Dawson’s Peak: Local architect sets his vision on Harrisburg.

March 31, 2020 | by Diane White McNaughton

There’s a reason that Chris Dawson gets up at 4 a.m. every day.

Call it “passion.” Call it “curiosity.” Call it the attainment of “critical mass” in a historic city he has not only embraced but started to reshape.

Dawson is the reason that many buildings in the Burg, from apartments to eateries to offices, now feature just the right blend of lighting, space, materials and effective solutions to the challenges of modern living.

He is the founder of CDA, headquartered in the heart of downtown Harrisburg. Founded 11 years ago, his firm now has a staff of nine, with four certified architects who share his focus on creative problem solving.

Dawson, tall and graceful, sits in his office high above 2nd Street as classical music plays softly, pendant lighting hovers over large desks and a royal blue accent wall injects color into the room. He has a contemplative way of speaking about his craft.

”For every project, we look at it as a unique condition that we are trying to develop a solution for,” he said.

Artistic Side
Dawson’s guiding philosophy shapes every design: architecture is art. That belief was solidified when a former employer had a difference of creative vision and argued, “Look, Chris, this is not an art.”

He disagreed, so much so that his own firm’s motto became, “Art is architecture.”

Dawson credits early childhood experiences for his choice of profession—from his Lego obsession to bike trips around the neighborhood to study interesting buildings. Ultimately, he attended Syracuse University for architecture, with additional training at Harvard and Cornell.

He graduated college in 1993 and found himself thrown into a slow job market. He bartended briefly before a Lancaster architectural firm picked him up. He went on to work for a firm in York before opting to open an office in Harrisburg. He and his wife Tracie hope to move downtown someday, after their two children finish school.

“Harrisburg has a lot of potential,” he said. “The Capitol complex is stunningly beautiful.”

Few places take you from a bustling urban center to the heart of rural America so rapidly, he noted. He also saw the “need for more contemporary design” in the capital city.

“There’s a hunger for it,” he said.

When he talks, the names of his favorite architects and buildings fall like rain: Philadelphia legend Louis Kahn, Italy’s Carlo Scarpa (“as good as it gets”).

Dawson’s work includes a list of notable local projects from the last few years: the Hershey Library, Elementary Coffee Co., the West Shore Theatre, the King Mansion, WebFX and Milton Hershey School. He hosted an exhibit in the Susquehanna Art Museum titled, “Towards a New/Old Architecture,” which spotlighted the challenge of meshing contemporary touches with aging buildings.

As a testament to his art, CDA was the first firm in Harrisburg to be awarded a Pennsylvania Design Excellence Award from the American Institute of Architects.

“It’s more than engineering,” he said. “It’s the artistic side.”

Thoughtful
So, is there a trademark Dawson style?

He hopes not.

While he may have a contemporary flair, he emphasizes that the end product should be the client’s vision—a “collaboration” that “stands the test of time.”

“Budgets are a big driver in Pennsylvania,” he acknowledged. “A simpler, more streamlined aesthetic helps the budget as a whole.”

Going forward, Dawson has lined up a series of significant projects, among them Harrisburg’s MLK City Government Center. That project includes the renovation of City Council chambers, restrooms and elevators to make them more inviting and more accessible, with the first phase slated for completion by the end of 2020.

City officials lamented the lack of a true King presence there, other than his name and a small bust. So, plans include installation of a large image of King in the atrium, with an enlarged quote, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

CDA also is collaborating with Harristown Development Corp. on a proposed 10-story tower for the 300-block of Market Street, on the site of the former Rite Aid store. That building, still in the planning phase, will feature street-level retail, midlevel office and upper-level residential.

Dawson has already worked extensively with Harristown, including for the 2016 conversion of office space above El Sol on S. 3rd Street into residential units—Fifteen at 22, aka F@TT.

“We use Chris a lot,” Harristown CEO Brad Jones said. “Chris is very good with architectural imagery and schematic designs. He’s a very creative guy and a thoughtful problem-solver.”

Dawson also has completed projects in places like Ohio, Oklahoma and Europe. His staff includes Sara Sweeney, Jim White, Molly Mank and Allison Krichman.

Dawson, who just turned 50, notes that young people today expect good design, like they have in their high-tech iPhones.

“Good design should be built into their environment,” he said. “It’s not just what you put in your pocket.”

He laments buildings that are not “thoughtful.” Buildings that are slapped together “have no soul in them,” he said. So, he pours his soul into every space he envisions.

“Creating a beautiful space to live, work, eat and drink coffee has a tangible effect on people,” he said.

Chris Dawson Architect (CDA) is located at 300 N. 2nd St., Suite 701, Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-805-5090 or visit www.chrisdawsonarchitect.com.

Unwelcome In Our Woods: Invasive species upset the balance of nature, from Pennsylvania’s forests to home gardens.

March 31, 2020 | by Karen Hendricks

“Public enemy number one” is how Shannon Powers refers to the spotted lanternfly.

Powers, press secretary for Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture, said the invading insect is an $18 billion threat to the state’s economy—specifically products and jobs related to the grape, apple, hops and hardwood industries.

