Like for Local: Harrisburg influencers share what’s good around the city.

October 31, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Shantell Robertson

Shantell Robertson always had influence.

She went from being a police officer to working in the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office—she had the uniform and the badge. However, she decided to trade that in and try a different type of influence, one that required a lot more skirts.

Before heading to her full-time job at the Pennsylvania Automotive Association in Harrisburg, Robertson gets up at 6 a.m. to work on her blog, “Get Your CHIC On,” over a cup of coffee. She may be writing a blog post or uploading photos to her Instagram account. Later, during her lunch break, she might continue editing her post. And once Robertson leaves the office, she heads home to make calls with local businesses or drives to a photo shoot for a product she’s endorsing.

“It’s like another full-time job,” she said. “It’s more than a hobby. It’s a side hustle.”

Blogging took off in the early 2000s and has continued to evolve. Now, according to marketing site Izea, about half of people online read blogs. However, as trends shifted and audience preferences changed, many bloggers have turned to social media as their primary communication tool.

Influencer marketing in the United States can be traced back to the 1920s with Coco Channel’s influence on fashion and in the ‘80s with Michael Jordan’s endorsement of Nike, reports Social Media Today.

In 2010, bloggers and influencers got a new platform with the launch of Instagram. With celebrities like Kim Kardashian spearheading the trend on this platform, using social media to build or represent a brand became the norm.

Now, with many people checking their social media multiple times a day, bloggers like Robertson have a way to reach a consistent audience locally.

“Get Your CHIC On” is a lifestyle and fashion blog that Robertson describes as “feminine chic, yet classic and sophisticated.” She posts content for more than 13,000 followers almost every day, whether it’s on her blog or on Instagram as a story or static post.

Robertson’s content features fashion from local and national brands, as well as health and beauty products. While the photos may look effortless to some, she admitted that, for each picture posted, anywhere from 50 to 100 pictures didn’t make the cut.

Robertson explained that the income from her blog and Instagram posts is small, but she does occasionally make money from sponsored posts for companies such as Nordstrom, Athleta or Rent the Runway. For smaller local businesses, Robertson will participate in partnerships where she may receive a free meal or a discount code for her followers in exchange for posting a picture of their product.

Contrary to many influencers, for Robertson, money is not the driving factor behind what she does.

“I love the creative process of it,” she said. “I love the relationship-building, and I love helping other women.”

On the Grind

Jehava Brown

Mom blogger and Harrisburg resident Jehava Brown has been writing about parenting, faith, travel and style on her blog Onlygirl4boyz for three years. After reading blogs that inspired her, she wanted to provide encouragement to others. But that wasn’t her only goal. From the beginning, she knew she wanted to make her blog a business.

Within six months, Brown was making an income through business deals with brands to advertise their products. She worked her way up and now works with brands like Gatorade, Soma, Walmart and Amazon. Brown’s blog has become a full-time job that earns her an equivalent income, she said. Not only is she making money, but, through a partnership with Disney, Brown, her husband and their three boys have gone on cruises free of cost.

Along with the advertisements and sponsored posts, Brown posts content about motherhood, travel and her faith, filling a gap she sees in the blogging world.

“There’s a disparity of minorities in this market,” she said. “There’s not a lot of minority mom bloggers. That’s why I’m unique.”

She also realized that, for many of her white blogger friends, their audience is primarily white, and, with her black blogger friends, theirs is black.

“My audience is 50/50, which I think is really cool,” Brown said. “People are saying, ‘I relate to you,’ no matter what race they are.”

#Delicious

Corinne Foster

Blogging isn’t all business.

Harrisburg food blogger Corinne Foster—known on Instagram as Foster the Foodie—just wants to help people eat good food on the cheap. A recent college graduate and new to the area, she hoped to find the best places to eat in the city, within a lower budget.

She began by creating an extensive Excel spreadsheet listing local restaurants, bars and bakeries to keep track of her new favorite Harrisburg spots. As the file grew, it quickly evolved into something she knew she needed to share with others. Here, her social media account was born.

“I want to help people find things that aren’t Google-able,” she said. “It’s cool that people are taking my advice.”

The Foster the Foodie audience is in the 20s to 30s age range, a group similar to herself—young people looking for a good meal that’s also a good deal. In addition to Harrisburg eateries, Foster has shared with her followers her favorites from Lancaster, York and Lititz.

Foster has promoted local restaurants like Iron Hill Brewery, Ann’s Cupcakery, Café 1500 and a slew of stands within the Broad Street Market. She also has partnered with businesses, like Sweet 717 in the market, to do product giveaways, which provide the vendors and herself more publicity, while giving back to her audience. Often, she receives compensated meals, but pointed out that she never promotes restaurants she wouldn’t eat at herself.

“I wouldn’t want this to be a business,” she said.

Heart Harrisburg

Bree Whitelock

Working with local businesses is the foundation of Bree Whitelock’s blog Cherishburg—a guide to all things Harrisburg.

But as invested as she is in the city now, that wasn’t always the plan.

“I didn’t intend to end up in Harrisburg,” she said.

But, after graduating from Messiah College and landing a job at WebFX, a tech and marketing firm on Front Street, Whitelock gained an appreciation for the city she now called her home. A self-declared optimist, she saw all that local business in the city had to offer and wanted others to, as well.

“If I’m going to be working and living here, I don’t want these places to close,” Whitelock said.

In 2017, she piloted her blog, Cherishburg, to promote local business, but also to use as a creative outlet for herself. She wrote about local restaurants, places to volunteer and other quirks Harrisburg has to offer.

It wasn’t until this year that Cherishburg really took off. Whitelock’s Instagram page for her blog gained a large following that is interactive and responsive to her daily musings about the city they also call home.

“The best thing is the connections with other people or other businesses that I would have never met before,” she said.

For most of her content, Whitelock doesn’t receive payment, other than a compensated meal or experience, but that doesn’t matter to her. Fostering positivity within the city is her top priority.

“It was never about me to begin with,” she said. “It’s about the city, and it always will be.”

Under the Influence

Get your thumbs ready to follow and like the local influencers mentioned in this story:

Get Your CHIC on: @shantellrobertson, getyourchicon.com
onlygirl4boyz: @onlygirl4boyz, onlygirl4boyz.com
Foster the Foodie: @fosterthefoodie
Cherishburg: @cherishburg, cherishburg.com

Shoo Fly Surprise: For Thanksgiving, Rosemary goes native.

