The Spirit of the Riverwards - January 4, 2017 by The Spirit

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WEEK JANUARY 4, 2017 VOL. 14 NO. 01

ARTSMOBILE PROGRAM Arts integration in local schools helps make students lifetime artists. 6

MAKER’S SERIES Fishtown Playschool creates a chance to create and give back. 5

LET THERE BE LIGHT! Spring Garden connector illuminated by permanent, high-tech lighting display. 8

ACCU-REGGIE Seven day forecast for the Riverwards. 3

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Local events, meetings and more. 12-13

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etting in shape and eating healthy are likely high on the list of New Year’s resolutions for residents throughout the Riverwards. However, preparing healthy meals day in and day out isn’t always easy. If you find yourself in a pinch for a meal and want a quick option that won’t ruin your latest workout, check out Snap Kitchen’s new location at 1325 Frankford Ave. Opened in October, the Fishtown storefront is one of seven Snap Kitchen locations to open in the Philadelphia area over the past year. Snap Kitchen was founded in Austin, Texas back in 2010. The quickly expanding chain specializes in healthy, balanced, heat-and-eat meals for health-conscious, on-the-go consumers. The Philly locations represent the company’s first foray into the Northeast market. Beth Lawrence, Northeast Marketing Manager for Snap Kitchen, explained the company’s rationale for choosing Philadelphia as their first major market on the East Coast. “Philadelphia was chosen as an East Coast hub because we have some connections with our [organization] to Philadelphia and everyone knows what a great food city this is — how people are passionate about food here and about health,” she said. According to Lawrence, once Philly was identified as an area for expansion, a Fishtown location was a natural fit. “With Fishtown, especially, we saw a neighborhood that really has it all. It has a lot of residential parts of Continued on Page 4.

t the start of every New Year, Americans resolve to quit their bad habits and take up good ones. Fitness resolutions always top the list and gym signups skyrocket in January as people plan to make this their year for getting in shape. By February, many have fallen off the fitness bandwagon. But this year Riverwards locals can finally break the cycle thanks to the long-anticipated opening of City Fitness’ flagship location in Fishtown. Having this 25,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility conveniently located along Fishtown’s main artery at 1424 Frankford Ave., near La Colombe, makes sticking to your 2017 resolutions easier than ever. City Fitness’ marketing director, Tom Wingert, says the prime location is key. “If a gym is more than a mile or a mile and a half away from your house, you’re just not going to go,” he said. Construction on the space started around this time last year and Wingert says it was designed with the local community in mind. “We have an absolutely beautiful space that we think is a reflection of the development happening in Fishtown,” he said. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with natural light, and the gym boasts the latest in fitness equipment, spacious group training classrooms and an outdoor area that will host fitness classes and training on turf in warmer months. Stripp’d Juice will soon open their second PhilContinued on Page 7.

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017

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he legacy of Edgar Allan Poe has become big business in Philly. Proof of this was evident during the Inaugural Poe Arts Festival at the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site and the German Society this past October. For a mere $10, participants got to sample beer, food, watch performances and listen to talks about Poe. Most readers will recognize Poe, along with Mary Shelley (Frankenstein) and Bram Stoker (Dracula), as one of the progenitors of horror fiction. Poe lived in Philly for about six years and spent the last 18 months of his time here with his wife Virginia, his mother-in-law Muddy and his cat, Catterina, in the now historic home at 7th and Spring Garden Streets. While in the city, Poe worked for a number of magazines, although his journalistic run was sometimes rough because he liked to drink in the afternoon. This habit caused him to be fired from one publication, although he was given a second chance when a man named George Graham made him editor of Graham’s Magazine. When Poe aficionado, Herb Moskovitz, asked me to read adapted sections from Poe’s story, "Murders in the Rue Morgue", to Poe house visitors during the inaugural festival, I was more than willing to oblige. On the night of the readings, Herb and I were stationed in Poe’s old kitchen, a fairly small room that barely held the groups that were ushered in by a guide to hear us read. In the dark room we took turns reading the adapted story, the only lights were small flashlights clipped on the corner of our scripts. The interest (and appreciation) expressed by the various groups that crammed into that small space was impressive and contagious, and made me wonder just what it was about Poe that attracted such a diverse array of people. While it’s possible that some in the groups that came to hear us read were well read literary types, I felt that most were actually general readers with an interest in Halloween horror as it related to a scary story by Poe they may have remembered from childhood, even though there’s nothing especially scary about Poe’s fiction. The gore in Poe’s horror fiction, the rolling heads, the stab wounds, the walled up victims unable to breathe, all of this is too outlandishly gothic to arouse genuine fright among most readers. Standing in the dark kitchen, it became obvious to me that none of the visitors were really frightened, but were more interested in hearing how Poe’s gothic sentences rolled off a reader’s lips on Halloween. The idea, after all, was to create an atmosphere where Poe seemed to be in every particle of dust floating in the house, even if the really frightening experiences would have to wait until everyone at the festival went home and caught up on the latest world and local news, where the real horror resides. The numbers of people who crowded the Poe house that night got me wondering if Poe’s writing somehow speaks to our age more than it did to previous generations. Is the increased violence in the world, from ISIS to the killings in streets of Chicago, the catalyst that helps drive some to bask, with minimal discomfort, in the lamplight of B-movie gothic horror? Or is something else going on? Only a one-act play written by Poe’s friend, George Lippard, captured the sense of true horror when it ended on the festival stage with one man slitting another man’s throat.

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Here, I thought, is an authentic contemporary link. There’s no doubt that Poe, and the manufacturing of his legacy, has become big business. But would Poe appreciate this fact were he able to come back to life? Several years ago, there was a Poe “war of the corpses” when Philly Poe scholar Ed Pettit challenged the curator of Baltimore’s Poe House, Jeff Jerome, when Pettit suggested in a City Paper article that Poe’s body should be moved from Baltimore, where it is buried, to Philadelphia, where Poe wrote many of his noteworthy stories. The implication here, of course, is that Poe’s Philadelphia experience was richer and more substantial than the experiences he gathered in Baltimore. Poe actually considered himself to be a Virginian, so in theory Richmond, Virginia might also have requested Poe’s corpse to be transferred there for reburial. One could chime for months about the relative merits of various resting places as they relate to Poe, but in the end arguments like this end up sounding like theologian Thomas Aquinas quibbling about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. As a former Baltimorean, I can tell you that Baltimore does have a foreboding feel to it — I even want to call it a creepy element — that Philly does not have. For this reason it is a more fitting city than Philly for Poe’s earthly remains. Poe’s skyrocketing popularity has a kind of boardwalk quality to it, reminiscent of mass produced knick knacks and mugs sold in novelty shops. When a writer becomes so popular that his/her image winds up on jars of Nescafe and breakfast jam, the tendency for some is to not bother with the writer at all. Picture 10,000 people reading Harry Potter in a football stadium and you might understand why some readers would opt never to go to that stadium. You might describe over -saturation like this as the ‘drink the Kool Aid’ literary equivalent of the celebrity-loving sheep that follow every bit of news about the Kardashians. Heavily gothic literature with lots of blood spilling is often equated with teenage angst. Writing only about dark things is a little like dressing up 24/7 in dark Goth clothing, which used to be the fashion among teenagers. As in fashion, so in literature, it helps to accessorize and diversify. Yet the mystique of Poe is powerful enough to seduce even the most resistant reader. This is why while in Poe’s kitchen I found myself running my fingers along the walls, as if forcing a spiritual communion between myself and the writer. Standing in the dark, knowing that this was once the room where Poe lounged, chatted or argued with his wife or mother-in-law, scolded the cat, suffered multiple hangovers or dreamed up a new story idea while running his fingers along the wall was for me, a Halloween bonus. After all, the kitchen in any house is where the most dramatic family events occur, and this was almost certainly true for the family Poe. At some point during my time in Poe’s kitchen, I thought of the Walt Whitman house in Camden, New Jersey, another national literary shrine. Although far simpler in structure and allure than the Poe House, it is in many ways far more authentic. The Whitman house has not been remodeled, but in fact contains the same humble furniture that Whitman used. While Poe’s sojourn in Philly was relatively short, Whitman’s stay in Camden was

