It’s time to celebrate! Our Newtown Square and Marple Friends & Neighbors magazines are turning EIGHT this month, and we are quickly approaching our four-year anniversary of Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors magazine coming this fall. As I reflect on the past eight years, and the incredible growth of our hometown magazines, I found myself thinking about all the people, families, organizations and stories that have filled our pages since 2018. We have introduced you to remarkable residents, honored hometown heroes, celebrated student achievements, supported local organizations and shared the history that makes our corner of northwestern Delaware County such a special place to call home.
But this year, as we celebrate milestone anniversaries of Bringing People Together, we want to shine the spotlight on the people who have made every single issue possible: our advertising Sponsors.
From the very beginning, our Publisher, Bob Blaisse, has reminded our team and our readers that our free monthly publication exists because local business owners chose to invest in our community. In fact, Bob first needed the support of Charter Advertising Sponsors before our Friends & Neighbors magazines could receive the green light to launch eight years ago.
Those Charter Advertising Sponsors took a chance on a brand-new hometown magazine. They believed in Bob’s vision and in a mission built around three simple words: Bringing People Together. Eight years later, that commitment is still at the heart of everything we do. The magazine continues to connect neighbors and local businesses through positive, family-friendly stories and practical, useful information.
That connection would not exist without our Sponsors. Over the years, we have often written about the importance of shopping local. We encourage our readers to look through the pages of the magazine when they need a plumber, electrician, landscaper, accountant, travel advisor, dance studio, auto service professional or any number of other services. These businesses are not simply purchasing advertising space. Their support funds the stories you enjoy reading each month.
Some of our Sponsors have been with us from the beginning, like Rey Azteca. “We chose to open in Newtown Square because it has few Mexican restaurants and we saw an opportunity to grow with an active, bustling community,” said co-owner Jenny Palacios. “We are proud to be a part of this community and are so thankful for all the great families that have contributed to our success over the years.” Jenny added that it has been a pleasure to Sponsor the Student of the Month feature in the magazine.
Another long-time Sponsor is Den of Antiquity in Historic Glen Mills. Owners Chip Miller and Joanne Hartley are siblings who are lifelong Gradyville residents with a rich history in our community. We asked Chip to share his thoughts about what it means to support our hometown magazine.
“To me, being a Sponsor is about giving back to a community that has given so much to me and my family throughout the years. It’s a way to support something that brings neighbors together, celebrates local families and businesses and reminds us that a strong community is built 
through kindness, volunteerism and people looking out for one another. My favorite feature is the cover story. I always enjoy reading about the families and individuals who make our community such a wonderful place to live. Even after a lifetime here, I often learn something new about people I’ve known for many years.
Having lived and volunteered in this community for so many years, I’ve had the privilege of knowing many of the families you’ve featured—sometimes three or even four generations. Through community service, local organizations and Den of Antiquity, I’ve met so many remarkable people. Seeing their stories shared and their contributions recognized is one of the things I enjoy most about every issue.
Thank you, Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors and Best Version Media for all you do to strengthen our sense of community. Your magazines do much more than tell stories—they connect neighbors, celebrate the people who quietly make a difference every day and preserve the unique character of our local communities. I’m proud that Den of Antiquity can play a small part in supporting that mission.”
Many Sponsors have also shared their knowledge as Expert Contributors. Month after month, our readers receive practical advice from local professionals who understand the needs of the people who live here. As someone who began my own involvement with the magazine as a Sponsor and Expert Contributor through From the Top Studio of Dance, I understand the value of that relationship from both sides. I loved the idea of supporting other local businesses while sharing information from my own area of expertise. Eventually, my lifelong love of writing led me to join the magazine team in 2020, and I have proudly served as Content Coordinator ever since.
When I interview our Sponsors for Business Profile features, one thing is clear. These are people who care deeply about their work and the communities they serve. They live here, their children attend our schools, they coach youth sports, contribute to community events and shop at other neighborhood businesses. Each business has a different story, but there is a common thread. Behind every logo and every advertisement is a person, a family or a team working hard to build something meaningful. When you read about a local family, learn the history of an 18th-century home, discover a community event or see a deserving student recognized for an achievement, a local business helped make that story possible.
Over the past year, those stories have continued to show the incredible range of people and organizations that make Newtown Edgmont special. Organizations that need our support like Newtown Edgmont Little League, Media League, the Edgmont Township Fire Company, and our local schools. In June, we celebrated Ron Gravina as our 2026 Newtown Edgmont Friend & Neighbor of the Year, an annual tradition that honors an individual’s work, dedication and support of our community.
Edgmont Township Supervisor Lindsey Conan was proud to share her thoughts on Ron and his dedication to the Township. “It’s hard to differentiate Ron from Edgmont, because when I think of Ron, he is Edgmont. He has had a hand in practically everything that has moved our town forward, while promoting responsible development and ensuring this beautiful township is protected and cherished for generations to come.”
We also continued our commitment to preserving and sharing local history. Doug Humes writes our History Spotlight articles and has introduced readers to fascinating people and places from Newtown Edgmont’s past. “My favorite part is 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.”
