Community Corner: Notable events in April

March 31, 2022 | by Missy Smith

Get That Job

April 1-29: Attend Get that Job! workshops virtually or in-person at Fredericksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, on Fridays, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Learn how to present your best self with a strong resume, concise cover letter, targeted interview, good communication and more. www.fredricksenlibrary.org

HBG Flea
April 2: Shop the HBG Flea for local art, vintage treasures, curated curios and unique gifts, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Strawberry Square, Harrisburg. The mission of the HBG Flea is to create a platform for growth in the community by bringing artists, small businesses and patrons together. www.hbgflea.com

Book Release

April 2: Maria V. Snyder celebrates the release of “Up to the Challenge,” a collection of short speculative fiction at Cupboard Maker Books, 157 N. Enola Rd., Enola, 1 to 3 p.m. www.cupboardmaker.com

Book Sales
April 2, 16: Friends of the New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza, will hold pre-owned book sales on first and third Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Foundation House, across from the library. Shop for books, DVDs, CDs, puzzles, records, tote bags, notecards and more. www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org

Maple Sugar Fest

April 3: Learn the mysteries of making maple syrup, Native American sugar making, tree tapping and children’s activities at the Maple Sugar Festival at Fort Hunter, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg, 12 to 4 p.m. Taste test different types of maple syrup and shop a variety of maple products. www.forthunter.org

Art in the Wild
April 3: Meet Art in the Wild artists as they put the finishing touches on their installations for Wildwood Park’s annual outdoor art exhibit, with a theme of “Sunlight and Shadows.” Take a self-guided, 3-mile trail walk to meet the artists and observe the process of creating outdoor art, 1 to 3 p.m. www.wildwoodlake.org

Stand Against Racism
April 4-May 2: YWCA Greater Harrisburg hosts “Stand Against Racism Challenge: A Virtual Community of Growth,” April 4 to May 2, in which participants can engage with curated articles, podcasts, videos, activities and more on the Challenge website or app. The annual Race Against Racism 5k run/walk will be held on May 14. www.ywcacarlisle.org

Kids Discover

April 5, 15: Young explorers ages 5 to 10 are invited to Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, for the “Kids Discover” series. Participants can discover signs of life in vernal pools (thawing ground filled with water), on April 5, 2 to 4 p.m. On April 15, 10 to 11:30 a.m., they can search for and examine nests and make their own nest to take home. www.explorewildwoodpark.org

Explore! Kids

April 6: Kids in grades 3 to 5 are invited to the State Museum of PA, 300 North St., Harrisburg, to explore industries that helped shape the state, 11:30 a.m. “Explore!” programs are included with general admission, but space is limited. Sign up at the ground floor information desk. www.statemuseumpa.org

Peaceful Poses

April 6, 8: Children ages 3 and older are invited to a yoga adventure with Ann Fields, founder of Peaceful Poses Kids Yoga, at Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill. On April 6 at 7:30 p.m., kids can wind down with PJ Yoga on Zoom, and, on April 8, they have the option to do virtual or in-person yoga at 10 a.m. www.fredricksenlibrary.org

Spring Gardening

April 6, 13: Penn State Extension presents its “Veggie 101-201 Series” at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Join Dauphin County Master Gardeners for an evening workshop virtually or in-person. Cost is $5. www.explorewildwoodpark.org

Nature Lab
April 8: State Museum of PA, 300 North St., Harrisburg, hosts a talk with Bert Myers, director of environmental education for the state Department of Environmental Protection, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. Learn about falcon natural history and Pennsylvania’s successful peregrine falcon reintroduction. www.statemuseumpa.org

Film Friday
April 8: Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, will show “Aga” on Film Friday. The Bulgarian film about Aga, Nanook and Sedna are the last members of their ethnic group and live in a yurt on the snow-covered fields in the far north. Showings are at 2 and 7 p.m. www.fredricksenlibrary.org

Guitar Show
April 8-10: Artisan Guitar Show will be held at Best Western Premier and Conference Center, 800 E. Park Dr., Harrisburg. Visit with handcrafted guitar exhibitors, attend master classes and enjoy a concert series. www.artisanguitarshow.com

Craft Sale
April 9: Central Dauphin High School Band Boosters hosts its 30th Annual Craft Sale at 437 Piketown Rd., Harrisburg, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shop for handmade items from more than 150 vendors. Parking and admission are free. Proceeds benefit high school band programs. www.cdramband.org

Bunny Trail

April 9: Celebrate spring on the bunny trail throughout the Harsco Science Center at Whitaker Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The trail includes craft stations, Hershey’s candy stations and photos with the Easter Bunny. Tickets are $5 per person; kids 2 and younger are free. www.whitakercenter.org

Volunteer Day
April 9: Enjoy the outdoors and help with park and habitat enhancement projects at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tools and work gloves provided, and refreshments will be available. www.explorewildwoodpark.org

Curious Kids
April 14: State Museum of PA, 300 North St., Harrisburg, invites kids ages 3 to 6 and their families to “Curiosity Kids” at 11:30 a.m. Learn the history of pretzels and why Pennsylvania is the largest producer in America. Test your pretzel twisting skills. www.statemuseumpa.org

Food Rally

April 14: Enjoy fresh, savory foods at the New Cumberland Food Truck & Restaurant Rally every second Thursday of the month, March to December, 5 to 8 p.m. Grab dinner from area food trucks or New Cumberland restaurants, and cap off the evening with shopping and special promotions at local businesses. www.newcumberlandpa.org

Spring Happy Hour
April 14: YWCA Junior Board will hold its spring happy hour, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Harrisburg Country Club, 401 Fishing Creek Valley Rd. Tickets are $20 in advance. Proceeds benefit YWCA Greater Harrisburg’s Camp Reily Program. www.ywcahbg.org/events

3rd in The Burg
April 15: Explore the best of Harrisburg during 3rd in the Burg, the monthly arts and culture event, where you can visit and enjoy galleries, restaurants and art spaces throughout downtown and Midtown, 6 to 9 p.m. www.thirdintheburg.org

Easter Dinner

April 17: Enjoy a free Easter meal at JFT Recovery and Veterans Support Services, 300 Market St., Lemoyne, 2 to 6 p.m. Side dishes are welcome but not required. www.jft-rvss.org

Plein Air

April 18-27: Artists will paint outdoors on both sides of the Susquehanna River during the 2nd annual River Towns Plein Air event hosted by Marietta Art Alive. Public is invited to observe artists at work. The 10-day painting period culminates in an art exhibit opening on April 29 at 5 p.m. at Marietta Community House Studio 264. www.mariettaartalive.com

Earth Day

April 20: Kids in grades 3 to 5 can learn about reducing, reusing and recycling at the State Museum of PA, 300 North St., Harrisburg, during Explore! Earth Day at 11:30 a.m. www.statemuseumpa.org

Embrace Grace

April 20: Single and Pregnant? Make friends in a judgment-free community of women who want to encourage and support you. Receive a free baby shower too. Event at 7 p.m., Christian Life Assembly, 2645 Lisburn Rd., Camp Hill. Pre-registration required. www.clacamphill.churchcenter.com

Book Sale
April 21-24: Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, will host its Spring Book and Media Sale, April 21 and 22, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., April 23, 1 to 5 p.m., and April 24, 1 to 4 p.m. (bag sale day). www.fredricksenlibrary.org

Fundraising Event
April 22: Vision Resources of Central PA hosts the 22nd Annual Visions of Monte Carlo benefit fundraiser at the Sheraton Harrisburg/Hershey, 4650 Lindle Rd., Harrisburg, for a dinner, auction, raffles, music, dancing, casino-style games and more, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. www.vrocp.org

Taste of the Chamber
April 22: West Shore Chamber of Commerce holds “Soiree by the Beeches,” with live music, dancing and hors d’oeuvres by the water at Allenberry Resort, 1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs, 7 to 10 p.m. Wear your best prom formal attire. www.wschamber.org

Free Spa Night
April 22: Spa night for single moms, with free neck massage, facials, foot soaks, food, coffee and more. Event takes place at Christian Life Assembly, 2645 Lisburn Rd., Camp Hill. Pre-registration required. www.clacamphill.com/events

Litter Cleanup
April 23: You can make Harrisburg a cleaner and safer place to live, work and play by participating in the 10th Annual Great Harrisburg Litter Cleanup. This event leaves a huge impact in a few short hours every year. www.cactricounty.org/ghlc

Wetlands Festival
April 23: Celebrate Wildwood Park’s wetlands with a day of free, fun and educational activities, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy wildlife exhibits, displays and music and talk to representatives from environmental groups. www.wildwoodlake.org

Civil War Presentation
April 23: National Civil War Museum, 1 Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg, offers the next presentation in its “Lessons in History” speaker series, “Slogging to Richmond: Environmental Influences on the Union Failed Peninsula Campaign, 1862,” with Judkin Browning and Timothy Silver, 1 to 2 p.m. www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

Bag Bingo

April 23: Harrisburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Delta Research and Education Foundation will host “Designer Bag Bingo,” 4 to 7 p.m., at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 2701 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. www.dstharrisburg.org

Flower Walk

April 24: Take a walk at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 1:30 to 3 p.m., to look for early spring flowers such as Dutchman’s breeches, trout lilies, spring beauties and flowering trees. Learn interesting facts about these early spring bloomers. www.explorewildwoodpark.org

State of Arms
April 25: Steven Pifer, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who studies nuclear arms control, Ukraine, and Russia, will discuss the current situation in Ukraine in a Foreign Policy Association webinar at 7:30 p.m. www.fpaharrisburg.org

Award Ceremony

April 28: Join the Salvation Army Harrisburg in honoring Micah Parsons with the “Celebration of Potential” award at its annual community event at The Hershey Lodge, 325 University Dr., 6:30 p.m. Parsons is a Harrisburg native, Penn State alum, Dallas Cowboys linebacker and Defensive Rookie of the Year. www.pa.salvationarmy.org/harrisburg-pa

Library Benefit

April 29: Elizabethtown Public Library, 10 South Market St., hosts “A Taste of Western Lancaster County,” a celebration of food, beverage, music and fellowship, 4:30 to 9 p.m. Savor samplings from regional restaurants and enjoy wine, beer tastings, and live entertainment by local artists. www.etownpubliclibrary.org

Plant Sale

April 30: Friends of the New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza, hosts their annual plant sale at Foundation House, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shop for annuals, vegetables, herbs, perennials and more. Susanna Reppert of the Rosemary House will offer a free workshop on growing and using herbs at 10 a.m. www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org

Odd Ones
April 30: Odd Ones Spring Bizarre will be held at The Millworks, 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Shop for unique and handcrafted gifts at this spring alternative arts and crafts event. www.millworksharrisburg.com

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April News Digest

March 31, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Gittens

Harrisburg Outsources Engineer Post

Harrisburg City Council last month approved an administration plan to outsource the city engineer duties to an outside firm, at least for a while.

