TS_CNG/SUBURBAN/PAGES [S01] | 08/21/19
11:10 | LAMBERTONJ
Abington The
AUGUST 22, 2019
SuburbaN
INSIDE
Reptiles and amphibians at the park See page 11.
T H E VO I C E O F T H E A B I N G T O N S
AN EDITION OF THE TIMES-TRIBUNE • FREE • WWW.ABINGTONSUBURBAN.COM
ACTIVE IN THE ABINGTONS
ELIZABETH BAUMEISTER Suburban Subplots
Back to back-toschool
JulIe JeFFery MAnWArren / For AbInGton SuburbAn
Cyclists line up at Sickler's Bike and Sports Shop in Clarks Summit as they wait for fellow bicyclists to join them for a weekly group ride.
JULIE JEFFERY MANWARREN | SuburbAn lIFe
Sickler’s organizes community bike rides S. ABINGTON TWP. — Since 1933, Sickler’s Bike and Sports Shop has provided northeast Pennsylvania’s cycling community with bikes and gear. In 2008, Sickler’s opened a second location on Noble Road. Recognized as one of America’s best bike shops by the National Bicycle Dealer’s Association, the business has worked to maintain a level of quality in the bicycles and gear it sells and the professional service it provides. Sickler’s also embraces the community it is a part of. Years ago, the shop began organizing a weekly bike ride so its customers and others in the community could build relationships, share tips and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the region together. Tom Boylan is a sales and customer service rep for Sickler’s. He shared that this summer, the local
shop organized three group rides a week: a hammer ride, a beginner ride and a gravel ride. “All our rides are weather pending,” Boylan said. “We try to kick off our weekly rides in April or May and we will go through the fall. We usually have a barbecue after our Thursday rides. The food is free. We just want people to come and enjoy riding together. The goal is community building and rider engagement.” Boylan said they have riders from the Abingtons but have also had riders come from as far as Shavertown to enjoy the camaraderie and beautiful scenery of the area. “Cyclists enjoy that they can find like-minded individuals,” Boylan said. “If you are a new rider and aren’t sure about certain Please see Bike, Page 12
Ride with Sicklers the following three group bike rides are offered weekly and are free to the public at Sickler’s. All rides start at 5:30 p.m. and leave from Sickler’s Clarks Summit location at 298 noble road. All group rides are ‘no-drop rides,’ meaning the group sticks together; no one is left behind. rides last about two to two-and-a-half hours, and riders return to Sickler’s before the sun goes down. riders should have a road bike, helmet, proper attire and water. to sign up for an email newsletter with notifications about Sickler’s group rides, visit sicklerbikes.com. or, call Sickler’s at 570-587-2453 for more information. Hammer Ride: this ride is offered every tuesday, weather permitting. bicyclists travel at about a 15 mile per hour average pace. this ride has a faster pace and more climbing than the beginner group ride. this ride is geared toward experienced cyclists. Beginner Ride: this ride is good for beginners and intermediate riders. It is offered every Wednesday, weather permitting. Cyclists will travel up to 12 miles per hour on average. Veterans and representatives from Sickler’s go along on this ride, offering help and advice when needed. Gravel Ride: this ride leaves from Sickler’s every thursday, weather permitting. It follows the trolley trail and beyond. this ride is fewer miles than the others and the average pace is 10 miles per hour. thursday’s Gravel ride ends with a cookout at Sickler’s.
LINDA SCOTT | In tHe AbInGtonS
Carnival to welcome school year S. ABINGTON TWP. — Students in the Abington Heights School District will return to the classrooms on Sept. 4. Before they return, they can attend the annual Back-to-School Carnival hosted by members of the National Honor Society Friday, Aug. 23 from 5-8 p.m. at the Abington Heights High School, 222 Noble Road. The event is open to students in the Abington Heights School District, their parents, school administration, faculty and staff. Admission is free. Membership in the National Honor Society is open to eligible juniors and seniors and is based on scholarship, service, leadership and character. During the year, group members carry out various service projects and a food drive around Thanksgiving. “We are very excited to welcome our students back to school,” said Michael Mahon, school district superintendent. “The Back-toSchool Carnival is a great way to bring our community together to celebrate the start of the 2019-2020 school year. “There are many initiatives for 2019-2020 including a unique
There’s something about a brand-new notebook and freshly sharpened pencil that transports me back in time to back-to-school shopping and first days of new grades in elementary school. Perhaps it’s the satisfying “snap” of the tiniest tip of lead as it breaks into powder on first contact with the paper. Maybe it’s the feeling of the painted wood against my fingers. Or, it could be the subtle scent of the paper as I flip through the clean, spiral-bound pages. Most likely, it’s all the above. When 10-year-old me went back-to-school shopping, she gravitated to the whimsical designs of Lisa Frank. My notebooks, pocket folders, pencil case and other school supplies were covered with Lisa Frank’s colorful puppies and gumball machines, dolphins and seals and horses and unicorns. I probably still have a partial sheet of Lisa Frank stickers tucked away in an old shoebox somewhere in my closet. Shopping for these items almost made up for the impending end of summer break. I still take advantage of back-to-school sales to stock up on office supplies. The first draft of this column was written in pencil on my new, teal-colored and glitter-bedazzled notebook. So what if I turn 31 this month? The blingy cover called out from the retail store shelf to my inner child. I sometimes think about that child – my 10-year-old self – and what I would say to her if I really could travel back in time. I suspect most people wish at some point in their lives they could go back and visit their younger selves, warn them of what lies ahead and implore them to do things differently. It’s not that I have regrets – just lessons I wish I’d learned sooner. Lessons I’m still learning. I also wonder what my 70-year-old self would say if she could visit me today. Perhaps it would be some of the same thing’s I’d tell 10-year-old me. Perhaps I’ll pencil them in to my new notebook and see what I think about it in 40 years. Contact the writer: ebaumeister@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9185; ext. 3492
What’s inside Around the towns ............ 2 Churches ........................ 5 Where am I? ................... 3 Community calendar ....... 2 Schools .......................... 4 Sports ............................ 9 JulIe JeFFery MAnWArren / AbInGton SuburbAn FIle pHoto
Last year’s Back to School Carnival attracted a crowd to the grounds of the Abington Heights High School in South Abington Township. program that will allow senior students to attend Johnson College to major in building trades, a new emotional support class at Abington Heights High School and
the piloting of a new language arts program in grades kindergarten to fifth.” This will be Jen Tarr’s fifth Back-to-School Carnival as the Na-
tional Honor Society advisor. “Each year, our goal is to provide a fun experience that brings our Please see Carnival, Page 12
Family ............................ 3 Green scene ................... 7
Send news tips to news@ abingtonsuburban.com or call 570-348-9185