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The Delaware County Weekly
Bringing Delco news and information directly to our residents!
—— March 8, 2024 (111th edition) ——
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President Biden Visits Delco | |
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President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden visited Strath Haven Middle School in Wallingford on Friday, March 8. Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor, Vice Chair Richard Womack, Council Member Elaine Paul Schaefer, Council Member Christine Reuther, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, and various local leaders attended the invite-only visit.
CEO and Pharmacist of Springfield Pharmacy Chichi Ilonzo Momah took the stage to introduce the President and First Lady.
During this notable visit to Delco, President Biden engaged with the community, visiting local small business owners and a nonprofit organization, demonstrating his commitment to understanding and supporting the local economy and organizations who assist residents in need.
Delco has been chosen to host several Presidential visits over the years. President Biden previously visited a business in Chester in 2021. Presidential visits to Delco have also included President George W. Bush’s stop at the Drexelbrook in Drexel Hill in 2003, a stop by President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara at the Springfield Municipal building in 1992, and President Reagan’s two visits to Delaware County where he gave a speech at the Delaware Courthouse in 1984 and visited Upper Darby High School in 1988. Going back further, President Nixon visited Wayne in 1972, and President Lyndon B. Johnson attended Swarthmore College’s 91st Commencement June in 1964.
We’re honored to have been chosen to host six United State Presidents over the years!
Thank you to Nether Providence Police and Fire Departments, Delaware County’s Police Major Incident Response Team, and Delaware County Emergency Services for ensuring the safety of our community during the visit.
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CEO and Pharmacist of Springfield Pharmacy Chichi Ilonzo Momah introduces the President | |
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden take the stage at Strath Haven Middle School | |
Fair Acres Recognized as one of “America's Best Nursing Homes” by Newsweek | |
Delaware County’s Fair Acres Geriatric Center, owned and operated by the County of Delaware, has been named one of “America’s Best Nursing Homes for 2024” by Newsweek.
Out of 12,273 nursing homes analyzed across the country, Newsweek selected the top 750 for recognition. Performance data, peer recommendations, the handling of COVID-19, facility’s accreditations, and resident satisfaction were taken into consideration, with Fair Acres ranking 26th among Pennsylvania nursing homes.
“This is a well-deserved honor and a testament to the hard-working and dedicated staff at Fair Acres, led by Director Bill D’Amico,” said Delaware County Council Member Christine Reuther. “The last few years have been extraordinarily challenging for those who work at long-term care facilities due to the pandemic, and we are extremely proud of how the Fair Acres leadership and team navigated that difficult period with compassion for their residents and unwavering professionalism.”
Fair Acres, located in Lima, is the largest skilled nursing facility in Delaware County, accommodating up to 774 residents at any given time, and has been in operation and providing quality care to the residents of Delaware County for over 200 years.
Fair Acres provides long term care for any adult, young or old, with a demonstrated need for 24-hour-a-day nursing care and also offers short term rehabilitation stays.
In addition, Fair Acres serves as a geriatric training site for local colleges, universities, and nursing schools.
More information, including the rankings, can be found on Newsweek's America's Best Nursing Homes 2024 web page.
Residents interested in more information about Fair Acres, including enrollment requirements, can visit the Fair Acres website.
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Rumors About Delaware County Hospitals Housing Immigrants Are Untrue | |
Recently, rumors about the future of Delaware County hospitals have been shared that have absolutely no truth to them. The rumors claim that Delaware County Memorial Hospital and Springfield Hospital will be converted to house immigrants in Delaware County.
There is absolutely no truth to this rumor.
Some social media posts also claim that County Council voted on the decision to use the hospitals to house immigrants in Delaware County. There is absolutely no truth to that rumor either.
Delaware County Memorial Hospital and Springfield Hospital are owned by Prospect Medical Holdings and both hospitals are currently for sale. The County does not have the authority to vote on the use of the buildings.
