Tag: Wellness

Trilogy Park in Pottstown hosts national BMX event Memorial Day weekend

 Did you know that Pottstown is home to Trilogy Park, a BMX, inline, and skateboard park that hosts a national event each Memorial Day weekend?

Trilogy Park is in Memorial Park at the site of the former Gruber Pool. This year the Memorial Classic is expected to bring between 3,000-5,000 visitors, depending on weather, from as far away as Florida and the Midwest. Each year this event has grown because of the tireless efforts of Pottstown residents Cathy and Glen Knapper and other parent volunteers, and it has gained a reputation as one of the premier events on the National Bicycle League (NBL) circuit.

This is an awesome opportunity for Pottstown to showcase its incredible Parks and Recreation Department and the equally amazing Memorial Park.

I had seen the BMX track last year when I was investigating and writing the parks blog series for the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation. Even afterwards, though, I didn’t quite know what it was all about, never having gone to a race.

BMX stands for Bicycle Motocross Racing. It involves biking over a dirt course with jumps and turns. Riders wear a helmet, long pants, long-sleeved shirt and closed-toe shoes. Bikes are inspected before each race for safety. Competitors practice the course as much as they can before the race so they’re familiar with the starting gate, obstacles and the turns. Each track posts moto-sheets on a moto-board; this is where riders can find out their number and gate lane for a race. BMX is open to all ages, from toddlers to the over-55 crowd.

The schedule for the Memorial Classic can be found here.

In general, bike inspections and practices by age group begin at 1:30 pm on Friday. A pre-race for local riders who will not be competing in the national races will take place at 6:30 pm.

On Saturday, inspections and practices begin at 6:30 am; opening ceremonies take place at 10:45 and races begin at 11 am and will run until about 4 pm.

On Sunday, there will be NO bike inspections or registrations. There are a few practices scheduled by age group, beginning at 7:30 am. Then racing gets underway at 8:30 am and will run until about 1:30 pm. 

A really special part of this year’s event will be the arrival of the Warren family from Florida in Pottstown on Thursday, May 26th. Neva“The BMX Diva” and her parents, Tammy and Jay, are biking to all the National BMX events this year and blogging about it at www.ridethenation.org. They started their journey on April 20th inTampa and will keep going until they get to the Grand National Championship inLouisville, Kentucky on Labor Day weekend. We’ll be featuring them in an upcoming post and talking about BMX and the Memorial Classic for the rest of the week, so stay tuned! “Like” Trilogy Park on Facebookto keep up with all the latest news, or call the TRACK HOTLINE at 484.363.0592.

Free Art Program for Cancer Patients Receives Funding from Hill School

The Gallery School of Pottstown is proud to announce their Healing Arts program has received a grant from the Hill School Student Philanthropy Council. The Healing Arts Program offers free art programs to those whose lives have been touched by cancer. Participants can choose any of the School’s scheduled 2011 summer classes in topics from pottery and drawing to glass fusing and painting. Visit www.galleryonhigh.org for complete class details, and to download an application for the program. Applicants may also call 610-326-2506 for more information.

Acceptance in the Healing Arts program is on a first come, first served basis, and there are a limited number of spaces available. Also available through this program is a brand new Fiber Exploration Class. This class is available to support groups as a fun group activity. Participants will try their hand at spinning their own yarn and will work on a cooperative weaving project. Their final woven piece will be framed and presented to the group after their class. No experience in the fiber arts is necessary–just a willingness to try new things. Please call or email the Gallery School for more details and to schedule. A very limited number of classes are available

Healing Arts is sponsored by the Hill School Student Philosophy Council. The Student Philanthropy Council, first launched in October 2008, was created by Charles A. Frank, III, Hill School Class of ’59 and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and his wife, Betty. The program allows Hill students to learn about the value and processes of philanthropy. In addition, the program provides funding to Pottstown nonprofit organizations with strategic initiatives focused on enhancing the health and overall wellness of area families and communities.

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 School of Pottstown
@ Gallery on High
254 E. High St.
Pottstown, PA 19464
610-326-2506
www.galleryonhigh.org

School Board votes to transfer property for community garden

Last night, in a unanimous decision, the Pottstown School Board voted to transfer a vacant lot at 423 Chestnut Street to the MOSAIC Community Land Trust (CLT). Read about it here.

