Here is a summary of some of the latest local news, upcoming events, and fundraising campaigns.

• Parents of West Philadelphia area school children are going to City Hall from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 to rally for funding for the public schools, according to an announcement by the Spruce Hill Community Association. A group is meeting outside the main entrance of Penn Alexander School (43rd & Locust) at 8:45 a.m. to travel by trolley together. The goal is to ask City Hall and Governor Corbett for much needed financial support for the school year 2014-15 and beyond. Children and community members are welcome to join the group.

Here’s the schedule:

10 – 10:15 a.m.: Press Conference Council 4th floor outside of Council chambers
10:20 – 10:40 a.m.: Make rounds and speak with other Council members
10:50 a.m.: Walk to Governor’s office at Broad and Walnut
11 a.m.: Press conference at Governor’s office
12 p.m.: Meeting with Governor’s staff and delivering letter to Governor’s office

• Curio Theatre is creating a ground breaking play about the Rev. Frank Schaefer who was defrocked in Lebanon PA for officiating his son’s gay wedding. The Frank Schaefer Project is Curio’s most ambitious production to date and needs help. The goal is $10,000 and there are 25 days to go. For more info and to donate, go here.

Magic Circle at PIC. (Photo from parentinfantcenter.org)

• The Parent Infant Center (PIC) is in the process of transforming their main play space into a nature-based outdoor classroom and playground for children, both at PIC and in the community, according to PIC’s Communication Manager Rachel Isaacson. The new space, called Magic Circle, will host a Make Music Philly event on Saturday, June 21 (more on this later). This will be a chance for PIC to not only celebrate music, but welcome their neighbors to the Magic Circle. Read more on the PIC News blog.

• If you’re looking to support a local cause this summer, try Ben & Jerry’s limited time “For the Birds” milkshake. $1.00 from each shake sold will benefit the Spruce Hill Bird Sanctuary. The shake features strawberry and vanilla ice cream blended together with chocolate sprinkles, with some Oreo’s on bottom, and topped off with fresh whipped cream and peanuts. From June 14th to June 28th at the 40th Street Ben & Jerry’s location (between Locust and Walnut).

• Local independent publisher The Head & The Hand Press will be hosting an opening at Milk & Honey Market (45th & Baltimore) on Thursday, June 12 at 6-7:30 p.m. to celebrate the new placement of their chapbook vending machine (a first one in West Philly!). The vending machine features $2 chapbooks from up-and-coming writers, many of which are Philadelphia area residents. The event will feature author readings from the Press’ newer chapbooks, including West Philly resident Patrick McNeil, Joey Sweeney (of local entertainment blog Philebrity), and Simone Zelitch (author of forthcoming novel, Waveland). The event is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be provided. No RSVP is required, but attendees are welcome to visit the event’s Facebook page.

Our #chapbook #vendingmachine is at @milkandhoneymkt! celebrate its new home w/ readings & refreshments this thurs! pic.twitter.com/4y82SV8YjR

— The Head & The Hand (@HeadandHand) June 8, 2014

The Philadelphia Student Union and the Media Mobilizing Project are hosting a screening on Thursday of short films students created in response to the school budget crisis.

Student Union members have been working with three filmmakers since January. The collaboration resulted in three short films about school closures, the “struggle for a high quality education in Philadelphia” and the school-to-prison pipeline. This is the first time these films will be screened and the public is invited. High school age youth and PSU sustainers will be admitted free of charge. Others are asked for a donation ranging from $5 to $20. There will also be pizza on hand.

The screening runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Media Mobilizing Project headquarters at 4233 Chestnut St. Get tickets here.

It’s not rare in our neck of the woods to come across wild animals. Many of you have probably seen raccoons, opossums, and groundhogs near your house, not  to mention squirrels. A wild turkey was roaming some West Philly neighborhoods last spring, which was well documented thanks to neighbor reports and photos. I came face to face with a young opossum on my porch last fall that I first confused with my cat. This post, though, is about what you should do if you encounter a wild animal that needs help, if it is sick, injured or if you found a baby animal with no mother in sight.

An opossum gets some TLC at the Schuylkill Center. (Photo from schuylkillcenter.org).

West Philly Local reader Kameliya Atanasova and her neighbors had a very close encounter with three seemingly lost baby raccoons off of 49th and Florence Streets on Monday. When they contacted the ACCT (Animal Care and Control Team) they were referred to the Schuylkill Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, which is part of The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. The clinic cares for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife native to Southeastern Pennsylvania. It is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia (304 Port Royal Avenue) and is open to accept animals during the following hours (April to September): 10:00 am – 6:00 pm seven days/week, according to information on their website.

However, before calling the clinic please read this page: “What Do I Do If …“.

For some reason, the clinic wasn’t open on Monday and Tuesday, Kameliya writes. Luckily, two of the three baby raccoons successfully found their momma on their own. It is not known what happened to the third one as it appeared rather scared by curious passersby. The Schuylkill Center’s page on what to do in these cases warns people to not interfere unless the animal is injured or the mother is dead.

