Balance Magazine – Spring Issue 2022

SPRING ISSUE 2022

BALANCE MAGAZINE

W

inter is my least favorite

Published by President: Caroline Muraro

season, so when I finally

Editor-in-Chief: Lindsey McCallum

hear the birds chirping

Art Direction: Andrew Albright Content Editor: Jed Reinert

in the morning and we earn that extra

Design: Andrew Albright, Jenny Althouse, Krystal Hummer, Amy Rodriguez, Bailey Watro

bit of light in the evening it feels like such a relief. When the trees and

Photography: Andrew Albright, Vinny Tennis, Quinn Staley, Shelby Wormly

flowers start to bloom and we finally

Writers: Mike Andrelczyk, Margaret Gates, Alexandra Henry, Sally Reynolds, Mary Ellen Wright Advertising Director: Chris Stahl

see those vibrant blue skies and green

Production: Stacey Anderson, Carter Arnesen, Erica Feltenberger

grass that we’ve gone months without,

Subscriptions to LNP|LancasterOnline: Call 717.291.8611

it feels like we made it! We hope this

Advertise: Contact advertising@lnpnews.com or call 717.291.8800

issue of Balance feels like spring – fresh

P.O. Box 1328, Lancaster, PA 17608-1328 Copyright © 2022 LNP Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved.

perspectives on our community and fresh ideas for nutrition, home and selfcare. Thank you so much for reading.

Portrait by Andrew Albright

ON THE COVER Portrait by Vinny Tennis

Lindsey McCallum | Editor-in-Chief | LMcCallum@lnpnews.com

Multimedia storytellers Shelby and Jordan Wormley, seen in their Lancaster city studio space.

SPRING ISSUE 2022

CONTENTS 6

Health & Wellness — Sally Reynolds Seeds are having a moment in the culinary world, but they’re really nothing new. Here’s how to make the most of them.

12 30

12 Garden — Mike Andrelczyk Top tree tips: Here are some tips to help you decide on the best trees for your yard, especially if you’re replacing invasive species.

20 Home — Alexandra Henry Safe spaces: This local family decorated their son’s room in a way that met his needs. But calming spaces are helpful for adults, too.

30 Art & Culture — Mary Ellen Wright Storytellers: Through photography, videography and more, Jordan and Shelby Wormley help people in their communities tell the stories that matter.

2 | BALANCE | April 2022

20

6

SCAMS FOOL SMART PEOPLE TOO: 5 Ways to Spot Them

S

cammers keep getting bolder with their extortion methods. From impersonating landlords to illegal debt collection tactics, there is no shortage of tactics scammers will try to separate you from your money.1

Before you answer the phone, check your email or use social media, know these five red flags that could signal you’re dealing with a scammer.

Red Flag #1: They Make an Identity Claim

Many scammers will claim to be a trustworthy source, such as your bank, to trick you into sharing personal information. Currently, a popular scam is for someone to claim to be from a government agency providing updates on COVID-19 economic support.

Strange calls, texts or emails with an unfamiliar hyperlink are telltale signs of a scam.2 Never click on mysterious hyperlinks or respond to uncertified messages asking for your personal information, especially if it involves money.

Red Flag #2: They Need Your Personal Information Immediately

A scammer’s goal is to get your personal information as quickly as possible, and they will often do it by preying on your fears. In addition to making a false identity claim, scammers will often tell you they need the information or money immediately, or something terrible will happen. If you start to express doubts, a scammer may even get aggressive about needing your information. A genuine source will never require you to reveal personal information in this manner.3

Red Flag #3: You Must Wire Money

If someone asks you to send money via a wire transfer or reload pack, this is likely a scam because these payment methods are tough to track.3 Anytime someone requires you to send money quickly in an unorthodox fashion, they are likely scammers.

Red Flag #4: The Scam Does Not Apply to You

This is one of the more obvious indications of a scam. For instance, a scammer may contact a teenager about car insurance when the teenager does not even own a car in his or her name. If somebody approaches or calls you with an offer or issue that clearly does not apply to you, get out of the situation as quickly as possible.

Red Flag #5: It Is Too Good to Be True

It can happen in almost any area of business. Be wary of unfamiliar sources and deals that seem too good to be true, whether it’s for insurance, an apartment rental or a car. Scammers will often try to gain your trust by dressing professionally or having an official-looking website. Always research their identity first.

1. https://consumerfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Top-2020-ConsumerComplaints-Report.pdf 2. https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/types-of-scams/current-covid-19-coronavirus-scams 3. https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Publications/howtospotascam.asp

Michael Zimmerman, M.Sc. IAR

President & Founder 190 90 COCALICO CREEK RD | STEVENS, PA 17578 | 717-838-3178 • 1990 MAIN ST. SUITE 750 | SARASOTA, FL 34236 | 941-263-2503

R E G A L- W E A LT H .C O M Securities offered through J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. (JWC), Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through J. W. Cole Advisors, Inc. (JWCA). Regal Wealth Advisors and JWC/JWCA are unaffiliated entities.

— ADVERTISING FEATURE —

April 2022 | BALANCE | 3

Culture of Care

O

ne of the things Michael Whiteman missed most during the COVID-19 pandemic was his in-person visits with clients as an Everence financial consultant, helping businesses develop and implement their employee benefits packages, including group health and retirement plans.

“I enjoy going to businesses, not only dealing with the benefits, but I like to talk with the owners about their businesses,” he says.

That could mean learning more about a unique agricultural operation or the latest

projects for a construction company. It’s a way to not only get to know Everence business clients, but their employees as well.

“I connect with a lot of employees,” Whiteman says. “There are some businesses where the employees have my cell number.

They call me with questions about their retirement and health plans. I think that is a way we’re different. We’re engaging directly with employees.”

Everence partners with companies to design and administer health and benefits plans that align with their goals and missions.

They work with businesses small and large and offer the benefit of local consultants and customer service backed by the resources of a national organization. The Everence Employee Benefits Team serves many Central Pennsylvania businesses, nonprofits and churches.

“One of the most meaningful expressions of support to our team members has been the consistent, on-site service provided on the Landis Homes campus,” says Larry Zook, CEO of Landis Communities, which partners with Everence to provide a benefits package to its roughly 600 employees. “As team

client’s v a l u e s .”

“It isn’t our values, it’s the

4 | BALANCE | April 2022

Pictured are Everence Organizational Services team members at Landis Communities (clockwise from top left): Mike Whiteman, financial consultant; Natalie Jenkins, financial consultant; George Finney, director of Everence Retirement Services; and Bill Hartman, vice president of Organizational Services; with Larry Zook, president and CEO of Landis Communities.

members near retirement, this is especially appreciated as they can easily arrange an appointment on campus and make plans for the future.”

This type of value-added employee benefits bolsters employer’s recruitment and retention efforts, according to Natalie Jenkins, Everence financial consultant. “ Developing a well-rounded benefits package can be an achievable goal for employers as they strive to attract and retain quality talent,” she says. “We serve as a resource not only to the employer but to the employees as they navigate benefit questions, health claim challenges, invoicing issues and beyond. ” While meeting with employees, Everence financial consultants like Whiteman and Jenkins are in a unique position to help them with other resources in the organization. Those might include an Everence Medicare specialist or an Everence financial planner who can help them achieve their retirement goals.

Everence also offers educational resources, such as employer seminars on topics like health savings accounts (HSAs) and regulatory issues or one-on-one meetings with employees to help improve their financial wellness and take full advantage of their benefits.

There is another component to Everence’s personal service that many companies also appreciate: Its commitment to helping clients integrate their faith and values into their financial decisions to accomplish their stewardship goals.

That was important for Landis Communities, a faith-based nonprofit organization affiliated with the Mennonite church. “We view socially responsible investing as both important to us as an organization, as well as to many of our team members,” says Zook, noting that senior staff from Everence and Landis Communities hold regular relationship reviews to share each other’s mission and direction.

“Really what we do is help employers and our clients broadly express their values through their choices,” says Bill Hartman, Everence’s vice president of organization services. “It isn’t our values, it’s the client’s values.”

Many employers who partner with Everence simply desire to be good stewards as they resource their employees.

“A lot of our employers see the offering of employee benefits as a personal value, and not just a financial one. They feel a strong desire to take care of their employees,” Whiteman says. “If they can hire and retain good employees because of their benefits package it’s good for business, but a lot of small businesses feel it is within their values to help their employees take care of their families.”

Those employers want to partner with a company like Everence that shares those values of caring and commitment.

Jenkins says, “Offering a comprehensive package which includes health, ancillary, and retirement benefits speaks volumes to employees that their employer is committed to creating a culture of care.”

Resourcing employers Everence offers benefits solutions for your large or small business, organization or church.

