West Chester & Chadds Ford Life Spring/Summer 2015

Spring/Summer 2015

West Chester & Chadds Ford

LIFE

Magazine

by Alessandra Manzotti

Inside:: Inside

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

• A new theater is coming to West Chester • Profile of county commissioner Michelle Kichline

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WEST CHESTER /CHADDSFORD A wonderful place to live and work West Chester/Chadds Ford • Spring/Summer 2015 Letter from the Editor: When we were interviewing Andrew Patten, the chef at Spence 312, about his win in the annual Chef’s Best competition, he talked about how great it is to have a business in West Chester. A lifelong resident of the area, he also talked about how great a place it is to live.

As our writers and photographers were putting this issue together, we heard many superlatives about the borough that serves as the county seat.

The West Chester and Chadds Ford area has a lot to offer the people who live and work here.

In this issue, we take a look at the Uptown Entertainment Alliance’s efforts to make the dream of a West Chester theater become a reality. We also visit one of West Chester’s true treasures, the Chester County Historical Society, which

is featuring a two-part exhibit that looks back at the 1960s.

This issue also introduces readers to MK and Col, Mary Kate and Colin McGetrick, who have been putting their unique spin on a different brand of music after they won local renown as the lead singers for the rock party band Ka-Pow! We explore the offerings at the Thornton Farmers Market, the outdoor market that gives shoppers the chance to meet the farmers, artisans, and chefs who provide all the farm-fresh products.

We also talk to Michelle Kichline, who is in her first year as a Chester County Commissioner, about the many responsibilities that that job includes.

Writer Richard Gaw takes a look inside Dr. Alison Britt Kimmins’s work at the Chadds Peak Wellness Center, which

reveals her belief that the real road to health is to heal the mind, the body and the spirit.

This issue also features a story about Fenceworks, which has moved to a new location in Pocopson.

The subject of the Q & A this time around is executive director Joyce Lacy and board member Gary Liddick of the Interfaith Housing Assistance Corporation of Chester County.

We hope that you enjoy these stories as much as we enjoyed compiling them, and we are already looking forward to working on the next issue of the magazine, which will be coming to you in October of 2015.

Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher, randyl@ chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553 Steve Hoffman, Editor, editor@chestercounty. com, 610-869-5553, x. 13

TABLE OF CONTENTS West Chester/Chadds Ford • Spring /Summer 2015

8 14 p. 64

Thornton Farmers Market gets visitors back to nature Chester County Historical Society exhibit explores the 1960s

22 The dream of a West Chester theater is becoming a reality

32 p. 36

Spence 312, the winner of this year’s Chef’s Best competition

36 Concordville Nissan-Subaru wins national award 52 The fine art of winning over an audience p. 22

58

Fenceworks turns Pocopson eyesore into new headquarters

64 Photo essay: A photographic journey from the lens of Alessandra Manzotti

p.83

70 78

p. 8

83

Q & A with Joyce Lacy and Gary Liddick Michelle Kichline’s journey to becoming a county commissioner Helping people help themselves

—|Around West Chester & Chadds Ford|—

Thornton Farmers Market

Farm-fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers are available.

Courtesy photo

By John Chambless Staff Writer

A

t the Thornton Farmers Market, the only way you could get closer to nature is if you pulled the vegetables out of the ground yourself.

Shopping at the outdoor market, which is held every Saturday in a field on Glen Mills Road, is a chance to meet the farmers, artisans and chefs who provide all the farm-fresh products. For the past nine years, a growing list of vendors and shoppers have made the market a must-see destination.

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West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

gets visitors back to nature

Cut flowers and arrangements are available at Maxine’s Blooms.

Courtesy photo

Donna Wetterlund is the market manager and a vendor, selling Bruno Bits All Natural Dog Treats.

“We are a family-friendly destination, not far from West Chester and Chadds Ford,” she said. “Our patrons tell us that we are the friendliest farmers market that they have ever been to, and everyone enjoys petting our alpacas and tasting samples from our vendors.”

Everyone loves to visit with the gentle alpacas from Trotter Hill Alpacas, and shop for handmade wool products. But shoppers can also find hearth-baked breads by The Rustic Oven, barbeque by Flat Rock Grill, southern-style macaroni and cheese from Three Sisters, sweet treats from Edie’s Sweet and Continued on Page 10 www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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Thornton Farmers Market...

Continued from Page 9

Savory Pastries, natural produce from Misty Hollow Farm and Moriah’s Horse Powered Farm, and handmade soaps and fragrances by Urban Essence Salon and Spa. There’s also African gifts, coffee and spices at JB’s Afrikan, local honey from Carmen B’s Honey, and wood crafts by Lloyd’s Woodcrafts and The Woodworm Workshop. Local musicians also perform for shoppers on the shady lot.

“Each year we get bigger and better, and thanks to the generosity of Thornbury Township, we have set up shop on our largest site yet,” Wetterlund said. “This season we have added a picnic pavilion for visitors to relax and enjoy lunch or a snack in the shade. You get to speak directly with the producers of what you are buying, and we are all thrilled to discuss our products.

You don’t get that at the grocery store.”

Maxine Manges is the founder of the market, and sells fresh flower arrangements.

“Having just read Animal Vegetable Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver, in 2004, I thought it a great idea to sell the abundance of tomatoes and zuc-

Fresh-baked breads from The Rustic Oven.

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West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

chini that were appearing on doorsteps and in mail boxes,” Manges said. “The price by the pound for a water-filled, store-bought tomato, when they are so abundant, seemed nonsensical. Secondly, I have always wanted to sell flower arrangements in reused vases, so with those two sources in mind, we started the market on the grounds of the AME Church in Glen Mills.

“The market grew quickly. Success brings traffic, so we moved last year to the township-sanctioned annex to the park called The Cannon Property,” Manges said. “We are a gathering place for weekly visitors. Although a farmers market is mostly about growing edibles, the second important concept is that entrepreneurs start their own businesses, generate customer bases, and have the opportunity to play at the game we all loved as kids -- setting up shop. The community gets to know itself, and the summers are defined and cherished for the brief period they are. It is a good thing all round.”

The Thornton Farmers Market, with more than 20 vendors, is on Glen Mills Road between Thornton and Cheyney roads. It is open on Saturdays from 11 a.m.

Continued on Page 12

Local goodness from Carmen B’s Honey

Courtesy photo

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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Courtesy photos (2)

Patrons can enjoy their lunches or sweet treats at the outdoor market.

Thornton Farmers Market...

Continued from Page 11

to 2 p.m. from May 9 to the end of October. For more information, there’s a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/thorntonfarmersmarket), where updates are posted each week.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, e-mail jchambless@chestercounty.com.

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—|West Chester& Chadds Ford History|—

Chester County Historical Society

exhibit explores the 1960s The first of a two-part exhibit focuses on the personal collection of Steve Friedman and Michell Muldoon Friedman

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer As the 1960s dawned, many Americans felt like they were entering a golden age. John F. Kennedy, a charismatic and handsome U.S. senator from Massachusetts, was inspiring Americans with talk about standing on the edge of a “New Frontier” where inequality and injustice would be eliminated in the U.S. Demonstrating his belief that man was capable of great things, Kennedy called for the U.S. to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

But instead of a new golden age, the 1960s was a time of deep turmoil, marked by violence, conflict, and

The exhibit includes a wide variety of different movies.

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West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

Photo by Steven Hoffman

Photo by Steven Hoffman

The Chester County Historical Society is hosting “The 1960s Pop Culture: Movies, Memorabilia, and Media, the Steve and Michell Friedman Collection” until August. The second phase of the exhibit opens in November.

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer As the 1960s dawned, many Americans felt like they were entering a golden age. John F. Kennedy, a charismatic and handsome U.S. senator from Massachusetts, was inspiring Americans with talk about standing on the edge of a “New Frontier” where inequality and injustice would be eliminated in the U.S. Demonstrating his belief that man was capable of great things, Kennedy called for the U.S. to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

But instead of a new golden age, the 1960s was a time of deep turmoil, marked by violence, conflict, and social unrest. Kennedy was the victim of an assassination, and the course of U.S. history was

changed forever. His brother, Robert F. Kennedy, was closing in on the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968 when he, too, was felled by an assassin’s bullet. Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was gunned down in Memphis. Instead of a war on poverty, the U.S. became embroiled in the Vietnam War. The peace-and-love generation had its moments and the U.S. did, in fact, put a man on the moon in 1969, but a decade that started with so much promise ended under a cloud of pessimism. More than fifty years later, the 1960s continue to fascinate the country.

This year, the Chester County Historical Society is hosting two exhibits that showcase the important decade. The first exhibit, “The 1960s Pop Culture: Movies, Memorabilia, and Media, the Steve and Continued on Page 16

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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1960s...

