U.D. man creates new website to help local businesses
UPPER DARBY » Several weeks ago, after COVID-19 began to hit the area hard, Upper Darby resident Jim McElhone watched with the rest of Delaware County residents as local businesses were forced to cut hours, lay off employees, stop certain services, and some even had to shut down. Wanting to help in some way, McElhone, cohost of Delco Live, decided to create a website for Delaware County residents where they could post the names of restaurants, pizza places, sandwich shops and other eateries to help Delco citizens know how, when and where to go to continue their support of local businesses. Thanks to the ingenuity and foresight of McElhone, “Delco Helping Delco” was born.
“Being a part of Delco Live has given me the opportunity to meet plenty of local business owners and I knew this was going to be a hard time for them,” McElhone explained. “With businesses being the life blood of Delco, I wanted to do whatever I could to help, so I thought this could be my way of giving back. I bought the website, figured out how to build it and made a Facebook page to post updates.”
The Delco Helping Delco website is already receiving thousands of hits in only a week of existence. In addition to restaurants and other local eateries, the website now also includes Delco Fitness, for local gym owners who are trying to stay connected to members and new possible members. Additionally, the website also lists Delco Charities and Delco Entertainment.
The name of the site came from the hashtag Chris “Hollywood” Holbrook used when the Delco Live group began promoting its annual Delco Day through Delco Live’s podcast four years ago. For more information, and to find out ways to support local businesses, visit the website: DelcohelpingDelco.com or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ DelcohelpingDelco/ or Twitter: @DelcohDelco or Instagram: @DelcohelpingDelco.
Delco Flooring owner offers to create b-ball courts on local driveways
GLENOLDEN » Matt Boyd, owner of Delco Flooring, is donating his time, material, and talent to make basketball courts on local driveways. The Delco resident is doing this to encourage kids to play outside during the COVID-19 pandemic. Boyd will make the courts on driveways for free, but he asks homeowners to make a donation to The Delco Group or another charity of their choice.
“I am taking social distancing very seriously, so this service would be completed by me solely with minimum in-person interaction with the homeowners,” Boyd explained. “The court will be one base white color paint that I have on hand to avoid any unnecessary store trips.”
Boyd asks the homeowner to send a photo of the area they would like painted and he will set a day when it can be completed. To reach Boyd, call 484-625-8062 or email DelcoFlooring@icloud.com.
Six-year-old Aston girl helps community with pretzels, art and Crown Royal masks
ASTON » Anina Figorski, 6, wanted to reach out to her local community to brighten their spirits. She purchased heart-shaped pretzels from Pretzel Boys in Aston to give to her neighbors, calling the charitable outreach “hearts for my neighbors.”
Anina also conducted a fundraiser for area food banks by offering an online raffle to win one of her “art masterpieces” for a donation. She raised $90, which she donated to Individuals Aiding in Emergencies Foundation, a nonprofit that helps those in need and assists those already serving others like first responders, police officers and health professionals. IAE offers the resources they need during unexpected situations. For information about the organization, visit www.iaefoundation.com. The young artist asked donors to vote for their favorite signed art piece for $1 per vote and then entered donors into a drawing to win the painting for which they voted.
Anina is now busy making masks for the retired and ill Sisters of St. Francis and their staff at Assisi House in Aston. She is crafting the masks out of Crown Royal bags donated by Sundance Saloon in Aston.
Havertown woman makes masks for community
HAVERFORD » Since March 27, Michele McCandless of Havertown has produced 292 masks for adults and children, and she is still making more. She has sanitized and packaged them up and taped them on her front door so that people who asked for them can safely pick them up. Her husband Ed McCandless and brother-in-law Michael McCandless have also delivered the masks to homes for people and have left them on their front doors. The masks are four layers, with a pocket to insert a surgical mask. They are pre-washed two times to be sanitary.
People in need of masks can message her through “Michele Natelli McCandless” Facebook page.
Mask donations help Premier Orthopaedics staff stay safe during pandemic
NEWTOWN » Premier Orthopaedics, with corporate headquarters at 3809 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, was the recipient last week of over 100 handmade face masks for its Physical Therapy sites, thanks to the generosity of artisans Heather O’Neill Coghlan of Dress Your Door in Broomall and Betsy Everett of 4RComfort in California.
The Premier Physical Therapy sites are still operating on a limited basis and, like most healthcare institutions, they are experiencing difficulty obtaining personal protection equipment (PPE), so the kindness and hard work of these two ladies will help to protect their caregivers who must still see patients. Premier Physical Therapy sites are in Folsom, Broomall, West Chester, Kennett Square, Glen Mills, Media, Aston, Collegeville, Bryn Mawr, Exton, East Norriton, Pottstown and Paoli. For more information, visit https:// www.premierortho.com.