Hibernian Ball
AOH and LAOH Division 87 will be holding its annual Hibernian Ball on Saturday, Nov. 18, from 7-11 p.m. at Knights of Columbus Regina Coeli hall, 9617 James St. The Man and Woman of the Year will be honored. Tickets cost $65, which includes buffet, desserts, open bar, live music, disc jockey, Irish dancers and a possible guest appearance by the Mummers. Contact Kieran McGovern (267-249-7632, kieran.mcgovern@pgworks.com) or James “HiFi” Carr (215-620-6547, jimgutters@comcast.net). ••
Make Christmas table centerpiece
Professional craft maker Pam Thomas will help you make a Christmas table centerpiece during an event on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 5:30 p.m. at Holmesburg Library, 7810 Frankford Ave. Supplies are provided. Reservation is required. Call 215-685-8756. ••
Bingo for a good cause
The Leigh Leckerman Foundation will hold an all-ages bingo on Sunday, Dec. 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bristol Moose Lodge, 2229 Radcliffe St. in Bristol. There will be prizes, raffle baskets and 50-50s. The cost is $30. Tables of 10 are available. Proceeds will benefit the foundation, which assists those in need of financial support for substance use disorder treatment, aftercare and sober housing. For tickets, visit leighshelp.org. ••
Poetry at Chase’s Hop Shop
North of Oxford will present poets Thomas Devaney, Kathy Barham, John Timpane and Bob Zell at Chase’s Hop Shop, 7235 Rising Sun Ave, on Nov. 18, at 1 p.m. Admission is free. An open mic will follow the featured readers. More information is at https://northofoxfordreadingseries.wordpress.com/2023/05/04/chases-hop-shop-seasonal-reading-series/. ••
Buy a lottery calendar
St. Martha Parish is selling its 2024 lottery calendar for a $25 donation. Choose a three-digit number and you have 365 chances to win, based on the Pennsylvania daily number (straight) that is pulled at 7 p.m. The daily prize is $25. There is one bonus day each month worth $100. Calendars can be bought after Mass or by mailing a check made payable to St. Martha Parish, with “2024 Calendar” in the memo, 11301 Academy Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154. ••
TBYN civic to meet
Take Back Your Neighborhood will meet on Monday, Nov. 20, at 6:30 p.m. at Max Myers Playground, 1601 Hellerman St. Guests will include police officials and Anlin Wang of Councilwoman Kendra Brooks’ office. Subjects to be discussed are absentee landlords, unauthorized vending and quality-of-life issues. ••
Movie, discussion, refreshments
St. Luke’s, 1946 Welsh Road, will host a spiritual cinema and discussion on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m., in its parish hall. The featured presentation will be Big Night, about two brothers struggling to keep their Italian restaurant afloat in the 1950s. Light refreshments and discussion will follow. Call 215-969-3645. ••
Toys for Tots, car show
The Misled Car Club will hold a Toys for Tots cruise on Sunday, Nov. 19, from 1-5 p.m. at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 10901 Calera Road. Visitors are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy. Santa Claus will be in attendance, and trophies will be given to the top show cars. ••
See Santa at St. Hubert
St. Hubert, 7320 Torresdale Ave., will host Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There will be gifts, an indoor snowball fight, a craft corner, a coloring station, letters to Santa, a selfie station, make your own reindeer food, a Christmas bean bag toss, dancing and face painting. The cost is $30, or $25 for kids 12 and under, or free for kids 2 and under. Pictures cost $5. There will also be raffles. Register at Huberts.org/BreakfastWithSanta. For more information, email SHSanta@Huberts.org. ••
St. Hubert seeks vendors
St. Hubert, 7320 Torresdale Ave., will host a holiday vendor fair on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tables cost $20 and a donation to the tombola table. Enter on Ditman Street or Bleigh Avenue. Visit Huberts.org/Vendor or email SHSanta@Huberts.org. ••
New business coming
National Wholesale Liquidators will be opening on Nov. 21 at 7101 Roosevelt Blvd.
The company will be moving into a former Kmart, which closed in 2019. ••
Choir concert at KleinLife
Five choirs representing senior centers from across Philadelphia will perform at the Golden Voices Festival on Tuesday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to noon, at KleinLife, 10100 Jamison Ave. The public is invited to hear An Ode to Older Adults. The festival is in collaboration with the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.
