Spreading Christmas Spirit

Falls TownshipSpirit of Christmas year 'round

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Men of Harmony's holiday calendar

Nov. 24 - 2:30 p.m., Resurrection Lutheran Church, 1700 Makefield Road, Lower Makefield. Proceeds benefit the homeless.

Dec. 12 - 7 p.m., Bucks County Technical High School, 610 Wistar Road, Fairless Hills. "The Best Toy", a Christmas musical performed by the Men Of Harmony.

Dec. 6-7 - 7:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Holly Night at Pennsbury Manor

Dec. 9 - 3 p.m., Fairless Hills United Methodist Church, 840 Trenton Road, Fairless Hills

Dec. 17, 18, 20 & 21 - Annual Christmas tour of local schools, senior centers and hospitals; program consists of a 20-minute a cappella Christmas Carol set at each stop.

Dec. 22 - 7 p.m., St Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pine Grove & Big Oak roads, Lower Makefield

Information e-mail:menofharmony@hotmail.com

Posted: Wednesday, October 24, 2012 5:00 am | Updated: 6:44 am, Wed Oct 24, 2012.

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent | 0 comments

Posted on October 24, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

Keeping the true spirit of Christmas alive is what keeps the Men of Harmony going year after year.

Amid the commercialization of Christmas, the singers remind people of the true spirit of Christmas. They sing in four-part harmony much of the year sporting tuxedos. For the Christmas holiday season however, they break out the Dickens’ attire — waistcoats, trousers, stovepipe hats and all.

“People hardly realize what Christmas is about,” said Barry Vannauker, 76, of Falls, the director of the chorus. Without saying a word, they send the message by singing songs like “Oh, Holy Night,” he said.

“People have to understand what you are talking about in the song,” said Vannauker. “Choral music is poetry.”

Vannauker has been directing the Men of Harmony for 39 years.

In the beginning, only U.S. Steel millworkers at the company’s Fairless Works in Falls were allowed to participate in the chorus founded in 1951. Vannauker and another man were the only nonsteelworkers in the group, then known as the U.S. Steel Chorus.

Like similar groups at other U.S. Steel facilities, the chorus enjoyed the sponsorship of the corporation. It came into being during the fall of 1951 when employees from out of the area toiled at building the mammoth mill far from their families. The chorus would sing Christmas carols for the employees who worked every day for three weeks straight, never making it home for Christmas that year.

With the decline of the mill in the 1980s, U.S. Steel would no longer sponsor the singers. Chorus members, with Vannauker’s encouragement, decided to keep going under a new name, the Men of Harmony, and invited men from throughout the area to join.

To read more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/spirit-of-christmas-year-round/article_ec6de490-cac2-5b50-a462-c0913ffdf5dd.html

Historic Bristol day

By Diane 
Davies-Dixon Correspondent 

Posted on October 21, 2012

• 
  by Dan Golden

More than 300 years of history were celebrated in Bristol on Saturday.

On Saturday, the borough celebrated the borough’s 36th annual Historic Bristol Day. Trolleys and buses loaded with visitors traveled throughout the Harriman section with verbal guided tours providing a brief lesson in history. The tour began at the King George Inn, built in 1681.

The Harriman District of Bristol marks the 90th anniversary of its annexation into the borough this year. It was the site of the Merchant Shipyard in 1917-1921.

Trudy Shand of Huntingdon Valley frequents Lions Park every Sunday for the free concerts put on by the Lions Club. She was there Saturday to tour the historic homes throughout the borough.

“I loved the homes in Fairmount Park and wanted to see these,” said Shand.

Shand and friend Pat Mitchell of Philadelphia took the guided bus tour, learning the history of the town and those who built it. They found the tour interesting, they said.

Visitors were able to rest with a hot cup of tea and some dessert at the home of Ron and Ronnie Walker, who reside on Radcliffe Street in a home that overlooks the Delaware River.

Ronnie Walker, a member of the Bristol Historic Society, has been a participant in the Traditional Tea portion of the day for about 12 years. The event used to take place in the library underground but now takes place in the backyard of her home.

To read more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/bristol-marks-its-historic-roots/article_ea03f505-4c01-5060-af59-f4d3fb5cc925.html

BucksMont squires of song

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent | 0 comments

Posted on October 16, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

“Work those muscles,” Ron Knickerbocker commanded to a group of singers gathered before him at a recent rehearsal at a church in Langhorne.

“You want a sound with character and body. Put energy into the sound.”

As coach of the BucksMont Squires of Song, he used his own voice to demonstrate the sound and tone he was looking for. He was rewarded by the singers responding in kind.

“When they know the notes and music, they sing pretty decently,” he later said.

Using human voices as their musical instruments in four-part a cappella harmony, the men of BucksMont sing from the depths of their souls in the way Knickerbocker teaches them.

He should know. Knickerbocker coached a quartet that won “Best in the World” at the International competition in Kansas City in 1974. His accomplishment has enabled him to travel as far as Germany to teach barbershop singing, he said.

