Manheim Central townlively.com
FEBRUARY 5, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
Mastering a family business BY CAT SHANNON
Support Mt. Hope with a Sweetheart Meal BY CAT SHANNON
Mt. Hope Nazarene R e t irement Com munity, located in R apho Tow nship, is more than just a skilled nursing facility. It’s a place where seniors and people with disabilities receive compassionate care, regardless of their financial Tammy and John Lutz circumstances. As a 50-bed skilled nursing facility, actually costs,” said Kris Wilson, Mt. Hope also includes six inde- director of advancement. “At our pendent living cottages, offering core, we’re known to have a represidents a sense of autonomy utation as an encouraging, supand comfort. The community is portive community providing dedicated to serving individuals quality nursing care that focuses in need, particularly those who on providing dignity, hope and love regardless of someone’s face financial hardship. “Many at Mt. Hope don’t have financial status.” This gap, however, doesn’t resources to cover costs of care, and so a gap of about $200 per day stop Mt. Hope from its mission; exists between what a resident is the facility provides over $1 milable to pay and what their care lion in charitable care each year. See Meal pg 5
Emily Longenecker Rineer (right) with her father, Tom Longenecker
As the market enters its 100th incredible to be a part of the fifth year of operation, Emily thought generation in this business.” Her father is in his 60s now, but the milestone provided a nice he’s not going anywhere, she said. “Longeneckers don’t really retire,” she said with a laugh, “I’m excited to work noting that her grandfather is in alongside standholders his early 90s and he still comes and continue to over on Tuesdays when the market is open. have this place be As market master, Emily will a Lancaster County be responsible for operations tradition.” of the market, including filling stand vacancies and maintaining open communications with opportunity for a career change. standholders. “I always knew I wanted to be It’s a big job, she admits, since a part of the market,” she shared. the market features 250 stand“I have loved learning from my holders in the summer along dad and working with him. It’s with standholders who operate
Coats for Kids warms extremities and hearts BY JEFF FALK
Picture this: A makeshift store containing aisles and aisles of brand-new kids’ coats separated by sizes, styles and colors. Families in need can enter, peruse the winter coats, select one and take it home. That’s what Coats for Kids looks like. That’s what the Salvation Army means when it says, “Doing the most good.” “My favorite part about Coats for Kids is when the kids go into where the coats are,” said Shady
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Boules, who’s been Salvation Army Lancaster Corps’ operations and development manager for five years. “You see their eyes open. I tell them, ‘Go ahead; pick a coat.’ They’ll answer, ‘Do you mean I can pick a coat? Do you mean I can pick my favorite color?’ For some, it’s their first time. To see kids making a decision on what things they can wear is very rewarding.” It is at that exact moment when all the hard work that goes into the Salvation Army Lancaster’s Coats for Kids program See Coats for Kids pg 5
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alk with Emily Longenecker Rineer about her new role at Root’s Country Market & Auction, and you can’t help but hear the excitement in her voice. “It almost feels like a dream come true to be here and be fully a part of everything,” said the new market master. “I’m excited to work alongside standholders and continue to have this place be a Lancaster County tradition.” Emily is at the helm of a Manheim-based business started by her great-great-grandfather A.W. Root in 1925. Although her great-grandmother Edith Root Longenecker was president of the business, there has never been a female market master until Emily. Emily grew up in the market, spending free time there with her siblings and her father Tom Longenecker who has served as market master for more than 40 years. She attended Hempfield High School and Elizabethtown College, working during the summers in both Root’s Old Mill Flea Market and Root’s Country Market. Initially, however, Emily chose a different career path than the family business. She was an upper elementary school teacher at a local Montessori school for seven years. “I’ve always had a love and passion for teaching, having had some really great teachers when I was growing up. I always wanted to be that teacher for other students,” she said. “That was my first dream, but I knew my dad was wearing so many hats here and he was going to need some assistance.”
VOL LXVI • NO 2