In order to ease the concerns of residents, the County contacted Prospect Medical Holdings and were informed that the rumors circulating are absolutely false and that Delaware County Memorial Hospital and Springfield Hospital will be not converted to house immigrants in Delaware County.
Rumors and misinformation can fuel immigration paranoia, spread hate, and create fear.
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Delaware County Council Participates in America250PA Celebration at Park Lane Elementary in Darby | County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor, Council Vice Chair Richard Womack, and Council Member Elaine Paul Schaefer visit students as part of the America250PA’s Keystone Classroom Initiative | |
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Delaware County Council was excited to join representatives of America250, including America250PA Executive Director Cassandra Coleman, America250PADelco Director Andrea Silva, elected officials including PA State Rep. and Speaker of the House Joanna E. McClinton, State Rep. Carol Kazeem, and State Rep. Jennifer O'Mara, members of the Pennsylvania State Police, Teen Miss Luzerne County 2024 Maille McNicholas, and Rosemont College’s mascot Renny the Raven at Park Lane Elementary School in Darby this week as part of America250PA’s Keystone Classroom Initiative.
The Keystone Classroom Initiative, a dynamic storytelling and visitation program, engages pre-K through fourth grade classrooms, children's hospitals, and youth camps across the Commonwealth, by bringing together historical reenactors, storytellers, local celebrities, and elected officials to educate young minds about our shared Pennsylvania history and the pivotal contributions of our state to the broader story of our nation.
|  | Delaware County Chair Dr. Monica Taylor, Council Vice Chair Richard Womack, and Council Member Elaine Paul Schaefer pictured with PA Speaker of the House Joanna E. McClinton, PA State Rep. Jennifer O'Mara, America250PADDelco Director Andrea Silva, members of the Pennsylvania State Police, Teen Miss Luzerne County 2024 Maille McNicholas, Park Lane Elementary Principal Audrey Fields and members of Americ250PA staff. | |
During the visit, County Council Members read the book “K is for Keystone: A Pennsylvania Alphabet Book” by Kristen Kane, with illustrations by Laura Knorr, which explores a wide variety of unique Pennsylvania landmarks and historical highlights, such as Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, Gettysburg, Ben Franklin's inventions, the Liberty Bell, and more. Over 200 Kindergarten through 4th Grade students received fun gifts from America250PA, including a T-shirt, pencil, an originally designed Pennsylvania coloring book, and other fun historical gifts—as well as high fives from Renny the Raven.
“America250PA is so excited to continue the Keystone Classroom Initiative today in Delaware County, to engage our next generation of Pennsylvanians of all ages,” said Cassandra Coleman, Executive Director of America250PA. “This program will allow us to visit with over 50,000 Pennsylvania students all across this Commonwealth by July 4, 2026, when this historic anniversary rolls around,” she continued.
“We're not just teaching history; we're sparking curiosity and pride in the hearts of future generations,” said America250PADelco Director Andrea Silva. “We’re looking forward to the next two-plus years as we build up to the big birthday, and we love seeing kids excited about history and the people who have advanced our rights and liberty as Americans.”
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Thank you to America250PA, Executive Director Coleman, Director Silva, Park Lane Elementary School Principal Audrey Fields and the students at Park Lane Elementary School for a wonderful morning! | |
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More about America250PADelco
For more information about local activities and plans for America’s 250th Birthday coming up on July 4, 2026—also known by the pronunciation-challenging term “United States Semiquincentennial”—visit the America250PADelco website at www.america250padelco.org. The website will provide news and information, including upcoming events of interest to young and old alike. Residents can also sign-up for the America250PA Delco contact list to ensure that they are notified of upcoming activities and opportunities to volunteer and become part of this epic celebration.
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Happy International Women's Day from Delaware County Council and the Delaware County Women's Commission! | |
International Women's Day, recognized annually across the globe on March 8, is a day dedicated to honoring the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It also marks a call to action for advocating for the rights and equality of women everywhere.
