A few more freebies that I forgot to mention...

Swarthmore Presbyterian Hosts Free Peacemaking Conference October 18 -20

A three-day peacemaking conference, “Conflict, Faith, Peace,” October 18, 19, and 20, at the Swarthmore Presbyterian Church (SPC) will be led by Dr. Patrick Henry, former member and elder of the church and professor of religion at Swarthmore College from 1967 to 1984.
Dr. Henry will outline the overall scope of the conference at 7:30 on Friday evening, October 18.  He says that “The conference will portray peacemaking and the life of faith in a way that neither masks the ambiguities nor despairs at the difficulties, so that people are inspired and energized for effective and sustained individual and collective effort.”
Saturday morning will feature brief presentations by Dorie Friend, president of Swarthmore College 1973-82; Doug Bedell, a journalist and former elder of the church; and Susan Landau, a psychotherapist and a member of Congregation Mishkan Shalom in Philadelphia.
Saturday afternoon will begin with a production of a portion of the play Protest by Vaclav Havel, who in a short space of time moved from prison to the presidency of Czechoslovakia.  There will be brief presentations by Albert Manwaring, a lawyer and army veteran who served in Iraq, and Anne Yoder, Mennonite and archivist of the Swarthmore College Peace Collection.  The afternoon will conclude with a video on peacemaking created by youth in the church.
Dr. Henry, who from 1984 through 2004 was executive director of the Collegeville [Minnesota] Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, will sum up the conference in SPC’s education hour at 9:30 Sunday morning and preach at the 10:30 service of worship.
All parts of the conference are free and open to the public, thanks to contributions to SPC’s peacemaking committee in memory of Barkley Fritz and Margaret Getaz, lifelong peacemakers and members of the church, which is located at 727 Harvard Avenue in Swarthmore.  Advance registration is requested.  Church buildings are handicap accessible.
On October 27, a week after the conference, Shervin Malekzadeh, a member of the political science faculty at Swarthmore College, will lead a discussion on the current situation in Syria and the Middle East at 9:30 a.m.  Guests are welcome at both sessions and for worship immediately following at 10:30.

Free music and family fun at Ridley Park Fall Festival Sunday

  Main Streets of Ridley Park will present its Fourth Annual Ridley Park Festival 1-6 pm Sun. (Oct. 13) in downtown Ridley Park, surrounding Borough Hall and the Fire Department (Ward Street) over to the
business district, just off Swarthmore Avenue.
  Everyone is invited to bring friends and neighbors for a day full of family fun, with live entertainment, craft vendors and a variety of food.
  The Ridley Park Fall Festival has grown to over 7,000 visitors. Vendors are still being accepted but space is limited. Visit www.mainstreetsofridleypark.com for additional information and vendor applications.
Highlights of the festival include:
• Pumpkins in the Park Car Show with over 50 antique, hot rod and classic cars on display. A
DYNO machine will once again be available.
• Live music on two stages featuring: Chico’s Vibe, 4 Play, Wall Street, and Sarah Spicer on
the Main Stage; and Kyleigh Bleacher, the Mr. Nick Band, The Saints, The Ridley HS Drama
Club, and The Ridley Park Presbyterian Church Praise Group, on the Community Stage
• Hay rides all day long
• Puppet Show sponsored by the Friends of the Ridley Park Library
• Paintball at the Athletic Club, presented by the Ridley Park Swim Club
• Tribute to Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Barnstormers Play house
• Open House at the Ridley Park Fire Department
It is highly recommended that visitors park at designated lots at the Ridley Park Middle School or Lakeview Elementary. A free shuttle van will be available all day for visitors who take advantage of the parking lots. Alternatively, the Ridley Park train station is just steps away from all of the action. Trains run every hour on weekends. Check the local schedule at www.septa.org.
  Sponsorship plays a large role in the success of the festival and opportunities are still available at every price level. For information, call Michelle Mattus at 267?250?3300 for more information. For more information on Main Streets, visit www.mainstreetsofridleypark.com/.