Continued from Page 15

Michell Friedman Collection” was unveiled to the public in February and runs through August.

The second, more comprehensive exhibit, “The Sixties!” will open with a gala event on Nov. 7.

The items currently on exhibit in the 56,000 square feet space were culled from the personal collection of Steve Friedman and Michell Muldoon Friedman, and are on public display for the first time.

Steve Friedman was known as “Mr. Movie” to generations of people who grew up in the Philadelphia area. The Chester County resident was a popular talk show host for 1210 AM and had a radio show, “Just After the Movies Let Out,” that ran from April 14, 1984 to Sept. 20, 2009. His audience was large—it was carried in 38 states across the U.S. and eastern Canada.

He was widely known for his enthusiasm and knowledge of movies—in the days before the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) was available to anyone with a Smartphone, Friedman was a

16

Photo by Steven Hoffman

Some of the classic movies of the era, movies like “Mary Poppins,” are included in the Steve and Michell Friedman Collection.

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

Some of the classic movies of the era are included.

walking, talking IMDB. His love for cinema is on full display in the 1960s exhibit, which includes a wide variety of movie posters and memorabilia that represents more than 170 movies. “It’s amazing to see the passion for the topic,” said David Reinfeld, the vice president of development for the Chester County Historical Society. “It’s been a thrill to have a little piece of this talent and passion. The exhibit Continued on Page 18

Photos (2) by Steven Hoffman

War is one of the recurring themes that are explored.

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Photo by Steve Hoffman

Memorabilia from the 1960's is part of the exhibit

1960s...

Continued from Page 17

includes all kinds of things that he collected.”

Michell Muldoon served as the guest curator for the exhibit that showcases her husband’s collection.

“She took the ideas for the second phase and figured out which posters represented the themes that will be illustrated here,” Reinfeld explained.

“She had to figure out who the audience was going to be. If you’re a movie aficionado, there will be a lot to be interested in.”

While the emphasis of the exhibit is on the 1960s, the movie posters actually date from 1954 to 1974, and explore themes like space exploration, war, and Civil Rights. There were approximately 6,900 movies produced during that time period, including classics like “The Godfather,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Graduate,” and “Midnight Cowboy.” In addition to the movie posters, the exhibit also showcases toys, window cards, and games from that era.

Pop culture had a very significant impact on society during the 1960s, and movies not only reflected the issues of the day, they also offered a glimpse into the national psyche. How women and blacks were portrayed changed dramatically during this time.

At the opening of the exhibit, Muldoon talked 18

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

about the importance of movies, and how they impact our culture.

“Movies are a core part of how we as a society evolve,” Muldoon explained.

“Before movies, people were entertained by live theater,” explained Ellen E. Endslow, the historical society’s director of collections. “When movies kicked in, suddenly the world could see the same image—it was a shrinking of the world.”

Endslow started working on the exhibit in October of 2014, with eight volunteers lending support during the process. As the guest curator, Muldoon made some critical decisions about which items to include from the large personal collection.

“I really admire Michell Muldoon for the work that she did on this exhibit,” Endslow explained.

“She distilled it down to what she thought people could grasp to tell the story of the day.”

The story of the day is about change. As Endslow explained, the class of 1969 is very different from the class of 1961, and that’s one reason why there is no end to our society’s fascination with the 1960s.

Continued on Page 20

Photo by Steve Hoffman

Movie buffs will enjoy some of the films that are highlighted.

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1960s..

Continued from Page 19

“The experiences that people had during the 1960s are incredible,” she said. “The 1960s was a tumultuous decade. People at the beginning of the decade had no idea how that decade would end. There was a tremendous change in social awareness.”

While the focus of the exhibit is the 1960s, it incorporates the most modern technology available. The exhibit includes QR codes that will open videos on mobile devices to augment the displays that are presented.

“The 1960s Pop Culture: Movies, Memorabilia, and Media, the Steve and Michell Friedman Collection” is on display until August. The second phase of the Chester County Historical Society’s look at the 1960s will be unveiled in November.

“We have things in this exhibit that will appeal to adults and to families,” said Endslow. “We are looking forward to people reacting to this.”

The Chester County Historical Society is located at 225 North High Street in West Chester. The

20

Photo by Steve Hoffman

The first part of the exhibition runs until August.

hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. More information is available at www.chestercohistorical.org.

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

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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——|West Chester & Chadds Ford Arts|——

An ampitheater is planned for the side of the building in the second phase of construction.

The dream of a West Chester theater is becoming a reality Uptown Entertainment Alliance sees former Armory building as a hub for the community

By John Chambless Staff Writer If you spend 10 minutes walking through the empty National Guard Armory building with Angela Scully, you too will be envisioning a stage in the gym, dressing rooms on the dingy lower level, and community meet22

ings taking place in vacant rooms where the carpeting has seen better days.

The 1916 building, which sits across from the Chester County Historical Society on North High Street, has been a West Chester fixture for so long that residents may not even give it a second thought. It’s not a place many people ever visited if they weren’t connected to the

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

Photo by John Chambless

Marilyn Parsons, Holly Brown and Angela Scully of the Uptown Entertainment Alliance are looking forward to the start of construction.

National Guard. But its location -- just a block north of the hub of restaurants and attractions on Gay Street, and within easy walking distance of West Chester University and senior citizen housing -- makes it an ideal spot for plays, concerts, community meetings and gatherings of the arts community.

But the theater isn’t just a dream. It’s going to be a reality.

For phase one, to open the building, about half of the funding of $3.75 million is in place, sponsors are on

board, a resident theater company has signed on, local government representatives are excited about the idea, and the zoning should be approved in the next couple of months. Ideally, the new theater could open in 2016, which would be a nice reincarnation to mark the building’s 100th year.

“Six years ago, there were 16 Pennsylvania armories on the auction block,” Scully said as she led an informal Continued on Page 24

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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West Chester theater...

Continued from Page 23

tour of the building last month. “In 2010, the Uptown Entertainment Alliance started looking for spaces for a theater in downtown West Chester. They connected with Sen. Andy Dinniman, and they looked at the Courthouse, and the old post office. When Sen. Dinniman saw that this was among the places on the auction block, he and Rep. Truitt set it up, and Gov. Corbett signed a bill that said we could purchase the armory.”

The non-profit Uptown Alliance has a board in place, has paid a deposit, and has everything it needs to make the theater happen once zoning is approved.

The building could have been torn down and turned into housing or another business, but the theater project will preserve its grand exterior for another century and beyond. The site has been vacant for two years, but considering the age of the building, it’s in remarkably good shape. The architecture inside is utilitarian. The woodwork and brick is pretty spartan, and walls have been put up to suit whatever needs arose over the decades, without much thought to aesthetics. But that’s all about to change.

Continued on Page 26

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Photo by John Chambless

The brick fireplaces in the building are still operable.

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

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West Chester theater......

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To the right of the front door will be a box office and office space for the Uptown Entertainment Alliance, funded by WSFS Bank. To the left of the front door will be a concession area where after-show parties could be held.

In the large Drill Hall, there are already chairs lined up on the wooden floor, facing an end of the room that will hold a 24-by-30-foot stage and steel lighting truss that the renowned Clair Brothers Company has committed to install. A permanent, raked seating area will be built, with moveable seating on the floor.

In the balcony overlooking the hall will be sound and light equipment. The second floor will be outfitted with a second bar/reception room. Univest Bank has funded a large room that could be used by businesses and community groups, or as a secondary performance space for smaller concerts or other events. That still leaves room upstairs for rehearsal space and other offices.

In the lower level, which once held the munitions storage locker and a shooting range, there will be a green room (named for CTDI, Communications Test Design Continued on Page 28

Photo by John Chambless

The shooting range was once housed in the lower level.

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Photo by John Chambless

The reinforced door of what used to be the armory’s records room.

West Chester theater......

Continued from Page 26

Incorporated), dressing rooms, and stairs leading up to the stage on the main floor. The large central room will be left open as gallery space or rehearsal space.

Once an elevator and outside ramp have been added to meet building codes, the building’s sprawling expanse of 17,500 square feet will be utilized by a wide range of arts organizations, including the Resident Theater Company (RTC), created by Kristin Mitchell, who relocated to West Chester from New York City.

“This building is so uniquely suited to be repurposed as a theater,” Scully said. “Around our core programming of theater, music and movies, we can rent to community theater groups -- like the Brandywine Singers, or the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. There are so many smaller theater companies that are looking for a venue. We are the missing piece.”

With West Chester University on the southern end of town and the new theater coming to the north end, the borough will have an unprecedented appeal to residents and visitors.

“The university has been so supportive of us,” Scully 28

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

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The door to the munitions storeroom.

said. “They love the idea that, no matter which end of West Chester you come into, you find culture. They envision their faculty coming here to perform, where they could have recitals. They see our patrons coming to their events, and their patrons coming to ours. We don’t see it as competition, we see it more as complementing.”

