Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016 by Upper Bucks Free Press

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

What’s Going On in Upper Bucks? March 1

March 4 to 6

“Medicare: An Overview” (learn about Medicare supplements/deadlines) at 121 N Main St., Ste.210, Souderton. Info: 215-7030111 or everence.com/souderton (solicitation of insurance)

15th Annual Woodcarving/Woodburning Fair (Fri/Sat 10am-5pm) (Sun 10am-4pm), Tylersport Firehouse, Rte 563. Demos, auctions, door prizes, refreshments. Info: 215-453-7654 or dougweidman@verizon.net

March 5

Reading Goes To The Dogs, 2pm-3:30pm at Quakertown Free Library, 401 W Mill St, Qtwn. Children of all ages are invited to come read to certified therapy dogs. 215-536-3306 PA Handwriting Analysis Forum 10am-4pm (lunch break) in Community Rm of Indian Valley Public Library, 100 E Church St, Telford. Free and open to the public. Spaghetti Dinner & Basket Raffle 6pm at Trinity Lutheran, 19 S Fifth St, Perkasie. $6/pp, 215-257-6801 or trinityperkasie.org “Golden Girls Murder Mystery” (open 7pm) at St. Andrew’s Lutheran, 20 Dill Ave, Perkasie. $40/show, appetizers, salad bar, & desserts. 215-257-6184

March 6

Free Pop Music Concert by Valley Choral Soc. at 4pm, Trinity Lutheran in Perkasie. “Sentimental Journey” w/songs from the 1940’s. Info: valchor.com or 484-932-8301 Breakfast 8am-1pm at Springtown Fire Co, 3010 Rte 212. $7/adults, $4/ages 5-8, free/age 4 & under Cash Bingo, open 11am at Sellersville Fire Dept, 2 N Main St. $25 includes 24 games & light lunch. Tkts: 215-257-4028 x61

March 7 & 8

Homemade Easter Eggs Sale. Order by phone 5pm-7pm at 215-536-0734. Pickup Fri, March 18 from 3pm-6pm at St. John’s of Spinnerstown. Info/prices/details: 215-536-0734

March 9

St. Patty’s Day Party w/Joe Vitale at Milford Twp Fire Hall, 2183 Milford Square Pike, Quakertown. $12/lunch & dance party begins 11:30am. Sign up by 3/7. $6/door party only. 215-536-3066

March 10

AARP meeting 1pm at First United Church of Christ (fellowship hall), 151 S 4th St, Quakertown. Speaker will be Dr. Robert Leight (history of one-room schoolhouses in our area) Questions? 215-536-7712

March 12

All-U-Can-Eat Flapjack Fundraiser Breakfast, 8am-10am at Quakertown Applebee’s, 145 N West End Blvd. Tkts: $7/adults, $4/kids, tkts at door or advance at 215-538-2510, lastchanceranch.org All-U-Can-Eat Breakfast/Craft Show 7:30am-11am at Quakertown HS Cafeteria, 600 Park Ave. $6/adults, $4/students, Photos w/Easter Bunny! (benefits Qtown area residents in need) Fishing Expo Fundraiser 8am-3pm at Quakertown Fire Co, 505 W Broad St. Vendors w/fishing & outdoor supplies, Adm: $3/adults, kids under 12 are free. Breakfast/ lunch available, info: 215-538-1299 Beef & Beer Benefit to help build a dog park in Richlandtown.7pm-11pm at Benner Hall, Cherry St, Richlandtown. Tkts: $20/ pp, music, food, dancing. 215-538-9290 or 267-566-8062, leave message. Quakertown Cares Spring Breakfast & Craft Show, 7am-11:30am at Quakertown HS, 600 Park Ave. Easter Bunny photos, all-u-caneat $6/adult, $4/student. Info: 215-536-4972 Crafters/Vendors wanted! St. Patrick’s Day Parade/Celtic Fest begins 11am at South Middle School to Grove Park, Perkasie. Festivities 12noon-5pm. More at pennridgecc@pennridge.com

Free Magic Show w/The Amazing Magi. 7pm at Trinity Lutheran, 2170 Rte 212, Coopersburg. Refreshmts provided, canned donations for Lord’s Pantry encouraged. 610-346-7282

March 13

Daylight Saving Time

begins

Buffet Breakfast 8am-1pm (or sold out) at Silverdale Fire Co, 111 W Main St. $7/adults, $4/ages 6-12, free under 6 All-U-Can-Eat Breakfast Buffet 8am-1pm at Richland Twp Fire & Rescue, 64 Shelly Rd, Quakertown. $7/adults, $6/seniors, $3/kids 6-10 Breakfast 8am-1pm at American Legion Post 242, 610 E Broad St, Quakertown. $6/ adults, $3/ages 6-12, under 6 is free. Held 2nd Sunday each month. Free Pop Music Concert by Valley Choral Soc. at 4pm, St. Mark’s Lutheran in Pennsburg. “Sentimental Journey” w/songs from the 1940’s. Info: valchor.com or 484-932-8301 Cash Bingo, doors open 12noon at Eastern Upper Bucks Seniors, 8040 Easton Rd, Ottsville. Admission $15 plus specials, 610-847-8178 Vera Bradley Bingo, doors open 11:30am, games at 1pm.West End Fire Co, 1319 Park Ave, Quakertown. Adv. tkts/$20, at door/$25. Call 215-538-7817 Saintly Soups 12noon-3pm at St. Andrew’s Lutheran, 20 Dill Ave, Perkasie. $10/bottomless bowl of soup, bread, beverage, & dessert. Proceeds benefit the hungry in our communities.

March 13 & 19

Pet Photos w/Easter Bunny, 1pm-3:30pm at Animals in Distress, 5075 Limeport Pike, Coopersburg. No appts needed, bring own props or use ours. 610-966-9383 or aidpa@enter.net

March 16

Dave DeLuca’s “Rat Pack Flashback” 7pm8pm, Musical tribute to Dean Martin/Frank Sinatra/Sammy Davis Jr. Free, no regis. required. Quakertown Library, 401 W Mill St. 215-546-3306 or buckslib.org

March 17 March 18

St. Patrick’s Day

Adult Basket of Cheer Bingo (age 21+, ID required) BYOB, open 6pm, Quakertown Fire Co, 505 W Broad, Qtwn. $25/tkts, raffles, door prizes, refreshmts avail. Adv. tkts/info: 215-536-1577, 267-424-3549 13th Annual Chocolotta 6:30pm-10pm, (auctions, raffles, food, chocolate fountain, Open Bar) DeSales University Ctr, 2755 Station Ave, Center Valley. $85/person, call Sherri 215-536-YMCA x112 St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance w/Kevin Kelton Orchestra. $22/dinner & dance, $10/dance only. Pennridge Community Ctr, 146 E Main St, Perkasie, 215-453-7027. Buffet 6pm-7pm, Dance 7pm-10pm

March 19

Breakfast w/Easter Bunny (8,9,or10am seatings) at GVH Cafeteria. $5.50/adults, $3.50/ ages 2-12, free under 2. Info: gvh.org/events, regis. at Grand View Aux. 215-453-4084 All-U-Can-Eat Spaghetti Dinner w/Meatballs & Salad Bar, 4pm-7pm at Quakertown United Methodist, 1875 Freier Rd, Quakertown. $9/adult, $4/ages 4-10. Take-out and Gluten Free available. Spring Auction 9am-2pm at Grace Christian School, 320 N Third St, Telford. (huge variety

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

What’s Going On in Upper Bucks? of items), kids outdoor game tent, dog show at 11am, lots of food & family fun. 215-723-5896 or gcs-online.org Easter Egg Hunt 2pm at Christ Reformed Church at Indian Creek, 171 Church Rd, Telford. (rain/shine) Puppet Show, food, games, prizes. 5th Annual Easter Egg Hunt 9am (r/d March 20 @1pm) Memorial Park, 600 Mill St, Quakertown. Please bring a basket for your eggs. Hunt begins 9:30am Soup, Chili, Used Book, Rummage & Bake Sale 10am-12noon at Chalfont Fire House, 301 N Main St, Chalfont. $6/qt for soup, $7/qt for chili, also baked goods, 215-822-2251. Acoustic Showcase Concert by BC Folk Song Soc. 7:30pm (open 7pm) Perkasie Patchwork Coffeehouse, 320 W Chestnut St. $12/adults, $6/age 13+, free under 12. Details: perkmenno.net or 215-723-2010 Beef & Beer 6pm-11pm at Forrest Lodge VFW, Old Bethlehem Pike, Quakertown. $25 tkt includes great food, live band, & raffles. Pet Vaccine Clinic (sponsored by LCR) 10am-3pm at Richlandtown Firehouse, 125 S Main St, Richlandtown. More details at lastchanceranch.org or 215-538-2510

March 20 March 23

First Day

Spring

“Various Barn Types of PA” 7:30pm by Greg Huber (barn historian), Free admis.,

Hilltown Twp Municipal Bldg, 13 W Creamery Rd & Rte 152, Silverdale. Hilltown Histor. Soc., 267-614-9174

March 27 April 2

Easter

Reading Goes To The Dogs, 2pm-3:30pm at Quakertown Free Library, 401 W Mill St, Qtwn. Children of all ages are invited to come read to certified therapy dogs. 215-536-3306 Flea Mkt 8am-2pm at Benner Hall, Richlandtown. $10/table or $5/space. Call 215-804-0101, leave message

April 3

Bradley/Longaberger Bingo for Animals in Distress. Open 5pm, $20, bring shelter donation (get 3 freebies), Lehigh Valley Active Life, 1633 Elm St, Allentown. 610-762-8553, KHART70906@aol.com Purse Bingo (open 11:30am) at Dublin Fire Co, Rte 313 & Rickert Rd. Light lunch avail. $20/adv tkts (call 215-249-9242) $25/at door

April 9

2016 Rescue Gala at Last Chance Ranch, 9 Beck Rd, Quakertown, details at lastchanceranch.org

April 10

All-U-Can-Eat Breakfast Buffet 8am-1pm at Richland Twp Fire & Rescue, 64 Shelly Rd, Quakertown. $7/adults, $6/seniors, $3/kids 6-10

UBFP Monthly is made possible by the businesses and organizations you see on these pages. Remember to thank them for supporting your community’s voice.

Easter Worship Services

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

Milford Historical Society Presents Presentation on Sleepy Hollow Ranch “The Milford Township Historical & Preservation Society will meet on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. Larry Roeder, local historian and owner/editor of the Town & Country newspaper in Pennsburg, PA will be giving a power point presentation about Sleepy Hollow Ranch. He will be followed in song by Charlie and Danny

Newman whose family performed at the ranch many years ago. The presentation is open to the public and is followed by free refreshments. The Society is located at 1580 Sleepy Hollow Road in Spinnerstown, PA (please use Quakertown, PA as the address if you are using GPS to locate us).”

‘Old School, New School’ at Hicks Art Center Gallery

Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.

QNB Corp. Increases Dividend

The Board of Directors of QNB Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: QNBC), parent company of QNB Bank, at a regular meeting on February 23, 2016 declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per share. The amount represents a 3.4% increase from the prior quarter. Based upon the closing price of a share as of close of business February 22, 2016, this represents a yield of 3.9%. The cash dividend is payable on March 25, 2016 to shareholders of record March 11, 2016. “As a result of the continued solid financial performance of QNB Corp., the Board of Directors is pleased to be able to increase the dividend by 3.4%. As a result of its well capitalized position, QNB Corp. is able to

continue its uninterrupted history of quarterly dividends,” said David W. Freeman, President and Chief Executive Officer. QNB Corp. offers commercial and retail banking services through the eleven banking offices of its subsidiary, QNB Bank. In addition, QNB Bank provides securities and advisory services under the name of QNB Financial Services through Investment Professionals, Inc., a registered Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Advisor, and title insurance as a member of Laurel Abstract Company LLC. QNB Corp.’s stock is traded in the over-the-counter market under the symbol “QNBC.” For more information, visit QNB’s web site at http://www.qnbbank.com/.

When old traditions combine with new methods of design, you get “Old School, New School,” an exhibition at Bucks County Community College’s Hicks Art Center Gallery through March 11. The exhibition focuses on the range of approaches to designing and making objects in contemporary craft, according to guest curator Mark Sfirri. “Historically, the definition of craft required that an object have a function,” Sfirri writes in his curator’s statement. Now, however, “the distinction between craft and art is a non-issue … very few of the objects in this exhibit are functional.” The exhibition features the works of Chris Bathgate, Miriam Carpenter, Danny Kamerath, Mami Kato, and Rod McCormick, artists “who were selected for their skill in making objects and for their unique voices,” explained Sfirri. The “New School” artists are two who use digital design and computer-aided techniques in making their work, while the other three are “Old School” who employ traditional approaches to design-

Ongoing Events & Resources Tickets on sale now for Upper Bucks Brewfest (Aug. 20) Info: quakertownalive.com March 2, 9, 16, & 23 – Daria World Music for Children. 10am-11am for ages 2-6 w/caregiver. Details at peacevalleynaturecenter.org and 215-345-7860 March 13 begins - Easter Bazaar at Animals in Distress 1pm-4pm every Tues, Thurs, Sat, & Sun until Easter. 5075 Limeport Pike, Coopersburg, 610-966-9383 Tuesdays in March the Brick Tavern Inn, 2460 Old Bethlehem Pike, Quakertown, will donate 10% of sales to UBYMCA, thebricktaverninn.com Now through May – “Wed. Night Happenings” at Quakertown Church of the Brethren, 6:45pm8pm for Kindergarten thru 12th grade, info at quakertowncob.org or 215-536-7510 Hoagie Sales 2nd Monday of month (except July/August) at Trumbauersville Fire Co, 142 North Main St, advance orders due Wed. before. $5.25-$5.75, info/order: Kim 215-536-1998 or bucks58fire.com Saturday Bird Walks 8am on trails at Peace Valley Nature Ctr.in Doylestown. Bring binoculars, suitable for adults & over age 12 w/adult. $2 donation, 215-345-7860, peacevalleynaturecenter.org AARP Chapter #3377 meets 2nd Thurs each month, 1pm in fellowship hall (Sept through May) at First United Church of Christ, 151 S 4th St, Quakertown, 215-536-7712 All Veterans invited to join Forrest Lodge VFW, 2118 Old Bethlehem Pike, Sellersville. Call Frank 215-679-7770 Veterans invited 7:30pm, fourth Monday each month at VFW Post 3405, at 211 E Fairmount St, Coopersburg. Call for details at 610-282-1840 Veterans invited 1:30pm, second Sunday each month at John Rivers Memorial VFW Post 11322, 41 Belmont Ave, Quakertown, 267-3719636 Bring DD 214 for proof eligibility. PetSmart Adoption Day on 2nd Saturdays, 11am-3pm, PetSmart, 620 N.West End Blvd, Qkrtwn, 215-538-2843 lastchanceranch.org Last Chance Ranch Volunteer Orientation/ Tour, 1st Saturday each month, 10am-11am in front of Horse Barn, 9 Beck Rd, Quakertown, 215-538-2510 lastchanceranch.org

Meet the Dogs at LCR, 12noon-3pm, Saturdays (weather permitting), 9 Beck Rd, Qkrtwn, 215-538-2510 lastchanceranch. org.Singles Connection for adults meets Thursdays for social evening, 7pm at Silverdale Brethren in Christ Church, 165 W. Main St, Silverdale. 215-593-9995 carolonline1@ verizon.net Doylestown Singles Soc. Intermediate Bridge Club meets every Tues. 7pm at a private residence in Doylestown. Info at 215-340-7604 or shalstrick@comcast.net

