Legion posts in Christmas spirit with toy drive, breakfast with Santa
SPRINGFIELD » The Springfield American Legion is an official drop-off center for Toys for Tots in the Springfield area. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserves have been collecting new unwrapped toys for poor children since 1947. Please bring toys to the legion headquarters at 18 E. Springfield Road (across from the famous Sleepy Hollow Delly) between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-noon Saturdays. The final day for donations is Friday, Dec. 15.
For information, call Post Commander Rocco Polidoro at 610-544-8900.
Start day with Santa at Norwood Legion
NORWOOD » John Wesley Cross American Legion Post 507, 20 W. Cleveland Ave., holds its annual Breakfast With Santa in the post’s upper hall on Sunday, Dec. 17, from 9-11 a.m. Children 6 and under are free; 7-12 years are $5 and adults (13-plus) are $7. Come out for food, fun and holiday festivities.
List of blood donation sites around county
The American Red Cross urges eligible donors to give more life by giving blood this December. Upcoming donation sites around Delaware County are:
• Brookhaven: 1-6 p.m. Dec. 26, Faith Community Church, 3515 Edgemont Ave.
• Broomall: 2-7 p.m. Dec. 20, Marple Public Library, 2599 Sproul Road; 2-7 p.m. Dec. 27, Temple Sholom, 55 N. Church Lane; 1-6 p.m. Dec. 28, Main Line Health Outpatient, 1991 Sproul Road; 2-7 p.m. Dec. 28, St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, 220 Lawrence Road
• Bryn Mawr: 1:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 18, Ludington Public Library, 5 S. Bryn Mawr Ave.
• Eddystone: 1:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 18, St. James Alumni Association, 1499 E. Ninth St.
• Essington: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 23, New Life Community Church, 500 Lagrange Ave.; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 23, Wyndham Hotel, 45 Industrial Highway
• Glen Mills: Noon-5 p.m. Dec. 22, Sky Zone, 10 Conchester Road; 2-7 p.m. Dec. 28, Best Western-Concordville, 675 Conchester Highway
• Glenolden: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 16, First Presbyterian Church, 2 S. Chester Pike
• Havertown: 1-6 p.m. Dec. 19, Bon Air Fire Company, 541 Royal Ave.; 2-7 p.m. Dec. 22, Sacred Heart Parish, 108 N. Manoa Road; 6 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 26, Haverford Area YMCA, 891 N. Eagle Road; 1:30 p.m.6:30 p.m. Dec. 26, Manoa Community Church, 153 N. Eagle Road
• Media: 2-7 p.m. Dec. 19, Media First United Methodist Church, 350 W. State St.; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Dec. 20, Rocky Run YMCA, 1299 Baltimore Pike
• Radnor: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 21, Radnor Corporate Center, 100 Matsonford Road, Building 4
• Secane: 2-7 p.m. Dec. 29, YMCA Ridley Area, 900 South Ave.
• Springfield: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 26, Springfield Hanby Masonic Lodge No. 767, 400 W. Woodland Ave.
• Swarthmore: 2:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 20, Notre Dame De Lourdes Church, 1000 Fairview Road
• Wallingford: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 31, St. John Chrysostom Catholic School, 605 S. Providence Road
• Wayne: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dec. 28, Club La Maison, 215 Sugartown Road
To make an appointment to give blood, download the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).
State grants for municipalities
HARRISBURG » State Sens. Tom McGarrigle, R-26 of Springfield, and Tom Killion, R-9 of Middletown, announce the awarding of state grants to help pay for parks and trail projects in Delaware County.
“Parks, trails and greenways add to the quality of life in our communities and our environment, and I am happy to announce this state support for several important projects in Delaware County,” said McGarrigle.
“These grants will help with the design work, preparation and land acquisition necessary to ensure that parks and trails are available to Delaware County citizens,” said Killion.
The following Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants were awarded:
• Concord Township, $250,000 — Design the development of approximately two miles of the Octoraro Trail in Chadds Ford and Concord townships, from Route 202 in Chadds Ford to Concord Road in Concord.
• Delaware County, $62,800 — Design the development of approximately one-half mile of the Darby Creek Trail in Clifton Heights Borough and Lansdowne and Upper Darby townships, from Kent County Park in Darby Township to the Gateway Trail in Lansdowne Township.
• Delaware County, $35,000 — Prepare a trail study for the development of approximately 2.7 miles of the Media-Smedley Connector Trail in Media Borough, and Nether Providence and Upper Providence townships, from Scott Park in Upper Providence to Smedley Park in Nether Providence.
• Marple Township, $35,000 — Prepare a trail study for the development of a trail system in Marple Township.
• Media Borough, $175,000 — Payment toward the acquisition of approximately 0.4 acres at the southeast corner of 5th and Broomall streets for the future development of a neighborhood pocket park.
• Newtown Township, $37,800 — Prepare a township Comprehensive Greenways and Open Space Plan.
• Upland Borough, $39,100 — Rehabilitate Hill Street Park, including construction of a parking area, installation of play equipment with safety surfacing, ADA access, landscaping, signs and other improvements.
The Community Conservation Partnerships Program is administered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The program provides financial and technical assistance to local governments, river and trail organizations, land trusts, and other nonprofits for planning, acquisition and development of park, recreation, conservation and greenway projects.
See Prospect Park in Christmas spirit
PROSPECT PARK » Prospect Park Beautification Committee sponsors Luminaries in the Park on Saturday, Dec. 16 at dusk. Come and see the Park come alive with beautiful candle lit pathways. The rain date is Sunday, Dec. 17.
Model railroad opens season
NEWTOWN » St. Alban’s Railroad, located in the basement of the thrift shop at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 3625 Chapel Road, Newtown Square, announces it is now open for its 27th season. The club’s model railroad display are open to the public from 1-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Dec. 30-31, Jan. 1314 and 27-28, and Feb. 10-11 and 24-25; and from 7-10 p.m. Thursdays Dec. 28 and Jan. 4. Admission is free; donations are appreciated.
The railroad features a fully operational steel mill, coke plant, a finely detailed oil refinery, a meat packing plant, a maintenance of way train, three working classification yards and a large passenger terminal.
The detailed 4,000-square foot layout uses “state of the art” Digital Command Control (DCC) with computer enhanced tower operation for its 250 feet of four-track main line with working signals and three branch lines. StARR uses a new switch list system for routing of freight and passenger operations that moves over 1,100 pieces of rolling stock throughout various eras featured in the eastern Pennsylvanian scenery.