What’s Going On in Upper Bucks?
SIGN UP NOW: Sept 15-19, Wildwood NJ bus trip w/UB Activity Center. Oceanfront Hotel, many meals included, Ice Cream Social, Flag Ceremony, Cape May Lighthouse, Dolphin Watch, Atlantic City, Cape May. Call 215-536-3066. Must pay 1 to 1 ½ months before trip. upperbucksac.org, 215-536-3066
SIGN UP NOW: Sept 23-28, Smoky Mountains Show Trip by motorcoach w/ UB Activity Center. Includes 8 meals, 6 shows, Tour Great Smoky Mountains Natl Park, Historic Downtown Gatlinburg. 215-536-3066 or upperbucksac.org and click TRAVEL button. Must pay 1 to 1 ½ months before trip.
SIGN UP NOW: Nov 20, Hunterdon Hills Playhouse Christmas Show w/UB Activity Center. Depart 10am, $129/ person. Holiday/Dance Fest. Caroling, skits, live orchestra. Includes driver tip and a meal. 215-536-3066. Must pay 1 to 1 ½ months before trip.
Now to August 11
“Tribes: Intl Quilt Exhibition” traveling quilt show at Schwenkfelder Heritage Ctr, Pennsburg. (only U.S. venue chosen from European Patchwork Meeting). Email: info@schwenkfelder.org or 215-679-3103 for times, info.
Now to August 28
Telford Night Market every Wed 5:30pm-8:30pm at Telford Train Station, Penn Ave & Main St. Live music, food trucks, beer/wine, baked goods, farm fresh food, free kid crafts, handmade crafts.
Now through October
Perkasie Farmer’s Market- Farms, Food & Live Music every Sat 9am-12noon at 7th St. Perkasieborough.org
Souderton 3rd Fridays. Friends gather to shop & enjoy good music & food along Main St. Local crafters, Kid’s Zone, art galleries open late. Well-behaved, leashed dogs welcome. FMI 3rdFri.com
Fresh Connect Bucks County free farmers market for eligible Bucks County residents every Wed 11am-1pm at Quakertown Memorial Park, 600 W Mill St. Walk Through Method. FMI: 215-536-0353
Fresh Connect Bucks County free farmers market for eligible Bucks County residents 10am-12noon every 1st & 3rd Thursday at Palisades Middle School, 4710 Durham Rd, Kintnersville. Drive Through Method. FMI: 215-536-0353
July 26
Free Outdoor Movie Night ‘Back to the Future’ 8pm Upper Bucks County Community College, 1 Hillendale Rd, Perkasie. Bring blanket/chair, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages. Rain or shine, we will move indoors if necessary. Nonperishable food items welcome.
July 26 & 27
“The Lady With All The Answers” at DCP Theatre, 795 Ridge Rd, Telford. Fri/Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm. Award winning Diane Seader reprises her role as Ann Landers, reminiscing about her life & humorous advice. Tickets: $22. Call 215-234-0966
Christmas in July Sales at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd. Enjoy Black Friday Prices in July. FMI: mail@quakertownfarmersmkt.com
July 26 to 28
Oaklane Quarter Midgets “Titan Race” at 2555 Tollgate Rd, Quakertown. Fri: controlled practice at 6pm. Sat/Sun: racing starts 9am. Food Truck onsite all weekend. Free admission. 203-634-9370
July 27
‘Glenn Pritchard’ 11am-1pm. Free Summer Concerts on the Outdoor Stage at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd.
‘Rock Revival’ band 8pm at Trumbauersville Betterment Club, 2000 Oak Dr. Live music, Buffet style dinner. Open to public! $5 cover/non-members. FMI 215-538-1314
By the Moonlite Car Show at Pennridge HS, 1228 N 5th St, Perkasie. Show cars must enter on Blooming Glen Rd. Follow signs. $20/pre-registered, $25/day of show. No smoking or alcohol. Email goodtimemotorvators@yahoo.com
WWWA Wrestling in Event Room 201 at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd. Open 6pm, Bell Time 6:30pm. Tickets $25/front row, $20/ general admission at Raceplace Dept 210 or WWWA Office 215-362-7184
July 28
‘DJ AD Cool’ 11am-2pm. Free Summer Concerts on the Outdoor Stage at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd.
‘Best Shot’ Pat Benatar Tribute. Free Concert Sundaes-Music in the Park 7pm9pm at Souderton Park, 459 Wile Ave & Reliance Rd. info@concertsundaes.com
Free Concert in the Park: ‘Reservoir Hill’ country rock band. 6pm-8pm at Univest Performance Center, 301 W Mill St, Quakertown. 267-372-7275 or email: concerts@quakertown.org
2nd Annual ‘Save the Forest’ Music Festival 1pm-5pm at Grist Mill, 150 W Walnut St, Hellertown. Four bands: Funk Nuggets, Steel Moon, Hatter, Avilion. BYOB & chairs. Food Trucks, Animals, Kids Corral. Tickets: 717-648-1090. Under age 12 is free, $30 at door.
July 29
Teen Movie Night 6pm-8pm “Five Nights at Freddy’s” PG-13 in Community Room W at Indian Valley Library, 100 E Church St, Telford. Join us to watch a movie. Bring snacks and enjoy! 215-723-9109
July 30
ONLINE: 2pm National Book Award for “A First Time for Everything” author Dan Santat inspires teens & tweens to tell their own stories through graphic novels. Info: libraryc.org/buckslib/51149
‘Shakespeare for Kids’ 10am at Labuda Center, 2755 Station Ave, Center Valley. High energy one-hour show designed for ages 4-10. Introduce kids to Shakespeare in kid-friendly environment. $11.50/adults, $10.50/kids. 610-282-9455
July 31
‘The Groove Merchants’ blues, funk & soul. FREE Summer Concert Series, 7pm9pm at Perkasie’s Amphitheater in Lenape Park. FMI events@perkasieborough.org
August 1
‘Aiden Bloomfield & The Concrete Highway’ 6pm-8pm. Free Concert in the Park, 2100 Krammes Rd, Quakertown. Lawn seating only. Food available for purchase by Milford Twp Fire Company. Free parking.
August 2
“Twelve Angry Jurors” 8pm ONE NIGHT ONLY at DCP Theatre, 795 Ridge Rd, Telford. First time Production by Junior Members of DCP: Audrey Heimark (Director) & Lauren Betz (Producer). Free, donations welcome. Last Chance Ranch Summer Gift Card Bingo, opens 6pm, games 7pm at Sellersville Firehouse, 2 N Main St, Sellersville. Tickets are $35/adv, $40/ at door if available. $100 Gift Cards. No alcohol permitted. LastChanceRanch.org Line Dancing 6:30pm-9pm with Joanie & Shotgun Jenny, $10 at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd. Event Rm 201. Mix of lessons & open dance time. Also 8/10, 8/16, 8/23.
August 2 to 10
Quakertown Fire Dept Carnival, daily 6pm-10pm. (Aug 10: 5pm-10pm). Wristband Nights $40/wristband (Aug 6,7,8). Rides, games, food trucks located at 4th & Mill Streets, Quakertown. More info on Facebook
August 3
Qmart ‘Foam Party’ Family Fun Day 11am-3pm at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd. Free Event with Live music, Kids Crafts, Balloon Twisters & Moon Bounce. Music by Polysynthetic. Bring a beach towel!
August 4
‘Willie Nelson Tribute’ 2pm-3pm, Free Outdoor Concert at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd.
‘Robert Eric’s Piano Man’ Billy Joel Tribute. Free Concert Sundaes-Music in the Park 7pm-9pm at Souderton Park, 459 Wile Ave & Reliance Rd. info@ concertsundaes.com
August 6 NatioNal Night out
Quakertown Police Dept’s ‘Ice Cream Cruise’ 5pm-8pm for National Night Out against crime. Officers will cruise around handing out ice cream to kids at different street intersections for 20 mins each. Schedule on FB: Quakertown Ice Cream Cruise
‘National Night Out’ 5:30pm at Kandel Memorial Park, 8 Walnut St, Richlandtown, PA. Free food, tye-dye, cake walk, games, more. Richlandtown Fire Co & local EMS will be there for kids to meet.
August 7
Behind the Scenes at Space Station with Smithsonian Curator Dr. Jennifer Levasseur. ONLINE: 2pm- Take a virtual tour of the Space Station. Info: library. org/buckslib/52323
‘Little Red Rooster Band’ playing the Blues since 1988. FREE Summer Concert Series, 7pm-9pm at Perkasie’s Amphitheater in Lenape Park. FMI events@perkasieborough.org
August 9
‘Super Mario Brothers’ at free Outdoor Movie Nights, Veterans Park, 145 E Pumping Station Rd, Quakertown. Bring own blanket/chair. Movie at dusk. FMI: Tim at 215-536-4733 or tarnold@ richlandtownship.org
What’s Going On in Upper Bucks?
August 10
‘DJ AD Cool’ 11am-2pm, Free Outdoor Concert at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd.
Paint Party Fundraiser ‘Ceramics & Surfboards’ 4pm-9pm for Adam Schwegel. Painting, Raffles, Food, Friends & Fun. St. Matthew’s Lutheran, 3668 Ridge Rd, Perkasie. FMI 267-2455938 or theartoasis.net/for-adam
August 11
‘Shep & Jim’ 10am-2pm, Free Outdoor Concert at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd.
Quakertown Dairy Queen Car Show 3pm-7pm at 206 S West End Blvd. $1 per vehicle donation goes to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. FMI: goodtimemotorvators@yahoo.com
August 14
‘Beg Borrow & Steel’ -classic rock beach band with steel drums. FREE Summer Concert Series, 7pm-9pm at Perkasie’s Amphitheater in Lenape Park. FMI events@perkasieborough.org
Free Program in-person at 105 Seminary St, Pennsburg or on ZOOM: Ralph Berkey, Poet/Naturalist 1890-1977 known as “The Birdman” w/pockets full of birdseed. Pastor Bob Gerhart will discuss Ralph’s unusual life. Register: info@schwenkfelder.org or 215-679-3103
A teen-led interview of bestselling author Dhonielle Clayton will begin at 7:30pm, but join us at 7pm for snacks & activities at Indian Valley Library, 100 E Church Ave, Telford. 215-723-9109
Member of Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick's office will be at 10 S Third Street, Quakertown to answer questions about veterans' services, IRS, Social Security, etc. from 2:15pm-4pm
August 16
“38 Special” Southern Rock Concert 6pm at Univest Performance Center, 301 W Mill St, Quakertown. Tickets: email concerts@quakertown.org or 267-372-7275
August 17
Indoor Craft Show 9am-4pm at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd. Local vendors with a variety of handmade gifts.
Upper Bucks Brewfest 2pm-5:30pm (VIP entry 1pm) at The Park at 4th, 301 Mill St, Quakertown. Craft Brews, Music, Food, Vendors, Raffles, Cornhole Tournament. Tickets on sale now! FMI upperbucksbrewfest.com
Sellersville Community Picnic 1pm6pm at Poppa Joe’s Grove, 2 N Main St Rear, Sellersville. Delicious food by Sellersville Fire Co, fun activities. Fundraiser proceeds go to Firehouse. Rain Date August 18. Check FB for updates.
