By: ANDY FASNACHT Review Editor afasnacht.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Ephrata Borough Manager Bob Thompson reported last week that a draft budget, delivered to council earlier this month, does not include a tax increase for 2013.

He also announced that there will be no increases in electric, water, sewer, refuse or recycling rates.

"The borough has managed to hold costs to a minimum at a time when revenues are stagnate in order to benefit our customers during these difficult economic times," Thompson said.

As indicated in last week’s Review, the proposed General Fund budget expenses do exceed revenues by about $35,000. However, as stated in that article, an amended policy to increase the transfer from the Electric Fund to the General fund from 7.75 percent to 10 percent may be used to balance this discrepancy. The amendment gives the borough the flexibility it needs to address budget issues as they arise. The actual amount transferred in 2012 was $1.414 million.

Thompson pointed out that the amount for 2013 has not yet been determined, however he said he expects that range will be between that 7.75 and 10 percent range. In actual dollars, that would translate to $1.379 to $1.78 million.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a favorite fall photo for our next "It’s All About You" photo album. Look for your pictures in next week’s Ephrata Review.

And start getting ready for our December pages. The theme is Holiday Traditions.

Send your high-resolution jpegs to Andy Fasnacht at afasnacht.eph@LNPnews.com. Photos can also be dropped off at our Ephrata office or mailed to P.O. Box 527, Ephrata, PA 17522.

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.

Please limit the number of submitted photos to three.

The monthly winner of the photo contest receives a $25 gift certificate to a local restaurant.

Because of the popularity of the "It’s All About You" monthly photo contests, The Ephrata Review is already gearing up themes for 2013.

Please check your hometown paper weekly for more information on what’s to come in 2013.

By: BETH KACHEL Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

Jo Burkholder donated 60 percent of her liver to her second cousin, Clyde Brown, and she says she wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Clyde Brown, 64, is a survivor.

The lifelong local resident and retired Ephrata policeman has lived through not one, but two liver transplants in his fight against Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, or PSC.

Nearly a year since the second transplant surgery, Brown’s outlook is upbeat. His blood work numbers are excellent and he feels strong.

"I’m back now," he said with pride, speaking of his regular workouts at Planet Fitness. "I’m doing, I think, just about every machine. I’m back at the same weights that I was before the first surgery."

With his stamina improving, Brown is hiking the woods in preparation for deer season. But now his hunting gear includes two new items: an N95 ventilation mask and gloves to protect his depleted immune system.

Come winter, he plans to head south to Florida with his wife, Linda. Only this year, he’ll be extra careful to lather on sun block and cover up with light weight UV protected clothing to protect his new organ.

Marlin and Jean Kreider

Marlin and Jean Kreider celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary recently at a drop-in party at Muhlenberg Dining Room at Luther Acres, where they reside.

The couple was married Nov. 7, 1942 at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, where they are members.

They are the parents of Janis, wife of Martin Swartz, Brownstown; Barry, husband of Gloria, Ephrata; and Sherry, wife of Brian Gilchrest, Pittsburgh. They have seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A metallurgical engineer, Marlin retired from Case New Holland in 1985. Mrs. Kreider, the former Jean Rudy, is retired from the Ephrata School District where she served as a cafeteria staff worker. More KREIDERS, page A6

The Lancaster County Community Foundation announces the Extraordinary Give, a 24-hour online giving marathon coming to Lancaster Nov. 30 from midnight to 11:59 p.m. On that day, individuals will be able to visit ExtraGive.org from a computer, smart phone or tablet device, choose from nearly 200 local organizations and make an online donation. Every donation on that day will be stretched with a $250,000 contribution from the Lancaster County Community Foundation plus $50,000 in additional prizes.

The goal of the Extraordinary Give is to inspire "extra" giving and support for the 190 registered community benefit (nonprofit) organizations that serve Lancaster County. The Community Foundation strengthens the local community benefit sector and helps people support causes they care about. The Extraordinary Give offers each organization the chance to raise additional dollars and receive a percentage of the total "stretch pool." For example: if an organization receives 3 percent of the total donations raised Nov. 30, that organization will receive 3 percent of the stretch pool.

Inspired by a nationwide philanthropic trend in online "give days," event participation was open to any registered charitable organization that serves Lancaster County. Participating organizations include a wide range of causes across the county including nonprofits that support education, basic needs, health care, the environment, agriculture, youth, animals, community development and the arts.

Cocalico High School students make preparations for the spaghetti dinner and musical set for March 17. Shown are (left to right, front row) Alec Sensenig, Alyssa Gantert and Ryan Monteleone; (back, l-r) Nathan Artz, Kathleen Lawver and Dan Bucolo.

