Overbrook: Five Topics Discussed In Conversation At A Barber Shop
At Rice’s Barber shop in Overbrook, four chairs sit on top of black and green tiled floors. There are televisions on either side of the room airing a movie, and music plays in the background. On a recent Friday afternoon, a few young men filtered in with their dad and the conversation started. “This is a […]
Education: Looking at What’s Next for Five Closed High Schools in Philadelphia
Education is one of the foundations of society, and yet schools in Philadelphia are hemorrhaging cash due to rising costs and stagnant revenues. Many have been forced to cut back on everything from school supplies and textbooks to programs and staff. Some have even closed their doors due to decisions by the School Reform Commission […]
Overbrook: Farmacy Aims to Bring New Meaning, Access to Healthy Food
In 2017, the Overbrook Environmental Education Center is hopeful of opening the Overbrook Hall Farmacy for Human and Environmental Health Center, or Overbrook Farmacy, at a vacant structure at 6150 Lancaster Ave. The Overbrook Farmacy is a project guided by the idea that pathways to healthy foods and healthy behaviors are multi-dimensional. This Farmacy, a […]
Overbrook: Pope Francis’ Visit Makes Lasting Impression on Seminarians
The Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary had the privilege of hosting Pope Francis for a night when he arrived in Philadelphia. “I think the mood before he came was one of anticipation and unknowing,” said Deacon Matthew Biedrzycki. “While he was here, it was an overwhelming reality that this was the person you’d seen on TV, and now […]
Overbrook: Pope Francis Makes a Surprise Visit to Saint Joseph’s University
Students at Saint Joseph’s University were hoping at best to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis as his motorcade traveled down City Avenue. Many students were planning to gather together to watch the festivities on television. “They’re going to watch him make a speech or something like that,” said Dimetri Williams, a Saint Joseph’s University student. “He’s […]
Amateur Sports: Competition and Opportunity in Philadelphia’s BSO
Anyone with a competitive side to them likely fills that need for competition through playing sports. The same holds true for the visually impaired. The Blind Sports Organization (BSO) in Philadelphia provides the city’s blind and visually impaired community with numerous organized activities and ways to get involved but some people want to compete at […]
Amateur Sports: Philadelphia’s Blind Sports Organization, More Than Just Sports
For the most part, the Philadelphia sports scene is dominated by the four major sports – football, baseball, basketball and hockey, both recreationally and among spectators. While blind people can root for the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers and Flyers, and listen to them on the radio, they can’t play the same sports as the pros. Philadelphia’s […]
Overbrook: Three Questions About The Overbrook Area
Overbrook is a community within West Philadelphia, known for Will Smith, its safe streets and active community members. However, there are a lot of confusing elements of Overbrook, even to its longtime residents. Where exactly is Overbrook? According to the Neighbors of Overbrook Association, Overbrook parameters consist of the land between Lancaster, Woodbine, Haverford, and […]
Morris Park: A Green Urban Playground for Nature Lovers
Dan Gasiewski, long term resident of the Overbrook Farms and executive director of Friends of Morris Park, remembers the days when the meadowlands entrance to Morris Park, at the corners of 66th Street and Woodcrest Avenue, used to be full of litter left by local residents. In 2004, Gasiewski founded the Friends of Morris Park […]
Amateur Sports: Five Places To Stay In Shape No Matter Your Schedule
While people tend to correlate a daily gym routine as tedious and lackluster, many Philadelphian’s choose to spruce up their regime with an extensive number of unconventional and innovative ways. So take a break from the treadmill and weight machines and experience unique ways to stay fit. Philly Pumptrack 53rd Street and Parkside Avenue Pumptracks […]