Western Chester County Life Spring/Summer 2018

Spring/Summer 2018

WESTERN Chester County LIFE

Spring/Summer 2018 • ISSUE 2 Complimentary Copy

Inside - Find ideas at the Chester County Home Show - Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights soars at festival - Spotlight on Springton Manor Farm

Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce Magazine

Magazine

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Western Chester County Life

Table of Contents Spring/Summer 2018

Meet our Member Courtyard Marriott Coatesville ...............................16 Aerzen USA ............................................................24 Delaware County Community College ...................40 The Coatesville Youth Initiative ..............................48 Milanese Remodeling ..............................................52 Parkesburg Point Youth Center...............................58 The Wright Agency .................................................62 Tower Health Brandywine Hospital........................66

Featured Articles Octorara School District to hold expo ...................10 Better eggs come from Highspire Hills Farm ..........22 Chester County Balloon Festival .............................28 Chester County Home Show...................................33 Sweet fun at the Brandywine Strawberry Festival ..42 Spotlight on Springton Manor Farm........................54 Cover photo Courtesy of Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights or Chester County Balloon Festival and Copyright Gregory Cazillo.

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In Each Issue WCCC President Donna McCorkle ...........................8 Chamber Calendar ....................................................9 Community Events ..................................................18 Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance Executive Director Sonia Huntzinger .....................26 Parkesburg Action Commmittee .............................36 Honey Brook Community Partnership President Donna Horvath .......................................46 CCPC Executive Director Brian O’Leary.................50 CCEDC President Gary Smith .................................60 TMACC Executive Director Tim Phelps ..................64 WCCCC Directory by Category ..............................67

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news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

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Working Together as a Community

A

s residents, business owners and employees in our region, we are fortunate to live and work in such a beautiful area. We have access to entertainment, fine and fun dining, and the calm of rolling hills with horse farms, local farm produce stands, and many hiking trails through the woods. The Route 30 Bypass is a great connector through our region and we are proud to be working with PennDOT on their upcoming (and most welcome) improvements to this important road. Follow the progress on our regional website www.

ChescoWest.com.

Going into our second Western Chester County Life magazine, The Western Chester County Chamber (WCCCC) is so pleased to hear from many of you regarding how much you have enjoyed the fresh and upbeat articles that have highDonna McCorkle lighted area businesses and events in our region. This may be the new go-to publication for what is happening in our area.

WCCCC is focused on what supports our members, employees, and families of our business community. We are so proud to be a part of this community.

We understand folks travel to work, social events, shuttle the kids around, and so much more. Therefore, the Chamber wants to ensure that our businesses and residents are an active voice in shaping future developments. If you have an interest in contributing to Regional Development, call Donna Steltz to learn more about our Regional Planning Initiative Committee, which meets on the first Wednesday of each month.

The Chamber is focused on connecting our members and those who live in the Western Chester County area to new ideas, resources, and relationships to achieve their goals. We would like to share your news and events in upcoming issues. If you’re interested in sharing, please let us know. It is a collective effort to show the public what is so great about this region, YOUR region. If you have something to share and enrich our lives – as my mom always said, “Don’t be shy, share.”

The Western Chester County Chamber works to recruit, retain and grow our region’s businesses and nonprofit organizations. We are proud to offer a multitude of ways to connect our members and residents through our events -- educational programs to strengthen business skills, after-hours mixers, young professionals events, and our Municipal Update Luncheon, just to name a few. We support area-wide organizations that help our community grow. Read more about these partners in our “In Each Issue” section of this publication.

WCCCC encourages you to get involved in your community, discover local events and, most importantly, shop and buy local. Working together, we can all enhance our communities so that your business and families continue to prosper.

Warmest regards, Donna McCorkle/WCCCC Board President JetPay HR and Payroll Services Inc.

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Western Chester County Chamber Events All Chamber events are open to the public. Discover the connections to grow your business!

March 23

Municipal Update 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Hosted by G. A. Vietri, Inc. Electrical Construction 105 Independence Way, Coatesville PA 19320

March 26

Chester County Home Show 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Wagontown Banquet Hall 412 West Kings Highway, Coatesville, PA 19320

April 12

Making Connections 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

The Long Way Home Grill & Pub

April 19

Political Odd Couple 7:45 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location TBD

May 2

SCORE Seminar & Networking Understanding Cash Flow | A Business Survival Guide 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Courtyard by Marriott, Coatesville

May 9

Young Professionals Networking 5:30 p.m. -8:30 p.m.

The Craft House, Thorndale, PA

May 17

Golf Outing 11:30 Lunch - 12:30 Shotgun Start Moccasin Run Golf Club

June 2

Chamber Day 7:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Pennsylvania State Capitol N 3rd Street Harrisburg, PA 17120

June 14

Gala on the Green Lukens Historic Grounds of the National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

August 2

Chamber Night at the Reading Fightin’ Phils 7:05 p.m.

First Energy Stadium ——For

2018 Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

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————|Western Chester County Life|————

Open Doors to Success: Octorara School District to hold career and technical expo on June 2

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

I

n 2013, designed as a way to showcase the work being done by students enrolled in the agricultural component of Octorara Area School District’s Career & Technical Education program, the district kicked off its first Agriculture, Business, Environmental Science and Technology (OABEST) Expo.

Through displays, demonstrations and interaction between students, parents and the local business community, the event served as a reflection of the impact that the curriculum, its students and their work was already having on the local agricultural industry.

Now, as Octorara prepares for its sixth annual OABEST Expo on June 2, the mission may remain the same, but its outreach is reflective of a changing business environment – one that affects not only Chester County, but the entire world.

“The main focus of the expo has always been to promote the industry of agriculture, and bringing that to the attention of parents, students and the community,” said Lisa McNamara, K-12 administrator and director of the district’s Career & Technical Education programs.

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“Octorara has always been an agricultural area, but changing the perception of agriculture is a very big piece of this event. Not diminishing the importance of farming, we’re celebrating the awareness that there’s so much more to the agricultural industry: agri-business, agri-sciences, and different types of farming.”

While the primary emphasis of the expo will continue to highlight the widening breadth of the district’s commitment to agricultural education, it will also shine a light on many of its other career and technical programs: business & marketing; engineering and drafting; graphic design and illustration; culinary arts preparation; and Homeland Security and Protective Services.

This year’s expo, which will be held at Octorara Area High School, will provide a generous overlap of students, local industry partners and businesses, colleges, educational mobile lab facilities, government officials and industry workforce, who continue to contribute to the changing narrative of the district’s technical education. While a traditional fouryear high school diploma often leads to the pursuit of a college education or an entry into the workforce, the education of students in Octorara’s Career and Technical Education opens up several doors of opportunity, while at the same time giving graduates industry certification and practical skills they can use to pursue a two-year or four-year degree; or directly enter the workforce with advanced training in the field they wish to pursue.

The proof of the program’s success is in the lives of its graduates.

Continued on Page 12

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news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

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Octorara School District Continued from Page 11

“One of our students who graduated from our Homeland Security and Protective Services program is now studying nuclear engineering,” McNamara said. “Another graduated from the same program and is now employed at the Chester County Public Safety Training campus. Several of our former graphic design students are now working for large companies, several of our Culinary students are now studying in Philadelphia, and students we taught in our Agriculture program are working in nearly every component of the agricultural industry.

“The purpose of these programs has always been to develop the talents of these students and reinvest them back into the community,” McNamara said. “One of the messages we’re working on that will shine at this year’s expo suggests that instead of asking ‘What college are you going to?’ we want to begin asking, ‘What is your career plan?’

“We’re in the process of changing mindsets and culture. Seventy percent of the jobs out there don’t require a four-year degree, so the narrative that creates the beginnings of careers no longer begins and ends with a four-year degree anymore.”

The sixth annual OABEST Expo at the Octorara School District will take place on June 2, 2018, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Continued on Page 14

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Octorara School District Continued from Page 12

the Octorara Area High School, 226 Highland Road, Atglen, Pa. 19310.

The expo will include student demonstrations, science fair exhibits, first responder demonstrations, crafts, music and games, hayrides, and several agricultural exhibits.

To learn more about this year’s Expo, visit www.oabestexpo.com.

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

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Stottsville Inn CIRCA 1858

GRAND RE-OPENING APRIL 2018

The historic Stottsville Inn nestled in the heart of Chester County has undergone an incredible transformation at the hand of the Quinn Family!

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Featuring 24 taps with Craft and Domestic beers, 8 Wines on tap by the glass, and a Full Bar Wood Fired Grilled Steak, Chicken, Fish, Seafood and Veggies.

Soups, Sandwiches and Salads Gourmet Pizza and Daily specials 3512 Strasburg Road, Coatesville, PA 19320 484-718-5121 | www.StottsvilleInn.com | Wednesday - Sunday 4pm - Midnight Mention this ad and receive a complimentary glass of wine or beer. ——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

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Meet Our Member:

Courtyard Marriott Coatesville

I

n 2012, the Waterford Hotel Group saw the potential of the Coatesville area and opened the 125-room Courtyard Marriott Coatesville hotel.

The national hotel and convention center management firm saw the hotel’s location – on the Route 30 Bypass, between Philadelphia and Lancaster – as crucial to meeting an underserved market. The resurgence in the Coatesville region has kept the hotel thriving since that day.

Kimberly Nicolas, who was hired as the hotel’s Director of Sales in 2012, is in charge of developing and maintaining new accounts, supervising sales related personnel, and implementing sales and marketing strategies. She had previously been Director of Sales for the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center in Malvern.

The four-story Courtyard Coatesville was the 500th in the Courtyard brand and the first in the area to feature Marriott’s “refreshing business” makeover, which includes an open, bright and contemporary new Courtyard hotel lobby. The hotel was part of a 22-acre redevelopment project known as “30 West” that is part of the resurgence of the region.

“Don Pulver was the visionary who chose to be a pioneer in the re-development of the Coatesville area,” Nicolas said.

“His firm, Oliver Tyrone Pulver Corporation, has succeeded in other local markets such as Conshohocken and Philadelphia, and has made significant impact. Our Courtyard Marriott is the only hotel in the Coatesville area.”

Overlooking the Brandywine River, the 74,000-square-foot Courtyard Coatesville features a modern lobby that includes a Bistro/Bar, 24-hour “Grab ‘N Go” market, a library and business/media center. The guestrooms provide amenities such as refrigerators and microwave ovens, high-speed Internet access, flat-screen televisions, as well as irons and ironing boards and in-room hair dryers. The hotel also offers an indoor pool, whirlpool spa, exercise room, and an outdoor courtyard with a fire pit.

An outdoor seating area with fire pit is a great, informal meeting spot.

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“The hotel was built as the beginning of the revitalization of Coatesville and to be a catalyst for an economic change to the area,” Nicolas said, adding that there are now 30 associates working at the hotel, both full-time and part-time.

The hotel benefits from Chamber membership, she said, citing “Increased exposure of the Courtyard Marriott hotel for business opportunities and networking opportunities that put

Courtesy photos

The king guest room has every amenity a traveler could want.

An indoor pool offers a place to relax or exercise.

The Couryard Marriott Coatesville is at 600 Manor Rd., convenient to area highways.

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us in direct contact with other local business professionals.”

The hotel provides an edge for business travelers with flexible spaces to work or relax in, wi-fi throughout, and access to the latest news and weather on the lobby’s GoBoard.

The Bistro-Eat, Drink, Connect provides guests with healthy food and beverage offerings for breakfast and dinner.

For convenience, the Courtyard Philadelphia Coatesville is just off the Route 30 Bypass, Coatesville Exit for Route 82 and is midway between Philadelphia and Lancaster.

Nicolas lives close by, in Western Chester County, and feels great that her job supports area businesses.

“It’s such a rewarding experience

The Bistro area at the hotel has a variety of seating options.

to be able to connect with area businesses in growing our business here at the hotel,” she said. “We are proud to be a part of the efforts to grow the Western Chester County region, with many other projects in the works.”

The Courtyard Marriott Coatesville is at 600 Manor Rd., Coatesville. For reservations or more information, call 610-380-8700 or visit www.courtyardcoatesville.com.

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Community Events Chester County Parks located in Western Chester County Hibernia Springton Manor Wolf’s Hollow Activities, hiking, lectures and more.

Visit their websites @chesco.org.

Local Farmers Markets

Downingtown Farmers Market Eagleview Farmers Market growingrootspartners.com

Local Farm Products

Remember to “Buy Local” from our area farmers. 1,730 operating farms exist in Chester County, most of which are family-owned small businesses. Use the Farm Finder to search by product, address or farm name to find the freshest, local farm goods near you. chesco. org/1124/Find-Local-Farm-Products

to make real maple syrup at this session held at Wolf’s Hollow County Park. chesco.org

April 14

Children’s Miracle Network Fundraiser Parkesburg Walmart Grand Opening of their Garden Center. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

April 21

23rd Annual Race Against Violence 9 a.m.

Crime Victims Center of Chester County’s annual 5K race and walk. Take a stand against violence with CVC. Thousands of victims and families that we’ve personally helped over the last 45 years will appreciate your support. cvcofcc.org

March 17

Atglen Public Library Longaberger Basket Bingo 6 to 9 p.m.

This event benefits the Atglen Public Library. $25 advance tickets, or $30 at the door. Tickets include 20 games with three bingo cards for each game. Prizes of new Longaberger baskets filled to the brim with goodies. For tickets and more information, please call the library at 610-593-6848 or 717-490-1791.

March 24

Maple Sugaring 2 to 4 p.m.

Wolf’s Hollow County Park Maple tree sap begins to flow as the weather begins to warm. Participants can learn how a maple tree is tapped and how the sap is boiled

TMACC - Transportation Management Association of Chester County

May 9 – Bike/Walk to School Day. If your school is interested in participating, contact TMACC at 610-993-0911 May 14 to 18 – Bike to Work Week May 18 – Bike to Work Corporate Challenge www.tmacc.org

May 13

26th Annual Willowdale Steeplechase This family-friendly event is enjoyed by over 10,000 spectators who spend a casual yet sophisticated day in Chester County’s horse country. willowdalesteeplechase.org

May 19-20

April 28

Sheep & Wool Day 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Springton Manor Farm The sheep are losing their winter wool and you’re invited to the shearing. Spend a day on the farm, experiencing sheep shearing, wagon rides, artisan displays and demonstrations, plus many new and exciting family activities. chesco.org

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May 2

National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum 12th Annual Rebecca Lukens Award Presentation The Rebecca Lukens Award honors individuals who exhibit the qualities of Rebecca Lukens – resilience, leadership, courage, and strategic outlook. Please join us at the National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum for the awards presentation as we recognize our 2018 recipient. This Event Date Is Subject To Change. steelmuseum. org

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Chester County Studio Tour 2018 Visit artists’ studios and enjoy the spring weather, traveling the winding roads of Chester County. Give art, or buy that special piece of art for yourself. This spring we plan on showcasing the best artists and studios in Chester County. Be prepared to spend the entire weekend engaging in the arts. countystudiotour.com

event for the entire family to enjoy. Local industry partners, businesses, colleges, educational mobile lab facilities, government officials, development councils, and workforce boards are joining the expo with a variety of interesting and fun filled demonstrations guaranteed to pique the interest of all members of the community. oabestexpo.com

June 10

May 19 - 20

Tough Mudder 2018 Same venue, brand new course at Plantation Field in Coatesville/Unionville. Teams square off against ten miles and 20 obstacles. brandywinevalley.com

May 27

Marshallton Memorial Day Parade The parade begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Goddard School (on Strasburg Road, just east of the intersection with Sugars Bridge Road). Join other township residents and friends lining Strasburg Road to honor the memory of the men and women who served our country. westbradford.org

May 31 to June 3

Strawberry Festival This spring, the beautiful grounds of the Brandywine Hospital will be bursting with exciting entertainment, family fun, food, fireworks, laughter, music and more at the annual Strawberry Festival. Brandywine Health Foundation brandywinefoundation.org

June 2

OABEST Expo 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Octorara High School will be hosting the annual Octorara Agriculture, Business, Environmental, Science & Technology Expo, known as the OABEST Expo. This community day fair showcases what Octorara students do. The Expo is a collaborative community

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French Creek Iron Tour 2018 Cycle through historic Iron Furnace country and have a blast! French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust preserves open space where iron blast furnaces and forges served as cornerstones of industry in colonial Pennsylvania -- hence “Iron Tour.” When you ride in the French Creek Iron Tour, you have a direct impact on the preservation of the scenic countryside that surrounds you. Since 1967, French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust has protected 12,500 acres of agricultural, natural and park lands and created greenways and trails along the two creeks. irontour.org

in Toughkenamon. Filled with activities on the ground and in the air, the festival provides family fun for all ages, with more than 100 vendors, live bands and fireworks. We are proud to be a non-profit organization, with portions of the proceeds going to the Chester County Hero Fund as well as other local youth community groups, such as our local Boy Scouts and athletic groups. ccballoonfest.com

June 29 and 30

Wyebrook Farm Presents: Farm to Fork Fondo Enjoy a simplicity that can only be found in Amish country, where farming and gathering is an elemental tradition experienced perfectly from the seat of a bicycle. farmforkfondo.com

July 7

Coatesville Community Unity Day Starting at 3 p.m. Fireworks will be at dusk. coatesville.org

June 21

National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum Chester County Town Tours & Village Walks 5:30 to 8 p.m. Free An inside glimpse of the Lukens National Historic District. The story of American steel parallels the growth of the Lukens National Historic District -- humble beginnings, stories of struggle and courage, and leaps in technology that changed the course of American history. Meet Rebecca Lukens, the first female American industrialist, and tour her home. Visit the gracious mansions of Terracina and Graystone, homes to Rebecca’s daughter Isabella and grandson A. F. Huston. See the 1902 Executive Offices and learn how Lukens steel appeared in icons like the Space Needle, World Trade Center, and the USS Nautilus. steelmuseum.org

June 22, 23, 24

Chester County Balloon Festival The Chester County Balloon Festival is the must-attend event at New Garden Flying Field

Aug.11

90th Annual Chester County Old Fiddlers’ Picnic (Rain date Aug. 12) 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hibernia County Park will come alive as hundreds of musicians and music lovers gather to celebrate traditional music using a variety of instruments and styles. The event features vendors offering a variety of craft items and novelties, as well as food options, jam sessions, and children activities. Hibernia County Park 1 Park Road, Coatesville, PA 19320

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

Continued on Page 20

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Community Events Continued from Page 19

Aug. 18

7th Annual Lanchester Fiddler’s Picnic 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Landis Woodland Preserve, Atglen Stage performances, jam sessions, food vendors, hay rides. westsadsburytwp.org

Promoting Health Equity

Aug. 24 to 26

First Annual Country Spirit USA The producers of Country Summer, Northern California’s biggest country music festival, proudly present Country Spirit USA, an annual, multi-day country music spectacular. Located at the prestigious Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds. brandywinevalley.com

Sept. 1 to 3

Encouraging Youth Development Building a Vibrant and Healthier Community

Sept. 11

National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum Coatesville Remembers 17th Anniversary World Trade Center Commemoration 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The program will include marking time of events that morning, words from local dignitaries, and music from members of the Lukens Band.

