Upper Darby Offers Spring Classes

The days of winter seems to fly by so quickly that summer will be here before we realize it.  Mayor Tom Micozzie and the Upper Darby Recreation Department offers three classes to help residents get into shape.

****
The first is a Walkercise Class at the Kindergarten Center gym.  This class will be held Thursdays March 22 through May 17 at 6:30 PM.  There is a fee of $45.00 per person.  This is a great opportunity to get some exercise and meet your neighbors.

The class is a combination of walking and exercise set to music for beginner to advanced adult walkers.  Classes will be led by Elaine Caldwell and the program includes:

• Warm-up
• Walking to a beat
• Standing Exercises
• Aerobic Walking
• Stretch
• Cool Down

****

Are you curious about martial arts? Want to explore this a little more? Join the Youth Martial Arts program.  This beginners class will be held Tuesday evenings from April 10 through May 22 from 6 to 7 PM at  at the Daniel Pope Karate Institute.  There is a fee of $70.00 per student.  This course is open to children ages 6 to 15 years.  Space is limited so register now.

****

Daniel Pope is also offering a women's fitness aerobic kickboxing program. This program is geared to women 16 years and older, and now includes stations in Pilates and yoga!  This class is also held on Tuesday evenings from April 10 to May 22 from 7 to 8 PM.  This class will also be held  at Daniel Pope Karate Institute, 88 Baltimore Pike in Lansdowne, PA.  There is a fee of $70.00 per person.

For more information on all programs, please contact 610-258-5860.

DCCC Upper Darby Center, Coming Soon!

Job Seekers: Upper Darby Libraries Are Here for You!

From the Upper Darby Libraries Facebook Page:


Job seekers in Delaware County: Help has arrived! Job & Career Accelerator, a comprehensive online job search system, is now available. This innovative online resource provides job seekers with everything they need to find their next job, all in one easy-to-use application, free of charge. The "Tools to Get Hired" section even includes popular software tutorials (Microsoft, Adobe) and introductory courses on computer and Internet basics! We repeat, all for free! Visitwww.delcolibraries.org and click the POWER Library icon (library card required for remote use).


This program and many others can be found by visiting The Upper Darby Library website.

Upper Darby Community Day

When Councilman Nate Goodson originally had the concept of an African American Pride Celebration, it was to acknowledge the month of February as the official African American History month.  Now that Upper Darby has become so diverse that you can "travel the world without leaving Upper Darby*" Councilman Goodson's celebration is now a Community Day.  This offers an opportunity for the community to celebrate all cultures and bring the community together.

This year, Councilman Goodson is partnering with the Multicultural Community Family Services to better serve the rich diversity in the community.

Lori Wilson of NBC 10 will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies, leading a day full of  food, fun, health exhibits, activities for kids and a performance from Philadanco.

 The event will be held Saturday, February 18th, 2012 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at The Beverly Hills Middle School.  For additional information or to donate time or items,  please contact Dea Jackson at 610-653-8845 or Chrisheena Boyd at 610-724-0984


*Quote from Mayor Tom Micozzie

College Planning Event

"What parents and families need to know about preparing their children for higher education."

On Thursday, February 16, 2012 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM State Rep Margo Davidson will host a College Planning Event at Crossroads Community Church, 104 Heather Rd, Upper Darby, PA  19082

The event planner, Stacey Hawley, says that this night is to provide additional information to parents about the various options available in the vast field of college funding.  She stresses that this another opportunity for parents to receive information on financial aid if they were not able to make it to the school district's planning night.

Activities for the evening will begin with a step by step slide presentation for parents to learn the screens on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) website.  This will aid in making this process less confusing.

A representative from PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency) will be lead a 45 minute information session and then take questions from parents.

Information about scholarship resources and deadlines as well as saving specifically for college through the Pennsylvania Department of Treasury and 529 plans are part of the night's activities.

For more information, please contact Stacey Hawley at 610-259-7016 or at ahawley@pahouse.net.

D.E.F.Y.

It may be snowing outside, but The Weed and Seed of Upper Township, Inc is preparing for summer with Camp DEFY.


D.E.F.Y. is the acronym for Drug Education for Youth, a program which was developed by the Department of the Navy's Drug Demand Reduction Task Force staff.  The program targets at risk children from ages 9 to 12 and offers the tools they need to deter behavior such as drug and alcohol use; gang affiliation; and offers coping skills for children to positively shape their future.*


Weed and Seed once targeted the Sixth District of Upper Darby, but is now open to the entire Township.  Site Coordinator Joan Scanlon is excited to offer additional programs that all residents can benefit from.  One program is DEFY, which helps mentor children and is one that Scanlon is truly passionate about.