Council voted to hire Lower Paxton Township-based Dawood Engineering to serve in the position for up to a year, while the city continues to seek out a qualified candidate for the role.

The agreement with Dawood sets the price cap for its services at $150,000.

Wayne Martin served as the previous city engineer, but left his position in November.

According to Isaac Gaylord, deputy city solicitor, the city is required to have a professional engineer sign off on many of its construction projects. Dawood will fill that role.

While council approved the contract with Dawood, many members voiced concern over not having a professional engineer on staff.

“I implore the city to continue their search for an engineer,” said council member Westburn Majors. “As a city that has a lot of projects and will have a lot of money coming through it over the next four to five years, it is going to be incumbent upon us having someone on staff, full-time to be able to handle the work.”

In other news, council approved the re-development of a vacant property, formerly the Taproom bar, at 1402 N. 3rd St. The vote was 5-2, with council President Danielle Bowers and council member Jocelyn Rawls voting against the project.

Sean Linder and his Bethlehem-based investment group, SJL Rentals LLC, plan to renovate the 4,000-square-foot, three-floor building to include five apartment units and a first-floor commercial space.

Derry Street Improvements Proposed

Derry Street in Harrisburg soon may see substantial improvements, as PennDOT has announced a major road construction project.

Last month, the state Department of Transportation released proposed plans for an initiative to improve the safety of the Derry Street corridor, which runs through Harrisburg, Swatara Township and Paxtang. The project would extend from the intersection of 13th and Derry streets, east to the intersection of 40th and Derry streets.

According to PennDOT, a safety study was previously conducted along Derry Street. After discussions with the city and Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, PennDOT formulated a plan to improve the street.

PennDOT has proposed work that includes milling and overlay of the existing pavement, signage upgrades and pavement marking improvements.

The commonwealth also may make improvements at two intersections—at Derry, 19th and Berryhill streets and at Derry, 21st and Brookwood streets. According to PennDOT, these intersections have multiple roads at skewed angles that cause safety concerns for pedestrians and motorists. Pedestrian traffic is also significant in the area of the intersections since both Rowland Intermediate School and Scott Elementary School are nearby.

For these intersections, PennDOT is considering roundabouts, pedestrian facility upgrades and/or traffic signal improvements.

The project is currently in the design phase, and construction is expected to take place in 2024. Project cost is estimated at $6.2 million.

PennDOT is accepting public input on the project through April 8.

Shriners Opt to Keep Zembo

Harrisburg’s historic Zembo Shrine is no longer for sale, as the fraternal organization has decided to keep and restore the building.
According to the Zembo Shriners, the group plans to retain its 92-year-old building and focus on reviving it as an event space for the Harrisburg area.

“The Zembo Shrine has always been a big part of the city, and we are interested in keeping it a part of the city and keeping that heritage alive,” said Seth Anthony, a Zembo board member. “We want to bring the building back to its former state as a premier events venue.”

The 62,621-square-foot building, at N. 3rd and Division streets in Harrisburg, was put on the market in 2017. At the time, the group determined that keeping the large building would be too difficult, considering declining membership and the increasing costs of taxes, maintenance and utilities.

Over the five years, the building received three offers, according to Mike Smith, potentate of the Zembo Shriners. It was originally listed at $950,000 and most recently lowered to around $700,000.

“We were left at the altar three times,” Smith said. “We were tired of that. We needed to focus on what we do.”

The Moorish Revival-style building will continue to serve as a meeting place for the Shriners and as an events venue.

Anthony said that some restoration and updates are needed, such as work on the roof of the building, which will take a few years to complete.

But overall, David Morrison, executive director of Historic Harrisburg Association, said that the building is in great shape.

“It’s been very well maintained,” he said. “I’m very optimistic that what they’re planning is very do-able. This building is one of a kind in Pennsylvania, not to mention Harrisburg.”

Morrison was happy to hear that the Zembo Shrine was pulled from the market.

“Retaining ownership is so much better,” he said. “They know their own building.”

According to Anthony, the Shriners have received increased interest in rentals of the event space. He believes that some of that is due to a “post-COVID bounce back” of people looking to host and attend events, he said.

Menaker Apartments to Debut

A Harrisburg developer has set an early spring date to debut its latest apartment project.

Harristown Enterprises said last month that the Menaker Apartments would open for tenants in April. Tours of the model unit have already begun.

“We’re very excited about this project,” said Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown. “We believe that potential tenants will love these beautiful new units, some with stunning views, in a landmark Harrisburg building.”

Originally constructed in 1906, the building is located on Market Square in Harrisburg. It was built for the Johnston Paper Co., a Harrisburg-based paper products manufacturer, as office and retail space. Most recently, it housed the Skarlatos Zonarich law firm.

In 2018, Harristown purchased the six-story, 33,809-square-foot building and, last year, began the conversion to an apartment building featuring 28 one- and two-bedroom units. The building interior has been completely renovated for residential use, but the historic exterior has been preserved and restored.

The building is named for Mortimer Menaker, a former chairman of the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority who oversaw a previous renovation in 1977.

At the Menaker Apartments, one bedroom/one bathroom units range in size from 600 to 700 square feet at a monthly rental rate of $1,200, plus electric, according to Harristown. Two-bedroom, 1.5-bath units total about 700 square feet for about $1,400 a month. Two-bed/two-bath apartments exceed 1,000 square feet at $1,595 to $1,625 a month, plus electric, Harristown said.

Each unit in the pet-friendly building features a full-sized washer and dryer and stainless steel appliances, Harristown said. In addition to the apartments, the building has a 2,000-square-foot, ground-floor space for a future restaurant or retailer.

In recent years, Harristown has converted numerous empty and underused office buildings to residential use in downtown Harrisburg. In addition, it is renovating an eight-story, century-old commercial building at 112 Market St. into 35 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

Tour de Belt Returns Live

After a lengthy hiatus, the Harrisburg area’s largest annual biking event will return live this year, capped by a new festival at the finishing line.
The Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) announced last month that the Tour de Belt will return as an in-person ride after two years as a virtual, “ride-when-you-can” event.

“Tour de Belt is a fun-filled event for bikers, walkers, runners and their families that promotes healthy activity and environmental stewardship,” said Neelam Zaver, CAGA board member and Tour de Belt committee chair. “It also raises much-needed funds to support one of the capital region’s most beloved outdoor resources, the Greenbelt.”

In the Tour de Belt, participants loop around the 24-mile Capital Area Greenbelt at their own pace, starting on the main HACC campus in Harrisburg. This year’s event, which takes place June 5, will finish on the adjacent campus of Commonwealth Charter Academy, where a “Finish Line Fest” will be held, featuring live music and entertainment, food trucks and other fun activities, according to CAGA.

“We think that, with the addition of the Finish Line Fest, this will truly become a community event for everyone to enjoy,” Zaver said. “Even if you choose not to bike in the Tour de Belt, you can come out, have a good time, and support an important cause.”

In past years, the Tour de Belt has brought in more than 1,000 registered participants and over 100 volunteers, and organizers said that they expect potentially record-breaking participation this year. A virtual option also will be available this year, according to CAGA.

Proceeds raised by the Tour de Belt and Finish Line Fest will benefit CAGA and will be used to support improvements and maintenance of the Greenbelt. In 2021, the budget for these efforts surpassed $7 million and included increased safety of trail crossings at intersections, newly paved sections of the trail, and completion of the new Fort Hunter connection, according to CAGA.

Grants for Greenbelt

Two big projects soon will begin on the Capital Area Greenbelt, funded by recent grants from the commonwealth.

Last month, the Capital Area Greenbelt Association (CAGA) announced that it received more than $280,000 for environmental infrastructure projects centered on two creeks that run through the 24-mile park and trail system.

“We’re extremely grateful to have been selected to receive this grant funding and look forward to the important and long-lasting benefits it will bring to our community through the completion of two key environmental projects,” said CAGA Board President Mike Shaull.

A $230,150 Environmental Stewardship and Watershed Protection grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will be used to restore 500 feet of stream bank on Lower Spring Creek near the Ivey Lane Apartment complex. Additional funding from CAGA and Skelly & Loy Inc. complement the grant, bringing the total project spend to $300,000, according to CAGA.

CAGA shared that it received the competitive grant over more than 200 other eligible applications.

A second grant of $54,600 from the Community Conservation Partnership Program, administered by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), was also awarded.

The funding, coupled with an annual maintenance grant from Harrisburg city and CAGA contributions, will be used to restore the riparian buffer on Lower Spring Creek from 19th to 28th streets, CAGA said. The project, which will include the removal of invasive species and the planting of 1,800 trees and shrubs, will have a total cost of $150,000.

In other Greenbelt news, CAGA stated that the Phoenix Park loop will be closed through April 15 due to construction work related to the “Tiny Home Veterans Village.”

Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania plans to construct a small village of 15 “tiny homes,” plus a community center, to provide housing and support services for homeless veterans.

Home Sales Dip, Prices Rise

Home sales dipped in the Harrisburg area in February, but the median price rose substantially, according to the latest monthly sales report.

For the three-county region, 456 previously owned houses sold during the month, compared to 471 in February 2021. However, the median price increased to $227,000 versus $194,900 in the year-ago period, said the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors (GHAR).

In Dauphin County, sales totaled 233 homes, a decrease of 11 units, but the median price leaped to $193,550 compared to $170,450 a year ago, according to GHAR.

Cumberland County saw a 10-unit drop in total sales, to 196 homes, but the median price rallied to $270,800 versus $231,500 the prior February, GHAR stated.

In Perry County, sales were nearly flat at 20 homes, a decrease of one unit, but the median price also was much higher, to $189,900 in February from $165,000 a year ago, according to GHAR.

The pace of sales was mostly unchanged, as “days on the market” totaled 29 days, versus 30 days in February 2021, said GHAR.

So Noted

Danielle Vincent has been named the new director of business development for Hershey Harrisburg Sports & Events Authority. Vincent has more than 14 years of experience in destination sales and sports development, including with The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau.

Death Cab for Cutie will make a return visit to Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park this summer, according to organizer Harrisburg University Presents. The band, which re-inaugurated big-time outdoors concerts in the city three years ago, is slated to play on July 14.

Great Harrisburg Litter Cleanup marks a decade of city beautification on April 23, according to co-organizer Tri County Community Action. Those interested in volunteering as individuals or groups should visit www.cactricounty.org/ghlc.

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra will return to the Forum, its long-time home, for the 2022-23 concert season, it was announced last month. The HSO has been playing in the Scottish Rite Theatre for the current season while the commonwealth completes a restoration of 91-year-old Forum, which is part of the Capitol Complex.

John Longstreet will retire as the president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association in July, according to PRLA. He has led the organization since 2014 and has more than 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry. PRLA said it is launching a search for Longstreet’s replacement.

