Marie Ethel Mutter Janton, 79, of Kennett Square, died peacefully on Thursday, March 31, at her home with her husband. She was the wife of Frank Janton with whom she shared 60 years of marriage.
Born in Philadelphia, she was a daughter of the late Frank and the late Anna (Vitale) Mutter and predeceased by her brother Frank Mutter.
Marie was an accomplished pianist and cellist. She enjoyed 25 years as a Cellist with the Delaware County Symphony. She had also performed at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. She was a recent recipient of the Presidential Humanitarian Award from Neumann University. She will be awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree with her husband conferred by Neumann University at a future commencement.
She was a member of West Catholic Girls Alumnae and a member of the Neumann University Scholarship Gala Committee for the past decade. She shared life membership with her husband at the Union League of Philadelphia. She enjoyed traveling and visiting her four children in various locations throughout the US.
Survivors include, in addition to her husband, three sons, Dr. Francis J. Janton (Susan) of Harrisburg, Stephen R. Janton (Robert Jackson) of Ashville, N.C. and Thomas M. Janton (Clare) of Kennett Square, a daughter, Marie J. DiPrinzio (Eugene) of Chadds Ford, and seven grandchildren, Stephen, Matthew, Thomas, Sandra, Christine, Laura and Marco.
You are invited to visit with Marie’s family and friends from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, Inc. (610-444-4116) 250 W. State St. Kennett Square, PA 19348 and from 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, April 6 at St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother, 8910 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale PA, 19311. Her Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m. Wednesday, at the church. Interment will be in St. Patrick Cemetery, Kennett Square.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Neumann University, One Neumann Drive Aston, PA 19014. To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.griecocares.com.
Kennett Square is the smallest town in the U.S. that supports a professional symphony orchestra, according to Kennett Symphony Board President Paul Merluzzi.
He told a sold-out crowd at Longwood Gardens of the organization’s debt to supporters to keep the orchestra going and growing. The occasion was the spring concert Sunday, April 3, which included a salute to a longtime supporter, the late F.M. Mooberry.
Kennett Square Mayor Matthew Fetick told the audience that the ticket sales for Kennett Symphony are up this year for its 75th anniversary celebration. He told of plans to reach a broader audience. This anniversary year marked the first time there was a free concert – at the Mushroom Festival in September. According to Fetick, 50 percent of the listeners had never heard a live symphony orchestra before.
Another orchestra outreach is the personal interaction offered by conductor Michael Hall. For the concert, Hall offered a pre-concert discussion of the works to be played. More than half of the audience showed up an hour early to hear the pre-concert presentation.
Hall believes knowing about the work can enhance your appreciation. He likened learning about the musical pieces to when you have earphones to tell you about a piece of art you are looking at. Of course you can enjoy looking at the picture, but learning more about it can enhance the experience. After the performance, one of the members of the audience said that she had heard Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 many times, but having heard Halls description of the different movements gave her new appreciation.
Hall described Beethoven’s symphony as expressing the struggle between darkness and light, minor keys finally resolving to C major. Hall played recorded excerpts and jumped to the keyboard to illustrate different passages. He feels that the trauma of Beethoven’s encroaching deafness made the composer dig deeply, resulting in one of the most appreciated symphonies of all time.
The concert opened with “Clair de Lune” played by Janet Witman on the harp in honor of FM Mooberry. A guest violin soloist, Margaret Dziekonski, played Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64.” After intermission, Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” was played.
The concert was the first time the Kennett Symphony had performed in the Conservatory at Longwood Gardens. The symphony’s outdoor concerts at Longwood Gardens have been a regular event in August for many years, but the conservatory presented new performance challenges. According to Hall, “Every venue has its own challenges.” Hall likes the acoustics of the conservatory, although rehearsals during the day can be a problem with the sun shining through the glass ceiling. One of the musicians had to wear sunglasses for the rehearsal.
The venue provided guests with a treat for another sense not usually found at a musical performance. The lilies were in full bloom and fragrance in the conservatory.
The Violin Concerto was appreciated with a standing ovation, as was the Beethoven symphony. Descendants of one of the Kennett Symphony founders, Ray Ott, were in the audience.