Support & Service Groups

Sisters U Monthly Meetings 7pm-9pm the third Thurs every month, stef@sistersu.com Family Education Program on Addiction meets 7pm the first three Mondays of the month in the Red School House at Presbyterian Church of Deep Run, 16 Irish Meetinghouse Rd, Perkasie. Regis. at 800-221-6333 Bullying Prevention Support Group 6:30pm-7:30pm every Wed at UBYMCA in Quakertown. Free. advance registration required: 215-750-7220 SOS Bereavement After Suicide – Family Support Group meets at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital twice monthly, info/details call 215-536-5143 Brain Injury Family/Spousal/Partner Support Group 6pm-8pm the third Monday every month at First UCC, Church Parlor, 4th & Park Ave, Quakertown, 215-538-3488 Caregiver Support Group meetings last Thurs. of every month, Independence Court of Quakertown, 1660 Park Ave, (meal provided), RSVP: 215-541-9030 to attend a meeting. Caregiver Support Group 4pm-5pm, meets 4th Thur. of month, Hidden Meadows, 340 Farmers Ln, Sellersville, (tour & complimentary lunch), 267-429-3931 hiddenmeadows ontheridge.com Upper Bucks Clinic, free medical care Mon & Wed 5:30pm-8:30pm to uninsured low-income residents of Upper Bucks Co w/no medical insurance & meet guidelines. Info: 215-538-4774, 267-404-7100 Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group meets 4pm, 4th Thurs of month, Hidden Meadows on

the Ridge, 340 Farmers Ln, Sellersville. RSVP 267-429-3931 Alzheimer’s Assoc. Support Group, 3:30pm5:00pm, meets 2nd Thursday every month, Phoebe Richland Health Care Ctr, 108 S. Main St, Richlandtown. Free, more info: Social Services 267-371-4517 NOVA (Network Of Victim Assistance) Support Groups, Information, Guidance, NOVA hotline 1-800-675-6900. www.NOVABucks.org Overeaters Anonymous meets every Thursday 10am-11am, West Swamp Mennonite Church, 2501 Allentown Rd, Quakertown, No dues, free babysitting, 215-538-3195 Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Sunday at 7pm, Grand View Hosp. info at 215-923-7900 Bedminster Nar-Anon meets Tuesdays 7:30pm-8:30pm, Deep Run West Mennonite, 1008 Deep Run Rd, Perkasie, for family/friends of those struggling w/addiction, Bedminster. naranon@yahoo.com Doylestown Nar-Anon meets Wednesdays 6pm at Summit Behavioral Health, 702 Hyde Park, Doylestown. Call 215-589-7111 for directions and info. A Woman’s Place (support for domestic abuse/violence) 24-hour Hotline 1-800-220w8116, www.awomansplace.org Kiwanis meetings 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of each month, 12:30pm at Dominick’s Pizza, Quakertown Quakertown Lions Club meets 2nd & 4th Wednesdays each month, 7pm at John’s Plain & Fancy Restaurant, Quakertown Quakertown Rotary Club meets (1st & 3rd Tues 7:30am at John’s Plain & Fancy Restaurant) (2nd, 4th, & 5th Tues 6pm at Spinnerstown Hotel) Business Networking International (BNI) meets every Thursday 7am-8:30am at John’s Plain & Fancy Restaurant in Quakertown, membership info: James Dodson – jamescovie@yahoo.com Believers in Business (Qtwn Chapter) meets 2nd & 4th Friday each month, 7:30am-9am at John’s Plain & Fancy Restaurant in Quakertown, info at 610-762-8054

ing and making objects. “The creativity and skill demonstrated in each piece makes clear that neither means of achieving the result is superior,” notes Sfirri, a Bucks professor who is internationally known as a fine woodworking artist. “They are simply different approaches.” The Hicks Art Center Gallery is located on the campus of Bucks County Community College, 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., 18940, where there is ample free parking. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Friday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday; and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. For more information, visit www.bucks.edu/gallery or call 215-968-8425. Bucks County Community College receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Community Meals

“Fourth Sunday” Breakfast every month, 8am-1pm, all-you-can-eat buffet, $8/adults, $4/ kids, (Easter Egg hunt in April), Lwr Milford Fire Co, 1601 Limeport Pk, Coopersburg Free Community Dinner third Wed. of month. 5:30pm-6:30pm, Christ Community Bible Church, 1830 N. Ridge Rd, Perkasie, 215-257-7318 Free Community Meals 6pm at Richland Friends Quaker Meeting on second, fourth & fifth Weds. every month. Mill Rd & Main St off Route 309, Qtwn, 215-538-7555 Community Meal-every third Thursday of the month, 5:30pm-6:30pm, First UCC, 4th & Park, Quakertown, 215-536-4447 Free Community Dinner first Thurs. of month, 5:45pm at the Yerger Bldg across the street from Trinity Lutheran, 102 N Hellertown Ave, Quakertown

Bingo

Bingo at Encore Experiences, 2nd Saturday of month, 1pm-4pm, lunch available to buy, (lots of $$ specials), 312 Alumni Ave, Harleysville, details: 215-256-6900 Bingo at Milford Twp Fire Hall every Thur, 12:15pm (first Thur. of month has $50 Jackpot), 2183 Milford Square Pike, Quakertown, 215-536-3066 Bingo at West End Fire Co every Wed, doors open 5:30pm, (refreshments avail, smokefree), cash prizes, 1319 Park Ave, Quakertown, 215-536-6130 Bingo at Richland Twp Fire & Rescue every Tues. doors open 5:30pm, 64 Shelly Rd, Qtwn. 215-536-7226 Bingo at Great Swamp Fish & Game every Sat. night, open 4pm, games 6:30pm, kitchen open. Free coffee, 2650 Schukraft & Camp Rock Hill Rd, Qtwn, 215-536-8820 Bingo at Sellersville Fire Co. every Thurs. opens 5:30pm, 2 N. Main St, 215-257-4028 Bingo at Tylersport Fire Co. every Tues. opens 5:30pm, 125 Ridge Rd, 215-257-5900 Jackpot Bingo at Red Hill Fire Co Social Hall 3rd Friday every month, opens 6pm, games 7pm, 82 E 5th St, Red Hill Bingo at American Legion Post 397 every 1st & 3rd Friday of the month, opens 6pm, snacks available, 935 Main St, Hellertown, 484-851-3624

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

Financing for Hearing Aids

“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. ” - Don Larson

When I first entered private practice in 1987, analog hearing aids were the only type of devices available. As primitive as they seem now, the price was deemed quite expensive. A patient could expect to pay $695 to $995 for each hearing aid. Analog and programmable hearing aids have come and gone. Digital hearing aids have been the mainstay in the state of the art technology. The industry is probably at the 20th generation in development since 1998. Prices on the computerized devices are expensive, too. Typically, the approximate price range for today’s hearing aids is $1,600 to $3,500 each. That is pretty significant to anyone, but the improvements available are beyond anyone’s imagination from a generation ago. Unless a patient has a special rider on their health insurance policy to cover part or all of the cost for one or both hearing aids, the full amount is an out-of-pocket expense. Some have planned for the eventuality of needing hearing help with the funds set aside. Still others are blindsided that hearing loss has crept upon them and hearing aids were needed years ago. With the price of hearing aids as expensive as everything else, an avenue is needed to pay for them. That need has been met. CareCredit is a relatively new financial arm from Synchrony Bank (previously GE) and provides various plans for flexible financing. With short term lending programs, there is no interest if paid within six, twelve, or eighteen months. Essentially this is a free loan with no interest charged as long as the payments are made on-time and completed within the specified period chosen.

CareCredit has longer term programs for repayment. The time periods include 24, 36, 48, and 60 months to pay. However, the APR (interest) charged is 14.90%. Paying for hearing aids has never been easier. CareCredit has a quick application approval process with paperwork to follow by mail. You can apply online (carecredit.com) or by calling 1-800-365-8295. In addition, you can apply for CareCredit at the office of a participating professional. This health care credit card can be used for a number of areas. Not only does CareCredit cover hearing aids, it will pay for dental, veterinary, chiropractic, dermatology, vision exams, eyeglasses, contacts, LASIK surgery, and cosmetic procedures. Your family’s healthcare expenses are managed more easily. Don’t let the cost of hearing aids prohibit you from getting the hearing help you require. Arm yourself for the possibility ahead of time. Contact CareCredit and obtain your approval for a new account. Then pick up the telephone and call a certified and licensed audiologist for an appointment today. There is no need to suffer. The next step to better hearing starts with you! Mr. Murphy has had a bilateral mild-to-moderate sensor-ineural hearing loss all his life and is a binaural in-the-canal hearing aid user. Mr. Murphy has been in practice in Pennsylvania since receiving his Master of Education in Audiology from University of Virginia in the Spring of 1987. Mr. Murphy is affiliated with a number of hearing related national and international organizations.

can be reached at hearingdoc@aol.com and by phone at

215-230-9000.

Shaughnessy Naughton Opens Campaign Office in Quakertown

Shaughnessy Naughton, Democratic candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, has opened a dedicated campaign office for Upper Bucks County at 217 West Broad Street in Downtown Quakertown. Shaughnessy Naughton was born and raised in Point Pleasant, Bucks County. Growing up one of five children, Shaughnessy learned the value of hard work. Graduating from high school at 16, she attended Bryn Mawr College where she earned a degree in Chemistry. She worked to develop a new drug to treat breast cancer and new drugs to treat

infectious diseases. In 2003 Shaughnessy’s family’s publishing business was faced with hard times and so she stepped in to help save the family business. Under Shaughnessy’s leadership she expanded the company’s offerings and service, expanded circulation and took the company digital. Shaughnessy’s experience as a small business owner has provided her with a unique ability to balance short-term losses and long-term growth. She understands what it means to balance a budget, make a payroll and create jobs.

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

BY PASTOR DAVID HECKLER The month of March is often paradoxical for us. Daylight Savings Time begins this month, as does spring— but we’ve been known to have heavy snowfalls and bitter cold in March as well. Tradition has it that March comes in like a lion and ends like a lamb, or vice versa—but tradition also has it that a groundhog is a reliable weather forecaster. For all the traditions with which we imbue this month, March defies them all on a regular basis. Despite what we want March to be, March is what March is. But with all its paradox and perplexity, March is the harbinger of spring for us in the Northern Hemisphere; and so we anticipate and rejoice in the signs of new life that emerge amidst March’s challenges… For many of us in the Christian tradition, this March is no exception. Many of us will be continuing our Lenten disciplines this month; our Scripture readings and wor-

ship orders will have us following Jesus of Nazareth on His way to death on the cross for our salvation— and just so, we’ll discover something even more paradoxical than March itself: We human beings like to imagine that ultimately, faith is all about our getting ourselves right with God and being good to others. Pray the right prayer, sing the right songs until you’re feeling “strangely warmed”, memorize the right Scriptures, and be nice to others, and you’re all set. But Jesus’ road to the cross, especially as we follow it this Lent, challenges those assumptions repeatedly. When Jesus tells a story about a prodigal son, a faithful son, and the father who loves them both, we’re liable to become teary-eyed in pious wonder until we realize that the faithful son really has been faithful, the prodigal son is still a jerk, and the father’s all too willing to make a complete fool of himself to welcome the jerk home with all the perks of being part

Have something to share with your community? Send us the details! info@ubfp.org • fax: 215-839-3421 The Free Press, 582-3 S. West End Blvd. Quakertown, PA 18951

of the family. When one of Jesus’ best friends pours out a perfume worth her life savings all over Jesus’ feet and wipes His feet with her hair, Judas Iscariot rightly observes that her extravagance could’ve fed a lot of poor people. And while the crowds welcome Jesus into Jerusalem as a coming king, the religious and civil authorities alike see His unbridled graciousness as a threat, convict Him as a revolutionary, and put Him to death— all in the supposed defense of righteousness— and the crowds just cheer them on… (And face it: this is just how we humans are, and what we do.) This Jesus suffers and dies as so many still do, the victim of horrific human violence— and yet He never stops loving those who do Him such harm, or crying out for their forgiveness… And even when God raises Jesus from the grave and vindicates Him as truly Lord and God, the risen Jesus’ first task is to seek out His befuddled and complicit disciples to forgive them and commission them personally— not because they’ve been so good or worthy, not even because they’ve believed the news of His resurrection (they haven’t),

but because He alone is good and righteous, and in ways that go so far beyond rules and rituals, pieties and prescriptions… In all of these things, we see God reaching out to save us and embrace us in love not as we wish we were— pious, theologically correct, or at least not as bad as “those other people”—but as we really are: messy, broken, incapable of saving ourselves, and terribly likely to make a mess of things and people precisely as we try to act out of our own righteousness. But we rejoice in God’s free gift of salvation this month and with each new day because in Jesus, we see God not as we wish God were, but as God is: loving beyond our containment, gracious beyond our deserving, and giving us improbable, impossible resurrection life that’s but the firstfruits of a whole new creation. Thanks be to God! Dave Heckler is the pastor at St Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Applebachsville and Christ Reformed United Church of Christ in Trumbauersville This column will rotate among pastors from around the Greater Quakertown area.

Did you know? The name Easter owes its origin from Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess who symbolizes hare and egg. Easter always falls between March 22 and April 25. Pysanka is the term used for Easter egg painting.

Upper Bucks Area Places of Worship Bible Baptist Church meets at Strayer Middle School Auditorium 1200 Ronald Reagan Drive, Quakertown 267-772-0288 www.biblebaptistcares.org Pastor: Thomas Harris Bible Study Hour 9:30 am, Morning Worship 10:30 am, Services interpreted for the deaf Christ Church United Church of Christ 101 N. Main Street Trumbauersville, PA 18970 215-538-0142 christchurch10@verizon.net www.christchurchisalive.org A friendly, welcoming church. Change fear into hope, doubt into faith. God is calling. Join us at 11am Sunday. Halleleujah! Christ’s Lutheran Church 1 Luther Lane, Trumbauersville 215-536-3193 Pastor: Carolann Hopcke 9:00am Worship, 10:15 Sunday School Free Drive-in Movies Friday evenings June through August, Handicapped accessible, Family Friendly Church Church of the Incarnation (Anglican-Episcopal) 44 S. 8th Street, Quakertown 215-538-3787 Ardores@verizon.net www.IncarnationQuakertown.org Pastor: Most Rev. Thomas J. Kleppinger Traditional worship, Biblical faith Sunday 10:30am, Holy Days as announced. Deep Run West Mennonite Church 1008 Deep Run Road, Perkasie 215-257-9643 deeprunwest@verizon.net Pastor: Rodger Schmell Service 10:30, nursery available, Sunday School 9:15, Men & Women’s Bible studies, Young Adult Bible Study & Programs, Preschool through High School age programs & events. All welcome to join us! Emmanuel Episcopal Church 560 S. Main Street Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-3040 emmanuelchurch11@yahoo.com www.emmanuelquakertown.org Sunday services at 8am and 10am, Visitors and new members always welcome! Evangel Assembly of God 401 Arch Street, Perkasie 215-453-1565 • www.perkasieag.org Pastor: Rev. Gary Saul Where God’s Love Changes Lives

First United Methodist Church 501 Market Street, Perkasie 215-257-4626 fumcperkasie@verizon.net www.fumcperkasie.com Pastor: Scott Dorn Mission: Share God’s love, Make and nurture disciples of Jesus Christ, positively impact our community and world. Good News Church 424 Juniper Street, Quakertown 215-536-4393 Pastor: David Markey, Jr. An alternative to the ultra-contemporary Sunday Worship and Children’s Church 10:30 am, Wednesday Bible Study 7:30pm, World Evangelism Fellowship affiliate. Good Shepherd Church (Episcopal) 1634 Hilltown Pike, Hilltown 215-822-3930 Pastor: The Rev. Catherine Kerr 10:00am Sunday Eucharist Grace Bible Fellowship Church 1811 Old Bethlehem Pike N., Quakertown 215-536-6096 grace@quakertownbfc.org www.quakertownbfc.org Pastor: Ron Kohl, Sr. Pastor Sunday School for all ages, 10:10am Morning Worship, Evening 1st & 3rd Sundays 6:30pm, Small Group meetings 2nd & 4th Sundays 6:30pm, Wednesday: AWANA (2yrs-6th grade) & Teens for Christ 6:30pm, adult bible study 7pm Morning Star Fellowship 429 S. 9th Street, Quakertown 215-529-6422 Pastor: John Decker www.mstarqtown.org Services at 9am & 11am, Children’s Ministry provided, EastWest Cafe open with free coffee. Celebrate recovery Wednesday 7pm. Check website for more info. MorningStar Moravian Church 610-282-1908234 S. Main Street, Coopersburg coopmoravian@aol.com Pastor: Jay Petrella Sunday services 10:00am. Small, friendly Protestant church. Community mission: Serving free dinners once per month. All are welcome. Call for information. Pennridge Christian Fellowship 720 Blooming Glen Road, Blooming Glen 215-257-7309 kallebach@pennridgecf.org www.pennridgecf.org Pastor: Thomas Vargis Sunday worship 10:30am, Sunday School after song service (infants to age 12), Wed evenings 7pm w/ prayer, Crossroads youth & (Sep-Apr) boys and girls clubs. All are welcome.

