Giant Bubble Battles Enliven Pottstown Block Party

Photos by Evan Brandt

London Edwards, 10, was just one of dozens of youngsters who had a blast yesterday using the people-sized bubble suits at the block party on the lawn along Beech Street between Green and Edgewood streets.

There was a lot going on Pottstown Saturday.

The day began in Smith Family Plaza where the Pottstown FARM market once again offered its wares.

Over at the Pottstown Municipal Airport, aircraft of all types were on display for those interested in aeronautics.

Pottstown Mayor Stephanie Henrick appeared trapped
inside her bubble suit Saturday.

At the Ricketts Community Center, a basketball tournament attracted hundreds.

And just down the way on Beech Street, on the well-kept greensward between Green and Edgewood Streets, a block party was underway.

Luckily, helping hands were on hand to help
Henrick get to her feet.

Sponsored by a variety of community support groups, the event featured bounce houses, lawn games, food and, most importantly, school supplies for kids who go back to school Monday.

We'll have more extensive coverage of all that in Monday's edition of The Mercury.

Today, I want to focus on one thing from that block party -- giant bubbles.

Among the more intriguing toys provided for the block party were, as you can see, giant bubble suits which, needless to say, the children really enjoyed. That's not so surprising.

Perhaps more surprising was how much some of the adults at the block party enjoyed them, including Pottstown's mayor and a revered member of the school board.

Anyone who has attended the New Year's Day celebrations in Riverfront Park knows the mayor has a taste for spectacle. This January, she and some stalwart comrades, including Councilman Don Lebedynsky, leaped into the icy waters of the Schuylkill River wearing ballet tutus.

Pottstown Mayor Stephanie Henrick, right, squares off against
Pottstown Community Action co-founder Tamara Charles.

Lebedysnky was on hand yesterday too although he, like this ever-so-dignified journalist, vigorously resisted the mayor's invitation to jump into a bubble suit.

So she squared off in a bumping contest against Tamara Charles, co-founder of Pottstown Community Action.

The results were amusing but inconclusive.

More certain were the results of a similar contest between Pottstown School Board member, Director of Community Relations for the Pottstown School District and wrestling coach John Armato and Cathy Skitko.

Herself a former member of the school board, Skitko is communications director for both The Hill School and its neighborhood improvement arm Hobart's Run, which was one of the organizers of Saturday's event.

Skitko should have known what she was getting herself into, besides a giant person-sized bubble, when she squared off against Armato, who takes no competition lightly.

Here is the result:

Cathy Skitko, right, lifts John Armato's arm in victory
after their epic bubble battle Saturday.

Luckily for us all, Skitko is a good sport and, after giving it the old Hill School try, eventually found herself on her back (inside a bubble), succumbing to Armato's relentless attack.

She was even savvy enough to know that when a wrestler wins a match, his hand must be held high in victory.

Congratulations to Mr. Armato. We all look forward to the re-match.

School Supply Drive Ends With Block Party

As the summer nights shorten and school looms larger on student calendars, the question of school supplies becomes unavoidable.

For many in the larger Pottstown community, it's not the shopping for an ever-elusive notebook or the right highlight color that poses a problem, so much as what happens when you get to the check out.

Often enough, area teachers buy some of those supplies for their students out of their own pocket.

To help out, and to lessen that unfair financial burden, several Pottstown churches and organizations are collecting schools supplies to provide to teachers to ensure as many children as possible start on a level playing field, at least when it comes to pencils, pens, notebooks, erasers and other items necessary for the well-stocked desk.

And there's even a block party scheduled as an incentive for one drive.

Bethel Community Church of Pottstown

But first, here is the effort underway by Bethel Community Church of Pottstown, which is working through a national website called RightGift.com for its Help Kids Succeed School Supply Drive.

For the next 12 days, those so included can go to https://rightgift.com/nonprofits/bethel-community-church-of-pottstown/wish-lists/bd7794c6-f138-47eb-94be-711046f627e8 where a list of specific items needed can be found and purchased for distribution.

"BCCP Mission's Ministry is soliciting "School Supplies and Backpacks" for kids in the Pottstown, Pottsgrove and surrounding school districts. Please help by donating school supplies and backpacks for boys and girls of all ages," the site notes.

Habitat and PCA

Since July 15 through Aug. 15, Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County and Pottstown Community Action have teamed up for a school supply drive.

Donations can of crayons, pencils, pencil cases, tissues, glue sticks, erasers and more can be made at Grumpy's Hand Carved Sandwiches, 157 E. High St. in Pottstown. 

Those supplies will be re-distributed to area teachers.

Drive and Block Party

Habitat and PCA are also participating in a wider school supply effort that also includes Hobart's Run, Heart of God Family Worship Center, Community First, New Eden Fellowship Church and Sisters Helping Sisters.

The Pottstown community is invited to a Block Party, Saturday, Aug. 24, from 4-8 p.m., on the field along Beech Street between Green and Edgewood. Participants will enjoy free hot dogs as well as food vendors, children’s activities including a bouncy house and face-painting, games, and music and a dance team performance.

While bringing families from our town together, this event also will culminate a drive to collect classroom supplies for teachers in the Pottstown District’s elementary schools. Planners also plan to present knapsacks of nonperishable healthy snacks to local children.

The Block Party is being organized by Heart of God Family Worship Center and Sisters Helping Each Other; Pottstown Community Action; and Community First, as well as Hobart’s Run – with generous support of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Genesis Housing, BB & T, and WSFS Bank.

Heart of God is collecting supplies specifically for teachers, namely glue sticks, tissues, large pump bottles of hand sanitizer, sanitizer wipes, dry erasers and dry erase markers, and pencils, as well as snacks such as small bags of pretzels, juice boxes, gummies, and granola bars.

Items may be dropped off through Aug. 23 at Hobart’s Run at 701 E. High Street (email hobartsrun.pottstown@gmail.com if you’d like to stop by with donations) and at the North End Swim Club, 901 N. Adams St. 

PCA also is collecting these items, as well as crayons, pencil cases, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, lunch-sized paper bags and Ziplock bags, construction paper, erasers, stickers, index cards, and Sharpie markers. All can be dropped off through Aug. 15 at Grumpy’s Hand-Carved Sandwiches at 157 E. High Street or Hobart’s Run.

Block party attendees are welcome to bring additional classroom supplies for distribution.

Hobart’s Run will be breaking out the fun and games provided through the generosity of the Gimbel Charitable Trust which allowed us to purchase a variety of equipment ranging from bubble soccer ball sets to croquet, corn hole, soccer balls, and other items!