Western Chester County Life Spring/Summer 2022

START A LIFE LONG RELA TIONSHIP

Your partner in good health.

At Lancaster General Health Parkesburg, we’re committed to supporting the health and wellness of our community. Our team – including family physicians, cardiologists, specialists, dieticians, and physical therapists – provides coordinated care focused on keeping you healthy for life.

Physician services:

• Family Medicine Parkesburg

• Urgent Care

• OB/GYN

• Sports Medicine

• The Heart Group

• Diabetes & Endocrinology

• Podiatry

Schedule an appointment at Family Medicine Parkesburg at LGHealthPhysicians.org/Parkesburg, or call 610-857-6648.

950 South Octorara Trail Parkesburg, PA 19365

Outpatient services:

• Imaging services (3D mammography, X-ray, DXA scan, CT scan, ultrasound)

• Lab testing

• Physical therapy

• Pulmonary services

• Cardiac testing

Letter from Justin Chan, Chamber President

Iam honored to serve as the 2022 president of the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; an organization that works to enhance business and community well-being in the western portion of the county. This is an exciting time for this region. The City of Coatesville is in the middle of a new renaissance with both public and private projects moving ahead to revitalize the business district. Valley Township is experiencing growth as local businesses expand their footprint in the area. Honey Brook Township continues to add to their 5,000 acres of agricultural easement preservation, Atglen is opening a new library and Parkesburg is gearing up to celebrate its 150th birthday. Look out for invitations to multiple ribbon cuttings for new businesses in our region this year as we all grow together.

family. I grew to enjoy attending chamber events, not just to market my business, but to have a good time and catch-up on the latest local news and happenings.

This is a year of leadership change for our Chamber of Commerce as we say goodbye to our Executive Director Donna Steltz after 20 years of service. The board of directors is excited to welcome Rachel Cathell as our new Executive Director. Rachel moves into this position after serving four years at our Chamber in a communications role. I along with the board will be there to support Rachel and her team during the transition.

A little about my background, my sister and I were born and raised in Chester County. My parents are both transplants with my dad from Hong Kong and my mom from upstate New York. When I finished college (Temple University BA and Penn State MBA) I started my video production company called Valley Creek Productions, ranked top 25 LGBT Owned Companies by the Philadelphia Business Journal 2016-2021. As I grew my business, I started looking for a place to live. I told my friends I was considering Coatesville and the typical reaction was, “The city of Philadelphia is where the action is, you should be living in Philly”, but the price was right to live out here; I liked the slower pace, less traffic, and quiet that comes from living away from the big city.

When I started growing my business, I joined the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce. I noticed right away how down to earth the people are. It really felt like

I began to feel like this was not just a place I was living at but rather a community I am part of, with a proud history. It’s fun to hear stories from chamber members whose families have been doing business in our area for multiple generations. Members like Mark Milanese of Milanese Remodeling, Jonathan Wright of the Wright Agency, Greg Vietri of G.A. Vietri, Inc, Kirstin Wentz-McElroy of Wentz Funeral Homes, Joseph Regenski of Breuninger Insurance, and Alissa Griffith of Quik-Stop Pharmacy among many other businesses that have started and chosen to stay in our community for many years through multiple generations.

For the Chamber, my business produced the show called Western Chester County Checks In. I am excited to continue developing the video segments in 2022 to get the word out about what our member businesses are up to. A big thanks to everyone who helped with the show over the past two years! Our volunteer reporters made all the difference with the show; Alissa Griffith of Quik-Stop Pharmacy, Jonathan Wright of Wright Agency Insurance, Brenda McNeil of Mahoney Environmental, Claudia Muntean of Clarel Janitorial & Maintenance, and Greg Vietri of G.A. Vietri, Inc.

Business, at its core, is about people. It is about building and maintaining those relationships, something our chamber does extremely well. This concept is what I would like to highlight this year during my presidency; how our chamber is like family. Or as a fellow board member said to me, “the family you want to be with.”

If you want to become a part of our family join us at one of our many upcoming events and you’ll find out quickly how much our chamber can help grow your business. I thank all of you for welcoming me into this family. I’m glad I didn’t follow my friend’s advice on where to live 15 years ago.

Sincerely, Justin Chan Valley Creek Productions

Western Chester County Chamber 2022 Events

Visit WesternChesterCounty.com for more Chamber Events and Registration. Our Networking events are a great way to discover the benefits of WCCCC Membership.

February 23

SCORE Lunch and Learn Seminar

Create Killer Social Media & Web Content

11:30am to 1:00pm Midway Arches, 600 E. Chestnut Street, Coatesville

March 1

Ribbon Cutting/Networking 4:30pm to 6:30pm King’s Tavern, 313 West Kings Highway, Coatesville

March 18

Legislative Roundtable 8:30am to 10:00am Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic Elementary School

June 16

Gala on the Greene & Corporate Citizenship 5:00pm to 7:30pm Graystone Mansion, Lukens Historic Grounds, Coatesville

August 4

WCCCC Night at the Reading Fightin Phils 7:00pm start Fireworks after the Game

August 29 Golf Outing 11:30am-5:30pm Coatesville Country Golf Club

SINGING

LESSONS

A neighborhood bridge to opportunity Western Chester County Life|

By Rachel Cathell, WCCCC

On any given afternoon, kids make their way down Olive Street in Coatesville. Youthful sounds echo from the door they’re headed for- this is the door to the Bridge Academy Community Center. Inside the auditorium is a vibrant mural of the neighborhood, a representation of the heart of the center. “From the beginning it has always been about the neighborhood and the families.” said Jordan Crans, Executive Director of the Bridge.

The Christian faith-based community center totes a dynamic list of offerings because its mission is a big one- to equip youth and families with the tools for academic achievement, life skills, creative expressions, spiritual growth and leadership. As Jordan puts it, “We walk alongside the kids and their families as much as possible” and that task is done through many avenues that influence both school and home life.

Some activities found at the center include after school programming and homework help, life skill building, recreational activities, creative arts and opportunity. As a whole, the Bridge serves as a safe, welcoming and inclusive space where youth can grow and develop into themselves through pathways that interest them.

Each age group at the center is set on a different path that fits their academic and social level. “We have a special focus on building literacy and helping children to navigate their educational journey to be academically successful.” Jordan formerly worked as a teacher and recognizes the need for multi-layer support systems in a child’s school life and home life. She says the two go hand in hand. “We act as a liaison between teachers, kids and parents. We advocate for our families but are a partner with everyone to give that extra support.” Jordan explains that the center is truly a “bridge” between the two. “You can be a really good kid but still can slip through the cracks, we try to fill those cracks.”

Academics is a major focus at The Bridge and so is accessible opportunity. Jordan explains, “We work to provide opportunities to our kids that they might not always have access too.” This work paved the way for the creation of a wood shop, art classes and partnerships with outside organizations, like sleep away summer camp at the Camp at Old Mill. These community partnerships provide the kids access to new activities and events that build their network. The center also offers specialty programs such as the Mom’s club, Teen night and The Ways of Gentlemen program designed to teach and challenge young males to prepare them for manhood.

Most of the youth at the Bridge come from the surrounding neighborhood. “We live in the community so

we’re always available for the kids here.” Being in the neighborhood has helped Jordan and her staff build the personal relationships that can make all the difference in a child or family’s life. She says, “I love that I am able to have a place where I can genuinely be myself while serving others, and grow relationships with people from different backgrounds and different walks of life.”

“At the bridge we ask ourselves, how can we be engaged in the community in a way that makes a difference.” One way is the community center’s Beautification Team that takes pride in their neighborhood by engag-

ing in the revitalization efforts of the City of Coatesville through clean up trips to downtown. Jordan adds, “The Bridge’s desire is to be relationally connected to the community.” The organization also hosts a bi-monthly food and necessity distribution for their surrounding neighbors that are in need.

The Bridge has really grown through love over the years. The idea for the center took root in 2001, with an opening in 2002. A small staff and an army of volunteers put in countless time to be there for the neighborhood

Continued on Page 12

Bridge Academy

Continued from Page 11

kids every step of the way. Now, twenty years later, the center is seeing its first set of children fully grown into young adults, navigating the world and standing as role models to the kids entering into the programs at Bridge. “We’re a family. once you’re in the Bridge, you’re family.” Jordan says, “I have learned so much over the years by being a part of other’s lives and opening up.” In doing so, Jordan and her team have walked alongside a generation as they made their way over the bridge.

Over the past 2 years the center has focused on building their team so they can continue to grow and be there as a support in the community. “We have a great team,” Working with Jordan is

Chanea, Autumn, Raquel, Edwin and Nora who keep the ball rolling with all of the activities provided at the center. “It’s not just a job to us, we’re serving and doing what we love.”

Local volunteers also contribute in different positions at the center, “Our volunteers come from the community, local churches or people may see something we’re doing and want to connect.” Jordan encourages them to volunteer in places they have interest in, and that may come in different forms such as helping with operational needs the center has or contributing to enhancing the center. “Some volunteers work entirely with the kids, others may lend a hand painting or filing, whatever pops up that helps us further our mission here.”

The Bridge’s dedication to community centric action really made a national impact this year when they we’re awarded the annual Chik-Fil-A True Inspiration Award for their youth programs. This recognition celebrates and supports non-profit organizations who serve communities of color in the areas of education, hunger or homelessness. The community center was awarded a grant with this acknowledgment and it couldn’t have came at a better time. Jordan says, “In the last two years we stretched to serve our community in innovative ways, these funds allow us to enhance programming, create new opportunities and build a reserve to sustain the legacy of Bridge.”

In celebration of the legacy of the Bridge, the organization will host its annual Night of Hope, Gala and Silent Auction. The event will be held on April 1st and is a fun tribute to all of the activities and youth that engaged and grew together at the community center this year. For more details visit thebridgeacademy.org/ night-of-hope-gala

Continued on Page 14

Bridge Academy

Continued from Page 13

The Bridge serves as a common ground area that grows a culture of health and wellbeing for the community. Within this space is not just the youthful sound of laughter, but a unit that is busy building academic and physical wellness, social responsibility, self-awareness, positive values, and a commitment to compassion and faith. Jordan expresses, “We try to make sure, regardless of what people believe, they’re welcome here.”

To learn more, volunteer or engage with the Bridge Academy Community Center visit them at thebridgeacademy.org

Octorara Area Career & Technical Education Programs: Where Futures Begin!

The Octorara Area School District is unique to other districts in Chester County in that the Junior-Senior High School includes a ‘school within a school model’ that offers eleven career and technical education programs. Known as OACTEP, Octorara’s career and technical education programs combine college preparation with real-world workforce skills development so students are ready to pursue their goals upon graduation from high school. Today, students need a rigorous academic education along with 21st century skills to ensure success in the workplace. Fortunately, students no longer need to choose between the academic courses needed for college and a vocational or technical training program. The STEM related career and technical education (CTE) courses offered by OACTEP allow students to customize their education in wide range of high priority occupational areas, including business, woodworking, engineering, childhood education, graphic design & illustration, culinary, technology, animal science and plant science, agriculture, engine repair, welding, and much more. Students are well prepared for continuing education at entry-level positions or for additional training at technical schools and colleges. All of Octorara’s career and technical education programs are aligned to the Pennsylvania state standards for workforce

have practical application after graduation. For example, within the Animal and Plant Science program, students may participate in the Octorara Equine Sports Team. Working with nationally known local professionals, students are exposed to different riding disciplines and prepared for a wide range of career opportunities in the equestrian industry. According to OACTEP Director Lisa McNamara, “The Animal and Plant Science Program is open to any school district that has a student interested in the equine industry. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime and Octorara students love it!”

Another example of practical application includes the OACTEP partnership with Dutchland, Inc. to offer a Pennsylvania approved apprenticeship program. This apprenticeship partnership provides a high-quality career pathway for Octorara students and helps Dutchland develop and prepare their future workforce. Octorara graduates obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, and maintain employment within a successful company with a successful career. “Placing students directly with experienced professionals serves as a recruitment tool for poten-

tial employers,” McNamara notes. “We have begun to see a growing gap that separates education from the practical and technical skill sets

further emphasizes that “educational systems have to reach out to industries and ask what they need and what they want.” According to McNamara, “Employers are telling us, we need trained and focused skills in our industry.”

OACTEP is also excited to announce the addition of solar energy to the school district campus. Through a grant from the Dockstader Foundation and OLLO Energy, OACTEP will be installing 24 solar panels. As a result of this project, students will study solar energy as part of a larger overview of renewable energy sources. Students will learn about output per panel, how to measure energy use, and how to monitor the module on a computer to see the input of energy the panels produce.

OACTEP continues to extend opportunities for all students in Chester County to participate in the Octorara Homeland Security & Protective Services Academy. This program is for any student interested in a ca-

care, EMT, emergency management, and the military. Students receive -

vehicles and participate in real-life situations. In partnership with the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus, the Academy prepares students to apply technical knowledge and skills required to perform

services, and other safety services. “It’s an unbelievable career development opportunity for our students also known as academy cadets,” notes Lisa McNamara. Students enrolled in the Academy give back to their community, immediately. They have access to every industry that

offered through the program ensure student success. Students graduate from the program with over 64 industry credentials, and if they choose to go to a two-year or four-year college, the credentials may convert to college credits, and qualify them for free college housing and tuition.

To learn more about all eleven Octorara Area Career & Technical Education Program opportunities, visit www.octorara.k12.pa.us, or contact Lisa McNamara at 610-593-8238.

Bartlett Tree Experts, Built on Science, Success through Integrity

By Donna Steltz and Matt Siter

Bartlett Tree Experts was founded in 1907 by Francis A. Bartlett and is the world’s leading scientific tree and shrub care company. This third-generation family-owned and managed organization has more than 125 offices worldwide. Their values are quality workmanship, safe work practices, good service, competitive pricing, good value for clients and total integrity.

Want to know what science has to do with tree care? We sat down with Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce (WCCCC) member Kevin Weber of Bartlett Tree Experts, an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist and ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist, to learn more. Kevin began his career at Bartlett 13 years ago after graduating from Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, PA. He started as a climber, ran crews, and then became the Northeast support consultant for Bartlett until last year. He decided he wanted to get back to building personal relationships with clients by being the arborist that meets with the clients, assesses their needs, writes up the job specs and lines up the crews to perform the work. This decision led to his next career move.

In April 2021, Kevin opened a new office in Reading, PA. “Opening an office for Bartlett is an opportunity to specialize in serving a local area’s tree care needs with the backing of Bartlett’s scientific resources and support. While I manage day-to-day operations, including hiring and equipment, I still have the ability to access Bartlett’s team of scientists. I am responsible for networking, marketing and growth in the area and have created a culture to retain my employees that stays true to Bartlett’s values.”

Kevin services Berks County and the western Chester County region.

Now back to the question of what science has to do with tree care. Most people can tell the difference between a healthy tree and one that is suffering as long we see insects, discolored leaves or needles, dead branches, or physical damage, such as trees hit by lightning. However Kevin points out, “A tree’s canopy is a direct reflection of what’s going on down below in the soil.”

