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Charles J. "Charlie" Nairn
Charlie is another one of our club members born in New Jersey. Should we hold that against him? Born February 2, 1924 in Jersey City, New Jersey, he has one sister Helen who is now 82 years old.
Graduating in 1943 from Lincoln High School in Jersey City, Charlie attended Stevens Institute of Technology for two years and then Rutgers University studying both electrical engineering and contracting. He then went into the contracting business before going to work for Public Service Electric & Gas in Newark, building substations. He says some of the transformers were as big as a house! Later he went back to being self-employed before resuming his work career with Public Service & Gas at the Salem Nuclear Generating Station before retiring in 1987.
Lucy and Charlie met at a Methodist church in Jersey City and have two sons. The oldest is Dean (1949) who lives in Newark, Delaware and advises graduate students and is a computer whiz at the University of Delaware. He and his spouse Mary have two sons, Daniel who just graduated from the University of Delaware and Andrew who is a senior at the same school. Younger son John is a full professor at the University of Utah, teaching chemistry. Married to Margie, the couple have two children, Emma who is 14 and plays chess and Charles age 12 who is a history buff.
Charlie and Lucy have traveled extensively in Europe. Charlie remarked that he has driven a car in all 50 states. I wonder if he has driven in the District of Columbia??? He also collects stamps and has the complete air mail collection. Beyond volunteering for many, many Rotary projects, Charlie contributes at Paoli Memorial Hospital and Lucy supports Bryn Mawr Hospital.
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J. William "Bill" McKinley
Bill McKinley - Our favorite story teller and sometime joke teller (minimum $1.00 fine) joined our Club March 20, 1957 and may have the longest service of any club member. Bill says that he had a chance to join the club as a charter member in 1952, but passed on the opportunity at that time.
Being a member of our club for forty-five years is no mean accomplishment.
I wonder if Bill’s joke telling ability was as good 45 years ago as it is today?
Bill was the fourth of five children born to John and Grace McKinley on August 12, 1927 in a home on Foulk Road near the intersection of Concord Road. Rick and Fran Nicholson live in home today. During his elementary school career, Bill went to several one-room school houses in Bethel Township before graduating (1945) from West Chester High School. During school he worked for his father at the blacksmith shop (building still stands at Chelsea) and then started full-time in the business after high school while taking courses in metallurgy and welding at both Drexel University and Temple University.
Jane and Bill joined forces (marriage) on June 6, 1953 and will be celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary in less than two months. Shortly thereafter, Uncle Sam called on Bill and it was off to Fort Riley in Kansas and later Bomberg, Germany. Jane joined her husband later and the couple spent 13 months in Germany with the U. S. Army and were able to travel to France (Paris), Belguim, Holland and many parts of Germany.
Jim (1958) and Marjorie (1961) are their two children and each has two children. Jim has two sons, Sean and Joshua and Marjorie is mother to Lauren and Matthew. Bill and Jane have lived in the home that Bill built on Smithbridge Road since 1955 and later transferred property to Jim who lives right next door.
When Bill joined the club it was an evening affair at Bennett’s Tavern. From what he says, the 20 odd members enjoyed snapper soup once a week. Maybe that is what has cultivated Bill’s interest in telling jokes???
Fishing is one of Bill’s primary interests and he has traveled to Venezuela, Peru, Brazil and The Northwest Territory (Red Slave Lake). The peacock bass (16-18 lbs.) is a favorite catch in the Amazon. Bill also fishes in Pennsylvania and is known to travel down to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
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Stanley F. "Stan" Saft
Stan’s venture in Rotary started some 33 years ago. He’s not only served as our club president, but has also spend some four years working with the Gundaker Foundation where he also served as their president. He also spend time working with the student exchange program, which also included hosting an exchange student from Nepal. Being a Paul Harris fellow was a natural extension of his rotary experience.
Stan’s early career decision brought him out to the “country”. As he was driving to his dental office, Stan would pass only a handful of cars traveling on Route #1. Cows and horses dotted the landscape. Where has that scene gone?
