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Rotarians to serve gourmet breakfast

February 21, 2012 By

Formally attired Rotarians will be serving a gourmet breakfast on Saturday, March 3rd, at the Morrisville United Methodist Church at 501 West Maple Avenue, Morrisville.

A breakfast choice of either Eggs Benedict or Gourmet Quiche, garnished with steamed asparagus, fresh pineapple and strawberries, will be served along with endless cups of coffee and juice.

The cost is $8 per person and tickets can be obtained from any member of the Morrisville-Yardley Area Rotary Club or by calling Ted Fletcher at 215-736-2286.

Tickets may also be purchased at the door. Come anytime between 8:30am and 11:00am and enjoy a friendly ecumenical get-together. 

Filed Under: Morrisville Times Events, Yardley Voice Events Tagged With: , ,

History of Chocolate in Pennsylvania

February 21, 2012 By

Susan McLellan Plaisted will present “The History of Chocolate in Pennsylvania” at Fallsington Friend’s Meetinghouse, 3900 S. Main Street, Fallsington, on Thursday, March 8th from 7:30 to 9:00pm.

While the aroma of chocolate wafts through the air Susan will connect the cultural use of chocolate from Meso-America to Europe and back to Colonial America.

Learn the basics of cacao cultivation, harvesting and fermentation.  Participants have the opportunity to sample a historic chocolate beverage.

Admission is free but reservations must be made by calling 215-295-6567.

Filed Under: Langhorne Ledger Events, Morrisville Times Events Tagged With: , , ,

Little Bulldogs registration is March 3rd

February 21, 2012 By

Since its inception, the Morrisville Little Bulldogs (MLB) organization has attempted to educate and guide our local youth. These children have the opportunity to learn the sport of football, utilize their knowledge of good sportsmanship and work together to achieve a common goal.

Each team of hardworking football players has an equally hardworking team of cheerleaders rooting their team to victory. Each year they have approximately 120 boys and 75 girls from the Morrisville, Yardley and Levittown areas, which comprise five weight classes of teams that they will field.

MLB strives to teach these children from different schools and towns to work together as a team. They offer a way for the children to utilize their spare time in a constructive way.

MLB is a member of the Pennsylvania Elite American Youth Football (PEAYF) and Little Guys Football Conferences and 2011 Jr. Peewee Football Conference. Playing with these conferences presents the challenges and experience of playing other teams in the Lower Bucks County and Northeast Philadelphia areas.

However, the primary goal remains for all participants to have fun!

Registration begins March 3rd, from 10:00am to noon at Bulldog Hall, 38 Hillcrest Avenue, Morrisville. 

Also visit Morrisvillelittlebulldogs.org for all updates.

Filed Under: Morrisville Times Events Tagged With: , , , ,

Set up a succession plan for your closely held business

February 21, 2012 By

submitted by Martin H. Abo, CPA/ABV/CVA/CFF, Abo and Company, LLC

If you are the owner of a closely held business, how wise it is to prepare a long-term succession plan to ensure an easy transition to the next generation of owners. A plan can even prevent the company’s destruction if one owner retires, becomes disabled, is terminated or dies. If ownership changes or the owners split because of a disagreement without having a succession plan in place, the viability of the business can be seriously damaged.

Here are some steps to follow in setting up a succession plan for your business:

  • Obtain and periodically update a business valuation. This sets the company’s worth so that the owners know their stock’s value in a transfer. The value estimate can vary over time and should be updated regularly to account for changes in company size and profitability.
  • Buy life insurance to cover the owners. Base the amount of coverage on key owners on the value of their stock, providing for proceeds to fund share purchases. Creating a partnership among the owners to receive the life insurance benefits if any of them dies can help owners avoid taxes on the proceeds. In addition, deceased shareholders’ estates will be paid in cash, thus eliminating their need to rely on the continued prosperity of the corporation. Another advantage of using life insurance is that the enterprise’s investment in the cash value of an ordinary life policy is a business asset. Also talk to the insurance professional about “disability buy-out” insurance.
  • Set up buy-sell agreements. Owners of the company need to agree to buy back shares of any owner who dies or leaves, which will enable them to prevent outsiders from buying the company’s stock.
  • Involve the next generation. Bring family members, employees or other future owners into the succession process early by selling them shares and preparing them for management.

Taking these steps will go a long way toward ensuring that a closely held business passes smoothly from generation to generation, and that the business remains stable and viable for years to come.

