Walls of Hope: Despite COVID, Harrisburg has five new murals to gaze upon

November 30, 2020 | by Ayanna Totten

While COVID-19 and social upheaval continue to ravage the nation, Harrisburg artists are atop scissor lifts and three-story walls to restore joy through the city’s well-known medium: murals.

Most of 2020 has been a dry spell for art in Pennsylvania’s capital, but it was a matter of timing and opportunity.

Through collaborations with Make Something, Zeroday Brewing Co., Harristown Enterprises and the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District (HDID), Sprocket Mural Works was able to produce five new murals between September and October.

“Public art has always been proven to be a sign of a healthy city,” said Megan Caruso, Sprocket president and co-founder. “The whole point of why we’re doing this is to make people feel good and make people proud.”

Artist Samantha Sanders kicked off the season in late September, painting a mural in the rear courtyard of Zeroday Brewing Co.’s future location in Midtown. October started with Steve ESPO Powers’ mural, an extension of his Early Bird Vote project with Make Something.

Then, as part of HDID and Harristown Enterprises’ partnership with Sprocket, three murals were painted along Blackberry Street by artists Dizz Gavins, Tara Chickey and Emily Matusz.

“As we become an even more attractive destination, these murals really add a level of interest that most communities don’t have,” said Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown.

The artists, some of whom have worked with Sprocket previously, had significantly different creative visions and were eager to undertake a new challenge.

Samantha Sanders

Found right off N. 3rd Street, Sanders’ mural for Zeroday Brewing Co. is an autumnal forest scene highlighted by a neverending creek that bends space and time.

The piece was Sanders’ first solo mural, presenting the opportunity to further explore her plant-based art style.

“It’s kind of like getting a college degree in all of eight days,” Sanders joked.

Sanders wants the mural to transport visitors beyond the courtyard. The creek, inspired by the hometown waters she played in with her niece, doubles as a trail, and all the elements are born from the sun, making the mural seem bigger than it is.

Steve ESPO Powers

Splashed along the 1000-block of N. 3rd Street is Powers’ mural. In contrast to the season’s other work, his piece is more of a community tribute.

“He’s a fickle cat,” said Aaron Rose, Make Something co-founder. “He doesn’t like to give up too much information about what he’s going to do before he does it.”

In an Instagram video posted by Juxtapoz Magazine, Powers explained how the mural became a diary of his conversations with the community. Specific elements, such as the hair clippers and Chinese takeout container, represent local businesses.

Dizz Gavins

Gavins’ mural is a melting, multicolored wall that stays true to his “dripped gawd” moniker.

Finding his niche through doodling, Gavins began experimenting with texture and the “drip-style” in 2008, and it took a life of its own.

Like much of his work, the mural isn’t intended to convey a specific message.

“It’s just there to help you explore your own creativity,” he said. “So, whatever I created is not necessarily what somebody else sees.”

Tara Chickey

Chickey’s mural is an abstract landscape inspired by dreams and travel memories.

For example, the geometric shapes at the bottom represent a motif she discovered on the edge of a cliff in Iceland.

She also reimagines landscapes through vibrant color selections.

“I think it’s because I have a 4-year-old daughter, and she’s just full of joy and vibrancy,” said Chickey “And even in this dark time, she brings such beauty to my life.”

Chickey hopes her mural holds the same joy for others.

Emily Matusz

Defined by the unwavering glare of a peregrine falcon, Matusz’s mural is an ode to a nearby treasure. For 20 years, falcons have nested in the same spot on the 15th floor of the nearby Rachel Carson building.

The mural is sharp, veering away from abstractions and reflecting Matusz’s background in realism and digital illustration.

However, she also hopes the mural raises environmental concerns.

“I just want [people] to feel at ease, more connection to nature,” Matusz said. “Who knows how long those falcons will perch out there?”

Looking Ahead

Sprocket’s next project is an indoor mural at GLO-Harrisburg, a community resource center for LGBTQ+ men of color and trans women of color. The mural will be painted by Dionn Reneé, an artist who has been longing to create a larger piece with Sprocket.

Reneé’s approach to the GLO mural considers the community’s values first.

“I look at: Where’s their heart? What is their purpose?” she said. “Developing a concept and theme and color story for them is going to be based off of…the heroes. What are they fighting for?”

Aware of the exclusion that sometimes occurs among different sectors of the LGBTQ+ community, Reneé hopes her completed mural promotes inclusion, empowerment and encouragement.

Caruso explained that the remainder of 2020 will be dedicated to finding new walls and funding, then there will be a call for artists in spring for the 2021 Harrisburg Mural Festival.

The plan is for more murals to go up, but the process might look different due to COVID-19. An outdoor mural festival might not be possible because of the high number of attendees, and the small businesses that normally contribute to Sprocket are recovering from financial losses.

“So, our plan is to do our best, fundraise, shoot high, and see where we land,” said Caruso.

Sprocket Mural Works is planning a summer 2021 Harrisburg Mural Festival, with fundraising efforts beginning on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, with tax deductible donations welcomed. For more information about Sprocket or to contribute, visit www.sprocketmuralworks.com and follow @sprocketmuralworks on Instagram.

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Virtually Acceptable: Online learning gets mixed grades from Harrisburg students, families

November 30, 2020 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Nazier Taylor

Nazier Taylor was always goofing off in school, self-admittedly.

He liked to “mess with” his friends and teachers. As a teenaged boy, he enjoys having a little fun. Nonetheless, he did well in his classes, he said.

When the Harrisburg School District made the switch to online learning, Nazier was happy. He got to stay home and sleep a little later. But it didn’t take long before things started going downhill.

“I always did good in school,” he said. “I hate computers now.”

At home, Nazier couldn’t focus. He would fall asleep, he said, unless he was looking at his phone. One of the biggest challenges for him was that he couldn’t keep up with his teachers. They went too fast, he said, and his mom was unable to help him.

