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| The former Hill School hockey rink will host a Community Education and Activities Day Saturday, Oct. 19, the first of two community events planned by Pottstown CARES. |
Volunteers from the Borough of Pottstown, The Hill School, and the Pottstown School District will combine forces to demonstrate their care for our hometown in several tangible ways in a two-part, two-day event, with separate components planned for Saturday, Oct. 19 and Friday, Oct. 25.
This joint CARES (Community, Awareness, Responsibility, Empowerment, and Sustainability) endeavor was conceived last spring during conversations between Borough Manager Mark Flanders, Pottstown School Superintendent Jeff Sparagana, and Hill School Headmaster Zachary Lehman. The three leaders envisioned a collaborative project that would help to “spruce up” a designated area in the core of Pottstown while also boosting community pride and awareness about Pottstown resources.
A small committee of representatives from these three key Pottstown entities began meeting late last spring; they sought feedback at a community forum held at the Ricketts Center in late June; and they have been meeting regularly since that time to manage myriad details for the project.
The first part of the CARES project will be a community education and activities day on Saturday, October 19. (Please read below about the second CARES event on Friday, October 25.)
The first part of the CARES project will be a community education and activities day on Saturday, October 19. (Please read below about the second CARES event on Friday, October 25.)
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| Zachary Lehman |
This free information fair on Oct. 19 will occur rain or shine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Hill School, under the former outdoor hockey rink located off Beech Street near Hill’s Center For The Arts. Attendees may park in the Center For The Arts parking lot. The GPS address for this location is 860 Beech St.
This October 19 community day will allow nonprofits and other Pottstown-focused, helpful organizations -- ranging from arts and recreational organizations to the Bloodmobile, Reduxtech e-waste recyclers, and other service providers -- to share free materials about their programs and talk with Pottstown residents.
A variety of free children’s activities will be available through the YMCA and other organizations, and the Masons will be doing child identification fingerprinting.
Numerous local food vendors will be on hand selling various refreshments, from French fries to vegetarian foods. Free, gently used office supplies also will be available at a “Get Organized Pottstown” station.
The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities will be accepting donations of food, clothing, and other essentials near the Center For The Arts parking lot in Hill’s old rink. Greatly needed items include: Canned soups and stews; canned prepared pasta; canned fruit; oatmeal; personal hygiene items; small bottles of laundry detergent; cleaning supplies; socks; underwear; and coats.
In addition, the Chester County Pet Food Pantry will be accepting donations of pet foods, and Forgotten Cats will be represented.
An e-waste collector will be on hand to accept any old items that had electricity running through them. The e-waste collection truck will be located in the Center For The Arts parking lot.
Pottstown Animal Control will also be offering information.
The Miller-Keystone Blood Center Bloodmobile will take walk-in blood donations. Registration for walk-in donations will be located in the lobby of Hill’s Center For The Arts. People who would like to sign up in advance to donate blood on Oct. 19 at The Hill may contact Jason Coady, a Hill teacher who is coordinating this effort, by emailing him at jcoady@thehill.org. Also, CVS will provide a flu shot clinic from 12 to 2 p.m.; people interested in getting a flu shot should bring their insurance card if they have one.
A voter registration table will be set up and individuals will be there to help people with this process.
As part of the day’s activities, The Hill will provide two free screenings of an inspirational, multiple award-winning film about “the power of one” demonstrated by nine individuals on six continents, all of whom are working to make their communities a better place. The film “Opening Our Eyes” (PG-13, www.openingoureyes.net) will be shown in The Hill School Center For The Arts at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Green Room, located off the CFTA lobby.
Also, The Hill invites individuals to take a free, self-guided “Art Walk” architectural tour of Hill’s
historic campus. Interested guests should look for the Art Walk registration table under the rink roof, where they will be provided with a brochure and map of the tour sites as well as an Art Walk visitor badge. All tours must begin by 3 p.m.
Additional organizations that have registered so far (as of Oct. 10) to participate in the CARES information-sharing event include: Community Connections; Community First Development Corp., Inc; Children and Youth Services; the Colebrookdale Railroad; Genesis Housing Corporation; the Greater Pottstown Tennis Association; Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County; the Montgomery County Health Department; the Pottstown Borough, including the Codes Department; Pottstown Carousel; the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority; the Pottstown Fourth of July Committee; the Pottstown High School Key Club; Pottsgrove Manor; Pottstown Memorial Medical Center; Pottstown MOSAIC; the Pottstown Office of Family Services of Montgomery County; Richard J. Ricketts Community Center/Olivet Boys and Girls Club; Sunnybrook Foundation; the United Way; the World War II Dance Committee; and the YMCA and YWCA.
Participating organizations are asked to complete registration and set up between 10 and 11 a.m. on Oct. 19. They should enter the site from the Center For The Arts parking lot off Beech Street.
Pottstown CARES: Part Two
The second part of the CARES project will be a clean-up day on Friday, Oct. 25 in a targeted area of Pottstown, from High Street north to Beech Street, and Hanover Street east to Edgewood Street.
