Richard A. Gorman, 67, of Venice, Fla., formerly of Chadds Ford. Devoted father to Rich Jr. and “Pop” to grandchildren Lexi and Ryan Gorman, loving companion to Barbi Richardson. Rich is survived by five brothers and two sisters along with many nieces and nephews, predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Eleanor Gorman.
Richard A. Gorman
Rich grew up in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia attending Our Lady of Lourdes Grammar School, and the Haverford School before attending Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. Rich was a standout athlete attending Union College on a basketball scholarship, a sport he loved and continued to play until the end of his days. Rich had a successful career working for GE, Burroughs, Lockheed Martin, and later in life as a business owner.
Rich was a devoted spouse, father, grandfather (Pop), brother, and friend. He was the kind of guy you would want in your foxhole. Rich faced life’s challenges with dogged determination and courage. He was an intelligent man with a great sense of humor. Above all Rich was a selfless man that always put his family first. He was the best man to the people in his life.
The apple in Rich’s eye was his grandchildren. He would constantly brag to his friends about what a great equestrian athlete his granddaughter Lexi was and what a stellar basketball player and football quarterback his grandson was. Rich enjoyed teaching his grandson Ryan how to play basketball, sharing his mastery of the game. And equally Rich was the greatest supporter of his granddaughters’ love of horses, showing up for all of her events and religiously taking her to practices.
Rich was the best man to the people in his life. A truly selfless man that would give you the shirt off his back. A man of dignity and virtue that always put his family first. He was the best father a son could ever ask for and was adored by his entire family.
The last year of his life was his happiest with his girlfriend Barbi Richardson. He admired and adored Barbi and was a devoted boyfriend to her. He had truly met the love of his life and lived on cloud nine every day. Rich walked tall in Venice as he had found “his kind of town.” Words don’t describe what a great man Rich Gorman was, and he will forever be missed by his loved ones.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Wednesday, June 1, at Concordville Inn in Concord Township at 1 p.m.
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.
A Boy Scout places a flower at the grave of a former U.S. servicemember.Ray Coe, former scoutmaster for BSA Troop 31 in Chadds Ford, is the Vietnam veteran grand marshal at the Kennett Square parade.
Memorial Day traditions continued Monday with a ceremony at Brandywine Baptist Church in Chadds Ford Township and a parade in Kennett Square.
Uncle Sam takes a stroll up E. State Street as part of the parade.
The ceremony at the church kept its format of Boy Scouts from Troop 31, bringing in the colors, a retelling of how Memorial Day came to be — how it began as a way to remember the Civil War fallen with Decoration Day, which was later renamed. There was also an honor guard salute to all the fallen. In addition, the scouts and other youth placed flowers at the graves of former service members. Those graves had been previously marked with U.S. flags.
Visitors to the Kennett parade saw bands from both Kennett and Unionville High schools, honor guards, veterans, and current military personnel. They also saw (and heard) the Eagles’ Pep Band and Uncle Sam.
A Boy Scout places a flower at the grave of a former U.S. servicemember.
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 animals are ready to be adopted from the Brandywine Valley SPCA in West Chester.
Rio
Rio
Rio sure is a beauty. He is also a very friendly guy who would love to meet your family and any other dogs in your home at the shelter before adopting. You can name your fee for Rio through Sunday, June 3.
October
October
They just don’t come any cuter than October. This adorable little girl is goofy and so playful. She’s very friendly and would love it if you came to play with her. Come whisk October away to her new loving home. You can name your fee for October through Sunday, June 3.
Martha King becomes the first to win the International Women’s Cup, becoming the world's top lumberjill.
Chadds Ford’s Martha King took first place in the first-ever international STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Women’s event – the International Women’s Cup. King came out on top against eight other lumberjills, including the heavy favorite Australian Amanda Beams.
The competition, held in Vienna, Austria, Friday morning, EDT, included three events: the stock saw, using a standard chain saw to cut discs, or cookies, as they’re referred to in the sport; single buck, using a long saw; and the underhand chop in which the competitor stands on a horizontal log and splits the log by chopping down between the feet.
Just a girl from Chadds Ford.
During an online interview, King said winning felt wonderful, though there was stress leading up to the day.
“I only entered the competition a week ago while coaching a training camp in the Netherlands. I had to have my gear flown over. My saws only arrived yesterday, so it was very stressful,” she said.
While she didn’t have the preparation she would have otherwise preferred, King said she just trusted her foundation, something she’s developed during the past nine years of timber sports competition.
Final numbers.
King finished the day with a total of 23 out of 27 points. Beams finished with 22. The two were tied after the stock saw and single buck events, and Beams seemed to have a slight lead in the underhand, but King came on strong and topped the Australian.
She finished the stock saw in fifth place, saying she likely pushed the saw too hard but then came in second in the single buck. Only three of the nine women were able to split the logs during the underhand, which set up the final heat between King and Beams.
The world champion returns home to Chadds Ford this Sunday.
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.
