It’s time to celebrate! Marple Friends & Neighbors is excited to announce that we are celebrating eight years of bringing people together. This remarkable milestone is possible because of our incredible Publisher, Bob Blaisse, our dedicated team and our Sponsors and readers who support our magazine every month.
For the past eight years we’ve been able to bring you stories that we hope inform, inspire and connect you to the Marple community. To celebrate this milestone issue, we’re reflecting on what it’s been like to fulfill our mission.
In 2018, the CEO of Best Version Media invited Bob Blaisse to serve as the founding Publisher for Marple Friends & Neighbors with the mission he chose to accept, to be “Bringing People Together” through a new kind of social-media-in-print and online that would serve the hometown pride of Marple residents. In 2020 Bob was recognized for his commitment to this mission when he was named Best Version Media’s #1 Publisher among hundreds of hometown magazines. Reflecting on the achievement, Bob shared, “Our hometown magazine, together with our sister publications, Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors and Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors, earned an incredible distinction as the top-performing magazines in the Best Version Media network. From the first year we went to print, I’ve always known and have always tried to tell everyone every chance I get, that the credit for the success of Marple Friends & Neighbors goes to our Sponsors — the local business owners you see advertising on our pages of our magazine every month.”
Bob explained that one of the biggest challenges he faces as Publisher is the higher costs of paper and mailing. But probably the hardest part has been knowing local businesses that really love doing good business in our community aren’t “At the Party,” as he often calls it. “There’s a monthly party going on, and some of our most known local brands are missing from the party,” he said. “Knowing we could help tell their story, and that they could help us tell more stories about Marple residents and events if we had more advertising Sponsors is a bit of a challenge. But it certainly does remind me how special the local businesses are that are Bringing People Together At The Party, every month through their hometown sponsorship of Marple Friends & Neighbors magazine.”
Want to know what it’s like to be part of our “Bringing People Together” mission? We asked our sponsors to tell us in their own words. Eric Fante, owner of Fante Flooring said that being a Sponsor helps build brand awareness in a very targeted way. “I am able to reach local families, professionals and residents who are part of our community,” he said. “It’s not just about selling our products, it’s about reinforcing our place as a business that
locals can count on.” As a local resident Eric loves how personal the magazine feels. “It’s nice to know that every person reading the magazine is someone who lives nearby and could become a regular customer. Being a Sponsor is more than just promoting my business, it’s about supporting the community spirit. It’s nice to be part of a network of local businesses that keep the town thriving.”
Some of our Sponsors have been with us for many years, like Casey’s Public House. “The Crisanti and Graham families have lived in Newtown Square for over 70 years and have businesses in town for over 50,” said Casey’s co-owner Andrew Crisanti. “We are proud to be a part of this community and are so thankful for all the great families that have contributed to our lasting success over the years.” Andrew added that it has been great to Sponsor the Student of the Month feature in the magazine. “Bob Blaisse and my father Pete go back many years, and Bob and his team do a great job with all things Marple /Newtown and the Family Features! Cheers to many more years to come in our beautiful town!”
One of our magazine’s newest Sponsors is Amerikick Havertown, a martial arts school for children and adults. “Marple Friends & Neighbors has been a fantastic resource in aiding us at Amerikick Havertown in what we do best. Making an impact in the community,” said owner Johnny Nunez, Jr. “They help peel back the curtain and show people martial arts isn’t just kicks and punches. It’s building leaders that do what’s right even when that isn’t easy.”
Supporting the community has always been important to Sponsor O’Donnell Roofing Co. “In today’s digital world, there’s still something special about a magazine that’s dedicated to the community. It highlights the people and businesses making a difference right here and reminds us how connected we all are,” said Kevin O’Donnell. “As a family-owned business serving the area for over 100 years, we’re proud to support publications that celebrate local success and strengthen the communities we’re fortunate to call home.”
Marple Friends & Neighbors has given readers an indepth look into to our Sponsors through our Business Profiles. From a business passed down for generations to people who have made total career changes, readers love hearing the stories behind the local businesses they support. We are also dedicated to celebrating the people who make our community such a special place to call home through our feature stories. Each month, the magazine shines a spotlight on local sports teams, our outstanding schools, Little League programs, the talented members of the MNHS Marching Band, the Marple Library and many other organizations that enrich community life.
We also highlight neighbors whose accomplishments, volunteerism, leadership and unique stories inspire those around them. Marple Library Director LaTanya Burno shared her sentiments: “Congratulations on your 8th Anniversary! Local publications like yours are an important tool to keep the community informed and to spotlight local businesses. You have helped us share information about all Marple Library has to offer the com-
munity like our Seed Library, Storytimes, Summer Reading Club, Lego Club, Summer Bingo for Adults and much more. You help residents keep connected and informed about the really great things that happen and are available at Marple Library and throughout the community.”
