Habitat Homeowner Making a Difference on Walnut

Tamara Charles and her family, son Khalid Hardimon and her daughters Keira, 7 and Keirsten, 6, will get the keys to 439 Walnut St. tomorrow. She is already making a difference in her neighborhood by heading up an anti-littering campaign.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery/Delaware Counties.

When Tamara Charles purchases her Habitat home and receives the keys tomorrow, there will be something noticeable in the window of 439 Walnut St., something that makes her especially gratified.

It’s a sign that reads “Proud Pottstown Neighbor – Don’t Litter;” a sign that symbolizes her hard work as a community volunteer, and the comeback of pride in her hometown.

Tamara is one of the founding members of Pottstown Community Action (PCA), a group initiated two years ago by Habitat for Humanity’s Neighborhood Revitalization effort. After working quietly on a mission and logo, meeting with the Mayor and borough council, and connecting with other community leaders, PCA is ready for visibility, and more action. 

Tamara Charles and her daughters clean up their neighborhood.

Its first line of attack: litter. Among its ammunition: newly printed window decals and lawn signs for the neighborhood.

“We chose an anti-litter campaign because it’s a way to see immediate improvement in the neighborhood,” explains Tamara. “For our first block cleanup, we removed about 40 bulk trash items. We have a standing offer to residents: get a few neighbors out and we’ll bring the coffee and donuts, supplies and volunteers, and we’ll make sure the trash bags are removed.

“Kids have been helping and we hope to add individuals who need to fulfill community service hours, as well as youth from the school district.”

PCA is also working on building leaders in Pottstown. On July 21st, PCA, in collaboration with Habitat MontDelco is hosting an all-day workshop called “Actively Leading Pottstown Towards Prosperity.” To register go to https://habitatpca.wufoo.com/forms/pottstown-leadership-workshop.

A Spirit of Cooperation

“Since launching a Neighborhood Revitalization zone in 2016, we have remained committed to engaging, empowering, and educating local residents coming alongside them so that they can improve the quality of life within their own neighborhood,” says Marianne Lynch, CEO of Habitat MontDelco. “There’s a lot of momentum now from PCA, local non-profits, businesses, and the Borough.”

“This town has an incredible stock of historic homes and families who have been here for decades. Many residents have a clear vision of what Pottstown can be again and they are sharing that vision with others. I thanks to people like Tamara who are deeply passionate about this place. It’s also due to a wonderful attitude of cooperation that’s prevalent across the community.”

Instrumental in creating collaborations, Habitat MontDelco became a member of Pottstown CARES in 2018, and is working with other nonprofits such as Genesis Housing Corporation, and Mosaic Community Land Trust.

417 Chestnut Street

For its next project, Habitat is collaborating with Genesis Housing and Mosaic Community Land Trust on 417 Chestnut Street, right next to one of the Mosaic Community Gardens in Pottstown. Genesis is providing technical assistance, Mosaic will work with Habitat to provide a homeownership through the community land trust model, and Habitat will complete the full rehabilitation of the home.

“It’s a natural partnership because we have the same goals—to get people into a home, grow their wealth, put down roots and improve their community at the same time,” said Tracy Purdy, President of Mosaic. “From a resource perspective it makes perfect sense; it’s three times the expertise using one-third of the funding.”

About Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties

The mission of Habitat MontDelco is to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Habitat constructs homes for affordable home ownership, preserves aging housing stock by completing critical home repairs, provides financial literacy and life skills classes, and revitalizes neighborhoods.

For more information, call 610-278-7710, email ehefner@habitatmontdelco.org, or visit www.habitatmontdelco.org

Rock the Block Returns to Pottstown on April 22

Volunteers head out for Rock the Block activities in Pottstown last year.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County.

Twelve community organizations will join forces for a second year in a row with Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County and Pottstown CARES to beautify the borough of Pottstown.

A Hill School student Anya Gupta mans the
Pottstown CARES  

table during last year's
Rock the Block event.

Rock the Block on April 22 will bring together more than 150 volunteers who will pitch in to clean, paint, repair and improve a neighborhood, in conjunction with Pottstown CARES community cleanup day, a partnership of The Hill School, the Borough, the Pottstown School District, Montgomery County Community College, Tri-County Chamber of Commerce and Lowes.

In addition to the Pottstown CARES organizations, Rock the Block enlists volunteers from Genesis Housing Corporation, Matt Green at Glocker and Company Realtors, Mosaic Community Land Trust, Phillies Fire Company, Pottstown Fire Department and Victory Christian Life Center.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m, volunteer teams will complete deck and stair repairs, landscaping, spruce up efforts and more on the 300, 400 and 500 blocks of Beech, Cherry and Walnut Streets. 

They will begin work on 629 Walnut St., a new Habitat house in Pottstown. All the while, they will be building community pride.

“Rock the Block shows the power of people coming together in just one day,” said Marianne Lynch, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County. 

Marianne Lynch, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of

Montgomery County at a Rock the Block house on Walnut Street

during last year's clean-up.

“Look deeper, and you see the incredible spirit in Pottstown, and the passion residents and officials have for making it the best it can be. We are in year two of a holistic neighborhood revitalization plan and the community couldn’t be more excited and supportive,” she said.

