“When you give extra, extraordinary things happen.” Today each of our employees choose an organization that was close to their heart and our firm made a donation in their name. We are proud to be a part of Lancaster County and take part in this wonderful event. We encourage you to do the same! Share the love! DONATE now! extragive.org #extragive #igiveextra
Today each of our employees choose an organization that was close to their heart and our firm made a donation in their name. We are proud to be a part of Lancaster County and take part in this wonderful event. We encourage you to do the same! Share the love! #ExtraGive #IGiveExtra
Summer is on its way! …or, if you’re in Lancaster County, so we’re told… Warmer days, and evenings, are ahead. And summer in Lancaster County means the return of the Long’s Park Summer Music Series. This year is the 49th year of the annual summer-long music event.
This year’s summer concert series will stretch over 13 Sundays. The concerts, which are always FREE and a great family even, are held at the amphitheater in Long’s Park, just off of 230/Harrisburg Pike just northwest of downtown Lancaster. Want to know who is playing this summer? Want to know how they do 13 concerts over the summer…for free? Or who “they” are, for that matter? You can find out…
This coming Thursday, April 21st, is the Summer Music Series Kick-off. It is being held at Millersville University – Lancaster, which is located at 42 North Prince Street in downtown Lancaster. Tickets for this event are $50, but the cost and any other funds raised go to the Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation, and the music they provide our community for free all summer long. For the cost of the ticket, you’ll be the first to hear the line-up of summer concerts. In addition, food, beverages will be included, along with the opportunity to bid on items through a silent auction. And of course there will be music. The Ryan Wickersham Band will be playing for the kick-off event.
Another way the Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation is raising funds is through a 4-person team golf scramble. The scramble will be held 2 weeks from today, Friday the 29th, at the Crossgates Golf Club in Millersville. The event, called the Shiver by The River, has a 1 pm shotgun start and, for the cost of $400 per team, includes entry for all 4 players, dinner, and prizes.
For more information on both, or to purchase tickets for the Kick-off or register for the scramble, please go to www.longspark.org
This article is authored by attorney Susan M. Zeamer and is intended for educational purposes and to give you general information and a general understanding of the law only, not to provide specific legal advice. Any particular questions should be directed to your legal counsel or, if you do not have one, please feel free to contact us.
Helping others doesn’t have to hurt. It doesn’t need to be painful, or cost you a great deal of time or money. Sometimes other folks take on the roll of putting in the hard work, putting in the time and money, and all you need to do is avail yourselves of their efforts…and yet still be helping others in the process.
An easy way to help has presented itself for those of you in and around the Lancaster Pennsylvania area. Tomorrow night (so, Saturday, March 5th), Sarah Kelly and the Matt Goss Band will be performing a benefit concert for Esther’s House. The concert is from 7 pm to 10 pm at Victory Church in Lancaster. The cost of admission is $15.00. The chance to hear Sarah Kelly and the Matt Goss Band play is worth the cost of admission alone. But add to that the fact that you’d be helping a worthy cause, and the cost seems almost irrelevant.
So what is Esther’s House? Esther’s House is an orphanage in El Salvador. Through Esther’s Heart, donations are raised for Esther’s House so that supplies and other needs can be met. Currently, Esther’s House can hold 5 to 10 orphans; but they have plans to expand their one facility into three: one for infants and young children; one for teenage girls; and one for teenage boys. Donations, then, will also assist Esther’s House in purchasing the land for the additional housing as well as the costs to build.
The hometown link goes deeper, however, than a benefit concert in our own backyard. If you take a look at their website, the missions staff are all from Pennsylvania. You can also take a look at their website for needs they have, as well as how you can volunteer or donate.
The easiest way, however (and probably the most fun), would be to come out to Victory Church tomorrow night, listen to some great music and support a great cause!
This article is authored by attorney Susan M. Zeamer and is intended for educational purposes and to give you general information and a general understanding of the law only, not to provide specific legal advice. Any particular questions should be directed to your legal counsel or, if you do not have one, please feel free to contact us.
Have you heard of Walk In Love. Clothing? Maybe you’ve seen someone wearing a shirt or hoodie with their logo. Maybe you saw their kiosk at Park City Mall during your Christmas shopping. No? Walk In Love. Clothing is a company local to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In fact, I attend Church at LCBC (lcbcchurch.com) with the couple who created the concept and the clothing line. They’re a young couple, entrepreneurial in spirit, and giving in nature. It’s interesting (and inspiring) just to listen to them talk of things they’re passionate about.
I love the concept of Walk In Love. Clothing. Not only because I can support folks in my own community, in my own Church; but because it’s a business you can feel good about supporting. This past Christmas, I made the decision that I was only purchasing Christmas gifts from businesses that either gave back with my purchase (i.e. TOM’S Shoes – http://www.toms.com/ – who gives one pair of shoes to an underprivileged child for every pair you purchase) or that were Faith-based (i.e. Thirty-One (http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/) and Walk In Love. Clothing (http://walkinloveclothing.com/ ).
