Wednesday, March 6, 2013
What does 10-year-old Joseph Degenhart love about his hometown? 'We can always hear the bells ringing and we can always hear the train, even in our sleep.'
When he's not swimming or playing basketball, 10-year-old Joseph Degenhart is commanding an audience. He'll take the stage in the upcoming Collingswood Youth Theater production of Jack and the Giant, he's learning the saxophone—and he doesn't mess around with his grades. Collingswood Patch: So how long have you lived in Collingswood? Joseph Degenhart: For 10 years. Patch: Do you like living here? Degenhart: Yes, I like that there's a ton of stores up there, there's a library, there's the Collingswood Music store; I go there to get my reeds for my sax. Patch: How long have you been playing? Degenhart: About three months. Patch: What songs can you play? Degenhart: "Hot Cross Buns" and "Jolly Old Saint Nick"! Patch: If a child came here from …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
The most recent subject 'I Am Collingswood' is a cribbage fan—not canasta, as initially reported—but our story helped him discover a relative in town.
Readers of my column "I Am Collingswood" may remember my latest installment on the subject of the irrepressible Walter Schlitz, a 99-year-old Collingswood resident in search of a canasta partner. It turns out I had Mr. Schlitz's game of choice all wrong: He is a cribbage player, and doesn't much care for canasta at all. He set me straight in an email about a week after the article was published. “The game is CRIBBAGE not Canasta,” Schlitz wrote. “Must I now learn to play it??” I'm not familiar with either game, so I met up with him to learn some more about the finer points of cribbage. Schlitz produced a leather carrying case about the size of a pack of cigarettes. Within were pegs and a scoreboard that he says are used in conjunction with…
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Walter Schlitz landed in Collingswood on New Year’s Day 1975, moving in “with the lady there on Knight Avenue” after a honeymoon. She passed on in 2001, but he’s still here. And he can’t find anybody to play canasta with.
My meeting with Walter Schlitz began with a piece of loose-leaf upon which he had written the following three paragraphs: Walter N. Schlitz, born December 23, 1913 in the Cramer Hill section of Camden, NJ. Mother died in 1915 and father died in 1918 leaving 4 sons to need new home. I was taken by a friendly family to be raised as one of their own. Went to Camden High School until I finished the Junior year, at which time it was necessary for me to find a job to help out at home. Probably 16 years old. My first job was at RCA's in Camden as a messenger in the mailing department. After that experience, I sent to work at Petty Island for Cities Service Oil, Co as a laborer. That led to different and better jobs on the island until WWII …
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Husband, father, police sketch artist ... song-and-dance man? Meet your multi-talented neighbor, Chuck Jackson.
Chuck Jackson is 24-year veteran of the Haddon Township Police department, husband to Stacey and father to Stephen, 18, Kyle, 15, and Emily, 13. Peeling back the layers also reveals a talented artist, set designer, and show business pro. This week, the 21-year Collingswood resident tells Patch how the borough nurtures his many talents. Collingswood Patch: How did you get involved in theatrical set design? Chuck Jackson: My first set was for The Wizard of Oz. I did the background piece; that was four-and-a-half years ago. I build for the Youth Theater, for both the spring and the summer shows. I also build for the Middle School and the High School. And I'm not a primary builder, but also do a lot for the Collingswood Community Theater. …
Thursday, November 29, 2012
A Collingswood resident for more than 25 years, Eileen Boyle is a business owner, volunteer and one of the architects of the local arts scene as we know it.
It's no wonder that "welcome change" is a mantra for long-time Collingswood resident Eileen Boyle. She's weathered the changes in her own life gracefully, including raising children after the loss of her husband and starting her own business, all while helping Collingswood transform itself into the vital, artistic community we know today. An independent life coach and business consultant, Eileen moved her graphic arts business to Haddon Avenue in the late 1990s. Her work with Newton Colony Arts Bank helped revitalize the town, and she says Collingswood has sustained her through difficult times. Collingswood Patch: Can you tell me about your role in the redevelopment of 729 Haddon Ave., the building that now houses El Sitio and the Pop Shop…
Saturday, November 24, 2012
As an activist for gay rights, educator and member of Camden's Sacred Heart parish, Collingswood resident Jim DeSimone serves the community in a variety of ways.
