Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

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• Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

What’s Going On in Upper Bucks?

May 1

‘The Creative Age: 55 and Better’ presented 1:30pm by Instar Learning Alliance at Indian Valley Library, 100 Church Rd, Telford.

Never too late to learn a new skill. Free event, registration required. Visit or call the Library at 215-723-9109 x3.

May 2

Cinco de Mayo 5K (6:30pm/walkers) (7pm/runners) at UBYMCA, 401 Fairview Ave, Quakertown.

Registration/$20.

Megan: 215-536-YMCA x120

May 3

Health Expo 10am-2pm at Benner Hall, 1250 E Cherry Rd, Richlandtown. FREE screenings, fitness demos, healthy food, more.

Health Agency representatives available for questions & info on programs. All welcome.

No RSVP needed.

Cruise Nights 4pm-7pm at Country Square Shop. Ctr, 240-3 West End Blvd (Rte 309) Quakertown. All makes/models/years. DJ Hodge Podge, no alcohol, donations accepted.

Email guillrandolph@aol.com or 215-538-7256

May 3, 4, 5

Rummage/Bake Sale (Th/Fr 9am-8pm) (Sat 9am-4pm all day $5 bag sale) by St. Luke’s UCC at 8370 Easton Rd, Ottsville. Lunch/ dinner avail. 484-357-5274

May 4

Designer Purse Bingo (opens 5:30pm) at Richland Twp Fire & Rescue, 64 Shelly Rd, Quakertown. BYOB, Tkts: $25/adv, $30/door.

Adv. tkts call 215-778-1641 or rtfr.org Designer Bag Bingo (opens 6pm) at West End Fire Co, 1319 Park Ave, Quakertown. BYOB, Tkts: $30/adv, $35/door. Contact QTRotary@ gmail.com or 267-227-0262.

May 4 & 5

Spring Spectacular at Quakertown Christian Sch. (Fri 4pm-9pm) (Sat 8am-2pm) 50 E Paletown Rd. 215-536-6970. BBQ, plant/ bake sales, auctions, kids activities, more.

Qtownchristian.org/spring

May 5

Sassy Massey Miles for Smiles 5K, 8:30am at Dimmick Park, Hellertown.

Dress “sassy” & donate a toy. Regis: $35 at https://goo.gl/hPPPW4

Alex Mery & the Townsmen perform 12noon-2pm at Quakertown Farmers Mkt (outdoor stage), 201 Station Rd. 215-536-4115.

BCFL Comic Con! 10:30am-3:30pm at Quakertown Library (also Doylestown & Langhorne branches) Costumes encouraged!

Artists, vendors, food trucks, games, crafts, etc., comiccon@buckslib.org Penny Auction 5:30pm at Telford Fire Co, 400 W Broad St, Telford. Ea. penny gets a tkt to place in raffles for various prizes, including gift cards & gift baskets.

Designer Bag Bingo 7pm (doors open 6pm) at St. Isidore School, 603 W Broad St, Quakertown. Fun new additions! $30/ pp (age 18+), BYOB & BYOS(nacks).

Tkts or table reserve: 267-733-2347 or vjvkmcfadden@msn.com 18th Annual Penn State Master Gardener Plant Sale 9am-1pm at Neshaminy Manor Ctr Health Bldg, 1282 Almshouse Rd, Doylestown. 50+ gardeners on hand to answer questions. Bring a cart. Cash/check preferred.

215-345-3283.

‘Gardening for Songbirds’ 1:30pm at Riegelsville Library, 615 Easton Rd. 610-749-2357

May 6

Spring Breakfast 7:30am-12noon at American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. $9/adults, $4/ages 4-12, Free under 4. Post Hall available for rental: call 215-345-4170 Breakfast 8am-12:30pm at Springtown Fire Co, 3010 Rte 212. $7.50/adults, $4.50/ages 5-8, free under 5.

Sportsman’s Bingo (open 11:30am, games 1pm) Sellersville Fire Dept, 2 N Main St. Tkts: $50 online at sellersvillefd.com, $60 at door if avail. Kitchen open! 215-257-4028 x44

May 7

‘Sensory Storytime’ 12:45pm, pre-school kids on autism spectrum, sensory processing issues, overwhelmed by noises/crowds.

After storytime, 30 mins monitored social play. (limit 10 kids & families) In Perkasie 215-257-9718. Regis: calendar.buckslib.org Suicide Prevention Training: QPR Question Persuade Refer, 6:30pm-8:30pm at Quakertown Library, 401 W Mill St. Twohour training session teaches warning signs &

how to get help. Regis. required 215-536-3306 or at buckslib.org

May 9

‘Spring Fling Party’ w/Geo Bruneio, 11:30am, $12/buffet & party. Upper Bucks Senior Ctr, (firehouse) 2183 Milford Sq Pike, Quakertown. Sign up by May 4. upperbucksac.org, 215-536-3066.

‘Business AFTER Hours’ networking event 5pm-7pm w/Pennridge C of C & Laurel Abstract Co, 600 W Chestnut St, Perkasie.

Please RSVP by May 7. Info: 215-257-5390 or pennridgecc@pennridge.com

May 10

‘Storytime on the Road’ 10:30am, Weis Mkts, 73 Old Dublin Pike, Doylestown.

Stories & fun. Meet w/librarian next to Customer Service. Optional Weis tour aimed at preschool age follows w/snacks. (approx.30 min), all ages welcome.

Arts Alive Paint & Sip (5pm & 6:30pm sessions), Raymour & Flanagan, 110 S West End Blvd, Quakertown. $10, details/regis. at 215-536-2273 or Michele@quakertownalive. com ‘The Creative Age: 55 and Better’ presented 7pm by Instar Learning Alliance at Indian Valley Library, 100 Church Rd, Telford.

Never too late to learn a new skill. Free event, registration required. Visit or call the Library at 215-723-9109 x3.

Cruise Night 7pm-9pm at American Legion Post 242, 610 E Broad St, Quakertown.

No cover! All cars, trucks & motorcycles welcome.

May 11

Vera Bradley/Thirty-One Purse Bingo 7pm at Trumbauersville Firehouse, 142 N Main St. $20/in advance. Info: 267-992-4973 or 215536-3193. If no one answers please leave a message. (VFW Post 11322 & Christ Lutheran) “Suicide the Ripple Effect” film 7:30pm at Richland Crossing Stadium 12, 185 N West End Blvd, Quakertown. $13.80/tkt.

NO tkts at door, reserve at goo.gl/GHXjsU ddevlin@newvitaewellness.com,215-529-7616 “Back to the 80s” Designer Bag Bingo (for Hope Against Heroin) 6:30pm-10pm at Morning Star Fellowship, 429 S 9th St, Quakertown. Tkts $35, check Facebook listing for how to order.

Art Gallery Opening/Reception 6pm-9pm at JoAnne’s Frame Shop, 93 West End Blvd, Quakertown (suite 105). Featuring Chinese painting , Australian Aboriginal & Inuit art.

Bag Bingo! Springtown Fire Co, 3010 Rte 212. Doors open 5:30pm, games 7pm. Kitchen open! $20/tkt. 610-346-8383

May 11, 12, 13

Mother’s Day Flower Sale at Haycock Twp Community Ctr, 1014 Old Bethlehem Rd, Quakertown. Large assortment to choose from. Info: 215-536-2224 or haycockfire.org

May 12

Quakertown Area Bike Rodeo by Quakertown & Richland Police Depts. Registration begins 9am at Quakertown Pool, 601 W Mill St. Ages 6-7, 8-9, 10-12. Bicycle drawing & refreshments following FREE event. r/d May 19.

Adopt-A-Highway Clean Up 8am-10am, meet at CDP parking lot, Rte 313 & Thatcher Rd. christina.harmonosky@ubymca.org Rummage/Bake Sale 8am-1pm at Presbyterian Church of Deep Run, 16 Irish Meetinghouse Rd, Perkasie. All kinds of items available. 215-249-3689, pcdeeprun.org Outdoor Flea Mkt/Bake Sale 8am-2pm at Haycock Twp Community Ctr, 1014 Old Bethlehem Rd, Quakertown. Table rental: Dave 215-239-6290.

Child Car Seat Clinic 9am-12noon at Sellersville Fire Dept, 2 N Main St. FREE safety check of your car seat & installation.

Takes 20-30 mins. Make appointment today at Doug 215-989-3046 Home & Hospitality Expo 10am-6pm at Quakertown Farmers Mkt (dept #201), 201 Station Rd. 215-536-4115.

Iron Core Banned performs (12noon-3pm) & (6pm-8pm) at Quakertown Farmers Mkt (outdoor stage), 201 Station Rd. 215-536-4115.

Work Day 10am-12noon (removing invasive plants, planting native ones) at Nature Center in Doylestown. 215-345-7860 or peacevalleynaturecenter.org

May 13

Mother’s Day Spring Birds Naturalist Foray 2pm at Nature Ctr in Doylestown. Free, all ages w/adult. peacevalleynaturecenter.org, 215-345-7860

May 2018 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

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What’s Going On in Upper Bucks?

Metal Detecting for Historical Artifacts, 1:30pm-4pm w/speaker at 2pm. Hilltown Historical Soc, at c1800s Strassburger Farmstead, 407 Keystone Dr & Bethlehem Pk, Sellersville. Free, donations welcome, 267-614-9174

May 14

‘Village Beneath the Waves’ by Carl Lazo, 7pm (about what lies below Lake Nockamixon) at West Rockhill Histor. Soc. meeting, 1028 Ridge Rd, Sellersville.

May 15 May 16

Election Day

“10 Unexpected Scientific Reasons That Mature People Are Awesome!” by Victorian Vanities. Free event, no regis. required. 7pm8pm at Quakertown Library, 401 W Mill St. 215-536-3306, buckslib.org

May 18

‘Tea & Treasures’ Mother’s Day Celebration 11:30am at Pennridge Senior Ctr, Rtes 113 & 152, Silverdale. Tea, sandwiches, desserts served while you browse our Thrift Shop’s offerings. Reservations: 215-453-7027 May Flowers Dinner Dance (6pm-7pm buffet, 7pm-10pm music by Gary Dee) $22/ pp, $12/dance only. Reserve by May 14.

Pennridge Community Ctr, Rtes 113 & 152, Silverdale. 215-453-7027

May 19

Armed Forces Day Arts Alive! 10am-4pm, Juried Arts & Crafts in Downtown Quakertown. 215-536-2273, quakertownalive.com Annual Spring Flea Mkt 9am-2pm at Independence Court of Quakertown. One free space per person, bring own table. Register: 215-538-7050 Mother’s Market 9am-1pm at Trumbauersville Fire Co, 142 Allentown Rd. FREE adm. $10/adv. outdoor space, $15/adv. indoor space. Refreshmts for sale. Info/reserve: bucks58fire.com or Nancy 267-575-0866 Mother’s Mkt 9am-1pm at Springtown Fire Co, 3010 Rte 212. Contact 610-346-8383 or 610-346-7730 Annual Fair Day/Pie Festival 9am-3pm at Church of the Holy Spirit, 2871 Barndt Rd, Harleysville. Crafters/Vendors, food, plant

sale, car wash, pie contest, flea mkt, kids games. Register by May 13 at 215-234-8020, churchoftheholyspirit.us Spring Concert “A Bernstein Celebration” (free-will offering) 7:30pm at Trinity Lutheran Church, 19 South 5th St, Perkasie.

215-257-6801

May 19 & 20

AARK Annual Spring Open House 11am4pm, AARK Wildlife Refuge Ctr, 1531 Upper Stump Rd, Chalfont. Music, food, kids’ activities, silent auction, more. 215-249-1938, www.aark.org

May 20

‘Heritage Conservancy’s Fuller & Pursell Nature Preserves’ 2pm, Springfield Twp Histor. Soc. meeting at Schoolhouse at 2165, Rte 212, Pleasant Valley (GPS Coopersburg).

Free, public invited. Tom: 484-308-1510 Spring Concert “A Bernstein Celebration” (free-will offering) 4pm at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 81 Main St, Pennsburg. 215-679-9015 Cruise with the Motorvator’s at Quakertown Dairy Queen, Rte 309, Qtown. 4pm-8pm. $1/donation per car goes to CHoP

May 21

‘Sensory Storytime’ 12:45pm, pre-school kids on autism spectrum, sensory processing issues, overwhelmed by noises/crowds.

After storytime, 30 mins monitored social play. (limit 10 kids & families) In Perkasie 215-257-9718. Regis: calendar.buckslib.org

May 23

‘Storytime on the Road’ 10:30am at Sellersville Theater, 24 W Temple Ave, Sellersville. Join a librarian for stories, songs, rhymes & fun. All ages welcome.

Petticoats & Pickets, Women’s Role in the Civil War, 7pm at Hilltown Twp Bldg, 13 W Creamery Rd & Rte 152, Silverdale. Free, donations appreciated, Hilltown Historical Soc. 267-614-9174

May 24

BINGO! for Books 6:30pm-7:30pm at Samuel Pierce Library, 491 Arthur Ave, Perkasie. For whole family. Win books & make friends. All ages welcome!

May 26

‘Badge Squad: Zookeeper’ 10am-4pm at Samuel Pierce Library, 491 Arthur Ave, Perkasie. Like animals? Have an interesting pet? Stop by to do animal activities & earn your Badge. Best for ages 8-12, siblings welcome.

J. Creed King of the Flamenco Guitar performs 12noon-2pm at Quakertown Farmers Mkt (outdoor stage), 201 Station Rd. 215-536-4115.

May 27

Country Jades performs 11am-2pm (Q-court Dept #215) at Quakertown Farmers Mkt, 201 Station Rd. 215-536-4115.

Skip & Chickie perform 11:30am-2:30pm at Quakertown Farmers Mkt (outdoor stage), 201 Station Rd. 215-536-4115.

May 28

Memorial Day Quakertown Commemorative Parade & Service (100th Anniv.for WWI) Parade begins 9am at 9th & Park, Service is 10am at WWI Memorial in Memorial Park on Mill St, Quakertown.

Perkasie Memorial Day Parade & Service begins 9am at 7th & Market Sts, ends at Memorial Garden in Menlo Park (Park & Arthur Aves) Service is approx. 10am-11am.

Info: Hartzell-Crouthamel Post No. 280, American Legion, Perkasie.

May 29

Yoga Storytime w/Jess 10:15am-11am at Samuel Pierce Library, 491 Arthur Ave, Perkasie. Bring water & wear comfortable clothes. Yoga mat/towel recommended, but not necessary. Best for ages 4-6, all ages welcome.

June 2

Flea Mkt 8am-2pm at Upper Bucks Activity Ctr, 2183 Milford Sq Pike, Quakertown. $10/ table, food for sale. 215-536-3066.

QCSHS Alumni Assoc. Meeting 10am in HS cafeteria. Continental breakfast, then presentation of (3) $1000 scholarships to graduating seniors, honorary diploma, Wall of Fame award. All welcome, donations accepted. 215-536-5570 Quakertown Veterinary Clinic Pet Fair 10am-3pm at QVC, 2250 N Old Bethlehem Pike, Quakertown.

Trumbauersville 20th Annual Community Day 3pm-10pm at Veterans Park, 140 Woodview Dr. Good food, activities & fireworks.

