Frankford Gazette » Miscellaneous

Frankford Artisans, Register for Philly’s Open Studio Tours!

Jim — Tue, 22 May 2012 03:19:32 +0000

Calling all Frankford artists, Philly’s Open Studio Tours has registration open until June 1, to get involved in opening up your work space for tours. Studios east of Broad Street are set for tours October 15th and 16th. Frankford artist Jason Roberts and various residents at the Globe Dye Works participated last year. They were mistakenly located in Port Richmond, grrrrrh! Register here. I would love for the public to check out Mezalick Design, located under the El, this year.

4728 Griscom Street Cleanup

Gil — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:00:49 +0000

Back on May 6th we posted about the Frankford Civic meeting and the complaints about the 4700 block of Griscom. It did not take long before things started happening by way of the Frankford CDC cleaning up and sealing 4728 Griscom Street. It had been an ongoing concern to the CDC (which owns the building) but what made it more of a problem was that a squatter had taken possession of that building. Squatters are difficult to deal with but the opportunity presented itself and possession of the building was secured.

The alley between 4728 and the building next door (4732-34 Griscom) which is owned by the city was also cleaned. The pictures below show what was done. Now the challenge will be to keep it that way. We’re hoping some concerned residents will come to the PSA1 meeting on Tuesday May 22nd to talk to the police about the problems they are having on the block.

Frankford Garden Club to Meet Tuesday the 22nd

Janet Bernstein — Sat, 19 May 2012 14:33:24 +0000

Hello Frankford Garden Club members. We are meeting this coming Tuesday at 6:30 PM at the Wissinoming Park playground.

We need to set a schedule for our summer garden visits
We have to get City Garden Contest information. Who wants to be in the Contest? Who wants to be a Judge?
Pick a trip to go on!
Report on our very successful Plant Sale (Sandra is bringing irises for all who want them)

If you have not joined yet, it is never too late! You can join anytime. The membership form and description of what we do are linked here and here.

Hope to see you at the meeting.

jamberstone@gmail.com

Teens Interested in Animal Welfare

Gil — Sat, 19 May 2012 12:00:39 +0000

The Pennsylvania SPCA is partnering with Exploring, a hands-on career shadowing program for teens and young adults, to offer a new volunteer program for teens interested in learning more about careers in the field of animal welfare.

“We are excited to work with the Exploring organization to offer this valuable program to the public,” said Marc Peralta, chief operating officer at the Pennsylvania SPCA. “This program will complement our vibrant adult volunteer program, and is a great way for students to learn about different careers in animal welfare while performing valuable volunteer work at the Pennsylvania SPCA.”

Young people ages 16-20 are invited to attend an open house of the new Animal Welfare Post 1867 (350 E. Erie Avenue, Philadelphia) on Wednesday, May 23 from 4 to 6 p.m. Teens under the age of 18 should attend with their parent or guardian. Following the open house, participants will take part in a six-week educational series from 4 to 6 p.m. every other Wednesday through August 8 (except July 4). Each session will feature a different topic in animal welfare and introduce participants to various careers including animal care attendant, veterinary medicine, humane law enforcement and animal training among others. Following the educational session each week, students will have an hour of hands-on volunteering activity working alongside the staff of the Pennsylvania SPCA.

Exploring is a hands-on shadowing program for teens operated through the Learning for Life program of the Cradle of Liberty Council Boy Scouts of America. Some of Philadelphia’s most visible businesses volunteer their efforts and knowledge and invite students to come to their offices behind the scenes and learn the details of pursuing an education and career in their specialty fields. Exploring is open to all interested students in Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware counties.

Space is limited. To learn more about the Animal Welfare Explorers Post 1867, contact Tiffany Minicozzi, Exploring & Learning for Life Executive, at 484-654-9223 or via E-mail at tminicozzi@colbsa.org or visit the Web site www.careerexploring.org.

