There’s a new buzz term – Outdoor Homing – that defines outdoor living in 2019. It refers to our penchant for making the outdoors as welcoming, beautiful and personal as our indoor spaces. Elaine and Glenn Pottberg’s home exemplifies the concept. Ten years ago, they were toying with the idea of downsizing. But, they loved everything about their house – except for the backyard.

The Pottbergs’ home qualifies as one of Lancaster’s storied residences. Designed by architect C. Emlen Urban, and built in the early 20s, it was destined to become a wedding gift from Andrew H. Rote to his bride, Mildred. It would be the Rotes first and only home – Mr. Rote lived there until his death in 1956 and Mildred until the early 90s, when her failing health prompted a move to a retirement community that provided nursing care. The home remained vacant until five years after her death.

When the Pottbergs first stepped inside the house, Elaine recalls her initial impression as being in a time warp – specifically the 1960s, which appealed to her love of period and vintage furnishings and accessories. “It was an amazing house,” says Elaine. “It was in perfect condition.”
She also discovered many things that were original to the house, including leaded glass, the glass door knobs and the keys for each door. The house also had some quirky elements. For example, there was a doorbell in the floor of the dining room. Elaine suspects it provided a way for the Rotes to summon their household help. (It remains in place.) The basement held a root cellar, next to which was a dumbwaiter that serviced the kitchen and second floor.

Outside of some cosmetic work, the Pottbergs left the house as it had been designed. The exception was the kitchen – it was beyond outdated. “When the new kitchen was being designed, people kept saying we had to tear down walls and open up the first floor,” Elaine explains. She and Glenn ignored the suggestions, as they preferred to maintain the integrity of Urban’s design. “So what if I have a small kitchen,” she says.

However, the backyard was in need of some serious work. “It was just grass and a tree,” Elaine explains. In 1999, they updated it by adding two patios, a koi pond, trees and extensive landscaping. But, it wasn’t the low-maintenance getaway they had hoped to achieve. “It was a lot of work!” Elaine recalls.

Ten years later, the Pottbergs started to have their stay-or-go discussions. Again, the backyard was the tipping point. The landscaping was overgrown. The trees had grown tall, plunging the rear of the house into darkness. Finally deciding they were staying put, they removed everything from the yard (except the koi pond) and started anew.

“I wanted to create my own little backyard resort,” Elaine explains, adding that such a plan would negate the need for frequent weekend trips to Rehoboth. “We were getting tired of fighting traffic every weekend,” she adds.

The Pottbergs launched their backyard makeover by installing a pool. Searching for a way to make the area as maintenance-free as possible, Elaine suggested they cover the ground with pavers. She selected the E.P. Henry pavers and hired James Stoltzfus to install them. She also came across landscape designers, Inch’s Landscaping, at the Pennsylvania Garden Show of York and was inspired by their display. “I love what they selected,” Elaine says of the river birch trees, the airy evergreens, hydrangea and other shrubs that Jeff Inch chose for the space. Lighting illuminates the area, making it perfect for entertaining.

Elaine then put her signature touch on the space. As the pool is its centerpiece, blue and white became the overall color scheme. Elaine thinks of it as Italy meets Asia. The cabana qualifies as a find. Its framework is original to the property, as it was fabricated by A.B. Rote & Co., a structural steel and ornamental-iron fabricating company that was located in Lancaster until it closed in 1996. She worked with CB Dombach to create the canvas enclosure for the cabana, as well as the sun sails that cover the dining area.

The signature blue canvas also covers the telephone booth that Elaine spied at a garage sale in New Holland. When she saw it, an idea popped into her mind: towel cabana! While the phone is no longer in place, the booth-turned-cabana is filled with everything a person would need for a day by the pool – towels, sun-tan lotion, etc. An outdoor shower, which is hooked up to the water line, stands next to the towel cabana.

The furniture is from Lane Venture – Elaine traveled to High Point, North Carolina, to visit the showroom and choose the slipcovers for the sofa in the cabana and the chairs in the dining area.

The bonneted lounge chairs represent another find. She spied the Russell Woodard chairs at the extravaganza known as Brimfield Antique Flea Markets in Massachusetts. While she passed on them at the time, she noted the dealer’s name.

As far as outdoor furniture goes, the Woodard name is legendary. Woodard and his brothers began making casual outdoor furniture in the 1930s, first making a name for themselves with wrought iron and later venturing into fiberglass and tubular iron and aluminum during the 50s and 60s. Their signature furnishings gained further fame when pieces were purchased for the White House.

