Spring Summer 2022
Landenberg Life
Magazine
New Garden Township preserves a family's legacy
In Wyn’s memory Page 38
Inside: • Landenberg's scenic beauty • Mitchell Bacot's journey of hope • Don Mann: headshot maestro
Complimentary Copy
Landenberg Life Spring/Summer 2022
Landenberg Life
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Table of Contents 8 16 24 30
Footprints in the sand
38 44 54
Photo essay: In Wyn’s memory
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Profile of photographer Don Mann Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa
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Q & A with Ted Gallivan and Troy Wildrick
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Three creeks and a preserve A young gardener follows his passion for plants
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Landenberg Life Spring/ Summer 2022 Letter from the Editor: Don Mann un-retired from multiple careers at the start of 2020 to open Don Mann Photography. The 73-year-old Landenberg resident’s latest occupational pursuit enables clients to be the best they can be in their photos. He trained with world-renowned headshot photographer Peter Hurley, and now his own photography is having a real positive impact on people. In this issue of Landenberg Life, we profile Mann and also offer a handful of other stories that, we hope, capture the specialness of the area and the people who call it home. This issue features a story about Matteo Riordan, a 15-year-old gardening enthusiast from Landenberg who has been raising his passion for growing plants to ever higher levels since he took an interest in gardening about two years ago. His work is showcased in his family’s home and yard in Landenberg. In a story titled “Three creeks and a nature preserve,” we take a look at the scenic beauty around Landenberg. It’s a great place for anyone who enjoys hiking, bike riding, fishing, and other outdoor activities. Landenberg Life caught up with New Garden Township Supervisors Ted Gallivan and Troy Wildrick to talk about why these next-door neighbors decided to run for seats on the board, what project or initiative each person would most want to see his name and legacy attached to once their time on the board is complete, what their favorite spots are in Landenberg, and more. The story of Landenberg native Mitchell Bacot is one of hardship but, more powerfully, it is also one of hope, determination, faith and the love of family and friends. In “Footprints in the sand,” writer Richard L. Gaw documents the long journey that Mitchell has been on since he was a young boy growing up in Landenberg. Mitchell was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic condition. When Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa owner Bob Bowe was first considering the idea of retirement after 29 years of owning one of the most successful businesses in Landenberg, he knew in his heart that he needed to hand the keys of the kennel to the right people. Late last year, he found them – Tim and Erin Chretien, the owners of Swiffer, Archie and Ana and several other dogs. Tim and Erin Chretien had been loyal customers at Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa for the past 15 years, and they recently became the new owners of the entire business. The subject of the photo essay is the 7.8 acres of Landenberg property that New Garden Township purchased to preserve a valuable connector to other open space. The property was owned for three decades by Cindy and Wyn Hiles. We hope you enjoy these stories, and we always welcome comments and suggestions for stories to highlight in a future issue of Landenberg Life. 54 30
Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553 Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, Ext. 13
Cover Design: Tricia Hoadley Cover photo: Jim Coarse
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|Landenberg People| Life|
Footprints in th
Jump
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The story of Landenberg native Mitchell Bacot is one of hardship but more powerfully, it is also one of hope, determination, faith and the love of family and friends By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer There is an aged brown book in the upstate New York home where Mitchell Bacot lives with his wife Jenamarie that documents the first chapters of a long journey that Mitchell has been on since he was a young boy growing up in Landenberg. The book was written by his mother Karen Bacot, and it records in copious detail the arduous and often painful chapter markers that saw young Mitchell go from doctor to doctor, from appointment to appointment, and from hospital to hospital. On Sept. 13, 1994, Mitchell, then a soccer player at Avon Grove Middle School, visited the nurse for a physical in order to be allowed to play sports. Later that day, the school nurse called Mitchell’s mother to inform her that Mitchell’s blood pressure was severely elevated. Within days, Mitchell surrendered to several tests and appointments, including an echocardiogram at the A.I. Children’s Hospital in Wilmington that revealed abnormalities. Even with all of the needed medical attention, he continued to play soccer and had dreams of playing at a professional level that eventually were let go when the diagnosis became real: Mitchell was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic condition 8
Landenberg Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.chestercounty.com
Photo by Amelia Hamilton
Landenberg native Mitchell Bacot with his wife Jenamarie and their children.
usually diagnosed in young adults that affects one in 25,000 to 40,000 people. NF2 can cause a variety of symptoms and complications, including hearing loss as well as problems with balance and swallowing. Among the most serious is a predisposition to develop certain types of tumors in the brain and spine. During that time, Karen said that she had compiled a stack of MRI diagnoses that approached a foot thick, and also met with many doctors.