Cruise Nights 4pm-7pm at Country Square Shop. Ctr, 240-3 West End Blvd (Rte 309) Quakertown. All makes/models/years. DJ Hodge Podge, no alcohol, donations accepted.

Email guillrandolph@aol.com or215-538-7256

June 4

‘Sensory Storytime’ 12:45pm, pre-school kids on autism spectrum, sensory processing issues, overwhelmed by noises/crowds. After storytime, 30 mins monitored social play. (limit 10 kids & families) In Perkasie 215-2579718. Regis: calendar.buckslib.org

June 5 & 7

Youth Mental Health First Aid (must attend both classes for certification) 4:40pm8:30pm. Learn to help adolescent kids (ages 12-18) w/mental health challenges. Ages 18+, Free. Refreshmts, free babysitting avail.

215-536-YMCA

June 8

Food Truck Event 5pm-9:30pm (rain/shine) at UBYMCA, 401 Fairview Ave, Quakertown.

Bring chair, family & friends. Beer, wine, food, live music. 215-536-9622

June 8 & 9

American Cancer Soc. – Upper Perkiomen Relay for Life, Camelot Park, 1124 Church Rd, East Greenville.

June 9

Annual Memorial Walk & Butterfly Release, at James Memorial Park, Ridge Rd, Sellersville, by The Compassionate Friends Quakertown Chapter Yard Sale/Flea Mkt 8am-1pm at St. Isidore parking lot, 2545 W Pumping Station Rd, Quakertown. (r/d 6/16) Space $17, bring own table. 215-529-9727 or landscapecommittee@ yahoo.com

June 10

Public Houses in America & their part in creating America, 1:30pm-4pm w/speaker at 2pm. Hilltown Historical Soc, at c1800s Strassburger Farmstead, 407 Keystone Dr & Bethlehem Pk, Sellersville. Free, donations welcome, 267-614-9174 Cruise with the Motorvator’s at Quakertown Dairy Queen, Rte 309, Qtown. 4pm-8pm. $1/ donation per car goes to CHoP

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• Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

A Guide to Executor’s Fees

BY ROBERT E. FRAVEL, ESQ. A common question(s) among my clients whom have retained me to represent them in the administration of an estate is: Am I allowed to take a fee for going through the trouble of administering the estate, and if so, how much of a fee can I take? The answer to the first part is pretty straight forward. Under the Pennsylvania Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Code, a Personal Representative of an estate (meaning the Executor or Administrator) is entitled to take a fee in exchange for administering the estate. However, the answer to the second part is not so straight forward because the Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Code does not set forth how much a Personal Representative may take as his or her fee.

An Executor’s fee is a viable deduction for inheritance tax and federal estate tax purposes, but that amount may be challenged by the applicable taxing authority if it is thought to be excessive. So what constitutes an excessive fee? Well, there is no definitive answer to that. Most attorneys, judges and taxing authorities abide by the scale set forth in the Johnson Estate opinion from Chester County.

This court opinion establishes a schedule that provides graduating rates for Executor fees based on the size of the probate estate.

Meaning a fee for a smaller estate will represent a larger percentage of the gross value

of the estate, whereas a fee for a larger estate will represent a smaller percentage of the gross value of the estate.

Is an Executor obligated to take a fee?

Absolutely not. Many choose not to take fees for administering the estate, and sometimes for good reason. An Executor’s fee represents taxable income for both PA personal income tax purposes and Federal Income tax purposes. When deciding whether or not to take a fee, you may want to consider the following factors: your individual tax bracket, what the inheritance tax rate on your inheritance is, the number of beneficiaries to the estate, etc. If you fail to properly consider the tax implications of taking an Executor’s fee, you may end up costing yourself money.

If you are not sure if you should take a fee for administering an estate, or if you are unsure of the amount, make sure you consult with an experienced estates attorney prior to doing so.

Robert E. Fravel, Esq. is a Bucks County solo practitioner located at 123 N. Main Street, Suite 208, in Dublin, Pennsylvania who specializes in estate planning & administration, family law and business law. To set up a consultation, call his office at (267) 227-9138. To learn more, visit his website at www.fravel-law.com

Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.

The Lowdown on Home Appraisals A home appraisal is a required part of the loan process and is conducted by a certified appraiser. The appraiser’s job is to provide an objective, impartial and unbiased assessment of the property’s fair market value.

The appraiser’s report includes a detailed look at the home’s general condition and a review of the surrounding area.

Since housing markets fluctuate—as do home values—appraisers rely heavily on recent home sales within the last six months in the local area to determine fair market values.

Location, structural improvements, size and amenities are some other factors that are also considered.

For buyers, appraisals can be a safeguard to ensure that a home’s sales price is reasonable.

Appraisal guidelines are dictated by legal requirements as well as the type of loan being issued. For example FHA and VA appraisers have specific things they look for regarding safety issues, peeling paint, GFCI protectors, and lots more.

For more information or to discuss appraisals feel free to contact me!

Sue Deily has been a Realtor® for 33 years, resides in the Upper Bucks Area and enjoys serving her clients in Bucks, Lehigh and Montgomery Counties. Contact her at suesellshouses@gmail.com or 215-872-9865.

Join Quakertown Alive! at Raymour & Flanigan on May 10 at 5 or 6:30 PM for a fun class painting beautiful hydrangeas on a wineglass. Just $10!

Call 215-536-2273 or email michele@quakertownalive.com to register. Space is limited!

A Chat with Senator Mensch

BY SOPHIA SHAIMAN

On Thursday, April 19, I had the opportunity to sit down and speak with State Senator Bob Mensch. Representing the 24th District of Pennsylvania, (parts of Berks, Bucks and Montgomery Counties), he has over 35 years of past experience with business and management. Mensch is also a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and he represented the 147th Legislative District.

Senator Mensch’s work with breast cancer prevention really stood out to me. As a result of his bill, “more will be discovered earlier.”

Made plain, there is dense tissue and cancerous tissue. With both appearing similarly on medical imagery technology, it is often hard to

distinguish between the two. Due to this, patients will return home with a recommendation to see a specialist if further imaging is required to accurately distinguish between said dense tissue and cancerous tissue. Since it was not previously required for insurance companies to cover appointments with specialists, such as oncologists, many patients would not go due to the fact that they cannot afford it. However, with State Senator Mensch’s bill, it is now a mandate for all insurance companies to cover

a visit to a specialist. Thus, with more prevention in place, fatalities due to breast cancer in PA should decrease, for cancerous tissue will be caught when it is more manageable.

Automation is another topic we discussed.

Since workplace technology is increasing, job security is inevitably called into question.

Automation is something that “affects all states equally,” and State Senator Bob Mensch recommends, “more programming and more mechanics to design and take care of the robots.” He claims that this increase in automation will also “fuel the need for new jobs.”

It is essential that everyone views this increase in automation as a chance for upward mobility; an incredible amount of opportunity lies within obtaining a higher level of education, for it enables civilians to pursue higher skilled jobs.

Domestic violence, especially committed in front of children, is extraordinarily harmful. Due to the exposure to such violence at an impressionable age, these children suffer detrimental effects from said trauma, and are “more likely to repeat the behavior when they become adults.”

As a result of this, Mensch is a principal sponsor for a bill to call for increased penalties for violent crimes in front of children.

Succinctly stated on his website, “As a husband, father, grandfather, executive and community leader, Bob understands the issues that are most important to the communities and families of the 24th District.” More information regarding his background in politics and regarding his position as a State Senator can be located at www.senatormensch.com.

Sophia Shaiman is a Junior at Quakertown High School and an intern at Upper Bucks Free Press. She can be reached at sophia@ubfp.org

May 2018 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

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2018 Toyota 4Runner

It’s one of the most durable, true off-road capable SUVs remaining in a crowded price class. But unlike most others, it holds its resale value of 54.2 percent after five years of ownership.

What we speak of is Toyota’s 5-passenger, bodyon-frame 4Runner SUV that carries a tow rating of up to an impressive 5,000 pounds.

Offered in TRD Off-road (tested) SR5, SR5 Premium, TRD Off-Road Premium and Limited, the differences are the amount of standard features, safety items and trim.

4Runners’ exterior hasn’t changed much over the past few years. The new model has a distinctive burly front end and massive bumper shroud that combined with a roll pan that adds to the vehicles’ short front overhang, allowing a 33-degree approach angle to better negotiate acute off-road gullies. The back also has a short 26-degree departure angle. All good specs for serious off-roading that also comes with a high 9.6-inch undercarriage clearance for traversing rocky, brushy, mud-slicked back roads.

Another feature 4Runner has that has become absent on new mid-size SUVs is a separate opening, powered rear hatch window. It comes in handy when carrying long items like wooden molding, one-piece saltwater fishing rods even a surf board. However, the entire hatch itself is manually operated.

Interior décor is simple but comfy. After a 23-inch step-in bypassing the step rail, long-wearing fabric front bucket seats are soft and supportive. The back seat offers room for three with an ample amount of leg and headroom.

The vertical stack contains large easy to use HVAC controls that can be operated with gloves on. Atop those, are a 6.1-inch touchscreen display that comes with rearview camera and several apps including weather, navigation, traffic, audio and maintenance.

And a delight to avid off-roaders is 4Runner’s mechanically linked 4WD shifter instead of an automated system as found on most SUVs today. This tried-and-true system is preferred by off-road fans for its simplicity, ruggedness and quick engagement as the driver manually shifts into 2H, 4H and 4L gearing with a stubby shifter that resides next to the taller transmission gearshift.

There are three off-road assist modes in addition to being able to lock the rear wheels. One is the Hill-Start Assist Control that provides control when accelerating from a standing stop on a steep incline. It holds the vehicle while the driver transitions from brake to accelerator.

The Crawl Control feature helps maintain a constant speed when driving up and over offroad obstacles. It controls engine speed and braking force to propel the vehicle forward or reverse with one of five driver selectable low speed settings. This allows the driver to focus

on steering over obstacles without having to modulate the throttle and brake.

Then there’s the Multi-Terrain Select system that is used to select the mode that matches prevailing terrain conditions. It adjusts wheel slip accordingly and allows wheel spin to work in the vehicles’ favor. Within it, a Mogul setting is for extremely uneven terrain such as V-ditches, slopes and ridges be it uphill or downhill. It works similar to a limited-slip differential.

Nasty terrain is helped by Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System that allows extended wheel travel at slow speeds for better off-road capability and stability, and on-pavement it reduces body lean when cornering.

With these systems in place, and because 4Runner is based on a truck platform, the ride is firm on Bridgestone Dueler 17-inch tires.

Road imperfections can be felt but on smooth roadways, the ride is civil.

4Runner is powered by a 4.0-liter, 270-hp V6 that generates 278 lb/ft of torque. When coupled to the standard 5-speed automatic transmission, EPA estimated fuel economy is

Repurpose Antiques for the Garden

17 city, 20-highway mpg. Not great, but consider it’s carrying around 4,750 pounds of curb weight that comes with an impressive GVWR of 6,300 pounds. Truck numbers if you will.

Cargo area is especially spacious after a 30inch lift height. As a third row seat is optional, our tester came without it. As such, and with the second row seats up there’s 47.2 cubic of cargo space. That translates into an area measuring 39.5 inches deep, 48.5 wide and 35.5 high. Flip the 40/20/40 second row and capacity expands to 89.7 cubic feet for 65 inches of cargo depth. That could be five inches greater as the second row seat bottoms must first be flipped forward behind the front rows, after which the seatbacks can then be flipped down behind them. A two-step operation.

With a long list of standard safety features and amenities, 4Runner came with but three optional items. The Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System ($1750), Entune Premium audio that included such niceties as satellite radio, Bluetooth and more, and Running Boards ($345) that brought the base price of $37,335 to $40, 235 with a $960 delivery charge.

4Runner also received a four out of five overall government safety score; four for driver frontal crash, three for passenger; five front/ rear seat side crash; and three for rollover which is understandable with its high stance.

If you’re old-school and appreciate a truly capable off-roader, take a 4Runner for a run.

It’ll easily handle any deep snow we get here in the Snowbelt.

Nick Hromiak is an automotive enthusiast and freelance writer. We look forward to bringing you his new column each month.

He can be reached at nhromiak@verizon.net.

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) designed private residences, buildings of worship, office buildings, schools and ateliers, urban civic architecture, and even art museums. Wright united the indoors with the outdoors in his buildings. He highlighted landscape vistas, gardens, and waterfalls.

His Prairie style structures focused on what he called organic architecture which made his buildings stand out in the realm of 20th Century architectural history.

Wright was interested in devising architectural plans that encouraged visitors to make a pilgrimage to the front door of his private homes as is the case with the famous Robie House on the campus of the University of Chicago. He thoughtfully designed stained glass windows to fit within an overall design aesthetic. For instance. Wright’s colorful stained glass windows for the children’s playhouse of the Avery Coonley House in Riverside, IL focused on the family’s active lifestyle with young children.

Wright’s buildings made the hearth the center of the home. The nucleus of his residential structures, the fireplace served as a meeting place in Wright’s home designs with ample seating and room for a large roaring fire as is the case in Wright’s architectural design of the massive hearth in the Darwin D. Martin House in Buffalo, NY. Wright designed all aspects of his buildings which became a mainstay in the history of architecture. It follows that while many of Wright’s buildings have been on the real estate

market for high prices, his furnishings and design elements from these houses are captivating to collectors. The market for Wright’s design objects indicate the current interest in architectural salvage, vintage and antique furnishing and accessories. Wright was a highly respected designer from the foundation of his buildings to the furnishings. Wright designed windows in stained and leaded glass, chairs, tables, serving pieces, built in seating spaces and storage areas, textiles, carpets, light fixtures, planters, sculptures, etc. These objects have become of great interest to collectors.

Some interesting Wright objects demonstrate the interest in architectural elements as a sector of the antiques market as well as the way collectors are engaged to live among Wrightian objects.

Popular Wright objects range from light fixtures and stained-glass windows to lounge chairs and carpet remnants.

As Wright enthusiasts consider taking on the project of buying and updating a Wright home or building, many lovers of modern architecture are quite satisfied with a planter, waste basket or rug designed by Wright. Today, these architectural elements are become much easier to find and afford.

Dr. Lori Verderame is the author, Ph.D. antiques appraiser, and award-winning TV personality who appears on History channel’s #1 show, The Curse of Oak Island. With a Ph.D. from Penn State University and vast appraisal experience, Dr. Lori presents appraisal events to worldwide audiences and in-home sessions with clients nationwide. Visit www.DrLoriV. com or call (888) 431-1010.

Here are the top Wright objects that have sold on the market in the last year showing the interest in Frank Lloyd Wright as a designer: Hanging lamp, John Storer House, Hollywood, CA, 1923 Lounge chair, Clarence Sondern House, Kansas City, MO, 1939 Stained glass window, Lake Geneva Hotel, Lake Geneva, WI, 1911 Stained glass window, Avery Coonley House, Riverside, IL 1908 Leather chair, Francis W. Little House, Wayzata, MN, circa 1906 Standing oak desk, Frank L. Smith Bank, Dwight, IL, 1905 Upholstered bench, Unitarian Meeting House, Madison, WI, 1951 Waste basket, Larkin Building, Buffalo, NY, circa 1906 Bound carpet remnant, Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix, AZ, 1929 Buffalo Pottery china plate with Larkin Co. logo by Wright, c1905

$36,000 $15,000 $10,000 $8,500 $4,750 $4,500 $3,500 $2,100 $300 $150

Think Local. Buy Local.

