Chester County Press 8-30-2017 Edition

Attorney’s cell tower presentation met with continued opposition

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

It began with a simple invitation and subsequently, a PowerPoint presentation. It ended as a scuffle of opposition, brought to light by a conglomeration of locals intent on finding an alternate location for a proposed 125-foot-high telecommunications facility that would, if built, improve cell phone service in a pocket of Landenberg that needs it.

Scheduled and moderated by attorney Christopher H. Schubert of Riley, Riper, Hollin & Colagreco at the New Garden Township building on Aug. 22, the meeting was intended to serve as question-and-answer session between representatives from Eco-Site, Inc. and T-Mobile, and more than 60 residents, most of whom are

Now teaching its second class

KACS launches Getting Ahead program to assist those

experiencing poverty

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

There is a classroom in the Kennett Area Community Service building on West Cedar Street in Kennett Square where, for two-anda-half hours every week for 16 weeks, a group of individuals whose dreams in life seem at the moment to be unattainable, are both informed and inspired. Beginning with its first Getting Ahead class last fall and now in its second

semester, a group of KACS facilitators are helping local residents from all walks of life improve their overall quality of life, giving them the tools and the resources to do so. Launched as a hands-on companion to the national Bridges Out of Poverty initiative created by aha! Process, Inc., the Getting Ahead program at KACS serves to address poverty in the community, and empowers individuals to lift themselves from need to self-sustainability.

Introduced to the United States 15 years ago, Bridges Out of Poverty now counts KACS among its 200 participating agencies in the U.S., Europe, Central America and Canada.

“As an agency, we looked at our data in 2014 and realized that part of our obligation, since we engage people in poverty, was to offer residents a pathway out of poverty,” said KACS Executive Director Melanie Weiler. “We began

A new school year arrives with smiles and hugs

By John Chambless Staff Writer

With a hint of autumn in the air, students across Chester County returned to classrooms and fall routines on Monday morning. At Chadds Ford Elementary School, the mix of smiles and nervousness, new backpacks and shiny shoes was much the same as at every other school. For principal Shawn Dutkiewicz, welcoming the school’s 350 students was a chance to make a good first impression and set the tone for the year. For the youngest students, meeting the school mascot at the front door for a hand slap or a hug was a friendly way to start the day. Others grinned as they leaped up for a high-five with band director Ken Miller when they got off the bus.

A few parents took quick photos of their children as they headed through the doors, while the school’s drone hovered overhead for a high-tech overview of the first day of school. Crisp new outfits ranged from puffy dresses to a blue blazer – all of which got a smile and a compliment from Dutkiewicz or other staff members.

Love is medicine at Camp Dreamcatcher

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

Love is medicine.

The short but powerful message was written on a Post-It note and placed among dozens of other positive messages on a special board that was set up at Camp Dreamcatcher this year. According to Patty Hillkirk, the founder and executive director of the organization, the board of favorable notes was a small way to encourage the 122 children who attended this year’s camp, which took place at Camp Saginaw in Oxford from Aug. 19 to 26. There is a lot of turmoil and negativity in the world, but at Camp Dreamcatcher, more than 230 volunteers, medical personnel, professionals, and community members work to ensure that the camp is an oasis of safety amid all the turmoil and negativity. So positive messages? Yes, they will be posted. Love is medicine. Hillkirk, a trained psychotherapist, founded Camp

Dreamcatcher in 1995 to help children who were either HIV-positive themselves or who had close family members who were HIV-positive. Children who find themselves in these circumstances are often afraid, sad, or angry. They can face other issues, too, like bullying, community violence, and poverty. Hillkirk wanted to create a camp that offered a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment where children could express their feelings of fear, sadness, and anger. So for each of the last 22 summers, children from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region have come together for this unique, week-long camp that blends the fun and friendships of a traditional summer camp with a variety of therapeutic and educational programs aimed at helping the children overcome their challenges and mature into happy, productive adults.

Many of the children at camp come back year after year to see their friends. The counselors and leaders-in-

the camp

training at the camp stay in touch with the youngsters throughout the year, offering support and friendship. The camp has grown into one, big extended family.

“Camp always feels like home,” said Karim, 15, who is looking to transition from being a camper to being one

of the leaders-in-training.

“Everybody is family here. We look at each other as brothers and sisters.”

That’s no exaggeration. As one of the older campers, Karim said that he takes it upon himself to work with the younger children at camp so that they learn that

it’s important to help each other—the way that an older sibling might work with a younger sibling. The camp offers plenty of time for children to bond with their counselors and with each other, and those bonds are strengthened year after year.

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

KACS... Continued from Page 1A

our Bridges Out of Poverty initiative in 2015, largely because of a philosophical approach to poverty reduction and pathway to build a better quality of life for the entire community.”

Under the support of a trained facilitator and cofacilitator in a small group environment, Getting Ahead classes enables its students, called “investigators,” to examine their own experience of poverty, and encourages them to

explore issues that impact their own financial situation -- banking, housing, jobs, and transportation, for instance, and how making changes to each can help them.

Further, each class learns about the 11 resources that they need to embrace, in order to lead themselves to a better quality of life: financial, spiritual, emotional, mental/cognitive, physical, relationships/ social structure, knowledge of the hidden rules of class, language, support systems, integrity/trust and

motivation/persistence.

Eight weeks into the class, each investigator does a self-assessment to determine how accessible they are to these resources.

For the remainder of the class, facilitators work with the class to sharpen their self-confidence, develop motivation and build trust, while continuing to encourage them to learn about local resource and build their own resources.

From the first class to graduation, the tools are in the hands of the investigators, not the facilitators.

“It’s a process of self discovery, the student’s journey, and we just walk along with them,” Weiler said. “We are not here to tell them how to improve their quality of life, but rather, to bring information to a group of people in a small-group format, in order to help them learn about the four root causes of poverty and, subsequently, the 11 resources available in order to find economic mobility.”

The first Getting Ahead class graduated 17 facilitators, and the current class

Taj Brown, a camp counselor, said that Karim is a phenomenal influence on the young campers. He helps demonstrate the leadership and respect that establishes the expectations for behavior at camp.

While children are children and there will be a few squabbles now and then, there is serious work going on at Camp Dreamcatcher as Hillkirk and the team plan and present dozens of different programs and activities that are focused on providing therapy and counseling to the children. Serious issues are addressed, including bullying, community violence, the need for proper nutrition and health, and the importance of making good life choices.

In some important ways, the lives of youngsters diagnosed with AIDS are much better than they were more than two decades ago when Camp Dreamcatcher was started. Back then, the life expectancy of an HIV-positive youngster didn’t extend much beyond the teenage years. There have been significant advancements in treatments and medications since then, and a child who leads a

healthy lifestyle and takes all the necessary medications can now expect to grow up and lead a productive life. But when it comes to things like discrimination, bullying, and isolation, many of the challenges that were present 20 years ago still exist. This becomes evident to the counselors when they talk to the children about their daily struggles.

In order for children to open up about the issues that they are facing, they have to feel like they are in a safe environment. Often, the children need to feel a little love—it is, after all, medicine—and if that doesn’t work then all they need is a bigger dose.

Patty Hewson said that it was the wonderful care and support that the children receive that led her to make a commitment to the Camp Dreamcatcher family. Hewson, a nurse practitioner with more than 30 years of experience, said that she had worked with children with HIV or AIDS in other countries before visiting Camp Dreamcatcher for the first time a decade ago. “I was involved in HIV internationally, but I wasn’t doing anything locally,” Hewson explained. “Then I came to Camp Dreamcatcher one year and fell in love.

I thought it was the coolest thing ever what they were doing for the kids. This camp is a safe place for kids to talk about HIV and AIDS. I knew these kids weren’t able to talk about it with their friends.”

Hewson has been the parttime Health Center Director for Camp Dreamcatcher since 2008, overseeing about 25 medical volunteers during the camp. This volunteer team includes registered nurses, nurse practitioners, EMTs, and nursing students. The medical team is vigilant about ensuring that all the campers take their medicine as prescribed, and they also tend to the routine headaches, bumps, and scrapes that will occur when you put more than 120 children in close proximity with each other.

Mary Ann Knott-Grasso is a nurse practitioner at Johns Hopkins who started volunteering at Camp Dreamcatcher about eight years ago after some of her pediatric HIV patients or their siblings benefited from the camp.

Knott-Grasso said that she sees real value in children being able to come together to talk about the challenges that they might be facing. She noted that HIPPA regulations prevents medical professionals from connecting children

and families who might be facing similar issues, but at Camp Dreamcatcher there are lots of opportunities for children to share their feelings with counselors or each other.

“They know that they are totally safe here,” she said.

As a medical professional, Knott-Grasso noted, it’s nice to see children in a camp setting because it’s so different from the hospital environment. It’s an opportunity to gain fresh insights into the children’s lives, and how they are feeling. She added that many of the medical

professionals who volunteer at Camp Dreamcatcher consider it to be a good learning experience.

Knott-Grasso grew up loving regular visits to summer camps herself, and she really likes the idea that these kids whose lives had been impacted by HIV or AIDS would be able to enjoy the experiences of being in a camp.

“We look forward to camp,” she said.

Hewson agreed. She pointed out that a large number of volunteers are believers in the mission of Camp

Dreamcatcher, and are willing to help out year after year. Hewson said that the dedication of the other volunteers motivates her.

“I want to be around these amazing people who get involved with taking on HIV—it’s good to be around them,” Hewson explained. Hillkirk and the team of Camp Dreamcatcher organizers plan a wide variety of programs and activities that offer therapeutic or educational benefits for the youngsters.

now has a class size of 12. Funding for the program comes largely through private donations, as well as contributions from the Mushroom Festival, the Kennett Run and a recent $6,000 contribution from Kennett Township.

The tendrils of poverty are systemic, frequent and are clashing with inequality and economics like never before. In her 2017 report “Bridges Out of Poverty as an Anti-Poverty Strategy in Kennett Square,” Katlyn Uhler, a former emergency assistance case manager at KACS, wrote that while the United States has always struggled with poverty, “we are now in a time when levels of inequality are growing rapidly, and vast swathes of the population are struggling, unable to secure access to basic resources for themselves and their families.”

In part, programs like Getting Ahead are not only helping to turn the corner on poverty, but dispelling myths, Uhler wrote. Too often, she wrote, solutions to the poverty problem have been dependent on who or what is blamed, revolving around around three stereotypical beliefs: that the poor are sinful; that the poor are sick; and that the poor are victims of the system. In applauding Bridges Out of Poverty, Uhler wrote that the original ideas that emerged from a 1995 book by Dr. Ruby K. Payne attempt to understand poverty not by just pointing fingers, but through the examination of class environments and opportunities that impact the individuals affected by poverty.

“Bridges Out of Poverty is, in the words of its authors, an initiative, a framework, or a set of of concepts for understanding and addressing poverty through the lens of the economic class,” Uhler wrote. “It has been developed into an approach for addressing the causes and effects of poverty at the individual, community and policy levels.”

For every investigator at KACS, there is an individual story and set of experiences that led them to this place in his or her life. Some are living in poverty for the first time -- affected by a severe financial setback -- while others are caught in the cycle of generational poverty. On the walls of the Getting Ahead classroom, large sheets of charts and ideas tacked to the wall are written on both English and Spanish. How a person approaches their situation -- and the need to reach out for help -- is largely dependent on his or her situation, Weiler said.

“For an individual who is living two generations or more in poverty, he or she learns to negotiate a system to get resources, but for a person who has never had to ask for help before, he or she doesn’t even begin to know how to ask,” she said. “Asking for help for

Cell tower...