Pursuit Coworking is the new name of the Harrisburg-based co-working venture formerly called StartUp Harrisburg. Owners Adam Porter and Adam Brackbill said that the new name and brand better reflect their core business, especially as they seek expansion opportunities.

Changing Hands

Barkley Lane, 2515: L. Truong to C. Vu, $90,600

Benton St., 521: W. Phoenix & D. Holmes to A. & R. Dumas, $175,000

Berryhill St., 1948: R. Perrin & D. Rallo to E. Payne & F. Vaye, $70,000

Boas St., 1823: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to Easter Funding LLC, $144,900

Brookwood St., 2500: KB Investments to Brookwood Apartments LLC, $2,854,000

Curtin St., 511: S. Decena to R. Montero, $65,000

Curtin St., 533: J. Vogelsong to Franklin Real Estate USA Inc., $40,000

Delaware St., 259: R. Goodfriend to S. Tanniru, $162,500

Derry St., 1323: Azzu Rental LLC to Best By LLC, $120,000

Derry St., 2029: RNM Properties LLC to S. Ginder, $98,000

Forster St., 1835: Leonard J. Dobson Family LP to C. Woods, $42,500

Forster St., 1912: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to RA Love Homes LLC, $125,000

Fulton St., 1400: Heller Investments LLC to L. Bowman, $150,000

Fulton St., 1941: P. Sisemore & K. Hugo to J. Carter, $125,000

Green St., 1705: J. Tinnick to S. & R. Estrella, $125,000

Green St., 2106: Segue Systems LLC to R. Bair, $119,900

Greenwood St., 2111: SPG Capital LLC to GFG Properties LLC, $47,000

Greenwood St., 2507: C. Everett to D. Jimenez, $175,500

Hale Ave., 442: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to M. Estrada, $120,000

Hamilton St., 204: T. & D. Santry to F. Pryzbylkowski, $158,000

Hamilton St., 338: W. Bower c/o City Limits Realty to T. & L. Sneidman, $80,000

Herr St., 1406: MJE Properties LLC to Cooperwink LLC, $47,000

Hoffman St., 3229: J. & B. Rodriguez to T. Nunziato, $172,000

James St., 1331: I. Mallouli to T. Davis, $140,000

Jefferson St., 2512: M. Wright to Ingle Services LLC, $64,900

Kelker St., 435: E. Gish to G. Rannels, $165,000

Kensington St., 2013: D. & D. Constanza to S. Sanchez & M. Moreno, $57,000

Kensington St., 2128: S. James to W. & C. Scott, $45,500

Lewis St., 200: Chalet Series III Trust to VRAM Homes LLC, $80,000

Lexington St., 2558: MAMC Enterprises LLC to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $67,000

Logan St., 1607: M. Mtere & F. Laoukili to M. Cossick, $105,500

Logan St., 2163: MAMC Enterprises LLC to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $45,000

Logan St., 2438: NRZ Pass Through Trust XVIII and Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing to M. Iman, $85,000

Luce St., 2320: Global Reach LLC to J. Zabala, $80,962

Maclay St., 247: Huat Keo Estate to Penn Investment National Group LLC, $150,000

Manada St., 1921: Z. Knorr to D. Wirth, $105,000

Market St., 1254: Tang & Perkins Property Management LLC to NK Enterprise LLC, $85,000

Market St., 1724: XII Stone Congregational to P. Azzu, $75,000

Market St., 1922: M. Dowling to M. & S. Mejia, $84,000

Muench St., 206: T. Williams to J. Hartzler, $60,000

N. 2nd St., 1805: Keystone Properties Group LLC to Penn Investment National Group LLC, $110,000

N. 2nd St., 2220: Planet 3 Properties LLC to Roz Diamond I Do LLC, $123,000

N. 2nd St., 2406: KMM Development LLC to B. & T. Rossner, $180,000

N. 2nd St., 3005: F. Ramirez to C. Cox, $180,000

N. 2nd St., 3033: D. Madsen to E. Fleck, $135,500

N. 3rd St., 1322: West End Republican Club to Calder Street Development LLC, $125,000

N. 3rd St., 3006: K. & H. Lewin to C. Chubb, $140,000

N. 4th St., 1731: J. & T. Randolph to F. Fouse & C. Kennedy, $181,000

N. 4th St., 2336: A. & A. Barras to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $55,000

N. 5th St., 3000: M. Evans to K. Short, $209,900

N. 5th St., 3132: R. & D. Corrigan to D. Braun, $186,000

N. 6th St., 1522, 1524 & 1526 and 1521, 1523 & 1527 N. 5th St.: D. Carter to Vice Capital LLC, $500,000

N. 6th St., 2720: T. Hardison to A. & J. Rodriguez, $112,000

N. 14th St., 1110: E&T Enterprises LLC to R. Cortes, $65,000

N. 16th St., 25: Green Giraffe LLC to S. Karki, $142,700

N. 17th St., 99: J. Glick to AOM Capital LLC, $70,000

N. 19th St., 1011: Hilltop Property Group LLC to A. Bouhach, $50,000

N. Summit St., 123: NRA Group LLC to 101 S. 17th Street LLC, $60,000

Orange St., 2308, 2310 & 2312: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Greenlow Family Trust Utd., $535,935

Oxford St., 611: C. Gorman to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $51,661

Peffer St., 323: Great Row LLC to Global Reach LLC, $82,000

Penn St., 2132: J. & S. Compton to M. & W. Eisenstein, $72,000

Reel St., 2419: R&K Realty Group LP to L. & S. Street, $129,000

Reel St., 2627: Neidlinger Enterprises LLC to E. Tatarevic, $132,500

Reel St., 2630: W. Jackson to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $59,000

Regina St., 1710: Matt Walter LLC to BYD Properties, $42,500

Rudy Rd., 2472: A. Maldonado to K. Weldeghbrial, $99,000

Rumson Dr., 305: L. & L. Lara to L. Fidler, $121,000

Sassafras St., 267: B. Koplinski to L. & R. Cline, $92,000

Schuykill St., 536: Integrity First Home Buyers LLC to Easter Funding LLC, $179,995

Seneca St., 530: Wofford Enterprises Ltd. to Neidlinger Enterprises LLC, $65,000

S. 13th St., 405: P. Peffley to S. Marquez & E. Rodriguez, $54,000

S. 13th St., 1441: D. Tran to F. Mbodj, $86,000

S. 17th St., 26: R. Anderson to M. & U. Ali, $56,000

S. 17th St., 303: Anpat LLC to W. Macon, $65,000

S. 17th St., 909: P. Do to Barboza Properties LLC, $670,000

S. 18th St., 31 & 33: Capital City Investment Properties LLC to 63-63 Henry Street LLC, $310,000

S. 26th St., 648: D. Dunlap to M. Rivera, $135,000

S. 29th St., 500: N. Vo & H. Lam to C. Lam, $200,000

State St., 231, Unit 703: S. Khaliq to S. & Y. Yates, $160,000

Susquehanna St., 1520: A. Logan to D. Bunhu, $90,000

Swatara St., 2041: L. & J. Kell to J. Mulvihill, $59,000

Swatara St., 2140: S. Ginder to J. Zabala, $87,600

Sylvan Ter., 121: M. Peguero to A. Jaiyesimi, $85,000

Valley Rd., 2313: K. & E. High to H. Cramer, $225,000

Verbeke St., 216: M. Minnicino to M. Nemeth, $153,500

Walnut St., 228: United States of America to RRF Building LLC, $10,010,000

Whitehall St., 1821: Double C Group Inc. to C. Bonner, $140,000

Whitehall St., 1937: Tassia Corp. to D. Boyle, $40,000

Woodbine St., 626 & 628: L. Flores to D. Boyle, $45,000

Harrisburg property sales for February 2022, greater than $40,000. Source: Dauphin County. Data is assumed to be accurate.

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Reigner Reigns, over the Outdoors: Pennsylvania welcomes its first-ever director of outdoor recreation

March 31, 2022 | by Karen Hendricks

Nathan Reigner

Seeing an increase in “OOO” messages these days? As more and more Pennsylvanians enjoy nature and time outdoors, “out of office,” that’s exactly why the state created a new office—of outdoor recreation.

“We often think about recreation—literally something we do with our free time—as frivolous or unnecessary,” said Nathan Reigner, 42, Pennsylvania’s first director of outdoor recreation. “But, recently, we all started to realize it’s not gravy—it’s actually meat and potatoes.”

The stats drive that point home: $11.8 billion of value added to the state economy plus $6.4 billion in wages for 146,000 Pennsylvanians, equaling the sixth-largest outdoor recreation economy in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“We need the office to make, advance and manage the point that outdoor recreation is a significant economic sector in the state of Pennsylvania,” Reigner said. “Simply put, my job is to expand and ensure the benefits of outdoor recreation to all Pennsylvanians as individuals, communities and the commonwealth.”

While it may be the dawning of a new era in state management, the boon in the great outdoors has been a decade in the making. The surge in hiking, biking and recreational pursuits began prior to the pandemic. But, Reigner said, the COVID-19 era has definitely put an exclamation point on nature’s value.

“With the pandemic—and the way we as individuals and as a society sought out recreation opportunities for safety, for time with community, for respite—that burst of outdoor recreation participation, on top of what had been already a remarkable decade of growth in outdoor recreation, really highlighted the significance of the sector for us as a society,” Reigner said.

Rec Resources

Nationwide, the inception of outdoor recreation offices is trending. Pennsylvania, “Penn’s woods,” is the latest state to take stock of its rec assets. And Reigner has a lot to work with.

“We’ve got an incredible land base—bodies of water, mountains and valleys, rivers and forests,” Reigner said. “We’ve got more than 4 million acres of protected public land.”

This bounty includes one of the largest state park systems in the nation, along with “an incredible trail network.”

“Trails are like the backbone, the veins of outdoor recreation,” Reigner said.

That trail system includes two national scenic trails—the Appalachian Trail (AT) and North Country Trail, many additional hiking trails, nationally known mountain bike trails, and more designated or named rail trails than any other state.

Technology and creativity are growing rec’s range well beyond traditional hiking and camping to include gravel cycling—the fastest-growing segment of the bike market, Reigner said—as well as electric snowmobiles and ATVs, even something called “extreme tree climbing.”

Along with recreation’s upswing comes upkeep.

“We’ve also got a $1.5 billion backlog of needed maintenance in our state parks and forests,” Reigner said.

Recreation Vision

Maintenance is part of a balancing act—a feat of collaboration—within Reigner’s new post.

While the position is situated within the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Reigner will coordinate with state agencies that dovetail with recreation—the Department of Health, PennDOT, PA Game Commission, PA Fish and Boat Commission, as well as conservation and community development groups, chambers of commerce, municipalities, counties and federal partners.

