Chester County Press 06-15-2022 Edition

Chester CountyPRESS

www.chestercounty.com

Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas

Volume 156, No. 24

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

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Kennett School Board approves plan to build two new elementary schools

By Chris Barber Contributing Writer The Kennett Consolidated School District will proceed with plans to replace Greenwood and New Garden elementary schools with new buildings.

The board members voted unanimously at the meeting on Monday night to accept what was known as “Plan 2B” – to build entirely new buildings on

INSIDE

Avon Grove School District announces administrative appointments...4A

the existing school sites and tear down the old buildings.

Business Manager Mark Tracy detailed the plan at length and said the tentative time line was to have the Greenwood Elementary School finished by fall of 2025 and the New Garden school to be completed by fall of 2026.

That could change depending on circumstances, he said.

He added that both buildings would have a capacity of 750 students, and the project is estimated to result in no tax increase.

Various members of the board spoke in support for the motion.

Board member Ethan Cramer compared the decision to construct a new building with a family’s decision to buy a new car to replace the old one that was requiring too many

repairs.

Board President Vicki Gehrt said with the opening of the two new schools, district citizens would be assured of a consistency for educational standards throughout the district

The June 25 fundraiser in Kennett Square features wine tasting and food pairings—and will help children receive much-needed programs

Camp Dreamcatcher’s annual week-long camp of therapeutic and educational programs for children impacted by HIV or AIDS

is now about two months away. An important—and fun— fundraiser to support the Kennett Square nonprofit will take place on Saturday, June 25 with a Catching Dreams for Kids event that features two different in-person wine tasting and food pairings.

Continued on page 2A

Photo by Chris Barber

Graduating seniors from Kennett High School proceeded down the front steps of the school during its commencement ceremony on June 10. For a complete story and additional photos, see Page 1B.

Proceeds from the event will help Camp Dreamcatcher to carry out its mission to provide educational and therapeutic programs to children—and all the services are offered free of charge to the children and their families. This Kennett Summerfest year’s camp session will debuts with sold-out take place from Aug. 21 to crowd...6B Aug. 27.

There are two different Courtesy photos guided wine tastings and The first of two wine tastings and food pairings is the food pairings on June 25.

Sommelier’s Secrets Experience that will take place at Work2gether on State Street in Kennett Square from 5:30 The first is the Sommelier’s to 6:30 p.m. with five wines and individual appetizers.

Secrets Experience that will

To Subscribe Call 610.869.5553

of citizens offering input about how the building will look and what they want to contribute regarding curriculum.

Financial Committee chairman Mike Finnegan

FROM OUR LENS

Camp Dreamcatcher plans Catching Dreams for Kids event

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

© 2007 The Chester County Press

and a modern building that would measure up to the quality of the more recently built Bancroft Elementary School.

She added that the vote to proceed will be followed by several focus groups

take place at Work2gether on State Street in Kennett Square from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. with five wines and individual appetizers.

The cost is $75 for this experience.

Then, at the same location from 7 to 9 p.m., the other wine tasting and food pairing will feature six wines and a four-course meal from La Verona. This option costs $250 per person and will be limited to 12 people who will enjoy the food and wine on the Work2gether

building’s balcony.

Kelly Daniels, a wine educator and ambassador for the Boisset Collection, will guide participants through the wine tasting and food pairing events.

For Camp Dreamcatcher, the fundraiser is another step toward normalcy after two very challenging years.

“This is our first inperson fundraising event since the pandemic,” said Patty Hillkirk, the executive director of Camp Continued on page 2A

Seeding their future: Star Roses and Plants donates to Philadelphia schools

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Early this spring, just as the signature Petite Knock Out® miniature roses at Star® Roses and Plants began to bloom, the idea of donating 100 of them became a talking point between the West Grovebased plant grower and the Garden Media Group in

Kennett Square, a public relations firm and long-time partner of Star®.

“The question was, ‘Where would they go?’” said Susan Bacus Morgan, marketing manager at Star® Roses and Plants. “We had a lot of options to choose from, but the question then became, ‘Who needed them, and what inspiration could come from making this donation?’

It really became about finding someone who wouldn’t otherwise have access to a donation like this.”

Continued on page 4A Photos by Hannah Geyer

West Grove-based plant grower Star® Roses and Plants delivered and help to plant 100 Petite Knock Out® miniature roses at two schools in Philadelphia.

Neff Physical Therapy welcomed to downtown Oxford

By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer Oxford officially welcomed Neff Physical Therapy to its downtown with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the First Friday event in June. This is the third location for Neff Physical Therapy which has two other locations at 203 Commerce Drive Photo by Betsy Brewer Brantner Oxford welcomed Neff Physical Therapy as the new in Quarryville and 5 E. business in town at the First Friday in June. The new Wynwood in Willow Street. business is located at 48 S. Third Street.

Dr. Dan Neff said, “We are

very excited to be a part of the Oxford community. This is a great location and we have received so much support already.”

The business is going into the former Rite Aid building. The community and surrounding businesses have been watching the transformation of the building and everyone is excited to have a new business open up.

Ron Hershey, the owner of Outback Adventure Company at 41 S. Third Street said, “I think his busi-

ness will draw more people to our town. He certainly has done a great job remodeling the building. Local businesses have been hoping someone would move into that building and he is perfect.”

The business has parking spaces on site for patients, which was a consideration when they located in Oxford.

For more information or to make an appointment at Neff Physical Therapy, call 484-756-8603.

Continued on page 4A

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

Chester County Press

Local News Kennett School Board...

Continued from Page 1A

said still to be discussed are educational specifications, infrastructure, security and colors.

One of the benefits of constructing two entirely new buildings rather than doing renovations to the old ones is that the students’ schedules and moving about in the old schools would not be disrupted by the (rejected) plan to do updates.

The estimated cost to construct the two new school buildings will be $98 million.

Tracy said the federal Department of Environmental Protection requires a survey to assure that the construction project does not cause an environmental disruption – specifically if any endangered species would be affected by the project.

Two small wetlands were identified on the properties, and a search was conducted on the more serious areas on the Greenwood property for endangered bog turtles.

After four searches, he said, they found no trace of bog turtles.

Camp Dreamcatcher...

for an online auction that will help raise funds for the upcoming camp session.

Auction items that are now up for bid include experiences like a private wine tasting or an overnight stay at the Kennett Square Fairfield Inn with two tickets to Longwood Gardens included. Local businesses like the Mushroom Cap have offered packages for the auction. A three-month YMCA membership, Amazon gift cards, and restaurant gift certificates are also currently up for bid. Longtime Camp Dreamcatcher supporters like Ginny Fineberg are also auctioning off a variety of handcrafted items.

Hillkirk said that they will be adding new auction items each day right up until the event. The auction will close at 10 p.m. on June 25. You don’t need to be at the fundraiser to participate in the auction.

The goal, Hillkirk said, is to raise about $20,000 through the Catching Dreams for Kids event and the online auction.

All of Camp Dreamcatcher’s programs are provided for free to children so fundraising is a critical component of the organization’s work. It costs about $600 to simply have a child participate in the camp, and each child will benefit from between $1,400 and $1,800 in therapeutic programming, on average, during the week.

That doesn’t happen without a lot of generosity.

Hillkirk founded Camp Dreamcatcher in the mid1990s and its mission is as vital as ever. Today, it is the only free, therapeutic program for children who are coping with the impact of HIV and AIDS on the East Coast. While there have been some impressive medical advancements that allow children who have AIDS to lead much longer, productive lives, there are still many challenges.

Many of the children who attend camp have lost loved ones. Some live in poverty. Others are targets for bullying.

The pandemic only heightened the feelings of isolation and anxiety for many of the children, and that creates even more of a need for therapeutic programs like those provided at Camp Dreamcatcher.

Hillkirk said that when they were able to hold an in-person camp in the summer of 2021, after being unable to come together in 2020, they expected the

Continued from Page 1A

Dreamcatcher.

