BiB-Lancasier Farming, Saturday, May 11, 1996
Family Transforms Tragedy Into Hope For Others
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
MYERSTOWN (Lebanon Co.)
The death of Renee Layser was
a horrible tragedy. The senseless
murder .could have left family
members bitter and angry forever.
Instead, the family strives to turn
their tragic loss into something
positive.
On the evening of May 2, a
memorial dinner was held for
Renee in which more than
$104,000 was raised for the Bre
thren Disaster Relief Fund.
Renee was 19 years old and six
months pregnant when she was
murdered by a former boyfriend.
Renee had graduated from East
ern Lebanon County High School
in 1992 and was employed as a
bank teller for Lebanon Valley
National Bank and as a Longaber
gcr Basket consultant.
People who knew and loved
Renee said that she had a pleasant
smile and a friendly personality.
She was known as a thoughtful
young woman who took time to
help others.
Her death shocked Lebanon
countians where she grew up.
Many expressed outrage that the
murderer could not receive the
death penalty because at that time,
for a case to receive a death penal
ty, the list of aggravating circum
stances required that more than
one person be killed. An unborn
child was not considered a person.
Renee’s case caused Sen. Chip
Brightbill to introduce legislature
Taking
Time
by
Rebecca
Escott
Tackling
Transportation Expenses
If your family expenses this
month are out of balance because
of increased transportation costs,
you’re not alone! For some reason
(hotly debated in the media and
government), gasoline prices have
spiked recently. Families with
teen-age drivers, retirees who love
to travel, and employees with long
commutes have suddenly found
their wallets emptying faster than
usual when they stop by the gas
pump.
What can consumers do? Two
things—conserve fuel and reduce
overall transportation expenses
and speak out about your dissatis
faction and concerns.
First, all families can stretch
their transportation resources.
Make sure that you check your tire
pressure on all your vehicles at
least once a month. You can save
up to $lOO a year on gas by keep
ing your engine tuned and tires in
flated properly, underinflated tires
can rob drivers of one mile a gal
lon of gas consumed. The Earth
Works Group, a conservation
group, reports the 50-80 percent of
tires in the United States are un
derinflated. Properly inflated tires
also wear longer. This means you
get more tor the money you spent
on them.
Secondly, practice gentle driv
ing. Energy consumption studies
show that slow starts and gradual
stops as well as overall reduced
speeds of travel save on fuel con-
that changed the laws. Now killing
a pregnant woman would result in
a death sentence.
But Renee’s parents, John and
Nancy Layser, and grandparents
Carl and Margaret Wenger, said
that as practicing Brethren who
stress non-violence. They do not
believe it is right to take a life for
whatever reason.
"We miss Renee. We think of
her every day,” said Rose Walmer.
an aunt and spokesperson for the
family. “He made a horrible mis
take that ruined his life and his
family’s, and left an emptiness in
our life. But anger and bitterness
won’t change that”
The accused is sentenced to life
imprisonment for the crime that he
committed on August 13, 1994.
The family said that they trea
sure all the joy and love that Renee
brought into their lives.
“She and her baby are with the
Lord. What better place to be?
That’s what we dwell on,” Walmer
said.
Renee’s death prompted her
grandfather Carl Wenger who
founded Wengers of Myerstown, a
construction and agriculture
equipment facility, to establish
The Wenger Foundation, Inc.,
which helped fund the memorial
dinner. A percentage of the Wen
ger business profits will continue
to fund the ongoing foundation,
which will provide for education
al, religious, and community
projects.
sumption. Driving more patiently
may also reduce the stress that a
rushed, pressuring lifestyle cre
ates.
In addition to driving gently,
consumers can save fuel by cut
ting down on the times they leave
their cars idling. Allowing a car to
idle any longer than one minute
consumes jnorc fuel than if the
driver shut it off and started it
again whe she was ready to drive.
Plan your errands and chauf
feuring. Cut down on at least one ■
car trip each week. When possi
ble, now that the weather is plea
sant and it stays lighter later in the
evening, walk or ride a bike in
stead of driving your car on a short
trip. The average family can save
$74 per year by making one less
trip per week in the car.
Families can also lower their
overall transportation costs by
evaluating their current auto insur
ance policies. A survey done by a
personal finance magazine several
years ago found that auto insur
ance prices offered by different in
surance companies to people who
live in the same area, have the
same accident history and drive
the same type of automobile can
vary by as much as 100 percent! It
pays to comparison shop. So when
it’s time to renew your auto insur
ance, take some time to get three
or four estimates. Select the most
cost-effective one. That doesn’t
necessarily mean (he lowest cost.
