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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
February 28
What’s Going On in Upper Bucks?
Quizzo Night 7pm at the Indian Valley Library in Telford. Trivia will cover Presidents, Leap Day, & the Oscars. Sign up your team or yourself at 215-723-9109. Deadline for High School Poster Contest for Bucks County seniors to enter. Theme is What Voting Means to Me. $500 prize. Rules/entry form at lwvbucks.org
February 29
Oldies Dance Party 7pm-10pm (open 6:30pm) at Green Lane Fire Co, 214 Main St, Rte 63. DJ Gary Wiley. Couples/singles age 21+. $10 admis. incl. snacks & cash door prizes. Cash Bar. FMI: 215-453-9841. Open House at Springfield Twp Histor. Soc. 9:30am-12noon. Church School, 2165 Rte 212, Pleasant Valley (Coopersburg) across from Trinity Lutheran. Staff on hand for q uestions. Free! FMI: Tom 484-308-1510.
March 1
Order Italian or Turkey hoagies from Quakertown Lions by March 6 at 215-5361983. Freshly made & ready for pickup on March 14 from 9am-11am at two QNB locations (3rd & W Broad Sts) or (Rte 309 & Mill Rd). Price is still $5. Breakfast 8am-12:30pm at Springtown Firehouse, 3010 Rte 212, Springtown. $7.50/adults, $4.50/kids 5-8, free 4 & under. American Girl Tea Time (Kit Kitteridge 1934) 1:30pm-2:30pm at Schwenkfelder Heritage Ctr in Pennsburg. Boys & girls are both welcome ($3/per child w/ adult) Register: Alyssa 215-679-3103 or alyssa@schwenkfelder.com Sportsmen’s Flea Mkt 8am-1pm by Boy Scout Troop at Alburtis Area Commun. Ctr, 220 W 2nd St, Alburtis. 85 vendor tables. $4/admis. Under age 12 free. Food avail. FMI: 484-602-0674 or 610-762-9292. “Spirit of Mardi Gras: Barrel-Aged Celebration” 11:30am-8pm at Free Will Brewing, 410 E Walnut St, Perkasie. FMI: perkasietowneimprovementassc.com Designer Bag Bingo 12noon-3pm at Sellersville Fire Dept, 2 N Main St, Sellersville. FMI: perkasietowneimprovementassc.com
March 3
“100th Anniversary of American Legion” 5pm-8pm at St. Stephen’s, 110 N 6th St, Perkasie. Join Perkasie Hist. Soc. for dinner & presentations. FMI: perkasietowneimprovementassc.com
March 5
“History of U.S. Census 1790 to the Present” 7:30pm at Milford Twp Historical/ Preservation Soc., 1580 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Spinnerstown (GPS Quakertown). Free refreshmts, all welcome! FMI: 215-679-6175. “Faith Based Entertainment” by Daniel Roebuck (actor, writer, producer, director) 1pm at Penn State Univ. Lehigh Vly campus, 2809 Saucon Valley Rd, Center Valley. Free, open to the public. Benefit Banquet 6:30pm at Franconia Heritage Restaurant, Telford. An offering will be received for We Care Program prison ministry. FMI: Dawn at 215-622-4325 or landisad7@gmail.com by March 1. Wecareprogram.org
March 6
BBBS St. Patty’s Designer Bag Bingo 6pm9pm at St. Cyril of Jerusalem, 1410 Almshouse Rd, Jamison. $25/pp, $175/reserves table of 8, vendors sell & play bingo $40. FMI: 215-343-8260 x121, rpeterman@bbbsbc.org
March 7
Spring Craft/Vendor Show 10am-3pm at Benner Hall, 1260 Cherry Rd, Richlandtown. Refreshments available. (Interested vendors call Lisa Green 215-536-4972) Soup Day 11am-2pm at Dublin Fire Co, 194 N Main St. Sandwiches & hotdogs also available. FMI: 215-249-3740. Call only on Soup Day to order quarts. Maple Sugar Day 11am-1pm at Peace Valley Nature Ctr in Doylestown. Free, donations welcome. FMI: 215-345-7860. ‘Ashley King, The Clock Trader’ (expert in field of horology) 2pm at Town Hall, 5 N Main St, Coopersburg. Free & open to public. Welcome to bring own clock or photo to show us. FMI: coopersburghistory@gmail.com
Mardi Paws 6:30pm-9:30pm at Animals in Distress, 5075 Limeport Pk, Coopersburg. Tkts: $30/ea. Buffet, Silent auction, Music, Wine tasting. FMI: animalsindistresspa.org or 610-762-8553. (r/d March 8)
March 7 & 8
“The World Around Us” Art Show (Sat 11am-3pm) (Sun 11am-1pm) at Good Shepherd Church, 1634 Hilltown Pike, Hilltown. (Meet the artists March 6 at 6pm reception). FMI: Barbara 215-348-3971.
March 8
Designer Bag Bingo Benefit 1pm (open 12noon) Also raffles & Chinese Auction at Upper Bucks Senior Ctr, 2183 Milford Sq Pike, Quakertown. $25/adv, $30/door. Food available. Tkts: mrupert55@hotmail.com or 215-536-6649. Breakfast Buffet 8am-12:30pm at Richland Twp Fire & Rescue, 64 Shelly Rd, Quakertown. FMI: 215-536-7226
March 9
‘Perkasie Covered Bridge Night at the Perk’ (fundraiser to preserve 1832 Covered Bridge in Lenape Park) 5pm-9pm. Food, drinks, raffle baskets. The Perk is located at 149 W Walnut St, Perkasie. FMI: Pat at 215-257-9624.
March 10
‘Moonwalk’ 6:30pm-7:30pm at Peace Valley Nature Ctr in Doylestown. NO Dogs! No fee, donations appreciated. FMI: 215-345-7860.
March 12
Maker Zone: Snap Circuits 6pm-7:30pm at Perkasie Library, 491 Arthur Ave. Best for ages 8+. FMI: 215-257-9718
March 14
Breakfast w/Easter Bunny 9am-11am at Upper Bucks Technical School, 3115 Ridge Rd, Perkasie. Delicious breakfast! $8/adult, $5/ages 3-9, free 2 & under. $5/per printed picture w/Bunny, indoor egg hunt & activities. Elephant & Piggie Party 10:30am at Perkasie Library, 491 Arthur Ave. Stories, a craft & more. All ages welcome! FMI: 215-257-9718 Quakertown Lions Italian or Turkey Hoagie Sale 9am-12noon or sold out at two QNB locations (3rd & W Broad) & (Rte 309 & Mill Rd). Freshly made this morning, price is still $5.
Rummage Sale, Used Books, Soup & Chili (sold by the quart), Bake Sale at Chalfont Fire Co Aux, 301 N Main St, Chalfont. FMI: 215-822-2251
March 15
Community Breakfast 7am-1pm at Souderton Firehouse, 266 N 2nd St, Souderton. $9/adults, $6/ages 4-12, free 3 & under.
March 17
St. Patrick’s Day Johnstown Flood Program 12noon at Pennridge Commun. Ctr, Rtes 113 & 152, Silverdale. FMI: 215-453-7027
March 18
‘Swing Music’by Claudia Pellegrini (violin) 7pm at Quakertown Library, 401 W Mill St, Quakertown. Free! No registration required. FMI: 215-536-3306.
March 19
Write On! Animal Self-Help 6pm at Perkasie Library, 491 Arthur Ave. Listen to “Penguin Problems” & write your own self-help book. Best for ages 6-12. FMI: 215-257-9718. Register online at buckslib.org
March 20
Spring Begins SEPTA Key Card Event 10am-4pm at Rep. Craig Staats’ office, 10 S Third St, Quakertown. Card holders ride for free on SEPTA transit buses, $1 on regional rail lines. Appointment/details: 215-536-1434. Soup & Sandwich Lunch 11:30am at Pennridge Commun. Ctr, Rtes 113 & 152, Silverdale. $5/mbrs, $7/non-mbrs. Also cash bingo & 50/50 games. FMI: 215-453-7027.
March 21
Baseball for Special People event 1pm-4pm at Raymour & Flanigan, 110 S West End Blvd, Quakertown. Come out & support this special needs program. $5 WAWA hoagie coupons also available. FMI: 215-529-0192 Grace Christian School’s “35th Spring Auction” 9am-2pm on campus of Penn Valley Church, 320 N Third St, Telford. Breakfast & lunch avail. Silent & live auctions (many items), agility dog show, bake sale, games,etc. FMI: 215-723-5896. Pork & Sauerkraut Dinner w/salad bar, buffet style 4pm-7pm or sold out. Trinity Great Swamp UCC, 9150 Spinnerstown Rd, Spinnerstown. $12/adults, $5/kids 4-12, free 3 & under. FMI: 215-679-7710 or 267-374-0590. Fundraiser Dance & Show w/Curt DiDomizio of REAL DIAMOND Band, 6pm9pm at UB Activity Ctr, 2183 Milford Sq Pike, Milford Square. DJ dance music following. Tkts: $20/adv. incl. finger foods/beverages, BYOB. FMI: 215-536-3066. St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Celtic Fest 11am-6pm at Sellersville Fireman’s Grove, 2 N Main St, Sellersville. FMI: perkasietowneimprovementassc.com
March 21 & 22
Spring Craft Fair 11am-4pm at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd, Quakertown. FMI: Sara 215-536 4115 or sara@quaketownfarmersmkt.com (for vendor application by March 7)
March 22
Red Cross Blood Drive 10am-3pm at Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 201 Station Rd. Outside Entrance #18. FMI: 215-536-4115. American Red Cross Babysitting Course 9am-3pm (ages 11-15) at Perkasie Borough Hall, 620 W Chestnut St, Perkasie. $74 for certification. FMI: perkasietowneimprovementassc.com “The Meltdown 5K” at Free Will Brewing, 410 E Walnut St, Perkasie. FMI: perkasietowneimprovementassc.com
March 24
Yoga Storytime w/Jess 10:15am-11am at Perkasie Library, 491 Arthur Ave. Bring water & comfy clothes & mat/towel. Best for ages 4-6, all ages welcome!. FMI: 215-257-9718
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
What’s Going On in Upper Bucks?
March 25
John Falter (nearly forgotten artist of Hilltown Twp) Other artists w/their artwork also in attendance. 7pm at Hilltown Municipal Bldg, 13 W Creamery Rd & Rte 152, Silverdale. Free, donations welcome. FMI: 267-614-9174.
March 27
“An Evening w/Rolly Brown” (guitarist) 7pm-9pm at Chimayo Gallery, 21 N 7th St, Perkasie. $10 suggested donation, reservations requested. FMI: perkasietowneimprovementassc.com
March 28
Spring ‘Stitch-In’ 10am-3pm at Grace Lutheran, 40 N Main St, Hatfield. Open 9:30am. Bring a stitching project & join the fun. $15/adv, $20/door (incl. lunch & snacks). Door prizes/raffles. Reservations/info: 267-222-8449 or 215-721-1418. FREE Shredding Event 11am-1pm. Richter Mobile Shredding will be at Quakertown Farmers Mkt (near Garden Ctr), 201 Station Ave. Have papers boxed or bagged. Limit 2 large bags or boxes per person. WWWA Wrestling (6:30pm bell time) at Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 201 Station Rd. Easter Bazaar begins 1pm-4pm at Animals in Distress in Coopersburg. On Tues, Thurs, Sat & Sun thru Easter. (Pet Photos w/Easter Bunny March 29 & April 4 at 1pm-3:30pm) FMI: call 610-762-8553. Indoor Flea Mkt/Bake Sale 8am-2pm at Haycock Twp Community Ctr, 1014 Old Bethlehem Rd, Quakertown.
March 29
BBBS ‘Bowl for Kids’ Sake’ – 2 sessions (12noon-1:45pm) & (2pm-3:45pm) at Earl Bowl Lanes, Quakertown. Regis: $50/per bowler. Register: bbbbbc.org/special-events Designer Purse Bingo (open 11:30am) at Dublin Fire Co, 194 N Main St. $25/adv, $30/ door. Refreshmts avail. Call 215-622-0206 or 215-249-9242.
March 30
Designer Bag Bingo (open 6pm) at Trumbauersville Fire Co, 142 N Main St. $25/adv, $30/door. Kitchen is open 6pm. No outside food/drinks. Reserve tkts/more info: Carolann 267-374-7762 or bucks59fire.com
April 4
17th Annual Cooks Creek Spring Clean Up. 9am-4pm. Hosted by Springtown Fire Company. Coffee, donuts, and chili free for volunteers. Scott Douglas 610-346-1604 Upper Bucks Foot & Ankle 10 Mile & 4 Mile Race. 9am-noon. Pfaff Elementary School 1600 Sleepy Hollow Road, Quakertown. Presented by Quakertown Rotary Club. Register at http://bit.ly/RotaryRace. Information: Bill Tuszynski, wtuszynski@verizon.net Quakertown Easter Egg Hunt begins 10am (age groups: 0-3, 4-6, 7+, special needs) at Memorial Park, Mill St, Quakertown. Also games, activities, prizes & a visit from the Easter Bunny. 7th Annual Tails & Ties Rescue Gala 5pm10pm at Homewood Suites Hilton in Center Valley. FMI/tkts: Jackie@lastchanceranch.org
April 6
Dublin Lions Game Dinner & Raffle (doors open 6pm) at Dublin Fire Co, Rte 313. Reserve tkts: Don 215-257-2245 or dublinpalions@gmail.com
April 8 to 11
Easter Flower Sale at Trumbauersville Fire Co (Wed/Thu/Fri 9am-9pm) (Sat 8am-4pm or sold out) Flowers, bedding plants, baskets. FMI or pre-orders: Kim 215-536-1998. Bucks58fire.com
April 11
Trumbauersville Lions Easter Egg Hunt 10am-10:30am at Veterans Park, 140 Woodview Dr, Trumbauersville. Age groups: 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, & 10-12. Milford Twp Easter Egg Hunt 10:15am10:45am (age groups: 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, & 9-10 yrs old) at Molasses Creek Park, 2175 Krammes Rd. FMI: Milford Twp Fire Co 215-536-1765.
April 12 April 15
Easter
‘Great Music from 1950s TV’ 7pm at Quakertown Library, 401 W Mill St, Quakertown. Free, no registration required. FMI: 215-536-3306.
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
Harley’s Haven
Odie
I realized something on my most recent therapy visit to the nursing homes. Dogs should be naked. Sure I like wearing costumes because it makes humans laugh and I get a lot of attention for wearing hats but what good is covering up if I am being petted? I can’t feel the loving touch of a human with all that stuff on. So if you see us out and about running around in the natural way you will know we want to get petted. I will still dress for events though. I am hoping to get to do door greeting on Easter Sunday at the opening of our Pennsburg Morningstar Church. For THAT I will dress up. Hope to see you there. Here is a picture of me without my clothes. I would also like to mention the free will concerts that Valley Choral Society is doing in May. It will be performed with an orchestra! You have an opportunity to “adopt”an instrument . That’s a cute way of saying , “help pay for”.
A full adoption is $200 or you can do partial adoptions too. Check out the web site if you are interested. www.valchor.com. That’s it for now. Love M.J.
O’Malley
Meet Odie! This handsome 6 year old until he came to us about a month ago. boy came to us from the shelter when his He had a very severe injury to his leg as owner could no longer keep him. He a puppy that didn’t heal well and then had had a severe eye injury and infection that surgery, which also unfortunately left his unfortunately led to him needing his eye leg very abnormal, so it is likely going to removed...but don’t tell him hes different, need to be amputated....but he is already he certainly doesn’t care! He is adorable not using it and it is uncomfortable, so we and sweet...loves to play and to snuggle, and is great with other dogs! Contact us think he will be better without it! He is a super friendly guy...he loves other dogs today for more info on this stud muffin! Meet O’Malley! A fun name for a su- and people! He is only about 18 months per fun guy! Poor O’Malley lived at the old, so is still a big puppy and may be too shelter for almost all of his young life... much for young kids! But he will make a he was there from about 3-4 months old wonderful addition to a family. Looking for a furever friend? Give Harley’s Haven a call at (267) 354-5204.
The Tremendous Value of Medicare Supplements The Tremendous Value of Medicare Supplements Medicare Supplemental Insurance, also known as “MediGap”, is private Insurance that pays for the “gaps” in coverage that Medicare Parts A & B do not cover. It is not Medicare Advantage (which is typically an HMO Plan). MediGap is sold by private insurance companies such as CIGNA, AETNA, AARP, etc and along with Medicare Parts ‘A & ‘B’ all medical services are covered without complexity or mystery. Below are some of important Highlights of MediGap. Financial Security Under traditional Medicare Parts A & B, Medicare beneficiaries without additional supplemental coverage are at risk of incurring significant health care expenses that hovers around 20% of all and any medical services. Where Medicare leaves off, Medigap picks up, providing the additional 20% coverage that helps protect against unpredictable and catastrophic health care bills. Predictability With MediGap, out-of-pocket costs are predictable. Standardized coverage for co-payments, and deductibles helps beneficiaries’ budget for their health care expenses on an annual basis. There are no surprises! Plus, there are several plans that even have no co-pays!