Right now, Reigner is getting his feet wet, so to speak, by meeting with those partners, to set the office’s mission, priorities and structure “not from a top-down approach” but “collaboratively.”

He sees his role, appropriately within the Keystone State, as a “connector,” whose efforts will tie the great outdoors to a greater quality of life.

“Outdoor recreation is core to the health of Pennsylvanians,” Reigner said. “We found out that quality of life, as it grows out of access to natural and cultural heritage and amenities, is a better driver of economic development and community development in small and medium-sized rural and industrial communities than tax incentives or regulatory relief.”

His background laid the foundation for this groundbreaking position. A Philadelphia-area native, he describes a “joyous and free” childhood spent playing in the woods, scouting, hiking and camping. After earning his undergraduate degree at Gettysburg College, he worked in ag policy in Washington, D.C.

But it was through his volunteer work with the Potomac AT Club that he had a lightbulb moment. Ironically, he found his calling while lost in the woods (he jokingly calls it “getting turned around in the woods”).

“That experience stuck with me, that, simultaneously, I could have the feeling inside me that I was in the wilderness—that nobody had been there before … while at the same time I knew intellectually all the effort, management, administration, volunteering, budgeting and humanity that went into these places,” Reigner said. “And that kinda blew my mind—that I could have those two experiences within me at once, and it was at that point that I decided I wanted to devote my career, my life’s work, to outdoor recreation management.”

Following grad school and his master’s degree in forestry from Virginia Tech, then his PhD in natural resource management from the University of Vermont, Reigner returned to his home state. As a Penn State-based researcher, he was on the verge of moving to Greenland when Pennsylvania’s new outdoor rec position came calling.

“[This position] is going to take someone with Nathan’s passion for and understanding of outdoor recreation to see this mission through,” said Wesley Robinson, DCNR spokesperson. “That passion, combined with academic knowledge and personal interest in all things outdoors, helped make Nathan stand out among great candidates. We look forward to seeing the impact he will have.”

As he sets the bar for Pennsylvania’s newest office, Reigner is exploring the Harrisburg area’s rec opportunities out of office.

“When I’m not in the office, you can find me on the Greenbelt,” Reigner said. “There’s nothing like a sunset over the Susquehanna River, I gotta tell you.”

For more information on Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation opportunities, see dcnr.pa.gov. And to hear more about Reigner’s new position, tune into TheBurg Podcast’s April episode, which comes out April 8.

Stories on environmental topics are proudly sponsored by LCSWMA.

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Pole Lot of Fun: Metropolis aerial arts studio opens in Harrisburg, offering a unique fitness experience

March 31, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Mikee Bentz

You may have spotted Mikee Bentz in Negley or Reservoir park, on City Island or even on the state Capitol grounds.

He’s hard to miss when he breaks out his 10-foot-long portable pole, and suddenly he’s gripping, spinning and flipping on it, all muscle and long, platinum blonde hair.

Maybe you’ve seen him dedicatedly commuting to work on his bike, which Bentz said he does about 350 days out of the year.

Or he may have shampooed, trimmed and highlighted your hair in his salon chair at Metro Mikee’s in downtown Harrisburg.

Now, add one more to the list of places you may see him—at his new aerial arts studio that recently popped up on North Street.

Metropolis opened in November as a place for beginners and experienced students to learn the sport that Bentz has mastered over the last eight years.

“I always call pole dance gymnastics, but sideways,” he said. “Anyone of any fitness level, of any skill level, of any age, of any gender can become great at pole dance and aerial arts.”

Bentz knows that there are some misconceptions around pole dancing and aerial arts, but he quashed them, saying that his studio is focused on athleticism.

“People still call it the stripper pole,” he said. “No one strips at my studio.”

Express Yourself

Bentz, a central Pennsylvania native, grew up in a military family, which meant moving around a lot. He already felt different and faced bullying for being a member of the LGBTQ community, so it was even more difficult that he was often the new kid at school.

“I could either be the new kid at each of these schools with no friends because I was too shy, or I could be the new kid who just went out there and made friends,” he said. “So, I fought through a lot of my insecurities.”

He later started experimenting with cosmetology by practicing intricate nail painting designs on friends. Bentz had never cut hair before, but when his cousin asked him for a trim, he gave it a shot. He admitted that he mostly faked shearing sounds, only cutting off the smallest possible amount, but she stood up, declaring it was the best haircut of her life. Soon after, he enrolled in cosmetology school.

In 2016, Bentz opened Metro Mikee’s salon, just up the block from where he later would open Metropolis.

In addition to beauty, over the years Bentz discovered a passion for fitness. He would frequent the gym with friends, making his body stronger through weight lifting.

When Bentz was introduced to pole dance eight years ago, it felt like the perfect fit.

“I could take everything that already made up who I was and just express myself in this new way that I had literally no idea was even a thing,” he said.

In 2015, he bought his signature portable pole and, in his words, “the whole world became my gym.”

While that still may be true, Bentz now has his own space to practice his skills and teach his students at Metropolis.

He offers eight-week courses for beginners looking to try pole dance specifically or aerial arts broadly, which includes learning skills on the pole, aerial hoop and aerial silk fabrics. From there, he has intermediate classes to choose from.

Harrisburg resident Bryanna has many friends involved in aerial arts, and she always wanted to try, she said. So, after stumbling upon Metropolis while walking through the neighborhood, she decided to sign up for a class.

“I was feeling a bit nervous,” said Bryanna, who is in her early 50s. “But Mikee was super warm and welcoming. I was totally excited after the first lesson.”

In just a few months, Bryanna could climb the pole, spin and participate in choreographed dances.

“Even after the second lesson, my friends were super impressed,” she said. “I really have progressed a lot.”

Spinning Success

Bentz explained how everyone is welcome at Metropolis. People of all fitness levels and ages can be successful.

His passion for acceptance is something that he says is right in his name.

“I’m Mikee with two E’s and the two E’s stand for the environment and everyone,” he said. “Those are my two greatest causes and commitments. I try to do everything to be as kind to the earth as I can. I also try to utilize unconditional love.”

It’s something that Bentz hasn’t always felt from others, but, through self-exploration and self-care, he said that he is now in a place to share it.

“It’s really being in tune with myself and my own wellness and health journey, and then I can be able to use those tools to help others,” he said.

Beyond physical improvements, Bryanna has found that pole dancing has given her time to relax mentally.

“You get the muscle movement, but it’s graceful,” she said. “It gives you a chance to break away from life and work.”

She plans to continue taking classes and recommended the studio to anyone who is interested in aerial arts.

While Bentz has had a number of dedicated students since he opened, he hopes that more people will give the sport a try. It’s not easy, but anyone can give it a shot, he said.

“Done is better than perfect,” Bentz said. “Just showing up to your first class, it doesn’t have to be perfect, but it’s done. Now, you can move on to classes two through 1,000, and we will see where we go.”

Metropolis is located at 202 North St., Harrisburg. For more information and to sign up for classes, visit www.metropolishbg.com

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Standing Tall: Lawrence McNeil found Bethesda Mission, then found recovery

March 31, 2022 | by Jeff Falk

Illustration by Ryan Spahr

The Lawrence McNeil story is a truly unique one. It is an inspirational story of transformation and triumph and perseverance.

It also is the story of the Bethesda Mission. In fact, McNeil’s story is so intertwined with the Bethesda Mission’s that his couldn’t have happened without it.

McNeil first encountered Bethesda Mission when his then-treatment center brought him there.

“When I got out of the car, I looked up the steps, and it was the Bethesda Mission,” he said. “When I walked up the steps I cried, because I didn’t think it was the place I needed to be. The whole time my mind was saying, ‘This is not the place for me.’ It looked like a place where bums go to.”

That was 24 years ago, and, today, McNeil’s part-time position as a house supervisor at the Bethesda Mission is his new “side hustle.” His full-time gig is as a certified recovery specialist, but he’s also working towards his college degree in alcohol and drug counseling.

McNeil is kind of on his own personal mission to give back the services he received at Bethesda Mission. But his motivation is more related to behavior modeling that any sense of indebtedness.

“The reason I decided to give back is that it made sense to me,” McNeil said. “This is the best lifestyle for me. It’s not about the money. For me, money was always the problem. I put money before God. Once you let God be your source, God will provide the money. I don’t make a lot of money, but I don’t need a lot of money.”

Had to Change

From Philadelphia via Williamsport, McNeil arrived on the steps of the Bethesda Mission on Reily Street in Harrisburg in 1998. At that time, he was a young man in his mid-30s—broken, lost and in denial.

Bethesda Mission opened its doors of hope and transformation, and McNeil walked through them. But not a walk—a blind leap of faith.

“At that time, I was trying to get off crack cocaine and alcohol,” said McNeil, now a 59-year-old resident of Harrisburg. “A lot of times when addicts get things, they don’t keep them. They have one high, and their only thought is about the next high.”

Bethesda Mission is a faith-based organization that aids men and women in need through counseling, social services, shelter, financial aid and employment training. In the people business since 1914, it has helped thousands of people like McNeil get back on their feet, stand tall and aim high.

“Everything in my lifestyle is about helping others and recovery, and it’s all because of the Bethesda Mission,” said McNeil. “I learned I had to change, and I learned how to change.”

He also learned that he couldn’t do it by himself.

“Once my thinking changed, my beliefs changed,” he said. “I figured out that God was the one who I needed to run my ideas by first.”

In 2010, a relapse landed McNeil in the Coal Township State Institute of Corrections. But it was a setback in the long recovery process, not a step back. Temporary, not permanent.

McNeil made the most of his prison time by earning his GED, finishing a high school education he had started some 30 years earlier.

“I had become a drug dealer, a person with no feelings,” he said. “I tried to get his money and your money. But I did my time in prison. I got right back into my recovery. I worked the whole time when I was in jail. When I left, all the guards stood up and told me I was going to be successful.”

Different Walks

McNeil grew up in north Philly in the 1970s and ‘80s, in a relatively stable, traditional, God-fearing environment. But during his adolescence, he strayed and ultimately fell in with the wrong crowd.

“Back then, all of my idols were the guys who hung out on the street corner,” he said.

Twenty-two years of wedded bliss, six children and 14 grandchildren later, McNeil has matured, and his life has stability. He’s still in recovery. He continues to attend Alcoholic Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous Meetings, and Bethesda Mission remains a large part of his life.

“You have to have a place where you can be transformed,” he said. “You have to have people around you who are like you, and you have to be structured, or restructured.”

Not everyone at Bethesda Mission shares McNeil’s life story. In fact, he wanted to clear up a misconception about the men there.

“Not everybody is there because they were on drugs or they went to prison,” he said. “Some just fell on hard times or they don’t have a place to live.”

He emphasized that men’s shelter residents all have their own unique life stories, as individual as the people themselves.

