The Spirit of the Riverwards - October 26 by The Spirit

H Y PERLOC AL

DON E DI F F E R E N T LY

FISHTOWN + KENSINGTON + NORTHERN LIBERTIES + PORT RICHMOND + BRIDESBURG

THIS

WEEK OCTOBER 26, 2016 VOL. 13 NO. 40

LOCAL PROFILES Get to know S. Douglas Matlaga, Founder of Green Hill Art Services. 5

WALK-A-THON Walk-a-thon organized to aid Alexander Adaire Elementary School 7

KENSINGTON SOCCER CLUB Kensington Soccer Club opens its new soccer facility at 3718 Jasper Street. 10

ACCU-REGGIE Seven day forecast for the Riverwards. 3

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Local events, meetings and more. 12-13

HOT OFF THE

PRESS

n the 1970s, Northern Liberties was a neighborhood in transition. The breweries and factories that once sustained the area were on their way to permanently closing their doors. Many of the community’s residents left Philadelphia all together. A new group of artists and progressive thinkers were eager to snatch up places to live in the neighborhood as rent and property values declined. By the mid-1970s, Northern Liberties began to organize. The Northern Liberties Neighbors Association (NLNA) was formed on October 18, 1976, in the the midst of NoLibs’ demographic shift. The NLNA recently celebrated this anniversary by inviting neighbors, members and politicians past and present to enjoy food and drinks at the NLNA Community Center. The event also served as a platform to announce plans for a new pavilion on the existing courtyard at their office at 3rd Street and Fairmount Avenue. According to NLNA, the project is largely funded from a $178,000 donation from the Penn Treaty Special Service District (PTSSD) and pro-bono services from several local residents and groups. Matt Ruben, the president of NLNA, along with distinguished guests including Congressman Bob Brady, Councilman Mark Squilla, Council President Darrell C. Clarke and former First District Councilman Frank Diccico delivered remarks to a crowd of about a hundred people. “We realized we need to secure our long term future and we need to

provide more space and amenities so that we can meet the ever rising demand of the community,” Ruben said. “The biggest piece (is) to take this underutilized gravel thing outside of our building and turn it into a safe green environmentally responsible usable space, the centerpiece of which is going to be an outdoor permanent pavilion that is going to be a strong message of what public and private cooperation can do and what a community can do when it comes together.” According to NLNA, the community center and their courtyard are currently the site of many community events including a children’s summer art camp and the NLNA plant sale. Since more activities occur in summer than winter, the emphasis was focused on creating an area that is shaded throughout the day. They brought in Northern Liberties-based architectural firm KieranTimberlake, which annually donates one percent of the company’s time to community service and engagement, to design the space. According to NLNA, KieranTimberlake conducted thorough shading and microclimate studies to maximize the use of the pavilion. Spirit News was provided with a digital rendering of the finished pavilion. The “folded” roof design channels rain water into one of the several low-maintenance planters that border the space. The roof is also designed to provide shade from all angles as the scorching summer sun passes overhead. Continued on Page 4.

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016 THE

local lens

agreed to meet a friend at Jefferson Hospital for a same-day surgical procedure, so I’m standing on the El platform at Front and Girard waiting for the train. It’s barely 6AM, but the platform is already over-crowded. I jockey for a less crowded area and head to the far end of the platform where few people seem to venture. A train is approaching. “Thank God it’s early and there will be plenty of seats,” I tell myself, but as the train pulls into the station I notice people crammed together like stacks of King Oscar sardines. Rush hour is still more than an hour away, but you’d never know it by the sheer number of passengers on the train. Many of them stand by the doors while others are lined up and down the train’s central aisle. The train itself is not very long, so all the people standing at the far end of the platform have to run to the last car to enter the train. I enter the train and notice that almost every seat is taken. The few available seats are instantly scooped up, forcing most of the Girard passengers to clog the center aisle of the car. Dodging bulky knapsacks is a major problem on these rides. Some of the backpacks are so huge they form a kind of barrier reef, an obstacle course almost, especially when the bookbag wearers turn around suddenly and the apparatus on their backs slams into a passenger’s torso or face. I’ve long ago stopped trying to figure out what most people carry in these huge knapsacks. If I didn’t know any better I would say that they are about to undertake a 7 day hike on the Appalachian Trail. There’s barely enough room to maneuver in the train as is, but it gets worse when the train stops at Spring Garden and another mass of people enter. Stepping aside for them is nearly impossible. Passengers close their eyes in frustration or look at the floor while the passengers crammed and trapped in window seats don’t look happy at all. The situation gets worse when the train pulls into 2nd Street. More people with knapsacks and baby strollers enter the train. People with strollers have become a big problem lately. Sometimes these strollers are big enough to hold two and three children. They are really small vehicles and they sometimes block the train doors. There’s also a person in a wheelchair and behind him two men try to enter with bicycles, but thank God the cyclists are forced to scramble for another car. An old woman, squeezed into a seat by a crowd of shouting middle school students, yells that she needs to access to the door. Four hours later, around lunchtime, when I am escorting my friend home from the hospital, I’m thinking the situation on the El will be better when I board at 13th and Market Street. This isn’t the case at all. The platform is crowded and once again as the train pulls into the station, people at the far end have to run up to the last car because the train is so short. It’s a miracle that that my post-op friend and I find a seat, but we do. At least there are no homeless men walking from car to car belting out their hard luck stories. My friend and I wait for the Route 15 bus to arrive at Front and Girard. This is always a dicey proposition because you never know if the 15 has been rerouted at the last minute. The 15 gets rerouted about 10 or 20 times a month. Potholes and sinkholes in Port Richmond or a beer and bratwurst festival in Fishtown will reroute it to Aramingo Avenue. Complicating matters is the fact that the rerouting signs are vandalized so passengers have no idea if there’s been a change. Taking the 15 bus is a bit like playing Russian roulette. Waiting for bud at Front and Girard means that you have to be in constant surveillance mode because the it can appear from any direction. This is especially true on weekend nights when the rerouting process seems to be at its height. Scrambling passengers can be seen running frantically to the rerouted 15 from all directions, narrowly missing getting hit by oncoming traffic. Market-Frankford Line ridership in Philadelphia has increased by 15,000 people since the year 2000. The increase in passengers is due largely, I think, to the increase in residential developments. In my specific neighborhood that some call Port Fishtington, new housing developments are booming. There’s a new condo-apartment complex at Albert and Belgrade Streets. Another huge apartment/condo complex is being built at E. Thompson and Huntingdon Streets, which will bring in even more people, more cars and more SEPTA riders. This phenomenon is happening all across the Riverwards. In ten years, the population might be so dense that there will barely be any places to park and El ridership will continue to rise. If something isn’t done on SEPTA’s end to handle the crowds, taking

