A gala gallery opening

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent PhillyBurbs.com

Posted on February 22, 2013

The floral paintings came to life, with colors so vivid and real that visitors could almost smell the sweetness of flowers.The Gallery at the Lower Bucks Campus of Bucks County Community College officially opened Thursday night with Show Some HeART. The exhibit, part of the college’s third annual art show and sale, is hosted by Bucks County Community College and Community Partners: Artists of Bristol on the Delaware, Artists of Yardley, Arts and Cultural Council of Bucks County and ARTSBRIDGE.Jim Sell, executive director of Bucks County Community College’s Lower Bucks Campus in Bristol Township, has worked for years to make the gallery a reality.
“It takes a village to build an art gallery,” said Sell. “Thank you to everyone who helped build and make this happen.”
The plan for a permanent art gallery was hatched four years ago. Its opening is a dream come true for many, according to Rose Marie Strippoli, a member of the Artists of Bristol and art teacher at the Bristol Senior Center.
As Tobias Bruhn, executive director of Bucks County Community College Foundation, was standing on the stage about to address the guests Thursday, a man handed him a business card with a note on the back. The note was from Jim Faridy of Levittown pledging to donate $1,000 to the foundation and gallery.
Bruhn expressed sincere gratitude for the donation and also to the Grundy Foundation for its involvement with the gallery.
Gene Williams, executive director of Grundy Foundation, donated $2,000 to the college foundation, matched by another $2,000 from BCCC Foundation. Those funds will begin building an endowment for the gallery as well as scholarships.
“Grundy is about building a community and partnerships,” said Williams.
The night was about supporting the gallery and funding scholarships, according to Bruhn.
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Smile-maker granted a wish

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent PhillyBurbs.com

Seventeen years ago, a car accident left Judith Szabo with limited use of her legs.She was on her way home from her job as a nurse at Fox Chase when another vehicle slammed into her and ejected her from her car. The Bensalem resident now uses a wheelchair, but was left unable to continue her career as a nurse.However, there are plenty of things that Szabo, 74, can do -- including creating greeting cards to lift the spirits of others.

And on Wednesday, the Twilight Wish Foundation lifted Szabo's spirits.
The Twilight Wish Foundation is a national nonprofit charitable organization with a mission to enrich the lives of deserving elders by granting wishes.
Founded in 2003, the organization's national headquarters are in Doylestown. It has granted more than 1,865 individual wishes to seniors throughout the United States. Wishes are granted to those older than 68 with an income of less than 200 percent of poverty level.
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Save Farms

By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent PhillyBurbs.com

Posted on March 7, 2013

Farmers, restauranteurs, chefs, producers, winemakers, brewers, market managers and institutional food service managers got together last week to gain knowledge from each other on how to get the "buy fresh buy local" idea out to the public.The Bucks County Foodshed Alliance on Wednesday hosted its fourth annual Farmer Forum at the Newtown Township Municipal Building in Newtown Township.The invitation-only event drew about 50 people.

Alliance President Joseph Tryon of the Hatboro Federal Savings presented the alliance with a check for $2,500 to get the Bucks County chapter's buy fresh by local program started.
“He wants to put local food on his table and recognizes the importance of buy fresh buy local,” said Susan Snipes Wells, vice president of the alliance.
Snipes Wells hopes to encourage new businesses to buy fresh buy local.
”The application for the chapter in Bucks County was approved so we can move forward,” she told forum attendees.
According to state Department of Agriculture statistics, Bucks County is home to eight wineries, 44 vegetable farms, 13 places to get locally grown meats, 17 fruit farms and 16 egg producers.
The foodshed alliance operates throughout the U.S. There are 75 active chapters in the U.S. and 14 in Pennsylvania.
To read more go to: http://www.phillyburbs.com/farmers-forum-stresses-buy-fresh-buy-local-theme/article_a9abd6ac-7eb1-561b-ad74-868ded049eca.html