UPPER AND LOWER MILFORD COLUMN
It's hard to believe it's September already!
We always go to the Jersey shore for two weeks in July, and somehow, by the time we get back it seems summer is already winding down. Not that I'd trade those two weeks for anything. But this month is when school and other activities that took a break during the summer kick back into high gear.
The Vera Cruz senior citizens meeting will resume 1 p.m. Sept. 6 with State Representative Ryan Mackenzie, R-134th, as the speaker.
The 10th annual Lower Milford Township Fall Festival will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 22. The fall festival tradition started in 2003 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the township and has been held every year since then on the fourth Saturday in September.
Vendors and crafters are welcome, as are entries in the photo contest. Go to the township website for more information on this fun event.
Electronics and Universal Waste Recycling Day will be Oct. 6, at Chestnut Hill Church in Lower Milford Township.
The quarterly meeting of the Hivel Und Dahl Preservation Society of Upper Milford Township will be held 6 p.m. Sept. 25 in the Upper Milford Township building at 5671 Chestnut St., Zionsville. The evening will begin with a covered dish supper, followed by a discussion on how to move forward with the Preservation Society and its current project, the Shubert-Graber log cabin. Beverages and barbecue will be provided. Please bring a covered dish.
There will be a Miller-Keystone blood drive 3 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17 in the parking lot of Zionsville Lutheran Church. Reservations to make a donation are welcome, but not required. For more information, contact Mary Snyder at 610-967-4311.
The Vera Cruz Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary is holding a shoofly pie sale. Orders for pies must be placed by Oct. 2. Call Mary Snyder for those, as well, or any auxiliary member. Pick-up is 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 9 at the fire company.
The Upper Milford Historical Society has just published a book about the history of the township. I haven't seen it yet, but at the last township supervisors' meeting, Supervisor Rob Sentner said it was great. You can contact the township office to get your copy.
The Upper Milford Youth Association meets 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18. The association needs a volunteer (or volunteers) to run the Saturday morning basketball programs. One volunteer would run the first to third grade program, two hours a week at Victory Valley Camp, 10 Saturdays starting after Jan. 1, 2013. This group stays at one gym, no travel or competition with other organizations. Basketball coordinator Dave Perry has a written program he developed, or you can develop your own program.
Someone is also needed to coach third and fourth grade team. This group also has an activity every Saturday, travels three or four weekday evenings to Jefferson School or Asbury Church in Allentown for away games. They compete against teams from Emmaus Youth Association and Athletes for Christ organization.
If you can serve in either role, contact Dave Perry as soon as possible at www.umya.org. He will continue as basketball coordinator for UMYA, but no longer is able to run those programs.
He hopes to open registrations for basketball in late September, but will not open registrations at these levels unless he has volunteers to run the programs
Dinners resume in September at the Lower Milford Township Fire Company, 1601 Limeport Pike. There will be a pork and sauerkraut dinner Sept. 13 and a spaghetti dinner Sept. 27. Both run 4:30 to 7 p.m., or until sold out. Take-out is available.
St. Peter's Union Church will hold its second annual Blessing of the Animals and Pet Fair, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 6 at the church, 7863 St. Peter's Road. It will be outside in the grove, weather permitting, or inside in case of bad weather.
The blessing will be 12:30 to 1 p.m. Bring a donation of pet food or a small monetary donation for parking.
The kitchen will be open for lunch, there will be baked goods for sale, a Chinese auction and raffles. Pets should be leashed or secure in a carrier. All kinds of pets are welcome.
State Representative Justin Simmons, R-131st, has a satellite office at the Lower Milford Township building. His office hours are noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 20.
Following is the regular Lower Milford Township meeting schedule for September. All begin at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Supervisors, regular meeting Sept. 20; workshop Sept. 6; Planning Commission, regular meeting Sept. 10, no workshops until further notice; Zoning Hearing Board, 7 p.m. Oct. 3; Recreation and Open Space Board, Sept. 12; Historical Commission, Sept. 11.
The September meeting of the Emmaus/Upper Milford Township Joint Environmental Advisory Council will be held 7 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Upper Milford Township building.
The Upper Milford Township Open Space Committee meets 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12 in the township building.
The Upper Milford Recreation Commission meets 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19.
Upper Milford Township supervisors meet Sept. 6 and 20. There is a workshop 7 p.m. and the regular meeting 7:30 p.m. If you can't get to the meetings, the minutes are now available online at the township website.
The Upper Milford Historical Society meets 7 p.m. Sept. 27 in the Upper Milford municipal building. For information, call Vice President Neil Moser at 610-966-4376.
Upper Milford Western District Fire Co. #1 holds its breakfast buffet Oct. 7.
The Western District Fire Co. #1 Ladies Auxiliary meets 7 p.m. Oct. 2. at the firehouse.
The Vera Cruz Community Association will meet 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13, at the Citizens Fire Company social quarters on Main Road West.
The Lower Milford Historical Society meets 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Lower Milford Township building. For more information, go to their website, LowerMilfordHistory.org.
If you have news or information for this column, which runs the first Wednesday of every month, you may call 610-838-8923 or email me at bruce.swan@rcn.com. My deadline is the Wednesday prior to publication.