Chester County Press 09-08-2021 Edition

Chester CountyPRESS

www.chestercounty.com

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

Volume 155, No. 36

INSIDE

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Oxford community rallies to help tornado victims

By Chris Barber Contributing Writer

Moments after the devastating tornado from the effects of Hurricane Ida swept through the Wiltshire housing development on Sept. 1, neighbors and Oxford Hornets score a strangers from near and far big win...1B jumped into action surveying the damage and helping those who were seriously affected.

What they saw was frightening. Trees were sheared off and laying on the ground.

Houses were destroyed.

Roads were blocked by scattered debris. If ever there was a need for help, it was Thursday – the morning after the devastation.

‘Beatlemania Now!’...1B

Among those in the 20-yearold development in East Nottingham who suffered were Michelle and Wayne Sapp, whose home escaped the worst of the storm damage, but whose backyard trees were all torn down.

Michelle is no stranger to responding during a time of need, having jumped in to save Oxford’s traditional cemetery wreath-laying ceremony which is done in conjunction with the national Wreaths Across America effort. She said she doesn’t go looking for crises, but when they present themselves, her faith prompts her to respond. This was obviously a time to help.

Continued on page 2A

Photo by Chris Barber

Volunteers gather, cut and chip fallen trees in the Wiltshire development.

Vocalist, composer and conductor Andrew Lipke will play with Essie & The Eggmen on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m.

Philadelphia musician to perform at Mushroom Festival

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

Kennett Square Speaker Series begins on Sept.

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INDEX Opinion.......................5A Obituaries..............2B-3B

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In geographical terms, the musical journey of Andrew Lipke began in South Africa, moved to Virginia and has for the past several years resided in Philadelphia.

And yet, because music easily transcends borders, Lipke’s musical journey can be found at the crossroads of composing, arranging, conducting, producing, singing and absolutely slicing his electric guitar through the catalog of Led Zeppelin songs with the voracity of a whip smart prodigy.

For Lipke, who will be accompanying Essie & The Eggmen at the 36th annual Mushroom Festival on Sept.

11, life as a Philadelphiabased musician has taken him to the four corners of the musical spectrum. Born in South Africa in 1978, he moved to Virginia with his family when he was a youngster and later pursued a degree in composition from The University of The Arts in Philadelphia.

Since then, Lipke has operated under the unspoken premise of “Have talent, will travel,” with such varied stops as composing and

Mayor Gray always knew life would get better

By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer

Courtesy photo

The Oxford community lost a beloved son when former mayor Harold Gray passed away on Aug. 30 at the age of 92. Harold, affectionately known as “Wimpy,” was born in

Oxford on March 4, 1929 to Albert Julius Gray and Mary Elizabeth Walls Gray.

He was many things to many people. He was a man you could always count on getting a smile from. He liked to eat which, he said, is how he got his nickname, “Wimpy.”

Continued on page 4B

Philadelphia-based composer, arranger, conductor, producer, singer and guitarist Andrew Lipke will be performing with Essie & The Eggmen at the 36th annual Mushroom Festival on Sept. 11.

arranging and singing for several prominent American orchestras and ensembles such as The Aizuri Quartet at The Curtis Institute, the Indianapolis Symphony, the North Carolina Symphony, and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, as well as produced dozens of records for local and regional artists and released five solo albums.

In 2010, Lipke formed the Azrael String Quartet to perform music he had written for his album “The Plague,” which was named one of 2011’s 50 best albums by Philadelphia Weekly. His 2012 work “Siddiqah” was choreographed by The Columbus Dance Theatre for

their production “Rock out” which also included several string quartet arrangements of classic rock songs Lipke completed for the Carpe Diem String Quartet.

While navigating the genre of classical music, Lipke has also fully immersed himself in the road warrior world of rock music, having been a long-time touring member of the Led Zeppelin tribute band Get The Led Out, a critically-acclaimed ensemble of musicians.

From Bach to AC/DC Photo by Betsy Brewer Brantner

“When I was a child, musi- Harold Gray continued to ring the bell for the Salvation cal genres confused me, and I Army from 1965 until 2020. People would frequent didn’t quite understand why businesses in the area just to talk with Gray, and he Continued on page 4A

brought in a lot of money for those in need.

Court decision on Lisa Moore expected to be reached on Oct. 4

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

While the effects of Hurricane Ida that swept through Chester County on Sept. 1 may have canceled the regularly scheduled Kennett Township Board of Supervisors meeting, the township addressed the lead story that has been on the front burner of its agenda for the past two years.

In an email to township residents and business owners, board chairman Richard Leff wrote that former township manager Lisa Moore is scheduled to appear in front of the Hon. David F. Bortner at

1:30 p.m. on Oct. 4 in the Chester County Courthouse in Court Room 6.

The court appearance will ultimately determine the fate of Moore, who was arrested on Dec. 10, 2019 after an eight-month investigation by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office reported that she had allegedly embezzled a total of $3,249,453 from the township, dating back to 2013.

Moore was charged with felony theft, forgery, computer crimes and related offenses.

A once-prominent figure in local politics and the Kennett Square communi-

ty, Moore is alleged to have devised her own personal parlor game of trickery with township funds that were intended to be used for employee benefits, the township’s police department, land preservation and several other township operations.

There remains a strong speculation that Moore will plead guilty to her alleged crimes and negotiate a plan that would require her to pay the township back the money that was lost. While the terms of negotiation are still being discussed between Moore’s attorney Julia Alexa Rogers and the District Attorney’s Office,

the length and extent of her prison sentence – or whether she receives only a probationary sentence -- is expected to be ultimately determined by Bortner.

While Moore’s case has become the subject of widespread scrutiny throughout the community over the past 22 months, she herself has managed to evade the bright glare of a courtroom.

Her preliminary hearing scheduled for Feb. 11, 2020 was waived until April 21, 2020; a formal arraignment that had been scheduled for June 8 was continued; and a criminal trial that had been set for July 20, 2020 was also waived.

On July 19, 2021, Rogers appeared before Chester County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Sommer and asked that the case be continued until September in order to “prepare for plea to comply with terms thereof and determine scheduling.” Sommer, who has presided over the case since it was first set for trial in April 2020, signed the continuance order.

“As we learn more, we will continue to keep the community updated,” Leff wrote. “It is important to remember that the timing, details, and judicial process are not at the discretion of Continued on page 4A

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

Chester County Press

Local News Tornado victims...

Continued from Page 1A

“It’s heartbreaking. You can see it on TV, but when you walk around it’s like something you’ve never seen,” she said.

She jumped into action immediately, setting up a “command center” at the base of the hill on Wickersham Drive, where the devastation was the worst.

She obtained a tent, set it up and began receiving goods and offers of help.

The response was significant. People showed up immediately with tools and vehicles to help clear the wreckage and supply food to those who needed it.

Michelle said it was heartening to see people of all ages including children, arrive to help. That included the Oxford football team, random teenagers and young children with trash

bags whose small hands were only large enough to pick up a few leaves for disposal.

Soon, food arrived from all over, including snacks, water, juice, sodas and ice.

An anonymous woman sent over 10 pizzas, and neighbors supplied a community meal schedule to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner on the site. Each night, the neighborhood supper was delicious: barbecued pork and mashed potatoes.

A local hotel even opened its doors for free lodging to families who had been driven from their homes by the storm.

Physically sturdy volunteers with heavy equipment came to confront the piles of vegetation and scattered lumber.. By mid-morning on Thursday, the neighborhood was buzzing with wood-chippers, tractors, pickup trucks and power saws. The wreckage was

brought to central locations and piled up for disposal.

The tornado, according to witnesses, touched down and moved northward just east of Oxford, bouncing up and down, shearing off treetops and reigning devastation along the way. At Wiltshire, just down the street from Elk Ridge Elementary School, the damage was especially bad, rendering at least three homes totally unlivable and utterly changing the landscape perhaps forever – laying it flat.

The combination of flooding and wind damage was not limited to Wiltshire development in Chester County. In fact, Jason, a workman who had arrive to clean out damaged homes, was asked if he was shocked by what he saw.

“I’m from Horsham [in Northeast Philadelphia]. We had it pretty bad, too,” he said.

Photo by Chris Barber

Young and old pitched in to haul away debris.

