In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Delaware County Council and many from the Delaware County Team will join the Philadelphia Union, the City of Chester, Widener University, the CAAT Center, and the Making A Change Group to host an MLK Day of Service on January 16. 

Various events and projects will be held across the city of Chester to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King.

The day will begin at Calvary Baptist Church (1616 W. 2nd St., Chester, PA 19013) with a breakfast and information session. Volunteers are then invited to participate in a Peace March to MLK/Memorial Park (620 Engle St. Chester, PA 19013) followed by a community clean up. Clean-up groups will be assigned areas of the park and surrounding streets. After the cleanup, volunteers are invited to the CAAT Center (2300 W. 4th St. A211, Chester, PA 19013) where community-building activities will be held in honor of the legacy and spirit of the great Dr. King. 

Members of the community are encouraged to participate. Registration is preferred. When registering, please make sure to select the events you plan to attend.

Breakfast at Calvary Baptist

1616 W. 2nd St., Chester

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

(50 spots)

Peace March to MLK Park

Engle St., Chester

11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.

(200 spots)

Clean-up Acts of Service

Begins at Engle St., Chester

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

(100 spots)

Community Building / CAAT Center

2300 W. 4th St., A211, Chester

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

(50 spots)

Deadline for nominations is January 31

Women’s History Month is a month-long celebration, observed annually in March, during which we reflect upon women’s contributions to history, culture, and society in the United States. Each year, the National Women’s History Alliance selects a theme to help spotlight these contributions. This year’s theme—"Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories"—seeks to shed light on women, both past and present, who have been active and impactful across a storytelling medium: print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, news, or social media.

As part of the preparations for Women’s History Month, the Delaware County Women’s Commission (DCWC), is excited to call for nominations of exemplary Delaware County women who have made, or are actively making, significant contributions to storytelling. Women who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art and news, pursuing truth and reflecting society will be honored with special recognition during the DCWC Annual Awards Luncheon on March 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Corinthian Yacht Club at 300 W. 2nd Street in Essington.

The Commission will honor three Delaware County women (current or past residents) —who have either provided historical storytelling contributions, are currently active in storytelling, or are just embarking on their storytelling path and whose leadership and contributions have helped shape Delaware County.

Our story-telling colleagues, friends, and family members are essential to making our collective history visible and accessible, and we want you to help us spotlight these women!

Nominations can be made in one of three categories:

• Woman of Achievement Hall of Fame (Past) - Honors the memory of a deceased female leader
• Woman of Achievement (Present) - Honors a current female visionary leader from our community
• Woman of Achievement (Future) - Honors a young woman who is making a difference today, all within the context of our theme.

To nominate someone, please complete a Nomination Submission Online Form. You will be asked to provide the nominee’s basic information, explain why the person is worthy of special recognition, and include additional information such as a short biography, a photo, etc.

Nominations can also be submitted with a paper form. Print out the Nomination Submission PDF, complete the form as directed, and return it to the following address:

County of Delaware Government Center Building

Attention: Lauren Footman

201 W. Front St., Room 202

Media, PA 19063 

The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2023.

Please email delcowomenscommission@gmail.com with any questions or visit the DCWC web page for more information. Tickets to the DCWC Annual Awards Luncheon will be available on the DCWC web page (linked below) in mid-January. 

Please be sure to provide supporting info about why your nominee should receive special recognition!

Click for additional info about the Delaware County Women's Commission and the Annual Awards Luncheon

Delaware County Council is excited to start 2023, and we’d like to share some inspirational suggestions from our friends at Visit Delco!

Instead of just making those dreaded resolutions, celebrate the opportunity to focus on your own health and wellness. Regardless of your fitness level or interests, there are plenty of ways to make healthy choices and create new healthy habits in Delco.

For more ideas to keep you active and engaged in 2023, visit the Visit Delco website!

Delaware County is seeking board members for several County boards including:

• Delaware County Authority
• Delaware County Drug & Alcohol Planning Council
• Delaware County Industrial Development Authority
• Delaware County Planning Commission
• Delaware County Women's Commission
• Heritage Commission
• Visit Delco, PA

Applications for the Delaware County Authority, Delaware County Drug & Alcohol Planning Council, Delaware County Industrial Development Authority, Delaware County Planning Commission, and Delaware County Women's Commission will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 10. The deadline for applications for the Heritage Commission and Visit Delco, PA boards will be posted the Board Vacancies web page next week.

WHAT DO BOARDS DO?

