Highlighting History: The Homeland Center in Harrisburg learns about its unique founding, shares discoveries in annual calendar

November 29, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

These women helped establish the Society for the Home for the Friendless and were appointed to its original board of managers.

Eighteen women stand behind the history of Harrisburg’s Homeland Center.

In 1866, women from nine city churches, two from each congregation, met to discuss a problem in their community and how to solve it.

The meeting, at that time, was revolutionary for several reasons.

“It was probably unusual for multiple churches and denominations to come together like that, and it was women that led this effort,” said Wendy Shumaker, director of marketing for Homeland Center. “I think that it was probably unusual and necessary all at the same time.”

What they came up with was an institution that would last for decades.

After the Civil War, many women were left widowed and children orphaned. The 18 women decided to do something about it and, in 1867, established a chapter of the “Society for the Home for the Friendless.” In 1870, they built their own facility to house those in need, which is now Homeland Center.

Tasked with fundraising for the building, the group undertook what David Morrison, executive director of Historic Harrisburg Association, called a “significant business venture.”

“They were the visionaries,” Morrison said. “They saw a need, and they came up with a way to address that need.”

Although Homeland Center, now a continuing care retirement community located in Uptown Harrisburg, knew some of this history, staff recently started digging deeper into the story of its formation.

Each year, the center creates and sells a calendar to raise money, and Shumaker needed a theme for 2024. When she brought up the idea of spotlighting Homeland’s history, staff and board members showed enthusiastic support. And so, Shumaker, with help from Morrison, HHA’s board President Jeb Stuart, church leaders and local historians, dug in.

Included in the calendar is information on each of the nine founding churches, the 18 women and the origin of the center.

During the research process, the development team at the center uncovered handwritten notes and meeting minutes from the first time the women gathered. Local historians also found pictures and the full names of the women, who were often only identified by their husband’s names. Among them were Margaretta Brua Cameron, member of Zion Lutheran Church, and Eliza McCormick, member of Old School Presbyterian Church, now Pine Street Presbyterian. The women’s husbands, Simon Cameron and James McCormick, were both prominent Harrisburg figures, as were several of the other women’s husbands.

In order to make the Home for the Friendless a reality, the women needed the help of their husbands to get loans to support the project, as women at the time could not. The men would also make up the board of trustees. However, it was the women who managed day-to-day operations of the organization.

“Those women went beyond the limits of their time and showed that you can be successful,” Morrison said.

While Homeland Center has transitioned from helping widows and orphans to providing care for senior citizens, the mission has remained the same.

“The evolution of becoming what we are today was because of the center responding to the needs of the community,” Shumaker said. “We are still taking care of people and providing excellent care.”

The legacy of those 18 women remains at the center in a very visible way, as the organization maintains a board of managers, made up of 18 women who oversee care of Homeland Center’s facility. This board serves alongside the board of trustees, today consisting of men and women.

The impact of the founding churches is also an important aspect of the calendar, which highlights each of their histories.

Pine Street Presbyterian Church, located on N. 3rd Street, was one of the founding churches of Homeland. However, that piece of history was missing from the church’s archives.

Kenneth Hays, the historian of the congregation, was intrigued by the history, as he knew nothing about the church’s involvement. However, when he found out, it made sense, as the church has always been dedicated to local service work, he explained.

“I was very interested,” he said. “I will definitely put this in the archives now.”

Homeland hopes that from this project will come opportunities to provide history presentations at churches and possibly even a play centered around the story of the women. Shumaker has been inspired to see how many people have been a part of building upon Homeland Center’s and Harrisburg’s history.

“The fact that so many people have come together even for this small project is truly amazing,” Shumaker said.

The 2024 Homeland Lottery Calendars are currently available for purchase. Everyone who purchases a calendar is eligible to be entered into daily drawings for cash prizes of up to $100.

While the calendars will help support the center financially, those involved in the project are just as excited to see how the process has created new partnerships and how the history will continue to connect the community.

“It’s important not to let history slip through our fingers because that history can teach valuable lessons,” Morrison said.

Homeland Center is located at 1901 N. 5th St., Harrisburg. For more information or to purchase a calendar, visit www.homelandcenter.org.

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December News Digest

November 29, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Council, School Board Members Elected

Election Day unfolded with few surprises in Harrisburg, as most city offices were uncontested for the general election.

Last month, incumbent Danielle Bowers and newcomers Crystal Davis and Lamont Jones won three, four-year seats on Harrisburg City Council. The Democrats were unchallenged as no Republicans ran in the race.

Likewise, incumbent Treasurer Dan Miller faced no Republican opposition and won another four-year term.

The Harrisburg school board race also was not competitive, as Democrats Ellis R. Roy, James Thompson, Doug Thompson Leader, Terricia Radcliff and Autumn Anderson all won four-year terms running unopposed.

For magisterial district justice, Matthew Pianka won the race for District 12-1-02, with almost two-thirds of the vote. He was unopposed on the ballot but faced opposition from Autumn Fair, who ran a vigorous write-in campaign.

For District 12-1-04 newcomer Mikaela Sloan won running unopposed, as did incumbent MDJ Hanif Johnson in District 12-1-05.

Democrats Flip County Commissioner Board

Democrats last month flipped the Dauphin County board of commissioners, taking an unexpected majority.

Challenger Justin Douglas narrowly won the third seat on the three-seat board, polling ahead of sitting Republican commissioner Chad Saylor by 147 votes.

On Election Day, Douglas held a 42-vote lead, a figure later revised up by more than 100 votes after all provisional and outstanding absentee ballots were tallied. Therefore, next year, Democrats will hold a 2-1 majority on the board for the first time in a century or more.

“I am profoundly grateful to the voters who have proven that local elections wield significant influence and that the voice of the people can bring about transformative change,” Douglas said. “This win is a testament to the power of community-driven politics, and I am honored to be entrusted with this responsibility.”

Otherwise, two long-time incumbents—Democrat George Hartwick and Republican Mike Pries—were both re-elected for four-year terms.

Elsewhere in the county, Republican Nick DiFrancesco defeated Democrat Fred Faylona for treasurer, while Democrat Bridget Whitley bettered Republican John McDonald for clerk of courts.

For recorder of deeds, incumbent Republican Jim Zugay narrowly defeated Democratic challenger Tami Dykes.

In other county races, the Republican incumbents—District Attorney Fran Chardo, Sheriff Nick Chimienti, Controller Mary Bateman and Register of Wills Jean Marfizo King—all won, running unopposed.

Harrisburg “Best Place” for Retirement

The Harrisburg metro is the top place for retirement in the nation, according to a new report.

Last month, U.S. News & World Report issued its annual “Best Places to Retire” in the United States in 2024, ranking the Harrisburg area first among the country’s 150 most populous metropolitan areas.

“It’s great to see a national publication recognizing what we already know, living and working here everyday, that Harrisburg is one of the best places to live and retire in the country,” responded Ryan Unger, president and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC.

According to U.S. News, Harrisburg took the top spot based on metrics such as affordability and health care.

“While Harrisburg isn’t necessarily regarded as affluent, it has a more affordable housing market and a lower cost of living than many of the East Coast’s larger metro areas,” according to the report.

In all, U.S. News based its ranking on six factors: affordability, health care quality, happiness, desirability, job market ratings and retiree taxes. Affordability was weighted most heavily and, for 2024, was expanded to include the comparative cost of general goods, as opposed to just housing.

