Pequea Valley MAY 21, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXI • NO 22
Making the most of an opportunity
Feeding the hungry Local student holds annual food drive BY FRANCINE FULTON
PVHS plans commencement ceremony
always someone cheering you on.” Abby noted that teachers, administrators, club advisers, and parents have all provided encouragement. “Everybody here
Even as a preschooler, Dylan Houck understood there was a way to help people in need by collecting food for the hungry. Now more than a decade later, Dylan, the son of Jackie and Thomas Houck of Gap, continues that tradition each spring by holding a Helping Hunger Food Drive to benefit the Chester County Food Bank (CCFB). Jackie recalls Dylan’s first food drive, which was the impetus for the annual effort. “We had a power outage, and Dylan’s dad and I were talking about people losing food in their refrigerator,” she said. “Dylan said they could just go to Walmart and buy more (food), but I told him not everyone can afford that.” She said that 4-year-old Dylan was upset and crying and woke up the same way the next morning. “I had a conversation with him and told him we could (collect) food and take it to the food bank,” said Jackie. “It was a ver y small and moderate food drive,” Dylan adde d , re p or t i n g t h at he collected 400 pounds of food over two weeks. Dylan, now 14 and an eighthgrader at West Fallowfield
See PVSD pg 2
See CCFB pg 5
BY ANN MEAD ASH
Preparing to speak at the Pequea Valley High School commencement ceremony are (from left) Makenna Bradley, Annabelle Reber, and Abby Beiler.
graduating and going in different directions.” Abby expressed that she is glad she attended PVHS because of the positive atmosphere at the
school. “I’m glad I went to PVHS because everybody here is incredibly supportive and encouraging,” she shared. “I feel like no matter what you want to do or try, there’s
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h e n Pe q u e a Va l l e y High School (PVHS) seniors were given the opportunity to speak at the graduation ceremony, a few eagerly volunteered. Through a process of elimination, Abby Beiler and Makenna Bradley were selected to speak. As president of the Class of 2025, Annabelle Reber will welcome those gathered and take a leading role in the commencement portion of the event. PVHS will graduate more than 100 senior students at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster, on Wednesday, May 28, at 6:30 p.m. Abby is the daughter of Chandon and Rachel Beiler of Gap. “My speech will be about opportunity and learning how to continue to take potentially scary risks and opportunities even after we graduate,” explained Abby. “I’m really excited to speak to my class about that specifically because I feel that we have a lot of opportunities here at PVHS. I want to tell (my classmates) not to stop looking for things that can challenge (them) and really be valuable just because we are
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