March 6, 2008 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Local News

Local girl wins poetry contest
by Lisa Kniezewski

Ten-year-old Lena Greenberg’s poem “Lights Across the Street” won her top honors in a poetry contest sponsored by Cricket magazine. (Photo by Erin Vertreace)

Ten-year-old Lena Greenberg, a home-schooled fourth grader from Chestnut Hill, won first prize in the 2007 December Cricket League Poetry Contest from Cricket magazine. Her poem, “The Lights Across the Street,” won in the age 10 and under division.

A regular reader of Cricket, Lena looks at the Cricket League monthly contest poems in every issue.  The theme for December’s contest was “Beautiful Winter Moment.” Lena found hers while sitting by her living room window on a snowy day.  Across the street, one light shone from a neighbor’s window, and that was all Lena needed to kindle her creative fire.

 A few days before the Christmas deadline, she sent in a poem of her own and by mid-January received her winning package.

“I screamed!” Lena said when she found out she had won. “I was waiting for weeks. I hope I have experiences like this many more times.”

Lena, who wants to be a writer, loves to write poetry and short stories. Even though she is young, Lena had hoped for a while to get a piece published, and now her dream has come true.  She also enjoys playing the violin and spending time with her sister, Anna, who also loves to write.

Board reviews audit, raises rates
by PETE MAZZACCARO

The much-anticipated final audit report on Chestnut Hill Community Association finances for the fiscal year ending March 2007 was presented by the auditing firm of St. Clair Associates at the association’s board of director’s meeting on Feb. 28.

Neighbors uneasy about Cresheim Trail plan
by Kristin Pazulski

Michael Harkins stands on his property line next to Rt. 309’s grassy and rocky shoulder, and the proposed site for part of the Cresheim Trail. (Photo by Kristin Pazulski)

Michael Harkins stood on the small back porch of his Springfield Township home, which he and his wife have lived in for 30 years, and pointed to the future site of the Cresheim Trail, a proposed recreational path that would connect other Philadelphia and Montgomery County trails.

The tract he points to is a swale and steep hill next to the recently renovated Route 309. When completed, the trail will run across  Willow Grove Avenue’s Rt. 309 overpass, come down the hill and level off along a steeply angled grass-covered hill behind Harkins’ house.

While Harkins is concerned about people running, biking and strolling on a path just a few feet from a highway, his major problem is with the trail’s proximity to his house.

At its closest point, the trail is only about 10 feet from his backdoor. The only thing blocking the view of future users of the proposed trail from Harkins’ kitchen window is a fence and an unkempt collection of bushes that Harkins said he wants to trim and cut, but will not do so if the trail is created.

Hospital gift puts Fund’s collection above last year
by KRISTIN PAZULSKI

Chestnut Hill Hospital CEO Brooks Turkel (second from left) presented a $12,500 donation to the community fund to (from left to right) Chestnut Hill Community Association President Tolis Vardakis, Community Fund Drive honorary Co-chair Beth Thorp and fund drive chair Thomas Fleming. (Photo by Erin Vertreace)

Chestnut Hill Hospital helped the Chestnut Hill Community Fund exceed the money it raised last year with a $12,500 donation presented to representatives of the Fund on Monday, March 3.

“We really appreciate the hospital’s support,” said Thomas Fleming, the Fund Drive’s chair, while awaiting the ceremonial handing over of the over-sized $12,500 check in front of the hospital on Monday. “They are obviously a major institution in the community and their leadership will inspire others in the community to follow.”

Currently the Fund Drive, which theoretically concludes at the end of March (though it will still consider donations after that deadline, Fleming said), has raised $73,897. Its goal is to raise $100,000, all of which goes to community organizations such as Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels, Teenagers Inc. and green space maintenance. Last year the Fund raised $70,337.