Hillkirk explained that she loves that they were able to hold the first fundraiser at Work2gether in Kennett Square because they had originally made plans with Work2gether owner Nick Winkler to stage an event before the pandemic hit.

“We were going to have a fundraiser at Work2gether in 2020, and we all know what happened,” Hillkirk explained. “So we wanted to make sure to go back to them for this.”

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children to be suffering from more depression than in previous years because of the hardships created or exacerbated by the pandemic—and that’s exactly what they saw. This led to more behavioral issues at camp, especially among the youngest kids.

This prompted Camp Dreamcatcher to boost the training for its staff and volunteers, especially those who serve in leadership positions during the camp.

This training focused on having the leaders be able to provide “youth mental health first aid” to the children who need it.

“The bottom line,” Hillkirk said, “is that there is a mental health crisis right now. Most of the kids don’t have access to mental health programs.”

Hillkirk said that Camp Dreamcatcher has also been focusing on ensuring that all programs are diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

The goal has always been to provide a safe space for youngsters, and part of that is ensuring that each child feels like he or she belongs—and is being treated equitably. Hillkirk said that the Philadelphia Foundation has supported Camp Dreamcatcher’s efforts for diversity, equity, and inclusion through a Leadership Grant in 2021 and an Impact Grant in 2022.

Many local businesses and local organizations like the local Lions Clubs and Rotary groups help assist Camp Dreamcatcher with

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its mission. Many of the organizations and businesses who have sponsored events, rallied volunteers, or otherwise helped out have been right in the Kennett Square community.

“The town has been so generous to us through the years,” Hillkirk said.

A dedicated team of volunteers has also donated more than 240,000 hours in service to the children. So far, during Camp Dreamcatcher’s 27-year history, nearly 6,000 youngsters have benefitted from its programs, and that wouldn’t have happened without the people who volunteer.

“The kids tell me that camp is the only place where they feel comfortable sharing their feelings about HIV and AIDS,” Hillkirk said. “We provide an atmosphere of tolerance and acceptance. The kids can let down their walls.

Our counselors provide unconditional love to the campers.”

So far this year, 52 children have registered for camp, and 22 of them are new.

“We’re getting calls every day for new kids,” Hillkirk said, adding that this increases the need for new volunteers as well.

For more information about how to volunteer at Camp Dreamcatcher, to learn more about the Catching Dreams for Kids event, or to make a donation or to become a sponsor, visit the organization’s website at www.campdreamcatcher. org.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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Chester County Press supported by the school’s “Wellness Quadrant” area that provides opportunities for students to pursue careers in landscape contracting & design, retail floristry, conservation biology, wellness food production and research.

On May 4 and 5, staff at Star® Roses and Plants delivered and worked with students to plant 50 Petite Knock Out® miniature roses at each school, and with each planting, students dug holes, provided watering and peppered the staff with questions. The two visits served as part of “Seed Your Future,” an industry-wide effort to promote horticulture and inspire young people to pursue careers working with plants.

It’s a walking classroom of education and exposure that is also being embraced by Ball Horticulture, of whom Star® Roses and Plants is a subsidiary.

“The School District

of Philadelphia is always appreciative of the support that local businesses offer our schools, especially when that support provides our students with exposure to new career opportunities,” said Monica Lewis, a spokesperson for the School District of Philadelphia. “It’s an added bonus that this engagement also came with an opportunity for our schools to have lovely and lasting reminders of the support – the beautiful rose plants generously provided by Star® Roses and Plants that will enhance the campuses of W.B. Saul and Abraham Lincoln high schools.”

The selection of what was chosen to be planted dovetailed with the increasing popularity – and longevity -- of the Knock Out® family of roses. Introduced in 2000, Star® Roses and Plants distributes the floriferous, low-maintenance roses worldwide.

The delivery and plant-

ing of 100 roses at two Philadelphia schools in May had a far greater purpose than merely beautifying two gardens, Bacus Morgan said.

“One of the barriers teachers face is a lack of funding and materials to support their passion projects,” she said.

“Star® Roses and Plants is committed to supporting the teachers, students, and schools that nurture this next generation of horticulture students. After all, they are the future leaders of our industry. It’s our responsibility to share how meaningful and rewarding a career working in horticulture can be.”

Bacus Morgan acknowledged that the relationship that Star® Roses and Plants plans with W.B. Saul and Lincoln high schools cannot be measured by just one visit.

“One of the aspects of our visits was that they wouldn’t just be a one-time drop-off and donation, but one that could last for several years,”

June, and the weather was almost perfect. Children played games, great food Continued from Page 1A was available and it was Oxford’s merchants were a great opportunity to see excited to see a large turnout what is new in town. Other for the First Friday event in businesses are moving up

to main street and new ones will be opening this summer.

Everyone is also encouraged by the news that Oxford Mainstreet, Inc.. has received $2 million in state

funding for the reconstruction of the historic Oxford Theater on Third Street in the heart of the borough’s downtown.

Star Roses...

Continued from Page 1A

Bacus Morgan then reached out to two Philadelphia schools, both of whom offer agricultural programs. The first -- W.B. Saul High School of Agricultural Science -- offers a range of agriculturally related programs that include horticulture, natural science management, animal science, and food science and processing.

In addition to taking traditional college-prep classes, students at the 130-acre campus in the Roxborough section cultivate a working farm, vegetable and flower garden, dairy barn, greenhouses, pastures, small animal facilities and a seasonal farm stand.

The second – Abraham Lincoln High School – also offers a horticulture program whose building blocks are botany, biology, chemistry and science, all of which are

Neff Physical Therapy...

Representatives from Star Roses and Plants worked side-by-side with students from W.B. Saul High School of Agricultural Science and Lincoln High School.

The two school visits served as part of “Seed Your Future,” an industry-wide effort to promote horticulture and inspire people to pursue careers working with plants.

Bacus Morgan said. “These plants could be placed in the Wellness Quadrant at Lincoln and at the flower garden at Saul, and five years from now, those flowers will still be there. And so will we.”

Star® Roses and Plants, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ball Horticultural, has been

bringing great plants to the world’s gardens since 1897 and continues to introduce breakthrough roses, shrubs, and edibles. To learn more, visit www.starrosesandplants.com.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

Photos by Betsy Brewer Brantner

Police officer Shakira Greer (center) was patrolling the streets and pausing to spend some time with Clarissa Sherow (left) and Kathy Kirk (right) during the First Friday event.

Audrey Mckelvey, from Blackberries and Lace, was one of the vendors that brought her beautiful creations to Oxford Borough on First Friday. To contact her, call 484-756-8049.

Avon Grove School District announces administrative appointments On June 2, the Avon Grove School District (AGSD) Board of School Directors approved the appointments of Emlyn Frangiosa as supervisor of teaching and learning and Kelly Vaughn as assistant principal for Avon Grove Intermediate School (AGIS).

Frangiosa, who currently serves as assistant principal of AGIS, has been appointed supervisor of teaching and learning for AGSD, effective July 1. Frangiosa worked as an English language development teacher in the Kennett Consolidated School District for 17 years prior to coming to AGSD in September of 2020. She earned a master’s degree in teaching English as a second language from West Chester University and a master’s in education with a principal’s certification from Cabrini College. Frangiosa is fluent in Spanish. In her new role, Frangiosa will

Courtesy photo

Emlyn Frangiosa (left) and Kelly Vaughn (right) were recently appointed to new administrative positions in the Avon Grove School District.

continue to have a positive impact on AGSD through her knowledge of best teaching practices, diplomacy and strong commitment to student growth.

To fill the vacancy left by Frangiosa, Vaughn has been appointed assistant principal for AGIS. While Vaughn spent this past year working as an administrator in Manheim Township School

District, she previously taught sixth grade math in AGSD for 15 years. Vaughn holds a master’s degree in educational leadership for teaching and learning from Millersville University. She is committed to building strong, positive relationships and providing student-centered learning environments for academic, social and emotional growth.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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Chester County Press

Opinion

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Editorial

To the rescue We’re now coming to the end of graduation season for another year. College students have completed their studies and are now preparing to enter the workforce. High school students, including those who focused on technical or career training, are about to embark on the next chapter of their lives.