With a projected timeframe of nine months -- “Like a baby,” Scully said with a smile -- the new theater should be ready to open its doors to a wide demographic.

“We’re so centrally located that, if you’re a teen, you could walk here,” Scully said. “There’s no place where a teen in West Chester can come and hear live music and make music that’s not a bar. We want to be that meeting place for everyone.”

Marilyn Parsons, a board member with the Uptown Entertainment Alliance, accompanied Scully on the tour, and said that the theater is an easy walk from downtown.

“Once you’re in town, you can go to the restaurants and walk here. About 10 years ago, I had said to my husband that what the town needs is a movie theater. So when I heard about this project, I met with Tom McEvoy [board president], and he asked me to join the board. Then it was, ‘How would you like to do programming?’”

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West Chester theater......

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Street, is also on the board and is the co-chair with Parsons for booking events. They have been busy for a couple of years, with Sara Michaels scheduling jazz and Ben Green bringing in contemporary music to raise funds for the Uptown Entertainment Alliance. “For the community, we’re a cog in the wheel that brings everybody together for great stuff to do,” she said. “A lot of times, university students don’t go off campus, but there will be plenty of things here for them to see.”

The remaining $2 million in necessary funding isn’t as daunting as it might seem, Scully said. “For us, it’s been a question of making people aware, and we’ve done that through our programming so far. We have enough money to get started, so once we get the fencing and the sign up, people will say, ‘Oh, thay’re serious.’

“I really think it’s doable. You know why? Because it’s needed,” she said. “People really recognize the need for a community gathering space.”

For more information, visit www.uptownwestchester.org.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, e-mail jchambless@chestercounty.com.

Photo by John Chambless

The armory was built in 1916, and should reopen as a theater in 2016.

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West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

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Photo by Steven Hoffman

Andrew Patten, the chef at Spence 312, pictured outside the restaurant on South High Street. He previously ran Spence Cafe in West Chester for 14 years.

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

“The response has been great,” Patten said. “A lot of the customers from Spence Cafe have followed us down here.”

Spence 312 offers dining in a relaxed atmosphere.

On March 19, local chefs prepared some of their signature dishes for the 2015 Chef’s Best competition, The menu includes everything from seared scallops to an annual fundraiser for ACT in Faith of Greater West maple brined pork chops to steak to pasta to a wide assortment of fresh fish.

Chester.

“I get all my fresh fish Lump crab cakes with an locally from Gadaleto’s orange fennel salad preSpence 312 Seafood Market,” Patten pared by Andrew Patten, 312 South High Street explained. the chef at Spence 312, West Chester PA 19380 An important member of was selected by the attend610-738-8844 the Spence 312 team is ees as the winner. Shortly www.spence312.com sous chef John Banes. after the win, Patten added “He’s been working with the crab cakes to the resinfo@spence312.com me since we opened and taurant’s menu for the he has been indispensspring.

Patten, a lifelong resident of West Chester, is look- able,” Patten said. “We collaborate on the menu and ing forward to the arrival of the first warm season all kinds of things.”

In addition to the indoor seating for approximately since Spence 312 debuted at 312 South High Street last November. The restaurant has quickly become a 100 people, including space for private parties, the restaurant also has an area for outdoor dining. favored spot for foodies.

Patten said that West Chester, with its status as the “I think we’ve had success because we serve good food in an adult atmosphere,” Patten said. “We’re not county seat and the presence of the university, is a trying to be stuffy, of course, but there was a need for good place to have a restaurant.

“West Chester is a great town,” he said. “It’s been more options for this kind of food.”

Spence 312 may be new to the borough’s business a great place to live and a great place to have a district, but Patten is a veteran of West Chester’s res- business.”

Attendees of the Chef’s Best competition were treated taurant scene. He previously owned Spence Cafe for 14 years. The name was taken from an oyster house to some of the best food in West Chester. Avalon called Spence Cafe that operated in West Chester in Modern Italian Restaurant entered Buccatini with prosciutto, peas and Parmesan cream into the comthe late 1800s and early 1900s.

“There was a lot of history there and I carried the petition. The Side Bar & Restaurant served up lamb name down here,” Patten explained. He added that meatballs with Israeli vegetable cous cous. Harvest Spence Cafe built a loyal following during its long Seasonal Grille & Wine Bar served an Ahi Tuna run, which certainly helped when he decided to open Nicoise Salad with baby greens, olives, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, and Peruvian purple potatoes tossed Spence 312.

Spence 312...

Continued from Page 33

in a lemon basil vinaigrette.

This was the fourth annual Chef’s Best competition.

All the proceeds from the event support ACT in Faith, an interfaith ministry that provides physical, financial, and spiritual support to people in the Greater West Chester area who lack basic human needs, including food, shelter, clothing. ACT in Faith operates a community food cupboard and also maintains an emergency fund that can be used to assist people who might be facing eviction or who are at risk of having

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West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

DISCOUNT PICTURE FRAMING & GALLERY WE ARE DOWNSIZING

WYETH Courtesy photo

The lumped crab cakes with an orange fennel salad won first place in the 2015 Chef’s Best competition.

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$295/EACH OR For more information about the services provided by ACT in Faith, visit www.actinfaithgwc.org. their utilities shut off. The seeds for ACT in Faith were planted in May of 2009, when the Religious Council of Greater West Chester, an organization which had been active in the community since the 1970s, felt the need to find a way to assist the growing number of people in the area who needed help paying for food, clothing, and shelter. In just a few short years, ACT in Faith has made a tremendous impact on the West Chester community by helping those in need.

“I really liked being able to do something for the charity,” Patten said. “It’s a good cause. We want to help the community.”

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

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www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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Concordville Nissan-Subaru wins national award for its support of A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children

Courtesy photo

Because of the staff’s commitment to helping the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children, the Concordville Subaru dealership was selected as the first-ever winner of the national Subaru Love Promise Award.

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer Concordville Nissan-Subaru was named as the first-ever winner of the national Subaru

36

Love Promise Award because of the support it gives to the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children at a national Subaru dealership meeting in late May. Peter Lustgarten, who along with Stuart

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

Lustgarten is the dealer-owner of Concordville Nissan-Subaru, said that the dealership has been a longtime supporter of the Nemours/ Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, contributing $168,000 over the years.

“We want to support the hospital because it supports the children of our employees, customers and everyone else in this community,” said Lustgarten.

He explained how the relationship with the hospital was first formed.

“Back in 2006, we made a donation to A.I. duPont Hospital and we got to take a tour of the hospital,” Lustgarten explained. From that moment on, Lustgarten and the employees at Concordville Nissan-Subaru have been strong supporters, helping out in a variety of ways. Concordville Nissan-Subaru selected Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for children as its local charity to support as part of Subaru’s national Share the Love program.

Continued on Page 38

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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National award...

Continued from Page 37

The dealership was a supporter of a major hospital expansion project that allowed for single rooms for young patients and overnight accommodations, including a resource room, for parents.

Lustgarten explained that there are four long weekends during the year—President’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day—when the dealership pledges $100 for every vehicle sold.

Also during the sale weekends, trained technicians from the hospital’s injury prevention program conduct car seat safety checks and provide parents with information.

The dealership has also helped make it possible for the hospital to receive no-cost leases for two vehicles a Subaru Outback and Subaru Tribeca from Subaru Corporation. They are used in the hospital’s community outreach and

trauma injury prevention programs.

Lustgarten said that Subaru always encourages dealerships to be involved in the community, and he expects Concordville Nissan-Subaru to continue to support the work of the hospital.

“We plan to continue the relationship with the hospital,” he said. “Everybody gets excited to help out the hospital. It’s a good organization to support. They do a lot for our community.”

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

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www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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—————|West Chester Racing|—————

Iron Hill Twilight Race Series returns to West Chester

Last year was the 10th anniversary of the Iron Hill Twilight Race Series, comprised of three of the biggest cycling races in the area for professional men (Iron Hill Twilight Criterium), professional women (Avanté Salon Pro Women’s Criterium) and amateur bike racers (Rothman Institute Amateur Criterium).

Mark Yoder, President of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce, the race organizer, announced that this year’s event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 8. The pro bike races will once again by part of the USA Crits Championship Series, the premiere cycling race series in the United States, and sanctioned by USA Cycling.

Along with the much anticipated bike racing action, organizers will be bringing back two exceptionally popular events: the

Courtesy photo

The Iron Hill Twilight Race Series returns on Aug. 8.

West Chester Dental Arts Kids’ Race and the Twilight Trike Challenge presented

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Since its inception in 2005, the event has brought thousands of race spectators, fun seekers and families onto the streets of West Chester, and according to Yoder, “Between the good word-of-mouth advertising and the continued support from our community, West Chester is all set for another day of fantastic family fun. I fully expect this year to be another recordbreaking year.”

