The Westtown School Garden Tour
Historic Hunter's Hill

Chester County’s Westtown School is launching its inaugural Garden Tour, featuring an evening reception and preview garden Party on Saturday, May 22nd. In addition, a self-guided tour of seven beautiful private gardens will follow on Sunday, May 23rd. Carol Trask, Westtown’s Special Events & Volunteer Manager, has the task of creating events that appeal to the Westtown community as well as the general public. “There is a beautiful variety of gardens on the tour, including a native meadow that was recently reestablished. We are really excited to offer this to the public as a wonderful weekend experience-and support our efforts at Westtown,” said Trask.

The evening reception on May 22nd will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at a historic 18th century farm and home, Hunter’s Hill. Westtown alum Charles Brock II offered his property as the backdrop to kickoff the tour-a 162-acre farm in Newtown Square that was part of an original grant by William Penn. “It’s only been owned by three families since the land was cleared in the early eighteenth century, which is pretty remarkable,” enthused Trask. On the property is the beautiful main stone house-one portion which was built in 1726. In 1758, the home was expanded and four years ago the Brock’s added on. Only on Saturday evening, with the preview party, will the public be able to participate in a guided tour of the Brock home with its fine art and antiques-while being entertained with historical information about the home and the area.

Talula’s Table of Kennett Square, specializing in freshly prepared seasonal and local food, will cater the Saturday evening event at Hunter’s Hill. The garden party will offer attendees an opportunity to preview photos of the gardens on the tour; meet the garden owners; and relax and celebrate with live music. Tickets for the Evening Reception & Preview Garden Party are $125 per person and include admission to all the gardens on Sunday, May 23rd.

The Inaugural Westtown School Garden Tour on Sunday, May 23rd will run from Noon to 5 p.m. Attendees may tour the gardens in Chester & Delaware Counties at their leisure. Each garden will have a featured artist. Boxed lunches are available for purchase. Tickets for the Sunday Garden Tour only are $25 per person or $100 for 5 tickets; bag lunches are $10 per person. For more information, visit www.westtown.edu/gardentour or contact Carol Trask, Westtown School Special Events Manager, at 610-399-7916 or carol.trask@westtown.edu.

The Camphill ProAm Tennis Ball is the kick-off party for the school’s Sharing Life and Learning: A Campaign for Camphill Special School’s Transition Program.

Main Line tennis enthusiasts can look forward to a competitive spring ProAm for a great cause. Camphill Special School and Tennis Addiction Sports Club will host the Camphill ProAm Tennis Ball and Tennis Tournament on May 7th and 8th , respectively, benefiting students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Camphill Special School. Camphill Special School is a community and school for children and youth ages four to twenty-one with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Tennis Ball will take place on Friday, May 7th at the historic Sunnybrook Ballroom in Pottstown. Greg Ambrose, along with his wife Annie of Warwick Township, is one of the event chairs and a recent addition to the school’s board of directors. The Ambrose’s son Joey is a current Camphill student. “The live auction the night before is really fun because we actually auction off eight tennis teams, paired with a great trip as a prize. The ProAm is a great way to gain awareness for our important Transition Program because it fills a gap in students’ education. It was developed to be a bridge for students from that high school age-18 to 21-through to adult placement. So, the goal is to continue to teach life skills and have these children be as independent as possible, get them acquainted to community living on the farm. It’s been a very positive and successful part of Camphill,” explained Ambrose.

The Camphill ProAm Tennis Ball is the kick-off party for the school’s Sharing Life and Learning: A Campaign for Camphill Special School’s Transition Program. Beaver Farm is a fifty-six acre farm run by students and staff. It is home to the Transition Program where students, ages eighteen to twenty-one, learn skills to become contributing members of society while continuing their academic and therapeutic work. Robin Young, host of NPR’s Here and Now, will serve as emcee for the Tennis Ball for the second year. Guests will be treated to a fabulous dinner, dancing on the largest wooden dance floor this side of the Mississippi to the swinging sounds of Jump City Jazz Orchestra, live and silent auctions, and a performance by Camphill Special School students.

