See exhibit from Chester art students at Swarthmore church Sunday
SWARTHMORE » Students from The Chester Charter School for the Arts share their visual art at Swarthmore Presbyterian Church in an exhibit, “Through
Chester’s Eyes,” on Sunday, Nov. 5. Following services, an artist reception is held at 11 a.m. in the fellowship hall.
The show features artwork from students grades 1-11. At CCSA, students apply what they learn through art history into their artwork. Second graders learn about German expressionism, including landscapes by Ludwig Kirchner, August Macke and Erich Heckel. Middle school students learn about constructivist artists such as Francis Picabia and Charles Sheele.
CCSA is a nonprofit, nonselective public charter school teaching through an arts-integrated curriculum. The only K-12 school in Chester, CCSA’s vision is for 100 percent of students to graduate and be prepared for college, conservatory, technical school, the military or gainful employment. The school serves 600 students in grades K-11, and will serve 650 students grades K-12 next year.
CCSA has come home to Chester with the recent completion of their new 90,000 square foot facility at 1500 Highland Ave., which broke ground on June 2, 2016. The new development is part of a visible resurgence for the West End of Chester.
For information about the show, contact Alex Coll at acoll@thechesterfund.org or 610-859-2988.
Chamber of commerce gala Nov. 8
UPPER DARBY » Delaware County Chamber of Commerce holds its 2017 annual dinner at the Drexelbrook Special Events Center on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The dinner is the chamber’s way of recognizing its members who consistently take that extra step for their community and make a great impact on Delaware County. This fun, elegant and commemorative event provides a great opportunity for professionals to network with one another and congratulate their peers for their outstanding accomplishments.
Jay DeFruscio, president of Cardinal O’Hara High School is the keystone speaker. DeFruscio is a native of Drexil Hill and Class of 1978 graduate of Monsignor Bonner High School with a strong basketball background. Previously, DeFruscio was the men’s Wheeling Jesuit University Men’s Basketball Coach and Athletic Director, where he holds the most wins of all coaches in school’s history and was named to the Hall of Fame. DeFruscio was an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers from 2007-11 and was an associate commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference from 2011-17.
Awards presented for 2017 include:
• Company of the Year: Monroe Energy, LLC is one of the oldest operational refineries in the United States and the site is located along the banks of the Delaware River in Trainer. The refinery site in Trainer is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, since taking over the old ConcoPhillips site. The company owns and operates an 185,000 barrel per day petroleum refinery which employees nearly 500 team members from and around the tri-state region.
• Citizen of the Year: Michael L. Ranck, President and CEO of the Community YMCA of Eastern Delaware County. One a day-to-day basis Ranck invests his time in the ensuring all people have access to the Y and in implementing programs that are helping hundreds of children and families learn, grow and thrive.
• Nonprofit of the Year: The Boys & Girls Club of Chester has been ensuring that the youth of Delaware County have the opportunity of reaching their full potential and can make a successful transition into adulthood. The club does this by providing an environment for boys and girls ranging from 6-18 years of age that supports excellence in education, good character and citizenship, and a healthy lifestyle.
• Economic Development: The Media Business Authority works daily to boost economic growth within the borough. Specifically they focus on positive visual growth, ways promote events that enhance both the economic life and the quality of life for businesses in the area.
• Young Professional of the Year: Aimee Kate Braconnier is the Vice President and Executive Director of the Catholic Community Choir (CCC) and the Co-Founder of Crescendo Academy, both based in Springfield. Braconnier is also a Co-Director of the Theater Prorgram and MiniTHON Advisor at Cardinal O’Hara High School, Board Member of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, and actively involved in her parish St. Kevin’s and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
• Community Impact Award: The Delaware County Heroin Task Force was formed in September of 2012 by Delaware County Council and District Attorney Jack Whelan as a result of the heightened number of herion related deaths reported by the medical examiner. In order to address the epidemic, the force has focused on three areas: prevention and education, treatment, and recovery. In order to attack this epidemic, the force has brought together a number of different facets from throughout the community to keep the people in Delaware County safe, educated and alive.
• President’s Award: Penn State Brandwine recently opened their first residence hall, Orchard Hall, and celebrated their 50th Anniversary. The Penn State branch campus enrolls about 1,400 students and offers more 150 major options.
For information on the dinner and award nominees, call 610-565-3677 or visit www.delcochamber.org
Chrysanthemums back at Longwood
EAST MARLBOROUGH » With autumn in full swing, Longwood Garden’s Chrysanthemum Festival is now on through Nov. 19. The fouracre grand Conservatory is full of fall’s quintessential flowers — from the thousands of colorful Chrysanthemum blooms to the oneof-a-kind Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum, the Chrysanthemum Festival showcases the traditional Asian art of cultivating chrysanthemums into grand artistic shapes.
“Longwood’s Chrysanthemum Festival is one of the oldest and grandest in North America,” said Longwood President and CEO Paul B. Redman. “It is the most horticulturally challenging display of the year for our staff to create and is a showcase of their expertise and mastery of growing techniques that are becoming increasingly rare around the world.”
In November, Chrysanthemum Festival reaches peak bloom as vibrant color fills the Conservatory. A highlight of the display is the Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum, a single chrysanthemum plant grown to produce as many perfect blooms as possible. This year, the amazing plant features 1,443 uniform blooms and measures at an impressive 12 feet wide and nearly eight feet tall. The Thousand Bloom is currently on display.
On Nov. 4 and 11 from 1–4 p.m., Longwood’s horticulture staff is on hand in the Conservatory to share with guests about how they create many of the spectacular chrysanthemum forms on display, often beginning the growing process many months to more than a year in advance of the display opening. In addition, to honor the heritage and continued importance of the chrysanthemum to Asian culture, the Peter Tang Chinese Ensemble performs traditional Chinese music from 2–5 p.m. in the Conservatory.
For admission costs and information, visit www.longwoodgardens.org
Middletown leaf collection starts
MIDDLETOWN » The 2017 curbside collection of bagged leaves in the township begins the week of Oct. 23 and runs weekly through Dec. 1. Leaves are picked up only in biodegradable paper bags. No loose leaves are collected. Bags are available atcost through the township at the Township Building, 27 N. Pennell Road, and at Linvilla Orchards, 137 W. Knowlton Road, and Wolff’s Apple House, 81 S. Pennell Road. Cost is $2.50 for a bundle of five bags.
Filled bags should be placed curbside as early in the week as possible to ensure a timely collection. There is no need to call the township to request a collection; the Public Works crew is making weekly sweeps of the township. Please note that if a sweep of a neighborhood is done once during the week, the crew may not get back until the following week. The bags can be left out until the next collection.
Please do not overfill bags with wet or chopped leaves. Keep the weight under 40 pounds per bag and fold the top of the bag down. No sticks, stones, grass clippings, trash or other items may be mixed with the bagged leaves.
The township’s separate yard waste collection program continues on the third Wednesday of the month from November-March. Yard waste refers to twigs, sticks, branches, and tree and shrubbery trimmings only. Leaves must be kept separate, as leaves and yard waste or processed for composting separately. For this collection, yard waste must be placed in trash cans or bundled with string and set out at the curb.
Branches are to be no larger than four inches in diameter and no longer than four feet in length. Containers should weigh no more than 40 pounds. The leaf and yard waste burning is prohibited in the township at all times.