THOM NICKELS IS A PHILADELPHIA BASED AUTHOR, JOURNALIST, POET, FILM CRITIC & FEATURE WRITER FOR SPIRIT NEWS.

so long that it’s probable that a DNA expert could comb the place and discover, even at this late date, “pieces” of old Walt in the walls and floors. In fact, the unglamorous Whitman house comes close to replicating the standard small Fishtown row home. It’s an understatement to say that Poe’s work is not universally appreciated. There are some critics, for instance, who say that it is vastly overrated. A poetry site, Poetry Snark, lists the ten most overrated poets of all time. Included in the list are Charles Bukowski, Ted Hughes, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Edgar Allan Poe. The famed English poet T.S. Eliot once wrote: “Poe as a man who dabbled in verse and in kinds of prose, without settling down to make a thoroughly good job of any one genre” But all of this is ultimately in the eye of the beholder. To appreciate Poe doesn’t mean having to get stuck forever in Poe at the risk of ignoring other writers of greater or lesser importance, even if his mystique, however self indulgent in its dark gothic imagery, is far more seductive than the lives of most scribes. •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 S E V E N D AY F O R E C A S T F O R T H E R I V E R WA R D S

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appy New Year! What weather will greet us in 2017? Snow and cold! The cold comes back this week and I expect snow to follow. The question is how much? The first shot of snow comes on Thursday night with a weak coastal storm that develops too far away to bring significant snowfall. We could see an inch or two at most — getting nothing at all is also in the cards. The second shot is a much more significant threat that is going to bring a foot of snow to somebody. That “somebody” could be the VA/NC area or it could be the DC/ PHL/NYC corridor. I am intensely tracking both of these

storms and I’ll provide updates and videos as the details become clearer. One thing is certain, however: The pattern has shifted back to being cold. For the past couple weeks much of our weather has been above normal and rainy (as you well know). Wednesday is a transition day that starts off warm, but gradually gets colder throughout the day. Temperatures will fall into the 20s at night. The cold air settles in for Thursday; temperatures only get to the lower 30s. A weak coastal storm develops late in the day that may throw some light snow over the area. This

does not look like a big deal at all, but it is worth watching. Friday is a cold and raw January day. Temperatures will primarily be in the 20s from sun up to sundown. Saturday could feature the biggest snowstorm of the winter season for us or absolutely nothing. A storm will gather across the south and try to move north. The cold air may suppress it to the south and prevent any snow from coming north of DC. Historically, we should see some snow from a setup like this so I’ll be updating the forecast frequently. The storm would wrap up early Sunday morning. Monday is a cold, dry day behind the storm while Tuesday features a slight increase in temperatures. •

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Page 4 Continued from Page 1. it, obviously, with lots of young professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, and families… as well as places where people work… two things we really look for,” Lawrence said. The Snap Kitchen concept is centered on a true grab and go lifestyle. All of Snap’s meals are pre-packaged and ready to eat. Customers can heat up their meals on location or at their home or office in a microwave or conventional oven. Meals come in three sizes — small, medium, and large — and nutritional and calorie information is prominently displayed, so there’s no guesswork when it comes to meal planning. Meals range in price from about $6 for some smaller dishes to $15 for some of the larger options. Whether you’re vegan, pescatarian, vegetarian, or paleo, there are options for every lifestyle and palate. In addition, all of Snap’s meals are naturally gluten free. Snap also offers smaller snacks a full line of juices, blends, and shakes, most for around $5 or $6 a pop. Aside from nutrition and price, what really separates Snap Kitchen from traditional “fast food” is a focus on freshness. Meals for all of the Philadelphia area stores are prepared from scratch daily at a central, 8,600 squarefoot commissary kitchen in Kensington at the corner of I and Ontario Streets. “We’ve created about 70 jobs in that area,” Lawrence said. “It’s really great, because not only are we able to produce really healthy food from scratch every day, but we’re able to bring jobs in and kind of be part of the revitalization of the Kensington neighborhood.” That dedication to the local community extends into some of Snap’s charitable efforts as well. Snap Kitchen works with Philabundence and other organizations to get excess food to those in need throughout Philadelphia, so that food waste is kept to a minimum. “When Philabundence and organizations can’t pick up every day in Fishtown, we donate to the Lutheran Settlement House, which is right across the street. It’s really great because we have the opportunity to give the health food experience not only to the guests that are able to come into our stores, but to the surrounding neighborhoods and those who may not be able to come into our shops,” said Lawrence. By all accounts, Snap Kitchen is fitting in nicely in Fishtown. A Monday evening visit revealed a steady stream of customers — many in workout clothes — perusing shelves full of meals like Veggie Lasagna, Sweet Chile Glazed Salmon and Coconut Beef Curry. According to Lawrence, the reaction from customers has been overwhelmingly positive. “People have really welcomed us with open arms. It’s really great being right there on Frankford Ave, where a lot of people are either walking to the El in the morning or from the El at night or they’re going to La Colombe or one of the other great businesses around there. It’s just a really natural fit in the area,” she said. With Snap’s presence firmly in Philly, the next step is making access to healthy eating even easier for custom-

The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 ers. In mid-January, Philadelphians will be able to download the Snap Kitchen smartphone app, where they’ll be able to order and pay for meals ahead of time, streamlining the in-store pickup process. According to Lawrence, delivery may be soon available through the app as well, ensuring that we’ll all have one less excuse for breaking that New Year’s resolution to eat healthier. •

The new Snap Kitchen location can be found at 1325 Frankford Ave./Photos by Michael Hanisco

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 WRITTEN BY GRACE SHALLOW

Maker’s Series

F I S H T O W N P L AY S C H O O L C R E A T E S A C H A N C E T O C R E A T E A N D G I V E B A C K

ishtown Playschool started in the living rooms of 11 families in 2013. Nearly three years later, in the annex of The First Presbyterian Church of Kensington (418 E Girard Ave), parents are still the driving force of the playschool. The organization started an adults-only Maker’s Series in November to fundraise and give parents the opportunity for a night out — something that doesn’t come so easily, said Abby Bronstein, a co-founder of the playschool. The series started on November 11th with a pasta making and wine tasting event at Franklin and Poe (1817 Frankford Ave.), followed by a holiday wreath making workshop at Palmer Pond Art Center (1431 E Montgomery Ave.). The next event is a pottery making session on January 14th at The Clay Studio in Old City (137-139 N 2nd St). The playschool meets three days a week from 9:30AM to 12:30PM to offer kids aged 2-5 a play-based start to their education. Christine Morrissey, a co-founder and teacher at the playschool, said creativity is encouraged in the classroom. To start their mornings, children have a long free play in whatever space of the playschool they choose, including options like the block corner, sensory bin, library, sculpture table and science center. “We are a play-based environment so all of our learning experiences are made through play... We try to bring their learning experiences to those areas,” Morrissey said. Bronstein said the fundraising series reflects the creativity of the neighborhood and parents. “Given the nature of our neighborhood, the families that come here are artistic and creative,” Bronstein said. “We were trying to tap into the talents of our own community to lead these.” Ceramicists Sara Gallo and John Williams, two parents of children in the playschool, are leading the upcoming pottery making event. Gallo said participants will use a pottery wheel to create something, decorate it and bring it home. Tickets for the pottery making event can be purchased on Eventbrite. The cost of $50 includes time at the wheel, all materials and the firing fee. Bronstein said the previous events in the series were sold out and she expects no different for the pottery making event due to the quality of the programming. She added that the money raised by the Maker’s Series is the first step in a “strategic planning process” to fundraise for a new space for the playschool to accommodate a growing wait list of interested families. Gallo, a member of the playschool’s Development Committee, helped with the initial planning of the fundraiser. The committee formed in October to discuss how to improve the program and its presence in the community, Gallo said. “We talk about building community relationships and how we can strengthen our relationships to other businesses and other institutions and other nonprofits in the community,” she added. None of the events in the series are hosted at the Fishtown Playschool to encourage people to “utilize the spaces of the community,” Bronstein said. She added that anyone from the neighborhood or outside of it, not just parents of children in the playschool, are welcome to attend the series. “It’s not just writing a check for the school, it’s a night out for adults,” Bronstein said. “The whole other part of the Maker’s Series is they can leave with something... It’s an experience.” •