October 31, 2019 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

In the early 1970s, I read in the New York Times about a newly published cookbook that I sought out and have treasured ever since.

It is called “The Grass Roots Cookbook,” written by Jean Anderson, at the time a freelance writer and a contributing editor to Family Circle Magazine. If you check Amazon, the “Grass Roots Cookbook” can be yours for $4.19.

Jean Anderson traveled the country, not to visit restaurants but to sit down and talk with real cooks from the heart of America. In her introduction, the author advises that the recipes contained therein were often those she found scribbled on notepaper and passed down from generation to generation. There are no “mixes” or prepared ingredients like “phony whipped cream from an aerosol can.”

There are recipes from the South like sweet corn pudding, country ham with red-eye gravy, and Carolina coleslaw. From the Plains and Southwest, we can learn how to prepare chicken in salsa and creamed shredded cabbage. I have loved making zucchini stuffed with sausage and one of my all-time favorite desserts, Marsala peach pie. Both recipes are from the Napa Valley.

But some of my best-loved recipes in this cookbook originate from an area very close to home—Lancaster County. Anderson offers wonderful recipes from Pennsylvania Dutch country including the very best red beet (pickled) eggs, pea soup with rivels and chicken potpie. But my favorite recipe is for shoo fly pie.

Thanksgiving is coming. Pumpkin pie is a staple on my holiday table. But I always look for additional dessert items, such as cranberry apple pie, pecan pie or a small mince pie, which I love (I am usually alone in that love.) I was thinking that, this year, perhaps shoo fly pie would be perfect. It is arguably sweet but absolutely delicious.

The recipe that follows is what is known as a “wet-bottomed” pie, which means that it has a thick layer of molasses and corn syrup. I have tried many shoo fly pies from various bakeries and farmers markets. Most are dry and more like cake. None is as good as this one.

Lancaster County Shoo Fly Pie

Ingredients

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell (I make my own, but a prepared one is fine)

“Bottom Part” Ingredients

¾ cup dark corn syrup
¼ cup molasses (I use “light”)
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten

“Top Part” Ingredients

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cold butter cut into small cubes
2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine corn syrup, molasses and water, stir in baking soda.
Beat a little of the molasses mixture into the beaten egg, then stir back into the mixing bowl.
With a fork or pastry blender, mix together flour, butter and sugar until the mixture has the texture of coarse crumbs.
Mix 1 cup of the crumbs into the molasses mixture and pour into the unbaked pie shell. Scatter the remaining crumbs on top.
Bake in a pre-heated, 400-degree oven for 25 minutes until the crust is lightly browned and the filling puffy.
Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting.

This pie will fill your kitchen with wonderful fall aromas. It is not a low-calorie dessert and so, if not for Thanksgiving, maybe try it for a soup and salad Sunday night dinner. A little piece is a delight with a cup of tea on a blustery November day. I guess fewer people are doing much of their own baking anymore, based on the lines I see at the bakery. But this pie is not hard to make, and it’s a true taste of Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine.

Let me know if you need a recipe for pickled eggs!

Musical Milestone: Homeland Hospice marks 10 years of serving the community.

October 31, 2019 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

It’s something that Mark Twain once said was as certain as taxes. Others have described it as entering another room, switching vehicles or mounting a common, inevitable path.

Whatever your views are about the end of life, chances are that it’s not the same as your neighbor’s—or even your own family’s.

It’s been 10 years since Homeland Hospice initiated its end-of-life services for terminally ill patients and their families in central Pennsylvania. Today, the hospice care service, a community outreach of Harrisburg’s Homeland Center, tends to more than 200 patients every day in 14 counties.

The hospice is comprised of 14 full-time case managers, two medical directors, certified nursing assistants, social workers, counselors, chaplains and a crew of volunteers.

To mark its 10th anniversary, Homeland Hospice is holding a live-performance fundraiser called “Guitars, Gifts and Gratitude,” scheduled for Nov. 10 at Scottish Rite Theatre in Harrisburg. Scheduled musical artists include area native and Nashville recording artist Ben Gallaher, as well as Buffalo Mountain Bluegrass Band, which features fiddling siblings Autumn and Canyon Moore from Perry County.

For musical artist Gallaher, performing at “Guitars, Gifts and Gratitude” truly hits home because Homeland provided services to his grandmother, said hospice Director Deb Klinger.

“Our (hospice) program just continues to evolve,” said Klinger, who’s been with the Harrisburg-based care service for six years. “As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, we are afforded the opportunity to provide additional services, such as hair, nails, art and music therapy. We also provide massage therapy.”

There are regular home visits from medical professionals certified in hospice and palliative care, a nurse case manager on call 24/7 and spiritual counseling. End-of-life care is provided wherever a patient resides, including nursing facilities.

Hospice is intended for terminally ill patients who have been diagnosed with six months or less to live, but services can be extended beyond six months if necessary.

Patients’ families aren’t overlooked either. Homeland Hospice offers in-home caregivers up to 32 hours each calendar month of solitary respite.

“Caregivers can do whatever they want during those hours,” Klinger said. “It gives them time to refresh and regroup.”

Homeland Hospice also offers bereavement counseling for families up to 13 months after a loved one’s death. The free service also is available to the general community, as well as Homeland families, said Noelle Valentine, one of the hospice’s two bereavement counselors.

“We always follow up to see how the (surviving) family is doing,” she said. “Everyone is feeling a mix of emotions, but sadness is usually the most prevalent. Everyone’s grief is different. It’s people trying to cope and make sense of where their life is.”

Fundraisers like “Guitars, Gifts and Gratitude” are important to the hospice program because the Homeland organization spends almost $3 million annually on charitable and benevolent care. Patients and their families are never charged for costs not covered by insurance, and no one is ever asked to leave due to a lack of funds.

“We have a very low overhead,” Klinger said. “Our goal is to turn it back toward our patient and therapy care. Our goal is to make the patient as comfortable as possible.”