Everence® can help you design comprehensive employee benefits packages, which may include: • Employer retirement plans – 401(k), 403(b), SIMPLE IRA. • Fully insured and self-insured health insurance options.

• Group ancillary benefits.

• Medicare/retirement planning.

• Employee financial wellness education.

• Consumer-driven healthcare plans utilizing HSA, HRA and FSA options.

• COBRA administration.

Contact us today 717-394-0769, centralpenn@everence.com or everence.com/centralpenn.

Securities offered through Concourse Financial Group Securities, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Investments and other products are not NCUA or otherwise federally insured, may involve loss of principal and have no credit union guarantee.

Products and services offered through Everence Trust Company and other Everence entities April 2022 | BALANCE | 5

NEED FOR

HERE’S HOW THE LATEST FOOD TREND CAN HELP YOUR HEALTH

S

BY SALLY REYNOLDS | ILLUSTRATION BY BAILEY WATRO eeds seem to be everywhere these days, from chia seed pudding to hemp seed muffins to all-seed granolas. But why are seeds having this moment in the spotlight? And what’s special about seeds besides the fact that they are baby plants? In this article we’ll explore some of the trendiest seeds, their nutritional value, and how you can use them in your recipes.

WHAT IS A SEED, ANYWAY? A seed is a plant embryo, surrounded by endosperm (nutrition for the little plant) and a seed coat for protection. A surprising number of the things we eat are seeds: nuts, legumes, beans, peas, coffee, nutmeg, rice, wheat, corn, oats and barley, among many others. We’ll focus on five seeds that are trending right now: pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, flax and chia.

WHY ARE SEEDS HAVING A MOMENT? The recent popularity of seeds can be tied to several larger food trends: • Dairy-free milk alternatives - Alternative “milks” in the U.S. started in the 1950s with soy milk and then expanded into almond milk. Now alternative milks are made from a variety of nuts, grains, seeds and legumes. Hemp and flax milks in particular are helping raise the profile of seeds as a versatile food.

• More plant-based eating – According to the Good Food Institute, sales of plant-based foods grew twice as fast in 2020 as overall food sales.

• The rise of hemp production – Hemp has been booming in uses as varied as fibers for clothing and building materials, oil extracts for CBD and, of course, seeds for food.

WHAT IS NUTRITIONALLY INTERESTING ABOUT SEEDS? Seeds are nutritionally dense. After all, that tiny package must sustain the growth of the new plant until it is able to make its own food from the sun and soil. Seeds are high in protein, good fats and fiber. Plus seeds are high in nutrients like iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Each of our featured seeds has a special superpower: • Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, which boosts immunity.

• Sunflower seeds are packed with B and E vitamins and selenium, an antioxidant.

6 | BALANCE | April 2022

• Hemp seeds are rich in vitamin E, potassium, and heart-healthy omega-3 fats.

• Flax seed is high in lignan, which is an antioxidant that helps keep you healthy.

• Chia seeds are high in alpha-linolenic acid, which is good for your heart.

COOKING WITH SEEDS Growing up, the seeds my mom cooked with were pretty basic: mostly sesame. She also used some seeds for seasoning, such as poppy, caraway and fennel. But the seeds in today’s recipes were not in my mom’s cookbooks.

Even though my mom didn’t use these seeds in her cooking, their use as food is ancient. Here is a little history on each of our featured seeds and some pointers on how to easily incorporate them into your cooking routine: Pumpkin seeds • Pumpkin seeds have been used for food in the Americas dating to 10,000 years ago in what is now Mexico. Pumpkins were cultivated in the area thousands of years before corn and beans. (Source: insidescience.org) • Treat toasted crushed pumpkin seeds as a coating for fish or roast meat, or use as a garnish for soups and salads. Pumpkin seeds add a nice bit of crunch to tacos. Grind toasted pumpkin seeds in a food processor with a little oil, honey and salt to make smooth pumpkin nut butter.

Sunflower seeds • Sunflowers were domesticated as a single-headed crop plant by Native Americans about 5,000 years ago, and they bred the plants for a variety of seed colors. Native Americans pounded the seeds into meal to use

in cooking, and also crushed the seeds to extract the rich oil. (Source: Sunflowernsa.com) • Sprinkle raw or toasted sunflower seeds onto your salad or add to granola. Substitute sunflower seeds for pine nuts for a creamy variant on pesto. Toss sunflower seeds and garlic with roasted root vegetables for a healthful and tasty side dish.

Hemp seeds • Hemp seeds are an ancient Asian crop, dating back to about 10,000 years ago. The fibrous stalks were used for rope, fabric, and in making pottery.

Hemp spread around the globe and was farmed extensively in Lancaster in the 1700s and 1800s, hence the Hempfield School District’s name.

(Source: Ministryofhemp.com) • When raw, hemp seeds are a crispy addition to cereal and yogurt.

Substitute hemp seeds for bulgur wheat in tabouli for a lightly nutty variation. Add hemp seeds into your favorite vegetarian burger recipe to give it extra nutrition.

EASY CHIA BREAKFAST PUDDING Mix in a bowl: 1/2 cup chia seeds 2 cups unsweetened milk of your choice 2 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or agave 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Flax seeds • Flax was farmed about 5,000 years ago in an area stretching from the eastern Mediterranean to India. In Egypt, the cloth used to wrap mummies was made from flax and today flax is still used to make linen fabric. When pressed, flax seeds make linseed oil, which can be foodgrade or industrial-grade. The ancient Greeks and Romans ate flax seeds as a sweet treat mixed with honey. (Source: Encyclopedia.com) • Flax seeds are not digestible whole, so they must be ground or chopped before using. You can also buy flax seed meal ready to use. Flax seed meal is easy to add to almost any baked good, particularly pancakes and muffins. Another way to add flax seed to your diet is to mix chopped flax seeds with oats when making hot oatmeal.

Chia seeds • Chia seeds were a staple of Mayan and Aztec diets about 3,500 years ago.

The Mayan word for chia is “chiabaan” which means “strengthening”. A little lightweight pouch of chia seed could be carried by warriors for long distances and provided enough nutrition to keep up their strength for days on end. (Source: Ancientgrains.com) • If flax seeds are hard-to-digest tough guys, chia seeds are softies. Just mix chia seeds with the liquid of your choice and they plump up to become soft and gelatinous. This makes chia seeds a perfect candidate for puddings, smoothies, and breakfast bowls.

Stir well, cover bowl, and put in the fridge overnight.

In the morning top with fresh or dried fruit and a sprinkling of toasted hemp or pumpkin seeds. Serves six.

CUSTOM HANDCRAFTED that lasts a

Lifetime

Quality Worth Raving About! Generations of Fine Craftsmanship.

230 S FAIRMOUNT RD, EPHRATA | MARTINSFURNITURE.US 717.354.5657 April 2022 | BALANCE | 7

Lancaster’s destination for ethical and sustainable fashion, accessories, home décor, and locally made goods.

202 N. DUKE ST., LANCASTER | 717-299-2232 | SHOPFESTOON.COM | OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK April 2022 | BALANCE | 9

BY HOPE BROCIOUS

Easy Maintenance to Protect Your Investment in Solar Panels W

ith a growing interest in clean energy, solar panels continue to gain in popularity, experiencing an average annual growth rate of 33% in the last decade, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, which reports there are now enough gigawatts of solar capacity installed to power 23.3 million American homes.

While solar panels can help you save money and improve the environment, they need more than just the sun to do their job effectively. Like other important equipment in your home, solar panels require routine attention and care to deliver peak performance.

Here’s how to get the most from your investment: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DAYLIGHT It goes without saying that solar panels only generate energy when there is daylight, so you’ll get the most savings if you use as much of that free energy as you can while the sun is

10 | BALANCE | April 2022

shining. Consider charging phones, computers and tablets during daytime hours, and set timers on appliances like dishwashers and washing machines whenever possible so they can run during the daytime, even when you’re not at home.

MONITOR YOUR ENERGY USAGE A monitoring system is an important tool that can help you keep track of energy consumption and generation and signal significant changes in performance that could require further inspection. A monitoring system can provide the data you need to optimize power usage by showing you how to adjust consumption to peak daylight hours. It will also alert you if there is a problem with your solar equipment.

CLEAN THEM REGULARLY It should come as no surprise that solar panels covered in dust, grime, bird droppings, algae and mildew will not

— ADVERTISING FEATURE —

capture as much sunlight as those that are clean and unobstructed.

Consider the filth you wash off your siding, patio, walkway or driveway during a typical spring cleaning. That same residue is on your solar panels, and it could be costing you money. Over time, the buildup of residue can reduce the performance of your solar panels by as much as 12%. To ensure peak performance, have solar panels cleaned at least once or twice per year. The frequency may depend on where you live. Wooded areas and air pollution, for example, can affect the accumulation of debris.

