Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

August 31, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

FREE Party in the Streets tonight!

JOIN us on S. Third St. (Market to Chestnut will be closed) for the SoMa Night Light Pop-Up Party! Bricco, El Sol, Fresa Bistro all feature specials, ZerØday and Boneshire Brew Works will be selling pints, Urban Churn and Popped Culture will have their treats. PLUS, we have live music from Little Brother Band, live artists, magicians and circus performers! A can’t-miss!

Oh hey, it’s Labor Day weekend, which in Harrisburg always equals Kipona. (Psst – the Biergarten is BACK and bigger than before!)

I have one more Fantasy Football draft to go — Have you joined our FREE pick’em league?

What are you doing this weekend?

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Untruth and Consequences: The news may be fake, but the costs are real.

August 31, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck

In the city, life is complicated.

Events happen, and, often, their interpretation has more to do with rumor, preconceived notions and faulty facts than with verifiable truths. And media, distant and distracted, often don’t do their job of helping people tie together the strands.

A perfect example occurred this past April 21.

On that day, a shooting occurred in Midtown Harrisburg, near a food truck festival that was part of the city’s monthly “3^rd in the Burg” arts and culture event. That much we know for sure.

The emerging narrative went something like this:

The shooting was the result of the usual urban criminal activity around some downscale rowhouses on N. 3^rd
The shooting led to such a drop in business for the food trucks that, three months later, they decamped for the safer suburbs.
The shooting and the loss of the food trucks mean that 3^rd in the Burg is unsafe or in jeopardy or both.

But what if none of this is true? What if these commonly held beliefs are wrong?

Let’s start with the shooting itself.

At 5:11 p.m., two shots rang out on the 1600-block of N. 3^rd Street. As reported by most media, the shooting was down the street from 3^rd in the Burg’s food truck festival, which was setting up (it hadn’t actually begun).

At the time, information was sketchy. TV news reporters rushed in, using the food festival as a camera backdrop, as a prop, implying peril. Similarly, a print reporter repeatedly commingled the shooting and the festival. Later pictures showed a young black man, identified as 22-year-old Saivon Waller, sitting on the stoop of the house where the shooting occurred, behind yellow caution tape, being questioned, then arrested, by police.

The public takeaway: another shooting, another crime, a dangerous city. Three days later, Harrisburg police released their official version, unraveling the first string in that narrative. A young woman, they said, was shot in the leg because, as she rushed into Waller’s apartment quickly and unexpectedly, Waller, an Army reservist, said he thought she was an intruder. Waller’s defense claims it was a terrible accident—he and the woman knew each other well, but he did not immediately recognize her as she barged in. For its part, the prosecution does not buy the “all-an-accident” defense, contending that Waller, even if he didn’t mean to shoot this specific person, still intentionally aimed and shot the gun.

Regardless, there was no broader community concern: no drugs, no thugs and certainly no bullets flying around willy-nilly at the food truck fest. But who cared about the real story at that point? The initial, breathless reporting and stand-ups in front of food trucks already had a terrible impact, had been imprinted on people’s brains. From then on, they were likely only to retain the false memory that there was a shooting at 3^rd in The Burg.

And, indeed, in July, the food truck festival announced that it was pulling out of 3^rd in the Burg, blaming falling business on the April shooting. So, they were taking their chicken sandwiches and beef burritos across the river, to the relative safety of a church parking lot in the suburbs, setting up a competing event outside Mechanicsburg.

But there was problem with that “news,” too. Back in 2013, when the food trucks first arrived, the lines were so long that it once took me an hour to get a taco. By last summer, long before the shooting, the lines were gone, and I could stroll right up to a truck to order. What had happened? It’s simple really. A few blocks south, the Broad Street Market had begun to open for 3^rd in the Burg, and that’s where all the hungry people went.

The market had many advantages over food trucks huddled together in an out-of-the-way parking lot. In the warm weather, it offered music, pop-up vendors, outdoor seating and even free beer and spirits samples. In the cold weather, it had shelter and heat. It was also centrally located, a natural gathering spot with dozens of amazing food options.

But what was bad for the food truck festival was fantastic for 3^rd in the Burg. The market’s participation gave the arts event something it had lacked—a central meeting point, a strong core, a heart, if you will. As a result, 3^rd in the Burg became more popular (and more fun) than ever.

But, unless you were on the ground in Harrisburg, you didn’t know that. You missed this story and all its complexities. Instead, you probably followed the much simpler, yet untrue, story line: a young thug, a public danger, the loss of a beloved food festival.

Misperception, incomplete reporting, a failure to tie together the many strings of a story.

In the city, life is complicated.

Editor’s Note: In May, Saivon Waller had his bail reduced from $500,000 to $100,000. He was released on bond, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 5.

Lawrance Binda is editor in chief of TheBurg.

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

Medical Journey: As he retires, Dr. Domingo Alvear reflects on a long career in Harrisburg, around the world.

August 31, 2017 | by Karen Hendricks

People often talk about “finding their calling in life.”

Dr. Domingo Alvear’s began in his native Philippines, inspired by a country-doctor uncle who let his nephew tag along as he made house calls in a bouncing Jeep. Six decades later, Alvear is retiring after both a long career as a pediatric surgeon in Harrisburg and as a founder of the nonprofit World Surgical Foundation (WSF).

“Two things have guided me,” Alvear said. “One is vision and one is legacy. Most doctors—most people actually—have blinders like horses. They don’t want to see what’s on the side. They just want to see what’s in front of them.”

But, Alvear said, there’s a whole world around them that doctors should expose themselves to.

“My advice is to become part of the community,” he said. “Get involved and see where you can contribute.”

His Vision
Alvear began his career in medical school in the Philippines, guided by a professor who noticed he had “surgical potential.” A later internship at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines proved invaluable. It was 1964, and the Vietnam War was escalating. He served an extra year, performing about 3,000 operations on both soldiers and civilians.

Next, he arrived stateside for a residency at Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia, where a chance encounter with an infant patient opened his eyes to pediatric surgery. He shadowed the baby’s case and was transferred to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia under pioneering pediatric surgeon C. Everett Koop, who later would become U.S. surgeon general. Rather than returning to the Philippines, where a revolution was underway, he travelled to Harrisburg to set up his practice.

“My mentor from Clark AFB, Dr. Lewis Patterson, was here in Harrisburg,” he said. “He asked me to come, and, well, I stayed.”

In 1973, when Alvear established his private surgical practice serving Polyclinic and Harrisburg Hospitals—now PinnacleHealth—there wasn’t one neonatologist in the Harrisburg region. Today, he’s retiring as PinnacleHealth’s chief of pediatric surgery.

“Dr. Alvear is a pioneer in pediatrics for our community,” says Phil Guarneschelli, president and CEO of PinnacleHealth. “Because of his willingness to come to Harrisburg and grow his career in pediatric surgery, we’ve been the beneficiaries of his vision for better health for children locally and throughout the world. With his leadership, the first neonatal intensive care units in Harrisburg were opened, and thousands of children experienced healing at his hands.”

So Many More
Alvear, a longtime Silver Spring Township resident, said he enjoyed volunteering throughout the Harrisburg region, but hoped for even greater impact.

“Service is good, but it doesn’t do anything long term,” he said. “This is why you have to develop relationships and programs to improve care—that’s legacy.”

In 1997, he founded the World Surgical Foundation, which averages three medical mission trips annually to underserved corners of the world. That’s more than 60 trips to at least seven countries, including Alvear’s homeland of the Philippines. He has performed surgeries to correct malformations, cleft palates, abdominal and intestinal issues and more, donating his time and talents to each case.

About 20 volunteers join Alvear on each WSF mission—medical professionals across all specialties. Local (foreign) doctors also often receive training and equipment.\

“Dr. Alvear is a phenomenal surgeon—he does intricate pediatric surgery,” said Dr. Chinh Pham, a general surgeon at Geisinger Holy Spirit. “But he is also very compassionate, organizational and hard-working.”

Pham, a WSF board member, has joined Alvear on two trips, with a third planned this month.

“It’s a huge undertaking to go on these mission trips, with all the logistics,” said Pham. “Travel and airfare, supplies, equipment, paperwork—so many things are involved in surgeries. All things we take for granted when we operate in the U.S., we bring to remote locations.”

Although Alvear is retiring from PinnacleHealth, he may never truly retire from WSF. The organization is sending mission teams to Honduras in September and to Nigeria for the first time in November. Alvear is accompanying both.

“I just had this conversation with my wife,” said Alvear. “She said, ‘Why can’t you stay home?’ And I said, ‘We’ll be home, wherever we are [in the world].’”

