Pequea Valley townlively.com
FEBRUARY 16, 2022
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LVIII • NO 8
A Chance To Play n 2021, Melissa Warmiak’s two sons - ages 11 and 8 - expressed interest in playing football. There was just one problem. Melissa’s family lives in the Pequea Valley School District (PVSD), and PVSD did not have a football program. “They could play for another school, but I wanted them to play for their school,” said Melissa, who started contacting PVSD staff about the problem in the fall of 2021. Soon Melissa had distributed a flyer to gauge interest and had connected with another couple, Nicole and Jeff O’Hara, whose son was also interested in playing. Now, the O’Haras, along with Melissa, are on a board that oversees Pequea Valley Youth Football Association (PVYFA), a program that teaches football skills and sportsmanship to boys and girls ages 7 to 13 in PVSD. Melissa, who serves as PVYFA president, reported that more than 65 youths are
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Youth Football Returns To PVSD interested in taking part. Jeff serves as football director, assisted by Melissa’s husband, Gary. Linzi Arbutina is cheer director, and Modesty Hofmann is assistant cheer director. Adrienne Kilby is fundraising committee chair. Until about 2018, PVSD had a youth football program, which Melissa believes had been active since the 1990s. Unfortunately, equipment from that program is now considered outdated and illegal, and it will be expensive to replace. To raise funds, PVYFA will hold a dodgeball tournament for teams of six. The tournament for middle school and high school students will be held on Friday, March 18, beginning at 6 p.m. at Pequea Valley High School (PVHS), 4022 E. Newport Road, Kinzers. A tournament for elementary students and adults will be held at PVHS on Saturday, March 19, beginning at 10 a.m. Those wishing to take part may Organizers of the Pequea Valley Youth Football Association include (from left) Modesty Hofmann, register at www.pvyfa.com. See PVYFA pg 4
GOTR Plans Summer Camp
New Factory Workforce Advocate Is On The Job
BY ANN MEAD ASH
See GOTR pg 2
Adam Nagle (left) and Mike Lewis are working to facilitate improved communication between employers and employees.
Mike Lewis, who is the first workforce advocate for The Factory Ministries, is making connections in the greater Paradise area. “We have been talking to area businesses and finding out what their needs are,” said Lewis. “One of the things that stood out was employee retention, so we have wrestled with how bringing advocacy into the workplace could help with retention.”
PRESIDENTS’ DAY
Bird Themed Items Up For Bids . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
BY ANN MEAD ASH
Jen West, program director for Girls on the Run (GOTR), is exuberant about the programming the 2022 Camp GOTR will offer to area girls entering third, fourth, or fifth grades by fall. “It opens possibilities for new careers for girls … where they can see past elementary school to what will be available for them (in the future),” said West.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Paradise Rotary Honors Students . . . . . . . .5
Ministry Seeks To Help Bridge Employment Gap
See Factory pg 3
Business Directory . . . . .10 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . .12 House Of Worship . . . . . .16
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What A Girl Wants To Do
Melissa Warmiak, Gary Warmiak, Linzi Arbutina, Nicole Diehl O’Hara, Jeff O’Hara, Adrienne Kilby, and (not pictured) Lindsey Corson.
R080847
BY ANN MEAD ASH
