Conestoga Valley /townlively
DECEMBER 9, 2020
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LVI • NO 52
Local Author And Illustrator Bring Seaside Tale To Life BY ANN MEAD ASH
Author Kim Kluxen Meredith had only met illustrator Lisa Madenspacher once before they began working together on Meredith’s latest book, “Henri’s Home,” which was published in October. See Local Author pg 2
Members of the Conestoga Valley Christian Community Services staff who have been going the extra miile throughout the pandemic include (from left) Dave Unangst, Dottie Slothower, Brittney Anderson, Gayle Smith, and Kim Sensenig.
Hometown Heroes - CVCCS Staff Members Rise To The Challenge sked whom she had seen go above and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Lisa Horst president of the board of Conestoga Valley Christian Community Services (CVCCS), did not hesitate on her answer. “It’s our entire office staff,” said Horst. By “entire staff,” Horst was referring to Dave Unangst, CVCCS director of operations; client advocate Dottie Slothower; administrator Brittney Anderson; Gayle Smith, who handles finance; and volunteer coordinator Kim Sensenig. “(Staff members) put in
A
extra hours and came in at different times (than usual),” reported Horst. “They did every job that needed to be done, and there wasn’t one person who didn’t step up and do what they could.” Using Smith as an example, Horst described how staff members pitched in where they were needed. “Gayle could do phone calls from home, and she needed to be home, so she would take care of manning the phones,” said Horst. “Everyone else did every job that came up, so if we needed to pack, we packed, but we also stocked shelves, and we cleaned.” Feeding those living or attending church in the Conestoga Valley
School District was paramount for the organization. Because certain requirements were adjusted, the number of clients rose significantly. “The state removed income guidelines for three months over the summer, so income was not a factor,” explained Smith.
“They did every job that needed to be done, and there wasn’t one person who didn’t step up and do what they could.” Horst noted that the small
staff worked hard to meet the needs of area residents. “From April to June, we saw a 67% increase in new clients,” said Horst, who explained that individuals and families who had not qualified in the past now qualified because they had reduced hours or lost positions. “We saw a lot more people who needed our services,” she said. Smith noted that the CVCCS team hit the ground running, not missing a week of food service following the March 18 shutdown. “ We were right up to speed,” she said, noting that staff members called clients to explain that the food pantry would be
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Scout Packs Post Meetings . . . . . . . . . .3 Holiday Dessert Sale Planned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 House Of Worship . . . . . .12 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . .13
See Hometown Heroes pg 6
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BY ANN MEAD ASH
Lancaster County author Kim Kluxen Meredith recently published her first children’s book, “Henri’s Home,” about a hermit crab and his Jersey shore family.