“Perkasie’s Automobile Industry” at Perkasie Historical Society Museum, 513 W Walnut St. perkasiehistory.org
25th Annual ‘Under the Stars’ Car Show 5pm-9pm at Town Center, 620 W Chestnut St, Perkasie. Registration: $15/adv, $25/ day of. events@perkasieborough.org or 215-257-5065
August 18
‘Vices, Inc’ 12noon-2pm, Free Outdoor Concert at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd.
Quakertown Band- Free Concert in the Park, 6pm-8pm at Univest Performance Center, 301 W Mill St, Quakertown. 215536-5001 concerts@quakertown.org
Open House 1pm-5pm, Octagonal Schoolhouse, Corner Swamp Rd & Second St Pike (Rt 232), Wrightstown Township, Bucks County. In operation 1802-1850. Listed on National Register of Historic Places. Betty 215-598-7534
August 20
Bucks Co Register of Wills will be at Upper Bucks Activity Center, 2183 Milford Square Pike, Quakertown. 11am12noon. Find out what you need to know about making a will, etc. Sign up for class & lunch by August 13. Questions? 215-536-3066
August 21
‘Brian Elliot Band’ funky classics, modern jams & a sprinkling of Grateful Dead. FREE Summer Concert Series, 7pm9pm at Perkasie’s Amphitheater in Lenape Park. FMI events@perkasieborough.org
Zion Lutheran Church Hoagie Sale, 8/21/2024. Italian, Turkey, Ham, Salads. Call 215-536-7818 to preorder by 8/14 or email zion.zionhillhoagies@gmail. com Walk Ins Welcome!
August 23
“The Hooters” Sounds of Summer Concert 6pm at Univest Performance Center, 301 W Mill St, Quakertown. Info: 267-372-7275 or concerts@quakertown. org
August 24
Richland Township Community Day 10am-2pm at Veterans Park, 145 E Pumping Station Rd, Quakertown. Kids crafts, petting zoo, music, pony rides, food trucks, much more. FMI Tim 215-536-4066
‘Simmer’ 11am-1pm, Free Outdoor Concert at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd.
“Blues Traveler and Big Head Todd and The Monsters” Concert, 6pm at Univest Performance Center, 301 W Mill St, Quakertown. Ticket info: 215-536-5001 or concerts@quakertown.org
WWWA Wrestling in Event Rm 201, Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd. Live pro wrestling! Doors open 6pm, 6:30pm Bell Time. Tickets: $25/front row, $20/general. Buy at Raceplace Dept 210 or WWWA 215-362-7184
August 25
‘Avilon’ 11am-1pm, Free Outdoor Concert at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd.
‘Genealogy for Beginners’ 1pm-3pm at Schwenkfelder Heritage Center, 105 Seminary St, Pennsburg. Looking to learn about your family tree? Free of charge, but please register: 215-679-3103 or meredith@schwenkfelder.org
‘Tequila Rose’ country music. Summer Concerts 6pm-8pm at Dimmick Park, 570 Durham St, Hellertown. Food truck, Dessert truck, adult beverages for 21+ crowd. Bring a blanket. FMI hellertownborough.org/parks-recreation/
August 30
Order Hoagies by today for pickup Sept 9 at Trumbauersville Fire Co. To order call Karen at 267-372-1404
“Get The Led Out” Concert 6pm at Univest Performance Center, 301 W Mill St, Quakertown. Led Zeppelin tribute band, live and loud! Ticket info: concerts@ quakertown.org or 215-536-5001
August 31
‘Glenn Pritchard’ 11am-1pm, Free Outdoor Concert at Quakertown Farmers Market, 201 Station Rd.
September 7
Annual Chicken BBQ & Bake Sale 4pm6:30pm, Quakertown United Methodist, 1875 Freier Rd, Quakertown. $15/adults, $7/kids to age 10. Take-out meals only. Seating available in Miller Hall for eating boxed meals. All welcome! 215-536-4992
A home purchase is often the biggest investment a person will make in their life. When the time comes to sell your house, you want to get the best price possible.
Here are a few of the many reasons why people modernize their homes before listing them:
New Buyers Don't Want to Immediately Remodel
Major remodels can create a state of chaos in a home that most new homebuyers would rather avoid. Additionally, the costs involved in buying a new home, moving and settling a family into a new space can be significant. They may not be able to do the remodeling projects that are needed for a significant period of time. Buyers will look more favorably upon and be willing to shell out more cash for a home that already has many improvements taken care of.
Strategic Updates Attract More Buyers
Individuals who are considering putting their homes on the market should understand that real estate agents do a great deal of marketing online and through social media. A good visual impression of your home will spark interest in more buyers. An updated kitchen or bathroom, fresh paint throughout the house and new flooring all provide good visual impact that will draw buyers to your listing. Choices for
Why You Need to Update Your Home Before Listing It
your upgrade should use the most neutral color palettes and most desirable materials, as these will appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers.
Make Your Home More Competitive in the Market
If a homebuyer's choice comes down to one home with desirable features that has not been updated or a home that has been updated but may not be as desirable, buyers are more likely to make an offer on the one that shows signs of TLC and has recently been remodeled. When your home already looks amazing, potential buyers will be able to focus their attention on other aspects of making the home their own.
Most real estate experts will recommend updating your home before putting it on the market, but not to such an extent that you cannot recoup your costs. Some projects, such as kitchen or bathroom remodels, new flooring and exterior maintenance, have a great record of making homes more appealing to buyers, allowing sellers to see a return on their investment. Feel free to contact me for a consultation to discuss any updates you might be thinking about making.
Sue Deily haS been a RealtoR foR oveR 35 yeaRS, ReSiDeS in the uppeR buckS county aRea anD enjoyS SeRving heR clientS in buckS, lehigh, anD MontgoMeRy countieS contact heR at SueSellShouSeS@gMail coM
INJURY SERVICES
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Time & Weather Changes
I hear many reports of the evening news about the concern for “Global Warming” and the various changes necessary to save our earth. Then midway in the news cast they give a thorough weather report. As we listen to the comparison temperatures for a current heat wave, the weather person flashes a historical chart across the screen. My wife and I are always puzzled to see how we compare today to past record highs. We are puzzled to see the comparison to past blizzards, hurricanes, droughts, and storm rainfall amounts among other statistics ranging over the past 100+ years with what is happening today!
I can remember the very dry days of the 1950’s, the record snows we had on Wednesdays in the 1990’s. The hurricanes upending aircraft at the Quakertown airport in the mid 1900’s. The floods caused by hurricanes in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I remember my grandmother telling me that she was a baby in the 1880’s when we had real blizzards that even stopped the trains from running. I also remember reading about the heavy snows and cold that the troops had to face at The Battle of the Bulge. I remember Doug Thorsen telling me about the bitter cold suffered by the Marines during his service in the Korean War. Shortly after we were married and my wife was with the Milford Ambulance Corps there was talk of them helping in
the upper counties of Pennsylvania where it was raining and flooding so bad that cemeteries along the Susquehanna River had exposed coffins!
I cannot outline the statistics given on Global Warming exactly, but let us say in would be a change in temperature of 1 degree over a period of YEARS or rainfall of one-tenth of an inch over the same period of time. We watch these forecasts showing high temperatures in the 1920s as the record with second place in the 1950’s and that the current temperature of the predicted 98 degrees might come in third—we get confused!
Being a history buff, I remember seeing pictures of the early 1900’s with streets covered with soot and smoking chimneys from coal stoves. I read of millions of acres that burned as lightning fires just run rampant in the pines along the West Coast in pre-Columbian times. I remember swimming in the Unami during the 1950’s drought. I remember driving with our family on back roads of Durham to view the Delaware River and seeing whole buildings flowing past. I remember seeing the Lehigh and other Rivers flowing with an orange/brown color from open mining. I can remember walking along the stream in Memorial Park and seeing Sunfish swimming in small groups or schools. The list could go on and on. Now that stream dries up in summer and floods with the slightest rains because of all the Development and shopping centers along the 309. This area along the trolley
right of way was swampy back in the day and now buildings are in place where the cattails were.
Our generation (Class of ’61) saw many much needed changes to improve our area. Since then changes that were just common sense were made. Flood control dams, Control of waste material from mining to stop pollution. Various emission controls, Nuclear Powered Electrical Facilities. Once again I could go on and on. These innovations took place in a reasonable fashion and with common sense. Today (I will call it current “Time”) we hear of the Must Changes that really affect our living costs drastically and are legislated in short periods of time and at high cost while others around the world are not kept at the same standards. I question why such sudden needs at such high cost? Why don’t we stop the Brining of roads and heavy salting at the drop of a few snowflakes causing the new pollution of the newly cleaned up streams of my era? The advent of Electric vehicles brings on many other questions. What will be the problems of disposal of all these volatile batteries if we are forced to go “All Electric?” What will be the fuel of the electric plants needed for charging those batteries? How many people will be burned in the highly flammable and hard to put out car fires? Can you imagine trying to walk along a city street with every home having electric cords stretched across the walkway for recharging? Will we have one neighbor unplugging the other neighbor’s car and plugging it in his car? Will vandals cut the lines and take the plugs to sell on the black market? This example of just electrifying travel should be further examined as those of the period I lived in examined flooding, analyzed
DDT when bird eggshells broke easily causing near extinction of some birds such as the Eagle. The Unami where I spent time swimming is just a trickle and you could barely “Wade” in it now during the summer because the water table is much lower because the farms are now houses. Yes time and weather certainly show changes. I agree, we have to make changes to preserve nature, but let us do it with “common sense” as they did in the past. Does it affect us in worse ways such as our economy than it does good?
Nature will be nature and the weather we have today will be part of a list of extremes matching those of the past and yes those of the future. Let us be stewards of Mom Nature, but let us also realize that over the eons in the past there were many changes.
Mother Nature is something we have to live with and expect her to change her mind every now and then. I know, I see it on the weather charts of my local TV station from the records back to the 1880’s! I feel that much improvement has been made and that more improvements should always be researched and applied. Let us work together with Mother Nature to leave this a better place than when we arrived. It takes common sense and intensive study of pros and cons to make any changes worthwhile. I am proud of what “The Greatest Generation” and yes we “Baby Boomers” and later generations have accomplished to this point. My hope is that future generations do the same with restraints and yes, “Common Sense.” . Dick helM iS
Mary Baringer, 102, of Quakertown, passed away on Tuesday, July 10, 2024, in her home.
Born on August 15, 1921, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Katherine (Chucko) Uczen.
She was an avid gardener who loved tending to her flowers.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband: Warren Baringer, Sr.; son: Warren Baringer, Jr.; and daughter: Mary Ann Stull.
Mary will be lovingly remembered by her sons: Bruce Baringer (Linda) and Gary Baringer (Claudette); son-in-law: Leon Stull; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Per Mary’s request, services will be private.