Artists converse with the audience after the concert. From left to right: Concertmaster Eliezer Gutman, Conductor Michael Hall, Soloist Margaret Dziekonski, and Principal Oboe Terence Belzer
The second part Hall’s outreach came after the concert. The audience was invited to stay and talk to the conductors and a few performers. About one third of the audience stayed. They were intrigued by the guest soloist. Still a graduate student at The Royal Academy of Music, London, Dziekonski seemed young to demonstrate technical skill and perform with such poise. Hall said he came to know about Dziekonski from Timothy Blair, Dean of West Chester Music.
In the post-concert interview, Dziekonski was asked how long it took for her to learn the Mendelssohn concerto she had played. She said she first played the piece two years ago, but preparation for this concert took three months. West Chester resident, Pam Hesler, said that she knows Dziekonski’s future in-laws and that when Dziekonski is in town she practices five hours a day. Hesler said the concert was “fantastic.”
Dziekonski plays a J.B. Vuillaume, which was made in 1860. The instrument is on loan from the Royal Academy of Music.
The symphony’s 75th anniversary celebration will be Saturday, June 11, at the Stone Barn in Kennett Square. Tickets will go on sale mid-April. http://www.kennettsymphony.org/
The next concert is “Postcards From Abroad” which will be held in the outdoor amphitheater at Longwood Gardens on Aug. 13. Ticket price includes the concert, free parking, all day admission to Longwood Gardens on the day of the concert, and access to Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience at Longwood after the concert.
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.
June A. Milam, 74, of Landenberg, died Friday, April 1, at the Chester County Hospital. She was the wife of Pedro Lopez, who died in 2015, and with whom she shared 42 years of marriage.
Born in Elkton, Md,, she was the daughter of the late Raymond and Martha Bullock Holmes.
June was a custodian at the Kennett School District for 18 years, retiring in 2003. After her retirement, she worked for six years as an aide at the Pocopson Home.
She enjoyed shopping, flower gardening, taking care of others and being with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren.
June is survived by three sons, Eddie Benson Milam of Avondale, Bryan Ronald Milam of Maryland and Pedro Lopez, Jr. of Avondale; four daughters, Terry Velazquez and her husband Isabelino of Kennett Square, Dannette Rentas of Nottingham, Donna S. Milam of Landenberg, and Carmen Lopez Colon of Oxford; one sister, Celia Holmes of Elkton, Md.; 17 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by one son, John Benson Milam; one sister, Ruth Ann Holmes, and one brother, Clyde Conard.
You are invited to visit with her family and friends from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, 250 West State Street in Kennett Square. Her funeral service will follow at 1. Burial will be private.
Pocopson teachers Andy Lefko (from left) and Ryan Stephens distribute brook trout fingerlings to students in Dave Lichter's fifth-grade class so they can release them into Pocopson Creek.
For five months, the relationships intensified, spawning affection as well as insight.
After releasing the young trout, a group of fifth-graders from Dave Lichter’s class dig up some worms to feed the bigger fish in Pocopson Creek.
But for fifth-graders at Pocopson Elementary School, breaking up wasn’t so hard to do on Friday, April 1 – even when the results turned from fun to fatal.
“He’s swimming away to a better life,” one girl exclaimed as her fingerling brook trout darted away in the Pocopson Creek.
“Mine died,” one boy lamented. “A bigger fish ate him right after I let him go.”
But the day’s packed schedule allowed no time for mourning. Besides, the earlier rains had unleashed a plethora of worms, and the excited students from Dave Lichter’s class quickly scooped them up and dropped them into the water. Periodically, a splash marked the spot where a larger fish enjoyed the feast.
Students in Laurie Swisher’s fifth-grade class carefully prepare water samples from the Pocopson Creek for testing.
The exercise was but one facet of Trout in the Classroom, an interdisciplinary national program in which students learn about cold-water conservation while raising brook trout from eggs to fingerlings in a classroom aquarium. Pennsylvania’s TIC program exists through a partnership between Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
At Pocopson, the fifth-graders enjoyed a full morning of fish-related activity, rotating through four stations. The half-hour sessions included a presentation by the Stroud Water Research Center, a demonstration of fly-tying, fish-related art projects, and the coveted release.
Students in Barbara Williamson’s fifth-grade class listen as Terry Peach from A Marblehead Flyfisher Inc. demonstrates fly-tying.