BY THOM NICKELS

the El will be more problematic in the future. Recently, I talked with a young twenty-something man who moved to the Somerset Street/Hinge Café area ten years ago with his wife. They picked the Somerset area because it appeared to be a quiet place and because it was close to SugarHouse. “We’re finally seeing our property value increase,” he told me, “and that’s good, but at the same time the area is becoming way too crowded. Now we’re seriously considering moving into Bucks County. There are just too many people moving here.” The new congestion crowding the Market-Frankford Line is even evident on early Sunday mornings when you can board the train at Girard and Front and notice peak crowds on the station platform. Around 8AM, the train is often standing room only, an astounding fact when you realize that traditionally, Sunday is the week’s most leisurely day. So why is the El so crowded on a Sunday morning? Certainly these people are not going to church. Some seem to ride the El at night on weekends because they are homeless and have no place to sleep, so the El has become a mobile home of sorts. In 1950, the Market-Frankford Line operated trains every 90 seconds at peak hours. Today, MFL trains at peak hours run every four minutes. While there were fewer cars on the road in 1950, necessitating a lot more trains, the pendulum seems to be swinging back as city residents give up their cars and depend more on public transportation. There’s no shortage of SEPTA armchair-analysts who have all kinds of opinions when it comes to urban transportation. Some of the better sources call attention to the fact that Philly’s station platforms are not long enough for bigger trains, while others agree that SEPTA needs to adopt the 1950 model by fixing “staffing and availability problems,” so that they can put more trains in operation. Other suggestions point to building a new subway line down Chestnut or Walnut Street or extending the line on Locust Street from 16th Street to 40th Street. Last year, SEPTA instituted a pilot project to remove a couple of seats on several trains to accommodate people who stand or cluster by the doors because they are only traveling a few stations. Removing seats can never be a good thing because most people, when given the option do not want to stand. What this pilot program has done is just make room for bigger baby strollers, making passage in and out of the doors a more difficult undertaking. Or how about rethinking the idea of using yellow school buses to bus the hundreds of school kids who crowd the city’s public buses and trains? New York is also experiencing a subway issue of sorts. Earlier this year, for instance, The New York Times reported that “Subway ridership in New York is in the midst of a resurgence almost unimaginable in the 1970s and 80s, when the system was defined by graffiti and crime. Ridership has steadily risen to nearly six million daily riders today from about four million in the 1990s.” The Times also reported that the crowded trains in New York can make for tense commutes that contribute to assaults among disgruntled passengers. Something like this happened to me months ago when I

THOM NICKELS

IS A PHILADELPHIA BASED AUTHOR, JOURNALIST, POET, FILM CRITIC & FEATURE WRITER FOR SPIRIT NEWS.

found myself trapped by the door of a packed MFL train. On this particular day I stood beside a guy who seemed unusually stressed, not only because of the crowds, but because he was also in the middle of an argument with his girlfriend on the phone. As I stood beside him reading a book, I felt him push against me so that our bodies gently collided. He then turned to me and accused me of crowding him out. The illogic was strangely twisted and indicative of life on the El in 2016. While it’s a good thing that people are using public transportation and not adding to the density of highways by purchasing cars, the overall psychological effect of being crammed up against strangers inside a small space is less than ideal. •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016 S E V E N D AY F O R E C A S T F O R T H E R I V E R WA R D S

accu-reggie TWITTER: @ACCUREGGIE • FACEBOOK: ACCU-REGGIE

ast week was a wild weather ride. It felt like summer... and then the bottom dropped out! We went from 80 on Friday to the 50s on Saturday. This week is that calmer part of the roller coaster that come after you’ve already been shaken up. Temperatures will hang out in the 55-60 range with one shortlived bounce up to the 70s. This is normal for October as “warm shots” from the South weaken while the “cold shots” from the North get stronger and stronger. Our best chance for rain this week is on Thursday as a storm from the West moves through the region. It will be a chilly rain for most of the daylight hours on Thursday. This storm will bring some light snow to the Poconos be-

fore changing to rain. Sunday could also feature a brief shower as a cold front moves through the region. Wednesday is one of the coldest days of the week. Temperatures struggle to move past the middle 50s. The morning will start in the 30s for just about everyone, with morning frost and freezes likely in the burbs! Thursday is chilly to start, but then gets even worse with rain arriving in the late morning hours. All rain for us in Philly, but the Poconos will get a little snow. This day is going to be raw and cold and nasty. Friday is windy and cool behind the storm. Temperatures in the 50s with a fall-like breeze blowing the brown leaves off the trees.

Saturday is more tranquil than Friday and temperatures make it to 60. With plenty of sunshine, this will be a nice day indeed! Sunday is the warm day of the week! Temps jump up to the 70s in advance of a cold front that moves through in the evening. With the front should come a shower, but no big deal. Monday and Tuesday are very similar as we take a step back toward cooler and more seasonal temperatures in the lower 60s. Both days will be dry as well. The weather winner of the week is Saturday; the weather loser Friday. •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016

Continued from Page 1. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2017 and, in true NoLibs fashion, will be a shining example of a shared urban space. The landscape design includes stormwater management elements and a partially covered open air space that will become a place for community gatherings of all types. Former Councilman Frank Dicicco has seen many projects in NoLibs come to fruition under his leadership. During his remarks, he reminisced about a neighbor who was upset with dog owners using an open space on Orianna Street, which would later become the Orianna Hill Park or “The Dog Park” as many NoLibs residents refer to it as. “I would get a call from this guy who lived on Orianna street literally every day. I always try to convince my friends who are thinking of moving out of Philadelphia to stay, after about two months I said move, you’ll do us all a favor,” Dicicco said. “He left. The dog park is still there, it’s thriving and it’s part of the growth of this community.” Council President Clarke believes civic organizations and Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) of any size are key to the vitality of a neighborhood. “Wherever possible I encourage people to organize and create whatever type of RCO civic organization, community development organization. It actually makes it a lot easier for us as elected officials,” Clarke said. “Every neighborhood has some sort of organizational structure and in some instances you might have an organization of one. “It’s just that one person in the neighborhood that cares about everything, and as issues come up they pull people together.” Both Brady and Clarke see RCOs as the voice of the communities they represent. “They’re the watchdog. They’re the eyes and ears. They’re the ones that stabilize the neighborhood,” Congressman Brady said. “Civic organizations are the backbone of the city of Philadelphia,” Councilman Clarke said. “The things that make things happen in communities are good strong organizations. This is one of the stronger civic organizations.” NLNA has been there for the entirety of Northern Liberties’ renaissance and Council President Clarke hopes other neighborhoods looking to organize will take note of what NLNA has achieved in Northern Liberties. “To have had a sustained organization like it is extremely commendable and I ask organizations around the city to take a look at what’s happening here and try and replicate that in their individual neighborhoods,” Clarke said. •

Right to Left: Council Preisdent Clarke, PTSSD's Rick Angeli, architects, NLNA's Matt Ruben breakground on the new project./Michael Klusek

Right to Left: Council Preisdent Clarke and NLNA's Matt Ruben./Michael Klusek

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016 WRITTEN BY JACQUIE MAHON

local profiles S. DOUGLAS MATLAG A , F OUN D E R OF G RE E N H IL L A RT S ERVICES