Today, we celebrate the remarkable achievements and contributions of women around the world.
The first International Women's Day was celebrated on March 19, 1911, in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, with rallies demanding women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, hold public office, and end discrimination. However, less than a week later, the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, highlighting the critical importance of labor legislation and working conditions, which became a focal point of subsequent International Women's Day observances. Beginning in 1975, the United Nations began celebrating International Women's Day on March 8.
Locally, the Delaware County Women's Commission works to address the concerns and needs of women and girls in our community. The Commission evaluates local concerns and recommends solutions to the County Council. Their efforts are focused on creating a just and equitable society where every woman and girl can thrive.
Delaware County residents are invited to participate in the ongoing efforts to achieve gender equality and to reflect upon and celebrate the incredible women in our lives and communities that have contributed to improvements in gender equality and continue to work toward. Learn more about the Delaware County Women's Commission and the initiatives on their website at DelcoPA.Gov/WomensCommission.
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Deadline Extended!
The deadline to purchase tickets for the 2024 Women's History Month Celebration Awards Luncheon, scheduled for Saturday, March 3, has been extended to Sunday, March 10 for Delaware County Weekly subscribers.
More information about this year's event can be found on the Delaware County Women's Commission website.
To purchase a ticket before the Sunday deadline, click the “Register” button. Individual tickets are $50, with a $1.50 processing fee.
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Delaware County Council Takes Part in National Read Across America Week | Week-Long Reading Celebration in Honor of Dr. Seuss’ March 2 Birthday | |
This week, Delaware County Council visited the students at Chester Community Charter School in Chester and the young students at the Sharon Hill School and Darby Township Elementary School in the Southeast Delco School District to help celebrate National Read Across America Week. The nationwide reading motivation and awareness initiative, established by the National Education Association (NEA) and originally timed to coincide with the birthday of children’s book author Dr. Seuss on March 2nd, has expanded over the years to promote reading year-round and to embrace a diverse range of books that reflect the variety of students and cultures in the country.
As part of the festivities, schools throughout Delaware County and across the nation invite guest speakers from their communities to read to students from books that students can see themselves reflected in, as well as books that allow students to see into a world or a character that might be different than them.
During the week Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor visited Chester Community Charter School to read the timeless story of Dr. Seuss' "Oh, the Places You’ll Go!" to the young minds of Ms. Gallagher’s Kindergarten class and Ms. Cooper’s 1st Grade class.
Dr. Taylor also stopped by later in the week to visit the 3rd grade class of Ms. Knox at the Sharon Hill School to read "Oh, the Places You’ll Go!" and “I am Enough,” by Grace Byers, the empowering children’s story of diversity, self-acceptance, and the beauty of individuality.
During the week, Council Vice Chair Richard Womack joined Ms. Ciallella’s 1st Grade class at the Darby Township School to read Kathryn Otoshi’s “One”, a powerful story that uses colors to show how children can stand up to confront bullying and accept each other's differences—and how it sometimes just takes one voice to make everyone count!
Thank you to Sharon Hill School Principal Nathaniel Robinson and Assistant Principal Danny Ruane, Chester Community Charter School’s Dr. David E. Clark, Jr., Darby Township School Principal John Austerberry, and the teachers, students, and the staff that worked to make the visits so enjoyable.
For more information about Read Across American Day, visit the National Education Association website.
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Delaware County Libraries Seeking Submissions for the 35th Annual Young Poets Competition | |
Poetry contest open to all Delaware County students! | |
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For the 35th consecutive year, Delaware County Libraries, in collaboration with the Mad Poets Society, is thrilled to announce the Delaware County Young Poets Competition. This popular, long-running contest, inviting residents to explore their creativity and share their voice, is open to all 1st through 12th Grade students residing or attending school in Delaware County. Students are encouraged to submit an original poem for consideration.
