Manheim Central JANUARY 11, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXIII • NO 50
Rescuing Reptiles BY CATHY MOLITORIS
ike many 8-year-olds, Viola Rothacker loves animals. She even has a favorite pet, but it’s not furry or four-legged. It’s a Mexican kingsnake named Dandelion. She’s completely comfortable around snakes, lizards, turtles and other creatures, handling them like a pro, because loving reptiles is in her DNA. Her father, Jesse Rothacker, operates Forgotten Friend Reptile Sanctuary out of his home in Manheim. Jesse started Forgotten Friend in 2004. “I knew there were a lot of people looking for a place to rehome reptiles,” he said, noting that many people underestimate how large reptiles will grow as well as their long lifespan. He realized that places like Humane Pennsylvania couldn’t easily take in reptiles since their shelters were already full of cats and dogs. “I know people love reptiles, and I knew there was a need for a rescue,” Jesse recalled. “I thought, ‘I can start one.’” Jesse, who grew up in southern California but moved to Lititz as a teen, has been a lifelong reptile fan. “In the ’90s as a teenager, I got my first pet snake, Leon,” he stated. “I loved him, and I took him everywhere.” In fact, he even got a detention at Warwick High School, where he graduated in the Class of 2000, for bringing Leon to school without permission. In the early days of Forgotten Friend, he took in every reptile he could, with the hopes of rehoming them all. As the rescue grew, he shifted gears to refer people or provide information on their reptile, although he still takes in some animals. His business, now a nonprofit, receives most of its funding from the live shows Jesse offers - often accompanied by Viola and her brother, Kenny, 12 - at local schools, churches, libraries and birthday parties. “We did 275 live shows this past year,” Jesse said.
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Jesse Rothacker, holding Foosball, the rescue’s oldest resident, and Viola Rothacker, holding Dandelion
See Reptiles pg 4
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You’re Invited To The Great Create BY CATHY MOLITORIS
More than three years ago, Jason and Katherine Horst, owners of Horst Arts in Manheim, were working out of their home when they came up with an idea. “We were watching ‘The Great British Baking Show’ and decided to try a similar craftbased version with us and our two young children,” Jason recalled. “It was a lot of fun, and we tried to figure out how to host a full-fledged event out of our home with friends.” Although that idea never came to fruition, just a few months later, the couple opened its business at 17 N. Main St., Manheim, and the location became the perfect venue to host The Great Create. The first event was held in January of 2020. The next Great Create will be held on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 3 p.m. See Create pg 3
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Manheim Central Honors Students . . . . . . . .5 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Others Who Understand . .7 House Of Worship . . . . . . .9 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . .10
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