In Today’s Issue of Downingtown Local Pulse…

☀️ Downingtown PA Weather

🍽️ Fiorenza's Food for Friends Receives Rotary Partner Award

🏠 Farmhouse From Marley & Me For Sale

🕯️ Downingtown Vigil to Read Names of Homicide Victims and Fallen Officers

📚 The Friends of Chester County Library Book Sale

🎙️ Latest Podcast Episode “Good2Know in Chester County”

🏘️ Local Real Estate Listings

🗓️ Upcoming Local Events

EXTON, PA — The Rotary Club of West Chester has presented its latest Community Partner Award to Fiorenza's Food for Friends (F4), a local nonprofit that rescues perishable food and works to combat hunger across Chester County. The award, given quarterly to an organization that reflects the Rotary motto of service above self, was announced at a recent luncheon at the West Chester Golf and Country Club.

A key factor in F4's selection was its willingness to take over the Rotary Club's annual Chili Cook-off — a 21-year-old borough tradition that once drew crowds of up to 10,000 — as the club redirected its energy toward other initiatives. F4 founder and board chairman Derek Fiorenza and CEO Brenda Russell accepted the award from club President Kyle Rheiner.

Beyond the Cook-off, F4 operates several programs aimed at addressing food insecurity, including the Harvest Program, the Casserole Program, and Morsels-2-Meals, a newer initiative that provides meals to families for $10 per month and currently delivers around 1,000 meals annually. The organization also coordinates food drives and volunteer engagement efforts designed to build lasting community awareness around hunger. Rotary Club members plan to support F4's outreach going forward and participate in this year's Chili Cook-off, set for October 11 in West Chester.

WEST CHESTER, PA — A Chester County stone farmhouse with roots dating to 1833 and a small piece of Hollywood history is now on the market for $2.3 million. The property, located near West Chester, appeared in the 2008 film Marley & Me — the adaptation of Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Grogan's memoir, starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson.

The main house spans just under 5,000 square feet and offers four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, wood-beamed ceilings, a sunroom, and a top-floor primary suite with an exposed stone wall. The 15-acre grounds include a three-car garage, a barn capable of housing up to five horses, and several outbuildings — a layout that traces back to the property's former life as a dairy farm.

Listing agents Michael Wallacavage and Bill Cochrane of James A. Cochrane Inc. Realtor note that the home's move-in condition sets it apart from many historic properties of similar age, giving it broader appeal among buyers who might not otherwise consider a nearly 200-year-old home. Wallacavage emphasizes, though, that the right buyer will need to be committed to the ongoing upkeep that a property of this size and age demands.

Listing info available at ChesterCountyRealty.com

DOWNINGTOWN, PA — On the evening of April 9, the Crime Victims' Center of Chester County will bring together community members for its annual Candlelight Vigil and Memorial Service, a solemn outdoor gathering held at the Victims' Memorial in Kardon Park in Downingtown. The ceremony begins at 6 p.m. and serves as a public moment of remembrance for two groups: victims of homicide and Chester County law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Central to the service is a reading of names — a practice that gives individual acknowledgment to those who might otherwise be reduced to statistics. The center will read the names of homicide victims from 2016 through 2026, and family members may request that additional names be included by reaching out to the center's receptionist at 610-692-1926 ahead of the event. For those seeking a permanent way to honor a loved one, memorial bricks can be purchased at www.4everbricks.com/donors/cvccc.

EXTON, PA — Book lovers in Chester County have a full weekend ahead, with the Friends of the Chester County Library returning for their Spring Book Sale in Exton from April 10 through 12. The annual event draws crowds with a wide-ranging inventory that includes thousands of books alongside CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, and puzzles — as well as a room dedicated to children's titles and a separate section stocked with rare and collectible books for more discerning collectors.

The sale gets underway Friday evening with a members-only preview from 6 to 8:30 p.m., giving Friends members an unhurried first look before the weekend rush. Saturday brings public hours from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the sale closes Sunday afternoon with a Bag Sale from 1 to 4 p.m. — arguably the most popular session of the weekend, offering shoppers the chance to fill a bag for $10, or $7 for Friends members, with no cap on the number of bags.

