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All aboard for fun at Columbia train displays

BY CATHY MOLITORIS

There’s a detailed replica of Columbia as it looked a hundred years ago located upstairs at the Columbia Historic Preservation Society. It’s just one part of what you’ll discover at the Columbia and Susquehanna Model Railroad - and that organization is one of two train groups using the space at 21 N. Second St. in Columbia. The lower level holds an elaborate display by members of the Lower Susquehanna Valley Modular Railroaders.

Both displays will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Jan. 5, 2025.

The displays provide entertainment for visitors and an opportunity for club members to share their passion for the hobby.

“I love all the details in the display,” said Chris Cauler, treasurer of the Lower Susquehanna Valley club. “I remember as a kid putting my trains up under the Christmas tree. Now we get to be bigger kids as adults but come and run trains. It’s the best.”

Cauler, who has extensive train layouts set up year-round in his own home, said his favorite part of the open houses is seeing the reactions of people when they walk in the room.

“Sometimes, I’ll hand a remote to a kid and let them try running the train themselves,” he said,

noting that one of his favorite parts of the display is a newly constructed mountain section that features an underground hobo camp. “We’re continually adding to the display.” Other unique features of the lower-level exhibit include a drive-in movie theater, complete with a light-up concession stand and movie screen.

Upstairs, the display features the miniature town of Columbia along with other area attractions and scenes. It’s been housed at the Columbia Historic Preservation Society for decades, and it’s located in the former sanctuary of a church built in 1850. Stainedglass windows provide a colorful background for the display, which

BY CATHY MOLITORIS

While touring a shelter at Columbia Presbyterian Church last year, Tony Lewis had an aha moment.

“We walked through downstairs, and they said, ‘This is the Power Packs area,’ and I was like, ‘What’s a Power Pack?’” Tony recalled. “And that’s how it started.”

Tony and his wife, Helen, soon learned more about the Power Packs Project, a Lancaster-based nonprofit that provides free food and a recipe for a meal weekly to families in need.

They were determined to bring the program across the river, and in March 2023, Power Packs began supporting students in Eastern York School District.

Still, the couple was not content to stop there. They expanded the program to include The Giving Table, supplementing the Power Pack distribution.

Along with bags of food, Power Pack families can choose nonperishable food and other items from the table when they pick up their packs.

“This is God’s work,” Tony shared. “This is what we should be doing.”

When he says “we,” he means it. The work of Power Packs and The Giving Table is truly

BY CATHY MOLITORIS

For more than 35 years, Helen Bechtold has been providing free Christmas dinner to seniors age 55 and up throughout the region. This year she’s back at it again - and she could use community help.

“This year, more than ever, we need community donations,” Bechtold said. “With the cost of living on the rise, help is needed more than ever.”

Donations are needed for both the meal fixings and additional items given to the seniors such as hygiene products and paper

products. For the meal, each senior will receive turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, a vegetable and a dessert.

Meals will be available for takeout only at the Hambones Social Club of the Columbia Borough Fire Department, 726 Manor St., Columbia, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 25.

Last year, Bechtold and other volunteers, including longtime cook Sis Luzader, distributed more than 100 meals, and Bechtold expects to do even more this year.

“There is definitely a need for

Chris Cauler shows off a drive-in theater in the Lower Susquehanna Valley Modular Railroaders display.

Students prepare breakfast burritos at a recent cooking class.

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Families invited to sign up for dinner giveaway

The 38th annual Lancaster County Project for the Needy (LCPN) holiday dinner giveaway has partnered with Giant Foods and United Way of Lancaster to provide a complete holiday meal for families throughout Lancaster County on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 21.

The holiday meal distribution will take place by delivery only; there will be no pickup location.

Families must preregister for this event by Friday, Dec. 13, by calling the United Way’s 211 or 855-567-5341. Volunteers will deliver the meals.

The project anticipates distributing approximately 2,700 boxes of turkey dinners with all the trimmings to low-income families throughout Lancaster County during the holiday season.

In addition to this year’s partnership with the United Way

of Lancaster, LCPN will also continue the partnership with Conestoga Valley Christian Community Services (CVCCS), the Columbia Lions, The Factory Ministries, Mission Food Pantry, Ephrata Area Social Services, and Solanco Neighborhood Ministries’ food bank to provide meals to families in designated areas.

LCPN is still seeking donations to offset the rising costs of the groceries for the food boxes. The project relies on individual donations for more than two-thirds of the resources needed to fund the food distribution. Monetary donations can be made at www.lcpn.org.