And April is when the spotted lanternfly hatches.

“The biggest thing to remember is invasive species don’t belong here, and they cause problems for the things that do belong here,” said Powers.

She encourages residents to be vigilant. And Powers doesn’t mince words—when spotted, spotted lanternflies should be squashed.

When they first emerge from their gray, mud-like egg masses in the spring, the pests are black with white spots. Through spring and summer, they develop red patches and wings.

The insect, native to Asia, found its way into Pennsylvania in 2014 and has prompted a quarantine across more than two dozen counties, including Dauphin.

This winged invader lives on a plant—with an unlikely name—that is also an invasive species.

“Tree of heaven, host plant for the spotted lanternfly, grows along highways and has big clusters of seeds that are aerodynamically shaped to travel with wind—so you see how easily it can be dispersed,” said Mary Ann Furedi, an ecologist based in Harrisburg. “It has the potential for an economic nightmare for our state.”

Ripple Effect

Furedi monitors invasive plants for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in partnership with four state agencies, including the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

“An invasive species is basically a non-native species that can cause great harm to the environment, the economy or human health,” Furedi said, quoting the federal definition set in 1999.

Two invasive insects that have already scarred state forests are the hemlock wooly adelgid and the emerald ash borer.

“When you’re driving throughout the state seeing lots of standing dead [ash] trees, that’s the wave of the emerald ash borer,” Furedi said.

Meantime, the fact that the eastern hemlock is our state tree means nothing to the hemlock wooly adelgid. And damage to the state’s most common evergreen has a ripple effect on waterways. That’s because hemlocks literally throw shade—keeping river and stream temperatures cool.

Numerous invasive plants have put down roots along the banks of the Susquehanna.

“Purple loosestrife is showy, with bright magenta rods of flowers, but it’s taken over the riparian zone,” Furedi said. “And Japanese knotweed has formed monoclonal stands, where you’d naturally have different herbs, goldenrod, grasses and seasonal plants.”

In Harrisburg, the city manages Japanese knotweed as best as it can by mowing along the riverbanks to stunt growth, Furedi said. Trimming keeps it from flowering and spreading further.

Why are riverbanks so valuable?

“It’s the interface between the river and the upland area—you have a lot of exchanges going on,” Furedi said. “Riverbanks also help spread out the energy of floodwaters, and there’s a lot of nutrient release. Our beautiful Pennsylvania farmland is associated with our large river system because of those deposits.”

Safe Bet

Closer to home, many home gardeners don’t realize they may be harboring—even planting—invasive species. Furedi said Japanese barberry and butterfly bush are two prime examples.

In fact, Japanese barberry, a compact shrub with small red-tinged leaves, can introduce a whole host of additional issues into your yard. Its red berries attract mice, and the mice, in turn, serve as hosts in the life cycle of ticks.

“Tick-borne diseases are on the rise, and the invasive Japanese barberry is one of the many species associated with it,” Furedi said. “If you want to reduce the potential for tick exposure in your backyard, get rid of barberry.”

Some invasive plants are, incredibly, still readily available at garden centers, but experts like Furedi and officials like Powers encourage consumers to educate themselves on native species before exercising their green thumbs. Many garden centers now cultivate and promote native plant collections, which are always a safe bet for your home garden.

Keeping tabs on all the state’s invasive species, whether they’re plants, animals or insects, is the Governor’s Invasive Species Council of Pennsylvania, which meets quarterly.

Weeding out the state’s unwelcome pests and plants is, quite simply, dirty work.

“We still have the hope that, although there are invasive species, there’s also hope that we can educate people about the damage invasive species can do, so they can be more active about controlling them,” Furedi said. “It’s not an easy task.”

For more information on the spotted lanternfly, see agriculture.pa.gov; sightings can be reported at 1-888-4BADFLY. To learn more about the spotted lanternfly’s host plant, tree of heaven, see extension.psu.edu/tree-of-heaven. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s website is waterlandlife.org, which includes a section on invasive and unwelcome species.

Earth Day Birthday: On this golden anniversary, there are many ways to celebrate, contribute locally.

March 31, 2020 | by Rebecca Johnson

Earth Day began on April 22, 1970, when 20 million Americans filled streets and public places in a unified protest of environmental ignorance and inaction. The day is widely recognized as the birth of the environmental movement.

Fifty years later, the tradition endures, with a more salient need for environmental protection than ever before. On the anniversary this month, millions will gather and act on behalf of our planet and natural resources for Earth Day 50. The Earth Day Network proclaimed “Climate Action” as this year’s theme, the most pressing challenge to the future of humanity and the systems that support life.

To bring this home, Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF) released a new website that provides a calendar of activities, events and volunteer opportunities across the state for the month of April. There will be Earth Day celebrations at Black Moshannon State Park and Prince Gallitzin State Park, cleanups at Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park and Nockamixon State Park and a tree planting at Colonel Denning State Park and Pine Grove Furnace State Park, to name a few.*

PPFF has dubbed 2020 “The Year of the Tree,” a call for stewardship and investment in the natural infrastructure of our shared green spaces, areas that bring in over 40 million visitors and $1 billion in tourism revenue annually. The organization’s area of focus encompasses PA’s 121 state parks and 2.2 million acres of forested land across 20 forest districts.