“I was going to fail,” Nazier said.

It was his first year in high school, and he was lost.

The experience with online education has been vastly different from student to student and family to family in the school district. A few are doing well in their new environment, while others are struggling.

In August, the district decided on a 100% virtual start to the academic year. Students could either attend the new Harrisburg Virtual Learning Academy (HVLA) and commit to online learning long-term or follow the “Pathway to Classroom Instruction,” with the hope of eventually returning to brick-and-mortar learning. Acting Superintendent Chris Celmer said that about 285 students enrolled in HVLA.

However, the options aren’t looking too different today, as benchmarks that the district set in order to bring students back to the classroom haven’t been met.

In order to re-open, the district requires a three-week period of sustained COVID-19 positivity rates from 3 to 4% and incidence rates per 100,000 people below a rate of 50 in Dauphin County. There also must be a decrease in community spread of the virus.

As of this writing, these benchmarks have been met. In fact, pandemic trends have been growing steadily worse since September.

“I don’t know when kids will be back,” Chief Academic Officer Susan Sneath said. “We are trying to make the most of the situation. Nobody knows the exact right thing to do here.”

It’s a complex and difficult decision that all school districts have had to make—in-person or online? But every student seems to experience the situation a little differently.

A Challenge

During the pandemic, Nicole Smith, a fourth-grade teacher at Scott Elementary School, has been adjusting to online instruction. It has taken innovation, she said, coming up with songs and activities to engage students through a computer screen.

But it’s still not easy.

Smith has called on students before to answer a question, only to see their screen freeze mid-response.

“How much is that kid receiving from me, if it’s not working on their end?” Smith wondered.

She explained that one of the biggest issues with online schooling in Harrisburg is internet access. Many families, she said, have multiple students sharing a Wi-Fi router, slowing down the system.

When students were in school, the district had an average of one device for every five students. Now, each student needs their own device. Additionally, the district developed a program to provide free internet to students. Even with these extra measures, the district is at about 87% average daily attendance.

“We have to assume that’s 87% with secure internet,” Sneath said. “It’s a challenge.”

To access the internet and electricity, families like the Hodges have had to pay.

“The kids are home all day, every day,” said Angela Hodges, a mother of two Harrisburg students. “We are paying twice the amount we would normally pay for utility costs.”

Angela and her husband Maurice said that the extra expenses have been difficult to bear. However, they are happy to have their kids home and appreciate the district’s attempt to keep them safe.

Smith said that other barriers to effective learning are the responsibilities and distractions that many students have at home. She recalled a student who had to hold her little sibling on her lap during a class session.

“You have to be understanding of those types of circumstances,” she said.

For Nazier, getting out of his house and having a quiet place to do work has been a lifesaver.

Every Thursday night, he goes to Center for Champions, a mentorship program in Allison Hill. When the staff found out Nazier was struggling with school, they offered a desk in their office for him to work during his classes from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. They hope to be able to do that for more students.

Ever since, Nazier has been doing better.

Support System

Phylicia Carter’s son Josiah struggled in his special education classes in the school district. He was behind where he should’ve been academically for his grade level. When the district decided to go online, Carter moved Josiah to Commonwealth Charter Academy.

While still holding her full-time job, Carter has had to help her son catch up to the sixth-grade level he is in.

“The adjustment is very difficult,” she said. “I feel like I’m in class because they are asking me to do so much. But I’m glad I made the decision I made.”

According to Celmer, about 187 students moved to charter schools between March 13 and Aug. 31, due to the pandemic. He said that the district will be reaching out to those students to encourage them to return. Harrisburg’s virtual platform is expanding, and Celmer thinks students will want to come back.

Some students that stuck with the district are doing well in the virtual world.

Siblings Maurice Jr. and Mayah Hodges said that their grades have improved while learning online.

It was a hard adjustment at first, especially for Mayah who missed her friends. But, overall, they’ve had a positive experience and have felt supported by their teachers.

Sneath said that, for most students, grades have stayed relatively stable. She hasn’t seen an “overabundance of failures” or numbers that look much different from last year.

Smith said that the virtual platform has actually allowed her to connect better one-on-one with her fourth-grade students.

She said that students can privately message their teacher if they have a question, and a teacher can do the same if a student isn’t engaged with the lesson.

Although Nazier still hates going to school on a computer, he said that his teachers have been helpful.

“School is never going to be the same again after this,” Sneath said. “So, when students do come back, how can we keep the good parts from this?”

For more information on the Harrisburg School District, visit www.hbgsd.k12.pa.us.

To learn more about Center for Champions or to volunteer, visit www.centerforchampions.org.

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It’s a Difficult Life: Hee-haw and Merry Christmas

November 30, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

Since it’s December, I’m going seasonal this month, citing a scene from a film that you’re almost certain to stumble upon this holiday time.

In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the evil Mr. Potter calls the movie’s troubled hero, George Bailey, into his office to offer him a job. Before doing so, they have a brief conversation about what happened to their town, Bedford Falls, during the recently concluded Great Depression.

“You saved the Building and Loan,” Potter tells him. “I saved all the rest.”

Responds Baily, “Yes, well, most people say you stole all the rest.”

In Harrisburg, thank goodness, we don’t have a Mr. Potter, a man who used the misery of the Depression as an opportunity to enrich himself, scooping up his town’s valuable assets for pennies on the dollar from desperate sellers. But we do have plenty of George Baileys.

What do I mean by that?

In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Bailey is hyper-focused on one thing—steering his small business through the Depression, doing everything possible to survive. As I walk around Harrisburg, I see the same thing here, now.

It’s been eight, nine months since the pandemic hit, causing almost universal business closures, followed by uncertain re-openings. Most small business people have been hit and hit hard. To them, 2020 is a lost year, but you know what—they’re mostly still here, and they’re determined to make it to the other side of this nightmare.

Many have gotten creative simply to stay in business so they can pay the bills until better times return.

