Solanco MAY 8, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
20 years of giving hope
Getting back in the game for a good cause
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
N
e w Ho p e C o u n s e l i n g Center w ill celebrate the 20th anniversar y of its Community Closet thrift store with a customer appreciation event on Wednesday, May 22. D ur ing the thr ift store’s operating hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., patrons may enjoy cupcakes and enter a series of prize drawings, which will include various items from local businesses and a gift card to the Community Closet, which is located at 128 Townsedge Drive, Quarryville. “We wouldn’t be here without the shoppers,” said Faith Aukamp, manager of the Community Closet. “We are so blessed here in Quarryville with the kindness and the goodness of the community.” Aukamp said the Community Closet is supported by multiple regulars who frequently participate in its regular sales and special events. Every Wednesday, the store offers a 50% discount on select items to shoppers who are 50 years and older. Aukamp also rotates through a variety of frequent special offers on a weekly basis, such as 20% off all books or household goods. All proceeds from the Community Closet’s sales benefit New Hope Counseling Center’s programs aimed at providing accessible, Christ-centered mental health services for the Southern End community. Since the counseling center first began accepting clients in 1998, its board of directors wished to keep all of its programs accessible to anyone in the community by never turning away clients who are unable to pay the standard rate. The thrift store was opened a few years later to establish a steady income, which New Hope uses to financially assist clients in need.
At any age, amputees and individuals born with limb loss or limb difference face many challenges. But children in America often face additional obstacles when seeking prosthetics and therapy due to a decreased likelihood that their family’s insurance will cover the cost. Nonprofit organization Iron Leg
Corp. seeks to provide support for children in Lancaster County who are in need of assistance with obtaining prosthetics. Iron Leg is one of the few organizations of its kind, and it will hold an equally unique fundraising event on Saturday, Aug. 3, at Biemesderfer Stadium, 45 Pucillo Drive, Millersville. The event will begin at 7 p.m., and it will entail full-contact football See Iron Leg pg 2
Inviting local athletes to participate in Iron Leg’s upcoming football game fundraiser are (from left) Sean Laukhuff, Ashley Kimmich, Parker Millhouse, Matt Millhouse and Logan Millhouse.
Squaring off against human trafficking
New Hope Community Closet manager Faith Aukamp (right) and assistant manager Lisa Eberz
“The Community Closet thrift store remains a vital arm of the New Hope Community Life Ministry,” said Deb Riddell, the ministry’s executive director. “We are thankful for the support from the community that we’ve received for the past 20 years, and we look forward to the next season of the Community Closet.” Approximately 70% of New Hope’s clients receive a form of financial assistance to help pay for counseling sessions. In 2022, the organization introduced a program to offer counseling services at Solanco High School. The goal of the program is to maintain a safe space for students to
be heard, to receive help with regulating emotions and to increase their emotional intelligence. “All our money goes toward helping mental health, which has come to the forefront these past few years. Insurance doesn’t often cover mental health services, and it’s something in people’s day-to-day life that goes on the back burner,” Aukamp said. “The community has been outstanding these last 20 years. We have some of the best donors around, and they’ve helped us help a lot of people.” For more information, search for “New Hope Community Closet” on Facebook.
BY JEFF FALK
Contested on indoor or outdoor courts, pickleball is a sport similar to tennis and pingpong played with a hard plastic ball and a paddle. Now a local nonprofit is seeking to capitalize on pickleball’s recent popularity to battle human trafficking. Enter North Star Initiative (NSI). NSI’s next annual pickleball tournament is almost upon us. The competitive event will raise money and awareness in the
fight against human trafficking while promoting the growth of the blossoming sport. “It’s a way to get the community involved with something that’s going on in our own backyard,” said Alex Wagner, NSI’s marketing and communications director. “There’s a whole community that is super excited to play. The rules are easy to pick up. It’s something that’s fun and brings everyone together.” The second edition of NSI’s pickleball tournament will be contested on Saturday, June 15, See North Star pg 4
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