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West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

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Summer fun for kids at Chester County parks Youth-focused, multi-day programs will be available this summer at Nottingham and Hibernia County Parks and Springton Manor Farm.

Young people can enjoy one or all 11 free sessions of Nottingham County Park’s Summer Discovery Series for ages 9 to 13. Parents are invited to stay for all programs, which are held from 6 to 8 p.m. The Aug. 22 program will run 7 to 9 p.m.

May 28: Camp Cooking -- Learn how to safely prepare a snack on an open fire. Peaches or apples will be roasted to sample at the end of the program.

June 10: CSI: Birds -- Take a peek into the world of birds from a different angle. With a trained wildlife rehabilitator, use your detective skills to examine dead birds and determine what injuries they have and how they happened. Did the bird die of natural causes or maybe something darker? Protective equipment provided.

June 23: Outdoor Games -- Come for an evening of games, some dating back to the time of the Civil War. Learn to play Crows and Cranes, Making the Mash, Capture the Flag and more.

July 8: Search & Rescue -- Meet the dogs (and people!) of Mason Dixon Rescue Dogs. How do these amazing dogs use their noses to find people? Learn how to be safe in the park and what to do if you become lost. Practice your hiding skills while the dogs search for you.

July 18: Beaver Builders – Did you know beavers have bright orange teeth? Or that not all beavers build dams?

Hopefully we catch a sneak peek of this aquatic creature as we learn all about their secret underwater lives.

July 23: Archery -- The Atglen Sportsmen’s Club will instruct on how to safely shoot a bow and arrow at a target. Each participant will shoot three arrows and have additional turns as time permits.

July 28: Photography Basics -- Using your own point and shoot camera, learn how to take the best photo possible. We’ll cover lighting, subject and composition before heading out into the park to test your new skills.

Aug. 5: Ice Cream on the Move -- See some of the park as we get moving and shaking to turn milk into ice cream. Then relax in the shade and enjoy your frozen treat.

Aug. 13: Outdoor Survival -- When lost, keep calm and rely on your training. Learn methods to avoid getting lost

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

and what to do if you become lost. Build confidence in your outdoor skills.

Aug. 22: Night in the Park -- The woods change at dusk. Some animals will become active, while others will rest. Hike into the deep woods to learn about the night sky; identify the sights, sounds and creatures, and use your night vision and other senses to look for light and travel without a flashlight.

Three new adventure camps will be featured at Hibernia Park and Springton Manor Farm. Each camp will include daily hands-on activities, discussions and team building skills.

Wilderness Survival – June 22 to 26 Park: Hibernia County Park, Wagontown Ages: 10 – 14 Times: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Cost: $225 Have what it takes to be an outdoor survivor? Welcome to the world of wilderness survival using ancient skills and modern tools. Campers are challenged to build natural shelters and introduced to outdoor navigation and signaling. Learn how to pack for adventures and practice the secrets of invisibility and stealth. Skills are woven into each day through storytelling, discussions and team challenges. Participants must provide their own lunch.

Spy Training – July 20 to 24 Park: Springton Manor Farm, Glenmoore Ages: 7 – 11 Times: 9 a.m. to noon, Cost: $115 Are you the world’s next Super Spy? After assuming your new secret identity and being debriefed, your spy training begins. Become an expert in the art of disguise, code-breaking, surveillance, stealth and leaving no trace. With the other cadets, solve high-level crimes, navigate challenging obstacle courses, and try to discover the double-agent.

Nature Superheroes – Aug. 3 to 7 Park: Springton Manor Farm, Glenmoore Ages: 6 – 10 Times: 9 a.m. to noon, Cost: $115 Become a superhero of epic proportions! Design your own superhero character, complete with an origin story, secret identity and super powers. Explore superhero qualities through themed crafts, puzzles and outdoor games.

Supercharge your powers through obstacle courses. Learn from the heroes of comic books, action movies, and everyday heroes within our community.

Registration is required for all programs. For more information: Nottingham County Park – 610-932-2589; Springton Manor Farm – 610-942-2450; Hibernia County Park – 610383-3812.www.chesco.org/ccparks.

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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The fine art of winning over an audience MK and Col shine with rich harmonies and eclectic song choices

By John Chambless Staff Writer It’s 10 minutes before showtime at the Avalon Restaurant in West Chester, and Colin McGetrick is absently strumming a shiny dobro, right next to the patrons standing an arm’s length away from him at the bar. Each quavering note summons up the deep Bayou, or some blues tune rooted in America’s distant past. It’s an impressive improvisation, made more so by Colin’s calm detachment, as if he’s practicing in his own living room.

A few minutes later, his wife, Mary Kate, arrives and takes her seat next to him by the restaurant’s door. With a beaming grin and a wave to friends standing near the bar, she snaps her fingers to set the tempo and MK and Col, as they bill themselves, are off on another evening of resonant, shrewdly chosen and very hip music.

For the past two years, MK and Col have been putting their spin on music for diners and drinkers in West Chester and surrounding towns, and picking up fans everywhere they go. It’s apparent from their tightly locked harmonies, Mary Kate’s bubbly, slinky stage presence and Colin’s rock-solid guitar work that these musicians know how to command a stage -- even if that stage is the cramped corner of a restaurant.

Mary Kate and Colin won local renown as the lead singers for the rock party band

Photo by John Chambless

Mary Kate and Colin McGetrick have been performing around West Chester as a duo for two years.

The husband and wife duo have distinctive harmonies.

Ka-Pow!, but having stepped away from that group’s packed schedule and turned down the volume a bit, they’re finding a whole new audience. MK and Col don’t fade into the background, thanks to a repertoire spanning a sexy “Fever” and “Son of a Preacher Man,” a reimagined acoustic “All Along the Watchtower,” a jaunty “Walkin’ After Midnight,” a sly cover of “All About That Bass,” an ethereal “Into the Mystic” and a searing “Oh! Darling” and other selections that keep an audience engaged and wanting more.

Finding a quiet spot to talk between sets, Mary Kate and Colin quickly sketched out the paths that led them to this point.

“I’ve been singing since I was 2,” Mary Kate said with a wide smile. “Putting on little shows for my family. I studied musical theater at West Chester University, and Continued on Page 54

Photos (2) by John Chambless

Colin McGetrick bought a dobro last month and is incorporating it into the duo’s set list.

Duo...

Continued from Page 53

I’ve studied classical voice since I was 12.”

It’s clear that, even when she’s perched on a bar stool and crooning a standard, Mary Kate has stage-filling skills that she’s keeping under wraps out of consideration for the small space.

For Colin, music came about after his family moved to Pennsylvania from Long Island when he was 11. “My grandfather dabbled on the piano,” he said. “My dad’s mother did sing on stage for a short time, as well. After we moved to Pennsylvania, my friend Adam, who lived up the street, played the drums, and he started playing guitar. On Long Island, we all grew up playing sports, so the fact that he had a drum set and electric guitar in the basement -- and their parents let them do this -- was awesome. I had no idea music could be so much fun.

His older brother gave me an old guitar of his, and I learned how to play.”

Mostly self-taught, Colin fell in love with music.

During his years in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, jam sessions introduced him to Mary Kate, who was 19 when he was 16.

Photo by John Chambless

Mary Kate is a trained singer who has extensive stage experience.

“My older sister was really gracious by allowing me and my friends to hang out and mingle with her friends,” Colin said. “We’d have sing-alongs. It was really cool. Our friend circles would mingle on Friday Continued on Page 56

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Duo...

Continued from Page 54

nights, when my parents would have pizza night.

That’s how we started singing together.”

When Mary Kate was 26, she and Colin started jamming and writing together.

“We had these songwriting sessions at my apartment at the time,” Colin said. “We’d just get together and come up with melodies and chords.”

After that era came Ka-Pow! “Our friend, Ben Green, had a basement with musical instruments and we’d get together on Sundays to jam,” Mary Kate said. “For a year, we did that, and learned songs just for fun.”

The rock band played regionally for almost three years. But the late nights were affecting Mary Kate’s job as an elementary special-education teacher in the West Chester School District. A trip to Ireland two summers ago proved fateful for the couple, who have a home in West Chester.

“We played an open mic night over there,” Mary Kate said.

“We went for the possiblity of finding work there later

56

on,” Colin said. “We were lucky enough to stumble upon this open mic situation. In these pubs, you have a group of musicians huddled at a table in the corner -- fiddles, guitars, banjos. It’s really just a jam, not like a performance situation. They just get together to play. They invited us to join in, and we got to play a few American tunes for them.”

Inspiration struck. “We thought, ‘Wow. We can do this as a duo back home,’” Mary Kate said, laughing.

