Hydrogen Sulfide levels as much as 33 times higher than acceptable limit
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
During the summer of 2022, in response to a rising number of complaints by area residents about the effect that the odors emitted from nearby mushroom composting facilities were having on their health and their household appliances, New Garden Township partnered with Dr. Lorenzo Cena, Ph.D., M.S., the Director of Environmental Health Program and associate professor at West Chester University to commission a one-year study from Feb.
2023 to Feb. 2024. The study was intended to measure the air quality near these mushroom farms; specifically, whether ammonia, methane and Hydrogen Sulfide met or exceeded acceptable levels as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
On Sept. 4 before a large audience at the New Garden Township Buidling, Cena shared his study's findings that revealed Hydrogen Sulfide levels were recorded to be as much as 33 times higher than the recommended levels established by the
DEP for the general public, who specifies that concentrations of the gas over the course of one hour should not exceed 0.1 ppm, (parts per million) and that concentrations over a 24-hour period should not exceed 0.005 ppm.
In contrast, the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety recommends occupational levels not to exceed 10 ppm and an exposure time to not exceed 10 minutes. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permits concentrations of up to 20 ppm in the
workplace.
As he introduced his presentation, Cena provided a summary of what exposure to various levels of Hydrogen Sulfide has on those who are exposed to it. Low concentrations – from 0 ppm to 10 ppm – create a strong odor of rotten eggs and cause irritation of the eyes and the respiratory system. Elevated concentrations – from 10 to 50 ppm – may cause dizziness, nausea and headaches, and for those who are exposed to levels of 50 ppm and higher, they may be susceptible
Superheroes at work and play at Camp Dreamcatcher
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
There were superheroes everywhere at Camp Dreamcatcher this year. When the 134 children and young adults arrived at the camp on August 18, they were greeted by a group called the Philadelphia Avengers, and these costumed heroes like Captain America, Deadpool, Elsa and Uma took pictures with the kids, played games, and joined
in for some playground adventures. This fun set the stage for a week filled with therapeutic and educational programs as the real superheroes of Camp Dreamcatcher—the camp counselors, the volunteers, and the kids themselves— joined together to explore new horizons, grow, and thrive in the physically and emotionally safe space that is Camp Dreamcatcher.
Campers like Crystal look forward to the week-long camp session all year long.
“Camp is just a beautiful place,” she said. “It’s a time when I can actually be myself.”
When executive director Patty Hillkirk founded what would become Camp Dreamcatcher 28 years ago, she was hoping that it would serve as a positive force in the lives of youngsters who have been impacted by HIV or AIDS. Today, it is the only free therapeutic program for children who are coping with the impact of HIV and AIDS on the East Coast. During the first camp week in 1996, there were 53 children who took part in the programs. That was also the year that Hillkirk started building a team of volunteers who would provide so many therapeutic and educational programs—and so much love and support—to the children, year after year. Some of the volunteers from the early years, and even some of the campers, are still involved with Camp Dreamcatcher 28 years later. Not all superheroes wear capes. The longtime volunteers and the children who have now grown up to become counselors for a new generation of youngsters are worthy of the lofty description, too.
Tyson started coming to camp when he was 7. He is now employed as a teacher for pre-K students and is an assistant director at Head Start. He still comes back to camp every year to help others.
“It’s important to give back,” he said. “I really appreciate all the relationships here, and I’m trying to make the world a better place.”
This year, Hillkirk said,
there were 110 children between the ages of 5 and 17, and another 24 campers who are older and take part in the campers-to-counselors program. There is as much of a need for this kind of camp as there has ever been.
“There are 20 kids who have never been to camp before,” Hillkirk explained. “We’re definitely seeing an increase.”
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WHYY hosts discussion on immigration, mushroom industry and the economy
By Gabbie Burton Contributing Writer
On the eve of the 39th Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square last weekend, WHYY-FM’s Studio 2 podcast hosted a presentation at the Kennett Library on Sept. 4 that wove together the issue of immigration and the area’s thriving mushroom industry, illustrating how the labor needs of the local mushroom industry highlight the flaws of the country’s federal immigration policy.
The 90-minute event, entitled “Immigration, Mushrooms and the Impact on Chester County’s
Economy,” was moderated by Studio 2 podcast hosts Cherri Gregg and Avi Wolfman-Arent and included immigration attorney Nancy Ayllon-Ramirez; Zeke Hernandez, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and author of the new book The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers; and Guy Ciarrocchi, former president of the Chester County Chamber of Commerce.
“We are going to ground the immigration debate in one community, this community, Southern Chester
County which, as I’m sure all of you know, is America’s mushroom capital,” Wolfman-Arent said at the start of the event. “For decades, the people who’ve worked in these mushroom picking and packaging facilities have largely been immigrants. So today we’re going to ask, ‘Why did they come here? How and what happens, or what would happen to this community if America’s immigration system would change dramatically?’” Ayllon-Ramirez shared her family’s story and connection to the mushroom industry, that began soon
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Clevenstine, left, the makerspace coordina-
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
West Chester University Professor Dr. Lorenzo Cena gave the results of a preliminary air quality control report for New Garden Township on Sept. 4.
Photo by Gabbie Burton
WHYY-FM’s Studio 2 podcast hosted a presentation at the Kennett Library on Sept. 4 entitled “Immigration, Mushrooms and the Impact on Chester County’s Economy,” that brought panelists together to discuss how the labor needs of the local mushroom industry highlight the flaws of the country’s federal immigration policy.
Courtesy photo
Kennett Square Mayor Matt Fetick came to the rescue by quickly organizing a blanket drive and by delivering sleeping bags to the camp. He is pictured with Patty Hillkirk and Taj Brown, who has been a participant at camp for 28 years.
Air quality...
Continued from Page 1A to severe respiratory irritation, convulsions, a loss of smell to detect gas, coma and immediate death.
The study, which was conducted by Cena and graduate students from WCU, involved the tracking of Hydrogen Sulfide, ammonia and methane levels using three G7 XO area monitors that were positioned between 100 to 600 feet away from mushroom composting sites in the township. While ammonia and methane levels measured in the study were found to be barely detectable and pose no health risk in these areas, one study location showed significant spikes of Hydrogen Sulfide levels over the year.
At location A, the highest concentrations were detected in November and December of 2023, which went as high as 6.5 ppm, well above the DEP’s 0.1 ppm recommendation. The study further showed that on one day in May of 2023, Hydrogen Sulfide levels were 4 ppm and during early July of last year, levels registered at nearly 4.5 ppm.
The study also revealed that the highest concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfide were detected on Mondays and Wednesdays and that the highest percentage of peaks occurred from midnight to 8 a.m.
‘Erratic’ readings at one location
While the Location B monitor registered levels that did not exceed recommended levels of Hydrogen Sulfide, the Location C monitor measured what Cena called “erratic readings” that yielded readings
at or more than 100 ppm in November of 2023. He later said that the reading was inaccurate and that instruments “can have faults and have readings that are erratic and need validation,” he said.
The Location B monitor was not calculated in the final study findings, he said.
From the start of what has become one of the top concerns and news stories in New Garden Township, the echo of residents’ complaints to the township and elected officials have focused not just on their exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide, but the corrosive impact that the gas has had on their household appliances, some of which have had to be replaced repeatedly. Cena said that the study also fell victim to the very gas whose levels were being monitored. Within a year of the study, various rods and bolts on the monitors were severely corroded.
Cena’s concluding remarks called out the need to identify “point sources and tasks” to lessen potentially harmful Hydrogen Sulfide levels at composting plants throughout Chester County as part of a collaboration between researchers, local governments, mushroom operators, as well as the Avondale-based American Mushroom Institute.