After getting his degree in dentistry at Temple University, Stan and Merle, his high school sweetheart, moved with the Navy to the Boston Naval Shipyard. This was during the Vietnam era. He also spent 10 years with the Naval Reserve following his time in Boston. It was in Boston that they had their first child, Keith who is vice-president of “mind over media”, an interactive firm in Pittsburgh. Corey, who is an architect, and Kimberly, a crisis management coordinator, soon followed. As his family was establishing its presence in the world so was Stan with his pursuit of continued education at the University of Pennsylvania. Many programs later he became a fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry and a fellow in Implant Dentistry. No wonder he was listed as one of the “Top Doc’s” in Main Line Today. Stan enjoys sharing what he can with younger people in his field, so that on his day off you could find him teaching at the New Jersey School of Medicine and Dentistry.
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Dr. Anthony V. "Tony" Costello
Dr. Athony Costello is Superintendent of the Garnet Valley School District, one of the fastest growing districts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
For the last 11 years, he has guided the educational program, is accountable for hiring the professional staff of nearly 300 administrators and teachers and sits on the GVSD School Board, as a non-voting member. And these are just a few of his responsibilities.
“Education is tough,” Tony says. “It’s always under fire. Politicians feel they have solutions for most of the problems. Everybody who pays a school tax feels they have a vested interest, or an opinion, or believes they can change things.”
No doubt due to his leadership skills and a great faculty and students, Garnet Valley High School recently received top Blue Ribbon honors, recognized nationally as a Secondary School of Excellence. Similarly, the Middle School has been praised for its stellar performance. Also, Pennsylvania has heralded Garnet Valley for having the top library program in the state.
The hardest part of his job, Dr. Costello admits, is keeping up with his busy schedule. He has commitments for over 130 evenings, attending functions, board and committee meetings and school activities.
Student population has more than doubled in the last 11 years, from 1,698 in 1,992 to over 3,700 in 2001/2001. Tony feels that the sharp increase in enrollment has been properly handled by implementing the construction of new schools and renovation projects.
The expansion of the Garnet Valley High School is scheduled to be completed in 2003. The core facility will accommodate 1,600 students with a new library, cafeteria and auditorium.
In September, Bethel Springs Elementary School (Foulk Road adjacent to Francis Harvey School) will open its doors to more than 500 students in grades kindergarten through fourth. The monumental undertaking will help satisfy the rising demand as an influx of families moves into the area.
The Superintendent and former teacher says he loves to get involved in helping kids grow intellectually, emotionally, and culturally. Tony started out teaching Health and Physical Education, then attained the position of high school principal at Mathacton in Montgomery County. In 1991, his career peaked when be became Superintendent of the Schools at Garnet Valley.
Tony grew up in Delaware County and attended Sharon Hill High School. He received his Bachelors and Masters from West Chester University and his doctorate from Temple University. He was captain of the football team at West Chester, where he played middle linebacker. As nice and congenial as he is, who would have guessed he was a “Bill Bergey” type on the college playing fields!
He’s always had the support of his wife, Sherry, who teaches in the West Chester School District. Son, Ryan, graduates from Villanova Law School this year, and younger son Chad, 23 attends Wesley College.
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Robert F."Bob" Fischer
Bob was born in Philadelphia on May 12, 1943 and grew up in the city, Fosterdale, New York (Catskills), Lansdowne, Pa. and Middletown Township here in Delaware County.
Graduating from Penncrest High School in 1961, Bob matriculated at Muhlenberg College in Allentown and four years later graduated with a degree in economics.
Another one of our military veterans, Bob joined the U. S Army in 1985 as an armor officer at Fort Knox (remember Goldflnger). Six of his Seven years of military obligation were in the reserves.
Bob’s work career began at Tait Weller and later Elko in Media. Last year he formed the accounting firm of Fischer & Cunnane, L.L.P. in West Chester.
Married in 1988, Doris is the other half of Fischer and Fischer. She is a teacher at Glenwood Elementary School and their only son, Bob is a first-year student at Widener Law School. Bob and his son are licensed pilots and fly their own YAK-52 (Russian military trainer). Hobbies include travel and owning an antique 1928 Dodge Victory 6.
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Bradley N. “Brad” Stanton
Brad was inducted into the Concordville-Chadds Ford Rotary Club on July 28, 1982 and will be celebrating his 20th anniversary this summer.
Congratulations Brad!!!
The Stantons (Lil and Brad) are from Syracuse, New York. From 1959 to 1977, he managed Chambers of Commerce; and from 1977 to 1989, he was President of First Penn Leasing, a firm specializing in executive transportation. He served a term on the Garnet Valley School Board.
