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St. Edmond Senior Community Center to receive funding

State Rep. Regina Young announced that two area senior centers including the St. Edmond Senior Community Center in West Passyunk will receive more than $80,000 combined in state funding for capital improvements and renovations.

The St. Edmond Senior Community Center on S. 21st Street is set to receive $36,274 while the Southwest Senior Center on Elmwood Avenue in Southwest Philly will receive $44,116.

“This funding will enable these centers to update and renovate their facilities and continue to offer our seniors quality care,” Young said. “It is so important that we look out for, and take care of, our older adult populations and ensure they can thrive as pillars of our society.”

The funding for both Southwest Senior Center and St. Edmond Senior Community Center was awarded by the state Department of Aging under the 2022-2023 Senior Community Center Grant program. Funding for that program comes from the Pennsylvania Lottery and the local awards were part of a larger $2 million package awarded to senior centers throughout the state announced on May 17.

‘The Yard’ open for the season

South Bowl, 19 E. Oregon Ave., is open for the season for an outdoor backyard experience called “The Yard.”

The 5,000-square-foot outdoor oasis was added in 2019 bringing outdoor entertainment to South Philly. The Yard complements a 25,000-square-foot indoor bi-level bowling and entertainment space, which opened in 2015 at a former tomato and vegetable packing plant.

The Yard is home to slow and fast-pitch batting cages, two 40-foot-long bocce courts, shuffleboard, horseshoes, an outdoor arcade area with billiards and a full bar with lounge seating. The Yard will also offer rotating food, drink and batting cage specials during the season.

Inside is a stylish retro bowling space, accommodating 600 guests and boasting 26 bowling lanes, two full-sized bars, multiple lounges and a rooftop deck. Another highlight of the facility is its extensive mix of games, from billiard tables to over 20 retro arcade games, foosball, darts and air hockey. Both areas are served by a kitchen and pizza bar and adult beverages.

Activities on the Delaware River

Beginning May 27, Paddle Penn’s Landing reopens for the 2023 season, allowing visitors to enjoy an afternoon of fun under the sun paddling around the Penn’s Landing basin in a paddleboat. On select dates throughout the summer, guests can also choose from four specially curated Kayak Excursions designed to give unique perspectives of the Delaware River.

Starting June 9, Independence Seaport Museum will host the Cruiser Olympia Speakeasy Pop-Up Experience, a brand new adults-only event where guests can step back in time aboard the oldest floating steel warship in the world. From 6 to 9 p.m., ISM will turn the historic ship into a 1920s speakeasy where the crew is dressed in period uniforms. Guests can enjoy a night of drinks, music and games. The Speakeasy is offered on select Friday evenings from June to October, with advanced tickets available for $30 and $35 at the door.

Scanlon bill would expand mentoring for foster youth

Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, chair of the Congressional Youth Mentoring Caucus and the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, introduced the Foster Youth Mentoring Act to address the need for programs that support the country’s most vulnerable young people.

“Before coming to Congress, I spent decades working as a child advocate, seeing firsthand the difference a trusted, caring adult can make in the life of vulnerable young people,” said Scanlon. “At-risk youth with consistent, long-term volunteer and peer mentor relationships are much more likely to enroll in college, hold leadership positions, attend their classes and obtain stable housing – but one in three of our young people grow up without a mentor. I’m proud to lead federal efforts to fund local evidence-based foster youth mentoring programs that can result in a meaningful improvement in young people’s lives and substantial cost savings for the child welfare system when implemented at scale.”

Mentoring programs that serve children with adverse childhood experiences, such as youth in foster care, require about double the resources per youth than general community-based mentorship programs. Studies prove that mentoring services for foster youth are effective interventions that positively impact mental health, educational functioning and attainment, peer relationships, placement outcomes and life satisfaction. The Foster Youth Mentoring Act would create a comprehensive federal grant program to provide foster youth with healthy volunteer and peer mentor relationships and expand and enhance mentoring programs that serve foster youth and former foster youth.

Memorial Day Weekend at the Museum of the American Revolution

This Memorial Day Weekend, visitors to the Museum of the American Revolution can explore the stories of the diverse range of men and women who served and sacrificed during the Revolutionary War and pay tribute to those who continue to serve our nation today. From May 27-29, veterans, military, and Blue Star Families will receive free admission, which includes access to the Museum’s current special exhibition Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia. A list of tours, events and more information can be found at AmRevMuseum.org/visit-tour.

Scanlon pushes for action to address black maternal health crisis

Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon joined a bicameral group of colleagues in introducing the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, historic legislation to save moms’ lives and address every driver of maternal mortality, morbidity and disparities in the United States.

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country, and it is rapidly getting worse. Recent data from the CDC show that maternal deaths in recent years have increased by a dramatic 40 percent. But there is hope: More than 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.

Led by Sen. Cory Booker, Reps. Lauren Underwood and Alma Adams and sponsored by Black Maternal Health Caucus members, the package of 13 evidence-based bills would make critical investments to address social determinants of health, provide funding for community-based organizations, grow and diversify the perinatal health workforce, expand access to maternal mental health care, address the effects of climate change on maternal and infant health, and improve data collection processes.

“Every mother in our community deserves to live a happy, healthy life with her baby,” said Scanlon. “But tragically, our country has the worst maternal health outcomes in the developed world, and black women are three times more likely to die from childbirth than white women. I’m proud to join Reps. Adams, Underwood and Sen. Booker in introducing this sweeping package of bills that addresses every driver of the crisis and makes the investments moms need to have safe and healthy pregnancies. I’m calling on my colleagues to pass the full package immediately.”