Harrisburg moved up one spot from last year, when U.S. News ranked it No. 2 in the nation for retirement. The metro displaced Lancaster, which fell from No. 1 to No. 3 in the 2024 list. In all, Pennsylvania cities took seven of the top 10 positions.

Parent Task Force Formed

Harrisburg is employing the help of local parents to address an important issue.

Mayor Wanda Williams last month announced the creation of a Parent Task Force to discuss youth safety and violence prevention.

“So many of the issues we face in this city start within the walls of someone’s home. In some cases, families don’t even have that much,” said Williams in a statement. “We cannot parent from city hall, but we can be a helping hand and a listening ear, and that is what I want to come out of this task force.”

The task force includes Williams, City Council member and chair of the public safety committee, Ralph Rodriguez, Capt. Russell Winder, who oversees community policing in the Harrisburg Police Bureau, and a representative from the Harrisburg School District. City parents can sign up to participate, as well.

The city held the first meeting last month and will hold successive meetings the second Wednesday of each month, starting Jan. 10, in council chambers in Harrisburg’s MLK City Government Center, 10 N. 2nd St.

At the meetings, parents will be able to speak with city and school district officials to discuss neighborhood and family concerns and to help seek ways to prevent violence, according to the city.

Home Sales Dip, Prices Rise

Home sales in the Harrisburg area slipped in October, but prices went up, in the latest report on previously owned houses.

In the three-county region, 514 homes sold, a decrease from 589 in October 2022, as the median sales price increased to $267,000 from $245,000, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, sales totaled 229 homes compared to 302 in the year-ago period, as the median price rose to $229,000 from $218,500, GHAR stated.

Cumberland County had 242 home sales, a small decrease from 254 last year, as the median price shot up to $321,000 versus $283,000 the prior October, GHAR said.

In Perry County, 34 homes sold compared to 26 last October, as the median price rose to $250,000 versus $229,000, according to GHAR.

The pace of sales was nearly unchanged, as “average days on market” stood at 18 days versus 19 days in October 2022, GHAR stated.

So Noted

EA Media Solutions last month announced its formation as a new media planning and buying agency. The agency is led by two area advertising industry veterans: Jennifer Andren and Yvonne Evans. For more information, visit www.eamediasolutions.com.

Elementary Coffee Co. and Little Amps Coffee Roasters last month released the collaborative “Phoenix” coffee blend, with proceeds helping to benefit the Broad Street Market, which suffered a devastating fire in July. The coffee is available for purchase at the retail locations of both Harrisburg-based companies.

Piper Belles Wood Fired Flatbreads debuted last month in the Broad Street Market’s stone building. Owners Dave and Kaci Shirey offer both traditional and creative pies, including several with smoked meats and homemade barbecue sauces, a specialty gained from their long-time food truck, Piper Belle’s BBQ.

santāl skin held its ribbon cutting in late October at its new location at 3540 Gettysburg Rd., Camp Hill. Owner Natalie Feaster runs the “medical spa,” which focuses on results-driven skin care products and services. For more information, visit www.santalskin.com.

Sprocket Mural Works and Carole DeSoto have been named the 2024 recipients of the Awards for Distinguished Service to Arts in the Capital Region, an annual honor bestowed by Theatre Harrisburg. Since its founding in 2014, Sprocket has mounted over 100 murals throughout central Pa., while DeSoto has supported and volunteered with numerous area arts organizations over many decades.

In Memoriam

Nevin Mindlin, a former candidate for Harrisburg mayor, died last month at age 76 at his home in Fort Myers, Fla. Mindlin was the Republican nominee for mayor in 2009 and then ran briefly as an independent in 2013. Mindlin was a staunch critic of what he perceived to be excessive spending under long-time Mayor Steve Reed and of a plan to monetize municipal parking assets to pay off the city’s deep indebtedness. He also co-founded Debt Watch Harrisburg, a taxpayer-watchdog group active during the city’s financial crisis, and the nonprofit Covenant Community Corp., which supported numerous community projects, especially in Uptown Harrisburg. Originally from Bethlehem, Mindlin lived in Harrisburg for about 40 years before moving to Florida several years ago. He is survived by his partner, Jean Cutler, his three sons and six grandchildren.

Changing Hands

Allison St., 1507: 23 Hickory LLC to Kingston Three Properties LLC, $140,000

Bellevue Rd., 1960: R. Ortiz to Easy Exit Home Solutions LLC, $50,000

Berryhill St., 2432: PA Deals LLC to K. Dodson, $125,500

Boas St., 1928: BSR Rental Trust to S. Nieves & C. Goodman, $135,000

Calder St., 205: Capozzi & Ehring Realty LLC to M. Parker & R. Artuso, $199,900

Capital St., 905: S. Mull to J. Elliott, $182,000

Carnation St., 1729: E. Tesfa to First Choice Home Buyers LLC, $65,000

Cumberland St., 213: W. Hoover & B. Shoemaker to 213 Cumberland St LLC, $173,500

Derry St., 1127: K. Purnell to T. Carberry & T. Versano, $73,000

Derry St., 2131: Global Reach LLC to O. Campoverde, $143,000

Duke St., 2523: T. & R. Scott to G. & T. Haubert, $179,000

Emerald St., 313: G&W Rentals LLC to P. Thomas, $129,900

Emerald St., 518: SPG Capital LLC to Flip Vision LLC, $74,500

Emerald St., 623: SPG Capital LLC to V. Baker, $90,000

Forster St., 1824: S. Orr to Balaci Properties LLC, $81,500

Forster St., 1914: Big Band Investments LLC to L. & L. Morales, $88,000

Fulton St., 1405: S. Orwan to C. Bindzi, $150,000

Green St., 807: T. Wetzel & H. Potteiger to H. Wehry, $270,000

Green St., 1316: R. Massey to Harrisburg Dream Homes LLC, $75,000

Green St., 1625: B. Shoemaker to A. Corby, $255,000

Green St., 1939: A. Koser to K. Hancock, $260,000

Hale Ave., 403: C. & A. Bullock to A. Ranjan, $120,000

Herr St., 1718: M. Imler to A. Middleton, $85,000

Hunter St., 1605: S. Scott to A. & M. Burkhart, $144,000

Jefferson St., 2552 & 619 Radnor St.: Teamsters Local 776 to NASR Consultant Group Inc., $415,000