Soil health (pH, micronutrient and macronutrient deficiencies), soil compaction, poor drainage conditions, salt damage, insect and fungal diseases are all factors con-

tributing to a tree’s health. The science studied by arborists allows them to diagnose and treat tree and shrub problems. Kevin advises to consult with a Certified Arborist before cutting down a tree. After all, do you remember how long it took for your favorite maple tree to grow big enough to

shade your deck? An analysis of why it is struggling can often lead to a successful treatment program to save the tree.

“Structural pruning of young trees is the best investment you can make for your landscape trees,” Kevin advises. Having your trees looked at by a Certified Arborist at least every 3 to 4 years, if not annually, can prevent many problems in the future. Most of us have an appreciation for the trees around our homes, after all they are beautiful, provide shade for us and homes for birds and animals. Did you know they also increase property values?

Kevin next offered a few tips;

• Winter is the ideal time to prune many tree species. Removal of dead or diseased wood can greatly reduce the risk of falling branches this time of year. Plus, pruning can improve the overall health and appearance of your trees, getting them in shape for spring.

• Pruning a tree is necessary, but “topping” a tree is bad. Kevin reminds us, “trees always know how big they want to be.” Topping is an improper practice of cutting all the branches off to make the tree shorter. Ultimately the tree will grow back to the same size, but with structurally compromised branches.

• And no mulch volcanos around your trees; piling mulch up the trunk of a tree is a guaranteed way to have issues with tree health.

Kevin lives in the Honey Brook area with his wife Crista, his 6-year-old daughter Shelby and they are expecting another daughter in June. He is a member of the West Reading-Wyomissing Rotary and part of Rotary’s District Environmental Committee. Kevin is also involved in the Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund) which supports arboriculture education by funding community engagement and youth programs.

Kevin joined the Western Chester County Chamber in 2021 and looks forward to expanding his business through his chamber connections.

Western Chester County Life|

Chester County Agriculture is a Growth Industry

Chester County, one of the leading agricultural regions in the state, is at a crossroads. Farming, a cornerstone in the local economy, is facing challenges exacerbated by the pandemic including increasing labor shortages, lack of access to farmland for new and beginning farmers, increased development pressure and environmental fluctuations.

At the same time, the industry is well positioned to take advantage of an increased interest in local food produc-

tion and agritourism, as well as a proximity to cutting-edge research institutions and population centers.

In short, it is the perfect time for the industry to convene and chart a path forward.

“Together Chester County agriculture is stronger than any one individual farm business or farmer,” says Chester County Ag Council Director Hillary Krummrich. “Our unique microclimate, world class soils and community of farm entrepreneurs put us in a unique position to not just endure the pandemic but to learn from it and build back stronger. But we know success won’t happen unless we are all working towards the same goals.”

To that end, the Chester County Ag Task Force, which includes groups like the Chester County Ag Council (the administering agency), Chester County Economic Development Council, Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce, Penn State Extension, American Mushroom Institute, University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, and the Chester County Visitors Bureau, worked together to create the county’s first ag economic development strategic plan (ag plan).

The group selected ACDS, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in economic development, to guide the planning process. The effort was funded through a combination of county and partner support.

The Ag Plan

“The purpose of this plan is to facilitate a successful transition to the future by supporting our local communities and letting agriculture entrepreneurs do what they do best: innovate,” says Krummrich.

Although the need for the plan had already been in discussion for several years, the pandemic and resulting supply chain issues highlighted the urgency for a cohesive way forward for the industry.

“Although recent events have made all of us appreciate

Continued on Page 20

Agriculture

Continued from Page 18

our local food system in ways we never anticipated, the idea to create this plan came several years ago from talking to ag stakeholders during the creation of the county’s comprehensive plan, Landscapes3,” she recalls.

After talking with people representing a wide cross section of agriculture and its supporting industries, the ACDS team focused on six strategic areas: Agricultural Markets, Business & Financing, Education & Outreach, Labor & Workforce, Land Access, and Zoning & Land Use.

“It’s not just a list of problems to tackle, it’s a comprehensive roadmap for public and private collaboration and partnership. Farms, private businesses, industry associations, non-governmental organizations and research institutions all have significant roles to play,” she says.

Throughout the development of the plan, two key themes emerged: environmental sustainability and workforce.

Environmental Sustainability

The importance of sustainability is a strong theme throughout the recommendations. Discussions with interview subjects emphasized the need to better explain how

farmers steward natural resources and that farming can be a way to heal the environment.

One of these recommendations identified in the plan, catalyzing the industrial hemp sector, is particularly near and dear to Task Force member and Hemp-Alternative CEO Cynthia Petrone-Hudock.

Petrone-Hudock and her team are partnering with Stroud Water Research to study how hemp cultivation affects soil characteristics, plant growth and nutrient content, and rainwater infiltration, particularly its positive impact on water quality. They are also working with partners like Thomas Jefferson University, Kanbar College of Design, Engineering & Commerce on sustainable product development, including a line of horticulture products.

“We are tackling an emerging industry that is a regulatory hotbed; rules and regulations continue to evolve,” says Petrone-Hudock. “The fact that Chester County recognizes the enormous amount of potential for economic growth and environmental benefit this industry can bring is important to me as a local business owner and as an investor.”

Continued on Page 22

Agriculture

Continued from Page 20

Workforce Growth

The consultants also identified a lack of workforce as a common thread throughout all sectors of Chester County agriculture. The plan identifies several avenues to encourage youth to train for careers in the industry, as well as ways to reach jobseekers who may not have considered agriculture as an avenue to pursue.

AgConnect, a recently reinvigorated division of the Chester County Economic Development Council, will be exploring partnerships with educational organizations to help spread the word about industry careers. They will also be a key source for financing assistance and training, two important needs farmers and ag business professionals requested.

“I’m excited to work with the other service providers and partners in Chester County to open more opportunities for farmers and food producers to grow their business with increased access to financing, training and marketing opportunities to meet the needs of our Chester County farmers, processors and eaters,” says AgConnect Program Director Jodi Gauker. “Working together, we can help Chester County agriculture grow.”

What’s Next

After the Chester County Commissioners formally voted to adopt the plan in March, the Ag Task Force partners knew the real work has only just begun.

“A plan is only as good as its implementation,” says Krummrich.

Although the plan’s initial strategies are mainly focused on industry stakeholders and businesses, residents in Chester County will experience the benefit of a stronger, more resilient local agriculture industry in many ways. When farm businesses thrive, there is less competition for other kinds of land development. Successful farms can also bring increased employment opportunities, a vibrant local food community, venues for family fun, environmental improvements--and the overall sense of place enjoyed by so many in the county. It’s safe to say Chester County agriculture has growth potential.

Learn more about the Chester County ag economic development strategic plan at www.chescofarming.org.

Traction…. A progress report on the revitalization of the City of Coatesville

Atlong last, after more than a decade of planning, crews are at work developing the new Coatesville Train Station.

The new station will be located at Fourth Avenue and Fleetwood Street, just one block east of the existing historic Amtrak station which has served the Coatesville community since 1868. The historic building has been closed for more than 25 years.

The original station at Third Avenue sits on a curve of track that prevents construction of ADA-accessible platforms, which required the change in location for the new station.

Construction trailers were delivered to the site in January following a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Governor Tom Wolf.

The $65 million price tag includes design, station construction, trackwork improvements, and streetscape modifications. Fleetwood Street will be reconfigured to improve access to the station and feature a bus stop and drop-off areas.

The new, accessible station will feature seating and rain canopies, elevators, bike racks, security cameras, a public address system, and areas for multi-modal connections.

The bridge that takes Fourth Avenue under the railroad will be closed permanently to vehicular traffic and converted to a pedestrian walkway providing access to the westbound tracks.

Adjacent to the new station, just south of Fleetwood Street is space for commercial and retail development. A team of City stakeholders is working to secure capital to construct a 320-car parking garage on the site.

“Work is being led by PennDOT with support from Chester County, the City of Coatesville, and the Coatesville Redevelopment Authority and additional funding by the Federal Transit Administration. Through the partnership, contractor Wickersham is hiring local workers. Michael Baker is the project manager and is led by Patrick Gardener.” -Plan the Keystone.com

Aleesha Nicole Photography

By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer

For professional portrait photographer Aleesha Howe, her business is her passion.

Howe can pinpoint the beginning of her dedication to the art of photography. She was just 13 years old, with her family at the Junior National Hereford Expo in Kansas City. A woman saw Howe had her father’s camera equipment and asked her to take some photos of her children.

Howe recalled, “The mother asked if I could get some photos of her children. I remember it like it was yesterday—that moment she saw the photos. The excitement, the appreciation, the joy she had. It was the first time I realized that by being behind the camera, I could create joy, I could capture memories forever. This is the kind of reaction I love to see. If I can do this with my pictures and make a career out of it, I’m in!”

A lifelong resident of Downingtown, Howe specializes in family portraits and portraits of high school seniors, but she also does many professional head shots, often working with businesses capturing photos of staff. Although she is available to travel, the bulk of her work is done in Chester County.

Aleesha Nicole Photography covers a mixture of clients with a variety of needs. A high school senior may want a professional photo for their yearbook or just as a keepsake at this big moment in their lives.

Others may want to capture the milestone of the birth of a new baby.

Aleesha Nicole Photography is known for how well families and individuals are captured—preserving a moment in time forever.

“A comment I hear often from clients is, ‘Oh my gosh, I blinked and my 10-year-old is now 15 and I need to freeze time,’” Howe said. “With the crazy two years we’ve had, people are seeing how precious time is. They are saying, ‘I have to capture this.’”

As the popularity and quality of cell phone cameras has grown in recent years, people are taking more and more pictures on their own, but there is still an important place for the professional photographer.

“People take pictures with their phones, but often you aren’t getting everyone in the photos. Moms come to me and say, ‘I have pictures

of all of my children, and my husband, but I have none of me with my children because I’m behind the camera,’” Howe explained.

Howe prefers to take photos outside, using local parks or subjects’ yards. As the setting changes with the seasons, the element of time is included in the photos, as well as the crisp outdoor lighting.

“I do all my sessions outside. It gives the photos a unique look that you can’t capture in studio,” Howe said.

She does not do event photography, preferring to work with her clients in a one-on-one relationship.

When you book a session with Aleesha Nicole Photography, it’s not just a business transaction. “I put so much effort and energy into a client. Every client means something to me,” Howe said. “You are supporting my dreams. You’re

not just a number. I like to build a relationship with the people I work with. They mean a lot to me.”

After the photo shoot, Howe and her clients go over the photos together and make their selections. Clients receive their photos on a flash drive, so they can do the printing themselves. If a client would like, it is also possible to order prints from Howe. The time between the photo selection and delivery is typically just a matter of a few days.

Howe wants her clients to be thrilled with the results of their photo sessions with her. “I pride myself on under-promising and over-delivering,” Howe said. “My goal is to make a photo session an easy process resulting in timeless photos you and your family will cherish for years to come!”

Western Chester County Life|

Creation Cottage to EveryBody Yoga and Wellness: The Mind-Body Connection

By Ashley Pierce, WCCCC

In 2017, when Tabathe Wallace opened Creation Cottage, she was on a journey to help people on their path to self-discovery. From workshops where she taught other teachers to working with individuals looking for clarity in life, she has found her spiritual purpose. “I found myself in different places in life that weren’t ideal and weren’t empowering and I sought different ways to work on myself and ways to calm my mind and insecurities and through that, along with many years of research, reading, and self-help, I was able to find my voice and start to help others that were going

through a similar process of being unhappy and unfulfilled with themselves, their environment, their situations.” Tabathe said. “Several years ago, I started doing reiki and became a reiki master and through reiki, which is a hands-on healing technique to calm and heal the mind from stress, I was able to realize I really had found some magic and a different perspective on life then what I had thought the world was. When I discovered the magic that was deep in my soul that was just missing its link, I felt compelled to share it with everyone I could.”

From this magic, Creation Cottage was born. While Creation Cottage is now turning into EveryBody Yoga and Wellness, the offerings of yoga, meditation, reiki, massage therapy, professional trainings, and retreats are still there. In April 2022, Tabathe will be moving her business to Downingtown and opening a full yoga studio, but also a wellness center. “The wellness center will incorporate facials, massage, body work, and other spa treatments.” said Tabathe. The idea behind her new business name is changing the perception of yoga and simplifying it to be for everyone. “I’d like anyone who is reading a description of a class to resonate with a certain one and know which is for them. We’re going to incorporate different types of yoga and meditation into those classes to help with various ailments. So, if someone is seeking more vitality, they can come to class and get a mix of the different pieces that will help their vitality, so it really is prescription-based, according to whatever it is that person needs.” Tabathe’s goal is to

have a space where anyone can feel comfortable walking into her studio. “I’m trying to break the paradigm of what people think yoga is supposed to be, when really, yoga is for everybody. It is a way for us to find our center. It’s about the mind-body connection to gain more time in your life, not about looking a certain way.”

Since its conception, the community around Tabathe has grown substantially. “It came from an idea of wanting to do reiki and provide personal services to people and to teach creative workshops and working out of a small office to evolving into a community.” People have traveled from Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the Poconos for her workshops, speaking to the quality of the education provided. “There’s a lot of people out there trying to look within, trying to grow away from our traumas we’ve experienced and become

Continued on Page 28

EveryBody Yoga & Wellness

Continued from Page 27

better people in general and that takes work. It takes consciousness and an awareness to want to shift those parts of ourselves.” Tabathe said. On her last retreat, Tabathe took 24 women to Sedona from age 25 to 71. Watching the prominent moments shared by the women on her retreat, Tabathe saw the growth and flourishment within the group. “Seeing people find the light in themselves fills my soul greatly.” said Tabathe. “Nowadays, we run past things and we leave people behind. As if, they’re not on our level, so we go on without them.” The retreats are meant to take us back to our roots, our nature, and our baseline.

Those who are new to any type of spirituality might not know where to start and how to fit it into their busy and demanding lives. “My advice to anyone is to start where they are at and not try to be perfect. Truthfully, its about showing up for themselves and that can look like anything. What are you going to do for yourself today? Are you going to promise yourself something - to go on a walk or to journal? It starts with an action and a commitment to yourself.” Tabathe said. From this inspired action, one can find the answers to their problems and grow deeper to their true self. “It’s important to practice yoga and meditation because we have all not been taught that we have a gift deeper than we

think we have. The ultimate goal is finding the mind-body connection and finding that we are more than what we have been led to believe.” Tabathe said. You may think you do not have the time, but through yoga and meditation, you gain so much time back. It gives you a balance in your life.”

Tabathe’s transition to EveryBody Yoga and Wellness was the next chapter in her journey. “With Creation Cottage, it was more about training teachers and sending them out into the world and with EveryBody Yoga and Wellness, I feel like I’m connecting with the community more to bring people in to help them.” Tabathe trusted her intuition to make the change and felt confident in her inspired action that this is where she’s meant to be heading. “Something was telling me to shift and that this is the next step for me.” With EveryBody Yoga and Wellness, Tabathe will be utilizing her cosmetology license to add esthetician services to her line-up. “In the store, we will also be selling organic body products that will be used in the spa, as well as books and crystals. We will be using oils and herbs and natural products to heal the body utilizing the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda.” said Tabathe. The focus of the spa is nourishment and self-care; what people come looking for

Continued on Page 30

EveryBody Yoga & Wellness

Continued from Page 30

when they’re on a path to find peace and calmness. EveryBody Yoga and Wellness provides the community to support one’s journey to self-discovery. Yoga is a physical aspect that starts to forge the connection to the other aspects of who we are. At EveryBody Yoga and Wellness, there’s a class for everyone. “I want people to be comfortable to walk into a place they’re unfamiliar with.” Tabathe said. Different types of classes will include chair yoga, longer meditation times, breathing and stretching classes to get the body moving, as well as sound classes, such an mantra meditations, and ones to reduce stress and increase energy. Whatever is being sought out can be found at EveryBody Yoga and Wellness.

