County announces public flu shot clinic this week
Davidson announces more than $250G in recreation grants for Lansdowne and Yeadon
ASTON » Delaware County Council and the Department of Intercommunity Health are announcing the third public f lu shot clinic of 2020 to be held from noon to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, and
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Aston Community Center, 3270 Concord Road, Aston.
Flu shots are available to all residents of Delaware County, 3 years of age or older. High dose vaccines for residents 65 years of age and older are not available. Residents are asked to pre-register by calling 610-891-6129. Walk-ups will also be allowed. No insurance is required.
The clinic will be staffed by members of the Delaware County Medical Reserve Corps, and Delaware County Department of Intercommunity Health.
County council and the Department of Intercommunity Health are working to make it as safe and convenient as possible for residents to get vaccinated. The drive-through format is intended to make it safer and more convenient for older residents, those with disabilities, and parents with small children, especially during the ongoing CO
VID-19 pandemic.
All residents are urged to get a f lu shot. The intensity and severity of f lu seasons are dif ficult to predict, and the effectiveness of the f lu vaccine is dependent on many variables. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention has found immunization reduces the risk of f lu illness by 4060 percent during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to the f lu vaccine.
Receiving a f lu shot is the first and most important step in preventing the f lu and decreasing the risk of severe f lurelated i l lne sse s. Each year, 200,000 people in the United States are hospitalized due to complications from the f lu. The CDC recommends that everyone six months and older should get vaccinated against the f lu.
All residents must wear a mask/face covering to the f lu clinic. In the event of inclement weather, the f lu clinic may be canceled.
Sisters of St. Francis offer unique PPE from their porch
Coronavirus has caused
most of the Sisters of St. Francis at Neumann University in Aston to maintain a healthy social distance from the students there. Despite this hurdle, Sr. Marguerite O’Beirne, OSF, Neumann’s vice president for mission and ministry, and Sr. Linda DeCero, OSF, director of pastoral ministry, aren’t letting the virus interfere with their roles on campus.
Every day, the two Sisters spend hours on the screened-in porch of the campus Ministry House, offering students on their way to class a creative version of “PPE” – prayer, presence and encouragement.
The Ministry House is positioned so both women can engage students from their self-described “perch on the porch.” The home is located between the residence halls and the athletic center and is directly across the street from academic buildings and the dining hall. The foot traffic is steady.
“It’s too dangerous for us at this stage in our lives to be mingling with the students,” Sr. Marguerite said, referring to the virus. “However, we can speak to them from the porch as they go back and forth to the gym.”
Neumann is using a hybrid model of instruction for the fall semester. Many classes are split into two groups, which alternate in-person and remote attendance. Desks in classrooms have been spread out to maintain appropriate social distancing. Students also have the option of taking classes completely online.
The porch visits started in the beginning of the semester and, as long as the Sisters are isolating themselves, they vow that the prayers and conversations will continue. Even COVID-19 can’t keep the good Sisters from doing what they love the most – helping Neumann students and fulfilling their mission.
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church holds blood drive
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2191 West Chester Pike, Broomall, will hold an American Red Cross Blood Drive, 1– 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13. To make an appointment to give blood, visit www.redcrossblood.org and search by Sponsor Code: GLCBroomall, or call 1-800-RedCross.
Donors can also call the church office at 610-3561824 and leave a message with their name, phone number and the time they are available and the call will be returned.
State Rep. Margo Davidson, D-164 of Upper Darby, announced a pair of Recreation and Conservation Grants totaling more than
$250,000 were awarded for parts of the 164th Legislative District. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant program is funded by various state and federal sources.
“Parks are beneficial resources for every community,” Davidson said. “Numerous studies illustrate their positive impact on the local economy and environment, while each of us has witnessed the social benefits they offer our children, youth and families. The grants announced today will pave the way for the creation of a tot lot in Lansdowne and several improvements to Yeadon Community Park. Both locations are essential for our communities’ health and vitality.”
The grants announced include:
• Lansdowne Borough,
$138,900 to be used for development of a McKinley Avenue Tot Lot. Work will include installation of play equipment, safety surfaces, fencing, ADA access, landscaping and other site improvements.
• Yeadon Borough,
$112,200 to be used for the rehabilitation of Yeadon Community Park. Work will include construction of a pavilion, concession area, fitness and play equipment, safety surfaces, scoreboard, digital sign and other site improvements.
Funds for the grant program come from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund, which includes Key-Community and Key-Land Trust; the Environmental Stewardship Fund; the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund; Pennsylvania Trails fund; Pennsylvania Heritage Program; and the ATV Restricted Management Account Fund.
Seven Haverford School seniors named National Merit Scholars Semifinalists
The National Merit Scholarship Program has named seven seniors at The Haverford School to their prestigious National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists list. The seven students – William Dodds, Jonathan Flieder, Benjamin Fosnocht, Weizhen Gao, Maxim Kreider, Cyril Leahy, and Brian Williams – are eligible to become finalists in the competition and are in the running to receive several scholarships, which will be awarded in the spring.
The students are among 16,000 recipients out of more than a million entrants. The boys represent some of the highest Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test Selection Index scores in the state.
To become a finalist, the students must complete several requirements, including completing an application, writing an essay, and more. Students will be notified whether they are named a finalist in early 2021, with National Merit Scholarship winners announced between April and July.