Township TimesPride in our Community

Aston TownshipEstablished 1688

Volume 12 Issue 12 • December 2017

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Undefeated Northley Volleyball Team Honored

The Northley Middle School Girls Vol-leyball Team was undefeated in the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Last year the girls were coached by Mr. Maxwell and this year they were coached by Ms. Sayre. Most of the girls on the team play club volleyball and/or participate in CYO, intramural volley-ball as well as camps and clinics during the off season.

The girls work hard and practiced every day, giving their best effort for two straight years.This hard work has helped them with this accomplishment!

New First Ward Commissioner Sworn In

John Dougherty was sworn in as the new First Ward Commissioner at the November meet-ing. His daughter Sophia held the bible while Judge Diane Holefelder swore him in.

Aston Republicans Donate to PoliceThe Aston Township Republican Party held a car show in September to raise money for the Aston Township Police Department. There were more than 220 cars that

participated in the show. The group raised $2,500 for the Aston Police De-partment. “The APD is very appreciative of this

donation,” said Chief Ruggieri.

Aston Holiday Decorating Contest Returns!The Aston Township Parks and Recreation Committee and Board of Commissioners are holding the third annual holiday decorating contest for businesses and residents.

The business category will be divided up into three categories- industrial, large business, and small business. For residents, it’s open to residents of all seven wards.

First place business prizes include advertising the winner’s business in the January Township Times, the Township website, and TV channels for the month of January and a paid 1-year membership to the Aston Business Association. Honorable men-tion winners will receive a paid 1-year ABA membership.

Residential winners (one winner, one honorable mention per ward) will receive a $100 gift card to Giant. Honorable mention winners will receive a $50 Wawa gift card.

Judging by non-partisan judges will be held December 17-18. Winners will be announced at the December 20 Commissioners Meeting.

For further information or questions contact Commissioner Carol Graham at 610-459-8557.

Catch Santa in Your WardThe Aston Township Fire Department will be escorting Santa around Aston Township during the Holiday Season. Look for San-ta on Saturday, December 2 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, Decem-ber 3 from noon-6 p.m.; Thursday, December 7 from 6-8:30 p.m.; Saturday, December 9 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, December 10 if needed. Look and listen for Santa in your neighborhood!

Commissioner Graham presents the Northley Middle School Volleyball Team with a proclamation

honoring their back to back undefeated seasons.

The Aston Township offices and Public Works Department will be closed Monday, Decem-ber 25 and Tuesday, December 26. Monday and Tuesdays trash and recycling will be picked up on Wednesday, December 27. Wednesday and Thursday’s trash and recycling will be picked up on Thursday, December 28. Also, the Township will be closed on Monday, Janu-ary 1, 2018 in observance of New Year’s Day. Monday and Tuesday’s trash and recycling will be picked up on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.

Lions Christmas Children’s Party Donations Needed

For nearly seventy years the Aston Township Lions have been holding a Children’s Christmas Party. This is by invitation only as our funds are limited.

If anyone would like to donate to this cause you may send a check or money order to: Lions Club of Aston Township Charitable Foundation, Inc. (short version Aston Lions C.F. Inc.) P. O. Box 2052, Aston, PA 19014-0052. Any assistance is appreciated.

Greccio Festival at NeumannNeumann University will host its an-nual Greccio Live Nativity Celebration on Sunday, December 3. The program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 6:15 p.m. in front of the Mi-renda Center for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development on Con-vent Road.

Neumann students, faculty and staff will re-enact the Franciscan tradition of the crib, first celebrated in Grec-cio, Italy, performing the Live Nativity scene and the scripture narration. In addition, the program will also feature the sounds of sacred Christmas music, performed by the Holy Family Re-gional School Children’s Choir.

All are welcome to visit campus ear-lier, to attend Mass at 4:30 p.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel of Bachmann Main Building and to see (and pet) the manger animals as they arrive at 5:30 p.m. After the Live Nativity, the com-munity is invited to enjoy traditional Christmas music and refreshments, and to meet Santa Claus in the Devine Hospitality Suite of the Mirenda Cen-ter. The animals that participate in the re-enactment will remain on campus until 7:30 p.m.

For more information, call the Of-fice of Mission and Ministry at 610-558-5539.

To submit an item to the newsletter, e-mail newsletter@astontownship.net. Deadline for next issue is December 23.

2018 Preliminary Budget Approved; No Tax Increase The Commissioners have approved the preliminary budget for 2018. In keeping with the vision plan, the Township was able to achieve and continue to progress with the following projects: • Pennell Road Streetscape Project • Fencing and possible lighting at Weir Park • School House Roof • Valley View Park Project • Smiles in the Playground Park • Newsom Pond • Community Center Roundabout • Increasing Funds for the Aston Township Road Program • LED Street Lights Installation by end of December 2017Also included in the 2018 budget is a 3.24% pay increase for all uniform and non-uniform employees. Traffic calming measures are also being taken into consideration for all wards and bond funding is being secured for the building of the firehouse, Township Administration/Police Building, and Public Works.