t is an unassuming Kensington entryway with the building number spray-painted across a blue metal door. But it opens to the sweet smell of lumber and a vast expanse of wood-working machines and carpentry tools, interrupted by towering stacks of frames and art-exhibit walls under construction. Two large dogs bark in warning, and then in greeting, as I am welcomed by S. Douglas Matlaga, founder of Green Hill Art Services (GHAS), who shares this post-industrial space — as well as lunch — with three furniture makers. Occasionally, when need arises, they also share tools and expertise. It is a symbiotic arrangement common to the Riverwards. “I found the space on Craigslist,” Matlaga explained. In keeping with Philadelphia’s long tradition of wood-working and furniture making, four other wood shops and other cooperatives operate on the same street. GHAS designs and builds exhibit spaces for places such as the Delaware and Woodmere Art Museums and galleries such as Fleisher Ollman and Wexler Galleries. GHAS also works closely with individual artists to display and protect their pieces. The craft is meticulous and creative. “I fully realized my love of art at Oberlin College,” said Matlaga, relieved to get off his feet for a moment. Rain patters on the windows. “But I admit that smoking cigarettes in paint-splashed classrooms was also a big draw. I vowed never to sit at a desk and wear a suit. I figured that still gave me a lot of career leeway.” In 1995, equipped with a fresh Bachelor of Arts degree in art history and studio art, Matlaga moved to New York City and parlayed his experience building house-sized skateboard ramps into a gig with the Production Services and Fabrication departments at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. “During the interview, I compared my ramps to the Guggenheim’s curves,” Matlaga laughs. “I learned so much there from older, experienced workers.” A skateboarder himself, at age 15, Matlaga and his friends built a half-pipe of regional renown on his parents' property in Burlington, NJ — a remnant of the 2000-acre horse farm called Green Hill founded in 1791. Even today, Matlaga runs into people who rhapsodize about skating there 30 years ago, and he tells them, "Hey, that was my house!" In order to skate there, you had to accompany someone with a key and sign a “completely useless” waiver to skate. Matlaga has broken both wrists, both ankles, and his collarbone three times. "Especially in Philly," Matalga explained, "a lot of the art world is made up of skateboarders." His work at the Guggenheim was freelance and involved 80-hour weeks for a few months, followed by stretches of job hunting. So a permanent part-time stint as the Exhibition Carpenter and Preparator at the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, was welcome and lasted for 13 years. While there, Matlaga completed a Master of Fine Arts program in sculpture at Hunter College. “I did art installations, like, I turned one studio into a tropical beach scene with tons of sand. Another time I built a miniature three-story apartment with a TV on in the living room.” For one such commission in the 90s, Matlaga built a wooden rocket-ship for children receiving cancer treatment at West Chester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York. After a series of personal tragedies including a divorce, declaring bankruptcy during the 2008 financial recession and several family deaths, Matlaga started fresh in Philadelphia, opening Green Hill Art Services in 2011. In 2015, he designed and built a semi-permanent installation of Howard Pyle murals at the Delaware Art Museum. Currently, he’s making portable walls for an art show of birdhouses at the historic Mount Pleasant house. The birdhouses are destined for Fairmount Park’s meadows. While the “shop dogs” are not Matlaga’s, he does have a cat named Pico, who oversees the framing for individual

Doug Matlaga with Finn. Green Hill Art Services' cavernous space.

Doug at work at Green Hill Art Services.

Green Hill Art Services, 1811 North Howard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122 Tel: 917/721-9804 Email: greenhillart@gmail.com Web: www.greenhillart.com artists that Matlaga does at home in a pristine space. “I use acid-free gloves, dental pics . . . oh yeah, tremendous care when handling an artist’s work.” SaraNoa Mark, an award-winning artist whose fragile, carved-paper pieces require complicated framing, still ships her work to Matlaga, although she graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) and moved to Chicago a year ago. He creates delicate shadow-boxes that allow her work to float. Evan Fugazzi, also a PAFA graduate, artist and Assistant Director of the Gross McCleaf Gallery, hired GHAS for frame construction and fitting of his paintings. We pause as a third dog, tiny and determined, traverses the cavernous workshop on a beeline to me. This is Wingmore, who allows me to stay. I am grateful. Matlaga stands, picks up a chisel. Sawdust glitters in a fleeting wash of sunlight. The carpenter-artist resumes work. •

Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19806 Tel. 302/571-9590 www.delart.org/exhibits/howard-pyle-murals/ SaraNoa Mark, Artist, Paper, fiber, paintings, sculpture Email: Sn.mark1@gmail.com Web: www.saranoamark.com Evan Fugazzi, Artist , Painting, drawings Email: evan@evanfugazzi.com Web: www.evanfugazzi.com Mt Pleasant Mansion, 3800 Mt Pleasant Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19121 Tel: 215/763-8100 “Meadow Mansions: Designing Homes for Fairmount Park’s Winged Residents”

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The Spirit of the Riverwards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; October 26, 2016

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016 WRITTEN BY JAMES RENNIE

Walk-a-Thon

FRIENDS OF ADAIRE ORGANIZE FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR SCHOOL

he sun was shining down on the streets of Fishtown on Sunday, October 23rd as parents, teachers and students alike all came together for the first ever “walk-a-thon” organized by Friends of Adaire and its associates to raise money for Alexander Adaire School (1300 E Palmer St). Fundraising, keeping fit and having fun in the process made for an action-packed, joyous morning for everyone involved. Friends of Adaire is the organization at the heart of fundraising events for the school, helping to build community cohesion and giving the opportunity for local residents to contribute. “We’re on a purely supportive role to the home and school event. What I think this represents, whatever the terms are, is the efforts to innovate on behalf of the Home and School Association,” said Denis Devine, the Communications Chair for Friends of Adaire. About 35 people turned up to show their support and commitment to improving school facilities and maintaining a good sense of community. It was $15 dollars to participate in the walk-a-thon and with this, participants received a free Adaire pint glass as a souvenir. “This event is promoting physical fitness and it’s also bringing family and students together in a positive activity. We’re just trying to engage as many people as we can, and for parents to spend quality time with their kids, doing things which are positive for them,” said Anna Jenkins, Principal of Alexander Adaire School. Starting at 10AM, the walk-a-thon was 1.5 miles in total, traversing a big loop around the school and eventually ending up at Penn Treaty Park for snacks and light refreshments around 12PM. Many of the children completed the walk-a-thon on scooters and bikes, giving them an opportunity to interact and socialize with their classmates, while their parents and teachers walked alongside. Ryan Olah, a parent of a 1st grader at Adaire told Spirit News, “We love the work of the Friends of Adaire and we like doing everything we can to make sure that we’re involved in the community but also concentrating on making the school a really awesome place for our son, Camper, to learn.” The fundraising event wasn’t just attended by current students and their parents, but also those who haven’t yet started at Alexander Adaire School and are looking to get involved to lay the foundations for future success.

Participants of the Walk-A-Thon pose for a photo opportunity./James Rennie

“The goal is just to be a support to the school, to help out in any way that we can,” said Joshua Park, a parent whose son is starting at Alexander Adaire in fall 2017. The Philadelphia School District has struggled severely with underfunding for years. Many factors contribute to this such as Philadelphia bearing the burden of being both a county and a city, having to fund the prisons and the courts, leaving the district with a small budget. Additionally, charter schools have been a financial drain on the district’s budget over the last few years.These factors mean that there’s less money to be spent on important educational programming. This means that the work of organizations like Friends of Adaire is pivotal to the school's success. “It’s not the worst time [in the school’s history],” Denis Devine added, “but it’s still really bad, so efforts like this with grassroots fundraising to supplement what should be here is maddening, ridiculous and necessary. I’m happy to come out here and support, but I’m annoyed that I have to.” Thanks to organizations like the Friends of Adaire, Alexander Adaire School is thriving, aiming to hold a fundraising event at least once a month. With a happy community spirit amongst the parents, students and teachers, Adaire

is a wonderful place to be. “This is our son Camper’s first year at Adaire and he absolutely loves it. His teacher Mrs. White is amazing and [so are] all the good programs they have going on for him. There is almost too much going on, but that’s a great problem to have,” said Ryan Olah. Friends of Adaire’s next fundraising event takes place Thursday, October 27th at Frankford Hall (1210 Frankford Ave) with Halloween-themed face painting, games and a Halloween parade. • The Walk-A-Thon moves through Fishtown. /James Rennie

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016 WRITTEN BY GRACE SHALLOW