The revitalization plan is being created by a coalition of residents, borough officials and non-profit organizations and is looking at workforce development, resident leadership, housing and quality of life issues such as arts and culture. 

In addition, Habitat Montco is partnering with the Pottstown School District to give students in construction classes hands-on experience at 629 Walnut St., and is planning to recruit for its AmeriCorps jobs from Pottstown.

Pottstown High School student Raekwon Artley 

joins Hill students Lyndsey Williams, Bridget Mayza and 

Ryan Wallace in a demolition job at 430 Walnut St. 

during the Rock the Block clean-up event on Friday, April 15, 2016.

Pottstown High will have about 40 students who will be associated with the Pottstown CARES event on Earth Day.

About 20 students, most of whom are part of the soccer team, with be doing landscaping around the high school/middle school campus and another 20 Student Government students with Dave Woodley and Trojan Man will be doing clean up in the parks.

In addition to volunteering for Habitat Montco projects, Pottstown CARES participants will be working in the MOSAIC community gardens on Walnut Street and Chestnut Street. They will be cleaning up litter in various Pottstown “pocket parks” and along Armand Hammer Boulevard. as well as planting trees. 

In addition, the Pottstown Community Arts group is going to be out cleaning up the lot on the southeast corner of King and Manatawny streets where a new Welcome to Pottstown sign will be painted.

11 Goups Join Habitat for Humanity to Rock the Block on Friday, April 15 From 9 to 2

Photo by Evan Brandt

This home in the 400 block of Walnut Street will be among several which will be the focus of the Rock the Block effort on April 15.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Habitat for Humanity

Eleven community organizations will join forces to begin the makeover of a Pottstown neighborhood in a show of unity that is exciting Borough officials and residents.

On April Friday, 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., more than 150 volunteers will pitch in to clean, paint, repair and beautify the exteriors on the 300 and 400 blocks of Beech, Chestnut, and Walnut Streets. 

It’s called Rock the Block, an initiative of Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, and it’s the kick off of a Neighborhood Revitalization Program modeled after Habitat’s successful work in Norristown.

“Habitat recognizes the ongoing struggle in Pottstown. By building a coalition of community groups, we can develop a plan and programs together to lift the community up for years to come. Rock the Block® is just the start, and it will be a fantastic day that proves what Pottstown can accomplish when people work collaboratively,” said Marianne Lynch, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County.

For more than six hours, volunteer teams will complete deck and stair repairs, landscaping, spruce up efforts, and more in conjunction with Pottstown CARES community cleanup day, a partnership of the Hill School, the Borough, the Pottstown School District and Montgomery County Community College. 

Rock the Block enlists the Pottstown CARES organizations along with Genesis Housing Corporation, Glocker and Company Realtors, New Eden Community Development Corporation, Mosaic Community Land Trust, Phillies Fire Company, Pottstown Fire Department and Victory Christian Life Center.

“This is the first time that I’ve seen so many different community groups joining forces to improve the community,” said Sheryl Miller, Pottstown Borough Council Vice President. “Having Habitat, a nationally-recognized organization, come in and provide support is an important signal. Pottstown is a great town with lots of potential. We need to lift ourselves up from within, just like the families that Habitat supports. Their Neighborhood Revitalization program can make this happen.” 

Neighborhood Revitalization programs spur the community

Neighborhood Revitalization works at the grassroots level — with people in the community determining the goals. It responds to community aspirations by taking a holistic look at needs, and empowering residents and community partners to help neighborhoods grow and thrive. Collaboration with residents, government officials, the faith community, community non-profits, and others is key to its success.

It starts by repairing the physical, helping mend critical exterior and interior issues with homes through the Critical Home Repair program or by addressing similar challenges of a smaller scale with A Brush with Kindness Home Preservation program.

“We’ve been working in Norristown’s Cherry Street neighborhood for two years. There, we’re addressing concerns such as blight, repairing and preserving homes, creating a neighborhood association, tackling crime, helping children have a safe place to go after school, and more. We’re very excited to bring this approach to Pottstown and begin to address the Borough’s ongoing struggles,” explained Lynch.

In Norristown, Habitat volunteers have rehabilitated 22 homes, helped Habitat complete 13 critical home repairs, painted 72 stoops, and repaired and maintain Cherry Street Park.

Planning in Pottstown

After forming the collaboration for Rock the Block, Habitat hosted a community meeting in February where residents identified neighborhood priorities and concerns such as safety, crime, and beautification. What’s next?

Habitat will be surveying Pottstown to inventory conditions while finishing the rehabilitation of 430 Walnut Street—a Habitat home. It is also planning ten critical home repairs, twenty Brushes with Kindness – and acquiring another property to refresh in the zone.

About Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County

Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County’s mission is to eliminate substandard housing. In partnership with caring individuals and organizations, Habitat constructs simple, decent affordable homes and empowers hardworking, low-income families to become homeowners by providing no-interest mortgages. Habitat also completes critical home repairs, provides financial literacy and life skills classes, and is revitalizing neighborhoods.

For more information, call 610-278-7710, email ebowers@habitatmontco.org, or visit www.habitatmontco.org.