Want to meet T.J. and Brooke Mousetis and hear what they’re all about? You can do that here (http://saturateonline.lcbcchurchblogs.com/tag/t-j-and-brooke-mousetis )
Want to hear from T.J. on the concept of a Walk In Love. Clothing store? Or why you should help them “build” it? Here’s your chance (http://www.indiegogo.com/walk-in-love-store )
Its interesting that T.J. and Brooke have tried to engage their community before they’ve opened their store. You can help. You can benefit from helping and even, if you so desire, be recognized for doing so.
This article is authored by attorney Susan M. Zeamer and is intended for educational purposes and to give you general information and a general understanding of the law only, not to provide specific legal advice. Any particular questions should be directed to your legal counsel or, if you do not have one, please feel free to contact us.
Attention Parents with Children in Grades 1 through 6: Are you looking for something new and different to do with your kids this winter? Tired of “family fun” being comprised of shoveling and runny noses? Mark your calendars for the Block Kids Contest to be held on February 19, 2011 at the Carpenter’s Apprentice School, which is located at 10401 Decatur Road in Philadelphia. The event will run from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
The Block-Kids Building Program is a national building program competition that is sponsored at the local level by National Association of Women in Construction (“NAWIC”) chapters. During the competition, each child is given their own “construction site” with building materials from which the child must create a construction related design within the allotted time. Building materials are comprised of 100 interlocking plastic blocks, string, tin foil, and a piece of board. Project scores are based on the NAWIC’s national guidelines and prizes are awarded in each of the different grade groups. The highest overall scorer receives an additional prize along with an entry into the regional contest. Each child who participates will take something home though – every participant will receive a memento from the contest along with his or her very own hard hat.
You can learn more about the NAWIC and what it does, as well as download a registration form by going to http://www.nawicphiladelphia.org/ and clicking under the Events tab/Block kids. The deadline for registering is February 11, 2011.
This article is authored by attorney Shannon O. Young and is intended for educational purposes and to give you general information and a general understanding of the law only, not to provide specific legal advice. Any particular questions should be directed to your legal counsel or, if you do not have one, please feel free to contact us.
On Fridays, we often inform our readers about special events around the area or organizations to which they might want to donate. Well, today we present the best of both worlds.
Reading’s hockey team, the Reading Royals, have partnered with the Berks County Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association to host a fundraising event tomorrow evening, January 29th, at 7:05 p.m. at the Sovereign Center in Reading. Five dollars of every fifteen dollar ticket will go to THON, Penn State’s dance marathon that raises money through the Four Diamonds Fund for pediatric cancer research. We’ve mentioned this phenomenal philanthropic effort in previous posts; you can check them out here and here.
The Reading Royals will wear special Penn State football-themed jerseys. If that isn’t cool enough, these jerseys will be autographed by the players and auctioned off at the following game with a portion of the proceeds also benefitting THON.
The Berks County Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association is also hosting a dinner prior to the game at 5:00 p.m. at the Sovereign Center. Tickets for the dinner and the game are $30 with $10 going to THON.
THON is near and dear to many of the Penn State alums in our area such as myself and it is fantastic that the Reading Royals have jumped on board to benefit this awesome endeavor. THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raising millions of dollars each year to benefit the children treated at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital.
If you’re going to attend, be sure to buy your tickets through the special website dedicated to this event or contact the Alumni Association.
Tomorrow evening’s event provides the opportunity not only to benefit THON, but also to enjoy a night of great hockey and food in the community. If you were looking for something to do this weekend, it looks like you’ve found it.
This article is authored by attorney Samantha Sherwood Bononno and is intended for educational purposes and to give you general information and a general understanding of the law only, not to provide specific legal advice. Any particular questions should be directed to your legal counsel or, if you do not have one, please feel free to contact us.
What better resource could a community provide the homeless with than a home? Probably nothing. Thanks to a new Lancaster County Program, mentally ill homeless people in our community are finding just that.
The new program, Polaris, housed its first participants in the last few weeks and will house as many as 15 mentally ill homeless people. Polaris also focuses particularly on veterans in this group. Those housed will be placed in apartments in Lancaster County. In an effort to aid the homeless in becoming self-sufficient, the program pays the rent for these apartments instead of just providing a shelter.
One of the goals of the Polaris program is to keep the homeless in their communities, whether that is in Lancaster city or not. This will allow them to stay close to family, friends and other important community ties.
The program is funded through a grant from the federal department of Housing and Urban development. With its receipt of $470,000 annually, Polaris can provide $635 per month to pay single-occupancy rent and utilities. Further, five of the openings in the program are reserved for veterans with serious mental illness (to read more about resources our community is providing to veterans, check out last week’s blog).
To encourage self-sufficiency, the Lodge agency will provide supportive services. A Lodge staff member will teach basic skills, such as cleaning, shopping for groceries and cooking. As skills are learned, Lodge staff members will visit to make sure the formerly homeless are caring for themselves properly and living independently.
The program is run by the Lancaster County Office of Mental Health/Mental Retardation/Early Intervention (MH/MR/EI). Tabor Community Services is also participating through its Shelter to Independent Living Program by helping to locate housing.
