Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine, May 2023

Cover photo by Crissy Everhart Photography www.CrissyEverhart.com

Rafferty Subaru has partnered with Providence Animal Center and found homes for over 250 pets with in-store adoption events and the Rafferty Rescue of the Week! We serve as a community resource that inspires others to embrace the human-animal bond, all supported entirely by private donations.

Family owned since 1977!

PUBLICATION TEAM

PUBLISHER: Bob Blaisse

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Lisa Jeffries

CONTENT COORDINATOR: Sheila Turner-Hilliard

DESIGNER: Kim Cesati

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER: Crissy Everhart Photography, www.CrissyEverhart.com

COVER PHOTO STYLISTS: Blush Salon, Michele Quinn & Brittany Naab

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Bob Blaisse, Sheila TurnerHilliard, Holly Stupak, Lisa Jeffries, Doug Humes, Mike Bradley, Andrew Martella, Rick Thompson, Brendan

Magee, Michele Quinn, Brittany Naab, John Blosinski

ADVERTISING

Contact Publisher: Bob Blaisse, 610 453 5536

Email: BBlaisse@BestVersionMedia.com

COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS

Have feedback or questions about how to submit events, updates, ideas for articles, high resolution photos, etc.? We will do our best to include as much community information as space permits. Please contact our Content Coordinator Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.

CONTENT

SUBMISSION DEADLINES

Content Due the 5th of every month.

Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, ratepayers or homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted. All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. © 2023 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.

ON THE COVER

Dear Friends & Neighbors, May I wish our Newtown Square friends and neighbors who are mothers a very Happy Mother’s Day on May 14th. And the same to our grandmothers, stepmothers, new mothers with a first baby on the way, and all who have the gift of motherhood in their heart. When I think of motherhood, I have to admit, I get to thinking about my own mother just a bit after thinking how wonderful of a mother my four sons have been blessed to have in their life. Happy Mother’s Day Jean!

I want to also offer a rally cheer for our college graduates racing towards the finish line and graduation. For most it has been a sixteen year run that will end with a degree and begin what will be. To The Class of 2023, Congratulations! You did it!

The month of May is almost my favorite month of the year. With May’s weather, outside events, flowers in bloom, leaves on trees and our boys home from college, what month could be better? Maybe June, with even nicer weather? With Father’s Day and my birthday both coming up next month, my loyalties always win out. Loyalties to my family, staff, friends and neighbors, and our advertising Sponsors. So yes, June. I have to be loyal to that first month I saw when I came into this world.

Loyalty is a good thing. It’s like hope and truth coming together to do something good. Loyal to June, yes, but I must admit I’ve enjoyed every month more since I became the Publisher of your hometown magazine. That’s because I get to watch the year go by one month at a time, in seasons with you as loyal readers of Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors in print and online at www.NewtownSquareMag.com.

Heading toward our sixth year in print, I’m now seeing in every new issue, the mission of our motto: Bringing People Together, is being fulfilled by inspiring hope in the truth as we share our hometown pride. Our brand of feel-good features we call social-mediain-print, has been Bringing People Together while inspiring loyalty to our community, perhaps more loyalty to our friends and neighbors, and I know for sure, great loyalty to the local businesses that show their loyalty to us as our advertising Sponsors. They make it possible for Newtown Square residents to be mailed a new free monthly issue of our hometown magazine every month. We have them to thank.

I’ll be thinking about that this month and ask that you might also, as you enjoy this new issue of Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors which Sheila Turner-Hilliard has so loyally put together for us again this month, to enjoy during this beautiful month of May.

Bob Blaisse Publisher

Dear Residents,

Spring is in full bloom all over Newtown Square. Fresh air, fragrant flowers and endless days spent outdoors make the season feel extra special. Let’s welcome the fresh spring air and beautiful May flowers just in time for Mother’s Day.

This month, we are proud to introduce you to The McCalla Family, whose lives are full of happiness and hard work in a community they love to call HOME. Our Business Profile features S. Pancoast Topsoil & Mulches, where for 45 years, residents have been able to purchase the finest topsoils, mulches and mushroom soil in Broomall. This issue is packed with family activities, Memorial Day events and a fun feature congratulating Culbertson Elementary’s Debbie Johnson on her retirement. We’re also giving you some great ideas on how to pamper that special mom in your life.

We are always looking for more Newtown Square families, individuals and organizations to feature in our magazine. If you’d like to nominate someone, please email me at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.

Sheila Turner-Hilliard Content Coordinator

The McCalla family at Newtown Edgmont Little League in Newtown Square

Expert Contributors

Accounting & Tax Preparation

Jack Del Pizzo, CPA

Del Pizzo & Associates

2098 W Chester Pike #101, Broomall

610 - 356 - 2590 • JRD@DelPizzo.com

www.DelPizzo.com

Automotive Repairs & Service

Lou Matteo Edgemont Automotive

5040 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square

610 - 353- 9868 • EdgemontAuto@verizon.net

www.EdgemontAutomotive.com

Commercial & Residential Trash Removal

John Blosinski

J & K Trash Removal, Inc.

Gradyville, PA

610-497-3800

www.JandKTrash.com

CustomerService@JandKTrash.com

Share

www.NewtownSquareMag.

Dance Instruction

Kaitlin Battiste

From the Top Dance

3603 Chapel Road, Newtown Square

610 - 353- 2623 • Info@FromTheTopDance.com

www.FromTheTopDance.com

Electric Service, Residential/Commercial

Andrew Martella, Sr.

Martella Electric Company

484 - 498 - 2965 • MartellaElectric@rcn.com

www.MartellaElectric.com

Exterior & Interior Painting

Rick Thompson Thompson Custom Painting

610 - 359 - 8500 • Office@ThompsonPainting.net

www.ThompsonPainting.net

Family Law Trial Attorney

Deborah M. Truscello, Esq.

Law Office of Deborah M. Truscello

610 - 892- 4940 • DmtofLaw@gmail.com

www.TruscelloLaw.com

Fireplace Products

Scott Magness

Scott’s Fireplace Products

3137 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square 484 - 422- 8334 • SFP@ScottsFireplaceProducts.com

www.ScottsFireplaceProducts.com

Funeral Home

Robert L. D’Anjolell, Jr., F.D.

DANJOLELL Memorial Homes 2811 West Chester Pike, Broomall

610 - 356 - 4200 • RobJr@DANJOLELL .com

www. DANJOLELL .com

Hair Salon

Michele Quinn, Owner

Brittany Naab, Co-Owner

Blush Salon & The Studio by Blush Salon

3515 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square 610 - 325- 3266 • MQuinn@BlushLooks.com www.BlushLooks.com

Heating

Investor Coaching

Brendan Magee

Inevitable Wealth Coaching

610- 299- 3969 • Brendan@CoachGee.com

www.CoachGee.com

Landscape Design & Landscaping

TJ Warner

JHL Landscaping

610 - 356 - 4104 • TJ@JHLLlandscaping.com

www.JHLLandscaping.com

Physical Therapy

Mark E. Reitz, PT

Penn Therapy Associates

2010 West Chester Pike, #450

610- 853- 0508 • PennTherapy@comcast.net

www.PennTherapy.com

Plumbing Service, Residential / Commercial

Rick Bondurant

R.F. Bondurant Plumbing

610 - 566 - 0288 • RFBPlumbing@comcast.net

www.RFBondurant.com

Private Investigation & Security Services

Jeffrey Stein

ELPS Private Detective Agency

882 South Matlack Street, Suite 206, West Chester

610 - 696 - 7799 • JStein@elpspda.com

www.ELPSpda.com

Real Estate Sales

Sarah Forti, Realtor

Forti Homes with Keller Williams Realty

Office: 610 - 647- 8300 • Direct: 610 - 986 - 7170

Sarah@FortiHomes.com

www.FortiHomes.com

Roofing, Siding & Carpentry

Kevin O’Donnell

O’Donnell Roofing Co.

