Pequea Valley AUGUST 6, 2025
SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
REACHING MORE THAN 7,160 HOMES
VOL LXI • NO 33
Making the Market Work Factory Food Pantry Needs Volunteers BY ANN MEAD ASH
K
erri Burns, market director with T he Factory Market, is well acquainted with the experience of being a volunteer at the food pantry. Several years ago, when her son turned 13, she was looking for a summer volunteer opportunity that they could participate in together. “I wanted to do something intentional,” recalled Burns, who volunteered to help with market appointments for two hours a week. “He loved it, and I loved it too,” she stated. Burns has now been running the market for more than five years. She believes in the market, which exists to support individuals and families in the community
See The Factory Market pg 4
JUNE 11, 2025
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXI • NO 25
For Such a Time as This
“Swing!” Will Connect Audiences With Their Mojo BY JEFF FALK
Swing music. And the performers of Servant Stage. What possesses the power to “Swing originated in the 1920s bring a tap to your toes, to put and was popular in the 1930s and a bounce in your step, to bring a ’40s,” said Johnathan Bauer, who snap to your fingers? founded Servant Stage in 2013. See “Swing!” pg 8
Lighthouse Celebrates 50 Years of Service
Local residents watch birds during a recent East Lampeter Township recreation department activity.
Local Recreation Promotes Healthy Work-Life Balance is not resting. Am I happy where we are in the time we got here? Yes. Do we have more work to do? Yes. The opportunities are endless, so there are always things that are going to be new.” Since officials made the commitment to provide recreational opportunities to the township’s citizens on May 28, 2024, by hiring Cleveland as recreation director, the newly formed East Lampeter Township Recreation Department has instituted a number of programs and activities, some of which have been well received. The department has provided community events like movie nights, a fall festival and an Easter egg hunt; youth events like Hero Hang-Out, Touch-a-Truck
and a summer playground program; fitness and yoga programs; and educational programs like a bird walk and Exploring the Night Sky. This spring, the department introduced a community gardens program that allows individuals and families to rent plots of land at Community Park for growing vegetables, plants and flowers. Twelve of the 16 available plots are currently being utilized. The recreation department has also placed a strong emphasis on promoting and utilizing township facilities like Community Park, Flory Park, Lafayette-Tower Park and Gibbons Park at Nolt’s Mill, as well as fostering relationships with like-minded community partners.
LCWG Is Made Up of a Bunch of Do-Gooders
BY JEFF FALK
Good is universal, timeless and objective. Because it mirrors God, good is good. The Lancaster County Women for Good (LCWG) group knows some things about the concept of doing good. It’s part of the all-volunteer organization’s mission, purpose and reason for existing. “We use that word a lot, ‘good,’” said Anna Horst, the chairperson of the five-member board that oversees LCWG’s operations. “It’s
See Recreation Department pg 4
See LCWG pg 9
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in our name. I think it’s safe to say our connections and providing nonprofits with resources is part of the good we aim to do. I think there are a number of nonprofits in Lancaster County who have amazing missions. They’re real people trying to help real people. They are problems that a majority of us would agree need to be solved. Maybe we need to be more clear by what we mean by ‘good.’” LCWG, which does not operate from a physical office or building, conducts more than 15 membership events each year, including
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ast Lampeter Township is 12 months into its grand recreation exper iment. Time for an update. While results have been mostly mixed, some positive and quantifiable progress has been realized. But much work remains in the new recreation department’s mission to get the word out and provide activities that appeal to a majority of East Lampeter Township residents. “I always feel like we can be doing more and reaching more people,” said Lisa Cleveland, who as recreation director makes up East Lampeter Township’s one-person recreation department. “Growth
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Lisa Landis interviews her nephew JJ Ator at the Lighthouse Vocational Services 50th anniversary celebration.
When Lighthouse Vocational Services (LVS) began in 1975, it had more founders than participants. Then called Lighthouse Rehabilitation Center, the organization was envisioned by Norman Hahn, Melvin Martin, John Sensenig, and Ben Weaver, who sought to create a place where individuals with disabilities could grow, connect, and gain a sense of accomplishment. On July 25, LVS, now located at 144 Orlan Road, New Holland, celebrated 50 years of service to its
participants. The event, which was given the theme “Created to Shine,” included a number of speakers, a legacy ribbon-cutting ceremony, and tours of the facility. Liz Ackerman, executive director of the Northern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce, served as master of ceremonies for the event. “Today marks a significant milestone not only for Lighthouse but also for the community,” said Ackerman, who noted that an organization that has done such important work and faced and overcome adversity over the See LVS pg 8
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HOPE International is looking for players, participants and interested individuals for its upcoming fundraising event. But what the nonprofit organization would really like are committed golf partners. See HOPE International pg 6
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Cast members perform a musical number from Servant Stage’s production of “Swing!”
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Marie Glass (left) and Hilda Zook enjoy volunteering together in The Factory Market.
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facing food insecurity. “It’s more than a food pantry,” she stated. “It’s a place where people are met with dignity, choice, and care. Our goal is to not only provide food but to build relationships and community in the process.” One of the ways the market does that is through the Factory Bucks empowerment system. “When you show up the first time (for food), you can shop, no questions asked,” explained Burns. “After that, you need to get connected, so you need to meet with your advocate or attend one of our programs, such as cooking, finance, or a flower class.” Burns explained that participants receive Factory Bucks for each of those actions, among others. “Then, you make an appointment and shop here using Factory Bucks,”