NETHER PROVIDENCE — For those who take a seat on one of four benches that the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Delaware County have installed at Smedley Park, they’d likely never suspect that they’re sitting on thousands of pounds of recycled plastic bags, bubble wrap and stretchy plastic film.
Yet, that’s exactly what went into making the benches, along with the hundreds and hundreds of hours that Master Gardener volunteers spent collecting, sorting, and bundling the kind of plastic most local municipal recycling services do not collect. This is because recycling plastic film, especially, is expensive, requiring significant infrastructure, equipment, water and energy.
“That was part of the appeal,” says Master Gardener Karen Murphy of Glen Mills, who, along with Master Gardener Deb Soutar of Wallingford, co-led the most recent plastic collection project. “Plastic is everywhere, and we don’t know what to do with it.”
Sorting, bundling and weighing their collection of plastic bags before sending them off to be made into benches to place in Smedley Park for the public’s enjoyment, are, from left, Delaware County Master Gardeners Amy Benninger, Karen Murphy, Donna Francher, Stephen Hinks, Steve Rodgers, Lisarose Ferri, Avery Rome, Katie McGeady, Cathy Weaver, Di Turk and Pauline Myers. (COURTESY OF DEB SOUTAR)
That’s where Trex Company Inc., which makes composite decking, comes into the picture.
Beginning in 2022, Master Gardeners began working with the Winchester, Va.-based company, which will send a Trex-made bench for every 1,000 pounds of plastic a group collects over the course of a year. For the first two benches installed at Smedley in 2023, just 500 pounds of plastic were required. Trex later increased the requirement to 1,000 pounds.
In 2024 and throughout most of 2025, the Master Gardener work group spent every Monday morning collecting, bundling and weighing plastic materials at their collection shed in Smedley Park. Once weighed, the plastic was delivered to one of several pickup points, including local supermarkets and department stores.
Master Gardeners spread the word about the program, and it wasn’t long before the collection barrels were full each Monday morning.
“Park visitors dropped off plastic packaging from Amazon deliveries, large plastic film wrapping from new mattresses and other furniture, and lots and lots of plastic bags. Additionally, a few gardeners made arrangements with local commercial enterprises to collect the large quantities of plastic they amass, noted Master Gardener Katie McGeady, another leader on the project.
So, the next time people find themselves at Smedley Park, sitting on a beautiful bench, perhaps admiring one of the well-tended demonstration gardens, know that with dedication and effort, trash can be transformed into treasure.
To learn more about Penn State Extension Master Gardeners, a valuable resource to the Delaware County community, visit the PSU Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener/counties/delaware.
Helen Kate Furness Library to host cozy autumn gathering for grown-ups
Helen Kate Furness Free Library, 100 N. Providence Road, Wallingford will hold Pie and Prose: A Cozy Autumn Gathering for Grown-ups, at 1 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17.
Adults are invited to enjoy a piece of pie and warm cider with others in the community, while engaging in stimulating conversation.
Everyone should bring along a favorite poem, a recipe, a short passage or personal memory that celebrates gratitude, food or family. Participants will take turns sharing their selections, or simply sit back and listen to the others.
For questions, email laura@hkflibrary.org or register at http://delcolibraries.libcal.com/even/15570004.
Scouts to hold drive-through food drive
Scouts in Troop 111 will drop off plastic bags at homes throughout Clifton Heights, Secane and Drexel Hill this weekend, seeking donations of nonperishable food to help those with food insecurity in this region.
If residents do not get a bag in during the drop-off, they are more than welcome to fill up their own bags with food to donate next weekend.
The Scouts will be in the parking lot of Clifton Heights Borough Hall, 30 S. Springfield Road, Clifton Heights, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15 to collect bags with food donations. Anyone can drive through and Scouts will take the food, with no need to exit the vehicles.
If unable to donate during those hours on Nov. 15, residents can drop food donations to St. Stephen’s Church on Church Street, 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 or 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16.
Items that are especially needed in the food drive are canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter and jelly, tuna and other canned meats, cooking oil, coffee, tea, sugar, cereals, infant formula, baby food, rice, mac-n-cheese, pasta, canned stews and other nonperishable foods.