Hurricane Ida’s path of destruction extended from Louisiana to the northeastern part of the U.S. One thing which stood out at the Wiltshire site was the unanimous agreement that folks in Oxford are always quick to respond to others in need. They had seen it before, and they were not surprised that they saw that benevolence again with this incident.

In one case, Elliot Dowling and his family heard the warnings of the tornado and rushed to their basement.

“As soon as we got to the basement, we heard the tree hit the garage and the interior walls. It felt like an airplane taking off,” Dowling said.

It only took 30 seconds, he added, but when they emerged, they found that their home was now unlivable.

It was at least a small but significant consolation that Elliot’s parents, Earl and Theresa Dowling, were en route from a vacation and were able to stop by to help.

Theresa said, “We were shocked when we drove in.

The streets were completely lined with trees that had been knocked down.”

Earl said he was gratified with Oxford area’s response to the need.

“It’s most impressive. It restores my faith in mankind,” he said. “All the neighbors pitched in and said, ‘Your kids and pets can stay with us. Here’s food.’”

He added, “It takes a village. It’s great. It’s amazing. The garage is the least of their concerns. The love in this community is showing.”

State Rep. John Lawrence (R-13) of Landenberg was on hand to help with the cleanup on the morning after.

In addition to helping with the picking up and hauling, he used his legPhoto by Chris Barber islative wherewithal to One of the tree homes condemned by the township sits damaged with fallen trees obtain a Dumpster from the against it. nearby SECCRA landfill.

“Dumpsters are in short supply right now,” he said later.

Like others, Lawrence was amazed at the community response he saw.

“It was truck after truck after truck coming in to help,” he said. “It’s fantastic to see so many people reach out to help during Courtesy photo Oxford’s hardship.”

State Rep. John Lawrence helped out with the cleanup Lawrence said he believes in a number of different ways. they have a long road ahead and recovery will take time. Gov. Tom Wolf Free Estimates has issued a proclamation of a disaster emergency, Boilers, Furnaces he said, and there is fed& Hot Water Heaters eral money available, but a local response is fastest and All Fuels responds to exact needs.

As Wayne Sapp stood between loading cleared brush surveying the scene, he expressed what many 219 Birch Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348 had said they felt about the community response. “It’s Ask for Jeff beautiful,” he said.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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Chester County Press

Local News

Courtesy photo

Combat Elevator helping with the cleanup effort at the Wiltshire development.

Photo by Chris Barber

The remains of a home’s interior sit removed on the front lawn.

Photo by Chris Barber

Michelle Sapp, second from right, oversees relief from the command center she set up following the tornado.

Photo by Chris Barber

What they said People from near and far turned out to help the residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed by tornadoes as the remnants of Hurricane Ida ripped through the area. Here’s what a few people said about the Oxford community coming together to help neighbors in need: “Oxford is our hometown and it’s a great town. This devastation has shown just how close-knit our community is, and how at a moment’s notice, so many people of so many walks of life made the time to come together to help others in their time of need.

It’s truly a privilege to be a part of such a gracious and supporting town.” ~ Donnie Ortega of Combat Elevator Inc. “It was really heartwarming to see the Oxford community come together to help neighbors in need. I was honored to be a part of the clean up.” ~ Chris Anderson, realtor with Berkshire Hathaway

“Your heart skips a beat when you see the destruction and then you look down and see the volunteers! They are students, families, teachers, business owners, community members and even our elected official, Rep John Lawrence, all lending a hand.

They might not know the homeowners they are just helping. Over 100 volunteers came together on Day 1 of the clean up to help those in need.

We were happy to make some connections for equipment and volunteers and spread the word. This is what living in a small town is all about.” ~ Christine Grove, executive director of the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce

trailer to remove debris from the residents’ properties.

We worked alongside some other amazing volunteers on this day and there is no greater gift than being able to give without expectation.” ~ Michelle Baer of Baer Electric

The whole side of a home was torn off during the tornado.

“This is what small town is all about—coming together and supporting one another. We (Install Solutions) were just glad we were in a position to help.” ~ Jack Loftus, owner of Install Solutions

“As a local business, we knew we had to help in anyway we could. Although no electric work was needed, we were thankful to put some of our equipment to good use. Along with my husband Steve and our son Parker we were able to utilize our skid steer, truck and

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

Chester County Press

Local News Lipke...

Continued from Page 1A

music had to be categorized or classified,” he said. “If the music held an emotion and was successful in the communication of it, then it was successful. Either the music accomplishes what it tries to do or it doesn’t and when it’s successful, it grabs me. That’s true of Bach as it is with AC/DC and anything in between.

“Out of that kind of musical sensitivity, it made me want to get my hands involved in as many of those genres as I could.”

While he has pursued the rich diversity of genres, all musical roads for Lipke, however, return to Philadelphia. Through his involvement with the Philadelphia based nonprofit LiveConnections, Lipke has collaborated with

Moore...

Continued from Page 1A

the Board of Supervisors and are subject to change any anytime.”

Leff has blocked off the afternoon of Oct. 4 to attend Moore’s appearance at the Chester County Courthouse.

“There are a lot of feelings wrapped up in all of this,” Leff said. “This date has been delayed and delayed for a variety of reasons, not only through the U.S. judicial process that was done on purpose, but COVID-19 slowed it down even further. Nothing is written in stone and things could still change, but if it proceeds it would close a sad chap-

several members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and other prominent musicians to create cross-genre presentations for young people, highlighting the transformative and boundary-crossing nature of music.

In 2015, he collaborated with music director Dirk Brossé and The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia to create and curate an innovative, cross-genre concert series called “Intersect.”

“In retrospect, Philadelphia is a perfect place for a person with my particular interests in a large part, because the music scene is filled with such high-quality performers and writers and people to collaborate with,” Lipke said. “I have been able to work with world class musicians, as well as some of the best jazz players and rock performers in a concentrated area. I thought about going

to California or New York City, but it just happened that each passing month brought new relationships and new collaborations, that really haven’t stopped.”

ter in someone’s career in Kennett Township.”

“It will also be an additional step forward in recouping as much of the stolen money as possible.

The criminal case is one way the township can recover money. Criminal cases tend to have more weight in impacting people’s lives, so hopefully that will come to fruition. I am hopeful that working with the District Attorney’s Office – who has not only been sensitive to the obvious needs to have an appropriate penalty in place but also has been working with the township – will help make the township as whole as possible.”

Leff said that since late April of 2019 – when the first

inklings of a scandal had begun to implicate Moore’s role in fiscal wrongdoings in the township – he has kept his private emotions “bottled up” and clear from the public to see and hear, as he and his fellow supervisors Scudder Stevens and Whitney Hoffman continue to cooperate with the judicial process.

While the township has instituted several layers of checking and cross-checking in the township’s fiduciary system and hired staff who have been thoroughly vetted, an ever-present albatross still exists in the form of a public perception that believes the residual effects of Moore’s alleged thievery will linger in the political

Essie & the Eggmen at the 36th annual Mushroom Festival

New Hope Winery.

“When I left Get the Led Out three years ago, it became a great way to open up my schedule to continue to pursue various aspects of musical expression,” said Lipke, who will conduct the 50-piece Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at the end of September, featuring singersongwriter Amos Lee. “When we were performing ‘Come Together: Abbey Road,’ it was just me playing electric guitar and singing,” Lipke said. “ I wasn’t thinking about having to make the arrangements work. I wasn’t trying to get the parts of the scores ready. I wasn’t conducting an entire orchestra.

It was allowing me to get back to what I also love to do, which is just shred on electric guitar.”

Eggmen at the Mushroom Festival’s Community Stage on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. To learn more about Essie Riddle, visit www.essieriddle.com.

To learn more about David Lipke, visit www.davidlipke. com.

lives of Leff and his fellow supervisors, and worse still, implicate their names in Moore’s alleged crimes.

Speaking for himself and his colleagues on the board, Leff plainly rejects all connections to the former manager.

“The public perception of this scandal is on one person,” Leff said. “They say you go to battle with the army your predecessors gave you, and we certainly have, and now we have had to change that army.

We’ve made those necessary changes, and my goal is to make sure that this doesn’t impact Kennett Township in terms of our ability to get grants and make improvements that help people’s

lives in the township.”

Leff said that after a decision on Moore has been reached, the township plans to schedule a public informational meeting with township residents.

