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New Hope Chamber is lauded for fireworks

By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
   The fireworks displays that lit up the sky over the Delaware River between New Hope and Lambertville last year, drawing large numbers of tourists to the towns on Friday nights, have been judged an outstanding multi-day special event.
   The Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce took home a Community Achievement Award for the successful event on March 30 at Occasions Union Square during the Landmark Towns of Bucks County’s third annual presentation.
   Friday Night Fireworks will begin May 27 and continue every Friday at 9:30 p.m. until Sept. 2, the chamber recently announced.
   Orchestrated by Garden State Fireworks, a 10-minute fireworks show will illuminate the sky over the river on 15 Fridays this year. In addition, most retail businesses on both sides of the river will stay open late.
   ”The response from last year’s fireworks displays was overwhelmingly positive and exceeded our expectations,” commented Nick Gialias, owner of Logan Inn and vice president of the New Hope Chamber of Commerce.
   ”Our Chambers of Commerce worked diligently to make Friday Night Fireworks the success it achieved. This season we promise to make Friday nights even more spectacular with the continued support of both communities and Garden State Fireworks illuminating the sky,” said Bill Scandone, New Hope Chamber and Borough Council member.
   Glen Stephan, owner of the Stephan House and president of New Hope Chamber, said, “Our ‘safety-first’ policy will once again be addressed every week with regard to weather and general concerns.”
   Anyone wishing to help donate to the fund — Friday Night Fireworks are made possible through 100 percent financial donations from local/corporate business owners, residents and tourists — should visit www.NewHopeLambertvilleFireworks.com.
   Donations also will be collected during Lambertville’s Shad Fest on April 30 and May 1, at the Lambertville Chamber of Commerce booth. Limited edition photographs, prints and note cards will be sold with 100 percent of profits raised going to directly to the Friday Night Fireworks.
   Visit www.NewHopeLambertvilleFireworks.com for more information. In case of inclement weather, check the website by noon on Fridays for possible cancellations. Check out Facebook at Lambertville-New Hope Fireworks and Twitter at EnjoyNewHope. Also visit www.NewHopeChamber.com or call 215-862-9990.
   THE LANDMARK TOWNS, a revitalization initiative that encompasses four river towns in Pennsylvania, distributed other awards as well. The awards recognize outstanding contributions by individuals, businesses and organizations volunteering or operating within the Landmark Town boroughs of Bristol, Morrisville, New Hope and Yardley.
   — Louis Licitra, past president of the chamber, took home the award for Volunteer of the Year. He was nominated by Borough Council President Sharyn Keiser, who pointed out Mr. Licitra’s long service to the community.
   He is the chamber’s treasurer, and has been actively involved in New Hope Celebrates since its inception in 2004. The nonprofit serves the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community through marketing opportunities, educational experiences and community events culminating with the annual weeklong New Hope Celebrates Pride Week and Parade. Pride Week brings in $1.2 million in revenue for the immediate retail area, she said in her nomination.
   Mr. Licitra, who also sits on the board of Landmark Towns, sits on the marketing board of directors of Bucks County Planned Parenthood’s Rainbow Room. It is the only center in the region for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. It is a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for youths 14 to 21.
   Mr. Licitra also is a volunteer with FACT Bucks County. FACT stands for Fighting Aids Continuously Together, and the organization raises money to help people who are living with AIDS. In 2008 and 2009, Mr. Licitra was given the Community Spirit Award for being the individual who raised the most funds in the New Hope-Lambertville AIDS Walk.
   — Mr. Stephan, owner of the Stephan House Inn, won the small business excellence award.
   He added four bedrooms with individual bathrooms to bring the total to eight, all with private baths. The new lobby provides an area to host an event for 30 to 40 people, and there is a rooftop deck and a garden patio.
   Landmark Towns judged the renovation of the former St. Martin of Tours Roman Catholic Church at 123 New St. as the outstanding preservation success story. The site now houses the borough’s offices and a community center plus the police station.
   — Savioni Design Boutique, 10 S. Main St., was honored for its outstanding preservation and building renovation. The renovation expanded an existing clothing boutique into an adjacent vacant space and incorporates a second-floor retail space that was being used as an attic.
   ”The design challenge was to create an upscale image to reflect a designer clothing boutique while respecting the historic integrity of the architecture located in the heart of the historic district,” according to the nomination.
   The attic space was converted to a mezzanine area. An ornamental stair was added for access along with “an architectural feature to reinforce the ‘edgy’ boutique inside of the historic building. The architect cut large openings in the existing ceiling to reorient the space from low and horizontal to vertical with balconies.”