The Write Place: Veterans helping veterans in Lancaster County.

October 31, 2019 | by Don Helin

The numbers vary, but the problem is huge.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, about 12 percent of Gulf War veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome in a given year. That number rises to 15 percent for Vietnam War vets—with about 30 percent having PTSD at some point in their lifetime, says the VA.

Annie Ginder sees the written word as a powerful tool in battling the condition. She’s co-founder of Writeface, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping veterans who are experiencing readjustment issues.

“We believe we can provide safe space for veterans within the comradery of other veterans as they explore their own inner landscape by facilitating journaling and expressive writing workshops.”

During a recent five-week period of workshops, Writeface had the participants—all veterans—address the subject of “creating space.” The session began with a short meditation. Then vets each wrote on what space meant to each of them—too tight, too many people and so forth—with a discussion to follow to bring out their feelings.

In addition to writing workshops, Writeface provides assistance as requested to veterans who are enrolled in the Veterans Treatment Court System as well as those who are in hospice. I attended a session of the Veterans Court with Ginder and her co-founder, Scott Hower.

“Lancaster County’s Veterans Treatment Court provides treatment while the veteran is dealing with legal problems,” Hower explained. “Writeface can provide tools to help them.”

When an individual is arrested, if he or she can show veteran status with an honorable discharge, the district attorney may recommend them to the Veterans Treatment Court. To enter the program, the veteran must plead guilty to all charges, but if he or she successfully completes the program, the charges are normally reduced or eliminated.

“Veterans enter a four-phase program,” says mentor administrator Stephen Shaw. “Each phase is 90 days. For the first two 90-day phases, the veteran must report to the judge once each week, the third 90-day phase, twice each month, then the fourth phase once each month.”

The program is based on direct court supervision in the early phases, then individual accountability later in the program. Veterans are assigned a mentor to help them through the court program and treatment. Mentors can help the veteran with housing, benefits, social and recreational needs.

“During each of the four phases, the veteran must undergo drug testing on a regular basis,” Shaw said. “Should they flunk the test, the veteran returns to the beginning of that phase.”

At the end of the four phases, the veteran must develop an 80-hour community service plan. The mentor can assist the veteran in developing and completing the program.

“There is an alumni group of veterans,” Shaw said. “The veteran meets with the group once each week and the results are confidential. This group is helpful as these veterans have successfully completed the program—a peer program, one veteran helping another.”

The court may require anger management classes or other emotion-based programs for a participant. Many of the veterans have emotional problems that Writeface can help by conducting writing workshops.

“We believe our program is a hand up, not a handout,” Hower said. “Addiction covers up potential, and once that is removed, we see the veterans getting their lives in order—going to school, working at jobs and becoming a useful member of the community.”

Writeface partners with the Caring Hospice of Lancaster by helping the veteran create a legacy poem to give to loved ones. Ginder told me she believes it’s an honor to be at the bedside at this stage of a life and able to hear their words and see their smiles.

“As a community, it is important to bear witness to these stories and to heal the individuals and families who live with the aftereffects of war on a daily basis,” Ginder said.

Writeface, in conjunction with South Central PARTners, will present “Veterans, Values and Voices: Words in Search of Our Missing Peace II,” on Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Ware Center, 42 N. Prince St., Lancaster, 2 to 4 p.m. Poets, storytellers, musicians and artists will gather to honor the memory and experience of veterans in a unique live performance. For more information, visit www.writeface.org.

Environmental “Aha”: Event will offer ways to take action on the climate crisis.

October 31, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

You may know Char Magaro as the owner of Char’s Tracy Mansion on Front Street.

If you’ve dined at the restaurant, Magaro may have greeted you herself. She typically floats from table to table, making sure each guest is satisfied. But you may not have known what is frequently on her mind in those moments.

“I am only two sentences away between, ‘how is everything,’ or ‘are you enjoying everything’ and climate change,” Magaro said. “I can do it very gracefully.”

However, this wasn’t always the case.

Magaro had what she calls, her “aha moment” in the late 1980s as she read an article about the rainforest in a kid’s magazine that her daughter was reading. It was just a short excerpt discussing the rainforest as the “lungs of the world,” but it hooked her.

“From there, I wanted to know who in Pennsylvania was saving rainforests,” Magaro said.

She called around and began to realize that there weren’t any organizations in the state doing this. That’s when she started the Pennsylvania Rainforest Action Committee (PRAC) and, soon after, the Central PA Earth Day Coalition, both of which lasted a few years. She did this while also owning a catering business.

In the early 2000s, while running a small restaurant in the Shipoke neighborhood of Harrisburg, Magaro was approached by PennFuture, a statewide environmental organization. She was asked to serve on the board.

“I liked PennFuture because they understand that there has to be an economic success to any environmental victory,” she said.

Magaro accepted the offer and sat on the board for about 15 years before becoming the chair four years ago.

Citizen Action

PennFuture works in the community and the courtroom providing legal, legislative and outreach work, all with the mission of protecting the environment. The organization seeks to transition Pennsylvania to a clean-energy economy and educate the community on sustainable practices.

One of the ways they’re doing this is through a community event this month called “A Call for Climate Action.” The event will be put on through a partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore’s nonprofit, The Climate Reality Project, at the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg. The goal isn’t so much to raise awareness about climate change as it is to give people suggestions on how to take action for themselves.

“There so many people that really are concerned about the climate crisis, but they don’t know what to do,” Magaro said. “That’s the whole reason for this event. It’s a call for citizen action.”

The Call for Climate Action will feature a number of organizations to plug into, including PennFuture, FracTracker Alliance, Conservation Voters of PA, Interfaith Power and Light and Penn State College of Medicine. There will also be a presentation on the history of the climate crisis and the science behind it, along with solutions.

“Everybody is aware of the issue, very few people understand the magnitude of the issue,” said Rob Altenburg, director of PennFuture Energy Center.

Altenburg sees the value in community involvement with energy efficiency and is working to make involvement more accessible in cities like Harrisburg. There is state legislation in process that, if passed, will allow solar development companies to lease or buy plots of land that people can then subscribe to. He explained that those who care about clean energy—but don’t have the ability to install solar panels on their own property—could purchase energy from a central solar location.

For Altenburg, change on the individual and communal levels is crucial in the climate change fight.

Magaro emphasized the same sentiment.

“There are a lot of people that know it’s a big issue, and they think they can’t do anything about it, that it’s too big,” she said. “That’s why you have to bring it down to a local level. Face it—most of the problems in the world are because we lack community. We have more leverage on a local level.”

Magaro had her “aha moment,” and it changed how she operated, even causing her to make sustainable decisions at her Char’s Tracy Mansion. It’s even a main reason why she’s selling the restaurant, so she can be more involved with bringing clean energy to Pennsylvania. Through this event, she hopes that others will have their “aha moment.”

“If you care, you can become part of this solution,” she said.

The Call for Climate Action takes place Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Dixon University Center, 2986 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit PennFuture’s Facebook “events” page. To learn more about PennFuture’s work, visit www.pennfuture.org.

Stories on environmental topics are proudly sponsored by LCSWMA.