The Lancaster County Project for the Needy is a nonprofit group, relying solely on public donations and volunteers.

Concert and carol sing planned

Train from pg 1

features HO-scale trains.

Like Cauler, volunteer Dan Martin of the Columbia and Susquehanna Model Railroad loves watching the faces of visitors when they come into the room.

“I see a lot of open mouths and a lot of people going, ‘Wow! I never expected to see anything like this,’” he said. “Some people will stay here and look for a considerable amount of time at the town of Columbia. Others will look at the rock quarry. Some just like to watch the trains. People have different interests when they come in and different things they gravitate toward.”

The downstairs display features newly constructed mountains and underground scenes.

the upstairs and downstairs layouts.

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The Mountville Welfare Association will again sponsor a community Christmas concert and Christmas carol sing at the Mount-

ville Church of the Brethren, College Avenue and Clay Street, on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2:30 p.m. The Bainbridge Band, directed by Phil Smith, will play Christmas arrangements and accompany the carol sing. The event is free of charge. The church is handicapped -accessible.

Featuring a layout of more than 2,000 square feet, the upstairs display is always a work in progress. Members of the club put in a significant amount of time working on it, with Martin estimating he sometimes works five or six full days a week. Objects are handmade and hand-painted throughout both

CHRISTMAS COOKIE SALE

It’s a labor of love for Martin, however, as it is for all of the club members.

Martin grew up in Oregon, just two blocks away from Southern Pacific train tracks, and he’s loved trains ever since.

Cauler is not only a member of the Lower Susquehanna club; he’s on the board of the Train Collectors Association, an international organization with close to 30,000 members.

He loves sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for trains with visitors.

“We take the time to not only run the trains, but to also talk to people,” he said. “We try to get people interested in the hobby and learning how to do it. I love being able to show it off and say, ‘This is how we did X, Y or Z.’” There is a small admission charge to the displays for visitors age 12 and up, and the proceeds support the ongoing work of the Columbia Historic Preservation Society.

“It’s been a blessing having these guys here,” said Chris Vera, president of the Columbia Historic Preservation Society. “It’s bringing more people into our town and into our museum.”

For more information on the clubs, search for “Columbia and Susquehanna Model Railroad” or “Lower Susquehanna Valley Modular Railroaders” on Facebook.

The Columbia and Susquehanna Model Railroad display includes a miniature version of the town of Columbia.

a community effort.

Currently, Power Packs are distributed at four sites in Eastern York School District: Trinity United Church of Christ in Hellam, East Prospect Community Center, Wrightsville Presbyterian Church and a new site at Christ Church Yorkana. The latter replaces the distribution at Mount Pisgah Trinity Church in Wrightsville.

Numerous community organizations and businesses support the project, including Flinchbaugh’s Orchard & Farm Market, which often provides fresh fruit for The Giving Table; Perrydell Farm and Dairy, which supplies milk; Susquehanna Dodge, which picks up Power Packs in Lancaster and brings the food to York; John Wright Restaurant, which holds fundraisers for the project; and many others.

The need for Power Packs and The Giving Table is great in York County, Tony said.

According to “A Seat at the Table,” a report evaluating the charitable food system in York County, Eastern York falls into the “red zone,” indicating the highest level of food insecurity and the lowest level of food distribution.

“I had no idea about food insecurity here,” Tony said. “This is Eastern York. It’s a nice little place. I was like, ‘What do you mean there’s kids who are hungry?’”

That sentiment is echoed by Tom Barrett, who has helped to bring

Power Packs and The Giving Table to Christ Church.

“We don’t always see the people who are in need of food,” he said. “We want to raise awareness. We want to ask, ‘Are there more opportunities to help? Are there more things we can do?’”

With that in mind, Tony was not content to stop at Power Packs and The Giving Table. He helped the organization obtain a grant from WellSpan that provides cooking classes for children and their caregivers. The first class, for children ages 6 to 8, was held in late October, and classes will continue through the school year.

“When we originally started this mission, it wasn’t just about feeding people,” Tony stated. “It’s the idea of, you give them a fish today, teach them how to fish tomorrow. What we’re trying to do is self-help programs.”

In the first class, participants made “prairie sushi” wraps. The WellSpan grant also provided funds to purchase signs promoting healthy eating which change monthly and are displayed in the school cafeterias. Plans are also in the works to begin health and fitness classes.

“The focus from day one has been making long-term, long-lasting changes,” Tony said. “We want to offer life skills training.”