the sand “When we first heard the term ‘Neurofibromatosis Type 2,’ our response was, ‘What is that?’” she said. “We had to do our own research and read about it and try to understand what the best options were. It was a lot of seeking and searching in trying to find the best doctors, and it also came with a lot of prayers.” By the time he graduated from Avon Grove High School in 1999, Mitchell had almost entirely lost his hearing, but that fall, he entered Gallaudet University near Washington, D.C., one of the only American Sign Language (ASL) centered colleges for the Deaf. There was yet another hurdle for him to climb: he arrived on campus without knowing much of ASL. Despite his setbacks and challenges, Mitchell began his studies at Gallaudet, transferred to Drexel University and later to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) where he graduated with a BS in Mathematics. He then earned a Master of Science in Secondary Education for the Deaf from the Rochester Institute of Technology, and became a Mathematics teacher at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at RIT following graduation. ‘I was drawn to him’ On Nov. 6, 2005, Jenamarie’s mother, who was earning her teaching degree at RIT, sponsored a study session at her house and invited some of her fellow students. Among them was Mitchell Bacot. “I knew from that day he was interested in me, and I was in the middle of getting over a heartbreak, so I didn’t want to get back into a relationship just yet,” said Jenamarie, who was living with her mother at the time. “But Mitchell’s countenance is very gentle, calm and comforting to be around, and when I heard his story, I was fascinated by his willingness to take on this new world. “I was drawn to him, and eventually, we decided to begin a relationship.” Continued on Page 12
Photo courtesy of the Bacot family
Mitchell Bacot and one of his children.
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On Aug. 8, 2007, they were married and despite his condition – one that required several brain surgeries – Mitchell became a father to six children, maintained his independence, became involved with his church community, worked full time at NTID and was an active and present father to his children. NF2, however, continued to do damage to Mitchell’s body and on Jan. 21, 2021, his independence was being challenged. Several surgeries later, he has had to reconstruct his life, his marriage and his fatherhood from a motorized wheelchair. “Mitchell walks through his storms very calmly,” Jenamarie said. “Through the grace and power of God, Mitchell has a very strong faith, and his relationship with Christ is what keeps him going, and it’s God’s grace that sustains him.” Despite a steady schedule of intensive physical and occupational therapy, he experiences numbness from head to toe, and is struggling with severely limited mobility and dexterity, and because of his mounting medical concerns, Mitchell has not been able to return to his teaching position at NTID. Mitchell’s condition was also exacerbated by two functional disparities in his every day life: a bathroom he could not access and a van that could not fit both his powerchair and 6 children. The family car was no longer large enough to accommodate his motorized wheelchair, and the wheelchair was too heavy to manually lift.
Therapy for Mitchell is also rolled into play time with his children.
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‘I have never met a family more deserving of support’
Photos courtesy of the Bacot family
Mitchell Bacot and his children.
In order for Mitchell to be able to be involved in family’s activities, attend community events and church, watch his kids play soccer games or go to a school event, the Bacots needed a larger vehicle with wheelchair access and a lift. The cost of purchasing a used vehicle large enough to be able to fit eight people and a 350-pound power chair would be close to $50,000 -- and upgrading to an accessible bathroom was estimated to cost between $15,000 and $30,000.
Judith A. Molner, an American Sign Language Interpreter at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester and a friend of Mitchell and Jenamarie, established a Go Fund Me account this past summer. “The spirit of the Bacot family is magnificently kind and loving, and I feel compelled to help in whatever way I can, to support them as they face some profound challenges in the weeks and months to come,” Molner wrote in her appeal. “I can honestly say that I’ve never met a family more deserving of support and generosity from the wider community of friends, near and far. This family brings the most loving and kind spirit out into the world, and all of our spirits are enriched and heightened by their presence.” To date, with over 125 individual contributions ranging from $10 to $1,000, the account has raised nearly $18,000. Many more donations to help this need were given through the mail, venmo or paypal and a love offering was collected from their church that raised an additional $25,000. Thanks to these contributions, the Bacot family purchased its new vehicle in October, and the renovations to the master bathroom, while nearly complete, now allow Mitchell to have full access. “When Judith and a few of our other friends mentioned to us about creating an account, I was hesitant to do it again, because we created an account four years ago to prepare for one of Mitchell’s brain surgeries in California,” Jenamarie said. “When we realized how much a new van and a new bathroom was going to cost, however, we decided that we would do it again and I asked Judith if she would be willing to head start that. “I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of this community. In a good way, everyone has been so generous to our family.” “It’s been touching about how many people we have met and the miracles we have seen through all of this,” Karen said. “It has become the shining light and the people’s love has been very rich.” Footprints in the sand It is not likely that the massive motorized wheelchair will ever vanish from Mitchell Bacot’s life, and the many Continued on Page 14
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Footprints in the Sand Continued from Page 13
tests, surgeries, results and revelations will likely continue to document his medical journey. What hits Jenamarie hardest is when she sees her husband apologize for what he is unable to do for his wife and his children, such as a visit to the pumpkin patch last fall, when one of their sons got temporarily lost in the corn maze and Mitchell knew that he could not attempt to find him. “When Mitchell and I made our vows before God, we said ‘For Better or Worse,’” Jenamarie said. “We are only given this moment, and that’s all we get, and I can spend my time being sad and wondering about the future, or I can spend this time saying ‘Wow, Lord, thank you. Thank you that we get to see the changing colors of the seasons. Thank you for allowing us to do things as a family again. Thank you that Mitchell is able to see, and that his mind is sharp and clear.’ “Recently, when talking to our son Hezekiah, Mitchell said something along the lines of, ‘This is hard, but Jesus is helping me through it and I will have victory.’”
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Photo by Amelia Hamilton
Mitchell and Jenamarie Bacot were married on Aug. 8, 2007.