Choice Medigap policies are accepted by any provider that takes on Medicare patients. With Medigap there are NO Doctor or Hospital Networks and referrals to see a specialist are not needed. There are several MediGap Plans with a wide-range of coverage options. This allows the beneficiary to select the option that best fits their individual medical needs and budget. Reliability Medigap is a stable and reliable product that is widely available across the country. Federal law standardizes the coverage which prevents the plans from changing year-to-year. Also, when someone first enrolls in Medicare, they are guaranteed access to Medigap, regardless of any pre-existing conditions or illnesses. Relief from Paperwork Medicare beneficiaries enjoy the comfort of never receiving complicated bills from numerous providers and suppliers, because everything is done automatic and behind the scenes. Being relieved of this burdensome and frustrating paperwork is a terrific feature that MediGap policyholders enjoy. For more information and price quotes, please call us anytime! Howard Peck, is the owner of Senior Insurance Solutions LLC based in Green Lane PA. He’s a Pennsylvania Licensed Insurance Broker who exclusively specializes in Medicare. Reach him at 267-923-5281, hnpeck@comcast.net, or at SRinsurancesolutions.com
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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Art by Women Artists on Display BY DR. LORI VERDERAME
10% of American women remained single. From a classical revival American Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt building designed by Wood, (1844-1926) and muralist Violet Oakley (1874Donn & Deming in 1903 and 1961) both chose to devote their lives to their located at 1250 New York art instead of to marriage and children. The reAvenue in Washington, sults of this decision were inspirational to other DC, the National Museum artists. Some women of the era took classes and of Women in the Arts re- private art lessons. Mary Cassatt studied art mains the only major museum worldwide that privately and hired studio models to produce is solely dedicated to celebrating women’s her work. She also was one of the first women achievements in the visual, performing, and to attend art school both at home and abroad. literary arts. The museum was incorporated From 1860-62, Cassatt studied at the oldest art in 1981 by Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay school in the nation, the Pennsylvania Academy and this month of March—Women’s History of the Fine Arts (PAFA) in Philadelphia and made unescorted trips to Paris to paint and Month-- is the time to focus on women and study at the famed Academie Julian. She painttheir many contributions. ed with American and foreign colleagues—both Women artists struggled to achieve equal men and women including members of the footing in the art world with men. Looking French Impressionists—including her longtime back to the 17th and 18th centuries, women friend and staunch supporter Edgar Degas. artists’ work was rarely displayed or revered. Today, Cassatt’s paintings and prints focus For instance, the National Museum of Women on portraits and genre scenes and regularly in the Arts has a strong collection of paintcommand impressively high ings and other art by artists prices from collections and at working in the Netherlands auction. during the 17th and early 18th The names of many of centuries. Paintings and prints the 20th and 21st Century by esteemed female artists women artists are more such as Rachel Ruysch, Judith familiar to most art lovers Leyster, Maria Sibylla Merian, like the representational Magdalena van de Passe, Clara artists Grace Anderson, Peeters, Maria Schalcken, Della Bittner, the modAnna Maria van Schurman ernists Georgia O’Keeffe, and Alida Withoos are part Elizabeth Grandin, and of the museum’s permanent Imogen Cunningham, and the collection. The Netherlands Abstract Expressionists active saw unprecedented economic Elizabeth Grandin, Seascape, oil in the 1950s Grace Hartigan, on board, 1910 growth during the late 16th Helen Frankenthaler, Joan century until the early 1700s. This growth saw Mitchell. Sculptors with influence, to name a a rise of a wealthy merchant middle class. The few, include Mary Callery, Louise Nevelson, nouveau riche members of Dutch society, at and Glenna Goodacre. Also, the Feminist art this time sparked high demand for paintings program pioneers Judy Chicago and Miriam and prints of genre scenes, portraits, and still Shapiro who were active from the 1970s and life paintings. To meet this demand, artists in- remain so to this day. cluding talented women artists produced some These innovators helped open the doors for of the most captivating works of the golden age women artists who were formerly shut out of of Dutch art. major museums and the lucrative art market. The 18th Century in France also saw the As art reflects our history, social change, and rise of women artists such as the court painter, progress, March is a perfect time to reflect on Elizabeth Vigee Le Brun, the famed artist who art made by women and visit a museum or galpainted many portraits of King Louis XVI’s lery highlighting their fine contributions. wife, the foreign-born Marie Antoinette and Dr. Lori Verderame is the award-winning her children. Ph.D. antiques appraiser on History channel’s By the mid to late 19th Century, the lives #1 hit show, The Curse of Oak Island and of women and women artists changed as a re- weekdays on the Doctor and the Diva. Dr. Lori sult of reform movements in response to the presents her Antiques Appraisal Comedy Show Industrial Revolution. With the primary role to audiences nationwide. Visit www.DrLoriV. of women being that of wife and mother, only com/events or call (888) 431-1010.
Relationships I am feeling nothing but gratitude for the month of March. It was ten years ago that I was blessed and met my daughter who I had given up for adoption when I was sixteen years old. It doesn’t even seem possible to me that she and I met 10 years ago and that we are still very close to one another. The only down side is that she lives in Florida with her husband and my three grandchildren and I am here in PA. I visit her at least 2-3 times a year and cherish every moment and day I have with her, her family and her mother. I will be flying out on our 10-year anniversary this year to celebrate with her and the family. All of us are very excited and feel nothing but blessed to be in each other’s lives. Whenever I think about other stressors in my life all I have to do is think about Lauren. In that moment I am calm and grateful. Sometimes we can get so bogged down by the things in our lives that aren’t going as well as we would like and we forget about all the things in our lives that are good. That is why I am never surprised by the people who show up in my life. I am a true believer that we attract people in our life that give us what we need “good” or “bad”. Every encounter becomes an opportunity for us to learn about ourselves and understand what it is that we need in our relationships with others. We learn how to set limits and boundaries and to ask for what we want. We also can decide who we don’t want in our life because of how they are as people and how they make us feel not so good about ourselves. That is why I believe that every negative encounter can be a positive one if we are able to see the lessons, we can learn from them. In most cases it really has no weight or value to who we are because we know the truth about who we are. But that is how powerful others opinions of us can be to our self-worth; howev-
er, it allows an opportunity to assess ourselves and our relationships and understand their validity and importance in our lives. Relationships can be simple or complicated for us on any given day. However, if we view all of them as let’s say worthwhile it provides for us a new way of having a connection with someone. Too often we miss what is happening in our life and the things that matter because we are running around so much with all these responsibilities that we forget the people in our life that have meaning to us. So many of my clients will tell me that it has been forever since they have seen their friends or loved ones. When I ask why it is always, I just don’t have time or any number of excuses. I say excuses because sometimes I think we look for them in order to not connect with others. As much as we want to spend time with others, we don’t make the time. I think this may have more to do with our level of comfort with ourselves and our life and that it is easier to just keep doing what we’re doing rather than getting out of our own comfort zone and being with the people in our lives that make us laugh and feel good about ourselves. How many times do I say that life is too short and how many times do you actually hear others saying it? A lot… it is imperative that we bring joy in our life as much as we can and be with people who make us shine….and even if we run into someone who puts a damper on our mood we can quickly change that around and say (not literally, out loud to yourself) “thank you for showing up!!” So be present with others, smile, laugh and by all means enjoy and learn from all your encounters with others!!! 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.
Using Your Will to Provide for Your Minor Children BY ROBERT E. FRAVEL, ESQ. Most of us think of a will as simply “a legal document that spells out who gets my property when I die”. And while that is true, a will can also be a tool that determines what happens to your minor children and their finances if both parents die before the children come of age. This is not a topic that is comfortable to think about, but for parents, it is necessary. Naming a Guardian A guardian is the person who will serve in the parental role in the event that you die before your children reach the age of majority. This is not something you want to leave to the courts. The courts will do their due diligence and attempt to make a decision based on the best interests of the child, but it is impossible for a judge to understand the in’s and out’s of your friendships and family relationships, which would likely be the basis for whom you name as a guardian. In order to avoid this risk, use your will to put this decision in writing. Naming someone to handle your child’s inheritance Children under the age of 18 cannot manage their inheritance money. There must be someone appointed or named in the will to do this on their behalf until they come of age. There are a number of ways to do this, the two most common are:
You can use your will to set up a testamentary trust, which will then allow you to set the terms on how and when they will receive the money (ex.” My daughter shall receive $20,000.00 when she turns 25, and the remainder when she turns 30”). In this testamentary trust you will name a trustee or trustees to handle and manage the money until the time at which the document directs the funds to be distributed. You can name a Custodian under the PA Uniform Transfers to Minors Act. Under this approach, the Custodian cannot turn over the funds until the child turns 21, and in some circumstances, may be allowed to maintain control over the funds until the child turns 25. If you have minor children and you do not have a will, or you do not have a will that addresses who will provide for your minor children in the event of your death, make an appointment to contact an experienced estate planning attorney in your area. Robert E. Fravel, Esq. is a Bucks County attorney located at 123 N. Main Street, Suite 101B, in Dublin, Pennsylvania. He specializes in estate planning & administration, family law, business law and real estate law. To set up a consultation, call his office at (267) 2279138. To learn more, visit his website at www. fravel-law.com
Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
Edith Blanche (Hottle) Cunningham, age 104, died Friday, January 31, 2020, at Belle Haven Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Born May 21, 1915 in Passer, PA, she was the daughter of the late Clinton J. and Flora Elizabeth (Furry) Hottle, and the widow of the late Wilbur Cunningham. Edith lived a long and blessed life. She was an active member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Pleasant Valley, having been a member of the church’s Women’s Missionary Society (now Women of ELCA), a Sunday school teacher, and member of Stitches of Love. She was employed at the former Tohickon Hosiery Mill, continuing on to be a Production Examiner for the former Imrod Clothing Manufacturing Co., from which she retired in 1975. In her retirement, Edith and her husband Wilbur enjoyed taking their grandchildren fishing and camping. Edith cared for generations of family members, and could always be counted on for a good game of Skip-Bo followed by candies and sweets. Edith is survived by daughters Nancy Scheerbaum (Gus), Sandra Rehrig (James, deceased), and Carol Kirschman (Bruce Kulp); as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and great-great-great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at 2170 Route 212, Coopersburg, PA 18036 Catherine J Arnholt (Terpstra) of Coopersburg, PA passed away on Monday, February 3, 2020, at the Lutheran Community At Telford, after a valiant battle with Parkinson’s Disease and later cancer. She was 77 years old.Cathy was born to the late Sipka and Catherine (Hynes) Terpstra in Passaic, NJ on May 2, 1942. She was raised in Morton, PA and graduated from Notre Dame Catholic High School. Cathy met her husband the late James P Arnholt while working at Korvette’s department store. They were married June 22, 1963 and later raised there family in Telford, Pa. When her husband passed in 1993 Cathy moved to an in-law suite with her daughter’s
~Obituaries~
family and played a meaningful part as mom and grandmom over the years. She had a passion for music, more specifically Musikfest, and enjoyed live performances at the festival. When she couldn’t attend she watched from home, making notes of artists and times of their performances. She is survived by a daughter Catherine J (Arnholt) Davidheiser (Douglas S.) of Coopersburg, and a son James P. Arnholt Jr (Michele) of Sellersville. Three grandchildren Jeremy Davidheiser (Jessie Ervin), Christina Arnholt (Christopher Ousey), and Danielle Davidheiser (Jeff Luvender). Two sistersin-law Jane (Mansfield) Terpstra and Maria (Heron) Arnholt, a brother-in-law Rev. Joseph M. Arnholt. Many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Predeceased by a brother Richard Terpstra, and brother-in-law George A. Arnholt Jr. She will be remembered for her smile, generosity, and kind heart. Arrangements are in the care at C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Quakertown. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis TN 38105
Patrick Friel, age 81, of Quakertown, Pennsylvania, passed away on Monday February 3, 2020 at his home. He was the husband of late Patricia (Buehler) Friel who died in 2015 and with whom he shared 49 years of marriage. Born in Philadelphia, PA he was a son of the late Michael Friel and the late Nora (Fitzpatrick) Friel. Patrick served our country in the Army during the Vietnam War. For most of his career he was a courier for United Parcel Service. In recent years, he enjoyed delivering flowers for Dominic Graziano’s Florist in Doylestown, PA and Gordon Florist in Chalfont, PA. He was a member of St. Isidores Catholic Church in Quakertown. He enjoyed watching Nascar racing, gardening, Wawa coffee and spending time with his family. Survivors include one son, Steven Friel (Christy); one daughter, Trish Gommel (Jeremy); one sister, Nora Friel; one brother, Michael Friel (Joan) and four grandchildren,
Noah Gommel, Morgan Friel, Kyle Gommel and Owen Friel. Contributions in his memory may be made to The American Heart Association, 1617 John F Kennedy Blvd # 700, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Arrangements are by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Ltd. Of Quakertown. Nauglefcs.com
Theodore John Arnhold, Jr., age 74, died Monday, Feb. 3, 2020, at his home in Quakertown, surrounded by his loving family. Born April 11, 1945, in Philadelphia, PA, he was the son of the late Theodore, Sr. and Mary Isabel (Case) Arnhold, and the beloved husband of Carol (Conroy) Arnhold, to whom he was married for 52 years at the time of his passing. Ted served his country with distinction in the United States Air Force. He was an avid fisherman, enjoyed camping, winters in Florida, and biking. Most of all Ted enjoyed spending time with his family, and he treasured every moment spent with his grandchildren, Hannah and Quinn. In addition to his wife, Ted is survived by: son T.J. Arnhold; daughter Kristin Costello (husband Jason); and grandchildren Hannah and Quinn Costello. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by sister Carol Arnhold. Interment will be private and at the discretion of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Ted’s honor to NEADS World Class Service Dogs (neads.org) or To Love a Canine Rescue (tlcrescuepa.com) or to a charity of your choice. Michael R. Altomare, age 92, died Wed. Feb. 5, 2020, at his home. Born Aug. 22, 1927, in Philadelphia, he was the widower of the late Marion M. (Hall) Altomare. Michael served his country with distinction in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Michael spent his working years as a parts manager for International Harvester, Sales associates for Snyder’s Lumber and Homestead Product Supply, and his remaining years as a volunteer at St. Luke’s Hospital in Quakertown. Mike’s hobbies included a passion for gardening, especially tomatoes for salads, growing Gladiolas for the folks at St. Luke’s, and working on improving his homes. Michael is survived by: sons Robert, Steven, and Carl Altomare; daughter Donna Henry; grandchildren Jack, Grant, David Jr. Abigail, and Lindsay; and 4 great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife he is preceded in death by: son David Altomare and grandson Christopher. Services and interment will be private and at the discretion of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Michael’s honor to one of the following: American Heart Association, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, DaVita Dialysis Center at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital. Kent Harris, 73, of Quakertown died February 5, 2020 in Life Quest Nursing Center, Milford Township. He is the husband of Ruth Vokoun Harris. Born in Narberth, PA he was the son of the late William McDougall Harris and of the late Mary (Richardson) Dunlap. Kent graduated from Maranatha Baptist Bible College with his Master of Divinity. His last employment was as a Quality Control Inspector for Stein Seal in Franconia for 11 years, before retiring. Kent was a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Sellersville. In addition to his wife Ruth, he is survived by a son Matthew K. and wife Kate of Pottstown. Three brothers; Bruce and his wife Reda of Hillsboro, KY, Glenn and his wife Linda of Pottstown, and Ross and his wife Patricia of Lansdale. Five grandchildren; Stephen Michael Harris, Ezra June Harris, Harlo Locke Harris, Hawthorne Jude Harris and Huxley Wit Harris. Predeceased by a daughter Aminta Louise Harris. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk. com) Quakertown. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made directly to the family to help defray the funeral expenses. Patricia Corney, 85, of Quakertown died February 5, 2020 in Life Quest Nursing Center, Milford Township. Born in Newburg, NY she was the daughter of the late Edward L. & Agnes Mae (Fullertown) Corney. She was an Accountant for Berwine Corporation before retiring. She is survived by a sister Joan S. Edwards, and a brother Edward L. Corney.
Services will be private and at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Quakertown.
