Conestoga Valley townlively.com
MARCH 29, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LIX • NO 14
Supporting families of children with special needs Seminar teaches ADHD management BY ANN MEAD ASH
e want to work ourselves out of business,” said Tara Kelley, director of disability ministry with Handi-Vangelism Ministries International (HVMI). “We want to equip others to be able to do this because we can’t be everywhere.” To that end, HVMI offers a variety of support and training services to churches, educators, and especially families of children and adults with special needs. Once a month, HVMI gives parents of children with special needs an opportunity to spend time in the company of others who understand through the Parents In Progress (PIP) support group, which meets at the HVMI offices at 600 Chestnut St., Ephrata, every second Monday beginning at 7 p.m. PIP is facilitated by HVMI founder Tim Sheetz, and it is open to parents of children of all ages with a range of disabilities. Sheetz has been working with families since 1973, and he is acutely aware
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of their needs. “As the child grows older, who will take care of the child?” noted Sheetz. “That is a huge (concern).” He added that the group gives parents a safe space to talk. “The parents understand each other, and they can feel free to say what is going on and feel supported,” he said. To help families, educators, and church leaders work with children with ADHD and autism, Kelley presents “The ABCs of Bringing Out the Best in Children With ADHD,” a three-hour seminar that is not strictly focused on children. “It covers anyone with ADHD,” she said. “It’s for people … who need the really practical tips of what to do in daily life to help include children with the challenges associated with ADHD.” She also pointed out that the program may be useful to Sunday school teachers and ministry workers, who may not have training in education. “There are basic teaching techniques that can be helpful to anyone in an instruction setting,” she said.
Dan Steinman (left), Tara Kelley (center), and Tim Sheetz of Handi-Vangelism Ministries International are ready to help families of children with special needs feel more accepted.
Sheetz said that reaching out to faith leaders has long been the mission of HVMI. “The idea of the ministry was to alert the church to the need,” he said. “The church may
not be equipped to handle the needs of a child with a disability.” However, a welcoming faith community is what families who have members with special needs may
need most. “I (have) asked, ‘What is the greatest need?’” shared Sheetz, who noted that the answer is “acceptance” by both extended and church families. He pointed out See HVMI pg 5
Building a legacy Servants Inc. plans annual gala BY ANN MEAD ASH
UDS bingo event to support puppy program BY ANN MEAD ASH
Charlie, an unsponsored United Disabilities Services service dog pup, sits among bingo cards for the organization’s upcoming event to raise the money needed to help him through his first year of training.
Lori Breece, manager with United Disabilities Services (UDS) service dogs, remembers the successful bingo event the organization held in 2019. “At that time that was our largest fundraiser to date,” said Breece, who noted that the event garnered funds to help raise the 16 puppies that are trained yearly to become service dogs. The average cost of the first year of training one dog is $3,000.
The UDS bingo fundraiser will return to the Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, on Sunday, April 16. Doors will open at noon, and the first game will start at 1:30 p.m. Tickets, which are necessary to attend, will be discounted through Friday, April 14. Each ticket includes 20 games. Players must be age 18 or older, and tickets are limited. Food and beverage items will be available for purchase.
Servants Inc. has its roots in a mission trip that founder and CEO Trent Davis took to Guatemala around the year 2000. Davis wanted to share his experience with others, and he began coordinating mission trips, but that was just the beginning. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina inspired Davis to do home repair work stateside. Flooding in York County in 2010 brought the program home. Servants now has a presence in Adams and Lancaster counties as well. In Lancaster County, Servants is mostly active in the
See UDS pg 6
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See Servants Inc. pg 4
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ELANCO area as well as Columbia and Marietta. Servants Inc. completed more than 110 projects and had more than 10,000 volunteer hours total in 2022. To raise funds to help area families in need, Servants holds a spring gala. The 2023 event, which will be the fifth for the organization, will be held on Friday, April 14, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Stone Mill Inn, 305 S. Broad St., Hallam. The event will include a cocktail hour, a sitdown multicourse meal, videos, live and silent auctions, and live music, and Davis will give an update on the work of the ministry.
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… And Bingo was his name-o:
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