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These Pennsbury High School senior athletes gathered recently with their coaches, counselors, family members, and administrators in the PHS-TV studios to announce plans to play their respective sports in college in the fall of 2012.
From left, Ann Herman, who will run cross country for Cornell University; J.J. Denman, who signed to play football for Rutgers University; and Stephanie Fischer, who will play soccer for Holy Family University. Congratulations to these accomplished athletes!
by Fran Miller
We’ve all heard of Eagle Scouts, those rare top achievers in the Boy Scouts. But how many of you are aware that the Girl Scouts have a similar, if not even more demanding top category?
Welcome to Girl Scout Gold, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, awarded to only about six percent of all Girl Scouts. Seven local girls received this lofty award on January 29th in a special honors ceremony at the Morrisville United Methodist Church.
The ceremony included local political luminaries US Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick, State Representative Steve Santarsiero, and the Mayor of Morrisville, Rita Ledger, as well as the Lower Makefield Board of Supervisors, Commanders of the VFW, American Legion, and Elks, representatives of the Makefield Women’s Association and the Bucks County Women’s Advocacy Coalition, as well as leaders from Girl Scouts of Eastern PA Council and the Oakville Girl Scouts Service Unit.
Both Congressman Fitzpatrick and State Rep. Santarsiero noted that they had never before been invited to attend a Gold Ceremony and were less aware of the requirements for Girl Scout Gold Awards than they were of the Boy Scouts Eagle Award. As an added honor, Congressman Fitzpatrick cited the girls’ achievements on the floor of the US House of Representatives on February 1st.
After completing numerous prerequisites each candidate for Girl Scout Gold must research and select a community need on which her project will focus. Each approved project must constitute at least 80 hours and the Girl Scout must serve in a leadership role to create and implement the project. The project must become a sustained effort that can move forward to assist the community and the Girl Scout must recruit and train a team of volunteers to assist the project.
The seven Girl Scouts, six of whom are high school juniors and one a senior, are all members of the Oakville Service Unit Ambassador Troop 21292 and all attend Pennsbury High School.
Christine DiPierro’s project, “Food From the Farm,” focused on organic sustainable farming, and included learning first-hand about planting, tending and harvesting organic produce. The Lower Makefield resident worked with Snipes Farm and Education Center and the families of the Community Supported Agriculture Group (CSA). She researched and assembled over a dozen recipes, which were then printed into a recipe booklet, and included in the CSA newsletter.
State Rep. Steve Santarsiero, D-Bucks, recently announced that Lower Makefield Township has received a $85,901 grant and Yardley Borough has received a $4,094 grant as a reward for recycling performance and as an incentive to improving recycling rates.
“I commend these communities for the work they do to protect and improve our environment,” Steve said. “In addition, local recycling programs such as these help create jobs and support an industry that is an important part of Pennsylvania’s economy.”
According to DEP, there are 3,803 recycling-related businesses and 52,316 recycling-related jobs in the commonwealth. The businesses have an annual payroll of $2.2 billion.
Lower Makefield Township’s grant was based on the community recycling 4,130 tons in 2009 and its population.
Yardley’s grant was based on the community recycling 240.4 tons in 2009 and its population.
The grants were awarded under the Recycling Performance Grant Program of Act 101 of 1988.
by Robin Prestage
Those approaching retirement and wondering how to spend their new-found leisure time might want to take a page, or two or three, from the playbook of Harold “Hal” Long, the first winner of our Volunteer of the Month award.
To describe the 74-year-old Lower Makefield resident as active in community life is an understatement; his volunteer resume embraces his church, neighborhood, service organizations and choral groups. A soft-spoken Midwesterner (Indiana-born and an engineering alumnus of Purdue), Hal is “a very special person,” says Kathy Sharp, executive director of Reach Out Foundation (ROF) of Bucks County, a Penndel-based drop-in center for those with emotional and mental health issues.
“He is always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need,” writes Kathy in her nomination of Hal for this award.
