Four Decades of Song: Susquehanna Chorale celebrates its 40th year in fine voice

March 31, 2022 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Linda Tedford, center, and the Susquehanna Chorale

When Linda Tedford arrived in central Pennsylvania some four decades ago, she wanted to serve both her own needs and those of the area.

“I had a degree in choral conducting but no choir,” she said. “There weren’t any in the area, except the Harrisburg Choral Society.”

So, Tedford decided to start her own chorus. She became founder, artistic director and conductor of a new group called the Susquehanna Chorale. One of the original members was her husband.

When the chorus performed for the first time in the historic St. Peter’s Kierch in Middletown in September 1981, Tedford may have wondered if it would flourish over the years. She needn’t have worried.

The Susquehanna Chorale has indeed thrived and grown. It began with 11 singers, and, today, that number has risen to 37.

“At 37, we’re still a chamber choir,” Tedford said.

Through the years, the chorale has been privileged to sing “wonderful pieces of music, many of them commissioned,” she said. They’ve also received numerous accolades, including being the first volunteer choir to win the prestigious Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence.

For Tedford, a recurring source of satisfaction has been those who sang with the chorale as kids and later returned to perform as adults.

Indeed, there are so many graduates, as the Susquehanna Chorale includes separate children’s, youth and young women’s chorales, with an annual Youth Choral Festival. The chorale also has developed educational programs for children and young people.

In the past, the Susquehanna Chorale has performed frequently with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, which Tedford calls “more than gratifying.” She looks forward to the day when this collaboration will resume. The HSO is now performing at the Scottish Rite Cathedral rather than in its usual venue, the Forum, which is undergoing renovation. Unfortunately, Scottish Rite doesn’t have enough space to fit both groups.

To honor its 40th anniversary, the Susquehanna Chorale is releasing a “Celebrating 40” book, with history, memories and pictures. Also, in a few months, it will be among the featured performers at the American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania’s summer conference, which takes place at Messiah University.

“It’s an honor to be chosen,” Tedford said.

The past few years have been tough ones, as they have for many arts organizations.

In March 2020, group members left a rehearsal with the usual words, “See you next week.” With the onset of the pandemic, that didn’t happen. Instead, like the rest of us, members resorted to meeting on Zoom. They later resumed rehearsals in a church that seated 800, which allowed for plenty of social distancing.

The chorale soon regrouped to perform outdoors at Italian Lake, restarting indoor concerts only recently. Now, it is gearing up for two spring concerts, one in Hershey and the other at Messiah University.

The spring program will include songs that “have delighted listeners for four decades,” Tedford said.

“There will be a fine balance between sacred and secular music,” she said.

Selections will include chorale favorites, such as Schubert’s “Holy, Holy Holy,” the early American folk classic, “Down to the River to Pray,” and a special performance of “Shenandoah” with chorale alumni.

Still ahead, if conditions allow, are touring performances this summer in Poland and Austria. As of this writing, chorale members were unsure if these would actually happen, given the political situation in Eastern Europe.

“We’re hoping for a miracle,” Tedford said.

Right now, the world could use a few miracles—and a whole lot of song.

The Susquehanna Chorale will perform two spring concerts: Friday, May 13, at 8 p.m., at the Derry Presbyterian Church in Hershey, and Sunday, May 15, at 4 p.m., in the High Center-Parmer Hall, Messiah University.

For more information on the Susquehanna Chorale, call 717-533-7859, visit www.susquehannachorale.org and see past performances on YouTube. For tickets for all concerts, regardless of location, contact the Messiah University box office at 717-691-6036 or [email protected].

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Proactive, for Prevention: Cervical cancer remains a peril

March 31, 2022 | by Capital Blue Cross Staff

Roughly 14,500 women in the United States were newly diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2021, and about 4,300 U.S. women died from it last year, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

While vaccinations and appropriate screenings such as pap and HPV tests have dramatically dropped the number of cases, cervical cancer remains the fourth-most-common cancer among women worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

“So we cannot be complacent, because when not caught in time, the disease remains every bit the deadly threat it’s always been,” said Dr. Jennifer Chambers, chief medical officer at Capital Blue Cross.

