A couple of weeks ago, I was on a walk and took a nasty fall. Never once was I afraid.
Library fundraising auction a success
As president of the Friends of the Swarthmore Public Library, I want to thank the donors whose kind generosity made our recent Briggs Auction fundraiser possible.
Kristen Seymore throws her hat in the ring
I am humbled and honored to have received the endorsement of Swarthmore’s Democratic elected officials and precinct committee-persons during their caucus meeting last week. My decision to run for borough council is rooted in a deep sense of duty and a desire to serve my community. Now, more than ever, we long to feel a sense of connection to each other and to our community.
The big chili
Swarthmore United Methodist Church was disappointed to cancel the much-loved Chili Cookoff for 2021, but the chili fundraiser we substituted proved a success beyond our expectations. The immigration reform organization, Justice For Our Neighbors, will receive the $2,200 that was raised.
More helpers needed to support kids
On January 29, the Swarthmorean ran a story as part of its “Helpers” feature that covered a situation that should be at the forefront of our minds. The article described a program, Community Learning Hubs in Sacred Places, that provides internet access and proctor supervision to Delaware County students (grades K - 6) who do not have these needs met at home. It is based in two local churches, but it is in jeopardy of having to shut down due to lack of funding. That means these children may not be able to continue school during the pandemic. I want to encourage everyone to look into this program and consider donating something if you are able to.
My birthday wish
There is one thing I would like for my birthday: for everyone to please stop calling each other names, and to please stop calling their political opponents names.
One way to fight climate change
I know that many of us in Swarthmore are concerned about the issue of climate change and hope the new administration and Congress will address this problem. Recently, I’ve had the exciting opportunity to participate in the Delaware County chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
I was shocked to see that the much-treasured newspaper of my beloved Swarthmore would splash the washing of dirty linen, namely a personal dispute between two council members, on its front page.
The Office of Public Witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has invited proposals for discussion during an upcoming webinar on white supremacy. I was delighted to learn of this webinar, because I believe white supremacy is an existential issue for predominantly white Christian congregations as they struggle to recover from decades of declining membership.
I read with interest the January 15 editorial “What Bubble?” I found its essence in paragraph seven: “Closing our eyes to truth, turning away from each other, and being unable to imagine the experiences of people different from ourselves: Those are three of the failures that made January 6 possible.” I think people on both sides of the aisle can agree with the editor’s conclusion.
If not for Black support in the Democratic primaries, Joe Biden would not have won his party’s nomination. And, if not for overwhelming Black support in several key swing states during the presidential election, Donald Trump would have been sworn in for his second term, and Joe Biden would not be our new president. All Americans owe Black voters a debt of gratitude. It’s time to start repaying that debt.
Do we really need to change the school calendar?
Wallingford-Swarthmore School District recently announced a few proposed changes to the 2021-22 school calendar that I think should be highlighted because of their consequences for our community.
If a tree falls...
The large evergreen tree that fell several weeks ago in Umoja Park continues to spark a creative interest in all children (and many adults) who visit the space. I propose that we act on this enthusiasm for “natural playground equipment” by adding naturally occurring materials to the park to promote imaginative play.
A school for bicycles
I wonder if anyone besides me has had a problem just walking on any sidewalk in Swarthmore? I take daily walks at all times of the day and find that there are many more people using bikes than there used to be. It’s wonderful that we can use the great outdoors to break up the days spent in the house. But often the bikers come in swarms.
Catholic churches take on ‘most segregated hour’
In this time of terrible racial violence and social injustice, the upcoming birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. should renew the call to each of us to identify our role in promoting racial healing and justice. To that end, our two Catholic parishes – one urban and predominantly Black, and one suburban and predominantly white – have joined together to address the sin of racism and prayerfully develop actions to build Dr. King’s “beloved community” in our own communities.
After the insurrection, we must restore our values
We write on behalf of our Quaker Meeting (Swarthmore Friends Meeting) to voice our deep concern for the future of our democracy, in light of the violent insurrection that the president of our nation inflamed with the support of other elected government officials last week. It was aimed at denying the valid certification of the votes from the states to confirm the election of Joe Biden as our 46th president and Kamala Harris as the vice president.
An appreciation – by accident
It was my misfortune to hit a large truck which was parked on the right side of Walnut Lane. It was mid-afternoon, and the bright sunlight caused me to not see the parked truck until it was too late to avoid it. The front of my car collided with the corner of its rear bumper.
Lions thank community
The Swarthmore Lions Club thanks all the families and friends in the Swarthmore community who helped make our annual holiday basket drive a welcome blessing to many needy families in Chester and elsewhere in our neighborhood.
Synagogue memories
When I read your report about the conservative Wallingford synagogue Ohev Shalom (December 18 edition), I was reminded of many stories.
It’s time to step up
The Swarthmore Fire & Protective Association is currently in the midst of its annual fundraising drive. I urge you to be as generous as you can, but no donation is too small.