July 20, 2016

It’s hard to turn the television or computer on these days without hearing more bad news. Reports about shootings, riots, and acts of terrorism can leave us feeling demoralized and powerless. I believe in my heart that most people want to do good things and to make a difference in the world. But sometimes we have no idea where to even begin.

Let me give you an answer to that question: Volunteer.

Find a cause, an issue, a group of people that you really care about and donate your time to improve lives.

When After-The-Bell was created in Kennett Square 18 years ago, our founders, John and Denise Wood, and Marshall Newton, believed that people would step forward and lend their experience, their passion, and their time to keep adolescent children safe and engaged after school. John, Denise and Marshall are no longer with us, but they have left behind a legacy of charity and selflessness that has positively impacted the lives of close to 5,000 children.

They were right. Over the years, hundreds of people have stepped forward to volunteer at After-The-Bell. Our volunteers have included working men and women, those who are retired, and those who are raising their children. They include educators, scientists, engineers, business professionals, nutritionists, cooks, musicians, artists, and writers. We have high school students seeking volunteer service hours and college students looking for internship experiences. And we have had amazing senior citizens, particularly the extraordinary residents of the Kendal, Crosslands, and Traditions communities.

All of these volunteers have had one thing in common: their desire to donate just a little bit of time to make a big difference in the life of a child.

How about you? Are you ready to make a difference? Volunteering at After-The-Bell is both easy and rewarding. We operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in six-week cycles in the fall, winter, and spring. Our activities are one and two hours long. So, for as little as one or two hours a week for six weeks, you can share your passion and experience with our kids.

In the last year, After-The-Bell experienced a 25 percent surge in enrollment. We are thrilled at the growing popularity of our after-school program. But more students means we need more volunteers.

The great thing is, you can volunteer to do what you love. You can coach soccer or basketball, teach a yoga class, assist in a cooking class, help students create artwork, share your knowledge of science or engineering, or assist us with administrative tasks. The possibilities are endless.

We are now recruiting volunteers for our Fall Cycle, which runs from Sept. 27 through Nov. 3. Can you join us? Among our many needs this fall are people to teach photography and tennis. We also need chaperones to travel with our students to offsite activities. The truth is we need all sorts of volunteers, and the only qualification you need is a desire to make a difference.

After-The-Bell is operated by the Kennett After-School Association, a private, not-for-profit organization that offers after-school programming at Kennett Middle School. The program is offered at no cost to any student or family, and at no direct cost to taxpayers.

To find out more about our program, please go to our website, www.afterthebell.org. And if you would like to volunteer for After-The-Bell or make a donation, please email me at executivedirector@afterthebell.org.

Thank you.

Kathleen Meehan Do
Executive Director
Kennett After-School Association/After-The-Bell
* The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership or management of Chadds Ford Live. We welcome opposing viewpoints. Readers may comment in the comments section or they may submit a Letter to the Editor to: editor@chaddsfordlive.com

 

Over 70 members of the agricultural community in Chester County spent an evening at Octorara High School recently to share their concerns about the future of farming in Chester County. The meeting was organized by the Chester Delaware County Farm Bureau (CDCFB) – the largest county Farm Bureau in Pennsylvania.

To set the scene, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Vice President Chris Hoffman emphasized the important role agriculture continues to play in providing food and feed, providing employment and sustaining productive open space. CDCFB President Dan Miller explained that the meeting was designed to be a listening session and for farmers and the rural community to share their thoughts and opinions of what agriculture in the county needs to be able to be productive and profitable in the future.

The 70 attendees worked in nine small groups with a note-taker at each table to record all the opinions and comments. Land use was a consistent concern as townships are under constant pressure to expand commercial and housing areas. Urban sprawl should be curbed and effort directed to revitalizing existing urban areas. Careful planning is critical to ensure our preserved farms and best soils will continue to enable agriculture, ideally in contiguous areas, to contribute to our economy and landscape.

Regulatory pressures have been increasing and making it increasingly difficult to farm, particularly for small and Plain Sect farmers. Agencies need to decrease red tape and improve staffing at government agencies, such as the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), so that farmers can be helped to implement regulations such as those affecting soil conservation and implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act. There is a need to protect right of first use and water rights. Members of the farming and rural community also need to be involved in planning at the county and township level.

The average consumer has become increasingly separated from the reality of farming and has insufficient opportunity to learn about the production and safety of our food. Effort must be made to increase communication with consumers, particularly youth and promote opportunities for employment in the many aspects of agriculture and food production.

Maintaining the vital infrastructure of agriculture was considered to be critical. A centrally located Agriculture and Natural Resource Building/Facility would concentrate all those organizations serving farmers, facilitate collaboration and provide a convenient center for meetings.

Transitioning farms to the next generation is challenging and good planning is critical; however, access to funding can be a barrier. Appropriate funding sources should be established to encourage and enable young people to start up farming endeavors. The proximity of Chester County farms to an affluent and increasing population offers opportunities for value-added opportunities such as cheese production and products for the many farmers markets. Local municipalities need to figure out how to encourage farms to get involved in value-added businesses and income opportunities.

Duncan Allison

Media relations director for the Chester Delaware County Farm Bureau