SAFETY FIRST Cleaning solar panels is a delicate and dangerous job that’s best left to professionals. Atkins Deck has been serving the Lancaster area since 1990 and has a height-certified solar panel cleaning team along with sophisticated equipment and safety procedures to reduce the risk to themselves and your solar panels.

The Atkins team uses a pure water system that filters water to remove dissolved solids and minerals commonly found in Lancaster County’s hard water. That ultrapure water is pumped through soft boar’s-hair brushes to remove dirt and debris from the panels. Finally, a thorough rinsing leaves clean, spot-free glass behind to soak up the sun’s rays.

To ensure your solar panels get the gentle cleaning they need to work better and last longer, contact the experienced solar panel cleaning team at Atkins Deck. They will treat your home and property with care and respect while helping to protect your investment.

Get a Greater Return with Clean Solar Panels

Call today for a free consultation and estimate for a cleaning to remove:

Dust Grime Bird Droppings Mildew

717-656-8928 PA HIC#012697

10 Trinity Drive, Leola, PA Atkinsdeck.com — ADVERTISING FEATURE —

April 2022 | BALANCE | 11

PLANTING What to plant when you’re removing problematic trees and shrubs

O

BY MIKE ANDRELCZYK

rnamental. Decorative. Beautiful.

Those are a few words that are often associated with the Bradford pear.

Another word is invasive.

The popular fruit-bearing tree with the white flowers can be found lining the streets of the city of Lancaster and in suburbs across the county – and in fields and forests and almost everywhere else that trees can grow in Lancaster County.

In late December 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture added the Bradford pear to its list of noxious plants and announced the two-year rollout of a ban on sales and cultivation of the tree. The ban went into effect effect on Feb. 9, 2022.

The Bradford pear, also known as the Callery pear, was brought from Asia to Maryland in 1918 and became the second-most popular tree in America by the 1980s, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conversation and Natural Resources.

Also added to the state’s list of noxious plants was the Japanese barberry, an ornamental shrub that produces red berries.

According to the Penn State Extension website, invasive species, including plants, cost the U.S. more than $138 billion each year due to the impact on agriculture, forestry, wildlife and ornamental landscapes. Penn State Extension also says that ecologists rank invasion by plants, as well as other animals and pathogens, to be the second biggest threat to local biodiversity, just under habitat loss.

Cody Kiefer, who filled the city of Lancaster’s recently created urban forester position, is handling the city’s Bradford pear removal and replacement on a case-by-case basis. The city has not implemented a blanket removal policy, he says.

Kiefer goes by this mantra: The right tree for the right place for the right purpose. He’s in the middle of a street tree inventory in Lancaster 12 | BALANCE | April 2022

that will help determine the best strategies.

“Truly native trees are adapted to their local environment, meaning they can handle climatic and disease pressures,” says Kiefer.

“They serve local wildlife through food and habitat provision. Native trees also contribute to the local gene bank, inducing greater heterogeneity for more overall resilience within the population.”

Christian Fitzpatrick, a board-certified arborist and manager with Bartlett Tree Experts, has a few recommendations for local native trees if you’re looking to remove and replace your problematic plants.

Fitzpatrick suggests replacing your Bradford pear trees with native trees like the Serviceberry, American dogwood or the Redbud.

“There are upright forms, there’s weeping forms, there’s white-flowering, there’s pink-flowering, so Redbud is a great choice,” says Fitzpatrick. “For a small area you want stuff that flowers but doesn’t have a lot of fruit

and is strong but doesn’t get really big.”

If you’re looking to replace a bigger tree like a ginkgo, Fitzpatrick says several cities and campuses he’s worked with prefer different varieties of elm or maple – though he says there are some issues to consider with certain maples.

“Maple has historically been a popular choice, but with the introduction of the spotted lanternfly, I suspect that landscape planners would steer away from red maple, or maple in general,” says Fitzpatrick. “And I don’t mean to dump on maple because of lanternflies, but generally speaking with maples you’ll see a lot of surface roots.”

Another tree to avoid when considering invasive pests like the spotted lanternfly, says Fitzpatrick, is the Ailanthus, also known as the tree of heaven, which acts as the host for the lanternfly. The tree of heaven is also included on the list of Pennsylvania’s noxious weeds and invasive trees.

Working hand-in-hand with our community, Fitzpatrick recommends searching the International Society of Arboriculture’s database on the organization’s website (isa-arbor.com) to find find an arborist near you. The database has dozens of local certified arborists.

Other resources The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has a list of licensed nurseries and plant dealers on their website.

www.paplants.pa.gov The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has a helpful guide to landscaping with native plants on their website.

www.dcnr.pa.gov

Urban forester Cody Kiefer offers a few tips about when it’s time to plant.

“Site assessment is crucial,” says Kiefer. He recommends thinking about what sort of sun exposure will be at the desired location. And planters should always consider potential conflicts to each site, such as buildings, poles or existing trees. Conflicts can be above or underground.

Contact 811 prior to any digging, says Kiefer.

When it’s time to prepare your site, Kiefer says planters should dig a hole that is as deep as your rootball or container and considerably wider than the rootball or container. Container-grown trees often have circling or girdling roots that will eventually strangle and kill the tree, Kiefer says.

He recommends familiarizing yourself with them and removing any that you may see when you remove your tree from its container. These are less prevalent with ball and burlap trees, he adds.

Homeowners should know that, especially with native plants, amending the soil is most often not necessary—so do not include fertilizer unless a professional directs you to, Kiefer says.

Most importantly, water the tree well after planting, says Kiefer. You’ll need to saturate the soil. Water through the warm seasons for the first two to three years. The establishment period is crucial and watering should be done weekly.

Cody Kiefer, the urban forester for the city of Lancaster, recommends large-canopy trees for replacement to increase the ecosystem service provisions for property owners and their communities. Complementary plantings such as smaller trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants can then be added for greater impact, he says.

“When I think of ‘replacing’ a tree, I default to thinking of something with similar size, environmental tolerance and utility as the original, but that assumes that the first tree was appropriate to the site. So, with that sort of mentality, we would look for trees that mature around 40 feet in height with a broadly pyramidal shape, are deciduous and can handle full-sun to part-shade conditions.”

• BLACK BIRCH (Betula lenta) These trees can reach 70 feet in height.

They’re sensitive to compact soils and heat – both prevalent conditions in urban environments.

• PIGNUT HICKORY (Carya glabra) These can be difficult to source and establish, but they can reach 70 feet in height.

that’s Bank of Bird-in-Hand.

• COMMON HACKBERRY (Celtis occidentalis)

These can reach 60 feet in height.

• YELLOWWOOD (Cladrastis kentukea) These trees are particularly susceptible to ice storm damage.

• AMERICAN HOPHORNBEAM (Ostrya virginiana)

• CHESTNUT OAK (Quercus prinus) These can reach 60 feet in height.

717-768-8811 | www.bihbank.com April 2022 | BALANCE | 13

W

e are all looking for ways to save.

Gas prices have been steadily increasing. The cost of building additions is also increasing as the overall economy is trying to recover in a new, but safe way.

barefoot on an unprotected deck or patio.

By shading this area with a canopy, we were able to drop that temperature 52 degrees to the more comfortable 87-degree air temperature. Now the deck just became useful.

Many people are looking for ways to expand the usable area in their home without the high expense of an addition. That might mean looking to their decks, patios and porches. But often those areas are too hot or too wet, making them impossible to use.

Each year we solve this “too hot” deck scenario hundreds of times. Often connected to these areas are large windows, which provide great solar gain with FREE HEAT OVER WINTER. However, in the summer, the air conditioners just barely can stay ahead with cooling the connecting interior room. Many people discover to their amazement that their AC units are running much less and their electric bills are lower after they install a removable-cover stationary canopy.

At Kreider’s Canvas Service, we experienced this firsthand on a deck where we were installing an awning. The air temperature was 87 degrees but the deck’s surface temperature was 139 degrees — YES — 139 degrees, and it was only 11:30 in the morning. This is why you can’t walk

14 | BALANCE | April 2022

National studies by American Society of

— ADVERTISING FEATURE —

Heating & Air Conditioning Engineers, the University of Minnesota, and the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association all provide solid evidence of energy savings of up to 77% when shading west- and south-facing windows with awnings. Additional studies have strong evidence of energy savings of 25% to 30% on annual energy costs by using removable canvas awnings. Permanent roofs don’t provide near the annual savings.

Another benefit of a removable-cover stationary canopy awning is the seasonal additional shaded and dry area it provides.

Summers are often the time when most people take vacations and spend more time outdoors. A stationary canopy provides a great area to unwind after work every day — even if it is a rainy day. It can also make a “staycation” easier and more enjoyable.