Christine Morrissey working with kids at Fishtown Playschool./Photos by Grace Shallow

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 WRITTEN BY GRACE SHALLOW

ArtsMobile Program ARTS INTEGRATION IN LOCAL SCHOOLS TO MAKE STUDENTS LIFETIME ARTISTS

hen Sarah Damiano teaches kids about fractions, she starts with a quilt. She is the director of Portside Arts Center’s ArtsMobile program, which is introducing local schools to arts integration programming. Using the quilt and its patterns to explain how fractions work is one example of how the program can be applied. “Everything we are doing is providing opportunities [for kids] to explore,” she said. “What it will really do is connect the kids with the content in a physical way… Your most vibrant memories are always connected to more than one sense.” Arts integration programming is 50 percent art and 50 percent academics. The program is meant to foster connections between art and academic subjects, Damiano said. The center held a one-month pilot program for arts integration last year. Staff members of Portside and assisting artists-in-residence are currently observing three classrooms in both Horatio Hackett Elementary School (2161 E. York Street) and Alexander Adaire Elementary School (1300 E. Palmer Street). On January 4th, they will officially begin teaching arts integration to students. The center also posts resources for arts integration activities on the program’s website that teachers can access for free to reinforce certain subjects if needed, Damiano said. The ArtsMobile program began in the form of a school bus with an underwater scene painted on its exterior that would pick kids up during school to be a mobile, visual arts classroom. The center hoped to accommodate for arts education in local schools. Portside switched the program’s focus to arts integration to encourage local schools to provide teachers and facilities in their own buildings, said Jenna Wilchinsky, the center’s program director. “If the schools eventually get art teachers, [arts integration] wouldn’t be irrelevant and we wouldn’t be replacing anybody,” Wilchinsky said. “Now, we can work in tandem with the schools and teachers.” Damiano introduced the idea of arts integration to the center after hearing about it while she was a student at the Maryland Institute College of Art. “The reason it’s very successful is it’s very hands-on,” Damiano said. “It provides access to children with multiple senses, multiple learning points so they can really have a better chance to remember, engage with it and retain it.” The program is entirely funded by organizations like the Lindback Foundation, Penn Treaty Special Services District and the Spruce Foundation. It is also supported by several politicians, including Councilman David Oh and PA State Rep. John Taylor. Damiano said in the future they will work with teachers to write out a curriculum for implementation in the classroom. “We’re asking the teachers, ‘What exactly do you want us to target?’,” Damiano said. “They know the ins and outs of this academic content that they’re trying to present… I feel like we can learn so much from each other.” Shannon Brooks is an assistant artist-in-residence for the program who partners with the teacher to introduce students to arts integration. When she was growing up, Brooks said she never excelled at math or science, and she saw arts integration as a way to help students similar to her. “Going in a classroom and helping students... understand concepts in an artistic way was really appealing, as well as just fostering critical thinking and empathy,”

From Left to Right: Jenna Wilchinsky, Sarah Damiano and Shannon Brooks./Photos by Grace Shallow

Brooks said. “I think that’s a huge thing that needs to be integrated into any subject.” Damiano said the center hopes to expand the program to two more classrooms each year, depending on funding. Teachers tell the center what subject they would like to implement arts integration for and they hold 45-minute sessions in the classroom once a week. Damiano hopes by implementing arts integration in the beginning of children’s education and developmental period, its effect will be long-term, she said. “Once an artist, always an artist,” she said. •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 Continued from Page 1. adelphia location here and anyone looking to get a juice fix can visit whether they’re a City Fitness member or not. Sweat, sculpt and tone your body through their robust group fitness program that features 200 unique offerings every week. “We’ll have everything but yoga,” Wingert said. “Anything you can think of: Body Pump, spinning, pilates, and interval training classes.” Steps away from vibrant, freshly opened redevelopments from Lululemon and Snap Kitchen to the long-awaited Cake Life Bake Shop, this City Fitness is the first gym of its caliber to arrive in the heart of this neighborhood. And so far, the local response to the opening has been enthusiastic. “We’re signing up 80-90 members a day,” Wingert said. “There’s a great need for this kind of business in Fishtown.” Reaching out to this community is a main priority for City Fitness. “We want to play a role in creating a fitter version of Fishtown and engage local business and community groups by doing free fitness events,” Wingert explained. City Fitness generated buzz for their Fishtown opening in recent months by experimenting with these free events. The most successful was called Bagel Booty and the 100 plus participants received a free Philly Style Bagel after completing an ambassador-led workout. This event’s success showed Wingert that City Fitness is tracking on current trends. “You look at the way people are engaging in physical activity lately, and Run 215, November Project, City Fit Girls, and Instagram-driven, free fitness experiments are happening everywhere,” he said. “We don’t think necessarily that takes away from the gym phenomena. But what we do think is there’s an absolute demand for people to interact with their communities in healthy ways.” If you missed the free pre-opening events, don’t worry. Wingert expects the complimentary community classes to continue. “Free interesting programs are something I’m investing in heavily,” he said. Looking to get a jump on your resolutions and join in January? Unfortunately, City Fitness does not discount memberships for the new year as many of their competitors do. But if you sign up in January they’ll donate half the income from your membership to organizations working to rebuild Philadelphia’s public parks. Memberships are $45.99 per person, per month and in-

clude access to all City Fitness locations. Free seven-day passes are available if you’re hesitant to make a commitment without a test drive. City Fitness Fishtown’s permanent hours are Monday-Thursday from 5AM to 1AM, Friday 5AM to 10PM, and Saturday-Sunday 8AM to 10PM. •

LESS YOU. MORE LIFE.

Lululemon ‘The Local Fishtown’ Concept Store Replaces Kit and Ace In the shadow of City Fitness Fishtown, Lululemon welcomed Black Friday crowds to a launch party celebrating the opening of their first East Coast concept store. Called simply, The Local Fishtown, this store is part retail space and part community hub. They’ll be offering free fitness classes, craft workshops, coworking space, speaker panels, and a gallery for local art. The store replaces Kit and Ace—an athleisure boutique—at 1424 Frankford Avenue and caters to Fishtown’s changing vibe. This revitalized strip boasts the two-story City Fitness flagship and the soon-to-open Stripp’d Juice store. The Local Fishtown sells a curated collection of Lululemon athletic wear for men and women along with goods made by local designers. All this development means Riverwards residents can get their sweat on and buy fresh, high-end fitness duds— all without a SEPTA ride into Center City.

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HANISCO

Let There be Light!