“We recognize 2020 as ‘The Year of the Tree’ because trees are the panacea for much of what ails us,” says Marci Mowery, president of PPFF.

Trees remove carbon from the air, provide oxygen for us to breathe, reduce flooding and control runoff and soil erosion, while also cleaning water. Trees provide shade and block wind, which reduces energy costs and mitigates heat from paved surfaces.

“One of the simplest things that we can all do to reverse the impact of climate change is to preserve the trees that we have and plant additional trees,” Mowery said.

PA’s forests have undergone massive change since the mid-19th century—from clearcutting in the late 1800s to tree planting by the Civilian Conservation Corps following World War I to the more recent and gradual regrowth of the canopy. But storm damage, drought, human traffic and expansion and climate change are challenging old growth forests and their regrowth.

PPFF is working to improve this by planting trees that can withstand invasive insects, increasing temperatures and other climate-related hardships. Alongside its 41 state park and forest chapters, called “Friend Groups,” PPFF is recruiting a volunteer “tree army” to help plant tree seedlings.

Gratifying

PPFF is a Camp Hill-based, statewide nonprofit advocating for support and stewardship of the state’s parks and forestland through educational opportunities, recreation and volunteerism. Its Friend Groups are built on volunteers lending their time and support to bring people closer to PA’s natural places through environmental stewardship and engagement.

Mary Soderberg is a longtime volunteer with PPFF and a member of the board of the PPFF chapter, Friends of Pine Grove Furnace. She and her husband have a cabin in the park. This Friend Group hosts a volunteer event every year to observe Earth Day, which, in the most recent years, has been tree planting.

“We want there to be pine trees in Pine Grove Furnace State Park for future generations to enjoy,” she said. “I always find it very gratifying when families come help out on Earth Day. Hopefully, those experiences help to guide those young people in their future decisions.”

Soderberg still remembers the spring of 1970, when, at the University of Wisconsin, she witnessed thousands of fellow students turn out for activism on the first Earth Day in downtown Madison. Earth Day still means a lot for her.

“[Earth Day] reminds me of how thrilling it was to see a hawk in 1970,” she said. “It was so exciting we would pull the car over so we could watch the hawk.”

She went on to explain how her Peace Corps experience solidified how important and impactful environmental activism is. At that time, she witnessed DDT being used by local farmers with no protection. DDT, an insecticide, was banned in the United States in 1972, an environmental action stemming from the first Earth Day two years earlier.

If inspiration strikes, there are plenty of ways to get involved on Earth Day 50 beyond strikes and rallies—and all of them are good for personal health.

“On a human level, trees reduce stress, which causes illnesses, while also speeding up healing time,” Mowery said.

If you want to get outside, volunteer for a cleanup, attend an environmental reading, plant trees or contribute to citizen science research. Or learn more about climate change and personal actions to mitigate your carbon footprint.

Earth Day is April 22. To learn more about events for Earth Day 50, visit www.earthday50pa.org.

*Earth Day events may be affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Please check with organizations for their latest schedules.

Stories on environmental topics are proudly sponsored by LCSWMA.

They Are the Champions: Mentors, Allison Hill youth connect, learn at Center for Champions.

March 31, 2020 | by Maddie Conley

Just next to Scott Elementary School in Allison Hill sits an old church. It hasn’t held a congregation in a couple of years, but it hasn’t been empty either.

I realized how much activity exists there as I walked through the church’s side doors one Tuesday evening to attend the Center for Champions’ “Rooted” program for elementary and junior high youth.

Children-adult pairs entered the building smiling, catching up and donning a red, blue, yellow or green pinnie. Kids tucked their phones into the small plastic “phone jail” for the evening to eliminate distractions and headed to the court for some basketball and tag. After everyone arrived, the youth retired to a classroom for a snack, while the adults talked over the night’s plans.

Then the music amped up, the adults formed a cheer tunnel, and the kids strutted out, met by a multitude of high fives.

This wasn’t like any youth program I’ve seen.

Life-on-Life

Two years ago, the Center for Champions, a youth mentorship program, moved into this church on the Hill. The team’s mission was to reach Harrisburg youth facing poverty, fatherlessness and trauma. According to their website, 40 percent of Harrisburg youth are growing up in poverty.

“What God laid on my heart was one-on-one mentoring,” said Jeff Bruce, the organization’s executive director.

Since 1998, Center for Champions has been investing in the lives of children in the Harrisburg area. The organization began in the form of an after-school program, but eventually evolved into a mentorship program when Bruce became director.

For each student at Center for Champions, a volunteer from the community accompanies them. The pairs meet at the center once a week—Tuesdays for the junior high group and Fridays for senior high—and hang out together on their own time.