Turn stay-at-home intoyour Your deck area can become a regular vacation spot, where you can relax, enjoy the fresh air, and stay close to family and friends.

There are additional reasons for using awnings and canopies. They can protect doors, floors, carpet and furniture from sun fading. Window films and high e-glass can provide some protection, but other studies have found that the best protection comes from the outside.

The fabrics we use on today’s canopy covers are rarely of true canvas (cotton duck).

Most of our materials are synthetic weaves that look like canvas but last up to 10–20 years, compared to the old cotton duck covers, which would last only 5–10 years.

We also can make a color recommendation so you get a great aesthetic feel in the area.

Before we estimate, we normally do a site visit and suggest the best solutions.

Our staff has over 100 years of combined experience providing customers with canvas solutions for window, porch and deck areas. We are one of the most experienced local canvas companies, with the equipment and skills to manufacture

canvas products in our facility. Unlike most companies, we don’t outsource our work.

Our staff includes two fabric welders who use bonding methods that are stronger and more durable than traditional sewn seams.

We can also do repairs in-house, which cuts down on costs.

We are celebrating our 47th year in the canvas business. We started in July 1975 with the goal of doing every job correctly, with the best materials and strongest attachment methods for every situation.

We not only sell canvas products, but also install them, serving the area within a 60-minute radius of our Leola shop. We will also remove awnings from patio areas in the fall and reinstall them in the spring for better weather protection. However, with our superior designs and instructions, most customers find it simple enough to service their own awnings.

Awnings and canopies handcrafted with pride in Lancaster County 717-656-7387 KREIDERSCANVAS.COM

For more information, visit www.Kreiderscanvas.com, where you’ll find information about all of our products and learn how we can provide solutions for your deck, patio, window, walkway or porch problems. Feel free to contact us. We make suggestions, but never pressure.

April 2022 | BALANCE | 15

BY SALLY REYNOLDS PHOTOS BY VINNY TENNIS

I

MAKING

t is dark in the The Fulton Theatre orchestra pit, with bundled wires, exposed plywood, chipped paint and questionable carpet. A folded metal stepladder leaned against the wall leads to the podium where conductor Ben McNaboe waits for “The Sound of Music” to begin. It’s one minute to showtime, and the 12 musicians below seem relaxed as they chat softly and check their phones. At the last second, with a subtle cue from McNaboe, they snap their instruments into place and immediately play the opening score in perfect accord, gracefully, effortlessly.

Day after day, night after night, performing hidden from view, this team of professionals brings life and joy to The Fulton’s live shows. Their subterranean location is not a negative; it’s an essential ingredient.

16 | BALANCE | April 2022

“The goal is that the music is a layer of the magic,” McNaboe says. “We are the atmosphere of the story.”

Being out of sight helps make the magic happen.

However, being out of sight risks becoming out of mind. Other comparably sized regional theaters have cut musical staff for financial reasons, McNaboe says. Such theaters have replaced musicians with pre-recorded soundtracks that cannot replicate the emotion and responsiveness of live performance.

As music supervisor and resident conductor, McNaboe’s mission is to elevate the profile of the music, which has unusually strong support at The Fulton, he says.

“I feel very fortunate that Marc Robin (The Fulton’s executive artistic producer) is a musician,” McNaboe says. “He is a composer, so he appreciates music and doesn’t want it to go away.”

McNaboe also notes that The Fulton’s board president, Elliot Sterenfeld, has a deep appreciation for music and supports the players. “I have leadership that speaks my language,” he says.

As a result, audiences at The Fulton are treated to profoundly skilled musical performers at the peak of their abilities.

Being a theater musician requires flexibility, time management and a willingness to juggle. An average show schedule includes nine performances per week, with as many as five

“Where words ds fail, music speaks” shows over the course of a weekend. The musicians are expected to master the score on their own time. They have only two rehearsals before opening night. On days with both a matinee and an evening show, musicians don’t have time for their other jobs. And all the musicians do have other jobs. Here’s a look at just a few: Janine Thomas, a 47-year veteran clarinetist and flautist, has been with The Fulton for decades. The child of a clarinetist, Thomas always knew that her calling was music. For many years she played in three different area symphonies while also teaching generations of students the fine art of clarinet fingering. In the pit, she is a mix of comedian and mother hen, lavishing praise on her fellow performers while giggling about naughty nicknames she has had during different shows.

“I am inspired by my colleagues,” Thomas says.

“We bring out the best in each other, and we feel like family.”

Percussionist Jaren Angud is in a commercial band that plays corporate events and weddings. He also plays as a session musician and at his church.

And if that weren’t enough, Angud also runs a personal training business for which his biceps are an eye-popping endorsement. Angud says The Fulton has been incredibly supportive of percussion, more so than other theaters.

Musicians everywhere are expected to purchase their own instruments, which can be expensive and, for percussion, cumbersome to transport. “Ben (McNaboe) arranged for the purchase of timpani and bells, which is a huge deal,” Angud says.

Cellist Sara Male’s day jobs include teaching music at Franklin & Marshall College, running a private studio, playing in the York, Lancaster, Allentown and Harrisburg symphonies, and playing in chamber music ensembles. She’s also on the board of directors of the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra. “As a musician, you really feel that intense schedule, but you are also constantly aware of a feeling of gratitude for being able to play,” Male says.

When she’s not playing first violin at The Fulton, Jessica Kling is Hempfield School District’s elementary orchestra teacher with responsibility for 185 budding musicians. Kling also plays in other area pit orchestras and travels as far as Arcadia University outside Philadelphia to play.

For Kling, music is both her career and her hobby.

On weekends when she has five shows to play, she is doing what she loves: “Our job is to support the magic and emotion that the audience feels in a way that they don’t even notice.”

What is lost in musical theater if you don’t have musicians? You lose the alchemy that happens in live performance when actors and musicians feed off each other’s energy.

“I’ve been to shows with canned music and I can tell the actors and singers are limited in what they can do because they have to match the music.

It’s set,” Kling says. “Whereas we are able to have a musical dialogue, a conversation, during each show.”

In a word, without the musicians, you lose the magic.

MAGIC AT THE FULTON

Ben McNaboe

C E L L O Sara Male

F L U T E Janine Thomas

P E R C U S S I O N

V I O L I N

Jaren Angud

Name Jessica Kling

April 2022 | BALANCE | 17

A great team, always close to home.

Penn State Health Children’s Lancaster Pediatric Center Opening Summer 2022 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster Penn State Health Children’s Hospital Nationally recognized 11 years straight Hershey HEA-18146-22 171381 031422

Research PENNSYLVANIA HEALTHCARE PROFILES

S

ixteen years ago, Michelle Evans — pregnant with a child she learned had a life-threatening heart condition — never would have imagined this moment.

Her son, Talan, an avid equestrian, is training to rope cattle this year. His love of horses is followed closely by his passion for archery hunting in the great outdoors. He’s an honor roll student with a can-do attitude that mirrors the meaning of his name, which is “fighter.”

“Talan has exceeded all our expectations.

He’s become an incredible young man,” Michelle said, her voice full of the emotion and pride that comes from a mama’s heart filled by years of worry and devotion.

When she was 19 weeks pregnant, Michelle and her husband, Shane, learned their son had tetralogy of Fallot, a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects that affect its structure and causes oxygen-poor blood to flow out of the heart and to the rest of the body.

It took hundreds of trips from their Leola home to Penn State Health Children’s Hospital in Hershey and many appointments with multiple specialists to get to the health Talan enjoys today.

Now, expert specialty care is coming closer to home with the opening of Penn State Health Children’s Lancaster Pediatric Center this summer, located at the intersection of Harrisburg Pike and Route 30 in Manheim Township, the site of a former Toys “R” Us retail store.

Serving children from infancy through age 18, the center will offer 20 medical and surgical pediatric specialty and subspecialty services, including cardiology, dermatology, neurology, ophthalmology, rheumatology, gastroenterology and urology.

“We feel the most comfortable at Penn State Health, so having access to the same expert level of care, but in our backyard, is so exciting,” said Michelle, who will have a 10-minute drive to Talan’s appointments, instead of 45 minutes to Hershey.

The Evans family credits their strong faith in God and confidence in Talan’s medical team for guiding them through Talan’s complicated medical journey.

What they didn’t know until Talan was born was that he had another rare complication — skin and scalp were missing down to the layer before his brain.

“Talan had a 95% chance of not surviving,” Michelle said. “You hang onto that 5%.”

He needed several surgeries to cover the scalp with skin grafts from his thigh and, at 13 days old, he underwent open heart surgery.

“Most of the machines that kept Talan alive had plaques on them showing they were donated by Children’s Miracle Network [CMN],” Michelle said. “The support of CMN

and his doctors has been incredible.”

