With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, here is a look at a few things that we love at the present moment.

State Sen. John Kane, who represents municipalities in Delaware County and a few here in Chester County, recently announced $7.2 million in transportation and infrastructure grants for a variety of projects throughout Senate District 9. Included in that funding is $300,000 for Kennett Square Borough for security and control improvements, and $700,000 for comprehensive improvements for streets, sidewalks, and parks in Avondale Borough. Avondale Borough is also receiving $415,252 for critical water pipe replacement. These kinds of investments in infrastructure are well worth it. A small municipality like Avondale Borough doesn’t have the revenues necessary to make critical—and expensive—infrastructure upgrades. Kudos to our local lawmakers—State Rep. John Lawrence, State Rep. Christina Sappey, State Sen. Carolyn Comitta, and Kane—for working to ensure that Southern Chester County receives its fair share of state funding for local projects. For a long time, this area didn’t receive its fair share of funding. We love the results that Kane, Comitta, Sappey, and Lawrence have produced.

We also love the work of the United Way of Southern Chester County, which has made a big, positive impact on the local community. During its most recent fiscal year, the United Way of Southern Chester County invested $329,480 into 16 programs that serve the community. That funding helped 20,876 neighbors—struggling families in the community who received essential support at a critical time. The United Way of Southern Chester County also served 3,016 neighbors by investing $176,280 across seven different programs focused on building youth opportunity and lifelong learning. Another $144,240 from the United Way of Southern Chester County was distributed to eight programs dedicated to the comprehensive health and wellness of the community. These initiatives, which address both physical and mental health, served 2,590 neighbors. That all adds up to a big impact. If you can, support the current United Way of Southern Chester County campaign at unitedwayscc.org.

We were also heartened by the announcement by Handi-Crafters that the organization recently received a $100,000 private gift—the largest individual gift in a decade. Handi-Crafters Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering adults with disabilities. A generous $100,000 contribution provided by Andrew Bentley will directly support Handi-Crafters’ mission to provide vocational job training, competitive integrated employment opportunities, community socialization, and essential support services for more than 250 individuals annually throughout Chester County. Handi-Crafters is currently in its 65th year of community partnership, innovation, and impact.

Looking ahead a few weeks, we’re eager to see the results of the 2026 THON Weekend, which is a strong stand against childhood cancer. THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, and is committed to enhancing the lives of children and families impacted by childhood cancer. The year-long initiative culminates in a 46-hour dance marathon every February in which hundreds of Penn State students will stay on their feet for a continuous 46 hours. We hope that this is the most successful year yet for this philanthropic event.