Keeping the candle burning for our troops

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 

Posted on September 27, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

Waiting. Counting down the days. That is what Joe and Cheryl Schachter do.

Five more weeks and their son Joseph will be home from his fourth tour of duty overseas, which included service in Afghanistan.

To keep busy, the Schachters of Lower Southampton started mailing care packages to soldiers in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. Schachter, who also is a veteran, knows what it means to receive the packages.

“They love getting TastyKakes,” he said of one popular item.

“At one time it cost $1 a pound to mail a package.” said Schachter. “I would spend $500 a month to mail things to the troops on my own.”

Rich and Sue Bucher had been sending care packages to troops for years before joining the Schachters and helping them found Food4Troops, a 501(3) © nonprofit organization.

Rich Bucher is a Vietnam veteran.

Today Food4Troops is made up of families, friends and veterans plus adviser and chief benefactor Gene Epstein, a philanthropist who lives in Wrightstown.

Almost everything sent overseas by the organization comes from donations. Car shows, the Girl Scouts, schools and many other organizations contribute to the cause of helping feed those risking their lives overseas.

With each package sent, a message is enclosed expressing appreciation to the troops for the sacrifice they are making while away from their loved ones.

The mission of Food4Troops is to send as many care packages as it can and to help the Veterans Administration office in Bristol spotlight the men and women in need.

“One hundred percent of what goes in goes out,” Joe Schachter said recently. “In the winter, people from all over will bake cookies for us to send the troops.”

Annually, the group sends about 2,000 packages to war zones. It takes anywhere from one to three weeks to get them to the soldiers, depending on how deep into the field they are.

“Dentists would pay kids for their Halloween candy so they could donate it to the troops,” said Schachter. “The troops loved that.”

Food and supplies are generally the items mailed to the troops.

In August, a group called The Candle Committee of Bucks County approached Schachter with extra hand-dipped candles. The candles were sent out to those stationed in Afghanistan to be used on Sept. 11 to commemorate those lost in the terrorist attacks on the United States 11 years ago.

The candles added to the tireless efforts of the Schachters and the Buchers to bring a taste of home to troops out in the field.

Want to contribute?

For information on Food4Troops visitwww.food4troops.org. You can add your soldier to the list to receive CARE Packages. The wish list can be viewed online for anyone wishing to help the organization.

Gyni girls

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 

Posted on September 26, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

Three words feared by most people are “You have cancer.”

For women faced with that news, Gyni Girls can help. The group is made up of women who are living with gynecological and other types of cancer. They meet each month at the Center for Women’s Health in Middletown.

The facility has created a peaceful place for women during the healing process.

The support group started in November 2010, thanks to the work of Dr. Amy Harvey, who is a gynecologist and has worked with women with cancer, and Susan Apollon, a psychologist with 25 years of experience specializing in cancer patients.

Apollon also brings forth her personal perspective as a breast cancer survivor.

The two medical professionals urge caregivers and family members to join the group. It is a chance to discuss emotions, get educational information and learn about different treatments in a warm and friendly group setting.

“It helps women with the changes they are going through,” said Harvey.

Apollon says the healing begins from the heart.

When Peggy Mumme, 79, of Yardley was diagnosed with cancer two years ago she felt the fear that those three little words trigger.

At first she was hesitant to join the group. “What will we talk about?” she thought. But soon she felt at home with the group. There is a feeling of closeness that develops between the women who are all in the same predicament, she said.

To read more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/bristol/the-gyni-girls/article_2c7f0e46-f8a8-5992-819f-6bdadf7696c4.html

Teacher lives what she teaches

Upper SouthamptonCentennial teacher lives what she teaches

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Bill Fraser

Centennial art teacher Donna Cockenberg in her classroom at Willow Dale Elementary School on Thursday afternoon.

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Posted: Sunday, September 23, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 9:00 am, Sun Sep 23, 2012.

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent

Posted on September 23, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

The curtains draw to a close, but the show does not end for this Centennial art teacher extraordinaire.

After spending the hot and steamy days of summer as the program director of the Kids Theatre Workshop in Skippack through the Playcrafters organization, Donna Cockenberg of Lansdale spends the school year teaching art at Willow Dale Elementary School in Warminster.

To her, life is a stage.

“Teachers are performers to begin with,” as Cockenberg puts it. Students are the audience. They are taught lessons one act at a time, both in the class and at theater camp.

She’s been running theater workshops for 20 years. She also directs some plays and performs in them. This past summer Cockenberg performed in “The Wedding Singer” and “Pippin.” And her artistic talent was revealed with paintings she created for the play, including one of the New York City skyline.

During workshops, Cockenberg teaches comedy. She also applies her love of comedy to her teaching method in the classroom. For her, it’s key to getting the point across, she said.

“I am very involved with humor,” said Cockenberg.

Said Michael Donnelly, principal at Willow Dale, “It is exciting walking down the hall to see what her art class has done. She is very artistic and involved in music and theater, which is apparent in what she brings to her classroom. She is an educator who is excited about her class and inspires her students to do well.”

Growing up in Glenside, Cockenberg graduated from Abington High School and later attended Millersville University. She eventually graduated from Penn State University.