Months prior to the concert, Homeland Hospice initiated a guitar sponsorship fundraiser similar to the “Cow Parade,” which was conducted around 15 years ago throughout the Harrisburg area to raise funds for Whitaker Center. Wendy Shumaker, director of marketing, said Homeland continued to accept reservations for guitar sponsorships past an initial deadline due to popular demand.

“People are embracing this,” she said. “As long as they can get guitars to us three or four days prior to event date of Nov. 10, we are okay with that.”

“Guitars, Gifts and Gratitude” takes place Nov. 10 at Scottish Rite Theatre, 2701 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Performances start at 2 p.m. For information, visit www.homelandathome.org.

Sharp Dressed Man: Step out in style with Michael Boyd.

October 31, 2019 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Michael Green

When’s the last time you heard someone described as a fashion plate, dressed to the nines, or looking like they stepped out of a bandbox?

If you’re unfamiliar with those old expressions, you’re not alone. The day when it was a matter of pride to put one’s best sartorial foot forward seems to have come and gone—that is unless you ask Michael Green, owner of Michael Boyd Menswear, who can provide you with a whole roster of clients who believe otherwise.

The businessman’s keen interest in the fashion industry started many years ago.

“I’ve always loved fashion from a young age, when I used to join my father when he was shopping for clothing,” said Green, who parlayed his passion into a paycheck, opening up H. Michael’s Men’s Shop in York in 1982 and going on to open Michael Boyd in 2001.

He operated both stores until closing the York store in 2005.

For 17 years, Green conducted business in Harrisburg before contemplating a move. When he learned that the property at 2205 Market St. in Camp Hill was available, he jumped at the opportunity to join the burgeoning business area that seems chockablock with boutiques.

“I think this area offers great potential and realized that 60 percent of my clients hail from Camp Hill and Mechanicsburg,” he said.

Although his business may seem anachronistic to some, Green has survived by evolving with the times.

“I recognize how retail has changed for men and how the dress codes are different,” said Green, who went from about 1,000 square feet in Harrisburg to about 350 square feet at the new location. “We’ve become very casual over the years.”

Among the curated selection of sportswear and dresswear are made-to-measure suits and sport coats with labels like Samuelsohn, Gran Sasso, Raffi, Emanuel Berg, Gimos leathers and denim from Italy sold under the Michael Boyd label. With the transition to cooler weather, Green is also carrying cashmere scarves, throws by Johnstons of Elgin and candles by We Took to the Woods.

He puts a lot of thought into everything that appears in his store, but makes it clear that fabric is what excites him the most.

“This store is all about the fabric—the industry and technology are evolving,” he said, handing over a soft-as-silk pair of slacks.

“That’s wool,” he informs, adding that the suits he sells are superior to those sold off the rack. “They promote ease of movement, they lay well, and they keep their shape.”

Green works on appointment for those who want his undivided attention.

“I’ll offer them a fine wine or bourbon, and we’ll go to work to create a look based on their needs,” said Green, adding that he would be loath to let anyone leave without looking short of spectacular. “When they leave here, they become a walking billboard for my store.”

David La Torre said that Green has a keen eye and a listening ear.

“He will discover what you like to wear and will never sell a shirt that doesn’t fit correctly,” he said.

La Torre, founder of Harrisburg-based La Torre Communications, puts a priority on buying local and said that Green is a valuable asset to the area.

“Twenty or 30 years ago, there were stores all over Harrisburg that provided this service,” he said. “Mike is the only one left, and he carries some of the best brands from around the world.”

La Torre travels quite a bit for work, but buys most of his clothes from Green.

“He knows exactly what I want and knows that many men don’t wear suits or ties anymore, and that’s all right with him,” he said.

Davis Mathews of New Cumberland is similarly complimentary.

“He completely renewed me,” said Mathews, who works for an international company and frequently travels to Europe and Asia. “Our dress etiquette in the United States is quite different and, as an individual in an executive position, I’m required to dress a certain way both on and off the job.”

He explained that nice jeans and a tucked-in shirt paired with a blazer is de rigueur when off the clock in those regions of the world. He also mentioned how his eyes were opened when he saw how he looked in front of a global delegation.

“I work out quite often and off-the-rack clothes just look goofy,” he said. “Michael asked me to invest in one made-to-measure suit, and I was sold.”

Mathews also likes buying his jeans from Green.

“You can’t find them anywhere,” he said. “You can wear these jeans, and they feel like you’re wearing expensive slacks. The level of comfort and confidence I have while wearing these, especially after sitting on a plane from 15 to 16 hours, is unsurpassed.”

For Green, it’s all in a day’s work.

“I love fashion,” he said. “I love coming to work every day and working with my clients and creating looks for them. I get a great feeling when I see the smiles on their faces because they see just how transformative the right clothing can be.”

Michael Boyd, Exceptional Men’s Clothing, is located at 2205 Market St., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.michaelboydmenswear.com.

Kneaded in the Community: Making pizza, building a home around Harrisburg.

October 31, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Jesus Alejandrez

Most Fridays, real estate agent Brent Hill isn’t selling houses, but pizza.

He began working at Giovanni’s Pizza in Linglestown about 12 years ago, making deliveries to earn an income while he worked on his real estate license.

A few years later, Hill sold his first house as a licensed agent. But, surprisingly, he didn’t quit his job at Giovanni’s. Over the years, he had developed a close friendship with shop owner Jesus Alejandrez.

“I don’t think you could get a better boss,” Hill said. “He’s so nice. He would give the shirt off his back for you. For somebody that literally came from nothing, he has no problem giving away what he gets.”

From Scratch

Thirty-three years ago, Alejandrez came from Mexico to the United States. He was only 13 years old when he hopped on a border-bound bus with some cousins and friends, only a small wad of cash to his name.

“That’s how I start my—I call it an adventure because really I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said.

Three weeks after arriving in California, Alejandrez made it to Mount Joy where he stayed with a brother who was already living there. The same night he arrived, he started washing dishes at the Keystone Restaurant—what is now Gus’s Keystone Restaurant on W. Main Street. He worked there for about four years before moving to Lititz to work at another restaurant.

Alejandrez would go home to Mexico to visit family every now and then, and, on one occasion, met his wife Gabriella, whom he brought back to the United States.

Eventually, Alejandrez was sold a pizza shop business in Uptown Harrisburg. He finally owned his own restaurant, but didn’t realize just how hard it would be.