Talan will need heart valve replacement surgery in another one to two years, followed by lifelong monitoring for subsequent surgeries, his mom said.

In the meantime, though, the Evans focus on living life to the fullest and in the moment, not letting their minds run far down a road of worry.

Talan wants to be a horse farrier, an occupation his parents initially feared could put him at risk for injury. As a precaution, he will wear the same metal chest protector he wears when he rides.

“We didn’t fight for him so hard to live not to let him be able to live,” Michelle said. “We want him to dream and do whatever he wants to do in life.”

Thanks to his team of pediatric experts with Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and the promise of care even closer to home, he’s doing just that.

— ADVERTISING FEATURE —

shades of calming blues

relaxing reading nook

Safe

Left to right: Hayden, 7, Lincoln, 1, and Sawyer, 4.

E

SPACES

BY ALEXANDRA HENRY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY QUINN STALEY

Whether it’s for your child’s needs or your own mental health, soothing décor can help manage the stress of life

rika and Ryan Rettew are busy people. The Lancaster couple has three boys, Hayden, Sawyer and Lincoln, all born within just five years.

When you factor in the diagnosis of a rare genetic disorder for their eldest, Hayden, “busy” seems like an understatement.

20 | BALANCE | April 2022

“We don’t have a lot of help for Hayden outside of his typical Monday through Friday nursing hours,” says Erika.

“Everyone is intimidated by the care Hayden requires.”

Hayden, now 7, was diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome at eight months old after having his first seizure when he was

just two months old. The genetic disorder is essentially a form of epilepsy that causes severe, prolonged seizures that have many different triggers.

In addition to seizures, Hayden’s parents noticed developmental delays, behavioral struggles and a handful of other challenges. They sought answers

miniscapes

soothing string lights

hanging swing

C R E AT E YO U R OW N TERRARIUM

faux fur rug for texture

from doctors and teachers, which resulted in an autism diagnosis.

Hayden is on multiple medications to try and reduce the number of daily seizures.

Dravet Syndrome is a drug-resistant form of epilepsy, so finding control is very challenging. He recently had a procedure to place a vagus nerve stimulator implanted under his skin to help treat the epilepsy disorder, and he follows a ketogenic diet plan prescribed by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

But it was a tip from one of the nurses who attend school with Hayden that started Erika on a new course of therapy for her son. The nurse told her how much Hayden enjoyed being in the sensory room his teacher, Beth Kimbel, made for her class at School District of Lancaster’s Lafayette Elementary School.

“She is simply amazing,” says Erika of Kimbel. “Kind, patient and just an incredible teacher to kids who really need the lessons and life skills she teaches them. I can’t say enough about her.”

Erika decided to transform Hayden’s bedroom into an oasis at home, where he can relax, be curious, touch objects, feel different textures, see colors and soothing lights—all of which are therapeutic for him.

“I didn’t want to take away from the excitement and reward he feels by going to Ms. Kimbel’s sensory room at school,” says Erika, “but I wanted a place in our home that could help him be calm in the evening while he’s reading or doing flash cards and is just a good place for him to relax and unwind.”

Erika calls the theme of the room “Sensory Chill.”

Grab & Go, Make & Take Houseplants, Air Plants, Succulents, Pottery, & More!

GALLERYGROW.COM

150 N Prince St • 717-869-6547 April 2022 | BALANCE | 21

their living spaces into places to rest, meditate and relax.

In fact, the American Institute of Stress offers tips to achieve a low-stress home, which could help to transform your life both in and outside of your home.

To start, AIS says, create a room dedicated to relaxation. The space can be anywhere in your home: a bedroom, an office or spare room.

“I used a couple different colors of calming blue on the walls, because blue is Hayden’s favorite color,” says Erika.

Erika covered in beads, fabric and textured paper as an extra element to promote touch and help Hayden develop.

The room features several kinds of low lighting features, everything from string lights to a lava lamp. She was also sure to include lots of textures, like a faux fur rug and pillows of all shapes, sizes and fabrics.

Making changes that promote healing and reduce stress in your home isn’t limited to kids like Hayden.

On the walls, Hayden’s room has a set of small mirrors as well as a wooden “H” that

While the world struggled to move through the COVID-19 pandemic, many people sought emotional refuge from the harsh realities of the world by transforming

Dedicating a space not only can make the process of relaxing easier, but also is conducive to self-care practices like yoga or meditation. Even if the space is used briefly each day, visiting the space to unwind can help reduce the symptoms of stress.

It’s important to remember that relaxation is as unique as the individual practicing it, so special attention should be paid to what tools you need: Is it a big comfy chair? Lots of space to stretch and breathe?

The possibilities are endless.

Choose calming colors.

While many of us focus on the design choice of wall color, when painting to promote relaxation your choice of colors could be a significant factor in creating a relaxed atmosphere. According to AIS, “Gentle, natural hues are best, for both your walls and your furniture. A peaceful light blue or green theme can work wonders, as can other muted tones such as white. Try not to have any clashing colors or overly vibrant themes.”

Declutter your home.

Since your brain can’t focus when it’s surrounded by too much distraction, it stands to reason that clutter can inhibit your productivity, which itself can be stressful, especially for those working from home. Clutter can also decrease your ability to think creatively. Decluttering your living space clears your mind, reduces tension and increases productivity, according to AIS.

Add houseplants.

AIS says “adding some greenery to your home can brighten the place up and bring some extra character. It also gives you something to focus your attention on. There have been various studies into the benefits of having houseplants and flowers in the home, so try adding a few in different rooms. According to Feng Shui teachings, plants can help remove negative energies and connect your home with nature.”

22 | BALANCE | April 2022

OUR HAND-CRAFTED FURNITURE HAS NO FEAR OF TIME

Discover the warmth and beauty of solid wood furniture.

Family Owned & Operated Since 1989

We Handcraft Live Edge Dining, Occasional & Bar Tables, Bed Headboards, Shelves, Mantels, Stand-up Desks & more.

Come Visit Us in our 62,000 Sq. Ft. store. 10 Nathan Lane Annville, PA 17003 | (717) 867-5701 | CountryLaneFurniture.com

J

im Reilly began playing the saxophone at age 7, performed in concert band as a teen and advanced through districts and regionals to become No. 1 in the state in 1994. Some three decades later, Reilly still plays the sax and plans a concert in Binn’s Park this summer to benefit the homeless of Lancaster County.

But that concert is more than simply the kind gesture of a talented musician. It’s a way to give back.

Somewhere after that normal suburban Philadelphia childhood, Reilly’s life took some unexpected turns that included substance abuse, bipolar disorder and, eventually, poverty and homelessness.

“It’s hard to be homeless. I didn’t know how hard it was,” says Reilly, 46. “I missed the years that I lost. That’s how it feels when you’re homeless and mentally ill.”

Reilly’s story bounces everywhere from Philly to Palmyra to the Poconos. It includes a divorce, stays in psychiatric hospitals and prisons, and finally a move to Lancaster, where he found a job and a place to live - until he lost both in the summer of 2020.

That’s when he found refuge at the Lime Street shelter at Ebenezer Baptist Church and a path to a better life through Good Samaritan Services.

“All I can say is I was in Philadelphia homeless, Trenton homeless, Stroudsburg homeless and Harrisburg homeless,” Reilly says.

“When I walked in (Good Samaritan Services) I felt this warm feeling and I knew I was going to be OK. … I’ll never forget them.

They helped me save my own life.”

Good Samaritan Services provides emergency shelters, residential housing and housing support services to individuals and families experiencing and at risk of homelessness in Lancaster and Chester counties.

Participants are also provided case managers who help them develop a personalized success plan and connect them with community resources. From savings match programs and financial education opportunities, to advocating with landlords and helping secure jobs, Good Samaritan Services offers a full spectrum of services to help participants on their journey to stability.

This year, Good Samaritan Services will launch a counseling program to provide mental health services to participants in their shelter and housing programs. As part of the program, Good Samaritan Services will hire two master’s level social workers who are licensed and certified to provide clinical therapy - one for Lancaster County and one for Chester County.

“The motivation for this is folks like Jim,” says Nate Hoffer, CEO of Good Samaritan Services.

24 | BALANCE | April 2022

Sometimes it can take weeks for program participants to get the mental health services they need, Hoffer says, due to the time it takes to connect with a therapist in the community who has an opening and accepts their insurance.

“Without addressing their mental health, it really does make it difficult for them to focus on work and housing,” he says. “It’s a quicker way for our population to get the mental health services they need.”

Contrary to the common stereotype that the homeless suffer from drug and alcohol addiction, Hoffer says his organization serves more people with mental health issues.

Reilly says he gets frustrated when people look down on the homeless as bums who don’t want to work. They fail to understand that many of the homeless are ill, and that they would work if they were healthy, he says.