Scott Monday and eighth-grader Nazier have been matched for over 1½ years. On Tuesdays, they play games together, Nazier’s favorite part, and they frequent the local Wendy’s for their favorite sandwich, the “Baconator.”

“We’ve gotten to know each other and the trust has developed,” Monday said. “We have a lot of fun together.”

Throughout the course of the night, mentors and mentees play group games, make crafts, listen to a Bible lesson and spend time talking one-on-one.

Fourth-grader Andres has only been matched with his mentor Scott Burkholder since November, but the pair has bonded over snow tubing and other activities the center hosted.

“I get to do a lot of new things and have a fun time and learn about God,” Andres said.

Eye Opening

About 70 percent of kids at Center for Champions grow up in poverty and about the same number are fatherless, according to Bruce. Many are raised by single moms.

This was a reality that “Rooted” coordinator Alison Maurer wasn’t fully aware of until she volunteered one night with her sister.

Previously a federal agent in Philadelphia, Maurer had little experience with young people.

“I had zero interest,” she said. “It was this shift in my life and change in perspective that really made me consider it. My eyes were opened to the need.”

After that night of volunteering, Maurer was hooked. She reached out to Bruce and even with her limited experience, he saw the passion she had for the kids.

Over the years, Maurer has seen growth in students as their behavior has improved and mentor relationships have developed.

“Often, I hear from students, ‘I’m not as mad anymore,’” she said. “They relate, trust and talk to their mentors.”

However, Bruce explained that Center for Champions’ goal isn’t to change people, but to show them love.

“We want our mentors just to build relationships,” he said. “Love like Jesus loves, model Christ-like behavior, but your goal isn’t to convince them of anything. Just let your relationship dictate the questions they have and see what happens.”

Center for Champions is located at 413 S. 19th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.centerforchampions.org.

When You’re 64: The ABC(D)s of Medicare coverage.

March 31, 2020 | by Capital BlueCross Staff

If you or a family member is turning 64 this year, there’s actually some homework to do for Medicare, which is available when you turn 65*.

Not sure where to start? No problem. Let’s start with the basics. Original Medicare is only provided by the federal government and consists of two parts:

• Part A—Covers in-patient hospital care, skilled nursing care, home health care and hospice care. This is typically available at no cost.
• Part B—Covers doctor’s visits, blood tests, ambulatory and emergency services, medical supplies, some drugs, X-rays and outpatient care. Part B typically has a monthly premium.
• Both Parts A and B also have annual deductibles that must be met before they pay on any services, which will be paid at 80 percent of the allowed amount.

Other parts are called Part C (Medicare Advantage), Part D (prescription drug coverage), and Medigap, which is also called Medicare Supplement:

• Part C / Medicare Advantage—These plans must cover everything that Parts A and B cover. However, they may include extra services such as prescription drug coverage, vision, dental and gym memberships. These plans are offered privately through health insurance companies and can be purchased directly from the company or with the assistance of a broker. Medicare Advantage plans typically have a low or possibly no premium. These plans often come in multiple options, the most popular of which are:

• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). You must select a primary care physician (PCP) within network and, depending on the plan, may be required to obtain all your referrals through them. Because you use one PCP to fulfill all your needs, this type of plan could come at a reduced price.
• Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). You do not need referrals with a PPO. You also do not need to stay in the network. However, it may cost more to get care from out-of-network providers except for emergency and urgent care.

• Part D/ prescription drug coverage—Part D is simply a program that offers insurance for your prescription medication needs. Part D benefits, and the premium, could be included in a Part C plan, but not always. Depending on the type of plan, you may have an annual deductible to meet before coverage begins, and then you may have copayments or coinsurance amounts due each time you have a prescription filled at an in-network pharmacy. Prescription coverage is offered separately for those who have Parts A and B, but it’s typically included with Part C.

• Medigap, or Medicare Supplement—This is extra coverage to take care of services that Original Medicare does not cover—i.e., the remaining 20 percent. You cannot have a Medicare Supplement policy if you have Medicare Advantage.

Okay, you know the different parts and the different options, now how do you choose? Start by knowing what is included. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) covers a lot, but not everything. Things like dental care, routine eye exams and eyeglasses, and routine hearing tests are not included in Parts A and B, but are available through a Medicare Advantage plan. Other things that could be included are over-the-counter allowances, transportation services, healthy meal deliveries, companionship programs, discounted gym memberships, weight management programs, chiropractic services or acupuncture.

Overwhelmed yet? Don’t be. Here is a suggestion to help you cut through the noise and make an informed decision.

Make a chart. In the first column, write down the things that you want from your policy and the questions you want answered. Things like:

• What type of policy do I want?
• Is my doctor in the network?
• How large is the network?
• What is my budget?
• What other benefits do I want/need? Be specific and list everything—like hearing aids, certain dental services, and eyeglasses to name a few.
• Are my prescription drugs covered?

Next, make a column for each plan you are considering, and answer the questions from the first column. Doing this gives you a broad view as to what each plan offers and the cost. A word of caution: carefully consider the bottom line. A plan that has a zero or low monthly premium and higher out-of-pocket costs (like office visit copays and deductibles) may end up costing you more over time than a plan that has a slightly higher monthly premium but lower out-of-pocket costs.