Quakertown United Methodist Church 1875 Freier Road, Quakertown 215-536-4992 barb@qumc.com www.qumc.com Pastor: Russell J. Atkinson Sunday morning worship - 8:00am 9:00am 11:00am Sunday School for all ages 10:00am, Communion offered first Sunday of the month Richland Friends Meeting (Quaker) Main St at Mill Rd & Park Ave, Quakertown 215-538-7555 Friends@RichlandQuakers.org www.RichlandQuakers.org Clerk: Jack H. Schick Non-Denominational guided meditations Wed, 7pm Sunday worship 10:30am “Absolute freedom of thought and worship is our faith and practice.” Ridge Valley United Church of Christ 905 Allentown Road, Sellersville 215-257-7244 rvucc.pastor@verizon.net www.ridgevalleyucc.org Pastor: Rev. Steve Myren We are a vibrant, welcoming Family of Faith. Worship: Sundays 9:30am. Ridge Valley: Growing Together in God’s Love. St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church 3668 Ridge Road, Perkasie 215-795-2965 office@kellerschurch.org www.kellerschurch.org Worship 7:45 & 10:15am, Sunday School 9am, Koinonia Cafe 8:30pm, Holy Communion 1st & 3rd Sunday, Children’s Church 2nd, 4th Sunday. St. John’s Lutheran Church 19 South 10th Street, Quakertown 215-536-3593 stjohnsquak@verizon.net www.stjohnsquak.org Pastor: Ray Miller Sunday Worship 8 and 10:30am, Sunday School 9:15am. Welcoming, Reaching Out, Serving. Elevator available St. John’s Lutheran Church of Spinnerstown 1565 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Spinnerstown 215-536-0734 stjohnsspinnerstown@gmail.com Pastor: The Rev. Axel Kaegler www.stjohnsofspinnerstown.org Worship Service 9:45am, Sunday School 9 9:45am, children age 4 through 6th Grade.

St. John’s Lutheran Ridge Valley 910 Allentown Road, West Rockhill Twp 215-257-9643 stjohnsridgevalley@verizon.net www.stjohns-ridgevalley.com Pastor: Amy Hotter 8:30am Traditional - 10:30am w/priase band. Grape juice & gluten-free wafers available.Handicapped accessible. All invited and welcome anytime to Share the Joy! St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Applebachsville 837 Old Bethlehem Road, Quakertown 215-536-5789 stpauls@netcarrier.com www.quakertown.net/stpauls Pastor: Rev. David Heckler We believe in sharing God’s love in joyful service. Come and see. All are welcome. St. Paul’s United Church of Christ 104 Green Street, Sellersville 215-257-7268 stacey@stpaulsucc.net www.stpaulsucc.net Pastor: Rev. Patti Thomas 8am Rejoice & Praise Worship in Parlor, 9am Sunday School - all ages, 10:15 Worship in Sanctuary, Crossroads 1st Sunday each month 9am in Fellowship Hall.. Trinity Great Swamp UCC Spinnerstown Rd & County Line Rd Spinnerstown 215-679-7710 tgsucc@verizon.net www.tgsucc.org Pastor: David R. Ellis / Matt Gorkos Sunday School classes for all ages (PreK-Adult) 9:15am. Family activities throughout the year Trinity Lutheran Church 102 N. Hellertown Avenue, Quakertown 215-536-4345 www.trinityquakertown.org Pastor: Lynette R. Chapman 9 am traditional services, 10:15 Sunday School, 11am Contemporary service, Handicapped Accessible, Family Friendly Church, Dynamic Music Ministry, Community Service Oriented Victory Fellowship Church 120 Ridge Road, Telford 215-257-7906 vam7@truevine.net www.victoryfellowshippa.org Pastor: Dr. Virgil A. Mobley Full Gospel.A friendly, loving, and joyful church where the presence of God is in His house. Check out our website.

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

How Should You Respond to Market “Correction”?

Jonathan ’Todd’ Barlow Joins New Vitae Wellness and Recovery Team New Vitae Wellness and Recovery is happy to announce the addition of Jonathan “Todd” Barlow to our team as the Director of Addictions Services. Mr. Barlow has spent more than 25 years in the addiction and co-occurring fields of behavioral health. A graduate of the Hahnemann University graduate school program, his approach to recovery blends traditional addiction and psychiatric treatment modalities, individual and family coaching, and 12 Step Peer Support. “New Vitae Wellness and Recovery recognizes the impact of substance use and addictions in recovery,” said New Vitae President and CEO Judith Yanacek. “We are so pleased to learn from Todd’s skills and to further develop the array of substance use services we are able to provide.” To introduce Barlow to our larger community and further engage in discussion regarding the challenges associated with substance use treatment, New Vitae Wellness and Recovery would like to invite neighbors and colleagues to an upcoming training, entitled, “Engagement Strategies for those with Co-Occurring Disorders.” The discussion, co-sponsored with Marywood University, also will feature conversation with Pam DeHart, LPC CAC, and will examine the unique challenges associated with treatment of co-occurring disorders. The complimentary training will be held on Thursday, March 17 at 1 p.m. at the West End Fire Company, 1319 Park Avenue, Quakertown, PA. Continuing Education Credits are available to purchase through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Additional details are available on the company website. “I am very excited to be bringing my skills

and experience to New Vitae Wellness and Recovery,” Barlow said. “There is no greater joy than being a part of the recovery process of an individual and his or her family. I am so proud to be able to contribute to the vision of holistic wellness espoused by New Vitae, and I look forward to applying my experience through our array of services.” About New Vitae Wellness and Recovery: New Vitae Wellness and Recovery offers a variety of behavioral health outpatient clinical services, including psychiatry, one-to-one therapy, family therapy, group therapy and partial hospital, as well as integrated and holistic healing options and Certified Peer Supports. The continuum of housing options in Bucks and Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, includes personal care homes, 24/7 staffed apartments, and supported independent living apartments. Our innovative, integrated model blends clinical care with residential assistance so every person receives the support they need throughout their treatment. New Vitae Wellness and Recovery facilities include the New Vitae Wellness and Recovery Center, Mount Trexler Manor, Quakertown House and multiple Young Adult and Pathways apartment locations. New Vitae Wellness and Recovery offers specialized treatment programs tailored to the unique needs of veterans, of young adults ages 18 to 25, and, through our innovative Action Recovery Brain Injury Services, of those who have sustained traumatic brain injuries. New Vitae Wellness and Recovery is proud to assist individuals and their families from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and other states across the country. To learn more about our services, please visit www.newvitaewellness.com.

As an investor, you may be gaining familiarity with the term “market correction.” But what does it mean? And, more importantly, what does it mean to you? A correction occurs when a key index, such as the S&P 500, declines at least 10% from its previous high. A correction, by definition, is short-term in nature and has historically happened fairly regularly – about once a year. However, over the past several years, we’ve experienced fewer corrections, so when we have one now, it seems particularly jarring to investors. How should you respond to a market correction? The answer may depend, to some extent, on your stage of life. • If you’re still working … If you are in the early or middle parts of your working life, you might not have to concern yourself much about a market correction because you have decades to overcome a short-term downturn. Instead of selling stocks, and stock-based investments, to supposedly “cut your losses,” you may find that now is a good time to buy more shares of quality companies, when their price is down. Also, you may want to use the opportunity of a correction to become aware of the need to periodically review and rebalance your portfolio. Stocks, and investments containing stocks, often perform well before a correction. If their price has risen greatly, they may account for a greater percentage of the total value of your portfolio – so much so, in fact, that you might become “overweighted” in stocks, relative to your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. That’s why it’s important for you to proactively rebalance your portfolio – or, during a correction, the market may do it for you. To cite one

aspect of rebalancing, if your portfolio ever does become too “stock-heavy,” you may need to add some bonds or other fixed-rate vehicles. Not only can these investments help keep your portfolio in balance, but they also may hold up better during a correction. • If you’re retired … After you retire, you may need to take money from your investment accounts – that is, sell some investments – to help pay for your cost of living. Ideally, however, you don’t want to sell stocks, or stock-based vehicles, during a correction – because when you do, you may be “selling low.” (Remember the most common rule of investing: Buy low and sell high. It’s not always easy to follow, but it’s still pretty good advice.) So, to avoid being forced into selling, you need to be prepared. During your retirement years, try to keep at least a year’s worth of cash instruments on hand as well as short-term fixed income investments. By having this money to draw on, you may be able to leave your stocks alone and give them a chance to recover, post-correction. And it’s important to maintain a reasonable percentage of stocks, and stock-based vehicles, in your portfolio, even during retirement – because these investments may provide the growth necessary to help keep you ahead of inflation. Consequently, as a retiree, you should have a balance of stocks and stock-based vehicles, along with fixed-income vehicles, such as bonds, certificates of deposit, government securities and so on. Being prepared can help you get through a correction – no matter where you are on life’s journey. submitted by Bob Podraza in the Edward Jones office on West Broad Street, Quakertown. He can be reached at 215-536-3635 or bob.podraza@edwardjones.com

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring. - Bern Williams

Community Pulls Together to Help Make a Difference

BY JENNIFER REHRIG

With the winter storm Jonas approaching, the members of the Quakertown Community Outreach knew that we had to act fast. Many are surprised to find out that Quakertown has a homeless population. We are lucky to have a Code Blue Shelter in town, but the group knew there were those who would need extended support. So, they started a gofundme campaign to raise money to place a few of our homeless community members in temporary housing, at least until the storm passed. Within hours the community and the group’s friends and families not only opened their hearts, but their wallets as well. The campaign raised over $1400 with additional contributions still coming in, and non-financial contributions too. For the Quakertown Community Outreach members this isn’t just about a warm bed for the night, it is also about connecting them with resources and services, to help improve the

quality of their lives, both short and long term. We are in the process of starting a mentoring program where a team of volunteers will work individually with each homeless person, helping to zero in on each individual’s area of needs, and concerns . With the long term goal of mentoring them back, hopefully as a more productive, self-sufficient member of society, when possible. The community members placed in temporary housing over the last week will continued to be monitored by our team of volunteers. We will house them as long as we can while providing outreach that includes, but is not limited to meals, transportation, mental health assistance, medical assistance, and more. There is so much more work to be done and our group of volunteer’s could use definitely use your input and help. Join us on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/groups/ thequakertownhumanityeffort or email us at quakertownoutreach@gmail.com.

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

My Gal Sal

American Legion Post 242 Update

Notice the events that were posted on our Marquee outside the Post since January. We had “The Battle of the Bands, Sunday Morning Breakfasts, and recently a “Chili Cook Off.” Our various support groups such as the Home Association, the Sons of American Legion, The American Legion Riders, and the Ladies Auxiliary have many exciting events planned for 2016 and open to the public. Keep a sharp eye out on the Marquee as these events usually include food. We in Upper Bucks are known for our wonderful food at our events. A special note to friends and members-when we have events scheduled that are open to the public we do not allow smoking indoors. We will have our usual memorial services on Memorial Day (May), September 11th, and Veterans’ Day (Nov). Our two big fundraisers for Youth and Veterans’ are also part of the year’s events. We have these fundraisers to support the activities of our youth such as the different baseball programs, student honorary awards at school, Boy Scout support, special compe-

titions such as essay’s, and special leadership camps for the youth. We support our veterans in area Veterans Facilities such as outings, needs for hygiene and clothing, books to read, and attending programs in their honor. Most important in this time of suffering losses due to age or illness we are instrumental in supplying our “Honor Guard” when called upon. A special note – we have the support of other American Legion post from Bucks County to fulfill those missions and a very special thanks goes out to these fellow Legionnaires who travel long distances to help us honor those who served. Your Legion is striving hard to provide activities that are fun, entertaining, and of course held with good food available. We ask you to make a point to try to attend these functions that you see posted on the Marquee so we can continue to help others in need from youth to those aging veterans who served our Country. Hope to see you at the Post or at a Service, Dick Helm

Serving communities by promoting hope, health and wellness.

New Vitae Wellness and Recovery provides a comprehensive continuum of residential and outpatient behavioral health services to adults over 18. Our integrated model provides continuity of care to those we serve including families and allies. Recovery supports and services include: • Comprehensive residential treatment • Outpatient services • Brain injury services • Veterans services • Young adult services • Residential housing including personal care homes, 24/7 staffed apartments and supported independent living apartments • Specialized treatment programs

For more information or to schedule an on-site tour, please call 610-965-9021 or email info@newvitaewellness.com.

www.newvitaewellness.com

March is Women’s History Month. Last year I wrote about our local celebrity, prophet, abolitionist, anti-tobacco/anti-alcohol advocate, Susanna Morris. I solicited readers for local women I could write about but got zero responses. This year I’ve chosen to tell you about a woman who was loved by nearly everyone. I got to meet her several times. Somehow I got a front row seat in the auditorium at the Junior High on 7th St. for her personal appearance. I was maybe eight, so it was around 1960. I can only remember a few things about it. There were lots of kids and moms. There was pushing and jostling. It was noisy and I was really excited. I had a never-to-be-forgotten experience that day. When she finally arrived and came in through the side door right next to me, she waved to everybody. I jumped to my feet and cheered. She came over, put her hands on my shoulders, bent over and kissed me! I nearly fainted. I didn’t know her original name, Alleen Mae Beller. Like everybody else, I called her Sally Starr.

“Aunt Sally” was a superstar to us kids. We all loved her. When I was growing up in Quakertown, she hosted Popeye Theater on WFIL-TV every weekday from 4pm to six. We all watched her; called it the ‘Sally Starr Show’. She’d always greet us: “I hope you feel as good as you look, because you sure look good to your gal Sal.” She had famous guests on: Colonel Sanders, Chief Halftown, Dick Clark, Moe, Larry and Curley Joe, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Gene Autry, Chuck Connors, Jerry Lewis, Tim Conway, Jimmy Durante, Nick Adams. She showed Popeye and Clutch Cargo cartoons, Westerns and Three Stooges films. Alleen Mae Beller was born on January 25, 1923 in Kansas City, Missouri to Bertha and Charles Beller. He was a policeman. Alleen had four sisters. Because she showed talent and ambition, her parents encouraged her enter show business. At age 12, she and her sister Mildred sang on the CBS radio program “Blush Creek Follies” as the Little Missouri Maids. At age 13 she won a Pepsi-Cola jingle-singing contest. The next year Alleen met her idol, Western singer and band leader Jesse Rogers. They met again at dances where Rogers performed. Another time, he presented the Little Missouri Maids with their prize when they won a singing contest. When Alleen was 15, she and Rogers married. In 1941, as a performer in Roger’s show, Alleen legally changed her name to Sally Starr. After WWII, they moved to New Jersey. The couple did western and hillbilly shows and appeared on Hayloft Hoedown--the first network TV show to originate in Philadelphia. Roger’s schedule was so full he asked Sally to host the Country and Western Jamboree on WJMJ radio, which broadcast from the St James Hotel in Center City. Sally Starr had by then assumed the persona of a Stetson-wearing, gun-toting, horse-riding, blond-haired, fancily dressed cowgirl. Her popularity skyrocketed with the radio show, where she filled the roles of announcer, writer and producer. She soon became the first

top-rated female DJ in America. On October 3, 1955, Sally Starr became host of ‘Starr Theater’, which showed Western shorts on WFIL-TV. She soon was more popular than the films. After several programming changes, “Popeye Theater” emerged. Its first broadcast was on July 29, 1957. As its host, Sally Starr grew into, perhaps, the most popular entertainer and most beloved personality in Delaware Valley broadcasting history. At the peak of her popularity over 1.5 million kids, tuned in daily. She was mobbed by youngsters wanting autographs, a kind word or a kiss on the cheek at her innumerable personal appearances. Her fan mail averaged 3,000 letters a week. In addition to her TV show, in 1958 Sally Starr recorder the song “Our Gal Sal”, backed by Bill Haley and His Comets, which sold thousands. Haley wrote “A.B.C. Rock” and “Rocky the Rockin’ Rabbit” for her to release as singles. Starr appeared in the Three Stooges feature film, The Outlaws is Coming as sharpshooter Belle Starr. Among other films, she had roles in The In Crowd, Mannequin Two: On the Move and Holiday Journey. Sally Starr suffered many setbacks over the years. She was divorced in 1961, then her second husband, Mark Grey, died in 1968. When Capital Cities Communications took over WFIL in 1971, they shifted away from children’s’ programming. Starr was fired, provoking the largest protest mailing in station

history. She moved to Florida and lost money in failed business ventures. She was injured in several car accidents. Her house burned down, and much of her memorabilia and her nearly completed autobiography was destroyed. After returning to the Delaware Valley in the 1980’s and having a minor resurgence in her career with a radio show, stage performances and public appearances, Starr said of her local popularity: “I didn’t have any children of my own, so I adopted all of Philadelphia. I loved kids. I used to look into the camera and start telling them whatever was on my mind no scripts, no cue cards.” In the 1990’s, Pat Stanton, who originally hired Starr at WJMJ, said: “It was nothing for her to hear about a kid who was sick and she’d send him a card or show up at the hospital.” About meeting Starr for an interview for the Inquirer, Marilyn Polak said: “There is something vaguely movie star-ish about her; how her white-blond hair falls to her shoulders, softly framing the leathery tan of her face; how her lips, lashes, nails are perfectly applied; how she sips ice water, reaches into her purse for a tissue, and daintily blots a corner of her mouth; how she reminds me of Mae West . . . how she speaks with the quiet dignity of a faded queen.” Starr told Polak: “I have my eyes hitched onto a star. Always did. And I knew I was gonna make it, and I did. I made it with the people. I was surrounded by people that loved me and helped me and guided me.” Sally Starr died on January 27, 2013, in Berlin NJ. She’d just turned 90. ‘My Gal Sal’ deserves a lofty place in the history of American women. I loved her very much and she loved me back. I’ll conclude the way she ended every show: “May the good Lord be blessing you and your family. Bye for now.” More articles by Jack H. Schick can be found at Searchwarp.com or Soulofwit.com

Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

Innovative Technology Training Serving Individuals and businesses in: Quakertown Perkasie, Sellersville, Silverdale Souderton, Telford Dublin, Plumsteadville

SMART. Contact Owen at 215-968-8132 or visit: www.bucks.edu/itacademy

Dozens of Classes Added for Spring at BCCC Bucks County Community College, which has been offering flexible academic schedules for more than 50 years, is rolling out dozens of additional Spring semester courses starting March 21. Register online or in person for dozens of additional classes this semester, including English composition, Math, Business, and more. Ending dates vary from May 10 to May 17, depending on the course. Subjects include English composition, Business, Math, History, Psychology, Criminal Justice and more. In-person registration runs through

Friday, March 18, while online registration ends Saturday, March 19. Bucks is located at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa., with classes also offered at the Lower Bucks Campus in Bristol, the Upper Bucks Campus in Perkasie, and online through the Virtual Campus. With tuition just $135 a credit for Bucks County residents, many students choose Bucks County Community College to begin the first two years of their academic path while reducing student debt. To browse course offerings, visit www. bucks.edu/spring. For more information, call 215-968-8100 or admissions@bucks.edu.

Cattie Joins QNB as Exec. VP, Chief IT Officer

QNB Bank has hired Chris Cattie for the position of Executive Vice President/Chief Information Technology Officer at QNB’s Towne Bank Center. Chris is responsible for directing and managing the Departments of Information Technology, Deposit Operations, and Electronic Banking. In his role as a community banker, Chris looks forward to developing relationships with employees, business people, and vendors that live and work in the local community. Chris has been in banking for 20 years. In

his previous role at another financial institution, Chris served as Senior Vice President of Information Technology. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Lock Haven University for Accounting and Management. He then continued his education at LaSalle University where he received his MBA. Chris lives in Willow Grove with his family. He remains active in his community where he serves as a volunteer and coach for the Upper Moreland Soccer Club.

Welcome, Spring! I thought it would be appropriate for me to welcome this long-awaited season called spring (in advance) because it has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I will refrain from discussing that it is quite possible for another blizzard to exhibit its furor during the month of March. It is always ‘my desire’ for March to enter like a lion, so that the departure will be quiet and gentle like a lamb. Being a country girl, I learned to love nature, especially as it changed during the four seasons. Spring was always a time of renewal. It was a reminder of what the color green really looked like, and how full and beautiful trees were when they were clothed in leaves, and buds, and flowers. As a child, it was the time I loved walking through our woods with my mother and picking the spring flowers – Hepaticas, and Buttercups, and Violets. I would look for the Daffodils as they peeked through a bed of dead leaves, or even a thin layer of leftover snow. Spring was when the birds chirped endlessly throughout the day; it was when the bumble bees and the hummingbirds buried themselves deeply into the Hollyhock flowers as they collected nectar. Spring was the time when the grasshoppers, and the ants, and the frogs reappeared. It was the time when the wasps constructed their dwellings of mud in the eave of the roof, and Mrs. Robin Red Breast crafted her home in the corner at the far end of our porch roof. Spring was the time when I could expect my first sting of the season by a yellow jacket. It was the time I would relentlessly chase a monarch butterfly all over the yard trying to catch it Those country memories of spring are very vivid in my mind and deeply embedded in my heart. I learned that spring is comparable to my life. I know that periodically, I need to renew my mind, body, and soul, and I have found that the first day of spring, March 20th, is a perfect revival time for me. Not only do

I get to welcome spring and renew my being, but I also get to celebrate the day I was born. Yes, I was a spring baby. In elementary school I learned that spring was always on March 20th. Much later in life, I read that it could be either March 20th or March 21st, depending on the vernal equinox. Now it has so happened, per the Earth’s Equinoxes & Solstices (Infographic), that “the vernal equinox landed on March 21st only 36 out of 100 years.” That is all I need to know to maintain that spring (and my birthday) is March 20th – every year. When I moved from the country to “Uptown,” I found that spring was a bit different. Oh, the grass still turned a brilliant color of green, and the leaves on the trees, along with the buds and flowers, were a striking and welcomed sight to behold. Each morning the birds would serenade me with their cheerful tweeting outside my bedroom window. There were an army of bumble bees, but no Hollyhocks from which they could extract nectar; and, I found that there were no monarch butterflies, nor hummingbirds “Uptown.” What I missed most was being able to take a walk through the woods to enjoy the wildflowers. Even after my mother passed away, I would return to the homestead each spring and reflect on my childhood, as I would walk through the woods picking Buttercups, Hepaticas, Violets, and looking for Daffodils. Over the decades, I have adjusted to life “Uptown”, but springtime in the country will always be a part of me. “Spring stimulates the innermost parts of my soul.” JMH Jacque Holliday, a lifelong resident of Quakertown, spends her retired time writing and volunteering. She enjoys taking photographs of nature. Additionally, she writes a blog, Jacque’s Patchwork Journal, at: jacquespatchworkjournal.weebly.com

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

America’s First Animal Shelter to Honor Lynne Abraham

Doggy Door Dashers Doggy door dashers have the potential for unhappy endings. Your dog could be hit by a vehicle, attacked by aggressive dog or wild animal. A hawk or an owl could quickly kill a small dog. There’s the possibility of becoming lost, stolen, or picked up by animal control. Did you know the state of PA only gives you 48 hours to claim your lost dog, then they have the legal right to put your dog up for adoption? Luckily the local Upper Bucks S.P.C.A. gives you 5 days (in case you’re on vacation) to claim your dog. Unfortunately the fun far outweighs the consequences for most dogs. By running, burning up all that pended up energy chasing animals or greeting people (more fun) provides instant reinforcement and becomes a self-rewarding behavior. Once a behavior is reinforced (even if inadvertently) that behavior will most likely be repeated. Many escape artists are in need of physical exercise and mental stimulation. Generally speaking, dogs that aren’t given sufficient exercise and mental stimulation are more likely to seek out opportunities for fun at any expense. With a dog who dashes, the first priority is to put an immediate stop to your dog’s ability to bolt.

1. Everyone living or visiting will be trained not to touch the doorknob until they know where the dog is (communication). The dog must be secured on a leash or confined in a crate before you touch the doorknob. 2. Until your dog is trained you need to keep a leash on him at all times. Yes, this is a pain in the neck. Remember the goal is to put an immediate and permanent stop to your dog’s ability to bolt. 3. Dogs should do things to get things. Simply ask your dog for a sit every time he wants to go out the door. The positive reinforcement is being released; it’s a huge real-life reward. Use it to your advantage. 4. Practice sitting until released at all thresholds in your home (bedrooms, bathrooms etc.) a couple times a day. 5. It’s going to be close to impossible to extinguish your dog’s natural curiosity, so it’s important to never let your guard down when it comes to an adventurous canine and open doors. An up-to-date ID collar along with a microchip is the quickest and easiest way to be reunited. Prevention and training is the key to your success. Submitted by Marion C. O’Neil CPDT-KA, CTDI owner and lead trainer of Molasses Creek Dog Training, LLC, Quakertown, PA

Upper Bucks Chamber to Present ‘State of the County’ Breakfast The Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Committee is proud to present a Legislative Breakfast, “State of the County Address” on Friday, March 11, 2016, doors open at 7:30 a.m. and the program begins at 8:00 a.m. at McCoole’s Event Center, 4 South Main Street in Quakertown. Please join us for breakfast and networking with local business owners, followed by updates from Bucks County Commissioners:

Robert G. Loughery, Charles H. Martin, and Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, LCSW. The cost for UBCC Members is $15 and $25 for Non-Members. Pre-registration is required. To register for the Legislative Breakfast on March 11th at McCoole’s Event Center, please call the Upper Bucks Chamber at 215.536.3211, e-mail info@ubcc.org or log onto www.ubcc.org/events

The Women’s Humane Society will be honoring Lynne Abraham at their first annual “Trailblazer Award” ceremony on Thursday, March 31st at the Merion Tribute House from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. This yearly trademark event is held during Women’s History Month and was created to honor a woman who has made a positive impact on animals and society in her respective professional field. This year’s honoree is former Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham who used her time in office to ensure that humane laws were enforced, especially in regards to the city’s horse population, and appointed the first animal-cruelty prosecutor. In addition to prosecutions and legislations, Ms. Abraham is also an avid animal adoption advocate and has personally rescued her own pets. The Women’s Humane Society was America’s first animal shelter and is credited with changing public opinion regarding animal

welfare. Founded in 1869 by Philadelphia Trailblazer, Caroline Earle White, WHS has continuously promoted the humane and compassionate treatment of animals for 147 years. Each March, The Women’s Humane Society honors a woman, like our founder, who has been a Trailblazer and driving force in effecting progressive and impactful changes that enrich the lives of both people and animals in our community. Proceeds from this fundraising event support the Women’s Humane Society’s shelter animals. The event will be held Thursday, March 31, at the Merion Tribute House, 625 Hazelhurst Avenue, Merion Station, PA 19066. Cocktail Reception and Award Program: 6:30pm - 8:30pm For more information, please visit www. womenshumanesociety.org.

Credit Union Raises $5,000 for CHOP’s Health & Wellness Garden On February 6, 2016 American Heritage hosted a bowling event at Thunderbird Lanes in Philadelphia, PA. American Heritage invited employees, family, friends and other credit union organizations to help raise funds for CHOP. The event featured a night of bowling, music, a 50/50 raffle for a Philadelphia sports basket, and contests including “Best Team Name” and “Best Bowling Attire”. As a result, this event raised over $5,000 for CHOP’s Health & Wellness Garden located at their Karabot’s Center Pediatric Care Center. The CHOP will positively impact West Philadelphia by providing a beautiful

outdoor space for patients and increase knowledge of good nutrition, physical activity, and host events – all vitally important patient and community engagement programs. The Health & Wellness Garden will be unveiled during the week of the 2016 Democratic Nation Convention (DNC). American Heritage Federal Credit Union is a $1.6 billion member-owned financial cooperative serving over 800 sponsor companies. It is the country’s 131st largest Credit Union with over 143,000 members and 30 branches in the Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery and Camden Counties.

Many of you know that I am a” dog about town”. I not only inform on a dog’s point of view of life but also on the happenings in our great town and its surrounding area. You guys need to go to one of the FREE concerts that Valley Choral Society is performing in March. March 6th at 4PM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Perkasie and March 13th at 4 PM at St Marks in Pennsburg. Songs will be songs from the 1940’s era. Now for some dog news. How about that snow we had! Be sure to have your human shovel a potty path for you so you don’t get into trouble by going in the wrong place. This Ice and cold has been AWFUL! I must confess that during that extreme cold weekend in Feb. I got dressed in my Valentine clothes and was headed out the door to do my nursing home visit when the air hit me and I ran back to the gate to go into the house. Since I am over 12 years old AND the leader of the dog pack I was allowed to stay home. It’s great when you get to have your own way. Until next month.... Love M.J.

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

Bucks County SPCA Hires Acclaimed Animal Welfare Leader to Outreach Post

Natalie DiGiacomo, Certiﬁed Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA), M.S., has joined the Bucks County SPCA in the newly created role of Director of Community Outreach. Natalie comes to the BCSPCA from the Humane Society of the United States, where she was the Director of Shelter Services. Natalie brings twenty-four years of experience to her new position, serving companion animals at the local, regional, and national level. Her background includes program development and management with an emphasis on community outreach as well as research into issues related to proactive animal sheltering. She has a Master’s degree in Animals and Public Policy and is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator. As the Director of Community Outreach, her immediate focus will be will evaluating

and overseeing existing programs, including the foster, volunteer, animal behavior, humane education, and animal transfer programs. In addition, Natalie will oversee growth in the new areas of offsite adoptions and prevention of owner relinquishment. “The commitment of my new colleagues, volunteers, and generous community supporters is inspiring, commented DiGiacomo. “BCSPCA already casts a wide safety net for animals in our community; I look forward to helping it grow stronger and wider.” “I am excited to welcome Natalie to the Bucks County SPCA,” says Linda Reider, Executive Director. “With her help we will expand our reach beyond the doors of our two animal care centers, to care for and protect even more animals in the communities we serve.”

Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.

Quakertown Cares Plans Breakfast & Craft Fair

BY JANE THOMPSON-SMITH

Be sure to mark off your calendars for March 12, because ‘Quakertown Cares’ has a special spring thing planned to close its 20th campaign! The fund-raiser, that collects money to help Quakertown-area residents in need, is holding its annual breakfast, but this year it’s returning to its roots. It’s making its breakfast the way it did in its early yearswith tender, living care. Everything will be freshly made- scrambled eggs (plain and with peppers, onions and cheese), pancakes, bacon, sausage, hash browns, fruit, milk, juice and coffee. No assembly-line preparation here! The cost: $6 for adults, $4 for students. The food alone should bring people out to Quakertown High School at 600 Park Ave. from 7:00 to 11:30 a.m., but there is much more! The Easter Bunny is coming! And he is hoping to have his picture taken with lots of children!

But what makes this breakfast extra special? The event is also a spring craft fair! With plenty of time remaining, there are already 20 crafters signed up! And don’t worry about the kids. Not only can they visit the Easter Bunny, but there will be a craft area set up for them too! All event proceeds go to the campaign, which helps families, seniors and veterans, who live within the area of the Quakertown Community School District, purchase necessities such as food, clothing and fuel to heat their homes. This year $45,000 was raised for the cause. Celebrate neighbors helping neighbors. Celebrate the giving nature of Quakertown area individuals, organizations, churches, businesses and schools. Celebrate community. Come out to the ‘Quakertown Cares’ breakfast-craft show March 12 and celebrate 20 years of giving, helping and caring!

Legion Post 210 to Host Veterans Outreach Expo Because of the success of the previous Veterans Expos, held in July and November 2014, Albert R. Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, will be hosting another Veterans Outreach Expo at the Post home at 315 North St., Doylestown, PA on April 9, 2016 from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM. All Veterans who served in the U. S. military, at any time, are invited to attend and obtain comprehensive information about support services available to them. Bring your DD-214 or discharge papers and get a Bucks County Veterans ID card which, when presented to participating vendors, located throughout Bucks County, will earn you discounts on your purchases. You can also learn about other benefits available to Veterans, such as Medical Benefits, Education

Benefits, Financial Management, Pensions, Employment, Nursing Homes, Disability Benefits, Loans (VA, Homes, SBA), Programs for PTSD, Legal Services, Funeral and Burial Benefits and Naturalization Preference. All of these subjects will be presented by service providers who are experts in their fields. There will also be a seminar: “Senior Veterans and Spouses Benefits”, presented by Dan Fraley, Bucks County Director of Veteran’s Affairs. Free Food and Beverages will be available. For further information contact: Tom at trt100@aol.com or at 215-345-8646 or Chris at cpearson5262@comcast.net or at 267-544-0578.

