The top 12 sweets of Christmas

Photo by MetroCreativeConnection

For most of us there are sights and sounds that conjure up fond memories of holidays past, but nothing can trigger that nostalgia like the aroma of a favorite holiday sweet. Perhaps it’s your mom’s pineapple upside-down cake, or your grandma’s gingerbread cookies or even your own favorite recipe that has become a family tradition.
The Mercury wants you to share these family culinary treasures with other readers. Submit the recipe for your favorite holiday dessert or treat by emailing it to PottstownMercury@gmail.com before Dec. 13. Mercury staff will select 12 finalists which will be posted on our Pinterest page ( http://pinterest.com/themercury/ ) and featured in a poll on our home page at www.pottsmerc.com.
The top vote-getter in the poll will be featured on the Dec. 19 food page.

Holiday story time

The Mercury is holding a story time as part of the holiday events happening throughout the month of December in downtown Pottstown from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Media Lab located at 24 N. Hanover St. in Pottstown.

 Special guest readers Mercury Editor Nancy March, Reporter Evan Brandt, TownSquare blogger Mandy March from So Much To Do, So Little Time, and Community Engagement Editor Diane Hoffman will read specially selected holiday-themed books to children and their families during the hour.

Fresh, homemade cookies and hot chocolate will be available for all children in attendance. There will also be a holiday coloring activity for children.

 The Mercury Media Lab is free and open to the public Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is located inside The Mercury at 24 N. Hanover St. With three computers, a microfilm machine in which to look up archives of The Mercury that go back to 1933 and WiFi for those with their own laptop, the lab is a great place to sit and relax. Coffee and water are available for $1.

The Media Lab is also available to community groups looking for a free space to use. For more information about the Media Lab, call Diane Hoffman at 610-323-3000 ext. 156 or email dhoffman@pottsmerc.com

Help us raise money for literacy

The Mercury’s Community Media Lab and TownSquare blogging network are raising money for the YWCA’s literacy education program and we could use your help. For every valid name and email on our Literacy Pledge, an anonymous donor is giving $1 to the Pottstown YWCA’s literacy program. It costs you nothing and can change everything for someone wishing to read, learn basic math or obtain their GED or citizenship, all goals the YWCA program helps area residents achieve. You do not need to be an area resident. To sign the pledge, visit http://bit.ly/pottstownreads. To learn more about the Pottstown YWCA literacy program, click here. Our TownSquare community is also getting into the spirit, writing about the importance of being able to read, teaching their children how to read and other important aspects of literacy. Read their blog posts using the links below.

 FOUNDING A FATHER: Helping kids to read
ABOUT 100%: Reading for life
THE DESIGN SLEUTH: Sandy and contemplating literacy
DIGITAL NOTEBOOK: Captains Courageous
DIY FRUGAL: Are you willing to give your name to help adults read?
KNITTED GEMS: Explosion of books
POSITIVELY!POTTSTOWN
SO MUCH TO DO: Reading opens up a world of information
TAILS OF 2 DOGS: Let’s help the YWCA’s literacy program
THE EDITOR'S DESK: Learning value of education from those who missed out

CML open later to help students

Hours of operation for our community media lab, located at 24 N. Hanover St., are changing to accommodate school children who may be looking for a quiet place to study.
The lab, which offers free computers and WiFi, as well as newspaper archives and a lending library, will now be open from 3-6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. It will be open its regular hours, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday and Tuesday.
The Community Media Lab is also available as a meeting space for groups, businesses and organizations. For more information on using our lab, email Diane Hoffman, Community Engagement Editor, at dhoffman@pottsmerc.com

Bark for Life uses Media Lab for monthly meetings

Bark for Life volunteers setting up for their monthly meeting in The Mercury's Media Lab.

Last night, a group of about 20 Bark for Life volunteers took advantage of our Media Lab and held their monthly meeting here. According to Sue Dudak, Bark for Life organizer and co-author of the TownSquare blog Bark Blog, the space is great for such a meeting.

"We had the space we needed to spread out and have everyone comfortable. There was plenty of room to have our paperwork and things needed for the meeting here (at the Media Lab). We used the counter for snacks. It's great to know that if we need the Internet to check anything, we have it. Parking was good. Everyone at The Mercury was so accommodating. We are so happy to be there."

The next Bark for Life meeting will be held in November. If you're interested in joining Sue and helping the Bark for Life organization, visit their website.

If you are interested in using the Media Lab for your organization's next meeting, contact Community Engagement Editor Diane Hoffman at 610-323-3000 ext. 156 or email. Use of the space is free for the community, but an appointment must be made in advance.

Welcome to The Mercury's Media Lab

The Mercury teamed with PDIDA for a grand opening celebration for the Media Lab and the new PDIDA visitor's center. From left, Edward Condra, Journal Register Co.’s senior publisher of Greater Philadelphi; Steve Buttry, JRC director of community engagement; Diane Hoffman, community engagement editor; Sue Repko, TownSquare blogger and PDIDA board member.

After months of preparation, on Friday, July 20, the Mercury had a grand opening celebration to open the new Media Lab, located in the Mercury at 24 N. Hanover St., Pottstown.

You might be wondering, what can I do at the Media Lab? The answer is as simple as stopping by to use the computer to search for a job, help with blog set up, or as complex as having your organization host a webinar or a happy hour.

First visitors to the Media Lab came to use the computers to search for a job.

We welcome you to our Community Media Lab and look forward to meeting all of you. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Diane Hoffman, community engagement editor, at 610-323-3000 ext. 156, or email dhoffman@pottsmerc.com

Slowly but surely, we're moving along

Before

During the last couple of weeks, we've been busy getting the Media Lab put together for our July 20 grand opening. The walls have been painted and new carpet installed.

After