Lititz recCenter To Hold Annual Triathlon

Fresh Cut Flowers • Hanging Baskets

Flowers Vegetable Plants for Bouquets Fresh Produce in Season! Our Own Home-Grown Black Raspberries & Fresh Baked Goods KING’S PRODUCE

Homegrown LETTUCE 224 South State St., Leola, PA 17580 717-656-4798

(Leave Message)

Located just East of Conestoga Creek in Talmage, PA on Rt. 772

R072825

LET’S GET SOCIAL

facebook.com/townlively • instagram.com/townlivelyepc

IT’S BETTER FROM THE COUNTRY

SPECIALS FOR JUNE 23RD-29TH

DELI

CHEDDARS, COLBY JACK OR MOZZARELLA SHREDDED CHEESE 8 Oz. Pkg. ........ $1.99 Ea.

VERMONT OR NY SHARP

WHITE CHEDDAR 8 Oz. Bar ...................................... $2.09 Ea.

MARBLE OR MUENSTER 8 Oz. Bar ........................ $1.99 Ea.

BAR CREAM CHEESE 8 Oz. ..................................... $1.29 Ea.

VEGETABLE CREAM CHEESE 8 Oz. ...................... $2.79 Ea.

VIRGINIA STYLE HAM ................................................

$3.99 Lb. BULK FOODS & PRODUCE

SPEARMINT LEAVES (JELLY) ................................. $1.89 Lb.

TURKISH APRICOTS (DRIED) .................................. $3.39 Lb.

ROASTED & SALTED

MIXED NUTS w/PEANUTS ....................................... $4.49 Lb.

CELERY ........................................................................

$1.29 Head BABY CARROTS.................................................................. 99¢ Lb. Fresh Blueberries Coming Soon! Call 717-653-2652 ext. 3 for more info.

FRESH MEAT DEPARTMENT

CHICKEN KABOBS ...................Reg. $4.99 Lb. SALE $4.49 Lb. 93% BURGER .............................. Reg. $5.69 Lb. SALE $5.29 Lb. FRESH SHAW BURGERS ........Reg. $4.99 Lb. SALE $4.69 Lb.

Check us out on @thecountrystoremtjoy

CHECK WEEKLY SPECIALS at www.reallancastercounty.com & www.thecountrystoremtjoy.com

Mount Joy Rd. Between 283 & Mount Joy

Fax & Phone orders gladly accepted on Deli Orders & Large Bulk Orders. Phone 717-653-2652 • Fax 717-653-8911

In the summer of 2020, organizers at the Lititz recCenter took a risk and held the annual triathlon in early August. Limiting the event to 175 participants, social distancing during the swim portion, and sanitizing the transition area were precautions taken for the event. “Last year, (the triathlon) was successful,” said Simon Ababou, fitness director with the rec center. Calling it “the best event ever,” Ababou said that both participants and spectators enjoyed the triathlon. “People were so happy (because they had been) bored at home,” he explained.

The 2021 triathlon, which requires participants to swim 300 meters in the Lititz Springs outdoor pool, bike 15.8 miles through the farmland surrounding Lititz, and run 3.1 miles, will be held on Sunday, Aug. 8, starting at 8 a.m. As in the past, the event will be held at the Lititz recCenter, 301 W. Maple St., Lititz.

Organizers of the triathlon encourage participants to sign up in teams, so that families and friends can enjoy the event together. Teams made up of employees from local businesses or fellow church members are encouraged to participate. Ababou noted that employers are welcome to sponsor employees in the event. Teams may consist of up to three people as long as all events are completed. Ababou would especially like to see families participate as teams. “The goal is to provide time for family to bond by doing something together,” he said, noting that participating as a team gives family members a chance to develop a healthy lifestyle. As an example, one parent could bike, another could run, and a child could take part in the swimming event. The minimum age to take part in the swimming portion is 12 if the youngster is part of a team and 16 otherwise.

Triathlon activities range from sprint distances to Ironman events. Novice triathletes may want to start with a sprint-type event like the Lititz recCenter triathlon. Proper training, commitment, and nutrition are essential to accomplishing a sprint distance before moving on to longer triathlons. Participants will need a bike, a swimsuit, and running shorts. A bike helmet is required. Goggles, swim caps, bike shoes, spare tire tubes and a pump, sunglasses, sunscreen, running shoes, and a water bottle are suggested. Ababou noted that potential participants should be training now for the August event.

Readers who would like to take part in the triathlon may register at www.lititzrec.com/special-events. Individuals who have questions may call 717-626-5096, ext. 0, or email SimonAbabou@lititzrec.com.