From 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be free admission to indoor exhibits and videos. The thousands of victims of the 9/11/2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center twin towers will be remembered.

The service will take place at the site of the Steelworkers’ Memorial, which is marked by one of the ten 50-ton World Trade Center steel tridents recovered by the museum in 2010. steelmuseum.org

Sept. 22

“We believe in what the foundaƟon does in the community to help so many people.” ~ FoundaƟon Supporters

Bike the Brandywine Explore the scenery, glimpse the history, and discover the lure of the Brandywine during the third annual Bike the Brandywine! Three fully supported loops are available to riders – approximately 25, 45 and 80 miles long, with well-marked routes, rest stops and cue sheets provided to all riders. All three routes treat riders to breathtaking landscapes throughout the Brandywine Creek Greenway, with money raised supporting the clean water programs of the Brandywine Conservancy.

Register today at: www.bikethebrandywine.org

Sept. 22

Join Us! brandywinefoundation.org 610.380.9080

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Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show & Country Fair 75th Anniversary Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show is one of the longest-running shows in the area. It is a Chester County tradition for people to attend and compete in this show annually. ludwigshorseshow.com

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Coatesville Invitational Vintage Grand Prix Coatesville will come alive with the sights and sounds of vintage and historic cars and motorcycles roaring through the streets of the city. The event gets started at 8:30 a.m. with a Color Guard ceremony and our National Anthem. Cars go off at 9 a.m. and follow a 2.2-mile course along Lincoln Highway encompassing the heart of the city and its neighborhoods. Free. coatesvillegrandprix.com

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——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

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————|Western Chester County Life|————

Better eggs come from Highspire Hills Farm Co-owner Deb Ellis gets award for products and education efforts

By John Chambless

D

eborah Ellis and her husband, Duane Rehmeyer, could not be happier to own and operate Highspire Hills Farm in Glenmoore, which provides more than 3,000 dozen eggs a month to nine local restaurants, as well as to Kimberton Whole Foods markets. But there is much more to the couple than the successful business they operate.

Last October, Ellis was recognized by the Chester County Board of Commissioners, along with the Agricultural Development Council, with the Distinguished Agricultural Service award. Ellis won for her ongoing work with the Mobile Ag Ed Science Lab program, an initiative of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau that brings agricultural education to students all over the state through a classroom on wheels.

A former Coatesville School District teacher, Ellis worked as the Ag Lab program assistant for the eastern portion of the state for ten years, guiding teachers during in-service workshops and teaching thousands of students a year about the importance of farming. During her last year as an Ag Lab employee, she estimates the Ag Lab program connected with more than 110,000 kids across the state. Despite retiring in 2016, Ellis volunteers as the Chester Delaware County Farm Bureau Ag Lab board member liaison, ensuring that the Ag Lab continues to visit

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Courtesy photos

Deb Ellis at Highspire Hills Farm.

Duane Rehmeyer with one of the chickens at Highspire Hills Farm.

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Chester County schools.

In a recent interview, Ellis said, “My family is from Iowa, so I spent every summer from the time I was born, until about 16, in Iowa. My two brothers and I still own our great-grandparents’ farm near Altoona, Iowa.”

As a teacher, Ellis taught special education for fourth and fifth grades in the Coatesville School District for 22 years.

The Ag Lab, she said, is for ages kindergarten through eighth grade. “The seven labs are fully equipped with 30 science lessons, all related to agriculture,” she said. “The students participate in a 30to 50-minute, hands-on lesson.”

Ellis said most children have no idea where their food comes from. “Children generally think that food comes from the store,” she said. “Our students are removed from the concept of farms, farmers and agriculture.”

Ellis and her husband didn’t start out to build Highspire Hills Farm into a major producer of eggs. “We started out with a few chickens and big old, empty chicken house from the 1950s.

Over time, somehow the chicken house filled up!” she said.

The operation, while a large one, is not yet at capacity, she said. “We have around 2,000 birds now and are expecting to grow to just under 3,000 when we reach full capacity,” she said. “We also pasture birds, starting in March, in portable chicken tractors.

We supply pastured eggs to our customers from March until September.”

At Highspire, the “cage free” label

Highspire Hills Farm provides more than 3,000 dozen eggs a month to nine local restaurants.

Chickens on the farm live in a building with curtains on the south side that open on warm days, giving the birds direct exposure to the outdoors.

that’s applied by many egg producers is truly earned.

Chickens are treated humanely and given a safe place to live through their laying years. Certified organic feed is provided

by Organic Unlimited in Atglen. Birds are free to roam the poultry house. “The difference is our chicken house,” Ellis said. “It is constructed with curtains on the south side that open on warm days. This gives the birds direct exposure to the outdoors -- much different than a conventional layer house.”

The results are eggs that go far beyond the standard, pale eggs found in most grocery stores. The farm’s website lists several comments from satisfied customers, including Ron Inverso, of Ron’s Original Bar and Grille in Exton, who wrote, “We have been using Duane’s eggs for years and love the way they perform. We concentrate our energies on serving the healthiest products available and Duane’s eggs fit our requirements perfectly. They make the best desserts!”

Larry Welsch, executive director of the Chester County Food Bank, wrote, “We have been very pleased with our partnership with Highspire Hills Farm to bring better food to the clients of the Chester County Food Bank. Supplying our neighbors in need with a healthier diet is much easier when you have partners like Highspire Hills. The eggs we receive weekly have been very well received by those we serve. The freshness of the eggs is wonderful, and working with Duane and Deb has been a real pleasure.”

Regional chef Tim Courtney wrote that the quality of Highspire eggs is apparent at first glance. “The yolks are brightly colored and the whites are thick and clear. They produce the most phenomenal omelets, softest curds and custards, and are absolutely ideal for poached egg dishes. …

Eggs from a small production farm like this don’t sit around in inventory for a week or two before you see them. When I order my eggs for the week I know that they are less than

——For

three days old. That’s incredibly fresh!”

In addition to her full days on the farm, which operates seven days a week, Ellis contributes to the community by bringing her therapy dog, Buttons, to visit patients around the county at places including Chester County Hospital and Neighborhood Hospice.

Speaking about Ellis and her husband’s commitment to their organic farm and to the Chester County community, Hillary Krummrich, director of the Chester County Agricultural Development Council, said, “It might seem like just another day’s work to Duane and Deb, but they both provide for us in so many ways from growing the food we eat to serving as agricultural ambassadors in the community. We are delighted to honor them for all that they do.”

For Ellis, the satisfaction of running Highspire comes down to providing a high-quality product and contributing to the community as well. “We enjoy the lifestyle that comes with farming, the work and challenges and people we have gotten to know along the way,” she said. “We have lots of great customers and a crew of part-time staff, including high-school and college students, that we work closely with.

“I volunteer on the Chester-Delaware County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, and our farm contacts have given us an opportunity to introduce others to Kudvumisa Foundation USA, Inc., a medical mission to Swaziland, Africa.” The farm raises money for the organization by selling red raspberry, blackberry, grape and peach jelly. Volunteers pick the fruit, and prepare and process the jelly at the Chester County Food Bank kitchen.

“Neither one of us,” Ellis said, “could imagine doing anything different.”

For more information, visit www.highspirehillsfarm.com.

Highspire Hills Farm is at 709 Highspire Road, Glenmoore.

Tours are available by appointment.

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

23

Meet Our Member:

A

Aerzen USA

erzen is a worldwide leading manufacturer of highquality positive displacement blowers, compressors and vacuum pumps. Known for the reliability of its products, Aerzen has been an innovator since it was founded in Germany in 1864.

The Aerzen USA subsidiary assembles equipment packages, maintains and overhauls machines, and provides support to its customers from its Coatesville headquarters and satellite offices.

It’s a growing company with a proven track record of attracting top talent, training, and retaining employees. The company has been recognized for this, as one of 100 Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Aerzen USA works with local high schools and technical college high schools in the area. The company has two internship tracks. One is geared toward attracting high school students to enter a career in manufacturing. The other one is

geared toward college students for professional careers such as engineering and project management.

The company works with local colleges on special engineering-type projects. This includes R+D work and developing or refining existing products and services.

Each year, Aerzen USA facilitates career pathing events at their facility. The HR director and others stage mock interviews and conduct a resume development mini workshop. Students also job shadow office and shop careers. Each student works with a coach to learn what the job is about in assembly, repair, testing, engineering, project management and other professions.

In 2005, when the company embarked on the new building project, it was designed with the “triple bottom line” philosophy and decision-making process based on: People, Planet, Prosperity.

This philosophy focuses on the well-being of the individual and the collective community, increasing the health and

Fast facts: Aerzen Global Company Year of Foundation: 1864 Employees: 2,200 worldwide Subsidiary Companies: 40 worldwide Blower Production: Approximately 14,000 per year Compressor Production: Approximately 10,000 per year Aerzen USA: Number of Employees: 112 Total square feet: 62,388 (Office: 15,116, Manufacturing: 47,272) Aerzen USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary which has been in operation since 1983.

Aerzen USA Building Environmental Features: Permeable paving with underground rock beds to retain rainwater Solar panels that generate a large portion of the company’s energy needs Earth tubes that bring in outside air to cool the production space Recycled furniture and materials throughout the building Wild meadow with native trees and shrubs versus manicured lawns Geothermal heat pump heating and cooling Straw bale construction of the large conference room: R value of 48 Walkway areas covered with 40 percent recycled glass The company is poised for continued growth, as it is expanding regional offices around the country to include a new Houston office to support the Process Gas industry. The worldwide expansion continues with new product and technology innovations and introductions each year. Learn more about Aerzen USA at www.aerzen.com/en-us.

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2018 • Volume 2——

vitality of the natural environment, and producing a long-term positive impact. When addressing any decision, Aerzen USA considers how each entity will relate to the other, to produce a solid outcome.

The building design and business principles not only illustrate the commitment to be a leader in the industry, they show a dedication to the needs of the employees and current environmental concerns. Specific technologies used throughout the facility are incorporated to reduce energy needs while increasing both output and productivity.

Aerzen USA is in a growth and expansion mode. The company currently employs more than 110 people and recently completed a 21,000-squarefoot addition to the USA headquarters. An event was held to commemorate the expansion and was well attended by the Aerzen Germany management, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania delegates, members of the national sales teams, employees, customers, vendors and building construction personnel.

The new building includes additions to the office and seating areas, with new conference rooms and a lunch room. Additional manufacturing and warehouse space is part of the addition to accommodate the company’s expanding product range.

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25

Traction

————|Western Chester County Life|———— A progress report on the revitalization of Coatesville

By Sonia Huntzinger Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance Executive Director

of Community Development, the City is able to improve the physical appearance of the historic building and add lighting and parking to the station area. pring 2018 brings a flurry of Both Palmer and Gateway parks will activity in the City of Coatesville. undergo changes this year. Through Here are some of the changes the work of the Brandywine Health you can expect to see: Foundation and Natural Lands, the With funding in place from the Pennsylvania Department of An artist’s rendering of the Gateway project, which Greening Coatesville plan is being Transportation and Chester County, will bring 17,000 square feet of first-floor retail and implemented. Work on Palmer Park work will commence on the hospitality businesses, and a second level of office will include new interactive water features, thanks to grants from the long-awaited realignment of the inter- space.

Chester County Planning Commission section at First Avenue and Lincoln Highway. Drivers can expect detours and changes to traffic and the American Water Foundation. Gateway Park will also patterns throughout the process, which could last the better undergo improvements in concert with the First Avenue/ part of the year. Regular updates and traffic information can Lincoln Highway intersection realignment.

This spring also sees our work taking hold in the residential always be found on the City’s website at www.Coatesville. neighborhoods. The 2nd Century Alliance will be hosting org.

Simultaneous to the infrastructure changes at First and neighborhood “town hall” meetings in an effort to foster Lincoln is the development of the Coatesville Gateway better connections and facilitate communication between project. Bringing 17,000 square feet of first-floor retail and neighbors.

And in an effort to promote the City and its competitive hospitality businesses, and a second level of office space, construction begins with the break in the winter weather and advantages to businesses, developers and investors, new continues into the fall. Bookending the new construction, promotional marketing materials, and an interactive webenhancements will be made to the Cultural Society building site, will launch, thanks to our partnership with the Chester and the former bank building directly across First Avenue. County Planning Commission. Regular updates on these New paving and sidewalks will be added on Diamond Street. and other projects can be found at www.Coatesville.org or The project also includes a surface parking lot on Diamond www.2ndCenturyAlliance.org.

The Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance, comprised of 18 Street and a two-level parking deck facing Lincoln Highway.

When the winter weather breaks, we’ll see road crews back community stakeholders, was formed in 2015 when the on Third Avenue to complete the first phase of the new Train City celebrated its 100th anniversary as a Pennsylvania City Station project. Once that’s completed, they’ll move on to of the Third Class. Prior to becoming designated as a City, Fourth Avenue and begin working on streetscape improve- Coatesville was recognized as a Borough.

The mission of the 2nd Century ments to this main connector to Alliance is to develop and exethe new Coatesville Train Station, cute a strategy to build the City of located at Fourth Avenue and Coatesville’s capacity to improve Fleetwood Street. Improvements current conditions, stabilize the include new streetlamps, parking socio-economic stature of the meters, trash cans, benches, and City, to foster economic devela bike lane to encourage alternaopment, and bring resources and tive transportation opportunities. community partners together for Keep an eye out for enhancethese purposes. For more informents to the existing Train Station mation on the Coatesville 2nd building and platforms located Century Alliance, please visit at Third Avenue and Fleetwood Keep an eye out for enhancements to the existing Train Station Street. Thanks to funding from building and platforms located at Third Avenue and Fleetwood www.2ndcenturyalliance.org, or call our office at 484-786-8896. the Chester County Department Street in the coming year.

S

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Octorara Area Career & Technical Education Programs pave the way for careers

I

f your idea of a great education extends no further than what is absorbed in a traditional classroom, then spend some time with the Octorara and other Chester County High School students who are enrolled in the Octorara Homeland Security & Protective Services Academy.

They undergo rigorous training exercises. They receive ¿rst-hand experience in ¿re¿ghting, emergency medical services, vehicle and water rescue and law enforcement from professional ¿re¿ghters and emergency ¿rst responders. They climb into EMS and ¿re¿ghting vehicles and participate in real-life situations.

In partnership with the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus, the Academy prepares students to apply technical knowledge and skills required to perform entry-level duties in law enforcement, ¿re¿ghting, emergency medical services, and other safety services.

This program stresses the techniques, methods and procedures speci¿c to the areas of criminal justice, ¿re protection, and emergency medical services, especially in emergency and disaster situations. In addition, students receive training in social and psychological skills, vehicle and equipment operations, the judicial system, pre-hospital emergency medical care and appropriate emergency assessment, treatment and communication.

“It’s an unbelievable opportunity for our students,” said Lisa McNamara, the Octorara Area Career and Technical Education administrator. “They’re giving back to their community, immediately.

They have access to every industry who comes there: Fire¿ghters, canine units, FBI units and criminal justice units. The daily exposure to life mentors that this program gives students is amazing.

“The key bene¿t is that they will graduate from the program with over 55 industry credentials, and if they choose to go to a two-year or fouryear college, the credentials may convert to college credits, and qualify them for free college housing and tuition.”

The Academy is just one of 11 programs in the Octorara Area Career and Technical Education Programs, each designed to provide

hands-on experience and develop practical skills that prepare students for careers in Accounting, Animal and Plant Science, Business Marketing, Child Care Education, Culinary Arts, Engineering and Drafting Technology, Homeland Security & Protective Services, Graphic Design and Illustration, Mechanical Systems Technology, Woodworking and Cooperative Education.

Each program introduces students to representatives from some of the largest industries in Chester County and beyond, who partner with the Octorara Area School District: Dansko; Dutchland, Incorporated; Aerezon, USA, Exelon; Land O’Lakes and many other companies.

Partnership may include site visits to each program to explore how these companies can help improve what and how students learn or support the programs through grant funding. Occasionally, students are hired right out of the Octorara Area Career and Technical Education Program.

“One of our partnering companies just hired one of our graphic arts and illustration students, and has hired seven of our students in the past,” said McNamara, who counts 135 students currently involved in the program. “We have begun to see a growing gap that separates education from the practical and technical skill sets that employers want to see, and our programs ¿ll that gap. Educational systems have to reach out to industries and ask them, ‘What do you want and what do you need?’

They’re telling us, ‘We need trained and focused skills in our industry.’

“The Octorara School District believes in maximizing opportunities for success, and these opportunities provide that.”

To learn more about all 11 Octorara Area Career & Technical Education Program opportunities, visit http://octorara.schoolwires.net/ Domain/628, or contact Lisa McNamara at 610-593-8238.

————|Western Chester County Life|————

Photos Courtesy of Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights or Chester County Balloon Festival and Copyright Gregory Cazillo.

Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights, Inc.: Capturing the beauty of Chester County by air 28

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By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

N

ormally, the launch of a life’s passion begins at a particular speck of time, a point of pure clarity that crystallizes one’s purpose down to a single moment, but to trace Deb Harding’s life in order to understand why hot air balloon flight has become her life’s work is to count the moments off, one by one.

