Around Phoenixville

PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. – Holy Family School , a Catholic regional elementary school in Phoenixville , Pa. , announces the launch of a new alumni and friends website, www.hfsalumni.org . The official launch is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. at Holy Family School , Third and Buttonwood Streets, Phoenixville. The school's future alumni, the eighth grade graduating class of 2009, will register as a group to kick-off the opening of the site to the public. "With the launch of the Holy Family Alumni & Friends website, we hope to offer a virtual community where our alumni, alumni parents, and supporters can come together," says Kelly Dychdala, director of alumni and development. "Holy Family School commits to support their students not only while in the classroom, but as they grow to become contributing members of our global world. We hope that through this site, we can also offer opportunities for alumni to mentor and contribute their gifts of time, tal...

The 2009 Dogwood Festival is being held from May 11th-16th. Daily events highlighted below: May 11 Wristband Night #1 6:30 - 7:30 pm: The Cat's Pajamas , Eric the Magician 8:00 - 10:00 pm: Brownpenny May 12 6:30 - 7:15 pm: PAHS Guitar Club 7:30 - 9:30 pm: EFB Everybody's Favorite Band May 13 Wristband Night #2 6:30 - 7:00 pm: Eric the Magician 7:00 - 7:30 pm: Dogwood Prince and Princess contest 8:00 - 10:00 pm: Audubon Symphony Orchestra May 14 6:30 - 7:15 pm: The Suspect 7:30 - 8:15 pm: Rocket 88 8:30 - 9:15 pm: My Last Day May 15 7:30 - 9:15 pm: Boris Garcia May 16 Dogwood Parade and Festival – Parade participants begin lining up at 11am, parade starts at 1pm, complete by 3pm; Dogwood Festival continues until 10pm Time(s) TBD: Klyph Black , Joe D'Amico For more information, visit the Phoenixville Jaycees website .

On Saturday, May 2nd, the American Cancer Society is hosting a charity dog walk named 'Bark for Life'. The walk begins at the Reeves Park band shell with registration starting at 8am and the walk beginning at 9am. For more information, visit the American Cancer Society's website for the event .

Skip Lawrence passed away over the weekend, our condolences to his family and friends. The Phoenix has an article which will surely serve as the place for people to share their memories . Skip's son Chris also has an article in today's paper remembering the life of his father.

Laura Lathan and her business, Pinch Hitter Communications, is our most recent Local Business Spotlight. Says Laura: I am the sole propietor of Pinch Hitter Communications. I call myself a marketeer, but that more aptly describes the positions listed on my resume. Now I help clients make sense of the options available harness them to connect with clients/customers/prospects - from planning to implementation, we swing for the fences. Even if the fences are 20 ft. away. Nothing wrong with starting small and meaningful. My signature swing is writing. For the Web, for print, correspondance etc. I can take on your long-ignored writing assignments or suggest changes to your existing content. And working together with Roberta Perry of Ten Sixteen, we build PR campaigns from local coverage to national publications. I have 10+ years experience in marketing communications with niche technology and professional services firms. Over the last 2 years, I've added small, B2C clients to the dug...

Phoenixville Area High School’s 2nd Annual Artists and Artisans Art Fair & Sale will be held of Saturday, April 25 from 9:30–3:00. The fair will be held at the Phoenixville Area High School Cafeteria and admission is $1 with kids 12 and under getting in for free. Artists and Artisans are invited to set up a booth to display and sell their work, booths are $20. Please contact Shawn Turley at turleyd@pasd.com or 484.927.5139 Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for more information or to purchase space.

The Phoenixville Democratic Committee has announced its candidates for the 2009 election. See the list here . The Phoenix also had an article regarding the candidates in this weekend's paper .

Open Gate by J. Scott Wolf Historic Yellow Springs will be hosting its 36th Annual Yellow Springs Art Show and Sale from April 25th to May 10th. The show features over 170 juried artists exhibiting in the area's finest show and sale of paintings, drawings, graphics and sculpture. Special Exhibition: Images of Yellow Springs A gallery exhibit in the Lincoln Building featuring original scenes of Historic Yellow Springs. See a special selection of new paintings of our enchanting village and purchase one for your home. NEW! Friday Happy Hour Fridays, May 1 and 8 from 5pm to 8pm Bring your friends, colleagues or significant other to this free wine and cheese reception to enjoy the show and friendly conversation. Art Quest for Kids Follow the clues, find the art, get a prize! This game encourages observation and interest in art. The event will take place at 1685 Art School Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425, and will be open from 11am-5pm daily and until 8pm on Fridays. This is a FREE ...

