Lower Providence Township provided 15 township families with holiday care packages thanks to the overwhelming community support of its food drive. The township was aided in the effort by local residents, the Lower Providence Fire Company and Superior Tube Company. Preparing the items for delivery are township parks & recreation employees Karen Barron, left, and Angela Johnson.

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A LITTLE MORE LIFE ON HIGH STREET

Driving down High Street in Pottstown, you may have noticed the old Bechtel's Sporting Goods seems to be open again. Well it is, but not as Bechtel's. A new business selling sports team memorabilia, clothing and more has opened in the spot.

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HELP FOR PARENTING YOUR TEEN

It’s no secret that trying to raise teenagers in Montgomery and Chester counties can be a challenge to even the most well-intentioned parents. Help, however, is not too far away.

Identity questions, emotional turmoil and rebellion are just a few of the challenges teenagers face in their world today, and one local church is doing its part to help those who feel like all hope might be lost.

Launched in 1999, Christ’s Church of the Valley is one of the fastest growing churches in the suburban Philadelphia area, growing from a handful of people meeting in Pastor Brian Jones’ living room to more than 1,300 in attendance every weekend. One of the church’s main goals is simply to help people make life work.

Parents of teenagers face many unique struggles. They have to play the roles of counselor, cop and crisis manager all rolled into one. Good parenting means using one’s head, heart and faith. The great news is that starting this January, parents can stop feeling like they are doing it alone. Christ’s Church of the Valley is offering a four-week class designed to help parents of teenagers not just survive the teenage years, but to thrive. The best part is, the class is completely free.

Dates for the "Parenting Your Teenager" class are Jan. 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. each night. The class is held on the campus of Christ’s Church of the Valley, 1560 Yeager Road in Royersford.

For additional information and to register for the free "Parenting Your Teenager Class," visit the church’s Web site: www.moviechurch.com.

(Thanks to Dan Reischel, director of Student Ministries at Christ's Church of the Valley, for the above information.)

Though Kicken Chicken has moved to its new location, at the former site of Edie's Dog House next door to the Rita's Water Ice at North Charlotte and Jackson streets, the business's former building at North Washington and East High streets won't remain empty for long. A Nardone's Pizza shop is slated to open there sometime next year, according to signs on the window.

If you want to give more than you receive this holiday season, why not extend a helping hand to a helping organization? The United Way of the Boyertown area is looking for donors to its annual campaign. Donations help Boyertown area nonprofits and new donations of $50 or more will be matched dollar for dollar by the Pottstown area Health & Wellness Foundation up to $15,000 total.

Donations can be sent to the United Way of Boyertown Area, P.O. Box 213, Boyertown, PA 19512 or visit them online at www.UnitedWayBoyertown.org.

The Phoenix Village Art Center has finished its Phoenix for this year's Firebird Festival. The last clay bird making workshop is tonight but is likely booked up. But don't be upset! There is always next year.

According to Lisa Muller, who is in charge of instructing the clay bird making classes at the Phoenix Village Art Center on Bridge Street, the Phoenix acts as a fire pit for the birds, which are placed under it in a hole in the ground on shelves. Different items are wrapped around each of the clay birds, including banana peels, horse hair and seaweed, and the birds are then individually wrapped in foil, "like baked potatoes". Once the Phoenix burns itself out, the birds are dug out of the pit and turned over to their makers, or they can be donated by those who made them to the arts center which then sells them.

Traditionally workshop participants made two birds, one for themselves and one for the arts center to sell to raise funds, but they had so many left over from previous years to sell, they decided to have workshop participants only make one bird this year.

If you participated in a workshop this year, you can pick up your clay bird between 3 and 4 p.m. the next day. If it rains the night of the festival, and the bird isn't set on fire as planned, it will be lit up the next night, according to Muller.

Bird makers are also invited to donate their clay birds for display in the Firebird Art Show at the Artisan's Cafe on Bridge Street in February 2010.

The festival is set for Dec. 12 this year and will be proceeded by a parade of drums and handmade lanterns from the Colonial Theater.