Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives


Source: July 1991 Volume 29 Number 3, Pages 130–132


Notes and Comments

Page 130

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Paoli Coast Guard Flotilla Wins Award

It may come as something of a surprise to learn that there is a Coast Guard flotilla in Paoli. Not only that, but this spring it was awarded the Past Captains' Association Trophy for excellence in performing auxiliary missions for the U. S. Coast Guard.

The flotilla, U. S. Coast Guard Flotilla 45 of Paoli, comprises a group of civilian volunteers from this area. They perform a variety of support services for the Coast Guard, including regular patrols on Delaware Bay and off the New Jersey coast, participating in search and rescue missions, and offering public education courses in boating safety and navigation. The commander of the flotilla is N. Clifford Duncan of Berwyn.

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PBM Lions Mark 50th Anniversary

In April the Paoli-Berwyn-Malvern Lions Club marked its 50th anniversary. Two charter members of the club -- Clarence Staats and Jim Matthews - are still active members of the club.

Three "generations" of Lions clubs participated in the occasion, with representatives from the West Chester Lions Club, which sponsored the PBM club fifty years ago, and from the Frazer Lions Club, which, in turn, was sponsored by the PBM club, present. Representatives from other nearby clubs, as well as a large group of state and regional officers, were also on hand to help celebrate the anniversary.

Page 131

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Acme Update

Following the publication of the previous issue of the Quarterly and the centennial history of the American Stores and Acme Markets, Inc. by Herb Fry, word was received which dispelled the uncertainty about the future of Acme that had resulted from an earlier decision of its parent to offer the company for sale. An April 11 press release carried the headline "American Stores ... states Acme ... is no longer for sale", and explained that a suitable offer had not been received. It further noted that the beneficial impact of the sales of other assets, coupled with lower interest rates, had led to the decision to reject the bid, approaching one billion dollars, from members of Local 1776 of the United Food and Commercial Workers and a Los Angeles investment banking firm.

In its 1990 Annual Report, recently mailed to the shareowners, the parent company expressed its appreciation to the employees of Acme for their "patience and support during this [bidding] process", and further stated that "Acme has a bright future on this, its 100th anniversary, and we are committed to the future of Acme".

Following close on the announcement that Acme would remain in the American Stores family came the news that Martin A. Scholtens had been appointed president of Acme Markets, replacing Robert Neslund, who resigned to pursue other interests. Scholtens, a former vice president of Operations and Distribution at Jewel Food in Chicago, was most recently president of Star Market Company, Jewel's Boston operation.
Herb Fry

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New Mt. Zion Church Dedicated

More than 450 people were present at the dedication ceremony of the new church building of the Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church at Fairfield and Berwyn-Baptist roads in Devon on May 11th. The new building is located to the south of the old church building that was erected shortly after the Civil War. The pastor of the Church is the Rev. Charles Edward Drummer Jr.

Taking part in the ceremony were Bishop Frank C. Cummings, the Presiding Bishop of the First Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. Theolophilus E. Harper, Presiding Elder of the West District, and Dr. O. Urcille Ufill, general secretary of the A. M. E. Church.

The new building has been described as "second to none in the African Methodist Episcopal Church". Ground breaking for the structure took place on July 8, 1989. The older building will continue to be used by the Church as a chapel.

 
 

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