A plethora of ladybugs – 3,000, to be exact – were released amid squeals and giggles at Chadds Ford’s Chesterbrook Academy Preschool on Friday, April 22.
A teacher at Chesterbrook Academy distributes ladybugs so the preschoolers can set them free.
“Every year we join Chesterbrook Academy schools from coast to coast in this celebration of Earth Day,” stated Laura Hughes, acting principal. “All the Chesterbrook Academy schools release the ladybugs at 10 a.m. and the children are encouraged to wear red.”
The ladybug release is one of Chesterbrook Academy’s events that teach the importance of community and the world of nature.
Teachers prepared the toddlers and kindergartners for the release ahead of time by explaining that ladybugs are friendly to the environment. They serve as natural pesticides, chowing down on insects that are harmful to gardens, trees and shrubs.
A handful of ladybugs await their release on Earth Day.
While some of the children were leery of touching the bugs, most of the boys and girls were excited to see them, touch them, and watch them crawl up their arms.
“Don’t kill it, don’t kill it,” cried one boy as another boy tried to pick one up. “Ooh, they tickle,” giggled another young girl.
Topping off the outside activity, one of the children spotted a caterpillar. They all crowded around and explored another miracle of nature before heading off to the playground and the next adventure of the day.
Lora has a passion for art, gardening, yoga, music and dancing. She continues to research the life of locally born abolitionist and 1998 National Women's Hall of Fame inductee Mary Ann Shadd Cary. She is a dedicated community volunteer, working with the American Association of University Women, Wilmington, DE branch (programs chair), Chadds Ford Historical Society (former board member) and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
Lora lives in Birmingham Township with her husband Bill and son Brad. Daughter Erika lives in Pittsburgh with husband Bob and baby Wilhelmina. She is a former French, Spanish and ESL teacher, bilingual life insurance underwriter and public relations coordinator for Delaware Art Museum and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
While macroinvertebrates are a tasty food source for crayfish, a new study revealed a surprising finding: When crayfish were placed in experimental enclosures in the stream, macroinvertebrate density was higher, not lower.
A study conducted in the Schuylkill River examines the role of crayfish in the ecosystem. Photo by Lindsey Albertson
Stroud Water Research Center’s lead fluvial geomorphologist Melinda Daniels, and Lindsey Albertson, a postdoctoral researcher and ecology professor from Montana State University, conducted the study in Valley Creek, an urbanized and degraded tributary of the Schuylkill River, according to a Stroud press release.
The scientists placed wire-mesh enclosures, some with crayfish inside and some without, in the creek. At the conclusion of the two-week experiment, populations of macroinvertebrates such as caddisflies, which can indicate better water quality, were higher in the crayfish enclosures, despite being a food source for crayfish.
The crayfish enclosures also featured reduced settling of fine sediment pollution on the surface of the streambed. As the crayfish disturbed the rock and gravel bottom with their claws, they agitated and increased suspension of fine sediments, presumably allowing more sediments to flow downstream, the release said.
“We were surprised,” Albertson admitted in the release. “We thought the crayfish would eat the macroinvertebrates and reduce their populations, but we found the opposite. Macroinvertebrate density was higher in the crayfish enclosures. So even if the crayfish were eating some of the macroinvertebrates, we think that all of the fine sediment that had been suspended and washed away created a more macroinvertebrate-friendly habitat.”
Many macroinvertebrates don’t like to live in streams with high sediment loads. It’s a type of pollution that degrades freshwater streams and can be traced to land-use changes like agriculture and development.
“Crayfish show the potential to alleviate some of the problems seen in impaired streams,” Daniels said in the release. “Every organism has its part in an ecosystem, and we’re still learning what the individual roles are.”
The study, “Effects of Invasive Crayfish on Fine Sediment Accumulation, Gravel Movement, and Macroinvertebrate Communities,” was published “Freshwater Science” and can be accessed at http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/685860. For more information on the Stroud Water Research Center in Avondale and its role in protecting drinking water, click here.
Victory Brewing Company opened its second brewpub in Kennett Square in April of 2015, and borough officials say the company's first year is cause for celebration.
It’s been a heady year for the Victory Brewing Company, which just celebrated its first anniversary in Kennett Square – as well as its 20th year of operation.
Victory Brewing Company co-founder Ron Barchet says the Kennett Square location has exceeded expectations in its first year.
