TAMAQUA -- A businesswoman in Schuylkill County is expending her business and helping mentally and physically challenged people at the same time.
Lynn Elko makes soaps for a living. It's a labor of love. She just opened her shop in Tamaqua after working out of her house for years.
She has a mentally challenged daughter Emma and named her business Emma's Friends and Soaps and Lotions. Lynn said at first, her soap making was just a hobby.
"Making the soaps and lotions was just my way of thanking the wonderful therapists and teachers who have come along and they asked if they could buy them."
Clerk Sandy Rumble is proud of her boss.
"When we were in her basement we were sort of secluded and now we're in the open and out in the public and the public can see us."
To help mentally and physically challenged folks, Lynn said she hired some of them to package her soaps.
Don Clamser of Gordon said he like the work.
"Putting it in the bag, in the bag."
Reporter: "That's your favorite part?"
"Yes it is, yep."
The workers are based at Avenues, an organization that helps mentally and physically challenged folks.
Judy Quercia said she's glad to have a job.
"I like doing the soaps and I shred important papers for Avenues."
The next step for Emma's Friends Soaps and Lotions will be an open house on May 6.