Brad was previously a member of the Rotary Club of Hornell, New York (for geography buffs, Hornell is a little bit west of Painted Post and southwest of Skaneateles) during his term as Executive Vice President of the Hornell Chamber of Commerce. In Albany, he was Director of Trade Development for the Chamber of Commerce. He was instrumental in building and completion of Route 17 through the Southern Tier of New York State.
Chicago called and Brad joined the staff of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce as its Executive Vice-President. Working closely with major banks, food processors, and the industrial read estate community; construction finally began for the world’s largest food distribution center. I wonder if Brad ever worked with Willie Sutton, the notorious bank robber from New York?
Lil and Brad have lived in Glen Mills (Concord Township) for a long, long, long, long time. The two have been married for over 53 years dating back to the marriage of October 2, 1948. Their adult children number four, Linda Joy is a nurse, Bradley N. II, an insurance executive, Ronald Bruce, a machinery maintenance supervisor, and Donna Ellen, a CPA. They enjoy fourteen grandchildren. Lil retired from PSFS and is active at Elam Methodist Church, especially in their library and music programs.
Past club president and District 7450 Governor in 1995/1996, Brad has numerous Rotary accomplishments leading up to his election. The Gift of Life was started in 1997 as a non-profit corporation. Surgical team members travel by invitation to third world countries for complicated surgeries and pass on much needed medical information to their hosts. On May 4th, Brad will travel to the Fundeny Cardiac Heart Center in Bucharest, Rumania for the 2nd time. In 1997, he participated in the delivery of a fire truck to Juarez, Mexico and has also delivered 700 school desks and chairs to Juarez for use in local and neighboring schools. Both Brad and Lil assisted in presenting a $15,000 grant to the Juarez Rotary Club to build a 3-room school building which will be dedicated in the near future.
In addition to Rotary activities, Brad has served as a board member of the Delaware County Chapter of the American Red Cross, member of the VFW, delegate to the Eastern Conference of the United Methodist Church and member of the Simpson House, the oldest Methodist Church related retirement home in the United States.
Brad is another of our club members that puts “service above self.” Thanks Brad.
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Donald Jay Weldon, Sr.
Don joined our club January 12, 2000 and has been doing a fantastic job “assembling” (Dabbs is the writer/editor) the weekly Minute Man. Not an easy task!
Growing up in Marcus Hook, Don indicates that he was very poor, but never knew it as all of the neighborhood kids were also very poor. His parents had 8 children in 10½ years (6 boys and 2 girls) and he is right in the middle. His younger brother, Curt came along eight years later. Too bad he is not as well known as Don!
His brothers were expected to either join the service or get a job. He was the first male high school graduate in his family.
According to Don, he married his best friend, Kay Johnson on September 10, 1955 and in 1962 their first son, Don, Jr. “Chip” was born. Six years later the second son, Glen came along. Chip is a Senior V.P. in charge of Web Site activities for BankOne-Chicago. Glen was the youngest ever recipient of The Pew Award for aspiring writers. The $50,000 award took him to Iowa State for his masters degree in writing. Today, he writes for the Washington, DC based American Institute for Cancer Research.
Right out of high school, Don went to work for General Motors. Later, his new mother-in-law suggested the Telephone Company and he left General Motors, taking a 1/3 salary cut. Started attending night school at the University of Delaware. He was a Commercial Rep. and then in marketing before getting into the management training program. Spent the next 30 years with Bell of PA/Diamond State.
In 1980, Don met Frank LeMaster (former Eagle linebacker) and together they opened the LeMaster Racquetball & Fitness Center in West Chester. They were all absentee owners and Don was responsible for the day-to-day operations. Taking an early retirement in 1986 after 30 years in the phone business, Don went into business for himself and started DESKTOP. He also teaches computer courses at the University of Delaware and Adult Night School in West Chester. Don also developed the “All About My Money Kit” and currently markets it via the Internet.
Don and Kay have three grandchildren and, according to Don, they are the world’s best “Grand Kids.”
Don never got into politics. Toooo opinionated/outspoken!!!! For a hobby he plays racquetball at least once a week.
Dave Lafferty talked Don into joining our club. Two telephone people in the same club??
Don has been a great addition to our club and committed to fund raising and community service.
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Edward V. Wandersee
Ed is originally from Chicago, Illinois (September 15, 1933) and has a brother Duane living in Elizabeth, Minnesota and a sister in Los Angeles. Sister Judith was involved in 2nd City T. V. back in the 1970’s.
