Sad to say, summer is winding down...Happy to say, lots of free stuff at summer's end!

Back-to-School Kids’ Fest at the Springfield Mall

  The Delaware County News Network (DCNN) will host its first Back-to-School Kids’ Fest, featuring hours of family-fun at the Springfield Mall, 11a.m. to 4p.m., Saturday (Aug. 24).

  FREE family activities and entertainment will take place all day at the mall on Baltimore Pike in Springfield.

  Entertainment and exhibitors include the following: B101, the Philadelphia Zoo, Springfield Mall, Makin’ Music, Kathy’s Dance, Broomall Pediatric Dental, Paula Kerney Dance, Above Grade Level, Brain Balance, Parachute Packer, Rocky Run YMCA, Fireworks Dance, Revolution Martial Arts, Lauren’s House, Kids’ Learning Center, Springfield Ice Hockey, Parkside Academy of Music, Delco News Network, Step by Step Child Care & Learning Center, Art Space Lansdowne, PRO Martial Arts, Knowledge Points, PA Charter School, Friendship Academy, Tri State Cheer, and more.

  For more information on being an exhibitor, call Delco News Network 610-583-4432, ext. 108.

*****************

FREE Trip to Showboat

  The Active Seniors of Holy Cross Parish in Springfield are sponsoring a FREE bus trip to Showboat Casino in Atlantic City on Monday, October 28. Trip includes motorcoach transportation and $5 slot play. Bus leave Holy Cross schoolyard at 9:15 am and returns at 4:30 pm. 

  For information or reservations, call Maxine Beaver at 610-328-1068.

**********************

Widener University Art Gallery Hosts FREE Exhibition of the

Visual and Literary Works of Norman Rubington

    Chester, Pa. – The Widener University Art Gallery will host From the Studio: The World of Norman Rubington, an exhibition of the visual and literary works of the expatriate artist and author from August 23 through October 19.

    Rubington (1921-1991) was born in New Haven, Conn. and enrolled in the Yale School of Fine Arts in 1939. Rubington left for France in 1946 to study at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. In 1948, he had his first one-man show in Paris, followed by one-man shows in New York, Boston and San Francisco. His work earned him the Prix de Rome, a grant from the Tiffany Foundation, and a Guggenheim Fellowship.

    In later years, Rubington devoted time to book illustrations and experimental films. Writing under the pseudonym Akbar del Piombo, and using collages of 19^th-century engravings for the illustrations, he produced a series of satirical works on socially and politically relevant subjects. In 1965, he illustrated “The Olympia Reader” for Grove Press, working with literary greats such as William Burroughs.

    Dr. Janine Utell, associate professor of English at Widener and curator of the exhibition, said the exhibition will offer a unique perspective on Rubington, who was part of the artistic and literary circle in post-World War II Paris that included Maurice Girodias, Henry Miller and Samuel Beckett.

    “Our exhibit at Widener is going to take a different approach by focusing on the conversation between Rubington’s literary output, his painting and his multimedia productions, all within a post-war, American-in-Paris cultural context,” Utell said.

    Selected paintings in the exhibition will offer a cross-section of Rubington’s varied output, including nude figures, cityscapes, still lifes and work that shows his humor and exuberance with form and color. In addition, artifacts on display will include editions of his books, literary magazines, letters, video of Rubington at work and paraphernalia from his years in the studio.

   The gallery will host a reception for the exhibition from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, including a talk by John de St. Jorre, author of “Venus Bound: The Erotic Voyage of the Olympia Press and its Writers.” Jorre’s talk, titled “Norman Rubington: Graphic Pioneer, Sometime Pornographer, Lifelong Artist,” will focus on Rubington’s work for Olympia Press. The talk will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the University Center Webb Room.

   For more information on the artist and the exhibition, visit www.normanrubingtonfromthestudio.com or www.normanrubington.com. The Rubington estate is managed by executor Ann May Greene of Wyncote, Pa.

    The Widener University Art Gallery is free and open to the public. The gallery is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and.  The gallery will be closed Saturday, August 31 in recognition of Labor Day.

   The gallery is located in University Center on the Chester Campus of Widener University, on 14^th Street between Walnut Street and Melrose Avenue. For more information, contact the Widener University Art Gallery at 610-499-1189 or visit the gallery website at www.widener.edu/artgallery.

Swarthmore Professor Presents ‘Incentives’ at Pendle Hill

  Swarthmore College Professor Barry Schwartz will present “Why Incentives -- Even ‘Smart’ Ones -- Will Never Get Us What We Need,” 7:30 to 9p.m., Monday (Sept. 2) in the Barn at Pendle Hill, 338 Plush Mill Road, Wallingford.

  The talk on the social theory of incentives is free and open to the public.

