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Newsletter of Calvary Lutheran Church, Laureldale, PA

Calvary’s Booster

Volume 90 May 2013 Issue 5

Yard Sale on Church Parking Lot

Reserve a space today!

On Saturday, May 18, Calvary will

open its parking lot to members for the

Laureldale Community Yard Sale. (All

permit fees have been waived for that day.)

Calvary is making the lot available to its

members to sell their wares on Saturday

from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Spaces are free-of-

charge, but donations are welcome. You are

required to register in advance in order to

have a space. If you would like to reserve a space or need more information,

please contact Kathy Sanders at 610-929-3761.

Plant Sale at Calvary!

Annuals, Perennials & Hanging Baskets

Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Proceeds go toward church expenses

May Highlights

Strawberry Festival ....... p. 4

Celebrant Singers

Return ........... p. 4

Blood Drive .................. p. 5

Confirmation ................. p. 6

Candy Sale Report ........ p. 6

Youth News .................. p. 7

Help Wanted ................. p. 8

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Church Directory All phone numbers are 610 area code

Office:

Phone.......................................... 929-9606 Email .............. contactcalvary@verizon.net Fax .............................................. 929-4372 Web .....

www.calvarylutheranlaureldale.com Staff: Rev. Thomas F. Irwin Jr.

Email ............. pastoratcalvary@verizon.net

Wedding Bells

May God richly bless Robert

and Deeann Franco who were

married at Calvary on April 20.

Church Council ( ) = year term expires.

President: ................... Carol Wertz (2014)

Vice President: ....... Steve DeTurck (2013)

Secretary: ..................... Anne Hain (2014)

Kate Peires (2013)

Carla Bentley (2013)

Kathie Kercher (2013) Marcia Conver (2014) Sean Wyland (2014) Eric Rusak (2015) Terese Reppond (2015) Brianna O'Neil (2015)

Passings

Our Christian sympathy is

extended to the families of these

Calvary members who recently

passed away:

Shirley Eckert, Betty Drumheller, Fern Noll, Arline Deitrich,

and Joyce Herbein

“Blessed are the dead who

die in the Lord.”

Calvary’s Booster Published monthly to share information with the friends and family of Calvary

Lutheran Church, 1009 Elizabeth Ave., Laureldale, PA 19605. Donation: $10 annually.

Articles received after the deadline may be included in the following issue. Deadline to

submit articles for the next Booster is the first week of the month. Submit articles to the

church office. Editor reserves the right to edit for content and space.

POSTMASTER: send address changes to The BOOSTER, Calvary Lutheran

Church, 1009 Elizabeth Ave. Laureldale, PA 19605.

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Memorial Gifts

Contributions to the Memorial Fund may be

made to Calvary and mailed to the office.

In Memory of …

Dorothy Katzenmoyer Allan Freeman

Al & Jane Suglia

Gary & Sandra Land

Gary Becker

Kurt & Yvonne Katzenmoyer

Fern Noll

Jane Rolling

Carolyn Hamilton

Fred & Marjorie Soule

Dennis, Tina & Helen Good

Barry Bowman

Betty Drumheller

Carolyn Hamilton

Shirley Eckert Edna J. Kemp

Vicky L. Royer

Patrick T. Kemp

Keith B. Kemp

Gordon & Carol Rogers

Curt, Joan & Anna Essig

Fern, Richard and Ellen Noll

Anna Boas

Sue & Manny Amonte

Peg Weidner

Patricia & Dan Shultz

Joyce Herbein

Jean Weidenhammer

LaRue & Russel Sterner

A Calvary Cookbook!

Share Your Recipes

We are creating a Calvary Cookbook that

will be finished in time for next Christmas.

Appetizers? Desserts? That casserole that

everyone asks you for a copy of the recipes? We

have lots of good cooks in our congregation, and

we would like you to share some of your favorite

recipes with us. There are forms in the narthex

for you to use as a guide when submitting

recipes.

Double check your ingredient list; be sure

you include everything and that the amounts are

accurate. The finished sheets may be turned in to

the office.

