Vocal Variations: Singers for every taste.

May 31, 2017 | by Kait Gibboney

Mirah

By now, you may know I’m all about the high-energy, good vibey music around the city. I’m always on the hunt for some good shows nearby that I can ride my bike to and just enjoy some chill tunes. The summer is the perfect time for everyone to have a bit more room in their schedule for some local shows. This month, I’ve found a few shows all over Harrisburg to fit your music needs. Each of these acts brings its own unique creative energy to the local stage for us to enjoy. Whether you want some relaxing folky tunes or some swinging jazz or innovative alt rock, we’ve got the sound you’re looking for.

MIRAH, 6/1, 7PM, THE UNDERGROUND BIKE SHOP, $10

The Underground Bike Shop is at it again with some killer concerts this summer. Brooklyn native Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn is set to headline the show with locals Justin Arawjo and Bea Troxel opening for the evening. Mirah’s sound has been reviewed by Pitchfork, praising her “incredible voice—a versatile coo that can flit from low, sultry tones to high, airy falsetto in one breath.” She has been making independent pop music since the late 1990s with a number of collaborators. If you listen to anything by her, you have to hear her song “Jerusalem,” a fan favorite. The lyrics are hard-hitting and relevant and her soothing, melodic voice draws listeners into her lyrical landscapes.

LORI FULTON AND THE LOVE, LORI ORCHESTRA, 6/9, 8PM, RIVER CITY BLUES CLUB, $9-$12

No doubt, this show is going to bring the house down. Lori’s voice packs an explosive punch, described by some as “honey-coated dynamite.” Harrisburg born and raised, Lori Fulton started singing professionally at the age of 15 with her uncle Ronnie Waters, a jazz trumpet player. At 24, she landed a record deal with Motown with her single “Dreamin,” and over the years, has worked with many artists such as Phyllis Hyman and Patti LaBelle, providing lead and backing vocals. Completing her jazzy, soulful ensemble for the night are the Love, Lori Orchestra, which is comprised of pianist Alex Posmontier, bassist Shane Adam Asserud, and drummer Issaya Rouson-Whitesides. Prepare for a powerfully emotional concert filled with some jazz standards, Motown soul and love ballads—a great variety to make heart melt and hips swing.

FATALLY YOURS, 6/24, 9PM, H*MAC STAGE ON HERR, $10

H*MAC knows how to do alternative rock shows well, and Fatally Yours is no exception. This band started as a project of Keith Thompson, formerly involved with Bleed the Dream in Los Angeles. After contacting his longtime friend and guitarist Christian Rivera, they discovered that they shared a desire to make music together and immediately set out to do it. Upon Rivera’s return to the United States from the Army, the two set out to start the project that became known as Fatally Yours. This group grew to popularity in the Baltimore area and has been spreading and expanding their sound since. Filling out the rest of the band are drummer Justin Posner, vocalist Billy Fisher and guitarist Chuck Moore. The group has won 98 Rock (WIYY) Band of the Month in May 2013 and Shockwave Magazine Band of the Month around the same time. If you can’t catch the show, check out their song, “Every Moment” for a taste of their unique, edgy style.

Mentionables: License to Rock: A Benefit for Local Refugees, June 4, H*MAC Stage on Herr; Rebirth Brass Band, June 7, Abbey Bar; Rusted Root, June 8, Sawyers; Weird Year, June 11, Little Amps Uptown; John Terlazzo & Voices in the Hall, June 16, Midtown Scholar

6/1 – MIRAH @ THE UNDERGROUND BIKE SHOP
1519 N. 3RD ST., HARRISBURG
STARTS AT 8PM

6/4 – LICENSE TO ROCK: A BENEFIT FOR LOCAL REFUGEES
@ H*MAC STAGE ON HERR
1110 N. 3RD ST., HARRISBURG
STARTS AT 3PM

6/9 – LORI FULTON AND THE LOVE, LORI ORCHESTRA
@ RIVER CITY BLUES CLUB
819 S. CAMERON ST., HARRISBURG
STARTS AT 8PM

6/11 – WEIRD YEAR
@ LITTLE AMPS COFFEE ROASTERS
1836 GREEN STREET, HARRISBURG
STARTS AT 7PM

6/24 – FATALLY YOURS
@ H*MAC STAGE ON HERR
1110 N. 3RD ST., HARRISBURG
STARTS AT 9PM

Author: Kait Gibboney

Student Scribes: Welcome to Indian Echo Caverns.

May 31, 2017 | by Sara K. Stevenson

Can You Hear Me Now?

I have worked as a tour guide for almost a year, and the craziest request I’ve ever gotten from a guest was: “Can you please take a photo of me and Bruce by the lake?” Bruce just happened to be a small Pomeranian who quietly growled at me every time I got close to him. Other guides, ones who have been there much longer than me, have stories about bats who have flown through their tours and guests who have bumped their heads on the low-hanging formations we beg everyone to look out for. I’ve heard heart-warming stories of guests who have traveled across the country for the chance to experience our caverns and scratch another adventure off their bucket list, and I have found myself wondering when I would have the chance to experience something like that. Never did I think my most heartfelt moment would come from a third-grade boy visiting the caverns on a field trip.

As I came down the path to meet my fourth school group of the day, my head pounded and my body craved another venti iced white mocha from Starbucks. The elementary school kids screamed at the top of their lungs as they ran circles around the freshly-blossomed trees and climbed on the playground equipment; one boy screeched like a pterodactyl as he banged his fists against the plastic drums, the sounds piercing my eardrums. I sighed heavily and checked my watch. Another four hours until I could go home. Four hours.

I counted heads as I squeezed my way to the front of the pack: 22 students, one teacher, and four parents. A full tour. As I turned to face the group, quietly clearing my sore throat, a woman approached me.

“Are you our tour guide?”

I refrained from rolling my eyes. I wanted to ask her who else would be holding a flashlight, wearing a STAFF shirt, and looking utterly exhausted? Instead, I smiled. “Yup. That’s me!”

“Excellent. This is probably something you don’t get asked often, but would you be willing to wear this?”

She extended her hand and showed me a small blue square with a small black microphone attached to it. “We have a student who is hard of hearing. Would you be willing to wear this microphone so that he can hear you better? He’s been waiting all year to come visit the caverns, and we want him to have the best possible experience.”

As she instructed me on how to secure the box to my belt loop and the microphone to the collar of my sweatshirt, I felt an unexplainable feeling in my stomach. In my chest. This was definitely something new for me, definitely something I’d never been asked before, but it was exciting. I was being given the chance to give this boy an amazing experience at the caverns because I was willing to wear the microphone.

“Thank you so much,” the woman whispered as we finished adjusting the microphone. “We were on another small field trip last week, and the person there refused to wear the microphone because it would get in the way. This means a lot.”

“Not a problem,” I replied with a smile. “I can’t see how this would get in my way; I’m more than happy to wear it for him.”

My feelings of exhaustion melted away and I felt energized and awake. “Welcome to Indian Echo Caverns. My name is Sara, and I’ll be your tour guide today.”