610 - 624 - 8112

• Office@ODonnellRoofingCo.com

www.ODonnellRoofingCo.com/bvm

Tree Care and Inspection

Mike Bradley

Bradley Tree Experts

Broomall

610- 325- 8600

• Mike@BradleyTreeExperts.com

www.BradleyTreeExperts.com

Waterproofing & Weatherization

David Linn Cook and Joe Soster

Waterproofing One

Marple Newtown Edgmont 800- 508- 4144

Info@WaterproofingOne.com

www.WaterproofingOne.com

Expert Contributors needed! Dental, Medical, Pet Services, Home Health Care, Education, Vacations, etc. Professionals may contact: Bob Blaisse: 610.453.5536, or BBlaisse@BestVersionMedia.com

by Sheila Turner-Hilliard

The McCalla Family:

There’s No Place Like Home

Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors is pleased to introduce you to The McCalla Family: Mike, Laura, Michael, Kathryn and Mary Jane. Life for the McCallas is full of happiness and hard work in a community they love to call HOME

Mike grew up in Drexel Hill with his parents and brother, Keith. He attended St. Bernadette Grade School, then graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School, where he was a student council member and played baseball, basketball and football.

After high school, Mike attended the University of Scranton, where he played club sports actively and earned his undergraduate degree in Finance. Mike then went on to earn his MBA from St. Joseph’s University. “I have always known that I wanted to be an entrepreneur from an early age,” Mike said.

“I started my first company when I was in high school and, from that point, knew that I wanted to blaze my own path.”

Mike spent a few years after college as an independent management consultant specializing in software delivery efficiency improvements before starting his own SaaS (Software as a Service) company. Today, Mike is the President and Founder of Lean Agile Intelligence. This SaaS platform enables organizations to measure and improve their software delivery capabilities and benefit from management consulting services.

“I love working with my team and enabling our clients to achieve their goals,” he added.

Laura is originally from Ardmore, where she lived with her parents and two older brothers, Lou and Owen. She went to St. Denis and then graduated from Merion Mercy Academy, where she served on the Student Council and the Ministry Team.

Laura said she always knew she wanted to be a teacher, so she went to Shippensburg University and earned her bachelor’s degree in Education with a minor in Reading. “My dad was a teacher in the Philadelphia School District for 35 years,” she explained. “As kids, my brothers and I would visit him and spend our days off in his classroom.”

After Shippensburg, Laura went on to earn her Master’s in Education from Cabrini University.

Photos by Crissy Everhart Photography www.CrissyEverhart.com

Laura and Mike McCalla

Newtown

She taught fourth grade in the Upper Darby School District for twelve years before deciding to take some time off after her youngest daughter was born. Today, Laura is busy volunteering her time for Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL) and managing her kids’ busy school and extracurricular activities.

Mike and Laura’s story began in their high school days. “Back then, the boys from Bonner and the girls from Merion Mercy would spend time together, so we had a lot of mutual friends,” Laura said. “We started dating in the summer of 1997 when Mike and I both worked at the same restaurant in Avalon, NJ, during our senior year.” Their relationship continued through their college years, and eventually the two were engaged.

The happy couple exchanged vows in June 2006 at Our Mother of Good Counsel in Bryn Mawr, with a honeymoon to follow in Aruba. The newlyweds then bought Mike’s grandparent’s house in Drexel Hill, where they lived for a few years before moving to Havertown. Their goal, though, was to move to Newtown Square to raise a family eventually. “My grandparents lived in Newtown Square, and I always remembered having such a great time when I visited them,” Mike said. “Being a kid who loved sports, I was also in awe of the Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL) complex.”

Laura and Mike’s wish came true in 2016 when they found a home in Newtown Square in a fantastic neighborhood. “We live on a street that is the perfect balance between quietness and socialization,” Laura said. “Our neighbors are so kind and friendly, and our kids have made such wonderful friends that will last a lifetime.” They also enjoy entertaining family and friends on their

Continued on page 8

Honoring The Life of a Loved One

Mary Jane, Michael and Kathryn McCalla

newly finished back patio. “We love to spend time outside enjoying our new firepit and TV, where we look forward to watching the Phillies games this spring and summer.”

Michael is Mike and Laura’s oldest, who is in 6th grade at St. Anastasia and is in his last year playing baseball at NELL. “Michael is quiet and reserved until he gets on the field or court,” Mike laughed. “When he does, he is fast, aggressive and determined.”

Michael plays baseball, basketball and soccer and was recently chosen to play for St. Anastasia’s CYO All-Star Soccer Team and plays for the PBT Bell Ringers baseball travel team.

Kathyrn is next in line and is in 3rd grade at St. Anastasia. Laura said Kathryn loves basketball, field hockey and softball and is trying lacrosse for the first time this spring. She also loves to dance and play outside with her best friends, Belle and Cora. “Kathryn, or Kat as everyone calls her, is a spitfire,” Laura added. “She has such a witty sense of humor and loves to make us laugh.” Kat also takes her big and little sister roles seriously. She is Michael’s number one fan at his games and enjoys teaching her little sister dance and gymnastics in the backyard.

Kat and Michael’s little sister is Mary Jane, who will be in Pre-K at St. Anastasia next year. “Mary Jane is quite the fashionista,” Laura remarked. “She loves to dance with Miss Maureen and her cousin, Brooklyn, at From the Top and cannot wait to shine on the big stage!” Mary Jane is known for wearing her signature pink

cowgirl boots and bold accessories all around town, but will occasionally change into some cleats for her NELL Rookie League baseball practices.

So, if you can’t find Mike, Laura and the kids on the patio, chances are they’re at the ballfields. “NELL is our second home,” said Mike. “When I first started coaching at NELL in 2016, I

immediately joined the board as head of player development.” Mike’s tenure has had him in many different roles over the years, and he now serves as Vice President. “It is such a pleasure working with like-minded people to help evolve and shape the program to create a great experience for every player.”

Laura works on the NELL Day Committee, a fun-filled day for the entire family. “This year, NELL Day is on June 3rd and everyone is welcome,” Laura explained. “We have lots of games and activities for the kids, raffle baskets and silent auction items donated by local businesses and a homerun derby for the 12-yearold players.” Mike added that this is Michael’s last year playing at NELL, which is bittersweet. “Our family has made so many great memories at NELL,” Laura said. “We have made friends we now consider family, and we are looking forward to many more nights at the snack bar and on the bleachers cheering on Mary Jane’s team.”

Mike said that besides having the largest registration of players to date for the 2023 baseball season, there is more exciting news to share. “We at NELL are honored to have been selected as the host of the Little League World Series PA State Championship that will take place from July 26th through August 1st,” he explained. “We are planning an amazing event that will see 1,500 attendees from all over Pennsylvania. Our community and complex will be front and center, and we couldn’t be more proud.”

NI E MEYERS

Whether on the field, in the community or around the firepit, the McCalla’s said they are blessed to call Newtown Square their home. When asked to describe how they feel about living here, they said, “Do you know why home plate is shaped differently than any other base? Because there is no place like home.”

Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com. N S

by Lisa Jeffries

Mary O’Brien

MAY STUDENT OF THE MONTH

The May Casey’s Public House Student of the Month is Mary O’Brien, who is a Senior at Marple Newtown High School (MNHS) and received a Certificate of Achievement and a $25 gift card from Casey’s Public House, our Sponsor of this program.

Mary loves many things, but there’s no doubt that basketball and school are near the top of that list. Basketball has been a huge part of Mary’s life since she was very young. Her accolades include being the starting MNHS Varsity Point Guard for four years, Varsity Captain for two seasons, earning an Honorable Mention in the Central League in 2021and 2022, Central League Second Team in 2023 and All Delco Honorable Mention in 2022. She has also played for the Comets AAU Tournament Team, Fall MNHS basketball and the MNSA Travel Soccer Team. In addition to basketball, Mary has played soccer and lacrosse at MNHS as well.