Cena said that he is currently applying for a grant from the Pa. Department of Agriculture for a twoyear study intended to develop what he called “a larger-scale study” that would install ten monitors that will be able to detect higher concentrations of gases.
Mushroom industry introducing nine-month mitigation study
Local News
Following Cena’s study results, American Mushroom Institute (AMI) president Rachel Roberts introduced a ninemonth Mushroom Farm Compost Hydrogen Sulfide Mitigation Pilot study the agency has recently begun. In her presentation, Roberts said that the initiative for the project stemmed from phone calls she received from industry representatives in 2021, who began expressing the displeasure of nearby residents who told them about the effects the odorous effects of composting practices were having on their health and their home appliances.
In partnership with the Director of the Mushroom Research Center at Penn State, AMI is overseeing the installation of six MultiRae gas monitors and a weather station that captures and calculates Hydrogen Sulfide levels near emission locations at an undisclosed Chester County Farm.
The study will also oversee a mitigation practice that will involve the application of carbon activated tarps over wastewater “lagoons” to see if they lessen levels of Hydrogen Sulfide.
“This is something that is currently in the marketplace that is being implemented on other types of farms,” Roberts told the audience. “The belief of the folks we’re working with is that this may be something that the mushroom industry can respond to and address.
“We’re here to react and respond to some of this good information that we’re getting. We have the DEP’s information. We’re learning about this in real time with you tonight about what this actual data is, and we want to assure you that our businesses who are sustainable are good neighbors. “We
know what we have to do to address these concerns and respond to the recommendations we get based on the information.
“We want to know what it is and what to do.”
Comparisons to
Pa. DEP study results
The Sept. 4 presentation served as a comparison to the results of an air quality study town hall meeting on March 21 that brought together an overflow audience of area residents, elected officials and state experts in the areas of health, agriculture and the environment to the New Garden Township Building. The air quality study, conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Division of Environmental Health Epidemiology, evaluated levels of Hydrogen Sulfide in New Garden and London Grove townships from Aug. 2021 to Dec. 2022.
Introduced by Dr. Julie Miller, a public health toxicologist with the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH), the report measured the Hydrogen Sulfide levels at three air monitors in the area: the “West Grove Monitor” at the Avon Grove Charter School; the “Landenberg Monitor” at the New Garden Township Building; and the “New Garden Airport” monitor at the New Garden Flying Field.
Using standard Public Health Assessment methods developed by the federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, the PADOH concluded that the highest hourly levels of Hydrogen Sulfide may have led to short-term (acute) respiratory effects in “certain individuals”
in Landenberg and West Grove; specifically, those who have respiratory conditions like asthma. Further, the results concluded that on certain hours and days, hourly Hydrogen Sulfide odors that can negatively impact those with asthma; that longer exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide is “unlikely” to lead to longterm health effects, and that when averaged over a longer period, the levels were lower than levels where long-term effects might occur; and that Hydrogen Sulfide levels were above common thresholds of 8 ppm that could lead to headaches, nausea, fatigue and stress in some residents. Further, 28 percent of the hours monitored were above the odor thresholds, and 13 percent of the hours monitored were 30 ppm over the odor threshold. The study also said that the highest Hydrogen Sulfide levels at the West Grove and Landenberg monitors were reported to most occur on Tuesdays and Fridays and were highest during the evening and early-morning hours of fall months.
While exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide can lead to headaches, poor memory, tiredness and difficulty with balance and a possible loss of consciousness, Miller told the audience, “Being exposed to a chemical doesn’t mean that you’re going to get sick. Whether or not someone gets sick from a chemical depends on many different factors. This could be the chemical’s properties, the levels that are in the environment, how you are exposed, whether you are eating it or drinking it or inhaling it…and the length and frequency of the exposure, so are you exposed over a short period
of time, or over a day or a year?”
The PADOH later recommended at the meeting that mushroom-growing facilities suspected of high levels of Hydrogen Sulfide “engage in best practices and engineering controls” to reduce odors; enact efforts to significantly reduce levels and/or ensure that Hydrogen Sulfide emissions are located away from residential areas to protect public health; that facilities and their community partners consider outdoor air monitoring to see if odor and health effect levels are being exceeded in nearby homes and business; and that residents “remain indoors when outdoor odors are ‘bothersome’ and leave the area for a few hours, if possible,” and consult their physicians if they are experiencing health issues.
Questions and answers
During the questionand-answer portion of the meeting, Roberts said that gathering and analyzing the data from the pilot study is expected to take a year to 18 months before it is completed. She said that if the results of the study clearly indicate that the application of tarps over wastewater lagoons lessen the levels of Hydrogen Sulfide, there is a strong potential that the process will be embraced by the local mushroom industry.
“There is a high probability that the industry will do this voluntarily,” she said. “They are very concerned about this concern, and they want to learn what they can do, ideally to make it go away but at the minimum to make the community livable for everybody.
Continued on Page 4A
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
American Mushroom Institute president Rachel Roberts introduced the start of a Hydrogen Sulfide mitigation pilot program that is now underway in Chester County.
Camp week
Hillkirk and the team of dedicated volunteers have developed an ever-changing lineup of programs and activities for camp week. There are therapeutic programs that are aimed at providing the children and young adults with new ways to understand and address the challenges that they are facing. These therapeutic programs include everything from strength-based therapy and yoga to massages and mindfulness activities to wilderness-based therapy and restorative practices.
Then there are the educational programs on serious topics that the youngsters might be dealing with like HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, or bullying. Other educational programs can provide information about preparing for college or a career or learning about team-building and leadership. There were also programs on robotics, woodworking, and sessions with Barbara “Bluejay” Michalski, a storyteller and Chief of Culture of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania.
Michalski has volunteered at the camp for the last two years.
“We love partnering with Bluejay and she facilitates indigenous arts and crafts, storytelling, and dance with the campers throughout the week,” Hillkirk said.
In addition to the educational or therapeutic programs, there are also
the activities of a typical summer camp—fishing, canoeing, arts and crafts, swimming and more.
‘It would make him happy’
Camp Dreamcatcher’s work with youngsters has drawn a lot of partners and support through the years. When people find out all the good work Camp Dreamcatcher is doing, they want to help, too.
One example is Max’s Kicks for Kids, a West Grove-based non-profit that provides new back-toschool shoes for children in need in Southeastern Pennsylvania and surrounding areas. Max’s Kicks for Kids was founded to honor the memory of Max Engle, who worked as a probation officer in Chester County until his death in September of 2018.
Max’s parents, Tom and Lynn Engle, were at Camp Dreamcatcher this year to once again provide new sneakers to all the children at camp.
Tom and Lynn Engle explained that Max was dedicated to helping others through his work, and he was also passionate about sneakers. Max had a collection of dozens of pairs of sneakers, some that he never even wore. He purchased them “as investments,” his parents said. They said that whenever they drop sneakers off for a group of children, they like to focus on what Max would think about what they are doing—using the gift of sneakers to honor his memory and to help children.
“He’d love it,” Tom Engle said. “He’d loved to see the kids’ faces light up. It would make him happy.”
Hillkirk said that the sneakers mean a lot to kids at camp. Each year, she said, some of the kids will show up for camp week with footwear that isn’t suitable for the sprawling Camp Saginaw campus. The contribution from Max’s Kicks for Kids also comes right before the start of a new school year.
“It helps with their selfesteem and it really sets them up for a successful school year,” Hillkirk said. “What I love about Max’s Kicks for Kids is that they see a need and they do something about it.”
Writers of our own stories
Hillkirk is always trying to find new programs that will be informative and helpful for the youngsters. She noted that some of the kids will either experience substance use issues themselves, or may have family members who will. This year, Cierra Walker, a substance use disorder and recovery coach, was
at Camp Dreamcatcher for the first time. She shared a powerful message for the youngsters—we are all writers of our own stories. She also talked to the campers about what it means for someone to recover.
