Warwick townlively.com
JANUARY 10, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXIV • NO 44
For crossing guard Jeanne Hess, safety always has right of way BY JEFF FALK
O
n the surface, she’s an ordinary person performing an ordinar y task . But dig just a bit deeper and it becomes apparent that Jeanne Hess is an extraordinary person doing an extraordinary job. As a crossing guard in Lititz, Hess toils in the business of kids’ safety. It’s an important job that she takes very seriously. “I wouldn’t be there if I didn’t take pride in it,” said Hess. “I love the kids. You have to love the kids; if you don’t, there’s no other benefit. It’s rewarding because you know you’re helping the children. I am concerned, and you’ve got to be on top of it. I’m not the only person in the world who can do this, but when they’re there, they’re my kids.” One of six crossing guards in Lititz, Hess mans the corner of
South Broad Street (Route 501) and Orange Street from 7:25 to 8 a.m. and from 2:30 to 2:50 p.m. every school day, rain or shine. On any given day, she helps 65 to 70 pedestrians - mostly students from Lititz Elementary School,
“The most rewarding part is the kids’ appreciation, the parents’ appreciation.” War wick Middle School and Warwick High School - safely navigate the intersection. Hess is an employee of the borough, but the Warwick School District helps cover the cost of her wages. “My responsibility is not to direct traffic, but if there’s an
issue, I have the authority to do so,” said Hess. “My main priority is the kids. My job is to get those kids to the other side of the street. It sounds easy until you step in front of a bumper.” “ We need crossing guards because people are in too much of a hurry to notice these little bundles of flesh and bones who also have a place to go,” Hess continued. “Everyone is in a big old hurry. Everyone is more important than the next one. Generally, people are cautious drivers. It’s just a handful of people who come through that make it difficult.” Although there is some initial training involved with becoming a crossing guard, 23 years of practice has helped Hess uncover the nuances of the job. The aid of fourth- and fifth-grade student safety patrols can ease her task just a bit. “You always want to face the See Crossing guard pg 2 Jeanne Hess has been a crossing guard in Lititz for 23 years.
“Hone y b e es p ollinate a third of everything we eat,” said Master Beekeeper Denny Gorman. “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 See Beekeeping pg 5
BY JEFF FALK
If indeed the stomach is the best way to an individual’s heart, then food has the ability to foster friendships. The Lititz Warwick Community Chest exists for the sole purpose of serving neighbors. While that mission has evolved over the years, the organization is currently focused on serving the community through food. In fact, if you referred to the Lititz Warwick Community Chest as a food pantry or a food bank,
new president Michelle Caron would not be offended in the least. “There is a lot of need,” said Caron. “We work really closely with the school district to help identify families that need a hand. The only requirement is that you live in the Warwick School District. It’s for people who hit an unexpected rough patch. All you have to do is ask for help. It’s really about being neighborly. If my neighbor needs a hand, I’m going to reach out and Volunteer Nancy Valudes stocks give a hand.” See Community Chest pg 4
pantry shelves at the Lititz Warwick Community Chest.
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