Garden Spot APRIL 29, 2026
SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
REACHING MORE THAN 11,290 HOMES
Slow Down Ministries Accelerates Road to Recovery
Time for
SPRING
BY JEFF FALK
CLEANING
B
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ecause they move us from Point A to Point B, cars are modes of transportation. Slow Down Ministries views vehicles in the same utilitarian way, but on a more spiritual level. The local nonprofit considers cars modes of transformation. “I tell the guys, ‘You’re not getting an Escalade or a Ferrari,’” said Frank Gaston, the founder and executive director of Slow Down Ministries. “(The vehicles) are going to last a year, and once you get a job, you can get another car. Some guys run them a year or two or three years. It’s their responsibility. “I’m just trying to get them to work, get them to see their families, get them to church,” continued Gaston. “(The need for personal transportation) is even more important when you’ve wrecked your life. They’ve got to check in with their probation officer. They need a car.” Slow Down Ministries is overseen by a board of six volunteer supervisors and does not operate See Slow Down pg 7
GDN
United Is the Only Way BY JEFF FALK
425 Ranck Road, New Holland Reserve online: elancoselfstorage.com
See United Way pg 5 Lancaster County service project.
The GateHouse Is a Portal Between Addiction, Recovery BY JEFF FALK
The GateHouse Lititz judges lightly. And when it does, the GateHouse Lititz judges people on who they are, not what they do or have done. The GateHouse Lititz doesn’t give up on people; it doesn’t throw away souls. “There is hope. We provide hope,” said Anthony Valentin, who’s been the program director at The GateHouse Lititz for four years. “There are people out there who are willing to fight this battle and help. We want individuals to know it’s possible. We’re willing to walk alongside you. This is not meant to be done alone. It comes down to one person helping another.” The GateHouse Lititz gives people second chances. The GateHouse Lititz, which is located at 649 E. Main St., Lititz, is an accredited residential recovery facility - a type of halfway house - which is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. The local nonprofit takes a holistic approach to addiction and recovery. “Our mission is to help individuals transform their lives that have been centered around drug and alcohol addiction,” said Valentin. “We encourage them to be part of the community. We encourage them to volunteer. We want to show them it’s about community and what it’s like to give back.” See GateHouse pg 6
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There are many great methods for getting things done. There are collaborative cooperations. There are awe-inspiring approaches. There are individual initiatives. Of course, there’s also the United Way. “ U n i t e d Wa y m e a n s community,” said Maddie Seiler, the vice president
of marketing and communications for the United Way of Lancaster County. “All United Ways across the world show up in communities in powerful ways. The United Way does that; we uni te. We mobiliz e resources and get them to people who need them. At the end of the day, it’s about making the community better and making sure all of our neighbors can thrive.” Volunteers donate their talents to a United Way of
VOL LXII • NO 19
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