Free Press – April 06, 2006

Relay For Life, Commuter Service, Troop 55 Seventy-Fifth Year

 

Dear Friends,

            Good morning. As promised, I’ll have an observation about the possible restoration of commuter rail service in Upper Bucks. But before I do, I received a nice note from Bud Witt, a Boy Scout in Quakertown Troop 55. Bud is a Life Scout, working toward his Eagle Scout rank. And I had a chat with Ed Scholl who works very hard for the “Relay for Life” project to fight cancer. More on him in a minute.

            But first, Bud Witt. “Troop 55 is having a 75th Anniversary Court of Honor for the 75th year of the Troop,” Bud began. “I will be the master of ceremonies for the occasion as well as one of my  [scout] leaders, Gery Kirkner.” Bud wants the community to turn out on Monday, April 24th from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Yerger Building, Trinity Lutheran Church on Hellertown Ave. Our son, Ty, was a member of Troop 55 so I’ll be there. I’d call Gery Kirkner at 215-536-2642 for more info.

           

Item.

            Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick created quite a stir a few weeks ago when he arrived at the Quakertown train station with a check for $300,000. Fitzpatrick presented the federal grant to State Senator Rob Wonderling and William Rickett, the Director of the Bucks County Transportation Management Association.

            BCTMA will use the funds to conduct an inspection of the existing right of way infrastructure and develop an overall cost projection for the restoration of commuter rail service. Wonderling believes that the initial study might approximate $98 million. “Since rail service was discontinued in 1981, the populations of Milford and Richland have doubled and the employment population in the area is up 40 percent,” Fitzpatrick said.

            In 1995, the Gannett Fleming organization, which specializes in transit planning, believed that the annual ridership on the 21-mile Shelly-to Lansdale line would approximate 613,000. That estimate is nearly 10 years old so ridership, presumably, would be much greater today.

            Nonetheless, the big question remains…will commuters abandon their cars for public transportation? My bet is that they will once gasoline prices approach $4 per gallon. The American Automobile Association expects gas prices to cross the $3 mark this summer. And since the U.S. has no effective energy strategy (in my opinion) to wean Americans from Middle East oil, we’ll be paying more and more at the pump.

            I look at it this way. If you drive 50 miles per day or 350 miles per week, and you get 20 miles to the gallon, you’re using 17.5 gallons weekly, costing  $43.75 (at $2.50 per gallon). At $3 per gallon, it’s $52.50; $70 at $4 per gallon. When will plain old economics tip the scale?

            Is Wonderling an optimist? He believes commuter rail service will begin within five to seven years. I hope he’s right.

           

Final item.

            Ed Scholl stopped in at the Free Press the other day. He told me about the plans for this year’s “Relay for Life,” the American Cancer Society benefit which has become a yearly, major event. The “Relay” is scheduled for May 6 and 7 (Saturday and Sunday) at Quakertown Memorial Park.

            “At dusk, we’ll hold a luminary celebration with over 1200 luminaries basking in a soft flow of candlelight,” Scholl began. “Each luminary is inscribed with the name of a loved one being remembered or honored. There will be kids activities, bands, great food, and even a college baseball game.”

            Scholl believes that a new ceremony will add greatly to the “Relay.” He calls it the Garden of Hope. “Just in Pennsylvania alone, over 71,000 people were newly diagnosed with cancer and over 30,000 lost their fight with cancer in 2005,” he continued. “To help people understand just how staggering these numbers are, we’re asking each of the 17 elementary schools in Upper bucks be a partner.

            “To create the garden, each elementary school will make 600 flowers, 180 white, honoring those who’ve lost their fight to cancer, and 420 of a color or colors of the school’s choice, representing those diagnosed with cancer. The Garden of Hope will consist of over 10,000 paper/tissue flowers of various colors, approximately 4” to 6” in diameter.

“During opening ceremonies, each school will be represented by children wearing colorful shirts,” Scholl added. It should make for a remarkable sight.

He told me that the Free Press will be publishing portraits of cancer survivors each week. Scholl says that a Quakertown firm, The Moment Photography, will give a 30 minute sitting appointment, free, and a complimentary black and white 8” X 10” portrait. Scholl advises calling Gina at 215-804-0249 for an appointment. Thank you, The Moment Photography, for your generosity.

And speaking about generosity, Montana West (north of Quakertown on Rt. 309) is donating 10 percent of food sales every Wednesday from 5 to 11 PM. Let’s hear it for Montana West.

Even the Upper Bucks police chiefs are involved. They’ll judge a Cakes and Cookies baking contest on the day of the Relay.  Sounds like fun.

The managers of Applebee’s Restaurant in Quakertown will cook a breakfast on April 15 for the “Relay.” It runs from 7 to 10:30 AM and will include pancakes, sausage, bacon, home fries, eggs, and coffee for just five bucks! Survivors and children six and under eat free. All the proceeds go to the “Relay.” 

“Relay for life” is registering teams. You can reach Ed Scholl at 215-536-6198 or 215-872-8151 or use email- www.acsevents.org/relay/pa/upperbucks. For the Garden of Hope, the phone numbers are the same but the email address is different. Use dirt@fastnet.

            I look forward to the Survivors/Caregivers breakfast at Applebee’s in Quakertown on April 15. Call Ed Scholl for a reservation.

            Sincerely,

            Charles Meredith