Penn Manor JULY 5, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
Tons of tomatoes BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
n the second and third Saturdays of July, Washington Boro will continue its tradition of hosting the annual Tomato Festival at Washington Boro Park, 2010 River Road. The event celebrates the area’s history of growing tomatoes and benefits the Blue Rock Fire Rescue. This year, the festival will be held on July 8 and 15, and it will begin at 3 p.m. A variety of food will be available to purchase, including hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage sandwiches, barbecue sandwiches, french fries, funnel cakes, cotton candy and ice cream. Several items that feature locally grown tomatoes will also be available to purchase, including the community favorite tomato sandwich. Built around thick slices of Lancaster-grown tomatoes, the sandwiches are enjoyed by the festival’s attendees each year in a variety of ways; many enjoy them with bacon, lettuce, onion and mayonnaise. Live music will be provided from 5 to 9 p.m. on both days of the festival. Participants will also have an opportunity to play games to win prizes, among other festive activities. “Some people come for the food, some people come for the games and some people just come to enjoy the music,” said Richard Schock, who is on the planning committee for the festival. “We’re only a couple hundred feet from the river, so we always have a nice view, too.” The Tomato Festival was first organized by the Lions Club in 1958 as a way to celebrate Washington Boro’s unique relationship with the vegetable. Due to its proximity to the Susquehanna River, the soil in the area is often mixed with sand, making it optimal for yielding a high number of
A banquet to battle breast cancer BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
O
The planning committee invites everyone to attend the annual Tomato Festival at Washington Boro Park.
tomatoes. In the festival’s first Rescue, which was created by year, the local growers’ association merging the fire companies from sent its farmers to the event to Washington Boro, Millersville and vend their produce. West Lancaster. Although the fes- “ S o m e Blue Rock Fire people tival has continued come for the food, Rescue now uses to be held annually some people come the Tomato Festival for over 50 years, it for the games and as a way to assist has grown into with recruitment more than just a some people just and retention withplace to buy toma- come to enjoy the in the volunteer toes. In 1992, the music.” fire company. GenWashington Boro eral expenses such Fire Company took over the orga- as equipment costs are covered by nization of the event. The festival the township, but the funds is now run by Blue Rock Fire raised from the festival are used
Sweet & tar t
to hold banquets for Blue Rock’s members and to purchase uniforms and anything else the firefighters may need. Schock organizes the Tomato Festival with fellow planning committee co-chairs Bob Howell and Carl Miller. The committee is always looking for volunteers to assist in the kitchen or operate a stand at the festival. “People can volunteer to help in the kitchen, run a stand or help set up,” he said. “Whatever someone wants to do, it would help us out.” For more information, contact Schock at 717-951-6411.
Help the Fight will host its 14th annual fundraising banquet on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Spooky Nook Sports, 75 Champ Blvd., Manheim. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m., and the event will conclude at 9:30 p.m. Only 500 tickets will be sold for the banquet, and the deadline for registration is Saturday, Sept. 9. Registration forms may be acquired at www.helpthefight.org or by emailing helpthefightnow @gmail.com. An early bird special will be offered to those who register by Thursday, Aug. 31. The banquet will include a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m., as well as a benefit auction throughout the evening. Items available to bid on will include artwork, jewelry, gift baskets, furniture, children’s toys, clothes, designer handbags and weekend getaways. Prize drawings will also be held during the event; tickets for the drawings will only be available to purchase with cash. The items in the auction are donated by various businesses and individuals in the community leading up to the banquet. Help the Fight invites anyone who wishes to make a donation to contact its office via email or by calling 717-455-7095. The deadline to make a donation is Friday, Sept. 15. “We need the community’s support through donations,” said Susie Dailey, patient coordinator for Help the Fight. “Anyone who does artwork, makes jewelry or wants to put together a gift basket can donate.” Help the Fight, a nonprofit organization based in Mountville, uses the funds raised from its annual banquet to meet the financial needs of breast cancer patients throughout Lancaster County. See Banquet pg 3
Cherries
are ripe!
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
* Ready Picked at Market et * 400 Long Lane At Marticville Road d * PPick Your Own * (Rts. 741 & 324S)
Mo Mon.-Fri. 8am-7pm 3 Miles S. of Lancaster Sat. 7am-4pm * Last entry ½ hr. before closing * Mon.-Sat. 8-6, Closed Sunday POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER JUL. 5, 2023
Postal Patron
PEN
VOL LX • NO 10
Beautiful Flowers Many Specials
717-872-9311
www.cherryhillorchards.com
R097538 8
townlively.com