Parks & Recreation would like to kick-off family activities and workouts every Tuesday & Thursday for our community! Stay active through this time! Go to our Parks & Recreation Facebook page for more information!

https://m.facebook.com/DerryTownshipParksRecreation/

In accordance with Gov. Wolf and Sec. of Health’s expanded ‘Stay at Home’ Order, the Tax Office has been operating with only one staff member daily. For this reason the March discount payments are not being processed as quickly as they have been in previous years. Rest assured that if a payment was in the Tax Office drop box or USPS postmarked on or before March 31st, you are still guaranteed the discount amount. Please be patient as we work through these difficult times.

In accordance with Gov. Wolf's March 19th shutdown order the Township of Derry's Administration Building's Lobby will be closed to the public. Township Staff will be available for contact via phone or email. A staff directory is available on the website.

It should also be noted that the Township's Recycling Drop-Off Center will be closed until this order is lifted. Curbside recycling will still be collected.

The Downtown Hershey Association has compiled a list of local restaurants and businesses offering takeout and/or delivery options during this time of limited contact through social distancing. Please be sure to consid er supporting your local eateries and other shops by clicking on the image below. Thanks to resident Christy Ricker for volunteering to design the list. A n updated list will also be kept on their website:  https://downtownhershey.com/open-for-business/

An unlimited amount of wood and yard waste will be collected curbiside one time per month on your regular trash day by the contracted waste hauler. The collection will occur April through October.

Items must be placed at the curb by 5:00 a.m. on your collection day. Items must be placed in a container not to exceed 32 gallons or in a “Kraft” bag not to exceed 50 lbs. Branches and tree limbs must not exceed 3″ in diameter, must be cut to 4′ in length, bundled and secured by rope or twine and not to exceed 50 lbs.

You can view the schedule at this link .

During this ongoing emergency, DTMA will not pursue delinquencies including district justice filings or service shut-offs. The DTMA Board recognizes that our customers may experience trouble paying their bills during this time. Please be assured that the DTMA Board will perform a complete review of the issues of delinquencies, late fees, and interest charges at the end of the emergency. If you wish to email us at Customerservice@DTMA.com, please allow at least 3 business days for a reply.

PPL Electric is continuing work on the Hershey underground line, as this project is necessary to provide dependable power to more than 8,000 customers. Ensuring the safety and well-being of their employees, customers and communities is top priority.

To learn more about the work being done and measures being taken, please visit www.pplelectric.com/HersheyProject or email HersheyProject@pplweb.com .  

For those who pay for their trash collection service one bag at a time, if you need more Waste Management green trash bags contact Tom Clark at tomclark@derrytownship.org or call and leave a message at 717-533-2057 option 4. We will deliver the trash bags to you. Please provide your name, address, phone number and the quantity of bags needed. Payment made payable to Derry Township.

PPL Electric Utilities wants to help ease some of the concern’s residents may be having during these difficult times. PPL will not cut service to any customers for unpaid bills until further notice and will waive all late payment fees, effective March 16, 2020. PPL offers several programs available to help customers who are having a hard time paying their bills. Please see below the options offered.

OnTrack offers a lower, fixed monthly bill and debt forgiveness for customers who make 150 percent of the poverty level or less.

Operation HELP is funded by our company, employees and customers, and can assist customers who make 200 percent of the federal poverty level or less. Grants help pay customer electric and heating bills, including for oil or gas heat. PPL Foundation recently donated an extra $500,000 to Operation HELP. To apply for either Operation HELP or OnTrack visit www.pplelectric.com/billhelp or call 1-800-342-5775 .

CARES can help customers who are experiencing a temporary hardship. Learn more or apply by calling 1-800-358-6623.

No matter what the situation is, if you’re having trouble paying your bill contact PPL and they will see what can be done to help. 

Waste Management is working to ensure that they can continue to serve our community safely and with the least disruption reasonably possible in the face of the many challenges created by the COVID-19 virus. In order for Waste Management to maintain its focus on municipal solid waste collection and disposal,  effective Monday, March 30, 2020, Waste Management is temporarily suspending bulk collection, such as furniture, carpet, mattresses, appliances, etc. until further notice.

Please note that grass clippings are considered solid waste and therefore will be picked up by Waste Management each week.

For more information check out the Service Alerts on their website:   http://www.wm.com/alerts

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Capital Region received a guided virtual tour of the Derry Township Police Department by Sgt. Darren Cotten.

You can view the tour on their facebook page at this link.

