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Old News

Annual Meeting Delights Large Crowd!

June 6th's Annual Meeting drew a large crowd gathered to receive awards and listen to the latest news about the Club. Maria Hurd did the beautiful photography which you'll be able to access by clicking on the Flickr logo below:
                            

Armin Mahbanoozadeh Is Off to Junior Worlds!

   Coach Karl Kurtz presents "Good Luck" cake to Armin        Armin with Pres. Carole Smith &
                                                                                              Charter Member Martha Baumeister

Hanna Alderman participated in the Keystone Games held last weekend in York, PA, where she won 1st place in the Pro-Am skating to a Cha-Cha and 2nd place in the solo dance event, skating the Fiesta Tango. Hanna's partner in the Pro-Am was her dance coach, Andrew Newberry.

Melanie McDonough ended up in 1st place in both the  Intermediate Showcase and the Intermediate Artistic events, and Brendan Newberry came in 3rd in the Pre-Silver Solo Dance and 2nd place in his Silver Solo Dance. Olivia Orris placed in 3rd place,  Danielle Wood placed in 7th place, and Christina Bober placed in 8th place in the Pre-Preliminary Girls Free Skate. Samantha Winawer came in 9th place in the Beginner Girls Free Skate event and Kaitlyn Moshang came in 2nd place in the Limited Beginner Free Skate category.

Congratulations to all SCW skaters who competed in the Keystone Games!

Final Standings at the 2010 US Figure Skating Championships

Final Standings at the 2010 European Figure Skating Championships

Ashley Wagner Wins Bronze Medal at NHK Trophy in Nagano, Japan
(Nov. 8, 2009)

Ashley Wagner won the Bronze Medal in Nagano, Japan, at the NHK Trophy Grand Prix competition this past weekend by coming in first in her short program and third in her free skate. Congratulations again, Ashley! This is looking more and more like her year and this competition showed she can be right on top.

Ashley Wagner Wins Silver Medal at Rostelecom Cup! (Cup of Russia)
(Oct. 19, 2009)

Ashley, who was in 5th place in her short program, but only within a few points from her other competitors, nailed it in her free skate long program with a strong performance which put her in second place ahead of Alissa Czisny who had skated into second place in her short program. Wonderful job, Ashley! We haven't seen you this excited in a while. Hard work and great coaching paid off!

                      Gladys M. Grantland

Best wishes to Auxi Giron and Chuen-Gun Lee who got married on June 13!
On to Las Vegas for their honeymoon!

Last Programmed Dance of the Season Enjoyed by All
(all the photographs taken during this programmed dance session are now available by clicking here)

A Well-Attended Annual Meeting!

Several piles of awards lie waiting for skaters to be honored at the Annual Meeting. It was an enjoyable event for all to experience. Please click here for more photographs. For a copy of the President's Speech, please click here.

Ashley Wagner Presented with the President's Award

The President's Award was presented by outgoing President, Leslie O'Brien, right before Ashley goes to Colorado. Behind her, Ashley's peers look on with delight. More photographs may be seen here.

The SCW Foundation, Inc. 2008 Annual Report

Every year the SCW Foundation prepares an annual report in time for the club's annual meeting which reviews the mission of the SCW Foundation and its year-end financial results. That report is distributed at the meeting and is always available upon request by any member of the club. If you wish to receive a copy, please contact Don Thureau and he'll gladly give you or e-mail you a copy.

This report explains the two funds, General and Restricted, that are managed and how they differ. If you're looking for some way to help pay your figure skating expenses, there is a way to do it, but much of that fundraising effort is up to each individual skater or family.

Should you have any questions, you may contact anyone on the Board of Directors of the SCW Foundation. They are Don Thureau, Suzanne Badalamenti, Abby Rosenthal, Leslie O'Brien, Penny Taylor, Heather Alderman, and Carole Smith.

Off-Ice Program Being Offered

Sign up for our comprehensive off-ice program with classes that consist of Ballet, Plyometrics, Strength & Conditioning and a Jazz/Pilates class. All classes are offered to high level skaters with classes 5 days a week. Speak with Sharon Tashjian or Karl Kurtz for further information. Click here for a brochure and registration form.
                         To see photographs of classes click here!
                                     (Now offered year-round)

Volunteers Needed!

Volunteers are needed for a number of committees that are lacking members to help spread the work load. Join in the planning and activities that all of us enjoy at SCW and make it an even better club and facility! To obtain further information on volunteering, please contact Carole Smith or Carole Rebmann. For a list of all the volunteering opportunities, please click here.