Home 231 extended into an adjoining parking lot, first setting out tables, then tents, then heaters. They even added a mural. Many other restaurants have done similar things, turning to outside dining and, as summer wound down, deploying the heat lamps.

Midtown Cinema began offering a catalog of movies to stream. Once their already-planned renovation was finished, they cautiously re-opened to small groups to ensure adequate distancing.

Gamut Theatre Group shut down for six months and, upon their return, had imposed strict masking, sanitizing and distancing requirements, among other precautions. Unfortunately, the resurgent pandemic forced them to close again, though they hope to reopen as soon as possible.

Radish & Rye turned to all-virtual ordering, spending gobs of time and money to establish a robust and reliable e-commerce system, until they feel confident enough to open their own brick-and-mortar store following their years in the Broad Street Market.

Those are just a few of many examples.

Here at TheBurg, we consider ourselves to be in “survival mode,” as well. We launched our membership program, Friends of TheBurg, early specifically to help us grind through the pandemic. To date, more than 300 members have joined, and we are eternally grateful.

So what now?

As I write this column, it seems that we’re headed for a difficult winter. Cold weather has descended, and, just as predicted months ago, COVID-19 cases have spiked to new heights. What will we George Baileys do?

Like our fictional hero, we will continue to persevere. Small businesses that have made it this far are a committed bunch and often are well run, to boot. The city’s die-hard small business owners do not scare off easily and, I’m certain, will do everything possible to survive until the cloud lifts.

Right now, there is a general expectation that 2021 will be better, presuming that one or more vaccines are approved and distributed. The optimistic take is that life will slowly grind back to normal as the year progresses—and business owners are nothing if not optimists.

In the meantime, I can only continue to urge one thing to our readers—please robustly patronize local businesses this holiday season. For many small businesses, particularly retailers, holiday sales make up half or more of their annual revenue.

So, strap on the old mask and visit “the shop around the corner” (another, more obscure holiday-themed Jimmy Stewart flick). Or visit their online stores or pick up the phone and call them. Then, after this is all over, you can honestly, proudly say that you, the people of greater Harrisburg, “saved all the rest.”

Lawrance Binda is co-publisher/editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

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A Time to Give: Nonprofits depend on special holiday fundraisers and volunteers. What will they do this year?

November 30, 2020 | by Susan Ryder

Families, businesses and organizations will need to adapt this Christmas, putting aside long-held traditions, festivities and gatherings.

Local nonprofits also need to adjust, not allowing COVID-19 to eradicate what makes the season so special. And the community can play a big part in helping them.

“I never turn down a good idea,” said Gloria Vazquez-Merrick, executive director of the Latino Hispanic American Community Center (LHACC) in Allison Hill.

LHACC has loose plans for holidays, recognizing that things may have to change on a dime.

”We have to think outside the box, and that’s what we’re doing this year,” Vazquez-Merrick said.

Canceling the usual large party with Santa and a meal, LHACC wants to provide filled stockings to children and snack items to the seniors who visit the center. To that end, it’s asking for donations of snack items like fruit, beef jerky and Goya Maria cookies, a favorite of the older generation, Vazquez-Merrick said.

Also switching gears this Christmas is Brethren Housing Association (BHA) on Harrisburg’s Hummel Street. The women and children housed through BHA would usually share a meal with staff and their families and “shop” for Christmas gifts for their children via a shop set up with donated gifts.

“We won’t all be in a big room picking out presents,” said program director Marilyn Bellesfield.

Instead, people are signing up to purchase gifts that will be given to the families, and families will be provided food to create their own Christmas meal.

Donations of Christmas trees and trimmings were added this year as a morale boost for families who were already struggling, experiencing higher anxiety and depression caused by the pandemic.

“Almost every family lost their job, lost their childcare,” said Bellesfield.

People can help by providing cleaning supplies and gift cards or by sponsoring a night’s stay at BHA, budgeting classes or supplies for a youth program. Not very Christmas-y? Maybe, but cleaning supplies use up the little disposable income that many families have, and gift cards provide clothing for a newly housed family that has arrived with nothing.

Musical Gift

More traditionally, creating music is one way that people brighten Christmas for the guests at Paxton Street Home, part of Paxton Ministries. It houses adults of all ages with serious financial limitations, as well as long-term mental health or intellectual challenges. Music groups or choirs can perform in the outdoor courtyard, where residents can view the performance from inside.

“I think the acoustics would be outstanding for a brass band to play here,” said Jodie Smiley, executive director.

Usually, the house would have lots of volunteers during December, holding parties, special events and musical performances. COVID has changed all of that. It’s also grounded the home’s hand bell choir, which typically traveled for a few holiday performances. The group will still perform, however. A recorded performance will be available on YouTube.

Because Paxton Home is a licensed personal care facility, it’s required to restrict the comings and goings of its residents, as well as visitors because of COVID. A simple way to support them is through sending Christmas cards

“Everybody likes to get Christmas cards,” Smiley said. “People attach them to the door of their room.”

Looking forward to life after COVID, Smiley said that she would like to be able to provide outings, like to a Harrisburg Senators game or concerts for residents.

“It would be especially nice for people who have been as restricted as folks in facilities have been,” she said.

People can do this by designating their gifts to “resident’s needs” or “activities.”

Deeply Humbled

Food is another need that many nonprofits have, especially Bethesda Mission. It provides food to about 500 people a day. They have pivoted on their large, indoor Christmas meal and will provide it as a take-away.

“So, that [food] is our greatest need for Christmas,” said Executive Director Scott Dunwoody.

He said that Bethesda Mission has many food drop-off locations.

“But also cash, which allows us to purchase perishable foods, while the other food we are receiving is dry goods,” he said.

Bethesda Mission also will reach out to families by distributing food and holding some programs at its community center on Herr Street. The large gym will allow for gathering with proper social distancing.

Christmas, a time focused on family, poses additional challenges for those experiencing homelessness and separation from relatives.