As a grade-schooler growing up in Devon, she read a biography of Amelia Earhart. Around that time, she stumbled upon a flight manual, assuming at first that it belonged to her father but later finding out it was her mother’s. By the time she was old enough, Harding began to take her own flight lessons at Shannon Airport and Wings Field.

“When I was in my late twenties, a girlfriend asked me if a wanted to go on a balloon flight with her,” said Harding, who has owned and operated Chester County-based Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights, Inc. since 1990.

“She and her husband were given a flight as a gift, and he didn’t want his feet to leave the ground, so I told her, ‘Sure, of course.’ It wasn’t really love at first flight, and it wasn’t until later when I met the pilot on the ground that I became smitten with the idea that ‘Life is about the journey and not the destination.’”

The pilot then made Harding an offer that changed her life.

Continued on Page 30

——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

29

Air Ventures Continued from Page 29

“He said he would teach me to fly for free if I would crew for him,” she said. “Hot air ballooning is a group sport. You can’t fly without crew, and the best flight times for ballooning are right at sunrise and two hours before sunset, so it was very easy for me to continue my nine-to-five job and continue to enjoy an earlymorning flight or an evening of flying after work.”

For the past 28 years, from team-building activities to romantic excursions to dinner and Sunday brunch, Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights have become pilots of the skies, revealing the beauty of Chester County like a portrait for individuals, couples, families and businesses. Throughout the year, the company’s signature neon-colored balloons can be seen over Marsh Creek, Longwood Gardens, even as far as Winterthur.

From Air Venture launch sites in Eagle and Chester Springs on a clear day, the view from the balloon includes the Delaware River Bay area and the Philadelphia skyline.

“We’ve seen Bald Eagles fly right beside our balloons, seen people tubing on the Brandywine River, and flown over beautiful estates, hunt scenes and colorful trees of fall,” Harding said. “In the balloon or from the ground, who doesn’t love a balloon? It brings out the child-like awe in everyone.”

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Now well into its second decade, the Chester County Balloon Festival was first developed as a fundraising event to raise money for the West Bradford Youth Association, in order to help the group cover maintenance fees associated with the soccer fields.

Since moving to the New Garden Flying Field in Toughkenamon in 2015, however, the festival – sponsored in part by Air Ventures – has become one of Chester County’s most successful annual events.

The expanded three-day schedule includes the flight – and illumination – of more than 20 hot-air balloons, plane and helicopter rides, scuba diving lessons, zipline rides, food and craft vendors, and remote control plane demonstrations, fireworks and local bands. In the past three years, more than 50,000 people have attended the festival.

“The Chester County Balloon Festival allows us to highlight Chester County, general aviation and family fun, through this long-time Chester County activity of ballooning,” Harding said. “The experience that Flying Field General Manager Jon Martin brings to the table – with his long history of running successful air shows at the Flying Field, and the expanded three day schedule – have allowed us to have a successful festival in recent years. The venue lends itself perfectly to have more aviation related entertainment.”

Continued on Page 32

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Air Ventures Continued from Page 31

As the Chester County Balloon Festival staff and volunteers prepare for the 12th annual Chester County Balloon Festival from June 22-24 at the New Garden Flying Field, they do so with the understanding that there is another component to the mission of the festival.

On a recommendation from Rick Schimpf, Air Ventures’ long time balloonmiester and crew chief – and a volunteer firefighter for the Lionville Fire Station – recommended that the festival also serve as a fundraiser for the Chester County Hero Fund, which provides necessary financial assistance to the widows, children, and families who are left with little or no support when a police officer, deputy sheriff, firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic or state trooper loses his/her life or is seriously injured in the line of duty.

“Several years ago, Rick was on a fire call in West Chester, where a fireman was killed,” Harding said.

“He saw that the Chester County Hero Fund was at that family’s door the very next day with a check to support the family during this traumatic time. With the first garnering of support from Jon Martin, the Chester County Balloon Festival has been able to raise both funds and awareness of the Chester County Hero Fund, promote the science and education of aviation and the airport, as well as showcase the many youth organizations that promote leadership and community.”

Throughout her life, Harding has flown in hot air balloons in five of the seven continents of the world, and became the first woman to pilot a hot air balloon over the North Pole. While she may count the Loire Valley in France as among the most beautiful vistas she has seen, rare is the day that goes by when she is not grateful to own a hot air balloon company in Chester County.

“Everything is perfect from above, and when you are aloft, you think of nothing else but just the moment you are in,” Harding said. “I consider ballooning an activity that is best shared, unlike fixed wing where you can roll out your plane and go fly.

“Chester County is beautiful, and who wouldn’t want to see it from all of its many angles?”

To learn more about Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights, visit www.air-ventures.com, or call 800-8266361. To learn more about the 12th annual Chester County Balloon Festival, visit www.ccballoonfest. com.

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

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————|Western Chester County Life|————

Chester County Home Show is great fit for area businesses and consumers

By Natalie Smith Staff Writer

A

s spring approaches, so does a great time to make those repairs or improvements to your home. But one of the more intimidating aspects of being a homeowner is knowing the best place to go when you need help.

Whether it’s replacing a misbehaving water heater or having a backyard patio installed or even finally painting the downstairs powder room, home improvements can be overwhelming if you’re not sure where to start. Of course, you want to work with businesses that are dependable. But wouldn’t it be better if they were from your community as well?

The Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce is making the search a lot easier, by gathering dozens of these local businesses in one place.

On March 26 from 4:30 to 7 p.m., the Chamber is presenting its Chester County Home Show, a free, consumer-friendly event at the Banquet Hall of the Wagontown Fire Company.

Visitors will have a chance to look over the business displays, chat with the representatives and consider who may be the best “fit” for their needs.

This is the second year for the Home Show, the first having attracted more than 300 interested folks to the Downingtown Country Club.

The move to the Wagontown Banquet Hall in 2018 is to accommodate even more exhibitors and a larger crowd.

“It was pretty dynamic last year,” said Chamber Executive Director Donna Steltz, listing just some of 2017’s 40 types of vendors and exhibitors, “between energy companies and home repair, heating, air conditioning, electrical work, painters, windows, cabinetry, solar energy and flooring.” ——For

Steltz said the first Home Show was the brainchild of Chamber Treasurer Bill Shaw, and it seemed a natural for the group whose membership is primarily comprised of small businesses. “The show was created because we knew our mom-and-pop vendors are always on the job, and they can’t get out to grow their client base,” Steltz said.

This year, Steltz said she is expecting more than 50 vendors, with some representing broader areas of interest, including the Chester County Department of Emergency Services, the non-profit Good Works and The Chester County Press.

Mark Milanese of Milanese Remodeling was the chairman of last year’s Home Show and is its 2018 presenting sponsor.

“When Donna reached out to me about this new event, the Chester County Home Show, it didn’t take any persuading at all to get me involved.”

“The idea of a home show just for our geographical region was such a great idea, and one that I wholeheartedly support,” Milanese said with enthusiasm. “It’s good for our local contractors and good for local residents.

“The big home shows in Philadelphia and King of Prussia and York and Harrisburg – those contractors are too far away, and some of those guys are so big, they’re national.

“Having a trustworthy, honest local businessperson that lives where you

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

Continued on Page 34 33

Chester County Home Show Continued from Page 33

do, and you can meet face-to-face is a great opportunity for the homeowner and for any business who deals with people that are local,” he said.

Among the vendors will be Bob Sparr of J-S All Things Plumbing in Honey Brook. Chamber member Sparr was also an exhibitor at last year’s show and was eager to sign up for the event on March 26.

“I’ve done a lot of trade shows and home shows for other people and some on my own,” said the business owner.

“Sometimes it’s a hit or miss. This was definitely a hit.

“Even though it was scaled down in size as far as some

home shows go, I got a fair amount of business. People would call. It was very productive.”

Sparr said you couldn’t beat its appeal, for both a person in the trades and a potential customer.

“There were a lot of homegrown individuals there. You didn’t have a lot of people coming from the other side of the state, you didn’t have people coming out from Philadelphia. … I’m a very small company and if someone who comes in there from Philadelphia, that’s out of my area. Safe to say that 90 percent of the people at that show were well within my geographical area of operation.

A partial list of exhibitors • Billows Electric Supply Company • Certapro Painters of Western Chester County • Chester County Department of Emergency Services • Chester County Press • Citadel • Colorful Remedies • Darryl N. Barber & Sons Plumbing and Heating • Freedom Village • Good Works • Greg Pilotti Furniture Makers • Graber Supply • Hatt’s True Value Hardware • Help U Sell Direct Homes • J-S All Things Plumbing • Keller Williams Matt Gorham Real Estate Team • Milanese Remodeling • Power Home Remodeling • Renewal by Anderson • Rhoads Energy • Servpro Kennett Square/Oxford • Worley & Obetz 34

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2018 • Volume 2——

“It wasn’t so big that you’d get lost in the chaos, but big enough to get some business out of it. I thought it was perfect.”

Sparr has been giving a lot of thought to his display for this year’s show, taking note of the popularity of television home improvement and real estate shows. The hottest thing in the world of plumbing right now? Tankless water heaters, he said.

“Millennials and others watching HGTV are catching up on some buzzwords about pieces of equipment in the plumbing industry. I want to try and take advantage of that.

There is some new equipment in the market that I plan on having there on display. I’m planning on doing something that catches peoples’ eyes.”

And if your home improvement projects are more of the DIY variety, there will be folks there who can help get you started.

Chip Clavier, of Hatt’s True Value in Thorndale, sees the Chester County Home Show as an excellent opportunity.

“It’s a local event, local customers. So anytime you don’t have to travel far to get in touch with new potential customers, it’s always a great event to attend. And of course, your house is such an important piece of your personal financial wealth, like any other investment you need to take care of it.

“Things like painting the inside of your home, updating your kitchen and bathroom faucets, keeping your deck clean and stained, coating and sealing your driveway -- those are all important things that we can help our customers take care of, and that can ensure the value of their home remaining high.

“Maybe they’ll get someone to do some flooring or the basement, and they can finish it up themselves with painting. So, it’s kind of a win-win situation for the customer and for us.”

Clavier said his store display will be a combination of the familiar and the unexpected.

“We’re going to promote Benjamin Moore paints. [The brand] has a great reputation in the industry and is a great

——For

user-friendly paint. But we also will have a couple new projects. Kind of surprise, demo-type products that will help the homeowner.”

In addition to his zeal for the upcoming event, Clavier is also an advocate for the Western Chester County Chamber.

“Anytime you can get in touch with people who belong to a chamber of commerce, you know that they’re good people in the community. They’re not fly-by-night outfits and going to take your money and not complete your job.

The Chamber has a great selection of businesses around the area that take great pride in keeping their reputations high.

“I think that’s the biggest thing for the local homeowner; finding reliable, good sources to get things done.”

Home Show sponsor and Chamber board member Milanese said the business association is looking ahead.

“It’s Chester County’s only home show and we’re looking for this to grow. The Chamber has a commitment in supporting it and watching it grow to a full-fledged local event.”

Milanese extended an invitation to all county residents.

“For that person who lives in Western Chester County, it’s great, but it’s not just for Western Chester County. It’s for all of Chester County. Doesn’t matter if you’re from Parkesburg or Downingtown or Oxford or Exton.”

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

35

Eight ways that shopping local can revitalize a community

By Jenny Alexander Parkesburg Action Committee “Shop Local” is a phrase often heard in today’s economy, but you might not know the direct impact that shopping local has for your community.

Coffee shops, hair salons, florists, restaurants, boutiques and every other business in your community all benefit from local purchases and word-of-mouth advertising. Imagine what your community would look like if these businesses began closing, one by one? As we ask ourselves, “What happened?” we’d be left staring at empty storefronts, deserted business districts, with dropping real estate values. Only the big box retailers would be left as we wonder how the character of Main Street slipped into the past. The entire landscape and unique feel of our towns would be gone without these small businesses.

According to the Small Business Administration, there are over 28.2 million small businesses in the United States, with more opening every day. Small businesses generate jobs and tax revenue and they help to keep dollars right in their communities.

Small businesses are a big deal!

There are huge benefits to shopping local and keeping these small businesses going strong. Here are some big reasons ...

1. Shopping local helps to revitalize small communities. No one wants to drive through their town and see empty storefronts and struggling small businesses. When these local businesses thrive, more new business follows right along. DeeDee Barrage is the co-owner of Olde Towne Vintage in Parkesburg, and she’s seen the power of small businesses thriving and coming together to make changes in the community. “Main Street has grown since we opened our shop in 2016,” DeeDee says. “New retail shops have been welcomed and the introduction of Final Fridays has been a great success! I think that we are all yearning for that ‘feeling of family’ that local business owners shared with their neighbors and with each other in past generations.”

2. Their customer service is on point. The businesses in your own backyard love to see familiar faces coming in often. They’ll get to know you, and you can bet that their customer service will be top notch if you’re a regular. Say, for instance, they know that you LOVE that lemongrass candle that you keep buying. They will be sure to let you know when they start carrying the same scent in handmade soap. Building connections and friendships strengthens any business and community.

3. Your local economy will benefit. More businesses in town means more jobs, whether it’s retail jobs, restaurant work, car repair technicians or hair stylists. When local businesses are successful and need additional employees, they hire from within their communities. Forbes Magazine reported in 2013 that small businesses are responsible for 65 percent of new jobs since 1995.

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Joe Yurick of JDog Junk Removal & Hauling of Southern Chester County is a local businessman who gives back to his community in big ways.

DeeDee Barrage is the co-owner of Olde Towne Vintage in Parkesburg.

2018 • Volume 2——

4. Shopping local helps these businesses give back to your community. Local businesses love to give back to the communities that support them. Whether it be helping in yearly town Spring clean-up events, giving to local charity fundraisers and silent auctions, or getting involved in community leadership, these local businesses are poised to make great changes in their communities. Joe Yurick of JDog Junk Removal & Hauling of Southern Chester County is a local businessman who gives back to his community in big ways. As a military veteran who returned from service in Iraq, Joe hires veterans and donates to veterans causes. Joe says, “Our hiring of local veterans, curing PTSD and having the ability to donate to veterans is solely funded by the support of our community. We are grateful for serving such a proud and patriotic clientele.” Joe recently had the honor of helping Navy veteran Bernard by donating a full trailer full of furniture to help him get back on his feet in his new apartment. JDog’s customers made that possible when they chose his local business!

5. Your selection of goods and services will be out of the ordinary. Instead of shopping at a large chain store where the selection is pretty predictable, local businesses are able to provide an interesting variety of specialty products. Whether it’s a handmade, one-of-a-kind item for a gift, a highly customized birthday cake or specialty hair care products, small businesses can give you a range of products not available at any run-ofthe-mill shopping location.

6. Unique local businesses can bring in customers from outside the area. Interesting businesses that offer great products or services can appeal to a larger base of customers. These customers might make a day trip out of their visit to one of these shops and grab lunch locally or shop at the other great businesses in the area. Madelyn and Ashley Tortu own The Salt Vault, a locally owned business offering Himalayan salt treatments that can aid in easing symptoms associated with skin and lung conditions. The Salt Vault is the first salt therapy center of its kind in Chester County. Madelyn says, “People who are suffering, or sometimes just curious, will make the trip from an hour or more away to experience The Salt Vault. We are often sought out because we are a small, locally owned business. It means a lot to us when when customers tell us that they would prefer to support us over corporations when looking for a relaxing day out or shopping for gifts.”

7. Local business owners are more inclined to also shop local. Any small business owner knows the value of shopping at local, small businesses, and will surely give their neighboring stores their shopping dollars, too. You’ll all be working together to grow your community!

8. Having successful local businesses helps to create a sense of community and helps to give a town roots. Each town that has small businesses lining their Main Street begins to develop a sort of personality based on the types of customers and businesses it attracts. The combination of businesses gives the community roots and history by keeping community spirit alive and well. ——For

Looking for small ways to help small businesses?

Spread the word on social media and let your followers know about the great service or item that you purchased.

See if the business has social media accounts and follow along to make sure you don’t miss their updates about sales and specials.

Tell your friends and family about the great businesses in your town.

Stop by to visit with your local shop owners regularly, even if you’re not shopping. They love to see familiar faces coming in, even if it is just to browse.

When new businesses open, greet them with open arms.

Go introduce yourself and thank them for opening!

Help to promote and support Small Business Saturday. It’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving and is a movement across the United States helping to support the small businesses in your communities.

Madelyn and Ashley Tortu own The Salt Vault, a locally owned business.

The Salt Vault offers Himalayan salt treatments that can aid in easing symptoms associated with skin and lung conditions.

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

37

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

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A group gathers in Hattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s True Value hardware store. From left: store owner Chip Clavier; General Manager Slade Staniech; Citadel Credit Union Thorndale Market Manager Gwen Smoker; and Store Manager Michele Fromm.

CitadelBanking.com

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

Photos by Natalie Smith Chip & Molly Clavier finalize a transaction at Citadelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thorndale office.

Employees of Hattâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s True Value pause for the camera. Richard Huntsman (left), assistant store manager and store team member T.J. Smoker.

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Hatts.com

Meet Our Member:

Delaware County Community College: Making an impact in Chester County

By Ruth Bennett-Kitchen and Anthony Twyman

During the past year, renovations have also been underway at the Exton Center. An electronics lab was added in 2017, and the first cohort of students completing a certificate in Electro-Mechanical Technologies will be graduating in May. A new nursing simulation lab opened in August 2017 and the College’s Chester County Nursing program relocated to the Exton Center, enrolling more than 100 students in the fall 2017 semester.

At the Pennocks Bridge Campus, located in the Technical College High School (TCHS), a new cohort of students who began the 24-credit Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning certificate program in the fall 2017 semester will graduate in May. Currently, the College’s High School Dual Enrollment program offers TCHS students the opportunity to earn college credits through an 18-credit Office Administration certification program.