Rental Ice Available

SCW has openings for this winter season of 2 or more hours for hockey ice rentals as well as other school activities on ice during prime times and on weekends. If your group or team is looking for ice, please contact the SCW office at 302-656-5005 and ask for Dot Gualtieri.

Just a reminder...if you or your child gets on the ice before the  current session is over, you will be checked off as being on that session no matter how many minutes you skated.  If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact the office or Carole Smith.

Coach Chuen-Gun Lee to Marry Auxi Girón

Our charming Chuen-Gun (CG) Lee announced that he and Auxi have plans to marry this June 13th.  Chuen-Gun recently joined our coaching staff at SCW.  He trained here several years ago with partner Kate Slattery with whom he competed in ice dancing.  Auxi is originally from Honduras and she speaks English, Spanish and Korean. She's studying dentistry, studying towards an MBA in Human Resources and she's presently working as a dental assistant.  Her father is a dentist and she has a sister living in Northern Ireland. Congratulations to both! Chuen-Gun's photo will appear next week on our Website.

Congratulations to Gina Shaughnessy!

Congratulations to our Adult skater, Gina Shaughnessy, who last weekend skated a clean program and placed 3rd in the Championship Masters Intermediate/Novice ladies Freeskate at the 2009 Eastern Adult Sectional Figure Skating Championships in Chapel Hill, NC. This placement qualifies her  for the championship round at the 2009 U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships on April 21 - April 25, 2009 in Grand Rapids, Michigan!

Brendan Newberry Visits Gladys Grantland

We don't always get a chance to see Gladys Grantland as often as we'd like, so if you can't bring "Moses to the mountain, you have to bring the mountain to Moses." In this case it was a mountain of cookies baked by Carol & Andrew Newberry's son, Brendan. Brendan and Carol had a grand time with Gladys recounting her 60 years of judging at figure skating competitions and tests as she is about to turn 98 this year. Gladys welcomes all visitors from SCW at her apartment in Foulk Manor North which is just next door to the new public library off Foulk and Shipley Roads. Our thanks to Ginny Harcke who often drives Gladys to SCW on Friday mornings and Joanie Thayer, Glady's caregiver. Gladys is still quite sprite and has a clearer mind than most of us! Way to go, Gladys!

Our Ashley Wagner Wins Bronze Medal at Junior Worlds!

The Wagners, Austin with mom, Melissa, join Ashley at the 2009 U.S. National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio.  Austin will also be competing in Cleveland earlier this week in the Novice Men's category. For further information, click here to read an article from IceNetwork.com.

Many figure skaters dream of competing in the USFSA National Championships. The skaters of the synchronized skating Team Reflections, coached by Amy Henderson and assistant coach Debbie Schaeffer, have done just that three times.  Team Reflections is based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but Amanda Hurd and Elena Hurd train at The Skating Club of Wilmington under Olympian Igor Yaroshenko and Sharon Tashjian when they are not practicing with their team.  Amanda’s Intermediate Team’s recent silver medal performances outperformed ten other teams and Elena’s Pre-Juvenile Division team’s performance outperformed seven other teams at the 25^th Annual Colonial Classic in Lowell, Massachusetts.  The teams also recently medaled at the Dr. Porter, Michigan, synchronized skating competition and the Terry Conners competition.  Now the Intermediate Team faces the challenge of once again placing among the top teams at the Eastern Sectionals to realize its goal of returning to Nationals to face the best of the best.  Andrew Newberry is often a guest coach for Team Reflections and as a result of his ambassadorship, one Reflections skater now takes lessons at SCW on Saturdays and two Reflections skaters will participate in our Sunday dance test sessions.  The collaboration and support of our top-notch coaches with this figure skating team sport has maintained and enhanced Amanda and Elena’s interest in improving their figure skating skills at their home rink, and attracted new skaters to our high quality ice time and test sessions.  Synchronized skating, the fastest growing figure skating team sport, has increased the interest in our rink’s resources, and can only enhance our presence at Nationals.

Great Fun and Healthy Competition
at SCW's Broomball Games on Jan. 1, 2009

Many thanks to Heather Alderman for sending photos.

SCW has joined Food Bank of Delaware to be a part of their Holiday Food Drive providing food for the less fortunate this holiday season.

We now have a Food Drive barrel installed in our snack bar. Please drop off non-perishable food items any time between now and December 31st!

The Food Bank of Delaware relies on the generosity of the community to help feed hungry people, and they solicit, warehouse, and distribute food to over 254 member agencies that include food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, and other community food providers through Delaware. Almost half of the people in Delaware who need food assistance are children.

Please help us make this Holiday Food Drive a success!

You Don't Skate?

