West Cocalico supervisors talk Web site modernization

Visit the West Cocalico Township Web site, and one of the first things you’ll see is something about a “den of serpents.” This odd moniker is even included in the snippet of text in the site’s Google search page result.

No, it’s not an editorial.

The Web site explains that “Cocalico,” a name that now encompasses two Lancaster County townships and a school district, was originally a Native American word for a collection of snakes. However, to someone who is scanning the text, this up-front information can be confusing — partly because of a lack of context.

The site has been that way for a long time, but it has just recently come to the attention of the board.

At the Aug. 3 supervisors’ meeting, two residents suggested that the Web site could be modernized to provide details of police reports and other vital municipal information that is currently not put online – and that perhaps the “den of serpents” reference could be moved or altered to make things less confusing for readers.

“We really under-utilize that Web site,” said resident Steve Laudenslager.

The supervisors agreed.

“I think the younger generation — a lot of them don’t read the news that much,” supervisors chairman James J. Stoner said. “They’d rather go to a Web site.”

Stoner said making more information available on the township Web site is a good goal, although he did note that the township might have to clear the publishing of some police information with the Ephrata Police Department, which provides coverage to West Cocalico.

Ephrata Police Sgt. David Shupp, who attended to deliver the month’s police report, said the department could have that conversation with the township.

Township Manager Carolyn Hildebrand said staff do some basic web maintenance tasks, but other bigger jobs need to be outsourced to professional developers.

In an explanation to The Ephrata Review on Aug. 7, Hildebrand said staff can upload agendas and post about upcoming events, but don’t have the tools to add new menu tabs or expand the structure of the Web site.

“We’re trying to be responsive,” Hildebrand said, adding that the township also has a Facebook page as a resource for the younger generation. “We’re getting some stuff out there.”

Hildebrand said the township will work on changing the top-level blurb on the Web site.

Brainstorming during the meeting, supervisors were agreeable to the idea of having an intern, possibly a Cocalico High School senior, work on updating the site.

The board also re-organized itself to include its new member, Jeff Sauder, who was sworn in prior to the public meeting and sat on the board for the first time.

Supervisors agreed that James J. Stoner will remain chairman and Leon Eby will move to vice chairman, a position previously held by former board member Ray Burns.

Another issue discussed was a railroad crossing conditions.

Stoner said the crossing at the intersection of Resh Road at Reinholds has deteriorated so much that some drivers will cross the median to go through it.

Supervisors discussed the best ways to pursue fixing the crossing. Stoner said a previous fix on Route 897, including a rubber lining, has become troublesome because the rubber will push up over time and create an obstacle.

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Have you ever played Monopoly?
Surely you’ve noticed the spots that reflect regional spots &tstr; like the Reading Railroad or the Atlantic City Boardwalk.
If you liked the familiarity of Monopoly, chances are you’ll really enjoy the Cocalico-area familiarity of a new locally produced game that seems like a child of the classic board game.
The new game, Denver Fair’opoly, is played the same way &tstr; and it’s a first of its kind for any local fair committee.
Thirty-five familiar stores, businesses, and banks are featured on the game board.
The cost to purchase the game is $25 and all proceeds go to the Denver Fair Committee for the Denver Fair.

Photo courtesy Matthew Mitchell
Field testing the Denver Fair’opoly game: Matthew Butz makes a move while his father Tim Butz and brother Michael observe.

The game will be available at the Hospitality Tent on the midway of the Denver Fair, Sept. 12 to 16.
Folks who have tested the game say it’s fun to play and makes a great gift.
“I’d like to thank the local businesses who made donations to support the board game,” said Dennis Worley, chairman of the Denver Fair Board. “The businesses also contribute to the Denver Fair, and we could not do this without them.”
“Our fair committee, which meets monthly, and the fair in general, can always use volunteers,” he said. “Everyone who enjoys and cares about the Denver Fair is encouraged to volunteer, even if just one day or evening at the fair.”
He credits newcomers to the organization for innovations, like the new game.
“The fair committee has profited from new ideas from young people like Matthew Mitchell, who developed Denver Fair’opoly,” Worley said.
Mitchell hundreds of hours visiting area businesses, putting the game together, and getting it produced, packaged, and ready for sale.
Mitchell, 22, has been involved with the Denver Fair his entire life.
He started showing pigs at the age of nine and was active in the 4-H organization through his sophomore year in college, a total of 11 years.
The Denver Fair is a family affair for the Mitchells.
His father, Jeff, still houses animals for two 4-H students on his farm. His mother, Sue, serves on the fair committee’s board of directors.
“I got to see how this whole process works when I was president of the Pennsylvania Junior Angus Association,” said Mitchell, a Penn State graduate. “We hosted a big show in Harrisburg last summer and needed to raise money. Another association member suggested doing a game similar to this one as one of our fundraisers.
“I used the Angus Association game as a prototype to show business owners what our Denver Fair game would turn out to look like.”
Mitchell said at first he wanted to get everything needed done by last fall.
“That timeline needed adjusted due to the time involved with making all the business contacts,” he said. “Many of the businesses bought more than one spot on the board.”
Mitchell is pleased with the colorful, sturdy game board and pieces, which come boxed and shrink wrapped.
He’s also modest.
“I don’t want to be featured or pictured since I’d like to emphasize the game and the Denver Fair Committee, for whom this work was done,” he said. “Many folks have worked hard for decades on the Denver Fair and have not been recognized. It takes all of us.”
Games can be purchased during Denver Fair week. A limited number of games have been produced.
“It’s very expensive to make a game like this,” said Mitchell. “We couldn’t do it without the generous business sponsors. I don’t see us thinking about doing this again in the near future. The game will become a collector’s item”

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Two safety issues relating to the South Fourth Street Bridge replacement project work were discussed at the Denver Borough Council Monday, Aug. 14, meeting.
One issue dealt with volunteers and the other with emergency vehicles responding to calls.
The bridge work is two blocks south of the only permanent traffic signal in town, at Main and Fourth streets.
Resident Mike Cohick spoke about the need for volunteer firemen coming from the south side of town to negotiate the South Fourth Street single lane signaled traffic as quickly as possible when responding.
“It could make a real difference in some emergencies,” he said.
Some Denver industries allow first responders to leave work to answer emergency calls. The south side of town has a group of industries, and several volunteer firemen who work there.
From the South Fourth Street Bridge to the fire company on the north side of town is approximately five blocks.
Borough manager Mike Hession said he’d speak with the volunteer fire police captain to determine how fire police could help expedite firemen responding and maintain safe conditions for drivers at the construction site.
Hession addressed the second issue.
“The borough requested that PennDOT, prior to the one-lane traffic signal activation, activate a pre-emption, or interceptor device so emergency vehicles can switch the light to travel through the project area,” he said.
“The PennDOT traffic unit which handles these requests decided that the pre-emption device is not needed.”
The short span bridge, PennDOT officials said, would still have about a 15-second lag for the traffic already on the bridge to cross. PennDOT officials said that most of the time, with the small amount of traffic and long-site distance that once is traffic stopped, the emergency vehicles could go through on a red signal before the timing delay for the bridge would catch up and turn green, whether or not there it was pre-empted.
A PennDOT supervisor said when a pre-emption device was added to a previous project it cost $8,500. The cost, according to PennDOT officials, with virtually no benefit, won’t be pursued.
Hession said he wrote a response to PennDOT explaining how the interceptor would be a positive safety move for other traffic on the road, plus the many entities on the south side of town which rely on swift emergency response. The south side of town has the Cocalico School District — elementary, middle, high school and administrative offices — as well as a collection of industrial and residential properties and a nursing home.
The interceptor cost of $8,500, less than one percent of the bridge project cost, is valuable to the borough for responding to an emergency as quickly and safely as possible, Hession told PennDOT. This street is the only street the fire company can use to reach this south section of town.
Hession also asked East Cocalico Police Chief Terry Arment and the Denver volunteer fire chief for their response to PennDOT’s reply.
In other business:
* Borough representatives and the borough solicitor will meet with District Justice Nancy Hamill to review the proposed quality of life ordinance. It will shorten the time that offenses can go unresolved and includes assessment of fines.
* The Denver MS4 stormwater management plan 30-day public review/comment period concludes Aug. 25.

