March 13, 2016 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Percussion show at UHS a booming success

With crashing cymbals, clanging gongs and booming bass drums, the Unionville High gymnasium maintained high-decibel excitement for most of Saturday, March 12.

Members of the Unionville indoor drumline ensemble perform ‘Leave Your Mark.’

The occasion was the Winter Guard International (WGI) Percussion “Sport of the Arts” show, an all-day spectacle that attracted about 900 performers from four states, including Unionville’s indoor percussion ensemble, as well as hundreds of spectators.

More than 30 different groups assembled to compete in preliminary rounds, and program themes ranged from adventures in outer space to the rise of a superhero, even the creation of Frankenstein’s monster. Twenty-four groups advanced to the finals in six categories.

Unionville placed sixth in the preliminary round with a score of 83.95 and advanced with 12 other schools within the Scholastic A Marching Division. The students were judged on marching and concert criteria, including areas such as creativity, expression, performance quality, and technical excellence. Victor High School in New York took first place with a score of 89, Perkiomen Valley High School in Collegeville snagged second with 87.05, and Unionville came in seventh, logging a score of 81.75.

Unionville performed its program, “Leave Your Mark,” to resounding applause. Conceived by Ensemble Director Cody Stafford, Unionville’s show was led by senior captain Trevor Seidel. Will Stephenson did the music design and composition, and Richard Kearns added the visual design.

According to Unionville High Band Director Scott Litzenberg, holding the regionals at Unionville was no easy task, but the volunteers, a massive group of parents, student musicians, and friends and relatives of the students, handled the chaos adeptly.

“This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the band parents,” Litzenberg noted. “We have kids and parents volunteering alike to make all of this come together.”

For the first time in its four-year history, Unionville’s ensemble qualified to perform in the world championship in Dayton, Ohio, next month. On Feb. 27, the Unionville High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble won the Mid-Atlantic Percussion Society show at Perkiomen Valley High School, finishing first out of the 13 units in its division.

“Today’s regional gave us a great indicator of where we stand and what we need to do moving forward,” said Stafford. “Our placement today will put us in a good position going into World Championships. With the great feedback we got today from top-caliber judges and four weeks left to improve, I am confident this group will rise to the occasion and be very successful in Dayton.”

Stafford expressed great pride in his team. “This year’s group of kids is great,” he said, “They are hard-working and dedicated to improving as musicians and making this group as successful as possible… The amount of growth in such a short period is amazing.”

About Morgan Carter

Morgan Carter is a creative writing student interning with Chadds Ford Live. She loves tea, long walks on beaches, and baking – provided there is a recipe on the back of the box. She lives in Chadds Ford with her parents, three siblings, and two spunky parakeets. Morgan is very excited to be a part of the Chadds Ford Live team, and hopes to pursue a career in writing after graduating from college.

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Juanita M. Kirk of Kennett Square

Obituaries

Juanita M. Kirk, 81, of Kennett Square, died Wednesday, March 9, at the Christiana Hospital.

Born in Lansing, N.C., she was the daughter of the late Ray A. and Ola Wilcox Miller.

Juanita was a freezer technician at the MGA Mushroom CO-OP, Kennett Square, for 30 years, retiring in 1997.

She was an avid NASCAR fan, and enjoyed country music, fishing, going to the beach and being with her family and friends.

She is survived by one daughter, Sibil Kirk of Wilmington; two brothers, Elmer Lee Miller and Ray Miller Jr., both of Kennett Square; one sister, Virginia Dare Kelly of Kennett Square; three grandchildren and one great grandchild.

She was predeceased by one brother, Kermit Miller, and four sisters, Delaray Miller, Carleen Witt, Neida Roop and Rebecca Pauline Richardson.

Her service and burial will be held privately.

Online condolences may be made by visiting www.griecocares.com

Arrangements by the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home in Kennett Square.

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Letter: Gun policy group endorses Killion

Opinion

The Board of Directors of Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy is announcing its endorsement of State Rep.Tom Killion, R-168, to fill the vacant state Senate seat in the 9th Senatorial District. The special election will be held on Tuesday, April 26th.

The 9th district includes parts of Chester and Delaware County, including the Chester City in Delaware County.

The Delco United Board members faced a difficult decision because both candidates seeking to replace Dominic Pillegi as the state senator representing the 9th district expressed strong support for Delco United’s legislative agenda for Pennsylvania. Marty Molloy, the Democratic Party’s candidate, demonstrated extensive knowledge about the gun sense issue and articulated a passionate commitment for the cause.

The Delco United Board decided to endorse Killion because of his proven track for supporting and voting for sensible gun laws during his tenure in the state House of Representatives.

Representative Killion is one of nine Republicans co-sponsors of HB 1010, legislation that would establish comprehensive background checks on gun sales.

In 2014, he voted against the Keller Amendment to HB 1243, a provision that enabled the NRA and other extremist groups to sue municipalities with local gun safety ordinances that may be at odds with the state’s more lax gun laws.

