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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
What’s Going On in Upper Bucks? APRIL IS PREVENTION OF ANIMAL CRUELTY MONTH
April 1
Easter Bunny arrives at Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 10am at the Bunny Booth (dept 353A). Also April 2,8,9,13,14,15 from 10am5pm. Donate a canned vegetable or fruit for the Quakertown Food Pantry. Easter Bunny 12noon-5pm on weekends April 1 to April 15. Promenade Shops Gazebo, 2845 Ctr Valley Parkway, Center Valley. Info: 610-791-9707 Easter Bunny Breakfast 9am-11am, Upper Bucks Tech School, 3115 Ridge Rd, Perkasie. $7/adults, $5/ages 3-9. Quakertown Cares Spring Breakfast 8am11:30am at Quakertown HS, 600 Park Ave. Cost: $6 POQ’s “Beef & Beer” 7pm-10pm, Benner Hall, 1260 E Cherry Rd, Quakertown. Local restaurants donate a tray of beef. Vote your favorite! DJ & more. Info/regis. Alexis at prideofquakertown@yahoo.com “Hope for Stacey” Spring Benefit 4pm9pm, Tylersport Fire House, 125 Ridge Rd. $25/adult, $10/age 6-12. Adv. tkts only. Dinner, entertainmt, dancing, etc. Info/tkts: 215-529-7572, hopeforstacey.com 4th Annual Tails & Ties Rescue Gala at Historic Hotel Bethlehem, 6pm-10pm. Open Bar, food, fun, music, 100 silent & live auctions. Fun for ages 21+ yrs. Costs/info: Jackie@lastchanceranch.org, 215-538-2510 Reading Goes to the Dogs 2pm-3:30pm at Quakertown Library, 401 W Mill St. Children come read to certified therapy dogs. 215-536-3306 Adopt-A-Highway Spring Clean-up 8am-10am at CDP parking lot, Rte 313 & Thatcher Rd, Quakertown. christina.harmonosky@ubymca.org Craft/Vendor Show/Breakfast 8am-1pm at Quakertown HS, 600 Park Ave. Food/ Beverages available for purchase. Free Illusionist Show w/Brett Myers, 6pm at Locust Valley Chapel in Coopersburg. 610-282-3881 Rummage/Bake Sale 8am-2pm (r/s) at Quiet Acres Clubhouse, 931 Orchard Rd, Sellersville Family Style Roast Beef/Ham Dinner 4pm7pm at Trinity UCC, Rte 212, Pleasant Valley, info: 610-346-7114 All-U-Can-Eat Lasagna Dinner 3:30pm-7pm or sold out. $9/adults, $5/kids 5-12, take-out avail. Zion Lutheran, 2966 N Old Bethlehem Pike, Zion Hill. FMI: 215-538-7911 day of. Cruise Night 4pm-7pm at Country Square Shopping Ctr, 240-3 S West End Blvd, Quakertown, info 215-538-7256 Roast Beef Dinner 4pm-6:30pm at Friedens Lutheran, 2451 Saucon Valley Rd, Center Valley. $12/adult, $9/ages 4-12
April 1 & 2
14th Welcome Spring Spiritual Faire at Milford Twp Fire Co, 2185 Milford Sq Pike, Quakertown (Sat 10am-6pm) (Sun 10am5pm), Admis/$5, details at quakertowncsl.org
April 2
St. Isidore School Open House 10am12noon. Experience the difference, bring the whole family. Meet our superb teachers and students. Info for Pre-School thru grade 8 programs, call 215-536-6052. Barbershop Harmony (Liberty Belles & North Pennsmen Quartet w/lunch) 12noon3pm at Indian Valley Country Club, Bergey Rd, Telford. Info/Tkts/$30, 215-257-3953 or 215-257-7695
Breakfast 8am-1pm at Springtown Firehouse, 3010 Rte 212, Springtown. $7/adult, $4/kids 5-8, free/4 & under 23rd Annual Bucks-Mont Bottle Show 9am2pm. Tylersport Firehouse, 125 Ridge Rd. Info: David 215-206-5878 Spring Festival 9am-2pm at Crist Farm Stand, 3528 Bethlehem Pike, Souderton. 20+ vendors. Penny Party 1:30pm at St. Luke’s Church, 20 Church Rd, Hellertown. $2/number, prizes, raffles, kitchen will be open. 610-838-0897 Bowl For Kids’ Sake 2017, 10:30am3:30PM. Enjoy 1 ½ hrs of bowling, free T-shirt & much more. Earl Bowl Lanes, 251 N West End Blvd, Quakertown. Regis. team: bridget@bbbsbc.org or 215-343-8260 x110
April 4
“Medical Treatment of our Assassinated Presidents” 7pm at Civil War Round Table meeting. Free, Doylestown Borough Hall, 57 W Court St. 215-822-1562 or civilwarmuseumdoylestown@gmail.com
April 6
“Antiques Appraisal Night” at Milford Twp Historical Soc, 1580 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Spinnerstown (GPS Quakertown). $4/item (limit 2), sign up 6-7pm, appraisals at 7pm. Free refreshments, info 215-272-7459
April 7 & 8
Spring Rummage Sale at Quakertown United Methodist, 1875 Freier Rd. (Fri 9am4pm) (Sat 9am-12noon, $3 bag day), clothing, household, toys, jewelry, baked goods, lunch. Info: Becky 215-896-7055
April 8
Breakfast w/Easter Bunny (8, 9, or 10am) at Grand View Hosp. Cafeteria. Reserv. required at 215-453-4084. Also Egg Hunt & more. $3.50/ages 2-12, $5.50/adults, under age 2 are free. Perkiomen Watershed’s Annual Cleanup, 9am-12noon. Visit perkiomenwatershed.org/ stream-clean-up/ to sign up. Rowboats/canoes? Also visit perkiomenwatershed.org/trashspot to report trash sightings. Easter Egg Hunt 9am in Memorial Park, Mill St, Quakertown (r/d April 9 at 1pm), Easter Bunny, Petting Zoo, fun activities. 42nd Easter Egg Hunt 1pm at Quakertown Farmers Mkt. 1000+ prize eggs, 14,000 candy-filled. Free gift. Guest: The Just Born Peep. 3 age categories & 1 special needs category. R/D is April 9. Easter Egg Hunt 11am (r/s) at Quakertown Church of the Brethren, 455 Trumbauersville Rd, Quakertown. Meet in the sanctuary. Bring a bag or basket. Girl Scout recruiting 1pm at Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 201 Station Rd. (Dept #215), 215-536-4115 Annual Fishing Derby 8am at Sellersville Fire Co Poppa Joe Picnic Grove. For Pennridge Community students K-5th grade (MUST pre-reg. w/adult). Call BC/Pennridge C of C 215-257-5390 for regis. info. Comedy Benefit (doors open 7pm) w/Mike Burton. $20/pp, West End Fire Co, 1319 Park Ave, Quakertown. Info/tkts: 215-896-5340 or jcpentertainment.com
April 8 & 9
10th Spring Trout Derby, 8am-4pm, Schukraft/Camp Rockhill Rds, Quakertown. Open 6am, Fish License req’d. Food/bait avail. $25/adults per day, $10/under age 16. Details: greatswampfishandgame.com
April 9
All-U-Can-Eat Breakfast 8am-12noon at Silverdale Fire Co, 111 W Main St. $7/adults, $4.50/kids All-U-Can-Eat Breakfast 8am-12:30pm at Richland Twp Fire & Rescue, 64 Shelly Rd, Quakertown. Info: 215-536-7226 Theme Basket Bingo at Eastern Upper Bucks Seniors, 8040 Easton Rd, Ottsville. Doors open 12noon, games at 1pm, info: 610-847-8178 “Early Quaker Women & Their Role in Society” 1:30pm-4pm (program at 2pm) at Hartzel-Strassburger Homestead, 407 Keystone Dr & Bethlehem Pike, Sellersville. Free, donations accepted, 267-614-9174 Vendor Bingo 12noon-5pm at Tylersport Fire Co, 125 Ridge Rd. Benefits Mostly Muttz Rescue, info: 215-669-2041
April 10
AARP Mtg 1:30pm-3pm at Upper Bucks Activity Ctr, 2183 Milford Sq Pike, Quakertown. Speaker: Brian Fitzpatrick. Info: 215-536-3006 Hoagie Sale at Trumbauersville Fire Co. (see Ongoing Events)
April 11
Screening of “Life, Animated” (Oscar nominated documentary) 4:30pm-6:30pm at Sellersville Theater, 24 W Temple Ave. Suggested donation $10, RSVP by April 4. Citizens for Constitutional Govt hosts mtg w/Jenna Geesey for Scott Wagner for Gov. Campaign. Quakertown Library, 401 W Mill St. Admis. is free, open to the public. Library: 215-536-3306
April 12 to 15
Easter Flower Sale (Wed, Thu, Fri 9am9pm) (Sat 8am-4pm) at Trumbauersville Fire Co., 142 N Main St. Info and/or preorder: Kim 215-536-1998 or bucks58fire.com
April 13
Pop-up Story Time 1pm-2pm, Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 201 Station Rd. (Dept #215), 215-536-4115
April 13 to 15
Easter Flower Sale 9am-5pm at Antique Haven, Rte 611, Riegelsville. (sponsor: Community Fire Co), Info: 610-749-2737
April 15
25th Annual Blues Festival 1pm The Raven’s Nest, 625 Old Bethlehem Rd, Quakertown. Featuring Big Poppa’s Backyard BBQ. Info: 215-536-5369
April 16 April 19
Easter Day
“WWII: The Bands & the Singers” Free program presented by Herb Kaufman -Historian. 7pm at Quakertown Library. Details: Kathy, Woman’s Club of Quakertown, 908-892-8458
April 22
Earth Day Gospel Music Concert by The New Harmenaires Revival 7pm, Solomon’s UCC, 2990 Bedminster Rd (Rte 113), Perkasie. Free-will offering will be taken. Refreshmts at intermission. Solomonsucc.org Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 201 Station Ave, from 10am-3pm Keystone N-Trak Model RR Spring Open House, 11am-4pm at Dublin TEC Ctr, Suite 216 (rear entrance) 123 N Main St (Rte 313) Dublin. Admission/parking are free. Chili Cook-Off/Pie Bake-Off 5pm-7pm at Benner Hall in Richlandtown. (benefits Richlandtown Fire Co) $5/pp
“Help A Horse Day” at Last Chance Ranch in Quakertown. Info at lastchanceranch.org WWWA Wrestling at Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 201 Station Rd. (6:30pm in Dept #201) 215-536-4115
April 23
Quarter/Paddle Raffle (open 12noon), $10/ tkt, Grand Prize of $150 in PA lottery tkts. Upper Bucks Activity Ctr, 2183 Milford Sq Pike, Quakertown. Refreshmts for sale. Tkts/ info: Melissa 215-536-2914 12th Basket Bingo at Sellersville Fire House, 2 N Main St. Includes 24 games & lunch. ALL must have ticket. $20/adv, $25/door if avail. Tkts: sfdbasketbingo@yahoo.com or 215-257-4028 x58 Basket Bingo (open 11:30am) benefits Brookline Labrador Rescue. East Greenville Firehouse, 401 Washington St. $20 Adv.Tkts: BrooklineLabRescue.org, 215-343-6087 or $25 at the door
April 24
Keystone Quilters Mtg, Quakertown Christian Sch, 50 E Paletown Rd, Qtown. $5/ guests, open 6:30pm, keystonequilters.org (Barbara Persing – barbarapersing.com) April 26 “What They Did There: Profiles from Battle of Gettysburg” 7pm at Hilltown Twp Bldg, Rte 152 & 13 W Creamery Rd, Silverdale. Free, donations accepted, 267-614-9174, Hilltown Twp Historical Society
April 28
Arbor Day ’04 Cobras Beef & Beverage Fundraiser 7pm-11pm, Benner Hall, 1260 Cherry Rd, Richlandtown. Raffles, BYOB, DJ, Sport Memorabilia Auction. Must be 21. Tickets $25/adv, $30/door. Tkts: 267-266-0910 Hawaiian Luau Senior Citizens’ Dance, 5pm-7pm at Quakertown HS, 600 Park Ave. Dinner, dancing & music by Tom Calvin’s Oldies. FREE! RSVP 215-529-2137 or msandler@qcsd.org by April 25
April 29
Flapjack Fundraiser 8 to 10 at Applebee’s, 145 N West End Blvd, Quakertown. (for John Rivers Veterans Ctr), Questions: 215-5290500 or 267-992-4972, leave a message. Beef & Beer Fundraiser 5pm-10pm,Benner Hall, 1260 E Cherry Rd, Richlandtown. DJ, raffles, karaoke, more. Tkts: $20/regis., $25/door, free under 12. Nicholasfight13 @gmail.com, facebook.com/nicholasfight Superhero Fun Run 9:30am at Strayer Middle School outdoor track, Quakertown. (4-6 yrs, ¼ mi) (7-13 yrs, ½ mi), run in a safe costume. Contact: 215-536-YMCA x114 or david.evans@ubymca.org Healthy Kids Day 10am-12noon at UBYMCA, 401 Fairview Ave, Quakertown. Free family fun activities, refreshments for purchase. ubymca.org Knit & Crochet for Charity meets 10am12noon at St. John’s Lutheran, 19 S 10th St, Quakertown. All are welcome. Info: Kathie 215-536-3593 or stjohnsquak@verizon.net Food Truck Festival/Car Cruise 11am-6pm r/s, (car cruise 2-6pm), Trumbauersville Fire Co, 142 N Main St. activities, demos, vendors, entertainment. Info/regis: Jason.gerhart@ comcast.net or 215-260-5142 Doug Church (Elvis impersonator) Showtime 8pm at Tylersport Firehouse, 125 Ridge Rd. BYOB, food for purchase. Tkts: $35, tylersportfireco.com, 215-257-5900 B.S.A. Troop 1 Flea Mkt/Bake Sale, 8am-2pm at St. Michael’s, 25 E Church St, Sellersville, 215-257-6040
April 2017 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
What’s Going On in Upper Bucks?