Happenings: Our November Calendar of Events

October 31, 2019 | by Missy Smith

Museums & Art Spaces

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

“Cars & Christmas,” the museum’s annual holiday celebration with themed decorated Christmas trees, awesome automobiles, model train displays, and more, mid-November-Jan. 6

“Age of Aquarius,” featuring unique vehicles that were manufactured and marketed in America from about 1967 through the early mid-1970s, Nov. 23-April 26

Art Association of Harrisburg
21 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-1432; artassocofhbg.com

“Hope, Memory & Pride: Artists View Equality,” a compilation of various artists celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, through Nov. 21

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

“People and Places,” new works featuring candid observations of everyday scenes in plein air-inspired style by Kim Stone and Pat Walach Keough, through Nov. 2

“Art for the Holidays,” Nov. 15-Dec. 31; early bird opening: Nov. 15, 10 a.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Artist of the Month: Cornerstone staff

Dickinson College
The Goodyear Gallery
595 W. Louther St., Carlisle
717-254-8044; dickinson.edu

“Will Preman—Sylvia Smith Artist-In-Residence Exhibition,” works focused on details that make objects or events special, strange or humorous, Nov. 5-23; reception: Nov. 6, 5:30-7 p.m.

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

“Abstract Impressions: Postwar Japanese Prints from the DePauw University Permanent Art Collection,” Nov. 1-Feb. 15; reception: Nov. 1, 5-7 p.m.

“Manifestation and Adaptation: Variations in Buddhist Sculpture Across Asia,” an exhibition curated by Dickinson student Bizz Fretty working with faculty members in East Asian studies and religion, through Feb. 1

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

“Leisure Time Exhibit,” highlighting what the Reily family did in their spare time as previous owners and residents of Fort Hunter, through December

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

“The Art of PA Game News,” by Dana Bellis, through Nov. 16

“The Annual Holiday Show,” with unique, locally made items for the holidays, Nov. 20-Dec. 21

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyareaartassociation.com

Annville-Cleona Community Art Show, Nov. 2, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Messiah College School of Arts
One College Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

“Otta Dix: Matthäus Evangelium,” through Nov. 26

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

Works by Andrew Guth, Elaine Brady Smith, Christine Goldbeck, Yachiyo Beck and Judy Kelly, through Nov. 10

Cash and carry group holiday show, Nov. 12-Dec. 8

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

“Boots and Saddles: Horses in the Civil War,” through June 7

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

“The Best of Jim Bashline Outside and In,” through January

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

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history

The Penny Gallery at The Pond
32 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-245-0382; thepomfretgroup.com

“Fran Piper, Original Illustrations,” Nov. 15-30; reception: Nov. 15, 5-7 p.m. and Nov. 16, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

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

“Annual Juried Exhibition,” showcasing top artistic talent in the region selected by juror Oren Helbok of the Exchange Gallery, Nov. 15-Jan. 17; reception: Nov. 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

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

“Artisan Marketplace,” holiday shopping exhibition, filled with unique, locally made fine art and handcrafted items for gift giving, through Jan. 11

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

Relief prints by Brenton Good, through Nov. 7

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cathedral and School
221 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-4059

“Icons in Transformation,” Ludmila Pawlowska’s artistic interpretation of her experience of prayer and connection with eternity, through paintings and sculptures, through Nov. 3

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

“Picturing a More Perfect Union—Violet Oakley’s Mural Studies for the Pennsylvania Senate Chamber, 1911-1919,” Nov. 22-April 26; Nov. 22, 3-7 p.m.

“Pennsylvania at War: World War I Posters from the Pennsylvania State Archives,” through Dec. 29

“Pennsylvania at War: The Saga of the USS Pennsylvania,” through Dec. 29

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

“Dreams—Selections from Eastern Nights,” by photographer Peter Ydeen, Nov. 15-Dec. 20

“Hidden City,” the plein-air landscape paintings of Valeri Larko, through Nov. 17

“War is Only Half the Story,” moving stories of the people left behind after the cameras have moved on from a war zone, through Jan.19

“Other Worlds—Inka Essenhigh,” richly colored distorted fables with archetypes, sprites and anthropomorphized nature; through Jan. 19

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

“Insider/Outsider,” spanning the ongoing development of social realism, Nov. 1-Dec. 15; reception: Nov. 1, 5-7 p.m.

Yellow Bird Café
1320 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg
717-635-8991; yellowbird-cafe.com

Works by Amanda Rife

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

Art gallery by Rapture Tattoo Emporium, through Nov. 14

Art gallery by Al McLaughlin, Nov. 15-Dec. 19

Read, Make, Learn

BrainVessel Gallery
4707 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg
717-350-2306; bvcargo.com

Nov. 9: An Introduction to Handwriting and Statement Analysis, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nov. 9: Inks & Drinks, 1-3 p.m.
Nov. 20: Christmas Ball Mania Glassblowing, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Nov. 23: Swirly Girl Bracelet, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Nov. 23: Autumn Art Journal, 1-4 p.m.
Nov. 23: Fire It Up—Raku, 4-7 p.m.

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

Nov. 5-Dec. 3: Improv Basics, Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Nov. 5-Dec. 10: Knifty Knitters—Fall Edition (ages 8-14), Tuesdays, 4-5:30 p.m.
Nov. 6: Intro to Metal Jewelry—Learn to Love Your Jeweler’s Saw (teen-adult), 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 6: SEE Art Salon Lecture, 7 p.m.
Nov. 6-20: Knitting II—Working in the Round + Cables (ages 16+), 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 6-Dec. 18: Fundamentals of Photography, Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nov. 7-Dec. 12: Intro to Painting & Drawing (ages 8-12), Thursdays, 4-5:30 p.m.
Nov. 9, 23: All Things Autumn Workshop (ages 6-12), 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nov. 15: Craft Beer & Clay, 7 p.m.

Central Penn College
600 Valley Rd., Summerdale
717-732-0702; centralpenn.edu

Nov. 5: Vaccinations—Facts, Myths & Misinformation, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Nov. 9: Fall Open House, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nov. 9: Family Flicks—“The Secret Life of Pets 2,” 2 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Nov. 6: Wild Game, 6-9 p.m.
Nov. 14: Thanksgiving Essentials, 6-9 p.m.
Nov. 20: Hearty Hors d’oeuvres, 6-9 p.m.

Dickinson College
The Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues
360 W. Louther St., Carlisle
717-245-1875; clarke.dickinson.edu

Nov. 11: Talk with Marathon runner Gene Dykes, 7 p.m.
Nov. 12: Talk with Krishnendu Ray, 7 p.m.
Nov. 20: Deepfake panel discussion, 7 p.m.

East Shore Area Library
4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg
717-652-9380; dcls.org

Nov. 5, 19: Job Seeker Resources, 1-2:30 p.m.
Nov. 7: Lorraine Hansberry—Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart Documentary, 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 10: Children’s Book Week—Meet Jonathan Bean, 2-3 p.m.
Nov. 13: Mary Sachs Series—Pennsylvania’s Justice Bell and Women’s Fight for the Right to Vote, 6:30-8 p.m.
Nov. 21: Device Club, 1-2:30 p.m.
Nov. 21: Literary Art for the Holidays, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Nov. 26: Friends of East Shore Area Library Meeting, 9:30-11:15 a.m.
Nov. 30: Gingerbread Friends, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

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

Nov. 2, 16: Cards & Coffee, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26: Cards & Coffee, 9:15-10:30 a.m., 6:30-8 p.m.
Nov. 6: Anime Club, 6 p.m.
Nov. 9: Lace Cottage Workshop, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Nov. 16: Book Discussion Group, 9:15 a.m.
Nov. 16: Community Knitters, 11 a.m.