Laurie Swisher’s class began its day by exploring the science of healthy waterways. Steve Kerlin, Stroud’s director of education, involved the students in testing the water at the site where the fingerlings were being set free. He received assistance from Dave Dickens, who retired in 2005 as Unionville High’s principal and now enjoys working part-time with Stroud.
Kerlin told the students he was very impressed with their success in raising the fish. “Yours are bigger, and you have more than we do [at Stroud],” he said, acknowledging that Stroud’s collection experienced a setback during holiday vacations.
As teacher Terry Swisher (top, left) looks on, Steve Kerlin (right) from the Stroud Water Research Center explains water-testing procedures to her students.
At Pocopson, the custodial staff ensured that the baby fish were fed when school wasn’t in session, but that didn’t mean that the experience was trouble-free. “Our fish had a problem with the nitrate level,” one girl volunteered.
Kerlin explained why that’s not unusual and how to remedy it, describing the damage that fertilizer runoff can cause. He also led the students through a series of tests from pH to nitrites, watching as the young scientists assessed their results.
Nearby in the library, Terry Peach from A Marblehead Flyfisher Inc. in Centreville, Del., showed students how to create lures from natural materials that mimic nature, thereby fooling the fish – but not for long. “We always do catch and release,” he said. “We want them to live so they get to fight another day.”
A student in Dave Lichter’s class points to a water spider darting along the creek.
As Peach worked his artistry, describing the process as he added rabbit fur to one lure, the students got the benefit of two screens. One displayed an image of the particular insect Peach was replicating, and one magnified his work space so that all the students could see exactly what he was doing. Once he finished a lure, he passed it around so students could view its intricacy up close.
Fifth-grade teacher Linda Bowman said she enjoyed Peach’s ability to connect with the students. “It’s so fun to watch,” she said. “He’s so engaging; the kids are mesmerized.”
Students work diligently on their foil fish art, which will be displayed at the school.
At the school’s Cool Bean Café, groups of fifth-graders were equally fixated as they put finishing touches on their foil-punch fish drawings. They also snacked on goldfish crackers. “Wasn’t that a great idea?” asked Lichter, who credited his colleague, fifth-grade teacher Barbara Williamson, for providing the tasty, themed treat.
Eileen Day, one of the parents assisting with the art activities, said her daughter Maddie had been eagerly awaiting release day. “She’s been talking about this since the eggs came,” her mother said.
A student in Linda Bowman’s class examines one of Terry Peach’s intricate creations.
Lichter said the students managed to raise about 200 fingerlings from the 317 eggs that arrived in November, an exciting achievement. During that time, the students monitored the temperature, acidity, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels of the water.
Dave Macaleer, a member of the Valley Forge chapter of Trout Unlimited, said he valued the program’s positive impact. “It’s never too early to teach kids about the importance of conservation and the importance of our environment,” he said.
After releasing their fingerlings into the Pocopson Creek, students have no trouble finding other areas of interest along the water.
Plus, it was gratifying to see the results as the students gently coaxed their fish into the creek. “Basically we’re here for the kids,” Macaleer said. “Release day is a lot of fun.”
A few minutes earlier, he had watched as students eagerly swarmed the fish distributors: Ryan Stephens, a fourth-grade teacher, and Andy Lefko, the fifth-grade learning support teacher.
“Be careful: We’ve had some jumpers,” warned Stephens as he handed each student a small plastic cup containing a couple of the approximately two-inch fingerlings. Some students even gave them names, covering the top of the container, just in case a fish got feisty.
Students take turns easing their fingerlings into the Pocopson Creek.
“Get as close to the water as you can without going in,” said Stephens. “And remember that they went from a 55-gallon tank to a five-gallon bucket to an eight-ounce cup. They’re going to be a little shocked.”
But the bigger shock likely belonged to the adults. Despite some knee-deep mud, which behaved like quicksand in a couple of spots, the group of fifth-graders managed to keep their footing.
Students in Linda Bowman’s class enjoy watching some wriggling mealworms supplied by Dave Dickens, a retired UHS principal who now works at the Stroud center.
For those who would like to duplicate the experience, the Stroud Water Research Center is hosting the “Trout Grow on Trees Family Outing” on Saturday, April 23, starting at 10 a.m. at the White Clay Creek Preserve. And for the uninitiated, Kerlin can explain the symbiotic significance of the event’s title: Insects eat the leaves from the trees, and the fish dine on the insects.