“When I go around the township, my head is held high, knowing that we did what we thought was appropriate at the right time, and where we are now is in a much better place than we were three years ago,” Leff said. “We have learned from what happened, and we have created a better government for the people of Kennett Township.”

On Sept. 11, Mushroom Festival attendees will get to see Lipke perform with another local collaboration when he plays guitar for Essie & The Eggmen, a Philly-based blues/rock band that formed this summer and is also made up of vocalist Essie Riddle, drummer Rob Tate and bassist Andrew Napoli. The four first worked together on Napoli’s production of “Come Together: Abbey Road,” that led to sold-out performances at World Cafe Andrew Lipke will perform Live in Philadelphia and the with Essie Riddle & The

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

Courtesy photo

In addition to the variety of musical genres he has worked in, Lipke toured extensively with Get the Led Out, a Led Zeppelin tribute band.

Make your plans for the Mushroom Festival The 36th annual Mushroom Festival will take place on Sept. 11-12 at Genesis HealthCare building in the 600 block of South Broad Street in Kennett Square. To learn more, visit www.mushroomfestival.org.

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

Courtesy photo

Former Kennett Township manager Lisa Moore is scheduled to appear in front of the Hon. David F. Bortner at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 4 in the Chester County Courthouse, where she is expected to learn the details of her sentencing, stemming from her alleged embezzlement of $3.2 million from the township dating back to 2013.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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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

Guest column

Remembering Harold Gray If the only thing that you knew about Harold Gray was that he was 90 years old and still standing outside a store, ringing a bell, hoping to convince people to drop a dollar into the collection box for the Salvation Army, you might think, “There’s a good man.”

And you’d be right.

There aren’t many 90-year-olds who are willing to spend the days leading up to Christmas bundled up against the cold, collecting donations so that someone else’s holidays would be a little brighter and warmer.

Harold Gray was one of those special people.

Gray’s work with the Salvation Army was just one chapter in a book filled with good deeds. Gray’s life was spent helping others. He served his country, and then he served his community. He was drafted in the U.S. Army in 1951, and later spent 13 months fighting in the Korean War. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Corporal in 1953, followed by eight years in military reserves.

He returned to his hometown of Oxford and in 1965 he was hired as a police officer. He would serve the community in this capacity for 27 years. He retired in 1992, but instead of really retiring, Gray once again served the community of Oxford—this time as the mayor. He would be elected three times, earning support from Democrats and Republicans alike. In that role, he oversaw the operations of the police department—which he knew a lot about after 27 years on the police force. He also officiated 45 weddings and presented numerous citations on behalf of the borough. He was very proud of the Veterans Memorial that was installed in the Oxford Park.

Even after 12 years as mayor, his service to others still wasn’t complete.

He continued to serve as the local chairman of the Salvation Army, and each holiday season he would be out there ringing the bell to collect money for the Salvation Army.

He earned numerous awards for his community service and volunteerism for various organizations. Another tribute to Gray’s life and legacy are the kind words that were expressed when people found out about his passing. Many people talked about Gray’s kindness and generosity. He always greeted people with a smile. He never said a bad word about anyone. No one ever said a bad word about him.

These sentiments aren’t often expressed about a person who spent his entire life in the same small town.

Harold Gray loved Oxford, and Oxford loved him back.

He will be missed.

Lessons from 9/11 that Congress could learn

By Lee H. Hamilton Most Americans alive 20 years ago remember where they were on September 11, 2001. They remember the airplane hijackings, the attacks, and the collapse of the Twin Towers. They remember the nearly 3,000 who perished.

As our nation refocuses on that searing event, it will be tempting to pay attention to the lessons we’ve learned in the decades since, when it comes to dealing with foreign threats and to homeland security. These are, of course, crucial, but in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, we also learned some important lessons about Congress and how it works, and about the benefits to the country of a truly bipartisan approach to difficult issues.

I say this because I was honored to serve as the vice chair of the 9/11 Commission, along with former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean. Over 18 months, we reviewed more than 2.5 million pages of documents and conducted 1200 interviews. We sought to be independent, impartial, thorough, and non-partisan, and joined our Commission colleagues, equal in number from both sides of the aisle, in issuing a bipartisan, unanimous report.

During that inquiry we learned many lessons that are still valid today. We learned, for instance, that there’s a

thirst for accountability in this country. Americans expect their country to work and they’re disappointed when it does not. They react negatively when bureaucrats say, “Trust us.” This is why we pursued our inquiry in an open manner, not behind closed doors—transparency helped the public gain confidence in our work.

We also learned the necessity of pursuing consensus.

Without a unanimous report, our effort would have failed.

Bipartisanship in national security, we found, is essential.

There’s no question that the specifics the Commission recommended—a Director of National Intelligence, to pull together the work of the country’s 16 intelligence agencies, and a National Counter Terrorism Center whose analysts work together to connect the dots and prevent future attacks—have made a difference. Though there have been lapses, intelligence and law enforcement have disrupted scores of plots. Our aircraft and borders are more secure.

Our military eliminated the leadership of Al Qaeda and ISIS and decimated their capabilities. The institutions created after 9/11 have made us safer.

Yet the challenges ahead are many—and, notably, many of them involve Congress.

A major unfinished recommendation from the 9/11

Commission is changing how Capitol Hill works. Because the Commission recommended the creation of powerful executive-branch institutions, it also recommended powerful congressional committees to serve as watchdogs. Instead, DHS still reports to dozens of oversight committees.

Agency leaders spend precious time before them and receive muddled guidance.

When everybody is in charge, nobody is in charge.

The challenge of domestic terrorism also requires strong government powers checked by rigorous oversight. The Justice Department and the FBI must lead the effort against domestic terrorism, carefully monitored by watchdogs, above all Congress and the courts.

The United States has also fallen short in addressing the upstream causes of terrorism.

Our military and intelligence services are superb at finding, tracking, and eliminating terrorists. Yet it is easier to destroy threats than to rebuild societies. Prevention is less costly than military intervention, but it requires time and patient effort.

Looking beyond the report, the threat to our information networks demands focused congressional action.

Ransomware and cyberattacks are with us daily. These threats to our security and prosperity are urgent. No

one wants to read some future commission report about our collective “failure of imagination” to address the cyber threat when its dangers have been in plain sight for years.

Perhaps most notably, the most important lesson of the 9/11 Commission involved the absolute and central importance of bipartisanship. None of what followed its report would have been possible without it. We cannot address our country’s problems unless we work together.

The experience of the 9/11 Commission and the nation’s experience rallying together after the attacks shows that this is not a pipe dream— though it will be up to Americans and their leaders to determine whether it becomes reality. I’m optimistic that our system of self-government can rise to meet the challenges before us—but it will take the kind of bipartisan determination that the 9/11 attacks awakened.

Lee Hamilton is a Senior Advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government; a Distinguished Scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies; and a Professor of Practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

‘How we build matters’ Inaugural Kennett Square Speaker Series will bring nationally known experts to talk about building a sustainable, equitable community in Kennett Square Kennett Square, the one square mile where the borough’s residents live, work, and enjoy walking, dining, shopping, and spending time with friends and family, is full of opportunity and possibility.

Through the decades, the town has grown, thrived, and declined. It’s been revitalized and is coming back into its own again as a diverse community with a deep respect for its history, a strong sense of community, and bright optimism for its future. Part of Kennett Square’s strength is that it’s not an island. The town thrives in the midst of a region with a stable economy and a forward-thinking approach to land stewardship, an area renowned for its beautiful landscapes and world- class institutions.

“Kennett Square is at a pivotal moment in its development, and how we build matters,” explained Historic Kennett Square executive director Bo Wright. “Because Kennett Square has done many things well, and revitalized large parts of our community successfully, more people want to be part of our community. This growth pressure creates challenges.

Many people are thrilled by

the growth, but some are not.

“It’s important to proceed thoughtfully, to maintain the historic character and social cohesion that make Kennett Square unique. We have an exciting opportunity to build a kind of model community—a beautiful and sustainable community where every citizen can belong and prosper.”

For any municipality to do this successfully, Wright said, requires careful stewardship of its raw materials.

“Think of a business—a business takes raw materials and adds labor and know-how to create a product,” he said.

“An entrepreneur needs to know the costs of materials and labor, and ultimately the market value of the product, in order to see whether they will be successful or not.