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

Nov. 1-14: Friends of Fredricksen Online Auction
Nov. 1: Youth Chess Night, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 5: Teen Homeschool Hangout, 10 a.m.
Nov. 5: Curl up with the Classics—“A Tale of Two Cities,” 10 a.m.
Nov. 6: Moving Forward Book Group w/Hospice of Central PA, 1 p.m.
Nov. 7, 21: Blood Pressure Screening w/UPMC Pinnacle, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Nov. 7, 21: The Plot Twisters (ages 15-18), 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 8: Foreign Film Friday—The Pool, 2 and 7 p.m.
Nov. 8: Blood Drive w/Central PA Blood Bank, 4-7:30 p.m.
Nov. 9: BYOB After Hours Trivia—The Golden Girls, 7 p.m.
Nov. 11: Twisted Stitchers Knitting Group, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 15: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 19: Introduction to Reiki, 7 p.m.
Nov. 21: READ to Dogs, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 22: Indie Film Friday—The Last Resort, 2 and 7 p.m.
Nov. 25: Fredricksen Reads—“The Great Alone,” 7 p.m.
Nov. 26: Album Cover Bingo (ages 12-18), 6 p.m.

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

Nov. 2: Introduction to Art Therapy, 12:30-4:30 p.m.
Nov. 9, 10: Paint a Gift of Yesteryear, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Nov. 16: Elke’s Angels—Lessons in Felting, 1-4 p.m.

Harrisburg Bible Chapel
5503 Union Deposit Rd., Harrisburg
facebook.com/groups/151348000335

Nov. 3-Dec. 15: English as a Second Language Classes, Sundays, 1:30 p.m.

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

Nov. 1: 1 & 2 Play Day for Families, 10 a.m.
Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Dungeons and Dragons, 3 p.m.
Nov. 2: Chess Tournament, 9 a.m.
Nov. 3: Ceramic Ornament Painting Class, 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28 : Penn State Hershey—Mothers & Babies Together, 10 a.m.
Nov. 6: LEGO Club, 4 p.m.
Nov. 6: LEGO League, 6 p.m.
Nov. 6, 12, 13, 19, 20: 1, 2, Whee!, 10 a.m.
Nov. 6, 13, 20: Sensory 1, 2, Whee!, 11 a.m.
Nov. 6, 13, 20: ESL Class, 7 p.m.
Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28: Teen Lounge, 3 p.m.
Nov. 7, 21: Card Making Class, 6 p.m.
Nov. 9, 16, 23, 30: Chess Club, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 10: Friends’ Children’s Program—Animal Signs, 2 p.m.
Nov. 11, 18: Storytime for 4s & 5s, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 11, 18, 25: Storytime for 3s & 4s, 10 a.m.
Nov. 12: Staying Safe on our Roads Today, 5 p.m.
Nov. 12: Hosted Writer’s Group, 6 p.m.
Nov. 12, 19, 26: Girls Who Code, 6 p.m.
Nov. 13, 20: Tween Lounge, 3 p.m.
Nov. 14: Morning Contemporary Book Group, 9:30 a.m.
Nov. 14: Hershey Area Neighbors and Newcomers, 9:45 a.m.
Nov. 14: Evening Contemporary Book Group, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 15, 29: Play Day for Families, 10 a.m.
Nov. 16: Cocoa Fiber Enthusiasts, 10 a.m.
Nov. 17: Friend’s Program—Native American Folk Music w/Spirit Wing, 2 p.m.
Nov. 21: Quilter’s Guild, 12:30 p.m.
Nov. 21: Lifelong Readers Book Group, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 23, 30: Fused Glass Class, 1 p.m.
Nov. 25: Central PA Blood Drive, 3 p.m.

The Hershey Story Museum
63 W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-534-8939; hersheystory.org

Nov. 1-30: Chocolate Lab Classes, 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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

Nov. 4, 18: Monday Morning Board Games, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nov. 5: Tabletop Games, 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 5, 12, 19: Tea & Stitches, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nov. 6: Growing your Small Business, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Nov. 7: Learn to Knit/Crochet, 7-8 p.m.
Nov. 7, 14, & 21: Mah Jongg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Nov. 11: iPad/iPhone Beginners, 1-3 p.m.
Nov. 11, 25: English Conversation Group, 6:30-8 p.m.
Nov. 13: Mad About Mysteries, 7-8 p.m.
Nov. 16: BYOB Trivia: Are you Smarter than a Grade Schooler? 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 18: Monday Night Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
Nov. 20: Sci Fi Book Club, 7-9 p.m.
Nov. 20: Apple Users Group, 1-3 p.m.
Nov. 20: Yoga for Beginners, 7-8 p.m.
Nov. 21: Thursday Morning Book Club, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Nov. 26: Tea & Stitches, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Kline Library
530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg
717-234-3934; dcls.org

Nov. 9: Children’s Book Week—Meet Jonathan Bean, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Nov. 14: Literary Art for the Holidays, 1-2 p.m.
Nov. 20: Knit 1, Crochet Too!, 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 21: Friends of Kline Library Meeting, 6:30-8 p.m.

The LGBT Center of Central PA
1306 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-920-9534; centralpalgbtcenter.org

Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Passageways—Trans and Non-Binary Group, 2-4 p.m.
Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24: Common Roads Young Adult, 4-6 p.m.
Nov. 6, 13, 20, 27: Common Roads Youth, 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 9: Queer & Trans People of Color Advisory, 6-8 p.m.

Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library
2410 North 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-232-7286; dcls.org

Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25: Video Game Club, 4-5 p.m.
Nov. 18: Cookbook Book Club—Stuffed Foods, 6-7 p.m.
Nov. 19: Literary Art for the Holidays, 6-7 p.m.

McCormick Riverfront Library
101 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-234-4976; dcls.org

Nov. 6, 13, 20, 27: Mid-day Getaway, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Nov. 12, 14: Job Seeker Resources, 2-3:30 p.m.
Nov. 15: Literary Art for the Holidays, 6-7 p.m.
Nov. 26: Device Club, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

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

Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Science Fiction Book Club (meets online)
Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25: STEM Club, 5:30-7 p.m.
Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26: Storytime and Craft, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26: Tales with T.A.I.L.S., 6-7 p.m.
Nov. 5, 19, 26: Family Yoga, 6-7 p.m.
Nov. 7: Book Club, 6-7 p.m.
Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28: LEGO Junior Maker Club, 6-7 p.m.
Nov. 20: Daytime Book Club, 1-2:30 p.m.

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

Nov. 1, 8, 22, 29: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
Nov. 6: An Evening with Stephen Fried, 7-9 p.m.
Nov. 9: An Evening with Henry Hemming, 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 10: Harrisburg Young Professionals Book Club, 2-3 p.m.
Nov. 14, 28: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
Nov. 17: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
Nov. 23: An Evening with Christopher McDougall and Alexandra Horowitz, 5-7 p.m.

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

Nov. 3: Journaling Workshop, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Nov. 8-10: Cold Wax Workshop, 6-8:30 p.m.
Nov. 16: Advanced Fluid Art Class, 12-2:30 p.m.

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

Nov. 8: An Evening with Owls, 7-9 p.m.

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

Nov. 1, 8, 15: Sensory Storytime 5-Week Series (ages 2-4), 10:30 a.m.
Nov. 2: Saturday LEGO Madness (ages 3+), 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Nov. 4, 11, 18: Storytime & More (ages 2-5), 10:30 a.m.
Nov. 4, 11, 18: 123 Library! Family Storytime, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 4, 18: Monday Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Nov. 5: Tales for T.A.I.L.S., 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Nov. 5, 12, 19: Book Babies Storytime (6-24 months), 11:15 a.m.
Nov. 7: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nov. 7: Crochet Night, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 9: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Nov. 9: Adult Fall Craft—Christmas Cards, 1-4 p.m.
Nov. 9: Family Game Day (ages 3+), 1-5 p.m.
Nov. 12: Book Review Program—“William Penn: A Life,” 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Nov. 13: Wednesday Great Books Discussion group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Nov. 16: Couponing for Extreme Savings, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nov. 16: Children’s Book Writers Critique Group, 2-4 p.m.
Nov. 20: PennWriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.
Nov. 25: Tape Town (ages 2+), 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Nov. 26: Maker Lab (ages 7+), 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

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

Nov. 10: DIY Guru—Etched Glass & Candle, 1 p.m.

