Honoring a hero…

Brandon Hardy knew from a young age that he wanted to serve his country. 

The Octorara High School graduate enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1999 and, as an airman, was deployed three times to the Middle East, serving in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Then, in 2005, Hardy made the unusual decision to forgo his rank and pay and he enlisted as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. As a crew chief of an amphibious assault vehicle, Hardy was deployed to Iraq in March of 2006, as part of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines.  On April 28, 2006, Hardy was on an aid and assist mission while serving with the Scout Platoon of the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, in the Haditha Dam area of Anbar Province. Upon completing the mission, the vehicle in which he was a passenger, struck an improvised explosive device. Three of the five passengers of the Humvee, including Hardy, were mortally wounded. 

This month, a portion of Route 41 (Gap-Newport Pike) in Cochranville will be named in honor of Corporal Hardy, following  legislation introduced by State Sen. Carolyn Comitta, Route 41 from the intersection with Bernard Avenue to the intersection with Highland Road in West Fallowfield Township will be dedicated as the Corporal Brandon Hardy Memorial Highway. This span of Route 41 is close to the Hardy family home and is close to Octorara High School. This is a good way to honor a hero who called this area his home.

…and recruiting other heroes

You might have seen the commercials during the NCAA basketball tournament and NHL hockey games involving either the Philadelphia Flyers or the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pennsylvania State Police has launched an advertising campaign focused on attracting more people to a career as a state trooper. The recruitment campaign looks to address a long-term shortage in state troopers. It also comes on the heels of significant increases in cadet applications to the Pennsylvania State Police since Gov. Josh Shapiro waived the college requirements for applicants last August. Gov. Shapiro’s proposed budget calls for an additional four new classes of cadets as a way to boost the number of state troopers who are working to protect Pennsylvania’s citizens.

We’re fortunate to have several fine police departments here in southern Chester County, but many municipalities in the area rely exclusively on state troopers to respond to emergency situations. We applaud the state’s efforts to increase the number of state troopers who are trained to serve and protect, and we hope that this initiate to recruit more men and women into law enforcement is a successful one.

A picture perfect partnership

Kudos to Lincoln University and Getty Images for reaching an agreement on a content partnership that will mark a significant milestone in Lincoln University’s ongoing mission to preserve and share its rich legacy.

Getty Images launched the Photo Archive Grants Program for HBCUs in 2021. Through the partnership with Lincoln University, Getty Images will manage the post-production costs to restore 1,500 photos from the university’s archives.

Lincoln University was established in 1854 as the nation’s first degree-granting Historically Black College and University, and this year marks its 170th anniversary. The university is showcasing its illustrious history and highlighting the contributions of important alumni like U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, American poet, social activist Langston Hughes, Kwame Nkrumah, the former President of Ghana, the First President of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe, N.J. lieutenant governor Sheila Y. Oliver, and Philadelphia’s current Mayor Cherelle Parker. Lincoln University has also hosted prestigious visitors like Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and three U.S. Presidents. 

The partnership between Lincoln University and Getty Images will help the university preserve and share its rich history—certainly a worthy endeavor.

Kennett on Top

The Kennett Run comes first, but another nice community event that benefits local non-profits is now on the horizon. The second annual Kennett on Top event will take place on June 22 from 6 to 9 p.m.

The first Kennett on Top fundraiser was a huge success—it was an evening with over 200 friends, great food, beer, wine, a signature cocktail and live music on top of the Kennett Square parking garage. No speeches, no program, just fun celebrating the vibrant town at a fantastic venue. The Rotary Club of Kennett Square is doing it again and recently announced a bigger and better second annual Kennett on Top event. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Kennett Rotary Foundation that supports nonprofit agencies in the community, such as Young Moms, Family Promise of Southern Chester County, Maternal Health Child Consortium, Kennett Area Community Service, local police and emergency personnel, and more.

The non-profit organizations that will benefit from this event help to make Kennett Square a better, stronger community. Events like this illustrate why Kennett is, in fact, on the top.