During brain surgery in California last June, Mitchell asked Jenamarie to type out a story for him to share for a future presiding assignment at church. It was the famous “Footprints in the Sand” verse, in which the author questions why in his darkest moments he saw only his own footprints in the sand, but learned instead that it was God’s footprints carrying him. “Sometimes Mitchell feels as if he is walking through this journey alone, but he is not,” Jenamarie said. “God is carrying him through it.” To learn more about Mitchell and Jenamarie Bacot and make your donation, visit https//www.gofundme. com/Fundraiser for Jenamarie Bacot by Judith A. Molner: Give Bacot Family a Wheelchair Accessible Life! To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
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|Landenberg Spotlight|
Headshot maestro Landenberg resident Don Mann’s latest career enables clients to be the best they can be in their photos.
Photos courtesy of Don Mann Photography
Landenberg resident Don Mann unretired from multiple careers to open Don Mann Photography, specializing in headshots.
By Ken Mammarella Contributing Writer Look at Don Mann’s self-portrait right above. Someone approachable, confident and trustworthy, right? He goes for those and other uplifting qualities in every headshot he takes. 16
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The 73-year-old Landenberg resident unretired from multiple careers at the start of 2020 to open Don Mann Photography, after two years of work in which he had “learned how to get real expressions that could improve people’s lives and businesses,” he writes on www.donmannphotography.com. “My photography was having such a great impact on people,” he said in an interview, referring to perfecting his skills
by photographing friends and learning from world-renowned headshot photographer Peter Hurley (and eventually being named a member of Hurley’s Headshot Crew). “It was almost transcendent in the sense that people saw themselves in a way they’d never seen before.” Client Sydney Kenton, a Hofstra University drama and fine arts major who lives in the Wilmington area, agrees. She’s had multiple headshots taken for her acting career, and Mann’s new work is her favorite. “He taught me how to look good,” she said, and along the way gave her skills that will show off her charisma and personality in future roles. “I feel it’s very authentic.” Cybersecurity engineer Seth Hammerman is another satisfied client. “Everything he suggested – the way to pose, the background, the clothes and the facial expression – turned out to be perfect,” he said. “I knew the basics – no statement earrings, no patterned clothes,” said Newark resident Jessica Dost, but she learned a lot more, including the best poses. “It was painless and professional.”
How it all began Mann has lived in Landenberg since 1996. He is a chemist by training and a marketer and high-tech manager by profession. His résumé includes stints in the Air Force, as a research scientist for the Army and as a munitions designer for the Army. He has also written several books and leads an online support group and faith resource at CovenantPeaceMinistries.com. His photographic career started with a course in college. He has been published in scientific and technical journals and over the decades worked in multiple styles. But “I never posed people because I never knew how to get them to look real, and I disliked almost all the portraits and headshots I ever saw because they didn’t make people look attractive,” he said. “Then I learned how to do that. And when I started using that technology on people, it was transformative for me and for them.” He stresses numbing numbers on his site and in the interview. Continued on Page 18
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Headshot maestro Continued from Page 17
“For 99.99999 percent of all headshots, studies show the viewer rejects the lookability of the image in about 4 milliseconds,” he writes on the site. “After this initial first rejection, it is a long, uphill battle to try to win back client engagement.” His goal is to craft a headshot that holds the viewer “1 to 10 seconds, while my Top 1 percent Headshot builds trust and likability in the mind of the viewer.” In the interview, he calls it feeling “safe.” Mann prices his services a la carte, with the typical client investing $600 to $1,000. Almost all his work is done in the studio in his Landenberg home. Exterior work – for performers, models and those in the media who want an interesting background – is on the wooded property he shares with his wife, Cindy, and their son and his family. He also offers location shooting. Continued on Page 20 “I feel it’s very authentic,” Sydney Kenton said of her headshot by Mann.
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Headshot maestro Continued from Page 18
He uses Canon cameras and lenses and Westcott and Profoto lighting systems, and he favors plain backgrounds for most headshots and portraits. “The lighting that I use is very close, very intense, very bright, and it takes off 10 to 20 years in age, and the right positioning can drop 10 or 20 pounds,” he said. But more important than hardware is his marketing expertise, understanding of people and coaching clients away from those faked smiles that damage too many headshots. Tricks of the trade During the Zoom interview, he demonstrates several tips. He lets his expression evolve. “The energy is in your face,” he said. “A tiny smile and your eyes slightly squinched is perfect.” He pauses the live video and switches the screen to his headshot. “Pulling up one of your Top 1 percent Headshots during a break in a meeting does wonders for people’s cooperation,” he said. “Cartoon images of cats and other kinds of things show creativity, but not cooperation and teamwork. My headshots
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do. Leave your headshot up for two minutes and then take it off again, and it immediately changes the context of the room.” And he suggests that this writer blur his background on Zoom – a change that generates praise a few hours later from people who Zoom with him weekly. Mann’s voluminous site details how clients should prepare for the session. He suggests that they bring multiple outfits to choose from. “As a general rule guys will bring only three, and women will bring 33,” he said, exaggerating only a bit. His top rule for clothing is that people have to love it. If they don’t feel comfortable in it, they won’t shoot well while wearing it. Good attributes include vibrant and middle-tone colors, plus dark long sleeves. Not-so-good attributes include stripes, patterns and puffy shoulders. What happens in the sessions Sessions usually start by showing clients the types of pictures he’s going for, and the range of facial expressions they
can achieve. “Very few actors or models are trained in any of this,” he said. Instead, they’re often going for blank stares, imitating mannequins and statues. “They’re getting better because they’re doing facial expressions that they’ve never thought about making intentionally before, so I actually show them how to do it. Usually that process takes about half an hour before they get into it and understand it.” Mann sometimes has issues to overcome during sessions, such as “a lifetime of crummy headshots” and a widespread standard that incorrectly calls for big toothy grins. To combat any hostility, he shows clients photos of actors like Bruce Willis and Jennifer Aniston showcasing multiple expressions. “I show them how to do intentional expressions. And then they feel the process. Because when you Continued on Page 22 “Everything he suggested … turned out to be perfect,” Seth Hammerman said of his session with Mann – and the results.