For more information about “Trout Grow on Trees,” contact Tara Muenz at 610-268-2153, ext. 301, or tmuenz@stroudcenter.org or visit www.stroudcenter.org. More information on Trout in the Classroom can be found here.
All Amtrak service has been suspended between Wilmington, Del., and Philadelphia, following a morning crash on Sunday, April 3.
Amtrak made the announcement after Amtrak Train 89, operating from New York City to Savannah, Ga., struck a backhoe that was on the tracks and partially derailed the lead engine, south of Philadelphia in Chester. Approximately 341 passengers and 7 crew members were on board.
At least 31 passengers are being transported to area hospitals, none with life-threatening injuries, Amtrak said. However, two Amtrak employees who were not on the train were killed, according to published reports. Local emergency responders are on the scene, and an investigation is ongoing, Amtrak said.
Northeast Corridor service between Wilmington and Philadelphia is suspended until later on Sunday. Keystone Service between New York City and Harrisburg, Pa., is not affected.
Individuals with questions about their friends and family on Train 89 should call Amtrak’s emergency hotline at 800-523-9101. Passengers with travel plans can confirm their train’s status, change their plans, or review refund information using a range of tools – including Amtrak.com, smartphone apps or by calling 800-USA-RAIL. In addition, service alerts, passenger notices and other announcements are posted at Amtrak.com/alerts.
Cones and police tape highlight the damage that occurred after a Sunbury Trucking rig clips the corner during a turn onto State Street from Route 82.
On Tuesday, March 22, a trucker provided a dramatic reminder of why the Borough of Kennett Square has a truck route and why complaints about truck traffic surface periodically at Borough Council meetings: Big rigs can’t navigate some downtown intersections.
A series of signs and a pedestrian crossing pole were among the casualties of a truck that didn’t make the northwest corner of State and Union on Tuesday, March 22.
A Sunbury Trucking driver headed into the borough on Route 82 from Route 1 clipped the northwest corner at State Street during a right-hand turn, taking out a crossing signal post, several signs and a planter before continuing on his way.
Fortunately for the borough, the collision – not an uncommon occurrence, officials say – had a positive outcome thanks to the public, said Kennett Square Police Cpl. Bill Holdsworth.
“If it hadn’t been for an independent witness, we wouldn’t have been able to track down the company,” Holdsworth said, explaining that a driver managed to get the license-plate number.
Holdsworth said once the company was contacted, it was apologetic and cooperative, immediately providing insurance information. However, the incident will continue to cause headaches for borough workers until the damage is repaired.
Public Works Director Randy Behmke said the accident marked the third time since he began working for the borough in October that a truck has caused damage while making a turn – and the second time a witness has enabled authorities to hold the trucker accountable.
Behmke said another wide turn at the same intersection as last week’s hit the borough in the wallet after a vehicle struck the pedestrian signal pole and kept going. Behmke said the wiring wasn’t affected; the pole just had to be fixed at a cost of about $500.
The recent incident will prove more expensive, Behmke said. He explained that a worker had to be called in on overtime to secure the area since wiring was exposed. In addition to the pole, signs and a planter have to be repaired or replaced. Although he doesn’t have repair estimates yet, he expects the cost to be at least several thousand dollars.
“It’s been a constant battle,” said Behmke.
He and Holdsworth both agreed that the truck drivers probably didn’t know what had occurred. “When you’re in one of those large trucks, you’re probably not going to feel the impact,” said Holdsworth.
But Borough Manager Joseph C. Scalise said officials are pursuing ways to minimize the impact on the borough.
“Currently we are working on an ordinance which would limit truck traffic on State Street,” Scalise said. “It actually came together much faster than I had anticipated, and we were able to get PennDOT’s concurrence after just an email and an onsite visit.”
Scalise said before the borough can adopt the ordinance, it will have to complete an engineering and traffic study, which has been proposed but not yet authorized. Scalise said he has also met with a local mushroom grower to identify routes that would be safer for their drivers.
Prohibiting a truck driver from turning onto a street doesn’t help him get to his destination, explained Scalise. He suggested that adding some directional signs might also assist trucks in making their deliveries while reducing the risks to the borough.
In the meantime, borough officials hope residents will continue to provide extra sets of eyes. “Being vigilant is so important,” said Holdsworth. “We would have never known who did the damage at that intersection if someone hadn’t been paying attention.”
