Happy Holidays from All of Us Here at The Free Press!

Happy Holidays
from All of Us Here
at The Free Press!
What is Your Fondest Holiday Memory?
Albert Diehl
Quakertown
Getting together with my
family Christmas Day after
hearing that my uncle’s disease
was cured!
Stephania DeMatteo
Salvatore Marsala
Quakertown
Quakertown
Living in Haycock as a child
Having family reunions with my
and having big snow storms!
family in Sicily.
Scott Bradshaw
Telford
Getting a toboggan as a
child and seeing my sisters so
excited.
Interviews and photos by Frank DiRenzo
2
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
Upper Bucks Community Events
December 1 to 5
December 3 to 5
Holiday Craft Show at Pearl Buck
Historic Landmark, 520 Dublin
Road, Perkasie, pearlsbuck.org
Haycock Historical Society’s Kringle Christmas Shop, Fri. 1pm8pm, Sat. 10am-4:30pm, Sun.
12:30pm-4:30pm, Latvian Baptist
Church, Applebachsville, www.
haycockhistoricalsociety.org
December 1 to January 2
Winter Wonderland: Holiday Decorations at Fonthill Museaum, East
Court St & rte 313, Doylestown,
Call for reservations and fees
215-348-9461, ext. 10
Holiday Festival of Trees Display
at Pearl S Buck House, guided
tours: Tues-Sat at 10,11,1,2, and
3pm, Sun. at 12,1,2, and 3pm. 520
Dublin Rd, Perkasie 215-249-0100
Christmas at the Alpaca Farm,
11am-4pm every weekend until
Christmas, Harley Hill Farm, feed
alpacas, pick a tree, and holiday
music, miniature “snow village”
in barn, decorate a wreath, free
hot cocoa. No charge, requests for
non-perishable food for the Qtwn
Food Pantry. 215-536-2841
December 1
Grand Menorah Lighting in
Doylestown,
6:30pm,
Bucks
County Courthouse, 55 East Court
St, Doylestown, 215-340-1303
December 3
Souderton Holiday Parade, 11am,
www.stmainst.org
Perkasie Holiday Tree Lighting,
5pm-8pm, 1 N. 7th St, Perkasie,
Fun for all, entertainment and music. 215-257-4989 or www.perkasieoldetowne.org
Quakertown Tree Lighting Festival, 6pm-8pm, Triangle Park,
Quakertown, visit participating
stores for complimentary treats,
www.quakertownalive.com
Annual Christmas Cookie Sale at
Finland Mennonite Church, 9amNoon, 1750 Ziegler Rd, Pennsburg
December 4 to 18
Annual Cookie Sale at Eastern Upper Bucks Senior Ctr, 9am-3pm,
8050 Easton Rd, Ottsville, crafts
and refreshments, 610-847-8178
Share the Love Days for Bucks
County SPCA at A&T Subaru in
Sellersville, collecting SPCA wish
list items and photos with Santa
Paws, 215-794-7425
December 4
Breakfast with Santa, 8am-11am,
Upper Bucks County Vo-Tech
School.
Christmas Craft Show sponsored
by Woman’s Club of Quakertown,
9am-6pm at Qtwn Train Station, 15
Front St. Homemade arts & crafts
by local artisans. Profits go to local food pantry, Kickoff event for
100th birthday in 2011.
sandy.mercury18@gmail.com
Craft Fair & Pictures with Santa.
Free Workshop at Upper Bucks (also on Dec. 12), 11am-4pm,
Children and leashed pets welCommunity College, 8:30amcome, Milford Township Fire
10:30am, “Loan Programs to Fit Dept, 2185 Milford Square Pike,
Your Business”, 1 Hillendale Dr, Milford Square, 267-446-2651
Perkasie, tkline@ubcc.org
Upper Bucks YMCA Holiday Open
House, 10am-1pm, 401 Fairview
December 2
Ave, Qtwn, 215-536-8841
UBCC Holiday Business Card Exchange at Andrew’s Rest. & Deli,
5pm-7pm, 750 North West End
Blvd, Qtwn, tkline@ubcc.org
Family fun event, over 50 craft tables and Santa, etc., 215-541-7299
Annual Holiday Bazaar presented
by Marlborough Elem. School’s
P.T.F.S., Route 29, Green Lane.
Annual Holiday Bazaar, 9:30am2:30pm at Mountainview Moravian Church, 331 Constitution Ave,
Hellertown, lunch, crafts, baked
goods
December 5
“Spirit of Grace” concert, 3pm at
Jerusalem Lutheran Church, 733
Ridge Rd, Sellersville, free concert with refreshments following,
All are invited, 215-257-9423
St. Luke’s Christmas Tree Tour,
www.quakertownalive.com
Upper Perk Hometown Christmas,
Santa Land and the Christmas Parade, www.upperperk.org
Basket Bingo at Qtwn Fire Co #1,
505 W. Broad St, Qtwn, doors
open noon, $20 tickets. Raffles,
bonus games, food. 267-374-0156
Philadelphia Handbell Ensemble,
4pm at Trinity Lutheran Church,
5th&Chestnut Sts, Perkasie, Seven
octaves of Schulmerich Handbells,
free-will donation, 215-257-6801
December 7
Pearl Buck Business After Hours
Holiday Mixer, 5pm-7pm, Pearl
S. Buck Intl, 520 Dublin Rd, Perkasie, Tour this historic farmhouse
festively decorated with holiday
themes by master designers, www.
indianvalleychamber.com
December 9
Christmas Senior Meeting at MenO-Lan Christian Camp, begins
10:30am, lunch 11:30am. Christmas story drawn out with chalk,
fellowship, singing, & food. Special offering after meal. All seniors
invited, bring a grandchild (optional), RSVP by Dec. 6 at 215-6795144, 1415 Doerr Rd, Qtwn
Find the Upper Bucks
Free Press!
Quakertown
Beer City
Cafe on the Way
Classic Temps
Captain Bob’s Seafood
Dairy Queen
Dominick’s Pizza
Express Food Mkt (former Wawa)
Faraco’s Pizza
First United Church of Christ
Frank’s Pizza
Giant Food Markets
Giovanni’s Pizza
The Grundy House
Hobo’s Bar & Grill
James Michener Library
John’s Plain & Fancy
Quakertown Family Restaurant
QNB Bank
Quaker Bakery
Redner’s Market
Sal’s Pizza Randa
Sine’s 5 & 10
Wawa
Spankey’s Deli
Suelkes Roadstand
Swann’s Pantry
Upper Bucks Senior Center
Upper Bucks YMCA
West End Ice Cream
Yum Yum Donuts
Sellersville
A & N Diner
Village Market
Perkasie
Bravo’s Pizza
Giant Food Markets
Landis Food Markets
Pierce Library
Trumbauersville
Fino’s La Cantina
Silver Shears
Spor’s General Store
Coopersburg
Giant Food Markets
The Inside Scoop
Moyer’s Copy & Printing Center
QNB Bank
Weis Markets
and lots of other high traffic
locations between here
and there.
December 2010 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
3
Upper Bucks
Community
Events
December 10
Bucks County SPCA Holiday Open
House, Tour the shelter, meet photographic artist Melissa McDaniel,
visit the “Giving Tree” to support
Santa Paws. Refreshments, gifts,
and home baked goodies. Lahaska,
PA, 215-794-7425
December 11
QMPO Holiday Craft Fair,
9am-3pm at Strayer Middle
School, 1200 Ronald Reagan
Dr, Qtwn, Crafts, food, music
by students throughout the day,
craftfair@qmpo.org 215-538-1215
Christmas Cookie Sale at Christ
UCC, 9am until sold out, North
Main St., Trumbauersville
December 12
Craft Fair & Pictures w/Santa,
11am-4pm at Milford Twp Fire
Dept, 2185 Milford Sq Pike, Milford Square, 267-446-2651
“Longest Night Service” 7pm at
Jerusalem Lutheran Church, 733
Ridge Rd, Sellersville, All are invited!
Worldwide
Candle
Lighting, 6:30pm at St. Isidore’s RC
Church, Candles will be lit around
the world in each time zone at 7PM
to honor those who have died too
soon. 2545 West Pumping Station Rd, Qtwn. Register now with
number of people attending. Register online tcfquakertownpa.org or
215-536-0173
6th Annual Dublin Holiday Gathering, 6:30pm, Gingerbread & Train
Display, Dublin Firehouse, www.
DiscoverDublin.org
December 13
Pennridge Women’s Network Business Meeting at First Savings Bank,
7pm, 601 W. Market St, Perkasie,
established in 1992, community
based civic group formed by mothers, for mothers and their children,
December 14
Qtwn Business & Women’s Club
annual Christmas Party w/Upper
Perk & Souderton-Telford clubs.
6-8pm, Spinnerstown Hotel. Women’s Choir & Strings, ornament exchange, $17 includes dinner, reservations must be made before Dec.
7. 215-536-8526, Interested parties
invited to attend.
Golfers Have Quakertown Students Seeing White
Thanks to donations collected at
its inaugural Golf Outing in May
2010, the Quakertown Education
Foundation recently purchased 25
mimio interactive white boards for
Quakertown Community School
District Schools. This technology
will enhance instruction.
Dr. Suzanne Laverick-Stone,
Education Program Director, Curriculum & Staff Development, said
a committee determined where the
boards would be place. “In an effort to make a decision based on
needs across the district, the technology department completed an
audit of current need. Based on
the amount of smart boards and
projectors schools currently have,
we determined the distribution allotment. The concentration was on
middle schools because they have
the most need currently. We were
able to provide a bit of support to
our elementary schools as well.
The Freshman Center and high
school students will benefit from
the 1:1 initiative, so they were not
included in this distribution. The
distribution decisions were difficult to say the least. Everyone who
has worked on this has tried to be
as fair as possible with a focus on
district-wide student benefit.”
Did you know that the number of dimples on a typical golf ball is
generally 336 but, the number of dimples on a golf ball can range
anywhere from 300 to 500 depending upon the golf ball
manufacturer and dimple design?
4
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
Community Gets ‘Schooled’
on Internet Safety
By Michelle Buono
There’s no argument the Internet
has transformed our daily lives.
By going online, we can keep in
touch with family and friends, pay
our bills, or listen to music all with
a few keystrokes. It’s a world of
helpful information literally at our
fingertips and lately, even through
our cell phones. This technology
didn’t exist even as little as twenty
years ago. Today’s children and
teenagers are growing up in a world
that’s very different from previous
generations. This is a generation
that has never used a rotary phone
or typewriter and will never search
a Rolodex for contact information. For the most part, they use
the Worldwide Web for research
rather than crack open the Encyclopedia Britannica. “Texting” and
chatting online are the preferred
methods of communication. We
are in a Digital Age and the Internet is the centerpiece.
