Soldier Stories: Veterans share their memories at the Central Pennsylvania World War II roundtable.

June 30, 2017 | by Robert Naeye

Guam, 1945

Charlie Lloyd is in a race against time.

As vice president of the Central Pennsylvania World War II Roundtable, Lloyd has the increasingly difficult task of finding veterans to share their war experiences at the group’s monthly meetings.

Most of these men are now in their early 90s. Nationally, only 620,000 of the war’s veterans remain alive, and they are dying at a rate of one every four minutes.

“I feel a sense of urgency getting these guys,” said Lloyd. “The clock is ticking to get these stories out. In the future, we’ll have to rely on authors and historians. But they won’t have the same impact.”

The roundtable’s events are free and open to the public. They’re held at Grace United Methodist Church in Hummelstown, often attracting as many as 400 people. A typical format includes opening statements, followed by featured speakers and audience questions.

Many of the talks elicit powerful emotions. In a recent meeting, U.S. army soldier Don Greenbaum described how his unit liberated the Nazi death camp at Dachau. Ernie Gross, a Romanian Jew who was liberated at Dachau, also spoke. Both now live near Philadelphia.

In another meeting, 92-year-old Milton Dienes of King of Prussia shared photographs he took in Nagasaki just 90 days after an atomic bomb destroyed much of the Japanese city. Dienes was a U.S. Army Air Corps photo reconnaissance officer based in Guam whose unit was sent into the city to document the devastation. He and the group took photos for two days amidst the rubble.

The military later destroyed the photos and negatives, so only the pictures that Dienes kept for himself survive. Some show industrial buildings reduced to twisted metal, but with smokestacks still standing. Others show a train station in operation.

“I didn’t take many pictures of people since many of them were burned from radiation,” Dienes said.

One notable meeting, from 2015, featured Harold Billow of Mount Joy, who might be the sole living survivor of the infamous Malmedy Massacre, in which German SS Panzer troops slaughtered 87 American prisoners in a Belgian field in December 1944. Billow survived by lying face down in the snow-covered field, playing dead even when a German kicked him in the back.

“Anyone who showed signs of life, they shot point blank in the head to finish him off,” Billow recalled.

Meetings run the gamut of experiences in World War II. During the January meeting, Chuck Klein of Harrisburg described his service on the USS Wasatch, which helped launch amphibious invasions of Japanese-held islands while serving as Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s command ship. Klein described seeing MacArthur land on a beach in New Guinea, but then, realizing no cameras were present, went back to the boat, only to return once several photographers were on shore. April’s speaker, Kenneth Fidler, spoke about surviving after a Japanese kamikaze plane hit his ship off of the island of Okinawa.

A Blessing
The Central PA WW2 Roundtable is an offshoot of the Hershey Civil War Roundtable. The Civil War group started in 1992, motivated by a Ken Burns documentary on public television. About a decade later, club member Fred Taylor suggested starting a World War II Roundtable “because we still have the guys.”

The group’s first president, William Jackson, invited John Light, a Dickinson College mathematics professor, to speak at the initial meeting, held in March 2003 at the Hershey Public Library. Light served in the same infantry division as Jackson’s father, who perished late in the war in Germany. That meeting attracted about 25 people. One of the early speakers was Richard Winters of Hershey, commander of Easy Company, the paratrooper unit featured in the book and HBO series “Band of Brothers.”

The growth of the World War II Roundtable inspired the 2013 founding of the Central Pennsylvania Vietnam Round Table. This group meets on the second Thursday of the month at the VVA Capital Chapter 542 building in Harrisburg.

Lloyd, a Vietnam-era veteran of the Air National Guard, said that he got involved in the World War II Roundtable about six years ago. In past years, he easily could find speakers in the Harrisburg metro area. But with fewer and fewer living veterans, he has widened his search, going as far away as the Delaware River. Lloyd said that he drives to a veteran’s home to brief him on how to present his story and to make sure he can engage a large audience. He also transports speakers to and from the meetings.

Lloyd is assisted by president Kirk Gibson, who served in an Army airborne reconnaissance company from 1961 to 1964.

“Everything we do is on a volunteer basis,” Gibson said. “We all have things to do, but it’s a fun group of people.”

Lloyd likened meeting the veterans to “shaking hands with living history.”

“A lot of these veterans didn’t expect to come back,” said Lloyd. “They got on with their lives and didn’t talk about the war very much until their later years. To meet them personally is a blessing.”

The World War II Roundtable is held the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church, 433 E. Main St., Hummelstown. For more information, visit www.centralpaww2roundtable.org.

Author: Robert Naeye

Golden State: Raise a glass as State Museum celebrates 50 years of “Art of the State.”

June 30, 2017 | by Diane McNaughton

Photograph; “Miranda” by Nicole Dube

As the summer heat descends upon Harrisburg, many midstaters pack up their suitcases and sunscreen and head for the surf, sand and sea.

Fortunately, for those who are staycationing it by the Susquehanna this steamy season, a free voyage awaits in the shadow of our own Capitol, at the State Museum.

As Marcel Proust once said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

On display through early September, right here in our own backyard, your eyes can be opened as you take in 130 original paintings, sculptures, photographs and three-dimensional crafts from 119 Pennsylvania artists.

This is the landmark 50^th year of the annual “Art of the State” exhibit, proving that life begins at 50.

More than 20 artists in the exhibit hail from Dauphin and Cumberland counties, including TheBurg’s own Aron Rook, the magazine’s former chief illustrator, and a first-time entrant in “Art of the State.”

Her piece, entitled “Gold Bond, Because Silver Linings Don’t Mean Sh*t,” is wood-burn, acrylic and gold leaf on an antique wood panel. The piece reflects both “strength and vulnerability,” Rook explained, with two mirroring figures who have placed their hearts where their heads are.

“They are deteriorating, they have become disconnected,” she said. “Yet, in all their decay, they are surrounded by golden light.”

Another local artist who dazzles is Nicole Dube, a Carlisle-based photographer whose picture of “Miranda” depicts a pensive young teen.

“That kind of melancholy—you don’t expect a 14-year-old to have such deep thoughts, such a burden on her shoulders,” Dube said. “You rarely see that kind of weightiness.”

Harrisburg’s award-winning street photographer Karen Commings’ entry is a full-color photograph of a bicyclist zipping down 2nd Street in Harrisburg in the pouring rain, the green of the streetlights glowing in the gray mist.