As a senior at MNHS, Mary is an Honor Roll student and is also a member of the Student Council, Spanish Club, Tiger Guides, Sign Language Club and Mini Thon Club. She and her family are members of St. Anastasia Catholic Church, where she attends Mass.

Mary works hard at everything she does, including babysitting, basketball refereeing at Ellis Preserve and waitressing at Fresco Restaurant in Newtown Square. Next year Mary will attend Temple University, where she’ll major in Nursing. She hopes to eventually become a nurse anesthetist to continue her ongoing goal to help others.

Thank you for sharing your story and accomplishments with us at Newtown Square and Marple Friends & Neighbors magazines, Mary. We’re proud to call you one of our own! N S

Nominate the Next Student of the Month!

Any grade 7–12 student who resides within the borders of the Marple Newtown School District (no matter what school they attend, or if they are homeschooled) may be nominated by a parent, teacher or other adult who submits in writing some ways the student demonstrates Excellence in Service to friendship, school or other local communities. Academic or athletic excellence is not required. Email your nomination to LJeffries@ BestVersionMedia.com. The selected nominee will be featured in a future issue and will also receive a Certificate of Achievement and a $25 Casey’s Public House gift card.

May Casey’s Student of the Month

Mary O’Brien with Casey’s Manager Terry Davis

Photo courtesy of Rosalie McKernan O’Brien

by John Blosinski J&K Trash Removal Inc

Spring Is a Great Time For Upcycling!

We love Spring for many reasons, the warmer weather, flowers blooming and our personal favorite...Spring Cleaning! There is always a sense of accomplishment when you get to clean out the clutter and give yourself some breathing room. Whether it's in your home, office, or even the shed, there’s always a space that can use a bit of TLC.

Upcycling has become increasingly popular in the world of sustainability, and for good reason. It is the act of taking something no longer in use and giving it a second life and new function. In doing so, the finished product often becomes more practical, valuable and beautiful than its former self. Upcycling is different from recycling because when you upcycle an item, you aren’t breaking down the materials. The end result is an item that may be better or the same quality as the original. With a bit of creativity, almost anything can be upcycled: worn shutters, wood pallets, cardboard packaging, tattered clothing — even your toilet paper tubes. An item ready for upcycling can be something you currently have in the house, acquired as a hand-me-down, or purchased from a thrift store, Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Need some inspiration? Pinterest is a wonderful place to ‘visit’ for creative ideas.

Don’t forget upcycling in the garden! You can reuse food packaging to start seedlings instead of purchasing seed starting cells or pots. Consider using your yogurt containers or K-cups instead of throwing them away, rinse out the little plastic cups and fill them up with soil to start seeds. Lots of packaging items can be reused in this way. An egg carton can easily be repurposed as a tray of 12 seed starting cells. Egg shells work great as they retain moisture when wet. The roll of cardboard in the middle of the paper towels or toilet paper can also be used as a seed starting pot – with the added bonus that you can go ahead and bury the whole thing when you’re planting.

While upcycling is great, we know you will have items from your office to shred, old and broken items that need to be thrown away, and perhaps even cardboard or other items to recycle. It makes sense to take the time to properly dispose of items in order to protect your personal information and keep as much out of the landfills as possible. Take the extra effort to shred important

documents, recycle products, and bring items to a thrift store that someone else might find useful. In the end, you will probably have a lot less trash for the landfill and peace of mind that you are helping your community.

Publisher’s Note: Agreed. Spring is a great time for upcycling, and for John Blosinski’s first Expert Contributor feature article. Thank you for your service John, and your sponsorship of our community. I’d expect most readers now having read your first feature, and seeing your ad below, understand which of those ten Sponsor hints on page 13 refer to J&K Trash Removal. N S

Our Community

by Sheila Turner-Hilliard Photos courtesy of Merrie Staurowsky

Let’s Celebrate!

Marple Newtown’s Independence Day Parade Preparations are Underway

Time to get your lawn chairs and American flags ready because the Marple Newtown 4th of July Parade will be here before we know it! Celebrating the birth of our nation is one of America's favorite holidays filled with traditional family picnics, barbecues and fireworks. Here in Marple Newtown, a Fourth of July celebration would not be complete without our annual parade of fantastic bands, decorated floats, first responders and much more. It’s the perfect way to celebrate our Country and our Freedom!

The fun will begin on Tuesday, July 4th at St. Albans Circle, and continue eastbound on West Chester Pike to the Broomall Fire

Company’s facility on Malin Rd. A rain date is scheduled for Saturday, July 8th. For individuals sensitive to loud sounds, there will be a quiet zone, where sirens and blowing air horns are prohibited, that will stretch a short distance along West Chester Pike from Evergreen Ave to Ann Rd in Broomall. “We want as many people as possible to enjoy the parade,” said Jan Ceton, Chairman of the Parade committee.

Spectators this year will be entertained by marching bands such as Mersey-British Rock Invasion, the Eagles Pep Band and the Marching Cobras. Our local marching bands, fire companies and first responders will join in the fun. Local businesses, community clubs and neighborhood residents will impress you with their decorated floats, marching groups and costumed individuals. But the little ones often steal the show with their creative and festive decorated strollers, wagons, hand-drawn floats and bikes. The parade ends with an awards ceremony, where medals and trophies are given to the top three entries in each division, and their names and photos are featured in the following year’s commemorative book. What started as a way to unite the communities during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a fun tradition for residents and businesses to show off their patriotic spirit. They launched a Red, White and YOU! decorating contest for area residents and businesses. The turnout was overwhelming and a caravan of judges toured the area awarding prizes such as “Best Window,” “Most Patriotic” and “Most Spectacular.”

Merrie Staurowsky, Parade Committee Vice Chair, announced, “We have been thrilled with the amazing support and feedback from our Red, White and YOU! decorating contest and cannot wait to see this year’s entries.” The deadline to register for the decorating contest is June 29th with judging starting on June 30th. Merrie said, “We encourage all residents and businesses to join the fun and decorate. We award displays big and small and even have a ‘14 and under’ category.”

To offset the cost of the parade, the committee relies on donations from the bucket brigade as well as fundraisers and t-shirt sales throughout the year. “It’s because of the generosity of Marple Newtown residents, sponsors and grants that we are able to provide the community with a spectacular parade,” said Jan. The committee was especially grateful to Thunderbird Pizza, who held an “Eat Pizza to Support the 4th Pizza Fundraiser” this past April.

Not only was it a fun evening and a great opportunity to sell this year’s custom parade t-shirts, but Thunderbird Pizza also generously donated proceeds from the pizza sales to the 2023 parade. Another source of funding is the commemorative booklet that is distributed to over 4,000 residents and businesses. Long-time Broomall resident and committee member Leigh Ann Coary heads up the advertising initiative. “This fabulous parade is funded entirely by the families and businesses in our community,” Leigh Ann explained. “Local businesses, civic organizations, clubs and individuals have the opportunity to place an ad to show their community support.” The deadline to reserve your advertisement space is May 30th and those interested can download the necessary forms from the parade website.

“Marple Newtown is able to continue this tradition year after year thanks to these individuals and businesses,” said Leigh Ann. “As new and younger families move to Broomall and Newtown Square, I’m proud that the parade is such a big part of this community and will continue for years to come!”

For more info. visit www.MarpleNewtownParade.com and like their Facebook page at @MarpleNewtownFourthOfJulyParade. N S

Festive floats on the parade route

Cheering on the bike brigade

Red, White and YOU! contest entry

by Bob Blaisse Publisher

Bringing People Together

Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors

Sponsors Bringing People Together Is A Puzzle With Answers Easy To Find.

