Manheim Central townlively.com
OCTOBER 16, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXV • NO 38
Registration now open for Santa Run and Walk 5K BY CATHY MOLITORIS
It’s only October, but Nancy Husser is already thinking about Santa. More specifically, she’s focused on the Santa Run and Walk, a 5K organized by the Manheim Lions Club. The race, which encourages participants
to dress in Santa costumes or other holiday garb, will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7. It will begin in Manheim Square at 8:30 a.m. “The Santa 5K is a fun event,” Husser said. “We start with Christmas music in the square all morning until the start of the See Santa Run pg 3
Bradley Mattson (right) prepares for a baptism in Shearers Creek.
Going green at Hope Episcopal Church BY CATHY MOLITORIS
“On the tour, they talked about watershed management and how it affected the Chesapeake Bay,” Gokey shared. “That’s what planted this idea at Hope Church. I wanted to get other people to get that same fire in their belly.” Gokey began contacting local partners and completing his own research on watershed management. The members of Hope Church were already putting their environmental mission into practice by planting pollinator gardens and re-meadowing areas of land, said Mattson. The grant will extend that practice. “The grant is going to cover the design and implementation of a bioretention swale to help with clean water,” Mattson said, noting that the church found out it had received the grant in
Participants in a previous year’s Santa Run and Walk
More than growing up, Aaron’s Acres is growing out BY JEFF FALK
When Aaron’s Acres reaches out and touches lives, often the result is hugs. Aaron’s Acres is expanding its footprint, flexing its muscles, strengthening its brand and creating more hugs. The local nonprofit is adding staff members, adding programs and bringing more individuals under its umbrella, all in an attempt to satisfy needs and perform greater good.
“Over our first 26 years, we created the organization, built programs and established ourselves,” said Risa Paskoff, who’s been Aaron’s Acres’ executive director from the start. “We’re now taking it to the next level. This is a major step for us. We want to present ourselves more professionally. This expansion is going to be on so many different levels. One of our dreams is to continue to be a family resource. We’re helping families
See Church pg 3
See Aaron’s Acres pg 5
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reation care is a core value of the Episcopal Church, said Bradley Mattson, priest of Hope Episcopal Church. The church is taking that mission to heart thanks to a $46,000 grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation. The grant, given and administered by Lancaster Clean Water Partners, will empower the church to collaborate with local conservation efforts, protect the local watershed and embrace better land stewardship practices along Shearers Creek, which is part of the 17-acre church property located at 2425 Mountain Road in Manheim. The grant was spearheaded by church member Rob Gokey. “At the time, I was head of outreach for the church, identifying
needs in the community and focusing funds toward the best opportunities. Nothing in my background ever said I was going to be involved in creation care,” recalled Gokey, whose experience includes food marketing and sales and a commercial linen business. “But I was always sort of a friendly ecologist. We recycle. We plant trees. We do things around our house to help the environment. It was definitely an interest of mine.” Gokey soon realized the key to success involved working with experts in the field. He connected with Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, an organization that works with congregations to help them with green initiatives. While taking a boat tour in Maryland, Gokey had an aha moment.
• Pansies • Mums • Cabbages & Kales (Rts. 741 & 324S) • Corn Shocks & Lots More! 3 Miles S. of Lancaster Follow us on Mon.-Sat. 8-6, Closed Sunday • 717-872-9311 R111709 400 Long Lane At Marticville Road