A steady lineup of weekend shows in West Chester and Exton have led to quite a few private party and wedding gigs, where the set list can be customized in just about any way. “We love working as a duo,” Colin said. “Making music together has been a pillar of our relationship since the very start, and we feel very fortunate to share this connection with our audiences.”

Colin has another musical direction with WaveRadio, a band that plays harder-edged material and will perform at World Cafe Live at the Queen in Wilmington on June 13. “That’s my rock band thing,” he said, smiling. “We work very hard at it. My first passion in music is writing, and WaveRadio allows me the

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

ability to do that in addition to touring, performance and recording.” The other members of WaveRadio are James McLaughlin (keyboards and bass) and Chris Cotter (drums).

Mary Kate and Colin got together last month with two of their former Ka-Pow! bandmates for a party booking.

“Sometimes we’ll get a call that somebody’s having a wedding and they want a full party band, and we can put that together,” Colin said. “We have a great community of musicians here in Chester County. We are fortunate to be surrounded by some very talented folks. It’s always a pleasure to put together ensembles with our friends to cater to just about any musical situation.”

“West Chester is a really good music community,” Mary Kate added. “We’re so lucky to be here.”

For Colin, having to win over an audience every night has plenty of dividends. “By the end of the night, when people let their guard down, they’ll start letting us know that we played a song that was important to them for some reason,” he said. “That really feels great.

When someone can actually tell a story about why it’s their favorite song.”

With the audience standing right next to them, MK

and Col can easily take requests as well. “We do get requests, and if we know it, we’ll do it,” Mary Kate said.

“Sometimes, Colin will say, ‘Yeah, I think I can figure that out,’ and we’ll just play whatever they want.”

Upcoming dates include: MK and Col: May 29 -- Avalon, West Chester, 7 to 11 p.m.

June 5 -- Red Star, Exton, 7 to 10 p.m.

June 12 -- Avalon, West Chester, 7 to 11 p.m.

June 19 -- Pietro’s Prime, West Chester, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

June 26 -- Avalon, West Chester, 7 to 11 p.m.

June 27 -- Weso’s, Exton, 8:30 p.m. to midnight WaveRadio’s single release party will be June 13 at the World Cafe Live at the Queen, beginning at 8 p.m.

Colin will be performing solo at The Crow and Pitcher in Philadelphia on June 9, and he hosts a weekly showcase at Sprout Music Collective in West Chester called the Thirsty Thursday Roadshow. Every week, from 9 to midnight, there are two featured artists and an open mic.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ MKANDCOL. To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, e-mail jchambless@chestercounty.com.

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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—|West Chester & Chadds Ford Business|—

More than just a move Courtesy photos (2)

Treated tongue and groove make a very sturdy round pen at a busy horse facility.

Vinyl picket fence creates a majestic look, yet requires minimal care.

Fenceworks turns Pocopson eyesore into new headquarters

By Nancy Johnson Correspondent

In Steve Fanelli’s opinion, his decision to sell the property that housed his business, Fenceworks on Route 202, was a win-win all around.

“Ruggeri Cadillac had lost the lease just down the road, where they had a very successful business,” he said. “They are good friends and the land there is really much more suited to a car dealership than a business like mine.”

Ruggeri bought the prime three-acre parcel, making it financially possible for Fanelli to relocate his business just about anywhere he wanted. He chose Pocopson.

Not that there is anything thing wrong with Pocopson. It’s a beautiful township – for the most part. But Fanelli decided he wanted quite possibly the most unattractive, run-down property in the entire township. And on top of that, he came up against one stone wall after another in his efforts to locate the rightful owner.

Not one to back away from a challenge, in July 2014. he finally purchased the 10-acre parcel on Street Road along the Brandywine that had been the former site of Westwood Garden Center.

“The place was just a mess -- trash and garbage dumped all over and even old vehicles buried,” he said. “We really 58

had our work cut out for us before we could even start building.”

Fanelli realized that much of the ten-acre parcel is in a flood plain where water might be an issue at times. “I really thought I had made a big mistake when, just weeks after I bought the property, we had a huge storm with six-and-ahalf inches of rain. It wasn’t pretty,” he said with a chuckle.

Because of the flooding issues and the proximity to the Brandywine, plans for the Fenceworks shop and offices were carefully designed and scrutinized by the township and conservancies. Fanelli feels confident in the design of the building -- 5,000 square feet of shop space downstairs, and an additional 2,800 square feet in offices above -which is built 18 feet above the 100-year flood level.

What many would consider another negative to the property -- PennDOT’s announcement that they will be totally rebuilding the bridge over the Brandywine just down the road from it -- is a positive in Fanelli’s mind.

“It has to be done,” he said. “The bridge won’t be safe and because they have to fix it, at the same time they will raise the entire roadway, which should alleviate flooding issues.”

Fanelli praises Rep. Steve Barrar and other officials for their diligence in getting the time estimated for the bridge closure dramatically reduced. “The bridge is the portal to this community, and it’s going to be fantastic

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

when completed,” he said.

About nine months after purchasing the property, Fanelli and his team of 22 employees are just settling into their new location. Fanelli said, “I love it here! It’s so beautiful to come to work. Out on Route 202, people just buzz by at 55 miles an hour all day long. We were nothing more than a landmark.”

“This location is so much more conducive to our business, and we even get some walk-in business -- people who just need some wire or a few posts or rails for repairs. I’m glad we can help them out in that way.”

In the next few months, Fanelli will landscape the area around the building and then concentrate on putting the approximately five acres of unused ground back into green space.

“The residents, businesses and officials here have been very welcoming to us and my wife, Donna, and I want to do something really good for this township,” he said. He loves to see people enjoying the Brandywine by canoeing, kayaking or fishing. “Some kids asked me if they could come on the property to fish,” he said, “and it was just great to see them pull in a big one!”

Fanelli who grew up in the Radnor Hunt area, got his start in the fencing business with Ed Thayer in 1988. The

Courtesy photo

The black aluminum fence sets off this backyard pool.

two formed Mt. Eden Fence Company with one fence post driver, and they mostly installed fencing on horse farms.

Although their partnership was brief --in 1989, they split, with Thayer keeping the name Mt. Eden Fence and Fanelli forming Fenceworks -- Fanelli said, “Ed taught me everything in this business.”

He also owes a great deal to Dick and Vita Thompson, his longtime friends and former landlords, who encouraged Continued on Page 60

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Fenceworks...

Continued from Page 59

him and offered financial backing to start Fenceworks.

Fenceworks installs just about any type of fence imaginable in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and even Long Island, N.Y. Fanelli estimates that farm business accounts for about 35 to 40 percent of their work, with residential another 35 to 40 percent. Custom and commercial work makes up the remaining 20 percent.

Although the fencing business is usually thought of as very competitive, Fanelli doesn’t agree. He advertised early on, especially in The Equine Marketer, which really helped to establish the name Fenceworks. But he gets most of his work today from referrals of satisfied customers.

“We have always strived to avoid call backs,” Fanelli said.

“You distinguish yourself with doing the job one time and doing it right. It took years to assemble it, but I’ve got a great team working for me.”

He told a story about being in the shop on Route 202 early one evening, when a customer came in and berated everyone there about the lousy job they did on his fencing and insisted that no one called him back about it. Although it was already past quitting time, Fanelli turned to one of his

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Nick, Ava, Donna, Max, and Steve.

Courtesy photo

employees and directed him to follow the customer to his home and report back to him about the issues.

“My guy called me when he arrived at the customer’s home and the first thing he sees on the fence is the sign of a competitor’s company! The customer mistakenly thought we did the work and was very apologetic when he realized it was someone else,” Fanelli said, laughing. “But it was just one of those situations where I wanted to clear it up right away. That’s the way we do things.”

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

Sightboard and Keepsafe diamond mesh fence don’t detract from the look at this showplace.

Post and board fencing looks as natural and beautiful as the landscape.

Some Fenceworks employees have been with Fanelli as long as 17 years. His business grew in 2007 to the point where he had 13 trucks and 42 employees. “We were getting too big,” he explained. “It was becoming difficult to sustain quality and customer service, and I just care too much. This is a people business, and you have to go the extra mile.”

Fanelli’s plan is to scale the business back just a bit at the Pocopson location. He’s a family guy, and spending time

with his wife and three kids -- Nick, 15, Max, 11, and Ava, 7 -- is very important to him. The boys both play lacrosse and Fanelli is a board member and coach of West Chester Youth Lacrosse. Ava plays basketball and runs track.

“The business is manageable now and it’s really close to our home. I haven’t missed a game yet and I don’t plan to,” he said with a wide grin.

Learn more about Fenceworks at www.fenceworks.net or call 610-558-3339.

Courtesy photos (2)

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

|Photo essay|

The quiet of her life A photographic journey from the lens of Alessandra Manzotti

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West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagaine.com

|options|

Photographed near The Whip Tavern. “I am fascinated with trees with no leaves. It’s like the world is upside down, and the spring and summer allows you to see the structure of it. In winter, however, it’s when the true nature of a tree can be seen.”