To be eligible for the program, a person must: have a severe mental health diagnosis; be working with an MH/MR/CSG caseworker; be homeless according to HUD guidelines; have been a resident of Lancaster County for at least one year or lived a substantial part of their life in the county; and be a single, unaccompanied adult.
While the price tag of the program may look high, consider this: care at a state mental hospital averages $435 per day per patient, or $2.38 million annually for 15 patients. Not to mention care at a state mental hospital does not teach self-sufficiency or offer a real home to patients.
The Polaris program is a truly great resource for homeless members of our community and we hope those in need will be introduced to it. Those of us working outside of downtown Lancaster may not regularly see the problems the homeless encounter daily, but that does not mean the problem doesn’t reach beyond the city limits. All of our communities are home to homeless, mentally ill citizens. This program stands out because it acknowledges that, offering options beyond a downtown shelter.
This article is authored by attorney Samantha Sherwood Bononno and is intended for educational purposes and to give you general information and a general understanding of the law only, not to provide specific legal advice. Any particular questions should be directed to your legal counsel or, if you do not have one, please feel free to contact us.
Many of us are aware of the sacrifices our brave troops make for the benefit of all of us. But how many of us really take a minute to think about some of the things some veterans have to give up? Disabled veterans can no longer do some of the things they could before fighting to ensuring our freedom. Thanks to organizations and places like the LEEK Hunting and Fishing Reserve, some disabled veterans can get back to doing some of the things they truly enjoy.
LEEK Hunting and Mountain Preserve encompasses 256 acres in Potter County, PA and is dedicated to providing outdoor experiences to disabled veterans through recreation such as hunting and fishing. It includes a home for disabled veterans to use when enjoying the land. The intent of LEEK’s founders is to assist veterans who are no longer able to take advantage of traditional hunting and fishing opportunities offered through state parks and game lands. The LEEK preserve also offers hunting facilities for the disabled throughout the property.
Now, thanks to local volunteers, veterans will enjoy renovated barracks and other new developments on the property. Dave Gibble, a professional contractor, recruited a team of family, friends and coworkers from Lancaster County to provide these renovations.
This group from Lancaster built a new firing range, installed a new flagpole, built an entrance to the home that is accessible to the disabled and made other improvements. The effort was meant to honor those who at one time were in top physical condition and sacrificed that for our freedom.
The new barracks were opened on Oct. 23rd at a ceremony at the site. Fittingly, the barracks will be named Dunham Barracks in honor of U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Jason Dunham. Dunham was killed in action while saving others in Iraq in 2004. Dunham was a native of Scio, New York, which is just across the border from Potter County. Hopefully, the new Dunham Barracks will house many veterans that take advantage of the LEEK preserve.
LEEK is named for its founders, Lewis T. Fisher, Elaine Fisher, Colonel Edward J. Fisher and Kate Fisher who decided to build upon the dream of their father, Lewis H. Fisher , who wished to own a piece of property that would allow his family and friends to enjoy outdoor activities. And build upon it they did. Now, veterans have the ability to enjoy outdoor activities they might not be able to anywhere else.
Wondering how you can help? Well, the LEEK reserve gladly accepts donations, which you can give just by clicking here. They are a considered a public charity, so your donations are tax deductible. Donations go towards a variety of things, such as seed and fertilizer, hunting gear for veterans and meals for veterans and guides. The LEEK preserve also likes to provide veterans with gifts upon their arrival as well as calling cards. Other practical items on their wish list include handicap accessible items for the shower and a handicap accessible utility vehicle. These items wouldn’t be obtainable without donations from community members like you.
Every contribution helps, whether you’re recruiting volunteers or just donating a few extra dollars. Our veterans have given so much; supporting a refuge like Leek Hunting and Fishing Reserve offers us the opportunity to give back.
This article is authored by attorney Samantha Sherwood Bononno and is intended for educational purposes and to give you general information and a general understanding of the law only, not to provide specific legal advice. Any particular questions should be directed to your legal counsel or, if you do not have one, please feel free to contact us.
If our goal was to confuse our readers this week, I think we’ve accomplished our mission. Usually, we designate Friday as a day to highlight people, businesses or events in our own community. This week, our schedule went a bit out of order and today’s post focuses on the recent debates in Washington over the expiration of unemployment benefits and tax cuts. However, in the spirit of “In the Community,” something came to our attention that we are pleased to pass along to our readers.
Michael Ferrari, a local blogger in our community, has a truly inspiring blog today highlighting another family in our community. Not only does this family have some of the most decked halls in the area, they do it to support the Four Diamonds Fund and Penn State Hershey Children’s Medical Center. Sound familiar? Yes, we recently blogged about this phenomenal organization and Penn State’s efforts to raise money through THON. As a Penn State graduate and supporter of THON myself, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to showcase this inspirational Christmas effort.
This article is authored by attorney Samantha Sherwood Bononno and is intended for educational purposes and to give you general information and a general understanding of the law only, not to provide specific legal advice. Any particular questions should be directed to your legal counsel or, if you do not have one, please feel free to contact us.
