Columbia/Hellam/Wrightsville townlively.com
NOVEMBER 13, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXV • NO 37
Cheesesteak sale will benefit hurricane victims BY CATHY MOLITORIS
Like many people, the members of Riverside Masonic L odge 503 in Wr ightsville watched news stories about the recent devastation of Hurricane Helene and wanted to help. The service organization took action and will provide comfort for victims of the natural disaster through comfort food. The lodge will host a cheesesteak fundraiser to benefit people impacted by the hurricane in North Carolina. The
drive-through event will be held from 11 a.m. until sold out on Saturday, Nov. 16, at the lodge, 25 Cool Creek Road, Wrightsville. “One of our brothers, Keith Flaharty, said, ‘We ought to do something for the folks in North Carolina that had such tragedy in their lives,’” recalled Ed Reisinger, senior warden for the lodge. “Sometimes, the more time passes after an event like this, the further these people fade from our minds. We thought we’d wait a couple of weeks and See Cheesesteak pg 3
The cast and crew of “Witches!? In Salem?!”
Reimagining the Salem witch trials BY CATHY MOLITORIS
“Just be ready to have fun. This is a rollercoaster of a show.” “This is a very funny show,” said senior Eva Fanous, who is the lighting designer. “They will poke fun at things that us humans didn’t pay attention to or allowed to happen right in front of us. It’s very sarcastic.” Like “The Crucible,” “Witches!? In Salem?!” is set in 1692 and
follows the story of several local children who have fallen under a mysterious spell. Although it’s a comedy, the play prompts audiences to examine the circumstances and societal pressures of the Salem witch trials, as well as the people responsible for them. “Expect a lot of laughs when you see this show,” said senior Madison Evans, who is on the sound crew. “Even listening to them rehearse today, I was dying the whole time.” In fact, staying in character has been a challenge for the cast members, who often crack up at the show’s absurdity. That’s part of what makes the show so fun, said Alexymahr Whitley, a senior who portrays the Rev. Parris. “It’s been fun letting loose and getting into our characters, because this show is off the chain,”
Members of Riverside Lodge 503 participate in a variety of community initiatives, including providing holiday meals.
Preserving history in Hellam BY CATHY MOLITORIS
The name Dietz (sometimes spelled Diez, Dyetze, Diecz or Ditz) means “the one close to the land.” It’s fitting, then, that Dietz relatives are working hard to restore the land that serves as the final resting place for generations of their family. The Dietz Family Cemetery is located on Skyview Lane in Hellam Township, just off of Route 462. Some of the stones have deteriorated since their original installation in the mid-1700s,
See Salem pg 4
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but members of the Dietz Cemetery Association are in the process of restoring the markers. They’re looking for help from interested volunteers, especially members of the Dietz family. Thanks to extensive genealogy completed by several relatives, the Dietz name can be traced back as far as the 1300s. Records show that the people buried in the York cemetery came to central Pennsylvania in the early 1700s, purchasing land that is now home to Flinchbaugh’s Orchard & Farm Market. See History pg 5
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he S alem w i tch tr i als were some of the darkest moments in Amer ican history, but for the cast of the Columbia High School fall play, the events provide comedy fodder. The school will present “Witches!? In Salem?!” at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22 and 23, with an additional performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Much of what modern audiences know about the Salem witch trials comes from “The Crucible,” a social commentary written by Arthur Miller in 1953. “ T his is a parody of ‘ T he Crucible,’” said senior Michael U n k o w, w h o s e r v e s a s t h e show’s stage manager and plays three parts, including Farmer John No. 1. “There are multiple references to that play in this
show. They take what was already an absurd point in history, and they take it up to 11.” The show was written by Matt Cox, who is the author of other parody plays, including “Puffs,” which satirizes a popular franchise about a wizardry school.
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