Arrangements are under the care of the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., Quakertown.
Margaret "Peg" F. (ritter) Bickel of Quakertown, PA, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on June 28, 2024. She was 66 years old.
Peg was born on October 16, 1957 to the late Leroy Ritter and the late Patricia (Saums) Ritter. She grew up in Hilltown, PA and attended Pennridge High School. Peg was married for 41 years to her high school sweet heart, David Bickel and together they had Toni, their daughter.
Peg enjoyed watching the Philadelphia Phillies with her cat Pippin, napping by her side.
Peg will be deeply missed by her husband Dave; her daughter Toni Jaindl (Brad); Her siblings Ed Ritter, Patricia Hartman (Ken), Karen Lewis (Sam), Michael Ritter, Linda Perrone (Jim); and many other loving family and friends. Peg is predeceased by her sister Robin Schlitz and her sister-in-law Mary Ritter. Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
roBert JosePh BiFolco, 79, of Quakertown, passed away peacefully at home on July 10, 2024. He was born in Brooklyn, NY on June 11, 1945 to the late Joseph and Faye (Fanelli) Bifolco. Robert was the loving husband of Maureen (McKenna) Bifolco for 58 years. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1967-1970. As a father, he fostered a keen sense of familial responsibility. His grandkids found security in his quiet authority. He was known as a lover of travel, avid Phillies fan, and a champion of personal independence.
Robert is survived by his wife Maureen; children Kathryn (Tony Rogers) Rooney, Joseph (Jennifer) Bifolco, Amy (Patrick Conroy) Morrell, and Laura Faulkner; grandchildren Michael, Stephen, Justin, Delaney, Chase, MacKenzie, Lucy, Johnny, Vincent, and Angelia; great grandson Travis; siblings John (Donna) Bifolco and Patricia (Albert) Pedrinan; and many other loving family and friends. Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
eva Burgos, 79, of Colmar, passed away on June 25, 2024. She was born in Puerto Rico on September 27, 1944 to Miguel Gonzalez and the late Fermina (Ramirez) Gonzalez. She was the loving wife of Jaime Burgos Sr. for 63 years, and he passed shortly after her on June 27, 2024. Eva was a dedicated wife and loving mother. She was selfless, kind, and helped everyone. Eva enjoyed planting flowers and tending to her many plants, she enjoyed cooking meals that she learned from Grandma and always made those around her laugh. She will be greatly missed by everyone that knew her.
Eva is survived by her father; children Lilly (Fred) Roth and Jaime Burgos Jr.; grandchildren Jaime III, Jeremy, and Jolie Burgos; siblings Miguel (Gloria) Gonzalez, Gilbert (Elizabeth) Gonzalez, and Milagros (Gilbert) Mendez; and many other loving family and friends. Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
JaiMe Burgos, 86, of Colmar, passed away on June 27, 2024. He was born in Puerto Rico on August 30, 1937 to the late Juan and Cecilia Burgos. He was the loving husband of Eva (Gonzalez) Burgos for 63 years until her passing on June 25, 2024. Jaime was a security guard at New York City Hall for many years and occupied his time with managing his rental property in Brooklyn, New York. He enjoyed gardening and taking walks. Everyone that met him instantly loved his sweet and quiet disposition.
Jaime is survived by his children Lilly (Fred) Roth and Jaime Burgos Jr.; grandchildren Jaime III, Jeremy, and Jolie Burgos; siblings Milagros Burgos and Cecilia Burgos; and many other loving family and friends.
Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
thoMas allen charles passed away from complications from Parkinson’s Disease on Sunday, July 7, 2024, at the age of 88.
Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Leroy Carl Charles and Marie Veronica Siglin.
Tom married the love of his life, Catherine, in 1957. Tom and Catherine were married for over 66 years and had four children (Sandy, Karen, Barry, and Tammy).
Tom’s smile, laugh, and generous heart and spirit will be deeply missed. Tom leaves behind his beloved wife, Catherine Stellander Charles, his children, Sandra Stefanic (Steven), Karen Gelb (Robert), Barry Charles, Tammy Shaw (Brian), his eight grandchildren, Michael Charles, Hunter Charles, Sierra Charles, Chase Charles, Candice Stefanic, Kyle Stefanic, Rachel Gelb-Tooley, and Jared Gelb, his six great-grandchildren Mason, Avery, Bailee, Ryder, Hudson, and Remington, and his siblings, Geraldine Gilbert, Connie-Marie Shamus, Marvin O’Conner, and Cathy O’Conner.
Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
austra clark, 88, of Scranton and formerly of Coopersburg, passed away on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
Born on December 24, 1935, in Latvia, she was a daughter of the late Brunislav and Madala (Berzins) Bartusevics.
Austra’s greatest love was her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her son: Glenn Clark, who passed away in 2002; and her sisters: Anna, Val, Milly, and Lilly.
Austra will be lovingly remembered by her daughter-in-law: Geanna Clark; grandchildren: James Clark and his wife Georgiana, Rachel Rudy, Josh Cramer
and his wife Katie, and Amanda Clark and her husband Adam; great-grandchildren: Zoey and Sophia Clark; Ben, Charlotte, and Max Rudy; and Berto and Jax Cramer; brother: John Bartusevics; and sister: Ausma Bartusevics, and their immediate families.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are under the care of the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., Quakertown.
theresa elizaBeth clark, 90, of Richlandtown, PA, passed away on June 26th, 2024, at Phoebe Richland Nursing Home. Born in Brooklyn, NY, Theresa was the daughter of the late William Clark and the late Mary (Bellizzi) Clark.
Theresa grew up and attended school at PS40 in Brooklyn, NY. After High School, Theresa worked in the packaging industry. Theresa then went on to work in the retail industry and as a caregiver for the blind. Her faith and her family were the most important aspects of her life. Theresa will be dearly missed by her children, LeeAnne Clark, Joseph (Christine) Clark, and Eugene (Lynn) Clark; her grandchildren, Christi (Joe) Tomasino and Faith Clark; her great-grandchildren, Riley Tomasino and Hudson Tomasino; her sisters, Katherine Mikolajczak and Carol Connor; and her nieces and nephews, Robert (Gloria) Mikolajczak, Allen Werner, Billy Werner and Susie Gentile. Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
JeFFrey a. Dietz, 70, of Quakertown, passed away on Thursday, July 18, 2024, at St. Luke’s Hospice House in Bethlehem. Born on March 22, 1954, in Quakertown, he was the son of the late William and Ruth (Meyers) Dietz.
A graduate of Quakertown High School’s Class of 1972, Jeff went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ursinus College and enrolled in additional graduate studies at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Following his formal education, he enjoyed a lengthy 30-year career in banking, retiring in 2014 as a Mortgage Underwriter with Harleysville National Bank. Jeff enjoyed actively contributing to his local community as a member of the Jaycees and Sertoma organizations. For many years, he sang first bass for the Zion Choral Society. Jeff enjoyed holidays for seasonal light decorating at his home and neighborhood. As an avid tennis player in his earlier years, his affinity for sports carried on throughout his life as he loved following the Philadelphia Phillies, Eagles and Penn State sports teams.
He was an active member of The First United Church of Christ, Quakertown where he served as an usher and as a member of both the singing and bell choirs. Jeffrey is lovingly remembered by his son: Andrew Dietz (Melissa); granddaughters: Sienna and Everly Dietz; sisters: Pamela Dietz and Deborah Steskal (Ronald); nephews: Ryan, Timothy, and Jason (Kimberly) Steskal and great nieces: Samantha and Amy Steskal.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his niece: Christine Steskal. A celebration of life gathering will be held at a future date at The First United Church of Christ, 151 South 4th Street, Quakertown.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the QCHS Alumni Association, The Zion Choral Society, or The First United Church of Christ, Quakertown.
Arrangements are under the care of the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., Quakertown.
roBert Dresher, 91, of Quakertown, passed away on Friday, June 28, 2024. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of sixty-seven years: Virginia (Rhodes) Dresher; son: Barry Dresher; and Diane Dresher; two granddaughters: Melinda Dresher and Nicole Hacker; and three great-grandchildren.
Per Robert’s request, funeral services will not be scheduled.
Arrangements are under the care of the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., Quakertown.
hilary eDith eshelMan, 66, of Quakertown, PA, passed away on July 1st, 2024, at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Born in Wynnewood, PA, Hilary was the daughter of the late Charles E. Rankin and the late Moira P. (Glasscock) Rankin.
Hilary attended The Baldwin School for high school and graduated in 1975. After high school, she continued her education at Bates College where she received a bachelor's degree in Theater.
Hilary came to Christ in 1984 and dedicated many hours to serving whatever church.
Hilary will be dearly missed by her husband, Stephen, who together shared almost 42 years of marriage; her son, Jeremy, daughter-in-law Lillian, and grandchildren, Shanna, Zachary, Gemma, and Rosalee; her daughter Sarah; her siblings, Gwenyth Ludwig, Lorna LaRiviere, Faith Warren, and Neil Rankin; along with other extended family member and friends. Hilary was predeceased by her parents. Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
alvin Benarr Frey, 94, of Green Lane passed peacefully with family by his side July 10, 2024 at The Community at Rockhill. He was the husband of the late Mildred Louise (Redding) Frey. Alvin is survived by his two daughters, Susan Frey Studt (husband William) and Sharon Frey Weston (husband D. Daniel). Alvin was preceded in death by his parents C. Benarr Frey and Esther (Quigley) Frey, and brother Richard Frey. Alvin was devoted to his family and his faith shaped his life and loving family.
Born in Red Lion, PA Alvin graduated from Red Lion High School where he and his best friend the late Charlie Hamilton were the school photographers. Surviving in addition to his two daughters is his sister, Barbara Frey Fetterman; grandchildren Rob Studt, Dan Studt, Christy Studt Manetta, Jon Studt; 11 great grandchildren; and 1 great-great grandson. Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
DeBra laMB, 67, of Quakertown, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 12, 2024, from pulmonary fibrosis.
Debbie was many things, but put most simply, she was the best of us. She loved having her eggs in the morning, watching her Philadelphia sports teams, and most of all, her boys. Her house was, more often than not, a glorified locker room, but still a welcoming home to anyone who
~Obituaries~
entered. She was kind to all, loved by many, and rude to none (aside from the occasional PIAA referee in the late 90searly 2000s).
She battled an incurable disease for over seven years—through a lung transplant, eight weeks in a coma, dozens of hospital stays, months in nursing facilities, and she refused to give up. She never lost her smile, never lost her spirit, and never once asked, “Why me?” Even at just over five feet and barely ninety pounds, she was the strongest one in the room.
Debbie is survived by her children: Joel, Mark (Jenna), and Paul (Caitlyn); her grandchildren: Camryn, Quinn, Callen, Kendall, and Mason; and her siblings: Bonnie (Tom), Mike (Joan), and Rich.
As per her request, a private memorial service will be held for close family members. In lieu of flowers, please consider a visit to Citizens Bank Park to cheer on her beloved Phillies.
