Mark calendar for St. Al’s carnival at St. Pius X grounds June 26-30
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.
Gearing up for a fantastic First Saturday in Pottstown on May 5th!
The first First Saturday of 2012 is shaping up to be an interactive arts and cultural extravaganza thanks to the ingenuity and effort of Daniel Dilliplane. Daniel has organized a day filled with local folks, performers, and artists sharing their hobbies, crafts, and skills FOR FREE with the public. Check out the Facebook page for Pottstown Interactive Art Picnic and check out he flyer below to see all the activities taking place all day long, in addition to the traditional May Fair at Pottsgrove Manor, Paint the Town Purple, and the Classic Car Show. There’s stuff to do all day long in Pottstown on May 5th so mark your calendar now!
Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation article: Exercise proven to be a stimulus to learning
Editor’s note: This is the latest article from the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation. More evidence that not only does exercise make us feel better physically and mentally, but it’s good for our brains too!
Teaching all kids, not just athletes, the importance of fitness and wellness, was the topic of conversation recently in Pottstown and Boyertown. Dr. John Ratey, author, researcher and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, traveled to the area recently to talk about the “brain-body connection.”
Dr. John Ratey, author of the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, began the day speaking to a group of 33 at the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation. Representatives from local school districts and organizations attended this small group discussion to learn the importance of incorporating activity and fitness into the daily routines of local school children.
“We were very excited to have Dr. Ratey visit Pottstown,” stated Dave Kraybill, Executive Director of the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation. “His research is very exciting and supports the Foundation’s goal of promoting exercise and active lifestyles.”
New brain cells are generated every day. According to Ratey, exercise promotes new brain cell growth and acts as a “brain fertilizer”, which optimizes learning. In addition to the increased learning ability, exercise can help control aggression, stress and depression.
Later that day, Dr. Ratey traveled to Boyertown to address a group of more than 150 faculty, staff and Board members from the Boyertown School District. Neighboring school districts were also represented, in addition to local organizations.
Those in attendance learned about the relationship of the human brain development and movement, and how it directly relates to our ability to learn and process new information. Questions and answers focused around the connection between student’s physical activity, test results, depression and incidences of discipline.
According to Stephanie Petri, K-12 Health and Physical Education Lead Teacher, “The faculty and staff in the Boyertown School District found this information very exciting and are planning to incorporate 20 minutes of physical activity prior to the junior’s PSSA reading and math exams. Our goal is to increase student focus, decrease test anxiety, and improve student success. We believe the connection between exercise and learning will provide this outcome.”
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 www.pottstownfoundation.org for more information about the Foundation. Discover Pottstown area’s online community at www.missionhealthyliving.org to learn and share great information on how to lead a healthier life. You can also follow Mission Healthy Living on Facebook and Twitter.
Save the Date! Schuylkill River Sojourn June 2-8!
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Pottstown middle school student starts career as sports announcer
Here’s a great story showing how PCTV and Pottstown School District are teaming up to provide career guidance and real-world experience for Pottstown students.
For Immediate Release
Contact: John J. Armato, CAA, Director of Community Relations, 610-323-6274, cell #484-256-7491 or jarmato@pottstownsd.org
Pottstown Middle School Student Starts Career as Sports Announcer
Kyle Hendley, an eighth grade student at Pottstown Middle School, is well on his way to starting a career as a TV sports announcer. He recently completed a semester internship in the Pottstown Middle School Career Shadowing Program. He was partnered with PCTV Sports Announcer and Pottstown Middle School teacher Mr. Bernie Gallagher. Kyle has expressed an interest in perhaps becoming a TV sports broadcaster. He was able to be in the TV booth for many local football games. He learned the ins and outs of broadcasting with Mr. Gallagher. Some of his responsibilities included gathering statistics, assisting with the slow-motioned instant replays, and reverse angle camera shots.
Mr. Gallagher observed that “Kyle did a fabulous job helping with our crew and brought positive energy to our weekly TV shows. He is a natural, the quintessential sports fan!”
“I think that I learned a great deal through the Career Shadowing Program and it certainly opened my eyes to what goes on behind the scenes of a TV production,” explained Hendley.
Exercising on a Budget: Making an impact without making a big investment
Editor’s note: This article is another in a series from the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation about making healthy lifestyle choices on a budget.
EXERCISING ON A BUDGET:
MAKING AN IMPACT WITHOUT MAKING A BIG INVESTMENT
By: David Kraybill, Executive Director, Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation
Are you one of those individuals who can easily find an excuse not to exercise? I had to do this. I had to do that. I have my kids. I’m tired. It’s dark out. It’s not in my budget to join a gym or buy expensive equipment. Well, you can cross that last one off your list of excuses—you can exercise if you’re on a budget and you don’t have to join a gym or invest big bucks. In fact, there are so many low-cost or free ways to exercise, by yourself or with your family, you may start to find those other excuses are no longer necessary.
According to the guidelines from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, individuals should have at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity to reduce the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood. So, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out how often and affordably you can fit exercise into your day and reach your 30 minute minimum without trying too hard or changing too much of your routine.