Derry Township’s Annual National Night Out is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6 ^th from 6PM-8PM in the 1 ^st block of W Caracas Avenue. Come join us, meet your neighbors, and help celebrate community unity against crime! Business or Community Groups interested in hosting a table, making a monetary donation, or wishing to volunteer should contact Officer Mary Kepple or Officer Darren Cotten at 717-534-2202 by August 3, 2020. You can also email them at makepple@derrytownship.org or dccotten@derrytownship.org.

With the evolving situation of COVID-19 virus, Summer Day Camp registration has been postponed until further notice. The new registration dates will be posted on Derry Township’s website and an email will be sent out to existing families in the ProCare program.

Due to the continuing health and safety concerns surrounding Coronavirus (COVID-19).

• THE LIBRARY'S OUTSIDE DROP BOX IS CLOSED.

• LIBRARY FINES WILL BE WAIVED.

• SORRY, THE LIBRARY IS UNABLE TO TAKE PHONE CALLS.

Follow the Hershey Public Library on Facebook @hersheypubliclibrary, and Twitter and Instagram at @hersheylibrary for online resources and news, and see the library's website at www.hersheylibrary.org for program updates.

E-books, audiobooks, streaming media, and digital resources for all ages are available 24/7 online at www.hersheylibrary.org > e Library , and Research . A great way to stay in touch with the library is through the library's monthly electronic newsletter. Please sign up  here.

Derry Township Residents (with a ZIP code of 17033 and 17036) may apply online for a virtual library card to access the e-Library for Hoopla, OverDrive, and others. Access hundreds of free online resources 24/7 including e-books, audiobooks, streaming movies and TV shows, music and comics. And, use the eCard to access the library's E-resources, aka. databases for learning and research. 

To get a virtual library card (eCard), please e-mail “Ask a Librarian” (on the left side of the library's Home page at www.hersheylibrary.org ). Ask about being issued a virtual card. Please include the

required information in your message:

Please Hold Your Donations at This Time

Our stores and donation centers are closed in compliance with the Governor's order. We are legally prohibited from picking up at bins or receiving at donation centers. We need your kindness now and when we re-open, so please, keep your donations safe for us by keeping them at home. We will see you soon! THANK YOU!

Join Hershey Gardens on Facebook at sunrise Easter Sunday (or any time after) to enjoy a special virtual Easter message from pastors around the Hershey area. We may not be able to celebrate together in person but we can come together online as a community. Be a part of this new version of our longstanding Easter morning tradition at Hershey Gardens. Thanks to the many churches that are participating and to residents Susan Cort and Doug Nicotera for volunteering to create the special video. 

In consideration of the most recent developments regarding COVID-19, we regret to inform our vendors, participants, and guests that Artfest is cancelled for the 2020 season. Our duty and vigilance to provide a safe environment for our visitors, staff, and volunteers, as well as our commitment to public safety in our community, mandates this decision.

Updates regarding Artfest 2021 will be posted on our website. Please note, the Historical Society will remain closed indefinitely to the public for all services and contact will be limited to email communication due to restricted operations during this time period.

We wish to thank our Artfest vendors, Historical Society members, and guests for their understanding and support – we will miss you! We look forward to our next season with even more opportunities to celebrate art, music, and our community.

The Bowman Trust is EXTENDING their flower basket sale and taking orders by mail now through the month of April. Baskets will be ready by May 9th...right before Mother's Day. All baskets must be pre-ordered and pre-paid by April 24th, 2020. (That is a change from what is printed on form below.) Print out the image for more information. Two basket sizes available. When mailing in your form, please include your phone number with your name and payment. (Pick up arrangements may change depending on what PA restrictions are in place at that time.) Thank you for supporting the William S. Bowman Trust!

For more information visit bowmantrust.org

The Hershey Food Bank has modified operations to insure safety for our clients and volunteers, but is following normal distribution scheduled. We have sufficient volunteers at the current time and are trying to minimize people on site to reduce unnecessary interactions. Our greatest needs right now are (1) funds to procure food due to temporary reductions in local donations and (2) donations of hard-to-obtain and high demand items that our clients need: Tuna, canned meats, baked beans, canned peas, peanut butter, Hunts canned pasta sauce, laundry detergent, bars of soap, toilet paper, paper towels, and sanitizing wipes. For more information about drop off locations for any extra items you might have to donate, and for a link to make a monetary donation, please visit our webpage: hersheyfoodbank.com and check the “Food Bank News” page for updated information. We appreciate all the community support at this challenging time!