Pequea Valley townlively.com
JANUARY 10, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LX • NO 3
Be an influencer BY ANN MEAD ASH
“T
here’s more demand for character coaches than there are volunteers,” said Ben Swarr, director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Berks County, who works with athletes in Twin Valley and Governor Mifflin school districts. Swarr is also a former character coach for Cocalico High School wrestling. “We are looking for volunteers and for coaches willing to have character coaches (help out),” added FCA’s Kyle Martin, who works with students at LampeterStrasburg, Conestoga Valley, and Solanco high schools. Adam Burns, FCA area representative with Pequea Valley and Ephrata high schools, noted that the job of a character coach is to serve the coaching staff team in any way he or she can, and that a volunteer need not be proficient in a sport to be a character coach. Character coaches are asked to aid the head coach with a focus on
Diana Roth (front and center in left photo) and Kyle Martin (right in right photo) are Fellowship of Christian Athletes character coaches who work with local school sports teams to help foster a positive environment and provide support to coaches.
social and emotional development of student-athletes. Objectives include encouraging athletes, working to create a positive culture, and helping to develop leadership characteristics in athletes. The first year of serving usually involves building relationships,
followed by working to develop leadership skills. “If the door opens to spiritual conversation, that’s awesome, but the sole purpose is to serve,” added Burns. Burns also noted that character coaching may look different depending on the specific sport
and the players. He pointed out that Diana Roth, who is the FCA representative for EL ANCO and Cocalico school districts and Lancaster Mennonite High School, is also a character coach for the Garden Spot girls’ soccer team. “It’s a team of girls with
an all-male coaching staff,” explained Burns. “(Her role) opens doors for g irls when they’re going through stuff. She is there to be on the bench and develop relationships.” Burns recalled that one of his first experiences as a character
BY JEFF FALK
It’s about the organization. It’s about the mission. It’s about the people. It’s not about bricks and mortar. But a building provides the structure that can bring everything together. Hope Inspire Love has a new home. It’s a space that the local human-trafficking opposer can call its own.
Hearts to help families BY ANN MEAD ASH
“This is for us to provide more services,” said Amy Thurston, Hope Inspire Love’s president and CEO. “We want to grow our programs. This is just how we’ve evolved in the community. Now our name is on the side of a building. People will walk by and say, ‘What’s Hope Inspire Love about?’ Having a brick-and-mortar building will cause people to want to get involved, to get behind it. This
Steven and Allycia Barr of Leola have a dream. Someday, they would like to own a farm with the space and facilities to bring in families that are dealing with addiction and teach vocational skills. The dream was born of a hard reality. When the Barrs’ son, Steel, was born in Philadelphia in May of 2019, the couple was homeless and addicted, living in the back of a box truck in a friend’s driveway. The hospital where Steel was born gave Allycia the opportunity to go directly to a rehab program following his birth. “When (Allycia) left the hospital and went right to rehab, I was left in the box truck,” recalled Steven. “(I wish) there had been somewhere we could have gone together,” said Allycia, who believes
See Hope Inspire Love pg 4
See Barrs pg 5
Allycia Barr (left) and her husband, Steven, cooking hot dogs and starting conversations in Kensington
luxury vinyl plank Largest selection in Lancaster County - over 50 in stock!
Why choose LVP? • Waterproof/Moisture Resistant • Realistic look and feel - wood/tile • Easy to install DYI or let Flor Haus
• Easy to clean • Scratch Resistant • Pet and Family Friendly
(717)656-7077
40 Glenbrook Rd, (Rt 772) Leola M, T, W, F 8am – 4pm Th 8am – 7pm, Sat 8am - Noon #PA033474
www.florhaus.com
R103038
Hope Inspire Love now has headquarters to fight human trafficking
POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER JAN. 10, 2024
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
Postal Patron
PEQ
See FCA pg 5