Easter Bunny comes early to Coffee Station
MORTON » John Paciotti, owner of The Coffee Station at 7 Kedron Ave., Morton, and 3518 Foulk Road, Garnet Valley, will help local families this Saturday, April 4, by giving away dozens of eggs at both locations, beginning at 11 a.m.
Paciotti set up tents at both locations and have drive-through lines so people do not leave their cars. He was able to obtain a large quantity of eggs, from his egg purveyor and decided to share it with the community, since many are struggling during these trying times. The local restaurants will give one dozen per customer, until supply runs out. For more information on Saturday’s free egg giveaway, follow The Coffee Station on Facebook, where there will be updates. He said the weather prediction is favorable for the event.
The Coffee Station, with temporary hours of operation from 8 a.m. to
2 p.m., continues to offer direct delivery by calling orders into the Morton restaurant at 610328-1816 and the Garnet Valley restaurant at 610485-1994. Customer favorites can also be delivered through DoorDash, Grub Hub and Uber Eats.
Four-year-old sweetens health care workers’ time at work
CHESTER » BethAnn McClure, a critical care R.N. at Crozer-Chester Medical Center who works in the Burn Center, shared a story about her friend, Annamaria Berger’s son Nathan. The 4-year-old wanted to do something to help the nurses taking care of the “virus people” so he asked his mom if they could make cookies and take them to the nurses at the hospital.
Although he was disappointed to find out he couldn’t deliver them in person after baking dozens of cookies, Berger dropped them off at McClure’s back door on Saturday. McClure brought them to work on Sunday, sharing Nathan’s video. The crew said they needed to send him one back so they created a “thank you” video.
Jim and Betty Lou May continue to supply community with complimentary protective masks
RIDLEY TOWNSHIP » Local costume designer Jimmy May was in the midst of working on custom bridal gowns for customers at his shop, James May Costume Co., 450 MacDade Blvd., Folsom, when COVID-19 hit the area fullforce last month. The lifelong Delaware County resident stopped what he was doing and immediately went to work to help out the community. Jim and his wife Betty Lou began making protective masks for police, healthcare workers, hospice workers, nursing homes, elderly residents who must go to the market, and anyone in the community who needed them to stay safe.
The couple’s action was featured in the Delaware County Daily Times “Acts of Kindness” column last week. They were flooded with requests from hospital staff as far away as New York. The Mays made over 500 so far, and they’ve already begun on their second batch of 500. Jim had one thing to say this week: “Keep the requests coming!”
The award-winning costume designer, who has made thousands of Mummers costumes and bridal gowns through the years, wants to keep everyone in the community safe. His masks are made of a three-ply design out of sterile white, tightly woven cotton material and elastic, so no virus germs can pass through them. They are machine washable and their design and quality are approved by hospital and other frontline health care workers.
“It doesn’t matter who it is who needs a mask,” May said. “I will try to accommodate them. If it helps curb the spread of this virus, it will be a help to everyone in the long run.”
James and Betty Lou offered to supply the masks on an as-needed basis, as long as they can keep up with the demand. He refuses to accept any money for them.
“People keep trying to give me a donation, but I absolutely don’t want any money,” Jim said. “I tell them to give it to their church or a local charity of their choice. I am doing this as a service to our community.”
The Mays said those in need of protective masks can request them by calling 610-532-3430 and they will make an appointment for contactless pick up. No one should come to the shop without an appointment, as the shop is closed. The Mays are quarantined inside the shop while they make the masks. When it’s time for pick up, the person can come to the shop, call the Mays on their phone, and the masks will be put outside the door for them. There will be no contact whatsoever.
Local residents make meals for homeless families in shelter quarantine
BROOKHAVEN » Family Promise of Delaware County, based in Brookhaven, assists families struggling with homelessness as well as provides shelter services at its Interfaith Hospitality Network, a program of Family Promise, that operates in churches all over Delaware County. Congregations volunteer to provide shelter and family style dinners for homeless children and their families for one week several times a year.
With the current situation of social distancing and churches and other institutions temporarily shutting down, most churches have cancelled in March and April. According to volunteer board member Doreen McGettigan, the families are now staying in the former Our Lady of Charity convent, and the families, the volunteers and director Joe German have been extremely touched by the kindness of the community, who have stepped in to fill the void. McGettigan said, “Family Promise has been so blessed by the kindness of folks willing to cook and deliver dinners and supplies to our families since all of our church volunteers have cancelled. An elderly couple even dropped off a
$20 donation. It brought me to tears.”
Folks can call the director Joe German at 610389-0793 If they would like to prepare or order the families a lunch or dinner, or drop off snacks, cleaning supplies, gift cards, financial donations or anything that can help the families in this situation. German can set up a safe delivery time and place for the donor. Family Promise is also searching for four more board members.
In the meantime, the kind acts of local people are filling the gaps. McGettigan said a kind individual donated a 50 inch TV to keep the families and their children occupied during the quarantine. For more information about Family Promise and the Interfaith Hospitality Network, visit www. dcihn.org.