Be Local.

6

• Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

Upper Bucks Area Places of Worship Bible Baptist Church

First United Methodist Church

meets in Strayer Middle School Cafeteria 1200 Ronald Reagan Drive, Quakertown 267-772-0288 www.biblebaptistcares.org Pastor: Tom Harris Bible Study Hour 9:30 am, Morning Worship 10:30 am, Services interpreted for the deaf

501 Market Street, Perkasie 215-257-4626 fumcperkasie@verizon.net www.fumcperkasie.com Pastor: Scott Dorn Sunday Worship Schedule: 9am Contemporary service; 10:30am Traditional Worship

101 N. Main Street Trumbauersville, PA 18970 215-538-0142 christchurch10@verizon.net www.christchurchisalive.org Pastor: David Heckler A friendly, welcoming church. Change fear into hope, doubt into faith. God is calling.

Join us at 11am Sunday. Halleleujah!

Good News 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

1634 Hilltown Pike, Hilltown 215-822-3930 Pastor: The Rev. Catherine Kerr 10:00am Sunday Eucharist

Christ Church United Church of Christ

Christ’s Lutheran Church

Church of the Incarnation

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.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church

560 S. Main Street Quakertown, PA 18951 215-536-3040 emmanuelchurch11@yahoo.com www.emmanuelquakertown.org Sunday service at 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 Church of Christ

Fourth Street & Park Avenue, Quakertown 215-536-4447 info@firstUCC.net www.firstUCC.net facebook.com/FirstUCCQuakertown Co-Pastors: Douglas & Joyce Donigian Traditional worship Sunday 9:15am, Alternative worship Sunday 5:15pm, Community dinners every 3rd Thursday 5:30pm

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)

Grace Bible Fellowship Church 1811 Old Bethlehem Pike N., Quakertown 215-536-6096 grace@quakertownbfc.org www.quakertownbfc.org Sr. Pastor: Ron Kohl Sunday School for all ages, 10:10am Morning Worship, Evening 1st & 3rd Sundays 6:30pm, Small group meetings 2nd & 4th Sundays 6:30pm, Tues: Ladies Bible Study 9:30am; Wed: AWANA (2 yrs - 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 Tuesday 7pm.

Check website for more info.

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 UCC

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. John’s Lutheran Church of Spinnerstown

1565 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Spinnerstown 215-536-0734 stjohnsspinnerstown@gmail.com www.stjohnsofspinnerstown.org Pastor: The Rev. Axel Kaegler Worship service 9:45am, Sunday School 9 9:45am - children 3 years through 6th grade.

Nursery: 6 months through age 8.

St. John’s Lutheran Ridge Valley

910 Allentown Road, West Rockhill Twp 215-257-9643 stjohnsridgevalley910@gmail.com www.stjohnsridgevalley.com Pastor: Amy Hotter 8:30am Traditional - 10:15am w/praise band.

Grape juice & gluten-free wafers available.

Adult Forum 9:40, Handicapped accessible.

All invited and welcome to Share the Joy!

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Applebachsville

Quakertown United Methodist Church

837 Old Bethlehem Road, Quakertown 215-536-5789 stpauls@netcarrier.com www.stpaulsqtown.org Pastor: Rev. David Heckler We believe in sharing God’s love in joyful service. Come and see. All are welcome.

1875 Freier Road, Quakertown 215-536-4992 barb@qumc.com www.qumc.com Pastor: Rev. Dr. Thomas S. Robinson III Sunday morning worship: 8:00am, 9:00am 11:00am Sunday School for all ages 10:00amCommunion on first Sunday of the month at all services.

104 Green Street, Sellersville 215-257-7268 stacey@stpaulsucc.net www.stpaulsucc.net Pastor: Rev. John Steitz 8 am Rejoice & Praise Worship in Parlor, 9 am Sunday School all ages, 10:15 Worship in Sanctuary, Prayer Shawl Ministry 1st & 3rd Tuesdays from 1 to 3 pm.

St. Paul’s United Church of Christ

Trinity Great Swamp UCC 950 Spinnerstown Road Spinnerstown 215-679-7710 Office@tgsucc.org www.tgsucc.org Pastor: David R. Ellis Sunday services: 8am & 10:30am; Sunday school classes (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 9am Traditional Service, 11am Contemporary Service. 10:15am FaithQuest, Handicapped Accessible, Family Friendly Church, Dynamic Music Ministry. Living God’s Love for All.

Victory Fellowship Church

120 Ridge Road, Telford 215-453-9988 victoryfellowshippa@gmail.com 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.

To have your place of worship

included in this directory, please

Terri Roger at 215-529-8915 ext 11 or by email at terri@ubfp.org contact

May 2018 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

7

Curb Appeal!

Does your home have it?

It’s worth working on it—even if you’re not expecting to put your home on the market soon, taking pride in the street-side view of your home will create an inviting and uplifting appearance to welcome you home.

Take a look: does an overgrown, untrimmed hedge hide your walkway or front door? Getting things well trimmed not only is visual appealing but also has safety benefits in eliminating areas where someone could hide.

It’s not difficult to take steps to create the visual appearances. Start with evaluating the structure of your home; consider the size and shape. Choose shrubs that will complement the home---and don’t forget what you plant will grow! Upright shrubs will fill in well in areas away from windows and doors. Lowgrowing foundation shrubs fare well below windows where they won’t obstruct views.

If your house is big, a row of low-growing annuals won’t stand up against the two-story wall behind them. Use your small shrubs, perennials, and annuals to create an inviting path to your entryway.

When choosing shrubs, consider four-season appeal! Plantings that all go dormant in winter will look uninviting and dreary. To create winter-interest consider some evergreens or elements like trees, benches, hardscaping, or just an interesting rock wall. Lighting adds safety benefits and can highlight an inviting pathway. Inexpensive solar lights create a welcoming glow even on cold winter days.

Monochromatic shrubbery can be boring and uninteresting. If you have room for a variety of shrubbery choices, consider various shades, shapes, and leaf forms. Woody shrubs, leafy perennials, and splashes of perennial color can complement each other to create interest.

Look at the color wheel: if your house is blue, purple, pink, yellow and white flowers add to the calm warm feeling for instance.

Think about on-going maintenance. Even if you love to spend days trimming and deadheading your garden, too much maintenance can be a turn-off to a potential buyer sometime in the future. Shrubs that don’t shed too many leaves, flowers that don’t require dead-heading

and perennials that will re-appear next spring are all welcome additions to a low-maintenance garden.

Plant in groups: people diving by won’t notice individual plants or flowers, Repeat plants or colors to create a larger splash of color.

Add planters where they fit to highlight a path or doorway. But first evaluate the shade/ sun situation where you’re placing them. A sun-loving plant that gets too much shade is not going to thrive and flower brightly.

Taking it a step at a time: remove the old uninspired row of boxwoods, add some hardscaping or foundation plants, a planter, and some solar lights---you don’t have to spend a fortune to start to make a big difference in your home’s curb appeal and the pride you’ll feel when you your neighbors give you the ultimate compliment by following suit and making your whole street a more pleasant place to live or visit!

Q: The days have gotten warm this week, should I get my tomato plants out now to get an early crop of home-grown fruit?

A: No, Penn State advises to wait until daily minimum soil temperature, measured at a depth of 2”, is above 60°F coupled with a warm weather forecast, prior to setting out warmth loving plants. If you don’t have a soil thermometer and want to get a good early start, invest in one to monitor the soil in your garden. As of late April, the soil temperature in our area is currently at 50°F—your tomato’s roots will be unhappy and future growth will be stunted by getting them out this early.

The Home Gardening Hotline and Social Media Center is open!

You can call, email, write or visit us with your home gardening questions and concerns!

215-345-3283 “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!

Saints

BY REV. AXEL KAEGLER As a pastor, one of the things I try to focus on are the lives of the saints. This surprises a lot of people - who think that because I’m a Lutheran I don’t believe in saints. But for Lutherans, sainthood is what happens when God’s Word and Work become clear in the lives of sinners. This means saints comprise my family, my friends, my congregation, and even my enemies. There are some particular saints who have well-known stories that speak beyond their time. We have a calendar of saints to lift up those particular examples. This coming May 2nd is the Feast of St. Athanasius of Alexandria, and is a great example of this.

Athanasius was one of the church’s most gifted theologians. Nearly every article of faith that the wider Church says together goes through Athanasius. But he wasn’t without his faults. What seemed like courage one day, could more resemble pure intransigence the next. We all have people in our lives who will not back down from a fight over words, but in Athanasius we see clearly that some of these fights are absolutely worth it.

There was one struggle in particular that lasted the majority of Athanasius’ career - over the Incarnation. To keep it as brief as possible, Athanasius insisted that Jesus Christ - in life, death and resurrection - was the true incarnation of God the Father. This was in contrast to other early Christian viewpoints which include casting Jesus as a sort of demigod or first-born of creation, the human host of the divine spirit, a simple human who was adopted by God at his death because he lived so well, that he never actually died, and many other positions. From

this insistence, Athanasius helped develop the Nicene Creed. This fight cost him a great deal - many slanders, false charges, trials, multiple exiles, death threats, the whole lot. But he never backed down. Wherever he went, he wrote compellingly and convincingly about just how important the incarnation is.

The Incarnation is an extremely important piece of doctrine. What it means is that the God means what Jesus says and does - caring for all people, forgiving sins, creating the Church, and resurrecting the dead. It means that God understands and experiences actual human life and death, and isn’t far from suffering or struggle. It means that our lives on earth matters. Incarnation means the “carne” - flesh and blood - is worth being “in.” Life is worth saving, bodies matter, human life is made sacred in God’s living. God wouldn’t have wasted God’s time otherwise.

I think those consequences of a theology of incarnation are absolutely worth any fight.

Had it not been for that stubborn, courageous voice out of Africa that would proclaim, and not bargain over the depth of God’s love for actual people, who knows what the faith would look like today?

So the next time you find yourself troubled over the really important things, open a calendar of the saints. You might find that an unexpected person has fought a good fight before you. From there you will find company and fellowship with the siblings in Christ who have gone before us.

See you Sunday!

Rev. Axel Kaegler is the pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church of Spinnerstown. He can be reached at kaegax01@gmail.com

Quakertown Couple Celebrates 75 Years of Marriage James and Dorothy Clemmer aged 97 and 94 respectively, celebrated their 75th Wedding Anniversary on April 3rd, 2018 with a luncheon surrounded by family and friends at Independence Court in Quakertown where the couple resides.

They were married on April 3, 1943 and only four days later, James was inducted into the service on April 7, 1943. He was a parachute rigger and repairman in the 83rd Troop Carrier Squadron, 4387th Troop Carrier

Group with the Air Force. He received 7 Bronze Stars.

He had worked mainly for John L Renninger, pants factory and Dorothy Clemmer worked in a cigar box factory, Crouthamel Potato Chip Factory and others.

The Clemmers received official citations marking their milestone of 75 years of marriage from Governor Tom Wolf and from the House of Representatives by State Representative Craig T. Staats.

8

• Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

Reverend Dale E. Schanely, 91, of Lake Placid, Florida, went to be with his Lord Monday morning, February 26, 2018. Dale was in the companionship of his loving family.

He was born in Quakertown, Pennsylvania on February 6, 1927, son of Ms. Gladys M. Enfield and Bertine B. Schanely.

Dale was a US Army Veteran and served in World War II from 1945-1946. After his discharge, he served as a Missionary to Merida, Venezuela, South America from 1954-1989; He was a university professor of English in the ULA, Merida, Venezuela from 1960 to 1987; pastor of Spring Lake Methodist Church, Sebring, Florida, from 1990 to 2016; visitation pastor for Memorial United Methodist Church in Lake Placid until 2013.

He was the husband of, and is survived by Ms. Cora Ruth (Inman) Schanely whom he wed in 1954; daughters, Gloria Ann Schanely, Sylvia Joy Schanely Suarez (Naudy Suarez Figueroa), Debora Lee Schanely, Tamara Faith Schanely Wagner (Herbert); grandchildren, Christine Melody Rodriguez Schanely (Temo), Audrey Ann Rodriguez Schanely (Jose), Beverly Lee Rodriguez Schanely (Michael), Santiago Suarez Schanely, Francisco Javier Suarez Schanely, Johnathan Dale Schanely, Joshua Wagner, and Tabitha Wagner. He was blessed with 10 great-grandchildren.

The family received friends for a viewing at Memorial United Methodist Church on March 2 and Dale was buried at Lakeview Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Avon Park with Military Honors by the US Army Funeral Honor Team.

Pastor Jerry McCauley celebrated.

Funeral arrangements were under the loving devotion of Michael A. Brochetti Funeral Home, Lake Placid, Florida. 863-465-9997.

Ellen Alcott, a resident of Phoebe Richland for nearly 4 years, transitioned into her heavenly home on Tues., March 20, 2018, with family by her side. She lived a good 94 years of life.

Married to William H. Alcott in 1946, they lived in Perkasie and Bedminster with their family of six children. They then moved to Quakertown to spend their retirement years in leisure. After 53 years of marriage, Ellen was

~Obituaries~

preceded in death by William in January of the year 2000.

Ellen is survived by three sons: William, Alan, and John, wife Jodelle; three daughters: Barbara Scott, husband Gary, Patti Dutt, Bradley and Joyce Smith, husband Robert; ten grandchildren: Jodi Burnett, Jay and Amanda Scott, Angelina and Gabriella Alcott, Sunny Joy Buhay, Peter and Randy Taylor, David and Hannah Smith; eleven great-grandchildren: Travis, Sadie and Auburn Burnett; Isabelle and Ivan Scott, Mason and Kaden Stone, Aubrey, Ryleigh and Alex Buhay and Avri Taylor; two brothers, Walter and Donald Walker; and one sister, Margaret Heilman.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter E. and Ida (Richman) Walker; a sister, Shirley Verguldi; and brothers, Kenneth, Victor, and Edmond Walker.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, April 7 at East Swamp Church in Quakertown.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to either The Salvation Army, 701 North Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19123 or Camp Men-O-Lan, 1415 Doerr Road, Quakertown, PA 18951. www.nauglefcs.com

Fern Cressman, 91, of Quakertown, died Wed., Mar. 28 at Phoebe Richland. She was the loving wife of the late James A. Cressman, with whom she celebrated 71 years of marriage.

Born in Quakertown, she was a daughter of the late Edwin and Mabel (Schaffer) Shearer.

She was employed as a seamstress working for factories in Quakertown and Perkasie.

Fern loved birds, flowers, baking and cooking, but most of all loved her family and friends.

Surviving are her children: Candace Hangey, husband William Sr. of Quakertown; Jaime Cressman, life partner Alan Breyer of Sneads Ferry, NC, She was the “Nannar” to grandchildren: Melissa, husband Jason; William Jr., wife Chrissy; Brent, wife Jillianne; & Michael and to her thirteen great-grandchildren. She

is survived by her sister: Carole Kooker and predeceased by two sisters Pauline & Jean.

Memorial contributions can be made to Last Chance Ranch, 9 Beck Rd., Quakertown 18951. www.nauglefcs.com

Daniel J. Smith, 31, of Trumbauersville Borough, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, March 31, 2018 at the Reading Hospital.