S P R I N G G A R D E N C O N N E C T O R I L L U M I N A T E D B Y P E R M A N E N T, H I G H - T E C H L I G H T I N G D I S P L AY

gaggle of media members and Northern Liberties neighbors gathered in front of a small podium near the corner of 2nd and Spring Garden Streets last month. Bundled tight and sipping hot chocolate, the crowd eagerly anticipated a dazzling December light show. Despite the Christmas atmosphere, however, it wasn’t a tree that would light up on this night. Rather, it was the previously dark and cavernous underpass that houses the Spring Garden stop on the Market-Frankford line and links Northern Liberties to the Delaware River waterfront. Following brief remarks from representatives of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC), the City of Philadelphia, and the Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association (NLNA), a switch was flipped and the underpass lit up in vibrant, living color. The permanent light display is part of a years-long project to transform this section of Spring Garden Street into a welcoming and useful gateway to Columbus Boulevard and the waterfront. Spring Garden was identified as a vital neighborhood connector to the waterfront as part of the City of Philadelphia’s Master Plan for the Central Delaware in 2012. Matt Ruben, President of the NLNA, could barely contain his excitement as he addressed the crowd gathered for the lighting ceremony, stressing the importance of this project in reuniting the neighborhood and the waterfront. “We need to reconnect to our river. This is the only straight-on view corridor of any size to the waterfront left in Philadelphia. Without Spring Garden, that’s it. That is why this connector is so important. There are acres and acres of developable land at the end of this,” he said. As dozens of SEPTA commuters streamed by, Ruben pointed out that the transformation is good news not only for residents of Northern Liberties, but to everyone in the city who has access to SEPTA and the Market-Frankford line. “This is a SEPTA subway station, this is a multiple bus route terminal, and an Indigo bike station. This is a major transport hub and a connector to Northern Liberties, the fastest growing community in Philly, and to a key part of our waterfront,” Ruben said. “When we turn on these lights, we are going to be lighting up a future for our waterfront that will not only be good for all of us, but for our children and their children,” he added. The pre-programmed LED lights are designed around the cycle of the sun as it rises and sets each day. The lighting program can easily be changed to reflect holiday celebrations, social awareness campaigns, and to show support for Philadelphia’s major sports teams, should any of them make a playoff run. The lighting and streetscape improvements were designed by NV5 (formerly the RBA Group), Cloud Gehshan Associates, The Lighting Practice, and Urban Sign, Inc. The project was built by AP Construction and Paramount Electric. The upgrades go beyond the high-tech LED lights to include the construction of new sidewalks, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps, curb bump outs for improved pedestrian access, the planting of street trees, and the installation of a new traffic signal at Front Street and Spring Garden. The $2.4 million project was funded through grants from the William Penn Foundation, PennDOT’s multi-modal fund, the Commonwealth Financing Authority, the City of Philadelphia. According the DRWC, all of the lighting elements were installed with the I-95 revitalization project in mind. All of the displays can be easily removed and safely stored when PennDOT begins construction on this segment of Interstate 95, and quickly restored at the completion of construction. •

The Polish American String Band Particpates in the Mummers Day Parade./Michael Klusek

The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017

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WRITTEN BY SHARON ISABEL CURLEY

Spirit Astrology YOUR DOSE OF HYPERLOCAL SPIRITUAL ADVICE

Aries: New year’s resolutions are often forgotten shortly within the first days or weeks or months of the year. There is this moment where the resolution is made and your spirit is lifted, and everything seems like it will change. Yet, you are only you and your dedication to things is of your own control. The Aries of the zodiac are often full of ideas that are usually fulfilled, but only after a long period of procrastination. Maybe your resolution this year can begin with a long period of procrastinating, and perhaps you can set a goal for a few months from now. For example, if you want to stop smoking, say you’ll quit by May. If you want to go on a diet, give yourself the whole year to lose weight. I’d suggest even making a longer term goal. Do a five year plan. Whatever you choose to accomplish, you most certainly will in the end. Taurus: As I am writing this horoscope from River Wards Cafe, there is a woman on her computer at one table, and another woman very openly and unashamed gazing over her shoulder to see what the first woman is doing, and I am watching her watch her. I wonder if anyone is watching me? I am sitting behind a man who smells like a fresh shower. I wonder if he thinks he smells as nice as I think he does? Wonder is a beautiful thing. The pragmatic Taurus that you often are should take this year of 2017 to dream a little more. Allow yourself to wonder and not be so practical all the time. Life is what dreams are made of, whether you want to accept that or not. Gemini: Sometimes we describe a feeling as being “cloudy.” Maybe it’s hangover, maybe it’s a memory. It’s just not quite clear. It doesn’t feel quite right. Why is that? What’s so wrong with a cloudy day? You could see these days like a warm cozy hug. Everything seems to slow down just a little bit. 2016 was a rough year for a lot of people, and you kept powering through it. Let 2017 be a year of calm. Instead of looking at things like raining on your parade, try to let yourself relax and not mind the hassle this year. Take the words that make up the title of one of my favorite books, “The Unbearable Lightness Of Being”, by Milan Kundera as your motto for your feelings. Cancer: I spent the spring and summer of last year working for Haley Trikes (located in the Transport Cycle building on Frankford Ave). I can’t say I have had more fun at a job in years. Myself and the two other people I worked with spent so much time laughing, I could completely forget about my unbearable anxiety I was suffering from during that time. At some point I started taking meds for my anxiety, and the laughter dwindled. Cancer, an often dryer personality type of the zodiac, can simply enjoy other people’s enjoyment without ever creating their own. 2017 should be a year for you to find ways to laugh uncontrollably without substance, but with free, pure enjoyment of thyself. Leo: In the past few months, I have revisited “The Wizard Of Oz” more times than I can count. Everytime, without fail, I allow my feelings to become so involved that I am taken aback everytime Oz is figured out to be not so mighty, after all. Although he’s able to grant the wishes of the characters who came for his help, he does it in such a simple way. The Tin Man was so happy to have a ticking heart for all to see. The Scarecrow has a diploma, and the Lion his medal of courage (after his incredible song and dance performance). Back in Kansas, Dorothy wakes up from a dream that was so real to her. Leo, this is your year to remember that your grand ideas of your wishes being granted can come in a form you never knew, and granted in ways you would have never expected. Virgo: As I traveled through Fishtown, Port Richmond and Kensington this New Year’s Day, I was happy to see the sprawl from the parade carry over into these neighborhoods, where particular brigades originate from. I often wonder why people complain about thousands of people gathering and enjoying themselves in complete disregard for rules