Last month in this feature, I suggested how readers of Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors become “Reader Leaders.” It’s when loyal readers of our publication find they are beginning to easily remember the names of local businesses and have come to appreciate how those advertising Sponsors of our community make it possible for a new monthly issue of our hometown magazine, to be mailed to your home for free and be available online at www.NewtownSquareMag.com.

Even if you’re still becoming a Reader Leader, you likely recognize that the title of my monthly feature is also our magazine motto: Bringing People Together. This motto is the mission of our publication intended to deliver hometown pride that brings people together as a local community.

The habit of reading each new issue of our magazine is rooted in Bringing People Together, by the simple pleasure of reading about friends and neighbors, some you know, and others you come to know by reading about them. The feel-good features also bring us together by learning about our local history, local places and organizations. Those insights show us where we are setting our roots, always deeper, with hometown pride. And the feature articles offering pearls of wisdom from our Expert Contributors bring us together with our friends in the business, willing to share their particular expertise with us for free, because they understand how important the residents of Newtown Township are to the success of their local business.

In last month’s Bringing People Together feature, I shared how finding new advertising Sponsors can be puzzling at times, even for Reader Leaders. I shared how different it is, when a local business owner comes to understand just how much and how many homeowners truly enjoy regularly reading their hometown magazine, they then become more inclined to reward the Sponsors with their business. That’s when the puzzle of finding new advertising Sponsors is solved.

I must tell you however, I did take a little heat last month for including in this feature, the Word Find Puzzle which did not include an answer key to the cryptic “Hints” I provided to help readers decipher the names of some local area businesses

(every reader would know), whose business names were hidden in the Word Find Puzzle. They were some of the local businesses we know would make great new advertising Sponsors to help grow our magazine page count so we can continue to increase the number of feature articles we publish in each new monthly issue.

The heat I took was from puzzle people who got puzzled by my cryptic hints, believing they found answers to some of the hidden business names, but without assurance since I provided no answer key. Well, I share that frustration often, but I know sometimes there is no way to learn why some businesses choose not to become advertising Sponsors of our community until they understand the strong loyalty our readers have to their hometown magazine. Thankfully, we can always easily find the names of those local business owners which have agreed to become our Sponsors, who we can thank with our loyalty returned to them for making our hometown magazine possible, even when only a cryptic hint is given about them, because the answers for which local businesses are supporting our local community are always within reach. Let me prove it.

Each cryptic hint on the next page will point you towards an answer that will be the name of one of our hometown Sponsors whose ad can be found on the pages of this issue of Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors. The hint should be enough to help you land on the answer, but if you can’t come up with the Sponsor’s name from the hint provided, the answer is still in your hands because after each hint you’ll find the page number of this issue, where you’ll find that Sponsor of our community and get to know them by taking the time to read their ad we reward them with for their investment in our community.

Test your Reader Leadership. You’ve come to know the names of our advertising Sponsors from reading Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors every month. See if you can come up with the answer from just the hint given before turning to the page number to be sure. And please, when doing business, turn first to your friends in the businesses you know, the local businesses which make your hometown magazine possible.

HERE WE GO! Ten questions with ten cryptic hints. If you know the business names of more than five of the advertising Sponsors for which a hint is provided, without turning to the answer page, then you are a “Reader Leader” of Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors.

1. Thousands of our friends and neighbors have been to this Sponsor’s home in Broomall, recalling a lifetime of memories while there. (For the answer, see page 7.)

2. The highly regarded business owners who are our advertising Sponsors, don’t trash talk, but then again, this one advertising Sponsor might just do that. (For the answer, see page 11.)

3. This business strengthened our hometown magazine by becoming an advertising Sponsor, and gives strength back to our Newtown Square residents. (For the answer, see page 33.)

4. This Sponsor has many fans in Marple Newtown, which is not surprising since they a “fan” in their name. (For the answer, see page 17.)

5. Looking for the name of this Marple Newtown Sponsor on the pages of your hometown magazine will not be too taxing this time of year. (For the answer, see page 4.)

6. If you “DoKnow” the name of this Sponsor, then you “DoKnow” that’s not a typo in this hint, but just what to capitalize on if you want to remember this longtime Sponsor of Marple Newtown residents. (For the answer, see page 12.)

7. The light bulb will go on over your head when you “tell-a” person the name of this Sponsor. (For the answer, see page 27.)

8. This Sponsor can legally stop bad things from happening. No typo here. It’s tru. (For the answer, see page 33.)

9. This Sponsor keeps us powering on when we can’t generate the energy to keep things going. (For the answer, see page 24.)

10. You might, if you can’t see your way home tonight, call this Sponsor to get on the right path. (For the answer, see page 19.)

So, how many names of our advertising Sponsors did you know from just the hints provided, before needing to turn to the page number provided to see the Sponsors ad? Did you learn more about our hometown heroes from reading their ads? It’s not a trivial question. Whenever possible, please consider giving your business to those who support our community by Bringing People Together through Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine in print and online at www.NewtownSquareMag.com. N S

Bob Blaisse Publisher, Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors

by Holly Stupak

S. PANCOAST Topsoil & Mulches For

the Deepest Roots in Marple Newtown!

When it comes to caring for your garden, timing is everything and mulching in the spring will reap many benefits. Another important factor? Good quality topsoil and mulch, which contribute to a healthy garden. For the past 45 years, generations of local residents have been able to purchase the finest topsoils, mulches and mushroom soil right here in Broomall from S. Pancoast Topsoil & Mulches.

Located conveniently on West Chester Pike in Broomall, Seth Pancoast III is now running the business that his father, Seth Ellsworth Pancoast Jr. opened in 1975. Sadly, Seth Jr. passed away in October of 2021, but his legacy and that of the Pancoast family lives on.

The Pancoast family has been operating various businesses at the site of S. Pancoast Topsoil & Mulches since 1894. The first Seth Pancoast arrived in Marple Township in the early 1700s, and made fine furnishings for local residents, including a highboy that has found a permanent home at Winterthur!

In 1894, Seth Jr.’s grandfather, Samuel Levis Pancoast, bought the property where the business now operates, between the new firehouse and Broomall Avenue. Samuel was a blacksmith, and in the era before cars and hardware stores, he kept busy making horseshoes, shoeing horses, and making tools and hardware for businesses and households.

Samuel died in 1935, and his oldest son, Samuel Franklin Pancoast, took over the property, but did not continue the business of blacksmithing, by then a dying trade in a modern community. He opened up the Samuel Pancoast Riding Academy on that property along West Chester Pike, where he offered instruction in riding. A show ring was built to accommodate horse shows, and for several

years Samuel hosted the annual Broomall Horse Show, with more than 100 horses and riders competing.

The property changed hands again in 1953, when it was subdivided into 4 separate parcels. Samuel’s brother, Seth Ellsworth Pancoast, Sr. bought the parcel with an existing house and the old blacksmith shop. He opened up a garden center, Pancoast Gardens, which operated from 1959 through 1975.

Seth Jr. was running his own dry-cleaning business in Broomall, and then would help out his father with the garden center at night. He later sold the dry-cleaning business, and when the garden center closed, Seth Jr. began a topsoil and mulch business. Seth III said that what his dad loved about the business is that he loved working outdoors and being his own boss. Seth’s daughter Claudia said her father literally played in dirt for his entire life. “For 67 years he made it his business. It brought him joy!” she recalled fondly. “He was also very connected to the Pancoast family members who operated from that same site,” added Seth III. “ And he had a lot of fun!”

Seth III and Claudia were raised by their dad and mom Linda here in Broomall on Cynwyd Ave. Seth III and his wife Christine later purchased that home on Cynwyd Ave shortly after they were married in 1996. They’ve lived there ever since with their children Abigail (22) and Seth IV (15). “It’s a wonderful neighborhood,” said Seth III. “Some of the neighbors I grew up with are still living here. I love the familiarity.”