A young Honduran girl, Kylin Velez, may be the most memorable of all the WSF patients Alvear has served. Her esophagus was shattered when she was shot in the chest as an innocent bystander to a drug bust.

“I saw her in a clinic in Honduras, and she was skin and bones,” Alvear said. “They wanted me to replace her esophagus, but she wouldn’t have made it.”

Alvear arranged for her to be brought to central PA, where she gained 60 pounds in three months on a nutrient-rich diet at York Hospital.

“Pinnacle allowed me to do a free operation for the first time, to give her a new esophagus,” he said. “She went home after six months. I saw her [back in Honduras] last time, and I hardly recognized her—she’s a beautiful young lady now.”

Then he paused, tears in his eyes.

“There are so many more,” he said. “So many more who need help.”

The World Surgical Foundation will hold its 20^th anniversary gala tribute and fundraiser, “We Are All One People: How the Power of One Can Change the Lives of Many,” on Sept. 17, at Whitaker Center, Harrisburg. The event also will recognize Dr. Alvear’s retirement. For tickets, visit www.whitakercenter.org. For more information on WSF, visit www.worldsurgicalfoundation.org.

August News Digest

August 31, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Councilman Baltimore Resigns

Harrisburg City Councilman Jeffrey Baltimore resigned last month from Harrisburg’s seven-member City Council.

In his resignation letter, Baltimore said he made a “difficult” decision after “person reflection” and “deliberation with his family,” according to Joyce Davis, the city’s communications director. He further said that he was “proud” to have served with “a creative, talented, caring and enthusiastic team” on council, Davis stated.

Baltimore was appointed to his council seat in 2014 following the death of Councilwoman Eugenia Smith. The next year, he was elected to a four-year term.

Baltimore has chaired both the Public Safety Committee and the Community & Economic Development Committee.

“Councilman Baltimore was a great asset to Harrisburg City Council,” said Council President Wanda Williams. “He is very passionate about public service, community development and an outstanding role model to the youth of our city. On behalf of City Council, we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Council now must pick a replacement for Baltimore. Council members have begun accepting applications to fill the vacant seat. The person selected will serve until January, and an election for a two-year council term will take place in November.

Security Camera for Midtown

A wireless security camera will be coming soon to Harrisburg’s Midtown neighborhood, as a community group last month received a grant to extend the city’s video surveillance system.

Midtown Action Council (MAC) announced it received a $15,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to help fund the extension of Harrisburg’s wireless security infrastructure to N. 2^nd and Forster streets. Currently, the system’s downtown component ends at 2^nd and Pine streets.

“Safety is our No. 1 priority as a community group, and it’s on the mind of every resident in Harrisburg,” said MAC President Jonathan Hendrickson. “This grant will help us access the infrastructure we need to eventually place wireless security cameras in the neighborhood.”

Before the system can be installed, MAC must raise $4,120 in matching funds. However, the organization is confident it can secure the funding for deployment this fall, said Dan Fulton, MAC’s secretary/treasurer.

In 2013, Harrisburg began deployment of a wireless security infrastructure, including 10 cameras downtown, Uptown and on Allison Hill, which allow city police and Dauphin County to conduct real-time surveillance. The $425,000 system was funded by Dauphin County’s Crime Task Force.

In Midtown, the first wireless camera will be installed facing north on 2^nd Street, from the intersection with Forster Street.

Fulton said this project “sets the stage” for future wireless cameras to be installed strategically through Midtown.

“This is just a first step, but it’s arguably the most important step because it gives us a foundation to build on,” Fulton said.

Airbnb Confab

Proponents and opponents gathered last month in Harrisburg’s Government Center at a city-sponsored meeting on all things Airbnb.

Harrisburg officials hosted the gathering to hear from a select group of business owners, as to how—or if—the city should regulate the run-your-own hospitality service.

“We’re here tonight to take information from you, the current operators,” said Michael Hughes, Harrisburg’s tax and enforcement administrator.

Over 90 minutes, Hughes and other officials, including Fire Chief Brian Enterline, Planner Geoffrey Knight and Solicitor Neil Grover, heard arguments for and against so-called short-term rentals, which include Airbnb and other Internet-based room reservation services. The wide-ranging discussion included such issues as zoning, taxation and safety.

Dee Fegan, chair of the board of the PA Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns, was the first to speak up, objecting that Airbnb hosts do not currently pay the Dauphin County hotel tax or, in many cases, other taxes, such as sales and mercantile taxes, which apply to traditional B&Bs.

“I just want to point out that rules are already in place,” she said. “It’s just up to people to follow them.”

Ted Hanson, who owns a short-term rental on Boas Street, said that he long has leased out his two-bedroom Airbnb house, which is next door to his own home, on an annual basis, but now is just renting it in a different way. Besides, he said, he’s helping to stimulate the local economy.

“I feel like I’m doing a service for the city,” he said. “I send people to businesses all over Midtown.”

Following the meeting, Hughes said the city now needs to ponder what changes, if any, to make to laws and regulations to accommodate short-term rentals. He’d like any changes to take effect on Jan. 1.

“Airbnbs were never contemplated when the rules were passed,” Grover said. “Now, we have to answer the question—do those rules apply or not?”

Home Sales Flat

The region’s hot real estate market took a breather in July, with sales nearly flat compared to last year.

Residential sales totaled 936 units, two fewer than in July 2016, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors. The median price rose to $180,000 from $175,500, GHAR said.

In Dauphin County, sales actually increased to 317 units in July versus 308 the year earlier, with the median price jumping to $164,900 compared to $155,900 in July 2016. Notably, average days on the market fell markedly to 44 days from 72.

Cumberland County sales decreased to 323 units versus 374, though the median price rose to $199,900 compared to $190,000 in the year-ago period. In Perry County, sales totaled 52 units, a rise from 34 units, with the median price falling to $164,000 versus $187,400 in July 2016.

GHAR covers all of Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties and parts of York, Lebanon and Juniata counties.

So Noted

BI Solutions has received the 2016 Admiral Stanley R. Arthur Award for Logistics Excellence for its work on behalf of the U.S. Navy. The Harrisburg-based company is the prime contractor of the LOGCELL project, which supports the P08A Poseidon, the Navy’s maritime, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.

Harrisburg International Airport announced last month that it will receive a $10.9 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration. HIA said it will use the funds to rehabilitate the airport’s primary runway, prolonging the life of the pavement, replacing centerline lights, upgrading lead-on lights, reconfiguring the Surface Movement Guidance and Control System and upgrading runway surface monitoring equipment.

Mecum Auctions reported $20 million in sales last month from its fourth trip to the PA Farm Show Complex. The company said the highest bid came in at $415,000 for a 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird. More than 20,000 people, including spectators, bidders and consignors, attended the show.

Penwell Bowman + Curran LLC, a newly formed law firm, opened last month at 215 Pine St. in Harrisburg. Scott Penwell, Brandt Bowman and Matthew Curran are the founding partners of the firm, which specializes in business law.

PinnacleHealth plans to open a primary care doctor’s office inside Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg, according to the company. The 3,000-square-foot office, located next to Rite Aid, will have six exam rooms, a community/conference room, a patient check-in and waiting area, a laboratory area and several offices. It is expected to open in mid-November.

S&T Bancorp this month will complete the final stage of its acquisition of Integrity Bank. As of Sept. 5, all Integrity Bank branches will make the name change to S&T Bank.

Sara K. Weiser, PSECU financial education manager, was recently honored by Junior Achievement USA with a 2016-17 Bronze Leadership Award. This award recognizes people in the community who have demonstrated a sincere commitment to JA’s mission of inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy.

Visit Hershey & Harrisburg is the new name of the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitor’s Bureau. The organization changed its name to offer better and more consistent brand identity, said President Mary Smith.

Wildwood Park is seeking applications for its 2018 “Art In The Wild” environmental art exhibit, with the theme of “Natural Abstraction.” Most of the materials used for the installation should be natural. Exhibit applications and information can be found at wildwoodlake.org.

