By all accounts, Steven Killough, a Lancaster physician and musician, led an exemplary life that involved placing others ahead of himself. On Nov. 12, 2021, Killough, 66, died from injuries sustained from a hit-and-run incident in downtown Lancaster.

Killough's was the kind of life that organizations name awards after.

Recently, Aaron's Acres, 1861 Charter Lane, Suite 114, Lancaster, received a $4,500 award given in Killough's name. The award was presented by Lancaster Pediatric Associates, where Killough practiced, and in association with Music for Everyone.

"I didn't know (Killough) personally," said Risa Paskoff, Aaron's Acres executive director. "But everyone who knew him said he was an amazing physician and talented musician. He was just this unbelievable doctor who gave of himself in every way. He touched the lives of thousands of children. He was beloved in the community. It's a beautiful way to honor him and keep his memory alive."

The way that Killough led his life reflects the goals of Aaron's Acres, which provides children and young adults with disabilities opportunities to grow. The financial award in Killough's name will be used for music therapy at Aaron's Acres' summer camp in June.

"He was a musician and we thought this was the best use of the money," said Paskoff. "We get all types of different awards, and we get grants. Every little bit goes toward our programs. We don't spend a lot of money on administrative costs. This is a very generous grant for us to have. The music therapy is pretty much covered."

Aaron's Acres relies heavily on donations to fund its work.

"We're funded through a variety of ways," said Paskoff. "We do major fundraisers throughout the year, and we have very generous donors. Parents don't pay if they can't afford it. We accept everyone, from (age) 5 to 21, with a variety of disabilities. We've never turned away a child if they couldn't afford it or if they had a disability. We try to make it as easy as possible for the families. We have professionals in supervisory roles, which gives our parents a chance to breathe."

About 40 kids and young adults with disabilities are currently being served by Aaron's Acres' school year program. In the summer, about 200 individuals attend Aaron's Acres' camp program, which is divided into three two-week sessions.

"Our mission is to provide year-round recreation for children and young adults with disabilities by focusing on communication and socialization," said Paskoff. "We ask parents to pick goals, and every child has an individualized education plan. Our supervisors or special education teachers try to monitor each goal each day. We keep track of that and report information back to the parent or school. With our staff's background, we can make sure every child's needs are met. We want to spend the time to know them, and we want the family to trust us."

Aaron's Acres was founded in 1998.

"It was founded by a group of families who had kids with disabilities and couldn't find camp programs for them," said Paskoff. "It's grown beyond anything anyone ever could've imagined. It's continued to evolve because our team is committed to find out what the parents need."

For additional information about Aaron's Acres, go to http://www.aaronsacres.org.