Volunteer to deliver meals
KleinLife, 10100 Jamison Ave., is seeking volunteers with private automobiles and valid insurance to pack and deliver meals to people in need who cannot shop or cook for themselves. Volunteers would work two to four hours a week and make deliveries to the Northeast, Center City, the Main Line, Lower Bucks County and South and West Philly. Anyone who can help should call Federic Byarm at 215-698-7300, Ext. 196. ••
Thrift shop closed Thanksgiving
The Classroom Thrift Shop, 4301 Tyson Ave., will be closed on Thanksgiving, Nov. 23, and will reopen Friday, Nov. 24, at 10 a.m. Call 215-624-9130. ••
New head of Tacony CDC
Xhulio Binjaku recently started his first week as executive director of the Tacony Community Development Corporation. He is taking over from Interim Executive Director Ashley de Vries, who will return to the Tacony CDC Board of Trustees, where she has served since 2017.
Binjaku comes to the Tacony CDC after working as a city planner and with previous experience in architectural design and urban planning. He is working on his Ph. D. dissertation at Princeton, has a master’s degree in architecture from MIT and was a Fulbright Specialist in urbanism.
“I speak for the entire CDC Board in expressing our excitement at having Xhulio take the lead. We are confident that he will bring many exciting firsts to Tacony while continuing to build on our rich history,” said Georgeanne Huff-Labovitz, president of the Tacony CDC Board of Trustees and owner of Marie Huff Hairdressing.
Binjaku is looking forward to using his design and planning knowledge to build on the CDC’s successes and improve its commercial district.
“I’m so delighted to be a part of the neighborhood and I look forward to building upon the amazing work the Tacony CDC has done over the past decade in community programming, strategic planning and historic preservation. Tacony is such a charming and diverse neighborhood in Philadelphia that’s too often underappreciated. My aim as executive director is to boost redevelopment and revitalization efforts through design, planning and preservation.” ••
Holiday fundraiser at FOP
Mingle and Jingle at the FOP will take place on Sunday, Nov. 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 11630 Caroline Road. The event is a fundraiser for the Philadelphia police and fire football club. Admission is free. There will be vendors/crafters, raffle baskets, specialty raffles, DJ Wireless Mike, Santa Claus and free rides on The Polar Express. ••
Bingo at St. Martha
St. Martha School is holding a “Dashing Through the Cash Bingo” fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 2, in the parish hall, 11321 Academy Road. Doors open at 6 p.m. Bingo starts at 7. Prizes for each game will be $100 to $200. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. The price includes 10 rounds of bingo, water, soft pretzels, cookies and coffee. Tickets can be bought at school, after Masses and through Venmo @sms19154. Contact Maria Gilbert at 215-632-0320 or mgilbert@stmarthapa.org. ••
Craft fair at Delaire
The public is invited to the annual Delaire Landing Craft and Vendor Fair on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fair will take place in the recreation center, 9355 State Road. There will be food, a DJ, raffles and holiday items. ••
North Catholic fundraiser
The Northeast Catholic Alumni Association will hold a Turkey Bowl beef and beer on Sunday, Nov. 19, from 1-5 p.m. at the Red Rooster Inn, 7960 Dungan Road. The cost is $40 in advance or $45 at the door. For tickets and information, call 215-543-1051. ••
Join the parade
The 46th annual Mayfair-Holmesburg Thanksgiving Parade will be on Sunday, Nov. 19, from noon to 3 p.m. The parade will go south on Frankford Avenue from Rhawn Street to Knorr Street. The grand marshal will be Seward Johnson Atelier, the organization that placed statues in Mayfair this past spring and summer. Homemade floats are being accepted. Anyone in seventh grade or above who volunteers to carry a banner will receive six community service hours.
Scouts will be collecting nonperishable food, and Marines will be collecting Toys for Tots at Knorr Street.
To participate in the parade, to be a sponsor or to volunteer, call 215-624-6660, email info@thanksgivingparade.org or visit thanksgivingparade.org. ••
Events at Ryerss
Ryerss Museum & Library, 7370 Central Ave. in Burholme Park, will hold a number of upcoming events.
