Elizabethtown townlively.com
OCTOBER 27, 2021
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXII • NO 38
Friday, October 29th 6-8PM
Going Green At The Library BY CATHY MOLITORIS
Getting ready to open the ECHOS emergency shelter are (from left) shelter coordinator Chrissie Raffensperger, executive director Brie Anderson and volunteer coordinator Theresa Schlaybach.
ECHOS Will Open Expanded Emergency Shelter ith the opening of its new space at 105 E. Washington St., Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Services (ECHOS) can continue to serve the community as it prepares to open its emergency shelter in December. “Our new shelter is three to four times bigger than our old one,” said Brie Anderson, executive director. “We now have 6,800 square feet.” The larger space has been made possible by the United Churches Elizabethtown Area, which owns the building.
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The shelter can now accommodate up to 30 individuals in a communal room, along with three dedicated family rooms. “A lot of shelters separate people by gender, but we believe in keeping the family together,” explained Chrissie Raffensperger, shelter coordinator, adding that single fathers, for example, will be able to stay with their children at the ECHOS shelter. It’s just one of the ways ECHOS is working to break down barriers facing people who are homeless, she noted. The new shelter has also eliminated bunk beds in favor of single beds,
making each bed more accessible to guests, and also features multiple electrical outlets for people to charge their devices. Lockers will be provided as well for guests to store items during the day when they may be at a job or other appointments. A new commercial kitchen will allow for easier prep and service of meals, with more room for guests to eat and socialize. The new site also features two commercial washers and dryers, allowing volunteers to do laundry on site for the first time. A small de-escalation room will provide space for guests to get away from the general population
See Library pg 2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
if necessary, and an expanded room for overnight volunteers has also been added. On the main floor of the new building, an enrichment center offers access to job and community resources as well as the opportunity to work with a case manager. In early 2022, six apartments will open in the building as well. The new site couldn’t have been ready at a better time, Anderson said. “We are anticipating this year to be our most full year,” she stated. “We’ve seen an increase every year in the amount of shelter guests we’ve served.”
See This Trail Through A Geologist’s Eyes . . . . . . . .5 “Messiah” To Be Performed In Concert . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Business Directory . . . . . .8 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 House Of Worship . . . . . .11 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . .15
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See ECHOS pg 4
Let us show you the difference a caring neighbor can make. Rothermel-Finkenbinder Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. Palmyra | 717-838-9211 Travis S. Finkenbinder, Supervisor
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BY CATHY MOLITORIS
When she started volunteering at the Elizabethtown Public Library a few years ago, Sandi Bush noticed something. The landscaping outside the back entrance and in the courtyard on the side of the building, located at 10 S. Market St., needed some attention. “Everything was completely overgrown,” Bush recalled. So, the avid gardener got to work. With a core group of about four or five people, Bush has been cleaning up the landscaping at the library. This year, three trees were removed. One was dead and the other two were oversized for the space. The group also worked with Warburton Nursery and Greenhouses to create a four-season design for one area of the courtyard. “They gave us a map of what to plant where, and we planted everything,” Bush said. “It’s going to have color all year long.” Paul Warburton was very helpful with
Miller-Finkenbinder Funeral Home & Crematory Elizabethtown | 717-367-1543 Thomas W. Ford, Supervisor
Fager-Finkenbinder Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. Middletown | 717-944-7413 Alana A. Ace, Supervisor