Arrangements are under the care of the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., Quakertown.
Michele lePone-Wynne, 62, of Quakertown, passed away on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at St. Luke’s Hospice House, surrounded by her family.
Born on October 4, 1961, she was a daughter of the late Mark and Marlene (Parente) Lepone.
A graduate of Bishop Kenrick Catholic High School’s Class of 1979, Michele went on to earn an Associate’s degree from Lansdale School of Business.
Following her formal education, she entered the workforce, holding various positions. She retired from Orthopedic Associates of Allentown.
Outside of work, Michele found joy in cooking, baking, and entertaining. She also enjoyed shopping trips with her sister, as well as time at the shore. She loved nothing more than being surrounded by her family and friends.
Michele will be lovingly remembered by her husband of twenty-two years: Matthew Wynne; sister: Roseann Lepone-Holman (Brian); two bonus children: Angela Wynne (Mitchel Salvatore) and Rebecca Hall (Damon); and three grandchildren: Wyatt, Silas, and Eve Hall.
Arrangements are under the care of the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., Quakertown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made, in Michele’s honor, to the National Breast Cancer Foundation via the following link: tinyurl.com/28lyx3fk
Margaret e. Mease, 91, of Quakertown, passed away peacefully at home on June 28, 2024. She was born on February 4, 1933 in NYC to the late Harry & Ruth Filburn. She was the loving wife of the late Lyman M. Mease for 43 years until his passing in 2002.
Margaret worked as a secretary for Atlas Overhead Doors, and then was a full time housewife. She was a financial secretary & treasurer for Great Swamp Fish & Game for many years, and a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Quakertown. Margaret is survived by her children Diane (Tom) Dyson, Suzanne Mease, and Lyman C. Mease. She is predeceased by her parents; spouse; and siblings Ruth Reinhart and Harold Filburn.
Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
harry kenneth Mitchell Jr , 71, of Richlandtown, PA, passed away on July 15th, 2024, at St. Luke’s Upper Bucks Hospital. Born in Allentown, PA, Harry was the son of the late Harry Kenneth Mitchell Sr. and the late Betty Arlene (Hunsberger) Mitchell.
Harry grew up in Allentown and later moved to Quakertown when he was a teenager. In his free time, Harry enjoyed fishing, hunting, and cooking on the grill. He passion was his smoker.
Harry will be dearly missed by his wife, Rosemarie, together they shared 53 years of marriage; his daughter, Sherri L. Flynn; his sons, David W. Mitchell, Harry L. Mitchell, and Bryan K. Mitchell; his 17 grandchildren; his 7 great-grandchildren; his siblings, June Knauss, Karen Conley, and Wayne Mitchell; along with his extended family members and friends. Harry is predeceased by his sister, Cheryl Moritz.
Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
rayMonD PePPelMan Jr , 71, of Center Valley, PA, passed away on June 29, 2024, at Lehigh Valley Muhlenberg Hospital after a long illness. Born in Abington, PA, Ray was the son of the late Raymond Peppelman Sr. and the late Margaret (Parsons) Peppelman.
Ray was a 1972 graduate of Council Rock High School and Middle Bucks Technical School.
On a summer afternoon, you could always find Ray swimming laps or floating on a noodle in his favorite community pool. His love for travel was fed by trips to the Caribbean, European cities and the U.S.National Parks.
Ray will be dearly missed by his wife, Linda Peppelman, together they shared 47 years of marriage; his siblings, Nancy Stankunas, David (Anita) Peppelman, and John (Dianne) Peppelman along with many family members and friends. Ray was predeceased by his brother, Norman Peppelman.
Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
theoDore John Potsko, age 86, of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, passed away on March 21, 2024, at Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Born in Hazleton, PA, he was the son of the late John Potsko and the late Anna Dzurick Potsko. Theodore graduated from Hazleton High School in 1955. He proudly served our country in both the United States Marine Reserve and the Air Force during peacetime. He was an engineer working in the Aerospace industry. Survivors include two sons, Master Sergent Stephan Potsko and his wife, Maureen; and Rev. Andrew John Potsko and his wife, Rachel; one sister, Nancy Weiner; five grandchildren, Sarah Marvel (Chris), Katelyn Potsko, Eleanora Potsko, Lilliana Potsko, and Christian Snyder; and two great grandchildren, Sophie Campbell and Penelope Marvel. He was predeceased by a son Theodore Christian Potsko in 2006.
Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
kay F. rhoaDes, of Coopersburg, PA, passed away July 2, 2024, at the age of 89 at Cedarbrook Nursing home. Born in Sellersville, Kay was the daughter of the late Wilmer Fretz and the late Alice (Wenhold) Fretz. Kay is predeceased by her brother Dennis Fretz. Kay is, also, predeceased by her husband William and together they shared 17 years of marriage.
Kay graduated from Sell-Perk High School in 1952. She worked as a County Court Clerk in the Sellersville Court System until her retirement in 1997.
Kay was a practicing member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She enjoyed reading and watching the Phillies and Eagles games. Kay, also, loved fried chicken. Kay will be dearly missed by her children Charles Rhoades (Beth) and Diane
Rhoades (Linda) and her grandchildren Kaylan Bender (Scott) and Kiah Rhoades (Devin) and extended family members. Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
alFreD Melvin scholler, 80, of Milford Square, PA, passed away on July 4th, 2024, at St. Luke’s Upper Bucks Hospital. Born in McConnellsburg, PA, Alfred was the son of the late Melvin Scholler and the late Nettie (Seip) Harris. Alfred is predeceased by his wife, Claire, together they shared 59 years of marriage.
Alfred was happiest when he was driving his truck. Alfred enjoyed relaxing and going to the gun range.
Alfred will be dearly missed by his children, Michele (Bobby) Nguyen, Ron (Teresa) Scholler, and Frank Scholler; his grandchildren, Brandon (Christina) Arnold, Alecia (AJ Freed) Arnold, Frank Scholler Jr., Melissa Smith, Natasha Schatz, and Kayla (Dylan) Gaffney; his great-grandchildren, Alessandra Freed, Athrun Arnold, Audrey Arnold, and Kane Arnold; his siblings, Bonnie Krumenacker, Ronald Scholler, Terry Scholler, and Sandra Longenbach; along with Alfred’s extended family and friends. Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
evelyn shive, 99, of Quakertown, passed away on Monday, July 8, 2024, at Phoebe-Richland.
Born on October 4, 1924, in Ridge Valley, PA, she was a daughter of the late Clarence and Agnes (Nace) Bergstresser.
In her younger years, Evelyn was an active volunteer with the Bucks County Senior Center and the Richlandtown Ladies Auxiliary.
She found joy in quilting, sewing, crocheting, and embroidery.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband: Paul Shive, who died on March 6, 1994; brother: Howard Bergstresser; sister: Margaret Clymer; and a grandson: Eric Moyer. Evelyn will be lovingly remembered by her son: Charles Shive; daughter: Linda Moyer; grandchildren: John, Stephanie, and Jared; great-grandchildren: Shana, Justin, Cody, Ryleigh, Madelyn, Adelyn, and Callie; and three great great-grandchildren: Brielle, Derek, and Nash.
Arrangements are under the care of C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., Quakertown.
steven J. thoM, 61, of New Hope and formerly of Quakertown, passed away on Monday, July 15, 2024, in his home. Born on May 27, 1963, in Philadelphia, he was a son of Ruth (Kingsmill) Thom and the late John S. Thom.
A graduate of Pennridge High School’s Class of 1981, Steven went on to attend Lincoln Technical Institute where he earned an associate’s degree in Electronics.
In his spare time, he found joy in surfing and riding motorcycles. His greatest pleasure, though, was music: he played several instruments, enjoyed creating music, as well as singing.
In addition to his father, Steven is preceded in death by his sister: Susan Segalas. Steven will be lovingly remembered by his daughter: Sophie Thom; mother: Ruth Thom; sister: Lynda Thom-Weiss and her husband James; brother: David Clymer; and his beloved dog: Kipling.
Arrangements are under the care of the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc.
~Obituaries~
eDWarD 'e' 'kunkle' 'Fast eDDie' augustus tornetta, 85, of Pennsburg, PA, passed away on June 19, 2024, at St. Luke’s Hospital Quakertown Campus. Born in Quakertown, PA, Ed was the son of the late Augustus Tornetta and the late Evelyn (Frey) Tornetta.
Ed enjoyed fishing, taking care of his birds and cats, tending to his extensive gardens, decorating for the holidays, and watching the Phillies and Eagles.
Ed will be dearly missed by his children, Edward Tornetta (Mary) and Charles Tornetta (Michele); his grandchildren, Danielle, Zach, Paige, and Brynn; his great-grandson, Jace, his nieces and nephews, Melissa Riley; Chris Riley (Emily) and their children Connor and Luke, Terri Hudak (Chris) and their children Catie and Jackson; his former spouse, Dorothy Kasper; and his feline companion, Peanut. Ed is predeceased by his sister, Kathy Riley, and his nephews, Scott Riley and Joseph Borkovich.
Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
Betty verna Warnke, 79, of Quakertown, passed away on July 5, 2024. She was born in Quakertown on January 11, 1945 to the late Clayton and Helen (Myers) Roth. Betty was the loving wife of the late Franklin Reese Warnke for 48 years until his passing in 2011. She was an avid quilter and sewer.
Betty is survived by her daughter Jennifer
(Dave) Schaeffer; grandchildren Rebecca Wismer, Nathaniel Warnke, and Philip Warnke; great grandchildren Hannah, Sara, and Miles; sister Ruth Pringle; and many other loving family and friends. She is predeceased by her parents; husband; son Frank Warnke Jr.; and 7 siblings. Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
stanley c. "stan" Weikel, 82, of Telford, died July 21, 2024 at the Lutheran Community at Telford, following a long battle with cancer. He was the loving husband of 57 years to Marilyn (Boyer) Weikel. Born March 10, 1942 in Richland Township, he was the son of the late William H. and Lottie C. (Rummel) Weikel. Stan graduated from Quakertown Community High School, class of 1960. He served in the US Air Force from 1960 to 1964. He then worked as a technical representative for the Xerox Corporation for 35 years.
Stan enjoyed vacationing, riding his bike, playing cards, and listening to music.
Stan is survived by his wife; sons Jeffrey (Kimberly), and Kevin (Annamarie); siblings Maryellen Rush and Gerald Weikel; and many other loving family and friends. He is predeceased by his parents; siblings William Weikel; Pauline Harr; and Catherine Verona.
Arrangements by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, (nauglefcs.com).
How to Deal with a Shady Executor
BY ROBERT E. FRAVEL, ESQ.
Imagine the following scenario: Your father, who was your only remaining parent, has just passed away. In his Will, he named his youngest brother as Executor. His Will states that you are the sole heir to his estate. After the Will was probated, you tried to reach out to your uncle, but he will not return your calls. He has also changed the locks on your father’s house and your father’s car is missing from the driveway. You have no idea what kind of assets/debts your father left behind, but you know his house was owned free and clear, and he did not require end of life care.
