Organizer

Barefoot and smiling, Paula Robinson leaned back in her chair and surveyed the scene before her - about 300 people spread across the grassy fields of Simmons Park, eating, laughing, and listening to the music blasted by D.J. Jameelo and his assistants, Jeffrey Sowall and Shaun Chatman. Norristown's Family Unity Day, complete with a Batty Ball contest, live musical performances and a championship game for the summer basketball league, was in full swing. "We have to surround our children with as much support as we can," said Robinson, who organizes the event every summer.

The last few weeks, Lindsay Cohen has been going nonstop, with what seems like 27 hours of work to fit into a 24-hour day. An eighth grader at Voorhees Middle School, Lindsay, 13, has taken on an ambitious project that combines her passion for volleyball and sense of community service. The fruits of her labor will be on display today, starting at 3 p.m., when the third annual Voorhees Middle School Volleyball Tournament is staged at the school in a six-hour marathon. Proceeds this year will benefit two South Jersey charities: Solace House, a shelter for battered women, and Tony's Gang, an organization that provides a big brother or sister to children with life-threatening diseases.

A job expo targeted to veterans will be held Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the West Club. RecruitMilitary L.L.C. of Cincinnati, the event organizer, says the event is open to anyone just returning from active duty and members of the guard, as well as their spouses. Employers and educational institutions, as well as veterans service agencies and veterans associations are among the 35 organizations expected to be on hand, the organizer said. More information here . -    Roslyn Rudolph

It was Sweden, 1980, and the Montgomery County Amateur Boxing Team could almost taste victory. Bruised and sore, Kensington's own Mark "Buddy" Osborn, state Golden Gloves middleweight champion, dropped his dukes and went to his corner to await the decision. "And the winner is - Mark Osborn of the United States of America!" remembered Osborn, now 28, a Roofers Union organizer who was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday on federal racketeering charges. Also sentenced were eight other union officials, including former business manager Stephen J. Traitz Jr. Osborn, who is appealing his conviction, last night traced his past with Traitz to those boxing days, when Traitz was his coach and he was a rising star.

There was plenty of buying, selling and ogling at the 35th annual West Chester Antique Show last weekend. About 50 booths were set up at the event, which was held at the West Chester Inn on Route 202. Nearly 3,000 people visited the three-day show, according to the organizer, Janet's Antique Shows of Lancaster. Janet's organizes shows throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland.

THURSDAY I was at the Walnut Room, in Center City, for a charity bartending event for Project H.O.M.E. Local exec and event organizer Sharief El was behind the bar, serving cocktails and beer to the friends who came out to support him in raising money for the foundation. Philadelphia Y.U.P ("young urban professionals") from law, real-estate and medicine were in the house and stylish as always, giving to the cause. Project H.O.M.E. empowers people to break the cycle of homelessness, address the structural causes of poverty and attain their fullest potential as members of society.

Word arrived by mail Monday that Philadelphia did indeed set a new Soul Train Dance world record. Writer Sheila Simmons, the principal organizer, got a congratulatory letter Guinness World Records along with the official certificate, which declares: "The largest Soul Train Dance consisted of 291 participants and was achieved by the Philadelphia Soul Train Line Dancers in Philadelphia, Pa., USA, on 13 February 2012. " The previous record - which lingered, but not for long, on the Guinness website this morning - was set by 211 dancers in November 2011 at Berkeley High School in Berkeley, Calif.

Here are hints from organizers and authors on how owners of home businesses can keep from becoming overwhelmed by clutter: If you find you are not working in your home office, don't fight it. Instead, figure out why. Maybe the lighting or furniture is bad. Maybe it's psychologically stifling to be in a basement, attic or spare bedroom. Either solve the problem or make the place where you actually work into a more effective office. Not every house really needs a dining room. - Adriane Weinberg, organizer An Organized Approach, Ambler Maintain boundaries of both time and space.

The water level of the Delaware has dropped so much due to this year's drought that the yearly reenactment of Gen. George Washington's crossing with his troops may have to take place on foot. The river is not deep enough to float the two boats usually used. Lon Rinker, an organizer of the event, said nothing short of a northeaster would provide enough water for an accurate staging of the event. The reenactment has been a Christmas Day tradition for almost 50 years.

Zhang Ze Ming (left) and Dang Fong, both from Mongolia, work on an exhibit yesterday at DinoFest, at the Civic Center. The "World's Fair of Dinosaurs," is scheduled to open March 27 for a four-week run. Originally scheduled to be held in a 70,000-square-foot hall, DinoFest organizer Donald Wolberg got the OK from Philadelphia officials yesterday to expand into an adjoining hall for a total of 150,000 square feet. "It will give us the opportunity to spread out the exhibits and allow more walking room for visitors," said DinoFest spokeswoman Liz Carey.