The Phoenixville Area School District announced this week that two unique individuals will be inducted into the Phoenixville Area School District Wall of Fame. The public is invited to attend the induction ceremony on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 in the front lobby of Phoenixville Area High School starting at 7:00 PM. The first inductee will be Thomas R. Ramsey Jr. Mr. Ramsey was born and raised in Phoenixville, and graduated in 1970 from Phoenixville Area High School. After high school Mr. Ramsey attended West Chester State College and worked 20 years for the United States Postal Service. In 1995, Mr. Ramsey began his current occupation as a video professional with Pottstown Community Television. Since then he has gone on to establish television programming in the Phoenixville community, most notably "Poking Around Phoenixville," "For the Health of It," and the "History of the Phoenixville Steel Company." In 2002 Mr. Ramsey was instrumental in helping to establis...

On Tuesday night, Borough Council voted 5-2 in favor of closing a portion of 2nd Avenue in order to provide room for the expansion of the public library . From today's Phoenix: By a 5-2 vote, Borough Council Tuesday evening approved the closing of a portion of Second Avenue for the expansion of the Phoenixville Public Library. But the approval came with conditions. The vacation of the right-of-way from Main Street to Park Alley and sale of the underlying Borough property to the Phoenixville Area Board of School Directors, the Library's owner, for $1 was made contingent on the expansion project itself receiving all final clearances. Only if the project succeeds in "meeting of all land development, zoning conditions, and approval of the plan as necessary by the Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board, and Borough Council" — and only after the School District agrees to accept the land — will the avenue's closing become final. Read the full article at phoenixvillene...

In the spirit of National Poetry Month, readers are invited to join the first meeting of the new Poetry Book group to discuss Billy Collins’ collection The Trouble with Poetry on Thursday, April 16th at 7 PM. The group will continue to meet the third Thursday of the month and is free, open to the public, and welcoming of all levels of poetry readers, from the novice to the expert as well as the "just curious". Wolfgang Books is located on the second floor at 237 Bridge Street in Phoenixville and on the web at http://www.wolfgangbooks.com/ .

From the Sly Fox Brewery mailing list: Our annual Bock Festival & Goat Race will be held in Phoenixville on Sunday, May 3, rain or shine, at Sly Fox Brewhouse & Eatery in Pikeland Village Square just as it has been since 2002 (two were held previously at a since closed brewpub, making this the 10th in the series). The gates open at 11am and the races begin at 2pm. The day-long event draws fans from states as far away as North Carolina (over 2,000 attendees last year) to enjoy German food and music and what may be the most extensive lineup of bock beers poured at any brewpub in the nation on a single day: Slacker Bock, Helles Bock, Instigator Doppelbock, two Eisbocks (Slacker and Instigator this year) and, of course, Maibock. Maibock is what the race is all about. The winning goat will be honored by having the 2009 Maibock named after ?the goat owner gets a $75 gift card good at both Sly Fox locations?and the newly-named beer will be tapped for the first time at the end of the ...

The 3rd Annual Phoenixville Celtic Street Fair is being held on Saturday, May 9th from 10am-6pm. The fair will once again be held on the 200 block of Bridge Street and will feature live music, vendors and food. For more information, visit East of the the Hebrides Entertainment or USA Kilts .

From yesterday's Phoenix : This Easter Sunday, the Ryan's are making special arraignments for their Sunday Brunch to bring a new family tradition to town. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. during brunch this Easter Sunday, families can meet the Easter Bunny and have their pictures taken for free. ... It's always a good idea to call ahead to let the P. J. Ryan's staff know you're coming. To make reservations for the upcoming Easter Bunny picture and brunch event this Easter Sunday, call 610-933-5600. Adults eat for only $11.95, kids for $5.95. PJ Ryan's is located at 231-233 Bridge St. Their website is pjryanspub.com

Thursday's Inquirer reports that the Valley Forge Convention Center has been awarded "the first of two resort permits to be issued by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which intends to issue 14 of them. The resort license limits the casino to 500 slot machines." From the article: This casino will be open to guests of the convention center's two hotels and to customers who spend at least $10 at any of the other amenities at the complex, which will include restaurants and a new spa. Those conditions, different from any of the other casinos Pennsylvania has licensed to date, should provide some crowd control, local officials said. Thanks to reader Victor for the link!