“Municipalities are quite similar—their raw material is the land within their borders, and their product is their tax base which they need to survive and prosper. The problem is—and this isn’t an attack on any municipalities—most cities and towns don’t know whether they are successful or whether they have a sustainable ‘business.’

“The Borough of Kennett

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Square has 640 acres, so what is the value per acre of that land? More importantly, which style of development has the highest value per acre, and thus contributes most to the community? These are all hugely important questions for a town to be able to answer in order be financially sustainable.”

Wright continued, “The Borough is only one square mile. This is such a finite resource that it compels us to think really carefully and creatively about how we balance competing demands in our community—for now and for the future. We need to be able to provide housing, recreation, and resources for every resident, and also make sound financial stewardship decisions so the municipality can continue to provide services and maintain all of the necessary infrastructure for generations to come. How we build matters. Our built environment has a direct impact on everything from our financial sustainability to our quality of life.”

To help everyone in our community understand the challenges and possibilities that lie ahead for Kennett Square, Historic Kennett Square and several community partners, including Square Roots Collective, are launching the 2021–22 Kennett Square Speaker Series, “How We Build Matters.”

“Through this series, we’ll be bringing some of the nation’s leading thinkers and experts here to Kennett Square to help us learn about what it takes to build great—and sustainable— communities,” Wright said.

“This idea of sustainability in its broadest sense—including fiscal sustainability in addition to environmental sustainability—is critical to consider. The diverse slate of speakers will be looking at this idea of sustainability from different angles and helping us think through how we can build an equitable community, in which people are socially connected

and where everyone can afford to live.”

The goal of the series as a whole and of each event is to bring expertise and fresh perspective to the possibilities for Kennett’s future.

“We hope that when people see and hear about new ideas that have worked in other places, the dialogue will be transformed, community members will be inspired, and difficult change will become easier.”

Wright also noted that Historic Kennett Square is working on plans to interpret these presentations live so that Spanish-speaking members of the community will be able to participate fully as well.

Wright will kick off the KSQ Speaker Series on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the American Legion Hall. He will set the context for the rest of the series and the speakers from around the country who will make up the slate for the 2021– 22 talks. Although he’s now a local, Wright brings national experience to his work here.

He came to Historic Kennett Square from Strong Towns, an organization that supports people advocating for smart, sustainable growth in towns and cities across the U.S. and Canada. Through his work with Strong Towns, Wright travelled extensively with the organization’s founder and president, Chuck Marohn.

“Visiting hundreds of cities and towns around the country, talking with leaders and concerned citizens, and seeing the good, bad, and the ugly firsthand was an invaluable education,” Wright said. “I’ve

Courtesy photos

Historic Kennett Square executive director Bo Wright. enjoyed walking through revitalized communities and seeing projects that have helped people to thrive and brought wealth to their communities.

I’ve also witnessed the fallout from various kinds of detrimental development patterns that destroy a community’s character and create unsolvable problems for residents.”

In his presentation on Sept.

28, “How We Build Matters: Building a Sustainable Community in Kennett Square,” Wright will explain how the community’s various strengths will help Kennett Square successfully meet some of the challenges it faces at this critical moment.

“As in any community, there are differences of opinion, and change can be hard,” he said.

“But it’s really important for everyone to have a voice and work together to build a vision for what we want our community to be. The Kennett Square Speaker Series will help us to establish a common understanding and language so we can do this work together and achieve our shared goal—a beautiful and sustainable community where every citizen can belong and prosper.”

The next event, planned for early November, will focus on building a livable communities for all ages.

“How we build matters for everyone—from the youngest to the oldest community

members,” said Wright. “A livable community that works for every generation offers a range of housing options for all ages and situations and is financial resilient, with design that’s human scale, walkable, and fosters connection instead of isolation.”

“Bo Wright’s presentation on Sept. 28 is the perfect way to kick off this exciting new Speaker Series,” said Historic Kennett Square board chair Bob Norris. “Bo’s an impressive person who has brought a lot to our community and steered Historic Kennett Square through the pandemic with a focus on helping our small businesses survive, elevating the Kennett Square experience for residents and visitors through placemaking projects like Christmas in Kennett and Kennett Blooms, and bringing both vision and experience from around the country to our discussions about economic development in Kennett Square and the surrounding area.”

“I’m looking forward to Bo’s presentation on Sept. 28 and to engaging with these ideas as a community throughout this excellent Speaker Series. The caliber of speakers that we’ll be bringing in throughout the series speaks for itself, and I hope everyone will join us to be part of these important conversations about ensuring a vibrant future for the community we love.”

6A

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

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Chester County Press

In the Spotlight

Section

B

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

Hard work is paying early dividends for the Oxford Hornets

Oxford improves to 2-0 with a 32-12 win over Sun Valley

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer The Oxford Hornets football team is off to a 2-0 start in the 2021 season, and head coach Mike Means credits the leaders on the team—especially the large group of seniors—for doing the hard work necessary in the off-season to set the stage for this early-season success.

“I think it comes down to the great off-season work that our kids put in,” Means said just moments after the Hornets defeated the Sun Valley Vanguards, 32-12, on September 3. “Our kids really bought in to what we’ve been asking them to do. We’ve got leaders on the team and they’ve embraced everything that we’ve asked of them. This feels like a new team.”

The Hornets certainly need to be prepared as they progress through the 2021 season—the schedule this year might be the hardest in the program’s history as Oxford has added some tough non-league teams to a schedule that already features some of the best squads from the powerful Ches-Mont League. Oxford earned a hard-fought 25-22 win over Radnor in Week 1, and followed that effort up with an even more impressive win against a much-improved Sun Valley team.

If there is a theme to the early part of this season for Oxford, it might be summed up as “work hard, play harder.” The team looks loose, relaxed, and confident as they grind out victories play by play.

Last Friday, Sun Valley scored the first touchdown of the game—and, as it turned out, the last— but Oxford dominated

the game for stretches in between, especially in the second half.

Sun Valley played well early on, putting together two good offensive series to start the game, and the Vanguards’ defense forced Oxford to go three-andout during the Hornets’ first possession. But soon, Oxford was finding its own footing offensively. Oxford quarterback Dustin Long tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Evans on the first play of the second quarter, capping a 73-yard drive and tying the game at 6-6. The drive was also highlighted by a 22-yard run by Dom Pantalone.

Oxford took its first lead of the game with 2:43 left to play in the second quarter. The Hornets started the drive deep in their own territory—at the 9-yard line.

Long threw a quick screen pass to Dakota Jones, who caught the ball and raced up the right sideline for a 65-yard gain.

On the next play, Pantalone turned in another good run, following his blockers to the left and gaining 15 yards. Long demonstrated his ability to run the ball on the next play, scoring from ten yards out on an electrifying quarterback keeper where he used his speed to beat the defenders. Long celebrated the successful 91-yard drive by racing over to the sidelines and encouraging the large home crowd—which was already boisterous—to boost the decibels even more. It was 12-6, and that was the score when the game headed into halftime.

The Hornets struck quickly in the third quarter after a nice run by Evans and a beautiful pass play in which Long hit receiver Sean Hunsicker in stride

Oxford quarterback Dustin Long warms up for the game against Sun Valley.

The Hornets won the battle in the trenches, especially in the second half.

along the left sideline for a 30-yard touchdown. Kicker Will Smith made it 19-6 when he booted the extra point.

Hunsicker, who plays on both sides of the ball for Oxford, helped the defense stop Sun Valley’s next offensive series deep in Oxford territory when he broke up a pass on a third-and-eleven play. The ensuing punt was downed at the one-yard line. With the Hornets pinned deep in their own territory, the result of the game was still very much in question. One mistake at that part of the field could swing momentum back to Sun Valley.

But the Hornets weren’t about to let that happen.

On first down, Long kept the ball on a quarterback keeper. He disappeared into a big crowd of players and, when the dust settled a moment later, he had reached the 10-yard line— an enormous play to give the Hornets some room to operate. The 10-yard burst also demonstrated Oxford’s determination to win the game in the trenches. Three plays later, Long threw a nice pass over the middle that Zach Miller hauled in.

Miller broke free and ran down the field, shaking a would-be tackler around the 40-yard line and then racing into the end zone for an 85-yard touchdown. It was 25-6.

Oxford added another touchdown, making it 32 points in a row, before Sun Valley scored a touchdown late in the game to make the final score 32-12.