Free Copies of New Delaware County Public Transportation Map and Guide Available 

The third edition of the Delaware County Public Transportation Map and Guide is available to the public, for free, at county libraries, municipal offices, major businesses, education and medical facilities, shopping areas, and senior care centers in Delaware County, as well as the transportation information kiosk in the lobby of the Government Center building in Media. The guide serves as a reference to SEPTA’s public transit system in Delaware County, as well as an information guide. Delaware County Council Member Colleen Morrone introduced the new edition of the guide at a recent council meeting. For more information, contact Alex John, Transit Planner at 610-891-4396 or johna@co.delaware.pa.us.
 
FREE Career planning workshop

  Area residents looking for a career shift may attend a free “Career Planning in Contemporary Times” workshop sponsored by the Delaware County Workforce Investment Board to be held 1 to 3p.m., Tuesday (Oct. 15) at Delaware County Community College, 901 South Media Line Road.
  The interactive workshop will help attendees explore their interests to determine career decisions and employment search.
  To register call CareerLink at 610-723-1220 Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30p.m.

Harvest Festival and Parade in Concord- All free but the food!

  Concord Township will welcome the season in style with two days of autumnal events.
The community will help “Carve Out Cancer” Oct. 25, with a display of sculpted pumpkins along the walking trail on Smithbridge Road. Residents should drop their pared pumpkins between 5:15 and 6:30p.m., with strollers invited to view them from 6:30 to 7:30p.m.
Prizes will be awarded for the most creative designs and students from the Garnet Valley High School Art Honor Society will participate. Apple cider and cookies from Viso's Bakery will be provided and all donations will be given to the Lung Cancer Foundation.
Pooches donning their favorite attire will compete in the dog costume contest, to be held 11a.m., Oct. 26, at the Concord Dog Park, 40 Bethel Road. Prizes will be awarded for the most elite ensembles.
The fun will continue that afternoon with the Harvest Festival and Halloween Parade, also held at the township par and rec. building, 40 Bethel Road. The event, from 1 to 4p.m., will begin with a costume parade at 1:30, followed by hay rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin painting and live music.
The Concord Township Historical Society will present a display of the township’s past, such as farm machinery. Antique cars, hot rods, trucks and SUVs will also be presented. To add to the assortment, the organizers are seeking exotic vehicles from 2000-2010.
Entries for the bake contest should be presented between 9 and 11a.m. and prizes will be awarded.
The event is FREE, with the exception of the cost of lunch. The rain date is 1 to 4p.m., Oct. 27.

 Media Slates Halloween Fun for Borough Kids

  The Media Recreation Board will host its annual Halloween Extravaganza for Media Borough children 11:30 to 1:30, Saturday (Oct. 26) at the Community Center, fourth and Monroe Sts. (Prior to the Annual Halloween Parade.)
  There will be games, food, and goodie bags. Costumes are welcome and prizes for the best costumes will be awarded in two age groups: infants to 5 years old and 6 to 10 years old.

Aston to Host Free ‘Anything with a Plug’ Recycling

  Aston Township will sponsor a recycling collection event 9 to 1, Saturday (Oct. 19) at the Township Community Center, 3270 Concord Road. Workers will unload items from vehicles while attendees wait.
  This special e-waste recycling collection is intended for the following items: toys, computers, laptops, televisions, cell phones, mobile devices and more. “Anything with a Plug” will be accepted and recycled…except large appliances, smoke detectors, and rear-projection TVs. A $20 processing fee will be required to accept glass (tube) TVs and computer monitors, but all other unwanted electronics will be accepted free of charge.
  All materials collected will be recycled in an environmentally friendly manner and for security, all media data collected is destroyed.
  This free service is provided by Aston Township and all material collected will be processed by eForce Compliance, certified electronic recycler. eForce provides a full staff of professional e-waste experts to handle and transport all material collected, and in the process creates sustainable green jobs.
  For more information about the types of materials accepted, visit the web site at www.eforcecompliance.com or call 215-964-6665.