“I always appreciate the beauty of Harrisburg and seeing it wet,” said Commings, a long-time member of the Harrisburg Camera Club. “I just hope people will appreciate the beauty of the street, and I hope it makes them happy to look at it,”

New Excitement

Harrisburg-based artist Jeff Wiles had an impressive three pieces accepted into the exhibit this year.

“Regardless of the style of photography, it’s always my hope that I establish an emotional connection with the viewer,” Wiles said. “A good image will hold the eye, prompt interpretation and be memorable.”

Dube admits that her favorite piece in the exhibit is Wiles’ photograph entitled “Four Worlds,” which shows four Milton Hershey School students on a bus, each so close in proximity, yet so far apart in spirit.

State Museum Director Beth Hager said the show is an “interesting mix, juxtaposed against each other.” With different judges, and featuring everything from rocking chairs and jewelry to pottery and portraits, the show changes dramatically from year to year.

This show features a first-time award from the docents, she noted, which is triggering new excitement.

“Pennsylvania has a rich artist tradition,” Hager said. “Historically, Pennsylvania has been a mecca for artists.”

She pointed out that “Art of the State” is among the longest-running shows in the nation, if not the longest.

“It just draws you in,” she said. “It’s amazing what comes in every year.”

This year’s exhibit attracted nearly 2,200 entries from 845 artists. It’s co-presented by the State Museum and Jump Street, with WITF and Higher Information Group as sponsors.

Hager noted that, thanks to a newly negotiated reciprocal agreement, members of the State Museum and the Susquehanna Art Museum now can receive free admission to both destinations through Sept. 17.

A Conversation

For the 50th year exhibit, some works are indeed “state-of-the-art.” Others are timeless.

Rook said that, for a work of art to be brilliant, it must be “a most genuine expression, one where sincerity cuts through all the veils. Perhaps it deconstructs and reconstructs beliefs.”

To be a great photographer, “You have to understand your equipment and be willing to experiment and practice, practice, practice,” Commings said.

Keeping up with software and the capricious weather is a constant challenge, she added.

For Dube, the challenge is light.

“Photography is light,” she said. “That’s the hardest thing always.”

From the creative side, Dube said she always looks for a beautiful subject and, more importantly, a subject that resonates.

“A photograph will be empty unless there is some kind of narrative,” she said. “The narrative can be hidden or overt.”

Commings does a lot of street photography, particularly in the rain.

“In candid situations, sometimes it’s the unusual, sometimes it’s the ordinary, shown in an unusual way,” she said. “Nothing is off limits. Once I take it, I know how I want it to look, how I want to process it.”

During the exhibit, the museum plans to offer three “Conversations with the Artists,” programs, where two artists at a time will join together to talk and answer questions.

“We look to start a conversation about art,” Hager said.

On July 7, Pennsylvania First Lady Frances Wolf and Harrisburg’s own Andrew Guth lead the tour. Guth received a first-place award in the category of “Work on Paper.”

And despite what your art teachers may have told you, “There are no right or wrong interpretations. We all see art through the filter of our unique set of personal life experiences,” Wiles said.

With so many works featured, you won’t connect with every selection in the show. But that’s OK.

“A tour through any ‘Art of the State’ exhibit will make you aware of the depth and variety of talent our state possesses,” Wiles said.

That’s worth staying home for.

“Art of the State” runs through Sept. 10 at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, N. 3rd and North streets, Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.statemuseumpa.org.

Author: Diane McNaughton

Wicked Good: Venture to Mechanicsburg for a bite of scratch-made comfort food.

June 30, 2017 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Photo by Waxman photography.

Cissy Beauvais, owner of the Wicked Kitchen in Mechanicsburg, may have grown up in the church, but she’s not above tempting area dieters to abandon their resolve.

“Every great cook starts in the church,” she said with a chuckle. “I began cooking at a very young age in the United Methodist Church. My grandmother was a huge church lady.”

The Dillsburg resident, who grew up in Halifax in what she describes as a “Pennsylvania Dutch household,” said she is used to cooking for a crowd.

“My mom is one of five, so I grew up with tons of cousins, aunts and uncles around and some of the recipes we use are family recipes—from the broccoli salad to the potato salad, the macaroni salad and coleslaw,” she said. “My husband Eric and I have six children, five still at home, so cooking in large quantities kind of comes naturally.”

For several years, she worked for Panera, in the process getting an education about how a restaurant runs.

“I was proud to work there and learned a lot,” said Beauvais, who opened her 50-seat restaurant in the fall of 2015 in the former Frostbite Cupcakery.

Beauvais said she chose the location because “it just felt right. I’m a big advocate of feeling things, and, if it doesn’t feel like home, then it’s not where you belong.”

It didn’t hurt that her daughter, Caroline, ran up and down the ramp the entire time the couple inspected the building. Caroline, their 3-year-old daughter who has cerebral palsy, is part of the inspiration for the quirky décor that features an octopus theme.

“My daughter was a ‘22-weeker,’ and the nurses wrap the children with an octopus when they are in the NICU,” said Beauvais.

The couple arrived at the name “Wicked Kitchen” as a nod to Cissy’s husband’s Massachusetts background, where the word “wicked” often is used as a modifier. Why run a boring, old, run-of-the-mill kitchen when you can whip up some culinary magic in a wicked kitchen?

Beauvais prides herself in making everything from scratch, with selections varying week to week. Tried-and-true favorites remain standard, however. Customers can count on homemade potpie every Thursday, for instance.

“We call it ‘chicken hell day,’” said Beauvais, with a laugh. “We roll all our own noodles, roast our chicken for 16 hours for the base, add carrots, celery—the whole shebang.”

Soups range from chicken corn to beef vegetable to potato. A Tuesday top seller is the homey combo of creamy tomato and a hearty grilled cheese sandwich.

Oversized sticky buns, known as “wicked stickies,” also have been a hit—and, when they’re gone, they’re gone.

“We suggest people pre-order,” Beauvais said.

Beauvais bakes her own bread, which provides the base for her popular sandwiches, such as the BLT with candied bacon, the pulled pork “Piggywich” and the “Gobbler,” comprised of Swiss cheese, turkey and candied bacon.

Randy Brewbaker first learned of Wicked Kitchen while sitting in a nearby barbershop and thought he’d give the place a whirl. He’s been back many times since.

