Jacqueline Maben and Ronald Ricchezza were married in a self-uniting ceremony on Saturday, June 1, 2019. The wedding took place at Hedgleigh Spring, the Swarthmore garden of Charles Cresson.

The bride is Administrative Coordinator at The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College. The groom, a self-employed audio technician, is a volunteer for the Swarthmore Horticultural Society and is an Arboretum Assistant at Scott Arboretum.

Their relationship began at the 2015 Scott Arboretum Plant Sale where Ron was procuring plants for “Alex’s Garden” (at the Swarthmore Post Office). He was directed to go to Jacqui’s line at checkout. Here the seed was planted, germinated and blossomed.

Jacqui and Ron live and garden in Swarthmore.

Last Thursday, June 13, 250 nature lovers gathered to support Tyler Arboretum and celebrate its 75th anniversary as a public garden. “Tyler at Twilight” took place under a big tent on the arboretum grounds. Fox-29’s Sue Serio acted as Mistress of Ceremonies, and Swarthmorean co-publisher Rob Borgstrom served as auctioneer. All told, the event raised over $100,000 to support Tyler’s programs aimed at helping children of all ages discover, connect with, and grow in nature. Now in its 17th year, Tyler at Twilight is the arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser and one of Delaware County’s leading summer social events. A dozen local restaurants provide catering, and merchants from throughout the region donate to the auction. This year’s corporate sponsors were led by Clark Capital Management Group. If you missed it, don’t despair. Planning will soon be underway for Tyler at Twilight 2020, coming next June!

The moon bounce was the place to be last Saturday, June 15, for some guests at King’s Automotive’s Customer Appreciation Day last Saturday in Swarthmore. Photo by Corinne Hunsicker.

Co-owner Jay King (center in photo to the right) welcomed guests for a barbecue, games, and live music at King’s Automotive’s Customer Appreciation Day last Saturday in Swarthmore. Photo by Corinne Hunsicker.

On the same day he took part in the “Moving Up” ceremony at Swarthmore-Rutledge School, graduating 5th grader Ted Croddy of Swarthmore accompanied his peers at Wallingford Elementary School as pianist on the Beatles composition “In My Life,” as it was sung during graduation ceremonies this Tuesday at WES. Photo courtesy of Ted’s proud mother Lisa Croddy and grandmother Donna Kay Jones.

Wallingford Elementary School student Bianca Blake was among 22 students who participated in the 2018-2019 after-school art programs at the South Media Firehouse, where last week they celebrated the completion of two community projects. Led by Community Arts Center teaching artist Emily MacDonald and supported by volunteers from the WES community and staff, last fall the young artists created a cityscape of their community, including their homes, the South Media firehouse, WES, Rita’s Water Ice, Coldstone Creamery, and St. Paul AME Zion Church, and other hot spots. The cityscape is now mounted on the wall of the firehouse meeting room. In the spring, they decorated planters which, under the supervision of Dan and Rosemary at Miller’s Greenhouses, they filled with beautiful annuals. The planters are now located at the firehouse, WES, and St. Paul AME Zion Church in South Media, on whose steps Bianca stands, behind one of the decorated planters. The goal of the program, just completing its sixth year and coordinated by retired WES principal Dr. Ellen Milgrim, harnesses students’ talents and energy to collaboratively make art for their community.

Swarthmore-Rutledge School students, their families and the entire Swarthmore community had a “blast” operating the fire hose and otherwise exploring the Swarthmore fire station at last Friday’s open house. Thanks to the generosity of attendees, the SRS Home & School Community Service Committee’s refreshment stand raised $210 which was donated directly to our much-appreciated Swarthmore Fire & Protective Association.

Claudia Carlsson, Executive Director of the Young People’s Theater Workshop, sent a photo from the recent production of YPTW’s recent production of State Fair, writing:

“During the run of State Fair, we raffled off a pie each night. These gorgeous pies were made by Dr. Jamie Byers of Swarthmore. His daughters, Maria and Annie, seen on the right in the photo were also choreographers for the show, along with Darrin Peters. In the show there is a food contest where ribbons are given for the best pickles and mincemeat. The winners have their photo taken with their family. We did a ‘life imitates art’ moment at the final show and awarded Jamie the blue ribbon. His wife, Dr. Stephanie Chiupek is next to him in the photo. Although he has gotten MANY requests for pies, he is sticking with medicine for the time being.”

Photo by Lori Knickerbocker

Late in May, four alumni of Strath Haven and its predecessor high schools were enshrined on the SHHS Wall of Honor. Wallingford-Swarthmore School District Superintendent Dr. Lisa Palmer (left) and SHHS Principal Dr. Kristopher Brown (right) congratulated the honorees (from left) Betty Ann Coleman Wilson, Swarthmore HS Class of 1958, who was an educator for 37 years in the WSSD, a community activist, and a stalwart volunteer with many groups; Thomas Spock, Nether Providence HS ’74 is a long-time media and sports industry executive, founder of Scalar Media and director of NFL Enterprises, who chairs Swarthmore College’s Board of Managers; Enrique Latoison, SHHS ’92, a graduate of Penn and Temple Law School, principal of Latoison Law, legal expert for the NBC Universal family of networks, and founder of the Latoison Law Scholarship. Zoe Mulford, SHHS ’86, an American singer and writer of the 2018 Grammy-nominated song “The President Sang Amazing Grace,” among many other songs on her five albums. She was represented by her father George Mulford.

The Rutledge Girls Club Pee Wee (U10) team has been off to a strong start this season with a 4-0-1 record in their DelVal softball division. Here, the team celebrates its 15-7 win over crosstown rival Nether. The girls’ next home game is at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 8 vs. Media at Triangle Park. Pictured are: (front row, left to right) Hannah, Sophie, Ella, Willow, Lindsey, Dyllan; (back row, left to right) Adelyn, Abigail, Maisie, Kay, Lizzie, Katie, Molly, Clara.