Clara “Clare” Hosmer Victorius, 95, died Sunday, Aug. 14, at the Chester County Hospital. She was married to the late Claus Victorius. They lived in Rose Tree, near Media, until moving to Crosslands, Kennett Square, in 1994.
Born January 19, 1921 in South Hadley, Massachusetts to Herbert Eugene Hosmer and Elin Westfors Hosmer.
Clare was an avid gardener and accomplished watercolor painter. She loved her family and friends and cherished the time she and her husband Claus spent with her three grandchildren.
Clare is survived by a daughter Cathy of Boothwyn, son Carl and daughter-in-law Irma of Chestertown, Md., and grandsons Ben (Emily), Jared (Lisa) and Tyler (Morgan), and two great-grandsons.
Clare supported Doctors Without Borders, American Friends Service Committee, and Feed the Children. In lieu of flowers, she would be happy if any contributions were made to one of her favorite causes.
A memorial service will be held in the William Penn Room at Crosslands Retirement Community in Kennett Square, on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 2 p.m.
Saved from the brink of extinction, the Unionville Community Fair is hoping to widen its fan base with new attractions this year.
Admittedly, Deb Deckman watches a lot of HGTV. So it won’t be hard to figure out where she drew inspiration for one of the many new features at this year’s Unionville Community Fair.
Deb Deckman, president of the Unionville Community Fair board, says visitors will see old and new attractions this year.
The “tiny home” at this year’s event will help push sustainable living.
It’s one of the ways that Deckman, the new president of the board who helped rescue the fair from extinction earlier in 2016, is changing things during her first go-around running the now 92-year-old fair, which kicks off Thursday, Sept. 29.
The goal? To try and liven up the annual event.
And the tiny home won’t be the only new attraction.
Another push for a newer-age event has Deckman and other board members adding more food trucks, and a barnyard Olympics. The still-not-confirmed punkin’ chunkin, an offshoot of a celebrated event held annually in Dover, De., which involves propelling pumpkins with slingshots and catapults, is also a possibility.
“We’re trying to revitalize the fair a little bit while keeping with the traditions and the mission statement of the fair,” Deckman said. “Also trying to bring in the next generation and open it back up to more of the school members of the district to try and get some younger members involved.”
Deckman’s new role is a perfect fit. The West Grove resident has a long family history with the fair. Her husband Matthew’s grandparents were fair staples. Laura Deckman was one of the first Fair Queens. Grandfather Fred made those famous matchbox cars many fair attendees may remember.
So when Deckman, a planning specialist at Lovett Advisors with more than 16 years’ experience in the financial services industry, was looking for ways to get involved, saving the fair was a natural – and family-oriented – choice.
But one thing Deckman didn’t know was how much goes into it all. She’s served on boards before, including Avon Grove Little League up until recently, but nothing like this.
“One thing I didn’t realize when I got involved with the fair was the depth of it,” Deckman said. “Being involved in the little league, our board contained about 16 members. I kind of understood that it could get a little bit bigger than that, but I had no idea.
“I think any good group just needs one real leader or a couple really strong leaders to kind of set the path.”
Deckman and the rest of the new board will help lead the fair into the next generation.
Savy Leiser, a 2011 Unionville High grad, will be selling a book inspired by the community fair. Photo by Cindy Huang
Assisting in that regard will be vendors like Eileen Stanfield, a 2001 Unionville High grad who operates StanfieldCeramics in Philadelphia.
Another infusion of youthful energy will come from 2011 Unionville High graduate Savy Leiser, who will be selling, signing and talking about her self-published book, “The Making of a Small-Town Beauty King,” at a vendor table on Saturday, Oct. 1.
The young-adult comedy, which can be purchased on Amazon is about a boy who decides he wants to win a beauty pageant. Leiser, who moved to Unionville during grade school from Chicago, always attended the fair and the beauty pageant and wondered what would happen if a male entered.
The book originated from something she wrote for a screenwriting class at Northwestern University. The story is not set in Unionville, but the fair draws directly from Leiser’s memories from her years attending it.
“I’d like to set a story here some day,” Leiser said of her memories as a fairgoer.