April 29
Flea Mkt/Craft Show 9am-2pm at Dublin Fire Co, Rte 313 & Rickert Rd. Breakfast/lunch avail. for sale. Vendor info: 215-249-3089 Church School Open House 9:30am-12noon, across from Trinity Lutheran at 2165 Rte 212 in Pleasant Valley (GPS Coopersburg), Questions? Call Tom Cline 484-308-1510
May 1
Planning for the Future Expo: Workshops/ Resources for Special Needs Students. 5pm-8pm, Free, Quakertown HS on Park Ave. Info: Susan 215-529-2085, Dawn 215-348-2940 x1729
May 6
Upper Bucks Relay for Life, 9am-11pm at Memorial Park, 4th & Mill St, Quakertown Car Show Benefit 11am-3pm (r/d May 7) at Last Chance Ranch, Quakertown. Info: 215538-2510, lastchanceranch.org Quilter’s Buffet 9am-4pm at Dryland UCC, 4415 Newburg Rd, Nazareth. “Round Robin” of instruction tips for all. Lunch included. $40 for the day, Details/regist. Sherry 610-4388033, Roxanne 570-476-8084
May 8
Hoagie Sale at Trumbauersville Fire Co. (see Ongoing Events)
May 3
May 13
May 5
May 14
Cinco De Mayo 5K at UBYMCA, 401 Fairview Ave, Quakertown. Details/costs: Megan 215-536-9622 x120 or ubymca.org 2017 QMFA Golf Outing at Fox Hollow Golf Club, Quakertown. Regis. 10am. $90/ golfer. Fee inc. greens fees, carts, lunch & dinner. Regis. online: https://squareup.com/ store/QMFA, ?? cocong75@gmail.com
Quakertown Police Bike Rodeo 9am at Quakertown Pool Parking Lot on Mill St. (r/d May 20 at 9am) “Reverse Barn” (rarest of PA farm structures) 1:30pm-4pm (program 2pm) at Hartzel-Strassburger Homestead, 407 Keystone Dr & Bethlehem Pike, Sellersville. Free, donations accepted, 267-614-9174
Have something to share with your community? Send us the details! info@ubfp.org • UBFP • 582 S. West End Blvd • Quakertown, PA 18951
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
Establishing Your Estate Planning Goals
BY ROBERT E. FRAVEL, ESQ.
Before starting your journey down the estate planning road, it is absolutely essential that you establish your goals. This can be summarized by the phrase “lifetime objectives”. Basically, you need to establish a roadmap for how you want to use your assets to achieve your lifetime objectives. For many people, common lifetime objectives include: • providing for a child’s education; • having enough money for retirement; • replacement of income in the event of a disability; • asset/estate management in the event of incapacity; • establishing personal end-life healthcare treatment options; • making sure the family business survives after your death; and • setting up a system for the detailed transfer of assets upon death.
This is by no means an all-inclusive list of lifetime objectives, but it should at least give you an idea of where to start when creating your own list. Each estate plan is different because everyone has different objectives. Once you have established your lifetime objectives, the next step is to sit down with an experienced estate planning attorney who can help you achieve those objectives through the proper legal instruments. Your objectives may require extensive trust work or simply a will along with a financial power of attorney, but in either case an experienced estate planning attorney will help you institute an estate plan best suited to your objectives. Robert E. Fravel, Esq. is a solo practitioner in Dublin, Pennsylvania who specializes in estate planning & administration, family law and business law. You can contact him at (267) 227-9138 or ref@fravel-law.com.
Plan for Health Care Costs During Retirement
When you retire, some of your expenses may go down – but health care is not likely to be one of them. In fact, your health care costs during retirement may well increase, so you may want to plan for these costs well before you leave the work force. How much can you expect to spend on health care during your retirement years? Consider these statistics: • A 65-year-old couple who retired in 2016 will need about $288,000 (in today’s dollars) during retirement just to pay Medicare Parts B, D and supplemental insurance, according to HealthView Services, a company that provides health care cost projections for financial services firms. If out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles, co-pays, hearing, vision and dental are included, the lifetime figure rises to about $377,000 in today’s dollars. • The national average for a private room in a nursing home is more than $92,000 per year, according to a survey by Genworth, an insurance company. And the services of a home health aide cost more than $45,000 per year, according to the same survey. Medicare typically pays very little of these costs. To cope with these expenses, you’ll want to integrate them into your overall retirement saving and investing strategies. Knowing the size of a potential health care burden may help motivate you to put as much as you can afford into your 401(k), IRA and other retirement accounts. Even when you’re retired, part of your portfolio should be devoted to growth-oriented investments, such as stocks, to help pay for rising health care costs. It’s true that stocks will always fluctuate, and you don’t want to be forced to sell them when their price is
down. However, you can help yourself avoid this problem by also owning a good mix of other investments, such as investment-grade corporate bonds, government securities and certificates of deposit (CDs), whose value may be more stable than that of stocks. Another way to help defray the costs of health care is to work part-time a few years after you had originally planned to retire. This added income can help you delay tapping into your IRA and 401(k), thus giving these accounts a chance to potentially grow further. Plus, you may be able to put off taking Social Security, and the longer you wait until you start collecting benefits, the bigger your checks will be, at least until they top out at age 70. These suggestions may help you meet many of your typical medical costs during retirement, but what about long-term care expenses, such as an extended stay in a nursing home or the need for home health care assistance? As mentioned above, these costs can be enormous. Fortunately, the financial marketplace does provide some cost-effective solutions for long-term care – solutions that may help you avoid “self-insuring.” A financial professional can provide you with some recommendations in this area. It’s probably unavoidable that your health care costs will rise, and possibly keep rising, when you’re retired. But by being aware of these expenses years in advance, and by following a diligent saving and investment strategy – one that may also include a longterm care component – you can improve your “financial fitness” for dealing with health care costs. submitted by Bob Podraza in the Edward Jones office on West Broad Street, Quakertown. He can be reached at 215-536-3635 or at bob.podraza@edwardjones.com
LEAVE DEPRESSION BEHIND Depression? Hopelessness? That was yesterday.
Soroptimist Int’l of Indian Rock recognizes Bucks Coalition Against Trafficking Bucks Coalition Against Trafficking (BCAT) and its co-chair, Kathy Bennett, were presented with awards for their contributions to the community by Soroptimist International of Indian Rock at the service club’s annual recognition dinner on March 1. Soroptimists’ Advancing the Status of Women Award presented to BCAT recognizes and honors businesses and organizations that have been particularly active and successful in advancing the status of women through employment policies, scholarships and grants in support of women, or advocacy on behalf of the improvement of women’s status. The Women Helping Women Award presented to Kathy Bennett, associate director of Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA), honors women who consistently and effectively use their resources, talents and influence to
help other women achieve their potential for the improvement of women’s status in society. Award-winners are women who have used their positions, influence and authority to open broader avenues of opportunity for women. They have worked to eliminate economic, legal, social or political discrimination against women. BCAT, a project of NOVA established in 2013, works to eradicate human trafficking in Bucks County through victim identification, community education, enhancement of arrests and prosecution of traffickers, legislative advocacy and a coordinated response of survivor services. It provides services to Bucks County especially in the areas of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking and labor trafficking and exploitation.
Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is • Safe, effective, clinically proven to help those with Depression • Magnetic pulses to stimulate brain structures • FDA-cleared, non-invasive and non-medication treatment • 20-minute daily sessions for 4-6 weeks Now accepting Medicare and other insurances.
Call us today and get your life back! www.newvitaewellness.com 215-538-3403 ext. 314
April 2017 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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Have something to share with your community? Send us the details! info@ubfp.org • fax: 215-839-3421 • 582 S. West End Blvd• Quakertown, PA 18951
Ongoing Events & Resources Summer Science Academy Classes at Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy in Schwenksville. Costs info/pre-regis. with paymt required, 610-287-9383. (“Green Growing Things” June 12-15, ages 3-6) (“Summer Explorers” July 10-14 & Aug 14-1, K-3rd gr) (“Summer Afield” June 19-23 or July 24-28, 4th6th gr) (“Exploring the East Branch Creek” June 29 or July 6, K-4th gr) perkiomenwatershed.org Quakertown Farmers Market Auctions 1st & 3rd Fri/month w/Les Beyer, 2nd & 4th Sat/month w/Tom Lorah, call 215-536-4115 for info Hoagie Sales 2nd Monday of month (except July/August) at Trumbauersville Fire Co, 142 North Main St, advance orders due Wed. before. $5.50-$6.00, info/order: Kim 215-536-1998 or bucks58fire.com All Veterans invited to join Forrest Lodge VFW, 2118 Old Bethlehem Pike, Sellersville. Call Frank 215-679-7770 Veterans invited 7:30pm, fourth Monday each month at VFW Post 3405, at 211 E Fairmount St, Coopersburg. Call for details at 610-282-1840 Veterans invited 1:30pm, second Sunday each month at John Rivers Memorial VFW Post 11322, 41 Belmont Ave, Quakertown, 267-3719636 (bring DD 214 for proof eligibility) PetSmart Adoption Day is 2nd Saturday each month, 11am-2pm, PetSmart, 620 N.West End Blvd, Quakertown, 215-538-2843 or lastchanceranch.org Last Chance Ranch Volunteer Orientation/ Tour, 1st Saturday each month, 10am-11am in front of Horse Barn, 9 Beck Rd, Quakertown, 215-538-2510 lastchanceranch.org
Support & Service Groups
Singles Connection for adults meets Thursdays for social evening, 7pm at Silverdale Brethren in Christ Church, 165 W. Main St, Silverdale. 215593-9995 or email carolonline1@verizon.net Sisters U Monthly Meetings 7pm-9pm the third Thurs every month in Perkasie, info: 267429-3196, stef@sistersu.com, Parent Support Group on Addiction meets 7pm, first & third Wed every month in Red Schoolhouse, Presbyterian Church Deep Run, 16 Irish Meetinghouse Rd, Bedminster. Info: batchof5@yahoo.com Family Education on Addiction meets 7pm, first three Mondays every month in the Red School House, Presbyterian Church Deep Run, 16 Irish Meetinghouse Rd, Perkasie. Free, register 800-221-6333 SOS Bereavement After Suicide, Family Support Group at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital twice monthly, info/details call 215-536-5143 Brain Injury Family/Spousal/Partner Support Group 6pm-8pm the third Monday every month at First UCC, Church Parlor, 4th & Park Ave, Quakertown, 215-538-3488 or 610-558-1326 Caregiver Support Group meets last Thurs. every month, Independence Court of Quakertown, 1660 Park Ave, (meal provided), RSVP: 215-5419030 to attend a meeting. Caregiver Support Group 4pm-5pm, meets last Thur. of month, Hidden Meadows, 340 Farmers Ln, Sellersville, (tour & complimentary lunch), 267-429-3931, hiddenmeadowsontheridge.com Upper Bucks Clinic, free medical care for uninsured low-income residents of Upper Bucks County, 215-538-4774 Alzheimer’s Support Group, Phoebe Richland Health Care Ctr, 108 S. Main St, Richlandtown.
