Mayor Eric Papenfuse Announces for Re-election, Defends Record

January 11, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced his bid for re-election today.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced his bid for re-election today, listing his accomplishments and vowing to heal rocky relationships with everyone from PennLive reporters to the National Civil War Museum board.

Standing in his Midtown campaign headquarters before a giant sign reading “Together We Can,” Papenfuse stated that he is proud of the city’s improvements under his tenure, citing achievements in economic development, public safety, fiscal responsibility and civic engagement. He said that he’s running for re-election to continue to make progress in these four areas.

“I can say for certain that Harrisburg is on the right track, and I believe the majority of residents feel that way as well,” he said.

So far, Papenfuse faces two declared opponent for the Democratic nomination, former City Council President Gloria Martin-Roberts and previous mayoral candidate, Lewis Butts. PennLive has reported that Johnny Baer, a Dauphin County prosecutor, might be interested in running on the Republican side.

During the half-hour announcement and press conference, Papenfuse defended his record as mayor, including the sometimes pitched battles he’s waged with City Council, the National Civil War Museum and PennLive coverage.

“On any point, you can bring up where there’s been a controversy, I think it’s always been fought with the interest of Harrisburg taxpayers in mind, and I think we are in a position to move toward a good solution,” he said.

Papenfuse said that he said does not regret the battles, which he stated are based on principle and the interest of taxpayers.

“Politics is a contact sport,” he said. “That’s what had to be done. But in the end, you need solutions. So, judge me in the end if I get a good solution.”

He dropped one such political battle today, ceasing his self-imposed ban on speaking directly to PennLive reporters.

He said he believed that had made his point about PennLive’s anonymous commenters and what he calls negative stories. As an olive branch, he selected PennLive reporter Christine Vendel to ask the first question during the press conference portion.

Much of the announcement, however, was to tout his record on fiscal and economic issues.

He said he ran for election in 2013 to help Harrisburg get out of Act 47, a state program to help financially distressed municipalities. Though the city is not out of Act 47, Harrisburg is on much stronger financial footing, he said.

Harrisburg’s balanced budgets and a 2017 budget investing in capital improvements are “no mean feat,” he said.

“Some of this seems mundane, but the city is just returning to normalcy,” he said. “We don’t want to go backwards to dysfunction, to cronyism, to outright corruption, which is what defined Harrisburg not too long ago.”

He cited a $3 million grant to revitalize Allison Hill’s MulDer Square and federal funding for South Allison Hill residents affected by sinkholes as two examples of the millions of state and federal funding he has secured. And, today, he announced a $1 million grant to repave Harrisburg’s decrepit river walk.

Papenfuse also touted his record on crime, saying that major crimes had decreased during his term. But he added that the city has ongoing challenges recruiting and retaining officers. Currently, there are 19 open positions in the Bureau of Police.

“[This is the time to] put our stamp of Chief Thomas Carter’s leadership on new training and engagement with public,” he said.

Papenfuse said the problems facing the police department – recruitment and community tensions – are national issues. With Act 47 constraints still in place, the city cannot do more financially to support the police department, he said.

A new group of officers soon would be coming in and learning community-policing strategies, which would help build positive relationships with residents, he said, adding that he was proud that Harrisburg remained calm last year following a police-involved killing.

Another achievement, he said, was working to lower street parking rates 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays and providing four free hours of parking Saturdays with the Pango app.

“These things wouldn’t have happened unless you were fighting and pushing against a system which is basically controlled by business interests,” he said.

Internally, Papenfuse said his campaign already has raised about $40,000. Many people have contributed to his campaign, he said, including members of Harrisburg Capital City PAC, the same political action committee that helped fund his first mayoral election.

He also re-hired Andrea Krizner as campaign manager. Harrisburg-based MFStrategies and the national firm, The Strategy Group, also support his campaign.

Disclosure: Alex Hartzler, a founder of Harrisburg Capital City PAC, is publisher of TheBurg.

Author: Danielle Roth

Smooth Ride: Harrisburg’s Historic River Walk Set for Repaving

January 10, 2017 | by Lawrance Binda

Harrisburg’s crumbling river walk soon will be repaired.

Broken pavement, holes, dirt and weeds—a jog along Harrisburg’s historic river walk can be an exercise in trying not to trip and fall down.

That, however, will soon change, as the city learned today that it will receive a $1 million federal grant to repave the entire walk–11,000 linear feet–from Shipoke to Maclay Street.

Last year, the city applied for the Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant, designed to assist and promote non-motorized transportation. Today, PennDOT, which administers the U.S. Department of Transportation grant, announced $33 million in awards to fund 51 sidewalk, trail and other projects throughout the state, including the two-mile Harrisburg project, the only one funded in Dauphin County.

“This is a terrific means to encourage biking and walking,” said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. “Right now, the walk is uneven and a hazard.”

Papenfuse said he expected work to take place during the course of the year, starting once the weather warms up. The project will be limited to the walk and the top step, he said.