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for one day of the year. Seeing Mummers in all their glory in their own neighborhoods, with any “brave” soul out to see them was a true beauty carried from the trash ridden streets of South Philadelphia. Let 2017 bring you the joy these people feel on this one day, Virgo. Strut your stuff this year! Libra: As a nurturer, I am sure you can sympathize with me here, Libra. The past few months my therapy sessions have involved me, in one way or another, freaking out about not being on the path to having my own family yet. At my age, this breaks my heart, and is sometimes nearly impossible to accept. Perhaps you can share my sentiment here, because you’ve been having a relatable hardship? Is there something you are just so focused on that seems like an impossible accomplishment at this time in your life? All I can do is avoid the things I want and learn to accept the things I have. I must change my life goals to new goals, and figuring them out is hard, but certainly do-able. Lucky for you, it is in your nature to give comfort. However, it’s time you need to start giving such comfort to yourself. 2017 might be shocking in allowing you to learn this. Scorpio: I spent a part of New Year’s Day at Penn Treaty Park. I hadn’t wanted to step foot in that park since July 2, 2016. The day after my first solo art exhibition since returning to Philadelphia from the West Coast, I was riding high that beautiful summer day. I went to Penn Treaty and so much of my life turned to crap right then and there before my eyes. Within seconds, a moment went from joyous to terrifying. Yet, I traveled back to the park to start this year, needing a different attitude, and remembering that it’s not the park’s fault that I had a rough time there. I learned to love the park all over again. Let this be your year to take hard associations away from your memory, and let bygones be bygones. Sagittarius: If life has thus far brought you stress within your relationships with friends or family, I suggest it’s time for a change. Sagittarius is often stubborn in their ways. And for no good reason, really. Learn to accept change in a great way. You can start small, like heading to Circle Thrift and purchasing a garment that you normally wouldn’t wear and just rocking it like it’s been yours forever. Or go big, and reach out to a certain someone in one of those struggling relationships to let them know that you are grateful for them. Imagine the power in that vs. continuing to struggle! Your strong and showy personality could use a little humbling this year. Capricorn: I recently suggested that 2016 was not so bad on account of all the celebrity deaths, for their art is still available to us in the only forms we knew them to be anyway. Sure, I cried in my mother’s arms in ‘94 when Kurt Cobain died, full of teen angst and plenty of drug use already, breaking down like a little baby because my hero was dead. Yet, I listen to Nirvana nowadays with the same passion for life that I did so many years ago. You never have to let go of your own personal nostalgia. Sometimes incredibly haunting, it can also bring you such cheer like the most innocent and pure joy you’ve ever known right there, filling your heart and soul with a simple memory. Don’t let things get to you so harshly this year, Capricorn. This is your year to really smell the flowers, or at least remember what they smelled like in ways you know and loved in your past. Aquarius: Sometimes it’s easy to forget things like how much you enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then you eat one, and for a few minutes, life becomes so exciting. It’s like having an itch that you can’t reach and someone scratches it for you and all is well again. 2017 is your year to remember that the end result is always achievable if you have the patience to get there. Take this year with stride. Powering through life is some kind of obstacle you allow yourself, but long slow steps are going to help you more this year. While you’re eating that PB&J, take small bites and chew them slowly. Because if you eat it too fast, you might just crave another. Don’t lose the joy in what you cherish by gunning through life. Remember: Slow and steady wins the race. Pisces: Alright, Pisces, looks like you’re the sign that gets the political side of things this time, buddy. My friend often refers to Donald Trump as the “unregistered sex offender president-elect.” As to not start a frenzy, I will just say, I couldn’t love his words more. Fear has been instilled in our human race forever. Hell, death, Trump... you name it. This will certainly be a year for our country to either fall apart or come together. It’s going to be interesting to see what we choose to do. As for you, personally, I suggest letting go of your inner fears and coming together with the people around you this year to learn new ways to enjoy your own life. The world around you is out of your control, but your own little world within you is all yours. Treat it as best you can. •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 WRITTEN BY SEAN KEARNEY

protest show

M A N N E Q U I N P U S S Y H O L D S D A P L B E N E F I T AT T H E B AT T I N G CA G ES

he election of president-elect Donald Trump has left some residents of the Riverwards feeling uncertain about what the next four years will look like for America. While dissenters of the newly elected Trump have signed petitions, protested and dove headlong into fiery debate sessions on social media, for many, the question remains, “what can I actually do about it?” Marisa Dabice, lead singer and guitarist of local punk group Mannequin Pussy may have the answer for you: Go to more shows. Dabice and the rest of her bandmates decided that all ticket sales at their recent homecoming show at Everybody Hits (529 W Girard Ave.) last month would go to a cause threatened by the incoming administration, The Dakota Access Pipeline protesters. While construction on the pipeline has been suspended, Mannequin Pussy decided to focus on directing money directly to the legal defense fund of the water protectors in preparation the upcoming court appearances set for February. Mannequin Pussy was on tour in support of their recent and critically acclaimed album "Romantic" on election night, a night that Dabice remembers well. “We were in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” Dabice said. “We didn't have to watch anything, everyone at the show was obsessively refreshing the results on their phones every few minutes. By the time we were on our way to stay with our friends, the results were in.” Regardless of the election results, Mannequin Pussy still had a month of touring to do before they returned to Philadelphia. “The immediate days after the election were the strangest to play. It's usually so easy to drop into the abyss and focus on what you're playing, but in the first few shows after the election I felt my mind wandering back to the results the most. It was harder to focus,” Dabice said. As strange as playing shows each night was for everyone in the band, travelling through Oklahoma, to California, and back to Philadelphia again allowed Dabice to interact with a variety of Americans still raw from the results. “For the first time since we've been a band, more and more people have wanted to talk to us about politics,” Dabice said. “Asking us about what we've experienced throughout the country and more importantly telling us what life is like for them where they live.” Of those experiences, Dabice was particularly moved by what she heard in Oklahoma. “Their governor Mary Fallin is an aggressively pro-oil politician who receives the more contributions from the oil and gas industry than from anywhere else,” Dabice said. “She's almost single-handedly responsible for Oklahoma now surpassing California in yearly earthquakes — All due to fracking. She signed a bill into law that prevents any town or city in Oklahoma from banning fracking. She seriously created a day

of prayer for the oil industry in Oklahoma. This was everything we learned the morning after and it got us all to thinking that this problem is so much larger than Donald Trump.” As Dabice and the band met and talked to more people around the country, they realized that their homecoming show at Everybody Hits could also serve as a bit of political activism. For Dabice, the appeal of benefit shows is that they are fundraisers, but simultaneously could educate show-goers who may not be as aware of strife in other parts of the country. Given that Trump had publicly denied climate change and stated he would “scrap” the EPA, Dabice felt that “shoring up the defenses” by supporting the legal funds of DAPL protesters was a worthy cause. “We have very nearly decimated every resource we have on this Earth and for what? Cheap gas? Billionaires bank accounts?” Dabice said. “We have U.S. governors and senators who are about as pro-oil and pro-capitalism as they come, protecting the interests of shareholders and protecting an oil and gas industry who don't seem to have a shred of conscience about the havoc they're wreaking on our planet. We've successfully both dumbed down our society by vilifying intellectualism and science and have made it increasingly trendy for our youth to feed into apathy and narcissism.” The fundraiser and show went as well as it could have for Mannequin Pussy, openers Spirit of the Beehive and Beth Israel, and the defense funds of the DAPL protesters. The show itself sold out and they raised $1,200 to donate. The night was so successful, the band quickly booked another benefit show for February 24th at Johnny Brenda’s to raise money for the Trevor Project, a non-profit organization founded in 1998 focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning and other queer youth. On top of that, the band is already in the planning stages for another benefit show in April.

Although anxiety and uncertainty has been a theme of our current political climate, inaction and so-called “arm chair activism” has been the talk of the last several political cycles, especially when referring to the younger, more liberal electorate. While bands like Mannequin Pussy bring people and donations to events like the one at Everybody Hits, Dabice hopes to send a message: Stay focused. “Please pay attention,” Dabice said, “Remember that being politically aware is not the same as being politically active. If you've truly felt fear and pain in the weeks after the election, do everything you can to dissent from the new administration and recognize the communities, activists, and organizations around you that you can support in the years to come. donating to charity, attending benefit shows, engaging in the political system are all simple acts of resistance that anyone can do. it's easy to feel hopeless but it's also just as easy to find ways to engage your time, money, and efforts against an administration that seeks to hyper normalize capitalism, racism, and greed.” If you would like to donate to the Sacred Stone Legal Defense, you can visit their FundRazr page at https://fundrazr. com/sacredstone. You can find more information or donate to the Trevor Fund at thetrevorproject.org. •

Members of the West Philadelphia Orchestra performing for the Rabble Rousers band on Hagert St. outside Lost Bar on New Years Day. Rabble Rousers Birds and Flies danced and sung together as the group performed their Toilet Skit "Parade of Excuses" for the local crowd./Photos by Emily Wren Photography www.emilywren.com

