The Great Social Enterprise Pitch: Behind the Idea for Lancaster’s own Youth Hostel
Heidi Shirk and Tim Heller both reside in Lancaster, PA. Heidi has a B.S. Degree in Business Administration and has lived in Downtown Lancaster for ten years. She is passionate about hospitality and loves to travel. Through both of these passions, Heidi discovered that the best way to experience another culture is to partake in their food, experience their space and fellowship with their people.
Tim Heller returned to his hometown of Lancaster in 2011, after 18 years in Chicago, and since his return, is thrilled with Lancaster’s continued growth. Tim has a B.A. and M.S. with business training and enjoys creating organizational structure. He is passionate about connecting the socio-economic and culturally diverse travelers with our local culture to learn from each other.
Tim and Heidi combined their passions to create the Lemon Drop Inn, which will be Downtown Lancaster’s first youth hostel. The Lemon Drop Inn will offer economical lodging for community-minded travelers in Lancaster, PA. Their mission is to connect travelers to local culture of the city and country-side by creating a place for fun and welcoming community interactions that promotes social exchanges and creates a mutually positive impact. Lemon Drop Inn plans to operate environmentally and socially conscious and sourcing goods locally, to create a cultural exchange in Lancaster for youth, travelers, and the community as a whole. This project is in the beginning stages, but needs community support to make this dream happen, as there are many regulations and other fees to get this project ‘off the ground’.
The Lemon Drop Inn was chosen as one of the 10 finalist for the Great Social Enterprise Pitch. To learn more or vote for the Lemon Drop Inn, check out their crowdfunding page: http://www.rockethub.com/projects/44980-lemon-drop-inn-support-the-first-hostel-in-downtown-lancaster-pa
Community Voting is open through the month of July. The top 3 Social Enterprise Ideas will move on the Live Pitch on August 8th. Go to http://www.lancfound.org/pitch to see all the social enterprise ideas and go to their specific rockethub sites to vote for your favorite idea for the Lancaster community!