The Darlington Arts Center will welcome Cristian Perez and his ensemble for an evening of high energy South American fusion on Saturday, April 9.
Cristian Perez and his ensemble will bring high energy South American fusion to the Darlington Arts Center on Saturday, April 9.
Perez’s performance is part of Darlington’s Coffee House Concert Series. The guitarist will be joined by flutist Yana Hristova and bassist Ethan Foote to present original works with a South American twist, according to a Darlington press release.
Defying all musical labels, Perez, an Argentine guitarist/composer, weaves together genres from throughout the world to reveal the universality of music through his composition and arrangements. His guitar is joined by flute and upright bass to form a hybrid ensemble – equal parts jazz combo, chamber ensemble, and world music band. The group’s quest for beauty takes the listener on an ever-changing journey, past the conventional boundaries of genre and style.
The event will begin with an open microphone at 7:30 p.m. followed by Cristian Perez at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 ($10 for members) and include free coffee, tea, and desserts. BYOB – corkscrew and glasses are provided. Advance purchase is strongly recommended by calling 610-358-3632 or visiting www.darlingtonarts.org.
Other upcoming Coffee House Concerts include the blues/jazz musician Christopher Davis-Shannon Trio on Saturday, May 7. Shows will resume in the fall after a summer break.
On two special “Winterthur After Hours” Wednesdays – April 20 and May 18 – Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library will offer “Pay What You Wish” entry beginning at 5 p.m., giving visitors the option of setting their own admission.
Suspiro flamenco dancer Liliana Ruiz will entertain at Winterthur on April 20.
“We are pleased to offer ‘Pay What You Wish’ evenings this spring. It excites us to make Winterthur’s gardens, exhibitions, collections, and performances available to individuals, families, and groups,” David P. Roselle, director of Winterthur, said in a press release. “Our hope is that those who visit will gain a better understanding of the reasons Winterthur is an American treasure.”
“Winterthur After Hours” celebrates the seminal new exhibition “Made in the Americas: The New World Discovers Asia,” which runs through Jan. 8, 2017, with a variety of live music and dancers, food and wine tastings, and various additional entertainment and food and beverage offerings.
On April 20, visitors can enjoy the exuberant movements of Suspiro flamenco dancer Liliana Ruiz in the Galleries Reception Atrium from 6 to 8 p.m. Ruiz was born in Mexico City, where she started to study ballet and began her study of Spanish and flamenco dance, inspired by her family’s deep-rooted passion for the arts. She has studied Spanish dances and flamenco in Mexico, Spain, and the U.S.
Also on April 20, visitors can sample culinary treats in the “Food Sampling: Small Bites by Restaurant Associates” in the Rotunda throughout the evening. The food sampling will feature an assortment of delicious “small bites” showcasing the culinary influences of Asia on North, Central, and South American fare. In addition, Spanish-language guides will be stationed in the exhibition throughout the evening to answer questions and assist visitors.
On May 18, the inspired sounds of legendary rock band Sin City will fill the banks of Clenny Run. Food, water, wine, beer, and other beverages will be available for purchase.
Winterthur will offer a discounted membership opportunity to guests on these evenings.
The Chandler Mill Nature Preserve and Interpretive Nature Center will be located at the base of the historic Chandler Mill Bridge in Kennett Township.
For more than a decade, the Chandler Mill Bridge, a historic, one-lane, stone and steel structure that spans a gently gurgling waterway, was awash in conflict – a dramatic contrast to its bucolic surroundings.
The Chandler Mill Bridge, once a source of conflict, will help visitors connect with nature.
Deeming it unsafe, Chester County, which owned it, made plans to raze the 1910 span. But preservationists, who fought to add it to the National Register of Historic Places, argued that the bridge’s character enhanced the charm of the area. Moreover, replacing it with a modern equivalent would mar the pastoral landscape, they said.
During an impasse of several years, the county closed the bridge, and drivers got used to the detours, paving the way for the bridge’s purchase by Kennett Township in October for $1. Aided by The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County (TLC), the township’s goal was to return the bridge to reflecting its pristine environment by restricting it to pedestrians and emergency vehicles and using it to anchor a nature center and trail network.
On Friday, April 1, that objective moved closer to reality when TLC announced that it had received a Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grant Award from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
“Pennsylvania’s local parks, trails, and natural areas create many opportunities to be active outdoors. They define our communities and make them places where people want to live, work and play,” Lauren Imgrund, director of DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, said in a press release. “Our grants help our local partners meet the vision they have for their communities and regions.”
