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Volume 38, Issue 1
www.vfmountain.org
VFMA Directors—2014
Karen Zach
President
David Holmes
Vice President
Teresa Jurgensen
Treasurer
Tracy Simpson
Secretary
Karen Magiso
Schuylkill Liaison
Keith Hollander
Tredyffrin Liaison
Tim McGarrity
Property & Civic Improvement
Membership & Hospitality
Planning Committee
Kelly Englisch
Kim Cunningham
Other Key Communication Roles
Doug Moeller
VFMA Website
Marla Stevens
Yahoo Groups
Mike & Marla Stevens
2013 Directory
2014 Calendar of Events
March 2014
The Swearing in of the
2014 Board Members
The 2014 Annual Meeting was cancelled due to
hazardous weather conditions this past January. Instead,
the VFMA board used the February monthly board meeting
to execute the annual swearing in of new board members.
The new members of the Board, Teresa Jurgensen, Tim
McGarrity, Kelly Englisch, and Kim Cunningham, were
nominated and accepted as the newest members.
Teresa will be our new Treasurer, Tim, the new
Property and Civic Improvement chair, Kelly will be acting
as Membership and Hospitality Chair, and Kim will be acting as Planning Committee Chair in 2014. The board
thanked retiring board members Luke Jennings, Andrew
Sherriff, Missy Farkouh, and Marla Stevens for their service
on the board.
The budget and financial health of the Association
was reviewed and Luke made his final report as Treasurer
and reported that the accounts were in a good financial
state. VFMA Membership was at 177 families this year.
The board discussed the spring clean up and the
types of help we can expect to need. They agreed again to
offer free VFMA t-shirts to anyone volunteering at the
clean up. Please send an email to Tim McGarrity at
[email protected] if you’re planning on coming to help.
We Survived Winter 2013-14!!
Easter Egg Hunt
April 12 (13 rain)
Spring Clean-Up
April 26 (27 rain)
Spring Fling Picnic
May 17 (18 rain)
4th of July Party
July 4
New Neighbor’s Party
September 14
Halloween/Octoberfest
October 25 (26 rain)
Ladies Wine and Cheese
December 7 (Jan 4 snow)
Santa’s Visit
December 14
Annual Meeting
January 21, 2015
Dinner Dance
February 7, 2015
This year, as we are snow-weary and ready for the
warm weather, please join your VFMA neighbors at a
BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic) at the Sunbowl on
May 17th. This is a free event and a chance for us all
to bring in the Spring!
Also, the Easter Egg Hunt is just around the corner
and after that, the Spring Clean-Up! Again this year,
get a **FREE** NEW VFMA T-Shirt when you volunteer at the Clean-Up. Let us know you are coming
and we’ll make sure we have your size!
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Santa Made His Annual Visit December 15
Santa made a quick stops to the Valley Forge firehouse just before Christmas. Children of all ages had a
chance to meet Santa and put in a few last minute requests. Thank you to Tracy Simpson, Marla Stevens,
Missy Farkouh and Karen Zach for setting up and coordinating this year. Thanks to Frank Kirk for a wonderful Santa experience!
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Valley Forge Mountain Association—2013 Financial Report
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The 2014 Dinner Dance at the Phoenixville Country Club
The Black and White theme for the 2014 Dinner Dance was a beautiful event with 62 neighbors participating. The meal was delicious, surf and turf with filet and grouper, and the music, provided by DJ Joe
Griffith, was terrific. Many people stayed until the very last dance. Overall, a smashing success!
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Dinner Dance 2014
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Twice the Workout, Half the Time
from Dr. Mark Saracino’s Newsletter
Whether you're an exercise veteran, new to the game or somewhere in between, you've probably already
learned one of the most important lessons: You have to make time to work out. Chances are your daily schedule
isn't going to open wide anytime soon and give you hour after hour of unfilled time slots to hit the gym. Everyone's busier than ever, which means creative ways to stay fit - without going into fits - are becoming increasingly
desirable. Resistance training and cardiovascular exercise are two vital components of a successful, healthy fitness
routine. Why not combine the two and get more done - in less time? Here are a few suggestions on how to get a
fat-burning, heart-strengthening, aerobic and muscle toning workout in 20 minutes or less:
Push and Punch: One of the best ways to combine strength training and cardiovascular exercise in one fell
swoop is the simplest one. Alternate 30-second bursts of push-ups (as many as you can in 30 seconds), followed
immediately by 30 seconds of air punches (elbows tight to sides, punch left arm, then right, out in front of your
chest). A nice progression to add to the difficulty (and aerobic effect) is to jog in place as fast as you can while
punching. Do a few sets of this combination and your body will respond, big time.
S Is for Super Sets: Looking to save time and combine exercises? Sounds as if super setting is ideal for you.