Born in Philadelphia, he was the beloved son of Michael and Andrea (Werner) Smith of Hatfield. Dan was a 2004 graduate of Arch Bishop Ryan High School.

He was employed as a National Registered Paramedic for the Plymouth Community Ambulance Association and as an elected Pennsylvania State Constable in Bucks County.

Dan loved his family and friends, the outdoors, camping, hunting, ATVs, playing guitar, cooking, and was a gun enthusiast. He was a hard worker, but also liked to play hard.

He loved to laugh, tell stories, and make people laugh. His life’s motto was: Life, love, joy and laughter to those he met.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by his sister, Jessica Smith of Philadelphia, his girlfriend, Christine Tarozzi,, two uncles, four aunts, his cousins, friends, and his three companion dogs: Abigail, Tucker, and AK. Memorial contributions may be made in Dan’s memory to the German Shepherd Rescue of Southeastern Pennsylvania, 9012 Cargill Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19115 or at www.GSR-SP.com.

Suzanne H. Bolton, 89, of Quakertown, passed away at home in the presence of her family Sat., Mar. 31. She was the loving wife of Nelson P. Bolton.

Born in Cleveland, OH, she was the only child of the late Robert E. and Isabelle (Mulholland) Howarth. Suzanne was a 1946 graduate of Quakertown High School and went on to receive her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Lake Erie College in Painsville, OH in 1950.

She was a co-founder, active member and was on the board of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Allentown. Suzanne was a former volunteer at Quakertown Hospital, but most recently her favorite thing was being a grandmother and great-grandmother who baked lots of cookies for her adoring family.

Surviving with Nelson are their children: Jonathan and wife Deborah of Quakertown; Edwin and wife Elizabeth of Trumbauersville; Hester Bade and husband Jeffrey of Macungie; grandchildren: Jon L., Abigail, Arek, Karina, Brace, Isabelle, Marian and Connor; and great-grandchildren: Emily, Megan and Crider.

A memorial service was held at Suzanne’s church on Saturday, April 7, 2018.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to St. Paul’s Anglican Church, 2510 W. Livingston St., Allentown, PA 18104. www.nauglefcs.com Jacqueline Anna Higgins, 55, of Largo, Florida formerly of Quakertown died April 18, 2018 in her home.

Born in Philadelphia she was the daughter of John J. & Patricia (Cullion) Higgins.

Jackie was a cardiothoracic surgical nurse who cared for both adults and children with cardiac issues. She started her career as a surgical technician and went on to get her nursing credentials from St. Petersburg College. She was a CCRN and a member of the AORN. Jackie was a volunteer on several surgical missions in South America.

Jackie was a loving and devoted aunt. She loved the beach, baking, and caring for animals in need and enjoyed riding motorcycles with friends.

In addition to her parents she is survived by her three siblings John Higgins (Lisa), Rose Higgins (Alan), and Paul Higgins. Six nieces Ivy, Crystal, Heidi, Victoria, Brittany, and Ali, a nephew Dylan.

Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk. com) Quakertown.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Bucks County ASPCA 60 Reservoir Road Quakertown, PA 18951.

Joseph Krchnavi, 92, of Allentown formerly of Quakertown and Naples Florida, died March 31, 2018 in Cedarbrook Nursing Center, Allentown. He was the husband of Barbara A. (Bergman) Krchnavi.

Born in Springtown, Bucks County he was the son of the late John & Elizabeth (Sucansky) Krchnavi.

He was last employed by Sears in Naples, Florida. Prior to that he was employed

by TEVA Pharmaceutical and also was a

self-employed Barber.

He was an avid motorcyclist and instructor for motorcycle safety in Pennsylvania. He was also an avid gardener.

Joseph was a U.S. Army Veteran.

In addition to his wife he is survived by his children Joseph Scott (Theresa), Karen Fluck (Dan), Cindy Teta (Cliff), Debra, Stephan, Christopher, and Robin Lehman (Bill). A sister Agnes Besch. 12 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by two brothers John & Emil and four sisters Mary Phillips, Ella Rummel, Helen Kovacs, and Stephania Kovacs.

Services will be private and at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are in the care of the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Quakertown.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to Fragile X Association of Southern California, P.O. Box 6924 Burbank, CA 91510 or online at info@fraxsocal.org

Edward H. “Skip” Fray, Jr., 61 of Warrington, passed away at Doylestown Hospital in the presence of his family Mon., April 2, 2018. He was the loving companion of Deborah Bealer for 32 years.

Born in Doylestown, he was a son of Dorothy E. (Huddle) Fray of Dublin and the late Edward H. Fray, Sr. Skip was a graduate of Pennridge High School.

He most recently worked for Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions, Inc. in Lansdale.

Skip was a member of the Hilltown German Club. He had an affinity for motorcycles, especially the classics and BMW’s. One of Skip’s most faithful companions was his beloved Rottweiler, Rosco.

Also surviving is Skip and Deborah’s daughter, Leah Fray of Columbia, MO; step-son, Kenneth Bealer and wife Jennifer of Denver, CO; brothers: Ralph Fray, Ted Fray and wife Jackie, Tom Fray and Neal Fray, all of Dublin; nieces and nephews: Lindsay, Teddy, Robert, David, Allyson and Kaitlyn. He was preceded in death by a brother, David Fray.

Services were held at Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Quakertown.

Memorial donations may be sent to the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, 1600 East Rollins Street, Columbia, MO 65211. www.nauglefcs.com Arlean Martin, 95, of Richlandtown formerly of Quakertown died April 3, 2018 in Phoebe Richland Health Care Center, Richlandtown. She was the wife of the late Wilmer “Pepper” Martin.

Born in Telford, PA she was the daughter of the late James T. & Susan (Kinsey) Bissey.

She and her late husband served as house parents at both the Quakertown Children’s Home and the Bethany Children’s Home in Womelsdorf, PA. Arlean was a volunteer at Care & Share in Souderton and she enjoyed stamp collecting, quilting, gardening, and baking.

She was a member of Saucon Church in Coopersburg where she was active in the church women’s group.

She is survived by her four children Eleanor Fly of Quakertown, John Martin (Jean) and James Martin (Cindy) all of Spring Hill, Florida, and Janice Rotenberger of Sellersville. Ten grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk. com) Quakertown.

Althea Fern Serge passed away on April 5, 2018 at the age of 89. She was the daughter of the late Otto and Dorothy (Taylor) Wieand.

She was married 67 years to Santo A. Serge who passed away in February. Born in Quakertown, January 14, 1929, she is predeceased by siblings Kenneth Wieand, Kathleen Crawley, and Ronald Wieand. Carole (Robert, husband) Mertz of Parma, Ohio, and Nancy (Wally, husband) Boileau of Lyons, Pa. are her surviving sisters. She was the mother of Larry (Leslie, wife) Serge of Quakertown, Dennis Serge of Philadelphia, Diane (Paul, husband) Felicetti of Boyertown, and Anita Serge of Pennsburg.

She was a grandmother to Tony Serge of Quakertown and Nikki Mayette (Andrew, husband) of Sellersville, along with step-grandchildren, Paul J. Felicetti of Bensalem and Nicole Felicetti of Philadelphia, Pa. During her years at Quakertown Senior High School, Althea excelled in vocal music studying under the direction of Henrietta Jantzen, participating

May 2018 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

~Obituaries~

in musicals, and was a member of Zion Hill Chorale Society. After graduating in 1947, she waitressed at Trainer’s Restaurant where she would meet her future husband, Santo, one of the many single State Troopers who ate at the restaurant. After accidentally spilling hot soup on him, he asked her out on a date and they were married May 13, 1950. Althea was hired by Bucks County Intermediate Unit in 1968, and served as a Special Education Aide at Richland and Haycock Elementary Schools, and in 1996, retired from her last assignment at Penn Foundation. Her love of creativity made it rewarding to others as she shared her artistic talents, sewing, embroidery and knitting skills.

Her children have so many of the creations she fashioned over the decades and remember as young children her ability to create costumes for them at a minute’s notice for school or parties. As a member of Great Swamp United Church of Christ, she was a Sunday school teacher, and choir member, and loved to participate in skits which allowed her to use her comedian skills. Diagnosed in 2013 with a rare ocular melanoma, she faced a long journey of countless embolizations and radiations once the cancer quickly spread. Through it all, Althea remained steadfast to continue to care for her husband and stay strong for him. Family and friends shared her continual singing, laughing, putting puzzles together and knitting to stay cheerful and positive. Most of all she knew God’s eye was on the sparrow and she was one of His. www.nauglefcs.com

Rebecca D. “Becca” Retter, 32, of Perkasie, passed away at her home Thur., April 5.

Born in Doylestown, she was a daughter of Frederick W. IV and Christina L. Retter of Quakertown.

She graduated from Quakertown High School.

She attended Calvary Church in Souderton.

Surviving with her parents are her son: Isaac; brother Fred Retter V, wife Jessie of Milford; nieces and nephew Adria, Freddie VI & Ember and many uncles, aunts & cousins.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Rebecca Retter to Calvary Church, 50 E Paletown Rd., Quakertown PA 18951. Any funds collected will be distributed to local organizations that Rebecca supported.

Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Quakertown is assisting the family. www.nauglefcs.com William J. Hughley, 75, of Richlandtown, died at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital early Thur., Apr. 5, 2018. He was the loving husband of Terry A. (Lampson) Hughley for 40 years.

Born in Wabasha, MN, he was a son of the late Earl and Marie (Franke) Hughley.

Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, his hometown was an ideal setting for the type of life he enjoyed: an active one! His favorite pastimes included fishing and duck hunting on the rivers and marshes, as well as hunting deer and pheasant in the woods and fields. A well-liked and respected member of Wabasha H.S. Class of 1961, he took part in many activities such as baseball and track, going to dances, and pitching in where needed.

William developed a strong work ethic at an early age. During boyhood he helped his grandparents on their farm, and then as a teenager held down various jobs including working at a fishing resort, in a canning factory and flour mill, setting pins in a bowling alley, and many more. A few years after graduation, he moved to Pennsylvania and worked in several jobs, concluding as an employee of Blooming Glen Contractors for over 25 years.

He continued his love of hunting and fishing throughout most of his life. He also was an avid sporting clays shooter, entering many tournaments and participating in benefit shoots at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in Coplay. In addition to his sporting pursuits, Bill was an excellent cook and avid gardener.

Surviving with Terry are his sons: Brent Hughley, wife Shelli of Zumbro Falls, MN and Todd Hughley, companion Monica Zurn of Lake City, MN; grandson, Jason Hughley, wife Crystal of Zumbro Falls; great-granddaughter, Hadley Marie Hughley; brother, David Hughley, wife Ruth of Onamia, MN; sister, Charlene Jones of Wabasha; and brothers-in-law William Lampson of Danbury, CT and Bert Lampson, wife Susan of Johnson City, TN. Memorial service will be held at 11:30 AM Sat., May 12 in Naugle Funeral &

9

Cremation Service, 135 W. Pumping Station Rd., Quakertown, with a visitation beginning at 9:30 AM. Donations in memory of William may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 3551 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19140. www.nauglefcs.com

Sandra Ann Yoder, CPCU, 74, of Quakertown formerly of Coopersburg passed away on April 7, 2018 with her loving family and friends by her side in Quakertown Center.

Born in Quakertown she was the daughter of the late Arthur H. & Marguerite J. (Bleam) Yoder.

She was a secretary for the William Heller Insurance Agency in Whitehall before retiring.

Prior to that she worked for the Kardos Agency in Allentown.

Sandra enjoyed gardening.

She was a former member of East Swamp Church in Quakertown.

She is survived by two nieces Karen Orzel (Michael) of Quakertown and Wendy Lewis of Ocala, Florida, a brother in law William Lewis in Ocala, Florida and her special friend, Barry Yeakel of Coopersburg, and many cousins.

She was predeceased by two sisters Nancy Lewis and Judy Howe.

Special thanks to the Quakertown Center, Dr. Margaret Moore and the Doctors and nurses of St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital for the comfort and support they gave her during her last days.

In lieu of flowers contributions in Sandra’s name can be made to the American Heart Association P.O. Box 15120 Chicago, IL 60693 or to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude’s Place Memphis, TN 38105-1942.

Services were in the care of C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Margaret E. (Hemmerle) Donchez, 99, passed away at Belle Haven Nursing Home in Quakertown on Sun., April 8. She was the widow of Robert Kern and Joseph Donchez.

Born in Silverdale, she was a daughter of the late Roland and Hannah (Andrews) Ehrhart.

Margaret was a 1936 graduate of Quakertown High School.

Margaret was employed as a buyer and market representative for Zollinger Harned in Allentown for 15 years and Associated Dry Goods in New York City for 12. Prior to her career in fashion, she raised her family in Coopersburg and was an active member of the community. She was a Girl Scout leader and served as the Lehigh Valley Community chairwoman for several years. Margaret participated in many church groups and was also active in politics as a Democratic committee chairwoman during the 1960’s.

Surviving is her daughter, Sally Saveri, husband Joseph of Coopersburg; 6 grandchildren, Diane Ellor, David Walters, Tim Kern, Samantha Biddle, Joseph Sipos, Kim Sipos; 9 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Lois Walters; a son, H. David Kern; and her siblings. Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Quakertown is assisting the family. www.nauglefcs.com Jean R. Marx, 79, of Quakertown died April 11, 2018 in St. Luke’s Hospital Quakertown Campus. She was the wife of Carl J. Marx. They would have been married 60 years on April 26, 2018.

Born in Bethlehem she was the daughter of the late Thomas & Theresa (Judd) Denofa.

She was an Avon Representative for 33 years.

She enjoyed taking bus trips and dining out.

Jean was a member of St. Isidore’s Catholic Church in Quakertown.

In addition to her husband she is survived by two sons Carl, Jr. of Quakertown and Gary of Little Marsh, PA. Two brothers Thomas Denofa (Jane) of The Villages, FL, and James Denofa (Julian) of Bethlehem, PA. Arrangements are in the care of the C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (.crstrunk.com) Quakertown.

Matthew P. McLane, 66, of Coopersburg, passed away on Saturday, April 14th.

Born in Philadelphia, he was a son of the late John and Patricia (McCarren) McLane.

Surviving are his children: Rachel Como, husband John, and Christopher McLane, all of Coopersburg; grandchildren, Fynnick and Bryleigh; and brothers: Patrick McLane, wife Anne Marie, of Bedford and Michael McLane of Philadelphia. He was preceded in death by four brothers: Denis, Robert, Martin and ohn McLane.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the GoFundMe set up for Matt’s children: https://www.gofundme.com/ matthew-mclane-funeral-fund Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service, Quakertown is assisting the family. www.nauglefcs.com

William R. “Bill” Yoder, 41, of Quakertown died April 15, 2018. He was the husband of Stacy L. (Trumbauer) Yoder.

Born in Sellersville he was the son of William B. Yoder and the late Dorothy D. (Krammes) Yoder.

He was a self-employed carpenter.

He enjoyed all kinds of music and attending concerts. He enjoyed car shows and spending time with his dad. He loved animals and fishing He loved his family and was a loyal friend, and a kind and caring person willing to help anyone.