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Headshot maestro Continued from Page 21
smile, your inside starts to smile. … When they’re done with the session with me, their self-confidence and self-identity are through the roof. They are really feeling good about themselves, their potential and their attitude of how to control situations that could be tough.” In a 2016 interview, after recovering from a stroke, Mann talked a lot about God, and so he was asked about God’s involvement in his photography. “Oh, this is easy,” he said. “Each individual person is made by God to be a gift to the earth at this time. What I do is bring out that gifting in my photography.” To learn more, visit www.donmannphotography.com. Newark resident Jessica Dost said her photography session with Mann was “painless and professional.”
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|Landenberg Business|
Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa: Continued Con C Co on o nttin in nue ued u eed d on on Page Page Pa ge 24 24
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Bob Bowe, left, with Erin and Tim Chretien, the new owners of Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa, along with their sons Cody and Cole, and kennel manager Kevin Chretien.
New ownership, same quality service By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer When Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa owner Bob Bowe was first considering the idea of retirement after 29 years of owning one of the most successful businesses in Landenberg, he
knew in his heart that he needed to hand the keys of the kennel to the right people. Late last year, he found them – Tim and Erin Chretien, the owners of Swiffer, Archie and Ana and several other dogs – who had been loyal customers at Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa for the past 15 years. Continued on Page 26
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Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa Continued from Page 24
“When I heard that Bob was about to make a transition, I came home from work and asked Erin, ‘Do you want to buy a kennel?’” said Tim, who moved with Erin (a Landenberg native) to Landenberg in 2006 and took over ownership of the kennel in January. “We knew Bob had built a great company with a great reputation, and I think we saw it as an opportunity for us to create a family business, raise our boys within the business, and get to continue Bob’s legacy.” “Tim and Erin came to me at a time when I began to think about the process of retiring,” Bowe said. “I had been doing this for almost 30 years, and began to think about the next chapter for my life. When they came to me, I thought, ‘They are the perfect fit. These are the people who I want to take over, who have the ability and the passion to take over where I left off.” While the transition to new ownership is now complete, the difference in the business ends there. In addition to continuing to provide safe and clean boarding services, Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa offers a full menu of groom-
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ing and bathing packages for small, medium and large dogs that include flea and tick treatments, de-shedding packages and special programs that introduce puppies to grooming. “We’re here to feed, clean and socialize every dog that stays with us, in coordination with their owners’ preferences,” said kennel manager Kevin Chretien. “Our philosophy here is simple: we know that these dogs are members of families, and anything we do is about treating them the way we would want our dogs to be treated. It’s not just about filling their food and water bowls. It’s making sure to spend special time with each dog in their runs and give them the same love and care they receive at home.” The care each dog receives at Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa also includes a special touch. Every night – with the owner’s approval – each dog receives a “Tuck-in-Treat,” a small treat before the kennel closes. For the Chretien’s, the advantage of taking over an already established business is two-fold: it allows them to shape its Continued on Page 28
Courtesy photo
Erin and Cole Chretien with former Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa owner Bob Bowe’s dog Pax.
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Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa Continued from Page 26
Courtesy photo
A happy client reacts to her puppy’s first grooming service at Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa.
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future from the ingenuity of their own imprint, and it comes with a blueprint for success. “Bob has been so connected in the community and everyone has told us that he has been great with their family and so kind to their dogs,” said Erin, who had been a dog groomer at the Paws and People Too Grooming Salon in Middletown before she and Tim purchased Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa. “We want to continue what Bob has done – to make sure that we’re in the community and to have people know that like Bob, we want to connect with other families.” Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa is now accepting boarding and grooming reservations, and also accepts credit cards, debit cards in addition to checks and cash. To learn more, visit www.landenbergpetresort.com, or call 610-274-0809. To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Courtesy photo
Tim Chretien with his son Cole at Landenberg Pet Resort & Spa.
