Chester County Press 08-25-2021 Edition

Chester CountyPRESS

www.chestercounty.com

Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas

Volume 155, No. 34

INSIDE

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Board votes to have historic house demolished

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

The Mushroom Festival Guide

Avon Grove School District staff celebrate the start of a new school year...2A

By a unanimous vote at their Aug. 18 meeting, the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors gave the goahead for the demolition of a home located at 101 Cold Springs Drive in the township that was built in 1897, sits on 2.2 acres and has been vacant for at least two decades.

The property was recently purchased by Ridge Larick and his fiancée Samantha Globerman. In his letter to

the township requesting to obtain a demolition permit, Larick cited several reasons to remove the existing house that included: • The existing home is a safety concern and an eyeContinued on page 2A Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Following the recommendations of two Kennett Township commissions, the township’s Board of Supervisors approved the demolition of a dilapidated and abandoned house on Cold Springs Drive, that was originally built in 1897.

With a new school year Oxford Borough Council approves approaching, Oxford School Board makes a decision agreement for water about masks in schools main replacement project

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

All aboard! A history of railroads in Chester County...1B

INDEX Opinion.......................7A Obituaries.............2B-3B Classifieds..................6B

$1.00

By Betsy Brewer Brantner allegedly established that the Contributing Writer streetlights in the Sycamore Crossing development are Oxford Borough Council the borough’s responsibility. has approved an agreement She informed council that with Eagle Contracting and the Homeowners Association Landscaping, Inc. for a water stopped payments to PECO main replacement project in until this issue is clarified. the amount of $387,125. The Borough solicitor Stacey project area is on Hodgson Fuller will continue to Street and Eighth Street. research this issue.

At the same meeting, counBrian Dix, the Main cil listened to concerns of a Street Manager for Oxford resident and executive direc- Mainstreet, Inc. (OMI) tor of the Sycamore Crossing informed council that Homeowners Association.

Christianna Hannum, the According to the resident, executive director for OMI, they are trying to resolve is stepping down from her a long-standing issue with position due to personal the borough regarding the reasons. streetlight payments to Council president Peggy PECO. She said Sycamore Russell thanked Hannum for Crossing residents believe all of her hard work. that the financial responDix also announced that sibility of payment for the OMI is a recipient of a streetlights rests with the $25,000 façade grant, and borough. She referenced a the funding will be made number of agreements which Continued on page 3A

The Oxford School Board voted in favor of a measure that recommends—but does not require—the wearing of masks in all indoor facilities in the school district when the new school year gets underway on Aug. 30.

“What this means is that parents and guardians will have a choice of whether their children will wear masks,” said school board president Joseph Tighe after the board’s decision.

District officials said during the meeting that recommending but not requiring masks is in compliance with what the Chester County Health Department is recommending at this time. The board previously approved a comprehensive health and safety plan, and the school district will remain in compliance with guidelines that are handed down from the

state and county regarding COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

The board’s vote took place at a meeting at the Hopewell Elementary School on Thursday, Aug. 19. The meeting was initially scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 17, but when enough residents turned out to fill the small meeting room in the school district’s Administration Building to capacity—and beyond—the board opted to move the meeting to a new location that accommodated more attendees. While the meeting certainly attracted more spectators than the typical August school board meeting, the Hopewell Elementary School cafeteria was hardly packed, and only a handful of people spoke during public comment. Several residents spoke passionately about their opposition to a mask mandate that would have required all students and staff

to wear face coverings while in indoor settings to start the new school year. A few other people implored the school board to take action to keep the students and staff as safe and healthy as possible by requiring masks as a way to limit the spread of COVID19 in the school district.

A posting by superintendent David Woods on the school district website said that, “Any individual may choose to wear a mask at any time throughout the school day, and proper hygiene will still be highlighted in our schools.”

In other business at the meeting, the school board approved a contract with Siemens Industry, Inc. for fire and life safety equipment throughout the district.

The contract for $74,228 extends from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024.

The school board established admission pricing Continued on page 3A

To Subscribe Call 610.869.5553

Grand opening on Aug. 27

© 2007 The Chester County Press

Building a community fabric: Unionville couple launches Farmer & Co

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer It would be perfectly acceptable to proclaim that the seeds that began Farmer & Co in Unionville were first planted at a Philadelphia train station.

It was there that Unionville native Jessie Mooberry accidentally ran into her high school classmate and Bucks

County-born and raised Soren Rubin again after a seven-year absence. Soon after, a romance began, and six months later, Rubin moved to San Francisco to be with Mooberry.

While the social, coffeeculture vibe of West Coast city life agreed with the young couple, the insular world of their respective corporate jobs became a

continuous, soul-sapping commitment. Mooberry’s position as the head of deployment at Airbus, that involved rolling out autonomous flying vehicles Continued on page 5A Photos by Richard L. Gaw

Soren Rubin and Jessie Mooberry of Farmer & Co in Unionville, which will have its grand opening on Aug. 27.

Family, Food, Fun & Fungi The 2021 Mushroom Festival to take place on Sept. 11 & 12 You’ve probably driven by the mushroom houses hundreds of times and not even noticed, but behind those nondescript buildings that dot the landscape in and around Kennett Square, an economic engine is humming.

Kennett Square is home to the Mushroom Capital of the World. The area accounts for nearly two-thirds of all commercial mushroom production in the U.S., meaning from Philadelphia to Phoenix, if you enjoy mushrooms on your pizza, in your salads, or stuffed, sauteed or sliced, they quite

possibly came from Kennett Square.

Now that calls for a celebration! For more than 30 years, the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival has showcased the mushroom industry and the surrounding community. And after pandemic restrictions forced the cancellation of the wellknown event in 2020, the 36th Annual Mushroom Festival on Sept. 11 and 12 is back with the theme “Rooted in the Community.”

“We are excited to be able to host this event, which has become a destination event for families

here in Chester County and beyond,” said Gina Puoci, the 2021 Mushroom Festival President.

“At its core, the Mushroom Festival is an opportunity for the Kennett Square mushroom farms to give back to the community in which they work and live,” explained Gale Ferranto of Buona Foods, who recently joined the Festival Committee as Mushroom Festival Coordinator.

Each year, proceeds from the Festival are awarded to local charities and non-profit organizations. Over the past 20 years, the Mushroom

Festival has donated more than $1 million in funds to local organizations for things like books, playground equipment, food, transportation, and healthcare services.

“This year, perhaps more than in years past, we want to highlight all the wonderful businesses and groups that support the Kennett Square community, including the mushroom farms which employ so many, as well as the businesses and restaurants that support our town. Like our theme suggests, this year the Mushroom Festival is truly

Rooted in the Community,” Ferranto added.

This year’s event will satisfy mushroom lovers and mushroom wanna-be lovers—learn how mushrooms grow with a visit to the famous mushroom growing tent, sample delicious mushroom goodies and browse the variety of mushroom and non-mushroom crafts. Plus, festival-goers can watch the amateur cooking contest, the famous amateur friend mushroom eating contest, cooking demonstrations, bid on mushroom art, enjoy kids’ entertainment, music Continued on page 3A

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

Chester County Press

Local News Avon Grove celebrates the start of a new school year On Aug.17, Avon Grove School District (AGSD) welcomed its teachers back to school with the annual convocation, centered on celebrating points of pride throughout the community.

The day began with opening remarks from the Superintendent of Schools Dr. M. Christopher Marchese, and President of the Board of School Directors Dr. Dorothy Linn.

Next staff members gathered on the Avon Grove High School (AGHS) football field for a photo before

boarding school buses for a field trip through the Avon Grove community.

Approximately 400 staff members traveled throughout the AGSD community, learning about the community from tour guides and stopping at various points of pride along the way.

“We wanted our staff to gain a deeper understanding of the community in which they work and the community in which our students and families live,” stated Dr. Natalie Ortega-Moran, assistant principal on spe-

cial assignment.

With the assistance of local historian Scott Steele, Ortega-Moran provided tour guides with information on historic, unique, and diverse points of pride within the district. Buses drove past William Penn’s settlement in the White Clay Creek area and the New London Academy, where signers of the Declaration of Independence attended school. In addition, local mushroom farms, vineyards, community organizations and higher educational

institutions welcomed the staff with a personal look inside their organizations.

AGSD staff returned to the high school to attend a Community Partnership Fair, where local organizations shared information about their services and involvement with the community. The event provided an opportunity for AGSD staff to establish relationships and become personally acquainted with many of the local organizaCourtesy photo tions that serve the district’s The school district’s staff gathered on the Avon Grove High School football field for a group photo. students.

Historic house to be demolished...

into,” and to clean up the overgrown yard by removing the invasive undergrowth, fallen trees and junk/trash that is spread throughout the property.

Larick told the supervisors that he has contracted with Fairview Demolition in Oxford, who Larick said will salvage any historically significant materials and repurpose any usable items.

In the meantime, the owners plan to keep the existing spring house and stone barn ruin located on the site.

Larick said that the estimated cost of demolition will be $14,000.

The board’s decision came after a June 28 recommendation by the township’s Historical Commission to allow the demolition, which was followed by a July 26 site visit by members of the township’s Planning Commission, who inspected the home with the township’s historical consultant Robert Wise. On Aug. 11, the Planning Commission recommended the demolition.

The report stated that while it may still be salvageable, the price of saving it would be very costly. In a July 30 letter to township Director of Planning and Zoning Diane Hicks, Wise shared his findings from his inspection of the house that stated that while the house may still be salvageable, the cost of saving it would be huge. Wise wrote that there was clear evidence of water damage, several cracks in plaster walls, loosened bricks on the house’s outer walls, heavily rotted wood and weather

damage to the house’s roof.

“Due to the water ingress in its brick walls, cornice and certain window areas,” Wise’s report stated, “the house would presumably require extensive exterior repairs before it could be occupied. The removal of much or all of the outer brick wall on the south and west facades, and perhaps all facades, could be necessary.

This removal could reveal additional damage to the wall system. The gutter and adjacent woodwork would also need replacement and/ or major repairs.

