FREE Money Management and Homebuying Classes Offered in Pottstown

Are you thinking of buying a new home, renting an apartment, buying a car or applying for a new job? Did you know that lenders, apartment managers, salespeople and even employers look at your credit? Don’t let poor credit hold you back. There has never been a better time to clean-up your credit. Learn how to improve your credit scores. Learn the best ways to reduce your debts. Make good decisions with your money. Learn what they never covered when you were in high school!

Genesis Housing Corporation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit community development corporation, will hold FREE classes on Tuesday evenings, June 12th, June 19th and June 26th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, at the Mosaic Community Land Trust‘s Office, 10 South Hanover Street, Pottstown, PA 19464.

The classes are designed to help to:

· Understand Credit — Information on credit scores, improving your scores, re-establishing credit, dealing with debt. Class participants can obtain a free credit report with scores from the three major credit reporting services (Tuesday, June 12, 2012).

· Money Management – Information on preparing realistic budgets that are more than just monthly bills, prioritizing spending in tough times and understanding how current spending impacts your future financial options (Tuesday, June 19, 2012 ).

· Home Buying Basics — Information the home buying process — finding a realtor, home inspections, Agreements of Sale, mortgages and first-time homebuyer grant programs (Tuesday, June 26, 2012).

Nikki Holcroft, an award winning and certified housing counselor, will teach the classes. Ms. Holcroft has more than twenty-five years experience working as a housing counselor, mortgage banker and community lender. Ms. Holcroft has worked with Genesis Housing Corporation since 2001 and teaches monthly classes on credit, money management and the home buying process. Ms. Holcroft also provides individual housing counseling sessions to help clients achieve their financial goals. Ms. Holcroft has worked with families to restructure their mortgages, avoid foreclosures and reduce their debts.

Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Genesis Housing Corporation at 610-275-4357 or online at http://www.genesishousing.org.

The Pottstown classes are funded, in part, by Montgomery County. Additional funding was provided by Susquehanna Bank.

Genesis Housing Corporation’s housing counseling programs provide free classes and individual counseling helping over 5,500 clients. Monthly classes focus on topics not taught in regular school including understanding credit, credit repair, money management, saving plans, grant programs and understanding the home buying process including selecting a realtor and finding the best mortgage.

Since 1994, Genesis Housing Corporation has served Montgomery County as a 501(c)(3) non-profit community development corporation and is dedicated to the development of affordable housing and educating consumers on housing and financial issues. Genesis Housing Corporation has been certified as a FannieMae Counseling Agency and is approved by PA Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for housing counseling. Genesis Housing Corporation is also an approved agency for many programs including the Montgomery County First-time Home Buyers Program and the Norristown First-time Home Buyers Program.

In addition, Genesis Housing Corporation has developed affordable housing by rehabilitating vacant homes and by building new homes for income eligible homebuyers. Renovated homes are currently available in Norristown and Pottstown. Genesis Housing Corporation also renovates existing owner-occupied homes for eligible families for the Montgomery County Homeowner Rehab Program and the Pottstown Homeowner Rehab Program.

For more information on Genesis Housing Corporation programs, please call 610-275-4357 or visit their web site at www.genesishousing.org.

Visit us on Facebook (www.facebook/GenesisHousing)

June 2, 2012

Summer writing classes offered by local author & blogger

Okay, the “local author & blogger” is me.

This summer I’m slated to teach two classes – one for high school kids and one for adults – at The Gallery School of Pottstown, and I hope enough people will sign up so we can run the classes! You may know me as a blogger, or as the community garden lady from Mosaic Community Land Trust, but I am also a creative writer. My fiction, essays, and poetry have appeared in journals in print and online for quite awhile now. In January I got my master’s in creative writing from the Bennington Writing Seminars, where I studied with some pretty awesome teachers and classmates. Back in NJ I coached high school sports for five years, taught summer journalism camps, and spent six months teaching middle school English (some people thought I was crazy, but I loved it!) Anyway, I’m hoping to bring that experience and my love of writing and self-expression to these summer classes.

The class for teens is called, “The Heart of the Matter: Personal Essay Writing for High School Students.” We’ll read a few short essays and get a feel for what an essay can be before the students dig into their own. The whole idea is to figure what you want to say in a way that grabs a reader’s interest, then take the reader along on your journey, and come to some moment of discovery… all within a certain number of words. This class will help kids get more comfortable with those pesky essays on standardized tests and in crafting essays that sing out to college admissions officers. The sign-up info is here. The key details are: The class runs on Tuesdays from 6:30-9pm for 6 weeks, beginning July 10th. Cost is $140 (member), $150 (non-member). The Gallery School is at 254 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464. It’s open to kids from ALL area high schools. Sign up with a friend! Sign up soon!