Walker said that she was impressed by the love and sense of community that she saw at Camp Dreamcatcher. She said that the kids and the counselors really showed up for each other and helped support each other. She understood immediately how important the camp is to its participants.
“I fell in love with the mission of Camp Dreamcatcher right away,” she said.
A new mentoring program
Aubrey Arteaga, who now holds a degree in public health and is a senior project coordinator, was working on an internship with Johns Hopkins University five years ago when he visited Camp Dreamcatcher for the first time. That year, he was serving as a chaperone on a bus that transported a small group of Baltimore-area children to camp.
One of the kids that
Arteaga helped that first year was Miles. Miles is now 18, and he said that Arteaga offers him advice on how to prepare a résumé and how to apply to schools. Miles wants to be a master mechanic.
Arteaga said that the camp has become an important part of his life in the five years since he first visited, and he returns to help out each year. As part of his advanced work and research at Johns Hopkins, he helped Camp Dreamcatcher develop a new mentorship program that started in April.
Camp Dreamcatcher matched up 20 of the campers with 20 different mentors who will help them work on specific goals. The mentor and mentee stay in contact with each other regularly.
“Our goal is to provide year-round support, espe-
cially to this age group,” Hillkirk said, explaining that a teen who is interested in a career in health care might be paired up with a mentor who works as a nurse. Crystal said that she received some helpful tips on how to apply for a job and how to prepare a résumé from her mentor. This month, she is starting a new job at Rising Youth Cafe at the University of Maryland, where she will work as a server and help clean up. She also set up a bank account with direct deposit.
To the rescue
When you get more than 125 children and young adults in the same place at the same time, something unexpected is bound to happen—most likely a
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Courtesy photos
The campers enjoy many different programs and activities during the week-long camp.
Children could get their faces painted at the camp carnival that was facilitated by PayPal volunteers.
Air quality...
Continued from Page 2A
“We are learning with all of you as this unfolds. We haven’t been asked a lot of these questions before. We haven’t been asked whether or not we have a solution to a problem, and it hasn't been presented before as a scientific problem.”
Several of the residents in the audience took offense to AMI’s pilot study, saying that what has become an issue of health in New Garden Township continues to be pushed down the road in the favor of additional research as opposed to tending to the immediate need
Camp Dreamcatcher...
Continued from Page 3A
few unexpected things will happen. During the camp week this year, the weather was unusually cool for late August. During many of these camps over the last 28 years, the participants have endured days of sweltering heat and humidity. But this year, for a few nights, it was unexpectedly cool at the wooded campsite outside of Oxford.
Hillkirk and her team of volunteers have grown adept at responding to an unexpected need when one arises. They needed to find a way to keep the kids warm.
Hillkirk explained that when she saw that the kids were cold, she reached out to Kennett Square Borough Mayor Matt Fetick.
The reason she did this was simple: “I know he is the person who gets things
of repairing the air quality at the composting sites.
“We continue to do study after study, when all it really takes is the state to finally get a grasp on this,” said 24-year Landenberg Hunt resident Ron Lupo. “This is a chemical going into the air. If this were a factory or an industry, they would be restricted about what to put in the air.
“All it takes is an act of law, to regulate the mushroom industry to live by the same standards that other industries do,” Lupo added. “I don’t think it’s fair for industries to have to go all that they go through, when you give the mushroom
done!”
Fetick started a blanket drive and the Kennett Square community came to the rescue right away—soon several dozen sleeping bags were being dropped off for the kids.
Hillkirk expressed her gratitude to the Kennett Square community for helping out with the blanket drive, and to all the supporters and volunteers who helped make the 2024 camp a successful one.
Hillkirk said, “I find it difficult to find the words to capture my deep gratitude for our staff and volunteers. I am honored to work with them and to witness the lifechanging difference they made through every act of kindness at camp.”
Taj Brown is a former camper and a longtime volunteer at the camp.
Reflecting on the nearly three decades of acts of kindness, he said that Camp
industry free reign, and that is wrong. That is very wrong.”
At one point during the question-and-answer session, former township resident Emily Carroll told Roberts that after inhaling and living with the gaseous fumes from area composting functions, she had to move from her parents’ house in Landenberg Hunt, where they have lived for 34 years.
“This is unacceptable,” she told Roberts. “My parents are probably going to die. The majority of these people are a lot older than me, so what are you trying to tell me -- that I can’t
Dreamcatcher is a “generational blessing.”
Over the Edge
Camp Dreamcatcher’s Catching Dreams over the Edge fundraising event returns to Kennett Square on September 28. The fundraiser finds volunteers who are willing to “go over the edge” of Kennett Square’s tallest building—rappelling down the Franklin Center Building all through the day. Camp Dreamcatcher is partnering with Over the Edge, a special events company that provides signature events for non-profit organizations across Canada and the United States, for this fundraiser.
Hillkirk herself is the Over the Edge this year. She is doing it in memory of Ginny Fineberg, one of the organization’s earliest and most dedicated supporters. Fineberg passed away in
bring my kids to my own parents’ house because of the smell? Figure it out.”
Roberts reinforced to the audience that the mushroom industry is committed to exploring possible mitigation efforts in an effort to draw Hydrogen Sulfide levels down to acceptable safety standards.
“Everything we are doing is a good faith effort to understand what we can and to implement what could be a better result,” she said. “If we could wave a magic wand, we would do it today, but we’re just trying to resolve the issue.”
Cena said that he and his students will be col-
the fall of 2022, and she is missed greatly by the Camp Dreamcatcher family.
“She used to call me ‘Fearless Leader,’ and while I am terrified to do Over the Edge, I am going to do it anyway,” Hillkirk said.
At 2 p.m., Kennett Square’s Police Chief William Holdsworth and Mayor Fetick will both be going over the edge.
“As the Chief of Police for Kennett Square Borough, I am happy to participate in the Catching Dreams over the Edge Event supporting Camp Dreamcatcher,” Holdsworth said. “I look forward to participating as a rappeller in hopes of raising money for such a wonderful organization and cause.”
laborating with AMI on the agency’s study, while keeping its respective studies separate from one another.
The goal, he said, will be to find the source of the problem that is causing these spikes to appear in readings, and the best way to do that will involve sharing the goal with Chester County mushroom farmers, whom he recently met with.
“Once we find it, can we isolate it?” he said. “Can we change and modify the process, so that the concentration of [Hydrogen Sulfide] can be kept low?
Rachel was able to gather the farmers around the table and I told them, ‘As we are
analyzing the data, we’re finding out that we think there is a problem. If you want to be a good neighbor, you will allow us to come to your farm and take samples, and what we can do is provide you with independent data that you can compare with your data and help you validate what you’re looking at.
“With their instruments and our instruments, it can give us more information, and that’s what we want. More data is always better than less data.”
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
The superheroes from the Philadelphia Avengers are also making another appearance on behalf of the camp. They will be rappelling and they will also be available on the ground for photos with the kids. A Superhero Challenge is taking place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
There’s still time to join the league of Camp Dreamcatcher Superheroes by registering to rappel on September 28, by bidding on the online auction, or making a donation to the Catching Dreams Over The Edge event. For full details about Camp Dreamcatcher and the upcoming Catching Dreams Over the Edge event, visit the organization’s website at www. campdreamcatcher.org.
Courtesy photo
This rainbow appeared during the John Flynn concert at camp.
‘I know he is the person who gets things done!’
The small boroughs in this area—Kennett Square, West Grove, Oxford and Avondale—have been fortunate to have some great mayors through the years.
