Hear Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra April 30 at UD arts center

UPPER DARBY >> Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra and conductor Reuben Blundell perform a spring concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 30, at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, 601 N. Lansdowne Ave., Drexel Hill. The program includes Wagner’s “Meistersingers” Prelude, Carl Busch’s “Minniehaha’s Vision,” and “Songs of Chibiabos,” Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” and Elgar’s “Enigma” Variations.

Ticket costs are $17-$20, $5 for students with ID. For tickets and information, call the box office at 610622-1189.

‘Pete the Cat’ comes to U.D.

UPPER DARBY >> America’s largest and most prolific professional not-for-profit touring theatre company for young and family audiences, Theatreworks USA, performs “Pete the Cat” a new musical based on the beloved book series by Kimberly and James Dean. at 7:30 p.m. April 21 at Upper Darby Performing ARts Center.

The show is approximately one hour and ideal for children ages 4 and up and their families. When Pete the Cat gets caught rocking out after bedtime, the cat-catcher sends him to live with the Biddle family to learn his manners and boy are they square! But for the groovy blue cat, life is an adventure no matter where you wind up, so the minute Pete walks in the door, he gets the whole family rocking.

The whole family that is, except for young Jimmy Biddle, the most organized second grader on planet earth. As the end of second grade approaches, Jimmy has a lot of tests, and the last thing he needs is some groovy cat in his life, changing his family and turning everything upside down. But when Jimmy draws a blank in art class during the last week of school, it turns out Pete is the perfect friend to help him out. Together, they set out on a mission to help Jimmy conquer second grade art, and along the way, they both learn a little something new about inspiration. Join Jimmy and Pete on an adventure of friendship, all the way to Paris and back in a VW Bus.

Theatreworks USA has a distinguished history of not only providing young audiences with their first taste of the performing arts, but also giving young actors, writers, directors, and designers an early opportunity to work in this field.

Since 1961, Theatreworks USA has enlightened, entertained, and instructed over 85 million people in 49 states and Canada, now performing for about three million people annually. Every year, the company tours approximately 16 shows from its ever- growing repertoire of 125 plays and musicals.

Ticket costs are $8-$11 and available at www.updac.org or call the box office at 610-622-1189.

Earth Day for all ages in Haverford

HAVERFORD >> Haverford Township holds an Earth Day celebration from 9 a.m.-noon April 22 with free, fun-filled indoor and outdoor activities for children and adults at the Community Recreation and Environmental Center, 9000 Parkview Drive, Haverford.

The program includes live music, family-friendly “animal tracking” guided trail walks, story time, a nature scavenger hunt, and nature crafts and activities for children. Riverbend Environmental Center’s “On the Road” program has touchable artifacts and a live animal. Greener Partners’ Farm Explorer mobile farm gives hands-on lessons about plants, local agriculture, seasonal eating, and nutrition. Free seedlings and snacks, while they last. Also featured are exhibits on composting, beekeeping, rain gardens for home storm water management, watershed protection, how to buy green power, recycling and more.

An Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Expo includes a test ride and donate event by Pacifico Ford Lincoln Mercury.

For every test ride one of their green vehicles, Pacifico donates $20 to the Hava-Rain Garden Program to support building rain gardens in our community and help solve flooding and water quality problems in our streams. In addition, a Tesla S, BMW I3 and a Zero Electric Motorcycle are available for viewing. Owners answer questions about their EV experience.

The event is rain or shine. For information and full schedule of events, call 484380-2730, search “Haverford Earth Day Celebration” or visit www.haverfordtownship.com/parks

Hear from DCCC Disability Services

Delaware County Community College holds “Transitioning to College with a Disability” sessions for those with questions about succeeding in college with a disability. Learn about students’ rights and responsibilities and meet with representatives from the Office of Disability Services. Students, parents and educators are invited to attend.

Dates include Thursday, April 20, at 6 p.m. at Downingtown Campus, 100 Bond Drive, Downingtown; and Thursday, April 27, at 6 p.m. in the STEM Center Auditorium at the Marple Campus, 901 S. Media Drive, Media.

Transitioning to College with a Disability provides insight into the application process, documentation needed to arrange for reasonable accommodations and strategies to help students succeed. Representatives from the Office of Disability Services will also be on-hand to answer questions.

For information and registration, call 610-723-4000 or visit www.dccc.edu/transitioning-to-college

Veterans, convicts services in Chester underway

CHESTER >> The Mayor’s Office of Reentry and Veterans Resource Services has officially opened. Reestablishing the office was a key component of Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland’s 2016 Mayoral Transition Report’s public safety platform.

“This is a vital service for our community and to the persons needing these resources. The city has a moral obligation to embrace its citizens, including those that were formerly incarcerated and especially those who have fought for our freedom,” said Kirkland. “We are excited about this office, the resource services and our volunteers.”

Volunteers for the Office of Reentry and Veterans Resource Services consist of senior citizens, EDSI Reentry Program employees and community volunteers. A majority of the community volunteers are persons who have experience or a vested interest in reentry efforts or veterans services. “A lot of veterans do not know what benefits are available and owed to them,” said Shakur AbdulAli. Abdul-Ali, an army veteran and community activist signed up to volunteer at the Veterans Resource Services. He praised Mayor Kirkland’s administration for making these resources available, saying “this is a real good move for the City of Chester.”

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) provided $10,000 in funding to the City of Chester to create a strategic reentry plan. The Mayor’s Office of Reentry Committee lead by Lisa Dennis, Director of the Office of Community Liaisons recently finalized that reentry plan. The plan will serve as a roadmap for the community to use and guide them to resources they need.

Both the Office of Reentry and the Veterans Resource Services will be open Monday–Friday for four to six hours.

Visit Brandywine antique show

CHADDS FORD >> Brandywine River Museum of Art, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, holds its 46th annual Antiques Show from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 27-Monday, May 29. Admission is $18. The sale includes furniture, rugs, porcelain, needlework and more from distinguished dealers from the mid-Atlantic and beyond. Proceeds from this annual fundraising event benefit the Museum Volunteers’ Purchase Fund, and Art Education and Programming. For information, visit www.brandywine.org/museum/events/46th-annualantiques-show

Wine Glass Painting Night Raises Money for Ridley Library Ridley Township Library held a wine glass painting fundraiser recently at Ridley’s Creekside Center. The fundraiser was a great success for the library and all participants enjoyed an evening of fun with friends and family. The library board of trustees sponsored the event, with board secretary Chrissy Koway coordinating. The library wishes to thank instructor Lorraine Cocci of The Unique Mini Boutique who offered her services at a discount, Cocci’s assistants Skyler Mattie and Natalie Belinsky, and those who donated prizes for the fundraiser: Joan Wilhelm, Oliver Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical; the Let There Be Rock School; The Gas Light; The Tick Tock Clock Shop; Dunkin Donuts; Aah Spa & Salon; and Vintage Voice Secret Boutique. Special thanks go to Ridley Township Board of Commissioners President Bob Willert for providing use of the hall, and Chris Catania, the coordinator of the hall, for all her help. Pictured are Ridley Library Board members Judy Augustine, Ann Whitehouse and Joan Mitchell, Lorrraine Cocci, and board members Chrissy Koway and Diane Maginnis.

To submit community news, email Colin Ainsworth at delcocommunity@21stcenturymedia.com.