Old Chestnut Street Park

A community land trust is a proven model for promoting affordable homeownership, stabilizing neighborhoods and improving local economies. The community garden at 423 Chestnut will be its first project.

Pottstown’s CLT is a project of the Preservation Pottstown organization founded nearly 30 years ago. The group recently adopted the name MOSAIC Community Land Trust because a mosaic is the coming together of many different, colorful pieces – even some that are a bit rough around the edges! – to create a thing of beauty. (Keep an eye out for an upcoming call for artists to create a mosaic logo for the CLT, in conjunction with The Gallery School!)

The new board of trustees now at the helm of Preservation Pottstown/MOSAIC, with the support of a grant from National Penn Bank (thank you, Sharon McMichael!), have been working with a nationally-known CLT expert, Van Temple, to get its by-laws and operations in order so that it can own and manage projects like the community garden and, eventually, rehab and sell homes to low- and moderate-income working folks.

The School District’s decision is a huge milestone for what it represents: a new wave of partnership and collaboration on a progressive, healthy, sustainable community initiative. This effort has been led by the indomitable spirit of Katy Jackson on behalf of MOSAIC and supported and nurtured by many others, including Dr. Reed Lindley, Stephen Kalis, Andrew Monastra, Jason Bobst, Judy Memberg & Genesis Housing and Al Gryga of DePallo Design & Planning.

While it will be too late to get veggies in the ground for this summer, a team of volunteers and professionals are lined up to begin cleaning up and preparing the lot, perhaps for some fall harvesting, but certainly for next spring. I apologize in advance if I miss anyone in the list that follows – let me know and I’ll get additional names in here! Some of those who have committed to making this happen include: Master Gardeners from Penn State; Shawn Conroy & Lowe’s employees, Alan Jensen-Sellers, Master Arborist with Davey Tree Experts; Eric Schmidt of Colonial Gardens, Mary-Beth Lydon, Chris Huff, Teri Jensen-Sellers, McDonald’s and Giant for refreshments for volunteers, and many, many more.

Teaching children & adults…  meeting neighbors… enjoying the outdoors… getting your hands dirty…  the MOSAIC garden committee is always looking to grow its community. For more information, visit MOSAIC Community Land Trust’s website here.

Tri-County for A Cure Video Project

The weekend is finally almost here for Yoga on the Steps, which benefits the amazing organization: Living Beyond Breast Cancer.  In case you weren’t able to attend our last Positively!Pottstown Happy Hour and you haven’t seen this video circulating around the internet (especially on facebook), here’s the culmination of some fun ideas, a lot of great participation by local business owners and leaders, and the talent of a certain photographer, Melia Rios-Lazo of Priceless Moments

Owner of High Street Yoga and the creative force behind the video, Barbara Kosciewicz offered her thoughts today about the video.  She writes of the project:

Throughout the long winter, during each class someone would comment or giggle about a certain pose we could do in a location in Pottstown.  We dreamed for spring to come and decided it would be our spring project.   Before long, the idea began to grow and evolve into raising awareness and funds for our Yoga team Tri-County for a Cure that is attending Yoga on the Steps on Sunday May 15th. Suddenly the project became much  greater than ourselves and became something both fun and meaningful

You can read the rest of her thoughts on her blog, Yoga Wisdom for Everyday, which is also a Mercury Town Square Blog. 

There is still time to get involved with Yoga on the Steps:  you can donate to the Tri-County for a Cure team or even sign up to participate on Sunday.  Just visit www.yogaonthesteps.org to get the details.

Keller Williams Realty Group in Limerick Ready for 3rd Annual “RED Day”

Associates from Keller Williams Realty Group in Limerick will “Give Where They Live” as part of RED Day, one of the biggest events in the real estate industry. Short for “Renew, Energize and Donate,” RED Day was created to unite Keller Williams Realty offices and associates in an international day of service. The kick-off for the local Keller Williams efforts will be held this Thursday, May 12, 2011.

  Keller Williams Realty Group in Limerick will be supporting Operation Backpack – an organization that provides local hungry students with much needed food for the weekend. In Pottstown alone there are more than 10% of families living below the poverty level and more than 60% of students qualified for free and reduced lunches. Operation backpack works with individuals and organizations to gather donated food and supplies.

The Food Drive begins at 9am on May 12, 2011 with Special Festivities beginning at 11a.m. at the Limerick location at 542 North Lewis Road in Limerick. They will continue to collect food through May 20, 2011 then the drive will continue and culminate with the 5k Run/Fun walk at RiverFront Park in Pottstown PA.

