Manheim Township townlively.com
MARCH 1, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXXVIII • NO 40
Taking a bite out of hunger BY JEFF FALK
Every day, the United States disposes of millions of pounds of unused food. Every day, millions of Americans go hungry. A local organization is working toward bridging that gap between surplus and need, supply and demand. Blessings of Hope’s mission is to end world hunger, or at least minister
to the dietary needs of as many citizens of this country that it can. Blessings of Hope operates out of a 44,000-square-foot warehouse on Becker Road, Leola, and is planning a 160,000-square-foot food processing/distribution center east of Ephrata. The organization is headed by New Holland natives and brothers David Lapp, Steve Lapp and Jake Lapp, as well as founder Aaron Fisher of Kirkwood. See Blessings of Hope pg 4
Manheim Township Police Chief Tom Rudzinski’s retirement will become official this summer.
Township police chief to retire after 36 years of service
“My goal was to make a difference for as long as possible.” His successor has yet to be named, and Rudzinski has expressed an interest in providing input on exactly who that should be. Rudzinski has always led through both words and examples. “I know the officers here will continue that legacy. It’s just time for me to take a break,” he stated.
A cancer diagnosis has figured into Rudzinski’s decision to retire, but he stressed that the illness did not make it necessary that he retire. Rudzinski was diagnosed with an uncurable and inoperable, but treatable, form of cancer in April of 2021. Chemotherapy treatments have kept the cancer at bay, but Rudzinski’s prognosis is unclear. “For the first three months after my diagnosis, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do,” said Rudzinski. “I wanted to keep working. I could still do all the things that needed to be done, just slower because of the chemo. When people look at me, they wouldn’t know about my diagnosis.” After graduating from Franklin & Marshall College, Rudzinski worked his way up the ranks of the Manheim Township Police Department, from sergeant to lieutenant to chief.
Blessings of Hope seeks to connect food surpluses with hunger.
For Bernie Hendricks, flowers are more than business BY JEFF FALK
“Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul.” - Luther Burbank. Work to Bernie Hendricks isn’t a chore; it’s an opportunity help others. Age to Hendricks isn’t a number; it’s experience and wisdom. Flowers to Hendricks aren’t merely beautiful; they’re gifts from God to be nurtured. “I never get tired of looking at flowers,” said Hendricks. “It doesn’t
take much to make me happy. We grow flowers with a little help from Him (God). Look what God created. It doesn’t get better than that.” Perhaps the most important thing to understand about Hendricks is that she’s a unique individual who’s living her best possible life. No regrets. No looking back. No excuses. “The main thing is to be honest and forthright,” said Hendricks. “I won’t beat around the bush. I just want to be remembered as an upfront and honest person.”
See Police chief pg 5
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A native of Baltimore, Rudzinski came to Manheim Township as a wide-eyed patrolman in 1987. Much has changed since that time, but Rudzinski’s enthusiasm for local law enforcement has not. He noted that he never left the township for another position simply because “That’s how I was brought up.”
See Bernie Hendricks pg 3
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lways a problem solver, Tom Rudzinski started out just trying to make an impact, simply seeking to make a difference. Thirtysix years of service later and somehow his job with Manheim Township Police Department turned into a career. Where does the time go? Rudzinski has decided to step aside as the chief of the Manheim Township Police Department. Township’s veteran top cop made the announcement at the beginning of the year and his retirement won’t officially take effect until the beginning of the summer, but it’s a decision he’s been mulling for nearly two years. “My goal was to make a difference for as long as possible,” said Rudzinski. “I hope I’ve been able to improve the quality of life in Manheim Township. I hope that I did a good job of making the community a safe place to live.”