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Bucks Students Make A Difference At Inaugural Bucks Student Day of Service
In a heartwarming display of community spirit and service, 26 Bucks County Community College (BCCC) students took time out of their busy schedules to give back to the local community during the College’s inaugural Bucks Student Day of Service on Friday, November 22.
These dedicated students enthusiastically volunteered their time and energy to support a variety of local organizations in and around Bucks County. The event exemplified the College’s ongoing commitment to fostering civic engagement, social responsibility, and a strong sense of community.
The participating students lent a hand at five community organizations:
A Women's Place, Doylestown, Pa. – Volunteers helped organize essential items for women and children in need, supporting this vital local resource for survivors of domestic abuse.
Caring for Friends, Northeast Philadelphia, Pa. – Students sorted donations and packed meals for individuals experiencing food insecurity, ensuring that local families could have a nourishing meal.
Christ’s Home, Warminster, Pa. – Volunteers helped prepare for the holidays by organizing decorations and spreading joy by visiting with elderly residents, offering companionship and warmth.
Habitat for Humanity, Croydon, Pa. – At this home-building project, students worked to rehab a house, contributing to Habitat’s mission of providing affordable housing for families in need.
Reach Out Foundation, Penndel, Pa. – Students served a Thanksgiving meal to individuals who are less fortunate, helping to make the holiday season a little brighter for those in need.
Many of the students involved in the Bucks Student Day of Service are also highly engaged on campus, participating in a wide range of student clubs, organizations, and leadership activities. Despite their already packed schedules, including coursework and part-time jobs, these students took time out of their day to make a meaningful impact in their community prior to Thanksgiving week.
"Seeing our students take time to give back to the community is truly inspiring," said Director of Student Engagement & Leadership Development Chris Seifert. "This day of service is just one example of how our students embody the spirit of compassion and responsibility, and we’re proud to see them making a positive impact in Bucks County."
The Bucks Student Day of Service was organized by the College’s Office of Student Life, with support from various campus clubs and organizations. It highlights the importance of not only academic success but also social responsibility, demonstrating that even in the busiest of times, giving back to others is a priority for these passionate and driven students.
"This experience was truly unforgettable. I had never volunteered at a care home before, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but from the moment I walked in, I could feel the warmth and kindness from everyone there," said Whitney Morine, BCCC student volunteer who visited with resident of Christ’s Home in Warminster, Pa. "The people who live and work in the care home have such a genuine, caring spirit, and it made me want to stay and be a part of the community."
BCCC’s inaugural Bucks Student Day of Service was a resounding success, with students not only making a tangible difference in the lives of those they helped but also strengthening the bonds between the College and the local community. The College plans to organize more of these events as well as provide opportunities for students to volunteer year-round.
BCCC to Host Bucks County Guild of Craftsmen Exhibition and Sale
The Arts and Communication Department of Bucks County Community College is pleased to announce that the upcoming Bucks County Guild of Craftsmen (BCGC) exhibition and sale, Craftworks, will be held at the Hicks Art Center Gallery from November 21, 2024, through January 25, 2025. After a few years’ pause, the BCGC annual sale returns, and we are thrilled to be the venue for such a talented group of artisans and makers to showcase their works. A wide range of fine craft media and art including ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, millinery, painting, photography, weaving, and wood turning will be available for immediate purchase. The diverse and spectacular inventory will be replenished throughout the exhibition as works are purchased and collected.
Participating BCGC members include: Basia Andrusko, Nurit Bland, Jen Blyth, Laurie Carretta Scupp, Eileen Cressman Reeder, Annette Debevec, Nancy Gibbs, Lara Ginsburg, Christel Hoffmann, Bernard Hohlfeld, Peter Jacobson, Nick Martier, Melissa Michael, Page Morahan, Barbara Neale, Monique Perry, Adrienne Romano, Margot Sweed, Celeste Thompson, Amy Turner, and Gable Young.