Hunger Nutrition Forum to Discuss Food Insecurity in Bucks On March 9th, the Hunger Nutrition Coalition of Bucks County will be holding its biennial forum on hunger in Bucks County at Delaware Valley University’s Student Center. The forum will take place from 8:30 am to 11 am. The theme of this year’s conference is “Planting the Seeds of Partnership.” This year’s Keynote Speaker will be Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Deputy Secretary for Market and Economic Development, PA Dept. of Agriculture. The Coalition will be disseminating its findings on its 2015 Hunger Survey in Bucks County. The Coalition surveyed clients who use the food pantry system to learn about the hunger issues facing low income families. The Hunger Heroes awards will be given out to various organizations and businesses who make a difference involving

food insecurity in Bucks County. There will also be a breakout session involving the Bridges of Poverty program conducted by the Bucks County Opportunity Council’s Director of Community Services, Tammy Schoonover. The forum is free and open to the public but participants must register at www. hnc2016forum.eventbrite.com. The event is sponsored by Applegate, Sprocket Foundation, Delaware Valley University, Foundations Community Partnerships, Wegmans, and WAWA. For more information about the Hunger Nutrition Forum or the Hunger Nutrition Coalition of Bucks County, contact Heather Foor, Food Program Manager, Bucks County Opportunity Council, at 215-345-8175 x 213.

Spring Plant Sale to Benefit Local Victims of Crime

Brighten your home or office with beautiful flowers while supporting victims of violent crimes and their families in the Lehigh Valley. Crime Victims Council (CVC) of the Lehigh Valley is holding its annual spring plant sale. A variety of lovely plants are available including tulips, daffodils, hydrangeas, hyacinths, gerbera daisies and more. Find us on Facebook to see photos! Individual orders are welcome, and for your convenience, orders of 10 plants or more in one location can be delivered to a home or office free of charge! CVC is also looking for people from area businesses who are interested in helping with distributing forms and collecting orders at their companies. Orders will be taken through Monday, March 14th, and the plants will be available for delivery

or pickup Wednesday, March 23rd. CVC is a local, non-profit victim service agency providing services for victims of crime and their families in Northampton and Lehigh Counties. All proceeds from the sale will help Crime Victims Council continue to offer confidential services at no cost. Services include: 24-hour hotline, individual and support group counseling, hospital and court accompaniment, and prevention education programs. For more information, help with placing an order, and/or to assist with the fundraiser at your place of business, please call Sara Ullmer at 610-437-6610 x26 or email her at sullmer@cvclv.org. Order forms can be printed from the website at www.cvclv.org.

UBFP Monthly is made possible by the businesses and organizations you see on these pages. Remember to thank them for supporting your community’s voice.

• Upper Bucks Free Press • February 2016

Memorial Portrait of Quakertown K9 Officer Kito Presented

Kathy and John Kutt of Quakertown (front) are the lucky winners drawn at random among votes submitted t the UBFP Best of Upper Bucks 2016 Awards. They won $50 to spend with any advertiser in our February issu Brewing Company in Quakertown. (back) Free Press publisher Christopher Betz and Proper Brewing Compa

Girl Scout Troop #1 Where are The

Quakertown Police Officer Brian Lockwood receives a painting of his fallen K9 partner Kito by local artist Jim Lukens. Community member John Wyatt commissioned the painting and raised funds for it to be made. Members of Borough Council were also on hand for the ceremony. photo by michele buono

QHS Best Buddies Host Prom

Quakertown High School's Best Buddies hosted a Prom for high school Best Buddies clubs in the Bucks and Montgomery counties. The Ball is for special needs high school students and their buddies. Best Buddies is a statewide, national, and international organization with over 1,900 chapters worldwide. The theme for this year’s ball at Quakertown High School was: " An Evening in Paris." The night began at 5 o'clock with a dinner for all in attendance. Dancing and games continued until 9:00.

The first Girl Scout troop in Quakertown was founded in 1936 by Alverna Afflerbach. Do you know one of these girls? Was your mom, sister, aunt, or grandmother a member of Quakertown Troop #1? Help Richland Service Unit celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first Quakertown Community Girl Scout Troop. A celebration will take

place on Satu Quakertown’s Sunday, May 2 If you or a r Girl Scout troo Community S want to hear fr Jane Cope at 2 to hear your m to participate i

#shopsmallqu

St. Isidore Students Keep Busy w

Second grade along with the rest of St. Isidore School students wore Crazy Socks to support the Joy of Sox we collected 3 bins of men's socks for the homeless.

Saint Isidore students collected 760 pair of socks for the Homeless during Catholic Schools Week and a featured Sock Hop. Pictured are 7th & 8th grade students along with Morgan Perry and Vanessa Miranda who picked up the socks for the "Joy of Sox" Foundation. The socks were presented on Ash Wednesday which is also during Remember the Homeless Week.

St. Isidore School students recently celebrated their 100 year. They made hats with 100 star stickers, 100 things fo of 10 different foods. They also did family projects. Stud items on a posterboard. They also did 100 jumping jacks

ey Now?

urday, May 21, 2016 at Arts Alive! (Rain date, 22nd.) relative is an Alumna of a op from the Quakertown School District area, we rom you! Please contact 215-536-4747. We want memories and invite you in our celebration.

4H Club Members Seek Friends to Horse Around

Quakertown Alive! is happy to announce the winners of our first #shopquakertown Instagram photo contest. First place goes to Jennifer Rehrig for her photo (above) at the Sine’s 5 & 10 counter. Second place went to Maria Rueger for the beautiful interior shot of Pippi & Peanuts Eclectic Boutique. And Tori Tribue took third place for her photo at the bar of The Proper Brewing Company. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone who entered. Follow Quakertown Alive! on Instagram for more contests and photos of Quakertown.

PUZZLE ANSWERS: BuckyGrams: rose, lily, daisy, heather, holly, violet, ivy, jasmine, iris, petunia, flora, sage Hidden message: Daylight Saving Time has arrived! Box Puzzle: I overslept!

to nominate businesses for ue. They chose The Proper any owner Brian Wilson

February 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

uakertown

A local group of 4H children from the Horsin’ Around Horse Club worked on a poster to help with member recruitment. This group meets on the 3rd Sunday of the month. This club does all kinds of fun events from showing their Breyer models at model horse shows to learning about real horses and participating in horse shows. These kids know how to horse around. They are always having fun together. These children will be one of the many 4H clubs at the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Tractor Supply store on March 5th. The leaders of this club are also coaching the Novice and Juniors Horse Bowl team. Horse Bowl is horse competition where children are asked horse knowledge questions and buzz in with the correct answer. The kids always enjoy themselves. For more information on horse bowl or horsin around pool lease contact horsinaroundbc4h@ gmail.com.

Junior Borough Council Members Recognized Generation Nothing band members Emily Owens and Erin Hooper participate in Open Mic Night at the West End Pub in Quakertown. Both girls are from the Palisades area.

with Projects

0th day of the school or snack, 10 groups dents were to put 100 in gym.

Quakertown High School students and Trumbauersville Junior Council members Mikayla Black and Nicholas Basile receive a commendation from the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs for their participation in its Junior Council program. (left-right) Edward Child, Trumbauersville Council president and past PSAB president; Nicholas Basile; Mikayla Black; Chris Cap, PSAB Executive Director photo by christopher betz

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

Harold E. Buttram, M.D., 90 of Blooming Glen, PA died Wed. Jan. 27, 2016. He was the loving husband of Virginia (Mars) Buttram for 64 years. Born in Oklahoma City, he was the fifth child of Frank and Merle (Newby) Buttram. He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corp during the Korean War. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at El Paso and received his M.D. Degree from the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine. After internship and residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, TX, he practiced family medicine in Richardson, TX and Partales, NM before moving to Quakertown, PA in 1970. He was a Fellow American Academy of Environmental Medicine and authored many papers and books. Harold was a history buff, loved classical music, hiking, mountain climbing and water skiing. He continued in active practice well into his eighties. Upon his retirement in 2008 he was awarded the PA Medical Society Plaque for fifty years of faithful medical service. Surviving are his wife and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the First United Methodist Church of Perkasie, 501 Market St., Perkasie, PA 18944 or to Beverly Hall Corporation, P.O. Box 220, Quakertown, PA 18951. Jeffrey A. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service is assisting the family with arrangements. www.janauglefcs.com Elizabeth A. Cressman, 59, of Quakertown, died Fri. Jan. 29th at her home. She was the wife of the late William Grindle. Born in Quakertown, she was a daughter of the late John and Louise (Federspiel) Cressman. She worked in finance for many

~Obituaries~

years with various banks and financial companies. She was involved with the Quakertown Police Dept. Citizen Police Academy. Surviving is her brother, John G. Cressman Jr., wife Jean of Trumbauersville; sister, Susan Carpenter, husband William of Quinlan, TX; and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations in Elizabeth’s memory can be made to the Outpatient Cancer Center, Abington Health Foundation, 1200 Old York Rd., Abington, PA 19001 or at www.abingtonhealth.org/waysofgiving. Jeffrey A. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Quakertown, is assisting the family with arrangements. janauglefcs.com Barry R. Nicholas, 69, of Quakertown, died Monday, Feb. 1. He was the loving husband of Barbara (Peregoy) Nicholas for the past 47 years. Born in Quakertown, he was a son of Gladys (Graupner) Nicholas of Pompano Beach, FL and the late Ralph H. Nicholas. Barry graduated from Quakertown High School and held an Associate Degree from Strayer University. He served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War. He was employed in the former family business, Nicholas Hardware Inc. and more recently, the North Penn School Dist. Following retirement, he worked part-time for Bucks County Transport. He was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Quakertown. Surviving with his wife & mother are a son, Ryan (Erin); a daughter, Kelly (Dennis) Lawrence; a brother, Dale (Beverly); grandchildren, David, Mary, Aden, Jake, Jonathan, and Rachel. Memorial contributions to the church or, Boy Scouts of America, Bucks County Council, 1 Scout Way, Doylestown, PA 18901. www. janauglefcs.com

C. Ella Barndt, 81, of Quakertown, died Feb. 4, in LifeQuest Nursing Center. She was the widow of Webster L. Barndt. Born in Milford Twp., Bucks Co. she was a daughter of the late Wilmer & Myrtle (Shelly) Bauman. She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Applebachsville. Surviving are son Jeffrey L., wife Elsa of Coopersburg; daughter Lesley Motruk, husband John B. of Center Valley; grandchildren Jeffrey L., Jr, Richard, Bradley, Jeremy, Brittany; great-grandchildren Brianna, Blake, Miranda, Pierce, Ansley, Charlee, Joseph, Michael; sisters Mary Bittenbender & Edna Hillegas; sister-inlaw Stella Bauman; son-in-law Marvin Musselman. She was predeceased by her daughter Donna Musselman; brothers Warren, Harold, Richard, Clair & sisters Beatrice Hillegas & Gladys Moore. Interment church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 837 Old Bethlehem Rd., Quakertown, PA 18951 www.janauglefcs.com

and sisters Mae, Anna, & Emily Interment in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions to ATTN: Donna (Resident Concerts), Gracedale Nursing Home, 2 Gracedale Ave., Nazareth, PA 18064. www.janauglefcs.com

Robert H. Stoneback, 92, of Richland Twp., died Sun., Feb. 7, at home. He was the loving husband of the late Dorothy (Hottle) Stoneback. Born in Richland Twp., he was a son of Fred and Helen (Hager) Stoneback. Robert was a Quakertown High School graduate and dedicated his life to farming. Surviving are his daughter, Helen Sarnac, grandson Mark Sarnac, and brother Richard Stoneback. In addition to his wife, he is preceded in death by companion Arlene Helverson. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Robert’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association, 399 Market St. Ste. 102, Philadelphia, PA 19106, or to Richlandtown Fire & Rescue, PO Box 640, Richlandtown, PA 18955. www. janauglefcs.com

J. Michael Davis, 62, of Perkasie, PA passed away suddenly on February 17, 2016. Beloved husband of Ellen, loving son of Evelyn Griffin (James) and the late John Davis (Delores). Proud father of Jason Davis (Hollie) and Shaina Quiring (Ian). Wonderful brother to Patricia DiGiacomo (Mark), Mary Anne and Jeanette Griffin and a devoted grandfather to grandsons Caden and Carson Davis, and Liam and Landen Quiring. He will be sadly missed by his nieces and nephews Matthew, Cailin, Zachary, Victoria, Julia, Jennifer, Grace, Philip and Anna. Mike was a proud graduate of Germantown Academy and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. For the last 18 years he was a dedicated employee of ThermaSpas. Mike was a devoted family man, a voracious reader and a classic car enthusiast. Most people would describe him as a quiet guy but those who knew him appreciated his witty and sometimes sly sense of humor. He was a true blue Philadelphia sports fan, cheering on his teams when they were winning and cursing them loudly when they were losing. Although he hated the sun, some of his favorite vacations were spent with Ellen in Jamaica. As a “pet parent” his heart belonged to Nigel and Tessie and the late Bailey and Mocha. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mike’s name may be made to Autism Speaks, 1060 State Road, 2nd Floor, Princeton, NJ 08540.

Florence L. “Flo” Finkbeiner, 85, of Quakertown, died Mon. Feb. 8 in Belle Haven Nursing Home, Quakertown. She was the widow of the Edward S. Finkbeiner Sr. and David Shaffer. Born in Quakertown, she was a daughter of the late A. Paul and Grace H. (Shelly) Barndt. She worked for B&G Manufacturing, Hatfield, was waitress at the former Sweethart Shoppe, and was co-owner of the former West End Luncheonette, both in Quakertown. She attended East Swamp Church, Quakertown, where she helped with various activities. Surviving are her children, Linda Lokay, Susan Schnalzer (David), David A Shaffer III (Michele) all of Quakertown & Edward Finkbeiner Jr. (Grace) of Barto; brother Walter “Jake” Barndt in FL; sisters Annamary Barndt in NC & Jacqueline Yeakel in FL; grandchildren Brian, Brad, David, Lisa, Tiffany, Tonia, & Shana; and great-grandchildren Ceara, Jade, Ian, Patrick, Chase, Bridget, Justin, Bryan, Tyson, & Davina. She was predeceased by children Elaine Schwartz & infant son Robert; & brothers Robert, William, & Edward. Interment was in East Swamp Cemetery. Marion B. Hottle, 92, of Bethlehem, died Fri. Feb. 12 in Gracedale, Nazareth. She was the widow of Mahlon C. Hottle. Born in Springfield Twp., Bucks Co. she was a daughter of the late Raymond & Annie (Mindler) Kressler. She was a member of the former Grace Lutheran Church, Bethlehem. Surviving are her son, Glenn, wife Linda of Quakertown; daughters Marlene of Bethlehem, Deborah Quinty, husband Kenneth of Coplay, and Sally Christman, husband Gary of Lehigh Acres, FL; sister Ruth Reichard of Riegelsville; grandchildren Stephanie, Jeffrey, Toshya, and Keyara; great grandchildren Grimaldi, Noah, Gabrielle, Braylen, & Kennedy; step-grandchildren & step great-grandchildren. Marion was predeceased by her brothers Carl, Claude, Raymond, & Woodrow

Maria Zimmer, 86, of Quakertown died Sunday, February 14th at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital. She was the wife of the late Andreas Zimmer. Born in Kleinbetschkerek, Romania, she was a daughter of the late John and Maria (Maitsche) Graf. She worked as a line leader for the former Perkasie Industries for many years. She was a member of St. Isidore’s Roman Catholic Church, Quakertown. Surviving are her daughters, Marianne Campolei, husband Ray of East Greenville, Hermine Donovan, husband Brian of Easton, and Darlene “Dolly” Peterson, husband Henry of Gainsville, VA; grandchildren, Eli, Tom, Lisa, Sam, Rachel, Micah, Amanda; great grandchildren, Brittney, Anthony, Lauren, Andrew, Anna, Dante, Juliette and Tristan; brother, John Graf; sister, Margaret Dieban. She was predeceased by a granddaughter, Elizabeth Byrum. www.janauglefcs.com

Paul N. Allebach, 79, of Quakertown, died Thurs. Feb, 18 in the VNA of St. Luke’s Hospice House. He was the loving husband of Nancy (Swartz) Allebach. Born in Lansdale, he was a son of the late John & Eva (Nyce) Allebach. He was employed for over 35 years by the former US Gauge, Div. of Ametek, Inc. Sellersville before retiring. Paul served a number of years with the Army National Guard. Surviving with his wife, are sons, Eric, wife Julie of Coopersburg, Jeffrey, wife Tracey of Blandon, and Michael of Quakertown; daughters Vicki Sweet, husband Ted of Allentown and Sandy Fritchman, husband Bryan of Hellertown; sister Shirley of Telford; grandchildren Matthew, Joseph, Leann, Kelsie, Angela, Kristopher, & Michael; great-grandchildren Cole, Zachary, Nicholas, Nicole, & Aubrey. He was predeceased by a sister Nancy Barndt and brother Warren. Memorial contributions in his name may be made to a charity of choice supporting wildlife preservation. Services are private. The Jeffrey A. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service assisted the family. Judy Barron, 71, of Doylestown died Friday, Feb. 19 at Greenleaf Nursing Home. Born in Fountain Hill on August 16, 1944, she was a daughter of the late Maynard and Esther (Mitch) Barron. Judy lived in Springtown with her parents until 1985 when she moved to Point

~Obituaries~

Pleasant. For the past few years she lived in Doylestown.. Surviving are a sister, June Griffiths, husband David, of Bethlehem, their children; David Griffiths, wife Lisa, of Macungie, Jill Griffiths Keller, husband David, of Ct.; nieces Kim Hausman, husband Mark, Vickie Schoenly, and nephew Michael Barron; grandnieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by a brother, Carl Barron. Jeffrey A. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service assisted the family with arrangements.

