Conestoga Valley townlively.com
FEBRUARY 5, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXI • NO 7
Coats for Kids warms extremities and hearts BY JEFF FALK
Picture this: A makeshift store containing aisles and aisles of brand-new kids’ coats separated by sizes, styles and colors. Families in need can enter, peruse the winter coats, select one and take it home. That’s what Coats for Kids looks like. That’s what the Salvation
Army means when it says, “Doing the most good.” “My favorite part about Coats for Kids is when the kids go into where the coats are,” said Shady Boules, who’s been Salvation Army Lancaster Corps’ operations and development manager for five years. “You see their eyes open. I tell them, ‘Go ahead; pick a coat.’ They’ll answer, ‘Do you See Coats for Kids pg 4
A therapist works with a client at NeurAbilities Healthcare in Lancaster.
NeurAbilities supports those with autism BY JEFF FALK
“We want to be able to teach a different skill. We’re focused on anything that supports independence.” the world. Every family is different. Every person is different. Our job is not to change individuals. Our job is to remove barriers and help them manage.” Established in Lancaster in
2022, NeurAbilities Healthcare is a relative newcomer to the local autism treatment scene. NeurAbilities Healthcare, which is located at 1858 Charter Lane, Suite 201, Lancaster, serves its clients through a communitybased approach and on a one-onone basis. “We want to provide services with excellence,” said Neumann. “Ultimately, we support largely the autism community, people with an ASD diagnosis. You have a lot of individuals who are experiencing different challenges. We like to focus on abilities. We’re supporting patients. We’re supporting learners. We try to capitalize on people’s strengths and focus on what they can do to overcome those challenges. We like to see every individual for who they are.”
At Overlook Activities Center, hockey’s on a roll BY JEFF FALK
On the one hand, it’s about playing a beloved sport and revisiting the days of youth. On the other, the pickup roller hockey program promotes staying young and remaining healthy. Sponsored by the Manheim Township Recreation and Park Planning Department (MTRPP), pickup roller hockey is one of the few organized programs out there designed to address the physical and mental health of adults, especially men.
See NeurAbilities Healthcare pg 7
“They’re guys who just really love hockey and love the game,” said Jeff Green, an MTRPP program manager who’s overseen the pickup roller hockey program for the last eight years. “Ice skating is much different than roller or inline skating. It’s an avenue. These guys are friends, and they’ve gained friendships through pickup roller hockey. They’re just average guys. They come when they’re able to, and it’s open to everyone.” By nature, pickup roller hockey is very informal and laidback. See Roller hockey pg 3
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utism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects how some people conduct themselves, gain knowledge, speak and listen and relate to others. It’s a disorder that we continue to learn about and one that might be more prevalent than first realized. NeurAbilities Healthcare of Lancaster approaches autism from both clinical and behavioral perspectives. Two of the organization’s main goals are to enhance the lives of people and families affected by the disorder and to integrate those individuals into society. “People are often coming to us because they are struggling to support their family members,” said
Adriana Neumann, NeurAbilities’ senior director for applied behavior analysis clinical services. “There’s something they’re struggling to manage. They want their child to learn, to make progress, to navigate
A Salvation Army Lancaster Corps’ volunteer assists clients at Coats for Kids.