In addition to his wife and father he is survived by his step-mother Barbara Yoder, two sisters Yvonne N. Kutyna (Edward D.) and Faith Studenroth (Emma). A step brother Michael Stauffer (Amy) and a step sister Angela Stauffer. A niece Aubrey Rose Kutyna, a step-nephew Zack and a step-niece Amaya. His mother and father in law Donald & Linda Trumbauer. Numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is also survived by his cat Milo.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to SPCA 60 Reservoir Road Quakertown, PA 18951.

Services are in the care of C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Stephen Patrick Kelly, 61, of Richlandtown, passed away at his home on Thursday, April 19, 2018.

Stephen was a lifelong resident of the Quakertown area.

Born in 1956, he was a son of the late Kerwin and Nancy (Woodford) Kelly.

Stephen loved cars, flying, and fishing and motorcycles. But especially cars.

He is survived by his son Patrick and Patrick’s girlfriend Rachelle of Richlandtown; his brother James and his wife Lea of Sharpsburg, GA; Kerwin of Fort Bragg, CA; and sister Pamela of Brooklyn, NY. He was pre-deceased by his son Kyle Kelly.

Services are not arranged yet but will be later this year. www.nauglefcs.com Wayne J. Rubic, 71, of Haycock Twp., Quakertown died Sunday April 22 in his home. He was the loving husband Antoinette “ Tony” (Porreca) Rubic.

Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late John and Evelyn (Stanko) Rubic. He worked in the pharmaceutical industry for many years, starting with Johnson & Johnson and retiring as a project manager for Serring Pharmaceutical, Parsippany, NJ in 2011. Wayne was an active volunteer member with the Richland Township Police Liaison Board. He served with the US Air Force during the Vietnam War. Surviving with his wife is his daughter, Deidre Rubic, wife of David Remely of Phila. am. Memorial contributions in his memory may be made to the Vest Fund, c/o Richland Twp. Police Dept., 229 California Rd., Quakertown, PA 18951

Gladys Batcsics, 80, of Quakertown died April 22, 2018 in LifeQuest Nursing Center, Quakertown. She was the wife of the late William L. Batcsics, Sr. Born in Shelly, PA she was the daughter of the late Elmer, Sr. & Jenny (West) Hillegas.

She was a nurse’s aide for LifeQuest Nursing Center prior to that she worked for the former Zohlman’s Nursing Home. Earlier in her working career she worked for the former Latvian Bakery in Quakertown.

She enjoyed gardening, picnics, and raising her family. She loved all her dogs throughout her life.

Gladys is survived by her 8 children William L., Jr. (Sandy), James E. (Debi), Barbara, Terry L. (Vicki), Diane Gilligan (John), Sharon Weil (Mark), Robert B. (Bonnie) and Barry D. 23 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to Grand View Hospice 700 Lawn Ave. Sellersville, PA 18960.

Services are in the care of C. R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. (www.crstrunk.com) Marie Moser, 85, of Quakertown, died Sun. Apr. 22 in St. Lukes Quakertown Hospital.

Born in Washington, Berks Co. she was a daughter of the late Edwin and Mary (Yerger) Moser.

She worked for Spinlon Industries, Quakertown for many years before retiring.

Surviving are a son, Jeffrey, of Quakertown; daughter Deborah Holzerman, husband Steve, of Mohawk, TN; daughter- in- law Sue Schaeffer of Quakertown; 8 grandchildren and 8 great- grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son Gary L. Interment was in Zion Hill Cemetery. nauglefcs.com Doris F. Harte, 90, of Birdsboro, formerly of Quakertown, died Tues. Apr. 24 at her home. She was the widow of Willard A. Harte. Born in Quakertown, she was a daughter of the late LeRoy and Elizabeth (Cramp) Fenstermacher. Doris worked as a sales clerk for the former H. Leh Co., in the Quakertown store for 20 years before retiring. She was also an Avon sales representative. She was a member of the First United Church of Christ, Quakertown. Surviving are her daughter Barbara Headman, husband Steve, with whom she resided; son Willard, Jr. of Pottstown; grandchildren David, Joel, Ryan, Michelle, Christina, & Jennifer; great-grandchildren Lucas, Mackenzie, Liam, Chase, Alena, & Haley, and brother LeRoy and his Wife Lillian of Troy, MI. Interment was in Quakertwon Union Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to the Memorial Fund, First United Church of Christ. The Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service assisted the family. www.nauglefcs.com

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Quakertown PA 18951

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• Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

~Obituary~ Edna “Edie” M. (Pine)Greene-Mumbauer 85, of York, PA, died peacefully at Pleasant Acres Nursing Home at 9:35 PM on April 25, 2018 after a 17 year journey with dementia.

Edie is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Theodore “Ted” Mumbauer of York, PA. Born December 31, 1932 in Philadelphia, PA, she was the daughter of the late Galen Pine, Sr. and Charlotte (McReynolds) Pine.

Edie worked at Danskin for 10 years in Customer Service, volunteered at Memorial Hospital, and loved babysitting children.

She was a member of Mt. Pisgah UMC, enjoyed crocheting many afghans, needlepointing, sewing, baking, and summers at the shore in Ocean City, MD. In addition to her husband, Edie is survived by four daughters, Gail Crean of Warrington, PA; Edythe Mosheim and her husband Maurice of Harleysville, PA; Michiele Belcher and her husband Carl of East Prospect, PA;

and Kristina Beamenderfer and her husband Thomas of West York, PA; a son, Edward Greene, Jr. of New Jersey; three sisters, Gail Rutherford and her husband Richard of Plumsteadville, PA; eleven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Edie was preceded in death by two brothers, Galen Pine, Jr., and Joseph Pine; and a son-inlaw Frederick Crean.

Following cremation, a Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 AM Saturday, May 19, 2018 at Mt. Pisgah UMC, 5615 Mt. Pisgah Road, York, PA. A visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 AM, May 19, 2018 at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Pleasant Acres Auxiliary, 118 Pleasant Acres Road, York, PA 17402.

Our family would like to thank the entire staff at Pleasant Acres, particularly the second floor, for all of the loving care given to Edie during her stay over the last five years.

Two Quakertown 6th Graders Spruce Up War Memorial

BY CHRISTOPHER BETZ On April 7, an unseasonably cold and very wet Saturday morning, a pair of Quakertown sixth graders got down to business to revitalize the garden beds of the Trumbauersville War Memorial at Trumbauersville Fire Company.

Madison Mallery and Sabine Muse, both aged 12, are members of their school’s TSA (Technology Student Association) chapter.

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is a national organization of students engaged in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The girls undertook this project because it was part of the TSA Construction Challenge optional event for the sixth graders. The girls were charged to build or fix something within the school district. They chose to work on the memorial because they knew the fire company was all volunteer based and can always use help with projects like this one.

According to the girls, this helps to free up the members time so they can work on other things like training, general duties and responding to emergencies.

Also the girls note that the Memorial is one of the first things you see when you are driving by the firehouse, so they thought how nice it would be to spruce it up for Spring and Memorial Day. Doing a project at the Trumbauersville Fire Company is also special as Madison has several family members involved in running the organization, including her uncle Justin Mallery, the fire company’s Lieutenant, who helped the girls dig and move materials for their project.

“We know how hard they work to keep this organization running. It is not a small task due to the volunteers’ time they’ve committed so much in responding on calls, training, maintenance, and fundraising. Sometimes these projects get overlooked when the members

have their own houses to take care of and full time jobs to maintain.”, says Madison.

Madison and Sabine were successful in their project transforming a somewhat neglected and overgrown patch of land surrounding the memorial into a very attractive and manicured garden with flowers, mulch, and decorative stones.

“I thought that the memorial turned out beautiful, and it will definitely bring joy to this community,” says Sabine.

Madison adds “I thought it turned out great.

It looks awesome and we had a fun time doing it. The firehouse has gotten many compliments on how wonderful it looks.”

Besides Madison’s uncle, the girls want to thank Nichole Mallery (Madison’s mom), Sally Muse (Sabine’s mom), and Emily Mallery (Madison’s cousin) for their help in putting the final product together.

When asked why they were involved in their school’s TSA, Madison and Sabine responded, “We got involved in TSA because it is a fun activity to do outside of school. It lets us prepare for many things in our future, like problem solving and planning. We also like TSA because there are so many opportunities to learn new things. There are various events to pick from so you can express yourself and your ideas. On Wednesday, April 18 we will be go to States to compete in our events.

We have chosen a couple of projects. The project that involves the war memorial is the ‘Construction Challenge’ With these projects you get guidelines and rules you have to meet and follow. This teaches you how to be dedicated and stick to a time frame and have follow through to complete a project. This is a judged event so you go and compete with other kids throughout the state!”

(left) Quakertown sixth graders Madison Mallery and Sabine Muse work on sprucing up the gardens around the war memorial at Trumbauersville Fire Company, a project they put together for their participation in the TSA program. (right) Emily Mallery pitches in with some heavy lifting preparing the work site for Maddie and Sabine’s project. photos by christopher betz (below) Sabine and Madison show off the results of their TSA Construction Challenge project. photo by nichole mallery

May 2018 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

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American Legion Post 242 Update

BY DICK HELM Charley Wismer says, “The Veteran’s Raffle Tickets have been mailed and make sure you ask our members to get in on one of the best raffles as far as number of prizes and the amount they can win as soon as possible.

Keep Saturday June 23rd open for a great feed as a ticket holder as we all participate in drawing the 100 winners. Who knows, you might draw your own number and receive the appropriate comments from the other attendees for doing so? That evening is always fun with a lot of good food and conversation while the drawing is going on. It is especially exciting when you hear your name called as a winner! Remember over $4500.00 is given out that evening. If you desire you can name the Post as the recipient and have the winnings go back for continuing support of our brother and sister Veterans. In this case you are a double winner for doing good for those who serve or served. Let’s surprise Charley and make this the best drawing yet! Tickets are $10.00 each, 3 for $25.00, or a real bargain 7 for $50.00! Bring all seven tickets with you so you can waive your ticket when your name is called and then go up later to pick up your check.

In other news, we are finalizing the de-

tails for the parade and service on May 28th.

Memorial Day will be upon us before you know it. I can’t stress enough that the holiday is named Memorial Day and not Family Picnic Day. Remember those who gave up their end of May holidays with their families so we can share the rest of that special day with our families in this wonderful country – The United States of America!

The parade forms at 9th and Park Avenue, travels North on 9th Street to Broad Street, then east on Broad to 4th Street, and then North on 4th to Mill Street to the area where the WWI Soldier Monument is in the Park. The parade starts at 9:00 AM and the Service should tentatively start at 10:00 AM. I have attended these services since a boy when they were held in the cemetery. I have gone to services in other cities and towns when away on vacation during that time. Regardless of where it is, the meaning is still the same. Honor and respect to those who served or gave their ALL and most of all the feeling in your heart as a popular song states: “I’m Proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m FREE!” See you May 28th, Dick Helm

The Upper Bucks Free Press is made possible by the businesses and organizations you see on these pages. Remember to thank them for supporting your community’s voice.

Pennridge St. Patrick’s Parade & Celticfest a Success

BY JUSTIN STOTTLAR

BuckyGrams: leprechaun, stringbeans, limes, grass, thehulk, emeralds, irish, peas, spinach, shrek, clover, moss Hidden Message: Time to begin planting! Bucky Block: Takes after her mother.

The idea for the event came to me about 5 years ago prior to getting appointed to the Pennridge Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. I always traveled with my children and wife down to the Falls Township St. Patrick’s Parade. Being Irish is something my family on my Mother’s side and I have always been proud of. When asked to take an appointment to the Board of Directors and help bring a new perspective to the Chamber I thought it would be great to bring an event that was family friendly, community and heritage driven (who doesn’t like being Irish on St. Patrick’s Day) and be a great opportunity for local businesses to get involved, set up tables and promote their products and services.

So, we got a few people together to form a committee. We start in late summer planning the event for the next year. There is a ton of work that goes into planning this but we have an awesome committee currently and are always looking for others to join us. We get a ton of help from our Chamber staff as well.

In the planning process they handle the day to day duties of the event to make sure the day of everything runs smooth. Sellersville Borough and the Sellersville Fire Department have been a true pleasure to work with. We have the event in downtown Sellersville at Poppa Joe’s Grove behind the Sellersville Fire House. This grove is a great venue for just about any event.

They have everything anyone could need down there for any situation. We tweak and add things to the event each year as this grows.

We have seen tremendous growth each year from sponsorships, vendors and attendance.

We can’t thank our sponsors enough because without their support we could not put on this

event. The same goes for all that attend and support the event. Without you it wouldn’t be as successfully as it is.

Our sponsors this year were RE/MAX 440 & Central, Pennridge Development/ Pennridge Airport, ServPro Upper Bucks, Penn Community Bank, Grand View Health, Grim Biehn & Thatcher, QNB, Univest, Upper Bucks Free Press, Penny Power, Boucher & James, Inc, A & T Chevrolet, David Nyman, Sellersville Borough, Stella’s House Blend Café, Modern Male, East Rockhill Township, Urban Fit and POPMedia!

We could not have had this success without the help of our committee: Justin Stottlar (Chair), Boucher & James, Inc, Tom Skiffington, RE/MAX 440 & Central; Rhonda Leimbach, Univest, Tiki Martino, Stella’s Café, Dave Rivet, Sellersville Borough Manager and Chris Sweeney Pop Media. The organization of Rita Woodward and Betty Graver goes without saying, they keep us on track and dot the I’s and cross the t’s. It is team work that makes this a success. We have cooperation of the Sellersville Fire Department, Fire Police and Perkasie Police along with the Public Works group from Sellersville Borough.

Tiki Martino of Stella’s House Blend Café is the organizer of the St. Patrick’s Parade, she does an awesome getting people lined up and ready to roll. Another shining star is Chris Sweeney of POPMEDIA who has donated so much of his time and supplies making our signs and promotional pieces.

Most important is the volunteers who help us the day of the event. We are always looking for people to help us. Boy Scouts to Honor Students and business owners are vital to the success of the day. photo by debby high

Financial Gifts for your Adult Children Mother’s Day is almost may keep many people from itemizing. Still,

here. If you’re a mother with grown children, you might receive flowers, candy, dinner invitations or some other type of pleasant recognition. However, you might find that you can get more enjoyment from the holiday by giving, rather than receiving. The longest-lasting gifts may be financial ones – so here are a few moves to consider: • Contribute to your child’s IRA. If your children have earned income, they are eligible to contribute to an IRA, which offers tax benefis and an almost unlimited array of investment options. You can’t contribute directly to another person’s IRA, but you can write your child a check for that purpose. This could be a valuable gift, as many people can’t afford to contribute the maximum yearly amount, which, in 2018, is $5,500, or $6,500 for those 50 or older.

• Give gifts of stock. You know your children pretty well, so you should be familiar with the products they buy. Why not give them some shares of stock in the companies that make these products? Your children will probably enjoy being “owners” of these companies, and if they weren’t that familiar with how the financial markets work, having these shares in their possession may greatly expand their knowledge and lead to an even greater interest in investing.

• Donate to a charity in your child’s name.

You might want to donate to a charitable organization that your child supports. In years past, such a donation might have earned you a tax deduction, but the new tax laws, which include a much higher standard deduction,

it’s possible for a charitable gift to provide you with a tax benefit, depending on your age. If you’re 70 ½ or older, you must start taking withdrawals from your traditional IRA and your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored plan, but by moving the withdrawal directly to a qualified charitable group, the money won’t count as part of your adjusted gross income, so, in effect, you can get a tax break from your generosity.