Unfortunately, situations like this are all too common. In Pennsylvania, Executors are given a great deal of authority in administering estates. They have the ability to act largely without court supervision and they are not required to share specific information about the estate with beneficiaries. This system is designed to keep estate administration costs low, and when the Executor is trustworthy and honest, the system works well. Most Executors will keep the beneficiaries informed and update them periodically throughout the administration process.
However, if you are in a situation in which you believe the Executor to be untrustworthy, you need to be proactive in order to protect your inheritance. The first step would be to hire a competent probate attorney who will formally request the desired information from the Executor. In that initial request, your attorney will state that if the information is not received, a Petition for Accounting will be filed on your behalf. Once the Petition is filed, the court will give the Executor some time to gather the necessary information before forcing the accounting. In many instances, simply receiving a letter from
an estate attorney will be enough to deter the Executor from engaging in any wrong-doing.
In other situations where you believe that the Executor is intentionally delaying the administration of the estate and purposefully diminishing estate assets, you (or your attorney for that matter) should file a Petition to Have the Executor Removed. An Executor has a fiduciary duty to administer the estate in the best interest of the estate beneficiaries (normally these are the heirs named in the Will). If the Executor is not acting in their best interest – (for example, if the Executor fails to sell the decedent’s house in a reasonable amount of time after their death and lets it go into disrepair, the Executor’s failure to act has reduced the value of the real estate and reduced the inheritance of those named in the Will) – then he/she should be removed and could also be held personally responsible for the financial loss. Additionally, in this situation, if the Executor has filed an accounting with the court, you may want to file objections to the Executor’s accounting and seek a surcharge against the Executor for the improper administration.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, do yourself a favor and sit down with an experienced estate attorney. Do not be fooled into thinking you have no power or rights in these situations, you just need an attorney who understands those powers and rights.
RobeRt e fRavel, eSQ iS a buckS county attoRney locateD at 123 n. Main StReet, Suite 101b, in Dublin, pennSylvania he SpecializeS in eState planning & aDMiniStRation civil ligitation anD buSineSS law to Set up a conSultation, call hiS office at (267) 227-9138 oR viSit hiS webSite at www fRavel-law coM
What’s Happening in our Gardens?
Even though we have been experiencing heavy rain showers, we recently had several stretches of very high temperatures with no rain. Many clients on our Facebook page and Garden/Watershed Hotline have been experiencing Blossom End Rot on their tomatoes. It first appears as a sunken, brownish black spot 1⁄2 to 1 inch in diameter on the blossom end of the fruit. Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency that is related to low levels of calcium in the soil or wide fluctuations in available moisture. Insufficient watering interrupts the plant’s availability to take up calcium from the soil. This issue with your tomato plants can easily be remedied. Remove all effected fruits. Make sure you are watering the soil consistently. A layer of mulch can help maintain the moisture in the soil. Another condition that can be present during hot weather followed by rain is fruit cracking. This is unsightly but the fruit can still be safely consumed. For more information and other disorders and diseases of tomatoes check out this Penn State Publication: tinyurl.com/2ckoqcu8
opportunity for secondary infection. Plants damaged by the squash vine borer will wilt. Examination often reveals shiny yellow-green colored frass within the stem. Often frass (pictured above) will protrude from any damaged areas of the stem. Once detected make a small slit above the entry point on the stem and remove any larvae. Cover the affected area with soil. You may be able to save the plant. tinyurl.com/24e5dxp7
Squash Vine Borer is a devastating insect to squash, cucumbers and other vining vegetable plants.
The squash vine borer overwinters as a pupa. In Pennsylvania adults emerge in midto-late June. They can often be mistaken for a small wasp. Eggs are deposited on the stem immediately above the ground surface. Eggs take a week to 10 days to hatch. Larvae enter the stem immediately, leaving a small hole surrounded by frass as the point of entry. The larvae will feed on the plant for approximately 4 weeks by continuing to tunnel through the stem of the plant. When they are ready to pupate the larvae will burrow into the soil and spin a cocoon. In Pennsylvania the squash vine borer will only have one generation a year. The squash vine borer injures plants by tunneling through their stem, which interferes with nutrient transfer in the plant. Borer feeding weakens plants providing the
Powdery Mildew seems to be affecting many of our garden plants, including monarda, phlox, zinnias and many vegetables, including the cucurbits. The growth of powdery mildew is favored by a warm (60-80°F), dry climate. High relative humidity encourages spore formation, and low relative humidity encourages spore dispersal. Cool days and humid nights are ideal conditions for establishing and spreading the disease. This disease does not require free water for germination and infection but does require high relative humidity around the plant to spread. It does not spread in cooler, rainy conditions and is slowed down by high temperatures (>90°F). Powdery mildew is most severe in crowded, shady, and poorly ventilated areas. It affects plants more in shady areas than in sunny areas and is less common in summer. Once germinated, new spores are produced every 3 to 14 days. Powdery mildew is unsightly but rarely kills plants. Prevention can include making sure the plants are not crowded and have plenty of air. Anti-fungal sprays can help before the onset of the disease.
Our home gardening hotline is open! Emails are being answered by our trained Master Gardeners and Master Watershed Stewards remotely from 9 am to 4 pm Monday thru Friday (closed noon - 1pm).
For fastest service use email. You can still call if you prefer. Leave a message and we will return your call.
Ask a Master Gardener
Penn State Extension Bucks County BucksMG@psu.edu • 267-483-2020
1282 Almshouse Rd, Doylestown 18901
Please mention that you heard about us in the Upper Bucks Free Press!
Looking for a way to keep your dog mentally stimulated on these dog days of summer? It's easy; exercise his mind! Mental exercise like trick training is just as exhausting as physical exercise. Baby pools and shade is what your dog is looking for to cool down. But that’s not enough to tire him out. Regular mental and physical exercise means dogs have fewer health and behavior problems. When you marry the two of them together, you get a pooped pup. But many of our dogs are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to exercising their minds. Trick training is fantastic fun for all skill levels, ages and types of dogs. Kids and adults can all join in the fun. Most Trick Classes don’t require prior training. If your dog can tolerate a group trick class environment, why not join in on the fun fad? While canine whiz kids such as poodles and border collies will pick up things quickly, any dog will catch on if you're patient, consistent, and encouraging. You can teach tricks one at a time or a couple at once, as long as you and your dog are having fun. If you get frustrated, stop. Some dogs are better at some tricks than
Mental Exercise?
others. A small, agile terrier may find jumping through hoops easier than a bulldog would. And a retriever is probably more willing to hold things in his mouth than is a Pekinese. A Basset Hound can probably roll over but may find begging a little hard, being a little top-heavy. So think about your dog's form and aptitudes before you start. You may notice something special your dog does that would be entertaining if you can get him to do it on command. You can. Give it a name, use that word when he's most likely to do his thing, and praise him for "obeying." He'll make the connection soon enough. Showing off tricks like bow, wave hello, say your prayers, jump through my arms, peek-a-boo are some show stoppers. If your dog shows a true aptitude and is the friendly easygoing sort, you might find that joining a pet therapy group can be something you'll both enjoy, an activity that gives your dog a job while brightening the lives of other people.
SubMitteD by MaRion c o’neil cpDt-ka, ctDi, owneR anD inStRuctoR foR MolaSSeS cReek Dog tRaining, llc, QuakeRtown anD tRaineR foR Runaway faRM pet hoSpital, pennSbuRg She can be ReacheD at MolaSSeScReek@veRizon net
Quakertown Borough Council officially cut the ribbon on the newly renovated baseball stadium in Memorial Park on Mill Street. The press box inside the stadium was dedicated to the memory of Quakertown resident and baseball legend Don Shaw. Members of Shaw’s family made remarks and pulled the drapes off the press box to mark the occasion. photos by michele buono
Quakertown Cuts Ribbon Cut on Baseball Stadium, Dedicates Press Box to Don Shaw
Quakertown High School Alumni Association Honors Wall of Honor, Honorary Diploma Recipients
BY RAY FOX '66, CHRISTOPHER BETZ '90
Last month, the mission statement for the QCHS Alumni Association was included in the Spotlight Article. It seems this was a popular idea, so it will be in cluded here again:
The Quakertown Community High School Alumni Association has been established to preserve the values and traditions of Quakertown Community School District and to generate an active interest among all alumni with pride in the heritage of our alma mater.
On June 1, the QCHS Alumni Association held its annual meeting in the cafeteria of the Senior High School. Last month, the “Spotlight” featured the elev en Alumni Scholarship winners from that annual meeting. This month's Spotlight will include two additional important rec ognitions from that meeting. The first of these is the awarding of the two inductees to the school district’s Wall of Honor. A little background here may help. The Wall of Honor is governed by the school district and is separate from the Alumni Association except that the inductees are awarded at the end of the annual Alumni Association meeting in June of each year.
Applications for the Wall of Fame can be found on the School District website at www.qcsd.org. There is a board of five people plus the Sr. High Principal who are on the committee for the Wall of Honor.
Tim has achieved success as the head baseball coach at DeSales University. He has been named coach of the year 13 times – twice in the ECAC, once in the
School in Bradenton, Florida. And, son, Doc, is an assistant baseball coach at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Tim and Rosanne are also the proud grandpar
The first inductee this year is Tim Neiman who graduated in 1976. Tim’s name is synonymous with baseball as he has devoted his life to the sport. It might be important to note here that Tim followed in the footsteps of his father, Dale. Both Tim and Dale have been inducted into the Pennsylvania State Legion Baseball Hall of Fame.
When he recalls his days at QCHS, Tim remembers the overall support of the faculty and administration. He experienced a difficult bout of mononucleosis during his senior year. Missing three months of school was exceedingly difficult but due to the support of a caring faculty he not only made the honor roll but was able to graduate on time. He expressed his gratefulness to the faculty for their kindness and professionalism. Tim’s favorite teachers include Doug Peiffer, Fred Richter, and Bob Mushrush. He noted they were all great teachers who related to every student. He stated, “not only were they great teachers but even better human beings.”
After high school, Tim wanted to become a math teacher and a coach. He attended Bucks County Community College for a brief time but just did not feel he had the maturity to be a successful student at that time. He worked for several different companies and businesses. In 1989, his life changed when he was hired by Allentown College to coach baseball and began taking courses there.
Coach of the Year in 2003.He has been inducted into the PA American Legion Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Pennridge/Quakertown Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. Tim also serves as color analyst for Service Electric for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs and previously for the Reading Phillies.
Outside of baseball, Tim has served on the Board of Trustees at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital and the Board of Directors of the Miracle League of the Lehigh Valley. In 2007, Tim participated in Career Gates, an educational program designed for high school students in the state of Pennsylvania addressing the areas of leadership and opportunities in the workplace.
Tim’s working background not only includes being the head baseball coach at DeSales for 36 years but several other positions. He was the pitching coach at Kutztown University prior to his coaching at Allentown College. He was the institutional sales representative and manager of Schuylkill Valley Sporting Goods. Many may remember him working here at the Quakertown Store. He was also a machinist at the US Guage, a division of Ametek, upon graduation from high school.
