Toys and Dollars Needed for Holiday Party for Needy Local Families

Boxes of food for last year's needy families were loaded at the Manatawny Association.

Everyone ate their fill at last year's holiday party at Norco Fire Co.

The Manatawny Association is once again hosting its Annual Holiday Project begun 27 years ago by the Pottstown Moose Lodge No. 369.

Food will be distributed to 59 needy families in the area, and gifts for the 150 children in those families, will take on Dec. 19.

And on Dec. 20, a holiday party for more than 100 other foster children will held at noon at the Norco Fire House.

Organizer Jim Frymoyer said an example of the families being helped include on in which three

This lucky lad met a special someone last year

children were left without parents after their mother died of cancer and their father first lost his job and then was killed in an accident.

A friend with four children of his own is trying to adopt the three children without parents so they will not be split up into different foster homes.

Families include 12 recommended by the Cluster of Religious Communities; eight who are on the free or reduced lunch program in the Pottstown School District; three who are in hospice and 19 who are recommended by Montgomery County Children and Youth.

The party to brighten their holidays will include a magician, balloon maker, a visit from Santa, a face painter and a buffet of food.

But help is needed to make it happen.

This year, instead of putting out boxes and asking for donations of food for the food baskets, organizers are asking for donations of $10 or $20 Giant Food Store cards that will be wrapped and included with the turkey and ham that will also be in the baskets.

Of course there were lots of gifts for the kids.

Milk, eggs and peanut butter and jelly are already being provided by the Comfort Inn and the United Auto Workers Retirees are providing cereal and oatmeal for the food baskets.

Money is also needed to pay for the party and to keep the Reed-Frymoyer Scholarship Fund going.
Established in 2012, it honors the memory of Shawn Reed of Spring City, who went to St. Pius X High School, and James Frymoyer who went to Pottsgrove High School.

This year a $1,000 football scholarship will be provided to Mark Bonomo, Perkiomen High School Class of 2013; and to Nico Demetrio, Pottsgrove High School Class of 2013.

Donations (checks should be made out to James Frymoyer, with a notation if it is for the scholarship

Pookie the Clown did face (and hand) painting.

fund) and gift cards should be mailed to James Frymoyer, Project Coordinator, 422 Upland St., Pottstown, PA 19464; or to Karen Reed at Piazza Honda, 629 Lewis Road, Limerick, PA 19468.

You can also help by donating toys at the Angel Trees located throughout the community.

They are located at:

• Dana Holding Corporation, 1040 Center Ave. in Pottstown (610-322-4200)
• Manatawny Association, 20 King St. in Pottstown (610-326-8840)
• Piazza Honda of Pottstown, 629 N. Lewis Road in Limerick (610-495-7076)
• Piazza Hyundai of Limerick, 640 Lewis Road in Limerick (610-495-7070)
• Sea Star Solutions, 640 Lewis Road in Limerick (610-495-7011)
• Sign Krafters, 1392 Ben Franklin Highway in Douglassville (610-949-8475)
• Spring-Ford Diner, 55 E. Bridge St. in Spring City (610-792-3404)
• T & N Hair Salon, 1220 N. Hanover St. in Pottstown (610-970-1606)
• Tim's Ugly Mug Bar & Grill, 1281 E. Main St. in Douglassville (610-404-1155)
• Traffic Planning & Design, 2500 E. High St., Suite 650 in Lower Pottsgrove (610-326-3100)
• Tri-County Toyota, 15 D & L Dr. in Limerick (484-984-4999)
• U.S. Axle, 275 Shoemaker Road in Pottstown (610-323-3800)
• Vito's N.Y. Style Pizza and Deli, 569 W. High St. in West Pottsgrove (610-327-3354)
• Comfort Inn, 99 Robinson St. in Pottstown (610-326-5000)

Rich Gerber performed magic at last year's party.

And there is another way you can help, and have fund at the same time.