Kensington St., 2115: T. Mason to T. Thai, $52,000

Kensington St., 2266: H. Alcantara to G. Aponte, $135,000

Liberty St., 1343: SRC Capital LLC to RosaRuth Properties LLC, $62,000

Logan St., 2230: L. Murrell & E. Bey to L. Rivera, $80,000

Logan St., 2345: Enterprise 0 LLC to Ginsberg Holdings LLC, $62,500

Luce St., 2311: C. Dellmuth to Paramount Sol LLC, $105,000

Luce St., 2357: DTJ Associates LLC to T. Nguyen, $125,000

Market St., 2046: Twelfth Root LLC to Annn Investment LLC, $105,000

Naudain St., 1638: M. Holston to A&K Investments Partnership LLC, $70,000

North St., 260: TJC East Properties LLC to A. Sachs, $261,000

North St., 1613: Y. Refae to L. & P. Weeks, $105,000

N. 3rd St., 514: S. Wojdak & J. Malady to MWH North of Liberty LLC, $120,000

N. 3rd St., 1700: SF Rentals LLC to Z. & S. Pelkey, $199,950

N. 4th St., 2138: J. Almonte to K. Chea, $142,500

N. 6th St., 2517: B. Debeljak to A. Spence, $150,000

N. 6th St., 2604: Zion Management LLC to Z&E Holdings LLC, $120,000

N. 6th St., 2656: L. & L. Wade to M. Gomez, $75,000

N. 6th St., 2665: SPG Capital LLC to C. Bowers, $134,900

N. 16th St., 1019: A&K Investments Partnership LLC to A. Disla, $200,000

N. 16th St., 1200: W. Morton to C. Alcantara & P. Rodriguez, $110,000

N. 16th St., 1201: R. Vega to J. Morales, $135,000

N. 18th St., 72: Link Investments Properties LLC & Premier Property Management to Global Reach LLC, $66,000

N. 18th St., 84: D. & R. Requa to A. Levejac, $55,000

N. 18th St., 815: Dobson Family Limited Partnership to J. Warren, $91,200

N. 18th St., 1001 & 1800 Boas St.: Harrisburg School District to Fernandez Realty Affordable Homes LLC, $240,000

N. 19th St., 719: J. Roberts to S. Cyprys, $95,600

N. Front St., 1601: BBHQ LLC to Third Street Realty Co., $625,000

Oxford St., 609: L. Williams to N. Hufford, $120,000

Penn St., 1723: JD CPW 2013 LLC to B. Hall, $175,000

Race St., 556: J. Wheaton to C. Wheaton, $200,000

Reel St., 2734: MS AM Properties Inc. to I. Bah, $140,000

Seneca St., 652: C. & D. McKee to D. Boyle, $58,000

South St., 105: 608 N. Third LLC to J. Unti, $150,000

S. 12th St., 1522: SPG Capital LLC to A. Wood, $95,000

S. 14th St., 309: L. Reyes to 3DSt LLC, $110,000

S. 14th St., 339: A. Araujo to A. Moreta, $90,000

S. 15th St., 27: SRC Capital LLC to E. Rivera, $62,000

S. 16th St., 900: C. Gillespie to P. & B. Singh, $100,000

S. 16th St., 902: B. Owens to JR Soto Construction LLC, $125,000

S. 16th St., 904A: B. Owens to A. Bouhach, $84,000

S. 19th St., 1340: S. Orr to M. Clarke, $135,000

S. 25th St., 602: D. Glatfelter to M. Orea & L. Luna, $110,000

S. 25th St., 732: H. Alcantara to P. Bullock, $155,000

S. Front St., 591: M. Follett to T. Buehler, $265,000

State St., 1410: S. Kochis to SNB Real Estate Solutions LLC, $90,000

State St., 1618: D. & T. Welsh & Habitat for Humanity to R. Tracey, $143,800

State St., 1907: S. Branch to DTJ Associates LLC, $65,000

Susquehanna St., 1716: S. Goodman & R. Xu to E. Helmick & G. Baldwin, $171,000

Swatara St., 2113: S. Orr to A. Spence, $110,000

Swatara St., 2148: N. Cole to J. Colon & Y. Mendez, $115,000

Sycamore St., 1725: M. & N. Bria to W. Winters & C. Deane, $120,000

Sylvan Terr., 134: Enterprise O LLC to Sky Resort Rentals LLC, $60,000

Verbeke St., 226: J. Murison to C. McCoy, $199,900

Verbeke St., 1424: SPG Capital LLC to P. & T. Eiland, $149,900

Whitehall St., 1849: Best By LLC to Zac Penn LLC, $55,500

Wiconisco St., 626: C. Boddie, D. Branch & A. Haygood to M. Morgan, $55,000

Harrisburg property sales, October 2023, greater than $50,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Thrill of the Find: At DaisyAge, what’s old is new again

November 29, 2023 | by Molly Pavlovich

Sandra Sharp

Sandra Sharp has been a collector of clothes through the decades, selling her finds online via Etsy for many years.

Regularly rooting through staple and statement pieces of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s at estate sales and flea markets, she has had trouble choosing a favorite time or style—handpicking a little bit of everything from bold patterns to classic cuts to frilly details.

“It’s the thrill of the find,” she said.

Now, she’s sharing her eclectic finds with brick-and-mortar shoppers, recently opening DaisyAge, a modern-meets-vintage boutique in downtown Camp Hill.

Dabbling with vintage flea markets when she lived in San Diego, Sharp realized that digital browsing and buying wasn’t the end goal. It lacked the human-to-human elements of discovery and connection—the “eureka” moment, the gleeful glow when a shopper tries something on and can’t imagine walking away without it.

A little more than five years ago, Sharp retired from a career in graphic design and relocated from California to be closer to family, wryly admitting that she lugged with her significantly more clothes than furniture. With newfound time on her hands, she sought and found an open storefront, formerly an antiques store, where her aspirations and assemblage of unique textiles would have the space to grow beyond the digital realm.

“Based upon my interests early in life, I could have gone in the direction of fashion or graphic design, and I went with graphic design, but I always had fashion in my heart,” she said. “So, it’s nice to be able to come back to it and the ‘one-day’ ideas that I’ve carried with me over the years.”

Sharp credits her affinity for well-made garments to what she refers to as her “hobby from a past life,” sewing, which she’s been resurrecting recently. In fact, she’s often found working on a sewing project as customers browse—most recently, pillows.

“I just love the old clothes—the way they’re made, the styles, the fabrics,” Sharp said. “That kind of quality and attention to detail is lacking in many of today’s clothes.”

At DaisyAge, vintage wool garments, silks, genuine leather, velvet and other materials that have stood the test of time fill the shop’s racks with texture and color. Many of these pieces are also made by high-end designers such as Armani and Valentino.

“DaisyAge isn’t a vintage store full of natty items overlooked from decades past,” said Gail Coleman, a local artist and customer. “When you step inside and look around, it’s hard to believe that the items are well-loved and aren’t new, as everything is in excellent, like-new condition.”

Victoria Revene, owner of Refresh by Revene, plans to frequent DaisyAge for interesting clothing and accessories for her clients, helping them reach their home, wardrobe and life aspirations.

“The new owner has brought an inviting freshness to the beautifully renewed interior, breathing new life into an old space,” she said.

Beyond clothes, DaisyAge features jewelry, candles, hats and other one-of-a-kind items for sale, handmade by local artisans and creators across the country. Always in search of something new, Sharp plans to continue fostering connections with customers, fellow small businesses and other lovers and creators of well-made things—bringing community together to enjoy the new, the old and the company of one another.

“I’ve met so many interesting people in the short time since DaisyAge opened,” Sharp said. “Customers come in and chat with me while they shop, and I not only get to tell them about the pieces they’re interested in, but I get to learn about them and their life stories too. I’m loving every minute of it.”

DaisyAge is located at 2136 Market St., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.shopdaisyage.com.

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Window into Whimsy: Paper Moon Flowers’ grand window displays bring joy, magic for the holidays

November 29, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

2023 Paper Moon display

When Shawn Durborow-Bowersox first considered leasing his Harrisburg storefront, the shop’s big picture windows were a selling point for him.

He saw the potential for beautiful displays like the vintage ones from a bygone era.

Since opening his shop, Paper Moon Flowers, in 2020, Durborow-Bowersox has filled his N. 3rd Street windows with whimsical displays that change with the seasons. There’s hardly a time that Durborow-Bowersox isn’t thinking about how he’ll decorate them.

“I think about it 24/7,” he said. “I like to think outside the box.”

