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

Lights On: Harrisburg makes plans to illuminate Walnut Street Bridge.

June 29, 2017 | by Allison Moody

The Walnut Street Bridge soon will be re-lit.

Harrisburg’s historic Walnut Street Bridge will light up again this fall after a budget reallocation passed unanimously by City Council this week.

The resolution allotted $63,000 of a refund from PPL Electric Utilities for LED lights to illuminate the trusses of the Walnut Street Bridge, similar to those recently installed under the arches of the Market Street Bridge. The lights can be programmed for any event or holiday celebration, which will be coordinated with the neighboring Market Street Bridge display, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

“It will be a nice combination,” he said.

The nearly 130-year old wrought iron truss bridge connects the city’s mainland with City Island.

In 1990, the Reed administration installed thousands of small, incandescent bulbs, giving the bridge a sparkling effect at night. However, in recent years, the expensive bulbs and outdated wiring have been failing, which led to their removal in 2016.

The $63,000 from the city will be combined with a grant from the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District to install the new lighting, which will shine on the bridge more broadly, giving it a different look at night from the previous, small incandescent lights.

“We have something in mind,” City Councilman Benjamin Allatt said. “It just has to be executed.”

Two years ago, Harrisburg completed a citywide upgrade of almost all of its streetlights with long-lasting LED lights and even fixed and replaced many light poles, which had been damaged over the years. However, the Walnut Street Bridge was not part of that project.

Author: Allison Moody

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

June 29, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

Hello from slower lower Delaware!

Apologies on a semi-brief Weekend Roundup.

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Harrisburg Council Update: Reddig retiring, vote delayed on riot gear.

June 27, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

He’s outta here: Fred Reddig announced his retirement tonight from the state and as Harrisburg’s Act 47 coordinator.

Harrisburg soon will have a new recovery supervisor, as the city’s long-time Act 47 coordinator announced his retirement tonight.

Fred Reddig told City Council that he planned to retire from the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) at the end of July, thus ending his 4½-year tenure as Act 47 coordinator.

“You’ve come a long way,” Reddig told council members. “City finances are very stable, but there are still challenges as we exit Act 47.”

Marita Kelley, a DCED deputy director who worked for the city as budget manager from 1988-91, will replace Reddig in the job.

Act 47 is a state program designed to assist and stabilize financially distressed Pennsylvania municipalities. The city has been in the program since 2010, including the three years it spent under state receivership.

Kelley, who has been on Reddig’s team for years, said that she does not plan any major changes.

“We want to stay the course and implement the recovery plan,” she said.

As it stands, Harrisburg is due to exit Act 47 at the end of 2018, though it may seek a three-year extension. Mayor Eric Papenfuse has said that he believes the city can only leave Act 47 responsibly if it’s able to retain the extra taxing authority allowed under the program, which likely means adopting a Home Rule charter.

Council members had nothing but praise for Reddig. President Wanda Williams, who originally opposed Act 47 status, credited Reddig for helping turn “a $683 million deficit to a surplus.”

“Through you, we’ve accomplished a lot,” Williams said. “I’d like to express a sincere ‘thank you.’”

Councilman Ben Allatt, chairman of the city’s budget and finance committee, expressed similar thoughts.

“Your input and expertise have helped us,” he said. “I thank you for your efforts on behalf of the city.”

Also at tonight’s council meeting, Allatt delayed a vote on a budget item that would have reallocated $65,000 for the Harrisburg Police Bureau to buy riot, or protective, gear. Chief Thomas Carter and Capt. Deric Moody brought a sample of the gear to the meeting so that council could see the outfits before voting on the resolution.

However, opponents of the resolution also showed up, asking the council to not approve the transfer that would finance the purchase of 30 “top to toe” riot suits.

“We feel that protesting has been criminalized over the past couple of years,” said activist Chris Siennick, who added that the $65,000 “could be better allocated to social services.”

Police are seeking the gear because, they say, their current equipment is inadequate and outdated, especially since protests, they believe, have become more frequent and more violent.

Council will now discuss the matter further at a July 5 worksession before possibly voting on the budget transfer on July 6, the final legislative session before the council’s six-week summer hiatus.

Author: Lawrance Binda

Splash Down: The ducks have arrived in downtown Harrisburg.

June 23, 2017 | by Allison Moody

One of the 15 giant, brightly painted ducks that can be found throughout downtown Harrisburg.

On Wednesday morning, a clear tarp was stretched down Walnut Street.

A fire truck blocked the road and blasted water down the slick surface. And one by one, spectators began to gather for an event like nothing Harrisburg has seen before.