Immediately, a boy in the front of the group raised his hand, and immediately I felt my irritation returning. I hadn’t said anything that warranted a question. I took a deep breath. “What’s up?”

“I can’t hear you.”

The woman who had helped me with the microphone hurried to my side. The boy turned to her, a slight frown etched on his face. “I can’t hear her.”

“Is everything okay?”

She turned to me and apologized. “I must not have the microphone loud enough; he can’t hear you.”

As she fidgeted with the microphone, I thought about the boy’s face. He looked frightened. Terrified. What would happen if we couldn’t get the microphone working so he could hear me? The woman swore under her breath—was I supposed to hear that?—as her fingers pressed buttons on the blue box connected to my belt loop. I waited, anxious, until she sighed and told me to try again.

I took a deep breath and smiled again. “Welcome to Indian Echo Caverns.” I paused and glanced at the little boy. “Can you hear me now?”

His frown stretched into a smile and he nodded his head. I returned his smile and finished telling them the rules. I led the group down the stairs to the Swatara Creek, listening as the students chatted excitedly about their first time being in the caverns.

I gave six tours before that day was done, and I was mentally and physically exhausted. My legs felt like Jell-O, and my brain was buzzing with stories from the caves. But rather than feeling irritated and annoyed, I felt lighthearted. I felt like with just that one group—that one little boy—I had made a difference. I still feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when I think of that tour, and I know that I’m going to think about that third-grade boy every time I stand in front of a group and say:

“Welcome to Indian Echo Caverns!”

Sara K. Stevenson is working on her master’s degree in humanities at Penn State Harrisburg.

Happenings: Our June Calendar of Events

May 31, 2017 | by TheBurg Editor

Happenings

Museum & Art Spaces

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

“Depth of Perception,” featuring the sculptural, story-based paintings of Evgeny Krayushkin, June 16-July 21; reception: June 16, 6-9 p.m.

“Torn Paper Portraits,” by Robert Patrick Haldeman, June 16-July 17, at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St.; reception, June 16, 6-9 p.m.

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 50th Anniversary Exhibit,” featuring a show of these iconic American vehicles, through Oct. 8.

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

“89th Annual International Juried Show,” through June 15.

“Art School Annual,” June 23-July 20; reception: June 23, 5-8 p.m.

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

“Spring Bloom,” spring watercolor paintings by Rosanne Wolfe, through late June.

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

“Shared Observations,” watercolors by Debra Kreiger and photographs by Jean Macaluso, through June 17.

“The Yellow Fever,” an exhibition of photographs by John Wright, exploring the color yellow in urban settings, June 23-July 23; reception: June 23, 6:30 p.m.

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

Artist of the Month: M. Romanauskas

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

Paintings by John McNulty and Rebecca Long, through June 10.

Works by Irene VanBuskirk, Karen Commings and Mark Wesling, June 15-Aug. 5; reception: June 16, 6-9 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; reception: June 4, 1-3 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

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

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

“Culinary Delights: A Solo Exhibit by Zack Rudy,” June 2; reception: June 2, 6-11 p.m.

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

Works by Tina Berrier, Erin Dean, Andrew Guth, Julie Iaria and Linda McCloskey, through June 11.

Works by Joelle Arawjo, Yachiyo Beck, John Davis, Ann Benton Yeager and Paul Vasiliades, June 13-July 16.

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

“We Call Them Buffalo Soldiers,” examining the service of black soldiers in the U.S. armed forces from the American Revolution to the integration of the services in 1948, through June 2.

“Reconstruction: The Unfinished War,” examining the unfinished issue of equality among the 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

“A Sense of Place,” watercolor paintings by Linda Young, through June.

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

“Coloring on Metal,” featuring Roxan O’Brien’s colored pencil on metal jewelry designs, through June 3.

“Burst Into Bloom,” abstract paintings rich in contrast of lines, images and colors by Loretta St. John, June 9-July 8; reception: June 9, 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.

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

“Art of the State,” annual juried exhibition, showcasing the artwork of Pennsylvania artists, June 11-Sept. 10; reception: June 11, 1:30 p.m.

“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 on display juxtaposed with rare and historic motorcycles, June 7-Sept. 17; members preview: June 6, 5-7 p.m.

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

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

46th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, June 1-18; reception: June 1, 5-7 p.m.

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

“Expanded Visions,” a juried exhibition that embraces all forms of photography from the traditional darkroom to digital images, June 2-July 7.

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 Amy Bantz, through June 11.
Works by Kelly Curran, June 16-July 11.

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

June 16-July 20: “Playing with Light,” photography by Jesus Martinez.

Read, Make, Learn

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

June 16: Father’s Day Grilling on the Deck, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
June 21: Surf and Turf Beer Pairing, 6-9 p.m.
June 22: Vegetarian Grilling on the Deck, 6-9 p.m.
June 29: Weekend Gourmet, 6-9 p.m.

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

June 3: Cookbook Club—The Great British Baking Show, 1 p.m.
June 5, 19: Fredricksen Writes, 6:45 p.m.
June 6: Curl up with the Classics—“I, Robot,” 10 a.m.
June 6, 13, 20, 27: Master Gardener Plant Clinics, 6 p.m.
June 8, 15, 22, 29: Plot Twisters Teen Writers Group (ages 15-18), 6:30 p.m.
June 12: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
June 14: Children’s Yoga and Mindfulness, 10:30 a.m.
June 14, 21, 28: Teen Meet-up Discussion Group, 7 p.m.
June 15: Eco Crafts, 10:30 a.m.
June 15, 22, 29: Drop-in Story Time, 11 a.m.
June 15, 22, 29: Teen Movie Matinees, 2 p.m.
June 16: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
June 20: Fredricksen Reads—“Ordinary Grace,” 7 p.m.
June 23-24: Safe Sitter Training, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
June 26: Teen Short Story Workshop, 7 p.m.
June 27: Gardening with Nature—Integrated Pest Management, 7 p.m.
June 29: News Today—Real or Fake?, 6:30 p.m.

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

June 20-Aug. 8: Improv Level 1 Class

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

June 1, 22: Cooking Class—Summer Cook Nights, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Hershey Art Association
hersheyareaartassociation.com

June 2-July 28: Oil Painting, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
June 7- 28: Plein Air Painting, 12:30-3:30 p.m.
June 12: Cement Event Sculpting Class, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 21-23: Watercolor Workshop
June 25-26: How to Use Watercolor

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

June 12: Learn to Meditate in Half of a Day, 1-4 p.m.

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

June 3: Drop-in Art, 1-4 p.m.
June 17: A Novel Idea 102, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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

June 4, 11, 18, 25: Common Roads Young Adults, 4 p.m.
June 6: Men’s Group, 6 p.m.
June 7, 14, 21, 28: Common Roads Youth, 6 p.m.
June 8: Aging with Pride Lunchtime Discussion, 12 p.m.
June 13: Seniors Group, 6 p.m.
June 20: Women’s Group, 6 p.m.
June 27: LGBT Parents, 6 p.m.