The disease remains perilous, and statistics even suggest recent slippage in the cervical cancer fight, partly due to missed cervical screenings during the pandemic. The ACS projections for 2021 are trending in a troubling direction: nearly 500 more people diagnosed in 2021 than in 2020; nearly 1,700 more people diagnosed than in 2017; and nearly 100 more expected deaths vs. 2017. Also, despite steady improvement in survival rates, more than a third of Pennsylvania women diagnosed with cervical cancer will still die within five years, according to state Department of Health data.

Strikes in Life’s Prime

According to the ACS, cervical cancer primarily is most frequently diagnosed in women age 35 to 44. In Pennsylvania, the state Department of Health reports, the median age of incidence is 52.

It’s a costly disease, too. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put America’s annual cervical cancer bill at $1.6 billion.

We can all help improve these bleak statistics by encouraging women we know to be proactive about their preventive care. Capital Blue Cross helps do just that. The health insurer:

Reminds its members who have no cervical cancer screening records about the importance of having routine screenings.
Provides education, through member and employer-group newsletters, on screening’s importance and other preventive measures, including HPV vaccinations.
Shares with its medical providers best practices for increasing screening rates and offers some providers incentives for good performance in this area.
Shares screening information on social media.
Provides employer toolkits that include self-service guidance, step-by-step instructions and suggestions for promoting screening among employees, as well as the ability to provide presentations and post exhibits.

“Emphasizing the importance of cervical cancer screenings is an enormously effective first step,” Dr. Chambers said. “It’s important to take that step decisively.”

For more information about Capital Blue Cross, visit www.capbluecross.com.

This column is sponsored by Capital Blue Cross.

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Horror Lite: ”We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” will leave you more discomfited than scared

March 31, 2022 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

Jane Schoenbrun’s “We’re All Going To The World’s Fair” showcases the online community of horror fans—but that doesn’t mean it is a horror film by most definitions.

The film follows Casey (Anna Cobb), a teenage girl with a grunge aesthetic and a lonely perspective. In the opening scene, Casey immediately draws us into her headspace by spending eight solid minutes on a webcam, initiating herself into an online role-playing horror game called “The World’s Fair.” This extended static shot immediately clues us in to the ride we’re about to take—found-footage inspired cinematography and a drawn-out but powerful character study of a girl who desperately wants to be seen.

As Casey pricks her finger with a pin and recites the words, “I want to go to the World’s Fair,” over and over, her intentions—and her nerves—are perfectly clear. The game touts that the initiation will change you, slowly but in horrific ways—and Casey covers her excitement and uncertainty with a thick layer of cool, announcing her love of horror and claiming her readiness to see where the game leads.

And that is, in a nutshell, the premise of the story. Casey wants to be affected by the game, and so she is affected by the game. She watches clips of other role-players acting out the ways that they transformed (one girl claims she is slowly turning into plastic, and a young man describes how he believes there is a Tetris game being played in his body, and it has almost reached his neck), and begins to record herself in various scenarios, trying to document her transformation. Sometimes, she wakes up in the middle of the night and smiles creepily at the camera before falling back asleep; sometimes she dances happily to music before suddenly screaming in terror, etc.

Truthfully, the film would have hit all the right notes had it been promoted as a drama rather than a horror film. As far as creep factor goes, the progression of the story will leave most horror fans severely wanting and is much more fascinating as a case study of the theatrics we put into being someone, getting noticed, and having a purpose, to whatever extent we can get.

The film does an expert job of showing Casey’s feeling of social isolation and a drive to placate that loneliness through the internet. The tone of the film is heavily inspired by Creepypasta, an online horror storytelling platform, though the horror elements never progress past adolescent—the vibe is more akin to a teenager telling a ghost story while sneaking glances at their friends to gauge how scared they are—and maybe that’s the point, because that’s all that Casey, as an adolescent, is capable of. Because she wants to be a part of this community that is so seemingly affected, she does her best to draw out the creepiness in all of her online videos.