Victory at Magnolia, the 250-seat, upscale brewpub in Kennett Square debuted to enthusiastic crowds last April. Located in Magnolia Place, a residential development at the corner of West Cypress Street and Mill Road, Victory’s industrial chic facility occupies the entire bottom floor – about 8,100 square feet – of a four-story red brick building that is also home to 33 one- and two-bedroom apartments.
To pay tribute to its surroundings and reinforce its commitment to sustainability, the brewpub’s walls were lined with repurposed mushroom board, reclaimed by hand from South Mill Mushroom Farms.
A year later, borough officials are glad that Victory decided to make Kennett Square one of its locations.
“Victory Brewing has been a good neighbor in the borough and they have taken many strides to be inclusive with those that previously chose to make their home here,” said Kennett Square Borough Council President Danilo P. Maffei. “With the rising popularity of craft brewing in Pennsylvania and across the country, their presence has raised awareness of our town and the many wonderful things that our businesses and citizens have to offer.”
Mayor Matt Fetick agreed that Victory has proven to be a positive addition. “They have a fantastic reputation, and there have been no issues whatsoever,” said Fetick. “They are civic-minded and support many great community causes. I’m thankful they chose to invest in Kennett Square!”
Among the beers on tap at Victory at Magnolia right now is an exclusive-to-Kennett, celebratory, first-year anniversary brew.
During a recent interview, Ron Barchet, who founded Victory in 1996 in Downingtown with his childhood friend, Bill Covaleski, said the Kennett Square location has exceeded their expectations during what he described as “a crazy whirlwind of a year.”
In addition to opening the Kennett Square brewpub, Victory added one in Parkesburg in November. Its third restaurant occupies space in Victory’s second brewing complex and features interactive, self-guided tours of the premises, including bottling and packaging operations.
The expansive Parkesburg complex enabled Victory to add canning to its repertoire, and then to rev up the momentum even further, the company announced a landmark alliance in February with Southern Tier Brewing Company under the parent company, Artisanal Brewing Ventures (ABV).
Under the umbrella of ABV, Victory and Southern Tier operate their breweries independently, Barchet said. Both he and Covaleski serve on the board.
Barchet said the downside of relinquishing some control is more than offset by the collective resources and the ability to brainstorm with so many creative people. The alliance created one of the largest brewers in the Northeast, according to the Brewers Association.
“The way the craft beer industry is going, you either grow, or you go down,” said Barchet, noting that the latter was not an option.
He said he and Covaleski feel a strong commitment to the communities where their facilities are based. “Obviously we’ve been successful here [Kennett Square],” he said. “We’re grateful that people like our beer, but we see that as a two-way street in giving back to the community.”
Mary Hutchins, executive director of Historic Kennett Square, said the company has been involved and generous. In addition to hosting a fundraising block party for Historic Kennett Square on May 22 and the Mushroom Cap Half Marathon on Oct. 15, Victory also donates beer to numerous community events and supports county-wide nonprofits like the Chester County Food Bank.
Hutchins said that although she doesn’t have any hard economic data, once Magnolia Place began construction and Victory committed to opening a brewpub, the economic development activity soared in the borough.
“I think Victory committing to the community was a strong sign of confidence in where the borough was heading,” she said. “In addition, we have seen an increase in foot traffic in the downtown, and even though it is hard to pinpoint why, it has continued to increase after Victory opened.”
And it hasn’t been the kind of traffic that causes headaches for law-enforcement, said Kennett Square Police Chief Edward A. Zunino. “I think the staff at Victory Brewing Company works very hard to maintain a safe and friendly atmosphere,” he said. “We have had no issues whatsoever.”
That’s good news for Barchet. “I haven’t heard of any problems, but if one occurs, we want to fix it,” he said.
Barchet would prefer to continue focusing on flavor, brewing up new crowd favorites. He said last year’s Victory Beer Garden at Longwood Gardens proved popular and resulted in two signature beers, a saison created with Longwood lemons and an autumn ale that featured Longwood honey.
Both of those brews will return this summer, and a couple of new ones will be added, Barchet said.
In the meantime, for those who want to tap into an exclusive brew, Magnolia at Victory is now offering a Kennett-only beer to celebrate its first anniversary.
Kennett Township Supervisors' Chairman Scudder G. Stevens (left) swears in Matt Gordon to the police department as Gordon's daughter, Reese, holds the Bible.
An extraordinarily heavy police presence greeted attendees at the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, March 20.
