Around Phoenixville

Reader Abby wrote in to tell of a blog she has started for new parents in the area, Babies on Bridge Street . Says Abby about the site: The blog is intended for new parents in Phoenixville to find baby friendly activities, businesses, and resources in our area. I'll be reviewing these places and activities for parents to see what it's like. There's nothing more intimidating than attending new events with little babies in tow. I hope the blog will encourage new parents to enjoy what the town has to offer and inspire a little courage to leave the house! Good luck to Abby with the site!

On Wednesday, February 2nd, Renaissance Academy Charter School will be hosting an open house from 9-11am or 6-8pm. OPEN HOUSE February 2, 2011 9am-11am or 6pm-8pm rsvp at 610-983-4080 x1134 or jennifer.scherer@rak12.org The Renaissance Academy is a tuition free, award-winning, college prep, charter school for students in grades K-12 in Phoenixville , Pennsylvania . Open since September 2000, the school offers a college preparatory curriculum to over 930 students from more than 18 surrounding school districts. Its challenging curriculum was designed to encourage students to think objectively and to approach life thoughtfully and creatively. In addition to the college-preparatory curriculum, the school also offers sports teams, a band and choral program, and a variety of fine arts including world language (K-12), dance, drama, ceramics, graphic design, art, music, yoga and Pilates. Students also have opportunities to participate in theatrical events. Productions for the school...

Local students now have more access to music education and instruments, thanks to the recently-established Give the Gift of Music Foundation, which supports local music education for eligible children ages 7 to 18. Today, the Foundation announced its first major donation of $12,000 from the Steel City Blues Society of Phoenixville, a nonprofit organization that cultivates and preserves the tradition of blues music, and its two first scholarship recipients. The $12,000 donation is from the Steel City Blues Society, which hosted the inaugural Phoenixville Blues Festival held September 11, 2010 and was attended by more than 3,100 people. Funds raised from the festival were designated for the Give the Gift of Music Foundation ( www.givethegiftofmusic.org ), the new, non-profit Pennsylvania 501 (c) (3) Foundation that donates musical instruments and/or financial assistance in the form of scholarships for lessons in approved music education or enrichment programs in the greater Phoenixvil...

The first in a series of three free financial literacy seminars for investors, “Investing in Recovery: A Guide to Portfolio Repair”, will be presented at Phoenixville Public Library on Monday, January 24 at 7:00 PM. Eric Lanshe, Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, will be the speaker. His first talk, “A Vision of the Present”, will present an overview of the economy and investment markets. He will highlight attractive investment opportunities for 2011 and discuss events that could dramatically alter the course of the markets. Attendees will receive actionable items they can put into place to help their investment portfolios in the new year. 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, Phoenixville, PA.

Sad news to report, Wolfgang Books will be closing at the end of March. Owner Jason Hafner sent out the following: I am sorry to say that Wolfgang Books will close when our lease expires at the end of March. After five years, I can no longer maintain the business and am not able to renew the lease. I have enjoyed my time as the owner of Wolfgang Books considerably, and I thank all of you who have supported the store over the past five years. It is news to no one that our country's economy is struggling at the moment, and sales at Wolfgang Books have been affected dramatically over the past year or so. In addition, as more and more people move to e-readers we have experienced a classic example of a "chipping away effect." While a great deal of Wolfgang Books customers remain committed to books as a physical object, not all do, and the margins are too slim to be able to sustain a loss of any of our patrons. This isn't to say that one way is right or wrong; it is ju...

A few days ago, The Handcrafted Cookie Company posted on their Facebook page that they will be closing their doors for good on February 28th: It is with heavy hearts that we announce that our ownership of The Handcrafted Cookie Company will end this Feb. 28. Due to family priorities, we have had to make this very difficult decision. We’ve learned a lot in two years, made new friends, and experienced huge changes in our lives, the birth of our daughter by far the biggest of these. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement. We could never have done this without all of you. Sincerely, -Chad, Theresa and Maya Williams

CVKH Orchestra 1/25/11: Showtime for Friday's show has changed. Camphill Village Kimberton Hills presents The Prince and the Pauper, a musical comedy by Lewis Hardee, February 18-20, 2011. Directed by Veronika Roemer, The Prince and the Pauper is based on the story by Mark Twain. Prince Edward, son of King Henry XIII, and a poor boy of the slums of London have a chance encounter. They discover that they look very much alike and decided to change clothes “for an hour or two.” The exchange lasts much longer and both boys, as well as everyone around them, discover many new things about life and each other. The musical is freely based on Twain’s story, making even more fun of stiff royalty and showing the audience that poverty of goods does not mean poverty of heart. The music is a delightful mix of modern show tunes and Elizabethan era songs, with many catchy tunes. This is the sixth show produced by Roemer, who lives and works in Camphill Kimberton, an intentional c...