Be sure to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B three months before your 65th birthday. This will ensure your benefits begin on your birthday. You can sign up through the Social Security Administration at ssa.gov.

Still have questions? You can always speak directly to an insurance company or broker, and you can find answers at your local Area Agency on Aging or at Medicare.gov.

For more information, visit www.capbluecross.com.

* Medicare is also available to people under the age of 65 with certain qualifying situations and health conditions; however, this article is strictly for those age 65 and older.

The Shared Life: Caring, community convey at Hundredfold Farm.

March 31, 2020 | by Rebecca Johnson

Build it, and they will come.

In the case of Hundredfold Farm, they stayed.

There are just four empty lots left—and the neighborhood extends the invitation to join to anyone willing and interested.

Twenty years ago, Bill and Sandy Hartzell and other likeminded people broke ground for a sustainable co-housing community, but it took six years to get the first house up. Today, 10 houses are tucked into the hillside, each one boasting picture windows, solar panels, rain barrels and sweeping views of the surrounding countryside.

“When we started this, the primary reason was that we were tired of being isolated,” says Bill Hartzell. “We wanted to demonstrate another way to house people without spreading them out in a huge housing development.”

The Hartzells moved from Seattle to just outside Gettysburg in the late 1990s and immediately began asking around for interested households to build a co-housing community, based on a Scandinavian living concept of shared spaces and collaborative management and decision-making.

Focused on cultivating multigenerational, interpersonal relationships, residents of Hundredfold Farm welcome neighborly interaction and rely on each other to collectively make decisions and find consensus.

The idea of cohousing was a vehicle for the community to preserve farmland and open spaces, but also an opportunity to live more consciously and sustainably.

Once the site of an organic Christmas tree farm, the clustered residences are surrounded by 80 acres the community co-owns and manages, equally sharing the benefits and the responsibilities of the land around them. The households share the land and facilities, its yard and farm work, and the tools and equipment to get it done.

The houses share a common drive, and all cars are parked in a community lot. A neighborhood garden grows food and flowers for all to share, and compost piles are tended to in turn. A barn stores shared goods and equipment, the common house offers shared facilities and gathering space, and an artificial marshland in a greenhouse remediates wastewater to grow flowers and flush toilets.

Though much is shared, privacy is not an issue, and serenity is not sacrificed. The houses at Hundredfold Farm are all different styles and colors and are further apart than houses in most subdivisions.

“We know each other well enough to know when to give space, to know what is going on in each other’s lives,” said Sandy Hartzell.

The benefits of a close-knit community go well beyond monthly community meetings and shared chores.

When Linda Miller had to move her mother into the community years ago, she never could have done it without the support from the Hundredfold family.

“It’s so different, knowing your neighbors,” Miller said. “You really learn to live and love with them. We’re a big family.”

Of course, you clash and bump heads, she said, but you learn to respect each other’s ways of seeing the world.

“It forces you to grow,” she said. “You can’t stay who you were.”

She has lived at Hundredfold for 15 years and decided recently to sell her home in order to build a smaller one two lots over—to downsize and make it affordable for another family to move in.

Tax breaks and country living make the community more attractive for homeowners. The cheaper, co-owned land initially drew Emily Windover and her family to Hundredfold. Her family of five needed more space and has lived there for three years. It’s been the other benefits of co-housing, though, that Emily and her family have enjoyed most.

“I love knowing our neighbors and that we’re all working toward a common purpose,” Windover said.

In their previous community, they didn’t know their neighbors, and it was difficult to resolve conflicts.

“There’s a commitment to community here, and I feel comfortable asking for help,” Windover said.

She thinks the co-housing concept has been great for her children to see examples of adults working together.

“They’re seeing us wrestle with these problems and ultimately come to consensus,” Windover said.

Bill Hartzell also believes the impact that co-housing has on children is unmatched in other models. He and Sandy raised their two sons in co-housing communities, and they believe it is this structure that gives kids a unique perspective on the world.

“They are very aware of what happens in groups and what can happen in groups,” he said. “Growing up, they experienced grownups actually working together, looking after each other, and solving problems—not just walking away from them.”

The co-housing dynamic is often a challenge for adults because most of life isn’t structured around finding consensus and collaboration.

“I don’t think anybody brings with them the skills needed to live and make decisions with other people,” he said. “You have to be willing to learn some new things about yourself and about working with other people.”

But for the kids who grow up in it, it comes more naturally, and Bill said that they are some of the most self-confident, creative and compassionate people he has ever met.

Bill believes the children are the most positive part of co-housing communities. That makes him feel better about the work they are doing and about the future in general.

“You’ve got to see some kind of progress in your lifetime,” he said.

The Hundredfold Farm Co-Housing Community is located at 1400 Evergreen Way, Orrtanna. For more information, call 717-321-0004 or visit www.hundedfoldfarm.org.