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concerned that Eco-Site’s proposal to place a cell tower on the Santoro property at 1511 Yeatman Station Road in Landenberg would dramatically alter the landscape near their homes and lower the value of their homes.

it’s located in the center of the search area.

the first time is very difficult, but each person, no matter their situation, has told us that they don’t want to have to continue to use our services.”

Nationwide, the Getting Ahead program is working.

The first national report of its outcomes, released in January, showed that the program saw a 62 percent reduction in the use of public benefits, a 74 percent decrease in total debt, and a 38 percent increase in monthly income.

There is a popular saying in the Bridges Out of Poverty initiative that says, “Significant change does not happen without significant relationships.” To date, over 135 community members and 65 professionals in Chester County have participated in KACS’ Bridges Out of Poverty class, and several Getting Ahead graduates are now volunteering with KACS and helping to strengthen connections to local resources.

When KACS Emergency Case Manager Lenda Carrillo arrived in the U.S. 19 years ago, she didn’t speak English, had no transferable education, and had very few connections, so when she helps facilitates a Getting Ahead class, she said her students remind her that she once was in the same predicament they are.

“They reminded me that at one time, I didn’t have a voice,” Carrillo said. “I let them finish tell their story, and sometimes, it takes a long time for them to tell me their story. But if I don’t, I don’t really connect with them. I let them be heard, and then a relationship is made.”

Kennett Area Community Service is currently seeking interested participants for its next two Getting Ahead classes. To learn more about the Bridges Out of Poverty initiative and the Getting Ahead program at KACS, contact Melanie Weiler at 610-925-3556, ext. 112, or Amy Scheuren at 610-925-3556, ext. 111. To learn more about KACS’ services, visit www. kacsonline.net.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

In an Aug. 14 letter to township residents, Schubert reiterated the backstory of a proposal that has caused a log jam of commentary on social media -- both for and against -- ever since the idea to develop a cell tower got its first township conditional use hearing on April 17. Built of galvanized steel, the proposed tower will be of a monopine design -- a monopole disguised as a pine tree -- and, in addition to its base height, the tower will also include a five-foot high lightning rod at its top, and will be approximately the same height as many trees that border these properties.

In his letter and during his presentation, Schubert, the attorney for Eco-Site, Inc., referenced a “balloon test” that was conducted on the Santoro property on July 10, that collected photographs that were used in the making of photo simulations that gave residents a visual idea of where the proposed tower would be seen from different locations in the vicinity. Before the presentation began at 6:30 p.m., several residents gathered at the front of the meeting room to gaze at the simulations, which also included alternate designs for the structure, including a treepole, windmill and a silo.

Because he believes that the application “will not be over any time soon,” Schubert said that another balloon test, reflecting a change in sight lines due to change in foliage, could be done in the fall.

“We have to put our best foot forward in trying to find the optimal location for this facility, in terms of not only location on the property, but in terms of design,” Schubert. “One of the issues is approval by the [New Garden Township Board of] supervisors, and we’re going to have to establish with them that we’ve gone through that exercise. I would agree that having further photo simulations done when the leaves are off the trees will work.”

Referencing an overhead map of New Garden Township, Schubert pointed to an egg-shaped oval that encompassed an area south of Somerset Lake, north of the White Clay Creek State Park and just to the west of the Delaware state line. He identified the vicinity as being in need of increased telecommunications coverage. The Santoro property works best, he said, because

“This is an area that struggles with coverage and for good reason,” Schubert began. “It’s a rural area that adjoins White Clay Creek Park, is home to some very nice homes and also offers some open space areas. Because of those reasons, it’s a very tough area to find some proper sighting with regard to any telecommunications installation.

“What Eco-Site is proposing to do is find the best possible location for the property, that would minimize the impact and the aestheritcs of this facility, which is very difficult because of [the farm’s] location and also the fact that these facilities need to be placed above the trees in order to operate properly and connect up with joining sites.”

Schubert told the audience that several service providers would tap into the tower.

“This happens to be an area where there are no towers within a mile-and-a-half and two miles, which is critical in terms of coverage, especially when you’re talking about topography and a lot of tree cover,” he said. “That makes wireless coverage very difficult.”

While a telecommunications upgrade in the area will accommodate the rise of 5G technology and increase download speeds up to ten times faster than 4G technology, Schubert called cell towers “the necessary evil” that accompanies increased access to modern telecommunications.

“The initial reaction with regard to any types of facilities that are proposed in areas that are not used to seeing such facilities is that no one wants to see anything of this kind,” he said. “I like to compare it to sausage. Most people enjoy sausage but you never want to see how it’s made. Wireless service is very similar to that. Everyone enjoys the technology of the cell phones and the connectivity that cell phones provide, but no one likes to see towers that provide the service.”

Schubert’s words served as prophetic, because as his presentation continued, it was gradually met with a steady stream of comments from those in the audience, to the degree that Schubert’s presentation was then halted. The remainder of the meet-

ing became an hour-long dialogue of opposition, directed at both Schubert and his colleagues.

“What’s the cost benefit of this?” asked one audience member. “How many thousands of people are going to benefit from this tower? Where is that data? I don’t think anyone has done their homework. You didn’t show me where the Stenning Farm fits within the plot, and you didn’t tell me, ‘This is going to cost X dollars.’ I think more people are going to be hurt than benefited.”

The audience member then asked Schubert, “Do you want one of these in your back yard?”

“Actually, I would love one of these,” Schubert answered. “I am also untethered and I use my cell phone for connection, and it’s very important for me to have connectivity.”

Another member disputed the need for Eco-Site to pursue the Santoro property as the site for the cell tower.

“Why are we stuck on this piece of property in a residential area, when even New Garden Township has realized that we need to change our laws -- given that you guys snuck in under the wire, and are allowed to consider a residential piece of property?” she said. “If Eco-Site is so interested in the greater good, let’s back off and put the tower in a commercial area, away from this pristine area.”

Schubert said that the reason the Santoro property was chosen was largely due to the area being zoned almost entirely residential. He said that Eco-Site would be open to suggestions of other sites in the area, where the tower could be placed.

One member of the audience suggested that a cell tower of this kind would be obsolete, given the growth of alternative telecommunications technology and device-to-device communication. More and more, mobile phones are becoming part of the transmission network, resulting in a decrease in dropped calls, less interference and a fewer “black spots” – areas with patchy signals.

“Where is the demand coming from?” one audience member asked. “I don’t think people here are demand-

ing better cell service badly enough to want this thing in their neighborhood.”

Based on the results of a survey recently sent out to 1,200 residents Schubert said that of the 15 percent that returned the survey, about 60 percent deemed increased cell phone service to be “very important” or “important.” The remaining 40 percent of survey responses, he said, were not in favor of the cell tower.

“A lot of times we will find people who are highly motivated to [preserve] aesthetics and take the energy to come out and voice their objection to a proposed facility,” he said. “A lot of other times, we will see people who take a more passive stance, who would like to see the technology put in place and have better connectivity and access to 5G, but they’re not as willing to come out.”

The road to approval of the cell tower has, thus far, been a long and winding one, dotted with just one conditional use hearing before the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors, which was then followed by several postponed hearings. While the steps to approval are slow and plodding, the expression of public opinion in the township has been swift and voracious. On one side, groups like the Concerned Citizens of Landenberg have expressed their desire to have Eco-Sites explore potential alternate sites for the proposed cell tower -posting signage throughout the township and showing their opposition with signage before the Aug. 24 meeting. On the other side, the Facebook page “Landenberg (You Can’t Get There From Here)” has served as a voice for those in favor of putting up a cell tower. In the end, Schubert said that getting the OK to build the tower comes down to satisfying the conditions of approval spelled out by the supervisors. The road to approval has been met with one more roadblock. The next conditional use hearing before the township’s supervisors, scheduled for Aug. 28, was postponed on Aug. 25.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

HEROIN ARREST

On the afternoon of Aug. 24, Pennsylvania State Police Avondale stopped a car for a red-light violation at routes 1 and 82 in East Marlborough Township. The driver, Kaitlin Eileen Fox, 25, of Oxford, was found to have 140 bags of heroin in the center console of her car. She was arrested for felony drug possession with intent to deliver.

WINDOW SMASHED

On Aug. 23, a sledgehammer was thrown through the rear driver’s side window of a vehicle at 171 S. Jennersville Rd., Penn Township, according to Pennsylvania State Police Avondale. Anyone with information should call police at 610-268-2022.

WALLET STOLEN

On July 14 at the Dollar Tree store in Lower Oxford Township, a man reported that his wallet was stolen while he was in the checkout line. The suspect fled the store in a black Dodge Neon, according to Pennsylvania State Police Avondale.

OFFICE CABINET SEARCHED

Overnight on Aug. 24, a filing cabinet

at A1 Mulch in Oxford was tampered with by a burglar who may have been looking for something inside, according to Pennsylvania State Police Avondale. Anyone with information should call police at 610-268-2022.

GARAGE DAMAGED

Overnight on June 23, the garage of a home at 344 S. Guernsey Rd., London Grove Township, was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene, according to Pennsylvania State Police Avondale.

Tire tracks led from the roadway through the yard and into the driveway, where the corner of the garage sustained major damage, compromising the structural integrity of the building. The damage occurred sometime overnight and was not discovered until 7 a.m., according to police.

ATTEMPTED THEFT

On May 25, two suspects entered the Walmart store on Route 1, filled a shopping cart with items and left the store through the lawn and garden area. They tried to place the items on a ledge that led to the exterior of the store.

Security personnel approached the pair, who then fled. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 610-268-2022.

Former Avon Grove principal Tom Alexander charged with domestic assault

A former principal of Avon Grove High School was arrested in July for domestic assault, according to Birmingham Township Police.

Thomas M. Alexander, 49, is free on bail after being arrested in July for felony aggravated assault and simple assault, unlawful restraint and harassment. A preliminary hearing will be held on Sept. 11 in District Court in Kennett Square.

A police report said

that Alexander pulled his wife out of bed on the night of July 12, punched her and kicked her, and put a pillow over her face while striking her. She has since filed a Protection From Abuse order. The couple lived in Birmingham Township before the incident.

Avon Grove School District Superintendent Christopher Marchese issued a statement on Aug. 28 regarding Alexander.

“The Avon Grove School District is aware

of the charges against Mr. Thomas Alexander,” he wrote. “The district, as a normal course of action, does not respond or issue comments regarding personnel matters. At this time, we understand that the charges filed against Mr. Alexander are not associated with his role as an employee of the district.

“The district will cooperate with local authorities and is following all appropriate requirements set forth

by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, pertaining to reporting and procedure.”

Alexander worked for the district as director of educational services in 2015 after working as a teacher and principal. He provided administrative support for human resources, student services, community relations, and transportation. He has no direct contact with students as director of educational services.

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

Oxford Borough Council unanimously voted in favor of authorizing the distribution of a new, five-year Business Improvement District (BID) plan at its meeting on Aug. 21.

The BID plan must be reauthorized every five years. Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. (OMI), the organization responsible for overseeing economic development in the borough, will be leading the effort to get the new plan approved this fall. The vote by Oxford Borough Council allows OMI to proceed with its necessary work.

The BID plan includes a special assessment that is paid by property owners of the buildings and businesses that are situated within the boundary of the Business Improvement District—and the assessment is on those buildings and businesses alone. This special assessment raises approximately $42,000 annually. That money is then used to partially fund the operations of OMI. The special assessment amounts to about $700 per business, per year. Several business owners offered their support for the renewal of the BID plan, noting that they get a lot of value for that $700.