“It’s the worst time of year for them,” Dunwoody said. “They’re suffering greatly. We try to provide the resources to help them get through that.”

The organizations and people on the receiving end of giving appreciate it very much. Dunwoody said that people are deeply humbled when they receive help.

“They will make statements over and over again, ‘I don’t know why in the world I would be blessed this richly,” he said. “‘I’m getting food. I’m getting clothing. I’m getting professional health care.’”

The sentiment is similar at BHA, which always appreciates donations.

“You’ve eased a burden in some capacity for a mom and child whose load is pretty heavy,” said Kait Gillis-Hanna, BHA’s executive director.

Indeed, many nonprofits need financial support right now. At this time of the year, they often receive donations from special seasonal church collections, but churches themselves are not meeting in person or attendance is down. Grant money also has been reduced.

“We need financial support even in the good times, but, especially now, that financial support is important,” Smiley said.

If nonprofits are any indication, COVID hasn’t killed the Christmas spirit. It has unearthed the knowledge of what matters most in life— friends, family, security, love—and the desire to help those doing without.

For more information and to contribute to the organizations in this story, visit:

Brethren Housing Association, www.bha-pa.org/donate
Bethesda Mission, www.bethesdamission.org
Paxton Ministries, www.paxtonmin.org
Latino Hispanic American Community Center, www.lhacc.org

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Beery Byway: Take the entrance ramp to Highway Manor Brewing

November 30, 2020 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Johnny Compton

Johnny Compton’s new venture is sure to raise a few eyebrows. The Liverpool resident recently opened a bar, restaurant and taproom that’s as funky as the beers he brews.

The Highway Manor Brewing Co., located in Lower Allen Township, is anything but run-of-the-mill. Customers who patronize the place for the first time generally register amusement at the long benches attached by chains to the ceiling of the outside seating area.

Some have speculated about the safety of the swings after quaffing a few, but Compton, never one to take life too seriously, seems amused by the comments and may even be looking forward to the stories that ensue. Also hanging from the ceiling are 1970s-era terrariums, stuffed with strings of lights, which illuminate the cozy space after dusk.

If it happens to be a bright, sunshiny day, one’s eyes may have to adjust a bit to take in what is reminiscent of a Halloween fun house inside the bar. Black walls festooned with hand-drawn characters like walking grapes, strawberries, cherries and other bizarre graphics may cause some of a certain vintage to reminisce about the old days when psychedelia was the rage.

For Compton, it’s just his way of taking the road less traveled.

Game Changer

Compton’s no stranger to brewing, with about 19 years of experience under his belt. About five years ago, he began thinking about doing something a little different at his Georgian revival home in Liverpool that he calls “Highway Manor.”

“It dates back to 1840 and was built for a banker,” he said.

His travels took him to New York and Philadelphia, and, as he was visiting friends and seeking opinions, he was encouraged to take a deep dive into sours. Tom Peters at Monk’s Café in Philadelphia even sent him home with a few.

“That was a game changer,” he said. “I used to drink a ton of IPAs, but now I don’t like them that much.”

Compton began selling his sour and wild farmhouse beers in Philadelphia, New York, Maryland and Vermont, using yeast cultures from Liverpool. Things were going well until the sour beer trend began gaining momentum and shelf space became too competitive. Then COVID reared his ugly head, giving him some downtime to work on his taproom project.

“It’s been in the works for a while to open a retail space, and I finally had the time I needed to get it underway,” he said.

Those who are unfamiliar with sours may be surprised to hear that they’re the oldest style of beer.

According to Craig Alperowitz, owner of Bolide Communications, a marketing agency that services sour beer producers, the style is as complex as it is delicious.

“The acidity levels make it refreshing, unique and totally different than what most consumers expect out of a beer,” he said.

As a brewer, Compton appreciates the challenges that sours provide.

“There’s a lot of magic that needs to happen outside the realm of control, which is why we charge more for a beer at times because, sometimes when they go bad, you have to dump them,” he said.

Alperowitz agrees.

“Wild yeasts are often used in the production of sour, lambic or gueuze beers, and they’re wild for a reason,” he said. “They can be largely unpredictable and hard to control, which is why it’s so challenging to produce a really well-balanced sour beer.”

Another thing about sours—they’re exceptionally food friendly. Therefore, the taproom offers a number of complementary dishes, especially smoked foods like a lamb pita, pork barbecue, roast beef, turkey and mushrooms.

Beer People

Compton’s current lineup can be viewed on the website, but many are self-explanatory, such as Mr. Cherry, Mr. Kiwi, Mr. Blackberry, Mr. Apricot and so forth.

“We source our stone fruit from Adams County, our strawberries come from Florida, our blueberries from Jersey, and we use a tart and interesting cherry from Venezuela,” he said, adding that he brews 24 total brands, 18 of which are available now.

It’s also important to Compton to offer a little something for everyone. So, he also sells what he calls “guest drafts,” which include a double IPA, a pale ale, a dark beer line and a pilsner.

Wines from Mazza Vineyards and Presque Isle Cellars hail from Erie and are also on the menu, along with cocktails like mules and margaritas crafted with PA spirits.

Travis Daniel has been a regular since the opening of Highway Manor and said that the smoked sour root beer is one of his favorites.

“The food is also excellent and priced reasonably, and I keep going back because I want to try all of their great beers,” said the Hummelstown resident, adding that the people are very friendly.

Jacob Lewis of Mechanicsburg also mentioned the welcoming atmosphere.

“The brewers and bartenders are knowledgeable and helpful,” he said.

Among his favorites are “Mr. Pear” and a farmhouse ale called “Hong Kong SayJohn.”

“It has lemongrass and ginger in it, and it’s really good,” Lewis said.

Compton said that owning Highway Manor barely feels like work.

“I read in an article recently that most people stick with it due to how much fun it is,” he said.

