Derry Township will open the Yard Waste Drop-off Center to residents beginning today. Please be advised that residents are required to wear masks at all times or entry will be denied. Access will be limited to a maximum of 12 vehicles at any one time with entry controlled by Derry Township staff. All visitors to the Drop-Off Center, while outside their vehicles, should remain 6-feet apart. Mulch is also available for pick-up.

The new Drop-off Center hours will be Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. until further notice. The Yard Waste Drop-off Center will be closed on the following holidays:

    Monday, May 25, 2020 – Memorial Day

    Friday, July 3, 2020 – Independence Day

    Monday, September 7, 2020 – Labor Day

    Wednesday, November 11, 2020 – Veterans Day

    Thursday, November 26, 2020 – Thanksgiving Day

    Friday, November 27, 2020 – Thanksgiving Holiday

    Thursday, December 24, 2020 – Christmas Eve

    Friday, December 25, 2020 – Christmas Day

    Thursday, December 31, 2020 – New Year’s Eve

The Recycling Center remains closed until further notice.

If you have been down Cocoa Avenue during the past several weeks, you definitely noticed that construction activity is underway for the new Community Center. Currently, the contractors are focusing their efforts on the outdoor pool, but in the next few weeks they will begin working to take down the main structure of the building. The Parks & Recreation staff is also beginning planning efforts to schedule programming, classes, and events that will take place in the new facility. Please stay tuned over the next 22 months, as we will be providing periodic updates on the progress of the project.

The Dauphin County Board of Elections has temporarily changed the voting locations for Precincts 1, 3 and 12. The temporary location for these Precincts is the Hershey Primary Elementary, 450 Homestead Road, Hershey, PA 17033.

On June 2nd, for the Primary Election, please vote at Hershey Primary Elementary. If you normally vote in one of those precincts, please vote at Hershey Primary Elementary for the June 2nd Primary Election. You will not be issued new voter ID cards as this is a temporary polling place for only the Primary Election.

To locate your polling place click here.

Questions, please call 717-780-6360.

Derry Township has compiled a list of resources that may be useful for local businesses as they navigate recovery efforts in response to COVID-19. Visit our  COVID-19 Business Resources page , which can be found under the “Business” tab on the Derry Township website. The page contains a variety of resources for businesses provided by government, organizations, and private industry.

Pennsylvania American Water today announced the start of construction to replace an aging cement water main dating back to the 1980s and install a new section of water main in Derry Township. The cost of the project is approximately $540,000 and will improve water service reliability and quality for area residents.

During the week of May 11, crews will begin to install nearly 1,275 feet of new eight-inch ductile iron water main on Jill Drive between Waltonville Road and Bradley Avenue. 1,360 feet of new twelve-inch ductile iron pipe will be installed along Old West Chocolate Avenue to the Hersheypark Camping Resort. Final paving restoration is scheduled to be completed in fall 2020, weather permitting.

All residents should have received a letter about PPL’s revised construction plans for Elm Avenue. The letter states that work will begin June 1st. Due to changes in the schedule, we will start later in the week of June 1st, and we will not start construction activities until the week of June 8th. For more information or questions, please visit www.pplelectric.com/HersheyProject or email HersheyProject@pplweb.com.

After careful consideration, the Township of Derry has decided to cancel the Summer Day Camp program for 2020. This decision has been based on the review of all issued health guidelines under both the Red and Yellow Phases, and guidance provided by the CDC, the Department of Health and the Governor’s Office. As a result of these guidelines, it has been determined that daily gatherings of our campers and staff would not be in compliance and could pose a health risk to both. Our commitment continues to be the health and safety of our community and our staff as we navigate the COVID-19 Virus. Thank you for your support and understanding during this challenging time and we look forward to seeing everyone back at our next Summer Day Camp Program.

Join us for the Run for Hershey Virtual 5k! All proceeds will go directly to support small businesses in Downtown Hershey impacted by COVID-19.

Register for the race on our website, then get out to walk, run, hike, bike, skip, or even bunny hop a 5k on your own time by May 31 while using appropriate social distancing precautions.

Take a picture or video and share your love for Downtown Hershey on social media using #RunForHersheyVirtual5k and #DowntownHershey .

Register here: https://bit.ly/RunForHersheyVirtual5k

Hershey Public Library's May Calendar

2020 Board of Supervisors Meeting Dates

Bob Watson’s “The Nazi Titanic” Book Discussion. Saturday, July 11. 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Join a virtual program with award-winning author and historian, Bob Watson, who has published over 40 books on topics in history and politics. He will discuss his book “The Nazi Titanic”. Please register online . You will be sent a Zoom link to attend the program after you have registered. No app or account is required to participate. Please contact Aly Tran at atran@derrytownship.org with any questions about adult programming.