The class for adults is called, “Flash Memoir and Essays for Adults.” In this workshop, writers will share short pieces (no more than 3 double-spaced pages) of nonfiction for discussion. Nonfiction = “It really happened.” We’ll spend some time discussing what is meant by this, and how “the truth” can be shaped into a compelling story. By limiting the number of pages/words, we are forced to see how every word really does count. The very short form still requires that the writer establish setting and character, build scenes, create mood and tension, and explore a theme. Please bring some of your work for the first class. Writers at all levels are welcome! Sign up with a friend! For those of you who might be nervous about writing about your lives, rest assured that we will spend some time during the first class talking about ground rules and how to talk objectively about someone’s personal story while still being sensitive to the fact that the person is sitting right at the table. Registration info is here. This class begins on July 11th and runs on Wednesdays from 6:30-9pm for six weeks. $140 (member), $150 (non-member).

May 29, 2012

FREE Summer Art Camps: The Gallery School’s FREE program deadline is June 8

The Gallery School of Pottstown is excited to offer three free summer programs for students ages 8-12.

1) Kids Art Academy is a general arts exploration class, where students will explore two- and three-dimensional arts.

2) Students in Clay Academy will delve into all aspects of creating with clay, including using a pottery
wheel.

3) The third class, Asian Arts, will take students on a journey through the art traditions of many Asian countries.

Art Academy and Clay academy begin in June, while Asian Arts starts in July. Applications must be received by June 8, 2012 for all three programs. Applications can be found online at http://www.galleryonhigh.com/programs.html, or in person at the school at 254 E. High St., Pottstown, PA.

All three programs are funded by the Greater Pottstown Foundation and are free for the students, with the exception of a small registration fee. While preference is given to those students who qualify for free or reduced lunch, students who do not qualify are also encouraged to apply. Questions can be emailed to info@galleryonhigh.com, or asked over the phone at 610-326-2506.

The Gallery School of Pottstown is a 501c3 non-profit community art school and gallery. The School offers day, evening and weekend classes to all ages. The goal of these classes is to help students develop their creative skills through self-expression and independence. The Gallery on High hosts rotating shows featuring local artists. The Gallery also sells handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gift items. The Gallery on High is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am-4:30pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. The Gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

May 25, 2012

Parents: MCCC’s Green STEM Camp Seeks Pottstown Middle School students for FREE summer program

Students: Do you ever wonder what a scientist sees through the microscope lens in the laboratory? What actually lives in the water and soil around us?

Montgomery County Community College is offering a free one-week opportunity from June 25-29 for Pottstown middle school students to step into a lab and find out.

For the second year, the College is hosting this free G-STEM—Green Science, Technology, Engineering and Math—camp at the West Campus in Pottstown, as the result of a $10,000 grant from TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank.

Students will get to do a variety of hands-on activities, including collecting water samples, gathering specimens and making observations during field explorations. In the laboratory, students can examine the miniscule life and microbial diversity that can only be seen with through the magnification of lenses.

At the conclusion of the week, the students get to their data and discoveries through Power Point presentations.

“What makes this program truly unique is that it is done at a community college with middle school students within five days,” said Program Director Dr. Davi Gonzales. “Usually, these types of programs are done by research universities with much older students.”

To sign up for the program, contact your school counselor immediately, complete and submit the application form. The camp’s hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Lunch is provided.

If you are interested in science and the environment, this program is for you. For additional information, contact Dr. Davi Gonzales at dgonzales@mc3.edu or 610-718-1883.

May 25, 2012

“Buy Local” spirit is at heart of PDIDA, WBZH and this month’s Happy Hour

The “Buy Local” movement is sweeping across the country and it has arrived in Pottstown like a force from Mother Nature. So, what does it mean to “buy local?” It’s pretty simple: By shifting even a fraction of your spending to locally-owned businesses in your hometown, you are supporting the employment base, the tax base, the school system, and your neighbors and friends. And, when the word gets out that there is support for local businesses from area residents, Pottstown could become a more attractive place for those considering expanding or opening up a new business.

During the month of May, the Pottstown School District and the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority, otherwise known as PDIDA (puh-dee-duh), have teamed up to help Pottstown flex its economic muscle with a “Buy Local” competition in the school district. All the schools and the administration are competing to see who can spend the most money during the month of May in the PDIDA district. PDIDA encompasses High Street from York to Evans Streets and Hanover and Charlotte Streets from Queen to King Streets. Students, staff and their families are shopping in those areas, getting a receipt, asking the merchant for a “Buy Local” sticker for the receipt and then turning it in at a School District building. In just two weeks, more than $16,000 was spent in the downtown! See Evan Brandt’s article here.