Seth III shares the same love that his dad had for his family history and that of Marple Township. “I love the history here and I especially enjoy looking at old photos,” Seth III said. “When I meet people who are new to the area, I love being able to tell them about the town’s history!”

Above: Seth III and his dad, Seth Jr. Photo courtesy of the Pancoast Family

1848 map of Marple showing landowners, including Samuel Pancoast (shown at bottom right)

Photo courtesy of Marple Historical Society

Seth and his daughter Claudia

Photo courtesy of the Pancoast Family

Seth III also shared Seth Jr’s interest in the topsoil and mulch business and he spent many years helping his dad on nights and weekends. Since his dad’s passing, he has continued to meet the needs of their customers and they continue to sell top-quality products at fair prices.

S. Pancoast Topsoil & Mulches gets their inventory from a variety of local sources – and they use only top-quality products. Due to its popularity, they recently started selling black mulch. Seth

III said mulch can add visual interest to landscapes, adding to aesthetic natural beauty. “Mulch can also protect the soil from erosion, keep soil-borne diseases at bay and keep soil temperatures consistent,” he explained.

Now is a great time to buy mulch and topsoil for your summer garden. Visit S.

Mulches, 2635 West Chester Pike, Broomall. Phone 610-356-1090. For hours, location, product descriptions and

visit www.TopsoilBroomall.com. N S

Seth Pancoast Jr.

Photo courtesy of the Pancoast Family

by Sheila Turner-Hilliard

Thank you, Mrs. Johnson!: Enjoy your Well-Deserved Retirement

Many of our friends and neighbors have either attended Culbertson Elementary School themselves or their children have the opportunity to learn and grow in such a special place. If you have the chance to experience just how amazing Culbertson is, then you surely would agree that Mrs. Johnson (Debbie) played a huge role in making everyone feel welcome. Today we take some time to celebrate Debbie as she celebrates her recent retirement.

Debbie is originally from Blue Bell, and her husband, Rich is from Broomall. The two met at the University of Delaware, married, and purchased their first home on Lewis Rd in Newtown Square. As the years went by and their family grew Debbie and Rich decided they needed more space and found a home in the Newtown Woods area, where they have lived since 1996.

Debbie is a mom of three boys who began working for the Marple Newtown School District in 1999. “I started as an administrative sub working at Culbertson Elementary and Paxon Hollow Middle School,” she explained. “At the time, my boys were little, so this job gave me the flexibility I needed.”

It also allowed her to become involved in the schools as a parent. Her boys went to Culbertson, Paxon Hollow and Marple Newtown High School. “I had the best of both worlds,” Debbie said. “I got to work where my kids went to school, and I met so many friends I now consider my family.” Debbie served as PTO President

and steady volunteer, stuffing parent communication envelopes and helping out at every school event. She also ran the snack bar at Newtown Edgmont Little League when her sons played baseball.

Debbie accepted a full-time position as the secretary to the principal at Culbertson in 2010 and quickly became the “go-to” person for teachers, students, staff and parents. She was known for being the friendly face at the front desk who was there to greet everyone on their way in and to wish them a good night on their way out. “I have always believed that kids need to see a friendly face first thing in the morning and at the end of their day,” she added. As the years went by, Debbie and Rich’s sons graduated from high school, then college and started their own families. Her husband, Rich retired recently, and Debbie realized she wanted more time for herself and her family. “I love having grandkids now,” Debbie gushed. “I have five little ones and another on the way!” Debbie and Rich’s kids and grandkids live nearby, so she determined it was time to retire from working full-time. “I want to be on the beach with them this summer and to be there when they need me during the school year,” she explained.

Photos courtesy of Debbie Johnson

Debbie Johnson, the heart and soul of Culbertson for many years

Debbie decided to retire this past December, right before the school’s winter break. When the announcement was made and the news spread through the school, teachers, parents and students got to work on showing Debbie just how much she meant to them. Every student in the school wrote a special note to their beloved Mrs. Johnson. The letters were collected and put into a book presented to her before she left. Everyone at Culbertson lined the hallways on her last day to give her an emotional “clap-out” and her colleagues joined her for a happy hour celebration that evening. The party wasn’t over yet, though, because they celebrated her once again with an island-style party in the school cafeteria once she returned from a well-deserved vacation in Turks and Caicos.

The true blessing is that when you give so much of yourself, you receive more love back than you can imagine. Debbie feels blessed to know she has made such a positive impact on so many students and colleagues. After all the celebrations, she wrote a special message to her family, friends, co-workers and students. “I really don’t know where to begin,” she said. “There are not enough words to express how my Culbertson family of coworkers, parents, students and my own family showered me with love for my retirement. Thank you to the parents for sharing your children with me - they are the biggest reason leaving was so hard.”

But this really isn’t a goodbye story; it’s more of a see you later for Mrs. Johnson, who recently became a certified Special Education Assistant Substitute. “I don’t think I will ever fully retire,” she laughed. “By becoming a substitute, I can have the freedom to spend time with my family and grandkids and stay connected to my Culbertson family.”

Debbie and Rich Johnson enjoying retirement in Turks and Caicos

Debbie with her sons Kurt, Kyle and Brad at Debbies “Island-Time” retirement party

by Mike Bradley Bradley Tree Experts

FROM PRUNING TO POLLARDING

Spring into summer is the perfect time to take care of the pruning and thinning of your trees. Pruning is the removal or reduction of problematic branches, limbs and stems from trees and shrubs. It removes dead or diseased branches, and eliminates those that chafe and could create an access point for insects and disease. Trees and shrubs also benefit from pruning because it helps manage their growth and structure, and encourages the development of new growth, keeping trees and shrubs healthy, strong and more disease resistant.

Here are some basic pruning techniques and what they are used for:

Dead Pruning: Eliminating dead, dying or diseased branches. Crown Thinning: Removing smaller, weaker limbs from the canopy to allow more light to reach through to the center branches and to improve air circulation reducing weight and strengthening the trees overall stability.

Elevating: Cutting back low lying branches, needed for clearance or aesthetic purposes.

Reduction: Cutting back to lateral growth to control tree size. Removing small branches that are attached to the larger, heavier branches so that your trees don’t become too top-heavy.

Pollarding: Removing most of the branches (done only when a tree is dormant, usually in the winter or very early spring) so that all that remains are the secondary branches and the main trunk or stem, to produce dense new growth.

Less is definitely more when it comes to pruning. Excess pruning can shorten a tree’s life, affect its natural growth and can cause trauma that will not heal properly. As a general rule, it’s usually best to cut no more than 25% of the foliage.

It’s advisable to limit the amount of pruning done in late summer, as new growth may be encouraged on some plants. This growth may not have sufficient time to solidify or become hardy before cold weather arrives, resulting in cold damage or winter kill. N S

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• Storm cleanup

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and Save while supply is high.

Spray Tanning 101

When you look like you were on an island vacation, but you were really just binge-watching your favorite show, it can make you look and feel amazing.

What should I do before my tan?

Make sure you complete all other spa treatments before your spray tan, including facials, massages, waxing and mani/pedis. If you choose to shave, you should do so 24 hours before your spray tan to avoid open pores causing little brown dots.

Exfoliate…it’s a must! It is one of the most important steps to help your tan last and look its best.

Avoid lotions prior to your spray tan appointment. Also, it’s best to dress in or bring along a set of loose clothes to avoid leaving streaks.

What to expect during your spray tan appointment?

When you arrive in the tanning room, you’ll be instructed to get undressed. If you don’t want to see any tan lines, going commando is best but the most important thing is that you do whatever makes you feel most comfortable.

Do I need to do anything special after my tan?

Avoid getting wet! Your tan can take up to 12 hours to develop, depending on what kind of solution was used. This includes sweating, swimming, showering or getting caught in the rain. You also want to avoid tight clothing while your tan is processing, especially pants with inseams such as jeans and some leggings, as well as tight cuffed pants or sweatpants, etc.

