Solanco townlively.com
JANUARY 24, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LX • NO 40
Answering a call to action BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
T
ime and time again, residents of the Southern End have proven their ability to withstand adversity by coming together as one community. When the coronavirus pandemic shook the foundations of everyday life in 2020, nearly every church and business from Conestoga to Lampeter to Kirkwood held food drives and fundraisers to ensure their neighbors’ needs were met. Although the worst of the pandemic is behind us, its aftermath and a number of economic factors continue to add to a demand for basic necessities across Lancaster County that is greater than normal. To match the Southern End’s r ising needs, organizations such as Solanco Neighborhood Ministries (SNM) are rising to the occasion by looking after their neighbors. The nonprofit serves a wide zone that encompasses Solanco and Lampeter-Strasburg
school districts, as well as parts of Penn Manor School District. One of SNM’s goals is to combat food insecurity in its service area, which it primarily accomplishes by operating a food bank in Quarryville. The food bank runs on a choice pantry model that allows patrons to select the items they need the most; its inventory is stocked with healthy foods, and each item is color-coded by nutritional value. In 2023, SNM received more than 500 food orders, nearly 50% more than the previous year’s total of 354 orders. Additionally, the number of emergency orders received by the food bank increased by 133%. Teresa Dolan, executive director of SNM, said she attributes the higher numbers to a variety of factors, including the rising costs of rent, utilities and groceries. Although these factors persistently make many households’ budgets tighter, most of the families served by the food bank only need to use it Solanco Neighborhood Ministries volunteers (from left) Debbie Grace, Carol Oswald, Anne Fisher and Vickie See Food bank pg 5 Shertzer help the organization’s food bank run smoothly.
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Celebrate Groundhog Day with Acorn Acres BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Elliott the groundhog, Acorn Acres’ mascot, will make his first official prognostication during this year’s Groundhog Day celebration.
Millersville-based wildlife rehabilitation center Acorn Acres will host its annual Groundhog Day celebration on Friday, Feb. 2, in downtown Lancaster. The festivities will kick off at Ville & Rue, 8 W. King St., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The celebration will continue with an all-ages Groundhog Day party from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Imperial, 26 E. Chestnut St. Both events will be free to attend. At 11:30 a.m., Acorn Acres ambassador Elliott the groundhog will predict the weather forecast for the remaining winter months. This will be Elliott’s first prognostication, as the yearly ritual was previously completed by the wildlife center’s former mascot, Poppy. After Poppy’s death last February, Elliott has taken over the late groundhog’s responsibilities as See Groundhog Day pg 2
Become a friend to bees BY CATHY MOLITORIS
“Honey bees pollinate a third of everything we eat,” said Master B e e ke e p er Denny Gor m an. “Without them, we wouldn’t have most of the fruit we eat. Honey bees also pollinate 100% of the almonds grown in this country.” Gorman, who is vice president of the Lancaster County Beekeepers Society, is passionate about the insects. He invites other people who are interested in learning more to attend the 2024 New Beekeeper Workshop. It will be held on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Gathering
Place, 6 Pine St., Mount Joy. The event will cover everything people need to start the hobby of beekeeping. “ We provide a continental breakfast and a very nice lunch,” Gorman said. “I personally teach a class in honey bee biology and hive biology. We teach classes in how to extract honey, where to place your hives, a little bit on diseases. We try to prepare a new beekeeper with the basic info they need to start beekeeping.” Gorman has been a beekeeper for seven years. He started the hobby after he retired from a career in business. “I wanted See Beekeeping pg 2
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