Crochet at Richmond Library
Richmond Library, 2987 Almond St., will host Crochet Circle on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 4 p.m., for adults of all experience. Call 215-685-9992. ••
Trip to Ohio, Kentucky
St. Jerome’s Senior Citizens Club invites the public to join them for a five-day trip (Oct. 15-19) to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum, with a guided tour of Cincinnati, Ohio and Northern Kentucky. For reservations, questions or a brochure, call Diane McDowell at 267-496-2431. ••
Children’s programs at Richmond Library
Richmond Library, 2987 Almond St., is offering a Preschool Storytime and Play Group on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 10:30 a.m. Join Ms. Meghan for stories and songs for ages 4 and under with caregivers. Stay after Storytime to play. Siblings welcome.
Read, Baby, Read Storytime and Play Group is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 31, at 10:30 a.m. Join Ms. Meghan for lap time with stories, songs, rhymes and bounces for babies with caregivers. Stay after Storytime to play. Siblings welcome.
Call 215-685-9992. ••
Teen charged in hit-and-run killing
District Attorney Larry Krasner announced charges against Joseph Vannauker, 19, for the hit-and-run killing of Gabriel Leon, a 37-year-old homeless man, at Castor and Aramingo avenues.
The fatal incident occurred in the early-morning hours of Aug. 22, on the 2400 block of Castor Ave. Leon was walking southbound across the intersection of Castor and Aramingo when Vannauker, who Krasner said was engaged in street racing with another vehicle, struck Leon with his 2020 Dodge Charger heading eastbound at about 75 mph. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. A video depicts Vannauker’s vehicle and another Dodge Charger revving engines and traveling at a high rate of speed shortly before the murder.
Krasner said Vannauker immediately fled the scene at a high rate of speed while ignoring traffic signals and crossed the Betsy Ross Bridge into New Jersey, but was taken into custody later that morning. He declined to speak to Philadelphia police and instead requested legal counsel. Vannauker is charged with murder and related charges.
“This defendant’s reckless behavior and callous disregard for the lives of others presents a clear threat to public safety,” Krasner said. “I’m grateful for the investigation conducted by Philadelphia police and our law enforcement partners in New Jersey. We have the necessary evidence to prosecute this case and pursue justice for Gabriel Leon, his loved ones and the community. Mr. Vannauker will be held accountable for his terrible crimes.” ••
Hero Thrill Show pep rally
A pep rally for the 68th annual Hero Thrill Show will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at noon, at 19th and Market streets. The police highway patrol motorcycle drill team will perform.
The Hero Thrill Show is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9, from noon to 5 p.m., at the Wells Fargo Center parking lot. The cost is $15 for individuals or $35 for a family of up to five. Go to herothrillshow.org. ••
Join the parade
The 46th annual Mayfair-Holmesburg Thanksgiving Parade will be on Sunday, Nov. 19, from noon to 3 p.m. Homemade floats are being accepted. Anyone in seventh grade or above who volunteers to carry a banner will receive six community service hours. To participate in the parade, call 215-624-6660, email info@thanksgivingparade.org or visit thanksgivingparade.org. ••
Protect Pakistani Christians
Aaron Bashir, the Republican candidate for city controller, said he is concerned about the safety of Christians in Pakistan. Bashir said a Muslim mob of radicals recently burned and destroyed 25 churches and more than 300 homes in Pakistan, leaving tens of thousands of Christians homeless. He said the United States keeps sending tax dollars to Pakistan in the name of humanitarian aid, yet the human rights violations against Christians continue to escalate. He’s demanding that U.S. officials stop sending money to Pakistan unless the Pakistani government protects Christians. ••
Polish festival at Czestochowa
The 57th Annual Polish American Festival at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, located at 654 Ferry Road in Doylestown, opens on Labor Day weekend. Hours are Saturday through Monday, Sept. 2-4, from noon to 8 p.m. The festival will continue Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 9-10, noon to 8. The $15 admission includes all events and carnival rides. There will be live music, Polish folk dancing, stage shows, food, refreshments and ongoing entertainment highlighting Polish traditions and customs.