Registration is now open for the following programs, and all will be held online. A Zoom link will be sent after registration. No app or account is required to participate. Please contact the Children's Librarian, Rita Smith, at ritahuntsmith@derrytownship.org with any questions.

Books & Babies  - A time for pre-walking babies (birth-12 months) and parents/caregivers to share in songs, simple stories, nursery rhymes, and action plays. The program is on Mondays at 9:30 am beginning on June 15. (6 occurrences.) 

1, 2, Whee!  - A mixed-age program for ones and twos with a caregiver. Join Miss Rita in the Zoom room for songs, stories, dances, fun, and learning--all at the same time! The program is on Tuesdays at 10:00 am beginning on June 16. (6 occurrences.)

Chewsy Readers is a program for readers (registered children) to meet for lunch and share books.  Chewsy Readers  for children in grades K-2 and ages 5-8 is on Mondays at 12:15 pm beginning on June 15.  Chewsy Readers  for children in grades 3-5 and ages 8-11 is on Wednesdays at 12:15 pm beginning on June 17. (6 occurrences of both groups.) 

Furry Tales  - Struggling readers in grades K-5 are paired with licensed therapy dogs and their handlers for an online reading experience. Readers sign up for a 15 minute time slot to read via Zoom with handler and animal. The program is on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm beginning on June 17. (6 occurrences.) 

Lego Club  - Budding architects and LEGO fanatics ages 6+ are welcome to join the library's virtual LEGO Club. (Please register for each week your child will attend.) A Zoom link will be provided along with the week's challenge via email prior to the club meeting. We will share a short story or lesson and then participants will have the opportunity to share the creations they made to meet the weekly challenge. The program is on Thursdays at 1:30 pm from June 18 to July 23.

Wednesday, June 3 at 6:00 p.m.

Presented by Steve Anderson.

Please register online to attend this virtual program by Zoom link.

More than 150 years before “social distancing,” the people of Gettysburg knew what it was like to be trapped in their homes, afraid to go out, not knowing how long it might last. How did they get through it? How would you respond in their place? And what can we learn from their experience? Join us as we explore the stories of ordinary people, in extraordinary circumstances.

Please contact Aly Tran at atran@derrytownship.org with any questions concerning adult programs.

Monday, May 25 at 8:30 a.m.

From the War Memorial on West Chocolate Avenue, this will be LIVE STREAMED on the Italian-Americans of Hershey Facebook page.

Since 1957 when the Hershey Italian Lodge War Memorial was imported from Italy and erected on West Chocolate Avenue at the “entrance” to historic Swatara Station, the Hershey Italian Lodge has held a short and solemn ceremony on our nation’s most important holiday.

This year is a bit different, but will be no less special or solemn. To the contrary, given all circumstances, it may be even more special.

A small group will be meeting at the memorial. There will no be no procession from the club.  

We will have an invocation, the laying of the wreathes, the American flag placed at half staff, Taps, and a benediction followed by a 15-minute ceremony. It will be short, respectful, safe and, most importantly, solemn — honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

This year will be placing a special wreath in memory of Hershey’s Bertero Bechini, PFC, US Army, who was killed in WW2, 75 years ago last month. The son of Italian immigrants, Bertero was serving in the 10th Mountain Division, 85th Infantry Regiment, when he was wounded in battle in northern Italy. He died of his wounds on April 25, 1945, in a field hospital, shortly before V-E Day. Bertero is buried in the Florence American Cemetery, about two hours from his family’s hometown of Pitigliano.  

We are most thankful and honored to have two Derry Township police officers with Italian heritage, Officers Tony Bernardo and Peter Fure, to lay the wreath in memory of Bertero.

We hope you will join us on Facebook for this special event.

The Joy of Sports Foundation is hosting the Quarantine Olympics over Memorial Day Weekend. You’ll be completing in 4 Rounds of Fun over the weekend. Examples of some of the challenges:

We’ll have prizes for the top three teams.

The JSF Quarantine Olympics schedule (each session will consist of a variety of challenges, but no session would take more than 30 minutes or so to complete):

#1 begins Saturday @ 9:00 am.

#2 begins Saturday @ 4:00 pm.

#3 begins Sunday @ Noon

#4 begins Monday @ Noon

Winners will be announced at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, May 25th.

For more information and to register,  visit their website.