He has a million things to do for his business, but still, visions of spring, summer, fall and winter-dressed windows dance in his head.

This time of year, the displays become even more elaborate as Durborow-Bowersox ramps up the magic.

Christmastime is big for Paper Moon Flowers and very, very busy. For Durborow-Bowersox, there may not be a silent night in sight as he partners with the Hershey Lodge, Hershey’s Chocolate World and the Hershey Story Museum, among other Hershey and Harrisburg locations, to decorate and provide floral arrangements. Visit Chocolate World, and you’ll see the giant Christmas tree that he adorned.

Even so, Durborow-Bowersox’s holiday windows are one of his favorite parts of what he does, and each year his creativity shines.

In 2021, the windows became Santa’s workshop with mechanized elves hard at work making toys. Handwritten letters to Santa swirled around the windows and wreaths and trees lit with twinkling lights filled the background. The following year featured penguins busy building igloos, roasting marshmallows and making snowballs.

This year, smiling mechanized mice in dresses and overalls wrap gifts and one even irons Santa’s pants.

“It’s an art form,” Durborow-Bowersox said. “People love my windows. It brings them joy.”

Behind the Glass

Each window starts out as a doodle in Durborow-Bowersox’s sketchbook.

“Most of all the windows I’ve done are in this book,” he said, flipping through the pages. “At 3 o’clock in the morning, I’ll wake up and think of things or I’ll jot something down when I’m at a red light.”

Most importantly, the displays have to be unique—something that makes a passerby stop and stare.

“I don’t want to be typical because your eye will go right by it and you won’t stop,” he said.

Once he has a plan in place, Durborow-Bowersox will work with a printing company to reproduce his larger-than-life images, like green clover leaves in March and retro Valentine’s Day cards in February.

He will source or make many of the display items himself, like the giant papier-mâché mushrooms that filled the windows one summer.

For Christmas, Durborow-Bowersox works with a man based in New York City who reproduces vintage, often mechanized, characters like those created by David Hamberger Inc., a company that made animated displays from about 1934 to 1996. Those vintage works of art brought holiday characters to life and now inspire Paper Moon’s Christmas displays each year.

For his 2021 Santa’s workshop windows, Durborow-Bowersox passed out blank envelopes to friends, strangers and customers, asking them to write “To: Santa” on the front. He quickly gathered enough to fill the windows.

“It’s a lot of work,” he said. “It’s not just like, here’s my window, boom, done. There’s a little bit of craziness. But it’s my passion.”

The process also takes Durborow-Bowersox months of planning. In fact, he already has next year’s Christmas windows planned.

“I’m always challenging myself to come up with something bigger and better,” he said.

Such Joy

Durborow-Bowersox has always been creative. When he was a kid, Christmas was a happy time of year for his family, as they always decked out their house with holiday décor. These days, he still finds time to decorate his own Harrisburg home.

Behind Paper Moon’s windows is a store that feels just as much like a holiday wonderland as the displays. The snug shop is packed full with flowers, plants, home décor and candles, with plenty of Christmas- and Hanukkah-themed offerings.

When you enter and exit the store, you may even notice the quiet music playing outside, tunes that fit with each season.

Durborow-Bowersox views the windows as a form of advertising for his small business. People love the displays, and they draw customers in, he explained.

But beyond that, it’s his passion.

It takes a lot of time, money and thought to produce the displays, around six each year, but Durborow-Bowersox loves it, and loves hearing from delighted customers.

“People take pictures in front of them all the time, and that’s a compliment,” he said. “It brings me such joy.”

Paper Moon Flowers is located at 916 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Jolly Job: Local Santas share what it’s like to be the big star of December

November 29, 2023 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Kevin Williams. Photo by Robert Cornelius.

This month, you may see one sitting on a throne at the mall, handing out gifts at a holiday party or bringing up the rear as the big highlight of the town parade.

They’re professional Santa Clauses, and this is their season for breaking out the custom-made red suits, fur-trimmed hats and black boots.

To the casual observer, these Kris Kringles may seem interchangeable, but they’re not. Each one brings a unique twist to spreading joy during this festive season.

Kevin Williams of Camp Hill started his business, Santa-A-Go-Go, in 2015 and has been enjoying a role where there are few downsides, other than the occasional frightened child or rare skeptic who tugs at his beard, only to discover that it is indeed genuine.

“I grew it out a couple years back, and it came in white,” he said.

Most of Williams’ time is spent attending private parties, senior centers and corporate events, but he also visits children’s homes.

“Parents will sometimes leave presents outside for me, and I’ll put them in my big Santa sack and arrive at the house at a scheduled time before Christmas,” said Williams, who then hands the gifts over to the eagerly waiting child.

Williams reminisced about his own childhood, when Santa would call like clockwork every Christmas Eve.

“That was always fun and, when I visit with children, I realize that I am giving them something they can talk about as they get older and realize what their parents did,” he said.

Williams often dons his Santa suit and rides with the top down and the heat on in his red convertible that bears the license plate, “Ho Ho Ho.”

“People are so happy to see Santa, and I’ll see minivans speeding to catch up, and I’ll watch the back window go down as kids smile and wave,” he said. “It’s just magical.”

Williams was inspired to give back to charity after his wife had a bout with breast cancer. He chokes up when he reflects upon those dark times.

“She went to Johns Hopkins for treatment, so I make appearances there to lift everyone’s spirits,” he said.

His wife’s oncologist is located in Camp Hill and, each year, the office of Andrews and Patel gives him the name of a family affected by cancer. Williams then touches base with the parents to schedule a day to visit after finding out which presents are on the children’s wish list.

“Friends and relatives step in to give us donations because we all know that cancer is expensive, and we purchase gift cards to restaurants to help out,” he said.

Williams said that he meets a wide range of people while making his rounds.

“I was in a senior independent living facility and sat down with a bunch of gentlemen and asked a man in his 80s what he wanted. Quick as a whip, he said he wanted an attractive 60-year-old woman with a liquor store,” he said, with a chuckle.

Not all visits provoke laughter. Williams told of a time when he visited a low-income housing development.

“A kid looked at me and asked for a pair of gloves,” he said. “That caused me to pause and reflect on what we take for granted. That tugged at my heartstrings.”

Traditions

Tom Miller, who operates Massages by Miller in Camp Hill, said that he caught the Santa bug back in 1985 when he worked for Red Lobster, which held Christmas parties for kids.

“I started out borrowing suits and eventually bought my own and upgraded the suits and accessories over the years,” said Miller, who, like Williams, attends business parties, family gatherings and senior living events.

Miller said that he especially loves the smiles that Santa elicits from children.

“It gives them a chance to be kids,” he said. “Because of technology, they used to believe until about age 11, but now you’re lucky if it’s 7 or 8.”

Over the years, Miller has seen changes in gift requests.

“The older kids used to ask for Hot Wheels, trucks and dolls,” he said. “Now, it’s Xboxes, iPads, phones and computers.”

Miller remembers fondly a particular experience, when he was able to hop aboard a fire truck from the West Shore Fire Company for a public Santa visit.

“Riding on the fire truck was a big check off my bucket list,” he said.

Miller chuckles when he recalls one year driving to Syracuse in his Santa suit.

“I stopped at a McDonald’s to call my parents since I was running late, and we had a big snow that week,” he said.

As Miller climbed the snow banks to use a pay phone, a local policeman stopped by to ask if everything was all right. Miller told him that he needed to check in with Mrs. Claus.