By authorizing the distribution of the plan, Oxford Borough Council is allowing OMI to distribute the plan to all property owners in the BID. Once the property owners are able to review the BID plan, those property owners will

then vote to approve or disapprove the plan. If the plan is approved, this would be the third time that the BID plan has been authorized in Oxford.

In other business at the meeting, borough council member Sue Lombardi, who serves on the borough’s Codes Committee, provided an update about the formation of a Sidewalk Committee that would take a comprehensive look at sidewalk regulations and enforcement of those regulations throughout the borough. Lombardi said that at least two current Codes Committee members will also be serving on the Sidewalk Committee. However, the majority of the committee will likely be comprised of borough residents who want to serve to help shape the new sidewalk regulations. Lombardi talked about the need to have community involvement in the process.

“I want the community to have the opportunity to have a voice in this moving forward,” Lombardi said, explaining that the Sidewalk Committee will have a lot of information to review before it can offer a recommendation on a new Sidewalk Ordinance to borough council.

Rev. Kerry Slinkard, pastor of the Oxford Presbyterian Church, took the proactive step of requesting that borough officials keep the church in mind, and to keep the church officials informed about the construction work on the proposed parking garage that could start as early as 2018. The parking

garage is proposed for a lot that is directly across from the church. A small alley separates the church from the lot.

“We are the ones going to be most affected by the construction process,” Slinkard said, explaining the need for the church to be kept informed about disruptions that might be caused by the construction work.

Slinkard noted that the church members utilize the Octoraro Alley to access the church’s parking lot, and the main concern for the church is that they would lose that access.

Borough manager Brian Hoover assured Slinkard that all the heavy equipment will be kept in the parking lot where the parking garage would be built, so the alley should be open and available for people to use during the construction process.

Slinkard added that the church has some ancillary concerns, such as ensuring that the parking garage is safe at all times, that will factors once the garage is constructed.

Kent Morey, P.E., of Spotts, Stevens, & McCoy, the firm that provides engineering services to Oxford Borough, provided an update to borough council about the preparation of a MS4 Pollution Reduction Plan that will keep the borough in compliance with the state’s environmental regulations.

Morey explained that the 2010 census data showed that Oxford Borough is now in an urbanized area, and as

a result the municipality is tasked, by March of 2018, to have an approved plan in place about how the borough will meet the requirement to reduce sediment by 10 percent. This reduction must take place by 2023. The goal is to reduce the amount of sediment that is ending up in streams.

Morey informed council that efforts to work in collaboration with neighboring East Nottingham Township on a joint plan did not result in the necessary cost-savings to make it worthwhile for the borough. As a result, the borough is now finalizing a plan on its own. The plan will be available for public

review. Council is expected to approve the final plan in mid-September to meet the deadline.

Oxford Borough Council accepted the resignation of both Denise Stevenson and David Ogino from the borough’s Zoning Hearing Board. Oxford is actively seeking applicants from borough residents who would like to serve on this board.

Mayor Geoff Henry issued two proclamations during the meeting. Noting that September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month, Henry encouraged everyone to pick up a library card at the Oxford Library so that they can avail themselves

of the ample resources that are there.

Henry also proclaimed September as the Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Henry noted that cancer is a leading cause of diseaserelated deaths among children under the age of 18. Council member Paul Matthews, who runs the Eli Seth Matthews Leukemia Foundation in memory of his son, said that gold ribbons will be placed throughout the borough in September.

“Gold is the color of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month,” he explained.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

Volunteers make the Mushroom Festival possible

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

On each morning of the Mushroom Festival, students from Kennett High School can be seen carrying large bags of ice to the vendors who are setting up along State Street.

Other student volunteers help those vendors unload their goods from their cars and carry them to the stands set up along the street fair. Students help sell the admission wristbands and staff the refrigerated trucks where fresh mushrooms are sold.

It takes an army of volunteers to plan and stage the Mushroom Festival each year, and high school students play an important part during the days of the event, when there might be as many as 350 or 400 volunteers working to ensure that visitors have a good time.

“There are many ways that Kennett High School students get involved,” explained Joe O’Sullivan, a teacher at the school who works with Lori Gebert to coordinate the student volunteers. “We take great pride in being able to support the effort.”

Gebert, a current board member of the Mushroom Festival, Inc., has volunteered at the festival in various capacities for more than ten years. One of her primary duties for the 2017 Mushroom Festival is coordinating the activities of the student volunteers.

Some of the students from Kennett High School who volunteer are members of the school’s Walk In kNowledge (WIN) program, which provides after-school studying opportunities for students. It is from this group that volunteer team leaders are selected to oversee the other student volunteers.

O’Sullivan said that the WIN leaders usually spend about ten hours planning and organizing the other volunteers before the festival even starts, figuring out what jobs will need to be accomplished.

O’Sullivan usually arrives at around 6 a.m. on the first morning of the festival, and the student leaders show up shortly thereafter to start handling the many tasks. One important early job is helping the vendors to bring their wares to the stands where they are setting up. This allows the traffic to keep moving in town.

According to O’Sullivan, it used to be a major issue at one time as vendors would have to line up their cars to unload their wares, creating a traffic jam. Now, with the help of an army of students, the task gets accomplished much more smoothly.

“It’s a good experience for the kids. We always have more pupils show up to work than signed up,” O’Sullivan explained. “Friends bring others, and the manpower is never wasted.”

During the course of the weekend, students will help set up tables and chairs for performance areas, take care of the recycling and trash collections, and run errands whenever they are needed. One of the more labor-intensive activities is delivering the 40-pound bags of ice to vendors.

“Vendors throughout town have contracted that service with the organizers,” O’Sullivan explained. “The hotter the day, the faster the ice melts–usually in waves. In some years, the calls are fast and furious. Teams cycle throughout the festival area and pick up trash or provide directions to the town’s guests. Shifts of students are available for whatever odd job happens to pop up–and there typically is always a need for something.”

Students also assist with the effort to make the festival’s announcements in English and Spanish so that all the attendees of the event can understand them.

Occasionally, the volunteers’ tasks might be a little extra demanding. After a big rainstorm on the Saturday afternoon of the 2016 event, high school students were

called on to help drain the excess water from the inflatable slides and the inflatable bounce houses.

“It was cold and the water was colder, but it was a necessary function for the attendees to be able to have a good experience,” O’Sullivan explained.

On Sunday morning of the festival, high school students will do laps around the borough, picking up any

graduation project that mandates at least 40 hours of community service.

According to O’Sullivan, the students who help out during the festival have had nothing but positive experiences. It’s a good way to showcase how good the students in Kennett Square are.

O’Sullivan grew up in town and is very proud of the Kennett High School students–and the town.

trash or debris that might have been left during the first day. Soon, it’s time to close out the festival.

O’Sullivan explained, “As vendors begin to pack up, our students are on deck. Between the  hours of 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., our town goes back to normal. Everything that was put out on Saturday is broken down on Sunday. Teams of kids don work gloves and  do a massive sweep of town, from Willow  to Garfield Streets, to pick up debris. The barricades are cleared by our police and Kennett returns to normal awaiting the next festival.”

In addition to the learning experience, many of the students who help out at the festival are able to satisfy a significant portion of the

Esbeiry Cordova, a 2015 Kennett High School graduate who is now a rising junior at Indiana University of Pennsylvania majoring in biology, is a good illustration of the kind of leaders that WIN provides year in and year out, according to O’ Sullivan. Cordova served as a volunteer coordinator for two years, organizing and overseeing the student volunteers who helped

out at the Mushroom Festival.

“I think it was a fantastic experience,” Cordova said. “I learned a lot about working with others and what it entails to take on a leadership role.”

Like O’Sullivan, Cordova really liked the fact that students from Kennett High School were involved with the effort to make announcements at the festival in both English and Spanish. Cordova said that making the bilingual announcements was a good way of saying to the Hispanic community that, “It’s your community, too.”

According to O’Sullivan, the involvement with the Mushroom Festival helps the students feel connected to the community, and also makes the community more aware of the good students who are growing up in Kennett Square.

“The Mushroom Festival has been a fantastic venue for us to showcase ‘our kids’ to both the Kennett community and visitors alike,” O’Sullivan said. “By the end of the festival, we typically have about 200 to 300 students who work at least one shift for the

Operations Committee. Our leadership team is there for the entire event–as Lori’s right hand people–and they log approximately 30 hours each over the weekend. The Kennett High School’s partnership with the Mushroom Festival is one that I’m proud to facilitate. In many ways, it showcases what is best about my hometown.” The festival also raises a significant amount of money each year to support nonprofit organizations in the community. The Walk In kNowledge program is one of the ones that has received grant funding from the Mushroom Festival. The funding is utilized to support the program’s activities, including arranging college visits for students. The students’ work during the festival makes a real difference to the Kennett Square community because it helps make the town’s most popular event a success.

“It’s a great festival for Kennett Square,” Gebert said. “It brings in a lot of people to show off our town a little bit. It’s a really nice event.”

Letter to the

Editor

Musings

Kudos to Camp Dreamcatcher

Camp Dreamcatcher, a week-long camp that blends the fun and friendships of a traditional summer camp with therapeutic and educational programs, took place for the 22nd summer last week.

Approximately 125 children between the ages of 5 and 17 whose lives have been impacted by HIV or AIDS took part in the camp. Executive director Patty Hillkirk’s vision for Camp Dreamcatcher is to provide a place where children can talk about their feelings of fear, sadness, and anger in a supportive environment. All the programs and services offered by Camp Dreamcatcher, including the camp itself, are free to youngsters. Camp Dreamcatcher’s team works tirelessly to raise funds from foundations, the United Way of Southern Chester County, corporations, and individuals. They also plan a variety of fundraising events.

Kudos to everyone who supports Camp Dreamcatcher and helps the wonderful Kennett Square organization do its work.

Festival would be good addition for Oxford

The plans are still very preliminary, but a group of people are working on staging an arts and music festival in Oxford―most likely in August of 2018.

An event of this kind would be a welcome addition for the borough, which is becoming, more and more, a popular destination for events.

The fourth annual Oxford Car Show is taking place this Friday. It has quickly become one of the most popular events in the area.

Oxford’s First Friday events throughout the year are attracting bigger crowds. The Oxford Arts Alliance has been enormously popular, and plans its own events that have attracted good crowds.

Add in the enormously popular Halloween Parade and the Oxford Country Christmas, and the town’s calendar is filled with an impressive mix of popular community events. An arts and music festival would be another way to continue the momentum and attract visitors to downtown Oxford.

Hurricane Harvey: How to help victims

Hurricane Harvey’s devastating effects on the Texas coast will be felt for a long time. According to the latest estimates, more than 30,000 people will be forced out of their homes as a result of the torrential rains and flooding.

Whenever there is an event of this magnitude, there will be no shortage of places online asking for donations to help victims. A good way to help Hurricane Harvey victims, and to know that the money will be used for the intended purpose, is to contribute to the American Red Cross, which is experienced in providing disaster relief. Help people affected by Hurricane Harvey by visiting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS or texting the word "Harvey" to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Chester County Press

Good news on standardized testing?

Letter to the Editor:

Gov. Wolf joined Education Secretary Pedro Rivera, advocates, and educators this month to announce a significant reduction in standardized testing for elementary students. One test section will be eliminated in both Math and ELA PSSA tests, amounting to a 93-minute total time reduction. Also, approximately 22 minutes will be taken away by eliminating questions from the PSSA Science test. We all know that our elementary students are subjected to far too many state and federally mandated high stakes standardized tests, right?