Filed Under: Business Notebook, Morrisville Times Columnists Tagged With: ,

Pennsbury Manor celebrates Charter Day with free admission


February 21, 2012 By

On Sunday, March 11th from 1:00 to 4:00pm, Pennsbury Manor welcomes one and all to celebrate the birthday of Pennsylvania for FREE. Spend the afternoon with William Penn and the people of Penn’s time and enjoy the sights and sounds of 17th-century daily life.

Colonial craftspeople dressed in period clothing will demonstrate blacksmithing, joinery, and chair caning. A display of 17th-century foods will be offered by the cooks, who will be on hand to explain the process of open hearth cooking.

Take a tour of the Manor House with costumed interpreters, and stop and see the role-players reenact “Voyage of the Welcome,” the voyage of 1682 when William Penn and other prospective colonists traveled to Pennsylvania on a ship called The Welcome.

Charter Day is a fun day filled with activities for the entire family. During the Charter Day event, Pennsbury Manor will be holding a food drive to benefit the Bucks County Housing Group’s Penndel Food Pantry.

The following are suggestions on what is needed: pasta, spaghetti sauce, macaroni and cheese, canned fruit and vegetables, soups and stews, tuna and other canned meats, snacks for kids, juice and powdered drink mix, cereals, and pancake mix.

For additional information on Pennsbury Manor or the food drive visit their Web site at www.pennsburymanor.org or contact them directly at 215-946-0400.

Filed Under: Morrisville Times Events Tagged With: , , ,

TEEN SCENE: I pause for the applause

February 21, 2012 By

by Maddie McLaughlin

Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved making people laugh or react to whatever I’m doing. My parents are both actors; I’ve grown up around the stage. As a child, I toured with my mother’s political street theatre company, Bond Street Theatre. I would start the shows for them on the streets of Europe at three-years- old to a crowd of strangers and just put on a little show with my toys or stuffed animals.

I’ve adored performing my entire life. I auditioned for plays in Morrisville when I moved here from Brooklyn, New York. Throughout middle school, I was in all the play productions. In high school, I was in the musicals and sketch comedy shows; I’ve been the Tin Man, the Queen of Hearts, and the guy with a mustache.

When Morrisville offered me the Dual Enrollment program at Bucks County Community College, I pounced. My father, Bill McLaughlin, teaches Improvisational Comedy. I knew as soon as I was eligible to take classes at Bucks, I wanted to take my father’s class.

My father has been doing Improvisational Comedy (improv) for almost 40 years. I’ve grown up watching my father improvise, as well as watching all of his student shows. When the day finally came that I was in his class, and I would finally be up on the stage like one of his infinitely cool, college students, I was thrilled.

When my father’s students started an improv club at Bucks, I joined immediately. Then, the president of the improv club, Kyle Reichart, decided to create a special show called Buckslive; it would consist of original skits, music and video, as well as improv. I auditioned for Buckslive and became the youngest member.

I had to buck up quick (pun intended). I was performing with college students. It was quite intimidating because I was performing with college students, not to mention some of my father’s former students that I had watched perform since I was 12. A few weeks later, I performed with my classmates in our show, Occupy Improv. I am now enrolled in the Improv II class at Bucks, and I am still a member of the improv club.

The study of improv has strengthened my ability to do high school class presentations, especially in English class. When I was required to perform a soliloquy from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, improv gave me the skills to go beyond just memorizing the lines, and to act out the scene. 

It was extraordinary for Morrisville to give me the chance to take Dual Enrollment classes. I now want to bring what I have learned from the class and Buckslive to our student/teacher show at Morrisville: Friday Night Live. I want to give my fellow pupils a chance to try a diverse type of performance.

Friday Night Live is completely original pieces, so not only do I want to write my own sketches for the show, I want to bring improv into the show, as well. Not only is improv challenging and unique, but it also enables a performer to be able to take on any obstacle that presents itself during the course of a show. 

Although this is my last semester at Morrisville, I would like to bring improv to my school. Perhaps this study of theatre will continue for years to come. I can only hope that my passion for performing can be passed on to future generations of Morrisville students.  I will carry my love of performing from the crowded streets of Europe to wherever my life takes me.

Filed Under: Morrisville Times News Tagged With: , , , ,

COMMUNITY GUIDEBOOK PROFILE: Historic Fallsington, Inc.

February 20, 2012 By

The village of Fallsington grew up around the first Falls Friends Meetinghouse built in 1692 and became significant as a social, market and religious center. Today, it is a Nationally Registered Historic District.

