The Route 52 Bridge is open again after a 10-month closure.
PennDOT has reopened the Route 52/Lenape Road Bridge. The bridge over the Brandywine Creek in Birmingham Township was opened on June 30. The span, between Pocopson Road and Creek Road, had been closed and detoured since August 2019 for the rehabilitation of the structure. Creek Road between Riverbend Lane and Country Club Road was later closed in November. Both roads are now open.
While major construction on the bridge has been completed, the contractor will be performing various minor construction activities, including traffic signal work and stone pointing operations over the next few weeks with no impact to traffic, PennDOT announced in an email.
The Delaware Center for Horticulture and Food Bank of Delaware are partnering with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to expand the regional reach of PHS’s Harvest 2020 initiative, focused on increasing food production and addressing food insecurity. This partnership expands the reach of the program throughout the state of Delaware, asking gardener and individuals to become growers (someone who grows food for themselves and their family), sharers (one who commits to donating food through hunger relief organizations or directly within their communities), or donors (someone who supports Harvest 2020 efforts through a monetary donation) to fight hunger.
Harvest 2020 is a multi-faceted initiative aimed at mobilizing gardening enthusiasts and other individuals in the region to help people in underserved communities. As an architect of the initiative, PHS has encouraged thousands of gardeners to participate in these efforts across the region. For the state of Delaware, DCH will serve as lead coordinating entity for outreach promotion, engagement with other Delaware partner agencies and organizations, and track impact. The Food Bank of Delaware will support collection and distribution efforts. The expected collective action from Harvest 2020 will bring a stronger focus to food insecurity, while teaching people to garden more productively, collecting thousands of pounds of fresh produce for hunger relief organizations, building long-lasting relationships among gardeners and hunger relief organizations, and continuing PHS’s vision of using horticulture to advance the health and well-being of local communities.
“Many of our neighbors in the region have struggled to access enough food to live a healthy and active life,” said Matt Rader, PHS President. “PHS is able to bring together people and organizations across the region to garden for the greater good. The Delaware Center for Horticulture and the Food Bank of Delaware will champion the Harvest 2020 initiative and help address food insecurity throughout the state of Delaware. We look forward to their combined efforts as part of this initiative.”
Harvest 2020 has been designed for anyone to participate — from individuals that haven’t gardened before and are looking for healthy food for their family — to those with gardening expertise that can grow enough to share and help support food banks that serve those most in need.
“We are incredibly proud to be a part of this vitally important effort led by PHS to engage our extensive network of home and community gardeners to help feed our communities with locally-grown fruits and vegetables,” said Vikram Krishnamurthy, DCH Executive Director. “We know the need to address food insecurity is real, now more than ever. Building on the Food Bank of Delaware’s collection and distribution network, we are proud to bring our urban agriculture and education expertise together with partners to mobilize our networks and make a sizable impact on this significant need.”
The initiative is timely with the food growing season underway and with the increased demand for fresh food during the COVID-19 crisis. In Delaware, 121,850 people (1 in 8 people) struggle with hunger — and of them, 38,680 are children. Many food pantries have experienced a 50% increase in demand over the last few weeks, thereby heightening the need for broad collective action.
“The economic impact from COVID-19 has been far-reaching,” said Sanjay Malik, Food Bank of Delaware Interim CEO. “Because of the pandemic, we anticipate that an additional 50,000 Delawareans will experience food insecurity this year. Getting fresh fruits and vegetables into the hands of those who need it most is a critical part of our operation. We are thankful for the opportunity to partner on this initiative so gardeners can share their bounties with our neighbors in need.”
To support Harvest 2020, DCH recently received $10,000 in funding from the DCF/Philanthropy Delaware COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to serve as the lead agency for implementation of the campaign in Delaware. With the grant funding, DCH plans to:
Coordinate outreach and marketing efforts to Delaware gardeners and engage local nonprofits, agencies, and gardens to become a part of the effort
Coordinate efforts with FBD for drop-off sites and collection for distribution channels
Create and share free horticultural education videos as part of DCH’s new “Green Thumb” series, specifically geared towards supporting the Harvest 2020 campaign
Distributelater-season seeds and plant starts to communities/individuals in need, particularly in Wilmington, to promote vegetable gardening
PHS has brought together a number of organizations to aid in the success of this initiative, including hunger relief organizations, such as AmpleHarvest.org, the Chester County Food Bank, Food Connect, Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, SHARE, Philabundance, DCH, and FBD. Subaru has also signed on as an official sponsor of the Harvest 2020 effort.