Another group of students recently completed their training for a very important assignment, and we’d like to salute them.

Nineteen students recently completed the latest Chester County Firefighter I Training Course with the final firefighting exercises conducted at the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus. The exercises covered training for search and rescue, indoor firefighting, fire attack types, auto fires, dumpster fires, and stages of fires. All

exercises represent the final steps the students needed to take to complete the 188hour classroom and practical skills certification.

It would be hard to overstate the importance of training an adequate number of firefighters. Firefighters save lives. Firefighters rush toward the flames to help protect others. Firefighters play a critical role in many different emergency situations.

In Pennsylvania, many small towns and townships rely on volunteer firefighters to respond to calls.

The Chester County Firefighter I class that just completed the training included 17 men and two women, the majority of which are college students who are adding the important first responder certification to their other qualifications.

The need for firefight-

Courtesy photo

Nineteen students recently completed the latest Chester County Firefighter I Training Course with the final firefighting exercises conducted at the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus.

ers across the state and the nation is at an all-time high.

In Chester County, most firefighters are volunteers, which adds to the challenges of recruitment and retention of firefighters.

Matt Fink, Chester County Department of Emergency Services Fire Training Officer and leader of the

Firefighter I course said, “As with many other organizations that rely on, and are looking for volunteers, we struggle to replace those firefighters who are retiring out of service. But students like those on this course learn so much more than the necessary academic and practical firefighting

skills. They experience the benefits of becoming teammates, working together, trusting each other, and backing up each other, which are all valuable life lessons.”

Chester County’s Firefighter I training course is available year-round.

We congratulate the stu-

dents who completed the firefighter certification, and we hope that others will be inspired to take part in the training. Serving as a firefighter is certainly one of the best ways to give back to your community.

During an emergency, it will be these people who will come to the rescue.

Letter to the Editor

Roundabouts are not traffic circles (and other important facts) I compliment James DiLuzio for his historical knowledge of and civic interest in the 10-mile stretch of the Route 41 corridor from New Garden to Londonderry Township where a multi-municipal Route 41 Corridor Improvement Study will take place. Sound planning depends on informed citizens voicing their opinions.

Sound planning also requires accurate information, and it is important to understand that modern roundabouts are not the same traffic circles Diluzio experienced in the 1960s. Roundabouts function equally well in rural, suburban, and urban settings, and they are being used in towns and villages across the United States to anchor historic district redevelopment projects. The Congress for New Urbanism Journal credits well-designed Main Street roundabouts in Windermere, Fla., Montpelier, Vt. and Sarasota, Fla. as catalysts for urban renewal (see April 19, 2018 issue). Main Street roundabouts in Plymouth, N.H., Portland, Maine, and Waterbury, VT could be added to that list. The Federal Highway Administration and PennDOT have published guides that detail how roundabouts differ from traffic cir-

cles and outperform signalized intersections in both safety and efficiency.

Our organization, Safety, Agriculture, Villages, and Environment (S.A.V.E.) once played a prominent role galvanizing community support against transforming Route 41 into a four-lane roadway with bypasses. We advocated for major improvements throughout the 10-mile corridor and funded engineering analyses which showed that a two-lane roadway with roundabouts at the key intersections would accommodate the increased traffic projected with future growth within the region. We continue to support the twolane alternative and believe that “widening roads to reduce congestion is like loosening the belt to tackle obesity.”

Capacity begets the need for more capacity, like water seeking its own level. As a case in point, I-10 in Houston is now 26 lanes.

I share Diluzio’s commendation of the Avondale Borough Council and Mayor Susan Rzucidlo for their interest in maintaining the integrity of their community, but question the accuracy of the contention by those elected officials that a roundabout would “... permanently change the bor-

Chester County Press Randall S. Lieberman Publisher

Steve Hoffman..................................Managing Editor Richard L. Gaw..................................Associate Editor Chris Barber................................Contributing Writer Betsy Brewer Brantner...............Contributing Writer Marcella Peyre-Ferry.................Contributing Writer Gene Pisasale...............................Contributing Writer Monica Thompson Fragale........Contributing Writer Brenda Butt.........................................Office Manager Tricia Hoadley...........................................Art Director Sherry Hutchinson..............................Graphic Design Alan E. Turn...............................Advertising Director Teri Turns................................Advertising Executive Helen E. Warren......................Advertising Executive Amy Lieberman.............Marketing/Public Relations

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ough’s historical features, negatively impact businesses in the immediate vicinity and potentially become a safety hazard near the ... Garage Community & Youth Center.”

Not all roundabouts are designed well, but Mark Johnson of MTJ Roundabout Engineering is an industry leader who since 2004 has played a key role in the design of over 800 successful roundabout implementations. A roundabout design for Avondale Borough, developed at S.A.V.E.’s request by him, was presented publicly in 2020 and clearly protects historical buildings. The PennDOT roundabout guide mentioned above provides details on how roundabouts enhance nearby businesses and have provided a 30 percent to 40 percent improvement in pedestrian safety and 10 percent improvement in bicycle safety compared to signalized intersections. All of this could bode well for Avondale Borough and the larger community.

Lastly, compliments should go to the Chester County Planning Commission which has awarded the Route 41 Corridor Improvement grant through its Vision Partnership Program (VPP). This is not

Courtesy photo

a case of “deja vu all over again,” with but another topdown approach to transportation in the corridor in which PennDOT provides traffic design options to municipalities without prior consideration of the municipal future land use plans. Rather, this study is a new, bottom-up approach, beginning with the Comprehensive Plans of the 5 municipalities. Those plans encapsulate their visions for the roadway. The first phase of the VPP study is a regional visioning process which the consultant, McMahon Associates, will guide the municipalities through. This will provide context for objective traffic solutions which incorporate the holistic needs of residents along the corridor.

S.A.V.E. is committed to the process of applying sound transportation engineering practices to the analysis of alternative solutions along the corridor. We hope that municipal officials engage in the study with an open mind, consider the data, and find solutions that best address the needs of the municipalities and the region.

George Hundt, Jr. is the executive director of Safety, Agriculture, Villages and Environment (S.A.V.E.).

In order, from left to right, are Southern Chester County Police Department Lt. Jason Ward, Janet Watts, Mike Essmaker, Paul Morgan, Stephanie Reichert, Susan Rzucidlo, and police officer Stephen Boyer.

Avondale Borough Council supports Southern Chester County Regional Police Department Avondale Borough Council is grateful to the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department (SCCRPD) for the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Seal, which is now proudly displayed in the public meeting room at Borough Hall.

The Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, (PLEAC) is a division of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and the accreditation program is sponsored and funded through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. An accredited police department must continually demonstrate that it adheres to standard guidelines adopted by state and national law enforcement professionals.

Avondale Borough is proud of SCCRPD efforts to attain PLEAC accreditation and their commitment to professionalism and community policing and is excited to work closely with the department in celebrating National Night Out on August 2.

Chester County resident receives Blue Ribbon Champion for Safe Kids Award Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance, the state’s leader in child abuse prevention, has awarded Deborah Willett with the Blue Ribbon Champion for Safe Kids Award. This award is given to four individuals that have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support and protect Pennsylvania’s children.

Willett is the program coordinator at Coatesville Center for Community Health. In the organization’s Grandfamily Connections program, she works to ensure children who have lost their parents and are placed with their grandparents or kinship families receive support services.

When parents are not able to care for their children due to substance abuse disorders, mental health concerns, and

incarceration, they are often placed with grandparents or in kinship families. Willett supports these families through individual peer support, educating them about community resources, and helping them connect to others that have experienced similar challenges.