Three Cheers, Beers: Central PA’s newest breweries, distilleries pour partnerships into their businesses.

March 31, 2020 | by Karen Hendricks

“People appreciate seeing partnerships,” said Wade Leedy, co-owner of Fourscore Beer Co., Gettysburg, along with his brother Drew.

The brewing brothers have tapped into numerous creative partnerships since launching the brewpub last summer, including collabs with Maryland-based brewers—cleverly called the Mason Dixon Series, established through head brewer Ben Little. Partnerships with area growers include a limited release Apple Fritter Donut Stop Believin’, an apple cider donut milkshake beer brewed in collaboration with Adams County farm market Hollabaugh Bros.

Indeed partnerships are hopping at three of central Pennsylvania’s newer hot spots for beers and cheers: Fourscore, plus Liquid Noise Brewing Co., Marysville, and Hook & Flask Still Works, Carlisle.

Gateway Beer

The Leedy brothers aren’t new to Gettysburg’s restaurant scene—their grandfather opened Tommy’s Pizza, a Gettysburg institution, in 1973. The brothers continue to own and operate Tommy’s, located a block from Fourscore.

A nod to the immortal initial word of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, Fourscore features a full brewpub menu created by Chef Zak Smith and a draft menu of 14 beers—10 rotating and four fixtures.

“Gettys Brau is an everyday beer—an easy-drinking gateway beer,” said Drew. “The Fix [involving another partnership] is a brown ale with an intense coffee aroma, from [Gettysburg roaster] Ragged Edge Coffee.”

Menu standouts include hand-breaded fried mozzarella, catfish tacos and plenty of partnerships—Cumberland County’s Eleven Oaks Farms’ Wagyu hot dogs, Adams County’s Rettland Farms’ Bratwurst, and a Fourscore Burger blending Lancaster County’s Stone Ridge Manor beef with Rettland’s sausage.

To what do they attribute their success?

“Consumers are more knowledgeable and demanding better products,” Drew said. “Being here in Gettysburg, we add something to the Civil War experience, and we just plan to build on our success, making good food and good beer.”

Right Chord

Shawn Wirick has high hopes that Liquid Noise Brewing Co. strikes the right chord with area beer lovers.

“I want people to come to the Harrisburg area to visit Tröegs—and now Liquid Noise,” said Wirick, one of four partners in the Perry County brewery, which opened in January.

A professional musician who was once signed by RCA, Wirick composed his brewery’s business plan with music in mind. His guiding mantra, “Craft like a rock star” is emblazoned on the brewery’s walls, which regularly reverberate with the sounds of local and regional bands.

He calls partners Brad Moyer and Brian Keeney “the best brewers I’ve ever met.”

And the fourth partner? He’s known her since high school.

“We went to Susquenita together, live in Duncannon, and all three of our kids work here,” said wife Michelle Wirick.

Creative collabs are mashed into the menu, including Baphomets Rain—a stout smoothly infused with Harrisburg’s Elementary Coffee, which is fitting considering that Moyer built Elementary’s nitro coffee system.

“Our inspiration comes from everything—food, wine, cocktails, the bakery,” said Moyer.

Mint-Ten Tarantino is a watermelon mint sour; the Pulpmania Guavarero is a New England-style IPA with a twist—fresh guava pulp and a kick from habanero peppers.

The creative beer lineup blends harmoniously with the food menu thanks to Chef Mike Bates, formerly of Camp Hill’s Cornerstone Coffeehouse. On the night we visited, he was debuting a pineapple prosciutto pizza. The popular blackberry and herbed ricotta pizza combines sweet and savory flavors—a red raspberry, blueberry and black raspberry compote, with spirals of ricotta and pesto.

Moyer and Keeney, founding members of Harrisburg’s homebrewers’ club, The Sons of Alchemy, said their goal at Liquid Noise is to consistently offer malty and hoppy beers, sour ciders, and alternative “funky beers.”

They may even make a little noise in Harrisburg—they’re brewing up some surprise suds for Shady McGrady’s Irish Pub.

Mutual Aid

Mark Farrell and Devin Flickinger of Boiling Springs met 15 years ago on the frontlines for Monroe Township Fire Co.

Farrell, intrigued by the rise of craft distilleries, learned that Flickinger was a long-time homebrewer and winemaker. The craft beverage market was heating up in Carlisle, and they decided to strike while the iron was hot.

Flickinger swapped roles, from the fire company’s assistant chief to staff medic, to become Hook & Flask’s chief distiller. Farrell’s daughter Maddie, a hospitality major at Temple during the planning process, was primed to become front of house manager.

Last summer, when Hook & Flask Still Works opened its doors—including a firehouse-style garage door that rolls up in warm weather—it became the first distillery in Carlisle since Prohibition.

“We wanted to differentiate ourselves, so we latched onto the fire theme, which is near and dear to us,” said Farrell. “We were fortunate to find this building, which somewhat resembled a firehouse.”