If you have questions, see Donna Sweigart

or Ruth Deibert.

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Calvary’s 2nd

Annual

Strawberry Festival and Outdoor Worship

Saturday, June 1, 2-6 p.m.

Please mark your calendars for this date! This is a perfect

opportunity for our congregation to serve Christ by serving our

neighbors in the Muhlenberg community (especially as the

Township will not be hosting a Community Days event this

year).

We’ll have games and ice cream or cake to enjoy with

strawberries. The whole community is invited and, best of all,

this event will be totally free to all who come out!

We need your help! Volunteers are needed to set up stands for games, run

the games, and serve strawberries on either ice cream or cake. We are also

asking for monetary donations to offset the cost of food and prizes. Donations

of baked goods for sharing are also appreciated. A sign-up sheet will be placed

in the narthex.

At 5 p.m. we will conduct an outdoor communion worship service under a

large tent. This will be a rain or shine event…if it rains, we will move inside.

Celebrant Singers to Return to Calvary

Celebrant Singers will be in concert Friday, June 28, at 7:30 p.m. at

Calvary Lutheran Church. You, your friends and family will be blessed by their

beautiful and inspiring music and personal testimony. Reserve the date on your

calendar now. You will not want to miss the evening!

Host families/people are needed for the Celebrant Singers Friday evening

June 28. Will you house one, two or more young adults for the evening of June

28, by providing a place to sleep, breakfast in the morning and a bag lunch, and

return them to the church, so they can travel on to their next engagement?

Contact Mark Reppert, Calvary's organist, for more information and how

you can help.

Calling All Graduates We will publish a tribute to all Calvary graduates in the

June issue of the newsletter. We request that all 2013 graduates

from high school, college or other post-secondary schools

contact the church office at either contactcalvary@verizon.net

or 610-929-9606 by May 20 and give us your name, school you

are graduating from and any future plans.

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Confirmation News

We celebrate with six of our families in the confirmation of their sons and

daughters. On Pentecost Sunday, May 19, at the 10:30 a.m. service Matthew

Zimmerman, Jessica Sweitzer, Dillon Rusak, Mercedes Roth, Lauren Lister, and

Haley Gardner will affirm their baptism and become confirmed members of the

congregation. A reception will be held in the Schaefer Room after the service

and all are invited to attend. Please keep our young people in your prayers as

they start this new part of their Christian journey.

Related Dates: Wed., May 15 7:00 p.m. Confirmation Rehearsal

Sun., May 19 10:30 a.m. Confirmation

Lay Eucharistic Ministry Expands

Calvary welcomes a new Lay Eucharistic Minister (LEM) into its

ministries. Carol Kulp completed the training and has joined the rest of the

LEM team. Carol had been accompanying some of the ministers on their

visits and found that experience very fulfilling. She decided to take the

training in order to fully participate in the ministry.

LEMs take communion to members who are unable to be at Calvary to

participate in the services. Each team is assigned a group of people whom

they visit every three months.

We thank these Calvary members for visiting those unable to attend

church and sharing with them the communion meal.

Muhlenberg

Community

Wed., May 15, from 2:30-7 p.m.

at Good Shepherd United Church of Christ,

170 Tuckerton Road

Be a blessing—be a donor!

Contact Calvary's church office, 610-929-9606, for more

information or to make an appointment.

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Successful Candy Sale!

The Fund Raising Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank

all our candy makers for a job well done. We would also like to thank all the

individuals who purchased our candy which helped us exceed last year’s profit.

This year our profit was $3,076.07, which is a new high. Some interesting facts:

We used: 66 lbs. of milk chocolate 54 8 oz. containers of cream cheese

65 lbs. of dark chocolate 28 42 oz. jars of peanut butter

72 lbs. of confectionary sugar

We made:

589 small boxes and 55 large boxes of candy

Fund Raising Committee

The Fund Raising Committee has established a schedule for fund raising

projects for 2013.