By working closely with grandparents and kinship families, she fosters environments that enable children to have support and stability. Separate from her career, Willett is a dedicated mother. She is a single mom that has supported 13 children through foster care and adoption over the years.

“Deborah was selected to receive this award out of a list of distinguished candidates because of her dedication to Pennsylvania’s children,” said Angela

Liddle, president, and CEO of Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance. “She knows firsthand the unique challenges that families face when they need to unexpectedly care for children.

There is not enough praise to bestow upon her and all of us should strive to emulate Deborah’s steadfast commitment to children and our communities.”

As part of the monthlong awareness campaign, Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance is debuting video messages featuring the Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Meg Snead, State Senators Judy Ward and Maria Collett, as well as State Representatives Sheryl Delozier and Pamela DeLissio. In Secretary Snead’s video, she

Courtesy photo

Deborah Willett, the program coordinator at Coatesville Center for Community Health, was honored with the Blue Ribbon Champion for Safe Kids Award.

announced the Blue Ribbon Champion recipients and thanked Willett for her dedication to Pennsylvania’s children.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

Chester County Press

Local News Summerfest Wine & Spirits Festival debuts in Kennett Square before sold-out crowd

Photos by Richard L. Gaw

Lauren Fox accepts a sample of wine from Kyle Jones, the winemaker, vintner and The inaugural Kennett Summerfest Wine & Spirits Festival drew a capacity crowd owner of The Acadian Wine Company in West Grove. of nearly 700 along Broad Street in Kennett Square on June 12.

The festival showcased 14 local and regional wineries and distilleries.

Fashion appropriate for a wine and spirits festival was on full display throughout the day.

Led by drummer Bryan Tuk, Tuk + The Big Brass Ones brought a fresh take on New Orleans-style funk and jazz to the festival.

Brittany McCune, left, and Danei Apollo paid a visit to one of 12 artists and artisans at the festival.

Despite the early forecast of inclement weather, the festival went off without even a hint of rain.

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Chester County Press

In the Spotlight

Section

B

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

Kennett High School seniors count their blessings at an outdoor graduation

Diplomas presented to 360 Unionville High School students

By Chris Barber Contributing Writer

By Monica Fragale Contributing Writer

The revered front staircase of Kennett High School set the stage for the 134th Commencement last Friday evening.

The graduating seniors processed out the front door and down the steps, just as generations of classes have done before them.

The Kennett High School Orchestra was on hand to play “Pomp and Circumstance,” as was a musical quintet of 2022 seniors assembled to play an original interlude composition.

Class of 2022 student Kelly Salmeron-Alvarez welcomed the audience.

Citing the unusual circumstances the class encountered in their journey through high school brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said the important thing now is, “We made it!”

Graduating senior Grace Pruitt sang “The StarSpangled Banner.”

Class President Mary Harper expressed her pride at having gone to Kennett High School and being part of the borough. “It has encouraged me to be part of the community,” she said.

The theme of the four graduation speeches was numbers, specifically the numbers, 1932, 27, 334 and 1.

Pruitt reflected on the origins of Kennett High School, which opened in 1932 and has since educated generations of students.

But she also referred to the two most recent years of virtual lessons and unusual scheduling that came with COVID-19. When they were actually allowed to return to school in person,

Three hundred and sixty students graduated from Unionville High School on June 10, becoming the 99th class to do so.

For students like Sarah Smith of Pocopson, it was a final gathering of a community she has treasured for more than a dozen years.

“There were a lot of people at school I’ve been going to school with since kindergarten,” said Smith, who will attend Gettysburg College in the fall. “They were the community that I always knew I had.”

East Marlborough’s Brendan D’Amico, another graduate, said the Unionville High School community impacts the lives of those in it.

“You’re always going to find a community within Unionville that you’re a part of,” said D’Amico, who will be attending James Madison University in the fall. “You’ll never be left out.”

The graduation ceremony was held at the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware.

Throughout the ceremony, speakers talked about how the class of 2022 was special, brimming with kindness and spirit and compassion.

“My best description of our class is ‘a friend to all,’” said student speaker Allison Rikard. “As a brand new student freshman year, I experienced the kindness this class possessed, the type of kindness that shows outwardly rather than hidden inwardly, and urges others to live in the same manner.”

Student speaker Jack Blackadar spoke of the Greek myth of Sisyphus, who for eternity had to push a boulder up a mountain, and how each of the

All photos by Chris Barber

Graduates switch the tassels on their mortarboards signifying that they have received their diplomas.

Seniors line up to receive their diplomas from Board President Vicki Gehrt and then handshakes with Superintendent Dusty Blakey and Principal Jeremy Hritz.

she said, she found it surprisingly lonely, missing the conviviality that comes with the traditional class schedules.

Anne Holt focused her speech on the number 27, which is the number of steps that lead to the school entrance. The front steps, incidentally, were renovated this past year.

“Our lives are a set of steps,” she said.

She added that we walk through life facing various steps, some more and some not as successful as others. She advised, “Walk up your own steps. … It’s OK to walk back steps sometimes.”

Tiffany Lee took her lead from 334, the number of

students in the class. Over time, she said, it is natural for everyone to change and go in different directions, but as time goes by, “We will blossom.”

Marisol Gonzalez Flores spoke of 1 – of individuals.

She praised the relatives and teachers who had helped her achieve her education and said her ultimate goal is to move forward.

The graduation ceremony took place in the school’s two-tiered parking lot, and the seating was on the front lawn. The degree-recipients ascended the steps to the stage ad received their diplomas from School Board President Vicki Gehrt, Continued on Page 7B

The school administrators sit on stage as they listen to Class President Mary Harper greet the guests at commencement.

Courtesy photo

Unionville’s student speakers included Nandhini Parthasarthy, Jack Blackadar, and Allison Rikard.

Courtesy photo

Katie Turner and Elizabeth Vasko take a moment to celebrate.

people in the audience had their own metaphorical boulders to push. But, he said, while the boulders may seem insurmountable, and the journey not evident at times, “instead of pushing the boulder, we will barely nudge it, until eventually, the boulder moves ever so slightly, but we do not move it alone; someone else is there to help.”

“This is what makes our class special: I have never seen someone pushing a boulder alone,” Blackadar said. “I have seen athletes under the pressure of a whole school, and their teammates push them along … I have seen people afraid to mend a relationship once broken, and their classmate urges them to reconnect with a lost friend.

“We learn that we are not alone, and that no one here is.”

Unionville High School Principal James Conley

Continued on Page 7B

Courtesy photo

Unionville High School’s Conner Brookes, Kya Brown, and E Anya Budow are all smiles.

Students often acknowledged applause from their families as they received their diplomas.

A musical quintet from the graduating class plays an original composition. In the group are Savannah Jeffrey, Carie Cha, Olivia Merritt, Liam Mitchell and Azarion Sevgen.

praised the class of 2022 for their kindness, compassion, and individuality.

“You are a class whose greatest talent is building up those around you through your kindness and compassion to others,” said Conley, for whom the graduation was also his last.

“Be a young man or young woman in the world where kindness and compassion will be your compass.”

The class of 2022 voted UHS social studies teacher Nick DelDotto as the Educator of the Year, and as he delivered his address at the graduation ceremony, he stressed the worth of the students in a speech that was at times funny and uplifting.

“You bring something to this world that no one else can, and the value that you bring to the world is irreplaceable,” he said.

“Spoiler alert – you’re worthy. You always were, you

Photo by Monica Fragale

The Class of 2022 was the 99th class to graduate from Unionville High School.

Courtesy photo

Graduates return to the steps following graduation.

Courtesy photo

Samuel Duncan enjoys the moment.

Ibraheem Qureshi, Faith Ilgner, Nehal Potla and Brandon Tsai.

2B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

Chester County Press

Obituaries HANS ANDREW CHRISTENSEN Hans Andrew (Andy) Christensen, a resident of Oxford, passed away on June 2, 2022.