It means selecting the least expen
sive policy for the best coverage.
Donna Derr, director of Disaster and Refugee Programs, expressed gratefulness
for the money raised at the memorial dinner for the Brethren Diasaster Relief Fund.
Numerous Items such as quilts and Longaberger baskets were auctioned at the din
ner. More than $104,000 was raised.
More than 800 people attended
the memorial, cosponsored by the
Wenger family (grandparents of
Renee) and Mr. and Mrs. Melvin
Burkholder, owners of Dutch Val
ley Food Distributors and chair
persons for the Brethren Relief
Auction.
Held at Lebanon Valley Exposi
tion Center at the Lebanon Area
Both aspects need to be consid
ered.
While you're contacting your
insurance agent, ask what finan
cial savings you could achieve by
raising your collision deductible
to at least $5OO. For individuals
who own older vehicles, you may
want to drop your collision cover
age (and put .the savings in the
bank) because the blue book value
on older cars often does not justify
the premium expense.
And finally, to decrease trans
portation expenses, make fuel cfi
ficiency a high priority the next
time you purchase a car.
In addition to practicing wise
energy conservation, this may be a
good time to try out that under
used consumer voice of yours.
Find out as much information as
possible. Ask questions of your lo
cal gas station manager, congress
men. Listen to informed discus
sions of the issue. Then pick up
your phone, pen, or turn on your
computer and contact your
government representatives. Ex
press your frustration and concern
with the skyrocketing prices. Pro
vide them with a few specifics like
how your expenses have increased
from two months ago or chart lo
cal stations prices. Perhaps com
ment on things such as how in
creases in these prices will affect
your families travel (and purcha
sing) plans or how it has eaten into
your family’s take-home wages.
In an issue such as this one,
there are always mixed messages
and differing explanations. Every
consumer needs to express his or
her opinion about what these costs
mean. Let all the involved parties
know how the changes affect you
and what ACTION you are taking
(for example, deliberating cutting
down on fuel consumption, choos
ing not to patronize a business,
etc.).
Tackling the family transporta
tion budget head on and making
changes can save substantial mon
ey.
Fairgrounds, the entertainment at
the dinner was provided by south
ern gospel musicians The Anchor
men and Kirk Talley, and by ven
triloquist Geraldine and Rickey.
All money raised through indi
vidual tickets, which sold for $lOO
each, and through the auction of
several quilts. Longaberger
baskets, and other items went to
Water Quality Workshop
SCRANTON (Lackawanna
Co.) Did you know the quality
of spring water can be affected by
changes in temperature, rainfall,
and runoff? Bacteria and nitrate
levels can change over a short per
iod of time.
Water testing is the only way to
ensure that wells and springs are
safe. Dangerous contaminants
such as lead, nitrate, radon, and
Rhubarb Fest
To Be Held
May 18
The annual Rhubarb Fest will be held on May 18 at Kitchen Kettle
Village in Intercourse. The Fest is a culinary experience extraodinaire.
Plus there is a great roster of rhubarb-inspired festivities from the
World’s Only Rhubarb Car Derby (mini dragsters are made or rhubarb
stalks and electronically timed for the fastest finish) to the Best Rhu
barb Pie contest, rhubarb Pie Throw, Quilting Beed, and Rhubarb
Arcade of Games.
It’s a family affair that offers something to see, taste, and do as
long as it involves Rhubarb!
For a free copy of the Kitchen Kettle Village Festivals Brochure,
call 1 800-717-6198.
RHUBARB MAPLE MUFFINS
VA cups diced rhubarb
2!4cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
'A teaspoon allspice
'A cup maple syrup
A cup milk
'/> cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
'A teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons margarine
1 egg
Combine rhubarb and sugar. Let stand one hour. Combine flour,
salt, baking powder, allspice, and cinnamon. Cream margarine, syrup
and egg. Blend in the milk. Mix rhubarb and dry ingredients, mixing
only until combined. Spoon into 12 muffin tins lined with muffin pap
ers. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
the relief fund. The fund will be
used to enable families to rebuild
their homes and lives after a natur
al disaster.
“Our family shares a rich herit
age in the Brethren faith and we
have long been ardent supporters
of the Brethren Disaster Relief
Fund,” Wenger said of the fami
ly’s decision to support the fund.
organic chemicals cannot be
detected by taste or smell.
Penn State; Cooperative Exten
sion of Lackawanna County will
hold a Safe Drinking Water Clinic
on Saturday, May 18, from 2:30
p.m. to S p.m. Reduced water test
ing rates will be offered. For more
information or to register for the
free workshop, call the Extension
office at (717) 963-4761.