• Review your estate strategy. Like virtually all parents, you’d probably like to be able to leave some type of legacy to your children, and possibly your grandchildren, too.

So, if you haven’t already started working on your estate strategy, consider using Mother’s Day as a launching point. At the very least, you’ll want to write your will, but you may need much more than that, such as a living trust, a durable power of attorney and other documents. And don’t forget to change the beneficiary designations on your life insurance and retirement accounts if you’ve experienced a major life change, such as divorce or remarriage. These designations are powerful and can even supersede whatever instructions you might have left in your will. As you can guess, estate planning can be complex, so you almost certainly will want to work with a legal professional to get your arrangements in order.

Mother’s Day is a good opportunity for your children to show their love for you, and you can do the same for them by helping bolster their long-term security through financial gifts and legacy planning. submitted by Bob Podraza in the Edward Jones office on West Broad Street, Quakertown.

He can be reached at 215-536-3635 or at bob.podraza@edwardjones.com

“The unmulched garden looks to me like some naked thing which for one reason or another would be better off with a few clothes on..” - Ruth Stout

QCHS Student Council Fundraiser Benefits Upper Bucks YMCA The Upper Bucks YMCA’s Summer Day Camp program was the proud recipient of the proceeds of a fundraiser hosted by the Quakertown Community High School Student Council. The event, led by Student Council CoPresidents and Seniors Liah Kim and Benjamin Ocamb, fielded 10 teams of 3-7 students per team who competed in a Trivia Night, based on questions about the popular television show, The Office. There was an entry fee to compete and the money raised amounted to $360. According to Pat Edwards, YMCA Executive Director, “It is a fact that some children, without the benefit of technology and learning during the summer months, become further behind when school starts again in the fall. The generosity of these students will provide a number of children with financial assistance for summer day camp which will help them continue the learning and growing, as well as socialization and physical activity, that is crucial during school’s-out time.”

Quakertown Community High School Student Council Co-Presidents Benjamin Ocamb (left) and Liah Kim (right) present UBYMCA Executive Director Pat Edwards (center) with a check for $360 from their recent The Office Trivia Night Fundraiser. The event raised the funds for summer day camp at the Y. Other members of the Executive Council (not pictured) include Nina Shiller, Riya Sembhi, Grace Kave, Rylie Hetrick, Hannah LaBonge, Paige Mott, Sierra Lee, Maggie Claghorn, Lily Colflesh, and Benjamin Wackerman. submitted photo

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• Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

Employment Opportunities

You’ve Got Maids - Hiring commercial nighttime cleaners & daytime residential cleaners.

(215) 529-7837 United Integrity Group Control Your Financial Future.

Looking for a self-motivated, sales oriented individual that works well in a fast-paced environment.

Must be knowledgeable/licensed for home, auto, and commercial insurance coverage. 215-536-4455 Upper Bucks YMCA - Babysitter, Wellness Center Attendant, Sports Attendant, Member

Service Associate, Art Teacher, Summer Sports Camp Counselor (seasonal) All include full Y membership. Call 215-536-YMCA (9622) or stop in to apply at 401 Fairview Avenue, Quakertown.

Geoff’s Towing & Garage - Professional tow truck operators.

Neat appearance, courtesy and professionalism is a must! Rollback operators, Medium and Heavy-Duty Wrecker drivers with Class A. Must have medical card. FT/PT positions available. NOT a 9-5 job. Some nights and weekends a

must! Pay based on experience, tow certifications a Plus. Must be at least 25 years old, pass random drug testing and have a clean driving record. Send resumes to geoffstowspeed@aol. com or call 267-733-2690 Independence Court - Senior Personal Care Community is seeking a part-time evening and every other weekend wait staff to join our team.

Responsibilities include setting and clearing tables and serving meals to residents in a courteous and professional manner. Apply in person at 1660 Park Ave. Quakertown, PA 18951 215-538-7050 E.O.E.

Kulp Roofing & Construction Seeking a window & door and siding installer.

Carpentry skills a plus, reliability a must! Willing to train right individual. Compensation depends upon experience.

Applications accepted at our office at 216 D Apple Street, Quakertown.

Questions? Call (215) 538-0618.

Spor’s General Store - Hiring various positions.

PT. Evenings and weekends likely.

Respond to bspor@sporsgeneralstore.com or stop in the store at 22 W. Broad Street, Trumbauersville.

Quakertown Cleans Up on Earth Day The Earth Day weekend was the perfect time to do some spring cleaning in the Borough of Quakertown. Under the direction of Ashton Rosenberger, Quakertown’s Recreation Coordinator, Councilman Mike Johnson, and East Swamp Church Pastor Dave Kratz over 100 volunteers from the Quakertown area dispersed to different Borough sites to make Quakertown beautiful. Students from Penn State’s Lehigh Campus started mulching work on Friday with the bulk of the volunteers working on Saturday morning. Volunteers from East Swamp

Church, the Quakertown high school Key Club, the Upper Bucks YMCA, DeSales University, Calvary Church, Cub Scout Pack 55, and others braved the chilly morning to work. They painted the baseball stadium fence, cleared winter’s detritus from Union Cemetery, the Quakertown Pool area, the war memorial, and Broad Street.

On Sunday, Strayer Middle School 7th grade students rounded out the three-day clean-up effort on Sunday by picking up trash. photo by michele buono

Richland Library Dedicates Addition The Richland Library Company’s Board of Directors cut the ribbon this afternoon on the Calvin H. Ruth Archive and Research Center. Board Chair Ann Hellman remarked that the two story addition would not have been possible except for the bequest of Calvin H. Ruth that pushed the construction forward along with the generosity of members and friends of the library and local organizations. “Mr. Ruth would probably not like all this attention.

Normally he sat quietly in the background, but when he had something to say you heard him loud and clear,” said Ann Hellman.

The upstairs art gallery includes many of Ruth’s paintings. He was a well-respected art teacher in Pennsburg, Souderton, and the Quakertown Community School Districts. He served as Director, Librarian, and Secretary for the Richland Library Company. The Richland Library is one of the oldest libraries in the state, founded in 1788. It has been located at 44 N. Main Street in Quakertown since the early 20th century. The library’s normal open hours are Saturdays 9 AM - 12 PM.

In honor of Earth Day, students from Strayer Middle School and Southern Lehigh High School participated in the Giant Clean-Up!, an event that they registered on earthday.org. The students spent the day bagging up garbage behind Giant (near Yum Yum). A special thank you to Lowe’s of Quakertown for donating heavy duty garbage bags and gloves. Students in Mrs. Stoudt’s, Mr. Russell’s, and Mr. Storm’s classes are researching and writing about environmental issues in their 7th grade reading classes, and this was a great way to kick off their studies! submitted by kadishe stoudt

May 2018 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

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

Think Local.

Buy Local.

Be Local.

Big Bad Wolf

Gaston

Maleficent

Shan Yu

Capt Hook

Hades

Mother Gothel

Shere Khan

Hopper

Queen

Cruella

de

Vil

of

Hearts

Stromboli

Evil Queen

Jafar

Ratcliffe

Ursula

Frollo

Lady Tremaine

Scar

Yzma

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• Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

Microchips for your Pets

Preventing Dog Bites Despite 12,000 years of living with dogs, they remain largely misunderstood by humans. According to the Center for Disease Control 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year. One in five dog bites result in injuries that require medical attention.

Adult males are more likely to be bitten than women. Children from the age of 5 to 9 years are more likely to be bitten than adults. Most dog bites to children are from the family dog or from a familiar dog. The major cause for facial bites to children can be attributed to hugging and kissing the family dog. Supervision of interactions with dogs and children is a must!

When a dog bites we interpret this in human terms. In most cases the bite is a normal dog behavior. The dog that bites is not necessarily a mean dog or a bad dog - he is just a dog.

To prevent dog bites we need to understand what motivates the dog to bite and reduce risk through modification of both human and dog behavior.

We often want to show love to our dogs the way that we show love to each other, through hugs and kisses. Many dogs can learn to accept and tolerate the hugging and kissing but few actually enjoy it. Every dog has an invisible bubble around them called their comfort zone.

Humans have an invisible comfort zone, too.

When conversing with another human there is a comfortable distance that we can tolerate say a good 3 to 4-foot distance away. Now how would you feel if they were talking to you just inches from your face? You might tolerate it a

few times but if they continued to do this you would tell them to please back off (a human growl). Dogs can’t say please but they communicate by growling along with body language.

Learning to interpret your dog’s body language may help you understand what your dog is trying to tell you. A happy dog pants and wags her tail loosely. The signs of a fearful or anxious dog can be whale-eye (lots of white showing in the eyes), she may turn her head to avoid contact, ears pinned back or tongue thrust like a lizard. A dog that suddenly becomes frozen with no movement can be very dangerous. A dog bite can happen in 1/40th of a second!

Most dogs don’t like being patted on top of the head, they just tolerate it. Try scratching or stroking the dog on the side of the neck, behind her ears or on her chest. My dog loves a good scratch at that hard to reach place at the base of her tail. It makes her go weak at the knees. Play games like fetch, tug-of-war, and hide and seek. Don’t include chasing or rough play like wrestling- or slap fight. Enrolling in a group training class is a great way to learn how to properly interact with your dog. Be a Tree Program website is a great place to learn more about children and dog safety. I’ll be presenting a free seminar at the Quakertown Pet Fair on June 2nd about dog bite prevention for your children. I hope to see you and your children there.

Submitted by Marion C. O’Neil CPDT-KA, CTDI owner and trainer of Molasses Creek Dog Training of Quakertown, and trainer for Runaway Farm Pet Hospital, Pennsburg

Microchips – how something the size of a grain of rice can save a life!

I’m sure almost everyone has heard of microchips – they are a tiny transponder chip that is inserted under the skin of your pet. This little device has a number attached to it, that when scanned (think of scanning your groceries at the store!) will be linked to an account with owner contact information. The idea is that if your pet ever got lost - every shelter, vet office, and even many police stations, would scan them to help reunite them with you!

A study of more than 7,700 stray animals at animal shelters showed that dogs without microchips were returned to their owners 21.9% of the time, whereas microchipped dogs were returned to their owners 52.2% of the time.

Cats without microchips were reunited with their owners only 1.8% of the time, whereas

microchipped cats went back home 38.5% of the time. (Lord et al, JAVMA, July 15, 2009) For microchipped animals that weren’t returned to their owners, most of the time it was due to incorrect owner information (or no owner information) in the microchip registry database – so don’t forget to register and keep your information updated!

Microchips are an easy, safe, and inexpensive way to help keep your pet safe! Most chip companies come with a lifetime registration, and they can be linked to your license through the county too – even better! Ask your vet today for more info, especially as the weather is getting nicer and we are all venturing out more!

Happy spring everyone!

Dr. Mehaffey and partner Dr. Jen Heller own and operate the Pennridge Animal Hospital on Ridge Road in Perkasie and can be reached at 267-272-9996. They also founded Harley’s Haven Dog Rescue.

Harley’s Haven

Meet Murdock

Murdock is the cutest peanut!! He is a 9 month old boxer mix of some kind, who came from a bad situation...he was removed from a house due to unsanitary conditions with 7 other dogs! He was SO scared at the shelter, so they asked us to help! He is still shy, but he is learning and getting braver by the day!

He LOVES other dogs, so would do best in a home with a doggy companion, especially for giving him confidence! Check him out today!

Meet Faye!

Faye is an adorable little young adult pitty mix of some kind, who is waiting for love!

She came to us from SC, and was kept outside we believe, and didn’t get a lot of love in her early life. But we are making up for that now!!

She has really come out of her shell with us, and is doing awesome in her foster home! She loves other dogs and is great with cats too - she is ready for a family to scoop her up!

If you are looking for a furever friend, give Harley’s Haven a call today at (267) 354-5204.

Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.

TFriends, family, Quakertown Alive!, Borough officials, local legislators, and fellow business owners gathered to welcome Always Beautiful Floral Design Studio to downtown Quakertown. photo by michele buono

MY DEAR FANS!!! Be sure to catch the great spring concerts that Valley Choral Society is having this month. These are free will concerts at Trinity Lutheran Church in Perkasie on May19th at 730PM and May

20th at 4PM at St Mark’s Lutheran church in Pennsburg. They will be singing a Leonard Bernstein tribute honoring his birth 100 years ago. Sounds like an enjoyable way to welcome the spring time. Love M.J.

May 2018 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

They’re Taking Me to Marrakech I’m a big fan of the Science TV show (off the air now, but available on Youtube), “The Meteorite Men,” which stars Steve Arnold and Geoff Notkin. They hunt meteorites at various locations around the world. I’m a Facebook friend of Geoff’s and, a couple months ago, he sent me (and many others), an invitation to join him and Steve on a meteorite hunting expedition in Morocco. In my retirement, despite the innumerable poor and costly decisions I’ve made over the years, I find myself in a position that I can do that sort of thing. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity so I signed up.

When I was accepted as a member of the team, I logged onto my favorite travel site and booked a flight from New York to Marrakech, via Casablanca. As usual, I picked the most economical package. It was with Royal Air Maroc. I’d never flown with them and didn’t take time to check airline reviews. I just ‘clicked’ on “complete your reservation.”

After my Scotland vacation experience that I’ve already told you about, I did buy trip insurance.

I could have flown out of Philly but international flights are almost always a few hundred dollars cheaper out of JFK in New York. It’s 113 miles from Quakertown to the off-site parking lot I use and, even with some slow traffic on Statin Island, I was at the international terminal in less than two and a half hours. There are tolls and I do pay a bit more for parking, but I still saved money.

There was a big sign for Royal Air Maroc, but no one was at the counter. A small sign directed me around the corner to where there was a line at another empty counter. After waiting about 20 minutes agents showed up and, with only a little aggravation, I was off to security and on to my gate. We boarded on time. I found myself in the absolute middle seat of nine across (darn those cheap reservations). It appeared that 90% of the passengers were going home, including the two burly Islamically dress men on either side of me.

I was very sleepy when we arrived in Casablanca seven-and-a-half hours later.

Announcements on the plane were in French followed by unintelligible English translations.

We climbed down a set of manually moved stairs, loaded onto busses and were shuttled to a dingy terminal. There, the airport employees’ English was almost as poor as my French. With much ado and after a near panic attack I found my gate. In Marrakech, the passport check and customs were tedious and time-consuming, but Steve Arnold and my ride was waiting to take me to my hotel. Other than being exhausted, I felt a lot better.

A week later I had to repeat the process and it turned out to be the most frustrating and infuriating travel experience I’ve ever had. The Marrakech airport is several notched above the one at Casablanca—physically—but the airline personnel still seem disinterested and less than helpful. For some reason they would not issue my boarding pass for the New York connection and could/would not say why. We were 20 minutes late boarding and cranked up the engines, reducing the 50-minute Casablanca flight to 31 minutes.

I’d latched on to a business woman from Brooklyn who was in Morocco several times a year and offered to guide me to the transfer station where she also needed to get her JFK boarding pass. After following the yellow line painted on the dirty cement floor and waiting behind half a dozen others we got the bad news.

Our flight was delayed nine hours. She threw a fit. I was concerned but remained calm—didn’t

scream at the supervisor or threaten to call the consulate like she did. Since I’d not purchased a satellite phone for the trip (as I was advised to), I imposed on her to text my wife that my flight was delayed.