“Damaged areas in the interior, of course, would also require repairs. Given general condition of the house and necessary repairs, extensive restoration or rehabilitation program would no doubt be required.”

Despite being identified as a Class 2B historical structure, a survey compiled by the township’s Historical Commission in 2011 found

Continued from Page 1A

sore to the community • It has been abandoned for the last 25 years • Rehabilitation of the existing house would not be financially feasible • The existing house is structurally unsound and • The house has extensive water damage as well as black mold Larick wrote that his plan for the property will be to build a 3,200 square-foot “modest, farmhouse-style home for my family to grow

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that the house does not meet the standards for architectural significance to place it on the National Register of Historic Places.

After the board reached their decision, supervisor Scudder Stevens lamented the soon-to-be loss of a historic structure in the township.

“It is with sadness that a building of character and historic note in the township is not going to survive,” he told Larick. “It is a loss for all of us, but hopefully you’ll be able to turn that loss into something that is good for you and the community.”

In other township news, township manager Eden Ratliff discussed the Chester County Health Department’s (CCHD) partnership with state’s Department of Environmental Protection in conducting mosquito surveillance throughout Chester County during the summer of 2021. Update summaries are planned to be provided

on a routine basis for the remainder of the surveillance season.

For more information, county residents can visit CCHD’s Mosquito Borne Disease website at www. chesco.org/3624/MosquitoBorne-Diseases, or call CCHD’s Mosquito Borne Disease Control Program at 610-344-6225.

Ratliff also said that in light of the increasing high transmission of COVID19 cases due to the Delta variant, those who visit the township building should wear a mask, including those who participate in public meetings.

Public Works Director Roger Lysle is asking township residents to review the signs near the township’s recycling center that indicate what items are permitted to be recycled.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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Chester County Press

Local News Water main...

Continued from Page 1A

available to businesses in the Business Improvement District. The money may be used for a variety of projects, including new signage and changes to doors and windows.

“The past two First Friday events have been very successful,” Dix told council.

“And, of course, on Sept.

3, we have the annual car show which is always a huge event.”

Dix emphasized that he is aware of possible changes that could occur due to COVID, but they are ready to pivot if that is necessary.

Dix also updated council about the Shoebox Theatre, and he said that construc-

Masks...

Continued from Page 1A

tion has started again on the bathroom. Dix will keep everyone apprised of future plans.

Council member Dick Winchester attended the Zoning Hearing Board meeting regarding the Presbyterian Homes’ request for a variance. He stated that the council had previously approved having Fuller attend that meeting and that she represented the borough very well.

Winchester told council that it was his understanding that in a communication to the borough’s solicitor after the meeting that Presbyterian Homes might be pulling that request back.

The original application requested “relief necessary to expand an existing retire-

between the borough and the school district.

The school board welcomed a new student representative as Victoria Milburn attended her first meeting. She reported about the activities that are taking place across the school district as Oxford’s families prepare for the start of a new school year.

The Oxford School Board will hold its next work session meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 14 and the next regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 21. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m. and will be held in the Administration Building.

for athletic events for the 2021-2022 school year.

Student admission is set at $3, while adult admission is $5. There are also season passes at special rates for students, adults, and families. The school board also established the rate of pay at $38 for people who work at athletic events.

The school board passed a resolution that will allow the district’s administration to request that Oxford Borough grant the school district the authority to assume the hiring and oversight To contact Staff Writer of two school crossing guards in the Borough Steven Hoffman, email of Oxford. Costs for the editor@chestercounty. crossing guards are shared com.

ment community and life care facility located at 7 East Locust Street, Oxford, Pa. 19363. A special exception pursuant to Sections 27-404.D and 27-404.E of the Borough Zoning Ordinance is required to expand the existing retirement community use. The applicant proposes the construction of an independent living apartment building instead of 11 cottages that were previously approved and not constructed. The proposed apartment building will be 208 feet long and 53 feet high. Variances are required from Sections 27-1312.B and 27-1313.3 (by reference to Section 27-406) of the Zoning Ordinance which limit building length to 160 feet and building height to 35 feet.

The property subject of the application is located in the PD-1 Planned Development Zoning District.”

Mushrooms...

Continued from Page 1A

and more.

New this year is the Mushroom Festival app.

Download the app on Apple or Google Play for schedule updates, ticket, parking and other Festival info, mushroom facts and more.

The 36th Annual Mushroom Festival will take place at 600 S. Broad Street in Kennett Square on Saturday, Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $5 per person.

For more information, download the Mushroom Festival app or visit www. mushroomfestival.org.

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In a follow-up conversation with Malynda Hivner, vice president of Presbyterian Senior Living stated, “We asked for a continuation at the August Zoning Hearing Board meeting. We are looking at a change in the design.

We are willing and working with the Borough of Oxford and neighbors to come up with something that will be beneficial for all.”

Presbyterian Homes is requesting the Zoning Hearing Board record on the issue to remain open.

The next Zoning Hearing Board meeting is scheduled in August where he is expected to ask for a 120-day extension so Presbyterian Homes may pursue a potentially fully compliant plan relating to the current application.

Police Chief Sam Iacono told council that one of the police department’s

full-time officers is being deployed to Cuba for 11 months. He will not be receiving a check from the borough during that time.

Public Works Director John Schaible talked about the Hodgson Street Water Line project. It was started and they will be out of the block where Jordan Bank is located before school starts.

Another drain issue has come up on N. 5th Street.

Public Works will have to replace a 30-inch pipe in the area that has created a sinkhole.

Council briefly discussed potential new COVID-19 issues. They will keep the public informed about any new guidelines for public meetings and for mask wearing.

Work is expected to continue on some sidewalks along N. Third Street from Wheeler Boulevard to the Oxford Square Shopping

Center. There will be a need to clarify some issues with PennDOT during this project.

Borough council appointed Raul Juarez and Jesus Garcia as members of the Oxford Comprehensive Plan Task Force. Both are local business owners.

A motion to accept the resignation of parttime police officer Josh Lowery from the Oxford Police Department was approved by council, effective Aug. 8. A motion to accept the resignation of Parley Hess as a representative of Oxford Borough on the Oxford Area Sewer Authority Board was also approved.

A public hearing was held to adopt Ordinance 9452021, amending Section 1-502, the Authorized Activities of Fire Company.

The issue was tabled until further notice.

Mushroom Facts • Mushrooms double in size every 24 hours.

• Pennsylvania mushroom growers have William Swayne to thank for the long tradition of mushroom growing in the state. The successful Kennett Square florist conceived the idea of growing mushrooms beneath his greenhouse benches in the late 1800s.

• Mushrooms are 90 percent water.

• Mushrooms do not need sunlight to grow.

• One Portabella mushroom has more Potassium than a medium banana.

• Mushrooms are low in calories and sodium, and fat, cholesterol and gluten-free.

• Today’s growers use smart management and production practices that use less than two gallons of water to produce one pound of button mushrooms – that’s about 32 (8 oz) glasses of water to grow, harvest, and process an entire pound of mushrooms, compared with an average of 50 gallons of water per pound of other fresh produce items.

• Mushrooms are a fairly low-energy footprint crop. Producing one pound of button mushrooms takes 1.0 kilowatt hour (kwh) of electricity. This is the same amount of energy (1 kwh) as it takes to run a coffeemaker for one hour each day.

• From the compost recipe, all the way through to what you purchase in the store, one pound of mushrooms generates just 0.7 pounds of CO2 equivalents.

By comparison, using one gallon of fuel emits nearly 20 pounds of CO2.

• Pennsylvania mushroom farms support more than 9,300 jobs and $313 million in compensation.

• Pennsylvania mushroom farms contribute $1.2 billion to the local economy.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

Chester County Press

Local News Penn Township supervisors approve three new ordinances

By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer At the Aug. 4 township meeting, the Penn Township Board of Supervisors adopted three new ordinances. The first establishes rules regulating the township parks, including fines.

Another establishes rules covering the opening and repair of township roads.

And the third ordinance addresses management of on-lot septic systems. Under the state’s Department of Environmental Protection and Chester County Health Department standards, septic tanks must be pumped out at least every three years.

The septic haulers will report to the township, and fines could be imposed on property owners who do not comply with the regulations.

“From here on out, we have to create a process,” operations Manager Karen Versuk said. “It’s a mat-

ter of putting all the pieces together.”

The board presented a proclamation to Daniel Giacoia of Boy Scout Troop 30 in recognition of his work at the township sports park for his Eagle Scout project.

Giacoia was honored for his volunteerism, leadership, research and construction in creating an outdoor classroom in the E. Kneale Dockstader Environmental Education Area of the park.

Part of his work included seating and a blackboard for students and instructors.

Also involved was Eagle candidate Gage Walker, who will be recognized for his work at a later date.

The township will be removing any dangerous trees that are identified at the sports park and the park by the township building.

Other species of trees will be planted in their place for biodiversity.

The township has noted

Photos by Marcella Peyre-Ferry

The Penn Township board presented a proclamation to Daniel Giacoia of Boy Scout Troop 30 in recognition of his work at the township sports park for his Eagle Scout project. Giacoia was honored for his volunteerism, leadership, research and construction by creating an outdoor classroom in the E. Kneale Dockstader Environmental Education Area of the park.

damage from off-road vehicles at the park and is looking into additional fencing to protect the entire park and particularly the education center. Township officials hope to have a quote for the cost of such work by the September meeting.

The board voted to spend $2,100 for a ramp with handrail at the Red Rose Inn to

make the site handicapped accessible.

“I personally do not believe we should open the inn to the public without safe access,” supervisor Curtis Mason said.

The supervisors also awarded a contract for $29,178 to renovate the deck, floor and ramp at the park bathroom. The town-

ship is saving on costs by doing the demolition of the existing ramp themselves.

Other improvements are being made to township properties this summer, including repairs to the garage door at the township salt shed. The board also voted to replace the township building sign using real stone veneer at a cost of $4,700. Signs will

also be erected at the sports park environmental education center acknowledging funding for the project by a grant from the E. Kneale Dockstader Foundation.