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|Landenberg Q&A| Life|
Q & A with Ted Gallivan & Troy Wildrick
Landenberg Life caught up with New Garden Township Supervisors Ted Gallivan (left) and Troy Wildrick (right) to talk about why the next-door neighbors decided to run for seats on the board, what project or initiative each person
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would most want to see his name and legacy attached to once their time on the board is complete, what their favorite spots are in Landenberg, and more. Continued on Page 32
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Gallivan & Wildrick Continued from Page 30
LANDENBERG LIFE: You two are next-door neighbors in New Garden Township. Talk to Landenberg Life about how you both came to declare your candidacies for seats on the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors. Why did you want to take on the job? TED GALLIVAN: In recent years, I have been seeking a good board opportunity that was right for me. Troy’s wife Christina, who is very involved in local politics, brought to my attention the openings on the New Garden Township board and encouraged me to run. It has turned out to be exactly the opportunity I was looking for.
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TROY WILDRICK: I chose to take on the responsibilities of this job because I wanted to get more involved in my community and help with the various needs of running the township. LANDENBERG LIFE: In a majority of cases, a township supervisor brings to his or her job a particular background -- professional or otherwise -- that they can use to apply to their job on the board. Talk about how your respective backgrounds dovetail with your new role on the board. TED GALLIVAN: I am trained as an accountant and have served in a financial oversight role for many years with a focus on financial statements and internal controls. I can apply these skills to the controls over the revenue and expenses of New Garden Township.
TROY WILDRICK: I am an engineer and have spent my working life involved with the operating and maintaining of complex facilities, power plants and data centers. I feel as though my experience and education will serve me with balancing the needs of the community against numerous budget priorities. LANDENBERG LIFE: You’re both arriving on the board at a time when the township is on the cusp of huge change: Saint Anthony’s in the Hills, White Clay Pointe, the future use of the Loch Nairn Golf Course, to name a few. What will your role be to maintain smart growth in the township (in other words, progress with principle)? TED GALLIVAN: It is an exciting time to be on the New Continued on Page 34
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Gallivan & Wildrick |Landenberg Life| Continued from Page 33
Garden Township board with the recent property acquisitions. I am very careful with my own money and plan to be very careful with the township’s assets, especially with respect to any future growth opportunities. TROY WILDRICK: My role will be to assist with the decision-making process to get the most out of these opportunities for the benefit of the community while minimizing expenditures. LANDENBERG LIFE: At the end of your time on the board, what project or initiative would you most want to see your name and legacy attached to? TED GALLIVAN: It may not be the most exciting thing, but I would like my name attached to the township continuing to have strong financial controls into the future, specifically with respect to the township’s revenue and expenses.
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TROY WILDRICK: None. It is not a concern of mine to have my name attached to anything. I only hope to leave the township better than I found it. LANDENBERG LIFE: What is your favorite spot in Landenberg? TED GALLIVAN: The hiking trails in Landenberg along the White Clay Creek, including the Mill Race Trail, Laurel Wood Trail and Landenberg Junction Trail. The volunteers of the Friends of New Garden Trails have done an excellent job of building and maintaining all of the trails in Landenberg. TROY WILDRICK: The White Clay Creek. LANDENBERG LIFE: Who would you like to invite to your dream dinner party if you could invite anyone from any period of time?
TED GALLIVAN: Our 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. He overcame major health issues to become a World War II hero who was also president during a fascinating period in U.S. history. His life was cut short before he was able to do great things for our country. LANDENBERG LIFE: What can always be found in your refrigerator? TED GALLIVAN: Orange juice and milk. I start every day off with a glass of OJ and have a glass of milk at dinnertime. ~ Drewe Phinny
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|Landenberg Life Life|Photo Essay| Photos by Jim Coarse Text by Richard L. Gaw For three decades and from nearly every angle and view, Cindy and Wyn Hiles had the fortune to stand on the back deck of their Landenberg home and watch nature unfold, uninterrupted. Their 7.8-acre piece of land, tucked into the crevices of a valley off of Penn Green Road, is a painted portrait of the seasons, a nearly silent soundtrack, a playground for the wild things and a sanctuary for Cindy, Wyn and their two sons. Over time, the family built a few cottages on the banks of the White Clay Creek below their home and then a suspension bridge, but generally left everything else perfectly untouched. Cindy and Wyn were even married there, before guests and the steady and persistent sound of the creek. “The property had a calming effect, and we loved the view,” Cindy said. “We would often muse to ourselves that people pay a lot of money to go on vacation to places that offered the same view that we were blessed to see every day. We would sit on the deck and watch the birds, the fox and the deer, and it didn’t feel like we were in the middle of the I-95 corridor, but that we were living in some wild and open space.” Continued on Page 40
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In W mem
Wyn’s mory When New Garden Township recently purchased 7.8 acres of Landenberg property, it was not just to preserve a valuable connector to other open space, but to hold on to the memories made there by the family who once lived there. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Landenberg Life
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Landenberg PhotoLife| Essay |Landenberg Continued from Page 38
After Wyn passed away in February of 2016, Cindy discussed potential future options for the home and property, and the resounding opinion was that no one wanted to see the property sold for potential residential development. “Our concern was that it would be developed into two larger homes, because it had been a subdivided property,” Cindy said. “Our main goal was to preserve it as it was and not see any additional development that we didn’t feel was needed.” In April of 2019, Cindy began discussions with Chris Robinson and Randy Lieberman of the New Garden Township’s Open Space Review Board (OSRB), Kate Raman of Natural Lands and the township’s Board of Supervisors to determine how the property could best be preserved in perpetuity. Earlier this year, after a few years of negotiations and the acquisition of grant funding and reserves from the OSRB budget, the township settled on the purchase of the Hiles property, and will place an easement on all 7.8 acres. Continued on Page 42
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Landenberg Photo Essay Continued from Page 40
Property forms major link in township’s open space plans In terms of land preservation and open space, the Hiles property figures prominently in the township’s mission to preserve the area in the valley along the White Clay Creek and adjacent to Penn Green Road, as part of the township’s Greenways Plan that was adopted in 2009. Eventually, the township will develop a trail system along the perimeter of the property, which will then form an important link in the township’s long-range goal to create an open space corridor to the White Clay Creek Preserve. The acquisition of the Hiles property is the latest rung in the continued progress of the OSRB, who assists landowners with planning to preserve remaining open space for present and future generations to enjoy. To date, the OSRB has purchased, preserved and protected over 450 acres in the township -- including three properties that are located in the vicinity of the Hiles property that when added together total 94.2 acres. Cindy now lives in Newark, but the property that she once owned will never be far away for her. “Wyn and I raised our two sons there, and there were a lot of memories, and that’s why it was a difficult and bittersweet decision to leave, because it’s a pretty special piece of ground,” she said. “I am not that far from Landenberg though, and I definitely plan on hiking on the former property and one of my sons is an avid fly fisherman, so I know he will continue to visit.”