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About the Pennsylvania SPCA:

Since 1867, the Pennsylvania SPCA, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization headquartered at 350 East Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, has been dedicated to preventing animal cruelty and rescuing animals from abuse and neglect. The Pennsylvania SPCA’s lifesaving programs for animals include a low-cost veterinary clinic, low-cost spay and neuter services, pet adoption facilities, and the Pennsylvania SPCA Humane Law Enforcement Department. For more information about adopting, donating or volunteering, please call 215.426.6300 or visit www.pspca.org.

About Exploring:

Exploring is a hands-on shadowing program for teens. Some of Philadelphia’s most visible businesses volunteer their efforts and knowledge and invite students to come to their offices behind the scenes and learn the details of pursuing an education and career in their specialty fields. Exploring is open to all interested students in Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware counties. To learn more visit www.careerexploring.org.

Coming Up in Frankford 5/19 to 6/15/2012

Gil — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:00:17 +0000

Northwood Town Watch

When – Sat, May 19, 9am – 10am

Where – Knights of Columbus, 5323 Oxford Avenue (map)

Description – New members invited to sign up if you missed the first meeting last Tuesday.
15th District PDAC Community Day
When – Sat, May 19, 10am – 2pm

Where – Frankford and Cottman Aves.
Perennial Plant Sale

When – Sat, May 19, 10am – 1pm

Where – Overington Park, Leiper and Orthodox Sts. (map)

Description – We will be planting our flower beds, seeding the beds and giving away seed packs to our volunteers. We are also having a perennial plant sale at the same time in the park. We will be selling plants gathered by our members, the Frankford Garden Club, and anyone else who would like to donate their overflow of plants. As we get closer I might have more information on what plants are available.
Summer Camp Expo

When – Sat, May 19, 2:00pm – 3:30pm

Where – Gambrel Recreation Center – 4800 block of Ditman Street (map)

Description – PhillyRising will be hosting a Summer Camp Expo at Gambrell Rec Center.The expo is an opportunity for parents to find out about summer camp providers in their neighborhood. It is provided as a service to the public; there is no cost to providers for hosting a table and no cost to residents to attend.
JAMES GALWAY

When – Mon, May 21, 4pm – 5pm

Where – Frankford Branch of the Free Library, 4634 Frankford Ave (map)

Description – JAMES GALWAY will bring his reptilian friends to the Frankford Branch of the Free Library, 4634 Frankford Ave on Monday May 21, 2012 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Come and see Mr. Galway’s snakes, lizards and other reptiles, ask him questions, and even hold a snake if you want! Free, fascinating and fun for the whole family. Call 215-685-1473 or email baxterb@library.phila.gov for more information.
PSA 1

When – Tue, May 22, 7pm – 7pm

Where – FRANKFORD HOSPITAL / 2ND FL CONFERENCE ROOM (4900 FKD AVE) (map)

Description – PSA 1 PROGRESS, CONCERNS, ACTION PLAN
Discover the history and process of paper making

When – Wed, May 23, 4pm – 5pm

Where – Frankford Branch of the Free Library, 4634 Frankford Ave (map)

Description – Discover the history and process of paper making and try it yourself at the Frankford Branch of the Free Library. Presenter Richard Aldorasi is an artist, educator, and founder of the Philadelphia Handmade Paper Company. Free; recommended for ages 12 and up. Call 215-685-1473 or email baxterb@library.phila.gov for more information.
Filling in the Blanks and Connecting the Dots

When – Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Where – Campbell AME and 2nd Baptist Churches (map)

Description – First Annual Frankford Freedom Fighters Event
Northeast Philadelphia EPIC Stakeholders Group

When – Thu, May 31, 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Where – Aria Hospital’s Frankford Campus (4900 Frankford Avenue) in the 2nd floor meeting room. Philadelphia, PA 19124 (map)

