CHADDS FORD — Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Foundation announced the recipients of the 2025 Delaware Valley Excellence in Teaching Award this week, recognizing outstanding educators who have made a significant impact on students and their communities.
These exceptional teachers were selected from hundreds of nominations and will be honored at the FMFCU Foundation Celebration on Thursday, April 10, at The Drexelbrook.
The award, presented annually by FMFCU Foundation, is sponsored by Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union, Delaware County Intermediate Unit and the Daily Times. It celebrates educators who go above and beyond to inspire learning, foster innovation, and create meaningful experiences in the classroom.
Each recipient will receive a $2,000 grant, $1,000 for the teacher and $1,000 for their school.
The 2025 Delaware Valley Excellence in Teaching Award recipients include:
• Christi Barton: Brandywine Wallace Elementary School, Downingtown Area School District
• Erin Bohannon: Harris School, Southeast Delco School District
• Lindsey Bulla: Skyline Middle School, Red Clay Consolidated School District
• Sean Carey: Garrettford Elementary, Upper Darby School District
• Shawn Comfort: Cook-Wissahickon School, The School District of Philadelphia
• Nora Connell: Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU)
• Elizabeth Gali: Bywood Elementary School, Upper Darby School District
• Sarah Goudy: Greenwood Elementary School, Kennett Consolidated School District
• Melissa Haebel: Wallingford Elementary School, Wallingford-Swarthmore School District
• Michelle Kaczmarski: Manoa Elementary School, Haverford Township School District
• Seanier Keyes: John B. Kelly Elementary School, The School District of Philadelphia
• Tess Lutz: Great Valley High School, Great Valley School District
• Shannon Murphy: Marple Education Center, DCIU
• Laura O’Kane: Coebourn Elementary, Pennell Elementary, Penn-Delco School District
• Julie Plater: Glenwood Elementary School, Rose Tree Media School District
• Derek Reed: Ardmore Avenue Elementary School, William Penn School District
• Kelly Skinner: Unionville Elementary School, Unionville Chadds Ford School District
• Emily Skoczen: Chichester Middle School, Chichester School District
• Nicole Werner: Interboro High School, Interboro School District
• Monica Willans: Radnor Elementary School, Radnor Township School District
“Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the future, and this award is our way of recognizing their dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to students,” said Rick Durante, FMFCU Foundation executive director. “With so many incredible nominations, selecting this year’s recipients was no easy task. We are honored to celebrate these outstanding educators and their contributions to education in the Delaware Valley.”
The foundation supports programs and initiatives that strengthen education, community impact, and social responsibility throughout the Delaware Valley. Through scholarships, grants, and financial literacy programs, the foundation is dedicated to making a meaningful difference.
The Celebration is an annual event that highlights individuals and organizations committed to education and community impact. Tickets and sponsorships are available at www.fmfcufoundation.org/events.
For more information about the Delaware Valley Excellence in Teaching Award and other FMFCU Foundation initiatives, visit www.fmfcufoundation.org.
Delco Boys Basketball League pays tribute to Pat Quinn
The Delco Boys Basketball League just completed another successful basketball season in southern and eastern Delaware County this past week at the Championship Games held at Prospect Park School on Tuesday night.
The league had 95 teams participating this year, coming from Glenolden, Norwood, Collingdale, Folcroft, Tinicum, Prospect Park, Aston, Aldan, Clifton Heights, Briarcliffe, Darby Township, Haverford and Ridley.
In a show of their sincere appreciation on Tuesday, the league honored past President Pat Quinn of Prospect Park, who ran the league for 15 years.
“Pat always preached sportsmanship in our league and the blue print he designed for the league will last forever,” stated Joe Hennessey, the club’s new president. “Pat made my job as the new president so much easier because of how well he designed and ran the league. Between myself and Rob Green, who is vice president, we have big shoes to fill, but as long as we follow Pat’s culture of running a safe and friendly league, everything will be okay.”
Quinn, who was a member of Prospect Park Borough Council and the Prospect Park Athletic Club, has volunteered for many community initiatives through the years.
He is the founder of the Interboro Hometown Hero program, which is responsible for hanging hometown hero banners, paying tribute to local heroes in Glenolden, Norwood, Prospect Park and Tinicum Township.
Quinn also awards two players in the Delco Boys Basketball League every year with the Pat Quinn Award, always choosing two deserving recipients who went above and beyond for the league.
Teams in the Delco Boys Basketball League run from U8 to U16.
Those who want more information on the league can contact Hennessy at jhenner873@outlook.com, follow “Delco Boys Basketball League” on Facebook or go to http://delcoboysbasketballleague.com.
Italian Festival happens in Folsom on Saturday
Associazione Regionale Abruzzese Delco and Delaware Valley will host its free Italian Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 29 at Folsom Fire Company, 411 Sutton Ave., Ridley Township.
The afternoon of Italian-American cultural fun will feature Italian foods and desserts, wine, craft vendors and music.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Italian Cultural Center of The Delaware Valley in Tinicum and the Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence Village. The rain date will be Sunday, March 30.
Some of the many vendors who will participate include Rocky’s Catering, Napoletano Brothers, Vera’s Water Ice, East Cooke Winery, Mother Nature’s Sun, Pizzeria La Familia and more. Dog Pound Sound will provide the entertainment.