Options For Education L O C A L S C H O O L S R E P R E S E N T E D AT C H I L D R E N ’ S S C H O L A R S H I P F U N D P H I L A D E L P H I A C I T Y W I D E S C H O O L FA I R

vy McDaniels sees a “tremendous” need for families in Philadelphia to be exposed to more educational options. McDaniels is the communications director for the Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP), a 501(c)(3) that has partnered with more than 160 schools to offer need-based scholarships for K-8 students in Philadelphia since 2001. CSFP held its first annual Citywide K-8th Grade School Fair at Girard College (2101 S. College Ave) on Saturday. The event was free to the public and allowed families to learn about more educational options in the city. About 70 private, charter and public schools were represented at the event. A raffle for school supplies was held. Representatives from organizations like Playworks, a nonprofit encouraging fair and safe play in schools, were also present. “We’re hoping this event opens people up to the idea that there are a lot of choices [for education],” McDaniels said. Destiny Lewis, a resident of West Philadelphia, attended the event on Saturday with her 4-year-old daughter Nala. Lewis said she found options at the fair she had not heard of before. “I think in general it is excellent for our kids to have a better education,” Lewis added. “Our children have a better start.” Henry Fairfax, the vice president of enrollment management and institutional advancement at Girard College, said hosting the fair was an opportunity to educate more families about Girard College’s history. In 1831, Stephen Girard bequeathed about $7 million to create a school for orphaned, white boys. Over the last 168 years, the school has given 100 percent of its students free tuition, books, room and board, and an education that progresses virtually all of its students toward higher education. Today, Girard College is an independent, co-ed, college prep, 5-day boarding school located on a 43-acre campus, enrolling students, grades one through twelve, and awards a full scholarship with a yearly value of approximately $44,000 to every child admitted. Girard College did not desegregate until 1968, following a fourteen year legal battle to desegregate the school. Cecil B. Moore and the Philadelphia Freedom Fighters marched around the wall encompassing the campus for seven months in 1965 and even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to the front gates of Girard’s campus and addressed the protesters. “The Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia does very, very impressive work,” Fairfax said. “It seemed like a really smart partnership. … It’s good to have more people in the building taking in the sights and sounds.” Our Lady of Port Richmond (3233 E. Thompson St.) was one of the schools represented at the event. Renee Rozniatoski, the advancement director at Our Lady of Port Richmond, said the fair was an opportunity to “open up a dialogue” between schools and parents. Rozniatoski said students receive a “high-quality Catholic education” at Our Lady of Port Richmond. Alongside athletic and musical programs, the school has a TECH Kids Program, which provides all students in grades 5-8 with access to an in-school iPad. “Whether they find the best fit in a Catholic school environment or in a public school, a charter school or a private school, [the fair] is really trying to work with the individual families to determine what’s best for their students,” Rozniatoski said. Logan Byler of Deep Roots, a charter school set to open in either Port Richmond or Kensington for the 2018-19 school year, was also at the event. Byler, the school leader and founder of Deep Roots, surveyed families about what communities in Philadelphia need from their schools on Saturday. Common responses included rigorous academic programs, safety and a student-focused staff. “I think it’s really important for families to have the opportunity to have a lot of input in the direction that they want to see schools go,” Byler added. Families interested in receiving scholarships from CSFP can apply on the organization’s website. Priority will be given to families who apply before Nov. 15, but applications will be accepted until March 1st. •

MEAT • VEGETARIAN • VEGAN SHARES

The Citywide School Fair was held at Girard College. /All photos by Grace Shallow

The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016

Mercy Primary Care at Roosevelt Boulevard welcomes another great doctor to the neighborhood.

M e r c y s h a r e s m y p assion of conn e c t i n g w i t h m y p a t i e n t s t o p r o v i de e xc e llent, p ersonalized c a r e . A n d o u r n e w l o c a t i o n o n R o os e v e l t B o u levard allow s us to p r o v i d e c o o r d i n a t e d , s e a m l e s s c a r e i n a n u p d ated , inviting sp a c e . T h i s a l l o w s m e t o f o c u s o n y o u a s a c o m pl e t e p erson to keep y ou h e a l t h y a n d h e l p y o u a l o n g t h e j o u r n e y o f c hronic d isease m ana g e m e n t . O u r w o r k - f r i end ly ap p ointm ents a n d p e r s o n a b l e s t a f f a r e t h e b e g i n n i n g of a p ositive ex p e r i e n c e , s o w e c a n f o r m a r e a l c o n n e c t i o n . But d on’t take m y wo r d f o r i t . L e t ’s m e e t . I ’ m a c c e pt i n g n e w p atients and w oul d l o v e t o g e t t o k n o w y o u .

Mercy Primary Care at Roosevelt Boulevard (formerly Frankford Avenue) 9815 Roosevelt Bouelvard, Philadelphia, PA 19114 phone: 215.637.9400 Carrie L. Bender, DO, Melissa Bertha, DO & Lori Dwyer, DNP, CRNP

Find your closest connection by calling 1.877.GO MERCY or visiting mercyhealth.org

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016 WRITTEN BY TIM MCCLOSKEY

Kensington Soccer Club

NEW SOCCER FACILITY OPEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

new state-of the-art soccer facility made its debut at 3718 Jasper Street, between Castor Avenue and Buckius Street, last Wednesday, October 19th. Construction of the facility was made possible by a partnership with Street Soccer USA (SSUSA), Shift Capital, Comcast and the Kensington Soccer Club. SSUSA founder Lawrence Cann was on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Kensington Soccer Club president Jim Hardy, Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sanchez and Shift Capital principals Brian Murray and Matthew Grande. Representatives from Comcast, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Philadelphia Union and professional soccer players Ashley Nick and Lianne Sanderson were also in attendance for the festivities. “Our ultimate vision is to use soccer as a means to connect communities,” said Cann. “It’s a sport that breaks cultural barriers. People play for the experiences and positive environment and build trust with shared experiences.” “We both have similar missions where we use soccer to advance the community and train the youth on health, nutrition, education and leadership,” said Hardy Councilwoman Quiñones-Sanchez noted that she was a big soccer fan and that there was not much being played in her district when she started her first term. She commended Hardy for the hard work he has done in the community, serving more than 1,000 mostly low-income kids. “Something like this would have been just a dream, just a few short years ago,” said Hardy. The $100,000 facility is located not far from the Erie-Torresdale El stop. It is right next to hometown hero Danny “Swift” Garcia’s boxing gym. The WBC welterweight champ took a break from training to observe construction and kick a ceremonial first ball into the net (he was successful on his second attempt.) Much of the manual labor required was provided by Comcast and volunteers from the Kensington Soccer Club. The club gets primary use of the new field, but it will also be open to the public. The flooring for the new arena is made up of a system of interlocking plastic tiles which was provided by the U.S. Soccer Foundation. Street Soccer USA is a national non-profit located in 14 cities across the Unites States, incubated within national social service provider, HELP USA. SSUSA’s mission is to build life-changing community based sports programs that reach the least-served communities across the United States. Street Soccer USA will be supporting Kensington Soccer Club to introduce their soft skill curriculum, coaching training and methodology to increase the club’s reach in the Philadelphia community, and to build a social service back end to its engagement. The Kensington Soccer Club runs leagues for kids ages 2 to 19 years old. For more information, call 267-850-1332 or email kensingtonsoccerclub@gmail.com. •

/Tim McCloskey

The new soccer facility is state of the art./Tim McCloskey Boxing Champ Danny "Swift" Garcia kicks out the unofficial first goal./Dan Hardy