The board also approved repairs to cracks in the Woodcrest Road stone bridge wall and coating with hydraulic cement at a cost of $2,600.

London Britain hosts town tours and village walks

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer London Britain Township, formed in 1725 from a tract of land belonging to the London Company of Great Britain, is tucked in a wedge between Maryland and Delaware and its history is a confluence of stories told, documented and protected by a dedicated group of residents whose mission is to preserve those stories as both a testament and a lineage.

On Aug. 19 and 21, members of the township’s Historical Commission and the PA Friends of the White Clay Creek PreserveLondon Tract Historic Committee brought those stories to more than 60 guests as part of Chester County’s “Town Tours and Village Walks” program – now in its 27th year -- a collaboration between the Chester County Planning

Commission, the Chester County History Center, the Chester County Historic Preservation Network, and the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau.

Presented with the theme “Chester County….

Journeying Toward Freedom,” the two programs stopped at the Welsh Baptist Historic District and the Tri-State Marker, where Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland connect at the Mason Dixon Line. The programs focused on topics that included Quaker and Welsh Baptist values of tolerance, boundary disputes with Maryland, the drawing of the Mason-Dixon Line, and stories of abolitionists and freedom seekers.

Guest speakers and docents included township supervisors Aileen Parrish and Brian Sachs; Paul Lagasse from the Franklin Township Historical Commission;

Photo by David Unger

London Britain Township Supervisor Brian Sachs provides an oral history of the John Evans House.

Julie Rickerman from New Garden Township; and Eric Baker, Jim Martin, Susan Moon, Monica Quann and Martin Wells from the township’s Historical Commission and the PA Friends of the White Clay Creek Preserve-London Tract Historic Committee.

The group is especially indebted to Historical Commission Chair Jim Martin, who dedicated countless hours to the program.

For Moon, these tours formed a dovetail that both showcased the township’s history and brought public attention to the need to preserve the historic structures of the district, including the John Evans House, which was severely damaged by fire four years ago. She credited long-time county preservation coordinator Karen Marshall for helping the township’s Historical Commission in designing the tours.

“Karen has been very important in helping us to organize, to help us know the proper steps to preserve these structures, and this event is an educational event but also brings awareness to the struggles of preservationists,” Moon said. “Getting people from all over the county to help us coordinate these efforts is crucial to the preservation of sites like the John Evans House.”

‘Prioritize the gifts we have here’ “We have great hopes that the more exposure and education people have about the importance of these structures and how they are connected to the very

Courtesy photos

More than 60 guests attended two Chester County’s “Town Tours and Village Walks” programs on Aug. 19 and 21 in London Britain Township.

beginnings of our township, there will be more interest in supporting the kind of initiatives we are going to have to have in order to save these structures,” Parrish said. “We need as much focus on what we do here as what we have here. We feel that with Karen Marshall’s encouragement, we can prioritize the gifts we have here which we don’t wish to lose.”

Public interest aside, saving historic structures such as the John Evans House and the Welsh Tract Meeting House – which is currently closed because of the need to repair its ceiling – will also require having to navigate the sometimes choppy waters of obtaining certification and designation.

As part of those efforts, Moon recently authored a historic resources survey form that was reviewed by the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission to establish the Welsh Baptist Historic District as eligible to be included on the National Register of Historic Places.

“We have a lot of unan-

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With guest speakers and docents providing information, guests visited the Welsh Baptist Historic District and the Tri-State Marker, where Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland connect at the MasonDixon Line.

swered questions, and having our eligibility for the National Register gives us more credibility when it comes to applying for grants, research and planning,” she said. “It establishes our resources as ‘an official place’ in the mind of the state and the powers that be, so that we may be able to hire outside professionals to help us dig deeper into our history.”

The township is also working with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the National Park Service in coming up with a master plan on how to manage the White Clay Creek Preserve and subsequently, the adjacent Welsh Baptist Historic District.

On the heels of two wellattended events, Parrish and Moon hinted at the idea of the township and its commissions sponsoring historical tours in the future. The concept may have cemented itself by the interest shown by those who attended the tours and talks on Aug. 19 and 21.

“There was a man who rode up to the Meeting House on his bicycle,” Moon

said. “He told me that he has ridden by the Welsh Tract Historic District hundreds of times over the years, and yet he never knew anything about its historic impact on the area. Now he does.”

“When people move to an area like this – one that is so steeped in history – many of them do so because of that appreciation of history,” Parrish said. “It is hard not wanting to know more about the history of where you live when you move to a place where you are surrounded by it.

“It awakens in people a real interest to know more.”

To learn more about Welsh Baptist Historic District history, visit The Friends of the White Clay Creek website at https://friendsofpawccporg.doodlekit.com/home/ historic-resources or e-mail LBTHistorical@GMail. com.

To learn more about the London Britain Township Historical Commission, visit www.londonbritaintownship-pa.gov/ To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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Chester County Press

Local News Farmer & Co...

Continued from Page 1A

including air taxis and delivery drones – demanded frequent travel. For Rubin, his role in a start-up business in the healthcare industry was a seemingly endless stare into a computer screen.

“In the technology industries we were both involved in, there is very little person to person interaction and very little community,” Mooberry said. “Soren and I began to imagine doing something that would be both meaningful and community-driven.”

“In San Francisco, we were creating virtually, but we had a dream that would allow us to create something tangible – a physical manifestation of a community space,” Rubin said.

In 2020, directly in the face of a storm known as COVID-19, the couple moved back to Pennsylvania to pursue their imagination.

Originally, Mooberry and Rubin looked at developing an art and community space in Philadelphia, but the space became uninhabitable after a storm blew the building’s roof off and led to severe water damage. They then turned to Unionville, where Jessie was born and raised, where generations of her family have lived since William Penn first settled here, and where her father Doug has owned and operated Kinloch Woodworking, Ltd. for nearly 40 years.

Right next door to her father’s business stood the 1820 brick building that had been the former home of Foxy Loxy, the cozy coffee

and nosh nook that had just closed after a six-year run.

Before that, the two-story structure had been a market, a dry cleaning business, a boutique, a yarn shop and a gas station.

The history of the Unionville community was all contained in the building’s walls. For Mooberry and Rubin – who were married last September – the old structure would become an incubator space where after a hearty few months of renovations, they could retro-fit their dreams.

They moved into the building on April 1, called it Farmer & Co, and began business in late July.

Forming partnerships Advertised as an artisanal market, coffee bar and garden with a focus on local and sustainable organic provisions, Farmer & Co is the absolute antithesis of the big city life that Mooberry and Rubin left behind in San Francisco, and while they prepare for their café’s grand opening on Aug. 27, they have already stocked it with the essential ingredients that make up a community gathering space.

Its menu serves freshlybrewed coffee, baked goods and pastries and a rotating list of handmade ice cream that includes flavors like fresh ginger with candied lemon, garden basil with a raspberry swirl, and triple chocolate menace.

Busy customers can pick up grab-and-go sandwiches and salads made from produce grown in the 14-raised bed “village garden” that

Photos by Richard L. Gaw

Fresh produce grows on the front porch.

stands directly behind the building.

When they were drafting plans for Farmer & Co, Mooberry and Rubin saw it as more than just a cool cafe but a local marketplace for area vendors. It’s all there on the shelves for customers to purchase or in the menu items they prepare: beef from Green Valley Springs Farm in Unionville, pork products from Fox Penn Farms in Landenberg, chocolates from Eclat in West Chester, coffee beans from Elixr Coffee Roasters in Philadelphia, hot sauce from Turk’s Head in Kennett Square, Swarmbustin’ honey from a family apiary in West Grove, cheese and pastured eggs from Doe Run Farm in Unionville, vegan and gluten free goodies from Brugie’s, pastries from Oso Sweet in Chadds Ford, apothecary products from local herbalists and of course, organic produce grown on premise that ranges from sun gold cherry tomatoes to watermelon radishes to chioggia beets.

“There is an anonymity to most of what we eat and drink,” Rubin said. “Mostly it’s just a package on a shelf

at a grocery store, but in reality, it started somewhere in the hands of a farmer or a maker, and we wanted to highlight that.

“Jessie and I want to provide a venue for people who spend so much of their time growing and cultivating, to have a market for them to use to not only sell their products but to promote their name. Our hope is to continue to strengthen our relationships with the partners we are working with now, and ultimately, leverage that into making our products.”

Beneath the elm tree Adjacent to Farmer & Co is a small patch of ground along Doe Run Road that is layered with wood chips and dotted with handmade picnic benches. The space has already become the cafe’s unofficial “outdoor venue” for customers who wish to enjoy their coffee and goodies beneath a 160-year-old American elm tree, and it has already served as an impromptu performance spot for local musicians. On Saturday mornings, Rubin, a Kripalu

Farmer & Co is also a community marketplace that showcases the products of several local vendors.

Yoga teacher, conducts “Yoga Under the Elm,” classes that focus on the connection between breath and body, with attention to movement and postural alignment.

Mooberry said the area has unlimited potential.

“We have this fantastic coffee and kitchen aspect to Farmer & Co, and we feel that this space is tied into that sense of hospitality,” she said. “It’s a place that can be used for birthday parties, live music events, bachelorette parties, meet-and-greets for our partnering businesses, and fundraising events – all in a quiet setting.”

As they continue to develop ideas for the cafe and wait for additional equipment to arrive, however, Mooberry and Rubin said they are fully invested in a dream that for them has never wavered.

“Starting a brick-andmortar in the hospitality industry is the single hardest thing we have ever done,” Mooberry said. “It is an incredible intersection of people and regulations and timeliness and staffing and equipment that we are still

waiting to arrive, but our dream is to create this as a fabric of the community – to become a part of people’s lives where they come to meet their friends and where they come to pick up products that are grown right around the corner.

“More and more, whether it has been influenced by politics or by a pandemic, we are finding ourselves living in a world of widening global desensitization, and to fix that is to do it on the local, grass roots level,” she added. “Through this period, we have also come to realize the importance of local relationships, and our view of what it means to be a good participatory citizen has changed during that time.