The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017

Board of Directors

A MESSAGE FROM THE PENN TREATY SPECIAL SERVICES DISTRICT

As 2016 comes to a close, the volunteer Board Members of the Penn Treaty Special Services District (PTSSD) wish you a happy, healthy New Year. The Board recognizes while our economy continues to improve, many families continue to struggle. With that in mind, the members of PTSSD Board continue to work with SugarHouse Casino to ensure that residents of our community are given the opportunity to work in the various positions at SugarHouse. Our work has also included the promotion of SugarHouse vendor opportunities for local businesses. With the financial commitments made by SugarHouse under the Community Benefits Agreement, we have been able to distribute nearly $4,000,000 to local organizations, as well as cultural, educational, and art programs in our community. Among our grant recipients are: Northern Liberties Neighbors Association, Fishtown Neighbors Association, Friends of Palmer Cemetery, Northern Liberties Arts, Olde Richmond Civic Association, St. Anne’s Church, Beacon, Friends of Penn Treaty Park, Friends of Orianna Park, Liberty Landings, Fishtown Athletic Club, Kearney Home and School, Newman Senior Housing, Philadelphia Photo Arts Center, By My Side, LaSalle Academy, Rock to the Future, Kensington Soccer Club, B. Someday Productions - Walking Fish Theatre, Philadelphia Live Arts, Portside Arts Center, Elm Tree Veterans Post, St. Anne’s Boys Scouts, Hetzell’s Advisory Council, Handcock Advisory Council, St. Peter the Apostle School, St. Laurentius CYO and School, Kensington South CDC, South Kensington Community Partners, Kensington American Veterans Post 146, St. Anne’s Alumni for School, Fishtown Action Community Programs, Back On My Feet, Lutheran Settlement House Programs, Friends of Fishtown Library, Penn Home, Riverwards Community Watch, H&S Learning Center, NL Arts, The Lacy Gallagher Memorial Fund, Arab American Development Corp., Stan the Cutman Memorial Field, LaSalle Academy and AOH Division 51. The Penn Treaty Special Services District has also sponsored many events and neighborhood initiatives. Examples include: Job Interview Prep Workshops, 2nd Street Festival, Northern Liberties Winter Fest, Ceiba Tax Preparation, We Care Soccer Camp, the March Academic Madness for 2010 through 2016 and the Spelling Bee for Community Children in 2010 through 2016. It is important to note that all monthly Board meetings are open to the public so the media and any member of our community can observe and provide comment. Since the PTSSD Board of Directors is comprised of neighborhood volunteers, every penny received from SugarHouse is pumped directly into the community. Because we represent and serve you, the PTSSD Board prides itself on 100% transparency. As such, all of our financial records are open to anyone for inspection. To find more information about the Penn Treaty Special Services District, visit our website at www.penntreatyssd.com. We welcome any suggestions or comments on how we can better serve you our neighbors. Sincerely, Rick Angeli, Chairman Richard Levins, Vice-Chairman Anne McKenna, Treasurer Dolores Griffith, Secretary Marilyn Cruz, Board Member Stephen Richman, Board Member Kevin Shannon, Board Member This message was donated at no cost to the Penn Treaty Special Services District.

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR N E W S @ S P I R I T N E W S . O R G • 1 4 2 8 E . S U S Q U E H A N N A AV E • 2 1 5 . 4 2 3 . 6 2 4 6

meet ing s Wednesday, January 4th, 7PM PROPAC MEETING The Columbia Social Club 3529 Almond St. 24th District PSA-3 Crime Stats and Updates with 24th District Captain Daniel O’Connor and Community Relations Officer Tina Willis. Mobile CPR Project will also be in attendance, offering free, hands-only, CPR trainings for underserved communities in Philadelphia. Our goal is to increase the number of Philadelphians who know what to do when someone’s heart suddenly stops beating. Increasing the number of people who can respond quickly really increases the chance for saving a life. Zoning Issues: 2400 Wheatsheaf Lane Wed Feb 1st, 2017 4:00 P.M. Use Variance PERMIT FOR THE REMOVAL OF ONE (1) FREESTANDING SIGN AND FOR THE ERECTION OF ONE (1) DOUBLE-FACED, STATICALLY-ILLUMINATED FREESTANDING SIGN. SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN IN PLANS. FOR SIGNAGE ACCESSORY TO AN EXISTING AREA SHOPPING CENTER. 3115 Salmon Street Wed Feb 15th, 2017 5:00 P.M. Zoning Variance PERMIT FOR THE ERECTION OF A SECOND FLOOR DECK ATTACHED TO AN EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOUSEHOLD LIVING ATTACHED BUILDING. NKCDC OPEN OFFICE HOURS NKCDC is hosting open office hours in the 19134 zip code at two locations. They will be at the Firm Hope Baptist Church on Tulip and Auburn Streets every second Wednesday of the month from 4-7PM. They will assist you with signing up for benefits like SNAP, connecting to housing counselors for any housing needs, rent and property tax rebates, food referrals, health insurance and safety or quality of life issues in your community.

For further information contact Tess at tdonie@NKCDC.org or 215-427-0350 x 139. AL-ANON AT HOLY NAME CHURCH HALL Meetings are held every Monday night from 7-8PM at Holy Name Church Hall at 701 Gaul Street. Anything shared at a meeting stays there and everyone is welcome to attend. Al-Anon meetings are free, anonymous and confidential. Wednesday, January 11, 6:30PM FRIENDS OF HACKETT GENERAL MEETING We have lots of news to share with you and an exciting number of projects including the schoolyard revitalization, after school programming, and fundraising. This will also serve as an opportunity for those of you who might be interested in lending a hand to one of our many volunteer-based projects to jump on board! We will be meeting at 1714 Mascher Street, and babysitting (and some gymnastics play) will be provided by the amazing Katie Rivera of Flip Out Productions! NETWORKING MEETINGS Philadelphia Mastermind Group – Every Friday, 8-9:30AM, B2B Networking at Front Street Café (1253 N Front St.) HAPCO/DIG/GPAR – 2nd Thursday of the Month, 12:001:30PM. Lunch & Learn, real estate meetup at the Greater Philadelphia Association of realtors (341 North Delaware Avenue, Suite 200) DIG/HAPCO – 3rd Wednesday of the Month, 6:30-8:30PM. Philly Riverwards Sub-Group, Diversified Investors Groups meet up at Front Street Café (1253 N Front St.) For more information contact Joe Scorese 215-290-5108 or jscorese@firstrust.com.

events Saturday, January 7th, 10AM - 1PM HOLIDAY TREE-CYCLING Join in making our community clean and green: Stop filling landfills this holiday season and drop off your holiday trees and old electronics. Trees will be chipped into mulch and used for community beautification projects. Electronics will be recycled or up-cycled. Batteries will be accepted for a donation of $1 per pound. Kensington CAPA High School parking lot, Palmer Street between Front and Frankford. Wednesday, January 11th, 4-7PM JOB FAIR The Fillmore (Frankford and Allen) is hosting a job fair, and is hiring for various positions such as bartenders, barbacks, cooks, guest services, security, servers, ticket seller) Saturday, January, 28th FRIENDS OF MDG DESIGNER BAG BINGO MDG Church Hall located at 2918 E. Thompson St. Tickets are $30.00 each. There will be more than 10 chances to win!! Doors open at 6pm and games will begin at 7PM. For more information and/or to purchase tickets please contact Frank Valentino at 267-408-4926, Chrissy Yancer at 267-688-9470 or Joe/Claire Briscella at 215-680-1870. 3rd and 4th of Every Month, 6:30PM-8:30PM WOMEN’S SELF DEFENSE CLASSES Fishtown Recreation Center is hosting a Women’s Self Defense class 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM on the 3rd and 4th Tuesdays of each month for $10 per class starting 11/15/16. You can register in person at the Rec on weekdays 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM or on Saturdays 9:00 PM to 12:00 noon.