Combined, these multi-million dollar renovations and additions, coupled with new and existing programs, highlight the

D

elaware County Community College recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is poised to continue serving the educational needs of Chester County residents for the next half-century. Starting with one campus in Exton in 1996, the College currently offers classes at five campuses in Chester County – Downingtown Campus, Exton Center, Pennocks Bridge Campus in West Grove, Brandywine Campus in Downingtown, and Phoenixville Campus.

This September, the College will open a new 16,000-squarefoot Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) addition at the Downingtown Campus that will feature stateof-the-art biology and chemistry laboratories. It will allow the College to expand its offerings to students interested in careers in STEM, with an emphasis on transfer degree programs in Science for Health Professions and Mathematics/ Natural Science. New courses in chemistry and microbiology will be offered in the 2018-2019 academic year. Future courses will include physics and expanded offerings in earth science, pending renovation of an existing lab. Previous renovations to the campus have included a new, expanded Learning Commons in 2016, and a computer lab and a selfservice café in 2017.

Courtesy photos

Right: An interior view of the College’s newly renovated Learning Commons at the Downingtown Campus.

Below: A rendering of the exterior of the Downingtown Campus STEM building.

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2018 • Volume 2——

commitment the College has made to residents and businesses in Chester County. The College is an important asset to the county and the region, or as College President Dr. L. Joy Gates Black says when she meets with employers: “Delaware County Community College offers the greatest opportunity for the region to have an educated and skilled workforce.”

Collaboration is an essential element in the College’s success in Chester County. The College is a founding partner in the Manufacturing Alliance of Chester and Delaware Counties; and a member of the Chester County Economic Development Council, the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry, and the Transportation Management Association of Chester County. The College also is a member of the Western Chester County, Downtown/ Thorndale, and Exton Region Chambers of Commerce. In 2017, the Chester County Economic Development Council inducted the College’s former President, Dr. Jerry Parker, into the Chester County Business Hall of Fame, in recognition of the years the College worked to forge strong partnerships with business and industry in Chester County.

One example of how these partnerships benefit Chester County is the College’s new 8-week Process Operator Academy. Developed with the help of industry leaders, the Academy will train employees of manufacturing companies, like Flowers Foods in Oxford, to be process operators, the people who monitor plant equipment to ensure the safe, efficient delivery of product in an automated workflow. The Academy starts in March and will be the only program of its kind in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Whether a Chester County resident is interested in completing an associate degree or a

Culinary Arts Program Manager Chef Peter Gilmore and Culinary students serve desserts, which they created, to visitors at an open house at the College’s Brandywine Campus.

certificate in any one of the College’s 51 degree and 35 certificate programs, Delaware County Community College has something for nearly everyone, and at a cost which is significantly less than most four-year colleges. In addition, students can take advantage of the College’s transfer and dual admission agreements with more than 30 area four-year universities and colleges that enable them to pursue a baccalaureate credential at a substantial savings.

For those who wish to go directly into the workforce, the College offers career and technical degrees and certificates in fields such as advanced manufacturing, automotive, electrical, welding, HVAC and carpentry; and, at the Brandywine Campus in Downingtown, students can pursue a degree, or certificate, in Culinary Arts.

For more information about Delaware County Community College, or to arrange a tour of one of the College’s Chester County Campuses, call 610-359-5000, or visit www.dccc.edu.

HATT’S HARDWARE 2803 E. Lincoln Hwy. Thondale, PA 610-384-1954 ——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

41

————|Western Chester County Life|————

The Brandywine Strawberry Festival: A sweet community event

D

id you know that more than 3,000 strawberry shortcakes are sold at the Brandywine Health Foundation’s Strawberry Festival each year? These nowfamous fruit filled treats are not only delicious, they help to support our local community!

Each year, the Strawberry Festival, organized by the Brandywine Health Foundation, raises more than $100,000 in net proceeds, which is donated to the Coatesville community through grants and programs.

Now in its 46th year, the volunteer-led organizing committee is excited to once again

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——Spring/Summer

bring non-stop entertainment, fireworks, rides, games, a vast array of mouth-watering foods, pony rides, shopping, and more to the grounds of Brandywine Hospital – Tower Health, from Thursday, May 31 through Sunday, June 3.

The Strawberry Festival attracts more than 25,000 visitors each year and is one of the only events in Chester County that brings together large corporations, small businesses, non-profits, community and municipal leaders, and residents from all walks of life, all to share in a weekend of family-friendly fun for a purpose.

2018 • Volume 2——

“KeyBank is proud to be a presenting sponsor for the Strawberry Festival and help celebrate the festival’s years of dedication to the Coatesville community. The record-breaking success of the festival in the past few years is a testament to the Brandywine Health Foundation’s commitment to finding new and exciting ways to enhance the festival and give back to the local community. KeyBank is thrilled to be part of that community commitment.”

– Robert Kane, Market President for Presenting Sponsor, KeyBank.

At the Brandywine Health Foundation, we are working to improve the health and well-being of people who live and work in the greater Coatesville area by fostering community partnerships, providing capacity building support, and making grants to promote health equity, healthy youth, and a healthy community. Since 2001, the foundation has served as a connector for the Coatesville area, bridging the gap between the needs of our community and the resources to address them.

Continued on Page 44

CHESTER COUNTY 2020

PROMOTING SMART GROWTH for

A LIVABLE COUNTY • Accredited Land Use Training • Support for the County’s Landscapes Plan • Programs for Agriculture and Farming Careers • Workshops Around Relevant Issues

Attend Our Citizen Planner Reception - April 26 Learn Everything About Us at www.cc2020.org ——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

43

Strawberry Festival Continued from Page 43

Through the years, we have learned the keyy to our success brings us back to our core purpose, ose, to create and sustain a culture of health through gh community engagement and partnerships. s.

Over the last sixteen years the Foundation has as laid the groundwork for continued community y engagement as we continue to focus on equi-table health and healthcare for all, partner with youth development organizations to build our future leaders, and give our youth a strong voice for change through our own Coatesville Youth Philanthropy program.

We are also transforming community parks and playgrounds into inviting, safe spaces across generations through our Greening Coatesville Initiative in partnership with Natural tural Lands and the City of Coatesville.

“The Foundation recognizes there is still more ore work to be done and we can’t do it alone.

High rates and incidents of health disparities, diabetes, hypertension hypertension, and mental health can still be es like diabetes determined by ones zip code. In the 21st century with all the advancements in the medical field and technology, the health of communities should not be defined by zip codes. Everyone deserves equal access to health, mental, and social services no matter where they live. We hope you will stand by our side as we work to advance the

44

——Spring/Summer

2018 • Volume 2——

movement of creating and sustaining a Culture of Health within our community.” – Vanessa B. Briggs, President and CEO of the Brandywine Health Foundation.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s highly anticipated Strawberry Festival in just a few short months. For more information about the festival or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.

BrandywineStrawberryFestival.com.

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS Serving youth for over 15 years in the Western Chester County Community because every child deserves hope The mission of THE POINT is to empower youth and their families to live victoriously by offering a safe, engaging and Spirit-filled environment.

Through strategic partnerships with churches, schools, businesses, and social organizations, we aim to develop young people who are then able to positively influence their families, neighborhoods, and community.

610-857-3393 | 700 Main Street, P.O. Box 731, Parkesburg, PA 19365 ——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

45

Letter from the Honey Brook Community Partnership

By Donna Horvath

important to note that the partnership is not only a business organization, but also he Honey Brook community repan energetic mix of former and current resents the westernmost part of public officials, representatives of retireChester County. As such, it may ment communities, members of service seem remote, but in reality, Honey Brook organizations and local churches, and Township, with Honey Brook Borough at resident volunteers. its center, is one of the most vibrant and The spring and summer of 2018 will interesting parts of the county. It offers offer a wide array of activities presented a diverse set of destinations for dining, The Mason Porter Band performs in the park by the partnership’s members. The Honey shopping and recreation. The organiza- last summer. The calendar is full of events Brook Township Park & Recreation Board tion that ties together all of the facets of again this year. will sponsor two activities for children: life in the Honey Brook community is the Tennis Tuesdays for grades 1-8 and a eponymous Honey Brook Community Partnership.

Half-day Summer Camp for grades K-6. The camp will meet Founded in 2008, the partnership’s mission is to bring three days a week, with games and water activities, as well together borough and township partners to facilitate com- as weekly trips to the library, making the time fly by for the munication, share resources, and work together to enhance campers. Details will be available on the township’s website: their community. The partnership’s vision is to support a www.honeybrooktwp.com. thriving main street, maintain safe neighborhoods, preserve The Honey Brook Borough Park and Recreation Committee historical elements, and sustain Honey Brook’s rural charm. organizes an annual free summer concert series held in Among the ranks of the partnership are numerous local Honey Brook Borough Park (behind the Honey Brook Post entrepreneurs and professionals – lawyers, realtors, health Office). The 2018 concerts include the blues band The professionals, pharmacists, librarians, bankers. However, it is Porkroll Project on Sunday, June 3 at 5 p.m.; the Celtic band

T

WE ER DELIV

3186 Strasburg Rd, Coatesville, PA | 610-383-6818 Premium Bark Mulch • Dyed Mulch: Black, Brown, Red • Certified Playground Mulch Screened Topsoil • Decorative Gravel 46

——Spring/Summer

2018 • Volume 2——

Across the Pond on Sunday, Aug. 5 at 5:30 p.m.; the indie/ folk band The Wild Hymns on Sunday, July 8 at 5:30 p.m.; and the folk/rock group Pete Kilpatrick Band on Sunday, Sept.

16 at 5 p.m. The Park and Rec Committee also will sponsor four bocce tournaments from May through November.

Details about all park events can be found on Honey Brook Borough’s website, www.honeybrookborough.net.

The Honey Brook Community Library is more than books, magazines and CDs. Each year, the library holds more than 300 engaging programs, free of charge, for toddlers, preschool and school age children, teens and adults. This year’s activities will include Story Time, Lego Club, Book Clubs, and a Knitting and Crocheting group. The library has six sewing machines for use during the “Sewing with Ms. Nancy” program, held every Wednesday evening. Nancy will teach patrons ages 12 through adult how to use a pattern, use an iron, thread a bobbin, and perform simple sewing machine maintenance. For more information, contact Jennifer Spade, Library Director, at: jspade@ccls.org.

The Honey Brook Women’s Club, established more than 40 years ago, continues to serve the community and engage in friendly social gatherings. The club will be hosting its annual Spring Tea, a fun “dress-up” event, on Sunday, April 22, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Honey Brook Presbyterian Church (3881 Horseshoe Pike in Honey Brook). There will be raffles

——For

and drawings available for bidding. For ticket prices and other information, email lrisbon@aol.com.

Only a year old, the Honey Brook Environmental Group is an emerging organization of volunteer environmental activists and advocates from Berks and Chester counties. The group was founded by Penn State freshman and Twin Valley graduate, Tierra Graham, whose interest in environmental sustainability and action has helped develop and fuel the group’s foundation. The Environmental Group will hold weekly litter cleanups around the borough and township.

The group also will initiate and participate in numerous environmental projects during the spring and summer. The group holds monthly meetings every first Tuesday of the month at the Greenside Grille of the Honey Brook Golf Club from 5 to 6 p.m. For further information, email tierragraham1998@ gmail.com.

There will be many more exciting happenings in the Honey Brook community during spring and summer 2018, including the Draggin Wagons Car Show on May 6 at Wimpy and Dees Diner. The calendar also will include several events to raise funds for the Honey Brook Food Pantry: the Annual Spring Dinner, with a featured speaker and catered meal, on April 7; a Golf Outing at the Honey Brook Golf Club on July 9; and the 3rd Annual Music Fest on Aug. 18. For more details, visit the Food Pantry’s web page at www.honeybrookfoodpantry.org.

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

47

Meet Our Member:

Coatesville Youth Initiative Since 2008, the Coatesville Youth Initiative (CYI) has engaged youth in experiences that support their success in school and in life. CYI is committed to inspiring a movement where youth in our community are the priority and their best interests direct community policies and practices.

We believe that a crucial part of this movement is to provide youth with experiences that can broaden their perspectives. To this end, we unite a wide range of community partners and invite you to join us in 2018 as an investor in our city and our future leaders. It’s a great time to be a part of all that’s happening in Coatesville!

Provide youth mentorship as a ServiceCorps Host Site Now in its ninth year, ServiceCorps is an eight-week summer service and leadership development program for Coatesville area youth. Forty participants, ages 14 to 18, gain invaluable opportunities to serve and connect with their community, develop work-readiness, and build life and leadership skills while earning a summer income. ServceCorps is a transformational program that encourages our youth to be thought leaders who emerge as productive, responsive leaders in our community.

The application process is competitive and rigorous; those accepted will work for eight weeks at various nonprofit and for-profit organizations (Host Sites) in the greater Coatesville area. The youth earn $7.50 per hour for their work ($2,100 per student that is paid by CYI) and complete 50 hours of additional leadership training. While providing valuable experience for participants, the program also gives back to the community by providing over 10,000 hours of service for the host sites.

As a Host Site, you will provide on the job experience and guidance for two to three youth participants, whose wages are underwritten by the Coatesville Youth Initiative. In addition to promoting valuable work experience for participants, Host Sites often return to the program, citing that youth input makes their own programs and businesses stronger. As a result of assistance from ServiceCorps youth, many Host Sites are also able to offer programming that they would otherwise not be able to afford. We are now in the process of choosing our host sites for the 2018 program. Please contact Chaya Scott, CYI Executive Director, today to learn more about how you can participate as a 2018 Host Site.

Volunteer for a Community Event You may have seen us around the city – volunteers picking up trash, erasing graffiti, planting flowers and working to make Coatesville a better place. If you take a closer look 48

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at these groups, you will see a diverse mix that includes city council members, CYI youth, local law enforcement, neighboring families and local businesses.

Recognizing that beautification has a direct correlation to economic growth, the Coatesville Youth Initiative takes great pride in supporting all efforts to make the Coatesville community a cleaner and safer environment. Visit the CYI website and Facebook page to sign up for the event emails and register for one of our many community initiatives, including the Coatesville Back to School event (Aug. 3), Make a Difference Day (Oct. 27), Coatesville Youth Conference (Nov. 3), and many more.

Sponsor the Coatesville Youth Conference Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018 will mark the Third Annual Coatesville Youth Conference (CYC) for 300 Chester County students in grades 6 to 12. The CYC is the largest youth conference of its kind in our area and offers tremendous leadership workshops and inspirational programming.

In order to reach our widest audience and ensure a highquality event, we are committed to underwriting the entire conference cost for every participant. As such, we rely on conference sponsors and in-kind community support to make the day a success.

The CYC provides an exceptional opportunity for event sponsorship and marketing with exposure to participating students, families and community leaders through a comprehensive advertising campaign. Contact Lindsay Myers, CYI Director of Development, for a full listing of sponsorship possibilities.

Encourage your employer to provide EITC support CYI is now eligible to receive Educational Improvement Tax Credits through the State of Pennsylvania EITC program, which provides companies with a 75 percent tax credit for donations to an approved non-profit organization. By 2018 • Volume 2——

participating in the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, businesses and individuals will not only know where their tax dollars are going, they will also decide how they are being spent – all while supporting Coatesville youth. Contact Lindsay Myers, CYI Director of Development, to learn more the EITC program and related marketing exposure.

We are excited for what the future holds and look forward to partnering with you! The 19320 encompasses nine municipalities and although our townships may have different names, we share a school district and city with unlimited potential. With your support, we will continue to strengthen the greater Coatesville community … one youth leader at a time.

CoatesvilleYouthInitiative.org 610-380-0200 545 E. Lincoln Highway (Benner Building) Coatesville, PA 19320

——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

49

Transportation, Recreation Plans Move Ahead in Coatesville Area

By Brian O’Leary Executive Director of Chester County Planning Commission

Park in Coatesville, and the plan is being funded by a Chester County Vision Partnership Program grant with support from the Brandywine Health Foundation, ArcelorMittal, and the City of Coatesville.

The revitalization of t’s an exciting time in westPalmer Park was identiern Chester County these fied as a priority project days, with several projects in Natural Lands’ City of underway that will increase Coatesville Parks 2021 recreational and transportaaction plan. After performtion opportunities for local ing a cost-benefit analysis residents and visitors, includfor fixing the pool, Natural ing the Chester Valley Trail Lands recommended West study, the revitalizareplacing the pool with a tion of Palmer Park, and the nature play area and sprayCoatesville Train Station. ground that educates users Share input on Chester about the importance of Valley Trail West study water conservation. This If you’re a trail enthusiast, nature play space will be keep an eye out for updates constructed in July 2018 on progress being made with with generous funding the Chester Valley Trail West project. The project kicked Photo courtesy of Natural Lands from the American Water Plans are underway to revitalize Palmer Park in Coatesville.

Charitable Foundation and off in July 2017, and the ArcelorMittal. Future phasChester County Planning Commission staff began researching, mapping existing con- es of the project include replacing the safety surface under ditions, and getting familiar with our large project study area. the play equipment, building a new and larger pavilion, Over the past few months, the Planning Commission staff improving and expanding the basketball court area, and has taken several excursions to the project study area to expanding seating options.

Landscapes3 development process continues identify what we think would be a feasible alignment for Another major project that the Planning Commission is the 14 miles of trail needed to connect the future Enola Low Grade Trail to the proposed Chester Valley Trail Extension working on is Landscapes3, the county’s next long-range to Downingtown. We’ve examined maps, aerial imagery, plan for the future. The plan will embrace places, enhance high-definition pictometry, and other planning documents to choices, and engage communities as we seek to conunderstand the opportunities and constraints associated with tinue balancing preservation with managed growth. The each route we’ve studied. After studying many options and Landscapes3 Steering Committee will conduct a series of assessing the feedback we’ve been given, we’re beginning to meetings at locations across the county. One of those meetings will take place on May 16 at the Public Safety Training develop an idea of which alignment might work best.

We encourage people to participate in our public sur- Campus, located at 137 Modena Road in Coatesville. The vey about the project and keep an eye out for a public steering committee will meet from 3 to 5 p.m. in Room 121; meeting that we will conduct to get even more input. The the public input meeting will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ p.m. in Room 123/126. To learn more about Landscapes3, visit http://chescoplanning.org/CompPlan.cfm.