A resident of Downingtown and an International Quartet Champion on the barbershop harmony circuit, he’s taken an active role in coaching the BucksMont Squires of Song. The ensemble has about 20 active members ranging in ages from 18 to 95.

The BucksMont Squires of Song make up the Abington-Levittown chapter of the national Barbershop Harmony Society founded in 1938 in Tulsa, Okla.

More than 800 chapters exist across North America and Canada with more than 30,000 members and affiliates in 10 foreign countries, according to the Barbershop Harmony website. The society is the largest fraternal organization in the world focusing on a cappella music.

Tom Hankin, BucksMont assistant director, has been a part of the chorus for eight years. He joined after looking for a place to sing and being referred to the group by his family doctor, who was a member of the chapter.

“Barbershop chorus generally sings tin pan ‘20s and ‘30s songs and pop songs from the ‘50s and ‘60s,” said Hankin, who lives in Bristol Township. “That is the classic barbershop fare. Show tunes are a staple of singing.”

Rick Edelman, of Oakford in Lower Southampton, got his most recent start five years ago after singing in a woman’s ear all night at a Knights of Columbus dance for Parents Without Partners. It turned out she was friends with members of the Levittown barbershop chapter and introduced Edelman to them.

To read more go to : http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/heavy-hitter-working-with-bucksmont-squires-of-song/article_d5990374-e0d2-53fe-b0ac-cb0007ef24ef.html

Papal honors

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent | 0 comments

Posted on October 21, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

Jim and Cheryl Manfredonia of the Fairless Hills section of Bristol Township have been spreading orthodox Catholicism over the radio airwaves since 2003.

Their work in reaching out to audiences in Bucks County and New Jersey via their Trenton-based radio stations has earned the attention of Pope Benedict XVI in Rome.

The couple was awarded the Benemerenti Medal, which was instituted in 1832 by Pope Gregory XVI to honor those with long-term and exceptional service to the Catholic Church, their families and the community.

The honor was presented to them Oct. 14 by Bishop David M. O’Connell of Trenton at the closing Mass of the diocese’s Eucharistic Congress.

“We are very humbled by the honor,” said Jim Manfredonia. “It is our calling and that is why we do it.”

The Manfredonias spread the word of the Gospel to as many people as radio waves will allow them.

The Manfredonias founded Domestic Church Media in 2003, which owns and operates two radio stations, WFJS 1260-AM in Trenton and WFJS 89.3-FM in Freehold, N.J.

The stations air orthodox Catholicism and are the only two full-time Catholic radio stations in the state, according to Manfredonia.

WFJS is picked up in parts of Bucks County and the station recently received FCC permission to expand its reach to parts of Northeast Philadelphia, Montgomery and Bucks counties as an affiliate of The Global Catholic Network, EWTN.

Jim Manfredonia, who never previously worked in radio, has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J.

To read more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/papal-honors-for-fairless-hills-couple/article_80bc8d6a-af35-5782-a96c-952d160fe71b.html?mode=story

Money, money

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 

Posted on October 22, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

Imagine a store that has all your sporting goods and equipment and provides lessons in that sport too. That would be pretty awesome, right? That was the idea Nora Broderick, 10, of Northampton developed during a recent hour-long finance management workshop in Newtown Township.

Learning how to run a business was the objective for Junior Girl Scouts in the fourth- to fifth-grade category.

Under the guiding hand of Zalig H. Stein, a CPA from Huntingdon Valley, and other CPAs, Nora was among 70 girls who recently had a chance to reach for the stars at St. Andrew Youth Ministries in Newtown Township.

First the girls had to think individually of a business they wanted to start and the reasons for doing so. Next came setting hours, promotions, commercials, listing goods and services, business names, locations, how to advertise and convince investors that their business would be better than competitors'.

Nora suggested her store offering lessons in various sports would set her business apart.

Stein agreed. “Know everything you can about the business,” he told the girls. “Read about it and research it.”

In the end, each of the Scouts took the podium in front of the group to outline their plans. Many decided on opening in New York, though that brought a frown from Stein.

“Before running they have to walk or they will fall on their face,” he later said. “You have to grow a business.”

Suggestions were made for the Scouts to start out mowing lawns and baby-sitting so a sense of business can develop.

To read more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/money-money/article_f8ec5912-fb25-512f-b7e6-9aa6adefa4f4.html#user-comment-area

Dressage

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 

Posted on October 14, 2012

• 
  by Carl LaVO

Riding is not just a hobby, but a lifestyle, for Emily Sours, 17, a Council Rock North senior. She lives to ride. And competing in the equestrian sport of dressage is her passion.

Emily was one of the four riders chosen from Region 1 — which includes areas between North Carolina and New Jersey — to compete in the Dressage Championships in Kentucky in July. And recently, she participated in the Devon Horse Show.

Although she came away with no medals, Emily said she “learned a lot” with her horse, Nobel Baron.

“Baron gets very nervous when we compete at Devon — the atmosphere is high energy. We came in fourth out of six the first day with a 61.8 percent. Not bad, but I knew we could have done better. The second day, I thought we would be more successful, but there were a lot of people and Baron was once again not happy.”