  Schwartz notes that it is the ideology of our age that if we want teachers, lawyers, doctors, and even bankers to do the right thing, we just have to figure out a set of "smart" incentives that enable them to do well by doing good. Forty years of research in psychology shows that this ideology is false. The only reliable way to get people to do the right thing is to get them to want to do the right thing because it's the right thing. Not only do incentives fail to achieve this goal; they actually are an impediment to it, according to Schwartz.

  Schwartz is the Dorwin Cartwright Professor of Social Theory and Social Action in the psychology department at Swarthmore College, where he has taught for 40 years. He is the author of several leading textbooks on the psychology of learning and memory, as well as a look at contemporary life, The Battle for Human Nature: Science, Morality, and Modern Life. More recently, Dr. Schwartz authored the popular The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less: How the Culture of Abundance Robs Us of Satisfaction (Ecco, 2003). He is married and has two children.

  For more information about the screening, visit Pendle Hill’s website, www.pendlehill.org, or call 610-566-4507, ext. 129.

  Pendle Hill is a Quaker study, retreat, and conference center offering programs for people of all faiths. 

‘Money Matters and Magic’ at Glenolden Library

  Local residents can help their children learn about money through magic. The Glenolden Library will host magician Craig Collis as he performs “Money Matters & Magic” 11 am Sept. 24. The fun and informative program uses magic, games, music and audience participation to explain to children concepts related to making choices about money - saving, spending and sharing. The program is fast-paced, entertaining and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

   The Glenolden Library is at 211 S. Llanwellyn Avenue in Glenolden, PA. Registration is requested online at www.delcolibraries.org and clicking the Library Events icon, by calling Glenolden Library at 610-610-583-1010 or Susan Purcell at 610-891-8622.

   “Money Matters and Magic” is part of the MoneySmart  project presented by the Delaware County Library System in cooperation with the Library Foundation of Delaware County.  Funding for MoneySmart  is provided by a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and the American Library Association.

   For details on these programs and others, visit the DCLS MoneySmart website at www.delcolibraries.org/money.  

**********************

   Valuable Legal Advice Available for Caregivers

  The Senior Community Services (SCS) Family Caregiver Program and Schoolhouse Center, 600 Swarthmore Ave., Folsom, will present a program for caregivers 9:30 am Wed. (Sept. 4).  Elder Law Attorneys, Dana and Robert Breslin, Esq.  will be giving a presentation on “What Caregivers Need to Know – Legal Issues that May Arise while Caregiving.”  

  The Family Caregivers Program provides opportunities for Caregivers to learn from professionals and presentations from other disciplines. The Schoolhouse caregivers  group meets on the first Wednesday of each month throughout the year.  In addition to informative speakers, there are open forum programs where caregivers can bring issues with which they are struggling. 

  Call 610 237-8100 or e-mail jstabinski@scs-delco.org to register.  For more information on the Family Caregiver Program or these monthly program opportunities, contact Debbie Templeton at 610 237-6222, ex 79. 

*******************

 FREE Summer Concerts in Valley Forge

   Free Summer Carillon concerts are offered Wednesdays evenings at 7:30 p.m. in August at Washington Memorial Chapel, Route 23 in  Valley Forge National Historical Park, Valley Forge. These concerts are free and open to the public and take place rain or shine. These are hour-long outdoor concerts, so bring a blanket, lawn chair, snacks or dinner. The Chapel Cabin Shop will be open for refreshments and souvenirs. Visit the Chapel Used Book Store for great bargains. 

**************

Brookhaven to celebrate Family Day; Registration Required

  Brookhaven Borough will celebrate its 27th annual Family Day for residents, noon to 4p.m., Saturday (Sept. 28) on the grounds of the municipal center on Cambridge Road.

  Sponsored by the Recreation Committee, the day's events will feature a host of games and activities for children, Bingo, entertainment, and plenty of refreshments.

  Registration is required to attend. Residents are asked to register from 11a.m. to 1p.m., Monday through Friday at the borough office; evening registration will take place 7 to 8 p.m., Aug. 26 and Sept. 9.

 PRO-ACT Program Helps Families Address Addiction

  When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, the disease affects the entire family. PRO-ACT’s Family Education Program provides information and support. The free monthly program helps individuals and families recognize and address an addiction problem in a spouse, parent, child or other loved one.

  Led by trained volunteers who have been in the same situation, sessions begin the first Tuesday of each month and run from 7 to 9p.m., for three consecutive Tuesdays, addressing such topics as understanding addiction, impact on the family and developing a support network.

  Next session starts Sept. 6 in Media at Holcomb Behavioral Health Services.

  Sessions are free and confidential, using first names only. Pre-registration is required; call 800-221-6333, weekdays between 9a.m. and 5p.m., weekdays. For more information, visit http://councilsepa.org/programs/pro-act/family-education-program.