New Garden Township recently purchased the 7.8-acre property once owned by the Hiles family in Landenberg, which will be protected and preserved in perpetuity. 42
To date, the New Garden Township Review Board has purchased, preserved and protected over 450 acres in the township -including three properties that are located in the vicinity of the Hiles property that when added together total 94.2 acres.
Landenberg Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.chestercounty.com
New Garden Township’s purchase of the property figures prominently in its mission to preserve the area along the White Clay Creek and Penn Green Road.
In 2020, during a Zoom meeting before the township’s supervisors that formally announced the partnership between the Hiles family and the OSRB, Cindy prepared a statement to read. “The last sentence of my statement said that preserving habitat on the Wild & Scenic White Clay Creek in perpetuity is a legacy that my family is very proud to be part of,” she said. “My boys and I discussed it, and thought that in the memory of my husband Wyn, we are leaving this legacy behind so that the entire community can access and use it for hiking, fishing and birding. It just felt like the right thing to do.
“We say that we own land, and while we owned the property and paid the taxes on it, I believe in my heart that we are all stewards of the land and we need to protect it and do what we can regardless of who we are. “The land where we once lived is a magical place to me – with its views and the creek - and when a Bald Eagle soars through there, it takes my breath away.” To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@ chestercounty.com. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Landenberg Life
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|Landenberg History|
Three creeks and a nature preserve: The scenic beauty around Landenberg By Gene Pisasale Contributing Writer People who enjoy hiking, bike riding, fishing and other outdoor activities have known for some time that Landenberg offers all of these in a beautiful setting that is perfect for ‘back to nature’ enthusiasts. If you like wandering along scenic waterways, you have that as well. Three of them run right by the town: Broad Run Creek and Walnut Run Creek feed into the east branch of White Clay Creek, a designated Wild and Scenic River just south of town, as they enter into a less-travelled gem: the White Clay Creek Continued on Page 46
Photo (right): White Clay Creek State Park map courtesy of Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation. 44
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Scenic beauty Continued from Page 44
Preserve. The Preserve sits on the eastern side of London Britain Township within Chester County’s southeasternmost corner and is adjacent to a State Park just over the line in New Castle County, Delaware. Broad Run is a just over four-mile-long tributary of White Clay Creek located mostly in New Garden Township. The source of Broad Run is in the village of Kaolin, south of PA Route 41. Between two areas of higher elevation east of Landenberg, Broad Run is dammed to form Somerset Lake. Below, the valley becomes narrower and the creek enters London Britain Township and the White Clay Creek Preserve just before merging with Walnut Run. Roughly one-eighth of a mile below this point, Broad Run Creek empties into White Clay Creek. Broad Run along with White Clay Creek are designated as Wild and Scenic Rivers. Continued on Page 48
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Scenic beauty Continued from Page 46
White Clay Creek is an 18.5-mile-long tributary of the Christina River. It is renowned for its scenic character and is a federally protected waterway. The East Branch is 13.5 miles long and has its source in West Marlborough Township. Flowing southward, it goes through Avondale, where it links up with Trout Run. Further south, after merging with Egypt Run, the creek turns and meanders in a narrow gorge, passing through Landenberg. Downstream it flows out of the gorge into a wider expanse, then merges with Broad Run after entering the Preserve. The Middle Branch is 11.4 miles long and has its source in Londonderry Township. Flowing southward along the western edge of the town of West Grove, the creek changes direction a few times, then intersects Indian Run. The creek then turns southward and flows through the hills near Chesterville, subsequently combining with the West Branch to form the main body of White Clay Creek. The West Branch is eight miles long, beginning near Kelton, then Continued on Page 50
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The Chambers Nature Center in White Clay Creek State Park.
White Clay Creek entrance sign.
