Penn Manor townlively.com
FEBRUARY 9, 2022
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LVIII • NO 41
Serving Up Hope BY CATHY MOLITORIS
In March of 2016, Carol Heth was on a bus heading to New York City when inspiration struck. Having participated in an outdoor farm-to-table dinner, Carol thought she could take the idea one step further. “I said, ‘How about if we do a dinner in the field on our property and at the same time, we help some people who are going through health hardships?’” she recalled. By April of 2016, Carol had rounded up a team to help bring her vision to life. By June, the group had three potential beneficiaries of the dinner and by the fall, the first meal was held. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to go or what we’d be able to do to help the recipients, and I thought it was a once-anddone thing, but it wasn’t,” she stated. Having raised more than $5,600 for each of the first year’s beneficiaries, Carol knew she was onto something. Seven years later, the nonprofit Lancaster County Field of Hope has not only held annual dinners
Tracie Young founded Raven Ridge Wildlife Center in 2015.
Keeping The Wildlife Wild At Raven Ridge
U
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RRWC had to cancel all of its 2020 programs and is still trying to financially recover. Last year during the spring, Young said, the center spent between $1,200 and $1,800 on food that lasted about four weeks for birds of prey. It is up to RRWC to raise funds, bring in donations, feed the animals, and pay for the electric to keep incubators running. Young noted that if she doesn’t have enough funding to treat the animals, she takes money out of her own pocket. As a result of participating in the Extraordinary Give in November 2021, RRWC received nearly $35,000 with the stretch pool. “We have great supporters,” said Young. “We can’t do it without the
support of our community. And the volunteers here are amazing. They believe in what we do, they believe in our mission, and they’re fantastic. Lord knows I couldn’t do it all myself.” Some of the nonreleasable animals at RRWC serve as educational ambassadors in its programs. RRWC offers off-site programs for birthday parties, schools, camps, clubs, and more. The programs are suitable for people of all ages and can be tailored to fit the groups’ needs. For more information about RRWC, visit https://ravenridgewild lifecenter.org or search for “Raven Ridge Wildlife Center” on Facebook. To donate to the center, visit https://ravenridgewildlifecenter.org /wish-list.html.
PRESIDENTS’ DAY
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Guest Speaker To Show Postcards . . . . . .2 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Business Directory . . . . . .5 House Of Worship . . . . . . .7 Ascension Lutheran Church Plans Meal . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . .8
scan this code for more local news
Shop In-Stock Furniture & Mattresses!
EPHRATA
1717 West Main St.
(2 miles west of Ephrata on Route 322)
717-721-3139
NEW PROVIDENCE
SALES EVENT
2318 Beaver Valley Pk.
(1 mile north of Quarryville on Route 222)
717-806-7373 MYERSTOWN
740 E. Lincoln Ave.
February 9th - 28th
(Mattresses Only)
717-866-7555 martinfurniturepa.com
R080670
ntil March 2021, Washington Boro resident Tracie Young had spent six years working a full-time job in addition to running Raven Ridge Wildlife Center (RRWC). As the need for services, outreach programs, and wildlife emergencies grew exponentially, Young knew she had to make a decision, so she quit her full-time job to dedicate more time and attention to RRWC. Young had opened RRWC in 2015 after receiving permits from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Although located in Washington Boro, RRWC treats animals from
roughly 17 counties in Pennsylvania and rehabilitates nearly 2,000 animals every year. RRWC specializes in treating birds of prey, such as vultures, eagles, hawks, and owls, as well as rabies vector species, such as bats, skunks, and groundhogs. “This center is important,” Young explained. “It’s giving wildlife a second chance, which is so important because they need to be here for the next generation.” Most people do not have the knowledge to take care of injured wildlife, which is why Young encourages members of the public to call RRWC if they come across wildlife in need of assistance. “It is our job to keep the public safe and educate, educate, educate,” stated Young.
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER FEB. 9, 2022
Postal Patron
PEN
BY COURTNEY MENGEL
See Hope pg 3