He is a member of the organization’s advisory board, helps ROF with fundraising and putting together brochures and other promotional and advertising materials.
Most every year he and his wife Wanda go to a group home in Morrisville for a Christmas party and gift exchange. Then he leads the singing of Christmas carols.
“He never thinks twice about helping in all parts of the community. It is a great pleasure to know him and work with him,” Kathy says.
Hal and Wanda have a son, daughter and an eight-year-old granddaughter. The terraced rear garden of their home on Lakeview Drive overlooks historic Silver Lake, one of two Makefield lakes. As president of the Makefield Lakes Preservation Association, a nonprofit group of local homeowners, Hal has been active in restoration and fundraising for lake dredging and dam repairs.
Landscaping and building maintenance projects are also among Hal’s achievements at Morrisville United Methodist Church, where he is a member of the Trustee and Finance committees and a long-time member of the Chancel Choir. Currently he is part of a capital improvement campaign committee to raise funds needed for a new roof and other improvements.
The Artists of Yardley (AOY) Art Center is located on historic Patterson Farm at 949 Mirror Lake Road in Yardley just off the Newtown exit of I-95. AOY is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that is dedicated to nurturing the creative spirit of the community.
They offer classes, workshops, presentations, social art gatherings and trips that encourage individuals of all ages to experience, appreciate, enjoy and share in the arts. Their instructors are teaching artists and have state clearances.
Summer art camps have become a popular success that finishes with a show of kids and “tweens” art at the end of summer. Their camps offer a diverse variety of art-related activities for boys and girls ages five to 18. This year, camps start June 18th with morning and afternoon sessions each week.
Classes for children and adults take place in fall, winter and spring sessions. AOY conducts 10 or more monthly workshops for both aspiring and professional artists. Every Monday night, there is an open life drawing/painting session from 6:30pm to 9:30pm with clothed or nude models for $12 per sitting.
Sponsored art shows for 2012 include a photography show, their first annual juried show, and the Annual Member Art Show where art scholarships are awarded to three Pennsbury eighth graders.
The AOY Studio Tour is a much anticipated fall event with a self-guided visit of local artists’ studios. In September they will repeat the wonderful success of Harvest Night and in November host the ever-popular Hand Crafted Gift Show, bake sale, chance auction.
The Pennsbury Scholarship Foundation (PSF), in its 56th year of existence, has awarded over $2.1 million in scholarships to more than 1,250 Pennsbury graduates.
The first superintendent and driving force of the Pennsbury Schools, Medill Bair, brought together a group of local business and community leaders to plan for a foundation that would perpetuate yearly scholarships. His desire to help Pennsbury graduates with the cost of post-high school training led to the formation of PSF in l956. This turned out to be very timely because just a year later the launch by the Soviet Union of the first man-made satellite pointed to the need for the American education system to do a better job, especially in science.
In 1957, its first year of awarding scholarships, PSF distributed $2,850 in student aid to six Pennsbury graduates. In 2011, scholarships totaling $100,000 were awarded to 52 Pennsbury graduates.
PSF awards scholarships based equally on four criteria: character, leadership, academic achievement, and financial need. All scholarships are awarded as one-half grant and one-half zero-interest loan repayable after the recipient leaves college. These scholarships are possible because of income from the PSF’s endowments and low-risk investments; repayment of zero-interest loans by former recipients; gifts made in honor or memory of loved ones by friends, family, and community members; as well as gifts from businesses, organizations and the Pennsbury School District Parent Teachers Organization, Education Association, Administrators and Supervisors Association, and Educational Support Personnel Association.
Besides tax-deductible contributions, stock transfers, bequests, memorials, and honorariums in any amount, donors may also create new namesake scholarships. Twenty-eight namesake scholarships will be awarded in 2012 in memory of 25 former community members, including 12 graduates of PHS. In this way, families keep the spirit and memory of loved ones alive while helping students achieve their post high school educational goals.
Artists of Yardley (AOY) has announced their first annual juried show opening March 9th, 2012.