Means said that Sun Valley played a very tough game, especially early on.

“They came out and played a physical game,” Means said. “We had to make some adjustments.”

Long said that there were several times during the game when Oxford dialed up a good play call for the moment; one example of that was the pass play to Miller that resulted in a touchdown. Long, a junior, was starting just his third game at quarterback, but demonstrated real potential that can be unearthed through hard work during the rest of this season and the next.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Hornets boast a hustling, tenacious group of players who take turns making the big play.

The Hornets made some adjustments in the second quarter that allowed the team to score 32 straight points.

Photos by Steven Hoffman

“We’ve got depth at every level of the defense,” Means said.

The Oxford coach called Luke Piskun, the middle linebacker, the engine that makes Oxford’s defense run. Another standout is Hunsicker, who plays on offense and defense.

Means said that, against Sun Valley, Hunsicker was all over the field—which is the ultimate compliment that a football coach can bestow on a player.

In recent years, Oxford has been known as an offensive force, a team that can put up the points, but they’ve had a hard time winning games against the elite Ches-Mont League squads that have good defenses or good offenses.

“The next step that we have to take is to win these ugly defensive games against the good teams,” Means said.

The win over Sun Valley came at the end of a very difficult week in Oxford.

The region was in the path of Hurricane Ida, and even though the storm had been downgraded to a Tropical Depression by the time it roared through the area on September 1, it left devasta-

tion in its wake. There was heavy flooding and some fast-moving tornadoes were spawned by the storm. One tornado did extensive damage to homes in a housing development that is very close to Oxford’s school campus where the Hornets play their home games.

Means noted that dozens of students from the high school volunteered to help with the cleanup effort earlier in the day. He said that he was proud of all those who volunteered, and proud of the football team for delivering a victory for Oxford.

“It was a tough week for this community,” Means said. “A lot of the kids were out there for hours today helping to clean up the debris. If the team could lift the community up a little bit, it was good to come through and do that.”

Long echoed the sentiment.

“We wanted to show up for our town,” he said.

The Hornets will host Kennett at 7 p.m. this Friday in Week 3 action.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

The Oxford Hornets take the field.

Broadway’s ‘Beatlemania Now!’ returns to The Milton Theatre on Sept. 25 “Beatlemania Now,” the multimedia musical stage show, is the ultimate celebration of the 1960s and the group that helped shape the decade—The Beatles.

Catch this stage extravaganza at the historic Milton Theatre for two shows on Saturday, Sept.

25 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Recapture the excitement, mood and frantic intensity of the 1960s as you revisit historic moments in the lives and

deaths of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., the politics of Richard M. Nixon, the raging war in Vietnam, protests in the streets, “Flower Power,” “Peace and Love,” and space exploration. See film footage and television commercials of the times, as the cast meticulously performs incredible note-for-note renditions of Beatles’ classics, including songs the Beatles’ themselves never performed

outside of the recording studio.

Tickets available online at MiltonTheatre.com or call the box-office at 302684.3038 for assistance.

The Milton Theatre is located in downtown historic Milton on Union Street along the Broadkill River. 110 Union Street.

Milton, DE 19968. Follow the Milton Theatre online at Facebook @miltontheatreshows, Instagram @ miltontheatre, Email boxoffice@miltontheatre.com.

Courtesy photo

The show’s cast performs live-on-stage, against a backdrop of stunning images spanning the most exciting and turbulent decade of modern times.

2B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

Chester County Press

Obituaries RICHARD T. TOMPKINS

GARY OWEN CHARLTON

DYLAN TF WAGNER

Richard T. Tompkins of Bandera, Texas, peacefully passed away on Aug. 31.

A retired cowboy, consultant, and human resources manager, he was born on April 28, 1941 in Nacogdoches, Texas, to Reuel and Lurlyne Tompkins.

His Episcopal faith led him through life and he also attended the Catholic Church of Bandera, often comparing the sermons of both over breakfast at OST. He is survived by sons, R. Travis Tompkins (Leda), Chad A. Tompkins (Cathy); daughter, Ivy Lyn Tompkins; granddaughters, Kayla Tompkins, Elise Tompkins, Morgan Tompkins, Grace Tompkins; sister, Susan Ohlendorf (Tommy); brother, Christopher Tompkins; nieces, Wendy Greinke (Greg), Erin Davis (Bobby); nephews, Shawn Adams (Margaret), Keith Tompkins (Angela), Steve Tompkins (Debbi); also, Debbie Ericson (Joe) and W. Scott Lewis (Kim).

He was preceded in death by Rebecca A. Tompkins and Paula Tompkins and parents Reuel and Lurlyne Tompkins.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 11 a.m. at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Victoria, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org/) or Former Texas Rangers Foundation (http://trhc.org/giving.html).

Gary Owen Charlton, 33, of Oxford, passed away on Aug. 30 while at home and surrounded by family.

Born in Lancaster, he was the son of Barbara Teel Charlton of Oxford and the late Mark W. Charlton.

Gary was a highly decorated veteran of the U.S. Army, serving two tours in the Afghanistan War while assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division.

He enjoyed fishing, hiking, family barbecues and get togethers.

He is survived by his mother; one brother, Scott W. Charlton of Oxford; one sister, Kristy M. Hagy (Gary) of Oxford; one niece, Hannah Hagy; one nephew, Nolan Hagy; paternal grandmother, Glenda Kopf of Oxford; and maternal grandmother, Thelma Pearl Teel, who passed away shortly after Gary.

He was preceded in death by his father; a sister, Rachel Charlton; paternal grandfather, Wayne Charlton; and maternal grandfather, Curtis Teel, Sr. Funeral services were held on Sept. 4, at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.

Interment with full military honors will be in Little Elk Friends Cemetery in Oxford.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project at woundedwarriorproject.org.

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

Dylan TF Wagner, of Lincoln University, passed away on Aug. 26 at Thomas Jefferson Hospital after a long illness. He was 31.

Born in Coatesville, he was a son of Robert C. Fleming of Kennett Square and Angela S. Wagner of Lincoln University. Dylan attended Upland Country Day School, Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va., and finally Hampden – Sydney College in Va. before attending the College of Charleston.

He enjoyed ice hockey, lacrosse, and all Philadelphia sports teams.

Dylan was preceded in death by his grandmother Ellen S. McCulley and grandfather Edward L. Wagner.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by one brother, Nash Wagner of Brooklyn, N.Y.; two sisters, Barrett Wagner of Winter Park, Fla. and Marra Wagner of Lincoln University; loving maternal grandfather Warren McCulley of Kill Devil Hills, N.C.; loving paternal grandmother Cynthia Fleming of North East, Md., and paternal grandfather Cloyed Fleming of Warminster, Pa. A gathering in celebration of his life will be planned at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Prevention Point Philadelphia at https:// ppponline.org/donate.

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

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

Alleluia For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.

Psalm 18:39 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.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

3B

Chester County Press

Obituaries THELMA PEARL TEEL Thelma Pearl Teel, 95, of Oxford, passed away Aug. 31 at Pocopson Home in West Chester.

She was the wife of the late Curtis R. Teel, Sr., with whom she shared almost 58 years of marriage.

Born in Johnstown, she was the daughter of the late Lemon and Verna Clevenger Orris.

Thelma was formerly employed with Oxford Area Senior Center and with two sewing factories in Oxford.

During World War II, Thelma was employed with an arms manufacturing company in Elkton, Md. She was a member of the Oxford Area Senior Center, the Union Fire Company No. 1 Women’s Auxiliary, Oxford, and Ocklokonee Tribe #212 I.O.R.M. Degree of Pocahontas.

She enjoyed crafts, bingo, cooking, gardening, watching the Philadelphia Phillies and Little League baseball games, family get togethers and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by one son, C. Randy Teel, Jr. (Linda) of Oxford; two daughters, Shirley Wagner (Steven) of Palm Bay, Fla., Barbara E. Charlton of Oxford; five grandchildren, Jamie Teel of Oxford, Kristy Hagy (Gary) of Oxford, Jason Teel of Oxford, Brandon Wagner of Palm Bay, Fla. and Scott Charlton of Oxford; and four great-grandchildren, Hannah Hagy, Madisyn Teel, Nolan Hagy and Lily Wagner.

