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“Give
William Penn The Respect He Deserves Party” Debuts
Oct.
14 at Philadelphia’s Welcome Park
|
Tour guides
kick off first-ever Philly-style Gratitude with Attitude Celebration at
6 p.m.
|
Philadelphia,
PA – October 2015 / Newsmaker Alert / Believing that William Penn,
Quaker founder of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, has been ignored and overlooked
far too long, the Association of
Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) is taking steps to restore his reputation.
As
a start, the APT will host a 30-minute ceremony highlighting William Penn’s
considerable accomplishments at Welcome Park. It’s on the east side of
2nd Street above Walnut Street in Philadelphia, diagonally across from
City Tavern.
The
“Give William Penn The Respect He Deserves Party” – a Philly-style Gratitude
with Attitude celebration – begins 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 14, 2015 –
on Penn’s 371st birthday.
Fittingly,
members of the Quaker City String Band will honor the former Quaker leader
with 30 minutes of music starting at 5:30 p.m.
The
official program will take place rain or shine from 6 - 6:30 p.m. Admission
is free and the public is invited.
“We’re
hoping local community groups will come out in force to honor William Penn
for all he did for our city and have some fun,” says Jim Murphy, an APT
member who helped spearhead the event.
The
program includes:
-
Opening
remarks by APT President Bob Skiba.
-
A brief
history of Welcome Park, the Wampum Land Site where Indians stayed while
they were in the city, and of Hannah Penn by Harry Kyriakodis, author of
three books on Philadelphia.
-
Reading
of “Top 10 Reasons We Celebrate William Penn’s Life” by area tour guides.
These will include the fact that Philly quickly outgrew New York and Boston
to become the second-largest English-speaking city in the world.
-
And finally,
the ringing of over 70 green bells in unison by attendees for one full
minute. The bells symbolize both Penn’s “Greene Countrie Towne” of Philadelphia,
and his connection to the Liberty Bell – which was ordered by the Pennsylvania
Assembly in 1751 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Penn’s Charter of
Privileges.
In
addition:
-
Noted
William Penn re-enactor Thomas R. Smith will be available for selfies with
our city’s founder.
-
Certified
tour guides from APT will be present to answer questions
About
the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT)
Founded
in 2008, the Association of Philadelphia
Tour Guides (APT) provides extensive training opportunities for professional
and volunteer tour guides. APT also acts as a voice for 200+ members and
helps promote a high-quality tourist experience for Philadelphia visitors.
As
part of its continuing education efforts, APT has:
-
Developed
an APT Tour Guide Certification Program and Examination. To date, more
than 100 guides have been certified. A Master Guide program is also underway.
-
Produced
“The APT Tour Guide Handbook,” a 270-page bible for both new and experienced
guides.
-
Developed
and organized five free “Annual Great River to River, Vine to Pine, Rain
or Shine Walking Tours of Philadelphia.”
-
Received
a special citation from the City of Philadelphia in 2013, honoring the
association for its efforts to enhance visitors’ experiences in Philadelphia.
Media
Contact:
Jim
Murphy
610-506-3024
Remarkable
ROI |