This October 19 community day will allow nonprofits and other Pottstown-focused, helpful organizations -- ranging from arts and recreational organizations to the Bloodmobile, Reduxtech e-waste recyclers, and other service providers -- to share free materials about their programs and talk with Pottstown residents.
A variety of free children’s activities will be available through the YMCA and other organizations, and the Masons will be doing child identification fingerprinting.
Numerous local food vendors will be on hand selling various refreshments, from French fries to vegetarian foods. Free, gently used office supplies also will be available at a “Get Organized Pottstown” station.
The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities will be accepting donations of food, clothing, and other essentials near the Center For The Arts parking lot in Hill’s old rink. Greatly needed items include: Canned soups and stews; canned prepared pasta; canned fruit; oatmeal; personal hygiene items; small bottles of laundry detergent; cleaning supplies; socks; underwear; and coats.
In addition, the Chester County Pet Food Pantry will be accepting donations of pet foods, and Forgotten Cats will be represented.
An e-waste collector will be on hand to accept any old items that had electricity running through them. The e-waste collection truck will be located in the Center For The Arts parking lot.
Pottstown Animal Control will also be offering information.
The Miller-Keystone Blood Center Bloodmobile will take walk-in blood donations. Registration for walk-in donations will be located in the lobby of Hill’s Center For The Arts. People who would like to sign up in advance to donate blood on Oct. 19 at The Hill may contact Jason Coady, a Hill teacher who is coordinating this effort, by emailing him at jcoady@thehill.org. Also, CVS will provide a flu shot clinic from 12 to 2 p.m.; people interested in getting a flu shot should bring their insurance card if they have one.
A voter registration table will be set up and individuals will be there to help people with this process.
As part of the day’s activities, The Hill will provide two free screenings of an inspirational, multiple award-winning film about “the power of one” demonstrated by nine individuals on six continents, all of whom are working to make their communities a better place. The film “Opening Our Eyes” (PG-13, www.openingoureyes.net) will be shown in The Hill School Center For The Arts at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Green Room, located off the CFTA lobby.
Also, The Hill invites individuals to take a free, self-guided “Art Walk” architectural tour of Hill’s
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| Mark Flanders |
Additional organizations that have registered so far (as of Oct. 10) to participate in the CARES information-sharing event include: Community Connections; Community First Development Corp., Inc; Children and Youth Services; the Colebrookdale Railroad; Genesis Housing Corporation; the Greater Pottstown Tennis Association; Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County; the Montgomery County Health Department; the Pottstown Borough, including the Codes Department; Pottstown Carousel; the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority; the Pottstown Fourth of July Committee; the Pottstown High School Key Club; Pottsgrove Manor; Pottstown Memorial Medical Center; Pottstown MOSAIC; the Pottstown Office of Family Services of Montgomery County; Richard J. Ricketts Community Center/Olivet Boys and Girls Club; Sunnybrook Foundation; the United Way; the World War II Dance Committee; and the YMCA and YWCA.
Participating organizations are asked to complete registration and set up between 10 and 11 a.m. on Oct. 19. They should enter the site from the Center For The Arts parking lot off Beech Street.
Pottstown CARES: Part Two
The second part of the CARES project will be a clean-up day on Friday, Oct. 25 in a targeted area of Pottstown, from High Street north to Beech Street, and Hanover Street east to Edgewood Street.
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| Jeff Sparagana |
(Raindate will be Monday, Oct. 28.) All 505 Hill School students as well as Hill faculty and staff; 50 Pottstown High School students and numerous faculty members; and many Borough workers and officials will be dispersed to weed, pick up trash, and complete other “spruce up” tasks in public spaces in the core downtown area during this day of service that precedes National Make a Difference Day (Oct. 26). A team of volunteers also will work to beautify Edgewood Cemetery.
The CARES organizers estimate that a total of 700 students and adults will be contributing to the clean-up during the morning of Oct. 25.
The CARES organizers estimate that a total of 700 students and adults will be contributing to the clean-up during the morning of Oct. 25.
Last summer Borough residents were encouraged through a Mercury article and the Borough website to shares suggestions and requests for specific homeowner projects that might be tackled by the volunteers, in addition to general street and sidewalk clean-up.
The massive volunteer crew will assemble under Hill’s former hockey rink roof at 8:30 a.m. to receive instructions. Pre-organized teams then will disperse to their designated project areas until about 12:30 p.m., when they will return to Hill for a picnic lunch prepared by Sodexo, Hill’s food service provider. Sodexo is generously donating the meals for all school district and borough volunteers as well as Hill students and personnel.
After lunch, a celebratory group photo of all participants will be taken on Hill’s campus.
In addition, as part of the Oct. 25 clean-up day, the Pottstown School District is running a blood drive from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the high school. Individuals interested in making a donation at the Pottstown High School on Oct. 25 may send an email to Pottstown faculty member Mark Agnew at magnew@pottstownsd.org or call him at 610-970-6707.