Changing Hands

Barkley Lane, 2505: E. & I. Gonzales to Y. White, $71,000

Berryhill St., 1944: G. Domon to E. Cruz, $72,900

Berryhill St., 2334: S. Kemble to W., J. & J. Morrow, $35,000

Caledonia St., 1921: M. Schreck to Cardinal Investments LLC, $32,000

Conoy St., 108: P. Marks to D. Noll, $114,000

Cumberland St., 272: M. Walsh to B. Hall & K. Humen, $128,000

Derry St., 2426: S. Rimal to P. & C. Ambrose, $38,000

Edgewood Rd., 2301: D. Butler to New Holland Enterprise Management LP, $144,000

Ellersie St., 2350: B. Fuhrman to PA Double Deals LLC, $44,000

Elm St., 1707, 1709 & 1711; and 1706 & 1708 Walnut St.: I. Cox to Q. Webster & N. Brunner, $45,000

Emerald St., 248: M. Chapman to C., A. K. & K. Thompson, $80,000

Forster St., 216: Thomas Mark Mustio Trust to F. Farry & K. Erway, $115,900

Green St., 1730: A.J. Fedore and Co. Inc. to T. Zingman, $199,000

Green St., 1816: G. Brown to D. Leaman, $92,500

Green St., 1938 & 1940: I. Brea & O. Sanchez to D. & C. Varno, $212,000

Green St., 2011: M. & E. Hunter to E. & S. Orndorff, $225,000

Green St., 2022: Cartus Financial Corp. to M. Crider, $224,000

Green St., 2152: Kusic Financial Services LLC to J. Barker, $54,308

Green St., 2438: Federal National Mortgage Assoc. to R. Diggs Jr., $60,500

Harris St., 240 & 242: David Kaminski IRA to Heinly Homes LLC, $215,000

James St., 1315: W. Cropper to J. Brinks & C. Wise, $40,000

Kelker St., 425: Wells Fargo Bank NA to D. & K. Steiner, $95,000

Maclay St., 330: A. Clay to Keystone Properties Group LLC, $35,000

Mercer St., 2430: M. Janos to PA Deals LLC, $40,000

Midland Rd., 2316: J. & S. Kalnasy to S. Agyeman, $280,000

Muench St., 276: K. Lannon to S. Garraty, $122,000

N. 2^nd St., 607: Bricker Boys Partnership to DelPenn Partners LLC, $335,000

N. 2^nd St., 2241: D. Kray to K. Shubert & L. Christopher, $165,000

N. 2^nd St., 2345: L. Whitcomb & M. Quinn to L. Vaughan & M. Henry, $193,000

N. 2^nd St., 2410: C. Bennet to M. Sheaffer, $167,000

N. 2^nd St., 2534: J. Erb to M. Tuck, $149,900

N. 3^rd St., 1308 & 1310; 1313 & 1315 Green St.; and 1318 Susquehanna St.: P. & M. Navarro to James Family Holdings, $415,000

N. 3^rd St., 1615: Joshua Group to Heinly Homes LLC, $75,000

N. 3^rd St., 1623½: G. Neff & J. Shopf to Heinly Homes LLC, $75,000

N. 3^rd St., 1625: Gary Neff Inc. to Heinly Homes LLC, $75,000

N. 3^rd St., 2116: Katamin Properties LP to N&R Group LLC, $47,500

N. 4^th St., 1644: 1515 Associates to Z. & L. Engle, $57,500

N. 4^th St., 2452: V. Burkholtz & D. Cooper to Lifeline 1 LLC, $47,000

N. 5^th St., 1702A: V. Dincher to S. Kent, $82,000

N. 6^th St., 3001: R. Vogel to B. Yanez, $75,000

N. 7^th St., 2632: P. Chacon to T. Krone, $62,000

N. 18^th St., 714: C. Frey to E. Sanchez & R. Hidalgo, $36,900

N. Cameron St., 1914: J. Pagliaro to E. Maher, $98,500

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 212: T. Grumbine to D. Taylor, $142,000

N. Front St., 1525, Unit 213: L. Mundy to B. Esworthy, $85,000

Penn St., 1928: LSF9 Master Participation Trust to S. Burgin, $125,000

Race St., 554: N. Batholomaei to T. Corl, $125,000

Reily St., 210: P. & H. Jackson to J. Manzella, $103,000

Rudy Rd., 2017: A. Meppurathu to A. Saldana, $177,900

Rudy Rd., 2307: C. & E. Kerns to J. & K. Klein, $162,000

South St., 110: E. Comp to M. O’Neill, $110,000

S. 13^th St., 445: RWM Properties LLC to H. Yap, $59,900

S. 13^th St., 30; and 401 & 403 S. 14^th St.: San Pef Inc. to Round Rock Investments LLC, $226,000

S. 18^th St., 1304: S. Lee to H. Noh, $120,000

S. 19^th St., 1215: F. & B. Matjasic to C. Turner, $102,300

S. Front St., 573: T. & C. Hinkson to B. & K. Crews, $144,900

S. Front St., 577: E. Taylor to M. Kuhns, $139,900

S. Front St., 633: T. Imswiler & H. Jones to S. & P. Benjestorf, $90,000

S. Front St., 635: T. Imswiler & H. Jones to S. & P. Benjestorf, $90,000

S. Front St., 705½: J. Foreman to J. & A. Juratovic, $125,000

Susquehanna St., 1610: S. Uhrinek to D. Lawyer & S. Flagle, $156,000

Susquehanna St., 1839: J. Cremo to S. Conover, $104,000

Tuscarora St., 104: J. Jones to S. Muniz, $189,900

Author: Lawrance Binda

Community Corner: Notable September Events

August 31, 2017 | by Admin

September Community Corner

Mural Festival
Sept. 1-10: Ten murals will be painted in 10 days, thanks to Sprocket Mural Works’ inaugural Harrisburg Mural Festival. In addition to the painting of murals, the festival will feature a kickoff event, artist talks and meet and greets, ending with a party at the PA State Capitol. Visit sprocketmuralworks.com.

Graffiti Removal
Sept. 1-7: During the 2017 Mural Festival, Friends of Midtown Beautification Committee volunteers will be available to help residents and business owners remove graffiti. Contact Cate Rowe at [email protected] for information on how to participate.

HBG Flea
Sept. 2: Shop the HBG Flea for local art, vintage treasures and curated curios at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit hbgflea.com for more details.

Kipona
Sept. 2-4: Enjoy the annual Kipona celebration along the Harrisburg riverfront and on City Island with food vendors, a Native American pow-wow, canoe races, music, carnival games, children’s events and more. Visit harrisburgpa.gov.

Arts Fundraiser
Sept. 3: Perry County Council of the Arts will host its annual fundraising event, Country Casual, at the Winery at Hunters Valley, 3 Orchard Rd., Liverpool, 4 to 8 p.m. Join the nonprofit community arts council for silent and live auctions, live music, local fare, adult beverages and a great view. Visit perrycountyarts.org.

Brewers’ Symposium
Sept. 7-8: Brewers of Pennsylvania will host the third annual Mid-Atlantic Brewers’ Symposium at the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center, State College. The event includes a keynote address from House Liquor Control Committee Democratic Chairman Paul Costa and seminars from leaders in the craft brewing industry. Visit brewersofpa.org.

Blood Drive
Sept. 8: Donate blood to save a life in our community. Stop by the Wells Fargo Bank entrance on the outside of Harrisburg Mall, 2 to 6 p.m., to support the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank. Visit shopharrisburgmall.com for more information.

Foreign Film Friday
Sept. 8: Join Fredricksen Library for “Wadjda,” a story of a girl living in a suburb of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, determined to raise enough money to buy a bike in a society that sees bicycles as dangerous to a girl’s virtue. Showings are at 2 and 7 p.m. Visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

Jazz & Wine Fest
Sept. 8-10: The Dauphin County Jazz & Wine Festival celebrates its 11^th anniversary with music and wine in Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. Local and national artists will join eight area wineries for the three-day event. Weekend passes are $50 in advance, $60 at the door. Visit dauphincounty.org.

LHACC Festival
Sept. 9: The Hispanic Heritage Festival returns to Allison Hill with an array of food, entertainment and culture, celebrating our area’s rapidly growing Latino community. The event, organized by the Latino Hispanic American Community Center, runs 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Derry Street between 13th and 14th streets, Harrisburg. Visit the LHACC Facebook page for more.

Flea Market
Sept. 9: Join the Ladies Auxiliary of the Linglestown Fire Co., 5901 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg, for an indoor flea market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit linglestownfire.org or call 717-652-4166 or 645-1596.

Volunteer Work Day
Sept. 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. Visit wildwoodlake.org.

Fort Hunter Day
Sept. 9: Celebrate fall with a craft show, children’s crafts and games, exhibits, farm animals, music, demonstrations, food and more, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. Enjoy Colebrook Road on the Corncrib Stage and participate in the apple pie baking contest. Visit forthunter.org for more details.

Kindness Festival
Sept. 9: Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple will host the first Loving Kindness Festival, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Dickinson College Holland Union Building, 28 N. College Street, Carlisle. The festival is a free introduction to meditation, yoga and related activities. For more details, visit bluelotustemplepa.org.

Community Paint Day
Sept. 9: Join the creativity of the Harrisburg Mural Festival by helping to paint a mural on fabric that will be installed in the city, 2 to 6 p.m. at Zeroday Brewing Co., 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. Visit sprocketmuralworks.com.