Did you know that there’s another Buy Local wave rolling through the region?

Local radio station WBZH, The Buzz (1370 AM), has been living and breathing the “buy local” philosophy 24/7 since February, when they announced that “buying local” would be the essence behind everything they do.

While their programming has always included local voices and up-to-the-minute local news and coverage, they have come up with advertising packages with customizable options that fit every business budget. They even offer free “buy local” taglines that you can record, along with your business name and location, to get the word out about the importance of supporting the people who are working and making an investment in your community.

We are bringing these two entities together for the next Positively!Pottstown Happy Hour, taking place tomorrow, Friday, May 18 from 5-7 pm at the PDIDA office at 17 N. Hanover Street. WBZH will be broadcasting the “Suki Says!” show live from 4-7 pm. Come out to network and meet local folks who are running businesses and trying to support local business, arts and culture in Pottstown every day. A $5 cover charge will get you food from Giuseppe’s, a new Italian restaurant and pizza place at 864 E. High Street; chocolate-dipped pretzels by Sugar High, a new sweet shoppe at 250 E. High Street; and complimentary beverages.

To rsvp, send an email to positivelypottstown@gmail.com; we also won’t turn anyone away at the door, so just stop by to get your weekend started right, right here at home, keeping it local.

May 17, 2012

Girl Talk Series continues at YWCA with panel on non-traditional careers

The YWCA – Tri-County Area has been presenting the Girl Talk Series of programs during their Year of the Young Woman, and the series continues this Saturday with a talk on Non-Traditional Careers.

Entitled Who Said “It’s A Man’s World?”, the program will take place Saturday, May 19 from 10 am – 2 pm at the YWCA at 315 King Street, Pottstown. This discussion will explore non-traditional careers for women, consider where women should start to pursue a non-traditional career, and will provide examples.

Guests can park in the Evans Street lot located on King Street across from the YW. (Use the PERMIT spaces ONLY.) The program is free with reservation for women and girls age 8 and up. Just call the YW now to reserve a spot for you and your daughter: 610.323.1888.

Future events in the Girl Talk Series include:

July 28, 2012: Cyber Bullying and Stalking
September 22, 2012: Advocacy
November 10, 2012: Go Green!

For information about events, please contact the YWCA at 610-323-1888.

May 17, 2012

4th annual Coventry Woods Festival to be held this Sunday, May 20

The Fourth annual Coventry Woods Festival will be held on Sunday, May 20, 2012 from 1 to 5 pm at the Fernbrook Entrance to the Coventry Woods, intersection of St. Peters Road and Fernbrook Lane in North Coventry. The festivities are sponsored by the Township Parks and Recreation Commission and will be held rain or shine.

This annual event celebrates healthy lands and healthy communities, and will feature music, food, goat races, community displays, and a full slate of other activities.

Bring family and friends to experience the former Camp Fernbrook which, through the hard work of North Coventry’s Open Space Committee, has added such a wonderful gateway to the over 600 acres of the Coventry Preserve. The event is truly a family affair with food, music, games, and goat races for the children. Please join in for a ceremony at 2:30 pm.

May 14, 2012

To Win, We Have to Lose: The Weight of a Nation Premieres May 14 and 15

Editor’s note: This timely information about an HBO series that begins tonight comes to us from the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation.

With recent statistics suggesting that 42% of the United States population will be defined as obese by 2030, The Weight of a Nation, could not come at a more opportune time to shine the light on a national epidemic. The four-part documentary series was developed by HBO in conjunction with several of the nation’s leading research and health care organizations. Three years in the making, the documentary spotlights the facts and myths of this urgent public health issue, showing how obesity affects the health of the nation and the health care system. The series also highlights how individuals, workplaces, and communities are making positive changes.

The documentary airs on HBO on May 14 (Part 1 and 2) and May 15 (Part 3 and 4). Additionally, content will be available free on multiple digital platforms including YouTube and HBO.com. The full series will also be available from the Pottstown Foundation for organizations interested in hosting future screenings.

“Educating ourselves is the first step in getting our community to a healthier weight,” said Dave Kraybill, Executive Director of the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation. “Helping our children make good food choices at home and creating neighborhoods and schools that enable them to eat well and be active are critical to helping the next generation live healthier, happier lives.”

The Foundation also celebrates the ongoing efforts of several grantees who are dedicated to aiding the community in pursuing healthier lifestyles and combating obesity:

Boyertown Area School District’s Brain Body Connection project is an effort to measure the connection between student’s health, physical activity and academic performance. For instance, science teachers collaborate with physical education teachers on days when tests are to be given – ensuring that students receive a stimulating dose of activity before heading into the classroom to take their test. The District’s vision is to expand the focus on physical activity beyond the gymnasium, making it more of an integral and beneficial part of their students’.