Unfortunately, not everyone who
uses the Internet does so with good
intentions. Scammers, hackers,
sexual predators have all learned
to use the Internet for their own
unsavory purposes. This is a new
challenge for parents – keeping our
children safe online. Fortunately,
parents are not alone in recognizing
this challenge. As the quote goes
“It takes a village to raise a child”
and there is a new local community
partnership to inform parents and
caregivers about the potential pitfalls and dangers of the Internet to
children and teens.
Chris Harrington, Director of
Technology and Assessment for the
Quakertown Community School
District, recognized the need for
a resource to help raise digital
awareness in this Internet age. He
has pooled together a partnership
to help raise awareness of Internet
safety. The Upper Bucks Chamber
of Commerce, Quakertown Police
Department, Bucks County Free
Library (Michener Branch), the
Bucks County District Attorney’s
office and the Verizon Foundation
have joined this community effort
with the school district.
Mr. Harrington stresses that a
comprehensive approach is needed
to develop good digital citizens.
Part of this approach included the
computer-giveback earlier this
year when the school district offered used computers that they no
longer needed back to the community. The district will also continue
to bring more technology into the
school environment. Students using district computers must agree
to adhere to the Acceptable Use
Policy and age-appropriate instruction is taught throughout the school
system.
Funded by a $7500 grant from
the Verizon Foundation, the group
hopes to be a resource to local families on the issue of Internet safety.
According to Dan Reavy, the Verizon Foundation believes “that with
every gift of time and resources,
we contribute to a better present
and future environment for our
information gets into the hands of
those who want to harm young
people. Perhaps Officer Kris Bacarri and Assistant District Attorney Lisa Gaier had the most eyeopening stories of how situations
can go horribly wrong when children and teenagers are uninformed
or left to their own devices online.
Online predators can glean specific
information from your child’s Internet activities and social media
networks. Seemingly innocuous
posts can provide details that online predators are searching for to
target young people.
Edana Hoy, Branch Manager for
the library in Quakertown, reminded people that children are not just
“surfing the web” at home. After
school, the library’s computers are
in
heavy
demand
from those
wanting to
check
email, Facebook,
or
other social
media sites.
All a person needs
to use a library computer
is
a
library
card.
If
Daniel J. Reavy, Director of External Affairs with Verizon Pennsylthe person
vania presents Chris Harrington, Director of Technology & Assessdoesn’t have
ment for the Quakertown Community school District with a $7500
grant to help fund the Internet Safety project. Left to Right: As- a card, the
sistant District Attorney Lisa Gaier, Quakertown Police Officer Kris library ofBaccari, Chris Harrington, Dan Reavy, Upper Bucks Chamber of fers a “guest
Commerce President Tara King, QCSD Librarian Bekci Kelly, and card” for an
Quakertown Branch Manager Edana Hoy. (photo by Michele Buono) hour of computer use.
employees, customers, and com- Although the library computers
munities”. Mr. Reavy says that the are filtered, they are not moniVerizon Foundation believes it has tored. Some local businesses offer
the responsibility to be proactive free Internet access with unfiltered
and to help people understand tech- computers. It’s important to know
nology, especially Internet safety. that teens have access to the InterRecently a 3-part series was pre- net in a variety of places, not just
sented at the Michener Branch Li- on the home computer.
brary in Quakertown focusing on
According to the NAC (National
Internet safety. Representatives Assessment Center) parent survey
from each of the partnership talk- of more than 4,000 respondents,
ed about issues that children and 93 % of parents stated that they
teens might have online and safety know "some" or "a lot" about
concerns. The talks ranged from where their children go and what
reminders to not share personal in- they do on the Internet. Yet only 42
formation online to horror stories % of high school students and 62
of what can happen when too much % of middle school students stated
that they share where they go and
what they do on the Internet with
their parents. Studies do show that
teens whose parents talk to them “a
lot” about Internet safety are less
likely to share personal information to meet face-to-face with people they’ve met online. Fortunately
teenagers are getting the message.
Ms. Gaier reported that when they
are aggressively solicited online,
two-thirds of the time the teen will
shut down communication.
Assistant D.A. Gaier and Officer Baccari also talked about “sexting”, sending sexually explicit
messages or photographs. Some
shocking statistics: 20% of teenagers overall have sent nude or seminude pictures of themselves, 11%
of girls between the ages of 13 –
16 years old have done so; 39% of
teens have admitted sending sexually suggestive messages. 71 % of
teen girls and 67% of teen boys
who have sent or posted sexually
suggestive content say they have
sent this content to a boyfriend or
girlfriend. Of course, just because
the picture is meant for one specific person, doesn’t mean that that
person will be the only one viewing it. Just over a third of teenagers
say it is common for nude or seminude photos to be shared with people other than the intended recipient. At that point embarrassment
is the least of the original sender’s
problems. Sexting is a “Megan’s
Law” offense, which means that it
is a felony and those convicted will
have to file as sex offenders. Officer Baccari encouraged parents to
“be a part of their kids lives. Be
parents, don’t be friends.”
You can view the Internet Safety
presentations on the Quakertown
Community School District’s website – www.qcsd.org. You’ll also
find other helpful links there with
more information. At some point
the presentations should be on
the district’s educational access
channel. The group hopes to host
more Internet safety workshops in
the Spring. Business owners and
community leaders are encouraged to become involved with this
effort. To find out how you can
help, contact Chris Harrington at
215-529-2045.
Internet safety begins at home and that is why my legislation will require the
Federal Trade Commission to design and publish a unique website to serve as a
clearinghouse and resource for parents, teachers and children for information on
the dangers of surfing the Internet. - Congressman-elect Mike Fitzpatrick (R-8)
December 2010 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
Health care is the hot button issue
for 2010. Nationwide debates argue about public options, mandatory insurance, and the place of
government in ensuring medical
coverage. Yet these debates fail to
focus on the most important aspect
of health care.
While growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, my family was
enrolled in the first Health Maintenance Organization program. The
Kaiser Permanente HMO was a
new idea to give families reasonably priced health care. This program was the template for all the
HMO’s that we know today.
I never saw the same doctor twice
in this program. Patients would
show up to a large clinic and take
a number. Prior medical histories
were rarely taken into account,
even with repeat visits for the same
ailment. Every visit was like a first
appointment. I grew up with the
idea that medical care was impersonal and to be avoided at all costs.
When I moved to the Quakertown
area in 1987, I started looking for
a doctor for my little girl. After
visiting several doctors in the area,
I found one who was just starting
up his private practice as a general
practitioner. He was able to take
care of not only my child, but my
husband and myself. For the first
time in my life, I developed a personal relationship with a doctor.
His kindness and humor put us all
at ease. He was never in a rush,
nor dismissive of complaints. He
always made time to not only find
out why we were there, he also
asked about life in general with a
genuine interest.
In short, he was a doctor I learned
to trust and respect. He now treats
three generations of my family, as
all three of my grandchildren have
him as their primary physician. I
never thought I could find such a
doctor outside of old movies.
I’ve had a recent health concern.
For over a year I’ve had a nagging dry cough at night. It was no
big deal; a little cough syrup and
it went away. Last June, Dr. Bob
suggested I get a chest x-ray and
a lung function test to try to determine the origins of my cough.
Since the heat and humidity last
summer made it difficult to breathe
(it was like there was a hot, wet
towel over my face), I put off the
test until October 5.
The test was surprisingly good in
normal breathing, considering I
smoke. But in the forced breathing, I tested very poorly. The technician said it was indicative of an
obstruction in my lungs. I then had
the chest x-ray and went home.
Within an hour, my phone rang. It
was Dr. Bob, saying it looked like
there was a problem with the xray. A “wispy, speculated mass”
had shown up in my right upper
lobe of my lung. An MRI would
be the next step. After I reminded
him that I was highly allergic to the
contrast dye, he made some calls to
pulmonary experts. He called me
back to let me know that we would
just jump to the third step in diagnosing; a nuclear PET scan.
He called as soon as he got the results. The mass in my lung had lit
up, which was a bad sign. He referred me to a pulmonary specialist, who would help me decide on
5
the next step.
The final verdict is that I have lung
cancer, caught incredibly early.
The doctors want to remove the upper lobe of my right lung. I have
a very good chance of getting rid
of the cancer with no need of chemotherapy or radiation. This is
very good as I believe that poisoning and burning the body is a gross
violation. It is also a minimally invasive surgery.
If it had not been for Dr. Bob, who
takes the time to listen, I could be
in much worse shape. This is the
aspect of health care that is not
being discussed it the nationwide
debate. Too many doctors don’t
take the time to really know their
patients, and wait until the complaints are serious before ordering
diagnostic testing.
Videos on my thoughts on cancer
and life can be found on Youtube
at youtube.com/betheqt.
Beth Coulter is a long time resident
and historian of the Quakertown
area.
She holds degrees in Communications and American Studies.
Follow her writing on Facebook @
Just blowin’ my mind. Email her at
Beth@ubfp.org.
Frustrated at the lack of interest in his new toy invention, Charles Pajeau hired
several ‘little people,’ dressed them in elf costumes, and had them play with
Tinker Toys in a display window at a Chicago department store during the
Christmas season in 1914. This publicity stunt made the construction toy an
instant hit. A year later, over a million sets of Tinker Toys had been sold.
6
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
and the honors go to...