“I love the homemade soup like the creamy potato, the chicken corn and the chicken noodle, and the potpie on Thursday is phenomenal,” he said. “I sometimes get it to go. Cissy puts a lot of love into her cooking. You can tell she enjoys what she does.”

Brewbaker does note one drawback, however.

“I try to watch my carbs,” he said, before raving about the grilled cheese and homemade donuts. “Her baked goods are out of this world.”

John Gardner, who also considers himself a regular, said he’s never had a bad meal in the establishment and recommends the BLT made with the candied bacon or the pot roast sandwich.

“It practically melts in your mouth,” said the Carlisle resident.

Beauvais hasn’t had it easy. As a breast cancer survivor, a mother of a preemie and an autistic son, she’s faced challenges in life. But she said she always felt supported by the local community. Because of that, she’s determined to give back.

“We work with Meals on Wheels, and I also enjoy catering military weddings at a very inexpensive price for young people just starting out,” she said. “My pap’s favorite saying was, ‘Eat something, you’ll feel better.’”

Beauvais said that she feels best when someone sits down in her dining room and says, “This is just like my grandmom used to make.”

“That’s what makes me feel awesome,” she said. “I love that I can give people a memory. That tells me I’m doing something right.”

The Wicked Kitchen is located at 30 S. Market St., Mechanicsburg. For more information, call 717-590-8116 or visit www.thewickedkitchen.org or the Facebook page.

Author: Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Fresh Is Best: How a less processed diet can benefit you and your pets.

June 30, 2017 | by Kristen Zellner

As humans, we understand why we should be eating a fresh diet and less processed food. But what about our pets?

Our own diets have evolved over the last couple of decades to include healthier ingredients, while our pets are still consuming “kibble,” the little brown kernels in fancy packaging, full of ingredients that we can’t pronounce. The front of the package of pet food often pictures a colorful cornucopia of fresh meats, vegetables and grains before that fresh food becomes processed into kibble. When you look inside the bag, the picture is very different.

Have you ever wondered why pets like it so much when you top off their dry food with something from your own dinner? Not only does it taste better, but their bodies crave that fresh food. So, aside from our basic understanding of why fresh food is best for any living body, here are some of the benefits of a less-processed diet for our pets.

More energy

Overly processed diets can be difficult for a pet’s digestive system to break down and extract nutrients. This means that a lot of the food goes in one end and out the other without the body absorbing all of the vitamins and minerals it needs. Fresh ingredients are more digestible, which enables the pet’s body to generate more energy from the food they’re eating. This gives the pet more readily available energy to use when needed instead of spending so much time trying to break down and make sense out of the processed foods.

Shiny coats and healthy skin

If your pet suffers from allergies or itchy skin, feeding a less-processed diet can reduce the likelihood of an allergic reaction to ingredients such as artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. In addition, nutrients found in less-processed, less-heated and altered pet foods have a greater likelihood of maintaining their efficacy than their synthetic counterparts, present in most dry pet foods. Better absorption of nutrients leads to healthier immune function, resulting in improved vitality and appearance.

Less waste, better digestion

Processed pet foods, especially the low quality, grocery store variety, add much more fiber than is necessary. Low-cost fillers like rice, wheat, corn, soy and potatoes make pet food less expensive. Some fiber can be a good thing, but, when there is too much in a pet’s food, it is likely coming out the other end of your pet without being used, leaving your pet unsatisfied. The result is a higher volume of stool output and less actual nutrition. Aside from better satisfying hunger, a fresher diet will result in smaller stool volume, leading to easier pick-ups in the backyard or litter box. Remember, just because a food claims to be complete and balanced does not mean all of the ingredients are being used by your pet’s body. If a food is producing too much waste, where is the savings for the consumer?

Better overall health and longevity

Most pet owners are conscious of the cost involved in caring for a pet. One way to trim back is to cut corners on the cost of feeding a pet. This is counterintuitive. In reality, the best way to keep a pet healthy is to put the best “fuel” into them from the very beginning. We wouldn’t think of buying a new car and putting poor quality gasoline in the tank, expecting it will run efficiently for years. The old adage holds true: We always get what we pay for. Dry food in a bag is not the best diet for any living creature.

Luckily, the pet food industry has evolved with the thinking that fresher is better. There are a growing number of alternatives to dry food on the market. Dehydrated, freeze-dried, fresh and raw diets have been available for more than a decade and are in growing demand as consumers become educated about the benefits of less processed pet foods. This doesn’t mean we must go all-or-nothing into the fresh food world. For instance, replacing 50 percent of a pet’s diet with appropriate, less processed foods can make a dramatic difference in their health. If that is the case, our pets will look and feel better, making trips to the vet less frequent. And that is where we really save money.

Kristen Zellner is the owner of Abrams & Weakley General Store for Animals, 3963 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. To learn more, visit www.abramsandweakley.com or call 717-232-3963.

Author: Kristen Zellner

Districts of Dysfunction: A fight is on against gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. Can it succeed?

June 30, 2017 | by Robert Naeye

In representative democracies, voters are supposed to choose their elected officials. But, in Pennsylvania, it’s often the other way around.

The violation of this core principle explains much of the dysfunction in state and national government. It also explains why Harrisburg was sliced into two congressional districts and is represented, in the House of Representatives, by conservative Republicans from faraway Hazleton and York.

If you’re outraged by this state of affairs, you can blame gerrymandering—the long-standing practice of politicians drawing district boundaries to favor their own political party and their electoral survival.

“Pennsylvania ranks fifth from the bottom in gerrymandering, and it’s especially bad with congressional redistricting,” said state Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh County), who is co-sponsoring a bill that would transfer the power of redistricting from self-interested party leaders to a nonpartisan citizen’s commission.

The need for reform is evident by examining a map of Pennsylvania’s congressional districts. Many meander geographically. Some blatantly violate the state constitution by their lack of compactness or because they divide counties, cities and municipalities. The 7^th congressional district, outside Philadelphia, is so grotesquely contorted that it’s referred to as “Goofy kicking Donald Duck.”

Republican leaders in the General Assembly deliberately drew these district boundaries after the 2010 national census to favor their party. This practice is outlawed in almost all democratic nations except the United States. Maryland, for example, is gerrymandered to favor Democrats. As Karl Rove, advisor to former President George W. Bush, famously stated, “He who controls redistricting can control Congress.”

