Welcome Back and Good Kids...

Hmmm, where did the time go. Sorry I haven't been around since July 4th. Looks like life just slipped away from me. There is nothing like school starting (and a gentle note from an editor) to get things rolling again.

September is such an interesting month around my house. The calmness of summer slips away to be greeted by the sometimes deafening noise of books, home work, band, soccer, Phillies baseball and renewed religious obligations. It all happens at once. The first sound of that alarm at 5:50 am is just shocking, by now that same alarm has you praying for June.

Enough about me. I want to talk about kids, and they are not even mine. If you do not know it, I am a School Board member in the much maligned William Penn School District. It's the much maligned part that I just don't get. Are we perfect, no, certainly not. Are we getting better, every single day, yes we are. Our kids and teachers are with great exception amazing. We are on a plan to fix our schools, including some of the most aggressive renovations to our energy infrastructure in the county. I am so proud of what is going on and I see the results in the eyes of our children every day.

Today, I am proud to share an email that our district got last week. I think it summarizes the spirit that makes us Penn Wood Proud.

>>>>>>>>>>>>
Mr. Greene,

I am not sure that you are the right person that I should be writing to, but I thought that I would take a chance anyway. :-)  My daughter attended a volleyball tournament this past weekend at Octorara High
School in Atglen, Pennsylvania and they said that they met a "bunch" of girls from some school called Penn Wood.  My daughter said that Penn Wood came in last place, but they were still the nicest, funniest kids that they had ever met at any tournament in volleyball.  I know that in today's society we often hear only about the bad things that kids do, so I wanted to let you know that the girls from Penn Wood was the first thing that my daughter mentioned when she came home that evening from
the tournament.  They took a group picture together and it is now my daughter's Facebook profile picture. :-)  If you could let the volleyball coach know that I wanted to thank her and the girls for
being such good kids, I would appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Marie
>>>>>>>>>>>>

The first time I read this note I got goose-bumps...even when I read it now, it makes me teary. Yes, it means that much. I love when our students are recognized for who they really are, not what people think they are. I love when we go some place and people get to see us. When what they have read and what they see, conflict in mid-air. Our well kept secret is getting out and our entire community is going to win.

So here is a big "atta boy" to the Lady Patriots Volleyball team. You aren't the best volleyball team, although congratulations on your first win this week(!), but you rocked the house with your spirit. That is the biggest win of all!

Watch out world the community of the William Penn School District is Penn Wood Proud and we aim to show you exactly why.

Property Taxes for Education and Sewers, Not a Good Idea!

Happy Fourth of July!

I value my independence very much. Its also my sons birthday which makes the day one of the most special of the year for me. The Forth for me is about courage and community. Those two traits make America great for me and my family and for that I am eternally grateful.

If you read my piece on Property Taxes, here is some information that I think is worth your reading.

The PA Costing Out Study

Which comes from this site.

The folks Of Good Schools Pennsylvania are part of the solution in my opinion. Their site is absolutely worth a peak.

First Suburbs also gets it. These stories are about their efforts in Pottstown.

I will add more resources shortly. I am going to go surround myself with my family. Happy Fourth folks!

THE Storm

Wow!

I have been a bad blogger, not writing for awhile so apparently I need a storm to send me back to blogging.

What a mess! My neighbors 2 trees decided that the perfect landing place would be our back yard. The trees did have the good sense to not hit our house! Just missed the house by 5 feet. My entire backyard and pool area are entangled with trucks, branches and leaves. Not complaining though, there are folks that have it way worse than us. The family is all okay, the house is in one piece...nothing else to ask for.

Wanna see the pictures...go here.

This is the time to get out there to check on and help you neighbors, so please do so if you can.

Feel free to post you picture and comments here. Be well folks.

Ah, yes, Memorial Day weekend is just about here. It's the official start of the unofficial start of summer, and will be a quite busy weekend bustling with activities for everyone here in Lansdowne, starting with the return of the Lansdowne Farmers Market on Saturday morning. The weather should be perfect for some terrific shopping and a great time, featuring fresh, locally-grown fruits, veggies, meats, bread and more, as well as live music and artists. The market is open from 9 am to 1 pm and takes place in the parking lot across from the Lansdowne Theater (30 N. Lansdowne Avenue).

For me the market morning will inevitably lead to an afternoon of my own type of farming (actually just lawn mowing and weed-pulling), but following a day of rest, relaxation and chores on Sunday, I will be resting up that night for a jam packed morning of activity on Memorial Day.

At 8:30 am Monday, the Lansdowne Memorial Day 5K will see plenty of folks of all fitness levels participate in a furious dash (or perhaps a not-so-fast stroll) to the finish line. The route begins in front of the municipal parking lot across from the Lansdowne Theater and makes its way through the historic residential areas and central business district. Following the race, the Memorial Day parade offers a celebratory yet poignant reminder of the true reason for the holiday – a tribute to those men and women who lost their lives while preserving our freedoms. This parade begins at Lansdowne and LaCrosse Avenues and wraps up with a ceremony at the Penn Wood High School field on Green Avenue. I encourage anyone with an appreciation for the many freedoms we enjoy as Americans to come out.

After all that early-morning activity, it's time to get something to eat, and where better than right next to the parade route, where the Lansdowne Baptist Church will hold an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 8 am to noon. If you've got kids under five, they eat for free, but the prices are more than affordable otherwise, with a $20 per family maximum. Proceeds from the breakfast go to the Aaron Royal Scholarship fund, which benefits members or regular attendees of the church or students who live within the William Penn School District. It's a good cause, and a good time, so try to stop by for a bite.

