Inner Nature: Feats of strength

By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times As the weather warms, we watch bees collecting and hauling fat baskets of pollen back to their hives. Bumblebees, with their improbably large bodies hover on whirring, buzzing wings that seem barely adequate to the purpose of elevating, never mind transporting their bulk. Ants swarm kitchen counters and picnics and carry away remarkably large portions of bounty...

Hundreds turn out to support LaMancha

Benefit for animal rescue draws more than 400 supporters By Lauren Parker-Gill, News Editor, The Times Stephanie Leister and her dog Paisley, who was adopted from LaMancha Animal Rescue, participated in the Critter Crawl 5K at Hibernia Park last week. COATESVILLE – Hundreds of people turned out on a beautiful, sunny morning for LaMancha Animal Rescue’s Critter Crawl 5K race and 1-mile walk/run,...

Sundance Sanctuary: a fight to protect older animals

Man struggles to protect animals discarded by others, but funds limit options By Vidya Rajan, Special to The Times John Ritzel, who operates the Sundance Santcuary in Newlin, flanked by Coollama (left) and Lillie (right), just two of the abused or older animals Ritzel fights to give a quality life. NEWLIN — John Ritzel and his donkey, Dinkster, were enjoying a cuddle when I arrived. John has a visible...

Unionville teen reaps what she sews for abused animals

Pocopson pillow business has Patton student making a difference in the community By Jessica Chermack, Staff Writer, UnionvilleTimes.com Pocopson's Sara Hunt created "Pillows for Pets," sewing pillows and other items to raise money to help animals in shelters. Photos by Jessica Chermack. POCOPSON — Sara Hunt’s goal was to merge two of her passions – helping abused animals and sewing...