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 Third Mondays Lost Parents and Family Member Support Group December’s meeting will be December 12th at Cione Rec Center (Aramingo and Lehigh Ave.). For anyone who is suffering the loss of a loved one, a friend, whoever, is welcome. Last Tuesday of every month, 7PM SPIRITUAL INQUEERY A safe space to explore and study the intersection of faith and sexuality for LGBTQIA+ Christians and Inquirers. Come share, listen, learn, and find community support in navigating the trials and tribulations of this life. We meet on the last Tuesday of every month at 1542 E. Montgomery Ave. Wednesdays, 6PM YOGA AT TOWEY REC Roots2Rise will hold yoga classes at Towey Rec (1829 N. Howard St.). Cost is $5 per class. Participants must bring a mat For more info, visit roots2rise.com Wednesdays, 6 to 7PM WEDNESDAY EVENING CLEAN-UPS IN EAST KENSINGTON At Huntingdon Emerald (Huntingdon & Emerald) and Arcadia Commons (Kern Street, Mid-Block). Join us each Wednesday evening for clean ups at two of our beloved neighborhood parks! Help keep our green spaces beautiful by supporting Arcadia Commons. Monthly board meetings, open to the public, take place on the third Thursday of each month at 2614 Amber Street. Thursdays POWERS PARKS FARMER’S MARKET Come attend the Farmers’ Market on Thursdays from 3-7PM at Powers Park (Ann & Almond Streets). Fresh food available from local farms and kitchens. More information (vendors, etc.) is available on the Powers Park Conservancy Facebook page. Sundays, 12-4PM AMALGAM ADVENTURER’S LEAGUE Adventurers! Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse is now hosting Adventurers' League play on Sundays from noon to 4PM. Bring your level 1 character, or just yourself and our DM will have pre-gens, and join us as we begin the new season of Storm King's Thunder with the Great Upheaval adventure. New and experienced players welcome! Every Sunday morning, 10AM LET THE CHILDREN COME. Progressive, child-led Christian education for children ages 3-13. Storytelling (with ample time for wondering) with a focus on processing through art. All children and families welcome, regardless of religious affiliation. At Atonement Lutheran Church, 1542 E. Montgomery Ave. Portside Art Classes Make the season bright. Enroll in Stained Glass, Mosaics, Jewelry Making, or Upholstery and give the gift of a beautiful handmade work of art! To learn more, please visit www.PortsideArtsCenter.org or call us at 215-427-1514

children PORT RICHMOND TIGERS Sign up now for indoor tot-basketball, girls and boys ages 3-6. Sign up at Tigers clubhouse (Chatham and Ann) Mondays thru Friday, 6:30-7:30 or call Tom Mack at 215-2758838. Season starts in January, so sign up now! SIXERS NEIGHBORHOOD BASKETBALL LEAGUE Hancock Rec has more openings for players in their SNBL league held at Moffett Elementary School. For more information please contact Coach Larry @215-685-9877, or come to Moffett to register on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4-6PM. FISHTOWN LIBRARY Tuesdays: Toddler Storytime: Join Miss Dana for stories, songs, and silliness! Tuesdays @ 10:30AM. For ages 0-3 ½ . Runs through November 15 Wednesday PRESCHOOL STORYTIME AT RICHMOND LIBRARY This program is intended for children ages 1-4 and their caregiver. Siblings are always welcome. Daycares should call for separate appointments. Richmond Branch of the Free Library, 2987 Almond Street. For further information call 215-685-9992.

seniors EXERCISE CLASSES FOR PEOPLE AGES 50+ Stay Healthy and Active with a variety of exercise classes at St. Anne’s Senior Center. Latin Rhythm on Mondays at 10:00am; Chair Yoga on Tuesdays at 9:30AM (excluding the 2nd Tuesday of each month;) Tai Chi on Wednesdays at 10:00AM; EnhanceFitness on Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30AM; St. Anne’s Senior Center (2607 E. Cumberland St.) For more info call 215-426-9799 CREATIVE ART CLASSES FOR PEOPLE 50+ The Clay Creations class meets weekly on Friday afternoons from 12:30 – 2:00pm. Learn about the art of hand building to create spectacular pots and other clay forms. Creating with the Color Wheel on Tuesday afternoons from 12:30- 2:00PM. Participants will mix paint to create a color wheel and use this technique to create colorful paintings and eye-catching designs. Registration and material fees will be charged for these workshops. St. Anne’s Senior Center (2607 E. Cumberland St.) For more info call 215-426-9799 BINGO St. Anne’s Senior Community Center has bingo on Monday and Thursday afternoons. Bingo supplies are on sale starting at 11:00AM. Lunch will begin at 11:30AM. Bingo will begin at 12:30PM. Please make your meal reservation in advance to dine with us. Free parking is available. CCT Transportation is offered to members who are 65 years of age or older. St. Anne’s Senior Center (2607 E. Cumberland St.) For more info call 215-426-9799 NUTRITION ASSISTANCE FOR SENIORS Did you know that if you are age 60 or older, or disabled and have low to modest income that you may be eligible for SNAP benefits? Snap is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps) and can provide assistance with purchase of groceries. If you are single and your income is less than $1962/month, or less than $2656/ month for a couple, you may qualify. There is no limit on how much a senior has in savings and checking accounts. Don’t miss out on this important benefit for which you may be eligible! For assistance in completing an application, contact the Social Service Coordinator at St. Anne’s Senior Center 215-4269799. Sundays SUNDAY BINGO St. Anne Church will host bingo on Sundays in the Social Hall, Memphis and Tucker streets. Doors open at 4PM; bingo starts at 6PM. Cost is $12. Call 215-739-4590 for more details. Fridays ART WORKSHOP FOR SENIORS St. Anne’s Senior Center, 2607 E. Cumberland St., is offering an art workshop for people age 50 and older. “Clay Creations” will meet weekly on Fridays, from 12:30-2 PM Participants will learn about the art of hand building to create pots and other clay forms. Those interested should register in advance. For more details call 215-426-9799. SENIOR EXERCISE CLASSES Exercise classes for people 50 and older will be offered at St. Anne’s Senior Center, 2607 E. Cumberland St. Class schedule will be Enhance Fitness on Mondays and Thursdays at 9:30 AM, Chair Yoga on Tuesdays at 9:30AM, Tai Chi on Wednesdays at 10AM, and Line Dancing on the first and third Friday of every month. For more information call 215-426-9799.

sign ups Friday, January 20th THE COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU! New Kensington Neighborhood Advisory Subcommittee (NAS) is seeking members. Come together with residents from the area to discuss community needs, brainstorm solutions, and share resources! The group will discuss safety, zoning, sustainability, or other issues that matter to you and your neighbors. As a NAS member you will serve a two-year term, beginning February 2017, and attend 10 monthly meetings per year. Candidates must live within the NAC area (Front St./Kensington Ave. to Delaware River, Laurel St. to Allegheny Ave, & Kensington Ave to Amber St, Allegheny Ave to Castor Ave). The deadline for nominations is Friday, January 20. For more details call the NKCDC office at 215-427-0350 x125. Applications can be picked up at NKCDC’s office at 2515 Frankford Ave.