Celebrate The Story Of Creation

BY CATHY MOLITORIS

The biblical story of creation will come to life when Ruhl’s United Methodist Church hosts a drivethrough event on Saturday, June 26. The festivities will take place at the church, 4810 Elizabethtown Road, Manheim, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Over the past year, the church has held several well-attended drivethrough celebrations, said Kris Gray, one of the event organizers. “We did a drive to Bethlehem at Christmas and a drive to Calvary at Easter, and they were so well received, we wanted to do something similar,” she stated. “We were brainstorming ideas, and God laid it on my heart to do a creation event.”

Gray declined to give too many details about the stations that will be featured, noting that organizers want to keep an element of surprise. “There will be seven stations, and I will say there aren’t many people involved in the scenes since people weren’t created until day six, so we won’t have a lot of costumed characters like we’ve had for past drivethrough events,” she revealed.

Along with the creation scenes, the event will feature live music by the church’s praise band. A free bag lunch will also be offered. The lunch will include a ham and Swiss cheese sandwich, a bag of chips, fruit and a dessert. Reservations are required for the bag lunch and may be made by calling 717-665-4499. The deadline for reservations is Thursday, June 24. Reserved lunches will be brought to each vehicle at the end of the drivethrough event. Although reservations are required for the lunch, the drive-through is open to anyone.

Gray said the creation event offers the church another way to reach out to its neighbors and share the message of God’s love. “We want to connect with our community, and especially during COVID, the drivethroughs were a way we could do that and still work with the restrictions,” she stated. “Even though we weren’t able to meet the community in person as a large group, we still wanted to connect with a message about the Gospel and provide food for the community. It’s important for us as a church to meet the needs of people both spiritually and physically.”

Ruhl’s United Methodist Church holds services on Sundays at 8 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday school is offered for people of all ages, including adults, at 9:15 a.m. The church will hold a vacation Bible school from Monday, July 26, through Friday, July 30.

Biking, running, and swimming will all be part of the annual Lititz recCenter triathlon on Aug. 8.

WARWICK EDITION

Published By

Engle Printing & Publishing Co., Inc.

PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS

The Merchandiser reserves the right to reject any advertisement. The Merchandiser assumes no fi nancial responsibility for any typographical errors in advertisements but will reprint that portion of an ad in which error occurs. Advertisers submitting artwork and images for use in advertisements assume all liability in regards to trademark and copyright infringements.

Submit Camera Ready Ads at: engleonline.com sales@engleonline.com Display Advertising Deadline 9 A.M. Friday

Display Ad Customer Service 717-492-2530 Fax 717-492-2580

Submit Classifi ed Ads at: townlively.com 1-800-428-4211

classifi eds@engleonline.com Classifi ed Advertising Deadlines

By phone 4 P.M. Thursday Online Noon Wednesday (Except Early Holiday Deadlines)

We encourage civic and fraternal groups, schools, churches, scouts, and other local organizations to submit news releases of general interest to the majority of our readership. Primary consideration is given to dated articles of an informative nature–activities and events of local interest sponsored, presented, or planned by area organizations and institutions. Related photographs of good quality are encouraged also, but complete picture identifi cation must be included. Undated articles of general interest are used as space permits. All articles must contain a contact name and telephone number.

Send news requests to: Merchandiser Editor Engle Printing & Publishing Co., Inc. P.O. Box 500

Mount Joy, PA 17552 or submit by email to news@engleonline.com News Deadline Noon Thursday News Department 1-800-800-1833 Extension 6018

circulation@engleonline.com Circulation / Distribution Customer Service 1-800-800-1833 Extension 6014

townlively.com Snapshot frompg 1

Those who wish to take part may visit www.lancastersnapshot.com, where they will be asked to submit answers to up to five questions using photographs. Spangler noted that participants may answer as few or as many questions as they wish. The questions are: Where do you live? What’s your favorite spot in Lancaster County? What’s one of your favorite things or possessions? What keeps you hopeful? What’s something you want to last forever?

“The idea was to keep the questions open to get a varying degree of interpretation,” said Spangler, who noted there is space for a short caption. “There is no one way to answer these questions.” Participants will be able to visit the site, which includes a map of the county, to see their answers along with the answers of other participants. “You can zoom in (on a map) to see people’s entries,” explained Spangler, who noted that place specificity was important to see not only faces, but where people are in the county and the community.

Cutler explained that the program, which went live on June 11, will run for about 12 weeks. On a regular basis, LCCF will choose random participants to receive $500 to invest in a cause or project that is important to them. “It may be something they shared in their snapshot or something else they care about,” said Spangler. In the future, the organization hopes to make the site even more interactive so that participants can communicate directly with each other. Cutler explained that it is a mission of LCCF to help achieve goals that are on the hearts of the people in Lancaster County. “We are connecting and investing in things people care about so those things can continue in the long term,” she said, noting that the project encourages reflection on things that are really important to people. “Our role is coming alongside people to help support their passions,” she explained. Spangler noted that the project takes a different approach to fostering connection. “What’s unique about Snapshot is that we’re focusing on the ways that we care about the community,” he said. “It’s not just my interests, but these are the things I want to sustain. That’s a stronger way to start relationships.” He stated that he has been impressed by the positive way community members have reacted to Lancaster Snapshot. “(It keeps me hopeful) when people say, ‘I would love to connect with the community,’” he said.

