Bridge to Action Projects

Bridge to Action

Action
Bridge to
Bridge to


Projects

Biblioteca De Susana Para Ninos (Suzanne's Library) Carbonal, Costa Rica

Ambler Theater - Food Collection for Ambler Food Cupboard has started up. We will be continuing our Food Collection site at The Ambler Theater. If you can sign-up to pick-up the collected food on a Monday before and deliver it to the Ambler Pantry before 3:30 PM, just once a month or on a Monday once every other month, Please contact Donna at dontallm@aol.com

Read the article in the Ambler Gazette from January 27, 2011 or on our News page.

Grant Writers - This is an ongoing project, we have our 501C3 and we need help applying for grant money.

Please contact Donna at dontallm@aol.com if you can volunteer for this project

Science Fair Mentors Needed

Bridge To Action member Mike Pancione is looking for people who might be interested in participating in a pilot program to provide "science fair" mentors to middle school students in the Upper Dublin School District.

For those not familiar, Upper Dublin students participate in two science fairs each year. Each require students to conduct research in any number of topics such as Biology, Chemistry, Behavioral Science, Mathematics, Computers, etc. Students research a topic of interest, develop an experiment to test their hypothesis, conduct their experiment, and finally present their findings where their efforts are evaluated and prizes awarded. At the highest level college scholarships are available. Both the Middle School and High School participate in the PJAS (Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science) science fair in which students present their experiment results in a 10 minute oral presentation using overhead slides. The High School students also can participate in the MCSRC (Montgomery County Science Research Competition) which utilizes the tri-fold board method of presentation.

While there are teachers supporting students in school, these experiments often require some additional support. For a variety of reasons, some students do not have access to this support. Additionally, Upper Dublin is interested in getting more students interested in participating, but struggles with overcoming the "science geek" stereotype. In an effort to promote greater appreciation of the scientific process and to support young students in an activity which brings together all aspects of the educational process, Mike has approached the Upper Dublin School District with the idea of teaming professionals with students who have an interest in participating in science fair, but who may not have necessary support or motivation. Mentors would meet perhaps once or twice a month with a student at Sandy Run Middle School.

Meetings would last about 30 minutes at the end of the school day (about 2:10 - 2:40) The mentor's role would include helping students pick a topic and to guide the student throughout their project. The mentor is seen as a supplement to the student's teacher and would likely maintain close communication with the teacher.

This pilot program will kick off sometime in mid-October 2010 and would conclude in late February, 2011. Participating students would be expected to participate in the regional fair (late February), and if they win, would advance to the State competition (in May). There will be an orientation meeting for mentors prior to kickoff that will include some guidelines for volunteers as to how to best support the students.

Science fair coordinators at the middle school will work to match mentors with students based on interests, so those wishing to volunteer may be asked to provide a short resume of experience and to identify their areas of interest. This is a new program, and in the pilot year we hope to focus on supporting middle school students (grades 6-8), however if you truly feel more comfortable working with high school students please let us know. At the end of the program the District and mentors will meet to evaluate the results and decide if and how it should continue.

Please contact Mike at mcpanjr@gmail.com if you are interested in more information. We are hoping to have an orientation/information meeting with potential mentors in mid-September.

Green Project

We have rescheduled our workshop that was canceled due to the  "snowacane" .   We hope that you have been saving those items listed below to donate for our project.  You can drop them off at the ARK on the 20th from 11:00 AM thru 1:00 PM or bring them with you if you are participating.
Bring your children and invite friends, family, etc. to participate in the workshop.  We will jump into Spring in a "Green" creative fashion.  I have attached a new flyer for you to print out and hang up at Libraries and other locations or give out.  Please help us publicize this great "Green" event.
 
Thanks!

Recyclable "Green" Art Workshop for Children and Teens 

“Bridge to Action”, a community service organization, is sponsoring a  Recyclable "Green" Art Workshop for Children and Teens on Saturday, March 20, 2010 from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM in the ARK building at Jarrettown United Methodist Church.  This workshop is open to children and teens and seeks to show how usually discarded items can be turned into works of art.  
 
The workshop will be lead by Gail Morrison-Hall, a distinguished local artist and teacher. Attendance is open to the local community and is limited to 25 participants.
 
Reusable materials to be used include: wood scraps, cardboard boxes, tubes, cylinders (oat meal boxes), soda bottles, egg cartons, clean cans (both ends removed), coffee cans, string, broken toys, plastic piping, wire, and other interesting finds/junk, etc.   Many materials will be supplied, including paint.  Attendees are encouraged to bring some of their own items and to wear "old clothes" and/or an old shirt for use as a smock. 
 
The cost of the workshop is $2.00 per child or $5.00 per family, scholarships are available. 
 
For more information contact Mike Pancione at 215-628-3184 or Donna Lima-Monteiro at 215-828-4699 or by e-mail at dontallm@aol.com.

The location is:

Jarrettown United Methodist Church
1460 Limekiln Pike
Dresher, PA 19025-1116

We are asking for a donation of $2.00 for one child with a maximum total amount of $5.00 per any family or group. This is to defray some of the basic costs.

We are hoping that you will bring your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, neighbors to participate in this fun project. The groups will be divided into various age groups and materials will be distributed that are appropriate for each specific group. We are hoping for participants from Kindergarten through High School ages. We also need for some of our BTA folks to volunteer to help that day with sign-in and other general things. We anticipate having several Temple Ambler Education Majors helping with the workshop part, but are calling on all BTA folks who are artists or artistically inclined, to help with the workshop. 

We would like to limit the number of participants 25. If we have over 25 we will have a second class later in the day. Please RSVP to dontallm@aol.com or use the web site "Green" Project information box which should be up this week.

We hope to have an Art Show and Reception in Ambler, the first Friday of March at which time we will display the work of those "Workshop" artists who wish to be a part of the show.

The theme is found or recyclable art. This workshop will use discarded and scrap items and pieces to construct the art pieces. Below you will find a list of items that you can donate to help us provide materials and the children and teens participating are welcome to bring some of these materials with them to the workshop.

List of Materials Needed

Materials can be dropped off between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM.

Flyer to spread the word!

BTA will be getting green paint for the project
Thank You,
The "Green" Project Committee

Ambler Food Cupboard & Ambler Theatre

We just wanted to advise everyone that Bridge To Action in partnership with the Ambler Theater has set up a collection site for non-perishable goods in the lobby of the Ambler Theatre. All donations are going to the Ambler Food Cupboard (Mattie Dixon).

Bridge To Action appreciates the kindness and willingness of the Ambler Theatre to partner with us in our community service works.

We also thank Mattie Dixon for allowing us to join in with her and her Cupboard's continuing efforts to help feed the hungry.

Please encourage everyone you know who attends or might be planning to see a movie at the Ambler Theatre, to bring a contribution for the Cupboard. We also have flyers that can be passed out to merchants, offices, places of worship, etc. If can donate time giving out flyers or are able sign up for a food watch or pick-up please contact Maria Rosen (project chairperson) at maria.rosen@verizon.net.

We have 2 signs - both PDF files - to email and post at locations you think will generate interest.

Bridge To Action is working to continue this type collaboration with several other stage and movie theatres. Anyone wanting more information about the Bridge To Action organization, or if you would like to join our group, have community service ideas or questions please contact me, Donna,Lima-Monteiro at dontallm@aol.com.

An article appeared in the Amber Gazette about this project on July 17, 2009. Read it here.

Thank you for helping Bridge To Action and The Ambler Food Pantry.