There are a lot of ways to show you love someone this Valentine's Day. Here are a few ways that are locally focused and unique.

Flying Lessons:
You can give your loved one something that lasts long after the chocolates with a $99 flying lesson at any of the 3,500 area flight schools in the U.S., according to Jo Ann Guear of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Find a flight school (locally there is one at the Pottstown-Limerick Airport on Ridge Pike) at http://www.aopa.org/letsgoflying/ready/choose/search.cfm. During the flight, your sweetie can sit in the pilot’s seat and take the controls to taxi, take off and fly a plane for around 30-40 minutes before landing. All under the guidance of an FAA-licensed instructor.

Wine and Chocolate Trail:
Member wineries of the Berks County Wine Trail are participating in a special weekend this Valentine's Day. Feb. 13 and 14, the wineries involved are open from noon to 5 and are serving special desserts paired with their wines. Maps & directions for this self-guided tour are available on the wine trail's Web site, www.berkscountywinetrail.com. Additional directions are available on the individual Web sites for each participating winery. This event will also be a fantastic opportunity to taste medal winning wines from the 2010 PA Farm Show. Berks County Wine Trail wineries collectively brought home over twenty medals this year including four Gold Medals and a Best in Show!

For a Giving Heart:
Why not give your sweetie something to enjoy while helping others. A great gift for someone who loves to volunteer or make a difference in this world is a breakfast at
St. Mary’s Franciscan Shelter for Homeless Families, 209 Emmett Street, Phoenixville. The only annual fundraiser for the shelter, this breakfast features an all-you-can-eat buffet between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Cost is $9 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12. Children under age 5 get in free. The buffet will be prepared by Will Christman of Make It Special in Royersford. Included on the menu will be fresh fruit cup, orange juice, English muffins, pancakes, scrambled eggs, fried country style ham, sausage links, homefries, a selection of cold cereal, assorted desserts, coffee, tea and milk. Advanced reservations are requested; call 610-933-3097 by Feb. 5.

From Out The Fiery Furnace, a one-act play written and directed by nationally recognized playwright Christine Emmert and performed by a 40-year veteran of the stage and screen, Barbara Hannevig, features the stories of life in the 19th century at Hopewell Village.

Hannevig brings to life several characters of the period including runaway slaves, “fallen” women, indentured servants, orphaned children, and others, according to a press release from the Furnace.

Performances are slated for 4 p.m. at the Villa at Morlattan and 7 p.m. at the 1801 Chapel of St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church on Friday, Nov. 13. These adjacent facilities are located on Route 422 East in Douglassville. The program is free and open to the public.

“We are pleased to be able to bring the stories of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site to the community in an exciting new way,” said Superintendent Shean-Hammond. “This is an original drama and Hannevig is riveting to young and old alike.”

The play premiered during Hopewell’s Harvest Time event on Sept. 19 to two full house audiences. Emmert and Hannevig volunteered to take the show on the road to connect new audiences to their local national park .

The National Park Service chose St. Gabriel’s as an appropriate venue as it was the church of Mark Bird, who founded Hopewell Furnace in 1770. Future performances are scheduled in Phoenixville and Radnor in 2010.

The National Park play showcases how a woman’s life and love could be singularly tracked through her relationship with a Hopewell Stove.

“Hopewell Furnace was famous for not only supporting George Washington in the Revolutionary War, but also for its proliferation of perhaps the most important innovation of the 19th century: the 10-plate cooking stove.,” said Shean-Hammond. “We should never take for granted how this important innovation and the industry that created it freed women both black and white to pursue their just place in American Society."

Playwright/director Christine Emmert has a long resume of work. She has been published in three countries and performed throughout the English speaking world. In addition to directing and writing, Emmert has had an extensive stage career. She has appeared with Barbara Hannevig at Village Productions in "Lettice and Lovage," "Quilters" and "Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge."

She lives in Valley Forge with her husband, Richard, who often joins her in her theater adventures.

Barbara Hannevig studied at the Goodman Theatre School in Chicago and worked professionally for over 40 years. In addition to her stage work, she has performed in videos and voiceovers. She has graced the stage of Village Productions in such diverse pieces at "Jake's Women", "Almost Maine" and, of course, "Lettice and Lovage."