess that’s politics etc…