Donegal townlively.com
MAY 7, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXVI • NO 13
Navy Club is looking for a Teens fight for their right few good men (and women) to dance in “Footloose” BY CAT SHANNON
In 2016, Bill Terry was attending a local craft show when a T-shirt someone was wearing caught his eye. “I saw it said something about a Navy Ship Club, and I asked about it,” recalled the Navy veteran. “I said, ‘Where do you meet?’ I learned more about the club and thought, ‘Yeah, I can do this. It could be fun.’”
BY CAT SHANNON
W
hat happens when high school students really want to dance, even though dancing is outlawed in their town? Find out when Susquehanna Stage presents “Footloose.” The musical, which is part of the theater’s youth and teen production series, will be performed on select dates from Friday, May 9, through Sunday, May 18, at the theater, 133 W. Market St., Marietta. Based on the 1984 movie of the same name, “Footloose” focuses on Ren McCormack, a boy who recently moved from the big city to the fictional small town of Bomont.
See Navy pg 5
Members of the Navy Ship Club 166 participate in a parade.
Get ready for family fun, food and lots of auctions The leads of the cast of “Footloose”
for the dancing ban. “There’s a lot of grief in this show, and teaching you to move past your grief and to accept it and acknowledge that you can grieve for someone that you’ve lost. It’s really important.” The show also explores the relationships between teens and their parents, she said. “The show emphasizes that listening to youth is so important, because they are the next generation coming up,” Mia noted.
“They have to learn to make their own decisions.” For Deaglan Benson, a high school junior who plays the Rev. Shaw Moore, portraying the character has been a fun challenge. “I’ve been looking at sermons online and learning more about religion,” he said. “The hardest part has been changing myself from teenager me to having to be a 50-something man who is stoic. I like to show emotion a lot, and
Come to the Kraybill Mennonite School’s annual benefit auction and fundraiser, and you can enjoy great deals on merchandise, sample tasty food and have family fun, all while supporting young learners. The event will be held on Friday, May 9, from 4 to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, May 10, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the school, 598 Kraybill Church Road, Mount Joy. “This is a great opportunity
to support today’s students and to support growth, nurturing and development for our next generation,” said Sarah Kain, administrative assistant for the school. “The auction provides a great opportunity to get a deal on some quality goods or experiences. Coming both days ups your chances of that deal! The food is also plentiful and delicious - baked goods, cheesesteaks on the Blackstone, pancake tacos, yum!” Friday’s festivities will begin with a preview of auction items
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See Auction pg 8
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BY CAT SHANNON
See “Footloose” pg 2
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“Even though it’s set in the ’80s, there’s a lot of stuff that’s very relevant for today.” “Ren was a partier, and he finds out that dancing and parties are banned in Bomont,” explained Landon Hunsicker, a high school senior who plays the character. “He bands together with other kids to try to lift the ban because they all want to be free to enjoy their lives.” While that sounds like a lighthearted plot, the show explores deeper emotions, said junior Mia LaFontaine, who plays Ariel Moore, the daughter of the town reverend. “One of the big overall messages in this show is that change can be good and change can be necessary,” she said, explaining that audiences will learn the reason
Now almost a decade later, Terry is among the dwindling number of club members. He and the other active participants are hoping more veterans will step up to join Navy Club Ship 166. “Our club is open to anyone who goes to sea - Navy, Marines, Coast Guard personnel,” Terry said. “We’re looking for people who are interested in participating in car shows and community parades.”