By noon, hundreds of Harrisburg residents and workers, parents and children lined up between 2nd and 3rd streets to witness 900 rubber ducks careen down a make-shift water slide, each hoping their duck would win the race and that they might walk home with a $1,000 check in their name.

The rubber duck race—and the entertaining slip ‘n slide relay between Harrisburg police officers and firefighters that followed—was part of an event by the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District and Kamionka Entertainment Group to kick off this summer’s downtown art project, “Discover the Ducks Downtown.” All of the money raised went to the Harrisburg Fire Bureau.

Harrisburg firefighters competed with police officers during Wednesday’s inflatable duck race down Walnut Street.

Fifteen fiberglass ducks, painted by local artists in coordination with Sprocket Mural Works, flew into Harrisburg the night before the event and will stay through September, placed throughout downtown. According to HDID Executive Director Todd Vander Woude, the ducks are kid-friendly, tie into Harrisburg’s own Susquehanna River and gave artists lots of canvas space.

“The ducks are great way to brighten up downtown for the summer,” HDID Director of Marketing and Special Events Leigh Ann Urban stated.

While the idea has been floating around for almost a year, planning for “Discover the Ducks Downtown” only kicked off after the HDID’s last large event, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The rubber duck race and relay did not have any type of rehearsal, but Vander Woude was ecstatic with the “overwhelming response” by the community.

“Seeing the crowd that was there, the families, kids—I think it went fantastic,” Vander Woude said.

The finishing line of the rubber ducky race.

In the past, HDID has sponsored fire hydrant and tree pot paintings and installed artistic bike racks around downtown. Last year’s Dino-Mite Summer program tripled the HDID’s visitor log, according to Vander Woude, and this summer is already paced to exceed that.

“I really think it’s a great event to show off downtown,” Vander Woude said.

Would you like to check out the painted ducks for yourself? Maps of the ducks’ locations can be found at the HDID office on N. 2nd Street or online. Or, even better, just wander around downtown awhile.

Author: Allison Moody

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

June 22, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

Vacation Time!

Both Intern Jimi and I are heading out on (separate) vacations this weekend, so expect a somewhat lighter schedule next week, but also lots of IG photos of sand, ocean, and drinks. Follow me @sarabozich.

Tonight I’m hitting the gym — one last-ditched effort before a week of not … And tomorrow, packing and buying all the LaCroix and Cheetos I can get my hands on.

What does vacation mean to you?

What are you doing this weekend?

(more…)

Cost of Protection: More protests lead Harrisburg police to request riot gear.

June 20, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Mounted state police and sawhorses block the entrance to State Street during recent “anti sharia” protests.

For the past six months, protesters have flocked to Harrisburg to demonstrate against everything from the Trump administration’s proposed travel ban to sharia law—and now it’s beginning to take a toll on the city’s budget.

In a work session tonight, police Capt. Deric Moody asked City Council for $65,000 to pay for 30 “top to toe” riot suits as, he said, the city’s current riot gear is old and inadequate. The money would be transferred from unspent personnel funds.

“We’ve been pulled into almost every demonstration,” Moody said. “Whether (the protest) is at the Farm Show Complex or the Capitol, the streets are ours.”

While state and Capitol police take the lead during protests on state grounds, city police supplement their forces and take the lead outside of state-owned buildings and property.

Currently, city police riot gear consists mostly of aging helmets, shields and gas masks, Moody said. The requested money would buy full riot suits, which Moody described as “scalable,” meaning that parts—individual pieces for shoulders, hands, legs, chests, shins, etc.—could be deployed as needed. The suits also come with helmets, shields and riot sticks, which are longer than standard police sticks, Moody said.

“It’s a fully functional suit,” he said.

Council is expected to act on the request during its legislative session next week.

Earlier this year, the city Police Bureau had asked for more than $200,000 in Dauphin County gaming funds to pay for several items, including the riot suits and a training simulator. However, the county commissioners did not approve their request.

The city is also on the hook for about $7,000 to cover four hours of police overtime pay just for a recent event—the dueling protests over sharia, or Islamic, law, in which masked protesters fought with masked anti-protesters at several places in the city. Another major protest occurred just today, as more than 1,000 union members gathered in front of the Capitol to protest proposed anti-union “right to work” legislation.

Moody told council members that he’s never experienced so many protests during his 25 years as a police officer, a situation he expects to continue.

“As a capital city, we will continue to see more and more and more people come here to exercise their rights,” he said.

Author: Lawrance Binda

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