The State Library of Pennsylvania
400 North St., Harrisburg
717-783-5950, statelibrary.pa.gov

Nov. 7: Book Club—“Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption”, 12-1 p.m.
Nov. 9: Zine Ungathering, 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

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

Nov. 1: StoryTime—“Rainbow Crow,” 10:30 a.m.
Nov. 7: Curiosity Kids—Build it!, 11:30 a.m.
Nov. 8: Learn at Lunchtime—Story of Major Robert Gaynor, 12:15 p.m.
Nov. 9: Workshops in Archaeology, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Nov. 21: Nature Lab—Wild Canines, 11:30 a.m.

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

Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23: Yoga + Accompaniment in the Galleries, 10-11 a.m.
Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23: Saturday Morning Art Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Nov. 20: Life Drawing Class, 6-9 p.m.

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

Nov. 18: “Edward Hopper’s Hotel Consciousness” Lecture and Musical Presentation

Temple Ohev Sholom
2345 N. Front St., Harrisburg
ohevsholom.org

Nov. 7: Book Review—“Promised Land” By Martin Fletcher

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

Nov. 6, 13, 20, 27: Dr. Seuss Science Series, 10-11 a.m.
Nov. 9: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Nov. 9: Kids Discover—Night Time Wonders, 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 14: Waterfowl Walk, 8-10 a.m.
Nov. 16: Juniors—Animal Habitats, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Nov. 30: Wreath Workshop, 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m.

William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library
200 W. Second St., Hummelstown
717-566-0949; dcls.org

Nov. 7: Teen Night—National Novel Writing Month, 6-7 p.m.
Nov. 9: Children’s Book Week—Meet Jonathan Bean, 10-11 a.m.
Nov. 11: Literary Art of the Holidays, 6-7 p.m.
Nov. 12: Novel Thoughts Book Club, 6:30-8 p.m.
Nov. 13: 2nd Wednesday Cinema, 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 19: Novel Thoughts Too Book Club, 1-3 p.m.

Winters Heritage House Museum
41-47 E. High St., Elizabethtown
717-367-4672; elizabethtownhistory.org

Nov. 15: Hearth Cooking Class and Tavern Dinner

Yoga at Simply Well
28 S. Pitt St., Carlisle
717-968-0167; yogaatsimplywell.com

Nov. 1: Amrit Yoga Nidra, 7-8:30 p.m.
Nov. 2: Intro to Forest Bathing Free Talk, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Nov. 9: Yoga Nidra Guided Relaxation, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Nov. 16: Yoga and Tibetan Singing Bowls, 12-1:15 p.m.

Live Music

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

Nov. 1-Dec. 30: The 2019 Christmas Show—Joy to the World

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

Nov 1: The Dirty Sweet Halloween-er
Nov. 8: LITZ
Nov. 16: Santana and Janis Joplin Tributes by Mystery Fyre and Chestnut Grove
Nov. 23: Box of Rain—Grateful Dead Tribute
Nov. 27: Medusa’s Disco
Nov. 30: Mighty River Band

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

Nov. 1: Jazz in the City
Nov. 2: Black Violin
Nov. 9: York Symphony Orchestra
Nov. 20: Classic Albums Live—The Doors, “LA Woman”
Nov. 24: Yonder Mountain String Band
Nov. 30: York Symphony Orchestra—Holiday Pops Spectacular

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

Nov. 5, 19: Open Mic Night
Nov. 14: Shrimp Ryan’s Jig Band

Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar
204 Locust St., Harrisburg
717-909-9191; carleysristorante.com

Nov. 1, 8, 12, 15, 20, 22, 29: Noel Gevers
Nov. 2, 16: Ted Ansel
Nov. 5: Zach Nyce
Nov. 6, 27: Andrea Britton
Nov. 7, 21, 24: Anthony Haubert
Nov. 9, 23: Roy Lefevre
Nov. 13: Chris Purcell
Nov. 14, 19: Natalie Ness
Nov. 26: Michael Dempsey
Nov. 30: Andrea Britton, Noel Gevers

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

Nov. 2: Eaglemania

Central Pennsylvania Womyn’s Chorus
cpwchorus.org

Nov. 23: Fall concert at Market Square Presbyterian Church
Nov. 24: Fall concert at Camp Hill Presbyterian Church

Chameleon Club
223 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-299-9684; chameleonclub.net

Nov. 1: Badflower
Nov. 2: Drew & The Blue
Nov. 3: Girlpool
Nov. 6: Brother Moses
Nov. 7: Future Teens
Nov. 8: Spirit Animal, Breaking Falls, Generation Underground, Murderous Intent, Nothing Planned
Nov. 9: Neil Hilborn, Big Fat Meanies
Nov. 10: Asian Doll
Nov. 11: Norma Jean
Nov. 12: Jimmy Eat World
Nov. 13: Royal Bliss
Nov. 15: Gatecreeper and Exhumed
Nov. 16: Andres
Nov. 16: Fade to Black Metallica Tribute
Nov. 17: Integrity, Bigwig
Nov. 19: Leftover Crack
Nov. 20: New Found Glory
Nov. 21: The Home Team
Nov. 22: McCafferty w/Guardin & Carousel Kings
Nov. 23: Sanction, John 5, Son Little
Nov. 24: Sharptooth
Nov. 27: Diamante
Nov. 29: Jon Langston

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

Nov. 2: Brandon “Taz” Niederauer & Ben Brandt Trio
Nov. 7: Sunsquabi with Goose
Nov. 8: Vixen w/ Eternal Frequency
Nov. 9: Aaron Watson
Nov. 15: Big Something, Yam Yam
Nov. 16: Hogslop String Band, Madisen Ward, Mama Bear
Nov. 22: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Big AL 360
Nov. 23: Save By The 90’s
Nov. 27: Cabaret Thanksgiving Eve Show
Nov. 29: KIX
Nov. 30: Sharks Reunion

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Nov. 1: Antonio Andrade
Nov. 2: Dominick Cicco
Nov. 3: Kevin Appleby & Eric Bohn
Nov. 8: Janie Womack & Jody Echterling
Nov. 9: Joe Cooney
Nov. 10: Betsy Barnicle
Nov. 13: Open Mic Night w/Jonathan Frazier
Nov. 15: Michael Arthur
Nov. 16: Doug Morris
Nov. 17: John McDonald
Nov. 22: Paul Zavinsky
Nov. 23: Hard Travelin’
Nov. 24: Diane Baltaeff
Nov. 29: Jeanine & Friends
Nov. 30: Kevin Kline

Dickinson College
Rubendall Recital Hallf
240 W. High St., Carlisle
717-245-1568; dickinson.edu

Nov. 1: Piano trio
Nov. 22: Dickinson College Orchestra

Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus
harrisburggaymenschorus.org

Nov. 24: Concert at Unitarian Church of Harrisburg

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

Nov. 2-3: “Aretha! A Tribute”

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

Nov. 22: Goo Goo Dolls
Nov. 24: Straight No Chaser

House of Music, Arts & Culture (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