Most business owners understand the importance of investing in an attractive and informative website, but they don’t all realize that you need to update your website to keep it relevant and current. Here is why you may be due for an update:
You need to increase engagement with customers
One of the most important reasons to update your website is to create a constant stream of communication with your customers. A static website that has standard information that your customers have already seen won’t inspire them to engage with you or revisit, but a regularly updated website that provides high-quality content will.
You need better search engine performance
Organic traffic is hugely important when it comes to sustaining a successful business website and one of the top ways to help your business website gain organic search engine traffic is by keeping it updated with new content. The reason for this is because search engines typically pay much more attention to websites that are regularly updated than those that are not and updating your website with new content gives search engines more chances to index the pages on your website.
Are your customers leaving for competitors?
The key to long-term success for any business is to consistently provide value to your customers. You want your customers to return to your site as often as possible and if you make no changes, there will be no reason for them to do that. You want your customers’ loyalty and providing them with new and relevant information will help that process.
Are you using it as a tool to gather data on prospects?
It’s natural to look at your business website as a great marketing tool, but another way to use it is as a tool for gathering valuable marketing data. What better way to learn the buzzwords, topics, news, and industry information that current and potential clients want than by seeing what they are viewing the most. You should be updating content and paying close attention to analytics so you can use this information to take your marketing to another level.
Give the best impression of your brand – Have you updated your brand?
And finally, one of the top reasons to update your website design and content is that you want to keep your brand foremost in clients’ and prospects’ minds. Making smart updates to your website shows that your company cares about its brand, values staying informed about current events, and truly cares about its customers and the information they are providing.
It may not just be about your website. You probably want to look at your brand and see if it is time to do a complete overhaul keeping yourself modern and distinguishing yourself from your competition.
Maria L. Novak Dugan is president of Marketing Solutions & Business Development, a firm serving Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, offering creative marketing services and goal implementation for small businesses. She has more than 30 years’ experience in the Marketing & Sales Industry ... 13 of those as the sole sales representative for a Pennsylvania payroll company growing their client base by over 500%. Maria Novak Dugan is also the former Managing Director of the Delaware Chapter of eWomenNetwork. Creating, developing, and conducting this division of a national organization strengthened her knowledge of networking, event planning, fundraising, and small-business development.
For more information, contact Maria at 610-405-0633 or Maria@Maria-L-Novak.com or visit www.Maria-L-Novak.com
PennDOT has announced the following road projects, which are weather-dependent and could affect drivers in the greater Chadds Ford area during the week of May 28 through June 3. Motorists are urged to allow extra time if traveling through one of the construction zones. Work schedules are subject to change.
• Milling, paving, and microsurfacing will cause lane closures along Route 1 in Chadds Ford Township from May 31 through June 3.
• Concrete patching will continue to cause lane closures on Route 1 in Concord Township May 31 to June 2, between Pole Cat and Thornton roads.
• Pipe installation will cause Doe Run Station Road in West Marlborough Township to close between Gumtree Road and Springdell Road on Thursday, June 2, and Friday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the closure, Doe Run Station Road motorists will be directed to use Gumtree Road and Springdell Road. Local access will be maintained during the operation.
• Utility maintenance will cause a single lane closure on Route 1 in Kennett Township from May 31 to June 14. That closure will be between Ladbroke Lane and Greenwood Road.
• There will also be a lane closure on Route 1 in Kennett Township from June 4 to June 11 for utility installation.
• Continuing through June 10, utility replacement will cause lane closures on Route 1 between Elmwood and Lenape roads in Kennett Township.
• The Embreeville Road Bridge over the West Branch over the Brandywine Creek in Newlin Township remains closed because of the Sept. 1 flooding. The closure remains listed as indefinite.
• Pole replacement will cause lane closures on Route 842 —Clonmell Upland Road — in West Marlborough Township through the end of June. The closure will be between Street and London Grove roads.
• Utility work in West Chester will cause a daytime lane closure on High Street from May 23 through June 6.
Susan Worteck, right, of the Chadds Ford Residents Association, presents a Certificate of Scholarship and a check to Ava Cona, the recipient of the 2022 CFTRA Scholarship.
•Ava Cona is the 2022 recipient of the Chadds Ford Township Resident Association’s Scholarship Award. She received her Certificate of Scholarship and the $1,500 award from the Residents Association at Unionville High School on May 23.. She attends Unionville High School and earned a GPA of 4.56 after her first 12-grade semester. She plans to attend Drexel University in the fall to study architecture.
•Katharine A. Murray of Chadds Ford graduated from the University of Scranton with a Bachelor of Science degree in human resources.
•Jessica Dahm of Chadds Ford qualified for the Spring 2022 Dean’s List at Belmont University. Eligibility is based on a minimum course load of 12 hours and a quality grade point average of 3.5 with no grade below a C.
The Brandywine Valley is lucky to have so many fantastic venues for not just showcasing art, but also places where students young and old can learn about the many facets of artistic expression. The Darlington Center for the Arts located in Garnet Valley takes this task to heart, creating a space where every form of art takes a turn at center stage. Darlington is currently celebrating the creations, hard work, and talent of their community with the 4 Arts Festival, featuring a gallery show, concerts, performances, and more through June 12th.
