The Great Valley Community Organization (GVCO) was visited by two members of the Chester County Department of Emergency Services (CCDES), Emergency Management Division, on Monday, January 29, 2024, to discuss future collaborative efforts in regard to mass care operations. CCDES seeks to utilize centralized locations when responding to and recovering from disasters. The mission and facility that GVCO encompasses provide a great fit and CCDES is excited to further conversations and working relationships with GVCO. | |
Pictured above: Kevin Beck, Community Outreach Coordinator; Nick Melchoirre, Safe Schools Coordinator | |
GVCO partnered with a wonderful non-profit out of Phoenixville that supports the homeless in Phoenixville, Pottstown and Norristown. Through many donations from the Great Valley community our GVCO Caring Hands foundation was able to supply Better Days Ahead with 150 Homeless Care Kits. The kits contained socks, gloves, deodorant, toothbrush, a flashlight, granola bar and many other small but essential items. The bags were donated to GVCO and about 30 students spent several hours at the GVCO Community Center on Sunday putting them all together. The kits were recently dropped off with Better Days Ahead to be delivered to those in need during these cold winter days. Kudos GV Community once again for stepping up and doing some outstanding stuff! | | |
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Thank you to all the families who donated your efforts allowed us to put together 150 care packages! Your support is invaluable to this community. | |
Badminton Is Coming Back To GVCO!
GVCO has recently been contacted by a local group to bring badminton back to GVCO. Pre-pandemic GVCO hosted a badminton program at the old GVBL Center. We are very excited to see the program re-started. Look for the shuttlecocks to be flying in the new GVCO Community Center beginning in March.
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Are you turning 65 years old? Are your parents turning 65? Is Medicare you or them? Come to a bi-monthly Medicare 101 seminar at GVCO.
There are a million things to know about healthcare and Medicare as you grow older. A long time GVCO friend and GV resident, Dana Matkovic, will be hosting a free 45 minute seminar along with a Q&A session about enrollment; what Medicare Parts A, B, C & D mean; cost sharing and benefits; and more. Come by for some coffee and donuts at the new GVCO Community Center, 51 N Bacton Hill Rd, Malvern on Thursday, February 22nd @9:00am. If interested, please RSVP.
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Ian's Boots Is Looking For New And Gently Used Shoes
Another local cause and great non-profit, In Ian's Boots of Pottstown has partnered with GVCO to help those in need to get a decent pair of shoes on their feet. Both adult and children size shoes, boots, sneakers and cleats are needed.
Through the end of February, look for the large collection bins in the GVCO lobby. Stop by, day or night and pop in and drop them off.
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Red Cross Blood Drive at the new GVCO Community Center
March 6th - 11AM - 4PM
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When the vision for the new GVCO Community Center came about, we had always felt it would be a great place for people to give blood. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Blood is essential to help patients survive surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries. This lifesaving care starts with one person making a generous donation. The need for blood is constant. But only about 3% of age-eligible people donate blood yearly. You can help the American Red Cross make sure that supply meets demand.
So please make some time, and register to give blood. In the Red Cross app, search using the sponsor code "gvco".
Students can donate if they are 16 with parental consent, please bring an ID with your date of birth and check out the teen eligibility.
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GVCO Pickleball In Full Swing! The GVCO Community Center's 4 new pickleball courts are open and getting some great play. | |
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Use the Team Reach app with a group code of "GVCOPB" to find available court time and who is playing. Since the beginning of January, the Picklers have been playing weekdays from 9am through 3:00pm. Now that GVCO has things rolling, look for increased hours including weekends and evenings.
Find out more about GVCO Pickleball
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Thank you to the 5 Caring Hands Volunteers who joined the East Whiteland Fire Company in their Gift Card Bingo!
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The GVHS Cooperative Education - Community Exploration Program is an option for seniors with enough credits to attend school for only part of the day.
