Pequea Valley
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JUNE 3, 2020
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
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VOL LVI • NO 25
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Church To Collect Food For The Factory By Francine Fulton
Pequea Evangelical Congregational Church members (from left) Alan Kinsey, and Mary Jane and Wilmer Stoltzfus invite the community to donate nonperishable food items as part of a “Fill the Trailer” food drive to benefit The Factory Ministries. The food drive will take place every Thursday from 2 to 6 p.m. at the church in Gap.
As part of an effort to help the community during this time of need, Pequea Evangelical Congregational (EC) Church in Gap is hosting a “Fill the Trailer” food drive to benefit The Factory Ministries. The food drive will take place every Thursday from 2 to 6 p.m. at the church, 5482 Old Philadelphia Pike, Gap. “The food drive will take place every Thursday for the foreseeable future as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated congregation member Jesse Bills. Volunteers will be at the church during those hours to accept the donations. “There will be people there, so you don’t even have to get out of your car,” said Bills. All donations will be put into a trailer owned by local electrician Carl Sandoe, who has agreed to let the church use the vehicle on Thursdays.
COBYS Celebrates 40 Years Of Service way to do them.” One of the video appearances was made by When COBYS Family Services held its 40th Glen Faus of Manheim, who served as director of anniversary banquet celebration at Middle Creek COBYS from 1980 to 2001. Faus was in the audiChurch of the Brethren on March 12, most of the ence at the event. Also honored at the banquet presentations were made by video. “We didn’t do were Dennis and Ann Saylor of Manheim, who, as that because of COVID-19,” said Anne Stokes, resource parents for COBYS, have provided foster director of development for COBYS, who was the care for 116 children over more than three program’s master of ceremonies with executive decades. Stokes noted that the large gathering director Mark Cunningham. “It was just an easier included close to 600 meals at two separate seatings. “We do a meal at noon and the same thing in the evening,” said Stokes. COBYS was founded in 1980 by the Atlantic Northeast District of the Church of the Brethren, with one caseworker and one executive director placing teenagers in foster homes. In its 40-year history, the organization has served more than 60,000 people in a variety of COBYS Family Services celebrated 40 years in the Lancaster area settings. Recalling that in the past at a banquet on March 12. The numbers being held up represent COBYS provided congregant care,
the more than 60,000 unique points of service COBYS has provided over four decades to children, adults, and families in the area.
See COBYS pg 6
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filled two shopping carts,” he said, noting that this was the first time that members of the church family were able to see one another in person after several months of the stay-at-home order. “We have Zoom Bible studies, but it was good to see people from the church,” he shared. He said the food drive is a way to still serve the community while the church doors are temporarily shuttered. “Obviously, we can’t have church in the normal way; we were trying to think of a way to benefit the community outside of what we do at services,” Bills said. “(The Factory has) an open door for us to help and partner with them.” The Factory Ministries operates a youth center, offers social service programs, and runs a food pantry. For additional details, readers may call 717687-9594 or visit the aforementioned Facebook page or www.thefactory ministries.com.
Bridge Of Hope Opens Lancaster Office Neighboring Volunteers Sought To Help Fight Homelessness By Ann Mead Ash
In August of 2019, Bridge of Hope Lancaster and Chester Counties and Good Samaritan Services parted ways. Bridge of Hope, a national organization that fights homelessness through community support efforts, made the decision to operate Bridge of Hope programs separately in both Lancaster and Chester counties. In Lancaster County, Audrey Metzler became the county director, moving into the organization’s new offices at 255 Butler Ave., Suite 205, Lancaster, in December. Metzler worked for Bridge of Hope for more than a decade, leaving her post in 2008 and returning to the organization and to Lancaster in late 2019. In her new role, she will handle some case management and train and coordinate local See Bridge Of Hope pg 3
Bridge of Hope Lancaster County director Audrey Metzler (left) and national executive director Edith Yoder stand in the new office the organization has opened at 255 Butler Ave., Suite 205, Lancaster. Bridge of Hope, which fights homelessness through neighborhood volunteer programs, is hoping to increase the number of families it helps in the county.
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By Ann Mead Ash
All the donated food will be delivered to The Factory Ministries on the next day for “Food Friday.” Since the COVID-19 outbreak, The Factory, located in the Together Community Center, 3293 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise, has opened its food pantry on Fridays to accept donations from 9 a.m. to noon. A tent is set up outside the building, and shopping carts are available for donors to use to drop off food items in a safe way. A Food Friday “shopping list” is available weekly at www.facebook.com /TheFactoryMinistries. “They started Food Friday because of the pandemic and the greater need,” Bills said. “Any nonperishable food donation will be accepted, but The Factory puts out a list of different items each week, so it changes. (The recent) list included cereal, tuna, dish soap and salsa.” Bills said that the church held the first food drive for congregation members, which was well attended. “We
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