“Somewhere in that fabric, Soren and I are just trying to be great neighbors and a part of this community.”

Farmer & Co is located at 5 Cemetery Lane in Unionville. To learn more, visit www.farmerand.co, e-mail hello@farmerand. co, or call 610-347-0209.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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6A

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

Chester County Press

Local News

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

7A

Chester County Press

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Opinion

Editorial

Kudos to the Chester County Intermediate Unit In 1971, Pennsylvania officially abolished the county superintendency and legislation approved by lawmakers in Harrisburg created intermediate units in the state for the first time. These intermediate units, as the name suggests, were intended to work in between the Pennsylvania State Department of Education and local school districts. Intermediate units were established to be important links in the education chain, providing services that can be offered most economically at the regional level.

Each month, Howard Robinson joyfully reports about the latest activities of the Chester County Intermediate Unit and the Technical College High School. Robinson is a member of the Oxford School Board, and he represents the Oxford Area School District on the Chester County Intermediate Unit Board. Each of the 12 member school districts has a representative on the Chester County Intermediate Unit Board. Robinson recently offered a report about the fact that the Chester County Intermediate Unit is marking its 50th year. Many people are probably unfamiliar with all the services that the Chester County Intermediate Unit provides to the 86,000 students who attend schools in the county.

The Intermediate Unit’s services include everything from special education and compensatory education programs and career, technical and customized education to mentor training and staff development. The Intermediate Unit has facilitated numerous superintendent searches for school districts in the county. They also undertake technology initiatives, provide consortia for school business operations; and offer a wide variety of curriculum services.

An estimated 15,000 students have received career and technical education in Chester County as a result of the Chester County Intermediate Unit, gaining valuable knowledge in everything from culinary arts and criminal justice to police science and auto repairs. The Intermediate Unit has evolved and changed with the times, always ensuring that Chester County students have a chance to get the specific educational opportunities that they need. As a result, there are now nearly twice as many career and technical education students as there were 50 years ago.

The Intermediate Unit operates three state-ofthe-art campuses. In 2008, the Intermediate Unit opened the Chester County Technical College High School (TCHS) Pennock’s Bridge Campus, located in West Grove. In 2012, the Chester County Intermediate Unit opened the TCHS Brandywine Campus in Downingtown in place of the Center for Arts & Technology (CAT) Brandywine Campus in Coatesville, and the Center for Arts & Technology (CAT) Pickering Campus became TCHS Pickering Campus during this period and underwent a significant renovation that was completed in 2017.

Kudos to the Chester County Intermediate Unit for its first 50 years. Chester County students have a much wider range of opportunities because it exists.

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Letter to the Editor

Masked game theory in AGSD Letter to the Editor: If you’re feeling like you “lost” after the Avon Grove School Board’s decision on masking, it’s because you did. We all lost. We all lost because we were playing a game of prisoner’s dilemma.

If you’re unfamiliar with the prisoner’s dilemma, it’s a framework for understanding why rational decision-making can lead to suboptimal outcomes. The example is that two accomplices to a crime are arrested and separated for interrogation. If they cooperate with each other and say nothing to the interrogators, they end up with a brief sentence.

However, the interrogator comes in and tells one prisoner, “Your buddy is about to sing like a canary. If they talk first, I’m not going to be able to help you much, but if you talk first, I’ll help you out.” Ultimately, they both implicate each other because they are trying to maximize their own benefit. In the end,

they both end up doing longer sentences even though they both acted rationally.

In AGSD, it’s the mask dilemma and it was created by the district’s own quarantine policy, which lists an important exception: A close contact is exempt from quarantine if both the COVID-19 positive person and the contact were masked. If the goal is to keep as many kids in school for as long as possible and to keep the school doors open for as long as possible, then the best outcome would be for both parties to cooperate and agree to wear masks. If no one wears a mask, all parties quarantine and the virus can spread more quickly thus increasing the number of quarantines, which equates to lost learning and missed work and income for parents – it’s the worst outcome.

When masking is optional, some people will continue to mask, while others may not. A rational actor may look at the situation and say,

“If enough people mask, I’ll stay safe unmasked and I can avoid any discomfort.” While this may seem to be the best benefit to the individual, this choice ultimately leads to a suboptimal outcome because both parties still quarantine if one party is COVID-19 positive. Like the maskless scenario, it represents lost learning and missed work/ income that could have been avoided.

Maximizing time in school would require all parties to cooperate and wear masks.

The prisoner’s dilemma states that this is atypical behavior of rational decision makers. The good news is that once you’ve identified a prisoner’s dilemma, you can formulate good policy to encourage behavior that will ensure all parties end up with the best available outcome. Good policy doesn’t mean it’s perfect or reflects your own personal beliefs; it means that the greatest number of students stay in school

the greatest amount of time.

And it means keeping more parents working and more businesses open. It’s a decision that’s imperfect, but it is the best of all possible scenarios.

Based on the mask dilemma, we needed a mask mandate on Tuesday to avoid suboptimal outcomes.

We didn’t get good policy.

There is a mask mandate for elementary students, but because it will be delayed, we have the potential of avoidable quarantining while we wait for cases to be high enough to bring masks in. It still may be better than no mandate at all, but we’ve already lost the best outcome for everyone because we couldn’t cooperate with each other. In essence, we failed the mask dilemma for which we wrote the rules and that feels like an awfully big loss for everyone regardless of your personal beliefs.

Mary Michael London Britain Township

Opinion

More than ever, we need to live up to their legacy Reflections on 20 years since 9/11

By Joseph Reagan Over the past few days, I have had an opportunity to chat with several fellow veterans, service members, military family members, and Gold Star families. It is beyond the obvious in saying that the past few days have been extraordinarily difficult for those with a personal connection to our mission in Afghanistan. My wife Tiffany and I are no different.

Earlier this week, a CNN reporter broadcast from a base in Andar, Afghanistan – this was a base that my soldiers and I built, it’s the base where I was wounded in 2006. Seeing it on the screen brought back a lot of memories – good and bad.

When we first secured Andar we were using an open space adjacent to the district center compound where I lived with the local Governor to land helicopters. Unbeknownst to us – that open space was a cemetery.

One day the elder approaches me and says you’re landing helicopters in our cemetery, and this is deeply disrespectful. We talked for hours and right as the villagers and the elders were satisfied that we intended no harm and that we had agreed on a new place to land helicopters I heard the distinct sound of a far-off Chinook Helicopter. Despite my best efforts to wave them off, two giant Chinook’s land right in front of us in the cemetery, sandblasting the entire group of gathered elders in the process, and effectively undoing all the goodwill I had just spent hours building. Of the 847 days I spent serving in Afghanistan, every. single. one. was like that day. A few steps forward, a few steps back.

In my conversations with fellow veterans, their memories are about the same. The question that keeps coming up: was this worth it?

Unfortunately, most are having a hard time answering that question. There’s a term for that: moral injury.

Moral injury is the mind’s

response to actions or memories that are in violation of a person’s values and beliefs – some might say it’s an injury to your soul. For 20 years the full weight of the War on Terror fell on the shoulders of less than 1 percent of us. Approximately 2.7 million Americans voluntarily answered the call to serve, .7 percent of the U.S. population to be precise, and 7,057 never came home, while another 30,177 came home only to take their own lives.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, my generation of veterans has been fortunate to have a grateful nation behind us – I attribute this to our Vietnam and Korean War veterans who after 9/11 were adamant that my generation received a proper welcome home and proper access to care, something many of them never received. Believe me when I say, all of us appreciate that gratitude – but over the past few days the resounding impression I get from talking to my fellow veterans is that “thank you for your service” has lost its meaning. Many veterans have begun to see this as a hollow or superficial gesture, people say it because that’s what you’re supposed to say.

Like most veterans, on my right wrist I wear a silver bracelet. I have a collection of them, but they all look the same. Most people assume it’s a medical alert bracelet, but if you look closely, each bracelet is inscribed with the name of a friend or colleague I’ve lost, either to our enemies abroad, or the demons within. I wear the bracelet so that I can read their name.

When I shake hands, when I render a salute, when I play with my kids, while I type these words, their names are always with me. Almost every veteran I know does this. We do this because it inspires us; they inspire us.

They sacrificed their tomorrow so that we could have our today – and that is not something to be taken lightly.

We have an obligation to live up to their legacy; we have an obligation to make those

sacrifices matter, and what we’re seeing today should only strengthen our resolve to do so.

As we reflect as a nation on the current situation in Afghanistan and on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, I think it is more important than ever to remind ourselves of the unity that existed immediately following the 9/11 attacks.

On 9/12 there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that we would prevail; there was no doubt that we were stronger together. Now, 20 years later, we should focus our efforts on those elements that unify us, those elements of our history that make us stronger, those elements that define American exceptionalism.

Pearl Harbor, September 11th, whatever the crisis, American’s have always stood up and found a way to overcome any obstacle.

Despite the fear, the heartbreak, the anger we’re all experiencing we owe it to ourselves, we owe it to our fallen to be good stewards of our democracy, we must live up to their legacy and be good stewards of our communities. As we approach the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, all of us must find a way to serve, we must ensure that the sacrifices made by the .7 percent were not in vain.

After Pearl Harbor our entire nation mobilized in support of the war efforts.

Everyone made sacrifices in support of our common goal. When the war was over, we quickly made up for lost time. The Greatest Generation not only secured victory in World War II but they returned home to oversee the largest period of economic growth this country has ever seen, and some of the greatest technological advances the world has ever seen. For the Greatest Generation there was no obstacle that couldn’t be overcome – and today we have the opportunity to harness that same spirit.

To the brave men and women who volunteered and to your families, and to the families of the fallen. The

sacrifices you made – and your families made – were not in vain. What we are witnessing today is not our failure; this is not our burden to bear. Having had the privilege of serving alongside so many amazing Americans (and allied service members as well), quite frankly I’m tremendously proud of what you were able to accomplish, and I hope you are too. The fact is you carried more than your fair share – and you are stronger because of it.