Arts Festival
Sept. 9: The Hummelstown Arts Festival will be held at the Hummelstown Fire Co., 249 E. Main St., 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Enjoy works by juried artists, a silent auction, live music, a wine bar and catered appetizers. Visit the Facebook page: Hummelstown Arts Festival.

Boxing Event
Sept. 9: Titans Boxing Promotions will host “Proving Grounds II: Crosstown Throwdown,” featuring nine bouts, some with local fighters, at the PA State Farm Show Complex, 2300 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg, 6-11 p.m. Visit titansboxing.com.

Diversity Festival
Sept. 10: Experience world music, dance, food and culture at the third annual Unity in Diversity Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Schaffner Park, Hummelstown. Enjoy multicultural entertainment, food, crafts and other activities. To learn more, visit Unity in Diversity Festival on Facebook.

Food Truck Fest
Sept. 10: The 2017 Wish Upon a Food Truck Festival will be held at the Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event includes children’s activities and characters, music, a special wish reveal and more. Visit wishuponafoodtruck.org.

Gallery Walk
Sept. 10: Two-dozen venues will open their doors for the Art Association of Harrisburg’s 29^thannual Gallery Walk. The event runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the city, including in non-traditional art spaces rarely open to the public. For details, visit artassocofhbg.com.

History Talk
Sept. 10: Harrisburg historian Calobe Jackson, Jr. presents the story of James Reese Europe, an African-American ragtime and early jazz bandleader, 2 p.m., at the Harris-Cameron Mansion, 219 S. Front St., Harrisburg. Visit dauphincountyhistory.org.

9-11 Observance
Sept. 11: The Pennsylvania National Fire Museum, 1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg, will host a 9-11 anniversary observance. Throughout the morning and afternoon, the museum will hold a series of events commemorating the 16th anniversary of the attack. Visit pnfm.org.

Restaurant Week
Sept. 11-22: Harrisburg’s premier dining event is back, now spanning two weeks, Sept. 11-15 and 18-22 Enjoy three dinnertime courses for $30 for single diners or a special deal of $40 for a couple at participating restaurants. Visit HarrisburgRestaurantWeek.com.

Archaeology at Fort Hunter
Sept. 11-Oct. 6: The State Museum of Pennsylvania will conduct its annual excavation at Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. The public is welcome to visit. Archaeologists will be on site weekdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit statemuseumpa.org.

Photo Talk
Sept. 12: Matthew Christopher, author of “Abandoned America: The Age of Consequences” and “Abandoned America: Dismantling the Dream,” will speak at the Harrisburg Camera Club’s 2017 kickoff meeting in the community room of Giant, 3300 Trindle Rd., Camp Hill, 7 p.m. Visit harrisburgcameraclub.org.

Puppies and Pints
Sept. 13: Join Harrisburg Young Professionals at Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center, 1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., for its first Puppies and Pints event, benefiting Miffy’s Animal Rescue. Miffy’s will bring several dogs that need a home. Visit hyp.org.

Mega Mixer
Sept. 14: Join the members of West Shore, Greater Carlisle Area, Mechanicsburg and Shippensburg chambers of commerce for the 11^th Annual Mega Mixer at the U.S. Army Heritage Center Foundation, Carlisle, 5 to 7 p.m. Enjoy food and great connections. Registration required. Visit wschamber.org for more details.

Film & Talk
Sept. 14: Harrisburg Jewish Community Center, 3301 N. Front St., will host a free viewing of “Salam Neighbor,” 7 p.m. “Salam Neighbor” is the story of two filmmakers who embed themselves in a Syrian refugee camp. A discussion and light refreshments will follow. Donations will be accepted to help local refugee families. Visit kesherisrael.org.

3rd in The Burg
Sept. 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. Check out all the action at thirdintheburg.org.

Film Festival
Sept. 15-20: The Harrisburg-Hershey Film Festival will be held at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. The festival will include more than 40 feature, short and documentary films. Visit harrisburghersheyfilmfestival.com for more details.

Art on the Farm
Sept. 16: Carlisle Arts & Learning Center and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture will host Art on the Farm, a collaborative fundraiser, at Dickinson College Farm, Boiling Springs, 4 p.m. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres by local restaurants and craft beer and wines, a local, fresh dinner and live and silent auctions. Visit carlislearts.org or pasa.org.

Fall Fest
Sat. 16: St. Theresa Parish presents the 2nd annual Fall Fun Fest at St. Theresa School, 1200 Bridge St., New Cumberland, 4 to 10 p.m. Bring your family, friends and neighbors to enjoy food trucks, desserts, adult beverages, games for children, basket raffles and a DJ. For more details, email [email protected] or [email protected].

Leisure Bike Ride
Sept. 17: The Harrisburg Bicycle Club’s Three Creek Century ride will be held at the Penn Township Fire Department, 1750 Pine Rd., Newville. This ride offers quiet rural roads that wind through beautiful western Cumberland County. Details can be found at threecreekcentury.com.

Luncheon
Sept. 21: 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 network with members. Visit wschamber.org.

Business After Hours
Sept. 21: Mingle with business professionals at Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC’s free networking event at David’s Furniture & Interiors, 5078 Jonestown Rd., Harrisburg, 5 to 7 p.m. Visit harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

Cirque Italia
Sept. 21-24: Cirque Italia, the first traveling water circus, will perform at Harrisburg Mall, 3501 Paxton St., with an experience combining technology and the performing arts. Tickets are $10 to $50. For more details, visit cirqueitalia.com.

Dress for Success
Sept. 21-24: Shop for professional clothing with Dress for Success/Suits to Careers, next to New York & Co. on the lower level of the Harrisburg Mall. Most items are $5 to $10. Sale days are Sept. 21 to 23, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sept. 24, 12 to 3 p.m. On Sunday, make a donation of $20 to fill a bag. Visit shopharrisburgmall.com.

Fall Book Sale
Sept. 21-24: Shop the Friends of Fredricksen Fall Book & Media Sale at Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill. The library will hold a special preview sale on Sept. 21 and a bag sale on Sept. 24. Visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

Local Lunch
Sept. 23: Join Friends of Midtown at its monthly community lunch, which will be held at Crawdaddy’s, 1500 N. 6^th St., Harrisburg, 12 to 2 p.m. Contact [email protected] or visit friendsofmidtown.org.

Woofstock
Sept. 24: The annual celebration of all-things canine returns to Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring music, food, prizes and the largest pet adoption event on the East Coast. Visit www.cpaawoofstock.com.

Celebrate Wildwood
Sept. 24: Celebrate Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, 12 to 4 p.m. Enjoy kids’ activities, environmental education, music, food vendors, used book sale and a Walk for Wildlife, beginning at 1 p.m. Visit wildwoodlake.org for more details.

Dinner & Talk
Sept. 28: Foreign Policy Association of Harrisburg hosts Heather Conley, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., in a dinner and free talk on “Western Europe in a Time of Upheaval” at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg, Camp Hill, 7:30 p.m. Visit fpa-harrisburg.org.

Annual Fundraiser
Sept. 30: Friends of Fort Hunter hosts its Centennial Barn Bash—Denim, Dining & Dancing annual gala and fundraiser at the Centennial Barn at Fort Hunter Park, 6 to 10 p.m. Enjoy delicious food and a signature event drink by Stocks Catering, music by Hemlock Hollow and a gallery by Harrisburg photographer Paul Vasiliades. Visit forthunter.org.

Happenings: Our September Calendar of Events

August 31, 2017 | by Admin

Museum & Art Spaces

3rd Street Studio
1725 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-385-3315; Facebook: 3^rd Street Studio

“Oneness,” a Baháí of Central PA multi-media exhibition, opens Sept. 1-2, then travels to various pop-up locations in the area, through Oct. 22

“Just a Painter,” works by Steve George, Sept. 15-Oct. 7; reception: Sept. 15, 6-9 p.m.

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

Lory Lockwood Art Display, Sept. 2-Oct. 29

“Camaro & Firebird 50^th Anniversary Exhibit,” featuring a show of these iconic American vehicles, through Oct. 8

“Garage Finds: Unrestored Treasures that Survived Time,” through Oct. 8

“Dynamic Duo—AACA ‘Most Awarded’ and ‘Most Traveled,’” through Nov. 1

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

“Yellow Fever,” fall membership show, Sept. 8-Oct. 12; reception: Sept. 10, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

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

“Exploit | Explore: Then to Now,” oil and cold wax paintings by Michele Taber

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

“Concha Correal and Joan Wolf—Journeys,” Sept. 8-Oct. 7; reception: Sept. 8, 6:30 p.m.