Another exciting way our magazine has brought people together is through the newly established Edgmont Township Historical Society. The idea for the society first emerged after Doug Humes and Edgmont Township Supervisor Annie Thorne, along with other community members, expressed a growing interest in Edgmont’s historical roots. With a bit of help from our Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors magazine, Doug and Annie were able to gather interested history buffs and local residents for general interest meetings. The Edgmont Township Historical Society became official in January 2025 and was recently honored by the Delaware County Heritage Commission with its Annual Preservation Award for Group Achievement during their 48th Annual Preservation Awards ceremony.
These are the stories we are privileged to tell. And our Sponsors make it possible for us to tell them. We cannot thank them enough for their loyalty and commitment over the years. The success of Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors is often measured by the number of issues we have published, the families we have featured or the stories we have shared. But behind all those numbers are local business owners who believed this community deserved its own hometown magazine.
Bob understood that from the beginning. In 2018, when Best Version Media co-founder Dave Durand invited Bob to join the company, Bob agreed and began by launching magazines in his own hometown communities. Having lived here with his wife, Jean, and raised their four sons in the Marple Newtown community, Bob knew exactly where he wanted to begin.
His success did not go unnoticed. Best Version Media named Bob its 2018 Rookie Publisher of the Year, and just two years later, he was named BVM’s 2020 Publisher of the Year from among the company’s hundreds of magazines throughout North America.
For those of us who work alongside Bob, those honors are easy to understand. Our expert Designer, Kim Cesati, is the creative force behind our magazines. Every month, Kim is challenged not only to fit all of our features and ads into a specific page count, but also to make each monthly magazine more beautiful than the last. “I love the variety of my work and the ability to be creative,” she explained. “My favorite part of the magazine work is bringing visions together.” When asked what she wishes more people knew about what she does for the magazine? “It’s quite a jigsaw puzzle; fitting everything onto the pages is not always as easy as it seems!”
Lisa Jeffries joined our team five years ago as Executive Assistant to the Publisher and said 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.” Lisa added that she truly enjoys working with the magazines because she learns something new about our community every day. “One of the most rewarding parts of my job is building rela-
tionships 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.”
My fellow Content Coordinator, Holly Stupak, manages content for Marple Friends & Neighbors, but she and I often work together to bring stories to life for both magazines. “I love getting to talk to people in the community whom I may not have met otherwise. It’s fun to hear how people met, how they started their careers and the ways they like to be involved in the community,” she said.
“I especially enjoy highlighting those who quietly make a difference.” One thing that Holly would really love is to hear from more of our readers with feature family and story suggestions. “Many of our favorite stories have come from reader suggestions!”
Veronica Brown is our talented photographer who strives to capture the perfect cover photo. “My favorite part of working for the magazine is getting to meet a new family every month,” she said. “I’ve had people come up to me in the community and say that they saw the photos I took.” Veronica added that the cover photo is more than just an image. It is getting to know them and having them feel comfortable in front of the camera. “With my work being the main attention for the magazine, I think that has helped the mission of Bringing People Together.
Bringing People Together in this wonderful community allows our team to actively foster connections, promote a sense of togetherness and contribute to a thriving community.
Bob is passionate about this mission. He is equally passionate about supporting the Sponsors who support our magazines. He is always thinking about ways to connect local businesses with residents and ways our publications can better serve the community.
What began with two hometown magazines in 2018 has continued to grow. Today, Bob publishes Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors, Marple Friends & Neighbors and Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors, publications that collectively reach thousands of homes in western Delaware County.
But despite that growth and recognition, Bob never loses sight of where it all started.
It started with local business owners saying yes. Yes, we believe in this community, we want to support positive local stories and want to help recognize our neighbors. Yes, we want to be part of Bringing People Together. Our Sponsors said yes, and as a result, 37 issues of Newtown Edgmont Friends & Neighbors have made their way into local mailboxes.
This year, the message is simple. Thank you. Thank you to the Charter Sponsors who believed in Bob’s vision before the first issue ever arrived in a mailbox. Thank you to the longtime Sponsors who have continued to support us year after year. Thank you to the new Sponsors who have recently joined our magazine family. Thank you to our Expert Contributors who generously share their knowledge and experience with our readers.
Most importantly, thank you for believing that local stories matter. To our readers, we ask that you join us in thanking these businesses by supporting them whenever possible. When you need a product or service, take a look through the pages of this magazine and visit our Sponsor directory at TheNEMag.com. Tell them you saw them in our magazine. Let them know you appreciate their support of a publication dedicated to celebrating our hometown. Because when our Sponsors succeed, they can continue to support the community we all love.
So, what lies ahead as we enter our ninth year of Bringing People Together? More families to meet. More hometown heroes to honor. More history to uncover. More students to celebrate. More businesses to introduce and more stories waiting to be told.
On behalf of Bob and our entire magazine team, thank you to our Sponsors, our Expert Contributors, our readers and our friends and neighbors for nearly four years of Bringing People Together in Newtown Edgmont. Cheers to many more years!