So this reduction of about 20 percent to 25 percent in PSSA testing time must be a fine idea.

But wait … PSSA tests are designed to measure student achievement vs. our PA Core Content Standards and also year-to-year growth for individual students and their cohorts. They are the only state or federally mandated standardized tests for our elementary students. Math and ELA are tested annually in grades 3 to 8 and Science is tested in grades 4 and 8. Before the recently announced reductions, total test and administration time together was approximately 40 to 56 hours for the entire elementary school experience. Therefore, we devote approximately .5 percent of elementary school time from K-8 to mandated testing. Is this excessive?

The reason for this mandate stems from federal law which requires states

to establish measures of student learning and school accountability. The PSSA is how we do that in our Commonwealth. The PSSA gives us our best and most comprehensive single measure of student learning and year to year progress. Doing well in the PSSA is not our primary goal. It’s not the most important thing we do. But it is a much needed independent, reliable, and valid measure of student achievement and growth. It gives students, parents, teachers, and our community important feedback on student learning, it initiates improvement plans for students who are academically behind, it helps ensure curriculum alignment, scope, and sequence, and it provides an important measure of teacher and school accountability. It’s clear that .5 percent of instructional time is not an excessive investment for the high quality feedback we get from the PSSA. So, why did we just diminish the comprehensiveness and value of the PSSA by reducing test time?

The campaign against standardized testing is driven by a false narrative from many of our top educational leaders in Pennsylvania. Too many of those leaders claim that we are swamped with lengthy state and federally mandated standardized tests. That is false. They also claim that test preparation takes an extreme amount of time and forces out creativity, exploration, and collaboration. But school districts who overdo test preparation have only themselves

to blame. They shortchange our students for no good reason in the futile hope that the result would be a better report card for their districts. Instead, they should integrate PSSA content into their curriculum and trust their well qualified teachers and believe that their students can learn. We know that great curriculum plus great teaching results in great test scores. We know that our students can learn and be successful.

It’s also been claimed by our educational leaders that students are worried, anxious, and depressed taking these routine annual tests.

If so, then the very adults who should be helping the students relax and do their best and benefit from these valuable tests are instead helping to create this unnecessary stress. Whenever this occurs, it is both unethical and unacceptable.

Another part of the false narrative against the PSSA tests is that they are “high stakes.” But the PSSA scores have no influence on promotion, placement, or grades for our students.

For our students, they are actually low stakes tests.

For our teachers, they offer valuable feedback that can lead to continuous improvement in their educational practice.

The PSSA does have the potential to embarrass school districts. I believe that most senior administrators who criticize the PSSA are trying to escape accountability for the performance of their students and their schools. While claiming that they welcome accountability, they

have always attempted to undermine every independent assessment measure that introduces meaningful accountability. These are professional career administrators. What independent accountability measure do they suggest should replace the PSSA? They respond to that question with silence. Unfortunately, I fear that this attempt to escape accountability is the primary factor that has created and sustained the false narrative against the PSSA that resulted in building a coalition that led to the Governor’s unfortunate announcement.

My school district is not perfect, but I’m proud that our school board, superintendent, administrators, and teachers have accepted accountability for our PSSA scores and used them appropriately and reasonably to improve both student achievement and instruction.

My school district has not participated in the false, misleading and damaging campaign led by senior public school administrators and their allies against the PSSA. Neither should yours.

Jeff Hellrung E. Marlborough Township

(Mr. Hellrung is a retired Navy Captain, a former business manager, and a retired PA public school teacher. He is currently serving his third term on the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board and represents his school district on the CCIU Board.)

County Commissioners Kichline and Cozzone elected as officers of County Commissioners Association of PA

Commissioner Farrell elected as district representative

Chester County Commissioners Kathi Cozzone

and Michelle Kichline

were

elected as 2018 officers of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania

Commissioner

Chester County Commissioners Michelle Kichline and Kathi Cozzone were recently elected as officers of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) for 2018. Commissioner Cozzone will serve as first vice president and Commissioner Kichline as

Farrell (right) will serve as CCAP District 5 representative. treasurer of the organization. The announcement of the election results was made at CCAP’s annual conference in Erie County, PA. Commissioner Terence Farrell was elected as CCAP District 5 representative. CCAP is the voice of county government, a statewide nonprofit,

nonpartisan association representing all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. The organization’s members include county commissioners, council members, county executives, administrators, chief clerks and solicitors. CCAP strengthens the counties’ abilities to govern their own affairs and improve the well-being and quality of life for every Pennsylvania resident. CCAP also advocates for favorable state and federal legislation, programs and policies on behalf of counties. The terms for all three Commissioners begins on January 1, 2018.

Camp Dreamcatcher...

Continued from Page 2A

This year, one of the new additions was an equineassisted mindfulness program. Standing Hope Equine Therapy, which is based in Chester Springs, Pa., conducted 20 sessions over the five days that they had horses at the camp, giving children the opportunity to interact with the animals. The children were able to brush the horses, and they were supposed to be mindful of their breathing while they did it.

The youngsters at Camp Dreamcatcher found the activity to be very beneficial.

“I thought it was wonderful,” said Nelly, 11. “The horse liked it when I brushed him.”

“It was a lot of fun,” agreed Samiya, a ten-year-old who was at the camp for the third time.

“I thought the horses were awesome,” said Layla, 11, referring to Zippo and Durango, two of the horses from Standing Hope Equine Therapy.

Jess Timlin, an equine specialist with the company who supervised the children during the session, said that people suffering from everything from anxiety to eating disorders to autism to learning disorders can benefit from equine therapy.

Joanne Campbell, a psychotherapist with Standing Hope Equine Therapy, said

that this form of therapy can help people, especially children, develop positive communication and emotional regulation.

Timlin added that equine therapy can boost a person’s self-esteem and help them to build their confidence.

“The campers’ ability to connect has really exceeded my expectations,” Campbell said.

Timlin added that the children were engaged during the equine therapy sessions and they were very good with the horses.

“It’s really been a lot of fun,” she said. The equine therapy was a favorite activity this year for Ohnmar, a 13-year-old camper. Ohnmar, whose family resides in Baltimore, said that she looks forward to camp every year because it’s an opportunity to see her friends and because it’s a chance to talk to people who understand the issues that she’s dealing with.

For information about how to volunteer or help with the work of Camp Dreamcatcher, email campdreamcatcher @ kennett.net or visit www.Campdreamcatcher.org.

“At camp, you can talk about things if you’re down,” she said.

One of the most emotional aspects of camp each year is the wish log ceremony where campers can make wishes and share about the trials that they are going through at home. Ohnmar said that the wish log ceremony is one of the more meaningful parts of the Camp Dreamcatcher experience.

“You have to go through the obstacles,” Ohnmar said. “It’s like the game of ‘Life.’”

In life, sometimes things come full circle. After 21 years, there are all kinds of illustrations of that at Camp Dreamcatcher. This year, one of the youngest campers at camp was Emma Wagner. One of the camp counselors realized that Emma’s mother, Jaclinn, had been at the camp a generation ago. Debbie Dunham, one of the volunteers at Camp Dreamcatcher, was able to take Emma to a teepee tent where Jaclinn had traced her hand at some point around 1997. Now, Emma’s own hand print is next to her mother’s, another link in an ever-expanding Camp Dreamcatcher chain.

For Hillkirk, who has a personal relationship with most, if not all the campers, it’s always emotional to start to form bonds with the youngest children at Camp Dreamcatcher. She said that the level of knowledge and understanding of HIV and AIDS in the youngest campers is always impressive to her. She was also impressed by how open some of the returning campers are about the disease. Even so, the camp is very necessary—this year there was one 12-yearold, in particular, who started the week very uncomfortable about sharing any of his feelings or concerns. But by the fifth day, he had opened up and was sharing his feelings. That’s the real impact of Camp Dreamcatcher.

Hillkirk said that the word that the board of directors keeps coming back to again and again when they talk about the organization’s mission is “safety.”

“Camp is their safe place,”

Hillkirk said. “We’ve created a week where they feel safe—safe to open up, safe to share their feelings.”

Many of the children come

from communities that are stricken with poverty and violence. In at least one case this year, a child attending camp is currently homeless.

“We’re working hard to find therapists and identifying supports that are available,” Hillkirk said. “It’s ongoing work to make sure that the kids have what they need.”

Ken Pienkos, a professor at Antioch University Los Angeles who previously served as the director of the Oxford Library, flew across the country to conduct a two-day writing program for the campers this year. He offered the children some writing prompts and encouraged them to explore their thoughts and feelings through their writing.

He shared with the campers several pieces of writing, including Maya Angelou’s powerful poem, “Caged Bird,” which reads, in part:

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom

Pienkos said that if the children can learn to speak out and share their feelings with others, it will help encourage common understanding and tolerance from people who hear their stories. The plan, Pienkos said, is to work with the children and quilt together the stories that they tell into a spoken word performance piece that they will stage during a Camp Dreamcatcher event in 2018.

“I’m hoping that writing helps them identify their voices,” he said. “Any binding or restriction, any cage, is a reason to sing out.”

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

Biomedical researchers try out new mobile game about HIV at Camp Dreamcatcher

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

A team of Drexel

University College of Medicine researchers developed a mobile game called CD4 Hunter that communicates the complex science associated with HIV and AIDS. On Aug. 24, some of the researchers visited Camp Dreamcatcher to share the game with the children and teens at the camp, hoping to get some valuable feedback from the youngsters.

In the game, players enter the bloodstream as a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) particle. The goal is to hunt for and infect CD4 T cells and white blood cells of the adaptive immune system. The game mimics the first step of the complex and dynamic HIV replication cycle, known as binding and entry.

One one level, the game is intended to be a teaching tool that could be used to teach science to medical school students. On another level, the game is just supposed to be enjoyable for players of all ages.

Carla Brown, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the Drexel University College of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, said that the game was designed to be simple to use so that players of all ages can enjoy it.

“If you’ve played Candy Crush, you can play this game,” she said, explaining that the game took about a year to design and develop.

CD4 Hunter is the result of an interdisciplinary team effort that was funded by the Drexel University College of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, the Office of the Provost and the Steinbright Career Development Center.

Brown is the game designer. Dr. Sandra Hartmann, MD., Ph.D., an assistant professor at Drexel University College of Medicine, served as the project director.

Vincent Mills and Andrew Bishop, both undergraduates in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, were members of the game development team. Brian Wigdahl, Ph.D., a professor and chair in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and director of the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease at Drexel, also played a key role. Mary Anne Comunale, Ed.D., M.S., a research instructor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Drexel University College of Medicine, is taking the lead on research.

Comunale, who was part of the team that visited Camp Dreamcatcher, said that they are now doing research to evaluate how well the game achieves its goals.

According to Brown, CD4 Hunter is part of an emerging and exciting trend where mobile games can be utilized to teach people scientific concepts.

Comunale added that such educational tools can be very useful, especially for

children because they are so savvy when it comes to computers and games. It only makes sense, she said, to blend games and science.

Brown said that she first learned about Camp Dreamcatcher earlier this year at a Philadelphia Fight community health centers event that focused on AIDS Education Month. She immediately saw an opportunity to include Camp Dreamcatcher in the research on the game.

Emmalee Bierly, a program director and therapist at Camp Dreamcatcher, said that it was great to have the youngsters at camp to be involved with the process of this educational tool being developed.