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

Artist of the Month: Kathleen Lubold

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

“Hanging by a Thread,” needlework exhibit showcasing handmade needlework, through Dec. 23

Gallery@Second
608 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
galleryatsecond.com

Works by Julie Riker and Sue Marrazzo, through Sept. 23

Works by Joanne Finkle and Ted Walke, Sept. 28-Nov. 11

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

“Four Generations of Stutzmans,” featuring the artwork of four generations of the Stutzman family, through Oct. 7; reception: Sept. 3, 3-5 p.m.

Hershey Area Art Association (HAAA)
hersheyareaartassociation.com

“Art Near the Park,” featuring HAAA member artwork in a variety of media at the SpringHill Suites Marriott, Hershey, Sept. 7-10; reception: Sept. 7, 3-7 p.m.

Historical Society of Dauphin County
219 S. Front St., Harrisburg
dauphincountyhistory.org

“Uncle Sam Calls: Dauphin County in World War I,” an exhibit of historic posters and artifacts, through Dec. 22

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

“Enhanced Thrift Art,” a group exhibition of salvaged thrift store or attic artwork with creative makeovers by local artists, through Nov. 4

Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Downtown
133 State St., Harrisburg
717-635-9870; littleampscoffee.com

Illustrations by Liatra Miller, through Sept. 8

Paintings by Tara Chickey, Sept. 9-Oct. 6

Metropolis Collective
17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg
717-458-8245; Facebook: Metropolis Collective

“Dark Rooms,” a group art and music tribute to David Lynch, Sept. 1-Oct. 31; reception: Sept. 1, 6-11 p.m.

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

Works by Mary Gelenser, Joan Maguire, John McNulty, Caroline Owens and Richard Souders, through Sept. 10

Artwork by Kristen Fava, Andrew Guth, Julie Iaria, Judy Kelly & Caleb Smith, Sept. 12-Oct. 15

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

“Reconstruction: The Unfinished War,” examining the unfinished issue of equality among races in the reunited states, through Dec. 31

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

“NSCNA Wildlife Art Auction Exhibit,” through September

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

Works by Donna Daniels, through September

PCCA Gallery
Perry County Council of the Arts
1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“PCCA Volunteers,” an exhibition of artwork by the volunteers who help PCCA build community through the arts, through Sept 2

“Two Journeys,” a showing of children’s picture book illustrations by Kuen Kuen Liu Spichiger, Sept. 8-Oct. 7; reception: Sept. 8, 6-8:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history
Rose Lehrman Art Gallery
One HACC Drive, Harrisburg
717-780-2435; hacc.edu

“Artifacts,” photography by Owen Butler, Sept. 11-Oct. 11; lecture and reception, Sept. 12, 6 p.m.
The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

“Pennsylvania at War: World War I Posters from the Pennsylvania State Archives,” through Nov. 12

“Pennsylvania at War: The Saga of the USS Pennsylvania,” through Dec. 30
Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; sqart.org

“Art in Balance, Motorcycles and Fine Art,” with modern and contemporary works juxtaposed with rare and historic motorcycles, through Sept. 17

“In the Vault,” featuring small works on magnetic templates to hang on the museum’s bank vault walls, Sept. 22-Dec. 17

“Earth and Tide: Connected Through Place,” featuring a group of central PA artists who gather to exchange ideas and expand art communities, through Oct. 29
Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery
Lebanon Valley College
101 College Ave., Annville
717-233-8668; lvc.edu/gallery

Sept. 1-Oct. 15: “Painting on Clay,” pairing early post-WWII-era abstract painters, Robert Motherwell, Franz Kline, Helen Frankenthaler, Esteban Vicente and more, with ceramic works of Toshiko Takaezu

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; millersville.edu/muarts

“Selective Visions,” works by Mimi Shapiro & Paul Engleheart, Sept. 1-29

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

Art in the Wild, nature-inspired art, through Oct. 31

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

Works by Charisah Cleath, through Sept. 10

Works by Brian Bastinelli, Sept. 15-Oct. 15

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

“On the Record,” acrylic on vinyl records by Sarah Fogg, through Sept. 14

Works by Dan Kalbach, Sept. 15-Oct. 19

Read, Make, Learn

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

Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27: Beginning Knitting, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 7: Tree of Life wood burning, 6-9 p.m.
Sept. 8: Craft Beer & Clay, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13: Merry Mosaics, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 13, 20, 27: iPhone Photography, 6-9 p.m.
Sept. 14-Oct. 12: Home School Wheel Throwing (ages 10-19), 1:30-3 p.m.
Sept. 14-Oct. 12: Play with Clay at the End of the Day, 3:45-5:15 p.m.

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

Sept. 6: Sicilian Greats, 6-9 p.m.
Sept. 14: Late Summer Grilling on the Deck, 6-9 p.m.
Sept. 21: Tempting Tapas, 6-9 p.m.
Sept. 27: Bayou Blast, 6-9 p.m.

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

Sept. 1: Youth Chess Night, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28: Blood Pressure Screenings, 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m.
Sept. 7: Meet & Play for New Parents, 9:30 a.m.
Sept. 9: Story Time and Music Therapy by Sovia Therapy—Let’s Go Camping, 3 p.m.
Sept. 11: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 12: The Page Turners Writers Group (ages 12-14), 7 p.m.
Sept. 14: Meet & Play for Grandparents, 9:30 a.m.
Sept. 14, 28: Plot Twisters Teen Writers Group (ages 15-18), 6 p.m.
Sept. 18: Fredricksen Writes, 6:45 p.m.
Sept. 20: Cooking Club for Kids 9-12, 4 p.m.
Sept. 22: Gardening with Nature—Ned Smith, Naturalistic Planting Design, 7 p.m.
Sept. 25: LEGO Club (grades 3-6), 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 27: Storytime at Country Meadows, Mechanicsburg, 10 a.m.
Sept. 29: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 30 & Oct. 7: Get Started with Knitting 2-Day Workshop, 1:30 p.m.

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

Sept. 13-Nov. 1: Improv for Teens, 7-9 p.m.
Sept. 16-Nov. 4: Kidprov, 10-11 a.m., 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

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

Sept. 17 & Oct. 22: Two-Day Obvara Raku Pottery Workshop, 2-5 p.m.

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

Sept. 3, 10 17, 24: Common Roads Young Adults, 4 p.m.
Sept. 5: Men’s Group, 6 p.m.
Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27: Common Roads Youth, 6 p.m.
Sept. 12: Seniors Group, 6 p.m.
Sept. 14: Aging with Pride Lunchtime Discussion, 12 p.m.
Sept. 19: Women’s Group, 6 p.m.
Sept. 26: LGBT Parents, 6 p.m.

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

Sept. 1, 8, 22: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7-9 p.m.
Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26: Coffee, Cake and True Islam, 5-7 p.m.
Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27: Midtown Chess Club, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7-9 p.m.
Sept. 14, 21: Camp Curtin Toastmasters, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20: Watch the Skies Sci-fi and Fantasy Book Club, 7-8 p.m.
Sept. 29: An Evening w/Salman Rushdie, 7-9 p.m.

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

Sept. 23-24: Cold Wax & Oil Painting, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

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

Sept. 23: Hunting and Trapping Training, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

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

Sept. 7: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sept. 9: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sept. 11: Book Review—“The Boys in the Boat,” 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Sept. 11, 18, 25: Preschool Storytime, 10:15 a.m.
Sept. 11, 18, 25: Toddler Storytime, 11 a.m.
Sept. 12, 19, 26: Book Babies, 11:15 a.m.
Sept. 12, 19, 26: Preschool Storytime, 1 p.m.
Sept. 13, 18, 27: Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sept. 16: Couponing For Extreme Savings, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Sept. 27: Pennwriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.

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

Sept. 1: StoryTime, 10-11 a.m.
Sept. 8: Learn at Lunchtime—Art of the State, 12:15 p.m.
Sept. 10: Artist Conversations, 2 p.m.
Sept. 21, 28: Nature Lab, 11:30 a.m.

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

Sept. 2: Kids Discover—Insects, 10-11:30 a.m.
Sept. 3: Sunday Evening Bird Walk, 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 9: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Sept. 10: Flower Walk, 1:30-3 p.m.
Sept. 13: Stress Relief Walk, 6-7:30 p.m.
Sept. 16: Bird Walk, 9-11 a.m.
Sept. 16: Webelo Boy Scout Workshop—Into the Woods, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Sept. 21: Get in Shape Walk, 6-7 p.m.