In Pennsylvania’s small boroughs like these, the men and women who are elected to the position of mayor only receive nominal compensation for their service to the community. It’s largely a volunteer position—but not an unimportant one.
The mayors of these small boroughs are much more than the faces of the community during public events. They can also be advocates for the community. They work to bring people and businesses and organizations together for the common good when the need arises.
Over the last few decades, Kennett Square Borough has benefitted from having community leaders like Leon Spencer, Charles Cramer, and Matt Fetick serve as mayor.
Fetick, a top-producing real estate agent by profession, also has experience working in a police department and as a paramedic. That certainly helps him handle the mayoral duty to provide oversight to the police department.
Fetick also knows how to bring people together.
When Camp Dreamcatcher held its week-long camp session a few weeks ago, the weather was unusually cool for late August. During many of these camps over the last 28 years, the participants have endured many days of sweltering heat and humidity. But this year, for a few nights, it was unexpectedly cool at the wooded campsite outside of Oxford.
When you get more than 125 children and young adults in the same place at the same time, something unexpected is bound to happen—most likely a few things. Through the years, Camp Dreamcatcher executive director Patty Hillkirk and her team of volunteers have grown adept at responding to an unexpected need when one arises.
This year, they needed to find a way to keep the kids warm.
Fetick and the Kennett Square community came to the rescue right away.
Hillkirk explained that when she saw that the kids were cold, she reached out to Fetick. The reason she did this was simple: “I know he is the person who gets things done!”
Fetick immediately created a drive for blankets and later delivered 36 sleeping bags to camp for the kids to use. Once again, Fetick got things done—which is what he has become known for during his long tenure as the mayor of Kennett Square.
Congratulations to Fetick and the Kennett Square community for helping to save the day.
Lawmakers have a duty to protect Pennsylvania’s children
By Benita Williams and Chris Kirchner
Congress is poised to slash funding for the national Crime Victims Fund -- which provides essential services to survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault -- by 37 percent later this year. That staggering $600 million cut would especially harm children who’ve been abused.
It’s up to Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation to protect these vulnerable kids by supporting a bill to ward off the cuts.
More than 600,000 U.S. children experience abuse and neglect each year. In Pennsylvania, authorities counted over 39,000 incidences of suspected child abuse in 2022. Our state also reported 60 child abuse fatalities and 138 near fatalities in 2022.
State agencies and nonprofits work tirelessly each day to help children suffering from abuse. Some of the most effective services available are through Children’s Advocacy Centers.
CACs are support systems for children who have experienced abuse in any form. They offer on-site
forensic interviews, trauma therapy, medical evaluations, prevention training, and more. These services help limit the impact of trauma, keep kids safe, and hold offenders accountable.
In Pennsylvania, these centers serve more than 15,000 children across 67 counties.
American children are safer and healthier because of their services. There is a widely documented relationship between child abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Data show that after undergoing evidence-based trauma treatments at CACs, three of four children stop experiencing PTSD symptoms.
We’ve witnessed firsthand how Pennsylvania children benefit from these services. Last year, Pennsylvania CACs assisted nearly 5,500 minors with medical exams documenting well-being and signs of potential abuse. We helped 1,060 kids access therapy that same year.
Despite their benefits, funding for CACs is unreliable and diminishing. The advocacy centers rely on the Crime Victims Fund,
which directs a portion of the money collected from criminal prosecution to support crime victims. However, since money from prosecutions varies from year to year, organizations receiving this funding are subject to frequent and massive budget cuts. There has also been a steady decline in federal funding for CACs in recent years.
Resources are already stretched thin, often resulting in centers having to make the impossible decision of delaying critical services or turning away families altogether. Currently, nearly 40 percent of centers report that clients must wait at least 31 days to receive a mental health appointment -- compared to 21 percent in 2020.
Future cuts could spur longer delays, staff shortages, service reductions, or even closing centers altogether.
That’s a path we cannot afford to go down, morally or economically. The CDC estimates child maltreatment cases cost the nation $124 billion annually. It’s estimated that every dollar invested in child abuse prevention yields seven dollars in future savings.
Social Security Matters
Should
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Thankfully, lawmakers have introduced the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act. This bill would fund services for crime victims from new sources, instead of taxes, and give Congress five years to work out a permanent fix -- offering CACs in Pennsylvania more resources and predictability to serve the children in their communities.
Pennsylvania Representatives Fitzpatrick, Evans, Scanlon, and Deluzio already co-sponsor the House bill, but it is going to take more vocal support from the Pennsylvania congressional delegation to get this across the finish line before cuts take effect in October.
Children’s Advocacy Centers offer healing and guidance to young Pennsylvanians who have experienced unspeakable trauma. Passing the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act is the only responsible path forward to support children in our community. Benita Williams is the executive director of the Philadelphia Children’s Alliance and Chris Kirchner is the executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania.
retire at 65 or 67, and what about earnings and taxes?
By Russell Gloor, National Social Security Advisor at the AMAC Foundation
Dear Rusty: I’m just trying to figure out how to determine whether to retire at 65 or 67 and, if I retire, approximately how much could I make outside of my Social Security without .being overly taxed?
Signed: Thinking About Retiring
Dear Thinking: Deciding when to retire is serious business, because it affects your future and what your retirement income will be going forward. Thus, it’s good you are taking the time to fully understand your options, and we’re happy to assist you with that. Here are some things which should help you decide whether to retire at 65 or 67:
• Social Security benefits are subject to income
tax (by the IRS) if your combined income from all sources (which includes your Adjusted Gross Income on your tax return, plus half of the SS benefits you received during the tax year) exceeds certain thresholds for your income tax filing status. If you file your income tax as “married/jointly” and your combined income from all sources is more than $32,000, then 50% of your received SS benefits are subject to income tax (at your normal IRS tax rate). But if your combined income as a married couple is more than $44,000, then 85% of the SS benefits you received during the tax year becomes part of your taxable income. FYI, the taxation thresholds are lower for those who file taxes as an individual ($25,000 and $34,000 respectively).
• Born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age
(FRA) for Social Security’s purposes is 67. If you claim SS benefits before your FRA, not only will your monthly amount be permanently reduced but you’ll also be subject to Social Security’s “earnings test” which limits how much you can earn before they take away some of your benefits. The earnings limit changes annually, but for 2024 it is $22,320 (future year’s limits will be a bit higher each year). If your work earnings exceed the annual limit, Social Security will take away $1 in benefits for every $2 you are over the limit. They take away by withholding future benefits for as many months as necessary for them to recover what you owe for exceeding the annual limit. FYI, the limit goes up during the year you attain FRA, and the earnings test no longer applies after you reach your full retirement age.
• If you claim SS before your FRA, your monthly amount will be permanently reduced. If you claim at age 65, you will get about 87 percent of the amount you would get by waiting until age 67 to claim. If you claim at age 66, your monthly amount would be about 93 percent of your FRA entitlement and, by claiming at 67 you’ll get 100 percent of the benefit you’ve earned from a lifetime of working. The reductions for early claiming are permanent reductions, except for the annual cost of living adjustments (COLA).
Note that you can also delay longer than your FRA to get an even larger benefit
amount (you can delay up to age 70 when your maximum benefit is reached). Just remember, the earnings test (as described above) will apply if you claim SS before your FRA and you are still working.
If your plan is to continue to work full time, be aware that if you claim early SS and significantly exceed the annual earnings limit, you may even be temporarily ineligible to collect SS benefits. If your work income is high enough that the penalty for exceeding the earnings limit is more than SS can recover through withheld benefits in one year, they will tell you that you’re unable to collect benefits at this time (until you either earn less or reach your FRA).
So, deciding whether to claim Social Security at 65 or 67 is your personal choice and, hopefully, the above provides the information you need to make an informed decision.
