Greater Hershey Area ALSO SERVING HUMMELSTOWN AND MIDDLETOWN
townlively.com
OCTOBER 25, 2023
October Is
Breast Cancer
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXXVI • NO 16
Awareness Month
SSBVM students collecting Boxes of Joy BY FRANCINE FULTON
“I attended the Purple Polka Dot Race in Michigan several times,” added Ava Pyles, who is an avid runner. “I’ve always dreamed of having another Purple Polka Dot Race near me.” In addition to raising money for the VBF, the Purple Polka Dot Race raises awareness about vascular birthmarks. “My goal is to teach people nicer ways to find out more about my condition and that asking questions is far more comfortable for me than just having people stare,” Liz shared. Each of the young women has taken on various roles in planning the event. “We have weekly Zoom
Youngsters who live in impoverished countries will receive shoeboxes full of gifts this Christmas season thanks to the efforts of students living a world away. Members of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) at Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary School (SSBVM) in Middletown are currently collecting items for the Boxes of Joy program, which is administered by Cross Catholic Outreach. Each shoebox contains gifts, such as toys, clothing, school supplies and hygiene items. The monthlong collection started at the end of September at SSBVM and will conclude on Wednesday, Oct. 25. “Last year, we collected 50 boxes, so that is our goal again this year,” said NJHS adviser Josh Koch. “Once we receive all of the donations, we will pack up the boxes and see how many we actually have. The NJHS members will stay after school to package them.” Koch noted that the students collaborated with the Council of Catholic Women at the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church to complete the project. “We are joining them and supporting them in this ministry,” he said. “We want to help support the parish as much as they support (the school).” SSBVM students have been asked to bring in a variety of items to fill the boxes. “We sent out a letter to the parents and asked that each grade bring in specific items,” said Koch. “For
See Purple Polka Dot Race pg 2
See SSBVM pg 2
The hosts of the Pennsylvania Purple Polka Dot Race are (from left) Liz Stern, Maille McNicholas, Ava Wolchuk and Ava Pyles.
First Pennsylvania Purple Polka Dot Race set in Hummelstown our young women with vascular birthmarks will co-host the first Pennsylvania Purple Polka Dot 5K Fundraiser and Family Fun Run to benefit the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation (VBF). The event will take place at Cassel Vineyards of Hershey, 80 Shetland Drive, Hummelstown, on Sunday, Nov. 5. The 5K will start at 11 a.m., followed by the fun run at 12:15 p.m. Organizers are VBF Global Ambassadors Ava Pyles, 23, of Hummelstown; Maille McNicholas, 16, of Morgantown; and Liz Stern,
R100308
F
19, and Ava Wolchuk, 19, both of is one of the largest fundraisers for the VBF, are directly donated to the Wynnewood. The upcoming event will be foundation to support its charitable modeled after the Purple Polka work, including education, referrals and free treatment Dot Race held in clinics. Michigan, which “I went to the has been hosted “I’ve always dreamed annually since 2016 of having another race (in Michigan) by race founder Purple Polka Dot with Liz, and we drove down together Jody Lee in honor Race near me.” and, on the way of her daughter, home, we came up Meghana, who was born with a port wine stain birthmark with the idea to bring the race to on her face. The name of the race Pennsylvania,” Maille said. “We comes from the purplish polka dots started reaching out to others in that temporarily mark Meghana’s the community with vascular birthmarks and they agreed, and skin following her laser treatments. All proceeds from the event, which we started planning together.”
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
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER OCT. 25, 2023
Postal Patron
HCC
BY FRANCINE FULTON
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