Saturday, October 6, 2012

A touch of the colonial era


Diane Dixon-Davies Correspondent 
Posted on October 7, 2012
Folks gathered in the middle of Center and Court streets, near the Half-Moon Inn, listening to music and feasting on food of all varieties.


Newtown took on a touch of the Colonial era Saturday as men, women and children strolled around in period dress. A horse-drawn carriage added to the revolutionary atmosphere as the Newtown Historic Association celebrated its 36th annual Market Day.

Market Day was held in Newtown on historic Court Street and Center Avenue and wrapped around to Mercer Street.
Rosanna Colombo, 24, of Northampton, with First Crossing Volunteers -- Revolutionary War re-enactors -- set up camp behind the Half-Moon Inn preparing sausage and apple stew, serving it to the militia in little wooden bowls. The aroma of the stew filled the air.
Nick Hollister, 24, of Bristol Township, and his children, Cody, 5, and Alexus 1, took part as re-enactors.
“It’s a lot of fun and a great set-up,” said Hollister.
Hollister is a member of the Crossing Community Church in Newtown, through which he became involved in the re-enactment group.
Judy Abramson, 68, of Newtown, comes to Market Day every year anticipating the Revolutionary War era re-enactment.
“They are fabulous,” she said. “They couldn’t get any more authentic.”
Gunshots sounded every half-hour, leaving puffs of smoke in the air and bringing history to life.
Lining the streets were tents that housed vendors selling Christmas decorations, paintings, jewelry, clothing, handmade knits, doll clothes, stained glass objects and baked goods.
AARK Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center was there with a cage of baby opossums, educating passersby of its mission of saving wildlife.
Rug artisans displayed their talents with the rug hook. Betsy Warner of Montgomery County and Annie Edwards of Carversville demonstrated the art of rug hooking, in which old clothing is made into rugs, a hobby that dates back many years.
Colonial crafts and games entertained children in the Historic Boone Garden.
Kathleen Deem of Newtown attends Market Day every year in hopes of getting some Christmas shopping done early.
“I like seeing what people make,” said Deem. “Things here are unique. You don’t find them everywhere.”
Deem is a fan of the jewelry too.
According to Len Franckowiak of Newtown, a member of the Newtown Historic Association, the plan over the next three years is to transform Market Day back to what it once was by bringing more of a farm or agricultural feel to the event.
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Pets receive blessing



Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 
Posted on October 8, 2012
Tails were wagging and there was a whole lot of barking going on outside the church doors.

About 20 dogs anxiously waited for the service to begin. Some of them made friends, some stood alone and some paced, all anticipating the service.
A special blessing of the animals took place outside the front doors of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lower Makefield on Saturday.
“Creator of us all,” began the blessing, “bless your friend." Pastor Rev. Michael A. McKillip addressed each animal individually by name and patted their heads.
This is the time of year the church celebrates St. Francis and his love of all creatures, said McKillip. The day was created to celebrate him.
About 20 dogs showed up at church with their owners tagging along for the blessing. In the midst of all the canines, one fearless cat sat in her crate.
Vada Quallis of Yardley brought Jester, a 6-year-old cat.
“I bring her to the animal blessing every year,” said Quallis. “I like to have my animals blessed because they are very special.”
Some of the canines in attendance were there for blessings because they are going through tough times.
Buddy, a blind 9-year-old pug, has surgery this coming week.
Buddy's owner, Wendy Szogi of Falls, said, “It was a good reason to bring him.
“Years before he hurt his leg and I brought him to the blessing then too.”
Oliver, a 15-year-old miniature pincher, also has health issues.
According to Judy Blackman of Lower Makefield, Oliver has disc disease and other issues. He has been to the ER and the veterinarian this week because he couldn’t walk and wasn’t eating.

“He needed a blessing,” Blackman said. Saturday’s blessing was the first for Oliver.
But not all dogs were there because of poor health.
Mindy, an 11-year-old beagle, brought owner Sue Galik of Pittsburgh to the blessing.
Galik, who also has a property in Penndel, saw the advertisement in the paper and thought, “Hey everybody needs a blessing,” she said.
After the blessing, every animal was given a treat.
Lilly, 2, and Willie, 3, both mixed breeds, brought their master Patricia Tarbuck of Falls.
“As soon as the service began the dogs settled as if they were listening,” said Tarbuck. “They knew it wasn’t just another day in the park. The energy changed.”
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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Keeping the candle burning for our troops


By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 
Posted on September 27, 2012
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.

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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Gyni girls


By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 
Posted on September 26, 2012

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.

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Sunday, September 23, 2012

Teacher lives what she teaches


Upper SouthamptonCentennial teacher lives what she teaches

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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

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.

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Sunday, September 16, 2012

A wonderland to spark the imagination


By Diane Davies-Dixon Correspondent 
Posted on September 16, 2012
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.”

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