Camphill has launched a $3 million Capital Campaign to improve and grow the Transition Program at Beaver Farm so that more students might benefit from it. This includes the construction of a new student residence and an education and resource center. A portion of this year’s ProAm proceeds will benefit this exciting project.

Tennis Tournament founder Anthony DeCecco has recruited eight athletically talented mixed doubles ProAm tennis teams who will compete for the coveted title of ProAm Champions on Saturday, May 8, at DeCecco’s club Tennis Addiction in Exton. Local television personality Elizabeth “Bitsy” Jennings will serve as commentator for this high-energy sporting event.

Admission to both the Tennis Ball on May 7th and ProAm Tennis Tournament on May 8th is $125 each or $200 per couple. Raffle tickets for the chance to win a seven night Alaskan cruise, including airfare also are available at $50 each or three for $100. Contact Courtney Coffman at 610.469.9236 x132 or ccoffman@camphillspecialschool.org or visit the school’s website, www.camphillspecialschool.org, for more information, to reserve admission to the event or to purchase raffle tickets.

The 28th Annual Chester County Antiques Show features 18th and 19th Century American and Continental furniture, rugs, paintings, porcelain, glass, silver, jewelry, needlework and other decorative arts.

The 28th annual Chester County Antiques Show, benefiting the Chester County Historical Society (CCHS), is returning for its second year to the historic Westtown School near West Chester, PA the weekend of March 19 to 21, 2010. This year’s Honorary Show Chairs are Leonard A. King, President of the Devon Horse Show and his wife, Pat. In support of the Equestrian Traditions of Chester County theme, rarely seen trophies from the Devon Horse Show, including the Wanamaker trophy, will be showcased. Memorabilia from private collections in the Chester County equestrian community will complete this remarkable History of Champions loan exhibit. Kristine C. Lisi, one of the co-chairs of this year’s show and chair for the dealer’s luncheon, has been involved in the Chester County Antiques Show for three years. Lisi said that CCHS is excited to be partnering with the Devon Horse Show. “I think it’s a great marriage. And, anyone who is in the horse world knows and appreciate that Chester County is at the center of that culture. It’s a perfect fit.”

Described by Maine Antiques Digest as ‘the best venue for an antiques show in the Delaware Valley,’ Westtown School’s spacious new field house allows ample room for 59 dealers from eleven states to display their beautiful collections of antiques for purchase. With the winning combination of PECO as the renewed Presenting Sponsor, the 2010 Antiques Show is sure to be another winner. There is a Preview Party on Friday, March 19, to get an early viewing of this special loan exhibit and the wonderful array of beautiful antiques, as well as meeting the honorary show chairs, CCHS Board of Trustees, and fellow supporters.

The show’s preview party on Friday, March 19th is a perfect opportunity for the public to get a first look at the exciting collections.

Josh Barker, CCHS’s Special Events Coordinator, explained the meaning behind this year’s equestrian theme. “Every year we base our theme on a current exhibit at the historical society. Since we currently have an exhibit on Barbaro, a very famous horse who hails from Chester County, we felt that the equestrian theme would fit very well with our audience. And, Chester County has such a strong equestrian culture and tradition. The collections should be very exciting, the dealers have all been encouraged to showcase their best equestrian collections-from antique weathervanes to oil paintings, furniture and more,” enthused Barker.

The preview party on March 19th, which will be catered by Carlinos Market, is an exciting opportunity for the public to get a first peek at the fantastic antiques the show has to offer and peruse the aisles and meet with the dealers. On Saturday, there will be two free lectures regarding caring for furniture at 1pm and caring for artwork is at 3pm. In addition, there is a guided show tour available at the beginning of the day on Saturday and Sunday so shoppers can learn about each vendor and their exciting collections at the show. “On Sunday, we will have expert appraisers on hand which is really exciting. From 11-1pm on Sunday with paid admission, it is $5 for each item appraised which is a fantastic deal. If you sought out a local appraiser or auction house, it would be considerably more expensive,” explained Barker. Local experts from the Philadelphia area will be available for the appraisals.