Hill’s fine woodworking class students are painting new planks for a park bench to donate for one of the MOSAIC community gardens. A team of volunteers is expected to help build new compost bins for the garden at 423 Chestnut St.
The massive volunteer crew will assemble under Hill’s former hockey rink roof at 8:30 a.m. to receive instructions. Pre-organized teams then will disperse to their designated project areas until about 12:30 p.m., when they will return to Hill for a picnic lunch prepared by Sodexo, Hill’s food service provider. Sodexo is generously donating the meals for all school district and borough volunteers as well as Hill students and personnel.
After lunch, a celebratory group photo of all participants will be taken on Hill’s campus.
In addition, as part of the Oct. 25 clean-up day, the Pottstown School District is running a blood drive from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the high school. Individuals interested in making a donation at the Pottstown High School on Oct. 25 may send an email to Pottstown faculty member Mark Agnew at magnew@pottstownsd.org or call him at 610-970-6707.
Hill’s fine woodworking class students are painting new planks for a park bench to donate for one of the MOSAIC community gardens. A team of volunteers is expected to help build new compost bins for the garden at 423 Chestnut St.
Also, Hill School art students and faculty will be canvassing neighbors to ask for input on the design of a public, downtown Pottstown mural they would like to create in partnership with Pottstown High School art students.
Numerous organizations have contributed funding, tools, supplies, or other support to the CARES project. In addition to equipment being shared by each of the three entities involved – from rakes to a public address system – the United Way has generously donated $1,000 toward tool procurement in addition to loaning tools through their tool share program. Home Depot made a greatly appreciated cash donation to the project as well. CARES project organizers wish to give special thanks to the Pottstown Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department for their support.
Individuals who would like to donate work gloves, trash or leaf bags, or tools for this and future projects may take their items to Borough Hall at 100 E. High St.
Borough Manager Mark Flanders emphasized that Pottstown CARES is not intended to be a once and done affair, but a starting point that builds momentum for additional efforts that increase residents’ pride in Pottstown.
“It is my hope that this is the beginning of something bigger, and that, as time goes on, Pottstown CARES is a way of life for the residents of Pottstown – rather than a scheduled event,” Flanders noted.
Hill Headmaster Zack Lehman arranged for all 505 Hill students as well as faculty and staff to participate in the Oct. 25 clean-up day. He said he is excited about the synergy occurring between Hill, the Pottstown School District, and the Borough – and he is passionate about Hill’s involvement in the community.
“Hill was happy to provide the space for the community education event and to serve as the rallying point for the clean-up project,” Lehman said. “I see these CARES initiatives as the first of many cooperative projects. Hill contributes to Pottstown in many ways, from our existing, highly engaged student community service program, to enthusiastic support of local businesses. We are eager to demonstrate our commitment to the town that has been Hill’s home for 163 years, and very happy to do so with our CARES partners.”
“Pottstown CARES provides community stakeholders with the opportunity to send the clear and inspirational message that, when working together, we are more effective in our actions,” said Dr. Jeff Sparagana, Pottstown superintendent.
“Together, we are Pottstown,” Sparagana said.
Numerous organizations have contributed funding, tools, supplies, or other support to the CARES project. In addition to equipment being shared by each of the three entities involved – from rakes to a public address system – the United Way has generously donated $1,000 toward tool procurement in addition to loaning tools through their tool share program. Home Depot made a greatly appreciated cash donation to the project as well. CARES project organizers wish to give special thanks to the Pottstown Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department for their support.
Individuals who would like to donate work gloves, trash or leaf bags, or tools for this and future projects may take their items to Borough Hall at 100 E. High St.
Borough Manager Mark Flanders emphasized that Pottstown CARES is not intended to be a once and done affair, but a starting point that builds momentum for additional efforts that increase residents’ pride in Pottstown.
“It is my hope that this is the beginning of something bigger, and that, as time goes on, Pottstown CARES is a way of life for the residents of Pottstown – rather than a scheduled event,” Flanders noted.
Hill Headmaster Zack Lehman arranged for all 505 Hill students as well as faculty and staff to participate in the Oct. 25 clean-up day. He said he is excited about the synergy occurring between Hill, the Pottstown School District, and the Borough – and he is passionate about Hill’s involvement in the community.
“Hill was happy to provide the space for the community education event and to serve as the rallying point for the clean-up project,” Lehman said. “I see these CARES initiatives as the first of many cooperative projects. Hill contributes to Pottstown in many ways, from our existing, highly engaged student community service program, to enthusiastic support of local businesses. We are eager to demonstrate our commitment to the town that has been Hill’s home for 163 years, and very happy to do so with our CARES partners.”
“Pottstown CARES provides community stakeholders with the opportunity to send the clear and inspirational message that, when working together, we are more effective in our actions,” said Dr. Jeff Sparagana, Pottstown superintendent.
“Together, we are Pottstown,” Sparagana said.
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