Saturday, March 10, 2012

7:00pm-11:00pm

The highly anticipated Open Mic Night is coming to 10 South Hanover Street! Please fill out the online Pre-Registration Form today! This will help to save your time slot for the event.

Register Now! >

See the current exhibit “The World at Their Fingertips” by photographer Karl McWherter. Visit Karl McWherter’s website.

Pottstown, PA— Have you ever wanted to have your own garden, but didn’t have enough room in your yard? Would you like your children to learn how to grow their own fresh vegetables, but don’t know where to begin?

This spring MOSAIC Community Land Trust is building Pottstown’s first community garden at 423 Chestnut Street. They will be holding three information sessions during the month of February to explain what community gardens are all about and to take applications for approximately 40 raised bed garden plots for the 2012 season. In addition to the garden plots, there will be compost bins, rain barrels, pavers, fencing, trellis, perennial gardens, a storage shed, and water service for irrigation.

The MOSAIC Community Garden is being built with a $30,000 grant from the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation. The property at 423 Chestnut Street was donated by the Pottstown School District last spring, and other major donors and volunteers include Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation. Other donations have already been received from Genesis Housing/Susquehanna Bank, Lowes, Davey Tree Experts, Andrew Monastra, Esq., the Borough of Pottstown, and many other individuals and volunteers.

According to the American Community Gardening Association, a community garden is “any piece of land gardened by a group of people.” Typically, community gardens transform vacant lots into beautiful and positive community gathering places. While fresh, organic food is typically more expensive and out of the financial reach for many people, the cost to grow and harvest one’s own food is significantly less. Residents pay a small annual fee to lease their plot and actively cultivate it throughout the entire growing season. MOSAIC plans to provide educational workshops for new and experienced gardeners. Individuals, families, community organizations, youth groups, and local restaurants are all welcome to apply for a plot.

The information sessions will be held at the following times and locations in Pottstown:

Tuesday, February 14 from 7-8 pm at the Ricketts Community Center, 640 Beech Street

Tuesday, February 21 from 7-8 pm at MOSAIC’s office, 10 S. Hanover Street

Saturday, February 25 from 2-3 pm at Victory Christian Life Center, 28-30 N. Washington Street

Applications will be available at the meetings and can be dropped off at any of the above locations or mailed to MOSAIC Community Land Trust by March 1. In the event that there are more applications than garden plots, a public lottery will be held at MOSAIC’s offices on Sunday, March 11 at 2 pm. For more information, contact Sue Repko, MOSAIC Executive Director, at 609-658-9043 or srepko@mosaiccommunitylandtrust.org.

Filed under: Housing ]]> http://pottstownclt.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/community-land-trust-to-hold-informational-meetings-on-garden-project/feed/ 0 pottstownclt http://pottstownclt.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/mosaic-community-land-trust-hires-executive-director/ http://pottstownclt.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/mosaic-community-land-trust-hires-executive-director/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:17:34 +0000 pottstownclt http://pottstownclt.wordpress.com/?p=1715 ]]> Contact Person: David Jackson at 484-949-4235

Pottstown, PA— The MOSAIC Community Land Trust of Pottstown has hired its first Executive Director. Pottstown native Sue Repko began her duties on February 1st.

“We’re very excited to have Sue leading us during this early phase of the land trust. She brings a wealth of experience in the nonprofit world and in the development of affordable housing,” said David Jackson, president of MOSAIC.

Ms. Repko was a founding member of the Community Land Trust (CLT) in 2010, along with Mr. Jackson, Dave Garner, and Chris Huff. The mission of the CLT is to acquire properties and buildings in Pottstown, rehabilitate them, and sell or lease them at affordable rates using the community land trust model. Under this model, the CLT will retain ownership of the land beneath any properties that it sells, lowering the cost for the homeowners, who are automatically members of the CLT. This ongoing relationship allows the CLT to provide support in the areas of maintenance or financial counseling, if needed, all of which can act as a stabilizing influence in a neighborhood.

The CLT plans to do more than housing, though. Its first project is a community garden to be built at 423 Chestnut Street this spring with a $30,000 grant from the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation. Other donations have already been received from Genesis Housing/Susquehanna Bank, Lowes, Davey Tree Experts, Andrew Monastra, Esq., the Borough of Pottstown, and many other individuals and volunteers. The property was donated by the Pottstown School District.

“The support from the community has been amazing,” said Mr. Jackson. “When we received word of the grant for the garden, we knew it was time to hire someone. Through her blog, Positively Pottstown, and other activities over the past two years, Sue has brought people together to make connections and get things done. That’s the spirit of the CLT as well. It’s a good fit.”

Ms. Repko holds a masters’ degree in urban planning from Rutgers University, and she is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. While living in New Jersey, she worked for the Section 8 federal housing program, municipal and state government, and in a private planning firm. She also served on a local planning board and the boards of a Montessori pre-school and an autism non-profit.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with such a great group of people at MOSAIC, who are creative and passionate about making things better,” she said. “Plus, I got my start in affordable housing and community development, and I’m glad to be doing this work in my hometown.”

While the Executive Director position is part-time to start, the organization hopes to expand it to a full-time position within two years. In addition to the community garden, MOSAIC runs an art gallery at its office at 10 S. Hanover Street and is in negotiations for its first residential rehabilitation project in Pottstown.