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

June 26-30: Rock Band Summer Camp

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

June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
June 2, 9, 23, 30: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
June 3: Good News Café, 6 p.m.
June 6: Author Event w/Patricia Lockwood, 7 p.m.
June 8, 15: Camp Curtin Toastmasters, 6:30 p.m.
June 12: Author Event w/Jeff Shaara, 7 p.m.
June 13, 20, 27: Coffee, Cake and True Islam, 5 p.m.
June 17: Book Signing w/Michael Manley, 1 p.m.
June 18: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
June 18: LGBT Book Club, 5 p.m.
June 21: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club, 7 p.m.
June 23: Author Event w/Andrew Krivak, 7 p.m.

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

June 11: Community Yoga—Free Beginner Class, 10 a.m.

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

June 1: Ruth’s Mystery Discussion Group, 10:15 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 5, 19, 26: Great Books Discussion Group, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
June 6, 20: Family Fun Night, 5:30 p.m.
June 10: Write-on Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
June 16, 30: Library After Hours, 6 p.m.
June 17: Couponing Workshop, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 19, 26: Summertime Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
June 26: Hands-On Science—Candy Chemistry, 1 p.m.
June 28: Pennwriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.

Penn State Extension in Cumberland County
310 Allen Rd., Carlisle
717-240-6500; extension.psu.edu

June 17: Butterfly Container Workshop, 12-1:30 p.m.

Penn State Extension in Perry County
8 S. Carlisle St., New Bloomfield
717-240-6500; extension.psu.edu

June 8: Weed Identification, 7-8:30 p.m.

State Library of Pennsylvania
607 South Drive, Harrisburg
717-783-5969, statelibrary.pa.gov

June 8: Lunch and Learn Author Series, Susan Colestock Hill, 12-1 p.m.
June 22: Rare Collections Library Open House, 12-2 p.m.

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

June 16, 23: Learn at Lunchtime, 12:15-12:45 p.m.
June 21: Nature Lab—Pennsylvania Wildlife, 11:30 a.m.
June 29: Nature Lab—Pots of Clay and What They Say, 11:30 a.m.

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

June 10, 17, 24: Saturday Morning Art Club (ages 4-7), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 10, 17, 24: Young Artist Camp (ages 8-12), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
June 14: Instructed Life Drawing Class, 6-9 p.m.

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

June 3: Brownie Scout Workshop—Bugs & Hiker, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
June 4: “Beginner’s Yoga and Walk,” 10-11:30 a.m.
June 6: Educator Workshop on the River, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
June 11: “Flower Walk—Peak of Blooming,” 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
June 14: Stress Relief Walk, 6-7:30 p.m.
June 14: Preschool Storytime—Spring at Wildwood, 10-10:45 a.m.
June 15: Get in Shape Walk, 6-7 p.m.
June 16: “Bird Walk: Breeding Birds,” 7:30-9:30 a.m.

Live Music

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

June 10: Summer Doo Wop Cavalcade
June 19: Vince Gill
June 23: Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot
June 24: Happy Together Tour

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

June 2: The Biters
June 7: Winning Rebirth Brass Band
June 9: Cracker

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

June 1, 21: Jessica Perla
June 2, 15, 20, 30: Noel Gevers
June 3, 7, 16: Roy Lefevre
June 6, 23: Corinna Joy
June 8, 11, 17, 25: Anthony Haubert
June 9, 24: Ted Ansel
June 10, 22: Daniel Sheahan
June 13, 27: Maria Battista
June 14: Chris Purcell
June 28: Deborah Anderson
June 29: Chris Emkey

Central PA Friends of Jazz
friendsofjazz.org

June 16: Ben Wolfe Trio, Tribute to Thelonius Monk

Central Pennsylvania Womyn’s Chorus
cpwchorus.org

June 3, 4: Spring Concerts

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

June 6: Twin Peaks
June 7: Big Thief Twain
June 8: Nothing
June 13: Elvis Depressedly
June 14: PUP
June 16: Gates
June 17: Icon For Hire
June 20: MISSIO
June 22: Free Throw
June 23: Otherwise
June 24: Parkway Drive
June 28: Thursday

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

June 2: Antonio Andrade
June 3: Steven Gellman
June 9: Jessica Jellen
June 10: Hard Travelin’
June 11: Michael Arthur & Kristina Machusick
June 16: Emily Lynn Wilkins
June 17: Doug Morris
June 18: Joe Cooney
June 23: Kevin Kline
June 24: Janie Womack & Jody Esterlean
June 25: Kirk Wise
June 30: Dominick Cicco

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

June 15: Trinidad & Tobago
June 17: Reprise of Hamiltunes After Hours

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

June 2: Jubilate Chorale Spring Concert

Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus
harrisburggaymenschorus.org

June 4: Concerts at Unitarian Church of Harrisburg

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

June 8, 22: Full Band Open Jam w/Mark Santanna
June 9: The Devyl Nellys, J And the 9s
June 15: City of the Weak
June 18: Americana-na, Apes of the State, Mountain Chaser
June 20: Marshall Crenshaw Y Los Straitjackets
June 23: Cash Unchained: The Music of Johnny Cash
June 24: Fatally Yours, Silvertung, Voidhidden
June 29: The Patchwork Fools, Genesis Lorraine & Her 8-Track Mind
June 30: Catullus, Ben Brandt Trio

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

June 30: Summer Concert at Lebanon Valley College

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

June 2: Flaxy Morgan
June 3: DJ Magic, Sapphire
June 9: The Luv Gods
June 10: DJ Ray Rossi, Mystery Machine
June 16: Into the Spin
June 17: DJ Dave Styles, 7 Bridges, Honeypump
June 23: Smooth Like Clyde
June 24: DJ Coach K, LCD Band
June 30: The Uptown Band

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

June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: DJ Eric B
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: DJ Joe Hertz
June 3: The Dirty Place
June 7, 14, 21, 28: Walter DeWall
June 7, 14, 21, 28: Open Mic
June 10: Adrian Blitzer
June 17: Observe the 93rd
June 24: The Colt Wilbur Band

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

June 4: Concert at Peace Church
June 10: Concert at Hoffer Park
June 17: Concert at CPUCC

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

June 11: Weird Year & Ohtis, with local opener

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

June 3: The McCartney Years

The MakeSpace
1916 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgmakespace.com

June 1: Mirah, Bea Troxel, Justin Arawjo (at the Underground Bike Shop)

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

June 16: John Terlazzo & Voices in the Hall

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

June 3: Corinna Joy
June 6: Josh Krevsky
June 10: Keith Goldstein
June 13: Dave Kelly
June 17: Ryan Moran
June 18: Take it Easy, The Lighter Side of the Eagles
June 20: Tony Catalano
June 24: Roy Lefever
June 27: Hank Imhof

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

June 3: Lester Hirsh
June 10: Men in Harmony
June 17: Jim Rule
June 24: Ryan Alan Band

Palmyra Church of the Brethren
45 N. Chestnut St., Palmyra
717-838-6369; palmyracob.org