Papenfuse said he hoped to identify additional funding for the remaining steps that lead down to the river, but that work is not part of this project.

The century-old river walk has been damaged repeatedly by floods and also has been a victim of neglect, with much of the original concrete patched haphazardly over many decades. Two years ago, the city used some of the federal money it received following the severe 2011 flood from Tropical Storm Lee to repair a section of the walk in Shipoke, which was the most severely deteriorated.

Papenfuse made the announcement following tonight’s brief City Council meeting. During that meeting, council unanimously approved a new, two-year contract with Local 521 of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, which represents about 300 non-uniformed city workers. That contract provides for a 1 percent raise and a $1,000 bonus for all workers in both 2017 and 2018.

“We’re happy to be in a position to be able to offer these bonuses, which hasn’t been done in a long time,” said Papenfuse. “The bonus concept is good because it rewards our workers without a long-term pay obligation.”

Author: Lawrance Binda

Cows & Ducks & Milkshakes: 101st Pa. Farm Show opens this weekend

January 5, 2017 | by Danielle Roth

Joe Jurgielewicz & Sons Ltd. provided the seven ducklings for the 2017 Pa. Farm Show’s duck slide.

It’s that time of year again. Maybe you already can smell it in the air. The 101^st Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the United States, opens this weekend at the state Farm Show Complex.

The famous Farm Show food court debuts tomorrow, a day before the rest of the show, from noon to 9 p.m. There, visitors can sample the best of Pennsylvania food products, including honey ice cream, fresh baked potatoes, pulled-pork sandwiches and, of course, those legendary Farm Show milkshakes (just look for the longest line).

If you make it past the food court, you’ll discover hundreds of farm animals, a rodeo and animal judging competitions from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free.

Parking costs $15 on the Farm Show grounds. Drivers also can park at Harrisburg Area Community College on Wildwood Park Drive or at the intersection of Elmerton Avenue and Sycamore Street. A free shuttle transports visitors from parking lots to the show.

In the same expo hall as the food court, visitors can find the duck slide and chick hatch. Seven ducklings waddle up a small hill to slide into a heated “pond.” An incubator warms eggs and recently hatched chicks.

Chicks will hatch each day of the Farm Show in this incubator.

To start off the hatching this year, PennAg Industries today matched eggs with “local celebrities” such as Gov. Tom Wolf, Broad Street Manager Beth Taylor and TheBurg’s own Editor-in-Chief Lawrance Binda.

PennAg is donating $1,000 to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in the name of the first egg that hatched. That honor went to egg number 12, Nancy from Bob 94.9 FM’s Nancy and Newman show.

Last year, the Farm Show skipped the poultry for fear of Europe’s bird flu scare.

“All of us in agriculture knew that it was a reminder that we are subject to what happens around world,” said Russell Redding, secretary of the PA Department of Agriculture.

He said Farm Show visitors ask him about two things: the new flavor of the milkshake and the chick hatching.

“Folks flock to see them. Kids love them,” he said.

The 101^st Pennsylvania Farm Show runs Jan. 7 to 14 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Cameron and Maclay streets, Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.farmshow.state.pa.us.

Author: Danielle Roth

Weekend Roundup with Sara Bozich

January 5, 2017 | by Sara Bozich

Happy New Year! I’m planning on a low-key January (you can check out my resolutions here), but it’s also our anniversary, so I’m sure we’ll do something small to celebrate.

I have zero plans otherwise — outside of Saturday’s return to my Next Step Performance/Broad Street Market routine — this time followed up with the HBG Flea at Strawberry Square.

Sunday — in addition to our six-year anniversary — is Steelers football. #HereWeGo!

Hey, while you have a minute, please take our End of Year Survey to help us improve!

What are you doing this weekend?

Rather have this via email each week?

Don’t see your event listed? Post it in the comments below. Want to be featured in the future? Submit your events here.

Wheels Free: With new apartments and growing amenities in Harrisburg, some residents have parked their cars permanently.

December 30, 2016 | by M. Diane McCormick

When Brett Comeau moved from Los Angeles to downtown Harrisburg to start a business and close the gap in a long-distance romance, he resisted giving up his wheels to join his girlfriend in her carless existence. Give it a month, she suggested.

“Within a month, I said, ‘I don’t ever want to own a car again,’” he said now, four years later. “It’s so much easier. The stress-freeness of it. I don’t have to drive through traffic.”

As the revitalized city offers new living and entertainment options, a new breed of urban dweller is attempting—and succeeding at—the carless life. They are walking, biking, busing, train-riding and Uber-ing to their destinations.

Oh, and some are keeping their personal vehicles but only for occasional use. We’ll get to them in a minute.

Of course, cities have long been home to residents who don’t own cars. In Harrisburg in 2015, the U.S. Census Bureau tells us, 3,266 people age 16 and over didn’t have a vehicle for getting to work. They commuted by bus, foot, bicycle, taxicab and carpooling.