The true horror of the film (and by horror, I really mean a stark discomfort in the direction the action goes) is found in the relationship she strikes up with a member of the horror community, who hides behind an identity of JLB (played by Michael J Rogers). JLB, a middle-aged man who appears to be very well off and very lonely, exhibits some blatant examples of grooming behavior that will put any audience on edge. While it teeters on the edge of inappropriate, there are never any moments where the vehicle takes the plunge into adrenal fulfillment (again, another reason not to strictly call it a horror film), but the discomfort is still there, and still deserves recognition.

Schoenbrun has created a captivating, if slightly misnomered film that, regardless of genre, will draw you in and make you care about its protagonist. “We’re All Going To The World’s Fair” will play at Midtown Cinema in April.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

April Events At Midtown Cinema

National Theatre Live presents
“No Man’s Land”
Sunday, April 3, 5 p.m.

“Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America”
New documentary with discussion panel
Sunday, April 3, 6 p.m.

Down in Front presents
“On the Line” (2001)

Friday, April 8, 9:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live presents
“Book of Dust”
Sunday, April 10, 5 p.m.

3rd in the Burg Movie Night presents
“Clueless” (1995)
Friday, April 15, 9:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live presents
“A View from a Bridge”
Sunday, April 24, 5 p.m.

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The Painted Word: Artists offer Sunlight and Shadows for the annual “Art in the Wild”

March 31, 2022 | by Bob MacGinnes

Art by Carrie Breschi

What started out as a grand experiment in 2012 is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

This month, “Art in the Wild” returns to Wildwood Park to mark a decade of magnificent outdoor installations.

In announcing this annual rite of spring, committee chair Jim Caufield shared that he felt “excitement about hosting the regionally recognized outdoor environmental art show at Wildwood Park, providing an opportunity for artistically minded participants to demonstrate their skills in this special genre of the art field.”

A decade ago, Elizabeth Johnson and a few likeminded Friends of Wildwood, including Caufield and Marcy Brenner, made it their mission to create unique, seasonal landscape installations, mounted from April through September’s end.

To date, over 140 works have been placed throughout the park throughout the history of “Art in the Wild,” with a promise of an additional 18 for this year’s exhibition.

For 2022, Caufield and Richelle Corty, environmental educator at the Olewine Nature Center, put out a call to new participants this past fall. A hands-on, mini-day camp to teach what is involved was held on an early November Saturday with four sets of instructors, veterans of the event instructing initiates in the art form. Two members of the class have now joined forces with past entrants for this spring’s event, and the instructional session will now take place annually.

Twelve returnees from past years, along with six new participants, will comprise the field in 2022. Of that half dozen, four will be students, including an art major from Dickinson College, a Central Dauphin High School student mentored by her art teacher, Newport High students and a group of art students from St. Joan of Arc Middle School. Last year’s top three winners are returning to the fray with Carrie Breschi, Jill Lippert and Carol Reed, who took first-, second- and third-place awards, respectively. The exhibit opens to the public Sunday, April 3, offering visitors the perfect time to come out to Wildwood and meet the artists to discuss their visions.

Serendipitously synched to the backdrop of world events surrounding the ongoing pandemic, this year’s theme is “Sunlight and Shadows.” Art enthusiasts creating new works will aspire to incorporate elements of both, sharing a message of hope in sunlight, even with the darkest days of shadows. One can’t help but think of the Irish elegy in song, “Danny Boy,” as the narrator’s solemn oath, “I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow.”

It begs the question—did the “Art in the Wild” committee have that in mind when choosing the theme? The contrast between light and shadow is one of coexistence, for one does not exist without the other. In the end, it is the choice we make to remain in the shadows or step out into the light. The artist may straddle both, reflective of the balance in nature. To take part in their adventure, make a promise to be there in sunlight or in shadow.

“Art in the Wild” runs April 3 to Sept. 30 at Wildwood Park, Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.explorewildwoodpark.org. Images are from the 2021 “Art in the Wild.”

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New Harrisburg Havoc women’s football team to kick off season, break barriers

March 30, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

The Harrisburg Havoc team

As a young girl, Leah Crump was interested in football, but playing it was always out of the question.

“My whole life I wanted to play, but my mom said ‘no’ because she was afraid I was going to get hurt,” she said.

When Crump saw a new women’s football team forming in Harrisburg, she jumped at the opportunity to join. Of course, Crump is an adult now, so her mom couldn’t tell her ‘no,’ she said.