A series of outreach meetings will be held in February to inform residents about the community garden and the process for becoming a member. For further information about MOSAIC or the community garden, visit their website at www.mosaiccommunitylandtrust.org, or call David Jackson at 484-949-4235, or Sue Repko at 609-658-9043.

The Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation recently awarded a grant in the amount of $30,000 to the Preservation Pottstown/Mosaic Community Land Trust to build Pottstown’s first community garden at 423 Chestnut Street. The Foundation’s grant will allow for the construction of up to 42 raised beds for planting and the installation of fencing, paths, a trellis, rain barrels, compost bins, benches, and a play area for children.

“We are honored and grateful to receive this grant from the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, which will allow us to complete Pottstown’s first community garden this spring,” said David Jackson, President of Mosaic Community Land Trust. “The garden will greatly increase access to healthy foods and already has many supporters in Pottstown and surrounding communities.”

Community gardens are a growing trend particularly in vacant lots in urban areas. They are viewed not only as a way for people who have limited access to full-service supermarkets for fresh produce to improve their nutrition, but also as a way for neighborhood residents to reconnect. Residents pay a small annual membership fee and are given a small plot in which to grow vegetables and flowers. Educational workshops will teach members how to garden and what tasks need to be completed throughout the entire growing season. Jackson noted, “Some of the additional benefits of a community garden include: improving the quality of life for neighborhood residents, stimulating social interaction, beautification of the neighborhood, and improving opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education.”

A key to the success of a community garden is the development of partnerships. Jackson includes as Mosaic’s partners for this project: Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, Borough of Pottstown, Pottstown School District, Genesis Housing Corporation, Susquehanna Bank, Lowes, Davey Tree Experts, Lointerhome, and many individual donors and volunteers.

The Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation enhances the health and wellness of area residents, providing education, funding and programs that motivate people to adopt healthy lifestyles. The Foundation was formed in July 2003 with the proceeds obtained from the sale of the Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. Non-profits interested in learning more about the Foundation’s grants program and application process should visit their website at www.pottstownfoundation.org. For great ideas on how to create a healthy lifestyle for you and your family, check out their online community, Mission Healthy Living, at www.missionhealthyliving.org

POSITION SUMMARY:Mosaic CLT seeks a part-time Executive Director to grow with us as we expand our organizational capacity. Mosaic is a new, grassroots, neighborhood-based 501(c)(3) organization in Pottstown, PA. The Executive Director will provide leadership to the organization, manage staff and contractors, coordinate with community partners, raise funds for operations and projects, implement community garden and housing rehabilitation projects, and provide support to the Board of Trustees. This is a ¼ time position with no benefits.

TO APPLY: Interested persons should send a resume, three professional references, and cover letter including qualifications for this position to: David Jackson, Mosaic CLT President, at itsdl2u@yahoo.com or by mail to 10 S. Hanover St, Pottstown, PA 19464 by January 6th, 2012.

For a more detailed description, Click Here >

The beautiful creation is visible in the windows of the MOSAIC Community Land Trust Gallery at 10 South Hanover Street during the day and night. Artist Natalie Cyphers designed the historic Victorian style street scene with use of primarily reused/recycled materials.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

7:00pm-11:00pm

The highly anticipated Open Mic Night is coming to 10 South Hanover Street! Please fill out the online Pre-Registration Form today! This will help to save your time slot for the event.

Register Now! >

Come As You Art

Friday December 9th 8:00PM
310 East High Street, Pottstown, PA 19464

Come in costume as your favorite work of art or your favorite poet, musician, dancer, painter, mime, writer, clown, acrobat or movie star!!

Dance the night away to the local, musical machinations of artists Marc Dryburgh (drums), Chris Coyle (bass), Ben Bullok (keyboard) Jazz, Blues and Funk.

$35-single $60-couple

For more information and to buy tickets: Click Here!

Saturday, January 21, 2012
7:00pm-11:00pm

Open Mic Night is coming to 10 South Hanover Street! Download the file for further details and/or pre-registration.

Download the Open Mic Agenda and Pre-Registration form here.

Come in costume as your favorite work of art or your favorite poet, musician, dancer, painter, mime, writer, clown, acrobat or movie star!!

$35-single $60-couple ALL INCLUSIVE:  divine munchies, luscious libations, (beer and wine), cerebral celebrations and full-frontal festiveness!

Buy Tickets Here!

Dance the night away to the local, musical machinations of artists Marc Dryburgh (drums), Chris Coyle (bass), Ben Bullok (keyboard) Jazz, Blues and Funk.

~ Silent Auctions ~

#1 - Our friend, Sam, at Milkman Lunch Co. & Cake Shoppe will auction two original cakes made especially for the high bidders of these Sweet auctions.

#2 - A tribute to Lady Gaga and doing good deeds in Pottstown. We can all pick up trash when we see it on our streets. One small action with big results! Look sharp in a swanky Trash Pick-Up Get Up. Be the winner of one of these bejeweled and feathered ensembles of themed accessories, including a 36″ trash picker upper with suction cup tips so you’ll never bend over to seize a twinkie wrapper from the sidewalk or gutter again!

 All proceeds, (after we pay for this extravaganza), will be split between MOSAIC Community Land Trust and PDIDA. Two very worthy organizations doing very good deeds in Pottstown.