Free, more info: Social Services 267-371-4512, nkoval@phoebe.org Alzheimer’s Support Group, Hidden Meadows on the Ridge, 340 Farmers Ln, Sellersville. RSVP 267-429-3931 NOVA (Network Of Victim Assistance) Support Groups, NOVA hotline 1-800-675-6900. www.NOVABucks.org Bedminster Nar-Anon meets Tues 7pm, Deep Run West Mennonite, 1008 Deep Run Rd, Perkasie, for family/friends of those struggling w/addiction, Bedminster.naranon@yahoo.com A Woman’s Place (support for domestic abuse/ violence) 24-hour Hotline 1-800-220-8116, www.awomansplace.org UB Kiwanis meets 1st Wed of month 7:30am at Panera Bread, 4th Wed of month 12:30pm at Dominick’s Pizza, Quakertown Quakertown Lions Club meets 2nd & 4th Wed each month, 7pm at John’s Plain & Fancy Restaurant, Quakertown Quakertown Rotary Club meets (1st & 3rd Tues 7:30am at John’s Plain & Fancy Restaurant) (2nd, 4th, & 5th Tues 6pm at Spinnerstown Hotel) Business Networking International (BNI) meets every Thurs 7am-8:30am at John’s Plain & Fancy in Quakertown, membership info: James Dodson – jamescovie@yahoo.com Believers in Business (Qtwn Chapter) meets 2nd & 4th Friday each month, 7:30am-9am at John’s Plain & Fancy Restaurant in Quakertown, info at 610-762-8054
Community Meals
Free Community Meal third Wed of month, 5:30pm-6:30pm, Christ Community Bible Church, 1830 N. Ridge Rd, Perkasie, 215-257-7318
Free Community Meal second, fourth & fifth Weds.of month, 6pm, Richland Friends Quaker Meeting. Mill Rd & Main St off Route 309, Qtwn, 215-538-7555 Free Community Meal third Thurs of month, 5:30pm-6:30pm, First UCC, 4th & Park, Qtwn, 215-536-4447 Free Community Meal first Thurs. of month, 5:45pm, Yerger Bldg across from Trinity Lutheran, 102 N Hellertown Ave Quakertown
Bingo
Bingo at Encore Experiences, 2nd Sat of month, 312 Alumni Ave, Harleysville, details: 215-256-6900 Bingo at Milford Twp Fire Hall every Thur, 12:15pm (first Thur. of month has $50 Jackpot), 2183 Milford Square Pike, Quakertown, 215-536-3066 Bingo at West End Fire Co every Wed, open 5:30pm, (refreshments avail, smoke-free), cash prizes, 1319 Park Ave, Quakertown, 215-536-6130 Bingo at Richland Twp Fire & Rescue every Tues, open 5:30pm, 64 Shelly Rd, Qtwn. 215-536-7226 Bingo at Great Swamp Fish & Game every Sat, open 4pm, games 6:30pm, kitchen open. Free coffee, 2650 Schukraft & Camp Rock Hill Rd, Qtwn, 215-536-8820 Bingo at Sellersville Fire Co. every Thurs. (except July) open 5:30pm, 2 N. Main St, 215-257-4028 Bingo at Tylersport Fire Co. every Tues. open 5:30pm, 125 Ridge Rd, 215-257-5900 Bingo at American Legion Post 397, 1st & 3rd Friday of the month, open 6pm, 935 Main St, Hellertown, 484-851-3624
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
Upper Bucks Area Places of Worship Bible Baptist Church meets at Strayer Middle School Auditorium 1200 Ronald Reagan Drive, Quakertown 267-772-0288 www.biblebaptistcares.org Pastor: Thomas Harris Bible Study Hour 9:30 am, Morning Worship 10:30 am, Services interpreted for the deaf
Christ Church United Church of Christ
101 N. Main Street Trumbauersville, PA 18970 215-538-0142 christchurch10@verizon.net www.christchurchisalive.org Pastor: David Heckler A friendly, welcoming church. Change fear into hope, doubt into faith. God is calling. Join us at 11am Sunday. Halleleujah!
Christ’s Lutheran Church
1 Luther Lane, Trumbauersville 215-536-3193 Pastor: Carolann Hopcke 9:00am Worship, 10:15 Sunday School Free Drive-in Movies Friday evenings June through August, Handicapped accessible, Family Friendly Church
Church of the Incarnation
44 S. 8th Street, Quakertown 215-538-3787 Ardores@verizon.net www.IncarnationQuakertown.org Pastor: Most Rev. Thomas J. Kleppinger Traditional worship, Biblical faith Sunday 10:30am, Holy Days as announced.
First United Methodist Church
501 Market Street, Perkasie 215-257-4626 fumcperkasie@verizon.net www.fumcperkasie.com Pastor: Scott Dorn Mission: Share God’s love, Make and nurture disciples of Jesus Christ, positively impact our community and world.
Good News Church
Quakertown United Methodist Church
St. John’s Lutheran Ridge Valley
1875 Freier Road, Quakertown
910 Allentown Road, West Rockhill Twp 215-257-9643 stjohnsridgevalley@verizon.net www.stjohns-ridgevalley.com Pastor: Amy Hotter 8:30am Traditional - 10:30am w/priase band. Grape juice & gluten-free wafers available. Handicapped accessible. All invited and welcome anytime to Share the Joy!
215-536-4992 barb@qumc.com www.qumc.com Pastor: Rev. Dr. Thomas S. Robinson III Sunday morning worship: 8:00am, 9:00am
424 Juniper Street, Quakertown 215-536-4393 Pastor: David Markey, Jr. An alternative to the ultra-contemporary Sunday Worship and Children’s Church 10:30 am, Wednesday Bible Study 7:30pm, World Evangelism Fellowship affiliate.
11:00am Sunday School for all ages 10:00am.
1634 Hilltown Pike, Hilltown 215-822-3930 Pastor: The Rev. Catherine Kerr 10:00am Sunday Eucharist
Clerk: Jack H. Schick
Good Shepherd Church (Episcopal)
Grace Bible Fellowship Church
1811 Old Bethlehem Pike N., Quakertown 215-536-6096 grace@quakertownbfc.org www.quakertownbfc.org Pastor: Ron Kohl, Sr. Pastor Sunday School for all ages, 10:10am Morning Worship, Evening 1st & 3rd Sundays 6:30 pm, Small group meetings 2nd & 4th Sundays 6:30 pm, Tues: Ladies Bible study 9:30am; Wed: AWANA (2 yrs - 6th grade) & Teens for Christ 6:30 pm, Adult Bible study 7 pm.
Morning Star Fellowship
Richland Friends Meeting (Quaker) Main St at Mill Rd & Park Ave, Quakertown 215-538-7555 Friends@RichlandQuakers.org www.RichlandQuakers.org Non-Denominational guided meditations Wed, 7pm Sunday worship 10:30am “Absolute freedom of thought and worship is our faith and practice.”
Ridge Valley United Church of Christ 905 Allentown Road, Sellersville 215-257-7244 rvucc.pastor@verizon.net
Spinnerstown Rd & County Line Rd Spinnerstown 215-679-7710 tgsucc@verizon.net www.tgsucc.org Pastor: David R. Ellis / Matt Gorkos Sunday School classes for all ages (preK adult) 9:15 am. Family activities throughout the year
We are a vibrant, welcoming Family of Faith.
Pastor: David Genszler
First United Church of Christ
Fourth Street & Park Avenue, Quakertown 215-536-4447 info@firstUCC.net www.firstUCC.net facebook.com/FirstUCCQuakertown Co-Pastors: Douglas & Joyce Donigian Traditional worship Sunday 9:15am, Alternative worship Sunday 5:15pm, Community dinners every 3rd Thursday 5:30pm
720 Blooming Glen Road, Blooming Glen 215-257-7309 kallebach@pennridgecf.org www.pennridgecf.org Pastor: Thomas Vargis Sunday worship 10:30am, Sunday School after song service (infants to age 12), Wed evenings 7pm w/ prayer, Crossroads youth & (Sep-Apr) boys and girls clubs. All are welcome.
Evangel Assembly of God
401 Arch Street, Perkasie 215-453-1565 • www.perkasieag.org Pastor: Rev. Gary Saul Where God’s Love Changes Lives
Pennridge Christian Fellowship
104 Green Street, Sellersville 215-257-7268 stacey@stpaulsucc.net www.stpaulsucc.net 8:00 am Rejoice & Praise Worship in Parlor, 9 am Sunday School - all ages, 10:15 Worship in Sanctuary
Pastor: Rev. Steve Myren
610-282-1908 234 S. Main Street, Coopersburg coopmoravian@aol.com Pastor: Jay Petrella Sunday services 10:00am. Small, friendly Protestant church. Community mission: Serving free dinners once per month. All are welcome. Call for information.
MorningStar Moravian Church
St. Paul’s United Church of Christ
Trinity Great Swamp UCC
Worship: Sundays 9:30am. Ridge Valley:
560 S. Main Street Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-3040 emmanuelchurch11@yahoo.com www.emmanuelquakertown.org Sunday service at 10am, Visitors and new members always welcome!
837 Old Bethlehem Road, Quakertown 215-536-5789 stpauls@netcarrier.com www.quakertown.net/stpauls Pastor: Rev. David Heckler We believe in sharing God’s love in joyful service. Come and see. All are welcome.
www.ridgevalleyucc.org
429 S. 9th Street, Quakertown 215-529-6422 Pastor: John Decker www.mstarqtown.org Services at 9am & 11am, Children’s Ministry provided, EastWest Cafe open with free coffee. Celebrate recovery Wednesday 7pm. Check website for more info.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Applebachsville
Growing Together in God’s Love.
St. John’s Lutheran Church 19 South 10th Street, Quakertown 215-536-3593 stjohnsquak@verizon.net www.stjohnsquak.org Sunday Worship 8 and 10:30am, Sunday School 9:15am. Welcoming, Reaching Out, Serving. Elevator available
St. John’s Lutheran Church of Spinnerstown 1565 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Spinnerstown 215-536-0734 stjohnsspinnerstown@gmail.com www.stjohnsofspinnerstown.org Pastor: The Rev. Axel Kaegler Worship service 9:45 am, Sunday School 9 9:45 am - children 3 years through 6th grade
Trinity Lutheran Church
102 N. Hellertown Avenue, Quakertown 215-536-4345 www.trinityquakertown.org Pastor: Lynette R. Chapman 9am Traditional Service, 10:15am FaithQuest, 11am Contemporary Service. Handicapped Accessible, Family Friendly Church, Dynamic Music Ministry. Living God’s Love for All.
Victory Fellowship Church
120 Ridge Road, Telford 215-453-9988 victoryfellowshippa@gmail.com www.victoryfellowshippa.org Pastor: Dr. Virgil A. Mobley Full Gospel.A friendly, loving, and joyful church where the presence of God is in His house. Check out our website.
April 2017 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
BY PASTOR DAVID HECKLER Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart! Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art: Thou my best thought, both by day and by night; waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word; I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord. Thou my soul’s shelter, and Thou my high tower; raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r… It’s one of my favorite hymns and prayers— and during this Lenten and Easter season (not to mention this cultural season), it’s almost a theme. In many of our churches over the past six weeks, the stories of John’s gospel have challenged us time and again with what how we see one another, and ultimately how we see and understand Jesus. Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the dark of night to meet Jesus, having seen God’s hand at work in Jesus’ miraculous signs, only to be told that no one can see God’s Reign without being born anew, from above— and ultimately, pointed to a cross likened to Moses’ healing bronze serpent lifted high amidst a deadly infestation of desert vipers. A Samaritan woman comes to a well at high noon hoping to avoid the scandal that others always seem to see in her, finds Jesus there, and ends up inviting her entire village to meet Him, saying, “Come and see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done! Could he be the Messiah?” (Would you be so excited to introduce someone to a person who’d exposed you so totally?) A man born blind is given new sight by Jesus, and as the religious authorities interrogate him, we come to see that the newly sighted one sees more clearly than all the others who claim to know God well. Another man dead supposedly beyond redemption is raised to life by Jesus, who then calmly tells his sisters (perhaps a command for themselves and the crowd around them as much as for their brother) “Take off his grave clothes and
let him go!” And ultimately, we come to see this Jesus “high and lifted up, shining in the light of [his] glory” not on what we’d consider a throne, but on His cross, naked, bleeding, dying, and so utterly human, reduced to shreds by the shrapnel of our zeal for defending “righteousness” and yet exalted in His relentless forgiveness— a forgiveness that not even the grave can contain. All of which begs the question of us: How do we see? How do we see God most clearly: in the “awesomeness” of destructive and dominating power, or in the seeming fragility of self-giving, serving love? How do we see the people around us, especially those most vulnerable: as resource-sucking leeches constantly seeking what’s rightfully ours, or as those in whom Jesus comes to meet us in distressing disguise? How do we understand power and glory: as the gleam of those who take what they want and leave the “losers” in their wake, or as the life-giving strangeness of those who’ll go to the well and even to the grave, call the outcast by their own name, take them by the hand, and lead them from death to life? In the light of the cross, do “winners make policy and losers go home”— or does God take His stand with the losers, take their brokenness upon Himself, and bid us walk with them into a new creation of resurrection life? So much depends on how we see. So many people struggle to find life, shrouded in the invisibility created by our own blindness. So as we enter once more into the season defined by the cross of Jesus and the defiance of shame and death, it’s never been more vital that we make our common prayer, “Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart.” Be Thou our vision, crucified and risen Lord— that for us all, there may be a new creation in You! David Heckler is the pastor at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Applebachsville and Christ Church of the United Church of Christ, Trumbauersville. Reach him at prdaveheckler@gmail.com.
Did you know?
Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem prior to his crucifixion, where palm leaves and clothing were laid in his path. Palm Sunday is often celebrated with a procession and distribution of palm leaves. In some churches, the palms are saved and burnt into ashes to be used on Ash Wednesday of the next year.