For most people, though, the thought of ditching the car is akin to cutting off a limb. Car ownership, we’ve grown up believing, is equivalent to freedom. But the return of upscale amenities to the city—dining, entertainment and rehabbed housing—has inspired more professionals to throw away the car keys, or at least, give the car long rests between rides. In the process, they’ve discovered a new form of freedom—an escape from the tyranny of the motorized machine.

No Place Like That

Several new, upscale apartment buildings opened last year, offering more living options in walkable downtown and Midtown Harrisburg. Of all the new (and old) buildings there, The Flats @ Strawberry Square may make the strongest case for the carless curious.

The units link directly, through an indoor walkway, to the Hilton Harrisburg, restaurants, Open Stage and Whitaker Center, in addition to the many shops and eateries in Strawberry Square itself.

“You don’t even have to go outside if you don’t want to,” said Brad Jones, president and CEO of Harristown Enterprises, which developed the building. “If you do go outside, you’re a block or two from another 35 or 40 restaurant establishments. There’s no place like that in central Pennsylvania.”

WCI Partners, busy rehabbing homes and apartments, finds that walkability attracts residents. City dwellers “generally want to live in the city to have easy access to restaurants, parks, shopping, theater, community involvement,” said Vice President, Director of Operations Lori A. Fortini.

When it comes to walkability and building community, “one feeds the other,” said Fortini, whose company recently opened the 33-unit Union Lofts building at N. 3rd and Boas streets.

“It’s a bounce back and forth,” she said. “The more you commute outside of the car, the more you are aware of your surroundings and able to connect with them. At the same time, that creates the safety to do that.”

As Comeau noted, spending goes where wallets go, and being carless, he and his girlfriend, Linda Walters, keep their wallets close to home.

“Linda and I spend about 90 percent of our money on local businesses,” he said. “We are part of this community.”

Spinning Wheels

ChuChi and Shadow inspired Scott Foulkrod to adopt a daily walking life.

The Harrisburg University professor had no one who could take the two small dogs for walks every few hours. So, he moved into a luxury apartment rehabbed by Vartan Group on Pine Street, just blocks from his workplace.

Always an outdoorsy type, Foulkrod “fell into the routine pretty quickly” of walking back and forth between home and work a couple of times a day. He also walks to downtown events and restaurants.

“It’s a simple way to live,” he said.

It’s a living arrangement that could change with a move to the country someday, but, for the time being, “It seemed like a no-brainer.”

Foulkrod didn’t entirely abandon the car—“a car I really like, a nice car.” His Audi TT convertible stays garaged for much of the time but comes out for grocery runs and getaways.

Like Foulkrod, Ian Kanski has a car but, most days, keeps it parked in a nearby lot since moving to Harristown’s Fifteen at Twenty-Two, or F@TT, apartments on S. 3rd Street in September. The apartment is across the street from his business, Integrated Agriculture Systems, the folks behind the hydroponic and aquaponic systems increasingly seen in schools.

“I couldn’t resist the opportunity to live right next to where we were putting our office,” he said. “It’s great for me to walk to meetings downtown.”

The car is handy for out-of-town meetings and driving to his company’s Susquehanna Township facility, but often, he takes the train to meetings in Philadelphia and New York. Even travel to Costa Rica, where his wife is from, is simplified by proximity to Harrisburg Transportation Center’s Amtrak station, for rides directly to Newark Airport.

“I get my baggage, walk over to the train station, and get to another country without getting into a car,” he said.

Asked if he doesn’t miss having a firewall between work and home, Kanski laughed. He gets that question a lot, it seems.

“Being in a startup, it’s hard to separate those two things, anyway,” he said. “In the startup world, work follows you anywhere. That’s inevitable.”

I’m Done

The freedom of carlessness, it seems, comes from making the car work around your life—not the other way around. Comeau said that he’s no longer “tempted to go somewhere for no reason.”

The hardest part of the adjustment, he said, was learning to plan ahead, but routine makes the lifestyle run smoothly. Groceries come from walks to the Broad Street Market or are delivered by Giant Food’s Peapod service. If he and Walters rent a car for some purpose, for a weekend every two or three months, they think of everything they need that a car facilitates and “cram everything in.”

About six months ago, to adopt a cat named Kinsey, Comeau and Walters rented a car, picked her up, bought all the food, took her home to their WCI apartment on Walnut Street, and, while she was adjusting, drove around for things that included a Troeg’s Brewery tour in Hershey.

“By Monday, when we dropped the car off, I said, ‘I’m exhausted. I’m done,’” he said.

Walters, the girlfriend who converted Comeau to carlessness, has always lived and worked along bus routes. The natural-born organizer knows all the routes and uses Capital Area Transit (CAT) updates to follow the progress of her buses. If a bus is late, she calls Uber to get her to work, “because Uber is pretty quick,” Comeau said.