“I told him there would be a few extra donuts in his stocking for checking on Santa’s safety, and he laughed and thanked me as he drove off,” Miller said.

One thing that tickles Miller the most is when the kids grow up and continue the tradition.

“The kids that came to see me when I started doing Santa are now bringing their own kids,” he said.

Over the Top

Sean Straining’s first foray into Santa world was a cold call that materialized into an annual event about eight years ago.

“I work as a clown during the year, and someone asked if I’d like to try being Santa,” he said. “I did and I loved it.”

He calls his Santa acting just a little more taxing than his clown gig.

“I am over-the-top jolly, jovial, bigger than the room and not as reverent as the other ones I’ve seen,” Straining said.

Over the years, one thing that’s remained consistent is that younger children, 6 years and under, usually want dolls, cars and Legos.

“At that age, they’re not yet looking for electronics,” Straining said.

He’s also happy when the siblings who no longer believe in Old Saint Nick seem content to hang back and appreciate watching their sister or brother sit on Santa’s lap and list what they want on Christmas morning.

“It’s nice that they don’t ruin it for their siblings,” he said.

Over the years, Straining has learned how to bring the scared children out of their shells.

“I lower myself to their level and allow them the power to come to me,” he said, adding that the gig has given him much joy. “It’s neat, awesome, incredible.”

So, wherever you see the Jolly Old Elf this year, you might just want to give him a wink, knowing that you’ll keep his secret. Just remember that we all possess the power to spread a special kind of joy this magical season—a kind that lives within the hearts of all those who dare to imagine.

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Singing into the Season: T’is the month for professional holiday choral concerts

November 29, 2023 | by Rachel Curry

Gettysburg Choral Society

Even before Black Friday, the swell of a busy holiday season can seem insurmountable.

Fortunately, this month, Harrisburg-area choral groups have an antidote to all the bustle—an hour or two of lovely seasonal song.

“We don’t take time to pause,” said Linda Tedford, artistic director and founder of Susquehanna Chorale, commenting on the state of our hectic lives.

Experiencing choral music that’s beautiful and meaningful, Tedford said, can restore the peace and reflection that people often forget to hold dear as everything buzzes around them.

Susquehanna Chorale is one of the region’s choral groups mounting holiday concerts this December. The 40-voice choir has been putting on professional performances for more than four decades. In fact, the group is a multi-generational affair consisting of youthful voices ages 24 to those much more mature.

For this year’s holiday concert, Tedford has selected a range of music across different time periods of history.

The “Candlelight Christmas” concert series, performed at a trio of locations in Dauphin County, includes classical texts and modern carol arrangements alike.

“The atmosphere, the poinsettias, the beautiful venues and the feeling of coming away from the clutter of the holiday seasons is what I’m trying to achieve,” Tedford explained.

While surrounding the audience by candlelight, The Susquehanna Chorale will perform “Salvation Is Created,” a Russian piece composed by Pavel Chesnokov in the early 20th century. Audiences can also expect “Magnificat” by Charles Theodore Pachelbel (composed in the late Baroque era of the 18th century) and some pieces by American composers, including Gwenyth Walker and Randol Alan Bass.

In contrast to the more serious classical texts, Tedford has included a new arrangement of well-known holiday songs such as “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” among other favorites. The chorale also will feature an audience sing-along for two pieces during the performance.

“I try to emphasize to the singers that the main thing is communication with the audience, communication of the joy of singing choral music, the joy of singing together, and the joy of giving our audiences something that is very meaningful and relevant to today’s society,” Tedford said.

Cantate Carlisle, a choral ensemble spearheaded by artistic director Michelle DiBona Trefren, is putting on its own holiday concert series that nods to Disney’s 100th anniversary. The concerts, taking place at the First United Church of Christ, surrounds the motif, “We see eye to eye when we act heart to heart.” This idea stems from “A Goofy Movie,” which featured the song “I 2 I” and that the chorus will sing in an a cappella arrangement.

“I felt like that was an important message for our community,” Trefren said.

Cantate is balancing the novelty of Disney with classical music, as well as more contemporary carols. “The Many Moods of Christmas” (arranged by Robert Shaw and Robert Russell Bennett), “There Shall a Star from Jacob Come Forth” (from Felix Mendelssohn’s oratorio “Christus”), and “Glow” (composed by Eric Whitacre and commissioned for Walt Disney World’s nighttime show, “World of Color: Winter Dreams”) help make up this lineup.

In its December series, Cantate will feature the tenor bass ensemble and soprano alto ensemble separately, making for a moment when the low voices and the high voices get to be featured independently of one another. The audience, Trefren said, always appreciates this moment. Guest string and wind instrumentalists add to the performance’s complexity.

Further to the south, the Gettysburg Choral Society will present its Christmas concert entitled “Joy to the World!” in the Church of the Abiding Presence on the campus of the United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg on Dec. 1. Under the direction of John McKay, the 40-voice choir and guest organist Peggy Haas Howell will perform pieces from Robert Shaw, Alice Parker and other composers in a chapel with satisfying acoustics.

If you miss that early-month concert, the choral society will hold another performance a week later, just south of the Mason/Dixon line in the lovely college town of Emmitsburg, Md.

Tedford said that members of her group, the Susquehanna Chorale, give up every Monday night from September to December to prepare for the holiday concerts. This is a common theme among the chorales of the region, all so they can ensure a peaceful, invigorating and worthwhile time for audiences.

“The singers and I take this responsibility as something kind of sacred,” Tedford said.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Cantate Carlisle
“We See Eye-to-Eye When We Act Heart-to-Heart”

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.
First United Church of Christ
30 N. Pitt St., Carlisle

www.cantatecarlisle.org

Gettysburg Choral Society
“Joy to the World!”

Friday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.
The Church of the Abiding Presence (Chapel) at United Lutheran Seminary
61 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg

Saturday, Dec. 9 at 3 p.m.
Basilica of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
339 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, Md.

www.gettysburgchoralsociety.org

Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus
“Bring on the Holi-Daze!”

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.
Heidelberg UCC
47 W. Philadelphia St., York

Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.
Unitarian Church of Harrisburg
1280 Clover Lane, Harrisburg

Saturday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m.
Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church
9 Hahnstown Rd.,Ephrata

Sunday Dec. 17 at 3 p.m.
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
121 Spring St. Middletown

Saturday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
22 6th St., Lebanon

www.harrisburggaymenschorus.org

The Harrisburg Singers
“Comfort and Joy”

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
St. Joseph Catholic Church
400 E. Simpson St., Mechanicsburg

Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran Church
2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill

www.theharrisburgsingers.org

Susquehanna Chorale
“Candlelight Christmas”

Friday, Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts
Messiah University
600 University Ave., Mechanicsburg

Saturday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Leffler Chapel, Elizabethtown College
1 Alpha Drive, Elizabethtown

Sunday, Dec. 17 at 4 p.m.
Market Square Presbyterian Church
20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg

www.susquehannachorale.org

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A Century to Savor: Pronio’s Market puts the special in specialty

November 29, 2023 | by Deborah Lynch

Hershey is a town of tourists and transplants.

It’s also a town with a short, yet rich history whose population was once two-thirds Italian American. It’s the third-, fourth- and fifth-generation natives who help to foster the sense of community in what can otherwise seem like a town of strangers.

No place better exudes community and caring than Pronio’s Market, a downtown staple located at the corner of Caracas Avenue and Valley Road. In a country that has watched downtowns morph from busy centers of life to empty streets, Pronio’s has remained an anomaly as a small, family-owned anchor of community.