Nov. 2: Texas Hippie Coalition
Nov. 2: Big Gorgeous, Knitebitch, Ma’am
Nov. 9: Rings of Saturn
Nov. 12: Jimmy Eat World
Nov. 22: Motherfolk, Allow

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

Nov. 2: Blues Traveler w/Magnolia Boulevard
Nov. 9: Pablo Cruise
Nov. 24: Shippensburg University Community Orchestra

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

Nov. 1: Voctave
Nov. 8: Jazz Ensemble
Nov. 10: Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox
Nov. 15: Symphony Orchestra
Nov. 23: Wind Symphony

Market Cross Pub & Brewery
113 N. Hanover St., Carlisle
717-258-1234; marketcrosspub.com

Nov. 2: Dale Stipe
Nov. 9: Ryan Mayersky
Nov. 16: The Visitors Duo
Nov. 23: John Rossey
Nov. 24: Shrimp Ryan’s Jig Band
Nov. 30: The Willies

Messiah College School of Arts
One College Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

Nov. 8: Messiah College Wind Ensemble & Symphonic Winds
Nov. 11: Messiah College Chamber Ensemble
Nov. 13: Jazz Combo Concert
Nov. 14: Messiah College Chamber Ensemble
Nov. 15: Messiah College Symphony Orchestra
Nov. 19: Messiah College Brass Choir

Metropolis Collective
17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg
717-458-8245; metropoliscollective.com

Nov. 29: The Jellybricks w/No Show Ponies

The Mill in Hershey
810 Old West Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-256-9965; themillinhershey.com

Nov. 2: Roy Lefever
Nov. 9: Radio Neon Duo
Nov. 16: Sought Out City Duo
Nov. 23: Dave Kelly from Laredo
Nov. 30: Steve Dincau

River City Blues Club & Dart Room
819 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-525-8926; rivercityhbg.com

Nov. 9: Joe Olnick
Nov. 18: River City Big Band

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

Nov. 3: Jeremy Pinnell, Chris Rattie & The New Rebels
Nov. 10: Sugar Mountain
Nov. 17: Kat Wright

Susquehanna Chorale
One College Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-533-7859; susquehannachorale.org

Nov. 17: Youth Choral Festival at Messiah College

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

Nov. 9: Fall Coffee House
Nov. 10: November Jam Session
Nov. 17: Hubby Jenkins
Nov. 23: Peter Mulvey

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

Nov. 1: Jazz at the ‘Ville
Nov. 8: Shana Tucker Quartet
Nov. 9: Penn Square Music Festival
Nov. 11: Allegro’s Music in the Round—Brass Night
Nov. 16: King Street Big Band—Basie & Sinatra at The Sands
Nov 23: Xun Pan
Nov. 24: Mutts Gone Nuts! A Canine Cabaret

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

Nov. 7: The Paul Jost Quartet
Nov. 14: Emmanuel Nsingani

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

Nov. 3: Josh Dominick

Nov. 8: Shrimp Ryan’s Jig Band

Nov.15: Chris Pearson

The Stage Door

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

Nov. 1-Dec. 30: “The 2019 Christmas Show—Joy to the World”

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

Nov. 8: Trenton Davis
Nov. 15: “The Very Caterpillar Show”

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

Nov. 15-24: “Matilda The Musical”

Dickinson College
Mathers Theatre, Holland Union Building
28 N. College St., Carlisle
717-245-1875; clarke.dickinson.edu

Nov. 1-4: “We Are Pussy Riot or Everything is P.R.”
Nov. 22-24: “DTG Fall Performance—Art Works”

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

Nov. 1-9: “The Will Rogers Follies”
Nov. 14-Jan. 4: Irving Berlin’s “Holiday Inn”

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

Nov. 15-Dec. 8: “The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe”

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

Nov. 15-17: “Cinderella’s Glass Slipper”

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

Nov. 1, 2: Raymond the Amish Comic
Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28: Open Mic
Nov. 8, 9: Paul Hooper and Sam Rubinoff
Nov. 10: Oxymorons Improv Comedy Show
Nov. 15, 16: Grandma Lee and Bob Lauver
Nov. 22, 23: Valarie Storm and Johnny Lee Dam
Nov. 29, 30: Mike Albanese and Clint Nohr

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-798-6973; hbgimprov.com

Nov. 1: Intro to Improv Class Show, Scoreface/The Director, JODY/Drive Thru Pals, Ferd Majelly/Acoustic Tour
Nov. 2: Character Level 1 Class Show, Bad Berries/The Bat, Rockstar Goes Supernova, Introduce A Self
Nov. 3: Character Level 1 Class Show, Intro to Improv Class Show
Nov. 8: Free Jam, Leg of Lamp/Art Patrol, ElderProv/Closed Casket, Sangy & Dock/Unbelievably Tasty
Nov. 9: Free Mixer, Side Hustle/Ball N’ Chain, Critical HIT/Two Princesses, Dang/Without a Tres
Nov. 15: Free Jam, Scoreface/Bandito, BEEF, Bemafo
Nov. 16: Free Mixer, Bad Berries/Sketch Pad, Barbra, Tiny Town
Nov. 22: Free Jam, Leg of Lamp/This Show Will Self Destruct, Mary Todd Lincoln/Love Triangle, HIT BITS
Nov. 23: Free Mixer, Side Hustle/Bandjob, Solo Sleepover/Dropkick Morpheus, The Real FAST Coast Wives

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

Nov. 1-3: “A Bronx Tale”
Nov. 8-9: “Menopause The Musical”
Nov. 10: Bill Maher
Nov. 17: Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood

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

Nov. 1-3: “Assassins”

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

Nov. 7: “Beautiful—The Carol King Musical”
Nov. 8: Jeanne Robertson
Nov. 20: “RENT”
Nov. 29: “A Magical Cirque Christmas”
Nov. 30: “Swan Lake” w/National Ballet Theatre of Odessa, Ukraine

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

Nov. 24: “The Midtown Men”

Messiah College School of Arts
One College Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

Nov. 2: Messiah College Dance Ensemble
Nov. 14-24: “She Stoops to Conquer”
Nov. 21: “Blue Christmas”

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

Nov. 16-Dec. 28: “Who’s Holiday”
Nov. 23-Dec. 29: “A Christmas Carol”

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

Nov. 8-24: “Oliver”

River City Blues Club & Dart Room
819 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-525-8926; rivercityhbg.com

Nov. 24: “Risque Business”

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

Nov. 8-24: “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (at Whitaker Center)

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

Nov. 1: We the People—Dream Warriors & The Sampson Brothers
Nov. 1-10: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

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

Nov. 8-24: “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (Theatre of Harrisburg)
Nov. 29: Ron Bennington, Jim Florentine, Robert Kelly, Rich Vos

Farm Fresh Decade: Green Ridge Acres celebrates 10 years serving Harrisburg.

October 31, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

For 10 years, Green Ridge Acres has been providing Broad Street Market-goers with an alternative to the grocery store through its farm stand and bulk foods.

They sell all-natural, organic produce as well as free-range and grass-fed meat, much of which comes straight from their 52-acre farm in Gordonville.

“If we have healthy soil, we’ll have healthy animals and healthy people,” said Ruthie Lapp, who owns the business with her husband David.

The Lapp family started out by opening a small stand at the market. However, it quickly evolved into the large farm stand it is now, offering all-natural products—a trend that has been gaining popularity, but at that time, was one-of-a-kind.

“This was a new thing for this market and for this area,” Ruthie explained. “There was nobody else in this market like this.”