Preserve
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Scenic beauty Continued from Page 48
flows southeast through New London Township, turning slightly to the east where it meets the Middle Branch. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources oversees the 2,072-acre White Clay Creek Preserve in the southeastern corner of Chester County, just three miles north of Newark, Delaware. The White Clay Creek Valley forms the heart of the preserve. The topography alternates from steep to gradual inclines with some flatlands which are all drained by the creek. White Clay Creek Preserve is contiguous with White Clay Creek State Park of Delaware. White Clay Creek is an area designated by the United States Congress as possessing outstanding scenic, wildlife, recreational, and cultural value. It will be preserved in its natural state perpetually for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. Visitors to the Preserve can enjoy hiking, fishing, hunting, biking, horseback riding and even cross-country skiing in winter months. You can go on a leisurely hike along designated trails in the area. The creek is stocked twice a year and is reported to be one of the best trout streams in the region. During posted periods throughout the year, deer hunting is allowed on approximately 1,800 acres of the Preserve. The Edwin Leid Trail is perfect for biking enthusiasts. Horseback riding can be done on an eightmile-long trail which rims the northern edge of the Preserve. If you’re a wine enthusiast, Paradocx Vineyards is not far away, where you can enjoy a glass of wine and live outdoor concerts during the summer. If you’re ready for more adventures, you can get in your car and take a short drive south across the border into Delaware Continued on Page 52 50
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Great Blue Heron in The White Clay Creek Preserve.
Photos courtesy of the Friends of White Clay Creek Preserve
White Clay Creek near Newark, Delaware. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Landenberg Life
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Scenic beauty Continued from Page 50
and explore White Clay Creek State Park, more than 3,600 acres of wild and scenic beauty which offers more than 37 miles of hiking trails and the Chambers House Nature Center. For a bit of history, stop by the Judge Edwin Morris Estate, circa 1790. With so many areas being developed today for housing, commercial or industrial purposes, it is nice to know that there are places where you can wander peacefully amidst lovely surroundings, hear the birds chirping and watch a beautiful stream running nearby. If you’ve gone hiking, bicycling or fishing in the past, but haven’t done so in a while, try it again. The area around Landenberg offers all of these things and much more. You don’t have to wait for perfect summer weather—the trails are open in most areas today. So go ahead. Take advantage of these wonderful resources which enrich us all. Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square. He has written ten books focusing mostly on the Chester County/Philadelphia area and conducts an historical lecture series. His latest book is Forgotten Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania and Delaware in the American Revolution. His books are available on his website at www.GenePisasale.com and on www.Amazon.com. Gene can be reached via e-mail at Gene@GenePisasale.com.
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Horseback riding in the White Clay Creek Preserve, courtesy of the Friends of White Clay Creek Preserve.
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|Landenberg People|
In full bl b A young gardener fo By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
It’s not easy to find a kid who converts his bedroom into a greenhouse, but Matteo Riordan is one of those kids. This 15-year-old gardening enthusiast from Landenberg has been raising his passion for growing plants to ever higher levels since he took an interest in gardening about two years ago. He has even converted a heavily windowed plant room in the family’s house into his greenhouse/bedroom, where he practices piano, plans his next project and studies literature, including catalogs, about plants. He also sleeps there on an elevated bed. Continued on Page 56
Photos L to R: Submitted photo
A Monarch butterfly visits one of Matteo’s bright flowers. Courtesy photo
A family member displays the variety of salad plants that Matteo has grown.
Submitted photo
A white flower thrives in the sun on the home’s south side. 54
Landenberg Life | Spring/Summer 2022 | www.chestercounty.com county.com
l bloom: r follows his passion
All photos by Chris Barber unless otherwise noted
Matteo has adapted the sun room to accommodate his bed, desk and a lot of items related to his plants. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Landenberg Life
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Landenberg Gardener Continued from Page 54
Matteo’s mother, April Riordan, reflected on the beginnings of this passion that drives his mighty industriousness. She said that, with the onset of social restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Matteo started spending a lot of time walking around the yard. There, she said, he looked at plants and other features on the land and sought answers to what was growing and how he could take part in their growth. His enthusiasm grew fast, and he found himself tilling greater and greater areas of the acre-and-a-half yard, planting flowers, laying out vegetable beds and clearing sections for new projects. These days, as he surveys the fruits of his outdoor labors, he takes pride in a variety of projects. One that stands out is the large, fenced corral that houses his vegetable garden. It holds a series of raised beds and is dotted with congruent, fertilized Continued on Page 58
Matteo catches up on information and seed catalogs in his bedroom/greenhouse during the winter.
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Landenberg Gardener Continued from Page 56
rectangular patches of property laid out in an orderly fashion. The raised beds are filled with soft, fluffy soil and are set to receive the seeds of root vegetables like carrots and beets. Those plants, Matteo said, like to sink their legs in an environment that permits their deep penetration. They return the favor of his work on those boxes the following winter by yielding sweetness in their vegetable flavors. The rectangular patches of fertilized ground soil lying there in darker tones are getting ready to receive the seedlings of other food plants like beans, peas, zucchinis, pumpkins and spinach. Off to one side is a single rack that Matteo said will accommodate all his herbs in one place: basil, dill, parsley, thyme and the rest. That garden corral in all its glory doesn’t just happen however, Matteo said. During the winter months, he spends time at his desk researching plants, tilling the land, purchasing seeds and drawing diagrams of the space. Continued on Page 60
Seasonal plants thrive in the shade alongside the house.