For information, visit PolishAmericanFestival.org or the link on the front page of PolishAmericanCenter.com. ••
Sign up for run/walk
The St. Hubert Alumnae Association will hold a 5K Run/1 Mile Family Fun Walk/Virtual Run on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Pennypack Park, off Rhawn Street. Proceeds will support student wellness. The event will include refreshments, a goody bag and a DJ. Shirts will go to the first 150 entrants. Run/walk registration, information and sponsorship opportunities are available at Facebook.com/StHubertAlumnaeAssociation. Early discounted registration ($25 for adults, $10 for kids under 12) is available before Sept. 8. Regular registration is $30 for adults. On-site registration for the event begins at 7:30 a.m. The race begins at 8:30 a.m., and the walk begins at 9. Medals will be presented to overall male and female champions and to top three male and female finishers in various age brackets. Virtual participants can run anytime from Sept. 8-23. ••
Drawing for Eagles tickets
Posh Fuel and Food, 8901 Ridge Ave. in Roxborough, will hold a random drawing for tickets to the Eagles’ home opener, on Thursday, Sept. 14, at 8:15 p.m. vs. the Minnesota Vikings. There will be two winners, who will each receive two tickets and an Eagles swag bag. To enter, follow the Posh Fuel and Food page on Instagram, “like” the video announcing the contest, make a comment on the video post and tag two friends. Owner Arsh Pola will announce the winners on Sept. 1. ••
Handbag bingo fundraiser
The Bridge Clinic, a nonprofit veterinary clinic with a location at 2275 Bridge St. in the Frankford Arsenal, will hold its annual designer handbag bingo and basket raffle fundraiser on Sept. 23, at St. Frances Cabrini Church, 325 S. Oxford Valley Road in Fairless Hills. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the first game of bingo at 7. Tickets are $35 in advance via PayPal or Venmo (@TheBridgeClinic), $40 at the door. All tickets include 13 games of bingo, alcohol for 21+ and dessert. Basket raffles and 50/50 will also be available. Large groups welcome, tables can be reserved upon request. Email sara@thebridgeclinic.org for alternate payment options, to reserve a table, sponsorship or donations and additional information. ••
Cornhole tournament
American Heritage Credit Union and Kids-N-Hope Foundation will host the second annual Cornhole Tournament on Wednesday, Sept. 13, beginning at 6 p.m. at AHCU’s campus at 2060 Red Lion Road. The round-robin tournament ensures all teams of two will play four games. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams, with first place receiving $1,200, second place receiving $500 and third place receiving $300. Registration is $50 per team. A Nick’s Roast Beef food truck will be there, along with beverages from Moss Mill Brewery. Sign up by Sept. 5 at AHCU.co/Cornhole. ••
Golfers, sponsors needed
The Northeast Catholic Alumni Association will hold its 33rd annual scholarship golf outing for Catholic education on Tuesday, Sept. 26, at North Hills Country Club in Glenside. Golfers and sponsors are needed. Call the alumni office at 215-543-1051. ••
Local author releasing novel
Mayfair author Becky Flade announced that Tirgearr Publishing will release her next novel, Beautiful Dangerous, worldwide on Sept. 26. Beautiful Dangerous is the fourth book in Flade’s award-winning series of romantic thrillers set in Philadelphia. It is available for pre-order at all major digital retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBooks/iTunes. Flade, a Frankford High School graduate, has been writing since kindergarten, when her Brown Elementary School teacher, Miss Daniels, helped with her first book detailing her and her best friend’s first solo trip to the market for milk. For more information, follow Flade on Facebook. ••
Free movie
Bethesda United Methodist Church, at 2820 E. Venango St., will host a free movie night on Friday, Sept. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the church yard. Snacks will be sold. Call 215-739-7399. ••
Shredding, e-recycling
State Rep. Joe Hohenstein and City Councilman Mike Driscoll will hold a paper shredding and e-recycling event on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon at Ellis Coffee, 2835 Bridge St.
