Programs at Richmond Library
Richmond Library, 2987 Almond St., offers a Literacy Enrichment Afterschool Program that meets Mondays and Tuesdays from 3-6 p.m. and Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 3-5 p.m. LEAP is a free, drop-in afterschool program that provides homework help and activities for students in grades K-12 every day after school.
There will be a yoga program on Mondays, March 4, 11, 18 and 25, at 5:30 p.m.
Preschool Storytime and Play Group will meet Wednesdays, March 6, 13, 20 and 27, 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.
A Children’s Crochet Club, recommended for ages 7 and up, will meet on Wednesdays, March 6, 13, 20 and 27, at 4 p.m.
The Chess Club will meet Mondays, March 4, 11, 18 and 25, from 4-6 p.m. All ages and skill levels welcome.
Read, Baby, Read Storytime and Play Group will meet on Thursdays, March 14, 21 and 28, 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.
The Horror Book Club will meet on Monday, March 18, at 6 p.m. The club is for people 18 and older.
A professional teaching artist from the Clay Studio will help children create pottery and sculpture on Tuesday, March 19, at 4 p.m.
Call 215-685-9992. ••
Vendors/crafters wanted
St. Hubert Parent Association will host a vendor/craft fair on Saturday, April 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost per table is $20 and a $20 value product donation. Venmo payment to @st-hubert-pa or mail to St. Hubert High School, 7320 Torresdale Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19136. For more information, email Sheila Picinich at s.picinich@olcalvaryschool.org or Sandy Vaughan at sacoleman@philasd.org. ••
Photography exhibit
The Halide Project, 1627 N. 2nd St., will present Living Image, on Saturday, March 2, from 6-9 p.m. The seventh annual call-for-entry exhibition will include a selection of artists who use analog darkroom and historic process techniques. The gallery will also be open by appointment until April 14. For more information, visit TheHalideProject.org. ••
Support Storm the Heavens
Storm the Heavens Fund will hold its sixth annual Bean’s Ball on March 9 at 7 p.m. at Vie, 600 N. Broad St.
The masquerade ball will be held in memory of Philomena “Bean” Stendardo, an 8-year-old from Port Richmond who died in 2017 of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a fatal form of brain cancer that mostly affects kids under 11.
Philomena’s parents, Mark and Mina, started the Storm the Heavens Fund to spread awareness and fund research for DIPG.Tickets cost $275. For information on tickets, sponsorships and event booklet ads or to make a donation, visit StormTheHeavens.org. ••
Bingo in Bridesburg
Bunny Family Bingo will take place on Sunday, March 10, at 4435 Almond St. Doors will open at 2 p.m., and six rounds of bingo will be played from 3-5. The cost is $20, with discounts available for full tables. There will be games, music, prizes, a 50/50 and an appearance by the “Bunny.” All ages are welcome. Bring daubers. For tickets, text 267-339-2396 or email HSABridesburg@gmail.com. ••
St. Patrick’s Day party
City Councilman Mike Driscoll, state Sen. Jimmy Dillon and Rep. Pat Gallagher are sponsoring a St. Patrick’s Day celebration for seniors on Wednesday, March 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Cannstatter’s, 9130 Academy Road. There will be breakfast, music, Irish dancers and a photo booth. RSVP to Michele Fleming at 267-878-3516. ••
Democrats want lower income limits for scholarships
State Rep. Joe Ciresi, a Montgomery County Democrat, has introduced a bill to reform the Educational Improvement Tax Credit and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit programs for private and religious schools. There are 17 co-sponsors, all Democrats. Ciresi argues that taxpayers are subsidizing private school tuition for many families who could afford it even without the taxpayer-funded scholarships. The legislation would lower the eligibility income limit for EITC and OSTC scholarships to 200% of the federal poverty line and adjust definitions of household income to better align with what’s used for other state programs; reduce the cap on administrative expenses and close loopholes by requiring money to be spent on administrating scholarship programs; and expand data collection that will allow for the evaluation of program effectiveness and to ensure that scholarships are going to those who need them. ••
Help repair Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Philadelphia’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located at 108 Spruce St., near Penn’s Landing, was badly vandalized last August, with the thief making off with brass lighting plate covers and custom-made concrete skateboard barriers.
Despite IBEW Local 98 stepping up to offer to cover all costs of the labor required to repair the extensive damage, officials of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial just announced that they still need $50,000 to cover the costs of materials. IBEW Local 98, which has long supported military vets, police officers, firefighters and all first responders, is leading a fundraising effort on behalf of the Memorial.