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Family Dynamics I decided to write about this topic because it has so much importance and value in how we live our lives. Most people do not necessarily think that how they were raised and that their childhood experiences impact how they relate and interact with others. However, the reality is that family dynamics often have a significant influence on the way we see ourselves and others and the world in general which in turn influences our relationships, attitudes, behaviors and well-being. Growing up our parents lay the foundation of how and what the world will look like for us. Depending upon the amount of attention we received, how we were treated emotionally, mentally and psychically can define who we are today and who we have become. If you were raised in a family of constant arguing and fighting you will more than likely find yourself in a relationship as a young adult and adult in this same type of relationship because it is familiar and comfortable for you; you know how to be in this type of relationship. However, depending upon your personality and your role in this family you may choose the opposite kind of relationship and be a conflict avoider because the experience of that level of fighting was too traumatic for you that you as an adult choose to not engage in the kind of interaction. The reality is you need to determine if how you are currently functioning in this relationship is healthy or harmful for you? I don’t believe that constant arguing and fighting is healthy in any relationship; however, having arguments and occasional fights is normal. Because conflict is inevitable in relationships, no matter how much we may or may not like conflict. Most people do not like conflict. It is uncomfortable and often does not feel safe for most people. That is why being too passive in a relationship can be harmful because you will find that you don’t
always ask for what you need and saying YES is just easier. You have to be able to determine if avoiding the conflict is not harmful to you which will depend on how you feel about your partner and if 75% of the time you get along well and love each other than it is okay. Let me clarify this is a personal decision. What is good for me may not be good for you. That is why relationships can be so complicating. Yet if you understand where you came from and how you were raised you can say “oh so this is why I am this way?” It never ceases to amaze me that when I am working with a client and we start talking about their childhood, growing up and their parent’s relationships and sibling interactions that they will look at me and say,” That makes perfect sense to me.” Most of us aren’t even aware or necessarily believe that childhood greatly impacts who we are today good, bad or indifferent. What I find is that most people view it as blaming their parents or their childhood experiences. Which it is not it is about understanding where we came from so that we can understand who we are today and why we do the things we do. Not everyone cares about wanting to know or to understand and even change. However, if you are the one who wants to understand the patterns and behaviors of your current life relationships take time to look back at your childhood and upbringing you may find some interesting things out and for most people there is a sense of relief. If you don’t like yourself very much or are unhappy with your life and have just told yourself this is who I am I can’t change. Understanding this new information is freeing because we now know that we can now change who we are and how we interact with others. So be the change you want for yourself! My belief is that “all persons are truly greater than they think they are.” Susan V. Brewer is a Certified Life Coach and Psychotherapist in the Upper Bucks County Area. She can be reached at 215-872-4219. Visit her website at www.balancelife4u.com.
Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.
Baseball for Special People Seeks Players, Coaches
Baseball for Special People is a baseball program played for 7 or 8 Sunday’s in May and June. It is a fun, family-orientated program for special needs children and adults. Our Minor league is for special needs chi1dren aged 5yrs to 13yrs:0ld. The adult, Major league, is for teens and adults aged 14 to 100 yrs. The Program was founded1n 2003 and is now in its 14th year. We are in the process of restructuring the program to meet new needs. We are looking for both new players who enjoy playing baseball in a fun and non-competitive league. If any students or parents are interested in receiving more information, they can email us at baseball4specialpeople@gmail.com. New Players for both leagues are very welcome to come and try out our program. We are also looking for any students in area High Schools who would be interested in assisting our coaches as Junior Coaches. We have had many junior coaches in the past who have helped in our program for several years until they left for
work or college. Some return to help us during their summer breaks. The minimum age to coach as a Junior Coach is 14 years. At age 15, a Junior Coach may pitch if they wish to. There are many ways in which junior coaches can assist the adult coaches, and the program. No-one needs to have played baseball in order to help out. Any help at all is greatly appreciated. Many Junior Coaches have completed their High School Community Projects working with our program. Every Junior Coach receives a Certificate of Appreciation at the end of each season. The Board of Directors is happy to provide letters of reference to colleges and places of work for Junior Coaches who have positively impacted our G0mmunity and our baseball program. Any questions can be directed to the email above, or interested parties can Paul H Gerhart, Jr, organization president at 267 992-4973, or Laura M Lott at 215 527-0386.
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
College Recognizes Amanda Hafler as an Emergent Scholar Amanda Hafler of Quakertown, a sophomore Legal Studies major and Philosophy minor, was honored as an Elizabethtown College Emergent Scholar at a special luncheon on Sunday, March 12, 2017. Emergent Scholars have attained at least a 3.75 cumulative grade point average at the end of their first three semesters. Qualified students are full-time and have not previously attended another college or university for full-time study and have earned at least 42 credits in three consecutive semesters as a student at Elizabethtown College. A 2015 graduate of Quakertown Community High School, Amanda is the daughter of David and Barbara Hafler of Milford Township.
A little over 10 years ago our close friend and fellow church member, Wayne McConahy invited my wife and I to stay overnight at his cabin (Actual Home) in Cameron County. We were given the tour of “Elk Country” in and around Wykoff Run Road near Sinnemahoning, Pa. Impressed not only at the rugged beauty of Cameron County in the “Big Mountains” of Pennsylvania but also the few wild Elk roaming the area that Wayne showed us; we were Hooked! That evening Wayne left the automatic spotlights on facing the creek in the Campers Association area where his home is located. Every time the spotlights came on, I jumped out of bed to see what triggered them. It was a bonanza! That evening I saw deer, elk, and black bear. As you can imagine, I had little sleep but was alert enough the next morning to talk to my wife about the area and in turn the two of us talked to Wayne. We asked him to “Let us know of any camps that would become available.” A short while later we received a call from Wayne about a camp available and we drove the 4+ hours to go see it. When we went to see it, disappointment set in because it was in rough shape and had “outhouse” bathroom needs. Time went on and in April of that year he called again and to make a long story short, we viewed and bought our current camp along the Wykoff. That purchase involved the basics and after having the camp properly wired and basically re-plumbed; we spent as much time as possible enjoying the wonderful fishing, nature walks, and of course, The Elk! Move ahead another 4+ years, we were the recipients of a phone call from Wayne stating that he spoke to Rawley Cogan, the CEO of KECA and suggested that we form a chapter way down here in the southeast part of the state. There were 10 chapters in the state that held banquets to support the new Elk Center and the propagation of the Elk as well as the education of our school students on Conservation and Wildlife. A group of us from the Milford Twp and surrounding area decided we would listen to what Wayne and KECA had to say about starting a Chapter and holding a banquet in an area where not many people even realized we even had an Elk herd. So we met at the KECA Visitors Center in Elk County and thus Keystone Elk Country Alliance-Lenape/ Wapiti Chapter was formed. Wayne was lucky enough to be able to arrange for a banquet facility at Bear Creek Mountain Resort outside of Macungie and the “Challenge” was on. As I look back, I am amazed that we tried such a thing in an area so far removed from where this wonderful natural wonder is located. We held meetings and put together our specific event duties with the help of a representative from KECA. We dickered with people for discounts on goods, bought items in mass on “Black Friday Sales” with a cadre sent out with special assignments. We arranged for the meals and specific details of the banquet.
We had the KECA display hauled down to us many times and staffed it with volunteers from the committee to “Let people know about Pa.’s Elk herd. Now we had to have faith that it would all come together! We established lists of people amongst us, compiled lists from our different events we where we held KECA showings, and basically went out to organizations that let us talk about the Elk to their members. The letters went out. We were unique in that we offered “Elk” (Farm raised) on our menu because we were lucky enough to know the Purveyor of meats that supplied Bear Creek through our church affiliation and “Got a break” for this expensive meat. Would THEY come? Almost every 3 days I would call Wayne (Our Chairman) to see how many “Sent in”. That first year we had about 185 attendees and raised enough money (a little over $7000.00 so we were “In the green.” Since that time our attendees have increased to the point that oneyear we were unfortunate that we had to turn people away because of Banquet Hall size. We then reserved the largest Banquet Hall at Bear Creek. Many attendees tell us our banquet is one of the best! Last year we served over 300 attendees and raised over $32,000.00 in funds to go for our Pa. Elk. This year we celebrate our 5th Annual Banquet with many prizes for the whole family. The games we offer are both a chance to win a wonderful prize and in addition are fun to take part in. We are getting funds for some of our most expensive prizes donated by local businesses and persons who have come to appreciate our Elk resource a short 4 hours distance away. The food is “Top Quality” and delicious. The silent and live auction not only offers a chance at buying a unique item but also offers the buyer a chance to outbid their buddy or relative in another fun event. Last year as in other previous years my wife and I chalked up over 3000 miles going to events where we had our KECA display exhibited, soliciting for or picking up prizes, or going to meetings at KECA headquarters in Elk County. We met a lot of wonderful people and yes heard many a story of folks first visit to Elk Country from those up to 5 years ago didn’t even know Elk existed in Pennsylvania. Come experience a wonderful night of fun and finding out about KECA and the Elk Herd’s future from a presentation by KECA personnel who attend our banquet from headquarters in Elk County. We are shooting for at least 350 attendees this year. The date of the banquet is April 29th starting at 4:15 PM. Don’t miss out on a wonderful meal in a natural surrounding. Contact Martin Snyder at 215-538-2946 before the deadline for ordering tickets on April 7th to be part of this fun and beneficial event. Hope to see you there, Richard Helm Vice Chairman, Lenape/Wapiti Chapter KECA
Pest alert: Quakertown Borough has joined the quarantined areas invaded by the spotted lanternfly! This insect (Lycorma delicatula) is native to East Asia where natural predators exist to keep its spread under control. This destructive insect attacks grapes, apples, stone fruits and pines. This pest lays 30-50 eggs in masses on ANY smooth surface stored outside, including patio furniture, campers, lawn mowers, playground equipment, firewood and any smooth
bark trees. This reproductive habit is the reason for the quarantine, making it illegal to transport these items from any area named in the quarantine to other areas outside the quarantined area. The egg masses overwinter and begin to hatch in late April to mid-May. The first of four immature stages, called an instar is black with white spots and wingless. As it grows it will ‘hop’ or ‘crawl’ from host to host and can be identified by the addition of red patches. Adults (pictured above) develop in July and begin the destructive cycle. The mature insect sucks sap from tender stems and foliage. This damage may display in leaking sap on tree trunks and stems. Damaged trees branches and vines may succumb, eventually destroying the entire plant or tree. You are encouraged to inspect any smooth vertical surface or host plant as soon as possible for egg masses or first instar nymphs to help control the destruction caused by this pest. For more information on the Spotted Lanternfly including how to identify each instar and help destroy this invasive pest use the Penn State Cooperative Extension Publication: http://extension.psu. edu/pests/spotted-lanternfly. Or, attend the Spotted Lanternfly Public Meeting at the Milford Township Office, 2100 Krammes Road, Quakertown, PA 18951, on April 29 from 9:30 – 11:30 am. Register for this event on the Penn State Link. For a complete listing of quarantined areas refer to PA Department of Agriculture website: www.goo.gl/zf7cU4 Our Home Gardening Hotline is back online! Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm You can call or write us with your home gardening questions and concerns! 215-345-3283 “Ask a Master Gardener” Penn State Extension Bucks County Neshaminy Manor Center 1282 Almshouse Rd Doylestown, PA 18901 Email: BucksHotline@ag.psu.edu Please mention that you heard about us through the Upper Bucks Free Press!
BuckyGrams: robins, budding trees, daffodils, crocus, tulips, warmer temps, singing birds, green grass, longer days, new smells, hibernation ends, frisky animals Hidden Message: Get out and play in the sun! Box Puzzle: Tulips.
Keystone Elk Country Alliance Lenape Wapiti Annual Banquet Celebrating Our 5th Event
March certainly came in like a lion with temperatures in the single digits, well below the average, and the largest snow fall of the winter. In February we saw record highs and very little snow. Our weather has been so unpredictable that one can wonder how plants know when to begin spring growth. Many plants are triggered by the length of daylight and some by the length of darkness in a 24 hour period. For example, chrysanthemums, poinsettias, Christmas cactuses, camellias and kalanchoes will bloom when exposed to shorter day length and longer darkness such as we experience in fall and winter. Growers and home gardeners manipulate these light requirements to produce beautiful blooms when desired. Plants that are triggered by length of light or darkness are call photoperiodic. The length of darkness is also what triggers trees to drop leaves in the fall to prepare for winter. Phytochromes trigger the release of hormones which in turn tell a plant to drop leaves, bloom or begin to form a bulb. Other plants such as azaleas and peach trees can sense the amount of cold that has occurred. They are triggered to send out new growth and bloom when a sufficient amount of cold has accumulated. Other annuals and vegetables are not photoperiodic, but are most affected by growing conditions and maturity. It is helpful for home gardeners to understand the plants in their garden and how they react to light, darkness and other environmental conditions for gardening success.