Live Music Around Harrisburg

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

Sept. 1-3: Gospel Music Festival
Sept. 7: Little Feat
Sept. 8: Gene Simmons
Sept. 9: Fall Doo Wop Cavalcade
Sept. 10: Charley Pride
Sept. 15: Dennis DeYoung
Sept. 17: The Leroy Van Dyke Country Gold Tour
Sept. 24: Tony Bennett
Sept. 25: Brian Wilson

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

Sept. 1: MarchFourth
Sept. 15: Still Hand String Band
Sept. 24: The Toasters
Sept. 30: Box of Rain

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

Sept. 23: York Symphony Orchestra
Sept. 24: The Simon & Garfunkel Story
Sept. 27: Red Hot Chili Pipers
Sept. 30: Storm Large & Le Bon Heur

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

Sept. 1, 16: Ted Ansel
Sept. 2, 7, 19: Corinna Joy
Sept. 5, 23: Daniel Sheahan
Sept. 6, 26: Chris Purcell
Sept. 8, 14, 22, 29: Noel Gevers
Sept. 9, 10, 21, 24: Anthony Haubert
Sept. 12, 27: Maria Battista
Sept. 13: Deborah Anderson
Sept. 15, 20, 30: Roy Lefevre
Sept. 28: 3, 29: Jessica Perla

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

Sept. 7: Roots Of Creation
Sept. 9: Hail The Sun
Sept. 11: Kayo Dot
Sept. 16: Diet Cig
Sept. 22: Box of Rain, Paws
Sept. 27: Shooter Jennings
Sept. 28: Dinosaur Jr.
Sept. 29: Darry Miller & The Veil, Lindsay Ell

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

Sept. 1: Antonio Andrade
Sept. 2: Hard Travelin
Sept. 3: Michael Arthur & Kristina Machusick
Sept. 8: Jim Steele
Sept. 9: Emily Lynn Wilkins
Sept. 10: Dan Zukowski
Sept. 14: Kosi
Sept. 15: Kirk Wise
Sept. 16: Doug Morris
Sept. 22: Dominick Cicco
Sept. 23: Joe Cooney
Sept. 24: Shelba Purtle
Sept. 29: Kevin Kline
Sept. 30: Jeanine & Friends

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

Sept. 7: Shea Quinn and Friends

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

Sept. 1: First Friday 2.0
Sept. 10: POD, Alien Ant Farm
Sept. 16: Yam Yam, Rivers, JR Wolf
Sept. 20: The Dead Boys

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

Sept. 18: Alison Krauss & David Gray
Sept. 23: Simply Sinatra

Hollywood Casino
777 Hollywood Blvd., Grantville
717-469-2211; hollywoodpnrc.com

Sept. 1: Uptown Band
Sept. 2: DJ Magic, Emily’s Toybox
Sept. 3: Funktion
Sept. 8: No Bad Juju
Sept. 9: DJ Styles, Green Eggs
Sept. 15: Jumper
Sept. 16: DJ Rossi, Sapphire
Sept. 22: The Maxwell Project
Sept. 23: DJ Matrix, Smooth Like Clyde
Sept. 29: The Luv Gods
Sept. 30: DJ Styles, Amish Outlaws

Keystone Concert Band
145 E. Main St., First Floor, Mechanicsburg
717-421-1512; keystoneconcertband.com

Sept. 9: Concert at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Sept. 17: Concert at Adam’s Ricci Park

Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Uptown
1836 Green St., Harrisburg
717-695-4882; littleampscoffee.com

Sept. 8: Ian Randall Thornton

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

Sept. 16: Little River Band
Sept. 30: Don McLean

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

Sept. 21: Kenny Garrett Quintet
Sept. 23: Capitol Steps
Sept. 26: Red Hot Chili Pipers

Market Square Concerts
marketsquareconcerts.org

Sept. 24: Varshavski-Shapiro Piano Duo

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

Sept. 17: Project Trio Concert
Sept. 29: Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Winds Concert

Metropolis Collective
17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg
717-458-8245; Facebook: Metropolis Collective

Sept. 22: Fink’s Constant, Bark

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

Sept. 2: Josh Krevsky Duo
Sept. 9: The Jayplayers Duo
Sept. 16: Corinna Joy
Sept. 23: Charlie Fry
Sept. 30: Nate Myers Duo

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

Sept. 23: Shotgunn

River City Blues Club & Dart Room
819 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg
rivercityhbg.com

Sept. 9: All Star Jam Session

Rose Lehrman Arts Center
One HACC Drive, Harrisburg
717-780-2435; hacc.edu

Sept. 27: Bill Miller

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

Sept. 15: Driftwood
Sept. 29: Robbie Fulks

Sand Trap Grill & Pub
3804 Lisburn Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-691-5335; thelodgeatlibertyforge.com

Sept. 7: Sonorous
Sept. 14: Shea & Len
Sept. 19: Open mic night
Sept. 21: Stan & Wes
Sept. 28: Almost Famous

St. Thomas Roasters
5951 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg
717-526-4171; stthomasroasters.com

Sept. 1: Mary Kate Lee & Son
Sept. 2: Grit
Sept. 7, 22, 28: Rhoads & Putt Trio
Sept. 8: Holly Gouse
Sept. 9: Relics of Mediaevalism
Sept. 14: Craig Bonner & Steve Geib
Sept. 15: Cotolo
Sept. 16: Dan Zukowski
Sept. 21: Mackenzie Wilson
Sept. 23: Just Dave
Sept. 29: Joe Cooney
Sept. 30: Rayzen Kane

Stock’s on 2nd
211 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-233-6699; stocksonsecond.com

Sept. 1: Shea Quinn and Friends
Sept. 2: TBA
Sept. 8: Cruise Control Trio
Sept. 9: Swisher Sweets
Sept. 15: DJ Rays Rossi and Smith
Sept. 16: Music Thru Science Lite
Sept. 22: Keith Goldstein
Sept. 23: DJ Downtown Penny Brown
Sept. 29: Tommy Tunes
Sept. 30: Visitors Duo

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

Sept. 1: Jaerv
Sept. 2: Open Mic
Sept. 21: Nordic Fiddlers Bloc
Sept. 24: Ten Strings and a Goat Skin

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; millersville.edu/muarts

Sept. 1: We the People—Jaerv
Sept. 22: Jazz in the Sky—Bria Skonberg
Sept. 23: Red Rose City Chorus
Sept. 29: Allegro Lounge
Sept. 30: Allegro Core Concert—Firebird

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

Sept. 30: Disney Jr.’s Choo Choo Soul

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

Sept. 10: Josh Dominick
Sept. 15: Bazooka Joe

The Stage Door

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

Sept. 15-24: “Les Miserables: School Edition”

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

Sept. 16: “Downtown Doo-Wop: A Carlisle Saturday Night”

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

Through Sept. 23: “Pippin”
Sept. 28-Nov. 11: “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story”

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

Sept. 15-24: Staged reading of “Tartuffe” by Molière

Sept. 21: TMI Improv Show

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

Sept. 24: Magic Fairy Pirate Monkeys
Sept. 29: Level 1 Class Show

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

Sept. 10: Drag Brunch Divas

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

Sept. 15-17: “1776”

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

Sept. 1: “The Stepbrothers Tour”
Sept. 8: The Tennessee Tramp and Amy Dingler
Sept. 15, 16: Frankie Paul and Jeff Bodart
Sept. 29: Craig Shoemaker

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

Sept. 15: Trevor Noah

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

Sept. 8-24: “Last of the Red Hot Lovers”

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

Sept. 27: Jersey Boys

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

Sept. 22-Oct. 8: “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”

The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; allenberry.com

Sept. 8-16: “Peter and the Star Catcher”

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

Sept. 15-24: “Rumors”

Subject for Abate: Harrisburg’s mixed tax abatement program seems to be yielding mixed results.

August 31, 2017 | by M. Diane McCormick

What if they gave a LERTA and nobody came?

Just ask one would-be, first-time developer who wants to build a three-apartment, net-zero energy building in Midtown Harrisburg. This resident, who asked to remain anonymous as he works with the city to realize his dream, hasn’t even found his tract to develop. His extensive research is ongoing, but one big question lingers.

Can he afford the project?

The answer hinges, in part, on a tax abatement program called LERTA.

In mid-2016, Harrisburg’s Local Economic Revitalization Tax Abatement (LERTA), meant to encourage development, went into effect. Since then, the 10-year property tax break seems to have helped spur the rehab of small, existing residential properties. However, few developers have applied the abatement to new or commercial construction.

That’s because Harrisburg’s abatement scheme is two-tier, with stricter requirements for commercial and new-build projects than for residential renovations. These commercial projects come with certain prevailing wage, residency and minority ownership requirements that apply to the workforce and contractors.

Has the tradeoff been worth it? Some say no, but others argue for more time to let the magic work.

LERTA What?

LERTA has been a Pennsylvania mainstay since 1977. Put simply, it allows counties, municipalities and school districts to waive taxes on the increased value of improved properties in distressed areas. It’s simple, really. If you significantly rehab a blighted house or build a new home or business in a city, you keep paying taxes on the property’s old assessed value—not the new, improved value—for the time period established in that city’s LERTA.

