Lampeter-Strasburg townlively.com
DECEMBER 11, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
Model railroaders use small trains to make a big difference BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Six years ago, Al Strausner and his grandson Matthew Palmieri started an annual tradition that combines their love for model railroading with the desire to give back to the community. Every December, the two train enthusiasts set up a model train display at West Willow United Methodist Church (UMC), 118 West Willow Road, Willow Street. The event allows Strausner and Palmieri, now 17 years old, to share their
passion with members of the community in addition to benefiting nonprofits in Conestoga and Quarryville. Strausner and Palmieri’s display returned to West Willow UMC on Dec. 7, and it will be open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Dec. 14, 21 and 28, and Sundays, Dec. 15, 22 and 29. Admission will be offered by donations of nonperishable food items or cash; all proceeds will benefit Conestoga Area Food Bank and Solanco Neighborhood Ministries in Quarryville. Although the display features many of the same models as previous years, Strausner and Palmieri typically arrange the
All about volleyball BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
For many people, volleyball is a casual, fun game you might play at the beach with your friends or family members. For Lampeter-Strasburg High School (LSHS) senior Megan Platt, the sport is much, much more. Platt recently finished her volleyball career at LSHS, where she played as a starter on the school’s varsity team for three years. Platt also helped carry her team to first place in the section twice during her time playing at the high school level. Although her time as a Pioneer is at an end, she doesn’t plan to put the volleyball on the shelf any time soon; after Platt graduates from LSHS in the spring, she will attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to play Division I volleyball. “(The University of North Carolina at Wilmington) reached out to me at a tournament one time, so I decided to check it out,” Platt said. “I immediately fell in love with the campus and the team
Megan Platt
atmosphere. Once I saw it, I wanted to be there - it felt like home.” During Platt’s last season as a high school volleyball player, she was named the Most Valuable Player in Section 2 at the Lancaster-Lebanon League volleyball banquet. Every season, the section’s coaches hold a vote to recognize a player who works hard, brings good energy to the See Volleyball pg 6
Lancaster band celebrates EP release with fall tour BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Matthew Palmieri (left) and Al Strausner
pieces differently to offer visitors a unique experience every year. “We switch it up every year,” Strausner said. “Nothing stays the same except the track.” This year, the locomotive-loving duo has joined forces with a few other railheads to expand the event; the display at West Willow UMC will include an addition from Ben Stiles, and a second layout will be set up by Chris and Justin Trout at their home, located at 1729 Hans Herr Drive,
Willow Street. Chris and Justin’s display will be open to the public during the same hours as the West Willow UMC layout, and the couple will also offer admission by donations of nonperishables or cash for Solanco Neighborhood Ministries and Conestoga Area Food Bank. “We try to change it up a bit to make it interesting for people,” said Palmieri. “People always love pointing out the models they had in their own Christmas setups as
In November, Lancaster-based screamo outfit Fragile Like Life After toured to celebrate the release of its latest EP, “A Long Look At A Short Distance.” The fall tour marks the band’s third time hitting the road this year, and the EP follows two albums and a single that Fragile Like Life After has released since 2021. The expedition served as an opportunity for the threepiece project to showcase the fresh material as it trod new
ground - creatively and literally. Fragile Like Life After comprises bassist Adrian Alicea, guitarist Max Ludewig and drummer Chris Copeland, who formed the band in 2021. The three Millersville University alumni met through school a few years prior, and they had already become close friends by the time the band took shape. Fragile Like Life After’s debut album, “I Thought I Saw A UFO But It Was Just Five Months,” laid the foundation for a sound as distinct as its name, taking See Local band pg 12
See Trains pg 2
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“Seeing the people who always come back is neat, and they’ve helped us raise a good amount of money for a good cause.”
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