It’s OK to not be OK right now. Take some time to reconnect with old friends, remind ourselves about that time we were handed a mission, given no resources to execute the mission, and somehow figured out how to make it work. Let’s take that problem-solving mindset into our next mission.

There’s a lot of work to be done - your country and your communities need strong leaders like you to tackle tough problems and solving tough problems is what we do best.

Adlai Stevenson II said, “Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.” I can think of no better way to demonstrate our gratitude for the sacrifices of our service members, veterans, and their families than by reaffirming our commitment to service, to each other, to our communities, and to our nation.

Joseph Reagan is the Director of Military and Veterans Outreach for Wreaths Across America. He has over 10 years of experience working with leaders in government, non-profit, and Fortune 500 companies to develop sustainable strategies supporting national security, and veterans health.

He served 8 years on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Army including two tours to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division. He is a graduate of Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the country.

8A

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

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Chester County Press

In the Spotlight

Section

B

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

LI V IN G H IS TORY

by Gene Pisasale

All Aboard! railroads in Chester County

By Gene Pisasale Contributing Writer Pennsylvania led the nation in the production of natural resources for 100 years—from 1820 to 1920—due to its abundance of coal, iron ore, petroleum and timber. These heavy commodities were difficult to transport and required substantial efforts to cover long distances. The French Creek Mine and others in Chester County required sturdy vehicles to get ore to processing facilities. After the canal-building boom of the 1820s to the 1840s, railroads eventually took over as the preferred method of moving heavy cargo to manufacturing centers like Allentown, Bethlehem, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Passenger railroads also quickly became popular.

Chester County’s railroads played an important role, with a long heritage that dates back to the earliest days of train travel in the United States.

A Christmas Eve meeting in 1830 at West Chester’s Turk’s Head Tavern fueled the effort to create a local passenger railroad. In “Railroads of West Chester,” author Jim Jones noted that prominent citizens wanted to make a dream come alive.

The group appointed Major John Wilson of the U.S. Topographical Service to find a route connecting West Chester with the planned Main Line of Public Works—a state-sanctioned project to link Philadelphia with the Susquehanna River by railroad, as well as canals to Pittsburgh and the Ohio River.

After being granted a charter, the group raised $100,000 through stock offerings conducted at the Paoli Tavern, the Washington House Hotel in West Chester and the Merchant’s Coffeehouse in Philadelphia.

Nine miles of track were planned along the ridge separating Brandywine and Chester Creeks, as well as a connection to the ‘Main Line’ at what is today the town of Malvern. After 18 months of work, in September 1832 the West Chester Railroad became one of the first in the nation to open for business.

Over the decades, railroads proved their desirability for both passenger and industrial usage, causing many “spurs” or offshoots from

The Glen Mills train station.

West Chester Market Street station circa 1930, photo courtesy of the West Chester Railroad Heritage Association.

The Kennett Square station of the East Penn Railroad.

Pennsylvania Railroad schedule circa August 7, 1949, courtesy of Chuck Ulmann.

dominant lines around Chester County and the Philadelphia area. The West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad (WC&P) was one of those lines, first chartered in 1848. It later became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad and was ultimately merged into SEPTA. The ‘iron horse’ came to Kennett Square in December 1859 after local citizens requested a link to the WC&P. Today the East Penn Railroad serves the area for freight; it runs down to Oxford and also to Herr’s Snack Foods and other locations.

The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) was established in the mid-19th century, headquartered in Philadelphia.

The PRR was an important part of the industrialization of America and a crucial provider of transportation services to several states and tens of millions of people.

Management saw size and scope as keys to success, not only for moving commodities and freight, but also passengers to a variety of national destinations.

The PRR began aggressively purchasing many of its rivals. By 1852, the goal of connecting two major cities—Philadelphia and Pittsburgh—was realized; it eventually ran all the way to Chicago and St. Louis.

The PRR and subsidiaries acquired and built numerous lines around the region, many of them serving towns throughout Chester County.

Railroads had some

Northbrook and Pocopson.

Some dormant railroads have gotten a new purpose.

The National Trails System Act of 1983 allowed vacated railway lines to be transformed into hiking paths.

The Rails-to-Trails conservancy was created in 1986 to assist with this development. In 1990, Pennsylvania passed its own Rails-toTrails Act to preserve abandoned railways. The Keystone State became a leader in this movement.

In “Railroads of Pennsylvania: Fragments of the Past in the Keystone Landscape,” author Lorette Treese describes the successful program. The Chester Valley Trail currently offers 14.8 miles of access for walking, biking and in-line skating from King of Prussia Road between Gulph Road and U.S. Route 202 to near Indian Run Road and Commerce Drive in Exton. Kennett Square and other communities are

“firsts.” In 1877, Edison’s assistant Thomas Watson demonstrated a new invention called the telephone to PRR officials at Altoona.

Telephone lines later followed railroads out West and around the entire nation. By 1882, the PRR had become the largest railroad and biggest corporation on the planet, with a budget second only to the United States government. In 1915, the PRR electrified its suburban Philadelphia lines to Paoli.

The next year, it adopted a new motto: “Standard Railroad of the World.”

However, as with all industries, challengers were in the wings. By the 1940s, the nation had become infatuated with automobiles.

Railroads in New York and other nearby states were aggressive competitors.

Trucking companies formed to vie for their business. In 1946, the PRR reported a net loss for the first time in its history. In 1968, the PRR merged with the New York Central Railroad and later became Penn Central, but due to poor integration, it filed for bankruptcy two years later.

Some Chester County railroad lines still run, many for carrying freight; most passenger service is now under SEPTA or Amtrak. Station stops include Berwyn, Downingtown, Kennett Square, Malvern, Paoli, and other locations. Many old train depots still dot the landscape, like those at

now planning to build new trails or link with others in the region to offer leisure activity to residents.

A few old railroads have come back to life. The West Chester Railroad Heritage Association now runs trains along the former line for scenic, historical and cultural tours from West Chester to Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.

They have a variety of funfilled programs for the entire family, including the Fall Foliage Express and the Trick or Treat Special. Their website has more information at www.wcrailroad. com. Railroad aficionados in America number in the tens of thousands. Chuck Ulmann, the curator at the Christian Sanderson Museum in Chadds Ford, has amassed a large collection of railroad memorabilia.

He kindly provided abundant material for this article.

So, if you want a link with yesteryear, just take a drive.

Chances are, you’ll cross

Pennsylvania moniker.

Railroad

railroad lines or see a station which played an important part in our nation’s history.

Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square. He has written ten books dealing mostly with American history. His latest book is “Forgotten Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania and Delaware in the American Revolution.” His books are available on www.Amazon. com and on his website at www.GenePisasale. com. Gene can be reached via e-mail at Gene@ GenePisasale.com.

The extent of the Pennsylvania Railroad circa November 1857.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Hart

A Pennsylvania Railroad steam freight locomotive on the West Chester branch.

2B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

Chester County Press

Obituaries SUMIE F. MCCARDELL Sumie F. McCardell, of Oxford, passed away on Aug. 14 at Twin Pines Health Care Center in West Grove. She was 87.

She was the wife of the late John McCardell.

Born in Oshima, Japan, she was the daughter of the late Toro and Tochity Matsuyama.

Sumie was a member of the Oxford Senior Center.

She enjoyed being a homemaker, crocheting and planting flowers.

She is survived by one sister, Nobuko Niimoto of Japan; two brothers; and many nieces and nephews.

A Graveside Service will be held 10 a.m. on Aug. 25 at Union Cemetery, Route 472 and Street Road in Kirkwood, Pa. Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Our Family Serving Your Family

WALTER JOSEPH MONTGOMERY

NEIL BROWN

Walter Joseph “Joe” Montgomery passed away on Aug. 15. He was 90.

Joe, a lifelong resident of Chester County, was born in West Grove on May 26, 1931. He graduated from Avon Grove High School in 1949 and proudly served in the United States Navy.

After returning to civilian life, he worked for the DuPont Company until his retirement in 1985.

In 1960, he married Janice Goodwin and they had one daughter.

An avid reader, Joe served on the board of the Avon Grove Library for several years and was involved with the building of the new library. He was a member of the West Grove Avondale Rotary Club for nearly 50 years and through the years served as president, vice president, secretary and treasurer.

Joe was an author, artist and inventor. A true “jack of all trades,” there was nothing he couldn’t build or repair.

Joe is survived by his wife, Janice, their daughter, Denise D’Aurora, and a grandson, Zachary D’Aurora.

Memorials may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, at woundedwarriorproject.org.

Neil Brown passed away at Brandywine Hall on Aug. 11. He was 65.

Born in 1956 in Norwalk, Conn., Neil was the son of the late Clyde Page and the late Mary A. Palmer Page.

Neil attended Joel Barlow High School in Redding, Conn.

Neil enjoyed travel, nature, fishing and cars. He had a deep love of animals, especially dogs and cats.

Neil spent much of his life living in New England.

He loved the experience of growing up in Redding, and thought its beauty was best showcased in both the spring and the fall.

Neil is survived by his son, Christopher Murach; his brother, Harold “Hal” Page, and Hal’s wife, Wendy Page; his sister-in-law, Roni Page; two nephews, James Page and Nicholas Page; as well as two nieces, Jessica Sicca and Lindsey Page.

In addition to his parents, Neil was preceded in death by his brothers, James Page and Robert Page.

Services for Neil will be private.

To view his online tribute and to share a message with his family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh. com.

Arrangements are being handled by Foulk Funeral Home of West Grove.

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Alleluia Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant.

Psalm 86:16 The Chester County Press features a dedicated church/religious page that can help you advertise your house of worship and/or business. The page is updated weekly with new scripture. Only $10 Weekly for this space.

We are offering a special discount of 25% off each and every help wanted/ classified advertisement to any business that advertises on the PRESS church page.

