Neither an empty seat nor a dry eye was to be found as Nikki Johnson-Huston told her story today to a Chester County organization committed to making a difference. The event was an antidote for the images of riots, hopelessness, and frustration on every TV station in the past week.
Johnson-Huston told of being homeless at the age of 9. Her mother had lost her way to drugs which left a mother and two children homeless. Johnson-Huston was sent to live with her grandmother. Her grandmother was infused with hope, which she shared generously. The hope was fortified by the belief that hard work at this particular time in this particular country would make anything possible for a young black girl.
Upon arriving at her grandmother’s house, she was asked what she was going to do with herself. Ten-year-old Johnson-Huston said, “I’m going to be a lawyer and have lots of shoes.” Nikki Johnson-Huston, Esq. kicked up her Red Bottom Shoes to the applause of the audience.
During Johnson-Huston’s stay with her grandmother, members of the senior community in which she lived all conspired. Young people were not allowed to live there full-time, but could visit for up to two months. So Johnson-Huston was adopted by one grandmother after another, assuming a series of names, including Nikki Wang.
Often her grandmothers were not even black. When the community director commented that she didn’t look like her grandmother, the retort was that Nikki Wang looked like her father.
Overcoming many obstacles, Johnson-Huston managed to get a scholarship to St. Joseph’s University. Unfortunately, it was too great a cultural chasm to have a roommate with a million dollar home on the Main Line. Johnson-Huston flunked out after the first year.
She took a page from her grandmother and went to work for a family. As it turns out, both of the adults in the family were lawyers. They saw the potential of their new charge and made a commitment to be home every night by six so she could go to night school. A law degree from Temple University followed completion of her undergraduate degree.
The keynote speech by Johnson-Huston resonated with the members and guests at the 10th annual luncheon of The Chester County Fund for Women and Girls. The organization raises funds in order to support “advocacy to ensure that women and girls have the resources and opportunities to thrive.” The Fund accomplishes its mission by making grants to organizations in the community that demonstrate effective support for vulnerable girls and women in Chester County.
As part of the community vision, students from 12 high schools can join the Girls Advisory Board. The Girls Board operates much the same way as Fund does. The girls learn the grant process, evaluate the grant applications, visit the applicants’ sites and then award grants.
According to the organization, more than $2 million dollars has been awarded to 60 agencies over the past 16 years. The areas of focus are homelessness, leadership, self-esteem, poverty, teen pregnancy, mental illness, substance abuse, and domestic violence. For more information, visit http://www.ccfwg.org.
Emily Myers has lived and worked in Chadds Ford for over thirty five years. She founded the parent company of Chadds Ford Live, Decision Design Research, Inc., in 1982. ChaddsFordLive.com represents the confluence of Myers' long time, deep involvement in technology and community.
Myers was a founding member of the Chadds Ford Business Association and currently serves on its board of directors. Her hobbies include bridge, golf, photography and Tai Chi.
She lives with her husband, Jim Lebedda, in Chadds Ford Township.
PennDOT has announced the following road projects, which are weather-dependent and could affect residents in the greater Chadds Ford area during the week of May 3 through May 10. The department recommends that motorists allow extra time if they are traveling through one of the construction zones.
Patching is scheduled on Route 52 in East Marlborough, Pennsbury, Pocopson, and Birmingham townships. Lane restrictions will be needed between Creek Road and Route 926 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Monday, May 4, through Thursday, May 7.
Route 202 in both directions is also scheduled for patching between Route 3 and Boot Road in West Goshen Township. Crews will requite intermittent lane closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7.
Work on the Wegmans complex will require lane closures on Route 202 in Concord and Chadds Ford townships. The work will be done between Applied Card Way and Route 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Oct. 1
On Route 1 in Concord Township, lane closures will be needed between Brinton Lake Road and Route 202 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Oct. 1. Also on Route 1, 24-hour lane closures will be needed between Thornton and Conchester roads for work scheduled through July 7.
Southbound Route 1 lane closures are scheduled between Brinton Lake Road and Route 202 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Friday, May 1, through Oct. 1.
Motorists on Boot Road in West Goshen Township will experience lane closures between Phoenixville Pike and North Chester Road through May 20 as crews work on paving from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Traffic signal installation in Kennett Square Borough will continue to require lane closures on Cypress Street at Mill Road. Crews are scheduled to work from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, May 4, through Friday, May 8.
Burnt Mill Road in Kennett Township is closed and detoured between Norway and Spring Mill roads indefinitely while crews prepare for repairs to a bridge that collapsed on April 24.
Route 100 will continue to be restricted to one lane in both directions between Sunrise Drive and Route 113 in Uwchlan and West Whiteland townships, on Monday, May 4, through Friday, May 8, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for road widening.
One lane will remain closed on Interstate 95 North at the Commodore Barry Bridge for construction through July 14.
If you want to report potholes and other roadway maintenance concerns on state roads, call 610-566-0972 in Delaware County or 484-340-3200 in Chester County, or visit www.dot.state.pa.us and click on “submit feedback.”.