The son of the late Sally and Ivar Christensen, he is survived by his son Andrew, and his sisters, Kathryn Clement, Melanie Hohag, and Linda Rasmussen.

Andy graduated from Nether Providence High School in Wallingford, and then he earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management at Widener University.

He discovered his love for golf and successfully pursued his certification as a PGA professional. Andy worked at numerous country clubs in the Philadelphia region, including Springhaven, Penn Oaks, and Concord. Upon retiring from professional golf, he became a sales representative for American Packaging. He enjoyed driving and the West, and made several cross-country trips with friends.

Thanks to his years in Boy Scouts, Andy developed a true love of the great outdoors. From going to Philmont, canoeing the Boundary Waters, winter camping, and hiking on the Appalachian Trail, to salmon fishing in Alaska and making his own lures for fishing in local waters, he was happiest when out under the sun or stars.

If you wish to make a donation in his memory, please give to either the Appalachian Trail Conservancy or Trout Unlimited (caring for and recovering rivers and streams).

Services are private.

Arrangements by Foulk Funeral Home of West Grove.

ROSE MARIE HOSMER Rose Marie (Moore) Hosmer passed peacefully on May 30, 2022. She was 96.

She was visited by family that afternoon. She resided at Sunrise of Westtown for eight years, until recently moving to Fair Acres.

Both facilities provided her with a warm, loving “home.” She always said, “I have no complaints.”

She was born in Quantico, Va. at a time when her father served in the military. She met her husband, the late Elbridge Hosmer, at a USO dance in Miami.

After he returned from service in World War II, they settled in Vineland, N.J. until 1963, when they moved to Ridley Park, Pa. Rose loved to garden and cook. Her coleslaw was excellent and the secret ingredient was pickle juice.

She was an avid reader and always kept up with world events. She had a great sense of humor and made people laugh with her quick-witted quips. She was truly a sweet person whom everyone loved.

Rose is predeceased by her husband and adopted daughter, as well as one brother and one sister. She is survived by four nieces and one nephew.

Funeral services are private.

Arrangements are being handled by Kuzo Funeral Home of Kennett Square.

Alleluia But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

JAMES WORTH GREER James Worth Greer passed away on June 5, 2022 at his home in Avondale.

He was 92.

He was the husband of the late Mary M. (Blevins) Greer, who passed away on Aug. 15, 2016. Born on December 22, 1929 in Lansing, N.C., he was the son of the late Roy Andrew and Vina (Calhoun) Greer.

James attended Lansing High School before moving to Pennsylvania to find work. In the early 1950s, he began working for Chrysler in Newark, where he worked up until his retirement in 1983. In his free time, he enjoyed gardening, woodworking and playing the guitar. He was an avid NASCAR and Phillies baseball fan. He was a longtime member of the New London Baptist Church where he served the church as a custodian and in many other ways as well. Most importantly, he loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. He was the neighborhood “Grandpa.”

James is survived by his children, Janet Barker (fiancée John R. Porter), Joyce Rivera (Roberto), Jenny Taylor (Robert Stoker), James Greer, Jr. (Dorothy), Janice Perry (Keith Brown), Julie Taylor (Douglas) and Dana Evans (Mike); 16 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren and his sister, Lullabell Horne. He is preceded in death by his daughter Mary Lou who passed away in 1959.

Services were held at the New London Baptist Church.

The interment followed in Union Hill Cemetery in Kennett Square.

Contributions may be made in Mr. Greer’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105.

Arrangements are being handled by the Kuzo Funeral Home, Kennett Square.

Please visit Mr. Greer’s online memorial by going to www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

3B

Chester County Press

Obituaries STEPHANIE ANN MATTSON Stephanie Ann Mattson, age 63, of Newark, Del., passed away at home on June 7, 2022 while surrounded by her loving family.

Stephanie was the wife of William J. Mattson, with whom she shared nearly 50 years of marriage. The pair met when they were 16 years old and were together ever since.

Born in 1958 in Chester, Pa., Stephanie was the daughter of the late Archie Dale Vickers and the late Kay Henry Vickers.

Stephanie graduated from Avon Grove High School then attended Wilma Boyd Careers School, a flight school in Pittsburgh.

After opening a daycare later in life, she found her true passion. For 35 years, she helped young children develop and grow into adults that would then entrust her with their children. Stephanie was a part of many families across generations and loved every second of it.

Stephanie treasured spending time with her family and adored her grand-babies. She enjoyed going to the beach and was a frequent visitor of Pottery Barn, where she loved to shop. Her family teases that Pottery Barn has lost its best customer.

Stephanie leaves behind a legacy of kindness, patience and love that will continue on in the lives and hearts of all who knew her; she was truly a force to be reckoned with.

In addition to her husband, William, Stephanie is survived by her daughters, Ashley Baker (James) and Nicole Patone (Mike); brothers, Archie Vickers, Kenny Vickers, Lonnie Vickers and Jack Vickers; her sister, Maryellen Vickers; and grandchildren, Camren and Sophia Baker.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Kay DiFilippo and Donna Schneider.

You are invited to visit with Stephanie’s family on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Kuzo Funeral Home, 250 W. State St. in Kennett Square. Services will begin at 11 a.m. and interment will follow at Kemblesville Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Supporting Kidds, a center for grieving children and their families. Donations in Stephanie’s name may be mailed to Supporting Kidds, 1213 Old Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, Del. 19707.

Arrangements are being handled by Kuzo Funeral Home of Kennett Square.

Additional obituaries on page 5B

JAMES B. SNOW, JR. James Byron Snow, Jr. died while at peace in West Grove on May 28, 2022.

He was the son of Charlotte Louise Andersen and James Byron Snow and was born in Oklahoma City on March 12, 1932.

During World War II, the family lived in San Antonio, Tex. while his father, a prominent pediatrician, was stationed at the Brooke General Hospital on Fort Sam Houston. Jim graduated from Central High School in Oklahoma City as a valedictorian. He was educated at the University of Oklahoma, earning a bachelor of science degree with distinction in 1953. He married Sallie Lee Ricker on July 16, 1954, in Tulsa, Okla., and they had two sons and one daughter. He received his M.D. cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1956. Dr. Snow served his surgical internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. and took his residency in otolaryngology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, Mass. During 1960-61, he served as a Captain in the Army Medical Corps at the 121st Evacuation Hospital in Korea where he was the only otolaryngologist in the Eighth U.S. Army.

After his military service, Dr. Snow joined the faculty of the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City where he received the Regents’ Award for Superior Teaching. He rose to professor and head of the department of Otorhinolaryngology. In 1972, he assumed the same position at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Dr. Snow published more than 150 articles in professional and scientific journals describing his work on the pathophysiology of the inner ear, the olfactory system and the treatment of head and neck cancer with combined surgery and radiation therapy.

He wrote books titled “Introduction to Otorhinolaryngology,” and “Controversy in Otolaryngology” and co-authored “Smell and Taste in Health and Disease,” and edited “Ballenger’s Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery” through several editions (including the 100th anniversary edition), and “Manual of Ballenger’s Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,” and “Tinnitus: Theory and Management.” Dr. Snow was responsible for the training of over 80 specialists in his field. During his academic career, he was active in organized medicine serving as a Director of the American Board of Otolaryngology, on the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association, as Regent of the American College of Surgeons and as President of the American Bronchoesophagological Association and American Laryngological Association.

In 1990, Dr. Snow became the first director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. As director, he organized the new Institute and

recruited many distinguished scientists in research on hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language.

Dr. Snow encouraged the application of molecular biology to the study of disorders of human communication.

He served as liaison between NASA and the National Institutes of Health. In 1991, Dr. Snow was inducted into the Society of Scholars of Johns Hopkins University, and in 1993 he received the Distinguished Achievement Award of the Deafness Research Foundation. Dr. Snow received the Senior Executive Service Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Award for his government service.

