Dear Friends,

At Building Bridges Foundation at Anderson Farm – center of caring for Veterans and their families – we are navigating our way through each day even as we plan for the future (with tentative timelines).

In a nationwide lockdown, that is subscribed to by most states, in Conestoga PA º referenced as the South end of Lancaster County – life has slowed but not stopped.
Stories filter in via Facebook and iPhones, Twitter and Instagram about people helping people. In the stress of “this time” that has touched all parts of the world, people are discovering more about why they like the people they live with! People facing big hardships are helping others and giving attention to the “most vulnerable.” Commerce is responding heroically to employees as are health care workers, first responders, military service, community services and networking organizations in caring for “the people.”
With respect to and in compliance with updated national, commonwealth and county mandates to businesses, Building Bridges has initiated controlled entry to the farm. The only people coming on the property will be resident staff, farm operations personnel, delivery personnel, and security, without entry to the offices.
Veterans currently scheduled for Equine Assisted Therapy sessions are staying in step with their providers regarding their scheduled sessions – they are our primary and only essential at this time. Two new session participants delayed starting. We will not shut veterans out without serious and relevant follow-up commitment in place.
In a phone call today from a local community veteran’s wife – we received report of her husband, deployed to Qatar in January; his crew/assignment was shut down – travel out is frozen. Please include this Veteran and his family in your prayers along with others that are separated from family and isolated in distant lands as they stand on guard for ours.

Current initiatives include farm operations to accommodate ongoing equine assisted programs; renovations to the barn to finalize the emerging Veterans Café; and, to the gazebo where we will relocate the Veterans Office from the barn, an area of the property that will better facilitate the therapy services. We anticipate the Annual Memorial Day Program here on the property in May. The Golf Tournament as a pre-Memorial Day Event has become more tentative and considerations are to reschedule to the Fall Season. We are interviewing for a part time Mental Health Provider (Master’s Degree) to join the current team. The Raffle Team is making plans for the Veterans Day Event in November 2020. The meadows need seeding for strong pasture for our horses. Tree stumps from fallen trees are waiting to be removed. The walking trail around the farm needs spring grooming and some minor repairs. A strong volunteer team of 12 from Penn Manor High School has had to cancel. A volunteer team of 15 veterans is tentatively rescheduling their April 18 time. We don’t worry. We live and walk in faith and hope, doing what we can do and committed to the future of this Center of Caring for Veterans.
The generosity of volunteer time continues to energize this property with possibility to make a difference in the lives of Veterans and their families for now and in the future.
Thank you for your partnership.

Dale Shaw
CEO Building Bridges Foundation