Donegal MARCH 25, 2026
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SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
REACHING MORE THAN 9,800 HOMES
101 Years Young BY CAT SHANNON
M
arking her 101st birthday on March 12, Janet Harple said she comes by her long life genetically. “My mother lived to be 101 and a half,” Janet stated with a smile. To celebrate her milestone, Janet enjoyed cake with friends at Paramount Senior Living in Maytown, where she has lived for the past three years. “I like it here,” she said. “You meet nice people, and it’s a place where I don’t have to cook. I don’t have to clean.” Born Janet Derr in Hollidaysburg, Janet was the youngest of five children. “I had three brothers and a sister,” she said. “I’m the only one still here.” Her father was a construction worker, and he brought the family with him as he traveled around to jobs. “One year, we attended four different schools and my mother said, ‘Now, that’s the end of that,’” Janet recalled with a laugh. “She said, ‘We’re not traveling with your father anymore.’” The family settled in the Elizabethtown area, and when she was a teenager, Janet got a job at the Marietta Depot, where she helped load and unload boxcars. “I drove a forklift,” she said. “I drove three different sizes, including a high lift that went way up high.” She enjoyed that job, which she did for about seven See 101 pg 8 Janet Harple at her birthday celebration. Photo by Cat Shannon
DON
Hooked on Fun at Kids Fishing Derby BY CAT SHANNON
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There’s something almost magical that happens when kids cast a line into a pond and try their luck at fishing. That simple act can lead to a lifelong hobby and an appreciation for nature, and that’s what the Donegal Fish and Conservation Association (DFCA) hopes to accomplish at its annual Kids Fishing Derby. The event will be held on Saturday, April 11, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the reflecting pond on the grounds See Fishing pg 4 A previous year’s Kids Fishing Derby
Easter Flowers!
VOL LXVII • NO 7
Early Learning Takes Root BY CAT SHANNON
Transformation is underway at the former Rheems Elementary School, where construction has begun on a no-cost learning center set to open in summer 2027. When it does, the Catherine Hershey School will bring change not only to the building, but also to the students and families it serves. The Elizabethtown Catherine Hershey School, located at 130 Alida St., will be the second location to open in Lancaster County, following the opening of a site in New Danville this summer. A third school is set to open in Lancaster city in the fall of 2027. Additional Catherine Hershey Schools are open in Hershey, Harrisburg and Middletown. Each is funded by a $350 million initiative by the Milton Hershey Trust, and all are open to lowincome families. “All expenses are covered for our families,” said Luanne Dohner, center director for the Elizabethtown Catherine Hershey School. The school will operate year-round and will provide classes for children age 6 weeks to 5 years. The school will accommodate up to 150 children and will initially be open to families that live or work in the Elizabethtown, Manheim Central and Donegal school districts. The Elizabethtown site has kept much of the footprint of the original elementary school, adding some new features that are found in all Catherine Hershey Schools. Each school features a tree motif in the lobby, representing Milton Hershey’s philosophy. “He believed if you plant a tree, you’re planting not for the See Learning pg 2
a Pansies a Hanging Baskets a Annuals/Perennials Chicken BBQ Every Saturday a Houseplants & Flowers a Cactus & Succulents Homemade Root Beer a Bedding Plants a Helleborus Starting Baked Goods a Ranunculus a Vegetable Plants a Herbs April 4 a Garden Seeds a Large Supply of Pottery Gift Certificates Available a Large Selection 1595 Maytown Rd., Elizabethtown, PA 17022 GREENHOUSE Now Open Mon. – Fri. 8–6 pm, Sat. 8-5 pm 717-361-6051 – Leave Message R126012
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