Stephen Rachfalski, 52, of Quakertown, went to be with the Lord on February 18th, 2016. Steve was born on May 27th, 1963 in Upper Darby, PA. Steve graduated from Perkiomen Valley High School in 1981, specializing in auto mechanics. After high school, Steve was employed by Ford electronics in Lansdale, PA. Steve was an all-around outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing. Steve enjoyed riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle. Steve loved traveling to the beach and the mountains with his family. Steve was a member of the American Legion # 242 in Quakertown, PA. He was friends to many and would always lend a helping hand when anyone needed it. Steve is survived by his Fiancé, RoseMary Wilhelm of 28 years; his son, Brian (Bionka); his Step-Daughter, Nicole (Jeff); Grandchildren, Ava, Jeremiah and Baby to be, Cora; his

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

Father, Vince Rachfalski; Sisters, Jane Lynn Rachfalski and Susan Grillo; Brother, Michael Rachfalski (Judy), and many Aunts, Uncles, Nieces, Nephews, Cousins and friends. Steve is preceded in death by his Mother, Jane Rachfalski and Grandparents, John and Caroline Rachfalski and Edward and Jane Kelly. Memorial contributions can be made to the family c/o Jeffrey A. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service. 135 W. Pumping Station Rd., Quakertown, PA 18951 George R. McNair, 84, of Quakertown, died Sun. Feb. 21st at St. Luke’s Hospice House, Bethlehem. He was the husband of the late Dawn (Strouse) McNair. He worked as an accountant for the former Nissan, Dunlap, & Pritchard firm in Colmar for 25 years prior to retiring. Born in Quakertown, he was a son of the late George R. and Sallie (Horn) McNair. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Surviving are his daughters, Suzanne Haynes, husband Albert, Kathleen Zaskoda, husband Jeffrey, and Christina Ford, husband Michael; grandchildren, Jackie, Zachary, Courtney, Brandon, Emily, Albert, Davis, Ryan, and Tyler; great granddaughter, Zooey Dawn. Memorial contributions can be made to Gathering Point Community Center, c/o Faith Baptist Church, 700 N. Main St., Sellersville, PA 18960. Jeffrey A. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Quakertown, is assisting the family with arrangements. janauglefcs.com

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. - Anne Bradstreet

What Scalia’s Passing Means for our Future

BY PETER M. WILLIAMS

While enjoying an early Valentine’s Day dinner out on February 13 with my wife, I felt my phone vibrate with a text message. I tried to ignore the message. But on Saturday night the messages kept coming so I figured I would look at my phone to see what was happening. I was shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, yet pleasantly surprised that so many family members, friends, and colleagues appreciated the magnitude of Justice Scalia’s passing. Justice Scalia was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. Since his appointment, he was known as a vibrant, articulate Justice who enjoyed engaging those attorneys who argued before him with many questions. He took pride in the opinions that he wrote and was the fifth vote on a divided court on many important cases. In our constitutional law class at law school, students are given a variety of Supreme Court Opinions to read to give the students a flavor for the judicial philosophy of the different Supreme Court Justices. Judge Scalia was always referred to as a “strict constructionist,” always attempting to ascertain the meaning of the Constitution through the words of the Constitution itself and the intent of those who wrote the Constitution. He regularly criticized those who argued that the constitution is a living, breathing document and one that should be interpreted as an evolving document. Not too long after Justice Scalia’s death, the media began wondering who President Obama would appoint and if that person would have a hearing in the Senate as this is an election year. Not surprisingly, President Obama wants to appoint Justice Scalia’s successor and the Republican controlled Senate has indicated that they will not hold a hearing on an Obama nominee; instead they will wait for the next President to appoint Justice Scalia’s replacement. This deadlock has resulted in footage from decades ago showing the hypocrisy of both parties involved. Essentially, legislators want the existing President to appoint the next Supreme Court judge if the President is from their political party, and if the President is not from their party, the decision should be reserved for the next President. Why are the President and the Senate so deadlocked about this issue? Recently there have been many 5-4 decisions in the United States Supreme Court. These decisions have been on issues that are extremely important to

everyday citizens. On those issues that Justice Scalia was the fifth vote for, it is entirely possible that with a replacement, many decisions in which Justice Scalia was the fifth vote for may revert to 5-4 going the other way. While there are numerous decisions that may fall into this category, few issues are more controversial than the gun control debate which was addressed by the Supreme Court in 2008. Specifically in 2008, Justice Scalia delivered the opinion of the Court in District of Columbia v. Heller. This case involved a homeowner in Washington D.C. who was unable to possess a handgun in his home due to the strict gun laws in Washington, D.C. In Heller, by a 5-4 majority, the Supreme Court held “the District’s ban on handgun possession in the home violates the Second Amendment , as does its prohibition against rendering any lawful firearm in the home operable for the purpose of immediate self-defense. Assuming that Heller is not disqualified from the exercise of Second Amendment rights, the District must permit him to register his handgun and must issue him a license to carry it in the home.” This was the first significant look at the Second Amendment by the Supreme Court and given Justice Scalia’s death and the pending appointment of a new Justice, it is unclear whether this decision would stand today, and if not, whether a handgun ban would be found constitutional by the high court. The Presidential primary elections began in February and will continue over the next few months. In my lifetime, I have never seen presidential appointments to the Supreme Court take center stage as they are right now. It seems that everyone running for President indicated the type of person that they want to appoint to the Supreme Court. However, the reality of the situation is that once appointed, Supreme Court justices are free to preside upon the cases before them as they see fit. They are not required to side with a conservative side or liberal side and regularly justices fall on opposite sides of issues from the president that appointed them. In short, the next justice of the Supreme Court will have a very important vote in the upcoming decisions of the Supreme Court. As things stand now, there will likely be many 4-4 decisions in the absence of a tie-breaking vote. It is therefore critically important that voters consider the types of justices that they want when voting for president this year, as the new president is likely to appoint at least one Justice, if not more to the Supreme Court.

Did you know?

Youngest Justice appointed: Joseph Story (age 32) Oldest Justice appointed: Horace Lurton (age 65) Oldest Justice to serve: Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (stepped down at 90)Longest term: William O. Douglas (36 years, 209 days) First African-American Justice: Thurgood Marshall First woman Justice: Sandra Day O’Connor President to appoint the most Justices: George Washington (11)

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

Bucks County Folk Song Society Acoustic Tips for Home Decorating Showcase Concert Slated

At my recent appraisal stage show in Tulsa, OK, an audience member presented me with a six-page long list of the tips that I had provided during my appraisal show. I was a little taken aback by the volume of paper sheets filled with scribbled notes. I was also pretty impressed by her interest and dedication to take down each smidgen of wisdom that I imparted as I appraised, critiqued, and evaluated objects brought to me. I just didn’t know there was so much info to go around. This woman had been taking copious notes as I talked about all things art, antique, and collectible. During my shows, I appraise objects and as they come to mind, I use the objects to be appraised in order to offer some tips about researching an object’s history, selling antiques, and museum-based preservation methods. During my post-show autograph session, this audience member told me that she took notes because she wanted to refer to my tips in the future. At that particular appraisal show, I was talking with residential realtors and staging professionals. I discussed how to clean out a house and put money in your client’s pocket. I talked about how staging a home for sale and integrating a clean design aesthetic can help make a home more livable as well as more marketable. Whether you are trying to sell your home or just enjoying it for the long term here are some of my favorite tips about managing your time and making your home warm and cozy.

clean out the guest room. By contrast, you probably need to set aside an entire weekend to tackle the attic. Remember that closets filled with items always take longer than you think. Get organized, devote time to your project, and ask family and friends for help. When it comes to collecting antiques, museum professionals like me always stick to categories and try to collect in categories. If you are decorating using items that you already have and are in storage, try to group them by category. This will provide decorative groupings that are seasonably appropriate. When you put these items away after the season passes, consider using plastic bags (for smaller items) and plastic tubs (for larger items). Mark the bags or tubs by category like toys and games, china, glass, etc. It will make it much easier to find what you are looking for later.

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Main walls or confrontation walls which are the first walls that you see when you enter a room--are the most important in the decorating scheme. Place an item with a big impact on these walls: a spectacular work of fine art, a superb faux paint technique, or a bunch of family photos. One big statement piece is plenty. At the opera, only one fat lady sings and that’s enough! Dr. Lori Verderame is an antiques appraiser, nationally syndicated columnist and author, and award-winning TV personality on Discovery’s Auction Kings internationally. With a Ph.D. from Penn State University and experience appraising 20,000 antiques every year, Dr. Lori audiences.

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QNB Bank Promotes Denise Landis to Asst VP/Retail Lending Officer Denise Landis has been named Assistant Vice President/ Retail Lending Officer at QNB’s Towne Bank Center. Denise is responsible for processing and underwriting new retail loan applications as well as preparing closing documents and closing loans when needed. She is also responsible for answering retail loan questions from Branch personnel and customers. Her previous position was Retail Lending Officer. Denise has been employed by QNB for over 30 years. She graduated from Palisades High School and acquired her General Banking Diploma from the American Institute of Banking. Denise has also completed a variety of AIB courses to further expand her banking knowledge. Denise lives in Coopersburg with her family. She remains active in the Upper Bucks community where she serves as Treasurer for the Salvation Army.

Trout Stocking Schedule Announced

Local anglers are now able to find out when their favorite fishing hole will be stocked with trout by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, as the annual Trout Stocking Guides are now available in print and online. The commission stocks approximately 3.2 million adult trout in more than 700 streams and 120 lakes open to public angling each year. These figures include approximately 2 million rainbow trout; 642,000 brown trout; and 522,000 brook trout. The average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches in length. The statewide opening day for trout season is Saturday, April 16, but a regional opening

day in 18 southcentral and southeastern counties – including Bucks – is set for Saturday, April 2. Additionally, the Fish and Boat Commission will host Mentored Youth Trout Days on Saturday, March 26, for those same 18 counties and Saturday, April 9, statewide. Youth under the age of 16 can join a mentor (adult) angler who has a current fishing license and trout permit to fish for trout the Saturday before the regular opening days. For more information about fishing licenses or regulations, or to check the online schedule, visit.http:// fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/

You are invited to the Perkasie Patchwork Coffeehouse. The March 19 concert will be the Bucks County Folk Song Society Acoustic Showcase Concert. Experience a potpourri of fabulous Bucks County Pennsylvania musicians. Address: 320 W Chestnut St., Perkasie, Pa. Doors open at 7 pm with performances at 7:30. Adults $12, Adults over 65 $10, Students 13 and up $6, 12 & under Free. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Faith and Light. Visit www. perkmenno.net. Wheelchair accessible. The Perkasie Patchwork Coffeehouse is a ministry of the Perkasie Mennonite Church. Come see some of the best performers available up close and personal in an intimate setting. The Bucks County Folk Song Society has been in existence for over 50 years, performing and supporting folk and acoustic music in and around Buck County. Its membership is based around a core group of accomplished musicians who perform frequently at various events in the area. These events include regular appearances at the Doylestown Arts Fest, Dublin Arts Fest, and Quakertown Alive. The members also get together monthly to share their music and also to welcome and encourage those who are building new skills. More information can be found at www. bucksfolk.org.

The concert will showcase 11 individuals and groups, many of whom will be familiar to Patchwork audiences from previous appearances: Spring Muse, No Windows, Faith and Practice, Bert and Pete from Unsafe At Any Speed, Too Many Cooks, Double D’s. Additionally, and new to the Patchwork stage will be: Backyard Roses, Side by Side, Rick Anderson, John Fox, John West Hunt. Although the society had its roots in the folk revival of the 1960’s, the defining feature of society performances is variety. Its artists today represent all acoustic genres from traditional and contemporary folk to singer-songwriter, traditional country, bluegrass, gospel, tin pan alley, and a variety of original compositions. Many traditional acoustic instruments and styles are represented, including 6- and 12-string guitar, banjo, mandolin, resophonic guitar (dobro), dulcimer, accordion, concertina, harmonica, flute, whistle, musical saw, plus bass guitar and assorted percussion instruments. At each concert a portion of our proceeds support a local nonprofit organization. This month our proceeds support Faith and Light. You can also drop off donations of non-perishable food at Patchwork for Pennridge FISH, our local food pantry, at all our concerts.

Did you know? The very first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in Boston in 1737. The largest parade in the United States, held since 1762, is in New York City, and draws more than one million spectators. Green is associated with Saint Patrick’s Day because it is the color of Spring, of Ireland, and of the shamrock.

A ‘Juggling Act’ Sometimes life seems like a juggling act with how many things you can juggle at one time in any given moment, hour, day or even week. When I listen to women that I work with I do my best to help them understand why “ME” time is important to them when they are taking care of everyone else’s needs in the home, at work and in any of their relationships with others. For a lot of women it can be difficult to first find time for themselves let alone being willing to give up that time for “their” needs. Women who are by nature caretakers experience difficulty in putting their needs first or second. They tend to put themselves last without even giving it a second thought and sometimes not even realizing that they have done this at all. They become so overwhelmed with all of their responsibilities to others that they can’t give themselves permission to do something for themselves. They often feel selfish and/or guilty. I help them to understand that if they do not take care of and do things for themselves that eventually things are going to fall apart and than what? The process for some women is slow with carving out time and learning how to be more gentle with themselves and realize that they to have needs. The main reason it can be slow is because it doesn’t seem possible to find time and ask for what they need. Most women specifically overachieving women with children want to be able to do it all. It makes them feel good about themselves in a positive way.

While this can be positive; that is where it can get tricky and become negative if that becomes the only way they feel good about themselves. This dance at times will create the belief system that “I am not doing enough”. So women will keep doing more and putting more on their plate because while on one hand it makes them feel good about themselves on the other hand they feel overwhelmed and resentful that they are doing it all. It is a balancing act. This is what I educate and support them with so that they can feel good about themselves for who they are and not only with what they do for others. My whole motto is about creating and restoring balance in our lives, no matter how simple or a complicated life we may live. Simply put balance is about fulfilling our responsibilities and knowing when to relax and have fun. I often say that we can complicate things and get in our own way of having the life we want to have because we have too many expectations of ourselves and others which in a fair amount of cases are often unrealistic and self-defeating. In order to halt this behavior knowing who we are and what we want out of our life in relation to others in essential to create balance. So go forth and make nice with yourself you will be a lot happier, freer and balanced…. Trust Me… My belief is that “All persons are truly greater than they think they are.” My belief is that “all persons are truly greater than they think they are.” Susan V. Brewer is a Certified Life Coach and Psychotherapist in the Upper Bucks County Area. She can be reached at 215-872-4219. Visit her website at www.balancelife4u.com.