Patty Hillkirk, the executive director and founder of Camp Dreamcatcher, said that she was proud to host the team from the Drexel University College of Medicine. The game could be a real benefit for people who are coping with HIV or AIDS.

“CD4 Hunter provides tools that can have many positive effects,” Hillkirk said. “For HIV or AIDS impacted youth, it educates and further takes their disease out of the shadows and treats a serious subject with respect, and in a way that kids can better relate to. For the broader audience, hopefully it engenders from the game a desire to learn more about HIV and AIDS and separate fact from fiction. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to collaborate with the Drexel College of Medicine.”

The game is already available to download from iTunes and the Google Play app store, even as the designers are hard at work to improve it for the next version.

“That’s the reality of game

design,” Brown said. “We’re excited to see where the game can go.”

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

Harvest Ridge Winery will open tasting room in Toughkenamon

By John Chambless Staff Writer

Before the end of the year, an empty building in Toughkenamon will become a major regional attraction when the Harvest Ridge Winery opens a tasting room on Newark Road.

The Delaware-based winery announced the new facility on Aug. 25. It will be housed in a long commercial building next to the Shear Satisfaction hair salon in town. On Monday afternoon, Kristi Wyatt, sales manager for Harvest Ridge, traced the winery’s beginnings and its new direction.

“Chuck and Chris Nunan are the founders,” she said. “They have lived in New Garden Township for over 30 years. They were in Charleston, S.C., in 2010 and went out to a winery one afternoon. They loved it. Chuck said, ‘We could do this at the farm in Delaware.’ We planted the vineyard in 2011 and we were open for business in 2013. We’re still very young, but have grown tremendously.”

The Nunans still have a home in southern Chester County, in addition to their vineyard in Marydel, Del. Harvest Ridge has a small retail boutique in Philadelphia, Wyatt said, and one of their wines is carried in Pennsylvania state stores, but the new location in Toughkenamon will be their big rollout.

The currently unmarked building is in good shape, Wyatt said, but the front will be redesigned to resemble the Delaware tasting room facade. Inside will be a tasting room and event space where parties, bridal showers or private events can be held. It will seat about 75 people.

In the spring, a courtyard area may be added between the two buildings at the site, Wyatt said. “The cool thing is that we’re not a bar,” she said. “We’re not open until 1 in the morning. That’s not who we are.”

“We started the process with this building about four or five months ago,” Wyatt said. “Chuck Nunan owns the building. The township has a comprehensive plan to revitalize Toughkenamon. They’d like to get grants for sidewalks and

street lamps, and get more retail space and restaurants. When I presented this to them, they thought it would work very well as the first step of what they had already planned to do. The township has been very supportive. We’ve gotten no objections, and a couple of letters from neighbors came to the township saying that they supported it.”

Harvest Ridge isn’t unknown in southern Chester County. “We like to do lots of events in the township. We’ve done the Balloon Festival, the ‘Wine & Wheels’ event, the air show,” Wyatt said.

As part of a network of wineries in southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, southern New Jersey and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Harvest Ridge “has a good relationship with most of the other wineries,” Wyatt said, “and there’s definitely room for more.” By linking promotional efforts with similar wineries in the area, the area becomes a regional destination for wine lovers.

Wyatt grew up in West Grove and lives in Oxford now. She has worked with the Nunan family for 12 years.

Harvest Ridge also produces Rebel Seed Cider, “which attracts the beer crowd,” Wyatt said. The new Toughkenamon facility will offer cider on tap, as well as a full selection of Harvest Ridge wines.

“We have a huge wine club in Delaware, and we hope to be able to match that in Pennsylvania,” she said. “We do quarterly pick-up parties where people come and pick up their wine packs, and we’ll have food and events with that. Our wine club always gets first releases, or they get special VIP seating at events.”

Harvest Ridge is community minded, Wyatt said, “and we do a charity event every spring with our food truck competition in Delaware. We support military, law enforcement or something involving kids. For the past couple years, our spring event has supported the Disabled American Veterans organization. We’ve donated about $17,000 per year.”

Harvest Ridge wines are made from the grapes grown in Delaware, supplemented when necessary by juice purchased from companies in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland, so the end product is as local as possible. The company produces about 20 varieties.

Wyatt said 15 to 20 parttime employees will work at the new building, and applicants are being trained so everyone is up to speed when the new Harvest Ridge facility opens. In the meantime, there are building permits to secure and licensing to put in place, “but we hope things will move quickly,” Wyatt said. “We will have Friday updates on our social media as

construction goes along. We will also be looking for vendors interested in working with us at our facility -- food trucks, musicians, caterers, or those with event ideas. We will have a grand opening with a ribbon cutting, and invite the township officials who have been so supportive. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

For information on hiring or vendors, email Kristi@ harvestridgewinery.com. For updates on Harvest Ridge and the new facility, visit www. harvestridgewinery.com.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@ chestercounty.com.

Sept. 1

First Friday Car Show

Oxford Mainstreet, Inc., will be hosting its fourth annual car show as the First Friday event in September. More than 250 antique, classic, and modern cars will be on display from 4 to 8 p.m. Visit www. downtownoxfordpa.org for details.

Sept. 9 and 10

Chadds Ford Days

Chadds Ford Days, commemorating the Battle of the Brandywine, will be held Sept. 9 and 10 at the Chadds Ford Historical Society in Chadds Ford. There will be colonial demonstrations, tours of our historic site, Revolutionary War reenactors and military drills, hayrides, antique cars, a market with more than 40 vendors offering artisan foods, art, handcrafted jewelry, and handmade crafts, as well as a Tavern Beer Garden and live music. Visit www. chaddsforddays.com.

Sept. 10

Record show

The Keystone Record Collectors Music Expo will be held at the Continental Inn (Route 30, next to Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, on Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dealers and collectors will be selling records, CDs and music memorabilia from all eras. Admission and parking are free. Call 610-932-7852 or visit www.recordcollectors.org.

Sept. 10

Patriot Day concert

A Patriot Day Remembrance concert and community sing-along is scheduled Sept. 10

at 3 p.m. At the Oxford United Methodist Church (Market and Addison streets, Oxford). The concert will feature music about America and music composed by Americans. Organized by the members of The Oxford Trio (Katie Slauch-Boozer, violin, Nancy Pedrick, piano, and Julia Farber, horn), the concert will feature local musicians playing modern, traditional, jazz and patriotic music. Admission is free an offering will be taken to benefit the Oxford United Methodist Church Harvest of Talents and Family Promise of Southern Chester County.

Sept. 14

‘Tavern Talks: Well Preserved’

How did Colonists prepare for the winter months? The Sept. 14 “Tavern Talk” at the Chadds Ford Historical Society’s Barns Brinton House (630 Baltimore Pike) will include demonstrations of herb drying and preservation with Terra Luna Herbals, preparing cheese with Amazing Acres Goat Dairy, spinning wool with Greenbank Mills & Philips Farm, beekeeping with Brandywine Bee Company, and learning about the power of vinegar with Keepwell Vinegar. The program is aimed at young adults and is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission is $20 for non-members and $15 for members. Tickets must be purchased in advance by phone, in person or online. All attendees must be 21 and older. Call 610388-7376 or visit www.

chaddsfordhistory.org.

Sept. 16

Car and Dog Wash

On Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon at Oxford Feed & Lumber (112 Railroad Ave., Oxford), members of the OAHS Girls Soccer Team will be washing cars and dogs for donations. Cub Scout Pack 41 will also be selling popcorn at the event.

Sept. 16

Grange barbeque

Russellville Grange 91 (Route 896, one block north of route 10) will be having their Fall BBQ on Sept. 16 from 3 p.m. until sold out. The menu features half a chicken for adults, and a quarter chicken for children, along with potato salad, pepper cabbage, applesauce, a roll, dessert and drink. Adult take-out meals will be $10 (adult eat-in meals $12). Children’s eat-in or take-out meals will be $6. Chicken only is $6. Potato salad and pepper cabbage to go are $6 for a quart and $3 for a pint. Call 610-255-5418 for more information.

Sept. 23

One-room school reunion

The Upper Oxford Township one-room school reunion covereddish luncheon will be held on Sept. 23 at noon at the Manor Presbyterian Church Social Room (505 Street Rd., Route 926). There will be a video of the one-room school dedications in 2016. The History Room displaying the school’s history will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Former students should make reservations

and bring a covered dish. Call 610-932-9718 or email Irisgdow@juno.com.

Sept. 30

Kennett Brewfest

The Kennett Brewfest will be held Sept. 30 from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., in booths set up in downtown Kennett Square. More than 100 regional and national breweries will be serving samples, and food from area restaurants will be featured. For tickets and information, visit www. kennettbrewfest.com.

Sept. 30

Apple Festival

The Oxford Presbyterian Church’s annual Apple Festival in Oxford Memorial Park takes place on Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be dozens of vendors, games for children, and entertainment. For more information, visit www. opcapplefestival.org.

Oct. 4

Wellness workshop for seniors

The Oxford Senior Center (12 E. Locust St., Oxford) will host a Self Care Wellness Workshop on Oct. 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. There will be a guided self-massage experience with massage therapist Sue Frampton, and gentle stretching with Barb McAdams, as well as tips on how to implement a daily wellness routine. Call 610-932-5244 to make reservations.

Oct. 7

Pink Hobby Horse Prance

Oxford Feed & Lumber (112 Railroad Ave., Oxford) hosts a Pink Hobby Horse Prance on Oct. 7 beginnign at 9 a.m.

The family day centers on making stick ponies and then riding them in a horse show. Food and raffle baskets available. Proceeds benefit local breast cancer coalitions. Call 610-9328521 for more information or to register.

Oct. 7

Chester County Day

On Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Chester County Day tour of homes and historic buildings will be held in West Chester and northwest Chester County. Tickets are $50 and benefit The Women’s Auxiliary of the Chester County Hospital to expand the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. For information, visit www.ChesterCountyDay. com.

Nov. 5

Pennsylvania Hunt Cup

The 83rd running of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup will again take place on Nov. 5 in Unionville. This year, the main beneficiary is the Chester County Food Bank. Gates open to the public at 10:30 a.m. Parking subscriptions are sold both in advance and on race day. All parking is per car – all occupants are included. Directions and subscriptions are available on the PHC website (www. pahuntcup.org). The fourmile Pennsylvania Hunt Cup is the race day feature, along with timber races, a flat race, the Junior Pony races, a sidesaddle invitational, a carriage parade, and a visit from Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire foxhounds. The Holiday Boutique shops will be open for shopping all day.

Kennett Flash schedule

The Kennett Flash (102

Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square) hosts regional and national artists. Tickets are available in advance at www.kennettflash.org, or at the door. Snacks and beverages are sold, or guests can BYOB. The schedule includes: Eilen Jewell (Sept. 1, 8 p.m., $20); Jennifer Batten (Sept. 7, 8 p.m., $20); D Corridori Band CD release show (Sept. 8, 8 p.m., $15 and $18); 10,000 Maniacs at the Mushroom Festival (Sept. 9, 8 p.m., $40 to $65); Better Than Bacon improv comedy troupe (Sept. 14, 8 p.m., $12 and $14); The New Orleans Suspects (Sept. 15, 8 p.m., $25 and $28); Bruce Klauber sings Frank Sinatra (Sept. 16, 8 p.m., $20 and $25); Open Mic with host Frank Sokolovic (Sept. 17, 7 p.m., $4); The Bryan Tuk Complex (Sept. 21, 8 p.m., $20); Yes tribute band All Good People (Sept. 22, 8 p.m., $20 and $23); Maria Muldaur (Sept. 29, 8 p.m., $30 and $35). Reactors Comedy Club schedule

Reactors Comedy Club, in the Wyndham Garden Hotel (1110 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills) presents live comedy on weekends, with shows Saturdays at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. The schedule resumes in September. Visit www. reactorscomedyclub.com.

