Elizabethtown townlively.com
JANUARY 29, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
Building a bridge, creating community BY CAT SHANNON
Make memories at a Daddy/Daughter Dance BY CAT SHANNON
holds its annual Daddy/Daughter Dance. The dance will be held on Dads or father figures can treat Friday, Feb. 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. the young ladies in their life to a in Salon 1 at Masonic Village, night on the town when GEARS 1 Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown. See Dance pg 3
Girls can feel like princesses at the GEARS Daddy/Daughter Dance.
More than man’s best friend Stephanie Hall works on her Girl Scout Gold Award project.
stepped up and it worked out.” In fact, she said the teamwork aspect of her project turned out to be the best part. “It was really fun,” she said. “A couple of my friends from my school and some family members helped. I got to know more people in my church. I didn’t realize how many people in my church could do construction and what people were capable of.” Stephanie has been a Girl Scout since she entered the organization as a Daisy Scout
in kindergarten. She planned to enlist in the U.S. Navy after graduation, and she knew she wanted to earn her Gold Award before she aged out of Girl Scouts at 18. “I wanted to make an impact in my community before I started traveling and before I left home,” she said. “It seemed like a good way to say goodbye.” She completed basic training in Illinois in November, traveled to Florida for aviation school and graduated from that program in December.
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
If you walk into the headquarters of United Disabilities Ser vices (UDS), located at 2270 Erin Court, Lancaster, you’ll find more than a few reasons that dogs are commonly referred to as man’s best friend. The nonprofit organization provides highly trained service dogs for clients throughout Lancaster County and its surrounding areas, and each UDS dog is equipped with a special skillset to meet its owner’s needs.
In early January, an office on the second floor of UDS’ main building was temporarily converted into a kennel for a litter of young golden Labs. The six puppies were less than 3 months old and, like all new arrivals at UDS, adorable but unruly. After a 22-month training program, each do g will be obedient enough to accomplish tasks such as opening a door and picking up a TV remote from the floor. Outside the room of puppies, UDS volunteer Linda Rineer worked with CJ, a black Lab that
See Bridge pg 6
See UDS pg 3
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hen longtime Girl Scout Stephanie Hall began brainstorming ideas for her Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve, she let nothing stop her. “I was looking for something that would help my community, and I knew my church was a good place to start,” said the member of Conoy Brethren in Christ Church. “There was a bridge on the property that was older, and it looked like it needed to be redone. I had never worked with wood or with the tools to build a bridge, but I wanted to try.” Stephanie, who is the daughter of Jeremy and Christine Hall of Mount Joy, approached members of her church with her idea to improve the bridge, which spans a small creek on the property and provides access to a gazebo, playground and pavilion. “I sold rails for the bridge, and I got a wood-burning kit,” she said. “I learned how to personalize the rails with names or anything people wanted who purchased one. People loved the idea that they could add their name and designs like crosses or hearts. Some people purchased rails to honor family members who have passed away, and that was really special. It’s a nice way to make sure people don’t forget their names.” Stephanie is a 2024 graduate of Elizabethtown Area High School. She worked on her Gold Award project in the spring of 2024. “The most challenging part of my project was getting a team of enough people together to build a bridge,” she said. “Getting volunteers was difficult, but then people
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