Tim and his wife, Rosanne, live in Center Valley and are the proud parents of four successful children. His son, Jason, has had a lengthy career in law enforcement. Daughter, Kristy, is a Vet Tech living in Florida. Son, Nolan, is the head baseball coach at Manatee High
Richard Wyckoff is this year’s second Wall of Honor inductee. Richard graduated in 1963 and holds his graduating class in high regards, chairing and emceeing its well-attended class reunion for over 60 years. He remarks, “The people in my class are not just lifelong friends, they are truly family.” He also holds his teachers close to his heart, especially those that were also his coaches for whom he played high school basketball and softball. Bob Coleman, who attended this year’s Wall of Fame induction to honor Richard, and Don Young are the two who stand out the most.
In addition to sports, Richard was also Student Council President, twice he says, apparently a story for another time, we’re told.
Despite his ‘bigger than life’ personality, Richard rarely sings his own accolades. Fortunately, several people who nominated him for the Wall of Fame were quite eager to highlight his endeavors and accomplishments.
During Richard's summers, while a junior and senior, he worked at WBUX in Doylestown, as communications became his passion. He interned at WFIL-TV (now WPVI). Richard continues to be well known by his community and former classmates at home for his founding of Teen Beat, Quakertown and Pennridge's very own American Bandstand, which he proudly owned and operated during his summers at home from 1963-1967.
When Richard wasn't working at Yeakel's Bakery, he was an active member of his church youth group and sang in the choir. He also worked for the Bucks County Mosquito Patrol along with his former teachers, Doug Pfeiffer, Don Young, Bob Coleman, among others.
Through all his work and perseverance, Richard endured life challenges that demonstrated his strength, ability to overcome setbacks, and reminded him of the blessing life truly offers. Shortly after moving to Hershey, Richard was diagnosed with right ventricular dysplasia. His diagnosis limited participation in many activities and ultimately led to a heart transplant in 2005, the same year he had the honor of emceeing Quakertown' 150th anniversary celebration.
Richard's dedication to his family, his community and his peers has left a lasting mark from Coast to Coast. However, Richard always comes back to his roots and remains a Quakertown Panther at heart.
Richard attended Northwestern University studying Radio, Television and
Film in the School of Communications. Richard was selected his freshman year to emcee Northwestern's musical 'WaaMu.' He also became an active member of Phi Kappa Psi, serving as its social director. During his junior year at Northwestern, Richard was selected over a pool of 28 seniors to complete a 2-year internship with WGN Radio in Chicago. Richard graduated from Northwestern in 1967, began law school at Indiana University, and married his love, Barbara Houy, a year later. His education was interrupted by military service while he humbly served in the Army Reserves in Indiana and Maryland during the Vietnam War.
After receiving his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1970, Richard and Barbara moved closer to home to Washington, D.C. where Richard served in the license renewal division, and later the complaints and compliance division, of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). His four years of experience with the FCC opened the opportunity for a position with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB} working in the legal department. As a registered lobbyist, he ultimately became the Vice President of Government Relations and served as a legislative liaison between the FCC and Capitol Hill.
In 1984, after 13 years in Washington D.C., Richard, Barbara and their two young children, Carter and Meredith, relocated to Hershey, Pennsylvania. There, Richard was honored to serve as the President of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters (PAB). During his 33 years with the PAB, Richard worked with and represented broadcasters across the state offering legislative relations and legal counsel to 448 radio and 48 TV stations throughout Pennsylvania. As the only attorney who served as a state association President, he worked endlessly to protect broadcasting rights and rules, working closely with his previous employer, the FCC, to ensure his member stations were knowledgeable of and followed applicable regulations.
Richard dealt with his debilitating disease for 20 years but continued to achieve many successes and contribute to his community. Richard guided and coached Cub Scouts as they earned their recognition as Webelos. He volunteered his time coaching both T-ball and baseball, and led and taught third-grade Sunday school at his local church.
While Richard's time with the FCC and NAB will always hold a special place for him, his career at the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters is where he holds his greatest professional accomplishments and dearest memories.
In 1984, Richard created the Gold Medal Hall of Fame, an award presented annually to an individual born in Pennsylvania, raised in Pennsylvania, or significantly recognized as a Pennsylvanian through accomplishments in the arts, communication, education, entertainment, business, public service, science, sports or philanthropy. During his career, Richard and the PAB recognized James A. Michener, Alexander Haig, Jr., Dick Clark, Jimmy Stewart, Arnold Palmer, Jim McKay, Dick Thornburgh, Fred Rogers, Chuck Noll, Lewis Klein, Walter H. Annenberg, Tom Ridge, Robert Mellow, David Crantz, Mario Andretti, Arlen Specter, William D. White, Ed Bradley, George M. Leader, Ed McMahon, Chris Matthews, The Zambelli Family, Major General Jessica Wright, Dick Vermeil, Bill Giles, Joanne Harmelin, Carmen Finestra, Dave Roberts and David Boreanaz, Charles Grodin, Mike Ditka, Daniel Rooney, Albert Boscov and Joe Hardy.
His career with the PAB also saw him sponsoring critical political debates, including those for Senatorial races, and running bi-annual seminars for sales, engineering, and broadcast management. His life-long dedication to the broad-
Region
casting industry can also be seen with his multi-year participation in the Rotary Foundation as a Paul Harris Fellow, as a founding member of the Harrisburg Press Club, and a member of the Federal Communication Broadcast Attorneys Association (FCBAA).
Richard was a contributor to and participated in the annual Philadelphia Police Athletic League Galas and Temple University Luncheons as well as hosted dinners given by PA Broadcasting member stations across the state. During his career, he also served as an adjunct professor for Temple University, Harrisburg Campus, teaching communications law. It may be an understatement to say that Richard's contribution to the Broadcast industry will leave a lasting mark for years to come.
Richard retired from the PAB in 2017. While it was a bittersweet end to a career he loved, Richard now spends his time enjoying family. Seeing his two grandchildren off to school most mornings, watching them excel in their respective sports, and attending Church on Sundays bring him great joy.
Richard maintains a steadfast dedication to the Hershey Medical Center transplant team and is a contributor to its Heart Transplant Support Group and Garden of Life Memorial. He and Barbara enjoy spending time at their home in Rehoboth Beach, where he volunteers at Camp Rehoboth maintaining their gardens and outside facilities. Richard is always lending a helping hand to neighbors, beau tifying his own yard experimenting with colorful flowers and plants, and writing letters to his old classmates, coaches and teachers from Quakertown High School.
Richard sums up his adoration for his hometown, “No matter where you go in life, Quakertown will always be home.”
2024 QCSD Honorary
Also, during the Annual Alumni Association meeting on June 1, the Association awarded our annual Honorary Diploma. One of these is awarded each year with the Board of Directors choosing the recipient. The candidates are people in the community who have made significant contributions to the community or to the school district. With the help and cooper ation of the school district, the recipient receives an actual QCSD Diploma.
The Park now includes the skate park, the Free Fall Building including a media center, workshop, refreshment stand and offices, basketball court, parking lot, and an ice-skating rink.
Since the Park is such an outstanding skate park, they have hosted Free Fall events every year since 2009. These ‘X Games’ bring in amateur talent from not only the local area, but throughout the Mid Atlantic States. They continue to grow in participation and stature each year. The annual Free Fall event will celebrate its 15th anniversary this year which will take place on September 28th and 29th.
The Park is also a location for both indoor and outdoor concerts featuring local bands. This is the second summer of a partnership between St. Luke’s Summer Lunch program and Free Fall. Last year over 3,700 lunches were served and this year has shown even more growth. If anyone wants to volunteer at the Park or to contribute to the Park this can be done by contacting them online at
This year’s recipient is Dave Kratz, Pastor at East Swamp Church. His title at the Church is Pastor of Team Leadership and Outreach. In 2008, Dave approached the Quakertown Borough Council about the possibility of improving the old skate park. With the blessing of the Council, Dave began his work. During that period of time, Dave was the Youth Pastor at East Swamp. Dave is the founder of the Free Fall Skate Park on Main St. in Quakertown. His leadership is the reason the Park has come to fruition. Dave started by talking with the users of the park at that time. He gathered their ideas and their help in designing the new Free Fall Action Park. Realizing that this endeavor would take a lot of money and cooperation, Dave was the one responsible for bringing people together to make this happen. In the early days of working on the park, Dave would often say, “You don’t have a million dollars, I don’t have a million dollars, but God has a million dollars.” There were multiple steps to the process of raising 1.5 million dollars needed for this project. The process included: Getting several local churches to join together to provide the first $100,000. Money was also pledged from Bergey’s Auto, Marcho Meats, and Clemens Food Group. Having this money available made it possible with the help of Quakertown Borough in grant writing to apply to the State for a grant. This State Grant totaled $350,000. Obtaining “in kind” services including help from the design and construction company, American Ramp Company, the Borough of Quakertown, and Berks Ridge Builders. Donations were obtained from local resident Ken Carr and Tony Hawk. Ongoing volunteer work and donations have also been helpful.
Main Street Parks Park Transformation Committee for the duration of the project. The Park was completed in 2021 and is a major addition to the community.
It is an honor for the Alumni Association to award this year’s honorary diploma to Dave Kratz.
When Dave received his honorary diploma, he joined his son, Tim (QCHS Class of 2020) as a QCHS graduate. Tim has gone on to graduate from Messiah College as well. Dave and his wife, Karen, are also proud parents of Kaylee (QCHS Class of 2021) who is an elementary education major at Cairn University and Emily, who will be a senior at QCHS this coming school year. Karen and the family have been a tremendous support system for Dave and his work.
The Quakertown Community Alumni Association encourages alumni to participate in the Association activities. Its mission includes fundraising to provide scholarship opportunities each year for graduating seniors. Please check out our Facebook Pages “Quakertown High School Alumni Association” and the Alumni pages of the QCSD.org website for more information. We are a 501C3 organization and always welcome any contributions toward our scholarship endeavors. If you are interested in donating, please email Qchsalumniboard@gmail. com and you will receive instructions on how to do so. Comments and ideas for future articles can be sent to Ray Fox at rdefox@msn.com.
The Alumni board is a group of dedicated people who strive to support the students and alumni as much as we can. You could say that we “bleed blue” but more importantly, that we embody two commonly known Quakertown mottos: “Enter To Learn; Leave To Serve.”
Perkasie Announces Opening of 'the Spine' Skate Park
Perkasie Borough is thrilled to announce the opening of “The Spine”, the highly anticipated update to the Lenape Park Skate Park, with an exciting inaugural Last Friday Skate Night program and a latenight outdoor movie. Scheduled for 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm on Friday July 26, 2024, this special event marks the beginning of a new era for skate enthusiasts in the community, providing an exciting new single coping double mini half pipe and a full reconstruction of the park’s asphalt pad.