Ask yourself. “When was the last time

I remember being happy? When you go through a period of self-awareness, like grief - loss of a job, your identity, a loved one - there’s usually a triggering point where people will awaken to this question of - What am I doing with my life?

Is this filling my soul?” Connect your mind and your body to nature, go back to square one and find the courage to restart. As Tabathe Wallace said, “You can live with a lot and you can live with a little, as long as you live.”

Extra Mile Auto

By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer

The name fits the business with Extra Mile Auto. Not only does the firm help your car have a longer driving life, but the owner and staff are always ready to provide the extra service to ensure you have a satisfying experience. They always go the extra mile.

Extra Mile Auto owner George Devine went in to the business to fulfill a lifelong dream passed on to him by his father.

garage and the rest is history,” Devine said.

Along with living out his own dream, Devine is also accomplishing his goal of making a difference in the automotive industry. He is involved in the Alliance of Auto Service Professionals (AASP of PA) and has a good working relationship with other independent repair shops in the area, trying to elevate the image of the industry.

“He was a mechanic and always dreamed of having his own business. He even had the signage made,” Devine said. “Although he wasn’t able to make that dream a reality, he was a great encouragement to me to go into the business.”

A Chester County native, Devine has stayed close to home.

“I grew up in and went to school in West Chester [Henderson] and married a girl from Sadsburyville so we landed in the Coatesville area. A member of my church was retiring and selling this location where he built his business and I was looking for an opportunity to open a

He began his business as a partnership under the name G & D Automotive Enterprises for the first five years of the shop. After five years, he bought out his partner in July of 1987. He incorporated as Auto Tech Enterprises doing business as Extra Mile Auto Service.

Over the years, Devine has built a successful business based on automotive knowledge, pride in doing a superior job, and excellence in customer service.

“Our goal is to provide you with a customer experience that will exceed your expectations.” Devine said.

Extra Mile Auto Service currently has one full-time technician who is AAA certified in all eight areas of auto repair and one journeyman being trained-up in the trade. Technicians are also ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certified. Having those certifications shows the customer that they can trust the shop for their knowledge and expertise in repairing vehicles.

From regular maintenance and state inspections to more complicated problem diagnosis and repair, Extra Mile Auto Service is able to address all your car’s needs. Extra Mile Auto Service takes care of domestic, Asian and European vehicles of all kinds, using top quality parts. Parts and labor on certain repairs are covered under their “Forever Fixed” lifetime warranty for as long as the customer owns the vehicle – just keep the warranty certificate given at the time of the repair.

Devine’s slogan is “Driven

to go the Extra Mile.” Following up on the old adage that it is the little things that matter, Extra Mile Auto Service takes care of all the little issues that can become big problems, and sometimes pull out all the stops to provide great customer service. Your safety may be in the hands of the people caring for your car and Extra Mile Auto Service takes that responsibility very seriously.

Located at 330 Strode Avenue in Coatesville, and the shop is conveniently located on Route 82, just outside the city limits in East Fallowfield Township. The shop serves all the surrounding municipalities including Parkesburg, Sadsburyville, Thorndale, Caln, Modena, Pomeroy, Downingtown, Exton and more.

Devine will celebrate 40 years in business this July. During that time, his business has had a strong presence in the community. Extra Mile Auto has been a sponsor of East Fallowfield Day as well as a 5K run through the park. For about 10 years they have been making donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital every time they get a referral by a client, along with a $10 gift card to a nearby deli. Top notch service means satisfied customers who recommend Extra Mile Auto Service by word of mouth and social media. You can also find them online at www.extraamileauto.com.

Rotary Club of Coatesville presents the

ON THE GROUNDS OF THE FORMER TOWER HEALTH/BRANDYWINE HOSPITAL CAMPUS

2022 Strawberry Festival

RIDES, MUSIC, FIREWORKS, GAMES, DELICIOUS FOOD AND MORE! Presented by

THURSDAY, JUNE 2 5-10PM (WRIST BAND NIGHT)

FRIDAY, JUNE 3 5-11PM (FIREWORKS)

SATURDAY, JUNE 4 12-11PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 5 12-6:30PM

MIDWAY SPONSOR

JENNIFER & BOB MCNEIL

DI & DALLAS KRAPF

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE SPONSOR

CHARLES BLOSENSKI DISPOSAL COMPANY LLC

CRAFT & VENDOR FAIR SPONSOR

STEWART HUSTON CHARITABLE TRUST

RENEWAL BY ANDERSON

GREG A. VIETRI, INC.

BECKY & MIKE GIVLER

TERRA VIDA HOLISTIC CENTERS

QUIK-STOP PHARMACY

THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL IS BACK!

ROTARY CLUB SPONSOR

HARRY’S HOTDOGS THE WRIGHT AGENCY

UTICOM SYSTEMS, INC.

HONEY BROOK GOLF CLUB

CHESTER COUNTY OTOLARYNGOLOGY & ALLERGY ASSOC.

REGAL BUILDERS

BREUNINGER INSURANCE

BELFOR USA GROUP, INC.

TANDIGM PHYSICIAN SERVICES

BILL WRIGHT

FESTIVAL FRIEND SPONSOR

RHOADS ENERGY

CYNTHIA QUINN, CPA

BRITE REALTY SERVICES

PEPPERIDGE FARM

SPECIAL SPONSOR ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH EQUITY (FORMER BRANDYWINE HEALTH FOUNDATION)

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE STILL AVAILABLE.

Parking

Parking is available at the school lots off of Reeceville Road.

$2.00 Parking Fee

Proceeds benefit the Thorndale Fire Company.

Note: Parking is NOT available at CVS or Wawa and should not be used as a drop-off or pick-up location.

Thank you. Festival

Guidelines

To make the festival enjoyable for all, please follow these guidelines:

No smoking, alcohol or drugs on the festival grounds

No pets on the festival grounds, including but not limited to dogs, cats, snakes

Shoes and shirts are required

Visit our website: https://www.coatesvillerotarystrawberryfestival.com/

To volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040D45ACAE23A1F94-rotary1

Thank you

Proceeds from the Strawberry Festival go directly to support local non-profit organizations

Visit our Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=coatesviile%20rotary%20strawberry%20festival

Blue Moon Florist

By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer

BlueMoon Florist has been a full-service florist in Downingtown for over 26 years with outstanding quality flowers and services.

“I was going to be a lawyer, but when I started working for a florist at 15, plans changed,” explained Ami Trost, the owner of the business. “I eventually went to night school at Penn State majoring in business. But, as luck would have it, when I was 24, I had the opportunity to purchase Blue Moon Florist from two sisters. I stepped into a turn-key operation and here I am today, doing what I love.”

Trost added, “I actually started at the Downingtown Farmers’ Market. My cousin worked there for a farmer and she thought it would be fun if we both worked there. She put my name in at a florist shop. They hired me and trained me.”

Ironically, the part of her that would have made her a great lawyer has been a plus as she continued her journey into becoming an entrepreneur. “It’s funny,” she said. “I am a good debater, and that has been a good attribute as a business woman. To succeed, you have to have grit and determination and the ability to argue your point. Being a female business owner is tough.”

to create an environment where employees can bring out the best in themselves.

“We encourage talent and creativity. We have fun and we have a positive attitude. We focus on the customer placing the order and the customer receiving the order. We have a lot of creative people who have worked here for a long time. We are here to create an arrangement that conveys our customers’ feelings to their friends and family,” Trost said.

But Trost said she is most proud of the relationship they have with their customers.

“They depend on us and we take that very seriously,” she said. “They are like family to us.”

And speaking of family, both her husband and her son work with her. Her husband joined her eight years ago.

She explained, “It was a challenge to get a business loan. The bank wanted to give me $40,000. I knew I needed $60,000. I ultimately got that amount and paid it off in two years.”

After eight years into business, her landlord told her she had eight months to find a new property. Originally, she had wanted her own property, so she was on the right path. The property she bought was one-quarter of a mile from her original location. They tore down an old house on the property and, in 11 months, had built a new structure.

“I did have a good business sense, but I had to convince lenders I knew what I was doing,” she explained. “One guy told me that my business plan was a field of dreams. I listened to my uncle, who told me banks are a dime a dozen and to keep knocking on doors.”

She did and eventually got the loan she needed.

She said there is no secret to her success. She simply tried

eigh

“I’m creative, he is talented in the technology and marketing fields,” she explained. Her son is a gifted crafter.

“It’s been a fun and challenging journey even with the COVID,” she said.

“I’ journey

“It was hit, send could do other, but t ones We actu

“It was a mixed blessing. When COVID hit, sending flowers was one thing people could do. They couldn’t visit or see each other, but they wanted to cheer up their loved ones. We actually saw a 25 percent increase in our business.”

But there was a decline in weddings.

“We are a wedding florist and many weddings were put on hold in 2020,” she said. “We were slated to do 250 weddings, but only did 125. The weddings were down, but another part of our business went up. 2021 was a great year for weddings. We had more weddings last year than we thought we would. We are still exhausted. It strained our business and our employees. In 2022 we are recov-

ering from that and trying to give our staff a break. Throughout the whole wedding industry and really any industry in general, COVID has stressed everyone.”

Flexibility and positivity is the key for this business. They are moving forward. Trost sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

“We are still standing,” she said. “I still have customers from 26 years ago and that makes us so happy. We look forward to the year and will take a breath and regroup. We are so blessed to bring joy and beauty to the world at this time.”

For more information, visit their website at www.bluemoonflorist.com or call them at 610-873-7900.

New county actions and initiatives that impact Western Chesco

By Brian O’Leary, Executive Director Chester County Planning Commission

While this past year has continued to present challenges across the nation due to COVID-19, one thing has remained consistent here in Chester County – we continue to adapt and plan for the future. In fact, there were numerous initiatives that took place in 2021 which can positively impact the future of our Western Chester County communities, and we would like to highlight a few.

With climate change at the forefront of many discussions in recent years, Chester County wasted no time by jumping into action to draft a new Climate Action Plan.

This plan, which was formally adopted by the Commissioners in October of 2021, highlights actions and advocacy that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency at government facilities and throughout the county. The plan supports the “Protect” goal in Landscapes3, and can be found at: https://chescoplanning.org/Environmental/ ClimateAction.cfm.

land development proposals in 2021, including one in East Brandywine, one in East Fallowfield, one in East Nantmeal, three in Highland, ten in Honey Brook, one in Sadsbury, six in Valley, six in West Bradford, five in West Brandywine, three in West Caln, two in West Fallowfield, three in West Nantmeal, and five in West Sadsbury Townships. This also includes three in Elverson and one in Honey Brook Boroughs, as well as one in the City of Coatesville.

Overall, the county went wild with nearly 4.7 million square feet of proposed nonresidential building area – the most by far in the last decade. This was led by nearly 3 million square feet of industrial space, which is three times the highest amount seen over the past ten years. The county’s western region municipalities accounted for approximately 25 percent (or 739,000 square feet) of this space. Although warehousing was the bulk of the industrial space, new manufacturing facilities saw significant increases ranging from large steel rolling mills and paper plants, to smaller welding shops and fabricators.

Looking at the economy, the Chester County Agriculture Development Council released a draft of the Chester County Agricultural Economic Development Strategic Plan in December of 2021. This plan provides a range of recommendations for the county’s farming industry, focusing on six strategic areas: Agricultural Markets, Business & Financing, Education & Outreach, Labor & Workforce, Land Access, and Zoning & Land Use. Each of the areas features a set of recommendations with an overview of priorities and metrics, as well as details on the key actions, partners, and funding sources. See the plan at: https://www. chescofarming.org/AgTaskForce.cfm.

Western Chester County saw 52 new subdivision and

Speaking of large steel rolling mills, the old Lukens Steel Plant completed its first year of operation under new ownership as Cleveland Cliffs Steel this past year, contributing to this notable increase. This plant, which is 120,000 square feet and located in Valley Township, can produce approximately 800,000 tons of raw steel annually. The facility refines more than 450 different steel types and, together with the Conshohocken facility, produces some of the widest and thickest steel plates in the industry. Learn about the steel mill at: https://www.clevelandcliffs.com/ operations/steelmaking/coatesville.

The Chester County G.O. Carlson Airport (386,519 square feet) in Valley Township also contributed to the significant increase in industrial proposals.

When it comes to paper plants, a global producer of renewable, fiber-based packaging and pulp products, International Paper, plans to build a state-of-the-art packing plant in West Sadsbury Township, with construction set to begin in the spring of 2022. According to State Representative Tim Hennessey in a local article, “the Atglen plant will be the first box plant International Paper will have built in the U.S. in more than 30 years.” The plant is anticipated to employ about 150 new people.

In terms of getting around, it was great to see construction start at the Coatesville train station. Also, Chester County adopted a Complete Streets Policy in November of 2021. The policy provides guidance for how streets may be planned, designed, retrofitted, and maintained in order to facilitate travel in a safe, convenient and comfortable manner for all users regardless of their transportation mode. It

is applicable to all public roadways that are either state or municipally owned, and located within the county. See the policy: www.chescoplanning.org/transportation/PDF/ CompleteStreets.pdf.

Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Chester County has seen great progress this past year in western Chester County and beyond. As the days go on, we plan to continue adapting for the future of Chester County as we carry on through these unprecedented times.

The Chester County Planning Commission can be reached by phone at 610-344-6285, by email at ccplanning@chesco.org, or by mail at 601 Westtown Road, West Chester, PA 19380. Get all the latest updates online at www.chescoplanning.org, and be sure to subscribe to our eNewsletter!

Written in the stars, Coatesville Vineyard is a Chester County destination

By Ashley Pierce

“Wine is an art,” Michael Vorauer said. “Wine is my art.” Michael, co-owner of Stargazer’s Vineyard alongside Jason Kirkpatrick, comes from a family of winemaking. Originally from Texas, Michael has spent time in Germany, learning unique wine techniques and gaining experience and knowledge about winemaking. In 2012, Jason and Michael made the move up to Gettysburg, PA, while working at another winery. Here, Jason was the Tasting Room Manager and, together, they helped build the wine program from the ground up. After, they relocated to Berks County in 2015 and eventually Chester County in 2019. Between 2012 and 2019, Michael garnished about 53 awards between the two wineries.

Continued on Page 42

INVESTED IN CHESTER COUNTY

Contributing to the communities we serve is integral to our business. Whether it be investing millions in our infrastructure; protecting our watersheds; or assisting customers with their water bill, we seek to improve the quality of life of those we touch.