To For more information about the festival, reach out to festival organizers Gianni DiMatteo and Lauren Christy at folsomitalianfestival@gmail.com.
Delco Historical Society offers History Under the Stars
Delaware County Historical Society kicked off its new spring program, History Under the Stars, this week, with an outdoor lecture series at its new location in Media.
The program is free with donations encouraged. Limited seating will be available, but guests are welcome to bring their own seats.
Lectures will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the DCHS Research Center and Library, 9 W. Front Street, Media.
Upcoming lectures will include:
• April 2, Dr. Sam Lemon, author and local historian who will discuss the founding and establishment of the Borough of Media
• April 23, Professor Kelly O’Donnell of Bryn Mawr College, who will discuss the topic, “Married to Medicine: The Surprising Story of Doctors’ Wives in American History
• May 7, Zac Beaver of the historical society, who will discuss “From Penn to Price to Bacon” about utopias, skateboarding, witch trials and urban planning in southeastern Pennsylvania
• May 21, the Rev. Alexis Washington of Campbell’s AME Church, who will discuss “From Enslavement to Empowerment: The Legacy and Future of Campbell African Methodist Episcopal Church.”
For more information, visit http://padelcohistory.org or call 610-750-0622.
Glenolden Fire Company to hold designer bag bingo
The Glenolden Fire Company will hold designer bag bingo at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 12 at the Glenolden Firehouse, 123 S. Chester Pike, Glenolden. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
Tickets for the BYOB event are $35 in advance and $40 at the door.
Ticket price includes 10 games of bingo. Special bingo cards will be sold for $5.
Tickets for a 50/50 drawing and raffle baskets will also be available for sale, as well as card markers and extra bingo books. Attendees are welcome to bring their own snacks, appetizers and desserts.
To purchase tickets, or for more information, call 610-636-4373 or email galanaughc@glenoldenfireco.com.
Vietnam Veterans invited to luncheon Saturday
Vietnam Veterans and their guests are invited to spend time reminiscing with fellow veterans and members of VFW Post 928 and the folks in VFW District Seven about Vietnam experiences and more, 12 noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 29 at Herbert W. Best Post 928, 1805 MacDade Blvd., Folsom. A light lunch will be served.
National Vietnam War Veterans Day was signed into law by the U.S. President Donald J. Trump in 2017, designating every March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. About 5.4 million Vietnam veterans are alive today. More than 500 Vietnam veterans die every day; many reside in hospices and long-term care facilities.
Anyone who wishes to attend and bring a covered dish to help observe this special day of honor, should contact the event chairman, former Commander Gene Taylor by emailing him at bladevscr@aol.com/.
Local Hauntings event with author Laurie Hull coming to Widener
Delco Horror Haven, a nonprofit horror arts organization, will present Local Hauntings with Laurie Hull, a Delaware County resident with a lifelong interest in ghosts that began while she was growing up in a haunted house.
The event is Thursday April 10 at 7:30 p.m. in Freedom Hall at Widener University, 17th and Chestnut Sts., Chester.
Hull is the founder and director of Tri-County Paranormal Research where she has worked with some of the most dedicated people in the field.
Her experiences and investigations have been featured on local and national radio, television, shows and newspapers, including “A Haunting” and “Ghost Hunters.”
Her research on the paranormal has led her to travel throughout the United States and to England, Ireland, Scotland and France to investigate haunted places.
Hull has written four books: “Brandywine Valley Ghosts,” “Philly’s Main Line Haunts,” “Supernatural Pennsylvania” and “Supernatural Mid Atlantic.” She also contributed to the books “Media Gothic,” “Cape May Haunts” and “The Dead of Winter Series.”
Tickets to the event are $15 for the public and free for Widener students. For tickets: http://simpletix.com.
Collingdale 4th of July Association sells lottery numbers for fundraiser
The Collingdale 4th of July Association recently held a fundraiser at JT Brewski’s in Secane, and the organization said was a “big success.”
To continue raising money for the annual Fourth of July celebration, the association continues to sell April Lottery Calendars at $10, good for the entire month of April. The sale ends on March 30.
Winners are determined by the three-digit Pick Three Pennsylvania Lottery Daily Number, pulled at 7 p.m. each day. If someone’s three digit lottery number, printed on their calendar, should come out straight on any day during April, the ticket holder can win between $50 and $2,500, depending on the cash prize printed on the calendar day that day.
Contact the Collingdale 4th of July Association at Collingdale4thofJuly19023@gmail.com to purchase lottery tickets, support the fundraiser, or get a full explanation on how the lottery calendar works.
Media to hold boroughwide spring yard sale on April 5
The Media Recreation Board will host its annual spring boroughwide yard sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 5.
The board is planning an online map that people can access, but they must be registered by Sunday, March 30 to be included on the map.
Anyone can attend the sales on April 5, but every home on the map must be located in Media. To ensure a home is listed on the map, go to: https://mediaborough.com to fill out a form.
For questions, contact the borough recreation department at jmetzger@mediaborough.com.
Readers can send community news and photos to Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@21st-centurymedia.com.