ChescoPlanningCVTW. Area recreational, transportation projects underway Plans to revitalize Palmer Park move forward On a regional level – with generous funding from the Another recreational opportunity is coming to Coatesville with the revitalization of Palmer Park, a one-acre site that Brandywine Health Foundation – Natural Lands and Toole currently features a popular playground and a swimming pool Recreation Planning are working on a needs assessment to that has been closed for over a decade. Natural Lands and determine whether there is interest in the several municipaliToole Recreation Planning prepared a master plan for Palmer ties that surround the City of Coatesville in banding together

I

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2018 • Volume 2——

and sharing recreational resources to improve the recreation assets of the area as a whole.

When it comes to transportation, we are assisting several of our partner agencies with important projects in western Chester County. For instance, the Coatesville Train Station project has been moving forward. The Third Avenue Streetscape is under construction and expected to be completed this spring. The design for the platform and access to Fleetwood Street is nearing completion.

As part of the Route 30 Reconstruction and Improvement Program in Chester County, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is developing a series of upgrades to U.S. Route 30 Bypass from Route 10 in Sadsbury and West Sadsbury to Business Route 30/Quarry Road in East Caln. This program includes reconstructing and improving the highway, bridges, and on- and off-ramps, according to PennDOT. The Chester County Planning Commission can be reached by phone at 610-344-6285, by email at ccplanning@chesco.org, or by mail at 601 Westtown Road, West Chester, PA 19380. Get all the latest updates online at www.chescoplanning.org.

——For

Landscapes3 will be Chester County’s next long-range plan for the future.

The Chester County Planning Commission is working on a plan to extend the Chester Valley Trail westward across the county to connect with the future Enola Low Grade Trail located just outside of Atglen.

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

51

Meet Our Member:

Milanese Remodeling Marking Six Decades of Business Coatesville owners say family, moral core at heart of success

By Natalie Smith Staff Writer

S

ometimes, a vision and hard work really do pay off.

And sometimes, if you’re also guided by a strong sense of right and wrong, you might find success, and have something to pass along to your children.

It certainly seems the case with Gabriel Milanese, Sr., who founded what became Milanese Remodeling in Coatesville.

The company marked its 60th anniversary last year, providing exterior and outdoor remodeling to an ever-growing market.

Son Mark Milanese, who works at the business along with brother Michael and sister-in-law Trish, listed the many services offered: “We do siding, windows, doors, roofing. And outdoor living -- we do decks and patios … awnings, pergolas and porch roofs. All those things are very important to our business today.”

Milanese Remodeling is the presenting sponsor and one of many businesses participating in the Chester County Home Show, presented by the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce. This free event will take place from 4:30 to 7 p.m. March 26 at the Wagontown Banquet Hall.

Milanese Remodeling’s expansive and attractive showroom at Route 30 and Broad Street boasts full-sized product displays for customer convenience, but also photos of the founder and his family, and artwork done by his wife.

There is no doubt this is a family business, but that warmth extends beyond the showroom doors.

“My customers turn into my friends,” said Trish Milanese,

In 1985, the company changed its name to Milanese Remodeling to better reflect its products and mission.

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The first business sign is hanging in the current showroom. The phone number hasn’t changed in 60 years.

who is Gabe Sr. and his wife Jackie’s daughter-in-law. Trish handles myriad duties, including scheduling appointments and much of the accounting. She’s been at it since 1979.

“They say there’s never been a time that there’s never been a Milanese in accounts payable,” she said, smiling.

Trish was married to the oldest son, Gabe Jr., until his tragic death of a brain tumor in 2013. Gabe Jr. served as the president of Milanese Remodeling for 25 years.

“Every year, we walk in the [National Brain Tumor Society’s] Race of Hope, and we hold a beef and beer to raise money for them in Gabe’s memory,” she said. Since the first memorial event in 2014, $60,000 has been raised.

But giving back seems to be second nature to the Milanese family.

It was the late Gabe, Sr., who passed away in 2008, who laid the foundation and set the examples that his children would follow. “[Growing up], my dad was a hustler,” Mark Milanese said, “because there wasn’t any safety net.” Living in an ItalianAmerican household on East Lincoln Highway in the 1940s with his grandmother at the head after his father died, young Gabe started earning money by bringing TastyKakes to the nearby railroad workers “for pennies, nickels and dimes. He was 8 years old.”

As Gabe got older, his dreams got a little bigger, his son said. Following high school graduation, Gabe opened his first business, the ParkesBurger sandwich shop on Main Street in Parkesburg. It was there he met Jacqueline Melrath, the girl who later became his wife.

His dad’s strong sense of right and wrong is what got his mother’s attention, Milanese said. A regular customer at the ParkesBurger was a man who was deaf. He would come in for three meals a day, and Gabe considered him a friend.

Other regulars were teenagers who would come in for snacks.

One day some of the kids started making fun of the man, and Gabe threw them out, telling them not to come back until they learned how to behave. “Of course, they never came back and the business failed,” he said. “But one of those kids was my mom. And she thought, ‘That’s the guy for me. He’s got character.’”

In telling that story to his children, Gabe underscored a lesson, Milanese said. “‘You’re never wrong if you do the right thing.’ That’s really been the foundation of this business. And 2018 • Volume 2——

my dad would say that over and over. He had a bunch of these little sayings.”

“It eventually became, ‘You’re always wrong if you do the wrong thing -- even if nobody’s looking.’ So, if you keep that as your moral compass in everything you do, you’re going to be fine.”

It was Gabe’s gift as a salesman that led to his founding the family business. He had been working at the Sonoco paper plant in Downingtown and hating it, Milanese said. Jackie’s father, Bill Melrath, was a welder at Lukens Steel. He and some friends used to do small side jobs that Lukens turned down, such as wrought-iron railings.

Gabe was sure he could sell the railings, and his success led him to selling the latest development at the time -- aluminum awnings, storm windows and storm doors. Although still working at the paper mill, he was selling aluminum products on the side. He received an offer to go into business on the condition that he would build a showroom on Lincoln Highway.

His dad was excited at the prospect, Milanese said, and asked his uncle to co-sign a loan to build the showroom. His uncle turned him down, instead offering to arrange for him to get more hours at the paper mill. Gabe’s grandmother offered to co-sign, and Milanese Aluminum was born.

Gabe ended up selling products made by BF Rich of Newark, Del., and its namesake owners – Ben Spiller, Frank Chaiken and Rich Guyer -- taught a lot to the young business owner, much of which he wanted to emulate.

Milanese said, “Ben Spiller was the salesman who created and maintained the dealer network. He taught dad many skills to help him deal with clients and make sales. Frank Chaiken was the ‘bean counter’ whose money started BF Rich. He extended credit to dad and allowed him the financial ability to wait for clients to pay their bills before paying for product.”

“Rich Guyer was the engineer in charge of designing and producing product. He also took dealers’ orders for product over the phone. Dad and Rich talked virtually every day and became very close friends. Sales can be a lonely business, and Rich’s friendship was invaluable to Dad when he started out.”

When Mark Milanese was growing up, his father used to hold court at the dinner table.

“There were nine of us – my grandmother, parents and six kids,” the Coatesville man recalled with affection. Family mealtime was the perfect place to tell a story -- and impart lessons to his offspring.

One of the stories -- and lessons -- was about his first car.

It was around 1952, and a teenage Gabe wanted one badly. He had his eye on a ’35 Plymouth coupe – as old as he was. He needed his grandmother Elizabetta’s approval for the expense. But Gabe was a burgeoning salesman, and what a sell job he did. Appealing to his grandmother’s devotion to the Catholic church, Gabe worked on convincing her that he could save her the roughly 30-block, round-trip walk from their home on East Lincoln Highway to Our Lady of the Rosary, which at the time was at Blackhorse Hill Road and Coates Street.

“He told his grandmother he could take her shopping, help with the [church] block collections,” Milanese said of his father. “He put on his best sales pitch. She finally acquiesced and said yes.”

Young Gabe was thrilled. But as can happen with any car, particularly ——For

The Milanese Remodeling showroom at Route 30 and Broad Street in Coatesville has both full-sized displays and samples of its many exterior and outdoor products.

The original showroom of what was then Milanese Aluminum Products was next to the Milanese home on East Lincoln Highway. The business phone line would also ring in the house so they wouldn’t miss a call.

a 17-year-old one, it started to have problems. He went back to his grandmother and explained to her that he needed $50 to get the engine back into shape. She agreed and told him to go get the money.”

“Now, all the money to pay bills was divided into envelopes,” Milanese explained -- one to pay the oil man, another to pay the grocer, and so on.

There was also an envelope designated for emergencies. That was where Gabe took the engine repair money.

A month went by and the car needed inspection and new tires. Gabe went back to his grandmother and explained to her the latest car expenses.

“His grandmother says, ‘You know where the money is,’ so dad goes upstairs to the emergency envelope, and it’s empty. He tells her there’s no money. “‘Oh,’ she says, ‘somebody must have forgotten to put it back.’ That was her lesson to dad. You can’t just take, you’ve got to put back. And that was our lesson from Dad, too.”

Natalie Smith may be contacted at DoubleSMedia@ rocketmail.com.

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

53

————|Western Chester County Life|————

Spotlight on Springton Manor Farm Located in Glenmoore, it is one of Chester County’s six dedicated parks History of Springton Manor Farm Springton Manor Farm, one of Chester County’s six regional parks, traces its origin to land granted to William Penn in 1681 by King Charles II of England. A Royal Charter granting this land permitted Penn to reserve 10,000 of every 100,000 acres as a Manor for his own use. One of eight Manors reserved in Chester County, Springton Manor was named for Penn’s wife, Gulielma Springett. Penn originally authorized it to be located around what is now Downingtown, but heavy settlement in that area led the Penn family to re-establish Springton Manor further northwest, on land that is now in Wallace Township. Encompassing more than 8,300 acres, Springton was, at the time, the largest Manor in Chester County.

When William Penn began selling the land, he often stipulated that one in every five acres of forest must not be felled.

This early conservation practice precipitated many longloved trees, and in 1932, as part of the 250th anniversary of Penn’s arrival in Pennsylvania, oak trees at Springton Manor dating back to 1682 were documented and recognized as Penn Charter Oaks.

In 1818, James McIlvaine of Delaware County purchased Springton Manor Farm to raise Merino sheep. At times, more than 700 sheep grazed Springton Manor’s pastures before being driven to markets as far away as Ohio. James’ son, Abraham R. McIlvaine, built the Manor House in 1833 and turned his father’s sheep farm into a diverse operation that produced grains, vegetables, wine and dairy products.

George Bartol, a Philadelphia businessman, later developed Springton Manor as a gentleman’s country home, reflecting his interests in architecture and agriculture. He was responsible for building Springton’s Great Barn, and its architecture reflects many 54

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of the construction styles of earlier Chester County barns. It was here that George Bartol’s daughters, Eleanor and Mary, lived out their lives and “Miss Eleanor’s” last will and testament included a provision to devise Springton Manor Farm to Chester County for use as a public park.

As mechanical and electrical power became increasingly available in the 20th century, farms gained the ability to move water when and where needed. Farmers built farm ponds as a water conservation practice to capture and store the water.

Built in 1952, Springton Manor Farm’s half-acre pond has a depth of approximately 7.5 feet, and like many warm-water ponds, its main fishery includes Bluegill and Largemouth Bass.

In 1979, Springton Manor Farm was designated as a National Historic Register District. It was formally dedicated to the public by the County of Chester in 1988

2018 • Volume 2——

and is now managed by the Chester County Facilities & Parks Department.

Springton Manor Farm Today Within the 300 acres of woodlands and fenced fields that makes up Springton Manor Farm today, visitors can experience a pastoral landscape, a real working farm, multi-use trails and a small catch-and-release pond.

The Great Barn houses the Family Farm Museum, which displays original tools used on Chester County farms from the 1700s to the 1900s. Throughout the year, the barn complex also houses sheep, goats, horses, cattle, pigs, chickens, rabbits, barn cats, barn swallow, and even miniature donkeys and a peacock. Farm Passports invite younger visitors to earn

——For

“passport stamps” as they learn about the farm equipment and animals.

Beautiful misty morning vistas at Springton Manor can be enjoyed by visitors while hiking the park’s seven miles of multi-purpose trails. Dogs are welcome on six-foot leashes (apart from in the Great Barn), and trail markers distinguish where horseback riding is permitted. The popular 2.5-mile Indian Run Trail circles the entire park, meandering through forested canopy and along banks of the Indian Run Creek. A brochure of Heritage Trail introduces hikers to Springton’s original owners and structures.

Two fishing opportunities exist within an easy walk of each other. Indian Run is a small, fast-moving, pristine, cold water

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

Continued on Page 56

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Springton Manor Farm Continued from Page 55

water resource inhabited by a naturally-reproducing Brown Trout population. Although many anglers head for the bigger, more popular East Branch of the Brandywine Creek, Indian Run can provide a challenging and enjoyable waterway. The stream averages only 10 to 15 feet in width, but produces good hatches of Mayfly, Stonefly and Caddisfly species. Legal-size fish reside in the stream, but most average below the minimum seven-inch state regulation. There is approximately one mile of public access to Indian Run. Springton Manor’s “catch and release” pond is a popular family fishing area, and a great place to introduce children to the sport.

Park visitors flock to Springton Manor in the spring as the baby animals begin to arrive -- piglets, lambs and kids usually begin gamboling around the farm in late March. The birth of livestock can become grand events, as word traditionally spreads quickly. The community has become so engaged in anticipating the new arrivals that one neighbor even brought a birthday cake to celebrate the newborns. These frolicking little ones, along with their siblings and parents, are showcased each April at Springton Manor Farm’s annual Sheep & Wool Day. At this event, the shearer removes the sheep herd’s woolen fleeces and the park features family activities and entertainment including hayrides, animal shows, craft vendors, food and 4-H exhibits.

Springton Manor Farm’s partnership with the Chester County Food Bank not only results in fresh produce for eligible Chester County

residents, but also doubles as a fantastic outdoor classroom. This open-air demonstration garden features a greenhouse for seedling production; a “hoop house” for harvesting vegetables year-round, and raised bed gardens for hands-on learning. As well as the Food Bank’s practical learning opportunities and summer Veggie Tours, Springton Manor Farm park staff offer educational programs throughout the year – from family fishing instruction to bluebirds to summer hikes and autumn wagon rides. Guided group farm tours may be scheduled in the spring, or visitors can plan their own

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——Spring/Summer

2018 • Volume 2——

self-guided field trip any time of the year.

Brochures and park maps are available in the Springton Manor Farm park office located within the Carriage House.

As with all Chester County parks, Springton Manor Farm is open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. The Great Barn complex buildings are open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, but when the barn is closed, visitors may still see animals in the pastures and can familiarize themselves with their whereabouts via the new kiosk near the barn entrance. Visitors can park near the main entrance and enjoy a healthy stroll down Maple Lane (part of the original Springton Road) to the barn complex. A lower parking lot with paved access is available closer to the animal fields and pastures. Picnic tables are located near the barn complex and restroom facilities are available near the park office and Great Barn.

There is no fee to visit Springton Manor Farm, nor do you need to be a part of a group to tour the facilities.

Springton Manor Farm is at 860 Springton Road, Glenmoore, five miles west of Downingtown off Route 322. To learn more about all of Chester County’s Parks & Trails, visit www.chesco.org/parks or pick up a copy

of the seasonal program brochure, Nature of Things, at any park office or the Chester County Library in Exton.

The Manor House at Springton Manor Farm The Manor House at Springton Manor Farm is not open to the public as part of the overall park, but it is a stunning venue that offers both indoor and beautifully tented outdoor spaces for weddings and other special events. To find out more about special event opportunities at the Manor House at Springton Manor Farm, visit www.springtonmanorfarm.com.

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news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

57

Meet Our Member:

The Parkesburg POINT Youth Center Celebrates 15 Years in the Community In Western Chester County lies a place where students congregate after school to a safe, loving environment. A place where kids can be kids, have a warm meal, play sports and be surrounded by those who love them.

Fifteen years ago, churches in Parkesburg decided they needed a safe place for kids to go after school.

After collaboration with area churches, businesses, police, educational leaders and the judicial system, The Parkesburg POINT Youth Center was born. Larry Constable, former owner of LC Autobody, donated a 7,600 square foot space that was the former Kean Hardware Store. The empty business became a haven for students and volunteers from the community. With a few ramps for skating and basketball hoops The POINT was formed. Since 2003, our highly committed staff, and over 400 volunteers have overseen our innovative, faith-based, after-school, weekend and summer programs.

It wasn’t long before over 40 kids participated every evening and ate hot dogs served by the community.

Each evening was filled with activities and an inspirational message. Dwayne Walton began volunteering at The POINT as a Cairn University (formerly Philadelphia Biblical University) student in 2004. After graduation, Dwayne became Executive Director. Dwayne had a vision for The POINT to be an integral part of Parkesburg and a mission to empower youth and their families to live victoriously by offering a safe, engaging, Spirit-filled environment. With The POINT being at capacity every evening, Dwayne and a few business leaders searched the area and found an abandoned grocery store complex at the end of Main Street, formerly Charlie’s Thriftway.

Together they made plans for a 22,000 square foot complex. They began the three million dollar capi-

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tal campaign with a lot of prayers, and a few integral funders who supported the idea along with the community who graciously donated the remainder of funds to secure our current 4.25 acre property. In 2013, The POINT opened its doors to the new complex at 700 Main Street which currently holds a community center with an indoor skatepark, official high school size gymnasium, a 2,500 square foot cafeteria, a commercial kitchen, a dedicated Girls chapel, boxing gym, classrooms and the Octorara Food cupboard.

During this fifteenth anniversary year, The POINT will expand to meet the ever-changing needs of our students and begin a Hands On Training Center to teach middle age students the basics in trades such as car repair, wood working, basic plumbing and electricity. In addition to this Center will be an outdoor skatepark and outdoor basketball court.

Each program at The POINT is designed to help students break the cycle of generational poverty and learn a better way of life.