June 25: Carol Ringers and Celebration Ringers Concert

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

June 23: Coffeehouse at Bucks Valley Winery

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

June 2: JP3, Justin Pietrowski Band
June 9: Lori Fulton and the Love, Lori Orchestra
June 10: Jason Ricci & JJ Appleton
June 17: Don Johnson Project
June 23: Slam Allen

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

June 9: Selwyn Birchwood
June 23: The Ballroom Thieves

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

June 1: Sonorous
June 8: Shea & Len
Juen 15: Swish & Joey
June 21: LaBlanc & Kissinger
June 29: Nate Myers Trio

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

June 1: Fiona Sanderson
June 2: Cross Roads Duo
June 3: Dan Zukowski
June 8: Holly Goose
June 9: Paul Zavinsky
June 10: Jamie & Jody
June 15: Mike & Gunner
June 16: Cotolo
June 17: Craig Bonner
June 22: Hannah RH
June 23: Rhoads & Putt
June 24: Fiano Acoustic
June 29: Steve Wilkins
June 30: Joe Cooney

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

June 2: Chris Emkey
June 3: Josh Krevsky
June 9: Cruise Control Trio
June 10: Shea Quinn and Friends
June 16: Music Thru Science Lite
June 17: DJ Downtown Penny Brown
June 23: Keith Goldstein
June 24: Swisher Sweets
June 30: Visitors Duo

Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center
50 N. George St., York
717-846s-1111; mystrandcapitol.org

June 3: Brass Monkeys, Beastie Boys Tribute
June 4: York County Honors Choirs Season Finale Concert
June 8: Gladys Knight

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

June 21: Buc Hill Aces

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

June 10: Instrument Petting Zoo
June 11: The Young Music Masters Competition
June 16: Core Concert—Music of the Day

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

June 16: Pale Barn Ghosts
June 24: Abi Khan
June 30: Zack Russack, Alex Mery & the Townsman Music

The Stage Door

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

June 18: Terry Fator

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

June 11: Oxymorons

The Belmont Theatre
27 S. Belmont St., York
717-854-5715; thebelmont.org

June 16-18: “Sister Act”

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

Through June 24: “Second Chances: The Thrift Shop Musical”
June 29-Aug. 12: “Peter Pan”

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

June 2-17: “Macbeth” at Reservoir Park

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

June 23, 25: Level 1 Class Show
June 30: Level 2 Class Show

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

June 24: Dance Revelation—We are Family

Lancaster Marionette Theatre
126 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-394-8398; lmt.yapsody.com

Through June 3: “The Wizard of Oz”

Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg
915 S. York St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0535; ltmonline.net

June 9-25: “The Impossible Years”

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

June 16: Comedy Night

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

June 2-25: “Ah, Wilderness!”

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

June 2-18: “Social Security”

Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; mystrandcapitol.org

June 15: Earl David Reed and Ray DeVito
June 24: Kevin James

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

June 2: We the People—Youth Poetry Slam
June 3: Imani African Dance Company

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

June 14-17: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet June Series

Winter Visual & Performing Arts Center
Millersville University
60 W. Cottage Ave., Millersville
717-871-4700; artsmu.com

June 4, 11: “The Civil War”

Fugues & Fireflies: Enjoy the Harrisburg Symphony, al fresco.

May 31, 2017 | by Lori M. Myers

Sure, you can listen to the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra inside the spacious and quite impressive Forum in downtown Harrisburg, settle into a seat as the lights dim, and watch Music Director Stuart Malina wave his magic wand.

Yes, you can delight in the music that bounces against the walls, proving that this place has some of the best acoustics around. Certainly, you can be indoors, sitting and listening and delighting.

But maybe, just maybe, you like your music au naturale, amid the chirps of birds and cicadas, feeling a wisp of a breeze against your skin, watching children holding invisible batons while imitating Malina’s every musical move.

That’s what HSO’s summer concert series aims to do—leave behind those Forum walls and allow music to float atop the evening air. Five free concerts will get music aficionados together with those who simply wish to enjoy the ambiance of a tuneful summer’s eve.

The outdoor concerts begin June 30 in Annville and, after traveling around the midstate for a few days, wrap up with a rousing celebration of our country’s birth with a July 4 performance at Reservoir Park in Harrisburg.

“The music is always a mix of light classics, selections from Broadway shows and patriotic fare,” said Jeff Woodruff, HSO’s executive director. “Often, we’ll feature a vocalist or a soloist from the orchestra, perhaps some novelty things and, just maybe, a couple of surprises dreamed up by Stuart.”

The great outdoors lends itself to a more laid-back and easy-does-it sort of mood. Thus, the concerts are informal, casual, along with free of charge. All are welcome, and the emphasis is on entertainment and fun for all who attend. Even the musicians are casually dressed and the usual concert hall “etiquette,” according to Woodruff, is “not in play.”

“It’s a chance for virtually anyone and everyone to hear their wonderful Harrisburg Symphony perform, hopefully under a starry sky, with Stuart himself conducting,” Woodruff said.

Nature’s Own

HSO’s summer concert series has been making beautiful music for several decades, and, for the past several years, the orchestra has been performing in five locations for five nights in a row.

For years, Woodruff explained, the concert was called the “barge concert,” and the orchestra was seated on a dock floating in the Susquehanna. It played toward an audience seated on the banks above the river, plus a few people in boats surrounding the dock.

More recently, HSO performed on the infield at Metro Bank Park, the Senators’ home on City Island, now called FNB Field. Last year, because the Senators were actually in town, HSO planned to play in Riverfront Park, but rain forced the event indoors to the Forum.

The Dickinson College locale in Carlisle has also been a long-time venue for HSO performances.

“We have traditionally been the culminating attraction of the final Sunday of the community’s Summerfair Festival,” Woodruff said. “We set up and play on the campus of the college. When the weather’s nice, that concert has been drawing an estimated 5,000 people seated on lawn chairs and blankets.”

That sort of outreach is what the powers-that-be at HSO strive to achieve. It’s a way to take the orchestra out of the Forum’s interior and go out into various communities. There’s no ticket to buy, no drive downtown, no parking space to struggle to seek. During the years that HSO has been performing the summer concert series, it has played to people who probably don’t attend a musical performance at the Forum.

“We like the sense of community that is created when we set up and perform in these different venues,” Woodruff said. “We also think of it as audience building, as we do suspect that, over the years, more than a few who were introduced to the orchestra at one of the free concerts have been enticed to actually purchase a ticket to come hear the orchestra in the orchestra’s home, the Forum.”

So, while the Forum is an acoustically perfect gem, there’s nothing like nature’s own concert hall to enjoy the best music the region has to offer.

The Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra’s summer concert series takes place June 30 to July 4 at five different locations around the Harrisburg area. For complete information, visit www.harrisburgsymphony.org.

When and Where

Enjoy the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra’s summer concert series at the following dates and locations:

June 30: Lebanon Valley College quad, Annville, 8 p.m.

July 1: Negley Park, Lemoyne, 7:30 p.m.