Penny Ann Breckenridge, age 53, of Zionsville, Pennsylvania, passed away on February 5, 2020 at her home. She was the wife of Todd Breckenridge, with whom she shared 24 years of marriage. Born in Long Branch, NJ she was a daughter of Pete Kaufmann of New Jersey and the late Ruth (Jacheo) Kaufmann. Penny was a Veterinarian Technician at Mill Pond Veterinary Clinic in Quakertown for many years. She loved and cared for all kinds of animals, domestic and wild. She has rescued hundreds of animals. She loved to draw and would create greeting cards to her friends and family. In addition to her husband she is survived by one son, Daniel Todd Breckenridge at home; two brothers, James Crotchfelt (Diane) of Hamilton NJ and Joe Crotchfelt (Angela) of Jackson NJ and one sister, Robin Stratton (Jim) of Oolagah, OK. To make a donation to Penny’s Angel Fund, please make check payable to Mill Pond Vet Clinic and put Penny’s Angel Fund in the memo. Checks can be mailed to or dropped off at 2255 Mill Pond Road, Quakertown PA 18951. Nauglefcs.com Forrest Brian Clark, 39, of Quakertown formerly of Philadelphia died February 6, 2020. Born in Merced, CA he was the son of Barbara A. (Doman) Clark & Brian D. Clark and the step son of Maria P. Clark. He enjoyed hunting, all sports, writing and art. Forrest was a member of Morning Star Fellowship and very active in many ministries in the church. He was a Calvary Scout in the U.S. Army serving two tours in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Operation Endurance Freedom. In addition to his mother, father and step mother he is survived by his six children Sommer Clark, Gabriel Clark, Katelyn Garcia, Emily Clark, Forrest Clark, Jr., and Rachel Clark. His three sisters Brandy Voytko (Kevin), Stephanie McManus (Michael) and Jennifer Aaron (Steven), a brother Eduardo Arevalo (Erin). Nieces and nephews Chase, Gavin, Peyton, Michael, Faith, Aaron, and Maximus. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk. com) Quakertown. Interment will be private and will be held at Washington Crossing National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to Morning Star Fellowship 429 S. 9th St. Quakertown, PA 18951 or to Teen Challenge of the Dakotas 600 W. 16th Avenue S., Brookings, SD 57006. Robert J. Stutzman, Sr., 87 of Quakertown died February 6, 2020 in Belle Haven Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center. He was the husband of the late Margaret J. Stutzman. He was born in Allentown. He retired as a Custodian for Lucent Technologies. He is survived by a son Robert, Jr. and a daughter Cindy. Predeceased by a son Jeffrey and a daughter Wendy. Services will be held at a later date. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Quakertown. Susan Lee Diehl, age 59, of Red Hill, Pennsylvania, passed away on Friday February 7, 2020 at her home. Born in Quakertown PA, she was the daughter of Donald A. Diehl of Pennsburg and the late D. Joy Dunning Diehl. Susan worked as an administrative assistant for Primerica. She enjoyed fishing, visits to the beach and soft pretzels. She attended Finland Mennonite Church in Pennsburg. Survivors include her twin sons, Zachery Engle and Joshua Engle both of Quakertown, PA; two brothers, David Diehl (Diane) of Quakertown, PA and Kevin Diehl (Sharon) of Emmaus, PA; four sisters, Sally Schulberger (Scott) of Pennsburg PA, Deborah Diehl of Brick NJ, Karen Diehl of Summit Hill, PA and Joanne Barrett (John) of Lehighton, PA. Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Penn Foundation, P.O. Box 32, Sellersville, PA 18960. or at https://tinyurl.com/PFMemorialGift Arrangements are by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Services, Ltd of Quakertown. Condolences may be shared at www.nauglefcs.com Kirk H. Madison, 52 of Quakertown died Sunday February 9, 2020 at St. Luke’s Hospital – Allentown Campus. He was the husband of Jill Reeder. Born in Lansdale he was the son of the late Warren J. and
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
Sandra A. (Messler) Madison. He was an automotive mechanic for Cope’s Garage in Souderton prior to that he was the owner operated of K & M Automotive & Performance, in Hilltown. Kirk was a Drag Racing enthusiast and a member of the O.A.C. Board at the Upper Bucks Technical School. In addition to his wife he is survived by his children, Devon Madison (Stephanie), Kayla Weeden (Jon), Cody Reeder (Tyla) and Jennifer Toth (Adam Boyington). Seven grandchildren Connor, Kaylee, Charlie, Everlie, Aubrey, Ashlinn and Colton. He was also awaiting the birth of a grandson. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to The Humanity Gifts Registry, P.O. Box 835 Philadelphia PA 19105-0835. Please include Kirk H. Madison on check memo. Arrangements in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) 821 W. Broad St. Quakertown PA 18951.
Richard Lee Foulke, Sr., age 59, died Feb. 9, 2020 at Jeanes Hospital in Philadelphia. Born Jan. 2, 1961, he was the son of Judy (Kulp) Foulke and the late Richard Harvey Foulke. Richard was employed as an auto body technician at Bennett Toyota, in Allentown. When he wasn’t working he loved attending car shows to show off his beautiful 68 Camaro that he built himself, enjoyed going hunting, listening to music, traveling, taking motorcycle trips, spending time at his cabin along with four-wheeling whenever he had the chance. For years he spent his time coaching midget football, and little league baseball where he was remembered by many years later. In addition to his mother, Richard is survived by: son Richard Foulke, Jr. (wife Amber); daughters Brittney Keller (husband Josiah) and Courtney Foulke; sister Robin Foulke-Simmon(companion Stan Weaver); grandchildren Destinee, Lexi, Cole, Jadyn, Jonah, Brynn, and Briella; fiancé Sue Mease; and Judy’s companion Norman Hafler. Interment will be private and at the discretion of the family. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Richard Foulke GoFundMe Fund at http://bit.ly/rfoulke. Nauglefcs.com Samuel L. Fleming, Jr., 68, of
Quakertown, died Tues. Feb. 11 in St. Luke’s Hospice House, Bethlehem. He was the loving husband of Susan (Enochs) Fleming. Born in Norristown, he was a son of the late Samuel E., Sr. and Mary Louise (Allen) Noblit. He served with the US Marines during the Vietnam War. He worked as an electrician for various electrical contractors in Bucks & Montgomery counties. Surviving with his wife are his sons Nathan and Samuel E., III; grandchildren Dylan Hillegass, Damien & Meranda Fleming; siblings Judith Carlos, Mary Weller, Joyce, John, & Michael Fleming; stepfather Robert Noblit. Interment was in Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown, PA.
Stephen Scott Christensen, known to most as “Scott”, age 49, died Mon., Feb. 11, 2020, after a short but intense battle with cancer. Born Apr. 28, 1970, he was the son of the Stephen L. and Dede Ann (Berry) Christensen,
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and the beloved husband of Mary (Woods) Christensen, to whom he was married 30 years at the time of his passing. Scott led a very successful career in construction which culminated in the creation of his fine wood working company, Burlee Original. Along the way, he touched the hearts of those in the Triathlon Club of San Diego and the Las Vegas Triathlon club where he served on the board and created his own race production company. He enjoyed spending time in the outdoors where he became an Eagle Scout and found happiness riding his bikes and kayaking. Scott’s greatest joy came from spending time with his family. In addition to his wife and parents, Scott is survived by: son Cody Christensen (wife Stephanie); daughter Jessica Christensen; son Waylon Christensen (wife Ellen); brother Michael Christensen; sisters Leesa Ostrander (husband Alex), Kimberly Anderson (husband Jason), and Dedekay Flores (husband David); parents-in-law Susan and William “Tip” Roberts; sisters-in-law Michelle Vandever (husband Greg), and Wendy Woods (husband Quinn Pagh); dogs Moose and Bear; as well as lots and lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Scott is preceded in death by: brother David Christensen; and grandparents Layron and Fayon Christensen, and Vesta Berry. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Nockamixon Mountain Biking Trails. At www.ridenox.com Nauglefcs.com
Kathleen (Kat) Persing, daughter, mother and sister passed away suddenly February 13, 2020 in Quakertown PA. She was born December 29, 1979, in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of John and Antoinette Persing. Kat will forever be remembered by her children, Nickolas, Samantha (Sam) and Chase, her brothers and sister in laws, Phil & Laura, Dave & Tracy, Chris & Hilary, and Henry & Robbin. Kat will also be forever remembered by her nieces, nephews and extended family and dear friends. She was taken without any warning, Her going left hearts filled with pain; But though she is gone from amongst us, In our hearts she will always remain. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in memory of Kat made to The ALS Association – DC/MD/VA Chapter 9, http://webdc.alsa.org David Cook Augsburger, age 89, of Quakertown, died Thursday, February 13, 2020, at Phoebe Richland Health Care Center in Richlandtown, PA. Born on December 11, 1930, in Gettysburg, PA, he was the son of the late Christian D. and M. Estelle (Cook) Augsburger. A 1948 graduate of Quakertown High School, he was employed for more than 30 years by the U.S.Gauge in Sellersville, PA. Known as an excellent, prolific photographer, especially of trains, he photographed railroads across the United States, Canada, South Africa and other countries. His photographs have appeared in countless books and magazines. His slide show presentations were legendary for the excellence of the pictures and variety of subjects covered. His breadth of railroad history was impressive. He was a member of the Anthracite Railroad Historical Society; the National Railway Historical Society, Lehigh Valley Chapter and the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society.
He is survived by his sister Mary A. Dotts (Raymond) and four nieces: Gwendolyn Hughes (Joe Myers), Jennifer Jackson (Keith Hoffer), Margaret Thomas (Jim) and Rebecca McCudden (Michael). David’s family extends its gratitude and thanks to the caring staff of Phoebe Richland Health Care Center and of Grandview Hospice. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Quakertown Train Station Historical Society, 15 Front Street, Quakertown, PA 18951. Nauglefcs.com
Sarah Kielar Ervin, 39, returned to her heavenly home on February 13, 2020 after a valiant battle with cancer. Her devotion to her family and her firm belief in God supported her in her struggle and ultimately gave her peace. Sarah was blessed with a large and loving family. Sarah raised her seven beautiful children with love, discipline, and humility. She homeschooled most all her children, teaching them the love of God and gave them an education that prepared them for their future. She often took them on family trips to LBI and Wildwood beach, camping up at Hickory Run, Great Wolf Lodge, and visits to her older sister Christy and her family. From the very beginning, she dedicated her children to God and encouraged them to explore the beauty of the gospels, guided them in their gifts from the Holy Spirit, and diligently prayed over each and every one of them. Sarah was an entrepreneur at heart, a wonderfully self-taught cook and a Jill of all trades (anything from remodeling a whole home, to fixing a car). She was kind and outgoing, passionate in her walk with God, and always had time to answer a question or solve a problem, no matter how big or small. She is dearly missed by all her loved ones, who celebrate the fact that she is at peace with her creator. Sarah is survived by her children; Monica, Charles Jr., Faith, Gianna, Aniya, Gracie, and Titus. The family gratefully accepts prayers, condolences, memories, flowers, and donations. Sarah has requested all who attend to wear bright colors and rejoice in the beauty of her life here on earth. Nauglefcs.com Jeanette V. Shelly, 87, formerly of Quakertown died February 14, 2020 in Gwynedd Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Lansdale. Born in Quakertown she was the daughter of the late Harry & Carrie (Yost) Geiger. She retired from the housekeeping department of Souderton Mennonite Home. Prior to that she worked for Knauss Dry Beef and the Reliance Hotel. Jeanette enjoyed living at the Grundy House for over 30 years and made a lot of wonderful friendships there. She loved her family, BINGO, casino trips, going out to eat and chat. She was a member of the Quakertown Recycled Senior Citizens. She is survived by two sons Steven M. & Michael B. A brother Floyd (Brenda), four grandchildren David (Heidi), Andrew (Stacy), Erica, & Derek (Maroussia), five great grandchildren Elijah, Norah, & Ryan. Predeceased by her beloved daughter Cathy A. Hooven (Gary), and her ten siblings Pauline, Mabel, Naomi, Alverda, Helen, Viola, Dorothy, Emma, Harold, & Russell. Services will be at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Quakertown.
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Patricia A. Lapinski, 79, of Quakertown died Sat. Feb. 15 in St. Luke’s University Hospital, Bethlehem. She was the loving wife of Ronald J. Lapinski for the past 49 years. Born in Quakertown, she was the daughter of the late LeRoy E. and Glenna K. (Renninger) Dixon. She was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Richlandtown and had worked for 30 years as a secretary for the Quakertown Area School District before retiring. Pat was a devoted grandmother and enjoyed gardening, sewing, quilting, and cooking. Surviving with her husband are her children Mark (Paula), Jennifer, Kate Hoffman (Shane), Rebecca Asbury (Daniel); grandchildren Nicholas, Cassandra, Alexis, Jolene, Madilyn, Hunter, Matthew, and Chase; and brother, Leroy, Jr. (Ginny). The Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, 135 W. Pumping Station Rd., Quakertown assisted the family with arrangements. Nauglefcs.com William Barry “Zeke” Piszczek, age 76, died Sat. Feb. 15, 2020, at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia. Born Jan. 21, 1944, he was the son of the late William E. and Gladys (Somers) Piszczek, and the husband of Debborah (Dembicki) Piszczek, to whom he was married 42 years at the time of his passing. Zeke loved hunting and fishing, the great outdoors, and spending time with friends and family. He worked for the U.S. Army National Guard for 32 years. In addition to his wife, William is survived by: son William M. Piszczek; granddaughter Olivia Piszczek; and sister Carole Piszczek-Sheffield. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM on Sat. Feb. 29, at Naugle Funeral and Cremation Service, 135 W. Pumping Station Rd., Quakertown. Calling hours will be held from 10:00 AM until the time of service. Interment will be private and at the discretion of the family. Nauglefcs.com James Thomas Rubright, age 96, died Sat. Feb. 15, 2020, at Phoebe Richland Healthcare Center in Richlandtown. Born Feb. 24, 1923, he was the son of the late Raymond and Mary (Richards) Rubright, and the husband of Marlene (Smith) Rubright, to whom he was married 67 years at the time of his passing. James was a longtime pastor to the people of the greater Pennridge community, serving as both a volunteer chaplain at Grand View Hospital and at St. Luke’s United Church of Christ in Dublin for over 25 years during which time “Pastor Jim” celebrated his 50year ordination anniversary, before retiring. Prior to Dublin, he served at St. Paul’s UCC in Sidney, Ohio, after having fulfilled his first full-time duties at the Christ UCC Church, in Kulpsville, PA. Upon retirement, he became an active member of the First United Church of Christ in Quakertown. Jim proudly served his country in the United States Army during World War II as a Medic on the front lines, landing in Normandy on D-Day + 1. Through the GI Bill, he earned a BA in Philosophy from Franklin and Marshall, BD and MD from Lancaster Seminary. continued on page
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Spending time with family and friends was his first love. Over the years Jim and Marlene enjoyed travelling together with their girls to several World’s Fairs, Florida, Mexico, Israel, and a six-week pulpit exchange in Lytham St. Anne’s in England. Jim was always ready for a good game of pinochle or bridge with friends or a family board or card game with his grandchildren. In addition to his wife, James is survived by: daughter Bonnie Organski (husband Thomas Koehler); and grandchildren Heather and James Meier. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by: daughter Colleen Hilt; and brothers Richard and Francis “Dyke” Rubright. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the First United Church of Christ at , 151 S 4th St, Quakertown. Nauglefcs.com
Donald William Cogan, age 79, of Quakertown, Pennsylvania, passed away on Monday February 17, 2020 at his home. He was the husband of Sharon (Riley) Cogan, with whom he shared 28 years of marriage. Born in Woodbury, NJ he was a son of the late Francis Cogan and the late Elizabeth (Logan) Cogan. Before retiring Donald was a Security Officer. In addition to his wife Sharon, he is survived by three daughters, Eileen Cogan of Mantua NJ, Cathleen Silver (Scott) of Marlton NJ and Ashley (Howard) Hoehmann of Hawley, PA; one son, Richard Berger of New Orleans; one brother, Les Cogan of Carrollton, GA; two sisters, Mary Lou McCarthy of Avon, CT and Clare Davis of Williamstown, NJ; nine grandchildren, Don, David, Rory, Evan, Brett, Shane, Violet, Timothy and Colin and four great-grandchildren, Nathan, Wyatt, Mikayla and Cayden. Preceded in death by his daughter Kelleen Pagnini. You are invited to visit with Donald’s family and friends at a Life Celebration Gathering in remembrance of Donald’s life from 12-4PM Saturday February 29th, 2020 at the Upper Bucks Senior Activity Center, 2183 Milford Square Pike, Quakertown, PA 18951. A time of reflection and remembrance will occur at 2:30PM. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Upper Bucks Senior Activity Center, PO Box 182, Milford Square PA 18935. Arrangements are by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service Ltd. Condolences may be made at www.nauglefcs.com Nancy Faye Roberts, age 81, of Quakertown, Pennsylvania, passed away on Wednesday February 19, 2020 at Quakertown Center in Quakertown, PA. She was the wife of Donald L. Roberts, with whom she shared 64 years of marriage. Born in Keelersville, PA she was a daughter of the late William Wieder and the late Edna (Moll) WiederShe was a member of First United Church of Christ in Quakertown where she taught Sunday school, was a member of the choir and participated in church council. For many years, she was a Seamstress at Quakertown Clothing. She enjoyed, singing, music, cooking for
