Another Great Day in the City

Today I was lucky enough to take part in another great day in the City of Chester. Yes, I said another great day. For the children of Chester, this day will prove to be great; in time.

Last month, I was there for the opening and dedication of the First Tee of Suburban Philadelphia’s Eyre Park Learning Center (located in the parking lot adjacent from Chester High School) wherein the youth of the city will learn life skills through the game of golf. www.thefirsttee.org  There are four public elementary schools in the Chester Upland School District and the Phys. Ed. Programs will be incorporating golf and the First Tee Program into the curriculum.

Today, on a beautiful and sunny day I was there to see the dream of Mr. Carter, Mayor Wendell Butler, both native to Chester and a whole slew of other hard working and caring peoples’ dream come true with the opening of the new Boys’ and Girls’ club on East 7^th Street. As Mayor Butler said, “he was as proud as a peacock” (As he should be) and so were the many other folks that supported this project for so many years. A special shout-out to the Chester Water Authority and their unwavering and continued support of the Chester Boys’ and Girls’ club is warranted as well.

The building is beautiful and has a great gym (Basketball) floor. The learning center and the shelves full of books and learning materials for the academic programs were just as beautiful. I saw a pool table, a weight lifting area, sofas and chairs that the boys and girls of Chester will be able to use while staying safe and learning life skills that will surely improve their future. Improving the future of Chester City’s children is the motivation for Mayor Butlers’ getting out of bed each day. He feels like a proud father today and knows that many more of “his” children will be affected in a positive manner when they walk through the doors of the George C. Carter Recreation Center.

I often hear people say well, what can I do about the problems of the city (which are no different from any other city) and if I could help, I would but… Well, if you really want to help; I can tell you at least one way that you can help and be assured that at least one child will be affected by your generosity. The membership fee to join the Boys’ and Girls’ club is $30.00 a year.

 I equate helping youth in any area to voting. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the leadership. If you don’t get involved in some way to improve the life of children, or solve a problem, you can’t complain about that either. So, if you want to get involved; sponsor a child’s membership for one year. That is what I plan to do. It will cost you $30.00 and you will know in your heart that you were part of the solution for the future of Chester’s youth. www.chesterboysandgirlsclub.com If the economy has you unable to sponsor a membership, get in touch with Larry Yarbray, Executive Director and ask how you might be able to participate in the various mentoring and academic programs offered at the Chester Boys’ and Girls’ club. Larry is looking for a few good mentors, teachers and community leaders to get involved.

Through no small effort, Chester City can now offer soccer, golf, basketball and more opportunities for their kids to learn different skills than their parents were offered, and that is what the revitalization is all about. 

So, here is what I know and some of what I learned. The new facility for the Boys’ and Girls’ club in the City of Chester is beautiful. Children will have their lives changed because they belonged to the Boys’ and Girls’ club. Just ask Mr. Denzel Washington, Michael Jordan, and Jennifer Lopez, they all belonged to the Boys’ and Girls’ Club when they were children. I learned that 80% of the children in Chester are raised in single parent households and when there are strong programs and mentors to support those parents, the children thrive. When it comes to helping children succeed, any effort put forth is never a waste.

Until my next post, Go Native.

Diane Holefelder

Getting started

Ok, so I’ve jumped on the band wagon by somewhat embracing technology and writing a blog about what I know and what I learn about my native region; Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

What do you call ten newspaper professionals in one room? No, it’s not the unemployment line although that has been a sad reality with the inevitable decline of the support for print media. Today, it was the monthly meeting of The Press Club serving the Philadelphia region formerly known as the Delaware County Press Club.

The excitement in the room today was exhilarating for those who report the news, provide the news and support the news through advertising as well as for those who seek to learn more about how to reach people and improve business. The Press Club met for lunch at the Edgmont Country Club in Newtown Square and this was the meeting that would kick off their 2010-2011 season. There was a panel of 17 seasoned professionals who were eager to share their experiences, especially as of late; in the news and advertising industry. Social media was said to be the necessary evil for success today.

The lunch was marvelous especially for someone who often eats lunch in their car while heading from one meeting to another, and the crowd was large which was nice to see.  The buzz in the room and the size of the crowd made me take note of the human knowledge and the social experience that was taking place in the room. Sadly, in the “information age” the human experience that provides the social and cultural knowledge that it takes to succeed in business has gone almost by the way side and replaced by virtual social experiences such as LinkedIn and Face Book. I do struggle with the social media experience.

I was hoping that the panel discussion would not focus on the decline of print media as many of us look forward to feeling and reading the newspaper each day. I was not disappointed. The panelists were upbeat and looking forward to the new avenues that will allow them to reach readers and improve readership. Our own Delaware County native Phil Heron, Editor, Delaware County Daily Times as well as other news print professionals spoke of how email was king (which is almost funny for journalists who pride themselves on writing) and how copy and paste is crucial in today’s world of print media and reporting. Although exhausted from finding new ways and the time to report on minute to minute news and fighting for the right for life, Phil Heron stated, his existence proves that dinosaurs are not extinct and are evolving and adapting to coexist in today’s society.

So, here is what I know and some of what I learned. The organization formerly known as The Delaware County Press Club www.ThePressClubPA.org is alive and well and will meet in November for an escorted “behind the scenes” tour of PPL Park, the new soccer stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania. I can’t wait. The Edgmont Country Club serves a great lunch in a beautiful room with a view of the golf course. Face to Face interaction for business development and relationship building cannot be substituted, sorry Face Book fans. and if you want to feel the paper in your hands and read about what is happening in your native area, support your local newspaper. Oh and one more thing, the Press Club isn’t just for those who report on the news anymore!

Until my next post, GO NATIVE.

Diane Holefelder