**************

Transition Hosts Creekside Picnic

  Transition Town Media will host its 2nd annual creekside Community Picnic and music event in Ridley Creek State Park, 281 W Bishop Hollow Rd, Media, 5 to 10p.m., Saturday (Aug. 24).

  Whether an accomplished musician, a beginner, or not musical at all, everyone will join to make music together. Attendees are asked to bring musical instruments or household items to use to make music, or be ready to clap, tap or read a poem.

  The intention is to encourage everyone to join in to create music together.

  Attendees should bring a blanket or chairs for seating; a dish to share; and non-alcoholic drinks (water will be provided). All ages are welcome.

  For more information, contact info@transitiontownmedia.org.

                                         **************

Join Prospect Park UM Church on The Porch

  Prospect Park United Methodist Church invites the community to come to The Porch on Sundays at 4 to enjoy Christian music and a short scriptural message.  The events are open to everyone in  the community. Just walk right up and grab a chair either on the church’s café porch or on the lawn.  Free refreshments are provided.  This month, music will be provided by Christian contemporary musician and songwriter Bill Snyder, Folk Vocalist and Guitarist Cindy Smith, and the Harmonee Gritz Bluegrass Band.  The Porch will remain outdoors through September and will continue indoor starting October.  For more information, e-mail pastor@pumconline.com.

*********************

Knights To Distribute Wheelchairs

  The Knights of Columbus Mater Dei Council, Newtown Square, will distribute free wheelchair this fall, on a first come, first served basis. The group has a limited number of wheelchairs in good working condition that will be given to those who need them, including children nuns, seniors and veterans. 

  The program is part of the Knights humanitarian projects for which they fundraise all year. 

  Those interested in receiving a wheelchair may write to Whee4lchair Project Chairman Jata Ghosh, Knights of Columbus, 2213 Windsor Circle, Broomall, PA 19008 (610-353-0353).

  Also, anyone with a wheelchair in good condition that is not being used is asked to consider donating it.

********************

FREE grief sharing support group available

   GriefShare, a nationally recognized group for those recovering from the loss of a loved one through death, will meet at Cornerstone Christian Church, 2275 West Chester Pike in Broomall, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

   GriefShare features nationally recognized experts on grief recovery topics.  Seminar sessions include "The Journey of Grief", The Effects of Grief", "Your Family and Grief," "Why?" and "Stuck in Grief." For more information call 610-356-3385.

*********************

FREE H.E.L.P. Services Available

Ever wish you had a friend or relative to help you with some household or personal problem that you wish to solve?  Well, you might be able to find such a person through a new program that St. James United Church of Christ in Havertown has established:  H.E.L.P.  The acronym stands for Helping/Healing, Educating/Enriching, Learning/Listening, Planning/Problem solving, and the H.E.L.P. program is the brainchild of Rev. Lynn Lampman. 

Pastor Lynn has been at St. James Havertown for almost three years now, and among her many missions is for the members of the church to reach out and give to the community.  Since so many at St. James have useful skills and talents, Pastor Lynn thought that H.E.L.P. would be a great way for members to live their faith while addressing the real needs of our neighbors.  The H.E.L.P. program will connect community members with volunteers from St. James, and they will meet at mutually convenient times at the church’s lovely facilities at 135 Myrtle Avenue in Havertown.  There is never a charge for using H.E.L.P. services.

If you want more information, call St. James UCC Havertown at 610-446-3036.  Someone will answer your questions about the program and help to match you with a “talent sharer” who has volunteered to help in her/his area of expertise.  Their members have years of experience in their fields, whether it be organizing your personal finances, writing a new resume, finding the right college for yourself or your child, supporting you through a difficult patch, helping you find and develop a new and satisfying hobby, and many more.  In addition, their volunteers are especially enthusiastic.

So, please give St. James UCC a call and find out more. They are confident that they can H.E.L.P.

***************

Schoolhouse Planning an Evening with Investment  Experts

    During these difficult economic times, who doesn't have questions and concerns about what investments are a good fit with their particular life's financial plan?  On Thursday, September 19 at 7 p.m., Schoolhouse Center (600 Swarthmore Ave., Folsom) has been fortunate in securing the appropriate people to address your investment concerns. 

    The experts are Doug Hassenbein, Assis. Investor Coor-Pa. Banking &Securities, Linda Anderson, Esq., CELA, Dana Breslin, Esq., and Hollie McDonald, M&T Bank.   These knowledgable individuals can answer any questions and direct you to the services you'll need for peace of mind and a healthy portfolio.

    If you're 55 to 85 years and are currently weighing financial options, please join us for an informative evening. This is an informational session only.  There is no cost to this program.  Refreshments will be served.  Make your reservations by calling Jill Stabinski at Schoolhouse Center, phone number is 610 237-8100 or e-mail at jstabinski@scs-delco.org.