For Tom, having Power Packs and The Giving Table at Christ Church offers an ideal way to fulfill

Owl Prowl, safety programs slated

Eastern York Recreation Authority (EYRA) has announced three programs. Registration is required at www.easternyorkrec.com. For more information, contact EYRA at eyrecauthority@gmail.com or 717-487-5295.

The Owl Prowl will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Emig Park, 2 Buttonwood Lane, York. Attendees may learn about owls, including the unique features that help put them at the top of the food chain, as well as owl identification by sight and sound. The program is free and open to people of all ages.

EYRA will offer two courses instructed by Point Blank Defense. Both programs will take place in the training room at the Lower Windsor Township Building, 2425 Craley Road, Wrightsville. There is a fee.

People may attend Scan, Assess, Flight, Engage (SAFE) on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, or Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. The course is designed to prepare anyone age 12 and up for real-life scenarios.

the church’s mission.

“I love the local ministry aspect of this,” Tom said. “We’ve always been a very giving church, supporting dozens of missions throughout the area and internationally, but it’s primarily been financial donations. I love the fact that our church can now be more hands and feet on the ground, meeting the needs of the people here locally.”

Tony emphasized that Eastern York School District has been a very supportive partner for the project, and he’s passionate about all of the

community partnerships the effort has created.

“God’s blessed us the entire time,” he said, noting that when ever they’ve needed funding or program partners, their needs have been met. “We have a great list of people supporting us, and we are excited to welcome anyone else who wants to help.”

Participants will learn skills needed to avoid becoming a victim, including basic self-defense techniques and the use of self-defense devices. Topics will include de-escalation tactics, reaction versus reflex, road rage, child trafficking, self-awareness tests, home security, and carjacking.

A Handgun Safety Course will be held on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 8:30 a.m. to noon for people age 18 and up. Attendees will acquire knowledge of firearm ownership, responsibility, firearm and ammunition storage, pistol action types, loading, unloading, grip, stance, causes of firearm accidents, concealed carry, and home defense.

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For more information on efforts in Eastern York School District, contact christchurch5main @gmail.com. For more information about Power Packs, visit www .powerpacksproject.org.

Volunteers with The Giving Table at a recent donation drive

Music

Staging area at Delta & Main Street sponsored by Guardian Barrier Services

Live musical - starts @ 1:30 (listed in order of appearance)

• Ukulele Uprising

• Trinity Lutheran Church Children’s Choir

• Guitars on Main

• Susquehanna Stage FROZEN musical selections

• Mary Mother of the Church Children’s Choir

• Sweet Life Music

• Sandy Heisey on keyboard

• Donegal High School Rhythm Singers

• Donegal Alumni Band (DAB)

• Community Caroling with DAB – at tree

Some of the area’s ﬁnest

• Bube’s Brewery – BBQ

• Noel’s Cafe - espresso

• Rotary Club – famous

• Two Cousins – pizza;

• Blue Stone Bakery –

• Spud Mufﬁn – fries;

• Piper Belle’s BBQ –

• Donut Guy – mini donuts;

• The Lions Club - hot

• Savory Funnel Cakes Local restaurants will also Santa at Sheetz Funeral Home 1-5 pm – Sponsored by Sheetz Funeral Home

Caroling & Tree Lighting

Final event of the evening

Sound at Stage & Tree

Children’s Activities

Located at Mount Joy Church of God

• Petting Zoo • Little Shoppers (cash only)

• Train set • Face painting

• Games & Crafts • Photo Booth

• Prize wheel – by RAISE28 • Coloring contest

Visit tables from nearly 50 local school groups, community organizations, businesses and churches

Offering prize wheels, drawings, give-aways & fund-raising items

Popcorn Wagon at the Holiday Market area

Gold Star Level Sponsor

Candy Cane Level Sponsors

Silver Bell Level Sponsors

The Gathering Place Keystone Pest Solutions State Farm - Craig Rothenstein

Nest on the Run/Roost on the Run Plum Street

Church plans holiday activities

ValleyView Alliance Church, 200 Alliance Ave., York (Hellam), has posted various holiday events.

The Kreutz Creek Valley Lions Club will hold its third annual Christmas tree lighting at the St. James Church ballfield, 427 W. Beaver St., Hellam, on Friday, Dec. 6, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event will include music, hot chocolate, cookies and other baked goods provided by ValleyView and other Hellam churches.