The Bucks County Guild of Craftsmen works to stimulate interest in fine crafts and appreciation of the work of craftsmen. The Guild upholds and maintains standards of excellence in design workmanship, assists members in marketing high-quality crafts and provides a forum for exchange of ideas and information through its meetings and programs.
The Guild welcomes anyone interested in fine crafts, whether an artist, collector or appreciator, to attend our meetings, which are held the second Wednesday of the month, September through June. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. at the Boy Scout Headquarters Building,1 Scout Way, Doylestown, PA or via Zoom.
All are invited to attend the opening reception on November 21 from 4 – 7 p.m. and the closing reception on January 25 from 12 – 3 p.m. at Hicks Art Center Gallery, located at Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Campus (275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA 18940).
For more information please contact: gallery@bucks.edu.
Bucks County Short Fiction Contest Announces Winners
The Bucks County Short Fiction Contest is pleased to announce the 2024 winners. Marc Elias Keller of Yardley won first place for his story, “The Heart that Matters More.” Linda Lindahl, also of Yardley, captured second place for “Red Pepper Flakes.” David Jarret, of Doylestown, took third place for “A Night in the Box Elder.” C.J. Spataro, who directs the MFA program at Rosemont College, and whose novel More Strange Than True was released by Sagging Meniscus Press last June, was the final judge.
A celebration was held on Saturday, November 9 in Tyler Hall on Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Campus. During the event, the winners read from their stories. Spataro also discussed her writing life.
Of Keller’s first-place story, Spataro noted, “Other than the very skillful writing in this story, the thing that impressed me the most was the lack of sentimentality. Given the profession of the main character, it would be very easy to give into extraneous emotion, but that doesn't happen here... we have a main character that is not always the most likeable or sympathetic and yet, through some very skillful character development, the reader comes to understand the reasons behind her detached nature and the choices that she's made.”
“Red Pepper Flakes” was cited because “I found myself rooting for Dottie from the first paragraph. She is that middle-aged mom that is invisible to and underestimated by nearly everyone around her. When she decides to fulfill a lifetime dream and hike the Grand Canyon, everyone but her elderly mother tells her not to even attempt it. Thankfully for us, Dottie ignores their advice and strikes out on her own.”
Of Jarret’s story, Spataro commented: “Two grieving characters come together in the most unlikely of circumstances in this thoughtful and poignant story. I could easily see this as the start of a novel that follows the trajectory of Fink and Charles as they get to know each other and discover the pitfalls and pleasures of second love.”
The contest is open to adults who are residents of Bucks County. The winners received honoraria of $200, $100, and $50, respectively. The contest is funded by Bucks County Community College, and receives support from the Department of Language and Literature. Professor Elizabeth Luciano is the contest administrator. A contest for high-school students will be held next spring.
For more information, contact Elizabeth.Luciano@bucks.edu or visit the Bucks County Short Fiction Contest page.
Celebrate Día de Muertos with SUGAR SKULL! at the Zlock Performing Arts Center
Get ready for a vibrant celebration of Mexican culture and tradition at the Zlock Performing Arts Center with SUGAR SKULL! A Día de Muertos Musical Adventure on Saturday, November 9 at 3:30 p.m. This bilingual/bicultural musical adventure is perfect for young audiences and families, offering an exciting journey through the rich traditions of Día de Muertos with lively music, dance, and heartfelt storytelling.
The story follows Vita Flores, a twelve-year-old who thinks her family has gone loco for celebrating deceased loved ones. But when a spirited candy skeleton named Sugar Skull suddenly springs to life, Vita finds herself on a magical, musical adventure, to unravel the true meaning of Día de Muertos. Along the way, she encounters ancient ancestors, sings with a sorrowful sorceress, escapes trickster spirits, and meets the famous Catrina Calavera. Can Vita gather the missing pieces for her family ofrenda before it’s too late?
Featuring a talented cast of musicians and dancers, SUGAR SKULL! is a joyful, colorful production that brings to life the beauty and significance of Día de Muertos.
