Ever Wanted to Join Roller Derby? Now's the Time

The Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars are not to be trifled with.

Have you ever wanted to be a rock star?

Have you ever wanted to skate in roller derby?

Have you ever wanted to do both?

Well Feb. 5 is your big chance.

That's when the Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars will have their first intake for new skaters of the upcoming season.

From 7 to 10 p.m. at Ringing Rocks Roller Rink in Lower Pottsgrove, the team will be holding its first practice and opening it up to those interested in joining.

"All you need to bring with you is a mouthguard," writes team Vice President Crystal Hayduk. "We have rental skates, and limited gear available to help you get started."

Participants must be at least 18 and need not have experience. 

"We will help you every step of the way," sayd Hayduk. 

You can email Hayduk at crystalhayduk@gmail.com  with any questions.

Rockstars Staging 'Make 'Em Bleed' Blood Drive

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Pottstown's Rollerderby Rockstars

Pottstown's Roller Derby Rockstars will join leagues across the country to launch a national blood drive series next week called "Make ‘Em Bleed."

The drive is organized in partnership with The American Red Cross and Brown Paper Tickets and will take place here on Wednesday, July 26 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Ringing Hill Fire Company, 815 White Pine Lane in Lower Pottsgrove. 

(If you can't make the Pottstown blood drive, another will be held in Philadelphia on Sunday, Aug. 13 when the Philly Roller Derby will be at Roxborough Memorial Hospital, 5800 Ridge Ave., from from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

Roller derby athletes will offer autographs, photo opportunities and more to attract donors, like other blood drives in the Make 'em Bleed series which are often the most popular community service events of the year in many of the cities where they are hosted. 

Make ‘Em Bleed roller derby blood drives have collected more than 900 units of blood over the past 4 years -- enough to have helped to save up to 2,700 lives.

“The Make ‘Em Bleed blood drives provide a fantastic atmosphere, with roller derby athletes skating in uniform, refreshments, giveaways and an all-around good time,” said Justin Mueller, representative for the American Red Cross.“  The summer is one of the most difficult times for the Red Cross to collect blood, so Make ‘Em Bleed has really made a difference to help ensure blood is available for patients in need.”

In 2017, the Make ‘Em Bleed roller derby blood drive series is part of World Roller Derby Week, Aug. 13-19, a series of events celebrating the 82nd birthday of the invention of the sport by Leo Seltzer in 1935. 

Roller derby is one of only three major sports invented in the United State. Currently, almost 2,000 women’s, men’s and junior leagues are skating, competing and giving back to their communities worldwide.

They've Been Working on the Railroad

Volunteers along the Colebrookdale Spur

Blogger's Note: The following is provided by Nathaniel Guest on behalf of the effort to transform the Colebrookdale Spur into a tourist excursion railroad.

On Saturday June 8 and Sunday June 9, teams of volunteers came out to the

Colebrookdale to accomplish a very important task: cleaning up the right of way.

For some time, the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust has been advocating and planning for a tourist passenger railroad on the Colebrookdale. 

A recent report found that the Colebrookdale as a tourist railroad can be a powerful engine of economic development for our region.

One of our goals in getting the railroad ready for prime time has been to clean up the line. 

Saturday and Sunday brought 40 volunteers. 

The Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars led the charge on Sunday, augmented by folks from the Montgomery County ARD program on Saturday.

Berks County Subway provided lunch for all volunteers, and the Pottstown Health and Wellness Foundation provided water. 

J.P. Mascaro & Sons provided two dumpsters. 

The clean up was coordinated by the Beanie Clark with support from the Borough of Pottstown.

A Day That Will Live in Activity

Tomorrow is going to be one busy day!

In my business, it is gospel that the busiest months of the year for news and events is September, when everyone gets back from vacation; December, when everyone is getting ready to take a vacation; and May/June, when everyone is getting ready for an even longer vacation.

An excellent example of this, allow me to present September 22, which I am calling "the day everything happens."

There are no less than five major events going on in our coverage area that day, any one of which could carry the next day's paper.

But because they will all happen on the same day, often at the same time, we won't be covering all of them.

(Any and all are, of course, encouraged to e-mail photos and summaries of their events to me at ebrandt@pottsmerc.com)

I will present here, chronologically, a list of all the things going on and the irony is, no doubt I will miss one I don't even know about:

• Schuylkill River Trail Bike Tour Series: 7:30 a.m. registration begins. A bike tour of nine, 18 or 20 miles from Pottstown to Birdsboro on the Schuylkill River Trail. The tour will focus on the Pennsylvania Railroad, its history and impact on the area. Kurt Zwikl, director of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, which is sponsoring this first of several rides, said reaction has been spectacular and more than 100 people have signed up to participate.
  
  Digital Notebook readers first learned about this on Aug. 8.
  
  Today at noon is the latest to register. Click here to do so on-line, there is no sign-up tomorrow.
  
  Fee is $25 for adults (aged 16 and up); $20 for members; $15 for children ages 11-15. Children 10 and under free.
  
  Price includes refreshments in Pottstown and Birdsboro. Complimentary pre-ride bicycle safety checks provided by Tri-County Bicycles.
  
