Morgantown/Honey Brook 662 5:0+, townlively.com
MARCH 10, 2021
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXIX • NO 6
High School Students Invited To Take Part In Annual Art Contest BY FRANCINE FULTON
Sisters Carmen Weber (right) and Krista Petersheim (not pictured) made comforters that were knotted together by members of the Neighbors Caring and Sharing Christian women’s group, including Vickie Berger (left).
Members of the Neighbors Caring and Sharing group, including (from left) Kathy Kolb, Tina Essick and Donna Whittaker, added drawstrings to kit bags that will be filled with supplies and distributed to people in need by the Mennonite Central Committee.
Chester County high school students are invited to take part in the fifth annual art contest presented by the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (DVCCC). The agency is celebrating its 45th anniversary with the theme “45 Years of Empowerment.” Students should use the anniversary
Women’s Group Completes Comforters, Kit Bags BY FRANCINE FULTON
embers of Neighbors Caring and Sharing, a women’s group that meets weekly at Conestoga Mennonite Church in Morgantown, gathered on March 2 to knot comforters and complete drawstring kit bags for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a Christian relief organization. In preparation for the community service project, sisters Krista Petersheim and Carmen Weber provided nearly completed comforters to the group. The blankets, which consisted of a piece of material on top, batting in the middle and more fabric on the back, were knotted together by the women, who used heavy thread to knot the three layers of fabric together to make the final quilted product. During the course of the recent meeting, the women knotted eight comforters. Additionally, the women added drawstrings to small bags made by Weber, which will be filled with various items before being shipped out of the country. Attendees used a safety pin to guide the strings through the top of the bags to form the drawstring. “They are used for school kits, baby kits, sewing kits or health kits,” said Tina Essick, program
“I repurpose (material) to keep it out of the landfills. I don’t cut portions of brand-new fabric. I am using scraps that nobody knows what to do with ... I get little pieces given to me and I cut them and repurpose them.” Essick noted that the comforters are used by the recipients to keep warm or as room dividers for refugees who live in tents. They also go to sites of natural disasters both in the United States and worldwide. The comforters and the bags were made from leftover fabric. Weber pointed to one particularly colorful quilt with many patches, describing it as “a temper tantrum in a fabric shop.” “I repurpose (material) to keep it out of the landfills. I don’t cut portions of brand-new fabric. I am using scraps that nobody knows what to do with,” said Weber. “I get little pieces given to me and I cut
them and repurpose them.” She noted that one of the comforters was made from medical scrubs. “The scrubs were in really excellent shape and they were donated (to a thrift store) and they were not going to sell,” Weber noted. “(Scrubs) are made of poly cotton fabric that wears like iron, so we used them to make a quilt.” Now in its 35th year, Neighbors Caring and Sharing meets on Tuesdays from September through June. This year, meetings require attendees to wear masks and be socially distant. The meetings begin with refreshments and a prayer time, followed by a guest speaker or special activity. Programs and child care are offered free of charge, but donations are welcome. When a craft is the focus of the meeting, registration is required and a small fee is charged to cover the cost of supplies. Conestoga Mennonite Church is located at 2779 Main St. (Route 23), Morgantown. For more information and a complete calendar of events, readers may visit www.conestogamennonitechurch .org/neighbors.html or call the church office at 610-286-9124. More information about creating comforters and kits for MCC is available at www.mcc.org/get -involved/kits.
See Art Contest pg 3
“Hand in Hand” by Maria Coll, a student at Phoenixville Area High School, was the winner of last year’s People’s Choice Award in the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County’s annual high school student art contest.
Honey Brook Library Opens Full-Time, Continues Capital Campaign BY FRANCINE FULTON
After utilizing a drive-up service and opening for limited hours because of the pandemic, the Honey Brook Community Library will resume its normal hours starting on Monday, March 15. Days and hours of operation will be Mondays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.;
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Students Participate In The Great Kindness Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Twin Valley To Celebrate Arts Month . . . . . . . . . . . .5
House Of Worship . . . . . . .5
Community Calendar . . . .6
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . .9
See Library pg 4
Big Box - $43 stays in your community
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Consider this - You spend $100: Shop Local - $68 stays in your community
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
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chair for the Neighbors group. “MCC either fills them or other groups fill them, and they ship them to where there is a need.”
theme as inspiration for their artwork. Last year, the artwork was on display for a week at the Exton Chamber of Commerce for judging, and the awards ceremony was held at the same location. This year’s contest has been altered because of the pandemic. “In a typical year, the students had to submit art pieces to us and we had them digitally uploaded as well,” explained Danielle Dougherty, DVCCC director of philanthropic partnerships, one of the contest organizers. “People could vote on social media for the piece they liked the best. It culminated in an in-person reception where we announced first-, second- and third-place winners as chosen by the judges and the People’s Choice Award chosen by everyone via social media. This year, we are doing all of the