Here is the schedule: Friday, Nov. 17, 1-3 p.m. (Book Club, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland); Friday, Dec. 1, 1-3 p.m. (Genealogy Group: How to dig up your ancestors); Friday, Dec. 8, 1-3 p.m. (Fibercraft Friends); Saturday, Dec. 9, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Ryerss annual Christmas open house); Sunday, Dec. 10, 1-3 p.m. (Manga Club); Friday, Dec. 15, 1-3 p.m. (Book Club); and Friday, Dec. 22, 1-3 p.m. (Fibercraft Friends).
Call 215-685-0599. ••
Variety dinner show
Joey C’s Variety Dinner Show will take place on Friday, Nov. 17, at the Buck Hotel, 1200 Buck Road, in Feasterville. Doors open at 6 p.m., followed by a buffet dinner at 6:30 and the show at 8. Tickets cost $80, including taxes and gratuities. There is a cash bar. Call 215-396-2002 or 215-317-7675 or go to https://thebuckhotel.com/eventscalendar. ••
Do you need to see a rheumatologist?
Temple University Health – Jeanes Campus will present Arthritis, Joint Pain and Osteoporosis – Should You See a Rheumatologist on Thursday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. Dr. Marissa Blum, a Temple Health rheumatologist, will discuss when it makes sense to see a rheumatologist for specialty care to find relief. To register, call 215-728-4861 or email Rosemarie.Schlegel@tuhs.temple.edu.••
Upcoming opera shows
Amici Opera Company will present Donizett’s La Regina Di Golconda (The Queen of Golconda) on Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. at United Methodist Church of the Redeemer, 1128 Cottman Ave.
For more information, call 215-224-0257 or visit the Amici Opera Company on Facebook. ••
Craft show through Saturday
A farmhouse craft show will take place through Nov. 18 at Tamanend Park, 1255 Second Street Pike, in Southampton. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be wreaths, jewelry, wood items, centerpieces, antiques, candy and baked goods. Visa and Mastercard accepted. For more information, call Nancy at 215-808-3004, visit threedcrafts.com or go to the Farmhouse Craft Show page on Facebook. ••
Get-out-of-jail measure advances
House Speaker Joanna McClinton’s legislation to change the pardon process passed the Judiciary Committee, with all Democrats – including Rep. Joe Hohenstein – in favor and all Republicans against. The measure would change the unanimous vote requirement of the Pardon Board to a three-out-of-five votes requirement. To take effect, the language of the bill must pass both chambers of the General Assembly in two consecutive sessions and be put to the voters as a referendum. The bill is backed by Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, District Attorney Larry Krasner, the Urban League of Philadelphia, the Allegheny County Public Defender Office and the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. ••
Blood drive on Nov. 24
The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive on Friday, Nov. 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 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 and entering ALPOST366. ••
Donate blood
The American Red Cross is encouraging people to donate blood. Anyone who donates by Nov. 30 will receive Elf and Red Cross socks.
The Northeast Philadelphia Blood Donation Center, 1401 Rhawn St., is open Monday-Wednesday, 11:45 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, 10:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Friday-Sunday, 7:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Other dates are Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., at Calvary Chapel, 13500 Philmont Ave.; Nov. 22, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital Church, 10800 Knights Road; Nov. 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at American Legion Post No. 366, 7976 Oxford Ave.; Nov. 25, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at St. Martha Roman Catholic Church, 11321 Academy Road; Nov. 28, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, 11630 Caroline Road; and Nov. 30, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Philadelphia Protestant Home, 6500 Tabor Ave.
