Helping those in need

Area Lions Clubs joined together to help children at a local camp, Camp Lily at Antietam Lake. (Camp Lily is for handicapped or special needs children.) After securing funding from several clubs, Lions Club International and many other agencies/companies, Lions Club members added onto the existing building at Camp Lily, providing an office, a room for autistic children, restrooms for the building, new countertops and a new pavilion. While I attended the dedication ceremony, I knew this would be another feel-good/positive story for The Southern Berks News.

If you belong to an organization and are working on a project like this, please let us know! (htassmer@berksmontnews.com or 610-367-6041.

Last week was the first time I have been to Antietam Lake and I was a little lost going to Camp Lily but I invite you, the readers, to check it out. There are places to walk that I haven’t had a chance to see yet, but I know it is a beautiful place. I’ve heard it’s a place people where people like to fish also.

Coming up in The Southern Berks News in the next issue (Aug. 27) is a review from intern Ben Dalton. Ben took a walk on the new part of the Schuylkill River Trail. (The same one he covered for a story a few weeks ago.)

New section of trail opened

News Intern Ben Dalton covered a dedication of the Schuylkill River Trail's new section in Birdsboro on Friday, July 25. The section was incomplete from Reading to Pottstown before the addition.

I haven't been to the section of the trail yet, but I invite you to check it out. There's not a whole lot to do in Birdsboro (and correct me if you think I'm wrong) so the opening of the trail is definitely beneficial to the area.

Also check out other recreation areas in Berks County: Antietam Lake (Mt. Penn area), Monocacy Hill in Amity Township and the Union Township Recreation Area off of Route 724. I've been to both Monocacy Hill and the Union Township Park and they are great for people who enjoy hiking or just being outdoors.

If you like hiking and history, also check out Valley Forge Park. I went there a few months ago and had a great time. My boyfriend and I looked at the war memorial there. I want to go back and take my camera next time.

For more information, check out these web sites:

Schuylkill River Heritage Area: www.schuylkillriver.org
Antietam Lake: www.berkscountyweb.com/Antietam_Lake.htm
Monocacy Hill: www.monocacyhill.org
Union Township: www.co.berks.pa.us/Union
Valley Forge: www.nps.gov/vafo