Bizarre Construct
Gerrymandering particularly harms Harrisburg’s 50,000 residents. Republican Party leaders divided its mostly Democratic voters into two Congressional districts to dilute their influence—a practice known as cracking.

Most of Harrisburg belongs to Rep. Scott Perry’s district, which includes the eastern part of Cumberland County and all of York and Adams counties. Harrisburg’s far southern neighborhoods were placed in Rep. Lou Barletta’s district, a bizarre construct that includes parts of nine counties and extends from Shippensburg all the way to Wyoming County near the New York border.

Perry and Barletta don’t need Harrisburg’s support to win re-election, giving them minimal incentive to represent the city’s interests in Congress. For instance, Perry and Barletta both supported “Trumpcare,” which would take away affordable health insurance for thousands of their Harrisburg constituents.

Gerrymandering also deprives Harrisburg of a Democratic voice in the state Senate. Harrisburg lies in the 15^th district, which includes most of Dauphin County. Democrat Rob Teplitz won this seat in 2012, but he narrowly lost to Republican John DiSanto in 2016, partially because Republican leaders removed the Democratic bastions of Steelton, Highspire and Paxtang from the district and replaced them with heavily Republican Perry County. DiSanto won Perry County by about 8,500 votes, offsetting Teplitz’s 5,100-vote margin in Dauphin County.

Gerrymandering is a problem for everyone, not just Harrisburg. It makes citizens frustrated that their votes don’t matter. It contributes to corruption, gridlock and hyper-partisanship in the federal and state governments, where elected officials often seem more devoted to party loyalty than the nation’s welfare.

“Because of gerrymandering, legislators don’t really listen to the public anymore,” said Boscola. “They just listen to their party base. This is not good lawmaking. We need more compromise. Harrisburg is much more partisan now than it was 20 years ago.”

Many districts are created to be safe for one party or the other, which deprives voters of choice in competitive elections. In the 2016 general election, 13 of Pennsylvania’s 25 state senators and 97 out of 203 representatives did not have to face a major-party challenger.

Gerrymandering also gives party bosses the ability to enforce strict party-line discipline by taking away the district of any member who dares to cross the aisle on key legislation. Or a party leader can arrange for a more ideologically pure candidate to run against an out-of-favor incumbent in the next primary. Gerrymandering thus contributes to the nation’s deepening partisan chasm.

Boscola has seen these nefarious tactics used on friends and on herself.

“You can be popular with your voters back home, but if you’re not beholden to your party leader, you can be X’d out,” she said.

Sense of Urgency
Gerrymandering has been around since the 1700s, but it has become more egregious recently because party leaders now have access to detailed mapping data and voter profiles. This trove of information allows politicians to fine-tune district boundaries and predict election outcomes with greater surgical precision than ever before.

Because the redistricting process is written into Pennsylvania’s constitution, changing the system requires an amendment. Several proposed amendments are circulating within the General Assembly, but they’re currently stuck in committees.

Amending the constitution is exceedingly difficult. The House and Senate will have to pass the exact same bill in two consecutive legislative sessions (2017-18 and 2019-20). If the bill clears that high hurdle, it then will have to win a majority of votes in a 2020 statewide referendum.

Timing is critical. Pennsylvania will lose one or two congressional seats after the 2020 census, automatically triggering the redistricting process. Boundaries drawn after that census will shape the commonwealth’s House delegation for the next decade, so reformers feel a sense of urgency.

Fair Districts PA, a nonpartisan statewide organization of volunteers, is leading the charge. FDPA is promoting the most comprehensive legislation: Senate Bill 22 and House Bill 722. These virtually identical bills would give the power of redistricting to an independent committee of 11 Pennsylvania citizens who would operate in a transparent fashion.

Committee members would include four Democrats, four Republicans and three independents and would be selected by a random computer algorithm from a list of qualified voters, preventing party leaders from rigging the outcome. Seven committee members would be required to finalize district lines, and at least one member of each pool would have to approve the map. Each pool must reflect the commonwealth’s racial, geographic and gender diversity.

SB22 and HB722 enjoy bipartisan sponsorship in both chambers of the General Assembly. Harrisburg’s state representative, Democrat Patty Kim, is co-sponsoring HB722. Sen. DiSanto also supports redistricting reform in principle, but he has not signed up as a co-sponsor of SB22.

Both bills face daunting odds.

“We’re taking power from the leaders of the two major parties,” said James Allen of FDPA’s Dauphin County branch, who notes that the bosses can employ a variety of tactics to stall or kill the bills. “They control the process, so those who have power will fight very hard against changes.”

Boscola thinks lawmakers are starting to feel public pressure, but much more will be needed before party leaders conclude that it’s in their interest to go along with an independent redistricting commission.

“Keep the pressure up,” Boscola said. “Bombard legislators with calls. Keep hammering away, and they will start to listen. But it has to be relentless.”

Allen said that it will take “a massive commitment” to get redistricting reform done.

“Is it going to be easy?” No,” he said. “But if you believe change is possible, it can be done.”

For more information on gerrymandering and the campaign for redistricting reform, visit www.fairdistrictspa.com.

Author: Robert Naeye

Happenings: Our July Calendar of Events

June 30, 2017 | by TheBurg Editor

Happenings

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

“Torn Paper Portraits,” by Robert Patrick Haldeman, at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St., through July 17.

“Depth of Perception,” featuring the sculptural, story-based paintings by Zheka Art, through July 21.

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

“Hemmings Classic Car Detroit Underdogs,” highlighting the often overlooked, under-appreciated and easily attainable cars of youth, through Aug. 27.

“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.

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

“Art School Annual,” featuring works of art by AAH students, through July 20.

“International Exhibition,” featuring the works of Douglas D. Anderson, Evelyn R. Burton, Cathy Frey, John Guarnera and Fred Scruton, July 28-Aug. 31; reception, July 28, 5-8 p.m.

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

“Mythic Realms,” oil paintings by Jon Carraher, through mid-August; receptions: July 7 and 8, 7-10 p.m.

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

“The Yellow Fever,” an exhibition of photographs by John Wright, exploring the color yellow in urban settings, through July 23.

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

Artist of the Month: Jacob Mazurek

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 Irene VanBuskirk, Karen Commings and Mark Wesling, through Aug. 5.

Works by Joanne Finkle at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St., July 19-Aug. 15; reception: July 21, 6 to 9 p.m.

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

Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, through July 8.

