Activity + Engagement = Purpose.

It's a simple equation that produces health and happiness for older adults. It's a formula that Terre Hill Area Senior Connections (THASC) promotes and executes regularly and consistently.

"We hear all the time, 'I sit at home and do nothing,' (or) 'My husband just died and I need to get out and meet other people,'" said David Kling, the president of the board of directors for THASC. "It's those connections. It's people breaking bread together. It's people talking to one another. It may just be somebody sitting down and having a cup of coffee and a conversation. That's what we're offering."

A relatively new senior center located in Terre Hill, THASC is holding a fundraiser to support its purpose-filled work.

At 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, musical artist Leroy Stoltzfus will perform a benefit concert in the sanctuary at St. John's Center United Church of Christ, 432 Reading Road, East Earl. Tickets for the country and gospel performance can be purchased at the door.

"It will definitely have a worship feel to it," said Kling. "(Leroy Stoltzfus) writes a lot of his own music. When you mix country and gospel, you get lively music."

Stoltzfus' 90-minute performance will be broken down into a pair of 45-minute sets divided by a 15-minute intermission.

More than 200 individuals are expected to attend, some of whom are affiliated with THASC, as well as family members and friends. Event organizers are hoping to raise $3,500, money that will benefit new exercise programs at THASC, like a drumming program that employs weighted drumsticks and a "bingo-cise" program that combines the game of bingo with exercise.

"We do have a health element to our program," said Kling. "We start our days with chair exercise set to music, and one of the reasons is because older adults sometimes have stability issues. Older adults love music. We are also working on mental and emotional health."

THASC, which is situated at 105 W. Main St., Terre Hill, is open from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Thursdays, though officials are hoping to add an hour of operation to each day. In addition to the exercise programs, THASC, which is operated by activities director Cindy Tomczak, offers light meals, board and card games, musical performances and volunteer opportunities.

"Our vision is of a compassionate world for older adults," said Kling. "We're there for people to come and find belonging, not as a church, but as a social organization. We try to work on every aspect of a person's life."

On average, more than 30 individuals visit THASC on any given Monday or Thursday. The local nonprofit was established on Jan. 15, 2025, and in its initial year of operation, THASC hosted more than 2,000 visits.

"They're drawn to THASC, and a lot of it is word of mouth," said Kling. "We've made a concerted effort to get the word out. There are eight senior centers in Lancaster County, and we're the only independent one. People move from center to center because we all meet on different days. We have programming that comes from all over the county. Basically, people come in because they want that fellowship."

THASC serves seniors who reside in 14 northeast Lancaster County municipalities, including New Holland, Leola, Ephrata and Adamstown. More than 25 churches are represented by those individuals.

"I love walking in and watching the interaction of people," said Kling, a retired pastor from St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Terre Hill who helped found THASC. "The people who are there walk in each morning with the biggest smiles on their faces."

For additional information, go to http://www.terrehillseniors.org.