Plant Sale May 11

Mum Sale Sept. 28

Gift Cards Nov. & Dec.

Pot Pie Supper Nov. 16

Bread Sale Nov. 25 & 26

Cook Book Sale

Wreath Sale Dec. 2 (orders in by Nov 24)

Vacation Bible School 2013

God’s Backyard Bible Camp Under

the Stars

July 22-26

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Manor Care Service

All youth are encouraged to help with the Sunday,

May 5, worship service at Manor Care at 2:30 p.m.

We will meet at the church at 2:00 p.m. and return

by 3:30 p.m. Please sign up if you can help.

Discipleship Retreat

Our second-year catechetical students will attend an overnight Discipleship

Retreat on May 3 and 4 at Huff’s Church from 7:00 p.m. Friday to 3:00 p.m.

Saturday. Please remember our students and leaders in your prayers as they

prepare for confirmation.

Helpers Needed for Graduation Youth are asked to help assist with the Preschool graduation receptions on the

afternoon of Sunday, June 2. We need help in the kitchen, help setting food out

on tables, and help cleaning up. Please contact Joy Gerhart or Lori Christ if you

can help any time that afternoon.

Roller Skating for All Youth On Sunday, June 9, all youth are invited to go roller skating. Save the date

now! We will have more information on time, place, and cost soon!

Van Drivers Needed

Can you volunteer one day a week? The American

Cancer Society is looking for people to drive their van

to transport cancer patients to treatment. For more

information, call Barb Bieber at 610-921-2329.

Next Sandwich Sale: Saturday, May 11

Benefits the Strawberry Festival

The ladies are selling Italian, Turkey, Ham or Ham & Cheese sandwiches

for $4 each.

Order forms can be found in the rear of the church

and are also included in this newsletter. You may also

order by calling Jean Putt at 610-929-4528.

Proceeds from the sale will be given to help with

expenses for Calvary's Strawberry Festival.

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Financial Secretary Resigns

Calvary Lutheran Church regretfully has received the resignation of our

Financial Secretary Joan Raifsnider. Joan has been employed in this position by

Calvary since 1996. Calvary shall miss her guidance, support and dedication to

our church. Joan will stay on as secretary until a replacement is found for her

position.

Help Wanted

Calvary Lutheran Church is receiving applications

for a new Financial Secretary. The position entails

basic bookkeeping, which includes the maintenance of

the financial records of the contributions received

from the members of Calvary and visitors to Calvary.

The applicant must have the ability to maintain

confidentially regarding contributions that shall be recorded. Training shall be

provided. Applicants shall have a minimum of a high-school diploma, computer

and keyboard skills, ability to perform detail assignments accurately with

minimum supervision, and attend a monthly financial meeting. Applications can

be picked up in the church office or the narthex. Submit your application,

references and a resume to the church office in a sealed envelope, addressed to

the Personnel Committee.

Applications will be received through May 15.

Dutch Apple Dinner Theater Trips Our women's group has organized two trips to Dutch Apple Dinner Theater

in Lancaster. Both dates are Saturday matinees. We will carpool from the

church parking lot at approximately 10:45 a.m.

Sept. 21 - Menopause the Musical (reserve before Aug. 29)

Nov. 23 - A Christmas Carol (reserve before Oct. 30)

Payment is due with registration. Cost is $48 per person and includes meal,

show and gratuity. Please reserve in the church office. Limited number of seats

are available.

Muhlenberg Churches Food Pantry

The Pantry food distribution is always the third Thursday of the month

from 4-6 p.m.. Location is Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, at the corner of

Tuckerton and Stoudt’s Ferry Bridge Roads.

Do you know of someone—friend or neighbor—in the Muhlenberg

Township area who could use our help? No advance registration is

required—the brief enrollment process can be completed that day.