She was preceded in death by one daughter, Anna Andrews; two grandchildren, Rachel Charlton and Gary Charlton; two son-in-laws, John Andrews and Mark Charlton; and three sisters and one brother.

Funeral services were held on Sept. 5 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc, in Oxford.

Interment will be in Little Elk Friends Cemetery in Oxford.

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

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

ROBERT A. SCHOTTIN Robert A. Schottin, 91, of West Grove, passed away on Sept. 3 at his residence.

He was the husband of Catherine Gillogly Schottin, who passed away in 2016 and with whom he shared 67 years of marriage.

Born in Buffalo, N.Y., he was the son of the late Frank C. Schottin and Audrey Addison Schottin.

He was a truck owner/operator for M&G Convoy, Newark, Del., retiring in 1991 after 35 years of service.

Robert was a member of the Community of Love Lutheran Church in Oxford, a founding member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Newark, Del. and American Vecturist.

He enjoyed going to coin conventions, truck shows and being with his family and friends.

He is survived by one son, Michael Frank Schottin of Newark, Del.; two daughters, Linda C. Hinkelman of Oxford and Robin Couram (and her husband Tim) of Holtwood, Pa.; seven grandchildren, Dawn Singer (Bradley), Anne LaManna (Jamie), Timothy Schottin (Kelly Carpenter), Valerie Watson, Jason Schottin (Sarah), Christian Watson (Niyati Kamdar) and Tracie Sebold (Bryan), and fifteen great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by a daughter, Barbara Watson.

You are invited to visit with his family and friends from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at the Foulk Funeral Home, 200 Rose Hill Road, West Grove.

His funeral service will follow at 11 a.m..

Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to Community of Love Lutheran Church, 117 North 4th Street, Oxford, Pa. 19363.

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

CHARLES L. HANNUM Charles L. Hannum, 93, of Oxford, passed away on Sept. 1 at home.

He was the husband of the late S. Yvonne Maule Hannum, with whom he shared almost 70 years of marriage.

Born in Barnsley, he was the son of the late Frank McKinley and Lillian May Dutton Hannum.

Charlie was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War. Charlie and his wife, Yvonne owned and operated Hannum’s Grocery in Oxford for almost 40 years. He also painted and was employed with the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. He was a member of the Oxford United Methodist Church and was appointed chairperson on the board of trustees for a number of years, an honorary member of the board of directors for Oxford Cemetery and board member of the Oxford Area Senior Center. He was also a member of the Oxford Lions Club, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Oxford Lodge #353 F. & A. M., Improved Order of Redmen, Ocklokonee Tribe #212 I.O.R.M., Oxford, Youth Cabin Guardian, Union Fire Company, No. 1, Oxford, Oxford Fire Police, Gray-Nichols Post #1779 VFW, Oxford and the Oxford Area Civic Association.

Charlie was awarded Oxford Citizen of the Year in 2002.

He is survived by his “adopted” daughter Katie Obenchain of Oxford; one brother, Richard Hannum of Oxford; and close family friends, Lawrence and Patricia Reese of Oxford.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Elizabeth Herr and brother, Alfred Hannum.

A graveside service with full military honors will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at the Oxford Cemetery, 220 N. Third St., in Oxford.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Oxford United Methodist Church, 18 Addison St, Oxford, Pa. 19363.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

MARY ELEANOR D’ADDARIO ZUNINO Mary Eleanor D’Addario Zunino passed away at her home on Sept. 1 while surrounded by her family. She was 98 and lived in Avondale.

She was a member of St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother Catholic Church in Avondale for many years.

She was the wife of the late Angelo J. Zunino, who died in 2009 and with whom she shared 61 years of marriage.

Born in West Goshen, she was a daughter of the late Donato D’Addario and the late Carmela DiBenedetto D’Addario.

Mary graduated from Avon Grove High School in 1941.

After high school, she worked for many years as a beautician before meeting her future husband, Angelo. They married and she quickly adopted the life of the family farming business, Angelo J. Zunino & Sons Incorporated.

She had a passion for continuous learning and truly enjoyed sharing her knowledge with others. Telling her life’s stories was her way of passing on family history and traditions to her family and friends. She also enjoyed cooking for her family, spending time in the garden, and being at the pool with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include two sons, Thomas J. Zunino (and his wife Kathy) of Kennett Square and David J. Zunino (and his wife Diane) of Avondale; one daughter, Patricia M. Quynn (and her husband Norman) of Kennett Square; her

daughter-in-law, Lois Zunino of West Grove; one sister Mildred Ferraro of Kennett Square; 16 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by a son, Edward and her siblings, Clara, Helen, Daniel, and Fred.

Her family would like to give special thanks to the people who cared for her in her final days and weeks, including (her daughter) Tricia Quynn, (her granddaughters) Michelle Tuel and Sarah Quynn, (niece) Judy Ferraro, and caregivers Laura Cooper, Phyllis Osborne, and the staff of Willow Tree Hospice. Your love and care will never be forgotten.

You are invited to visit with Mary’s family and friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother Church, 8910 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale, Pa. 19311. Her Mass of Christian burial will follow at 11 a.m.

Interment will be at St. Patrick Cemetery.

Masks are to be worn in public places, as is requested by current CDC guidelines.

Contributions in her memory may be made to St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother Church, P.O. Box 709, Avondale, Pa. 19311 https://catholiccharitiesappeal.org/donate.

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

To send an online condolence please visit www.griecofunerals.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 submit an obituary to the Chester County Press or for a rate quote, email the information to editor@ chestercounty.com.

PAUL A KAVANAGH, JR. Paul A. Kavanagh, Jr., a resident of Wilmington, Del., passed away Aug. 31 after a brief illness.

He was preceded in death by his wife Joann (Gaus) Kavanagh.

Born on May 29, 1933 in West Grove, Paul was the son of Paul and Rose Kelly Kavanagh.

After graduating from Oxford Area High School in 1952, Paul enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served four years. After his honorable discharge, Paul began a 40-year career with the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) and worked as a lineman and foreman, while living in Lincoln University, Pa. Paul enjoyed following the Delaware Blue Hen football team and would listen to the radio broadcasts.

He loved watching his business and news shows and enjoyed talking politics. He will also be remembered for tinkering with his farm equipment and scouting out the tractor supply businesses in Chester and Lancaster Counties.

Paul is survived by his four children, Michael, Margaret, Patrick (Catherine), and Timothy (Deborah); and four grandsons, Kyle, Shane, Ethan (Madeline), and Colin.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Sept. 10 at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 300 State Road, West Grove, Pa. Visitation will be held from 10 to 10:45 a.m.

Burial services will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in West Grove.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

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4B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

Chester County Press

Local News Gray...

Continued from Page 1A

“I had it since I was kid,” he said once, grinning from ear to ear. “I got it from Wimpy in the Popeye cartoon. I liked hamburgers. I still like hamburgers.”

Harold was educated in the Oxford Area School District.

“We were taught black history, but not much at that time,” he said. “We went from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The bell rang twice a day.

Recess was my favorite. I would go out and beat the erasers. We were happy.”

He remembered his homeroom teacher, Mrs. Kennard, fondly.

“My brother and I would take her to school on a bobsled when it snowed. It would have been difficult for her to get there,” he said. “I started school in 1937. It was an all-black school, black teachers and principal.”

He attended the Union School for six years, then went on to high school, which was integrated. He remembered having white friends, but also mentioned that there were still stores he couldn’t go into because he was black.

“Some soda shops I

couldn’t go in. I always knew things would get better. I didn’t blame people.

They were taught that,” Gray said.

Things did get better for Gray, but better only because of the man he was.

They got better because he just kept smiling and walking forward.

After high school, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951, and took his basic training at Ft. Meade in Maryland. He served actively in Korea for 13 months and was honorably discharged with the rank of Corporal in 1953.

That was followed by eight more years in the military reserves.

In his interview for the Oxford Area Historical Association, he spoke about his time in Korea.

The Korean War is often called the forgotten war, but Gray remembered it as if it was yesterday.

“It was the worst time in my life,” he said. “I was scared going to Korea. It was cold in the winter. The winter around here was like summer compared to Korea. We had to eat in the cold. We would sit on the bank outside and eat. I was with the 75th artillery group. We had to dig five-

foot deep trails in the ice with pickaxes. Summers were hot. I was more afraid of the mosquitoes than the enemy. We got hit a few times. Thank God we came out of it.”