The Herald Brass will present a Christmas concert at ValleyView on Sunday, Dec. 15, during the worship service at 10:15 a.m. Pieces to be performed include “Sleigh Ride,” “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “O Holy Night,” “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” “Feliz Navidad,” and “Mary, Did You Know?” “Go, Tell It on the Mountain” will be presented as a sing-along. The music will be interspersed with Christmas readings and remarks from group members.

The concert will be presented after the brass group returns from a mission trip to Thailand from Nov. 29 to Monday, Dec. 9. The band traveled to Bangkok to assist in Christmas outreach with Ed and Sue Danneker, who have been Christian and Missionary Alliance international workers there for more than 30 years. While in Thailand, the brass ensemble is slated to perform at churches and other venues, sharing the Christmas message.

Among the participants is Lee Nanfelt, pastor of ValleyView Alliance Church. Nanfelt, a trumpet

player and member of Twin Rose Community Band of Wrightsville, volunteered to substitute as needed after the Herald Brass played at his church. He received a call when a player was unable to go on the trip to Thailand.

The brass ensemble began practicing for the trip in March, with one player - bass trumpeter Mike Smucker - traveling from The Villages in Florida to participate. In addition to Nanfelt and Smucker, the members are trumpeter Doug Enck from Carlisle, tuba player Ed Heckman from Orrstown, French horn player Dean Fink from Spring Grove, and drummer Don Jones from Punxsutawney.

For the past 20 years, the Herald Brass has sought to spread God’s love through its music not only in the United States, but also around the globe, from Turkey to Africa to South America. The ensemble originated in the Lancaster area when Enck was on staff at the Lancaster

Alliance Church and received a request to assemble a group to play in Africa.

At the concert at ValleyView, a freewill offering will be received for future mission trips. For more details, email service@valley viewcma.org.

The Twin Rose Community Band will perform in concert at ValleyView on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 2 p.m. Selections will include “Jingle Bells,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.” A freewill offering will be received for the band.

On Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, a service will take place at 6 p.m.

On Sunday, Dec. 29, during the worship service at 10:15 a.m., Nanfelt will speak about his trip to Thailand. A continental breakfast will be available in the lobby before the service at 9:30 a.m.

For more information, visit www.valleyviewcma.org.

Outdoor programs and cooking class set

Horn Farm Center, 4945 Horn Road, York, has slated three programs. There is a fee, and registration is required at https://hornfarmcenter.org.

For more information, call 717757-6441 or email education@ hornfarmcenter.org.

Twigs and Digs: Late Fall Foraging Walk will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon. The program will include wild foods, local plants and ecology, alternative uses for plants through wildcrafting and

medicine, and ethical foraging. Beginners and experienced foragers are welcome.

Identifying Trees by Bark will be presented on Dec. 8 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. This program will begin with an overview of the science of tree bark, followed by a hike through the Horn Farm’s woodlands to explore field identification of various tree species via bark. Other wintertime identification features, like twig arrangement, buds, and leaf scars, will also be addressed

as example trees allow. Attendees should be prepared for a fully outdoor class, including walking.

Horn Farm will offer Holiday Gourmet: DIY Gifts From the Kitchen on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees will learn how to create edible gifts that can be prepared in advance or on short notice. They will create their own infused oils, flavored salts, and fermented fruit relish. All products created during class will be gluten-free and vegan.

Students and Lions Club post food drive

Members of the Dayspring Christian Academy chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) will partner with the Mountville Lions Club for the fourth annual food drive to benefit the Columbia Food Bank.

On Friday, Dec. 6, from 8 a.m. to noon, the Mountville Lions

Club will have a donation truck parked at the Mountville Church of the Brethren, 60 Clay St., Mountville, to collect nonperishable goods. Food that will be accepted includes unexpired nonperishables, such as canned fruits, vegetables, soups, and meats; peanut butter; jelly;

pasta sauce; and boxed cereal. Donations will be delivered to the Columbia Food Bank. Located at 340 Locust St., Columbia, the food bank’s mission is to help end food insecurity in Lancaster County. For more information, contact Jim Polkinghorne at jpolking horne@dayspringchristian.com.

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The Herald Brass ensemble, including substitute trumpeter Lee Nanfelt (back, second from right)

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Seniors

this,” she said. “The older population of this area is growing.”

She emphasized that the meal and additional items are available to anyone age 55 and older, no matter their economic status.

“This is not only for low-income seniors,” she said. “It’s for everyone 55 and up who is alone on Christmas or who just doesn’t feel like cooking. It’s for anyone who wants to come out and talk with someone and spend some time with other people while they pick up their meal.”

And although the meal is offered in Columbia, it is available for seniors anywhere.

every year.”

