By: TIFFANY WOODALL Review Staff twoodall.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

A PPL worker inspects the power lines connected to the row home during Friday's Main Street blaze. (Photo by Deana Reider)

Flames engulfed the middle unit of a three-unit row home building Friday morning at 115 W. Main St., Ephrata.

According to Chief Allen Pettyjohn, Pioneer Fire Company was dispatched at 7:59 a.m. July 20 to battle the blaze. One man, resident Derek Fritz, 56, was transported to Ephrata Community Hospital for smoke inhalation and later released.

"It was pretty much knocked down in about 20 minutes," said Pettyjohn. "We marked it as under control and we knew it was out for sure at 8:43 a.m."

Pettyjohn said the units on either side also suffered smoke damage; one of them, 117 W. Main, is the office of Attorney A. Anthony Kilkuskie.

"When we got there, the front was fully engulfed," said Pettyjohn. "Fire was coming out of the downstairs living room window, and then that had caught the porch roof on fire."

The cause of the fire is unknown, he said, and the incident is under investigation.

Connie High is the winner of our monthly "It’s All About You" photo contest. The image of grandchildren celebrating a Fourth of July picnic captured the collective eye of the judges. Check out High’s photo and all of the great summer pictures submitted by our readers in this week’s B-section.

Our August theme is "vacation photos." Start sending those in now, identified for the August It’s All About You, to Andy Fasnacht at afasnacht.eph@lnpnews.com. They can also be dropped off at our Ephrata office or mailed to P.O. Box 527, Ephrata, PA 17522.

Deadline for the next round of photos is Aug. 21, for publication in the Aug. 29 edition.

When submitting photos, please include all necessary identifications and your contact information (in case we have any questions). Submitted information should include names of those in the photos, your local connection, where and when the photos were taken, and identity of the photographer. You may submit multiple photos, but the number of photos published will depend on available space. More ALL ABOUT YOU, page A17 ? Regina Dvorshak, West Brandywine, $25 gift certificate from Second Street Thrift Store.

By: JACQUELINE WATSON Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

Thanks to the Fresh Air Fund, Donye Hardy (front right) is spending his sixth summer with Dwayne and Sharon Hoover and their sons Dustin and Deric. (Photo by Jacqueline Watson)

Although the Fresh Air Fund refers to them as a host family, it is doubtful that Dwayne and Sharon Hoover would refer to their Fresh Air Fund visitor, 11-year-old Donye Hardy, as a houseguest. With this being the sixth summer Donye has visited the Hoovers, he is more like family.

Reverend Willard Parsons of Pennsylvania implemented his plan for the Fresh Air Fund in 1877. Over the years, it has grown into the organization it is today with over 9,000 students annually participating in their numerous programs throughout thirteen states and two countries. These programs include Fresh Air Fund camps, educational programs, and visits to volunteer families who open their homes to the children. Depending on the prior agreement of the children and the host family with the Fresh Air Fund, these visits can last anywhere from two weeks to the majority of the summer.

By: ROSALBA UGLIUZZA Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

Aidan, Beth, Matt and Kieran White (left to right) eagerly await the time when their Latvian host child, Einars, becomes a real part of their family. (Photo by Rosalba Ugliuzza)

Being a parent with special needs kids means that no two days are ever alike, but Ephrata High School social studies teacher Matt White says it’s the ultimate gift.

"No matter how good of a job you did at work. No matter how bad of a job you did at work. These two are always there at the door with the biggest smiles on their face, ‘Daddy, daddy, daddy!’" said Matt, referring to his adoptive sons 11-year-old Aidan and five-year-old Kieran. "It kind of makes you forget about the real world. It’s really nice. I look forward to those two hugs more than anything every day."

Matt and his wife Beth have always wanted to provide stable, loving home for orphaned children with special needs. A month ago, they welcomed its newest member with open arms. This summer, the couple has been hosting a child from the Baltic country of Latvia named Einars in their Lancaster home.

By: MICHELLE REIFF Review Staff mreiff.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Jeff Usner spent quite a bit of time with the group from Habitat for Safe Seniors, to whom he presented a check for $80,000. (Photo courtesy of ABC)

It’s no secret. Ephrata High School class of 1992 graduate Jeff Usner is a millionaire.