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

Where Can I Get my UBFP?

QUAKERTOWN Aamco American Heritage FCU A-Plus Mini Market Borough Hall Beer City Classic Staffing Chick Fil-A Dairy Queen Dominick’s Pizza Earl Bowl Lanes First Savings Bank First UCC Church The Free Press Bldg. Giant Markets (309/313) The Grundy House Hampton Inn Holiday Inn Express Independence Court James Michener Library JoAnne’s Frame Shop John’s Plain & Fancy Let’s Steep (Q-Mart) Liberty Thrift Store McCoole’s Red Lion Inn McDonalds Moyer’s Shoes Pep Boys Philly Soft Pretzel Factory Quaker Cleaners Q’town Family Restaurant QNB Bank

Quaker Cleaners Redner’s Market Rep. Craig Staats’ office Roma Pizza Sal’s Pizza Randa Sine’s 5 & 10 St. Luke’s Bone & Joint Inst. St. Luke’s Hospital Swann’s Pantry The Souper Bowl (Q-Mart) Tom’s Help Desk Top Star Express (Exxon) Upper Bucks Senior Ctr Upper Bucks SPCA Upper Bucks YMCA Upper Bucks Chamber Wells Fargo Bank Yum Yum Donuts TRUMBAUERSVILLE Borough Hall Christ Lutheran Church Fino’s La Cantina Spor’s General Store RICHLANDTOWN Seven-Eleven First Savings Bank SPINNERSTOWN Spinnerstown Hotel E J’s Barber Shop PLEASANT VALLEY Country Kitchen

SELLERSVILLE A & N Diner Grandview Hospital Hidden Meadows Roy Ann Diner PERKASIE Dam Good Cafe Giant Food Markets Landis Food Markets Olde Towne Convenience Pennridge Chamber Pierce Library QNB Bank TELFORD Indian Valley Library Landis Supermarket SOUDERTON Care & Share Shoppes SILVERDALE Green Street Barber Shop OTTSVILLE NAPA of Ottsville COOPERSBURG Coopersburg Diner Giant Food Markets The Inside Scoop QNB Bank Turkey Hill Market Last Chance Ranch Store SPRINGTOWN Reflections Hair Studio Village Center Automotive

The answers to the puzzles on this page are found elsewhere in this issue.

Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.

I’ve read Harry Potter. Now what?

Harry Potter is very popular with a lot of kids. It’s easy to get a child to pick up the Harry Potter series because they’ve heard how awesome the stories are. So once your kids have read it, now what? After the Harry Potter became such a success, there were a lot of copycat novels and series published. It seemed like everyone was writing about an orphaned kid whose only hope was some sort of magical power. It’s not to say that some of these books aren’t good, but if your kids were able to tackle Harry Potter, maybe they are ready for another great adventure of a different sort. With the Harry Potter series there are arguments in literary circles that say the writing wasn’t as good as it should have been. In my opinion, anything that can get a generation of kids reading is wonderful. I think kids naturally flock to great adventure stories with heroes they want to be like and villains who make a shiver run down your spine. Where will this next super novel come from? They have already been written 50, 100 or even 150 years ago. I am talking about the classics. Jules Verne (Journey to the Center of the Earth; 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) and Alexander Dumas (The Three Musketeers; The Count of Monte Cristo) are two of my favorite authors. They penned their most famous works over 100 years ago but you wouldn’t know it. Besides being written more eloquently than the majority of today’s books, classics usually

have characters that the reader really gets to know. I particularly enjoy classics because of the more challenging reading level but yet clean content of the stories. That’s not to say that terrible things do not happen in a classic novel, but the writer usually stretched much farther in describing it while still using civil language. It makes the scenes or world they describe so much more vivid and the stories ring true. There are many very good adaptations of the classics (even graphic novel versions) to make the stories more accessible to younger readers. Scholastic publishes junior classic editions and there is the Classics Illustrated versions that are well done. Regardless of the version, there is a reason these books are called classics. The stories stand through time and can still capture a kid’s imagination. Next time you are in a book store, instead of buying the next Twilight book try the original Bran Stoker’s Dracula or, even better, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. We all think we know these stories, but do you really? Often the original story varies greatly from the Hollywood productions we’ve seen and the written story holds so much more. Better yet, if you are unsure which classic to pick up for your child, ask your public librarian! Tell him/her what your child is currently into and ask which classics they would recommend. Pretty soon your child will be finding their next favorite book. For more on books and reading, go to ThisKidReviewsBooks.Com! Acadia (ME) Carlsbad (Caverns, NM)

Cuyahoga (Valley, OH) Everglades (FL) Grand Teton (WY) Haleakala (HI)

Mammoth Cave (KY) Shenandoah (VA) Yellowstone (WY) Badlands (SD) Congaree (SC) Death Valley (CA) Glacier (MT)

Great Basin (NV) Isle Royale (MI) Petrified Forest (AZ) T. Roosevelt (ND) Yosemite (CA) Big Bend (TX) Crater Lake (OR)

Denali (AK) Grand Canyon (AZ) Great Smoky Mtns (NC) Joshua Tree (CA) Rocky Mtn (CO) Voyageurs (MN) Zion (UT)

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

Spring is just around the corner!

NOVA Thrift Hires New Manager, Resumes Consignment Sales

Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) has hired a new manager for the 15-year-old NOVA Thrift Shop whose sales make it a key funding source for the nonprofit victim services, prevention education and advocacy organization. Besides welcoming Maria White, long-time assistant manager, to its top post, the shop has also begun accepting items on consignment again. Taking over from manager Karen Corbett who recently retired, Ms. White of Erwinna is the sole full-time paid employee. She started out as a volunteer at NOVA Thrift ten years ago and was hired in her part-time role six years later. Ms. White will also oversee the transition between the rented shop space on Route 313 north of Fountainville and the shop’s new home at Broad Street and Route 313 outside of Dublin. The move is expected to take place this summer. “In fact, it is our coming move to a larger store with greater retail display and storage space that convinced us to start accepting items on consignment,” said Ms. White. “When NOVA Thrift was founded in 2001, it accepted consignments as well as donated items. But we dropped consignments when we realized we weren’t going to have enough room.” The shop now accepts consigned collectibles and household items that NOVA Thrift prices

at $25 or more. The item remains in stock for six weeks; when sold, the consignor receives 50 percent of the selling price. If the item doesn’t sell in six weeks, the consignor may donate it to NOVA Thrift or arrange to pick it up. Although clothing items cannot be consigned at NOVA Thrift, clothing donations do continue to be accepted and count for 45 percent of the shop’s overall sales. Closing was in January on NOVA’s purchase of the 3.25-acre parcel north of the present location. NOVA plans to construct a 9,500-square-foot building to accommodate the shop’s need for retail, office, preparation and storage space for many years to come. “The shop opened in just part of this current space and has expanded several times,” said Ms. White. “But we’ve run out of room to expand and a lot of our inventory is packed inconveniently into sheds at the back of this building. It will be wonderful to be in a new, modern building where we don’t have to step outside to sort items and our growth is unlimited.” NOVA Thrift, which has donated nearly $2.2 million to NOVA’s programs and services since it opened, also has a small part-time staff of paid assistant managers and a roster of devoted volunteers that averages 40 active people at any given time.

Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.

Lily’s Hope Gala to Host Mystery Entertainer At McCoole’s Red Lion Inn, on March 5th, you might witness a bizarre type of entertainment that will make your head spin. Lily’s Hope Foundation is a charity that supports families with unexpected needs due to premature birth, and they booked Mystery Entertainer Jesse Dameron for their gala cocktail party from 5pm to 6pm. Dameron performs demonstrations of mind reading, influences your thoughts with the power of suggestion and subliminal tools, performs psychological illusions, and reads your palm. Dameron stated, “I heard another entertainer say that we entertainers shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously. He said that entertainers bring temporary happiness, but we’re not out curing illnesses or doing anything that serious. It got me thinking. Within two weeks, I booked four Relay for Life gigs.” One of those was a stage act for Relay for Life of Upper Perkiomen last year. Other 2015 charity events included Red Corner Benefit and Fabulous Shoe Night. Dameron’s 2016 New Year’s resolution is to do at least 13 charities by the end of the year. He booked 3 galas so far: 6th Annual Horse Shoe Gala, Keystone Warriors Foundation 1st Annual Gala, and St Patrick’s

Day Party for Preemies to benefit Lily’s Hope Foundation. The full gala for Lily’s Hope Foundation runs from 5pm to 9:30pm and includes dinner, dessert, and an auction. Tickets are $75 per adult, $35 per child, and available at www.lilyshopefoundation.org/party/

It’s been an interesting winter to say the least, with stretches of unseasonably warm weather followed by snow and arctic air blasts! Hopefully you have had sufficient ‘cave’ time to plan your spring gardens. If soil conditions and weather permit, mid-March is generally a good time to direct sow early Spring crops such as peas, leaf lettuce and onions. I purchase onion ‘sets’ from a local garden center or feed store. It’s best to wait until the beginning of April to plant root vegetables such as carrots, radishes and beets. This recommended planting time depends on whether you can safely work the soil in your garden. Raised garden beds tend to be ready earlier than traditional garden beds due to better drainage. If your soil is still frozen, or a handful of soil “clumps” when you squeeze it in your fist, it’s too early to plant. There have been gardening seasons when I have not been able to plant early crops until Midto late April. A good rule of thumb is to plant when the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees. Soil thermometers are inexpensive and can save you from disappointing results. If you are planting a tall growing variety of peas make sure to install your supports when planting. Tee-pee style bamboo stakes, a trellis of string or chicken wire attached to upright wooden poles all work well. March is also a great time to start seeds indoors for May planting. Starting your own seeds is less expensive than purchasing mature plants, especially if you need a large quantity of one plant. It also gives a gardener more variety since your local garden center most likely has a much larger selection of seeds than plants. Seed starting can be very rewarding, but the seedlings do take daily attention once germinated. Seeds and seed starting supplies are available online and in area garden centers and home stores. Kits are available containing everything you need to get started except seeds. But, some self-contained kits even include seeds! If you’re more adventurous you can purchase the components separately. Instructions are included in the kits and on packages of soilless seed starting mix. You can purchase a heat mat for starting your seedlings, but this is not necessary. Seeds may take longer to germinate without the aid of a heatmat, but you can adjust your planting time to compensate for this. Check seed packages before you purchase. The back of the package will contain vital information to your success, such as plant

height and growing habit (upright, bush, etc.), days to bloom or harvest, germination time, and suggested uses (containers, garden beds, hanging baskets, etc.) . It’s also important to note whether the seeds should be started indoors or direct sown. Some plants do not transplant well, so those varieties are better planted directly in your garden after the danger of frost has passed. The average last day of frost in Upper Bucks County is between May 15 - 30. Pay close attention to local weather forecasts for the most updated frost information at that time. To decide when your seeds should be started indoors count the suggested number of weeks backwards from May 15th. Add 5-7 days to acclimate your new plants to the outdoors using a process called “hardening off”. Place the plants in a protected area (not full sun) such as a porch or under a large tree for brief periods during the day, increasing the amount of time each day. This process helps your plants to adjust to their new surroundings. For example: ‘Zowie’ Zinnias (Zinnia elegans) need to be planted indoors 4 weeks before the last frost. So plant the seeds around April 8th. Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia),take 6-8 weeks to be ready for planting, so plant between March 13-March 27. For more detail, Penn State’s “Sowing Annual Seeds” is a comprehensive publication on seed starting. http://goo.gl/ oIVSQe If seed starting isn’t your thing, perhaps you want to try propagating one of your houseplants? This is also a great winter activity. Penn State’s ‘Propagating Houseplants’ is a good reference. http:// goo.gl/nlnnu8 Our 2016 Home Gardening Hotline will be back on March 28, 2016 through October 28, 2016 Call us with your home gardening questions! 215-345-3283 Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 12:00 noon Wednesdays from 1:00pm – 4:00pm Until then, you can continue to call or email us your questions and concerns. “Ask a Master Gardener” Penn State Extension Bucks County Neshaminy Manor Center 1282 Almshouse Rd Doylestown, PA 18901 Email: BucksHotline@ag.psu.edu Please mention that you heard about us through the Upper Bucks Free Press!

Did you know? A sunflower is not just one flower. Both the fuzzy brown center and the classic yellow petals are actually 1,000 to 2,000 individual flowers, held together on a single stalk.

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

QCHS Alumni Assn to Hold Bingo Fundraiser Members of the Quakertown High School Alumni Association are gearing up for a first-ever bingo fundraising event to be held on Sunday, March 13, 1:00 p.m., at West End Fire Company in Quakertown. Co-chaired by Barbara Schwenk Hafler (‘80) and Melea Barto Rupert (’73), the event will include 20 games of bingo featuring Vera Bradley and Coach bags. Door prizes, food, raffles, and a Chinese auction will also be included in the afternoon. Recently retired from the school district after 40 years of service, Melea Rupert has experienced first-hand the importance of supporting our young people. “In my job as a secretary in the guidance office of the high school, I had the opportunity to interact daily with many students. Encouragement of our young people is so important, not only to them but to society as a whole. Students of today are the leaders of tomorrow. As a community we need to do all we can to give these students the best possible start to their post-high school education.” Toward that effort, the Quakertown High

School Alumni Association presents (2) $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors each year following an application and interview process. All proceeds from the bingo event will benefit the Alumni Association’s scholarship fund. “My daughter graduated from Quakertown High School last June so I am well aware of the huge financial responsibility of attending college,” says Barbara Hafler. “While I place a tremendous value on education, post-high school education comes with a huge price tag these days. Through the efforts of the Alumni Association, we have the opportunity to help ease the burden of continuing education by awarding these two scholarships each year to deserving seniors.” Tickets are now on sale for the event. Advance tickets are $20, while tickets at the door will be $25. To purchase tickets, email mrupert55@hotmail.com or call 215.538.7817. Submitted by: Barbara Hafler, Quakertown High School Alumni Association

Writers Group Welcomes New Members

The Twin Rivers Writers Group rebooted its organization for the New Year on Jan. 20, and is pleased to announce a healthy attendance and deep interest by a small but dedicated collection of local writers. The group is an unaffiliated, all-volunteer organization created to serve writers of any genre or format in the Upper Bucks / Northampton / Warren / Hunterdon county areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey (though all writers are welcome). There is no publishing requirement; writers of all levels of experience and accomplishment are invited to learn from each other, and meetings are free. The group, started last year, will continue to meet on the third Wednesday of each month from January-May and September-November, from 7:30-9:00 PM. Meeting location is now the Springtown Fire Hall on Rt. 212 in Springtown, Pa. (For GPS: 3010 PA-212, Hellertown, PA 18055). Based on member input at the reboot meeting, our meeting content will begin with a half-hour of members sharing news, resources and items of interest, followed by an hour of

works-in-progress (WIP) reading and critique. As we go on and members express a desire to pursue additional activities, our content will evolve accordingly. We have discussed the potential to host occasional presentations and seminars featuring guest speakers; provide opportunities for informal networking with each other; and host weekend writers’ retreats in locations not too far away. As our group grows in size and experience, we hope to eventually be able to hold an annual writers conference and writing competition. Interested parties age 16 and up can join our group by registering as a member at http:// www.twiwg.org. Parents of minors, please be aware that some adult content may be discussed during critiques. Minors require the presence of a parent or legal guardian for their first meeting attendance. Again, membership is free, but this registration is the ONLY way you can be directly notified of upcoming meetings and events. We will also post notices on our Facebook page, on our website at TWIWG.org, on our Twitter feed at @TwinRvrsWriters, and in local media.

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

St. John’s of Spinnerstown Selling Homemade Chocolate Easter Eggs St. John’s Lutheran Church of Spinnerstown is offering for sale two types of chocolate Easter eggs, made by its service group, the Willing Workers. Peanut butter and coconut cream eggs will be sold by the half pound for $5; one pound, $10; and two pounds, $20. Orders will be taken by phone, 215-536-0734, March 7

and 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. Pick-up is Friday, March 18 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the church, 1565 Sleepy Hollow Road, Spinnerstown (for GPS purposes, Quakertown, 18951). For directions, visit the church website, www.stjohnsofspinnerstown.org. For additional information, call the church at 215-536-0734.