A distinguished panel of local poets, educators, and authors will judge the entries, selecting 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place masterpieces for each grade level. The selected works will be featured in the Library’s annual poetry anthology and will be showcased on the websites of both Delaware County Libraries and the Mad Poets Society, celebrating the vibrant voices of our young poets.
The submission deadline is April 5, 2024.
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Participation Details:
- Poems may be submitted in person at any of the 28 Delaware County Library locations or online. Click here to submit your poem online.
- Submissions must be typed on 8 ½” by 11” paper and saved in MS Word format.
- Limit of one poem per student.
- Please include the student’s name, grade, phone number, address, the parent’s email (no school emails please), and school name at the top right corner of the first page. Entries missing this information will be disqualified.
- Contact information is solely for notification purposes and will remain confidential.
- Participants are advised to keep a copy of their submission, as entries will not be returned.
Award Ceremony Details
The Annual Young Poets Competition will culminate with a special awards ceremony and poetry reading on May 19. Winners, along with their families, will be cordially invited to celebrate their accomplishments. Invitations to the awards ceremony will be sent by email by May 3rd.
For more information about the contest, please reach out to Cheri Crow, Youth Services Coordinator for Delaware County Libraries, at ccrow@delcolibraries.org or contact the Mad Poets Society at info@madpoetssociety.com.
Delaware County Libraries is an agency of county government that provides support services for 26 independent member libraries. For information about the wide range of library services available to all county residents, visit www.delcolibraries.org.
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Five Years of Mad Poets Anthologies | |
Over the last five years, Delaware County Libraries and the Mad Poets Society have collected a remarkable 180 poems for its anthologies, highlighting the talents of students from Grades 1-12.
Each year, 36 poems—including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners—are chosen by our panel of poetry enthusiasts, representing a wide array of themes and expressions from our Delaware County youth.
Discover the poems that have been featured each year by following the anthology links below.
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019
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Delaware County Accepting Applications for 2024 Summer Internship Program | |
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Delaware County is accepting applications for the 2024 Summer Internship Program. Applications will be accepted through Monday, April 8 for a diverse array of internship opportunities at the County.
Open to residents 18 years of age and older, these internships span a variety of County departments, including the Delaware County Planning Department, the Delaware County Parks and Recreation Department, Delaware County Information Technology (IT), the Delaware County Medical Examiner’s Office, the Delaware County Public Defender's Office, the Delaware County Register of Wills Office, and Delaware County’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
The County’s Summer Internship Program is more than just a work experience opportunity; it is a gateway for aspiring professionals interested in public service to foster personal and professional growth. It provides a platform to apply academic learning in practical environments, build connections, and enhance core competencies—all while gaining essential hands-on experience in chosen fields.
Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a local high school, college, university, trade school, or accredited institution. Candidates should provide their school’s program criteria, including compensation requirements, along with a resume or letter of interest.
Internships are available in 9- or 11-week programs:
- May 20 – July 19, 2024 (9 weeks)
- May 20 – August 2, 2024 (11 weeks)
We encourage interested students to apply promptly. For more details and to access the online application, please visit DelcoPA.Gov/Internship.
Don't miss this chance to enrich your resume, advance your professional skills, and contribute to proudly serve the residents of Delaware County.
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Registration for Delaware County’s 3rd Annual Sustainability Conference Opens Monday Morning | |
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Registration officially opens on Monday, March 11, at 11:00 a.m. for Delaware County’s 3rd Annual Sustainability Conference to be held on Thursday, May 30, at Widener University.
This free, in-person conference is dedicated to bringing together local and regional sustainability experts, professionals, and everyday sustainability heroes to share knowledge, network, and to advance sustainability and resilience in the wake of a changing climate.
The conference promises to be an engaging day filled with insightful discussions and networking opportunities.
Visit DelcoPA.Gov/SustainDelco2024 to reserve your seat.
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