Friends of FDR receives grant money
Friends of FDR Park was awarded $5,000 for the “FDR Park Nature Center” to establish a free library of equipment and educational materials, rotating environmental displays and an expanded slate of free, hands-on programs for all ages, but especially for elementary-age children.
Flag Day Weekend at Museum of the American Revolution
Visit the Museum of the American Revolution over Flag Day Weekend, June 14-16, to learn about flags of “all kinds of colours” with flag-themed crafts and activities, living history interpretation, a special display in the Museum Rotunda and more. Throughout the weekend, guests will receive a free handheld version of George Washington’s Headquarters Flag based on the flag in the Museum’s collection that is said to have marked his presence throughout the Revolutionary War, including the field headquarters highlighted in the newest special exhibition Witness to Revolution: The Unlikely Travels of Washington’s Tent.
All Flag Day and Father’s Day Weekend activities are included with regular Museum admission. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Special exhibit Witness to Revolution is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is included with regular Museum admission. Tickets to the Museum can be purchased by calling 215-253-6731, at AmRevMuseum.org or at the front desk. Save $2 per adult ticket by purchasing online. Kids ages 5 and under are always free. All tickets are valid for two consecutive days.
Reparations Task Force formed
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, Minority Leader Kendra Brooks and their City Council colleagues announced members of the Philadelphia Reparations Task Force.
“Until we look into our past with the determination to uncover the entire truth – no matter how ugly or scary that truth may be – our nation’s original sin will continue to toxify the present and future,” Gauthier said. “The Philadelphia Reparations Task Force will address American slavery’s lingering impact on the black community.”
After the announcement, the task force officially convened for the first time and hosted a public listening session. Philadelphians from across the city came to City Hall to share their perspective on reparations with the Philadelphia Reparations Task Force.
“We see the lasting impact of racism in all corners of our city, and we know that cycles of poverty and violence will continue to repeat themselves until we address the root causes of harm in our communities, from lack of housing to underfunded schools,” said Brooks. “I am grateful for the many Philadelphians who applied to serve on the Reparations Task Force and to the nine members who are being sworn in today. Your work is to examine these root causes of that harm so that we can chart a path toward healing and liberation.”
This event marked the formal launch of the Philadelphia Reparations Task Force, which studies and develops reparations proposals and programs for black Philadelphians whose ancestors were slaves and lived under Jim Crow segregation laws in the South.
The mission of the Task Force is to provide the city, state and federal governments with an overview and report on how reparations can atone for the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow and “institutional racism” in America for black Philadelphians. The vision of the task force is to “elevate and protect the full human rights and human potential of black Philadelphians in real time.”
Searching for America’s funniest women
Comedy producers are searching for America’s funniest women in stand-up comedy to award more than $10,000 in national comedy bookings and the 2024 Ladies of Laughter titles this coming July and August in the New York metropolitan area.
Ladies of Laughter has separate categories for “Professionals” and “Newcomers.” Those chosen to compete will be judged on audience response, originality, material and delivery by a panel of producers, press and industry judges at four preliminary events taking place in New York City, New Jersey, Long Island and Westchester.
The winners from each event advance to the Grand Finale on Aug. 14 at Rodney’s Comedy Club in New York in front of a blue-ribbon panel of judges.
Those interested in entering the Ladies of Laughter “Her Time” competition should go to https://www.ladiesoflaughter.org. Contestants must be 18 years or older and must enter before June 15.
Tickets for all events can be purchased at https://www.ladiesoflaughter.org/2024-contest ••
Seeking participants for mobile preschool
Xiente, a nonprofit organization committed to fostering economic mobility within communities, announced the launch of its initiative, the Busesito Mobile Preschool. Serving as Philadelphia’s first mobile preschool, Busesito aims to revolutionize early childhood education by providing free, high-quality preschool readiness education to children aged 3 to 5. It also seeks to address the gap between the demand for childcare and available slots in Philadelphia, particularly affecting “communities of color” and low-income families.
Funded by The William Penn Foundation and Vanguard, and designed to address needs in early childhood education, Busesito offers a multifaceted approach to improving outcomes in these three pillars for children in the care of family, friends and neighbors who often do not possess formal teaching credentials:
• Enhancing Quality of Education: Offering technical assistance to FFNs empowers them to adopt a more structured and educational approach to childcare. By providing resources, training, and support, Xiente aims to empower FFNs to see themselves as educators, thus improving the quality of early childhood education provided in informal settings.
• Increasing Kindergarten Readiness: High-quality early education equips children with the academic, social and emotional skills needed for a successful transition to kindergarten. By focusing on preschool readiness skills such as letters, numbers, shapes, colors, comparisons and phonics, Busesito ensures that children are better prepared academically, socially and emotionally for their next educational journey. Closing the achievement gap at this stage sets a foundation for future academic success.
• Promoting Economic Mobility: Economic stability and access to resources are fundamental aspects of a child’s academic success. By working with families as a whole and addressing economic needs, Xiente aims to support the well-being of the family and create conditions conducive to children’s learning and development. Research consistently shows that children whose families have their basic needs met and are economically stable tend to perform better academically.
Rashanda Perryman, Head of Philanthropy at Vanguard’s Community Stewardship group, praised the initiative, stating, “With its innovative approach to supporting preschool students and their caregivers, Xiente’s mobile preschool is taking a meaningful step towards broadening access to early childhood education in Philadelphia.”
Jennifer Stavrakos, interim director of the Great Learning Program at the William Penn Foundation, expressed excitement about supporting Xiente’s efforts to provide high-quality early education opportunities, stating, “We’re excited to support Xiente’s new effort, as part of our goal to ensure all Philadelphia children have access to high-quality early childhood education programs that prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond.”