In the early 19th century, the first chocolate eggs were made in Europe. They remain among the most popular treats associated with Easter.

Christmas Past

Although we are in the Lenten Season and Easter is soon upon us I wish to relate an observance I made at our past family gathering at Christmas. No this is an English class being held by Miss Stever, who loved literature; Scrooge is not having a revelation of Christmas Past. As I sat in my sister-in-laws living room with her husband and my other brother-in-law Christmas evening, straining to hear the TV we were watching as the laughter and jabs the other family members took at one another while playing a game in the dining room, caused the TV to be just a whisper, I too reflected back to Christmas Holidays past. Back in the day when attending school we were always looking forward to the long Christmas/New Years school break. Except for the Thanksgiving/Deer Hunting break a month earlier; it was a long stint of classroom time since school started in early September. Many Sunday School, Church Groups, and just families gathering at the spur of the moment went out “Caroling”, Some went to Care Facilities, some went to the known elderly or shut-ins, and some just went door to door in their neighborhood. Occasionally the residences of those random homes would come out all bundled up with a tray of cookies for the carolers. Little children would stand in the doorway wide eyed in their anticipation of Santa coming. After singing about 2 or 3 carols we would end up with a verse of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Afterwards we would go back to the gathering place and share hot chocolate and cookies. Sometimes we would be around a bonfire (weather permitting) and have hotdogs roasted on the end of an apple branch. Who knows—in today’s world of permits and political correctness, this act of sharing might be hard to do in our communities! As I mentioned in a previous article; the restaurant we frequented (The Lampost Inn) south of Quakertown did not take tips when the teenagers gathered there but encouraged us to throw our tips in a large jar on the counter. This jar was emptied at Christmas Time and the owners and those who “hung out there alot” would all take the money over to the “Children’s Home” east of town on Rt. 313 so they could buy the orphans Christmas presents. Today there aren’t many local hangouts and it is not common for the chain restaurants to do such a thing. Yes, you will find a jar that is picked up frequently by a good cause organization; but the closeness of the clients and owners is not anything like back in the day. I really don’t know if “Hanging Out” would be much tolerated! Church was important on Christmas Eve and the Sunday before when all the “full” Sunday School classes would entertain the churchgoers with a Christmas Program. Many would learn their classes special Christmas Song and of course each student would have to learn “Their Piece” for the

special theater style play as the grand ending of the program. Now attendance of our youth is down in Sunday Schools because of Sports Programs and what I call the “Hand held generation”. Churches attempt to hold a Christmas program and I appreciate all they do, but it will never be as detailed as it was back in the ‘50s and “60s because the children are “Just to busy!” Christmas Eve services are still with us and still are a family affair. Many are held early to accommodate the Older Drivers and children and instead of that special drive through Quakertown to see all the Luminaries as we did in the past, many go home or attend a small party with friends. Shopping is completed in the “Big Box Stores” and starts earlier and earlier each year. Now we even have moved to electronic shopping. The magic of buying Hubley toys for you brother or sister at Sine’s 5&10, the Firestone Store on Hellertown Ave, Klein’s Hardware on Broad St., or Nicholas Hardware is long gone. Going up to Hamilton Street and seeing the decorations at Hess’s or Leh’s is also gone. Santa Claus is not seen in these Big Box Stores or certainly can’t be available –“On Line” – What a shame! The week between Christmas and New Year’s was always a special family-visiting week. Schedules were laid out ahead of time amongst big families as to who was visiting whom on what night. I remember when those visits were scheduled by my Aunts and Uncles and their families for our place, how we cleaned the house so it didn’t look lived in and were warned by our parents to not over indulge on the Lebanon Roll Ups or Cookies so there would be enough to go around. Now hardly anyone comes to see each others tree and Lionel or American Flyer Platform (Putz). Most trees are artificial and hardly anyone takes the hours of time to set up a Putz. We still set up a Real Tree and decorate it like in the olden days. Yes, today most are too busy shopping and adult partying to visit anymore. Gifts are open rather quickly on Christmas day and the kids soon settle in the corner with their electronic wonder. I doubt if some 8 or 9 year old takes his toy truck to his neighbors place and pretends to be in the towing business and helping his buddy get his grader out of a deep pretend ditch going vrom-vrom as he pulls the partially turned over grader to rights itself. Now they are buying I-tunes with the credit that came with their electronic pad or flying the radio controlled helicopter or drone. Imagination seems to be a thing of the past. I couldn’t hear the TV the other night but what I heard was a family enjoying each others company as they played a timed phrase game in the dining room. The TV show was not near as important as hearing that family of brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews sharing time with each other, just like we did in the “Good Old Days.” Dick Helm is a regular contributor. He can be reached at dickhelm@ubfp.org

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

Tips to Pave the Way to your New Home

Whether its your first home or you’re trading up or downsizing consider these important tips to start your process. 1. Start with your credit. Credit reports are kept by the three major credit agencies, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. They show whether you are habitually late with payments and whether you have run into serious credit problems in the past. A credit score is a number calculated from a formula created by Fair Isaac based on the information in your credit report. You have three different credit scores, one for each of your credit reports. A low credit score may hurt your chances for getting the best interest rate, or getting financing at all. So get a copy of your reports and know your credit scores. Work with your loan officer to get your report and review it. Errors are common. If you find any, contact the agencies directly to correct them, which can take two or three months to resolve. If the report is accurate but shows past problems, be prepared to explain them to the loan officer. 2. Set your budget. Next, you need to determine how much house you can afford. You can start with an online calculator. For a more accurate figure, ask to be pre-approved by a lender, who will look at your income, debt and credit to determine the kind of loan that’s in your league. The rule of thumb is to aim for a home that costs about two-and-a-half times your gross annual salary. If you have significant credit card debt or other financial obligations like alimony or even an expensive hobby, then you may need to set your sights lower. Another rule of thumb: All your monthly home payments should not exceed 36% of your gross monthly income. The size of your down payment will also determine how much you can afford. 3. Line up cash. You’ll need to come up with cash for your down payment and closing costs. Lenders like to see 20% of the home’s price as a down payment. If you can put down more than that, the lender may be willing to approve a larger loan. If you have less, you’ll need to find loans that can accommodate you. Various private and public agencies -- including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs -- provide low down payment mortgages through banks and mortgage companies. If you qualify, it’s possible to pay as little as 3% up front. A note: With a down payment under 20%, you will probably wind up having to pay for private mortgage insurance, a safety net protecting the bank in case you fail to make payments. PMI adds about 0.5% of the total loan amount to your mortgage payments for the year. Once you’ve considered the down payment, make sure you’ve got enough to cover fees and closing costs. These may include the appraisal fee, loan fees, attorney’s fees, inspection fees, and the cost of a title search. They can easily add up to more than $10,000 -- and often run to 5% of the mortgage amount. If your available cash doesn’t cover your needs, you have several options. First-time homebuyers can withdraw up to $10,000 without penalty from an Individual Retirement Account, if you have one, though be sure to check because you might have pay taxes on the amount. You can also receive a cash gift of up to $14,000 a year from each of your parents without triggering a gift tax. Check on whether your employer can help; some big companies will chip in on the down payment or help you get a low-interest loan from selected lenders. You can also tap a 401(k) or similar retirement plan for a loan from yourself. Another option frequently used is seller assist. We can ask the seller to contribute toward the buyer closing costs as allowed by the lender. Keep in mind you may have to pay a little more for the house so the seller nets what he wants for the home. 4. Find an agent: Most sellers list their homes through an agent -- but those agents work for the seller, not you. They’re paid based on a percentage, usually 5 to 7% of the purchase price, so their interest will be in getting you to pay more. You need “exclusive buyer agent.” Sometimes buyer agents are paid directly by you, on an hourly or contracted fee. Other times they split the commission that the seller’s agent gets upon sale. A buyer’s representative has the same access to homes for sale that a seller’s agent does, but his or her allegiance is supposed to be only to you. 5. Search for a home. Your first step here is to figure out what city or neighborhood you want to live in. Look for signs of economic vitality: a mixture of young families and older couples, low unemployment and good incomes. Pay special attention to districts with good schools, even if you don’t have school-age children. When it comes time to sell, you’ll find that a strong school system is a major advantage in helping your home retain or gain value. Try also to get an idea about the real estate

market in the area. For example, if homes are selling close to or even above the asking price, that shows the area is desirable. If you have the flexibility, consider doing your house hunt in the off-season -- meaning, generally, the colder months of the year. You’ll have less competition and sellers may be more willing to negotiate. Be wary of choosing search criteria that are too restrictive. For example, select a price range 10% above and 10% below your true range. Add a 10-mile cushion to the location you specify. 6. Make an offer. Once you find the house you want, move quickly to make your bid. If you’re working with a buyer’s broker, then get advice from him or her on an initial offer. If you’re working with a seller’s agent, devise the strategy yourself. Try to line up data on at least three houses that have sold recently in the neighborhood. If you really want the house, don’t lowball. The seller may give up in disgust. Remember, that your leverage depends on the pace of the market. In a slow market, you’ve got muscle; in a hot market, you may have none at all. There’s no foolproof system for negotiating a fair price. Occasionally it’s best to deal directly with the seller yourself. More often it’s better to work exclusively through intermediaries. Be creative about finding ways to satisfy the seller’s needs. For instance, ask if the seller would throw in kitchen and laundry appliances if you meet his price -- or take them away in exchange for a lower price. Once you reach a mutually acceptable price, the seller’s agent will draw up an offer to purchase that includes an estimated closing date (usually 45 to 60 days from acceptance of the offer). 7. Enter contract. Have your buyers agent review this document to make sure the deal is contingent upon: • your obtaining a mortgage • home inspection showing no significant defects • a guarantee that you may conduct a walkthrough inspection 24 hours before closing. You also need to make a good-faith deposit -usually 1% to 10% of the purchase price -- that should be deposited into an escrow account. The seller will receive this money after the deal has closed. If the deal falls through, you will get the money back only if you or the home failed any of the contingency clauses. 8. Secure a loan. Now call your mortgage broker or lender and move quickly to agree on terms, if you have not already done so. This is when you decide whether to go with the fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgage and whether to pay points. Expect to pay $50 to $75 for a credit check at this point, and another $150, on average to $300 for an appraisal of the home. Most other fees will be due at the closing. If you don’t already have one, look into taking out a homeowner’s insurance policy, too. Most lenders require that you have homeowner’s insurance in place before they’ll approve your loan. 9. Get an inspection: In addition to the appraisal that the mortgage lender will make of your home, you should hire your own home inspector. An inspection costs about $300, on average, and up to $1,000 for a big job and takes two hours or more. Ask to be present during the inspection, because you will learn a lot about your house, including its overall condition, construction materials, wiring, and heating. If the inspector turns up major problems, like a roof that needs to be replaced, then ask your agent to discuss it with the seller. You will either want the seller to fix the problem before you move in, or deduct the cost of the repair from the final price. If the seller won’t agree to either remedy you may decide to walk away from the deal, which you can do without penalty if you have that contingency written into the contract. 10. Close the deal. About two days before the actual closing, you will receive a final HUD Settlement Statement from your lender that lists all the charges you can expect to pay at closing. Review it carefully. It will include things like the cost of title insurance that protects you and the lender from any claims someone may make regarding ownership of your property. The cost of title insurance varies greatly from state to state but usually comes in at less than 1% of the home’s price. The lender might also require you to establish an escrow account, which it can tap if you fall behind on your mortgage or property tax payments. Lenders can require deposits of up to two months’ worth of payments. The actual closing is often somewhat anticlimactic. It’s a ritual affair, with customs that differ by region. Your real estate agent can brief you on the particulars. Keep in mind you can meet with your agent and go over all of the above in greater detail! Realtors and loan officers are happy to assist. Sue Deily has been a Realtor® for 31 years, resides in the Upper Bucks Area and enjoys serving her clients in Bucks, Lehigh and Montgomery Counties. Sue is happy to answer

your

real

estate

questions

and

can

be reached at suesellshouses@gmail.com and at

215-872-9865.

Women’s History Month Committee to Honor Judge Cynthia Rufe The Bucks County Women’s History Month Committee is proud to honor U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia Rufe with the 35th Annual Bucks County Women’s History Month Award during a celebration Thursday March 10 at the James-Lorah Memorial Home Auditorium, 132 N. Main Street in Doylestown. The celebration, beginning at 5:30 p.m., includes tours of the James-Lorah Home. Tickets are available at the door for $15 with proceeds donated to a charity of the honoree’s choice Prior to her appointment to the federal bench in 2002, Judge Rufe served as a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County, Pennsylvania where she presided over criminal, juvenile, civil and family court cases. As a sitting trial Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Judge Rufe was appointed to a federal task force investigating mental health and women’s issues in the Bucks County Prison. A social studies teacher at Bristol Borough High School from 1970-72, Judge Rufe has been recognized nationally as a leader and innovator in civics education for schools and the community. “We are thrilled to honor Judge Rufe,”

said Barbara Price, chair of the Bucks County Women’s History Month Committee. “Her work on the bench and in the community – as well as her life of integrity and service – continues the legacy of award recipients dedicated to improving lives in Bucks County and around the country.” In addition to her distinguished law career, Judge Rufe is active in charity and community work, as a past trustee for community agencies related to youth, families, abuse victims, chemical addiction and mental health services. Judge Rufe received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Education from Adelphi University, New York and a Juris Doctor degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School. Prior to entering the legal profession, Judge Rufe taught high school social studies and American history in Bristol Borough, Pennsylvania. She is married to the Honorable John J. Rufe and together they share five daughters and six grandchildren. The Bucks County Women’s History Award is sponsored by fourteen organizations advocating and working for women in Bucks County.

BCOC Receives Pierce Foundation Grant for ‘Keeping Food Fresh’ The Bucks County Opportunity Council (BCOC) received a $15,000 grant from the Leo and Peggy Pierce Family Foundation for our Keeping Food Fresh Initiative that will supply 18 food pantries in Bucks County with refrigerators. The goal of the project is to increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables the pantries can acquire, store and distribute to their clients. Presently, through the BCOC’s Food Program and its partners, Rolling Harvest Food Rescue, the United Way of Bucks County and Delaware Valley University’s Hope of the Harvest charitable garden, low income clients who come to the pantries now have fresh fruit and vegetables available to them. However, many pantries have limited refrigeration space, so they can only store small amounts of produce at a time. This project will help the pantries increase the amount of fresh produce donations that they can accept.

“Our donations of fresh fruits and vegetables have been growing over the last few years,” explained Heather Foor, Food Program Manager for BCOC. “We are thankful for this opportunity to expand our pantry infrastructure to be able to offer more healthy options to families visiting pantries in Bucks County.” “The Leo and Peggy Pierce Foundation is proud to partner with the Bucks County Opportunity Council. Providing philanthropic support to BCOC’s Keeping Food Fresh Initiative to increase access to fresh, nutritious produce through their network of local food pantries is a big step forward to help reduce food insecurity in our region,” said Hannah Schlesinger, Administrator/ Grants Manager of the Leo and Peggy Pierce Family Foundation. For more information about the BCOC’s Food Program, call 215-345-8175 ext. 213.

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016

Building Construction Plans Prompt Free Press Relocation

In mid-January, we learned from the owners of the Free Press Building where our office is located that a total makeover of the building’s interior is underway. Phase 1 of the plan, expected to begin imminently, involves the demolition of the back half of the building’s interior. The area includes what was until recently the Quakertown Alive! office, the former Reenhanced office, kitchenette, conference room, as well as the manufacturing, shipping, and receiving space we occupied. Quakertown Alive! has moved to a new office at the front of the building. Reenhanced recently relocated their office to, as Nick Hance explains it, ‘the cloud.’ Unfortunately with the loss of space, we here at the Upper Bucks Free Press must relocate as well. At the beginning of March, the new Free Press office will be located at 582 South West End Blvd, right next to Azzatori Chiropractic and Edible Arrangements, still in Quakertown Borough. With the exception of a new address, all of our other contact information, including e-mail, phone, and fax, will not change. We look forward to continuing our commitment to the residents and businesses of Quakertown and all of Upper Bucks. The future looks bright all around and we’re pleased to be a part of it. Thank you for your continued support!

March 2016 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

• Upper Bucks Free Press • March 2016