Manheim Township townlively.com
JANUARY 29, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XL • NO 35
Early spring or long winter? Only M.T. Parker knows for sure BY JEFF FALK
Humans have been tr ying to forecast the weather for centuries, with varying results. Apparently, groundhogs know
something we don’t know. M a n h e i m To w n s h i p ’s M.T. Parker is one of just 15 recognized prognosticating groundhogs in Pennsylvania and one of only 67 in the United See Groundhog Day pg 2
Members of Sing for the Moment choir perform for an audience.
Sing for the Moment Choir focuses on here and now BY JEFF FALK
“Lots of hugs, lots of smiles. It feels safe. They’re having a great time.” partners - is currently gearing up for its next performance. Practice and rehearsals for Sing for the Moment’s spring concert will begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Landis Homes’ West Bethany Chapel, 1001 E. Oregon Road, Lititz. The hourlong practices will be conducted each successive
Wednesday through April 23 in preparation for Sing for the Moment Choir ’s spring performance at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, also at the retirement village’s West Bethany Chapel. Participation in the choir is open to everyone and not limited to Landis Homes residents. Registration is not required but encouraged through email at sftm@landis.org or by calling 717-381-3599. “We talk about socializing,” said Cabezas. “It’s a place where (the singers) can feel very comfortable. They are just there. Lots of hugs, lots of smiles. It feels safe. They’re having a great time. It’s their space, but we can be in it.” Sing for the Moment Choir is currently made up of 45 singers, including residents of Landis Homes, residents of Brethren Village Retirement Community, members of the surrounding
Visitors to last year’s Groundhog Day Celebration take advantage of a photo opportunity.
No one’s ever lonely at Lititz Senior Center BY JEFF FALK
It’s been said that getting older is a privilege and an honor; that it sure does beat the alternative. At the Lititz Senior Center, regular and semi-regular visitors seek to age gracefully, proactively, healthily - and together. “Our mission is to create family,” said Lucy Weaver, who’s been the Lititz Senior Center’s manager for 13 years. “My goal is for people to come here and feel like family. I think isolation is a disease. Just being able to
See Sing for the Moment pg 2
shine is important. I’m not sure what it would look like if these people were home alone without human contact. We all need each other.” Located in the Lititz United Methodist Church’s social hall at 201 E. Market St., the Lititz Senior Center is supported by the Lancaster County Office of Aging and staffed by Ephrata Area Rehab Services (EARS). The Lititz Senior Center is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the program is See Senior center pg 4
Philadelphia Flower Show - 2 Days to Choose From -
Mon., March 3rd or Sat., March 8th
• Historic Charleston, SC & Savannah, GA April 7th-12th
Call For A Free Catalog 717-823-2086 or visit/book @ FUNCOUNTRYTOURS.COM
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inging has a way of centering you, of washing away worries, of making time stand still. Singing has the power to both spark memories and render them irrelevant all at the same time. Landis Homes’ Sing for the Moment Choir can’t cure dementia disorders like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. But it can help to manage symptoms and make life a little more normal. “Music just does so much for folks,” said Regina Cabezas, Sing for the Moment Choir’s coordinator. “It touches (some people) in a place they can’t speak about anymore. We know that the part of the brain that’s associated with singing and music stays intact for a very long time. (Singing) doesn’t change their situations. They might not even remember
that moment. But parts of the mind are being stirred for a while. They’re singing for that enjoyment.” Landis Homes’ Sing for the Moment Choir - an exercise in singing for individuals with memor y loss and their care