For more information or to place an ad, contact Brenda Butt at 610-869-5553 ext. 10

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Lions Club of Oxford

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HERR FOODS, INC. NOTTHINGHAM, PA

932-9330 ENCOURAGES YOU TO ATTEND THE CHURCH OF YOUR CHOICE

P.O. Box 270 Oxford, PA 19363 Meets First and Third Thursday at 6:30p.m.

Nottingham Inn, Nottingham, PA

Landenberg Church United Methodist All Are Welcome 205 Penn Green Rd. In Historic Downtown Landenberg Landenberg, PA 19350

610-274-8384 Services Every Sunday • 9:00 am

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

3B

Chester County Press

Obituaries JOSE ANTONIO ORTEGA Jose Antonio “Tony” Ortega, a resident of Oxford, passed away on Aug. 11 in the Twin Pines Nursing Home in West Grove. He was 93.

He was the husband of Nancy Brown Ortega, with whom he shared 58 years of marriage.

Born in Naranjito, Puerto Rico, he was the son of the late Claudio and Guadalupe Torres Ortega.

Tony was employed with Paramount Nursery in Kelton for 51 years before retiring in 2002.

He was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Oxford.

He enjoyed gardening, especially roses. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife; three children, Judy Brown, Tammy Ortega and her husband, Harry Griswold, and Scott Ortega and his wife, Melissa, all of Oxford; six grandchildren, Steven Justice, Shanna Krauss, Andrew Revels, Jr., Justin Ortega, Austin Talley and Grant Talley; ten great-grandchildren; four great-greatgrandchildren; and two sisters, Anna L. Ortega-Rivera of Oxford and Audia Ortega-Fernandez of Puerto Rico.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Francisco Ortega and two sisters, Louisa Ortega-Nieves and Claudena Ortega-Morales.

Funeral services were held Aug. 18 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.

Interment will be in Oxford Cemetery.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. Oxford.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

SAMUEL RALPH Samuel Ralph transitioned peacefully from this earthly life to a new life on Aug. 18.

He was born March 27, 1947, in West Chester to the late Johnny L. Ralph and Myrtle Mack.

Sam was loved by many. He loved to work on cars and go fishing and hunting. He loved to have a good time while telling jokes and talking smack with family and friends. Most of all, Sam loved good music and could tear up a dance floor anywhere, anyplace and anytime.

Samuel was a loving soul that always greeted you with a smile on his face. Sam worked as a security guard at Lincoln University for over 12 years and retired from Modern Mushroom after 15 years. He always loved a good, home cooked meal, and he was very old-fashioned by being served and sitting at the table. Samuel had his own personal relationship with Christ. He attended Independent Church of Jesus Christ, formally known as A.M.E. Zion, where his grandmother, the late Reverend Mary L. Dorsey, was pastor.

Samuel is survived by his loving wife of 33 years,

Cynthia Ralph of Oxford; two daughters, Delores Ralph “Dee Dee” of Lincoln University, Pa. and Essence Ralph of Oxford; and three sons, Samuel Ralph Jr. (Emily) of New Castle, Del., Walter Ralph of Enterprise, AL and Johnathan Ralph of Oxford; fourteen loving grandchildren, Cassandra, Brittany, Shawn, Elijah, Asante, Savion, Enrique Jr., Devon, Justin Jr., Aidan, Amiyah, Faith, Jaleah, and Evyanna; three sisters, Abbey Merritt of Chester, Pa., Ella Johnson of Philadelphia, and Shirley Simpson (James) of Coatesville; and one brother, Richard Mack of Altoona, Pa. He was proceeded in death by his mother, Mytrle Mack; father, Johnny Ralph; two brothers, David Mack and Sketter Ralph; and a grandson, Jalen Ralph.

Sam will be missed by additional nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Home Going Services were celebrated on Aug. 23 at the Edward Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., in Oxford.

Interment will be at Oxford Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donation in his memory made to Edward Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Obituary submissions The Chester County Press publishes obituaries free of charge for funeral homes with active advertising accounts only. Others

with a connection to southern Chester County are charged a modest fee. Obituaries appear on the Wednesday after they are received with a Monday

5pm deadline. They are also posted on www.chestercounty.com. Photos should be sent as .jpeg attachments to the obituary text. To sub-

mit an obituary to the Chester County Press or for a rate quote, email the information to editor@ chestercounty.com.

SHIRLEY FIELDING PRITCHARD Shirley Fielding Pritchard passed away at the Hickman in West Chester on Aug. 9 after a rich and full life.

She was born at Union Hospital in Lynn, Massachusetts, on Aug. 26, 1935, to William Ashton and Mildred Gladys March Fielding. Theirs was a home filled with laughter, love, and discipline.

Her father’s intelligence and inquisitiveness fostered a deep curiosity and inspired Shirley Ann, as she was called, to give the fullest to each of life’s challenges. Her mother engendered a love of home and hearth, encouraged strong attention to detail, and an independent strength of character.

Graduating from Spaulding High School in 1953, she left a legacy of academic achievement and a trail of extracurricular activities that included community service organizations, music, drama, and student council.

These early pursuits were foundational to her passions throughout her life, including her commitment to community, civic-mindedness, and support for the arts. In 1954 she enrolled as a freshman at the University of New Hampshire, where she graduated in 1957 with a bachelor of arts degree in English literature and art history. In her senior year, she met James Scherer Pritchard, newly returned from the Korean Conflict and completing his undergraduate degree. They married in 1957, welcoming their daughter Jennifer Lynn in 1958. In 1959, Jim accepted a position with the DuPont Company, and the family of three moved from Nottingham, New Hampshire, to Newark, Del. The mid-Atlantic would supplant New England as home, but the deep roots planted during the first third of her life resonated profoundly within her, affecting her design aesthetic, love of a hearty meal, and moral code. In 1961, Jim and Shirley added Jeffrey Scott and completed their family of four. Anyone who knew Shirley recognized her as someone who was interested and interesting, and her pursuits were varied. Context is important in the arc of a life, and Shirley was ten years old at the end of World War II, 28 years old when John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and 33 years old when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered. These events deeply affected her views on social justice and civic responsibility. As her young children came of school age and the Vietnam War escalated, she felt an

obligation to contribute to the education of young adults.

She became a substitute teacher in the Christina School District in Newark, Del. At the end of the 1960s, Jim and Shirley moved their family from Newark to a landmark historic country home in Kennett Square, the first home where Shirley honed her design aesthetic and principles, a talent that in 1983 would become Pritchard and Associates.

It also began her deep ties to Kennett Square and West Chester. In 1987 Jim and Shirley moved to Radley Run Mews, where she remained after his death in January 2015 until September 2020, when she moved to the Hickman on Walnut Street in West Chester. The community of Southeastern Pennsylvania inspired the civic side of Shirley, and she became an accomplished fundraiser for Tick Tock Day Care, Brandywine River Museum, with their inaugural Antiques Show and subsequent events.

Her love of the arts translated into being a docent at both Winterthur and the Brandywine River Museum.

At Winterthur, she assisted the educational department in developing several courses of study for Continuing Education qualification for professional Designers. She used her Interior Design expertise to advance the education and careers of burgeoning Interior Design Students by sitting on the Advisory Board of Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia. Shirley believed in the value and importance of our natural resources and the beauty of Southern Chester County. She channeled that belief by serving as chairperson for Open Space, Kennett Square.

She was an early advocate for limited impact, sustainability, and green design.

Her professional accomplishments included membership in the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and she served as president of the PA/NJ/DE chapter. Notably, the International Board of Directors of IIDA elected her to serve as Director of Residential Design. In 2000, she was honored by her peers and inducted into the College of Fellows. Probably closest to her heart was her dedication and commitment to the Kennett Symphony, serving as president emeritus and as a loyal and trusted friend of the organization for many years. Finally, in her “oldest years,” a term she coined and began using after Jim died, Shirley found comfort and purpose with Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church. She served as a contributing member of Session and Chair of the Missions Committee.

Under her leadership, they vetted organizations, dispersed funds, and informed the congregation of the work and needs through the “Moment for Mission” during Sunday worship service. In her 84th year, she, together with the

Missions Committee and Michael Wright, submitted a grant proposal that not only involved financial aid but congregants working with formerly incarcerated persons trying to reintegrate into society. Her ethos of “giving back” extended the entirety of her life.

One of her proudest achievements was beating breast cancer. Diagnosed in 2010, she underwent radical treatment. As she did with any adversity, she embraced the humor and fellowship in the experience, finding kindred spirits in survivorship she referred to as breast friends.

Shirley loved to cook and garden. An avid reader, she devoured books, and her children recollect finding her sitting reading upon returning home from school.

Through the years, she participated in many book clubs and loved the women in her last one, centered in the Mews.

Among all her interests, three stood above the rest: being a great mother to Jennifer and Jeff, a doting grandmother to Joe and Alex, and a true-blue friend.

As a testament to her accomplishments, right until the end, her children were with her along with her friends.

Shirley had an unequivocal enthusiasm. She was the life of any party, and her presence is sorely missed.

She is survived by two children, Jennfer Lynn Pritchard (and her husband Charles E. Frye) of Laguna Beach, Calif. and Jeffrey Scott Pritchard (and his wife Debra Groch Pritchard) and their two children, Joseph Scott and Alexandra Lynn of Millstone Township, N.J. She is also survived by her brother, William Ashton (and his wife Barbara Fielding) and their children of Wilder, Vermont.

She is honored by her children for the profound importance family, friendship, and fun played in her life.

A celebration of life was held on Aug. 23 at Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Del. A reception at Kennett Square Golf & Country Club followed.

In honor of Mrs. Pritchard’s life, the family requests contributions in her name to Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church http://www.lowerbrandywine.org/ give or the Kennett Symphony http://www.kennettsymphony.org.

Arrangements are being handled by Matthew J. Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (1800-FUNERAL).

To view her online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.

4B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

Chester County Press

Local News Oxford Arts Alliance plans Color Run Fundraiser Join the Oxford Arts Alliance for a colorful morning of fun on the run during a fundraiser that is planned in Nottingham.

