Garden Spot AUGUST 27, 2025
SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
REACHING MORE THAN 11,290 HOMES
Needed: Volunteers Who Love Kids. No Running Necessary.
Hunting Licenses Now Available! OUR NEW CATALOG
Cross Jr. Will Start in October
IS AVAILABLE NOW! Call Us for Your FREE Copy!
BY ANN MEAD ASH
Beat the rush and schedule your bow for a tune-up or service
Students who take part in the New Holland program will be given the opportunity to earn points toward a week at Woodcrest Retreat in Ephrata, Greenview Bible Camp in Denver, or Tel Hai Camp & Retreat in Honey Brook. At the end of the spring session, two students from each grade will be chosen through a drawing to win a camp scholarship. In addition, the two students with the highest number of points for the whole year will receive scholarships. Reimers noted that a total of 10 scholarships are given out. In addition, a group of mimes visits the program to give a presentation of the Gospel each year around Easter. “We will make a big deal of the fifth-grade students when they graduate,” shared Reimers, who noted that a trip to Sight & Sound Theatres is part of the celebration. Children who participate in the Blue Ball program will also earn points each week for verse memorization and other accomplishments. “We plan to give prizes to
“We are looking for volunteers who love kids, are willing to be flexible, and are up for the challenge of spending time with fourth- and fifth-graders,” said Julia Bills, mentoring and education manager with CrossNet Ministries and the organizer of Cross Jr., a faith-based, afterschool program in the ELANCO School District. “(Volunteers) don’t have to participate in running games,” she added. “That’s not a requirement.” Cross Jr. will be held at all three EL ANCO elementar y schools this fall. The Blue Ball Elementary program will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 21, and meet weekly from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Programs at Brecknock and New Holland elementary schools will meet from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. on Wednesdays starting Oct. 22. In addition, there will be a Thursday program at New Holland Elementary from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. beginning on Oct. 30. According to Bills, each Cross Jr. group has about 10 children, and each child needs a mentor. About 20 mentors are needed to complete the fall roster. Children who take part in the program may be referred by school faculty, parents, or friends. The one-on-one mentoring curriculum was devised especially for Cross Jr. “We created a book in house at CrossNet,” explained Bills, who noted the journal for the program is a very specific,
See ELANCO Released Time pg 8
See Cross Jr. pg 5
Volunteers for the New Holland ELANCO Released Time program are getting ready to work with second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students this fall.
Released Time Is Ready for Fall
NOW!
BY ANN MEAD ASH
A
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610-273-3724
R120577
5004 Horseshoe Pike Honey Brook, PA
s the sixth-grade students in the ELANCO School District transition to studying at the Garden Spot Middle School, the EL A NCO Released T ime programs have taken different approaches to the fall of 2025. According to Deb Reimers, who oversees the New Holland Elementary program, second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students will be able to participate in Released Time this fall. Kevin Kirkpatrick, who oversees the Blue Ball Elementary program, stated that the program will be for third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students this year. The New Holland program is slated to begin on Thursday, Sept. 11. Paperwork for parents will be sent home shortly after school begins. Kirkpatrick stated that students at Blue Ball received paperwork to take home on Aug. 22 and that the
program will begin on Thursday, Sept. 4. New Holland Elementary School students who choose to take part will ride buses provided by local churches from the school to Petra Church, 565 Airport Road, New Holland, each Thursday at 2:15 p.m. Students at Blue Ball Elementary School will be walked to nearby Blue Ball Mennonite Church, 143 Ewell Road, East Earl. Released Time volunteers will arrive at the school at 2:15 p.m. to walk participating children to the church. The ELANCO Released Time program uses a two-year sequential curriculum that begins with the establishment of God as Creator. The program teaches that humans are sinful and in need of a savior and that God provides a way to salvation through Jesus Christ. While both programs use the same overall curriculum, implementation may vary, but both generally include a Bible lesson, songs, prayer, listening time, and memorizing Bible verses.
Hay Creek Festival
10 Adults, 2 Age 6-12, FREE Age 5 & Under
September 5-7, 2025
Historic Joanna Furnace is located 3 miles N. of Morgantown on Rt. 10
49th Annual
10am to 5pm
$
$
FREE Parking • No Pets Please
R120565
Make sure your bow is ready!
HOURS: Mon., Tue., Thu., Fri. 6-6 Wed. 6-8 | Sat. 7-3
VOL LXI • NO 36
haycreek.org
POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER AUG. 27, 2025
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