If you are tanning for a special event, we recommend you get your spray tan one to two days before. Keep in mind, as your tan continues to develop it will get darker, but once rinsed off, it will be the perfect color.

Will it make me look orange?

If it’s done poorly, it can give off an orange hue, but with the right formula and spray tan expert, you won’t look orange. You

by Michele Quinn & Brittany Naab Blush Salon

will look like you just spent some treasured time in the sun. The bottom line is that most people agree we all look better with a little glow, so it’s best to get one the safe way for your skin. N S

by Brendan Magee Inevitable Wealth Coaching

What Money Can Never Buy

Think back to when you first started working and earning money. For a lot of people, their first jobs started as a teenager with babysitting, cutting lawns, paper routes, etc. The tail end of the baby boomers are now in their mid to late fifties so that means you’ve been working and earning money for over 40 years. For others, they have been working in one way or another for over 50 years.

The question I ask is this, can money buy happiness? Most people believe that money cannot buy happiness. We all know people or have heard stories about people who had more money than could possibly be spent in two lifetimes, but who were completely miserable. Think about it, since you’ve been 13 years old, you have spent a substantial portion of your life earning, saving, protecting, investing and worrying about money, something you already know won’t make you happy.

So, when you see people working harder and harder to attain something that is unattainable, it is not hard to see why so few people have an enduring peace of mind. As opposed to that, so often you see people becoming more and more frustrated, resigned and cynical.

So how do we get ourselves out of this downward vicious cycle? You identify or discover something more valuable than money, something that you have a limitless capacity to generate and experience regardless of how much money you have or do not have? So, what do you value more than money? Could it be love, freedom, peace, generosity, compassion, security, etc.? How much money does it take to be generous or express love?

Instead of putting most of your time and effort toward accumulating money, what if you used your time, effort, energy, talent and maybe even your money to pursue something you find way more valuable and fulfilling – love, peace, joy, generosity, compassion, etc.? What if as a result of discovering you had an unlimited capacity to produce in abundance what you find most fulfilling in life, you completely altered your relationship with money? What would be possible if your experience of money transformed to one, where you went from there is never enough to where you always had more than enough?

Is it possible you would then discover and experience true peace of mind? N S

Newtown Square’s Resident Investor Coach

Recent Newtown Township Home Sales

Best Version Media does not guarantee the accuracy of the statistical data on this page. The data does not represent the listings of any one agent or agency but represents the activity of the real estate community in the area. Any real estate agent's ad appearing in the magazine is separate from the statistical data provided which is in no way a part of their advertisement.

by Holly Stupak

Photos courtesy of Pat Doogan

Congrats to the St. Anastasia Lady Spartans!

Back-to-Back State Champions

For the second year in a row, the St. Anastasia CYO Girls’ Varsity Basketball team can call themselves State Champions. On March 12, 2023, the St. Annie’s Lady Spartans faced the same team they beat in 2022, Holy Trinity Catholic playing in Altoona. They came out on top again, this time with a final score of 48-30. Head coach Pat Doogan said the championship game was a challenge considering it was hosted by Holy Trinity Catholic School and Bishop Guilfoyle High School. “It was essentially a home game for Holy Trinity,” said Pat. “But our team was composed and resilient. We really rose to the occasion to finish the game strong.” The Spartans held a modest lead for the first half into the 3rd quarter of the game. Late in the third quarter, Holy Trinity tied it up at 24, but 3-pointers from eighth graders Maddie DeFronzo and Brigidanne Donohue pushed the lead to 33-24 heading into the fourth quarter. St. Annie’s made 11 free throws in the fourth quarter to prevent any comeback. “It was amazing to be on the court with my four best friends and winning it with them and the team,” said forward Cate

Schumacher, who played in the 2022 State Championship. “There was such excitement in the crowd. And since many of us had played in the 2022 game, we knew what to expect as far as pressure.”

Going into the state tournament the Spartans had a record of 34-1. Despite losing to their rival team St. Francis early in the season, they went on to win their final 32 games. Late in the season, they faced St. Francis again in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Championship but this time they beat them 38-34, advancing them to states.

This year’s team of Lady Spartans included five 8th graders and eight 7th graders. Eighth-grade starters Maddie DeFronzo, Brigidanne Donohue, Marley Lapella, Riley McDonnell and Cate Schumacher made history as being the only class to ever win the AOP and State championships as 7th and 8th graders. “The five of us have been playing together since 3rd grade so we have great chemistry,” said Cate. “One of our coaches calls it magic!”

What made this group of players special was that they all played as a team. “They were completely unselfish and were only interested in winning as a team,” Pat said. “Although Maddie, Cate and Brigidanne were the leading scorers, the team did whatever was needed to win on any given day.” The 7th graders on the team are an impressive group as well. “They were the JV Region 25 champions when they were in sixth-grade and they were fantastic when given the chance this season,” he explained.

To celebrate the championship win, the girls were escorted home by the Broomall and Newtown Square fire departments and greeted by a large group of fans when they returned to St.

Anastasia Parish. “Not only were there a good number of our fans in the stands and at the church lot waiting for us, but the game was streamed live on Facebook and had nearly a thousand views in just a couple days,” said Pat. “The community response was amazing.”

Pat’s been coaching the team for the past two years and he and his family have lived in Broomall since 2007. Other coaching staff includes Nate Andrisani, Carmel McDonnell and Mike Schumacher, all of whom have been coaching together the past two seasons. “We all have daughters who love basketball,” said Pat. “And we are all passionate about basketball.”

The coaching staff also encourages the team to make contributions to the community. For the past several years they’ve been raising money for the Make-A-Wish foundation. Organized by assistant coach Nate Andrisani, the girls were able to raise money by singing Christmas Carols outside of St. Anastasia’s between masses during the Christmas season.

Coach Nate also organized a Make-A-Wish dance at the St. Anastasia Parish Hall in December. Thanks to all of these efforts, the team was able to raise over $31K for Make-A-Wish. “Being able to do this is really a testament to Coach Nate, the girls and to the St. Anastasia community,” said Pat proudly.

Congrats to the Lady Spartans on your back-to-back State Championship wins! Your contributions on and off the court are an inspiration to your Marple Newtown Friends & Neighbors! N S

”

The 2023 St. Anastasia CYO Girls Varsity Basketball team

The team’s visit to Make-A-Wish Philadelphia headquarters in Blue Bell, PA

Expert Contributor

by Rick Thompson Thompson Custom Painting

When was your last exterior paint job? If it’s been more than six years you’re probably due for a repaint. Waiting too long to repaint an exterior can cost you a lot in repairs that could have been avoided.

Protect Your Home’s Exterior Against Weather

Rain, wind, snow, fire and other natural phenomena are damaging to your home. You want to shield your home from harm, and high-quality exterior paint can help you accomplish this goal. You can think of a fresh coat of exterior paint as a “force field” that is durable enough to resist weather damages. Some exterior paint can prevent moisture from getting into your home and causing mold, which is a health hazard and a repair you want to avoid. High-quality outdoor paint can also help protect your home’s exterior against dust and insects entering your home or causing damage.

Increase Home Value

Your home is likely the most significant investment you’ve made in your life, and every renovation you complete retains or increases your resale value. Maintaining your house’s curb appeal by giving it a fresh paint job is a great way to boost its selling price.

While your home’s appearance ultimately benefits you, it can also attract potential buyers if you decide to put your house on the market in the future. A newly painted home looks enticing to

you, your neighbors and any passersby who catch a glimpse of your house.

Prevent Excess Moisture

Repainting can help maintain your home’s exterior in many ways, including helping to prevent moisture retention. Too much moisture can cause any wood in your home’s structure to rot or become weak, leave water stains, damage other features outside your home or leak into the interior.

Water and moisture damage are likely to occur during seasonal changes, like in the winter or rainy seasons. A new exterior paint job can help protect your home from experiencing moisturerelated issues and improve curb appeal.