The food drive will also accept nonfood items like toilet paper, soap, shampoo, cleaning supplies and other items not covered by SNAP.
For more information or questions, contact Harris Resnick at 610-547-9340.
Director of Hope Food Bank to speak to Delco’s Business and Professional Women’s Club
The Delaware County Business and Professional Women’s Club (Delco BPWC) will meet Wednesday, Nov. 12 at Anthony’s Restaurant, 865 W. Springfield Road, Springfield.
Cocktails and networking will begin at 6:15 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m.
The speaker will be Sally Kinder, director of Hope Food Bank at Havertown United Methodist Church. The club will be collecting wish list food for Hope Food Bank at the meeting.
With 1.7 million Pennsylvania residents in desperate need of food, a number that includes 500,000 children, Delaware County BPWC will help by raising funds for Hunger FreePA by partnering with a local Tastefully Simple vendor at www.tastefullysimple.com/amyparnis976-bpw-d10.
The cost to attend the dinner meeting is $35. All are invited.
Delaware County Business and Professional Women’s Club is a group of working and retired women who focus on women helping women.
For information or reservations, call 610-357- 5014 or check out Delaware County BPW on Facebook and Instagram.
Media seeks donations, volunteers for 7th Annual Community Thanksgiving
With the holiday season right around the corner, preparations are in full swing for the annual Community Thanksgiving, a heartfelt collaboration between Cedar Creek Catering, Media Fellowship House, Media Food Bank, and First Church Media.
This year’s event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Cedar Creek Catering, 117 S. Lemon St., Media. The goal is to celebrate the spirit of fellowship while serving more than 600 home-cooked, traditional Thanksgiving meals to members of the community.
All are welcome to share in the warmth of the season and enjoy a traditional, homemade meal and the comfort of community. Guests can also enjoy family-friendly fun, including arcade games from Game On State, festive face painting and holiday crafts.
To help make this Thanksgiving meaningful for as many local families as possible, the planning committee encourages community members to give however they can. Donations of traditional meal ingredients, such as stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, desserts, and beverages are welcome and must be dropped off by Sunday, Nov. 16.
Supporters may also sign up to donate in kind food/drink items or give a monetary gift at https://conta.cc/3W8457V/. A $25 donation provides a holiday meal for five neighbors. Both individual and business sponsorships are available.
At the Widener University Faculty Awards ceremony are, from left, interim Provost Mark Nicosia, Professor Hemlata Mistry, Professor Stuart Eimer, Professor Hilary Barnes, Associate Teaching Professor Catherine Safran and Associate Professor Amanda Sholtis. (COURTESY OF WIDENER UNIVERSITY)
Widener University commends faculty at 2025 awards event
Widener University honored faculty members for distinction in areas of civic engagement, institutional leadership, research, as well as innovative and distinguished teaching.
Various faculty were awarded at the ceremony on Oct. 29 in the University Center on the Chester campus.
“This year’s honorees exemplify the level of excellence that defines our Widener academic community,” said interim Provost Mark Nicosia. “Through their dedication to teaching, impactful scholarship, community engagement and visionary leadership, they continue to elevate the student experience and inspire those around them.”
The awards included:
• The Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award is given to a faculty member who has exemplified a history of teaching at the highest level of distinction. It is endowed by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation, a Philadelphia-based foundation that provides grants to institutions of higher education for the promotion of excellence in teaching. The recipient was Commonwealth Law School Associate Professor Amanda Sholtis of Enola, Pa.
• The Faculty Award for Civic Engagement serves to recognize the outstanding contributions that faculty members have made in accordance with Widener’s civic engagement mission, as well as solidifying Widener students’ understanding of their social responsibilities, and the impact of their disciplinary learning. This year’s recipient was College of Arts and Sciences Professor Stuart Eimer of Collingswood, N.J.
• The Outstanding Researcher Award recognizes a faculty member who has participated in research and scholarship nationally or internationally, and made a significant contribution through their research, while advancing their profession or discipline as well as the university’s mission and vision. The recipient was Associate Professor Hilary Barnes of Philadelphia. Barnes teaches in the Jack & Nancy Dwyer School of Nursing.