Membership Show & Gallery Student Show, July 13-Aug. 26.

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

“4 x 6 Art Exhibition,” a showcase of small-scale artwork by artists of a variety of media with dimensions not exceeding 4” x 6” x 1.5”, through July 21.

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

Works by Joelle Arawjo, Yachiyo Beck, John Davis, Ann Benton Yeager and Paul Vasiliades, through July 16.

Works by Tina Berrier, Tami Bitner, Tara Chickey, Bob McCloskey and Marsha Souders, July 18-Aug. 13.

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

“Wild America: The Art of Roger Tory Peterson,” through the end of August.

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

“After the Masters,” oil and acrylic paintings by Pat Koscienski, through July.

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

“Burst Into Bloom,” selectively abstract paintings rich in contrast of lines, images and colors by Loretta St. John, through July 8.

“Weaving Through the Countryside,” paintings by Valerie Moyer and basketry by Teena Beutel, July 14-Aug. 5; reception: July 14, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

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

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history.

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

“Art of the State,” annual juried exhibition showcasing the work of Pennsylvania artists, through Sept. 10.

“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

“Eccentricity,” selected works from the 2017 Artistic Expressions Student Exhibition, through July 30.

“Vessels,” a juried exhibition, through Aug. 6.

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

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

“Expanded Visions,” juried exhibition that embraces all forms of photography from the traditional darkroom to the digital image, through July 7.

Whitaker Center/The Curved Wall
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

“Art on Tour,” featuring the works of Perry County Council of the Arts member artists, through Aug. 18.

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 Kelly Curran, through July 11.

Works by Monica Smith, July 16-Aug. 9.

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

“Playing with Light,” photography by Jesus Martinez, through July 20.

“Science Meets Art,” geometrical and symbolic designs by Katie Trainer, July 21-Aug. 17.

Read, Make, Learn

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

July 13: Pound and Pour w/Omni Fitness, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
July 27: Pop Up Class—Beer and Yoga, 6-7:30 p.m.

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

July 14: Cruising Caribbean, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
July 19: South of the Border Delights, 6-9 p.m.
July 27: Great Sandwich, Pizza and Beer Pairing, 6-9 p.m.

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

July 3, 10, 17 24, 31: Summer Drop-in Story Time, 9:30 a.m.
July 3, 17: Fredricksen Writes, 6:45 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Teen Meetup Discussion Group, 2 p.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Teen Movie Matinees, 2 p.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Plot Twisters Teen Writers Group (ages 15-18), 6:30 p.m.
July 8: Story Time and Music Therapy by Sovia Therapy, 3 p.m.
July 10: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
July 10, 24: Teen Short Story Workshop, 7 p.m.
July 11: Curl up with the Classics—“Animal Farm,” 10 a.m.
July 11: What’s the Matter? w/Maryland Science Center, 10:30 a.m.
July 11, 18, 25: Master Gardener Plant Clinics, 6 p.m.
July 18: Teen STEM DAY, 2 p.m.
July 18: Fredricksen Reads—“Rise and Shine,” 7 p.m.
July 19: WickedTunes After Hours, 6:30 p.m.
July 21: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
July 21-22: Safe Sitter Training, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
July 25: Build a Better Cupcake, 2 p.m.
July 25: Gardening with Nature—Weed Identification, 7 p.m.

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

July 3-Aug. 21: Improv Level 3, Mondays, 7-10 p.m.

Healthy Living Kitchen
16 S. Rosanna St., Hummelstown
717-512-0077; healthylivingkitchenpa.com

July 19: Cooking Class—Summer Cook Nights, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Hershey Art Association
hersheyareaartassociation.com

July 25-26: Dive Into Color, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Kalpa Bhadra Kadampa Buddhist -Center
251 Wiconisco St., Harrisburg
717-232-2700; meditationpa.org

July 29: The Key to Inner Peace: Understanding the Mind, 1 to 4 p.m.

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

July 1: Drop-in Art, 1-4 p.m.
July 15: A Novel Idea 102, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 29: Intro to Expressive Abstract Painting, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

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

July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Common Roads Young Adults, 4 p.m.
July 4: Men’s Group, 6 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Common Roads Youth, 6 p.m.
July 11: Seniors Group, 6 p.m.
July 13: Aging with Pride Lunchtime Discussion, 12 p.m.
July 18: Women’s Group, 6 p.m.
July 25: LGBT Parents, 6 p.m.

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

July 10-14: Rock Band Summer Camp Guitar Intensive, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 17-21: Rock Band Performance Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 24-28: Rock Band Songwriting Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 31-Aug. 4: Boom Pop Jam Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

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

July 1: Author Event w/Jim Minick, 1-3 p.m.
July 1: Good News Café, 6 p.m.
July 4, 11, 18, 25: Coffee, Cake and True Islam, 5 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Midtown Chess Club, 11 a.m.
July 6, 13, 20: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
July 7, 14, 28: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
July 13, 20: Camp Curtin Toastmasters, 6:30 p.m.
July 15: Poetry Reading w/Alan Krasner, 1-3 p.m.
July 15: Author Event w/Keith Law, 3-5 p.m.
July 16: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
July 16: LGBT Book Club, 5 p.m.
July 22: Author Event w/Steven Levingston
July 29: Book Signing w/Tim Wesley, 1-3 p.m.

The Movement Center
2134 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-238-0357; themovementcenter.net

July 9: Community Yoga—Free Beginner Class, 10 a.m.

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

July 7: Fun Friday, 3 p.m.
July 7, 21: Library After Hours, 6 p.m.
July 7, 21, 28: Fairytale Building, 10:15 a.m.
July 8: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 10, 11, 17: Hands-On Science, 1 p.m.
July 10, 17, 24, 31: Summertime Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
July 11, 15: Family Fun Night, 5:30 p.m.
July 11, 18, 25: Book Babies, 11:15 a.m.
July 15: Couponing Workshop, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 18: The Science of Sound, 1:30 p.m.
July 22: Robots, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 26: Pennwriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.

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

July 5, 12, 19, 26: Nature Lab, 11:30 a.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Nature Lab, Archaeology, 11:30 a.m.
July 7: Storytime, 10-11 a.m.
July 7, 14, 21, 28: Learn at Lunchtime, 12:15-12:45 p.m.

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

July 8, 15, 22, 29: Saturday Morning Art Club (ages 4-7), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 8, 15, 22 29: Young Artist Camp (ages 8-12), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 19: Instructed Life Drawing Class, 6-9 p.m.