/Dan Hardy

Garcia with KSC youth players as construction is completed./Dan Hardy

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016 W R I T T E N B Y K A I T LY N M O O R E

30-Year celebration

WOMEN'S COMMUNITY REVITAL I ZATION PROJE CT C E L E BRATE S I TS 30 T H A N N IVER S A RY

n Friday, October 14th, lights gleamed over the outdoor patio of Oxford Mills, an apartment complex on W. Oxford Street, while tenants, allies and employees of the Women's Community revitalization project (WCRP) celebrated the organization's 30th anniversary. The WCRP held a ceremony to celebrate its 30-year history as a woman-led organization that has worked to strengthen Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhoods since 1986. The organization started in Kensington but has since spread to encompass Northern Liberties and sections of North Philadelphia. The event included food, drinks and a poetry reading by Philadelphia poet Trapeta B. Mayson, as well as words by Nora Lichtash, the executive director of WCRP and Staci Moore, the board co-chair of the WCRP. The organization has so far created 282 units of affordable housing for families and invested $90 million in Philadelphia communities. The organization works to provide affordable housing to families and provide supportive services like job training and family support while also working to influence policy-making at City Hall. Lichtash has been involved in the WCRP since its creation in 1986. Over the years, Lichtash said she has seen a huge loss of factory jobs that used to sustain the neighborhoods of North Philadelphia. With the loss of factory jobs, Lichtash said there has been a large abandonment of homes and structures that has promoted new high-end developments. “We welcome new people and new business, but we want to make sure that long-term people who have worked so hard in these neighborhoods get to stay,” Lichtash said. In 2015, WCRP organized a campaign that successfully established an expansion of the State Housing Trust Fund to $25 million. Most recently, WCRP has worked to create the Development with Displacement Campaign to advocate for legislation that protects community members of all income levels. Lichtash explained that half of the projects completed by the WCRP are funded through a government program that provides tax credits to large corporations. “They put money into our housing and then they get a break on their tax bill for ten years.” The rest of the money comes from a number of different sources that Lichtash said at times can be difficult to raise. “It's hard especially for us because we don’t turn people down based on their income,” Lichtash said. She attributes the organization’s success to the sheer amount of people behind the effort, including volunteers, employees, engineers, architects and general contractors. Sharonel Monroe, a tenant and member of the advocacy committee of WCRP, came to WCRP in 1999 with five

children. Monroe said that the housing and resources are what allowed her to change her life and be able to send four kids to college. “The resources that they have inside their organization helped me get everything else in order so that I could succeed within my personal life as well as managing the home,” Monroe said, “and I really believe that if I had not been in this kind of housing setting, with the resources and the information that I had, I wouldn't be able to do so much with my children, like I am doing now. It's a blessing.” Monroe believes the efforts of WCRP help create communities that promote more productivity. “It creates communities when you live inside their houses. Its multicultural and diverse,” she said. “If families come in broken or tattered in any kind of way the resources would help them become more productive.”

Philadelphia poet, Trapeta B. Mayson, performs during the WCRP’s 30 year celebration./All photos by Kaitlyn Moore

WCRP held a ceremony on Friday, October 14, to celebrate its 30 years of advocating for affordable housing at the Oxford Mills apartment complex.

Rep. Taylor Hosted Free Prescription Drug Take Back Event in Port Richmond In a move to better protect children and the environment from unused medications, Rep. John Taylor (R-Philadelphia) sponsored a Drug Take Back Day last weekend. The event took place on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10AM to 2PM at Campbell Square (East Allegheny Avenue and Belgrade Street) in Port Richmond. Items accepted in the take-back program included prescription and over-the-counter solid medications; tablets and capsules; liquid medications, like cough syrups and cold medicines; prescription patches; medical creams and ointments; vitamins; nasal sprays; and pet medicines. Despite the rain and clouds there was a great turnout of people dropping off expired and unused prescription drugs. In all, more than 15 large boxes of prescription and non-prescription medications were disposed of. •

After participating in the WCRP housing program, Monroe soon got involved working with the organization. “I wanted to find out what the whole organization was all about after they blessed me,” she said. “I found out they were resources for women with families that had different problems and they were able to help them afford housing. It was a passion of mine to be a voice for women going through situations.” Lichtash said that having tenants become involved with the WCRP is an important aspect of the organization’s goals. “Our board is made up of nearly half of low-income people who either have needed affordable housing or do need affordable housing,” Lichtash said. “I really hope to be in the background of this organization for the next 30 years,” Monroe said. “Celebrating this with them [tonight] is a really great celebration. It allows me to see what they are doing is good and it will continue.” •

Guests of the WCRP 30 year celebration enjoyed drinks, food and a poetry reading.

Nora Lichtash, executive director of WCRP greets guests at the celebration.

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR N E W S @ S P I R I T N E W S . O R G • 1 4 2 8 E . S U S Q U E H A N N A AV E • 2 1 5 . 4 2 3 . 6 2 4 6

meet ing s NKCDC OPEN OFFICE HOURS NKCDC is hosting open office hours in the 19134 zip code at two locations. They will be at the Firm Hope Baptist Church on Tulip and Auburn Streets every second Wednesday of the month from 4-7PM. They will assist you with signing up for benefits like SNAP, connecting to housing counselors for any housing needs, rent and property tax rebates, food referrals, health insurance and safety or quality of life issues in your community. For further information contact Tess at tdonie@NKCDC.org or 215-427-0350 x 139. AL-ANON AT HOLY NAME CHURCH HALL Meetings are held every Monday night from 7-8PM at Holy Name Church Hall at 701 Gaul Street. Anything shared at a meeting stays there and everyone is welcome to attend. Al-Anon meetings are free, anonymous and confidential. Tuesday, November 1, 7PM FNA ZONING MEETING 1425 Frankford Ave: Proposal for a the construction of a mixed-use building with (3) residential dwelling units and ground floor commercial space. 1825-29 Blair St: Proposal for the construction of (2) single-family houses, each with a roof deck and interior accessory parking space. This meeting will take place at the Fishtown Rec Center, 1202 E Montgomery Ave. All residents and business owners in Fishtown are eligible to vote. Please bring proof of residence or business ownership in the form of a driver’s license or a photo id and a lease, utility bill, or recent piece of mail addressed to your home or business. NETWORKING MEETINGS Philadelphia Mastermind Group – Every Friday, 8-9:30AM, B2B Networking at Front Street Café (1253 N Front St.) HAPCO/DIG/GPAR – 2nd Thursday of the Month, 12:001:30PM. Lunch & Learn, real estate meetup at the Greater Philadelphia Association of realtors (341 North Delaware Avenue, Suite 200) DIG/HAPCO – 3rd Wednesday of the Month, 6:30-8:30PM. Philly Riverwards Sub-Group, Diversified Investors Groups meet up at Front Street Café (1253 N Front St.) For more information contact Joe Scorese 215-290-5108 or jscorese@firstrust.com.

events Thursday, October 27th, 5-7:30PM HALLOWEEN PARADE AND HAPPY HOUR FUNDRAISER Join Friends of Adaire at Frankford Hall for our cutest event of the year! Costumed kids and their families are invited to join us for one of our popular Happy Hour Fundraisers benefitting Alexander Adaire K-8 in Fishtown and this time the kids activities includes a Trick or Treat Parade around Frankford Hall, face-painting and more! $5.00 donation requested. FABA Meeting A Success Photo by Roman Blazic Last week the Fishtown Area Business Association hosted an enjoyable social event at Martha's (York and Martha Street) to welcome it's newest members. FABA President Catherine Jennings addressed the group on topical items and provided time for each new member to present their business to all who attended. •