Dressage is the development of rider and horse, resulting in a well-balanced and synchronized team. In the early years of training, the sport focuses on horse and rider communication. It teaches horses the willingness to work and remain calm and attentive to their riders, and develops the horses’ athletic abilities.

Emily began asking for riding lessons when she was 2 years old. By the time she was 5, she was on the back of a pony; at 7, she was competing. Now in the Young Rider classification of dressage, she competes with other 16- to 21-year-old riders.

Emily lives in Upper Makefield with her mother, Sandy, who is vice president of a consulting firm, and her father, Michael, who is self-employed. Her brother Tyler, 20, attends college in Philadelphia. Her family suspects her love of horses comes from her late grandfather, who had a passion for riding.

The Sours family leases Noble Baron from Francine Gentile, the owner of Whiskey Lane Farm in Flemington, N.J., and Emily’s trainer since she was 6. The horse is an Oldeberg breed, known for its show jumping ability. The horse has accompanied her to events as far away as Kentucky and Florida.

Back home, Emily has two ponies of her own, Oscar and Fonzi. She bought Fonzi at auction and he now keeps Oscar company.

Emily offers this advice to kids who might want to follow in her hoof prints.

“For the kids who want to ride, I say go for it,” she said. “Riding while growing up is great for kids because it teaches them hard work, determination and the care of animals.

“For kids who want to ride competitively, work hard and be OK with the good and bad shows. Also, have good sportsmanship, because that will take people so far in this sport.

“One final thing is, be willing to sacrifice things in order to compete. I had to miss junior prom because I went to Florida for a horse show, but I wouldn’t have done anything different.”

Emily wants to attend a college with a riding program after graduation from Council Rock. “I’m not sure yet what school that would be, but I like the Boston area and that’s where I see myself riding.”

Restoring history

Posted: Sunday, October 7, 2012 6:17 pm

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 

Posted on October 7, 2012

• 
  by Steve Robb

They brought shovels and work gloves to the sacred ground, which was covered with morning dew and toppled-over and moss-covered gravestones.

Restoration began Saturday on the time-worn cemetery behind the Historic Presbyterian Church of Newtown at 76 N. Sycamore St. The church was established in 1769 with the first burial taking place in 1773.

A team of 11 volunteers arrived ready to dig. They were led by Chris Frey, the owner of Keystone Preservation Group in Doylestown. 

The workshop began with a brief rundown of the dos and don’ts of restoring a piece of history. Resetting tilted headstones and cleaning them was the focus of the project. Frey created an electronic database with the condition and photo of each gravestone and the work needed for repair. 

One of the things they do not want to do is make the graveyard look new. Keeping the historical look is part of the mission.

“The goal is to preserve history from being lost,” said Frey.

It will take years and a lot of volunteers to complete the restoration project. And some work will need to be completed by professionals who will cost money. It cost about $700 to restore one grave site, according to Frey.

Understanding the problem is the first step of a successful restoration. The grave sites are “sensitive like sculptures,” Frey said. He believes poor soil is the reason for the stones shifting.

“The most problematic in the cemeteries are the tilted markers,” said Frey. “They should not be able to tilt. A lot of what we don’t know lies beneath the ground.”

Volunteers formed two groups and repairs began one stone at a time. Jeff Denlinger, Mike Bishop, Bob Lemke, Jack Espenshade and Ron Husted rounded up levels, shovels, tape measures and got to work. They removed the first headstone and base to repair the ground below. Old bricks and gravel were removed so the ground could be realigned and leveled. The end result would be a firmly replaced headstone.

And Bill Shikralla, Dan Morrison, Dick Kauffman, Walt Jamison and William Mejia worked on removing the moss and algae from the stones, making the scripture readable once more.

According to Karen Dorward of Newtown, a member of the restoration committee, many footstones rest against the back wall of the cemetery and need to be placed back with the correct headstone. For reasons unknown, the footstones were removed. But, each footstone has the first and last initial of the gravestone it belongs to.

More than 300 graves are in the cemetery. Many of them hold generations of the same family. More than 53 of the graves are of children. A number of them are veterans of war. The cemetery is comprised of four veterans of the French and Indian War, 29 veterans of the American Revolution, one veteran from the War of 1812, one veteran from the Civil War and six veterans from World War II, according to church records.

“The cemetery is the link with our past. Many people settled in Newtown,” said Dorward. “Many children are buried here. It is our responsibility to take care of it.”

Walt Jamison of Upper Makefield, chairman of the committee, has been a member of the church his whole life. All three of his children were married there and his parents attended church there.

“The restoration means a great deal,” said Jamison. “The church is on the National Historic Registry.”

The committee is comprised of about 18 members dedicated to saving history. There are four major fundraisers held each year to pay for the facility and cemetery. A trust fund was set up about 20 years ago to keep up with the upkeep but with interest rates being so low it is not enough to sustain the property and grounds, according to Jamison.

Anyone interested in volunteering can call the church at 215-968-3861.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/volunteers-work-at-restoring-history/article_2b3b96f0-5f11-54da-9b90-1461b3278859.html