Neighbors are invited to a fun and free community event this Friday (Jan. 15) in Cedar Park. Free Community Dinner/ Potluck Cabaret is hosted by Cedar Park Neighbors and will take place from 6-8 p.m. at People’s Baptist Church (5039 Baltimore Ave.).

Here’s some more information from the CPN website:

“You’re invited to share a meal with your neighbors!

Please join Cedar Park Neighbors for our first Community Dinner of 2016! Basic healthy food will be provided. You are welcome to bring something to share!

We’ll have a brief moment of community announcements, as well as some boards for resource sharing, but the main purpose of this event is simply to create a neighborly space to share a meal with friends old and new who live in Cedar Park.”

If you would like to attend this event, please RSVP by email (contact@cedarparkneighbors.org), calling or texting CPN at 267-BALT-AVE or through the Facebook event page.

If you’d like to help with setup or cleanup, please email JJ Tizou, CPN Board Member & Dinner Organizer, at jj@jjtiziou.net or leave him a voicemail at 267-702-5464.

As promised, here are more details about the upcoming Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Day, organized by the University City District and UC Green. You can get rid of your tree in an environmentally friendly way by bringing it to Clark Park (43rd and Chester) on Saturday, Jan. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Recycled trees will be turned into wood chips to be used in local parks and community gardens, so please also bring a $10 donation along with your tree. Also enjoy free roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate while you’re watching your tree getting chipped.

This event is also a great chance to recycle old or unwanted household electronics. eForce Recycling, Philadelphia’s first certified Responsible Recycler will be at the park from 10 a.m – 2 p.m. accepting electronics from residents and small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Please note that smoke detectors, large appliances (like washers and dryers and refrigerators), and projection TVs will not be accepted. There will be a $20 charge to dispose of CRT (tube) TVs and computer monitors.

For more Christmas tree recycling opportunities in the city, check out this post.

If you are still feeling generous during this holiday season, there are a few local community organizations that could use some help. Plus, you might get the added benefit of a last-minute, 2015 tax write-off.

Here are some chances to help out:

• The West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools has made great strides in remaking the Henry Lea School playground into a terrific community asset. But they’re not done. In 2016, the organization wants to repaint the basketball court, install seating and new flags. They need some more funding help to get it done. Go here to learn more and donate.

Some of the work done so far at the Henry Lea School playground at 47th and Spruce. (Photo from the West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools website)

• Curio Theatre Company also relies on contributions to survive (along, of course, with income from their performances). In addition to its line-up of fabulous performances, Curio runs a a theatre school for neighborhood kids that has never turned a child away because of financial need. They want to keep that going in 2016. Click here to donate.

• The Soapbox Community Print Shop and Zine Library is in the middle of a fundraising effort to get its new 4,500-square-foot book arts and printmaking studio up and running. They are about halfway there and only have a couple of days left to hit their goal of $15,000. They have all kinds of cool stuff available for donors, including memberships, zine packs and even hand-bound sketchbooks. Check out their campaign here.

A cat and a Christmas tree. (Photo from Project MEOW’s Facebook page)

If there’s anything this community knows it’s lost cats. A lost or abandoned cat’s best friend, the West Philly-based feline rescue organization Project MEOW, had a busy year helping stray cats and kittens find homes. They also help keep feral cat population under control through their TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) program. Here are a few numbers from 2015 in Project MEOW’s holiday card to the community, and an important note that none of this work would have been possible without volunteers. To learn more about Project MEOW, visit their website or Facebook page.

Here’s some useful information for those who have already started thinking about what to do with their Christmas tree. There will be a few opportunities to recycle your tree in the city, starting January 4, 2016.

• The annual Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling event at Clark Park will take place on Saturday, Jan. 9, so you may want to hold on to your tree a little longer. You can bring your tree to the park from 10 a.m to 4 p.m., along with a $10 donation supporting UC Green programs. Trees will be recycled into wood chip mulch to be used in parks and community gardens. Stay tuned for more information about this event.

• The City’s Residential Christmas Tree Recycling Program will run from Monday, Jan. 4 through Saturday, Jan. 16. Residents who wish to drop off their trees to be recycled may take them to the Streets Department Sanitation Convenience Centers which are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday through Saturday. The closest centers are located at: 5100 Grays Avenue and 3033 S. 63rd Street. 

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Good news for Philadelphia residents: this year, you don’t have to wait two weeks to dispose of your trash and recyclables if your collection falls on Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25). Set out your materials to be picked up on the following day – Saturday, Dec. 26. Fri, Jan. 1 collections will be picked up on Saturday, Jan. 2. UPDATE: Stay tuned for information on how to recycle your Christmas tree and waste from celebrations and presents.

Also, SEPTA has released its Holiday schedule. There will be some changes starting Thursday, Dec. 24 and through Friday, Jan. 1:

Thursday, Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve

• City Buses and Trolleys will operate on a modified weekday schedule. Amended timetables are available online at: http://www.septa.org/schedules/modified/modified-holiday-schedules.html.
• Suburban Buses, Trolley Routes 101/102 (Media Sharon Hill Lines), and the Norristown High Speed Line will operate on normal weekday schedules.
• On Regional Rail, a Midday Schedule providing earlier service from Center City will operate on selected trains. For details, go to: http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/special/christmas-eve.html.
• The Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines will operate with overnight train service Dec. 24 into Dec. 25.

Friday, Dec. 25 – Christmas Day: All SEPTA services will operate on a Sunday/Holiday schedule.  Continue Reading