Columbia/Hellam/Wrightsville
townlively.com
NOVEMBER 29, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
Riverside Lodge honors longtime members
Tail-wagging page-turners come to Park Elementary
BY CATHY MOLITORIS
BY CATHY MOLITORIS
ifty years ago, three men joined Riverside Masonic Lodge 503 Free and Accepted Masons in Wrightsville, and they were honored for their long service to the organization in October. Art Bigler and Alvin Fake, both Past Masters of the lodge, as well as Alvin Himes, were awarded the Pennsylvania Grand Lodge Award of Gold, a distinctive emblem to be won in recognition of their service and dedication to the fraternity. District Deputy Darrin Catts presented the award to Bigler and Fake at a meeting at the lodge, 25 Cool Creek Road, Wrightsville, with friends and family members in attendance. Himes was unable to attend, but Catts authorized officers and members of the lodge to present the award to him at his home, with friends and family present. Riverside Masonic Lodge members provide community service through a number of projects throughout the year, said Keith Flaharty, a twotime Past Master who will be Master of the lodge next year. “We are a men’s organization, and we’re one of the oldest fraternal organizations around,” he noted. “We like to say we take men in and we make them better.” Flaharty has been a member for 41 years, and his grandfather, father, brother and two sons have also been members. “We are trying more and more to get out into the community,” Flaharty said of the organization. The lodge sponsors scholarships for local students, provides meals for families in the Eastern York School District and holds a variety of fundraisers throughout the year, including a chicken barbecue
Dogs have taken over the library at Park Elementary School in the Columbia Borough School District, but don’t worry; the library is still a calm, quiet place. These dogs are in the form of books provided by the American Kennel Club (AKC) through a program called Bailey’s Book Club. “The books range in interest level from kindergarten to fourth grade,” said librarian Kelcey Bucks. “All the books are about dogs, a popular topic among our young readers. The books include old Park Elementary students Cedar Frey (left) and Hutchinson (right) alongside Kelly favorites like Clifford Genevieve Skiptunas and Jager with books from Bailey’s
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See Books pg 2 Book Club
Sharing Christmas joy with seniors BY CATHY MOLITORIS
District Deputy Darrin Catts presents a 50-year service award to Art Bigler (seated) and Alvin Fake.
over Memorial Day weekend and a Wrightsville Borough. Riverside Lodge drive-through chicken and waffle members also support community youths in the Masonic dinner. “Proceeds from these meals go “We like to say we program through Job’s Daughters and toward needs in the take men in and we DeMolay International. community,” Flaharty Flaharty noted that stated. The organi- make them better.” while the longevity of zation also hosts community blood drives and the three members’ service is a recently donated to provide milestone, it’s not completely new Christmas decorations in unique in the organization.
Sometimes, when she’s out running errands, Helen Bechtold feels like a celebrity. “It could be July and it’s about 105 degrees outside, and people will see me on the street and they’ll say, ‘Hey! You’re the Christmas lady!’” she said with a smile. For the 36th year, Bechtold is organizing a free Christmas Day dinner for anyone age 55 or older. The meal will be available for pickup only at the Hambones
See Riverside pg 3
Social Club of the Columbia Borough Fire Department, 726 Manor St., from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 25. “ We’re going to have ham, turkey, filling, mashed potatoes, a vegetable, a roll and butter and a dessert,” Bechtold said. “I wasn’t sure we were going to be able to have turkey, because our volunteers are getting older and it’s a job to cook and prepare the turkeys, but we found enough help to do it.” Along with the meal, each senior will receive a bag of food, much of See Chirstmas pg 2
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VOL LXIV • NO 40