Serving Hands. Caring Hearts. Fostering Hope.
News & Events
Bike & Hike 2024: Sunshine and thanks!
We are so grateful; grateful for your support, grateful for a day of fun and fellowship and grateful for a beautiful September day where the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. After two years of hunkering inside (except for the brave souls who tempted the rain or walked in it anyway), it was so nice to be able to share the sunshine at this, our signature fundraising event.
Thanks to your support, over $102,000 was raised to support the COBYS mission of caring for and walking with children and families who needs us most in one of their most desperate times. With your support, together we can make a life-altering impact on their lives through compassionate care delivered with the COBYS Difference.
You can still fulfill pledges made through the Bike and Hike event. Pledge Fulfillment
Kicked off with a head start
Thanks to all who contributed to the COBYS Bike & Hike Kickstart fund. Over $15,000 was donated before the first step was taken (or pedal pushed depending on how you participate). We understand not everyone may be available to participate in the Bike & Hike event, but we are grateful to all who showed their support for our mission through this fund.
Our top 3 fundraisers rose to the occasion again by gathering a generous following to support their participation in the Bike & Hike. The top 2024 fundraisers were Floy Fitzkee, Don Fitzkee and Londa Brandt.
What about the Tasty Tour?
The new, family-friendly event was a big hit! Over 50 people joined the inaugural edition of the Tasty Tour and sampled treats at these four stops: Dosie Dough, Café Arabella, Sweet Legacy and Slate Café.
Look for Tasty Tour to return next year, but foodies take note: participation in Tasty Tour is pre-order only so remember to make plans to sign up early.
Dinner and Conversation: Community Matters
Thursday, March 14, 2024 • 6:00-8:00 pm
The Inn at Leola Village, Casa di Fiori, 38 Deborah Dr , Leola, PA 17540
A celebratory evening of good food and conversation was held at our annual spring fundraiser.
COBYS shared a few updates and highlights, including the first in-public comments from new Executive Director Mike Lausch.
We then introduced three foster families who shared their experiences with foster care and COBYS. Their first-hand accounts helped us gain a deeper appreciation of the care being provided, when armed with best practice training, in order to meet complex the needs of kids in foster care. Through their stories we heard about the real world impact of our combined ministries as together we are making life-impacting differences for children and families.
Presenting Sponsor
Compassion Sponsors
Extra Give 2023
Friday, November 17, 2023 • 12:00 am-11:59 pm
Lancaster celebrated it’s day of giving with the twelfth ExtraGive. COBYS has been part of the Extra Give from the beginning. This year over $8.9 million was raised during the event.
We are so grateful to all who supported COBYS during the ExtraGive again, or for the first time. Over $51,600 was donated by 204 unique donors. The number of donors will be the basis of how the over $500,000 Stretch Pool provided by the Lancaster County Community Foundation, the High Foundation, Murry Foundation and many other generous companies will be proportionally divided.
COBYS is also grateful to our two generous sponsors who provided COBYS specific matching gifts during set hours in the day, helping to make donations more valuable to COBYS. Our donors responded to this generosity by donating during these times to access all the designated match funds.
Fillmore Container matched gifts between 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. dollar for dollar up to $100 per donation for a total of $2,000.
Grauer’s Paint & Decorating provided a dollar for dollar matching gift from the hours of 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. up to $150 per donation for a total of $3,000.
We would like to add our thanks to the Lancaster County Community Foundation and the sponsoring companies to help make Lancaster’s ExtraGive such a special community event.
Live Podcast-Community Matters
On Thursday, November 9, 2023 from 5-6:30 pm in the Lancaster Library Community Room, 151 N. Queen St., Lancaster, PA 17603, “2 Adoptive Mamas” recorded a podcast episode in front of a live audience. An expert panel participated in an interactive conversation about the importance of the whole community supporting foster care and adoption as well as resources for foster and adoptive children.
This podcast can be heard here.
Other 2.A.M. podcast episodes can be heard at: https://twoadoptivemamas.com/podcast/
Colebrook Road Concert
Recap of Sunday, October 15, 2023
Stonebridge Farm, 1108 Bucher Ln, Lebanon, PA 17042
Despite the threat of rain, the show did go on! We gratefully didn’t need our backup plan of moving the music into the barn, but we did enjoy an afternoon of foot-stompin’ bluegrass music by local band Colebrook Road benefitting COBYS. Enjoy (or bring your own food). Braised and Confused, Anytime Acai and Renewal Kombucha food trucks were available along with a hay ride and fire pit while listening to music at the home of Rachel and Mike Swank. Thanks to all who attended and supported this event.
Bike & Hike 2023
Sunday, September 10, 2023 • Lititz Church of the Brethren, 300 W. Orange St., Lititz, PA 17543
Over $127,000 was raised
Despite the weekend’s off-and-on-again rain, and regretfully having to cancel the motorcycle and bike rides, you continue to support the mission of COBYS through the Bike & Hike event and the decisions we had to make for this year’s event. We were fortunate that the hardest rain came after the walkers returned to our Incredible Ice Cream Celebration at the Lititz Church of the Brethren.
For the complete recap visit: cobys.org/bike-and-hike.
Thanks Taylor Chip and congratulations on your 5 Year Celebration
Taylor Chip Family Fun Day was held Sunday, August 27, 2023 from 11 am-7 pm at 1780 Columbia Ave, Columbia, PA 17512, the future home to the Taylor Chip creamery. The wonderful, family fun-filled afternoon featured food trucks, vendors, kid activities, music and more.
The event proudly supported COBYS Family Services with donations and a gift from Taylor Chip totaling $6,022.
Thanks to Taylor Chip, their sponsors at the event and all who participated. We truly appreciate it!