Friday, October 28th, 5-7PM TRUNK OR TREAT! Adaire's schoolyard will be transformed into a showcase of scary and fun decorated car trunks, bike baskets, and tables at Adaire's first-ever Trunk or Treat! Enjoy a family fun night out filled with crafts, trick or treating, snacks and 50/50 tickets for sale, and a movie in the Adaire auditorium! Inside, we're screening "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" in the Adaire auditorium we fundraised for last year! $3 per person includes trick or treat, movie, and crafts! (Children under 2 are free) $10 to host a spot (car, bike or table) to decorate, hand out candy and enter to win PRIZES. Cars can start set up at 3:45PM; no cars will be permitted after 4:45PM. Proceeds benefit the 8th grade field trip! Friday, October 28, 8PM-Midnight BEEF AND BEER FUNDRAISER Come out to St. Dominic’s Marian Hall (8532 Frankford Ave.) a night of food, cold beer, dancing and Philly’s greatest funny man, Joe Conklin. Tickets $30. Benefits healing retreat for Gold Star Families and will kick off fundraising for a Memorial Wall in tribute to the 289 Heroes killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Call for tickets 215-983-4470. Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29, 6-8PM HAUNTED HOUSE Glavin Playground and the Girl Scout troops, 2600 E Westmoreland St. Invite everyone to our HAUNTED HOUSE scheduled for weekend of Fri. Oct. 28 and Sat. Oct. 29. Open from 6:00 to 8:00 PM both nights. Cost is $3.00 per person. Refreshments will be available for sale. Come out and enjoy a great evening reconnecting with school friends and neighbors. October 29, 12-4PM BY MY SIDE’S FAMILY FALL FEST Fall Fest raises money to support the critical programming By My Side’s non-profit parenting program provides to over 100 hundred Fishtown and Kensington families on a weekly basis. Parents and children will partake in food truck fare, participate in activities to include story telling by local elected officials, music performances, and safety activities by law enforcement. Thursday, November 3, 7-8:30PM PUB THEOLOGY: FISHTOWN A monthly conversation exploring the intersection of faith and life. All are welcome, whether you consider yourself very religious, or not at all. This monthly gathering is a place where people from all walks and faiths can gather and be in conversation about topics of faith and life. Hosted by: Rev Noah Hepler (Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Atonement) & Rev Shawn Hyska. (Pastor of 1st Presbyterian Church in Kensington) at Front Street Café November 3, 9-10AM WEATHERIZATION WORKSHOP Adaire School will host a Weatherization Workshop, presented by NKCDC. The workshop will be in our school auditorium on Nov. 3rd from 9-10AM. Please RSVP (215291-4712 Ms Devlin) by Nov 1st, to ensure you receive your free weatherization supplies that day. This is open to all residents in our community. Please join us, refreshments will be provided. November 4, 5-9PM ART SHOW AT RICHMOND LIBRARY The Richmond Branch Library will be presenting the artwork of three graduates of the Pratt Institute: Harriet Millman Reed, Martin Veredoe and Robert Pasternak. It is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Sunday, November 6, 4-7PM CELEBRATING MARY SETON CORBOY Mary Seton Corboy, founder of Greensgrow Farms, passed away on August 7th, 2016. Help us celebrate Mary’s vibrant and inspiring life on November 6th the way she wanted us to – with a big party on the farm. We will share memories, have live music plus light refreshments. Please feel free to bring your own picnic or dish to share. Food will be available for purchase from local food trucks. We will provide tables and seating throughout the farm. This event is open and free to everyone. All donations received at this event will go to Mary’s Community Fund, a grant program administered by Greensgrow that is open to all individuals and organizations in Kensington and

West Philadelphia. Each year two $500 grants will go towards community beautification efforts including, but not limited to, public art, window boxes, street trees, or regeneration of a local park. Dates for open applications will be announced at a later date. Contributions to Mary’s Community Fund can be made at www.greensgrow.org/get-involved/donate/ Saturday, November 12 LOVE YOUR PARK FALL SERVICE DAY Join Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Fairmount Park Conservancy as we clean, green, and celebrate Philly’s parks! We need 2,000 volunteer to help plant trees, collect leaves for compost, clean up trash and litter, more! Kids, families, and large groups welcome. Visit loveyourpark.org or call (215) 683-3689 for participating parks and to register. November 12, 7-11PM FISHTOWN BATTLE OF THE BANDS Presented by St. Laurentius School & Holy Name Parish Present, Battle of the Bands at Holy Name Church Hall (Berks & Gaul Sts). Donation: $30 in advance $35 at the door. Buy tix at Holy Name Church or St Laurentius School Tuesday, November 15, 4:30-8PM AMERICAN STREET IMPROVEMENTS OPEN HOUSE The City of Philadelphia has received federal funding to make improvements along American Street between Girard and Indiana Avenues. Trees, bike racks, benches, lighting and more. Meeting at Front & Palmer (1750 N. Front St.) Thursday, November 17, 4:30-8PM AMERICAN STREET IMPROVEMENTS OPEN HOUSE The City of Philadelphia has received federal funding to make improvements along American Street between Girard and Indiana Avenues. Trees, bike racks, benches, lighting and more. Meeting at Pan American Academy Charter School (2830 N. American Street.) Friday, November 18, 4:30-7PM PORTSIDE ARTSMOBILE PROJECT FUNDRAISER The Portside ArtsMobile Project is an initiative through Portside Arts Center that brings arts integrated curriculum to local schools in order to increase student's comprehension of and confidence in literacy, math, science, and social/emotional skills. On November 18th, from 4:30 to 7:00PM, ArtsMobile will be holding a happy hour fundraising event at Martha (York and Martha Sts.) in Kensington. Rowhouse Spirits Distillery will be showing their support by donating some of their locally crafted products. Saturday, December 3, 10AM - 2PM CRAFT SHOW At Grace Church and the Incarnation (Edgemont & Venango Streets). Vendors Needed, $25 a Space. Bring Your Own Table. Call Ken Paul to Reserve 215-380-9783 Last Tuesday of every month, 7PM SPIRITUAL INQUEERY A safe space to explore and study the intersection of faith and sexuality for LGBTQIA+ Christians and Inquirers. Come share, listen, learn, and find community support in navigating the trials and tribulations of this life. We meet on the last Tuesday of every month at 1542 E. Montgomery Ave. Wednesdays, 6-7:30PM FALL NIGHTS IN THE MEADOWS Have you joined us in The Meadows? Since last month, The Philadelphia Photo Arts Center has been hosting free arts programming every Wednesday, 6-7:30PM, in our pop up park across the street from the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center (1400 N American St. #103). Check out the lineup: October 26: Bring-Your-Own-Knife Pumpkin Carving Party November 2: The Dirty Soap Blues Band Acoustic Party November 9: "Waste" Experimental Film Screening & Augmented Reality Walk Video by Termite Collective Thursdays POWERS PARKS FARMER’S MARKET Come attend the Farmers’ Market on Thursdays from 3-7PM at Powers Park (Ann & Almond Streets). Fresh food

The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016 available from local farms and kitchens. More information (vendors, etc.) is available on the Powers Park Conservancy Facebook page. Sundays, 12-4PM AMALGAM ADVENTURER’S LEAGUE Adventurers! Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse is now hosting Adventurers' League play on Sundays from noon to 4PM. Bring your level 1 character, or just yourself and our DM will have pre-gens, and join us as we begin the new season of Storm King's Thunder with the Great Upheaval adventure. New and experienced players welcome! Every Sunday morning, 10AM LET THE CHILDREN COME. Progressive, child-led Christian education for children ages 3-13. Storytelling (with ample time for wondering) with a focus on processing through art. All children and families welcome, regardless of religious affiliation. At Atonement Lutheran Church, 1542 E. Montgomery Ave. Monday, October 31, 5:30-8:30PM HALLOWEEN PARTY Join Liberti Church East (2424 E. York Street) on Halloween night from 5:30-8:30pm as we open our doors for candy, games, free professional costume photos, and a safe space to hang out with family and friends. Saturday, October 29, 2PM HALLOWEEN CONTEST For boys and girls 10 and under. At the Bridesburg Rec (4625 Richmond St.). Trophies, door prizes, treats and tombola. Call 215-685-1247 for more info.

