Lampeter-Strasburg JULY 22, 2026
REACHING MORE THAN 9,190 HOMES
Around the Stump BY LOGAN MOYER
W
hat was once a towering maple tree has turned into a gathering place for a West L ampeter Township neighborhood. Jane and John Weigel had to cut down a threedecade-old maple tree in their front yard. The tree had grown sick and was out of control, but Jane did not want to get rid of it entirely. Instead, she instr ucted her son, Luke, a woodworker, to leave just the stump of the once-imposing maple tree. Luke and a friend then built Jane Jane Weigel, known as “Mrs. Fairy” by the kids, started the fairy garden in 2020. a fairy house and mailbox before unique fairies, Frederick, Felicia, started in the pandemic, during the she did some gardening in the area Fiona, Felicity, Faith and Flora. All era of isolation, but has now become six have different unique traits and the epicenter of the neighborhood. where the tree once stood. distinct personalities. “They could come down here and Thus, a fairy garden was born. The fairy garden is now a hangout play,” said Jane, who is known as In the Weigels’ front yard sits a fairy garden, consisting of six spot for kids in the neighborhood. It “Mrs. Fairy” to the kids. “See what’s
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See Hope pg 4
See Dance pg 3
Hope Inspire Love Turns Page to More Impactful Chapter
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BY GEORGE DEIBEL
not necessarily thinking in terms evolution produced organic growth. of future mergers. The founders “My heart was always collaboraWhen you start a nonprofit, of Hope Inspire Love kept their tion and participation,” said Amy you’re focused on the work and noses to the grindstone, and natural Thurston, who, along with her
See Fairy Garden pg 2
1955 Beaver Valley Pike, just N. of Quarryville
Historic Rock Ford Will Host Social Dance Put on your dancing shoes. No experience necessary. Historic Rock Ford will host a Social Dance event Sunday, July 26, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Langmuir Education Room located on the first floor of the Rock Ford Barn, 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster. Register by going to www .historicrockford.org/special -events/social-dance-1-8583h. Walk-ins will be welcome. Attendees are advised to wear clothes people can dance and move around in and flat-soled shoes that won’t stick or skid on the concrete floor, Historic Rock Ford executive director Christina McSherry said. People are not required to bring a dance partner. Visitors should bring water. The activity is recommended for peoples age 7 and up. There will be a nominal fee for nonmembers age 12 and up. The Rock Ford dancers will perform on the porch of the Hand Mansion at 1 p.m. “We started social dances last year because there was so much interest in our historic dance group,” said McSherry. “People were always asking, ‘Is there a place I can learn this? I’d love to try it.’ The historic dance group requires a pretty extensive commitment to practicing and getting a costume, so we were starting to think (that this) is a good way to have people try out English country dance, which is the type of dancing that the Hand family would have done.” McSherr y added, “English
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Members of the bigger and stronger Hope Inspire Love team BY JEFF FALK
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