Pequea Valley townlively.com
APRIL 19, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LIX • NO 17
Community welcome to check out Stoltzfus Christian Library BY FRANCINE FULTON
hat was once a storage room at the Stoltzfus family farm in Gap has been transformed into a Christian library by Sam Stoltzfus, who established the library in 2015 as a way to honor God and share his love of reading with the community. The Stoltzfus Christian Library, located at 5809 Limeville Road, Gap, offers more than 4,500 familyfriendly books covering topics such as Anabaptist history and biblical subjects, along with cookbooks and books about gardening, landscaping, home repair, nature, health and more. Like with a public library, patrons are provided with a library card, which allows them to check out books from the library for a period of three weeks, with the option to renew the item for an additional three weeks. Books can be renewed in person, by voicemail or online. Stoltzfus got the idea to create the library while recovering from serious injuries that occurred during a 2014 construction accident when he was pinned under a
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3,000-pound excavator. “My first thought was that I was going to die. My second thought was, ‘Am I ready to die?’” he shared. “Suddenly there was peace that washed over me, and I felt God’s presence closer than ever before. I cried out, ‘God, help me,’ and right as I said that, the machine that was on my back counterbalanced and rolled back over on its side. If it would have stayed on me, I would not be here to tell the story.” Stoltzfus had collapsed lungs and a broken femur, among other injuries. “That was a wakeup call in my life,” he said. “During my recovery time, I was thinking about what I could do (to honor God). I thought of a library. Growing up, I was a serious bookworm, and I just love reading.” Stoltzfus and his family members remodeled the storage room, adding electricity, heating and air conditioning, paneling, flooring and bookshelves, which they purchased from a local woodworking shop. Stoltzfus also purchased a state-ofthe-art barcode and scanning system to allow people to check out their own books. See Library pg 3
Sam Stoltzfus (left), pictured with his fianceé Naomi Scaife, established the Stoltzfus Christian Library in Gap.
Celebrating a milestone with a movie Barking for life in Ephrata BY ANN MEAD ASH
PEQ
BY ANN MEAD ASH
Members of Aaron’s Acres Angels will sell snacks at the organization’s upcoming anniversary event.
The partnership between Aaron’s Acres and Penn Cinema goes back many years. Prior to the advent of COVID-19 restrictions, sensory-sensitive cinema events were held there monthly. Now, to celebrate Aaron’s Acres’ 25th anniversary, the nonprofit has teamed up again with the movie theater located at 541 Airport Road, Lititz. The movie “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” will be shown on Thursday, April 27, at 5 and 6:30 p.m. All seats will be offered at the same price, and 100% of the proceeds will go to help support Aaron’s Acres’ programs.
East Earl resident and member of the Misfits on a Mission Relay for Life team Sharon Groff, is a woman who believes in giving a project her all. Groff loves the idea of Bark for Life, an American Cancer Society Relay for Life event involving dogs and their owners, so she decided to get behind the concept and do her best to make it succeed. The result is the first Ephrata-area Bark for Life, to be held at New Life Fellowship Church, 420 E. Fulton St., Ephrata, on Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “It’s a dog-friendly event,” said Groff. “It’s a community
See Aaron’s Acres pg 5
King’s Pet
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event.” No admission will be charged to attend Bark for Life. Not only will dogs be welcome, but they also will have the opportunity to show off a little if they take part in the Strut Your Mutt parade scheduled to begin at 10:10 a.m. “There will be judges and prizes in different categories,” said Groff, who noted that dressing one’s dog up is encouraged but not required. Dogs who work to rescue humans will be featured in a Pennsylvania Canine Search and Rescue (PACSAR) demonstration at 10:30 a.m. PACSAR’s highly trained and certified volunteers provide free search and rescue services using canines. See Bark for Life pg 2
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Aaron’s Acres Angels help promote fundraiser
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