In response to community member requests following last week’s fire that left a neighbor seriously injured, the Philadelphia Fire Department is offering a free fire safety and prevention workshop on Wednesday, Feb. 6. The workshop will be held in the chapel of Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore) from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. and will be led by Deputy Fire Chief Derrick Sawyer.

The following issues will be covered at the workshop:

– reviewing the fire-prevention checklist for your residence;
– how to plan for the worst;
– what is a good escape route if front and back doors are not available;
– how to escape with a young child or the elderly resident from the 2nd or 3rd floor;
– what kind of equipment might a family reasonably have on hand (and where) in case of a fire emergency.

Chief Sawyer will also answer your questions.
 

This is an exciting week for local kids, teens and adults who love theatre and are interested in acting, with a few new educational programs and events launching in the area. Here are the details:

New Drama/Acting Classes

The Community Arts program at the Woodland Presbyterian Church located at 401 S. 42nd Street is starting an eight-week (Feb. 7 – March 27) drama class on Thursday afternoons, 4:00-5:00 p.m. and children ages 5-14 are welcome to participate. Kids will play drama games, learn acting techniques and perform in a culminating production. A donation of $20/participant is suggested to help cover program costs. To register or for more details, please contact Carol Shih at carol.shih@woodlandpres.net.

Theatre and Me, LLC (Facebook page), a new company providing training and development for kids, teens and adults in the performing and creative arts, i.e. theatre, dance, voice, etc., is holding an Open House/Information Session about their upcoming classes on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2:30-3:30 p.m., at Dreaming Tree Music (4721 Pine St.). For more information, contact Marcus Siler at theatreandmewithmarcus@gmail.com.

New Kids Show at Curio

Curio Theatre has prepared an exciting new show for kids: Hansel and Gretel, the beloved fairy-tale by The Grimm Brothers was adapted for the stage by Rosemary Fox and will run on Saturdays at 2 p.m. on Feb. 9, 16, 23 and March 2. Tickets ($10) are available here.

A screenshot from CaptnFog’s Youtube channel.

A highly entertaining Saturday tradition at Clark Park will be put on hold indefinitely. The weekly Capture the Flag game at the park, which has delighted and puzzled park visitors for a decade, has been suspended.

The company that runs the game and supplies foam swords, knives and bow and arrows –  Epic Adventurez – will host the game at other locations in the city. The company has used the Clark Park gathering to help recruit participants for its larger events, annual summer camps and to keep its community of players active in the fall and winter months. But participation has been declining and the company is losing money on the swords and other weapons it supplies to players for a $5 donation, said Epic Adventurez Robert Bedford in an e-mail.

The game drew as many as 80 people in its early years, but Bedford said the game hasn’t drawn that many players in “quite some time.”

Bedford said he hopes Capture the Flag (CTF) will return this spring. He writes: “We do not think this will be the end of Clark Park CTF, we hope we can reorganize, and eventually resupply in order to provide the equipment necessary to encourage the level of play we desire.”

For those in the neighborhood who can’t go a weekend without it, there will be Capture the Flag games at Allens Lane Art Center in Mt. Airy on Sundays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bedford said he’s also looking to establish a game on Saturdays in Morris Park, near 66th and Sherwood, in the Overbrook neighborhood.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day …  local library branches are holding two events, both on Wednesday, Feb. 6, that might help those who are looking for that special someone or those who just want to socialize.

If you’re looking for love this Valentine’s Day and want to meet a book-loving better half, the Walnut Street West Library (40th & Walnut) is presenting a free speed dating event for single adults ages 25-35, at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring a book they love, hate, or want to talk about as an ice-breaker. All applicants will remain anonymous, with identities revealed via email only after a mutual match is made. Registration is required. Please email Dan Ryan (ryand@freelibrary.org) with any questions. Here is a Facebook page for this event. As far as we know this event is aimed at straight people.

For those who are curious about online dating but don’t know where to start the Lucien E. Blackwell Regional Library (52nd & Sansom) is hosting a free Online Dating 101 seminar. The seminar is taught by anthropologist and online dating expert Kat Richter who will cover the following topics: Selecting the best online dating service to achieve your goals, writing a winning profile, learning how to stay safe and sane. The seminar begins at 6:00 p.m. For more information call 215-685-7433.

OK, honestly we thought Philadelphia2035 was going to be kind of corny – an online game where players answer questions about everything from the kind of zoning they want in their neighborhood to what kinds of stores they would support. But it turns out to be interesting, mostly because you can see the way others from the neighborhood are thinking about these issues. The big bonus is that you can help raise money for a local cause.

Basically, it’s an inventive way for planners to get public input – in this case from people living in the University/Southwest planning district – while giving a little something back.

Here’s how it works:

• Click on the link and take a minute or two to make an online profile.

• Proceed to the first “mission.” There are three missions in all and each includes about a dozen questions. The current mission lasts another six days and you can leave and come back to the game and it will remember where you were. So you could do just a couple of questions a day.

• Answer questions and explain your choices (these explanations are what makes the game interesting). Example: Do you wish your neighborhood had more shopping? Which of the following would you like to see added to your neighborhood? (everything from a hardware store to a Target is included).

• When you complete and post your answer you get some virtual coins (more on that later).

• You can also read replies from others playing the game and comment on their replies. Example: “For everyday errands in the neighborhood, it’s difficult to find a post office (or post box!), hardware store supplies, and sometimes even groceries. I would not advocate for big box stores (such as Lowes or Home Depot) in the neighborhood, but more small businesses and selection would be ideal. Smaller specialty grocers would also be a great thing to have more of in the neighborhood.”

For those of you who want a little more room to sound off, there is a “soapbox” area where people are raising questions about public transportation and even public toilets. Example: “I believe they provide a valuable service, but the trolleys along their surface routes cause persistent traffic issues. Isn’t there a better way?” Gulp.

Once you finish you can donate your coins to the cause of your choice. So far the Greening Lea initiative is the runaway leader. Other causes include Neighborhood Bike Works, the Kingsessing Recreation Center and the University City Arts League.

Clark Kent.

Many of our readers might remember a series of stories we published in the fall of 2011 about Clark Kent, an abandoned and starved cat found in Clark Park and rescued by our reader James. That story and the following stories were shared hundreds of times on our blog and by other media and animal rescue organizations, prompting people from all over the world to donate thousands of dollars for the cat’s expensive treatment (Clark Kent suffered from a severe kidney condition because he accidentally ate pieces of metal rummaging through garbage while trying to survive on his own for many days).

Unfortunately, Clark Kent lost his battle with the disease on Friday, as City Kitties, a local cat rescue organization announced on their Facebook page.

“He went peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, almost a year to the day after his adoption. We are thankful to everyone who allowed us to provide him comfort during the time he had left. We are especially grateful to Jackie for providing him with love, care and a wonderful home. RIP little guy,” the announcement reads.

Although we’re sad that Clark Kent wasn’t able to make it, it is comforting to know that he received so much support and had someone who loved and took care of him at the end of his life.