Keller Williams Realty Group will also be holding a Blood Drive conducted by Miller-Keystone Blood Center on Thursday, May 12th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at their Limerick location. Because there is a desperate need at this time for blood, they encourage you to stop by to show your support to this much needed cause.

For more information about RED Day and how you can participate by donating to Operation Backpack or the Blood Drive, please log on to www.kwrealtygroup.com

During RED Day 2010, over 35,000 Keller Williams associates participated in activities ranging from food and blood drives to cleaning up trash in public parks, doing yard work for neighbors in need or revamping gardens at nursing homes totaling more than 150,000 hours of service, making RED Day one of the biggest events in the real estate industry.

Keller Williams Realty Group is located at 542 North Lewis Road in Limerick, PA. Their mission is to Build Careers Worth Having, Businesses Worth Owning, and Lives Worth Living. For more information on a career in real estate, or to find out how to be a part of their growing team in Limerick, please visit their website at www.kwrealtygroup.com

Happy Mother’s Day and Happy Spring!

Wishing all the moms a Happy Mother’s Day and Happy Spring to everyone! Be sure to set aside some time to get outdoors with your loved ones today or for some quiet time yourself. For information about parks and recreation in the region, check out our Parks & Rec Series, sponsored by the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation. For more tips on healthy living, visit them online at www.missionhealthyliving.org.

Memorial Park, Pottstown
Coventry Woods, North Coventry
Mocharniuk Meadows, Upper Pottsgrove

Man-made waterfalls: A vision for Pottstown?

This past Friday, Joe Zlomek, Managing Editor of The Sanatoga Post, published an interesting revitalization story out of Rosemont, Illinois. You can check out the article here: “You can see the Pottstown waterfalls from Illinois.”

Joe describes the way this relatively new town created waterfalls at one of their gateways and at an entrance to a walkway along the Des Plaines River and asks readers to imagine something similar along Pottstown’s Schuylkill Riverfront.

With funding from the Schuylkill River Heritage Area and the William Penn Foundation, the Borough is in the midst of developing a Heritage Action Plan. The plan will lay out a vision, goals and objectives, and a marketing strategy for linking Schuylkill River Trail users to downtown resources, such as shops, restaurants, arts, culture, history and recreation. The River and the Trail are key to any revitalization and economic development strategy.

A working group meeting is taking place this morning, Monday, April 18 from 10:30am-noon. Anyone interested in being part of the planning or implementation of the Heritage Action Plan is welcome to attend this or future meetings.  Please send an email to PtownHAP@gmail.com or check out the Pottstown Heritage Action Plan on Facebook for more info.

A huge “THANK YOU” to Joe for giving us some creative food for thought!

Wyndcroft classmates return for 50th Reunion this weekend

Please welcome guest blogger Susan Storb to Positively!Pottstown.  Susan grew up in Pottstown and went to The Wyndcroft School back in the 1950s.  Her father was born and raised in Pottstown and ran Storb Travel Service for many years, and her grandfather represented Pottstown in the State Legislature.  Susan is married to retired architect Michael Horn, lives in Philadelphia, and is committed to the revitalization of Pottstown.  As a current Board Member at the Tri-County Performing Arts Center, she hopes to spend two days a week in Pottstown, working on behalf of the theater and town.

Wyndcroft Classmates Return for 50th Reunion This Weekend

By Susan Storb

A few people, who had the good fortune to grow up in Pottstown in the 1950s and attend The Wyndcroft School, recently decided to organize a reunion. It will be held at Brookside Country Club this Saturday, April 16.   We have about 40 people coming.  Most of those attending still live in the vicinity of Pottstown but some are coming from as far away as California, Arizona and Georgia.

“There was a whole group of us who grew up around Rosedale Drive who wanted to see everyone again,” said Lisa Longaker Brandin.  “Not everyone went to Wyndcroft but everyone is tied to our childhood in some manner.”

“Pottstown was a great place to grow up,” added Holmes Raker.  “There weren’t many organized activities for kids back then so we had to invent our own games.  We played in everyone’s backyard, wandered through every creek bed and knoll and just had to show up for dinner.  It was great!”