Bike Programs, Community Garden Win Awards

Assistant Borough Manager Erica Batdorf demonstrates how to
put a Bike Pottstown bike on the front of a PART Bus
this summer when the Bike and Ride program was announced.

Transportation initiatives based in Pottstown, and the borough’s community garden are now award winners.

Biking projects were recently recognized with three awards from Communities in Motion, a foundation associated with the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association dedicated to sustainable communities.

The “Bike and Ride” program initiated this year by Pottstown Area Rapid Transit, which allowed for bicycles to be carried by PART buses, won the only award in the “Development” category.

The “Bike Schuylkill” program developed by the Pottstown-based Schuylkill River Heritage Area was one of nine award winners in the “Park, Recreation of Open Space” project.

The Bike Schuylkill program (known as Bike Pottstown in Pottstown), managed by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, is a completely free bike share available in three Schuylkill River Trail communities: Phoenixville, Pottstown and Hamburg.

Schuylkill River Heritage Area Executive Director 

Silas Chamberlin, left, and grants program coordinator 

Tim Fenchel with their Star Award. 

The program’s signature yellow cruisers can be borrowed at no cost to anyone aged 16 or over providing a driver’s license or valid state ID.

“We are pleased to have this very successful program recognized by our partners,” said Schuylkill River Heritage Area Executive Director Silas Chamberlin. “Bike Schuylkill and Bike Pottstown not only encourage healthy lifestyles for people who ride on the Schuylkill River Trail, it also affords an alternative means of transportation. People borrow the bikes for doctors’ appointments, shopping and even job interviews.

In the “Planning” category, the “Walk and Bike Pottstown” program — which aims to improve walkability and bikability in Pottstown with Safe Routes to Schools and added bike lanes — was one of six award winners.

Communities in Motion also recognized Pottstown Assistant Borough Manager Erica Batdorf as the first ever “Sustainability Super Star” for her ongoing significant support of multiple sustainability projects in the Borough of Pottstown and beyond, including Walk & Bike Pottstown and Pottstown Area Rapid Transit.

MOSAIC Garden Director Laura Washington, with some

young visitors.

Batdorf, who is a board member of Communities in Motion, also gave a presentation at the award ceremony on the Walk and Bike Pottstown program.

* * *

It’s not just things in motion in Pottstown that have been recognized. An award was also provided to something that is very much rooted in one place.

Mosaic Community Gardens on Chestnut took home a Blue Ribbon at in this year’s Pennsylvania Horticulture Society’s Gardening and Greening Contest.

A blue ribbon and garden sign have been awarded to the gardens for its ability to motivate people to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture in the category of Community Combination Garden.

Clean-Up and Mural Planned by Pottstown CARES

Blogger's Note: The following was provided in a press release.

The Hill School, the Borough of Pottstown, the Pottstown School District, and Montgomery County Community College will partner to complete two Pottstown CARES events this spring: a clean-up event on Friday, April 10, and a special mural painting project scheduled to take place in late May through mid-June.

On Friday, April 10, participants will pick up trash and recycling and participate in other “spruce up” efforts ranging from raking to painting picnic benches. Activities will occur from about 8:45 a.m. to noon at Riverfront Park, Memorial Park, the Ricketts Center, and downtown streets, parks, and playgrounds. Work crews will include Borough employees and all fourth form (10th grade) students and faculty from The Hill School, about 30 Pottstown High School students, and Montgomery County Community College volunteers. A group of Hill students also will work to create new garden spaces and compost bins on Hill’s campus. All participants will meet under the former hockey rink on The Hill campus at 8:45 a.m.

The Riverfront and Memorial Park activities have been registered as Great American Cleanup events, which will allow the CARES groups to utilize bags, gloves, and safety vests provided by PennDOT in Norristown. The Hill School will provide lunch to all volunteers following the clean-up.

The mural project will occur adjacent to the MOSAIC Community Garden at 423 Chestnut Street.

Pottstown CARES and MOSAIC Community Land Trust are thrilled to announce that – after two years of planning -- a mural designed by Pottstown-based artist Carrie Kingsbury will be created on the wall bordering the MOSAIC garden space at 427 Chestnut St. The careful process has included obtaining permission of the building property owner as well as a required conditional use permit and local support. The conditional use process requires a public hearing before Pottstown Borough Council which is planned for May 8.

Ellen Nelson, arts department chairperson at The Hill School, has been working with CARES on the mural concept. During the inaugural CARES clean-up in the fall of 2013, she and several arts students surveyed area residents about what they’d like to see represented in a neighborhood mural.

Finding Kingsbury was “synchronicity,” Nelson says. “I didn’t know of one, or where to look. Several weeks after starting to help plan the project, Carrie spontaneously sent an email to me out of the blue – and she lives right here in Pottstown. Angels work in wondrous ways!” she exclaims.

Kingsbury submitted sketches to MOSAIC in January 2015. While the concepts were being reviewed by MOSAIC and neighborhood residents, work also was taking place to obtain paint donations from the local Sherwin Williams store and provision of scaffolding and other supplies from The Hill School.

CARES also gratefully acknowledges the donation of labor from Reinhart Painting which has offered to do all of the wall preparation at the site.