This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation. org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.
Mushroom Festival extravaganza offers something for everyone
By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
The 39th annual Kennett Square Mushroom Festival on Saturday and Sunday attracted what could easily have been estimated as tens of thousands of visitors eager to be entertained, fed and sold to.
Without questioning the crowd about where they came from, one could only guess from snippets of conversations or license plates:
“I’m up from Washington, D.C.”
“Did you take Route One?”
“We’re not from around here.”
“I’m from southern South Dakota.”
By the time the gates -- staffed by Kennett High School volunteers -- opened at 10 a.m. on Saturday, State Street was already heavily populated.
As the hours went by, the crowd grew exponentially.
Even as a brief rain storm on Saturday afternoon sent folks sheltering, the festivities resumed as soon as the rain abated.
Running from Church Alley to Garfield Street
along State Street and into offshoot venues, the festival offered three categories of attractions: vendors, scheduled events and displays.
The vendors – scores of them with their tents -- lined the sidewalks on both sides of the street. They sold the fruits of their creativity, ranging from interesting
foods like spreadable bacon and individually shaped pasta to jewelry, clothing, and dog items.
One of the most popular vendors was the mushroom soup tent on Broad Street staffed by the local Masons. They had lines that ran more than half a block long, and they had to take time out to make more batches of the soup.
Almost as long was the line for Buona Foods’ fried mushrooms.
An atmosphere of friendliness and good manners prevailed as potential buyers carried on casual conversations with the vendors of the objects they had their eyes on.
Over at the food tent on South Union Street, there were two essential scheduled events: cooking and eating.
This year, unlike the previous years, the “chopped” cooking contest involved
three rounds of competitions, rather than one.
“Chopped” contests at the festival involved the contestants being given a bag of various food-stuffs (always with mushrooms) and being asked to create something elegant out of them.
Semifinals on Saturday yielded four finalists on Sunday.
The final winner was Leigh Ann Stuart of King of Prussia, who put together an interesting salad of arugula with portabellas and warm balsamic sauce.
When she was announced as the winner, she dropped her jaw in surprise and said, “Far out!”
Additionally, on Saturday, the food/cooking theme was enhanced by two demonstrations by television food celebrity Carla Hall.
She pleased her large audience with friendly banter and explanations of how
she handled food.
On Sunday, the raucous mushroom-eating contest that traditionally attracts a large and excited crowd, did not disappoint the standing-room only audience.
This year it was preceded by a new event called En Fuego Fried Mushroom Eating contest.
The contest saw 18 participants join on stage to see who could endure eating mushrooms that had been doused with increasing levels of hot sauce.
After four rounds, all the contestants finished successfully.
In the main eating contest, contestants were cheered on by an enthusiastic audience.
It was won by Bryant Grimm from Orwigsburg.
The displays were numerous throughout, but
At the raucous mushroom-eating contest, contestants
most in eight minutes.
centered mostly on Broad Street.
The most frequently visited was the mushroom tent, where local farmers displayed beds of their product and explained the process of how mushrooms are grown and cultivated.
At one point on Sunday, the line stretched from the entrance to the growing tent near Cypress Street all the way up to State Street. One person reported not even being able to get in because the crowd was so great.
Other displays were also popular: “Cute as a Button” where people drop dollars into boxes with pictures of their favorite kids; the ceramic mushrooms raffle designed by skilled artists and overseen by Jane Henry; and the souvenir stand selling festival shirts and mugs.
Kennett Consolidate d School District’s recently arrived superintenden t Kimberly Rizzo Saunders was on hand to meet her new neighbors and get acquainted with the town. She was extremely popular at her tent, and many people stopped to introduce themselves and talk with her.
The music persisted in the Liberty Place Market parking lot and a car show entertained visitors on South Broad Street.
Farther down the street at the El Rancho restaurant parking lot were numerous children’s jumping tents and a large bouncing tree for those who had no fear of heights.
The Mushroom Festival has grown in its 39 years from a short parade on State Street to the current two-day extravaganza uptown. Over the years, the proceeds from the event have been contributed to local non-profits to the tune of more than $1 million.
The festival is operated by many volunteers. This year the chairperson is Gina Puoci and the activities director is Gale Ferranto.
In a previous interview, they agreed that the planning and preparations for the following year traditionally begin with meetings and evaluations shortly after the previous one ends.
Jane Henry stands behind the ceramic mushroom she designed that was raffled off at the end of the festival.
Celebrity chef Carla Hall explains how she makes mushrooms Wellington.
Visitors question a grower about the stages of growth for mushrooms.
Bailey Reigel staffs the busy fried mushroom stand on State Street.
Visitors to this year's Mushroom Festival occupied State Street in Kennett Square by the tens of thousands throughout the weekend.
Photos by Chris Barber
Mushroom-eating contest winner Bryant Grimm celebrates with the contest sponsors Peter and Gale Ferranto.
LLOYD GARNET WALLS
Lloyd Garnet Walls passed away on Sept. 3, 2024 at Ballad Hospice House in Bristol, Tenn. He was 88. Lloyd was born in Green Cove, Va. and he later moved to West Grove, where he lived for over 50 years. He eventually moved back to Virginia, finally calling Troutdale his home, and he made many friends along the way because he never met a stranger he wouldn’t talk to or share a smile with.
He was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army and had a long work history following his time in the Army – starting with NVF Co. in Kennett Square. He made circuit boards for 48 years. He later worked for Dollar General for over 17 years in both Pennsylvania and Virginia. When he wasn’t working, Lloyd enjoyed NASCAR racing, gardening and was an avid fisherman. He and his late wife Laura enjoyed being together and going to festivals, flea markets and auctions.
Lloyd was a genuine, likable, and wonderful man who was always smiling and his presence will be missed.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Laura Blevins Walls, his parents, Coy and Mae Walls, all of his siblings and their spouses, brothers-in-law, Arthur “Jack” Blevins and Arvel Lee Blevins, Sr., niece, Linda Sue
Alleluia
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Yarber, and nephews, Ray Pennington, Ricky Walls, Stanley Walls, Arvel Lee Blevins, Jr., John Scott Blevins, Steven Blevins and Roger Farmer.
Lloyd is survived by his daughter, Michelle Roberts and her husband, David, grandson, Dylan Roberts, all of Sugar Grove, Va., sisters-in-law, Dorothy “Dottie” Blevins of Galax, Va. and Lessie Ann Blevins of Whitetop, Va., several nieces and nephews and their families, and a special friend, Remo Censurato.
Special thank you from the family to the following: Liz Stamper, Dawn Robinson, Rachel Medley, Johnston Memorial Hospital ICU Unit staff, Bristol Regional Medical Center ICU Unit 2 staff and 4th floor nursing staff, Abingdon Health & Rehab, and Ballad Hospice House.
Funeral services were held on September 6 at Fraziers’ Seaver-Brown Chapel in Marion, Va. Pastor James Walls officiated. Graveside services were held on September 7 at Laurel Valley Community Cemetery, with Military Rites conducted by the U.S. Army Funeral Honors Guard and Francis Marion V.F.W. Post #4667.
To share memories of Lloyd Garnet Walls, please visit www.seaverbrown.com.
Care for Lloyd has been entrusted to Fraziers’ Seaver Brown Funeral Service & Crematory, 237 East Main Street, Marion, Va. 24354.
EUGENE CHARLES ALLPORT
Eugene Charles Allport, 67, of Nottingham, died on Aug. 19 in his home following a lengthy illness with uveal melanoma. Gene, as he was known to family and friends, was the husband of Julie Ellen Bower Allport, with whom he shared 35 years of marriage. Born on November 14, 1956, he was the eldest child of Helen Phillips Allport and Charles Eugene Allport.