Since she was a little girl, Cockenberg always wanted to be a teacher. She also loved the arts, both visual and performing. She has been singing and acting her whole life, but teaching art to young people really tugged at her.

To read more go go: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/centennial-teacher-lives-what-she-teaches/article_90b29162-889c-5a18-bd47-db0b961bd27f.html?mode=image&photo=1

A wonderland to spark the imagination

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 

Posted on September 16, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

Imagine a land where you can be anything your heart desires. A princess, bride, doctor, ballerina, pirate, or maybe even be a little bit of everything. A place where there is no limitation on imagination.

Rachel Fullan, 28, of Langhorne, is bringing her dream to life. She no longer is dressing up as a woman of high society having her afternoon tea or dressing up as a saleswoman creating games with her imagination. Rather, she is creating a world where children can do just that and more.

At The Little Old House of Make Believe in the borough, children are encouraged to let their imaginations run free and to explore other worlds and magical times. More than 100 costumes, accessories and handmade play toys fill the room of mirrors in the Little Old House of Make Believe. All are handmade by Fullan, her husband, and her parents.

Birthday parties are created to meet each child’s dream theme. Whatever theme the birthday child wants they get. Play dates, special events, Girl Scouts and craft classes also are available. Story time and music and dance are also a part of the make believe adventure.

Fullan has loved planning birthday parties since she was just 3 years old.

“From the day of my third birthday party I began planning the next,” said Fullan. “I planned everyone’s parties.”

To read more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/langhorne/where-kids-can-open-up-their-imaginations-the-little-old/article_aa59d971-02c2-5f6d-ae89-3e247249ffed.html#user-comment-area

Northampton Days Festival

Posted: Sunday, September 9, 2012 6:23 pm | Updated: 7:31 pm, Sun Sep 9, 2012.

By Diane Davies-Dixon correspondent 

Candy, rock climbing, animals and cool cars. What more could a kid ask for?

Under a blue sky Sunday, the Northampton Days festival at the Richboro Middle School in Northampton provided that and more for the community.

The festival has been held for 16 years and gets better every year, said Rick Houser of Northampton. He brings his family for the parade, car show and friendly faces.

Hundreds of people scattered about the school grounds where a gentle breeze carried the aroma of food available for purchase -- from sausage, peppers, onions, hot dogs and pizza to funnel cake.

Kids enjoyed bounce castles, rock climbing, sand art, face painting, family games, and photos and visits with Ronald McDonald and the Phillie Phanatic.

Robyn Frank, 36, of Northampton, has attended the festival for about seven years. She has three children and they love the rides and going from tent to tent collecting all the information and handouts.

“The rock wall is amazing. I made it to the top this year and I am going to do it again,” said Christian Frank, 6, of Northampton, determined to climb the wall again. He didn’t make it to the top last year so he was especially excited to try this year.

Aiden Geist, 9, of Northampton, enjoyed the parade but the “awesome cars” are the best part for him, he said. And Ryan Carroll, 8, of Northampton, agreed that he liked the car show too, but for him it was the candy the people in the parade threw to him that he liked the most.

“It’s a lot of fun and the weather is good. I like the face painting and everything about the day,”said Craig Martin, 36, of Holland. “The events are spaced apart every 15 to 20 minutes so you get a chance to do everything and it is good for the little kids. It keeps their attention.”

Emily Martin, 2, of Holland, said the bunnies were soft to pet. Her brother Ryan Martin, 6, said he really liked the karate guys in the parade the most but also liked the petting zoo and bouncing ride.

Proceeds from the rides, the food court and other attractions that cost money will go toward financing the 2013 Northampton Days celebration, according to Carol Dubas, volunteer coordinator for the Northampton Days Committee.

Kelly's quest for the Silver

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 

Posted on September 3, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

In a year of the just-completed Olympic Games, 13-year-old Kelly Young is closing in on a Silver.

A Girl Scout since kindergarten, the Lower Makefield teen is in line for Scouting’s second highest honor — the Silver Award — for leadership and community involvement.

She released scores of monarch butterflies this summer at the Silver Lake Nature Center in Bristol Township as part of a project she designed to help sustain the threatened species.

The Girl Scout Cadette had to search for a meaningful project to the community as part of her reach for the silver. Her love of butterflies inspired the idea of releasing the colorful insects as part of summer camp at the nature center. Jenn Bilger, coordinator of volunteers at the center, thought it was a great idea.

As Kelly put it about her interest in science, “It just felt natural to pick this project.”

With the backing of the Girl Scouts’ regional council, she formed a team of girls — some scouts and some not, as required by Girl Scouts — and waited for painted lady monarch caterpillars to arrive in the mail.

To her disappointment, they all died within the first few days.

With additional caterpillars on the way, Kelly trekked to the Delaware Canal to pick milkweed leaves with monarch caterpillar eggs on them. Eight eggs were collected. None survived.

The mail finally brought live caterpillars, settled into a salad container full of milkweed leaves. Survivors at last.

To read more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/kelly-s-quest-for-the-silver/article_da569d45-fa53-51b7-bf68-e8273af26bc1.html?mode=story