Royal Air Maroc offered us a voucher for a nearby motel. I had no intention of leaving the airport then trying to get back in so I negotiated for a meal voucher instead. I walked past several nice restaurants to get to the dirty, greasy spoon where my coupon was valid. I didn’t trust the stale looking Moroccan fish and rice platter and opted for the chicken. Hey, it was a free meal!

There is one flight information board, about three feet by three feet, in the middle of the terminal. It was updated every couple of hours.

When I checked, my flight was still on time.

I checked with Information and the delay was confirmed. Over the next seven hours I managed to ‘make friends’ with a handful of Americans who were in the same predicament I was. We all groaned with relief when boarding was finally called.

Service on the plane was surprisingly good, considering the poor opinion I’d developed of the ground staff. We arrived at JFK on (the new) schedule at 1:00am. I made it through security with no problems—God bless American efficiency. But, I waited and waited as luggage came down the chute and bounced onto the carousel. Mine never arrived. A Royal Air Maroc agent with a heavy accent took me through the luggage check to a counter in the ticketing area. There was another woman with us whose luggage didn’t show up either. He took my information and handed me a Delayed Baggage printout with a claim number and a contact phone number written on it. It was now almost 3:00am.

Regardless of my anger and frustration, there was nothing more I could do so I called for the shuttle to my car. My brooding and taking a mental inventory of all I’d lost in my luggage occupied me all the way home. I was too sleepy to do more than to resign to the facts and commiserate silently.

A day and a half later I went online to the site they’d given me to check on my ‘delayed baggage’. When I entered my code I was informed that my airline was not part of the worldwide lost luggage system and I should contact the airline directly. I gave them one more day then called. The heavily accented agent told me that the claim number I’d been given was not valid, that Royal Air Maroc had no record of my lost luggage and that I should call JFK airport directly. I didn’t scream, but there may have been a strain in my voice when I explained that my luggage never made it to JFK, that it was somewhere in Morocco. She was very sorry, but there was nothing more she could do for me.

I was fortunate that my insurance plan was willing to refill the prescriptions I’d stored in my suitcase, but all my cloths, the ‘tools’ I’d taken for meteorite hunting, the meteorites and archeological artifacts I’d found, souvenirs I’d bought for my wife and the collapsible walking stick I’ve had for years are gone. They’re probably in the warehouse in Casablanca the woman from Brooklyn told me they have that is stacked to the roof with lost luggage that’s occasionally rooted through for valuables by airline employees.

This is the first time in over 20 years that I checked luggage. To avoid this kind of problem, I’ve stuck to carry-ons. This is the first time I’ve flown on other than a USA airline. I will never make either mistake again. .Jack Schick is a long time Quakertown area resident and regular contributor here at

UBFP. Reach him at sjckschc@aol.com

15

Woods Wins 100 Yard Freestyle, Places in other Events at State YMCA Meet Kara Woods, from Richland Township, earned her first state swimming title last month at the PA YMCA State Swimming Championships held March 24 and 25 at Penn State University. This meet is the largest YMCA meet in PA, and one of the largest in the country, consisting of over 75 teams and 1500 swimmers.

Kara was the winner of the 9-10 Girls 100 yard freestyle with a time of 1:03.56, besting a field of 24 in the event. She finished the meet with two additional 6th place finishes in the 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke events. Her state title follows the PA YMCA Eastern District title she earned two weeks prior at Gloucester Institute of Technology, where she won the same event with a time of 1:04.14. Kara currently competes for the Upper Perkiomen YMCA in Pennsburg.

4-H Alpaca Club, the Pronkin Pacas of Harley Hill Farm from Bucks County, made a phenomenal showing at Mapaca in Harrisburg the weekend of 4/20/18. The youths competed in several competitions to earn multiple ribbons. If you would like to meet some of the new spring baby alpacas, join us 6/30/18 and 7/1/18 for the Mommy and Me event from 10 am to 4 pm at 451 Kellers Rd, Quakertown, PA. Pictured: Layla Cotter, Travis Fazio, Logan Godshall and Jim Edwards.

Not pictured: McKenzie Hagenbuch. photo by melissa cotter

4-H to Hold Youth Archery Program

Bucks County 4-H offers Shooting Sports each year for Archery for youth that are 10 to 18 years of age. Classes are held in Dublin, PA Wednesday evenings, beginning May 23rd, 6:15-8:15 p.m. Classes end June 27th.

The youth members are taught by 4-H certified shooting sports instructors. Novice and

experienced youth shooters are welcome.

There are several optional 4-H competitions.

The instructors will teach novices about range safety, bow safety, and shooting technique. All equipment is supplied; however you may bring your own. Class size is limited. Register by calling the 215-345-3283.

Letter to the Editor:

Citizens Should Choose Legislative Districts Passionate people concerned about representative democracy packed the Capitol rotunda for a rally on April 16 to support redistricting reform. 110 of our state representatives are co-sponsors to legislation that would reform our redistricting process to one done by an independent citizens’ commission - with more transparency, less partisanship, and public input. These representatives recognize that when politicians choose their voters by carving districts with voters’ party affiliation in consideration, gridlock increases and productivity decreases in Harrisburg; all Pennsylvanians lose.

Pennsylvania can benefit from learning from states that have citizens’ commissions.

The specifics of how an independent citizens’ commission would work in PA could be crafted by legislators in hearings. However, none of that can happen when, as our House State Government Committee did, in a halfhour committee meeting, announced late the day before on the House floor after having this bill stalled in their committee for months, amend House Bill 722 without comment from

the bill’s sponsors, debate among committee members, or time for committee members to read the gut-and-replace changes to the amendment. The chair of this committee, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, and committee members that gutted this bill and voted in favor of an even more partisan process, must know that we, as President Reagan in 1987, say “that’s all we are asking for: an end to the antidemocratic and un-American practice of gerrymandered congressional districts… The fact is gerrymandering has become a national scandal.”

We need to pressure the PA House of Representatives leadership to listen to the 110 state representatives that supported an independent citizens commission for redistricting as described in House Bill 722 and to listen to the thousands of Pennsylvanians that those at the rally represented. Call Speaker Turzai at 717-772-9943 and Majority Leader Dave Reed at 717-705-7173 and tell them reform must be considered in this session.

Kathy Weidner East Rockhill Township

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• Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

Ongoing Events & Resources Connie Mack Baseball sign-up until 6/1 (Junior Div. ages 12-16) (Senior Div ages 17-39) qcmbaseball.org or website for info.

Haycock Folk/Bluegrass Jam 7pm-10pm, 2nd Fri of month. Free, donations welcome. Haycock Twp Community Ctr, 1014 Old Bethlehem Rd, Quakertown. 215-536-2224 or 215-536-3641 Morning storytime activities for infants thru age 6 at Samuel Pierce Library in Perkasie. Call 215-257-9718 for specific days, times & age group for your child.

Allentown Art Museum is Free every Sunday, 12noon-4pm. Located at 31 N Fifth St, Allentown Hoagie Sales 2nd Mon of month (except July/ August) Trumbauersville Fire Co, 142 North Main St. Advance Orders Only due Wed. before. $5.50-$6.00, Order: Kim 215-536-1998 or bucks58fire.com Petco Adoption Day, 1st Sat of month, 1pm4pm. Petco, 242 N West End Blvd, Quakertown, 215-892-9007, lastchanceranch.org PetSmart Adoption Day is 2nd Sat of month, 11am-2pm. PetSmart, 620 N.West End Blvd, Quakertown, lastchanceranch.org Last Chance Ranch Volunteer Orientation/ Tour, 1st Sat of month, 10am-11am in front of Horse Barn, 9 Beck Rd, Quakertown, 215-538-2510, lastchanceranch.org

Veteran Organizations & Activities

Forrest Lodge VFW, 2118 Old Bethlehem Pike, Sellersville. All veterans invited to join.

Call Frank 215-679-7770 John Rivers Memorial VFW Post 11322 meets 1:30pm, 2nd Sun of month, 41 Belmont Ave, Quakertown, All Vets welcome, 267-3719636 (bring DD 214 for proof eligibility) American Legion Post 210 meets 7:30pm, 1st Mon of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. All Vets welcome, doylestownpost210.org

Meghan’s Foundation Yoga Class for Veterans meets 6pm every Wed at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. All Vets welcome, meghansfoundation.org VFW Post 175 meets 7pm, 2nd Mon of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. doylestownpost175vfw.org Central Bucks Detachment Marine Corps League (MCL) meets 7:30pm, 2nd Wed of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown. All Marines welcome.

American Legion Post 210 Auxillary meets 1pm, 3rd Sun of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) meets 7:30pm, 3rd Mon of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 17 meets 6pm, 4th Mon of month at Albert R Atkinson, Jr. American Legion Post 210, 315 North St, Doylestown.davmembersportal.org/ chapters/pa/17/default.aspx

Support & Service Groups

Singles Connection for Adults meets 7pm Thursdays for social evening at Silverdale Brethren in Christ Church, 165 W. Main St, Silverdale. 215-593-9995, carolonline1@verizon.net Sisters U Monthly Meetings 3rd Thurs of month, 7pm-9pm in Perkasie. 267-429-3196, stef@sistersu.com, AARP meets 1:30pm, 2nd Mon of month at Upper Bucks Activity Ctr, 2183 Milford Sq Pike, Quakertown. 215-536-3066, upperbucksac.org Parent Support Group on Addiction meets 7pm, 1st & 3rd Wed of month in Red Schoolhouse, Presbyterian Church Deep Run, 16 Irish Meetinghouse Rd, Perkasie. Info: Brian at bdassoc@verizon.net or 215-527-2851

Family Education Program on Addiction, monthly, 7pm, various evenings & Bucks Co locations. Doylestown, Dublin, & New Hope facilitators provide help w/understanding addiction, impact on family, next steps, support networks. Regis: 1-800-221-6333 SOS Bereavement After Suicide, Family Support Group at St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital twice monthly, Details 215-536-5143 Compassionate Friends Support Group (loss of children, siblings) meets 7:30pm-9pm the 2nd Tue of month. St. Luke’s Hosp, 1021 Park Ave, Quakertown. (Taylor Conf. Rms A & B) tcfquakertownpa.org or 267-380-0130 Brain Injury Family/Spousal/Partner Support Group 6pm-8pm the 3rd Monday of month.

First UCC, 4th & Park Ave, Quakertown, 215-538-3488 Caregiver Support Group meets last Thurs. of month. Independence Court of Quakertown, 1660 Park Ave. RSVP: 215-541-9030 to attend a meeting.

Ann Silverman Community Health Clinic (for uninsured eligible residents), 595 W State St, Doylestown. Call to schedule an eligibility appt. 215-345-2260. aschealthclinic.org Alzheimer’s Support Group at Phoebe Richland Health Care Ctr, 108 S. Main St, Richlandtown. Free, details: Social Services 267-371-4517, nkoval@phoebe.org NOVA (Network Of Victim Assistance) Support Groups, NOVA hotline 1-800-675-6900, NOVABucks.org Bedminster Nar-Anon meets Tues 7pm, Deep Run West Mennonite, 1008 Deep Run Rd, Perkasie, (family/friends of those struggling w/ addiction) Bedminster.naranon@yahoo.com A Woman’s Place (support for domestic abuse/violence) 24-hour Hotline 1-800-220-8116, www.awomansplace.org UB Kiwanis meets 1st Wed of month 7:30am at Panera Bread, 4th Wed of month 12:30pm at Dominick’s Pizza, Quakertown

Quakertown Lions Club meets 2nd & 4th Wed of 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 Thurs 7am-8:30am at John’s Plain & Fancy in Quakertown. Membership info: James Dodson – jamescovie@yahoo.com

Community Meals

Free Community Meal 2nd, 4th, & 5th Wed of month, 6pm. Richland Friends Quaker Meeting, Mill Rd & Main St (off Rte 309) Quakertown, 215-538-7555 Free Community Meal 3rd Thurs of month, 5:30pm-6:30pm. First UCC, 4th & Park, Quakertown, 215-536-4447 Free Community Meal 1st Thurs. of month (Oct-June) 5:45pm. Yerger Bldg across from Trinity Lutheran, 102 N Hellertown Ave, Quakertown Free Community Meal 3rd Mon of month, 5:30pm-6:30pm. Presbyterian Church of Deep Run, 16 Irish Meetinghouse Rd, Perkasie. Call 215-249-3689 for possible ride.

Bingo

Bingo - Milford Twp Fire Hall every Thur, 12:15pm (1st Thur. of month $50 Jackpot), 2183 Milford Square Pike, Quakertown, 215-536-3066 Bingo - Richland Twp Fire/Rescue every Tues, open 5:30pm, 64 Shelly Rd, Quakertown.

215-536-7226 Bingo - Great Swamp Fish/Game every Sat, open 4pm, (kitchen open) 2650 Schukraft Rd, Quakertown, 215-536-8820 Bingo - Sellersville Fire Co. every Thurs (except July) open 5pm, 2 N. Main St, 215-257-4028 Bingo - Tylersport Fire Co. every Tues, open 5:30pm, 125 Ridge Rd, 215-257-5900 Bingo - American Legion Post 397, 1st & 3rd Fri of month, open 6pm, 935 Main St, Hellertown, 484-851-3624

Conversations

“The world’s favorite season is the spring.

All things seem possible in May.”- Edwin Way Teale

Back in the day when we went to school there was a strong advocacy for students to take “Public Speaking.”

In all English classes the teachers, especially Miss Potser and Miss Stever, not only taught sentence structure and all the basics of writing, they also had the students give Oral Reports. I hope these basics continue in our education system today.

Today we see many folks---“Texting!” As old school I find this new communications system rather impersonal. As I mentioned before in past articles, I even instituted sending “Tapes” back and forth to my family when stationed overseas. Even in writing, a thing of the past, there can be misinterpretation of meaning between the writer and the reader. The subject of Conversations is so important to write about in this day of electronic innovations.

During the period of Pre-Revolution and the period of establishing a new type of government, the press was used to try to persuade the public by articles written by either political figures or publishers using fictitious names. One of the harshest combats of the written words by biased news reporting was during the running for president between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. As George Washington warned in his “Farewell Address” to the people when leaving the presidency, Political Parties and their rhetoric could be the ruin of what the Founding Fathers wanted for their country through the rhetoric involved. We have survived the many elections that concentrated on the mudslinging and not on the issues for over 200 years. In recent times the political statements are spoken and those who seek answers if the issues seem to have the common sense to be able to separate out the mudslinging to retrieve the answers they are seeking. Somehow our country has survived. Remember the two candidates where religion was an issue. Our first Catholic President was John F. Kennedy.

He proved that issues were far more important in his brief but tragic presidency than all the “nonessential” talk about his religion. How did he do this? He did it by the new innovative T.V, debates and the spoken word.

Recently I was in discussion about some details for a job that I voluntarily work at.

Yes, it was in the new form of e-mail, then wait for an answer to an e-mail, then re-reply to that e-mail. This form of communications

was used because of the busy schedule we both have. All the e-mails probably could have been handled in past years by a simple phone call and not be spread out over many hours.