“It’s a prevalent need in general within the homeless community,” Hoffer says. “Mental health that is not taken care of or addressed can cause a snowball effect, an avalanche of broken relationships and lost employment until people end up needing services like Good Samaritan Services.”

In Reilly’s case, Good Samaritan Services helped him to find an apartment and access the mental health services and medication he needed.

“I feel like myself again,” he says.

Reilly currently has two part-time jobs - one doing demolition work and the other running his own flooring business. He attends AA and NA meetings regularly and is hopeful that his life will continue moving in the right direction.

“I couldn’t have done this on my own.”

He’s determined not to let others with the same struggles feel alone, either. That’s why he’s planning that summer concert to raise funds for the homeless. It’s also why he’s decided to share his story, no matter how uncomfortable that might be.

“Whatever can help people who are going through this, I don’t want them to feel the way I did,” he says.

“People on the street, they have an

opportunity they didn’t have before.

If I can help one person for real, I did my job. That’s what I want to do now.

I want to help people.”

Thursday M A Y

5

2022 VIP: 5:30pm Gala: 6pm - 9pm Excelsior 125 E. King Street Lancaster, PA 17602 Live music, dancing, exciting auction experiences, delicious cuisine, and many more surprises!

Tickets available at GoodSamServices.org/events

April 2022 | BALANCE | 25

Making a Difference

Y

ou may be familiar with CommunityAid if you’ve shopped in one of their six Central Pennsylvania thrift stores or dropped off clothing in one of their familiar tan donation bins. What you may not realize is how those simple acts help this 13-year-old nonprofit make a big impact within your neighborhood. Founded on the vision of creating a lasting difference in our community one neighbor at a time, CommunityAid is far more than just a thrift store.

WHO IS COMMUNITYAID? Founded in 2009, CommunityAid is a Christian 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focused on their mission to offer an affordable shopping experience, create quality jobs and support nonprofit partners in the community.

CommunityAid employs more than 400 people across their six Central Pennsylvania thrift store locations, and partners with hundreds of local nonprofit organizations that provide service in our local communities by donating a percentage of sales to support neighbors in need.

“We are humbled by the support we have received over the last 13 years from our donors and shoppers”, says CEO Steve Sullivan. “Without it, we wouldn’t be able to provide the resources we do for our partners. That simple act of donating gently used items to our bins or donation doors, or purchasing those quality items in our stores, turns into food, shelter and assistance for those in need in our community. We are honored to be able to help amplify the good works of our partners.”

ROOTED IN CHRISTIAN VALUES. GUIDED BY FAITH. “If you know someone who needs clothes or food, you shouldn’t say ‘I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.’ What good is it to say this unless you do something to help?”

James 2: 15-16 CommunityAid prioritizes their commitment to faith through store closures on Sundays as well as during the major Christian holidays of Christmas, Easter and Good Friday to provide a day of rest and worship for their valued employees. Their stores and behaviors are a reflection of their core values, right down to the statement of “Love One Another” on the back of their shirts.

26 | BALANCE | April 2022

“We focus daily on reflecting our values of humbly serving and loving one another, treating others the way they would like to be treated and taking the initiative of bringing about positive results,” says Chavah Redmond, Vice President of Commercial Operations. “Core values mean very little without action. We want to be God’s hands at work in our community, helping to lift our neighbors up and support the good works of our nonprofit partners.”

SUPPORTING LOCAL NONPROFIT PARTNERS & COMMUNITIES CommunityAid has donated more than $17 million back into the local community through our nonprofit partner network since 2009. All nonprofit partners must serve the areas in which each CommunityAid store is located. In return for financial and resource benefit, our partners help them collect gently used clothing, shoes, and household items that are sold in CommunityAid thrift stores that continue to make this work possible. Aside from financial support, CommunityAid also provides awareness campaigns and Care Card distribution to partner nonprofits so they can provide access to clothing to families who cannot afford it on their own.

In Lancaster County alone, CommunityAid partners with over 60 nonprofits, including community churches and organizations focused on housing, food insecurity, children, mental health, veterans, addiction treatment and more.

THRIFT STORE

COMMUNITYAID FOUNDATION AMPLIFIES PARTNER IMPACT The CommunityAid Foundation, piloted in 2021, is an extension of the philanthropic side of its mission. The Foundation’s mission is to build efficiency with local nonprofit partners that address barriers to housing, food and basic needs. Inspired by the scripture of Matthew 25: 34-35, the CommunityAid Foundation specifically prioritizes support in the following three focus areas: • Housing • Food • Basic Needs By supporting organizations that empower individuals to meet their basic needs, CommunityAid believes that the community as a whole will grow stronger in return. To learn more, visit communityaid.org/foundation.

COMMUNITYAID IMPACT STARTS WITH YOU Through the power of collective impact, CommunityAid is inspiring real change in our communities throughout Central PA. And it all starts with the simple act of one neighbor, like you, when you shop, donate, work for, or partner with CommunityAid. Together, we are all truly Neighbors Helping Neighbors.

CommuntyAid’s Lancaster store and donation center is located at 31 Rohrerstown Road. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The donation center is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CommunityAid also has thrift stores in Mechanicsburg, Hanover, York, Harrisburg and Selinsgrove.

31 Rohrerstown Rd. Lancaster, PA 17603

717.412.7706 CommunityAid.org

April 2022 | BALANCE | 27

“HONORED to be the only local provider of Mobi-C.” Perry J. Argires, MD, FAANS, FACS Neurosurgeon Specializing in Cervical Disc Replacement and Spine Care Voted as the Best Surgeon in Lancaster County LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurosurgeon

WE ARE YOUR CERVICAL DISC REPLACEMENT SPECIALISTS. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBI-C, GO TO WWW.CERVICALDISC.COM

Argires Marotti Neurosurgical Associates of Lancaster was founded by Dr. Perry Argires to provide supreme surgical and non-surgical care to patients suffering from neck and spine pain and injury. The practice has sustained excellence due to the legacy of care in coordination with the team efforts by Dr. Perry Argires and Dr. Louis Marotti to create the most award winning spine care team in the county. Dr. Argires specializes in cervical disc replacement and spine care. Our practice and its professionals will reduce the need for traditional pain medicines and instead promote progressive pain management treatments. Call us to schedule an appointment today.

Managed by

160 NORTH POINTE BLVD., SUITE 200 • LANCASTER (717) 358-0800 • ARGIRESMAROTTI.COM

OUR OTHER DOCTORS:

Louis A. Marotti, MD, PhD, FAANS, FACS Neurosurgeon Specializing in Spine Care Voted as the Best Surgeon in Lancaster County LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurosurgeon

Steven M. Falowski, MD Neurosurgeon Specializing in Spinal Cord Stimulators LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurosurgeon

Jarod B. John, MD Neurologist With a focus on elderly care and migraines LNP Readers’ Choice Favorite Neurologist

Jack Smith, MD Pain Medicine April 2022 | BALANCE | 29

30 | BALANCE | April 2022

BY MARY ELLEN WRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY BY VINNY TENNIS | WE & CO

J

ordan and Shelby Wormley have been telling stories through photography and video since they were kids, encouraged by adults in their lives to embrace their passions.

In 2020, after years of talking about their mutual interests and goals, the Lancaster city couple decided to create a local business through which they could tell the stories of families and communities, along with nonprofits and small businesses they believe in.

The company name is a combination of the “W” from Wormley and the “E” from Elaine, the middle name of both Shelby and her grandmother.

“The ‘and Company’ is everybody we’re honored to partner with and work with,” Jordan added.

The couple has gotten to know their adoptive city through the research they’ve done before some of their storytelling jobs. They have created

From families to communities to causes, this Lancaster couple helps people tell the stories that matter “WE & Company is a storytelling company,” Shelby, 31, said. “We help people craft and tell their stories through different ways. Primarily it's been through photography and videography, and writing. A lot of the work we do as of late has focused around more social justice work, preservation of history, highlighting people in the community and just helping organizations and businesses tell their stories ...”

videos of well-known women in the community at the Lancaster Women of Color Committee’s annual brunch.

It was the empowering feeling they got while creating videos for the 2019 brunch that spurred them to form their company.

They bought some “starter gear,” and took entrepreneurship classes through SCORE and ASSETS Lancaster.

“In today's world, there are so many ways to tell and share a story, as many ways as there are different types of people,” Jordan, 30, said. “We’re helping them to craft their story and share it in a way that's going to be consumable by a large variety of people.”

These days, they work out of shared space at the PhotOlé Photography studio on East Chestnut Street. The Wormleys’ projects have included profiling Vona, a company that sells products made with batik fabric to European and American markets in order to support artisans in Mozambique.

Together since their late teens, when a mutual friend introduced them, the Wormleys married in 2016. With both having moved around a lot —mostly growing up in York County — they embraced Lancaster as their new home a few years ago.

