Conestoga Valley /townlively
JUNE 24, 2020
IN THIS ISSUE: EVENT TO CELEBRATE DOWNTOWN LANCASTER page 2
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LVI • NO 28
Special Needs Auction Planned
Working To Grant Wishes Virtual Convoy Scheduled For Aug. 16 By Ann Mead Ash
In April, COVID-19 restrictions put Make-A-Wish of Philadelphia, Delaware and Susquehanna Valley, an organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening diseases, in a precarious position. Concern for the children served by Make-A-Wish, who fall into high-risk categories, was of the utmost importance. Wishes were postponed, and the popular Mother’s Day Convoy, which was ready to make a move to the Manheim Auto Auction, was postponed. The convoy is now scheduled as a virtual event to be held on Sunday, Aug. 16. In the meantime, Make-A-Wish needed to raise funds, preparing to
grant more than 450 local wishes when the organization is able. To make those wishes come true, the organization embarked on a virtual giving week, held from April 22 to 29. Area residents responded positively to the effort, and by mid-May nearly $100,000 had been raised mainly by 18 teams and 66 participants. Dennis Heron, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish of Philadelphia, Delaware and Susquehanna Valley, said that the organization was “blown away” by the support. “On behalf of the children and families we serve, we thank everyone who donated for their dedication to the Make-A-Wish mission, especially during these challenging times,” said Heron.
On May 9, Make-A-Wish announced that the decision to turn the convoy into a virtual event had been made by staff and volunteer
convoy planning committee members, and that the August date had been set. The decision was based on concern for the Make-A-Wish children and the members of the community who visit the event. No carnival will be held; however, a modified small truck convoy featuring the top 30 drivers and key sponsors will leave the auto auction during the day. The convoy will be broadcast live from the Make-AWish Facebook page. In addition, organizers are working to create other ways to share parts of the traditional convoy festivities, such as the food, clowns, and carnival games. Readers who would like to know more about the convoy may search for “Make-A-Wish Mother’s Day
By Ann Mead Ash
Make-A-Wish of Philadelphia, Delaware and Susquehanna Valley grants the wishes of children with life-threatening diseases. While COVID-19 restrictions have made that mission difficult, the organization recently held a giving week that raised nearly $100,000 See Make-A-Wish pg 5 toward making that goal easier.
Aaron’s Acres Finds Permanent Home
Aaron’s Acres hopes to have a new home at the Hoffer Farm property located adjacent to Pleasant View Retirement Community on North Penryn Road in Manheim. Pleasant View plans to build a cultural center on the property with the goal to complete it by 2022. Paskoff. “We didn’t want … an entire building to ourselves.” In the past year, Paskoff began talking to Jonathan Hollinger, executive director of Pleasant View Retirement Community, 544 N. Penryn Road,
Manheim. The retirement community plans to build a cultural center on the Hoffer Farm property across from the memory care and skilled nursing care facilities on North Penryn Road. Pleasant View has invited the See Aaron’s Acres pg 2
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“Business Pup With a Business to Run,” acrylic on canvas, by fourth-grader Nathaniel Cole
May was National Pet Month, and Mulberry Art Studios had put together an array of artists, vendors, treats for pets and their humans, rescue animals ready for adoption, and more to celebrate. Unfortunately, the second annual “We Love Our Pets” art show had to be pushed back and was rescheduled for July. July is right around the corner and Lancaster County recently moved into the yellow phase, but large gatherings are still not allowed to take place. While most of the studio’s spring and summer art offerings have been postponed to later in the year, owner April Koppenhaver and curator Stephanie Cole were determined to make the show still happen. Koppenhaver and Cole have created an online gallery show - a virtual exhibit that will showcase artwork and hopefully still raise funds for their animal rescue partner, The Sebastian Foundation. The virtual exhibit will be hosted at www.mulber ryartstudios.com and will feature about 150 pieces of art featuring beloved furry friends from more than 80 local artists, half of whom are youths. A variety of media will be represented. See Pet-Themed Art Show pg 4
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See Special Needs Auction pg 6
Opening Date Set For Pet-Themed Art Show
By Ann Mead Ash
In 2018, Aaron’s Acres celebrated 20 years of providing socialization and recreation for children and young adults ages 5 to 21 with special needs. The nonprofit organization held camp at the Jewish Community Center in Lancaster until 2013. Starting in 2014, the program was hosted by the Manheim Community Pool and Memorial Park. In 2019, the six-week camp served 220 campers. For the past several years, Aaron’s Acres has been searching for a permanent home. Risa Paskoff, executive director of Aaron’s Acres, had looked at a number of county locations, but nothing suitable had been found. “We really wanted to be part of an inclusive community,” recalled
Located throughout Lancaster County are seven centers that exist to give adults and children with special needs from the Plain community a chance to learn, socialize, and take part in productive work. The workshops also offer the families of these individuals respite. The centers are Sunny Sunbeam, Caring Hearts, Penn Johns Sunbeam, Special Hearts Circle, New Horizons, Valley Workshop, and Shady Hollow. The more than 80 students who attend the centers range in age from 14 to 76. A staff of 35 caregivers works with the students. All the centers were closed in March under COVID-19 restrictions, but organizers of the centers hope to reopen them in the late summer or fall. To help support the centers, organizers hold a yearly auction. This year’s auction
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