Opposite: Photographed at Longwood Gardens. “Every spring, I go wandering around Longwood Gardens and explore all there is to see. I just found this to be a visually enticing scene.”

For Chadds Ford photographer Alessandra Manzotti, life as the mother of a six-year-old daughter is filled with all of the facets of parenthood, both chaotic and beautiful and busy and breathtaking. On weekends throughout the year, however, the hikes she takes with Sofia, her husband, Ian and their four dogs are the moments when she feels the meaning of her life begin to crystallize.

“These walks I have with my family are the quiet of my life,” she said. "I will be trailing behind them with my camera, see them walking ahead of me, and think, 'It really does not get any better than this.'"

For Manzotti, who grew up in the City of Milan and spent many summers of her youth in Italy exploring the hills near

Lake Como with her father, the rugged and rolling terrain of Chester County serves as both a sweet memory of her birthplace and a canvas upon which she cultivates her creative eye. In the following pages, the photographs you are about to see not only represent a stunning reflection of where we live, but a chapter marker of peace and tranquility. In each, Manzotti brings you the reader into what she saw at the moment each photograph was taken.

“You don't need an expensive camera and all the talent in the world as a photographer to capture the beauty of Chester County behind a lens,” she said. “It's simply allowing yourself to see things in a different way.”

– Richard L. Gaw

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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|options|

Photographed in Chadds Ford. “These photographs were taken near my home. I was outside cutting the grass and saw the fire red sky in the distance prepare for what appeared to be an oncoming storm. I put my daughter in the car and drove down the road and captured what was happening in the distance.�

Alessandra Manzotti has exhibited her work at Massoni Art (www.massoniart. com) in Chestertown, Md., at the Soho Photo Gallery (www.sohophoto.com) in New York City, and the Hardcastle Gallery (www.hardcstlegallery.com) in Greenville, De. 66

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

Taken on Broad Run Road in East Bradford.

“I was at a barn in East Bradford photographing a friend, when this horse popped its head out from the stall. It was a time of harsh light and no clouds in the sky, but what I found enticing was seeing the shadows that the horse was making on the barn. The horse was in the right position and the light was behind me.”

Taken in Chadds Ford. “This photograph as taken while I was waiting for my daughter’s school bus, down the road at a neighbor’s house. Anything in nature can grab me. All I do is look around. I find that there is so much beauty in something as simple as a backyard. I’ve always felt that everyone can look, but few can really see, and photography teaches me to see.” www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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Taken in the Northbrook Road vicinity. “I was sitting in the passenger seat of a car when I saw that these three ponies were all positioned perfectly, like in a triangle.

When I got out of the car, I thought for a moment about doing something to get their attention, in order to get them to lift their heads. I chose not to. I didn’t want to

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interrupt what I was seeing. It was a kind of perfection.”

Taken near The Whip. “I love photographing this particular line of trees, mostly because of the way they converge at different angles no matter where I’m positioned. On this particular shot, the goat in the foreground came walking up to me and started smelling my camera.”

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

Taken at Wolf’s Hollow County Park. “I was attracted to this scene because I loved the way the top of the fence in the distance softly peeked above the edge of the field. Most of my work is very minimal. Because my life is often chaotic and busy, I find that photography brings me back to that place of solitude. To me, photography is all about the power of one.”

Taken at Longwood Gardens. “Longwood Gardens was just about closed. I was still in the meadow. I turned and saw that the house was slightly lit and the moon was glowing. It was one of those moments when everything just seemed to be in place.”

To learn more about the photography of Alessandra Manzotti, visit www.amanzottifineart.com.

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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——|West Chester & Chadds Ford Q & A|——

Gary Liddick and Joyce Lacy of the Interfaith Housing Assistance Corporation of Chester County.

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Executive director Joyce Lacy and board member Gary Liddick of the Interfaith Housing Assistance Corporation of Chester County Q A

Q&A 70

This organization traces its beginning back to 1993.

Talk about the need that existed in Chester County that led to the IHACCC founding.

Lacy: A collective group known as the Chester County Council of Churches set up an ad hoc committee to see who was not being served by all of the other services and supports and benefits in the community.

They found a part of our local community that was literally falling through the cracks – those working full-time at low-income jobs, who did not qualify for welfare, but

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

could not pay the rent to live in our beautiful county.

They were knocking on church doors, asking for monetary assistance or help with their rent because they were facing eviction.

The committee then developed the mission of the organization around that population. These are people who don’t want to live in Section 8 housing, who want to raise their children to be contributors to the community. They just need what our board calls ‘A hand up, not the hand out.’

Gary, you’ve been on the IHACCC board for about a year and a half. What drew you to become involved?

Liddick: What led me to the organization is that it truly is a hand up and not a hand out, as Joyce said.

We require our participants to go through certain types of budget counseling, parenting counseling, etcetera, depending on the situation. It’s not just giving money to people who knock on our door. People need to qualify and continue to participate in monthly budget meetings.

Q A

We’re trying to teach people to be self-sufficient.

The IHACCC provides a wide variety of assistance, connections and support to the people it serves. Take me into the specifics of what happens when an individual first reaches out to your organization.

Lacy: You can liken us to an emergency room, where people come to us when they’re in a bit of a crisis, where they could be on the verge of being evicted next week or have their electricity being shut off on Friday. They try to put off those crises as long as they can, but realize that they can’t hold back any longer. Maybe they can make April rent, but making May rent may be impossible because of various circumstances. We are not the short-term fix to any of their problems, but we may be able to connect them with the electric company who can give them an extension on their power, or agencies who can help pay their electric bill.

Our goal is to work with them to make sure that these

Q A

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Q & A...

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situations don’t continue to occur. We address their immediate crisis, and once we stabilize that, our case managers go into a more educational role, in order to look at a person’s overall financial wellness – to give them a peace of mind and the knowledge and connections to places they need.

During the duration of the three-year period an individual is connected to the IHACCC services, he or she not only receives counseling and advice from a case manager, but also can attend workshops. Talk about one particular workshop that you think truly caters to an individual’s needs.

Lacy: We’ve done workshops on predatory lending.

People who don’t have enough money to purchase a sofa for their family for instance, get into a situation where they rent a sofa. However, the interest rate on that can rise as much as 300 percent, and if they fall behind on pay-

Q A

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ments, they could end up paying $3,000 for a $500 sofa.

Instead, one of our services provides used household items for these families. We receive gently used items and take them directly to these individuals and their families.

Because these individuals remain in the program for a three-year period, it’s safe to say that you’ve seen many lives transform over that time. Give me just one example of your many success stories.

Lacy: A young woman – let’s call her Bethany – came to us three years ago with two small children and a minimum-wage job. She was also living through a stressful situation with a former domestic partner and had bad experiences with a financial institution. She was literally putting money under the mattress when we met her, and paying the landlord in cash from month to month. We first encouraged her first to open a bank account. Second, we supported her when she said she wanted to go back to school. Now, she’s at a community college taking night classes. She puts the kids to bed and opens a laptop that was provided by an Interfaith Housing donor. We encouraged her to get

Q A

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West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

employment that was more stable, offered more pay and was closer to home, so she could spend more time with her children. She’s doing well in school, and she now has a more stable job with a better company that is closer to home. Since then, she has referred a friend of hers to us.

For so many people, coming to an organization like yours for assistance can be a very soul-defeating time in a person’s life. How does the IHACCC help allay the fears and humiliation that often come when these individuals ask you for help?

Liddick: The answer to that lays with our case management team – three members who all work with the County of Chester’s Department of Children, Youth and Families, who have great access to many resources throughout Chester County. They provide a sensitive, professional environment with which the participants can feel comfortable. As these individuals get more comfortable, the case management team over time will become more parental in their approach to helping. As they build confidence and

Q A

comfort, it allows them to provide counsel in even more meaningful ways. The trust that they build allows them to strengthen that relationship.

A sub-committee of the board meets with the case managers once a month, and they will review each of these individuals on a case-by-case basis – sometimes 30 or 40, depending on the month – in order to determine the progress and continuing needs of each individual.

For any organization like yours to be successful, it takes collaboration with dedicated individuals, services and individuals. Who are some of those collaborations that the IHACCC works with?

Lacy: There are so many groups we work with, throughout all areas of Chester County. Just a few are The Single Mothers Conference, Bridge of Hope Lancaster and Chester Counties, PA Home of the Sparrow in nearby Exton, the Salvation Army, Act in Faith of Greater West Chester, Friends Association, The Chester County Womens’ Commission, and of course the West Chester United

Q A

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Methodist Church, who have been our gracious hosts for the past seven years. I’m really just touching the tip of a huge iceberg. There are so many other people and so many other groups, that I’d be here for hours naming all of them.