Save the Date for Garden Affaires Tour
After becoming a biennial event in 2015, the Quakertown Alive! Garden Affaires Garden Tour is back! The committee has been working all year long to bring you our most exciting event to date! Seven diverse and beautiful gardens will be open for ticket holders to explore: • A desert oasis • A children’s garden • An artist’s garden canvas • A gardener’s peaceful retreat • A rural cottage garden • A little plot of nature’s joy • An eclectic collector’s garden In addition to the Tour, Quakertown Alive! is presenting the Garden Marketplace at its new location – the Park at 4th. The Marketplace is free to the public (no tour ticket necessary) and will include garden- related retail vendors, educational booths and display demonstrations for gardens and outdoor living. Plan to spend the day strolling through
stunning gardens and visiting the educational Garden Marketplace. Quakertown Alive volunteers will hold your purchases while you tour. Pick up your beautiful Save the Date magnet at Quakertown Alive! office, Quakertown Borough and many downtown businesses. Tickets will be available in late April at the Quakertown Alive! office and many downtown businesses. Advance tickets: General $15.00 Senior $12.00 (62+). Tickets Day of Tour: General $18.00 Senior $15.00 (62+). The committee thanks the following sponsors: TimberRock Enterprises LLC, Arch(e) wild, QNB Bank, Country Structures, New Vitae Wellness and Recovery. For more info, visit www.quakertownalive. com, call 215-536-2273, or email us at gardenaffaires@gmail.com
April 2017 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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Library Research
Perkasie Rotary Recognizes Two Pennridge HS Teens Two Pennridge High School students recently were named Students of the Month by the Perkasie Rotary Club. Kyle Yoder was named Student of the Month for January. The son of David and Kristen Yoder, of Dublin, Kyle is a senior at Pennridge High School. Kyle is an active student and athlete. He has taken special courses throughout his career at Pennridge High School including 13 honors courses, while also being involved in baseball and basketball throughout his academic career. He is an active volunteer participating in service with Calvary Church of Souderton and a mission trip to Haiti last year. Additionally, he is involved in National Honor Society. He plans on attending college to study
mechanical engineering. Hannah Fair was named Student of the Month for February. The daughter of Sara and Keith Fair, of Perkasie, Hannah is a senior at Pennridge High School, excelling in academics, taking five AP courses. She also has participated in many activities, including National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She is an active volunteer with Grand View Hospital and traveled to Haiti last year for a mission trip. In addition, she has been involved with Cairn Community Theatre Arts Academy since junior year. She will be attending Cedarville University to study English. She hopes to be a published author in the future.
Perkasie Rotary Vice President Todd R. Hurley, left, and Perkasie Rotary President Bob Hipp, right, present Student of the Month recognition to Pennridge High School seniors Hannah Fair and Kyle Yoder at a meeting on Feb. 16, 2017. submitted photo
Did you know?
There are more than 1.2 Million Rotarians all over the world in more than 33,000 Rotary Clubs in more than 200 countries in all geographic areas. Rotarians in the United States make up 28% of all Rotarians worldwide. The Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships is the world’s largest, privately funded scholarship program.
The other day I received a call from a person who wanted to know if a certain family lived in Quakertown and possibly had a drug store located locally. After taking down the information, I went immediately over to my computer and tried various references on the subject. First I tried for historic records of drugstores in Quakertown. Then I tried for family names in different eras. I then tried for a wider search for all of Bucks County. Surprisingly there was very little information found. I then went to the copy of the 1876 Atlas of Bucks County that I recently purchased. Surprisingly there was a lot more information on the maps of both Quakertown & Richland Center. Still no luck. In the rear of the volume are names of persons and businesses for the different townships and boroughs of Bucks County. Still no luck. I called the person back and told them to check with the Quakertown Historical Society or Bucks County Historical Society, as I know that copies of businesses for the early 1900’s in volume form exist. I once had one from around 1916 but I no longer have it. The main item I am getting at in the above paragraph is electronics verses good old-fashioned research using the printed material. I recently had a conversation with a school librarian on how much research is done by students in the library and how much of the library borrowing from the schools is for general reading? I can remember the extensive research that we did on subjects that were given to us by various teachers in Junior and Senior High School. Miss Treffinger was our school librarian and would go out of her way to help find the appropriate book to retrieve the research material you were looking for. She then would suggest other books to consider for more in depth studies. At home we were fortunate to have a wonderful set of Encyclopedias that our parents bought from one of the many Encyclopedia salesmen that came door to door. Many a night was spent in cross-referencing research needed for school. When we would
ask a serious question that my parents couldn’t answer that they thought could be answered by that set of books. We were told the statement – “Check it out in the Encyclopedia.” Nowadays the children will “google it” on any subject such as I did. But such as happened to me, sometimes there is very little resources that can be “googled” on local historical or other peculiar subjects. Years back our library at school had many reference books on all kinds of subjects; some including local history. I wonder if they still invest in such books? I wonder what happens when a student cannot “google it”, do they have the ability to use the index files in libraries or are they on computer too? When we attend various functions such as Veteran’s Day affairs sometimes we meet in the libraries. That is what prompted me to ask about what kind of books do the schools now consider purchasing. I can imagine that our cadre of schoolteachers must see a similarity in the papers they receive on research subjects because of the texts that can be found on the computer. I know that back in the day it was interesting to here the oral reading of our research papers because of all the various BOOKS that were referenced in Miss Treffingers library or at the local community library or even at the historic Richland Library. Recently I spoke to some persons connected with the Richland Library on Main Street and they were indeed excited on the expansion that is taking place. This library has many historic reference books peculiar to our area and heritage and I am looking forward to going there to experience their new revelation of being able to research such questions about a possible former family and if they owned a drug store in our area and when. It certainly can’t be googled! If you get a chance have your children do research “By Book Only” -- it will be a learning experience of its own. Something’s that are too easy don’t help educate the student. Sometimes doing the research is just as important as learning the facts of the subject being researched! Dick Helm is a regular contributor. He can be reached at dickhelm@ubfp.org
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
Chester
Niles,
Sr., age 68, of
Quakertown, PA, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. Born in Richford, Vermont, he was the son of the late Edson and Goldie Niles. He moved to Pennsylvania in 1967 where he met and married his wife of 48 years, Sharon (Renner) Niles. He will be lovingly missed and remembered by his wife, son Chester, Jr., daughter Lisa Niles and family, and the many friends he made. Chester enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, gardening, woodworking, birdwatching, and especially his garden ponds. He also enjoyed his dogs Annie and Molly. He lost his beloved French Bulldog Sheena in 2016. He is survived by his wife Sharon, daughter Lisa, son Chester, Jr., brother Wesley and wife Pat, cousin and friend Christopher Soderback, as well as many nieces and nephews. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, April 8, 2017 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at Spring Hill Suites by Marriot, 1930 John Fries Highway (Route 663 near the turnpike), Quakertown, PA. Chaplin Gene will be doing a reflection on Chester’s life. Light refreshments will be served. Family and friend are welcomed.
Donald T. Knauss, 90, of Quakertown, died Wed., Mar. 1, 2017 at Grand View Hospital, Sellersville. He was the loving husband of the late Ruth (Willauer) Knauss. Born in Quakertown, he was the only child of the late William E. and Florence (Tice) Knauss. Donald received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova in 1946, on the same day he got married and entered into military service with the US Navy. He was third generation president of the family business, E.W. Knauss & Son, Inc., in Quakertown for 58 years, retiring in 2004. Donald was a past president of Quakertown Kiwanis, and served on the Board of Directors at Quakertown National Bank for 47 years. His memberships include Peace Lutheran Church,
~Obituaries~
Perkasie; the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 1622, American Legion Post 242, and Free Masons Supreme Forest of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon of North America; all of which he was either a life member or current member for over 50 years. Surviving is his daughter, Susan Minarik, husband Perry, Quakertown; grandchildren: Troy (Kimberly), Jill (Scott), Aimee (Ronald) and Loree (Thomas); and great-grandchildren: Alexa, Joe, Tyler, Drew, Joey, Kristin and Jimmy. He was preceded in death by a son, E. William Knauss and daughter-in-law, Barbara Knauss. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Ltd., Quakertown is in charge of arrangements. www.nauglefcs.com
Roger B. “Louie” Benner, 74, of Coopersburg, passed away Sat., March 4, 2017, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Quakertown, he was a son of the late Donald L. and Beatrice F. (Crouthamel) Benner of Richlandtown. Roger was a retired truck driver for Alderfer Meats, and currently worked part-time for Cetronia Ambulance Corps. He was a past member of both the Coopersburg Ambulance Corps and the Coopersburg Fire Co. and its social quarters for many years. Surviving is his wife of 53 years, Kathryn “Kathie” (Brown) Benner; son Gregory and his fiancée Linda of Morrisville; daughter Krista of Coopersburg; grandchildren: Brandon and his fiancée Heather of Macungie; Samantha and Patrick, both of Philadelphia; great-grandchildren Bryson and Bailey of Macungie; his loving and faithful dogs Tonka, Laci, Destiny and Aspen; and granddogs Leyna and Paityn. He was preceded in death by a brother, Richard L. and a sister, Donna L. Weisel. Services will be private at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers; contributions may be made to the Upper Bucks SPCA, 60 Reservoir Rd., Quakertown, PA 18951 or to the family c/o Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Ltd., 135 W. Pumping Station Rd., Quakertown, PA 18951. www.nauglefcs.com
Erika E. (Bruckno) Irvine, 94, of Quakertown, died Wed., March 8, 2017 at LifeQuest Nursing Center, Quakertown. She was the widow of Kenneth Irvine, whom she resided with in Bethlehem until his passing in 2002. Born in Germany, she was a daughter of the late August F. and Minna (Satzer) Bruckno. Erika was a homebody and an avid bird watcher. Earlier in life she loved to ballroom dance, and she even made her husband take lessons before she would marry him. She was a former member of Richland Friends Meeting House, Quakertown. Surviving are her children: Walt Shaw, Jr., wife Lynda; Dale Shaw; Glenn Shaw, wife Denise; and Dena Shaw, husband Rich, all of Quakertown; grandchildren: Jason, wife Kelly and Wendy, husband David; great-grandchildren: Tori, Alexander, Madison, Emelyn and Juliana; step-grandchildren: Brooke, husband Joel and Taylor; and step-great-grandchildren: Camryn and Quinn. She was preceded in death by a sister, Ruth Bryan and two brothers; Walter F. and Herbert Bruckno. Services will be private at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions can be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Ltd., Quakertown in charge of arrangements. www.nauglefcs.com
Ruth L. Gano, 97, of Quakertown, passed away Sun. Mar. 12th at Phoebe Richland Health Care Center. Born in Bucks County, she was the daughter of the late David S. Longacre and Lottie M. Mohr. She was the second of six children. She married Clyde S. Gano Jr. on March 25, 1944. Ruth graduated from business college. She worked at Houser Chevrolet, Bethlehem, before WWII and at Lehigh Structural Steel, Bethlehem, during the war. She also served as a nurse’s aide at Fort Bliss, TX from April 1944 through to the end of the war. For many years, she was an active member of Bethany Mennonite Church in Quakertown and later United Mennonite Church, Quakertown. She was also an avid gardener, loving to work both in the vegetable garden and her flower beds. She is survived by her only child, Clyde S. Gano III; grandchild, Jeffrey David Gano; and younger brother, David. In lieu of flowers, donations to United Christian Fellowship Church would be appreciated. www.nauglefcs.com Jonathan S. Kneller, 41, died Sunday, March 12, 2017 at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest. Born in West Rockhill Township, he was the son of Barbara (Haase) Dempsey of Quakertown and the late Willard S. Kneller. Jon was a fun-loving and outgoing guy who was always smiling, and he was a prankster who loved a good joke. He is best known for his saying, “I’m not here for a long time – I’m here for a good time.” Surviving in addition to his mother are his children: twin boys Chase and Chance; son Dillon and daughter Julianna; a sister, Krista Kneller (Frank Fischer); nieces and nephew: Samantha, Robert and Jennifer; his step-father, Andrew Dempsey; maternal grandmother, Janet Haase; aunt and uncles: Sharon, Dale, David and Charlie; and a special friend, Emily Gruver. Services will be private. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Ltd. In charge of arrangements. www.nauglefcs.com Ada V. Bleam, age 108, of Macungie, PA, formerly of California Road, Quakertown, died on March 20, 2017 at the Lehigh Valley Hospice, Allentown. She was married for 62 years to Samuel N. Bleam, deceased in 1998. Both were long-time members of East Swamp Mennonite Church, Quakertown. Ada, born June 21, 1908, was
the daughter of Earl Hixson and Florence Shelly Hixson, all of Quakertown. Ada worked in a hosiery mill, was a homemaker, and an advocate of education. She enabled her four children to go to university and all of them were teachers at some point of their lives. Family was all important to her, and she welcomed extended family members into her home whenever the need arose. She lived simply, but gave generously to community charities. The Quakertown farm where she lived most of her life was claimed by Bucks County for a library and soccer playing fields for community use, and it gave her pleasure to know that children benefitted. A determined, independent, but gentle woman, Ada was shaped by the Great Depression and the values of her Mennonite faith. She volunteered many years at the Care and Share Shops, Souderton, and often worked with Richland Township elections. She insisted on having her own car, which she drove without accident for 75 years. She had vivid memories of an earlier era of Quakertown, of a parade that mourned a fallen WWI local hero, of dairy hucksters, of “gypsies” that visited town, of farming with horses, of fierce labor strikes in the 1930s, the one-room schools where her father taught, and of course, the colorful personalities that made up a small town life when everyone knew everyone else. She is survived by two daughters: Marjorie (Geissinger), Mary Lou (Robert Cummings), and two sons: James (Diane Luginbuhl) and Richard (Lou Anderson). Her only sister Mildred (Moll/Arn) is deceased. Grandchildren include Tonia Bleam, Margaret Sabulsky, Rebekah Flack, Jennifer Anderson, Chris Cummings, Lisen Cummings, Brian Bleam, Kevin Bleam, and Jacob Bleam (deceased). There are 11 great-grandchildren.