Upper Bucks Tech School Milford & Strayer Students
Quakertown Student
Inducted into National
First Quarter Honor Roll
Junior Honor Society
Adkins, Jordan
Alexander, Ryan
Blowars, Alexa
Blowars, Brianna
Bryant, Danielle
Campbell, Brianne
Carpenter, Grayce
Cramp, Justin
Crossan, Andrew
Derossi, Brianna
Drosnock, Emily
Fischer, Dominique
Frable, Vanessa
Gol, Daniel
Hall, Brian
Hetrick, Brittany
Hoke, Amanda
Janney, Heather
Kerver, Samantha
Kinnon, Tammy
Kobrzynski, Amanda
Langdon, Vincent
Legette, Briana
Lott, James
Marlin, Justin
Matchett, Summer
Michael, Alexa
Morales, Stephanie
Neubert, Christopher
Pappaterra, Michael
Richards, Thomas
Rodriguez, Chisthian
Schrey, Kyle
Schuler, Kurt
Smalley, Amanda
Smith, Tyler
Weisel, Ryan
Williams, Deanna
Quakertown High School
Freshman Center
Distinguished Honor Roll
Marissa Adams, Alexander Balla, Cara Bard, Jessica Baskin,
Shanley Benetz, Ashley Bryant, Taylor Cahill, Kelsey Carroll,
Joseph Cianciola, Alyssa Clymer, Sydney Dickson, Collyn
Dorney, Sarah Edmonds, Colin Fowler, Meghan Gall, John
Gallagher, Shannon Gibat, Davis Haynes, Rachel Haywood,
Jennifer Heitz, Callie Hubicki, Rachel Jesiolowski, Robin
Kramme, Sarah Kratz, Rebecca Krown, Joshua Kunkle, Taylor
Kuprewicz, Loron Landis, Sabrina Lee, Morgan Long, Colin
McLaughlin, Madeline Mulhall, Natalie Parker, Jason Prusch,
Dhandsri Ramprasad, Kimberly Reitnauer, Mark Repsher,
Brent Rice, Seth Rice, Stephen Shelly, Lydia Stepanoff, Ashley
Stettler, Autumn Trimble, Shelby Valent, Ishani Vashi, Ashley
Veal, Meranda Weathers.
Milford and Strayer Middle
School students were recently
inducted into the National Junior
Honor Society. Some students
qualified for a second year in a
row.
At Milford, students inducted
last year currently serve as
officers. They are Amanda
Pursel, President; Taylor Bednar,
Vice President; Amanda Hafler,
Secretary; Lauren McKinley,
Treasurer; Shannon Bergan,
5th executive; Kerry Vanyo,
Historian; Meagan Calhoun and
Matthew Cornelius.
Eighth graders who joined them
this year are Elaina Abramson,
Victoria Bright, Abigail Clark,
Blair
Detweiler,
Madalyn
Lenahan, Keely Londino, Katie
Moyer, Colin Smith, Katelyn
Spieker, Jennifer Sterner and
Coulton Terry.
Seventh grade inductees are
Caitlin DiCara, Evan Kaseman,
Lydia Mercado, Daniel Reigh,
Kayla Reigh, Emily Sangirardi,
Allison Sterner and Brett
Wolfinger.
At Strayer, students inducted
last year and maintaining their
presence: Marissa Cubbage,
Devon Dean, Emma Dean,
Melissa DeCicco, Chandler
Gottshall, Jessica Keller, Evan
Koch,
Torin
Martutartus,
Madison McCandless, Julie
Mermon,
Mickaela
Muir,
Hosanna Mullen, Laura Post,
Simone
Rumph,
Brianna
Shevlin, Thomas Silvestri,
Megan Thompson and Miranda
Yeakel.
Eighth graders joining them
this year are Mia Baglivo,
Mikaela Blaisse, Philip Bohner,
Samantha Bouton, Margaret
Federocsko, Hannah Grecian,
Delaney Saugling, Erin Shortall,
Danielle Stark and Amanda
Wiedemann.
Seventh graders inducted at
Strayer are Kyle Baskin, Jessica
Berkezchuk, Brooke Blair,
Jacob Bovard, Ronald Cubbage,
Kiersten Floyd, Chet Friday,
Dominic Giquinto, Vivian Ha,
Rebecca Haywood, Travis
Jackson, Meghan Klee, Emily
Marshall,
Olivia
Maselof,
Madeline
Ocamb,
Lauren
Ridgeway, Gabrielle Scherff,
Sarah
Townsend,
Alyssa
Wilkinson.
Quakertown High School
Freshman Center
Honor Roll
Thinh An, Louis Andrecchio, Nathan Arnold, Christopher
Bukavich, John Challenger, Emilio Chase, Caitlyn Clark, Evan
Cosgrove, Sarah Daley, William Diffin, Kyle Froehlich, Kevin
Gale, Lucas Garges, Adrianna Goodin, Connor Gordon, Kelly
Ingram, Binghui Jiang, Alexandria Kluger, David Kusters,
Jimmy Le, Andrew Maye, Jessica Nace, Reade Naudascher,
Joseph Nguyen, Sara reigh, Aaron Scholl, Taylor Snyder, Ciara
Sobota, Aislinn Strohecker, Desiree Suelke, Cody Weisel,
Keegan Williamson, Anisha Wilson, Elijah Wireman.
(above) Strayer students are recognized for their achievement in joining the
ranks of the National Junior Honor Society. (below) Students from Milford show
their pride in their induction to the National Junior Honor Society.
December 2010 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
7
An Italian Vacation
in Quakertown
By Kimberly Kratz
I was getting hungry after a long
day of studying and needed a break.
It was an odd hour somewhere between lunch and dinner time, but
I was hungry, so off I went to an
eatery nearby. A few days prior,
I remembered passing a hospitable
place. Its façade bore a welcoming banner that said “Grande Apertura”. “Grand…something”, I
thought. Consulting my EnglishItalian dictionary, I found the words
mean “Grand Opening”. “Perfect”,
I thought.
Greeted by a lovely American
waitress named Jenny, I was immediately made to feel at home. I
was seated at a comfortable table
and given a menu with a multitude
of selections. As Jenny disappeared
to get my drink, I noticed that my
seat was the perfect vantage point
from which to watch the pizza chef
work. A delightful aroma of garlic
and oregano wafted past me making
my stomach growl in anticipation.
A sense of déjà vu immediately
struck me though the surroundings
were obviously new and expensive.
I’m always a little paranoid about
food safety but the shiny granite
table tops, sparkling clean upgraded surroundings and spotless floor
gave me an added sense of comfort.
An apparently captivating game
of football, as the locals called it,
played on the television. If there’s
one thing I learned, it’s that Italians
are passionate about their football.
And so it was that I first saw Luigi,
the pizza chef, intently focused on
the football game until an order was
placed for pizza. I saw a close up
of Andrea Pirlo, an Italian football
player. Oh, okay, now I see where
at least some of that passion comes
from.
Brunette ponytail swinging,
Jenny returned with my drink and
took my order for a sandwich. She
headed back to the kitchen where I
noticed Luigi working his magic.
Watching him make a pizza was
glorious. Luigi was completely in
his element that afternoon, an artist
creating his masterpiece. It was as
though he were Arturo Toscanini
conducting a symphony. As an Italian opera played in the background,
it seemed Luigi had entered his own
private kingdom. He was unaware
that I was watching.
I was mesmerized watching him
throw the spinning dough in the air
several times as though it were an
extension of his body connected by
an invisible bolt of electricity. As
he finally caught the dough and laid
it on the counter to dress it with
sauce and cheese, he glided with
such skill and graceful movement it
was a pleasure to behold. Once his
sculpture was complete, he wielded
the wooded paddle in one hand. In
one fluid motion, he lifted his palette, allowing the perfect amount of
air under it and ably floated it onto
its pad. Turning with it and opening the oven door, he placed it in to
bake.
Jenny brought my sandwich, a
bubbling harmony of fresh bread,
hot beef, just the right amount of
onion and melted cheese. She soon
came back to ensure my satisfaction
and I commented on the freshness.
She said that the owners are especially particular about that. “Nothing”, she said, “ever sits around.”
I wondered who it was that owned
this place, so I asked.
It’s the Michael Dagostino family.
They just opened Roma Pizza and
Grill in Quakertown. They have a
few other locations and are a family
run business for over 25 years. An
Italian vacation right here in Quakertown. I planned to keep this place
my own little secret, but it won’t be
one for long. They are friendly, and
the food is wonderful. Please tell
Luigi I am only sorry I didn’t order
his pizza but I’ll be back. Judging
from the way the little boy at the table next to me scarfed up two slices
in no time flat, I’m sure it will be
worth it.
St. John’s UCC Celebrates
Installation of First Woman Pastor
(left to right) Rev. Ryan Henderson, Rev. Suzanne Spaulding, Rev. Linda Lennon,
Rev. Harry Keppley, Jr., and Rev. Nancy L. Gottshall.
The Reverend Linda Lennon
was installed as the minister of St.
John’s United Church of Christ in
Richlandtown on Sunday, November 7. She is the first woman pastor to be called to St. John’s. The
installation was conducted by The
Reverend Ryan W. Henderson,
Representative for the Committee on Ministry of the North Penn
Association of the United Church
of Christ. The Reverend Harry
W. Keppley, Jr., her mentor during her Associate Pastorate at St.
Paul’s in Trexlertown, delivered
the sermon. Representing the Penn
Southeast Conference of the United
Church of Christ was The Reverend Nancy Light Gottshall, Associate Conference Minister. Following the installation a reception was
held in the church Social Hall.
Reverend Lennon grew up in the
suburbs of Philadelphia and was
graduated from Drexel University
with a B.S. degree in Home Economics. She taught Jr. and Sr. High
School Home Economics in New
York before moving to Bethlehem.
The family became active in the
First United Church of Christ in
Hellertown and Linda became the
Director of Christian Education.
While serving in this position, she
felt a call to become a pastor and
enrolled in the Moravian Theological Seminary. Upon graduation
she was ordained and served as Associate Pastor for eleven years at
St. Paul’s United Church of Christ
in Trexlertown. She began her
ministry in Richlandtown in June
of 2010. She is married to Dr.
Gerard Lennon, Deputy Provost at
Lehigh University. They have three
grown children.
8
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
It appears to be that time of year
again. The days are shorter, the
nights are colder. And it would
seem that all talk has turned to dinners and drinks and gifts and goodies. The holidays are upon us. My
parents spent the better portion of
last Sunday putting up the lights.
I can’t get near my mother in-law
without an inquiry about a list of
things my husband and I want for
Christmas. The emails are coming fast and furious from my sister
in-law about what her four, yeah I
said four, children would like for
their aunt and uncle to wrap up and
put under their tree. When I married my husband I married into a
rather large extended family and
the holidays have never been the
same. I love this time of year and
yet it can be fraught with headaches. Shopping, planning, prepping…it all needs to be done. So,
I thought this might be a good time
to discuss not one; but a few of the
great local businesses that can help
you provide a happy holiday for everyone on your list. Even if Christmas isn’t the holiday you partake in
you can still take advantage of all
the great places in and around the
Quakertown area.
There are few people in the world
as important to shop for as your
mother or mother in-law as the case
may be. But this year I have it covered. I will simply head to Tana
Kaya Boutique and keep it simple.
Located in the heart of downtown
Quakertown Tana Kaya is full of
what women want. Jewelry of all
sorts. Comfy and fashionable Naot
shoes. Contemporary and unique
clothes of all brands and sizes.