The Color Run will take place on the property of Vicki and Wilson King, of Outback Trading Company on a property located on Chrome Road in Oxford on Saturday, Nov. 13.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the run will start

at 10 a.m., rain or shine.

This event will be untimed, encouraging people of all abilities to participate.

Runners and walkers can traverse the course at their leisure under a shower of vibrant environmentally friendly and non-toxic color from the volunteer-based color stations throughout the course. The course will have three loops, allowing runners to loop three

times while walkers can loop once to enjoy the color stations.

The Oxford Arts Alliance is a non-profit arts organization that strives to cultivate community through the arts.

What better way to promote the arts and healthy living than through a family fun run with a splash of color? The Color Run is a heart-healthy fundraiser for all ages and abilities.

All proceeds support programming which includes an emerging artist gallery and private music and art lessons of more than 150 students weekly.

The fee for registration is $35 for adults, $20 for students (under 18 years old), and free for children under 4 years old.

To register, visit www. teer opportunities, contact 467-0301. All individuals, oxfordart.org/color-run. Caitlin Daugherty at art@ families, and groups are For sponsorship and volun- oxfordart.org or call 610- welcome to participate.

Courtesy photos

A Color Run fundraiser benefiting the Oxford Arts Alliance will take place on Nov. 13.

The Color Run will take place on the property of Vicki and Wilson King in Nottingham.

Nation of Inventors exhibition opens Sept. 13 Hagley Museum’s new Nation of Inventors exhibition, opening Sept. 13, celebrates the American spirit of ingenuity by taking visitors on a journey from the early years of the patent system in the late 1700s to the late 1800s, inspired by Hagley’s unique collection

of patent models.

Patent models are scaled representations of inventions that were part of the original patent application process starting in 1790.

The patent models demonstrated the key components, usefulness, and novelty of inventions. Beautifully

crafted, they not only demonstrated practical ideas but are also works of art.

“Nation of Inventors provides a new gateway to experience the innovation at Hagley,” said Hagley’s Executive Director Jill MacKenzie. “Those who remember visiting Hagley

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on a school field trip will be able to see the property through a new lens, witnessing the innovations that made progress possible at the powder yard along the Brandywine.”

Hagley’s patent models traveled the globe and have been displayed in

the National Museum of China in Beijing and in Disneyland Park in Paris.

Soon, nearly 120 patent models will be featured in Nation of Inventors, telling the story of nineteenth-century innovation in Hagley’s Visitors Center.

The vast majority of

American inventors were– and are–ordinary people who often go unrecognized.

Nation of Inventors will introduce a diverse group of inventors who contributed to innovation in our nation.

The exhibition shares stories of the men and women, all with unique circumstances and life experiences, who contributed to the energetic and entrepreneurial spirit of the United States.

Hagley Museum would like to thank the following sponsors who made Nation of Inventors possible: Brookeville Fund, Anne Carter & Walter R. Robbins, Jr. Foundation, CSC, E. Rhodes & Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, Elmon B. Duff Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, IDG Capital Partners, InterDigital, Inc., Longwood Foundation, National Christian Foundation, Peachtree House Foundation, and Welfare Foundation.

Hagley Museum admission is $15 for adults; $11 for seniors (62 and over) and students; $6 for children ages 6-14. Admission is free year-round for Hagley members, and current military members and their families.

CALL TO ADVERTISE 610-869-5553

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

5B

Chester County Press

Local News Devon Fall Classic returns Sept. 15 Devon is back as the 2021 Devon Fall Classic is set to return to the historic Devon Horse Show Grounds with an exciting opening day, starting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

Equestrian competition begins at 8 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 16 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 19.

Now in its eighth year, the popular event features a full carnival midway with a Ferris wheel, great food, live bands, Boardroom Spirits Distillery tastings, and a schedule full of special events alongside a world-class show-jumping competition featuring some of the nation’s top equestrians.

In addition, the 2021 Devon Fall Classic will feature an enticing Vendors Village, kids activities, a Girl’s Night Out, the Devon Dog Show, Devon After Hours, and a demonstration featuring the equestrians from the Philadelphia Urban

Riding Academy and the Mounted Games. A full schedule is available at http://www.devonhorseshow.net/fall-classic/.

The 2021 Devon Fall Classic is presented by Bryn Mawr Hospital.

Competition highlights Thursday evening, the Dixon Oval will host the $5,000 Open Jumper Welcome Stake, while the $5,000 Speed Stake will take place Friday evening.

Saturday evening events include the Parade of the Radnor Hunt Hounds, the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, and the highly anticipated $25,000 Devon Fall Classic Grand Prix.

Courtesy photos

Box subscriptions available Box holders at the Devon Fall Classic have the best seats in the house reserved just for them for all 5 days

The Devon Fall Classic is set to return to the historic Devon Horse Show Grounds with an exciting opening day, starting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

of the event. Box tickets packages provide separate tickets for all of the seats in the box for the entire

show. Plus, with six seats to a box, there’s room to entertain. Box subscriptions are currently available. Six box seats for all 5 days of competition cost $350, and purchasers will automatically be offered a renewal for the same box for the following year’s Devon Fall Classic, allowing them to start a new family tradition.

Children’s leadline competition and pony rides A leadline competition has been added to this year’s Devon Fall Classic youngest aspiring athletes, on Saturday, Sept. 18 after 1 In addition, the 2021 Devon Fall Classic will feature an enticing Vendors Village, kids activities, a Girl’s Night Out, the Devon Dog Show, Devon After Hours, and p.m. In addition, pony rides a demonstration featuring the equestrians from the Philadelphia Urban Riding will be available for kids who wish to try it out for Academy and the Mounted Games.

themselves on Sunday, Sept. devonhorseshow.net to 19, after 4 p.m. learn more about available opportunities.

Special food and beverage partners Horse show souvenirs This year, drinks by Souvenirs from the Devon Boardroom Spirits Horse Show and Country Distillery, and food by Fair will be available at the Carla’s Pizzeria in Wayne, Devon Fall Classic, includthe ever-popular Carlino’s ing the popular Vineyard Market in Ardmore, and JT Vines Long Sleeve Pocket Wilder BBQ will be offered Tee celebrating the esteemed in addition to Devon’s usual event’s 125th year and the tasty fare.

125th-anniversary enamel pin. Preview and purchase Space for local vendors clothes, hats, accessories, Vendor’s Village, with jewelry, décor, collectibles, its pop-up boutiques, jew- and housewares at https:// elers, tack shops, artisan store.devonhorseshow.net. craft stalls, and art gallerFor more information ies, is always a huge draw about the Devon Fall Classic at Devon. Vendor space is or to purchase tickets, visit limited, but local vendors www.devonhorseshow.net/ are invited to email patti@ fall-classic/.

6B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021

Chester County Press

The Palette & The Page plans its next exhibit and opening reception The First Friday Elkton Art Loop event at The Palette & The Page will feature an opening reception, book signings and music by Tom Christiansen.

The event will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 3.

The Palette & The Page Gallery will present weavings, both two-dimensional and wearables by Susan Balascio in the Special Exhibit Gallery Show “Ethereal Lines.”

The reception will have live music by Tom Christiansen during the opening. Authors Timothy Baldwin and Tom

Glenn will be on hand to sign their books. The show will be on display in the Special Exhibit Gallery through Friday, Sept. 24.

From an early age, textiles have always been an important part of Balascio’s life through sewing, knitting, crochet and embroidery.

Learning to weave in 2013 opened up a whole new world for her and added another dimension to her textile passion. From gossamer-like fine threads to super chunky slubby yarn, nothing is off limits in her exploration. The infinite combinations of threading,

treadling, color and texture challenge Balascio in ways she never thought possible.

Weaving provides a unique venue to explore not only traditional craft, but to push the boundaries of craft into art. Trained as a painter, Susan has also explored a wide variety of media.

In addition to her current focus on weaving and fiber arts, she has also worked in jewelry design, colored pencil and pastel drawing, painting, stained glass, collage and ceramics.

Baldwin grew up in Syracuse, New York.

He currently resides in

Maryland where he teaches English, Creative Writing, Film, and Theatre on the middle school level. At the insistence of his own students, he began writing seriously in 2014. He credits his love for story to his mother, who spent countless hours reading to him and his siblings when they were growing up. His books include three in the Kahale and Claude Mystery series written with young adults in mind.

Glenn has worked as an intelligence operative, a musician, a linguist (seven languages), a cryptologist,

a government executive, a caregiver for the dying, a leadership coach, and, always, a writer. Many of his prize-winning short stories (seventeen in print) came from the better part of thirteen years he shuttled between the U.S. and Vietnam as an undercover NSA operative supporting army and Marine units in combat before escaping under fire when Saigon fell. His latest books include “Secretocracy,” and his short-story collection, “Coming to Terms.”

The event is free.

The exhibit in the Gallery

Courtesy photo

is from Tuesday, Aug. 31 through Friday, Sept. 24 and can be found virtually on the Palette & The Page website beginning Sept. 20 through Oct. 31.

The regular hours, other than First Fridays, are noon to 6 p.m. each Tuesday through Saturday.

YMCA of Greater Brandywine offers all Chester County seventh graders free one-year membership Chester County seventh and eighth graders are going to want to get to the YMCA. The YMCA of Greater Brandywine (YGBW) is proud to continue its 7th Grade Initiative, which offers any seventh grader in Chester County a free one-year youth membership.

Additionally, for the 2021 – 2022 school year, rising eighth graders who largely missed the opportunity to utilize their memberships due to

COVID-19 restrictions will also be eligible for a free one-year membership.

Students need to bring a school ID, roster or report card, along with a parent or guardian, to their local branch to register.

After registering, youth members have use of the YMCA’s facilities.

Participants can swim, play in the gyms, work out in the wellness centers and participate in programs, classes and sports. Annually, more than 1,100 seventh graders

take advantage of this free membership.