The POINT is open four days per week for activities from 3:30 – 8:00pm during the school year. All the POINT’s activities are offered free of charge to the community. Over 425 students are currently enrolled in our programs with an average of 50 – 80 students attending daily and 250 additional students over the course of the week in the extracurricular activities which include weekend events like boys’ night and girls’ night, weekend field trips and other athletic activities.

The POINT continues to serve the area’s most vulnerable youth where students come from single parent households and 90% live below the poverty level for Chester County. Many of our students have experienced homelessness; transient housing conditions, mental or

2018 • Volume 2——

physical abuse, food deprivation, and are struggling or failing academically. If it were not for a place like the POINT, many of the students would be at a higher risk for involvement with the juvenile system, mental health issues, drug or alcohol abuse, and skipping or dropping out of school.

The POINT would not exist if it did not have community support. Currently, we collaborate with over 20 local churches and over 400 community volunteers who help to provide daily meals for our students, design and facilitate activities, transport students and serve as mentors, advocates, and tutors.

One of our greatest strategies is collaboration. The POINT was instrumental in bringing the Octorara Food Cupboard to our complex to serve the entire community. We partner with Cairn, Eastern University and Delaware County Community College to provide financial scholarships for POINT students and with the Octorara and Coatesville School Districts and PALCS (PA Leadership Charter School) to help students enhance literacy and obtain their academic goals. We also have several health collaborations including Kacie’s Cause, Main line Health “Ask a Nurse”, and ChesPenn Community Dental to keep our students and their families healthy.

After 15 years, hundreds of students have graduated high school or college and left the area and others have circled around and are now volunteers. We thank the Western Chester County area for all their support and invite them to visit The POINT and see the impact we are having. Please consider supporting The POINT with a gift and help us on our journey to empower our young people.

For additional information contact Debbie Shupp, Director of Development at 610-857-3393x102.

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news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

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————|Western Chester County Life|————

Helping Businesses Thrive

T

he Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) strives to make our region the best for people and businesses to live, work, and thrive.

CCEDC is known throughout the Commonwealth for implementing successful practices of job creation, generation of commercial tax ratables, business retention and enhancement, industry partnership collaborations, workforce development, and various other exemplary strategies.

In our nearly 60-year history, we have helped countless companies in three key ways – finding the right location; facilitating funding by administering grants or processing SBA loans; or assisting with identifying and training workers. This last service ranges from helping incumbent workers develop new skills to introducing youth to a variety of career opportunities.

Through CCEDC’s various youth initiatives, students are exposed to tomorrow’s prominent fields, thereby helping nurture and maintain a talented and viable labor force.

Career exploration happens on many levels: Youth can attend a job fair and pick up materials on highpriority occupations in the Chester County Students can get out of the classroom and participate in a career exploration showcase at a local facility that falls into one of the five key industries – agriculture, energy, health care, manufacturing, or technology Girls in grades 5 to 10 can attend a one-day STEM immersion experience – “Girls Exploring Tomorrow’s Technology” (GETT) Middle-schoolers partner with local companies to produce

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videos describing “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” and celebrate with an awards ceremony.

During the 2016-17 school year, CCEDC reached 3,878 students through its various career exploration programs.

One highlight was the addition of a summertime health care academy for rising juniors and seniors from high schools in Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Participants in this week-long immersion experience learned first-hand about the multitude of career options in health care.

Each day, the students visited a different health care facility or university. Destinations included Bryn Mawr Hospital, Chester County Hospital, Good Fellowship Ambulance and EMS Training Institute, Immaculata University, Penn State Brandywine, New Bolton Center and Kendal Crosslands.

At each location, students interacted with 15 to 25 medical professionals from various specialties, such as physical and rehabilitation therapy, pharmacy, surgery, pediatrics, veterinary care, emergency medicine, cardiology, long-term care, and much more. Students returned to the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) in Downingtown each afternoon for additional hands-on experiences that aligned with the day’s activities hosted by the CCIU’s Practical Nursing Program.

Feedback from the students, parents, and medical providers was overwhelmingly positive.

In fact, the 2017 summer program was so successful that the program for 2018 was significantly expanded. The newly christened Healthcare Connect Academy is the only youth healthcare training program in our region which offers:

2018 • Volume 2——

Middle school students the opportunity to grow with the program and transition through four levels of programming; High school students year-round learning opportunities and a one-week summer healthcare intensive at five different medical facilities; Pre-college programming that includes year-round learning, summer healthcare intensive, one-week internship, letter of recommendation for college, resume building workshops, and a certificate of completion with documented clinical and community hours. Students may also earn the certificate in healthcare communication offered

by CCEDC via its Health Care Connect industry partnership.

By focusing on area youth through the programs listed above, CCEDC partners with middle and high schools, community colleges, universities and companies to deliver the employer-led student outreach necessary to grow the

——For

“pipeline” of talented graduates. These efforts are essential to help keep intellectual talent employed here in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Learn more about the Chester County Economic Development Council at www.ccecpa.com. View the organization’s recent successes in CCEDC’s online annual report at http://annual.ccedcpa.com.

For more information about getting involved with youth initiatives, contact Patti VanCleave, Program Manager, at pvancleave@ccedcpa.com, or call 610-321-8212.

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

61

Meet Our Member:

The Wright Agency: Telling stories, one client at a time

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

F

orty one years ago, in 1977, John and Fran Wright purchased an insurance agency from Fran’s mother Ruth Hope Handy, renamed it the Wright Agency, and in doing so, became the third generation in the family to provide quality service to the people of Western Chester County and beyond.

It is very fair to say that the Downingtown-East Brandywine Township community that existed when John and Fran began their business bears little resemblance to the complexion and growth of the community today, but the very same principles that trace back to what began as the Thomas Hope Agency in the 1960s are still the cornerstones of the family business, now in its fourth generation.

All photos by Richard L. Gaw “If you’re a business owner, Jonathan and Maria Wright work with agent Carolyn Specht. your list is never done,” said Jonathan, who spent part of his childhood helping his parents application or from an impersonal phone operator. at the company’s Horseshoe Pike location and purchased the In direct contrast, the Wright Agency continues to define company with this wife, Maria, in 2014. “I had the advantage itself by handshakes that connect generations of families, creof learning from my parents. My dad always had a list of tasks ated and cultivated through the simple design of eye-to-eye and initiatives that were intended to strengthen the agency, conversations. From personal to commercial coverage, the and when he and my mother were getting ready to pass the Wright Agency is committed to providing competitive insurbusiness on to Maria and me, he said, ‘Here are some things ance packages. Agent Carolyn Specht recently joined the I would recommend that you do.’ I took his wish list and agency to help meet the needs of a growing clientele. made my own list and merged the plans together. It was their “Somewhere along the line, the nationally-known agencies experience and our energy, combined, that has prepared us said to themselves, ‘Let’s turn insurance into a numbers game, for the future.” and we’ll all make tons of money,’” Jonathan said. “In turn, Turn on a television, scan through social media or open a they have done the consumer a huge disservice by making mass mailer appeal, and the chances are great that you will the story all about price – a race to simply get the best deal. see a pitch from a nationally-known insurance provider who “We combat that principle with a quality foundation, built has become known more for its mascots than its policies. on communication. I think insurance should be a part of all Although it typifies the new grab-and-go philosophy of the of our lives and entered into as an asset, not as a commodity. insurance business, aiming to attract consumers to bargain Having the opportunity to speak with people allows us the basement opportunities, its brand loyalty is in name only, chance to listen to the needs of our clients, whether they be where a policy is built from a hunt-and-peck computer for a business, an individual or a family.”

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2018 • Volume 2——

As the Philadelphia Eagles were preparing for Super Bowl LII this past January, the popular sign at the front of the Wright Agency announced its allegiance to the local team. For many years, the sign has served as a continual greeting card for the people of the Downingtown area, an ever-changing document that recognizes special accomplishments by individuals and organizations in the community the agency serves.

The meaning behind the sign and its flow of messages is built within the fabric of what began nearly 50 years ago and remains today: A company that has not only helped to protect the community it serves, but has become a part of that community, as well. This connection extends far beyond the policies that the Wright Agency provides; they sponsor Little League teams, after-prom events, back-to-school nights, concerts and most recently, its fundraising work for the Lord’s Pantry.

“Whether it’s volunteering, helping to light a Christmas tree, or attending a community day at the park or a chamber event, our family has always been this way,” Jonathan said. “In the world of insurance, there’s a connotation that comes with the industry. It’s more than turning in claims and receiving documents. It’s meeting your insurance agent at a Little League game, or at the grocery store. We have always believed that there’s a direct correlation between how that relationship begins and how long that relationship will last.

“It becomes a story that we’re fortunate enough to tell, and the story that we’re trying to tell is told one client at a time.”

To learn more about the Wright Agency, visit www.wrightagencyinsurance.com.

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

Jonathan Wright spent part of his childhood working for his parents at the agency.

The Wright Agency’s exterior sign welcomes passers-by with an everchanging series of good wishes. ——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

63

Transportation Talk

F

or many growing up in the suburbs, “freedom” occurred when you turned 16. I can recall the day when I went to the testing center for my learner’s permit, the roads my driving instructor made us drive, and the day I finally took the driving test for my license.

I could now drive to the mall to be with friends, to my jobs, or even to school so I did not have to ride the bus. I was free -- at least when a car was available, or until midnight.

Following World War II, our society transformed from a predominantly public transportation system to one of personally owned vehicles, which drove the desire and need for suburban living. The increase in cars on the road led to congestion and new types of parking. Suburban land planning became car-oriented residential communities with large shopping centers and office parks, as well as the need

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to incorporate vehicular-oriented amenities such as mini-market gas stations and fast food restaurants with drive-throughs.

Today, even though we continue to plan for a car-oriented environment, we are beginning to see a re-emergence of “town centers,” or transit-oriented design, in our communities with the inclusion of multimodal or alternative forms of transportation. People are seeking healthier ways of living, residing in smaller spaces with less “stuff,” getting out of their cars and not to being in congestion and opting for someone else to drive them.

Teenagers are waiting a year or two to get their licenses.

People are seeking alternative transportation; looking to save time, money or both. We are witnessing these changes in the transportation planning occurring in western Chester County, including train service, bicycle and walking trails,

2018 • Volume 2——

as well as municipal sidewalk connections. These assets are giving people choices of how they can travel.

Did you know that you can access employment, shopping, destinations, healthcare and entertainment destinations if you did not have a car for the day? Along Lincoln Highway there is a bus route, ChescoBus Link and Krapf “A” that can transport you to Parkesburg, Exton Mall and even West Chester.

You can access both Amtrak and Septa train service and travel to Lancaster, Harrisburg, Great Valley (Malvern/Paoli), Philadelphia and then onto New York City, or change trains and head to Washington, D.C., and points beyond.

As municipal sidewalk connections occur and trails come to fruition, such as the Chester ChescoBus’s Coatesville Link Route, leaving Brandywine Hospital.

Valley Trail West, residents will have the opportunity to walk or bike to work, to school, to shop or even to catch a train. Some day in the future, you will be able to take a bicycle excursion to Center City Philadelphia or even west to Lancaster and on to Harrisburg, and then take the train home.

Until recently, we lived for almost seven years as a onecar family. Our daughter learned that the train waited for no man, woman or child. Since my wife was taking the train into Center City Philadelphia for her work, we did not need the expense of the second car. We planned our schedule around our needs, and on the days she needed the car, I would carpool to the office. When we traveled to New York City or to Harrisburg, we took the Amtrak train. Both in New York and in Washington, D.C., we hold Metro cards to use their rail or subway systems. On a Saturday evening we have taken the train to Bryn Mawr or Ardmore for dinner and a movie; in the near future I hope this will be to Coatesville. Our community has sidewalks, so we walk to the dry cleaner, the library, for coffee or to the farm market.

Our freedom is no longer defined by the car, but comes from knowing how to access opportunities through other modes of transportation. The next time you’re not rushing out to the car, ask yourself if there is an alternative way of getting there. For me, today, instead of my driver’s license privileges expiring at midnight, it’s me. I now need my beauty rest.

Tim Phelps Executive Director Transportation Management Association of Chester County ——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

65

Meet Our Member:

Tower Health Strengthens Healthcare Legacy in Chester County

O

n October 1, 2017, Brandywine Hospital joined Tower Health, a vibrant, newly formed health system that is serving a population of 2.5 million people in Chester County and the surrounding region.

Tower Health includes six acute-care hospitals — Reading Hospital in West Reading; Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville; Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia; Jennersville Hospital in West Grove; Phoenixville Hospital in Phoenixville; and Pottstown Hospital in Pottstown. It also includes Reading Hospital Rehabilitation at Wyomissing; Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences; and a comprehensive provider network of 2,000 physicians, specialists and providers across 65 convenient locations. All members of the health system participate with Tower Health – UPMC Health Plan, which enhances the ability to offer preventive care and access to care.

With 11,000 team members and a combined 1,500 beds, Tower Health provides a full range of medical care — from prevention, screenings and education; to the latest clinical services and surgeries available; to rehabilitation. Its hospitals have received national recognition for advanced care in areas such as neurosurgery and stroke, cardiac and vascular surgery, trauma, hematology and oncology.

Tower Health was formed when the former Reading Health System acquired the five community hospitals, all previously owned by Community Health Systems. The acquisition was finalized on October 1, and the hospitals began operating as Tower Health that day. Today, Tower Health is the third largest healthcare system in the Philadelphia region, based on bed count.

“Each of our hospitals has a rich history of providing high-quality, costeffective, compassionate healthcare to the communities we serve,” said Clint Matthews, President and CEO of both Tower Health and Reading Hospital.

“We have come together to create an even more dynamic and expansive health system. Our name, Tower Health, reflects our collective strength, innovative spirit and bold commitment to taking healthcare to new heights.”

The hospitals work closely together, and already that collaboration has enabled providers, leadership and staff to leverage best practices across the

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——Spring/Summer

health system. Chester County residents benefit from the collaboration between hospitals as well as from access to a broader range of services.

“It is an exciting opportunity for Brandywine Hospital to be part of Tower Health — a creative, innovative local network of hospitals working together to provide quality care. We are focused on offering leading-edge, compassionate medical services and the wellness programs that our community needs,” said Jeff Hunt, President and CEO of Brandywine Hospital.

“Now, we will be doing so as part of a dynamic, expansive and nationally recognized health system. Our patients and community will benefit tremendously from Tower Health’s collective strength.”

Tower Health combines the advanced tertiary services with community-focused, compassionate care. Brandywine Hospital, with 171 beds, is nationally recognized for a wide range of services, including its advanced cardiovascular care with Chest Pain Center certification, the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval in hip and knee replacement and its inpatient behavioral health facility — the only one of its kind in Chester County.

“We are excited about Tower Health and our ability to work collectively to enhance the health and well-being of residents in our region,” Clint Matthews said. “Tower Health physicians and employees are committed to excellence, and their compassion for patients and our community are evident every day. Together, as one team, we are delivering on the Tower Health promise of advancing health and transforming lives.”

2018 • Volume 2——

CHAMBER MEMBER DIRECTORY Accounting Services

Architectural Services

APA Tax Accountants Inc. Albert Abdala (610) 384-6425 apatax.com

Architectural Concepts, PC Ted Mondzelewski (610) 518-1596 arconcepts.com

Ginas InterNet Advising Gina Rodkey (484) 712-5959 GinasInterNetAdvising.com

Art & Architecture Susan Salvo (484) 880-8023 fb.com/susansalvoarchitect

Paisley Solutions Paula Paisley (610) 444-2597 paisleysolutions.com

Art Organizations and Artists Art Partners Studio Mary Galligan (610) 384-3030 artpartnersstudio.org

Quinn, M Cynthia, CPA- Coatesville Cynthia Quinn, CPA (610) 380-1040 mcq1040.com See ad pg. 44

Kyle Whary Kyle Whary facebook.com/kylewharyart

Quinn, M Cynthia, CPA- Kennett Square Cynthia Quinn, CPA (610) 444-1040 mcq1040.com See ad pg. 44

Attorneys, Legal Services Carosella & Associates, PC Vincent Carosella, Esq. (610) 431-3300 carosella.com

The Small Business Accounting Solution Inc. Nicole Odeh (844) 208-2937 TSBAS.com

Fulton Bank - West Chester Mike Guyer (610) 918-8814 fultonbank.com

Wusinich & Brogan, P.C. Peter F.X. Callahan, Esquire (610) 594-1600 wusinichbrogan.com

Key Bank - Thorndale Susan Hernandez (610) 873-9600 key.com

Automobile Sales & Service

Key Bank - Coatesville Rae Marsden (610) 383-9300 key.com

Brian Hoskins Ford Ed Kovatch (610) 384-4242 brianhoskinsford.com

Key Bank - Downingtown Tamera Hrynkow (610) 269-9701 key.com

Fling’s Towing, Inc. Daryl Fling (610) 383-6362 flingstowing.com See ad pg. 41

M&T Bank Chad Davis (610) 273-7022 mtb.com

Salvo Brothers Motorcars Ari Salvo (610) 384-1352 salvobrothersauto.com

Keen, Keen & Good William Keen, Esq. (610) 383-7810 KKGLawFirm.com

Bank of Bird-in-Hand David Wilson (717) 768-8811 bihbank.com

MidCoast Community Bank Daniel Gallagher (302) 482-4256 midcoastbankonline.com

Lamb McErlane PC Helen Esbenshade, Esq. (610) 430-8000 lambmcerlane.com

BB&T - Parkesburg Jackie Moretti (610) 857-9667 bbt.com

Santander - Parkesburg Barb Walker (610) 857-5531 santanderbank.com

Law Firm of Barry S. Rabin Barry S. Rabin, Esq. (610) 873-1600 BarryRabinLaw.com

BB&T - Honaey Brook Rina Coulter (610) 273-2992 bbt.com

Law Office of Jayne Garver Jayne Garver, Esq. (484) 784-5372 jgarverlaw.com

Bryn Mawr Trust Company Joe Panaro (610) 430-6158 bmtc.com

Union Community Bank Nathan Edmunds (267) 565-9768 unioncommunitybank.com/businessbanking