“When she’s on the bus, she listens to podcasts, she listens to notes, she listens to books on tape, as opposed to having to drive and get all stressed out by traffic,” he said. “She just zones out and gets to do her thing, and she really enjoys that.”

Comeau and Walters hope that Zipcar comes soon to Harrisburg to replace their occasional car rental needs. Zipcar media relations did not return an email asking if Harrisburg is in their sights.

Great, Walkable

Like Walters, some who go carless find a transportation assist from the bus system. According to Jones, CAT and Harristown “have a long working relationship.”

“Service to various parts of the region are pretty good in this area, especially if you’re in the center,” he said. “You could literally go to 50 different locations by bus—Hershey, Hummelstown, Carlisle, Mechanicsburg, Holy Spirit. The new Pinnacle hospital now has a service. You can cover a lot of ground by bus.”

Many of CAT’s 10,000 daily riders don’t have cars, said CAT spokesman Bob Philbin. “Anyone living in Harrisburg can move from point A to point B within the city within about 30 minutes,” he said.

New routes include a loop from Shipoke to the Capitol and 2nd Street, and, at lunchtime, it expands to the Broad Street Market “so we can move that lunch crowd around the city apart from downtown,” he said.

Recently adopted bus tracker software lets riders check the CAT website to see their buses en route, with a separate link for mobile phones. CAT’s Twitter feed notifies users of delays. There’s no app due to the challenges of aligning ever-evolving bus routes with Google maps, Philbin said.

“We’re constantly evaluating routes in and out of Harrisburg and around Harrisburg,” he said. “The system was built with Harrisburg at its core.”

Harrisburg is not only a walkable city but a bikeable one. Therefore, some residents have replaced the auto through a combination of bike and bus. In fact, riders bringing bicycles to rack on buses have risen 10 percent to 15 percent, year over year, to reach the current level of about 15,000 annually, Philbin said.

So far, at least, Kanski, whose new home is above El Sol restaurant, hasn’t had to hop the bus much. He walks almost everywhere he needs to go.

“There’s good, diverse cuisine,” Kanski said. “There’s great arts and culture happening in Harrisburg as a whole. Everything is pretty close. It’s a great, walkable city.”

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

Author: M. Diane McCormick

Community Corner: Notable January Events

December 30, 2016 | by TheBurg Editor

January Community Corner

Penguin Plunge
Jan. 1: Welcome the New Year by getting your feet wet in the Susquehanna River with hundreds of other supporters of the Humane Society of Harrisburg. The event begins at 10 a.m. on City Island beach in Harrisburg with the actual plunge at noon. For more information, visit humanesocietyhbg.org.

HBG Flea
Jan. 7: Find something cool to browse and buy at the HBG Flea, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Strawberry Square, Harrisburg. Shop for local art, handmade gifts and vintage wares. Visit hbgflea.com.

2017 Farm Show
Jan. 7-14: Attend the annual PA Farm Show, the largest indoor agriculture show in the nation, at the PA Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, N. Cameron and Maclay streets, Harrisburg. Milk a cow, enjoy a famous Farm Show milkshake or learn first-hand the science and skills used in agriculture. Visit farmshow.state.pa.us.

Mindfulness Hike
Jan. 8: Go for a guided 3.1-mile walk with yoga instructor Traci Wolfe around Wildwood Park, 10 to 11:30 a.m. The pace will be brisk enough to keep the body warm, with some stops to observe nature and a silent walking session to wrap up. Dress in layers and assume the walk is cancelled if it is raining. For more details, visit wildwoodlake.org.

Photo Contest Awards
Jan. 8: Join Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, for Friends of Wildwood’s Annual Photography Contest awards ceremony at 1 p.m. The contest exhibition will be on display through Jan. 15. For more information, visit wildwoodlake.org or call 717-221-0292.

Crazy for Coloring
Jan. 9-25: Dauphin County Library System will host “Crazy for Coloring,” two-hour sessions of social, adult coloring at Northern Dauphin Library, Jan. 9, 6 to 8 p.m.; East Shore Area Library on Jan. 22 from 2 to 4 p.m.; and William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library on Jan. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. The library will provide coloring sheets and colored pencils, but feel free to bring your own coloring tools with you. For more details, visit dcls.org.

Carlisle Passenger Stations
Jan. 10: National Railway Historical Society Harrisburg Chapter will host “Civil War Railroading,” an illustrated talk with Col. Thomas Sweeney at Hoss’s Restaurant, 743 Wertzville Rd., Enola. Business meeting and speaker begin at 7 p.m., with a meal available as early as 5 p.m. Call 717-439-9744 or email [email protected].

Farm Show Week Walks
Jan. 10-13: Wildwood Park, Dauphin County Parks and Recreation and Penn State’s Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center are partnering to provide daily, naturalist-led walks at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, during the week of the Farm Show, 2 to 3 p.m. For more details, visit wildwoodlake.org.