Tips to Weatherize This Winter By John Henry Scott The utility bill conundrum: as soon winter sets in and you get used to paying a lower electric bill, finally free from long summer months of running the air conditioner, you’re hit with your gas bill. There’s no getting around it, keeping your home a temperate zone isn’t cheap. However, there are a few certain and simple practices that can increase the quality of insulation and efficiency of energy use in your home. The culmination of these exercises, known as weatherization, will make your monthly bill a little cheaper. Last month the New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) held a weatherization workshop at the Firm Hope Baptist Church in Port Richmond. The program included informational lectures on weatherization from Sakinah Lester, an Energy/Housing Counselor at NKCDC and Nyisha Chapman, a Community Partnerships Manager at Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW). Take-home weatherization kits, donated by the NKCDC, were made available to attendees. Weatherization is the process of making a home more energy-efficient. This not only lowers the cost of utility bills but increases the lifespan of appliances such as water heaters and plumbing. Here are some of these tips courtesy of Sakinah Lester: -Look for drafts coming through your windows by moving a tissue slowly around the frame. If the tissue moves at a certain point, this is where cold, outside air is leaking into your home. -Fleece blankets or shower curtains can be cut and used to cover windows. A caulk gun can also be used to apply caulk directly the draft areas. Caulk is also recommended for use on exposed brick walls, which are more susceptible to drafts. -Remove radiator covers and move furniture away from radiators. Heat gets trapped and absorbed in those spaces. Allow the heat coming from your radiator more access to the room. -Lower your thermostat when you are away from home and while you are asleep. -Wrap your water heaters to keep your water warmer in cold basements. Also wrap pipes to keep them from freezing. These wrapping materials are available at most hardware stores. -Seal chimneys if they are not in-use. -Make sure any attic spaces are sealed and insulated. -Put in door sweeps. A cheap way to make a door sweep is to stuff a stocking with socks or sand and put it along the door jamb. “Sometimes we have to improvise,” said Lester, during her talk. “Sometimes we have to use what we have.” Lester is available for housing counseling weekdays from 9AM-11AM at the NKCDC offices at 2515 Frankford Ave. She urged anyone who is eligible to apply for the Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). According to Lester, last year, large amounts of available funding for LIHEAP went unused because of a lack of applications. “If we don’t use these programs, we’re going to lose these programs,” she said. LIHEAP grants can be applied for on PGW’s website. In addition to LIHEAP, help with energy conservation can also found through the Energy Coordination Agency’s (ECA) Weatherization Assistance Program. This program provides in-home maintenance to help make eligible homes more energy-efficient. Eligibility is determined by income and the number of people in the household. Applications are by phone only at 215-448-2160. Nyisha Chapman went over programs at PGW that can help manage high gas bills for low-income households. In addition to LIHEAP — which Chapman also urged those qualified to apply for — these programs include: -Budget Billing: this program distributes your high gas bills out over the course of the year, meaning that you’ll pay close to the same amount every month. Your gas bill won’t go down in the summer anymore but it won’t skyrocket in the winter either. -Customer Responsibility Program: CRP discounts gas costs for low-income customers. Instead of being charged based on gas usage, a monthly rate is determined based on household size and income. -Crisis Grant Program: a grant that helps low-income customers restore service or avoid a shut-off. -Utility Emergency Services Fund: USEF is a privately funded grant for low-income customers that can only be applied for once all public sources of support have been exhausted. More information on these programs, as well as the neccesary applications for them, can be found at PGW.com •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 COMMUNITY

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215.423.6246 The deadline is Friday at 5pm for display ads, and Monday at 12pm for classifieds. All advertisements must be paid for in advance.

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Is there something going on that’s a little funky in your neighborhood? Anything you want us to look into? Have something juicy you want to leak? Know of something fun or interesting going on that you think we should know about? We rely on sources like you for news that effects our neighborhoods. No tip is a bad tip. Drop us a line at news@spiritnews.org.

The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – January 4, 2017 WRITTEN BY JACQUIE MAHON

LOCAL PROFILES

E M I LY R . W H I T E , PA I N T E R , S C U L P T O R , WAT E R C O L O R I S T, M U R A L I S T, A N D M O R E

he ceilings soar above old lamps and tables, a crackled mirror, a 1950s fan. Work gloves, a tortoiseshell and a jumble of glass doorknobs line the mantelpiece. Carved wood columns frame the living room, where pale winter light pours through black-lace window dressings that came with the 100-yearold house. A magnificent wild ram, stuffed and preserved, gazes into the distance as though recalling the generations of people who lived here before, and are now past. In the front room, Emily White, artist and Fishtown resident, has begun to sketch the bones of her next wall-size painting. It is pinned to the wall beneath the stairs. The vast space accommodates the scaffolding with ease. Emily’s studio will be upstairs, once the house is deemed habitable by Philadelphia building inspectors. We settle down in the cold to chat, accompanied by her dog, Mason. A plumber interrupts periodically to provide updates on his untangling of a puzzling pipe system. Emily moved to Philadelphia in 2011 after completing a Bachelor’s of Fine Art degree at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. “The public art here!” she says. “One of my dreams was to work on Philly murals.” She is now an assistant artist in the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. But Emily’s talents blossom from paint to sculpture to . . . a universe of possibilities. As her trajectory thus far shows, her artistic spirit will not be confined. “I started in illustration,” Emily said. "You had 1 week to finish assignments, which forced you to work small.” Emily likes to work big. “And the instruction would be, for example, ‘A catfish bit a dog. Illustrate it!’,”she said. “The message was, you can do whatever you want... inside this tiny box.” Emily doesn’t need an applied framework. Example: Her first full-blown sculpture sprang from 3 months volunteering at an orphanage in Kenya. “It was my quarter-life cri-

sis,” she said. That urge to help met with disappointment when volunteers discovered that the $1000 they’d each paid to participate was clearly not going to the orphans, who were sleeping three to a bed. Emily channeled the experience into a fabric sculpture of a 6-foot woman crouching into an almost fetal posture, arms wound around her torso with one hand plunging deep into her own back. This piece is now in a private collection. The self-searching in “Wrist Deep” made her open to hearing the language of rusty metal and worn timber during a visit to abandoned mines. Which led to a sensibility about pre–World War I aircraft that found expression in a sculpture of aluminum and plywood passenger pigeons (now installed at Philadelphia International Airport). Passenger pigeons became extinct in 1914, when modern aviation was burgeoning. Her path then led to being chosen along with nine other MassArt alumni to investigate the structural details of surviving wooden churches across Poland and the Czech Republic on a professor-led trip. The end-product was the partial recreation of the 18th-century Gwozdziec Synagogue in the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, which is located in a former Nazi Warsaw ghetto. It is a permanent exhibit comprising a handmade timber-frame structure — pegs and joinery, no hardware — as well as rabbit-skin glue, hand-ground pigments, and other exacting period materials. (The group partially based their work on churches because early synagogues had been burned down.) Back in Philadelphia, this rare experience sparked the massive, timber-frame animals that now expand Emily’s repertoire. Emily elaborated: “My bison, which is also at the airport, was seen by some Philadelphia Flower Show people, and so I offered to do a bear for this year’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. They paid

for the materials.” The fascination with animals is not new. “Something about the appearance of an animal, the way it moves... ” she said. Inspiration comes from everywhere. Emily marvels, “Also, you know, there are so many weird, fantastical Philly things.” Some of her pieces from the just-ended show at the Philadelphia Art Alliance are on their way to the Adirondacks for a show at the View Arts Center, Old Forge, New York. In April, she will fill a room at the Fleisher Memorial, as an awardee of the Fleisher Wind Challenge juried competition. A door slams and Mason lifts his head as the plumber returns to report a solution for the water pumping into the garage. That’s where her wood and metal shop will be. As the frame of this house begins to fill with her life, Emily envisions her next animal monument. •

Emily White’s website: http://emilyrwhite.com/ Information on “Raise The Roof” documentary about the Gwozdziec Synagogue project: http://www.polishsynagogue.com/ Current show at View Arts Center, through March 25, 2017: https://www.viewarts.org/exhibitions/ current-exhibitions/wildlife-management-new-work-by-emily-white/

The bison sculpture, now installed at Philly’s airport. ./Jacquie Mahon

Emily in an alley off Norris Square./Jacquie Mahon

Mason benefits from Emily’s costume-making skills./Jacquie Mahon

The 2016 Philadelphia Flower Show bear./Jacquie Mahon

Emily painting her moose./ Jacquie Mahon