Fridays ART WORKSHOP FOR SENIORS St. Anne’s Senior Center, 2607 E. Cumberland St., is offering an art workshop for people age 50 and older. “Clay Creations” will meet weekly on Fridays, from 12:30-2 PM Participants will learn about the art of hand building to create pots and other clay forms. Those interested should register in advance. For more details call 215-426-9799. SENIOR EXERCISE CLASSES Exercise classes for people 50 and older will be offered at St. Anne’s Senior Center, 2607 E. Cumberland St. Class schedule will be Enhance Fitness on Mondays and Thursdays at 9:30 AM, Chair Yoga on Tuesdays at 9:30AM, Tai Chi on Wednesdays at 10AM, and Line Dancing on the first and third Friday of every month. For more information call 215-426-9799.

faith Wednesdays FIRST PRESBYTERIAN BIBLE STUDY GROUP A Bible study group meets at First Presbyterian Church, 418 E. Girard Ave at 7PM . Come and bring a friend for informative, exciting and lively open discussions. As always, everyone is welcome. Thursdays ST. ANNE WEEKLY NOVENA St. Anne weekly Novena Thursday evening service, 7PM Church of Saint Anne, Memphis St. and Lehigh Ave.

children

Tuesdays PRAYER MINISTRY First Emmanuel Prayer Partners Church, 711 W. Girard Ave. Prayer Ministry is looking for Prayer Partners. EveryLEPRECHAUNS SIGN UPS Leprechauns Sports Association is now accepting registra- one is Welcome to come pray with us. tion for Football and Cheerleading. This is open to boys For further information call 215-456-9974. ages 5-14 and girls age 6-14. The clubhouse will be opened Wednesday nights from 6-8 pm and Saturday mornings 10 am-12 pm.. faith The clubhouse is located at 2973 Gaul Street 19134. For more information call 215-423-6309 Check out our website http:// leprechaunsysa.wix.com/leps#!blog/chi3, or find us on face- Saturday, November 26 book.https://www.facebook.com/Leprechauns-Sports-Associ- LADIES OF PORT RICHMOND BREAST CANCER ation-347773417784/ FUNDRAISER Fundraiser trip to Lancaster for Christmas Museum, SIXERS NEIGHBORHOOD BASKETBALL LEAGUE shopping and dinner at Shady Maple. Leaving early from Hancock Rec has more openings for players in their SNBL Campbell’s Square. league held at Moffett Elementary School. For more in- Call Marylou at 215-427-3222 for more info. formation please contact Coach Larry @215-685-9877, or come to Moffet to register on Mondays, Tuesdays and Tuesday, December 13 Wednesdays from 4-6PM. PEDDLER’S VILLAGE MURDER MYSTERY The Sodality of Our Lady of Fatima from St. Adalbert ParFISHTOWN LIBRARY ish in Port Richmond is sponsoring a one day trip on TuesTuesdays: Super Storytime: Join Miss Dana after school day, December 13, 2016, to the Peddler’s Village Murder for stories and crafts! Tuesdays @ 4PM. For ages 3 ½ and Mystery Dinner Theater. The group will be departing from up. Runs through November 8 St. Adalbert Church (2645 E. Allegheny Ave.) at 9:45AM. A Tuesdays: Toddler Storytime: Join Miss Dana for stories, luncheon will be at the Cock & Bull Restaurant followed songs, and silliness! Tuesdays @ 10:30AM. For ages 0-3 ½ by “A Dickens of a Murder” Mystery Show. Following the . Runs through November 15 show. You will have time to do some shopping for ChristWednesday, October 12 and 26: PAWS Read to a Dog: Sit mas gifts. Departure for Philadelphia will be 4:30PM and with our therapy dog, Miracle, and read him a story! All approximate time of arrival home will be 5:45 PM. The ages. Wednesday, October 12 and 26 @ 4-5PM total cost including gratuities is $88.00. A deposit is reSaturday, October 22: Little Learners Monthly Play Day: quired to hold reservations. An hour of free play for ages 0-5. Saturday, October 22 from For reservations/information call Theresa Romanowski 21510:30AM-11:30AM. 922-1700 or 215-813-2780. Thursday, October 27 @ 4PM: Pumpkin Painting. Paint a mini pumpkin! Ages 4 and up. Supplies limited; first come, first served. sign ups Friday, October 28th @ 10:30AM: Halloween Storytime. Come for our not-so-scary stories, crafts, & surprises! Wear your costume! Ages 3 and up. Wednesdays, 7PM ST. ANNE’S CHURCH CHOIR Wednesday St. Anne’s Church Choir is back with a new director, April PRESCHOOL STORYTIME AT RICHMOND LIBRARY Anderson, and assistant director, Rich Burns. We’ll be This program is intended for children ages 1-4 and their rehearsing on Wednesday evenings at 7PM at St. Anne’s caregiver. Siblings are always welcome. Daycares should Church (Lehigh and Memphis). Former director Nick Pigcall for separate appointments. Richmond Branch of the nataro will return to conduct St. Anne’s Annual Christmas Free Library, 2987 Almond Street. Concert later this year. All are welcome to come and sing. For further information call 215-685-9992. Call 215-426-8422 for more information. GIRL SCOUT TROOP AT GLAVIN PLAYGROUND Welcomes New Members. Meetings will start week of Sept. 19 at Glavin Playground (2600 E Westmoreland St.) with breakdown of age level meetings as follows: Sundays Brownies – 1st – 3rd Grade – 6:45 – 8:00 – Monday Nights; SUNDAY BINGO Daisies – K – 1st Grade – 6:05 – 7:00 – Tuesday Nights; OldSt. Anne Church will host bingo on Sundays in the Social er girls – 6th – 12th Grade - 7:00 – 8-00 – Tuesday nights; Hall, Memphis and Tucker streets. Doors open at 4PM; Juniors – 4th – 6th Grade – 6:45 – 8:00 – Wednesday nights. bingo starts at 6PM. Cost is $12. Information about registration and the troop manageCall 215-739-4590 for more details. ment will be available from the troop leader at the meetings.