Speakeasy Soiree
Jan. 13: Indulge your inner flapper at the Spirits 161 Speakeasy Soiree, a 1920s-themed night at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum, 6 p.m., 161 Museum Dr., Hershey. Themed dress is encouraged as the evening features food, drinks, music and, of course, cars from the Roaring ‘20s. Must be over 21 to attend. For more information, visit aacamuseum.org.

Community Weekend
Jan. 14-16: The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum, 161 Museum Dr., Hershey, opens its doors to its neighbors for its annual Community Weekend, with general admission of just $7. Guests also can participate in a museum-wide scavenger hunt and other fun activities. Visit aacamuseum.org.

Get Active
Jan. 15: Join Fredricksen Library to be inspired by people who have incorporated athletic activities into their working environment and home lives. From 2 to 3 p.m., hear some success stories and be inspired to change your daily routine. For more details, visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

MLK Commemoration
Jan. 15: The 28th Annual Carlisle Commemoration of the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and ceremonial march will begin at 3 p.m. The march will start at First Presbyterian Church of Carlisle, 2 N. Hanover St., and participants are asked to assemble at the church at 2:45 p.m. For more information, contact Linda Manning at 717-243-4380.

MLK Day of Service
Jan. 16: Join the Central Pennsylvania Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service to tackle local problems and advance King’s dream of opportunity for all. Learn how to get involved at centralpamlkday.org. In addition, Friends of Midtown will gather to perform community service projects from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at the Neighborhood Center, 1801 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Visit friendsofmidtown.org.

CapCOG Annual Dinner
Jan. 16: Join the Capital Region Council of Governments at the Sheraton Hershey Harrisburg, 4650 Lindle Rd., Harrisburg, for its annual dinner, reorganization meeting and presentation of the Perry Albert Award. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m., with dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. For details, visit capitalregioncog.org.

Winter Story Times
Jan. 16-Jan. 31: Join Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, in the Pollock Children’s Library for young children’s holiday programs that promote literacy and provide a fun library experience, for four age groups: Just Baby & Me, Twos, Threes and Picture Book Time. For a schedule of story times, visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

Learn at Lunchtime
Jan. 20: Join Robert Hill, curator of military and industrial history, to explore “Pennsylvania at War: The Saga of the USS Pennsylvania,” for a lunchtime lecture at the State Museum of PA, N. 3^rd and North streets, Harrisburg. The event runs 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. and is included with general admission. Visit statemuseumpa.org.

3rd in The Burg
Jan. 20: Enjoy the best of Harrisburg during 3rd in the Burg, the monthly arts and culture event at galleries, restaurants and art spaces throughout downtown and Midtown. Check out all the action at thirdintheburg.org.

Cabin Fever Walk
Jan. 21: Bundle up and head to Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, for a 3-mile walk on Wildwood Way and the Towpath Trail to defeat winter cabin fever, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Along the way, learn how to prepare for a day on the trail. Visit wildwoodlake.org for details.

Sound and Movement
Jan. 22: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) and Market Square Concerts will host an interactive educational program “Sound and Movement: Human Expression Through Dance and Music” for children ages 8 to 12, in two showings at 12:30 and 3 p.m. at Whitaker Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit CPYB.org.

Animal Tracking
Jan. 22: Kids from ages 5 to 10 can learn the art of tracking with a naturalist at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Kids will learn track identification and walking patterns and will explore park trails in search of a variety of animal tracks. Fee is $5 per child, parents are free; pre-registration is required. Visit wildwoodlake.org.

Networking Mixer
Jan. 24: Join the West Shore Chamber of Commerce and other local business professionals at the January Networking Mixer, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Healthy You Café, 4500 Marketplace Way, Enola. The event is free and open to chamber members. Visit wschamber.org.

Legislator Forum
Jan. 25: Join the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce for the 2017 Legislators’ Forum, featuring area members of the state House of Representatives, at the Hilton Harrisburg, 1 N. 2^nd St., 8 to 10 a.m. Cost is $65 or $40 for members. Visit harrisburgregionalchamber.org for more details.

Point/Counterpoint
Jan. 26: U.S. Army War College professors Christopher Bolan and Larry P. Goodson will provide an update on the Arab-Israeli conflict in a point-counterpoint discussion at 7:30 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg, Camp Hill. There will be a reception and dinner prior to the talk. For details, visit fpa-harrisburg.org.

2017 Auto Show
Jan. 26-29: Roll into the annual PA Auto Show, an event that features what’s new and exciting in the world of automobiles. The four-day show takes place at the PA Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, N. Cameron and Maclay streets, Harrisburg. Visit autoshowharrisburg.com for more information.

Indie Film Friday
Jan. 27: Join Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, for “Middle of Nowhere,” a 2012 Sundance Film Festival winning film that follows Ruby, a bright medical student who sets aside her dreams and career when her husband is incarcerated. Two showings are scheduled for 2 and 7 p.m. Rated R. Visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

Local Lunch
Jan. 28: Join Friends of Midtown at their monthly community lunch, which will be held at Zeroday Brewing Co., 250 Reily St., Harrisburg, 12 to 2 p.m. Contact [email protected] or visit friendsofmidtown.org.