And my favorite, handbags. As
well as handmade accessories by
sit at the hibachi and watch your
whole meal cook in front of you.
And what better gift than a gift certificate or a dinner with your little
brother who you don’t see nearly
enough for Christmas? Or if raw
fish isn’t his thing, perhaps beer is.
local artisans. I would be remiss to first thing I am going for is a gift
allow you to think this is all Tana certificate for a massage. And my Neither my brother nor brother inKaya has to offer, but in the inter- go-to massage practice is run by law are big drinkers but when they
est of space and time just consider the wonderful Kelli Frable. She is do have a drink only the best is
this the greatest hits. Stop in and located in the Penny Power build- acceptable. Which means a quick
let one of the wonderfully helpful ing on Route 309 in Coopersburg, trip to Beer City, in the Quaker
and friendly staff members help PA; but it is only a 15 minute drive Village Shopping Center, will help
you pick out the perfect gift for the from Q-town and totally worth the quench even the pickiest of thirsts.
mother in your life.
minimal effort to get there. She is They have all the usual domestics
Only slightly more difficult to small but mighty and will instantly and imports; but also stock a really
shop for than my mother would be put you at ease. Kelli offers half interesting variety of craft and spemy father and father in-law. What and full hour appointments as well cialty beers. You can go in and buy
I know about fathers the world as specials throughout the year. Or a case or two for the brother in-law
over is this: they all like to eat. if a massage isn’t what my sisters
or grab a gift card at the counter
And mine is no exception. So a need or want they can always use a
and let him make the decision himgift certificate to any number of hair cut or color. And really what
the great restaurants in the area is 30-something woman with kids self. Either way you choose to gift
always a welcome gift. There is can’t use a hair cut and color? So, him, a great brew this season will
McCoole’s which is always a win- for that I send them to my favor- be appreciated.
Just like that your shopping is
ner and which I told you all about ite salon, Shear Perfection located
a few issues ago. And in the same on Front Street, Quakertown. Not done. And when your particular
vein there is the perennial favorite, only do the services there run the holiday rolls around and the gifts
Bubba’s Pot Belly Stove, located hair care gamut, they offer special are opened by their happy recipinorth of Quakertown on Route scalp treatments, manicures, pedi- ents you are a hero. The holidays
309, just past the Shelly fire com- cures, and waxing.
don’t need to be a hassle. A list
pany. Bubba’s boasts the biggest
And with all that crossed off my of people to shop for and few gift
and best burgers in the area. They list I am left with my brother and ideas go a long way to ease the
also serve up the greatest three egg brother in-law. Some years I am
holiday anxiety that can accompaomelets going. Their sandwiches ready for my brother with a gift
ny this time of year. And a whole
tower above your plate and the sal- to end all gifts and some years I
list of great shopping opportunities
ads and wraps aren’t slouches ei- am left with an empty spot in my
ther. The restaurant is cozy and brain where his gift should be. But should help take the edge off too.
And on a personal note, if you
the wait staff and bartenders are no more. My brother loves sushi
fantastic.
and there is only one place I will have read this column once or
I have significantly less trouble send him for that, Tai Show su- twice or in it’s entirety since it’s
shopping for my sister in-laws; be- shi and hibachi restaurant located inception I want to thank you and
cause we all hover around the same on Rt. 309 in Quakertown. I have I wish you and yours a happy holiage and enjoy the same things. told you all before how delicious day season and hope that the New
And if I am shopping for someone the sushi is to even a non-fish eater Year brings you nothing but peace
who likes the same things I do the like me and how much fun it is to and contentment.
Annual Online/TV Rotary Auction
Slated to Fund South American
Rotaplast Missions
Rotarians in Southeastern Pennsylvania join again this year with
WFMZ-TV, Channel 69, to produce the Annual Rotary TV Auction to raise funds for medical
missions to produce smiles on the
faces of children afflicted with cleft
lips and palates.
The Auction opens online at
www.rotarydistrict7430.org
for
pre-bidding on Thursday, December 2, 2010, three days before the
prime time live TV Auction on
Saturday, December 4, on WFMZTV, Channel 69 from 7:00 – 10:00
p.m. Bidders can call in or bid
via the Internet the evening of the
event.
The auction is organized and supported by the 2,200 Rotarians in the
49 Clubs of Rotary International in
Dis¬trict 7430 (Bucks, Montgomery, Berks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties). It was initiated by
past Rotary District Governor
Gerald Long, of the Bethlehem
Rotary Club. He said the Rotaplast
program will continue with more
aggressive goals of 100 corrective
surgeries per mission. Volunteer
medical teams and Rotarians will
travel to selected countries every
two years. Rotary Club members
and public health officials in the
host countries will select the surgical center and prepare patients for
the visiting surgeons.
A nine-person Rotary District
7430 Rotaplast Mission Team
journeyed to Columbia in August
2010 to provide free reconstructive
cleft lip and cleft palate surgery
and treatment for children. During their mission they screened 227
people. Surgery was performed on
90 people – 118 procedures were
done. The value of this service was
$500,000. Through the Rotaplast
auction $80,000 was raised in two
years to have the privilege of serving these people in need.
Quakertown High School Senior
Tyler Coleman Signs with
West Chester University
QCHS senior Tyler Coleman
signed a letter of intent to play
baseball at West Chester University. The affable third baseman said
his goal is to start on the varsity
squad as a freshman. He also considered attending Lafayette, Moravian, Elizabethtown and Mansfield.
West Chester coach Mark Jackson
offered him a partial scholarship
and Tyler decided to accept it.
“Coach Jackson is a cool guy.
We share the same beliefs about
baseball and working hard,” Tyler
said.
As a junior, Tyler batted .421
with three homeruns, five doubles,
one triple and 15 RBI. He also
stole three bases. He said he likes
to play third base, where “you
have to knock the ball down and
you have time to make the plays.”
Last year the NCAA Division 2
WCU Rams went 39-14 overall,
15-5 at home and 11-4 away. They
posted a 17-7 record in the PSAC
East. Tyler said he wants to continue to play baseball as long as
he can.
December 2010 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
9
First Annual Men-o-Lan
Harvestfest a Success
By Kelli Smith and David Smith
On October 30, Men-O-Lan
hosted their first annual Harvestfest. Families from many surrounding communities filled MenO-Lan for a spectacular afternoon
including a candy treasure hunt,
rock wall climbing, boating, a
magic show, delicious foods, a pig
roast, hay rides, horse carriage
rides and much more. Admission
and all the activities were free to
anyone who chose to attend! The
day was a wildly popular especially
the hot freshly made apple dumplings smothered in caramel sauce,
hot cocoa and cider, and bonfire
with marshmallow roast. It was a
fun afternoon that families would
not have wanted to miss.
Men-O-Lan Camp and Retreat
Center in Milford Township has
been in Quakertown’s backyard for
nearly 70 years. The camp runs
both a day camp and an overnight
camp over the summer months. The
camp is open year-round hosting
retreats, outdoor schools, adven-
Even in this Economy,
Black Friday Madness!
ture course, and much more. MenO-Lan has been a popular retreat
destination for school, church, and
community groups for decades.
Men-O-Lan’s has a mission to
reach the Upper Bucks community
and holds two major communityoriented events each year, Harvestfest and Summerfest, both events
are free to attend. Harvestfest
is always held the Saturday before the Halloween holiday, and
next year will include a fine arts
and craft show - a good place for
unique holiday shopping. Summerfest Arts and Crafts Festival and
Benefit Auction is full of fun for
the whole family, offerings for the
art and fine craft collectors, delicious foods, activities for kids and
adults, and an auction! Look for
Men-O-Lan’s 21st annual Summerfest in May.
For more information about MenO-Lan and their community events
check them out on the web at www.
menolan.org
The Quakertown Business and Professional Women’s Club decorated a tree at St. Luke’s
Quakertown Hospital as part of the annual Holiday House Tour. This year’s decorating
committee (Judy Guise, Sheryl Nierenberg, and Melissa Wieand) developed a theme of
accomplished women of Pennsylvania and displayed photos of 15 women of achievement
in the Commonwealth. Last year’s tree-decorating project displaying items representing pay equity, scholarships, and the PBPW emblem was recognized by BPW/PA at the
State Convention as being the best example of public relations through the use of nontraditional media. This year’s tree can be seen in the main lobby of St. Luke’s Quakertown
Hospital through Christmas.
By Stefania Halewich
Black Friday madness has come
and gone for at least another year;
but what is so exciting about this
one day?
Black Friday makes people do
crazy things like sit outside all
night long in front of a certain
store. People will wait in the rain,
wind and cold temperatures just to
get that one special item that they
have waited for all year. So, is it
really all that crazy? Maybe not.
Last week my daughter decided
to set up camp in a line in front
of Target. She arrived at 9 p.m.
Thanksgiving night and was the
seventh person in line. She wanted a certain television that was on
sale and the price was unbeatable.
She was determined to stay out all
night long until the store opened at
4 a.m., no matter what.
My contribution to this night of
deprived sleep, cold and frozen
hands, feet and toes was to bring
her coffee, a heavy blanket, even
a folding chair. Was she alone?
Absolutely NOT. By the time
4 a.m. rolled around, hundreds of
people were standing in line, wrapping itself around the Target building ready to get inside and shop till
they drop.
When I asked people in line why
they came so early and were willing to wait so long, they all had
the same answer of wanting something special from Target. Some
people were not waiting for themselves, but were there to get items
that would put a smile on another’s
face on Christmas morning. Still,
all were willing to weather the cold
and damp for many hours just to be
able to get that special sale item.
Other stores like Wal-Mart stayed
open all night, so those who chose
to camp out until 5 a.m. could do
so inside the warmth of the store.
What amazed me about this
whole Black Friday mania was that
people had really set out on a mission to be somewhere at a certain
time, to spend many hours weathering any obstacle to get what they
wanted. But beyond that, people
made new friends while waiting in
line a shared a friendly conversation. I even saw some people who
were playing cards huddled under a
pile of blankets. There was laughter and sharing of hot chocolate,
even a sort of camaraderie, which
developed.
At the end of it all I asked my
daughter if it was all worth it. She
quickly replied that it was ans that
not only was she able to purchase
her television set but that she had
met and made new friends, people
were kind and friendly and took
care of each other while spending
many hours in the cold.
Not only did she get the television that she set out get, but she
also received a special lesson this
Black Friday. It wasn’t only about
all the shopping and sales, it was
about strangers who came together
to share one memorable, fun, crazy
adventure in time that hey would
talk about and remember for a
long, long time.
10
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
The View From Here
(above) Quakertown High School students enjoy a Fall bonfire pep rally.