July 2: Dickinson College quad, Carlisle, 8 p.m.

July 3: East Juniata High School, McAlisterville, 7:30 p.m.

July 4: Reservoir Park, Harrisburg, 7:45 p.m.

Author: Lori M. Myers

Sample Saffron: This spice makes your Italian dish extra special.

May 31, 2017 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

I always delighted hearing my mother’s accounts of the trips she and my father took to Italy after I had flown the nest.

She would tell me about the food they enjoyed, especially those dishes that were regional specialties of the places they were visiting. From local fish served at simple seaside trattorias to grander meals at the Hassler Hotel in Rome, my mother treasured every culinary memory. One of her favorites was the classic dish from Milan, osso bucco.

Osso bucco is made with crosscut veal shanks, simmered in wine, broth, vegetables and herbs until the meat is so tender it falls off the bone. Little spoons are often provided to scoop the marrow from the bones (really very good). But the magic of this dish is the golden, saffron-infused rice known as risotto alla Milanese, its traditional accompaniment.

Saffron, the precious spice thought to have been first cultivated in Greece thousands of years ago, is today a main ingredient in many popular dishes such as bouillabaisse (the classic French fish stew), arancini (Sicilian rice balls), paella (Spanish rice with clams, sausage and chicken) and simple steamed mussels in tomato sauce. Cooks often add saffron to chicken broth to give it a bright golden hue.

Saffron comes from a flower known as the fall-blooming crocus. Because it must be harvested by hand from the crimson stamens in the center of each flower, it is costly. Italian saffron is said to be the best, but there are many grades of the product out there and from many different places. I purchase mine in tiny packets at Peggy’s Silver Spoon at the West Shore Farmers Market, although I have occasionally seen it at the supermarket. For the recipes listed above, and many more, saffron is worth finding for its gentle aromatic scent and the beautiful yellow color it imparts to food.

In Italian cuisine, saffron is often paired with sausage and cream to create a rich pasta dish known as penne con salsicciano. The version I like to make is from La Cucina Italiana, one of my favorite, although now defunct, Italian cooking magazines. It is simple to prepare and my family loves it. It’s a nice change from the many tomato and sausage pasta recipes in my dinner “rotation.”

PENNE WITH SAUSAGE AND SAFFRON

Ingredients

1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 pound Italian sweet sausage (casing removed)
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound of penne

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Combine 1 tablespoon of water and saffron in a small bowl; set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and thyme leaves and cook, stirring frequently until onion is softened (about 4 to 5 minutes).
Add the sausage and cook, breaking the sausage up into small bits with a wooden spoon, until it loses its pink color (about 6 minutes).
Add the cream, saffron mixture and a generous pinch of salt. (Make sure to taste, as sausage varies in its saltiness.)
Bring the mixture to simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Then remove from the heat and keep warm.
Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until al dente.
When cooked, drain the pasta into a large bowl. Immediately add the warm sausage and cream mixture, and toss to combine. The traditional recipe doesn’t call for it, but I always add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the finished dish.

I have used turkey sausage in this dish, but I prefer regular Italian pork sausage, either sweet or hot. Both work well. At first glance, this looks like an ordinary pasta recipe. The saffron makes it special.

Summer is upon us. Take a break from the grill one evening and try this sunny pasta. Serve it with an arugula salad with fresh tomato or simple chilled melon. Or, if you are a shish-kabob fan, try serving your skewers on a bed of saffron rice for a beautiful presentation. Remember to soak the saffron threads in a little warm water before using to release its flavor.

Saffron is considered the “precious jewel” of spices. It’s expensive, but a little goes a long way. If you do a little recipe hunting, you will find lots of other ways to use it, including my mother’s dreamy dish—osso bucco with risotto alla Milanese.

Author: Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Service Call: HBG Rotary members come for the networking, stay for the giving.

May 31, 2017 | by Jen Fertenbaugh

The more we give of ourselves, the more fulfilling our lives are.

Two Notre Dame sociologists refer to that as “The Generosity Paradox”—the fact that giving makes you feel better.

But you don’t need to tell that to members of the Rotary Club of Harrisburg.

“One of the greatest things about this place is you always leave with something,” said Rich Curl, CEO of the Harrisburg-area YMCA and proud Rotarian after the club’s weekly lunch meeting at the Hilton Harrisburg.

Curl wasn’t referring to a full belly or a business card—though he left with those, too.

He meant the good works of the club’s active members, who often share with fellow Rotarians what they’ve been up to over the past month.

“Research shows that people come for the networking, but they stay for the engagement and the service,” member Virginia Roth said. “You come to realize that we are all beneficiaries of something greater than we could ever give.”

Una Martone, the club’s governor-elect, noted the large number of needs within the local and global communities.

“Rotary maximizes and leverages our individual capacity, giving us the power to make a huge difference in the world,” she said.

The organization’s century-old, grassroots approach is not specific to Harrisburg. According to Rotary International, more than 35,000 clubs operate at the local level to serve their communities. Members leverage relationships locally to eradicate disease, promote healthy and safe living conditions, and support education.

What makes the Rotary Club of Harrisburg unique, however, is its focus. The largest recipient of the members’ time and philanthropy is the Harrisburg School District, Martone said.

Martone, who also is CEO of Leadership Harrisburg Area, chairs the Rotary’s committee for Youth Community Development Team, a group that spearheads a yearlong mentoring program for high school juniors and seniors.

“We help students identify the greatest community need and fundraise for that need,” she said.

Martone’s work with youth is only one example in which Rotary’s mission engages others to serve the local community.

The club also sets up a temporary vision clinic at Foose Elementary School, partnering with eye care professionals, who perform free screenings and provide glasses for children who need them. The program screened about 300 children this year, supplying almost two-thirds of them with eyeglasses.

Martone said the committee is currently working on developing a permanent screening location inside Hamilton Health Center.

“It’s all about the people,” said Andy Rebuck, the club’s vice president.

Rebuck has been an active member of Rotary for 25 years, and he sees great value in the relationships he’s formed working alongside fellow members. Rebuck is involved in another service project to benefit the school district—the annual pancake breakfast held at John Harris campus over Homecoming weekend. He, along with other volunteers including fellow board member Joyce Libby, prepare and serve pancakes in the school’s cafeteria for upwards of 1,000 guests.

To Libby, it’s the service work—not the meetings—that offer her the greatest benefits of membership.

“You have to roll up your sleeves and do the work,” she said. “When you do it next to somebody, you get to know them on a deeper level.”

Rotary members roll up their sleeves in the classroom, too. Each fall, Libby and other club members travel to the John Harris and SciTech campuses to recruit students for the “Four Way Speech Contest.” Students choose topics that pique their interest, form an argument, and evaluate it against Rotary’s four ethical questions, which focus on truth, fairness and value. Students compete for cash prizes as they advance through the competition’s three levels. Rotary committee members work directly with the teachers to personally coach and mentor the students along the way.

Committee member Joan Prescott said that witnessing the student’s growth is the greatest reward.