AOY is fortunate to have Tricia Fagan as this year’s juror. Ms. Fagan has been an arts administrator working for organizations including the NJ State Council on the Arts, New Jersey Network, and Artworks; exhibitions director, arts consultant, independent curator and freelance writer. She is currently the Director of The Gallery at Mercer County Community College and Grantwriter/Outreach Specialist for the County’s Culture & Heritage Commission.
With her direction, AOY is looking forward to a fabulous exhibit! Cash prizes will be awarded. Entries are being accepted through February 8th, 2012. For prospectus and more information visit www.artistsofyardley.org.
by Breanna Forgione & Veronica Diamond, sophomores, Pennsbury High School
As sophomores at Pennsbury High School, it is necessary for students to complete a graduation project in order to graduate. After experiencing medical issues and being treated at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, we felt it necessary to give back to the hospital to show our appreciation.
Currently, we are raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital located in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as Shriners Hospitals for Children. We have decided to fundraise for these two hospitals for our high school graduation project as a way to give back to their foundations.
Giving back to charities throughout the world is only a small way to show support and care. By raising money for organizations such as these hospitals, the facilities can keep their doors open.
The daily operating cost for St. Jude alone is $1.7 million per day, which is covered by contributors and donors. In 2008, the budget to operate all Shriners Hospitals was 826 million dollars.
After the two of us received treatment from Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia, we felt it was our responsibility to give back to them what they gave to us, as well as to the children who are fighting cancer at St. Jude. The mission of St. Jude is to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through improved research and treatment. After watching many episodes of St. Jude on TV, we felt it was necessary to fund their hospital to help kids like us who are battling cancer.
So far, we have held a bake sale and lemonade stand for St. Jude and through these two fundraisers alone, as well as putting donation cans in many locations, we have raised about $300 for the hospital.
Shriners Hospitals is a health care system of 22 non-profit hospitals in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. They treat children and adolescents for orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip. Shriners International funds Shriners Hospitals, regardless of race, religion, or the family’s inability to pay. So far, we have held two fundraisers and also have donation cans in various locations for Shriners Hospitals. After having a lemonade stand and a fundraiser at Chick-fil-A, we have come up with about $200.
MOMS Club of Yardley is part of an international non-profit organization for ALL at-home mothers and their children.
The organization was started in 1983 by a mom in California and now there are over 2,000 chapters with 100,000 members. The club offers at-home moms and their children fun and support, along with the opportunity to meet other moms.
Most activities take place during the day when moms need the most support. Children are welcome at all activities.
Each month they have weekly children’s activities, playgroups, and park dates, plus a MOMS Night Out and community service projects such as their Annual Preschool Fair, fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, educational lectures, meals for new moms and much more.
If you are interested, contact them through momsclubofyardley@gmail.com or find them at www.momzclub.com.
The MLPA is a charitable organization dedicated to preserving the ecology and history of the Makefield Lakes for the benefit of the general community.
The Makefield Lakes are snuggled in Lower Makefield Township across the railroad tracks from the Yardley Country Club. The tranquil beauty of the lakes, their role in preserving open space and their part in the history of the area are highly valued by the surrounding community.
The lakes serve as a focal point for a variety of community activities such as the annual Easter Egg Hunt, community picnics, auctions, yard sales and nature studies. The lakes consist of two pools, one approximately 10 acres and the other approximately three acres, fed by springs and by Silver Creek.
They are privately owned and maintained by the Makefield Lakes Community Association, Inc., a non-profit organization of surrounding residents. Non-residents are permitted access for quiet enjoyment of the lakes and it is common to see joggers, strollers and people fishing at the “Chester Meadow” and the “Ross Marteney Friendship Bridge” across the upper dam.
The MLPA has been instrumental over the years in fundraising to support needed dredging of the lakes, stabilization of the shorelines and repairs to the dams. For a brochure about the history of the lakes or to make a donation, contact Harold Long, MLPA President, at 215-493-4962 or email hlong2306@aol.com.