On Saturday there will be a bicycle tour of Pottstown starting at Tri County Bicycles, home of Bike Pottstown, at 256 E. High Street.  It will conclude with hoagies at the Ice House (of course) and a tour of the Tri-County Performing Arts Center.   There will be time during the day for people to drive through their old neighborhoods and maybe even tour their old houses.  Then those who attended Wyndcroft will get a special tour of the school conducted by the headmistress, Dr. Kathleen Wunner.

“We are just thrilled that this group of alumni is coming back to see Pottstown and see how the school has changed” said Damaris South, Director of Development. “We had lost touch with some of these graduates so it will be fun to meet them for the first time.  And, it is inspiring to see that everyone who attended Wyndcroft has such fond memories of their childhoods.  Even Latin class taught by Mr. Snively!”

Any proceeds above and beyond the cost of the function will go towards Wyndcroft’s fund raising efforts.

SALSA & more in Pottstown this weekend!

On Thursdays, we’ll be putting the spotlight on some entertainment & recreational possibilities for your weekend in Pottstown.

THURSDAY, APRIL 14

Thursday Night Karaoke at Chummy’s/Sunnybrook , 8-11 pm. Sam and Tim DJ this cool event. Drink specials and more.

FRIDAY, APRIL 15

Join Remi and Star and the Calle Sol dancers at the Starry Ferrari Third Friday Salsa Social In Pottstown at the Ballroom on High, 310 E. High St., 2nd floor. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Food will be set out buffet style at 7:45 pm, first come, first served. Salsa lesson at 8 p.m. Dancing to salsa, bachata, merengue, cha cha, reggaeton, and more till at least 12 a.m.! DJ REMI! They had over 100 people at last month’s party! BYOB. ABSOLUTELY NO UNDER-AGE DRINKING! IDs checked at the door. Under 18 must be under the supervision of a parent. Security on Site. Admission: $12 Dress code: Dress to impress. NO boots or sneakers, no hoodies, low slung jeans, please.

World War II Swing Dance at Sunnybrook Ballroom. 8-11 pm, Tickets $24 on sale at Phillies Fire Co. For Info Call 610-323-2229

SATURDAY, APRIL 16

Dinner specials at The Brickhouse, in the historic Security Trust Building, 152 E. High Street. Friday & Saturday Nights: Country Fried Steak Entree-$13.99. Sunday Nights: Brick House Rib-Eye-$12.99

SUNDAY, APRIL 17

Women’s Self Defense Class, 1-2 pm, Pottstown Karate Club, 21 N. Hanover St.  Sponsored by Citizens for Pottstown’s Revitalization.

A Vision for Pottstown: What do YOU see?

As part of the Heritage Action Plan that’s being developed with funding from the Schuylkill River Heritage Area and William Penn Foundation, representatives from lots of organizations and institutions in town got together for a workshop last month, where we talked about our individual visions for Pottstown.

A vision statement should answer these questions: What do we want to create? What do we want our community to look like?

Below is a summary of the workshop participants’ visions for Pottstown. There seemed to be consensus around the idea of a future Pottstown with a safe, clean, revitalized, business-friendly downtown that promotes heritage resources and is accessible by various modes and attractive to families and young people.

1. Envision Pottstown as a revitalized place; focus on downtown; clean up blighted properties. Need for occupied storefronts downtown.
2. Have Pottstown’s streets be clean, welcoming, attractive and safe to bring people into town; heighten police presence; create safe link between Hill School & downtown.
3. Project a new, positive, business-friendly image.
4. Develop and promote a sense of place.
5. Promote a garden feel to Pottstown.
6. Build on existing arts and culture as economic development tool.
7. Envision Pottstown as a place that works together with existing assets/resources.
8. Pottstown should be the cultural leader in the region. Must coordinate offerings.
9. Move drug treatment center to new location.
10. Give Pottstown a progressive image. Add a new twist in arts, culture & sustainability that ties into the trail, natural resources & Pottstown’s history (pie, steel, railroad.)
11. Promote health and healthy living, farmers’ market, bike-sharing program, vibrant streetscape, activity on streets, eyes on the street. Create comfortable atmosphere, place where families are active, walking on streets.
12. Enhance and create transportation linkages, especially to improve foot traffic for businesses; be pedestrian-friendly; improve way-finding. Highlight the airport as a resource. Create a multi-modal community.
13. Market studio & residential space to art students; need more bars/entertainment for young people.

WHAT’S YOUR VISION FOR POTTSTOWN?

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