(bottom) The Panthers battle the Rams at the annual Thanksgiving Football game.
(photos by Frank DiRenzo)
(top) Quakertown High School student Geena Close kicks off at the school’s
recent Powder Puff Football game. Proceeds raised from the event go to benefit
breast cancer research. (above) The ribbon is cut at Richland Elementary to celebrate the completion of major renovations at the school. (below) Area cub scouts
participate in Fun Day at Memorial Park. (photos by Frank DiRenzo)
December 2010 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
11
Toy Drive
to Benefit
Local Youth
with Cystic
Fibrosis
Time is Running Out to Benefit from $1500.00
Federal Tax Credit on Alternative Heating
One of the biggest reasons why
people choose to buy a new stove,
fireplace, or fireplace insert is to
save money on their heating bills.
With a clean burning and energy
efficient unit, it is possible to save
up to 50% on your home heating
bill. These new units are technologically advanced, and they are
designed to squeeze every BTU
out of the fuel
they burn. Of
course, Wood
Heat founder,
Stu
Ackerman, will also
remind you of
the “Beauty,
Warmth, and
Romance”
one
gets
from one of
his products.
He’s
been
passionate about wood and pellet burning stoves for the past 34
years. “It's a great way to keep
your family warm and cozy in the
cold winter months.”
Burning wood or wood pellets in
today’s EPA certified clean-burning and efficient fireplaces, stoves,
or fireplace inserts is considered
carbon neutral. Trees convert sunlight while removing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the
air. When wood is burned in an
EPA certified wood burning fireplace or stove, it releases carbon
dioxide, but no more than the tree
collected from the air. When you
burn fossil fuels, such as oil, coal,
or gas, the carbon once locked inside the earth is released into the
atmosphere, contributing to global
warming.
Doing your part to help the environment isn’t the end of the story.
Today’s units are both stylish and
efficient. Todd Ackerman, Stu’s
son and now principal owner of
Wood Heat, says, “Customers
continually
brag
about
h o w
much
money
t h e y
save
b
y
heati n g
with
wood
pellets when they visit to purchase
additional fuel. The savings are
even greater if you heat with cord
wood. You often get free wood but
never free oil.”
Business is brisk these final days
of 2010 because time is running
out on the $1,500 federal tax credit
on biomass (wood or wood pellet) burning units. Smart consumers that purchase one of these units
before the end of the year will receive a 30% tax credit on its cost,
up to $1,500. A tax credit is not
the same as a tax deduction. With a
tax credit, the amount is deducted
from the tax you pay, so the savings go right back into your pocket.
Biomass stoves burn biomass fuel to heat a home
or heat water. Biomass fuel includes agricultural
crops and trees, wood and wood waste and residues (including wood pellets), plants (including
aquatic plants), grasses, residues, and fibers.
According to Ackerman, “There
has never been a better time to
buy.”
Wood Heat has a location in
Flemington, NJ and has recently
relocated its original Pleasant Valley location to Route 309 in Quakertown. The new showroom has 85
models on display.
Wood Heat sells stoves, fireplaces, and fireplace inserts from Heatn-Glo, Quadra-Fire, Heatilator,
Jøtul, and more. Wood Heat also
provides parts and accessories,
installation, and service.
Wood Heat was founded by Stu
Ackerman in 1975. Wood Heat
was a family-run business, with
Stu's wife Nancy, and his three
sons, Todd, Mark, and Dean, all
working at the store.
Stu sold the business and retired
in 2000. Todd Ackerman bought
back the business in 2009, and continued to operate from the original
Pleasant Valley location. In 2009,
a second location was also opened
in Flemington, NJ. In 2010, Todd
moved the business to its new location on Route 309.
“Raising a child with a terminal
disease is financially exhausting.”
Jaime Parsons of Telford ought to
know. Her 16 year old daughter
Erin has suffered with the disease
for nearly the past decade. “I
know first hand what it feels like
to not be able to give [your child] a
Christmas gift.” Jaime’s personal
experience has inspired her to start
a toy drive for children and young
adults in our community stricken
with the disease.
Parsons notes that Cystic Fibrosis
is often an unknown disease when
compared to the publicity and fundraising for heart disease, cancer,
diabetes, and the like. As a result,
people dealing with the disease are
often overlooked when it comes to
getting assistance or some friendly attention, especially around the
holidays. Patients are often quarantined individually for the sake of
their own health. A simple cold or
flu virus can be deadly.
This year’s toy drive will be Parson’s first. She is seeking new toys
and games, gift cards, and cash donations.
Toys are being accepted at Perkiomen Feed & Supply and by contacting Jaime at erinslight1994@
yahoo.com or www.erinslight.org.
Turn Your Fireplace into a
Beautiful, Efficient Heat Source
There Has Never Been a Better Time to Buy
Fireplace insert
Discover Extraordinary Savings
85 Stoves and Fireplaces on Display
Save 30% Up To
$1500 Tax Credit
On all our Wood & Pellet
Stoves, Inserts and
Select Fireplaces
Watch Wood Heat Educational
Series Monday 12/6 and 12/20
at 7:30 pm on WFMZ-TV69
Trust Your Family’s Warmth & Safety to Us.
254 US Hwy 202 / 31
Flemington, NJ
908-237-9001
Northbound Lane Just Past
The Home Depot Sign
322 N. West End Blvd
(Rt. 309 just north of K-Mart)
Quakertown, PA
267-347-5300
www.woodheat.com
12
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
For eight years, I have been writing on hearing and hearing related
topics. In this one instance, I will
write about Health Care in 2010.
Health Care has been one of the
most hotly discussed subjects this
year. Two pieces of Federal legislation were signed into law by
President Obama. The first was
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on March
23, 2010. The second was the
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (HCERA) of 2010 on
March 30.
It seems as though every talking
head on television and radio, columnist in print, and, politician held
an expert opinion on the two new
laws and health care in general.
They espoused complete knowledge on the subject and pretty much
did the thinking for the public and
swayed sentiment in the direction
of their choosing.
However, a few things come to
mind. First, I doubt if the aforementioned media and political experts took the time to read all 1,989
pages of both Acts. Secondly,
their opinions are just that – opinions. Third, people that had a position one way or the other would
make their points publicly while
centering upon little verbiage in
the text of the Acts. Fourth, none
of the media and political experts
produced a license in any associated medical field or had any experience in health care. Neither
did they look like they were hurting with the health coverage they
had. Finally, you knew which side
a person was on based upon what
they called it; Health care reform
or Obamacare. When the latter
term was mentioned, I would always ask the person what was the
definition of Obamacare. No one
Health Care 2010
could ever explain it. The people
that would say health care reform
did not have a lot of information
to explain all the changes in either
Act.
I have been a certified and licensed private practice audiologist
since 1987. I handle and accept
any and all health insurance that
pays. If it does not pay, I do not
accept it. This includes medical
assistance that pays at 20% of the
usual and customary commercial
insurance rate. In addition, I am a
health insurance policyholder that
is required to pay the first $9,700
out-of-pocket before my carrier
pays anything. When I moved to
the Washington, D.C. area after
obtaining my bachelor’s degree in
1980, my employer provided fully
paid health insurance. It covered
hospitalization, medical services,
major medical, vision, and dental.
The cost was $50 per month; $600
annually. That same exact coverage thirty years later now costs
$26,200 annually.
In my opinion, two things are
certain: a) The talking heads in the
media do not have a license in any
medical field and b) They do not
have a clue as to what the cost is
for health insurance. It has been
reported that 46 million Americans
are without any health insurance.
Countless tens of millions of others
have substandard coverage.
PPACA is ten provisions enacted
in a multilayered fashion over nine
years with fifty-one specific components. Some of these components include drugs, preventative
services, insuring people with preexisting conditions, eliminating
dollar caps on lifetime coverage,
prohibition of charging higher rates
for individuals with pre-existing
conditions, requiring restaurants
to display caloric content of food,
establishing maximum annual deductibles, increasing qualifying
medical deductions when filing annual tax return, enhanced method
of fraud detection, and much more.
HCERA is a reconciliation bill
by the House to cover the changes
preferred by the Senate to the original PPACA. These changes center
upon thirteen alterations in health
care and six updates in the area of
student loan reform. For health
care some of the changes are eliminating the ‘donut hole’ in Medicare
drug plans, reimbursing doctors
at full rate for Medicare patients,
providing tax credits to but health
insurance, and more. For student
loan programs, there will be increases in Pell grants, easier loan
acquisition, increase in school and
college funding, etc.
It has been said that people do
not want government-controlled
health insurance. Health insurance is and has been controlled
by the State and Federal governments for many years. Some of
these controls include licensing,
continuing education requirements,
insurance billing, referral requirements, responsibilities of medical
professionals and facilities, patient
rights, research and validation for
drug releases, patient care, choice
of insurance with each State, etc.
These two Acts may not be the
panacea as hoped. However, they
are a first step in the process that
has been long overdue. There will
be problems, glitches, and hurdles
to overcome. Changes can be
made. Updates will be required as
demand warrants.
I am a proponent for Freedom of
Speech. In the realm of health care
and the ongoing debate on health
care in 2010, it is critical that
people do the required research
to understand the topic to formulate whatever opinion they choose.
Some may feel that Wikipedia, the
internet encyclopedia, may not be
100% reliable. However, you can
do a search there for the two Acts
and discover a consumer-friendly
summary with a multitude of links
to other sources.
If you have a
strong constitution, please read the
documents for yourself. Do your
own research and formulate your
own opinion. Don’t take the word
of another as gospel.
Please Merry Christmas, and
Happy New Year for 2011!
Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act (March 23, 2010)
906 Pages
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/
PLAW-111 publ 148/ pdf /PLAW111publ148.pdf
Health
tion
Care
and
Reconciliation Act
Educaof
2010
(March 30, 2010) 1083 Pages
http://www .gpo .gov/fdsys /pkg /
PLAW-111 publ 152/ pdf /PLAW111publ152.pdf
Patrick Murphy, M.Ed., CCC-A, FAAA
has been in private practice since 1987
and wears binaural digital completelyin-the-canal hearing aids.
‘Wassail’ comes from the Old Norse ‘ves heill’ - of good health. This evolved into
the tradition of visiting neighbors on Christmas Eve and drinking to their health.
December 2010 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
13
Coopersburg Model Engineers Show Off
their Big Miniature Train Set
Do you remember watching the
model train under the Christmas
tree? And that excitement of hearing the whistle sound as the locomotive rushed past those colorful
wrapped presents.
For one group in Coopersburg
that thrill lasts 12 months a year.