Stargazer’s Vineyard

Continued from Page 41

When they came across the previous owner of Stargazer’s Vineyard, who was interested in selling the business, Jason and Michael agreed to come out and take a look at the property. “It was an okay place, but we were trying to see the potential.” Jason said. Jason and Michael then moved onto the property to manage the vineyard under the previous ownership, with the agreement that they would purchase the vineyard by the year’s end. “We signed the papers, bought the winery, and took over.” Michael said. From there, Stargazer’s Vineyard was reborn under Jason and Michael’s ownership.

“Michael is working on some new wines, getting ready to bottle and I’m working on our event calendar. I just scheduled a food vendor for two weekends a month, I’m getting music booked, and working on getting our wines to local restaurants - so look out for our Stargazer’s label.” Jason said. Jason, an artist by trade, is also going to be holding different art classes at the vineyard, as a part of their event lineup. “The wines we produce here are on the drier side, compared to other Pennsylvania wineries, which makes us unique in this area.” Michael said. While Stargazer’s will always offer sweet and semi-sweet wines in their lineup,

their take on such wines is nuanced and mature. “Michael’s sweet wine production is nuanced because of the flavor profile, not necessarily because of residual added sugar.” Jason said. Stargazer’s does not utilize artificial sugar in their wine but rather reserved grape juice that is set aside and later merried with the wine, so that it is sweetened naturally, with fruit sugar.

The winemaking process is a complex one, with two different processes for red and white wine. “We harvest all of our grapes by hand here, which improves the fruit quality compared to machine harvesting.” Michael said. “Machine harvesting can extract more bitter and astringent flavors.” Setting Stargazer’s apart even further, Michael does not produce any wines that are from American or French American grapes. “We grow our own vinifera grapes here and all of our wine comes from vinifera.” The winemaking process takes weeks of hard work and patience, but the quality is key to Jason and Michael.

As for the atmosphere of Stargazer’s Vineyard, Jason and Michael work to make their winery accessible and comfortable for everyone. “I don’t want wine to be a super pretentious thing - I want wine to be something everyone can enjoy and have it be a part of the human experience.” Michael

explained. “At Stargazer’s, you can come here and be served by the winemaker, which is uncommon.” Jason said. While Stargazer’s is a place for everyone, Jason and Michael also offer curated experiences for those who are looking for a little more. This year, they will be offering private tasting experiences. “You’re always being served by the winemaker, but with the private experience, we can talk one-on-one about each wine that’s being sampled.” Jason said. “For the spring, we’re planning on having more wine dinners. We have a curated experience, with 25 guests and they’re sitting down to a meal that is paired with the wine, prepared by one of our vendors.”

Stargazer’s relies on their unique ability to create something that people want to come back to time and time again. With Michael’s wine techniques and Jason’s keen eye for events and charm, Stargazer’s Vineyard is a destination spot. “For me, I run Stargazer’s as the wine calls for me to run it.” Michael said, while Jason added, “And the people.”

Morinelli Power Washing

By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer

Morinelli Power Washing has given homes a clean, fresh look since 2016.

Joseph Morinelli, the owner, worked in related businesses, at one point traveling all across the country for his job. Wanting to stay closer to home, he started Morinelli Power Washing.

“I wanted to do something on my own where I can control my time and control my costs,” Morinelli explained. “This has been great. I love it. I get to meet people and talk to people.”

Serving clients from Chester Springs and Phoenixville, west to Honeybrook, down to Coatesville, and as far as Unionville and Kennett Square, Morinelli Power Washing

serves private residences as well as light commercial buildings. In some cases, a homeowners’ association will arrange for multiple buildings to be done at the same time, saving time for Morinelli and thus saving money for clients.

By calling Morinelli instead of attempting it yourself, you can save time and frustration, while getting a better, longerlasting result.

Homeowners may have a personal pressure washer or may consider renting one to tackle their building cleaning needs. If you can get your pressure washer started, it may not be powerful enough to do an efficient job. With a small home pressure washer, you could spend hours to clean one section of a wall, whereas Morinelli can clean a 2,000-squarefoot home in less than two hours. Safety is also an issue, especially if a person is using a small pressure washer that would require climbing

a ladder. Morinelli is able to do everything from the ground. The cleaning agent is applied at a softer pressure, and then it is given time to do its work before rinsing at a higher pressure. If there are shrubs around the home, Morinelli ensures they are covered, if necessary, before the process starts.

Morinelli’s power-washing process uses hot water and a cleansing agent that targets algae that keeps it from returning for 24 to 36 months.

“People who use me may not need to see me again for two to three years,” Morrinelli explained.

In addition to houses, professional power washing can be done on decks, walls, pavers, driveways, outbuildings and a variety of exterior structures.

Morinelli can tackle jobs of any size, from individual residences to large apartment buildings. If you need work on a deck, Morinelli can power wash it, sand it if necessary, and then have one of his subcontractors come in to stain it for a beautifully finished job.

Instead of giving unsupported estimates, Morinelli comes to the site to see the job at hand before quoting a price. At that time, he will look at the property and make suggestions as to what may be needed for the best result in that individual case.

A good, professional power washing will make a home look better, smell better and be cleaner.

“When everything’s clean, you can feel better about your home and yourselves,” Morinelli said.

He makes an effort to schedule clients so that he will be working in one area at a time. This allows him to reduce travel time, which helps keep costs lower for clients.

“If you get me, you get personalized service. You get the person that’s looking at the job and giving a cost estimate, doing the job. I don’t take payment until the job is done and we do a walk around,” Morinelli said. “It’s personalized service.”

Morinelli is originally from Delaware County, but moved to Chester County in 1979 and made it home.

“It’s beautiful,” he said. “I’ve been all over the county with work and I love it here.”

Power washing is best done when temperatures all day are above freezing so it is a seasonal business, roughly available from spring through November.

For more information, visit the website at www.morinellipowerwashing.com.

Where discovery and enjoyment meet: The Golf Zone Family Fun Center teeing it up in Honey Brook

By Richard L. Gaw

WhenGeorge McNamara took over the 89-acre Golf Zone Family Fun Center in 2015, he arrived as a long-time golf coach, a member of the PGA of Philadelphia Hall of Fame and as the head professional director of golf at the Brandywine Country Club.

At the time, the facility was nothing more than a golf range, where golfers would rent a bucket of balls and whack away. It would be his third golf range. In partnership with original owner Steve DeMarco, McNamara transformed the property from a range to a full-family fun center.

McNamara began to visualize the business from the standpoint of its daily operation, where golfers could work on their long and short game, while their families could entertain themselves with other activities just a few yards away.

Today, The Golf Zone Family Fun Center is considered by many to be Chester County’s premiere golf and entertainment center, built to appeal to everyone in the family. For golfers, they get to tee off at any one of the facility’s 39 state-of-the-art TopTracer tees – 14 of which are covered and heated for use in all weather conditions – that come equipped with laser-acquired yardage indicators that measure the flight and distance of each swing. In addition, The Golf Zone offers 24 natural grass tees with bunkers, a putting green; receive lessons through pri-

vate coaching, group and women’s programs; and 18 holes on indoor golf simulators – all providing opportunities for them to improve their game.

To ensure that practice sessions are realistic as possible, The Golf Zone uses only premium golf balls, and its driving range provides golfers with an exceptional and unique practice facility that is fully lighted and is the only driving range in the area without nets.

For the other members of the family, the facility’s “Python” Go Kart track provides a tight, twisting and turning track that places drivers behind the wheel in single karts or tandem carts. For novice golfers, The Golf Zone’s beautifully-designed “Golf Rush Falls” miniature golf course is a challenge for golfers of all ages and a popular spot for corporate and business outings.

The Golf Zone has recently introduced some new innovations and upgrades:

• TopTracer installed at 14 bays, providing 75,000 BTU heaters for winter play

• Two TopTracer golf range private suites that can accommodate up to eight guests, equipped with heating systems and large-screen TVs at each station and speakers that allow each suite to play the music of their choice

• A newly-renovated miniature golf course with a new carpet to be installed in March

• An upgraded food and beverage menu, accommodated by wine and beer

• Four new go-karts for the “Python” Go-Kart track

• New swing mats and an ever-upgraded supply of new golf balls

Twenty years ago, McNamara read the book “Extraordinary Golf” by Fred Shoemaker, and it changed the way that McNamara coaches and teaches the game.

George McNamara, a member of the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame, has co-owned and operated The Golf Zone Family Fun Center since 2015.

The Golf Zone Family Fun center offers the challenging “Python” Go-Kart track for drivers of all levels.

“We were all trained as coaches to diagnose, to prescribe and to fix, and with this book, I discovered there was another way,” said McNamara. “Our approach is about awareness – the ability to be present with something as you do it. Our job as coaches is to lead you to your own awareness and your own discovery.

“It’s as easy as taking a bucket of balls and failing and discovering and growing your awareness of variables in your swing.”

In 2012, McNamara was inducted into the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame, and in his acceptance speech, he spoke about his coaches and the power of mentoring.

“Mentoring is about being a great listener, but listen

Robert Ward, CIC, CPIA, CWCA

Whitford Insurance Network, Inc

Partner

(610) 524-7860 Work (484) 905-2322 Mobile (610) 383-5571 Home

rward@whitfordinsurance.com

503 Gordon Drive Exton, PA 19341

Brian Ward, CIC, CWCA

Whitford Insurance Network

Sales Executive

(610) 524-7860 x124 Work (484) 639-2923 Mobile

bward@whitfordinsurance.com

503 Gordon Drive Exton, PA 19341

www.whitfordinsurance.com

Courtesy photos The 89-acre Center features 39 state-of-the-art TopTracer tees, 14 of which are covered and heated.

While the adults in the family practice their long game, other members of the family get to enjoy 18 holes of their own at The Center’s “Golf Rush Falls” miniature golf course.

without judgments, and listen as if what the person is saying is the most important point of view,” he said, “because it’s real for them. We have an amazing chance to impact people – and our job is for us to be there.”

The Golf Zone Family Fun Center is located at 1839 Horseshoe Pike, Honey Brook, Pa. 19344, and is open year-round. To learn more about golf lessons, private parties, catered and corporate events and team building opportunities for your company or business, visit www.golfzoneproshop.com or call (610) 942-9494.

A Very Ducky New Year

Parkesburg Action Committee

By Randy Litwin

This year on a foggy New Year’s Eve in Parkesburg, the clock wound down and at midnight a new tradition fell from the sky. For the first time in its history, Parkesburg held a New Year’s celebration. What better way to do it than by paying homage to the Parkesburg Ducks?

For those of you unfamiliar with the Parkesburg Ducks, allow me to explain. For years now, an anonymous resident of Parkesburg has been bringing our community together. Throughout the year, this person secretly drop rubber ducks around the borough. Once a duck is found, you are supposed to take a picture, post on social media and hide the

duck again for someone else to find. It has become a fun find for all ages, and as a parent myself I love “duck hunting” with my own kids. If you live in or around Parkesburg, I’m sure you have seen or know of the ducks. Maybe you’ve even found and shared one yourself! With how wonderful the impact of the ducks has been on our community, it seemed fitting to choose a giant duck for the New Year’s event.

For our first-year celebration, we opened store fronts, hosted vendors and raised the ladder on one of our firetrucks to drop the duck. With the festivities starting at 9 p.m., residents came out in strength. Giant four-foot ducks were available for pictures up and down Main Street. Food was available from Rocco and Anna’s, El Lemon and

Smokin’ Butler Brisket and BBQ. Wine was available from Stargazers Vineyard and Winery, and there was hot cocoa and face painting available for the children.

The event was organized by the Parkesburg Action Committee, with the help and support of Parkesburg Ducks, our firefighters, Police officers, vendors and the community. We were able to create an unforgettable memory for everyone involved. We’re not stopping there though! We look forward to and invite all of you out to the second annual Sip Shop and Duck Drop on December 31, 2022.

The Parkesburg Action Committee (PAC) is comprised of business owners and community leaders whose mission is to create a sense of community, promote growth and improvement to Downtown Parkesburg.Through our mission we strive to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike by making Downtown Parkesburg a more attractive and enjoyable place to live, work and play.

In a changing world, Keystone Valley Fire Department proves we are stronger together

By Judith Lee WCCCC Contributor

The world has changed, and Keystone Valley Fire Department (KVFD) continues to change with it.

KVFD was a trendsetter in 2013 when it was formed as a consolidation of Pomeroy, Parkesburg, Atglen and Martins Corner volunteer fire departments. The consolidation of manpower and resources from these companies resulted in increased efficiency and a decrease in redundant sources. Together, the combined department has over 50 volunteers and 20 career staff and provides fire, rescue, and EMS services to approximately 11,000 residents in Parkesburg Borough, West Sadsbury Township, Sadsbury Township and Highland Township.

KVFD’s motto is “Working Regionally to Survive Locally.”

According to KVFD Chief Brian Gathercole, the consolidated fire company has achieved its initial goals and is stronger than it would be as separate local fire companies. However, the world continues to change, and KVFD today is an organization that is responding with an unflinching resolve.

“Fire service is transitioning from all-volunteer to some paid career positions,” noted Chief Gathercole. “We still are strong in manpower but not in consistency. One day we can have 20 firefighters show up for a call, another day we can have two. In order to provide the best possible coverage we need the consistency to be the same all the time.”

This challenge arises from economic and demographic changes in Western Chester County and, well, everywhere:

• Many residents travel 30 minutes or even more to their jobs and are not available to answer local fire calls during the day.

• Family budgets are stretched thin due to a rising cost of living, and some breadwinners are working two jobs to make ends meet.

• Longtime volunteers are aging, and some are unwilling or unable to maintain the county and state training requirements.

• New residents may not be indoctrinated into the culture of volunteerism that has kept three, four and five generations of volunteers committed to local fire departments.

“We have the same amount of challenges, but fewer people to address them,” noted Ed Haas, township supervisor for West Sadsbury Township, one of the municipalities in the KVFD Fire District.

Chief Gathercole himself is an example of the Western Chester County culture of volunteerism. A dedicated public servant since 1994 and joining the Pomeroy fire company volunteer in 2005, he came into KVFD with the fire company consolidation. He served as KVFD Chief from 2014 to 2016, and then accepted the position again in 2021.

But he is quick to shift attention from himself to the organization, which has performed with amazing commitment to the municipalities which make up the KVFD Fire District.

For instance, in 2021, KVFD answered 305 Fire Calls and 1,542 EMS calls. This year, the burden on EMS services is expected to increase dramatically due to the closing of Brandywine Hospital. EMS vehicles will need to transport patients much further away to Chester County Hospital, Paoli Hospital, or even into Delaware. KVFD has already responded by doubling its EMS capacity from one to two EMS teams, providing 24/7 EMS coverage to residents. The struggle comes from not having enough EMS Providers available to in the profession to serve. Many organizations are sharing employees.

overage to ot havto -

“We are trying to be proactive, but other municipalities may not realize the huge impact of the hospital closing and the impact on residents,” noted Josh Mellinger, Parkesburg Borough Council member and president of the Western Chester County Council of Governments.

trucks and equipment, was no longer adequate. KVFD was seeking a fundraising partner in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), asking local businesses for help, and fundraising in the community, KVFD raised the $2.8 million needed to expand and rebuild the Parkesburg fire house into the striking, large new fire house and Veteran’s Memorial Garden on First Ave. in Parkesburg.

y d, . In g for omes of the rict. This

KVFD’s EMS positions are all paid, and this is true throughout the county. In the case of KVFD, important funding for the fire company and EMS services comes from a fire tax paid by all residents of the municipalities in the KVFD Fire District. This saves KVFD the burden of constant fundraising that local (unconsolidated) fire companies must bear.