Friends & Neighbors has been proud to highlight the talented cast and crew of MN Drama’s Spring Musicals. “We’re always honored to be part of Marple Friends & Neighbors because it gives MN Drama the opportunity to share the incredible things happening at Marple Newtown High School and within our drama program,” said Director of MN Drama, Brian Walden. “The magazine has helped us connect with the broader Marple Newtown community by highlighting our students’ talents, celebrating their accomplishments, and keeping neighbors informed about our upcoming productions. Local publications like Marple Friends & Neighbors play an important role in bringing communities together by showcasing the people, programs and organizations that make our town such a special place. We’re grateful to be a part of that story and look forward to continuing our partnership for years to come!”
“Local publications like Marple Friends & Neighbors are essential to enabling democracy, strengthening community and helping neighbors support each other,” said Douglas Gillan, author of MpathE – A Path Inside of Me. “We were honored to have our book featured this past year and share goals with this fine periodical. Happy 8th!”
The Lain Family was one of our first cover families in 2018. Liz and Matt are Delco natives and both gradu- ated from Cardinal O’Hara. Now, they are raising their five children here in Marple. “We had so much fun being part of the magazine. It was a great way to share our family story with the community that we love being a part of,” said Matt. “We are blessed to have our kids grow up in the same neighborhoods we walked and rode our bikes in as kids! Marple Township will always be “home.”
Each monthly issue is the product of careful planning and collaboration, ensuring high-quality content is consistently delivered to readers. As we celebrate our 8th Anniversary, we want to acknowledge our publication team, who build our magazines each month.
The Friends & Neighbors team consists of many driven professionals who take pride in creating something special for our local community. Our talented writers, especially Doug Humes, our resident Historian, Executive Assistant Lisa Jeffries, our graphic designer Kim Cesati and photographer Chelsea Lupica care deeply about creating a beautiful magazine filled with local content and inspiring stories. “Every new issue is a new beginning,” said Bob. “Sometimes I don’t know how our team pulls it all off by our go-to-print deadline. Lisa Jeffries is working all month with our Expert Contributors and Student and Teacher of the Month profiles, while working with Doug Humes to get his History Spotlight ready to make history in each new issue. All month Holly is interviewing, emailing and writing her features right up to deadline day when our talented Graphic Designer,
Kim Cesati takes the lead to layout a new issue and then we’re all over it, proofing to get it right for the many thousands of readers of our magazines delivered by mail and thousands more reading online at MarpleMag.com.”
Sheila Turner-Hilliard is the Content Coordinator for our sister magazines Newtown Square and Edgmont Friends & Neighbors. Her involvement with Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine began when she signed on as a Sponsor and Expert Contributor through her dance studio. “I loved the idea of supporting other local businesses and recognized the inherent value in sharing my expertise,” she said. “I love the magazine and have always been a writer, so I joined the team in 2020 to write our cover feature stories, business profiles and extra feature articles. I am proud to have served as Content Coordinator for the past six years and am excited to look back at what we have accomplished and what’s next as we continue on this journey together. Writing for the magazine allows me the opportunity to meet so many interesting people and learn new things. I often do extensive research on unfamiliar topics and write them in a way that is interesting and easy to understand. That keeps my brain active and healthy, too!”
Our designer, Kim Cesati, loves the variety of her work and the ability to be creative. “My favorite part of the magazine work is bringing visions together,” she said. “It’s quite a jigsaw puzzle, fitting everything onto the pages is not always as easy as it seems. I hope I have a hand in making the magazine enjoyable to read!”
Executive Assistant Lisa Jeffries truly enjoys working with the magazines because every day “I learn something new about our community,” she said. “One of the most rewarding parts of my job is building relationships with our Expert Contributors. I love getting to know them, learning what makes their businesses unique and helping them share their expertise through their articles. It’s gratifying to play a small role in showcasing the value they bring to our community.”
When Lisa joined the team five years ago, she never imagined how many new skills she would gain. “From producing content for our magazine websites to helping Bob create blog posts, I’ve had the opportunity to expand my knowledge in ways I never expected. It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience, both professionally and personally.”
Photographer Chelsea Lupica, is a Marple Newtown High School graduate and owner of Photography by Chelsea Leigh. “One of my favorite parts of
photographing the magazine cover is that I get to connect with people right here in my own community,” said Chelsea. “Even though I’ve lived here for years, the magazine has introduced me to so many amazing families, business owners, and neighbors that I may have never met otherwise. I love hearing their stories and helping showcase the people who make our community special.”
For our monthly History Spotlight, our resident historian Doug Humes loves beginning with the nub of an idea about a person, place, or event, then researching and shaping it into an illustrated local-history story. “It is especially rewarding to see the finished article in print and to hear from readers who enjoy learning about their community’s past,” he said.
As we celebrate our 8th anniversary, we’re especially grateful for the continued support of our readers, Sponsors and the community that makes every issue possible. In an increasingly digital world, Marple Friends & Neighbors remains a welcome reminder of the value of slowing down to enjoy the stories, accomplishments and connections that bring neighbors together. Here’s to many more years of celebrating the people, places and events that
make Marple such a wonderful place to live.