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Gather Magazine for Women

Gather, the magazine of Women of the ELCA, formerly Lutheran Women Today, offers a mix of articles, theological reflections, devotions, and stories of

comfort and challenge that help readers grow in faith and engage in ministry

and action. Gather is published 10 times a year for $15 a year. You may

subscribe today by calling 1 (800) 328-4648 or visit Gather's website at

www.gathermagazine.org

In Good Company:

Stories of Biblical Women Company’s coming! Bible study author Kay Ward, has invited nine women

from the Old Testament, several from the New Testament, and a handful of

women she knows to stop in for a visit. They will be companions with us at

Calvary, starting in the fall, long enough for us to get to know them and to also

get to know ourselves a bit better. Their stories will draw us into Bible study,

worship with the Psalms, and opportunities to tell our own stories.

There is a kick-off event for the study (featured in Gather magazine; see

story above). There are several such events throughout the country and the one

nearest us is at Reformation Lutheran Church, Perkiomen Avenue, Reading, on

Saturday, July 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The $25 fee includes lunch. Deadline

to reserve is June 30. Call Wendy in the church office for a reservation form.

We are planning to offer this Bible study in its entirety at Calvary this fall.

Mistaken Identity

Two cars waited at a stoplight. When the light turned green, the first driver

didn’t notice. The woman behind him pounded her steering wheel and yelled. When the light turned yellow, she honked, made an obscene gesture and cursed.

Hearing the commotion, the man looked up and accelerated through the intersection just as the light turned red. The woman ranted at missing her

chance to get through.

Suddenly, she heard a tap on her window and looked up to see a policeman. He told her to get out and place her hands on her car. The bewildered woman

was hustled into the patrol car, booked at the station and placed in a cell.

Eventually, the original officer returned and apologized for the mistake. “I noticed your behavior,” he said. “Then I saw the ‘Follow Me to Sunday School’

bumper sticker and the Christian fish emblem. Naturally, I assumed the car was stolen.”

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2013 Family Faith Challenges

(Brought to you by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod's

Youth, Young Adult and Family Ministry Team)

May: Lord's Prayer/Luther’s Morning and Evening Prayers

We challenge you to think about our relationship with God as we say the Lord’s

Prayer. Select a special place in your house to pray every day. Select a special time to pray every day.

April 28–May 4: Read the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer in Luther’s Small

Catechism: “For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and

forever. Amen.” This is commonly known as the doxology, which is an

“ending of praise.” Say the words of the doxology together, starting softly and

getting louder. What motions could you add to make the words meaningful to

you? Could you wave ribbons? Show your pastor, associate in ministry,

Sunday school teacher, or other church leader how you creatively interpret the

doxology with praise. (Read 1Chronicles 29:10-13 for a biblical reference.)

May 5-11: Say together the words “for the kingdom, the power, and the glory

are yours, now and forever. Amen.” The word “Amen” is more than an

ending for our prayers. It is a way to affirm what has been said by others.

Challenge each one in your family to say something positive to which

everyone can agree and say AMEN! (Example: I love the warmer weather.

Amen! We need to help feed the hungry. Amen! God is good! Amen!)

May 12-18: Read the morning blessing in Luther’s Small Catechism. Notice

that you are asked to start the prayer by making the sign of the cross. Decide

if you will kneel or stand to say the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and

Luther’s morning prayer. Finish by singing a favorite hymn or Sunday school

song. Your challenge is to follow this practice for 5 days this week. If you do

this for 7 days, celebrate by giving each other a round of high fives!

May 19-25: Read the evening blessing in Luther’s Small Catechism. Notice that

you are asked to start the prayer by making the sign of the cross. Decide if

you will kneel or stand to say the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and

Luther’s evening prayer. Finish by quickly going to sleep. Your challenge is

to follow this practice for 5 days this week. If you do this for 7 days, celebrate

by giving each other a round of fist bumps!

May 26–June 1: Read together the table blessings. Was it a surprise to see that

Luther prayed after meals too? Make placemats and write one of Luther’s

prayers on each placemat.

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Financial Update

Moving into 2013, it was approved to open a Line of Credit with our

Endowment Account. As of the end of February, we borrowed $18,000 from

this account.