No cost to meet author Lisa Scottoline

   NY Times bestselling author and Philly native, Lisa Scottoline, will be launching her latest thriller, “Accused” on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at noon at Barnes & Noble, 1805 Walnut Street, Phila. Later that evening, at 7 p.m., she will be at the Barnes & Noble, 150 West Swedesford Road, Devon.  “Accused”  brings back her fan’s favorite characters from her popular Rosato & Associates series.

Halloween Safety Storytime Offered

 The Aston Library will host a Halloween Safety Story Time on both Oct. 15 and 17 at 10:30a.m.

  Officer Thomas Giancristoforo of the Aston Police Dept. will talk to the children about Halloween safety. 

  Also, Ms. Joanne will reading the book, Keeping You Safe, by Ann Owen.  Each child will receive a special bag including a glow stick and other items. This storytime is for ages 2 through 6.  Go to www.tinyurl.com/astonkidsevents to register.

  The library is at 3270 Concord Road, Aston. 

Friday Movie Night launches new youth group

Concord Liberty Presbyterian Church will host a movie night, 6:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11 for all children in grades 3 through 5.  This is the kick-off event for their new youth group, “Ignite.”  Dr. Seuss’ “Horton Hears a Who” will be shown, snacks will be provided and movie trivia games will be played throughout the evening.  All children in grades 3 through 5 are welcome and encouraged to attend; affiliation or membership in the church is not required. 

Ignite will meet throughout the year every other Friday night, beginning on Oct. 11.  The group will be lead by four adult members of Concord Liberty and will provide a safe place for kids to come and hear music, play games, participate in drama activities, learn life lessons from the Bible and talk about the issues they face on a daily basis. 

 “We have a lot of fun things planned, and are excited to let the community know what we’re doing”, says Lauri Cunningham, one of the group’s leaders.  “We will be doing a lot of community service projects this year beginning with a canned food drive on Nov. 3.  We want to teach the children from a young age the importance of serving others.”

In addition to community service, Ignite will give children a fun place to gather on Friday nights.  Ignite leader Jill Zoghby says, “The kids are so much fun and have so much to offer. It’s always great when you get them together and they want to tell you about their lives and their stories.  If you can play games and have snacks while doing that it’s really a lot of fun for both the kids and the leaders.” 

Concord Liberty Presbyterian Church is at 256 Bethel Road, Glen Mills.  For more information, visit www.concordliberty.org or e-mail Ignite @concordliberty.org.  

Expo for Job Seekers Oct. 24 at Springfield Country Club

Access to Jobs EXPO Day will be held Thursday, Oct. 24 at Springfield Country Club to help persons seeking employment.  Job seekers can attend the free event to meet with recruiters and human resources personnel from throughout the region. Everyone is welcome.

Senator Pileggi Hosts FREE Kids’ Fun Fair Oct. 12

  Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-9) will host a free Kids’ Fun Fair 11a.m. to 2p.m., Saturday (Oct. 12), rain or shine, at Sun Valley High School, 2881 Pancoast Ave, Aston.

  Parents and grandparents are encouraged to attend with their children and grandchildren.

  “The Kids’ Fun Fair features many interactive and educational exhibits,” Senator Pileggi said. “In addition, representatives from a wide variety of community organizations and government agencies will be there with information about the services they provide for area families and children.”

  The Philadelphia Zoo will present its Zoo on Wheels “Who’s Who at the Zoo” program, and the Franklin Institute will offer its Traveling Science Show. Other activities include music, face-painting, a Moonbounce, and refreshments.

  For information, contact Senator Pileggi’s district office at 610-447-5845 or e-mail Michelle Lewis at mlewis@pasen.gov.