Community News in Brief

Schwenksville: A Rain Barrel Building Workshop will be hosted at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 20, by The Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, 1 Skippack Pike. Rain barrels are a great way to save money on outdoor water use, while protecting streams by reducing stormwater runoff on your property. Rain barrels can cost up to $300 in stores, but you can build your own rain barrel for a fraction of that. Fee is $55 for members and $65 for non-members. We supply all the tools and materials, walk you through the steps to build your barrel, and show you how to install it when you get home. Space is limited to 15 barrels, so register today at www.perkiomenwatershed.org or by calling 610-287-9383.

East Coventry: The East Coventry Historical Commission and Exelon invite the public to Fricks Locks Village National Historic District. Tours of Fricks Locks Village will be conducted from May through October of 2017 on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Tour times are 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Admission if free. Please register at the pavilion.

Birdsboro: A Children’s Day Sheep and Wool Program will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Daniel Boone Homestead. Children will help tend the Homestead garden and make butter. Volunteers will offer guided tours throughout the event. Candle dipping will be available for families to try, and visitors will witness the hard work of the blacksmith. Volunteers will teach children how to write with a quill pen; after that, children can expend some energy playing with old fashioned toys and games. Visitors will learn all about textile processing, including taking raw wool and flax and turning it into cloth. A local sheep shearer will shear the Homestead’s six sheep. Volunteers will spin wool and describe weaving. Admission is $7 for adults, $4 for children ages 5-15, under 5 are free.