“It’s all different walks of life, and once you get in there, you can see them and choose the one you want to gravitate towards,” he said. “That’s what the Bethesda Mission does, and that’s what the Bethesda Mission continues to do.”

Bethesda Mission’s men shelter is located at 611 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.bethesdamission.org.

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Keystone Made: Manor House Studio carries on a local legacy, honors PA craftsmanship

March 31, 2022 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Images from Manor House Studio showroom.

For Robert “Bob” and Amanda Hasemeier, Manor House Studio is more than just owning a business. It’s also carrying the legacy of Ed Lank Kitchens, the landmark local business that previously held the same spot for decades in downtown Lemoyne.

Manor House specializes in kitchen design and remodeling, continuing to carry the same Wood-Mode custom cabinetry line that Lank once sold. The Hasemeiers also honor Lank’s customer warranties.

“We are the only representatives in this area who sell Wood-Mode,” Bob said.

The husband-and-wife team took over the business at the suggestion of a Lank team designer, Philip Gramley, who, like several other former Lank employees, now works for Manor House Studio.

Gramley already knew the Hasemeiers as regular Lank customers. Upon opening Manor House, Amanda and Bob were acquainted with Lank’s signature cabinetry brand, Wood-Mode, Inc., of Snyder County. The couple had used Lank’s house brand when twice remodeling their century-old home in New Cumberland, as well as a previous home in Utica, N.Y.

“Our cabinets are made in Pennsylvania with sustainable wood and a forest management system that replaces trees that are cut down for production,” Bob said.

Uptick

In summer 2018, Gramley was helping the Hasemeiers restore their home’s partially renovated kitchen after a flood when he mentioned that Lank was retiring. Until then, Bob, a professional engineer, considered himself mostly retired. Amanda, too, had retired after a mapping career for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“I had mixed feelings about (doing) this,” Amanda recalled recently. “At first, I didn’t want to be tied down to something again, but it grew on me. I get to meet lots of people here, and it keeps the intellect sharp. We’re really a part of the community here, and we like making people happy.”

Like most business owners, though, things don’t always go smoothly, or as expected, for the Hasemeiers. Just months after the showroom opened in late 2018, Wood-Mode halted factory production for five months, leaving Manor House Studio without a cabinetry supplier. In the interim, Bob contracted Architects Millshop of Clinton County as an additional supplier.

“That was a fun summer,” Amanda said. “He had to go to a lot of places to find something.”

In March 2020, Manor House showrooms closed to the public under pandemic orders and would remain so for weeks. The business’ website and phone remained active, so Amanda and Bill continued to meet customers by appointment, with all masked.

As the pandemic stretched into months, Bill said that he didn’t really notice an uptick in home kitchen remodels so much as an increase in residential bathroom re-dos. Plus, as in most of the United States, Manor House customers still are waiting longer than “normal” for merchandise to ship.

“It used to be eight weeks for a kitchen order. Now it’s usually over 12 weeks,” Bob said. “As soon as a client decides what they want, we start to purchase their product. We want to be dependable about when customers get our products.”

Trending

When asking senior designer Gramley about the latest in kitchen design trends, don’t expect a short answer. He’s quick to retrieve multiple examples of the newest home modeling styles available to customers at Manor House.

“Curved tabletops are out,” he said. “Red oak finishes are out, but white oak is hot. Walnut also is hot now for cabinet finishes. People now also are going for combination finishes with wood accents.”

He laid out several display samples before him.

“Traditional flat cabinet doors are in,” he continued. “Cabinet doors are made thicker now, too, at 1- or ¾-inch thick.”

Other trends include painted glass cabinet doors, open shelving, auto interior cabinet lights and retracting pet dish drawers, among others.

Manor House staff also comprises project manager Steve Kephart and interior designer Patti Vogel, as well as a trusted team of contractors and subcontractors.

Alex Minoff of Hampden Township said that he’s one of Manor House’s satisfied customers. Their team recently redid his family’s home kitchen in about a month with new cabinets, paint, LED ceiling lights, and “a really cool light that hangs over the peninsula.”

“They explained all of the project phases to us and did everything on time,” Minoff said.

Not surprisingly, Minoff said he “highly recommends” Manor House Studio.

“Everything they did exceeded our expectations,” he said. “They did an exceptional job.”

Manor House Studio is located at 313 Market St., Lemoyne. For information or to make an appointment, call 717-737-3733 or visit www.manorhouse.studio.

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Shear Wisdom: “Chops” Green combines cuts with counsel

March 31, 2022 | by Deborah Lynch

Hauson “Chops” Green. Photo by Dani Fresh.

The day after Christmas last year, Harrisburg lost another young Black man to gun violence on the streets.

The murder of 20-year-old Daiquon Phillips left his family, community and friends, including longtime Uptown barber and Phillips’ mentor Hauson “Chops” Green, reeling.

Not so long ago, Green took Phillips under his tutelage with the shears, going to Phillips’ home to teach him the trade that would lead to a job at another Harrisburg barbershop. Phillips had learned the subtle part of the trade from years sitting in Green’s chair—the part that involves learning to know your customers and dishing life lessons to them. That’s what Green is famous for Uptown.

He speaks from his own mistakes and life experiences, as well as from heartache and what he’s observed. Green isn’t afraid to own poor choices he made that led him to selling drugs on the streets and putting in his time behind bars.

“While incarcerated, I had an epiphany—I just love the kids,” he said. “They don’t have examples in the city. A lot of their examples are incarcerated. That’s why I stay.”

A Podium

Green works out of Heads Up barbershop on N. 6th Street—a family-owned business for 46 years currently owned by his uncle James Cheatham.

It’s close to both the Camp Curtin YMCA and the Nativity School of Harrisburg. That location gives him a podium to reach the youth. He opens his shop at five in the morning, staying open till at least six each night, so he can be there for school kids to come in.

When he doesn’t have someone in the chair, he’s out on the street corner, talking to whoever comes by, keeping his eyes on the neighborhood. The kids know he’s there, and they know he’s watching.

“They get to see an example of someone who is not just standing on the corner smoking weed,” he said.

Jamien Harvey, executive director of the Harrisburg Area YMCA’s Camp Curtin and East Shore locations, also spends time out on the street in that Uptown neighborhood, keeping his eyes on the kids.

“Barbershops are important places,” he said. “Those guys are definitely counselors. I get my hair cut [at Heads Up] weekly. We discuss what’s going on politically and how we can change things for the Uptown area.”

Phillips was a middle school graduate of the nearby Nativity School, which is how Green came to know the aspiring barber.

“My first impression of him? He made me smile,” Green said. “One day, he came in and said, ‘I want to cut hair like you.’ I said, ‘OK, come on.’”

Even after Phillips got a job in another shop, he always came back to Green for his haircuts. His death “really stole something from me,” said Green, who lost his own 18-year-old son in an unsolved shooting in 2014.

“From that day, I took the tragedy from my son’s death,” Green said. “It was the fuel for the fire to give back to the kids. From that day, it’s been nonstop.”

Coming Back

Parenting is hard, especially when the streets and wrong crowds beckon, said Michelle Hall, the mother of a 19-year-old who has been getting regular cuts and pep talks from Green for years.

“It’s rough because they’re going to make their own decisions regardless of how hard we try to encourage them to do right,” Hall said. “I’m grateful for people like Chops. Hopefully, he can keep encouraging the kids to do right.”

Her son, Amir Brower-Pitts, now a sophomore at Shippensburg University, said that he and his friends always stopped in the shop on the way home from school just to say “what’s up” and to get advice.

“Every time we walked into the barbershop, it was, ‘Hey, stay out of trouble,’” he said.

Although Green employed Brower-Pitts to sweep hair on the weekends and tutored Phillips, he wants to give even more young people opportunities, which is why he plans to open the Original Hot Dog Factory, an Atlanta franchise, next to Sneaker Villa on Market Street in downtown Harrisburg.

“I never had a business like this before,” he said. “I’m learning as I go. I get to learn with them as we work together. I feel like God placed me here for a reason.”

Green wants to keep kids coming back for his advice. He asks them about school. He encourages them to think about college and trades. He offers them money for good report cards, saying that, one year, he gave out more than $1,300.

Another former Nativity student who used to sit in Chops’ chair, Tony James, is a junior at Neumann College outside of Philadelphia, where he won an academic scholarship and plays for the basketball team.

“He tells me every time to stay safe and keep doing what I’m doing in school and stuff and just basically lets me know I have his support, and he wants the best for me no matter what,” he said.

Green said that he’s thought about his legacy in terms of, “what can I leave behind to where it can help other people’s kids?”

Talking to his customers, it seems he has achieved that.

Heads Up is located at 2286 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.headsupmensandladiesbarbersalon.com or call 717-236-2533.

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Tell It Like It Is: Michael Gingerich and Tom Kaden want to know what’s on your mind

March 31, 2022 | by Rachel Curry

Illustration by Aron Rook

Early 20th century feminist author Miles Franklin once wrote, “Someone to tell it to is one of the fundamental needs of human beings.”

Michael Gingerich and Tom Kaden take that mantra seriously.

As their Harrisburg-based nonprofit, Someone To Tell It To, rounds out its first decade, Gingerich and Kaden are taking vulnerability and connection mainstream. Why?

“Because we’ve experienced it ourselves, the need to be heard,” Kaden said.

At its core, Someone To Tell It To is a listening service for businesses, teams, families and individuals. Kaden and Gingerich built a model to help people process feelings and reduce loneliness.

The organization doesn’t fit the traditional mold of a therapeutic service. Gingerich and Kaden are the co-CEOs, otherwise known as chief encouragement officers. The team isn’t made up of licensed counselors or therapists, but certified listeners—handpicked to be part of a team built largely with intuitive feelers, according to the Myers-Briggs type indicator. Someone To Tell It To calls these listeners “story seekers,” and the people who they’re listening to “story tellers.”

“We realized there was an epidemic, a growing epidemic, of loneliness not just here in central Pennsylvania, but really all around the world,” Gingerich said.

Someone To Tell It To has helped people process their stories in about 25 countries globally (through interpreters as needed). They never turn anyone away based on an inability to pay.

Two story seekers lead each session, helping to build empathy and respect regardless of the person’s story.

“When it comes to listening, you have to believe the person in front of you, the person you’re listening to, is worthy of being hard,” Gingerich said.

Gingerich and Kaden recently published their third book, “Listening 2by2: A Paradigm Shift for Leaders.” It focuses on how to break down barriers, evoke curiosity, ask questions, and negotiate a path forward.

An average of more than 3.95 million workers quit their jobs each month in 2021, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Gingerich and Kaden said that this is symptomatic of a larger listening epidemic. The Someone To Tell It To founders’ book combats the shift by breaking down toxic workplace behavior and building up an environment where healthy listening is status quo.