The Chandler Mill Nature Preserve and Interpretive Center will offer educational programming for all ages.
Gwen Lacy, TLC’s executive director, expressed gratitude for the grant and said the $150,000 would spearhead the creation of the Chandler Mill Nature Preserve and Interpretive Nature Center, located at the base of the Chandler Mill Bridge.
The future preserve will sit at the confluence of the Red Clay and Bucktoe creeks, and contains woodlands and meadows in a registered historic district, specimen trees, rare species of flora and fauna, and historic sites. It is also part of an Audubon Important Bird Area, as well as a more than 30-year-long Cornell Lab of Ornithology study, the release said.
Lacy said the future Chandler Mill Nature Preserve and Interpretive Center lies within the largest contiguously conserved area in Kennett Township, with over 500 areas of conserved open space containing some of the most bio-diverse habitat in the region.
“This project will greatly advance TLC’s efforts to protect, enhance, and promote the importance of watershed health within the Brandywine/Christina Watershed and highlight the protection of our history and our stories in Southern Chester County,” Lacy said.
She said TLC plans to use best management practices that demonstrate innovative ways of protecting and enhancing water resources and environmental health.
“We will utilize sustainable building practices such as permeable parking areas, which will help to prevent the issues caused by a traditional paved parking area, including flooding runoff and erosion,” she said. “We have already begun conducting riparian plantings at the site, and will continue this practice of habitat restoration as the project progresses.”
In addition, Lacy said improvements such as rain gardens and pollinator gardens will improve habitat on the property and avoid surface runoff.
“Not only will our environmental education programming provide people of all ages with meaningful experiences in nature, the preserve will serve as an example for ways all of us can minimize our impact on the watershed and create meaningful positive change,” she said.
The preserve will tie into the Kennett Greenway, a 12-mile loop trail connecting Kennett Borough to community assets, such as the Chandler Mill Nature Preserve, within Kennett Township.
TLC’s mission is to ensure the perpetual preservation and stewardship of open space, natural resources, historic sites, and working agricultural lands throughout Southern Chester County. As of 2016, TLC, which operates with an all volunteer board, has preserved approximately 850 acres of land, through both purchasing land and working with landowners to place conservation easements on their properties, the release said.
History fans will have the opportunity to step up to the bar with the knowledge that they are supporting their passion on Tuesday, April 5.
Chadds Ford Live’s own Mark Trozzi will repeat his guest bartending stint at the BBC Tavern & Grill on Tuesday.
The Chadds Ford Historical Society is repeating its guest bartending fundraiser – an event that made a successful debut last year – at the BBC Tavern & Grill from 6 to 9 p.m.
The public is invited to join a host of enthusiastic guest bartenders, who will eagerly be collecting tips throughout the evening, 100 percent of which will go directly to the society. Checks made out to CFHS will be accepted for those who want a tax deduction. To make sure your favorite bartender gets credit, put their name in the check’s memo line. In addition, the BBC will donate 10 percent of the bill for those who stick around and have dinner.
This year’s event will feature a fun competition among the guest bartenders: house versus house. The proceeds raised will go toward the ongoing restoration and upkeep of the society’s two historic houses, the c. 1724 John Chads House and the c.1714 Barns-Brinton House.
Raffle items will range from Eagles tickets to local artwork to baskets of “cheer.” Among the guest bartenders will be George Washington (portrayed by Carl Closs). He will share duties with Beth Alois, Cheryl Baarsma, Mandy Brown, Colin Dyckman, Stewart Fiori, Randal Graham, Maggie Koncir, Steve Liberace, Sara Liberace, Deborah Love, Kendal Reynolds, Suzanne Schurr, Lise Taylor, Mark Trozzi, Nicki Wandersee and Ryan Wellcome.
Anyone unable to make the festivities who wants to support the effort can mail a check payable to the Chadds Ford Historical Society. The address is P.O. Box 27, Chadds Ford, Pa., 19317. You can also make a donation online here.
The BBC Tavern & Grill is located at 4019 Kennett Pike, Greenville, De., 19807. It shares a shopping center with the Wine & Spirit Company of Greenville, the UPS Store, and the Delaware Running Company.