Funds for the artist’s work, various permits, and supplies will come from a donation from MOSAIC as well as The Hill’s arts department and a generous contribution from The Hill School’s Pottstown community service-related 3758 Fund, established by Rodney D. Day III ’58 in honor of his father, Rodney D. Day, Jr. ’37. In addition, MOSAIC and The Hill School sold magnets bearing a message of support for the community gardens and the mural; funds from that fall sale also are supporting the mural project.

On May 18, following site preparation by the artist, Nelson will join Kingsbury in beginning to paint the mural. Nelson is hopeful that students from The Hill and the advanced art classes of Pottstown High School will assist with painting on Sunday, May 24, while she and Kingsbury continue painting during the following weeks, with a June 13 conclusion target.

The initial, joint CARES (Community, Awareness, Responsibility, Empowerment, and Sustainability) endeavor was conceived in the spring of 2013 during conversations between Borough Manager Mark Flanders, Pottstown School Superintendent Dr. 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 boosting community pride. In 2014, Montgomery County Community College’s West Campus joined the CARES planning team. The CARES organization hopes these events will motivate Pottstown residents to engage in ongoing clean-ups of their own in their immediate neighborhoods.

Housing Disappointment

Turn-out at a public input session on Montgomery County's plan for the next five years of low-income housing investment was sparse compared to last month's meeting.

So as it turns out, the plan the federal government requires Montgomery County to put together every five years to qualify for three streams of revenue will not do much more to keep low-income housing 

from being concentrated in Pottstown than is already being done.

Tuesday evening, the interim director of the Department of Housing and Community Development, Carolyn K. Mayinja, met with a handful of Pottstown residents who had hung with the process long enough to get to the public input portion.

Every five years, the county has to put together a large five-year plan in order to receive money from the federal government under three programs meant to be directed at low-income ares -- Community Development Block Grants, the HOME Program and Emergency Solutions grants.

Among the requirements the federal government has is that these programs not be used to concentrate low-income housing and poverty in specific areas of the county -- a situation which led to a long-simmering lawsuit with Westchester County, N.Y. (My old stomping grounds.)

On Feb. 24, the first of two public input sessions was held at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown and attracted nearly 50 people -- which the staff said was the largest they had ever seen and was probably due to "that newspaper article."

But by the March 10, public input session, the turn-out had dwindled to about seven (if you include the newspaper reporter there, and they don't really count.)

And in terms of the primary question: What can be done to de-concentrate low-income housing from areas like Pottstown and Norristown, which is one of the plan's set goals? The answer is not much.

Or at least not more than is being done now.

Mayinja explained that the department has no control over housing vouchers (Section 8) and has funded low-income housing projects in places other than Pottstown, including Limerick, Lansdale and Lower Merion.

But the department does not initiate projects, it can only provide support for the projects brought by developers or municipalities.

When those projects do come, and they receive more applications than they have money to fund, extra points are given to the applications that are outside areas where low-income housing is concentrated.

Among the few speakers there Tuesday was Steve Kambic, the executive director of Petra Community Housing. He said he has tried for years to establish a low-income housing project along the county's bus routes, and close to shopping, but zoning laws and profit motive have made it nearly impossible.

So, on that cheerful note, here are the Tweets from the meeting.

Celebrity Auction Benefits 15 Organizations

The TriCounty Community Network will hold a celebrity auction at SunnyBrook Ballroom on Friday, Oct. 24 starting at 5:30 p.m.

You are invited to enjoy a reception hour with the celebrities, bod on sports memorabilia, trips, hot air balloon rides and participate in a live auction for a chance to win a dinner for two with a celebrity.

Click here for a list of silent auction items.

Celebrities include:

David Akers, former kicker for the Eagles and six-time pro bowler; 

Bill Clement, former center for the Flyers, NHL all-star and ESPN analyst;

Rian Wallace, former linebacker for the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steeler;

Cherri Gregg, community affairs reporter for KYW Newsradio and master of ceremonies;

Michael Smerconish, CNN talk show host, with whom you can win a studio tour.

Local celebrities include:
State Senator Bob Mensch;
State Representative Mark Painter;
Mason Scherer, Associate Producer, Dateline NBC & NBC News;
Nancy March, Editor of The Mercury and Regional Editor for Digital First Media;
Steady Moono, Ed.D., Vice President, Montgomery County Community College;
Ashley Pultorak, Program Officer, Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation;
Wil Hallman, President, Hallman Retirement Neighborhoods & President, SunnyBrook Foundation;

Tickets are $15 per person.

The event will benefit 15 local organizations including; 

Steel River Playhouse;

YWCA TriCounty;

Operation BackPack;

Laurel House;

Mosaic Community Land Trust;

Alzheimer's Association;

Women's Center of Montgomery County;

Pottstown Area Police Athletic League

Genesis Housing Corp.;

Pottstown Regional Public Library;

Boone Area Library;

Building a Better Boyertown;

TriCounty Community Network;

In Ian's Boots;

Community Health and Dental Care

The schedule is as follows:

• 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: Reception Hour & Silent Auction. Meet the celebrities. Enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
• 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: Celebrity Auction
• 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m:. Dinner for Celebrity Auction Winners. Dinner will be held immediately following the live auction at SunnyBrook Restaurant.