ChoreoPlan
Jan. 28: Four emergent choreographers will take part in ChoreoPlan, a program that encourages the creative development of choreographers and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) students at CPYB studios, 5 N. Orange St., Carlisle, culminating in two public, in-studio performances at 3 and 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person. Visit CPYB.org/ChoreoPlan for more details.

Meet the Artists
Jan. 29: Meet central PA’s renowned 7 Lively Artists, a plein air painting group celebrating its 60^th anniversary. The 2 p.m. event coincides with the current exhibit showcasing their work at the State Museum of PA, N. 3^rd and North streets, Harrisburg. For more information, visit statemuseumpa.org.

Happenings: Our January Calendar of Events

December 30, 2016 | by TheBurg Editor

Happenings

Museum & Art Spaces

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

“Enigma,” acrylic, oil, watercolor and spray paint pieces by Alex Garofalis, whose work includes psychedelic semi-surreal images, landscapes and abstract scenes, Jan. 20 to Feb. 14; reception: Jan. 20, 6 to 9 p.m.

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

“Sin City Tucker ’48 Replica,” through April 1.

“Magic Skyway 1964 Ford World’s Fair Thunderbird Convertible,” through April 15.

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

“Five Artist Invitational,” with J. Arthur Davis, Karen Kaiser, Christopher Lyter, Bob McCormick and Michele Taber, through Jan. 5.

“Figuratively Speaking,” Jan. 13-Feb. 16; reception, Jan. 13, 5-8 p.m.

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

Photographs by the Harrisburg Camera Club, Jan. 13 to Feb. 4; reception: Jan. 13, 6:30-8 p.m.

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

Artist of the Month: Jenny Ettinger

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

Works by Rosanne S. Wolfe and Becky D. Shagin, through Jan. 14.

“Burg on Board” fundraising exhibition featuring custom artistic skateboard decks, Jan. 19-Feb. 11; reception: Jan. 20, 6-9 p.m.

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

PCCA Juried Exhibition, featuring juried regional artwork in a variety of media, through Jan. 20.

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

“Recent Works” by Fennec Design, through January; reception, Jan. 20, 5-7 p.m.

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

“Microcosm: Dioramas & Tiny Worlds,” an exhibition providing a window into the mind of each artist, through Jan. 1.

“Atomic Keeg,” a solo exhibition by Keegan Beinhower, through Jan. 29.

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

The Millworks artist group show, through Jan. 15.

New works by Linda Benton McCloskey, Susan Baily and Tara Chickey, Jan. 16 to Feb. 12.

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

“Reconstruction: The Unfinished War,” examining the unfinished issue of equality among the races in the reunited states, Jan. 19 to Dec. 31; reception: Jan. 18, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

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

“Artisan Marketplace,” locally made fine art and handcrafted items for unique gift giving, through Jan. 14.

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

“2016 National History Day in Pennsylvania” winning entries display, through Feb. 12.

“Sixty Years with the Seven Lively Artists: 1956-2016,” celebrating the 60th anniversary of Central Pennsylvania’s plein air painting group The Seven Lively Artists, through Feb. 12; Meet the artists: Sunday, Jan. 29.

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

“African American Art Since 1950: Perspectives from the David C. Driskell Center,” through Jan. 22.

“In the Vault,” a group exhibition of small magnetic works to be hung on the steel walls within the museum’s historic bank vault, through Feb. 19.

“Pictures” by Mackenzie Younger, inspired by early American art and the prevalence of smartphone imagery in today’s culture, through Feb. 19.

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

“Tiny: Streetwise Revisited,” photography by Mary Ellen Mark, documenting the life of a home child, Tiny, and her journey over 30 years, Jan. 19-March 19; reception: Jan. 19, 5 p.m.

Sykes Gallery
Millersville University
Breidenstine Hall, 46 E. Frederick St.
millersville.edu/art

“Transform,” Art Educators Exhibition, through Jan. 12.

Harrisburg Area Community College Faculty Exhibition, Jan. 24-Feb. 23; reception: Jan. 30, 5 to 7 p.m.

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

“Captured,” works by Claire Giblin, through Feb. 1.

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

Friends of Wildwood annual photography contest display, through Jan. 15.

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

Chinese Art: Frank Orban, Jan. 24-March 10.

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

Works by Paige Harkey, through Jan. 15

Works by Amie Bantz, Jan. 20 to Feb. 12.

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

“smoke.grind.paint,” works by Todd Williams, through Jan. 14.

“Shit You Find in the Trash,” works by Stephen Michael Haas, Jan. 17-Feb. 11.

Read, Make, Learn

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

Jan. 28: Book signing with Dennise L. Hill, 2 to 5 p.m.