Gray explained that the Army had just gotten integrated a few years before he was drafted.

“A lot of the troops were from the south,” he said, “so the white soldiers apologized for the way they felt about blacks. They realized we were all the same. They were just like my brothers. I learned to accept it.

I knew they were taught that.”

More than once in the interview Gray repeated the statement, “I knew things would get better.”

“I always worked,” he said. “I worked in restaurants washing dishes. In the winter my brothers and I would shovel snow, and in the summer time we would help haul hay, and pick tomatoes. We helped my mom and dad and there was always plenty of food.”

He also worked at a fertilizer mill on South Street, mixing fertilizer. When he came out of the military, it didn’t take him long to find a job.

His priorities changed

when he married Edith L. Havelow. They celebrated their 68th anniversary on Feb. 15 of this year. And from that union they were blessed with six children.

When asked how he got involved in law enforcement, Gray was happy to talk about that.

Prior to joining the Oxford police force in 1965, after successfully completing all the necessary training courses, Harold worked for several years at Coates’ Body Shop in Oxford and for the body shop owned by Doug Lambert in Coatesville.

“I went to work at Coates Body Shop as a painter,” he explained. “Count Nelson was the first black police officer back then. Someone asked me why I didn’t apply for a job with the police. I had to take the Civil Service test. I scored higher than anyone and because I was in the military that gave me points, so I got the job. I took the physical and passed. I made $4,000 a year. I got married, so I painted cars during the day and worked as a cop at night. I was making more money painting cars than working as a police officer.

“I started working part

time as an officer on the weekends and worked painting cars through the week.”

When Mayor Frances Maule asked him to come back full-time he went. The borough hired more police.

Gray remembered, “I needed benefits, and insurance. I had kids. They started paying decent money in the 1970s.”

Gray retired in 1992 after 27 years as a policeman and was encouraged to run for mayor.

Gray, a lifelong resident of Oxford, was sworn in as the first African-American Mayor of Oxford Borough in 1993. Earning great respect from the community, he was re-elected for two more terms.

“When I retired, I got tired of watching TV,” he explained. “I was asked to run for mayor. One guy told me I had to be Republican to get that job in Oxford. I was registered as a Democrat. Glenn Elters and Jim Sumner helped me.

We went door to door. I knocked on a lot of doors.

I won by a landslide. It surprised me. I was the first black mayor and I was a Democrat and 75 percent of the people that voted for me were Republican.”

He expressed in later years that his greatest accomplishment as mayor, was to get the Veterans’ Memorial erected in the Oxford Park.

“I called John Roberts— he was the finance man at the American Legion,” he explained. “I told him I had a dream about the monument and explained how I wanted it. Roberts made a few changes and took it to Paul Risk. I said this is what we are going to do.

It was built just the way I dreamed it.”

Among his duties as mayor, he was privileged to officiate for 45 weddings and present numerous citations on behalf of the borough.

“I loved doing weddings, and eating those great meals afterwards,” he said.

When he finally retired, a retirement banquet was held in his honor at the Oxford Fire Hall. He would always be known as Mayor Gray, even after he retired.

People would often ride by his home and stop and talk to him as he sat on his front porch. But Gray didn’t just go off and fade into the sunset yet. He had more work to do.

While Gray was a police officer, Jim Campbell asked him if he would be the

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:

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.

Legals ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Mackenzie Joel Welch, Late of Lincoln University, East Nottingham, Chester County, 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 Joel E. Welch, 228 Highland View Drive, Lincoln University, PA 19352, Administrator.

9p-1-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Wilma Goldman Late of Mal-

YARD SALE Friday, Sept. 10 • 4pm-7pm Saturday, Sept. 11 • 8am-2pm Sunday, Sept. 12 • 10am-2pm 270 Kimble Road, Lincoln University

vern, 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

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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 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

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

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

5B

Chester County Press

Local News chairman for the Salvation Army in the area.

Gray explained, “I said I would. That was in 1965.

I started that first winter ringing the bell for them in front of the Acme. I was there during rain and snow.

I had trouble getting people to help. In later years, I did two Wawas, and then I’d go to Walmart. I enjoyed doing it.”

Following his retirement from the police department, he continued to chair the Salvation Army for 30 years.

Gray was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police and the State Mayors Association. He was the commander of the Roy W. Gibson American Legion Post 535 for 30 years and as such was involved in numerous Memorial Day Parades.

He was also on the boards of Southern Chester County Medical Center, the Department of Aging of West Chester, the Oxford Senior Center, and Act 101 of Lincoln University while in office as mayor.

For a time, Gray was assistant Boy Scout Master of Troop 55, the only AfricanAmerican Boy Scout troop of Oxford, and a member of Mt. Hebron University

Masonic Lodge #34, earning the 32nd degree. He was ordained as an elder of Second Presbyterian Church in 1959 (now Shiloh P.C.), served as treasurer, superintendent of Sunday School, and became a trustee in 1962. Also, he was Clerk of Session until 1965, and worship leader many times in the absence of a full-time pastor.

When asked about church Gray said, “My wife was more involved than I was.

I wanted to make sure our children were involved with church. I didn’t care what religion they were involved in, but I wanted them to know there was only one God,” he said. “I enjoyed fellowship, but I never sang in the choir. I couldn’t sing.”

In honor of his community service, hard work, determination, commitment and compassionate care for others, Gray received many certificates, awards, citations and congratulatory letters from organizations including the American Legion, the West Chester NAACP, the American Heart Association, the Oxford Senior Center, the Second Presbyterian Church of Oxford (Shiloh), Oxford Area School District, and the Oxford Citizen Recognition Award. Also,

he was awarded citations from the Chester County Commissioners for service and dedication; and citations with appreciation from both the United States Army Freedom Team and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for Korean War Heroes.

On the day that Gray passed away, Oxford Police Detective Chris Coverly released a statement that read: It is with the deepest sadness and a profound sense of loss that the Oxford Borough Police Department announces the loss of retired Officer Harold “Wimpy” Gray. Officer Gray’s end of watch came on August 30th, 2021. Officer Gray served the citizens and visitors of Oxford Borough as a patrol officer. After his retirement, Officer Gray continued to serve his community as the Mayor of Oxford Borough from 1994 through 2005. Most local residents remember Mayor Gray for spending decades outside our local grocery stores, ringing the bell and collecting donations for the Salvation Army.

Mayor Gray always had a great story to tell and loved spending time with his fam-

ily. His bright, inviting smile and warm personality will be greatly missed.

Gray loved this community, he loved his family and he left this world a better place.

His favorite comment is a parting gift and will be a continuing challenge to all: “I always knew things would get better.”

Family and friends are welcome to attend a Celebration of Life and Homegoing Service at the Oxford Presbyterian Church, Six Pine Street in Oxford on Saturday, Sept.

11 at 11 a.m. There will be a viewing from 9:00 A.M. until the time of service.

(Please wear a mask.).

(Reporter’s note: I need to give a special thank you to the Oxford Area Historical Association for the generous assistance in allowing me to view their interview with Mayor Harold “Wimpy” Gray. As the reporter writing this story and watching Gray’s oral history interview on a computer, OAHA provided me some closure. I knew Mayor Gray, too. Through his work as a police officer and mayor, he was a

Courtesy photo

Harold Gray, the former mayor of Oxford, passed away last week at the age of 92.

vital part of the village that helped me raise my children. My oldest grandson looked up to Mayor Gray and rang the bell for the Salvation Army because of him. For many years, he just assumed Mayor Gray was and always would be Mayor of Oxford. When I worked for the Borough, I was so honored and so thankful to work with Gray. He shared his valuable knowledge with me.

He was beyond respected; Mayor Gray was loved, and loved deeply by everyone that ever spent a minute

with him.

The interview is just a small part of their oral history project. Beyond giving me an opportunity to view Mayor Gray speaking about his amazing life, the Historical Association allowed me to hear his voice one more time. For anyone interested in volunteering for OAHA or visiting them, please visit their website at: https://www.oxfordhistorical.org. A special thank you to Gail and Stephen Roberts for taking all of my phone calls, and for being so accommodating.

60th anniversary arts fest to feature Sandy Askey-Adams Brandywine Festival of the Arts returns to Wilmington on Sept. 11 and 12 Painter Sandy AskeyAdams, who first exhibited at the Brandywine Festival of the Arts in 1982, will be the featured artist at this year’s 60th anniversary event, set for Sept.

