WELCOME TO DAVID PHILLIPS & RENA COUNSELLOR - Springton Lake Village
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Vo lu m e 1 7 , N o . 7
T h e S p r i n g t o n L a ke Vi lla g e Ju l y 2 0 2 1
VOICE
WELCOME TO DAVID PHILLIPS & RENA COUNSELLOR
David grew up in Coalinga California (Coaling Station A) until he was 12 and then
moved to Pasadena. After two years at Wheaton College in Illinois, he finished at Uni-
versity of California Santa Barbara with a Bachelors degree in sociology followed by a
Master’s degree from Indiana University in counseling and administration. He was an
associate dean of students at Eastern College and then went into fund raising. He
earned his Doctorate at University of Pennsylvania in higher education leadership.
In the 1980s, he went to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) where he became
Head of Development and built their fund raising program and major gifts, He was re-
cruited to Phoenix Children’s where he was involved in building Arizona’s only free-
standing pediatric hospital. He next worked at Children’s Hospital Central California.
David Phillips Rena and David came back to this area when Rena’s parents were having problems.
Rena Counsellor David became the Executive Director of the Lankenau Foundation. He retired 3 years
ago.
Rena was born on Long Island NY. She lived in California for a short time before moving to Barrington NJ. She grew
up in Turnersville NJ. Rena’s parents didn’t think she needed a college education but after Rena worked as a secre-
tary for 7 years she managed to take Community College classes for 2 years. She went to Eastern College after find-
ing out about financial aid and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology followed by a Masters in social work at
Bryn Mawr College. She and David married in 1983. Rena did child abuse evaluations for Delaware County. She
worked as a social worker in West Philadelphia at Haddington Health Center dealing with many types of problems
with adults and children. She found these to be rewarding but very stressful.
Rena worked at Bryn Mawr Hospital in the Ob-Gyn department, dealing with miscarriages, infant loss and adoptions.
David and Rena adopted a daughter and Rena had to stop working. However, the adoption agency needed someone
with a Masters In Social Work so she worked for them part time. Rena and David adopted a son from Korea.
After they moved to Arizona, she worked at an adoption agency dealing with foster children. When they were in Cali-
fornia Rena was a school social worker and grief Counsellor. There were a lot of suicides and depression, again dif-
ficult to handle.
After they moved back to this area Rena worked at Eastern college as an advisor for 12 years. She did counselling
at Wissahickon high school and Wissahickon middle school in Ambler.
Their daughter, Erin, lives in Phoenixville. Son, Jon, lives in NYC and is an aspiring playwright. David and Rena have
a foster daughter, Annie, from Bangladesh who lives in Upper Darby.
Rena and David have 2 rescued dogs: Poppyseed, a Jack Russell terrier and Springer
Spaniel mix who is 8 or 9 years old and Fin, a Shetland Sheepdog 2 or 3 years old.
David paints, collects art and makes sculptures from old crutches. Rena collects angel
sculptures. They have a wonderful wooden propellor from her father’s airplane.
Rena is involved in a refugee program. Her story is on the next page.
Poppyseed and Fin
The propellor retrieved from Rena’s
One of David’s creations from an old crutch father’s airplane after it crashed
Page 2 Volume 17, No. 7
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT
In 2015, I felt compelled to do something to help refugees after seeing the horrifying images on the
news of refugees fleeing Syria and Africa and washing up on various European shores. I couldn't imag-
ine what it must be like as a parent to be living in a country where genocide was occurring, or famine, or
political unrest so extreme that you had to flee with only what you could carry. I spoke to my minister,
Father Joseph Smith at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Wayne and told him I felt we needed to help the
refugees. He encouraged me to ask other members if they would be willing to be part of a committee to
research how we could help. I did, and the refugee committee began. To make a long story short, while
not everyone at St. Mary's supported the mission, we were approached by members of Radnor Friends
(the Quaker meeting) who wanted to join us, and then members of St. David's Episcopal, St. Martin's
Episcopal and Wayne Presbyterian Church all joined in an ecumenical effort. We called ourselves the
Main Line Refugee Resettlement Committee and co-sponsored (in conjunction with Bethany Christian
Services) our first family of 4 from the Congo in 2016. We divided into committees - some helped with
orientation, transportation, ESL (English as a Second Language) lessons, housing, employment or fund-
raising. We had over 100 members! It was crazy how well it went. We raised over $20,000. without
even asking for money.