The Coopersburg Area Society
of Model Engineers is a group of
model train enthusiasts that has
been constructing a 35’ x 45’ H.O.
model Railroad in the basement of
the Coopersburg borough building.
The original club which was located in Emmaus, was forced to
leave their long time headquarters in the Emmaus VFW building
when the structure was razed for
a municipal expansion. The Coopersburg Borough Council suggested the displaced members relocate
into the basement of their building.
A second model R.R. Club from
Quakertown, which had also been
seeking a new club headquarters,
merged with the Emmaus group.
The combined members took the
new Coopersburg Area Society of
model Engineers name and began
work to rebuild.
The new model railroad is a 'Walk
Around' design which allows each
member to stay with their train as
if moves over three levels ranging
from 25" to 60" above the floor.
Ten or more trains operate using
a new system called Digital Command Control. This technology
permits each engineer to control
only their own train anywhere on
the layout. A dispatcher can also
monitor the status of the layout and
all trains from a computer display
located in an adjacent room.
The public is invited to view the
progress of the new display on Saturday & Sunday December 4th and
5th and December 11th and 12th
from Noon till 5:00 PM.
Admission is free. The address
is 15 North Main St. Coopersburg,
Pa. For additional information
www.casme.org
State Senator Bob Mensch was at
WNPV Radio (1440 AM) in Lansdale today to present a special citation recognizing the radio station’s
50 years of service to the local communities in Bucks and Montgomery
Counties. Accepting the proclamation is station manager Philip N.
Hunt who has been with the radio
station for 34 years
Casey Jones is the Illinois folk hero is associated
with the Cannonball Express?
14
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
1959 QCHS Class Ring
Makes Round Trip
Facebook? Meet Alicebook.
Recently, Alice Bishop, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent, helped connect a QCHS
alumnus (class of 1959) and a total
stranger in New Jersey, who recently found his class ring!
“It’s amazing what kind of detective work you can do with the internet,” Alice said.
In mid-October, Alice received
an email from Lette Magrini from
Oakland, N.J. Lette did her own
share of detective work to get the
ring rolling, so to speak.
“I was going through a small
box of things from my father, who
passed away in 1989, and I came
across a Quakertown Community
High School, Class of 1959 school
ring,” she wrote Alice. “Gold,
about a size 9, with onyx face, and
a ‘Quaker’ in the middle. Inside
are the initials in script H A. I have
had this little box for years...even
before he passed away. Never noticed the ring until today.”
Lette said she had no idea how
her father wound up with the ring.
She guessed he found it while looking for rocks, a lifelong hobby.
“He lived almost his whole life
in north Jersey. Not sure if he was
ever in Quakertown,” Lette wrote.
“Anyway, I found your name and
your e-mail on the QCSD website.
I am wondering if you might know
who has the initials H.A., and if
he/she lost the ring?”
Alice sifted through alumni
names from the class of 1959,
finding a Horst Adler, or H.A. She
googled his name and discovered
that he runs a church camp for kids
in or near Phoenix, so she sent a
message through that website. In
a mat-ter of minutes, he emailed
back through his personal email.
“Dear Alice, Thank you for contacting me regarding this issue.
Yes, my high school ring disappeared around 1960-1961. It is a
long story. If that ring still exists, I
would like to recover it.”
Thus began a series of emails
between Horst and Lette, Horst
and Alice, Alice and Lette. Stories
of love, immigration and culture
emerged.
Horst, pictured in 1959, at left,
explained that he gave his ring to a
girlfriend when they went “steady”
in 1960-61 in Philadel-phia. When
they broke up, she never returned
the ring. He lost contact with her.
Meanwhile, Horst asked Lette
about her name. Her response led
to an interesting story about her
mother’s immigration from Paris,
her grandparents’ immigration
from Hungary and Horst’s immigration from Poland and Germany.
Lette’s father collected rocks. He
acquired a tremendous rock collection in his lifetime, much of it with
hammer and chisel at quarries in
New Jersey. He traded with collectors all over the world.
Before he passed away, Lette’s
father gave her a little plastic box
with faceted gemstones in it. She
liked jewelry. “Most are synthetic,
but pretty enough that if I wanted
to, I could have had set into rings or
something,” she wrote. “That little
box has been in a dresser drawer
for probably 30 years! My brother mentioned something about a
gemstone-quality piece of Prehnite
that my father found, and faceted
himself. The first place I thought
to look for it was that little box.
Although it wasn’t in there (and I
have looked at those stones a number of times) I only noticed the ring
in there yesterday! With the wonder of the Internet, I googled the
high school, found Alice's e-mail
address and in less than 24 hours
the rightful owner is found! [And
in Horst’s hands in the picture at
right!] What a great human interest
story!”
She guessed that her father found
Horst’s ring during one of his digs
or at a mineral show. “He held
onto it for whatever reason and
stuck it in the little box. Perhaps he
thought it was 14k gold. Maybe it
is, but usually class rings are 10k.
Maybe he was going to sell it? He
was a pretty frugal guy.”
Lette boxed the ring and mailed
it to Horst. “This whole story just
makes me smile!” she wrote.
Horst wrote back, “This whole
scenario amazes me for two particular rea-sons. First, I commend
you for taking the initiative to try to
find the owner of a ring lost in your
father’s box for over thirty years.
Not many people would have taken
time out of their busy schedule to
bother with such a seemingly insignificant detail. Second, the efficiency and effec-tiveness of the internet was exemplified. It took less
than 24 hours from finding the ring
to the identification of the owner.
Wow! That is almost scary. To me,
this is more than just a remark-able
human interest story.”
Horst explained his upbringing
as an immigrant. Born in Poland in
1941, he lived in Germany and later moved to the United States with
his mother and sister.
“We settled in a little Latvian
Village called Applebachsville,
six miles from Quakertown,” he
said. “After graduating from high
school, we relocated to Philadelphia so that I could attend Drexel.
It was in Philly that I met Valda
[the steady girlfriend], and that
was the beginning of the ring story. Flashbacks and memories are
indeed joyous.”
Lette did not want Horst to pay
for the postage, even though he offered. “Consider it 50 years of interest! LOL!” she wrote.
Alice concluded, “This has been
quite a journey. It’s given me a few
laughs as well. I remember ‘going
steady.’ LOL, you don’t hear that
expression these days!”
Concluded Lette, “Who doesn't
like a good story, with a happy
ending!”
Upper Bucks
Community
Events
December 14
Trumbauersville Fire Co. Hoagie
Sale, call Kim 215-536-1998
December 19
Trinity (Great Swamp) UCC – All
are invited to the Christmas Cantata 10:30am service.
December 24
Jerusalem Lutheran Church (2
Christmas Eve services) 3pm and
7pm, 733 Ridge Rd, Sellersville,
All are invited!
3 Christmas Eve Candlelight Services at Trinity (Great Swamp)
UCC, 9150 Spinnerstown Rd,
Spinnerstown, 4pm Family Service, 7:30pm (Triumphant Brass
Trio begins 7:10pm), 10:30pm
Holy Communion service
“Operation Santa Claus” Trumbauersville Fire Co., 3pm-7pm,
215-536-2518 or 215-536-1998
Animal Crackers are not really crackers, but cookies that were imported to the United
States from England in the late 1800s. Barnum’s circus-like boxes were designed with
a string handle so that they could be hung on a Christmas tree.
December 2010 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
E
very now and then, my Happy Hour
column will be an interview.
I trust my barber. He keeps me looking good, and when you are in sales, in
the public eye, or in a position where
being well-groomed is crucial, it may
actually help improve your bottom line,
especially in this economy.
Who is my barber? Nic opened up
his Modern Male Barbershop a couple
years ago. It was the site of John’s traditional barbershop in Sellersville. Nic
says it’s an honor to be working at the
site that had been a barbershop for over
a hundred years. Generation after generation of men has gone in and out of
that door. Nic carries on the tradition of
classic barbering with his modern twist.
I am happy to take my ten year old son
there for possibly the best haircut he has
ever gotten.
Professionally, Nic is classically
trained in traditional scissor and clipper
techniques. He takes pride in not being
a “national chain assembly line haircut
factory”.
He has had a pair of scissors in his
hand since he was thirteen years old.
He did a five year apprenticeship under
the skillful tutelage of two Pennsylvania licensed hair stylists. Just that alone
is pretty rare. He had over 2,200 hours
of training, is a published barber, and
is known internationally for innovative
and classic styles and techniques. When
I asked why in the world it would take
that long, he shared with me what he
had learned. Things like concepts of
style, facial shapes and bone structure,
skin and hair types, complexions, sanitary and sterilization techniques, and of
course, customer service.
I interviewed my barber about what he
does.
Geo: Why are you different than the
average barber or as you say, “haircut
factory”?
Nic: I am bringing back the classic
scissoring technique that all old school
barbers did. It was the way your father
and grandfather got their hair cut. I slow
things down a little. I talk to everyone
before the scissors even touch them.
It’s a personal one-on-one relationship.
I get to know them a little and help
them express themselves through their
hair style. I use a sterile straight razor
to do all the clean lines and make my
guys look great. The effective use of a
straight razor is a lost art and nothing
cleans up the edges of the hair like a
razor. It cuts below the skin when used
properly with a warm lather. No electric
clippers can do what I do with the razor.
Geo: I didn’t know you can still use
straight razors.
Nic: I use disposable razors that I also
sterilize in that classic blue liquid called
Barbicide that you see in all the old time
barbershops. They are always sharp and
safe. They are actually good for the skin
because they exfoliate and remove dead
skin cells with every stroke and that
stimulates healthy new skin growth. I
also use a badger brush to apply a warm
lather to the back of the neck and ear
area. The badger bristles actually lift
the hair and makes it stand up making it
easier to trim.
Geo: When you say that every visit
starts with a consult, what do you mean?
Nic: I always ask when was the last
time they got their haircut, so I can determine how fast their hair grows. That
tells me what I need to do. I also ask
them what they do for a living.
Geo: Why is that important?
Nic: If the guy is a lawyer and present-
ing cases
in court
all day
he needs
to look
a certain
way. If he
is a bridge
inspector and wearing a hardhat all day,
then I take a different approach. The
scalp acts differently when it is covered
all day and exposed to hair-damaging
environmental factors such as exhaust,
dirt, sweat, etc.
Geo: What other things do you ask?
Nic: I ask how often they go out, do
they use product such as gels, pomades,
conditioners, sprays, etc.
Geo: I like products. What can a product do?
Nic: Some products are for hair health,
some change a look from a work look to
a night life look. For instance, I had one
guy who washed his hair with soap.