Following retirement in 1997, he served as President of the international Collegium Otorhinolaryngologicum Amicitiae Sacrum and presided at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C. in 2000, only the third time the meeting was held in the United States since 1926.

Dr. Snow served as convener and correspondent of the Tinnitus Research Consortium. Subsequently, the James B. Snow, Jr., M.D. Tinnitus Research Award was established in his honor by the Collegium Otorhinolaryngologicum Amicitiae Sacrum. In 2003, he received the Award of Merit of the American Otological Society. He was active in St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Oxford.

The sine qua non of his life, Sallie Lee Ricker Snow, his wife of 53 years, passed on to the next life in 2007. He is survived by his sons, James B. Snow III and his wife, Susan D. Sprenger, of Wilmington, N.C., and John Andrew Snow and his wife, Meryl Bilotta Snow, of Wayne, Pa.; his daughter, Sallie Lee Snow Sharer and her husband, Daniel J. Sharer, of Downingtown, Pa.; five grandchildren: Gabrielle Lippitt Snow and her husband, Brendan James Ward; Ricker Lippitt Snow and his wife Emily Acuña Snow; Kelly Anne Snow and her husband, Brian Christopher Blacker, and Sallie Lee Elaine Sharer, and James Daniel Sharer; five great-grandchildren: Juna, Willow, Oliver, Luna, and Astrid, and cousins, William “Bill” Louie Andersen and his wife, Loretta C. Andersen, of Norman, Okla., formerly of Calumet, Okla., and Ray Paul Snow and his wife, Suzanne, of Garland, Tex., and their descendants.

He will be missed by Anna Jane Mercer, who he described as his “dearest companion” in his dedication of the 18th edition of “Ballenger’s Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.” Many mourn his passing.

A service will be held at the Auditorium at the Alison Building at Jenners Pond, 2000 Greenbriar Lane in West Grove, starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 21. A private, family-only Commitment will follow graveside at Oxford Cemetery, 220 North 3rd St., Oxford, Pa., at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution to Jenner’s Pond Retirement Community Benevolent Fund, 2000 Greenbriar Lane, West Grove, Pa. 19390, may be made.

Arrangements are being handled by the Foulk Funeral Home of West Grove. Online condolences may be made by visiting https://www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com/obituaries.

4B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

Chester County Press

Local News Unionville’s Rundatz earns a sholarship Marcus Rundatz, a senior in the Technical College High School (TCHS) Pennock’s Bridge campus’ engineering and robotics program, has accepted a scholarship to attend Widener University. The scholarship offers $25,000 per year, for a total of $100,000, and an additional $2,000 for every year lived on campus. Marcus will begin taking classes in the fall and will be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering and robotics.

Marcus is a student from the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and has attended TCHS since ninth grade. He has been interested in technology

since he received his first computer around the age of three and has wanted to learn more ever since.

“When I was little, I would spend my time coding video games,” Marcus said, reflecting on what sparked his interest in robotics and engineering. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been interested in it.”

When Marcus was in ninth grade, he joined a robotics league named Flaming Phoenix in First Tech Challenge (FTC), a robotics competition for students in grades 7-12.

Marcus worked with his team as the mechanical lead, and they went to

worlds his first year, where they were nominated for the design award. Marcus was also a member of the TCHS STEM team, where he worked to help make gloves that allowed the hearing impaired to hear music.

“Marcus has been my student since ninth grade and has impressed me with his mechanical and mathematical skills since his first year in the program,” said Catherine Dignazio, Marcus’ engineering & robotics instructor. “As a member of Unionville’s FTC Robotics team throughout his high school career, he helped design and build robots for com-

petitions, and he was quite successful. He undoubtedly has the talent and skills to reach his aspirations of having a successful career in robotics, and I am so proud of Marcus. I wish him all the best as he begins his study of robotics at Widener University!”

Marcus has already enrolled in classes at Widener University for the fall and is excited to complete his degree and pursue his career in the robotics and engineering field. Marcus looks back fondly on his four years at TCHS, concluding, “I’d definitely encourage people to enroll in the program because it’s really fun and

Courtesy photo

Marcus Rundatz, TCHS Pennock’s Bridge student in the engineering and robotics program, posing in front of the KUKA robotic arm.

the course is pretty open, will also meet some really so you get to do a lot of cool people who have simiwhat you want to do. You lar interests.”

Eshelman and Knowland named Students of the Month at OAHS Oxford Area High School students Skylar Eshelman and Daniel Knowland have been honored as the Rotary Students of the Month.

Knowland is in Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society and National

Science Honor Society. He has also participated in golf, lacrosse, and baseball. His hobbies include enjoying the outdoors and fishing. He has also been in Boy Scouts and completed his Eagle Scout project which was building hitching posts at Fair Hill Natural Resource

Legals ESTATE NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that Letters Testamentary have been granted to Theodore Moran, Executor for the Estate of Carolyn L. Moran, a/k/a Carolyn Louise Moran, whose last address was Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Any person having a claim to this Estate is asked to make same c/o R. Samuel McMichael, Esquire, P.O. Box 296, Oxford, PA 19363.

6p-8-3t

NOTICE OF FICTITIOUS NAME REGISTRATION

Notice is Hereby Given pursuant to the provisions of Act of Assembly, No. 295, effective March 16, 1983, of intention to file in the office of the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, an application for the conduct of a business in Chester County, Pennsylvania under the assumed or fictitious name, style or designation of Walls With Intrigue, with its principal place of business at 311 Glen Road Landenberg, PA 19350 The names and addresses of the persons owning or interested in said business are Diane Coleman, 311 Glen Road, Landenberg, PA 19350 The Application was filed on 2/22/2022.

Management Area.

Knowland plans to attend Texas A & M and pursue a sports management business degree.

He praised Oxford Area High School for providing him a diverse education that has broadened his horizons and given him a well-rounded education.

Eshelman is active in the Academic Team, National Spanish Honor Society, 6p-15-3t Student Council and the

Prom Committee. She was also on the varsity basketball and tennis teams.

When she is not working at the YMCA she likes to read and hang out with her friends.

She plans to attend Kutztown University and major in communications and Spanish.

Courtesy photo

Rotary Students of the Month Daniel Knowland and Skylar Eshelman (in the middle) are pictured with (at left) parents Jeffrey and Jennifer Knowland and (at right) father Jason Eshelman and stepmother Diana Fischer.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR GRANT OF LETTERS

Notice is hereby given that Letters of Administration on the ESTATE OF JOHN FRANKLIN EVANS L ATE OF NOT TINGHAM, CHESTER COUNTY, have been granted to ADMINISTRATORS: BOBBI SUE TOWNSEND and DANIEL EVANS, Any person having a claim to this Estate and any person whom is indebted to this estate is asked to make known the same and forward payment to BOBBI SUE TOWNSEND and DANIEL EVANS, C/O Attorney: Ira D. Binder, 227 Cullen Rd, Oxford, PA 19363 6p-15-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of John Lee Thomas , Deceased, Late of London Britain Township , Chester County.

LETTERS of Administration on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to John R. Thomas 74 Marie Lane Elkton, MD 21921 6p-15-3t

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

5B

Chester County Press

Local News The Chadds Ford Township Residents Association relaunches with new initiatives The Chadds Ford Township Residents Association, formerly The Civic Association of Chadds Ford Township, recently announced its relaunch after a two-year pandemic hiatus. Under the leadership of president Philip Wenrich, the organization has expanded its focus to include three new areas: the use of digital communications to reach the

widest possible audience, a commitment to assisting township residents impacted by disasters such as floods or fires, and a renewed emphasis on promoting township businesses.

The Association, which was originally established in 1993, has long been known for its Spring and Fall Roadside Cleanups, food drives, an annual

scholarship program, and a Citizen of the Year Award.

The Association also works closely with the Chadds Ford Township supervisors and township manager to support events such as the annual Recycling Day. Digital tools developed by the Association include a new website www.cftra. org designed as a hub of township information for

both residents and visitors.