Much of the country watched his heart-warming, soul-searching story of generosity on ABC last week as he left his family in San Antonio, Texas, for days and went undercover as a volunteer in an impoverished area 30 minutes away. In the end, he surprised three charities with substantial monetary contributions as tears filled the eyes of the donator, recipients and those watching on their screens at home.

But what "Secret Millionaire" viewers may not know is that Usner is not the typical successful entrepenuer and TV star. The Internet marketing businessman, high school basketball player, husband and father is actually a very private person who, if one didn’t know him, would never know he was a millionaire.

"We drive beat up cars, we don’t dress in the nicest clothing," said Usner of his family.

By: GARY P. KLINGER Ephrata Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

A representative of the Whitaker Center teaches kids about the states of matter at the Ephrata Public Library on July 17. Free programs like this one are one of the many things the library is able to offer, thanks to funding at the state and county level -- as well as their own fund-raising efforts. (Photo by Preston Whitcraft)

Organizations everywhere continue to face the daunting challenge of funding much needed programs in the face of a continually shrinking revenue stream. From school districts to local municipalities, from charitable organizations to the local library, less funding from the state and federal level means that leaders must stretch what money they do have even further. And, while the economic picture has meant less government funding, it has also created a situation where overall charitable donations are down.

The Ephrata Public Library is certainly not alone in this regard. But in the face of growing financial challenges, library leaders tried a creative approach to making ends meet.

Sawyer Martin of Adamstown gets set to come out of the blocks during the Division One Meet this past Saturday. Martin earned two event wins on the day. (Photo by Mark Haines)

Adamstown, East Cocalico and Ephrata both delivered this past Saturday at their respective sites for the annual Divisional Swimming Championships.

At the Division One Championships held at Adamstown pool, the host team collected 17 event wins to accumulate 638.5 team points to place a respectable third in the overall standings. Overlook staked claim to the overall team title with 811.5 points, while Woodridge was second with a team score of 740.5 points.

Meanwhile at the Division Two Championships hosted by East Petersburg, Ephrata earned seven titles on the day to finish second overall with 486 points. The Tidal Waves finished behind overall champion East Pete (536), and edged out last year’s champion Mountville (485), which placed one point behind Ephrata.

East Cocalico hosted Division Three and made a big splash there, winning eight events to finish third (505 points) behind only New Holland (569) and Lititz Springs (552.5). Denver placed sixth with a score of 229.

By: BRUCE MORGAN Review Staff bmorgan.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Ephrata third baseman Adam Horst (left) tries to tag out Michael Perezous of Lititz on a throw from the outfield. Perezous was ruled safe on the play. (Photo by Stan Hall)

Through their first 17 games this season, the Lititz Odd Fellows used just one player in the third spot of the batting order.

Ben Keyser.

But on Monday night, with Keyser traveling and unavailable for the Lititz Odd Fellows’ playoff game against the Ephrata Bandits, Drew Keller stepped into the three hole.

It proved to be a seamless transition, as Keller went 3-for-4 with three doubles, and the Odd Fellows, who placed seventh in the School League standings, pounded out a season-high 19 hits en route to defeating Community League champ Ephrata Bandits, 13-4 in a New Era Midget Tournament play-in game at Ephrata’s War Memorial Field.

Cleanup hitter Robert Gerofsky added a 3-for-3 effort at the plate with four RBI’s and two runs scored to help lead the way in the middle of the order.

The Ephrata Pride (13-3-1) baseball team locked up the second seed in the upcoming New Era Midget Tournament, finishing the regular season with an 11-0 win over Cocalico on Thursday night and a 4-2 win over Hempfield on Saturday.

Anthony Embiscuso led the way against Cocalico with three RBI, and Seth Griffith (4-0) got the win in the completion of a suspended game. On Saturday, Jared Martin knocked in a pair of runs while Nate Lapp, Anthony Embiscuso, and Andre Good had two hits apiece as the Pride scored four runs in the second and held on from there.

Brandon Smith (5-1) went the distance, and was helped by several clutch defensive plays by second baseman Ryan Lefever.

The Pride will open New Era Tournament play Friday night, 5:15 p.m. at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster where they’ll face the Lititz Oddfellows.