Manheim Township townlively.com
JUNE 7, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXXIX • NO 2
Lancaster Brethren Preschool With compassion projects, celebrates 50 years of head starts Love INC seeks to build stronger communities
BY JEFF FALK
See Compassion projects pg 3
of Love INC’s compassion projects.
Flag football just for fun UDS Challenger offers program for those with special needs BY ANN MEAD ASH
Teresa Wiedemer, who coordinates the Challenger Football and Cheerleading program for United Disability Services (UDS), can sum up the goal of the program in one sentence. “It’s a great way for kids with disabilities to meet other kids (with disabilities),” she said. Wiedemer, who took over the program in 2022, recalled the story of a young man who joined the flag football league last year. “In the beginning, the boy didn’t realize how active it was,” said Wiedemer. “He would play a few minutes and then sit
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down, but by the end of the season, he was playing the whole game.” UDS Challenger Football and Cheerleading will hold games in the gym at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster, on Saturdays from Aug. 5 through Oct. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to noon each session. No game will be held on Sept. 2, just prior to Labor Day. Non-contact flag football is open to boys and girls ages 8 to 21. “We have volunteer coaches and buddies so each kid who needs one has a helper,” said Wiedemer. “Each kid gets to score, and each gets to kick, and we don’t keep track of the score.” See Flag football pg 2
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communications and donor development director for Love INC of LanSomething wonderful happens caster County. “We provide resources when volunteers put their faith into and opportunities to serve, and we’re able to help the community by listenpractice and help others. At Love In the Name of Christ ing to their needs. Our goal is to help (INC) of Lancaster County, people people with financial needs remain in do this through “the compassion their homes or make their homes more accessible.” projects.” Currently, Love INC is looking for “Part of what we believe is that God calls us to live out our faith and people in need to help and for volserve,” said Katie Leaman, the unteers to provide that help for its compassion projects. Many of the compassion projects focus on minor home repairs and additions like yard projects, painting, small electrical fixes and adding handicappedaccessible ramps. Participants, who must demonstrate specific needs, either physical or financial, are encouraged to reach out to Love INC of Lancaster County. Love INC provides volunteer labor and many of the materials required for its comConstruction of a porch is one example passion projects. BY JEFF FALK
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he year was 1972. Richard Milhouse Nixon was in the White House, the Oakland A’s were on the way to their first World Series title since 1930 and the average price of gas was 36 cents per gallon. And in a small community in Manheim Township, Lynne Shively, an elementary school teacher and a member of the Lancaster Church of the Brethren, was founding a small preschool program at the church, 1601 Sunset Ave., Lancaster. A lot has changed with the world since, as well as with the Lancaster Brethren Preschool. But because the early education program always stayed true to its mission, it has helped nurture important developmental years of hundreds of Manheim Township residents. Lancaster Brethren Preschool teaches that learning can be fun. The Lancaster Brethren Preschool recently celebrated its preschool, and enrollment for the school. We want to make it fun and 50th anniversary. There was food next academic year is maxed out interesting to them.” Over the last half-century, sociand fellowship and reminiscing as again, with 15 prospective students ety has seen a shift in the emphasis current teachers, former teachers, on a waiting list. The Lancaster Brethren Prechool on early education. The Lancaster former students and their families curriculum, which is based on learning Brethren Preschool has continued marked the milestone occasion. “She was a teacher, and it became through play, is taught by a staff of 15 to evolve to meet that need. “Over the years, we’ve extended a passion project for her,” said Lan- certified teachers and assistants. “It (the preschool) has a very the days and hours kids can come,” caster Brethren Preschool director Jessica Steinman of Shively. “She neighborhood feeling,” said Stein- said Steinman. “We’ve added differwanted to offer the community a man. “The biggest part of our mis- ent kinds of classes. We have preschool for the children in sur- sion is that we believe kids learn expanded our class offerings. When rounding neighborhoods. It was best through play. We’re part of a Manheim Township (School Dishard to get the word out, and there learning collective in Manheim trict) went to full-day kindergarten, were very few children at first. But Township, and kindergarten teach- we made full-day preschool an ers tell us what they really want option, from two-and-a-half hours the word has spread.” “If you stop and think how many children to come to kindergarten to five.” “I really feel like kiddos who go to children’s lives that have been with. We want children to love preschool, even day care, affected over the years, are better prepared for eleit’s amazing,” she added. mentary school,” concluded “ We have parents go Steinman. “Since you and I through the school and have gone to kindergarten, say they went here and things have changed. The that they want their childemands of kindergarten dren to go here.” have changed, and I think Not a religious program, parents have recognized the Lancaster Brethren that.” Preschool is designed to For additional informaprovide a head start on tion on Lancaster Brethren learning for 2- through Preschool, go to www.lanco 5-year-olds. Currently, 68 little residents attend the Attending preschool prepares students for kindergarten. b.org/preschool.