If you don't skate, but you'd like to take classical ballet lessons with Irina? You're in luck. Since it is a member benefit, you can be a Social Member for only $100 a year and join one of Irina Shoumeikina's group or private lessons in Mitchell Lounge. It's a great way to stay in shape and watch the skaters below. Click on Ballet and check out the schedule.

Lucia Fest, 2008

Gloria Dei Church

Old Swedes’

Columbus Boulevard and Christian Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147

Kirsten Seagers will be the Lucia at the following times:

 
Friday, December 5th at 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 7th at 3:30 p.m.

(about one-hour)

Tickets:
Adults - $8.00 and Children under 12 - $4.00

At Gloria Dei Church the celebration is held within the walls constructed by Swedish settlers in 1699-1700, in the beauty of candlelight, with a large entourage of young girls joining her in song and procession. For many people participation in the Lucia Fest is a unique way of marking the beginning of the holiday season.

Before, during and after each of the presentations a Christmas bazaar that specializes in Scandinavian imports is held in the Parish Hall that adjoins the Church. Food and drink are available. Free parking is provided.

This is the year that our beautiful SCW skater, Kirsten Seagers, is given the honor of representing St. Lucia. Please come to the Lucia Fest to enjoy a special time in Kirsten's life and begin the Christmas Holidays at this lovely old church just off I-95. For further information, go to http://www.old-swedes.org/SpecialEvents4583.php.

The Lucia Legend:  St. Lucia, a Sicilian saint, died as a martyr around 304 A.D. and is commemorated by the Catholic Church on December 13.  The date and the name are the only things that the Swedish Lucia has in common with the Catholic saint.  The complicated story of the girl with a wreath of candles in her hair originates in 16th century Protestant Germany as a substitute for the Catholic St. Nicolas.  She was to represent the child Jesus, who like St. Nicolas, brought presents to the children at Christmas.  Introduced in Sweden in the 17th century as a Christmas tradition, the custom all but disappeared in the 18th century.  In the provinces around Lake Vänern the tradition came to be linked with the Lucia Day, where in earlier times the day marked the beginning of Christmas fasting.

The Christmas tradition is Lucia wears a white gown and a crown of candles on her head.  Other girls dress in white carrying a candle.  Boys join the procession as starboys and tomte children are dressed in red.  The traditions are explained in word and songs.

Congratulations to Gina Shaughnessy, who came in 1st in the Masters Ladies Freeskate and 3rd in the Masters Ladies Interpretive at Iceworks' Halloween Classic Weekend.

Getty Images

Getty Images

Ashley Wagner finished in 4th place at the 2008 Cup of China in Beijing. She was the highest placing U.S. skater in the Ladies Short Program and finished 0.63 points out of 3rd place. Ashley is going to the NHK Trophy Grand Prix in Tokyo this week.

SCW's Stephanie Betzler named National Merit
Scholarship Commended Student at Ursuline Academy

Susan L. Long, the principal of Ursuline Academy's Middle and Upper Schools, announced this Wed., Sept. 24, that three Ursuline students have been named Commended Students in the 2009 National Merit Program: Megan Barr, Stephanie Betzler, and Margaret Rayzis.  A Letter of Commendation from Ursuline Academy and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented to these three talented students by Mrs. Long in an upcoming honors assembly.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.  Although they will not continue in the 2009 competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2009 competition by taking the 2007 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).

“We are extremely proud of our students,” says Mrs. Long. “These three young women consistently demonstrate outstanding academic potential, and we are delighted to recognize their performance in this highly competitive program.” Congratulations Stephanie!

Our General Manager, Peter Bilous, recently finished building his children's tree- house in his backyard. It's been a 3-year labor of love that according to Peter, started by visualizing and building a tree platform using 4 trees in a cluster which very quickly became a major project that most people would find beyond their do-it-yourself skills. This treehouse is a miniature home with all the comforts of a well-insulated, air-conditioned home complete with electric service. The house is wrapped in Dupont Tyvek insulation and fiberglass blankets, vinyl siding, roof shingles, cupola, vented attic, painted drywall, locking window, and access through a trap door, and both front and back doors. One can climb to it by using steps, a projected climbing wall or a knotted rope. Jason & Melinda Bilous are indeed two lucky kids to have such a talented dad and supportive mother and they will no doubt enjoy many evenings sleeping out (or in) while being entertained by their plasma TV inside!

Congratulations to member Gary Cooke who recently completed a beautiful job painting one side of our SCW building. Even the blue doors look like new! Anyone wanting a quote on painting their home, contact Gary Cooke. He's in our Member Directory.

AUTUMN BALL

Social Ice Dance Weekend & Seminar

featuring

Igor Yaroshenko and Irina Romanova

 SEPTEMBER 13-14, 2008