In show of support, DCCC staff joins 21 police cadets on final run before graduation
MARPLE » Several staff members at Delaware County Community College joined soon-to-be graduates of the college’s Municipal Police Academy at the Marple campus in running the last part of their training on Tuesday. Staff chose to join the run to congratulate and encourage the cadets to use what they have learned to effectively engage all the communities they are sworn to protect. Additional staff were also on hand to show support and cheer the cadets across the finish line.
Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, the college, which received a state waiver to hold in-person, MPA classes during the pandemic, will only graduate 21 cadets on June 10 this year. While the 2021 MPA class is one of the smallest ever to graduate in the 44-year history of the MPA, it is diverse and includes seven students of color and two women. By comparison, in June 2018, the MPA broke a college record when it graduated 12 female cadets in a class of 48 students, the most female students to have ever graduated at one time. The previous year, ten women graduated, which at that time broke a record, marking the most female cadets to have graduated the MPA at one time.
The cadets are required to complete a rigorous, 920hour curriculum that includes extensive instruction in firearms, physical fitness, self-defense, Homeland Security, scenario training and practical exercises.
Delaware County Community College’s MPA conducts training for the Municipal Police Officer’s Education and Training Commission program in accordance with Pennsylvania Legislative Act 120. The MPA has been serving the community since 1977, and also conducts mandatory Act 180 in-service training for current municipal police officers. More than 95 percent of the municipal police officers in Delaware County and more than 75 percent of the police officers in Chester County are Delaware County Community College MPA graduates.
Red Cross sponsors local blood drives
To ensure cancer patients receive the lifesaving treatment they need, the American Cancer Society and the American Red Cross are sponsoring local blood drives.
Cancer patients use nearly one quarter of the blood supply – more than patients with any other disease. For patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments, a blood transfusion can give relief from symptoms and provide a better quality of life. But there simply aren’t enough people coming in to donate regularly to meet the need.
Local drives will be held at the following locations:
St. John Chrysostom, 605 S. Providence Rd., Wallingford, 2-7 p.m. Friday, June 11, sponsor code is “St. John;” Ohev Shalom, 2 S. Chester Road, Wallingford, 2-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 15, sponsor code is “ohev shalom”; State Rep. Leanne Krueger’s office, 2 Cambridge Road, Brookhaven, 2-7 p.m. Thursday, June 17, sponsor code is “Leanne Krueger.”
Donors who give blood before June 13 will get a free Red Cross T-shirt while supplies last. To book an appointment to give blood, visit redcross.org.
Delco Council searches for centenarians
Delaware County Council is searching for centenarians to honor at its 18th annual Centenarian Luncheon which will be held on Monday, Sept. 13. Anyone turning 100 or older in 2021 is welcome to attend this luncheon at the Drexelbrook Banquet Center.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was not held in 2020. In 2019, 65 centenarians attended the luncheon and staff of the Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging-COSA-visited 19 additional centenarians in the community.
Centenarians and one guest are admitted for free. Additional guests may purchase tickets for $25 each. Guests also receive a commemorative photo from the day, along with a special proclamation from Delaware County Council. The organization or facility that brings the most centenarians to the luncheon will receive a cash prize. For more information or to register to attend the luncheon, contact Debbie Hedgepeth at 610- 872-1406.
South Media Fire Co. holds food truck, popup vaccine event
South Media Fire Co., 535 Washington Ave., will host a pop-up vaccination clinic on Friday, June 4, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
The clinic coincides with the fire company’s monthly Food Truck Friday fundraiser. The first 70 people to receive a vaccination that night will receive a voucher worth up to $15 towards food from one of the vendors at the Food Truck event.
For more information, visit the South Media Fire Co. Facebook page or call 610-566-6151.
Rose Tree retirement community takes first outing to tea house
A small group of vaccinated residents from Rose Tree Place, a Watermark Retirement Community in Media, enjoyed their first group outing in May, since the start of the pandemic. The celebration included high tea, treats and shopping in the Painted Tea Cup tea house in Upper Darby.
With an added layer of protection provided by the COVID-19 vaccine, Rose Tree Place has cautiously begun filling residents’ calendars with opportunities for increased engagement and activity.
“This is a huge moment for both residents and associates of Rose Tree Place,” said Community Life Director Karen Holahan. “Our community is known for our outings and events, and we are excited to get back to treating our residents to new experiences and occasions to reconnect.”
Swarthmore Friends of the Arts opens new exhibit
After months of pandemic hibernation, Swarthmore Borough Hall is opening back up and Swarthmore Friends of the Arts is now able to exhibit local artists’ work again.
The first 2021 show will be held at Swarthmore Borough Hall, starting the week of June 14. The first exhibition - There and Back Again - will be a collection of artworks by Swarthmore Friends of the Arts board members: Martha Perkins, Michele Southworth, Skip Gosnell, Lora Lavin, Megan Lee, and Alicia Ruley-Nock. The various works include acrylics, oils, and mixed media, with varying textures, colors, and designs.
The public is invited to the outdoor artists’ reception as part of the Swarthmore Town Center’s “Nights in The Ville” events, on Thursday, June 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. As always, the exhibit and reception are free, child friendly, with complimentary beverages and hors d’oeuvres to be enjoyed by all.
The exhibit will be on display from June 15 through July 30, at Swarthmore Borough Hall, 121 Park Ave., Swarthmore. Swarthmore Friends of the Arts is the community group responsible for the rotating art exhibits at Swarthmore Borough Hall. For information about Swarthmore Friends of the Arts, or for exhibition hours, visit www. swarthmorearts.org or contact Skip Gosnell, Publicity Chair at 484-343-2728, skipgosnellart@gmail.com.