For more information, call Hohenstein at 215-744-2600. ••
Fall fest in Port Richmond
Port Richmond Neighborhood Action will hold a free fall fest on Saturday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at The Block Church, 2537 E. Monmouth St.
There will be vendors, crafters, raffles and food.
For vendor spaces or more information, contact Doris at 215-900-9313 or portrichmondna@gmail.com. ••
Attend Fishtown events
The Fishtown Neighbors Association is sponsoring a number of upcoming events.
Music in the Park will take place on Friday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. The free and family-friendly pop-up concert series will take place at Konrad Square, 2200 E. Dauphin St.
The Rose Garden Market, 1401 Frankford Ave., is open on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 5-8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be local artisans offering baked goods, health and wellness and fresh food.
Volunteers are welcome. ••
Entertainment at Rivers
Rivers Casino will present the upcoming entertainment lineup:
• Sept. 15: Everclear
• Oct. 7: The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA
• Nov. 22: DeRay Davis
• Nov. 24: Brian McKnight
For tickets and more information, visit RiversCasino.com/Philadelphia. ••
Allegheny Ave. at 95 closes
PennDOT announced that construction has begun on Allegheny Avenue at the Interstate 95 interchange (Exit 25), closing the road and the southbound on-off ramps for about six weeks.
Allegheny Avenue will close between Richmond Street and I-95 through Sept. 22, while the southbound off and on-ramps at the I-95 Allegheny Avenue interchange will close.
During the closure, westbound Allegheny Avenue traffic from the port area will be detoured south on Allen Street (frontage road alongside northbound I-95) to south on Richmond Street, west on Lehigh Avenue, then north on Aramingo Avenue to Allegheny Avenue.
Eastbound Allegheny Avenue traffic bound for the port area east of I-95 will be detoured north on Richmond Street, and east on Castor Avenue to Delaware Avenue.
Traffic normally exiting southbound I-95 at Allegheny Avenue will exit at Girard Avenue (Exit 23) and follow the signs to Richmond Street north back to Allegheny Avenue.
Motorists normally entering southbound I-95 at Allegheny Avenue will be detoured south on Richmond Street and follow the signs to I-95 south at the Girard Avenue Interchange.
The road work is the final stage of PennDOT’s $31.2 million project that reconstructed sections of Delaware, Castor and Allegheny avenues to improve traffic flow between the port area and I-95. ••
Parkinson’s support group
Temple University Hospital – Jeanes Campus is offering a Parkinson’s disease support group for those who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and their families. The group will meet on the second Wednesday of every other month from 6-7 p.m. at the Cheltenham Friends Meetinghouse, 7604 Central Ave. The schedule is Oct. 11, Dec. 13 (holiday party) and Feb. 14. The group is led by nurse practitioner June Ro, and will include guest speakers. To register, contact Ro at 215-707-2619 or Jungyoon.Ro@tuhs.temple.edu. ••
Register for bike ride
The closed-road, non-competitive Philly Bike Ride will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14, starting at 7:30 a.m. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Participants can choose from a 20-mile course or a shorter 7.6-mile version, with a finish line by the iconic setting of the art museum and the shadow of the famed Rocky steps. The event concludes with a post-ride festival, free and open to the public, that features live music, wellness activities and food trucks.
The cost starts at $35, with various add-ons available. There are two special ticket deals available.
The event supports the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. A portion of proceeds from the event will support the Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling program.
Registration is open and more information is available at Phillybikeride.com. ••
Day dedicated to women
NBC 10 news anchor Tracy Davidson will present Lifting Your Voice, a day dedicated to women, on Sunday, Oct. 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Philadelphia Country Club 1601 Spring Mill Road, in Gladwyne. The guest speaker will be Jen Croneberger, an author and former recipient of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry’s Female Business Leader of the Year. She holds a master’s degree in Sports and Performance Psychology and a Sustainable Business Strategy Certification from the Harvard Business School.
For tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lifting-your-voice-fall-2023-tickets-522147375857?aff=erelexpmlt. ••
Farm stand at Jeanes
Temple University Hospital – Jeanes Campus, 7600 Central Ave., has a farm stand that is open Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October. The stand is located next to parking lot C of Jeanes Campus and the Fox Chase Cancer Center Campus. Call 215-728-4861 or email Rosemarie.Schlegel@tuhs.temple.edu. ••
Mayfair Night Markets continue
The Mayfair Night Market will continue on Thursday, Sept. 21, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Frankford and Cottman avenues. There will be food trucks, vendors, drinks and live music by Jumper. Vendors can apply at MayfairVendors.EventBrite.com. ••
Third Thursday in Tacony
Tacony Community Development Corporation will hold its next Third Thursday event on Sept. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the parking lot at 6846 Torresdale Ave. (at Longshore Avenue). The free event will feature a food truck, live music, produce and bread for sale, quality vendors, activities for the entire family and information tables from elected officials and local organizations. The final Third Thursday is on Oct. 19. ••
Support for small nonprofits
A Little Better Company, an agency focused on making the world a little better, announces the launch of its inaugural Unless Project, a grant-meets-accelerator program providing $150,000 in marketing and capacity-building services to small organizations with big ideas but limited resources.
Up to four U.S.-based nonprofits will be selected to participate in the Unless Project to turn their transformational ideas into impact.
Simon Rogers, founder of ALBC, said: “In our experience, organizations with truly new and novel ideas struggle to get the resources and buy-in they need to bring their ideas to life. Today, the ability to communicate in the right way can make or break their success, and that gap between idea and impact is where the Unless Project comes in.”
The Unless Project seeks applications from nonprofits that are working on new, novel, provable, scalable and sustainable solutions to challenges in one of ALBC’s four focus areas:
• Environmental Sustainability
• Human Health and Wellness
• Social Progress and Advocacy
• Artistic Activism
The short application process includes a five-question eligibility quiz (yes/no answers only), a short application (written or video submissions) and, for finalists, a 30- to 45-minute Zoom discussion with the selection committee.
The eligibility quiz is available now, and applications are open through Oct. 15. Awardees will be notified on Dec. 15, and then be guided through a six-month process to transform their brand, tapping into all of ALBC’s capabilities and expertise.
ALBC will cover all marketing-related expenditures along the way. Additionally, the grant will include a $2,500 stipend to cover unplanned out-of-pocket expenses.
Interested nonprofits can take the eligibility quiz at https://bit.ly/unless-quiz.
Or sign up for an information session: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_A14a76RyQImqfP1CS62XhA#/registration.
To learn more, become part of the ALBC collective or to partner with the Unless Project, visit https://www.alittlebetter.co/. ••
Veterans event
State Rep. Jared Solomon will sponsor a veterans town hall and resource fair on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 4-7 p.m. at the Southampton Readiness Center, 2700 Southampton Road. There will be representatives from state, local and federal government agencies along with hospitals, insurance companies, businesses and public and private vendors. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP at 215-342-6340. ••
Upcoming cruise
The Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation is sponsoring a fully escorted Holy Lands & Aegean Majesty cruise that will sail Oct. 6-17, featuring 10 ports-of-call. Rates, including airfare, range from $4,198 to $7,998 per person, double occupancy. Call 215-788-9408 for information and reservations. ••
Cruise the Mediterranean
Norwegian Cruise Line will host a Mediterranean cruise from Rome to Venice on Oct. 10-19. The trip is all inclusive with round-trip airfare, a beverage package, all meals, three specialty dinners, taxes, transfers and all gratuities. The cost for a balcony sea view cabin is $3,511 per person. For more information, contact Fillmore Travel’s Kevin Fries at 215-498-8294 or fkevin910@comcast.net. ••
South Phila. HS class of ‘68 reunion
The South Philadelphia High School Class of 1968 will hold its 55th reunion on Saturday, Oct. 21, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Waterfall Room, 2015 S. Water St. Tickets cost $60 and include buffet dinner and open bar. For tickets and more information, call Arleen Liberi [609-922-2419], Maria Leati [856-287-3734] or Stephen Michielli [267-252-2740]. ••