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Landenberg Gardener Continued from Page 58
There’s more. Overlaid in the property around the edges of the yard is a variety of trees, some of which Matteo has planted and others that have matured on the land over the years. He is especially enthusiastic about one particular tree: the Dawn Redwood. Scientists, he said, declared the species extinct several years ago, but miraculously they found a few later on. The Riordans have one on their property, and Matteo calls it his “favorite tree.” His next most favorite tree is the Eastern Hemlock that sits off in a corner. That species is Pennsylvania’s state tree, and the one on their property has been verified to be the 12th largest in the Commonwealth. Recent additions to the tree family are peach, apple and pear trees. They produce the makings for sweet pies, desserts and gifts for neighbors come the fall. Here and there are flowerbeds clinging alongside the house. In fact, it’s hard to find a wall area on the exterior of the home that does not have one of Matteo’s gardens attached.
Submitted photo
The garden growing in the shade adapts to conditions thanks to careful planning.
Matteo’s other passions are his piano and cooking.
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Some house flowers, while others hold native plants. Some are in bright sun, while others are in the shade. This young horticulturist has learned through experience the environmental preferences of the different plants. Matteo’s gardens don’t end in the outside yard, however. He has a host of projects going on inside. There, in his bedroom/greenhouse, he has seeds starting, safe from the prey of hungry birds and squirrels. When the seeds get a bit larger, they will be moved to outdoor planting. He also has larger plants thriving beside his desk and bed that just seem to like the indoors. They live there with him. Downstairs in the cellar, Matteo keeps his gardening Continued on Page 62
Matteo stands beside his Dawn Redwood tree. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Landenberg Life
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Landenberg Gardener Continued from Page 61
equipment, and there’s plenty of it. There are always more things he can buy, he said, that supplement his growing number of tools. It is not at all unusual to see delivery trucks arrive at the Riordan driveway and drop off more devices he has ordered. He recently received a covering for the plants that keeps them warm in the early days of spring when winter cold returns to threaten them. Each season has come to have special meaning for gardeners like Matteo. Spring is his favorite, he said, because that’s the time the flowers are the brightest and the perennials have emerged and are not yet decimated by the heat. Nothing in the garden has started to brown up, either. It seems to him the culmination of the work he’s done during all the other seasons. Continued on Page 64
Submitted photo
Matteo makes sure he has blossoms that will attract pollinators. 62
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Matteo examines one of the plant residents of his bedroom/greenhouse.
On a lucky day, the delivery truck arrives with more garden equipment Matteo has ordered. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2022 | Landenberg Life
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Landenberg Gardener |Landenberg Life| Continued from Page 62
When summer arrives, there are decisions to be made. He looks over his gardens and decides what needs to be moved. He goes full force into weeding, and there’s plenty of need for watering. The salad greens, tomatoes and herbs are there for the picking as well. Simmering in his summer mind are plans for even larger crops of tomatoes and onions for next year. As the days grow shorter and autumn looms, Matteo said he gets excited to see the melons arrive. Sprawled on the vegetable garden are the watermelons, zucchinis, cantaloupes and small pumpkins. “Pick them early,” he said, because when they grow too big, they get bitter. Winter arrives next, and while the land may look barren, there is plenty to do inside. That’s the season that he reads up on horticulture and scans the seed catalogs that arrive shortly after Christmas. He makes plans and decisions in the winter, laying out new Continued on Page 66
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Submitted photo
The beginnings of spring plants emerge after a winter rest.
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Landenberg Gardener Continued from Page 64
beds on his diagrams at the desk and arranging the environment in his bedroom/greenhouse for starting seeds. Matteo’s life is not limited by planting, weeding and harvesting, however. He has other activities related to his passion – and some that aren’t even of the garden world. An advocate of natural pest management and preservation of pollinators, he volunteers at Mt. Cuba Observatory in Greenville, where he spends hours counting pollinator creatures. As he explained it, he sits at his station for a period of time documenting the number of times bugs, butterflies and birds visit his assigned plants. This is how research is carried out, and it helps scientists monitor trends in agriculture. Matteo also spends time at the Gateway Gardens in Hockessin, becoming familiar with the business of horticulture. He also sells bulbs from a stand in front of his house. Matteo also has a small business as well in which he is employed by neighbors to do yard work. He contribContinued on Page 68
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Matteo sits with his raised beds that will produce sweet carrots and beets next winter.
Matteo starts his plants inside in late winter to keep them safe from frost and hungry predators.
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utes some of the money he makes to St. Jude Hospital. Outside of his gardening interests, Matteo is passionate about playing the piano (he loves classical and Ragtime) and cooking. He is home-schooled in the Avon Grove School District and, with the assistance of this mother, fulfills the statewide requirements for home schooling science with his gardening projects. While his future will be landscaped with his many passions, the world of Matteo Riordan is already in full bloom.
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Matteo Riordan presides over his large corral that houses his vegetable and herb garden.
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