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Yet another collaboration the IHACCC has is with the United Way. Talk about your partnership with them.

Lacy: United Way, being the incredibly strong link between the private sector and the social service sector, sees needs across all income levels in the county, and links social service agencies with the private sector and the government sector. They convene meetings with congressional aides and business leaders in order to introduce them to the many resources available in the county. We learn from each other about our shared resources. Through these connections, now I know that I can send people to get help with their income tax forms. I can send people to a job locator. The United Way provides those links to our fellow agencies, and in turn, these resources turn us into a much larger service provider. It allows us to have a lot of areas of expertise in our pocket.

Q A

What is the most challenging aspect in your role here at the IHACCC? Liddick: From the standpoint of being a board member, one of the challenges the organization faces is the ability to continue to raise the funds necessary to support the program. We are a non-profit organization, and so all of our funds come from foundation grants, individual donations and various fundraisers. One of the things we’re constantly doing is getting as much access to those funds as we can throughout the county. The federal funding in recent years has been shrinking, but the need has not been shrinking for these individuals who need our resources.

Lacy: On the demand for services side, that number keeps going up. We get far more phone calls than we did

Q A

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

four or five years ago. There are more and more people in Chester County making less money. The area median income is dropping, and at the same time, the fair market rates for rentals are increasing. We now have an economy that is seeing more of a gap, so the need is rising. We turn to the private sector and foundations. We have more fundraisers. We make more friends, and we find more ways to ask people with big hearts to contribute. The big challenge is not just that we’re being funded less, but every other service agency in the world is being funded less, so there is more competition for that funding.

What are the most satisfying aspects of your association with the IHACCC? Liddick: It’s hearing about the Bethanys that Joyce mentioned. It’s about hearing that one of our participants was able to get United States citizenship recently.

It’s the ability to see people meeting with their case managers month by month and learning how to budget their money appropriately while aspiring to another, betterpaying job. That’s why we’re in this, to provide the means to continue this mission.

Lacy: We do a follow-up with our participants that we call ‘Where are they Now?’ We’ll check with the young woman who graduated from us a couple of years ago, and find that she is a teacher in her field, not just a worker bee. We find so many people like her who are thriving.

They are truly self-sufficient and they are truly out there contributing to the community, and they’re giving back because they remember the times when they were in need and got what they needed. We’re trying hard to teach the next generation to teach their children that, ‘If you start now, you will not have to be coming to groups like ours for support in 20 years.’ These are the people we look at and say, ‘You will survive, and you will teach your children to survive, and you now have a plan that will allow you to make it.’

The Interfaith Housing Assistance Corporation of Chester County is located at 129 South High Street, Suite 209, West Chester, Pa. 19381-3463. For more information, call 610-696-5675, e-mail info@interfaithhousingcc.org, or visit www.interfaithhousingcc.org.

-- Richard L. Gaw

Q A

www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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——|Community|——

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Courtesy photo

Team Jackie members Jackie McKenna (left) and her mom Stacey Fuller with Lisa McDermott (right) of Stratus Interactive and her daughter. Stacey is a Partner with law firm Gawthrop Greenwood, PC, a March for Babies Silver Sponsor.

When she was born six weeks early in February 2013, Jackie McKenna weighed only 5 lbs., 12 oz. She spent 24 days in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at Paoli Hospital, learning to eat, breathe, swallow and digest nourishment.

Grateful that their daughter received the care she needed to survive and eventually leave the NICU, and for the support of the March of Dimes for research and treatment, Jackie’s parents Stacey Fuller and Patrick McKenna formed “Team Jackie West Chester” for the March of Dimes March for Babies, held in West Chester’s Marshall Square Park on April 26. Team Jackie has raised nearly $3000 in the past two years for the March of Dimes, money which supports community programs that help moms have healthy, fullterm pregnancies, and funds research to find answers to the problems that threaten babies’ lives.

Fuller and McKenna are partners with West Chester-based law firm Gawthrop Greenwood, PC, a March for Babies Ambassador Family Sponsor.

March for Babies donations are still being accepted. Visit the March for Babies West Chester page at https://www. marchforbabies.org

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

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——|West Chester & Chadds Ford People|——

Photo by Richard Gaw

Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline says that she keeps her office door open so that people know that she is available to talk to.

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer On one particular day early in her tenure as a Chester County commissioner, Michelle Kichline’s workday started with an early-morning forum where the Chester County Economic Development Council presented a review of the previous twelve months of work and 78

a preview of what the year ahead holds. Later in the day, Kichline will tour the emergency services training center, a centerpiece of the county’s efforts to ensure public safety.

Her schedule for the day before was even more demanding. That day started with a meeting of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, a meeting that ran through lunch. Then Kichline hopped

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

on a train back to Berwyn. She was in her office in West Chester in time for a meeting with Mark Rupsis, the county’s chief operating officer, in the afternoon.

She stopped home long enough to briefly see her husband, Michael, and their two children, Amanda and Andrew, and to make sure that everyone had eaten dinner. Then it was time to leave for an awards banquet at a chamber of commerce.

Kichline doesn’t mind the busy schedule.

“I’m really excited to be a county commissioner,” she explained. “It’s something that, with my skill set, I thought I could serve Chester County well. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve the residents of Chester County, and I take it very seriously.”

Kichline was sworn in as county commissioner on Dec. 16, 2014, to fill the unexpired term of Ryan Costello, who had been elected to the U.S. Congress in November. She joined incumbents Terence Farrell and Kathi Cozzone on the three-member board of county commissioners, and while she relies on their wisdom and experiences, Kichline also comes to the job with some definite ideas about what kind of commissioner she wants to be.

“I keep my door open symbolically because I want people to know that they can always talk to me,” she said.

Kichline takes the job of governing seriously, whether it’s working at the local level or overseeing one of the best-managed counties in the state. Perhaps this is because of the experiences of her parents, Bela and Angela Haris. In 1956, her parents fled their home in Hungary to escape the rule of the Communist regime.

Even as young adults, they had the courage to leave everything behind for freedom.

“My parents grew up in an environment where they didn’t have the freedom to speak, to express their views,” Kichline explained.

Her parents came to the U.S. and chose to live in Chester County because of the great schools, strong communities, and job opportunities.

Kichline grew up in Tredyffrin Township, the county’s largest municipality, and she learned about the importance of local government at an early age. Her mother worked as the head of a department for Upper Merion Township.

As a teenager, Kichline did an internship with Tredyffrin Township, and was undecided as to whether she wanted to pursue a career as a township manager or as a lawyer. When she graduated from Conestoga

Photo by Steven Hoffman

Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline in her office in West Chester.

High School, she decided to go to the University of Pennsylvania to major in political science. After that, she pursued a career in law, earning a degree from the Beasley School of Law at Temple University.

She clerked with a judge for a year, and then went to work for Wisler Pearlstine LLP, a law firm in Blue Bell, Pa. For more than a decade, Kichline represented school districts and municipalities. She counseled school administrators on a wide variety of issues, including employment and education law. In this capacity, she gained significant experience litigating education and employment law before the state and federal courts. She developed a specialty in special education law.

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Michelle Kichline...

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She was asked to join the Tredyffrin Township Zoning Hearing Board. Even though the demands on her time would be significant, Kichline thought it was important to be involved in local government.

She discussed serving on the board with her husband, and they worked out a plan.

“I told my husband, these are the nights I am going to need to be out late with meetings and we figured out how we could both make it work. I think it’s very important that women get involved in local government,” Kichline explained.

She eventually became the chair of the Tredyffrin Township Zoning Hearing Board, the first woman to ever to hold that position.

“Every time you make a decision, you’re making a difference in the fabric of the community,” she said.

Next, Kichline was elected to the township’s board of supervisors. She was on the board of supervisors from 2010 to 2013, chairing the board for the last two years. With 30,000 residents, Tredyffrin Township is Chester County’s largest municipality. The annual

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budget exceeds $17 million. During the time that she was on the board of supervisors, the township refinanced its bonds and saved taxpayers nearly $2 million in debt service payments. The township also had a fully funded pension program. Kichline is proud of the fact that while she chaired the board of supervisors, the township passed a comprehensive update of its zoning codes to address the changing needs of the township.

“We looked at our zoning code and revised it to protect the little open space that the township has,” she explained.

During her time with Tredyffrin Township, Kichline played a role in the formation of the Business Advisory Council. This entity partnered with business owners and property owners to develop a strategic plan for attracting and retaining businesses in Tredyffrin. The plan included a comprehensive review of tax and zoning structures, as well as transportation needs.

In the same year that she joined the Tredyffrin board of supervisors, Kichline also joined the Paoli Transit Task Force.