In 2008, he voted to require individuals to report lost and stolen firearms.

Representative Killion’s voting record has earned him a D+ grade from the NRA, a grade that indicates that he has voted to protect the children, families, and communities in his district rather than cater to the gun lobby.

Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy believes that Tom Killion’s legislative experience and influence in Harrisburg makes him the best choice for advancing comprehensive background checks legislation and other sensible gun laws in the Pennsylvania Senate in the coming year.

We urge our supporters in the PA 9th district to vote for Tom Killion for State Senator in the special election on April 26.

Terry Rumsey
Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy

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Letter: Congratulations to Wonderland farms

Opinion

The altered Wonderland Farms development on Oakland Road presented and proposed to the Chadds Ford Township Planning Commission March 9 focuses on many of the best interests of our Community. Various designs have been suggested going back to 2014 for this residential development in the R-1, two-acre minimum zoned district.

My congratulations to Joe Grace’s development company and to all our Planning Commission, engineer and solicitor folks for attending to the best outcomes for the new residential owners as well as our community as a whole. The Planned Residential Development allows homes on one acre with preserved open space for those residential families’ use and care,

The current plans, reflecting input from and discussions during many commission meetings, now reduce the proposed number of dwelling units to truly reflect our “density neutrality” to R-1 zoning. Much of the open space is a preservation of the important riparian and woodland classified areas documented by the Brandywine Conservancy’s Environmental Management Center.

A special welcome and appreciation also goes to our new township citizens, Mr. and Mrs. Denigan, for looking to deed restrict their six acre parcel of the farmland bordering their home and barn properties. This provides restriction to farmland use in perpetuity, primarily for horse grazing and riding, thus preserving this land from future home development as additional “privately owned open space.”

Bruce Prabel
Chadds Ford Township

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Is your story about nature a slam dunk?

Arts & Entertainment

For those whose natural storytelling abilities are likely to constitute a slam-dunk when compared with others, Natural Lands Trust and the West Chester Story Slam want to hear from you.

The two groups are searching for participants in “Center Stage: Stories of Adventures in Nature,” which will be held on Saturday, May 21, at the ChesLen Preserve in Newlin Township.

Organizers are looking for storytellers with a range of sagas — thrilling, humorous, sad — that provoke feelings and spark a “wow” moment about nature. Stories can be five to eight minutes and should highlight man’s connection to the natural world, according to a Natural Lands Trust press release. For example, did you hike the Appalachian Trail, scale a major peak or master the challenges of farming in the modern age?

“We are looking for those stories where Nature expresses her personality in unique ways,” Jim Breslin, founder of the West Chester Story Slam, explained in the release. “We all know nature can be serene at times, and yet raging at other times. Nature is inspiring yet dangerous, beautiful yet potentially deadly. The best stories are ones where you connect with the storyteller and you suddenly see the world in a different light.”

If you have a story you’d like to tell, write it down and send it to Jim Breslin at jimbreslinwc@gmail.com by Tuesday, March 15. Include your full name and contact information. Breslin will review all submissions and advise entrants if they are a pre-approved storyteller for this event.

Pre-approved storytellers will perform live on the outdoor stage at the Lenfest Center at ChesLen Preserve. Storytellers will also receive free admission to this event so they can enjoy other storytellers’ tales. Audience members must purchase event tickets directly from Natural Lands Trust’s website, or call 610-353-5587, ext. 243.Tickets are $20 per person for Natural Lands Trust members, $25 for non-members.

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Time for people – and sheep – to shed wool

Arts & Entertainment

Now that area residents are poised to put those cold-weather garments away, the sheep are ready to lose their winter coats, and the public is invited to experience the shear spectacle of this family-friendly experience.

Last month, this sheep needed its wooly coat; by next month, it will be happy to lose it. — Last month, this Chester County sheep needed its wooly coat; next month, it will be happy to lose it.

Chester County’s annual Sheep & Wool Day will be held Saturday, April 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Springton Manor Farm in Glenmoore.

The highlight of the day is the annual shearing of the herd, which takes place throughout the day. Gather round the tent to watch the shearer remove the woolen fleece and learn how it is used, according to a Springton Manor press release.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Folkie Dolkies, an acoustic group, will take the stage with a mix of country, blues, folk, old time and bluegrass music. Covering original tunes as well as old favorites and traditional tunes, the group’s sound evokes nostalgic feelings of bygone days. Instrumentation includes guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, and the old doghouse (upright bass).

At 1:30 p.m., juggler Randy Lyons will perform with feats that include spinning plates, Chinese yo-yo’s, cigar boxes, poi swings, and crystal balls. When not on stage, Lyons will roam throughout the event, inviting attendees to try juggling.

Ridley Creek State Park’s Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation will demonstrate butter-churning using paddles, educate onlookers about molds and the butter-making industry, and demonstrate dyeing natural fibers. Discover what can be used to make all those vibrant colors, the release said.