DEFY offers at risk children an opportunity to be a part of Township activities such as the tree lighting ceremony, open Community Festival Day, and attend sporting events.  The children also attend summer camp for a week.  The camp will be held from Monday June, 18 to Friday, June 22nd.  Activities will include swimming, fishing, and arts & crafts among other things.  The theme this year is the Wild West, so look for those sharp shooters and watch the cow pies.  


This year's summer camp will beheld at Fellowship Farm in Pottstown, PA.  Fellowship Farm is one of the nation's oldest education and retreat centers.  It's located on a 120-acre wooded site about 45 miles west of Philadelphia.  


In addition to the summer camp, DEFY offers a Writer's Club that will be held on Thursday afternoons from 3:30 to 4:30 in the new Municipal Library; a Wednesday Evening book club; and martial arts training with Andy Carr.  


DEFY currently needs about six young men who would serve as Junior mentors to the children.  Also, donations are being accepted for prizes and giveaways for the children and the camp.  Water bottles would definitely help along with other items to help the children enjoy a great week of fellowship and fun.


To volunteer, contact Joan Scanlon at 610-734-7793 or send an email to jscanlon@upperdarby.org.  For parents interested in having their children be a part of the program. they are encouraged to speak to the guidance counselor at their child's school or obtain additional information from Scanlon at the above number.





* Information taken from US Attorney Office, Michigan

Protect, Honor, and Serve

An information session was held on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 for those interested in becoming part of the Upper Darby Police Department.

Superintendant  Chitwood addressing the audience,
 Councilman Nate Goodson

Superintendent Michael Chitwood led a power point presentation to explain what is needed to become a part of the department. Mayor Thomas Micozzie and Public Safety Chair, 7th District Councilman Nathaniel Goodson, were among those present as approximately 152 people filled the auditorium of Drexel Hill Middle School to learn the criteria for becoming part of the police force.

One goal the department has is to recruit more minorities to address the changing population of Upper Darby.  

Captain David Madonna explained the benefits of being an officer.  The base pay starts at $54,617.  Those officers who need to attend the police academy would receive an hourly rate of $22.58 until they successfully completed the training program.

Captain Anthony Paparo explained the various areas a person could use as a career path with the department.  This includes SWAT, K9, Investigations, and Motorcycle Patrol among others.  

Superintendant Chitwood explained the process to become one of Upper Darby's finest.  The way it works is that you must past each section before moving on to the next step of the application process.

• Physical Agility Test
• Written Exam 
• Oral Interview
• Polygraph Exam (which he stressed that no one should try to cheat this exam)
• Medical Exam
• Extensive Background check (meaning every nook and crany of your life will be investigated)
• Successful completion of the Police Academy if needed

However, it was stressed that applicants take all parts of the process seriously.  The first part is a physical agility test that will be held on Saturday, February 25 at 9AM.  The location is the main campus of Delaware County Community College.  There is a rain date of Saturday, March 3, 2012 same time and location.  The only thing that would force a rain date would be a weather anomaly like two feet of snow or a monsoon.  

Officer Amanda Klingensmith offered words of encouragement, again stressing the importance of taking the test seriously.  She spoke of the opportunities that she has gained by being a part of the force.  She expressed that she never felt any rejection, discrimination, or alienation as a woman on the force.

Hald and Rex

Officer Tom Hald brought his K9 partner Rex, and explained a bit about the K9 program.  Once again, the opportunities for growth in the department were expressed along with the close knit relationship he has with his canine partner as well as his two legged colleagues.

A representative from McCann Testing explained that there are tools available to assist with studying for the test.  Of course, your local library may have some resources, but McCann actually has practice exams and also study aids.

Interested parties can see Richard Nolan in room 107 at the Township Municipal Building located at 100 Garrett Road, for an application.  Applications are due NOON on February 17, 2012 along with a $65.00 fee.

The written exam will be held on Saturday March 10th at 9AM.  It was suggested that those taking the test plan to arrive at least an HOUR early so that they can go through the screening process and take a moment to compose themselves before the test.

For additional information, you can visit www.udpd.org or Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission Web Site.

Good luck and best wishes to those who decide that they are ready to protect and serve the residents of Upper Darby Township.