I have a story...

Recently the following note was found in a safe deposit box at the Fulton Bank. I believe it was placed there by Sally Kennedy Stauffer.

The jewelry in this box was made from stain glass windows from the Leola United Methodist Church. The project was known as "Operation Re-cycle". It was headed by Mr. & Mrs. Donald Gehr and a group of church people worked on the project in the years 1974 and 1975, when the project was terminated. The stain glass was removed from the window sash, cleaned, cut and polished. The stones were then glued into findings (rings, necklaces, pins, ear rings, etc.). The project realized almost $7,000. It paid to completely furnish the church parlor, panel the upstairs adult class and redo the Pastor's study.

The Stones in this box were placed in the bank safety deposit box on Friday evening, January 30, 1976.

During 1974-75, a group of members of our church worked every Monday night and Wednesday morning in the basement of our parsonage on Blaine Ave. Rev. Whitby was the pastor at that time.

The stained glass window we used was removed during the remodeling of the sanctuary the year before. Nelda and Arthur Shoemaker from Lancaster Moravian Church had overseen a similar operation the year before at the Moravian Church. Being best friends of ours, they taught us how to proceed.

Some of our group of approximately 20, some that I remember are Midge and Ed Lilly, Dal Kendt, Charlie and Kay Coon, Marian and Don Keneagy, Jay Plank and wife, Sally Stauffer, Pat and George Robinson, and more that now slip my mind and some are no longer with us.

We had a wonderful time and it was a dedicated group of craft people. Jewelry sales were held about 3 times a year in Fellowship hall. We netted between $7,000 and $10,000 dollars.

I am now requesting everyone and all to search out remaining pieces in your possession or your parent's jewelry boxes. We would like to display these pieces of history. Please tag each piece and bring your collection to Don and Shirley Gehr by January 25th, 2011.

Thank You,

Don and Shirley Gehr

Originally published in the January 2011 church newsletter