To submit items to the Calendar of Events, e-mail jchambless@ chestercounty.com. There is no charge. Not every submission can be included. Items should be submitted at least two weeks before the event.

EDITH FISHER DONNELLY

Edith Fisher Donnelly, 92, of Newport News, Va., formerly of Cleveland, Ga., and Oxford, passed away on Aug. 24 at home.

She was the wife of the late Grant Steadman Donnelly, with whom she shared 69 years of marriage. Born in Lodi, Va., she was the daughter of the late Rush Floyd and Lucy McThenia Fisher. Edith was a member of the Mt. Yonah Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ga. Edith retired from the District Court 15-3-05 in Oxford as a bookkeeper, and was formerly employed with Davis Fuel in Oxford.

She is survived by two daughters, Ruth Ann Boyd (Thomas) of Cleveland, Ga., and Sharon Hornsby of Newport News, Va.; five grandchildren, Yvonne Boyd of Atlanta, Ga., Dawn DelRocini of Lancaster, Rick Donnelly of Ephrata, Doran Hornsby of Virginia Beach, Va., and Donnelly Hornsby of Richmond, Va.; three great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Mary Ross of Cochranville, Allen Leech of Carbondale, Ill., and Kathryn Steele of West Grove. She was preceded in death by one son, Richard Donnelly; three sisters, Frances Singleton, Russie McMichael and Ruth Evans; and four brothers, Harold Fisher, Herbert Fisher, Blake Fisher and Charles Fisher.

A funeral was held Aug. 29. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123. Online condolences may be made at www. elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

ROBERT T. STREHLAU

Robert Thomas Strehlau, 72, of West Grove, died surrounded by his loving family on Aug. 21 at the Chester County Hospital in West Chester.

He was the husband of Kathleen Holland Strehlau, with whom he shared 50 years of marriage. Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Edward and the late Frances (Deyarmin) Strehlau. He was a machinist for The Boeing Company, retiring in 1999. He was a member of the Freemasons and the UAW. He loved fishing, hunting, and sports -- especially softball and Philadelphia pro and college sports teams -- and he was a Eucharistic minister.

Survivors include, in addition to his wife, four sons: Edward J. and his wife Lisa, Robert C. and his wife Jacqueline, Michael E. and his wife Lindsey, and Matthew R. and his wife Michele; one daughter, Bonnie M. Goodwin and her husband John; and 16 grandchildren. Robert was predeceased by his beloved sister, Dorothy A. Shepherd. Interment was in Union Hill Cemetery. Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Association of Cancer Research. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, visit www.griecocares.com.

Sept. 9

Pancake & omelet

breakfast

Shiloh Presbyterian Church (42 S. Fifth St., Oxford) hosts a pancake and omelet breakfast on Sept. 9 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Tickets at the door are $7 for adults, $4 for ages 4 to 11, free for ages 3 and younger. The menu includes French toast, bacon and sausage, biscuits, potatoes, sausage gravy and more.

Sept. 23

Community yard sale

On Sept. 23, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church holds their third annual “Hidden Treasures” community yard sale at 300 State Rd., West Grove, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tables are available. Call Terri at 610-291-9938 or Donna at 484-371-8345.

Sept. 23

Open Market

On Sept. 23, West Grove

United Methodist Church will host its Second Annual Open Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors including artists, jewelers and crafters will be on site, as well as food trucks. To apply for a spot, call 610-869-9334 or email office@westgroveumc. org. Proceeds benefit the church’s outreach programs to the community.

Sept. 23

Buffet breakfast

DEWEY F. ROOP, JR.

Dewey F. Roop, Jr., 83, of Audubon, formerly of Cochranville, passed away on Aug. 23 at the Einstein Hospital.

He was the husband of Dorothy Abel Roop, with whom he shared 56 years of marriage. Born in Riner, Va., he was the son of the late Dewey F., Sr., and the late Susie Johnson Roop. Dewey was a self-employed truck driver, owning Roop & Roop Trucking in Cochranville. He retired in 1996 after 32 years of service. After retirement, he taxied the Amish, with whom he formed a close relationship. He was a member of the Kennett Square Missionary Baptist Church. Dewey enjoyed buying and restoring old antique cars, going to auctions, and being with his family and friends.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by four sons, Dewey “Rocky” III of Little Britain, Robert of Honey Brook, Richard of West Grove, and Palmer “Bud” of Thorndale; four daughters, Deborah Jenkins of Coatesville, Sandra Brown of Downingtown, Jane Rizzuto and her husband John of Audubon, and Karen Roop of Gap; 20 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased  by one son-inlaw, Gary Jenkins.

A funeral was held Aug. 29. Burial was in Longwood Cemetery in Kennett Square. In memory of Dewey, a contribution may be made to Einstein Montgomery Home Health and Hospice, 1330 Powell Street, Suite 100. Norristown, PA 19401. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, visit www.griecocares.com.

JAY AMBROSE

Jay Ambrose, 66, of Wilmington, Del., passed away peacefully on Aug. 19, surrounded by family.

He was the husband of Paula Dorn Ambrose, with whom he shared 40 years of marriage. Born in Dover, Del., he was a son of the late Paul E. and the late Frances (Gannon) Ambrose. Jay was vice president and senior wealth advisor at Morgan Stanley in Philadelphia before retiring in 2006. He was also a member of Wilmington West Rotary Club, where he served as Seargant of Arms. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, playing basketball, and relaxing on the beach in Sea Isle City.

In addition to his wife, Jay is survived by his son, Gregory Ambrose of Bel Air, Md.; daughter Lindsay Curtin and her husband Tom of Valhalla, N.Y.; his brother Tom Ambrose and his wife Sandy of Landenberg; his sisters Diane Rhine and her husband Paul of Tom’s River, N.J., and Karen Russel of Salisbury Md.; his grandson Hudson Curtin; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Jay’s son-in-law, Tom Curtin, will be running in the NYC Marathon on Nov. 5 to benefit the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Therefore, donations in Jay’s memory may be made at www.tinyurl.com/TeamBigJay, or payable to the MMRF and sent to Lindsay Curtin, 193 Prospect Ave., Valhalla, NY 10595. To view Jay’s online tribute and to share condolences with his family, visit www.griecocares.com.

DAVID A. SAMPSON

David Allen Sampson, 34, of Landenberg, passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 24.

Born in Wilmington, Del., he was the son of David H. and Linda Sampson. David was the owner of D&D Security Solutions; his business was a huge aspect of his life. In his spare time, David enjoyed working on cars, going to races, and camping. He also greatly enjoyed spending time with his sons, and the rest of his family and friends.

In addition to his parents, David is also survived by his sons David and Matthew; his sisters Melanie and Michelle; his maternal grandmother Saphronia Oldaker; and aunts, uncles, and cousins. David was predeceased by his maternal grandfather, Emil Oldaker; and his paternal grandparents, Mabel and Jean Trent.

A visitation with family and friends will be held Aug. 30 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home (250 W. State St., Kennett Square). A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Interment will follow the funeral service at New London United Methodist Church Cemetery. To view his online tribute and to share condolences with the family, visit www.griecocares.com.

JAMES E. ROCHESTER

James E. Rochester, 73, of West Grove, formerly of Chester, passed on Aug. 15 at Twin Pines Health Care Center in West Grove. He was the husband of the late Rose Lee Shamburger Rochester. Born in West Chester, he was the son of the late Eunice and Bernice Brown Rochester. James was employed with NVF in Kennett Square for 29 years. He enjoyed fishing and music.

He was survived by two daughters, April D. Rochester and Jill Shamburger, both of Chester; two grandchildren, Darren Rochester and Anisha Rochester; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Robert S. Rochester of Wilmington, Del., and Thomas W. Rochester of Oxford; and two sisters, Rachel Twyman of New Castle, Del., and Doris Rochester, of Kennett Square. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Tawanda Rochester. Funeral services were held Aug. 25. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the funeral home (The Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., 86 Pine St., Oxford, PA) to offset expenses. Online condolences may be made at www. elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Call 610-932-9698 for more information.

Sept. 23

An evening of music

Oxford United Methodist Church (18 Addison St., Oxford) hosts its monthly buffet breakfast for the community on Sept. 23 from 7 to 10 a.m. The menu includes buttermilk pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon, roasted potatoes, fresh fruit and more. Tickets at the door are $7 for adults and $3 for ages 3 to 10.

p.m., followed by the show at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Bring a dish to share. Call 610-932-9698 for more information.

Sept. 24

Community Fun Day

Oxford United Methodist Church (18 Addison St., Oxford) hosts vocalist Tony Elia in a program of standard songs from the 1920s through the 1960s on Sept. 23. He will be accompanied by Pattie Markley. Pastor Mark Terry will open the show with improv comedy. The evening starts with a covered dish supper at 6

Grove United Methodist Church (490 W. Boot Rd., north of West Chester) hosts a free Community Fun Day on Sept. 24 from 2 to 4 p.m., with hot dogs, ice cream and toppings for all. The event includes live music, a moon bounce, face painting, balloon animals and more family activities.

For more information, call 610-696-2663 or visit www. grovechurch.org.

Sept. 30

Food tasting benefit

Shiloh Presbyterian Church in Oxford sponsors a food tasting event on Sept. 30 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at the Oxford Area High School cafeteria (705 Waterway Rd., Oxford), with crafts, vendors, door prizes and live music. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit community outreach programs. Call the church at 610-932-9256 for ticket information.

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

TheChesterCountyPressfeaturesadedicatedchurch/religious pagethatcanhelpyouadvertiseyourhouseofworshipand/or business.Thepageisupdatedweeklywithnewscripture.Only$10 Weeklyforthisspace. Weareofferingaspecialdiscountof25%offeachandeveryhelp wanted/classifiedadvertisementtoanybusinessthatadvertiseson thePRESSchurchpage. For more information or to place an ad, contact Brenda Butt at 610-869-5553 ext. 10

Kennett beats Avon Grove 25-23 on Tuley’s kick

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

The black, rubbery residue of Kennett’s home turf dotted the face of Kennett High School’s new varsity football coach Josh Kaufman last Friday evening, just moments after his kicker James Tuley’s 32-yard field goal with no time left on the clock gave the Blue Demons a stunning 25-23 victory over Avon Grove, and sent Kaufman to the ground in jubilation and relief.

When Kaufman got back on his feet, his players were swarming around the field like giddy schoolchildren at recess, having just survived a merry-go-round

of momentum and emotions against a resilient Avon Grove squad who will likely compete at the top level of the Ches-Mont this season. When asked about his inaugural victory as Kennett’s coach, Kaufman finally found his breath again.

“I didn’t envision this. I don’t think anyone could have,” he said. “The back and forth, the momentum, the fumble, the great first half, the great second half. We had momentum and then they took the momentum back.””

It only took Kennett’s opening touchdown drive in the first quarter to register who will be the key components of the

team’s offense this season: Quarterback Jake Dilcher, running back Garrett Cox, and wide receiver Mitch Kosara.

Inheriting the ball on its own 32-yard line, Kennett drove 68 yards -- mostly on Cox’s running -- in a scoring drive that ended with a 24-yard TD pass from Dilcher to Kosara with 4:03 left in the quarter, which was followed up by a two-point conversion.