DOWNINGTOWN, PA — On the latest episode of Good to Know in Chester County, host Jenny Leigh of VRA Realty sat down with Gen Shaut and her daughter Natalia to share the story behind Whitewall Farm Events in Honeybrook — a stunning 285-year-old bank barn set on nearly 34 acres that is quickly becoming one of Chester County's most unique event spaces. In just under a year, the Shaut family has hosted weddings, corporate leadership retreats, birthday parties, fall festivals, and more, all while running Fairview Equestrian, a thriving lesson and IEA program serving students from Downingtown, Coatesville, Twin Valley, Shanahan, and beyond. With rolling fields, 32 horses, and a family-first approach to everything they do, Whitewall Farm is so much more than an event venue — it's a true Chester County gem. Catch the full conversation on the Good to Know in Chester County podcast with Jenny Leigh.

Subscribe for more local content at all podcast apps or on Spotify and Youtube

Market Snapshot for Downingtown

Just Listed:
321 DAWSON PL Downingtown ($515,000) Open Sat 12pm-2pm
1307 PARK VIEW LN Downingtown ($550,000)
12 LILA LN Downingtown ($624,900)
25 N TOMPKINS SQ Downingtown ($689,000)
100 TROWBRIDGE LN Downingtown ($730,000)


Active:
3817 HAZELWOOD AVE Downingtown ($375,000)
390 MARY ST Downingtown ($490,000)
58 GRAYSON LN Downingtown ($549,000)
121 FOUR LEAF DR Downingtown ($574,000)
120 ARDEN WAY Downingtown ($615,000)
19 PONDS END DR Downingtown ($615,000)
122 AMERICAN Downingtown ($659,900)
1026 HALTER RD Downingtown ($739,900)
923 STABLE WAY Downingtown ($770,000)
1003 TRAVIS CT Downingtown ($825,000)
735 APPALOOSA RD Downingtown ($849,900)
34 BUTTERWORTH CT Downingtown ($850,000)
798 SOUTHWIND LN Downingtown ($875,000)
1464 W STONINGTON Downingtown ($1,199,000)
580 REEDS RD Downingtown ($1,700,000)

Coming Soon:
408 CHESTERFIELD DR Downingtown ($435,000)
10 LOCKS FARM LN Downingtown ($575,000)
266 ARTERS WAY Downingtown ($840,000)
313 S CALDWELL CIR Downingtown ($850,000)
32 DOMINIC DR Downingtown ($899,000)


See more listings at ChesterCountyRealty.com

INSTANT HOME VALUE CLICK HERE

Upcoming local events…

Caln Easter Egg Hunt (Caln Municipal Park) - April 4, 1pm

Easter Egg Hunt at The Stables (Chester Springs) - April 4, 1pm

Coatesville Star Party Rescheduled - April 4, 7:30-9:30pm

Downingtown Cars and Coffee (Downingtown) - April 11, 9am-11am

Managing Problematic Plants in the Garden (Springton Manor) - April 11, 11am-12pm

Downingtown Farmers’ Market - April 11, 10am-12pm

Pack a Mommie Box (Downingtown) - April 11, 10am

Seed Library Opening and Seed Swap (Chester Springs) - April 11, 10am-1pm

Downingtown Main St Clean Up - April 11, 10am-1pm

Strut Your Mutt Spring Festival (Glenmoore) - April 11, 10am-2pm

B.A.R.K. Ranger (Hibernia Park) - April 11, 1pm-2pm

Connection Exchange Networking Event (Downingtown) - April 16, 9am-10am

Save Connor Designer Purse Bingo (Downingtown) - April 20, 5:30pm

Downingtown Farmers’ Market - April 25, 10am-12pm

Shred Event East Caln/Downingtown - May 2, 9am-12pm

Founding Fathers Historic House and Garden Tea Party $ (Caln) - May 9, 1pm-4pm

The Ledbetters and Superunknown- Tributes to Pearl Jam and Christ Cornell $ (Phoenixville) - May 16, 8pm

46th Annual Chester County Antique Car Club Car Show (Downingtown) - May 23, 10am-2pm

Kerr Park Gallery Walk (Downingtown) - May 31, 11am-2pm

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