LOST PETS: A creative use for GPS tracking

Every day on my Facebook feed, inevitably I see photos of several lost pets, with frantic pleas from their panicking owners. So the person who came up with the TAGG GPS Pet Tracker should by rights be a very wealthy individual by now. I saw this device on sale at the Verizon store the other day and was fascinated. It attaches to your pet's collar and allows you to track his or her whereabouts, sending you a text message when the pet leaves the zones you've defined.
On Tagg's website is a testimonial from a Landenberg woman: "Last weekend I went out to dinner with friends. Upon leaving the restaurant I turned my phone on to check my messages, and there it was a text from Annabelle telling me she'd "left home" at 7:00pm. Current time was 9:30pm. I raced home and managed to track her down thanks to Tagg. I live in a rural area, so it entailed much running through fields but in 1/2 an hour I had her in my arms. I should add that Anna is 12 and somewhat deaf. Not sure what lead her to leap off the deck and head out for a moonlit adventure but THANK YOU TAGG for enabling me to find my girl and bring her home safe and sound."

TRACK & FIELD: Nike brings its swoosh to UHS athletic event

Well, this is impressive: Nike has signed on as a sponsor of the UHS Track and Field Invitational on Saturday, April 25. The 12th annual event, held at the high school, will host close to 50 teams this year. Admission is $5, free for seniors and students. The competition starts at 9:30 a.m.

Martha Young, who co-chairs the UHS Track and Field boosters, wrote that "This sponsorship is, in large part, due to head coach Mark Lacianca's success with both the cross country and track programs. Coach Lacianca's cross country coaching has gained national attention and was  highlighted last year in Running Times magazine for his unique take on training."

(Check out the article online at http://www.runnersworld.com/high-school-profiles/cross-training-to-the-top. It's quite interesting.)

Ms. Young pointed out  that "the track and cross country teams at Unionville are the only no-cut co-ed sports at the high school. For track and field, that is close to 150 athletes that get to participate in a sport after school, be part of team, improve their fitness and try to earn their own personal best each week."

I don't need to tell my frequent readers how much I love seeing young people getting involved in athletics and starting on a healthy lifestyle.

 

 

JUST SAYIN': How another library managed to do it

This announcement shows how the Helen Kate Furness Free Library in Wallingford has updated its image without ditching its namesake ("Helen Kate Cozen O'Connor"). Note also that the library has attracted a major national law firm as a sponsor for its reading program while keeping its historic name (the Bayard Taylor Memorial Library board said one of the reasons it changed its name to the Kennett Public Library was that they felt the "modern" name would appeal to big donors).

 

According to the Helen Kate Furness library's website, the library was founded in October 1902 by a group of Nether Providence citizens as the Horace Howard Furness Free Library, named in honor of one of the founders, a renowned Shakespearean scholar. Dr. Furness died in 1912, bequeathing $5,000 to the library on the condition that its name be changed to The Helen Kate Furness Free Library to honor his wife, also a Shakespearean scholar.

In the "small world" department: Kennett Square historian Lynn Sinclair points out that Horace Howard Furness was the brother of architect Frank Furness, the designer of the Chalfant house on N. Union Street in Kennett Square (now sadly damaged by fire). And Frank and Horace Furness' father was the Rev. William Henry Furness, who spoke at Bayard Taylor's funeral.

OPEN SPACE: A conversation about conservation

The "Community Conversation on Conservation," postponed because of a snowstorm, has been rescheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at the Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale. The presentation on the conservation movement, land easements and open space preservation is sponsored by the Buck & Doe Trust along with the Cheshire Hunt Conservancy. For more information contact buckanddoetrust@gmail.com.

NORTHWARD: The Underground Railroad in Kennett Township

My friend Fredda Pennock wrote to tell me about two upcoming events that the Kennett Township Historical Commission is sponsoring. On Thursday, May 14, at 7 p.m. there will be an Underground Railroad program entitled “Follow the Drinkin’ Gourd.” Chester County Historic Preservation Officer Karen Marshall will discuss the Harriet Tubman Freedom Trail (Harriet Tubman was a famed conductor on the Underground Railroad). And Chris Densmore, curator of the Friends historical library at Swarthmore College, will talk about Kennett Township and the Underground Railroad. The talk will be at the Kennett Township building. The logo that the group created for the event shows the Big Dipper, which helped guide those brave fleeing slaves as they made their way North from captivity.