Crump was one of many rookies to join the Harrisburg Havoc women’s tackle football team, finally finding a place to participate in a sport that has largely left women on the sidelines. The team has been practicing for months and is gearing up for its first season on the field, starting April 9.

Harrisburg Havoc is part of the Women’s Football Alliance, the nation’s largest full-contact women’s football league. The Harrisburg team is one of 67 across the country.

While the team has many rookies, it also has a number of experienced football players.

Kaeli Thomas played flag football from ages 6 to 18 and, from there, started playing in leagues. For a while, she was part of the former local WFA team, Keystone Assault, which disbanded during the pandemic.

From there, Thomas and her mom Tiffany decided to start a new team.

“I just wasn’t done playing the sport,” she said.

It wasn’t hard to start assembling a team, Thomas said. Plenty of women jumped at the opportunity to play. The team now has a roster of 41 players, ranging in age from 21 to 49 years old. Players come from Harrisburg, as well as surrounding cities and states like Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown and Maryland, among others.

“Getting people wasn’t the hard part,” she said. “The hard part was getting people to take us seriously.”

For their first game, the Harrisburg Havoc will face off against the New York Knockout from Albany, N.Y. It will be a home game, played on the Kreiser-Hallman field at Lower Dauphin Middle School in Hummelstown. All of their home games will take place on that field at 6 p.m.

The team is led by a handful of male coaches from Harrisburg who have experience playing football and coaching. Michael Chism, or “Coach Chiz,” is the head coach, assisted by Lanthus Whiteside, Antoine Strong, Corey Jett II and John Balkcom.

The women have been training since the summer, as well as attending local events, parades and fundraisers to spread the word of their program. So far, they’ve received a lot of support from their city, Thomas said. She is eager to see those fans in the stands at their first game.

Crump, who will play her first official football game ever next week, is feeling a mix of emotions.

“I’m nervous,” she said. “It doesn’t feel real. But, I’m ready to show off my talents. It’s amazing. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to play football.”

Tiffany is confident in their ability to win, advance to the playoffs and even compete in the championship game, which would allow the team to play at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Ohio.

“Our mission is to empower women, to let them know that whatever they put their minds to, they can do,” she said.

That mission is already spreading, as Harrisburg Havoc players like Crump and Thomas are mentoring young girls that play football.

“I want to let little girls know that it’s OK to play football,” Crump said. “I want to have little kids look up to me.”

The team’s regular season runs through May 28, unless they advance to playoffs. They may be a new team to the league this year, but they’re ready to compete.

“It’s been blood, sweat and tears,” Thomas said. “But it’s all going to be worth it. At the end of the day, we all have the same goal—to bring that ring home to Harrisburg.”

For more information on Harrisburg Havoc and their 2022 season schedule, visit their website.

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Harrisburg restaurant to hold fundraiser dinner for family of Ukrainian employee, relief efforts

March 30, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Rubicon on North Street in Harrisburg

For Anya Romanenko, who has family in Ukraine, the past weeks have been “extremely emotional.”

Romanenko, a staff member at Harrisburg restaurants Rubicon and Mangia Qui, said that going to work has helped keep her steady during a devastating time.

The owners of the North Street trio of restaurants, Mangia Qui, Rubicon and Suba, saw how distraught she was and decided to take action.

On April 19, Rubicon will hold a fundraiser dinner to benefit Romanenko’s family, among others in Ukraine.

“This clearly falls into an unspoken part of our mission statement,” explained Qui Qui Musarra, co-owner of Rubicon. “Historically, Mangia Qui and Rubicon were always supportive of organizing fundraisers to support relief efforts. We are just doing our part.”

The event will feature a multi-course dinner reflecting dishes from Ukrainian cuisine. Romanenko and her parents, who are from Ukraine, will help prepare the food, as well.

According to Musarra, the menu will include authentic dishes like chicken Kiev, red beet borscht, salo or cured pork fat and vereniki, a dumpling dish.

Other local chefs will pitch in, as well. The owner of former Broad Street Market vendor Pikowski’s Pierogi Place and the owner of current market vendor Evanilla Donuts will help with food preparations.