Description – The ultimate goal is to create a process that enhances the community’s ability to solve issues surrounding truancy, domestic violence, child safety and substance abuse.
Frankford Youth Rally Sponsored by NE EPIC Stakeholders

When – Fri, June 1, 10am – 3pm

Where – Large and Wakeling St. (map)

Description – Food, Games and performances – Healthy relationships, violence prevention, health and wellness, HIV/AIDS awareness, drug and alcohol awareness, summer youth employment, college resources
Health Fair
When – Fri, June 1, 11am – 2pm

Where – Aria Health Parking Lot
Grand Army of the Republic Museum Open House

When – Sun, June 3, 12pm – 5pm

Where – 4278 Griscom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19124 (map)

Description – Presentation at 1:30 PM: With the 71st PV at the Angle at Gettysburg by Dan Cashin
Friends of the library meeting

When – Wed, June 6, 5:30pm – 6:30pm

Where – Frankford Branch Library Meeting Room (map)

Description – Topics to be covered will include the book sale, and summer programs
Friends of Overington Park

When – Wed, June 6, 7pm – 8pm

Where – Overington Park – Leiper and Orthodox Streets (map)

Description – Come out and discuss our park and what we an do to make it a safe and pleasant place for everyone. If it is raining that day then the meeting will be held at the Frankford Historical Society.
POETICISM

When – Thu, June 7, 3:45pm – 4:30pm

Where – Frankford Branch of the Free Library, 4634 Frankford Ave. (map)

Description – Listen to, create,critique and share your words. Presenter: Jaamil Kosko, founder, Philadiction. Ages 12 and up. 215-685-1473 or baxterb@freelibrary.org to register
Frankford Civic Association Meeting
When – Thu, June 7, 7pm – 8pm

Where – 2nd floor conference room, Aria Health, 4900 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124
Community Planning Meeting

When – Tue, June 12, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Where – St. Martin of Tours School, 5450 Roosevelt Blvd. (map)

Description – Review input from the first community meeting. Hear draft recommendations for the plan.Work with City Planning Commission staff to determine future development scenarios.
Historical Society of Frankford program

When – Tue, June 12, 7:30pm – 9:00pm

Where – 1507 Orthodox St., Philadelphia, PA 19124 (map)

Description – SPRING TEA – FLAGS OF THE CONFEDERACY PHILADELPHIA FLAG DAY ASSOCIATION – Michael C Axelrod, Vice President – Frankford provided more recruits for the Civil War than any other town of its size in America. Learn more about this “War Between the States” through a display and presentation of Flags of the Confederacy. This is our traditional Spring Tea, so bring refreshments to share.

Frankford Community Health Fair

Frankford Community Development Corporation — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:24:21 +0000

Please join The Frankford CDC, Health Partners, and Aria Health on June 1st!

Frankford CDC Brings Expert Architect and Planner to the Ave

Frankford Community Development Corporation — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:29:24 +0000

Good design is a crucial part of a successful business and a thriving business district. That is why we were thrilled to bring design and architecture expert Kathleen Lambert directly to our business corridor this past Tuesday. Ms. Lambert, who has over 20 years of experience in architecture and planning, spent an hour with each participating business, discussing everything from interior design guaranteed to bring more customers in to the shop to facade changes intended to create a safer, more welcoming main street.

Ms. Lambert’s visit is just another in our on-going series of business development events. Over the past year, the Frankford CDC has held individualized counseling sessions with SCORE, Third Federal Bank, and the Small Business Administration, and we have ever intention of continuing to bring the experts right here to our community. The CDC believes that facilitating these opportunities for our business owners, and bringing resources right here to Frankford, is a critical part of our job.

We hope that Ms. Lambert will join us again, though we realize that the CDC and our partners on the Avenue now have the hard job: following up on all of her excellent recommendations!

If you’re interested in making an appointment with Ms. Lambert, please contact the CDC at 215-743-6580.