After experiencing some health concerns, the Lapps did research and realized their diet was way off.

David came to learn that treating their symptoms was not enough; they needed to address the underlying issue.

“Good quality nutrient food for our bodies does about the same thing as good gas in our car,” he said.

With customer requests coming in regularly, Green Ridge Acres kept adding more products to keep shoppers returning.

On the Lapp farm, there are 27 cows and almost as many calves, which are kept on pasture in the spring, summer and fall seasons. They also have pigs and free-range chickens and turkeys, which are moved about two times each day so they always have fresh grass. Ruthie added that their soil contains no harmful fertilizers.

“That’s the easiest and best way to produce those eggs with a bright orange yolk that people love,” David said.

Not only are the chicken, beef, lamb, pork and turkey organic and grass-fed, but they’re also brought in fresh each week. The beef comes from Centre County, Pa., and is butchered locally. According to Ruthie, grass-fed cows produce beef rich in Omega 3’s. The Lapps bring their own milk-fed pork in addition to bacon and ham. Along with that, customers can purchase bone broth and meat stock. From its grass-fed cows, Green Ridge provides fresh milk and raw cow cheeses.

In addition to their meats and produce, the bulk food stand carries everything from baking products to dried fruits and nuts—all of which Ruthie hand packages. They’ve also kept on trend by adding kombucha and growing hemp, which will be harvested and used for CBD products.

“I like that it’s all-natural and made from scratch here,” said Harrisburg resident Steven Fugett, who often visits the stand with co-workers.

Ruthie Lapp said that she enjoys interacting with customers on market days and that many have been coming back regularly since opening day. She especially loves when people visit around the holidays to tell them how good their Thanksgiving turkey was.

Green Ridge Acres also supplies chicken to their neighbor, the Millworks restaurant.

“We want to share real food, not imitation,” Ruthie said. “People want organic. They want the fresh and the real.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this is true. USDA reported in August that consumer demand for organic goods is rising by double-digits. Organic products are also becoming widely available at grocery stores and other retailers.

With the continued uptick in organic-seeking customers, Green Ridge Acres hopes to cater to the needs of its customers for years to come.

It’s been 10 years already, but David sees the farm stand sticking around for the long haul.

“That I hope can go on for another 10 years,” he said.

Green Ridge Acres in located in the brick building of the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.greenridgeacres.com .

Powerful Visions: “Harriet” brings a twist to the biopic.

October 31, 2019 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

The first thing you learn about our protagonist is that she has visions. The second thing you learn is that her name is Minty.

Or Araminta Ross, that is. This is what Harriet Tubman was named at birth, and it’s how we meet her in this biopic. The introduction of Director Kasi Lemmons’ film, “Harriet,” was a great reminder that though I (and I’m sure many people) know the basic story of Harriet Tubman, there is a lot that went unsaid in history class.

Lemmons has you covered. She knows the extent of most people’s knowledge concerning one of the great pioneers of the Underground Railroad. And, so, we learn a little about Minty (played by Cynthia Erivo). She’s married to a free man, but all of her family is enslaved on a plantation. While her father’s contract freed him at the age of 45, the plantation owners denied his family the same rights, keeping them as his own property. When Minty was younger, that same plantation owner struck her and cracked her head open. Since then, Harriet has had episodes, which she believes are visions—God speaks to her.

These visions are what allow this film to breathe. Most of the time, people brush these visions to the side in lieu of other important details, but “Harriet” weaves in what most would consider a physical ailment and uses it as a guiding force that, once Minty escapes to Philadelphia and begins calling herself Harriet, supports her work in the Underground Railroad. The visions are the reasoning behind her success, and they bring a sense of hope as Harriet continues to push forward, unable to stand by while there are still people in need.

We see a fantastic performance from Erivo, probably the film’s greatest strength, and much praise can be given to the supporting roles by Leslie Odom, Jr. as abolitionist William Still and Janelle Monae as Marie Buchanon, a proprietor in Philadelphia who befriends Harriet. All in all, the cast is strong, and the message that the film relays is powerful.

“Harriet” is by no means a perfect film. It plays it safe in many ways, remaining formulaic in structure and character development. Though we learn so much about Harriet Tubman, it is centered around her mission—a fair focus, to be sure, though sometimes it feels like the more personal moments are snipped out of the story (for example, she finds out her husband has moved on in her absence, and instead of getting a glimpse of her struggle and angst for the situation, we see a Hallmark picture of her talking to God). The visions that she has—and the fact that we are able to experience them with her—are what offer a flair of personality to the film, though even that stylistic decision could have been better utilized to make the story pop more.

There is something spectacular to be said about the objective of the film, however. Most stories of the Underground Railroad and slavery tip the scales in favor of brutal realism—the vivid pain of slavery, the desperate victory of escape—which “Harriet” does, to some extent. However, one would hardly compare the violence to some of the film’s predecessors on the subject. Though it contains these similarities, “Harriet” is not about the horrors of slavery, nor is it about the blessings of freedom. It explores the journey between the two. Lemmons tunes us into the true beauty of Harriet Tubman’s story—that she took her hardships and used them as a stepping stool to freedom.

The story of Harriet Tubman is already a powerful story in history books. But now, we get to feel that power, as Harriet comes to life on screen.

“Harriet” starts on Nov. 1 at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.

NOVEMBER EVENTS

National Theatre Live
“Fleabag”
Sunday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m.
“A Midsummer’s Night Dream”
Sunday, Nov. 10, 2 p.m.
“Hansard”
Monday, Nov. 25, 7 p.m.

Down in Front! Presents
“The Slime People”
Friday, Nov. 8, 9:30 p.m.

3rd in the Burg $3 Movie
“Donnie Darko”
Friday, Nov. 15, 9:30 p.m.

Business parking program proposed for Harrisburg, meets resistance from City Council

October 30, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Cars parked along Reily Street in Harrisburg, near the future federal courthouse.

Which comes first: the parking chicken or the parking egg?

On Tuesday night, Harrisburg City Council and the administration debated this question as they discussed whether to establish a business parking permit program in the city.

The idea would be similar to the current program for residential parking permits, said Richard Kotz, the city’s parking administrator. For a fee, city businesses could purchase annual permits for street parking in designated zones, which would be outside of residential parking zones and outside of any metered area controlled by Park Harrisburg/SP+.

The proposal is meant to be an economic development driver for the city, Kotz said. It might also reduce the need for surface parking lots for businesses, while raising some money for the city, he said.

“These districts would provide another economic tool that would attract new businesses into the city as well as retain existing ones that may be expanding,” Kotz said.

Almost immediately, council members pushed back on the proposal. They asked for greater detail, such as how many districts the administration would propose and where it would locate them.

“First, do you know how districts we’d be looking to see in the city initially?” asked council member Ausha Green, the chair of the public safety committee.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said that the first step would be to establish the program, setting up its general structure. Specifics, such as where they districts would be established, would come after and would be subject to approval by council, just like residential districts currently are.

“Whatever proposals we have would come before council,” he said. “There would be a process where they would be vetted and discussed. This is merely allowing us to establish a business parking permit concept similar as what we have with the residential parking now.”

City Solicitor Neil Grover explained that Harrisburg’s residential parking zones have been established incrementally, over a series of many years.

“First, you create a program,” he said. “We’re really at a threshold question of should the city have a business parking permit program. It’s a long-term process.”

If established, the program would be a pioneer, the first such business parking permit program in the state, he said.

Several council members kept pressing the administration for additional detail. Council President Wanda Williams seemed skeptical that the administration didn’t have certain areas or businesses in mind.

