Celebrate the Season

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Max was awarded the Congressional Award Silver Medal from the United States Congress in January 2023 for his community engagement and goal setting in four areas – Personal Development, Personal Fitness, Voluntary Public Service (400 hours volunteer work) and Exploration/Expedition. He’s also been very involved in robotics since 8th grade, and is currently the driver and builder of his robotics team, which qualified for both the 2022 and 2023 VEX Robotics World Championship.

Max is an active musician in school and the community, playing the drums for the school jazz band. He is also the lead guitarist in his own band, and started to perform for others when he was just seven years old! He often plays at churches, schools and within the community, and has been teaching young kids to play the guitar and drums since 2021. He is a teaching volunteer with over 150 hours. He was also an academic tutor at Marple library during the summer of 2022.

SINCE 1976

3529 W. Chester Pike, Newtown Square

610-353-1212 I www.CaseysNS.com

543 Lancaster Avenue, Berwyn

610-644-5086 I www.CaseysBerwyn.com

A passionate fisherman, Max has caught 184 species of fish to date and has his own fishing YouTube channel, MZFishing, https://youtube.com/@mzfishing, where others can learn from his personal technique and knowledge. “It has been a blast educating and entertaining people about fishing, environmental conservation and aquatic sustainability via an educational approach,” shared Max.

Your giving and caring ways in everything you do is incredibly impressive Max! Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with others, as well as all of us here at Newtown Square and Marple Friends and Neighbors. M

Nominate the Next Student of the Month!

Any grade 7–12 student who resides within the borders of the Marple Newtown School District (no matter what school they attend, or if they are homeschooled) may be nominated by a parent, teacher or other adult who submits in writing some ways the student demonstrates Excellence in Service to friendship, school or other local communities. Academic or athletic excellence is not required. Email your nomination to LJeffries@BestVersionMedia.com. The selected nominee will be featured in a future issue and will also receive a Certificate of Achievement and a $25 Casey’s Public House gift card.

PUBLICATION TEAM

PUBLISHER: Bob Blaisse

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Lisa Jeffries

CONTENT COORDINATOR: Holly Stupak

DESIGNER: Kim Cesati

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER: Deb Putter www.DebPutterPhotography.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Bob Blaisse, Holly Stupak, Sheila Turner-Hilliard, Lisa Jeffries, Doug Humes, Scott Magness, Deborah M. Truscello, Len Sciulli, Dr. Marc Belitsky, Nick Ortiz, Ryan Corbett, David Linn Cook, Joe Soster, Kevin O’Donnell

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Contact Publisher: Bob Blaisse

Email: BBlaisse@BestVersionMedia.com

Phone: 610-453-5536

COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS

Have feedback or questions about how to submit events, updates, ideas for articles, high resolution photos, etc.? We will do our best to include as much community info. as space permits. Please contact our Content Coordinator Holly Stupak at HStupak@BestVersionMedia.com.

CONTENT SUBMISSION DEADLINES

Content due the 5th of every month. Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, ratepayers or homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted. All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. © 2023 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.

On The Cover

The McFetridge family visiting a friend’s home near Newtown Square

Dear Friends & Neighbors, April is springing new leaves on trees, flowers in time for Passover and Easter, yellow daffodils that seem to be everywhere and the countdown to that first cut of our greener grass growing longer.

Marple Friends & Neighbors also anticipates some growth this spring, to prepare for our Fifth Anniversary Year as the monthly hometown magazine for Marple Township residents, mailed to homes and online at: www.MarpleMag.com. To celebrate, I am looking to add FIVE new advertising Sponsors, in the months ahead that have certain recognition in our community, to be rewarded with a Business Profile feature article in an upcoming 5th Anniversary Year issue of Marple Friends & Neighbors

The five new advertising Sponsors we look to add in the coming months will allow Marple Friends & Neighbors to be springing out this Spring with an increase in our monthly issue page count. We’ll use the added pages to celebrate the 5th Year Anniversary of our publication with more monthly features about Marple residents, local Marple Township history, non-profit groups, youth and upcoming local events. Our 5th Year Anniversary celebration needs your support too. Please reach out to Holly Stupak (Email: HStupak@BestVersionMedia.com) with your ideas for future feature articles, and contact me directly to recommend a local Broomall business to receive the benefits planned for FIVE new 5th Anniversary Year Sponsors of our monthly hometown, that have this in common: the business is known by Marple Township residents as having a history of supporting at least one Marple Township non-profit organization or annual special event.

In the months ahead, I will reward FIVE local businesses who join the party that is Bringing People Together through our social-media-in-print publication, for their past sponsorship of Marple Township residents in other ways, with special recognition in Marple Friends & Neighbors during our 5th Anniversary Year celebration.

Growth is all around us this month. Take in the spring with this first issue of spring made possible by the financial support of our advertising Sponsors. Please consider giving your business to them first, in gratitude for Bringing People Together through this new April issue I know you’ll enjoy.

Enjoy the Spring. Wishing all a Happy Passover and a Happy Easter.

Bob Blaisse Publisher

Dear Residents,

Spring flowers are starting to bloom and the days are getting longer. April is here! Happy Easter and Happy Passover to all of our friends and neighbors!

This month’s issue is full of inspirational stories. First is our Resident Feature where you’ll meet the McFetridge family. Phoenix is a young woman who with the help of her dad and family has been able to overcome many obstacles and continues to stay strong. We also highlight the Be the Joy Foundation who are always coming up with new and fun ideas to support the local community. Marple Presbyterian Church is also supporting our community with their new Thrift Shop that is full of unique and affordable treasures. Lastly, it’s tax season, so who better to hear from this month than Del Pizzo & Associates, our Sponsor and trusted tax and financial advisors for over 25 years.

We’re looking for more Marple families, individuals and nonprofit organizations to feature in our magazine. To nominate someone, please email me at HStupak@ BestVersionMedia.com.

Holly Stupak Content Coordinator