Guilds, including the Lancaster Spinners & Weavers Guild and Brandywine Rug Hooking Guild, will showcase wool spinning, carding, rug hooking, weaving, and other artisan crafts. Purls of Wisdom, from Phoenixville, will introduce children to finger knitting, arm knitting, and spool knitting.

In addition, guests can visit with the young animals in Springton’s Great Barn or tour the Agricultural Museum to learn about seasonal tools used on Chester County farms from the 1700s to the 1900s. Penn State Extension and 4-H Clubs will provide animal exhibits, including ponies, milking goats, cows and swine. The Chester County Animal Response Team will demonstrate how to prepare animals for emergencies.

Walk through the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s interactive, 40-foot Mobile Agriculture Education Science Lab to learn about products Pennsylvania farms provide for our use. Chester County Master Gardeners will hold a plant sale, offering a mix of vegetables, herbs and native plants, and the Chester County Food Bank will showcase its partnership with Springton Manor through its outdoor classroom and raised bed gardens, the release said.

Play in the corncribs, have your face decorated, and appreciate the significance of farm equipment. See letter pressing, an ancient form of printing, and visit the craft vendors displaying assorted products from jewelry to soaps, photography and birdhouses. Grab lunch or a snack from a selection of food vendors.

Take a wagon ride through Springton’s scenic 300 acres and help support the Friends of Springton Manor. This nonprofit group dedicated to recreation, education, conservation and preservation of the Farm, will have information on becoming involved with activities at the park.

The event will be held rain or shine. Parking is $5 per car, and admission and activities are free. Vendors will have products for sale, and an ATM will be available on site.

Springton Manor Farm, a working demonstration farm operated by Chester County Facilities & Parks, is located five miles west of Downingtown, off Route 322 in Glenmoore. For more information, call the park at 610-942-2450 or visit www.chesco.org/ccparks.

About Press Release

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Rabbinic Reflections: Listening within

Religion Today

Responses to my column last month have made me think deeply about listening. I said before we need to listen to others first rather than try convincing them by talking first. That kind of listening, though, is really not enough. We also need to listen to ourselves.

The reality is that we can’t hear someone else when our souls are making turbulent, unfiltered noise. I implied a month ago that we needed to hear the “real suffering in our society, real fear, and real investment in possible solutions,” because instead of listening we had been yelling at each other. Since then, we have replaced yelling at each other with yelling louder. At this point, we would do well to listen to ourselves.

It is extraordinarily difficult to listen carefully enough to ourselves, to hear what is really going on within. Typically, our days move so fast, our phones “notify” us so often, and our responsibilities to others keep us from making the time and space to listen well. Instead, many today rely on therapists; others might blog. The results are helpful but passing.

Jewish tradition offers an unusual solution: talking, or rather talking to oneself non-stop for 20-30 minutes. It is called hitbodedut (pronounced: heet’boh’deh’doot). Literally, hitbodedut translates from Hebrew into “self-isolation.” Rabbi Nahman of Bratislav (1772-1810) taught this technique as a form of conversation with God, best done in the woods or a private room, in the spirit of a child pleading with a parent about all one’s concerns, woes, and dealings. Even when not thinking of God as an interlocutor, the technique works.

The key is to keep talking. With all the noise in our lives, we need to hear ourselves and hear ourselves and hear ourselves until we start to say the things that show who we really are. Once we get past the trivial or superficial; once we get past the challenges, joys, and agonies of the moment; once we get to how we feel at root about our place in the world; then we can hear.

Our public discourse has been full of chattiness, victories and crises of the moment, and increasingly the underbelly of it all. We have done a national hitbodedut, and what we are hearing should give us all pause. In terms both revolutionary and reactionary, we should hear blame as really showing our feeling a lack of agency. In terms racist, bigoted, and xenophobic, we should hear nostalgia as losing not the deals in life but of our own value. In terms not quite trusting, bored, and uncompromising, we should hear dismissal and disqualification as misogyny we have not yet overcome. In terms escapist or apathetic, we should hear quitting as the ultimate expression of privilege.

As humans, we are deeply complicated. As earthly creatures, we are rooted in old habits that die hard. God also created us, though, to be partners in creation, to fix what is broken and to continue the process of discovery, problem-solving, and completion. If we are going to make any progress, if we are going to work together, we are going to have to listen within to what it is deep down that holds us back individually. If we can surface what it is within us that makes us immune to change, we might just be able to be more articulate about what we really want and to listen to others’ articulation more carefully. Perhaps then, we can rise above not just to “our better angels” but to the divine within. Our world is waiting; go try hitbodedut and see.

About Rabbi Jeremy Winaker

Rabbi Jeremy Winaker is the executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hillel Network, responsible for West Chester University, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, and other area colleges. He is the former head of school at the Albert Einstein Academy in Wilmington and was the senior Jewish educator at the Kristol Hillel Center at the University of Delaware for four years. Rabbi Winaker lives in Delaware with his wife and three children.

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