Pequea Valley townlively.com
MAY 17, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LIX • NO 21
Memory dragstrip Local man recalls his youthful love of wheels BY ANN MEAD ASH
ean Graybill of Paradise was known for telling stories of his experiences with automobiles. He considered writing a book to share with family, but after talking to some friends, he realized that his tales might appeal to a wider audience. “(They) said it would be of great local interest,” reported Dean. “They said, ‘I would buy that. People would love that.’” Working with Masthof Press of Morgantown, Dean has produced 151 pages of 165 stories with the title “Burning Rubber, Slamming Gears, & Cheap Gas,” published in mid-March. The pages are punctuated by color and black-and-white photos of vintage automobiles and trucks. Dean began writing about five years ago by sitting at the computer while listening to classic rock ’n’ roll. “It just took me back,” said Dean of the process. “If it had to do with cars, it had stuck in my memory.” Editor Keith Rohrer added color and detail to Dean’s recollections. The book recounts Dean’s experiences from Maple Grove to Pequea
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Valley and as far south as the Norman Wood Bridge. Names and places that may be familiar to area residents include the “S” turns on Hollander Road, Victor Weaver’s Poultry, Paul Shirk’s car lot, and the New Holland Community Memorial Park, where Dean recalled hanging out in 1971 with eight other young people and their cars. Story No. 81 tells how the group cruised around New Holland and behaved themselves on the “nice straight stretch of Jackson Street,” because they knew local police watched the spot. When they moved to the lot where New Holland Ford is now located, they noticed one of their number was missing. When he arrived 10 minutes later, they learned he had been running interference for the rest by driving exceptionally slowly, which attracted police attention and garnered him a ticket. Dean also recalled a 1974 incident where he was pulled over while cruising “the loop” in downtown Lancaster. “I had a 1961 Dodge Power Wagon,” he said, explaining that his four-wheel drive, heavy-duty truck had a big motor. Dean was pulled
over on suspicion of having altered the suspension to make the truck sit higher. “I said, ‘This is factory suspension,’” recalled Dean. “The policeman said, ‘Yeah and I’m Elvis Presley.’” Dean agreed to go to court, and headed to Horning Dodge to secure schematics to prove the height of the truck was unchanged. At court, the judge asked Dean and the officer who had pulled him over to take the schematics outside and look at the truck. “(The officer) could see it was original,” said Dean. “The judge said, ‘Case dismissed.’” The final story in the book is one that Dean sneaked in as a suprise tribute to his wife, Cathy. He and Cathy met when she became friends with Dean’s sister. Dean liked it when Cathy visited their house, but he was too “bashful” to speak to her. That changed when he learned Cathy was interested in him. “I heard she wanted to go out with me, and that gave me the courage to ask her out,” he said. Readers who are interested in a copy of Dean’s book may search for “Dean Graybill” on Facebook or email him at dehemi@comcast.net.
Dean Graybill in his garage with a car he calls “part of the family,” a 1967 Plymouth Satellite.
First White Horse Gallop 5K scheduled Doing something for widows internationally. On April 25, more than 40 widows, including Frederick, gathered at Gordonville Community Bible Church at Fisher’s request for encouragement, food, and fellowship. Fisher contacts leaders of widow’s groups, like Frederick, at up to 10 area churches to ask them to invite their members to her events. At the April 25 gathering, the widows enjoyed appetizers, followed by a time of praise and worship and a meal of ham, red potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, applesauce, a roll, and assorted pies for dessert. The tables were covered with pastel tablecloths, decorated with geraniums in a variety of hues, and set with pink and lavender colored flickering candles.
BY ANN MEAD ASH
PEQ
BY ANN MEAD ASH
White Horse Fire Company volunteers Steve King (left) and Bob Buzzard are looking forward to the first White Horse Gallop 5K and Community Day.
According to Bob Buzzard of the White Horse Fire Company, the idea for the first White Horse Gallop 5K and Community Day came from volunteer Aaron Stoltzfus. “(Stoltzfus) thought it would be something to bring the community together,” recalled Buzzard of the origins of the event. The White Horse Gallop will be held on Saturday, May 27, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the fire station, 111 White Horse Road, Gap. Registration on the day of the event will open at 7 a.m. Organizers have planned a course
that will leave the fire company and travel south on Route 897 until reaching Buena Vista Road, where it will turn right. From there, the route will turn right on to School Lane Road and travel back to Route 340 (Old Philadelphia Pike), where it will turn right and return to the station. Both Route 340 and Route 897 will be closed during the run. Hills are featured on School Lane Road during the second mile of the run. Prizes will be awarded to the top overall male and female runners and to the top three males and females in eight age groups, which will be 13 and under, 14 to 19, 20 to
Jon Ann Frederick, who heads the Widows Connect group at Petra Church in New Holland, has vivid memories of the last mystery bus tour she took with DOsomething Ministries, a local organization that holds events for widows twice a year. “It was a really neat experience,” recalled Frederick of the trip around the county that included a luncheon with speaker Erma Zimmerman, praise and worship with Chrystal Martin, a Strasburg Rail Road train ride, and ice cream. The events are organized by Lin Fisher, founder of DOsomething, an organization working both locally and
See White Horse Fire Company pg 4
See DOsomething pg 3
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