George and Elvira Maniatty

For more than two decades, George and Elvira Maniatty have been steadfast supporters of Good Shepherd, giving both time and treasure. As a couple, the Maniattys have been longtime financial donors. Elvira, fondly known as “Elfie,” also volunteers to help residents at The Conrad W. Raker Center.

In giving to others, they are themselves greatly rewarded, knowing that they are helping to keep alive the legacy started in 1908 by Good Shepherd’s founder, the Rev. John Raker.

“Papa Raker’s dream needs the ongoing support of the community,” says Elfie, who received the book, “Papa Raker’s Dream” about Good Shepherd’s founding as a gift and read it twice. “If everyone lived by his motto, that ‘love will always find its way,’ the world would be a better place for everyone.”

Elfie decided to volunteer after reading a plea in her church bulletin. At Good Shepherd, she has forged close friendships with the Raker residents, reading and writing letters for them, helping them organize their clothes for the changing seasons, shopping together and decorating their rooms for the holidays.

“They appreciate everything I do and it makes me feel good,” Elfie says. “It works both ways. We love one another.”

Life has been good to the Maniattys and they are grateful to pass along their blessings. There was a time, Elfie recalls, when they were raising their family of four children and had little left over to give to charity. But that changed and the Maniattys responded with their hearts.

“We want to make sure Good Shepherd continues to be the wonderful place that it is,” Elfie says. “We thank God for giving us the ability to support this wonderful organization and its mission.”

Max Izer

Max Izer sits at the small round table in his cozy apartment in Chambersburg, Pa., looking through old photograph albums and remembering. The photos, many of them black and white, date back to 1950, when Max and his wife, Lorraine, became the proud parents of a baby boy – Jack.

The pictures show a beautiful baby, smiling, kicking his stout little legs, being held by his doting parents. “We didn’t realize anything was physically wrong for the first year or so,” Max recalls.

But an astute pediatrician sensed something was wrong and indeed there was: Jack had cerebral palsy.

Max and Lorraine kept Jack at home with them for 31 often challenging but loving years. “God bless Lorraine,” Max says, looking at a picture of his late wife with baby Jack. “How she cared for him.”

Eventually, Jack needed more comprehensive care. The Izers visited The Good Shepherd Home – Allentown and they liked what they saw, especially the loving presence of the Rev. Dr. Conrad W. Raker, son of Good Shepherd Founders the Rev. John and D. Estella Raker. They knew they’d found a new home for their son.

And so, for the past twenty-three years, Max Izer has been making the 140-mile drive from Chambersburg through central Pennsylvania’s gentle landscape to visit Jack at Good Shepherd. Max and Lorraine used to make this trip together, but after 52 years of marriage, Lorraine passed away. “We were high school sweethearts,” Max says.

Guided by his faith and love of Jack, Max has always had a quiet determination to help those with disabilities. One of his most noteworthy accomplishments was chairing a committee in 1978 to build a school for children with special physical and mental needs.

Max has also been a generous friend to Good Shepherd, helping to ensure continuing care for those in need through a charitable gift annuity that provides life income to Max and a significant gift to Good Shepherd.

“I get many, many requests in the mail for donations, but the care and concern people have here for Jack is fantastic,” he says. “They’re angels of mercy.”