Solanco SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
JUNE 10, 2026
REACHING MORE THAN 11,250 HOMES
VOL LXIII • NO 8
Navigating a Pet’s Final Journey BY CATHY MOLITORIS
W
FARM MARKET
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 services throughout the county as well as in Lancaster County, and she offers virtual grief support services anywhere through phone calls, text support, FaceTime or Zoom.
Quality. Freshness. Local.
FARM FRESH FRUITS and VEGETABLES
“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 carr ying 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 has also worked in veterinary offices, served as an animal control See Pets pg 3
Fresh BAKED GOODS
Golfers Tee Up With HOPE BY JEFF FALK
Check Out Our sliced deli meats & prepared foods section
1955 Beaver Valley Pike, just N. of Quarryville
(717) 786-4713 Mon.-Fri. 8am-6pm, Sat. 8am-4pm
mecksproduce.com
There are few things as relaxing and inspiring as a day on the golf course. Unless of course it’s a day on the golf course for a great cause. HOPE International, a local faith-based nonprofit designed to aid underserved individuals around the world experiencing financial difficulties, is gearing up this year’s edition of its annual fundraising golf outing. On Friday, Sept. 11, HOPE
International’s golf outing will be staged at 8 a.m. at Iron Valley Golf Club in Cornwall. On the same day at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., the event will be conducted at Wyncote Golf Club in Oxford. “For 25 years, this golf tournament has been about so much more than golf,” said Jeff Rutt, HOPE International’s founder and chairman of the board. “Every dollar raised has gone toward giving hardworking entrepreneurs in
some of the world’s most vulnerable communities access to the small loans, savings and training they need to build a better future for their families.” In addition to an enjoyable round of golf, participants will enjoy on-course activities and opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals. Currently, organizers of HOPE International’s golf outing are seeking players and sponsors for the event.
A foursome enjoys a round of golf at last year’s
See HOPE pg 3 HOPE International outing.
R128753
Beautiful
Flowers & Shrubs Awesome Selection!
All Plants 10% OFF Best Potting Mix! POSTMASTER: PLEASE DELIVER JUN. 10, 2026
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Engle Printing Co
Postal Patron
SOL
Ashley Page
400 Long Lane At Marticville Road
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