While Elaine passed on the rickshaw chaise lounges, she never forgot them and tracked down the dealer – who lived in Maine – almost two years later. He still had them. She told him to consider them sold and that she would pick them up. She recruited a friend to make the trip with her and told Glenn she was going shopping and would be back in three days.

Glenn goes with the flow. He was game to haul the phone booth home. He made room in the car for the oversized cobalt-blue pottery Elaine spied in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Ditto for the Bathing Beauty sculpture that caught her eye in Delaware and now lazes by the pool. They drove the metal yucca “plants” they spied in Mexico to a town in Arizona and shipped them back to Lancaster.

DIY projects also figure into the decor. For example, Elaine spray-painted the rattan chairs so that they would echo the color scheme. She’s also a fan of bird cages – the larger the better – and fills them with plants and other objects.

Frogs also account for the garden art. “Glenn loves frogs – they’re his thing,” Elaine says.

They’ve even put the fence that skirts the back of the property to work as a living wall. It’s filling in with succulents that require very little maintenance. Last, but not least, is the bubble machine. “Round is my favorite shape,” Elaine explains. “I think bubbles are romantic and pretty. Plus, they’re fun – who doesn’t like bubbles?” she asks. The bubbles are a hit with guests, whether they’re adults attending a cocktail party or children celebrating birthdays.

Glenn and Elaine love this extension of their home. It’s their go-to place to relax, as well as entertain. It’s very low-maintenance. “Now, we don’t have to mow the lawn, and there’s no need for edging and weeding,” Elaine notes. “We use much less mulch. We can simply enjoy it.”

As part of President George H. W. Bush’s Thousand Points of Light campaign, April has been regarded as National Volunteer Month since 1991. National Volunteer Week – April 7-13 this year – has been celebrated since 1974.

Volunteers are the backbone of this country. Many work behind the scenes without wanting any recognition. Out of the kindness of their hearts, they give their time and effort to make life better for those who are less fortunate.

According to data from a study released in 2018 by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), 30.3% of Americans (77.3 million) take the time to volunteer (that percentage has increased from 25% in 2016). The data showed that the majority of those who volunteer are females. It also states that the age groups most likely to volunteer were Generation X, between the ages of 40-54 (36.4%), and Baby Boomers, between the ages of 55-73 (30.7%). The lowest volunteer rates were seen in Generation Y and the Silent Generation, 26.1% and 24.8% respectively. Millennials ranked somewhere in the middle with 28.2%.

Data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics states that, “From 2002 through 2015, community organizations saw record highs in volunteer hours served (topping 8.7 billion in 2014) and in charitable dollars given ($410.02 billion in 2017). But since 2005, the national volunteer rate declined from 28.8% to a 15-year low of 24.9% in 2015.”

The state ranking No. 1 in 2018 for the highest number of volunteers is Utah, followed by No. 2 Minnesota and No. 3 Oregon. Where does the Keystone State rank? No. 21. The bottom three states are Nevada, Mississippi and Florida.

Throughout Lancaster County, there are over 3,000 nonprofit organizations. Meet four nonprofit organizations and six volunteers who are making a difference. They include Jane Lesher (Ephrata Area Social Services), John Thackrah and Carlyn Darby (Clinic for Special Children), Judy McCloud (Tabor Community Services), and Stacy Emminger and Lexi Mercado (Donegal Substance Abuse Alliance).

Carlyn Darby & John Thackrah
Clinic for Special Children

It’s a bit of a hike to get to the Clinic for Special Children (CSC) in Strasburg, but well worth the visit when you learn about all the hard work, love and dedication that goes on behind the scenes at the inspiring clinic.

Celebrating 30 years this month, the CSC has been a staple in the Amish and Mennonite communities. The nonprofit’s mission is to “serve children and adults who suffer from genetic and other complex medical disorders by providing comprehensive medical, laboratory, and consultative services, and by increasing and disseminating knowledge of science and medicine.”

Kelly Cullen, the clinic’s communications manager, explains that about 90% of their patients come from the Plain community, while others may come from as far away as Texas or even Brazil. (The clinic has seen patients from all over, including 42 states and 17 countries to date.) Kelly says the clinic manages over 300 known genetic variants, identifying about 25 to 30 each year.

Special diseases need special scientific equipment and medications, which come at a cost. So, how does the nonprofit stay funded? One way is through donations and volunteers donating their time.