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

Jan. 12: Hearty Soups, Chili and Stews, 6 to 9 p.m.
Jan. 19: The Best of Breakfast and Brunch, 6 to 9 p.m.
Jan. 27: Super Bowl Pregame Wings and Beer Pairing, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

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

Jan. 3: Curl Up with the Classics—“Charlotte’s Web,” 3 p.m.
Jan. 3: Coloring for Grown-Ups, 7 p.m.
Jan. 5: Language at the Library, 10 a.m.
Jan. 6: Youth Chess Night, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 7: Cookbook Club, 1 p.m.
Jan. 8: Teen Retro Video Game Day, 2 p.m.
Jan. 9, 23: LEGO Club, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 9: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31: Notable Notes—Symphonies, 1 p.m.
Jan. 10: Peanut Butter Lovers Make and Take, 7 p.m.
Jan. 12, 26: Plot Twisters Teen Writers Group, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 12, 26: Drop-in Story Time, 7 p.m.
Jan. 13, 27: Indie Film Friday, 2 p.m., 7 p.m.
Jan. 16: Fredricksen Writes, 6:45 p.m.
Jan. 17: Fredricksen Reads—“Brain on Fire,” 7 p.m.
Jan. 20: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 21: Safe Sitter Workshop, 10 a.m.
Jan. 22: Teen Self Defense Workshop, 2 p.m.
Jan. 25: Adventure Crafts—Outer Space, 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 29: Adult Crafternoon—Paint Sticks, 1:30 p.m.

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

Jan. 4 to 31: Chocolate Lab Classes, 11:45 a.m., 2 p.m.

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

Jan. 7: Free Drop-in Art, 1 to 4 p.m.
Jan. 14: Metal Heart Pendant workshop, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Jan. 21: A Novel Idea 102 writing workshop, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

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

Jan. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Common Roads Young Adults, 4 p.m.
Jan. 3: Men’s Group, 6 p.m.
Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25: Common Roads Youth, 6 p.m.
Jan. 10: Seniors’ Group, 6 p.m.
Jan. 12: Aging with Pride Lunchtime Discussion, 12 p.m.
Jan. 17: Women’s Group, 6 p.m.
Jan. 24: LGBT Parents, 6 p.m.

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

Jan. 2: Mindful Nutrition & Health Meet-up, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 3: Sci-Fi Writer’s Group, 7 p.m.
Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25: Midtown Chess Club, 11 a.m.
Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
Jan. 6, 13, 27: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
Jan. 7: Health and Wellness Meet-up, 10 a.m.
Jan. 7: Good News Café, 6 p.m.
Jan. 10, 24: Meet-up, 9 a.m.
Jan. 10: Men’s Conversation, 7 p.m.
Jan. 10: Dauphin County Young Democrats Meeting, 7 p.m.
Jan. 12, 19: Camp Curtin Toastmasters, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 14: Storytime and book signing with James Lee, 11 a.m.
Jan. 15: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
Jan. 15: LGBT Book Club, 5 p.m.
Jan. 18: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book Club, 7 p.m.
Jan. 24: Friends of Midtown Safety Committee, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 29: Harrisburg Young Professionals Book Club, 2 p.m.

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

Jan. 8: Community Yoga—Free Beginner Class, 10 a.m.

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

Jan. 13: Nature Lab—Creatures of the Night, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 20: Learn at Lunchtime, 12:15 p.m.
Jan. 27: Nature Lab—White-tailed Deer, 11:30 a.m.

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

Jan. 7, 14, 21: Saturday Morning Art Club, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Jan. 11: Life Drawing Class, 6 to 9 p.m.

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

Jan. 22: “Sound and Movement” dance & music workshop for kids, 12:30 & 3 p.m.

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

Jan. 3: Winter Lecture Series—Hummingbirds, 7 to 8 p.m.
Jan. 8: Mindfulness Hike, 10-11:30 a.m.
Jan. 10-13: Farm Show Week Walks with Shaver’s Creek, 2 to 3 p.m.
Jan. 17: Winter Lecture Series—Dragonflies, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Jan. 21: Cabin Fever Walk, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Jan. 22: Kids Discover—Animals and their Tracks, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Jan. 24: Winter Lecture Series, Backyard Birds, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Jan. 25: Preschool Storytime, 10 to 10:45 a.m.
Jan. 31: Winter Lecture Series—Egrets, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Live Music Around Harrisburg

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

Jan. 15: Mike Albert’s Elvis Gospel Show w/The Stamps Quartet
Jan. 19: Tyler Farr
Jan. 20: Little River Band, Firefall
Jan. 21: Kristin Chenoweth
Jan. 22: The Carpenters Tribute
Jan. 28: America, Christopher Cross

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

Jan. 7: Mountain Road (CD release)
Jan. 13: Flux Capacitor
Jan. 27: Mountain Ride