Then, in Oct. 2013, she was appointed by Gov. Tom Corbett as a commissioner to the Delaware River Port

Authority (DRPA), where she served from October 2013 until January 2015. She was a member of the DRPA Audit, Labor, Operations, and Management subcommittees. As the chair of its subcommittee on strategic planning, she has been instrumental in articulating the DRPA’s role as a transportation provider.

The DRPA has a $450 annual budget.

In 2014, she was part of the advisory group that worked with PennDOT, Amtrak, and Septa to obtain $30 million in funding for Phase One of the Paoli transit project. As a result of her work in Paoli, she was elected to the board of the Transportation Management Association of Chester County.

The work with the DRPA, in particular, helped prepare her to make decisions about projects that are large in scope, and how to work with large budgets.

After she became a county commissioner, Kichline was also appointed as the public sector co-chair of the VISTA 2025 Executive Alliance, a public/private economic development initiative for Chester County.

“I am excited about the VISTA 2025 focus on a balance of progress and preservation,” she said. “I am impressed with the quality of work that has been Continued on Page 82

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Michelle Kichline...

Continued from Page 81

completed on the strategy so far. VISTA 2025 is an excellent platform that will guide our actions in support of Chester County’s economy for years to come.”

She plans to be active in reaching out to communities throughout Chester County to get volunteers for the teams and committees to work on the VISTA 2025 policies and documents.

Her effectiveness as a county commissioner is enhanced by serving as a board member for the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVFTMA), the Transportation Management Association of Chester County (TMACC), and the West Chester Business Improvement District (BID). She’s also Chester County’s representative to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), and Kichline recently accepted a position on the Board of Fellows for Temple University’s Center for Regional Politics.

Kichline has already decided that she wants to seek a full four-year term as commissioner, earning the endorsement of the Republican Party.

For now, she’s looking to accomplish as much as she can during her time in office.

“What would matter to me is that we maintain the fiscal discipline that I inherited here,” she said.

Governing isn’t always easy. There are a lot of difficult decisions that need to be made. Sides are often taken. It’s sometimes difficult to get people to set aside their own interests to work together for the common good. Kichline doesn’t see herself having any problems handling the day-to-day challenges of elective office. All she has to do is think about her parents, and the courage that they displayed coming to the U.S. Her mother was just 18 at the time and had little more than the clothes on her back. That helps to put politics into perspective.

Even if the schedule is a demanding one, Kichline is prepared to do the work necessary to maintain Chester County’s success.

“I’m fortunate that, in everything that I’ve done, I feel like I’ve been able to make an impact,” she said.

“Now, I want to do the best I can as a Chester County Commissioner.”

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

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—|West Chester & Chadds Ford Business|— A look inside Dr. Alison Britt Kimmins’s work at the Chadds Peak Wellness Center reveals her belief that the real road to health is to heal the mind, the body and the spirit

Helping people help themselves

DR. ALISON BRITT KIMMINS

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Dr. Alison Britt Kimmins of the Chadds Peak Wellness Center.

Continued on Page 84 www.westchesterlifemagazine.com | Spring/Summer 2015 | West Chester & Chadds Ford Life

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Chadds Peak Wellness Center...

Continued from Page 83

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

A

t first glance, that is to say, in the clinical context of her profession, dermatologist Dr. Alison Britt Kimmins would say that the first tell-tale sign of her patients’ overall health can be detected within the lines, blemishes and imperfections caused by the stresses and enormities of life...but her practice isn’t about first glances.

It’s about the real answers she believes are found in the people who sit across from her.

So when she greets a new patient at the Chadds Peak Wellness Center in Chadds Ford – or next door at its sister company, Chadds Ford Dermatology – Kimmins doesn’t immediately reach for her prescription pad like some kind of reflexive tic. Rather than just scribble down some form of medication, she visualizes her patient attending a nutritional healing workshop. She sees her patient transformed in one the many yoga and meditation classes the Center offers. She looks at her patient and imagines the end results of what an acupuncture therapy may do to heal, not just fix.

In a medical world hellbent on offering quick and easy potions, Kimmins and her team are rebellious in their defiance of the cookie-cutter, cattle-call, take-a-number method of modern-day medical care. It begins with quiet; very often, the first steps to the healing of that person sitting across from them is done with only one person speaking, and it’s not Kimmins or any of her colleagues.

“All we really need to do is listen to people in order to hear the truth of what they’re feeling begin

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to line up,” Kimmins said from the Chadds Peak Wellness Center’s offices in Chadds Ford. “Too many times, doctors don’t really take the time to get to know their patients, so we, in an effort to understand what brings them here, just listen to them talk. It makes them feel better inside, and when that happens, it opens the door to wanting to feel good on the outside as well.

“Slowly, the stories of their skin begin to speak to me.

Their expressions tell certain stories. It speaks of poor health habits. It shows stress. A change in complexion is indicative of a lack of proper minerals.

From these stories, I am then able to encourage them that by changing their lifestyle, they can change their life.”

It’s all part of the larger mission of Kimmins and her colleagues, which is to bring all of the company’s components under one roof in order to heal a person’s body, mind and spirit: nutritional counseling, massage therapy, acupuncture and acupressure, and yoga and meditation.

When she was a child growing up in Philadelphia, Kimmins was raised on canned vegetables and meat and potatoes, the starchy staples of the common American household of the 1970s. But Courtesy photo by the time she got to college – first at Rosemont College and then at Yale University, where she earned a Masters of Public Health and Epidemiology – she began to see the way her new diet of fresh fruit and vegetables was affecting her.

After she received her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia -- and then her Dermatology Residency Training Program at Thomas Jefferson University -- Kimmins began to see her medical career as that of a connector of people to opportunities for wellness.

The proof of this commitment is found in the

West Chester & Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2015 | www.westchesterlifemagazine.com

ever-changing schedule of workshops and events the Center holds throughout the year. Kimmins and her colleagues hold workshops on skin care awareness and provide free skin cancer screenings. The Center also holds regular cooking classes for those interested in eating healthy foods without sacrificing flavor. The Center is also in the early stages of planning yoga, massage and meditation retreats.

“The medical and pharmaceutical communities are on a worldwide mission to fix people, not heal them,” Kimmins said. “But the way to truly make an individual feel better is to educate them, to teach them about their bodies. We teach them what they do not know.

“In order to be truly healthy, it is essential for a person to connect their mind, body and spirit with what they do, how they eat, when and what they eat, and how they think, in connection with how their body functions.”

To learn more about the Chadds Peak Wellness Center, visit www.cp-wc.com.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail rgaw@chestercounty.com .

Courtesy photo

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—|West Chester People|—

Center for Arts named for retiring WCU professor

John Baker

Courtesy of West Chester University

I

n advance of his retirement, artist John Baker, chair of West Chester University's Department of Art + Design, earned an honor reserved for a rare few in the University community. Thanks to a generous endowment he has made, the gallery in E.O. Bull Center for the Arts was officially renamed the John H. Baker Gallery, in ceremonies held on March 19.

“As gallery director, curating exhibitions has always been a passion for me,” Baker explains. “To endow the gallery is a way of giving back to the department and university.

The endowment will provide support for the department to continue to have visiting artists and exhibitions that will enhance the curriculum.”

Baker graduated from West Chester in 1974 and was asked to stay and teach part-time, 86

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when he found a mentor in art department chair Jack Hawthorne, in whose name Baker created a scholarship. Baker has guided the department with an inclusive attitude, sharing opportunities to get faculty noticed and involved regionally and beyond, even at China's Guizhuo University, where “both junior and senior faculty could exhibit at the international level.” He has connected the University with the regional art community in many ways, including the Art Trust at 16 West Market Street in West Chester, which promotes regional and emerging artists, links businesses and art philanthropically, and has brought scholarship dollars into the department.

He also directed the department's move, with the entire department participating in the building renovation plans. “The move to Bull Center recognizes our corner as the 'arts parts' of campus,” he said. “We are the supporting foundation. As a department, we really are like a family, and our students recognize that.”

“There couldn't be a more fitting and appropriate name," says Rhoda Kahler '95, a ceramic artist

and former student of Baker’s. “John has been the face of this art department for many years and has fostered thousands of students. As a WCU alumna, I am so proud to say John Baker was my ceramic professor and he introduced me to the medium I love so much.”

“To me, John is a rock star in the art world,” said Darcie Goldberg, a photographer and a former executive director of the Chester County Art Association. “Everyone who knows and has worked with him feels that way. He has made everyone feel so welcome in our art community.”

Goldberg first met Baker when she started working at the art center 20 years ago.

“We became friends; we did collaborations, public arts programs,” she said. “He helped me greatly as the executive director of the association.

He is a great peer, a very good listener and he encourages you. He allows you to use your creativity at a level I never thought I could achieve. I think there are very few John Bakers in this world, and I'm just lucky that I got to know the real John Baker.”

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