Berks County natives Lori (Hinnershitz) Lilley and her husband, Christopher were both born and raised in the Antietam Valley, Lori in Mt. Penn, and Christopher in Stony Creek. Crystal Lake, once a central part of the historical Carsonia Park era, holds a great deal of sentimental value to both.
“I was a respiratory therapist, and my husband is a CDL truck driver. His job allowed me to have a more flexible lifestyle, so I walked away from my job and opted for more flexibility, working as a bartender and server at the Yellow House Hotel three days a week.”
Lori’s interest in the Carsonia Lake Project and the animals living in and around it stemmed from her lifelong passion for all living things and their well-being. “My whole life I was interested in helping wildlife in general. I knew the project was coming, and the intention was to save the wildlife throughout. Someone took pictures, and posted countless fish, turtles, and snails which were stranded and dead or near death, and a lot of people in the community were angry and sad. How did this happen?”
Lori immediately began to make phone calls, reaching out to every possible wildlife resource. “It broke my heart. I called the Fish and Game Commission, the Boating Commission, and every organization out there, including a few wildlife rescue organizations. I had been following Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center in Chalfont, Pa. through Facebook for many years, and just the day before I recalled them posting an article on a snapping turtle they were helping. Amanda Leyden, Clinical Director, happened to be the one that I spoke to when I called. She and her boyfriend, Nick Brewster, Director of Education, had a passion for rescuing turtles. No one seemed to want to help, but because they had a soft spot for turtles, it started the ball rolling.”
Lori began attending the Mount Penn Borough Municipal Authority meetings, and because the issue had raised such an uproar within the community, the attempts to allow the rescues to take place were consistently declined.
“I was determined to stick with it, and I spoke to them from the heart; ‘These animals don’t have a voice, and you are literally upheaving their entire existence.’ I was finally granted permission to move forward with the rescue efforts.”
Lori got right down to making arrangements as quickly as possible and brought in Amanda and Nick from Aark to lead with their expertise. Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center is a non-profit wildlife center that rehabilitates injured animals and educates about harmonious coexistence. Their primary goals are rehab, release, and education.
Aark admits sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife daily, with the goal of returning them to their natural environment as quickly as possible. They are staffed by wildlife professionals and volunteers who provide service every day.
“Amanda and Nick agreed to meet me on a Saturday and Sunday. The two of them are a really important part of this project. Aark is located one and a half hours away, which meant a three-hour round trip to transport our rescues to them.
“Another volunteer, Mike Frankhouser, met us, and we signed waivers with the Municipal Authority. Amanda spoke with those present on the types of fish and wildlife connected to the lake. We walked around and they had netting to catch anything alive. The lake had already been drained a lot with a very small portion of the lake having water. We did not know what we would find because we were not allowed inside the fenced in area until we signed the waivers.”
“Unfortunately, the time delay in getting the rescue effort going spelled tragedy for the turtles and fish who normally go into hibernation during the colder months. It was November, and we found four turtles in a dredged pile of dirt. We spent the weekend walking around, and everything in the lake had frozen to death. For the next several months me, my husband, another person, and I spent time at the lake looking for turtles. It was a tedious process because the mud was like quicksand and came up to your knees. The water authority did not want a lot of people helping in these conditions. The longer I went, the better I knew where I could find the turtles. The lake is fed by a natural spring, through the lake bed to the basketball courts from a drain pipe to another pipe they had installed. It was two or three feet wide by a foot deep. It was easy to find turtles here. I would basically go to the water with a net and stand and wait. Snappers bury themselves in the mud, so I would wait, and grab a turtle quickly. We have rescued 34 so far, including snappers, musk, red eared sliders, and painted turtles. All of them go to Aark; I keep them for a few days at my house in Rubbermaid containers with heat lamps. Once a week I drive them to Aark and they take over from there. We did this over and over from March through the end of summer 2025, once the first phase of the lake project was completed. Snapper turtles are very strong, and a snapper is strong enough to dig out of the mud to get to another body of water. The mud is insulation with the water on top of it. Only the larger ones were able to survive while others froze before they could rescue themselves. Some could have been thirty years old. Thousands of snails perished during this first phase of the project. The snails and vegetation was food for the turtles, and it was devastating when they lost all of their food and water.”
The Carsonia Lake Project (Crystal Lake) restoration in Exeter and Lower Alsace Townships is a multi-year project. The objective of Phase One is to fix stormwater pollution, desilt the lakebed, and protect local wildlife. Delays in the project have jeopardized the wildlife connected to the lake, particularly the turtles. Phase Two is slated to add a new wetland area, clean storm water runoff, and repair the water spillway. Phase Three will feature a new walking trail and viewing dock, and an outdoor classroom space.
Lori Lilley intends to continue in her role as a wildlife advocate throughout all phases of the project. She has her concerns for the wildlife and following proper protocol to protect their habitats with ongoing construction.
“Phase Two will start after July 1st, and continue through October. They do not want geese at the lake due to their droppings contributing to build up at the bottom of the lake. The geese are one of the reasons that the people of the township love the lake. It is so contradictory; you can’t chase away or kill wildlife while claiming to be helping wildlife. The killdeer, geese, and ducks lay their eggs along the banks of the lake. They are taking away so many of the things that the turtles depend upon to survive. Some species of turtles are coming close to becoming extinct. Turtles are a huge part of the ecosystem. I hate that the human population is turning a blind eye to the animal population.”
Lori’s rescue project with the turtles at Crystal Lake has spilled over to include other animals needing care and attention. “I actually love it when people contact me. A man called who had accidently hit a box turtle and I drove it to Amanda at Aark, and she is going to be fine. Another woman called about a friend of hers who had a bunch of baby birds. It is beginning to turn into a mission. Last year it was two baby squirrels. I could not do anything without the help of Aark. I love that people are coming to me instead of letting things go. I care about everything, not just turtles. I believe that every living breathing creature that God puts on this Earth for a purpose deserves our care. I hope that it inspires other people to do things, make some phone calls, go to a meeting, make a difference. They cannot survive without us. I am humbled by the people who have taken an interest in this effort.”
You can learn the complete story and follow updates through Lori’s Facebook group – One Shell At A Time: Carsonia Lake Turtle Rescue.