Click here to order tickets.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

This year's Garden Contest winters are Anna Johnson, Vanessa Wyatt, Ryan Procsal, Athena Singer and Robbin Pineda

For gardeners, this time of year is about exciting as it gets.

Harvesting, weeding, planning next year's garden.

And that's as true for the gardeners of the Mosaic Community Gardens as farmers in the field.

However, some extra excitement was added recently when the winners of the second annual home gardening contest were announced during National Night Out at the park at Chestnut and Washington Streets.

The contest is sponsored by Pine Hill Farms in North Coventry.

I won't keep you dangling in suspense, here are the winners:

Ground Gardening, 1st Place -- Robbin Pineda, who wins $150 as well as an award certificate.

Ground Gardening, 2nd Place -- Athena Singer, who wins $100 with her certificate.

Container Gardening, 1st Place -- Anna Johnson, who wins $125 and a certificate.

Container Gardening 2nd Place -- Ryan Procsal who, in addition to winning $75 and a certificate.

Honorable Mention -- Vanessa Wyatt, who won $50.

The entries were judged by the Pottstown Garden Club.

The contest began in the summer of 2012 when Dick Heylmun, the owner of Pine Tree Hill Farm, contacted Mosaic Community Land Trust, after learning about their work in the Community garden on Chestnut Street.

Mr Heylmun, an avid gardener himself, conceived of the idea to offer prize money to people living in the Beech to High Street, Adams to Charlotte Street area for creating beautiful street-side gardens and plantings. 

 He knows how pretty a block can be when the residents take pride in their homes and gardens and he revels in the joy and sense of pride that gardens bring to the gardener and all who pass by.

Mosaic partnered with the Pottstown Garden club to develop, advertise and judge the contest. Flyers were distributed to all the homes in the area while the Mercury helped promote the contest in an article about both the garden contest.

That's not all that's going on with the community garden's two locations on Chestnut Street, the produce cart is back in business.

The cart will sell fresh produce from our gardens, donated vegetables from members of the Pottstown Garden Club and local farmers. There will also be a resource table with loads of free information to
learn more about gardening, health and nutrition!

Produce sales will happen each Saturday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and will continue each week until they run out of vegetables to sell.

The Mosaic Land Trust was also among the sponsors of the showing of  “Frozen” last Saturday. 

"There were bunches of families and loads of kids who showed up to take part in the event.

"The balloon artist was there and make dozens of great balloon animals for the kids.

"Parents and kids alike shared in the experience and had a great time.

"Look forward to another great movie presentation next year," garden manager Laura Washington reported in an e-mail.

In addition to showing movies, the community gardens also host borough youngsters from summer camps at the Olivett Boys and Girls Club at the Ricketts Center and maintains a garden plot for students at Pottstown Middle School, who learn how to grow their own food, and the importance of healthy food.

Garden Contest Kicks Off the Growing Season

The Art of the Council Meeting

The proposal to convert the former Fecera's Furniture Warehouse into apartments for artists was back before borough council Wednesday night.

The Tree's the Thing

"Fluffy" in all its (his? her?) splendor...

So my sister had this great idea for our mom, an advent calendar for the year filled with our memories
of her.

(Don't worry, it will still be a surprise, not even my mom reads this blog regularly.)

Anyway, while I was writing up my December memory, it reminded me something about my childhood Christmases, I was the one in my family who really liked to decorate.

My family is an ironic bunch and I am the chief sap in the family.

Jaded journalist? Yes.

Guy who tears up at the end of "It's a Wonderful Life" every time? Also yes.

Hell, I even get choked up watching Chevy Chase try to get his family to appreciate Christmas.

Understand, for me Christmas for me is about the sentiment.

A local ornament I bought in 2002.

The idea that we can set aside a time of year to wish everyone, no matter who they are, a merry Christmas, peace on Earth, good will toward men, I'm totally in.

I don't begrudge those who consider it a religious holiday.

More power to them, and I'm happy it gives them joy and purpose.

But history shows that Jesus was born sometime in March and the whole Christmas thing was just the Church's way of co-opting pagans into the fold

But hey, that's ancient history. Literally.

And we still carry many of those pagan traditions into our homes each year, the most central of which is the Christmas tree.

For me, the tree holds pride of place. Not because of the gifts that go under it. Frankly, I could do without the gifts and just go for the decorations, the food, and, most especially, the music. Always the music.

My grandmother made this many

years ago.

Anyway, the reason the tree is so important to me is that, being an amateur historian, the tree each year
tells the story of our family.

I have some truly God-awful ornaments that my mother's mother made for our tree that I still put up each year, even though they often go in the back.

I don't love it, but it wouldn't be our Christmas tree without it. It's where we're from.

Regular readers of this blog (yes, both of you) may recall a post I wrote in the 2011 season about a tree we accepted as a gift from a friend who had cut it down and which fell unceremoniously one morning.

The chief casualty of that mishap was an ornament my wife had inherited from her grandmother. We talk about its loss every year as we decorate.

Each year we buy a new ornament (or two) and add to our history.

This ornament is the product of one
year's 

craft project.

And, in our house, it takes days to decorate the tree.