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the holidays, playing games, easter egg hunts and all of these things were best spent with her family who she adored. She also enjoyed time with her friends and was President at the Quakertown Historical Society where she knew all the history of Quakertown. In addition to her husband, she is survived by one son; Dean Roberts (Sheri) of Sherrills Ford, NC; two daughters, Donna Scorzafava (Kevin) of Quakertown, PA and Lisa Giancola (Frank) of Coopersburg, PA; one brother, Rodney Wieder of Coopersburg, PA and eight grandchildren, Julia, Lydia, Jocelyn, Dante, Dillon, Timothy, Lauren and Brian. She was predeceased by brothers, Gerald, William, and Richard and sisters, Shirley, Lorraine and Barbara. Nauglefcs.com
Martha J. Kulik, 94, of Quakertown died February 19, 2020 in Quakertown Center. She was the wife of the late Ellwood C. Kulik. Born in Lansdale, PA she was the daughter of the late Jacob & Edith (Lutz) Leister. Martha was a graduate of Lansdale High School Class of 1942 where she played the position of wing on the Field Hockey Team. She was a secretary to the V.P. of Claims for Harleysville Insurance Co. She also worked for the Lansdale Water Company. She enjoyed sewing, knitting, reading, and traveling especially vacationing at Lake Wallenpaupack. She was also an excellent cook and baker. She was a former member of the Richland Historical Society and a former member of the Quakertown AARP Chapter #3377. Martha also sailed to Europe with her friend Vicky Sampiere on the United States Liner. She is survived by a daughter Beth A. Kulik of Quakertown, a sister Edy Koenig (Robert) of Lansdale. She was predeceased by a brother Arthur and a sister Helen Angelillis. Services will be held on Friday, February 28, 2020 at 2:00 P.M. in the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) 821 W. Broad St. Quakertown, PA 18951. Call 1:00-2:00 P.M. in the funeral home. Internment will follow in Zion Hill Cemetery, ZionHill, PA. John Thomas DeValle, age 61, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, passed away on February 19 2020 in Maryland. Born in Philadelphia, PA he was a son of John DeValle of Allentown, PA and the late Ada (Nentwig) DeValle. John served our country in the Army in peacetime in Germany as a paratrooper. For much of his career he was a Engineering Technician for various government organizations. In his free time he enjoyed Chip and Putt, Racquetball, Tennis, and Softball. Most of all, he cherished his time with family. In addition to his father, he is survived by two sons, Jeffrey DeValle (Brittany) of Pennsburg PA and Jonathon DeValle of Quakertown, PA; one daughter Sara Scheetz (Tom Lockard) of Quakertown, PA; two sisters, Deborah Richard (James) of Allentown and Ada Krebs (Don) of Smethport, PA and his former wife Denise DeValle of Quakertown PA. Nauglefcs.com
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Walter Edward Smakulski, Sr. age 79, of Quakertown, Pennsylvania, passed away on February 20, 2020 at Phoebe Richland Health Care Center in Richlandtown, PA. He was the husband of the late Patricia A Smakulski who died in 2006 and with whom he shared 46 years of marriage. Born in Philadelphia, PA he was a son of the late Edward Smakulski and the late Anna Mitchatz Smakulski. Walter was an Electrical Engineer working in the switchgear manufacturing industry for many years. He was a member of The BucLe Aero Sportsmen Club and the Academy of Model Aeronautics. He had a love for building and flying remote control airplanes on the Jon P Fritzges Memorial Flying field. Walter was an avid outdoorsman. Hunting and fishing were among his passions. He spent time with the Ridge Valley Rod and Gun Club. You would often find him walking, hiking, on bike rides or enjoying Lake Nockamixon. He could also be found watching all his grandchildren at school sporting events. Survivors include three sons, Walter Jr. of Berlin, MD; Michael and his wife Wendy of Coopersburg, and Mark of Bloomsburg; one daughter, Annemarie McMenamin and her husband Brian of Quakertown; two sisters, Joan Walton (Mark) of Washington Twp, NJ and Connie Shead (Daniel) of Philadelphia; eight grandchildren, Erik, Kelly, Brittany, Alexis, Morgan, Ian, Carly and Madeline and one great-granddaughter, Eastyn. He was predeceased by his brother, Richard. Nauglefcs.com Donna Sulpizio-Turner, 56, passed away February 20, 2020. Donna’s health battle was astonishing. She became known as the woman with nine lives or simply a medical miracle. Her journey came to an end surrounded by her loving family. Born in Philadelphia she was the daughter of the late Albert & Jean (Mitchell) Sulpizio. She is survived by her husband, Scott Turner, her two daughters, Kimberly and Kristine Turner, and three grandchildren, Kassidy, Auron, and Scarlet, who she called her “angels here on earth.” She is also survived by her two brothers, Albert and Joseph Sulpizio, and chosen sister Mary Brooks. Donna’s source of strength came from her three grandbabies which she cherished above all else. Family meant everything to Donna and she would relentlessly go above and beyond to show her loved ones what they meant to her. Donna would remain positive through all obstacles thrown at her. She firmly believed everything happened for a reason and she was the light that guided us when we felt lost. Through her severe circumstances and trials, she showed us all how to be truly strong. Services will be held at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Quakertown, PA. Anthony “Tony” Braccia, 72, of Bethlehem formerly of Milford Square died February 20, 2020 in St. Luke’s Hospice House, Bethlehem.
Born in Norristown he was the son of the late Harold “Bud” & Frances R. “Blanche” (Maniscalco) Bender. He worked for the fomer Thermco from 1985 until his retirement in 2013. He was a member of the Quakertown Bowling League and he enjoyed late model cars and going to car shows. Tony enjoyed going to the Quakertown Farmers Market where he was well known. He is survived by two brothers Kyle Bender (Pamela) of Bethlehem and Brian Bender (Judy) of Southern California. Services will be held at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crsrunk.com) Quakertown.
Robert F. Wolfinger, Jr., 64 of Quakertown died Friday February 21, 2020 in Valley Manor Health and Rehabilitation Center, Coopersburg surrounded by his loving family. Born in Quakertown he was the son of Robert F., Sr. and Mae (Tarantino) Wolfinger of Quakertown. He enjoyed music, collecting records and CD’s and watching classic T.V. shows. He was a frequent vendor and patron of the Quakertown Farmers Market. Bobby also loved to ride his bike and could be seen throughout the area doing so in all kinds of weather. He was also a member of Grace Bible Fellowship Church in Quakertown. In addition to his parents Bob and Mae he is survived by his siblings, Gary (Sandy) of Quakertown, Patti Musselman (Thomas) of Sellersville, Craig (Fern) of Sellersville, Sandy Joynes (Lance) of St. Croix and Sue Dimmig (Dean) of Perkasie. He is also survived by extended family and friends.. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Quakertown. Memorial contributions can be made to the church memorial fund at Grace Bible Fellowship Church, 1811 N. Old Bethlehem Pike, Quakertown, PA 18951 Jeffrey S. Nace, 62, of Quakertown died February 23, 2020 in his home. He was the husband of Maryjo A. (Lockett) Nace. They were married 30 years last September. Born in Quakertown he was the son of the late Gerald & Naomi (Rotenberger) Nace. He was last employed at Kober Mechanical in East Greenville. He was one of the original band members of the 2 plus 2 rock band playing the guitar and vocalist. Jeffrey enjoyed coaching his sons in Little League and football. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing. In addition to his wife he is survived by two sons Justin of Quakertown and Jesse (Alexis) of Pennsburg. A sister Linda Roth (Jim) of Quakertown. The family will hold a memorial service on Monday, March 2, 2020 at 12:30 P.M. in Flatland Church 180 W. Thatcher Rd. Quakertown, PA 18951. Call from 11:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. The C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Quakertown is assisting the family with the arrangements. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the family in care of the funeral home.
QNB Bank Employees Donate Over $39,000 to United Way QNB Bank recently held its annual campaign to raise funds for United Way. Led by Patti Cole, this year’s campaign was the most successful yet, tallying up an impressive $32,539 from employees and an additional $6,507 from the Bank for a total contribution of $39,046. QNB is a full-service community bank that
has provided exceptional personalized banking services to individuals and businesses since 1877. With assets of approximately $1.2 billion, QNB currently operates twelve branches in Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh Counties. More information about QNB is available at QNBbank.com.
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
American Legion Post 242 March 2020 Update BY DICK HELM It is with deepest sympathy that I have to report the passing of our Post Commander Leo Finley. In keeping up with calls daily with our Adjutant Charley Wismer, I knew the end was near. Sometime in the morning of Sunday, February 23, 2020 our Commander and friend Leo Finley closed his eyes in his final call to Taps. Last evening I called Adjutant Wismer for information to prepare for my March article. Charley told me that we achieved our 100% membership goal. This year will be the 100th Anniversary of our Post. How significant a send off for our Commander that spent so much time and effort to help revitalize our Post during the changes he helped make in the past few years. When Leo first took ill and had to stop working because of the illness and treatments; he spent a lot of time trying to achieve his goal of making Post 242 a better organization. When we would come back from a funeral mission he would greet me as I went past him with a “Thank You.” When the person taking care of the records for the Home Association had some medical problems, Leo would come in and keep the records current despite his own illness and its affects. If he couldn’t handle it, he made sure that someone else was taught the duties to carry on with the records. Leo was not perfect as many people writing about someone at their death seems to always imply. Sometimes one of the few people attending the meetings would suggest an idea that I thought was a positive move for our Post and Leo would put it on the back burner. Sometimes Leo would take on a project without anyone’s help and it turned out to be a good move. Other times he was criticized. I admire the fact that he did all this and devoted his last comfortable and not so comfortable moments to the organization that he made his last days of his life his main concern. Leo was a Navy Submariner during the Vietnam War. I ask him on more than one occasion about what a Submarine Force did during the War. Leo would reply in a vague way, “We did a lot of damage!” In looking up on my computer for the same question, I get the idea that the submarines did not shoot other boats out of the water. Their job was Reconnaissance and Recovery of Pilots. Sometimes the performance of duty in “Recon” can cause more damage than a torpe-
do can. The stamina, cross-training of duties, long periods of duty at sea, make a Submariner a special type of person. Leo was the type of person that certainly was worthy of wearing the special Submarine Insignia, which he wore proudly.
American Legion Post 242 Commander Leo Finley
My memories of Leo were of his short but meaningful greetings at Memorial Day Services, Sept 11th services and other special services that I took part in. I remember giving him a picture that was taken of he and my wife Nina in our BMW Sports Car that he rode in two parades. I always ribbed him that they both had a smile on their face, questioning him what caused the smiles. He took the copy of the photo and posted in upstairs in the Canteen and last time I was there the picture still remains. Duty, Honor, Country are the three most important words of Veterans such as we. Leo, I can imagine, survived many days in a row in close quarters, performed very important and by his vague answer, Secret work while on duty during the Vietnam Period. Leo endured much, during his illness and his days of suffering from his illness are ended. Leo now is on deck of his “Sub” looking at the final Sunset across the sea of life and about to sail on a new assignment. Well done Mate!
QCHS Sophomores Selected for Hugh O’Brian Scholarships BY GARY WECKSELBLATT Austin Hunsberger and Angelina Becker have been nominated for the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) scholarship. With leadership skills already flourishing, Quakertown Community High School sophomores Angelina Becker and Austin Hunsberger have been nominated for the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) scholarship. The award comes with an invitation to attend a weekend leadership seminar at Albright College in Reading from June 5-7. These outstanding students were selected by QCHS counselors based upon their written essays. Prompts asked for an example of when they showed leadership skills or an example of when they didn’t and how they would respond differently today. “Angelina and Austin were chosen among several applicants for their authentic and inspiring essays,” said counselor Erica Henry. “Both students demonstrated the leadership characteristics that are nurtured and expanded upon during their HOBY experience. Austin and Angelina will be excellent ambassadors for Quakertown Community High School.” She said the seminars offer “a great chance for Angelina and Austin to grow both here in school and in the greater community. At Albright, “they’ll get to experience college life and meet other student leaders while taking part in workshops,” Ms. Henry said. Recent QCHS HOBY winners include Emily Kelso, Riya Sembhi, Tyler Einolf, Melissa Nong, Nate Besch and Sara Vahdatshoar. “I’m so honored I was accepted,” Angelina said. “My mom has always talked to me about being a leader and stepping up to be the best I can be. I’m excited to push my leadership skills even further, take what I’ve learned and share it with my peers and eventually broaden it to include others. This is just a start.” Austin has been a Boy Scout Senior Patrol
Leader for Troop 007, where he is a Life Scout. He believes the program will help him expand his abilities as a leader. “I want to be able to organize people if the situation calls for it,” Austin said. “If someone is injured or there’s a dangerous situation, I want to step up and safely help them to an evacuation scene.”
According to the HOBY website, the State Leadership Seminar, HOBY’s flagship program, allows students to recognize their leadership talents and apply them in becoming effective, ethical leaders in their home, school, workplace and community. Students attend seminars and participate in hands-on leadership activities, meet leaders in their state, and explore their own personal leadership skills while learning how to make a positive impact in their community. The Woman’s Club of Quakertown makes a donation to the district to help fund the program. Gary Weckselblatt, QCSD Director of Communications, writes about the people and the programs that impact the Quakertown Community School District. He can be reached at 215-529-2028 or gweckselblatt@qcsd.org.
Baseball for Special People Set to Kick Off The mission of Baseball for Special People is to offer an amateur level baseball program for children and young adults, male and female, with Down Syndrome, Autism, ADD/HD or other physical or developmental disability that would prevent the athlete from participating in any other organized program. Our Facebook page is Baseball for Special
People. Our season starts in April and ends in June. We play Sunday afternoons starting at 4 pm. We have six teams. The younger teams are from 5-13. The other bracket is from 14-100. If interested in a family-oriented program please Paul Gerhart, Jr. call 267-992-4973 and leave a message.
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
Employment Opportunities
Borough of Quakertown - Seasonal positions. K.I.D.S. Camp Counselor, Community Pool Lifeguard, Blue Water Café Staff. Positions are from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Applications available online.quakertown.org/employment. Applications due by March 20. Also accepting resumes for a Parks & Rec Intern 215-536-5001 x136
Boova Haus LLC Family Restaurant - Grill Cook Wait/Host Staff. Stop by and Fill out an Application Quakertown Farmers Market, Store 403, 201 Station Road, Quakertown
Spor’s General Store - Hiring PT Kitchen, dishwasher, cleaning, waitstaff, ice cream window, etc. Contact: bspor@sporsgeneralstore. com or stop in the store at 22 W. Broad Street,Trumbauersville Classic Hair Designs Established salon seeking experienced stylists, nail technician, and massage therapist. Are you a motivated & creative? We’d like to meet you! We use top quality products and offer education, paid vacation, flexibility and a relaxing atmosphere to work. Send your resume to classichairdesigns1@gmail.com.
YMCA of Bucks County - Calling Camp and Aquatic Professionals! Looking for an opportunity to make a difference in your community? YMCA of Bucks County is hiring in your neighborhood. Apply: ymcabucks.org You’ve Got MAIDS is looking for exceptional employees. You will be paid well and treated very well! If you love to clean, please apply. We would be happy to meet you for an interview. Monday through Friday Full-Time and Part-Time. Also Nights & Weekends available. Full-Time: Paid commission (average $11 to $15 hr), Monthly bonus program, Paid Holidays after 6 months for Full-Time, Paid Training, Earn Paid Time Off, No experience necessary. (215) 529-7837 Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service - Funeral home support staff needed. Event set up, funeral processions, flower handling, extensive interaction with the bereaved. Must be a people person. Email Matt Grieco at mgrieco@janauglefcs.com Lazer Limousine is growing and starting an office in the Quakertown area. We have a diverse fleet, from sedans to bus, to handle any number of passengers. Flexible schedule. Give us a call and let us show you what professional chauffeuring is all about. 267-371-7857
BuckyGrams: Scar, Cruella de Vil, Ursula, Lady Tremaine, Jafar, Gaston, Shere Khan, Captain Hook, Hopper, Yzma, Evil Queen, Maleficentt Hidden Message: Disney movies are fun! Bucky Block: Safety in numbers
Kulp Roofing & Construction - We are currently in need of experienced individuals for our roof repair team, gutter team, and window team. Individuals must be motivated, punctual, detail-oriented, professional and loyal. Contact us to schedule an interview. We are looking for long-term, year-round help. Roofing is not a requirement for any of these positions except “Roof Repair Technician”. Applications accepted at our office at 216 D, Apple St., Quakertown, PA, Call 215-538-0618
New Vitae Wellness & Recovery Join our amazing staff of caring Med Techs, PCA’s, Mentors, Drivers, Housekeepers, and Kitchen Assistants who work in our personal care homes in Quakertown and Limeport/Coopersburg. If interested in immediate employment, please call (610) 965-9021 ext. #239 or an online application at www.newvitaewellness.com/ careers. Look for our upcoming job fairs on March 19th at our Limeport location from 1-4 pm and March 20th at our Recovery Center in Quakertown from 12-4 pm.