John Thackrah retired from DuPont Co. in 1994 after 42 years with the company. He then moved to Willow Valley Communities in 2009. He is a remarkable artist whose artwork garners funding for the clinic.

“I was introduced to the Clinic for Special Children about five years ago and was very impressed with the help they were providing for children and adults who suffer from genetic and other complex medical disorders,” he says. “I suggested that they consider selling note cards of my Lancaster area pen-and-ink sketches for fundraising and increasing the awareness of the clinic’s work.”

Sales from his cards have raised more than $10,000 for the clinic. “My experience working with the clinic has been very rewarding, and I look forward to continuing my volunteer efforts in the future,” he says.

Another notable volunteer is Carlyn Darby, who retired from her job as a pediatric nurse; however, just because she retired doesn’t mean she retired from volunteering her time and using her special nursing skills to help others.

“Volunteering is a marvelous way in which to continue to use my pediatric nursing skills to serve others, even in retirement,” she says. “These skills have enabled me to volunteer in a medical clinic, serve as a missionary nurse in Appalachia, substitute as a school nurse, give shots in a flu clinic, and even give weekly injections to my neighbor.”

John and Carlyn both enjoy giving their time and talents freely and in different capacities.

Carlyn says, “Volunteering among the quiet, reserved and gentle folk of the Plain community here at the Clinic for Special Children has been a privilege. I do not presume to understand all of the intricacies of the genetic disorders, but if I can encourage or celebrate the good news of a test result, or speak comfort into the heart of a young mother and father caring for a special child, then I think I have done what I have been put here to do.”

John sums up the definition of volunteering by adding, “If it were not for volunteers, many services and benefits would not be available. Volunteers are rewarded by having their efforts appreciated by the organizations and the people they help. These rewards come in many forms, but the best is the personal satisfaction one gets from knowing they have helped.”

Clinic for Special Children, 535 Bunker Hill Road, Strasburg. 717-687-9407 or Clinicforspecialchildren.org.

Judy McCloud
Tabor Community Services

If our lives had a soundtrack, then Judy McCloud’s would be titled This Little Light of Mine. She is a radiant beam of sunshine that can brighten anyone’s day. Whether it’s volunteering with Tabor Community Services’ (TCS) financial workshops or with her own organization, SisterLove Christian Ministries, helping single mothers, Judy is a “giver” who loves to make a connection with people.

“I’m more of a service person. I’m a ministry-minded person, but I’m also a service person,” Judy says with a smile so warm it could melt butter. “I’ve got to make connections with human beings; that’s who I am. I’ve got to make a connection.”

Judy has been volunteering with TCS as a financial workshop instructor since 2007. According to Tiffany Silveira, Tabor’s financial education coordinator, Judy regularly teaches monthly for Tabor’s on-site workshops, which are open to the community.

“She consistently receives high praise for being enthusiastic, communicating well and teaching concepts clearly by workshop attendees,” Tiffany shares. “Tabor is fortunate to have so many excellent volunteers, and Judy is an exemplary model of serving joyfully.”

Judy’s teaching skills include budgeting, creating a savings plan, understanding credit and loans, purchasing a vehicle, and working with a bank or credit union. Additionally, she volunteers frequently to serve as an instructor at off-site workshops conducted by request for clients and staff of other social service agencies and businesses.

Tabor celebrated 50 years in 2018. The work at Tabor involves “rebuilding lives and community.” Tabor was designed to help low-income families in Lancaster find housing and manage their finances. Today, the nonprofit continues that mission and has developed a variety of services that assist people in finding solutions to their housing and financial challenges. Tabor has also taken part in community revitalization projects located within the southeast area of Lancaster City.

However, so much of Tabor’s success wouldn’t be possible without the help of volunteers like Judy.
“It’s not about me. It’s about people understanding the information that we’re trying to give to them. That’s one of the reasons why I like to volunteer,” Judy says. “When someone volunteers, everyone wins! To know I am helping someone win in life as a volunteer financial literacy instructor is a thrill
for me.”

She adds, “Being part of the Tabor Community Services’ team is an honor. Tabor has served our community for many years providing help to the homeless, financial literacy education, credit counseling, assisting first-time home buyers and other services too numerous to name. I love to volunteer because I am given the opportunity to engage, educate and encourage others!”

Tabor Community Services, 308 East King Street, Lancaster. 717-397-5182 or Tabornet.org.

Jane Lesher
Ephrata Area Social Services

Jane Lesher has a contagious smile. Behind that smile is a warm heart and a woman who loves to volunteer.