“We think it’s crucial to set the foundation for a healthy lifestyle at a young age,” said Denise Day, the YGBW president and CEO. “Our 7th Grade Initiative helps kids fall in love with an active way of life. Kids at this age are discovering who they are, and we want to ensure that they’re set up for future success through that active lifestyle.”

As children face adolescence’s challenges, they’re

more likely to begin distancing themselves from formal organizations, friends and family and to experiment with unhealthy behaviors. The 7th Grade Initiative offers an alternative, where they can make new friends while staying active and also avoid exposure to those counterproductive behaviors.

To raise funds to support this program, YGBW hosts the Chester County Corporate Championship, an annual golf event held

at Stonewall. This year, the Championship will be held on Monday, Sept. 20, with a goal to raise $100,000 to ensure that all seventh graders can enjoy this opportunity. All are invited to attend, and sponsorship opportunities are available.

Learn more at ymcagbw. org/events.

For more information on the YMCA of Greater Brandywine’s 7th Grade Initiative, please visit ymcagbw.org or stop in any one of our Chester

County locations including the Brandywine YMCA, Jennersville YMCA, Kennett Area YMCA, Lionville Community YMCA, Oscar Lasko YMCA & Childcare Center, Upper Main Line YMCA and West Chester Area YMCA. For more information on the Corporate Challenge or to learn how you can support the 7th Grade Initiative contact Camille Faust, chief development officer, at cfaust@ymcagbw.org.

Legals ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Ruth P. Holmes, late of East Nottingham Township, County of Chester Pennsylvania, Deceased. Letters of Administration on said estate having been granted to the below mentioned, request all persons indebted to the decedent, make immediate payment, and those having claims or demands against the same, present them without delay for settlement to: Sarah Jane Mullins (Administrator) 104 Sunset Road, Oxford PA 19363.

8p-11-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of. Catania, Frances J. late of Wayne, PA. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned, who requests all persons having claims against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to: Lillian A. Catania and Vincent J. Catania, c/o

YARD SALE Friday, Sept. 10 • 4pm-7pm Saturday, Sept. 11 • 8am-2pm Sunday, Sept. 12 • 10am-2pm 270 Kimble Road, Lincoln University Lots and lots of good stuff to be had for cheap.

A little bit of everything.

DON’T MISS OUT!!!

Andy's Lawn Care Lawn & Field Mowing Aerating & Overseeding Lawn Renovation Seasonal Cleanups Mulching Landscaping Tree & Stump Removal Lot & Land Clearing Grading & Drainage Snow Removal

(610) 274-2273 Office or (610) 721-3119 cell

Hope Bosniak, Esq., Dessen, Moses & Rossitto, 600 Easton Rd., Willow Grove, PA 19090, Co-Executors.

Dessen, Moses & Rossitto, 600 Easton Rd., Willow Grove, PA 19090 8p-18-3t

INCORPORATION NOTICE

Eco-Economics Institute for ESG Practice has been incorporated under the provisions of the PA Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988.

Fromhold Jaffe & Adams, 795 East Lancaster Avenue, Suite 260, Villanova, PA 19085 8p-25-1t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Wilma Goldman Late of Malvern, Malvern Borough, PA, LETTERS of Administration on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to: Janet E. Cherry, Administrator, 2401 Pennsylvania Avenue, Apt. 19B24, Philadelphia, PA 19130 8p-25-3t

Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, September 16 th, 2021 at

11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, October 18th, 2021.

Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.

SALE NO. 21-9-104 Writ of Execution No. 2016-11614 DEBT $256,779.69 PREMISES A: ALL THAT CERTAIN LOT or piece of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, Situate in the Township of London Britain, County of Chester, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, bounded and described according to a Record Final Plan of Properties Owned by Dominick J. Baffone, III, and Jean M. Baffone, H & W, Marc A. Baffone and Kathleen W. Baffone, H & W, and Eugene F. Oates and Frances H. Oates, H & W, made by CrossanRaimato, Inc., West Grove, Pennsylvania, dated 03/17/1999 and last revised 09/24/1999 and recorded as Plan File No. 15152, as follows, to wit: BEGINNING at a point on the title line in the bed of Mercer Mill Road (T-317) at a common corner of Lots B and C as shown on said Plan; thence from said beginning point and extending through the bed of said road North 41

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degrees, 18 minutes, 42 seconds East, 88.04 feet to a point, a corner of lands now or late of Mark E. Schroeder, et ux; thence extending along lands of the same South 89 degrees, 08 minutes, 24 seconds East, 931.35 feet to a point, a corner of Lot B, aforesaid; thence extending along the same the two following courses and distances: (1) South 64 degrees, 28 minutes, 00 seconds West, 698.08 feet to a point; (2) North 55 degrees, 19 minutes, 00 seconds West, crossing over a certain proposed 25 feet wide driveway easement 437.14 feet to a point, being the first mentioned point and place of beginning.

Subject to the joint use and maintenance of 25 feet wide driveway easement by the owners of Lots 1, 2, and C. BEING part of the same premises which MARGARET L. OWENS N/K/A MARGARET L. DORNEMAN AND WILLIAM DORNEMAN, HER HUSBAND AND MAXINE J. OWENS N/K/A MAXINE J. CZARNECKI AND WALTER CZARNECKI, III, HER HUSBAND, by Indenture bearing date MAY 15, 1998 and recorded MAY 22, 1998 in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds, in and for the County of CHESTER, in Record Book 4354 page 339 etc., granted and conveyed unto EUGENE F. OATES and FRANCES H. OATES, HUSBAND AND WIFE, in fee.

BEING LOT NO. C on said Plan.

BEING UPI NO. 73-3-11 PLAINTIFF: Malvern Federal Saving Bank

DEFENDANT: Lisa Debarardinis & David Owens SALE ADDRESS: 250 Mercer Mill Road, Landenberg, PA 19350 PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: ROGER P. CAMERON, ESQ. 610-426-4400 N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF Advertising dates: Wednesdays, August 25th, September 1st, 8th 8p-25-3t

Classifieds Auction:

Notice of Self Storage Sale Please take notice US Storage Centers - Exton located at 371 Gordon Dr., Exton PA 19341 intends to hold a public sale to the highest bidder of the property stored by the following tenants at the storage facility.

This sale will occur as an online auction via www.storagetreasures.com on 9/15/2021 at 10:00AM. Josh Marshall unit #A005; Lucy Direnigio unit #D027. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply

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Chester County Press

Local News Chester County Futures adds two new board members Chester County Futures recently expanded its Board of Directors with the addition of two new members: Michael G. Ryan of IMC Construction and Jeewat Bijlani of Quaker Houghton.

Ryan is the vice president of preconstruction at IMC Construction, a company based in Malvern, and has been with the company for over 36 years.

Bijlani served for

more than nine years at Houghton International as vice president and eventually president before the company was acquired

by Quaker Chemical in August of 2019. The merger formed what is now Quaker Houghton, based in Conshohocken, Pa., and Bijlani has since been serving as senior vice president and managing director.

Chester County Futures

executive director Maria McDonald said, “Both Mr. Bijlani and Mr. Ryan bring important perspectives to Chester County Futures by virtue of their careers. Mr. Bijlani has been instrumental in forging the partnership with Quaker Houghton to further develop the stem curriculum for our students. We also look forward to working with Mr. Ryan to advance the

exposure of trade opportunities for our students to pursue.”

Chester County Futures is an independent 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that was formed in 1996 as a poverty prevention program providing academic, mentoring and scholarship support for motivated, Michael Ryan Jeewat Bijlani economically disadvantaged youth in Chester higher education and life. Future’s impact and For more information programs, visit www.

County. Its goal is to help youth succeed in school, about Chester County ccfutures.org.

Delaware County Community College student receives Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Jacob Beckman of Coatesville, a student at Delaware County Community College, was recently named a 2021 CocaCola Leaders of Promise Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship. He is one of 207 members of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), an international honor society of associate degree-granting colleges, selected to receive the prestigious award.

Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars are chosen based on outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated leadership potential. The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new PTK members defray educational expenses while they are enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are

encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in PTK programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service and leadership potential. More than 900 applications were received for this year’s Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise recognition program.

“We are proud of Jacob’s outstanding accomplishment and look forward to the impact his continued leadership and service will have on the College and on the communities in which he lives, works and volunteers,” said Delaware County Community College President Dr. L. Joy Gates Black.

Beckman, who is studying accounting and business at the college, is the chapter vice president, and former

treasurer, for Beta Psi Pi, the College’s relatively new Chester County PTK chapter. He works three part-time jobs as a forklift operator, bookkeeper and handling accounting and financial management for a Coatesville-based, online, business and marketing company. Until COVID-19 hit last year, he also was a volunteer staff member at the Chester County-based Honey Brook Youth Center, which provides a positive environment for children, especially at-risk, low-income youth.

Now, he volunteers at The Rock gym in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood.

“The Rock has street chaplains that clean up and administer to the needs of the community and has helped numerous people through detox/rehab programs,”

Beckman said. “Despite the neighborhood being so depressed, the Rock has managed to offer hope, and I have been blessed to be a part of such an incredible ministry this summer.” The Rock, part of a multi-faceted ministry of Calvary Chapel of Kensington church that seeks to reach at-risk, inner city youth through sports, arts, music, recreation, mentoring and Bible studies.

This year, PTK’s Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program will award a total of $207,000 to students.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides $200,000, of which $25,000 is set aside for PTK members who are veterans or active members of the U.S. military. The remainder is supported by donations to PTK and helps provide seven

Global Leaders of Promise Scholarships, earmarked for international students.

“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation President Jane Hale Hopkins. “We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa to make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals and support tomorrow’s leaders of the global community.”

The funds provided by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation not only aid college completion, but also give students the opportunity to engage in PTK programs and develop leadership skills to become future leaders in their com-

Courtesy photo

Jacob Beckman

munities. “Research shows that Phi Theta Kappa members are four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers,” said Dr. Monica Marlowe, executive director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation.

“The Leaders of Promise Scholarships recognize students for what they have achieved already and assure that financial need isn’t an obstacle to achieving their academic goals.”

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2021