“You must have an idea where you want to put particular districts,” she said. “I’m asking you: Where is that information?”

Council member Ben Allatt voiced concern that business districts could encroach on residential areas, creating more difficult parking for residents. He said that he’d like to see a “multi-pronged solution” that addressed both residential and business parking.

“We have multiple issues, and we’re only addressing part of that by this,” he said. “I’d like to see a comprehensive look at how we’re looking at parking also from a residential aspect.”

Papenfuse said that Kotz is “actively working with residents” to improve and change residential parking districts.

“That is going on simultaneously,” he said.

Several council members referred specifically to areas of Midtown, where parking is already difficult due to state workers parking on the street, with the possibility of even tougher parking after completion of the federal courthouse and the new state archives, both on N. 6^th Street.

“It’s possible we need a new residential district,” Papenfuse said. “We could expand the existing one.”

Council member Westburn Majors said that he thought that the idea had merit and that the city should consider establishing the program on a trial basis.

“Usually, when you have an idea like this, there’s a pilot of a section or two,” he said. “In my mind, there are one or two areas of the city where an initial pilot like this would work well.”

Williams pushed back repeatedly on the proposal, insisting that she needed more information before casting a vote.

“Obviously, you were sitting around thinking about this,” she said. “Where is the map? Where is the zoning that you’re considering?”

She said she wanted “something on paper” that showed that some businesses needed permit parking, as well as where in the city that would be. She also said that, before acting on the proposal, she would like to hear from Park Harrisburg/SP+, which manages the city’s parking garages and metered parking, to see if they believed the proposal would impact their business.

Grover again insisted that the program had to be set up before any parking districts could be created, including for a pilot.

“You have to create standards,” he said. “There’s nothing there yet. Right now, the answer is you can’t put a business parking permit program in the city of Harrisburg. You just can’t do it, anywhere in the city. If you want to make that an option, you start with this and then you go to the next step.”

In the end, Green agreed with Williams that members should have more information before acting on the proposed ordinance to set up a business parking permit program and that they should hear from Park Harrisburg/SP+.

“I can see how this could really be beneficial to businesses that need that extra parking,” Green said. “But I think there are also concerns brought up by council tonight.”

Sandwich & Sounds: Whitaker Center composes live music series for the lunchtime crowd

October 30, 2019 | by Maddie Conley

Your lunch comes with a soundtrack

Whitaker Center is dusting off its Steinway piano and opening the doors to local lunch-breakers next week for the first program in its “Thursday Afternoon” series.

Initially to be held twice each month, the series asks community members to step out of their offices and into an experience with the arts during lunch hour, free of charge.

“You will get more exposure to the local music scene,” said Whitaker Center CEO Ted Black. “It’s a nice relaxing break from your day.”

Attendees are invited to bring something as simple as a bag lunch to enjoy during the performances or something more sumptuous like a bottle of Prosecco, added Thursday Afternoon Curator Jeff Lynch.

The event is sponsored by a long-time supporter of Whitaker Center, the Lois Lehrman Grass Foundation.

The first performance, on Nov. 7, will be an afternoon of jazz in the Kunkel Gallery by the Paul Jost Quartet. Jost is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger whose voice Lynch described as a mix of Tony Bennett and Sting.

“You could go see Paul in Paris for $50 a head or you could go see him at the Whitaker Center for free,” Lynch said.

Another musical artist appearing in November will be inspirational singer Emmanuel Nsingani, who brings African flair to his jazz, which centers around lyrics of humanitarian concerns and hope. He will perform in the AMP Lobby.

In the following weeks, Bobby Gentilo will provide Mississippi blues to the community and the Jonathan Ragonese and Steve Rudolph duo continue the jazz theme with saxophone and keyboard performances.

“We are blessed to have some extraordinarily talented people nearby,” Lynch said.

Lynch recognized that, for many people, concerts and art events can seem inaccessible due to costs or time commitments, but the “Thursday Afternoon” series it trying to change that.

“This requires minimal investment,” he said. “It’s a free gig.”

Not only was the series created to engage the community in the arts, but to get people interested in Whitaker Center as a whole.

“We want to look forward to attracting the next generation,” Black said. “It’s an opportunity to reintroduce people to all that is happening.”

He mentioned that, during the same week as the launch of the music series, Whitaker Center will host the grand re-opening of the Harsco Science Center, which includes a renovated KidsPlace and new STEM Design Studios.

The Thursday Afternoon series will be held on Nov. 7 and 14 and Dec. 5 and 26. More may be scheduled in the future depending on how these are received.

“My hope is they go out and support performing arts,” Lynch said. “I just want the scene to be cool here.”

The Thursday Afternoon series runs 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., starting on Nov. 7, at Whitaker Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit https://www.whitakercenter.org/events/detail/thursday-afternoon.

Proposed Allison Hill dispensary under scrutiny at Harrisburg Council session

October 29, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Hamilton Health CEO Jeannine Peterson speaks at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Harrisburg City Council took a lengthy look on Tuesday night at a plan to build a medical marijuana dispensary in the heart of Allison Hill.

Over the course of two hours, council members peppered officials with Coopersburg-based WH RE LLC with questions regarding issues as varied as community outreach, tax abatement and job opportunities.

“Why do you choose to locate in the Harrisburg area and why in an urban area?” asked council President Wanda Williams.

CEO Peter Bio responded that his company selected Harrisburg because of the population density and because, when they applied, no other dispensary was located in the city limits.

“I think the goal of DOH (PA Department of Health) is to have dispensaries located throughout the state,” he said.

Last December, the department awarded two dispensary licenses in Harrisburg: one to Local Dispensaries, a related company to WH RE LLC, and another to Harvest of South Central PA, which plans to open in the former Camp Curtin BBQ building on N. 6th Street.

WH RE LLC wants to build a 3,000-square-foot dispensary at 137 S. 17^th St., directly across the street from Hamilton Health Center.

Council must approve the facility’s land use plan before the company can break ground, which it expects to do in late spring, followed by a four-month construction period. The project already has received the approval of the city’s Planning Commission.

The current empty lot, left, and a rendering of the proposed dispensary, right

Several council members questioned the company’s decision to locate in the heart of South Allison Hill.

“A perception out there is that, in five to 10 years, marijuana will get legalized and, because this is a low income community, there will be customers there,” said Councilman Dave Madsen.

In response, Bio stated that a dispensary is a medical facility licensed and regulated by the state Department of Health, that the average patient is in their mid-60s and that there’s no connection between medical cannabis and the possible legalization of recreational marijuana.

He said the site was selected for a number of attributes, including access to public transportation, proximity to I-83, access to a potential patient population and enough empty land to build a retail store with parking.

Repeatedly, council members and several residents criticized the company for a perceived lack of public outreach in the area around the proposed dispensary.

“I think outreach needs to be done,” said council member Ausha Green.

In the public comment period, Jeannine Peterson, CEO of Hamilton Health, said that she was surprised to learn that the company scored high in its state Department of Health application for community outreach.

“My understanding is that this organization received a high score for community involvement,” she said. “They have not had community involvement until recently, when they came up to City Council review. I want to know what community involvement occurred.”

Bio admitted that the company has not done extensive outreach on a house-by-house basis, but pledged that he would accelerate that effort. He also said that his company would employ as many as 30 people with 24 months, including many Harrisburg residents.

Bio also said that he had no intention to apply for a tax abatement. The city has a property tax abatement program for new construction, if a builder meets certain conditions.

At the meeting, the company also came under criticism for choosing a location within 1,000 feet of two daycare centers, for which they had to receive a waiver from the state.