The 2018 Preliminary Budget holds the line on taxes. There will be no increase on taxes or the sanitation fee.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors Toy Drive UnderwayHave you noticed toy donation bins popping up in key locations within Aston? Neighbors Helping Neighbors has placed bins at Cocco’s Pizzeria, the Township Building, and the Community Center for its annual toy drive through December 15. Each year, this very successful toy drive helps Aston residents with children who have fallen on hard times.

Please help by donating a new, unwrapped toy at any of the above locations that will then be distributed to children in need. This is one of the many programs that NHN has in place to assist our residents. NHN is a unique organization that is solely sup-ported by the businesses, organizations, and residents of Aston. It is neighbors helping neighbors in the truest sense because of community involvement.

NHN will also be working very hard to provide Christmas meals to the families that participate in the Pantry Program throughout the year. Haven’t heard about the Pan-try Program? Each month, NHN distributes perishables, canned goods, and staples to families who qualify. If you or someone you know is an Aston resident and can use assistance with food, contact Maggie Berry at 610-459-2122 or email astonNHN@aol.com for an application.

Scouting for Food Drive Collects More Than 8,000 Cans of FoodThe Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts of Aston Township recently conducted their An-nual Scouting For Food Drive.

Cub Pack 77 sponsored by Mount Hope United Methodist Church Collected 4,866 cans goods.

Cub Pack 225 and Boy Scout Troop 225 Sponsored by Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church Collected 3,443 cans.

On behalf of the Scouts we would like to thank the residents of Aston Township for helping us collect a grand total of 8,309 cans of food for the needy.

Aston Senior Citizens Christmas Luncheon Dec. 14

Aston Senior Citizens will hold its an-nual Christmas Luncheon on Thursday, December 14, at noon at the Ballrooms at Boothwyn. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Membership is open to Penn Delco residents (Aston, Parkside, Brookhaven.) that are 55 years of age or older, residing within the Penn Delco School District.

You are welcome to come and join at the next meeting, or contact Stanley Wileczek, 123 Edgar Avenue, Aston, Pa. or call 619-494-5434.

Advent Wine and Cheese EventSt. Joseph’s Parish will host a wine and cheese event on Thursday, December 7 from 7-8:30 p.m. in the Lower Church Hall. Do you ever wonder what Mary and Joseph talked about on their way to Bethlehem? They were on a journey of faith, just like us!

Join Gina Mesko, Evangelization Coordinator at Our Lady of Char-ity, Brookhaven, and Cathy Maugeri, DRE at St. Joseph’s, for an evening of prayer and reflection in this holy time of Advent.

Mesko and Maugeri hope to break open the journey of Mary and Joseph in a Spiritual Reflection. Assist every-one to break open their own journey of Faith through interactive activities and, for those who are willing, begin to share that story with others.

Contact c.maugeri@comcast.net for more information.

Bulk Trash and Appliance CollectionThe Township Public Works Depart-ment provides curbside pickup service for residents seeking to dispose of bulk trash items or old appliances.

The fee for this service is $20 per item and is due in advance of pickup. Resi-dents must call the Township Building in advance to schedule pickup and ar-range payment.

December Public Meetings and Special Events

Work Session Meeting2 p.m. Wednesday, December 13

Zoning Hearing Board Meeting7 p.m. Tuesday, December 19

Board of Commissioners Meeting7 p.m. Wednesday, December 20

Planning Commission Meeting7 p.m. Wednesday, December 27

Special Meeting of the Board of Commissioners

3 p.m. Friday, December 29

December bulk trash and appliance collection will be December 4-8. All items for bulk trash and appliance col-lection must be placed at the curb by 6 a.m. on the day of your regular trash collection.

Brandywine Breakfast with the Trains

All Aboard! Join in an exclusive, be-hind-the-scenes visit with the Brandy-wine River Museum of Art Railroad. Discover how the extensive layout—one of the world’s largest—is created and the complicated multitasking it takes to keep everything running.

This before-hours event includes a private tour of the trains in action with Brandywine Railroad engineers includ-ing special activities for the youngest train fans and a continental breakfast in the Museum’s café. Dates are Satur-day, December 9 and 16 at 8:30 a.m. Children will receive a Brandywine Railroad souvenir; ages 3 and older ac-companied by an adult are welcome.

Breakfast with Santa December 9 at Neumann

The Knights for Education club is host-ing its annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, December 9, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Community Hall. Admis-sion is a children’s toy – unwrapped – for any age.