Jennie Gioffredi, 100, of Landenberg, died Thursday, April 30, at her residence. She was the wife Archemedi “Arkie” Gioffredi who died in 1983, and with whom she shared 35 years of marriage.
Born in Enterprise, Iowa, she was the daughter of the late Giovanni and Eurosia Ori Bertogli.
She was a member of St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother Church.
Jennie was a homemaker. She enjoyed baking bread, sewing, needlepoint, gardening, and especially being with her family.
She is survived by one son, John Gioffredi and his wife Nancy of Landenberg, and loving nieces and nephews.
Jennie was predeceased by two sons, David J. Gioffredi and Dennis Eugene Gioffredi; one brother, Eugene Bertogli, and two sisters, Louise Guizzetti and Olympia Pizzini.
You are invited to visit with her family and friends from 10 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 5, at St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother Church, 8910 Gap Newport Pike (Route 41) in Avondale. Her Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Route 82 in Kennett Square.
In memory of Jennie, a contribution may be made to Heartland Hospice, 5 Christy Drive, Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Rita Imelda Algeo, (Gmeiner), 82, of West Chester, died April 29.
Born in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of Ambrose and Cecilia (Ficchi) Gmeiner, both deceased.
She was the beloved wife of the late Hugh J. Algeo; loving mother of Judith Algeo (Frank Cervone) of Hartsville, Theresa Breen (James) of West Chester, Hugh J. ALgeo III of Warminster, Rita Bianchini (Michael) of New Market, Md., Donna Murtaugh of Downingtown, and Thomas Algeo (Brian Moyer) of South Philadelphia; loving grandmother of eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; dear sister of Philomena Kistler Sr., Theresa Gmeiner, I.H.M. and Leonard Gmeiner.
The Iwaniecs – Debby, second from left; Ken, third from left; and Acacia Houck, right – pose with Philadelphia Police Officers Dominick Cole (left) and Mike Perillo, the latest officers to receive portable breath-testing devices from the Trooper Iwaniec Foundation.
By the end of the presentation, most of the audience members found their eyes welling up; some struggled to resist the emotion while others wept openly.
Trooper Kenton E. Iwaniec had just finished his probationary period at the Avondale barracks – a position that represented his dream job – when he was killed by a drunk driver on March 28, 2008.
At the podium, tears also streamed down the face of Debby Iwaniec, the third member of her family to speak during a powerful program that focused on the death of her only son seven years ago. Kenton E. Iwaniec had recently started his dream job with the Pennsylvania State Police when he became a drunk-driving fatality.
Since then, his family has launched an indefatigable crusade to reduce DUI casualties. On Saturday, Debby Iwaniec; her husband, Ken; and their daughter Acacia Houck addressed a reluctant audience at the Chester County Government Services Center.
The dozens of people who had gathered to hear them had no choice about being there. Attendance was required because they all shared an unwelcome bond: a DUI arrest.
Gina Basciani Cirucci from the Chester County Crime Victims’ Center, which runs the mandatory alcohol-safety program with the Chester County Probation Department, explained that the goal is not to serve as judge – “everyone makes mistakes” – but to try and prevent reoccurrences. One way to accomplish that is to help people realize that reckless actions can have excruciating – and lasting – consequences.
As the father of three daughters, Ken Iwaniec said he and his son, his “best friend,” always had a strong bond. He joked that he sometimes referred to him as “my link to sanity” in a female-dominated household. And he used to suggest facetiously that he wanted to be like his son when he grew up. “But I really meant it,” he said. “He was such a good guy.”
That characterization manifested itself in myriad ways, his father said, explaining that “at a young age, he [Kenton] had a desire to serve,” seeking a career as a Marine or a police officer.
On March 27, 2008, his son, a history buff who also loved sports, reading, and music, had just finished his shift at the Avondale barracks and was headed home. “He had no idea what hit him,” his father said.
Although Trooper Kenton E. Iwaniec had been on the job for a relatively short time, his enthusiasm and positive attitude were contagious, making his death particularly hard to bear for his colleagues at the Avondale barracks.
Accompanied by her 4-year-old son and a fifth of Grey Goose, Kristina M. Quercetti, 40, of Landenberg, was speeding in the wrong direction on Route 41 without headlights at 10:14 p.m. She slammed head-on into the trooper’s Hyundai Elantra, trapping him in the vehicle. Quercetti had a blood-alcohol level more than four times the legal limit and was also under the influence of the painkiller oxycodone, police said.
Houck recalled that she was almost asleep on March 27, 2008, when she got a call from her mother about the accident. She picked up her sister Ashley, and they began the five-hour drive from western Pennsylvania to Christiana Hospital in Delaware; her parents were already on their way. “I just kept praying: Just let him be OK,” she said. “Just let him be OK.”
When Houck and her sister arrived about 5 a.m., they were enveloped by state troopers and taken inside. “In an instant, our lives were changed forever,” she said. “We didn’t have to hear the words ‘he didn’t make it,’ we knew.”