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“It’s been a wonderful 28 years on a great force,” said Kerry L. Sweigart, as he discussed his career with East Cocalico Police Department.
The township supervisors accepted with regret his resignation at their July 20 meeting.
Sweigart will continue to serve others in retirement, but in a different profession. After completing the Berks County Intermediate Unit guest teacher program at the end of August, he’ll be certified to serve as a substitute secondary school teacher in Berks County.

Photo by Alice Hummer
Kerry L. Sweigart has retired after 28 years of service with the East Cocalico Police Department.

“Growing up, I either wanted to be a cop or a teacher,” said Sweigart.
The 1984 Ephrata High School alumnus went on to graduate from York College of Pennsylvania as a criminal justice major.
“Former East Cocalico Police Chief Craig Ebersole, in 1989, gave me a chance to enter law enforcement with East Cocalico, and I’ve been here ever since,” Sweigart said.
“The majority of my career was under Chief George Beever. The thing I liked about George is that he didn’t interfere with you doing your job and supported you going for advanced training.
“He gave me the opportunity to become a detective. I had an outstanding supervisor as a detective in Sgt. Larry Martin. He was always there to assist in investigations and understood in depth the criminal investigation process. I don’t think Sgt. Martin ever said no when I asked him for assistance.”
For many years, Detective Keith Neff was his partner. Sweigart described Neff as a sharp investigator, whose work helped bring resolution to many cases.
Sweigart’s recollections made it apparent the high regard officers hold for one another and how well they work together.
“For most of my career, Sgt. Ray Burns was the administrative sergeant,” he said. “You could always count on him. Sgt. Darrick Keppley and Sgt. Chris Progin took right over where Sgt. Burns left off and both do an amazing job.”
Burns is a former West Cocalico Township supervisor who now resides in the mid-state area,
Three major changes witnessed during Sweigart’s career include: the formation of the major crimes unit; the formation of the child abuse unit, and the formation of the county forensics unit.
Each of these units brings a level of organization, specialists, and other resources that are on the cutting edge of law enforcement and have become models for many other counties in the state.
In the mid 1990s, when the major crimes unit was formed, Sweigart was one of the first detectives named to it.
Sweigart was asked about major cases that stand out in his memory.
“Every case is important and gets our full attention,” he said. “I don’t want to make victims revisit a nightmare through which they’ve already lived.”
Sweigart is optimistic about the future of the force.
“The department is in good hands with Chief Terry Arment,” he said. “I’ve worked with him over 20 years. He’s done an amazing job and is a good fit for our department.”

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A 70-year-old Reinholds man has been charged with sexually abusing a 4-year-old girl earlier this summer at his home.

Donnie W. Painter

Donnie W. Painter was arraigned Aug. 9 on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, statutory sexual assault, corruption of a minor, unlawful contact with a minor and two misdemeanor counts of indecent assault of a child.

He was committed to Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Police were contacted in late July about the alleged incident June 12 at Painter’s home, according to the district attorney’s office. The girl confirmed the abuse to investigators.
Painter, an acquaintance of the girl’s family, admitted to police, in part, to the conduct, officials said.

Charges were filed by East Cocalico Police Detective Keith Neff.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 21.

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The Adamstown Intertribal Powwow is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26 and 27, at the Adamstown Rod and Gun Club, 563 Willow St., Reinholds.
The celebration gets under way at 10 a.m. and continues through 5 p.m. each day. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per car.
At noon, both days, there will be the ceremonial grand entry.
Saturday night will feature a potluck feast and all attending are urged to bring a favorite food to share.
Sunday features the Cenzontle Cuicatl Aztec Dancers.
Throughout the event, there are a number of special performers.
They include drummers Eagle Thunder, the Itchy Dog Singers, and Otter Creek; head dancers John Ironhorse and Natalie Wisteria Bowersox; firekeeper, Alex Wimbough; emcee, Mark Onehawk; and head veteran, Walter Quietfeather.
Organizers stress the family nature of the powwow and note that no alcohol, drugs, firearms, or politics are permitted on the grounds.
For more information, contact Keith Rodrigues at 717-940-8048; Mark Onehawk at 484-941-1317; or Danny Maihl at 610-775-4772.
All proceeds from the event benefit the Fivepointville Ambulance and the Adamstown Fire Company.

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Services like VRBO and Airbnb are having big effects on public policy, moving many local governments around the country to change laws on short-term rentals — and now these sorts of rules are on the radar in West Cocalico.

The West Cocalico Township supervisors, at their Aug. 15 meeting, considered a draft of an ordinance that would set rules for property rentals of less than 30 days within the township.

The proposed ordinance would regulate parking, noise, bedroom sizes, and more. It would also require each rented property to have an owner or managing agency available at all times in case of an emergency. Further, short-term rentals would only be allowed in certain zoning areas.

Looking over the draft, Supervisor Vice Chairman Leon Eby questioned a clause that limits rental parties to members of a single family.

“It’s too restrictive,” Eby said, describing how married couples or families often chip in to rent a vacation house.

The intent of the clause, said township Manager Carolyn Hildebrand, was to try to avoid situations where many different individuals rent out a house for a party.

Eby suggested those goals could be achieved with different wording, and pointed out that noise and disturbances are already covered elsewhere in the ordinance.

Supervisors also discussed setting a minimum age for renters, and agreed on the age of 18.

Resident Steve Laudenslager asked about building codes.

“You forget the other half of the equation is the building codes,” Laudenslager said.

Hildebrand said the township codes personnel have reviewed the draft ordinance.

Supervisors discussed the lack of a clear distinction between those who might rent out their primary residence once in a while, and others who will rent out a vacation property on a regular basis.

Supervisor Chairman James J. Stoner said families going out of town who want to rent should be able to do so.

“There’s a fine line between an opportunity one time … or there are people who get in the habit of doing this,” Stoner said.

After more discussion, the board asked staff to make the update taking away the single-family requirement.

“We do need to get this on the books,” Stoner said. “It was good to have this discussion.”

The township’s zoning hearing board will review the draft ordinance, and at some future time, it will be advertised.

In other news, supervisors also discussed a tricky bit of road for truckers trying to make their way to and from the turnpike.

Confusing signage on Mount Airy Road, said Roadmaster Tom Showalter, can force truck drivers to take a circuitous route that eventually puts them on Hillside Road. Local residents have complained about truck traffic there. Showalter said some truckers have to re-program their GPS, leading to more confusion.

“It is confusing,” Eby said.

Stoner agreed that truck drivers can have a tough time.

“If you’re a truck driver, and you’ve never driven that road before, you say ‘Where do I go?’” Stoner said.

Board members agreed to authorize staff to move a sign on Sandy Hill Road to make it a more prominent source of information for drivers.

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The Cocalico School Board completed many housekeeping tasks necessary to begin a new school year. The Monday, Aug. 21, meeting was the first for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Approval was given for the annual contract with PA-Educator, a service used by districts to locate teachers for specific vacancies. Dr. Ella Musser, superintendent, explained that administrators can put in filters to find applicants for subject areas that are difficult to fill, for applicants with a specific grade point average, or other items for which a district is looking.

“Sometimes a search will yield a plethora of applicants, and, with other specific content areas, very few,” said Musser.

This standard application allows teacher applicants to complete one application and indicate in which counties and/or districts they’d like to be considered for vacancies.

Other annual approvals granted included transportation contracts, bus schedules and drivers, parent/student handbooks, attendance by staff personnel at workshops, conferences and in-service programs pending appropriate supervisory approval, special education supplemental contracts, volunteers for sports programs and band, and volunteers’ accident medical insurance.

Supplemental contracts were awarded to Theodore Wolf, junior high wrestling coach; Elizabeth Hannan, junior high assistant field hockey coach; Elizabeth Bonagura, junior high assistant girls soccer coach; David Dunkelberger, varsity head softball coach; Jeffrey Shenk, Adamstown technology coordinator; Katherine Robb, elementary curriculum contact/math and Robbie Trescavage, Quiz Bowl.

