Category: Wellness

Adult Gardener Workshop at MOSAIC Community Garden tonight

When:   Tuesday, July 9, 2013     6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
What:    Adult Workshop 1 – Organic vs. Conventional Gardening
             Project: Hanging Planter using Recycled Fabrics
 
Tina is ready and set to facilitate a workshop/group discussion on Organic vs. Conventional Gardening.  She will also provide instruction on how to make a hanging plant bag using recycled fabric!
 
Please plan to attend the class that day (even bring a friend) to understand the benefits of organic gardening and how a recycled old shirt, pantyhose or other materials can be used to create a wonderful vertical garden.
 
Below are more details regarding the workshop…we hope to see you there!
 
In order to make the RECYCLED FABRIC HANGING PLANT BAG…
 
Gardeners Will Need to Bring:
 
Old shirt, pants, or piece of fabric – must be BREATHABLE such as Cotton or Linen
* NO polyester, NO synthetic fabrics (won’t breath)
 
twine, ribbons, or other tying material
 
MOSAIC Will Supply:
 
“S” hooks, planting compost/soil, and seedlings/plants

Pottstown YMCA holds YOGA IN THE YARD

Pottstown YMCA at  724 N. Adams Street will hold “Yoga in the Yard” on Tuesday, June 11, from 6-7 pm.

Their staff will guide you in an experience of yoga that connects mind, body & spirit, leaving you feeling peaceful, relaxed and wonderful. Come enjoy the fresh air, positive energy and get a complete mind/body workout.  Wear comfortable clothes and bring water and your mat.

This event is open to the community. Cost is $10 to non-YMCA facility members.  For more information contact Lynn at 610.323.7300 ext. 10 or go to www.philaymca.org.

 

 

Hill Student Philanthropy Council awards grants to local nonprofits

Here is some great news brought to us by The Hill School, where the Student Philanthropy Council has been learning how to be an effective philanthropist with Pottstown area nonprofits as the beneficiaries. For more info, click the link at the end of the next paragraph. As a resident and board member of PDIDA, I am personally grateful for the grant to PDIDA, which will help us implement some measures to improve safety and the downtown experience for visitors and residents.

Led by co-presidents Nabil Shaikh ’13 (Reading, Pa.) and Auguste Boova ’13 (Pottstown, Pa.), The Hill School’s Student Philanthropy Council (SPC) recently presented checks totaling $10,000 to four local nonprofit organizations to help fund those entities’ educational and community programs: Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority ($2,110); The Growing Center ($2,690); Montgomery Child Advocacy Project ($2,500); and the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Organizations ($2,700).  Read more about the recipients of the 2013 grants.

The SPC was established in 2009 through a gift to The Hill School courtesy of Charles A. Frank III, Hill ’59, and his wife, Betty. Hill student participants solicit and evaluate local nonprofit requests for funding, and then award a total of $10,000 in grants each year. Last year, through the Franks’ leadership and the generosity of  several other donors, The Student Philanthropy Council became an endowed program at the School with the establishment of The Student Philanthropy Council Endowment in honor of Kay and David Dougherty.

20th Annual National Senior Health & Fitness Day at the Pottstown YMCA

The Pottstown YMCA, a Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA Branch at 724 North Adams Street, will host a Senior Fitness Day on Wednesday, May 29 from 9 am – 1 pm.  This event is free for ages 55 and older and open to the community.

The YMCA staff invites you to come tour and try free classes like Water Walking, HydroFit, Walking with Weights or come play Pickleball.  Area vendors from our community such as AAA, AARP, Canine Partners, Comfort Keepers, Mainline Financial, PMSI, Silver & Fit, Walmart Pharmacy and the VNA, will be present to help increase participants knowledge of common conditions associated with aging.  For a detailed schedule of activities, please call 610.323.7300,

Join the Y by May 31st and save $75 – www.PhilaYMCA.org!

The Pottstown YMCA is a participating Silver & Fit Facility.

The YMCA mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

Schuylkill River Sojourn celebrates 15 years

This comes to us from Laura Catalano at the Schuylkill River Heritage Area…

SCHUYLKILL RIVER SOJOURN

 WILL CELEBRATE 15 YEARS OF CELEBRATING THE RIVER

From June 1-7 over 200 paddlers will take a Civil War Odyssey down the Schuylkill River

In June, the Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn will celebrate 15 years of celebrating the river.  As always, it will bring a flotilla of colorful kayaks and canoes from Schuylkill Haven to Philadelphia from June 1-7, stopping along the way in river towns and parks. The event will be highlighted by programming at every stop on the region’s role in the Civil War.

For 15 years, the sojourn has been organized by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, in Pottstown, in order to draw attention to the river as a beautiful natural, historic and recreational resource. Over that time period, more than 3,000 registrants from 20 states and Canada have participated.

This year, over 200 paddlers will take all or part of the weeklong, 112-mile guided canoe/kayak tour. A record number, 59, will make the full trip, launching their kayaks from Schuylkill Haven on June 1, traveling through five-counties (Schuylkill, Berks, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia), and bidding goodbye to the river at Philadelphia’s Boat House Row on June 7.