Compton also treasures the many people he’s met along the way.

“What can I say? Beer people are great,” he said.

Highway Manor Brewing Co. is located at 2238 Gettysburg Rd., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.highwaymanorbrewing.com or their Facebook page.

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A Time for Gathering, Distantly, Virtually: Faith communities adjust, adapt as the pandemic shifts traditions

November 30, 2020 | by M. Diane McCormick

When the first candle burns on the Pennsylvania menorah outside the Capitol this year, a new, virtual audience will join those attending a commemoration normally held indoors.

“The message from the Capitol that goes out to the state is that we have to illuminate and make the world brighter, kinder, gentler,” said Rabbi Shmuel Pewzner, originator of the annual Hanukkah celebration. “That’s what Hanukkah is all about.”

This year, Harrisburg’s faith institutions are preparing for holidays like no other. They have learned from eight months of lockdown how to assure full inclusion of all who want to worship and celebrate. For the holidays, they will be sharing messages of overcoming a grim year through perseverance and hope.

Wide Net

Earlier this year, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church resumed Mass by opening its sanctuary, basement and gymnasium and broadcasting the service to all three places.

“We have some parishioners, they’re wonderful, and they came with the ideas for that part,” said Pastor Orlando Reyes of the Allison Hill institution.

The church also livestreams some Masses and added Friday and Saturday Masses, in both English and Spanish, to spread out the congregants. And like the church’s Lady of Guadalupe celebration this year, Christmas services and church access will extend from midnight to evening-time.

As pandemic restrictions took hold, Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church built a virtual outreach arsenal as leadership realized that different audiences and varied Sunday school and Bible study sessions required different platforms.

“Now we’re on YouTube, two Facebook pages, Instagram, GoToMeeting and Skype,” said James Jackson, pastor of the Olde Uptown-based church.

And young adults are meeting via Zoom.

“We threw the net wide to try to get a platform that worked for everyone, so everyone in the church could feel like they had their own community,” Jackson said.

In many African-American churches, a New Year’s Eve “Watch Night” tradition dates to Dec. 31, 1862, when enslaved people of the United States prayed through the night while waiting for Abraham Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. Goodwin Memorial canceled this year’s black-tie New Year’s Eve party—“when everybody in their tux gets on their knees, and we light a candle and pray the New Year in”—but will celebrate Watch Night virtually.

Harrisburg’s annual early-December Kwanzaa celebration is considered a go, even as organizer Nate Gadsden, poet and pastor of Imani Redeemed Church of God, searched for a venue. Each night of Kwanzaa, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, services will be held virtually. Participants will encounter speakers, poetry readings, guests explaining Kwanzaa’s seven principles, and interactive activities.

Since the early 1990s, Pennsylvania’s annual menorah lighting ceremony, at sunset on the first day of Hanukkah, has migrated in and around the Capitol Complex. It finally found an indoor home in the East Wing Rotunda. For 2020, the menorah will shine on the 3rd Street steps.

“In recent years, we’ve had a large crowd inside the Capitol,” said Pewzner. “You couldn’t social distance. We figure it’s much safer to move it outside and celebrate Hanukkah.”

The Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg has adhered all year to its mission as a unifier, offering its events and services in-person, virtually and in take-home versions. Each accommodates participants adhering to their COVID comfort zones.

Like other federation events, the annual “Family Chanukah Extravaganza” was to have been offered in live and take-home options. However, as COVID-19 rates surged and indoor capacity restrictions grew, the federation canceled the live version. Instead, every family that registers for the “At-Your-Leisure” program can pick up a party kit of treats and enjoy an at-home party with edible menorah, dreidel games, and Hanukkah crafts.

“We’re really trying to bring community together, to see that they’re part of something larger than themselves, but we’re also respecting everybody’s personal comfort level,” said Associate Executive Director Lori Rubin. “We want everybody to be a part of the story.”

Through all the changes, said Jewish Federation Executive Director Jennifer Ross, staff members have been “superstars.” The Jewish Federation also plans a Dec. 2 Hanukkah virtual cooking class with renowned chef Michael Solomonov. On New Year’s Eve, elderly members will get boxes of hats and noisemakers, for a virtual countdown at noon.

Be Not Afraid

Faith leaders have been amazed to see the reach of their virtual services. Goodwin Memorial found members who gravitated from Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. St. Francis parishioners joined services from the countries where they were deported to, because “they have beautiful memories,” said Reyes.

But it’s the holidays. What about the decorations and the food?

When Reyes pared back on decorations for a Peruvian festival earlier this year, parishioners noticed. Hence, Christmas decorations will return.

“They pay attention to all those details,” he said.

Pewzner was still working out the details of this year’s menorah lighting—perhaps such traditional Hanukkah food as the latkes will be prepackaged—“but it’ll still be a great celebration.”

Goodwin Memorial would normally be decorated “from top to bottom,” said Jackson. Children would pick out gifts arrayed under decorated trees.

“How we do that, I’m not quite sure,” Jackson said. “But we’ll try to have the same wonder and awe about Christmas.”

Whether with or without trappings, the faith leaders of Harrisburg have holiday messages to share as a year roiling with progress and pain passes into history.

Work for peace, said Reyes. And in a year that has laid bare the needs of so many people and community institutions that are just trying to pay the bills, share your gifts, including monetary donations.

“To me, it’s do not be afraid,” said Reyes. “Not to be afraid. Life is so fragile. Life is so short. Just live our lives with dignity, with love, with unity. In this moment, we need to be instruments of peace and reconciliation.”

Gadsden expects to share a Kwanzaa message of survival and adaptation. Celebrate Kwanzaa 24/7, he will tell listeners.

“The principles are designed that they should be lived, every single day,” he said.

Pewzner will draw parallels between the Maccabees who took a spiritual stand and wouldn’t use defiled oil in the place of ritually clean oil to light the temple they had recaptured. COVID times offer impediments, he said, but “that soul that we have is a pure flask of oil deep within us, and if we reach a little deeper and search, we will find it.”