WE & Company also profiled Lancaster community members who have been named YWCA’s Women of Achievement, and told the story of the early plans for Evita Colon and Solise White’s A Concrete Rose micro-winery and event space, which is soon to open on South Duke Street.

“When we got married, we just saw a niche that wasn't being served in our community that we could fill,” Jordan said. “We really started talking about how can we take our passions that we already have and marry that together ... which is how we birthed WE & Company.”

PHOTOGRAPHY Shelby Wormley has been taking photos since she was a child.

Personalized in-home services from a local, award-winning home care organization you can trust.

Transportation Home Tasks Personal Care Companionship

717-923-5813 LandisAtHome.org Always Looking for Great People to Join our Team!

“My mom got me my first Polaroid when April 2022 | BALANCE | 31

I was 12,” Shelby said. “And I was obsessed with the (television) show ‘Rocket Power,’ and there was this little brown girl who had a video camera and a skateboard, and I wanted to do both of those things.” She soon got a video camera and “would just record things aimlessly” — including unity marches her mother organized in York. After studying communications and photography at York College, Shelby became a production assistant and then a photo- and video journalist with the news staffs of each of the major television stations serving Lancaster.

In the last two years, Shelby's photographs have been chosen for the juried Art of the State exhibit at the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. And, as the inaugural Social Practice and Community Engagement Artist in Residence through Franklin & Marshall College’s Center for Sustained Engagement with Lancaster, she created a photography exhibit showing the effect of COVID-19 shutdowns at Black-owned barber shops and salons in Lancaster. Titled “The Shop Presents: Essentials,” it ran throughout March at the Susan and Benjamin Winter Visual Arts Center at F&M. e Shop Presents: Guests attending “Th & Marhasll College. in nkl Fra at ” ials Essent

While working for ABC affiliate WHTM in 2020, she and her reporting partner visited Mr. Vic's Family Styling in Lancaster “to do a story on the impact the shutdown had on his business,” Shelby said. “If you grew up in barber shops and salons in African American communities, it's very hard to explain that familiarity, other than it's just a feeling. ... I felt like I found a place of refuge. Even for a moment.

“We’re in the midst of the pandemic. It's the midst of protests, a lot was going on in the world and there weren’t a lot of places where I necessarily could go to feel safe,” she said.

“It really just stuck with me.”

For the final project of her residency, she photographed owners and customers at Blackowned barber shops and salons, tying the images together with written quotes from both groups, frustrated at the shutdowns of these so-called “nonessential business” — which are important as community hubs.

aks to a crowd at Shelby Wormley spe llege.

Co all rsh Ma & Franklin

VIDEOGRAPHY Jordan Wormley first picked up a video camera at age 11, when he started doing work for his church in York County. “I just kept working at it, eventually I became head of production and then I started working with other churches,” he said. “Which led me to go to Temple University, where I studied mass media and communications.”

Jordan went to work in production at the West Chester studio of the QVC shopping network. While Shelby works full time for WE & Company, Jordan also works at DAS, a distribution company in Palmyra. One of the WE & Company video projects he’s most proud of is profiling Genesis Meadows, a local high school student who has benefited from the sports and academic and cultural enrichment programs of Advantage Lancaster.

“That was a cool project,” Jordan said. “They are taking these students from these local schools that don't always get the opportunity to go out to visit colleges and play tennis or learn about history and go to museums and go to Broadway shows.

rmley showing the Collage by Shelby Wo the community. on -19 VID CO impact of

“That was something that resonated with me,” he said, “because as a kid (in Baltimore) I was told about the importance of doing those things. I got to do some of those things and I know how it affected me. I know how it changed my outlook on life.” They’re also working on a project that tells the story of the lives of Jordan’s grandparents in Baltimore.

The two look to grow their business and continue learning about their adoptive city. “Something about this city is special,” Jordan said. “Lancaster is one of the first places that felt like I want this to be my home and it's because of the people here.”

“Very often people will go into a community and try to tell a story that they think needs to be told without really knowing the people and the community,” Shelby said.

“I remember realizing I can’t tell the story of this place and do it justice without knowing about it,” she added. “You have to be invited into those spaces. That's something we learned as storytellers, and something to be mindful of because it's been such a learning experience.”

rmley on a Shelby and Jordan Wo & Co. WE for t hoo tos pho

WE & Company can be reached at 717-342-6712 or by email at info@weshareyourstories.com.

April 2022 | BALANCE | 33

“

I was lucky to get sober at a young age.

Although it took a couple of times for it to stick, the experiences that I had my first year would set the stage for the rest of my life. I learned principles from “old timers” who had wisdom and peace in their later years of recovery. I wanted what they had.

My recovery meaning changes all the time. Every new experience brings a new spiritual principle with a lesson. If you would have told me in my first year of recovery what my life would look like, I would have never believed you.

Being a father and married in recovery is one of the most interesting experiences that has both challenges and triumphs.

Learning to be patient and know that everything will work out keeps me motivated.

-Jesse Hunt

“

Recovery is all encompassing for me. It is the spiritual connection I feel to the world and those around me.

It displays that the worst mistakes I have made in the past are my best teaching points when working with individuals struggling with substance use disorder. It has me show up, even when I don’t want to. It allows me the autonomy to be who I want to be, and not consumed with what others will think of me. Personal growth, and professional growth are only possible through recovery. I have been given opportunities that I would never have imagined.

Thanks to God, a recovery program, and the love of my family friends I can be who I was meant to be. I am a mother to three beautiful children, all different within their own identities, and a wife to another person in recovery who accepts the good and the bad and loves me anyway. A daughter to a mother who is so proud, and a sister who took so much time away from a younger sibling.

Showing up as an employee that gives me the freedom to represent recovery!

Finally, I am just overall grateful to call Lancaster County home, and the recovery community that opened their arms to me when I needed it and wants me around even when I don’t want to be.

-Maggie Hunt

PHOTOGRAPHY BY VINNY TENNIS

In Lancaster County, recovery is a vital part of our healthy community. About 1 in every 8 people has a substance use disorder, but this is a treatable medical condition with strong chances of recovery with the proper supports and resources. Lancaster Joining Forces and many community partners are working together to prevent overdose deaths and promote recovery. Visit lancasterjoiningforces.org for more information about our community initiatives to prevent overdose deaths.

“

I made a choice to turn my life around for me, for my children, and in the hope that what I was trying to escape, in my addiction, would become the vital points that would carry me through to find true happiness in recovery. To walk through life in recovery with the knowledge of what things used to be like is exceptionally valuable. I can face life’s challenges, as there are guaranteed to be, with my head held high. I found recovery for myself, but I continue this path for my children, family, friends, and community. My recovery allows me to put my hand out to other people who need help up from the chains of their addictions. I have learned that no matter how small of a step I took in the beginning those small steps led me to the beautiful experience of life that I have today. My recovery will always come first, because the only unwillingness I have now, is the unwillingness to go back to the life I had once lived.

-Grace Shober

To find treatment and recovery support services, visit Compass Mark at compassmark.org/find-help. Check out the Lancaster County Recovery Alliance at lancastercountyrecovery.com for community events and recovery resources.

Made possible by:

In partnership with:

® April 2022 | BALANCE | 35

Operating Clean & Green The Hollinger family started Sundance Car Wash in 1972 with a focus on the values of quality and integrity. In its 50th anniversary year, the third-generation business is still going strong under the leadership of father and son, Ed and Brian Hollinger.

What started out as a small, single location on Lincoln Highway East has blossomed into five car wash locations as well as two laundromats. And their commitment to quality and integrity has blossomed too with a dedication not only to clean vehicles and satisfied customers but also to a healthier environment.

In 2018, Sundance began the process of renovating its car washes, giving them a fresh new look along with a fresh new vision that includes smart technology and high-efficiency, eco-friendly equipment. The company has fully renovated its Blue Ball and Leola locations and plans a renovation of the original Lincoln Highway location in 2023, with the rest to follow.

Here are the green initiatives that are helping Sundance Car Wash help the environment: A biological water reclaim system If you grab your garden hose and wash your car at home, you can easily watch 50 to 100 gallons of water run down your driveway and into a storm drain in just a few minutes. Professional car washes generally use less than half of that volume to wash a single car, making them far more efficient than washing at home.

“Being a car wash company, we use a lot of water. It’s the biggest thing we consume,” Brian Hollinger says. However, with Sundance’s water reclaim system, the water isn’t heading down the sewer drain, it’s actually getting reused. Here’s how it works: Water used to wash a car goes down a drain in the wash bay where it begins its journey through a series of underground tanks. The first tank slows the water down to allow the dirt particles to settle to the bottom. The water then travels to the next

2022 Nicola Herring Photography

tank where it gets an injection of oxygen that helps bacteria to grow. The final step is where the bacteria get put to work, the hungry bacteria eat anything biodegradable in the water - soap, wax, dirt and grease essentially cleaning the water for reuse.