DateOpponentTime

Dec. 10@ Manheim Central8 p.m.

Dec. 12@ Exeter7:30 p.m.

Dec. 14@ McCaskey8 p.m.

Dec. 17Penn Manor7:30 p.m.

Dec. 19@ Manheim Township8 p.m.

Dec. 21Solanco7:30 p.m.

Dec. 22Palmyra7 p.m.

Dec. 27Ephrata TourneyTBA

Dec. 28Ephrata TourneyTBA

Jan. 2@ Elizabethtown8 p.m.

Jan. 4@ Conestoga Valley8 p.m.

Jan. 7@ Cocalico8 p.m.

Jan. 9Lebanon7:30 p.m.

Jan. 11Cedar Crest7:30 p.m.

Jan. 15@ Hempfield8 p.m.

Jan. 18Warwick6:30 p.m.

Jan. 22@ Solanco8 p.m.

Jan. 24Elizabethtown7:30 p.m.

Jan. 26@ Dover1:30 p.m.

Jan. 29Conestoga Valley7:30 p.m.

Feb. 1Cocalico7:30 p.m.

Feb. 5@ Lebanon7:30 p.m. DateOpponentTime

Dec. 7@ Fleetwood Tourney6 p.m.

Dec. 8@ Fleetwood TourneyTBA

Dec. 12@ Exeter6 p.m.

Dec. 14McCaskey7:30 p.m.

Dec. 17@ Penn Manor8 p.m.

Dec. 19Manheim Township7:30 p.m.

Dec. 21@ Solanco8 p.m.

Dec. 27Ephrata TourneyTBA

Dec. 28Ephrata TourneyTBA

Jan. 2Elizabethtown7:30 p.m.

Jan. 4Conestoga Valley7:30 p.m.

By: TODD RUTH Review Sports Editor truth.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Cocalico makes a living off limiting its own mistakes while feeding off those of their opponents.

It’s been the formula to all of the success they have achieved as a program under Head Coach Dave Gingrich. However, Friday night in the District Three AAA Quarterfinals at fourth-seeded Lancaster Catholic, the shoe was on the other foot.

It was the Eagles making mistakes as they turned the ball over three critical times. And it was the Crusaders taking advantage.

Lancaster Catholic senior safety Sean Titus intercepted two balls and recovered another big Cocalico fumble. One of his interceptions went for 98 yards and a pick six which all but sealed the Eagles’ fate in an eventual 20-7 Catholic win.

"They are a good football team," Gingrich said of the Crusaders. "We turned the ball over three times and you can’t turn the ball over against good teams."

With the win, Catholic advances to the District semifinals this Friday to face top-seeded Bishop McDevitt at Mechanicsburg, beginning at 7 p.m.

By: TODD RUTH Review Sports Editor truth.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Cocalico impressively cruised through the opening round of the District Three AAA playoffs last week, shutting out West Perry by a 37-0 score.

However, things are about to get a whole lot tougher for the fifth-seeded Eagles this week as Cocalico heads to Rossmere Stadium in Lancaster to face defending State AA champion Lancaster Catholic.

The fourth-seeded Crusaders (8-3), who moved up to the AAA level this year, had an impressive debut a week ago, throttling Hershey, 32-14 in Round One.

As impressive as Cocalico was in Week 11, the Eagles will need to step it up a notch in Week 12 in order to knock off Catholic and move on to next week’s semifinals.

"We are excited about this opportunity to play the defending state champs," Cocalico Coach Dave Gingrich said Tuesday. "They have such a great history and we are still trying to trying to expand on ours. This game will be a measuring stick with how much our team has grown in 2012."

Cocalico entered the 2012 District playoffs as one of the hotter teams moving on, and the Eagles certainly didn’t disappoint last week.

The Eagles were firing on all cylinders and took out West Perry, an equally hot team, with surprising ease. Which makes for an interesting matchup this Friday night at Lancaster Catholic.

While some may view this game as a tough draw, or wish the Eagles would be on the other side of the bracket where an argument could be made that Cocalico would be the team to beat on that side, you got to see this as a great opportunity.

You beat defending State champion Lancaster Catholic, and then potentially Bishop McDevitt next week just to get to the finals, and you are at least mentioned in the same breath as the beloved ’77 State champion hoops team.

But first things first.

I’ve said from the first time I saw this Cocalico team that it may be the best Eagle squad I’ve covered in a long time, and that includes the District finals team of two years ago.

Not only are they productive on both sides of the ball, they are physical, and have been consistently all year.