“Approximately 58,000 members of the U.S. military died in service to our nation in the Vietnam War, many of them Philadelphians,” said Mark Lynch Jr., Business Manager of IBEW Local 98. “Our city’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a beautiful, moving tribute to those brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. The fact that someone would vandalize it is a disgrace. It’s now up to everyday Philadelphians, as well as to our corporate and philanthropic communities, to raise the funds needed to return the Memorial to its original glory.”Checks payable to “Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial” can be mailed to the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial, P.O. Box 29425, Philadelphia, PA 19125. You can also make a secure online donation on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial website (https://pvvm.org/).
Sign up for senior softball
The Philadelphia Senior Softball League is looking for experienced players for its 68-and-over and 58-and-over leagues. The 58-plus teams play Tuesdays and Thursdays. The 68-plus teams play Mondays and Fridays. All games start at 10 a.m. and are played at Crispin Fields, at Holme and Convent avenues. Games start mid-April and run till the end of September. No games in July. For the 58-plus league, call Mike Bojanowski at 215-801-4869. For the 68-plus league, call Marty King at 215-409-5021. ••
March book club
The Book Club of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim will be hosting a Zoom session on Monday, March 4, at 7 p.m. The book is The Star Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lois Nelson Spielman. To register or for more information, call Lynn Ratmansky at 215-677-1600. ••
Program on Holmesburg Prison experiments
Holmesburg Library, 7810 Frankford Ave., will host Human Experiments at Holmesburg Prison on Monday, March 11, at 5:30 p.m. Allen M. Hornblum, author of Acres of Skin, will give a presentation on the history of the use of inmates at Holmesburg Prison for medical research. ••
Attend special Mass
St. Martin of Tours, 5450 Roosevelt Blvd., invites everyone to a Mass to celebrate its pastor, the Rev. Efren Esmilla, becoming a bishop in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The Mass is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 17. A reception will follow in the gym. Call 215-535-2962. ••
Learn some Irish language
Profs and Pints will hold An Introduction to Irish Gaelic on Wednesday, March 13, at the Black Squirrel Club, 1049 Sarah St., in Fishtown. The instructor will be Jonathan O’Neill, native of County Clare who teaches the Irish language as assistant professor in the Center for Irish Studies at Villanova University. Doors open for happy hour at 5:30 p.m. The talk starts at 6:30. Advance tickets cost $13.50, plus processing fees. Tickets at the door are $17. Student tickets are $15. For more information, email profsandpints@hotmail.com. ••
Bingo in March
The Sisterhood of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim is hosting bingo on Zoom on Mondays, March 11 and March 18, starting at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $36 per person and includes two cards for eight games of bingo each night. Send your payment to the CSS office, 9768 Verree Road, Philadelphia, PA 19115, attention: Bingo. Include your email address to receive the Zoom link. Call Gerry or Nancy at 215-677-1600. ••
April book club
The Book Club of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim will be hosting a Zoom session on Monday, April 1, at 7 p.m. The book is The Gown by Jennifer Robson. To register or for more information, call Lynn Ratmansky at 215-677-1600. ••
Free tax preparation
People who need help preparing their federal income tax return can take advantage of the free assistance program offered by KleinLife, 10100 Jamison Ave. The program will run through April 12 and is available to everyone with incomes of up to $73,000 whether filling single or joint returns. Call 215-698-7300, Ext. 194 to make an appointment. Have all of your tax information, including last year’s federal tax return, W-2, 1099 and real estate tax bill. ••
Bingo at Loudenslager
Corp. John Loudenslager American Legion Post 366, 7976 Oxford Ave., is offering community bingo every second and fourth Friday evenings. Doors open at 6:30, games start at 7:20. Refreshments available. ••
VFW looking for members
Bustleton-Somerton/CTR1 Michael J. Strange VFW Post 6617 meets on the third Wednesday of every month at American Legion Post 810, 9151 Old Newtown Road. Meetings start at 7:30 p.m. If you are a military veteran who served in a designated combat zone, you are eligible to join the VFW. Contact Commander Israel Wolmark at 215-725-0630 if you would like to join the post. ••
Trip to Northern Europe
The Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation is presenting a Northern Europe: Iceland, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium and London cruise, July 25 to Aug. 4, 2024, aboard the new “Norwegian Prima.” Rates per person are $6,261 and $6,495, which include roundtrip airfare from Philadelphia. Deposit of $350 per person double occupancy is required when booking. Call 215-788-9408. ••