Geo: You mean a bar of soap? Like
Dial or Irish Spring?
Nic: Yes, exactly. He washed his hair
with a bar of soap for years and it dried
out his hair and scalp and then he would
use a dandruff shampoo to treat the dryness. The he would go back to the soap.
I showed him how to choose a shampoo
for his particular scalp and hair and to
use a conditioner.
Geo: Did he take your advice?
Nic: Yes. But at first he thought that
was too much fussing. It was something
that only women did. It wasn’t long after he saw the results that he became a
true believer in using a quality shampoo
and a conditioner made for his hair and
scalp type.
Geo: Was this an older guy?
Nic: No. It was a guy about 35 who
had dry hair for most of his adult life
and only used a drying gel to control his
hair. He looks like a completely different person now and his hair is one of his
most attractive qualities. It’s never too
late to learn some new tricks.
Geo: You sound like a believer in
product.
Nic: Absolutely. A good product can
show off your haircut, change the look,
tweak the style, simplify the morning
routine, and make hair shinier, healthier, and improve scalp health. Remember, hair grows from the scalp. Healthy
hair can only come from a healthy scalp.
Geo: What about spouses, girlfriends,
and family?
Nic: It’s funny that you mention that.
I made the observation that if a guy
doesn’t come back, one of the reasons
is that his wife or girlfriend didn’t like
the haircut.
Geo: Wow, I can’t believe that.
Nic: It’s true. When a guy gets a
haircut, the first person to see the finished product is the significant other or
family member. They either give it the
thumbs up or thumbs down. They will
say things like “I like it…that barber
did a good job” or things like “I don’t
like it… don’t go back there”. I know it
sounds funny, but that leaves a lasting
impression on a guy and he’ll consider
what they say. There’s a greater probability of him coming back if everyone
else likes his hair. It kind of reinforces
and rewards his choice of barber.
Geo: OK. Now that I think about it, I
like it when the people closest to me like
how I look. I can see how that would be
a big factor for repeat business.
Nic: Repeat business is the heart and
soul of my work. It’s kind of like an insurance policy for future income. When
I look
at the
lifet i m e
value
of
a
customer, each
and every man is important to me. So it
is important to give 100% to every man
or boy that walks through my door. I
make men feel good about who they are.
Geo: I love bringing my boys to the
barbershop. They just don’t get the
same experience in a salon.
Nic: Yeah, the father and son barbering experience is very unique. There’s
nothing like a Dad who gets his haircut
while his son watches and then 20 minutes later, the boy is in the same chair.
The boy sees the same sights as the big
guys do, listens to the same conversations, and even participates in some of
the conversations. There are always all
ages in the shop. There could be a 75
year old grandfather in the chair one
minute and a 10 year old the next minute. I really enjoy when Dads and their
boys come in. It truly is a bonding experience. Most people think father-son
bonding is limited to hobbies, sports,
fishing, etc, but getting their haircut together is something that is memorable.
The boy always seems to walk taller and
act more mature after he gets his haircut
by a barber.
Geo: Even though my Dad is a barber,
I would love for my Dad, my son, and
me to come in and get our haircuts and a
shave some Saturday morning. I think it
would be cool to have three generations
of men in a row. What about Moms? I
have a female friend who is hair stylist
herself, but takes her son to a barber so
he can be exposed to the barber experience and culture.
Nic: I would encourage Moms to
bring their boys in and expose them to
the same experience. I think it helps to
round out his boyhood with a distinctively male experience.
Geo: That is true. With gender
lines blurred in so many areas and
the multitude of unisex stylists and
shops, it’s nice to see a culture that is
distinctively male.
Geo: What are the biggest complaints
that men have about barbers?
Nic: Probably that they don’t get the
haircut that they ask for. That’s why I
talk to everyone before I start cutting.
Geo: I know one of the biggest complaints I have had is that I am itching for
the rest of the day from the hair pieces
down my neck and back. I can’t wait to
take a shower and throw my clothes in
the laundry. Do you do anything different than other barbers or haircut factories?
Nic: Yes. I’m glad you mentioned that.
I wrap the neck with a barber’s tissue
and then put a towel around the neck
and then the cape. When I am done, I
use a barbers vacuum around the neck
and all through the hair. That means a
guy can get his haircut first thing in the
morning and not be tortured by itching
the rest of his day. I believe I am the
only one in the area that does that.
Geo: I have gone into a salon and they
ask me what number clipper comb I
want. You have never asked me that.
Nic: I have guys that come in and say
they want a #2 on the sides and a #5 on
the top. I know what they mean but I
don’t talk that language. A skilled and
caring haircutter doesn’t ask that. I use
a combination of scissors and clippers
Interview with a Vampire Barber
15
which customizes the cut to the man.
I really am an artist. As a sculptor, I
am putting a shape on a shape. No two
skulls are the same. No two hair types
are the same. You cannot do the same
haircut on every man. That is what a
custom haircut is. You have to take into
consideration, skull shape, size, hair
color, hair lines, textures, cowlicks, and
how the hair has been trained to lay on
that mans head.
Geo: I get my haircut differently now
than I did when I was 25. I have a theory
that men need different cuts for the different stages in their lives. Would you
agree?
Nic: Yes. For instance, the 16 year
old guy wants a haircut that doesn’t
look like he just got his hair cut. The
26 year old guy is a young professional,
new in his career. I try to give him a
haircut that has two looks. One look for
the 9-5 look and one look for evenings
and weekends, such as a more tousled
look that is in fashion right now. The 46
year old guy generally likes a conservative cut that reflects his age and life
experience. But then again it all depends
what he does for a living. That is why I
do the consult first. An architect is going to have a different look than a music
producer or tattoo artist. The 56+ year
old guy generally wants his hair off his
ears and tapered in the back. His cut is
characterized by “no fuss, no muss”.
He gets out of the showers, combs his
hair and doesn’t want to mess with it or
think about it for the rest of the day.
Geo: I thought I died and went to heaven when you put the hot steamed towel
on me at the end of the haircut. Other
than just feeling good, is it actually good
for you and do you do that to everyone?
Nic: Yes, everyone gets the hot
steamed towel. It is different than the
dry hot towel. It relaxes you; it opens
pores, helps the skin breathe a little, and
helps get all loose hair off the neck and
side of the head. Everybody loves the
hot steamed towel.
Geo: I know I like it when you trim all
the hair from the neck up without me
asking.
Nic: Yes. As a man gets older, he has
more hair in his ears. That gets trimmed.
Most men’s eyebrows can get pretty out
of control too. I take care of that. I even
occasionally trim a nose hair or two. It’s
all part of having a well-groomed look.
Geo: Thanks for sharing with me today. You certainly opened my eyes to
the advantages of coming to a barber.
One more question: Is there anyone who
you’d love to be their barber?
Nic: That’s a good question. Yes. I
would love to be Donald Trump’s barber.
Geo: Wow. I never thought you’d say
“The Donald”. Why him? What would
you do with his hair?
Nic: I like Donald Trump. He’s a good
businessman and an inspiration to all
business people like me. First of all, I
would color his hair properly, get rid
of the confusing hair, and make it look
so good that he’d never go back to the
combover.
Geo: That’s quite a challenge.
Nic: He has an open invitation. I’d
welcome him here any day.
George Bruno writes about Media and
Culture and is a popular speaker and
host/spokesperson. An avid writer, movie
goer, and motorscooter fan. He is available to speak to your organization. You
can see more at www.georgebruno.com
16
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce
56th Anniversary and Annual Awards
The Upper Bucks Chamber of
Commerce celebrated our 56th
Anniversary and Annual Awards
Banquet on Friday, November 12,
2010 at PineCrest Country Club in
Lansdale, PA. This annual event
is designed to recognize the contributions of those who best exemplify the spirit of the Upper Bucks
Community and also an evening in
which the Upper Bucks Chamber of
Commerce pays tribute to its members and volunteers. At this year’s
event, two awards were given out
to businesses/individuals from the
Upper Bucks area.
This year’s recipient of the Corporate Citizen of the Year was
awarded to QNB Bank. The Upper
Bucks Chamber of Commerce is
honored to recognize QNB Bank as
an outstanding member organization that has demonstrated a commitment to improving the quality
of life in the Upper Bucks region
through financial support and leadership and by being actively engaged in community issues. QNB
Bank operates at a level that inspires others and exhibits vision
that goes beyond “business as usual” demonstrating success and exceptional performance in business
practices, customer service and
community involvement.
QNB takes pride in serving the
local area as an independent community bank for over 133 years.
Founded in 1877 as The Quakertown National Bank, the company
was formed by a group of local
merchants who wanted Quakertown to have its own local bank.
Over the years, the bank grew
legislature and the Department of
Revenue as well as es¬tablishing
programs to educate fellow CPA's
on state taxation. Cheri also serves
on the Earned Income Tax Register
Advisory Panel for the Governor's
Center for Local Government (a division of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic
Development). She has served as a
speaker for the PICPA, the Governor's Cen¬ter, Lehigh University's Small Business Development Center and the Upper Bucks
Chamber of Commerce. Cheri has
been a member of the Board of Directors of the Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce since 2002 and
has most recently been treasurer
of the UBCC Board. She has also
been serving as treasurer for Quakertown Alive and the Palisades
Community Education Foundation.
Cheri has served on the Board of
Directors of St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital since 2007 and is
the current vice-chair of that board
and chair of their capital campaign
(left) UBCC President, John M. Heley and Corporate Citizen of the Year Award
Winner, Thomas Bisko, QNB (right) John M. Heley and Volunteer of the Year
committee. Cheri also volunteers
Award Winner, Cheri Freeh, Hutchinson, Gillahan & Freeh, PC
with the Animal Food Bank of the
a defined geographic area. This action and has displayed a signifi- Lehigh Valley as well as the Brookenables the staff, including its ex- cant involvement in the betterment line Labrador Retriever Rescue.