Susan L. “Susie” Bixel, 70, of Quakertown, died Mon. March 20 in Doylestown Hospital. She was the loving wife of Meryl “Rocky” Bixel for the past 50 years. Born in Quakertown, she was the daughter of the late John H. & Ruth (Schroy) Keithan. She was a member of the First United Church of Christ, Quakertown. Services & interment in Richlandtown Union Cemetery will be private at the convenience of the family. www. nauglefcs.com Joseph Giacini, 71, of Quakertown went home to be with his Lord & Savior on March 26, 2017 in Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. He was the husband of Helen M. (Nester) Giacini. They were married 53 years last December. Born in Brooklyn, NY he was the son of the late Angelo & Irene (Payan) Giacini. He was a test system engineer retiring in 2009 from Sperry Corporation in Blue Bell. Prior to that he worked for Philco Ford and St. Micro Electronics. He also retired in 2010 at the facilities manager for Quakertown Christian School. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Perkasie where he helped his wife in the nursery, was a church deacon, and served on the sound room ministry. He was a U.S. Army Veteran serving during the Vietnam War and a member of the Quakertown American Legion Post #245. In addition to his wife he is survived by a son Joseph C. and his wife Beth of Quakertown. A granddaughter Ashley. Services will be held on Friday, March 31, 2017 at 11:00 A.M. in the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) 821 W. Broad St. Quakertown, PA 18951. Call 9:30-11:00 A.M. in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to First Baptist Church 1600 N. Fifth St. Perkasie, PA 18944.
Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.
April 2017 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
~Obituaries~
Faith E. Rush, 78, of Quakertown died
March 26, 2017 in her home. She was the wife of Arthur C. Rush. They were married 58 years last September. Born in Allentown, PA she was the daughter of the late Robert A. & Helen M. (Hendricks) Raines. She was a former crossing guard at 7th & Juniper Street for the Q.C.S.D. Faith enjoyed reading, and especially enjoyed family gatherings at her home. She volunteered at Care & Share in Souderton, and was a former member of West Swamp Mennonite Church. She was a member of the Indian Valley Faith Fellowship in Harleysville where she was active with children’s ministries and the Women in Mission. In addition to her husband she is sur-
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vived by her three children Vickie B. Hoke of Quakertown, Hugh S. Rush (Cindy) of Spinnerstown, and Nathan T. Rush (Tania) of Mt. Joy. Two brothers Henry S. Raines (Debbie) of Allentown and Bruce R. Raines (Linda) of Center Valley. Ten grandchildren Amanda, Shawna, Joshua, Marissa, Jacquelyn, Serenah, Benjamin, Jonathan, Micah, & Alyssa Rush. Two great grandchildren Noah & Sienna. She was predeceased by a brother Robert. Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at 11:00 A.M.in Indian Valley Faith Fellowship 190 Maple Ave. Harleysville, PA 19438. There will be no calling hours. A light lunch & fellowship will follow the service. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. www.crstrunk.com Quakertown. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Women In Mission Group at Indian Valley Faith Fellowship 190 Maple Ave. Harleysville, PA 19438.
Antiques and Alzheimer’s Memory Care My parents both suffered from Alzheimer’s disease requiring specialized care. I am not a specialist in Alzheimer’s care nor am I trained to give medical advice. That said, as a child of two parents with Alzheimer’s, I know something about the struggles for families living with the disease. Since I have met many other Alzheimer’s families, I wanted to share what I have learned about how heirlooms contribute to happy visits with loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s. While my parents’ care facilities offered a quiet room, a reminiscence room, and a Snoezelen room to help stimulate the five senses, my parents responded best to personal visits from family and friends. My parents were more responsive and engaged if I brought an object from our family home for them to talk about and touch. If anyone looked in my pocketbook when I went to visit my parents, they would have thought I was crazy with all the collectibles I carried around. The most comforting activities for my parents was discussing stuff that they recognized as their own. Memory Album I regularly brought a memory album filled with small ephemera (paper) mementos and photos. I scanned old photos and printed them out in booklet form from my computer. Digitalization allowed me to reproduce original photos and leave a copy of the memory albums with my parents without the fear of losing original family photographs. The album helped my Mom recall the names of her eight siblings, children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors, etc. Dad liked to talk about the summer cottage he built or his cars. Each page had a photo and a caption with names, ages, locations, approximate dates, and descriptions. Photos of family homes, vacation spots, schools attended, church weddings, and childhood pets were featured. The visuals sparked questions and conversation from Mom and Dad. Mom’s Kitchen In addition to the memory album, my Mom, who loved to cook for our big Italian family, lit up when I brought part of her kitchen canister set for our visit. The salt and pepper shakers would get her talking about favorite recipes and before you knew it, she would offer a tried
and true baking tip! My Mom’s memory could be sparked by such diverse objects—shown to her one at a time so as not to overwhelm her-as her wedding photo, a Hummel figurine from her collection from the 1950s, or an afghan that she crocheted in the 1970s. Dad’s Sports Of course, my Mom’s disease was different from my Dad’s. Mom was less combative, more engaged, and more talkative than Dad. My Dad was very quiet until he was upset by some outside stimuli. Then he was in the moment. After he calmed down and started to enjoy our visit, he would repeat sentences and phrases over and over again. A highly intelligent man and a professional athlete, listening to him repeat himself was very difficult for me. After trying to redirect him, I found that my Dad’s verbal loop could be interrupted if I introduced a related object to him. If we started our visit talking about baseball, my Dad would say the same sentence about the sport over and over again. Yet, if I were to hand him a baseball from our attic—one dating from his days as a big league pitcher—things quickly changed. He could grip the baseball and show me how to throw a curve. Gripping the baseball, Dad could explain proper finger placement or recall the day he struck out a minor leaguer named Mickey Mantle. Dad’s post-war era baseballs sparked a positive conversation and stopped, albeit temporarily, the repetitive chatter. This heirloom helped my Dad reminisce calmly. It helped me find comfort in the fact that he could recall memories with the aid of an heirloom. At my appraisal events, I often say that antiques spark all types of emotions. Some objects collected over a lifetime can stir memories even when you think there are none. Vintage objects from my parents’ home significantly helped my parents in their memory care. They helped me too. It goes to show heirlooms are much more than just basement clutter or china cabinet dust collectors. Vintage objects are more than just something to save, they can be memory savers. Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality on History channel’s hit treasure-hunting TV show, The Curse of Oak Island, Dr. Lori Verderame hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Visit www. DrLoriV.com/Events, www.Facebook.com/ DoctorLori, or call 888-431-1010.
Maynard Cressman Longest Serving Member of 140 Year Old Quakertown Band
Maynard Cressman has been playing the trumpet for 70 years and has spent 60 of those years playing with the now 140 year old Quakertown Band. He received his first trumpet at age 8, then joined the Quakertown High School Band when he was old enough. After graduating in 1957 he joined the Citizens Band and then settled in with the Quakertown Band. Over the years, he has also played with the Serenaders Big Band, Mellow Men Big Band, Ed Keller Big Band, Sounds of Swing Big Band, Red Hill Band, Suite Brass Quintet, the Geryville Hobo Band, Triumphant Brass Trio, and the Soul
Brass Band. Maynard estimates that after the current conductor steps down, he will have played under 6 conductors, played about 720 outdoor summer concerts, and attended over 2100 rehearsals. During his lifetime, Maynard has also given private trumpet lessons at home and in several music stores. Besides the Quakertown Band, Maynard currently plays at his church as well as for requested functions. He is passing on his legacy by teaching the trumpet to his grandson. Maynard was born and raised in the Quakertown area and currently lives in Milford Township with his wife Carol.
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
Employment Opportunities
You’ve Got Maids - Hiring commercial nighttime cleaners & daytime residential cleaners. (215) 529-7837
Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.
Spor’s General Store – Help Wanted: Waitress/Deli/ Cashier/Lottery. Nights and Weekends. Must be 18 or older. Apply in person. 22 W Broad St, Trumbauersville. Ray Heffentrager Inc. – Full-time Heavy Equipment Operator for small excavation company. Experienced. Benefits. Email obbill49@gmail.com or call 215-679-5676 Edible Arrangements - Hiring Seasonal personal skills, attention to detail, must. Call (215) 536-1298 or stop by mation and to apply. 582 S. West End
Help. Good interand reliability a store for inforBlvd, Quakertown
Ray Heffentrager Inc. – Full-time Laborer for small excavation company. Experienced. Benefits. Email obbill49@gmail.com or call 215-679-5676 Pool Pro - Local pool store seeks service technicians and helpers for upcoming pool season. 1619 West End Blvd, Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-0456 Woods’ Pools - Local pool builder seeks construction trainees. Experience a plus. technicians and helpers for upcoming pool season. 1619 West End Blvd, Quakertown, PA 18951 215-538-2323 Upper Bucks YMCA Member Service Associate - Part Time Positions Available - Tuesday 4:307:30pm and Friday 4:30-8:30pm; Saturday and Sunday 2:00-8:00pm, Full Privilege Membership Childcare Assistant Group Supervisor - Full Time Hourly, Full Privilege Membership, PTO and Health Care Teacher’s Aide - 3:45 PM – 5:30 PM with additional substituting and holiday hours, Full Privilege Membership Wellness Center Attendant - Monday, Wednesday, Friday 3:00-6:00pm, Thursday 4:00-8:00pm; Saturday, Sunday 9:00am-1:00pm, $8.00 per hour, Full Privilege Membership Art Teacher - Part Time – Hours and pay rate TBD, Full Privelege Membership. Call 215-536-YMCA (9622) or stop in to apply. 401 Fairview Avenue, Quakertown. Trinity Great Swamp UCC - PT Organist and Music Ministry Coordinator who possesses a vision to coordinate the musical gifts we have to achieve a creative blended worship experience. Salary is negotiable. Please send resume to P.O. Box 494, 9150 Spinnerstown Road, Spinnerstown, PA 18968, Attention: Sue Roeder or by e-mail to tgsucc@verizon.net. For questions please contact Donald Ruth at 267-251-0292.
Quakertown Man Brings Home the Gold
It was a hero’s welcome for Quakertown’s Ernie Reich who just returned from the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2017 in Austria. He brought with him a Gold medal for his performance in the Alpine Intermediate Giant Slalom. His time was 5 minutes, 12.66 seconds. Ernie Reich, age 48, is an alpine skier associated with the Montgomery County Special Olympics and he competes with the U.S. national team. “Austria was one of the most biggest challenges I have ever done in my life. It’s the biggest challenge I ever done,” said Reich, “It was a lot of hard work. And I have been praying for this for my whole entire life since I was a kid.” (right) Quakertown Borough councilwoman Lisa Gaier presents Gold medalist Ernie Reich with commendations from US Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and State Senator Bob Mensch. (below) The community lined Broad Street in Downtown Quakertown to greet Ernie Reich on his way into town. He was escorted by a motorcade of local police and firefighters, lights and all, as he got off the turnpike in Milford Township. photos by ken sutliff
Harmony Clean, Inc. Doylestown - Hiring Happy House Cleaners! Monday - Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm. Save your nights and weekends for friends and family. Paid Vacation, Paid Training, Great co-workers. Call now 215-230-7700.
Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 5.3 million athletes and Unified Sports partners in nearly 170 countries. Special Olympics competitions are held every day, all around the world—including local, national and regional competitions, adding up to more than 108,000 events a year. Visit specialolympics.org to learn more.
April 2017 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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Harley’s Haven Meet Quinn!
206 days. That is how long Quinn has been in our rescue, patiently waiting for someone to notice her. She is AMAZING with kids, friendly with everyone she meets, and does well with other mellow dogs. She is an awesome girl who will make someone a wonderful family pet! Quinn is a pitty mix who is about 1-2 years old - she is spayed, vaccinated, housetrained, crate trained, and ready to go! She has been waiting oh so long for it to be her turn - please help us find her forever home! If you are looking for a furever friend, give Harley’s Haven a call today at (267) 354-5204.
Students at St. Isidore raised funds during a recent dress down day to support the Quakertown Police Department’s K9 unit that has suffered some losses in the recent past. Students were amazed at the skills of K9 Officer Fury and handler Officer Houseknecht. Student Council Board Members; (left to right) Luise John, Kara Gallagher, Dante Frinzi and John Cressman presented a check to the K9 Unit.