In the book’s forward, renowned author and management training leader Ken Blanchard writes, “Great things can happen when you are bold enough to speak your truth and to listen to others speak theirs. When you listen with intention, conversations flourish and take on a life of their own.”

Recently, Kaden and Gingerich stopped by a local health organization to meet with a team of about 20 nurses and doctors. One of the team members endured a traumatic car crash that left their spouse deceased. The team was rocked, and Someone To Tell It To helped them process what they were experiencing together.

“It was one of the most meaningful encounters that we’ve probably had with anyone, any group or individual, because it was so powerful and so intense,” Gingerich said.

Because of their years of experience, they were able to come last minute and step right into a difficult situation.

Moving forward, Someone To Tell It To plans to continue their eponymous podcast series, featuring guests like Pennsylvania state Rep. Patty Kim. They also plan to continue their work with individuals, hopefully expanding into education settings to help the community build a foundation of listening skills from an early age. All the while, the organization wants to delve deeper into working with professional teams and groups.

“The more money that we can bring in from those kinds of things, the more people we can serve, the more people we can bring on to listen, to train, and to expand the movement,” Gingerich said.

Someone To Tell It To will host an evening with best-selling author and leadership expert Jon Gordon at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Harrisburg on Apr. 12 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.someonetotellitto.org.

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Flower Powers: In Dauphin County, the subject is roses—and veggies and plants and pollinators

March 31, 2022 | by Susan Ryder

Hunger Garden harvest 2021 and Wildfire Rose. Right photo by Sharon Sowers

As the air warms, gardeners itch to dig in the dirt—and, fortunately, they have a valuable resource at hand.

For years, the Penn State Extension Master Gardener Program has been sending graduates into the field to help local residents know how to till, plant, tend and harvest.

The program “expands the science that Penn State University does out into the community,” said Catherine Scott, extension horticultural educator, master gardener coordinator.

It accomplishes this by training master gardeners, then sending them forth to help others. All of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have master gardening programs.

The one-year “Master Gardener Basic Training” requires a commitment of time and energy. This training is extensive, with an exhaustive application and educational process. Coursework dives into botany, soils, pollinators, pesticides and a plethora of gardening topics.

All of this training is necessary because volunteer master gardeners act as advocates and educators.

“They trust that you’re not going to go and teach something that you really didn’t learn,” said Cindy Hogeman, master gardener. “Like, if you’re going to be on the monarch (butterfly) display, you really should know a lot about monarchs.”

The Master Gardener Program requires 20 volunteer hours per year from graduates, though many put in far more than that, especially since gardeners can choose projects that interest them. For example, Hogeman, also a Capital Area Greenbelt Association board member, tends the Five Senses Garden that runs through the Greenbelt near the Harrisburg Mall.

As its name implies, this garden fills the senses, as grasses rustle, fragrant herbs sweeten the air, and thistles invite a light touch.

“We also have a very large non-native poppy section and, when it blooms in June, it is bright orange, and you can’t even look away,” Hogeman said. “It’s so beautiful.”

Twenty-year veteran master gardener Shawna Raymond’s favorite project is close to the seat of power, very close—the Capitol Hunger Garden. This 1,000-square-foot vegetable garden sits right on the statehouse grounds, providing vegetables to local organizations like Downtown Daily Bread.

“That, to me, feels like we’re really making a difference,” Raymond said. “We’re contributing so much food locally.”

She also appreciates the interaction with all of the garden volunteers and the passersby, who often reminisce about their grandma’s garden and tell of their own.

Raymond’s grandmother and mother kept vegetable gardens, which she never really appreciated as a child. But, ultimately, she couldn’t escape the gardening bug.

“It had already seeped into my bones,” she said.

Questions, Answers

The Master Gardener Program provides many resources for those who are ready to pick up the trowel every spring.

Raymond runs a class where gardeners can learn how to get their garden “pollinator certified.” Other classes include “Seed to Supper,” which teaches novice gardeners how to grow food, as well as webinars on native plants, roses and garden design.

The program rose to the task of continuing to inform gardeners during COVID, making many of its seminars hybrid, both in person and online. This has allowed for greater participation, with 297 people registered for an upcoming “Pennsylvania Native Plants” class, for instance.

“We’ve been able to keep attending meetings, and we’ve done everything via Zoom,” Raymond said. “So, from home, we’re still keeping in touch with people, keeping active programs, and even creating new programs, which is astonishing.”

Can’t make a class but have questions? Contact the Dauphin County Master Gardener Penn State Extension hotline. Master gardeners will answer questions of every variety. For instance, is it OK if my daffodils are popping up early? Why does my maple tree have weird spots on the leaves? Why don’t my blueberry bushes have fruit?

“Horticulture is an ever-changing topic,” Scott said.

Master gardeners must commit to 10 hours of continuing education each year, so they stay on top of the latest gardening news and trends.

Nearly 3,500 master gardener volunteers have participated in the program since its inception in 1982. According to several master gardeners, they have benefited greatly from the program, as well.

“You get to know people who know deeply the things that you are interested in,” Hogeman said. “If I want to learn more about soils or trees or orchids or African violets, then I know somebody who does that.”

Raymond has enjoyed the community that the program provides. Even during the pandemic, groups were able to meet outside, using COVID precautions. She also appreciates the ability to specialize.

“It helps you to become a specialist in an area, if you focus on certain things,” said Raymond, whose focus is on pollinators and native plants. “I don’t know a lot about roses, but some people know a lot about roses.”

For more information on the Penn State Master Gardener Program, visit www.extension.psu.edu/programs/master-gardener.

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Happenings: Our April Calendar of Events

March 31, 2022 | by Missy Smith

Museums & Art Spaces

AACA Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100; aacamuseum.org

Packard showroom exhibit, presented by Keystone Packards, through April 23

“Survivors: Unrestored Classic Cars, Trucks & Motorcycles,” through April 23

“Driving After Sundown—The Evolution of Headlights,” highlighting the evolution of American vehicle head-lighting

Arts on the Square
20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-257-1270; marketsquarechurch.org

Photography by Beth Hager, illustrating the appreciation of the commonplace through landscapes, architecture, still life and more on paper, canvas and metal, and craftswoman Kari Hultman, exhibiting woodworking, leatherworking and miniatures

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

“A Celebration of Student Art,” highlighting a broad selection of projects from Carlisle Area School District K-12 students, through April 9

“Oil and Water,” with oil painter Julie Riker and watercolor artist Pam Wenger, who share their diverse medium, subject matter and styles, April 22-May 18

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

April artist of the month

Dickinson College
The Trout Gallery
240 W. High St., Carlisle
717-254-8159; troutgallery.org

“Queering the Muse,” by contemporary photographer Lissa Rivera and her partner B.J. Lillis, through April 16

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

Lenkerville Elementary Student Art Show, through April 2

“Creative Synthesis of Organic Life,” woodturnings by Toby Bouder and pressed flower pictures by Judy Bouder, April 6-May 14; reception: April 10, 3-5 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyareaartassociation.com

Works by Alyson Tran, Daniella Mimoso, Marie Gamon, Wendy Craig, Jim Davis, Shirley Davis, Sue Myers, Chris Slates and Mary Lott at Hershey Public Library, through April 9

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

Senior Show I, through April 10

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St.; Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

New works by Yachiyo Beck, Richard Souders, Elaine Elledge and Linda Benton McCloskey, April 12-May 15

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

Paintings by Christy McKenna, through April

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

“Anne Frank: A Private Photo Album,” a photo exhibit consisting of rarely seen reproduced photographs taken by Otto Frank, through April 9

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history

Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA)
Landis House, 67 N. Fourth Street
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Weaving Creativity,” a display of traditional and modern hooked rugs by the Magdalena Rug Hookers of Perry County, paired with basket designs by Teena Beutel, through April 22

Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA)
PCCA Gallery, 1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Good Taste,” on-trend artwork depicting food and cooking, as well as home goods to use in the kitchen, through April 23

“Frame of Mind,” a display of artwork in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month that will explore how artwork can be an outlet for self-expression, April 30-June 11

Rose Lehrman Art Gallery
One HACC Drive, Harrisburg
717-780-2435; hacc.edu

Digital Video Works by Jeffrey Moser, April 4-29; Zoom reception: April 14, 6 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

“Game Changers: Pennsylvania Women Who Made History,” celebrating women from across the state in diverse fields and detailing the contributions they made and challenges they faced in their lifetimes.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; susquehannaartmuseum.org

“Approximate Release,” a sculptural installation in the DeSoto Family Vault by Ron Lambert, through April 10

“World Traveler/Shelter At Home,” works by Diana Jensen, who took inspiration from an anonymous assortment of vernacular photos for her paintings, April 15-June 19

“In Nature’s Studio,” showcasing a bounty of early 19th century through late 20th century American artists’ depictions of the landscape, through May 22

“Hedy O’Beil—The Late Work,” a selection of work from the 1970s to mid-1980s, through June 19

“Mythologies of Motherhood,” personal stories of artists currently raising children, through June 26

“Project—Nature,” a sneak peek of the current VanGo! Museum on Wheels exhibit, “Nature in Art,” featuring the work of Victoria Fuller, through Aug. 22

Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery
Lebanon Valley College
101 College Ave., Annville
717-233-8668; lvc.edu/gallery

“Our Strength is Our People—The Humanist Photographs of Lewis Hine,” through April 6

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

“Art in the Wild” features works of art composed of mostly natural materials to blend with Wildwood’s natural setting, April 3-Sept. 30; meet the artists, April 3, 1-3 p.m.

Read, Make, Learn

Carlisle Arts Learning Center (CALC)
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

April 2: Art Together, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
April 4-May 2, May 7: Obvara (Baltic Raku) Alternative Firing Process, Mondays, 6-8 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Beginning Oil Painting, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. or 6-8 p.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Intermediate/Advanced Painting, 1-3:30 p.m.
April 7, 14, 21: Oil Painting Spring Flowers, 6-8 p.m.
April 9: Plant a Rock Garden, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 12-May 17: Intermediate Clay for Teens & Adults, Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m.
April 13-May 25 (no class on May 4): Introduction to Photoshop for Photographers on Zoom, Wednesdays, 6:30-8 p.m.
April 14-May 18: Macro Photography, Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 16: Added Elements, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
April 16, 23: Buck a Book Making Class, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 22: Indigo and Shibori, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
April 22: Craft Beer & Clay, 7-9 p.m.
April 22-May 27: Friday In-Person Art Cub, 3:45-5 p.m.
April 23: There’s Gold in Those Petals, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 23: Vintage Tin Earrings, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 23: Eucalyptus Magic Gold Edition, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
April 29: Welcome Spring!, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

April 29: Seaside Specials, 6-9 p.m.

