Manheim Township SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
NOVEMBER 26, 2025
REACHING MORE THAN 15,990 HOMES
VOL XLI • NO 26
At Concert, Brass Will Move Festive Spirit BY JEFF FALK
Runners prepare for the start of last year’s Ugly Sweater 5K.
Ugly Sweaters To Place Exclamation Point on Cross-Country Season
BY JEFF FALK
A
t the Manheim Township Cross- Countr y Booster Club’s upcoming fundraiser, ugliness is a pursuit. Ugliness is a prestige thing, sort of a badge of honor. Ugliness is a
form of self-expression. Ugliness is rewarded. “Ugliness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder,” said Paul McGahren, one of the organizers of the fundraiser. “You see really bad sweater vests, pajama tops, Christmas hats, garland and battery-operated lights.
There are a lot of really bad Christmas outfits. It’s interesting to see what it is. We have marshals out on the course who will notice the bib numbers of the ugliest, and we’ll award them prizes. It’s meant to be light-hearted.” The 17th edition of the annual See Ugly Sweater pg 5
MTM
Paloma Students Will Dance Their Way Into Holiday Hearts R122606
BY JEFF FALK
Members of the Paloma School of Irish Dance have something for you. It’s a gift of experience. It’s a gift of culture. It’s a gift of themselves. “I think there’s a lot more dancing and a lot more music
in (Irish) culture,” said Esther Pujol, the founder and owner of Paloma School of Irish Dance. “I think the show embraces that, embraces that spirit. It’s about communities coming together and celebrating music and dance. T he pur pose of the show is to spread holiday cheer
Paloma School dancers rehearse for their
To the touch, brass feels smooth. To the eyes, brass looks shiny. To the ears, brass sounds cool, clean and crisp. At Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, brass sounds like Christmas. “I would be challenged to put into words what brass sounds like,” said Chuck Book, who’s been Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd’s Fine Arts Series communication chair for 25 years. “It’s not jazz. It’s not anything anyone would call modern. It has a very calming, nostalgic feel to it. But it fills the room. Some of the pieces are slower and quieter, and some have more impact.” Now, Book wasn’t referring to just any brass music; he was speaking about the kind created by the five-piece ensemble QuintEssentially Brass. As part of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd’s continuing Fine Arts Series, QuintEssentially Brass will present a medley of holiday music and traditional favorites during a performance at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30, inside the church’s sanctuary at 750 Greenfield Road, Lancaster. The concert, which is designed to celebrate the Advent season and usher in the holidays, is free to attend and open to the public. The 90-minute performance, which features 12 musical numbers, will be divided by a 15-minute intermission, during which a freewill, pay-what-youcan offering will be accepted toward the church’s Fine Arts Series.
See Celtic Christmas pg 9 upcoming Celtic Christmas Show.
See Brass Concert pg 8
U-Cut & Fresh-Cut Trees Breakfast Available Daily at our Farm Market
EVENTS ON THE FARM
Train Ride to Tree Field Weekends through Dec. 14th
Buffet with Santa
211 S. Donerville Rd. Lancaster • 717-872-1554 • www.countrybarnmarket.com
Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 6, 7, 13 & 14 Reserve tickets by website
R123674
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