On their toes
Darlington has intentionally created a welcoming space for students of all ages, experience, and ability. “Our mission is to build community by providing Every Art for Everyone,” says Emily Moylan, Community Engagement Manager. “Not only do we provide quality arts instruction in all four major art forms for all ages and abilities, but we are also focused on connecting and engaging with our community through artmaking.”
Kate McGrath, Teaching Artist (Drama), notes, “Darlington has a unique way of feeling both big and small to our students: big in that the classes, camps, and other programming expand their opportunities, allowing them to try new things, and explore their talents, which the rest of the world can then enjoy. Small in the sense that everyone at Darlington is focused and devoted to the arts and so a kindred soul.”
Darlington serves as a center for many local artists, whether they teach, participate in the shows, or simply visit. “I am always in awe of the range of talent we have in and around the Brandywine Valley,” Moylan says. “We just recently had our Juried Art Show and finished up our Coffee House Concert Series, where we had the pleasure of featuring some of these artists.”
The fun doesn’t end at the front door. Darlington’s events expand out through the Brandywine Valley. “I’m looking forward especially to the Summer Concert Series at Smithbridge Park on Thursdays,” McGrath says. “I drive by the park every day and can’t wait to lie on the grass and enjoy live music.” Held every other Thursday evening from June 30th through September 10th, this popular series includes a variety of musical acts, from jazz to cabaret to rock and pop.
Art for all ages
The 4 Arts Festival also welcomes the public to see the rising talent of the next generation. Moylan is eager to share all the details: “Our dance recital at Cab Calloway School of the Arts is next on the docket! We are so excited to be featuring over 50 dancers this year in many different disciplines.” Or you can look for future marquee names on the stage. “Final performances for the drama classes for kids will be held on June 6 and 7,” McGrath notes. “They will be livestreamed and are a great way to see what the Drama programming is like for young people at Darlington!”
Back at Darlington, art is on display in every medium from both students and their instructors. “I’ve seen some great work come out of our Comics and Cartoons, STEAM, and Drawing and Painting classes,” Moylan says. The gallery showcases their work throughout Darlington as part of the 4 Arts Festival.
It is exhilarating for all—students, instructors, families, friends, and visitors—to be able to be back in person this year. “The 4 Arts Festival is all about celebration and community,” Moylan says. “We are so excited to welcome people back into the Center to cheer on our students as they showcase their progress over the Academic Year.”
Performances
The public is welcome to visit Darlington to see the Gallery Show during their normal business hours, and also invited to all events and performances. “We encourage anyone who supports the arts to come out and see how incredible our students are,” invites Moylan. “We could not be more proud, and we want to share that with you!”
The Darlington Art Center will display their Teaching Artist and Member Gallery from May 14th through June 3rd. There are events ongoing at the 4 Arts Festival from May 14th through June 11th, featuring Music, Visual Art, Dance, and Drama. This family friendly event supports young artists and the community. The Darlington Arts Center is at 977 Shavertown Road, Garnet Valley, PA. More information can be found at DarlingtonArts.org.
Victoria Rose (she/her) is an editor, writer, avid reader, self-described geek, and fan of all things creative. Her passion for words has led to her current career as a freelance editor, and she is the owner of Flickering Words, an editing service. When not wielding a red pen (or cursor), she loves reading books of all genres, playing video, board, and word games, baking ridiculous creations to show off on the internet, or enjoying the gorgeous outdoors. She is a board member of the West Chester Film Festival and part of the Thirsty Monsters, a team of streamers from around the world who fundraise for various charities supporting LGBTQIA+ and accessibility rights. She can be found online @WordsFlickering or the Brandywine Art Guide @BrandywineArtGuide.
The 2022 Rose Tree Park Summer Festival opens Wednesday, June 15.
•Delaware County Symphony will be kicking off the 2022 Rose Tree Park Summer Festivalwith a free concert at the outdoor amphitheater at Rose Tree Park. The orchestra will be performing some of our favorites from this past season. The concert is on Wednesday, June 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Author Bruce Mowday will discuss his book on Lafayette and the Battle of Brandywine on Thursday, June 2.
•Brandywine Conservancy welcomes the award-winning author and newspaper reporter Bruce E. Mowday for a lecture on his most recent book, “Lafayette at Brandywine: The Making of an American Hero.” Marquis de Lafayette was an integral part of America’s victory over Britain in the Revolutionary War. The key event was the sacrifice made by Lafayette at the Battle of the Brandywine on Sept. 11, 1777. In-person tickets (at the Millstone Café): $10 for Brandywine and Chester County History Center members, $15 for non-members; virtual tickets (online via Zoom): Pay what you wish. The lecture is 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, June 2.
Kennett Square will celebrate flowers — their beauty and fragrance — on June 10-12.
•It’s the Kennett Floral Flash. It’s a brand new event and it’s for one weekend only. Kennett Blooms Floral Flash will feature thousands of blooms artfully arranged by local floral designers in seven large-scale installations in locations throughout town the weekend of June 10th–12th. It celebrates the multi-sensory beauty of flowers and the creative talents of local floral designers with temporary floral installations in public places throughout town.