For more information on Harvest 2020 or to pledge as a grower, sharer, donor, or sponsor, visit PHSonline.org/harvest2020/overview, or call 215.988.8897. Updates on the initiative can be found via PHS’s social media using #PHSHarvest2020. For organizations in Delaware looking to get involved, please contact Vikram Krishnamurthy, Executive Director, at vkrishna@thedch.org or (302) 658-6262 ext. 101.
Nannie-Burroughs-and-a-group-of-women-holding-banner -ca.-1905 at the Library-of-Congress.
Two powerful shows opened at the Brandywine River Museum (BRM) on February 1st but many people didn’t get a chance to see them before the shutdown. Thankfully, the wait to see them live is over. The BRM is re-opening to the public this Wednesday, July 1st. The exhibition Votes for Women: A Visual History has been extended to run through Sept. 27th and Witness to History: Selma Photography of Stephen Somerstein will run through Nov. 1st.
Young civil rights activists with American Flag,.. by Stephen Somerstein
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Votes for Women: A Visual History examines the compelling imagery of the suffrage movement. The exhibition recognizes the significant contributions of women of color and their community networks—which have been largely overlooked due to racial injustice. The accompanying exhibition, Witness to History: Selma Photography of Stephen Somerstein, documents the continued struggle for voting rights with 55 photographs taken during the historic 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Both of these shows are certainly helping to shed light on the importance of taking a stand for equality today.
Betsy James Wyeth, 1968
A memorial display of 20 Andrew Wyeth works will also be on view, as a tribute to his wife, Betsy James Wyeth, who passed away in April 2020. BRM will be implementing a variety of safety protocols and a complete list of new procedures and FAQs can be found here. Summer art camp for kids and virtual programs will continue to be offered online.
The Delaware Art Museum (DAM) is opening its doors to members this Wednesday, July 1st. It will reopen to the full public on Wednesday, July 15th. For months, DAM had been offering engaging virtual experiences to keep the arts alive during the shutdown. Margaret Winslow, DAM’s curator of contemporary art said it was able to quickly develop ways for the community to draw inspiration from art. “As families looked for educational opportunities, our Museum educators developed at-home art lessons, curriculum guides, and story time breaks. Through virtual tours of temporary exhibitions, deep dives into the collection with interpretation by Museum staff and community members, and performance watch parties, we remained committed to our core mission – to connect people to art.”
These were worthy efforts and certainly welcomed when it came to educating and entertaining school age children at home. But looking at art only online can grow tiresome. For most of us, it’s very difficult to grasp the scale of an artwork from a computer screen or smartphone; especially if it’s three dimensional.
“Entanglements II” by Julio daCunha
Many exhibitions were on the cusp of opening when the shutdown began. Artists and curators alike were frustrated with the situation. People may not realize how much work goes into putting on significant shows of relevance like Julio daCunha: Modernizing Myths and Layering Abstraction: Margo Allman and Helen Mason. So, it is truly wonderful that DAM is extending these exhibitions. The former will be on view through November 1st 2020 and the latter, through January 17th, 2021.
Winslow is thrilled to be able to share the work with visitors in actual life. “As part of the Distinguished Artist series, these two exhibitions celebrate three prolific artists from the greater Wilmington area. The shows were years in the making and are the result of intensive research and collaboration.” DAM is responding quickly to recent tragedies as well. “We are also reinstalling Hank Willis Thomas’ 2018 commission, Black Survival Guide, or How to Live Through a Police Riot. Two years later, we are sharing this poignant work of art as we grapple with the emotion anxiety and the strain of violent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and many others as a result of systemic racism.”
Calligraphic Collaboration by Helen Mason
Following the state’s guidelines for the Art and Culture industry, Winslow said the Museum will implement enhanced safety procedures “including the wearing of face coverings, Plexiglas barriers at the front desk and Museum Store registers, and the suspension of café service, to mention only a few.” For folks still uneasy about venturing out, virtual programming will continue throughout the summer. DAM is sharing events on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest. Full details to prepare for your visit are online.
Other venues to check out: In Haverford, Merritt Gallery is now open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and by appointment. The staff will continue to do virtual presentations and consultations. In Philadelphia, Stanek Gallery is re-opening on July 2nd and is highlighting the exhibition Three Voices featuring artists Deborah Fine, Kerry Dunn and Gary Weisman. Strict social distancing protocols will be followed. Tickets must be reserved and masks will be required for all.