Staying in the Chicago area, Ed graduated from Northwestern University in 1956 with a degree in civil engineering. The next two years were spent as an officer in the United States Air Force, stationed at Elgin Air Force Base (Fort Walton Beach, Florida). His primary responsibility was base maintenance at a base conducting weapons testing.
After leaving the Air Force, Ed enrolled at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and secured a masters degree in marketing and finance in 1960. Later in the year, he started working for the Dupont Company and continued to retirement in 1993. For six years between 1968 and 1974, Ed was based in Geneva, Switzerland developing markets for chemical products in both Europe and the Middle East for Dupont.
He is the father of four daughters, Roxanna (1960), Robin (1965), Nicole (1970) and Karin (1973). His wife Kathleen works for the Delaware County Planning Department and is a preservationist among many other talents.
I mentioned earlier that Ed retired in 1993 though I am now not so sure after reviewing his volunteer and community based activities over the past 9 years. He was president of the Chadds Ford Historical Society (1992-2000), member of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board since 1999 and president the last two years, member of the Pennsbury Township Board of Supervisors from 1979-1989 and current chairman of the Chadds Ford Township Zoning Hearing Board since 2000. Ed notes that a major accomplishment of Unionville-Chadds Ford School District has been to implementing the K-5 elementary program, renovating two elementary schools and building a new elementary school. Today he is involved in a search for a new school superintendent.
Kathleen and Ed do gardening, canoeing and fishing during their limited spare time. Ed is also our clubs Sergeant at Arms and quite active in our fund raising. What club member better exemplifies the motto, “Service above self.”
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Nancy Townsend
Nancy joined our club January 31st of last year (almost 16 months ago).
Life started in Philadelphia during WW II (a pre-boomer like many of us) as
the second daughter of a family involved in the world-wide conflict. Her
father served in the Army Air Corp.
The well known and famous sibling of Jay Townsend, Nancy graduated from
Agnes Irwin High School and went on to Bennett Jr. College in Millbrook, New
York. Her working career began at Lord & Taylor and later while living in
Rittenhouse Square, she opened a womans apparel shop. Later retail
experience included stops in Washington, D. C., Georgetown, Paramus, New
Jersey and Fairfax, Virginia, Columbus, Ohio and Providence, Rhode Island.
Her two children are in college with Chelsea a Bard College graduate with
plans to obtain an advanced degree in fine arts from Yale University. Son
Graham is a junior at Vassar with a major in English and plans a career in
teaching.
Nancy is currently moving to Rose Valley with her 12 month old dog named
"Sullivan." Her pet is a Mastiss breed and only weighs in at about 120
pounds. A replacement for her missing adult children!!! What is the story
about feeding your pet gorilla whatever he or she wants? Other recreational
interests include tennis, walking and cooking.
Don't forget that Nancy works for our neighborhood Wawa.
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David T. "Dave" Lafferty
Dave has been in the “Talk Business” almost his entire working life. Maybe he had a telephone in his hand that October 25th day in 1938 at Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital! Raised in Delaware County, he has one younger brother Charles “Chick” who is 17 years his junior.
The school career started at St. Roberts Elementary School and soon shifted to Garden City Elementary (his native country). Junior high school at Nether Providence and high school at Nether Providence followed his elementary education. The 80 member Nether Providence graduating class of 1956 had only 20 boys and 60 girls. I bet Dave couldn’t have been happier.
After public school, Dave went to three colleges at the same location - Pennsylvania Military Academy, Penn Morton and Widener College and secured a bachelor of science in business administration. His communication career started in 1956 at Bell of Pennsylvania before moving to Executone of Pennsylvania in 1970. Thirteen years later he was part of Keystone & Diamond Telephone Communications, Inc. (K&D).
Linda and Dave have been married a long time. In fact, Dave is not sure how many years he has been hitched. Their daughter Lisa is 30 years old and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Son Patrick is 21 and attends Delaware County Community College.
Fun and relaxation in the Lafferty family involves traveling to Disney World (over 10 visits). Dave also enjoys the auction and Linda is a very serious 76ers fan and also follows the Flyers and Phillies. Dave’s most favored entertainment personality has to be “Ernestine” and his favorite movie is, no doubt, “Sorry, Wrong Number” with “Smooth Operator” his preferred song.