“When someone sells you a food business—it’s because it’s not doing good,” he said. “Because, if it’s doing good, they’re going to ask you for a lot of money. But I didn’t have no experience at all, so I bought it.”

He maxed out his credit cards just to pay utilities and rent.

“I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning because I didn’t know how to manage money,” he said.

At about that time, Alejandrez found the first quarter-sized bald spot on his head. The doctor told him it from was high amounts of stress—the reason patches of his hair were disappearing. Finances had been tough, but losing his hair? He needed a release, so he started playing soccer to relieve some tension after work.

“That hour that we played, that was the time that I could at least forget a little all those problems, all those phone calls from the collection companies, all that stuff,” he said.

The Boss

These days, things are different. Alejandrez now gives business and financial advice to other people—friends and family just beginning their business journeys as he was years ago.

“He’s looked at from everybody as the boss,” Hill said. “Every friend and family member goes to him for advice.”

Alejandrez realizes his business is still small. He sees other business owners that have more money and bigger restaurants, but he’s happy. He’s providing for his three boys and making a living. His hard work has made a difference.

“We have a house. It’s not paid off yet, but I have a bedroom for each of my kids,” he said. “When we were living in the mobile home, it was falling apart.”

Alejandrez recalled the days in the trailer park, cutting the end of his son’s wooden bed to make leg room as he got taller.

But as the kids grew and Giovanni’s grew, the family’s finances also grew. They were able to buy their first house from none other than Alejandrez’s good friend Hill—that first sale he had those nine years ago.

Close to Home

Alejandrez eventually sold his Uptown shop, and started his current business in Linglestown, which has been around for about 11 years now.

He works there for 13 hours a day, sometimes seven days a week. His son, Giovanni, works with him, as well. The restaurant has the typical foods you expect to find in a pizza shop, but with a few nods to his home country thrown in, such as tacos, quesadillas and burritos. Alejandrez also owns Giovanni’s Pizza and Bakery in Steelton.

Many customers are regulars who come back for the food and the service.

“He’s a very friendly guy,” said Taryn Miller, a weekly customer. “They make sure they give you the best service they can.”

Hill said that he talks with Alejandrez on a regular basis. He pointed out that, with all the current discussion around immigration, “this hits close to home.”

It’s been a long time since Alejandrez was drinking from park water fountains and buying 30-cent packs of crackers just to put something in his stomach. Now, he runs a restaurant packed full at lunch and helps others reach their goals like he did.

“Life taught me,” he said. “Now, in this town, this pizza shop is known.”

Giovanni’s Pizza is located at 1027 N. Mountain Rd., Linglestown. For more information, visit https://www.orderstart.com/giovannispizzalinglestown#.

From the Ashes: A historic Allison Hill firehouse was condemned. Then Jason Lloyd set his sights on it.

October 31, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Jason Lloyd doesn’t mince words when asked about the condition of a unique building he purchased in 2010.

“Whatever the most horrible place you could think of, it was worse than that,” he said.

He is referring to the historic, red-brick Allison Hook & Ladder Building and, for Lloyd, a Harrisburg firefighter himself, restoring the circa-1909 building became both an obsession and a labor of love.

“There was never any grand plan,” he said. “It was just to save the building.”

Fast-forward nine years, and, today, the landmark on the 300-block of S. 14th Street has been fully restored and is back in service of the Harrisburg Fire Bureau.

The building remains privately owned, but four volunteers, constituting the revived Allison Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2, are now attached to it—though they actually respond to fires from the bureau’s modern, fully-equipped station on N. 16th Street.

“We want to help the community and put some firefighters back on the street,” said Allison Co. member Steve Austin.

Fire Bureau Chief Brian Enterline said that he was happy to see the volunteer company back and ready to return to the community.

“They have a strong link to Harrisburg fire history, and it made sense to bring them back on board,” he said.

Too Much History

In the early 1900s, Allison Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2 was founded.

At the time, it was common to have many stations, even in a small city like Harrisburg. Horses were used to pull fire engines, and communication was slow, so communities relied on firefighters located nearby.

Allison Hook & Ladder No. 2 was formed to fill this need for the Allison Hill community. Around 1908, the lot on S. 14th Street was purchased and, within a year, the two-story brick station was constructed.

The firehouse had a large number of volunteer firefighters and ran a two-piece hose and chemical wagon, as well as a ladder truck. Over the decades, the building was used for firefighter training and union meetings, in addition to serving as an active station.

But, starting in the 1950s, Harrisburg’s once-bustling stations began to fall into decline.

The city once had 14 firehouses, many volunteer-based. But, increasingly, Harrisburg’s volunteer ranks dissipated, and the force became almost fully professionalized.

Eventually, the city’s firehouses consolidated into just four and, today, there are only two working stations. Allison Hook and Ladder officially shut down in 1980. Since it was not of use to the Fire Bureau anymore, the building was sold back to the volunteer Allison Hook & Ladder Co. for $1.

Over the years, the firehouse served mostly as storage space and became dilapidated. The once-bustling firehouse was full of dirt, animal feces and trash. Windows were busted and boarded up and walls were crumbling. The historic structure was condemned.

Despite the building’s condition, Lloyd felt pulled to it.

“I said, ‘I don’t know what it will cost, I just want to save the building,’” he said. “It’s just too much history to let go.”

In Your Blood

It took 10 years of writing letters to the Allison Co. before Lloyd was offered the building.

Company President Barry Buskey explained how the volunteer group hadn’t been active for many years. Therefore, they had to reorganize simply to vote to sell the building. With no other ideas or plans for the station, they took a chance and sold it to Lloyd for $12,800 in 2010.

Thus began the second part of Lloyd’s long journey.

The 62,000-square-foot firehouse had a unique stamp tin ceiling, the original chief’s office, a spiral staircase, gear locker, four pole holes and a bedroom and meeting room.

The only problem was that you hardly could see any of it.

It took about three months of gutting the place and almost nine months of dry-walling just to get started on the renovation.

“It’s pretty much just been the firefighters working together to resurrect this place,” Lloyd said. “Once you come here and see this and get involved, it gets in your blood.”

Lloyd and other firefighters have put in years of labor, often after work or on the weekends, with most of the money coming straight from Lloyd’s overtime pay.