Firstly, my son has important XBox responsibilities and my wife is already working hard to corral him into this year's craft project.

One advantage (if you choose to look at it that way) of being a poor journalist is that family gets hand-made gifts each year

My son's favorite ornament.

Understand, we long ago banned gifts for adults (much to my delight, and my banker's as well) and only buy presents for the kids. But we insist that the child at least recognize the largesse from which he benefits by donating time (if not talent) toward gifts for those making his Christmas one filled with things he actually wants.

My wife is quite clever (and talented) in this regard and gifts have ranged from birdhouse ornaments, to hand-made coasters and stuff I couldn't even begin to explain.

The Wizard of Oz lives in Fluffy.

But the end result of all this activity is that mostly, I decorate the tree while leaving certain things aside for the other two for whom a particular ornament has particular meaning.

For my son, it is a saxophone ornament, and for my wife, a Wizard of Oz set.

As for me, I don't mind doing most of it, silently remembering the trip my wife and I took to Boston when we purchased a whole host of animal ornaments, those we bought in Cape Cod, as well as the one's Dylan made as a child.

The Cape Cod ornament.

With his interest waning, I am quietly setting some of those aside. (Good thing he doesn't read this blog either....)

We use to go each year to Kutz's tree farm in North Coventry, but since that became another practice field for Owen J. Roberts High School, we have been at loose ends.

We've tried different places and this year went to buy our tree from the Mosaic Community Garden on Chestnut Street. But we have a neo-Victorian house (built in 1913) and eight-foot ceilings. The trees they had there were just too small.

(They're still selling them there and you can call ahead and order a certain height.)

They're very friendly at the community garden.

But we decided to patronize the tree farm which had supplied those trees at a reduced cost. Heylmun's Pine Hill Farm, also in North Coventry.

And, for the first time in our family history, we cut down our own tree.

My wife and I are partial to concolor, a species of spruce I believe, because they keep their needles, bu they didn't have any at Heylmun's, so we settled on a white pine.

Yes, I cut it myself!

Unlike trees from previous years, the needles of a white pine are long and soft, an advantage to the decorator, but a disadvantage to the display of the ornaments, which tend to get hidden.

Anyway, each year is a different story, which is why I tend to favor the tree decorating, it adds to the narrative.

This year's narrative will include the tree being purchased just before one snow storm hit, and finished as another was arriving.

What more perfect Christmas story could you ask for?

Merry Christmas everyone. Peace on Earth and Goodwill Toward Men (and Women.)

 

This Weekend, It's All About the Trees

Whether you're looking for one to put in the window, or you want to remember a loved on who has passed, this weekend has your tree.

First up, the community garden at 423 Chestnut St. in Pottstown will be selling fresh-cut Christmas trees from Pine Hill Tree Farm in North Coventry on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

"We will be at the garden Dec 7 and 8 from 2 to 7 p.m., singing carols, sipping hot cocoa, and getting into the holiday spirit, so please stop by," members of the Mosaic Community Land Trust, which runs the garden, wrote on their web site.

The purchase of your tree there will not only help support the land trust's community garden efforts, but also support a local business.

Three types of tree will be sold: Scotch pines, white pines and Norway spruce.

For the Scotch and white pine trees, five-foot trees will be $25; six-foot trees will be $30 and seven-foot trees will be $35.

For Norway spruce, five-foot trees will be $30; six-foot trees will be $35 and seven-foot trees will be $40.

Once you've purchased and (if you're diligent) decorated your tree, consider visiting the annual Tree of Remembrance event put on by the Pottstown Visiting Nurse Association and sponsored this year by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Individuals and families are invited to the event, which will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (rain or shine) at the VNA offices at 1963 E. High St. in Sanatoga.

The event will include music, "reflective readings" and there will be ornaments for purchase:

• $10 for a hand-made ornament;
• $60 for a silver photo frame ornament;
• $100 for brass ornaments.

An Award Winning Garden

The MOSAIC Land Trust's Community Garden on Chestnut Street was one of five projects that were honored last month at the annual awards ceremony conducted by the Montgomery County Planning Commission.

This annual program recognizes the best in planning and design in Montgomery County and acknowledges the high-quality work and commitment of communities, organizations, and professionals.

The garden stand from which produce

grown at the garden is sold.

The four other projects receiving awards were Ambler Boiler House in Ambler Borough, Arborcrest in Whitpain Township, Arbor Heights in the Municipality of Norristown and Whitehall Townhouses in Lower Merion Township.

The community garden's award was presented because of its "creative vision, successful collaboration, strong community involvement and positive neighborhood impact," according to the information provided by the county.

Formerly a run-down park owned by the school district, the 8,400-square-foot garden was first conceived in the Washington Neighborhood Plan completed in 2010 by Genesis Housing Corp.

In 2011, the school district donated the site to the MOSAIC Community Land Trust to be redeveloped as a garden.

The plan showed 30 individual garden plots for residents and organizations and a gate, fencing, patio and wooden pergola were all added. There is also a shed with community tools, rain barrels, a compost bin, seeds and mulch for all to use.

Garden Manager Laura Washington

This year a bee hive was donated by a local beekeeper and a farm stand has been constructed to
sell some of the produce.