About 80% of the water used in every wash is recycled, he says - making it far more ecofriendly than that driveway wash with the garden hose.

Biodegradable products Biodegradable products are a necessity for the water reclaim system, otherwise, the bacteria would not be able to remove the soap and wax from the water.

“It’s not an easy process to find chemical supply companies that make biodegradable products,” Hollinger says. “We worked with a company to put together a semi-custom line for us. We use a variety of their products that allow us to clean cars well but also keep us eco-friendly.”

Those biodegradable products do more than simply help with the water recycling process, he says. They eliminate harsh chemicals that can damage ecosystems or harm people and animals that come in contact with them.

The soaps and waxes are also hyperconcentrated, with almost zero water content, which cuts down on the size of the containers, the shipping material costs, and the fuel costs for transporting the products to the car wash.

Targeted heating Sundance uses a natural gas powered, smart boiler system to heat the water used to wash the cars. That same boiler also heats the concrete floors in the wash bays to prevent icing so customers can safely wash their cars in the winter months. To conserve energy, the heating system uses a series of temperature sensors in the floors, so it only sends heat to the zones that need it. The mechanical rooms are thoroughly insulated in order to capture the heat put off by the boiler to keep the room warm.

While investing in smart technology has higher upfront costs, the benefits are worth it, Hollinger says. It’s all part of the company’s mission for the past 50 years: to be people-focused, quality-driven, environmentally respectful and forward thinking.

“We’re committed to quality with integrity in all we do,” he says.

Columbia Avenue • Lititz Pike • Lincoln Highway East • Leola • Blue Ball 717-355-7118 • www.sundancewash.com

36 | BALANCE | April 2022

SECONDHAND FOR

MOUNT JOY GIFT & THRIFT 413 W MAIN ST, MOUNT JOY

“S” DECOR | $14.99 BRILLO PADS | $2.99 ea FAUX EGGS | $1.00 ea BASKET | $2.00

MAIN STREET CLOSET 2842 WILLOW STREET PIKE, WILLOW STREET

PINK TEE | $4.00 PURSE | $6.00 SANDALS | $8.00 FLORAL SKIRT | $5.00

FAUX FLOWERS | $14.99 STUFFED ANIMAL | 99¢ VERA BRADLEY PURSE | $14.99 CHAIR | Silent Auction

COUNTRY GIFT & THRIFT SHOP 5602 OLD PHILADELPHIA PIKE, GAP

GOLD HAIR BOW | $1.25 DRESS | $9.95 NECKLACE | $3.50 SANDALS | $9.95 VERA BRADLEY PURSE | $18.95 TIMER CANDLE | $6.95 GLASS JAR | $6.95 FLOWER RING | $6.95 PLATE | $2.95 ROSES | $2.00 YELLOW FLOWER | $19.95 GLASS VASE | $2.00 CROSS PICTURE | $7.95 TOPIARY | $8.95

RE-UZIT ON STATE 1054 S STATE ST, EPHRATA

CHILDREN’S ROCKER | $24.00 SOFA | $200.00 BLUE PILLOWS | $6.50 ea WICKER END TABLE | $40.00 BLACK & WHITE PILLOW | $4.50

BUTTERFLY ART | $6.50 ea WOMEN’S SHOES | $650 TEDDY BEAR | $4.50 RUG | $40.00 SAY YEAH SIGN | $2.50 BOAT DECOR | $4.50

thriftshopslancaster.com The proceeds from local MCC Shops are used both locally and globally to support the work of the Mennonite Central Committee New items arriving every day, items pictured aren’t guaranteed to be available.

Fur the love of pets C

ali was unresponsive and barely clinging to life when she arrived at the Furdunkin Urgent Care & Surgical Center last November. Dr. Ashley Ramsey diagnosed the 8-year-old Siberian husky with pyometra, a life-threatening infection of the uterus, and rushed her into surgery, where she discovered that Cali’s uterus had ruptured, spilling the infection into her abdominal cavity.

Cali went into cardiac arrest. The critical care team administered life-saving drugs while the nurse team performed CPR. Within two minutes, Cali’s heart was beating again, allowing Dr. Ramsey to complete the surgery. But the journey ahead was long.

Unable to eat or walk on her own, Cali received round-the-clock care, including a feeding tube, an IV drip and daily rehabilitative sessions to restore her strength. Cali’s family visited daily and celebrated with the care team as she reached each milestone in her recovery.

Two weeks after she arrived at Furdunkin, Cali walked out on her own, fully recovered.

“It really does take a village in these critical cases,” says Jennifer Hufnagle, founder and COO of Furdunkin, which opened its urgent care center in Lancaster a year ago.

“When you have a committed family, an experienced doctor team, and a dedicated support team that is fighting for the survival of a pet, you can accomplish the most amazing things.

“As Cali walked out the door and hopped into the back of her family’s car, we realized just how far we had come in a year,” Hufnagle says. “We have evolved from the days of treating ear infections and cuts to operating a full-fledged emergency and advanced care surgical center.”

In the last year, Furdunkin has expanded to include an elite team of specialists offering advanced orthopedic surgery, complex soft tissue surgeries and ultrasonography. They routinely perform surgeries to repair torn ligaments, complex fractures, intestinal issues, obstructive airways, perineal hernias and more. While many specialty hospitals are booking surgeries one to three months in advance, Furdunkin has worked to ensure patients receive immediate relief by scheduling most surgeries within 48 hours of diagnosis.

“Our specialist team really is the best of the best,” Hufnagle says.

“Our surgeons are board-certified and spent the majority of their careers fine-tuning their craft at some of the most respected emergency and specialty centers in the country.”

Under the leadership of Dr. Ramsey, the emergency medical director, Furdunkin has hired five new emergency doctors who will join the team this summer and ramped up its investment in technology to handle even the most critical emergency situations.

“As the complexity of cases walking through the door has increased, Furdunkin met the demand by providing the equipment and resources required to treat any situation,” Dr. Ramsey says.

“Having the ability to perform blood or plasma transfusions or treat critical patients in our oxygenated critical care units has been a game-changer. There is very little we can’t handle at this point.”

38 | BALANCE | April 2022

Meet the current medical team: Dr. Melissa Hobday, VMD, DACVS SURGICAL SPECIALIST – SOFT TISSUE/ORTHOPEDICS

When Dr. Hobday completed her bachelor’s degree in fine arts and sculpting, she had a choice: pursue a path in human medicine or dedicate her life to saving animals. Fortunately, she chose the latter. In her words: “Surgery is merely an extension of art.” Dr. Hobday completed her degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Pennsylvania and is a board-certified veterinary surgeon. Prior to working with Furdunkin, she spent the last 23 years fine-tuning her craft across several specialty and advanced referral hospitals in the Philadelphia area.

Dr. Albert Lynch, B.V.M.&S., DACVS-SA SURGICAL SPECIALIST - ORTHOPEDICS

Dr. Lynch was born into a family of veterinarians and equestrians. After attending the Royal School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, Scotland, he completed his rotating and surgical internships in Santa Cruz, California, and his surgical residency in Philadelphia.

For his work in fracture fixation and 3D printing, Dr. Lynch has been a speaker at the annual American College of Veterinary Surgeons surgery summit.

He has used computer modeling with 3D printing to correct complex fractures and limb deformities and holds numerous patents for orthopedic devices.

Urgent, trusted care for when it can’t wait!

Emergency Vet Center State-of-the-Art Facility Affordable Care

Dr. Ashley Ramsey, B.V.M.&S. EMERGENCY MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Pets are love

As a child, Dr. Ramsey spent many a summer afternoon nursing abandoned wildlife back to health. She’s come a long way from preparing tiny wooden splints for injured baby bunnies.

With a decade of veterinary experience under her belt, Dr. Ramsey tackles some of the most demanding emergency surgeries with ease. From splenectomy to gastrotomy, Dr. Ramsey has been the lead emergency doctor at Furdunkin’s Urgent Care facility since launch. Her impressive surgical acumen and expertise in critical care has led to thousands of positive outcomes for her patients in need. Her current areas of expertise include internal medicine, soft tissue surgery and anesthesia.

April 2022 | BALANCE | 39

St r a t f o r d

Barrington

T H E A R E A’ S L A R G E S T S E L E C T I O N O F

outdoor furniture - Over 100 patio furniture sets on dis play - Large selec tion in s tock for quick deliver y, or custom order exac tly what you want

Prism Sectional

10 6 0 Div ision Highway | Ep hrat a, PA 717-733 - 4973 | b ow manss tove.com