Whether you are interested in purchasing or simply exploring a truly outstanding collection of antiques, the 2010 Chester County Antique Show is a must-see. The show runs all weekend from 10am – 7pm on Saturday and from 11am – 5pm on Sunday. General admission is only $15 and $12 for CCHS members. The money raised from the antiques show goes to the educational programming at CCHS.

The theme for this year’s show is Equestrian Traditions of Chester County. Rarely seen trophies from the Devon Horse Show will be on display.

The 28th Annual Chester County Antiques Show

When: Friday March 19th through Sunday March 21st

Show Hours: Saturday March 20th 10am to 7pm; Sunday March 21st 11am to 5pm

Where: The Westtown School

Website: ChesterCoHistorical.org

AroundMainLine.com: AroundMainLine.com is a proud signature sponsor of this year’s show.

Free Lectures: On Saturday, March 20th attendees can enjoy two free show lectures: ‘Caring for furniture’ at 1pm & ‘Caring for artwork’ at 3pm.

Expert Appraisals: On Sunday, March 21st from 11a.m. to 1p.m. with paid admission and $5 per item appraised.

Cost: $15.00 General Admission (Includes Show Catalog & Free Parking)

Preview Party: Friday, March 19th 6-9pm $130 admission, 5pm early admission $200

2010 Theme: Equestrian Traditions of Chester County

Why: The annual benefit for the Chester County Historical Society

For more information on the show or the Preview Party, please contact the Chester County Historical Society at 610-692-4800 or visit their website at ChesterCoHistorical.org.

CCHS is a not-for-profit educational institution whose mission is to promote an understanding of the history of Chester County and southeastern Pennsylvania by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting that history and its relationship to the region, and nation beyond, to audiences of all ages and interests.

The Camphill Special School nurtures the minds, bodies and spirits of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities through education and therapy in an extended family living environment.

Driving down an excluded remote road in picturesque Chester County horse country, you may pass by the small, garnet sign with gold lettering without much pause. It is the entrance to the Camphill Special School. The nondescript wooded drive that leads to the school’s campus wouldn’t necessarily catch your eye. But, the incredible work and environment of this community of children and on campus caretakers and professionals is most noteworthy. Camphill is reshaping the lives of families across the Delaware Valley, and the country, who have challenged children.

Dr. Karl Koenig, an Austrian pediatrician who fled the Nazis and settled in Scotland in 1939, founded what is known across the world today as the “Camphill Movement.” Camphill is based on the principles of anthroposophy, the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner that seeks to integrate spirit, body, and soul. Steiner formulated the concept of curative education, which includes the arts as healing and educational forces, and his influence is felt in Camphill Special School’s adapted Waldorf curriculum.

Camphill is a nonprofit Pennsylvania private school (and Waldorf school) that offers day and residential programs for children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, mental retardation, and other afflictions associated with intellectual disability. The school’s students are in classes from kindergarten through twelfth grade. There is also a Transition Program for eighteen-to twenty-one-year olds.

The board of the Camphill Challenge consists of parents whose children are current students or have graduated from the school. L to R: Ted Boinske, Toni Bowersox, Melissa Epps, Rick Moseley.

Toni Bowersox’s daughter Taylor was a resident of Camphill for five years before moving on to another program and spoke to the experience the school offered her family. “I would watch my daughter’s interactions with her teacher and house mother, Tunde, and just the love I would see between them…it was how I loved Taylor. It’s so hard to put into words. As a mother with a special needs child, it is very difficult to let them go, leave your home and trust them to another being. And, when you make that decision it is intimate and important and very difficult. Camphill offered my daughter something my family was not able to provide,” explained Bowersox.

Bowersox serves on the board for this weekend’s Camphill Challenge. Sunday October 18th is the third annual ride, one of the school’s important fundraisers and a biking event that will be held for the first time in Chester County. The previous two years the Challenge started in Conshohocken, but the board decided to keep the fundraiser closer to the school to attract more local participants. “I think so many people just within Chester County don’t even know the school exists. I refer to it, myself, sometimes as Shangri La,” explained Ted Boinske. Boinske’s son Jackson was a day student at Camphill for several years before becoming a full-time resident. “It is such a special place and with The (Camphill) Challenge it is really an opportunity for people within the community to become familiar with the school, and learn about how special of a place it is.”