In the restoration, Lloyd wanted to keep the building as close to the original firehouse as possible. While much of the structure was gutted, the historic doors and wood trim remain. The upstairs bedroom was redone, but looks similar to the original. The meeting room was revamped to be a hangout space, including a bar with a back made from an old gear locker topped with antique fire helmets. Lloyd was also able to locate the fire truck that used to run out of the station and bought it, as well.

Over the years, he has collected historical items from defunct Harrisburg fire companies, as well as some from the city in general. One room, in particular, holds display cases of old postcards, photographs and other relics he found, mainly through searching online.

“It’s not a functional museum, but there’s a lot of historical stuff in here,” Lloyd said.

This past August, a number of Harrisburg’s historic preservation officials toured the resurrected Allison Hook and Ladder firehouse.

“There are people who go the extra mile because they are passionate,” said David Morrison, executive director of the Historic Harrisburg Association. “Jason has that passion. He has the vision. He has the drive when other people would’ve given up.”

A Lot of Need

With the countless hours that Lloyd and others have put into the firehouse, they hope others can benefit from it, as well. They’ve held block parties for the station’s neighbors, tours for various groups and benefits to raise money for people and organizations in need.

Enterline highlighted how the Allison Co. and the Fire Bureau at large have the same vision.

“Our goal has always been to have community-oriented fire stations,” he said.

Most recently, Allison Hook and Ladder established a community advisory board, which will consist of local leaders, business owners, clergy, educators and others. They will work together on community relations, historic preservation ideas, potential grant applications from public and private sources and fundraising activities.

A main focus is fire prevention education within Allison Hill.

“We want to try and help the community,” Lloyd said. “There’s a lot of need out here, and there’s a lot of good that can be done with the people we have. It’s all just to try and better the Allison Hill neighborhood.”

The Allison Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2 Firehouse is located at 315 S. 14th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.allisonhookandladder2.org.

Musical Notes: Big Nights

October 31, 2019 | by Kait Gibboney

Every month, the music scene gets bigger and better in Harrisburg, and this month we have some heavy hitters coming our way. In addition, we have some unique local events going on that are a bit different from our classic shows.

The annual “Hooray for Harrisburg” show is on Nov. 23, featuring the Greater Harrisburg Chorus. This performance will include two showings at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. hosted at the Rose Lehrman Arts Center. Local drag clown Mister Treats will perform a cabaret series in the style of musical theater from Nov. 20 to 29 at Open Stage, featuring dance numbers, live singing, lip-synching and a heck of a lot of wigs!

If you’re searching for those heavy hitters I mentioned, look no further, because we have three shows you’re going to be hearing about long after they’re gone.

JIMMY EAT WORLD, 11/12, 7PM, H*MAC CAPITOL ROOM, $30
In Harrisburg’s attempt to catch up with other places with proper, city-sized concerts, organizations like Harrisburg University and venues like Whitaker Center and the Forum have been scoring major artists lately. An old Harrisburg favorite venue, H*MAC new management, new energy and new acts coming through. Internationally known alt rockers Jimmy Eats World are set to play at H*MAC’s upstairs venue, the Capitol Room. Formed in 1993, lead guitarist and vocalist Jim Adkins got together with drummer Zach Lind, guitarist and vocalist Tom Linton and bassist Rick Burch. A few of their singles rocketed them into stardom in the early 2000s, such as the iconic, “The Middle,” and their highest-charting album from 2006, “Chase This Light,” peaked at number five on the Billboard 200. If you want to support music at H*MAC and catch a wave of nostalgia, this show’s for you.

GRACE POTTER, 11/15, 8PM, THE FORUM, $45
Harrisburg University’s not done serving up unforgettable shows for their concert series, and, this time, the legendary Grace Potter is coming to town. Originally part of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, formed back in 2002, she went solo a few years later with her album, “Original Soul.” The breakup of her band and divorce shortly afterwards led to a brief break before putting herself back on stage in 2004. After successfully getting back into the music game while navigating a new marriage and child, Potter formed the Grand Point North music festival in her hometown of Burlington, Vt., in 2011. The festival was created to feature local businesses and draw major musical acts to the area, like performers the Flaming Lips and the Avett Brothers. The Forum is an excellent venue to enjoy Potter’s abundance of talent and larger-than-life stage presence. Tickets are selling out fast, so be sure to snag them before you miss this opportunity.

BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY, 11/22, 9PM, XL LIVE, $30
This is our third heavy-hitter show this month, and, unsurprisingly, it’s at Harrisburg’s hottest venue—XL Live. Keeping with XL’s trend of hosting the hippest hip hop and raddest rappers, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony will make their way to the big stage. From the Ohio rap scene in the early ‘90s, the bone-themed group consists of rappers Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone and Flesh-n-Bone. The group hit gold right away with their smash hit single, “Thuggish Ruggish Bone,” off of their very first EP. They even won a Grammy back in 1997 for their song, “Tha Crossroads,” a tribute to Eazy-E, a well-known West Coast rapper who originally signed them to their first record deal. Actually, Bone Thugs is the only group to have worked with legendary, departed rappers 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Big Pun and Eazy-E. This is another show you can’t miss around town this month.

Mentionables
Hollan, Nov. 1, Spring Gate Vineyard;
Switch Fu, Nov. 2, River City Blues Club;
Schumann Quartet, Nov. 9, Market Square Presbyterian Church;
Rings of Saturn, Nov. 9, H*MAC Stage on Herr;
Filter, Nov. 16, H*MAC Capitol Room;
Lady Boy Sings the Blues, Nov. 19-27, Open Stage;
Rumpke Mountain Boys, Nov. 22, The Abbey Bar;
Rodrigo y Gabriele, Nov. 30, The Forum

Medical Institution: Dr. Brian Dechowitz retires, marking a new era for Pine Street Podiatry.

October 31, 2019 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Dr. Avia Reuveni and Dr. Dechowitz

He’s been called an “institution” in downtown Harrisburg—a podiatrist who served the community faithfully for more than three decades on Pine Street.

Now, Dr. Brian Dechowitz is calling it quits, giving up his practice and primarily moving out of state, while a fellow physician with Harrisburg roots takes his place at Pine Street Podiatry.