Kennett Township Police Chief Lydell E. Nolt delivers his report during Wednesday night’s supervisors’ meeting. To his right are Supervisors Whitney S. Hoffman and Richard L. Leff.
A handful of county detectives, a former district attorney, and more than a dozen officers from multiple departments came to applaud the addition of veteran officer Matt Gordon to the Kennett Township Police Department.
Kennett Township Police Chief Lydell E. Nolt said Gordon’s distinguished law-enforcement career included nearly two decades in the City of Coatesville as well as stints with the Chester County Detectives and the state Attorney General’s Office.
Gordon’s 8-year-old daughter, Reese, held the Bible as Kennett Township Supervisors’ Chairman Scudder G. Stevens administered the oath of office. Gordon, who will start on Friday, April 22, is the sixth full-time officer, including the chief, in the department. The department also has one part-time officer, Nolt said.
In other police news, Nolt said the department has been participating in Project Naloxone, a program designed to provide police departments and law-enforcement agencies throughout Chester County with the training and medication, also known as Narcan, to reverse opioid overdoses. Started in late 2014 by Good Fellowship Ambulance in West Chester, the program has made a positive impact, Nolt said.
“Fifty people would have potentially lost their lives without this drug,” said Nolt.
The police chief said the township would soon be the recipient of a permanent receptacle for residents to dispose of unused medications safely. “The DA confirmed that it was shipped out last week,” he said.
Designed like mailboxes, the receptacles offer environmentally safe, anonymous disposal while also keeping the drugs from getting into the wrong hands or polluting waterways. The boxes are already installed in the Chester County Justice Center in West Chester, and the Kennett Square, Westtown-East Goshen, New Garden, West Goshen, and Oxford police departments.
Nolt also reported that the township is cracking down on overweight trucks, which pose a safety hazard because their braking system is designed for a specific weight. When a truck exceeds that load and attempts to stop, the braking capacity is diminished, Nolt said.
In other business, Stevens said he was pleased to report that the Kennett Public Library, which generated contentiousness last year, appears to be moving in a positive direction with an energized board of 12, most of whom are new. Stevens said he and Moore both attended a recent presentation to explain the library’s branding plan – and the process used to determine the library’s name – that was well-researched and well-received.
“I was very impressed,” Township Manager Lisa M. Moore said of the presentation.
Two additional public sessions to explain the library’s branding plan will be held on Tuesday, May 3, at 3 and 6 p.m. at the Kennett Township Building. To access an electronic version of the presentation, click here. To register for one of the informational sessions, go to http://www.kennettpubliclibrary.org.
“The bottom line is that there is a lot going on with the library, and it is all good stuff,” said Stevens.
After listening to an explanation from Moore regarding a Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI), the supervisors voted to authorize the application for a $100,000 grant with a $50,000 match for a master plan for the Kennett Greenway, a 12-mile, multi-use trail. TCDI is a program of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission that supports local development and redevelopment to qualifying municipalities.
Moore said the township would apply with the borough, which has pledged in-kind services, a partnership that would increase the likelihood of receiving the funds.
Expanding on the theme of regional connections, Michael Guttman, the township’s grant program coordinator, said exciting developments are underway in Yorklyn, Del., which, due to recent land acquisitions by the township, will be easily accessible to Kennett residents.
Among the many initiatives, Guttman said the Delaware Symphony Orchestra is building an amphitheater that will serve as its home base for summer outdoor concerts. It is also debuting “rail bikes,” pedal-powered vehicles that run along railroad tracks.
“Kennett Township residents will be able to walk or bike there,” Guttman said.
Finally, Moore presented the township’s 2015 Financial Report, which is available on the township website and can be accessed here.
Resident Art Kaiser asked if Moore could provide some specifics on the township’s investment portfolio, such as the top 10 investments, and she said she would make that information available.
U.S. military veterans wait to get pictures taken for a photo identification card that will enable them to take advantage of discounts offered by hundreds of Chester County businesses and professionals. The event was held at the Kennett Are Senior Center on April 20. The discount program began four years ago when Chester County Recorder of Deeds Rick Loughery took office.
• Chadds Ford’s annual Recycling Day is this Saturday, April 23 at the township building from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Civic Association will also hold its spring road cleanup beginning g at 8 a.m., also at the township building.
• Pennsbury Township’s annual yard sale will be held on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m in the township park behind the township building.