Support staff hired, effective the 2017-2018 school year, included: Christina Faust, administrative assistant for the human resources office, Dava Kreider, administrative assistant at Reamstown Elementary, Jared Horst, part-time paraprofessional at Adamstown Elementary, Mylissa Demmy, part-time paraprofessional in the middle school; and Amanda Groff, part-time paraprofessional in technology education. All are filling vacancies where staff resigned or transferred to other positions.

Support staff resignations included: Robin Allen, Mary Rose, Lenora Sturtevant, and April Strepko.

Allen served the district for 11 years and retired. Rose and Sturtevant each served Cocalico School District for seven years and Strepko for one year.

Two child-rearing leaves were approved: Janelle Matz, online learning facilitator, effective Nov. 22, through the first semester of the 2017-2018 school year, and Lindsey Snader, middle school health and physical education teacher, extension through the second semester of the 2017-2018 school year.

The school board appreciated the excellent Extended School Year program presentation by students and staff. A summer camp format is used for elementary and middle school students. High school students benefit from approximately a dozen teachers, a paraprofessional and a job trainer. The purpose of the program, for which students must qualify, is to maintain skills through the summer. The program extends the school year through the month of July.

Allen Dissinger, school board president, announced that Dr. Brian Barnhart, executive director of Intermediate Unit 13, will attend the Sept. 18 school board meeting. Intermediate Unit 13 is comprised of all public schools in the Lebanon-Lancaster area. Barnhart will update the board and others at the meeting about programs and services the intermediate unit offers.

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The Hess Auction Group held one of its most notable auctions of the year at Sonny’s Country Store Antiques in Adamstown at the intersection of Routes 272 and 897 on Saturday, Aug. 19.

“This is a big deal,” said Mike Hartman, son of Sonny and Mary Hartman, the late owners of the store who died in 2016 within six months of each other. “I think most of these people are his friends. They were from buying and selling antiques his whole lifetime from the East Coast, West Coast, and everywhere.”

From the Weaver Markets parking lot where most parked, a blended, monotone hum was heard from the historic property as three auctioneers sold simultaneously.

Hundreds of unique country store advertising pieces from their private collection had buyers bidding as high as $2,100 for a Sunbeam Bread sign and other store displays and signage.

“They were colorful because that was their only mode of advertising in those days,” said Hartman. “There were few magazines, so they competed for your money at the general-store level. That’s why everything is so beautiful and designed well.”

The Hartmans bought the store from the Graeff family in the 1970s and it appears the inside and outside of the building have not changed — possibly from the 1800s.

“This is exactly how it was when I was a kid, it hasn’t changed. Same shelves, same everything,” said Frank Lorah, born in 1940.

The property, which was a busy general store, belonged to his great-grandparents and he lived across the street next to Adamstown Eye Care which is now an antique store.

“My grandmother (Dora Lorah) lived next door where the eye doctor is,” said Lorah. “My grandmother’s sister, Mabel, ran the store.”

A bumper sticker on the front door window reads: “I’ve got Moxie.”

“She was the sister that never got married,” said Lorah. “She lived to be 106, or something. She was a little, feisty lady. She went up in a balloon at 100-and-some years old.

“I’d go to the store to get sugar and she’d weigh the sugar on a scale and take string from the ceiling and wrap it up,” said a neighbor.

The stringer is still hanging in the same place with the string dangling, ready to wrap-at least until auction day.

A correspondent of The Ephrata Review stood inside the general store and talked to George Wertz III on speaker phone. He was “in the mountains” and unable to attend the auction.

“I grew up a block down the road in the same house I was born at,” said Wertz, 57. “I would go on errands as a kid for my parents for things like flour and sugar and things like that. Mabel would give me candy for doing the errands.”

As Wertz talked, folks gathered and listened intently, and others walked around the store, looking at items and smiled at points in his conversation, grateful to hear the story behind the property.

“She let me pick out what kind of candy I want,” said Wertz. “They were called lady fingers, but they don’t make them anymore. I could go up there on my own as young as five years old.

“She would tell me I had to go back right home to my parents. Everybody in the neighborhood knew everybody and looked out for us.”

“She sold ice cream and we’d sit on the front porch and then we’d go play again.”

Mabel was apparently no lonely bachelorette.

“My dad would go up and sit with Mabel’s boyfriend and everybody called him Ramey,” said Wertz. “They’d sit by a big wood stove on these rocking chairs and smoke and talk for hours. My mom would send me up to get my dad and tell him supper would be ready in 15 minutes.”

A few stories floated about the “little trap door” in the ceiling that overlooked the store.

“Mabel’s father put that in so they could monitor the store,” said Wertz.

Mabel’s father apparently put a rifle though the floor, upstairs, down through the trap door and shot at an intruder.

“Mabel would have been in her 70s when I was a little kid and Ramey was older than her but in very good shape and lots of muscle,” said Wertz. “They were very protective of the kids in the neighborhood.

“Back then we didn’t have state police. We had the county marshal. Sometimes it would take a while for him to get there if there was a crime and that’s why people took the law and enforced it themselves, and then when the marshal could get there, they dealt with the situation.”

It was not unusual for a woman to run a store, especially if it was in her family and she was not married, he said.

“The women back then were very strong, character-wise, and they could hold their own doing physical labor,” said Wertz.

Wertz talked with affection and a sense of longing for the property and time period.

“If I could, I’d open it up as an old country store again to keep the piece of history alive,” said Wertz. “Turkey Hill came in and that pretty much threw her out of business.”

Mabel was robbed a few times in the 1970s and that prompted her to sell.

“There were three or four travelling gypsy women that came in the store and robbed her,” said Wertz. “Some of them kept her distracted and one peed on the floor while the other cleaned out her cash drawer.”

“I witnessed my wife’s cousin killed in a car accident at the intersection,” said Wertz.

“Mabel would go out and help injured people out there. She made me go back in the store, and so I sat in the rocking chair in the back of the store.”

Mabel also expected good behavior from the neighborhood children.

“Mabel would come out and smack kids on the butt with a broom for throwing snowballs,” said Tracy Gerhart.

“I really feel privileged to grow up in that time,” said Wertz.

A storied history

Prior to his death in 1863, the store at “Swartzville” belonged to Benjamin Swartz, who was appointed postmaster of Swartzville in 1859.

Being both a general store and post office, it was well-travelled.

It was sold from his estate to Jacob E. Becker, who subsequently became the postmaster.

In 1872, John Smith became postmaster, but the deeds for the store property have not been recorded and it is not known when Smith purchased it. He owned it at the time of his death; it was auctioned from his estate in 1892 and probably deeded in the spring of 1893.

According to one written account, Daniel S. Graeff acquired the store in 1893 from a “Mr. Regar,” but most likely it was from the Smith estate; Mr. Regar may have been the storekeeper at the time.

According to his Aug, 8, 1930 obituary in The Ephrata Review, Graeff “dropped dead by falling from a hay wagon on his farm.”

The obituary goes into detail about his actual death moment.

“He was taken to the office of Dr. Winters, at Blue Ball, for the purpose of having an X-Ray taken, in order to determine the definite extent of his injuries. While Mr. Graeff was waiting his turn in the physician’s office, in company with his wife and son, Wilmer, he suddenly lapsed into unconsciousness, as in a faint, and died a few minutes later.”

Graeff passed the store to his widow and was operated for many years by the couple’s daughter, Mabel.

Compiled with help from Cynthia Marquet, librarian, Historical Society of Cocalico Valley.

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New Denver Elementary playground, high school library upgrades highlight first day of school

Just before noon Monday, third grader Sunny Young charged the new playground behind Denver Elementary School, first zipping down the roller-bar slide then hanging from the chin-up bar alongside her friend Lauren Bausher.

Last year, Sunny didn’t pay the playground equipment much attention. Its outdated metal parts not only made it boring; some pieces had been removed by Cocalico School District after a safety audit.

But a $110,874 renovation completed this summer has transformed the outdoor play area, making it inviting and accessible to kids with different abilities and needs. On the first day of school, students flocked to the slide behind Sunny, spun each other on a plastic merry-go-round and cashed in some of the energy they’d built up during their first few hours of class.

