Penn Manor SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
JUNE 10, 2026
ONLINE
Summer
REACHING MORE THAN 17,060 HOMES
Navigating a Pet’s Final Journey BY CATHY MOLITORIS
W
hen a beloved pet is aging or nearing the end of its life, the emotional weight can feel overwhelming. That’s when Ashley Page steps in. As a certified end-of-life pet doula, she offers compassionate, nonmedical support to both pets and their people, helping families navigate aging, terminal illness and difficult end-of-life decisions with care and dignity. “My role is to help families feel supported emotionally, practically and compassionately,” she said. “That support can look very different depending on the family’s needs. Some people reach out because they need help understanding quality of life changes, while others are preparing for euthanasia, struggling with anticipatory grief or simply feeling overwhelmed caring for an aging pet.” Based in York, Page is the owner of Willow Bridge Crossings. She provides in-home ser vices throughout the county as well as in Lancaster County, and she offers virtual grief support
EVENT CALENDAR
townlively.com/ events
services anywhere through phone calls, text support, FaceTime or Zoom. “I can help families create comfortfocused routines at home, make environmental adjustments for senior pets, talk through end-of-life planning, provide euthanasia presence and support, assist with memorial ideas and aftercare guidance and offer grief support before and after a loss,” she said. She knows what it’s like to lose a pet and to feel alone in her grief. “After unexpectedly losing my soul dog, Jackson, I found myself facing a kind of grief that many people didn’t fully understand,” she recalled. “There’s often this unspoken belief that losing a pet should somehow hurt less, but for many of us, these animals are family, companions and emotional anchors. I realized there were other people carrying that same grief while feeling unseen and unsupported, and I wanted to create a space where they didn’t have to go through it alone.” With a background that includes more than 13 years of working professionally with animals through her business Allegiant Dog Walking, Page See Pets pg 2
Ashley Page
Ephrata-Reading Elks to Host Annual Flag Day Event
PEN
VOL LXIII • NO 7
BY LOGAN MOYER
Flag Day is an important moment of remembrance in the United States, especially for those who fought for it. The Ephrata-Reading Elks Lodge No. 115 and Lancaster Elks No. 134 will host its annual Flag Day ceremony on Sunday, June 14, at 1 p.m. The event will be held at Faithful Living Home, 2015 N. Reading Road, Denver. This year’s event holds extra value for a multitude of reasons.
Along with it being America’s 250th anniversary this summer, Faithful Living has nearly two dozen veterans living at the facility, including 101-year-old World War II veteran John Fry, originally from Brecknock Township and Reamstown. “I really wanted this to be something special,” said Pat Conner, exalted ruler of Lodge No. 115. “The importance of this ceremony to our organization is one thing … (the veterans) will get the most out Fry, a 101-year-old World War II of the service. They understand John veteran, is pictured with his two
You Too Can Be a “Misfit on a Mission” BY JEFF FALK
They call themselves “Misfits.” But that is not a complete representation of who they are and what they are all about. They could also call themselves “Supporters,” “Heroes” or “Sympathizers.” “We are a group of people who have been impacted by cancer in some way, either as caregivers, survivors, or we have friends who have gone through the fight,”
See Elks pg 4 sisters and niece.
R128799
Beautiful
Flowers & Shrubs Awesome Selection!
All Plants 10% OFF Best Potting Mix!
400 Long Lane At Marticville Road
See Relay pg 3
Our Strawberries Delicious! • PYO
Mon.-Sat. 8-6 • Ready Picked (Rts. 741 & 324S) 717-872-9311 3 Miles S. of Lancaster www.cherryhillorchards.com Follow us on R128756
POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER JUN. 10, 2026
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
Postal Patron