Endowment Loan

As of March 31, 2013:

Borrowed $18,000

Paid Back $ 116

Loan Balance: $17,884

We are happy to report about a more positive month of March:

March’s income has exceeded expenses by $7,213.

Envelope giving for the first quarter of 2013 is up by $4,000 over last

year’s first quarter.

Easter envelopes are up $2,761 over last year.

General Fund account

Beginning Balance 1/1/13: (32,602)

Income for January 19,942

Expenses for January 27,765

Balance 1/31/13: (40,425)

Income for February 21,204

Expenses for February 30,770

Balance 2/28/13: (49,991)

Income for March 33,670

Expenses for March 26,457

Balance 3/31/13 (42,779)

Pentecost Passion

Nineteenth-century evangelist Dwight L. Moody was

walking down a New York City street, thinking about a sentence he’d heard: “The world has yet to see what God

can do with a man who is wholly yielded to him.”

Suddenly Moody felt a great yearning and cried out, “O God, make me that man!” He was so overwhelmed with God’s love and with heartfelt passion to

reach lost people that he had to stop at a friend’s house to rest.

In Birth of the Body, Ray Stedman says this is what Luke is talking about

when he describes the events of Pentecost. “When John the Baptist predicted

that Jesus would come and baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire, he meant that there would be an unexplainable passion about the church.”

As we feel the Pentecost passion, let’s yield ourselves wholly to God and see what he does with us!

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Council Highlights March 2013

Christian Education – During the March meeting the committee discussed the

First Holy Communion class participants, Catechetical statistics, and

plans for the Palm Sunday Walk through of Holy Week.

Finance Committee

Council approved changing our insurance carrier from GuideOne to

Mercer Insurance Co. The premium savings for this change is $1,701

along with an increase in coverage.

We are asking committees to submit a form to indicate where monies

are to be allocated if they are listed in the “other” section of the deposit

sheet. We are requiring this to eliminate misappropriation of church

and committee monies.

Outreach

Major project over the past few months has been the photo directory.

Discussed the Sunday Night Movie Nights.

The committee will start planning the Strawberry Festival (June 1) and

Celebrant Singers (June 28).

Property

Council approved the recommendation to install emergency lighting in

the nave above the doors to the dimmer closet in the amount of $980.

Working on location of all breaker panels and updating listing.

Social Ministry

Working on the Malaria Campaign to begin on Easter weekend.

Will be contacting Berks Women In Crisis to see when Calvary can

provide a meal or the items to make a meal.

Some of the coming events:

May 5 - Manor Care (Laureldale) church service 2:30

July 17 & 18 – Muhlenberg Food Pantry

August 4 – Manor Care (Laureldale) church service 2:30

September 29 – Meal at Opportunity House

Stewardship

Reviewed the recent Consecration Weekend and discussed any changes

or additions for next year.

Currently Working on the Time and Abilities sheets.

Worship and Music

During the month of March this committee was working on various

worship services for the Lenten and Easter season.

Youth Ministry

The Council Highlights for February were incorrectly worded. It

should have read - "Possible activities for the summer months:

Reading Phillies ballgame, swim party, bowling, billiards, Hawk

Mountain hike, French Creek to play Frisbee golf."

Cody Fritz will host a swim party; date to follow

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by Joy Gerhart

Sometimes you just need a little reassurance. Sometimes you just need a

little energy or spirit. Jesus appeared to the disciples after his resurrection and

then told them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

What kept the disciples going? The sheer joy of seeing Jesus alive again?

The fellowship they had with each other? The promises Jesus made to them?

The mandate that Jesus gave them to share the gospel with all nations?

We live in the post-Pentecost world where God’s promised Spirit has come

and God’s promises have been written down and printed for us to read. We can

pray for God’s Spirit to fill us. We can pray for inspiration through our Bible

reading. We also have fellowship with other disciples, and we have the

mandate to share God’s gospel with the world.