Principal Angela Marley, entering her 10th year in that role, crawled under a lime-green rock slide to look at molded animal shapes alongside David Bozhko, another third grader.

“The goal is to make the opening day run as smoothly as you can,” said Marley, who arrived at 6 a.m. to begin checking emails and fielding calls from parents who needed information about buses, lunch or other final details. “It’s that last-minute crunch.”

Across the district, Superintendent Dr. Ella Musser reported that everything went as planned. She spent the morning helping freshmen find their way to classes at the high school, then hit each of the district’s other four schools.

“I just sensed a lot of excitement,” said Musser, starting her second full school year at the helm of the 3,100-student district. “There was an eagerness to see what happened during the summer.”

At Cocalico High School, about 30 students reported to the library after having minor issues with their school-issued laptops (or not having been assigned one). Library media specialist Ginger Mickey said that was a big improvement over 2016-17, when “about half the student body” showed up needing assistance.

High school Principal Chris Irvine said his staff made some changes on how laptops were distributed on the first day, making more of the trouble-shooting possible in individual classrooms.

That left Mickey available to welcome students to the library, which, after a $92,564 makeover, now includes more group-project areas with large video monitors, more comfortable and flexible seating and dedicated maker spaces where students will focus on exploring science, technology, engineering and math.

The spaces have been equipped with a small 3D printer, a 3D scanner, a vinyl cutter, textile equipment and programmable robotics kits from Arduino and Raspberry Pi.

Monday, Mickey was happy to help students with a good, old-fashioned library subject: reading. She recently added 25 new books to the student collection, and 12th-grade English teacher Elizabeth Yankowsky brought her students along to learn about them through a scavenger hunt. Another 100 new books, ranging from biographies to young adult fiction, are set to arrive shortly.

A few students were already settling into sway chairs and cozy, café-like settees with books and laptops in hand.

Meanwhile, at Cocalico Middle School, four new interventionists started. Principal Bradley Testa said two work with students in English language arts and two in math, supporting, enriching and accelerating student learning.

The school also revamped its core math curriculum and its CREW teams, designed to promote small-group and peer mentoring opportunities.

At elementary schools districtwide, teachers are piloting a new social studies curriculum.

At Denver, fourth graders are switching classes each day for lessons in humanities and STEM subjects.

Teacher Jill Lutz spent her first morning teaching a coding exercise with building blocks and having students create a paper-and-straw glider to test their engineering skills.

After showing off his gliders’ flying capabilities, one student promised to work on it more at home.

For Marley, that was a sure sign of a successful first day.

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Review file photo
The Denver Pool.

Issues centering on the troubled finances at the Denver Community Pool flooded the discussion at the Aug. 28 meeting of the borough council.

Many of the 20 persons attending contributed to the conversation which yielded several feasible ideas for the pool.

Rec Board Member Lou Cassanova, as well as the swim team President Kerry Gable and Vice President Laura Musser, expressed interest in all the suggestions.

The swim team officers said they’d be open to consider asking swim team sponsors if they’d be “pool sponsors” rather than just swim team sponsors.

“We hang up a banner showing our swim team sponsors at meets,” Gable said. “Then we roll it up after each meet. We could ask sponsors to be pool sponsors and their banners could be hung on the fence for everyone to see.”

Swim team members don’t need to be Denver pool members. The officers said they know that could change. They’re aware that Ephrata swim team members must hold membership either in the outdoor pool or the Ephrata Rec Center.

Denver has some swimmers who are helped with swim team expenses through the team’s scholarship program. For these families, the pool membership requirement would be an added burden.

Attendance and revenue statistics aren’t promising.

Through Aug. 22, average daily attendance was 86, down from 114 per day in 2016. Daily attendance totaled 9,796 in 2016 and 6,947 in 2017.

“It seems like our numbers keep going down each year,” said Cassanova. “What do people want?”

Several residents, as well as Youth Council Member Sarah Register and Councilman Jason South, said that students will go to the pool where all their friends go. Often that’s the pool with the most activity options.

“This year the pool tried better marketing, movie nigh and a concert,” said Mike Hession, borough manager. “They were well attended. We’ve also had days where only seven people showed up. With daily expenses of $512, that just doesn’t cut it.”

Hession noted 55 percent of pool members live in the borough and 45 percent live outside the borough, mostly in West Cocalico Township.

“We’ve extended the lower Denver resident pricing to West Cocalico residents,” he said.

Better signage was urged to help people locate the pool as it is not on the same side of town as Denver Park. The Adamstown and Reamstown pools are both located within parks. Additional commercial traffic at the pool, such as food trucks, was suggested. Another idea was to eliminate the pool and consider what other options there are for that land.

Councilman John Palm made it clear that he is not advocating closing the pool. He did mention that Denver doesn’t have a dog park, and that area might be a feasible location.

One thing is certain, though: With 2017 revenues of $32,505.50, expenditures of $44,447.15 and a deficit of $11,941.65 as of Aug. 22, the borough cannot sustain a significant amount of loss annually.

“From what I read, most municipal pools do operate in the red,” said Earl Hertzog, a borough resident.

Denver council members have traditionally wanted to fund a community pool. However, in the next few years, there are additional state regulatory requirements coming which will be costly to implement.

Over the last few years, money was spent on adding infrastructure for ADA compliance. Pool replacement equipment and water leak repairs helped increase annual deficits from $30,074.84 in 2014 to $38,025.05 in 2016.

Hession said that the Pennsylvania Parks and Recreation Commission guidelines for community pools by population suggest that one community pool would be sufficient for the population represented by all residents in the Cocalico School District.

Several council members said it would be useful for residents to let the borough know about suggestions they have for the pool.

Residents can contact the borough by e-mail at dobro@ptd.net, by phone at 717-336-2810, or by mail at 501 Main St., Denver, PA 17517.

In other business:

* East Cocalico Police Chief Terry Arment said interviews were held for a patrol officer and background checks are in progress. Kerry Sweigart retired in August. Even if a new officer is hired in October, that officer won’t be ready to solo until 2018.

* Denver Volunteer Fire Chief Shannon Hilton reported the following stats from Jan. 1 through Aug. 27: 131 calls, an average of 14.1 men per call; 1,255.5 man hours and an average response time of 3.42 minutes.

* Firemen will sell four-wheeler raffle tickets and park cars during the Denver Fair, Sept. 12 through 16. Hilton said the company hopes to order a new engine by the end of the year and is finalizing specs. The new truck will be financed with no additional contribution from the borough. That was the borough’s agreement when annual contributions to the company increased to $85,000 per year several years ago. The company banks three-fourths of that amount annually to help with capital expenses.

* Fire company officers and volunteers were present to discuss with council members the state legislation allowing either real estate or earned income tax relief for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel.

Hilton said firemen at a recent meeting discussed the legislation. The earned income tax made more sense to the volunteers, some of whom are renters.

“There’s a lot of paperwork,” said Hilton. “However, with our reporting system, I can already track much of what’s needed.”

Hession said regional leaders at their July meeting said they’d talk with their local fire/ambulance volunteers to assess interest in these credits and report back at their Oct. 24 regional meeting.

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Adamstown Powwow brings surprising circle of acceptance to local Vietnam vets

Two East Cocalico Lions Club members, both of whom are veterans, had no idea what they were getting in to when they volunteered to work the Lions food truck for the Adamstown Powwow last Saturday.

One came in to an unexpected emotional moment by experiencing his first public welcome home since Vietnam.

A powwow is a social gathering held by different Native American communities, and one of the major parts of the event is honoring veterans. Veterans are asked to come “into the circle” and walk around a fenced-in area while sage and other green leafy things are smoking in a center firepit.

This is the first year the Lions provided a vending truck for a powwow.

“I came here to work,” said Leo Maynard, East Cocalico Lion and U.S. Navy veteran.

Word got around that Maynard was a veteran and he was quickly asked to hold a military flag for the ceremony.

“We should be honoring them (the Native Americans) because it was our prior military that drove them off of their lands,” said Maynard.

Keith Rodrigues of Denver, event organizer, was asked why the powwow greatly honors veterans, which seems to be the greatest act of forgiveness.