The event provides Education majors with practical experience: interacting with children as they react to meeting Santa, organizing a complex activity that involves hundreds of people, and collaborating with a nonprofit to pro-vide a community service.

A hot breakfast of eggs, home fries, sausage and pastries will be served as the children tell Santa Claus their Christmas wishes. Parents interested in attending the event are asked to RVSP to neumannsanta1@gmail.com to re-serve a specific time.

The gifts are donated to the Sacred

Heart of Camden parish for its Christ-mas shopping event. Parents in the par-ish can shop for gifts priced from $0.25 to $5.00, making Christmas shopping possible for needy families.

Carbon Monoxide ReminderThe Aston Township Fire Department reminds you, as the colder months ap-proach, please have your heaters and fire places cleaned and serviced. Chim-ney fires and carbon monoxide inci-dents increase during this time of year.

To stay informed during emergen-cies, residents should check cable TV’s public access channels for up-dated postings on Comcast channel 5 and Verizon channel 45, as well as the township website.

Engraved Memorial Garden bricks make great birthday or remem-

brance gifts. Call Maryann Bullen at 610-494-2337.

Craft Night for Teens; Join a Book Club; Kids Holiday Bingo!

Teen Craft Night for teens ages 13 to 17. Tuesday, December 12 at 6:30 p.m. Come and make Puffy Paint bracelets or window clings to give as gifts to family or friends!

The library will have Kids Holiday Bingo, Saturday, December 16. This is a free programs for ages 6-12 with prizes and refreshments and materials will be supplied. Seating is limited so register now.

American Swedish Historical Museum visits the Library Thursday, Decem-ber 14 at 6:30 p.m. for a kids program “Swedish For All Seasons.” Your child can learn about the culture of Sweden, “land of the midnight sun,” including many fun and hands-on activities.

3D Printing Services are Available. Ask Debbie or Stephen at the desk to find out how you can get your first small 3D printed item for free. Check out the display case for designs the staff have made for ideas.

Free Chair Yoga classes will be on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. starting December 12. Chair Yoga is a gentle form of Yoga using a chair for support.

Are you looking for a book club? There are several options at our library. The group meeting on Thursday the 14 at 1:30 p.m. is discussing People of the Book. The group meeting on Wednes-day, December 20 at 7 p.m. is discussing

Year of Wonders. Stop by and try one out!Your child can learn to play Chess!

Join Chess Club every Tuesday at 6 p.m. - materials and training will be provided.

Storytime. Your young child can learn basic literacy skills while having fun. The Aston Public Library offers story times every week, open to everyone! Join Ms. Debbie for toddler time (ages 2-3) on Tuesdays at 10:30, infant time (up to 24 months) on Wednesdays at 10:30, and preschool time (ages 3-5) on Thursdays at 10:30!

Join the Library Movie Discussion Group to view and discuss The Family Stone on Monday, December 18 at 11 a.m. Light lunch will be provided.

Kids’ Lego Club is at the Library on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. Your child can learn to build things using the library’s Lego collection. Wooden blocks are also avail-able for building. All ages are welcome.

Stop by Tuesdays at 11 a.m. to learn the art of crochet with our diverse group with many levels of experience. Stop by Thursdays at 6 p.m. to participate in a wide variety of crafts with an even more diverse group.

Need help with an e-book reader, lap-top or tablet computer? Stop by for our drop-in help time on Friday mornings- 10 a.m. for e-book readers and 11 a.m. is the time for laptops and tablets.

More information and registration for all our programs is available via the Cal-endar at www.astonlibrary.org.

A Note from Aston Township Fire Marshal Tom Morgan

As we begin this busy holiday season allow me to remind everyone of two valuable fire safety rules that were proven effective during a recent tragic event: SMOKE DETECTORS SAVE LIVES! Have one on ev-ery floor, at sleeping areas and any other areas where fire can ignite. Check the batteries once a month, and change the batteries when we change the clocks. MAKE A HOME EVACUATION PLAN! Know mul-tiple ways to get out, feel the closed door for heat, crawl low in smoke, don’t try to save personal items, have a meeting place, get out and stay out. Practice your plan at least twice a year, especially with your kids.

The Swedish Museum visits the Library on Thursday, December 14.

The storytime kids with the scarecrow crafts they made

Join the Friends of the Library! Go to www.astonlibrary.org and click on “Join Our Friends” to send in your info. The Aston Public Library Board of Trustees will meet Tuesday, December 19 at 7 p.m. at 9 Montgomery Lane in Aston. Note change of venue

You can access books for your Kindle, Nook, or other e-book reader with your library card. Go to http://digitallibrary.delcolibraries.org/ to see what is available.

Are you on Facebook? Follow the Aston Library there! Go to http://www.face-book.com/astonlibrary and “like” us.