• The Kennett Area Senior Center’s Walnut Street Café Community Breakfast will be offered on Monday, May 2 from 7 to 9 a.m. Please join us for a fabulous meal including a variety of choices including: scrambled eggs, home fries, sausage, bacon, sausage gravy and biscuits, and omelets made to order. All breakfasts include juice, fruit, coffee, tea and milk. The price of this menu is $5.75/member and $6.75/non-member.
• Stories Untold: An African American Family History Workshop is co-hosted by the Chester County Historical Society in partnership with the African American Museum in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 30. It will be held at CCHS from 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. and costs $15 for members of CCHS or AAMP and $20 for non-members. The fee includes continental breakfast and lunch. African American history tells the story of a collective people. However, with the exception of a renowned few who marked the most significant moments in the evolution of American civil rights, history forgets to mention the individuals who actually drove the narrative.
Water colorist Ray Hendershot talks with some fans during the opening of his exhibit at the Chadds Ford Gallery on April 15. The exhibit, “My World — Chapter Three,” runs through May 1.
•The Chadds Ford Gallery’s spring exhibit “”My World — Chapter Three”, featuring the works of Ray Hendershopt is now running through May 1.
• The Brandywine River Museum of Art will host “Trinkets or Treasures,” an appraisal day on Saturday, April 23, with appraisers from Freemans, America’s oldest auction house. The appraisers will offer verbal appraisals of an extensive variety of objects. Freemans’ knowledgeable team of auction specialists, many of whom have been featured on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow, will provide expert valuations of fine paintings, jewelry, furniture and decorative arts including: porcelain, jade, silver and rare books. Attendees will receive a verbal auction estimate. Please bring in photos for larger items. No guns, stamps, dolls, or collectibles, please. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Timed tickets are available every half hour, with the last ticket at 3:30 p.m. The cost is $30 per time slot for one item and includes admission to the museum and exhibitions. Tickets may be purchased online at brandywine.org or by calling 610-388-8112.
• On Saturday, April 30, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine is holding a free community event to inspire more kids to keep their minds and bodies active. This year marks the 25th annual YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day®, the Y’s national initiative to improve health and wellbeing for kids and families. The daylong event features activities such as moon bounces, obstacle courses, family games, arts and crafts, face painting, healthy snacks and cooking demonstrations to motivate and teach families how to develop healthier routines at home.
Pat Ciarrocchi., who grew up in mushroom country, gets a basket of mushrooms during a Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce breakfast. (Photo Credit: Pam Hesler)
• Is there a better gift for a girl from Toughkenamon than a basket of mushrooms? Pat Ciarrocchi, former news anchor of CBS-3 Philadelphia, spoke to at the
annual Inspirational Breakfast for the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce Wednesday April 20 at the Mendenhall Inn. She spoke of her father as mushroom grower and as a benefactor to the community. He was an inspiration in her life. She saw to his gifts paid forward. The award winning broadcaster left her position at “the station” in October 2015. Ciarrocchi learned from her mother that everything happens for a reason, a thought she has carried throughout her life.
• The Nicholas Newlin Foundation invites the public to the new exhibit “The Daily Grind: Rediscovering The Colonial Mill,” opening April 30 at the Newlin Grist Mill on Cheyney Road at Route 1 in Concord Township. The new exhibit recreates an authentic early Colonial milling experience. Newlin Grist Mill’s goal is to become the most authentically furnished and interpreted Colonial mill in the U.S. There will be a special preview reception on Friday, April 29, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. In addition to seeing the exhibit before the general public and enjoying a behind the scenes tour with the exhibits curators, preview attendees will be able to sample light appetizers and craft brews from Delaware’s Twin Lakes Brewing Company. Tickets for our preview reception are $7 per person and are available by calling Newlin Grist Mill at 610-459-2359, by email at info@newlingristmill.org or in person at our visitor center.
One of the three waterjet cut steel signs for the Chester County Art Association using the logo designed by N.C. Wyeth.
• A logo designed for the Chester County Art Association by one of its founders, esteemed artist N.C. Wyeth, has been crafted into three powder-coated, waterjet cut steel signs, and CCAA would like to thank O’Rourke and Sons Steel for its donation. First used in 1932, the logo will appear on the signs, which have been placed in various locations at the CCAA property at 100 N. Bradford Ave. in West Chester.