“You have to convince us that this is good thing for our community,” said Shirley Blanton, president of the South Allison Hill Homeowners and Residents Association. “Everything that we’ve done, we’ve done for the benefit of our community, and I’m not sure this is a good idea for us.”

One Harrisburg resident, Darryl Hickey, spoke strongly in favor of the dispensary.

“You’re welcome here,” he said. “Bring it in. Bring it all in.”

In the end, council decided to hold another work session hearing on the issue once the developer had done more extensive community outreach. This likely will delay a vote on the company’s land development plan into December.

A Kilt & a Cause: If you see a marathoner in a skirt, it’s probably Camp Hill’s Donald Harper

October 29, 2019 | by Marirose Monaghan

Many spectators at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., last weekend saw an unusual sight: Donald Harper of Camp Hill running in a kilt.

According to Harper, it started as a bit of a joke.

“Then my wife actually got me a kilt, and it was easier for her to find me at the finish line because there’s not a lot of people wearing one,” he said.

Wearing a kilt isn’t only original, but it draws attention to Homes for Our Troops, the charity Harper runs for.

“I usually win the kilted division because it’s a kilted division of one,” he joked.

Homes for Our Troops is a nonprofit organization providing modified homes for injured veterans. More than 500 runners join their running team yearly to raise money—and awareness—to their cause. Harper has been a part of their running team since 2013. He wore their emblem at the Marine Corps Marathon, though the charity did not directly participate in this year’s event.

Through the charity, Harper met Cara Yanosick, who managed internal events and community fundraising for the charity, including their running team. Harper’s passion for running inspired her to join the team.

“I turned to him for advice about running and what races to do,” Yanosick said.

This year, she ran the marathon with a veteran who received a home from the charity.

“It really does make a difference knowing that you’re running for more than yourself,” she said.

Harper’s job as an allergy and immunology specialist for Carlisle-based Medical Arts Allergy and UPMC Pinnacle consumes 60 to 80 hours of the week, but he also knows that balance is essential. Even though running is important to him, he makes more time to be with patients and family.

“If everything goes well, I run four days a week, however work, weather and boys’ soccer factors into that,” Harper said. “I’m not going to run to win anything, but I do it for people who can’t run marathons.”

Once an airman himself, Harper knows how important it is to step up to the challenge.

“One year, when the course used to run through Georgetown, I was going up the big hill and I saw a woman wearing a T-shirt that said, ‘1 IED, 17 surgeries, 428 days in the hospital and rehab, now let’s talk about your pain.’ It absolutely puts it into perspective,” he said.

Harper has had many running partners, including Geoff Towers, a friend from when he served in the Air Force. Towers ran the marathon once in 2016, the year he retired from active duty.

“I ran it that year because I knew I’d get the guaranteed entry,” Towers recalled.

Active duty military are guaranteed a running spot in the marathon, and many take advantage of that every year. The pair attended medical school at the University of Utah together, completed residency at Keesler Medical Center in Mississippi, and were stationed in England together.

Towers and Harper have also run the Air Force Marathon and Disney’s Dopey Challenge together, where Harper marked his 2000^th marathon mile in January 2018.

Towers didn’t run the Marine Corps Marathon with Harper this year, but recalled it as a great race, especially the blue mile, a mile-long tribute at the marathon to fallen Marines and their families. To Towers, it was “a very poignant reminder of a sacrifice a lot of people have made to preserve liberty and freedom.”

Harper, interviewed before the race, said he was looking forward to the 2019 marathon.

“I run a bunch of them, but Marine Corps is at the top of my list for a lot of reasons,” Harper said.

This year’s race also marked Harper’s first 50k.

“We’ll see how it goes,” he joked. “It may be ugly, but it’s important to stand up to the challenge.”

To learn more about Homes for Our Troops, visit their website.

Pictured above: Donald Harper at a previous Marine Corps Marathon.

It’s Elementary: Harrisburg roaster debuts coffee shop, remarkable renovation in Capitol district

October 28, 2019 | by Lawrance Binda

Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary Coffee Co., in her new shop in downtown Harrisburg.

When are you going to open?

Over the past year, Andrea Grove has been asked that question over and over, ever since word got out that Elementary Coffee Co. planned to open a standalone shop in a newly renovated building in Harrisburg’s Capitol district.

She finally has a definitive answer: today.

This morning, a steady line of customers streamed into the storefront at North and Susquehanna streets—many of whom had become friends with Grove and fans of her small-batch coffee over the past five years, since she opened a stand in the Broad Street Market.

“I’m so relieved,” Grove said, as she sat at the long counter that dominates the seating area. “It’s nice to finally be able to present something that we’re passionate about to the city of Harrisburg. It feels great.”

The exterior of the new shop.

Elementary sits at the seam of residential and official Harrisburg, and Grove expects to draw from both types of customers—neighborhood denizens and office workers.

She had been looking for a location in the area south of Forster Street for some time when, last year, two of the owners of Mangia Qui/Rubicon—Qui Qui Musarra and Elide Hower, drinking coffee at her market stand—told her that she should look into the building that was being renovated right by their restaurants.

“They were whispering to each other,” Grove said. “Then they said, ‘Andrea have you considered the space near us?’”

In early 2018, Harrisburg attorney Matt Krupp and a partner bought the tumbledown building that once had housed a French restaurant called the Coventry. It had been vacant for 25 years, its roof had caved in, and most people had long ago marked it for the wrecking ball.

Krupp, though, had other ideas, buying the building from the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority and mounting a 1½-year rebuilding project that yielded two upstairs apartments and the downstairs retail area now occupied by Elementary Coffee.

Grove loved the location, and soon the build-out began, led by architect Chris Dawson, contractor Misha Kaschock and a team of local craftspeople.

“Misha nailed it,” Grove said. “I think this space is such a testament to what he can do.”

Elementary’s Ryan Spahr takes an order from customer Jeff Johnson.

While Grove began serving coffee today, she has yet to begin roasting in the space, which should start soon. Until then, she’ll continue roasting at the Broad Street Market, and, market patrons–don’t fear–she is retaining her stand there, as well.

Otherwise, Grove wants to shape the new location into a true community space. From time to time, she will feature local music, local artists (first up, Katiie Reynolds) and participate in 3^rd in the Burg. In fact, her “grand opening” will be during the next 3^rd in the Burg on Nov. 15 and will feature cider from Gardners-based Big Hill Ciderworks and beer from Harrisburg’s Zeroday Brewing Co., which also is brewing a collaboration coffee beer with Elementary.

Soon, customers will have some delicious food options to go along with their coffee, including pastries from Harrisburg’s Raising the Bar and bagels from Lancaster-based Harvest Moon Bagel Co.

Due to its location, the shop is likely to become a popular place for meetings, and the folks at StartUp Harrisburg already were huddled around a table this morning, marking perhaps the first business meeting there.

“We’re thrilled to see Andrea’s hard work pay off in this beautiful space,” said StartUp co-owner Adam Porter. “Her focus has always been on serving others, and she can do that seven days a week now.”

In her new shop, Grove watched in real time as her long-held vision came true: people at tables sipping her coffee, patrons lined up at the counter, the Elementary team taking orders and her roasting equipment in back, waiting to get switched on.

“For us, this seemed like a very safe, secure and manageable location,” Grove said. “It is allowing us to realize our potential and hopes and dreams.”

Elementary Coffee Co. is located at 256 North St., Harrisburg. Hours are Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Elementary is also located in the brick building of the Broad Street Market during market hours. For more information, visit their website.

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