All proceeds from the evening, including tips, will go to Razom for Ukraine, an organization supporting humanitarian relief efforts in the country. Some funds will also be sent to support members of Romenko’s family who are currently living in a bomb shelter.

In addition to experiencing Ukrainian cuisine, Romanenko hopes that guests will learn more about Ukrainian culture and the current war. She plans to speak at the event.

“I just want to bring awareness to people about what’s happening,” she said. “I’m hoping we are able to get the community involved.”

Rubicon is located at 272 North Street, Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website. To make reservations for the dinner to benefit Ukraine, call (717)-233-7358.

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Primary field set for Harrisburg-area PA House seats

March 29, 2022 | by Lawrance Binda

Rep. Patty Kim

Several familiar names around the Harrisburg area plan to make a run for a PA House seat, as the deadline passed to submit nomination petitions for the May primary.

The race for the redrawn 103^rd House district may prove to be especially hot, as it attracted five candidates in all.

On the Democratic side, incumbent Patty Kim will go up against a former mayor of Harrisburg, Linda Thompson, as well as Camp Hill resident Heather McDonald, in the May 17 primary.

The Republican primary is also competitive, as former Harrisburg mayoral and City Council candidate Jennie Jenkins-Dallas will face off against David Buell of Camp Hill, a former Cumberland County prothonotary.

The 103^rd district has been significantly redrawn to now include about half of Harrisburg and the west shore communities of Camp Hill, Lemoyne, Wormleysburg and East Pennsboro Township. It currently includes all of Harrisburg and several communities to the east of the city.

The 104^th district also has a new look, comprising the eastern part of Harrisburg and several adjoining east shore towns. In that race, Harrisburg council member Dave Madsen will compete against Shaela Ellis, a Swatara Township commissioner, and two-term Steelton council member Keontay Hodge for the Democratic nomination. No candidates filed to run for the Republican nomination.

Two Democrats are running in the primary for the new 105^th House district: long-time activist Eric Epstein of Lower Paxton Township and Susquehanna Township Commissioner Justin Fleming. No Republican filed to run in the race, a seat now held by a Republican, Rep. Andrew Lewis.

For the 106^th House district, Republican incumbent Tom Mehaffie is running unopposed for his party’s nomination. He seems poised to serve another two-year term, as no Democrats chose to run for the seat.

The winners of the primaries will go on to represent their parties in the Nov. 8 general election.

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Construction begins for Camp Curtin YMCA’s affordable housing project

March 29, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Jamien Harvey at Woodbine and Jefferson streets, the location for the Camp Curtin YMCA’s affordable housing project

On a chilly Tuesday morning, Jamien Harvey watched bulldozers work on a lot at the corner of Woodbine and Jefferson streets.

Just a day before, he woke up in the morning, nervous if the project he had dreamt of for several years would actually happen.

But after years of planning, delays due to the pandemic and supply chain issues, Harvey watched a project to build affordable housing begin.

“This is important to me because I know what changes a community—environment and education,” Harvey, executive director of both the East Shore and Camp Curtin YMCA said. “We’ve got to get housing up, and we’ve got to do it fast.”

In October 2021, the Camp Curtin branch of the Y ceremoniously broke ground on its “Harrisburg Cornerstone Initiative,” which aims to eliminate vacant lots and provide homeownership opportunities to low-income families in the Uptown area.

The once empty lot at Woodbine and Jefferson streets, near the Camp Curtin Y, is the location of the $1.2 million first phase of the initiative. The Y is constructing four affordable single-family homes, each including three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and an off-street parking space.

The four homes each are listed for $150,000.

According to Harvey, there is already a waiting list of about 30 applicants for these four homes. They plan to select the buyers based on a lottery system.

The Y is working with The Erica Rawls Team real estate team at Keller Williams of Central PA for the marketing and sale of the homes. All applicants are required to take financial literacy and first-time homeowner courses, Harvey explained.

Harvey wasn’t surprised to see the significant interest in the homes. It has only deepened his belief in the demand for affordable housing in Harrisburg.

“This shows me that we need to continue to build and do it fast,” he said.

Harvey expects construction of the four affordable homes to be completed by mid-summer.