Memorial Day ceremony

The public is invited to honor the fallen on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, at noon at the Charles J. Glenn III Memorial, at Marlborough and Wildey streets in Fishtown. The event will feature the Vietnam Veterans Society and the Philadelphia Police and Fire Pipes and Drums. ••

Proper handwashing techniques

Essity, a global hygiene and health company, as well as a producer of professional hygiene products, recently conducted a survey to assess what, if anything, the pandemic has taught people about proper hand-hygiene behaviors. Essity surveyed people 18 and older living in the Delaware Valley to determine the area’s “grade” on its first Handwashing Report Card. Survey results were merely “Satisfactory” overall, leaving room for improvement and further education.

Most notably, while those surveyed do still seem to be partaking in handwashing behaviors and practices (receiving a grade of “Outstanding”), they could use some improvement on their knowledge of proper handwashing techniques (“Needs Improvement”).

“It’s important to not only wash your hands, but to wash them properly,” said Amy Bellcourt, vice president of Communications, Professional Hygiene, for Essity North America. “Not understanding or following proper hand-hygiene practices poses a significant threat to our individual and communal health. The COVID-19 pandemic saw a shift in how seriously we take preventing the spread of germs. And while we have definitely moved past sanitizing every home-delivery box and our groceries, practicing proper handwashing is still one of the most effective ways we can help prevent spreading germs.”

Proper handwashing techniques:

• Wash for no less than 20 seconds.

• Water at any temperature will suffice as long as hands are washed with soap for at least 20 seconds.

• Use soap. (Any kind will prevent spread of germs.)

• Do not air-dry; wet hands spread germs more easily.

• Use single-use paper towels to dry hands most effectively.

Bellcourt said, “These simple handwashing steps can create safer environments at home, at school, at work and at play. At Essity, we are committed to providing hygiene solutions that are affordable, sustainable and attainable for all.” ••

Cornhole at St. Martha

St. Martha Parish, 11301 Academy Road, will host a Cornhole Tournament on June 17, at 11 a.m. The cost is $50 a team (all ages) and includes two tournament T-shirts and a chance to win a cash prize. There will be basket raffles, a 50-50, craft beer pull, food, kids crafts and T-shirt sales. Proceeds will benefit the parish Raising the Roof campaign. Teams must register and place T-shirt orders by June 3. To register, to become a sponsor or for more information, go to the St. Martha Facebook page or call Kathy Cantz at 215-632-4742 or Mary Beth Ricks at 215-459-3430. ••

English classes for Ukrainians

Holy Family University’s English as a Second Language initiative for newly arrived Ukrainian adults is accepting new applicants. The classes are free and open to members of the community who are at least 18 years old. Classes start in June at 9801 Frankford Avenue and online. Class days and times are online (June 6 to Aug. 24, Tuesday and Thursday, 6-7 p.m.) and in person (June 21 to July 31, Mondays and Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m.). Since last fall, more than 100 newly arrived Ukrainians have attended classes at no cost to help them improve their English proficiency and become familiar with the Philadelphia community. Interested applicants can register at holyfamily.edu/ukraine-esl. ••

Free Philly Orchestra concert

The Philadelphia Orchestra will present Our City, Your Orchestra Live, a free concert on Wednesday, May 31, at 7 p.m. at Northeast High School. The concert will feature works by Leonard Bernstein, John Williams, Valerie Coleman and others, along with a performance by the Northeast High marching band. The evening will include food trucks, games, face painting, moonbounces and balloon art. The orchestra will include contrabassoonist Holly Blake, a Northeast High graduate. Reserve tickets at philorch.org. ••

Hoops camp for boys and girls

The 17th annual Jaguar St. Ephrem Basketball Camp for Boys and Girls will take place from Monday, July 24, to Friday, July 28. The cost is $150 and includes a basketball and T-shirt. The camp is held in the air-conditioned Marian Center at St. Ephrem Parish, 5400 Hulmeville Road in Bensalem. The camp is under the direction of former college coach Dan Williams. For more information, email Williams at WilliamsD@LSCHS.org. ••

5K for charity

Madison’s Miracles Inc. – a charity in memory of Fox Chase native Madison Klepesky – will present the Flying Angels 5K on June 10 at 8 a.m. in Beaufort, South Carolina. Sponsorships are available at $1,250, $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000. To make a donation, send checks payable to Madison’s Miracles Inc. to 4 Fox Sparrow Road, Beaufort, SC 29907. For more information, call 267-226-9500, visit https://www.madisonsmiraclesinc.org/ or email madisonsmiracles@aol.com.

Madison Klepesky, a St. Cecilia and St. Hubert graduate, was 18 when she died in a car accident caused by a speeding drunk driver in 2021 in South Carolina. She was a student at the University of South Carolina Beaufort. She would have turned 20 on June 10, the day of the 5K. ••

Franklin Mills flea market to open

The Roosevelt Mall flea market has closed due to major construction and total renovations of the mall, with additional retail stores being built where the market operated. Philadelphia Flea Markets will move to Liberty Plaza, at Liberty Bell and Franklin Mills boulevards, just off Knights Road. The market will operate every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., beginning May 28 and through November. For more information, call Tony at 215-625-FLEA or log onto www.PhilaFleaMarkets.org. ••

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