Historic Fallsington, Inc. (HFI) preserves six buildings including a hand-hewn Log House, Federal-style Townhouse, Tavern and General Store. Its mission is “to preserve the historical significance of the Village of Fallsington for future generations and to educate the public about its culture and rich history.”

HFI offers guided tours mid-May through mid-October, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10:30am to 3:30pm, and mid-October through mid-May weekdays only by confirmed reservations. Children’s tours and educational programs are available by appointment. The site is closed the weekends of Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving.

To learn more about Historic Fallsington, Inc. and its calendar of special events, visit them on the Web at www.historicfallsington.org or call 215-295-6567.

Filed Under: Morrisville Times News Tagged With: , , , ,

COMMUNITY GUIDEBOOK PROFILE: FCP Board approves $150,000 in grant awards benefitting Bucks non-profits

February 20, 2012 By

As part of their mission to improve the lives of Bucks County young people and their families, Foundations Community Partnership’s (FCP) Board of Directors has approved $150,000 in grants, including $50,000 in Capital Grants and $100,000 in Bucks Innovation and Improvement Grants (BIIG) to help 16 Bucks County human service non-profits and the families they serve.

FCP awarded a total of $50,000 in Capital Grants to these five non-profit organizations:

  • Bucks County Housing Group was awarded $15,000 to build an outdoor pavilion at the Robert Morris Apartment Complex in Morrisville, which will allow them to offer programs in inclement weather.
  • NOVA was awarded $10,000 to help expand their Perkasie office, enabling them to offer additional counseling services to Upper Bucks County residents.
  • Christ’s Home For Children in Warminster received a $10,000 grant towards the purchase of a van to be used in their residential foster care program.
  • Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County in Chalfont received a $10,000 grant to help them upgrade computers and purchase construction software to keep the program fully operational.
  • Peace Valley Holistic Center in Chalfont was awarded $5,000 to purchase audio therapy equipment.

FCP’s Board of Directors also awarded a total of $100,000 in Bucks Innovation and Improvement Grants (BIIG) to 11 non-profit human services organizations. BIIG grants are offered on a competitive basis to non-profit human services organizations to develop innovative ideas to improve the quality of life for children, youth, and families in Bucks County.

BIIG grantees included:

  • Girard College was awarded a $10,000 grant for its “Girard Support Web” project, which serves six to eight vulnerable youth from Bucks County with a rigorous academic program and related programs designed to promote intellectual, social and emotional growth.
  • Child, Home and Community in Doylestown received $6,000 in grant funding for their “Creative Careers” program, which provides one-on-one career counseling and group workshops to parenting adolescents to help them complete high school and develop skills to secure employment at a living wage.
  • Aldie Foundation in Doylestown was awarded a $14,000 grant to support the development and operation of a Family Resource Center that will facilitate parent education groups, filial therapy, children’s therapy, assistance in accessing medical and community resources and job search/career counseling for 1,500 clients per year.
  • Gilda’s Club of the Delaware Valley based in Warminster received a $10,000 grant to support their Str8 Talk for Cancer program, which offers support for 100 Bucks County teens per year touched by cancer, including stress, emotional strain, behavioral issues and poor school performance.
  • Bucks County Chapter of The Links, Inc. in Doylestown was awarded a $10,000 grant for their Leadership Institute, which helps 400 Bucks County youth tackle topics such as bullying, drugs, youth violence, cliques and prejudice.
  • Special Equestrians in Warrington Township received a $10,000 grant to support a new Youth Connections behavior management program that focuses on the struggles of youth with behavioral problems.
  • Cradles to Crayons was awarded a $10,000 grant for their Giving Corps, which manages more than 9,000 volunteers who sort, clean, pack and distribute donations to 2,100 needy Bucks County children each year.
  • Neighborhood First’s LEAD program in Bristol received $10,000 to promote work ethics and community competences in 25 young people by replacing negative behavior and acts with positive behaviors.
  • ATG Learning Academy in Warminster was awarded a $10,000 grant for a new Arrowsmith Program that enhances learning readiness and works to repair learning disabilities for 30 school age students.
  • A Woman’s Place in Doylestown received a $5,000 grant to incorporate a new one on one collaborative counseling program into their children’s program, which serves 180 kids.
  • The Peace Center received a $5,000 grant to form a Diversity Task Force serving Holicong Middle School’s 3,500 students.