Sporting an 8-0 lead, Kennett’s second scoring threat ended when Avon Grove recovered a fumble in its own end zone with one second remaining in the first quarter, despite a 35-yard pass from Dilcher to wide receiver Chris Brooks.

On its first possession of the second quarter, Avon Grove quarterback Shane Wolford engineered a drive on the strength of running back Kevin Francis’ runs, and with 7:46 left in the first half, a screen pass that wide receiver Tyler Boyd ran in for the touchdown was called back on an offensive holding penalty. Avon Grove’s second scoring attempt was thwarted on an interception by Kosara with 30 seconds remaining in the half.

The Red Devils got on the scoreboard early in the third quarter on a 71-yard, eight-snap drive that was dominated by Francis, who bullied his way through the Kennett line, ending with a one-yard TD carry with 6:15 left in the third quarter. The point-after failed, giving Kennett a narrow 8-6 lead, but on Kennett’s

next possession, a bad snap over punter Tuley’s head was recovered by Avon Grove’s Thomas D’Antonio in the Kennett end zone with 4:02 left in the third. After a successful PAT, Avon Grove found themselves in the lead, 13-8.

The Blue Demons recovered their lead with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter on a QB keeper by Dilcher, followed by a two-point conversion pass to wide receiver Danny Mancini. Down 16-13, Avon Grove tied the score on a 24-yard field goal by kicker Kevin Sheehan with 8:04 left.

With just over four-and-ahalf minutes remaining in the game, Dilcher orchestrated a 81-yard touchdown drive that featured blistering runs by Cox and a ten-yard penalty by Avon Grove. With 1:03 left, Cox broke through the middle of the field for a 14-yard score, that after a failed two-point conversion, gave Kennett a 22-16 lead.

On the ensuing kick-off, Avon Grove returner Kyri Rossiter gave his team good field position by returning the kick to midfield. On its first play, Wohlford found wide receiver Dylan Lapham at the Kennett 40-yard line, who promptly flicked the ball to Francis behind him, for a hook-and-lateral play that ended with a 40-yard TD sprint by Francis up the sidelines with 45 seconds left in the game. After an extra point kick, Avon Grove clung to a 23-22 lead.

Dilcher then went to work on his own 25-yard line, starting with a 34-yard strike

to Kosara that moved the ball to the 41-yard line of Avon Grove with 27 seconds left. After two incomplete passes, Dilcher connected with wide receiver Justin Shacknai with six seconds remaining that moved the ball to the 30-yard line. On his last play, Dilcher heaved the ball into the end zone, which resulted in a 15-yard pass interference call on Avon Grove as the clock expired, setting up Tuley’s game-winning kick.

“I knew that it was make or break, and I was ready,” Tuley said. “I was really happy to share the moment with my holder, Jake Dilcher. We’ve been best friends forever. He was not originally supposed to hold the ball, but I told the coach, ‘He’s holding the ball for me. I know we’re going to make it.’”

Kaufman gave credit to Dilcher for his poise in engineering Kennett’s last drive.

“Jake is really dangerous,

and he provides my offense with a lot of different capabilities, and so I’m very fortunate to have him. He’s a very hard worker,” he said.

“He knows the playbook as well as I do.

“This was a heavyweight battle between two really good football teams,” Kaufman added. “Avon Grove is going to have a great season. They have a good quarterback. They have a great running back. They’re very well coached, and we’re very, very fortunate to come out on top this game.” Kennett travels to Boothwyn this Friday for a non-conference game against Chichester, while Avon Grove has its home opener this Friday against non-conference opponent Harry S. Truman High School.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

NOTICE

Medi-Assist Transportation, Inc. has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. Gregory M. McCauley, Esq.510 Kennett Pike P.O.Box 115 Chadds Ford, PA 19317

8p-30-1t

INCORPORATION

NOTICE

INNOCAT & MAT, Inc. has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. Reardon & Assocs. LLC 985 Old Eagle School Rd. Suite 516 Wayne, PA 19087

8p-30-1t

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Elk Township Board of Supervisors will hold its September meeting on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 7:00 PM at the Elk Township Building, 952 Chesterville Road, Lewisville, PA . If you are a person with a disability and wish to attend this meeting and require auxiliary aide, service or other accommodations to participate in this meeting, please contact Township Secretary Terri Kukoda at 610-255-0634 to discuss how Elk Township may best accommodate your needs.

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NOTICE OF HEARING IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA ORPHANS’ COURT DIVI-

SION NO. 0010 of 2017 NOTICE OF HEARING TO Tiffany Fisher aka Tiffany O’Donnell and Michael O’Donnell

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT a Petition for Goal Change to Adoption/Termination of Parental Rights has been filed by Children and Youth Services of Delaware County as we are requesting to change the permanency goal from reunification to adoption and are seeking the termination of the parental rights of the Mother and father of Riley O. (b.d.1/10/13). A Hearing with respect to said Petition is scheduled for September 25, 2017 before the Honorable Nathaniel C. Nichols and will be held at 9:30am. You have a right to appear at said Hearing and contest

INCORPORATION

the Petition for Termination and if you fail to do so your parental rights may be terminated. In addition, you are advised that you may have an option for an enforceable voluntary agreement under ACT 101 of 2010 for continuing contact following the adoption of your child between the adoptive parent and a birth parent and/or birth relative if all parties agree and the agreement s approved by the Court. YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS PAPER TO YOUR LAWYER AT ONCE. THE ATTORNEY THAT HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO REPRESENT MOTHER IS DAN ARMSTRONG, ESQUIRE at 610-627-1400. THE ATTORNEY THAT HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO REPRESENT FATHER IS ALICE MILLER, ESQUIRE at 610-532-4222. 8P-30-3T

Sheriff Sale of Real Estate By virtue of the within mentioned writ directed to Carolyn B. Welsh, Sheriff, will be sold at public sale, in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 West Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, announced on Thursday, September 21st, 2017 at 11AM prevailing time, the herein-described real estate. Notice is given to all

215-563-7000

N.B.

Distribution on Monday, October 23rd, 2017. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedule unless exceptions are filed hereto within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 17-9-523 Writ of Execution No. 2016-04028 DEBT $140,969.19 PROPERTY situate in the Oxford Borough, Chester County, Pennsylvania

BLR# 6-4-61 IMPROVEMENTS thereon: residential dwelling

PLAINTIFF: Wells Fargo Bank, NA VS DEFENDANT: LOUIS THOMAS ALEXANDER, JR. and SARAH ALEXANDER

SALE ADDRESS: 113 North 3rd Street, a/k/a 113 N Third Street, Oxford, PA 19363-1425 PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP, 215-563-7000

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. 10% payment must be paid in cash, certified check or money order made payable to the purchaser or Sheriff of Chester Co. The final payment must be made payable to Sheriff of Chester Co. & is due twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 2PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 8p-30-3t Sheriff Sale of Real Estate By virtue of the within mentioned writ directed to Carolyn B. Welsh, Sheriff,

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. 10% payment must be paid in cash, certified check or money order made payable to the purchaser or Sheriff of Chester Co. The final payment must be made payable to Sheriff of Chester Co. & is due twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 2PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 8p-30-3t Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

By virtue of the within mentioned writ directed to Carolyn B. Welsh, Sheriff, will be sold at public sale, in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 West Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, announced on Thursday, September 21st, 2017 at 11AM prevailing time, the herein-described real estate. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file in her office located in the Chester County Justice Center, Office of the Sheriff, 201 West Market Street, Suite 1201, West Chester, Pennsylvania, a Schedule of Distribution on Monday, October 23rd, 2017. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedule unless exceptions are filed hereto within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 17-9-532 Writ of Execution No. 2017-00061 DEBT $177,503.31

ALL THAT CERTAIN measuge and tract of land situate in the Borough of Atglen, County of Chester, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, bounded and described according to a new survey made thereof as one tract, as follows:

BEGINNING at a stone, by lands of James Burley and the north side of Rosemont Avenue; thence by lands of James Burley north 06 degrees 50 minutes west (passing over an iron pin south of the Newport Pike), 335.2 feet to a spike in the Newport Pike; thence by said Newport Pike south 58 degrees 35 minutes 40 seconds east 63.66 feet to a spike; thence still by the Newport Pike south 58 degrees 31 minutes 20 seconds east, 63.72 feet to a spike; thence leaving the Newport Pike and by other lands of James Hurley south 06 degrees 50 minutes east (passing over an iron pin on the south side of the Newport Pike) 256.3 feet to an iron pin on the north side of Rosemont Avenue; thence by Rosemont Avenues’ north side south 83 degrees 10 minutes west, 100 feet to a stone and point of beginning.

TAX ID: 07-03-0005 UPI# 7-3-5

TITLE to said premises is vested in Raymond F. Arnold, Sr. and Dana L. Arnold, by Deed from William H. Roth, Jr. and Jacqueline A. Roth was recorded 05/01/1996, in the Chester County Recorder of Deeds in Book 4025, Page 0134 as Instrument Number 24580.

PLAINTIFF: U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Trust 2006-CH2, Asset Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2006-CH2 c/o Special Loan Servicing, LLC VS DEFENDANT: DANA L. ARNOLD and RAYMOND F. ARNOLD

SALE ADDRESS: 427 Rosemont Avenue, Atglen, PA 19310

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: PARKER McCAY, PA, 856-596-8900

Chester, Pennsylvania, a Schedule of Distribution on Monday, October 23rd, 2017. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedule unless exceptions are filed hereto within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 17-9-541 Writ of Execution No. 2016-00328 DEBT $587,673.33

PROPERTY situate in the London Grove Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania BLR# 59-11-22.29

IMPROVEMENTS thereon: residential dwelling

PLAINTIFF: Lsf9 Master Participation Trust VS DEFENDANT: ELSA OTERO, IN HER CAPACITY AS HEIR OF HERMINIO OTERO a/k/a HERMINIO OTERO PEREZ, DECEASED UNKNOWN HEIRS, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, AND ALL PERSONS, FIRMS, OR ASSOCIATIONS CLAIMING RIGHT, TITLE OR INTEREST FROM OR UNDER HERMINIO OTERO a/k/a HERMINIO OTERO PEREZ, DECEASED & CHARLES D. ALVAREZ

SALE ADDRESS: 24 Bramble Lane, West Grove, PA 19390-9729

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP, 215-563-7000

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. 10% payment must be paid in cash, certified check or money order made payable to the purchaser or Sheriff of Chester Co. The final payment must be made payable to Sheriff of Chester Co. & is due twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 2PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 8p-30-3t

Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

By virtue of the within mentioned writ directed to Carolyn B. Welsh, Sheriff, will be sold at public sale, in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 West Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, announced on Thursday, September 21st, 2017 at 11AM prevailing time, the herein-described real estate. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file in her office located in the Chester County Justice Center, Office of the Sheriff, 201 West Market Street, Suite 1201, West Chester, Pennsylvania, a Schedule of Distribution on Monday, October 23rd, 2017. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedule unless exceptions are filed hereto within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 17-9-542 Writ of Execution No. 2012-06482 DEBT $409,272.07

PROPERTY situate in the Kennett Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania BLR# 62-5-79.14

IMPROVEMENTS thereon: residential dwelling

PLAINTIFF: Mtglq Investors, L.P. VS DEFENDANT: RONALD MARKS a/k/a

RONALD C. MARKS and TERI MARKS a/k/a TERI M. MARKS

SALE ADDRESS: 6 McCarthy Road, Chadds Ford, PA 19317-9264

is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file in her office located in the Chester County Justice Center, Office of the Sheriff, 201 West Market Street, Suite 1201, West Chester, Pennsylvania, a Schedule of Distribution on Monday, October 23rd, 2017. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedule unless exceptions are filed hereto within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 17-9-544 Writ of Execution No. 2015-00821 DEBT $156,922.86

ALL THAT CERTAIN messuage and tract of land, with the hereditaments and appurtenances, thereon erected, situate in the Borough of Kennett Square, Chester County, Pennsylvania, being known as 402 Ridge Avenue, Stenning Hills, bounded and described according to Plan thereof made by Reeder and Magarity, Darby, Penna., May 31, 1955 as follows:

SITUATE on the southeasterly side of Ridge Avenue (50 feet wide) at the distance of 1,115.76 feet measured south 81 degrees 15 minutes west, along same from its intersection with the southwesterly side of South Union Street (50 feet wide) both lines extended.