“Our message is of healing and forgiveness because of the broken promises,” said Rodrigues. “We can’t live in the past and we don’t want to bring our next generation up with any regrets. We want them to go forward in the joy of their culture.”

When Carl Slegel got off the plane from serving in Vietnam, “nobody” was there to greet him. He was publicly spat upon and cursed.

“I had an anger reaction to the hostility I faced when I got back and spent a lot of time dealing with that with no help from the VA or the government,” said Slegel of Reamstown. “It was 15 years before anybody thanked me for my service.”

Slegel was initially stationed in Saigon as a Navy radio teletype operator, where the days were filled with “boredom interrupted by bouts of hysteria.”

“Working 12 hours a day, seven days a week for two-and-a half years,” said Slegel. “I had some friends break down because of the pressure while we were there — became alcoholics, basically, and some went bat-shit crazy.

“The command was not particularly strong and individuals chosen for the command were not qualified and not inspiring, for sure.”

Slegel said “expediency” and “seniority” had something to do with poor leadership.

Slegel’s unwelcome home deeply affected him.

“I had people looking over their shoulder, quite frequently, at me thinking I’d go ‘postal,’” said Slegel. “I couldn’t hide my anger.”

Slegel signed anti-war propaganda and was adamant about the war being a mistake.

“There was a dossier on me,” said Slegel. “The fact that I had a security clearance, and I was in communications and in Vietnam my phone was tapped. I won’t go in to conspiracy theories.

“Self-medicating helped from doing something stupid or violent. A lot of vets had this inclination and that’s why a lot of them went native (into the woods) and that’s why more veterans committed suicide than died in Vietnam.”

Slegel, an East Cocalico Lion, came to the powwow to work the food truck and since it was the clubs first time at the event, he and other members were not familiar with the ceremonies.

“It’s bigger than I thought and a lot more,” said Tim Hegeman, also with the club.

All the club’s proceeds realized in the event went to the Adamstown Powwow. In turn, the powwow gives back to the community.

Walking in the circle was an emotional “unsettling” decision for Slegel.

“I was reluctant to enter the circle,” said Slegel. “It was a mixed feeling from being in Vietnam, coming back from Vietnam and dealing with the hostility, the suspicion and fear.

“I was invited in a parade 15 years after I came back. I said, ‘No, thank you.’ I had been dealing with hostility for so long, I was not about to come out, as it were.”

The ironic twist is that Slegel agreed with those who spat upon him. He started to wear a baseball cap to express his anger.

“Vietnam Veteran screwed by the USA,” it read.

“People would stop me at traffic lights and ask me about the hat,” said Slegel. “At drive-throughs at McDonalds, people would say: ‘Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t welcome you back!’”

In the circle parade, Slegel was on the verge of tears.

“It’s something (pause) I’ve refused to do for a very long time,” said Slegel.

He was asked what his younger self, looking through a crystal ball, would have thought about the Native Americans, and their audience, honoring him now.

“There was too much inner conflict, psychological damage, like being the victim of a major accident to feel,” said Slegel.

Being socially out of touch and isolated while undergoing random acts of hostility from largely misinformed but well-intended Americans took a toll on him.

“Some vets refuse to talk about it, some are still psychologically walking wounded,” said Slegel.

Validation and acceptance was felt by others at the powwow, which by its essence, promotes a peaceful and accepting environment for all types of people.

“We are here to help promote understanding between non-native peoples and native peoples,” said Lissa Sweigert of Reinholds.

“When I went to elementary school, this area was predominantly a white people, Caucasians,” said Sweigert, 40. “I got picked on a lot because of the way I looked. I was different and very dark when I was little. A lot of native people are picked on because of their culture. Our cultures in some ways are very similar. We’re both nature-based and very protective of the earth.”

Both sets of Hannah Keller’s grandparents came from the Lumbee Nation of North Carolina.

“They were part of John White’s (British officer) Lost Colony when he brought his colony to Roanoke,” said Keller. “He went back to England for supplies and it took him three years to return and when he returned, he didn’t find his colony. They had intermarried with lots of tribes.”

Keller, 71, grew up in North Carolina and now lives in York.

“When I grew up there, it was not a good thing to be Native American, it just wasn’t,” said Keller. “We could go to the restaurant to order food, but we could not go in to eat it.

“The blacks couldn’t go in, period. There were bathrooms labeled: white, negro, and Indian. On my birth certificate is Indian. If we went to the theatre, we could go in and go up in the balcony with the blacks. Sometimes even now when I go back, there is still an air of separation, you are just not quite as good as they (Caucasians) are.”

Michele Walter Fry welcomes your comments at michelewalterfry@gmail.com.

The post Peace in their time appeared first on Ephrata Review.

Cocalico Head Coach Dave Gingrich (center) celebrates his 100th career win with friends and family following the Eagles’ 69-7 victory on the road at Red Land.

The Cocalico High School football team made a big statement Friday in the season opener at Red Land.

The Eagles, picked by many to be one of the top challengers in Section Two of the Lancaster-Lebanon League this season, backed up that pre-season hype with a total 69-7 thrashing of the Patriots.

Sophomore quarterback Noah Palm led the way, rushing for 160 yards and three scores while throwing for another TD as Eagle Head Coach Dave Gingrich earned his 100th career victory.

Ronald Zahm also reached the 100-yard plateau, rushing for 101 yards on just two carries as Cocalico rolled up 480 yards on the ground as a team. Defensively, the Eagles forced five turnovers and held Red Land to just 220 yards in total offense, and much of that came against the Eagles’ second and third units.

“I thought our guys came out of the locker room and just attacked Red Land…offensively, defensively, and special teams were quite aggressive,” Gingrich said of the victory. “I was very happy with their attitude and teamwork throughout the night. It didn’t matter who was on the field, they fought and competed.”

On winning his 100th game, Gingrich credited all the players who have come through his great program.

“I am grateful to coach with awesome assistant coaches and players,” he said. “We have had some great kids come through this program and I am honored to be their coach.”

Cocalico jumped on Red Land early and often as the Eagles built a 21-0 lead after one quarter. Senior workhorse fullback Brandon Brubaker, who carried the ball just four times Friday for 18 yards, got the Eagles on the board with a two-yard touchdown run.

After Austin Landers and Palm hooked up for a 35-yard touchdown pass, Brubaker gave Cocalico the three-score lead with a five-yard touchdown jaunt.

Early in the second quarter, Red Land mounted its first big threat, driving deep in Cocalico territory. However, a fourth down pass from QB Jack Hertzog was broken up by Brubaker. Cocalico took over and on first down Zahm took a pitch and scooted 92 yards to open it up to 28-0.

The Eagles would go on to score 35 points in the quarter to lead 56-0 by the half. Owen Zimmerman followed up Zahm’s score with a 30 yard touchdown run. Palm then scored his three TDs on runs of 28, 17 and 12 yards.

Brad Heck scored on a three-yard run in the third to make it 63-0, and Carson Nash tallied the final Eagle touchdown on a five-yard scoring run.

Red Land avoided the shutout in the fourth as Hertzog connected with Matt Moody on a 31-yard touchdown pass.

Up next, Cocalico hosts Governor Mifflin Friday night at 7 p.m. This past week, the Mustangs knocked off arch-rival Wilson, 21-14.

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Peter’s Porch at Faith United Lutheran Church in Denver has been feeding the hungry for the last seven years while building up the community.

The first Saturday of the month at the church is the place to be for folks and organizations from multiple towns and counties. If someone cares, they are there — the mayor is there, the president of the Cocalico School Board is there. They come from different churches, denominations, and municipalities. Whatever opinions, problems they have with each other during the week or at local government meetings, it’s left at the door of Faith United because of one common goal: to feed the hungry.

“One out of every four children in the Cocalico area goes to bed hungry, that’s scary,” said Terry Burkholder, Peter’s Porch lead coordinator.

Since the abundant fields of Cocalico are not necessarily seen as a home to hungry, those impacted by poverty are often under served.

“We know we are only scratching the surface of people who have need here,” said Joe Verse, pastor of Faith United.

Cocalico School District officials are usually aware of hungry families.

“We do see a lot of homeless children; they may be living with grandparents, in hotels, or out of cars,” said Allen Dissinger, school board president.