Since 1983, Mike Pronio has run the store, taking over from his father, Vincent, who took over from his father, Michele, who founded it in 1919.

So, exactly what kind of store is Pronio’s? It’s a taste of Italy, with a touch of central Pa.

Locally, Pronio’s is famous for its specialties, which are made in-house. These include sausages, deli salads, strombolis, meatballs, meatloaf, ham loaf and baked goods. The meats are cut and ground fresh seven days a week, and local produce is stocked when available.

Pronio’s son, James, has procured products from five different Italian specialty vendors, including cheeses, sauces and other goodies from DiBruno Brothers, the large South Philadelphia Italian specialty purveyor. Shelves also feature goods from other local cooks and bakers including Thom’s Bread from Lancaster, Chocolates by Tina Marie in Hummelstown and Handmade Pasta by Jean Marie.

“People aren’t going to come here for Cheerios and Bounty towels,” Mike Pronio said.

Incredible Place

While many families might plan trips to grandma’s house or the Caribbean over Christmas, the Pronio children fly across the country to help their dad run the store during its busiest time. With a two-fold customer rush, Pronio’s four adult children help to fill the gaps, doing everything from manning the register to helping their dad make sausage until 2 or 3 in the morning on Christmas Eve.

“I don’t know what we would do without them,” Pronio said of daughter Ellen who lives in Colorado, son James who lives locally, daughter Natalie in New York, and son Matthew in Texas. “They make the pilgrimage every year to help out over the holidays.”

None of this is lost on filmmaker Michael Accorsi, whose fondest memories are childhood visits from his Baltimore-area home to his Italian grandmother in Hershey when she would line him up with grocery orders from all of her friends, sending him back and forth to Pronio’s to fill their requests.

“When I think of the old times, it’s Pronio’s,” Accorsi said. “I’ve got to tell that story. It’s such an incredible little place.”

So, he did, in a 30-minute film, “Pronio’s: A Cornerstone of Hershey History,” which came out in July.

The film opens and ends with owner Mike Pronio helping customers to their cars and loading grocery bags. Baggers offer to take groceries to the cars for every customer at Pronio’s, rain or shine. No job is too small for the owner, and it carries through to all of his staff.

Deli workers not only slice the meats and cheeses, they also prepare the salads, strombolis and soups from family recipes.

Shelley Dohner, who started at Pronio’s at age 19 and now has been there for 40 years, is Mike’s right-hand person. She orders for the whole store, deals with specialty vendors, and prices the goods, does most of the computer work, schedules, unloads trucks, runs the cash register, bakes and hops into the deli if it’s short-handed.

“If I would get run over by a truck, the store would be fine,” Pronio said. “If she [Dohner] would get run over by a truck tomorrow, I would throw the keys away and say, ‘I’m leaving.’ She knows this store from one end to the other. That kind of sense of responsibility is just hard to find.”

Just as Pronio praises his employees, particularly for showing up whether rain, snow or COVID, they return the love of the workplace he has created.

“It is pretty much a family atmosphere,” Dohner said, explaining that her nephew works as a butcher, her best friend is a deli worker, she’s known another worker since high school, and Betty Bracale, a cashier for 31 years, “is just like another sister to me.”

Bracale tried to retire five years ago, but that lasted fewer than three months.

“I didn’t have anybody to talk to,” she said, noting her close relationships with customers. “I had a lady come in. Her mom had passed away. I asked her how she was doing, and she said, ‘I had to come in for a Betty hug.’ I’m a hugger. If you see me walking around and going to the side, they know a hug is coming.”

Pronio also employs people with disabilities. He works with Hershey and Lower Dauphin School districts to help young people in need of more supervision acclimate to the world outside of school. Many of them stay on or return as employees.

“Some of them become part of the fixtures here,” Pronio said.

Heart of Gold

Pronio’s retains all the values of a store three generations strong.

“It’s never lost its core identity from what it was on day one,” said longtime patron John Dunn.

He noted that the family has always helped those in need with credit and care packages. Most recently, Pronio’s has been collecting donations of money and clothing for Ukraine. Mike Pronio also sends frequent care packages to those in the military.

“They are like family because of their heart of gold,” Dunn said. “They are so unselfish and sensitive to the needs of those that truly need.”

Philanthropy, great service and attention to customer desires set Pronio’s apart.

“This store shouldn’t be here,” Pronio said. “Where do you find the store that has the whole selection of things you need in one stop? The people in this town seem to want to see this store survive. They support us; we support them.”

Stop almost any Pronio’s regular, and they will echo what Ernie Accorsi—Michael’s dad and former general manager of the Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants—said in the film: “We should be thanking them.”

Pronio’s Market is located at 236 W. Caracas Ave., Hershey. For more information, visit www.pronios.com. To view the film about Pronio’s, go to https://vimeo.com/843728222.

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Naughty But Nice: Scrooge & Cindy Lou get unwrapped this month at Open Stage

November 29, 2023 | by Stuart Landon

“A Christmas Carol”

As the Open Stage staff decorates the lobby with garland and puts the finishing touches on the holiday scenery and costume designs, anticipation builds for the return of two cherished productions: “Who’s Holiday!” and “A Christmas Carol.” The two shows have become staples for central Pa. audiences and artists.

Nicholas Hughes has played the role of Ebenezer Scrooge since the professional theatre company first staged “A Christmas Carol” in 2000. Based on the classic story of redemption by Charles Dickens, the show follows Scrooge as he is visited by ghosts on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Rachel Landon is taking her fourth turn as Cindy Lou Who in “Who’s Holiday!” an irreverent parody twist on the story of the Grinch.

The artists behind these iconic characters sat down to discuss their holiday shows, playing this month during Open Stage’s 38th season in downtown Harrisburg. The two veteran performers were happy to give a glimpse into the festive worlds the company brings to life each holiday season. Whether you’re in the mood for irreverent comedy or a classic tale of redemption, Open Stage promises a festive month of shows that capture the heart of the season.

Q: It’s been nearly a quarter century of you embodying Ebenezer Scrooge, Nick. Rachel, this is your fourth season as Cindy Lou. How do you approach your roles each year and keep it fresh?

Nick: Well, it sort of provides its own impetus. It doesn’t get repetitive over time. Audience members come voluntarily…

Rachel: Thank goodness.

Nick: They return again and again because they enjoy it. And I do too. It’s a bit like revisiting an old friend. Scrooge is a character with layers, and, each year, I find something new to explore. There’s a depth and richness to his journey that makes it rewarding. Mr. Dickens himself toured and gave recitals of his story time after time for many years. Probably managed to make a different rendition of his wonderful story. I hope to emulate that.

Rachel: Cindy is a lot of fun to play. You have a different audience every night who gets to experience the story. Cindy Lou’s story is a comedy and a tragedy. The funny stuff comes from the bad things that have happened to her. Each year, I find new moments in the script and in her character. It is the same old story, but it’s new for me every single day.

Nick: Cindy Lou has such a catastrophic and deprived existence, but she remains cheerful. Yet, there’s Mr. Scrooge, presumably living with money rolling in, but so grumpy and miserable. What a counterpoint. Whoa!

Q: After 24 productions and countless rehearsals, what keeps you coming back to “A Christmas Carol” each year?