Cooperative Education interns will assist GVCO with various programming, marketing and administrative responsibilities. The internship will last throughout the school year and will involve a stipend.
Additional information about this program can be found in the "Career Internship/Community Partnership" section of the Great Valley High School Course Guide. To apply, contact the GVHS Counseling office.
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The People's Pantry is a Malvern based non-profit supporting those with food insecurity in the local community. | |
In February and March, we will be supporting the People's Pantry at Church Road. | |
Looking For Camps For Your Kids This Summer? | |
GVCO is putting together its series of summer camps for kids from June through August. We are finalizing some of the details and the whole series of camps will be complete by the end of February. Stay tuned! | |
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Celebrate Earth Day with GVCO! | | |
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On the afternoon April 21st, GVCO will be hosting an electronic recycling event with The E-Waste Project. Save any unwanted cell phones, servers, switches, consoles , and other electronics to have them recycled and certified data destruction for any equipment that may contain sensitive/private information. | |
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SPCA Kong Making
Once again, Caring Hands will be hosting kong making for the SPCA in the coming months.
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Crew Registration is Open
High School and Middle School Students (grades 8-12) can register for Spring Crew.
Great Valley Crew will be rowing out of the John S. Trinsey Jr. Memorial Boathouse in Bridgeport. Students must provide their own transportation but carpooling is an option.
PRACTICES are MONDAY-WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY 3:45-6:15PM and SATURDAYS at Trinsey from 10AM to 1PM.
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Challenger Gym - March and April
Challenger Gym is a recreational community gym program for kids who have extra challenges. It is a fun hour of play where friendships are forged, and games and activities are adapted to make everyone feel successful. For many years, Challenger Gym has allowed those who may not find success in traditional community sports programs to laugh, run, jump, throw, make friends and shine! Registration is open for this free program.
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An integral piece of the Challenger Gym program is our Volunteer Buddies. They accompany our participants on every step, hop, roll, run and slide all while playing, encouraging, and generally having fun.
Volunteers are needed from 3:45-5:15PM on March 7, 14, 21; April 4, 11, 18. Volunteers are expected to try to attend most if not all of the sessions. The number of volunteers needed is dependent upon Challenger registrants. Register as a volunteer.
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In January and February, Challenger Hoopsters athletes dribbled through obstacles, practiced shooting and team passing with all activities modified as needed! The emphasis was on fun.
The volunteers helped with the activities and keeping the kids stay engaged. Challenger Hoopsters was a way to help both physical and social skills.
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Analysis shows a greater likelihood of survival when a bystander used AED (67%) rather than wait for emergency medical services to shock the heart (43%). | |
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Did anyone happen to notice the extremely important additions in the center recently?
Tina and Tom Hall Sr. have graciously donated two AED's to our new GVCO Community Center.
You will find these at either end of the building. Steve Mazzone was nice enough to stop by and install them a week or so ago.
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Thank you Tina and Tom for making our GVCO Community Center complex a much safer place for our GV community. | | |
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Financing the New GVCO Community Center | |
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It's time for everyone in our Great Valley community to GIVE BACK. The community's support over the past six years has been tremendous [Donor List (2/14/24) ]. Let's finish what we started, paying off the debt and moving forward with the next phase of the project. To do this, the support must continue and be more broad based.
We are asking for help from the entire Great Valley private, public and business community.
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For further details on the project, how you can make a significant financial impact or information with regard to Naming Rights for the complex and areas throughout the project, please reach out to Keith Walsh at execdirector@gvco.org | |
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Rendering of the 1st Phase of the
GVCO Community Center.
See the vision of our new Great Valley Community Center when all phases are finished. Find out some of what we plan to offer at a fully completed complex.
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More Ways to Support GVCO | | |
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Do You Match?
Did you know your employer might have a Matching Gifts program?
It's a great way to contribute and help GVCO complete the entire new GVCO Community Center project.
Use code #47309 for GVCO!
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