Schedule an appointment to give blood by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-RED CROSS. ••
Bustleton Civic to meet
The Greater Bustleton Civic League will hold its monthly membership meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. at American Heritage Credit Union, 2060 Red Lion Road. Meetings are open to the public and attendees are encouraged to join. Email gbustletoncl@gmail.com or call 215-676-6890. ••
Come celebrate Christmas
Memorial Presbyterian Church of Fox Chase, 7902 Oxford Ave., will present A Night in Bethlehem on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 3-5 p.m. There will be crafts, activities, a marketplace, the story of Christmas, food, hot chocolate, a fire pit and Christmas carols. ••
Attend Grand Illumination
American Heritage Credit Union invites the community to visit its main campus at 2060 Red Lion Road to enjoy more than 400,000 lights and holiday displays. Each year, the American Heritage campus buildings and trees are illuminated, and multiple light displays are featured throughout the campus grounds. Community members are welcome to stroll the campus, take photos and enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday season. The Grand Illumination celebration kicks off with a special event on Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. There will be a concert featuring the Philadelphia Boys Choir, the Ukrainian Children’s Choir Soloveiky and the New Jersey Fifes and Drums. Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross will be on hand, and a firework symphony will fill the night sky. Attendees are encouraged to bring a canned food item to help American Heritage reach its goal of 20,000 pounds for its annual holiday food drive. ••
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 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. ••
Donate to food drive
American Heritage Credit Union invites the community to donate food as part of its 10th annual Spirit of Giving Food Drive. All nonperishable food donations will be distributed to various food pantries and food banks throughout the region. The donations will be collected through Nov. 25 at all American Heritage branch locations. ••
Historical presentation
The Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation Inc. will be holding its annual membership meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in its headquarters at 321 Cedar St., Bristol Borough. The public is invited. No fee. A presentation entitled The African-American Presence at Pennsbury Manor: Reconstructing Individual Stories will be made by Mary Ellyn Kunz, education coordinator at the Grundy Museum. Refreshments will be served. Call 215-788-7537. ••
St. Jerome Seniors to meet
The group will meet on Thursday, Nov. 30, in the school hall, 3031 Stamford St. Arrive by 10 a.m. The meeting will begin promptly at 11. ••
Victorian Christmas Tea Dec. 3
Redemption Lutheran Church, 8001 Bustleton Ave., will host its annual Victorian Christmas Tea on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. The guest speaker and singer will be opera singer Todd Thomas. Admission is $30 and includes tea, finger sandwiches, scones, sweets and a sparkling toast. Purchase a table of eight for the discounted admission of $200. All proceeds benefit Redemption’s Special Music Fund that supports local artists. Call 215-342-2085 or email info@redemptionphiladelphia.org to reserve your seats. ••
Book club on Zoom
The Book Club of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, 9768 Verree Road, will be holding a Zoom session on Monday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. The book this month is The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker. For further information, or to register for the book club program, call Lynn Ratmansky at the synagogue office at 215-677-1600. ••
Israel is meeting topic
The Sisterhood of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, 9768 Verree Road, will be hosting a meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 1 p.m. The guest speaker is Sigal Kanotopsky, Northeast Regional Director of The Jewish Agency for Israel. Sigal was born in Ethiopia and is a strong advocate for Israel. She will tell her story and speak on the present situation in Israel. Chanukkah refreshments will be served. Admission is free. Call 215-677-1600. ••
Trip to Brooklyn
The Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation is sponsoring a “Brooklyn Christmas Lights” bus trip on Thursday, Dec. 7. The itinerary includes a full-course dinner at Tommaso’s Restaurant, followed by a tour of the decorated homes in the Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge sections of Brooklyn. Cost is $172. Reservations close on Nov. 1. Call 215-788-7537. ••
Trip to Bethlehem
The Polish American Cultural Center Museum is sponsoring a trip to Bethlehem, “The Christmas City,” from Dec. 14-16. The tour includes two night accommodations at The Windcreek Hotel and Casino; two $20 vouchers; $70 slot play; a visit to Pines Dinner Theater to see Holly Jolly Christmas, with lunch (BYOB); a tour of “The Lights on the Parkway;” a free day to gamble and shop at the outlets; a visit to the Christkindlmarkt (Christmas shopping and artisans craft markets); and round-trip motorcoach. The cost is $525 per person double occupancy or $700 single. For information and reservations, call Theresa Romanowski at 215-922-1700. ••
Workshops at Holy Family
Holy Family University’s Family Center invites the community to its free fall workshops, which promote the “Value of Family,” during the months of October and November on the campus at Frankford and Grant avenues.
The four sessions of the “Living Fully” series will explore contemporary issues such as finding meaning and striving from life’s difficulties; exploring your creativity as a call from God; saving money with coupons – the latest updates; and reviewing common steps to protect yourself and loved ones. Sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Education Technology Center, Room 411.