LegalShield Amber Little (215) 847-4365 amberjlittle.legalshieldassociate.com

DNB First Colleen Kline (484) 691-3621 dnbfirst.com

MacElree Harvey, Ltd. Michael Louis, Esq. (610) 436-0100 macelree.com

First Resource Bank Fran Forte (610) 363-9400 firstresourcebank.com See ad pg. 12

Brandywine Business Systems Sam Slokom (610) 563-1487 Agriculture Chester/Delaware County Farm Bureau Dan Miller (717) 529-2508 pfb.com Highspire Hills Farm, LLC Deborah Ellis (610) 942-9634 localharvest.org/highspire-hills-farm-llcM6683

Fairways Apartments & Townhomes Kristin Undercuffler (610) 383-0690 fmgnj.com See ad pg. 21 Millview Apartment Homes Melissa Gatto (610) 466-7800 millviewapts.com

Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees, P.C. Theodore Claypoole, Esq. (610) 692-1371 utbf.com

Banks

Administrative Services

Apartments & Townhouses

Fulton Bank - Guthriesville Chuck Bachman (610) 873-4740 fultonbank.com

Meridian Bank Geoffrey Sheehan (484) 568-5026 meridianbanker.com

Gawthrop Greenwood, PC Anthony Verwey, Esq. (610) 696-8225 gawthrop.com

Windy Hill Farm Anna Larsen (848) 218-2949 windyhillfarmpa.com

The O’Meara Law Firm Anita O’Meara, Esq. (610) 383-4008 theomearalawfirm.com

Powell Law Associates, LLC Marvin Powell (610) 489-1714 powellpatentlaw.com Siana, Bellwoar & McAndrew LLP Chris Gerber, Esq. (610) 321-5500 sianalaw.com

——For

Fulton Bank - Parkesburg Michael Short (610) 857-5005 fultonbank.com See ad pg. 51

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

WSFS Bank Jerry Calone (610) 535-6821 pennlibertybank.com Coatesville Savings Bank Fred Henrich (610) 384-8282 coatesvillesavings.com See ad pg. 64 Woodforest National Bank Rebekah Jackson (610) 857-0723 www,woodforest.com Continued on Page 68

67

Directory Continued from Page 67 Banquet Facility Coatesville Moose Lodge/1910 Ballroom Jeff Ellis (610) 857-8227 coatesvillemooselodge.com Wagontown Banquet Hall Bridget Ziegler (610) 384-1015 wagontownfire.com Business Management, Consulting, Training Kutztown University Small Business Development Center Kecia Sturdivant (484) 646-4002 kutztownsbdc.org Novak Strategic Advisors Alan Novak, Esq. (717) 234-9909 novakstrategic.com Sales Automation Harden Ervin (215) 643-7599 salesautomation.com SCORE Vic Goldberg (610) 344-6910 chestercounty.score.org Transfers of Learning, LLC Tasha Delaney (610) 466-7521 transfersoflearning.com Caterers Dashing Rogue, LLC Shannon Jones (717) 283-6985 dashingrogue.com Far Away Farms Country Corner Joan Lownes (610) 942-2848 farawayfarmcc.com Harry’s Neighborhood Place John H. Lymberis (610) 857-2331 HarrysHotdogs.com John Serock Catering John Serock (610) 640-2836 serockcatering.com Purple Picnic People/Cricket Catering and Special Events Kevin Bruton (610) 623-2006 cricketcatering.com Triple Fresh Catering Doris Macey (610) 384-5037 triplefresh.net 68

Chambers of Commerce PA Chamber of Business & Industry Alex Halper (717) 720-5471 pachamber.org Western Chester County Chamber Donna Siter (610) 384-9550 WesternChesterCounty.com Chiropractors Chamberlain Chiropractic Dr. Jeffrey Chamberlain (610) 429-4920 chamberlainchiropractic.com

Breathe Partners CPR-3 Dan O’Deens (484) 615-6151 breathepartners.com Caln Athletic Association Steve Santillo (484) 378-0470 calnaa.com Chester County Association for the Blind Robert Milliken (610) 384-2767 chescoblind.org

Churches

Chester County Food Bank Anne Shuniak (610) 873-6000 chestercountyfoodbank.org

Our Lady of Consolation Mary Wishneski (610) 857-3510 olcchurch.org

Coatesville Area Partners for Progress (CAPP) Regina Horton Lewis (610) 420-1167

Cleaning Services, Commercial, Residential

Coatesville Youth Initiative Chaya Scott (610) 380-0200 coatesvilleyouthinitiative.org

Clarel Janitorial/Maintenance Services Corp.

Claudia Muntean (484) 378-0827 clarelmaintenance.com Olive Branch Cleaning Shedea Twyman (580) 291-3362 olivebranchcleaningllc.com Rainbow Washhouse Steve Dovidio (610) 637-7636 Commercial Flooring Sales and Installation Precision Flooring Enterprises LLC Marilyn Costalas (610) 857-3519 precisionflooringllc.com Community Services Angel Grapevine Joan Allen (774) 272-1914 AngelGrapevine.com Boy Scouts of America Chester County Council Charles Rogers (610) 696-2900 cccbsa.org Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art Shelia Fleming (610) 388-8389 brandywine.org/conservancy See ad pg. 51 Brandywine Regeneration Project Bob Holliday (610) 717-2265

——Spring/Summer

Good Samaritan Services Claire Maxwell (610) 933-9305 goodsamshelter.org/phoenixville Habitat For Humanity of Chester County Charles L. Huston IV (610) 384-7993 hfhcc.org Honey Brook Area Community Partnership Donna Horvath (610) 990-5670 hbpartnership.org Life Transforming Ministries Bill Shaw (610) 384-5393 quietrevolution.org PABA Parkesburg Business Association Allan Fellman (610) 857-5114 paba-pa.org Rotary Club of Coatesville Michael Givler (610) 384-9196 facebook.com/rotaryclubofcoatesville Salvation Army - Service Extension Cindy Yearsley (610) 383-0868 Stewart Huston Charitable Trust Scott Huston (610) 384-2666 stewarthuston.org The Huston Foundation Charles Lukens Huston III (610) 832-4955 hustonfoundation.org

2018 • Volume 2——

The Parkesburg POINT Debbie Shupp (610) 857-3393 parkesburgpoint.com See ad pg. 45 United Way of Chester County Claudia Hellebush (610) 429-9400 unitedwaychestercounty.org See ad pg. 47 Brandywine Health Foundation Jill Whitcomb (610) 380-9080 brandywinefoundation.org See ad pg. 20 Computer Services CompNet, Inc. Mark Davis (610) 380-1314 compnetinc.com Jerry’s Computer Service, LLC Jerry Schramm (610) 331-7069 jerryscomputerworld.com Lownes Computer Service Greg Lownes (610) 383-0657 lownes.net Origami Technology Group, Inc. William Gayle (484) 639-0004 origamitg.com Parkesburg Computer & Mobile Device Shoppe Michael McWhirter (610) 857-5700 parkesburgcomputer.com Contractors & Construction Christiana Cabinetry Rich Dempsey (610) 593-7500 christianacabinetry.com City Construction Co. Inc. Dennis Fallon (610) 269-9530 cityconstructionco.com D. Howe & Sons, Inc. Douglas Howe (610) 942-4249 dhoweandsons.com Denmans Electrical Services, Inc. Jeffrey Denman (484) 228-8111 denmanselectric.com FBSG Inc. Cindy Gallo (610) 633-8824 fbsginc.com Fidelity Contracting LLC Richard Burkholder (610) 816-0704 fidelitycontracting.com

Five Point Renovation & Remodel Rob Wishneski (484) 888-8276 fivepointconstruction.com Graber Supply, LLC David Blank (610) 593-3500 polebarn.com

Developer First Eastern Development Company, LLC John Newton (610) 842-8224 Legend Properties Jack Corcoran (610) 941-4034 lpre.com

Keystone Custom Homes Brittany Rakers (717) 517-0503 keystonecustomhome.com

Oliver Tyrone Pulver Corporation Donald Pulver (610) 834-3185 otpcorp.com

McComsey Builders Inc. Melissa Stern (610) 476-5911 mcComseyBuilders.com

New Heritage Properties, LLC Crosby Wood (610) 383-9800 newheritageproperties.com

Provident Homes Corporation Matt Bedwell (610) 692-7697 providenthomes.com

Economic Development Organization Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance Sonia Huntzinger (484) 786-8896 2ndCenturyAlliance.org

Rittenhouse Builders George Metzler (610) 380-9570 rittenhousebuilders.com

Chester County Economic Development Council Gary Smith (610) 321-8227 ccedcpa.com

Simmers Builders Inc Lloyd Simmers (610) 383-5562 simmersbuilders.com Veteran Construction and Utility Services, Inc Sue Durborow (610) 384-8235 veterancus.com

Education

Credit Union

Chester County Intermediate Unit Kristina Goodwin (484) 237-5153 conferencecenter.cciu.org See ad pg. 5

Citadel - South Coatesville Ian Spangler (610) 380-6003 citadelbanking.com See ad pg. 38-39

Chester County Technical College High School Beth Myers (484) 593-5100 tchsbrandywine.org

Citadel - Eagleview Corporate Office Doug Thompson (610) 466-6412 citadelbanking.com

Church Farm School Peter Corrado (610) 363-7500 gocfs.net

Citadel - Parkesburg Jackie Garress (610) 466-6634 citadelbanking.com

Coatesville Area School District Dr. Cathy Taschner (610) 466-2400 casd.schoolwires.net/Domain/4

Citadel - Thorndale Gwen Smoker (610) 466-6649 citadelbanking.com

Delaware County Community College Ruth Bennett (610) 359-5131 dccc.edu

Dentists

Harcum College Evelyn Santana (610) 525-4100 harcum.edu

Opera House Dental Dirk Hagen, DDS (610) 857-9244 OperaHouseDental.com Rainbow Valley Dental Stephanie McGann, DMD (610) 383-4747 rainbowvalleydental.com

Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic Elementary School Maria Samson (610) 384-5961 popejohnpaul2sch.org

——For

Octorara Area High School Lisa McNamara (610) 593-8254 octorara.k12.pa.us See ad pg. 27

Tobelmann Energy Brokers, Inc. John Tobelmann (610) 639-1406 tobelmann.net Worley & Obetz, Inc. Laura Inthavongsa (800) 697-6891 worleyobetz.com

Electrical Supplies Rumsey Electric Patrick Melvin (610) 832-9000 rumsey.com

Engineer Consultants Advanced GeoServices Corp.

Bernie Beegle (610) 840-9100 advancedgeoservices.com

Electrical Contractors Bill Mullen Electric LLC Bill Mullen (484) 716-1177 Billmullenelectric.net Billows Electric Supply Company Mike LaVecchio (610) 269-1493 billows.com

Edward B. Walsh & Associates, Inc. Theodore Gacomis (610) 903-0060 ebwalshinc.com See ad pg. 43 Hydraterra Professionals Joe Boldaz (610) 942-3000 hydraterrapro.com

Greg A. Vietri, Inc. Greg Vietri (610) 857-1110 gavietri.com See ad pg. 57

Inland Design, LLC Chuck Dobson (484) 947-2928 inlanddesign.net See ad pg. 17

William S. Malany & Sons, Inc. Chad Lease (610) 436-4023 malanyelectric.com

McMahon Associates, Inc Natasha Manbeck (610) 594-9995 mcmahonassociates.com

Emergency Services Keystone Valley Fire Department Krystine Sipple (610) 857-3232 kvfd8.com

Parsons Brinckerhoff Pam Conti (215) 209-1206 pbworld.com

Keystone Valley Regional Fire District Raymond Stackhouse (484) 571-9686 kvfd8.com

Traffic Planning & Design Randy Waltermyer (610) 326-3100 trafficpd.com

Employment & Training Service

Entertainment

KenCrest Services- Employment Allison Smale (610) 825-9360 kencrest.org Energy Management Services Advanced Solar Industries Bob Kramer (717) 768-8500 advancedsolarindustries.com Electric Advisors Consulting, LLC Frank Lacey (610) 793-2809 electricadvisorsconsulting.com Kauffman Gas Inc. Ken Kauffman (610) 593-5063 kauffmangas.com

Boulder Falls Mini Golf Steve Gehris (610) 383-7973 boulderfallsminigolf.com The Golf Zone/Annabelles’s Cafe George McNamara (610) 942-9494 golfzoneproshop.com The Lukens Band Mike Givler (610) 383-4197 lukensband.org Environmental Consultants, Services

Rhoads Energy Corp.

Michael DeBerdine (610) 857-1650 rhoadsenergy.com See ad pg. 14

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

Coventry Environmental, Inc. Steven Ohrwaschel (484) 639-4578 coventryservicesgroup.com Envera Michael Matheny (484) 593-4002 envera.com Continued on Page 70 69

Directory Continued from Page 69 Sovereign Environmental Group Larry Johnson (610) 383-9919 sovereignenvironmental.com Financial Services Beacon Financial Group, LLC Cathy Jackson (484) 844-7824 See ad pg. 19 Penn Rise Advisors Karl Klingmann II (610) 269-8363 pennriseadvisors.com Legacy Solutions Jeff Hall (610) 444-9920 legacysolutions.org Fire & Water Damage Cleanup and Restoration

James J. Terry Funeral Home Greg Froio (610) 269-6567 jamesterryfuneralhome.com

Chester County Recorder of Deeds Rick Loughery (610) 344-6330 chesco.org

Modena Borough Mary Ellen Steganius (610) 384-6777 modenaborough.com

Furniture

Western Chester County Council of Governments John McHugh (610) 384-9550 wcccog.com

Parkesburg Borough Jim Thomas (610) 857-2616 parkesburg.org

Greg Pilotti Furniture Makers Greg Pilotti (484) 764-6956 gpfurnituremakers.com Golf Courses Applecross Country Club Gregg Russell (484) 692-1010 talamorepa.com/index.html Coatesville Country Club David Glenn (610) 384-3200 coatesvillecountryclub.com See ad pg. 75 Downingtown Country Club Bridget Clark (610) 873-0800 golfdowningtown.com

Servpro of Central Chester County Dave Lyman (610) 524-0211 servprocentralchestercounty.com

Greenside Grill/Honeybrook Golf Club Donna Horvath (610) 273-0207 honeybrookgolf.com See ad pg. 56

SERVPRO of Kennett Square/Oxford Cliff Masscotte (610) 268-8620 Servprokennettsquareoxford.com

Ingleside Golf Club Jim Baer (610) 384-9128 golfingleside.com

Fitness, Training & Sports Centers Academy Sports Complex Michael Rudy (484) 288-8033 academysportspa.com YMCA of Greater Brandywine, Association Offices Laura Armstrong (610) 643-9622 ymcagbw.org YMCA of Greater Brandywine, Brandywine Branch LaKeisha Harris (610) 380-9622 ymcagbw.org Florists Coatesville Flower Shop Greg DePedro (610) 384-2677 coatesvilleflowershop.net Funeral Homes Harris Mountain Funeral Home & Cremation Service Kevin Mountain (610) 384-1091 harrismountain.com

70

Moccasin Run Golf Club/ Shotgun Pub & Grille Rodney King (610) 593-2600 moccasinrun.com Government Chester County 2020 William Stevens (484) 680-5570 CC2020.org See ad pg. 43 Chester County Commissioners Office Becky Brain (610) 344-6100 chesco.org Chester County Department of Community Development Pat Bokovitz (610) 344-6900 chesco.org

Western Chester County Democrats Maria McCabe (610) 314-1491 westerndemocrats.com Government Municipality Atglen Borough Caren Andrews (610) 593-6854 atglen.org Borough of South Coatesville Stephanie Duncan (610) 384-1700 south-coatesville.org Caln Township Kristen Denne (610) 384-0600 calntownship.org Christiana Borough Carol Pringle (610) 593-5199 christianaboro.com City of Coatesville Michael Trio (610) 384-0300 coatesville.org East Brandywine Township Scott Piersol (610) 269-8230 ebrandywine.org East Fallowfield Township Pani Martin (610) 384-7144 eastfallowfield.org East Nantmeal Township Kathy Brumfield (610) 458-5780 https://eastnantmeal.org Elverson Borough Lori Kolb (610) 286-6420 elversonboro.org Highland Township Bo Alexander (610) 857-1791 highlandtwp1853.org

Chester County DES - Public Safety Training Campus John Gillespie (610) 344-4100 chesco.org/des

Honey Brook Borough Janis Rambo (610) 273-2020 honeybrookborough.net

Chester County Planning Commission Brian O’Leary (610) 344-6285 chesco.org

Honey Brook Township Kristy Deischer-Eddy (610) 273-3970 honeybrooktwp.com

——Spring/Summer

2018 • Volume 2——

Sadsbury Township Bryan Walters (610) 857-9503 sadsburytwp.org Valley Township Patrice Proctor (610) 384-5751 valleytownship.org Wallace Township Barbara D’Angelo (610) 942-2880 wallacetwp.org West Bradford Township Justin Yaich (610) 269-4174 westbradford.org West Brandywine Township John Cassels (610) 380-8200 wbrandywine.org West Caln Township Thomas Siedenbuehl (610) 384-5643 westcaln.org West Fallowfield Township Gina Wheeler (610) 593-5916 westfallowfieldtownship.org West Nantmeal Township Deborah Kolpak (610) 286-9722 westnantmeal.com West Sadsbury Township Cindy Mammarella (610) 857-5969 westsadsburytwp.org Government Official U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. (215) 405-9660 casey.senate.gov U.S. Senator Patrick Toomey (215) 241-1090 toomey.senate.gov U.S. Congressman Ryan Costello (610) 696-2982 costello.house.gov U.S. Congressman Patrick Meehan (610) 690-7323 meehan.house.gov U.S. Conressman Lloyd Smucker (717) 393-0667 smucker.house.gov Senator Andrew E. Dinniman (610) 692-2112 senatordinniman.com

Senator John Rafferty, Jr. (610) 831-8830 senatorrafferty.com State Representative Becky Corbin (610) 524-5595 RepCorbin.com State Representative Tim Hennessey (610) 326-2626 rephennessey.com State Representative John Lawrence (610) 869-1602 replawrence.com