Although the responsibilities and goals differ from one board to another, board members play a critical role in establishing oversight, defining the board’s mission and vision, improving the board’s focus and effectiveness, shaping the County’s culture, serving stakeholders, establishing and updating policies, setting goals, and measuring the board’s performance based on those goals.

Delaware County encourages interested residents who can contribute their time, energy, and passion, to complete the brief online application. Applicants must provide their name, address, contact information, current employer/occupation, a brief explanation as to why they are interested in serving on a particular Board, and attach an up-to-date resume.

DETAILS REGARDING BOARD OPENINGS

Delaware County Authority

Location: Leedom House, 1671 N. Providence Road, Media

Openings: 1 vacancy

Application Deadline: January 10, 2023

Details: CLICK HERE

Delaware County Drug & Alcohol Planning Council

Location: Government Center Building, Media, PA

Openings: 2 vacancies (1 with a background in Criminal Justice and 1 student under 25)

Application Deadline: January 10, 2023

Details: CLICK HERE

Delaware County Industrial Development Authority

Location: Delaware County Commerce Center, 100 W. 6th Street, Media, PA 19063

Openings: 1 vacancy

Application Deadline: January 10, 2023

Details: CLICK HERE

Delaware County Planning Commission

Location: Government Center Building, Media, PA

Openings: 5 vacancies: 2 at-large Positions; 1 Vacancy each in Districts 1, 2, and 3

Application Deadline: January 10, 2023

Details: CLICK HERE

Delaware County Women's Commission

Location: Government Center Building, Media, PA

Openings: 2 vacancies to a term ending June 2025

Application Deadline: January 10, 2023

Details: CLICK HERE (Details to be posted week of Jan. 9)

Heritage Commission

Location: Government Center Building, Media, PA

Openings: 1 vacancy 

Application Deadline: To be announced

Details: CLICK HERE (Details to be posted week of Jan. 9)

Visit Delco, PA

Location: Government Center Building, Media, PA

Openings: 1 vacancy 

Application Deadline: To be announced

Details: CLICK HERE

Beginning in January, the County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA), in partnership with the PA Department of Aging, will be offering two free programs that provide adults age 60 and over with tools and strategies to effectively deal with chronic pain or chronic disease.

Both are acclaimed evidence-based programs developed at Stanford University for people who live with either chronic pain or chronic illnesses. 

Both programs are free, but space is limited, and registration is required for each.

Registration required for this six-week evidence-based program to be held Wednesdays on Zoom beginning Jan. 18

COSA is offering the acclaimed Chronic Pain Self-Management Program, developed at Stanford University, for individuals 60 years of age and older who live with chronic pain. Topics include dealing with frustration, fatigue, isolation, and poor sleep; learning exercises to improve strength, flexibility, and endurance; using medications effectively; communication; nutrition; and evaluation of new treatments.

Chronic Pain Self-Management is the idea that individuals are in control over how they deal with their pain. Individuals are the experts with regards to their own bodies and therefore, play the biggest role in managing their pain in partnership with their healthcare providers. 

A staggering 1 in 5 people live with chronic pain, which can impact all aspects of a person’s life, causing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual distress.

The program will meet online, via Zoom, once a week for six weeks on Wednesdays from January 18 through February 22, 2023.

Classes are free, but space is limited, and registration is required.

Chronic Pain Self-Management Program

Wednesdays, Jan. 18 – Feb. 22

9:30 a.m. – 12 noon

Link provided after confirmation of registration

To register, contact Ellen Williams, COSA’s Health and Wellness Program Manager, by email at williamse@co.delaware.pa.us or by phone at (610) 499-1937 and provide your name, address, phone number and email if you have one.

Registration required for this engaging six-week evidence-based program held on the telephone on Fridays beginning Jan. 20

In addition to the Chronic Pain Program, COSA is also offering the acclaimed, evidence-based Steps to Healthy Living: Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, developed at Stanford University, for people 60 years of age and older who live with chronic disease. 

The program, conducted over the phone (a session may last up to 2 hours), provides participants with the self-care tools and life skills to support them in reaching their personal goals to manage their chronic conditions.

Illnesses like heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic diseases are leading causes of death and disability in America, and a leading driver of healthcare costs. 

The CDC has determined that more than 6 in 10 Americans live with at least one chronic disease and 4 in 10 adults have two or more of these conditions. 

If you are age 60 or older and living with a chronic condition, you know the daily challenges that chronic conditions bring, but this free, fun, and innovate program can help.  