Imagining Frankford in Our Own Words

Gil — Sun, 13 May 2012 17:09:24 +0000

Dear Frankford,

We have been so honored to spend the past 6-9 months with you, hearing
your stories and learning about the neighborhood- its past and the
hopes you have for it.

You can now go online to catch a glimpse of what you have shared with
us: http://www.youtube.com/user/imaginingfrankford

Thank you for being so welcoming and generous! We hope that you will
share these videos with your fellow community members. Because there
were so many, it is going to take us a moment to edit all of them. As
they are completed they will be added to the website.

In the meantime, Cesar is working hard to design the 5 corridor
murals. Please check your in-boxes in June for news about this process
and how you can participate in the final mural design meetings.

Thanks for your support,

Netanel and Cesar
http://muralarts.org/explore/projects/imagining-frankford

Netanel Portier
Project Manager
City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program
The Lincoln Financial Mural Arts Center
at the Thomas Eakins House
1727-29 Mount Vernon Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130
215-685-0725 (office)
856-906-0078 (cell)
215-685-0757 (fax)

Make your donation to the Mural Arts Program today! Visit muralarts.org/support

Frankord Gazette Interview with the Frankford CDC Part 3

Gil — Sun, 13 May 2012 12:00:10 +0000

This is the third segment of the interview we did back in November with Tracy O’Drain and Michelle Feldman of the Frankford CDC. What does Michelle’s job encompass.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Frankford CDC Update

Frankford Community Development Corporation — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:54:31 +0000

Almost a year ago, the Gazette published a guest post from the Frankford CDC detailing our efforts and future plans. A lot has happened since the writing of that piece, and so much of it has been positive.

First and foremost, our offices now house a computer lab free and open to the public, thanks to PhillyRising, Temple University’s Computer Recycling Center, and Aria Health. We were thrilled that Mayor Nutter came out to Frankford to dedicate the lab, and that over 80 different individuals so far have made their way to our offices to take advantage of this great new resource. And we’ve only just begun to use the lab to its fullest potential: we offered free computer training classes just a few weeks ago as part of Philly Tech Week, in partnership with State Representative Tony Payton and the People’s Emergency Center. In the coming months and years, we plan to continue hosting workshops and classes, and to keep spreading the word about the lab.

We have also launched several new programs in the last few months, including a partnership with Aria Health to spotlight the businesses along the Avenue and an initiative with NorthEast Treatment Centers to keep the Avenue clean. We’ve also partnered with Frankford High School to organize a roundtable with some of our community’s best food entrepreneurs – bringing business owners in direct contact with budding ones.

In addition, FCDC has markedly stepped up our communications efforts, to great success we believe. Our facebook and twitter accounts are updated constantly, aimed at creating buzz about Frankford. We also consistently post videos on our YouTube channel, and recently created a Pinterest page to again highlight Frankford’s many assets. We firmly believe we have generated interest in our community through our marketing campaign, and will have some exciting partnerships to announce before the end of the summer.

The CDC is also in the midst of planning its special events for the coming summer and fall: a community health fair with Aria Health and Health Partners, a re-reading of the Declaration of Independence at Womrath Park, another series of Second Saturday arts festivals, and an even more haunting Haunted History Tour. Stay tuned for dates, times and locations. We’d love your input as we plan these events, and we’d love to hear ideas for future ones!

Even as we expand our scope of services, we are still focused on small business development and attraction. Over the last year we have brought two new businesses to Frankford, and are working strategically to bring several more. Our increased media presence is intended in part to help bring shoppers and new business owners to the Avenue, and we believe we are having an effect.

We at the Frankford CDC love what we do, from working with wonderful small business owners to planning events and forging larger development projects. And we love talking to as many people as possible about Frankford and our plans. So don’t hesitate to contact us at 215-743-6580, or to stop by our offices at 4900 Griscom Street.

A better Frankford, and a better Philadelphia, will not come about unless we all get involved.