“Before we consolidated, we were doing a fundraiser every month,” Chief Gathercole remembered, adding that some fundraising is still needed. “KVFD does three fundraisers a year, including our Golf Outing.”

Certainly, KVFD is no slouch in the fundraising department. Several years ago, it was determined that the fire house in Parkesburg, which houses the lion’s share of KVFD

As anyone who has built a building knows, the expense does not stop when construction is completed. Maintenance is an ongoing issue and cost to KVFD – and just one of many needs and costs.

As anyon expen com is p th few

So, what can the community and business community do to help?

“Most people don’t realize there is more you can do than just answer fire calls,” Mellinger said.

If you don’t have the time or the physical ability to become a firefighter, there are many other ways to help. A few examples include:

•

• Help clean the fire house facility

• Wash the fire trucks

• W

• Se

• Serve in the recruitment tent at community events

• Make fundraising phone calls for the fire company and for EMS

• Make company a

The business community could help by:

• Sponsoring the annual Golf Outing or other fundraising events

• Setting a policy to allow employees to leave during the business day to answer fire calls

• Helping to research grant opportunities and write applications

• Working on special projects for the fire company

Continued on Page 52

Keystone Valley Fire Department

Continued from Page 51

An example of a special project is a recent initiative to purchase electronic defibrillators (AEDs) for the fire trucks, KVFD facilities and the VFW. Ten AEDs were needed, at $2,000 each. Grants were obtained from the state of Pennsylvania and from the Gary Senise Foundation.

Other special projects might include replacing equipment and helping to resolve staffing shortages, Mellinger said: “We have to keep up with all other businesses in attracting and retaining key employees.”

Chief Gathercole recognized that help comes from various sources in the community. The Octorara Homeland Community Program funnels interested high school students into KVFD, bringing three to five students each year. The business Greg Pilotti Furniture Makers allows its employees to respond to call throughout the day assisting the KVFD with staffing and a response.

Local businesses have long supported the fire company. A number of familiar business names are on the permanent plaque installed when the new fire house was dedicated in 2018, including Vietri Electric, A. Duie Pyle, Wilde Funeral Home, Greg Pilotti Furniture Makers, JD Eckman, and many others.

Of course, the tax dollar support from the municipalities

in the KVFD Fire District has made an enormous difference to KVFD, Chief Gathercole said. They help in many other ways, such as West Sadsbury introducing KVFD to every new business that moves in, such as Victory Brewing and (soon) International Paper.

“They make sure we meet the right people in the businesses who can help KVFD, and then we follow through,” he said.

Going forward, Chief Gathercole, Haas and Mellinger said they hope other local fire companies and municipalities will consider joining the Keystone Valley Fire District.

“Others came to the table when we were consolidating (in 2013), but chose not to join at that time,” noted Chief Gathercole. “Perhaps now they will understand the objective of consolidation, and we welcome them.”

“A municipality or fire company also is welcome to consult with us,” noted Mellinger. “Perhaps they would like to form their own fire district. This is worth considering. We have certainly learned that we are all stronger together.”

Editor’s note: The general public and local businesses are invited to attend the regular meeting of KVFD on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 pm at the Parkesburg Fire House.

Prioritizing safety and Complete Streets for Chester County

By Tim Phelps, Transportation Management Association of Chester County

On November 10, 2021, the Chester County Commissioners adopted a Complete Streets policy to support safe bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the county. Chester County’s Complete Streets Policy provides guidance for how streets may be planned, designed, retrofitted, and maintained to facilitate travel in a safe, convenient, and comfortable manner for all users regardless of their transportation mode. How best does the sidewalk connect to crosswalks and to a bus stop? How do you safely include bicycle lanes within the vehicular travel lane? As the policy’s subtitle states, (It is) “A policy to develop an integrated and connected multimodal transportation system of Complete Streets that serve all neighborhoods and populations in Chester County.”

As a car-centric society, when we envision our streets, we typically only think about the needs of an automobile: Where is the closest free parking space? If the road is flat and straight, it is okay to drive faster.

As planners and elected officials consider developments and redevelopments within our communities, when applicable, other modes of transportation should be prioritized such as walking, biking, or moving with assistive devices like wheelchairs and baby carriages. In these instances, we should be asking: Where should I place a bus stop? Do I have the appropriate ramps for strollers and wheelchairs? Is there a continuous highquality sidewalk?

planning scenarios. The Planning Commission states, “Complete Streets communities ensure that their streets prioritize safety over speed, balance the needs of different modes of transportation, and support local land uses, economies, cultures, and natural environments.” Quinn worked with the committee to educate them on the guiding principles behind the policy, how it supports Landscapes3, the county’s comprehensive plan, as well as challenged the committee on how Smart Growth America’s Ten Elements of a Complete Streets Policy could dovetail into Chester County plans. Recommendations could then be made to support non-vehicular users.

In late July, the Planning Commission and the Commissioners held a public meeting to discuss a Complete Streets Policy for Chester County, which welcomed more than 35 representatives from local municipalities, transportation organizations, stakeholder groups, and others from around the region. Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz and Josh Maxwell also attended the meeting, noting the importance of Complete Streets in their opening remarks.

“Every citizen has a right to travel within the restraints of the existing road structure, which is why Chester County hopes to implement Complete Streets throughout our new and existing road structures.”

“The simple addition of sidewalks in communities where no sidewalks exist will expand access to transportation networks for people without cars,” said Moskowitz. “Providing for active transportation facilities – such as sidewalks and bike lanes – will increase opportunities for physically active travel, and create healthier communities here in Chester County.”

The Complete Streets project was spearheaded through a project team at the Chester County Planning Commission (CCPC) and a working committee of municipal members and community leaders. Brian Styche, CCPC director of environment and infrastructure, and Eric Quinn, CCPC Transportation Planner, methodically walked the committee through Smart Growth America’s Complete Street

“A complete streets policy for Chester County will help to advance the ‘Live, Prosper, and Connect’ goals of Landscapes3, by encouraging better access to community facilities and services to create more efficient transportation systems to service our thriving and growing communities,” Maxwell added. “We know connectivity is going to be so important to the future economic health of our county, and we couldn’t be more proud that the Planning Commission is making this such an important goal of all our municipalities to achieve.”

As a continuation of these efforts, Commissioner Maxwell joined Smart Growth America’s Active People, Healthy Nation Champions Institute. Here he has an opportunity to engage with other local elected officials from across the United States to gain the knowledge needed to effectively advocate for, and support, safer and more Complete Streets and bring best practices back to Chester County.

Styche, states that this is a great tool to help communities to implement and maintain Complete Streets in their community and understand exceptions, design standards and performance measures. Now is the time for com-

munities to plan Complete Streets concepts and take advantage of PennDOT Multimodal Funding. How will your community help make safe connections for people who cannot or do not drive? The next time you are walking downtown shopping center parking lot, or walking in your neighborhood, look around at your built environment: How safe are you as a pedestrian? Can we do better?

Read more about the Complete Streets and other multimodal and bicycle policies at www.chescoplanning.org/ transportation . Multimodal funding can be found at www. penndot.gov/project and programs.

ZING Serves Up Asian Flavors in Western Chester County

By Nina Malone, Arbonne

Pizza and fast food dominated the landscape when

ZING opened in 2015 in Sadsbury Township, taking its place across from its owners’ Harry’s Hotdogs and Harry’s Tap & Rec Room (previously The Attic Lounge). It brought much-needed variety — and spice! — to that part of Chester County.

ZING is a boutique BYOB restaurant offering indoor dining, takeout, delivery and catering. It started hosting outdoor dining during the pandemic and, weather permitting, that’s a trend that will continue, according to John H. Lymberis, who co-owns both restaurants with Foti “Frank” Petropoulos.

“We transformed what used to be our convenience store, Harry’s Quick Stop, into a space that’s reminiscent of that little spot in Manhattan where you’d frequent to grab some great sushi and Asian cuisine,” Lymberis said.

Managing partner Bobby Chin added, “We offer sushi, Chinese, Malaysian and Japanese cuisine. Our most popular requests are General Tso’s Chicken, Pad Thai and, of course, sushi! We’re also happy to customize our dishes for those who are curious about Asian food — beginners! We can make your dish anything spice-wise from mild to ‘make you cry.’”

ZING chefs split the cooking responsibilities based on specialty: sushi, wok preparation, Japanese and panAsian recipes. Non-alcoholic beverages are available to purchase, and customers may bring their own sake, wine, champagne or beer; there is no corkage fee.

ZING was born after five years of doing sushi nights twice a week at The Attic Lounge, a way of pairing contemporary cuisine with upscale cocktails. That success prompted Lymberis and Petropoulos to partner with Chin on a sushi restaurant. It also paved the way to refocus The Attic Lounge and rebrand it as Harry’s Tap & Rec Room; it now boasts a pub vibe featuring craft beer, games, big screen TVs, open mic night and Quizzo.

ZING’s enduring popularity has to do with not only the food, but also the Lymberis and Petropoulos families’ legacies as lifelong residents and business owners in this community.

“We believe that we really understand and know our customers,” Lymberis said. “And, we’re gaining new customers everyday as Western Chester County continues to be developed and become more popular. There aren’t a lot of food options out here, so we’re very happy to offer a sushi and pan-Asian menu. It really appeals to so many!”

So, why the name ZING? “I wanted a name that’s easy to say and remember. And, I didn’t want to hear a shortened version of our restaurant’s name, either,” Lymberis said. “Plus, ‘ZING’ literally means fresh, spicy, fast and flavorful.”

Lymberis has been a long-time Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce member, board member, pastpresident (twice!) and volunteer. He joined in 1999 to help businesses like his flourish and grow along with the anticipated growth of the region. He, along with a handful of others, helped revitalize the Chamber with a new vision so that it could thrive into what it is today. Lymberis still serves on the board of directors and remains involved. He says that watching the organization strengthen and grow to more than 400 members has been quite satisfying. “Our community is blessed to have some outstanding local business people who care about this area and employ so many local residents,” he added. “I just love Western Chester County!”

ZING, 2952 Lincoln Hwy. in Sadsburyville; phone: (610) 857-0001. www.ZINGsushi.com

Honey Brook Community Partnership

2021 was a busy year for the Honey Brook Community Partnership (HBCP) as the community got back into the swing of community events.

The year kicked off with the “Name the Brook” contest which was organized to name an unnamed stream that runs through the borough and township. “Unnamed Tributary #4 to an unnamed tributary of the West Branch of the Brandywine Creek” was renamed Sweet Water Run pending approval of the United States Geographic Names Board. The contest was available to all residents of Honey Brook Borough and Honey Brook Township to submit names. The winning name was selected by the HBCP.

In May, we had the pleasure of awarding two Twin Valley High School seniors $500 scholarships each to assist with college expenses. The scholarships were handed out in-person at the Twin Valley High School Honors and Awards Ceremony held at the high school.

The third Saturday in September in Honey Brook has always been designated as Harmony Day in Honey Brook Borough. This year, the HBCP focused on health and well being as we organized a fair with vendors, food and games in the pavilion by the Honey Brook Fire Company. The weather was great and the health fair was well received.

as juice boxes, fruit cups, small cereal boxes, granola bars and other snack items. The backpacks were then distributed by the Honey Brook Food Pantry.

2021 ended on a high note with a fun tradition hosted by the HBCP. Deck the Brook was a much-anticipated event that drew a lot of participants in the Borough and Township. Each year, a contest is held for residents and businesses to decorate their homes or shops for the festive holiday season. Winners are voted on by residents and prizes are awarded to the best residential yard, residential door, and business.

National Make a Difference Day is typically a one-day event scheduled for the fourth Saturday of October. But the HBCP took it to a whole new level by focusing the entire month on making a difference in the Honey Brook area. The purpose of Make a Difference Day is to bring community service to the forefront and improve the lives of others. With that said, the HBCP partnered with the Honey Brook Food Pantry and collected children’s backpack items, such

It was great to host these special annual events in 2021 and there’s great enthusiasm to grow these events in 2022.

The HBCP is already planning on revisiting a grant program which local organizations are awarded money to assist with their missions. Keep an eye on our website www.hbpartnership.org and on our Facebook page for more information on the grant program. Additionally, the Honey Brook Community Partnership is starting planning for the Twin Valley High School Scholarship program and Harmony Day 2022 with Make A Difference Day and Deck the Brook in mind, too.

The Honey Brook Community Partnership was started in 2008 with a mission to bring together borough and township partners to facilitate communication, share resources, and to work together to enhance the community. We meet the second Tuesday of each month from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

If you are a Honey Brook Borough or Honey Brook Township business or resident who would like to be active in the Partnership, please feel free to reach out to corey@ suburbanbrewingco.com to learn more.

CHAMBER MEMBER DIRECTORY

ACCOUNTING SERVICES

Albert Abdala Tax & Insurance Center

Albert Abdala (610) 384-6425 apatax.com

CBIZ Inc. Payroll & HCM

Donna McCorkle (484) 667-6652 cbiz.com

Gina’s InterNet Advising

Gina Rodkey (484) 712-5959 ginasinternetadvising.com

Paisley Solutions

Paula Paisley (610) 444-2597 paisleysolutions.com

Quinn, M Cynthia, CPA

Cynthia Quinn (610) 380-1040 mcq1040.com See ad pg. 30

The Small Business Accounting Solution, Inc.

Nicole Odeh (484) 845-3800 tsbas.com

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Brandywine Business Systems

Sam Slokom (610) 563-1487

Copy by Kait | KB Virtual Administrative Solutions, LLC

Kaitlyn Bowman (814) 876-2673 copybykait.com

ADVERTISING

Outfront Media

Deanna Pizzi (215) 218-8773 outfrontmedia.com

AGRICULTURE

Cairns Family Farm

Don Cairns (610) 857-0168 cairnsfamilyfarm.com

Chester / Delaware County Farm Bureau

Dan Miller (717) 529-2508 cdcfb.com

Chester County Agricultural Development Council

Hillary Krummich (610) 344-6285 chescofarming.org

Highland Orchards

Marsha Hodge (610) 269-3494 highlandorchards.net

Highspire Hills Farm, LLC

Deborah Ellis (610) 942-9634

localharvest.org/highspire-hills-farmllc-M6683

Penn State Extension Service

Stephanie Shirk (814) 409-0220

extension.psu.edu/chester

Romano 4-H Center of Chester County

Ken Walker (610) 942-0220 facebook.com/theromano4hcenterofchestercounty

Stoltzfus Feed & Supply Dean Stotzfuls (717) 442-8280 stotzfulsfeedandsupply.com

APARTMENTS & TOWNHOMES

Lafayette Square Apartments

John H. Lymberis (610) 857-0800 lafsq.com

ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES

Mark C. Myers Architects, Inc.