While the day serves its purpose to feed people, it also helps identify people who have other needs.

“I try to talk to the people,” said Burkholder. “One said: ‘You’re the first person I’ve talked to in two weeks.’”

For seniors, especially, it is not unusual for some to not see or speak to anyone frequently.

“There was an older lady who couldn’t (physically) make it here, so I would take the groceries to her,” said Sue Henkel, who hasn’t missed volunteering a Saturday except when she had knee surgery. “I would check on her every day.”

Henkel and Veres were concerned that the hungry not just get food, but nutritious food, and the food is not old or all canned, as might be assumed.

As the hungry gain food, is their soul left to starve?

Since Peter’s Porch receives much of its food from the government, in adherence to government guidelines, prayer is not permitted during food distribution, which is from 8 to 10 a.m.

Volunteers and recipients pray at 7:45 a.m. before the program begins.

“My attorney background was not wasted by becoming a pastor,” said Veres, who was an lawyer for 25 years before becoming a pastor.

Veres was asked further about meeting spiritual needs during the distribution of government food. He replied in attorney-like fashion by answering a question with a question.

“A couple months ago, a lady came up to me and said, ‘My husband has brain cancer, will you pray with me?’

“I’m not going to do that? I’m not supposed to do that because other people may see me praying inside a church?”

Veres said people want to know others care about them.

“They have enough things that will make them cry; they have few things that will make them laugh,” said Veres. “Church is about joy; it’s about joy in life, that’s the way it should be.”

“The strongest proclamation of the Gospel is when they see Christ in us, not in our words,” he said. “It’s about sitting across the table and having a cup of coffee and listening to somebody. It’s community building — that’s what Christ did.”

The recipients at Peter’s Porch get choices. They go to the registration table and get a number so the distributing is fair and not chaotic. When theirs is called, take a shopping cart and go through stops, like grocery shopping. The program feeds about 130 families a Saturday which amounts to 350 to 400 individuals.

“On any given month, we probably have 6,000 pounds of produce, and we hand out 250 bags of groceries, so that’s about 3,000 pounds of dry goods we give out a month,” said Burkholder.

“We can always use more food,” said Veres. “We had a truck load of food today, and look at the table — it’s gone.”

The program hosts 40 volunteers the first Saturday and 27 a week night before that Saturday.

“It takes 27 people to pack 150 bags in one hour,” said Burkholder, who volunteers 50 hours a month to the cause he started with his wife.

“My wife (Judy Dewald Burkholder) was the inspiration to start this program, and she passed (aggressive brain cancer) three months after we started,” said Burkholder.

“I’m committed to do this for the rest of my life.”

Many of the recipients and volunteers knew each other. Unlike what one might see at a city food bank, many from each side of giving grew up together, are related, or know each other simply because it’s a more rural, tighter community.

They joked with the volunteers while they were doing the announcements; they sat with each other.

“I like the way the clients who come take the time to connect with each other, look out for each other,” said Tim Boronow, volunteer from a group from Cocalico Community Church. “They are willing to help each other, I appreciate that about them.”

The Cocalico community is building up itself from all sides and this can’t happen if neighbors don’t know their neighbors, participants say.

“When we were approached to do this, the first question was, can we do this, do we have the resources,” said Veres. “The bigger question was, can we not do this, can we not take on this ministry?”

Veres spoke in context of reaching middle age and evaluating his life goals.

“You can have all the success in the world and then you look at your life,” said Veres. “My wife worked with children with learning disabilities. None of my clients showed up at my door step and said: ‘Do you remember me doing a tax return?’

“Kids in high school would show up at our door and say: ‘Mrs. Veres, do you remember me?’”

Veres didn’t want to measure his life by his house and cars.

“There was a day that I realized when I had my own practice and was making good money, but I didn’t like the boss,” said Veres. “I was the boss. You get to a place when you realize there’s something more to life. We don’t do this for the money because this is where the richness of what life is about.”

Susan, from Denver Borough, lives in a house with 10 adults which include her children and grandchildren.

“This helps stretch our food,” said Susan. “We get food stamps, but it’s never enough.”

Susan loaded a shopping cart of fresh meat, vegetables, dry and canned goods, peanut butter, and whatever was “on special” Saturday.

“The kids met Pastor Joe down at the park when they were doing Acts of Love (the Cocalico School District lunch program). He told them and they told me.”

Veres was asked what is the No. 1 need Peter’s Porch has?

“More hungry people,” he replied.

A sturdy sign at the front of the church could be a beacon for people to know who and where they are.

Michele Walter Fry welcomes your comments at michelewalterfry@gmail.com.

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Barry Rupp’s love of his own golden retrievers planted an inescapable impulse to volunteer with the Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue in Reinholds about 10 years ago.

As a member of the DVGRR transportation team, the Ephrata resident has logged hundreds of miles traveling to pick up goldens, golden doodles and golden mixes.

However, a weekend trip to Texas to pick up 20 dogs, which were taking up badly needed dog shelter space in the flooded areas near Houston, was a few levels above DVGRR’s typical “long” trips to upstate New York, Ohio, Virginia and others.

“I have done several trips with myself and a driver where we’ve picked up one, two or three dogs,” Rupp said. “The difference on this trip was 1,600 miles and many, many more dogs.”

He was part of an eight-member group that left at 3 a.m. Friday morning to rendezvous in Texas at Austin Pets Alive shelter and rescue dogs that had been in shelters prior to Hurricane Harvey “in order to make room for dogs displaced by the storm.”

“We had intended to pick up 20 but turned out only getting 17 but it was not disappointing in the least,” he said. “This was an incredible experience; it was certainly grueling — not too bad going down but on the way back.”

The group was able to stop and rest heading south but drove straight through from Texas to Reinholds. The transportation team arrived at DVGRR’s Golden Gateway campus at 8:20 p.m. Monday after having departed Austin at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“The team did make ‘rest/refuel breaks’ along the way where each potty break lasted about an hour for our team of eight to handle 17 dogs,” said John Plummer, DVGRR executive director.

Also traveling in the group were Ephrata resident Dennis Stauffer, kennel manager; Lisa Jagielski, volunteer manager and trainer; Frank Fabian, DVGRR board member; and volunteers Robin Wenger, Scott Yeagley, and Dot Fabian.

Just hours before leaving on Thursday, Plummer went through a checklist while packing two DVGRR vehicles, which accompanied a personal van owned by the Fabians.

“It’s very important to understand that the dogs we transported were in shelters or housed by rescue foster homes awaiting adoption prior to the storm,” said Plummer. “In doing so, we helped the groups in Texas have more space to hold storm-displaced dogs and will hopefully be able to reunite them with their owners.”

DVGRR traveled to Austin loaded with requested supplies, including a critically needed microchip reader. Other items included collars, leashes, and crates plus medications.

“We sent an e-mail and posted on our Facebook page that we’d be going and asked for donations. The response before we left was overwhelming,” said Plummer. “Additionally, we donated certain medications from our own supply and Penn Veterinary Supply stopped by with 10 cartons the night before we left.”

Rupp said some of the dogs have names while others did not. It’s not unusual that DVGRR has given names to rescues which he called “buddies.”

“A woman approached at a rest stop near Virginia and said ‘we have one of your dogs in our car right over here.’ It was one of our buddies. I think it was Dennis Stauffer who said we’re up to 90 buddies at DVGRR.”

Among the dogs rescued were five puppies, who, along with the 12 others now at DVGRR’s campus, will undergo veterinary exams and behavior assessments before being released for adoption.

“We didn’t change the world by rescuing these 17 dogs, but for these 17 dogs, we changed their world,” Plumber said.

Those interested in adopting should complete an adoptions questionnaire that can be found online at www.dvgrr.org.

Patrick Burns is a staff writer and social media editor for The Ephrata Review. He welcomes your questions and comments and can be reached at pburns.eph@lnpnews.com or at 721-4455.

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Denver Fair Premiums Canned Goods

The 37th Annual Denver Fair, with the theme Country Scenes, Blue Ribbon Dreams, begins Tuesday, Sept. 12, and continues through Saturday, Sept. 16, at Denver Memorial Park.