A slide show created by Houck illustrated her brother’s life, showcasing his contagious smile and capturing his sense of fun. The images ranged from family photos of Kenton as a child to high school shots on various sports team to somber scenes from the funeral.
Debby Iwaniec said the family struggles daily to cope with the loss. “How can a family be whole again?” she asked.
Kenton Iwaniec’s sister, Acacia Houck, uses this photo in her slide presentation to illustrate her brother’s sense of humor.
She said none of them made it to the hospital in time: Kenton died during surgery. “I didn’t get one last time to tell him I love him and how proud I was of him,” she said.
And even though he was an organ donor, no organs could be salvaged. “Kenton died a brutal death,” Debby Iwaniec said, referencing an autopsy report replete with horrific details. “My son had to have a closed casket.”
As painful as the funeral was, Debby Iwaniec said she didn’t realize until later that it represented “the easy part.” The empty seat at holidays and the knowledge that her son, who was eager to get married and have children, would never get the chance has taken a toll, she said. “We are heartbroken for what will never be,” she said.
Debby Iwaniec said as family members have battled the emptiness, it has strengthened their resolve to spare others from it. “No one should have to hold the death certificate of a loved one because someone else chose to drive impaired,” she said, displaying her son’s death certificate.
She pointed out that Quercetti’s family was not spared from pain. “Both families lost that night,” she said, but Quercetti, who suffered a broken ankle (her son was not injured), will be able to return home when she completes her prison sentence of 8 ½ to 17 years.
Debby Iwaniec said when she looks at the audience, she sees hope. “I see people who are blessed in front of me with a second chance,” she said. “Make use of it.” Challenging them to make a difference, she urged them to avoid making their legacy “a defendant in a courtroom.”
A photo from happier times shows Kenton E. Iwaniec (top left) with his parents and three sisters.
At the conclusion of the program, the Iwaniecs presented two portable breath-testing units to two Philadelphia police officers, part of their ongoing efforts to reduce drunk-driving. To date, through a foundation they set up in tribute to their son, they have distributed more than 500 of the units, which cost about $600 apiece.
As the alcohol-safety school participants exited the room, many stopped to thank the family. Some exchanged hugs, and some shared stories about their own circumstances. Although the Iwaniecs acknowledged that it is agonizing to relive Kenton’s death, they believe it serves a greater good, even if just one person changes their behavior.
Despite living southwest of Pittsburgh, the family returns to the area about four times a year, participating in as many presentations as they can schedule. They regularly attend the annual Candlelight Vigil, a tribute to homicide victims organized by the Crime Victims’ Center, and the twice-yearly cleanups of the stretch of Route 41 where the accident occurred, a PennDOT initiative.
Peggy Gusz, the executive director of the Crime Victims’ Center, has seen the positive impact of the Iwaniecs’ presentations firsthand. She said the audiences typically contain mostly first-time DUI offenders who get to see how the choice to drive impaired can affect real people.
“The Iwaniecs … each tell their stories from different perspectives, making their messages more personal,” Gusz said. “They want their messages to prevent repeat offenders, and they want the offenders to realize that the law enforcement who cited them were doing them a favor by giving them a second chance – the second chance their son never had.”
Three years ago, a West Chester University (WCU) student hosted the first Arts Day by the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), an event that has become a tradition.
This weekend, the university will host the Third Annual Arts Weekend, inviting students, friends, alumni, and community members to experience music, dance, theatre and art.
The diverse schedule begins on Friday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. with a performance by the Criterions Jazz Ensemble in the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre at the Performing Arts Center.
On Saturday, May 2, a Memorial 5K Walk/Run “The Path of Music: A Walk in Remembrance” will pay tribute to WCU music education student Sean Casey, who lost his life from meningococcal meningitis in February 2013. It will take place from 8 a.m. to noon. The entry fee is $10.
Also on Saturday, visitors are urged to take advantage of the free classes being offered in the E.O. Bull Center for the Arts. They range from “Clay: Back to the Basics of Creating by Hand,” to “Camera-less Photography: Make Photographs without a Camera,” to “Letterpress Prints: Letterpress Workshop using Wood Type and Ink Brayers.”
Saturday afternoon will include an a cappella concert “Pitch Perfect” featuring only WCU student groups at 1 p.m. in the JP Adler Studio Theatre in the E.O. Bull Center for the Arts; a 2:15 p.m. concert of dance and music composition students’ original work on the MainStage Theatre, E.O. Bull Center for the Arts; and student recitals.
The Collegium Musicum recital will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Ware Family Recital Hall. This includes a chamber ensemble specializing in the use of authentic instruments.
Performances continue on Sunday, May 3, with the Liberty Winds Youth Symphony in the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre at 3 p.m. And a performance by the WCU Symphony Orchestra will close the arts festival at 7:30 p.m. in the Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre.
Visitors are also welcome to visit the Alumni Art Exhibition, which showcases artwork by alumni Kate Brockman, Brian Hearns, Drew Jordan and Erica Volpe in Knauer Gallery, Swope Music Building. Work by graduating students in the Art + Design Department is on display in the John H. Baker Gallery, E.O. Bull Center for the Arts.
