Solanco townlively.com
NOVEMBER 15, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LX • NO 30
Model train fundraiser will benefit local food banks BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
or many families, the return of the holiday season is accompanied by unique traditions and time-honored festivities. Some people enjoy caroling through their neighborhood, and others share a plump ham on Christmas morning. However, local residents Al Strausner and his grandson Matthew Palmeri prefer to celebrate the season by taking a different track - literally. Every December, Strausner and Palmeri travel to West Willow United Methodist Church, 118 West Willow Road, Willow Street, where they join forces to assemble model train displays. The display is then made available to view until the end of the month, during which time Strausner and Palmeri receive monetary donations and nonperishable food items for local food banks. This year, the two locomotive enthusiasts will collect donations for Solanco Neighborhood
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Ministries in Quarryville and Conestoga Valley Christian Community Services in Lancaster; each organization operates a food bank in its respective area. Last year, Strausner and Palmeri collected nearly 400 nonperishable goods and monetary donations totaling $500, setting a new record for the annual fundraiser. “The community has been really supportive,” Strausner said. “We see lots of people return from last year, and some new faces as well.” The displays will be 14 by 20 feet in size and include a variety of extensions, some of which measure 8 by 10 feet. The sets comprise multiple detailed models of buildings and train cars, and each one is proportionately scaled to serve as a replica of its real and functional counterpart. Strausner and Palmeri change the composition of the display every year by substituting certain pieces, rearranging the placement of the tracks and introducing new structures. This year, the display See Model trains pg 3
Al Strausner (right) and his grandson Matthew Palmeri will receive donations for local banks while the display is set up.
Special 30th anniversary Shopping small this holiday season “Nutcracker” planned are,” said Jona Green, president of the Southern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce. “These businesses are run by your neighbors who you see at the grocery store and church.” Before making holiday shopping lists, visit local stores and base gift ideas on items they have in stock. Chances are those gifts will be oneof-a-kind. Gifts purchased from local stores are also likely to feature a local flair, as independent businesses tend to offer products and services that are reflective of the customers and the community they serve. As Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday approach, marking the
BY ANN MEAD ASH
To celebrate three decades of presenting “The Nutcracker” to Lancaster-area audiences, the Viktor Yeliohin International Ballet Academy will hold a special presentation of the ballet, which will bring together on stage 20 dancers who have played Clara in the production. “The Nutcracker” will be presented at the High Fine Arts Center at Lancaster Mennonite School, 2176 Lincoln Highway East,
Lancaster, on Friday, Dec. 1, at 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 2, at 1 and 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. The former Claras will be honored at the 1 p.m. show on Dec. 2. The story of “The Nutcracker” has its roots in “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” written in 1816 by E.T.A. Hoffmann. The ballet tells the tale of a young girl, named Clara, who is given the gift of a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve. Clara’s beloved toy then battles the Mouse King. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote the score for the
Lancaster County’s economy is driven by small, local businesses. According to data from EDC Lancaster County, the county is home to more than 13,000 businesses, 97% of which have fewer than 100 employees. Truly, local businesses are at the heart of Lancaster County communities. What better way to celebrate the diversity, uniqueness, and creativity of independent, local businesses than by supporting them during the busiest shopping season of the year? “I love how relational the businesses in the Southern End
See “Nutcracker” pg 5
See Shop small pg 2
Photo provided by Andrew C. Albright Make Santa happy this year by doing your Christmas shopping at a local small business.
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