“This is a universal message,” he said. “A message of hope. A message of a bright future that we have to focus on that little brightness we can find within us, and make that shine and come forth and illuminate the world around us.”

This COVID year’s Hanukkah message reflects dedication and renewal, said Rubin, of the Jewish Federation. And perseverance, added Ross. “That does tie into the traditional story.”

Jackson fears that facemasks have become a tool for detachment from the needs of others. His holiday message will focus on shared humanity and a “hope that we’re going to get through this.”

“We, as Christians during these dark times, need to show more patience, need to show more love, need to show more consideration,” he said. “We’re still one nation under God, whichever God you serve. They call us to be kind to one another.”

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Theater Revival: A renovated Midtown Cinema re-opens with new seats, better sound, more beer

November 30, 2020 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

It has taken nearly a year, but renovations have finally come to a close at Midtown Cinema.

Back in February, Wohlsen Construction Co. began improvements to the building, with the goal of completion in June. The year 2020, though, had other plans.

“It was time to reimagine and reinvent ourselves for the comfort of our patrons,” said Stuart Landon, Midtown Cinema’s director of community engagement. “Although, I think we did a pretty good job infusing our Midtown Cinema culture into our new look.”

With designs by Richard Gribble of Camp Hill-based By Design Consultants, the new space features an expanded concessions area, a new Zeroday Brewing Co. outpost, an outdoor patio, new signage and new seating and soundproofing for the theaters.

“We’ve always aimed to offer our patrons an incredible experience that they can’t get at home or the megaplex,” added Adam Porter, director of operations. “[The renovation] shines the spotlight on why we think the moviegoing experience is so enjoyable and important.”

The cinema, owned by Lift Development, was initially going to remain open during the renovation, continuing limited screenings, but the coronavirus pandemic abruptly halted that plan. Both screenings and construction were stopped with the hope that the schedule would continue after two weeks, though those weeks quickly multiplied.

“Like many other arthouses, we took our programming virtual until we could reopen,” Porter said.

Many films were (and continue to be) offered on-demand through the cinema’s website, and staff hosted film discussions through Zoom to keep patrons engaged.

As for the prospect of re-opening in a COVID-consumed world, “our renovations really did work in our favor,” Landon said.

As the community went into lockdown, the team was able to revise the plans to ensure a safe and sanitized space, “with very few adaptations to our design,” according to Landon. One of these changes was the inclusion of HVAC bipolar ionization, which uses the latest technology to purify the air in each theater independently.

Now, as renovations have come to an end, the cinema has opened its doors for private screenings for groups of 10 people or fewer in an attempt to bring the joy of the movies back to the public while still being responsible in the face of COVID. The day for public screenings is somewhere in the future, Landon promises.

“I just don’t know the date yet,” he said. “Maybe sooner than we think.”

A visit to Midtown Cinema will reveal a smaller staff and a doubling down of cleaning procedures. You still can get popcorn, soda and more from the expanded concessions, though due to mask protocols, cinema staff asks that patrons wait to eat their concessions until they’re sitting in their designated theater. And, now, a trip to Midtown Cinema also includes a chance to drink beer from the new Zeroday Outpost located inside.

“Our partnership with Zeroday was the driving force behind the renovations,” said John Tierney, owner of Lift Development.

As Zeroday’s business has exploded in recent years, owner Theo Armstrong said that he is excited to take that partnership to another level. Zeroday has converted its old taproom, located just behind the cinema, into dedicated production space while it awaits the opening of a larger taproom on N. 3rd Street in early 2021,

“The Outpost at Midtown Cinema is a way for us to keep a retail presence in the Engleton neighborhood while offering Midtown Cinema’s patrons a more cohesive beer and film experience,” Armstrong said.

The new Outpost features a selection of beers that can be paired with food from the new gourmet hotdog bar in-house, or taken “to-go” and enjoyed in Midtown Cinema’s theaters.

The pandemic has left the question of how many more changes the community will have to endure before returning to normalcy, but the cinema staff has high hopes for the coming months.

“It’s hard to predict where the movie business will head next,” Porter said. “But we’ll continue to offer the engaging, important stories on our screens that our patrons love.”

Midtown Cinema and the Zeroday Brewing Co. Outpost are located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com and www.zerodaybrewing.com.

Editor’s Note: Midtown Cinema is temporarily closed due to the governor’s most recent order on coronavirus restrictions.

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Boujee in the Burg: Fashion Empire gives you a taste of the area’s style

November 30, 2020 | by Maddie Conley Gittens

Tia Wise

It was a night that could hardly be described.

Words like, “epic,” “amazing” and “successful” came to Ebone Turner’s mind, but it was the look in her eyes that really told the story.

Models strutted down the grand double staircase to the beat the DJ spun. They struck a pose and cameras flashed. The room in the National Civil War Museum in 2018 was packed, sold out to be exact.

After the last model walked, stylists Turner and Tia Wise reluctantly made their way out from behind the scenes to face the cheering crowd. This was their show—they did it.

“We thought, if we could do this on our first project, imagine what we could do,” Wise said.

In March, the pair opened their own retail shop along with fellow clothing brand owners and stylists Anthony Dailey, Donald Hill and DJ Turner. They named it after what they knew they were building—Fashion Empire.

But their store on Front Street in Steelton is really just a window into an “underground” world—one that, if you’re not a part of, you may not notice.

“It’s a community. It is its own world,” Turner said. “I feel like together we could take over this city.”

New Standards

After leaving their desk jobs to pursue their passion, Turner and Wise started their own clothing brands with a goal of inspiring confidence.

“Standard size clothing is available everywhere,” Wise said. “When you go into a store, there’s always just a little tiny section for plus-size clothes.”

Wise started her brand, “Jessica’s Dream,” now, “Tia Lynnette Style,” in 2017 to provide a local fashion option for plus-size women.