Pick 3-4 of your favorite exercises; let's go with biceps curls, bench dips, wall squats and planks. You're probably
used to doing a few sets of curls, and then a few sets of dips, etc. Not this time! Instead, do 2-3 sets of the entire
progression, pausing only to change equipment / position as necessary. We're talking 15 reps of curls followed
immediately by 15 bench dips, then 15 squats and a 30-second plank. Trust us, you'll be sweating in no time and taking your workout to the next level in the process.
Power of the Burpee: The "burpee" is one of the best multi-muscle exercises out there, and once we explain how to perform it, you'll realize how good it is at combining resistance and cardiovascular exercise. There
are several variations, but here's a common one: 1) In a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, drop down
quickly into a push-up position, kicking your feet back. Perform the push-up, then pull your legs / feet in toward
your chest as you stand back up, jumping into the air as high as you can and clapping hands overhead. Repeat for
10-15 total reps, 2-3 sets (if you can handle it!).
The time-saving element in all three of the above is that you're combining movements and taking little to
no time in between - which is the modern formula for getting the most out of your workout in the least amount of
time possible. Talk to your doctor for more great ideas to keep you on track for your fitness goals.
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Chesterbrook Redevelopment Stalled
From the Tredyffrin-Easttown Patch
There is a tentative plan for the redeveloped Chesterbrook Shopping Center… but you can't see it yet. That's
because it's not a formal plan and it has not even been submitted to the township.
Chesterbrook 300 L.P. is the new owner of the Chesterbrook Shopping Center. The owner's attorney presented
a list of about eight proposed changes to the existing Tredyffrin Township zoning ordinance that were designed to
make the project as tentatively envisioned a little easier for the developer to accomplish. The proposed changes
would not just impact Chesterbrook, they would impact all of Tredyffrin Township. And that's where things got really
sticky for some members of the board and the public. The board rejected the proposals as presented and are sending
the suggestions back to the Tredyffrin Planning Commission to take another look at some of the suggested changes.
Parking space allocation in new developments was the biggest concern expressed by members of the public. Lou Colagreco, the developer's attorney, proposed reducing the number of parking spaces required for each townhouse unit
from 2 1/2 to 2 1/4 spaces. Colagreco cited several national studies and research that indicates more and more people are taking public transit and biking to work and to do errands. That assertion did not play well with most of the
people who packed Monday night's Tredyffrin Board of Supervisors meeting.
During the public comment portion of the meeting David Miller of Chesterbrook posed a question to the
crowd. "Did anybody here walk or bike or have trouble finding parking here?" Miller asked rhetorically. "I understand
the trend but that’s not the trend here. I’m all for this place being redeveloped but the parking, I think I would argue
we need parking."
That's not how Joyce Rudzewick of Chesterbrook sees it. "Parking is a nightmare. I’m very happy to have the
place (Chesterbrook Shopping Center) developed. It has looked awful for years. To reduce parking spaces I don’t
think is realistic in our area."
She and several other residents pointed out that public transportation into Chesterbrook is limited to one SEPTA bus route and even that bus leaves many residents with a several miles long walk from the bus stop to home.
The other issue of concern to board members was changing regulations concerning decks and impervious
ground. Water runoff is always a big concern in several parts of the township. The proposal would have reduced restrictions on decks that allow water to run off between planks and down into the ground.
At the end of the nearly two hours of testimony and debate the Board of Supervisors voted to send the proposals back to the Tredyffrin Planning Commission for further review. That will not stop the development process,
but may delay it for a month or two.
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2014 VFMA Dues
Covered Bridge Garden Club
$55, Due May 1, 2014
Spring Plant Sale
Use PayPal @
www.vfmountain.org
The Covered Bridge Garden Club will be
holding their spring plant sale on May 3, 2014. New
to the sale will be container plants Caladium
“Carolyn Wharton’, Verbena “Empress Dark Red’ and
Coleus “Aurora Raspberry”. They will also be adding
Make checks payable to: VFMA
Mail, with name and address, to:
a 4 and 1/2 inch bubblegum colored supertunia and
a Scaevola hanging basket. Rosemary will be available for all the herb lovers.
VFMA, P.O. Box 111
Valley Forge, PA 19481
Due to the continuing infestation mildew,
there will still be no flats of impatiens. If infected
plants are planted in your soil the mildew can spread
VFMA Welcoming Committee
to other plants. We recommend that you not plant
impatiens this year.
If you happen to meet, or find out about, a
new neighbor moving into the neighborhood, please let the Welcoming Committee
know, so that they can plan a welcome visit
and basket.
previous customers toward the end of March. New
Email Kelly Englisch with any updates.
tact Sue Heist ([email protected]).
A brochure and order form will be mailed to
customer should go to the website
http://www.coveredbridge-gardenclub.com or conThink Spring and let’s get planting!
The Valley Forge Mountain Association
P.O. Box 111
Valley Forge, PA 19481
www.vfmountain.org
Mountain News
An informal bulletin published periodically by the Board of Directors of the
Valley Forge Mountain Association , Inc. for the residents of The Mountain.