• Second Annual Pottstown Pet Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.in Smith Family Plaza in front of Pottstown Borough Hall. I neglected to mention in my post on this yesterday, that the Montgomery County Health Department will be there to provide rabies vaccination at $10 per shot. Admission to the event is free. Food and pet items will be sold there.
• Open Garden at Pottstown Community Garden from 12 to 2 p.m. at the garden at 423 Chestnut St. Visitors can participate in a salsa-making workshop, learn how the garden works, and pick vegetables to take home. The event is free.
• Can Jam Festival 2012: Sly Fox brewery, 331 Circle of Progress, the beer-lovers event will host the event from 12 to 9 p.m., it features live music, food and admission is free.
• At 1:30 p.m. the YWCA will host the next in a year-long "Girl Talk" series, this one on teaching girls to be advocates. The event, at 315 E. King St., will be free.
• Tomorrow evening, doors open at 6 p.m., the Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars will host an intra-league bout between Damage Inc. and Fabulous disaster at the 422 Sports Complex at 1400 Industrial Highway. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
   

Vive Le Roller Derby

Blogger's Note: This e-mail I received from Roller Derby maven Patty Fetterman gives us the low-down on an important upcoming bout on Bastille Day!

As you may know, Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars are in the middle of our first official roller derby season.

To date, we’ve hosted six roller derby bouts at the 422 sportsplex, each bout averaging about 400 to 500 guests.

Part of our league's mission is to donate a percentage of our ticket sales from each bout to local non-profits.

This year alone we’ve donated over $2,500 to Relay for Life, Wounded Warriors, and the Laurel House as well as a few other groups.

On  July 14, the Pottstown Roller Derby All Star Team will compete against Diamond State Roller Girls who are traveling from Delaware.

What is special about our All Star Team is that it is made up of our best athletes from our league’s three teams. We are very fortunate to have an opportunity to see the such derby skill locally.

PRDR has been fortunate enough to have held coaching sessions with several of the Team USA Roller Derby members who are known internationally.

A picture of Dr. Quinones from his web site.

Perhaps even more important that the athleticism featured at our July 14 bout is who we are raising money for:  Dr. Quinones, or “Dr. Q,”one of the nation’s leading experts on fighting brain tumors.  (His website is here: http://www.doctorqmd.com/)

What makes this extra special for our league is that Dr. Q is currently treating Lida Dickenson, who is the mother of our founder and president (Lo Blow) Lida Addison.   Besides being the beloved “Mama Lida” to the members of our league, Mrs. Dickenson is lifelong Pottstown resident who is responsible for the gorgeous flowers that decorate High Street planters every year.

Dr. Q has had a profound impact on Mama Lida’s health; she is courageously fighting a battle with brain cancer and she is with us today because of his innovation and skill.

So buy your tickets now, see your Rockstars destroy those Delawarians and help a good person beat cancer. This is a no-lose proposition!

Rockstars Offer Up 'Cinco de Melee' Saturday Night

As if there wasn't already enough to do in town on Saturday, we now include the Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars.

The Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars have announced their second bout of the season, called "Cinco De Melee," on Saturday, May 5th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The bout will take place at the 422 Sports Plex, 1400 Industrial Highway.  

Doors open at 6 p.m., whistle starts the bout at 7 p.m.  

"Bring your chair and your sombrero and watch as The Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars Damage Incorporated take on Fabulous Disaster. In addition to hard hitting, action packed roller derby, this event will include entertainment by Eclipse Entertainment," said a release from the team.

Official PRDR merchandise will also be available for purchase. 

The cost is $10 adult pre-sale at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/244050, $15 adult at the door, and $5 for children under 12 (ages 5 and under are free).  

From the 4/29 bout Vs. Damage Inc.

A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Laurel House, Helping Victims of Domestic Violence and their Children. 

The team also announced that our season opener was attended by nearly 600 fans, more than $600 of the proceeds were donated to Relay for Life. 

For more information or to sponsor this event visit www.pottstownrollerderbyrockstars.com. 

Ouch.

Roller Derby Rockstars Kick Off Their Season April 14

Photo from the Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars photo blog.

The Pottstown Roller Derby Rock Stars in Action.

Blogger's Note: It is with indescribable satisfaction that The Digital Notebook presents the contents of a notice we received recently from our friends at the Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars.

The Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars present their season opening double header, including a men’s roller derby bout followed by the PRDR main event on April 14 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The event takes place at The 422 Sports Plex, 1400 Industrial Highway, Pottstown.  

No rest for the weary in Roller Derby

The men’s bout will be between The New York Shock Exchange’s Dow Jones Average vs. The Rollin Regulators from Cecil County MD.

They will be followed by The Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars Damage Incorporated vs. The Flogging Mollies. 

In addition to hard hitting, action packed roller derby, this event will include entertainment by The Punkabillys, DJ React, and a mechanical bull.   

YES, a mechanical bull! 

Official PRDR merchandise will also be available.  

The cost is $10 adult pre-sale at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/234962, $15 adult at the door, and $5 for children under 12 (ages 5 and under are free). 

A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.  For more information or to sponsor this event please visit www.pottstownrollerderbyrockstars.com

If you want to know more about the Pottstown Roller Derby Rockstars, check out this video about them:

Or check out their web site by clicking here, or check out their blog by clicking here.