Everyday Exercises
Start small. Did you know that you can turn almost your entire day into an exercise routine? Consider:
• Using the self-check out at stores – not only is it faster, but scanning and bagging your
own groceries is more movement than you would normally get when using the regular
check-out lane.
• Taking the steps instead of the elevator – sound familiar? That’s because it works. If
you’re on the 25th floor, start small – go up a few flights and add more flights as you
progress.
• Cleaning your house – yes, you get exercise every time you vacuum, scrub the floor,
and polish the furniture—30 minutes of housework can burn up to 215 calories!
• Doing squats or lunges while brushing your teeth or waiting for the microwave.
• Balancing on one leg while drying your hair, shaving or putting makeup on.
• Doing exercises during commercials while watching your nightly TV—ab crunches,
squats, “jump” rope, march in place.
• Mowing the lawn and weeding the garden in spring and summer, and raking the leaves
and shoveling the snow during fall and winter.
• Parking in the farthest away space so you have a longer walk to the store.
Free Exercises
Perhaps you are interested in more structured exercise, not just what you can fit in where you can. There are many FREE things you can do to get started. Try:
• Walking or jogging – still the best bargain there is. However, the one investment you do
want to make is in good athletic shoes.
• Putting on some music and dancing.
• Going online and finding free workouts on YouTube.com
• Finding an exercise program on TV.
• Checking out exercise DVDs from your local library.
• Hiking and biking – check out http://www.missionhealthyliving.org for local parks, bike trails
and hiking spots in our local area. (Check out local parks at the Parks & Rec page at PositivelyPtown.com, too!)
• Strength training – using just your body as resistance. Try squats, lunges, calf raises,
push ups, tricep dips and crunches. Not sure how? Look it up on YouTube.
• Scouting around in your basement or garage for old fitness equipment that you may
have purchased long ago, but forgot about. You may find a basketball, tennis racket,
Frisbee, paddle ball games, baseballs, step equipment, etc. that you can begin to use
again.
Low-Budget At-Home Gyms
Having an at-home gym does not mean you have to invest in a costly machine. There are many ways to build a gym at home that will not set your budget back. Consider:
• Making your own weights from full soup cans, laundry detergent bottles and water
bottles; milk or orange juice jugs filled with sand; and PVC pipes filled with sand.
• Seeking out used equipment from garage sales, relatives or friends, Craigslist,
Play it Again Sports stores and Ebay.
• Making a modest investment in versatile, but inexpensive equipment: medicine ball,
jump rope, dumbbell set, resistance tubing, exercise/stability ball, mirror, step bench.
Other Options
Finally, just when you think there cannot possibly be more choices to exercising on a budget—good news, there is! Consider:
• Seeking out low-cost, local fitness classes that are not associated with a gym.
A Fresh Start Fitness has a number of workout choices, and the Ballroom on High
offers Zumba classes.
• Starting a fitness class at work if you have the interest and the room—kettlebells,
Zumba, yoga, etc. There are many local trainers and teachers who may be looking to
teach extra classes. The more people you get, the less expensive it will be!
• Starting a fitness class at work, not with a trainer, but with a DVR player. Take turns
bringing in your fitness DVDs and get moving.
• Looking into low-cost gym options. Planet Fitness offers a membership for only $10
a month and the YWCA also has low-cost options.
Above all else, exercise should be fun—if it is, you are more likely to do it on a regular basis. If you need motivation, buddy up with a friend or involve your family. And now you know there are many different inexpensive and free choices for exercise that will not impact your budget, but will have a big impact on your health. Get started today!
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 www.pottstownfoundation.org for more information about the Foundation. Discover Pottstown area’s online community at www.missionhealthyliving.org to learn and share great information on how to lead a healthier life!
Save the date for 2nd Annual Pottstown Cluster golf tournament
Save The Date!
The 2nd Annual Pottstown Cluster Charity golf tournament will take place on Thursday, May 10th with a noon tee-off!
This event features a shotgun scramble format, putting contest, prizes, lunch, reception & dinner.
Men, women, golfers and duffers are all invited to have a super time while raising funds for disadvantaged children and their families in our community.
Remember, if you register your foursome under your church, you are eligible to compete for the “Church Challenge Cup” (won last year by Mercy &Truth Synagogue!)
WBZH getting ready to launch Phase 3
Yesterday I had the chance to catch up with Dave Devlin, Program Director for The Buzz, WBZH 1370 AM. The Buzz is the Pottstown area’s only local radio station and it’s poised to launch Phase 3 of their plan to bring back and expand community radio in a big way for the tri-county region.
Phase 1 involved getting the station back on the air just over a year ago, after 1370 went silent for about a year.
Phase 2 involved a name and identity change from WPAZ to WBZH, The Buzz.
And now, Phase 3 – which I actually can’t specify just yet! – will soon position the station to serve the community in a way that’s totally unique for a radio/TV station anywhere.
On February 7th The Buzz will hold a press conference, including local bloggers, to announce their new campaign, and on February 9th it will swing into action. Stay tuned here and online at wbzh.net or on the radio at 1370 AM. Catch The Buzz!
Positively Pottstown blog 