Do not miss this exciting and educational musical that celebrates family, culture, and the spirit of Día de Muertos!
Purchase tickets
Lake Angela Named 2024 Bucks County Poet Laureate
Lake Angela of Warrington has been named the 2024 Bucks County Poet Laureate, announced the director of the Poet Laureate program and professor at Bucks County Community College, Ethel Rackin, Ph.D.
Angela, a published poet, translator, and dance choreographer, rose to the top of more than 50 entries in the 48th annual contest, said Dr. Rackin who administers the program on behalf of the College. The contest is supported by the Bucks County Commissioners.
Angela holds a Ph.D. in intersemiotic translation and is a medieval mystic. Her poems have appeared in Seneca Review, BODY, The Common, Passages North, and Poetry Salzburg Review, among others; her books include Organblooms, Words for the Dead, and Scivias Choreomaniae. She is the director of the poety-dance group Companyia Lake Angela, and her current hobbies involve exchanging multimedia dialogues with disabilities advocacy artists and translating poetry into movement to further her project of illuminating the creative potential of schizophrenia-spectrum associative thinking.
Residing in Warrington, Pennsylvania, Angela works alongside poet Sara Ries Dziekonski as Poetry Midwives, part of the nonprofit literary organization Keep St. Pete Lit that assists writers around the world. Her current hobbies involve exchanging multimedia dialogues with disabilities advocacy artists and translating poetry into movement to further her project of illuminating the creative potential of schizophrenia-spectrum associative thinking; she invites you to view some of this work. Lake also collaborates with her spouse, writer and multimedia artist Kevin Richard Kaiser, and their baby, Quixot, who likes to compose atonal music for their performance projects.
The judges of this year’s Poet Laureate competition were Philadelphia poet Thomas Devaney, and Catskills, New York poet, Kasey Jueds. Both judges commented on the strength of this year's entries.
Angela will be reading her poetry on Saturday, November 16 at 1 p.m. in room 142 of the historic Tyler Hall on the Newtown Campus. She will be reading with 2023 Laureate Tara Tamburello, and they will be joined by our three runners-up, Robbin Farr, Madeline Marriott, and Judith Adams Lagana. Thomas Devaney will also be reading.
The Bucks County Poet Laureate program — the longest-running such program in Pennsylvania — is another way that Bucks County Community College contributes to the cultural heritage of the region. For more information, contact program director Dr. Ethel Rackin at ethel.rackin@bucks.edu.
“Art That Blooms” Collaborative Exhibition Blends Art and Floral Design
(Newtown, Pa.) – Thanks to special collaboration between Bucks County Community College’s Continuing Education Floral Design program and the Arts and Communication Department, the third annual Art That Blooms Exhibition will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, November 9-10. Floral and art students will showcase their finest floral-themed works as gorgeous blooms harmoniously blend with fabulous art throughout the halls of the Hicks Art Center on the Newtown Campus. This special exhibit will feature dozens of stunning interpretative floral displays, incredible paintings, beautiful glass sculptures, and rich wood workings.
The Art That Blooms festival will include a demonstration series from the Art Department and the Continuing Education Department floral team and students. Demonstrations will take place every hour and free make and take sessions for kids and adults will be available throughout the weekend.
The festival is free for the community to attend and there is ample free parking. A food truck will be on the premises on Saturday and Sunday for attendees to purchase refreshments. Creative maker vendors will be selling their products outside Hicks Art Center on both days.
Saturday, November 9, 2024, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.: 30-minute live demonstrations at the top and bottom of every hour from both artistic disciplines
Make & Take: Free hands-on sessions for both children and adults
Sunday, November 10, 2024, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
12 – 3 p.m.: 30-minute live demonstrations at the top and bottom of every hour from both artistic disciplines
3 p.m.: Awards Ceremony: Showpiece, Designer of the Year Competition, and People’s Choice
Make & Take: Free hands-on sessions for both children and adults