“The Board of Directors is pleased to support these organizations that have such a positive impact in our community,” said Ron Bernstein, executive director, Foundations Community Partnership. “They are fulfilling unmet needs for underserved children and families in Bucks County.”

To learn more about FCP and its mission visit www.fcpartnership.org or call 267-247-5584.

Filed Under: Doylestown Observer News, Morrisville Times News, Southampton Spirit News Tagged With: , , , ,

Basket Bingo to Benefit Gilda’s Club Delaware Valley

February 14, 2012 By

Nonprofit Provides Free Emotional, Social Support to People Living with Cancer
 
Gilda’s Club Delaware Valley, a local nonprofit organization that provides free emotional and social support to people living with cancer and to their family and friends, will host its 13th Annual Basket Bingo event on Saturday, February 25 at Westaby Hall at the Fairless Hills Volunteer Fire Company (Hood Boulevard, Fairless Hills, Pa.). Doors open at 11 a.m. and the games begin at 1 p.m.

The event, which draws hundreds of participants each year, features Longaberger® baskets, a Chinese auction, raffles, special games, a 50/50, and door prizes. All proceeds benefit Gilda’s Club Delaware Valley and ensure that people impacted by cancer in the Delaware Valley continue to have free access to the club’s program of social and emotional support.

The event is sponsored by Winpak Portion Packaging Inc. Other corporate sponsors include Aria Health, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Bucks ENT Associates, St. Mary Medical Center, First National Bank of Newtown, Neshaminy Medical P.C., and Norman Carpet One.

Tickets: Tickets are $18 and include three bingo cards for each of the 20 games, plus entry into the drawing for lots of great door prizes. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Please send a check payable to Gilda’s Club Delaware Valley, along with a stamped, self-addressed return envelope, to Basket Bingo, Gilda’s Club Delaware Valley, 200 Kirk Road, Warminster, PA 18974. Your tickets will be mailed back to you. In an effort to seat everyone comfortably, only 500 tickets will be sold.

Tickets are also available for purchase online at http://gildasclubdelval.org/bingo-form at a cost of $20 each.  If you cannot attend the event but would like to support Gilda’s Club Delaware Valley’s vital work, please considering sending a tax-deductible donation.  For more information: Contact Beth Starrantino at 215-441-3290 ext. 104 or at beth@gildasclubdelval.org.

About Gilda’s Club
Gilda’s Club Delaware Valley is a registered 501(c) 3 nonprofit and the foremost organization providing a free program of social and emotional support, as a supplement to medical care, for individuals living with cancer and for their families and friends. For more information, call Gilda’s Club Delaware Valley at 215-441-3290 or visit the club online at www.gildasclubdelval.org.

Filed Under: Langhorne Ledger Events, Morrisville Times Events, Yardley Voice Events Tagged With: , , ,

COMMUNITY GUIDEBOOK PROFILE: Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

February 7, 2012 By

Fairless Hills Elks Lodge #2023, located at 835 W. Bridge Street in Morrisville, has over 400 members was chartered in March 1957. The Lodge sponsors and supports many charitable and community functions and activities in the area. Some of which are as follows:

VETERANS

Recently the Lodge partnered with Boy Scout Trop #210 in the “WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA” ceremony held at the Washington Crossing National Cemetery. The Lodge purchased 50 wreaths and placed them at gravesites. Members visit the Philadelphia Veterans Hospital quarterly and provide patients with refreshments and necessities. Once a year the Lodge hosts a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for veterans from local nursing homes.

AMERICANISM

The Elks is the founder of Flag Day and each year the Lodge holds a Flag Day Ceremony. Member organizations from the Community including the American Legion, VFW, Guardians of the National Cemetery and Boys and Girls Scouts participate in the activities. As part of the proceeds from an Elks National Foundation Grant, the Lodge recently presented a $500 check to the Guardians of the National Cemetery for uniforms used during their ceremonies. Each year the Lodge also sponsors an essay contest on patriotism which is open to grades five through eight in the Morrisville and Pennsbury school districts. Winners are presented with plaques at the Flag Day Ceremony and have the opportunity to advance to district, state and national competitions. 

SCHOLARSHIPS

The Elks National Foundation is second only to the federal government in scholarship awards for higher education. Fairless Hills Lodge presents three $1,000 scholarships each year. The essay contest is open to students from Morrisville, Pennsbury and Bishop/Conwell Schools.

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Filed Under: Morrisville Times News Tagged With: , , , , ,
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