Lampeter-Strasburg townlively.com
NOVEMBER 20, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXI • NO 29
Supporting first responders, one beard at a time BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
E
v e r y No v e m b e r, m a ny Americans say goodbye to their boyfriends’ and husbands’ clean-shaven faces while men take part in the nationwide No Shave November movement. The annual tradition involves ditching the razor for one month, and it has been observed by men in the United States for over a decade. For many participants, the month is simply an excuse to try growing that Tom Selleckinspired mustache they’ve always wanted to have. But for some men, including first responders in nearly every part of Lancaster County, the shaving fast is a way to support other emergency service workers who are battling cancer. In 2013, East Hempfield Township police officer Bill Watt was diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatment. After personally experiencing the emotional stress and financial burden involved with
treatment, Watt wished to create an initiative to support other people who are battling cancer. The following year, Watt asked East Hempfield Township’s chief of police to waive the department’s policy that prohibits officers from growing facial hair during November. For a minimum donation, officers were permitted to grow a beard for the month, after which the money was donated to the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute in Lancaster. The fundraiser, named Beards for Brothers, was officially registered as a nonprofit organization this year. In 2015, Watt teamed up with West Hempfield Township police officer Rich Bowermaster to expand Beards for Brothers. The two officers’ primary goal was to advocate for first responders fighting cancer by offering them financial and emotional support, as well as raising awareness of cancer and urging other police departments to get involved. “( Watt and I) both work in
In 2019, Beards for Brothers began to support A Week Away Foundation through its annual No Shave November fundraiser.
adjoining departments, so we’ve known each other for a long time,” Bowermaster said. “He reached out to ask if I wanted to join (Beards for Brothers), and of course, it was a no-brainer.” After the first year, Watt and
Bowermaster expanded Beards for Brothers to support other emergency service workers in addition to police officers. The initiative quickly grew into a county-wide fundraiser that police officers, firefighters and
EMS clinicians in nearly every borough participate in every year. “We decided to open it up to (support) any first responder who has cancer. We all have an important role and support each other somehow,” said Bowermaster. “Dispatchers have
Crafting success: IU13 bazaar will showcase student talents BY CATHY MOLITORIS
For the past few weeks, a group of budding entrepreneurs at Marticville Middle School has been putting its creativity and teamwork to the test. Students in Elizabeth Ortega’s autism support classroom have embraced the role of small business owners, preparing for their debut at the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13’s Holiday Student
Bazaar. Operating under the name The Spectrum Studio, these young creators have crafted a collection of one-of-a-kind handmade keychains and vibrant tie-dyed T-shirts, all ready for sale at the event on Thursday, Dec. 5. The bazaar will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the IU13 Conference and Training Center, 1020 New Holland Ave., Lancaster. Several of the seven students in the class are nonverbal, but
West Willow Fire Company will host Amish wedding meal fundraiser BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Lancaster County is well known for its large population of members of the plain community. The horse and bugg y have become emblematic of the area’s culture and large number of Mennonite and Amish residents, and most members of the greater community are familiar with at least a few of the plain community’s customs and traditions. In parts of the county such as
See IU13 pg 3
the Southern End, many Amish and Mennonite individuals are members of their local fire departments, and they often share their culture with fellow firefighters. West Willow Fire Company, located at 192 West Willow Road, Willow Street, will host an Amish wedding meal fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 23, to offer the community a taste of traditional Amish cooking and to raise money for the fire department. Firefighters who are members of the The event will take place plain community attended the 2024 West See Amish meal pg 6 Lampeter Community Fair.
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See Beards for Brothers pg 2