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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Have something to share with your community? Send us the details! info@ubfp.org • 215-529-8915 • 582 S. West End Blvd • Quakertown, PA 18951
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
Bucks County 4H Horsin’ Around members recently learned about Horse Quality Management. Members took a team approach while learning about horse safety standards and also enjoyed a presentation by Zoe about Tetanus. submitted photo Quakertown Community High School Juniors Chris Knight, Emily Goodwin, and Hannah Beal were recognized as recent Students of the Month at the February 26 school board meeting. They are joined by Quakertown Rotary Club members Bill Tuszynski and Ken Carr. The Rotary invited these students and their parents to a recent club meeting and presented $100 checks to each student in recognition of their community and scholastic efforts. photo by michele buono
Linda Carle cut the ribbon on her new candle shop, Scents & Color, in Quakertown in early February. photo by denise bentz
Bracalente Manufacturing in Trumbauersville proudly announces Brandon Hoffman as their Employee of the Year for 2019. The honor is based on a monthly peer to peer system where coworkers can put a “Drop” in other coworker’s bucket for recognition of something great they did! The program is based on a book called “How Full Is Your Bucket” from Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. At year end, the 12 Employees of the Month are considered by our Culture Team and one person is picked for Employee of the Year. Brandon received eight drops! He is an up and coming star at BMG, always smiling and willing to help anyone. submitted photo
Have something to share with your community? Send it in! info@ubfp.org 582 S West End Blvd Quakertown, PA 18951
Keri Hausman, of Coopersburg, submitted the lucky ballot selected at random in UBFP’s ‘Best of Upper Bucks 2020’ survey recognizing our readers’ favorite businesses in the Upper Bucks area. Keri won $50 to spend at any advertiser in our February issue. She chose the Proper Brewing Company. submitted photo
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
Christopher Betz (center), owner of Free Press Graphics & Publishing, presented the proceeds from the 6th Annual ‘Sea of Blue’ project at the February QCSD school board meeting. Nearly 2000 blue t-shirts, designed by QCHS senior Kenzie Sawadski, were distributed en masse to Panthers fans at the last Thanksgiving Day football game against the Pennridge Rams. The shirts were sponsored by over 30 Quakertown area businesses. Quakertown Panthers football coach George Banas (left) accepted a check for $500 on behalf of the football booster club. Frank Parker (right), director of the QCHS Marching Band, also accepted $500 on the band’s behalf. $500 was also earmarked for the High School Cheerleaders. photo by michele buono
The Fleet Reserve Association sponsors an annual essay contest to promote the spirit of Americanism and patriotism among our country’s youth. St. Isidore School students were chosen as regional level winners and will compete for the national prize. Pictured: Seventh grader Ashlyn Soltysiak (1st place) and eighth graders Elisabeth Stout (2nd place) and Kiele Magalengo (1st place). submitted photo
Bucks County artist Jim Lukens and Jillian Kressly, owner of The Farmer and The Chickpea restaurant in Quakertown, stand with Lukens’ new painting of the eatery which opened in January. The painting is on display in the restaurant. Lukens owns the Main Street Gallery in Quakertown. submitted photo
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
Think Local. Work Local. Be Local. Working for a Complete Count in the 2020 Census
Ongoing Events & Resources Easter Bunny Photos at Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 201 Station Rd. $4 ea. or 3 for $10. (Sat 3/28, 4/4, 4/11 from 11am-7pm) (Sun 3/29, 4/5 from 11am-5pm) (Thu & Fri 4/9, 4/10 from 11am-7pm) Now to Mar 8 - Girl Scout Cookie Sales every Fri/Sat/Sun at Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 201 Station Rd Now to May 1 – “Art of Frank Batson” Exhibit of watercolor and pen/ink drawings at Schwenkfeld Heritage Ctr, 105 Seminary St, Pennsburg. Artwork will be for sale. schwenkfelder.com Now to May 1 – “Watch the Birdie: Our Fine Feathered Friends in Folk Art & Needlework” Exhibit at Schwenkfelder Heritage Ctr, 105 Seminary St, Pennsburg. schwenkfelder.com FEAST Food Pantry at Christ’s Lutheran, 1 Luther Ln, Trumbauersville. Every Tues 11am-2pm, every Thur 6pm-8pm, 3rd Sat 11am-1pm. Use door right side at bottom of ramp. FMI: 215-536-3193 Free Dog Adoptions for Veterans & Active Military Members! Harley’s Haven Dog Rescue waives adoption fees. Ck website for more on Pups for Vets program. HarleysHavenDogRescue.com Morning storytime activities for infants thru age 6 at Samuel Pierce Library in Perkasie. Call 215-257-9718 for specific days, times & age group for your child. Allentown Art Museum is Free every Sunday, 12noon-4pm. Located at 31 N Fifth St, Allentown Hoagie Sales 2nd Mon of month (except July/August) Trumbauersville Fire Co, 142 North Main St. Advance Orders Only due Wed. before. $6.00-$6.25, Order: Kim 215-536-1998 or bucks58fire.com Petco Adoption Day, 1st Sat of month, 1pm-4pm. Petco, 242 N West End Blvd, Quakertown, lastchanceranch.org PetSmart Adoption Day, 2nd Sat of month, 11am-2pm. PetSmart, 620 N.West End Blvd, Quakertown, lastchanceranch.org Last Chance Ranch Volunteer Orientation/ Tour, 1st Sat of month, 10am-11am in front of Horse Barn, 9 Beck Rd, Quakertown, 215538-2510, lastchanceranch.org “Words Come Easy” Drop-in Writing Workshop at Haycock Community Ctr, 1014 Old Bethlehem Rd, Quakertown. (Tues 7-9pm) Cost/$10. More info at lyndagene@goblinfarm.net
Veteran Organizations & Activities
Forrest Lodge VFW, 2118 Old Bethlehem Pike, Sellersville. All veterans invited to join. Call Frank 215-679-7770 John Rivers Memorial VFW Post 11322 meets 1:30pm, 2nd Sun of month, 41 Belmont Ave, Quakertown, All Vets welcome, 215-529-0500 (bring DD 214 for proof eligibility) American Legion Post 210 meets 7:30pm, 1st Mon of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. All Vets welcome, doylestownpost210.org Meghan’s Foundation Yoga Class for Veterans meets 6pm every Wed at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. All Vets welcome, meghansfoundation.org VFW Post 175 meets 7pm, 2nd Mon of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. doylestownpost175vfw.org Central Bucks Detachment Marine Corps League (MCL) meets 7:30pm, 2nd Wed of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. All Marines welcome. American Legion Post 210 Auxillary meets 1pm, 3rd Sun of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) meets 7:30pm, 3rd Mon of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 17 meets 6pm, 4th Mon of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. davmembersportal.org
Support & Service Groups
Cancer Support Group at Generations of Indian Valley meets 11am-12noon, 4th Fri of month. $3 donation/pp, per session. Space is limited. FMI/register at 215-723-5841. Sisters U Monthly Meetings 3rd Thurs of month, 7pm-9pm in Perkasie. Email: info@ sistersu.com, AARP meets 12:45pm, 2nd Mon of month at Upper Bucks Activity Ctr, 2183 Milford Sq Pike, Quakertown. 215-536-3066, upperbucksac.org Family Education Program on Addiction meets 1st three Mondays monthly, 7pm at
From fair representation in the House of Representatives, to where businesses decide to build stores and offices, the data drawn from the United States Census effects and should concern us all. Getting as complete a count as possible in the 2020 Census will be the foundation for so many quality-of-life decisions for the next ten years. Starting in mid-March ninety percent of households will receive postcards, inviting residents to participate in this important survey that only takes about ten minutes and can be done online, over the phone or by paper. Local governments use the census data for emergency preparedness. School districts use the data for efficient planning for the students and taxpayers. The count from the census is used to determine the allocation of federal funds. Of an annual $675 billion in Federal funds, $26 billion has been paid annually to Pennsylvania in recent years, averaging out to $2,000 per resident. Contrary to misinformation and disinformation, data gathered by the census is protected. It is against the law for the Census Bureau to publicly release respondents’ information in any way that could identify them or their household. By law, the Census
Bureau cannot share a respondents’ answers with any other government agency. The 1910 Census asked among its thirty questions whether anyone in household was a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy. The 1930 Census asked whether the household had a radio. Then, as now, the questions asked are pertinent to the times and are done to produce statistics that are helpful to meeting communities needs and growing the economy. The League of Women Voters of Bucks County recognizes that getting an accurate and complete count of everyone living in our county and state is important for crucial funding as well as for economically sound decisions on infrastructure, education and healthcare. Fair political representation is especially of concern in Pennsylvania where it is almost certain that the state will lose one if not two seats in Congress. Help yourself and Bucks County by participating in the 2020 Census and encouraging everyone to do the same. For more information, visit https://2020census.gov/and the Bucks County Planning Commission’s Census information at http://bit.ly/BucksCensusOverview
Presbyterian Church Deep Run, 16 Irish Meetinghouse Rd, Perkasie. Facilitators provide guidebook on understanding addiction, impact on family, next steps, support networks. Regis: 1-800-221-6333 SOS Survivors of Suicide Support Group meets 7:30pm-9pm (1st Wed each month) at Quakertown St. Luke’s Hospital, Taylor Conference Room A. Contact 610-657-0811. Compassionate Friends Support Group (loss of children, siblings) meets 7:30pm-9pm the 2nd Tue of month. St. Luke’s Hosp, 1021 Park Ave, Quakertown. (Taylor Conf. Rms A & B) tcfquakertownpa.org or 484-408-7314 Brain Injury Family/Spousal/Partner Support Group 6pm-8pm the 3rd Monday of month. First UCC, 4th & Park Ave, Quakertown, 215-538-3488 Caregiver Support Group meets last Thurs. of month. Independence Court of Quakertown, 1660 Park Ave. RSVP: 215-541-9030 to attend Ann Silverman Community Health Clinic (for uninsured eligible residents), 595 W State St, Doylestown. Call to schedule an eligibility appt. 215-345-2260. aschealthclinic.org Alzheimer’s Support Group at Phoebe Richland Health Care Ctr, 108 S. Main St, Richlandtown. Free, details: Social Services 267-371-4517, nkoval@phoebe.org NOVA (Network Of Victim Assistance) Support Groups, NOVA hotline 1-800-675-6900, NOVABucks.org Bedminster Nar-Anon meets Tues 7pm, Deep Run West Mennonite, 1008 Deep Run Rd, Perkasie, (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 of 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 Thurs 7am-8:30am at John’s Plain & Fancy in Quakertown. Membership info: James Dodson – jamescovie@yahoo.com
Community Meals Free Community Meal 2nd, 4th, & 5th Wed of month, 6pm. Richland Friends Quaker Meeting, Mill Rd & Main St (off Rte 309) Quakertown, 215-538-7555 Free Community Meal 3rd Thurs of month, 5:30pm-6:30pm. First UCC, 4th & Park, Quakertown, 215-536-4447 Free Community Meal 1st Thurs. of month (Oct-June) 5:45pm. Yerger Bldg across from Trinity Lutheran, 102 N Hellertown Ave, Quakertown Free Community Meal 3rd Mon of month, 5:30pm-6:30pm. Presbyterian Church of Deep Run, 16 Irish Meetinghouse Rd, Perkasie. Call 215-249-3689 for possible ride.
Bingo Bingo – Upper Bucks Senior Activity Ctr every Thurs 12noon-3pm at 2183 Milford Square Pike, Quakertown. $50 Jackpot first Thur. of month when applicable. 215-536-3066 Bingo - Richland Twp Fire/Rescue every Tues, open 5:30pm, 64 Shelly Rd, Quakertown. 215-536-7226 Bingo - Great Swamp Fish/Game every Sat, open 4pm, (kitchen open) 2650 Schukraft Rd, Quakertown, 215-536-8820 Bingo - Sellersville Fire Co. every Thurs (except July) open 5pm, 2 N. Main St, 215-257-4028 Bingo - Tylersport Fire Co. every Tues, open 5:30pm, 125 Ridge Rd, 215-257-5900 Bingo - American Legion Post 397, 1st & 3rd Fri of month, open 6pm, 935 Main St, Hellertown, 484-851-3624
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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Bux-Mont Cornhole League to Begin Inaugural Season
Bux-Mont Cornhole Introduces Four Month Cornhole League At Proper Brewing Brewing Company. The Bux-Mont Cornhole League is an organization specifically focused on bringing the joy of the sport of ‘cornhole’ to Bucks and Montgomery counties throughout Pennsylvania. Their inaugural league kicks off Tuesday, March 17th at The Proper Brewing Company in Quakertown. The season will run until June 16th with league nights taking place every Tuesday night from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. During league nights the Proper will offer $1 off beer and 10% off food for all partici-
pants. The Proper will also be offering their usual ‘all you can eat wings.’ Players will be guaranteed to play at least three games per night and as many as nine. Official schedules will be launched at the start of the league. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top winners. Interested in signing up? Visit http://bit.ly/BMCH2020. Learn more by contacting buxmontcornhole@gmail.com. You can also follow Bux-Mont Cornhole on their Facebook page for more up to date information.
“March, when days are getting long, Let thy growing hours be strong, To set right some wintry wrong.”
- Caroline May, 1887
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
Upper Bucks Area Places of Worship Bible Baptist Church
Evangel Assembly of God
Meets in Strayer Middle School Cafeteria 1200 Ronald Reagan Drive Quakertown, PA 18951 484-523-3333 www.biblebaptistcares.org Pastor: Tom Harris Bible Study Hour 9:30 am, Morning Worship 10:30 am, Services interpreted for the deaf
401 Arch Street Perkasie, PA 18944 484-860-8269 Pastor: Rev. Gary Saul Sunday Morning Worship 10:30am, Adult Sunday School 9:30am, Wednesday Evening Prayer & Bible Study 6:00pm, Where God’s Love Changes Lives
First 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!
Fourth Street & Park Avenue Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-4447 info@firstUCC.net www.firstUCC.net Facebook.com/FirstUCCQuakertown Co-Pastors: Douglas & Joyce Donigian Traditional worship Sunday 9:15am, Contemporary Service 11:45am, Alternative worship Sunday 5:15pm, Community dinners every 3rd Thursday 5:30pm
Christ Church United Church of Christ
Christ’s Lutheran Church
1 Luther Lane Trumbauersville, PA 18970 215-536-3193 christselca@verizon.net www.christslutheran.com Pastor: Carolann Hopcke 9:00am Worship, 10:15 Sunday School Free Drive-in Movies 1st & 3rd Friday evenings June through August, Handicapped accessible, Family Friendly Church. Find us on Facebook!
Church of the Incarnation
44 S. 8th Street Quakertown, PA 18951 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.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
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!
First United Methodist Church
501 Market Street Perkasie, PA 18944 215-257-4626 fumcperkasie@verizon.net www.fumcperkasie.com Pastor: Rev. Dr. Suzanne Wenonah Duchesne Sunday Worship Schedule: 10 AM weekly. We invite you and your loved ones to join us.
Good News Church
424 Juniper Street Quakertown, PA 18951 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.
Grace Bible Fellowship Church
1811 Old Bethlehem Pike N. Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-6096 grace@quakertownbfc.org www.quakertownbfc.org Sr. Pastor: Ron Kohl Sunday School for all ages. 10:10am Morning Worship, Evening 1st & 3rd Sundays 6:30pm; Small group meetings 2nd & 4th Sundays 6:30pm; Tues: Ladies Bible Study 9:30am; Wed: AWANA (2 yrs - 6th grade) & Teens for Christ 6:30pm, Adult Bible Study 7pm.