Remodeler Creative Building Concepts of Carlisle oriented the kitchen, firehouse-style, in the building’s center. Memorabilia includes an antique wooden fire ladder affixed to the restaurant’s ceiling; the distillery’s modified roof accommodates a 19-foot vodka column.

The first spirits in production are Flashover Moonshine, an apple pie moonshine crafted with Adams County’s Big Hill Cider, and 100-percent corn-based Halligan Hearts Vodka. All grains are grown in Pennsylvania; most are sourced locally from Cumberland County.

Mutual Aid Whiskey is made in partnership with a Virginia distillery, just as neighboring fire companies provide “mutual aid.”

Spirits on the backburner, in production, are barreled rye whiskey and “Firedog Gin.”

Hook & Flask’s menu features three pages of craft cocktails concocted with Flickinger’s house-made simple syrups, local craft beers and wines, sliders, wings and a firehouse staple—chili served in bright red bowls.

“It’s been a good first six months,” said Farrell. “The town’s been very receptive, and Market Cross Pub & Brewery half a block away couldn’t be a better friend to us.”

For more information, see: Fourscore Beer Co., 603 S. Washington St., Gettysburg, fourscorebeer.com; Liquid Noise Brewing Co., 600 S. State Rd., Marysville, liquidnoisebrewing.com; and Hook & Flask Still Works, 137 N. Hanover St., Carlisle, hookandflaskstillworks.com.

A World of Good: Retailer Ten Thousand Villages has been a pioneer in fair trade, ethical practices.

March 31, 2020 | by Don Helin

Would you like an elegant alpaca shrug handmade in Peru or a singing bowl handmade in Nepal? Then you may want to stop by Ten Thousand Villages.

Ten Thousand Villages is a unique business, a nonprofit, fair trade organization affiliated with the Mennonite Central Committee and headquartered in Lancaster County.

“To us, fair trade means working with people in an ethical fashion,” said CEO Gordon Zook. “We honor the people who make our products and try to keep them first in the business decisions we make.”

It all started in 1946, when Edna Byler met women during her travels who were struggling to feed their children. So, she decided to help them sell their products. The Mennonite Central Committee, a relief and service agency, supported Byler’s efforts, seeing the long-term value that sustainable income could bring to impoverished villages.

Today, Ten Thousand Villages has 56 stores in the United States—18 company-owned and 38 run by nonprofit boards. It markets products from 75 artisan groups in 30 different countries, supporting 20,000 artisans overall.

Zook is proud of the fact that, over the past 16 years, the organization has purchased $99 million in products from its artisan partners.

He explained that the company pays for its goods upfront, a very unusual practice. Half is paid when the product is ordered and the other half when it’s shipped.

“That way, our producers will have the funds to pay a living wage to their employees and won’t get trapped in debt by moneylenders,” he said. “If products are lost at sea, trends change, tariffs rise, the artisans are not burdened with loss. They’ve already been paid in full.”

Zook took over his duties as CEO about nine months ago and leads from experience. He has spent a number of years overseas, most recently five years in Calcutta, India, as MCC co-country director.

“My experience has taught me the best way to address poverty is not through handouts, but by purchasing products from vendors then selling the products at reasonable prices, thereby conferring dignity on the producers,” he said.

Ten Thousand Villages was a pioneer in paying living wages to small producers. This may make it harder for them to compete, but they’re satisfied with the outcome.

“We are keenly aware of the ballooning market changes going on in the country,” Zook said. “We see increasing interest in treating producers fairly, but we remain the only brick-and-mortar organization dedicated to fair trade principles.”

Ten Thousand Villages distinguishes itself in other ways. While many other retailers are scaling back, the company is expanding. It recently opened three new stores in the Philadelphia area and is scouting for a fourth store site in Lancaster County.

It isn’t averse to technology, either. Ten Thousand Villages is increasing its emphasis on e-commerce, significantly expanding online sales.

Like any corporate CEO, Zook must keep an eye on the production cycle. For example, the director of purchasing is already addressing product needs for the next holiday season. They anticipate fielding some 600 new products by Christmas.

The company also believes in very long-term relationships, which distinguishes it further in the tough retail industry. The average relationship with an artisan group is a staggering 25 years, Zook said.

“That’s enough time to see their children grow into adulthood and enough time to see the positive impact this movement has created on the sons and daughters of our producers,” he said. “This is particularly important for women who often have problems competing because of cultural norms.”

Ten Thousand Villages is based in Akron, Pa. Locally, there are stores in Mechanicsburg and in Lancaster County. For more information and a complete list of stores, visit www.tenthousandvillages.com.

Berry Roast: How about a unique spin on dessert this Easter?

March 31, 2020 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

If you are a follower of cooking trends, cooking shows and cookbooks, you might have noticed a new emphasis on roasting, as in roasting almost everything. I’ve even seen popular cooking magazines devoted to “sheet pan suppers,” in which entire dinners, fish, chicken, vegetables and potatoes are roasted on/in one pan.