Twenty-two families and eight organizations have garden plots including Pottstown Middle School, Walnut Street Community Seventh Day Adventist Church, Genesis Housing, Olivet's Boys and Girls Club and a local restaurant.

Gardeners pay a small annual fee for their lot and this year logged more than 943 hours in the garden, harvesting more than 569 pounds of produce.

The garden's philosophy is to focus on health and nutrition, as well as the growing sense of community it fosters. it provides educational workshops for new and experience gardeners and sponsors many activities for both children and adults.

The garden stresses healthy eating and nutrition. Children

painted the garden's benches.

The Olivet Boys and Girls Club offers a summer youth program there, where children work on art
projects and tend to garden plots. This year, about 50 children participated, painting colorful garden benches, learning how to use binoculars, painting bird houses, creating mosaic tile stepping stones and using garden ingredients to make pizzas.

Funding was provided through the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, National Penn Bank, Susquehanna Bank, Genesis Housing Corp., Pottstown School District, the Borough of Pottstown, Lowe's, Davey Tree Experts, Andrew Monastra, P.C. and Colonial Gardens.

The project's success had led the organization to begin construction on a second garden at 616 Chestnut St.

The plan which got the whole thing underway

Visit www.montcopa.org/MontgomeryAwards for more on the 2013 winners, the awards program, and previous recipients. 

The Fruits (and Vegetables) of their Labor

Blogger's Note: Anyone who has a friend with a garden knows it isn't long after August has come that anonymous donations of tomatoes and zucchini, especially the zucchini, are found increasingly at your doorstep.

But the MOSAIC Community Garden at 423 Chestnut St. has a better idea. They're going to sell the vegetables they've grown to you, along with other fresh local produce, right here in the middle of Pottstown.

Below is their announcement about their farmstand, which is open Saturdays in September:

We are happy to announce the opening of our Produce and Information Stand! The children of our youth program and several volunteers had a hand in tending the earth and growing veggies.

Earlier this summer, they diligently worked to build the stand to bring the “fruits of their labor” to your table.

On Sept. 7, the kids and volunteers staffed the Produce Stand to sell fresh produce, herbs, local peaches and other healthy goodies.

It will be open, each Saturday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon, through Sept. 28.

In addition, we will have information regarding organic gardening and other resources to find out more about our local CSAs and organic grocery stores.

Lastly, the public can learn more about what they can do to ensure every family has access to healthier food options in our area.

Look for the Produce and Information Stand in front of the gardens at 423 Chestnut St. in Pottstown. 

Priced right for you, all of the proceeds from the produce stand will enable MOSAIC to continue to develop workshops and other fun, educational activities for young and old alike; while educating individuals in food
justice and security.

All the while, the young farmers will be learning sales skills, marketing and public relations.

Now, for a special thanks to our sponsor: 

Global Advanced Metals of Boyertown, for their generous donation and support. Global Advanced Metals processes a metal called “tantalum,” found in Australia. Their core values of safety, health and environmental excellence guide the work that they do and dovetails nicely with our healthy outlook too!!

LOCAL HONEY??? Don’t miss out, it doesn't get more local than this: honey straight from the hives located in the gardens and tended by Lee Mauger will also be available for purchase.

Planting a Winner

Beautification contest winners Anna Johnson, left, second place and Athena Singer, right, first place.

The winners of the Mosaic Community Land Trust's planters and garden boxes contest have been chosen.

They are Athena Singer, who won the $150 first prize for her window boxes at 353 Walnut St.; and Anna Johnson, who won the $75 second prize for her plantings at 515 Chestnut St.

The land trust, which operates a community garden at 423 Chestnut St. and is preparing a second one two

Singer's window boxes at 353 Walnut St., won first prize.

blocks east, teamed up with the Pottstown Garden Club in sponsoring and judging the contest.

The contest was the brainchild of Dick Heylmun, the owner of Pine Tree Hill Farm.

The contest was the first of its kind for Pottstown's core neighborhood, but because there were only nine entries, the judges chose one of the three categories that had the most entries -- "front garden and planters combined" and hit the streets.

Nancy Toothacher and Karin Albera, both from the garden club, accompanied land trust board member Gretchen Lea, a Penn State Master Gardner, and community gardens manager Laura Washington, on a hot afternoon to select the winners.

Along the way, they passed a number of interesting gardens which they wished had entered the contest, but their owners said theirs was not yet perfected.

Of those who entered, Singer and Johnson were selected as the winners.

The awards and prize money were presented July 14 at the community garden, followed by a get together and refreshments.

The land trust hopes to make the beautification contest an annual tradition.

Give Yourself Some Credit

Blogger's Note: Now is a good time to sign up for free classes on cleaning up your credit, offered by Genesis Housing, which sent us this release.

There has never been a better time to make the most of your money and to “clean-up” your credit. Learn the best ways to reduce your debts. Learn how to improve your credit scores. Make good decisions with your money. Learn what they never covered when you were in high school!

Genesis Housing Corporation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit community development corporation, is bringing the FREE class series back to Pottstown on Tuesday evenings, July 30, Aug, 13 and Sept, 17 from 7 to 9 PM, at the Mosaic Community Land Trusts Offices, 10 South Hanover Street, Pottstown, PA 19464. The classes are offered every month in Norristown. This will be the second time this year to have the classes in Pottstown.