‘Stuck’
BY REV. DR. LORI WAGNER We talk a lot in the scriptures about “call stories,” and we praise those who follow God into the wilds of the unknown. We marvel at Abraham and his move to the western “frontier” of the Negev. We gasp at Moses leading people through the waters of the Red Sea and into a 40-year desert-dwelling stint. We can barely comprehend prophets like Isaiah or Samuel or Elijah, who take their lives into their hands to speak the word of the Lord. We love to praise those we see as biblical “superheroes.” But we don’t often talk about those whose humanness most mimics our own, whose circumstances and problems feel all too real to us still today. And yet the Bible is filled with them. The sad thing is, we often demonize them, wag our finger at them, denounce them as sinful or weak, or just plain ignore them. This month, as we enter into Lent, I want to call your attention to a woman who doesn’t even have a name in scripture, and yet we all know her. She is the wife of Lot. The early rabbis call her Edith, so for the sake of giving her a name, let’s hear Edith’s story. The real story. Let’s be truthful. We diss this poor woman at the drop of a hat. We call her sinful, one of the “bad” women of the Bible, the one who did the “wrong” thing, the one we don‘t pay attention to, cause she doesn’t fit our bill as heroine of the story. But I think we give Edith a bad rap. And I suspect that Edith’s story is a lot more like our stories than we’d like to admit. In fact, I’d say, she needs a bit of our sympathy. Let’s think about her for a moment. Abraham and Lot are pals. But there’s not enough room for them to keep shepherding the same land, so they split up. Abraham goes one direction; Lot goes another and sets up household in a place we learn later is called Sodom. Lot’s a good guy, and so is his family, it seems. But one day, God calls out both Abraham and Lot. Abraham has a call story. Lot has a call story. As Abraham is being called to move out into new territory, so is
Lot. But where Abraham gets to move forward out of choice, Lot is given no choice. Edith is given less. In that time and place, she as a woman has no real decision-making power of her own. That’s why she’s “Lot’s wife” and not “Edith.” Look at this way. Abraham receives a promotion and moves onto a new position as “Father of Nations.” Granted, he needs to move, relocate, change his life around some, venture into some new duties, territory, get to know new people, grow the “business” of worshiping God, here, there, and everywhere God tells him. Lot on the other hand –he’s fired. Lot just had the experience of learning that morning from the Big Boss that he’s being escorted without choice “out of the building” and into the street. Time to move on. Okay, so he’s received a severance package. He’ll be set up in a new town, learn to start again. But his “unknowns” are accompanied by a lot more unsavories. He may be a “good guy” in the story. But he still has to leave everything behind, and get moving. Immediately. His former place of “employment” is about to be blown to smithereens. It’s coming down big time, going bottoms up, bankrupt (we know it was spiritually bankrupt!). He needs to get out while he still can. Whether his fault or not, he’s going to go down with the ship if he doesn’t evacuate. Edith, Lot’s wife, has even less choice in the matter! Anyone ever been the spouse of someone who’s just been transferred to a job in another state? By proxy, while your husband or wife gets a bigger salary and nicer office, what do you get? You get to lose your home that you loved, your kids get to start over in a new school, and you’re the one probably going to deal with all of those details. You’re going to lose your friends, your relatives, your job, your home, and your community. You know what I’m talking about. Some of us, we’re not going to want to go. Or if we do, we’re going to go through a period of mourning. Whether you have to move
Juniper Street Bible Church
317 Juniper Street Quakertown, PA 18951 267-373-9115 Lead Pastor: Martin McPherson Associate Pastor: Bob Stevenson www.juniperstreetbiblechurch.org Contemporary Worship Service: Sunday 10 am, Prayer meeting for Quakertown Service Wednesday 7pm, Other services as announced. Watch us live on Facebook Sunday mornings at “Juniper Street Bible Church”
Morning Star Fellowship
429 S. 9th Street Quakertown, PA 18951 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 Tuesday 7pm. Check website for more info.
Quakertown United Methodist Church
1875 Freier Road Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-4992 barb@qumc.com www.qumc.com Pastor: Rev. Lori Wagner Sunday morning worship: 8:00, 9:00, 11:00am Sunday School for all ages 10:00am Communion first Sunday of each month.
Richland Friends Meeting (Quaker)
Main St at Mill Rd & Park Ave Quakertown, PA 18951 215-538-7555 Friends@RichlandQuakers.org www.RichlandQuakers.org Clerk: Jack H. Schick Non-Denominational guided meditations Wed, 7pm Sunday worship 10:30am “Absolute freedom of thought and worship is our faith and practice.”
St. John’s Lutheran Church of Spinnerstown
1565 Sleepy Hollow Road, Spinnerstown 215-536-0734 stjohnsspinnerstown@gmail.com www.stjohnsofspinnerstown.org Pastor: The Rev. Axel Kaegler Worship: 9:45am; Sunday School 9 - 9:45am 3 yrs - 6th grade; Nursery 6 mo - age 8. away, or whether your house burns down or is leveled by flooding and you have to evacuate, you mourn your losses. Whether a hurricane sweeps in an destroys everything you loved or your marriage just collapsed, one way or another, we can find ourselves forced to move on and away from the life we had and into the unknown….in a mere instant. At one time or another, we will experience that kind of mourning, that kind of anguish, when all we want to do is go back. And when we can’t go back, and we don’t know how to go forward, we freeze. We get stuck. Edith, she got stuck. She had to be terrified. Most of her extended family probably died in that fire that was Sodom. The life she knew was gone. Her home. Gone. Her daily routines. Gone. Her friends. Gone. The few things she could call her own. Gone. She’s mourning. She’s grieving. She’s traumatized. She’s upset. And so…she falters. She wavers. She stands frozen, rooted to the spot. She can’t bear to go forward. She can’t go back. She falls further and further behind. She looks back. Back at what was, back at what she had, back at what she lost. Back at her life as she knew it. And for this, we label her the “bad one”? Edith is not the bad one. In fact, scripture doesn’t label her the “bad” one. We did that. Scripture simply says, that when she turned around and looked back, she turned into a pillar of salt. It doesn’t say, she was punished. On the contrary, when Lot and his family don’t want to leave, the angels of the Lord literally grab them by the hands, including Edith and her daughters, and pull them out! Burning sulfur was about to rain down on the city spreading lava, ash, and fire, for miles around. God said, run for your lives! Don’t tarry, or you’ll get caught in the firestorm. Go quickly. Don’t look back. Lot’s wife wasn’t disobeying God. She wasn’t evil. She wasn’t sinful. It was just really hard for her not to look back, at her life, her loss, her left behind friends and the only place she had called her home. So while others hurried forward for their lives, Edith got stuck. She got stuck in her grief and in her mourning. She got stuck in her memories, and in her feelings of loss that consumed her. She got stuck in her tears, in her experience of trauma
St. John’s Lutheran Ridge Valley
910 Allentown Road, West Rockhill Twp 215-257-9643 stjohnsridgevalley910@gmail.com www.stjohnsridgevalley.com 8:30am Traditional - 10:15am w/praise band. Grape juice & gluten-free wafers available. Adult Forum 9:40, Handicapped accessible. All invited and welcome to Share the Joy!
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Applebachsville
837 Old Bethlehem Road, Quakertown 215-536-5789 stpauls@netcarrier.com www.stpaulsqtown.org Pastor: Rev. David Heckler We believe in sharing God’s love in joyful service. Come and see. All are welcome.
St. Paul’s United Church of Christ
104 Green Street, Sellersville 215-257-7268 Pastor: Rev. Trudy Irving stacey@stpaulsucc.net www.stpaulsucc.net 9am Sunday School for all ages, 10:15 Worship in Sanctuary, Prayer Shawl Ministry 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 1 to 3pm.
Trinity Lutheran Church
102 N. Hellertown Avenue, Quakertown 215-536-4345 www.trinityquakertown.org Pastor: Lynette R. Chapman 9am Traditional Service, 11am; Contemporary Service, 10:30am; FaithQuest, 10:15am; 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.
To have your place of worship included in this directory, please contact Terri Roger at 215-529-8915 ext 11 or email at terri@ubfp.org and shock. She got stuck in the love of her past. Edith froze. And in doing so, was “memorialized” by the fire that was Sodom. Her past literally consumed her. We all grieve. We all mourn what and whom we lose. It’s normal, and it’s human to grieve our losses. But when our past becomes a stone that drags us down into the waters of our own tears, and we no longer feel the courage, the energy, the life in us to keep swimming, our past can threaten to consume us. For some people, grief has frozen their ability to create new relationships, or to renew ones lost. For some people, grief has hardened their hearts against new love and new beginnings. For some people, grief has rooted them in place, so that their memories consume them, and they have no energy to forge new paths and foster new relationships. Grief can get you stuck. Remember that hand of God that took the hand of Edith and her daughters, the hand of God that led Lot and his family out of Sodom? That hand of God is the same hand guiding you through whatever time of grief and loss you are experiencing in your own life. Sometimes the call of God sends you where you haven’t been. Sometimes the hand of God pulls you out of bad situations and sends you into places you do not want to go, or are afraid to seek. God expects us to cry. God expects us to mourn. The river of life is not always smooth. But your faith in Jesus can keep you holding on and going forward, even when your heart most wants to falter. Just take the hand of Jesus when you are sad, and when you’re lonely. He has the strength to pull you through when you get stuck, to life you out when you get scared, to carry you over the waves that feel too high. Jesus is our Way forward. Out of situations of addiction, out of relationships of abuse, out of times of mourning and loss of homes and loved ones, out of places that freeze us and tease us. Take the hand of Jesus. And move forward. God is calling you into a new life, an abundant life. Lori Wagner is the pastor at Quakertown United Methodist Church. She can be reached at loribethwagner@gmail.com
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
Will March Come in Like a Lion? Since I am writing this article in the third week of February it’s anybody’s guess what March weather will bring. The afternoon temperature today was 60 degrees. Such a tease since the ground is much too saturated to do any outside gardening. There are still plenty of chores to do. House plants that spend their summer outdoors are getting ready for their growing season. Resume fertilizer and make sure the plants are healthy. This is a good time to take some cuttings to revitalize the plant or start a new one. Did you clean and sharpen your cutting tools before you put them away for the winter? If not you have time now to make sure loppers, knives and hand trimmers are sharpened and cleaned. Don’t forget the tools that you use inside if you have houseplants. A healthy lawn depends on sharp blades in the lawn mowing equipment. Take care of that now before you need to use them. Dull blades injure the tips of the turf and make your lawn more susceptible to disease. If you purchased seeds to start indoors, it is good to know the last chance of frost in our zone. Climate change has made the old “Mother’s Day” rule a risky one. The fourth week of May is a safer bet. Seed packets will list the estimated time to plant. Be aware that some vegetables and flowers are best sown directly into the ground after the danger of frost. Always read the back of the seed packet carefully before planting. Mid March is the traditional time to plant peas and onion sets in the garden as long as the soil is ready. Take a handful of your garden soil and squeeze. If the soil drips or cakes it is too wet and it is best to wait. Mid April would still be plenty of time to grow a good crop. How about bringing a little color into your home before spring bursts forth its beauty? Branches of shrubs such as Forsythia, Flowering Quince, Flowering Cherry and Pussy Willow can be forced early to grace your dining table. Choose a warmer day to prevent too much temperature shock. Cut non-essential or overly long branches with tiny tight
buds showing. You will not harm the shrub if you use proper pruning techniques. Cut the end of the woody stem trimmings at an angle, remove any buds that will be below the water line and bruise or crush them before placing them in a sturdy container of warm water. Place the container in a cool spot with indirect light. After several hours you can move it to a sunny warm location. Forsythia can bloom in as little as one week, while Quince may take up to four weeks. Change the water every few days to help prevent the growth of bacteria. If you crave some color outside, Pansies are a cold tolerant plant to put in outdoor containers even in cold soil. They come in a variety of beautiful colors and sizes. Trim any dead or damaged branches from
shrubs and trees that can be reached from walks to avoid compacting wet soil. Hold off on trimming any perennials with seedheads to feed the wildlife while there is still winter weather. Continue to search for Spotted Lanternfly eggs and dispose of them! Be patient! Spring doesn’t always arrive on your timetable but it will come. Our home gardening hotline and social media center will officially open March 30, 2020. Until then you can still call, email, or write us with your home gardening questions. Master Gardeners will be monitoring calls and emails weekly. But, you can still call, email, or write us with your home gardening questions. New Hotline Number: 267-483-2022 “Ask a Master Gardener” Penn State Extension Bucks County Neshaminy Manor Center 1282 Almshouse Road Doylestown, PA 18901 Email: BucksMG@psu.edu Please mention that you heard about us in the Upper Bucks Free Press!
Care & Share Seeks Volunteer Scholarship Nominations Care & Share Thrift Shoppes is accepting applications for their annual Student Volunteer Scholarships. Applications must be received by March 15. Details and an Application can be found at careandshareshoppes.org Three high school seniors will each be awarded $500 towards continuing education school/program after high school.
With over 1,000 volunteers and over 110,000 hours served annually, volunteerism is the source of success of Care & Share. It is important to us to encourage young people to volunteer in their communities. We look forward to meeting exceptional high school seniors making a difference!
Bucks County Offers Public Training on New Voting Machines
The Bucks County Board of Elections is inviting the public to take advantage of free training on the county’s new voting machines ahead of the April 28 primary election. The system, selected by the board of elections, was approved by the Board of County Commissioners in December. Clear Ballot is a voter-verified paper ballot system that uses ballots lacking bar codes or QR codes and is ADA compliant. Voters complete paper ballots by hand and feed them into a scanner, which drops the ballot into a ballot bag for transportation to the Board of Elections office at the end of Election Day. The Clear Ballot scanners also scan an image of the completed ballots and tabulate results from each precinct for efficient election night reporting. All tabulated and scanned images are kept in a secure database, not connected to the Internet.
Training is available to try out the new machines at these Upper Bucks locations: • Feb. 25, 1-4 p.m., Michener Branch, Bucks County Free Library, 402 W. Mill St., Quakertown. • March 3, 5-8 p.m., Sellersville Fire Department Hall, 2 N. Main St., Sellersville. • March 6, 5-8 p.m., Bucks County Administration Building, 55 E. Court St., Room R110, Doylestown. • March 23, 5-8 p.m., Bucks County Administration Building, 55 E. Court St., Doylestown. • April 21, 5-8 p.m., Bucks County Community College, Perkasie Campus, One Hillendale Road, Perkasie.
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
The answers to the puzzles on this page are found elsewhere in this issue.
Think Local. Play Local. Be Local. It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade - Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
Aflac Duck
Chester Cheetah Gus
(the)Groundhog
Budweiser Horse
Cola Polar Bear
Hump Day Camel
Cadbury Bunny
Energizer Bunny
Kia Hamster
Chantix Turkey
Geico Gecko
Limu Emu
Charlie
(the)
Tuna
Geico Woodchuck
Maxwell
(the)
Morris
Cat
Slowsky Turtle Smokey
(the)
Bear
Spuds MacKenzie Tony
Pig
(the)
(the)
Tiger
Toucan Sam
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
19
Memorial Park Celebrates 75 Years
Sue and Councilman Dave Wilsey’s (who I’ve know since junior high school), invited me to pick up some printed material they wanted to donate to the Quakertown Historical Society. Among the booklets and magazines was a dozen-page pamphlet encouraging a ‘Yes’ vote on the proposal to create a Memorial Park in the borough. The pamphlet’s about 7x4 inches and printed on cheap ‘newspaper’. The booklet has a bunch of black and white photos. One of grandparents with grand kids at a picnic table by Licking Run is on the cover. Photographs of a young oman under a tree in a pastoral grove reading a magazine, a mixed-sex group playing volley ball, women playing tennis, shooting archery and riding a tree limb swing are scattered throughout the pamphlet. There’s a shot of a ‘play at-the-plate’ at the ball park and of a couple sitting on a blanket in the grass, but there are few photographs of young men. It’s understandable. V-E Day was only a month behind them and the Battle of Okinawa was still raging. Young men were scarce in most communities. Those still home felt a sense of shame and photographs of them ‘playing’ in the park would not sit well with families whose boys were ‘active’. The Community Recreational Advisory Committee of Quakertown (CRACQ) produced the pamphlet. The title page ‘says’: “Dedicated to the men and women who have served and are serving our country, on the land, on the sea, and in the air.” It’s suggested: ‘Let us really translate our good intentions and promises to those veterans into deeds of action NOW.’ Louis Bromfield of the American Legion Magazine provided an introductory statement that pleads for a Living Monument to our dead. The CRACQ was formed in the summer of 1944. Various Quakertown organizations joined the committee and a Memorial Park with recreational facilities for youths and adults was proposed. The Borough Council supported the project and appointed five of their members to join five CRACQ members to work on plans. “Out of the meetings of this joint committee came the recommendation that this proposed park be dedicated as a memorial to our men and women who have served and are serving our country.” ‘Experts’, like those hired to find a good spot for the High School and the Hospital, were again called upon. The National Recreational Assn. and PA State Planning Commission representatives both agreed on a Mill Street site for the park. It was centrally located, had good drainage, trees and a stream. It already had a baseball stadium, an ice skating pond and tennis courts. There was an additional lot that “extends west [along Mill St.] from the property of the American Legion to the property of Richard Fosbenner” [Where the swimming pool, parking and Little League fields are], that CRACQ was also interested in buying. The purchase price was only $7,000! CRACQ contacted the Quakertown Athletic
Assn., who owned the 1936 stadium. They offered to sell both the ball park and picnic grove--for One Dollar . . . if they could still play their games there. The Quakertown Tennis Club ‘volunteered’ to donate their property if the borough waived their sewer frontage assessment debt. With those concessions granted, the Borough promptly budgeted money and a special election was scheduled. To save costs, the vote was scheduled for Primary Election Day, June 19, 1945. The pamphlet goes on to tell citizens that facilities ready for immediate use were ball fields, tennis courts, picnic groves for singa-longs, band concerts and group programs. Available in the near future would be quoits, horseshoes, archery, volley ball, badminton and kids playgrounds. It’s emphasized that No New Taxes were required to build the park. Prospects for the future were limitless, that is, if the people in Quakertown voted in favor of Memorial Park. The last page of the pamphlet is the CRACQ’s plea for support: “Think These Over Seriously: It should be a living useful memorial. / It should be established NOW / We owe it to them / They can use it when they return / It will constantly remind us of what they did for us / It will be a Beauty Spot—with attractive recreation programs / It will be centrally located to serve the greatest number of people / The site was chosen upon expert advice / The whole project was democratically discussed and the decision reached in the same manner / It will provide many immediate uses without increase in taxes / It will provide recreation areas away from street dangers / The purchase price is low / It can be purchased with no increase in taxes / Its size is adequate for present and future needs / The stream can be beautified by dams and waterfalls / Juvenile delinquency has decreased where parks with recreational areas have been provided.” The pamphlet closes with a final tug at heart strings: “A small vote will show that the people are indifferent and ungrateful; a large vote will show that you and all the other voters appreciate their sacrifices. They have done so much—we so little. Now, having read this booklet, you can provide this memorial for them by voting YES on Tuesday, June 19.” Well! I certainly would have voted for it. I remember when we voted for the pool. I ‘ve gotten a lot of use out of Memorial Park over the years: Aunt Jemima Pancake Days, Old timer’s Day, strolls with a girlfriend and my very first kiss. Even today I use it, the pool, the stadium, fireworks shows, car shows and, come to think of it, my last kiss, too. Let’s celebrate this anniversary year by using our wonderful Memorial Park whenever we can—stop and watch a ball game, stop and take a stroll, watch the ducks and squirrels and young lovers. Let’s remember our veterans, too, in this, the 75th summer since WWII ended and the 75th year Memorial Park has been a big park of our town. Jack Schick is a long time Quakertown
area resident and regular contributor here at
UBFP. Reach him at sjckschc@aol.com
Technical Education, Workforce Development Bill Becomes Law The Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce and the Upper Bucks County Technical School recently hosted State Representative Craig Staats’ ceremonial signing of his comprehensive career & technical legislation on Thursday, February 20 at the Upper Bucks County Technical School. Governor Tom Wolf recently signed into law a bill sponsored by Staats (R-145), which represents the most significant reform of Pennsylvania’s career and technical (CTE) education laws in more than 30 years. “Act 76 – 2019 is an omnibus bill aimed at enhancing career and technical education, job training and workforce development that will help to prepare Pennsylvania students for the workforce and attract employers and economic development to the Commonwealth,” said Staats.