The “Pathways to Prayer” series will examine how to understand and work through the peaks and valleys of one’s journey with the Lord. Using the book, Struggles in the Spiritual Life: Their Nature and Their Remedies, by the Rev. Timothy Gallagher, the series strives to give participants’ spiritual life a boost, help them avoid discouragement and sharpen their awareness of God’s presence, action and communication in their lives and experiences. Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon in the Campus Center Chapel, Room 104.
Participants will have the opportunity to interact with University faculty, staff and credentialed guest speakers. Register at holyfamily.edu. ••
Presentation on Titanic
The Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation, 321 Cedar St., Bristol Borough, will host Survivors, Victims and Legacies: The Rest of the Story on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. The presentation will be given by David J. Kaplan, a member of the Titanic Historical Society for over four decades who has met 18 survivors, including Melvina Dean, who was the last living survivor and who passed away in 2009. Reservations can be made at 215-788-9408. Attendees are asked to bring a donation for the Bristol First United Church Food Pantry of paper and sanitary products or a monetary contribution. ••
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. Final payment by Feb. 27. Call 215-788-9408. ••
Fox Chase researcher earns professorship in pancreatic cancer
Edna “Eti” Cukierman, co-director of the Marvin & Concetta Greenberg Pancreatic Cancer Institute and co-leader of the Cancer Signaling and Microenvironment Research Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center, was recently awarded the American Cancer Society’s Wilmott Family Professorship in Pancreatic Cancer.
“I can’t express how happy, humbled and honored I feel to receive this professorship,” Cukierman said. “A big part of the ACS’s mission is to support groundbreaking research that positively impacts cancer patients and their families. I look forward to continuing that mission in this new role and encouraging trainees to think out of the box and profoundly change the way we think about pancreatic cancer. The goal is to hopefully come up with novel ways to prevent, intercept and/or treat this devastating disease.”
ACS professorships recognize individuals who have made contributions that have changed cancer research and oncology care as well as those who have a proven track record of mentorship and leadership in the cancer research community. They are considered the most prestigious ACS research awards. Cukierman is the first Fox Chase faculty member to receive an ACS professorship.
The professorship was made possible through a $2.25 million legacy gift from ACS supporters Timothy Wilmott and his wife, Dr. Nancy Barna, in 2022. The gift bestows $400,000 in funding to one researcher every five years.
“Nancy and I are proud to partner with the ACS to ensure that the brightest minds and best ideas in pancreatic cancer research are funded and that we are all one step closer to a cure,” Wilmott said.
Support from the Wilmott gift funds researchers to help them lead the way to finding more effective ways to prevent, detect and treat pancreatic cancer, which is currently the 10th most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. in men and women combined and the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
“We must develop innovative strategies for prevention and early detection to increase survivorship in pancreatic cancer. We are deeply grateful to the Wilmott family for their generous support and commitment to advancing pancreatic cancer research on behalf of cancer patients and their families,” said Karen Knudsen, CEO of the ACS.
With the support of this professorship, Cukierman will work to address unmet medical needs of pancreatic cancer patients while also closing educational gaps for “under-represented” trainees and supporting individuals who would otherwise not have the opportunity to conduct high-level research.
Additionally, her work seeks to assure that these individuals will be given the educational and technological tools needed to conduct hypothesis-generating research without restrictions.
“The ACS-Wilmott Family supported trainees and pancreatic cancer research are enormously deserving of such an endeavor,” Cukierman said.
Her work at Fox Chase focuses on pancreatic cancer, specifically the fibrous scar-like tissue cells that make up most of the tumor microenvironment of the pancreas and influence how tumors emerge and progress. The tumor microenvironment comprises noncancerous cells and a plethora of secreted and fibrous molecules, blood vessels, nerve infiltrates and other components that surround tumor cells.
Her research has been published in many prestigious journals, including Cancer Discovery, Cell and Science. She has also received a number of accolades from various research groups over the course of her career.
She is an active member of multiple professional organizations, including the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Gastroenterological Association and the American Society of Cell Biology. She also serves as a scientific editor on several journals, including Matrix Biology, as well as the senior editor in tumor biology on Cancer Research Communications. ••
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. ••