But why have a LERTA and give up all that extra tax revenue? LERTA is supposed to act as an incentive because, otherwise, development may not happen at all. That’s especially true in a city such as Harrisburg, which is forced to impose very high tax rates to compensate for low property values. Waive the taxes on improved value for a time, and LERTA may make a project financially feasible.

Until 2010, Harrisburg had a phased-in LERTA, giving tax abatements in increments that decreased by 10 percent annually for 10 years. The 2016 version awarded 100-percent tax abatement for 10 years for residential construction and improvements. Commercial construction and improvements, plus much mixed-use commercial/residential, qualify for abatements of 50 percent to 100 percent for 10 years, depending on the mix of uses and the number of jobs created.

Any new construction—residential or commercial—seeking to qualify must employ 15 percent minority businesses and a 15 percent city-resident workforce and pay the same prevailing wage rates set by the state for many construction projects. Depending on whom you ask, prevailing wage can add 2 percent to the cost of a project or 30 percent. Some even say 50 percent.

The ample, 10-year generosity of the 2016 LERTA is meant to offset those higher costs. Reviews are mixed. Dave Black, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC executive director, pointed out that the state law is three pages, while the city’s ordinance is 18. But he gave city administration and City Council “a tip of the hat” for the attempt.

“It’s all about a balancing, which makes governing challenging,” Black said. “Under the circumstances, it’s a small step forward. Sometimes, you’ve got to take small steps.”

Harristown Enterprises has used the LERTA for three residential conversion projects on S. 3rd Street. More are in the works, especially since much of Harristown’s focus is on residential housing, said Harristown Enterprises President and CEO Brad Jones, who called LERTA “an attractive incentive.” Most developers would have preferred aggressive, 10-year abatements, but Jones said he understand the politics behind it.

“These were conditions that allowed the bill to pass,” he said. “I still believe we can work with the ordinance.”

Jones admits to being “a little more optimistic” than most others. For instance, some new condos have been slow to sell, but apply a LERTA to their development, and the price per square foot becomes more enticing to buyers.

Level the Field

Reinvestment may be on the urban revitalization agenda, but high tax rates plus increased assessment equals a tough development environment.

“Capital doesn’t want to come back in and rebuild and be taxed four times what they’d pay in the surrounding municipality,” said David Butcher, president of Harrisburg-based WCI Partners.

Plus, he added, LERTA doesn’t make taxes cheaper, as the city receives the same tax revenue as before the improvements were made. But, he said, LERTA allows the city to tax projects on a scale similar to other municipalities, where millage rates are lower.

“It’s leveling the playing field, but it’s not tilting it,” he said. “The playing field is so unlevel already.”

For developers, any money made goes into the next project, and returns are projected years into the future, said Jones.

“We don’t need to make grand returns, but we need to build capacity to bring in new investors, and, obviously, more investors are going to come if the returns are a little better,” he said. “As we build more capacity, as we do more with residential and more with commercial, the environment’s going to get better and better, the rates will get better and better, and they’re going to build the capacity to bring in new investors and new developers, and that’s our goal. We don’t want to do this all ourselves.”

A Killer

Our friend who wants to construct a zero-energy building is very concerned about climate change and global warming.

One thing that’s really green, he said, is urban infill development—finding a lot and building where the infrastructure already exists. He believes the future belongs, at least in part, to micro-developers like him. But just like the big guys, he has costs for designing, planning and layers of municipal approvals.

A LERTA could help offset those costs. He thinks he “can survive” with the minority participation requirement, and the city-resident mandate is “another burden,” especially because net-zero construction requires specialized skills.

And then there’s “the part that’s a killer—prevailing wage,” he said. “That is the showstopper, I believe. I don’t know if I believe the 30-percent number. I don’t know if I believe the 2 percent, either. It’s probably something in the middle.”

So, are the conditions of Harrisburg’s LERTA a speed bump on the road to redevelopment? They “could very well be,” said Black. “Mega projects” in the city are rare, and small contractors or projects, especially, could struggle to fill their labor rolls with the requisite number of city residents.

For WCI, the city’s former, stepped-up LERTA “was critical” to completing an office building at 2nd and State streets, said Butcher. Any new restaurant or apartments in a slow-growth city seem like a demonstration of capital flowing in, but “what people are missing is everything going on outside the city,” he said.

In other words, the many developers who built in the suburbs could have located their projects in the city, but made a conscious decision not to.

“It’s what you don’t see,” he said. “What is excluded is the more powerful thing.”

Counterproductive

The city of Lancaster didn’t consider prevailing wage or workforce conditions, a la Harrisburg, for its LERTA, said Director of Economic Development and Neighborhood Revitalization Randy Patterson.

“The challenge of ‘making the numbers work’ for redevelopment projects in cities is already challenging,” Patterson said via email. “One piece of that is the significantly higher total property tax rates for most cities compared to surrounding townships with greenfields available for development. Adding additional conditions to receive LERTA benefits that may impact total project costs may be counterproductive.”

Philadelphia, once in the same boat as Harrisburg with high millage rates and low property values, installed a condition-free LERTA, and the city is “booming,” said Butcher.

“It used to be dead,” he said. “Now, you walk down Walnut Street or Broad Street, and it’s hot. We asked around about the key ingredients, and the number-one thing was full abatement.”

City officials originally agreed to speak for this story but stopped responding to requests to schedule an interview. Nonetheless, developers give high marks to city officials, including Charlie White, the LERTA administrator, for outreach and communications.

“They called me to talk about projects,” said Harristown’s Jones. “I said, ‘You know what? You’re right. We should absolutely be in this program.’”

For other developers, help can arrive in the form of sitting down with White and realizing, as they explain their projects, that “there is a way to use this program to their advantage.” The provisions may be challenging, Jones said, but “the city’s working hard to try to get more applicants in the pool. I think the program can be successful.”

Lot of Energy

In Harrisburg, LERTA’s condition-free segment encouraging residential renovation “is really powerful,” said WCI’s Butcher. “We have used it. It will help drive renovation in the city, which is nothing but a good thing.”

But new construction and commercial projects are unlikely “unless they have some subsidy measure,” he said. Few expect amendments any time soon.

“I don’t think the mayor is ready for that yet—the political dynamics, the amount of arrows you have to take,” he said. “Taking that fight on takes a lot of energy.”

Perhaps a year or three of data will help City Council and the administration determine if the LERTA has delivered reinvestment, said the chamber’s Black. If not, “are there things we should tweak?”

“I’d like to see them monitor it and try to look and try to simplify it, if possible,” he said. “But there’s other considerations they have on their plate.”

Harrisburg’s LERTA administrator can be reached at 717-255-7268. Some information is available on the city’s website, www.harrisburgpa.gov.

Disclosure: Alex Hartzler, publisher of TheBurg, is a principal with WCI Partners.

Author: M. Diane McCormick

All the Good Stuff: Celtic Craic Music Fest pipes in the songs, the fun.

August 31, 2017 | by Jess Hayden

You can’t put all Celtic music into a single bucket.

There’s traditional, pipes-and-drum music for sure. But there are also highly non-traditional forms, such as rock and punk.

All will be on display this month at the third annual Celtic Craic Music Fest, an outdoor event that features some of the region’s best Celtic bands. If you’re unfamiliar with this festival, you may wonder about its unusual name.

“Craic (pronounced ‘crack’) is an Irish word that describes perfectly what this festival is all about.” said Jon Heller, one of the festival organizers. “The term refers to getting together for all the good stuff—good food, good drink, good company and good music.”

Although the festival will sprawl over the Harrisburg Postal Picnic Grounds and feature two stages, Heller wants it to have the feel of a comfortable backyard jam.

“Just playing and listening to this music together is at the root of what we love,” he said.

The 2017 edition again will feature a mix of traditional and Celtic rock performers, including the Kilmaine Saints, a Celtic punk group from central PA, and The Bastard Bearded Irishmen, rollicking Celtic rockers from Pittsburgh.

Other Celtic rock groups will include Hold Fast, a new Harrisburg-based band, and the Ogham Stones from Lancaster. Traditional bands include Harrisburg’s Lochiel Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, the popular trio Across the Pond, central PA’s Down by the Glenside, Celtic string band Abigail’s Garden, and guitarist Dave Pedrick. Local Celtic dance groups will also be featured.

Besides the music, attendees will be able to enjoy food and beer, family activities, a Celtic cornhole competition and a bagpipe competition. Stick around for the campfire cèilidh, which will begin right after the concert.

