The Sanatoga Post

POTTSTOWN PA – Expansion is under way, again, at Diamond Credit Union. The Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township-based financial institution broke ground Tuesday (March 22, 2011) to build a new branch office on U.S. Route 422 West at Pineland Road in Exeter Township, just north of Birdsboro and 14 miles west of Sanatoga village.

Diamond Credit Union representatives and employees, its architect and contractors celebrate Tuesday's ground-breaking for a new branch office in Exeter Township.

Construction is expected during the next 10 months, with an opening anticipated for early 2012. The 4,500-square-foot branch office will employ 14 people, according to Diamond Vice President of Marketing Todd Rothenberger.

“We are all very excited about this project,” John Faust, Diamond president and chief executive officer, said of the new location at 6581-6591 W. Perkiomen Ave., Birdsboro. “Route 422 connects our two largest markets, Pottstown and Reading, and this location will be central to our existing membership and allow us to serve even more people,” he added.

The branch will feature a remote teller system, drive-up automatic teller machines, four drive-through teller lanes, and an interior kiosk for members to access online banking services.

Diamond, the 18th-largest credit union in Pennsylvania, has its corporate headquarters at 1600 Medical Dr., Pottstown, and already operates two additional offices in Reading. Diamond serves more than 39,500 members in eastern Berks, northern Chester and western Montgomery counties, and holds more than $358 million in assets.

Photo from Diamond Credit Union

Lt. Col. Jagodzinski and his family.

BIRDSBORO PA – U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. James J. Jagodzinski and his family, stationed in Vilseck, Germany, offer holiday greetings to his father, James Jagodzinski of Birdsboro PA, in this video produced by the Joint Hometown News Service (JHNS) and released for distribution this month (December 2010).

• Watch the video, above, or see it at The Post‘s YouTube account.

Editor’s Note: For a second consecutive year, The Post is proud to have been selected by the San Antonio TX-based JHNS to carry video holiday greetings from U.S. Armed Forces troops to their family members who live within 25 miles of Pottstown PA. None of the greetings made available this year were from servicemen or women with ties to Lower Pottsgrove or Limerick (PA) townships, or the Borough of Pottstown. We know, however, that residents of our coverage areas join families across the nation in thanking our troops for their service, and wishing them and their families the happiest of holidays.

BIRDSBORO PA – Music historian Robert Mouland, a Plowville PA resident, thinks it’s important to get things right, and by right he means accurate.

Mouland plays historically appropriate music at a variety of events in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and elsewhere, and to do so he brings with him the proper “tools” to ply his trade … mostly instruments that are a hundred or more years old.

So although listeners may have been a bit surprised, Mouland thought little of tuning up an original baroque violin – made during 1760 in London – on Sunday (Oct. 17, 2010) to play a song titled “Miss Jessie Stewart of Garth” during the annual Heritage Days observance at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Rd., Birdsboro PA.

• Watch his performance in the video above, or see it at The Post’s YouTube account.
• See a Post gallery, below, of photos from the event. Click on any thumbnail-sized image to enlarge it.

The National Night Out Knight, official mascot of the activities.

WYNNEWOOD PA – More than 140 Pennsylvania municipalities and organizations – including those in Phoenixville Borough, Pottstown Borough, Royersford Borough, and Spring City Borough – have registered their intent with the National Association of Town Watch to participate in the 27th annual National Night Out (NNO) program being held across most of the country on Aug. 3 (2010; Tuesday), according to National Project Coordinator Matt Peskin.

It’s not too late for other local communities and groups to get in on the act, either.

Any municipality, law enforcement agency, crime prevention organization, community group or neighborhood that wants to join in the activities can contact the association to receive information on the 2010 edition of NNO for everywhere except the state of Texas, which will observe the event on Oct. 5. There is no cost to register.  For registration materials, call 1-800-NITE OUT; or visit the National Night Out website.

National Night Out is intended to:

• Heighten crime prevention awareness;
• Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs;
• Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and
• Send a message to criminals, letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Once registered with NATW, based in Wynnewood PA, local coordinators receive an organizational kit full of ‘how-to’ materials, including planning suggestions, sample news releases, artwork, promotional guides, and interim updates.

NNO during 2009 involved more than 36 million people in 14,625 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide. National Night Out 2010 is expected to be the largest ever, and again this year the Target retail store chain is a national corporate sponsor.

Along with traditional outside lights and front porch vigils, many cities and towns observe National Night Out with a variety of special citywide and neighborhood events. They include block parties, cookouts, parades, festivals, visits from local officials and law enforcement, safety fairs, and youth events. Organizing in most communities begins early in the year.

Editor’s Note: The Post is interested in helping to promote all National Night Out activities within its coverage areas. If your community or group has events planned, let us know by e-mail, and we’ll promise to get the word out.

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SANATOGA PA – Members of Sanatoga-based Brig. Gen. Elmer S. Friedberg American Legion Post 244 will conduct honor services on behalf of the North Coventry (PA) Police Department this Saturday (May 15,2010), which is nationally recognized not only as Armed Forces Day but also as Peace Officers Memorial Day.

The tribute begins at 10 a.m. at the flag pole of the Coventry Mall, at Routes 100 and 724 in Pottstown PA, Post Adjutant William Worrell reports.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

Peace Officers Memorial Day commemorates federal, state and local officers killed or disabled in the line of duty, and is observed in conjunction with National Police Week.

During the ceremony, Worrell said, the American flag will be raised then lowered to half mast. The Legion firing squad will fire three volleys, followed by its bugler playing taps. Finally, a Chester County Emerald Society Pipe Band bag piper will play “Amazing Grace.”

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