Busesito also collaborates with various organizations within Philadelphia’s early learning ecosystem to offer complementary programming. Partnerships include initiatives like ParentChild+ in collaboration with the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation, with outcomes assessed by partner Mathematica.
Additionally, Valley Settlement in Roaring Forks, Colorado, serves as a model for Xiente’s mobile preschool program, providing technical assistance for the pilot. This initiative builds on Xiente’s more than 20 years of experience in delivering quality, bilingual early childhood education and support services, reaching nearly 3,000 families in 2022 alone.
Busesito seeks participants for its fall 2024 cohort across Philadelphia, but especially in North, Northeast and South Philadelphia.For caretakers interested in participating in the program, email Sarah Clemency at sarah.clemency@xiente.org. ••
Entertainment at Parx
Parx Casino is offering the following upcoming entertainment:
May 31: Reik
June 1: Joss Stone
June 14: Almost Queen, a tribute to Queen
June 21: Corinne Bailey Rae
June 28: It’s Happening w/Snooki & Joey
July 13: Clay Walker
July 19: Debbie Gibson
July 26: Kameron Marlowe
Aug. 3: Tyler Henry, The Hollywood Medium
Aug. 23: The Marshall Tucker Band
Sept. 7: Australian Pink Floyd
Sept. 21: Dustin Lynch
Oct. 4: Heather McDonald
Oct. 18: Straight No Chaser
Oct. 19: Giggly Squad Live
Oct. 25: Michael Blaustein
Nov. 9: Air Supply
Nov. 21: Aaron Lewis
Nov. 23: Steve Trevino
Dec. 7: Kathleen Madigan ••
See performance of Anything Goes
The Star Players, of the city Department of Parks and Recreation, will present Cole Porter’s Anything Goes on May 31 and June 1-2 at 7 p.m. at Venice Island Performing Arts Center, at 7 Lock St. in Manayunk. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Group rates are available. Tickets are available on Venmo @TheStarplayers or at the Holmesburg Recreation Center, 4500 Rhawn St. For more information, call director Bill Arthur at 215-685-8714, like the group’s Facebook page, follow the group on Twitter @starplayersPPR or email Starplayers2013@gmail.com. ••
Bus trip to Lancaster County
St. William Travel is planning a trip to Lancaster County on June 20. There will be a Magic & Wonder Theater show, buffet lunch at Shady Maple, round trip by motorcoach, with all taxes and gratuities included. The costs $120. Bus departs from Gloria Dei Estates, 1304 Rhawn St., at 9:15 a.m. and returns 6:15 p.m. Check or money order payable to St. William Travel can be sent c/o 206 Benner St., Philadelphia, PA 19111. Call 215-745-7199. ••
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.
Call 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, 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. ••
Comcast announces streaming bundle for new, existing customers
Comcast announced Xfinity StreamSaverTM, a streaming bundle of Apple TV+, Netflix and Peacock for new and existing Xfinity internet and TV customers. By bringing these premium streaming services together for the first time, Xfinity is making it easy for customers to enjoy entertainment, including thousands of hours of live sports, from streaming apps.
StreamSaver includes a subscription to Netflix Standard with ads, Peacock Premium and Apple TV+, delivering a savings of more than 30%, or nearly $100 a year.
“StreamSaver is a home run for consumers who want top-tier entertainment and live sports, and for our world-class partners Peacock, Netflix and Apple who benefit from the reach and depth of our entertainment platforms and Xfinity’s marketing engine,” said Dave Watson, CEO of Connectivity and Platforms, Comcast. “StreamSaver also reinforces the value of our broadband products, offering customers new ways to save money on streaming entertainment via the nation’s best and most reliable network in and out of the home.”
With StreamSaver, customers can enjoy popular and award-winning TV shows and movies like Netflix’s Bridgerton and Atlas, Peacock’s Bel-Air and The Traitors, and The Morning Show and Slow Horses from Apple TV+. They will also have access to thousands of hours of live sports including MLB Friday Night Baseball from Apple TV+; NFL Football and WWE (starting in 2025) from Netflix; and NFL Football, Big Ten, Premier League, FIFA World Cup, Golf, WWE, NASCAR and every minute from the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics from Peacock.
Current and new Xfinity internet or TV customers can add Xfinity StreamSaver for an everyday price of $15 per month, with no annual contracts. Customers can also combine the bundled apps with NOW TV for one all-in-monthly price of $30. Together, the NOW StreamSaver bundles offer access to programming from three of the most popular streaming apps alongside 40-plus live TV channels including, AMC, A&E, Hallmark, History Channel, Lifetime and WEtv, along with more than two dozen integrated FAST channels like AccuWeather, NBC News, TODAY All Day and Xumo Movies.
Customers can access all this programming via Comcast’s Entertainment OS platform and voice remote, where each of these apps are integrated into X1, Xumo Stream Box and Flex devices. Additionally, customers can find the StreamSaver apps everywhere they access streaming content, including Apple TV and other connected TVs and devices.To sign up for Xfinity StreamSaver or NOW StreamSaver, customers can visit Xfinity.com. Xfinity will manage billing, giving customers one simple monthly statement. Customers who already subscribe to one or more of these apps can still take advantage of the bundle pricing. ••
Ukrainian Folk Festival in August
The Ukrainian Folk Festival will take place on Sunday, Aug. 25, from noon to 8 p.m., at the Ukrainian American Sport Center — Tryzub, County Line and Lower State roads, Horsham.
There will be Ukrainian folk art, music, dance, crafts and historical reenactments, a variety of food and refreshments and a vendors grove. Admission is $15, and a portion will be donated to relief of war victims in Ukraine. Kids under 15 will be admitted free. Parking is free. Call 267-664-3857, email info@tryzub.org or visit www.tryzub.org. ••