CONTAINING in front or breadth on the southeasterly side of Ridge Avenue, measured south 81 degrees 15 minutes west, 78 feet and extending of that width in length or depth southeastwardly between parallel lines at right angles to Ridge Avenue 150 feet to the south line of a certain 20 feet wide right of way for water main, being the Borough limit.

BEING Parcel Number 3-6-13

BLR# 3-6-13

BEING the same premises which Hector Gonzales and Mary C. Rhoades, granted and conveyed unto Hector Gonzales and Mary C. Rhoades by Deed dated August 2, 2006 and recorded August 4, 2006 in Chester County Record Book 6916, Page 723 for the consideration of $1.00

PLAINTIFF: LSF9 Master Participation Trust VS DEFENDANT: HECTOR J. GONZALEZ a/k/a HECTOR GONZALEZ and KELLY LYNN RUIZ, IN HER CAPACITY AS HEIR AT LAW OF MARY C. RHOADES, DECEASED AND COLLEEN ANN RILEY, IN HER CAPACITY AS HEIR AT LAW OF MARY C. RHOADES, DECEASED AND UNKNOWN HEIRS, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS AND ALL PERSONS, FIRMS OR ASSOCIATIONS CLAIMING RIGHT, TITLE OR INTEREST FROM OR UNDER MARY C. RHOADES, DECEASED

SALE ADDRESS: 402 Ridge Avenue, Kennett Square, PA 19348

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: MARTHA E. VON ROSENSTIEL, ESQ., 610328-2887

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. 10% payment must be paid in cash, certified check or money order made payable to the purchaser or Sheriff of Chester Co. The final payment must be made payable to Sheriff of Chester Co. & is due twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 2PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 8p-30-3t Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

described according to a survey made by George E. Regester, Jr. & Sons, Inc., Registered Land Surveyors, on June 24, 1970, as follows, to wit: BEGINNING at a spike set for a northwesterly corner of this about to be described tract and a corner of other land of Robert Wilson, grantor herein, of which this was a part, said spike being set in the center line of Public Road T-364 (being a 12’ wide dirt road) leading in a northwesterly direction to Public T-321 end a southeasterly direction to Public Road T-323, said spike being set the following two (2) courses and distances to wit from a point set in the center line of said Public Road T-364 marking the original northwesterly corner of land of Robert Wilson and a southwesterly corner of land of A. Gioffredl Et Al, and said two (2) following courses and distances being measured along’ the center line of said Public Road T-364:

1- SOUTH 07 degrees 12 minutes 00 seconds east, 178.30’ to a spike.

2- SOUTH 08 degrees 38 minutes 00 seconds east 318.77’ to said spike of beginning; thence leaving said spike of beginning and leaving the center line of said Public Road T-364 and by land of Robert Wilson, grantor herein, of which this was a part, the following three courses and distances to wit:

1- NORTH 78 degrees 36 minutes 00 seconds east, 266.00’ to an iron pin. South 11 degrees 24 minutes 00 seconds east, 175.00’ to an iron pin.

3- SOUTH 78 degrees 36 minutes 00 seconds east, 266.00’ to a spike set for a southwesterly corner of this and being set in the center line of said Public Road T-364; thence by the center line of said Public Road T-364, north 11 degrees, 24 minutes, 00 seconds west, 175.00’ to a spike being the place of beginning.

CONTAINING 1.069 acres of land be the same more or less.

BEING the same premises which Robert T. Wilson, Jr. and Martha R. Wilson, his wife, by Deed dated 01/15/1976 and recorded 01/15/1976 in the Office of the Recorder of Deed in and for the County of Chester, in Deed Book H-47, Page 103, granted and conveyed unto Robert T. Wilson, Jr. and Edith J. Wilson, his wife, in fee.

PLAINTIFF: Bayview Loan Servicing, LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company VS DEFENDANT: EDITH J. WILSON

SALE ADDRESS: 559 South Guernsey Road, West Grove, PA 19390

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: SHAPIRO & DeNARDO, LLC, 610-278-6800

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. 10% payment must be paid in

days thereafter.

SALE NO. 17-9-530 Writ of Execution No. 2016-00825 DEBT $320,926.99

PROPERTY situate in the New Garden Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania

UPI # 60-5-36.1

IMPROVEMENTS thereon: residential dwelling PLAINTIFF: OCWEN Loan Servicing, LLC VS DEFENDANT: DAVID A. NELSON and DONNA M. NELSON

SALE ADDRESS: 506 Newark Road, Landenberg, PA 19350-9358

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP,

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. 10% payment must be paid in cash, certified check or money order made payable to the purchaser or Sheriff of Chester Co. The final payment must be made payable to Sheriff of Chester Co. & is due twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 2PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 8p-30-3t Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

By virtue of the within mentioned writ directed to Carolyn B. Welsh, Sheriff, will be sold at public sale, in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 West Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, announced on Thursday, September 21st, 2017 at 11AM prevailing time, the herein-described real estate. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file in her office located in

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP, 215-563-7000

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. 10% payment must be paid in cash, certified check or money order made payable to the purchaser or Sheriff of Chester Co. The final payment must be made payable to Sheriff of Chester Co. & is due twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 2PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 8p-30-3t Sheriff Sale of Real Estate By virtue of the within mentioned writ directed to Carolyn B. Welsh, Sheriff, will be sold at public sale, in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 West Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, announced on Thursday, September 21st, 2017 at 11AM prevailing time, the herein-described real estate. Notice

By virtue of the within mentioned writ directed to Carolyn B. Welsh, Sheriff, will be sold at public sale, in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 West Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, announced on Thursday, September 21st, 2017 at 11AM prevailing time, the herein-described real estate. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file in her office located in the Chester County Justice Center, Office of the Sheriff, 201 West Market Street, Suite 1201, West Chester, Pennsylvania, a Schedule of Distribution on Monday, October 23rd, 2017. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedule unless exceptions are filed hereto within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 17-9-546 Writ of Execution No. 2016-09542

by 2PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF

Landenberg student embraces the challenges of chemistry at science program

Jake Kalscheur of Kennett High School jump-started his college experience and learned the business of chemistry at the seventh annual BASF Science Academy.

Kalscheur was among 20 high-school seniors who participated in the program that’s designed to prepare students for a career in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM). The twoweek summer science program, developed by BASF Corporation, is held at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) in Madison, N.J. Working in teams, students formulated their own personal care

products and developed a go-to-market plan and strategy. At the end of the program, students presented their product to a panel of BASF executives and FDU academic leaders.

“Providing students access to high-quality learning opportunities in STEM is a priority,” said Louis D’Agostino, site director for BASF in Newport, Del. “This twoweek academy continues to play an important role in the students’ enduring appreciation of science, and will serve as an inspiration to pursue higher education and a career in STEM.”

Following the curriculum

theme, “From Molecules to Marketplace,” students gained hands-on experience in college chemistry labs, while developing a marketing strategy to link their product to the consumer. Students also experienced chemistry in action by visiting the BASF Research and Development labs in Tarrytown, N.Y., and by meeting with cosmetic chemists and subject matter experts. Through exposure to real-world chemistry, students saw how the fundamental building blocks of many everyday products are comprised.

“Science Academy is an incredible opportunity to

combine what we learned in the classroom with real world applications,” Kalscheur said. Students graduate from the program with three transferable college science credits to encourage their pursuit in a STEM field. In addition, FDU offers Science Academy alumni $5,000 scholarships if they elect to attend FDU in the fall of 2018.

Of the 140 students who have participated in the program to date, several Science Academy alumni have returned to BASF through the summer hire internship program and the Professional Development Program (PDP).

Sadsbury Associates,

“Y” Drawing Number 2002219u135 dated May 7, 2003 prepared by Wilkinson Associate. Engineering/Surveying and recorded IN Plan No. 16637 as follows:

BEING Unit 139, Building “Y”, Sadsbury Village.

BEING UPI Number 37-4-40.9D

PARCEL No: 37-4-40.9D

BEING Known as: 203 Fox Trail, Parkesburg, PA 19365

ALL THAT CERTAIN, message, lot or piece of land situate on, in the Township of Sadsbury, County of Chester, State of Pennsylvania, bounded and described, as follows, to wit:

ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or piece of

BEING the same property conveyed to George Lichowid and Stephanie Lichowid who acquired title by Virtue of a Deed from Daniel Rush and Samira Rush, dated March 20, 2009, recorded March 24, 2009, at Document Number 10911296, Book 7621, Page 1903, Chester County, Pennsylvania Records.

PLAINTIFF: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. VS DEFENDANT: GEORGE LICHOWID and STEPHANIE LICHOWID

SALE ADDRESS: 203 Fox Trail, Parkesburg, PA 19365

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: MANLEY DEAS KOCHALSKI, LLC, 614-220-5611

N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. 10% payment must be paid in cash, certified check or money order made payable to the purchaser or Sheriff of Chester Co. The final payment must be made payable to Sheriff of Chester Co. & is due twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 2PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 8p-30-3t Sheriff Sale of Real Estate By virtue of the within mentioned writ directed to Carolyn B. Welsh, Sheriff, will be sold at public sale, in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 West Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, announced on Thursday, September 21st, 2017 at 11AM prevailing time, the herein-described real estate. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file in her office located in the Chester County Justice Center, Office of the Sheriff, 201 West Market Street, Suite 1201, West Chester, Pennsylvania, a Schedule of Distribution on Monday, October 23rd, 2017. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedule unless exceptions are filed hereto within ten (10) days thereafter. SALE NO. 17-9-563

IMPROVEMENTS:

In the calm few minutes before the buses arrived, Dutkiewicz said that a “Sneak-a-Peek” open house held at the school on Aug. 24 did a lot to ease first-day jitters, as students could check out the hallways and classrooms and figure out where they were going. Parents, too, appreciated getting a chance to become familiar with the staff and routine.

“We did parent orientation at the same time as the students,” he said. “The kids and parents go in for Sneak-a-Peek, and a specialist brings the whole class to the cafeteria or the gym for an assembly program. The parents stayed in the classroom for the back-toschool orientation from the teachers at the same time. It’s worked out really well for us. The families love it.”

For the coming days, “A lot of my first week is just visiting the classrooms, going to recess, spending time with the students,” Dutkiewicz said. “We have a really nice population of kids, with very, very few disciplinary issues. It’s great to start another year with them.”

In an email sent to parents on Aug. 25, school district superintendent John Sanville welcomed families to the new school year. “The first day of school is special whether your student is 6 or 16, so enjoy every minute,” he wrote. “Take plenty of pictures, give kisses and hugs, and wave goodbye. We will take it from there.”

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.

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