Wise’s line is half professional and half street-style, all with a little edge. However, she explained the difficulty of finding clothing that isn’t oversexualized.

“There’s a shortage of plus-size in this area,” she said.

Turner also started her own brand, “Fashion Over Foolishness,” in 2014, but what she really loves is making people “look good.”

“A lot of people don’t think they need a stylist until they get one,” she said.

Turner puts together outfits for people to wear during photoshoots, fashion shows or any other big events. She often works with Dailey, a fellow stylist and one of the co-owners of Fashion Empire. The duo forms “Street Couture,” Dailey bringing the fancy and Turner with the edge.

“It’s a confidence thing,” she said. “We just want people to feel good. I want to help their self-esteem.”

Combined, the Fashion Empire crew has held five fashion shows.

While styling, Turner has witnessed clients cry, so happy with how they look.

“That’s what it’s about,” she said. “There’s so much pleasure in it.”

World of Style

Dailey’s life has always revolved around fashion. His great grandmother hosted fashion shows, his grandma always had an event to dress up for and his uncle James—he was Dailey’s fashion icon.

“I’ve always loved getting dressed up and looking nice,” he said. “I was the 5-year-old that wore a suit to school.”

When Dailey started his brand, “Anthony James,” and began styling with Turner, it just made sense. Fashion was his world.

When most people think of fashion epicenters, Harrisburg probably isn’t the first place to come to mind—Los Angeles or New York maybe, not Harrisburg.

“It’s a smaller city, and it definitely gets overlooked,” Dailey said.

But once you meet one member of the fashion world, the rest starts unraveling.

There’s Maisha Webb of Mean Girl Style Boutique who knows the Fashion Empire team down the street. Wise and Turner namedrop Keya Wilson, who, according to them, is the most well known designer in Harrisburg. Then there’s Tracy Johnson and Jennifer Ruiz, who are current vendors at Fashion Empire. And you can’t forget Dimitra Diggs of Urban Snob in Midtown.

The list goes on.

“In this city, you really have to prove yourself,” Turner said. “We are not allowing people to walk past us.”

Ultimately, she doesn’t see the local fashion scene as a competition.

“It’s like that Ne-Yo song, ‘I’m a movement by myself but I’m a force when we’re together,’” Turner said. “I want people from Philly to be like, we need to get down there.”

Fashion Empire is located at 39 N. Front St., Steelton. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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Being a Spark: How three women, dubbed “Carlisle Citizens Who Care,” are helping others

November 30, 2020 | by Karen Hendricks

Martha Thomas, Marian Elby and Kathleen Niedermayer

For nearly 30 years, Marian Elby has been a regular visitor at central Pennsylvania prisons.

“People need someone,” said Elby, 77. “Ever since I was little, I had a heart for those who didn’t have.”

Two friends joined her prison ministry program at the Cumberland County Prison twice a month for the past three years—Kathleen Niedermayer, 71, and Martha Thomas, 69. All three women are Carlisle residents.

Back in March, COVID-19 stopped their prison ministry in its tracks—but not for long.

“We don’t let much grass grow under our feet,” said Niedermayer, of their grassroots efforts.

With restrictions in place, halting visitations to prisons amid the pandemic, the three friends prayed for a new way to help others.

Elby, who spent the first 50 years of her life in Harrisburg, was in the city when inspiration struck.

“I was downtown, when one woman caught my eye. She was homeless, sitting on the steps of a church, and I just knew we had to do something,” Elby said. “She just looked so sad sitting there, that I ended up crying—she touched my heart.”

She formed a plan with her friends—a plan to collect warm gloves and hats for the homeless. Then they put out the word. Friends, businesses and church members responded, and soon the three women had a collection of 30 hats and 30 pairs of gloves—plus about 30 blankets and 30 pairs of thermal socks.

The timing was perfect—fall temperatures were about to dive and winter was approaching. So, they made the rounds and visited several area churches and locations where they could connect with the homeless, including Harrisburg’s Market Square on a sunny but brisk Saturday in October.

“Handing out gloves, seeing their faces and smiles, saying, ‘This is a gift—this is something we want to help you with,’” Thomas said, “It’s a way of serving and ministering to them by giving them something tangible that tells them someone is thinking about them.”

And the three friends even saw the woman who sparked Elby’s idea.

“I called out to her, calling her ‘my friend,’ and she smiled and said, ‘Hi friend,’ right back,” Elby said.

Two brothers, currently living out of their car in Cumberland County, met the women at a socially distanced homeless ministry at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in New Kingstown.

“The hats and gloves are a big help, especially during the colder nights,” said Jim, one of the brothers.

And while the women appreciated hearing the kind words, they’re really listening to a higher calling.

“When we do things, we feel like we’re getting a call from God to do whatever service is specifically needed,” Thomas said. “The Bible says to consider the least of us, and that’s what we feel like we’re doing.”

Their actions caught the attention of Taro Landis, chief of police at the Carlisle Police Department. He dubbed them, “Carlisle Citizens Who Care.”

“They’re just a remarkable group of people—they put their money where their mouth is, as well as their time and their hearts,” said Landis.

He recalled how the women recently brought lunch to the 32-member police department.

“They cared enough about the cops and went out of their way to say thanks, during a time when some people were saying bad things about the police,” Landis said.

Their kindness didn’t end there. At the station, the women met several people who had been victims of a crime.

“These three wonderful women prayed with them. It’s very impressive that they take the whole idea of being Christian and Christlike a few steps further,” said Landis.

Niedermayer, who is certified as a chaplain, said their friendship is more like a sisterhood that “supersedes” their different races.

“We’ve just naturally all come together as friends, as sisters in Christ—it’s a whole different level of relationship,” Niedermayer said.

Elby said that she developed her ability to talk to everyone and anyone during her 28 years as a receptionist for the Pennsylvania governor’s Office of the Budget.