It isn’t retirement in the typical sense. Dechowitz, who has been a caregiver to his wife, Glenda, for many years, needs to up the time and effort he devotes to her.

“Nov. 15 will mark the absolute last day of my practice,” he said.

Dechowitz founded his practice with an assist from a previous generation of podiatrists. Through friends and colleagues, he met Jack Pincus, a semi-retired podiatrist. He allowed Pincus and Julius Ogden, another a semi-retired podiatrist, to work in his new office for free.

“Even though Jack had been working only two afternoons a week and Julius, only three mornings a week, they still had very good reputations in downtown Harrisburg. So, I had access to their long list of previous patients,” Dechowitz said. “We truly were family. Jack would always be known from that point forward as my second father, my mentor and my friend.”

In fact, it was Pincus who advised Dechowitz to open an office downtown.

“Jack and Julius may have been the only podiatrists still practicing in the area at the time,” he said.

On the very first day in practice—July 1, 1986—Dechowitz treated 11 patients. On Aug. 23, 2019, he treated a new patient, number 11,897.

Another milestone was receiving an award from the Historic Harrisburg Association for his building “coming back from the dead”—his office having been essentially uninhabited from 1964 to 1986.

Bill Nichols, the owner of the Colonnade Restaurant across the street, had bought the buildings at 125 and 127 Pine St. and renovated them using historic tax credits.

“I saw the ‘for rent’ sign in the window, rented the buildings for six years and then bought them in 1992,” Dechowitz said.

While he stayed happily downtown, other podiatrists who had practiced in the area relocated to the suburbs, mostly for the parking.

“But this location was good to us,” with its wealth of government workers and senior citizen buildings, Dechowitz pointed out.

Besides, he purchased a lot next to the other two and converted it into space for parking.

His medical philosophy has been simple: “I try to treat patients the way I want to be treated. Most of my patients come via word of mouth.”

Another principle Dechowitz holds by is that one ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

“I am also proud to say that my record for preventing lower-extremity amputations, for (reducing) the number of visits that my patients make to the emergency room, for the number of days that my patients stay in the hospital for foot-related problems, and for the ordering of very expensive tests, such as MRIs, CAT scans, etc., is second to none,” he said.

Medicine isn’t the podiatrist’s only strength. Dechowitz took after his father, Fred, long the athletic director at the old Jewish Community Center on N. 3rd Street. The son excelled in sports, especially in tennis and golf, and has been inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame of central Pennsylvania.

Much as his medical practice has benefitted thousands and rewarded him professionally, his wife’s needs are most critical now.

“I am at a crossroads in my life,” Dechowitz said.

Aside from wanting to spend more time with his wife, Dechowitz said he’s “ready to start a new adventure.”

For now, though, patients are still coming. With just a little time left, he hoped to reach 12,000 before his mid-month retirement after 33 years.

Dr. Avia Reuveni, Dr. Dechowitz’s successor, will begin practicing at Pine Street Podiatry on Nov. 18. There will be an open house block party on Pine Street on Sunday, Nov. 10, from noon to 6 p.m., to say farewell to Dr. Dechowitz and welcome Dr. Reuveni.

Character Counts: You never know what you’ll find at this quirky Lancaster co-op.

October 31, 2019 | by Cathy Jordan

A brick archway leads to three rear 1900s-era warehouses full of memories and treasures.

The name on a green sign outside fits perfectly: Building Character. Its interior is a cool, open refuge, oozing character and interest. Visualize cement floors, exposed beam ceilings, steel piping and brick walls. Breathe in cinnamon and spice and a scent I fondly refer to as “grandma’s attic.”

Building Character opened on Oct. 5, 2007.

Once garages designed by Cassius Emlen Urban—a prolific architect who designed many beautiful old buildings in downtown Lancaster—the building remains in most of its original state.

Though it’s believed Urban produced over 273 drafts and 25 architectural styles, he devised a simple, red-brick row of one-story garages in the 300-block of N. Queen Street. Some residents might remember it as a historic warehouse, the former Lancaster Storage Co.

The current business owner, Marty Hulse, explained that when Lancaster Storage left, the then-owner wanted to raze it and put in parking. Fortunately for all you antique lovers, art admirers and Etsy shoppers, Lancaster City Historical Commission stepped in and voted to keep the structure. Eklund Development took over, transforming the building into its current retail space while keeping much of the original integrity.

Hulse intended Building Character as an architectural salvage shop. He rescued moldings and windows and cabinets from old homes and buildings then refurbished them for sale.

“A lot of things were coming down in Lancaster,” said Hulse. “To me, it was a social mission to keep those things out of landfills.”

Got Bored

Hulse is a collector of things he remembers and loves and is a self-dubbed “word nerd.” As a kid, he started a neighborhood newspaper named the Lafayette Gazette, “because I lived on Lafayette Street.” Headlines were set on his Fisher-Price Press, which he still owns.

“I collected magazine ads from Swatch,” he said. “I have a Swatch watch collection and still wear one every day.”

After graduating from Temple University, Hulse got a job reporting for the Delaware State News. Returning to PA, he became features copy editor for the York Daily Record. He eventually moved up to features senior editor for Lancaster Newspapers. In 2009, he shifted full-time to Building Character.

An artist browsed the salvage store one day and approached Hulse, asking if he’d be willing to rent out space.

“The architectural pieces weren’t selling, and demand grew for consignment,” he said.

Currently, 70-plus vendors rent three warehouses throughout 10,000 square feet.

“It’s a co-op, but it’s not all antiques,” Hulse said. “That comes from my lack of attention browsing other antique shops—I got bored.”

Building Character is a contemporary marketplace that sells recycled, re-purposed and handmade items. Inventory changes often. Have your coffee in one hand and keep your other hand free. Pick through vintage dishes (I bought dessert plates, then proudly displayed them heaped with iced birthday cake on my Facebook page), search through name-brand clothing, admire local art, upcycled jewelry, handmade gifts and cards, repurposed building pieces and memorabilia.

“I see this place as a creative outlet for office workers, teachers and those with an entrepreneurial spirit,” Hulse said.

Local Hammond’s pretzels are sold in front of Building Character’s checkout counter, along with Emma’s Amish Popcorn and locally made pet treats.