Vendor Bingo, held the third Friday of each month at the Friendship Fire Company, 269 Green St. in Royersford, will devote its Nov. 21 proceeds to the holiday project.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and Bingo begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5 and includes a free wildcard sheet. Children are admitted for free.

You play the vendor rounds you choose.

Winners win products from vendors such as Jazzy Jewelry, Stampin Up, Avon, Celebrating Home, Jam Nails, Scentsy, Pink Zebra, Tastefully simple, Pampered Chef, Third-One, Sweet Ashley's Chocolates and more.

Regular games are $1 per card or three cards for $2 and the charity round is $2 per card or three cards for $5.

The kitchen is open for dinner and there is a cash bar.

Senior Center Car Raffle Enters Final Month

The Honda Fit donated by Piazza Honda and being raffled to benefit the Pottstown Area Senior Center.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Pottstown Area Senior Center.

There is only one month remaining to get your tickets for the 18th annual Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center car raffle.

The grand prize drawing will be held on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m., and the grand prize winner will have their choice of a brand new Honda Fit or $15,000 cash. 

 In addition, there are six cash prizes from $250 to $50.

“This is a great way for the community to support the senior center,” said Brian Parkes, executive director. “And of course, one lucky person will walk away with a brand new car or $15,000 cash!”

Proceeds from the raffle will be used to support programs for seniors in the greater Pottstown area.  

The senior center offers nearly 40 programs and services each week – everything from exercise programs such as Yoga and Tai Chi, to a free daily nutritious lunch, to support groups, to card games, and much, much more. 

Additionally, a staff member is available to help seniors choose and access health care benefits, and fill out the often complicated forms.

“Nearly 1,500 seniors every year stop by the senior center, and many come on a daily basis,” said Parkes. “Many of our participants would be sitting home alone. Instead, they come to the senior center to see their friends, socialize, exercise, play games, and receive the help they need to remain living independently.”

Car raffle tickets are $10 each, or four for $30. 

Tickets may be purchased at the senior center at 288 Moser Road, Pottstown (the former Pottstown Health Club), from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, or at the Pottstown Wal-Mart on most weekends. 

The car is provided by Piazza Honda, and will be on display at the Pottstown Classics Car Club’s Nostalgia Night Car Show on Aug. 2.

The Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center serves adults age 50 and better with programs and services including information and referral assistance, a daily free lunch, exercise programs, social activities, and much more. 

The Mission of the Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center is to enhance the well-being of its members by providing services and activities that promote an independent and healthy life style. 

The Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center has more than 3,400 members, and anyone living in the tri-county area (Berks, Chester and Montgomery Counties) who is 50-plus years of age is welcome to join the senior center. Learn more at www.greaterpasc.com.

Holiday Drive Kicks off 26th Year

Submitted photo

Toy donations are collected at the Dana plant in Pottstown for the annual holiday drive.

Organizers are gearing up for the 26th annual holiday toy and food drive to benefit under-priviledged families and donations of toys, food and funds are being sought.

Organizer Jim Frymoyer, who began the tradition as a member of the Moose Lodge and is now continuing it with the help of the Manatawny Association and the Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 626, said last year’s drive helped 59 families and the goal this year is to help 65.

“Overall, we’re hoping to touch the lives of 332 people,” he said.

Frymoyer stopped by The Mercury last week.

The effort has several moving parts, with some families getting a food basket with a ham, a turkey, eggs, milk, potatoes and more as well as toys for the children; some families just receiving toys for the children and a holiday part at the Norco Firehouse on Dec. 21; and two scholarships being given out, one in honor of Frymoyer’s son, who died this year of pneumonia.

There are also numerous sponsors as well as numerous ways and places the community can lend a hand.

One of the more visible are the “Angel Trees” set up at 15 different locations in the wider community where either food, or toys or both can be donated.

Each tree has angels, each representing a boy or girl of a specified age and those who take an angel off the tree attach it to a toy to be donated.