Nick: It’s an honor and a privilege to be part of this annual production with a wonderful cast, many of whom come back to the show year after year. Forging those connections each year—it’s what makes this tradition truly special. Plus, I believe we had the best audiences last year, the highest percentage of seats filled in the theater!

Q: And Rachel, why Cindy Lou again? What keeps you coming back?

Rachel: It’s the massive paycheck that I get.

Nick: Damn right.

Rachel: In all seriousness, I think she’s such a wonderful and unique character. I tell my students [at The Alsedek Theatre School of Open Stage] that what we do should be fun. When you’re on stage, you should be having a good time, even when telling a dramatic story.

Nick: And it is different every time. It’s new every year. Every performance, actually.

Q: What lessons do you take from these stories during the holiday season, Rachel?

Rachel: It’s all about gathering. Both Cindy Lou and Scrooge’s stories share the idea of connecting once again to the outside world after a long time away. Christmas represents being with the ones you love, having a good time, sharing laughter and love.

Q: These shows have become traditions for Open Stage and for the community. Why do you think each show has such a strong following?

Nick: For me and my fellow cast members, this production is Christmas. It dominates three months of our year. For those who attend every year, it’s something familiar, but it’s also exciting and better. Every year, it gets better. The costumes, the adaptation, the choreography, the spectacle and even the themed drinks at the bar!

Rachel: I’ve heard it said about both shows that, “It’s not Christmas until I see ‘Who’s Holiday!’” or “until I see ‘A Christmas Carol!’” This time of year is when families and friends gather, and people want to do something special. Theater is the perfect thing to do together for the holidays!

Q: What do you want people to take away from these shows?

Rachel: Cindy Lou tells us to be kind, to “surround yourself with people who are kind, and if they don’t treat you that way, watch out, beware.” I want audiences to walk away thinking about that. Let’s all choose love, family and kindness.

Nick: We also want to reward people for making the effort to go out and see a live show. It makes life richer and more enjoyable. Everyone should join us downtown for a show.

Rachel: Absolutely, but folks should get their tickets now because both shows sell out. Don’t wait!

Nick: I see people who casually know me; they see that my hair and beard are beginning to grow at this time of year. They say, “Oh yes. Oh you do that thing! You’re Santa Claus” or whatever. And they, say, “Oh well, I really have been meaning to come to that show. I should go.” “Well, look,” I say, “this is year 24, so really, you shouldn’t leave it too long.”

“Who’s Holiday!” and “A Christmas Carol” run through Dec. 23 at Open Stage, 25 N. Court St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.openstagehbg.com.

Stuart Landon is the producing artistic director of Open Stage.

UPCOMING EVENTS

At Gamut Theatre
www.gamuttheatre.org
717-238-4111

Gilbert & Sullivan’s
“H.M.S. Pinafore”
Dec. 1, 2, 3

Popcorn Hat Players
Countdown to Noon
Dec. 31 at 11 a.m.

TMI Improv
Last Laughs of 2023
Dec. 31 at 9 p.m., 10 p.m. & 11 p.m.

At Open Stage
www.openstagehbg.com
717-232-6736

“Who’s Holiday!”
Now to Dec. 22
Cindy Lou is back and funny as ever.

“A Christmas Carol”
Dec. 2 to 23
The 24th annual production

“A Very Court Street Cabaret Christmas!”
Dec. 8 to 22
Late-night shows of holiday tunes

NYC Showtune Drag Queen
Paige Turner: Slay Ride
Sat., Dec. 9 at 7:30pm

Tony Wayne & The Figgy Pudding Band
Sunday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Rock & jazz arrangements of Christmas favorites

Black Newsbeat with Dr. Kimeka Campbell
Tuesday, Dec 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Be in the live studio audience of this talk show

EFF Live! Holiday Edition
Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 9:30 p.m.
An evening of naughty (not nice) fan fic

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Your Move: Roll the dice at Harrisburg Board Game Day

November 29, 2023 | by Alex J. Hayes

Photo courtesy of Harrisburg Board Game Day.

On a Saturday in late July, 344 people arrived at Whitaker Center in downtown Harrisburg shortly before 10 a.m.

Some came with friends, some came alone. Many arrived with large backpacks full of games, while others were empty-handed.

Whitaker Center is a place where people can discover art, music, theater and science. On this day, the exploration was focused on one hobby—board games. Teenagers, adults and senior citizens spent 10 hours laughing, learning, connecting, winning, and, at times, getting a little frustrated.

Harrisburg Board Game Day brings hobby enthusiasts to the state’s capital annually. The event began about six years ago as Midtown Board Game Day and has since grown in size and focus.

Organizer Matt Caylor said Board Game Day has three goals: bring people together, celebrate the gaming hobby, and introduce people to Harrisburg.

“We want people to see the city is safe, it is clean, and there are things to do here,” he said.

People often come to Harrisburg for game day and then spend an additional day discovering its food and beverage scene, architecture and history.

“I tell people from across Pennsylvania the state Capitol is a beautiful building that you own—come see it,” Caylor said.

Caylor and his wife, Manda Shafer, have been game enthusiasts for about a decade after being introduced to them at a comic book convention. They play regularly, and Shafer is preparing to publish her first game, called The Establishment. Like many others, their attraction to board games centers around challenges and personal connections.

“We are taking our phones and putting them in our pockets,” Caylor said. “We are playing together, and there is not this device between us.”

Board games give introverts the opportunity to meet new people without awkward chit-chat.

“We have something to do and can build community connections,” Caylor said. “It gives a framework to develop friendships and make new connections.”

Perfect Fit

At Harrisburg Board Game Day, there are several ways to participate.

Some people host tables and display signs that state, “looking for players.” Others know which games they want to try and focus on those gatherings. Board game publishers also occupy space so they can teach people their creations and answer any questions.

The Bodhanna Group of York, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the use of tabletop games as therapy, brings a portion of its 1,000-title collection for attendees to borrow.

The entire event is free. Players raise money for Whitaker Center through donations, raffles and T-shirt sales.

Harrisburg Board Game Day is growing from an event to an organization. In May, they host a board game yard sale at Pursuit Coworking on 3rd Street in conjunction with the Midtown Yard Sale. The all-volunteer group is exploring a third event and working toward acquiring its official nonprofit status.

The next Harrisburg Board Game Day isn’t until next August, but those interested in exploring the hobby do not have to wait that long. New and experienced players can find board game nights on Meetup.com. Harrisburg Board Game Day also regularly posts opportunities on its Facebook page.

“Most of the hosts spend more time teaching games and inviting people in than playing themselves,” Caylor said. “They are doing this because they are passionate about the hobby.”

He also encourages those interested in learning more to visit one of the area’s five board game shops—The Adventurer’s Guild in Susquehanna Township, Lazarus Games in Harrisburg, Blue Moon Games in Lemoyne, Eclipse Gaming Café in Carlisle and UrTurn Games & Gifts in Palmyra. Shop owners and staff are always eager to discuss players’ interests, time commitments, and strategy levels to help them find the perfect fit, Caylor said.

Caylor has met some of his closest friends through his beloved hobby, and he is excited to help others make similar connections.

“We have been through birthdays, weddings, divorces and the pandemic,” he said. “We never would have known each other if it were not for board games.”

To learn more about Harrisburg Board Game Day, visit its Facebook page or email [email protected].

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Grape Expectations: A trip to Lake Erie resulted in deeper appreciation for PA wines—and some gift ideas

November 29, 2023 | by M. Diane McCormick

Image courtesy of Mazza Vineyards

“Let’s go taste the regent, and then we’ll go back and taste some wine.”