“We are more community-oriented, and that’s what sets us apart from other antique co-ops,” he said.

Hulse donates space to a working 1920s print shop, the Heritage Press Museum. The press gives live demonstrations and allows patrons to experience a printer’s job. I took home a couple of printed riddles for my kids to solve. Kept them busy while I wrote this article.

He also donates a stall to JP McCaskey’s art club, his high school alma mater.

“They sell their products, and the money goes back into art supplies,” he said.

Lot of Laughs

Original shopping bags from Hager’s millinery department are mounted on the staircase wall leading to a second-floor corner office. A picture of the façade of M. T. Garvin and Co. also graces the wall, as do photos of past retail industry giants.

“Lancaster has a strong retail past,” Hulse said. “And that continues to this day.”

A second-floor clothing stall leads right into the Lucky Marketing Co. workshop, Hulse’s production arm. There, he creates greeting cards, calendars, reproductive postcards, stickers, T-shirts, buttons, high school pendants, and old maps. On the day of my visit, an aproned elf busied herself pouring Christmas scents into candle molds.

While another elf diligently adhered prints onto tiles, Hulse pointed out the garment printer, mug printer, screen printer and foil pencil press.

Hulse handed me a “Golden Girls” printed bookmark. I couldn’t help but smile and gasp, much like “Golden Girl” Rose. General manager and friend, Joel Henry, had created a birthday gift of custom tiles pasted with “The Golden Girls” faces. That’s right—Blanche, Sophia, Dorothy and Rose.

“I love ‘The Golden Girls,’” said Hulse.

After Henry sold quite a few more sets on Etsy, Hulse decided to create a “Golden Girls” product line. The line is sold a few doors down Queen Street at his second shop, Madcap and Co.

“It’s a funky gift shop—a contemporary, upscale Spencer’s selling local, American-made, and fair trade products,” he said. “I love Lancaster. I grew up here, so we have a whole line of Lancaster products.”

The Lucky Marketing Co. also prints tiles and coasters with Lancaster landmarks, area codes and neighborhoods.

Hulse said that he tries to stay away from anything imported.

“My businesses are the epitome of shop local,” he said.

He also designs a line of crass greeting cards appropriately named, “Totally Inappropriate Cards.” His logo—“When you care enough to send the very worst.” I giggled my way through the line and bought quite a few.

“We like to have fun and get a lot of laughs,” Hulse said.

What started with a simple vision has grown to 70 vendors, three businesses and nine employees.

“Our employees are willing to be adaptable, try new things, and give customers what they want,” Hulse said.

Building Character is located at 342 N. Queen St., Lancaster. For more information, call 717-394-7201 or visit www.buildingcharacter.biz.

Community Corner: Notable November Events

October 31, 2019 | by Missy Smith

November Community Corner

Autos & Ales
Nov. 1: Join the AACA Museum, 161 Museum Dr., Hershey, for the 10th Anniversary of Autos & Ales, with regional breweries, dozens of craft brew beers for sampling, live music, a wing competition, and this year’s featured brewer, Mad Chef, 6 to 10 p.m. Expanded food offerings included with admission. www.aacamuseum.org

Organ Concert
Nov. 1: Market Square Church, 20 S. 2nd St., Harrisburg, presents “Organ Spooktacular,” with three of the area’s finest organists performing eerie music, beginning at 7:30 p.m. www.marketsquarechurch.org

Community Arts
Nov. 2: Christ Church, United Church of Christ, 200 S. White Oak St., Annville, hosts Community Arts Day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free event is a celebration of the arts in the community with live performances, art exhibits, free kids’ art activities and free refreshments. www.ccucc.org

HBG Flea
Nov. 2: Shop the HBG Flea for local art, vintage treasures and curated curios, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Strawberry Square, Harrisburg. www.hbgflea.com

Election Lunch
Nov. 5: New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland, will offer an Election Day lunch in Foundation Hall, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stop in before or after you vote for homemade baked goods and lunch. www.newcumberlandlibrary.org

Fashion Event
Nov. 5: The 22nd annual Chic PHantastique fashion event will be held at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel, 4650 Lindle Rd., Harrisburg, at 10:30 a.m., with proceeds benefitting the UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg Women and Babies Center. Guests can enjoy a boutique, basket raffles, silent auction and lunch with a runway fashion show with designer Arti Shah. www.pinnaclehealth.org

Mid-Day Getaway
Nov. 6, 13, 20, 27: Unwind over lunch break at the McCormick Riverfront Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg. Bring your lunch to the library, 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., for coloring, card games, board games or low-stress activities. www.dcls.org

Curiosity Kids
Nov. 7: Young visitors, ages 3 to 6, and families can enjoy “Curiosity Kids—Build It!” at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North St., Harrisburg, 11:30 a.m. Explore building using everyday items and see if you can solve the building challenges. www.statemuseumpa.org

Dinner for a Cause
Nov. 7: Vision Resources of Central PA will host the 8th annual “Evening in the Shadows” at The 903, 903 Spring Garden Dr., Middletown, for a multi-course dinner and blindness awareness event, beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $80. www.vrocp.org

Campout Fundraiser
Nov. 8-9: Central Penn College’s Armed Forces Association club will host an all-night campout to highlight the issue of homelessness among military veterans from Friday, Nov. 8 at 4 p.m. to Saturday, Nov. 9 at 9 a.m. The organization will sell T-shirts and will collect donations. All proceeds benefit JFT Recovery & Veterans Support Services in Lemoyne. www.centralpenn.edu

Craft Show
Nov. 8-9: Winters Heritage House Museum, 47 E. High St., Elizabethtown, hosts the 29th annual Elizabethtown Heritage Craft Show, Nov. 8, 4 to 8 p.m., and Nov. 9, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch and baked goods will be available. A $2 admission fee or food bank donation is requested. Admission is free after noon on Nov. 9. Museum members and students are free. www.elizabethtownhistory.org

Foreign Film
Nov. 8, 22: Join Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, for “The Pool,” a film from India, on Nov. 8, and “The Last Resort,” from the United States, on Nov. 22. Showings are at 2 and 7 p.m. www.fredricksenlibrary.org

Volunteer Work Day
Nov. 9: Head to Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, to help with continuing park and habitat enhancement projects, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Snacks, tools and work gloves will be provided. Bring a water bottle. Refreshments will be available. www.wildwoodlake.org

