Lampeter-Strasburg townlively.com
MARCH 29, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LIX • NO 47
Rough Riders post fundraiser BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
The Rough Riders 4-H Club of Lancaster will host a fundraiser meal on Saturday, April 1, at Lampeter Fire Company, 851 Village Road, Lampeter. Preordered meals may be picked up beginning at 10 a.m., and food will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis after noon via a drive-through. The Rough Riders Club primarily serves children in the Southern End, and the money raised from the sale will help to cover the expenses of the club’s activities.
Charles Book with a formal statement of recognition from Sen. Scott Martin for his service to the community
Book’s ballfields BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
n March 4, the Strasburg Playground Association dedicated two baseball fields at Strasburg’s community park to its president, Charles Book. The organization presented Book with a formal congratulation written by Senator Scott Martin and expressed its gratitude for the decades of service Book has provided to the Strasburg community. On March 14, Strasburg Borough officially named May 24, Book’s birthday, Charlie Book Day. Book will celebrate his 91st birthday this year. Book has lived in Strasburg for his entire life and has served the Playground Association for over 77 years, having first become involved with the organization when he was 14 years old. Book’s father owned a greenhouse in town where the family raised flowers. After coming home from school and working at the greenhouse, Book would ride his father’s tractor to the nearby baseball field to prepare it for big-league games. He never stopped caring for
many years, regularly completing the 3 hour-long task of mowing the grass. Over the course of the last two years, the Strasburg Playground Association has increased the size of its roster to welcome several members of the community who share Book’s dedication for maintaining the fields. Along with the new members have come new ideas and plans to improve the park, such as bathroom renovations that the association hopes to complete in the near future. “I just feel that the park is a necessity for the children in our community,” Esh said. “Just yesterday I saw a whole group of kids and parents out there practicing ball. It gives me great pleasure to give these kids an outlet.” Esh’s own son used to play ball on the property, and Book’s daughters used to practice regularly on the fields that are now dedicated to their father. The Strasburg Playground Association raises funds by making the Tinney Pavilion available to rent for private events. For more information, contact the Strasburg Borough at 717-687-7732.
Madison (left) and Zoe Landis
See Rough Riders pg 9
The house that Poppy built BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Acorn Acres Wildlife Rehabilitation announced on March 7 that Poppy, a rescued groundhog and animal ambassador for the organization, had passed away. Acorn Acres will host a memorial for Poppy on Saturday, April 1, at Jack’s Family Tavern & Restaurant, 15 S. Prince St., Millersville. The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. and will include light refreshments, children’s activities, cornhole and a silent auction. Although the event will be free, Acorn Acres asks attendees to consider making a donation, which will fund the groundhog caging at its facility.
Upon receiving the news of Poppy’s passing, several members of the community reached out to Acorn Acres’ founder, Betsy Shenk, to ask her if she would host a memorial. Shenk had originally planned to hold a baby shower-like event on April 1 to collect supplies for the rehab, as most wild animals begin raising their offspring during this time of year. April 1 would have been Poppy’s fourth birthday, so Shenk decided to transform the event into a way to honor her memory and to provide the community with a way to benefit the other groundhogs at Acorn Acres. With the money raised from donations, See Poppy memorial pg 3
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the field; you can still find Book today prepping the lawn for local schools’ teams with the same attention he gave when it was used by the big-leaguers. The community park is open for public use and is primarily utilized by the Strasburg Willow Street Baseball Softball Association for team practices. Book has served as the Playground Association’s president for over 35 years now, and he was instrumental in making improvements to the park. Over the years, the property has been upgraded to include a second field and the Tinney Pavilion, and the park is lined with trees that Book planted himself. “He’s such an inspiration. He’s all about getting things done and getting them done right,” said David Esh, vice president of the Strasburg Playground Association. “His care is evident when you look at the property; everything is in place and well maintained.” Before Esh became the secretary for the organization 20 years ago, it was just Book and Jim Johnson. The pair worked together to ensure the upkeep of the 4-acre property for
The meal will have a set cost per person and include a barbecue halfchicken, chips, a roll, applesauce, water and a dessert. The chicken will be prepared by the family members of group leader Zoe Lanids and club member Madison Landis, who use a homemade recipe. Members of the club will pack the meals and distribute them to the fundraiser’s supporters. The club’s goal is to help its members learn more about horses by exploring riding techniques, equine health and important information about owning a horse. Members gather on the first Thursday of each month for a business meeting and on the third Thursday of each month for a workshop at Refton Brethren in Christ Church. During meetings, members offer presentations and direct lessons on a variety of topics. In addition to their meetings, Rough Riders Club members frequently attend equestrian events together, such as horse shows, trail rides and riding clinics.