Lovely words, heard in the very vineyard that birthed those wines. The regent grapes we tasted right from the vine were almost ready for this year’s vintage. The wines waiting for us came from past harvests.

This was a tour of Erie wine country. Hosted by Mazza Vineyards, the venerable Pennsylvania winemaker, I sipped Mazza’s portfolio of wines crafted in close partnership with local grape growers. By introducing new wines and reintroducing the classics, the experience raised new possibilities for holiday gift giving.

In the Beginning

Come to Erie, where grape-friendly conditions are infused into soil formed by glaciers and into air moderated, temperature-wise, by the 9,900-square-mile Lake Erie.

Everywhere you go, there are grapevines, in sprawling expanses or tucked between homes. The industry jumpstarted with Welch’s and its circa-1897 juice plant built in Westfield, N.Y., just over the Pennsylvania line.

But grape growers can sell only so much juice, and, in the 1960s, Doug Moorhead led a successful campaign allowing wineries to sell directly to the public. In the wake of the Pennsylvania Limited Winery Act of 1969, Robert Mazza founded his family winery in 1972.

In this region, every bottle sings with history. The setting helps. I took my first sips of Mazza’s The Perfect Rosé while standing on a ridge overlooking the vastness of Lake Erie. Just beyond the cliff, a young bald eagle swooped past.

Our cliffside lodgings were at Lakeview on the Lake, a charmingly retro, family-owned lodge with motel rooms and cottages spread around a grassy quad. I stayed in an auto court cottage straight out of the classic movie, “It Happened One Night”—not the donut-dunking one, but the knotty pine-walled, “Take me with you” one. I was tempted to hang a “Walls of Jericho” blanket.

Grape to Glass

Lake Erie’s cooler climate and breezy days compare to wine regions in Germany, nurturing the whites Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris, plus red Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.

It all starts with the growers, close collaborators with Mazza in planning each year’s harvest and vintages.

Bill Semelka, whose father originally grew juice grapes, now grows regent, Riesling, Cabernet Franc and Itasca, a new cool-climate variety from Minnesota for a fruity, dry white. There on a bluff, air movement keeps the vines dry, for grapes that ripen earliest.

Standing in the vineyard, we sipped wines made with “right-here grapes,” in the words of Mazza Brand Ambassador Blaine Ballard. The regent plays well as a blend, I learned, giving a lift to Cab Franc or Merlot. The regent-chambourcin was rich and lively, closing with a hint of apple.

At Szklenski Farms, in Harborcreek Township, Blaine again set up a tasting table from the back of his truck. This time, he lined up dozens of glasses in rows of four.

This was a “vertical tasting,” comparing one wine across vintages. We sipped the Cab Franc made from Szklenski grapes in 2016, ’17, ’19 and ’20. The two elders were the clear winners, left to age gracefully and reach their full mellow.

The ’19 and ’20 were no slouches, though. As explained by Mario Mazza, second-generation general manager and vice president, the tasting proved that the Szklenski Cab Franc is no fluke. In agriculture, there will always be crop failures, like the season at Semelka’s farm when the regent grapes, “you just looked at them funny, and they’d fall off.” But a good wine from year to year demonstrates the consistency in farming practices needed to create “a commonality of structure and architecture,” Mario said.

As a later tour guide, Director of Distilling & Brewing Joe Nelson, would say, every glass brims with the symbiosis of grower and maker.

“We do what we’re good at,” he said. “We hire people who are good at what they do.”

A Travel Guide

A vineyard is a unique place to taste wine, but a cavern? Now we’re talking character and mystery.

Mazza operates three Lake Erie wine country sites, each a unique destination. Let’s start with the cavern.

In 1864, the owners of Erie’s first commercial winery built a stone cave where horse-drawn carts brought grapes for storage. Fast forward to 2006, when Robert Mazza bought the decrepit property in North East and restored it as South Shore Wine Company.

Descend into the cavern for a taste of Mazza’s Coupe Collection of sparkling wines. Our breakfast mimosas paired beautifully with bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches from an Erie eatery, and that was fine with Mario. You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy sparkling wine, he said. Open a bottle and take the tedium out of Tuesday.

Mazza’s logo features grapes, grain and hops. Why? Because Mazza established New York State’s first combination winery, distillery and brewery. Just over the Pennsylvania-New York line, in picturesque Chautauqua County, you can while away the evening on the patio or in the tasting room at Mazza Chautauqua Cellars/Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing, a.k.a. The Westfield Wonder.

Sip on rye whiskeys and bourbons in straight traditional or finished in different barrels for added levels of complexity, all made with local grains. On the brewing side, choose from pale ales, stouts, seasonals, a cream ale that hearkened back to my college days and the uniquely Erie-ish Grape Lakes American Wheat, flavored with a hint of concord grape.

Finally, explore Mazza’s origins by visiting where it all started—Mazza Vineyards in North East, the company’s first winery and tasting room. Here, we saw clusters from that morning’s harvest hand-loaded into a presser separating grapes from stems. I reached into the bin to feel and taste the sweet mash, grapes picked at just the right ratio of sugar and acid on their way to fermentation.

The tasting room exudes Old World charm, with red tile floors, stucco walls and bottles on a mantel decked out in mantles of wine-competition medals.

This room celebrates tradition, including Mazza’s La Famiglia line honoring winemakers who have come, over the years, from five continents. The collection is “technique-focused,” said Mario, such as the dry Appassionato made by drying the grapes on a rack.

“We are always building on their legacies,” Mario said. “You have to work as a team. I continue to learn from them all the time.”

Guide for Giving

A bit of knowledge helps when pairing the right wine or spirit with the right loved one.

The Perfect Rosé: For the perky friend who always cheers you up. Nice and bright. Pairs nicely with spicy.
Mazza Chautauqua Cellars Riesling (Nutt Rd. Vineyard): For the wisecracker in your life. Semi-dry, made from grapes all grown on the same block. This was where I learned that a distinct whiff of turpentine is desirable. I’m still trying to process that.
South Shore Wine Company Lemberger: For the friend who’s ahead of the curve. Lemberger, a wonderful discovery for me, produces a peppery, dry red.
Five & 20 Spirits and Brewery Déjà Vu Bourbon: For the whiskey aficionado who’s equal parts sweet and roasty. Begins life in new, charred American oak barrels. Then, it’s transferred for a 24-month stay to casks that recently held Five & 20’s Commiseration Imperial Stout.
Mazza Vineyards Ice Wine of Vidal Blanc: Surprise the friend who swears on dry wines only. Harvesting day is all-hands-on-deck, when—and if—the temperature plummets to 17 degrees. Even community volunteers bundle up and pitch in. The tradition behind it gave me a new appreciation of ice wine. It was fruity and dense, with some acidity blunting the sweetness.
South Shore Wine Company Pét Nat Riesling: For the hazy IPA lover who’s wine-curious. The ancestral Pétillant Naturel method creates fizz by bottling juice while it’s still fermenting. Increasingly popular for its lack of additives.
South Shore Wine Company Sparkling Pinot Noir: Perfect for a certain writer for TheBurg. A cheery, dry sparkler with notes of black cherry and ripe plum. As Mario said, a bubbly lift for an ordinary day, but also the ideal glass to raise when saying, “Happy holidays, everyone!”

For more information on Mazza Vineyards, visit www.enjoymazza.com. For more information on Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing, visit www.fiveand20.com.

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