The Birches at Harleysville News

HARLEYSVILLE, Pa., Aug. 2, 2018– Superheroes. Thanks to Hollywood recreating The Justice League and The Avengers, we often think of them flying through the sky, wearing a cape or cool futuristic body armor while using some unnatural “power” to save the day.

Like in the comics, real-life superheroes have an alter ego to keep their true identity a secret—although when unmasked—there’s no cape. Regardless, they’re still unique!

Nick DelPopolo, a real-life superhero and business office manager at The Birches at Harleysville, was recently recognized for his lifesaving efforts that occurred in the summer of 2006.

As a volunteer firefighter, he’s rushed toward danger before, but he’d never done something like this. Standing on the top floor in a Warrington Township apartment building and peering through heavy gray smoke, DelPopolo was getting ready to head downstairs when something caught his eye.

“I looked to my right and saw something through the smoke. I went to see what it was,” said DelPopolo. “It was a girl curled up on a couch clinging to her Mickey Mouse stuffed animal.”

Without a second thought, he whisked the little girl to safety where she was able to receive care from a paramedic on-scene.

DelPopolo’s fire training facilitated his response. He was able to fight fear and assess his surroundings. In a situation where panic could cloud another's judgment, he rushed to save another’s life not thinking of his own.

“As a seasoned volunteer firefighter I have received countless hours of training; however, I never saved someone’s life before,” said DelPopolo. “All I could think about was getting her out of the building as quickly and as safely as possible.”

The semi-private recognition event in May honored individuals who saved lives 10 to 15 years prior. DelPopolo would once again come face to face with the little girl, now a grown woman with a daughter of her own.

“Honestly, all these years I often wondered what she was doing and how she was. I never thought I would find out,” said DelPopolo choking back with emotion. “To see her again with her family, made everything come full circle.”

His actions may not earn him an Oscar; nonetheless, his humility reunited a little girl with her family, allowing them more memories to cherish and giving her the opportunity of motherhood—something no movie deal can buy.

The Birches at Harleysville is a personal care and memory care community that provides assistance to seniors needing help with activities of daily living. Three delicious meals are prepared by our chef daily and served in a comfortable dining room complete with relaxing music and the companionship of friends. Our robust activity calendar is designed to meet every resident’s interest and activity level. The Birches offers a month-to-month lease, which includes housekeeping, laundry services, and transportation to medical appointments and other outings. Best of all there are no long-term contracts or entrance fees. Schedule your free, no-obligations tour with Alyssa Barndt, marketing director, by calling 215-541-3700.

LOWER SALFORD — The Birches of Harleysville has a new neighborhood.

Ribbon cutting and tours of the new Daybreak Memory Care Neighborhood, a self-contained area with dining, activity, living and lounge areas, along with outdoor space, for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, was held by Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 9.

“I know that you will find that this new addition to our community and the memory care supports that it brings to Harleysville and the surrounding community is very much needed and will be an asset to the surrounding areas,” said Executive Director Justin Mason.

This is the Birches second Daybreak Memory Care Neighborhood and was built in an area previously used for personal care assisted living apartments, said Kevin McCollum, president of Heritage Senior Living, which owns the Birches.

“The goal of our Daybreak memory care program is to provide the best quality care for our residents, obviously, but in a supportive environment that’s a little bit smaller in the neighborhood and also is a little more intimate so we can get to know the residents a little more closely,” he said.

The new neighborhood has nine units for 12 residents, he said. The Birches at Harleysville has a total of 69 personal care and memory care units, 25 of which are for memory care, he said.

Planning for the project began in 2019, at which time the goal was that it would be completed in early- to mid-2020, he said.

Then the pandemic hit and changed the schedule.

“Here we are today at the end of 2021 and it’s finally about 99.9 percent complete, but we still have some logistical issues because there are some container ships floating around somewhere with some furniture,” McCollum said, “so hopefully we’ll get that here pretty soon.”

A final inspection for state licensing still had to be done after which residents could move in, he said.

McCollum also noted the work done by the health care workers during the pandemic.

“I personally just want to thank all of you for everything you’ve done because it means everything,” he said, adding thanks for “everything you continue to do.”