“They learn how to research a subject, open up their thoughts, and express how they feel,” she said. “I’m very proud of them and what they’ve done.”

Libby shared that the Harrisburg High senior who won wrote a thank-you letter to all those who supported her. In it, she credited the contest—as well as the combined coaching and support from the Rotary volunteers and her teachers—for helping her find the confidence to speak her mind effectively.

The district’s educators see the community involvement as a unique learning opportunity for the students.

“There was a neat camaraderie between the Rotary and the kids,” said Maureen Dunbar, instructional coach at Harrisburg High School.

She described the relationship between the students and the Rotary volunteers as one of mutual respect. Dunbar also mentioned that the education was a two-way street.

“The professionals were able to see these kids putting in the work,” she said.

Dunbar added that the more the community gets inside the school, the better.

“The kids see that the community really cares, and they can see there are a lot of good things going on—and a lot of great kids,” she said.

Libby added that, every year, she looks forward to going into the classroom to support the teachers and the students.

“It fills me with pride to see all the students gain confidence and discover more opportunity can be available to them if they do the work,” she said, “And it’s uplifting to think that Rotary had some small part in that.”

Learn more about Rotary Club of Harrisburg by visiting www.hbgrotary.org.

Author: Jen Fertenbaugh

New Land, New Lives: Despite the political environment, refugees continue to come to Harrisburg—and Catholic Charities is here to help.

May 31, 2017 | by Diane McNaughton

Photo by Dani Fresh

On a clear, cloudless morning in suburban Harrisburg, nine colorfully clad men and women work at tables in uninterrupted silence as teacher Charity Stowell exits the classroom briefly.

Their stillness is not merely a product of studiousness.

The students do not speak English fluently, and most do not speak the same language as the person seated to their right or left.

All are attending a free English as a Second Language (ESL) class, held from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday each week.

Sponsored by Catholic Charities’ Refugee Resettlement Program under the auspices of the Diocese of Harrisburg, the classes unfold in the basement of a nondescript office building in Lower Paxton Township. About half the learners are from Bhutan and Nepal. Others hail from the Congo, Sudan, Pakistan, China, Syria and South Korea.

Interpreter Shira Adhikari, 30, and a young, bespectacled interpreter who speaks Arabic, are close at hand to help.

Adhikari was born in Bhutan, a landlocked country flanked by India to the south and China to the north. He and tens of thousands of other Nepali-speaking Bhutanese were raised in cramped, primitive refugee camps in the shadow of the Himalayas, as the nation’s leaders embarked upon a systematic ethnic cleansing campaign designed to build a homogenous race.

Adhikari’s cell phone still holds photographs of the thatch-roofed huts in leafy villages that were home to refugees living a life “more miserable than you can imagine.”

ESL services Manager Sarah Beck said that many Americans conflate immigrants with refugees, but these terms should not be used interchangeably. The refugees now living in Harrisburg had no choice but to flee their country of birth. They are carefully vetted and came to America to save their families from persecution, as any parent would do.

Adhikari holds a master’s degree in physics. He relates the tale of his own parents, who have been in this country for four years. Their apartment is surrounded by refugees from other countries. Despite the language barrier, the children all play together, the adults all wave to each other, and neighbors shovel each others’ walks, clearing away the pure, powdery snow that most have seen for the first time.

When their neighbors speak kind words in a language that is foreign to them, the Adhikaris’ response is automatic. They smile, deliver two thumbs-up and say, “Everything is good.”

That sentence encapsulates how they have found every detail in America—the lights that always work; the clean, clear water that runs hot and cold, night and day; the dwelling space that is cavernous compared to their closet-sized huts; the drawers that are stuffed with clothes; and the grocery store shelves that are dense with a dizzying variety of cartons and cans, fresh fruits and vegetables.

It is a far cry from Bhutan, where rain streamed in like a garden hose through the roof during storms and food was so scarce it was rationed. Clothing was extremely limited. Fires were frequent. When one hut burned, they all went up in black smoke.

“We could see the moon from our bed,” Adhikari said. ”The roof blew off often.”

Today, in Stowell’s classroom, the young Messiah College graduate is teaching the refugees how to ride a bus. Few have their driver’s license, but as soon as they receive their Social Security card, they will try to get jobs.

The classroom’s whiteboard bears these words, written in magic marker: “Stay in your seats. Listen to your music with headphones.”

One refugee was called to the center of the “U” to assume the role of bus driver.

Stowell gently corrected a student who had written that pets were allowed on the bus. Paying the fare and watching your young children were also part of the lesson.

“The class is like a one-room schoolhouse,” Stowell said.

Some students have never been to school, never learned how to write their names. Others have advanced degrees in their native countries. Volunteers help to personalize the instruction.

Like the turmoil in the world, “the class is constantly rotating,” Stowell said. When Cuba was in political crisis, Cuban refugees populated the class.

Colleen Wisor Patterson, a young student support specialist with the migrant program, which works closely with Catholic Charities, helps the children of refugees cope with the trauma of life in Bhutan and then the double-trauma of leaving it all behind. She is keenly aware of the politically charged climate in which they are aiding refugees. She said many Americans choose to either demonize refugees or glorify them.

She recalls one citizen who whipped out his cellphone when he saw the hijab on a woman, ready to call 9-1-1 or record events.

“We see a lot of snap judgments, based on appearances,” she said.

She emphasized that the refugees are just regular people, wanting to be accepted and trying to make a better life for their families.

Sunita Rai is a 20-year-old refugee, a small-boned woman in Stowell’s class who was born and raised in a refugee camp in Nepal. Her parents are Bhutanese. Her mom is here in America. Her father passed away.

“America is very nice,” she said in English.

Her favorite new word: “OK.”

For her, Harrisburg’s vast array of flowers—and elevators—were among her most dazzling discoveries here.

Beck said that, since 2008, some 8,000 Bhutanese and Nepali refugees, rejected by their government, have been resettled in the Harrisburg area. Adhikari said the program resettled about 300 refugees last year, with the majority hailing from Bhutan. The refugees receive help with life skills, language, housing and jobs.

How to use a debit card, write a check, follow directions on a pill bottle, and ask for directions are some of the first skills taught.

Beck noted that only about 1 percent of the world’s refugees are resettled. With more than 21.5 million people considered to be refugees worldwide, each country picks the numbers they can take. In the past, the United States agreed to take about 80,000.

Many refugees are settled together in apartments on Green Street, which can be challenging when families are large and multi-generational. The program’s goal is independence within three months.

Many refugees find jobs in the midstate’s vibrant warehouse, packaging and health care industries. Many enroll at HACC. Often, they work two and three jobs, double shifts, Patterson said, and are “extremely entrepreneurial.”

Stowell quotes one refugee as he adjusted to America: “I had to be like a baby again.”

As they cope in this brave new world, “Mostly they just need a friend,” said Patterson, someone to visit, to take them to appointments.

She finds that most refugee children suffer from severe loneliness, trying to transition from the trauma in their native land to the trauma of separation and a strange new land.

One bond the class all seems to share—how laughably bad Google Translate is, Stowell said.

