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JULY 8, 2020
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
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VOL LXI • NO 25
View the tributes and honor your own community hero!
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EPC Golf Outing To Aid Good Samaritan Services Now more than ever, thanks to jobs and wages lost while the stay-at-home order was in place, resources for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of
losing their homes are in demand. Thankfully, Good Samaritan Services (GSS), which serves individuals and families in Lancaster and Chester counties who have poverty-related needs, is prepared to help.
The annual EPC Golf Outing on Sept. 25 will benefit Good Samaritan Services, which provides a range of services to assist individuals overcoming homelessness in Lancaster and Chester counties.
DON
an abnormal time,” Settle said. As with other organizations, the delivery of services had to change, requiring flexibility from both the GSS team members and participants. GSS continued to provide emergency shelter and residential housing services while maintaining state-issued safety requirements and conducting cautious intakes for new clients. GSS family resource coordinators met with participants via Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp, and other virtual-meeting software to provide housing support services. The financial impact of COVID-19 will be felt for a long time to come, and GSS expects the need for its services to increase, Settle said. The nonprofit organization depends on donations and fundraisers to operate. One such fundraiser is the golf outing hosted by Engle Printing & Publishing Co., Inc. (EPC). See Golf Outing pg 6
Checking In With KPETS
Treating The Troops
Pam and Dallas Fritz, who own B.F. Hiestand House Bed & Breakfast in Marietta, sent these peanut butter oatmeal cookies and a variety of other treats to a service member as part of an effort called Inn Support of Our Troops.
“We provide a wide spectrum of services that are customizable to each individual or family at whatever place they are at in their journey to stability,” said Shadoe Settle, GSS development and communications coordinator. “Our services are always expanding. Right now, we provide emergency shelter, residential housing, and housing support services to men, women, and families in Lancaster and Chester counties. Serving men is a new ability in Lancaster County, and we are very excited about it.” Although the need for the services provided by GSS has increased, the organization has been able to keep the lives of its existing participants stable, thanks to support from the community. “Our ability to provide support and guidance during this time enabled all of our participants to remain in their housing, pay their bills, and continue life as normally as possible during such
By Ann Mead Ash
By Dayna M. Reidenouer
While the celebration of Independence Day on July 4 may have made Americans think back to the moment in Philadelphia in 1776 when the Founding Fathers declared citizens of the 13 colonies free from English rule, owners of several Lancaster County bed-and-breakfasts were thinking of those serving overseas. At least four local innkeepers joined in an Independence Day initiative that sent cookies, socks, banana bread, and toothpaste to members of the U.S. military deployed overseas in an effort dubbed “Inn Support of Our Troops.” Rebecca Gallagher of the Historic Smithton Inn, 900 W. Main St., Ephrata, said she jumped at the chance to take part in the project, noting that “veterans are a soft spot for me.” Rebecca, who owns the inn with her husband, Dave, served as co-chair of the committee that built Veterans Plaza in Ephrata See Troops pg 4
“Prior to COVID-19, we couldn’t keep up with the demand for our services,” commented Karen Gerth, founder and executive adviser of Keystone Pet Enhanced Therapy Services (KPETS). “Many of our volunteers seem to find a population or type of visit that they enjoy and that is a good fit for their pets so they may focus in that area.”
and organizations are becoming aware of the benefits of the human/animal interaction, and KPETS is a way to implement that benefit,” Gerth remarked. See KPETS pg 3
Gerth reported that KPETS currently has 443 registered human volunteers and 476 registered animals, as some of the volunteers have multiple pets that work with them. The teams provide more than 10,000 hours of visitation every year in communities throughout southcentral Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. “More and more facilities, agencies,
Keystone Pet Enhanced Therapy Services (KPETS) sent collages and cards to clients, students, and staff members of local health care institutions to provide encouragement during the shutdown.
Sweet & Tart Cherries READY PICKED!
SUMMER FRUITS! PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
400 Long Lane At Marticville Road (Rts. 741 & 324S) 3 Miles S. of Lanc. Lanc anc.
717-872-9311
www.cherryhillorchards.com
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By Dayna M. Reidenouer
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