Marisalon Marisa Raysor (610) 380-8909 marisalon.net Hardware Stores, Industrial Supplies

Historical Society

Hatt’s Industrial Supplies & True Value Chip Clavier (610) 384-1954 hatts.com See ad pgs. 38, 39, 41

Graystone Society/National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum Scott Huston (610) 384-9282 lukensnhd.org See ad pg. 65

Health & Wellness Fountain Springs Wellness Spa Raeleen Mills (610) 466-5141 fswspa.com

State Representative Harry Lewis Jr. (610) 269-1289 replewis.com State Representative Eric Roe (610) 925-0555 reproe.com

Heart to Heart Weight Loss @ Physical Therapy Workshop (610) 466-7072

Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone (610) 344-6199 chesco.org

Health Care Providers, Services Brandywine Hospital Tower Health Paul Martone (610) 383-8000 towerhealth.org

Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline (610) 344-6031 chesco.org

ChesPenn Health Services, Inc. Michael Lucas (610) 383-3888 chespenn.com

Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell (610) 344-6151 chesco.org

Lancaster General Health Kevin Turner (610) 857-6639 LancasterGeneralHealth.org See ad pg. 2

Graphic Design/Website Design Blue Dog Printing & Design Debi Friedmann (610) 430-7992 getbluedog.com

Surgical Specialists, PC Scott Kripke (610) 384-6550 surspc.com

deSignZ Sondra Zalewski (610) 687-5736 designzstudio.com Fashay Consulting Diane Fasnacht (610) 331-9246 fashay.com Hyland Graphic Design & Advertising Matthew Weiss (484) 879-6145 hylandgraphics.com GK Productions, Inc. Katherine Kuroczko (504) 371-5906 gkproductions.com Surefire Graphics & Marketing Vincent Zambuto (484) 378-4033 SurefireGraphics.com

Worley & Obetz, Inc. Laura Inthavongsa (800) 697-6891 worleyobetz.com

Belle Vie Salon Kelly Hook (484) 237-8417 belleviesalon.com

Uticom Systems, Inc. Paul Keeler (610) 857-2655 uticom.net Industrial Supplies Globe-Connect, LLC Elisa Von Lange (610) 466-9537

Budget Blinds of Coatesville Germaine Schumann (610) 643-4929 budgetblinds.com/Coatesville See ad pg. 17

Beaver Insurance Agency Larry Beaver (484) 356-6455 allstate.com/larrybeaver

Good Works Inc. Robert Beggs (610) 383-6311 goodworksinc.org Tony Buck Home Improvement Tony Buck (610) 384-7863 tonybuck.com Home Inspections Ground Up Home Inspections Kevin Kerr (610) 324-3064 grounduphomeinspections.com See ad pg. 30

Darryl N. Barber Plumbing & Heating Inc. Darryl Barber (610) 273-2369 darrylbarberandsons.com

Locust Lane Riding Center Inc. Shelly Pelet (484) 883-1844 locustlaneridingcenter.org Hotels

MACK Services Group Heating & Cooling Eric Jameson (610) 857-5525 mackservicesgroup.com

Courtyard Marriott Coatesville Kimberly Nicolas (610) 380-8700 courtyardcoatesville.com

Summers & Zims Joseph Zimmerman (610) 593-5129 sumzim.com

Hair: Salons/Barbers

Home Improvements

Horse Boarding & Training Wellness Services

Joe Ward Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Joe Ward (610) 593-6474

Industrial Engineered Graphic Systems

A to Z Total Home Repair Mark Kochanowsky (610) 431-3338 atoztotalhomerepair.com

Heating & Air Conditioning

Rhoads Energy Corp.

Amy Stackhouse (610) 857-1650 zekesoil.com

Human Services Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. Christine Zaccarelli (610) 388-1218 x212 cvcofcc.org

Holiday Inn Express Exton Bill Farnham (610) 561-9773 hieexton.com Human Resource Consultant SCB Services, LLC Rosanne Bennett (484) 718-3427 scbhrserv.com

Insurance

Breuninger Insurance Chip Breuninger (610) 384-1980 binsured.com See ad pg. 32 DiMatteo Insurance Al DiMatteo (610) 383-1114 dimatteoinsuranceinc.com EMB Specialty, LLC Erik Brecht (610) 857-4759 embspecialty.com Harvey Insurance Agency George Scherbak (610) 692-0953 harveyinsgroup.com Knies Insurance Group Greg Knies (610) 273-3756 keytoinsurance.com Roehrs, Stanton, Willimann & Associates, LLC Geoffrey Roehrs (610) 383-3884 rswinsurance.com The Wright Agency Jonathan Wright (610) 269-6115 wrightagencyinsurance.com See ad pg. 76 VanDyne Insurance Agency Donna VanDyne (717) 430-2798 vandyneinsurance.com Vigorita Insurance Agency Candy Vigorita (610) 285-7560 Continued on Page 72

——For

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

71

Directory Continued from Page 71 Whitford Insurance Network, Inc. Bob Ward (610) 524-7860 whitfordinsurance.com C. Kenneth Grant Insurance & Real Estate Barry Norton (610) 384-6260 grantinsuranceandrealestate.com Interior Decorators & Designers Heritage Design Interiors, Inc. Anita Yoder (717) 354-2233 heritagedesigninteriors.com Libraries Atglen Library Robbyn Kehoe (610) 593-6848 ccls.org/158/Atglen-Public-Library

Pelet Welding Inc. Timothy Pelet (610) 384-5048 peletwelding.com RAS Industries Dick Saha (610) 383-5070 rasind.com Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Chuck DiLabbio (610) 644-4430 lockheedmartin.com/us/what-we-do/ aerospace-defense/sikorsky.html Sweetwater Business Properties/HiHo Workspace Lyn Kemper (610) 273-2066 kemperequipment.com Manufacturing/Service

Coatesville Area Public Library Penny Williams (610) 384-4115 ccls.org

Keystone Turbine Services, LLC Jacqui Cornog (610) 268-6200 kts-aero.com

Honey Brook Library Jennifer Spade (610) 273-3303 ccls.org/171/Honey-BrookCommunity-Library

Marketing, Promotion, Public Relations

Parkesburg Library Kathleen Hood (610) 857-5165 parkesburglibrary.org Manufacturing Aerzen USA Corporation Keith Rolfe 610-380-0244 aerzenusa.com ArcelorMittal Edward Frey (610) 383-2000 arcelormittal.com David Aquadro David Aquadro (610) 593-7250 marvin.com

Communication Works Now Judith Lee (610) 368-2058 communicationworksnow.com Media & Publishing Chester County Press Randall Lieberman (610) 869-5553 chestercounty.com Coatesville Times chescotimes.com Daily Local News Brian McCullough (610) 696-1775 dailylocalnews.com VISTA.Today Coatesville Today Ken Knickerbocker (610) 256-9571 vista.today Metal Fabrication

Image Fillers, Inc. Mike Kelly (610) 466-1440 imagefillers.com

American Roll Suppliers, Inc. Karen Neuhauser (610) 857-2988

John Rock Inc. Bill MacCauley (610) 857-8080 johnrock.com

Brandywine Valley Fabricators Josh Crane (610) 384-7440 brandywinevalleyfab.com

Pacer Industries, Inc. Joseph Moran (610) 383-4200 pacergrindingwheels.com

72

Paulsonbilt Pamela Barranco (610) 384-6112 paulsonbilt.com

Mortgage & Financial Services Bank of America Louella Gray, NMLS # 72794 (215) 292-9616 bankofamerica.com ——Spring/Summer

Fulton Mortgage Company Denise Rodriguez (610) 857-5005 fultonbank.com See ad pg. 51 Guaranteed Rate Jason Ashe (610) 864-6357 rate.com/jasonashe PrimeLending Houston Baker (610) 306-7929 LO.primelending.com/houston.baker Museums National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum/Graystone Society Jim Ziegler (610) 384-9282 steelmuseum.org See ad pg. 65 Networking Group Honey Brook Area Community Partnership Donna Horvath (610) 990-5670 hbpartnership.org PABA Parkesburg Business Association Allan Fellman (610) 857-5114 paba-pa.org Women’s Business Connection of Chester County Cheryl Krass (484) 823-0110 wbcchesco.com Office Space Rental HiHo Workspace/Sweetwater Business Properties Lori Boger (610) 273-9675 hihoworkspace.com Office: Equipment & Supplies McGill’s Stationers Inc Mark McGill (610) 383-6555 mcgillsstationers.com Ophthalmologists Optometrists & Optical Labs Levin Luminais Chronister Eye Assoc Paul Fernandes (610) 384-9100 lleaeyes.com See ad pg. 44 Painting Certapro Painters of Western Chester County John Fecile (484) 283-5003 western-chester-county.certapro.com

2018 • Volume 2——

Parks and Recreation Chester County Parks Jay Gregg (610) 932-2589 chesco.org Payroll Services JetPay HR & Payroll Services Donna McCorkle (610) 972-1562 jetpay.com See ad pg. 31 Pharmacies Honey Brook Pharmacy/Hopewell Road Pharmacy Tony Scalies (610) 273-7300 honeybrookpharmacy.com Hopewell Road Pharmacy/Honey Brook Pharmacy Tony Scalies (610) 269-0002 hopewellroadpharmacy.com Quik-Stop Pharmacy Alissa Steele-Griffith (610) 384-6100 qstoppharmacy.com Photography Eastburn Photography David Eastburn (610) 384-5555 davideastburn.com Images by Trish Trish Kozola (484) 258-1977 imagesbytrish.com Physical Therapy Physical Therapy Workshop / Heart to Heart Weight Loss John Spangenberg (610) 466-7060 ptworkshop.com Plumbing Residential & Commercial Darryl N. Barber Plumbing & Heating Inc. Darryl Barber (610) 273-2369 darrylbarberandsons.com J-S All Things Plumbing Bob Sparr (610) 500-4373 bobsparr.wix.com/allthingsplumbing Joe Ward Plumbing & Heating, Inc. Joe Ward (610) 593-6474 Summers & Zims Joseph Zimmerman (610) 593-5129 sumzim.com

Tri-County Water Services Inc. Brent D. Hershey (610) 857-1740 tricowater.com

Radio & TV Stations WCHE Radio Ron McNiel (610) 692-3131 wche1520.com

Weinstein Supply Jim Stott (610) 842-3453 weinsteinsupply.com

Real Estate Services Aim Development Corporation Terry Muto (610) 384-6808 bellairecenter.com

Printing, Copying Services Blue Dog Printing & Design Debi Friedmann (610) 430-7992 getbluedog.com

Brite Realty Services Thomas Taylor (610) 524-8285 briterealty.com

Surefire Graphics & Marketing Vincent Zambuto (484) 378-4033 SurefireGraphics.com Printing, Copying Services Mailing Service

C. Kenneth Grant Insurance & Real Estate Barry Norton (610) 384-6260 grantinsuranceandrealestate.com Help-U-Sell Direct Homes Matthew Boyle (610) 363-3737 helpusell.com

The UPS Store -Parkesburg Richard Jenkins (610) 857-2240 theupsstore.com

High Associates, LTD Brian Davison (610) 380-8437 highlandscenter.com

The UPS Store Print Shop Downingtown Bruce Cobb (610) 518-5010 theupsstore.com See ad pg. 18 Promotional Products/Graphic Design Adelfi Promotions, Inc. Michael Millard (484) 999-0656 adelfipromo.com

Linda S. Baker Linda Baker (610) 857-0146

Paragon Business Gifts, Inc. Greg Krajewski (610) 857-5506 paragonbusinessgifts.com

Restaurants

A.J. Blosenski, Inc. Anthony Blosenski (610) 942-2707 ajblosenski.com Waste Oil Recyclers Jim Bricker (610) 505-0250 wasteoilrecyclers.com

Brite Realty Services Thomas Taylor (610) 524-8285 briterealty.com Huston Properties Sharon Tandarich (610) 384-2666 hustonproperties.org

Mr. E’s Tavern & Fine Food Beth Perdue (610) 384-4356 mrestavern.biz Rocco and Anna’s Ristorante Italiano Rocco Pirozzi Jr. (610) 857-1111 roccoandanna.com Shotgun Pub & Grille/ Moccasin Run Golf Club Grace King (610) 593-2600 moccasinrun.com The Attic Lounge at Harry’s John H. Lymberis (610) 857-0202 TheAtticLoungeAtHarrys.com The Craft House Lisa Hashem (484) 786-9008 facebook.com/ThorndaleCraftHouse

——For

Kimberton Whole Foods Terry Brett (610) 873-8225 kimbertonwholefoods.com

Greenside Grill/Honeybrook Golf Club Donna Horvath (610) 273-0207 honeybrookgolf.com See ad pg. 56

Little Chef Family Restaurant Nick Lymberis (610) 384-3221 thelittlecheffamilyrestaurant.com

Recycling Collection Services

Countyborn Donald Cochran (610) 721-9698 winecellarinnovations.com

Fuel City Cafe Nicole Catanese (484) 321-1801 facebook.com/fuelcitycafes

Re/Max Professional Realty Laurie Keen Laurie Keen (610) 363-8444 teammatrixhomes.com

BLUE CORD Property Care Bradley Fink (484) 796-1586 facebook.com/B.C.Prop.Care See ad pg. 25

Retail Sales Christiana Beer & Beverage Mike Peace (610) 593-5887 See ad pg. 19

Far Away Farms Country Corner Joan Lownes (610) 942-2848 farawayfarmcc.com

Little Anthony’s Pizza & Grille Mike Madanat (610) 384-2292 littleanthonyspizza-grille.com

Property Management & Maintenance

Harry’s Neighborhood Place John H. Lymberis (610) 857-2331 HarrysHotdogs.com

Beaver Creek Tavern Stuart Deets (484) 593-0481 beavercreek-tavern.com

Matt Gorham, Realtor Matt Gorham (610) 363-4340 mattgorhamgroup.com

Air Ventures Balloon Flights Deb Harding (610) 827-6361 air-ventures.com

ZING Sushi John H. Lymberis (610) 857-0001 ZingSushi.com

Annabelle’s Cafe/The Golf Zone Brenda Mastrippolito golfzoneproshop.com/fun/parties-events

Maria Francesca Dattilo, Realtor Maria Francesca Dattilo (484) 614-8074

Recreation/Amusement/Entertainment

Zakback Inc. Bruce Korn (610) 407-0285 zakback.com

Milanese Remodeling Mark Milanese (610) 384-5820 milaneseremodeling.com See ad pg. 4

Glenmoore Deli Christie Keith (610) 942-4321 facebook.com/Glenmoore-Deli-CountryMarket

Image Ink Janet Petsko (610) 518-5181 image-ink.biz

Victory Brewing Company Diane Desiderio (484) 718-5080 victorybeer.com

Residential Exterior Remodeling Contractors

Lamb Beverage Inc. Michael McGinley (610) 384-1470 lambbeverage.com White Willows Memorial Design Fay Monte (717) 442-9001 whitewillowsmemorials.com See ad pg. 30 Zeke’s Inc. Joseph DiSciullo (610) 384-5119 zekesincpa.com Retirement, Life Care Communities Freedom Village at Brandywine Nicole Rosella (610) 383-5100 freedomvillage.com Harrison House of Chester County Jean Bryan (610) 384-6310 harrisonseniorliving.com See ad pg. 61 Heatherwood Retirement Community Vanessa Sheidy (610) 273-9301 heatherwoodretire.com Tel Hai Retirement Community Cathy Yoder (610) 273-9333 telhai.org Security Officers & Patrols Signal 88 Security of Octorara Pete Mango (302) 298-3307 signal88.com

news, events, and information visit www.WesternChesterCounty.com——

Continued on Page 74 73

Directory Continued from Page 73 Self Storage Coatesville Self Storage Sandy Chiavaroli (484) 378-0180 coatesvilleselfstorage.com Economy Self Storage Eileen Rowan (610) 273-2075 selfstorageeconomy.com Global Self Storage Richard Massi (610) 857-0777 globalselfstorage.us Senior Services

Sign, Banner, Letter Manufacturing FASTSIGNS EXTON Carrie Mengel (610) 280-6100 FASTSIGNS.COM/368 Tam Arte Design Studio Rick Milne (610) 269-7518 tamartedesign.com Skin Care, Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Arbonne International Nina Malone (610) 331-8285 ninamalone.arbonne.com Telecommunications & Networking Services

Coatesville Area Senior Center Bill Pierce (610) 383-6900 cascweb.org

CTDI Keith Montone (610) 793-8103 ctdi.com

Harrison Senior Living of Christiana Sherri Stolzfus (610) 593-6901 harrisonseniorliving.com See ad pg. 61

Chester County Area Airport Authority Gary Hudson (610) 383-6057 chestercountyairport.com

Transportation

Chester County Aviation Steve Fortin (610) 384-9005 chestercountyaviation.com

74

——Spring/Summer

Krapf Group Gary Krapf (610) 431-1500 krapfbus.com Signature Flight Support Erika Marsteller (610) 384-9000 signatureflight.com TMACC-Transportation Management Assoc. Chester County P. Timothy Phelps (610) 993-0911 tmacc.org Travel & Tourism

Pennsylvania American Water Company Terry Maenza (610) 670-7789 amwater.com Pennsylvania American Water Company Brian Hassinger (610) 384-1776 amwater.com Video Production, Multimedia CRD Multimedia LLC Ross Darlington (610) 247-0766 crdmultimedia.com

Chester County Conference and Visitor’s Bureau Susan Hamley (610) 719-1730 brandywinevalley.com

Valley Creek Productions Justin Chan (215) 525-9904 valleycreekproductions.com

Utilities

Web Site Design Services

Fidelity Contracting LLC Richard Burkholder (610) 816-0704 fidelitycontracting.com

Eastern Creatives Adam Saylor (484) 798-5943 easterncreatives.com

PECO Energy Company Scott Neumann (610) 725-7189 exeloncorp.com

Mercurygraphix Brandon McLean (610) 639-4723 mercurygraphix.com

PECO Energy Company Edward Piscopo (215) 841-5411 peco.com

2018 • Volume 2——