Heller, who plays with the Kilmaine Saints, started the festival two years ago with band mate Mike McNaughton. The two musicians had talked about producing a festival together for many years, and the pieces fell together when they got the idea to do it as a benefit. After a successful first year, they decided to move the festival outdoors, and, last year, ran their first full-day festival on the picnic grounds.

In the short term, Heller and McNaughton said that one of their goals is to feature both traditional and Celtic rock.

“With the Kilmaine Saints, we play all these festivals that do either the rock stuff or the ‘trad’ stuff,” Heller said. “We want to present a mix of both and also add in some local Irish dancers.”

They also have a grander vision for the festival.

“There are so many local Celtic organizations around, and we would love for them to see our festival as a place where they can all come together and maybe even partner with some local Harrisburg charities to do something bigger, “Heller said. “It’s all about the community and the music.”

The festival organizers have been community-minded from the beginning, with the majority of proceeds going to charitable organizations. For the second year in a row, 51 percent or more of the proceeds will go to the American Heart Association of the Capital Region. There also will be a canned food drive with the Central PA Food Bank at the festival. Other charitable partners include Arthur’s Pet Pantry, Collins Division 1 AOH of Cumberland County, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Lochiel Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, LoveHopeStrength and Pennbrook Fire.

Heller said he’s really looking forward to this year’s festival.

“I love all the bands,” he said. “A lot of them are our friends. The Celtic community is just so great, the bands and the fans alike. Everyone is so open, so friendly. I really like feeling that we are preserving important traditions.”

The Celtic Craic Music Fest takes place Sept. 9, starting at 12:30 p.m., at the Harrisburg Postal Picnic Grounds, 1500 Roberts Valley Rd., Harrisburg. Tickets are $15, and children 12 and under are free. For more information, visit www.celticcraicmusicfest.com or the Facebook page.

Author: Jess Hayden

Keep on Strutting: For Shoe Strut, 2,000 new pairs—and counting.

August 31, 2017 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

While many adults probably remember their back-to-school shopping as an anticipated adventure, some area children go without.

In fact, some youngsters may even avoid going to school because they’re ashamed to be seen in worn or unstylish shoes. That’s where Shoe Strut comes in.

On Sept. 22, Salvation Army Harrisburg will sponsor its 6th annual Shoe Strut, a charitable luncheon and footwear fashion show.

But, really, this isn’t about shoes for you. Shoe Strut’s main purpose is providing footwear for needy children. The Salvation Army, in partnership with Boscov’s, provides one pair of shoes on behalf of each Shoe Strut attendee. Additionally, 100 percent of the event’s silent auction proceeds directly benefit the children.

Last year’s Shoe Strut garnered some $65,000 that funded 500 $30 Boscov’s shoe vouchers, with remaining funds put toward other charitable Salvation Army programs. By distributing vouchers instead of actual footwear, delighted youngsters get to shop for shoes of their own choice at Boscov’s, which sells the goods at a discount, according to Kathy Anderson-Martin, Salvation Army Harrisburg’s director of philanthropy.

Not bad for something that started over a pizza.

The genesis of Shoe Strut took place on an otherwise ordinary day in 2012 as the Salvation Army Harrisburg’s women advisory board shared a pizza in the facility’s community room. Between bites, Claudia Williams and friend Lisa Benzie brainstormed fundraising ideas.

“Then Claudia asked, ‘How about shoes?’” Anderson-Martin recalled. “Some of the kids in our youth programs didn’t have a decent pair of shoes, and some of them didn’t go to school because of that.”

That was all it took to set things in motion for the first Shoe Strut, which netted $20,000 in proceeds and attracted 250 attendees. Since then, the event has continued to grow. In 2016, a crowd of 500 flocked to the sold-out show.

Although this year’s tickets were “technically” sold out months ago, organizers said some tickets likely will become available closer to the date of the event.

Since its inception, Shoe Strut has helped to provide more than 2,000 pairs of shoes to young people selected from Salvation Army Harrisburg programs. Most recipients are in late elementary school, middle school or high school. Surplus funds have gone toward Salvation Army Harrisburg summer programs for at-risk youth, meals and basic needs assistance, self-sufficiency programs and even a new freezer for the Salvation Army facility in Midtown.

“It’s helped to fund a lot of things that otherwise wouldn’t have happened,” said Cindy Minnich, Salvation Army Harrisburg’s special events and communications coordinator.

Not surprisingly, Salvation Army Harrisburg has received numerous letters from parents, grandparents and others who are grateful for what their child received from Shoe Strut, and it’s a lot more than just shoes.

“We wish to thank you so very much for the book bag and shoes for our son,” said one letter. “They allowed him to go to school with what he needs, so he can maintain his 4.0 GPA!”

Another letter read, “The shoes and uniforms are a huge blessing! My grandchildren were so excited and eager to start school. It would have been a struggle for me alone. I know I speak for others as well when I say thank you for being there for our community.”

In retrospect, Minnich and Anderson-Martin are proud of all that has sparked from an initial lunchtime brainstorm.

“All in all, this is a pretty amazing story of what a group of woman can accomplish when eating pizza in a basement and sharing good ideas,” Minnich said.

Salvation Army Harrisburg’s 6th annual Shoe Strut takes place Sept. 22 at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg, 1150 Camp Hill Bypass, Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.shoestrut.com or www.pa.salvationarmy.org/harrisburg-pa.

Author: Phyllis Zimmerman

Prattle Battle: Storytellers throw down at Hilton Harrisburg.

August 31, 2017 | by Trey Knarr

Everyone has a story to tell.

Some do it in the pages of a notebook, keeping it obscure and hidden. Some do it in front of a camera, making movies they later upload to a YouTube account. Still others fall in love with the written word and use this to detail their experiences.

For much of this year, Whitaker Center has been organizing the Harrisburg Story Slam, the events taking place at the Hilton Harrisburg, with the monthly winners slated to compete in a final slam-down in November.

Whitaker Center describes it as being “like ‘Celebrity Deathmatch,’ but with real people and zero violence,” which, in my experience, was spot on.

On the night I attended, the theme was “Declaring My Independence.” As the event took place shortly after Independence Day, the subject was, appropriately, freedom. The contestants all had their own unique variations on the theme.

One constant I noticed in all the stories was that, even if the plots involved strange, outlandish events, the audience could relate to the subject. Not a single piece went by without at least a snicker or two.

Who hasn’t experienced moments of dissatisfaction with their body? Who hasn’t been curious about what the hippies in the Volkswagen van are really like?

Keeping with the idea of America, the contestants were a melting pot: youthful, older, of varying races, ethnicities and body types.

Phil Broder was the opening storyteller, kicking off the event with a humorous story about environmentalism and graduating from college. In listening to him offer his singular take on the theme, I already knew that humor and quirkiness were the keys to a potential win.

Linda Silberman was the third performer, and her cautionary tale of travelling on a bus with hippies resulted in riotous uproar from the audience. Indeed, her misadventures sat well with the judges and the audience alike—she was the night’s winner.

As the evening went on, I learned just how crucial the use of humor can be, how it can take the darkest of subject matter and transform it into something enjoyable and relatable. The subjects of the next two pieces—getting robbed and body-confidence issues—demonstrated this with deftness.

The fourth contestant and runner up, Carol Karl, detailed going to Europe for eight months, which led her to discover her independence. She gripped the audience with an impassioned narrative about getting pickpocketed in the Czech Republic, a cultural misunderstanding to blame.

Orchid Adams, the fifth contestant, imbued her entry with a very calm sort of confidence. She discussed her attempts at weight loss and how she learned the power of self-acceptance. It spoke to me on a personal level, as I’ve had my own issues with self-acceptance throughout the course of my almost-30 years.

“I was looking at the mirror of other people,” she explained.

Gina Napoli, the second performer after a short intermission, talked about her father using a brand of lip balm called “Raspberry Beret,” because, as she explained, “It was 1982.” Yet again, this was an average subject elevated to another level through humor.

The stage presence of the second-to-last storyteller, Gina Federico, was phenomenal. She delivered an entry about joining the school football team as a down marker, all to purchase koosh earrings “in every color ever made.”

Thomas Wenger, the last performer, discussed high school—the second most-common theme behind motherhood—and how he ended up working in the mining industry before confessing to his parents, “I wanna go to college.”

Following this was another short break, this time to give the judges a few minutes to determine who would go on to compete in the second round. It was clear they knew who the right picks were, and, although I may not have agreed with them, there were no “bad” choices.

To watch the contestants in action, visit Whitaker Center’s YouTube channel. For more information, go to www.whitakercenter.org/story-slam. The next slams are slated for Sept. 13 and Oct. 5, and the monthly winners will compete in the finale on Nov. 8 at the Hilton Harrisburg.

Author: Trey Knarr

FREE Party in the Streets tonight!

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