The following is a "Bio" created by Mike Brown and it was a "mystery quiz" ---- It was Dave Lafferty.
This week we are going to play a game, I will not tell you who answered these questions, you will have to guess.
1. Favorite Rotary Event: Being the greeter. Not really an event, but if you know this person, you can clearly see why this would be a highlight.
2. Favorite Movie: Song of the South. Another Rotarians favorite movie that I have never seen.
3. Favorite Book: Dairy of Lewis and Clarks Expedition
4. Favorite Thing To Do: Golf, and of course, be the greeter at Rotary.
5. Favorite Vacation Spot: It could be Love Canal NY, maybe its Beirut, or maybe it is the Falkland Islands, I’m not sure because all this person said was anywhere but Disney World.
6. Favorite Restaurant: The Town House. Incidentally, the name of a famous Rotarian is printed on a plaque in the bar of The Town House – A Buck goes to anyone who knows who that would be.
7. Favorite Food: Prime Rib, Rare. Very Rare. Still breathing Rare.
8. Best Rotary Memory: Watching the flag in Media being raised.
9. If You Were An Animal, Which One And Why: A dog – and not just any dog, their family dog. The reason, because then their spouse would love them.
10. What Is Something We Do Not Know About You: I asked the question, so I had to get an answer – This person has a part of their body that they call Mr. Eager. Please pass me a knife so I can poke out my minds eye.
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Isaac "Ike" Watkin
Ike was born during the Calvin Coolidge administration way back in 1927.
The last of six siblings born in Wilmington, Ike and his sister Ruth are the only two remaining. Growing up in Concord, Ike attended local schools and West Chester High School.
He enlisted in the U. S. Navy in the spring of 1945 and was later discharged in the summer of 1946. After leaving the Navy, he started vocational tech school under the G.I. bill and graduated in 1950. Ike married Betty Dancer in 1949 and worked in the electrical business about 4 years as an electrician before going back to night school at Delaware County Community College for business courses.
Betty and Ike have two adult children, Michelle (1952) and Jeffery (1954). Michelle is married to Frank Thompson who have two children, Frank and Jennie. Frank is in his second year of law school at Widener and Jennie is in her third year at Villanova University. Jeff is married to Laurie Cook and they have three children, Meghan, Zachary and Tyler - all elementary school students..
Ike joined Masonic Lodge in 1950 and he and Betty are still active at Elam Methodist Church. He joined our rotary club in 1978 and has received several awards. Local achievement was constructing and installing the history sign for Concord Township located at the Concord Road Fire House.
He retired from IWCO in 1988 and left Concord for Hersheys Mill.
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Joseph B. “J” Townsend
“J” joined our club January 3, 1996 and has been a club officer during his 6+ years of service.
Born in Philadelphia, “J” grew up in Wawa and graduated from Darrow School in New York state near the Berkshire Mountains. Then it was off to Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio and a bachelors degree in European History.
His employment with Davey Tree Company started in 1971 and he spent 4 years in San Francisco before being transferred to Hilo on the big island of Hawaii. After spending two years in paradise, “J” moved back to the mainland and spent another two years in San Francisco.
Next came his entry into the “Longwood Program” where he obtained an advanced degree in plant science from the University of Delaware. Returning to Davey, “J” developed company programs in tree evaluation and street tree inventory along with training in horticulture. He also opened their Wilmington office in 1985.
JoAnn and “J” married June 24, 1978. They have three children: Joe (20) a student at Haverford College majoring in Spanish and is spending the summer in Havanna, Cuba, Mary (18) will be a senior in September at Darrow School, and John (9) who will be a 4th grader at Westtown School.
For fun and relaxation, the family vacations in Winter Harbor, Maine, likes to garden and regularly travels to Iowa to visit JoAnn’s folks. “J” has a 90-year old mother and sings (tenor) in the choir at Christ Church in Media.
He is also a member of the Zoning Hearing Board in Chester Heights Borough. If you need a variance, see “J”.
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Richard J. “Dick” Kauffman
Dick recently celebrated his 30th anniversary as of member of our club, joining June 5, 1972. He was born and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and after graduating from high school enlisted in the Marine Corps for two years. However, after 11+ months the option was given to get out or reenlist for an additional year! Leaving the employ of Uncle Sam and getting his bachelor of science degree from Penn State, Dick had his diploma in one hand and a draft notice from the U.S. Army since he had previously served less than a year in the Marines (missed by 14 days).