Who’s Walking Whom? Did you ever think that you might be the reason your dog pulls you on walks? Ask yourself this question. Are you consistently being inconsistent? Here’s a classic scenario: you are out taking your dog for a walk around the neighborhood. Now your dog sees the friendly neighbor and his dog. You then allow your dog to pull you, to greet the friendly neighbor and his dog. Yup, unbeknownst to you, what you have just done here is positively reinforced your dog for pulling. The gigantic reward was getting to meet the friendly neighbor and his dog. Now you continue your walk to the next block. Then you see a very deceased squirrel in the ditch (poor squirrel). Your dog is pulling and rearing like a bronco buck. All he wants to do is get to that putrid bug-infested roadkill. To exacerbate the issue, you are yanking on the leash to keep your dog from pulling towards the squished squirrel. Dogs have a thing called an Opposition Reflex which means if you pull the dog, they’ll pull back in the opposite direction. So now you are giving your dog even more reason to pull! Why is it okay
to pull in the instance of the neighbor and his dog, but not for the expired squirrel? You are actually being consistently inconsistent. Loose leash walking is exactly what it sounds like. You have a nice loose leash between you and your dog. Not enough practice with too many distractions is where the problems start. You have to start at the shallow end of the pool, then work toward the deep end. Start your training by having the dog on a leash follow you around the house. Every couple of steps give your dog a treat for following you. Make kissy noises or slap the side of your leg to encourage the dog to follow you. You need a high rate of reinforcement in the beginning. Gradually ask more from your dog as he is getting it. Slowly add more steps with less treats. When your dog is following you from one end of the house and back for only one treat it is time to take it outside but only in the backyard or someplace not too distracting. Up the ante on the value of treats (real meat not a dry biscuit) as you add more distractions. Set yourself up to succeed. Be consistent. Submitted by Marion C. O’Neil CPDT-KA, CTDI owner and lead trainer of Molasses Creek Dog Training, LLC, Quakertown, PA
Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local. What is Cushing’s Disease?
Hope you all made it to the free concerts last month. I want to introduce my dog brother Grady. He has been helping me visit around the area to cheer up humans. I have been training him on how much fun it is to dress up and make people laugh and smile. I am going on 14 human years of age and tire out easier these days. Since Grady is 9 years old, I am letting him learn what to do and how to behave. While we are on the subject of firemen I want to make sure all of you support and appreciate our volunteer firemen . How great is it that they take the time out of their day to help the community and put themselves in harm’s way to help the community with emergency situations. There are never too many volunteers so stop by and see if you can help them. They need helpers at the annual carnival and other fundraising events too. I also want to mention how exciting it was to meet a reader of my column at the nursing home. She spotted me in the hallway and knew me on sight and even knew my human’s name. I’d like to give a shout out to her and all of my avid readers. Love to all my fans, M.J.
Meet our friend, Fiona. Fiona is a 9-year-old Dalmatian, who very suddenly has started having accidents overnight, that are clearly leaking while she is sleeping. She is otherwise doing well, aside from maybe drinking a bit more during the day too, and doesn’t have any other issues or changes. What could it be? Urinary tract infection, kidney disease, diabetes, incontinence….all of these possible causes come to mind! Luckily, Fiona’s parents wanted to get to the bottom of it – so we started with some bloodwork, and a urine sample. Interestingly, her liver values were elevated, but everything else was normal, including the urine sample! We then ran a urine culture to be sure there was no unusual infection, and it was still normal. So next, we ran two liver tests – one called a bile acid test to check liver function, which was normal, and the second called a low dose dexamethasone suppression test, which tells us if the body is producing too much steroid – and ding, ding, ding – we have a winner!! So, what is this steroid overproduction? This is a condition called Cushing’s Disease. To understand Cushing’s one must first understand how the production of steroid works in the body – it is a two-part system. There is a part of the brain called the pituitary gland, that produces the hormones that control steroid production. The second part is the adrenal glands, which produce the actual steroid hormones which then have many effects on the liver, digestion, other organs – basically everything in the body in some sense! So, when the body needs steroid, the pituitary gland tells the adrenals to produce
more, which is then circulated to the areas of the body in need. When the body has enough, the production is then shut down through the same circuit. With Cushing’s disease, this feedback of ‘we don’t need more steroid’ is broken, so the body just produces more and more steroid hormone to excess! This can be a break down at either the level of the brain, or the level of the adrenal gland. So why the peeing? With Cushing’s disease and this excessive production of steroid, the body has many secondary affects that are related to having too much steroid – the most common being, drinking and peeing more because we have ramped up metabolism, a pot-bellied appearance because too much steroid breaks down the strength of muscles over time, a thinned fur coat because steroids affect the skin and fur, making it more easily fall out and decreasing production of new fur, and an increase in liver values because the liver filters the blood and is exposed to the excessive steroid which causes inflammation. With Cushing’s disease, though, there is a solution – there is a medication that targets the adrenal glands and helps to knock back this excessive production to normal, which resolves all the symptoms, and protects the body from the longterm negatives of excessive steroid. With some daily medication, and follow up bloodwork – Fiona has made a full recovery, and will go on to live out the rest of her days! Another case solved, and a healthy patient – happy spring everyone! Dr. Mehaffey and partner Dr. Jen Heller own and operate the Pennridge Animal Hospital on Ridge Road in Perkasie and can be reached at 267-272-9996. They also founded Harley’s Haven Dog Rescue.
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
American Legion Post 242 February 2017 Update BY DICK HELM It happened 100 years ago on April 6, 1917. After close to 3 years of not being in the “Great War” the United States House passed the “Declaration of War” that was approved 2 days prior by the Senate. We were at War! Just a few years ago we celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the end of our own “Civil War.” Now we are honoring the Doughboys who served on another continent that experienced a great loss of life 100 years ago in a different form of warfare. Our enemy was attacking our passenger and cargo ships on the high seas and also was trying to institute a new conflict with Mexico with a promise that they would help them restore lands lost during their war with the US. A little over one and a half years later their influence in this combat was responsible for an Armistice that was signed ending
this “Trench style conflict”. We will always remember 11/11 at 11:00 AM on 1918 as we now honor all Veterans on their special day. Wallace Willard Keller from the Quakertown area was one of those lost from our area. Our Post still is honoring him in his name in our title Wallace Willard Keller Post 242-Quakertown, PA. Help us to honor all those who “Gave Their All” in that war and wars that we were in since that “War to End All Wars” this May in our service of the impressive stone statue of Quakertown’s Doughboy in our Memorial Park on Memorial Day (May 29, 2017). I will have details of the parade route and the Memorial Service in next month’s issue of this publication. As always—“Thank a Veteran” when you see them in your daily activities. They sacrificed their Youth for your freedom!
‘Make. Believe.’ Pop-Up Shop Visits Downtown Quakertown Mercantile Home, a popular creative studio from Easton, PA, brought its community based creative studio/shop concept on the road to Quakertown from March 28 to April 2. Mercantile Home Owners/Artists Ken Jones Jr. and Ron Morris are traveling to new communities across the country and opening a temporary outpost version of their playful studio/shop in surprise locations for one week at a time. Everything needed to create their “Workshop Store Experience” is packed inside their Mobile Mercantile which they drove into town at the start of the week. Along with making new creations inspired by their stay in Quakertown, They hosted a free Repair & Share event on March 30, as well as work on several ongoing community art projects at their outpost while they are here. Morris explains, “We are very excited about our visit to Quakertown. We are looking forward to learning about the area, meeting the wonderful people that make up the city and to connect through as many creative ways as possible. All in the name of “Make. Believe. ” He laughs, “This is our motto. We MAKE all the time and BELIEVE it will take us to the next step in our creative adventure. Quakertown is that next step.” Jones continues, “It’s like a
big creative circus coming to town. We are curious, colorful and a little quirky. But most of all, we are excited to connect with as many folks as possible in our week-long stay. Then we’ll be gone. Was it real, or make believe?” Mercantile Home is at 332 West Broad Street from March 28 to April 2 and open from 10 am to 8 pm. For more information on these two guys and their creative mission, visit www.mercantilehome.com
(above) Mercantile Home proprietors Ron Morris (with the scissors) and Ken Jones, Jr. (behind him) from Easton
set up their “Make. Believe.” traveling pop-up shop in Downtown Quakertown for one week. Borough officials, Quakertown Alive representatives, State Rep Craig Staats, and members of the community welcomed them with a ribbon cutting ceremony. (right) Penn Community Bank Branch Manager Collin Cunningham tries his hand at ‘needle felting.’ photos by christopher betz
April 2017 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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QUAKERTOWN A-Plus Mini Market Borough Hall Beer City Caitlyn & Cody’s Diner Classic Staffing Chick Fil-A Dairy Queen Dominick’s Pizza Edible Arrangements First UCC Church Friendly Book Store Giant Markets (309/313) Grocery Outlet The Grundy House Hampton Inn Holiday Inn Express Independence Court James Michener Library JoAnne’s Frame Shop John’s Plain & Fancy Let’s Steep w/ M.E. (Q-Mart) Liberty Thrift Store McCoole’s Red Lion Inn Moyer’s Shoes Penn Community Bank Pep Boys Service Center Quality Inn & Suites Q’town Family Restaurant QNB Bank Quaker Cleaners Quakertown Alive! Quakertown Farmers Mkt Redner’s Market
Rep. Craig Staats’ office Sal’s Pizza Randa Sellersville Auction Sine’s 5 & 10 St. Luke’s Bone & Joint St. Luke’s Hospital Spring Hill Suites Swann’s Pantry The Souper Bowl (Q-Mart) Top Star Express Upper Bucks Senior Center Upper Bucks YMCA Upper Bucks Chamber Yum Yum Donuts TRUMBAUERSVILLE Borough Hall Christ Lutheran Church Fino’s La Cantina Spor’s General Store RICHLANDTOWN Seven-Eleven Penn Community Bank Phoebe Meadow Glen SPINNERSTOWN Spinnerstown Hotel E J’s Barber Shop PLEASANT VALLEY Country Kitchen SELLERSVILLE A & N Diner Grandview Hospital Hidden Meadows Roy Ann Diner
PERKASIE Dam Good Cafe Giant Food Markets Landis Food Markets Olde Towne Convenience Pennridge Chamber Pierce Library QNB Bank TELFORD Indian Valley Library Landis Food Markets SOUDERTON Care & Share Shoppes SILVERDALE Green Street Barber Shop DOYLESTOWN Main Street Book Store DUBLIN QNB Bank Shop ‘N Bag OTTSVILLE NAPA of Ottsville Wehrung’s COOPERSBURG Coopersburg Diner Giant Food Markets The Inside Scoop QNB Bank Turkey Hill Market Last Chance Ranch Store SPRINGTOWN Reflections Hair Studio Village Center Automotive
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
The Silent Suffering of Chronic Pain Patients
Making Your Move Less Stressful
There’s no question that moving out of a home you’ve lived in for many years can be a stressful time. Between sorting through belongings, packing, scheduling movers, and setting up your new home, it might seem like a never-ending process that you just don’t want to think about. Add to that the fact that moving into a smaller space forces you to make decisions about what you’re taking with you, and you might just believe staying put is a better option. However, downsizing offers a lot of benefits to seniors! For instance, perhaps the upkeep is becoming too difficult; doing yard work and cleaning the house have become tasks you dread. Maybe there’s a staircase to the bedrooms that has become too hard for you to climb, and you’re spending more nights sleeping on the sofa instead of your bed. Or, maybe there are simply just rooms you haven’t stepped foot in for a long time- you have way more space than you need anymore. Downsizing your home can certainly be a bittersweet moment, but many seniors find that moving into a senior living community has enhanced their lives in ways they never imagined. They are happier, healthier, more socially active, living maintenance-free and enjoying a higher quality of life all around.
10 Tips for Downsizing Your Home
When you’re ready to downsize your home, here are a few tips to keep in mind to make your moving day as painless as possible: • Start early. If you think downsizing your home is in your future, it’s never too early to begin sorting through some of your belongings. Get into those closets and storage spaces and start weeding out items you no longer have a need for. • Plan ahead. Have an idea of how big your new living space will be; if you can get a floor plan, all the better! Knowing how much space you’ll have will allow you to plan for how much furniture you can bring with you and how much storage space you’ll have for your belongings. • Create lists. Lists help keep you orga-
nized! Make lists of things you need to do, such as shutting off utilities, transferring magazine subscriptions, etc. as well as lists of belongings you would like to keep, donate or sell. • Ask for help. Enlist family members or close friends early on to help you move. Moving is not an easy process and you shouldn’t think you’ll be able to do it all yourself. • Start making decisions. Sometimes, deciding what to keep and what needs to go can be the hardest part of moving. We attach memories to our belongings, and parting with them can be bittersweet. Keep in mind that not everything can come with you, so you may need to make some tough decisions. • Give things away. Oftentimes, family members are happy to take some of your belongings into their own homes. As they are helping you pack and move, designate certain items to them or let them choose to take an item they may have been coveting for a while. • Save the memories. You might not have room for all those old photo albums in your new home. Ask someone about digitizing them, or even pare them down into smaller scrapbooks of memories. • Use up what you can. Waste not, want not, as the saying goes. Use up perishable items and paper products before your moving day. This way, you won’t have to pack and move these items with you. • Clean as you go. As you’re packing, dust and vacuum the areas as you go. Cleaning little by little is a lot easier than attempting to clean the entire house right before your move. • Create a “first day” box. Place items like toiletries, prescriptions, cleaning supplies, kitchen supplies, basic tools, etc. so you’ll have everything you might need ready to go your first night in your new home. .Sue Deily has been a Realtor® for 31 years, resides in the Upper Bucks Area and enjoys serving her clients in Bucks, Lehigh and Montgomery Counties. Sue has been featured in Bucks County Real Estate Trendsetters. Sue is happy to answer your real estate questions and can be reached at suesellshouses@gmail.com and at
215-872-9865.