Dauphin County Library System
dcls.org

April 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26: Born to Read (birth-18 months), 9:30-10 a.m.
April 4, 11, 18, 25: Board Game Club, 6-7 p.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Born to Read (birth-18 months), 9:30-10 a.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Toddler Storytime (ages 19-35 months), 10:15-10:55 a.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: All Ages Storytime on Zoom, 6 p.m.
April 6: Hear Me Out Cryptocurrency, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
April 6, 13, 20, 27: Secret Agent Academy, 4-4:45 p.m.
April 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28: All Ages Storytime, 10:15 a.m.
April 6, 13, 20, 27: Toddler Storytime (ages 19-35 months), 10-10:40 a.m.
April 6, 13, 20, 27: Toddler Storytime (ages 19-35 months) on Zoom, 11-11:40 a.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5 years), 10:15-10:55 a.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Anime Club (ages 13-18), 4-5 p.m.
April 8, 15, 22, 29: Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5 years), 10-10:40 a.m.
April 8, 15, 22, 29: Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5 years), 11-10:40 a.m.
April 8, 15, 22, 29: Virtual Tween Dungeons and Dragons, 4-5 p.m.
April 8, 15, 22, 29: Virtual Teen Dungeons and Dragons, 4-5 p.m.
April 13: Spanish Language Conversation Group (ages 15 and older) on Zoom, 6-7 p.m.
April 19: Crash Course on Credit on Zoom, 6-7 p.m.
April 20: Virtual Young Adult Book Club (ages 13-18), 4-5:30 p.m.

Elizabethtown Public Library
10 S. Market St., Elizabethtown
717-367-7467; etownpubliclibrary.org

April 4: Baby Time Spring, 10:30 a.m.
April 6: Toddler Time, 10:30 a.m.
April 7: Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Fiber Artists, 10 a.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Fiber Artists, 3 p.m.
April 9, 23: LEGO Club, 11 a.m.
April 12: STEM Stations, 4:30 p.m.
April 14, 28: Knitter’s Group, 5 p.m.
April 16: Book Discussion Group, 10 a.m.
April 16: Knitter’s Group, 10 a.m.
April 19: Musik Time, 10:30 a.m.

Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

April 6: Virtual Illustrated Talk— Pre-Colonial Pennsylvania, 7-8 p.m.

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Get That Job! Workshop, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
April 2: Library for Lunch—Egg-stravaganza, 1 p.m.
April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Teen Grab and Go Bag (ages 7-12), 1 p.m.
April 2, 16: STEM Grab & Go, 1 p.m.
April 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27: Discovery Zone Fun, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 4, 18: Zoom—Frederickson Writes on Zoom, 6:45 p.m.
April 5: Curl up with the Classics—“The Woodlanders,” 10-11 a.m.
April 5: Teen STEAM Lab, 4-5:30 p.m., 6-7:30 p.m.
April 5: READ to Dogs, 6:30-8 p.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Career Exploration Workshop, 10:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m.
April 6: Moving Forward Book Group w/ Hospice of Central PA, 1-2 p.m.
April 6: Cryptocurrency—A ‘Hear Me Out’ Dialogue, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Language at the Library—Spanish, 10-11 a.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Resume Writing Workshop, 10:30-11:30 a.m., 4:30-5:30 p.m.
April 8: Film Friday, 7 p.m.
April 8, 22: Peaceful Poses Children’s Yoga Story Time, 10-11 a.m.
April 11: Philosophers’ Roundtable, 2-3:30 p.m.
April 11: Mission Transition Kindergarten, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
April 11: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
April 12: Comics Club, 6-7 p.m.
April 14: Plot Twisters, 6-7 p.m.
April 15: Family Movie Night, 6:30-8 p.m.
April 25: Fredricksen Reads—“The Songs of Trees: Stories from Natures Great Connectors,” 7-8 p.m.

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

April 9: Intro to Hand Caning, 1-5 p.m.
April 16: “Light and Dark” mixed media workshop, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
April 21, 28: Paper Mache Sculpture for Kids, 6-8 p.m.
April 30: Mixed Media Collage Workshop, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

April 20-June 8: Level 1 Intro to Improv, Wednesdays, 7-10 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyareaartassociation.com

April 6: Katriel Srebnik Paint Workshop, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Hershey Public Library
701 Cocoa Ave., Hershey
717-533-6555; hersheylibrary.org

April 2, 9, 23: Chess Club, 1 p.m.
April 4: Pencils and Pints at Troegs Brewery, 6:30 p.m.
April 4, 11, 18, 25: Facebook Live—Books and Babies (birth-12 months), 10:15 a.m.
April 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28 : Penn State Hershey—Mothers & Babies Together, 10 a.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: 1, 2, Whee!, 10:15 a.m.
April 5, 12, 26: Girls Who Code, 6 p.m.
April 6: LEGO Club, 4 p.m.
April 6: Hear Me Out—Cryptocurrency, 5:30 p.m.
April 6: Silent Book Group at Mount Gretna Craft Brewery, 6:30 p.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Storytime for Everyone, 10:15 a.m.
April 7, 21: Hershey Quilters, 12:30 p.m.
April 9: Cocoa Area Fiber Enthusiasts, 10 a.m.
April 14: Hershey Area Neighbors and Newcomers, 10 a.m.
April 25: All Things Color Trivia, 7 p.m.
April 30: Chess Tournament, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Historical Society of Dauphin County
John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion
219 S Front St., Harrisburg
717- 233-3462; dauphincountyhistory.org

April 10: The Life, Times and Publications of James H Howard, 2 p.m.

Joseph T. Simpson Public Library
16 N. Walnut St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0171; simpsonlibrary.org

April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: LEGO Time, 10:15-11:15 a.m.
April 4, 11, 18, 25: Storybook STEAM, 6:30 p.m.
April 5: Tween Scene, 6-7 p.m.
April 5, 12, 29, 26: Parents & Toddlers Together, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
April 5, 12, 29, 26: Tea and Stitches, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 7, 14, 21, 28: Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
April 8, 22: Dungeons and Dragons (ages 6-12), 6-8 p.m.
April 9, 23: Block Party, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
April 11, 25: English Conversation Club, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
April 13: Mad About Mysteries on Zoom, 7-8 p.m.
April 16: Adventure Club, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
April 16: Teen Squad, 3-4 p.m.
April 18: Monday Night Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
April 21: Thursday Morning Book Club, 10 a.m.
April 26: Tabletop Game Night, 6-8 p.m.

The LGBT Center of Central PA
717-409-5781; centralpalgbtcenter.org

April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Passageways, 2 p.m.
April 3, 10, 17, 24: Young Adult Group, 4 p.m.
April 6, 13, 20, 27: Common Roads (ages 12-17), 6-8 p.m.
April 9: LGBTQ Book Club, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
April 12, 26: Queers and Quests game night, 6 p.m.
April 14: Aging with Pride Luncheon, 12 p.m.

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

April 22, 23: Opera Workshop with Symphony Orchestra

Middletown Public Library
20 N. Catherine St., Middletown
717-944-6412; middletownpubliclib.org

April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Online Science Fiction Book Club
April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Star Trek Rewatch online group
April 4, 6, 11: Free Tax Preparation, 5:30-8 p.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Storytime and Craft, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
April 5, 12, 19, 26: Tales with T.A.I.L.S., 6-7 p.m.
April 7: Book Club, 6-7 p.m.
April 18: Mystery Book Club (in person and online), 6-7 p.m.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

April 15: An Evening with Ali Rothrock, 7-8 p.m.
April 20: An Evening with Dr. Shauntey James, 7-8 p.m.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St.; Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

April 2: First Saturday, 2-5 p.m.
April 7: Foundations of Drawing, 6-8 p.m.
April 9: Fluid Art Class, 12-3 p.m.

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

April 23: Lessons in History with Judkin Browning and Timothy Silver, 1-2 p.m.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

April 23: Beginner’s Backpacking—Hiking 101, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 30: Spring Bird Walk, 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 30: Nature Photography, 1-3 p.m.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

April 1, 22: Movers & Groovers (ages 2-5), 10:30-11 a.m.
April 1-30: Beanstack Challenge—For the Love of Reading (ages 0-18)
April 2, 16: Book Sales, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
April 4, 18: Monday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 7: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 9: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 11: Cherry Blossom Craft (ages 5-8), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
April 11, 25: Outdoor Storytime & More (ages 2-5), 10:30 a.m.
April 12: Book Review Program, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
April 12: Tales for Tails (ages 6-12), 6:30-7:30 p.m.
April 12-26: Outdoor Book Babies (ages 0-2), 11:15 a.m.
April 13, 27: Wednesday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 14, 28: Block Party! (ages 0-3), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
April 16: Couponing for Extreme Savings, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 16: Children’s Book Writers Critique Group, 2-4 p.m.
April 19: Kid Builders! (ages 3 and older), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
April 20: Wellness Wednesday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
April 24: Trees Nature’s Great Connectors, 2-3 p.m.
April 25: Music & More Mondays (ages 3-7), 5:30-6:30 p.m.
April 26: Evening Family Storytime, 6:30-7 p.m.
April 27: PennWriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.
April 27: KIND Club—Kids Interested in Novels of Diversity on Zoom (ages 8-12), 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Palmyra Public Library
50 Landings Dr., Annville
717-838-1347; palmyra.lclibs.org

April 11: Palmyra Public Library Book Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 27: Smart Start Storytime, 12:15-12:45 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

April 1, 16: Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
April 1-30: Highlights Tour, 1:30-2:30 p.m. (Wednesdays-Sundays)
April 6: Explore! Fowler’s Bird’s-eye Views & PA’s Industrial Towns, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 6, 21: Family Gallery Tour—Paleontology, 11:30 a.m.
April 8: Virtual Adventures in Nature Lab—Peregrine Falcon Recovery in PA, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
April 13: Family Gallery Tour—Mammal Hall, 11:30 a.m.
April 14: Curiosity Kids, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 20: Explore! Earth Day, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
April 22: Learn at Lunchtime—Virtual Curator’s Choice—Levittown at 70,
April 27: The Games & Puzzles Challenge

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; susquehannaartmuseum.org

April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Saturday Morning Art Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Young Artist Camp, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

April 2: Wild About Dogs!, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
April 5: Kids Discover—April Pools (ages 5-10), 2-4 p.m.
April 6, 13: Penn State Master Gardeners’ Veggie 101-201 Series, 6-7:30 p.m.
April 7: Natural Dyeing with Acorns, 6-8 p.m.
April 9: Birds and Coffee, 10-11 a.m.
April 9: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
April 10: Penn State Extension Master Gardeners’ Home Gardening Series—Creating a Crevice Garden, 1-2:30 p.m.
April 10: Fort Hunter Conservancy Hike, 2-4 p.m.
April 13: Preschool Storytime, 10-10:45 a.m.
April 15: Kids Discover—Birds and Their Nests (ages 5-10), 10-11:30 a.m.
April 23: Forest Therapy, 1-3 p.m.
April 24: Flower Walk—Dutchman’s Breeches and Trout Lilies, 1:30-3 p.m.
April 28: Kids Discover—Pollywogs (ages 5-10), 2-4 p.m.
April 30: Cadette & Senior Girl Scouts—Outdoor Art Explorer and Expert, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Live Music