In addition to background about the Association, it has links to the major cultural and historical points of interest in the township and an interactive map. The new website also showcases local businesses along with winners of the annual Scholarship and Citizen of the Year Awards.

The Association also

Obituaries

THERESA FITZPATRICK SMALLACOMBE Theresa (Terry) Fitzpatrick Smallacombe, 87, of Kennett Square, passed away on June 1, 2022 at Pocopson Home in West Chester.

Terry is survived by son Daniel, daughter Melissa (Sean Egan), daughter Maggi Hill, and son Andrew. She is also survived by daughter-in-law Patricia Stern Smallacombe, a former daughter-in-law Angela Smallacombe, her grandchildren, Sarah Perrin, Jennifer Tyburski, Timothy and Stephen Perrin; Alex and Conor Egan; Ryan, Braden and Rebecca Hill; Kerry, Drew and Dylan Smallacombe; Anna Stern Smallacombe; great-grandchildren, Nathaniel Perrin, Charley and Henry Tyburski, Hayden and Jaxsen Perrin, Abram, Rockwell and Jameson Hill, Natalia Smallacombe and many beloved nieces and nephews and friends.

She was predeceased by her sons Robert Alban and James Fitzpatrick Smallacombe.

Terry was born in Plattsburgh, N.Y. in 1935 to Alban James and Katherine Maude Fitzpatrick. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Douglass College at Rutgers University and did graduate study work at Georgetown University. She was a freelance stringer for several local newspapers, where she profiled philanthropists, small business owners, and renowned residents, including Jan and Stan Berenstain, who authored the popular Berenstain Bears children’s book series.

Terry penned a popular food column for several years for the Lambertville Beacon titled “The Hopeville Gourmand,”

where she authoritatively (she was a supporter of Chaine des Rotisseurs, the oldest and largest food and wine society in the world, as well as a member of Les Amis d’Escoffier Society) reviewed many highly acclaimed restaurants in the Lambertville/New Hope area.

Terry was keenly interested and well-versed in many aspects of culture and the arts. A longtime supporter of Riverside Symphonia, she hosted fundraisers and traveling guest musicians for the organization at her home in New Hope. Additionally, she taught classic literature at a local adult school, where she gained a loyal following of students eager to see which important novel she would have them read next, leading them in enthusiastic analysis while considering how the author’s own life experiences might have played a role in the way each story unfolded.

Terry was very active as a reader and choir member in her church, St. Patrick Church in Kennett Square and enjoyed international travel and playing golf and bridge in her retirement.

The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to each member of the Willow Tree Hospice Care team in Kennett Square for their efforts that went above and beyond every day to ease her transition and keep her comfortable.

A memorial mass of Christian burial was celebrated on June 6 at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Lambertville, N.J. Burial will follow in the Rocky Hill Cemetery in Rocky Hill, N.J. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Willow Tree Hospice Care, 616 E. Cypress St., Kennett Square, Pa., 19348.

hosts the Chadds Ford Pennsylvania Facebook Group comprised of nearly 3,000 members. The moderators, Association volunteers, provide useful information about local businesses and cultural activities along with real time posts about traffic, roadwork, and weather. This page served as a vital source of information for township residents after Hurricane Ida. The Association also will launch two new initiatives this year. Its ‘Neighbors Helping Neighbors’ program will assist township residents affected by disasters such as fires or floods.

Its Business of the Year Award will recognize local businesses that support the community.

The Chadds Ford Township Residents Association is a volunteer, non-profit, nonpartisan civic organization whose mission is to create a strong sense of community within the township, support its residents and businesses, and help retain the area’s unique historical quality and rural character.

The Association’s activities and programs are funded through memberships and donations. To join, go to the website at www.cftra.org.

Obituaries

LOUIS JOSEPH OTT Louis Joseph Ott, 88, a longtime resident of Kennett Square, passed away on June 3, 2022 at Sunrise of Westtown in West Chester.

He was the husband of the late Dolores (Hicks) Ott, who passed away in 1999.

Louis was a graduate of Duke University with a degree in mathematics education. He was a teacher and principal with the Conrad High School and Middle School. He retired in the early 2000s. In his free time, he enjoyed golfing and reading.

He is survived by his two children, Jayne Marshall (Bill) and Lauri Ott (Stephen Parrott), three grandchildren, Theresa, Sarah and Alexis and two great-grandchildren Beren and Rowan.

All services will be private.

Arrangements are being handled by the Kuzo Funeral Home in Kennett Square. Please visit Mr. Ott’s online memorial by going to www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

CLELLA BAY MURRAY On May 28, 2022, Clella Bay Murray, a loving wife and mother, passed away at the age of 91. Clella was born on June 16, 1930 in Albia, Iowa to Dr. Francis and Ada (Kupfer) Bay. She received a bachelor of science degree in genetics and embryology from Smith College, followed by a master’s degree in the field from the University of Michigan. She continued her scientific career in research at the Oak Ridge National Labs in Tenn. In 1956, she married her fellow researcher, Richard, when they were working together at Oak Ridge. They later settled in Delaware, and raised their daughters, Ada Ruth and Annette.

Clella was proud of the research that she did at Oak Ridge Nat Labs, looking at the atomic effects on chromosomes. Impressively, after raising her two daughters, she studied computer programming, and worked in programming and writing training manuals at the University of Delaware and small writing companies. Her passion for writing was continued later in her life with the publication of three novels, a mystery series of four books, a young adult historical fiction book, and most recently a children’s Christmas story.

Over the years, Clella provided leadership and support for many organizations surrounding her love of reading, writing, gardening and music. Her creativity enabled growth for the Newark Symphony Society, and she served on the board of and volunteered for the Newark Library for many years. She was a Master Gardener, and left scissors by her glorious garden in Jenners Pond to share her flowers with those who walked by. She received the prestigious first place in the young adult fiction section from the National Federation of Press Woman for her book “Dangerous Journey” and was Woman of the Year in 2005 for the University of Delaware Women’s Club. A little known fact is that she also smocked baby clothes to donate to families of stillborn children, to provide comfort in their time of need.

Even with her career, hobbies and volunteering, Clella never wavered that family came first. Her love for her Iowa homeland and family was matched by the passion with which she threw herself in to support everything in which her husband and two daughters were involved. Her daughters continue to feel the pride and confidence she instilled in them.

Clella was known by all for her generous nature and talent for entertaining. She had a knack for making everyone feel welcome and part of her larger family network. She creatively introduced her family to all kinds of new activities from Chinese Opera to camping, and she engendered a love of travel in her children and grandchildren by organizing numerous family trips for vacations around the globe (London, Italy, France and Japan). Special places for her included a cottage in the woods of North Carolina, and a beach condo in Bethany, Del., where she hosted annual sand castle contests.

Clella was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Richard Murray, her parents Frank and Ada and her siblings Chloe Coon, Carol Daniels and Celia Bay. She is survived by daughter, Ada Koch and her husband Kevin and their children Megan Schraedley (husband Eric), Gwen and RJ; daughter, Annette Orella and her husband Chuck and their children, Michael and Frankie; and an army of friends she held near and dear.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Jenners Pond Allison Building Theater at 1 p.m. on June 17. A private family service will be held at the Kuzo Funeral Home in Kennett Square prior to burial in the family cemetery in Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Longwood Gardens (https:// longwoodgardens.org/support/honor-and-memorial-gifts) or The Newark Symphony (https://newarksymphony.org/support-the-nso/) Please indicate ‘In memory of Clella Murray’ on your donation so the family is able to express their gratitude.

To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit, www. kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

Chester County Press

Local News ‘We want to reach those who feel drawn to gain a better understanding of this end-of-life decision’

Friends of Green Burial PA: End-of-life planning, sustainably

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Carin Bonifacino’s father was a person of the earth – a farmer, gardener and wildlife enthusiast who instilled in his daughter a love of nature and the growing of things that burst through the soil.