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

July 1: Saturday Morning Bird Walk, 8-10 a.m.
July 2: Beginner’s Yoga and Walk, 10-11:30 a.m.
July 9: Flower Walk – Still More Blooms, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 12: Stress Relief Walk, 6-7:30 p.m.
July 20: Get in Shape Walk, 6-7 p.m.
July 24-28: Photo Boot Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 31-Aug. 4: Photo Boot Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Live Music Around Harrisburg

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

July 9: The Righteous Brothers—Bill Medley & Bucky Heard
July 14: The Texas Tenors
July 16: The Glenn Miller Orchestra
July 30: Replay America—The Ultimate 80s Festival at Clipper Stadium

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

July 14: The Wild Hymns and The Red Eye Kings
July 15: D-Bo
July 20: Chris Jacobs
July 21: Matt Otis and the Sound
July 22: Appalachian Gypsy Tribe
July 28: Frog Holler
July 29: June Divided, One Trick Grizzly, Nothingmen

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

July 7: Peter Bottros

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

July 1, 9, 23: Anthony Haubert
July 5, 7, 21, 25: Noel Gevers
July 6, 27, 29: Corinna Joy
July 8, 13, 15: Roy Lefevre
July 11, 19: Maria Battista
July 12, 20: Chris Purcell
July 14, 18: Daniel Sheahan
July 22, 28: Ted Ansel
July 26: Deborah Anderson

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

July 1: Blackbear
July 3: In This Moment
July 7: Cayetana
July 13: Saintseneca, Michael Ray
July 14: New Found Glory
July 15: Fuel
July 16: Myles Parrish
July 20: The Menzingers
July 21: Ja Rule
July 22: Primus, Clutch
July 25: Theory of a Deadman
July 27: Moose Blood

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

July 1: Jeanine & Friends
July 7: Mike Banks
July 8: Hard Travelin’
July 9: Shelba Purtle
July 14: Kevin Kline
July 15: Doug Morrise
July 16: Emily Lynn Wilkins
July 21: Antonio Andrade
July 23: Colby Dove
July 24: Dominick Cicco
July 29: Michael Arthur & Kristina Machusick

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

July 11: After Hours Big Band
July 24: West Shore Symphony Orchestra

Greater Harrisburg Concert Band
717-576-758; ghcb.org

July 7: Concert at Bethany Village
July 8: Concert at Hampden Township Park & Pool, Mechanicsburg
July 14: Concert at Messiah College
July 16: Concert at Jewish Home, Harrisburg
July 21: Trinity Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg
July 28: Cumberland Crossings, Carlisle
July 30: Messiah Lifeways Chapel, Mechanicsburg

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

July 1: Vito DePiero, Entellekt, Rawston George & Young Swerve
July 8: Sons of Pitches, Back in Black
July 21: Aortic Valve

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

July 1-4: Summer Concert Series

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

July 1: DJ Magic, Vinyl Groov
July 7: Radio Neon
July 8: DJ Ray Rossi, Ryan Pelton Elvis Tribute, Restless
July 14: Funktion
July 15: DJ Dave Styles, Sapphire
July 21: Emily’s Toybox
July 22: DJ Matrix, Smooth Like Clyde
July 28: The Luv Gods
July 29: DJ Dave Styles, Green Eggs

Johnny Joe’s Sports Bar & Grill
5327 E. Trindle Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2254; johnnyjoesbar.com

July 1: fith
July 15: SOS
July 22: Decipher Life
July 29: Acedias

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

July 23: Concert at Adams-Ricci Park

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

July 25: Jeffrey Lewis

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

July 9: Shippensburg Symphony w/Simone Lamsma
July 14: Shippensburg Symphony w/Jean-Yves Thibaudet
July 16: Shippensburg Symphony & Chorus w/the Towne Singers

Majestic Theater

25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg

717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org
July 11: Lake Street Dive
July 25: Graham Nash

Market Square Concerts
marketsquareconcerts.org

July 21: West Garden Trio
July 23: Brasil Guitar Duo
July 26: Stuart Malina

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

July 1: Charlie Fry
July 8: Sherri Mullen Duo
July 11: Ryan Moran
July 15: Conrad Fisher
July 18: Dave Kelly
July 22: Corinna Joy
July 25: Wayne Thompson
July 29: Keith Goldstein

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

July 15: Cruise Control w/No Last Call

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

July 26: Coffeehouse at The Winery at Hunters Valley

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

July 7: Rivers
July 21: Anthony Gomes

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

July 6: Stan & Wes
July 13: Shea & Len
July 20: Jeffery J. Walker
July 27: Swish & Joey

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

July 1: Shea Quinn and Friends
July 7, 22: TBA
July 8: Swisher Sweets
July 14: Cruise Control Trio
July 15: Natalie Ness
July 28: Music Thru Science Lite

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

July 5: Howard and the Islanders on Pride of the Susquehanna

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

July 14-21: Lancaster International Piano Festival

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

July 9: Josh Dominick
July 21: Jelli

The Stage Door

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

July 21: “Corks & Candies”

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

July 14: “#IMOMSOHARD”

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

Through Aug. 12: “Peter Pan”

Gamut Theatre Group
3^rd Floor, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamutplays.org

July 7-9: “HEDY! The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr”
July 12-Aug. 19: “The Ugly Duckling” (Popcorn Hat Players)

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

July 21-23: “Oklahoma!”

Harrisburg Comedy Zone

110 Limekiln Rd., New Cumberland

717-920-5653; harrisburgcomedyzone.com
July 8: Earl David Reed
July 23: Paulie Shore

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

July 1: Improv Mixer

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

July 19-23: “Motown the Musical”

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

July 21-Aug. 6: “Tintypes”

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

July 21-22: “Romeo and Juliet”

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

July 6: Sing and Dance w/Matthew Dodd
July 13: Grins & Grins Comedy Show
July 20: Da Vinci Science Center’s “Grossology”
July 27: Popcorn Hat Players

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

July 22: “Play-in-a-Day”

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

July 7-23: “Hollywood Arms”

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

July 7-22: “Shrek the Musical”

Untitled: A Storytelling Project
untitledhbg.com

July 13: “Things that begin with the letter K” (at Zeroday Brewing Co.)

Pet Sounds: Susan Giblin’s life may have been short, but her impact has been huge.

