Springfield troop pins two new Eagle Scouts

Mar 06, 2024

SPRINGFIELD — Scout Troop 512 in Springfield proudly announced that two Scouts attained the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout this summer.

The scouts, both township residents, had their Board of Review on June 7 and the Court of Honor ceremony on June 12.

Pat Spatola is the scoutmaster of Troop 512, which meets at Covenant Methodist Church, Saxer and Springfield roads.

John Murphy has been active in Scouting since he was in first grade.

The new Eagle Scout graduated from Springfield High School in June. Murphy was a member of the high school swim team. He also swam for the Ridley Rays and Springfield Swim Club. He was a member of the varsity track team where he threw the javelin.

Murphy’s Eagle Scout Project was designing and building a workout station at Smedley Park. The project has multiple stations and a sign explaining the types of exercises that can be done using the equipment.

Murphy plans to join the Army National Guard in August and start his education at Delaware Valley University in the spring.

He also plans to continue throwing the javelin on the university’s track team. He is the son of John and Monica Murphy.

Alex Spatola also attained Eagle rank.

Spatola will be a senior this year at Springfield High School and will be playing football in the fall. Spatola is an honor student and, upon graduation in June, plans on attending Penn State University to study business administration.

Spatola’s Eagle Scout project consisted of building a seating/rest area along the Springfield Trail by a creek.

The project involved building four benches and two picnic tables for families and hikers to enjoy the creek and surrounding nature. The hope is to draw more people to the trail. Alex is the son of Pat and Maria Spatola.

The Sports Legends of Delaware County has commissioned renowned sculptor Jennifer Frudakis Petry to produce a 23-inch bronze sculpture of Gertrude “Gertie” Dunn, one of Delaware County’s all-time great athletes.

Petry’s work, valued at approximately $10,000, will become part of the Sports Legends’ museum’s permanent collection.

To commemorate the occasion, the museum is offering a chance for fans of Gertie Dunn and friends of the museum to own a fractional ownership share of this historic work.

Anyone making a $100 donation will receive a 1% ownership interest, with the rights and benefits that ownership entails. Percent ownership increases with each additional tax-deductible donation of $100. A $200 donation, for example, will earn memorabilia collectors a 2% ownership interest.

Each person with an ownership interest will be provided with documentation listing their name and percentage of ownership interest.

All fractional share owners will have their names posted alongside Petry’s magnificent sculpture, creating a personal connection for all to see.

The insurance value of Jennifer’s sculpture is $10,000, meaning that a total of 100 shares will be offered.

For those donating $500 or more to the museum, Petry has generously agreed to produce a reduction copy of the original sculpture that is sure to find a place of honor in the proud owner’s home or office.

“She was in a league of her own,” Petry says of one of Delco’s greatest athletes.

According to curator Jim Vankoski, the sculpture will be displayed in the museum’s Janie Barkman Brown/Mary Ellen Clark Women’s Sports Gallery at the museum, 301 Iven Ave., Radnor.

In the meantime, friends and fans can view more of Petry’s work at www.jenfrudakis.com.

Checks should be made out to SLDC Museum and mailed to Jim Vankoski at 14 Morgan Road, Aston, PA 19014. For more information, contact Vankoski at [email protected] or 610-909-4919.

Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, Newtown Square, recently announced that it received a bronze level Healthcare Advertising Award for outstanding work in the category of Professional Recruitment Program.

The winning entry, titled “It’s Different Here,” was executed in partnership with Mangos, a branding and advertising agency located in Philadelphia.

“It’s a thrill and an honor to receive a Healthcare Advertising Award for our ‘It’s Different Here’ campaign, which we were so excited to put into market,” said Mary Wascavage, regional director of Marketing and Communications at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic. “This prestigious award is a well-earned recognition for the incredibly talented and hard-working marketing team here at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic.”

The 40th annual Healthcare Advertising Awards recognize health care organizations for outstanding creativity and overall excellence in advertising.

This year over 4,300 entries were received, making the awards the largest and the most well-recognized health care advertising awards competition.

Bronze awards went to 238 entries. A national panel of judges reviewed all entries based on creativity, quality, message effectiveness, consumer appeal, graphic design and overall impact.

The full list of Healthcare Advertising Awards winners can be viewed at https://healthcareadawards.com/winners-list/winners-list-40th-annual.

Tyler Arboretum will hold “Summer Sky Fireside,” from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 28. The event is free with regular admission and no registration is necessary.

This special after-hours event invites people to appreciate the wonders of nature, experience the joy of family time outdoors, and be part of a collective effort to preserve the environment.

The event will feature food trucks, beer, music, hand-crafted lemonade, ice cream, lawn games, chalk fun, bubble machine, a story time at Lucille’s Garden, tours and education stations and more.

Visitors can explore Tyler’s gardens, take a walk on the scenic loop and Native Woodland Walk or meander leisurely through the arboretum. For more information about Tyler Arboretum and this event, visit https://tylerarboretum.org/summer-fireside.

Dunkin’ and its greater Philadelphia-area franchisees, in partnership with Scholarship America, announced the recipients of its 14th annual Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program.

The program helps high school seniors and college students in southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Kent and New Castle counties in Delaware pursue a part-time or full-time undergraduate degree at the institution of their choice.

In Delaware County, Tyler Debusschere of Wallingford, a recent graduate of Strath Haven High School, was the scholarship recipient.

Debusschere served as the valedictorian of his graduating class, as well as student council vice president and a member of the National Honor Society. Debusschere is a National Merit Scholar, AP Scholar, Community’s Foundation Health Professions Scholar and a recently licensed emergency medical technician.

In his free time, Debusschere is a competitive junior golfer and an avid pianist. In the fall, he will be attending Cornell University, where he plans to pursue a degree in biological sciences and be a member of the golf team.

From over 1,730 applicants, Dunkin’ and Scholarship America selected 20 students to each receive a $5,000 academic scholarship to an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school of their choice for fall 2023.

Dunkin’s Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program was open to current part-time and full-time undergraduate students and high school seniors.

Dunkin’ awarded a total of $100,000 to the 20 recipients who were selected based on their academic records, demonstrated leadership skills, and overall commitment to their schools and local communities.

The 2023 Dunkin’ Regional Scholarship recipients will be honored at an awards ceremony at Cherry Street Pier in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://DunkinDonuts.com.

Readers can send community news and photos to Peg DeGrassa at [email protected].

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