Methacton Post Prom 2015 Rocks The Halls

 (For a video featuring many more of the themed art and displays from Post Prom 2015, please visit:  https://youtu.be/hmM_5hu5lPE)

The bluesy tones of an Elvis impersonator greeted curious parents, grandparents and neighbors arriving to take the 2015 Methacton post prom walk-through tour as they were greeted by student tour guides and school board director Cathleen Barone, and given some history on this community tradition, now in its sixteenth year. Superintendent Zerbe was also in line early to get a peek at the ambiance.

In past years I’ve written about what a wonderful program post-prom is and how successful it’s been in keeping juniors and seniors safe after prom. My own son has been out of Methacton a couple of years now and he still wishes he could attend post-prom – that’s how fun it is and what a great reputation it has among students.

I’m adding a few photos here but for lots more pictures (set to music, too!) as to the decorations accompanying this year’s theme, go to https://youtu.be/hmM_5hu5lPE.  This year’s theme – “Rock the Halls” – had substantial assistance from the Arcola music teachers, and a Worcester Township resident donated the use of a vintage 1912 Harley-Davidson motorcycle for the Methacton version of Hard Rock Café. The Café will feature student performers throughout the night and is a coffee-house style setting in which kids can relax.

As always, each of the elementary schools adopts a bathroom and selects a theme in which to outfit it. This year’s themes are Elvis/Blue Hawaii, Katy Perry, Pink Floyd/The Wall and a Jimmy Buffett beachy theme.

In addition to the stunning décor, students have a variety of choices to pass the time all night, from inflatable activities to mechanical bull riding, a faux casino, games like ping pong, foosball, billiards, and air hockey, lazer tag, dodgeball and volleyball tournaments,  to movies in a theater-like setting (this year’s showings include Footloose, The Great Gatsby, and Step Up).  The “cash cab” of the last few years gives way to “Rockin’ Rollercoaster” this year (but functions essentially the same, as a roving trivia contest with cash prizes). Also new this year is a Family Feud game show.

Ah yes, the prizes are a big reason the kids stay. They have chances to win serious electronics (iPads, laptops, iPods, flat screen TVs), concert and sports tickets, and gift certificates for staying the night, and thanks to many generous local food donors, the kids are well fed and exhausted when they leave at 6 am.

Also new this year was a drug and alcohol awareness counter featuring not only information on the perils of a variety of substances but a backdrop of large photos and names of Methacton and local community students who have passed in recent years due to overdoses or alcohol-related accidents or other drug-related situations, to remind kids that these things can and do happen to people just like them, or perhaps to people they know. School director Kim Woodring helped staff this display.

A small army of approximately 400 people works all year to pull together the theme, decorations, food, finances, and all the myriad details that go into putting such a huge event together. This year as many students graduate and move and parent turnover occurs, post-prom is looking for new volunteers to take on leadership positions for Post Prom 2016. Please consider stepping up to chair a committee or help out behind the scenes, or on the magical evening itself, providing security, working as a casino dealer, helping with trike races or in some other capacity. You’ll have fun too and make new (and talented!) friends.

For more information contact Dana Reddington (danareddington@gmail.com), Kim Beam (kimberleebeam@hotmail.com) or Karen Kilgour (khgilgour@gmail.com).

 

 

A Solid Foundation

How many times a year do you get hit up to make a charitable donation? 3? 10? 50?? 50 from one organization alone?? Whatever that number is, most people feel it’s too often. The solicitations can be expected to continue as the economy remains flat, many institutions aren’t cutting spending and any available tax revenue is spread thin. 

According to the results of a 2012 survey conducted by Philanthropy.com, “Most donors are getting savvier about their philanthropy, often researching causes before they make their gifts.”  The site also notes that donors told them they’d be more likely to give more if they saw more tangible evidence of results, and in breaking down some donor demographics observed that middle-aged donors in particular want to be shown a clear idea of where the funds raised are going…to know that the charity they donate to is the best of all organizations working on that particular mission. In short, prospective funding sources are doing their homework and demanding results.

That’s good news for organizations like the Education Foundation for the Methacton Community, a local nonprofit that’s been in existence since 2009 and one that meets all those donor requirements. A registered legitimate 501(c)3 charity, its mission is to ‘ensure the highest level of educational innovation – supporting students, faculty and staff through a partnership with our community’. The Foundation partners with Methacton School District to help identify needs and funding gaps in order to make monetary grants to help foster specific programs that are outside the scope of the district’s budget, enhance the school curriculum, and help meet long-term capital needs the school district has identified.

The money raised by the Foundation stays in the community, and its impact can be readily seen and felt. Chances are good that your children or grandchildren, or those of someone you know, have benefitted directly or indirectly by the numerous projects that this connection between the community and the classroom have funded over the years, such as:

 

·         Renovation of the planetarium at Arcola/Skyview including the addition of a new telescope

·         Contributions to arts, music and athletics programs

 

·         Electric car club projects

·         Eagleville’s mobile environmental lab / outdoor classroom

·         A recent $10,000 donation toward the field improvement project (installation of turf fields) to benefit future Methacton athletes

 

 

The Foundation receives requests from the school district administration, individual teachers, club sponsors etc. for projects that need funding, and their Board of Directors votes on whether to fund a specific project. Board members include former teachers and Home & School officers, and most have current Methacton students and/or graduates in their families. Several are themselves Methacton grads. The Board also includes a current school board member and a current township supervisor.