This cloud passed and Dick began his horticulture career at J. Franklin Styer Nurseries lasting 22 years as a registered landscape architect, designing and selling plant product. In the mid 1970’s, he started London Grove Nursery in Avondale on 30 acres of ground as a wholesale nursery, growing shade and flowering trees for the landscape trade. Dick remains active in his business, shunning the “Retire” word.
He has served with the Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association for most of his working career and was honored in 2000, being named Nursery Man of the Year. In addition, Dick has served for 10-years on the plant selection committee for the Delaware Center for Horticulture which sponsors the annual rare plant auction held at Longwood Gardens. Dick is also active at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Kemblesville, where his late son Kevin was instrumental in establishing.
Doris is Dick’s better half from before high school and before college and their son Steve and his wife Deb live in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he is CEO and licensed nursery home administrator for Pilgrim Retirement Community. Their son, Aaron, just graduated high school and daughter Kristin just graduated college.
Their daughter-in-law and 4 grand daughters survive the death of their husband and father in 1997 and reside in Westford, Massachusetts. Dick and Doris enjoyed their first cruise with them this past February.
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Lawrence W. “Larry" Linvill
Larry joined our club in 1964, sponsored by Ben Palmer, a charter member of the club. He was club president later in 1972/1973. Growing up in the Knowlton Road area of Middletown Township, Larry walked to class at Roosevelt Elementary School and then on to Media High School, graduating in 1942. Later he matriculated at Penn State University, securing both bachelor and masters degrees in horticulture.
Linvill Orchards originated with father Arthur Linvill in partnership with sons Larry and Donald. At one time the property was approximately 300 acres before selling about half of the land holdings to Middletown Township as permanent open space.
Esther and Larry married February 10, 1951 and have four adult children.
First born David is married to Cynthia (two children) and works as County Agent in Savannah, Georgia. Son Kenneth is single and operates a golf course in Wisconsin. Deborah and son-in-law Jim have two boys and live in East Goshen. The youngest, Brian, has a bachelors degree from Penn State and an advanced degree from the University of Illinois. Unfortunately, he was severely injured in a hang glide accident 20 years ago (1982) and is paralyzed from his chest down. However, he lives by himself and is extremely independent, working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in New Hampshire.
Larry has been a lifelong member of Boy Scouts and remains active in some volunteer agricultural organizations. He and his wife have journeyed extensively in Europe and Russian. He reckons that he has been in every one of our 50 states at least two times!
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Hugo "Brandon" Badel
Brandon is one of our youngest club members and one of our newest, joining last year.
Lannette and Hugo are the parents of Brandon and older daughter Dominque.
Born in Annapolis, Maryland, Brandon lived in Columbia for 9 years. He came back to the United States at age twelve and spent one year at Valley Forge Academy before graduating from Garnet Valley High School in 1986. Makes him about 34?
Post high school, Brandon attended Delaware County Community College and Potomac State University. In 1990 he started his own auto body repair business in a small garage on Naaman’s Creek Road. The following year he moved his business to Claymont, Delaware, specializing in high quality collision repair. Brandon also started a snowplow business in 1995 and keeps his fingers crossed every year for the big one to come along.
Wife Nancy and Brandon have two daughters, Sydney (4) and Kelsey (3) and live in Glen Mills. According to Nancy, Brandon is expecting his third child in July. Stay tuned!
One of his hobbies is golf (remember the 4-way test) and restoring a 64½ Ford Mustang convertible for Nancy. Boy, we will have to make friends with her. What color is the vintage Mustang???
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James "Jim" Kelly
Jim Kelly’s life began as the son of a plumber, Charles A. Kelly, Plumbing & Heating, in Upper Darby. He went to grade school at St. Laurence in Highland Park, high school at Archbishop Prendergast High School for Boys in Drexel Hill until they threw the boys out and changed it to a girls high school. He graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School for Boys (actually from the same building the class started in 1953). Then on to Villanova as a civil engineering student. After completing Villa-nova in 1961, he married one beautiful redhead from St. Alice’s parish – a Prendy graduate by the way.
In 1979, after having twelve redheaded kids– six boys, six girls, and working for Catania Engineering Associates for eighteen years, he decided that he would (with the undying faith of his wife) start his own business, James C. Kelly & Associates, Inc. (the name has evolved into Kelly Engineers – it’s shorter and easier to say).