Get Moving at the Freedom Valley YMCA is an exercise and health education program meant to motivate individuals to pursue healthy lifestyles. The impetus for the program came during a Relay for Life event. One team noticed others struggling to walk around the track and approached the YMCA with an idea based on community members supporting each other toward common healthy goals. The program began in January and runs through June 2012. Their goal is to see seventy-five percent of participants increase their walking/running time and distance.

Pottstown School District’s Healthy Me initiative promotes healthy living through its after school programs that focus on nutrition, diet, food preparation, exercise activities and stress reduction. The program aims to decrease the proportion of obesity in both the middle school and high school levels. It is open to all students, staff and local community at no charge.

About the Foundation
The Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation’s mission is to enhance the health and wellness of area residents, providing education, funding and programs that motivate people to adopt healthy lifestyles. Visit http://www.pottstownfoundation.org for more information about the Foundation. Discover Pottstown area’s online community at http://www.missionhealthyliving.org to learn and share great information on how to lead a healthier life – including its series on childhood obesity. You can also follow Mission Healthy Living on Facebook and Twitter.

If your organization is interested in hosting a screening of The Weight of the Nation, please contact Rose Crews at rosecrews@pottstownfoundation.org for more details.

May 14, 2012

TriCounty Community Network highlights upcoming area meetings and events

TCN Membership Meeting

Rep. Tom Quigley to Speak on Local Job Creation

Tuesday, May 15, 8am-10am

Montgomery County Community College, West Campus

Community Room, 101 College Drive, Pottstown

Special thanks to our breakfast sponsor
Money Management International

For more information or to register call 610-705-3301, Ext. 2.

Membership Meeting Agenda

8:00am-8:30am Breakfast & Networking

8:30am-8:40am Introductions

8:40am-8:50am Announcements

8:50am-9:00am Breakfast Sponsor Presentation

9:00am-10:00am Presentation

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TriCounty Community Career Fair

Wednesday, May 16, 10am – 1pm

Berean Conference Center

2675 East High Street, Pottstown

For more information call 610-705-3301.

Presented by the TCN Exelon Nuclear Workforce Development Program

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Think you’ll get rich quick by gambling?

You have a way better chance of being struck by lightning or dying from a bee sting

Please join us……..

Problem Gambling and the College Population

Guest Speaker – Joanna Franklin, MS, NCGC II

Thursday, May 10, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Montgomery County Community College

Central Campus – Advanced Technology Center – Room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell PA 19422

~ and ~

West Campus by video-conferencing, South Hall – Room 213, 101 College Drive, Pottstown PA 19464

Target Audience: College faculty, administrators, counselors, students, and Drug & Alcohol Professionals who provide services in Montgomery County

To register for this free workshop, please e-mail elaffert@montcopa.org or call: Eileen Lafferty, 610-278-3538

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Fellowship Farm “Blossom Festival”
Open House – Join Us!

Kids & Family Fun, Learning & Nature Activities

Saturday, May 12, 1-4 PM

Fellowship Farm

2488 Sanatoga Road

Pottstown, Pennsylvania 19464

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Aevidum

Live Music, Refreshments, Raffles & Resources

Monday, May 14, 7pm-9pm

Montgomery County Community College

Science Center – Entrance off Morris Road

340 Dekalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA

Aevidum is a depression and suicide education awareness initiative where informed adults empower students to know the warning signs of depression and understand that it is a treatable illness. Students use their gifts and talents to spread the Aevidum message of hope and advocate for other students. Aevidum’s message is delivered through interactive displays, high-energy assemblies, and community events.

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Girl Talk Series: Non-Traditional Careers

Why a Non-Traditional Career?

Where Should Women Pursuing Non-Traditional Careers Start?

Examples of Non-Traditional Careers for Women and Girls Ages 8 and Up.

Saturday, May 19, 2012, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Free with reservation

YWCA Tri-County Area, 315 King Street, Pottstown

There is no cost to participate, but please reserve by calling 610-323-1888 x200

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POTTSTOWN PRIDE

You can find the Winter edition of Pottstown Pride at www.pottstownschools.com. We are proud to highlight the accomplishments of our students, staff and graduates. Pottstown Pride also honors the memory of our fallen Trojans and provides us the opportunity to thank our supporters.

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Partnering to improve health, social and environmental conditions.

TriCounty Community Network

260 High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464

610-705-3301
www.TCNetwork.org

@TCN_Pottstown