Identify Insect Damage

Besides spotting cracks, water damage and other issues with your home’s exterior, experienced painters can find any signs of insect infestation or damage on the outside of your home. N S

by Andrew Martella Martella Electric

Is Your Electrical System Glitchy?

In your home, are you experiencing blinking or dimming lights? Are circuit breakers tripping? Is something electrical not working the “normal” way or as you should expect it to?

When a storm is approaching, the lights in your home may flicker, blink or dim. Many times, the power nearby has gone out and, even if your power stays on, your lights may flicker or dim. There are other causes for why your lights dim or blink, such as surges in your electrical system from appliances and equipment inside your home like refrigerators, sump pumps, hair dryers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and heating and AC systems. Occasional events are somewhat normal. However, persistent and consistent dimming and blinking can be a signal that trouble might be brewing in your home’s electrical system.

Common causes for a circuit breaker to trip or a fuse to blow are hair dryers running when too many lights are on. This frequently happens in older homes, particularly when there’s more than one hair dryer being used. When the outlet for the holiday lights turns off, this can be due to an overload or faulty lights. When using the vacuum and the lights go out, there’s likely to be an overload on the circuit. Power tools used in combination with lights can trigger the same

result. When the microwave oven and the coffee pot operate at the same time, the kitchen outlets can all lose power.

What was working yesterday may not work today. The electrical system in your home is a spider web maze of wires, boxes, switches, outlets and lights, any of which can fail at any time, and seemingly for no apparent reason.

You may have one light in a group that simply doesn’t come on. The dimmer switch for a chandelier doesn’t dim the light anymore. The exterior light on the front door will not turn off.

The sump pump trips the breaker or pops a fuse. Sometimes the switch or outlet makes a sizzling sound. Sometimes the plug doesn’t fit tightly into the wall socket. Sometimes it seems like half of the house doesn’t have power. All these situations can be puzzling, frustrating and concerning to homeowners.

The electrical systems in our homes are, for the most part, safe and reliable, but they can be quite complicated. When the conditions described above present themselves, calling on a licensed professional electrical contractor to investigate can make a difference in keeping you, your family and your home safe, comfortable and secure. N S

Calendar of Events

Wed. April 26 through Sun. June 11

Million Dollar Quartet

@The Media Theatre, 104 E. State St, Media

An extraordinary twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions ever. Relive the era with the smash-hit sensation featuring an incredible score of rock ‘n’ roll, gospel, R&B and country hits, performed live onstage by world-class actors and musicians.

Time: Wed.– Fri. 7pm; Sat. 2pm and 7pm; Sun. 3pm

Cost: Tickets are $34 – $59 each 610-891-0100 www.MediaTheater.org

Saturdays in May

Art at The Square Tavern

@Goshen & Newtown Street Roads

A variety of rotating art displays by local artists, exhibitions and activities.

Time: 11am – 5pm

Cost: FREE (donations accepted!) www.NSHistory.org

Saturdays in May

Paper Mill House & Museum

@3 Paper Mill Road Newtown Square

Visit this museum of local history, a place filled with the ghosts and footprints of the millworkers who once lived there.

Time: 1 – 4 pm

Cost: FREE (donations accepted!) www.NSHistory.org

Firearm Education, Sales &

Stars & Stripes TACTICAL

PROFESSIONALS

THE

• Gun locks, safes, and safety equipment

• We buy/consign estates & collections

• Gunsmithing & firearm appraisals

• Firearm consulting and training

• New gun owner training

• We have ammunition in stock

“I only sell firearms to those who accept that training in firearm use and safety becomes their duty when choosing to exercise their 2nd Amendment right to own a firearm.”

~Shawn Brown, Owner Stars & Stripes Tactical

Saturdays in May

Newtown Railroad Museum

@Drexel Lodge

4140 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square

Full size train engines, rolling stock and a museum full of artifacts from the trains and trolleys that once served Newtown Square. Great for children!

Time: 1 – 4 pm

Cost: FREE (donations accepted!) www.NSHistory.org

Sun. May 7

Nature as Healer: A Writing Workshop

@Hildacy Preserve

1031 Palmers Mill Road, Media

Join Naila Francis, founder of This Hallowed Wilderness, for a writing workshop to explore the restorative power of nature through writing. Walk together through the shady woods and sunny meadows of Hildacy Preserve on this inspiring nature immersion. Bring a notebook and a writing instrument. Registration required. Please complete and submit the secure, on-line registration form.

Time: 1 – 3pm

Cost: $5 Natural Lands member; $10 non-member; $2 ACCESS Cardholder. www.NatLands.org

Sun. May 21

Antique Car Show

@Linvilla Orchards

137 West Knowlton Rd, Media

Linvilla Orchards has partnered with The Historical Car Club of Pennsylvania (HCCP) for over three decades to present their annual Spring Meet. More than 250 spectacularly restored and maintained antique, classic and muscle cars take over one of Linvilla’s big fields. Previous highlights have included a 1913 Ford Model T, a 1938 Ford Woody Wagon, a 1958 Chevy Impala and a 1962 Chevy Corvette. Awards will be presented for the best-maintained cars in a variety of classes.

Time: 9am – 3pm

Cost: FREE

610-876-7116 www.Linvilla.com/family-fun

Sun. May 21

Circle at Sundown

@St. Albans Ave, Newtown Square

Come gather in St. Albans Circle for a fun evening of entertainment, food, drinks and fun for the whole family. Celebrate our wonderful community with live music, dance performances and children’s activities. A pop-up beer garden, food trucks, local restaurants and shops will offer sweet treats and savory foods for purchase.

Time: 5:00 – 8:30pm

Cost: FREE admission and free parking www.NewtownTownship.org

Springtime Celebrations

Offering a variety of specialty cakes for Mother’s Day, First Holy Communion and Graduates!

$150 Hassle-Free Headshots

20 minute session, online proofing, and one retouched, high-resolution digital photo. Discounts for groups of 3 or more subjects, with the option to take the photos in your workplace to minimize time out of the office. Quick delivery, satisfaction guaranteed.

We also have an array of cookies and mini pastries to compliment your celebration.

Events May 2023

Sun. May 21

Clover Market

@Bryn Mawr Train Station Parking Lot

7 N. Bryn Mawr Ave, Bryn Mawr

Stroll through the market and shop a wide range of handmade and vintage items. In addition, there will be live music, kid’s crafts, food trucks and more.

Time: 10am – 4pm

Cost: FREE

www.TheCloverMarket.com

Friday afternoons June through September

Newtown Square Farmers Market

@St. Alban’s Episcopal Church

3625 Chapel Rd, Newtown Square

On Friday afternoons starting June 2nd, the Newtown Square Farmers Market will feature local growers, producers and artisans. Fresh produce will be for sale as well as artisan breads, coffee, pickles, flowers, plants and candles.

Time: 3 – 6pm

Sat. June 3

27th Annual Historic

Newtown Square Day

@the Square Tavern Museum and Art Center (and @various locations)

Route 252 & Goshen Rd, Newtown Square

This year’s activities at the historic 1742 Square Tavern will take place on the Green at the Tavern, and will include 1st Continental Regiment (Colonial Re-enactors), Lenni Lenape Native Americans, a storyteller, sheep shearing, a beekeeper demonstration and honey, live music, antique cars, children's activities and more. In addition to opening the Tavern, other historic sites in the community, including the Paper Mill House, the Quaker Meeting House, the Octagonal School, the Newtown Square Railroad Museum, St. David's Church and the Bartram Covered Bridge will be open with guides who explain the significance of the site to visitors.

Time: 10am – 4pm

Cost: FREE (donations accepted!) www.NSHistory.org

by Sheila Turner-Hilliard Photos courtesy of Gather in the Circle

Circle at Sundown: Fun for Everyone

Tucked away from all of Newtown Square’s noisy roadwork and never-ending construction is a little slice of hometown pride called St. Albans Circle. This hidden gem is home to many diverse local businesses, charming historic buildings and nearby walkable neighborhoods.