“This place is very unique and special, it’s almost like the Peace Corps,” explained Camphill parent Rick Moseley. “There is no shift care here. The children are with their house parents constantly and so it’s spiritually a deeper and stronger experience for the kids.”

Camphill Special School’s mission is to create wholeness for children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities through education and therapy in extended family living so that they may be better understood and their disabilities moderated, that they may more fully unfold their potential, and that they more fully and meaningfully participate in life.“When I first came here, I likened it to an old hippie commune. It is just so idyllic, the houses and the people who live here and work with the children embrace Camphill as a way of life rather than a job. And, for anyone who comes here, you can sense that and the children sense it too. This is their home,” explained Camphill parent Melissa Epps.

The school’s students included children and youth ages four to twenty-one who come from fifteen states across the country and Bermuda. All around the world, more than one hundred Camphill communities in over twenty countries take different forms. But, the Camphill Special School is the only Camphill community in North America that specifically serves children and the only Waldorf school that exclusively serves children with special needs.

Rick Moseley, a Philadelphia resident and parent of a Camphill Special School fifth grader, initiated the ride three years ago as a way to have friends from the city visit his daughter’s extraordinary environment. “As a parent with a challenged child, it is hard to come to grasp with the fact that your child is not going to be the best that they can be in your own home, in your own care. It’s a different scenario to deal with. Here at Camphill the children are challenged to live independently. By living together, this life sharing model at Camphill, the kids figure it out because there is this great continuity between house life, home life and work. It’s all woven together and they are able to achieve much more than they would had they stayed at home,” explained Moseley.

This year’s ride, which begins and ends at the school located in Glenmoore, offers a moderately challenging thirty-five mile course and an easier ten mile route suitable for families and beginner riders. Cyclists will wend their ways through Chester County during peak autumn foliage with astounding views of horse farms, historic homes, and covered bridges. A gourmet picnic and live music will round out the day.

Proceeds of the Camphill Challenge benefit Camphill Special School. To register to ride or to sponsor the 2009 Camphill Challenge, contact Courtney Coffman at 610.469.9236 x132 or ccoffman@beaverrun.org. For additional information on Camphill Special School or to register on-line for the 2009 Camphill Challenge visit www.camphillspecialschool.org or call 610.469.9236 x132.

The Camphill Challenge

AroundMainLine.com is a proud sponsor of this year’s Camphill Challenge, the school’s annual fundraising event which offers cyclists a fantastic ride, during peak autumn foliage, through historic Chester County.

When: Sunday October 18, Rain or Shine

Where: The Camphill Special School; Ride starts and ends at the school — 1784 Fairview Road, Glenmoore, PA

Route Details:

• Moderately challenging thirty-five (35) mile route suitable for most ability levels
• Family Ride featuring a ten (10) mile route suitable for children and beginner riders (anyone under eighteen must be accompanied by adult)
• Picturesque views of rolling Chester County hillsides, horse farms, and historic homes
• Marked course with crossing guards at major intersections
• Pedal through Camphill Special School’s Children’s Village at Beaver Run and Transition Program at Beaver Hill and Beaver Farm; Camphill Village Kimberton Hills; and Camphill Soltane

Registration Fees – Children under 10 are free

• Riders age 16 and over by October 1 – $25
• Riders under age 16 by October 1 – $15
• Riders age 16 and over after October 1 – $30
• Riders under age 16 after October 1 – $20

Rider Amenities

• Water stations stocked with beverages and snacks
• T-shirt with paid registration
• Complimentary gourmet picnic
• Musical entertainment

Schedule
8:30 am Registration opens
9 to 9:30 am Thirty-five mile ride departs
11 to 11:30 am Family Ride departs
12:00 to 3:00 pm Gourmet picnic and music

Bicyclist requirements

• All participants must wear helmets
• All participants must sign a waiver
• All bicyclists under the age of eighteen (18) must be accompanied by an adult
• All bicyclists must follow proper road etiquette to ensure their own safety and the safety of other riders