Elizabethtown MAY 21, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXVI • NO 15
Poppies and patriotism in Bainbridge
Finding inspiration through Discovering Paths
BY CAT SHANNON
BY CAT SHANNON
Leland Imler
and state Rep. Tom Jones was there.” One thing remains constant in the parade, however: the poppy kids. As Mariani explained, the poppy kids sell poppies to raise money to support patients at the Lebanon VA Medical Center. “In the past for poppy nominees, we would go into the fifth-grade
The program emphasized the importance of patriotism and encouraged the young participants to become future peacemakers. With the program no longer happening at the school, Mariani has had to cast a wider net to find poppy kids, including reaching out to parents through social media. This year ’s poppy kids are
High school is a time for self-discovery as students learn about potential careers and opportunities beyond graduation. With the Discovering Paths Mentoring Program, an initiative of the Lancaster Chamber, high school juniors across the county have a unique way to explore meaningful career options and plan for life after high school. The program hosts eight field trip sessions throughout the academic year, said Ashley Burkett Glensor, workforce and education initiative manager for the Chamber. Each session focuses on a different overarching industry or group of career pathways. “Par t ic ipant s enga ge in interactive workshops, speed mentoring with industry leaders and experiential learning opportunities that spotlight in-demand career f ields ,” Glensor said. “The program also features career fair integration, where students connect with local educational institutions and employers to ex plore postsecond ar y
See Poppies pg 5
See Inspiration pg 3
Rhys McFadden
class at Bainbridge (Elementary), do a program explaining the poppies and the importance of them and then the kids would vote on who they want to represent them as a poppy nominee,” Mariani shared. “We would then have these kids sell poppies in the community, and then they get to ride in the parade, and we announce the winners.”
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o some, a red poppy may be nothing more than a pretty flower. To veterans and the people who support them, however, the poppy has a deeper meaning. For decades, the flower has been a symbol of remembrance, stemming from the poem “In Flanders Fields,” which details the flowers growing on battlefields and in cemeteries, a stark contrast of life in the midst of death. While poppies are often associated with Veterans Day, the flowers take on a significant role at other times of the year as well. In Bainbridge, poppies are at the heart of Memorial Day commemorations. T he Bainbr idge Amer ican Legion Post 197 will host its annual Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 26. The parade will form at 8:30 a.m. and will step off at 9 a.m. It will leave from Bainbridge Elementary School, 416 N. Second St., and it will head south to the Locust Grove Cemetery, where a ceremony will be held. “The parade is open to anyone, and ever y year the lineup is different,” said Gina Mariani, parade organizer. “Last year, Mrs. Pennsylvania showed up. We’ve had the Legion Riders,
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