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

April 2: Spring Doo Wop Cavalcade
April 3: Jimmy Stuff & Jay Siegel’s Tokens
April 9: The Duttons
April 16: Disney Princess Concert
April 20: One Night of Queen by Gary Mullen and the Works
April 21: Trace Adkins
April 22: Josh Turner
April 23: Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals & Micky Dolenz of The Monkees

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

April 1: Jazz in the City
April 2: Enter the Haggis
April 3: Sonia De Los Santos
April 6: The Milk Carton Kids, Michaela Anne
April 9: York Symphony
April 16: Los Chicos del 512—The Selena Experience
April 18: Tedeschi Trucks
April 21: Oliver Wood of The Wood Brothers
April 22: The Machine performs Pink Floyd with the Interstellar Light & Multimedia Show
April 29: The Fitzgeralds

Boneshire Brew Works
7462 Derry St., Harrisburg
717-469-5007; boneshire.com

April 7: Holly Serio
April 21: Sherri & Dennis
April 28: Strangest Hearts, Brian Polensky Mug #224

Carlisle Theatre
44 West High St., Carlisle
717-258-0666; carlisletheatre.org

April 22: Vanilla Fudge with Kashmir—The Live Led Zeppelin Show

Central PA Friends of Jazz
www.friendsofjazz.org

April 3: The Bill Charlap Trio
April 24: George Burton

Elizabethtown College
1 Alpha Dr., Elizabethtown
717-361-1212; www.etown.edu

April 10: Elizabethtown College Community Orchestra Concert
April 21: Jazz Band and Percussion Ensemble Concert
April 24: Elizabethtown College Symphonic Band Concert
April 25: Scholarship and Creative Arts Day Recital

The Englewood
1219 Research Blvd. Hummelstown
717-256-9480; englewoodhershey.com

April 1: Colebrook Road
April 2: The Band Who Sold the World w/Shea Quinn
April 3: Sunday Jazz Series w/the Steve Rudolph Quintet
April 8: Crippled But Free
April 9: Damn the Torpedoes
April 10: Harrisburg Jazz Collective
April 14: Cody Canada and the Departed w/Them Dirty Roses
April 16: The Aces
April 17: Sunday Jazz Series w/The Redd Bros. Trio
April 22: The Bad Toupees
April 23: The Kenton Sitch Band
April 30: Sugar Mountain

H*MAC
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

April 1: The Mavericks
April 1: Attack Attack!
April 2: Richie Ramone, Public Nature
April 5: Wednesday 13
April 6: Doyle
April 10: Joanne Shaw Taylor
April 13: Powerglove
April 15: Trevor Hall, Gone Gone Beyond
April 16: The Taylor Party—Taylor Swift Night
April 21: GFM with KrashKarma
April 21: Drive-By Truckers
April 23: Lucero
April 24: Al Stewart w/The Empty Pockets
April 29: Three Days Grace, Lilith Czar

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra
The Forum at 5th and Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-545-5527; harrisburgsymphony.org

April 9, 10: Masterworks—AMEN!
April 23, 24: Magnificent Mendelssohn

Harrisburg University Presents
concertseries.harrisburgu.edu

April 4: JOHNNYSWIM at XL Live
April 5: Mother Mother at XL Live
April 16: The Aces at The Englewood
April 21: Rainbow Kitten Surprise at XL Live
April 30: Jade Bird at XL Live

Hershey Area Playhouse
830 Cherry Dr., Hershey
717-533-8525; hersheyareaplayhouse.com

April 1-2: The Unforgettable Big Band

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheytheatre.com

April 1-3: Blue Man Group
April 10: The Beach Boys

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

April 3: Shippensburg University Wind Ensemble and Concert Band
April 9: Black Violin
April 24: Shippensburg University Community Orchestra
April 30: Girl Named Tom

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

April 1: Wind Symphony & Percussion Ensemble Concert
April 9: Jazz Ensemble Concert
April 10: Symphony Band

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

April 2: Azaguno “Nukpɔkpɔ”
April 3: Messiah University Woodwind Quintet
April 4: Messiah University Chamber Ensembles
April 5: Messiah University Jazz Combo
April 11: Messiah University Chamber Ensembles
April 12: Messiah University Brass Choir & Symphony
April 22: Messiah University Symphony Orchestra
April 23: Messiah University United Voices of Praise
April 24: Messiah University Wind Ensemble
April 27: Messiah University Choral Showcase
April 28: Messiah University Musica Nova—Student Compositions
April 29: Messiah University Jazz Ensembles
April 30: Messiah University Vocal Jazz
April 30: Messiah University Guitar Ensemble

Music By The River
musicbytheriver.org

April 2: Harrisburg Camerata at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral, Harrisburg

Perry County Council of the Arts
Landis House
67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

April 14: Don-Paul Kahl, Zach Nyce

Pine Street Presbyterian Church
310 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-238-9304; pinestreet.org

April 1: Eric Rieger & JJ Penna
April 24: Scott Dettra

Rusty Rail Brewing Company
5 N. 8th St., Mifflinburg
570-966-7878; rustyrailbrewing.com

April 4, 18: Monday Night JamFest
April 14: Gift, Troutman & Gift

Susquehanna Folk Music Society
717-745-6577; sfmsfolk.org

April 9: The Honey Dewdrops
April 15: Ye Vagabonds
April 27: Dom Flemons

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

April 9: Stanley Jordan
April 29: Erich Cawalla Big Band

Whitaker Center
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

April 6: Steve Hackett
April 16: Almost Queen
April 27: Janis Ian

XL Live
801 S. 10th St., Harrisburg
717-409-8975; xlhbg.com

April 1: Start Making Sense and the Immaculate Horns
April 2: Rakim, Brand Nubian
April 8: The Far Side (Pharcyde)
April 9: The Johnny Swim Show, Katelyn Tarver
April 15: Mother Mother
April 16: Badfish—A Tribute to Sublime, Dale & The Zdubs
April 21: Rainbow Kitten Surprise, The Brooke & The Bluff
April 22: Das Trio, Derhak, Amico, Schnier of moe
April 23: The Dead Milkmen
April 29: Yngwie Malmsteen
April 30: Jade Bird

Zeroday Brewing Co.
925 N. 3rd St, Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

April 1: DJ KYNZ
April 2: Bend The Rails
April 8: Plunder & Lightning

The Stage Door

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

April 24: “Peppa Pig Live!”
April 29-May 11: Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

April 8: Corey Alexander and Jen Espenshade
April 13: “Waitress”
April 21: “The Underwater Bubble Show”
April 23: “My Name is Not Mom”

The Belmont Theatre
27 S. Belmont St., York
717-854-3894; thebelmont.org

April 7-Sept. 22: “The Bar Stools Go Back To The Future”
April 22: “Steel Magnolias”

Carlisle Theatre
44 West High St., Carlisle
717-258-0666; carlisletheatre.org

April 1-10: “Harvey”

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

April 1-16: “Singin’ in the Rain”
April 22-May 14: “Rock of Ages”

Gamut Theatre Group
15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamuttheatre.org

April 1: TMI Improv
April 8-10: “Panchatantra Tales”
April 13-30: “The Emperor’s New Clothes” (Popcorn Hat Players)

H*MAC
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

April 8: Steve Hofstetter
April 9: Dustin Sims
April 10: Queens Who Brunch
April 10: Jim Breuer

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S. Eisenhower Blvd, Middletown
717-939-9333; thehcpac.org

April 8-10: “The Crown and the Cross”

Harrisburg Comedy Zone
110 Limekiln Rd., New Cumberland
717-920-5653; harrisburgcomedyzone.com

April 1: Divas Down Under April Fool’s Comedy Drag Show!
April 1, 2: Comedy Hypnotist Rich Guzzi
April 8, 9: Larry XL, Jim Bryan
April 13: April Comic Showcase
April 15, 16: Jody Kerns, Ben Jones
April 22, 23: Larry Reeb, JoJo Casillas
April 29, 30: Kevin McCaffrey, TBA

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

April 1: Free Improv Jam, Heartthrobs, The Outsiders, Meetwood Flac
April 2: Free Mixer, Solo Sleepover, Love Triangle, Barn Bitches
April 8: Free Improv Jam, Leg of Lamp, The Outsiders, Introduce a Self
April 9: Free Mixer, Ferret Prom, Bandito, Don’t Play with Deacon
April 15: Free Improv Jam, Midtown Funk, Larry Bird, Cheese
April 16: Free Mixer, The Outsiders, Sugar Weasel, Rockstar Goes Supernova
April 22: Level 1 Class Show, Teens Girls, Same Each, HIT BITS
April 23: Free Mixer, Snicker Casket, Elderprov
April 24: Level 1 Class Show
April 29: Level 2 Class Show, 3-on-3 Tournament
April 30: Hitstravaganza!, Free Mixer

Harrisburg Scottish Rite Theatre
2701 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-238-8868; valleyofharrisburg.org

April 16: Psychic Gallery

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheytheatre.com

April 22: “Whose Live Anyway?”

Keystone Theatrics
The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; www.keystonetheatrics.com

April 22-May 8: “Once”

Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg
915 S. York St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0535; ltmpa.com

April 8-24: “Reefer Madness”

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

April 28: Jeff Allen

Majestic Theater
25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg
717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org

April 12: “Menopause”
April 30: Kim Weitkamp

Messiah University
One University Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

April 7-10: “Yeoman of the Guard”
April 22-23: “Culmination ’22—Spring Dance Concert”

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

April 7-10: “Jack and the Giant”
April 9: “Letters from Anne and Martin”
April 13 & 27: Black NewsBeat w/Dr. Kimeka Campbell
April 30: New York City’s Paige Turner—“What a Drag!”

Oyster Mill Playhouse
1001 Oyster Mill Road, Camp Hill
717-737-6768; www.oystermill.com

April 1-3: “A Murder is Announced”

Rose Lehrman Art Center
One HACC Drive, Harrisburg
717-231-ROSE; hacc.edu/RLAC

April 21-24: Virtual New Works Festival

Theatre Harrisburg
513 Hurlock St., Harrisburg
717-232-5501; theatreharrisburg.com

April 1-10: “Now and Then” at Whitaker Center

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

April 1: We the People First Friday

Whitaker Center
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

April 1-10: “Now and Then” (Theatre Harrisburg)
April 2-3: “Hansel & Gretel” (Central PA Youth Ballet)

Zeroday Brewing Co.
925 N. 3rd St, Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

April 21: Boozy Bingo w/Felicia O’Toole

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