The Upper Bucks Chamber of
ecutives, to become very involved of the chamber and our business
in local sponsorships and causes community by exhibiting the high- Commerce is continually striving
and to truly understand the needs est levels of honesty and integrity to move forward in creating signifof the communities it serves. An- in all of her community activities. icant working relationships among
nually, the bank’s 170+ employCheri is a member of the Ameri- the many excellent organizations in
ees tally more than 8,000 volunteer can (AICPA) and Pennsylvania
the business community to create a
hours with local organizations and (PICPA) Institutes of Cer¬tified
healthy and sustainable economic
community events. The bank ful- Public Accountants, a former
fills over 400 community support member of the PICPA Governing environment for everyone in Upper
requests per year. QNB is a rela- Council and the current President- Bucks and this year’s award recipitively small bank, with assets of Elect of the PICPA. Cheri present- ents are perfect examples of how
just over $800 million; however, ly serves on the PICPA State Taxa- to accomplish that task, especially
its impact on the local economy is tion Committee as well as their during challenging times! A spesignificant. Last year, QNB origi- Local Tax Task Force. These com- cial thank you to Servpro of Upper
nated over $130 million in loans to mittees are responsible for provid- Bucks and Verizon for sponsoring
businesses and consumers and paid ing input at the state level to the this year’s Awards Banquet.
along with the community.
QNB’s exceptional longevity is due
in no small measure to its capable
and enduring leadership. Just seven
executives have served as president
since 1877. In 2007, the bank converted from a National Bank Charter to a State Bank Charter and
rebranded itself simply as QNB.
Today, QNB serves families and
businesses with a broad range of
financial services through its nine
branch offices located in portions
of Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh
counties. QNB, by design, serves
its depositors nearly $12 million in
interest on their accounts.
The Upper Bucks Chamber of
Commerce is honored to recognize
Cheri Freeh, CPA, and Partner
at Hutchinson, Gillahan & Freeh,
PC, as the award winner for Volunteer of the Year. The recipient
of this award goes to an individual
who has gone above and beyond
the call of duty in helping to serve
our community, who has exhibited
strong involvement with the Upper
Bucks Chamber of Commerce and
a high degree of community inter-
Local Homeschoolers Celebrate International Day
By Michele Buono
Local homeschool families gathered to celebrate their 5th Annual
International Day at the James A.
Michener Branch Library in Quakertown. Students of all ages created
displays (usually with a sampling
of that country’s food) showcasing different countries from around
the world. This year there were 30
displays depicting everything from
the differences between North and
South Korea to the animal species
found in Antarctica.
“It is worth taking the time out of
our usual homeschool curriculum
to complete a project on another
country because our country is becoming so diversified that I want
my children to grow up appreciating the differences of other nations,
recognizing the similarities to our
own, and respecting all people”,
said Kristy Wharfe, whose two
children, Julianna and Jude, participated in the fair. Julianna came
dressed in her Irish Dance attire.
She likes International Day because
“I get to dress up and pretend I am
traveling on a tour of the world."
Student Evan Acker, 7, pointing to
Denmark on his globe.
(photo by Michele Buono)
December 2010 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
Memorable Moments in
December History
December is "3D Month"
National Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Month
December 1 - World AIDS Day (since 1988)
December 1, 1955 - Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat
December 1-9, 2010 - Hanukkah
December 2, 1980 - Eight National Parks established in Alaska
December 2, 1982 - Anniversary of Artificial Heart Transplant
December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan
December 8, 1980 - John Lennon was murdered in NY
December 9, 1968 - Computer Mouse was developed
December 10, 2010 - "Human Rights Day"
December 13, 2010 - Geminids Meteor Shower
December 15, 1791 - Bill of Rights anniversary
December 16, 1773 - Boston Tea Party
December 17, 1903 - Wright Brothers first flight
December 18, 1865 - Slavery Abolished by 13th Amendment
December 20, 1956 - Supreme Court rules segregated bus seating illegal
December 20, 1803 - France transfers Louisiana Territory to U.S.
December 21, 1913 - Anniversary of First Crossword Puzzle
December 21, 1620 - Anniversary of Pilgrim Landing
December 21, 2010 - First Day of Winter (winter solstice)
December 25, 2010 - MERRY CHRISTMAS!
December 28, 1973 - "Endangered Species Act" enacted
Ongoing Community
Activities
“December Job Search Workshops”, held on most Thursdays at
PA CareerLink Bucks Co. 1 Hillendale Drive, Perkasie, No costs, For
a complete list of workshops call
215-258-7755 and www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us
Bingo at Richland Twp Fire & Rescue every Tues. 5:30pm, 64 Shelly
Rd, Qtwn. 215-536-7226
American Cancer Society’s “Santa
Calls” Program, Santa will call or
write to your child. Calls will be
evenings Dec. 6 to Dec. 9. Proceeds
from 800-ACS-2345 benefit cancer
research. www.cancer.org
Upper Bucks Kiwanis meets for
lunch 2nd & 4th Wednesday every month at John’s Plain & Fancy,
Qtwn, 12:30pm, Meet new friends
and join our Kiwanis Family.
upperbuckskiwanis@hotmail.com
Bedminster Nar-Anon meets every
Tuesday 7pm at Deep Run West
Mennonite Church, 1008 Deep Run
Rd, Perkasie. Support group for
family & friends with a loved one
struggling with an addiction. Adults
only, bedminster.naranon@yahoo.
com or 267-897-0695
Home School Books - Saxon Math 6/5,
Science, Pre-Algebra, Vocabulary, Spelling, Geography, Workbooks & Reading
Books, Responsibility for Boys and more.
Good Prices. Karen 215-368-5148
Quakertown Library ages 4+, 1st
&4th Friday each month, 10:30am,
fun and activities, Just drop in!
www.buckslib.org
Quakertown Library all ages, 3rd
Tuesday each month, 7pm, Wear
pjs and listen to bedtime stories,
Just drop in! www.buckslib.org
Bingo every Tuesday night (doors
open at 5:30pm) Richland Twp Fire
& Rescue Fire Co, 64 Shelly Rd,
Qtwn, 215-536-7226
Community Meal-every third
Thursday of the month, First UCC,
4th & Park, Qtwn, 215-536-4447
Quakertown Neighborhood Association – meets 3rd Tuesday every
month, 6:30pm, quakertownna.org
267-424-0479
“Singles Drop In”, every Wednesday, 5-7:30pm, Revivals Restaurant, Perkasie, 215-258-3463
A Woman’s Place (support for
domestic abuse & violence) 24hour Hotline – 1-800-220-8116
www.awomansplace.org
All You Can Eat Breakfast, 1st
Sunday each month October thru
April (except Jan.), Springtown
Fire Company, 3010 Route 212,
Springtown
Papillon Puppies for Sale. Ready to
go! Both black and white. One female and One male. Call for details
215-855-6646
17
18
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
What’s Up at the Library?
The following programs are offered
by the James A. Michener Branch,
BCFL. The library is located at
401 W. Mill St. in Quakertown.
For more information, or to register for the programs, please call
215-536-3306 or online at www.
buckslib.org . Please note that the
library will be closed on December
24th, 25th and 31st.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
HAPPY NEW YEAR
HANUKKAH
PEACE
SANTA CLAUS
ORNAMENTS
FAMILY
WONDER
SNOW
HOPE
DECORATE
TREE TRIM
LOVE
STAR
BLESSING
GIVE PRESENTS
CELEBRATE
COME HOME
FRIENDS
BELIEVE
MAGIC
CANDLES
REINDEER
LIGHTS
Greg Shannon of the American Legion and the Upper Bucks Kiwanis Club
presents a check for $100.00 to Lisa Green for the Quakertown Cares
program. Emily Yerkes was on hand to certify the transaction.
(photo by Frank DiRenzo)
rhymes, and fingerplays. Registration is required.
December 7 & 14 Toddler Time
10:45am – 11:15am Age 2 with a
caregiver. Stories, songs, fingerplays, and fun. Registration required.
December 11 Gingerbread Goodies 11am – 12noon Grades Kindergarten and up. Join us for stories,
December 3 Friday Favorites games, and activities about your
10:30am – 11:15am Ages 4 and favorite gingerbread characters!
up. Come share our favorite sto- (Drop-in).
ries, songs, and other activities.
December 18 Winter Wonderland
December 4 Reading Goes to the 2pm – 3pm Find out what happens
Dogs 2pm – 3:30pm. For children when a snowman has too much fun
of all ages and reading skills. Come and sneezes everywhere! Enjoy
read to local certified therapy dogs other stories, games, and activities
like Charlie, Fiona, and Shadow. to get you in the spirit of the seaSponsored by the Friends of the son! (Drop-in)
Library.
December 28 Zombie New Year
December 6 & 13 Preschool Story- Party 6:30pm – 8:30pm Teens in
time 10:15am – 11am OR 1:30 – grades 6-12. Come dressed in your
2:15pm. Ages 3-6. Stories, songs, best zombie garb for a drop dead
fingerplays, and a simple learning time! Just drop in!
activity. Registration is required.
December 30 Boredom Busters
December 7 & 14 Bouncing Baby 1pm – 4pm Grades kindergarten
10:15am – 10:45am. A gentle sto- and up. Join us for stories, games,
rytime for you and your little one and activities for even the best
featuring simple stories, songs, couch potatoes to enjoy! (Drop-in).
Consider our troops this
Holiday Season! Below
is a list of stuff they can
really use while away
serving our country.
• Calling Cards
• Snack bars/Granola bars
• Packaged nuts
• Crackers & cookies
• Candies & Gum
• Beef jerky & sticks
• Hot chocolate mix
• Tea or Cider mix
• Gatorade mix
• Fruit snacks
• Paperback book
• Frisbee & Nerf balls
• Handwarmerss
• White or drab boot socks
• Lightweight gloves & caps
• Batteries, AAA, AA, 9 volt
• Toothpaste/brush
• Eye drops
• Cough drops & Tylenol
• Lip balm
• Nail clippers & Razors
• Disposable camera
• Puzzle books
• Magazines
• DVDs & CDs
Call 215-230-7895 or email
operationsanta@comcast.net to find
your nearest drop off location.
December 2010 • Upper Bucks Free Press •
19
Trust your team at the
St. Luke’s Bone & Joint
Institute to provide the most
appropriate care for your
knee condition.
Life doesn’t have to be a pain
in the knee...
The most comprehensive,
coordinated care for orthopaedic, muscular and
neurological conditions...
right here in Quakertown.
For more information call
877-752-5448 and visit
www.slbji.org.
...or neck, back, shoulder, elbow, hip, ankle...
Orthopaedics • Neurosurgery • Pain Medicine • Foot & Ankle Specialty Care
Pharmacy & Medical Equipment • Physiatry • Physical Therapy • Rheumatology
Occumed Resources • Radiology
In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners. Some of the
birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London. To get them to
London, the turkeys were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather.
The turkeys were walked to market. The boots protected their feet from the
frozen mud of the road. Boots were not used for geese: instead, their
feet were protected with a covering of tar.
20
• Upper Bucks Free Press • December 2010
The Upper Bucks Free Press is made possible
by our sponsors and advertisers.
Please stop in to visit and thank them.