The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Raising awareness
There’s no place like the Philly area
STATISTICS PROVE that throughout the history of this country, Americans are generally a restless group. According to a 2008 Pew Research study, most Americans have moved to a new community at least once in their lives. More than 60 percent have left their roots and moved away from their home town.
At the far opposite end of that spectrum are people who grew up in the Greater Philadelphia area. According to U.S. census statistics, more than 75 percent of all people who were born in Greater Philadelphia still live in the same area. That’s the highest percentage of any metropolitan area.
Now there are those skeptics who might play on the stereotypical image of the hard-nosed Philadelphian and say nobody leaves because they are being held hostage. That would just lead to another overplayed Philadelphia joke (e.g. Philadelphians booing Santa Claus).
The true fact behind life in the Greater Philadelphia are is that people generally enjoy living here.
Aside from this winter, the climate is rather temperate. The extreme cold doesn’t last too long; nor do the extremely hot periods.
We are not subject to natural disasters – typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions – unless you count the collapse of the 1964 Phillies as one.
It’s a quick drive to the seashore and the mountains. New York and Washington are not far away, if there is a desire to see one of the world’s largest cities or this nation’s government seat.
And, let’s not forget about the food. The Philly restaurant scene is as good as anywhere in the world. Need more proof? LET’S TAKE A LOOK at the professional athletes who have come to this city over the years – to play for the Phillies, 76ers, Eagles and Flyers.
Why is it that so many – who have so little in common with Philadelphia’s ethnic background and traditions – never leave the city after their playing careers end?
A prime example would be the late Richie Ashburn. A farm boy from Tilden, Nebraska, with a fair complexion and light blonde hair – he stuck out like a sore thumb in Philadelphia’s ethnic neighborhoods. Yet Ashburn moved into a ranch home in Broomall, Delaware County, during the early part of his career with the Phillies and lived there for many years.
He hovered around that area for the rest of his life, spending much of his free time playing squash racquets very capably (and golf not very capably) at Philadelphia Country Club.
Flyers goalie Bernie Parent was a French-Canadian. English wasn’t even his first language. Yet he never left Philly. He is a vital part of the community. Has a small cigar business and thoroughly enjoys spending time with the fans during his continued heavy schedule of personal appearances.
Bobby Clarke is another prime example. The Philly culture is the polar opposite of his boyhood days, growing up in Flin Flon, Manitoba. Yet Clarke played his entire 15-year NHL career in Philadelphia, then stayed in the “Flyers family”, serving 19 years as the team’s general manager. He recently was named the third-greatest sports figure in Philadelphia history by Comcast SportsNet.
And don’t forget Ron Jaworski. The former Eagles quarterback was a native of Lackawanna, New York and went to college in Youngstown, Ohio. But, once he came to Philadelphia, he became a fixture in the community. His company owns a number of golf courses in the area and he is president of the prestigious Maxwell Football Club, which is an iconic Philadelphia organization.
COMMENTARY
When President Obama issued the Jan. 22 Presidential Memorandum that created his White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, he referred to statistics that indicate some of the highest rates of such assault involve student victims. The new task force was given 90 days to come up with recommendations for prevention, all of which triggered widespread media coverage.
On Feb. 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Upper Merion Township Building, 175 W. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, several student-artists from Montgomery County high schools will be recognized for their entries in Norristown-based Laurel House’s 2014 Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Poster Contest. And although it’s unlikely these dramatic visuals will rate the national headlines that followed President Obama’s Presidential Memorandum, there’s no denying the power of their message.
The annual competition is one of many projects and events sponsored by Laurel House to promote domestic violence awareness. The nonprofit agency oversees a victims’ hotline and shelter, transitional housing, medical, legal and law enforcement advocacies, community coun- seling and support groups, children’s programs and a variety of community education and prevention efforts. Laurel House also operates two thrift shops: Marian’s Attic at 255 Town Center Road (Valley Forge Shopping Center), King of Prussia (610-337-3068), and Laurel’s Loft at 1801 N. Broad St. (Pennwood Plaza), Lansdale (215-368-6037).
According to Laurel House Director of Community Education Tommie Wilkins, the poster contest – held each February in conjunction with National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month – was begun to “encourage teens that are in abusive or potentially abusive relationships” to seek help by calling the National Dating Abuse Helpline (1-866-3319474) or texting “loveis” to 77054. The competition is open to all Montgomery County high school students, including those who are home-schooled. First place winners receive $100; second place winners, $75; and third place winners, $50.
Wednesday night’s “unveiling ceremony” will showcase the standout work of nine teens from Plymouth Whitemarsh High School in Plymouth Meeting, Upper Dublin High School in Fort Washington and Perkiomen Valley High School in Collegeville.
Laurel House spokesmen have identified winners in the contest’s Graphic Arts category as Olivia Gaber, first place, Alexis Elliot, second place, and Hannah Kathryn Young, third place, all from PWHS.
UDHS students Tovah Kaiser, Dana Tascarella and Molly Beegoo won first, second and third place, respectively, for their submissions in the Drawing and Painting category.
Director’s Awards will go to Ryan Justino and Phil Older of PVHS and Caitlin Renner of PWHS.
The winning posters are unique and distinctive, but they convey a common message. A key part of that message is Young’s insight that “pain doesn’t have to just be on the outside.”
“Feelings and actions that cause heartbreak are just as detrimental to a relationship,” notes the 17-year-old PWHS student. “I wanted to represent that through my image as best as I could. The biggest issue was trying to make the image represent all that I wanted it to. Not just with the words but with the emotion in her face.”
Young, who hopes to major in film and theater and minor in photography in college, describes her poster –
a Photoshop-enhanced digital photograph – as depicting “how words can hurt you.”
“Often, it’s evident in your mood,” she says. “After a while, if in an abusive relationship, you may start to believe the words. With that can come the shame and the feelings that you start to wear on your shoulder or, in this case, face.”
Laurel House Executive Director Beth E. Sturman “(encourages) teenagers to help spread the word about dating violence prevention and…parents and educators to talk with young people about warning signs of dating violence.”
In a pamphlet they offer to area schools and the community-at-large, Sturman and her staff define dating abuse as “a pattern of coercion and control to hurt, manipulate or demean one’s partner in a dating relationship.” They add such behavior includes:
Physical Abuse – Punching, kicking, slapping, grabbing, shaking, tripping, pushing a partner into or out of a car, pushing a partner against lockers, attacking with a knife, gun or other weapon. Also, it is an attempt to scare or intimidate a partner physically.
Verbal Abuse – Name-calling, criticizing, publicly humiliating, put-downs, embarrassments, excessive cursing.
Emotional Abuse – Mind games or making a partner feel crazy, extreme jealousy or possessiveness, isolation from family and friends, repeated lies and broken promises, withholding affection, controlling a person’s every more (including) how to dress, what to eat, where to go.
Sexual Abuse – Rape, unwanted touching, continued sexual advances after being told “no,” sexually explicit comments, refusing to use birth control/protection.
Economic Abuse – Making or attempting to make a person financially dependent. For example, maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding access to money, forbidding attendance at school or work.
Additional information about healthy teenage dating and relationships is available at www.loveisrespect.org. More information about Laurel House is available at 610-277-1860 or www.laurel-house.org. The organization’s emergency hotline is accessible 24-7 at 1-800-6423150. Its services are offered to both male and female abuse victims and their children.