“I loved my job, because the Lord used me even on the telephone,” Elby said.

Thomas is a retired daycare provider—but she doesn’t think of retirement as a time of rest.

“I don’t want to sit at home,” Thomas said. “God is placing us where we’re needed—our instructions come from him.”

As for their next project, the women are focusing on spreading holiday cheer. They’re accepting donations of homemade, bagged Christmas cookies they can give to the homeless.

“There’s a humbleness about this—I would never stand up and say, ‘Look at me,’” Niedermayer said. “But the reason we agreed to this story is so that we could encourage people to pass it on. All of us have the ability to reach out to another person. So, if I can be a spark, let me be a spark.”

To donate homemade, bagged Christmas cookies to the women’s holiday outreach efforts, contact Marian Elby by emailing her at [email protected].

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Harrisburg Words: Local authors have been busy, just in time for Christmas

November 30, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda

This year, most of us are spending more time at home than ever before. Some are using that extra time not to binge Netflix, but to put pen to paper (or, more accurately, pixels to screens).

Harrisburg-area authors recently have released a bevy of books, more than I’ve ever seen issued in such a short period. We’re going to summarize some of them on this page and encourage you to read—or gift—a locally written novel, narrative or memoir this holiday season.

Forgotten TV: 101 TV Shows You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
By Kevyn Knox
Experimental Forest Press

You may know Kevyn Knox as the man behind the bar (and the glasses and the bowling shirts) at H*MAC, or maybe as a pop artist or exhibiting photographer. A cinephile, he even wrote a movie column for TheBurg way back when. Well, this quadruple-threat is now an author, as well, releasing a tome that courageously explores the flights and flops of 70 years of very uneven American television. “Forgotten TV” reflects on programs fondly remembered and, sometimes, best forgotten, with Knox as your hyper-knowledgeable tour guide, offering context, critique and the occasional sharp tongue. If you enjoy TV history, and a good peruse with a guy who revels in the obscure, the weird and the wacky, this book should be on your gift list.

Missing
By Don Helin
Headline Books

Lancaster’s Don Helin is proof that retirement doesn’t have to be retiring. Following a lengthy military career, Don fired up his desktop and began writing novels, with his military knowledge serving as a jumping-off point for several award-winning thrillers. His latest, “Missing,” is the sixth featuring protagonist Col. Zack Kelly, who, this time, finds himself enmeshed in a high-stakes electoral conspiracy that could decide the fate of the country (and is chillingly timely). During 2020, the indefatigable Helin even found the time to edit an anthology called “Faces of the Pandemic,” a collection of memoirs from people, such as health care workers, educators and entertainers, whose lives were especially upended by COVID-19. Helin also has been known to contribute stories to TheBurg, exploring people and places around central PA. Oh, and this—I can personally attest that Don is both a fine writer and a heckuva guy.

The Hidden Code
By Dr. Dale Dangleben
Austin Macauley Publishers

Dr. Dale Dangleben is another local author who has creatively used his professional knowledge to spin out a thriller. In his debut novel, the Mechanicsburg resident tells the story of a young doctor on a quest for the secret of eternal youth. The determined protagonist sets off on a journey that takes him halfway around the world, stuck between noble intentions on the one hand and deception and greed on the other. The medical thriller has long been a favorite sub-genre of mine, as the best examples not only fascinate, but educate. Buckle in for a wild ride through the speculative possibilities of human potential.

One Woman in the Himalayas
By Tracy Pawelski

In 2018, Tracy Pawelski, a Harrisburg-based communications specialist, brought us her first travel narrative, “One Woman’s Camino,” recounting a mother/daughter ramble across Spain’s famous Camino de Santiago. She’s now back, halfway around the world, writing of another spiritual adventure, this time deep in the Himalaya Mountains. In her new book, she tells of a journey along the Annapurna Circuit, a renowned path within the mountain ranges of central Nepal. Readers follow Pawelski as she persists along the arduous trek, endures setbacks and revels in moments of enlightenment and joy. If, in the process, you get a vicarious lesson about life, that may be intended, as we all must endure, one step at a time.

The Collection of Colors & Etc.
By Zora Thomas

In the introduction to her collection of poetry, author Zora Thomas writes, “This is for the person that goes through grays and decides to go on anyway.” It’s an apt start to a slim volume steeped in nuance, wonderment and expression. Thomas, a Youth Advisory Board member at GLO Harrisburg, offers readers different styles of poetry—some in rhyme, some free verse; some bite-sized, others longer. The sentiments expressed, however, share a common thread of a search for explanation and meaning. Thomas may have more questions than answers as she ponders both the big picture and the smallest details, addressing everything from water bills to past loves to issues of identity. But isn’t that the truest distillation of both poetry and life?

Who Will Be a Witness? Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love and Deliverance
By Drew G. I. Hart
Herald Press

Messiah University Prof. Drew Hart is issuing a call to action—a call to action to his fellow Christians. In his first book, “Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism,” Hart urged white Americans to open their ears and their minds to the perspectives of the Black community. He now offers practical ways for faith communities to move toward compassion, solidarity and reconciliation, with the teachings of Jesus serving as the foundation. It’s time, he writes, for Christians to cast aside a long history of religious nationalism and embrace community, justice and meaningful social change.

How I Discovered My Purpose: A Practical Guide to Faith and Finding Happiness in Uncertain Times
By Christine Titih
Spears Books

You may know Christine Titih as the founder of Oaks of Central PA or perhaps as the CEO of CT Home Care Services. She now applies the lessons she’s learned along her life’s fascinating journey to a new book, “How I Discovered My Purpose.” This part-memoir, part-advice book offers practical lessons on how to weather life’s stormiest days, using examples from Titih’s personal story, which begins as a girl in the country of Cameroon in central Africa. Her discovery of purpose may just help your own as we all seek to ground our lives and move forward in the most practical and meaningful ways possible.

These books can be found online and at local bookstores.

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