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Morgantown/Honey Brook townlively.com

MAY 12, 2021

SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954

VOL XXIX • NO 15

TVHS Senior Breaks Discus Throw Record

Twin Valley High School senior Chase Shaneman, shown with his parents, Frank and Jill, will attend Ursinus College this fall. BY FRANCINE FULTON

Berks County Woman Launches Embrace Marketplace BY FRANCINE FULTON

ike the e-commerce store Esty, Embrace Marketplace will also feature apparel, crafts, unique gifts and handmade items that people offer for sale. The difference? The newly founded Embrace Marketplace is exclusively open to vendors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The creator of Embrace Marketplace is Berks County resident Ashlee Crater, 34, who has Down syndrome. She launched the website with the help of her family members, including her mother, Joan Crater, and sister, Kelsey Hartell. Currently, the website offers shirts, hoodies, water bottles, throw pillow covers and drawstring bags that include the phrase, “Accept. Include. Embrace.”

See Discus Record pg 5

envisions a world where everyone can participate in the workplace and contribute to society.” A portion of every item purchased at Embrace Marketplace is donated to Dayspring Homes Inc., a faith-based nonprofit organization near Shillington that assists people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “They have day programs and group homes. (Ashlee) has been a part of the day program since she was 21 years old,” said Joan, noting that participants in the program take part in arts and crafts, gardening, reading and health and fitness activities. “Last year, they were working with her to learn CPR. They also do volunteer work in the community.” “We worked at the food bank and cleaned a church,” Ashlee noted.

The Birdsboro Street Fair, featuring free entertainment, music, children’s activities, food, a craft sale and displays by community organizations, will be held on Saturday, May 15, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Main Bird Park, 226 N. Water St., Birdsboro.

See Embrace Marketplace pg 4

See Street Fair pg 3

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“We started to work on (the idea) in early December,” said Ashlee. “Our first order was in the middle of February.” Joan explained that Kelsey came up with the idea to form the marketplace because Ashlee’s activities, which included working as a hostess and at the Reading Fightin Phils, were canceled because of the pandemic. “(Kelsey) was very concerned because Ashley had nothing to do because she likes to be active,” she said. “(The pandemic) affected many people, but because she has a disability it is much harder to find work.” Joan said that the goal of the website is to promote inclusion and to provide a creative way to find employment for people with disabilities. According to www.embracemarket place.com, “Embrace Marketplace

EVENT

Street Fair, Duck Derby Set In Birdsboro

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Studio Tour To Highlight The Work Of Local Artists . . . . . . . . .2 Community Calendar . . . .4

BY FRANCINE FULTON

Little Free Library Installed At West Nantmeal Park . . . . . . . . .5 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . .6 House Of Worship . . . . . . .8

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Ashlee Crater is the founder of Embrace Marketplace, where crafters with disabilities may offer homemade items for sale.

Chase Shaneman, a senior at Twin Valley High School (TVHS) and a member of the track and field team, recently threw a discus 148 feet, which was enough to beat a 50-year school record set back in 1971 by Gary Kochel of 147 feet, 9 inches. Chase broke the record in the discus throw event that took place during a home meet against Fleetwood High School on April 27. “I made the throw and they measured it. When

it was announced it was 148 feet, my whole team went crazy and my parents went crazy,” he said. “I thought my throw would be terrible because I did not practice the day before because of work and my two warm-up throws were bad, but everything came together.” According to Chase, his longest throw in 2018 was 110 feet, 9 inches, and his longest throw in 2019 was 130 feet. He knew from the start that he wanted to break the record. “When you walk into the hallway

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