As Bonifacino and her family prepared funeral arrangements when he died in 2001, they had learned that he had purchased a mausoleum at a cemetery in West Chester years before.

“Nothing about how we handled his body and his death ever felt right to me,” she said. “It devastated me that I had been unable to do more for my father. I did not know at the time that I had the ability to return this man of the earth back to the earth.”

In 2004, Bonifacino began to read about a burgeoning movement known as green burial, a method of determining a final resting place that does not require a concrete vault and encourages the alternative use of biodegradable caskets, shrouds and urns.

“I was floored that this form of burial existed, and that there are places where those who have died are laid directly into the earth, and where families

are invited to participate in that process,” she said. “It was around that time that I made a vow to spend a part of my life educating others -- doing the work that I regretted not doing for my father.”

For the past several years, Bonifacino has been an end-of-life doula and death educator who has taught in-person and virtual workshops and classes on a variety of topics related to end-of-life planning.

An ordained minister since 2019, she now officiates funerals and memorial services, and as an extension of her work and interest in green burials, she and her co-partners Elaine Brooks and Marguerite Stabosz of Landenberg formed Friends of Green Burial PA in 2021, a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the public about the green burial option.

“Our mission is threefold,” Bonifacino said.

“We want to educate the public about the green burial options, through workshops and events; to create conversation and dialogue around restoring the connections between the living and the dead; and to create more access to green burial by working with cemeteries and land owners who have open space to dedicate to this option.”

Courtesy Photos The West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd features a “Natures Sanctuary” The Steelmantown Cemetery in meadow that has been converted to a Steelmantown, N.J. features a green cemetery surrounded by forest. green cemetery.

Dispelling common myths Bonifacino said. “In truth, most of those who choose One of the most important a green burial as their endinitiatives facing Friends of of-life event go through Green Burial PA – and for the exact same protocol as a movement still making those who choose a tradiheadway in a crowded field tional burial.” of other, more traditional Currently, three types of end-of-life options – will be green burial cemeteries to dispel common myths, exist. A hybrid cemetery some of which have already allows both modern burial been answered. In 2015, and green burial that are the Green Burial Council usually placed in separate published a list of ten com- sections of the cemetery; a monly-asked questions that natural burial ground, that help to clear up misconcep- only offers the green burial tions, such as whether wild option; and a conservation animals are prone to dig up burial ground that combines corpses (No); and whether the services of a natural green burials contaminate burial ground with the added ground water. (They do bonus of land conservation not). through the participation of “There is confusion an established conservation expressed by some who organization. claim that by saying ‘Yes’ While traditional forms of to a green burial, they end-of-life options such as are making the choice to casket burials and cremathrow the traditional funeral tions still hold the lion’s model out, such as work- share of the $20 billion ing with a funeral director,” annual industry, green

burials are slowly gaining ground among the environmentally conscious who see its sustainable benefits. Green burials have a minimal impact on forest depletion, cut down on the use of harmful embalming chemicals and reduce carbon footprint.

In addition, many green burial grounds are maintained in a natural state as wildflower meadows or woodlands or a mixture of both, either in cemeteries that provide the option or on property provided by landowners, and they often include walking oaths that connect with nature.

“Green burial is the simplest, most natural way to return a body to the earth after death,” Bonifacino said. “Friends of Green Burial PA’s mission is to share this sustainable option with all of the people of Pennsylvania in order to see

Green Burial PA was formed as a non-profit organization in 2021 by co-founders Carin Bonifacino, center, Marguerite Stabosz, left and Elaine Brooks, right.

it recognized and accepted as a viable option.

“We want to reach those who feel drawn to gain a better understanding of this end-of-life decision – for themselves, for their loved ones and for the planet Earth.”

To learn more about the efforts of The Friends of Green Burial PA, see a list of participating cemeteries and a list of frequentlyasked questions, visit www. greenburialpa.org.

To learn more about the green burial movement, visit www.greenburialcouncil.org.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

Local Girl Scouts earn Bronze Award Local Junior Girl Scout Troop 4348 from the Brandywine Valley Girl Scout Service Unit took on several community service projects in order to complete their Bronze Award.

These fifth-graders from Unionville Elementary voted to use their cookie money to buy and donate a sewing machine and several bags of material to the Kennett Library.

In addition, the girls made more than 46 heart monitor bags and 10 pillow cases and scrunchies for Nemours Children’s

Hospital. These ambitious girls, under the leadership of Emily Baroni and Holly Sokira-Smith, also made dog toys and cat toys and collected blankets for the Brandywine Valley SPCA. To top off their multifaceted community service projects, they reused t-shits and pants to make reusable bags for Wings for Success. The instructions for making these community service projects are included in a binder which was also donated to the Kennett Library. Even though the girls have com-

pleted the requirements for the Bronze Award, the highest Award that can be earned by Junior Girl Scouts, the girls pledged to continue working on all their sewing projects throughout the summer months.

For more information about Girl Scouts, go to gsep.org or e-mail tstockton@gsep.org.

More information is also available from the local Girl Scout contacts Karen D’Agusto at kdagusto@ aol.com or Karen Dempsey at kmcdemp@aol.com.

Courtesy photo

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2022

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

7B

Chester County Press

Local News Kennett High School graduation...

Unionville High School graduation...

Continued from Page 1B

Continued from Page 1B

followed by handshakes from Superintendent Dusty Blakey and High School Principal Jeremy Hritz.

Before handing out the diplomas, Gehrt offered remarks citing a car trip as a metaphor for the journey through life. She told the class there would be bumps in the road, flat tires and breakdowns. But if they have courage, strength, selfdiscipline and friends to fall back on, they will succeed in life.

Christine Olewine, a member of the Kennett High School Class of 2004, then welcomed the graduates to the alumni association. She spoke of the things they have in common with other alums through the years, including the joy of beating Unionville High School in athletic events – which earned a cheer.

The school's two most pres-

Grace Pruitt steps up to receive the school’s highest honor, the Rupert Cup.

The high school band plays “Pomp and Circumstance” as the seniors process in for graduation.

tigious awards – the Rupert Cup and the Advisor's Cup – were announced following the presenting of diplomas.

The Rupert Cup is the school’s highest honor, given in recognition of scholarship, school spirit and service. It was given this year to Pruitt, and her name will be inscribed on a permanent trophy in the school.

The Advisor’s Cup is given to the student who has given time and service

and has served as class president. It was awarded to Harper.

Principal Hritz delivered his blessing to the new graduates, repeating back to them what they had submitted as their take on the characteristics of the class.

The ceremony concluded with the newly-minted graduates proceeding back up the steps to the music of Handel’s “La Rejouissance” played by the high school orchestra.

Kelly Salmeron-Alvarez leads the stands with reverence during the singing of the “Star-Spangled Banner.”

Graduation speaker Marisol Gonzalez Flores tells classmates their ultimate goal is to move forward.

always will be.”

Student speaker Nandhini Parthasarathy talked about how the class of 2022 has been making “last moments” count.

“Graduation isn’t the end of this story; it’s just the closing of one chapter,” she said. “The last 12 years of school or the last 18 years of our lives, which many of us have spent in this district, have prepared us for whatever path we choose next. The memories we have, the lessons we have learnt, the mistake we have made, have led us to today.”

In the fall, the class of 2023 will begin their senior year and the journey to become the 100th graduating class at Unionville. D’Amico said the rising seniors should try to appreciate all the moments they will be facing.

“Live your high school year to the fullest,” he said.

Smith echoed those sentiments, saying she would tell the rising seniors to just enjoy their final year.

“Take a step back, and take it in when you can,” she said. “A lot of senior I year I spent stressing over school, and in hindsight I would have been fine if I just kind of stepped back and lived in the moment.”

Courtesy photo

Kelly Edmunds and Brian Dym at the graduation ceremony.

Photo by Monica Fragale

Unionville High School’s graduation ceremony took place on June 10 at the Bob Carpenter Center.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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