Blood drive Aug. 12 at Loudenslager
The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive on Wednesday, Aug. 12, from noon to 5 p.m. at Cpl. John Loudenslager American Legion Post 366, 7976 Oxford Ave.
Sign up by calling 800-RED CROSS or going to www.redcrossblood.org.
Face masks are required. ••
Libraries offering limited services
The city announced that select Free Library locations are now offering limited services.
All locations remain closed to the public but residents can visit the following for book drop, material pickup and phone reference:
Bushrod Library, 6304 Castor Ave. (215-685-1471); Bustleton Library, 10199 Bustleton Ave. (215-685-0472); Fox Chase Library, 501 Rhawn St. (215-685-0547); Northeast Regional Library, 2228 Cottman Ave. (215-685-0522); Tacony Library, 6742 Torresdale Ave. (215-685-8755); Torresdale Library, 3079 Holme Ave. (215-685-0494); Welsh Road Library, 9233 Roosevelt Blvd. (215-685-0498).
Offering book drop and phone reference are Holmesburg Library, 7810 Frankford Ave. (215-685-8756) and Lawncrest Library, 6098 Rising Sun Ave. (215-685-0549).
The full list of libraries and services can be found at libwww.freelibrary.org/locations/. ••
New surgeon joins Nazareth
Dr. Omer Nasir has joined Dr. Abhiman Cheeyandira at Nazareth Surgical Associates, 2701 Holme Ave., Physicians Office Building, Suite 104.
Nasir’s areas of interest include complex hernias; abdominal wall reconstructions; gastric, intestinal and colorectal disease; a wide range of anorectal procedures (hemorrhoids, anal fistulas and fissures); and advanced flap techniques for pilonidal disease.
To make an appointment with Dr. Nasir, please call 215-331-8897. ••
Aviation Institute offering grants for vets
Aviation Institute of Maintenance, 3001 Grant Ave., will award veteran students, eligible for Post-9/11 (Chapter 33) benefits at the 100% coverage level, a grant that will cover any out-of-pocket tuition costs after their VA benefits and any Pell grants have been applied as long as they do not participate in the federal Title IV Loan programs.
The grant does not cover books, supplies, housing or charges for repeat coursework that the VA does not, by policy, cover.
AIM offers training in aviation maintenance, avionics and maintenance tech.
The next start date is Aug. 24.
For more information, visit www.AviationMaintenance.edu or call 215-676-7700. ••
Rhawnhurst, Anne Frank get state money
State Rep. Ed Neilson announced more than $2.8 million in grant funding has been awarded to Rhawnhurst and Anne Frank elementary schools for building projects expected to reduce energy and water usage.
“I’m incredibly happy to see this much-needed funding awarded to schools in my district,” Neilson said. “Investments in our children and their education pay dividends, and investments that also work toward energy efficiency are doubly valuable.”
Anne Frank Elementary School was awarded an $800,154 Alternative and Clean Energy Program grant for a two-story, nearly 25,000-square-foot LEED Gold-certified addition to its existing 103,000-square-foot building. The project includes LED lighting fixtures, low-flow plumbing fixtures, sound attenuation materials, water and energy meters, CO2 sensors and water bottle-filling stations. The project is expected to reduce the school’s energy use by nearly half and its water usage by 35%.
Rhawnhurst Elementary School has been awarded a $2 million Alternative and Clean Energy Program grant to renovate its existing 58,000-square-foot building, achieving USGBC LEED Gold certification. The planned energy-saving features include a high-efficiency HVAC system with radiant heat, LED energy-efficient lighting, a thermal envelope that exceeds code requirements and daylight sensors. The energy measures are expected to reduce the school’s energy and water usage and allow the school to eliminate its use of oil for energy production and be solely reliant on natural gas and electricity. ••
State funding improvements to Frankford and Grant
State Sen. John Sabatina Jr. (D-5th dist.) announced that two projects in his district were selected for almost $2 million in funding through the Multimodal Transportation Fund.
This funding is part of PennDOT’s commitment to improving locally owned infrastructure.
Some $1.4 million will go to a trail connecting residents to the 10-acre Bridesburg Riverfront Park. That project includes a multi-use road and bicycle pathway.
“Another $559,448 will be used for multimodal corridor improvements along the eastern side of Frankford Avenue and southern side of Grant Avenue around Holy Family University,” Sabatina said. “It will enhance network connections, calm vehicular traffic and improve campus circulation to lessen adverse impacts to public streets.”
Last year, Sabatina held a pedestrian safety policy hearing at Holy Family. ••
Philly Sports Hall names inductees
The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame has announced its 2020 inductee class, but due to the city’s ban on large gatherings, those greats will be enshrined virtually on Nov. 5.
The Hall of Fame had planned a gala at Rivers Casino.
The inductees are Bo Ryan, Bob Rigby, Cherie Greer Brown, Cy Williams, Dave Montgomery, Deron Cherry, Earl Strom, Herman Frazier, J. Russell Peltz, Jerry Sisemore, Ken Hamilton, Kobe Bryant, Lisa Raymond, Rick Tocchet, Tim Witherspoon, Vic Sears and the 1910-13 Philadelphia Athletics.
For additional details, visit phillyhall.org/2020. ••
Apply for Jeanes grant
The Anna T. Jeanes Foundation, which supports Temple University Hospital – Jeanes Campus, is asking for applications for its 2021 Community Grants program.
Grants are awarded annually to provide funding for projects that promote the health and wellness of communities in the hospital’s service areas. Criteria include a project’s merit, community impact and the availability of funds.
Applications will be accepted until Sept. 15. Funds must be used within one year of receipt.
Nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply, and must provide a copy of their tax exemption letter from the IRS and a completed W-9 form.
Organizations applying for grants must be located within or serve one of the following ZIP codes: 19012, 19027, 19111, 19115, 19120, 19149, 19152, 19006, 19046, 19095, 19114, 19116, 19124, 19126, 19135, 19136 and 19154. Projects receiving funding must take place within these ZIP codes.
For additional information about the program, or to request an application form, contact Rosemarie Schlegel at 215-728-2131 or [email protected]. ••
A way to help the environment
Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Stewards Program protects watersheds by educating and empowering volunteers across the state.
Applications are open to train new stewards for the Philadelphia fall 2020 class. The program provides participants with training in environmental science. After completing the classes and volunteer hours required for certification, Master Watershed Stewards educate their communities about watershed stewardship based on university research and recommendations.
Philadelphia offers many opportunities for watershed stewardship, from restoring the city’s urban streams like the Cobbs, Wissahickon, Pennypack, Tookany/Tacony-Frankford and Poquessing, to keeping the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers clean. You could also help steward your favorite city park, or educate students, residents and others about ways to keep the city green and healthy for people and wildlife.
Visit https://extension.psu.edu/programs/watershed-stewards/counties/philadelphia-county for an application.
To learn more about the Master Watershed Steward Program, email Erin Frederick at [email protected]. ••