Gluten Free Expo
Nov. 9: The 7th annual Central PA Gluten Free Expo will be held at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg, 1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with more than 50 local and national vendor booths, educational presentations and demonstrations, door prizes, gluten-free samples and keynote speaker Jules Shepard. www.glutenfreeexpopa.com

Night Walk
Nov. 9: Soak up the spirit of the night with a guided walk at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 6 to 8 p.m. Begin at the Olewine Pavilion by the nature center with a short program to discover night-time experiments and games. All ages are welcome to attend this flat, easy, one-mile walk. Cost is $5 per child; chaperones are free. www.wildwoodlake.org

Guitars & Gratitude
Nov. 10: Help Homeland Hospice mark its 10th anniversary with “Guitars, Gifts and Gratitude” featuring musical artist Ben Gallaher at Scottish Rite Theatre, 2701 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Performances start at 2 p.m. www.homelandathome.org.

20 in Their 20s
Nov. 14: Join Harrisburg Young Professionals in honoring “20 in Their 20s,” a group of young people who are already doing amazing things. The event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. at Scottish Rite Cathedral, 2701 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Tickets cover cocktail hour, a buffet meal and the awards ceremony. www.hyp.org

Land Preservation
Nov. 14: Join Manada Conservancy at East Hanover Township Building, 8848 Jonestown Rd., Grantville, at 7 p.m. to celebrate a successful land preservation year. The program is free and open to the public. www.manada.org

3rd in The Burg
Nov. 15: Enjoy the best of Harrisburg during 3rd in the Burg, the monthly arts and culture event at galleries, restaurants and art spaces throughout downtown and Midtown, 6 to 9 p.m. www.thirdintheburg.org

Wildlife Ornaments
Nov. 16: Penn State Master Gardeners in Cumberland County hosts a Wildlife Tree Ornaments Workshop for youth ages 4 to 12, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Cumberland County Extension Office, 310 Allen Rd., Carlisle. Make and take home feeders and natural ornaments to decorate outdoor trees and feed wildlife. Cost is $10 per child, which covers the cost of all supplies. www.extension.psu.edu

New Member Social
Nov. 19: Join Harrisburg Young Professionals for its new member social at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St., Harrisburg, 6 to 8 p.m. This event is for new and prospective members who would like to learn more about HYP. Please RSVP to attend. A cash bar and full menu will be available. www.hyp.org

Luncheon
Nov. 20: West Shore Chamber of Commerce, 4211 Trindle Rd., Camp Hill, will host a member benefits luncheon, 12 to 1:30 p.m. Chamber members and non-members are invited for a complimentary lunch to learn more about the chamber and to network. Reservations are required. www.wschamber.org

Climate Call
Nov. 20: PennFuture hosts “A Call for Climate Action,” 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Dixon University Center, 2986 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. Learn about environmental organizations and how to make a difference in your community. www.pennfuture.org

Networking Breakfast
Nov. 21: Messiah College networking breakfast with Rob Parker is slated for 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The event takes place in Martin Commons, One College Ave., Mechanicsburg. Contact 717-796-5252 or https://events.attend.com/f/1383790352#/reg/0/.

Books on Tap
Nov. 21: Dauphin County Library System hosts Books on Tap at the Sturges Speakeasy, 400 Forster St., Harrisburg, 5 to 6 p.m. The book club meets to dive into new genres and forms while getting to know other readers in a social setting, This month’s book is Beatriz Williams’ “The Golden Hour.” www.dcls.org

Business After Hours
Nov. 21: Mingle with business professionals from 5 to 7 p.m. at AACA Museum, 161 Museum Dr., Hershey, for the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC’s free networking event, hosted by Classic Drycleaners and Laundromats. www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org

Middle East Strategy
Nov. 21: The Foreign Policy Association of Harrisburg hosts Michael S. Bell, a retired Army colonel now with the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., in a talk on U.S. strategy for the Middle East at the West Shore Country Club in Camp Hill, 7:30 p.m. The free talk is open to the public. A dinner precedes the talk. www.fpaharrisburg.org

Holiday Marketplace
Nov. 21-22: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission hosts the Holiday Marketplace in Village Square of the State Museum, 300 North St., Harrisburg, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Nov. 22, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Shop for unique gifts from a variety of PHMC’s historic sites and museums from throughout PA. www.statemuseumpa.org

Holiday Parade
Nov. 23: Head downtown for Harrisburg’s annual holiday parade with marching bands, giant parade balloons, floats, dance and step team performances and more, at 12 p.m. There will be food trucks and carnival games, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. An awards ceremony, visits with Santa and complimentary cookies and hot chocolate will be held at Strawberry Square, 3 p.m. www.harrisburgpa.gov

Holiday Bazaar
Nov. 24: Kick-start your seasonal shopping at The Circle School, 727 Wilhelm Rd., Harrisburg, for their annual Holiday Bazaar, 1 to 5 p.m. Members of the school community offer handcrafted and gift-quality items for sale, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the school. Soup, bread and hot beverages will be provided. www.circleschool.org

Polar Bear Express
Nov. 29-Dec. 14: Ride trolleys and enjoy decorations and lights along the track at Rockhill Trolley Museum, 430 Meadow St., Rockhill Furnace, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Get warm by a campfire and sing carols. Hot chocolate and cookies are included in the fare. Cost is $6 for kids and $8 for adults. www.rockhilltrolley.org

Odd Ones Bizarre
Nov. 30: The Millworks, 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg, hosts The Odd Ones Holiday Bizarre, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Shop for unique, handcrafted items for the holiday season at this annual alternative arts and crafts event. www.millworksharrisburg.com

Festival of Trees
Nov. 30-Dec. 22: View Christmas trees decorated with handmade ornaments and trimmed by local garden clubs at the Fort Hunter Tavern House, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg, Saturdays and Sundays, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Trees are available for raffle, and a selection of ornaments are for sale. www.forthunter.org

Toy Train Exhibit
Nov. 30-Dec. 22: Keystone Model Railroad Historical Society returns to Fort Hunter Centennial Barn, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg, with a display of HO gauge trains that travel over a large layout representing communities in central PA, Saturdays and Sundays, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. www.forthunter.org

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