He has been municipal engineer for many Delaware County municipalities, some, such as Chadds Ford Township (formerly Birmingham Township, Delaware County) and Upper Providence Township, for as long as thirty years and twenty-six years respectively.
In 1976 Pat (that beautiful redhead from St. Alice – his wife) decided that she didn’t have enough education so she went back to school with the intention of finishing by the time Loretta, the last, (of twelve that is) would be starting first grade. That didn’t happen though. Why? Because she went on to graduate and postgraduate work at Bryn Mawr College until she earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
About eight or nine years ago Jack Cornell asked Jim if he would like to join the Rotary Club of Concordville (at that time). Actually I think he might have twisted his arm a little. And now look at what you’re letting him do – the Pres - WOW.
In addition to Rotary his service to community has included other activities such as serving on the Park and Recreation Board of Delaware County, the Board of Directors of the Community Transit Agency of Delaware County, the Board of Directors of the Delaware County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers and a member of the Planning Commission of Birmingham Township. (No wonder you can’t get him on the phone sometimes)
So there you have it. If you want to know anything else you’ll have to ask him.
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Eric Balcavage
This week we are in for a real treat, a chance to get to know our resident bone adjuster.
Eric Balcavage was born in Schenectady New York. At an early age his parents moved to the Pocono region of Pennsylvania where Eric grew up. He attended Gettysburg University for a semester and then transferred to Kutztown where he completed his undergraduate degree.
Looking for something to do to prolong his educational experience, Eric decided to move west to Iowa - the nations leading producer of soybeans, corn and hogs. While there Eric went to Palmer University where he studied chiropractics and played Rugby. In 1995 his Rugby team made it all the way to the National Championship Tournament where they placed 4th.
After College, Eric worked here and there until finally settling in Glen Mills PA where he started his own business in January of 1996. Indecently, the opening day for Eric’s business did not bring in one patient. In fact, Eric was forced to walk to work through drifts of snow up to his thighs due to a blizzard that dumped 30+ inches of snow on our region.
In February of 1996 Eric saw the light and joined our Rotary club. Since then he has worked tirelessly as our Birthday Announcement Announcer. He currently serves as the community service director on the board for our club. He is also in charge of the Rotary Adventure Challenge and is actively seeking teams and sponsors for this event.
Eric has a wife, Kelly and three children, Conor, Evan, and the newest addition Kira. He lives in Avondale PA where he enjoys working in the yard and being with his family. Eric is an avid exercise fanatic who thinks nothing of jumping on his mountain bike and riding all day.
So if you wake up tomorrow morning feeling a little out of joint, remember our in-house chiropractor, he will be happy to help you out.
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Donna Reeves
To help you know a little more about Donna Reeves of Alliance Bank read her replies:
1. Favorite Rotary Event: The Pumpkin Carve.
2. Favorite Movie: Portrait of a Lady – Apparently this movie stars Nicole Kidman and is a Victorian period piece - ie. Chick flick.
3. Favorite Book: You guessed it, Portrait of a Lady by Henry James.
4. Favorite Thing To Do: Reading was the first answer given, but then Cross Stitch and Antiquing were thrown out, so my guess is Donna likes to read in the morning, cross stitch a little before lunch, and then hit the antiquing circuit looking for that one of a kind find all afternoon.
5. Favorite Vacation Spot: Donna, now that you’ve been interviewed for the Minute Man, what are you going to do next - I’m going to Disney World!
6. Favorite Restaurant: Best of Italy.
7. Favorite Food: As in, this is the warden and this is your last meal – Pigs in a Blanket, Mashed Potatoes and Bush’s Baked Beans. Seriously, she actually said this, in fact she went into great detail how you can make the pigs in a blanket look like flying saucers…
8. Best Memory: Watching her daughter graduate from Nursing School.
9. If You Were An Animal, Which One And Why: A cat because cats act like they own the world with not a care in the world. They also sit around and do nothing all day.
10. What Is Something We Do Not Know About You: Apparently, Donna is very claustrophobic (I actually spelled that right the first time). A couple of years ago, Donna flew to - you guessed it – Orlando, under heavy medication. Unfortunately, since she doubled the dose for the trip down, she was empty for the flight back. So what does Donna do? She goes to the airport and rents a car and drives 24 hours straight to get back home.
Well, I hope this gives everyone a better idea about who Donna is.
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