Lampeter-Strasburg JULY 1, 2026
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Art Association Celebrates Conestoga River 90th Anniversary Named River of the Year
BY LOGAN MOYER
E
adopt them all,’” noted Hendricks, who has fostered more than 100 dogs over nine years. “We have all foster-failed at least once,” she added, referring to a foster dog she knew she would be keeping within the first 24 hours of fostering her. According to Kisha Reinmiller, site director for Pennsylvania SPCA Lancaster Center, many who
Officials recently honored the Conestoga River as Pennsylvania’s River of the Year for 2026. The ceremony was held in Lancaster County Central Park and was a part of Lancaster Water Week, an annual celebration of the 1,400 miles of streams and rivers in Lancaster County, hosted by Lancaster Conservancy. This week of events encourages people to enjoy and learn about the waterways throughout the county and to volunteer and take action to clean and protect them. Historically, the Conestoga River was highly polluted, and many tributaries are still considered impaired. However, the river has become a source of increased recreation and enjoyment for local communities. It received 2,510 votes for River of the Year. “How Lancaster has rallied around the Conestoga River has been nothing short of inspiring,” noted Brian Gish, a Lancaster native and senior watershed planner with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). “My entire life, I’ve encountered negative perceptions of this waterway, but recently I’ve seen attitudes pivot. In my conversations with the watershed’s farmers, residents, and leaders, indifference is transforming into passion and action.” Gish has led a multi-year effort to develop a comprehensive plan to improve the headwaters of the Conestoga River. “Countless projects are undoing centuries of damage, driven by a community - my community reconsidering its relationship with this river,” Gish noted. “The
See Fostering pg 5
See River pg 8
ven after 90 years, the Lancaster County Art Association (LCAA) is as strong as ever. The LCAA, the oldest art association in Lancaster County, celebrated its 90th birthday at its annual banquet at the DoubleTree Resort in Lancaster in May. The banquet’s keynote speaker was artist Richard Ressel, who shared many of his memories from over the years. He also honored Ken Hoak, The Lancaster County Art Association is located at 149 Precision Ave., Strasburg. an LCAA member since 1950, for handles the association’s publicity 22 E. Vine St., Lancaster, a building and advertising. that once belonged to the plumbers’ his longtime service. Formed in 1936 by Mary Black union. “(Richard) gave a wonderful The Vine Street location would view, just the little tidbits that he Diller and Grace Steinmetz, the knew from the art association, LCAA began house tours around serve as the association’s home things and memories that would the county in 1949, with proceeds for more than 30 years until 1998, be meaning ful to members,” earmarked for a permanent loca- when it moved to its present said Patricia Keller of Landisville, tion. That would come in 1954, location of 149 Precision Ave., a 40-year LC AA member who when the association moved into Strasburg. That building consists of
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Anne Hendricks, outreach coordinator with All 4 Paws, with Bear, one of many dogs she has fostered in the last decade
Anne Hendricks, outreach coordinator with All 4 Paws Rescue, a nonprofit, foster-based, all-breed organization located in Malvern, is familiar with the most common excuse potential pet foster parents give. “They all say, ‘I could never foster because I would want to
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