 

 

In June 25 the Kennett Township Historical Commission will be hosting one of Chester County’s Town Tours and Village Walks.  The walk will set off from the Longwood Progressive Meeting and will include a visit to the Longwood Cemetery across the street. Many abolitionist families lie in the cemetery as well as Civil War veterans (and Bayard Taylor). 

MEMORY: So much for a paperless society

When I am in the middle of an editing project and see something I need to check or fix (hmm, did I already abbreviate ACC/AHA in this chapter?), I must jot it down that very instant, or it's completely gone from my brain. Fearing that this was a sign of encroaching age, I was glad to see that this happens in much younger people, too.
The other day at a store I was about to ask a clerk at her computer to print out a receipt for me. In fact, my vocal cords had already shaped the syllables and my exhalation was about to push out the words -- when she said, "Hang on just one sec." My request stopped at my teeth, a fraction of a second before it came out of my mouth -- I could actually feel it.
When she was finished, she apologized and said she had to type in some data before she forgot it. I told her I completely understood.

MOVIN' OUT: Just burning off the carbon, Officer!

I was behind a gleaming Porsche 911 Carrera (it's superfluous to mention its color) on Conservatory Road on one of the first warm days this spring. In front of the Porsche was a white work truck abiding by the speed limit. I could just tell that the Porsche driver, a retirement-age fellow, was itching to go faster, and he got his chance when the work truck went straight at Red Lion. The Porsche driver turned left onto Route 926 and peeled out. I'll bet he was at the Willowdale crossroads before the work truck and I hit Northbrook Road.

LIBRARY BOARD: They stayed long after library closing time

In last week's column I wrote two lengthy (probably too lengthy) items about the March meeting of the library board (the Bayard Taylor Memorial Library, which the board has renamed the Kennett Public Library). The meeting started at 7 p.m. and, according to the suggested time limits listed on the agenda, should have lasted an hour and 47 minutes.
It was still going strong when I left at 9 p.m., and I just found out that the meeting lasted until midnight. A five-hour meeting! As the popular catch-phrase goes, "I can't even!"

AT THE RACES: The Cheshire Races, a springtime ritual

We just got home from a glorious afternoon at the 70th running of Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhounds Point-to-Point Races at Plantation Field in Unionville. True, the temperature didn't get much above 40, but because I wore so many layers, I was perfectly warm (really, I was). The bright sun felt heavenly, especially compared to last year's horrendous, character-testing sleet and mud.
The races were exciting --- in one, the horses were so close together at the finish line that, as the announcer said, you could throw a net over them. It took a few minutes before they were able to sort out the winner.
Best of all, there were no injuries to humans or horses. I'm told that the condition of the racecourse was excellent and fast.
What's great about the course is that you get a close-up view of the horses and jockeys -- you can watch the horses jumping over fences right in front of you, and then racing to the finish.
Our jovial party of four (the usual suspects) brought along sandwiches, fruit, vegetables and a giant urn of hot tea (which was very welcome). The steeplechase is always a beginning-of-spring social event, and we saw lots of friends and neighbors, including a couple who make it an annual ritual to hike to the course from their home in the middle of Unionville (a healthy walk indeed!).
Everyone was so wrapped up in hats, scarves and sunglasses that I know for a fact I greeted some total strangers. Umm, sorry about that.

DRONES CLUB: Upcoming lecture about two uses of drones

There's going to be a talk about the use of drones both in warfare and for humanitarian purposes at London Grove Friends Meeting at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 18. Speakers will be Jessie Mooberry, vice director of Uplift Aeronautics, and Elizabeth Beavers, who is with the Friends Committee on National Legislation. Q&A time and refreshments will follow the presentations. Free admission and all are welcome.

CHORALE: A patriotic concert at the UHS auditorium

Ruth Russell asked me to tell my readers about the Brandywine Valley Chorale's spring concert, "Testament of Freedom: A Salute to America and Our Armed Forces," at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Unionville High School Auditorium. The chorale will perform "Hymn for the Fallen" by John Williams; excerpts from Randall Thompson's "Testament of Freedom"; and the always popular "Danny Boy," "Amazing Grace," and "America the Beautiful."
Ms. Russell writes: "The centerpiece of the concert will be an extremely moving piece entitled 'Last Letter Home' by Lee Hoiby. The lyrics of the song are taken directly from letter written by a man named Jesse Givens who drowned in Iraq on May 1, 2003. He asked his wife only to read it if he didn't come home. A very powerful song."
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Folds of Honor Foundation.

Tickets ($15 for adults, $10 for students) are available online at www.thebvc.org or at the door.

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