Teens honored for raising over 150G for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
PHILADELPHIA » Pauline Hartman, Alexa Mervine, and Barbara Nather are three Archdiocese of Philadelphia elementary school alumni who were recently recognized by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as “Students of the Year 2021” for raising $153,336.96 for the Delaware chapter of LLS.
Both Pauline and Alexa are graduates of Saint Thomas the Apostle School in Glen Mills and Barbara is a graduate of Holy Family Regional Catholic School in Aston. All graduated from elementary school in 2018.
The students named their team “Fight With All Your Might” and participated in a seven-week campaign, which launched in January. The initiative involved raising funds by writing letters to hundreds of contacts, soliciting businesses, hosting fundraisers as well as a live three-day auction that concluded with a virtual gala with all of the teams. Pauline has a personal connection to LLS, as her godfather recently passed away from the disease and Alexa spent weeks in the hospital as a child with a blood disorder where she met many children with Leukemia so it is close to her heart.
Dr. Andrew McLaughlin, secretary for elementary education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said, “On behalf of my colleagues in the Office of Elementary Education, I extend prayerful congratulations to Pauline, Alexa, and Barbara and their families for this recognition by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.” Dr. McLaughlin continued, “Their work to help others in critical need is a clear reflection of the values taught in our schools each day throughout the fivecounty region. I commend their dedication to raise the critical funds to support the ongoing fight against leukemia and lymphoma.”
Pauline and Alexa have attended school together
since the second grade and they forged a friendship with Barbara through Archdiocesan CYO activities in Delaware County. All three students are currently juniors at Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware.
The LLS Students of the Year Campaign is an exciting leadership development and philanthropy program in which high school students participate in a fundraising competition. This campaign benefits LLS and the mission to cure blood cancers. This year, the Delaware chapter had 13 teams competing with a combined total of $536,116 raised.
Media Film Festival includes virtual Fright Fest flicks
For those who cannot get enough thrills and chills, the 2021 Media Fright Fest promises a variety of carefully curated horror films as part of the Media Film Festival , April 9 – 18. This is the 14th year for the MFF, a
program of the Media Arts Council.
As arts events have been compelled to think outside the box during this time of social distancing, the 2021 Media Fright Fest will be completely virtual and feature 27 short horror films with over four hours of content. The Media Fright Fest has selections from Australia, Belarus, Canada, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, the Netherlands and United Kingdom.”
Sponsors of the Media Film Festival include the Borough of Media, Michael Rhile Carpentry, PNC Arts Alive, Naturescapes, the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union and West End Flats. For Media Fright Fest tickets and more information, visit www.MediaFilmFestival.org
Cherry Blossom events come to Philadelphia next week
The cherry blossoms will be coming soon to Philadelphia, and the Head Gardener at Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center is calling for peak bloom in early April.
“We can expect the peak bloom in Philadelphia to roll across the region around the first two weeks of April, averaging around April 10 and coinciding nicely with our Virtual Ohanami cherry blossom program live from Shofuso,” said Sandi Polyakov, head gardener at Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center. “We’ve got a lot of great varieties dispersed across the city, and each one has its own timeline and personality. There will be great viewing opportunities of different cherry trees also the week before (April 3-10) and after (April 10-17). Blooms in the city come a bit earlier than their siblings in the suburbs. Keep your eyes open for pink and you’ll have a good chance of catching your favorites in the coming days. We encourage everyone to go out and explore!”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia has developed new ways, both virtual and inperson, for all lovers of the ethereal flowers to enjoy them this spring. To celebrate the start of the 2021 spring season, JASGP is conducting the Shofuso Cherry Blossom Viewing, which includes both socially-distanced activities and virtual programming throughout April 2021. From a Virtual Marketplace to a Cherry Blossom Viewing and Virtual Ohanami, plus a virtual 10K, there are a number of ways to recover and renew while enjoying Shofuso’s beauty this spring.
For more information on all events, including special hours, advance ticket purchases, and admission rates, visit japanphilly.org.
APPRISE offers free individual Medicare insurance counseling in April
Senior Community Services will offer Medicare individual counseling sessions, 3-6 p.m. April 7 and 21 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 14 and 28. The free sessions are 30 to 60 minutes in length scheduled to assist Medicare beneficiaries with questions and concerns, regarding Medigap plan comparisons and other Medicare and health insurance-associated information.
Attendees can be all Medicare Beneficiaries, Medicare caregivers, and anyone new to Medicare for the 2021 calendar year.
To register, call Eileen at 484-496-2137.