EMAN E-Newsletter, November 23rd, 2011

For sure, the holiday season is here. We would like to give you all a big present, but since that’s neither affordable nor manageable, we’ll do this instead: we’ll give you information about several community opportunities to make this time of year a little brighter for those in need…………

Trolley Car Diner and Trolley Car Café have launched their annual Coat Drive. From now through January 16^th, you can drop off new or gently-used coats at either location. They will be given to the Roxborough Salvation Army for distribution to needy families and individuals throughout the Delaware Valley.

Valley Green Bank’s Holiday Book Drive starts the day after Thanksgiving. New and almost-new books, suitable for preschool through grade 8, will be collected at all bank locations and at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore (551 Carpenter Lane). This effort will benefit the students at Mastery Charter’s 5 elementary schools.

Everyone’s invited to the Lutheran Theological Seminary’s Tree Lighting event on December 2^nd at 6PM, at the William Allen Plaza. There’ll be caroling and refreshments, and music provided by the Salvation Army Brass Ensemble. The festivities will take place regardless of weather --- clear, rain or snow! If you can, please bring a new toy (newborn through age 12). Toys should be unwrapped, so the elves can distribute them appropriately. (You may also drop off toys weekdays from 9 till 5 in the collection box in the main lobby of the Brossman Building on the Seminary Campus.)

Following the tree-lighting, an evening of cabaret will take place in Benbow Hall (Brossman Building on the seminary campus). A pasta dinner will be served at 7:00 and the show will start at 8:00. Admission is $18 including dinner, $8 for the show only. Proceeds will support a service trip to Johns Island, an historic Gullah community in South Carolina, where homes are in need of repair.

OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS:

Also on December 2^nd, as part of Mt. Airy’s First Friday, Santa Claus will be making his annual appearance at Rothe Florists, from 6 till 8. Bring your kids and your camera; the event is free, and there’ll be refreshments (including the traditional candy canes!).

On Saturday the 3^rd at the Valley Green Inn, you can enjoy a Winter woods hike (rain or shine or snow), and decorate a wreath. The event is $30 for adults, $10 for kids; proceeds benefit Friends of the Wissahickon. Contact F.O.W. at 215-247-0417 or www.fow.org for more info or to make reservations.

Leaves are being collected for recycling through December 16^th. Only those leaves that are in paper leaf bags will be recycled; if you use plastic trash bags, they’ll still be collected, but will end up in the trash. The required paper bags are widely available (and not terribly expensive) at most supermarkets and hardware stores.

Free flu shots will be available at New Covenant Church (7500 Germantown Ave., on Saturday December 3rd from noon till 5:00, and Sunday the 4th from noon till 3:00. (This immunization effort is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services and Walgreens Pharmacy.) YOU MUST REGISTER ahead of time. Call 215-247-7500, ext. 130, to sign up.

Check our website calendar (www.eastmountairy.org) for additions and updates.

SAVE THE DATE(S):

On Wednesday evening, January 25^th, EMAN will be partnering with our sister organization, WMAN, for an evening of theater at the Arden (in Old City). Their final dress rehearsal of Clybourne Park will benefit our organizations and give us a fun way to get together. Clybourne Park is a comedy the “leases characters and property” from the classic Raisin in the Sun to tell the story of a house, a neighborhood and the people who come and go over the years. Tickets will be offered at a discount to paid EMAN and WMAN members. Details will come in a future newsletter. Many thanks to the Arden Theatre for their community-minded offer, and to Bob Elfant (Arden Board member) for suggesting us as recipients of Arden’s generosity!

Another joint EMAN/WMAN event will be coming in January…………….our annual joint Board Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 10^th, and will be open to the community. More info soon……….

The next EMAN Community/Board Meeting will be held at the EMAN Office, (Wiedemann Bldg., LTSP Campus, 7301 Germantown Ave.), at 7PM on Tuesday December 6^th. Our meetings are open to the community and we invite you to attend.
We also invite you to join us! Membership info is available at our website (www.eastmountairy.org), where you can join using PayPal. Or e-mail us (info@eastmountairy.org) if you would like us to send you a hard-copy form. Your community organization depends on the community for support, and membership is a way to do that.

Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Elayne Bender