Gene was a 1974 graduate of Oxford Area High School. In 1978, he graduated from Millersville University with a degree in economics. Gene also completed several graduate courses in finance at Widener University.
Gene worked as a financial analyst with a focus on computer applications at W.L. Gore and Associates from 1978 until his retirement in May of 2021. He served as treasurer of the Union Cemetery of Fremont from 2010 until his health prompted him to step down in 2024. Gene was a member of Oxford Presbyterian Church. He served two terms as a deacon, including serving a term as moderator of the deacons.
Gene is survived by his wife Julie, his son Seth Allport, his daughter Hayley Allport and Hayley’s husband Jose Silveti. He is also survived by his father, Charles Allport, a brother, Carl Allport (Susan), a sister, Cheryl Williams and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Phillips Allport.
Funeral services were held on Aug. 31 at Oxford Presbyterian Church.
Interment will be in the Union Cemetery in Nottingham.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Union Cemetery Association of Fremont, c/o Geof Williams, 400 Fremont Road, Nottingham, Pa. 19362 or the Oxford Presbyterian Church, 6 Pine Street, Oxford, Pa. 19363.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
ROBERT JAMES PATTON, JR.
Robert James Patton, Jr., 81, of Arlington, Va., passed away while at home on Sept. 2, 2024.
He was the husband of Jacqueline Hoffman Patton, with whom he shared 59 years of marriage.
Born in Detroit, Mich., he was the son of the late Robert James, Sr. and Dorothy Louise Jacobson Patton.
Bob was a member of Restoration Anglican Church of Arlington, Va. and past member of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, Arlington, Va., once serving as Scoutmaster of its Troop 167 BSA. Bob earned the rank of Eagle Scout at age 14. He was also a member of the Arlington Optimist Club.
Bob graduated from Duke University in 1965 with a bachelor of arts degree in history. In 1968, he graduated from the George Washington University Law School and was a managing editor of the Law Review
He began his legal career in 1968 with a Washington, D.C. law firm, served as an attorney with the federal government, and concluded his career as a private attorney in Virginia. As a private attorney, he practiced for 20 years in the field of wills and trusts. He also practiced maritime law, probate law, as well as certain business law as the sole attorney of his own firm, working until he was 80 years old.
Bob served 30 years with the Maritime Administration within the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Transportation. In his government career, he held positions as Deputy Maritime Administrator, Acting Chief Counsel, Vice Chairman of the Department of Commerce Contract Appeals Board, and member of the Department of Transportation Board for Correction of Military Records. He received a number of awards in government service, including the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award from President Clinton in 1993.
Bob was generous and compassionate with a playful, competitive drive, as anyone with whom he played basketball, cards, or Mexican Train can attest. He cared deeply about people and helping others.
Bob enjoyed traveling, hiking, collecting stamps and coins, and spending time with his family. He pursued genealogy as a hobby for over 50 years, having published several books.
Bob is survived by his wife, three daughters, Kimberly Anne Patton, Carolyn Patton Piskun (Scott Richard) and Kathrine Dawn Patton, and one son, Michael Corey Patton (Genevieve Lynn). Also surviving are four grandchildren, Michael William Patton, Haleigh Ellexa Saulia Patton, Maximus Alexander Piskun and Mason Robert Piskun, and one brother, William Richard Patton (Carolyn). He was preceded in death by his sister, Diane Patton Malone.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 27 at the Restoration Anglican Church at 1815 N. Quincy St. in Arlington, Va.
Interment is private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society and Troop 167 BSA, 1500 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, Va. 22207 or Scout Troop 167 Arlington, Va. at www.troop167arlington-treasury.org.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
BETTY L. HEIBECK
Betty L. Heibeck, of West Grove, passed away while surrounded by her loving family at home on Aug. 30, 2024. She was 90.
She was the daughter of the late Howard and Virginia Hogg. Betty graduated from Avon Grove High School in West Grove, and retired after working for many years with West Grove Borough.
She is survived by her children, Richard Heibeck (Susan) of Coatesville, Beverly Rogevich (Raymond) of Oxford, and Sandra West (Kenneth) of West Grove. She is also survived by her three grandchildren, Jeremy West (Jennifer), Courtney West Rump (Mason), and Rachel Rogevich Abrams (Jacob), five great grandchildren, Charlotte, Abigail, Sophia West and Harper and Kennedy Rump, one sister, Linda Yerkes (Glenn) and three brothers, Howard Hogg, William Hogg (Bonnie) and Charles Hogg (Susan).
In addition to her parents, Betty was predeceased by her sisters, Margaret Keefer, Frances Crawford, Norma Moore and Patsy Adams, who she missed dearly.
Betty will be remembered for her love of family and her strong work ethic. She enjoyed doing puzzles, cross-stitching and sewing for friends and family, and she was also known for her love for the Philadelphia Phillies—she would never miss a game. She also loved the music of George Strait. She will be missed dearly.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Brandywine Valley Hospice; 1011 W. Baltimore Pike, Suite 207 & 208, West Grove, Pa. 19390. All services will be private.
WILLETT ALAN HAHN
Willett Alan Hahn of Nottingham, passed away peacefully while at his home and surrounded by his family on Aug. 28, 2024.
He was the husband of Barbara A. Reed Hahn. Born on April 14, 1948 at Lankanau Hospital in Montgomery County, he was the son of the late Willett August and Doris Louise Williams Hahn.
He was an Oxford area resident since 1956. He worked for years at the family-owned Hahn Game Farm, where he also was a gunsmith by trade.
He coached Little League teams, and served as the president of Oxford Little League for years. He was a member of and later became a scout leader in Boy Scout Troop 13. He worked many years as a volunteer for the Oxford Center for Dance recitals.
He loved music and serving as the DJ for weddings. He spun records at The Country Pub in Oxford when he wasn’t tending bar there. He later worked at Oxford
Sunoco for over 20 years as the night shift manager. He was a car enthusiast, woodworker, and he was a lifelong Philadelphia Phillies fan.
He cared most about his family, and nobody could have ever asked for a better dad, husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, in-law or friend. The family hopes your memories of him will last forever, if you were lucky enough to have known him.
He is survived by his wife; three children, W. Alan Hahn, II (Shannon Ciarlone) of Nottingham, Alaina Jennings (Duane) of Nottingham and R. Michael Hahn (Melissa Paolercio) of Landenberg; eleven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held on Sept. 3 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home Inc. in Oxford.
Interment is private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Delco Dawgs at https://www.paypal.com/ donate/?hosted_button_id=66RCQ2W9T3EHC. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
FRANKLIN RIGLEY JONES
Franklin Rigley Jones, of West Grove, passed on Sept. 1, 2024 at Twin Pines Health Care Center in West Grove. He was 77.
Born in West Grove, he was the son of the late Ralph and Viola Palmer Jones.
Franklin was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
He retired from Lincoln University after over 20 years of service.
Franklin enjoyed baseball and fishing.
He is survived by two sons, Poncho Jones and Andre Hughes; grandchildren; two siblings, Edith Jones and Monroe Jones; and many nieces and nephews and greatnieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by nine siblings, Robert
Palmer, Florence Wise, George Jones, Ralph Jones, Jr., Shirley Tackett, Mary Payne, “Tommy” Jones, Patsy Jones and Brenda Boddy.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. at 86 Pine St., Oxford. Friends and family may visit from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, Ok., 73123-1718.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome. com.
LORRAINE E. LOUWERSE
Lorraine Elizabeth Louwerse passed away with her family and her best friend by her side on Aug. 31, 2024. She fought her battle her way, on her terms. She was 83. She was born on February 12, 1941 to Frank and Philomena Garofalo. She was the eldest sibling to Frannie and Frank. They grew up in Chester, Pa. She had a Chester attitude, and no one messed with her or her family, ever. Not then, and not 83 years later.