The news of the fair’s potential demise reached Leiser in Chicago, where she works as a freelance writer and editor and where she’s trying to pitch her new novel to agents.
“I was hearing about that,” Leiser said. “That made me super sad to hear that. I’m glad to hear that it didn’t die and that it’s still going.”
Jeff Neiburg is a freelance writer who's been reunited with Chester County after spending a few years living in Philadelphia. A 2009 graduate of Unionville High School, Jeff was formerly the Philadelphia Flyers beat writer at the Philadelphia Daily News. His work has been featured at the Inquirer/Daily News, the Associated Press, CSNPhilly.com and elsewhere. Jeff is a 2014 graduate of Temple University with a degree in journalism.
Members of the Radnor Hunt enthrall the crowd at the 10th Annual Pocopson Township Founders Day.
On a picture-perfect fall day, Pocopson Township’s 10th Annual Founders Day on Sunday, Sept. 25, wowed its relatively sparse crowds.
Four-year-old Addy Twesten enjoys a pony ride.
“Attendance is definitely down,” said Pocopson Township Supervisors’ Chairwoman Ricki Stumpo. “I’m not sure why. Maybe people got wind that this is the last one; maybe there are other things going on. All I know is that it’s a shame.”
But many of the several hundred visitors who enjoyed a wide range of family-friendly offerings at Pocopson Park were surprised when they heard that a celebration replete with moon bounces, Bingo games, pony rides, and pumpkin painting probably won’t occur in 2017.
Maddie Houseman of Oxford, a volunteer with La Mancha Animal Rescue, shows off one of the animals hoping to be adopted.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Chester County Commissioners’ Chairman Terence Farrell. “It’s a great event, and I’m always glad to come out and support it.”
Annalise Mulholland said she decided to bring her daughters Ella, 9 and Grace, 8, after her friend Kara Hofer gave a positive review of last year’s event. Hofer, who brought her 9-year-old son, Ryan, said they had attended Founders Day for the first time in 2015.
“It’s free, and so family-focused,” said Mulholland. “What a shame that it might not happen again.”
Pocopson Township Supervisor Elaine DiMonte enjoys the view from the township truck.
Supervisor Elaine DiMonte agreed. “Everyone’s having a great time, and I could listen to that band for hours,” she said, referring to Marlboro Road, a group of local musicians.
Many of the organizations that have participated for many years were equally disappointed.
Alan Pendlebury, a volunteer with LaMancha Animal Rescue, said his organization always brings a number of adoptable animals to Founders Day. He said LaMancha, a no-kill shelter, finds homes for more than 600 animals a year. In addition to inspiring people to visit the Unionville facility and give one of the animals a good home, events like Founders Day also help the nonprofit to increase its volunteer ranks, he said.
Colleen McKinney, the chair of Pocopson Township’s Founders Day, says she loves seeing the community enjoy the event but has grown weary of trying to recruit volunteers.
Regrettably, it’s a shortage of volunteers that’s driving the potential demise of Founders Day.
Colleen McKinney, who once shared the duties of the Founders Day chair with two other residents, found herself going solo. Earlier this year, she announced that this would be her final effort. She said the event, which takes the better part of a year to organize, needed more volunteers to step up, and many of McKinney’s relatives were tired of getting called into service at the last minute because others failed to show up.
Marlboro Road, a local band, entertains the crowd during Founders Day.
“So far, no one has come forward,” McKinney said on Sunday as she wistfully surveyed the throngs of giggling children and happy parents. “Hopefully, some of the people who are having a good time today will take over.
“It’s great to see everyone enjoying themselves,” she said. “It’s such a wonderful community event, but it has become so difficult to get help. I’m not sure what else we can do.”
Hosted by 25 municipalities along the east and west branches of the Brandywine Creek in Chester and Delaware counties, the Brandywine Creek Greenway connects a comprehensive network of bucolic greenways, open space, and trails, and the Brandywine Conservancy is offering an exciting way to experience it.
Participants in ‘Rally ‘Round the Races’ tour the Brandywine Creek Greenway to support its preservation.