“It makes me feel really good, just knowing that I can help someone in any way. I just feel like I’ve been very blessed in my life, and I feel like I not only need to give back, but I want to,” Jane says.

Originally from Adamstown, Jane retired in 2001 from Fulton Bank. She says that her biggest influence in regard to volunteerism was her parents.
“My biggest inspiration for wanting to volunteer has to be my parents. Both of my parents volunteered at Meals on Wheels and found it to be rewarding,” she shares. “I have been delivering meals for 17 years and really enjoy chatting with the clients each week.”

Jane says she was “fortunate to be able to retire early” and decided to pick one or two organizations where she could be of service to her community.
Jane chose Ephrata Area Social Services (EASS) for several reasons. One of those reasons being her parents; the Meals on Wheels program is operated by EASS and delivers 2,500 meals every month to Ephrata and Cocalico senior citizens. The meals are prepared daily at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Ephrata.

“I also work in the office at EASS one day a week, answering the phones, handing out bags of food from the food bank, scheduling rides for senior citizens and helping with the clothing bank,” Jane adds.

EASS is a nonprofit organization that supports those in need throughout the Ephrata and Cocalico regions of Northern Lancaster County. The organization offers a number of impacting programs to assist families and individuals in need, including a food bank – which serves approximately 45 families per week, or over 2,000 annually – clothing bank, emergency financial assistance and transportation services.

EASS Executive Director Joy Ashley says, “Everyone loves Jane! She has been answering the phone, making referrals and scheduling the food bank and transportation appointments for nearly 20 years.”

Their fleet of minivans transports individuals, mostly seniors, to their doctor appointments, grocery store visits, or any other place they may need to go.
“Those trips to the hairdresser are very important,” Jane says with a smile.

Joy adds, “For any service that EASS does not provide, we reach out to our many partners in the social service industry for referrals. It is very important to EASS to be sure our clients always have a resource from which to receive assistance.”

In addition to volunteering at EASS, Jane is also a member of the Friends of the Adamstown Area Library and serves on several committees at her church, Swamp Lutheran, in Reinholds.

When asked why she thinks volunteering is so important, Jane says, “I think you will feel very rewarded. It’s something that just makes you feel good when you’re helping someone.”

Ephrata Area Social Services, 227 North State Street, Ephrata. 717-733-0345 or Ephrataareasocialservices.org.

Lexi Mercado & Stacy Emminger
Donegal Substance Abuse Alliance

There is an ongoing war in America. You hear about it every day, and it’s happening in your own backyard. The war on drugs is nothing new, and it won’t end with the snap of a finger. But, making others aware of the crisis is a step in the right direction.

According to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “70,237 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2017.” In 2017, Pennsylvania was one of five states with the highest rate of death due to drug overdose (44.3 per 100,000). The annual report from the Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Commission states that 168 individuals in the county died from overdoses in 2017.
In an effort to combat the local drug epidemic, Donegal Substance Abuse Alliance (DSAA) was created. Executive director and co-founder Stacy Emminger, along with co-founder Stephen Mercado, established the grassroots organization after their son, who had struggled with addiction for 10 years, died of an overdose in 2014.

“During that time, our family had no support and didn’t know where to turn for help. After his death, I decided it was important to me to help families that were going through the same struggles that we did,” Stacy says. “Families are ashamed and isolated, torn apart by their loved one’s addiction. They need to know that there is help for them out there.”

Lexi Mercado, DSAA assistant director and Stacy’s daughter-in-law, says she was raised in a family affected by addiction. “I wish to use my experience to empower others in their pain, as well as show them they can live a happy, healthy life,” Lexi shares. “I want young people to be educated in addiction, so they can be better prepared for what they may face in the future. I do this to work towards a trauma-informed community, so we can learn to accept people where they are at.”

The nonprofit’s mission is to bring awareness to the community of heroin/opiate usage; educate the community that heroin/opiate addiction is a treatable disease; provide to the community the information to obtain treatment for addiction; provide support to families affected by addiction; and provide support to those in recovery. DSAA also provides assistance finding treatment, CRAFT-based family support sessions, free Narcan kits and education about addiction.

“Thousands of families are going through it, and it’s important that they know they are not alone,” Stacy says. “People need to understand that addiction can happen in any family and that every person struggling with addiction is someone’s son, wife, mother, brother, just human beings that need help.”

Donegal Substance Abuse Alliance, 15 West Main Street, Mount Joy. 717-492-4596 or Dsasquared.org.