Bechtold worked for the Columbia Senior Center for more than two decades, and her desire to serve seniors continued after her retirement.

“Seniors need socialization,” she said. “For a lot of people, Christmas Day is one of the hardest days of the year. This is a way to help.”

Preparation for the meal begins weeks in advance when Luzader starts some of the dishes and freezes them, Bechtold said.

Robin and Jack Gamby and Chuck Kloidt. “We set up on Christmas Eve and have the Donegal wrestling team help out. They volunteer every year, and they’ve been doing that for so long.”

Bechtold emphasized that the meal is just one way she works to support seniors. “If I have a senior who comes in that day and says, ‘I need help,’ I’m there to try to help them,” she stated. “I try to connect them with community resources.”

She’s also started a group called Friends of Lancaster County for seniors who want to go out for lunch once a month.

Christmas lady!’” she said with a smile. “I give up part of my Christmas to do this, but it’s to make others happy. We want to make an impact on the community.”

“It’s a community effort,” Bechtold remarked. “It’s not only for people in Columbia. It’s for Lancaster, Maytown, Marietta, Washington Boro, anywhere in Lancaster County and beyond. I’ve had people from Virginia that come

“Sis does all the cooking. I love to cook, but I’m not cooking for a hundred and some people,” she said with a laugh. Instead, Bechtold takes care of soliciting donations and rallying volunteers to help.

“We have a great group of volunteers, some of whom have been here for a very long time,” she said, calling out individuals including

Giving back to her community is just part of who she is, Bechtold said, adding that she sometimes feels like a celebrity when she’s out in public.

“Every time I go downtown, people say, ‘I know you! You’re the

Reservations are required to receive the Christmas meal, and they must be made by Monday, Dec. 16. To make a reservation or to donate to the project, call Bechtold at 717-342-2903 or Luzader at 717-475-2562. To learn more about Friends of Lancaster County, contact Bechtold.

Church to host cantata, kids’ musical

Two music-focused events will take place at Grace Baptist Church, 3920 East Prospect Road, York, in December.

New Song Community Choir will present a Christmas cantata on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 p.m. The choir consists of more than 35 people from 20 local congregations who are devoted to

praising God through gospel music. The choir’s mission is to spread the Word of God through song and to inspire patriotism and support for military personnel and veterans through patriotic music.

The concert is free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be accepted. A reception will follow the

cantata.

The children of Grace Baptist Church will present a Christmas musical, “All About That Baby,” on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 10:45 a.m. The musical features Nathaniel, a highly distractible and always late shepherd, along with other

COLUMBIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: 360 Locust St. in Columbia, Rev. David C. Powers, phone: 717-684-6271, Sunday Morning Worship 10am. Handicap accessible. 4th Street Cafe Coffeehouse 1st & last Sunday @5pm with community meal. Free Clothing Bank Mondays 9-11am & Tuesdays 5-7pm.

COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH: welcomes you to Love God, Love Others, and Reach Out with us! Join us for worship on Sundays at 8:00, 9:30, or 11:00 a.m. We’re located at 331 Anderson Ferry Road in Marietta (off Rt 441 on Rt 772). Learn more at cbcpa.org.

FAITH BIBLE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH: 151 Donnerville Rd., Lancaster (one block south of Columbia Avenue). Pastor: Keith M. Long. 8:45 am Sunday School (with nursery and classes for children, youth and adults); 10:15 a.m. SundayWorship Service (with nursery and children’s church). Wed.: 6:30 p.m. AWANA Clubs (K6); Wed.: 6:30 pm Youth Group 717-285-1900. www.faithbfc.com

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH: Sixth & Locust St., Columbia. Pastor: Rev. Richard Whitesel. In-Person Worship Schedule: Wed. 10:15 am, Sun. 10:15 am. Sunday service is also available on Facebook live & YouTube. Holy Eucharist at all services. Handicap accessible. Meals on Wheels ministry 717-684-4244, church office 717-6842763. www.stjohnscol.org

TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH: 243 Hellam Street in Wrightsville. (717-252-2417) Sunday morning service at 9:15am with Holy Eucharist. Handicap accessible. We can be found on Facebook.

Attend Church this Sunday

Please Note: Updates can be made to your church’s

Wednesday.)

shepherds, travelers, and talking sheep. The production is based on the kids’ musical by Christy and Daniel Semsen with additions by Valerie Henry. For more information about these events, call 717-755-0091 or email grace baptistyork@comcast.net.

Helen Bechtold