• The Race Committee of the 86th Radnor Hunt Races invites the public to attend this year’s preview party on Saturday, April 23, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Roulette, craps, blackjack, poker and horse racing will provide entertainment while also supporting the Brandywine Conservancy’s open space programs. This rain-or-shine event will be held at the Phelps School Field House at 583 Sugartown Road, Malvern, 19355. Tickets, which are $100, will include open bar and food stations featuring offerings from A Catered Affair, Aneu Catering & Events, Dilworthtown Inn, Éclat Catering, General Warren Inn, and John Serock Catering. To purchase tickets, visit https://335.blackbaudhosting.com/335/86th-Radnor-Hunt-Races-Preview-Go-All-In-For-Open-Space.
Come meet all the wonderful animals available now for adoption at the Brandywine Valley SPCA. All featured pets are “Name Your Price” adoption fee until Monday, April 25. In honor of our Walk For Paws event, all large dogs are 50 percent off their adoption fee until April 30. If you’re not ready to adopt, then sponsor a pet, and provide a safe place for our companions to rest until they find their forever homes. Help us give them a second chance at a fresh start.
Sammy
Sammy & Lila
Lila
Hello world, I’m Sammy and this is my bestest friend Lila. We are a bonded pair of cool cats that have been described as inseparable. I’m 8 years and Lila is 6, together our wonder powers activate. Lila becomes a panther, stealthy and precise. I become a tiger ready to roar and pounce on my unsuspecting family. Muwahahaha. Just kidding, but we love to pretend that we are ferocious until our human friends start petting us. We melt like butter and give in to all domestication. In truth, we rely on each other very much and comfort each other on a daily basis. We are good for any home and can’t wait for the day we can love on our new parents. Come meet us and make all our dreams (real or not) come true.
Bellatrix
Bellatrix
Hi Harry Potter fans, my name is Bellatrix and no I’m not strange or evil like the movie suggests. I am a girl seeking a home filled with love and attention that I can keep my feet firmly planted in. My pals say that I can be a little shy at first, but with the right spell…I mean words… I find your lap and purr myself to sleep in bliss. For all the wizards in the group, do any of you know how to fix a spell mishap? My tongue likes to stay out and I have yet to find a remedy, but I’m still adorable. If you’re looking for a strong, confident, and lovable feline companion look no further! Stop by the shelter today and ask for Bellatrix.
Click HERE to learn about all of our cats at our Pennsylvania Campus
Maddie
Maddie
I’m definitely a shelter favorite because I am possibly the sweetest little brindle girl you’ll ever meet. I am not a very big girl but I lack in size I make up for with tons of love and kisses. I love nothing more than a belly rub, a back rub or any attention you want to give me. I walk very nicely on a leash and will enjoy daily strolls with you. I’d be a perfect pal to take home and cuddle with on the couch. Will you please come meet me and make all of my dreams of a family and home come true? My adoption fee has been sponsored so don’t waste another minute without me in your life.
Froggy
Froggy
Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m Froggy, one of the most popular dudes in the kennel. I definitely am a fan favorite with my adorable face and perfected head tilt I walk like a dream on a leash and know all of my commands like sit, down and stay. Yes sir I’m a real smarty pants and I’m looking forward to mastering more commands to get the additional praise I deserve. On my down time one of my favorite things to do is roll around in the green grass as the sunlight shines. I could do that for hours. I also love belly rubs and I mean really, really love them. I look forward to meeting you and finding my forever home.
Click HERE to learn about all of our dogs at our Pennsylvania Campus.
Don’t be surprised to see the speed limit on South Creek Road drop by 5 mph.
Pennsbury Township Manager Kathy Howley told the Board of Supervisors on Wednesday, April 20, that she had been contacted by PennDOT, saying speed would be reduced from 40 mph to 35 mph from Route 1 in Chadds Ford Township, through Pennsbury and down to the Delaware state line.
She said the reason is because of the anticipated work on the Twin Bridges between Chadds Ford and Pennsbury. However, she still doesn’t know when the change will go into effect. Howley said she’d be getting a letter from PennDOT with details.
“It can’t start until we get the [speed limit] signs,” she said.
In other business, Howley reported that the Brandywine Conservancy is working on an easement to preserve as permanent open space the acreage Pennsbury bought from Toll Bros.
That land is 23 acres in three parcels. One parcel lies on each side of the township building, and a smaller piece is at Hickory Hill Road.
The supervisors voted to go ahead with the easement process, with no more than $7,200 to be used for the documentation of the easement and another $8,000 for the endowment.
