Talk about pollution and cleanup of the Schuylkill River

“The Story of the Schuylkill River Project” is the subject of a free program Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. at the Berks County Heritage Center Barn

After coal mining began in its headwaters in the early 1800s, the Schuylkill went from
organizers said it was named the country’s dirtiest river in the 1900s.

This distinction led to the Schuylkill River becoming the focus of a precedent-setting effort to clean up the river, known as the Schuylkill River Project, which began in 1947.

Chari Towne, director of grants and operations for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, has
researched the Schuylkill River Project. In this presentation, the Town will tell the complex story of how the Schuylkill allowed such pollution, organizers said.

She will detail the efforts of those who worked to restore the river’s health and discuss how the project still resonates today. Organizers said Towne is the author of “The River Again: The Story of the Schuylkill River Project.”

This talk is sponsored by the Watershed Science Assistance Consortium.

For more information, contact Berks County Historic Resources Manager Dan Roe at DRoe@countyofberks.com or by phone at 610-374-8839. 201.

Medical clinic

Western Berks Free Medical Clinic near Robesonia announces the appointment of J.
Gregory Colahan, Kumru Township, as the first executive director, effective Monday.

Also on Monday, Anne Fisher will take over as president of the clinic’s board of directors, filling the vacancy left by Colahan’s appointment to the clinic’s staff.

Colahan, who retired as practice director for Oracle Corp., clinic board of directors in 2016. He was elected president in 2021, chaired the audit and compliance committee and served on the governance and revenue growth committees, as well as the task forces on strategic planning and by-laws, the clinic reported.

Fisher currently serves as the director of student support for the Redding School District. She
was elected to the clinic’s board in 2019, becoming its vice president in 2021, the clinic said.

The Western Berks Free Medical Clinic has opened at St. Daniel’s Lutheran Church, 480 Big
Spring Road, near Robesonia in October 2002.

The volunteer-run free clinic has treated more than 10,000 primary and chronic
is prescribed free of charge for individual patients and relies solely on financial and other
donations are welcome to cover costs, the clinic said.

Library carnival

End of Summer Carnival and Sidewalk Book Sale August 13, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Muhlenberg Public Library.

Summer Quest reading tickets can be used for carnival games and food. The winners will be drawn. Open to all ages.