Angel trees are located at the following locations. All locations will accept toys and food donations unless otherwise noted:

• Dana Holding Corp.: 1040 Center Ave., Pottstown;

• Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 626: 924 South St., Pottstown;

• Ivy Inn, 7 Brookline Blvd, Havertown;

• Manatawny Association, 20 King St., Pottstown;

• Piazza Honda, 629 N. Lewis Road, Limerick;

• Piazza Hyundai, 84 Auto Park Blvd., Limerick;

• Sea Star Solutions, 640 Lewis Road, Limerick;

• Sign Krafters, 1392 Ben Franklin Highway, Douglassville (food only);

• T & N Hair Salon, 1220 N. Hanover St., Pottstown (food only);

• Tim’s Ugly Mug Bar & Grill, 1281 E. Main St., Douglassville (toys only);

• Traffic Planning & Design, 2500 E. High St., No. 650, Pottstown;

• Tri-County Toyota, 15 D & L Drive, Limerick (toys only);

• U.S. Axle, Inc., 275 Shoemaker Road, Pottstown;

• Vito’s NY Style Pizza and Grill, 569 W. High St., Pottstown (food only);

• Spring-Ford Diner, 55 E. Bridge St., Spring City (toys only).

Monetary donations can be mailed to James Frymoyer, project coordinator, at 422 Upland St., G-1, Pottstown, PA 19464 and those donations earmarked for toys, food or the scholarship should be noted as such. Those who wish to volunteer should call 484-363-0638.

A pile of freshly wrapped presents made many children happy last year.

Frymoyer said the families who benefit are selected by children and youth agencies in all three counties, as well as by some of the businesses which sponsor the drive and by organizations such as Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, The Cluster of Religious Communities and VNA Hospice.

Former district judge John Durkin helped Frymoyer get connected with the children and youth agencies, Frymoyer said, adding he gets a lot of help from prime sponsors like both Piazza car dealerships, Tri-County Honda, and those who help anyway they can, such the United Auto Workers No. 644, with whom Frymoyer worked for many years at Dana, and Diamond Credit Union, which last year gift wrapped the 750 to 800 toys that were given away.

“I’ve had people come up to me and donated a toy, telling me that their son or daughter wanted one of their Christmas presents to go to a needy child, it can be really heart-wrenching,” Frymoyer said.

Equally as heart-wrenching is the death of a child, something Frymoyer underwent this year with the passing of his son, James Frymoyer Jr., a 1997 graduate of Pottsgrove High School.

It is in his name that one of the two scholarships will be given to a Pottsgrove High School football player. The other will be given to a Perkiomen Valley High School football player chosen by coach Scott Reed, whose cousin, the late Shawn Reed, played football at the former St. Pius X High School, graduating in 2000.

Submitted Photo

Jim Frymoyer with some of the food baskets packed up for delivery at the Manatawny Association last year.

The scholarship fund will give out $6,500 from money that was collected last year.

The money collected this year will go to a scholarship for a Spring-Ford High School athlete in the name of former Mercury Sports Editor Don Seeley, a Spring-Ford alum who died this year shortly after retiring more than 30 years covering sports in the Pottstown area.

“When my son was sick, Don called me every day to check on him,” Frymoyer said.

The holiday effort will culminate late in the year when the food baskets are distributed from the Manatawny Association on Dec. 20 and the holiday party is held for 150 children and their families on Dec. 21.

“We’ve got balloons, face-painting, country singer Stephanie Grace is going to sing, a magician, hot dogs, pizza, soda, cup cakes and ice cream — and of course, Santa,” Frymoyer said.

“They’re just doing great work,” Pottstown Mayor Bonnie Heath said Wednesday of the undertaking and the party, which she and Borough Council President Stephen Toroney attended last year.

“It’s a great thing they’re doing,” echoed Council Vice President Jeff Chomnuk.