Mark C. Myers (610) 942-4490

markcmyersarchitects.com

Studio Mork, LLC

Brian Mork (630) 207-1071 studiomork.com

ATTORNEYS

Carosella & Associates, PC

Vincent Carosella, Esq. (610) 431-3300 carosella.com

Gawthrop Greenwood, PC (610) 696-8225 gawthrop.com

Keen, Keen & Good

William Keen, Esq. (610) 383-7810

kkglawfirm.com

Lamb McErlane, PC

Helen Esbenshade, Esq. (610) 430-8000 lambmcerlane.com

Law Firm of Barry S. Rabin

Barry S. Rabin, Esq. (610) 873-1600 barryrabinlaw.com

Law Office of Robin J. Gray

Robin Gray, Esq. (484) 769-5855 robinjgraylaw.com

Miller Law Offices

Tracy Norcini Polito (610) 840-8400 millerlawpa.com

Siana Law

Chris Gerber, Esq. (610) 321-5500 sianalaw.com

Skinner Law Firm, LLC

Michael Skinner, Esq. (610) 436-1410 skinnerlawfirm.net

Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees, PC

Theo Claypoole, Esq. (610) 692-1371 utbf.com

AUTOMOBILE SALES & SERVICE

Brian Hoskins Ford

Ed Kovatch (610) 384-4242 brianhoskinsford.com

Extra Mile Auto Service

George Devine (610) 384-2864 extramileauto.com

See ad pg. 33 Fling’s Towing, Inc. Dar yl Fling (610) 383-6362

flingstowing.com

Hershey Motors Terri Kaufman (610) 857-6283 hersheymotors.com K’s Kollision

Bruce Kuryloski (610) 384-3337 kskollision.com

Miracle Automotive, Inc.

Andrew Barson (610) 286-9450 miracleauto.com

RS-Werks Automotive Shop, LLC

Michael Meldrum rswerks.com

BAKERY / BAKED GOODS

Colors of Sweets

Ana Ionescu (484) 782-4945 colorsofsweets.com

Sweet Serendipity Cupcakes and Treats

Dana Grow (484) 784-8350 sweetserendipitycupcakesandtreats.com

BANKS

BB&T Now Truist | Honey Brook

Stephanie Rich Bailey (610) 273-2992 bbt.com

BB&T Now Truist |Parkesburg

Nick Birch (610) 857-9667 bbt.com

First Resource Bank

Diana Mattingly (610) 363-9400

firstresourcebank.com

See ad pg. 25

Fulton Bank | Downingtown

Loren Hershey (610) 873-4740 fultonbank.com

Fulton Bank | Parkesburg

Michelle Cooper (610) 918-8814 fultonbank.com

Fulton Bank | West Chester

Holly Graver (610) 857-5005 fultonbank.com

M&T Bank

Jennifer Simmet (610) 273-7022 mtb.com

Meridian Bank

Geoffrey Sheehan (484) 568-5026

meridianbanker.com

Mid Penn Bank

Mike Guyer (717) 690-3985

midpennbank.com

See ad pg. 52

Phoenixville Federal Bank & Trust

Steve Pratt (610) 933-1000 phoenixfed.com

PNC Bank

Susan Kuryloski (610) 593-2121 pnc.com

Presence Bank

Doug Byers (610) 384-8282 presencebank.com

S & T Bank - Downingtown

Nicolas McLaughlin (484) 359-3301 stbank.com

S & T Bank - Thorndale

Christina Coyle (610) 383-7562 stbank.com

BEVERAGE

Christiana Beer & Beverage

Mihir Patel (610) 593-5887

christianabeer.com

Lamb Beverage, Inc.

Michael McGinley (610) 384-1470

lambbeverage.com

Sly Tom’s Take Out John Sly slytoms.com

Continued on next page

Continued from previous page

BOOKSTORE

Looker Books

Dana Looker (610) 715-0983 facebook.com/lookerbooks/ BREWERIES

Animated Brewing Company

Jared Castaldi (610) 448-9914 animatedbrewing.com

Suburban Brewing Company

Corey Ross (610) 273-3106

suburbanbrewingco.com

Victory Brewing Company

Samantha Dardine (484) 718-5080 victorybeer.com

BUILDING CONTRACTORS

Chester County Tile & Design

Jason Phillips (610) 380-5040

chestercountytile.com

Five Point Renovation & Remodel

Rob Wishneski (610) 857-2856

fivepointconstruction.com

Rittenhouse Builders

George Metzler (610) 380-9570 rittenhousebuilders.com

Simmers Builders, Inc.

Lloyd Simmers (610) 383-5562 simmersbuilders.com

White Horse Construction, Inc.

Chris Stoltzfus (610) 593-5559

whitehorseconstructionpa.com

BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS

CrossTALKS

Soraya Gutman (302) 643-9195 yourcrosstalks.com

Women’s Business Connection of Chester County

Bette Cowles-Friedlander (484) 823-0110 wbcchesco.com

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING

SCORE

Vic Goldberg (610) 344-6910

chestercounty.score.org

Transfers of Learning, LLC

Tasha Delaney (610) 466-7521

transfersoflearning.com

See ad pg. 42

CAR WASH

Rainbow Washhouse

Steve Dovidio (610) 637-7636

CATERERS

Catering by John Lowe

Susan Lowe (610) 873-7229 cateringbyjl.com

Colors of Sweets

Ana Ionescu (484) 782-4945 colorsofsweets.com

Doe Run Catering

Sarah Petro (610) 384-0477 doeruncatering.com

Harry’s Neighborhood Place

John H. Lymberis (610) 857-2331 harryshotdogs.com

See ad pg. 17

John Serock Catering

John Serock (610) 640-2836 serockcatering.com

Triple Fresh Catering

Sarah Petro (610) 384-5037 triplefresh.net

See ad pg. 43

Victory Brewing Company

Samantha Dardine (484) 718-5080 victor ybeer.com

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

PA Chamber of Business & Industry

Alex Halper (717) 720-5471 pachamber.org

Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce

Rachel Cathell (610) 384-9550 westernchestercounty.com

CHURCHES

CityWell Church

DJ Grick (610) 590-8550 citywell.church

CLEANING SERVICES

Clarel Janitorial/Maintenance Services Corp.

Claudia Muntean (484) 378-0827 clarelmaintenance.com

COMMERCIAL FLOORING, SALES, & INSTALLATION

Precision Flooring Enterprises, LLC

Marilyn Costalas (610) 857-3519

precisionflooringllc.com

COMMUNITY SERVICES

Boy Scouts of America

Chester County Council

Jeffrey Spencer (610) 696-2900 cccbsa.org

Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art

Sheila Fleming (610) 388-8389 brandywine.org/conservancy

Brandywine Regeneration Project

Bob Holliday (610) 717-2265

Bridge Academy and Community Center

Jordan Crans (610) 466-9505 thebridgeacademy.org

Chester County Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Tracey Melia (610) 384-2767 chescoblind.org

Chester County

Community Foundation

Stephenie Stevens (610) 696-8211 chescocf.org

Chester County Food Bank

Andrea Youndt (610) 873-6000 chestercountyfoodbank.org

Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance

Sonia Huntzinger (484) 786-8896

2ndcenturyalliance.org

Coatesville Youth Initiative

Jarvis Berry (610) 380-0200 coatesvilleyouthinitiative.org

Good Samaritan Services

Nate Hoffer (610) 380-1360 goodsamservices.org

Habitat for Humanity of Chester County

Chris Wiseman (610) 384-7993 hfhcc.org

Honey Brook Area Community Partnership

Corey Ross (610) 990-5670 hbpartnership.org

Honey Brook Food Pantry

Ken Ross (610) 291-0067 honeybrookfoodpantry.org

Life Transforming Ministries

Bill Shaw (610) 384-5393 quietrevolution.org

Octorara Area Food Cupboard

Judy Dougherty (610) 857-4000 octfood.org

PABA Parkesburg

Business Association

Allan Fellman (484) 354-9701 paba-pa.org

Parkesburg Action Committee

Jenny Alexander (610) 425-1148 facebook.com/PAC19365

Rotary Club of Coatesville

Michael Givler (610) 384-9196

coatesvillerotary.org

See ad pgs. 34-35

Salvation Army - Service Extension

Cindy Yearsley (610) 383-0868

easternusa.salvationarmy.org

Stewart Huston Charitable Trust Scott Huston (610) 384-2666 stewarthuston.org

The Alliance for Health Equity

Vanessa Briggs (610) 380-9080

alliancehealthequity.org

See ad pg. 37

The Huston Foundation

Charkes Luken Huston III (610) 832-4955 hustonfoundation.org

The Parkesburg Point Debbie Shupp (610) 857-3393 parkesburgpoint.com

See ad pg. 49

United Way of Chester County Chris Saello (610) 429-9400

unitedwayofchestercounty.org

COMPUTER / IT SERVICES

CompNet, Inc.

Mark Davis (610) 380-1314 compnetinc.com\ See ad pg. 47

Origami Technology Group, Inc. William Gayle (484) 639-0004 origamitg.com

CONCRETE

Delaware Valley Concrete Co., Inc. Lisa Diliberto (215) 675-8900 delawarevalleyconcrete.com

See ad pg. 31

CONSTRUCTION

Bore It, Inc.

Rick Barbato (610) 692-4662 boreitinc.com

See ad pg. 55

Chester County Fencing Chris Kaminski (610) 273-3300

chestercountyfencing.com

City Construction Co., Inc. Hope Dunn (610) 269-9530

cityconstr uctionco.com

Colonial Electric Supply

Amanda Thompson (610) 233-1574

colonialelectricsupply.com

Compass Hardwoods Greg Pilotti (610) 857-2600

compass-hardwoods.com

D. Howe & Sons, Inc.

Douglas Howe (610) 942-4249

dhoweandsons.com

See ad pg. 45

Delaware Valley Concrete Co., Inc.

Lisa Diliberto (215) 675-8900

delawarevalleyconcrete.com

See ad pg. 31

ECON Partners, Inc.

Coleen Terry (610) 400-8024

econpartnersinc.com

FBSG, Inc.

Cindy Gallo (610) 633-8824 fbsginc.com

Fidelity Contracting, LLC

Richard Burkholder (610) 816-0704

fidelitycontracting.com

See ad pg. 57

Graber Supply, LLC

Reuben Graber (610) 593-3500 polebarn.com

J.D. Eckman, Inc.

Michael Eckman (610) 593-5413 jdeckman.com

JGM Fabricators & Constructors, LLC

Joseph Messner, Jr. (610) 873-0081 jgmusa.com

Milanese Remodeling

Mark Milanese (610) 384-5820

milaneseremodeling.com

New Heritage Properties, LLC

Crosby Wood (610) 383-9800

newheritageproperties.com

RETTEW Associates, Inc.

Peter Chronowski (484) 240-4521 rettew.com

Rittenhouse Builders

George Metzler (610) 380-9570

rittenhousebuilders.com

Vetern Construction and Utility Services, Inc.

Sue Durborow (610) 384-8235 veterancus.com

White Horse Construction, Inc.

Chris Stoltzfus (610) 593-5559

whitehorseconstructionpa.com

Willard Construction

Keith Willard (484) 645-4508

CREDIT UNIONS

Citadel Credit Union | Eagleview Corporate Office Fallon Maloney (610) 787-2234 citadelbanking.com

Citadel Credit Union l Parkesburg

RuthAnne Clark (610) 466-6624

citadelbanking.com

Citadel Credit Union | South Coatesville (484) 713-3637

citadelbanking.com

Citadel Credit Union | Thorndale

Mikaila Szkil (484) 713-3637

citadelbanking.com

See ad pg. 30

Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union

Joe Pomorski (484) 883-3973 fmfcu.org

DENTIST

Hughes & Hughes Family Dentistry

Cheryl Gaudi (610) 942-3321

hughesdentistry.com

DEVELOPERS

First Eastern Development Company, LLC

John Newton (610) 842-8224

firsteasterndc.com

Legend Properties

David DePetris (610) 941-4034 lpre.com

Mark Lane Properties

Mark Sherman (215) 510-6399

marklaneproperties.com

New Heritage Properties, LLC

Crosby Wood (610) 383-9800

newheritageproperties.com

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Chester County Economic Development Council

Mike Grigalonis (610) 321-8227

ccedcpa.com

Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance

Sonia Huntzinger (484) 786-8896

2ndcenturyalliance.org

ECON Partners, Inc.

Coleen Terry (717) 418-0066

econpartnersinc.com

EDUCATION

Chester County 2020

William Stevens (484) 680-5570 cc2020.org

Chester County Futures

Claren Johnson (610) 458-9926 ccfutures.org

Chester County Intermediate Unit

Kristina Goodwin (484) 237-5153 cciu.org

See ad pg. 3

Chester County Technical College High School

Jill Stoltzfus (484) 593-5100 tchsbrandywine.org

Coatesville Area School District

Tomas Hanna (610) 466-2400 casdschool.com

Delaware County Community College

Linda LeFevre (610) 359-5131 dccc.edu

Harcum College Coatesville

Evelyn Santana (610) 525-4100 harcum.edu

Kutztown University Small Business Development Center

Kecia Sturdivant (484) 646-4002 kutztownbdc.org

Octorara Area School District

Lisa McNamara (610) 593-8238 octorara.k12.pa.us

See ad pg. 15

Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic Elementar y School

Christen Dunn (610) 384-5961 popejohnpaul2sch.org

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Michael DeGroft (717) 299-7701 stevenscollege.edu

Universal Technical Institute Anthony Castrovillo (610) 458-5595 uti.edu

Williamson College of the Trades Jay Merillat (610) 566-1776 williamson.edu

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

B.J. Baldwin Electric

Ned Baldwin (717) 351-1500 bjbalwdin.com

Denmans Electrical Services, Inc.

Jeffrey Denman (484) 228-8111 denmanelectric.com

See ad pg. 55 Electrical Plus Jeremy Mueller (484) 459-4940 electricalplus.net

G.A. Vietri, Inc. Greg Vietri (610) 857-1110 gavietri.com

See ad pg. 20

Kendall Electric

Patrick Melvin (610) 832-9000 kendallelectric.com

William S. Malany & Sons, Inc.

Chad Lease (610) 436-4023 malanyelectric.com

EMERGENCY SERVICES

Chester County Department of Emergency Services

George Crowding (610) 344-5000

chesco.org/214/emergency-services

Chester County DES - Public Safety Training Campus

John Gillespie (610) 344-4241 chesco.org/des

Keystone Valley Fire Department

Brian Gathercole (610) 857-3232

kvfd8.com

Keystone Valley Regional Fire District

Neil Vaughn (484) 571-9686 kvfd8.com

West End Fire Company #3

Gina Langan westendfireco.com

EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING SERVICES

CareerLink

Jeanne O’Brien (610) 280-1013 pacareerlinkchesco.org

Chester County OIC

Joyce Chester (610) 692-2345 ccoic.org

ENERGY SERVICES

Electric Advisors Consulting, Inc.

Frank Lacey (610) 793-2809

electricadvisorsconsulting.com

Kauffman Gas, Inc.

Ken Kauffman (610) 593-5063 kauffmangas.com

Rhoads Energy Family of Companies

John Ratchford (610) 857-1650

rhoadsenergy.com

See ad pg. 21

ENGINEERS

Bogia Engineering, Inc.

Donald Haas (610) 678-3071

bogiaeng.com

CA Engineering, LLC

Craig Aukett (267) 251-5861

caengineer.com

See ad pg. 53

Edward B. Walsh & Associates, Inc.