“Rally ‘Round the Races” on Sunday, Oct. 9, will offer an inventive, scenic fall drive along the Brandywine Creek Greenway. Prizes for optimum time and mileage are at stake as teams unravel the route and discover the answers to questions about this important corridor and efforts to protect it. A luncheon party awaits all at the last checkpoint, which is a secret location, according to a conservancy press release.
The race starts at 9:30 a.m., and a $165 ticket registers your car and up to four people, including the driver, for the rally and lunch. If your party exceeds four people, you can register additional adults (or children 12 and older) for an extra $25 each. Additional children under 12 are free, but must be registered.
The drive will take about 1.5 hours, whether you travel in the family car or the family heirloom. It will start at the Brandywine Conservancy-preserved Birmingham Hill Battlefield Trail, located near the intersection of Birmingham and Thornbury roads in Birmingham Township.
Clues will be provided, and a good navigator is highly recommended; the journey will traverse the natural fall beauty and historic landmarks of the Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway.
“I loved driving through the beautiful countryside protected by the Brandywine Conservancy, and my team was awesome,” said Cathy Ward, a past winner.
Life is stressful. Work, family, money and relationships can combine with larger concerns such as terrorism or the economy to make us feel on edge. Stress occurs when we feel that the demands placed upon us go beyond our ability to cope.
Sometimes, stress is a good thing because it spurs us to take necessary action. However, unchecked chronic stress can result in serious conditions, including anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system.
Some people deal with stress better than others. Unfortunately, some turn to drugs or alcohol when they feel high levels of stress, which ultimately creates more stress and is not a healthy long term solution. Other people lash out at others, overeat or engage in other potentially harmful behaviors. However, there are healthy ways to deal with stress that can help you cope and positively impact your mental and physical health.
Yoga
It’s no surprise to see yoga on a list like this. Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline. Even if you don’t embrace it for all those reasons, it can help you to slow down and take a brief break from your hectic life. Plenty of people are embracing yoga – according to a study by Yoga Journal, more than 36 million Americans practice yoga. Eighty-six percent of those people report having greater mental clarity.
Exercise
Physical activity is a great way to relieve stress, whether it’s going for a run, a leisurely walk in nature or lifting weights at the gym. Exercise can help you blow off steam, as well as provide obvious physical benefits.
Eat Healthier
Often, people will tend to overindulge in junk or comfort food when they’re feeling over aught. However, eating unhealthy foods puts more strain on your body and can negatively impact your mood. While you might be inclined to reach for a bag of chips and a beer, healthier options will leave you feeling better mentally and physically. Importantly, when you’re under stress you should know turning to alcohol or drugs is a bad path to go down.
Seek Counseling
When you’re feeling overwhelmed and aren’t sure where to turn, don’t be bashful about seeking professional assistance. Talking to an experienced therapist can help you to see your stressors in a new light and learn to cope with them better.
Get in Touch with Your Spiritual Side
For some folks, turning to prayer or taking solace in meditation can help to soothe their frayed nerves. A spiritual approach can provide new perspectives, help you to develop “self-compassion” and release emotions that are causing stress.
Help Someone Else
If you’ve ever taken part in a charitable event or even when you simply compliment someone, you know the smile you receive immediately makes you feel better about yourself.
Take a Break
Whether it’s getting up from your desk at work for a 15-minute walk, weeklong vacation or taking time for yourself with a massage, coffee break or conversation with a friend, sometimes you just need to get away from it all to refocus and de-stress.
About the Author Jacqueline L. Scheier, D.O.
Specializing in family medicine, Dr. Scheier strives to work with patients in obtaining their short-term and long-term health goals. She works to gain their trust through open and honest conversation in assisting them to achieve these goals.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Scheier, please call 484-446-3660.
Crozer-Keystone Health System’s physicians, specialists and advanced practitioners are committed to improving the health of our community through patient-centered, quality care across a full continuum of health services. Crozer Brinton Lake is Crozer-Keystone’s comprehensive outpatient care facility in western Delaware County, offering primary care, specialty services, outpatient surgery and advanced cancer treatment.
Contact us: 300 Evergreen Drive, Glen Mills, PA 19342 http://www.crozerkeystone.org/Brinton-Lake 1-855-254-7425