11 and 12 in the Josephine Gardens of Wilmington’s Brandywine Park.

Adams, a resident of Bucks County, who is well known for the warmth and serenity of her pastels, began exhibiting at the festival at a time when artists hung their work on snow fences.

Now, thanks to the festival’s growth and her own popularity, she sets up a two-tent display each year.

“Besides being a fine artist, Sandy is a great example of a professional who has grown a tremendous following by exhibiting here,” said Barry Schlecker, producer of the Brandywine Festival of the Arts since 2010.

Schlecker established the featured artist designation to salute artists who have contributed to the festival’s continued success. Previous honorees include painters Larry Anderson and Rick Phillips, jewelry maker Olga Ganoudis and visual artist Eric Zippe.

Askey-Adams, who grew up in western Pennsylvania, describes her work as “impressionistic realism,” saying she invites viewers to take a walk through nature with her landscapes, seascapes and other outdoor themes. She said her mother

taught her the basics of art when she was 4 or 5 years old. “I guess she got tired of me drawing on the walls whenever I found a pencil or a crayon,” she recalls.

Askey-Adams has exhibited regionally and nationally, most recently in the Juried Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art League show at the Salmagundi Club in New York City earlier this year, but Brandywine remains one of her favorite places.

“I like the people who run the festival. They understand the artist, and the people who come to the festival appreciate the art.

It’s a happy crowd,” AskeyAdams said.

“I see many of the same people year after year,” she says. “I’ve met people when they were getting married.

I’ve watched their families grow up.”

The friends she has made at the festival often become regular buyers of her art, even calling her during the

year to make purchases, she said.

For this year’s festival, Askey-Adams is offering a “buy one, win one” opportunity, with purhasers of her work receiving a chance to win another of her paintings, most likely one with a regional theme.

While she has enjoyed commercial success and has had her work featured in national art magazines and art book publications, Askey-Adams said making sales is not the primary motivation for her work.

“I’m not painting to sell.

I’m painting to help people see things they haven’t noticed before,” she said.

The festival, Delaware’s largest two-day outdoor cultural event, features about 200 artists in an array of media, including painting, pottery, sculpture, jewelry, woodworking, fabric and photography. At least 30 of this year’s exhibitors will be “emerging artists,” pro-

Classifieds

fessionals who are new to the festival or who have exhibited for fewer than three years, Schlecker said.

The festival has become an iconic change-of-seasons activity, marking the transition from summer to fall in a scenic setting along the Brandywine. It regularly draws up to 15,000 visitors, with its children’s activities, a food court and local food vendors, including beer and wine, plus pet adoption opportunities, providing more than just art for folks of all ages to enjoy.

Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept.

11, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 12. A single admission of $5 is good for both days, so visitors can browse on Saturday and buy on Sunday. Children under 12 accompanied by an adult are admitted free.

Dogs on leashes are always welcome. Parking will be available at Salesianum School and Abessinio

Courtesy photo

Painter Sandy Askey-Adams will be the featured artist at this year’s 60th anniversary event, set for Sept. 11 and 12.

Stadium, with shuttle buses For updates and more transporting visitors to the information, visit www. festival grounds. brandywinearts.com/.

Classifieds

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6B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

Chester County Press

Local News 2021 Delaware River Festival returns Sept. 24 to Oct. 3 The Delaware River Festival returns Sept. 24 to Oct. 3 with an exciting hybrid of online and in-person activities in Philadelphia and Camden, N.J. The festival is being produced in partnership with the Delaware Estuary in conjunction with the Philadelphia Water Department, the Center for Aquatic Sciences, the Independence Seaport Museum, Camden County Parks, and others.

There will be paddling events, nature walks, kite

flying, online storybook readings, animal presentations, sponsored evenings at Evil Genius and Eclipse breweries (root beer for the kids) and so much more to celebrate the environment and the mighty Delaware River, a source of drinking water for millions of people in Philadelphia and Camden.

This year, there will be a special event on Oct. 2 in Chester, Pa. at Subaru Park Plaza with stadium tours, community garden tours, crafts, giveaways, and other

activities.

“In PDE’s 25 years, we have watched this festival grow from a small event into a much larger celebration where we get to join with partners on both sides of the Delaware River,” said PDE Executive Director Kathy Klein. “This is always such an amazing opportunity to educate people about the river in a fun and engaging way, especially with the city of Chester joining the fun this year. Camden, Philadelphia, and Chester are also involved

in the Urban Waters Federal Partnership Delaware River location.

“Having these three cities as part of the Festival is helping us connect the dots to share information about the Delaware River and Bay, and all the amazing work that is taking place on behalf of clean waters, healthy habitats, and strong communities.

The more people know about the river, and the plants and animals that make their homes in the watershed, the more they can appreciate and

Flu shots now available at all Giant and Martin’s pharmacies The Giant Company announced that flu vaccinations are now available at all 132 Giant and Martin’s in-store pharmacies. Giant and Martin’s pharmacists will again offer drive-up flu vaccinations in select store parking lots beginning this month.

“Flu vaccinations are reformulated every year so the most effective way to fight the flu is by getting your flu shot annually,” said Leigh Shirley, director of pharmacy operations, The Giant Company. “With this flu season coinciding with a surge in COVID-19 cases, it’s important for you and your family members to get the flu shot.”

Customers can visit any in-store pharmacy to receive

their vaccination now. Giant and Martin’s pharmacies offer several types of flu shots for children, adults, and seniors. Most insurance plans cover flu shots at $0 copays, including Medicare Part B. Flu shots are administered by immunizing Giant and Martin’s pharmacists, subject to state regulations.

Beginning Sept. 8 and running through Oct. 2, select Giant and Martin’s pharmacies will offer driveup flu vaccinations where patients can pull into a spot in the designated area of the store parking lot and be vaccinated without leaving their car. Store locations offering drive-up flu vaccinations as well as the dates and times will be available at Giantfoodstores.

com/pages/tgc-vaccines or martinsfoods.com/pages/ tgc-vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone six months and older get a flu vaccination.

While the CDC recommends flu shots by the end of October for everyone over six months, certain groups of people are at greater risk for complications from the flu. These groups include: people with diabetes, pregnant women, adults over 65, children under 5, those with asthma and other chronic lung diseases, those with kidney and liver disorders, heart disease patients and those with compromised immune systems.

In addition to flu shots,

Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID19 vaccines are available at Giant and Martin’s pharmacies to adults 18 and above. COVID-19 vaccine type may vary by location.

Pharmacies offering the Pfizer vaccine can administer to teens ages 12 to 17.

Parental consent is required, and parent/guardian must be on site. The COVID19 vaccine is administered at no out-of-pocket cost. If applicable, an appointment for the second dose will be made at the time customers receive their first dose.

To find the nearest Giant or Martin’s pharmacy, visit the Giant or Martin’s websites or download the free Giant or Martin’s Pharmacy App.

take care of it.”

“The Delaware River Festival 2021 will be an exciting opportunity to participate in activities and programs geared to increase people’s association with the Delaware River and its tributary streams, said Brian DuVall, president and CEO of the Center for Aquatic Sciences. “Over the past years, we have been gratified to see the growth of the festival and the ability to welcome people from all over to experience fun and

educational activities related to the Delaware River. This year’s celebration will be put on in a hybrid fashion, which will enable people to participate in a wide variety of ways. We are honored to be a part of the festival and join our partners from the other side of the river in putting this fun event on.”

Keep up to date on festival happenings through the website www.

DelawareRiverFest.org and social media through @ DelRivFest.

Kelly Foraker joins Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Courtesy photo

Jerry Strusowski, a sales leader of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors Kennett Square Home Marketing Center, announced that Kelly Foraker is joining the office as a sales associate.

“I joined the company because of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach’s great atmosphere and great people,” said Foraker.

She is a longtime resident of Landenberg and can be contacted at 302-383-8282 or by emailing kelly. foraker@foxroach.com.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, REALTORS is part of HomeServices of America, the nation’s largest provider of total home services and largest residential brokerage company in the U.S. in sales, according to the 2021 REAL Trends 500 report.

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Show dates and times: September 17, 18, 24, and 25 at 6:30 pm and September 19 and 26 at 2 pm RAIN OR SHINE! Audience will be sheltered!

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