Lorraine was a homemaker most of her life, although she had many jobs to help support her family when needed. Her greatest job was being a mom to her two children, Lorri Ann and William Joseph.
Lorraine loved any type of arts and crafts, particularly photography and painting. She loved thrift store shopping and going to yard sales with her friends. She always had matching clothes from head to toe, including her purse that she changed every day to match her outfit.
She loved dogs, especially chihuahuas, which she had several throughout her life.
Lorraine was a Christian and considered Manor Presbyterian Church and its members her second family. She attended services regularly and was involved with Bible study groups.
She is survived by two children, Lorri Manchin Prettelt and William Manchin (Kristy). She was a loving grandmother and great-grandmother to three grandchildren, Matthew Prettelt, Isabella Prettelt and Emily Bready (Chris), and three great-grandchildren, Evelyn Bready, Adeline Bready and Amelia Bready.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Manor Presbyterian Church, 505 Street Road, Cochranville.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Manor Presbyterian Church.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
Obituary submissions
The Chester County Press publishes obituaries free of charge for funeral homes with active advertising accounts only. Others
Comitta secures funding for SILO to fight food insecurity in the Oxford area
Serving, Inspiring and Loving Others (SILO), a non-profit organization serving Oxford Borough and the surrounding community, is expanding its efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity thanks to the work of State Sen.
Carolyn Comitta.
Comitta recently secured $50,000 in state funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Comitta said she saw SILO’s positive impact and dedication to the community in response to last
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of JOHN CAVANAGH, Late of Malvern, Malvern Borough and Chester County, PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY 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 William D. Cavanagh, 107 Balsam Lane, Clayton, NC 27527, Executor.
8p-28-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Alice Cinian Hovsepian aka Alice C. Hovsepian, Late of Paoli, Tredyffrin Township, Chester County, Deceased. Letters of Administration on the estate of the above named have been granted to the undersigned, Lynn Lowery. All persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to: Lynn Lowery, 1400 Continental Circle, Phoenixville, PA 19046
8p-28-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Debra Cage, DECEASED. Late of Chester County, Pennsylvania. 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 Tiffini Smith, 2055 Bent Tree Way, Greenwood, IN 46143 9p-4-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Sylvia Scarlette Wendt, Late of West Chester, East Goshen Township and County of Chester, PA, LETTERS Of Administration on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having
fall’s fire in downtown Oxford, which destroyed multiple buildings and displaced dozens of families.
“SILO is always ready to step forward to help people and families in need. It was a pleasure to secure this funding and I want to thank all of the SILO staff, volunteers, supporters, and board members for their important and transformative work,” Comitta said.
“In addition to addressing food insecurity, SILO helps bring people together and build relationships, while educating and inspiring individuals to find and
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 Michelle D. Wendt , Executor, P.O Box 7308, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067. 9p-11-3t
NOTICE
INVITATION FOR BIDS FOR THE ELECTRICAL PACKAGE FOR THE PROPOSED AMPHITHEATER AT THE PENN TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY PARK, 260 LEWIS ROAD, WEST GROVE, PENNSYLVANIA 19390, PENN TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, PA.
PROPOSALS will be received by the Board of Supervisors, Penn Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. until 10:00 A.M., Prevailing Time, on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at the Penn Township Offices located at 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA 19390, for the following:
The Project includes extension of primary electric service from existing PECO pole # 3847, transformer pit, installation of secondary service to proposed amphitheater, 200-amp single phase service panel, ten 20amp breakers, conduit, wiring, lighting, receptacles, switches, and all appurtenances for a complete installation.
All Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud by the Township Director of Operations at 10:00 A.M. Prevailing Time, on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at Penn Township Building, 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA 19390. It is expected a recommendation will be made to the Board of Supervisors at their meeting to be held on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at 6:00 P.M. at Penn Township Building, 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA 19390 Specifications and Forms of Proposal may be obtained From the Director of Operations at the Office of the Penn Township, at the Township Office address above between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. begin-
pursue their purpose.”
The funding will support the organization’s multi-pronged approach to ensure that no one in the Oxford community is isolated or experiencing food insecurity, including:
• Delivering Hope: Provides people facing food or basic needs insecurity with free meals, groceries, and other basic necessities.
• Growing Together Community Garden: Teaches people to grow fresh food for themselves and increase their self-sufficiency. SILO has also
installed more than 280 raised-bed gardens in the backyards of those struggling with food insecurity.
• Monthly Meals: Held every third Saturday of the month. Free monthly meals for the community also include activities and games for kids, crafts for the entire family, and opportunities to socialize and build relationships.
SILO Executive Director Melissa Pacella thanked Comitta for the support and said the organization plans to use the funding to expand its food programs,
Legals/Classifieds
ning Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 9:00 A.M. upon payment of a non-refundable fee of $50.00, payable to Penn Township, Chester County, PA. No Project Manuals and Bid Packages, including the Form of Proposal and Specifications will be sent out by the Township. Proposals must be upon the forms furnished by the Township and securely sealed in an envelope marked “ Penn Township Community Park Amphitheater Electrical Package.”
Each Bidder must deposit with his/her bid, security in the form of a bid bond or certified check in the amount of not less than ten percent (10%) of the total bid made payable to the order of the Penn Township.
Pennsylvania prevailing wage rates will apply to this project, in addition to any and all other applicable federal, state, and local laws, statutes, ordinance, rules and regulations.
Penn Township reserves the right to accept any or all bids or parts thereof, or to reject any or all bids or parts thereof, for any cause whatsoever, as they deem for the best interest of the Township.
No bidder may withdraw his/her bid within sixty (60) days after the date set for the receiving and opening of bids. Each bid must be accompanied by a signed commitment of the proposed surety offering to execute a Performance Bond, as well as the Letter of Intent, and Non-Collusion Affidavit, Nondiscrimination/Sexual Harassment Clause, Public Works Employment Verification Form, and Statement of Bidder’s Qualifications.
The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Contractor’s Performance Bond and Labor and Materialmen’s Bond in an amount of 100% of the accepted bid and a Maintenance Bond in the amount 10% of the Contract Amount. The Surety Company and form of surety shall be subject to the approval of Penn Township. The Bond Company should have no less
than an “A” rating (Best Rating) and provide documentation of their authority to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In addition, the Bond should be provided without a reinsurer.
Funding assistance for the Amphitheater Improvements at the Penn Township Community Park has been provided in part through a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund.
By Order of the Penn Township Board of Supervisors, Karen Versuk, MBA PhD, Director of Operations 9p-11-2t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Kevin D. Dykes, the hereindescribed real estate will be sold at public online auction via Bid4Assets, by accessing URL www.bid4assets.com/ chestercopasheriffsales, on Thursday, September 19 th, 2024 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, October 21st , 2024. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 24-9-250 Writ of Execution No. 2022-09743 DEBT $118,516.74
ALL THOSE CERTAIN LOTS OR PIECES OF GROUND SITUATE IN WEST FALLOWFIELD TOWNSHIP, CHESTER
which focus on empowering families, fostering community connections, and supporting people with dignity and compassion.
“Working families who are having a hard time keeping up with daily expenses and rising consumer costs are increasingly turning to SILO for support,” Pacella said. “Requests for food have skyrocketed and this funding allows us to expand our food delivery program and ensure we are able to meet the growing needs of our community.”