The No Longer Alone Family Support Group, sponsored by Landis Communities, will hold its next meeting on Sunday, June 27, from 3 to 5 p.m. via Zoom. The group meets on the fourth Sunday of the month.

The guest speaker for June will be Vivian Spiese, president of the Lancaster chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Her presentation on “Sharing NAMI Programs and Personal Experience” will be followed by a time of sharing.

The monthly meetings provide a place for those who have a loved one living with mental illness to learn and share their experiences. Meetings will be held via Zoom until further notice and will return to Landis Communities as soon as possible. For more information or to receive a monthly meeting reminder, readers may call 717-381-3599 or email JAlbright@landis.org by noon on Friday, June 25.

Food, Diaper Drive Slated

A Pop Your Trunk Food and Diaper Drive will take place on Saturday, June 26, from 10 a.m. to noon at Coleman Memorial Chapel, 1980 Furnace Hills Pike, Lititz. The public is invited to donate during the drive-through event.

Food will benefit the Lititz Warwick Community Chest. Diapers will benefit the Diapers Healthy Steps Diaper Bank. Training pants and open packages will be accepted, and diapers in sizes 5 and 6 are especially needed.

Church Plans Yard Sale

Oregon Community United Methodist Church, 1214 Creek Road, Lititz, will hold a large outdoor yard sale on Saturday, June 26, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In addition to yard sale items, attendees may purchase barbecue, hot dogs, baked goods and beverages. All proceeds will be used for church mission projects.

To rent a table, call the church office at 717-656-7198.

Get Rid Of Your Debt Stop Foreclosures, Lawsuits, Garnishments and Harassing Phone Calls! Free Consultations THOMAS W. FLECKENSTEIN Attorney At Law (717) 333-4053

470 Locust St., Columbia, PA 17512 www.FleckensteinPALaw.com

Now Serving Leiby’s Soft Serve ICE CREAM

Every Friday - 10am -7pm & Saturday -10am-4pm

• Sweet Juicy Watermelons • Fresh NJ Blueberries • Washington State Sweet Cherries & Other Produce In Season Chicken BBQ Every Saturday 10 A.M.-? GLENBROOK FARM MARKET

388 Glenbrook Rd. (Rt. 772), Leola, PA 17540 717-656-0523

www.glenbrookfarmmarket.com

Open: Mon.-Thurs. 8-6; Fri. 8-7; Sat. 8-5; Closed Sunday

CARING FOR LANCASTER

BEYOND OUR DOORS

At Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, we believe care is more than what happens in a hospital. It’s when we all come together to help our neighbors. We know that safe housing, access to healthy food, and emotional and behavioral support are essential to the well-being of our community. As Lancaster’s most trusted health system for generations, we never stop working to deliver care far beyond our doors by teaming with equally dedicated partners to improve lives, here in the place we call home.

Now Open For Pick Your Own

Sweet & Sour Cherries

1st of the Season Yellow & White Peaches

& Sweet Corn

Chicken BBQ

Saturday 10-?

2101 Kissel Hill Road, Lititz, PA 17543 717-626-7115

Please Google address for directions. Monday-Friday 9-6, Saturday 9-4, Closed Sunday

R072863

Lititz recCenter will offer opportunities for young athletes to stay active all summer with a variety of summer camps, youth sports programs, and youth leagues.

The basketball program at the rec center is hosting a summer rec league program for boys’ and girls’ teams in July and August. Girls in grades three through six will practice and play on the outdoor basketball courts at Lititz recCenter on Thursday evenings. Boys in grades three through six will gather on Monday evenings.

Girls in grades five through nine can play in a field hockey league this summer on Tuesdays, June 29 to Aug. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. or in a girls’ volleyball league, also on Tuesday evenings. A volleyball camp for 8- to 12-year-olds will be held from Monday through Friday, July 12 to 16, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Roller hockey and street hockey for youths ages 6 to 12 will be played on the hockey rink at Rothsville Park on Saturday mornings in June and July.

Camps for a variety of sports will be hosted for three age groups throughout the summer. Weeklong camps will introduce skills, competition, teamwork, and sportsmanship and allow children to try a new activity or keep skills fresh for sports they love. Among the sports featured will be basketball, soccer, T-ball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, flag football, volleyball, and a sports sampler week called Summer Fun and Games. Most camps will run between 9 a.m. and noon.