In addition to this project, he has a larger vision of continuing to build housing in the Uptown area, specifically the neighborhood surrounding the Camp Curtin Y.

“Homeowners take better care of their neighborhood,” he said. “It brings more eyes and ears to the community, changes crime and impacts how people take care of their properties. It makes huge differences.”

Additionally, he’s hopeful for how it impacts low-income families.

Harvey explained how families who purchase the homes will have instant home equity, as the buildings are appraised at $250,000 each, but are being sold for $150,000.

“The equity will give families generational wealth—that’s an ultimate goal of the project,” he said.

For more information about the Camp Curtin YMCA’s Harrisburg Cornerstone initiative, visit their website.

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Harrisburg to plant over 50 trees in Allison Hill, seeking volunteers

March 28, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Market Street in Harrisburg

Harrisburg is calling on city residents to help plant dozens of trees in Allison Hill this spring.

In April, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department will plant trees on Vernon and Market streets in an effort to beautify the area and help the environment.

“Any time you see a street full of beautiful trees, it’s something spectacular,” said Parks Maintenance Supervisor Sasha Ross. “It makes you smile, so I’m pretty sure city residents will love to see it as well.”

The city is looking for volunteers to help plant trees during these three dates:

Saturday, April 9 at 9 a.m. Meet at 1341 Vernon St. for planting between 13th and 17th streets.
Friday, April 29 at 9 a.m. Meet at 1173 Market St. for planting on Market Street between Cameron and 15th streets.
Saturday, April 30 at 9 a.m. Meet at 1173 Market St. for planting on Market Street between Cameron and 15th streets.

According to City Forester Ellen Roane, Harrisburg will plant 17 smaller trees on Vernon Street and 48 cherry trees on Market Street. The trees are bare root, which makes them lightweight, and around 8 to 10 feet tall.

With the planting in mind, the city recently removed around 30 dead and dying trees along Market Street.

The new Vernon Street trees will be provided to the city at no charge by the state’s TreeVitalize program, run by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Arbor Day Foundation, with funding from the United Parcel Service (UPS), will provide the Market Street trees.

“One of the things the Arbor Day Foundation does best is to help local planting partners take meaningful action in their community to plant trees,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “We plant trees to improve the lives of people around us. We’re happy to help the City of Harrisburg foster a sense of community pride by planting trees.”

To sign up to volunteer for the tree planting events, click here. For more information, visit the city’s website.

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Refugee resettlement agency to open Harrisburg office, host movie screening at Midtown Cinema

March 28, 2022 | by Maddie Gittens

Midtown Cinema

An organization is setting up shop in Harrisburg and kicking it off with a night at the movies.

Nonprofit Church World Service (CWS) will host an informational event and screening of “Flee” at Midtown Cinema on March 31. The evening coincides with the launch of CWS’s Harrisburg office to assist with local refugee resettlement.

The organization has locations across the country, including another local branch in Lancaster. They provide services to refugees including case management, basic needs support, cultural orientation, health access assistance and job preparation and placement help.

At their kick-off event, CWS will screen “Flee,” an animated documentary about an Afghan refugee’s journey to face his past. It was nominated for three Oscars—Best Documentary, Best Animated Film and Best International Feature.

According to Harrisburg office Director Alex Swan, the “Flee” event is designed to inform the community about the work CWS-Harrisburg does in helping refugees. He also hopes it will help recruit community partners to aid in the organization’s work.

“The community here is special. They’ve already welcomed several Afghan families to Harrisburg and Lancaster,” Swain said. “We see the official launch as an opportunity to let the rest of the community know how they can tap in and help their new neighbors.”

The event will also feature several former refugee speakers, who will talk about their experiences resettling in the area.

While CWS announced in November that it would open its Harrisburg office to assist incoming Afghan refugees, Swan noted several other ongoing refugee crises that need their assistance. He cited crises happening in Myanmar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Central America, among others.

“Most people are aware of the humanitarian disasters in Ukraine and Afghanistan, but we can’t lose sight of the other long-term issues from other parts of the world,” Swan said.

The event is free to the public, but registration is required. It will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information about Church World Service, visit their website.

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