Each day, a maximum of 100 boats will be on the water—a sight that is welcomed by people who cheer the sojourners on at bridges and roadsides along the way. The paddlers will visit a number of communities in the region when they stop for lunch and camp out in riverside parks.

 “Over the years, the Schuylkill River Sojourn has gained a reputation for being one of the best sojourns in the state,” said Schuylkill River Heritage Area Executive Director Kurt Zwikl. “It has made a significant impact on this region, encouraging recreational boating on the river, and spawning the development of the Schuylkill River Water Trail.”

 A water trail is a waterway that is prepared for recreational boating with boat launches, maps and guides. The Schuylkill River Water Trail has been recognized by the American Canoe Association as a “Recommended Water Trail.”

One reason the Schuylkill River Sojourn is highly regarded is that it has a strong educational emphasis. Each year, programs focusing on the river’s history, culture or environment are incorporated into the lunch and evening stops. The public is invited to attend all programs at evening campsites at no charge.

This year’s program theme is A Civil War Odyssey, in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. The first evening, spent at a Port Clinton campsite, sojourners will hear about a regiment of coal miners who tunneled under the enemy. The following night, they’ll watch a one-woman play about Hopewell Furnace during the Civil War era. They’ll learn about the First Defenders at the Gibraltar campsite, see a living history program on Civil War buglers in Pottstown, discover the region’s role in the Underground Railroad in Mont Clare, and meet Gen. George Meade in Conshohocken. (See attached for a list of public programs).

Highlighting the lunch programming is a presentation by Gettysburg National Historic Park Superintendent Bob Kirby on the park’s commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Gettysburg. That will take place at 12 p.m. on Monday June 3, in Reading Riverfront Park, in Reading.

While the Schuylkill River Sojourn is clearly a recreational endeavor, its primary purpose is to draw attention to the river as this region’s most critical natural resource and a source of drinking water for over 1.5 million people. Studies show that when people paddle a river, they are more likely to be concerned about the health of that river, and to take measures to protect it.

The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, managed by the non-profit Schuylkill River Greenway Association, uses conservation, education, recreation, historic and cultural preservation and tourism as tools for community revitalization and economic development. www.schuylkillriver.org/sojourn.aspx.

Register today for River Sojourn to avoid late fee!

15th Annual
Schuylkill River Sojourn
Friday May 10th is the last day to register to avoid the late fee! 
2013 Sojourn Theme: A Civil War Odyssey 

 June 1-7, 2013  

 Register online now

or

Download a mail-in registration form  

 
  • Register by May 10 to avoid a late fee.  Registrations received after May 10 will be automatically charged a $10 late fee. No registrations can be accepted after May 25.
  • There are plenty of spaces available for Tuesday June 4 through Friday June 7. Learn more about these days. Registration is full for the first three days and full-trip.
  • Click here for more information, pricing, itinerary, or photos.

The Schuylkill River Sojourn is a 7-day, 112-mile guided paddle from Schuylkill Haven to Boathouse Row in Philadelphia that is organized annually by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area.  Participants can register for one day or the entire week.

Photos: 2012 Sojourn Courtesy Jeremy Quant

Pottsgrove Manor celebrates annual Colonial May Fair on Saturday, May 4th

From Pottsgrove Manor…
About the Fair
Saturday, May 4, 2013
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Bring the whole family out to welcome spring at this annual event! Held each year on the first Saturday in May, Pottsgrove Manor’s Annual Colonial May Fair is a local tradition. Visitors can come back year after year and see something new and different at each year’s fair. Guests can enjoy a variety of 18th century entertainments, including magic shows, music, puppet theater, and the traditional dance around the colorful Maypole. There are games, contests, and activities for young visitors. Early American crafters give demonstrations of historic trades and sell their wares, and food vendors offer tasty treats. Scroll down for more details on this year’s fair!
Suggested Donation: $2 per person.

Parking
Free parking is available at the Carousel at Pottstown building, 30 West King Street. Visitors can then either walk up the street or get a free ride on the restored Pottstown trolley from the parking area to the Manor. During the fair, Pottsgrove Manor’s parking lot is reserved for handicapped parking only.

Once you arrive on-site, be sure to stop by the Information Tent to get information about the fair, Pottsgrove Manor, and other upcoming events!

Scheduled Activities & Performances

  • “Grinning for Cheese” worst smile contest at 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
  • Hoop Rolling Races for children of all ages at 2:15 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
  • Levram the Great performs magic at 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4:15 p.m. He’ll also perform strolling magic tricks throughout the day.
  • May Pole Dancing at 11:00 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.
  • Signora Bella performs acrobatic feats at 1:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
  • Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble performs at 11:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.
  • Tuckers’ Tales Puppet Theater performs St. George and the Dragon at 12:00 p.m. and Cinderella at 3:00 p.m. They will give strolling musical performances throughout the day and provide music for the May Pole dances.
  • Prize Drawing at 4:45 p.m. (must be present to win)

Ongoing Activities
Self-Guided Tours of the Mansion—first-floor only

Hands-On Activities:

  • Butter churning
  • Colonial toys and games
  • Dress-up booth
  • Fortune-telling
  • Games of chance
  • Period ball games

Living History Demonstrations:

  • Animal husbandry—meet sheep, a goat, and chickens
  • Blacksmithing
  • Bobbin lacemaking
  • Butter churning & cheese-making
  • Gunsmithing
  • Open-hearth cooking by Deborah Peterson
  • Spinning, weaving, and fiber arts
  • Tailoring
  • Tape weaving by Eleanor Bittle, aka “The Tape Lady”

Crafters & Vendors
Food:

  • MMG Concessions—burgers, cheesesteaks, hot dogs, sausage sandwiches, fries, hand-rolled pretzels, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and more

Early American Crafts:

  • Angel’s Wool Farm—handspun, handknitted Angora and Shetland wool goods
  • Appalachia Brooms—handmade primitive brooms
  • Floral hair wreaths & nosegays—all proceeds benefit Pottsgrove Manor’s programs
  • Frantastic Fashions—colonial ladies’ accessories by Fran Wilcox
  • Lee’s Bees—learn about beekeeping and buy local honey products
  • Musser’s Chair Caning—rush and cane chairs
  • Pottsgrove Manor Museum Shop—books, toys & games, 18th-century reproduction items, and more!
  • Red Rope Farm—local wool yarns and knitted goods, handmade soap
  • Scherenschnitte—Pennsylvania German paper cutting by Brenda Miller
  • Shoemaker Pottery—redware from Lancaster, PA
  • Zina Borys—hand-spun yarns

Ballroom on High offers $6 Saturday Zumba class

$6 Saturday weekly 10 am Zumba class with REMI!

  • Saturday, May 4, 2013, 10:00 AM

  • The Ballroom On High

    310 E High St, Pottstown, PA (map)

  • DITCH THE WORKOUT! JOIN THE PARTY! Join licensed ZUMBA instructor, Remi, for this weekly ZUMBA class at the Ballroom on High. Great big space with a full sized stage!

    NO dance experience needed.

    The ZUMBA movements you will learn will include steps from salsa, merengue, cumbia, quebradita, samba, hip hop, reggaeton, and more!

    ONLY $6 PER CLASS!  Plus we give you a punch card and after taking 10 classes you get the 11th free! Bring towel and water! (There is water at the ballroom in a cooler and bottled. The bottled is $1) Be prepared to sweat! Wear shoes that are snug move easily on a hardwood floor without sticking. Caution: If you have an allergy to smiles, laughter, fun and frolic, this will be a high exposure event.

    Returning students, if you bring a friend who has not attended a Zumba class with Remi or Star, you both get in for a total of $8. That’s four dollars a person! Sure, you can bring more than 1 new friend, and they will get the $4 price too.

Hill School’s Erik Mortenson publishes award-winning poetry chapbook

Because April is “National Poetry Month,” Hill’s own  published, award-winning  poet Erik Mortenson is celebrating by sharing a poem a day with The Hill community, something he did last year and is continuing this year.

Courtesy of The Hill School
Courtesy of The Hill School

Erik recently published an award-winning chapbook, The Fifteenth Station (Accents Publishing.) All proceeds from the book will go toward supporting Rwandan women and children with HIV/AIDS.

The Hill’s website describes Erik’s poetry project and the inspiration for it in more detail here, but here are some snippets to whet your literary appetite:

“Mortenson has published a chapbook of poems that share the wrenching sadness, isolation, and physical suffering experienced by an impoverished young African woman with AIDS. The structure for the 15 poems, collectively titled The Fifteenth Station, mirrors the 14 Stations of the Cross that appear in Roman Catholic churches to commemorate the final hours of Jesus Christ.

“Mortenson – who writes as E.K. Mortenson – began conducting extensive research for this project in 2009, delving into religious imagery, medical reports from the World Health Service, and cultural background, all of which he synthesized into poems written in several different voices, primarily that of the woman with AIDS. Each poem (or “station”) advances and flows into the next….

“Late last summer, when The Fifteenth Station won the Judge’s Choice award in the Accents 2012 Poetry Chapbook Contest, Mortenson donated his modest prize money to Partners in Health and pledged to also donate every penny of his chapbook sales profits. To his delight, his publisher, Accents Publishing, has agreed to match his prize money and contribute 50 percent of its own profits from the chapbook sales to Partners in Health.

“‘In the small poetry press world — where presses operate on, at best, a shoestring budget — this is virtually unheard of,’ Mortenson says. ‘This is a most gracious gift.’

“Furthermore, Zachary Lehman, Headmaster of The Hill School, promised to match Mortenson’s prize money on behalf of the School. His offer ties in well with the theme established for students for The Hill’s 2012-13 school year, “What can I do?”

“‘Although the contributions themselves are small, I am hoping to create a groundswell of concern,” Mortenson says. “The book is $5. That’s like, what? A large cup of coffee at Starbuck’s? Now half of that money will go to women and children who need it most.'”

Congratulations to Erik for getting his work published and using his poetry to educate and inspire compassion for others!

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