Pennsbury bought the 23 acres for $4.8 million at the end of 2014, ending years of controversy regarding the property that centered on the land’s use as a planned village development.
Howley reminded people that the township’s annual yard sale is this Saturday, April, 23, in the township park, and she added that there will be dumpsters in the maintenance area the following week, April 28, 29, and 30, for large-item disposal. She added, however, that it would not be for electronics.
Also on April 30, Pennsbury will have a shredding event in the parking lot at the township building.
Supervisor Aaron McIntyre said the board would begin discussing a pipeline ordinance during its May meeting. He did not go into any specifics.
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
• The following area students from the Technical College High School were selected as “Students of the Quarter” for the 3rd marking period for demonstrating leadership, attitude, skills and knowledge: Maireli Murillo-Romero, animal science; Juan Duran Gonzalez, criminal justice-police science; Kassandra Nava Renteria , early childhood care and education; and Andrew Crane, electronics and robotics.
• The following Unionville district students received awards for the Chester County Science Research Competition in a recent ceremony: Shikha Bhattacharjee, honorable mention in botany; Yash Rotkar, honorable mention in physics; Evan Wang, second place in chemistry; Addison Liu, second place in mathematics; Viraj Joshi, first place in medicine and health, and Will Knipe, first place in computer science. At the Delaware Valley Science Fair on Thursday, March 31, three Charles F. Patton students advanced and received additional recognition: Viraj Joshi took second place in medicine and health, Addison Liu took third place in mathematics, and Will Knipe earned honorable mention in computer science.
Tulips are triumphing at Longwood Gardens this week. Photo by William Hill
After hours of painstakingly planting a plethora of bulbs in the fall, the staff at Longwood Gardens can enjoy the delayed gratification as the tulips have reached peak bloom – a profusion of color expected to continue for the next week.
The fall Flower Garden Walk display is dominated by rows of beige bulbs.
For visitors, the gratification is instant along the 600-foot-long Flower Garden Walk, which boasts 100,000 tulips and other seasonal blooms in a rainbow of colors. The Idea Garden is awash in innovative plant combinations that are always an anticipated sight, according to a Longwood press release.
As the trees begin to leaf out, guests also won’t want to miss Longwood’s grand tree houses, the whimsical Topiary Garden, and historic Peirce’s Woods. Daily visitor programs, including gardening demonstrations, behind-the-scenes tours, and talks enhance the experience.
Tulips in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors dominate the Flower Garden Walk.
On Mother’s Day weekend, Longwood will be open for extended hours, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. In addition to the spectacular outdoor floral displays, visitors can enjoy live music in the Conservatory on both Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are still available at our fine dining restaurant 1906, which will feature a special prix-fixe menu as well as à la carte options. Make reservations at opentable.com, the release said.
Longwood Gardens is located on Route 1 near Kennett Square. Admission is $20 for adults; $17 for seniors (age 62+); $10 for students (ages 5 to 18) or with valid student ID) and free ages 4 and under. Group rates are also available. For more information, go to www.longwoodgardens.org.
As social media captures the reality of race relations today, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has forged a coalition of more than 70 organizations dedicated to supporting community-based healing projects and policy changes designed to dismantle racial hierarchies and structures of inequality.
Gail C. Christopher, D.N., senior advisor and vice president of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, will engage in a dialogue about the foundation’s hands-on work to instill “Racial Healing as a Public Health Imperative” on Wednesday, April 27, from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m., atWest Chester University’s Sykes Student Union Theater.The event is free and open to the public, according to a university press release.
A nationally recognized leader in health policy, Christopher is charged with leading the Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) initiative. Throughout the U.S., TRHT is actively engaged in coordinating national and local commissions dedicated to organizing public forums designed to explore real ways to eliminate racial hierarchies and establish systems that provide opportunities that are equitable.
At the foundation, Christopher serves on the president’s cabinet. Since joining the foundation in 2007, she has served as vice president for program strategy with responsibility for multiple areas of programming, including racial equity; food, health and well-being; community engagement and leadership; as well as place-based programming in New Orleans and Mexico. She has particular expertise and experience in national issues related to social determinants of health, health inequities and public policy.
Christopher has earned numerous awards throughout her career, including the “Change Agent Award” from the Schott Foundation for Public Education (2011). Most recently, she was the recipient of the Terrance Keenan award for Grantmakers in Health (2015). Christopher is also chair of the board of the Trust for America’s Health.
The dialogue is sponsored by the university’s College of Health Sciences.
