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In 2023 our focus was providing transitional foster care to unaccompanied children and developing plans to launch pop-up ice cream parlor events promoting our mission. Because our transitional foster care services moved it's location we were unable to continue providing direct care in 2024. We advanced the ice cream parlor pop ups in 2024, and began a robust fundraising campaign to purchase a vintage ice cream truck to expand our community outreach on behalf of waiting children. (More about that campaign on our events page). We continue a partnership with Rooted Kinections. a camp that brings together birth siblings separated through foster placements or adoption. Epiphany House has been a corporate sponsor of Rooted Kinections. Our own, Rosey has joined her birth siblings there for the past two summers. We are regular contributors The Mother's Home in Darby, PA, a safe haven for vulnerable pregnant women in crisis. Our ice cream parlor events promote Pennsylvania's waiting children and Transitional Foster Care programs. We purchased backpacks and pajamas for Bethany foster care children. The first week of July our family gathers in North Myrtle Beach for a week. We will host a delightful and fun filled gathering in June for the staff and families of The Pediatric Advanced Care Team from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
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Summer 2021 As with most organizations, the Covid pandemic put Epiphany House agenda on back burner for a time. In the Spring of 2021, we explored an opportunity with Bethany Christian Services, to respond to the needs of children crossing the border into the USA unaccompanied. This led to our entering the process to become a transitional foster home for these children. We are currently involved in this endeavor and hope approval in the Fall of this year. This past Spring, we connected with Together We Rise and donated 20 birthday boxes, prepared by students from Holy Child School in Drexel Hill, to a local foster care agency. SPRING/SUMMER 2020  Like for everyone else, Covid impacted Epiphany House 2020 plans. We could not expand on the Flying Ice Cream Truck promotion we had launched in 2019. In due time it will return. In the meantime, our kids started a Troop Zero club house for fun and service. Their projects included collecting food for local food cupboard, engaging in an Earth Day clean up in our neighborhood, making bread for Covid shut ins and learning about the Black Lives Matter movement. Like most other kids they transitioned to on line schooling for the remainder of the 2020 Spring semester and the Summer extended school year. This is how they will begin the new school year in. September. In April, a massive pine tree from our neighbor’s fell across our front yard during a wind storm. It did considerable damage taking out the ramp for our daughter Salinna, destroying the fence, and some damage to porch roof. All have been repaired. In late Spring, we planted a garden of sunflowers, wild flowers, tomatoes, honey dew melons and mint. Tropical storm Isaias flattened a lot of the sunflowers. In June, Epiphany house was a proud supporter of Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools for Special Needs and Benefit for Children Camp in a Box. In July our daughter, Kelly and her husband, Jim sold their home in Drexel Hill, PA with plans for a larger house now that they have five children. In the interim they have moved in with us and our household number is back to 13. It’s a very lively joint.  During the final week of August the kids returned to school protesting that school should start before Labor Day. They were right. The first week turned out to be half days because of the heat. This school year finds Alex in grade two, Rosey fourth grade, Ebby and Salinna as super seniors. Our son Danny and his spouse, Millie, welcomed the birth of their first child, Ada Lucille on September 20th. Rosey and Alex took part in Fall soccer. Alex formed a lasting obsession with yellow caution tape and spends much time inventing his own construction sites. The pool was closed and we began countdown to opening. Our grandson, Lucas, is convinced a nearby building being renovated for a funeral home is destined to be a Starbucks. Participated in First annual family tent revival at Malvern Retreat Center. One of the speakers was a mother who lost a child in the Sandy Hook school shooting in December of 2012. We participated in Upper Darby Community Day. Halloween was a big event as our kids and grand kids join together for trick or treating in Drexel Hill. Rosey made a hit as a Holy Cow. Salinna dressed as Meghan Markle and was accompanied by a Prince Harry cut out. Team Epiphany participated in the Lansdowne Harvest 5K on November 3rd. Much of the team included members of Faith Immanuel Lutheran Church, East Lansdowne. Large gathering here for Thanksgiving Day. In December, we observed Advent and Chanukah. Rosey and Ebby sang in respective choruses in school holiday winter concerts. Epiphany House participated in the Advent Tree gifts for families during the holidays at St. Philomena Church in Lansdowne.   Getting ready to run. Or, if you prefer walk, or crawl. It matters not. Anyone of all ages welcome to join Team Epiphany for the Lansdowne 5K November 3rd. Register for the team by October 2nd. Contact us.
It was a very lively summer here. On most days the pool was a main attraction. There were also, however, many field trips. We went to Plymouth Meeting Mall, Camden Aquarium, Philadelphia Zoo, Dutch Wonder Land, Lin Villa Orchards, Love Park, Upper Darby Summer Stage performances, Ebby was in Camp Friendship, the kids participated in the Drexel Hill Park 4th of July Parade and won prizes for their decorated bikes. Alex and Rosey played baseball as Phillies in the Challengers' League. We went to local carnivals, planted flower gardens, baked assorted cakes cookies muffins, had a visit from Spider Man, many art projects and lots of bike riding. There was a baby shower for Danny's wife, Millie. The highlight of August was trip to the Adirondack Mountains with two day's in Old Forge and a week at Garby Camp in Duane NY. The water park in Old Forge was a favorite and the rain forecast for the day we went never materialized. At Camp Garby, we hiked at White Mountain, put together a 2000 piece puzzle, were visited by mermaids, had a talent shows, swam in Horseshoe Pond, and spent a day at Meachem Beach. 22 family members gathered at the camp for the week. With the end of August school began and we closed out summer with a large Labor Day picnic. The ice cream cart went to the St Philomena's flea market in June. We initiated a back to school supplies project but because there were so many of them we decided to donate the $450 collected to St Barnabas Mission School in Philadelphia to offset costs for kids in need there. A note about our pets: Oliver, age 17 only has been to a veterinarian once to be spayed. Never sick. Patrick: 8 months old has had regular vet visits, every inoculation and preventative medicine conceivable and contracted a nasty bacterial colitis in August. So much for veterinary care. Family BarBQ for Rosey's birthday. Thanks to Chef Uncle Mike!
Kirk, the Pool Guy, replaces the damaged liner in our pool with a new one.  Rosey upset when our puppy, Patrick, got out of his crate in her room, peed on her carpet and chewed up her grow fox.  |
