Elizabethtown SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
JULY 23, 2025
REACHING MORE THAN 14,530 HOMES
Frozen Fun Will Heat Up the Stage BY CAT SHANNON
M
ark your calendar for upcoming performances from students at ExHaLTT Performing Arts Academy’s summer camps when “Frozen KIDS” and “Frozen JR.” hit the stage in late July and early August. “ ( T h e s e ) a re f a m i l y friendly shows that highlight how love is the key to melt hearts and bring unity to a world that is in desperate need of that demonstrated and lived out loud,” said Jill Thomasson, founder and artistic director of ExHaLTT. Students rehearse for a previous performance at ExHaLTT Performing Arts “Frozen KIDS ” will be Academy. performed on Saturday, July 26, at Theatre on the Elizabethtown a 30-minute production,” Thom1 p.m. “Frozen JR.” will be per- College campus, 1 Alpha Drive, and asson explained. Both shows will formed at 7 p.m. on Thursday and are open to the public. feature students who participated Friday, July 31 and Aug. 1. All perfor“‘Frozen JR.’ is a 60-minute in either a one- or two-week camp mances will be held at the Tempest production, while ‘Frozen KIDS’ is at ExHaLT T, and both tell the
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JUNE 11, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
See Frozen pg 4
VOL LXVI • NO 18
Shine Bright at Hope Within 5K BY CAT SHANNON
Support a local nonprofit, enjoy beautiful surroundings and get some exercise all at the same time by participating in the Hope Within Ministries’ Let Your Light Shine 5K Walk/ Run. The event will be held on
Saturday, July 19, beginning at 8 a.m. at Stone Gables Estate, 1 Hollinger Lane, Elizabethtown. “The idea came about as a means to represent what Hope Within Ministries is - a health care, dental and counseling center,” said Laurie Reichert, director of development for the
Interns Suit Up for a Summer of Service
See 5K pg 2
2024 MS FitEffect participants and trainers with program director Mark Mueller (far right)
MS FitEffect Puts Strength Into Motion explained. “We have sessions there are no two people who available Monday through Sat- share the same set of symptoms urday in the morning, afternoon at the same intensities with the and some evenings. It is based same presentation of symptoms.” While specifics vary for each on the participant’s and trainer’s participant, the program focuses availability.” on strength, stamina and stability for all sessions. “ We use a combination of “We meet each stretching, relaxation techniques, participant where they weight training, cardiovascular training, balance and gait training are at and move them and functional training,” Mark forward from there.” said. “We meet each participant where they are at and move them forward from there. We focus on As Mark shared, MS FitEffect is helping them achieve a better qualpersonalized. ity of life by working with them on “The program is different for activities of daily living that have everyone, as the trainer cus- become difficult for them.” tom-designs the program for the MS FitEffect is open to anyone particular participant,” he stated. with MS or any demyelinating “MS is different for everyone; disease.
The historic Star Barn will be one of the sights to see along the route of Hope Within Ministries’ Let Your Light Shine 5K.
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ark Mueller and his wife, Jackie, took a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and turned it into an opportunity to help others. Jackie was diagnosed with MS in 1998, and the couple sought to treat the disease as naturally as possible, without medication. They experimented with nutrition and exercise to see what worked and what didn’t, and their research led to MS FitEffect, a free, 10-week program for people with MS. The next session will run from Saturday, Sept. 6, through Saturday, Nov. 15, at Elizabethtown Fitness Club, 626 S. Market St. “Each participant selects a time with their trainer for their private one-hour weekly session,” Mark
A World of Wonder Awaits Inside the Bookmobile
BY JEFF FALK
It ’s more than books on wheels. The Library System of Lancaster County’s (LSLC) bookmobile delivers knowledge, creativity, inspiration and joy. The bookmobile is kind of like a food truck serving up nourishment for the mind and soul. “Reading in general is very important,” said Audrey Lilley, the bookmobile’s driver, curator and full-time coordinator. “It’s important for kids to be reading. It’s important for them to
See MS FitEffect pg 5
be able to pick up a book and see characters who look like them. Reading can be inspirational, and with retirees, it kind of comes full circle. I think retirees can find comfort in reading. For all people in between, it’s a way to relax and unwind.” W h e n n o t o n t h e g o to multiple locations all across Lancaster County, Lilley parks the bookmobile at LSLC’s main office at 1866 Colonial Village Lane, Suite 107, Lancaster. The bookmobile is a 22-foot-long box truck with a single entrance See Bookmobile pg 3
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BY CAT SHANNON
On a recent Sunday morning, Ryan Shepard could be found wearing a suit of armor and holding a shield while a child nearby waved a (fake) sword. It might be surprising to discover where he was doing this: in church. Shepard, a 2024 graduate of Donegal High School who now attends Columbia International University, is one of five summer interns at Community Bible Church in Marietta. He donned the costume as part of a See Interns pg 2 Community Bible Church interns and staff members. Photo by Cat Shannon
Anabaptist Roots Run Deep BY CAT SHANNON
When people hear the word “Anabaptist,” they might think of Amish communities or Mennonite churches scattered across Lancaster County. But the roots of Anabaptism run far deeper than these familiar local expressions. The movement emerged 500 years ago in 16th-century Europe, born of deep conviction and radical dissent against the established norms of church and state. According to Steven Nolt, professor of history and director of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College, Anabaptism began as a grassroots movement during the Protestant Reformation. “The word itself can be confusing,” he said. “Some people mishear it as ‘anti-Baptist,’ but it actually comes from a Latin term used in the 1500s to describe those who practiced adult baptism.” At the time, infant baptism was nearly universal throughout Europe, required by both the Catholic Church and emerging Protestant churches. Baptism was not only a religious rite but a legal act that incorporated a newborn into both the church and society. But the early Anabaptists mostly young adults in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1525 - challenged that system. They believed that faith was a personal and voluntary decision, something that could not be made on someone else’s behalf. They rejected infant baptism and insisted that only those old enough to understand their commitment should be baptized. This seemingly simple belief See Roots pg 3
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BY CAT SHANNON
VOL LXVI • NO 24