Pacella said SILO is looking to launch an app to
COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA:
Tax Parcel # 440700080100
PLAINTIFF: SPECIALIZED LOAN SERVICING LLC VS DEFENDANT: RONALD S. POOLE
SALE ADDRESS: 650 Center Hall Road, Cochranville, PA 19330
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC 855-225-6906
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time of the on-line sale. Payment must be made via Bid4Assets. The balance must be paid within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale via Bid4Assets. KEVIN D. DYKES, SHERIFF 8p-28-3t
Classifieds
Notice of Self Storage Sale
Please take notice US Storage Centers - Exton located at 371 Gordon Dr., Exton PA 19341 intends to hold a public sale to the highest bidder of the property stored by the following tenants at the storage facility. This sale will occur as an online auction via www.storagetreasures.com on 9/25/2024 at 10:00AM. Rachel J Rudart unit #D057. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply.
TRAVEL/VACATION:
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“People are drawn to SILO’s monthly meals and the community garden, in part, because they can meet and get to know people unlike themselves,” she said. “It's an opportunity for people from all walks of life to come together and experience a sense of community pride.”
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after her father arrived in the U.S. after immigrating from Mexico, which led to a long career working in the industry. Ayllon-Ramirez, who arrived in the U.S. when she was six, graduated from Kennett High School in 2005, and after her graduation from college, attended law school and opened her immigration law practice in Kennett Square three years ago. She provided insight to the conversation on both what mushroom workers experience and on the tribulations some of those workers face with immigration laws.
“Because of the mushroom industry, I am here today because my father has worked so hard to raise us here in the United States and give us better opportunities,” she said. “It was hard work. I saw how he
would come home, and he would just sit on the couch, and even today, he’s just falling asleep, just because he’s exhausted from all these years of working.”
Additionally, on the legal end of things, AyllonRamirez said that laws have not changed in a long time, “so it seems like as time goes on, there’s people that have limited opportunities to gain some status,” she said.
Gregg provided some background context to the conversation by explaining that the USDA reported a few years ago that about half of the people working at crop farms across the United States were undocumented.
Ciarracchi then spoke to the economic perspective through his experience and insight gained while working for the chamber of commerce.
“I felt that in the recent impasse of the last five or 10 years over the whole issue of the border and immigration, no community has suffered more than southern Chester County in the mushroom industry, because neither side was really talking to them,” he said. “It is important that we have a healthy, vital immigration policy and no place more important than here, because it’s vitally important to our growth.”
Ciarracchi said that despite the other millionor billion-dollar industries in Chester County, agriculture is still fundamentally important to communities here despite its success being threatened by immigration policy and debate.
Hernandez, whose research links immigration and economic growth, brought up the issue of shortages in labor markets
including agriculture and how immigration is an aid to that issue, not something to be avoided.
“One claim that you are going to hear often during political season is, ‘Oh, all new jobs are going to immigrants,’” he said. “That’s like saying all preschool spots are filled by children under seven. Well, of course, because there are no new workers going into the economy through natural birth, so the only way we get them is by importing them.”
Hernandez proposed an argument that moving away from compassion and fear as the core of the immigration debate and towards self-interest can help bridge the divide and solve some of the issues.
“Immigrants don’t need your pity nor your fear,” he said. “Immigrants are essential for us, for a com-
munity like Kennett Square, for a country like the United States, to generate jobs, investment, innovation, taxes, demographic balance and talent, and that’s good for us. America has been an immigration chooser for a long time. We’re going to become an immigration beggar out of necessity because our demographics aren’t keeping up, and when we become an immigration beggar, self-interest will kick in.”
The event concluded with a question-and-answer segment, when one audience member asked about subcontractors in the mushroom industry who hire undocumented immigrants for the growers to “shield” the growers from liability.
“Once contractors are brought into the picture, they’re taking advantage of the employees and sometimes not paying them
Voices Underground appoints executive director
completely,” said AyllonRamirez. “They’re also providing housing, providing transportation and providing a place where they can cash their check, but the place where they’re cashing their check is owned by the contractor, so the money is going back to the contractors.”
After the event, AyllonRamirez elaborated on her view of contractors to the Chester County Press and stressed the importance of public knowledge on this issue.
“By definition, these individuals who are experiencing all these issues with the subcontractors are considered trafficking victims,” she said. To listen to the entire Studio 2 podcast presentation, visit www. whyy.org/episodes/ immigration-chester-county-pennsylvania.
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Voices Underground, a collaboration of Square Roots Collective, Lincoln University and Longwood Gardens, and one of the most influential agencies in sharing the message of racial healing in Chester County, took a bold step forward recently with the appointment of LaNisha Cassell as its executive director, following a nationwide search.
Cassell joins Voices Underground following a nearly nine-year tenure as executive director of the African America Museum of Iowa, where she oversaw operations, completed a $5 million capital campaign, and advanced the museum’s programming through a grand reopening earlier this year. Previously, Cassell was the execu-
tive director of the Marion Foundation and Alumni Association for 11 years. During her career, she has been extremely active in her community, serving on the Superintendent’s community cabinet of the Cedar Rapids Community School District, as a member of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation Nonprofit Advisory Council, and on the Humanities Iowa board of directors.
In addition, Cassell was also a Rotarian with the Marion East Cedar Rapids club for more than five years. Among her many accolades, she was recently recognized as a 2024 Robert Chadima Visionary award recipient and was recognized by The Gazette in Cedar Rapids as a HER 2021 Woman of Achievement honor-
ee, as well as a Corridor Business Journal Women of Influence recipient in 2020, Women’s Equality Coalition of Linn County as “Woman of the Year” in 2019 and by the Journal in 2012 as a “40 Under 40” honoree. A native of Washington, D.C., Cassell earned her B.S. in English from Frostburg State University and is currently pursuing her Master of Strategic Leadership from Mt. Mercy University.
“We are thrilled to welcome a dynamic non-profit leader to guide our organization during a pivotal time in our community,” said Brenda Allen, president of Lincoln University and Board Chair of Voices Underground.
“Voices Underground has an ambitious agenda, including catalyzing the National Memorial to the Underground Railroad in
our area, and we are delighted to welcome a leader with critical experience.”
“LaNisha brings the depth of knowledge and operational expertise to take our organization to the next level and our community can’t wait to welcome her,” said Marnie Conley, Chief Experience & Brand Officer at Longwood Gardens and a board member of Voices Underground.
Begun in 2019, Voices Underground promotes the nationally significant history of the Underground Railroad in our region through scholarly research, creative partnerships, public experiences, and historical memorialization. It is a collective collaboration of scholars who specialize in African American history and creatives who are driven by the conviction that true, transformative,
and ongoing storytelling is foundational to the work of racial healing.
“The
Simmons elected to Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union board
Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union (FMFCU) announced the election of Chester Springs resident Paige Simmons to its board of directors.
Simmons is an attorney with nearly 15 years of experience and is currently a magisterial district judge in Chester County.
“Paige is a renowned corporate attorney and an esteemed member of the Pennsylvania Judiciary,” said President and CEO Michael B. Magnavita, CPA. “FMFCU is honored
to have her join our distinguished, all-volunteer board of directors.”
Simmons is active in her community and passionate about empowering women and children. She previously served on the FMFCU Chester County Advisory Board and presently serves on the Downingtown Area School District Advisory Board.
“I am excited to join the FMFCU board of directors,” said Simmons. “FMFCU possesses a rich history of serving members
and I look forward contributing to our bright future.”
Simmons earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Adelphi University, a juris doc-
Courtesy photo
LaNisha Cassell has been named as the new executive director of Voices Underground.
stories of the Underground Railroad in our region provide a unique opportunity for connecting people across differenc-
es,” said Mike Bontrager, Square Roots Collective Team Leader and a Voices Underground co-founder. To learn more about Voices Underground, visit www.voicesunderground. com.
Courtesy photo
Paige Simmons
tor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and a master’s degree in public management from John Hopkins University.
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