Looking Back , Looking Ahead LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.) New Year’s is traditionally a day to reflect on the events of the past year and set resolutions for the upcoming year. The good and the bad are left behind and the New Year greeted with ex pectation and some uncertainty. Some years are better than others, and some offer more po tential. No one knows exactly what the year 2001 holds, despite the best laid plans. For some, the new year may bring unexpected pleasure and for others unwarranted pain. Several of the people we pro filed in the past, share their high lights from the year 2000, its frustrations, and expectations for the future. Bob Loy Remember Bob Loy? He or ganized a fundraiser that gar nered more than $lO,OOO for can cer research. The story of the Loy family and the on-the-farm fund raiser in Schuylkill County ap peared in the Sept. 23 issue of this paper. Loy’s upbeat philosophy in battling bladder and prostrate cancer is remarkable. He sees every day as an opportunity to do something for someone else and has spread happiness into many corners. But those happy molecules Loy was counting on to destroy the cancer within haven’t been as successful as he hoped. In up coming weeks Loy is lined up for 30 radiation treatments and on going hormone treatment to aid •n his personal battle against the disease. Nonetheless, Loy said that he plans to continue his positive outlook by facing one day at a time. “I don’t look too far into the future, but this past year the For many years, Betty Light, Lebanon, has faithfully sent in recipes and creative craft ideas. In recent months, many readers have asked why they no longer see her name in print. According to a relative, Betty is in nursing care and no longer able to write but loves to re ceive mail. Write to Betty Light at 1785 Quarry Rd., Leba- highlights were the fundraiser and my daughter’s wedding,” he said. Peg Kreider Some troubles can’t be avoid ed, but Peg Kreider and husband Rick seemingly volunteered for the challenges they faced recent ly. In June, the Kreiders added a special-needs baby to their family of three natural-bom and two adopted children. The Kreiders have also served as foster parents to more than 20 children during the past 12 years. “But it has always been in my heart to reach out to a special needs baby,” Peg said. Born four months premature, the little girl celebrated her first birthday the day after Christmas. The medically needy child is on oxygen full time, attached to a heart monitor, needs eye surgery to prevent blindness, and battles constant ear infections and many other illnesses. She cannot sit up unattended and her intellectual prognosis is uncertain. “But all the children love her to pieces,” Peg said. “She is so happy when she’s feeling well that it compensates for all those sleepless nights we face in caring for her.” The biggest challenge Peg sees looming ahead is teaching their soon-to-be 16-year-old daughter to drive. Betty Light For years, Betty Light, Leba non, has consistently sent recipes to Lancaster Farming to be pub lished on the pages of “Home On The Range” and “Cook’s Ques tion Corner.” But for the past several months, not a word has been received from Betty. Many readers have inquired about her. According to a relative, Betty has been confined to nursing care. However, she would enjoy mail. If you are a reader who has benefited from one of Betty’s rec ipes or from one of her crafty ideas, send her a card at 1785 Quarry Rd., Lebanon, PA 17046. Kraft Family Keeping everyone out of the hospital is the goal Mary Jo Kraft would like to see in 2001. A week before Christmas, her husband George fell off a ladder. He hasn’t been able to work and continues hospital testing to de termine internal injuries. Adding to that, his mother was hospitalized with a life-threaten ing illness, and the family spent days and nights of Christmas week by her hospital bedside. George’s dad had died on a previous Christmas Eve, making the family a bit jittery about the state of events. On the whole, the year had been an exciting one for the Kraft family. Daughter Rijelle was named Pennsylvania Poultry Ambassador, National 4-H Con gress representative for the state, a 4-H exchangee to Colorado, a national merit scholar, and at tained numerous other achievements. “I’m really excited about being accepted at Virginia Tech,” Ri jelle said of her college choice. Rijelle and her mom present embryology projects at York County schools. “One of the year’s highlights was seeing an increase in schools’ embryology projects,” said Mary Jo, the 4-H assistant for York County. Another great success was the Fresh From The Farm Camp conducted by the York County Extension. The camp is open to nonfarm youth to spend three days and nights in a farm envi ronment where they are assigned chores and visit several types of farms. On the final day, students par ticipate in a Jeopardy-like pro gram to determine how much knowledge they have gained in understanding the farm to the table concept. “I want to continue working with the nonfarming community to teach them the importance of agriculture in life,” Mary Jo said. “Farm safety is another sub ject of critical importance to me. I have lost several (4-H) kids to tractor rolls and I don’t want to lose anymore. They are near and dear to my heart,” Mary Jo said. Renee Blatt After a year of achievement, Christmas Eve brought a devas tating loss to Pennsylvania Honey Queen Renee Blatt. The farmhouse of the family farm that had been in her family for more than 100 years was heavily damaged by fire. Renee said that she and her brother were just finishing dairy ing chores when they noticed (Turn to Page B 7) Bob Loy organized a cancer research fundraiser on the farm. In facing an ongoing battle against cancer, Loy maintains a positive attitude by living one day at a time. Pennsylvania Honey Queen Renee Blatt will com pete for the national crown Jan. 15. Although successful in so many endeavors, Renee said dealing with so many events in life over which she has no control has been dif ficult since she is a highly organized person.
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