The classes are designed to help to:

• Understand Credit -- Information on credit scores, improving your scores, re-establishing credit, dealing with debt. Class participants can obtain a free credit report with scores from the three major credit reporting services (Tuesday, July 30).
• Money Management – Information on preparing realistic budgets that are more than just monthly bills, prioritizing spending in tough times and understanding how current spending impacts your future financial options (Tuesday, Aug. 13).
• Home Buying Basics -- Information the home buying process -- finding a realtor, home inspections, Agreements of Sale, mortgages and first-time homebuyer grant programs (Tuesday, September 17, 2013).

Nikki Holcroft, an award winning and certified housing counselor, will teach the classes. Ms. Holcroft has more than twenty-five years experience working as a housing counselor, mortgage banker and community lender.

Ms. Holcroft has worked with Genesis Housing Corporation since 2001 and

teaches monthly classes on credit, money management and the home buying process. Ms. Holcroft also provides individual housing counseling sessions to help clients achieve their financial goals. Ms. Holcroft has worked with families to restructure their mortgages, avoid foreclosures and reduce their debts.

Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Genesis Housing Corporation at 610-275-4357 or online at www.genesishousing.org.

The Pottstown classes are funded, in part, by National Penn Bank. Additional funding was provided by Montgomery County. National Penn Bank is a member FDIC. National Penn Bank and Genesis Housing Corporation are nonaffiliated entities.

Genesis Housing Corporation’s housing counseling programs provide free classes and individual counseling helping over 7,000 clients. 

Monthly classes focus on topics not taught in regular school including understanding credit, credit repair, money management, saving plans, grant programs and understanding the home buying process including selecting a realtor and finding the best mortgage.

Since 1994, Genesis Housing Corporation has served Montgomery County as a 501(c)(3) non-profit community development corporation and is dedicated to the development of affordable housing and educating consumers on housing and financial issues. 

Genesis Housing Corporation has been certified as a FannieMae Counseling Agency and is approved by PA Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for housing counseling. Genesis Housing Corporation is also an approved agency for many programs

The latest renovation by Genesis at 433 Walnut St.

Click here for details.

including the Montgomery County First-time Home Buyers Program and the Norristown First-time Home Buyers Program.

In addition, Genesis Housing Corporation has developed affordable housing by rehabilitating vacant homes and by building new homes for income eligible homebuyers. 

Renovated homes are currently available in Norristown and Pottstown. Genesis Housing Corporation also renovates existing owner-occupied homes for eligible families for the Montgomery County Homeowner Rehab Program and the Pottstown Homeowner Rehab Program.

Visit Genesis Housing on Facebook (www.facebook/GenesisHousing). For more information on Genesis Housing Corporation programs, call 610-275-4357 or visit the web site at www.genesishousing.org.

Smooth, Organic Gardening

I love this photo because of the faces of the kids as they watch a leafy green being added to their smoothie....

Expected rain that never arrived pushed a planned work/play day at the Chestnut Street Community Garden
back by one day, but it didn't pus out the fun.

The Mosaic Community Land Trust, which owns and operates the garden (with a second one on the way at 615 Chestnut St.) recently posted some photos from two of the activities from the day, held Sunday, July 14.

First up are some photos of smoothies made for the kids from some of the things grown in the garden.

There are more on the web site, but I've picked my favorites.

For those who don't know, the garden is located at at 423 Chestnut St.

Yup, there's something leafy and 

green in that thar smoothie.

Once a dilapidated playground of dubious safety, it is now home to 30 garden plots growing everything from Swiss chard, to lettuce, carrots, brussel sprouts and tomatoes, lots and lots of tomatoes.

In addition to growing their own food, the families and organizations that tend to the plots there are invited to participate in activities there, most of which focus on the garden, growing and healthy food.

Several members, for example, have submitted recipes for using the things grown there.

They include: pineapple salsa, summer tomato sauce and grilled tomatoes.

For the adults at the work/play day, there was what was described as a lively discussion regarding the benefits of organic gardening.

The group then took some old clothes and recycled them into use as plant holders.

The land trust hopes the success of the first community garden will help spur interest in the second. In the long run, the land trust hopes to open five community gardens in five years, “and we’re open to suggestions for new sites from people in the community,” according to board president David Jackson.

The land trust is also looking at trying to establish a more ambitious “urban agriculture” program, and possible an orchard.

“That could generate some local economic activity and possibly, some jobs,” said Jackson.

“We’d like to get to the point where we could supply a store and local restaurants,” he said, noting that one garden plot is operated by Grumpy’s Restaurant on High Street, which uses the food it grows in the food it serves.

The current garden, and the new one, are made possible by two $30,000 grants from the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, as well as donations from National Penn Bank and other private donors, Jackson said.

“We focus on nutrition and eating healthy, and growing health foods,” Washington said of the garden’s philosophy, not to mention the exercise which comes with tending to a garden.

“We supply the tools, we supply the seeds, we supply the water and the mulch, all they have to do is show up and do the gardening,” Washington said.

The only cost is a $25 per year annual membership fee.