It’s also the perfect place to gather this month and celebrate our community, support our local businesses and enjoy an evening of live entertainment, delicious food and drinks and fun for the whole family.

The Gather in the Circle committee, in partnership with Newtown Township and the Newtown Square Business Association, is pleased to host the 2nd annual Circle at Sundown, happening on Sunday, May 21st, from 5:00 – 8:30pm. The circle will be closed to traffic and the event is free to attend, with food and beverages available for purchase. In addition, donations of canned

goods and full-sized toiletries will be collected for the St. Alban’s Episcopal Church food collection ministry.

Considering the success of the first Circle at Sundown event and valuable feedback from residents and vendors, the committee went to work on planning an even bigger and better experience

Private Investigations & Security Services

SECURITY SERVICES: Parties, Weddings & Special Events – Supermarkets Warehouses

Retail – Office Buildings – Apartment Complexes

Condo & Home Owner Associations and more.

INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES: Domestic, Family & Child Custody Investigations

Footings, foundations & retaining walls

• Sewer excavation & utility services

• Driveway removal & preparation

• Grading and back filling services

• French drains and trenches

• Pool preparation & removal

• Stump & shrub removal

• Storm water solutions

Elder Abuse – Teen Investigations – Criminal Defense – Civil Workers Compensation Covert Surveillances – Litigation Support Premarital & Internet Dating – Background Investigations and more.

Additional Services: Locates and Skip Tracing, Security Consulting, Expert Witness, Loss Prevention Consulting and Investigations, Cheating Spouses, Residency Investigations, Cannabis Security & Cold Cases.

Enjoy live entertainment including local bands and dance studios

while maintaining its commitment to “keeping it local.” Newtown Square Business Association President Paul Seligson said, “The turnout exceeded all of our expectations, and it was incredibly heartening to see our community come together in celebration. The energy and enthusiasm were truly infectious.”

This year, the Circle at Sundown will feature an expanded beer garden, local food trucks, area restaurant menu items and lots of sweet treats. The entertainment lineup will include local dance studio performances, live bands, children’s activities, lawn games, interactive chalk art displays, yoga demonstrations and local groups working hard to make Newtown Square and its surrounding communities more liveable.

The Circle at Sundown is dedicated to promoting sustainability and minimizing its impact on the environment. Linda McIsaac, Founder and Chair of Gather in the Circle said that the organizers are taking several steps to make the event as eco-friendly as possible. “We are encouraging the use of compostable serving materials and reusing repurposed materials in the festival design,” she explained. “In addition, the festival will showcase local sustainability initiatives and organizations that are making a difference in the community.”

Attendees are encouraged to join in the celebration of a more sustainable future! The fun kicks off at 5pm. Be sure to follow @ GatherintheCircle on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date. We’ll see you in The Circle! N S

Gather in the Circle

Newtown Township Supervisors invite you to join them on May 21st (L to R): Leonard Altieri, Tina Roberts-Lightcap, Mike Russo

Newtown’s Father of Polish Aviation

by Doug Humes

Last month I received this note: “I grew up in Newtown Square in the 1950s on Ridgefield Road. At that time there was a very old stone house on the east side of the street. All I can remember about it is we referred to it as the “Grezcheck House.” The occupants were rumored to be Czechoslovakian immigrants who were members of the underground in WWII. As kids, we were scared of the place and never went there on Halloween.”

It turns out these 70-year-old memories had the right church, wrong pew. Szczepan Grzeszczyk was born in Poland in 1901, studied mechanical engineering and began designing and flying aircraft, particularly gliders. He is one of the fathers of Polish aviation. When the Nazis invaded, he fled west, joined the Polish Air Force in exile and worked in the war effort in England.

At wars end, the U.S. was actively seeking engineers to come to the US and continue their work. Wernher von Braun is perhaps

the most well-known example – he developed the Saturn rocket that sent men to the moon. In the Philadelphia area, firstgeneration Polish-American, Frank Piasecki, was one of the early designers of the helicopter. Hearing that Grzeszczyk and other

Szczepan Grzeszczyk in his native Poland before World War II. Photo from Wikipedia (public domain)

Polish talent were seeking work, he recruited the engineer to work at Piasecki Helicopter Corp (PHC). Grzeszczyk and his wife moved to Prospect Park by 1950 to work at the nearby Piasecki facility. Piasecki’s son, Fred, recalled of his father that “the Boeings and Northrups and North American aviation and NASA were grabbing all the German engineers. The Polish connection was obvious and he used his connection to get them cleared for the work and hired at PHC. The energy was high as these men had lost their country to the USSR and were still in “battle mode.”

Grzeszczyk and team developed several novel applications for the helicopter – including helicopters used to sweep mines from troubled waters such as the Suez Canal in 1968 and the Persian Gulf in 1991. Fred Piasecki said of this project, “His work was SUPER high priority as the US Navy had no de-mining available in Korea!”

In 1953, Grzeszczyk and his wife Helena moved to an ancient house at 149 Ridgefield Road in Newtown Square, once a tenant house for the Pennsylvania Hospital Farm, where they lived, apparently quietly judging from childhood memories, till his death in 1967.

For more history on Newtown Square, Delaware County, and membership info., visit our website at www.NSHistory.org. N S

Wrona Bis glider flown by Grzeszczyk in Poland in 1932, on display in aviation museum in Krakow, Poland.

Photo from Wikipedia (public domain)

Above: Grzeszczyk (middle) and team accepting safety award in 1951.

Left: Grzeszczyk and wife Helena, middle, at a Piasecki Helicopter Corporation picnic in 1951.

Photos courtesy of Piasecki Aircraft Corp./ Newtown Square Historical Society

Pampering Mom on Mother ’ s Day

Making our mothers feel loved is so much easier than we could imagine. So why do we often find ourselves at a loss as to what to do for her or what gift to give? To show the special mom in your life how much you love her and how grateful you are for all she does, we’ve got a few ideas to pamper her in a special way.

Give Her the Gift of Time - Off!

That’s right. Give mom the gift she gives you every day by helping around the house. Make Mother’s Day a no cleaning, no cooking and no chores kind of day. Don’t let her do a single second of work because you’ve got that covered!

Book Mother’s Day Brunch

Her first meal of the day shouldn’t be anything less than scrumptious! Make reservations at the most delicious places in town.

Many of our local restaurants are offering special Mother’s Day brunch, lunch and dinner menus. A fantastic meal is a perfect way to pamper mom (and you)! Look for Mother’s Day Brunch specials from these Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors Sponsors: Casey’s Public House and Rey Azteca Mexican Restaurant.

Wrap it Up!

Just like on your birthday, there comes a special time of the day when you can expect to be showered with gifts. Why not give her that special moment on Mother’s Day as well? For the stylish mom, try giving her a new tote bag or a piece of jewelry with her children’s birthstones. Remember that moms also love homemade gifts like cards, drawings and homemade treats!

An Afternoon for Her

Once your stomachs are full, it’s time for the real fun! Does your mom dream of going to that great spa in town but doesn’t have the time? Does your mom want to go out shopping for those shoes she’s had her eye on? Or has she been asking for the family to join her on a nature hike? Whether it’s a group activity or simply giving her time to go to the gym by herself, the whole family should be on board to make the day exactly what she wants.

Spa and salon gift cards are always a good option, so head on over to Blush Salon and let mom choose the service that will make her happy. Other ideas are gift cards to her favorite nail salon, restaurant, shopping destination or her favorite place to have a girls’ night out.

Let’s face it: We owe a lot to our moms, and Mother’s Day is the perfect day of the year to show her how much you appreciate her and how much you care. A pampered mom is a happy mom — trust us!