Monday to Friday, Aug. 2 through 6, will be a week of Olympic-themed games at the rec center. Youths will be divided into three groups: ages 3 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 12.

Most sports programs at Lititz recCenter provide equipment for children to use during play and practice. Personal items required are water bottles, sunscreen, and sportsappropriate shoes or sneakers.

Fees for programs vary, and scholarships are available to local families that need assistance. To register for programs, leagues, or camps, contact Lititz recCenter at 717-626-5096 or stop in at 301 W. Maple St., behind Warwick High School.

For more summer sports information, contact program director Ron Stief at ronstief@lititzrec.com.

Lititz Chocolate Walk Will Return

Kiwanis Club of Lititz Area will host the Chocolate Walk on Saturday, Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., marking the event’s 20th anniversary. At sites across downtown Lititz, ticketholders may enjoy more than 25 tastings of chocolate-containing confections, including sweet and savory options.

Tickets are expected to go on sale on Thursday, July 1. To learn more, visit www.lititzchocolatewalk.com or call 717-560-2295.

Olivia is the daughter of Ronald and Michele Hartman. At WHS, Olivia was a member of the NHS and the Business National Honor Society. Olivia served as president of the Lititz Leos and student representative for the Warwick School Board. She was also a member of Student CouncilMe, PALS, Future Business Leaders of America, and Global Social Problems Club, and she served as club leader of Aevidum. She was a member of the field hockey and unified track teams. Outside school, she volunteers at Centerville Pet Rescue. Olivia plans to major in music business at Kutztown University.

Amber is the daughter of Randy and Cheri Houser. At WHS, she was named to the distinguished honor roll and received the National Center for Women in Technology award for Aspirations in Computing. She was a member of NHS and SNHS. Amber was also part of LINK Crew and Student Advisory committee. She played girls’ soccer, and she has also played club travel soccer. In the fall, she plans to attend Temple University to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering.

Morgan is the daughter of Shaun Metzler and the late Michele Metzler. At WHS, she was a member of LINK Crew. Outside school, she attends Lancaster Evangelical Free Church. She plans to attend Central Penn College to pursue a degree in physical therapy.

Elizabeth is the daughter of Doran and Rebecca Herritt. At WHS, Elizabeth was named to the distinguished honor roll and was a member of NHS, SNHS, and LINK Crew. She was captain of the girls’ varsity soccer team, and she managed the WHS girls’ basketball team. She played for the Lititz Youth Soccer Club. In the fall, she plans to attend college to study neuroscience and pursue a career as a physician assistant.

Kathryn is the daughter of KC and Christy Kramer. At WHS, she served as vice president of NHS, secretary of the German National Honor Society (GNHS), and president of Interact Club, and she was also a member of the Women of the Future Club and LINK Crew. She played on the Warwick girls’ tennis team and participated in winter and spring track and field. In the fall, she plans to study engineering at Penn State University.

Grace is the daughter of Shawn and Jessica Long. At WHS, she was a member of SHH. After graduation, Grace plans to attend Lancaster School of Cosmetology to study massage therapy and aesthetics.

Sophia is the daughter of Eric and Eva Nau. At WHS, she was a member of SNHS and president of GNHS. She was decorations leader for UNITE and participated in the History Club and LINK Crew. She is currently part of the Study Bridge STEM Program for the Goethe Institute. Following completion of the program, she plans to attend college in Germany.

Emily is the daughter of Art and Barb Paynter. At WHS, she was a member of NAHS. Outside school, Emily volunteers with the Phoenix Assistance Dogs. Emily is a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. In the fall, she plans to pursue a degree in art education.

Lauren is the daughter of Jason and Betty Jo Reinhart. At WHS, Lauren was a member of NHS and GNHS and a leader of the Women of the Future Club, and she played tennis. In the fall, she plans to attend the University of Pittsburgh to major in psychology in hopes of becoming a clinical psychologist.

R071513

14th Annual

Thank you for making a difference!

Engle Printing & Publishing Co., Inc.

presented by ed by

Engle Printing & Publishing Co., Inc.’s 14th Annual Golf Outing was held on June 11. We would like to extend our thanks to all the generous sponsors and golfers who helped raise more than $20,000. This brings us to more than $196,000 raised over the years. View pictures of the event at epcgolfouting.com.

community in ending and preventing homelessness. For more information visit goodsamservices.org.

Thank you sponsors!

Douple Agency, Inc. | Wharton Hill Advisors | Highmark | Giant | Transfers of Learning | aideM Media Solutions Gordon Recycling Services | Lancaster Nissan | Broderick’s Landscape Contracting LLC | Trout CPA | M&T Bank Heck Construction Company, Inc. | Phoenix Packaging | MPS Printing Supplies Esbenshade Mills | AccuBond | B.R. Kreider | Penn Waste | Clair Dale Treese, DDS