The new law requires school districts, intermediate units, vocational-technical schools, charter schools and cyber charter schools – as well as Northern Pennsylvania Regional College, state-related institutions, and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, to submit their transfer agreements, known as articulation agreements, to PDE for inclusion in the database. “Upper Bucks County Technical School (UBCTS) would like to thank Representative Staats’ for his continued leadership, vision, and commitment to Career and Technical Education & Workforce Development. It is essential for CTE schools to demonstrate and document that they are helping students improve and achieve in their technical content areas,” said Dr. Michael Herrera, Assistant Director at UBCTS.
Women May Need Extra Steps to Reach Financial Security International Women’s Day 2020 is observed on March 8. This special day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Yet, women still face gender barriers as they seek to achieve their financial goals. How can you address these challenges? To begin with, you need to be aware of what you’re up against. The wage gap between men and women has closed somewhat, but it hasn’t disappeared. Full-time female employees earn about 82 percent of what men earn, according to the Census Bureau. Over a 40-year career, a woman who worked full time would lose, on average, more than $400,000 because of this wage gap, according to the National Women’s Law Center. Furthermore, a woman turning age 65 today can expect to live, on average, until age 86.5; for a 65-year-old man, the comparable figure is 84. Those two and a half years can amount to a lot more living expenses. Plus, by taking time off from the workplace to raise children and care for elderly family members, women often end up with lower balances in their 401(k)s and IRAs than men. So, what can you do to help even the playing field, in terms of building adequate resources for retirement? Here are a few suggestions: • Contribute as much as possible to your retirement plans. During your working years, put in as much as you can afford to your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan. Most people don’t come anywhere near the 401(k) contribution limit (which, in 2020, is $19,500, or $26,000 if you’re 50 or older), and you might not be able to reach it, either, but strive to do the best you can. And every time your salary increases, bump up your annual contribution. If you are able to “max out” on your 401(k), you may still be
able to contribute to an IRA. If your income exceeds certain limits, you can’t contribute to a Roth IRA, which offers tax-free withdrawals of earnings if you meet certain conditions, but you may still be able to fund a traditional IRA, although the tax deductibility may be reduced or eliminated. • Use Social Security wisely. You can start taking Social Security as early as 62, but your checks can be larger if you wait until your full retirement age, which will likely be between 66 and 67. And if you’re married, you may be able to choose between claiming your own benefits or receiving 50% of your spouse’s benefits, which could help you if your spouse has considerably higher earnings. (Your spouse does not lose any benefits if you choose this route.) • Look for every opportunity to save and invest. As mentioned above, women often lose out on some retirement savings when they take time away from the workforce to raise families and eventually become caregivers for elderly parents. But even if you aren’t working full time, it doesn’t mean you have no chance to boost your retirement savings. If you can do any paid work, whether it’s part time or as a consultant, you can contribute to an IRA – and you should. It’s not easy to overcome the structural disadvantages women face when seeking to reach financial security. Taking advantage of the savings and investment possibilities available can help you make progress toward your goals. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Bob Podraza on West Broad Street, Quakertown. He can be reached at 215-536-3635 or at bob.podraza@edwardjones.com
Lurking in the water... Let’s talk about leptospirosis! My dogs love going for walks and hikes, and while we are out and about, especially in the warmer months, they are quick to jump in the pond, stream, or lake….and if there’s a puddle? Forget it – they are in it! This is not necessarily a bad thing, though it can be gross, but there is a disease that often lurks in water like this that is worth being aware of! Leptospirosis! Leptospirosis is a type of bacteria that is most often spread in wild animal’s urine. Due to this type of spread, it is often found in puddles, creeks, streams, or any other bodies of water, especially standing water! It can also be harbored in moist ground, or can be spread by direct contact with an infected animal! Many wild animals can carry it in our area including rodents, raccoons, foxes, opossums, and deer – and dogs!! It is thankfully not that common, but the incidence has been increasing over the years, and what makes it the scariest, is that it is a disease that is zoonotic – which means it can be spread to people too! Not many diseases that our dogs can pick up can be easily spread to people too, so I think
that is one of the main reasons that this one is worth talking about! It attacks the kidneys primarily, so can lead to severe kidney disease, illness, and even death. I have had a few cases over the years, and a couple of them did not make it because the infection was so severe, and the kidneys so severely affected, that they went into kidney failure. And every time, the entire family had to get treatment as well! The good news?? There is a vaccine! The lepto vaccine is an annual vaccine that is very safe and protective against this disease. At our hospital we are not huge on over-vaccinating, so I do not believe that every dog needs this vaccine – but if you are someone who goes hiking or camping, or you have a dog who loves swimming, or beelines to drink out of puddles, or you have a ton of wildlife in your yard…it’s probably worth at least having a conversation with your vet to see if your pup is a good candidate! Stay safe out there people – spring is right around the corner! 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 and run Harley’s Haven Dog Rescue.
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
2020 Jeep Gladiator
Can You Walk the Walk?
I’m always in awe as I drive through neighborhoods virtually cheering for folks who walk their dogs in any kind of weather. As kind as Mother Nature has been this winter, I would surmise that most folks haven’t practiced walking their dogs much or at all. It can be a love or hate response when it comes to loose-leash walking with your dog. The majority of clients that seek me out have a hate response to loose-leash walking. It’s so much easier to say than to do! I had a client send me an email the other day about how horrible their dog walked on a leash at the park after our first session. Of course, I was very disappointed with my client because they hadn’t even started with one of the suggested first steps. Having her start at the park was like diving straight into the deep end of the pool without ever learning how to doggy paddle or float. Needless to say, they sank like a rock. They had to physically carry their 80-pound dog back to the car. I responded to her email, ”If you were to teach a new driver how to drive, would you start them on
Interstate 95, or would you find a nice quiet parking lot?” 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 problems begin and sadly end. Most people just give up. Begin your training by having the dog follow you around the house either on the left side of you or the right while on a leash. Every couple of steps give your dog a treat at the take out window for following you. The “take-out window” is where the treats should be dispensed down the outside seam of your pants, right next to your knee. 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 (that means lots of treats). Gradually ask more steps from your dog, as he is getting it give less treats. When your dog is following you from one end of the house and back for one treat that’s when it is time to take it outside to the yard not the park. Submitted by Marion C. O’Neil CPDT-KA, CTDI, owner and instructor for Molasses Creek Dog Training, LLC, Quakertown. She www.molassescreekdogtraining.com
Care & Share Logs 109,000 Volunteer Hours, Donates $1 Million Care & Share Thrift Shoppes announced their 2019 donation to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at a special Super Star Breakfast. Thanks to generous donors, energetic shoppers and enthusiastic volunteers, Care & Share announced they are the first independent, non-profit, thrift store to donate over One Million Dollars to charity in a calendar year. Volunteers contribute to the heartbeat of Care & Share! At this breakfast, we celebrated an elite group we refer to as the “Super Stars”. These 93 special volunteers each donated between 300 - 1,700 hours in 2019, contributing to over 109,000 volunteer hours in 2019. Care & Share is thankful for the support of all of our volunteers. We also acknowledged former Care & Share Board Member, Dave Friesen with our Founder’s Award for outstanding Board service and commitment. Dave served as a Board Member for nine years, six years as the Board Chairperson. A $25,000 donation was made
in his honor to MCC. Since 1975, Care & Share has donated over $19 million to MCC (mcc.org)
The much anticipated, much rumored, long awaited Jeep pickup truck has arrived. And it’s one of a kind as it’s available with a convertible top that no other truck maker offers. And keeping with Jeep heritage, the doors also come off and the windshield folds, just like traditional Jeep Wrangler’s. The last year Jeep offered a pickup was back in 1992. But a Jeep pickup goes back to when it was offered from 1947-1965. After that it became an FC-150/170 (1957-1965); Jeep Gladiator/J-Series (1963-1987); CJ-Scrambler (1981-1985) and finally, the Jeep Comanche (1986-1992). The midsize 2020 Gladiator comes with some impressive numbers. According to Jeep, it has a best-in-class tow rating of 7,650 pounds and a payload capacity of 1,600 pounds. Gladiator comes in four trim models; Sport, Sport S, Overland and rugged Rubicon. As of this writing, there’s probably no other midsize pickup that can go where the Rubicon model can go with its locking front/rear differentials, sway bar disconnect and an approach angle of 43.4 degrees and a departure angle of 26.0 degrees on the Rubicon version. Chevy’s Bison comes close, but can’t match the Gladiator for its off-road prowess. Although it’s fairly new to the market, Jeep has racked up nearly 7,200 in U.S. sales for the second quarter. The ones I’ve seen on the road have already been tricked out with custom oversize wheels and tires, light bars, side steps, winches and more.
The similarities between the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited SUV and Gladiator are very close, especially in the cabin. Round air duct vents are identical as is the display, HVAC controls, 4WD shifters, burly steering wheel, gauge cluster and more. The main difference is in size. Gladiator is 31 inches longer and wider by 19.4 inches. And it can ford up to 31 inches of water enabled by a generous 10.25 inches of ground clearance (11 on the Rubicon). Step-in into the cabin is a 25-inch stretch, but there are grab handles above the wide opening doors for easier ingress. All seats have weather resistant covers that are heavily padded for rough road absorption and supportive to hug the torso during off-road jolts and bumps. Back seats have gobs of headroom and adequate legroom. They too are equally as padded, split and flip up against the bulkhead to expose a storage bin beneath them. The rear seats, however, are set a bit upright which doesn’t make for comfy long distance riding. Of the four trim models, we were privileged to test the nicely equipped Sport model. With it came an optional 7-inch touchscreen (5-inch is standard) with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and a variety of other apps and rear view camera. The Sport had the Command Trac part-time 4WD with the usual 2H, 4H, 4L gearing that included a locking rear (Rubicon has locking front/rear diffs plus a disconnecting sway bar),
heavy duty Dana front/rear axles, fuel tank skid plate, transfer case skid plate shield, electronic trailer sway control, stability control, electronic roll mitigation and more. Each model comes in one bed length that measures 60 inches deep, 57 wide and 17 high. Liftover into the bed is a not too high 35 inches and the tailgate can be positioned to allow carrying 4x8 sheets of plywood. As there is only one bed length, there’s also one engine choice, that is until the 3.0L, EcoDiesel V6 is offered sometime this year. When it’s available, it reportedly will generate 260-hp and a whopping 442 lb/ft of torque, Until then, the standard powerplant is a 3.6L, V6 with 285-hp and 260 lb/ft of torque for EPA mileage estimates of 17 city, 22-highway mpg with start/stop engine technology and an 8-speed automatic transmission. The combination was independently tested at 7.2 seconds for a 0-60 sprint.
Ride and handling wise, Gladiator has a tendency to wander over the road with virtually little road feel. It’s a bouncy ride on knobby, deep lugged, Bridgestone AT 17-inch tires. But this is no different than a Wrangler or Wrangler Unlimited. In fact, Gladiator rides a bit better because of its longer, wider dimensions. Load the bed with mulch or an ATV and it’ll ride even better. On convertible models, you’ll certainly grab eyes in summer with the top down and doors off. Gladiator’s only drawback so far is its price. With a certain amount of options, it’s priced above most of the competition from Chevy’s Colorado, Ford Ranger and some Toyota Tacoma models. The Sport test truck carried a base price of an affordable $33,545. But add the Customer Preferred Package ($3,200) with a long list of goodies such as power tailgate; 7-inch Radio Group ($995) comprises the display, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, A/C, Sirius radio and more; Convenience Group ($395); Cold Weather Package ($995) consisting of heated front seats/steering wheel, remote start; Max Tow Package ($995) with the A/T tires, HD front/rear axles, 4.10 rear, receiver hitch, trailer hitch zoom, HD cooling and more; Jeep Active Safety Group ($995) with Park Sense Rear Park Assist, blind spot/ rear cross traffic detection; Adaptive cruise with forward collision warning that includes stop ($795) plus full speed forward collision warning, advanced brake assist; Auxiliary Switch Control ($295); All Weather Slush Mats ($150); 8-speed automatic trans with skid plate, Tip start ($2,000); Alpine audio ($1,295); Wireless Bluetooth speaker ($295); Premium Sunrider soft top ($595) and delivery ($1,495), takes the bottom line to $48,535. It’d be nice to be able to pick and choose but Jeep bundles everything, which drives up the cost. Gladiator comes with a 5 year, 60K powertrain warranty and 3/36K basic limited warranty. Nick Hromiak is an automotive enthusiast and freelance writer. We look forward to bringing you his new column each month. He can be reached at nhromiak@verizon.net.
Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local. Mary Sautter Named New BARC Executive Director
(top) Chris Yothers, Care & Share Board Chairperson; Dave Friesen, Former Board Member; Sarah Bergin, Care & Share's Executive Director. (above) Chris Yothers, Care & Share Board Chairperson; Sarah Bergin, Care & Share's Executive Director; Ken Sensenig, Assistant Executive Director, MCC East Coast; Roland Anye, MCC East Coast Thrift Coordinator.
Mary Sautter, a 24 year veteran of BARC Developmental Services, has taken over as Executive Director, after Dr. Robert H. Schram retired at the end of 2019. In almost 70 years, Mary is only the 3rd Executive Director. Prior to joining BARC, Mary worked for four years with ICF/MR programs as both a Resident Supervisor and Staff Trainer, and also worked more than two years as a Supported Living Caseworker. Mary first joined BARC in 1994 as a Program Coordinator in the Residential Department. After six years, she transferred to the Quality
Resources Department for two years. After working for another agency as the Residential Services Director for two years, Mary returned to BARC in March 2005 as the Regional Residential Director for the Upper Bucks area. In 2009, the department was re-structured and Mary was promoted to Residential Director. In January of 2020, Mary was again promoted to Executive Director. Mary holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Gettysburg College, as well as, a Master’s of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University.
