The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities is holding its Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony today from 3-5 pm at their newly renovated building at 57 N. Franklin Street (the corner of Franklin and King Streets, in the former American Legion building.) This milestone is the culmination of a $1 million capital campaign.
The Cluster offers “A Hand Up… Not A Handout.” They provide a wide range of assistance programs to community members in need. Their philosophy is succinctly stated on their website: “Through interfaith cooperation, the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities addresses the spiritual, social and basic needs of persons within the Greater Pottstown community. Our programs and referrals are coordinated to help individuals make real progress in moving from dependence to productive self-sufficiency.”
Come check them out today at their new location, visit their website, and perhaps learn how you can help, too.
Thanks to resident Debby Penrod for reporting that Pottstown’s long-standing Fourth of July celebration made the Channel 6 news. See the videohere.
The comment near the end about the event being funded through private donations, rather than tax dollars, will surely strike locals as a skimming of the surface of the very real difficulty of funding the event. The many volunteers who make this and many other community events happen are to be commended for all their hard work and dedication throughout the years. Unfortunately, it’s no longer business-as-usual for the private or public sectors. There’s got to be a new modelof broader and more innovative collaboration in order to keep these community events going — if they are to keep going at all.
Balloon lifts off
As part of the Heritage Action Plan process that took place this spring – the plan is in the final stages of being drafted – it was noted that Pottstown is the host for local and regional events just about every month out of the year. See list below.
What does this have to do with raising money for the Fourth of July? The marketing of these events is left up to the individual organizations who run them. Pottstown, as the home of these events, does not “claim them” as their own, supplementing and coordinating with the existing marketing. Imagine the events on this list always being promoted together, wrapped up in a simple, cohesive branding message, on the Borough, PDIDA, PACA and (eventually) PAID websites.
Pottstown would suddenly look like a place where something fun is always happening. Potential visitors would see the pattern and realize that there is fun and safe entertainment to be found in Pottstown on a regular basis. This is a crucial step (among many others) toward marketing Pottstown’s empty storefronts, industrial space and housing to newcomers — and this is where new donors, volunteers and organizational partners can be found to help keep traditional community events like the Fourth of July going. Donors, especially, want to feel like they are supporting not only a worthwhile cause but a “winning” cause.
Pottstown already has a winning line-up. It just needs to flesh out a couple months, come up with the message (speak with one voice!) and market the hell out of it.
And just because I can’t help myself, here are a few ideas to toss onto the table:
January – continue the winter holiday spirit with Friday Night Lights downtown with literary readings, music and hot cider at multiple venues; bring in outside talent as well as locals, including students from all schools.
February – come up with a Valentine’s Day-themed event or weekend; schedule historical walking tours and coordinate with Pottsgrove Manor & Historical Society programming over Presidents’ weekend.
March – St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl (Brickhouse, Frankie & Johnnie’s, Pourhouse, Jack Cassidy’s)
April – Repent from Pub Crawl by focusing on Easter season events and holding historic church tours every weekend; add outdoor activities such as Schuylkill River bike and kayak tours every weekend.
November – Open up the holiday season with Pottstown Pie Festival. Re-claim Mrs. Smith and our pie-making heritage!!
Festivals/Special Events in Pottstown, by month
January – Polar Bear Plunge
February – ?
March – ?
April – Easter/Cross Walk
May – BMX National Event; Classic Car Show
June– Schuylkill River Sojourn; Soap Box Derby; Volleyball Rumble; Summer Solstice/Dog Show; Classic Car Show
July – July 4th; Classic Car Show
August – Classic Car Show
September – Carousel of Flavor; Open Doors; Classic Car Show
October –Schuylkill River Festival; Halloween Parade; Shiver on the River
November – ?
December – Candlelight House Tour; Hometown Holiday Celebration
“Christ Episcopal Church is blessed with a diverse congregation from people whose families have been members for several generations to new members who have been here less than a year.”