Andy Eberwin (610) 903-0060

ebwalshinc.com

See ad pg. 42

Continued on next page

Directory

Continued from previous page

Herbert E. MacCombie, Jr. P.E., Consulting Engineers and Surveyors, Inc.

Dave Porter (610) 356-9550 herbert-e-maccombie-jr-pe-consulting. business.site

Hydraterra Professionals

Joe Boldaz (610) 942-3000 hydraterrapro.com

McMahon Associates, Inc.

Natasha Manbeck (610) 594-9995 mcmahonassociates.com

Padula Engineering Company

Mark Padula (610) 696-9900 padulaengineering.com

See ad pg. 39

RETTEW Associates, Inc.

Peter Chronowski (717) 394-3721 rettew.com

RPM Engineering, LLC

John Baptista (610) 470-0247 rpmengllc.com

Traffic Planning and Design, Inc.

Randy Waltermyer (610) 326-3100 trafficpd.com

ENTERTAINMENT

Air Ventures Balloon Flights

Deb Harding (484) 753-2598 air-ventures.com

Revival Productions, Inc.

Heather Grayberg (484) 378-0047 revival-productions.com

The Golf Zone Family Fun Center

George McNamara (610) 942-3000 golfzoneproshop.com

The Lukens Band Mike Givler (610) 383-4197 lukensband.org

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS

Coventry Environmental

Steven Ohrwashchel (484) 639-4578 covenv.com

Envera

Michael Matheny (484) 593-4002 envera.com

Mahoney Environemtal Brenda McNeil (610) 425-1289 mahoneyes.com

Sovereign Environmental Group

Larry Johnson (610) 383-9919

sovereignenvironmental.com

EXCAVATING

Bore It, Inc.

Rick Barbato (610) 496-2949

boreitinc.com

See ad pg. 55

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Beacon Financial Group, LLC

Cathy Jackson (484) 844-7824

caj-beaconfinancial.com

Delaware Valley Financial Mortgage LLC - Jennifer Roncace

Jennifer Roncace (610) 908-2229

delvalmort.com/team-member/jenniferroncace/

Penn Rise Advisors

Karl Klingmann II (610) 269-8363

pennriseadvisors.com

See ad pg. 44

FIRE & WATER DAMAGE CLEANUP and RESTORATION

SERVPRO of Central Chester County

Dave Lyman (610) 524-0211

servprocentralchestercounty.com

SERVPRO of Kennett Square/Oxford

Cliff Masscotte (610) 268-8620

ser vprokennettsquareoxford.com

See ad pg. 22 FITNESS

EveryBody Yoga & Wellness

Tabathe Wallace (610) 570-7614

everybodyyogaandwellness.com

YMCA of Greater Brandywine, Association Offices

Patti Campbell (610) 643-9622

ymcagbw.org

YMCA of Greater Brandywine, Brandywine Branch

Jessica Rigo (610) 380-9622

ymcagbw.org

FLORISTS

Blue Moon Florist

Ami Trost (610) 873-7900

bluemoonflorist.com

Coateville Flower Shop

Greg DePedro (610) 384-2677

coatesvilleflowershop.net

FUNERAL SERVICES

Harris Mountain Funeral Home & Cremation Service

Kevin Mountain (610) 384-1091

harrismountain.com

James J. Terry Funeral Home

Greg Froio (484) 378-7210

jamesterryfuneralhome.com

Wentz Funeral Home

Kirstin Wentz McElroy (610) 384-0318

wentzfuneralhome.com

White Willows Memorial Design

Fay Monte (717) 442-9001

whitewillowsmemorials.com

FURNITURE

Greg Pilotti Furniture Makers

Greg Pilotti (484) 764-6956

gpfurnituremakers.com

Link Interiors

Kimberly Duke (215) 514-9173 linkinteriors.net

GOLF COURSES

Applecross Country Club

John Harte (484) 692-1010 applecrosscc.com

Coatesville Country Club

Tom Risenberg (610) 384-3200

coatesvillecountryclub.com

French Creek Golf Club

Thad Fortin (610) 913-6330 frenchcreekgolf.com

Honeybrook Golf Club

Donna Hor vath (610) 273-0207 honeybrookgolf.com

See ad pg. 37 Ingleside Golf Club

Chris Ward (610) 384-9128 golfingleside.com

Mocassion Run Golf Club

Curtis King (610) 593-2600 moccasinrun.com

GOVERNMENT l COUNTY

Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz (610) 344-6100 chesco.org

Chester County Commissioner

Josh Maxwell (610) 344- 6100 chesco.org

Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kickline (610) 344-6031 chesco.org

Chester County Commissioners Office Becky Brain (610) 344-6100 chesco.org

Chester County Department of Community Development

Pat Bokovitz (610) 344-6900 chesco.org

Chester County DES - Public Safety

Training Campus

John Gillespie (610) 344-4100 chesco.org/des

Chester County Health Department

Mary Tedesco (610) 344-5368 chesco.org/health

Chester County Planning Commission

Brian O’Leary (610) 344-5285 chesco.org

Chester County Recorder of Deeds

Chris Pielli (610) 344-6330 chesco.org/recorder

GOVERNMENT l MUNICIPAL

Atglen Borough

Caren Andrews (610) 593-6854 atglen.org

Borough of South Coatesville

Allen Smith (610) 384-1700 south-coatesville.org

Caln Township

Kristen Denne (610) 384-0600 calntownship.org

Christiana Borough

Michele (Bobbi) Maser (610) 593-5199 christianaboro.com

City of Coatesville

James Logan (610) 384-0300 coatesville.org

East Brandywine Township

Luke Reven (610) 269-8230 ebranywine.org

East Fallowfield Township

Scott Swichar (610) 384-7144 eastfallowfield.org

East Nantmeal Township

Susan Rutherford (610) 458-5780 eastnantmeal.org

Elverson Borough

Lori Kolb (610) 286-6420 elversonboro.org

Highland Township

Barbara Davis (610) 857-1791

highlandtwp1853.org

Honey Brook Borough

Chandler Matlock (610) 273-2020 honeybrookborough.net

Honey Brook Township

Kristy Deischer-Eddy (610) 273-3970 honeybrooktwp.com

Modena Borough

Jennifer Daywalt (610) 384-6777

boroughofmodena.org

Newlin Township Gail Abel (610) 486-1141 newlintownship.org

Parkesburg Borough

Josh Mellinger 610) 857-2616 parkesburg.org

Sadsbury Township

Tammy Russell (610) 857-9503 sadsburytwp.org

Valley Township

Scott Piersol (610) 384-5751 valleytownship.org

Wallace Township

Betty Randzin (610) 942-2880 wallace@wallacetwp.org

West Bradford Township

Justin Yaich (610) 269-4174 westbradford.org

West Brandywine Township

Dale Barnett (610) 380-8200 wbrandywine.org

West Caln Township

Thomas Siedenbuehl (610) 384-5643 westcaln.org

West Fallowfield Township

Gina Wheeler (610) 593-5916

westfallowfieldtownship.org

West Nantmeal Township

Deborah Kolpak (610) 286-9722 westnantmeal.com

West Sadsbury Township

Patti Piersol (610) 857-5969 westsadsburytwp.org

Western Chester County Council of Goverments

Josh Mellinger (610) 384-9550 wcccog.com

GOVERNMENT l ELECTED OFFICIALS

Senator Carolyn T. Comitta 19th District (610) 692-2112 pasenatorcomitta.com

Senator Katie Muth 44th District (717) 576-0376 senatormuth.com

State Representative Tim Hennessey 26th District (610) 326-2626 rephennessey.com

State Representative John Lawrence 13th District (610) 869-1602 replawrence.com

State Representative

Danielle Friel Otten 155th District (484) 200-8259

pahouse.com/FrielOtten

State Representative Christina Sappey 158th District (717) 884-3459 pahouse.com/158/contact

State Representative Dan Williams 74th District (484) 200-8256 pahouse.com/Williams

U.S. Congressman Chrissy Houlahan 6th District (310) 346-9775 houlahan.house.gov

U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. (215) 405-9660 casey.senate.gov

U.S. Senator Patrick Toomey (215) 241-1090 toomey.senate.gov

GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGN

Blue Dog Printing & Design

Debi Friedmann (610) 430-7992

getbluedog.com

Hyland Graphic Design & Advertising

Matthew Weis (484) 879-6145 hylandgraphics.com

RUBI Digital, LLC

Dwayne Hallager (484) 908-0253 digitalrubi.com

GROCERY STORES

Crop’s Fresh Marketplace

Chad Cropper (484) 593-2665 cropsmarketplace.com

See ad pg. 67

Kimberton Whole Foods

Becca Settle (610) 590-5011 kimber tonwholefoods.com

Triple Fresh

Jim Petro (610) 384-5037 triplefresh.net See ad pg. 43

HARDWARE STORES

Hatt’s Industrial Supplies & True Value

Chip Clavier (610) 384-1954 hatts.com

See ad pg. 40

HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

ChesPenn Health Services, Inc.

Tamara Fox (610) 383-3888 chespenn.org

Compassionate Care

Gary Levin (484) 905-1050

Elite Therapy Solutions

Patrick Kinzeler (610) 547-3035 etsclinics.net

Elverson - Honey Brook Area EMS

Steven Jones (610) 286-8925 elversonems.org

Lancaster General Health Parkesburg

Debra Wertz (610) 857-6639 lancastergeneralhealth.org

See ad pg. 2

Levin Luminais Chronister

Eye Associates

Paul Fernandes (610) 384-9100 lleaeyes.com

NovaCare Rehabilitation

Amy Emrey (610) 273-4304 novacare.com

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

Darryl N. Barber

Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

Darryl Barber (610) 273-2369

darrylbarberandsons.com

Joe Ward Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

Joe Ward (610) 593-6474

Rhoads Energy Family of Companies

John Ratchford (610) 857-1650 rhoadsenergy.com

See ad pg. 21

Summers & Zim’s

Joseph Zimmer man (610) 593-5129 sumzim.com

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Budget Blinds of Coatesville Germaine Schumann (610) 643-4929 budgetblinds.com/coatesville Cellarium Wine Cellars

Donald Cochran (610) 721-9698 cellarium.com

Certapro Painters of Western Chester County

John Fecile (484) 283-5003 certapro.com

Chester County Fencing

Chris Kaminski (610) 273-3300 chestercountyfencing.com

Chester County Tile and Design

Jason Phillips (610) 380-5040 chestercountytile.com

Compass Hardwoods

Greg Pilotti (610) 857-2600

compass-hardwoods.com

Five Point Renovation & Remodel

Rob Wishneski (610) 383-2856

fivepointconstruction.com

Good Works, Inc.

Robert Beggs (610) 383-6311

goodworksinc.org

Juan Resendiz Contractor, LLC

Juan Resendiz (610) 350-5013 gojrcontractor.com

Milanese Remodeling

Mark Milanese (610) 384-5820 milaneseremodeling.com

Morinelli Powerwashing

Joseph Morinelli (610) 316-6422 morinellipowerwashing.com

HOME INSPECTIONS

Ground Up Home Inspections

Kevin Kerr (610) 324-3064

grounduphomeinspections.com

See ad pg. 52

HOTELS

Home2Suites by Hilton Downingtown

Patti Shores (610) 873-1200 downingtownroute30.home2suitesbydowningtown.com

Stottsville Inn

Michael Quinn (484) 718-5121 stottsvilleinn.com

HUMAN SERVICES

Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc.

Christine Zaccarelli (610) 388-1218 cvofcc.org

Greater Deliverance Development Outreach

Stephanie Duncan (484) 886-6413

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERED GRAPHIC SYSTEMS

Uticom Systems, Inc.

Paul Keeler (610) 857-2655 uticom.net

INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

Ballymore

Stephanie Brown (610) 593-5062 ballymore.com

Northwestern Chester County Rentals

Kathy Duca (610) 857-1110 nccrllc.com

Beaver Insurance Agency

Larry Beaver (484) 356-6455

allstate.com/larrybeaver

Breuninger Insurance

Joseph Regenski (610) 384-1980

binsured.com

See ad pg. 12

Continued from previous page

C. Kenneth Grant Insurance & Real Estate

Barry Norton (610) 384-6260

grantinsuranceandrealestate.com

Chester & Associates, LLC

Penny Reeder (610) 383-3884 rswinsurance.com

DiMatteo Insurance

Al DiMatteo (610) 383-1114 dimatteoinsuranceinc.com

Keystone HMO CHIP Program

Gregory Gutierrez (215) 241-9706 ibx.com/chip

Knies Insurance Group

Greg Knies (610) 273-3756 kniesinsurance.com

Paradigm Insurance Agency

Derek Chandler (610) 422-3530 pfgiusa.com

The Wright Agency

Jonathan Wright (610) 269-6115

wrightagencyinsurance.com

See ad pg. 9

US Health Advisors

Har ry Lilley (484) 554-4989 ushagent.com/harrylilley

VanDyne Insurance

Donna VanDyne (717) 430-2798 vandyneinsurance.com

Whitford Insurance Network, Inc.

Bob Ward (610) 524-7860 whitfordinsurance.com

See ad pg. 47

LANDSCAPING & HARDSCAPING

Bartlett Tree Experts

Kevin Weber (610) 295-3257 bartlett.com

Blue Cord Property Care

Bradley Fink (484) 796-1586

bluecordpropertycare.com

Bonner Landscape Contractors

Ryan Bonner (484) 886-2925 bonnerlc.com

Forrest Hardscape & Landscape

Matthew Siter (484) 753-4434 forresthardscape.com

Wills Property Maintenance

Richard Wills (610) 384-1624

willspropertymaintenance.com

LAUNDROMATS

Rainbow Washhouse

Steve Dovidio (610) 637-7636

Zeke’s, Inc.

Joseph DiSciullo (610) 384-5119

zekesincpa.com

LIBRARIES

Atglen Public Library

Robbyn Kehoe (610) 593-6848

ccls.org/158/atglen-public-library

Coatesville Area Public Library

Penny Williams (610) 384-4115

coatesvilleareapubliclibrary.org

Honey Brook Community Library

Jennifer Spade (610) 273-3303

honeybrooklibrary.org

Parkesburg Library

Kathleen Hood (610) 857-5165

parkesburglibrary.org

LIFE COACH

Toni Schmidt Life Coaching

Toni Schmidt (484) 252-6161

MAIL SHIPPING SERVICES

The UPS Store Print Shop -

Downingtown

Bruce Cobb (610) 518-5010

theupsstore.com

See ad pg. 47

MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS

Transfers of Learning, LLC

Tasha Delaney (610) 466-7521

transfersoflearning.com

See ad pg. 42

MANUFACTORING

3-East, LLC

Matt Gilbertson (844) 503-3278 3-east.com

ACR Machine, Inc.

Steve Tury (610) 383-6150 acrmachine.com

Aerzen USA Corportation

Cheri Hager (610) 380-0244 aerzen.com

American Roll Suppliers

Karen Neuhauser (610) 857-2988

Armstrong Engineering Associates, Inc.

Robin Austin (610) 436-6080

armstrong-chemtec.com

Brandywine Valley Fabricators

Josh Crane (610) 384-7440

brandywinevalleyfab.com

See ad pg. 5

Cigas Machine Shop, Inc.