The fair’s corporate sponsor is Henry Schein.

There is free entertainment all week.

Some highlights of the week include two midway acts of Circus Incredible along with First Bite Fishing Tanks, sponsored by Ephrata National Bank. Circus Incredible is a family friendly outdoor or indoor circus featuring aerial feats of grace and beauty along with jaw-dropping balancing and acrobatic. Performers include members of the family’s second, sixth and seventh generations.

First Bite Fishing Tanks is an educational and entertaining hands-on fishing catch and release.

Another treat this year: Buffalo Beals, featuring exotic and domestic animals with a free petting zoo, camel rides, and pony rides.

The midway has lots of concessions, games of fun and tricks with lots of prizes to win, food vendors and bingo which is held daily. Pages 36 and 37 of the fair book detail game times and location.

Fair goers are also urged to visit the commercial tent, featuring business expo vendors.

Full midway times are Tuesday through Thursday, 4 through 10 p.m.; Friday, noon to 11 p.m.; and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. There is a limited midway open daily at 11 a.m. with selected food stands.

Exhibits are to be entered Monday, Sept. 11, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Exhibitors may bring apiary items, fruits and vegetables, baked goods, homemade wines, cakes and cookies, decorated brooms, art works, coloring pages, crafts, legos, photography, as well as items in other categories.

The annual rabbit show is another popular Monday attraction. Registration starts at 3:30 p.m., with judging and the show officially opens at 5 p.m.

The fair officially opens Tuesday. Here are the daily highlights/schedule:

Baked goods auction, 6 p.m., on the stage, sponsored by Art Pannebecker and Brad Wolf.

At 6 p.m., the first of ride specials starts with one price for all rides. The swine show starts at 7 p.m. and, at the same time, is the Super Candy Scramble, sponsored by Reinholds VFW, with pre-registration from 6 to 6:45 p.m.

Opening ceremonies begins at 7:30 p.m. at the stage. Included is the annual Miss Denver Fair 2017 competition.

Wednesday features the beef show at 4 p.m. and the dairy beef show at 5 p.m.

A new event, Introduction to Home Canning Demonstration, gets cooking on the main stage at 7 p.m.

Fairgoers visiting the business expo on can enter for chances to win prizes. There will be a drawing at approximately 8:15 p.m.

Another ride special entitled Buddy Night starts at 6 p.m. till closing where two people ride for the price of one.

Thursday brings the goat show is at 5 p.m., with the sheep show immediately following. The family night ride special goes from 6 p.m. till closing.

At 6:30 p.m., the featured entertainment celebrates music in the schools. Talented local students will be taking to the stage.

Friday marks the 17th Annual Kiddie Day, sponsored by Blue Ridge Communications and Eagle Rental along with Cocalico Plumbing and Heating. This day is for the little ones, ages six and under, to enjoy from 10 a.m. through 1 p.m.

The children can visit with the East Cocalico Police, enjoy story time with Ms. Carol from Adamstown Area Library, get a high-five from Reading Royals mascot Slap Shot.

The children can also participate in the second annual Decorating with Cookies, sponsored by CPH; face painting, sponsored by Joyful Canvas LLC; meet Denver Fire Company personnel and check out the equipment; and watch the Insanity Factor Show with Papa Tater and Family with showtimes at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m.

And, a real attraction for the little ones is the chance to enjoy the Castle Moon Bounce.

When Kiddie Day ends, the fair continues with yet another ride special from 1 through 4 p.m.

The livestock auction gets under way at 6 p.m.

Beginning at 7:30 p.m., The Chris Ruble Band, a five-piece contemporary Christian and country gospel band performs.

Saturday, the final day of the fair, gets started at 9 a.m., with the pet show, sponsored by The Cocalico Cat and Gingham Dog Animal Hospital. Pre-registration is required.

The annual Baby Parade, sponsored by Lorraine M. Korber and family, kicks off at 10 a.m., with judging starting five minutes later.

At noon, the ever-popular Pedal Power Tractor Pull, sponsored by Deere Country Lawn and Garden, gets under way.

The family ride special goes from 1 to 5 p.m.

At 1 p.m., the Jell-O eating contest is featured on the stage and at 2 p.m., the local celebrity Hot Wings Eating Contest, sponsored by Wild Wings of Ephrata, takes center stage.

At 3 p.m., the Third Annual Cornhole Tournament starts.

At 5 p.m., there is rabbit hopping in the animal tent. Our free entertainment begins at 7 p.m. on the stage with Flamin’ Dick & The Hot Rods. Bring lawn chairs and get ready to rock and roll and boogie. Exhibits removal begins at 9 p.m. and ends at midnight.

For complete details; check out the fair Web site at thedenverfair.com or check out the Denver Fair booklet.

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The Women’s Club of Denver holds its first meeting of the 2017-18 club year Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. at Faith United Lutheran Church in Denver.

Deb Zerbe of Uncle Jerry’s Popcorn will present a “delicious” program. More information can be found at www.unclejerryskettlecorn.com.

Devotions will be led by Anna Rose Schannauer; table display by Linda Shelly; hospitality by RoxAnn Klein, Mary Stewart and Sally Wealand; hostesses are Deborah Henly and Kim Reardon; share is wear school/sportswear and the favorite food of the month is tailgate food.

Officers for the year are: President Nancy Hamill; Vice-President Johnnie Brooks; Recording Secretary Christina Stove; Corresponding Secretary Pat Brendle; Treasurer Nedra Bearinger; and Parliamentary Advisor Debra Ebersole.

Members of the executive board are: care of members, Mary Stewart; devotions, Sue Dissinger; education/scholarships,YvonneWeaver; finance, Shirley Sweigart and Sally Wealand; gardening, Mindi Stoner and Lori Stover; hospitality, Gale Gensemer and Pat Ryan; hostess, Ann Roseboro; membership, Melissa Voler; program, Jane Lesher and Jane Webber; public affairs, Debra Ebersole and Anna Rose Schannauer; publicity, Linda Boyer; the arts, Doris Rauch; ways and means, June Kohl, Sandra Martin and Christina Stover.

Additional programs for the year include: Oct. 18, History of Costumes 1600 to 1900 by Dr. Damayanthie Eluwawalage; Nov. 15, Historic Brendle Museum, Schaefferstown field trip; Jan. 17, Mission in Kazakhstan by Katie Roark; Feb. 20, Hearing Issues by Dr. Wendy Stafford; March 20, Lenape Indian Culture and Artifacts by Uhma Ruth Py; April 18, Gardening with Herbs by Master Gardener; and May 16, spring banquet with musical entertainment by the Cocalico High School Music Department.

The Ways and Means Committee is selling cookbooks, featuring club members’ favorite recipes, for $15. Additionally, Redner’s Sandwich Tickets (Route 272 Denver and Reamstown crossroad) are available for $5 now through May.

Anyone interested in purchasing a cookbook or sandwich tickets may phone Sandra Martin at 717-587-0456.

Those interested in attending a meeting or becoming a member may phone 717-484-0518.

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The weather for Reamstown Days was beautiful and accompanied by a nice breeze under the canopy of trees at Reamstown Park. This helped bring more than 200 attendees throughout Friday night’s opening festivities which featured Elvis under the stars.

Saturday, was a full day and evening of activities, starting with breakfast at the pavilion and the popular 5K race Saturday morning for the benefit of the children’s summer lunch program. The very entertaining Big Boy Brass Band played from 3:00-5:00 p.m. followed by The Fabulous Grease Band which closed out the evening.

Reamstown Days served up three meals Saturday. There were also snacks available throughout the day.

A steady stream of families played games Saturday afternoon while listening to the local bands. Also featured were a candy drop and rubber duck race.

Another part of Reamstown Days included Descendants of Johann Eberhard Reams, founder of Reamstown, will host a talk about DNA and genealogy on Saturday at at Salem Evangelical and Reformed Church, 10 Church St., Reamstown.

Richard Reams and Anne Bennett, both specialists of Ream family DNA, were scheduled to discuss the use of DNA in the study of genealogy and how to use it in developing and expanding a family tree. They are from Atlanta and have given several similar DNA lectures in Georgia and Tennessee.