“My neighbors and I all made the mistake of being in close proximity to the raccoons which scared them and only challenged/delayed their reunion with their mother. If more of us knew about the Schuylkill Center as a resource and their recommendations about how to handle such situations, we could all react in a more informed manner during close encounters with wildlife. I personally didn’t even know of its existence until I spoke with the ACCT,” writes Kameliya.

Café Renata co-owner Yasser Aiq raises the flag of Brazil for the World Cup, which starts Thursday. Café Renata, which is BYOB, is one of a few venues around the neighborhoods that is welcoming World Cup revelers with open arms. (Photo by Mike Lyons / West Philly Local)

The 2014 World Cup starts Thursday in Brazil and many local watering holes and cafés are getting ready. We have a few places listed below that have said they will have their TVs tuned in for the duration of the tournament (June 12 – July 13) and will be welcoming neighborhood soccer fans. By the way, the tournament kicks off at 4 p.m. on Thursday with a Group A game – Brazil vs. Croatia. Let us know if you know of any other spots where shouting, cheering and maybe even a vuvuzela or two are encouraged.

• Cafe Renata, 4305 Locust St (Facebook page). The opening game party starts at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 (a complimentary Lager will be served with any lunch order).

• City Tap House, 3925 Walnut St (Facebook page).

• Drinker’s West, 39th and Chestnut (Facebook page). All the World Cup games will be shown at all three Drinker’s Philly locations, including Drinker’s West. You can stop by for drinks, tacos, hot dogs and soccer.

• Harvest Seasonal Bar & Grill, 40th and Walnut (Facebook page).

• Pasqually’s Pizza, 200 S. 43rd St. (Facebook page).

• Saint Declan’s Well Irish American Pub, 3131 Walnut St (Facebook page). Food and drink specials and giveaways will be offered during the games.

The interior of the Furness-designed church at 47th and Kingsessing, which is scheduled for demolition (Photo by Brendan Skwire.)

The 114-year-old church at 47th and Kingsessing is set for demolition, perhaps the last chapter in a long story of decay at the Frank Furness-designed building.

A note from nearby neighbors. (Click to enlarge.)

The city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) recently ordered the building’s demolition. A fence was recently placed around it and, according to a sign nailed to one of the boarded-up doors, L&I has “cleaned and sealed” the building, which since 1979 has been St. Peter’s Church of Christ. The small congregation no longer meets in the church’s main building, which was constructed in 1900 and has fallen into a state of disrepair over the past several years. Famed architect Frank Furness’ firm Furness, Evans and Company designed the building (and a bunch of other cool buildings in the city).

The City Paper‘s Ryan Briggs reported late last week that L&I officials said demolition would begin Monday. So far, it’s still standing. Neighbors, some of whom live within a few feet of the building, are concerned about the demolition, especially with recent botched demolitions of Elena’s Soul in late 2012, last week’s Hoops deli demolition and the tragedy at 22nd and Market last year. They have posted signs near site asking people to keep an eye on the demolition as they pass by the building.

The church was built in 1900 for the Church of the Atonement congregation, which formed in 1847.

Hidden City reported last year that the church was served with a “30-day repair or demolish order” by L&I and has code violations dating from at least six years ago.

A few rumors are floating around that a buyer may come in to save the building, though the St. Peter’s congregation, which meets next door at the even older parish house, is reluctant to open up the building to a Calvary Center style arrangement to save it.

A few years ago the congregation agreed to allow Sprint to place cell antennas on top of the building to earn a little money. Those were removed late last week, according to City Paper.

It appears that this time demolition is imminent. We’ll keep you posted. Please drop us a line if you see the demolition starting.

– Mike Lyons

The exterior of the church. Here are some more pictures of the interior from Hidden City.

The Green Tambourine founder Ann Schwartz in front of her expanded studio at 4614-16 Baltimore Avenue (Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local)

As West Philly Local reported last month, HALO Foundation Boutique at 4616 Baltimore Avenue—which we profiled in March—has closed down, becoming just another failed business in a space that’s known as a revolving door for entrepreneurial spirits. But it was undergoing renovations, which means it wasn’t going to stay empty for long. So what or who was now moving into that space?

A West Philly Local reader tipped us off: The Green Tambourine (4614 Baltimore Ave), Ann Schwartz’s music program—turned—music studio, is expanding next door after two years of operations. When we caught up with Schwartz at her space last Wednesday, the veteran musician told West Philly Local that she had been working on the adjacent space for about a month, and should be ready to open it within a few days.

As part of the expansion, Schwartz will install a drum set and more pianos in the new space, add drum classes and adult ensemble rehearsals (think bluegrass, Irish fiddle, and jazz) to her program, and bring in more teachers to accommodate for the additional students she hopes to attract (right now, Schwartz is the only teacher). “My schedule is completely booked, so it’s the right time to do it,” she told West Philly Local.

An open house for the expanded space is scheduled for Saturday, June 14 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Sunday, June 15 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in order to introduce the new Green Tambourine to the public. Schwartz wants locals to drop by, check out the studio, learn more about her programs, and check out the different instruments.

“I’m really excited. [I’m] just looking for new ways to grow and be active in the community. It’s all about having music be a fun experience,” Schwartz told West Philly Local. “It’s been awesome being here, and I’ve so appreciated community support and involvement, which has allowed me to grow so quickly.”

–Annamarya Scaccia