 

Additionally, the Foundation is eligible for Pennsylvania tax credits via their designation as an Educational Improvement Tax Credit Organization (EITC). The EITC program is a part of the PA Department of Community and Economic Development which accepts contributions from local businesses to support innovative educational programs in public schools, as well as scholarships for kids attending accredited K-12 private schools or qualified and approved pre-K programs. Businesses can receive PA tax credits for their contributions under this program, the percentage varying according to the length of the gift.

 

And, the Foundation is also an approved United Way donor designate. If your workplace has a campaign underway, just enter United Way entity code 48856 when you complete your donor selections.

 

One of the Foundation’s largest funding sources is their annual alumni homecoming golf outing. Slated for October 24 this year at Linfield National Golf Club, 66 Church Road in Linfield, PA (near Limerick), the Foundation is looking for both sponsors and golfers. As a Methacton grad and the parent of two more recent Methacton alumni, I know it’s a unique opportunity to reconnect and spend time with former classmates to support a cause that allows future generations to enjoy the same quality educational opportunities we had.

 

The golf outing is not the only upcoming fundraiser. Perhaps you might be interested in the 3^rd annual Warrior Cross Country 5K and Fun Run/Walk (and pancake breakfast!) coming up November 2, or the holiday house tour on December 7. Other fundraisers are scheduled for 2015. 

  

For more information on this charity, grant criteria, and more details for each fundraiser, please visit the Foundation’s website at http://www.methacton.org/Page/1 or submit questions to efmc@methacton.org.

 

And while we’re on the subject, several other worthy community charities that would very much appreciate donations include the Lower Providence Community Center Ambulance (in the process of constructing their new facility at the Township complex) and the Lower Providence Fire Department.

 

Photo credits: Methacton School District

Primary Colors

On Tuesday, May 18, Pennsylvania gets to make its contribution to this year's big political litmus test, otherwise known as the primary election. I for one cannot wait to see how our  most hotly contested race turns out. Will Arlen Specter join Utah's former 3-term Republican senator Bob Bennett in the unemployed-politican line, along with recently dispatched 28-year Democratic Rep. Alan Mollohan of West Virginia?  Or will he survive the spring to advance to the next round, the general election in November, where strong Republican candidate Pat Toomey, the guy who chased Specter out of the Republican party in the first place, awaits?

Today's polls suggest the race is too close to call, with Joe Sestak making a late rally to pull up even with the venerable former Republican senator Specter.  I for one kind of hope Specter makes it through the primary if for no other reason than so his former constituency, the Republicans in this part of the state, can have the privilege of properly send him packing after the betrayal of his defection to the Democrats.

Along with all the gubernatorial ousters of outright liberals or not-conservative-enough conservatives last year, and Scott Brown's unpredictable victory to the Senate in Massachusetts, all bets are off this year.  Anti-establishment and anti-incumbent fever is indeed raging. I'm hearing it loud and clear when I'm knocking on doors in my own race for Republican committee here in the Trooper area. The tea party candidate for governor, Sam Rohrer, has a respectable following, and I know a number of people who will vote for him over the endorsed Tom Corbett. 

But that's on the state and national level.  There are also local races, some contested, for Republican committee people. I don't believe any of the Democrat local committee races are contested.

If you live in Trooper (2-1, 2-3), Audubon (3-3) or Collegeville (1-1) you have a choice as to whom your local Republican party representatives will be. The county's party bylaws were changed in 2009 so that voters no longer have to vote for a committeeMAN and a committeeWOMAN. You can vote for any two candidates - two men, two women, or one of each. This will eliminate the infrequent and somewhat comical situation that sometimes occurred where a man would run as a committeewoman.

The other change was that the term of office was changed from two years to four years. So, choose carefully, because whomever you vote for now as your local party grassroots folks will be around for the next presidential election.

And, those of you in  3-3 have a new (temporary) polling place. Instead of voting at Arcola Middle School, you'll be voting at Valley View Church.

I have to say, considering how many candidates for everything there are right now (something like a dozen for Lt. Governor alone) I'm surprised there aren't more campaign yard signs out by now. Even the amount of campaign mail seems to be lighter (I'm not complaining, and now that I said this, I'll probably get an avalanche tomorrow).  As for me, I decided not to get a sign war going in my own district, and just put them out on the perimeter of my district. I mean, nobody really wants yard signs, right?

Whatever your party, and whoever your candidates are, assuming you're registered in the party in which you want to vote, be sure you get up off your duff and come out and vote. The weatherman is calling for rain on Tuesday, but it only takes a few minutes. And, you're seeing what all this voter apathy is getting us, so I think if you want to have the right to complain, you should at least try to make a difference by putting your two cents in the ballot box.