Craig Cigas (610) 384-5239 cigasmachine.com

Cleveland-Cliffs Coatesville Al Fuller (610) 383-2000 clevelandcliffs.com

See ad pg. 44

Delaware Valley Concrete Co., Inc. Lisa Diliberto (215) 675-8900 delawarevalleyconcrete.com

See ad pg. 31

H2O Connected

Susan Springsteen (610) 246-9328 leakaler tor.com

JGM Fabricators & Constructors, LLC

Joseph Messner, Jr. (610) 873-0081 jpmusa.com

John Rock, Inc.

Bill MacCauley (610) 857-8080 johnrock.com

Keystone Turbine Services, LLC

John Fraser (610) 268-6200 kts.aero.com

See ad pg. 19

Pacer Industries, Inc.

Joseph Moran (610) 383-4200 pacergrindingwheels.com

Paulsonbilt

Pamela Barranco (610) 384-6112 paulsonbilt.com

Roberts Filter Group

Michelle Guerrero (610) 583-3131 robertsfilter.com

MARKETING, PROMOTION & PUBLIC RELATIONS

Communication Works Now

Judith Lee (610) 368-2058 communicationworksnow.com

Copy by Kait | KB Virtual

Adminsitrative Solutions, LLC

Kaitlyn Bowman (814) 87602673 copybykait.com

MEMORIALS & MONUMENTS

White Willows Memorial Design

Fay Monte (717) 442-9001 whitewillowsmemorials.com

METAL FABRICATION

American Roll Supplies, Inc.

Karen Neushauser (610) 857-2988

Brandywine Valley Fabricators

Josh Crane (610) 384-7440 brandywinevalleyfab.com

See ad pg. 5

MORTGAGE SERVICES

Delaware Valley Financial Mortgage LLC - Jennifer Roncace

Jennifer Roncace (610) 908-2229

delvalmort.com/team-member/jenniferroncace/ Guaranteed Rate

Jason Ashe (610) 864-6357 rate.com/jasonashe

MUSEUMS

Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art

Sheila Fleming (610) 388-8389 brandywine.org/conservancy

National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum/Graystone Society

Jim Ziegler (610) 384-9282 steelmuseum.org

NETWORKING GROUPS

CrossTALKS

Soraya Gutman (302) 643-9195 yourcrosstalks.com

Women’s Business Connection of Chester County Bette Cowles-Friedlander (484) 823-0110 wbcchesco.com

OPHTHALMOLOGISTS

OPTOMETRISTS & OPTICAL LABS

Levin Luminais Chronister

Eye Associates

Paul Fernandez (610) 384-9100 lleaeyes.com

PAINTING

Certapro Painters of Western Chester County

John Fecile (484) 283-5003 certapro.com

PARKES & RECREATION

Chester County Parkes & Preservation

Dave Stauffer (610) 932-2589 chesco.org

PET SERVICES

Stotzfus Feed & Supply

Dean Stoltzfus (717) 442-8280 stotltzfusfeedandsupply.com

PHARMACIES

Honey Brook Pharmacy

Tony Scalies (610) 273-7300

honeybrookpharmacy.com\

Hopewell Road Pharmacy

Tony Scalies (610) 269-0002 hopewellroadpharmacy.com

Quik-Stop Pharmacy

Alissa Steele-Griffith (610) 384-6100 qstoppharmacy.com

The Compounding Pharmacist

Kevin Hennessy (610) 692-8770 thecompoundrx.com See ad pg. 40

PHOTOGRAPHY

Aleesha Nicole Photography

Aleesha Howe (484) 824-1897 aleeshanicolephotos.com

Casablanca - A Right Start Venue

Grace Rauppius (484) 459-3351

rightstartcasablanca.com

PLUMBING

CMC, Inc.

Chris Horst (717) 442-9890 cmcinc.com

Darryl N. Barber Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

Darryl Barber (610) 273-2369 darrylbarberandsons.com

Joe Ward Plumbing& Heating, Inc. Joe Ward (610) 593-6474

J-S All Things Plumbing

Bob Sparr (610) 500-4373

bobsparr.wix.com/allthingsplumbing

Summers & Zims

Joseph Zimmerman (610) 593-5129 sumzim.com

Tri-County Water Services, Inc.

Brent D. Hershey (610) 857-1740 tricowater.com

POWERWASHING

Morinelli Powerwashing

Joseph Morinelli (610) 316-6422 morinellipowerwashing.com

PRINTING SERVICES

Blue Dog Printing & Design

Debi Friedmann (610) 430-7992 getbluedog.com

FASTSigns Exton

Carrie Mengel (610) 280-6100 fastsigns.com/368

Tam Arte Design Studio

Rick Milne (610) 269-7518 tamartedesign.com

The UPS Store Print ShopDowningtown Br uce Cobb (610) 518-5010 theupsstore.com See ad pg. 45

PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS

Blue Dog Printing & Design

Debi Friedmann (610) 430-7992 getbluedog.com

Image Ink

Janet Petsko (610) 518-5181 image-ink.biz

Paragon Business Gifts, Inc.

Greg Krajewski (610) 857-5506

paragonbusinessgifts.com

Zakback, Inc.

Bruce Korn (610) 407-0285 zakback.com

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & MAINTENANCE

Blue Cord Property Care

Bradley Fink (484) 796-1586

bluecordpropertycare.com

Brite Realty Services

Thomas Taylor (610) 524-8285 briterealty.com

Clarel Janitorial/Maintenance Services Corp.

Claudia Muntean (484) 378-0827 clarelmaintenance.com

Huston Properties

Sharon Tandarich (610) 384-2666 hustonproperties.com

Wills Property Maintenance, LLC

Richard Wills (610) 384-1624 willspropertymaintenance.com

Zeke’s, Inc.

Joseph DiSciullo (610) 384-5119 zekesincpa.com

PUBLISHER

Chester County Press

Randall Lieberman (610) 869-5553 chestercounty.com

REAL ESTATE SERVICES

All County Partnership

Jim Reading (610) 608-0282

Coldwell Banker PreferredKelly Brenenborg

Kelly Brenenborg (267) 809-5008

kellybrenenborghomes.com

First Liberty Partners

Eric Stretch (610) 594-3900

firstlibertypartners.com

High Associates, LTD

Mike Bowser (610) 380-8437 highlandscenter.com

Keller Williams / Matt Gorham

Real Estate

Matt Gorham (610) 363-4340 callthebaldguy.com

Lieberman Earley & Co.

Philip Earley (610) 225-0900 liebermanearley.com

Mark Lane Properties

Mark Sherman (215) 510-6399 marklaneproperties.com

RE/MAX Professional Realty -

Laurie Keen

Laurie Keen (610) 363-8444 teammatrixhomes.com

RECREATION

Air Ventures Balloon Flights, Inc.

Deb Harding (484) 753-2598 air-ventures.com

The Golf Zone Family Fun Center

George McNamara (610) 942-9494 golfzoneproshop.com

RECYCLING

A.J. Blosenski, Inc.

Anthony Blosenski (610) 942-2707 ajblosenski.com

Chester County Solid Waste Authority

Bob Watts (484) 796-4040 chestercswa.com

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Mahoney Environmental Services

Brenda McNeil (610) 425-1289 mahoneyes.com

RENTAL EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Northwestern Chester County Rentals

Kathy Duca (610) 857-1110 nccrllc.com

RESIDENTAL EXTERIOR REMODELING

Milanese Remodeling

Mark Milanese (610) 384-5820 milaneseremodeling.com

RESTAURANTS

Animated Brewing Company

Jared Castaldi (610) 448-9914 animatedbrewing.com

Beaver Creek Tavern

Stuart Deets (484) 593-0481 beavercreek-tavern.com

Glenmoore Deli

Christie Keith (610) 942-4321 facebook.com/glenmooredeli

Greenside Grill / Honeybrook Golf Club

Donna Hor vath (610) 273-0207 greensidegrill.com

See ad pg. 37

Harry’s Attic Tap & Rec Room

John H. Lymberis (610) 857-2331

theatticloungeatharrys.com

Harry’s Neighborhood Place / Sadsburyville Hotel, Inc.

John H. Lymberis (610) 857-2331 harryshotdogs.com

Lincoln Diner (610) 880-6662

Little Chef Family Restaurant

Nick Lymberis (610) 384-3221

thelittlecheffamilyrestaurant.com\ Rocco and Anna’s Ristorante Italiano Rocco Pirozzi, Jr. (610) 857-1111 roccoandanna.com

Shotgun Pub and Grille Curtis King (610) 593-2600 moccasinrun.com

Sly Tom’s Take Out

John Sly slytoms.com

Stottsville Inn Michael Quinn (484) 718-5121 stottsvilleinn.com

Surburban Brewing Company

Corey Ross (610) 273-3106 suburbanbrewingco.com

Victory Brewing Company

Samantha Dardine (484) 718-5080 victorybeer.com

ZING Sushi

John H. Lymberis (610) 857-0001 zingsushi.com

SECURITY

Signal 88 Security of Octorara Pete Mango (302) 298-3307

signal88.com

The Protection Bureau

Christine Pezzi (610) 903-4900 protectionbureau.com

Venture Property Protection, LLC

Michael Amersek (267) 977-8706

securityvpp.com

Witmer Public Safety Group, Inc.

James Witmer (484) 288-6405

wpsginc.com

SELF STORAGE

Hidden Valley Self Storage

Denyce Tober (610) 857-1778

hiddenvalleystorageparkesburg.com

See ad pg. 41

Continued on next page

Continued from previous page

SENIOR LIVING

Brandywine Valley Active Aging

Bill Pierce (610) 383-6900 bvactiveaging.org

Freedom Village at Brandywine

Nicole Rosella (610) 383-5100 fvbrandywine.com

Harrison House of Chester County

Jean Bryan (610) 384-6310 harrisonseniorliving.com

Heatherwood Retirement Community

Jessica Draves (610) 273-9301 heatherwoodretire.com

Tel Hai Retirement Community

David Shenk (610) 273-9333 telhai.org

SIGNS & BANNERS

Blue Dog Printing & Design

Debi Friedmann (610) 430-7992 getbluedog.com

Denron Sign Company

Vin McCormick (484) 885-3622 denronsigns.com

FastSigns Exton

Carrie Mengel (610) 280-6100 fastsigns.com

Tam Arte Design Studio

Rick Milne (610) 269-7518 tamartdesign.com

SKINCARE

Arbonne

Nina Malone (610) 331-8285 ninamalone.arbonne.com

Reecie’s Soaps Amber & Reece Turner (215) 847-4365 reeciessoaps.com

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

3-East, LLC

Matt Gilbertson (844) 503-3278 3-east.com

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

CTDI

Keith Montone (610) 793-8103 ctdi.com

Comcast

Jessica Sibley (610) 241-6617 comcast.com

TOURISM

Chester County Conference and Visitor’s Bureau -

Brandywine Valley

Travis Geiser (610) 719) 1730 brandywinevalley.com

TRANSPORTATION

Chester County Area Airport Authority

Gary Hudson (610) 383-6057 chestercountyairport.com

Chester County Aviation

Ethan Crane (610) 384-9005 chestercountyaviation.com

See ad pg. 7

Signature Flight Support

Blaise Sharkey (484) 786-0211

signatureflight.com

TMACC - Transportation Management

Association Chester County

P. Timonthy Phelps (610) 993-0911 tmacc.org

Traffic Planning and Design, Inc.

Randy Waltermeyer (610) 326-3100 trafficpd.com

TREE CARE

Bartlett Tree Experts

Kevin Weber (610) 594-4740 bartlett.com

The Tree Connection

Ryan Sipple (484) 888-5360 treeconnection.us

Wills Property Maintenance, LLC

Richard Wills (610) 384-1624 willspropertymaintenance.com

TRUCKING COMPANIES

Independence Transport & Logistics, LLC

Ed Simpson (610) 255-2118

UTILITIES

Chester County Solid Waste Authority

Bob Watts (610) 273-3771

chestercswa.org

PECO Energy Company

Scott Neumann (610) 725-7189

exeloncorp.com

PECO Energy Company

Michele Garrity (215) 841-5411 peco.com

Pennsylvania American Water Company

Justin Brame (610) 384-1776 amwater.com

See ad pg. 41

VENDING COMPANIES

Purple Penguin Vending, LLC

Craig Nesson (484) 909-0648

purplepenguinvending.com

VENUES

Applecross Country Club

John Harte (484) 692-1010 applecrosscc.com

Casablanca: A Right Start Venue

Grace Rauppius (484) 459-3351

rightstartcasablanca.com

Coatesville Country Club

Tom Riesenberg (610) 384-3200

coatesvillecountryclub.com

French Creek Golf Club

Thad Fortin (610) 913-6330 frenchcreekgolf.com

Honeybrook Golf Club

Donna Hor vath (610) 273-0207 honeybrookgolf.com

See ad pg. 37

Midway Arches

Jane Dar nell (610) 934-2724 midwayarches.com

Moccasin Run Golf Club / Shotgun Pub & Grille

Curtis King (610) 593-2600 moccasinrun.com

The Barn at Stoneybrooke

Jenn Engle (717) 723-5183

thebarnatstoneybrooke.com

VIDEO PRODUCTION & MULTIMEDIA

Valley Creek Productions

Justin Chan (215) 525-9904 valleycreekproductions.com

WATER PRODUCTS / FILTRATION

H2O Connected

Susan Springsteen (610) 246-9328 leakalertor.com

Roberts Filter Group

Michelle Guerrero (610) 583-3131 robertsfilter.com

Tri-County Water Services, Inc.

Brent D. Hershey (610) 857-1740 tricowater.com

WASTEWATER

Hydraterra Professionals

Joe Boldaz (610) 942-3000 hydraterrapro.com

WEB SITE DESIGN SERVICES

CompNet, Inc.

Mark Davis (610) 380-1314

compnetinc.com

See ad pg. 47

Mercurygraphix

Brandon McLean (610) 639-4723

mercur ygraphix.com

Rubi Digital, LLC

Dwayne Hallager (484) 908-0253

digitalrubi.com

WELDING

Pelet Welding, Inc.

Douglas Pelet (610) 384-5048

peletwelding.com

WELLNESS

Arbonne

Nina Malone (610) 331-8285

ninamalone.arbonne.com

EveryBody Yoga & Wellness

Tabathe Wallace (610) 570-7614

everybodyyogaandwellness.com

WINERY / WINE CELLARS

Cellarium Wine Cellars

Donald Cochran (610) 384-0599 cellarium.com

Stargazers Vineyard, LLC

Jason Kirkpatrick (610) 486-0422 stargazersvineyard.com

YOGA

EveryBody Yoga & Wellness

Tabathe Wallace (610) 570-7614

everybodyyogaandwellness.com

YOUTH SERVICES

Boy Scouts of America

Chester County Council

Jeffrey Spencer (610) 696-2900 cccbsa.org

Bridge Academy and Community Center

Jordan Crans (484) 467-6188 thebridgeacademy.org

Coatesville Youth Initative

Jarvis Berry (610) 380-0200 coatesvilleyouthiniative.org

The Parkesburg Point

Debbie Shupp (610) 857-3393 parkesburgpoint.com

See ad pg. 49

ON SELECTITEMSASMARKED