Did I miss anything? I know my schedule is probably already busy enough, but if there's something else going on locally that I missed, feel free to drop me a note and let me know. Thanks for reading, and hope you have a great holiday weekend, whatever you choose to do!

Happening this Weekend in Lansdowne, May 22-23

There's only one more week until the big Memorial Day weekend and the return of the Lansdowne Farmers Market.

With so much to look forward to next weekend, it's hard to believe that there's actually a somewhat busy slate of events this weekend, but here it is -- a quick rundown of the sights and scenes you may want to check out this weekend:

A quick 5K Update: Even though the early registration deadline has passed, there's still plenty of time to sign up for the Lansdowne Memorial Day 5K. Remember, five kilometers is only a bit more than three miles, so even if you haven't spent the entire winter burning up your treadmill you can still get yourself across the finish line without too much training.

SATURDAY: Penn Wood High School Flea Market

Bargain hunters alert - Penn Wood High School hosts a flea market from 8 am to 4 pm Saturday at the school, 100 Green Avenue. Proceeeds from this market benefits the Scholarship Fund of the PWHS Home and School Association.

SATURDAY: Movie Night in the Park

The Lansdowne Parks & Recreation Department presents Movie Night in the Park featuring the 2009 Disney-Pixar animated feature Up. This free event will be held at Hoffman Park on Scottdale Road (weather permitting) at 8:30 pm. Refreshments will be
available for purchase.

SUNDAY: No Place for Hate Film: The Times of Harvey Milk

At 1:30 pm on Sunday, the Lansdowne No Place for Hate group will present this award-winning documentary at the Lansdowne Library. The film will be followed by a discussion on the hatred and threats that public servants are targets of. Joining the discussion will be Judge Dan Anders, the first openly gay male to be appointed to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Popcorn provided, bring your own beverage. more info

Craving more data on Primary Day, 2010?

Upon review of my Philadelphia Inquirer and Delco Times this morning, I noticed that the local media did not have the numbers I craved about the "other" voting that took place. Yes, I completely understand that its a primary and if there is no real contest (one D and one R) the numbers don't really matter but I just wanted the facts, and I wanted all of them.

I will give you links to all the data on PA Primary Day, 2010 (5/18/10) but first a small rant.

My Rant:
Only 10% of folks went out to vote yesterday. I find that number pretty depressive. Not everyone has the right to vote in our world, and to give up your right to vote just seems absurd to me.
Rant Over.

Here are a couple of great links that just give numbers, not MSNBC or Fox analysis, just data. I love raw data (I know you are thinking NERD!). These numbers breakdown the state by county, our county, and our county by Borough or Township. Enjoy...Now you can do your own analysis of what ever you want!

2010 General Primary, Delaware County

2010 General Primary, Delaware County, by Borough or Township

2010 General Primary, Whole State Numbers

If you have other links, please share them.

Happening this Weekend in Lansdowne, May 15-16

Despite the kooky weather we had last weekend, the rain actually held out for last Saturday’s huge Town-Wide Yard Sale in Lansdowne. I know that I sure enjoyed it, along with my family, as we trekked around town for bargains (and we sure did find a few!). While I didn’t get any official numbers, my instincts tell me that it just might have been the biggest day of yard sales ever in Lansdowne! Oh, and did I mention that one of the best things about your kids growing up is their ability (and willingness) to help carry large items home, even in some seriously strong winds.

For those of you who like to run (or walk, or just collect interesting t-shirts from local events) now is a good time to let you know about the early registration deadline for the Lansdowne Memorial Day 5K. All persons registering by May 17 will enjoy two benefits -- a free t-shirt commemorating the event and a discounted registration rate. Sure, you could wait until the last minute to sign up, but why not save a few bucks and free up that valuable stretching time on the day of the race?

Anyway, we’re approaching yet another exciting weekend in Lansdowne, and this one features lots of fun stuff for everyone. The weather should be positively spring-like on Saturday, and will be the perfect time to add a little diversity to your garden by participating in the Community Plant Exchange held by the Gays, Lesbians, and Friends of Lansdowne. The exchange takes place in the municipal parking lot on North Lansdowne Avenue – the same location as the Lansdowne Farmers Market. Bring plants starting at 10:15 am; the exchange will last from 10:30 am to noon. For every plant someone brings, they will receive a ticket good for one plant to take home. Beginning at 11:45 any remaining plants may be available for purchase for $1 each for those who don’t have plants to bring.

Also on Saturday, two local schools are hosting separate events that will offer a little something for the entire family. From 10 am to 3 pm, the Lansdowne Friends School’s May Fair celebration is an active day of family fun featuring a maypole, food, live music, vendors, face painting, moonbounce, crafts, plenty of kids activities, and more! Join Lansdowne Friends School families, teachers, alumni and friends from 10 am to 3 pm at the school, located at 110 North Lansdowne Avenue.

From there, you’re just a couple blocks away from the St. Philomena’s School’s Arts and Crafts Fair, which takes place from 10 am to 4 pm. The fair will bring more than 25 professional artist vendors and 175 student artists to the Marian Hall Gymnasium for a day of fun and festivities. Admission is free. St. Philomena’s School is at 13 N. Highland Avenue, across from the Lansdowne Fire Station.

Finally, if the kids aren’t completely worn out, there’s more to do on Sunday, when Celebration Theater of Lansdowne presents the hilarious antics of Hatman! Last seen at the Lansdowne Arts Festival, the furiously funny Hatman will bring his famed collection of far-out and fabulous headwear. Enjoy story readings, audience interaction and of course, a Best Hat Contest! Prizes will be awarded for the funniest, the most creative and the biggest hats.

So that about wraps up my outlook for the weekend, but if you know of something else going on in the neighborhood, let us know in the comments section below. Hope to see you around town soon!