Back in the day, people visited one another and actually talked to one another for not minutes but hours. We had no T.V’s, no laptops, or gismos to be keeping our thumbs busy while someone is talking to you. Sometimes it can be rather annoying talking to someone doing this as you wonder if they are listening to you! I mentioned in a previous article that my Aunts and Uncles spoke the “Pa. Dutch” dialogue when they didn’t want “Us kids” to know what they were talking about. This also was annoying to us kids, but I must say was far more impersonal, because we could kind of figure out what they were saying and actually started picking up on the dialect ourselves.

Contracts, Union Negotiations, Reprimands given by me as a manager, and complaints heard from my fellow employees were all verbally gone over or heard in a meeting. I can’t imagine doing a Real Estate Contract and Negotiations by e-mail and not being able to interpret the thoughts of the buyer or seller by emotion in the spoken word or the body language. I can’t imagine getting an e-mail from an employee about a concern and not being able to resolve the issue over a cup of coffee in my office before it grew into a serious problem. If I had a personal dispute with anyone, I admired someone who had the courage to approach me right away to “Talk it Over” and resolve the issue. Today this seems to be missing and leads to many hard feelings.

Yes, I guess I am old fashioned! I still believe in using the phone, talking one to one with people even if it is a touchy situation. My hope is that the trend towards not having conversation and doing everything electronically will soon ebb. Old fashioned Conversation face to face is still the best. Many conversations with parents, relatives, and friends and neighbors “on the porch” on a warm summer day will always be pleasant memories. Those conversations taught me a lot because they were personal and were able to be “Talked Over” for an education that only comes from that type of contact. Next time you are with your spouse, child, grandchild, or friend have a “Conversation” with them. Start a memory that no “Handheld” device can give you.

Dick Helm is a regular contributor.

He can be reached at dickhelm@ubfp.org

May 2018 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

17

Amphitheater Named, Headline Acts Slated

The Borough of Quakertown is excited to announce that Univest Bank and Trust Company has agreed to become the official sponsor of the amphitheater at the Park at Fourth. The amphitheater, previously referred to as the Quakertown Amphitheater, will now be known as the Univest Performance Center.

The Univest Performance Center will be the home to the new Sounds of Summer Concert Series. This concert series will include six ticketed concert events that will bring world class entertainers to Quakertown, the “Heart of Upper Bucks County.”

Tickets for the Sounds of Summer Concert Series presented by Sands Auto Group will be available for all six concert events starting Wednesday May 2, 2018 on quakertown.eventbrite.com

The 2018 concert line-up will include the following acts: Tommy James & the Shondells June 14th The Marshall Tucker Band June 28th The Charlie Daniels Band July 12th Fmr. Journey Lead Vocalist Steve Augeri July 26th Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone August 16th The Little River Band August 23rd

photo by michele buono

MAY 2 I JUNE 6 I AUG 1 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Community Roots Last time we saw leaves, we were hurrying to rake them off the lawn before the fall snow arrived.

But now a warmer season is here, and the trees are ready to start sprouting this summer’s cover again. It’s a nice part of every spring.

We’re proud to say that 20,000 brand-new trees in central and eastern Pennsylvania will be planted this year – hopefully to provide shade, cover and beauty for decades to come.

It’s part of a recently launched program we call Community Roots.

Through Community Roots, PPL Electric Utilities offers free tree seedlings to schools, local governments and environmentally focused groups. We also provide planting and care instructions, so each seedling has the best chance of putting down some real community roots.

We introduced the program last year, and it’s been such a hit that we quickly received orders for all available trees. Those who were chosen to receive seedlings this spring will receive them this month and next. Ordering for spring and fall 2019 for qualified groups and schools will be available April 18 through our website, www.pplcommunityroots.com.

Why give away trees? Trees have many benefits, including helping to reduce air pollution.

In addition, they provide much-needed shade in parks and other green spaces and beautify

our neighborhoods.

The only concern trees cause is if they’re planted too close to power lines. Trees are the leading cause of storm-related outages. We provide Community Roots tree recipients with guidance on how to plant safely for the future.

(Even if you’re not on the list for Community Roots trees, you can see useful information on planting trees and power lines at www.pplelectric.com/planting.)

We also urge anyone with a digging project – including tree planting – to call Pennsylvania 811 at least three business days before digging starts. Your underground utility lines will be marked so you don’t dig into them. Hitting an underground utility line can put you at risk for serious injury, and can also disrupt your service.

If you’re a tree lover, Pennsylvania is a great place. More than 130 species of trees are native to the state, and forests cover about 60 percent of the state.

We’re proud to serve our area of Pennsylvania, and pleased to contribute to its abundance of tree life. And we hope our Community Roots trees will someday provide you and your neighbors with a shady place to sit or a lovely fall view.

If you have to do the raking … well, it’s a small price to pay, really.

Carol is the Regional Affairs Director for PPL Electric Utilities in Allentown, PA. Reach her at CObando-Derstine@pplweb.com

Book Release: The Extraordinary Life of Horace H. Walp The long-awaited release of B. A. Thomson’s book, The Extraordinary Life of Horace Henry Walp is here. Inspired by the life of a boy who lived during America’s Gilded Age this book is uncategorizable. The Extraordinary Life of Horace Henry Walp is loved by both adults and children because of its nostalgic charm, characters, illustrations and storyline. The story which touches upon such themes as loss, loneliness, love and friendship is universally relatable.

The release of The Extraordinary Life of Horace Henry Walp will take place at McCooles Red Lion Inn on May 5, 2018, which is a very signifiant day. It is the actual birthdate of the real Horace H. Walp. Ms. Thomson requested this date in order celebrate him along with the release of her book. “Without Horace there would be no drawings or book.” Horace H. Walp is buried in the Union Cemetery, Quakertown.

After discovering Horace’s gravesite, Thomson learned he died eight days after his eighth birthday from diphtheria. Though saddened by this she also felt an immediate warmth and caring toward him. She began drawing him in character form along with his friend and companion, Uli the crow. Her illustrations posted on Facebook and Instagram became an immediate hit. In no time Horace and Uli developed a fan club.

Soon followers began requesting a ‘real’ book.

While doing research Ms. Thomson obtained a photo taken of Horace’s class in 1893, the year before he died. It is not known which boy he is in the picture. Ms. Thomson prefers

not knowing. She also found a photo of the towns marching band in which his father and uncle appear.

Thomson approached Jan Hench, owner of McCooles Red Lion Inn about doing a book signing and an event. Her idea was positively received. The event (book signing - tea -birthday party) will be held at the McCooles’ theatre which during the 1800’s was a livery stable.

Thomson informed Ms. Hench that Horace’s father had been a coal and hay merchant in Quakertown. Hearing this Ms. Hench shared something with Thomson that she never expected to hear. She was told about the ghost of a small boy that is very active in the theatre.

At one time the boy ghost had been seen by workers renovating the theatre. So much so they complained to Ms. Hench that a little boy was running under ladders, playing and hanging around. Mediums have seen him along with many patrons.

Both B. A. Thomson (who is also a professional psychic) and Jan Hench agree the real Horace would have road along with his father to do hay deliveries at the livery stable. “We believe the spirit of the boy in the theatre might very well be Horace. There is too much synchronicity and coincidence occurring in regard to the book’s creation, release an upcoming event.”

A book signing and birthday party will be held at McCoole’s Red Lion Inn, Main Street, Quakertown, on May 5 from noon to 4:00 pm.

Cover charge is $20.

For information visit BetsyThomson.com

Think Local. Buy Local.

Be Local.

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• Upper Bucks Free Press • May 2018

Living your Life Sometimes life can feel so overwhelming and frustrating that it takes every bit of energy we have to get up in the morning, go to work, do errands, or whatever…. We start to think how did I get here with this mental attitude.

How can I even possibly change how I am thinking in order to feel better? It is about living your life. It is about getting out to your comfort zone and doing the things that make you happy. It is about getting out of your same old routine and adding some fun in your day. Changing it up will greatly benefit your attitude and help you feel as though your life has meaning and purpose.

All of us struggle sometimes with life feeling like it is too much especially when it comes to all of our responsibilities to ourselves and others. We can’t even imagine taking a break just to take a break and breathe because it feels as though our life dictates something completely different. It seems as though we have to keep on going and going until the day is at end. We add on more things to the “to do” list and then next thing we know we find something else that needs to be done. And we are like “What just happened? I was trying to simplify my life by completing projects that need to be done but now I have just created more work and more feelings of being overwhelmed.”

So, this is where the term “work life balance” comes in. We need to define what it is that we truly want out of our life. Not what we think we “should” have or what others think or expect us to have, but what we want. This

is where it can get tricky because I think most people on some level will compare themselves and their homes to others and start to think and say “We should have this or doing this”. I believe some of us feel that how we live our lives and how our homes look defines how others perceive us. I think a fair amount of us “should” ourselves a lot. I should have this, I should have done that, I should want more, I shouldn’t accept less….

We place all of these expectations and rules on ourselves because of how others may perceive us. Who cares what others think of us. At the end of the day the only person or persons that matter is you and your significant other and of course your children if you have them. So only you can make that decision about how to live your life. Unfortunately, we can complicate things but we don’t have too.

All we have to do is look inside ourselves and we know what we want and certainly how we want to live our life. We just have to believe in it and trust that we know what is best for us.

So just for today take an honest look at how you are living your life and if you are not happy and want to change it then “Do it” there is nothing stopping you from having the life you want except for you. So, get out of your own way and Live your Life the way you were meant to!! My belief is “that all persons are truly greater then 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.

Think Local. Buy Local. Be Local.

May 2018 • Upper Bucks Free Press •

Be Still, My Tongue Happy May Day! Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Happy Mother’s Day! Happy Memorial Day! April has been one of those months where we have had all four seasons, sometimes within one week, so I am welcoming May and all that it will offer for its thirty-one-day duration. I am noticing more cherry and apple blossom trees in full bloom, and less bare trees as green leaves of all shapes and sizes begin to adorn the branches. As I was walking around town a few days ago, I noticed something different about the ground. It was covered in grass, bright green grass. That was a welcome sight, and an assurance that spring has finally sprung.

This month my thoughts revolve around something I recall as I was growing up. I remember my mother always telling someone that God had given them two ears and one mouth which meant that He wanted them to talk less and listen more. There were one or two women in our small neighborhood who were identified as, “That woman who ‘runs her mouth’ constantly,” or, “That woman who doesn’t know when to shut up.” There was a song in 1960 by Joe Jones called “You Talk Too Much.” These are the lyrics: You talk too much, you worry me to death, You talk too much, you even worry my pet.

You talk about people that you don’t know, You talk about people wherever you go.

You talk about people that you’ve never seen, You talk about people, you can make me scream. You just talk, you talk too much.

Over time I have noticed that women who tend to operate in this non-stop, repetitive conversation can be classified into a few categories. There is the all-knowing female who must share her knowledge with everyone she encounters from the mail carrier to the supermarket clerk, and beyond. These categories of talkers are referred to as “Miss Know-it-

alls.” It is difficult to engage in a well-rounded conversation with this type of woman, as she can quickly become your least favorite person.

And then, there are the married females who constantly nag their husbands. I have seen husbands who react with total silence, probably hoping that she will eventually shut up. There are some men who need to be reminded of things occasionally, but never in public. The last category I have noticed are women who just need to express themselves about everything, all the time. I have heard the explanation that women’s brains are wired differently than men’s brains which means that all our thoughts are externally projected from our mouths.

While men can hold in emotions, we were not given that capability. Notice, I now include myself.

Writing is therapeutic for me. It cleanses my mind. Sometimes, it helps me to examine who I am now compared to who I have been in the past. Over the past couple of weeks, I have been involuntarily exposed to who I used to be, and I am speechless. I must say that the people I encountered in my younger years were very polite as no one has ever told me, “You Talk Too Much.” Over time I learned that there were many thoughts that I could contain in my brain rather than spew them from my mouth.

Just as the earth is renewed and replenished during springtime, my mentality followed the same process; plus, I had to remember the Scripture verse I learned in Sunday School many years ago: “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.”

Proverbs 21:23 Jacque Holliday is a long time freelance contributor to UBFP. She always welcomes your comments via email at jacque@ubfp.org

Series Review: The Mapmaker Chronicles This month, I really want to highlight this incredible series. It’s a fiction story set in a medieval-era fantasy land similar to ours. These books have a ton of great characteristics, and I think you would really enjoy them if you like reading realistic fantasy novels!

The Mapmaker Chronicles

by A.L. Tait Lothian Children’s Books Book 1: Race to the End of the World Synopsis- Verdania is an island nation, and its peoples keep to themselves, even keeping international trade to a minimum. There is nothing to be found beyond their shores that concerns them.

However, the King has heard that their rival nation wants a map of the world completed and he fears this will grant them power they will misuse.

A mapmaking competition is decided then – the first to bring back a map of the world will be the victor. And 14-year-old farm boy Quinn has just been chosen to make this map. He must challenge everything he knows and journey to the edge of the world.

Book 2: Prisoner of the Black Hawk Synopsis- Tension rises as friendships are betrayed and progress lost, and Quinn must learn quickly who he can trust. Throw in a ruthless explorer who will stop at nothing to complete his map, a bloodthirsty pirate who doesn’t think twice at murder, and a surprising friend; there’s no telling what can happen next!

Book 3: Breath of the Dragon Synopsis- The race around the world is almost over, but the danger is only escalating as the explorers become more and more frantic to finish first – and on time. Desperate men take desperate measures, and they leave no room for Quinn in their plans. It’s a matter of speed whether you survive or not. Will Quinn make it back with the first map of the world?

What I Thought- Wow. I did not know what to expect with this book, so I was utterly transfixed when it just blew me away. Quinn is utterly fascinating as a character as well – he is affected by hyperthymesia, a neurological

condition that causes one to never forget pretty much everything. A pretty handy trait for a person making a map. The world built by Tait is extraordinarily realistic and engaging. Tait creates a superstitious populace satisfied within the confines of their island nation…and draws our main character from this mindset. It’s fascinating to see him react and change with the time he spends on a ship sailing to lands nobody knows of. Quinn is a prime example of a character we can get behind, as he always has a strong moral sense, whether he succeeds or not. Tait keeps to the medieval sense throughout the book, keeping everything logical. The story has many twists and turns, making for an engaging read as the book carries on.

Tait gloriously meets the standards set precedent in the first book with this sequel.

The characterizations do not drastically change, allowing for growth, but essentially remaining the same person.

This continuity is a nice comfort, making the transition between the two books seamless. Because the characters are sailing in their world, we see many settings come and go. However, Tait manages to build up the setting for each destination in an overachieving sort of way – the details are full and supportive, yet not overbearing. You get a exhilaratingly clear picture of everywhere the ship stops. The tension continues to build as rivalries increase and time begins to run low. Tait has a definite knack for writing tales that grabs the reader by the heart and doesn’t let go until the very end.

To say I am hooked is putting things lightly.

In the third book, Tait brings the first two books successfully together as the race comes to a close. Yet Tait doesn’t let that mean no more action and dilemmas for our characters!

Quinn starts to encounter personal troubles as well, adding a layer of depth to his personality. At times, it truly seemed that everything that could go wrong, did – and that was oddly satisfying. There are ups and downs, leading to a well-rounded adventure as loose threads get tied up.

I really hope to see another book come from Tait, particularly a follow-up to the Mapmaker Chronicles!

For more on books and reading, visit my blog, ThisKidReviewsBooks.com!

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