Currently Reamstown Days is under the auspices of the Park Board.

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Balancing a shiny tiara on her head and smiling for the cameras Tuesday, newly crowned queen Katie Carrasco walked off under conditions many others have not experienced during previous Miss Denver Fair coronations: through a relatively dry fairgrounds.

The pageant Tuesday evening officially kicked off the annual fair, which throughout its history has often dodged September rainstorms.

“Depending on who you talk to, this is the 35th or 36th consecutive fair,” said Nevin McQuate pageant director. “One year the fair was shortened by rain storms. We got battered but took the pageant inside the (Cocalico High) school studio.”

Carrasco, a 17-year-old Cocalico High School student, bested three other teens to win the annual Miss Denver Fair pageant. She is the daughter of Romao and Melissa Carrasco.

She plans to attend the United States Naval Academy or West Point with a goal of eventually becoming a trauma or pediatric surgeon.

Contestants read essays on their experiences attending the fair while growing up in Denver. Not surprisingly, each contestant, including first runner-up Sara Davis and second runner-up Haley Zimmerman, mentioned food, rides, swine and other animals and, of course, the traditionally awful September weather.

Emily Moran, a 16-year-old born with Down Syndrome who finished with the “sweet heart” title, said her favorite food item is the soup. Moran admitted she “is a busy girl year round” but she never misses the opportunity to go to the Denver Fair.

“I can’t remember a time our family hasn’t gone to the fair,” she said.

Zimmerman, a 17-year-old senior at Cocalico said she never missed the opportunity to try the fried Oreos at the fair each year though she can’t remember the first time she tried one. She especially enjoys the creative end of the fair and art competition.

“Getting the individuals active and showcasing individual talents and as well as enjoying the fellowship and the nature around us is another example of how it affects us,” she said. “The small town event is an outlet for some the gain recognition and do what they love. And many folks in the farming industry are able to let curious kids feed their cattle and other live stock in many petting zoos.”

She loves that local artist are able to express themselves in fait exhibits but seeing and smelling all of the baked goods “wants me to get in the kitchen and bake cookies.”

Zimmerman, the daughter of Harold and Carol martin and Thomas Zimmerman, is an active member of the Rallying Club at Cocalico High School and has been a girl scout for 11 years.

Sara Davis, an honor student from Reamstown, has taken advanced placement classes such as AP literature and plans to take AP language. She is a girl scout, a member of the marching band, choir, and National Honor Society.

“The first thing that comes to mind about the Denver Fair is smiles and laughter,” she said. “It signifies the end of summer and the beginning of another school year,

While Denver may be a small town, the Denver Fair “is the biggest social event we have all year that unites the community,” Davis said.

She remembers someone bringing her a waffle ice cream sandwich at the fair when she was 10.

“I said, umm ‘I only eat syrup on waffles, not ice cream’ but ate it anyway,” Davis said. “I loved it. I remember eating only ice cream and waffles at our house for a long time after that.”

Carrasco didn’t have to think twice when asked what fair food she favored.

“Oh my goodness, my favorite food at the fair?” she asked knowingly. “Pumpkin funnel cake. Hands down, I could eat five of them.

Carrasco remembers attending the fair growing up when her parents would always park far away.

“So by the time we walked in I would always rush by the animal tents and art building to the crest of the hill to overlo0k the whole ground. My eyes would light up dazzled by the shear awesomeness.”

Of course, the wafting aroma of “pumpkin funnel cake and fried vegetables” heightened her senses.

The fair offers food that would make Homer Simpson drool: hot dogs, hot wings, cotton candy, candy apples, caramel corn, doughnuts, plus local favorites such as California cheeseburgers from Schoeneck Area Lions Club and Fink’s French Fries.

Fried offerings available include breaded onions, mushrooms, zucchini and, a previous Miss Denver favorite: fried Oreos.

Other opening night events besides the Miss Denver Fair pageant included the swine show and the super candy scramble. There is also pony rides, a business expo, amusement rides.

The fair, which officially opened in 1981 at Denver Memorial Park, 800 Main St., runs from Tuesday, Sept. 12 through Saturday, Sept. 16. The midway opens at 4 p.m. with several food stands open daily at 11 a.m.

The fair closes at 10 p.m. through the week and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Besides the Miss Denver pageant, there is an agricultural fair with judged exhibits, rides, contests, food, livestock shows and entertainment.

The popular pet show is Saturday at 9 a.m. followed by the competitive Jell-O Eating contest at 1 p.m. Entertainment this year includes, The Chris Ruble Band which plays Friday at 7 p.m., along with School bands performing Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Flamin’ Dick and the Hot Rods perform Saturday at 7:30 p.m., there is a home canning demonstration Wednesday at 7 p.m., and a large fish tank will be set up in the midway for anglers.

Patrick Burns is a staff writer and social media editor for The Ephrata Review. He welcomes your questions and comments and can be reached at pburns.eph@lnpnews.com or at 721-4455.

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East Cocalico Township Supervisors’ discussions about UGI’s 32-acre parcel along Colonel Howard Boulevard were long and sometimes tense at the board’s Sept. 7 meeting.

UGI officials, represented by Dave Stahovich, Senior Director of Operations and UGI attorney, Paula Leicht, needed two recesses to confer prior to coming to consensus with supervisors on the wording of two separate motions.

One motion involves above-ground electric poles, the other addresses UGI’s walking trail at the proposed site of their new, corporate headquarters.

Stahovich said installing underground utilities — as supervisors consistently requested — could drive costs up tenfold. He summarized many challenges that have driven up development costs, including the possible bog turtle habitat wetlands, which were declared clear of any bog turtle activity by a bog turtle expert in June.

Doug Mackley, speaking personally and not on behalf of the supervisors, expressed disappointment in UGI’s underground electric cost estimates apparently not being accurate. Township Manager, Scott Russell, later in the meeting, noted that transcripts from June and July UGI confirm township officials did mentioned underground utilities, never above ground.

During hearings in the spring, UGI never mentioned above ground electric poles. Stahovich said there was no error in calculating electric cost because UGI always planned on using above ground poles. Why the plan wasn’t publicly addressed earlier wasn’t discussed.

Mark Stanley, attorney for Benderson Corporation, land owner of the nearby proposed shopping center site, said, “I’ve never seen the UGI plans for electric.”

Russell said that Benderson has all their permits approved and “is ready to go” at any time. “We need to be sensitive to our residents and be good neighbors to nearby land owners.”

To that end, Stanley said Benderson officials could fly to PA to meet with township and UGI officials the week of Sept. 18. The next supervisor’s meeting is September 21.

In the spring, UGI wouldn’t commit whether they’d build or not build if supervisors did not declare their proposed site eligible for a LERTA, a possible 10-year tax abatement program.

This program, which was approved for all 10 years by both the township and the school district, allows for no taxes assessed the first year, 10 percent in year two, with an additional 10 percent added annually until year 11, when 100 percent of the taxes on the new building are due. In the interim, land taxes continue to be paid.

As discussion continued during the nearly two-hour meeting, Leicht said that it would disappoint many people if UGI decided it was not feasible to come into East Cocalico.

At that point, supervisor, Noelle Fortna, clearly stated that supervisors are very positive and supportive of UGI’s proposed plans. “We want you here, we want about 350 more jobs in the township. It’s disappointing to hear rumors that the township is putting up any roadblocks at the end stage of the planning process. We are not.”

The township has complied with all requests to help keep the project moving. In the spring, township engineer, Brent Leid, said UGI’s plans were being “fast tracked” as much as possible to avoid delays.

Supervisors passed a motion approving above ground electric poles. Provisions included no pole in a center traffic island and poles won’t be at the edge of the road, but set back.

Compromise was reached with supervisor’s request that a proposed walking trail on UGI’s site be open to the public. UGI agreed to limited public access during normal business hours Monday through Friday, providing that users sign a liability waiver.

The trail installation will be in lieu of the $109,590.00 assessed recreation fee. If the trail isn’t built, UGI will pay the fee.

In other business, supervisors adopted their proposed MS4 (stormwater management plan), which covers five years starting in 2018. During that time nutrient/sediment run-off will be reduced by ten percent.

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