IN THIS ISSUE: ANNUAL SPECIAL NEEDS AUCTION PLANNED page 7
Octorara /townlively
JUNE 24, 2020
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXX • NO 21
Little Porch Library Opens Locally By Ann Mead Ash
Before COVID-19 restrictions were instituted in mid-March, Christy Fieldsa, the mother of two Paradise Elementary School students, had plans to create some little libraries within the Pequea Valley School District (PVSD). “I had started planning this in the winter,” recalled Christy. “(The) goal was to work with CORE Academy (at Pequea Valley High School) to have (students) build the (library) stands.” Christy had contacted Cathy Koenig, director of student services for Pequea Valley School District (PVSD), about working with CORE, and she planned to ask local businesses to help fund the boxes in exchange for having the business names on the little libraries. “We would talk to businesses about helping to place them,” said Christy, who had hoped to have up to six little libraries in the district by the end of the 2020 spring school term.
When the school term ended in March and the public libraries closed to visitors, Christy began pondering how to proceed. She found a free piece of furniture on social media that fit well on her porch and provided shelving and cupboards. In the cabinet, she has placed books, coloring books, learning materials, crayons, and activity packs. Christy believes the table, sheltered on the porch, will be able to withstand the elements. Christy’s daughter, Juliana, who is a second-grade learner, loves rainbows, so Christy used rainbow colors to create a sign that reads “Little Free Porch Library” for the front of the cabinet. “Children read more when books are readily accessible,” said Christy. “(With the Little Free Porch Library), they don’t have to worry about bringing a book back, but if they want to return it and take another, they could.” Christy stated that books picked up on her porch can be dropped off in any little library in or outside the county.
“Drop it in Quarryville or Atglen or wherever else there are little libraries.” Christy’s library is located at 113 Harristown Road, Paradise, not far from Paradise Elementary School. Her friend Melody Infantolino is setting up a similar library at her home at 789 Bellevue Ave., Gap. “We would like to get some (little libraries) on the Salisbury side of the district,” she said. Looking ahead, Christy still hopes to create the free libraries and place them throughout the community. “We would ask Paradise Township if we could put one in the park or one could be placed at The Factory or at people’s homes, businesses, and other places people frequent such as gas stations,” said Christy, who emphasized that the libraries should be outdoors and accessible at all times. She also hopes to recruit a network of volunteers to check the libraries monthly and request books or other supplies as needed to keep them stocked. See Little Porch Library pg 6
Juliana Fieldsa (front) and her mother, Christy, stand with the new “Little Free Porch Library” located at their home on Harristown Road not far from Paradise Elementary School. The family hopes the library will put books into the hands of children over the summer.
VBS Goes Virtual At Calvary Monument Habitat For Humanity Welcomes New Executive Director By Ann Mead Ash
Gavin (left) and Luke Weber are looking forward to taking part in the virtual Bible school (VBS) coordinated by Calvary Monument Bible Church. Registration for the VBS, called IncrediWorld Amazement Park, is ongoing, and students began picking up VBS kits at the church on June 22.
By Francine Fulton
they invited me to apply,” said Wiseman, explaining how he heard about the job opening at HfHCC. “I was looking to come back to a nonprofit - to a community-based organization serving (people) in a significant way.” Wiseman explained that Habitat homeowners are selected based upon three criteria: the need for decent, affordable housing; the ability to repay the mortgage loan; and the willingness to partner with Habitat by participating in the sweat equity program. This requires the homeowners to work 200 to 400 hours on-site along with staff members and volunteer construction workers. Wiseman said one of the most common misconceptions about the organization is that people receive a Habitat home at no cost. In fact, each home is sold to a
Habitat for Humanity of Chester County (HfHCC), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide affordable housing for low-income residents, recently named Chris Wiseman as its new executive director. Wiseman succeeds Charles “Chip” Huston, who stepped down from the position on Dec. 31, 2019, after serving HfHCC for more than 17 years. Wiseman has more than 20 years of experience in financial development, strategic planning and staff and board development. Most recently, he served as the director of operations at Germantown Academy. He was also the former executive director at the Brandywine YMCA. “I knew Chip from my time working at the YMCA and I Chris Wiseman knew some board members and
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Earlier in the spring, Kristen Weber, director of children’s ministries at Calvary Monument Bible Church (CMBC) in Paradise, got together with the Paradise Kids Ministry Team and staff to consider ways to turn the V that stands for vacation in vacation Bible school into a V that stands for virtual. “It was a collective decision … to pursue some form of virtual Bible school this summer,” said Weber. “We decided to see what we could put together in early May.” The result is a virtual Bible school called IncrediWorld Amazement Park, which will give youngsters an opportunity to take an exhilarating trip through God’s amazing world. Each registered student will receive a VBS kit including games, crafts, snacks, and prizes. Kits were available for pickup at CMBC, 1660 Mine Road, Paradise, beginning June 22. See VBS pg 4
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