I thought it might be fun to share some of my favorite most “reassuring”

Bible verses with you because sometimes that’s what we need to make it

through the day and do what God calls us to do. I would be interested to hear

what your top five or 10 passages are—or just your favorite one.

1. Matthew 28:20 I am with you always until the end of the age.

2. John 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that

whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

3. John 11:25-26 Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, though they die, will live, and everyone who lives

and believes in me will never die.

4. Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. But even the hairs of your head are

all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many

sparrows. (Compare this to Matthew 6:26—the lilies of the field

passage in the Sermon on the Mount.)

5. Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy

burdens, and I will give you rest.

When you need reassurance, the Book of Faith is a good place to go.

“I remember my mother’s prayers, and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” —Abraham Lincoln

“Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.” —Oprah

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The Catechism Corner

A continuing series for the Calvary newsletter.

by Pastor Thomas F. Irwin Jr.

“Lord, Keep us Steadfast”

For Luther, the will of God is that we would be strengthened and kept

steadfast in God’s word and in faith. This is a bold confession for a citizen of

the Middle Ages with plagues, poverty and wars being credited to a judgmental

God. NO, says Luther. God is here to help – Immanuel is here to save!

So we too pray that the will of God may also come among us…

The Lord’s Prayer (see Matthew 6:1-34 and Luke 11:1-13)

THE THIRD PETITION: “Your will be done on earth as in heaven.”

What does this mean?

“In fact, God's good and gracious will comes about without our prayer,

but we ask in this prayer that it may also come about in and among us.”

How does this come about?

“Whenever God breaks and hinders every evil scheme and will—as are

present in the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh—that would not

allow us to hallow God's name and would prevent the coming of his

kingdom, and instead whenever God strengthens us and keeps us

steadfast in his word and in faith until the end of our lives. This is

God's gracious and good will.”

In the Mailbag…

Dear Calvary,

Thank you so very much for you generous donation from your Joyful Noise

offering. We are touched by your decision to remember Camp Dragonfly—

thank you. This is our 19th year of helping children cope with the loss of loved

ones. Your donation will assist us in our efforts. Many blessings to your

congregation.

Camp Dragonfly staff

Dear Calvary Members,

On behalf of the School Board and administration of Muhlenberg School

District, thank you for your church's donation of facial tissues and sanitary

wipes for the Elementary Center classrooms and health rooms. Thank you for

this generous donation.

Theresa Haught, Superintendant

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Happy birthday to our confirmed members who will celebrate birthdays

this month. Please keep them in your prayers. Call the office if you discover

omissions or errors so corrections can be made.

David Drumheller 5-1 Margaret Tobias 5-17 Gary Rismiller 5-1 William Gantz 5-17 Carol Kulp 5-1 Cody Fritz 5-18 Kathleen Bowers 5-1 Jason Sanders 5-18 Leonard Rauenzahn 5-2 Raymond Mergner 5-19 Betty Lerch 5-3 Susan Fies 5-20 Scarlet Schmittinger 5-3 Todd Rothenberger 5-20 Chester Mercer 5-5 Sandra Painter 5-21 Sandra Mills 5-5 Sandra Gerhard 5-22 Phyllis Young 5-7 Dennis Conrad 5-23 Bonnie DeTurck 5-8 Mildred Lesher 5-23 Ruth Deibert 5-9 William Coombe 5-24 Patricia Selig 5-10 Courtney Christ 5-25 Fern Brown 5-11 Randall Kissinger 5-26 Tracey Readinger 5-11 Kathleen Kercher 5-26 Jeremy S. Smith 5-12 Beth Wentzel 5-26 Dennis Wagner 5-13 Barbara Bollinger 5-27 Edwin Weaver 5-13 Mildred Reider 5-27 Dean Raifsnider 5-14 Betty Fritz 5-27 John Corbit 5-15 Vicky Klopp 5-28 John Frantz 5-16 Michael Cirulli 5-28 Cristina Yeager 5-16 Elaine Kauffman 5-28 Jessica Reiniger 5-17 Sharon Mergner 5-29 Lyndell Reese 5-29

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