After that family was "launched", we were approached by a minister at Ardmore Presbyterian to sponsor
an 18 year old young man from Afghanistan who had escaped the Taliban. He wanted to finish high
school, and one of our committee members took him in so he could attend Radnor High School. We pro-
vided ESL tutoring, transportation and other financial supports, but Arman was hardworking and
worked after school at Panera in Wayne. He saved his money, and after graduating, put himself
through a tractor-trailer driving course that resulted in a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) license and
a great paying job after he graduated from Radnor.
The same minister approached us again to help a young woman from Guinea and her two daughters
who were fleeing due to FGM (female genital mutilation). She was seeking asylum. We knew it would be
very expensive, since you are not allowed to work for the first 6 months while seeking asylum. So I
asked Bryn Mawr Presbyterian church's refugee committee to co-sponsor Aissata and her daughters
and they agreed Our committees helped her with housing, education, food, childcare, legal assistance
and once she won her asylum case, employment (she's now a teacher at a preschool in Ardmore where
she can bring her daughters).
Then last year a teacher at Radnor High School reached out asking if we could help an 18 year old Hon-
duran undocumented student who had lost his housing during Covid and wanted to finish his senior year
at Radnor but couldn't afford to return. Another member of our committee who had a garage apartment
agreed to let him live there rent free, and committee members came up with money to pay for every-
thing he needed - clothes, food, tutors, his immigration attorney, a bed, even money to play soccer,
which he loves. He just graduated a week ago!
Louisa Ridgway is a member of our church and has been our refugee committee treasurer for the past 2
years. (David Phillips was involved in a very successful capital campaign for the church.)
By Rena Counsellor
VOICE Page 3
MORE CARVINGS By Martina Martin
These carvings were done mostly with chisels and hand tools. (except for the two frogs and the Gecko)
That is a departure from most of my carvings which were done with power tools like a Dremel or an NSK
micro-motor high speed tool used for finer details. These were all done at Roz Daisey’s studio in Newark
Delaware. Roz sometimes had guest instructors like David Sabol and Tom Wolfe.
Southern Leopard Frog
Cowboy Santa Civil War Soldier Gecko
Typical Tom Wolfe carvings
Peter Rabbit, again showing David
Sabol’s complexity. I had no idea
what I was doing!
Fishing Fox Dr. Rabbit, another
The instructor was David David Sabol
Sabol who did idea
complicated whimsical
carvings, often based on
fairy tales.
Poison Dart Frog
T h e S p r i n gt o n L a ke SPRINGTON LAKE VILLAGE
V il l a g e V o ic e
M a rt i na M a rt i n, Edi t or “Leading the way in creative 55+ housing”
Springton Lake Village is a cooperative community of 40 residences for individuals and
couples, 55 or older, established in 2002. Upscale and independent, with a neighborhood
feel, no additional residences will ever be built. There are no entrance fees. Equity owner-
ship assures members a say in how the community is run.
It is located in Marple Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and is operated by
101 Longview Circle
Media, PA 19063-2075 Springton Housing Association Cooperative , Inc., a non-profit corporation owned by the
residents. The Village is convenient to Philadelphia’s Main Line and the cultural, recrea-
tional and sports attractions of one of America’s great cities.
We’re on the Web! Ridley Creek State Park and Tyler Arboretum are close by, as are Delaware County’s finest
springtonlakevillage.com country clubs. There is convenient access to Interstate 476 and U.S. Route 1.
Our waterfront community features the serenity of Springton Lake and its half mile of pris-
tine shoreline. Residents enjoy peaceful woods, clean air, open skies, beautiful sunsets, a
walking path that winds through the property, a fitness center, and a flexible dining plan
four nights a week in the multi-purpose Clubhouse.
Springton is associated with nearby Dunwoody Village and White Horse Village, acclaimed
and accredited continuing care retirement communities with long term care facilities.
7/18 Frank Campbell
7/19 Linda Fisher
MANAGEMENT REPORT ACTIVITIES
Weekly Happy Hours have resumed from 5 Mahjong at the clubhouse from 1 to 3PM
to 6 on Fridays. on Mondays.
Give a big welcome to all the new residents. Ice Cream Social on Sunday, July 4th at
3PM.
Mike & Carmen continue the Summer pro-
jects.
Knit and Chat at Spinellis’ on Wednesday,
Carol, Bea & Tanya have resumed the Mon- July 14th at 2PM. Please email Eileen to let
day heavy cleanings. her know you are coming.
Call or email Chris with your requests. Movie to be announced.
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