June 30, 2017 | by Ann Beth Knaus

There’s a famous children’s quote by teacher and scholar Forest E. Witcraft that’s been modified and expanded over time to emphasize the space we share with all living things:

“A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove … but the world may be different because I was important in the life of animals and the creatures on this earth.”

That sums up well the life work of Harrisburg native Susan Giblin, a paralegal turned animal rights advocate who lost her battle to leukemia at age 46 in 2010. Immediately after her passing, the Susan Giblin Foundation for Animal Wellness and Welfare was established in her honor and today remains a small local nonprofit doing big things to help animals in central Pennsylvania.

Susan’s husband, Mike Giblin, a local businessman and musician, launched the foundation almost on impulse at her funeral, astounded by the large attendance and emotional outpouring.

“They say the funeral of a youngish person is usually well attended, but when 300 people showed up, I decided, along with her friends that very day, that we needed to do something to continue her legacy,” Giblin said. “It wasn’t until she was gone that we got a sense of just how far her reach and impact really was. It was very inspiring.”

A celebration of life memorial service held in her honor that year at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (HMAC) morphed into the first fundraiser for the foundation. The fundraisers that followed each year all have been held at HMAC, where Giblin is a partner.

The Susan Giblin Foundation works to raise and distribute funds to support animal caregiving organizations, foster awareness and education of complementary animal therapies, and support the continued education of those in the animal medical field.

The biggest event occurs in February, when grants are awarded and bands play thematic sets. Past themes have included songs from the ‘70s and ‘80s, bands fronted by women and one-hit wonders. It’s a true community event with purpose for a woman who shone locally.

Susan worked for many years as a paralegal in labor and patent law before turning her attention to the veterinary field after spending 15 years volunteering at the Helen O. Krause Animal Foundation, where she helped to place animals in loving homes. She later worked at the Dauphin County Animal Hospital and Boiling Springs Animal Hospital, and, at age 42, went back to school to get her undergraduate degree from the veterinary medical technology program at Wilson College.

While volunteering at the Helen O. Krause Animal Foundation, she met Lisa DeOrnellas, a hospice nurse and current executive director of Hospice for All Seasons in Grantville. The two became close friends during their time volunteering together.

“Susan made everybody she knew feel like they were the most important person in her life,” said DeOrnellas, who currently serves as president for the Susan Giblin Foundation.

What would Susan think of a foundation bearing her name?

“She would hate that her name keeps getting brought up, but she would love to know how many animals she has helped and what it’s done for communities in central Pennsylvania,” DeOrnellas said.

Since its inception, the foundation has donated $41,505 to about a dozen organizations, including Steelton Community Cats and The Emma Zen Foundation, which has provided pet oxygen masks to fire and emergency medical services departments in the area. The foundation also funded a cat rescue in Paros, Greece. Susan visited there and wanted to help almost immediately after learning about the island’s large stray cat population.

“People come from the mainland and dump cats there regularly,” Michael Giblin said. “Susan would fill her pockets with cat food when we were out exploring the island. She was the pied piper of cats.”

The foundation’s focus is grassroots support in the community, Giblin said, and that mission reflects who Susan was.

“Her life was not very loud, but it was very large,” he said.

To learn more about the Susan Giblin Foundation for Animal Wellness and Welfare, visit www.susangiblinfoundation.net or follow on Facebook at Susan Giblin Foundation for Animal Wellness and Welfare.

Author: Ann Beth Knaus

Cat Thyme: Buy a plant, save a kitty.

June 30, 2017 | by Gina Napoli

There’s something so grassroots about volunteers fundraising on the front lawn, especially a sale featuring plants and baked goods as the main draw.

This isn’t a yard sale to clean out the family crawlspace or to put used cribs and strollers on the lawn. This sale has gone to the cats. All proceeds raised during the “Great American Plant and Bake Sale” are donated to local cat welfare charities: The Nobody’s Cats Foundation, Loving Care Cat Rescue and Castaway Critters.

A long-time volunteer for Castaway Critters, Will Forgy has hosted the event at his Uptown Harrisburg residence for eight years.

“I was fairly new to Castaway Critters and was thinking of ways that I could raise funds,” he said. “I have an extensive garden and like to grow flowers. So, the idea of having a plant sale popped into my head.”

Though this year’s attendance suffered from a few spring showers in May, the day’s sale still brought in about $4,500. Then the volunteers opened again for business on Sunday, raising another $1,000 just through word-of-mouth advertising. Other sales have pushed the total to more than $6,100.

All told, the sales have raised some $28,000 since 2010. Not bad for an unofficial group of volunteers.

Forgy’s residential yard sale boasted a garden selection comparable to a home improvement super-center. All homegrown flowers. All hand-assembled baskets. All home-baked goodies. All to benefit local cat welfare charities. The spring sale is both timed and geared for gifts for Mother’s Day.

Even with shelving units loaded precariously with flower baskets, these feline-loving volunteers welcome owners and their pets. The animals have their own tent, complete with catnip planted just for them. Sale attendees can visit the tent to meet adoptable pets that they might be charmed into taking home, um, fur-ever.

“I have found, over the years, that animal-lovers are most generous and kind-hearted,” said Connie Elias, who volunteers actively for all three charities receiving the proceeds.

She is also one of Forgy’s dedicated helpers.

“The yard sale has quite a good following, and it grows a little bit each year,” she said. “People are always asking when the next sale will be.”

Elias felt that the “Great American Plant and Bake Sale” is important in giving exposure to pet welfare organizations, companion pet and free-roaming community cats spay/neuter programs, as well as for promoting pet adoptions and responsible pet ownership. It also bonds community members together in backing a common cause.

Local small businesses and food stores supported the yard sale with donated raffle items and free printing services.

“Local veterinarians in the area were amazing sponsors,” Elias said.

The volunteers and sponsors chose to help certain animal charities because they admire the work they do. Nobody’s Cats Foundation runs a trap/neuter/return program to help stabilize the population of free-roaming community cats. Loving Care Cat Rescue rescues cats. Castaway Critters rescues both cats and dogs, placing them in a network of foster homes until they can be adopted.

In between all the fundraising they do for cat-related charities, these volunteers are hands-on with felines. Forgy manages adoption events for Castaway Critters. Elias fosters kittens in her home until they are adopted. Both have even adopted their own special felines through these rescues.