Last Friday Skate Nights are planned through September, and are meant to invite and include skaters of all ages and skill levels. The inaugural Last Friday Skate Night on July 26th promises an evening filled with music, food, games, giveaways and a celebration of skate culture, and is followed by a FREE outdoor showing of “School of Rock” (PG-13) at the amphitheater in Lenape Park. The movie will begin at around 8:30pm and has a run time of 1 hour and 48 mins.
Lauren Moll, Perkasie’s Director of Parks & Recreation added, “the skate park is one of the Borough’s most-utilized facilities and it’s wonderful to have been a part of this project. It feels very appropriate to host this event in July, which is national Parks & Recreation Month. We’re hoping everyone comes out to watch the skaters, enjoy the park and stay for the movie. It’s going to be an awesome evening in the park.”
Attendees at the event can purchase hot dogs and snacks and Hickory Stick ice creams, and pick up free giveaways provided by event sponsors and the Perkasie Police Department. Perkasie Borough is grateful to the event sponsors, including the Perkasie Rotary Club, K-Squared Landscaping, MLC Mechanical, Screen Room Inc., American Acres, and Fermier Construction LLC.
Perkasie’s Skate Park was installed in
2002 and has been a popular and muchused fixture in Lenape Park. Early in 2023 Perkasie Borough Council began taking steps to address vandalism and investigating options for renovation of the aging facility. The Skate Park SubCommittee of the Parks & Recreation Committee recommended the installation of new equipment and re-paving the site. These projects were completed in 2024, and funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Park & Rec fees in lieu.
“Perkasie’s Parks & Recreation Committee formed a Skate Park SubCommittee in 2023, and those guys have done amazing work in a very short space of time” noted Dave Worthington, Borough Council’s Chair of Parks & Recreation. “It’s rewarding to see a group of residents come together to make this kind of difference, and I know they’re passionate about including the community as they work toward future improvements to the park’s physical equipment and programming. Kudos to a job well done!” People in the United States have celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July since 1985. Its goal is to promote building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. This year's theme — “Where You Belong” — celebrates the many ways park and recreation professionals across the country foster a sense of belonging in their community by providing welcoming and inclusive programs, essential services for all ages and abilities, and safe, accessible spaces to build meaningful connections. This past June, Mayor Hollenbach, proclaimed July as National Park and Recreation Month in Perkasie Borough.
More information about The Spine at Lenape Park, the Skate Night event series and Parks & Recreation Month at www.perkasieborough.org
The answers to the puzzles on this page are found elsewhere in this issue. Think Local. Play Local. Be Local.
Think Local. Play Local. Be Local.
Dunce Cap Fang Fork Hedgehog
Diversification, Patience, & Consistency
Regardless of how the markets may perform, consider making the following part of your investment philosophy: Diversification. The saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” has some application to investing. Over time, certain asset classes may perform better than others. If your assets are mostly held in one kind of investment, you could find yourself under a bit of pressure if that asset class experiences some volatility. Keep in mind that diversification is an approach to help manage investment risk. It does not eliminate the risk of loss if an investment sees a decline in price. Asset allocation strategies also are used in portfolio management. When financial professionals ask you questions about your goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk, they are getting a better idea about what asset classes may be appropriate for your situation. But like diversification, asset allocation is an approach to help manage investment risk. It does not eliminate the risk of loss if an investment sees a decline in price.
Patience. Impatient investors can get too focused on the day-to-day doings of the financial markets. They can be looking for short-term opportunities rather than longerterm potential. A patient investor understands that markets fluctuate, and has built a portfolio based on their time horizon, risk tolerance, and goals. A short-term focus may
add stress and anxiety to your life, and could lead to frustration with the investing process.
Consistency. Most people invest a little at a time, within their budget, and with regularity. They invest $50 or $100 or more per month in their retirement account or similar investments. They are investing on “autopilot” to help themselves attempt to build wealth over time.
Consistent investing does not protect against a loss in a declining market or guarantee a profit in a rising market. Consistent investing, sometimes referred to as dollar-cost averaging, is the process of investing a fixed amount of money in an investment vehicle at regular intervals, usually monthly, for an extended period of time regardless of price. Investors should evaluate their financial ability to continue making purchases through periods of declining and rising prices. The return and principal value of stock prices will fluctuate as market conditions change. Shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. If you don’t have an investment strategy, consider talking to a qualified financial professional today.
thiS aRticle waS SubMitteD by bob poDRaza of RobeRt jaMeS inveStMentS at 1313 weSt bRoaD StReet, QuakeRtown he can be ReacheD at 215-583-5013 oR at RobeRtjaMeSinveStMentS coM
The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright FMG Suite.
I hope you readers don’t consider it plagiarism if I repeat something from my predecessor, Mitzi Jo. A human named Bill once told our mom that he prefers cats. Why? Cats are like teenagers and dogs are like 2-yearolds. Teenagers and cats take care of their own potty chores and cats feed themselves if you leave food out for them. (dogs would eat it all at once). Teenagers and cats both ignore you unless they want something. Dogs, however,
must be taught to potty outside and be taken out unless you have a dog door. Two-yearolds have diapers. Dogs will eat everything in sight if you leave food out so you need to make meals for them. Dogs and 2-year-olds want your attention and love all the time. They always want to be with you. Boy I’m glad I’m a cuddly dog. Which do you prefer?
~ Love Peanut
Employment Opportunities
Krause Home and Lawn CareSeeking 2 or 3 individuals to expand business. Construction experience is helpful. Wage will be based on experience. References requested. Clean driving record and driver’s license required. 267-261-7671
Spors General Store - Hiring Full & Part Time. Competitive Pay, Health Insurance, 401K, Family Contact Becky at bspor@sporsgeneralstore. com or 215-536-6754
Jackson Hewitt Tax ServicesQuakertown Office. Flexible schedule, hourly pay and bonuses, tax
preparation training, continuing education, Friends & Family discounts. Visit quakertown.net/jh
Pool Pro - Hiring various positions in store and office, pool technicians and cleaners. Apply in person or send resume for interview. 201 S. Third Street, Coopersburg. Email: poolpropa@verizon.net
The Proper Brewing CompanyHiring Dishwasher, Host, Cooks, and Bartender Contact: kris@ theproperbrewing.com or stop in at 117 W. Broad Street,Quakertown
“The month of August had turned into a griddle where the days just lay there and sizzled.”
- The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Ponderings by Palma
BY PALMA MOYER, RN
Looking back on my child rearing days I realize that my middle child was on the Autism spectrum. He was a delightful child but had a different personality. He did not talk until he was over 3 years old, never crawled, and could not turn his head without turning his body. I frequently mentioned these things to my doctor who reassured me that this was ok. He was very intelligent but slow moving. His 3rd grade teacher labeled him Grandpa slow poke. He had a great sense of humor with a hearty laugh. He graduated from Seminary and had a Master’s degree from a well-known school. I mention these
things because today children are labeled as Autistic, and are somehow looked on as deficient in some way, when in fact we all have something different about us that makes us unique and special. I recommend that instead of thinking people who are on the Autism spectrum are not equal to others embrace all their good qualities and shine. It’s not what you have, its, what you do with what you have, that can make or break you as a person. To all of you with special qualities I urge you to shine and be happy. We are all are a flower in God’s Garden.
palMa iS a 1957 gRaDuate of teMple univeRSity hoSpital School of nuRSing. She ShaReS heR expeRienceS anD peRSpectiveS on nuRSing anD on life. She enjoyS heaRing fRoM you at DonthelpMeMoyeR@aol coM
Quakertown Rotary Club Holds Inaugural Cornhole Tournament
The Quakertown Rotary Club marked its centennial year with the inaugural Quakertown Rotary Cornhole Tournament, held on Saturday, June 15th. The event, which featured over 40 representatives and cornhole players, included live music and delicious food at the West End restaurant in Quakertown.
President of the Quakertown Rotary Club, Todd Barringer, expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm for the event, stating, “We are thrilled to host our first-ever cornhole tournament, especially as we celebrate our 100th year. The overwhelming support from our community members and participants is truly heartwarming. Together, we are making a meaningful impact on the lives of our students and contributing to the growth and success of our school district.”
All proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Quakertown Community School District, supporting a variety of programs backed by the Rotary Club throughout the school year. These programs include the Student of the Month program, Camp Neidig Leadership Camp, STEM Yea, and senior scholarships.
“The funds raised today will directly benefit the students in this community, providing them with opportunities to excel
in their academic and extracurricular pursuits,” Barringer added. “We are committed to fostering a strong sense of community and encouraging our youth to reach their full potential.”
The event was not only a fun and engaging competition but also a testament to the community spirit that the Quakertown Rotary Club has championed for a century. With the support of local businesses and the participation of enthusiastic community members, the tournament was a resounding success.
The tournament was generously sponsored by Brad Knecht of Edward Jones Financial Advisors; United States Cold Storage; Penn Community Bank, BaringerHartman Insurance Group; Integrity Wealth Partners; Ken Carr; QNB Bank; The Chambers Family; and St. Luke's Hospital's Upper Bucks Campus.
As the Quakertown Rotary Club looks ahead to the next century, it remains dedicated to its mission of service and support for the local community. The inaugural cornhole tournament serves as a reminder of the club's enduring commitment to making a positive difference in Quakertown.
Upper Bucks Area Places of Worship
Bible Baptist Church Meets at HIghland Park Dining Hall 415 Highland Park Road Sellersville, PA 18960 484-523-3333
www.biblebaptistcares.org
Pastor: Tom Harris
Bible Study Hour 9:30 am, Morning Worship 10:30 am, Services interpreted for the deaf Christ Church United Church of Christ 101 N. Main Street Trumbauersville, PA 18970
215-538-0142
christchurch10@verizon.net
www.christchurchisalive.org
Pastor: David Heckler
A friendly, welcoming church. Change fear into hope, doubt into faith. God is calling. Join us at 11am Sunday. Halleleujah! Christ’s Lutheran Church 218 East Broad Street Trumbauersville, PA 18970
215-536-3193
christselca@verizon.net
www.christslutheran.com
9:00am Worship, 10:15 Sunday School, Handicapped accessible, Family Friendly Church. Find us on Facebook! Church of the Incarnation 44 S. 8th Street Quakertown, PA 18951 215-538-3787
Ardores@verizon.net
www.IncarnationQuakertown.org
Pastor: Most Rev. Thomas J. Kleppinger Traditional worship, Biblical faith Sunday 10:30am, Holy Days as announced. Emmanuel Episcopal Church 560 S. Main Street Quakertown, PA 18951
215-536-3040
emmanuelchurch11@yahoo.com www.emmanuelquakertown.org
Sunday service at 10am, Visitors and new members always welcome!
First United Church of Christ 151 S. Fourth Street Quakertown, PA 18951
215-536-4447
info@firstUCC.net Facebook.com/FirstUCCQuakertown
Senior Pastor: Rev. Jon C. Bauman
Min. of Visitation & Pastoral Care: Elaine Ely
Join us in person Sundays 9:15am Join us online at www.firstUCC.net. Community Lunch 2nd Saturday Drive through pickup 9am. Community Dinner 3rd Thursday 5:30pm (eat in).