A native of Philadelphia, Constance McBride lived in Arizona for 16 years, where desert observations made a transformative impact on her work as a research based visual artist. Passionate about contemporary art, she was actively engaged in the local arts community. She served as a board member for several art organizations, managed an artist collective/gallery space, curated and juried several exhibitions and wrote for two arts publications in Phoenix. She taught ceramics at Shemer Art Center and Museum and exhibited her work both locally and nationally. McBride returned to Pennsylvania in 2018 and resides in Chester Springs with her husband and two dogs. In West Chester, she serves as a board member at The Art Trust Gallery at Meridian Bank and teaches ceramics at Chester County Art Association. She also teaches at Clay on Main in Oley, PA. She is a member of American Craft Council, Philadelphia Sculptors, and Women’s Caucus for Art, Philadelphia Chapter.
Robert J. Hopkins Sr., 93, of Avondale, died peacefully on Monday, June 22 at Ware Presbyterian Village in his Assisted Living apartment, where he enjoyed living the past 5.5 years. He was the husband of the late Mary Leo Hopkins, with whom he shared 66 years of marriage until her death in 2016.
Robert J. Hopkins Sr.
Born in West Chester, he was raised in Toughkenamon, attended Kennett High School, and lived most of his life in Avondale. He was the eldest of three sons of the late William E. Hopkins Sr. and Ruth H. Hopkins. He was pre-deceased by his wife and his son Robert J. Hopkins Jr., as well as two brothers, William E. Hopkins, Jr. and Kenneth J. Hopkins. He also leaves behind three children, Christine Hopkins Rizzotte, Michael L. Hopkins and his wife Donna, and Gary A. Hopkins and his wife Elizabeth.
He was loved and will be missed by his eight grandchildren, Diane Rizzotte Bucklaw, Nicholas Rizzotte, Kyle Hopkins, Kellianne Eckman and her husband Phil, Michael Hopkins Jr. and his wife Kari, Jackie McCarthy and her husband Fred, Gary Hopkins, Jr. and his fiancée Elizabeth, and Bryan Hopkins. He will also be missed by his nine great-grandchildren, Jeffrey Bird Jr., Angela Bird, Jason Bucklaw, Zachary Eckman, Juliana Eckman, Michael Hopkins III, Sophia Hopkins, Kennedy McCarthy and Catherine McCarthy.
He was a member of St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother Church in Avondale, and also received blessings while attending Mass and Rosary service while he lived at Ware.
Bob was proud to serve his country during WW II. He enlisted in 1943 with the 3rd Marine Division and spent time in Guam and Okinawa. In 1944 he was on a ship headed for the planned invasion of Japan, which was canceled following the bombing of Hiroshima and the surrender of Japan. He then served on the island of Chi Chi Jima during what is known as the Chichijima Incident in 1945. He was a prison guard, securing Japanese officers that the United States was holding due to acts that were later charged as war crimes. He was proud of his service and almost always wore his bright red Marine Chi Chi Jima hat. He was honored to ride in the Kennett Veterans Day parade several times and served as Grand Marshall in 2016.
Bob was always a hard worker. During the early years of his marriage, he owned/managed gas stations and then later became rooted in the mushroom business. He enjoyed setting up mushroom selling routes for local growers, then later doing so on his own. He also spent several years as a grower. He built the home that he raised his family in, using mostly his own hands, enlisting local friends with various skills to help, and hiring several local specialists for the technical jobs. He was proud of his home and thrilled to have it pass on to his grandson, Michael Jr., who is happily raising his family there.
He always enjoyed being around and visiting with family and friends, being sure to celebrate holidays at the house, or having parties for neighbors and friends. He spent many days in retirement visiting Michael and Gary at their mushroom plants, always helping out whenever he could. He enjoyed all Philly sports teams, puttering around in the yard, growing his rose bushes along the fence, watching the birds at his bird feeder, playing his word-search game and of course, flying the American flag in the yard. He enjoyed time with the McDonalds Breakfast Club and no matter what or when always had an interesting story to tell!
His Graveside service will be held at noon, on Friday, July 10, at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Route 82, Kennett Square.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Ware Presbyterian Village Employee Fund, 7 E Locust Street, Oxford, PA 19363 or to Willow Tree Hospice, 616 E Cypress Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348
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.