But everything else—all good.

“They love the house, the food, the clothes,” said Adhikari. “There is fresh air. There is peace in America. There is no one knocking at their door at midnight. In America, they can sleep here fearlessly.”

He is eager for the day he can take the formal oath as an American citizen.

“We can work independently,” he said. “We can live independently. We can live our own life. This is the dream place for people all over the world.”

One hand signal they all seem to know transcends the barriers of language and culture.

When asked where they would be without the refugee program, they all speak in their native tongue in a verbal deluge of gratitude, and then, reflexively, they touch their heart.

June 20 is World Refugee Awareness Day. For more information about Catholic Charities, Diocese of Harrisburg, including immigration and refugee services, visit www.cchbg.org.

Author: Diane McNaughton

Trail of Beauty: Experience nature’s splendor with a journey along the Susquehanna River Water Trail.

May 31, 2017 | by Susan Ryder

Most people experience the beauty of the Susquehanna River from afar, from the banks or as a blur from their cars.

However, you need not be satisfied with a sideline vista. From Sunbury to Middletown, you easily can travel on the river along the Susquehanna River Water Trail.

Formed in 2000, the 54-mile-trail, with 25 islands containing primitive campsites, is maintained by the Susquehanna River Trail Association (SRTA). Confusing to some, a water trail is no different from a foot trail except that, instead of hiking boots for trekking, one needs a boat.

“It’s a really nice juxtaposition of civilization and nature—an accessible wilderness,” said Brook Lenker, an SRTA founder.

Lenker began his journey to creating the trail while pursuing a master’s degree at Towson University and writing a paper about a proposed hydroelectric dam along the Susquehanna in Harrisburg. In an effort to understand the river better for this project, he contacted Pat Riley, a local river guru.

“He put me in a solo canoe, said ‘follow me,’ and changed my life,” Lenker said.
The trip opened his eyes to the special nature of the Susquehanna and set him on serendipitous course.

In 1993, while working for Dauphin County Parks and Recreation, Lenker visited Hog Island, part of the Maine Island Trail, America’s first water trail. As he witnessed the public’s access to the islands and camping along the water trail, he thought, “It would be cool to do something like that in Harrisburg on the river.”

Over the next seven years, with help from the state government, local outfitters and the conservation community, SRTA was founded.

Today, the trail represents a cooperative effort between SRTA, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the National Park Service.

Its mission: “To facilitate the use of the river to encourage stewardship.”

Much to See

SRTA members take stewardship seriously, acting as caretakers of the islands.

The volunteer position of steward involves surveying the islands regularly, maintaining the campsites and reporting any problems to the association board. Work may involve tasks as simple as cleaning up trash or as labor-intensive as hauling cement by canoe to repair a fire ring. The 12 or so stewards work hard so that visitors can fully enjoy the river.

River attractions include a wide variety of birds, including great blue herons, egrets and cormorants. Boaters can see these birds up close in their natural habitat as they nest or stalk along the bank fishing. Bald eagles are often spotted, so frequently that boaters are almost guaranteed a sighting, Lenker said. Non-feathered animals include mink, beaver, deer and, occasionally, bear.

“There’s so much to see that you can’t see from the road,” said Mike Traxler, SRTA president.

Boaters can pull up on an island for exploring or paddle to a rock, unload and bask in the sunshine. Morning and evening paddles offer stunning views, with the sunlight skipping across the water as it rises or sinks below the horizon.

Always Changing

Before heading out into all this watery beauty, there are a few things that boaters should consider.

First of all—be safe. Traxler recommends that novices journey with an experienced guide or someone familiar with the river. Outfitters like Susquehanna Outfitters on City Island, Shank’s Mare Outfitters and Blue Mountain Outfitters can provide guides and boats.

Low-head dams pose a serious risk, and two exist in the middle section of the Susquehanna—in Sunbury and Harrisburg. Boaters should portage, which is river speak for taking a boat out of the water and going around the dams. They may look innocuous, but the vortex they create makes them deadly. Dams are clearly marked with caution buoys.

Planning is also important.

“The mistake a lot of new paddlers make is trying to go too far,” said Traxler

Low water or a headwind will make the trip longer, and a good rule of thumb is one mile in one hour. If the water level is too low, the trip could be a real drag, literally. If the water level is too high, conditions are dangerous. Under five feet is considered safe. Check water levels at SRTA’s website.

Paddling represents one aspect of the trail, camping another.

Lenker said that its camping focus makes it unique. Each island has clear DCNR markings to let folks know it holds a campsite. Sites contain a fire ring, a clearing for tents and a log-in box. The box has a logbook and lots of good information for visitors.

Based on the Appalachian Trail logbooks, they allow campers to offer feedback about the site, record wildlife sightings and even pontificate on the river experience.

“Life is like a river; keep paddling!” said one visitor who left her name as Ruth Ann.

Another wrote, “It’s another awesome summer day. One can’t describe a peaceful moon on the river!” Yet another contained the superimposed, drawn handprints of Cheyenne, age 21 months, and Douglas, age 3 years.

Venturing out on the Susquehanna River Water Trail will afford a different experience for each person, depending on the time of year, weather and happenstance. Even for folks like Traxler who frequent the river, each time is fresh.

“Every time I’m out, I experience something new, something I’ve never experienced before,” he said. “It’s always changing.”

For more information about the Susquehanna River Water Trail and the Susquehanna River Trail Association, visit www.susquehannarivertrail.org.

Author: Susan Ryder

Making Connections: The Art Association’s new curator strives to link old and new, large and small.

May 31, 2017 | by Kari Larsen

Burg in Focus: Art Association of Harrisburg from GK Visual on Vimeo.

Rachel O’Connor started big—very big.

When she succeeded Terrie Hosey as the curator of the Art Association of Harrisburg in January, the first show she hung was the mammoth annual membership show, the perennially popular “Figuratively Speaking”—51 pieces depicting the figure in all manner of media, filling the historic building’s myriad rooms and halls.

“I’m a very cautious person,” said O’Connor. “But at the same time, there’s something inside of myself that’s like, no, jump into the deep end without any floaties.”

She seized the opportunity to work in Harrisburg while wrapping up graduate work at the Savannah College of Art and Design in January 2016.

“I was in the last semester of my second year,” she said. “I didn’t see it coming. The art world is really hard to get into, so I thought—this is my foot getting in the door.”

This first step into the world of art was, literally, like coming home.

O’Connor attended Cumberland Valley High School and already had studied with HACC and Messiah College professors. She even got to work in the art mecca of New York City, when, as an intern, she co-curated a show at the New York Center for Art and Media Studies.

With all of this experience, the year she spent as assistant curator at the Art Association provided O’Connor with plenty of opportunities to contemplate.

“What does it mean to be a curator in a small institution, in a smaller city?” she said. “How do I shift my thinking from what it always was when I was in school—‘I want to be a curator in New York City!’—which means something so different than being a curator in Harrisburg. I started to realize that there are some differences, but there also don’t have to be a lot of differences. Curating is still curating.”