Peter Pan, A Musical Adventure has opened at Tri-County Peforming Arts Center. I saw the preview performance last night, and it is just spectacular! Children will be enchanted by the flying characters; P.J. Schweizer, who plays Peter Pan, is spot-on and full of mischievous energy througout; and Maddie Aicher, who plays Wendy, has got just the most angelic voice I’ve heard in a long time. The show runs Thursday through Sundays up until June 19. TriPAc is located at 245 E. High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464. This is a new version of Peter Pan and TriPaC is hosting the U. S. Premier. NY critics will be here to check it out. If it moves to Broadway, you’ll be able to say you saw it first… in Pottstown, PA! There’s be an opening night reception tonight, Friday, June 3rd. Go to TrIPAC.org to order tickets online. Prices are always discounted for students and seniors.
Tonight is also the opening of The Pottstown Art Show, presented by the Pottstown Area Artists Guild and The Hill School Center for the Arts. The show will be at the Hill’s Boyer Gallery until June 12. This is PAAG’s first juried show, which will raise funds for scholarships for local students who will pursue the arts in college. The PAAG is in its 51st year. See the Artists Guild website at www. Paag.info for more details.
Get a great deal on used books at the Pottstown Regional Public Library‘s Back Door Book Sale today and tomorrow! The library is at 500 E. High Street; the phone number is (610) 970-6551.
This weekend brings the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life to Pottsgrove High School. Pottstown’s relay for Life teams raise more money than any other area in Pennsylvania and is one of the top performers in the world, last year raising more than $729,000 to fight cancer. The opening ceremony is at 10 am on Saturday, followed by the Survivor and Caregiver Walk. There are other ceremonies in the evening. SeeRosemary Keane’s blog postfrom earlier today for more details.
For the children of Pottstown, a new and exciting event is being held this Saturday from 12-3 in the new Chestnut Street Park at the corner of Chestnut and Washington Streets. It’s called Science in the Park and it promises fun hands-on activities that will get your kids learning new concepts and maybe even wanting to grow up to be a scientist or engineer! There will be demonstrations on Kitchen Chemistry, Slime and polymers, rocks and minerals and chemical reactions. A huge shout-out to Pottstown resident Anna Johnson for bringing this wonderful idea to life! More info can be found at vivapottstown.com.
The professional chamber ensemble CANTATICA will return to Emmanuel Lutheran Church,150 North Hanover Street, Pottstown for the final concert of its 2010-2011 concert season on Sunday, June 5, at 4:00 PM. The program, I Hear America Singing: A Celebration of the American Spirit, will feature solo voices, chamber choir and instruments (clarinet, violin, cello, bass and piano) performing early American hymns, Shaker songs, Afro-American spirituals, Appalachian folk songs and fiddle tunes, contemporary classical settings of Civil War texts, and classic jazz. Admission to I Hear America Singing: A Celebration of the American Spirit is $14 Adults, $12 Seniors, and $6 Students. Tickets may be purchased by email at info@cantatica.org, by telephone at 484-951-5113 and at the door.
Finally, next Thursday, June 9thHabitat for Humanity of Montgomery County is holding a Homeownership Orientation Session from 6:30 PM — 8:30 PM at 450 High Street in the Sidney Pollack Building across the street from the Pottstown Library. For more info, call Jean Ford, Family Services Coordinator at Habitat for Humanity 610-278-7710.
Zion’s United Church of Christ has a long history in Pottstown. The “Old Brick Church,”
at the corner of Hanover and Chestnut Streets in one of Pottstown’s two Historic Districts,
was dedicated in 1796.
Zion’s United Church of Christ
100 North Hanover Street
Pottstown, PA 19464
(610) 323-3637
Rev. Peter Goguts, Interim Pastor
Pottstown is home to many congregations and faith communities of all denominations. On Sundays, we will periodically feature a Pottstown congregation with a photo and a link to their website, if they have one.
We are out and about, taking photos all the time, but if you’d like us to use a photo of yours, please send it along and we’ll credit you or your congregation.
We’re starting this series with St. Aloysius Parish, the first Catholic church established in Pottstown in 1856.
Saint Aloysius Church 223 Beech Street Pottstown, PA 19464 610-326-5877 www.saintaloysius.net Pastor – Fr. Joseph L. Maloney
Positively Pottstown blog 