Oxford Borough resident Paul Matthews pledged to paint the town gold for September as mayor Lorraine Bell proclaimed the month Childhood Cancer Awareness Month during the Aug. 21 council meeting.

Matthews also shared that the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg will be lit up in gold in observance of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Matthews credited State Sen. Andrew Dinniman and his office for advocating on behalf of children with cancer.

Matthews leads the Eli Seth Matthews Leukemia Foundation, which is named after his son who passed away from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia seven years ago. He also talked about efforts to get Senate Bill 572 approved by state lawmakers. The bill would provide for the use of investigational drugs, biological products and devices by terminally ill patients under 18 years of age. Matthews said that he hoped the bill would be moved out of committee during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

The Eli Seth Matthews Leukemia Foundation played a role in getting the State Capitol Building lit up in gold, and is also working to get the legislation approved.

In other business at the Aug. 21 meeting:

Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. is taking the lead on an initiative to have the borough engage in the World Health Organization Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Network of municipalities that encourage and promote public policies supporting healthy aging. One of the necessary steps is to convene a Blue Ribbon Commission. Council members Peggy Ann Russell and Amanda Birdwell were appointed to serve on this Blue Ribbon Task Force in Oxford.

Oxford Borough Council approved a special event application for the Oxford Presbyterian Church Apple Festival, which is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29. On that same day, the Ugly Mutt is holding a “Jade’s Day” event—a fundraiser for a local person battling cancer. Oxford Borough Council approved the special event application for this event, too.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email [email protected].