On Friday April 24th, the Phoenixville Democratic Committee will be holding a Wine and Cheese and Silent Auction Fundraiser at the Green Room on Main Street from 7:00-9:30pm. Wine is being provided by the Chaddsford Winery and the cheese is being provided by the Terrapin Café on Main Street. Tickets are $25. All the details can be found here The Green Room is located at 6 S. Main St. Tickets are available and can be purchased at the event. For More Information, please contact Larry Tillotson at LTillotson@PhoenixvilleDems.org .

Learn about backcountry camping and basic survival skills from the “Survivor Man” of Nottingham County Park at Phoenixville Public Library on Thursday, May 7 at 7:00 PM. Doug Riexinger of the park’s maintenance staff will present an interactive demonstration of everything you need to know to get started in the purest form of camping. From a week-long summer trip to a winter weekend, attendees will learn what to take, how to pack, and what to eat. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. For more information or to reserve a seat, call 610-933-3013, Ext.32 or e-mail mpinto@ccls.org . Phoenixville Public Library is located at 183 Second Avenue in Phoenixville, PA.

Received this email regarding a fund raiser being held at Iron Hill for a great cause: Join us as we raise money for Hope for the Warriors!!! Wednesday May 6th from 5 pm - 10 pm at Iron Hill Brewery, 130 Bridge St. Phoenixville, PA 19460 20 % of your tab (not including alcohol) will go to Hope for the Warriors! You must present a "take 20 " coupon to your server for the organization to get credit. Coupons will be emailed out the last week of April! For coupons contact Kristen Caperila at kris10cap@msn.com The mission of Hope for the Warriors is to enhance the quality of life for US Service Members and their families nationwide who have been adversely affected by injuries or death in the line of duty. Hope for the Warriors actively seeks to ensure that the sacrifices of wounded and fallen warriors and their families are never forgotten nor their needs unmet, particularly with regard to the short and long-term care of the severely injured. Visit www.hopeforthewarriors.org t...

The 5th Annual William B. Harrington Memorial Scholarship Fund Beef & Beer will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2009 from 2-8pm. The event will be held at the Valley Forge Firehouse-Picnic Grove rain or shine. Tickets only $20.00 each Must be 21 to attend (we card at door) Band-Bad Habit DJ-Ultra Productions Homemade Food, Beer & Soda, Door Prize, Raffles, Jello-Shots, Desserts, 50/50 Money Wheel, Cooler of Cheer Raffle Our Mission Statement The relatives and friends of Bill Harrington have formed a non-profit organization to honor his life and the spirit of generosity for which he was known. This scholarship fund is dedicated to providing financial assistance to students attending CAT-Pickering School who wish to further their education. Our goal is to foster Bill’s legacy of friendship, loyalty and commitment by lending a helping hand to those in need.

The Phoenixville Jaycees will be honoring Earth Day—in advance—with a Downtown Cleanup on Sunday, April 5th beginning at noon, rain or shine. “The goal of the Jaycees is to have a positive impact on our community,” said Jaycees President Shane Dilworth. “The downtown is a jewel and is used by everyone.” Jaycees members will meet at Headquarters (8 Gay Street) at noon to disperse teams throughout the downtown. The cleanup will focus on the 100–300 blocks of Bridge Street, the unit blocks of Gay and Main Streets, the 200 block of Church Street, as well as the Prospect Street and Bridge Street parking lots. The event is not limited to Jaycees members; “we have sought out and received positive responses from the business owners, the Kiwanis, Whitehorse Rugby, and the borough,” said event organizer David Boelker. “We also encourage residents to pitch in and join us that day, even if for thirty minutes,” said Boelker. The Jaycees request that volunteers bring a pair of work gloves that day....

Reader Elliot wrote in to let me know that The Handcrafted Cookie Company is having its official grand opening and ribbon cutting this Friday for First Friday. Handcrafted has been open for a couple of months now and everything I have heard has been extremely positive. Thanks to Elliot for the tip and best of luck to the owners!