Collingswood's Jim DeSimone is an active member of PFLAG, a master preschool teacher in Camden and a member of the Sacred Heart parish in the city. This week he shares his thoughts on education, faith and the ongoing fight for gay rights. Collingswood Patch: How has being a part of the Sacred Heart parish in Camden enhanced your life? It's a pretty incredible place. I first went there probably over 10 years ago and it was about two years ago that I decided that that would be my home. It's a place of peace for me in Camden, because Camden is such a turbulent place and such a challenging place to work. It's good to go someplace where everybody is there for positive reasons and everybody is doing good things. I feel like it's a place where I…
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Dot Garabedian has overseen the children's collection at Collingswood Public Library for more than 16 years, building a solid collection of reading materials for the next generation.
Dot Garabedian, youth services director at Collingswood Public Library, describes herself as a "cheerleader for reading and literacy." She credits Collingswood with making it easier to reach out to young readers by supporting the library and its activities. Collingswood Patch: How long have you been with Collingswood library? What are your duties as youth services coordinator? Dot Garabedian: I've been full-time in children's and youth services for 16 years. Before that, I was part-time, I did circulation. My duties? Story times, ordering all the books and doing collection development. We're the cheerleaders for reading and literacy, that's our main goal. Patch: What do you think of the popularity of electronic devices, such as the Kindle…
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Collingswood provides the sense of community that made therapist Amy Salmon Kasten want to move here. She talks with Patch about stress, parenting, and the Gestalt.
Family therapist Amy Salmon Kasten guides her clients toward stability and healing with Gestalt method. This week, she tells Patch about her therapeutic style, how most of us are overstressed, and offers some pointers on improving our relationships. Collingswood Patch: You've been a social worker and therapist for more than ten years. Can you talk a little about your career trajectory? Amy Salmon Kasten: I studied anthropology in college and I loved it, although I don't think I ever really saw myself going out to be an anthropologist. I had fantasies about it, but I don't think I could leave my family for years at a time like that. I got a job as a foster care social worker in Philadelphia and I was working with families that had their …
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Collingswood athlete-turned-artist Ally Averell brings to life comic and pop art, wildlife, and other flights of fancy in various media, including wood, murals, and body paint.
Collingswood native and artist Ally Averell works in variety of media for a variety of reasons. This week she tells Patch about how she uses her talents to fulfill commissions, celebrate the things she loves, and bring attention to a cause that's very close to her heart. Collingswood Patch: Did you go to school for art or are you self-taught? Ally Averell: A little bit of both. I've always painted and drawn ever since I was born. I copied Disney stuff, animal stuff, everything. In high school I was pretty good at art, but never serious about it. I was always a jock. I played soccer, so I thought sports were going to be my forte. But then I had a couple teachers for drawing who said, “You're really good at this. You have to do it more.” I …
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Eli and Sarah Brambilla work full-time in special education, are raising two boys—and still fall in love at the altar when they shoot weddings together.
Eli and Sarah Brambilla's love story is perpetually renewed by documenting those of their clients. The couple—parents to Aidan, 11, and Noah, 9—have been professional wedding photographers for 80 percent of their 10-year marriage. The Brambillas tell Patch that taking pictures of happy couples makes them fall in love all over again. Collingswood Patch: When did you both discover your love for photography? Did you come to it separately, or as a couple? Eli Brambilla: Both. I think that it was a big part of our courtship because we met my junior year in high school, and then in my senior year—Sarah's junior year—we started out in separate photo classes and then after a couple of weeks we had our classes switched so we could be together. I …
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1:09 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013
Joe and Mary, How proud you must be ! What a great young man ! more ›