For O’Connor, curating is collaborative. When it comes to placing a work within a particular context, she takes the vision of the artist into account. Part of that context also is the location of the Art Association—in Harrisburg.

“My job as the curator is to think about our audience,” she said. “Harrisburg is our audience. Whether or not Harrisburg as a city is coming in and viewing our work, it doesn’t matter. They are still our audience. So, I have to think, ‘What artist can I bring in? How can I display things in such a way where I’m caring about the city and the people who live in the city?’”

Recent collaborations with Metropolis Collective and the Makespace have brought in crowds different from those that usually visit Art Association shows, and O’Connor wants to keep cultivating those shifts.

“We’re part of the art community, but we have not been speaking to the art community,” she said.

In O’Connor, Harrisburg’s art community has a sharp-eyed, big-hearted ally.

“I really love working with living artists,” she said. “And I realized that—this sounds funny—but I actually love other artists’ work more than I love my own, and I love artists maybe even a little bit more than, or equally as much as, I love art. What can I do where I can have relationships with them and work with them and care about them?”

That is exactly what she is doing.

At the Art Association, O’Connor is particularly interested in bringing in fresh talent. As an example, from the end of February through March, the show “Impulse: Then & Now” featured five artists who studied with her in New York: Joel Daniel Phillips, Christine Aria Hostetler, Chelsea Tarnas, Heidi Wiren Bartlett and Kate Running. Tarnas and Running’s work, in particular, complemented the tension between the homey, 19th-century space of the Art Association and the clean, vivid and contemporary quality of the artwork on exhibit.

It was a clear indication not only of what O’Connor can stir up and inspire working in Harrisburg but what happens when she makes connections.

“I want to speak to the art community and say, ‘We’re all in this together. I’m with you and the Art Association is with you, and I want to work with you,’” she said.

The Art Association of Harrisburg is located at 21 N. Front St., Harrisburg. The current exhibit, “89th Annual Juried Show,” runs through June 15. For more information, visit www.artassocofhbg.com.

Author: Kari Larsen

Cuisine on Screen: Creative documentary explores the life of a celebrity chef.

May 31, 2017 | by Sammi Leigh Melville

With producing credits for films such as “The Mind of a Chef” and “A Cook’s Tour” under her belt, you would think that Director Lydia Tenaglia would know everyone of importance in the food industry.

But there is one chef who somehow managed to weasel his way out of her frame of knowledge—Jeremiah Tower, the chef said to have jumpstarted the very idea of food as an experience. This mystery man was the perfect subject for Tenaglia’s next project.

“There were just so many layers to this person,” she said. “Food really was almost in the background.”

And so began the year-and-a-half-long journey into the mind of “Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent.”

“[Tower’s] need to be in the public eye, but his desperate need to be left alone—it’s an interesting dichotomy,” Tenaglia said.

Many who know the man have described him as a private person—hard to read and hard to get to know—and the film relates that character.

“I have to stay away from human beings because somehow I am not one,” he states early in the film.

And perhaps he really does feel that way. From his childhood, when he escaped his parents’ “moneyed neglect” by surrounding himself with refined eatery, to the dramatically charged role he played at the restaurant, Chez Parisse, we watch the slow progression as his circle of acquaintances begin to regard him as something more than human—a culinary god, if you will—born with a silver fork in his hand.

“Before I read books, I read menus,” he muses.

And he has the ego to match his supernatural guise.

After drama stirred between Tower and the staff at Chez Parisse, he moved on to create his own masterpiece—the theatrically inclined restaurant, Stars, where eating out became about more than just food, but about entertainment. Derived completely from Tower’s fantasy and orchestrated to reflect the safe haven he created as a child, Stars was truly the place where his god status was cultivated and cemented. Then, abruptly, Jeremiah Tower disappeared from the public eye.

Stylistically, the film is a dream. Tower’s life is shown through four dynamic threads, weaved together to create Tenaglia’s masterpiece.

First, there is the footage of Tower in his hideaway home in Merida, Mexico, walking by the ocean and inspecting old buildings to purchase and rebuild, and then there are the dramatizations. Initially, due to a lack of archival pictures, Tenaglia shot a series of scenes recreating Tower’s memories, actually structured to feel like memories.

“To really get a sense of Jeremiah’s character, what he was literally and figuratively able to bring to the table, you had to viscerally, visually understand his formative memories as a child, good and bad,” said Tenaglia.

The result is a rare, beautiful and ethereal cinematic landscape interlacing these expressive, visually articulated dramatizations throughout the story, thereby foregoing the “follow-doc” feel of a typical documentary and allowing the scenes to breathe.

It wasn’t until two-thirds through editing that Tower unearthed some old 8-mm films while cleaning out his mother’s basement, and the entire visual paradigm of the film shifted. Suddenly, the question was how to marry archival information with memory-driven recreation. Again, the result called forth a dream-like quality that is sure to captivate audiences.

This leads to the fourth thread—the unexpected finale, which takes place in 2015 when Tower makes a comeback by moving to New York to add his artistic touch to the barely afloat restaurant, Tavern on the Green. Suddenly, the film becomes a follow-doc—a tantalizing question of whether Tower can make the comeback he deserves, or if that dream even still needs to be realized.

“[We have] an opportunity to see Jeremiah roll up his sleeves and work the way he’s always done,” said Tenaglia.

This is a shining moment, when you can see both Jeremiah’s incredible strength and profound flaws on display, his ego struggling for complete control in a job that doesn’t allow for it. But here we see the true Jeremiah Tower. As Tenaglia puts it, he is simply “an artist who is seeking, even from early on, some means of expression. The kitchen was just his canvas.”

You can see the result of Tenaglia’s finesse, and a more complete rendering of Jeremiah Tower than this review could possibly include, at Midtown Cinema starting June 2. Don’t miss this incredible documentary.

Special thanks to Lydia Tenaglia for agreeing to an interview.

MIDTOWN CINEMA JUNE SPECIAL EVENTS

Superhero Summer Series
“Batman” (1989)
Friday, June 2, 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 3, 2 p.m.

“X-Men” (2000)
Saturday, June 3, 7 p.m.
Sunday, June 4, 2 p.m.

Down in Front! Presents

“Howard the Duck” (1986)
Saturday, June 3, 9:30 p.m.

National Theatre Live Presents

“Rosencratz & Guildenstern Are Dead”
Monday, June 10, 7 p.m.

3rd in the Burg $3 Movie

“Deadpool” (2016) Friday, June 16, 9:30 p.m.

Faulkner Honda Family Film Series
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1990)
Saturday, June 17, 2 p.m.
Saturday, June 17, 8 p.m.
Sunday, June 18, 12 p.m.

Outdoor Film Series
“Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” (1988)
Friday, June 9

“Superman” (1978)
Friday, June 23

Down in Front! Presents: “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” (1957)
Friday, July 14

“Jaws” (1975)
Friday, July 28

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2011)
Friday, August 11

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015)
Friday, August 25

All outdoor films start at dusk, with a rain date of the following day.

Author: Sammi Leigh Melville

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