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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Pearls of Wisdom from my Mother As I grew up, I often heard my Mother refer to being wise. It may have been a conversation with a younger person who she encouraged to make wise decisions in life. Or, she may have been telling a child that it was not a wise decision to climb to the top of a tree and jump down. It was from her that I learned there were consequences for whatever decision one would make in life, and those consequences depended on whether you had made a wise or unwise choice. That lesson is not always learned in the younger years. I can recall not using insight and making some rather unwise decisions during my Vicenarian years - that twenty-something decade. We make dozens of decisions daily, some important, and some not so significant. We start our day deciding what to wear and there isn’t too much that can go wrong with that decision. However, if we are attending a formal event and we decide to be comfortable and wear shredded jeans and a tee shirt, and we arrive and find that everyone is dressed to the nines – very quickly, we determine that was a bad decision. The consequences are not earth shattering; you will just spend a few hours with everyone staring, whispering, and avoiding you. Making decisions reminds me of being at an unfamiliar crossroad and trying to determine what direction to take. Now, that is a real example for me because I have been there many times. I was created without a sense of direction, that is, I am directionally challenged, so it is extremely easy for me to get lost. The decision I make at that crossroads can determine whether I end up at my intended destination or fifty miles in another direction. If I am taking a leisure Sunday afternoon drive and I end up in another state, I consider it an afternoon of adventure and sightseeing; however, if I have an intended destination where I must arrive on time, the consequences of the decision I made back at that crossroad an hour earlier are major. Circumstances in my Mother’s life had allowed her to gain wisdom at an early age. She
had experienced difficulties that she did not want to be repeated, and she had the insight to use common sense and to become knowledgeable so she could navigate through the learning and healing process. And, what does a parent do when they have gained knowledge and wisdom? They pass it on to their children. The responsibility of a parent is to lay a foundation for their children by setting an example before them, by teaching them right from wrong, acceptable and unacceptable, and by guiding them in the right direction when they are at that crossroad, about to make a wrong turn. But, as parents, we must also realize that in some instances our children will not heed our advice, but they will learn a valuable lesson. As they mature into adults and become parents, those Pearls of Wisdom will resurface for them to pass on to their children. I am grateful for the wisdom that I acquired from my mother. I found that it was not until later in life that I deeply appreciated that rock solid foundation that she had laid. Sometimes I find myself saying, “Oh my goodness, my Mother just came out of my mouth.” And that is the way it is supposed to be. Being a woman of faith, she gained her insight from an old, tattered Bible that she read daily, and those words of wisdom helped her to climb mountains and cross rivers that seemed impossible. I have been blessed many times over by her example. Here are just a few of her Pearls of Wisdom that I cherish: • Never judge a book by its cover. • Always listen to the advice of an older, wiser person. • Treat others as you want them to treat you. • Forgiveness is the key to contentment. • Love others, even when it is difficult to do so. • Don’t be too proud to say, “I’m sorry.” Until next month, may your March be filled with all things wonderful. Jacque Holliday is a long time freelance contributor to UBFP. She always welcomes your comments via email at jacque@ubfp.org
Besting a Bully
QCSD Achieves PASBO Gold Award BY GARY WECKSELBLATT Rob Christine, Director of Facilities for the Quakertown Community School District, has won the Gold Award in the PASBO Award of Excellence in School Facilities for 2020. Mr. Christine’s entry in the PASBO program met all seven of the required core competencies as well as scoring at least 19 additional points. The award is designed to recognize local education agencies with exceptional school facilities’ best practices. It is sponsored by PASBO and SchoolDude. Of more than 100 entries this year, only two districts were Gold Award recipients. “This shows the district is right on track with where we need to be from a facilities perspective and our processes moving forward,” Mr. Christine said. “After you look at the numbers and statewide statistics, it confirms that what the district has set in place is working.” The seven core competencies are Facilities Maintenance and Management; Facilities Capital Improvement and Construction; Grounds Management; Housekeeping; Staff Management; Environmental and Safety Issues; and Benchmarking and Data Management. Applying for the PASBO Facilities of Excellence certification was one of the Superintendent Goals for the 2019-20 school year. The year-long project requires the facilities, finance, and purchasing departments to work together to analyze all aspects of the facilities’ operation. The objective was to complete a thorough analysis of the Facilities Department, the bonus was winning the award. Mr. Christine estimated it took him 150 to 200 hours to gather the data, adjust some current procedures and implement new procedures. “In his first year as director, Rob has shown himself to be a leader and an expert in the
field of facilities,” said Zach Schoch, the district’s Chief Operating Officer. “We’re very appreciative of his work and dedication in this enormous undertaking.”
The award comes with a $1,500 scholarship that Mr. Christine will receive at the PASBO Annual Conference on March 20. The money will be used for professional development. Mr. Christine, an employee of the district for 25 years, began his QCSD career in 1994 as a part-time custodian and became head custodian a year later. He transferred to the maintenance department in 1996, and was promoted to lead maintenance in 2011. In 2016 he was named maintenance supervisor. On January 10, 2019, the School Board unanimously approved Mr. Christine’s promotion to Director of Facilities.
Why the positive pessimist? I’m naturally a pessimist, but even I can learn to think positively with practice! Most of us have either experienced or witnessed bullying within our lifetime. But just to be sure we start on the same page, what defines bullying? According to stopbullying.gov, “Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior…that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power and is either repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time.” The government also includes in their definition “among school aged children;” however, I believe bullying can happen at any age, especially cyberbullying. In order to best a bully, you need to understand why bullies bully in the first place? Typically, negativity manifests in people who are insecure, and I believe bullying stems from the same place. Many bullies have been bullied themselves, sometimes even at home by a parent or sibling. So in order to balance his or her own insecurities, a bully turns to someone they perceive to be weaker. They feel more powerful when they can make you feel insecure, fear, submissive, etc. I need to point out that the extent of the bullying needs to be taken into consideration before you determine the best course of action for you or your child. Sometimes, bullying can get worse before it gets better, and it’s extremely important to deal with bullying in the beginning before it escalates to physical danger. If you (or someone you know) are being physically bullied, that’s ASSAULT and needs to be reported to the police or a trusted adult who can help you report it to the police. If you are being verbally bullied, here are some steps you can take that might help. First, ignore them (especially cyberbullies). Remember that they only feel powerful when they make you feel weaker. So if you can hide your feelings and not engage, they might just give up and go away. If like me you wear
your emotions on your face or if that doesn’t work, some bullies will go away if they know you aren’t afraid of them. A quick positive comment can sometimes be enough for them to realize you won’t be easily pushed around. My favorites are “Do you feel better now?” and “Wow, did you come up with that all by yourself?” If bullying continues, you have to remember or be reminded that it isn’t your fault. If the bully isn’t attacking you, they will find someone else to target. So don’t be afraid to tell a friend or loved one. Verbal bullying can sometimes escalate to something worse, and it can really take a toll on your self-esteem overtime. And because of this, there is no such thing as a tattletale when it comes to bullying! If you are being bullied or witness someone else being bullied, please tell your school, call the police, and in the case of cyberbullying, report it to the social media site which can take action to block the user if necessary. A few things you should NOT do when dealing with a bully include fighting back (physically or verbally). It’s one thing to try to stop a bully with a positive comment but don’t resort to name calling, bullying back, or bullying someone else to make yourself feel better. You also should never have to skip school to avoid a bully. If you feel the need to skip school or have thoughts of hurting yourself or others, talk to a trusted adult immediately. Finally, in addition to besting the bully with the help of others – you may not only need positive reinforcement from friends and family, you might also need to seek out professional help. It’s ok to seek counseling either from your guidance counselor at school or through outside resources. Targets of bullying can often face negative feelings of self-worth, and talking to a qualified counselor can often get you back to thinking positively faster than going it alone! For more from The Positive Pessimist, visit KellyJax.com
“The first day of Spring is one thing, and the first Spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.” - Henry Van Dyke
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• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2020
Quakertown Fire Department Raising Funds for New Equipment: Help Them to Help You The Quakertown Fire Department serves all of Quakertown Borough, more than half of Richland Township and a small portion of East Rockhill Township. The Quakertown Fire Department Service area is diverse, including an older, dense mixed-use small-town area, strip commercial development, industry, new subdivisions, farmland, and forested areas in transition. The Quakertown Fire Department is comprised of two fire stations, Quakertown Fire Company #1 and Quakertown West End Fire Company. The Fire Department provides oversight and fire management to the two stations. The Department and both stations are 100% volunteer organizations. The Quakertown Fire Department is trained in all aspects of fire suppression, rescue, hazardous material operations, and Emergency Medical Services. The Department is a member of the Bucks County Hazardous Materials Task Force and Fire Task Force organizations. There is a mutual aid policy that allows us to assist and to receive aid throughout Bucks County, Upper Montgomery County, and the Lehigh Valley area for emergencies and large-scale fire suppression and other emergencies as needed. The QFD is also your first line of defense for Homeland Security, bio-terrorist emergencies, special rescue emergencies, disaster management, Fire Police services, and other public services as needed. Last year the Quakertown Fire Department responded to a total of 609 emergencies. A total of 9,924 volunteers responded to these emergencies, averaging 20.8 volunteers per call. These emergencies resulted in 6,941 hours 14 minutes of man-hours. An additional 1,089 hours 28 minutes of man-hours were spent on other public services. Members participated in 75 training drills totally another 482 hours of volunteer service. The Quakertown Fire Department needs your help. The department is requesting your support to purchase new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) to replace their existing 15-year-old units. With the National Fire Protection Agency and OSHA Standards changing and manufacturers offering more safety back-up features to protect our firefighters, this is the department’s need. Due to call volume, age of the units, and the current condition of our existing SCBA, the Fire Department needs to replace this equipment as soon as possible. This will not only help to protect volunteers, but will also assist them in helping you in a more efficient and safety-oriented manner if the need arises. The total number of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus we need to replace is 52 units for a total cost of $304,634.00. Through a grant funding opportunity and a cooperative working relationship with the municipalities we serve, we have been able to support about 58% of the dollars needed to make this purchase. We need to raise an additional $130,000 to be able to purchase this much-needed safety equipment. This equates to an additional $2,500 per unit that they need to raise. The brave men and women volunteers of the Quakertown Fire Department need your support. “The Quakertown Fire Department strives to protect the community to the best of their abilities but also has to look out for the health and safety of our membership,” says Scott Cassel,
Deputy 87 QFD. “With the ever-growing epidemic of cancer in the fire service the need to update the current SCBA became priority replacement. The current airpacks are nearing the end of their recommended lifetime per National Fire Protection Association standards and are costing the Department thousands of dollars in repairs on yearly basis.” photo by adam finger
According to a National Occupational Safety and Health study, firefighters are twice as likely to get cancers and other serious illnesses, such as mesothelioma. The visible particles of combustion that we see as smoke aren’t the only danger to first responders fighting fires. Firefighters need the maximum level of respiratory protection. The typical structure fire involves the high temperature destruction of many tyes of plastics, foams, wood, fabrics, and other materials. Gases and particulates released from these burning materials often contain toxic, reactive, and other unhealth chemicals that are inhalation hazards and skin absorption hazards. Cassel continues, “You can’t put a cost on safety of members who put their life on the line to protect the community they live in an volunteer role. At the end of the day all these men and women need to go home to their families and not worry if the equipment that we provide them to use in toxic environments will not fail on them when doing their job to protect the community.” The Quakertown Fire Department is looking for business leaders and community partners to help raise the additional $130,000 needed to purchase this needed equipment. The department is working hard to make this financial commitment come true. You will also see volunteers out in the community raising funds through other fundraisers to help support this initiative. If you, your business, or community organization can assist Quakertown’s Bravest by supporting this program financially, please send donations to the address below. Battalion Chief Doug Wilhelm will also meet with local business leaders and community organizers to discuss the department’s financial needs or partnering to organize a fundraiser. To arrange a meeting with Chief Wilhelm, please call 267718-1710 or dwilhelm@quakertown.org. Quakertown Fire Department (SCBA Fund) 35 N. 3rd Street - Quakertown, PA 18951 Attn: Battalion Chief Douglas C. Wilhelm
Classmates
Because of the move my parents made back in 1949, I have the privilege of having classmates from grade school days from two areas. When I lived just north of Richlandtown I attended Shelly School (one room) that housed the 1st and 2nd grades of Richland Township children. We then moved to Milford Township and I attended Weikel’s and Union Schools (also one-room schools.) My article for this month involves students from both areas, but is mostly about the children I will refer to as the Union School kids. Recently I received e-mail from a classmate (Bonnie [Horne] Klein) who acts as the glue that holds the body (Class of ’61) together in communications. She was polling the classmates from our later years (Junior & Senior High) as to whether we want to meet again in 2021 for our 60th Reunion. Midge Moyer, who lived near Quakertown back in our school days, mentioned to Bonnie, she would coordinate the Reunion as she so smoothly has accomplished in the past. I replied that I would attend as I find it important to meet with those of my youth in these senior years. Shortly thereafter I noticed Bonnie’s name on my morning check of e-mails. Anticipating an update of the other classmate responses, I opened her e-mail first. It was notification of another passing of a classmate, Bill (Zeke) Piszczek. Zeke was one of the” Union School kids.” Our class that went from Weikel’s to Union School numbered about 10 or 12. We not only were classmates at Weikel’s and Union school; we were a group that would go to other of our classmates’ homes to visit during the summer. Zeke is now one of many of that small group that is now gone. Susan Mode from Brick Tavern who’s parents were educators and had German Shepherd Dogs. Roger Ritter who’s parents had a neat pond where you could catch sunfish by hand and was used by many in the winter for Ice Skating. My nearest classmate and friend for many years, Sam Kile, who lived near the East Swamp Church and helped his dad at the “Junk Yard.” They are all gone. I am truly blessed to remember the memories of those days so vivid that I can tell you about them all. Many of the stories on how we used to bike to each others homes to play ball or just to get together on a sunny summer day have been told in past articles. Back then we did not have all the fancy electronics to keep us confined indoors in our aid conditioned houses. Who had air conditioning? We were lucky to have a table or window fan for hot summer nights. Susan was part of our group, as she loved the outdoors. Before her passing she lived up in “God’s Country.” (Potter County) She was quite the artist and would show us her artwork. The others in our group were Barry (Sudsy) Sine, Terry Hartman, Joel
(Bucky) Klausfelder, and Karl Viehe. I believe Karl lives in the D.C. area, Terry lives down in sunny Florida, and Sudsy still lives in this surrounding area. I lost touch with Bucky Klausfelder and do not know of his status. The only time I get to see them is at the Reunions. That is why I responded with a resounding YES to continuing our getting together at least every five years. I visited with Sam Kile a few hours before he passed away at his son’s home. I was part of the Honor Guard who fired three rounds over Roger Ritter’s grave. I last saw Susan Mode at a past Class Reunion and she was her old “Bubbly” self – full of life and laughter. I spoke to her about Potter County and how we have a Summer Home not too far away. I never did get to visit her upstate. Last fall I was asked to assist at the Voting Poles for my Political Party over at East Swamp Church, near where I lived when growing up in Milford Township. A truck pulled in and a person exited as I was talking to someone. Our conversation ended and from the direction of that truck this older gentlemen shouted out, “Helmsey what are you doing here, you are Rich Helm aren’t you.” This hillbilly looking gentlemen was “Zeke.” We spent a long time reminiscing about the days of the “Union School kids.” He showed me pictures on his phone of a deer his son recently harvested and told me that in the past few years he settled on buying the farm where we had made so many memories back in the day. After he voted he walked back to his truck and drove off. This was the last contact I had with my friend and classmate. One of my favorite memories of Bill was when we had to write our own biography in Miss Bergey’s class. Bill started his biography off with the line; “I was born very young----.” The class broke out in laughter and Miss Bergey broke out in tears. Thus began the saga of Bill Piszczek who was definitely one of our class pranksters. He served his country in the Army as a career and was certainly a free spirit. Bill was born very young and the end of his biography can read that he passed away and still had that same mischievous youthful spirit of his youth. So hopefully Bonnie, Terry, Sudsy, Karl, and myself will be able to gather in 2021 to recall the times we spent together in the 1950’s and 60’s. “Classmates” as we knew them are one of the most treasured people that crossed our paths of life. That is why I title these monthly article-Remembrances of the Class of ’61. May we keep meeting to recall those precious memories for many more years. Those that pass away might not be there, but their memory will always be. So Zeke you were born very young and your antics when we were in the Class of ‘61 will always live on and never grow old! Dick Helm is a regular contributor. He can be reached at rbh9@verizon.net
Perkasie Farmers Market Seeks Vendors, Musicians
The award-winning Perkasie Farmers Market is now accepting applications from local farmers and food producers interested in participating in the 2020 season. A limited number of spots for local handmade and homemade crat items are available. All vendors must supply a Certificate of Insurance proving general liability insurance. The Perkasie Farmers Market is scheduled
to open June 6 this year and operate from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday through October. A complete fee schedule and application are available at www.PerkasieRec.com. Local non-profit organizations are welcomed to apply for a weekly FREE Community Spot. The market also welcomes applications from musicians to play at the market, which pays a small stipend.
March 2020 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
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