Great Valley Nature Center's
4th Annual Marsh Creek Raptor Run
5 and 10 Mile Trail Races
Sunday, Juyly 26, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.
Marsh Creek State Park, Downingtown, PA
Online Registration is Available at http://www.active.com until July 22nd.
Calling all Charlestown Township runners....this is your chance to show off your strong legs, enjoy one of the Northeast's best trail races ever and help support the Bird of Prey Center at GVNC. For more information call Prezel City Sports (610) 779.2668 or Great Valley Nature Center (610) 935.9777. You can find the trail FAQ on http://www.marshcreekrun.org .

PECO will be closing Clothier Springs Road between Howell Road and Country Club Road to install new utility poles from June 29 to July 24. The closure will be from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. daily, and the alternate route will be Diamond Rock Road.

On Flag Day, June 14th, the Great Valley chapter of the American Cancer Society held a fundraising dog walk at Charlestown Park. About 150 people attended this first annual event at our park, with games, prizes, music, auction, contests and more. VFW Post 5203 was on hand to lead the crowd in singing the National Anthem, distributing free American Flags and collecting old and tattered ones for honorable disposal. They were joined in their efforts by a color guard from Boy Scout Troop 67 of Charlestown.
Public Works Superintendent Fred Alston and his dog Rumple were finalists in the "Musical Sit" contest, where the dog owner repeatedly gets his dog to sit when the music stops playing. Two other dogs sat faster, but none better, than Rumple.
Click here for a six images of this event.

Thank you to the numerous residents who called me with sightings of Ruby. She apparently never ventured much further than the Playhouse. Despite the numerous sightings, I was unable to get her to come to me, but during the thunderstorm early Wed. morning, God answered my prayer to direct her back to my house. She was finally willing to come to me when I found her at my backyard gate at 6 A.M. this morning. She is tired but uninjured. Thank you all for your willingness to help and for allowing me to drive along your private lanes looking for her.
Kathy

There may be intermittent road closures on Charlestown Road in the area of the Charlestown Cemetary for tree removal today, June 2. We do not expect the closures to occur very often or to last very long.

I took in a foster dog Sunday evening for the American Bulldog Rescue. After walking her today, I raised the garage door and she freaked! She snappped her leash and bolted. She was last seen running down Charlestown Road away from Hilltop Rd. toward the organic farm late Monday morning.
She is short, chocolate and white in color with a long tail. She is an American Bulldog mix and is very afraid. She will most likely growl if approached but she does not bite. She was found as a stray by a rescue in NJ and transported here Sunday evening, so she has only had the name Ruby for a couple of months. She was originally found in the woods by the NJ person, so she is comfortable hiding there. I do not have a working computer (using a friend's to post this) so please call me with sightings or if you are able to catch her. Please call at any hour. Leave a message on the voice mail if I don't pick up. I have a photo but I don't know how to post it here. I will put one up at the post office bulletin board on Tues.
Thank you very much for any help you can provide.
Kathy - 610-505-6610

You will see some signs go up along Church Road again soon advertising a Hoagie Sale our Charlestown United Methodist Church is sponsoring on Sunday, May 31st. The hoagies cost $4.00 and will be custom made that morning with fresh meats, etc. from Jack Forresta's market in Phoenixville. Turkey or Italian, with or without onions, sweet peppers, hot peppers - you choose. They will be available after 10:00 AM on the morning of the 31st. Please let me know if you or other family members are interested. Proceeds from this sale will support ministry here at the church. The deadline for ordering will probably be Tuesday the 26th. You can email the pastor eric.h.woodworth@gmail.com , or call (even leave a message if need be) at 610-933-6083. We really appreciated your order last time. Hope you can support us again. Thanks so much!

The School Signals at the Charlestown Elementary School will be on in the morning from 8:25 am to 9:05 am and in the afternoon from 3:25 pm to 4:05 pm. They will no longer be on during noon time.

Charlestown Elementary School will be open during the Election this year. Voters will NOT be allowed to enter the school from the Upper Parking Lot. All access and egress will be from the lower Parking Lot. Please respect any traffic cones that may be in place to allow room for the many buses that will be entering and exiting during the day. No access will be allowed from the poll through the school to the upper parking lot. This area of the school understandably is off limits.
Looking forward to seeing all the Charlestown Voters on May 19 Don't forget to vote.
Bob Jones

The Phoenixville Farmers' Market will open for it's 8th season on Saturday, May 9th from 9am to 1pm. Located in the municipal parking lot at Taylor Alley and Bridge Streets (behind Family Dollar), the market features locally produced food ranging from meats like Buffalo, Heritage Pork, pasture-raised poultry and eggs to locally grown fresh picked seasonal produce to delicious baked breads, cookies and more.
The Dirk Quinn band will entertain shoppers with live music from 10am to 1pm, and we will have our usual children's area with crafts and toys. This week four area artists, including Charlestown residents Rick and Deb Reis, will bring one-of-a kind creations, perfect for Mothers' Day. We are excited to welcome a new producer this season.
Oley Valley Mushroom raises some of the finest mushrooms available in the Philadelphia area. They have won numerous awards and provide mushrooms to some of the areas finest restaurants. This week Willow Creek Orchard will also bring local organic asparagus. Farmers' markets are helping many local farmers stay on their farms and even expand. Two of the farmers at the Phoenixville Farmers' Market have been able to purchase additional land as a result. Shopping at your local farmers' market is a delicious way to support local farms. We invite you to come taste the wonderful bounty of our area and meet some local farmers.

Sunday, May 17, 2009. Phoenixville, PA. Renaissance Academy Charter School (on the grounds of the Valley Forge Christian College - enter VFCC on Charlestown Road, follow the road to the right, school will be on your left just before the bus depot). Our 2nd Annual Basket Bingo! Doors open at 2:30pm, games start at 3:00pm. Tickets are $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door (if still available). 20 Regular Games, 3 Specials, 2 Raffles. Features an exciting assortment of filled baskets. Snacks/refreshments, including pizza, pretzels and beverages, available for purchase. All proceeds will benefit the Renaissance Academy Fine Arts Department for its music, art, sports and other programs. For tickets and additional information please call the school at 610-983-4080 x4040. All messages will be returned.

The Philadelphia Unit of the Herb Society of America will feature Bay, The Herb of the Year 2009, at our 70th Annual Herb Sale. This anniversary sale will be held rain or shine on May 14th, 2009 from 10 am to 1:30 pm on the green at Historic Yellow Springs on Art School Road in Chester Springs, PA. Alongside hundreds of familiar or unusual culinary and fragrant herbs, costumers will find the specialty table laden with Salvias and scented Geraniums. For the lovers of old roses Ruth Flounders of Roses and Thyme from Sculps Hill will bring a selection of heritage roses. Yellow Springs Farm will present their bounty of native plants. Herb Society members will tend the large tent of homemade herbal products and garden related books and accessories. Besides shopping, customers can partake in free lectures on Bay by Herb Society member Jenny Rose Carey. To order a delicious herbal luncheon catered by Julie Zogar, please send a check for $12.00 to HSA, Philadelphia Unit, P.O. Box 240, Westtown, PA 19395 by May 11.