I’ve succumbed to the sheet pan craze, too. I roast one of my favorite dishes, “firecracker salmon,” along with cherry tomatoes and serve them with wasabi mashed potatoes for a terrific weeknight dinner. My family likes roasted Brussels sprouts splashed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and my young grandsons, 4 and 2, actually eat broccoli roasted with grated Parmesan cheese and garlic. Start ‘em young, I say.

But I was surprised seeing Food Network chef Giada De Laurentiis roasting strawberries and whipping them into a simple but elegant dessert that is just perfect for spring. Another famous chef, Bobby Flay, in his new cookbook, “Bobby at Home,” does a similar spin on roasted strawberries, using fewer ingredients and no wine. The “formula” for both recipes includes some luscious cream and a crunchy topping.

April is here and, although we can find some decent strawberries at the markets and grocery stores, they are not the succulent and juicy berries of early June. Roasting softens and caramelizes them into a jam-like creation. The recipe that follows is Giada’s version and one that could be served at brunch or for dessert any time of year. And think how lovely these berries would be as a finale to an Easter dinner.

Roasted Strawberries with Vin Santo

Ingredients

1 pound strawberries, hulled and cut in half
2 teaspoons olive oil
5 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt
¼ cup Vin Santo wine
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup mascarpone
½ cup crushed amaretti cookies or almond biscotti

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the strawberries evenly on the baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the oil and a pinch of salt.
Roast until the strawberries are soft and have released some of their juices, about 30 minutes.
Pour the strawberries and the juices into a bowl and toss with the wine. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the mascarpone and the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
Serve the strawberries in dessert dishes or glasses. Top with some of the cream and cookie crumble.

Some notes about the ingredients:

Mascarpone is Italian cream cheese. It can be found, along with amaretti cookies or biscotti, at the grocery store.
Vin Santo is an Italian dessert wine that is like sherry. You could substitute Marsala wine or even Amaretto.
Instead of cookie crumbles, you could top the berries with chopped toasted almonds.
Instead of mascarpone cheese, you can use Greek yogurt or whipped cream cheese.

Welcome the lovely month of April with this simple, fresh fruit dessert. It is perfect for company, especially after you’ve put together the rest of the meal that might have taken a lot of time. Roasted strawberries could easily become a favorite for me. I‘m saving strawberry pie for June.

Family Built: Excel Remodeling spans 50 years, three generations.

March 31, 2020 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Business is more than just business at Excel Remodeling in Lemoyne. For president and owner Jim Mirando Jr, it’s a strong family legacy of craftsmanship and care now its 50th year.

Mirando, of Silver Spring Township, is the second generation of his family leading the enterprise that was founded by his father in 1970.

“It’s a real community atmosphere here,” he said. “Most of our staff has been with us for over 10 years. We have wonderful clients who’ve been with us years. It’s a lot about relationships. We’re a small business, and we work hard to do a good job.”

The business is based in a 6,000-square-foot showroom where customers are welcome to browse through a large display of cabinets, countertops, plumbing fixtures, tiles, interior and exterior finishes, wallpaper, floor coverings and whatever else is needed for their homes. Aided by a staff of 12, Excel specializes in kitchen and bathroom remodels and home additions.

Jim Mirando Sr. started Excel with two partners and an initial focus of land development and home building. By the late 1970s, the company had transitioned to home remodeling. Mirando’s business partners had pulled out by then, leaving Jim Sr. as sole proprietor.

As it so happened, Jim Sr. wasn’t alone in business for long. Son Jim Jr. started in the early 1980s, learning the ropes while in high school. After college, he initially pursued a career outside of the family business but decided to return a few years later. He started out as a designer, working his way up to company president in 1989. Jim Sr. subsequently retired in the early 1990s.

Jim Jr. said he’s seen a few changes in the way business is done over the past few decades.

“It’s always changing, from styles to technology to tools,” he said.

When Jim Jr. began, cell phones weren’t yet in common usage, and blueprints still were drawn by hand. Clients today tend to be “more educated and informed” than in the past due to sources like the internet and the HGTV network.

Daughter Alicia Goyette represents the family’s third generation.

“I grew up around all this,” she said. “My dad guided me through the business. It was a cool experience learning the ropes from him.”

Goyette initially pursued a college major in accounting and business but eventually felt “ready for a change,” she said. She came to Excel two years ago. Today, she is a company designer and mostly works with clients on kitchen and bath designs.

“It’s really fun to work with clients and see it all come together as a finished product,” she said. “I like coming up with a new design that maybe they didn’t think of.”

Mike Wilson, chief marketing officer for Members 1st Credit Union, ranks as a satisfied Excel customer.

The company recently completed a “very large project” that involved building a 500-square-foot addition over the garage of his Conewago Township home. The project renovated an upstairs bathroom and extended the master bedroom into a sprawling suite with custom-made closets, a beverage station and a sitting area.

Wilson said that Excel stands out from other building contractors by offering customers a “true customization” of design.

“We were looking at how to creatively maximize the space that we had,” he said. “I would highly consider using Excel again for another project.”

Excel Remodeling is located at 570 S. 3rd St., Lemoyne. For information, call 717-774-4990 or visit www.excelremodeling.com.

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