Good News Church 424 Juniper Street
Quakertown, PA 18951
215-536-4393
Pastor: David Markey, Jr.
An alternative to the ultra-contemporary Sunday Worship and Children’s Church 10:30 am, Wednesday Bible Study 7:30pm, World Evangelism Fellowship affiliate.
Grace Bible Fellowship Church 1811 Old Bethlehem Pike N. Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-6096
grace@quakertownbfc.org www.quakertownbfc.org
Sr. Pastor: Ron Kohl
Sunday School for all ages. 10:10am Morning Worship, Small group meetings 2nd & 4th Sundays 6:30pm; Tues: Ladies Bible Study 9:45am; Wed: AWANA (2 yrs - 6th grade) & Teens for Christ 6:30pm, Adult prayer meeting 6:45pm Juniper Street Bible Church 317 Juniper Street Quakertown, PA 18951 267-373-9115
Pastor: Derrick Thompson www.juniperstreetbiblechurch.org
Worship Sunday 10 am; also live on Facebook and Youtube. Bible study Tuesday 7 pm. We pray you will join us in worship and study.
Morning Star Fellowship 429 S. 9th Street Quakertown, PA 18951 215-529-6422
Pastors: John & Theresa Decker www.mstarqtown.org
Sunday Services at 9 am and 11 am. Our cafe is open with free coffee. Children’s Ministries provided. Celebrate Recovery on Tuesdays at 7 pm. Student Ministries on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. Weekly Connections. For updates and schedule changes, check our website. Pennridge Christian Fellowship 720 Blooming Glen Rd, Blooming Glen 18911 215-257-7309 pastor@pennridgecf.org www.pennridgecf.org
Pastor: Thomas Vargis
Multicultural Charismatic church worshipping God in a casual, friendly atmosphere. Our service consists of song service, testimonies, and teaching of the word. Live Spanish translation & children’s service at 10:30 Sunday worship. Livestream: fb.com/pennridgechristianfellowship
Quakertown United Methodist Church 1875 Freier Road Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-4992
barb@qumc.com www.qumc.com
Pastor: Rev. Richard K. Brown II Sunday schedule: Worship 8:30 am, Sunday School 9:45 am, Worship 11 am Communion first Sunday of each month. St. Isidore Roman Catholic Church 2545 West Pumping Station Rd Quakertown, PA 18951 (215) 536-4389
Pastor: Rev. Kenneth C. Brabazon izzyparoff@comcast.net www.stisidores.org
Sunday Masses - 5:00pm Saturday evenings; 7:00am, 9:00am, & 11:00am on Sunday mornings; 1:00pm in Spanish Sunday afternoons
St. John’s Lutheran Church 4 South Main Street • PO Box 458 Richlandtown, PA 18955 215-536-5027 Admin@stjohnsrpa.org www.stjohnsrpa.org
Pastor: Rev Dr. David A Genszler
In person worship service Sunday at 9:30 am, Watch our Worship Service anytime on stjohnsrpa.org/sermon or on Facebook. Activity Center Rentals Open, Capacity 125, call 215-536-5027 to book.
St. John’s Lutheran Church of Spinnerstown
1565 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Spinnerstown 18968 (GPS Quakertown 18951)
Mailing:PO Box 120, Spinnerstown, PA 18968 215-536-0734 stjohnsspinnerstown@gmail.com www.stjohnsofspinnerstown.org
Interim Pastor: The Rev. Susan Lang Worship Service: 9:30 a.m. Service also is live-streamed on Facebook (St. John's Lutheran Church, Spinnerstown, PA) and video available on the church website.
St. John’s Lutheran Ridge Valley 910 Allentown Road, West Rockhill Twp 215-257-9643
stjohnsridgevalley910@gmail.com www.stjohnsridgevalley.com
Pastor: Rev. Lauren Bruno 8:30am Traditional - 10:15am w/praise band. Grape juice & gluten-free wafers available. Adult Forum 9:40, Handicapped accessible. All invited and welcome to Share the Joy! St. John the Baptist Parish 4050 Durham Road, Ottsville 18942 610-847-5521 pastor@stjohnsottsville.org www.stjohnsottsville.org
Pastor: Selvaraj Lucas, MSC St. John the Baptist, the first Catholic parish in Bucks County, has served the pastoral needs of Catholics since 1743.
St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Applebachsville 837 Old Bethlehem Road, Quakertown 215-536-5789 stpaulsqtown@gmail.com www.stpaulsqtown.org
Pastor: Rev. David Heckler
We believe in sharing God’s love in joyful service. Come and see. All are welcome. St. Paul’s United Church of Christ 104 Green Street Sellersville, PA 18960 215-257-7268
Pastor: Rev. Trudy Irving secretary@stpaulsucc.net www.stpaulsucc.net
Sunday Worship 10:15 in Sanctuary Springfield Mennonite Church 1905 Pleasant View Road Coopersburg PA 18036 267-999-1404
Pastor: Rev. Joseph Wames pastorjoe@springfieldmennonite.org www.springfieldmennonite.org
Join us at 10:15 am Sunday Mornings for a Blended Worship Service, Multi-generational, loving congregation. Biblically and Doctrinally Sound.
Trinity Lutheran Church 102 N. Hellertown Avenue Quakertown, PA 18951 (215) 536.4345 www.trinityquakertown.org
Pastor: Rev. Rachel Scheible
9 am Traditional service, Handicap accessible, Family Friendly, Dynamic Music Ministry, Living God’s Love for All
Not Our First Rodeo
[Some are violently oppoSed to rodeoS they proteSt the treatment of the animalS rodeo animalS are Special, bred and trained for the job extremely valuable they’re treated much better than beef or dairy cowS whoSe pathetic life iS under-appreciated i’ve never
Seen an animal injured at a rodeo but have Seen a few cowboyS buSted-up pretty bad many more injurieS occur every weekend on football fieldS. “live and let live,” i Say.]
After college, my wife and I moved to, and spent ten years living in, Wyoming. Loving the Cowboy State (which has a picture of a bronc and rider on its license plates), we soon adapted to the Western Culture, which includes demonstrations of ranch-hand skills called rodeos. We’ve attended rodeos in several states and enjoy watching them on TV.
Think Local. Support Local. Be Local.
Recently, we drove down to Pilesgrove Township, NJ, to attend a Cowtown Rodeo. It’s one of the oldest rodeos in America. Competitions are held 7:30pm every Saturday, Memorial Day through September. I’d never heard of the place, but when I saw that the Professional Bull Riders Association would be competing there in August, I bought tickets ($30ea.). Since we’d never been there and expected a big crowd, we decided to attend a ‘regular’ rodeo to get a feel for the place. Cowtown is about 70 miles from Quakertown—I-95 South to Commodore Barry Bridge and down Rte. 40 a dozen miles or so. We arrived early and got good seats ($20ea.). There was nothing special going on, but the place was packed. The 4,000 bleacher seats were filled and hundreds of standing-room guests ringed the arena. Lines at the food stands and toilets were long (BYO coolers are permitted). Most of the crowd was young people and families, which surprised us. We sat with a woman who drives from north Jersey every weekend to attend (season pass = $350 for 19 rodeos). Sanctioned rodeos have standard events—bronc riding, steer wrestling, steer roping, barrel racing, bull riding.
We had a great time at Cowtown Rodeo. No animals were injured and all the cowboys walked away, though rather gingerly sometimes. We encourage you to visit Cowtown to participate in some pure Americana.
Howard Harris Sr. and son ‘Stoney’ (Howard Jr.) established Cowtown Rodeo in 1929. The first events were held in conjunction with the Salem County Fair and continued until 1938. Stoney’s son, ‘Baldy’ (Howard III), reactivated the rodeo in 1955, at what became known as Harris Acres. Baldy had attended the University of Idaho and won the 1954 National Intercollegiate All Around Rodeo Championship. His celebrity increased the notoriety of Cowtown.
The Harris family improved facilities, promoted nationwide and successfully established what is now the “oldest weekly professional rodeo in the United States.” Cowtown’s success was bolstered by live TV coverage in 1958 & 1959. The original facilities were soon outgrown and the present 4,000 seat arena was built in 1967. Cowtown Rodeos were filmed and broadcast nationally in 1969 and 1970, solidifying its reputation.
Howard Grant Harris, the fourth
generation to operate Cowtown, is the quintessential New Jersey cowboy. He started Junior Bull Riding at age 5 and “practically lived behind the chutes.” ‘Grant’ became a professional at age 14 and earned his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association card at 17. He attended Casper College in Wyoming (our old WY hometown), on a full rodeo scholarship. He was the Northeast Circuit Saddle Bronc Champion in 1975, 1977 and 1978, and was invited to compete in the 1977 North American Match Invitational Bronc Riding championship in Wolf Point, Montana. When Grant came home, he was disappointed to learn that Baldy had decided to sell Cowtown. After much thought, Grant and wife Betsy bought it. Then the rodeo champion had another big decision to make. “You cannot run a rodeo every Saturday night from May to September and compete on the rodeo circuit as well,” he said. And, “It’s hard to walk away from something your dad and your granddad spent a lifetime building.” He retired from competition and soon discovered, “Sitting on a bronc is mild compared to the things that pop up all over the place around here . . . there’s considerable organization in the background.” Cowtown has inspired and helped organize other rodeos along the East Coast, from Vermont to North Carolina. Uniquely, they raise their own bucking stock. They’re proud to have produced a bull that was named a PRCA “Bucking Bull of the Year” in 1984 and 1985. Grant and Betsy live on the ‘home ranch’ and still participate in operations at Cowtown. Betsy is past-president of the First Frontier Rodeo Circuit where she was responsible for the entire northeastern rodeo circuit. She’s traveled the nation promoting Cowtown and still serves at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas every year. Grant and Betsy have two daughters (no more Howards). Cortney is still a cowgirl. She and husband Jake Morehead own and operate Three Hills Rodeo Company in Bernard, Iowa. They have three children: Sam, Lily and Cade (no Howards). Katy and husband RJ Griscom live on the ‘home ranch’ and have continued the family tradition into the fifth generation. They ‘took the reins’, and assumed daily operation of Cowtown in 2020. People are drawn to Cowtown not just for the weekly rodeos. On the grounds is a large indoor farmers market and an outdoor flea market (Tuesday through Saturday), reminiscent of Quakertown’s Q-mart. Nor is that the only attraction. The Cowtown Cowboy Outfitters store has offered western apparel and all the accoutrements since 1958 (with free returns within 60 days!). The rodeo grounds free parking-field opens early on rodeo days and (responsible) tail-gating is encouraged. In the 21st century, various parties have shown interest in acquiring Harris Acres and Cowtown. Grant seriously considered an offer (which was rumored to be $20 to $25 million), but declined. “What would I do with (all that money),” he was quoted as saying. More recently, New Jersey has designated Cowtown’s acreage as ‘protected space’, assuring that the famous destination will remain unchanged into the future. See: cowtownrodeo.com.