en nd oes w ng n, s, s. it en on st. re
(above) Shoppers were abundant at NOVA Thrift Shop’s grand opening. (right) Mark Schweiker, former
governor and past co-chair of NOVA’s successful capital campaign, is a current champion for NOVA and honorary member of the board. submitted photos
Chronic pain is a disease. Unlike the immediate pain we feel when we get injured or touch a hot plate, it has no functional purpose, and is a lingering ailment which many times, has no root cause. The impact of chronic pain on the sufferer is far reaching. Because it can’t be seen, felt or heard by anyone other than the patient, the path to finding relief can be long and lonesome. Empathy fatigue is something that all chronic pain sufferers have experienced. Family members try to understand but over time, become exhausted themselves with trying to help a loved one dealing with an invisible illness. Lost time at work adds to the stress and financial impact on the patient. It’s easy to see how chronic pain impacts someone’s social situation and psychological state of mind, among other things. And the biggest, most stressful component isn’t the pain itself. It’s not being able to find a trusted professional who is trained and licensed to productively control your painful condition. Many folks start with their family or primary care doctor. Though this is an appropriate starting place, it may not be enough if your doctor only prescribes pain medications without a referral to a board-certified pain medicine physician who may be able to not only find the reason for the pain, but to treat it with cutting edge technology and expertise. According to Robert Kelly, DO, of the Pennsylvania Pain & Spine Institute with offices in Quakertown and Chalfont, PA, “We work with family doctors all the time to manage patients’ chronic pain conditions. We partner with family doctors to create a strategy and a roadmap for helping our patients live with less disruptive pain. Such a plan usually includes a multi-disciplinary approach to treating pain which might include non invasive therapies, physical therapy, and sometimes psychological counseling.” Douglas Gugger, MD, also of the Pennsylvania Pain & Spine Institute added,
“We get to the root cause of a patient’s condition, which means taking adequate time to learn about their history, their challenges, what is impeding their progress and what has and hasn’t worked in the past. We don’t assume anything. We take the time necessary to pick up on the nuances which are always involved in chronic pain.” In the past, doctors could practice various pain treatments without proper training and licensing. Doctors specifically trained in pain management typically complete a residency in anesthesiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation or related field. They then go on to complete an additional year of Fellowship Training in pain management. Finally, to be considered a reputable physician in the field, the pain management doctor you choose should be Board-Certified by the ABMS, American Board of Medical Specialties. Board-certifications can be viewed at www. certificationmatters.org. Most importantly, physicians specifically trained in the field of pain management are trained to listen, to understand the many facets of chronic pain and know that developing a strategy for pain relief usually requires several different, concurrent treatment approaches. The physicians of the Pennsylvania Pain & Spine Institute are all Board-Certified in pain management and Fellowship-Trained from Harvard Medical School and the University of Pennsylvania. They treat complicated pain conditions of the head, neck, back and joints. They offer safer, longer terms pain therapies with less reliance on medication. They even utilize regenerative therapies that use the body’s own cells to heal areas of pain and offer the newest techniques that slow the degenerative processes leading to pain. For more information, visit www.pennpain.com or call 215-395-8888. They are located at 127 S. 5th St, Suite 180 in Quakertown and 700 Horizon Circle, Suite 206 in Chalfont, PA.
St. Isidore Students to Compete in State Science Competition
St. Isidore School 7th and 8th grade students participated in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science regional competition (Region 1C). The participants are awarded 1st through 4th place based on a rubric. Five St. Isidore School students received 1st place and will move onto the state competition at Penn State University in May, where they'll present their experiments again. The students that received 2nd place will participate as technicians for the 1st place presentations. (left to right) back row: Lou Perry, 7th Grade Educator. Anna Schmidt 1st place (7th grade). James Kulka, 2nd (8th). Dylan Christy 2nd (8th). Nick Foreman 2nd (8th). Madelyn Rotloff 1st/perfect score (7th). Lexi Rindgen 3rd (8th). Katelyn O Connor 1st (8th). Dr. Robin Conboy, Principal. front row: Luke Wyatt 2nd (7th). Johnny Cressman 1st (7th) not pictured: Faith Nungesser 1st (8th). submitted photo
NOVA Thrift Shop Opens New Larger Location Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA), the victim services and crime prevention education agency in Bucks County, celebrated the grand opening of the NOVA Thrift Shop in its new location at 2116 Broad Street in Perkasie on March 25. Staff and volunteers have been quietly serving customers in the new building and taking donations of clothing and small household items since about two weeks before the big celebration. “After about a year of planning, construction and a lot of packing, moving, unpacking and set-up, NOVA Thrift Shop staff and volunteers are eager to show off our beautiful new space in our own building,” says Thrift Shop manager Maria White. The 16-year-old shop recently opened under the red roof at the intersection of Route 313 and Broad Street, 1.2miles up the highway from its former home in Fountainville. “We occupy 7,000 square feet of the 9,500-square-foot building,” says White, “which we expect to accommodate our needs for retail, office, preparation and storage space for many years to come. “We’re still getting used to all the space inside, as well as the luxury of more than
70 parking spots for donors, customers and volunteers.” NOVA is currently seeking a tenant to occupy the remaining 2,500 sf space. NOVA launched its NOVA Thrift Shop (NTS) in 2001 as a funding resource that would also provide a service to the community while raising awareness for NOVA’s work with crime victims and prevention education. The initiative has proven successful beyond the community service organization’s wildest dreams. Since then, NTS has donated nearly $2.5 million to NOVA’s programs and services, contributing annually over 55 percent of the shop’s income from sales—a statistic that makes NOVA Thrift Shop stand out among other nonprofit thrifts. Only the manager is fulltime; she and the five part-time assistant managers work side by side with a team of men and women who volunteer from a few hours a month to many hours a week. All staff and volunteers embrace NOVA’s mission to support victims of crime and to deliver prevention education and other services throughout Bucks County. NOVA Thrift Shop’s phone number remains the same: 215.249.8000.
April 2017 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl
If you know me, one thing you’ve probably heard me talk about how much I like comic books. After all, comic books are how I learned to read, and I’m sure they have helped other kids as well. But this book is different. It takes a comic book character, and throws her into a novel. A unique change in format, I’m not sure if this is to bring comic book readers to novels, vice versa, or both, but it is a really well-written book. I also like that Mr. and Mrs. Hale have wrote a book on a lesser known superhero. This makes the fans happy to see her shown in novels, and the novel readers realize that there are more superheroes than just the ones in the Marvel movies. Synopsis- Doreen Green knows that she’s different. After all, there is literally a perfectly legit reason why she obsesses over squirrels. You see, Doreen Green is a fourteen-yearold with a squirrel tail. But now she’s moved across the country from sunny, brilliant, cheery California to...New Jersey. What if there are no squirrels?! Luckily, there ARE squirrels, but the town is still pretty messed up. There are graffiti “artists” and wild dogs running loose! So, Doreen decides to do what any good citizen should
do - clean up her town. This goes fine, until she finds out that she now has an arch-nemesis trying to foil her plans. Now it’s up to Squirrel Girl to stop this squirrel-hating psycho from destroying her town! What I Thought- This book is very funny. There is just a lot of details that make for a humorous read. One of the ones I like is that there are footnotes throughout the book from Doreen, because she is reading the book at the same time as you are! There are also text messages between Doreen and some prominent superheroes that are absolutely hilarious. Doreen is a very enjoyable character that seems a bit too naive at times, but that could be reasoned by saying she has been homeschooled up to that point. Mr. and Mrs. Hale are a great writing team, and have the voice of young teenagers down perfectly. They make the characters believable. Along with that, the setting is well-described, and doesn’t really diss New Jersey, just her fictional, messed-up town. There are also black and white squirrel illustrations throughout the book that were a nice touch. This was an altogether enjoyable read, and a nice foray into the Marvel universe from a lesser known superhero! The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale (Marvel Press) For more on books and reading visit my website at ThisKidReviewsBooks.com
“In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.” - Mark Twain
CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAM
Early Intervention Services - Pre-School - Child Care Accepting Fall Registrations for Children Ages 6 Weeks – 5 Years Morning and Afternoon Classes Available Serving infants, toddlers and pre-school children from Upper Bucks and surrounding communities.
• Pre-K Counts Classroom • Low Student to Teacher Ratio • Fenced in Playground
• Creative Curriculum • Trained Staff • Secure, State-of-the-Art Facility
995 Doylestown Pike, Quakertown | 215.536.7800 CDP_Office@cdpchildren.org | www.cdpchildren.org Find us on Facebook at Children’s Developmental Program
John Rivers Memorial VFW Post 11322 presented the Quakertown Burger King with the ‘Unmet Needs’ Award from the National VFW Headquarters. submitted photo
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
Eastertime Memories “In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, you’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade… On the avenue, Fifth Avenue, the photographers will snap us, and you’ll find that you’re in the rotogravure.” That was one of my favorite Easter songs when I was growing up. There was just something about being “in the rotogravure.” Not that I had a clue what the word meant, but, at six years old, I could pronounce it, and it sounded exactly like it belonged on Fifth Avenue in New York City. As a matter of fact, every little girl in the countryside of East Rockhill Township could have strolled down Fifth Avenue in their Easter outfits. I can still remember my Easter dresses, spring coats, pretty little hats with flowers, white patent leather shoes, and anklets with lace. Of course, that is not to forget the little purses that matched my outfits. One year I even had a pair of nylon gloves with an eyelet ruffle at the wrist. I always thought I was a lady on Easter Sunday morning, just like my Mother. When we got to church, there were rainbows of colors – soft pinks, sky blues, sunshine yellows, pale greens, and light eggshell whites. The boys were all gussied up in their suits, some in three-piece suits, with ties or bowties. And, in the fifties, you could even find some little guys styling a Fedora just like their fathers. When I grew up Easter was such a fun time. I loved the song, “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” because Peter reminded me of one of my favorite stories by Beatrix Potter, Peter
Rabbit; although, Peter Rabbit didn’t bring “Baskets full of Easter joy,” and “Things to make [my] Easter bright and gay.” Plus, my mother got jelly beans from Cassel’s Food market ‘Uptown’, and eggs from our chickens which we dyed and decorated. When I became a parent, I passed all those fun times on to my children, and that included the traditional Easter dinner, ham and all the fixings. For several years, my children even experienced Sunrise Service on Easter morning; that was until their early teens when they no longer enjoyed rising with the sun. As a child that was always a fascinating time for me. The times that we didn’t go to the actual Sunrise Service at church, my mother would get me up at 5am to watch the sun rise through the trees at our house. It appeared to be dancing as it climbed over the trees, and she told me that even the sun was shouting because Christ had risen. It brings pleasure for me to look back on the holidays that were celebrated with my family. Times in the fifties and sixties were kinder, calmer, simpler, and more enjoyable. I treasure that time of my life, and I choose to believe it was that way because I was blessed to be a country girl. May your Easter be happy, bright, and blessed. Live and love in the moment, and enjoy every second of it. JMH Easter Parade by Irving Berlin Peter Cottontail by Gene Autry You can contact Jacque at: jacque@ubfp.org
Visit Bucks County Welcomes Lisa Paglaiccetti, Industry Relations Director
The second annual ‘Party for Preemies’ was held last month in Quakertown to benefit Lily’s Hope Foundation. Lily’s Hope was founded by the Driscoll family to aid families with preemie babies and has helped 500 families to date so far. Find them online at lilyshopefoundation.org. (above) The founding family of Lily’s Hope: John Kunes; Justin, Lily, Aiden, and Jennifer Driscoll; and Kate Kunes. photo by michele buono
Visit Bucks County (VBC) welcomes its newest staff member, Lisa Paglaiccetti, as Industry Relations Director. Lisa will cultivate new and existing partnerships with restaurants, attractions, lodging, retail and various other venues and organizations in the hospitality industry as well as the region’s business community. She will expand the educational programming and networking opportunities for Bucks County’s tourism industry. Under Lisa’s guidance, the Industry Relations team will continue to execute VBC hosted events, such as the Annual Meeting and National Travel & Tourism Week. Long term, she will foster collaboration among Bucks County’s tourism and hospitality industry to create tourism product and overnight packages that entice more visitors to stay in the region. “We are excited to have Lisa join our organization,” said Jerry Lepping, Visit Bucks County President/COO.” Her experience with creating partnerships and executing events of all sizes will be a huge asset to the
organization.” Prior to joining Visit Bucks County, Lisa spent nearly 20 years at The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. She worked in several capacities, most recently as the Director of Programs & Events where she was responsible for planning and implementing events. She is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, with her Bachelor of Science degree in Communications Media and Journalism. Lisa is a proud Bucks County resident and can be reached atLisaP@visitbuckscounty. com. Visit Bucks County (VBC) is the official tourism promotion agency for Bucks County. The tourism office, with more than 450 tourism/hospitality partners throughout Bucks County, promotes all there is to see and do to potential visitors and residents. In addition to consumer travel, Visit Bucks County targets sports tournaments, motorcoach groups, meetings, special events and weddings. For more information, visit VisitBucksCounty.com
Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.
April 2017 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • April 2017
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