seniors

Page 13 COHOCKSINK PLAYGROUND (2901 CEDAR ST.) Zumba is on tuesday nights from 7:30-8:30 with Ms. Jamie. Only $5 a class. Yoga is on Wednesday nights from 7:15-8:15 with Ms. Amanda. Only $5 a class. Both classes are held at Cohocksink Playground, 2901 Cedar St. Our phone number is 215-685-9884 BRIDESBURG REC CENTER (4625 RICHMOND ST) Zumba – Classes are Mondays and Thursdays from 7-8PM, and the cost is $4. Pre-school — 3-year-olds. Thursday and Friday, noon2:40PM Pre K — 4-year-olds, age as of September 1, 2016. 8:5011:30AM or noon-2:40PM Monday and Wednesday. Food Pantry - Please donate nonperishable food and clothing for needy in the neighborhood. Drop off donations at the Rec weekdays from 9AM-9PM. Scrapbooking – Scrapbooking group meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-9:30PM. The cost is $5 per class and everything will be supplied except a book and photos. Ladies Bowling League — Tuesday mornings at 9AM @ Erie Lanes. Interested? Come an join us any Tuesday. For more information call Miss Jackie at 215-685-1247. CIONE SIGNUPS Zumba Class: Fridays 7:30 to 830PM. Cost is $5 per class. Chess: Will start again Thursday, October 13. Chess will be on Thursday from 6:30 to 8PM and Saturday 12 to 1:30pm. No cost. All ages. All Skill Levels. Arts & Crafts: Saturdays 12 to 1:30PM. Starts October 15. Ages 5 to 12. Hip-Hop Dance: For kids 5 and up, $20 register fee. $25 a month. Wednesdays 7:15 to 8:15PM. Tot Recreation: Still have openings. Must be at least 3 1/2 years of age. Call 215-685-9950. Leave name and number and teachers will get back to you. TOT SOCCER SIGNUPS Sign up now for Tigers Tot Soccer. Girls and boys ages 3 ½ to 6. The season will begin soon, so sign up now at the Tigers’ clubhouse (2423 E. Ann St.) Also, t-ball pictures are in, please pick them up! For more info, call Tom Mack (215-275-8838) FREE ENGLISH & CITIZENSHIP CLASSES Can you or someone you know benefit from English as a Second Language (ESL) or Test for Citizenship Classes? The Richmond Library at 2987 Almond St. presents free English and citizenship classes. Tuesday and Thursdays from 6-7:30PM at the Richmond Library. For more information, call the Library at 215-685-9992. WALKING CLUB The Playgrounds and Rec Centers in Parks and Recreation District 2 are starting a Walking Club. Exercise as you wait at your child’s program. There is no cost to sign up, and the first 100 participants get a free t-shirt. Stop in and sign up at the Bridesburg Rec Center at 4601 Richmond St. For more information and to register, call the Center at 215685-1247.

Email, call or drop off your calendar event to The Spirit. news@spiritnews.org 215-423-6246 1428 E. Susquehanna Avenue

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016 COMMUNITY

CLASSIFIEDS A D S @ S P I R I T N E W S . O R G • 1 4 2 8 E . S U S Q U E H A N N A AV E • 2 1 5 . 4 2 3 . 6 2 4 6

Advertise With Us! By placing an advertisement with the Spirit News, you connect with the residents of Fishtown, Northern Liberties, Port Richmond, and Kensington.

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THE FINE P RINT:

1 4 2 8 E . S US QUE H AN N A AV E

We reserve the right to edit, refuse or classify any advertisement. Advertising is a privilege which must be protected against misuse. All classified advertisements subject to pre-payment. It is the responsibility of the advertiser to check the advertisements each time it is published. No responsibility is assumed by the newspaper for errors. Errors will be rectified by reinsertion in the following issue only.

215.423.6246 The deadline is Friday at 5pm for display ads, and Monday at 12pm for classifieds. All advertisements must be paid for in advance.

PARENTS

FOSTER PARENTS Good, Loving homes needed for children of all ages.

PLEASE CALL

FAIR HOUSING

JOBS

YOU HAVE A NICE SET OF WHEELS BUT CAN’T FIND A PLACE TO PARK THEM.

Drivers: Getting Home is Easier. Nice Pay Package. BCBS/Dental/Vision. Monthly Bonuses. No-Touch. Chromed out Trucks w/APU'S. CDL-A 855-842-8498

Landlords must allow you to make reasonable accommodations to ensure full use of your apartment. Telling you that you can’t install grab bars and ramps is against the law. You can fight back.

SHINGLES - GUTTERS - SPOUTS

FREE ESTIMATES - CALL GERRY

PLUMBING - WINDOWS PAINTING - DOORS CARPENTRY - CEILINGS CEMENT - FLOORS

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ELECTRIC

FAST SERVICE & LOW RATES LIC. - INS. BONDED

2 1 5 -92 7-1 100 JUNK CARS Up to $1,100 cash for cars or trucks with bad engines or transmissions. $550 CASH for any complete junk car or truck with or without title. Call 215-669-1000

If you suspect unfair housing practices, contact HUD or your local Fair Housing Center. Everyone deserves a fair chance.

FAIR HOUSING IS THE LAW!

610-604-4411 - FJCSP.COM FOR RENT

REAL ESTATE SALES: new or experienced; free training program. Call Mike Dunphy at 215-840-8399

Rooms for rent 25xx Frankford Ave $515 Clean and Furnished 215-941-3000 Efficiency 25xx Frankford Ave. Private bath $625/ month Utilities included 215-941-3000

32xx Frankford Ave. efficiency $550 + electric Immediate possession, no pets 215-840-8399 Christmas for Our Veterans It is that time of year already!! The American Legion Auxiliary Elm Tree Post #88, will be taking gifts to our veterans at Veterans Hospital and Veterans Nursing Home in December. Items can be dropped off at The Spirit Newspaper, located at Gaul Street & Susquehanna Avenue. We are in need of the following: Hand Lotion • Body Lotion • Body Wash • Knitted Hats • Knitted Scarves • Undershirts (L-3X)) • Batteries (AA,AAA,C) • Flannel Shirts (L-3X) • Gloves • Slippers • Board Games • White Socks • Lounging Pants (L-3X) • Puzzle Books • Card Games • Boxes of Cookies • Candy Canes • Boxed Candy • Sugar Free Treats • 2 In 1 Shampoo • Shaving Cream • Hoodies (L-XXL) • Boxer Shorts (L-XXL) So that the veterans can also select Christmas gifts for family members, we are collecting items for toddlers, children, teens and women. Thank you for your support! Further Information: Please contact Marge at 215-203-0270.

The Spirit of the Riverwards – October 26, 2016

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Page 15

The Spirit of the Riverwards – March 2, 2016

Here’s what some of our neighbors say about State Rep. John Taylor . . . “John Taylor definitely walks the walk. Can’t even count all the times he’s been out with us as we stood on drug corners and faced down dealers to stop them from selling drugs to our kids and taking over our neighborhoods. There’s nobody like John Taylor when it comes to practicing what he preaches.” Ken Paul, President Port Richmond Civic Association

“John has been very visible in the Northwood Community, he attends our civic meetings held the third Tuesday of every month. He and his staff get involved with issues and problems that residents experience in the community. His staff accompanied me to a disability hearing to get Disability Paring Poles approved. He is always available.” Jose Torres, MHP – Employee at Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha “John Taylor is a great asset to our community. He always makes time for his constituents. When our neighbors fought against harassing and illegal activity on our block, John Taylor responded to our pleas with urgent and effective action. He helped rid our neighborhood of this danger and made sure all our families were safe!” Donna and Jan Galas

“For 5 years we were unable to open our windows because my neighbor refused to clean up after his pets. It got so bad our house smelled of feces inside. I contacted every city agency but it didn’t help. John Taylor saw our story and helped us. We can now open our windows and smell FRESH air again.” Kelly Jacoby, Mayfair

Push Button

#208

FIRST!

JOHN

TAYLOR

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Working hard for our local schools and neighborhoods.

Vote - General Election - Nov. 8th Paid for by Committee to Re-Elect John Taylor