“The idea is to get them adopted out,” said Elias. “I have been very fortunate to have had wonderful veterinarians to help with care for these babies. I am so grateful for the loving people who welcome them into their loving hearts and homes as their lifelong companions.”

Future fundraising plans include a fall sale—the second annual mum sale.

“I would like to see that event grow a bit this year,” Elias said.

The Fall Mum & Bake Sale takes place Sept. 23, starting at 8 a.m., at 3407 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. For more information on the group’s events, visit the Facebook page: The Great American Plant and Bake Sale.

Author: Gina Napoli

Money Chase: Harrisburg hears pleas for federal housing dollars.

June 29, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Les Ford, executive director of the Heinz-Menaker Senior Center, made a plea tonight for CDBG funds.

Funding for Harrisburg’s only senior center remained up in the air tonight, as City Council reviewed applications for federal housing dollars.

Les Ford, executive director of the Heinz-Menaker Senior Center, made his case for funds as the city decides how to apportion $1.9 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, a program of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“The Heinz Center is the single most active senior center in Dauphin County, and I think Harrisburg ought to support that effort,” Ford told council during the nearly four-hour committee meeting.

Council members, though, seemed uncertain. Council President Wanda Williams, for one, criticized Ford’s approach, saying that she believes he depends too much on annual grants from the city and Dauphin County to run the center.

“There are hundreds of grants out there for aging, and you need to take advantage of that,” she said.

The Papenfuse administration already turned down funding for the center, leaving Ford to appeal directly to council.

Ford replied that the center has a long list of infrastructure and other needs and that, as its only full-time employee, he’s often too busy with other projects to hunt down and apply for many other grants. He should find out if the center will receive any CDBG money during the next legislative session on July 6.

Otherwise, most of the service agencies that applied for funds showed up tonight to make their cases. The administration already has agreed to offer most of them some money, though often at lesser amounts than requested.

Proposed recipients include:

City Housing Rehabilitation Programs: $330,000
Tri-County HDC: $150,000
City Emergency Demolition: $120,000
Habitat for Humanity Greater Harrisburg Area: $30,000
Rebuilding Together: $15,000
Green Space Clean Up: $53,110
Christian Aftercare Recovery Ministries: $25,000
A Miracle 4 Sure: $25,000
Latino Hispanic American Community Center: $25,000
Fair Housing Council: $25,000
Mid Penn Legal Services: $15,000
Neighborhood Dispute Settlement: $3,900

The administration had rejected a funding request from a relatively new group in Harrisburg called Breaking the Chains, which focuses on helping at-risk youth. After a presentation, however, council members seemed inclined to offer some funding to the group, which tonight asked for $5,000 to $10,000.

At the meeting, city fire and police officials also spoke, as each department is requesting CDBG money. The Fire Bureau wants $51,686, primarily for new lockers for both its fire stations. The Police Bureau is requesting $105,000 for a new community policing van and a police cadet program. Moreover, the city’s Department of Community and Economic Development is requesting $53,000 to cover unreimbursed costs related to the sinkhole project on S. 14^th Street, including money for fencing.

Like last year, the city is using much of its CDBG money—$562,248—to pay off federal loans incurred during the Reed administration. This includes a loan that the city backed for the disastrous Capitol View Commerce Center project.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse has warned that, while the city is undertaking the annual process of distributing CDBG money, funding for the 2017-18 federal fiscal year is not assured as the Trump administration has threatened to end the program.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Burg View: Retain the proper, historic name of the Market Street Bridge.

June 29, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg’s historic Market Street Bridge

In Harrisburg, there once was a guy named Harvey Taylor.

Old Harve, as he was generally known, rose up from a rough childhood in Shipoke (back when the neighborhood was known for steelworkers guzzling rotgut, not lobbyists sipping mojitos) to become a leader of the state Senate and a formidable Republican power broker.

And he got a major bridge named for himself.

Back in the 1940s and ‘50s, Taylor and his minions often ran roughshod over the people of Harrisburg, pushing through unwise and unpopular legislation that favored state workers over city residents.

That’s how once-quaint Front, 2^nd and Forster streets turned into dangerous, auto-choked atrocities. And that’s how Taylor ended up with his namesake bridge, one that dumps multiple lanes of high-speed traffic into the heart of Harrisburg.

Taylor’s “gift” to his people arguably did more damage to his native city than all the floods of the 20^th century combined. Much of Harrisburg was suddenly unlivable, and it became far easier to flee to the suburbs, where you could cross the street without the risk of death.

Those were the bad old days, right?

Yes, they were. But an unfortunate reminder emerged this week as the state Senate voted to insert language into a bill that would change the name of the historic Market Street Bridge, which runs almost exclusively through Harrisburg, adding the name of the late state Sen. Harold Mowery.

Now, Mowery was, by all accounts, a conscientious civil servant, and, in today’s hyper-partisan environment, the state legislature could use more like him, a man known for putting the public ahead of his party.

However, that’s not the point.

The state Senate took its 49-1 vote without bothering to ask the people of Harrisburg if they wanted the name of the bridge changed. Yes, it’s state-owned, but it’s also a beloved, historic and beautiful structure that is an essential part of the city, sharing a name with one its key thoroughfares. The picturesque, century-old stone span bridge—and its name—is as much a part of the city’s historic fabric as St. Patrick’s Cathedral or the Broad Street Market, and, in fact, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a staple of Harrisburg postcards, photos and, now, Instagram pics.

Yet the Senate, led by Cumberland County Sen. Mike Regan, pushed through the bill without any apparent regard for this history or the people who live here. In fact, the lone “no” vote came from Harrisburg’s own state Sen. John DiSanto, influenced by opposition from his constituents.

Harrisburg residents, I’m sure, don’t have a problem with a bridge being named for the late Sen. Mowery. I’m equally certain that there are plenty of deserving spans in sprawling, watery Cumberland County, which Mowery represented for 30 years, which could bear his name. But this isn’t Cumberland County, and it isn’t the senator’s hometown of Camp Hill. It’s Dauphin County, and it’s Harrisburg.

The Senate vote smacks of the type of high-handedness that we hoped we’d left behind years ago. It’s a return to the bad old days when the state enacted unwanted and counterproductive policies without the participation, much less the consent, of the people most directly affected.

We urge the legislature to strip this language, which would change the given name of the historic Market Street Bridge, from its final bill.

Author: Lawrance Binda

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