Donegal townlively.com
FEBRUARY 22, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXIV • NO 2
A helping hand for furry friends BY CATHY MOLITORIS
Garrett Lowe (middle) with his family
REYS will hold banquet ristina Paden, executive director of Rainbow ’s End Youth Services (REYS), describes the organization’s annual banquet as an inspiring night. “It’s a time of fellowship and connection,” she stated. “It’s a great way to get to understand the heart behind our mission here at REYS and a great way to get connected with other community members.” REYS will hold its banquet on Friday, March 17, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Junction Center, 1875 Junction Road, Manheim. The keynote speaker for the event will be Garrett Lowe, leadership development coach with BCM International. BCM, which stands for Bible Centered Ministries, has a mission to reach children and build
C
up the church, Paden explained, and the organization completes mission work all over the world. Prior to joining BCM, Lowe served as a leadership coach and consultant. REYS worked with Lowe in the past in a coaching capacity, Paden said, adding, “He worked with us to help us develop our core values as an organization. To have someone who knows us really well serve as our keynote speaker is really exciting.” The banquet will also include a catered meal provided by Hess’s Barbecue Catering, along with hamloaf donated by Gene Wenger’s. “ We’ll have a time of ministry updates, including an interview video from one of our families so guests will be able to hear directly how a family has been impacted by REYS in the past year,” Paden said.
Located in Mount Joy, REYS provides after-school programming with a Christian focus to students in grades one through 12. “It’s been a great year for REYS,” Paden remarked. “We’ve seen a lot of new students and a lot of new people getting involved in REYS. We’ve strengthened our relationships with Donegal School District this past year as well.” Tickets to the banquet are free. Funds are raised through sponsorships and donations at the event. Paden noted that REYS is still looking for banquet sponsors. Reservations are required for the banquet on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority will be given to people who register by Friday, March 3. For tickets and more information, visit https://reys.org/events.
See Helping pg 3
Heather Buller-Grady at her free pet food pantry
Going old school for a cause BY CATHY MOLITORIS
If the winter blues have you feeling low, head out for a fun night guaranteed to raise your spirits. Iron-Leg Corp. will host a Back to the ’70s and ’80s Dance Party on Saturday, March 11. The event will be held at Club Twenty3, 1703 New Holland Pike, Lancaster, from 7 p.m. to midnight. “Come out, dust off your platform shoes and help support a great cause,” said Sean Laukhuff, vice president of Iron-Leg. “Come enjoy the night with friends and dancing and just let loose.” The festivities will feature ’70s
and ’80s music from a DJ, a photo booth, a signature Iron-Leg drink and a silent auction. “We’ll have lots of sports memorabilia, memorabilia from the ’70s and ’80s and really something for everyone at the auction,” Laukhuff commented. People are encouraged to come in their best ’70s and ’80s costumes, and a costume contest will be held. “We’ll award prizes for the best male, best female and best couple,” Laukhuff noted. Proceeds from the party will benefit Iron-Leg Corp., a Lancasterbased nonprofit organization that raises funds for children in need of prosthetics. The organization was See Old school pg 2
R091537
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER FEB. 22, 2023
Postal Patron
DON
BY CATHY MOLITORIS
“Times are hard on a lot of people. Nobody should have to decide between feeding themselves or their pets,” said Heather BullerGrady. Determined to help, the Mount Joy woman took action. In January, she opened a free pet pantry at her house, 210 Mount Joy St., where anyone can pick up cat food, dog food, pellet litter and even toys for their pets. Buller-Grady got the idea for the free pantry during COVID, when she had trouble finding pet food for her own pets. “Sometimes our animals liked it, and other times, not so much,” she said. “I decided rather than waste it, maybe someone could use it.” She’s also active with trap, neuter and return (TNR) of feral cats in her community. “I had noticed while doing TNR in Mount Joy, I was finding several friendly cats,” she recalled. “I kept wondering if they had been released outside to find their own food. Could people not afford to keep them? My hope is to help people in need or