Telephone-based sessions, lasting up to 2 hours and led by a trained leader, will be conducted for six weeks on Fridays from January 20 through February 24, 2023. 

Space is limited, and registration is required. Upon registration, a personal copy of the book Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions will be mailed to your home.

Steps to Healthy Living: Chronic Disease Self-Management Program

Fridays, Jan. 20 – Feb. 24

10 a.m. – 12 noon

Link provided after confirmation of registration

To register, contact Ellen Williams, COSA’s Health and Wellness Program Manager, by email at williamse@co.delaware.pa.us or by phone at (610) 499-1937 and provide your name, address, phone number and email address.

Tired of hitting paywalls? Unable to read that interesting-looking article in the Inquirer?

Delaware County Libraries has a solution!

In addition to its massive collections of 2.1 million print and online materials that are available to Delaware County residents, Delaware County Libraries provides an impressive variety of free resources, programs, and services to cardholders—many of which are largely unknown to residents.

One such resource is NewsBank, a daily-updated online resource that provides a comprehensive collection of reliable news sources covering a wide array of topics and issues.

Serving public libraries for more than 45 years, NewsBank offers online access to more than 12,000 titles from the U.S. and other countries around the globe and is considered the world’s premier provider of newspapers and other news sources. Cardholders will find current and archived information from thousands of newspaper titles, as well as newswires, web editions, blogs, videos, broadcast transcripts, business journals, periodicals, government documents and other publications.

Through NewsBank, Delaware County Library cardholders have quick and easy (and free!) access to digital content from newspapers such as the Delaware County Daily Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, and over 40 other regional newspapers, as well as content from dozens of periodicals such as Philadelphia Magazine. 

To access NewsBank and its vast collection of articles, Delaware County Library patrons can visit delcopa.gov/newsbank. For more information about library resources, visit the Delaware County Libraries website at www.delcolibraries.org or email support@delcolibraries.org.  

The holidays and start to the new year can be exhausting, but don’t snooze on getting your dog licensed for 2023!

If you own a dog in Pennsylvania, whether a Beagle or Bulldog, Dalmatian or Doberman, Saint Bernard or Shih Tzu, then you need to get a current 2023 dog license (it’s the law).

All dogs three months or older must be licensed by January 1 of each year. Licenses are valid from January 1 through December 31, regardless of when the license was purchased. This means that if you purchased an annual license for your dog a few weeks or months ago, that license was a 2022 license and expired on December 31.

Prices range slightly, depending on whether or not the dog is spayed or neutered, with discounts for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

There is also an option to purchase a lifetime dog license (which requires the dog to be tattooed or micro-chipped). 

To purchase your dog license online with a credit/debit card or echeck, go to the PA Dog License website at www.padoglicense.com. After completion of payment, a proof of license can be printed, and the license and tag will be mailed to you the following business day. 

To obtain duplicate tags, license transfers, a printed application, and more, visit the Treasurer's Office page on the Delaware County website.

To purchase your dog license online with a credit/debit card or e-check.

To obtain duplicate tags, license transfers, a printed application, and more.

Quick reminder! Delaware County Council, the County’s Planning Department, the County’s Office of Sustainability, and the County’s Parks and Recreation Department will hold a public Open House on January 14 to hear ideas and feedback from the community about the Master Plan for the new 213-acre County park in Marple Township.

“We are extremely excited about our new County park and we want to hear from residents from across the County about their ideas on how we can create a destination park and open space that will benefit all residents,” said Delaware County Council Vice Chair Elaine Paul Schaefer.

The creation of a park on the Don Guanella tract is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create an open and accessible public space that will provide immediate and ongoing economic, environmental, and quality of life benefits to the Delaware County community. The site is one of Delco’s largest forests.

Residents can view displays about the park, ask the Delaware County Planning Department questions, and provide ideas, concerns, and suggestions. A children’s’ table will also be set up to hear what the youngest Delco residents would like to have in a new park.

Public Open House for Delco’s New Park Master Plan

Saturday January 14

9:00 a.m. – 12 noon

Cardinal O’Hara High School Gym

1701 S. Sproul Road, Springfield, PA

For questions or more information on the Open House, please contact the Delaware County Planning Department by email at DelcoNewParkPlan@co.delaware.pa.us or by phone at (610) 891-5200.

Delaware County Govt Official 2023 Calendar

Meet your Delaware County Council members

The Delaware County Health Department website