• The Fitz Dixon Innovation in Teaching Award highlights an individual who has designed, implemented, and assessed an innovative or experimental teaching and learning project. This award was presented to College of Arts and Sciences Associate Teaching Professor Catherine Safran of Bear, Delaware.
• The Faculty Institutional Leadership Award recognizes a record of leading initiatives that further the university’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives. This year’s award recipient was College of Arts and Sciences Professor Hemlata Mistry of Wallingford.
For more information about Widener University: http://widener.edu.
‘Creative Women of Lansdowne II’ exhibit celebrates strong legacy of women leaders
The Lansdowne Economic Development Corp., in collaboration with Women Creating Community, Lansdowne, presents “Creative Women of Lansdowne II,” which opened at the 20*20 House Gallery, 20 Lansdowne Court in Lansdowne on Nov. 1 to celebratory crowds.
“Creative Women of Lansdowne II” will run through Sunday, Dec. 21. Gallery hours are Saturdays and Sundays, from noon to 4 p.m. The exhibition is free as are a number of free events in conjunction with the show over the coming months.
Lansdowne’s cultural history has been profoundly shaped by women in the arts and civic life. Early female community leaders founded the Twentieth Century Club of Lansdowne in 1897 as an organized center for women’s intellectual and cultural engagement, paving the way for future generations of women leaders.
Over the decades, women artists, curators, and entrepreneurs have built and sustained Lansdowne’s creative economy, a legacy that endures today. In fact, Lansdowne’s current Borough Council is majority female, exemplifying the ongoing influence of women in guiding the community’s growth and identity.
“Creative Women of Lansdowne II” showcases the diverse and exceptional talents of 50 women artists who expressed a connection to Lansdowne. This intergenerational group includes professional, established artists, young emerging creators just starting out, and experienced crafters whose work often remains unseen beyond domestic spaces. Together, their works highlight the breadth of creativity thriving in Lansdowne’s community of women.
“Creative Women of Lansdowne II celebrates not just the artists, but the community of women who have shaped this town’s identity,” said Clare Finin, executive director of the LEDC. “Lansdowne’s strength lies in the creativity and collaboration of its people, and this exhibition is a testament to that ongoing legacy.”
Curated by Women Creating Community, Lansdowne, a collaboration between organizers Carol Coster, Megan Halsey, and Hanne Weedon, the exhibition was developed with a spirit of nurture and support.
In working on the show, the curators fostered deep relationships among the organizers and artists, showing respect and honoring the women involved. The LEDC’s Arts Committee provided additional administrative and professional support to the project to help bring this vision to life.
For more information, visit www.lansdownearts.org or follow @lansdownearts and @ledc19050 on social media to keep abreast on current events.
“Stories in Music” will be performed at the Park Avenue Community Center in Swarthmore on Nov. 16 by acclaimed chamber musicians, clockwise from top left:
percussionist Ted Atkatz, Juilliard faculty cellist Amy Sue Barston; violinist Timothy Schwarz and pianist Audrey Andrist. (COURTESY OF PAC CENTER)
Park Avenue concert features musical journey into magic of storytelling
Members of the community are invited to immerse themselves in the transportive magic of storytelling during the next performance of the Park Avenue Concert Series, on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Park Avenue Community Center, 129 Park Ave., Swarthmore.
“Stories in Music” combines narrative with deeply evocative musical works.
Performances include Ástor Piazzolla’s “Histoire du Tango,” which traces the evolution of the iconic dance form; a spirited arrangement of the traditional Scottish air, “Rob Roy Crosses the Minch”; and Osvaldo Golijov’s “Lúa Descolorida,” a Galician poem set to music, reflecting on themes of longing and loss.
Complementing these works will be composer Adam Silverman’s “Opus a distanza,” a contemporary piece that serves as a musical reflection on working from home.
Three acclaimed chamber musicians make their Park Avenue Concerts debuts in this performance: percussionist Ted Atkatz, pianist Audrey Andrist, and violinist Timothy Schwarz, together with Park Avenue concerts artistic director and Juilliard faculty cellist Amy Sue Barston.
A reception with the musicians and performers will follow the performance. Tickets are $25 and $15 for students. For tickets, go to:http://thepac.center.
Readers can send community news and photos to Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@21st-centurymedia.com.
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