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

Jan. 3, 20: Daniel Sheahan
Jan. 4: Deborah Anderson
Jan. 5, 8, 12, 22, 26: Anthony Haubert
Jan. 6, 11, 13, 19: Noel Gevers
Jan. 7, 21: Roy Lefever
Jan. 10, 25: Marc Lubbers
Jan. 14, 28: Ted Ansel
Jan. 17, 24: Maria Battista
Jan. 18: Christine Purcell
Jan. 27, 31: Corinna Joy

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

Jan. 6: Sink In
Jan. 13, 14: Kix
Jan. 20: The Primate Fiasco
Jan. 21: Box of Rain, Grateful Dead Tribute
Jan. 27: Whiskey Myers

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

Jan. 6: Antonio Andrade
Jan. 7: Hard Travelin’
Jan. 8: Colette Eckert
Jan. 13: Jim Steele
Jan. 14: Janie Womack & Jody Esterlean
Jan. 15: Caelan Perez
Jan. 20: Emily Wilkins
Jan. 21: Doug Morris
Jan. 22: Paul Zavinsky
Jan. 27: Jonathan Frazier
Jan. 28: Jeanine & Friends
Jan. 29: Something Else

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

Jan. 13: Hip Pocket
Jan. 14: The Bo Deadlys, The Jellybricks
Jan. 19: Wednesday 13, Bourbon Crow
Jan. 21: The Highballers, Up Pops the Devil
Jan. 24: Alejandro Escovedo w/ Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey, Kurt Bloch & John Moen
Jan. 28: Pride Festival’s “Halfway to Pride” w/Fierce, Lovers of Music
Jan. 3, 10, 17: Open Mic w/Mike Banks

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

Jan. 7, 8: Masterworks
Jan. 28, 29: The Music of James Bond

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

Jan. 6: JJ Rupp
Jan. 7: DJ Magic, The Amish Outlaws
Jan. 13: Sapphire
Jan. 14: DJ Dave Styles, Vinyl Groov
Jan. 20: The Luv Gods
Jan. 21: Vinyl Groov
Jan. 27: Uptown Band
Jan. 28: DJ Dave Styles, Smooth Like Clyde

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

Jan. 4, 18, 25: Walter DeWall
Jan. 7: fith
Jan. 11: Walter DeWall
Jan. 14: Bare Creek Junction
Jan. 21: Decipher Life
Jan. 28: Lazy Joe Fink

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

Jan. 14: Cal Folger

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

Jan. 7: Nate Myers & The Aces
Jan. 14: Shea & Len (Luv Gods)
Jan. 21: Corinna Joy
Jan. 28: Keith Goldstein

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

Jan. 4: Kevin Bock & Friends Open Mic
Jan. 6: Chelsea Caroline
Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31: Jazz & Cocktails w/Steve Rudolph
Jan. 11: Rivers Open Mic
Jan. 13: Clark’s Secret Identity w/Cell 15
Jan. 14: Ben Brandt w/Old Town Rebels
Jan. 16: River City Big Band
Jan. 18: Eskimo Wave Open Jam
Jan. 20: Genesis Lorraine
Jan. 21: Don Johnson Project
Jan. 22: Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz Jam
Jan. 25: Shawan Rice Open Mic
Jan. 27: Eskimo Wave
Jan. 28: Charlie Wheeler Band, Shawan and the Wonton

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

Jan. 13: The Suitcase Junket
Jan. 27: Crystal Bowersox

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

Jan. 6: Cruise Control Trio
Jan. 7: Natalie Ness
Jan. 13: Shea Quinn and Friends
Jan. 14: Visitors Duo
Jan. 20: Houston Baker
Jan. 21: Music Thru Science Lite
Jan. 27: Shine Delphi
Jan. 28: Swisher Sweets

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

Jan. 21: York Symphony Orchestra

Suba Tapas Bar
272 North St., Harrisburg
717-233-7358; mangiaqui.com

Friday, Saturday nights: Live music

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

Jan. 8: January Jam
Jan. 15: Pride of New York
Jan. 19: Charm City Junction

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

Jan. 13: Music in the Round
Jan. 19: Charm City Junction

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

Jan. 20: Jo Dee Messina
Jan. 21: 35th Anniversary Concert—Directors & Friends

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

Jan. 8: Josh Dominick
Jan. 20: Edgewood
Jan. 26: Skribe

The Stage Door

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

Jan. 14: Elvis Birthday Bash

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

Jan. 8: Oxymorons Improv Comedy Show

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

Jan. 5 to Feb. 4: “Shear Madness”

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

Jan. 11: “The Brementown Musicians” w/The Popcorn Hat Players
Jan. 13: Stage Door Series—“Space Vampire”

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

Jan. 6: Krish Mohan, Liz Curtis

Hershey Area Playhouse
830 Cherry Dr., Hershey
717-533-8525; hersheyareaplayhouse.com

Jan. 14: “December Songs”

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

Jan. 7: “Odd Squad Live”
Jan. 20 to 22: “Sesame Street Live”
Jan. 27: “Swan Lake”
Jan. 31: “Into the Woods”

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

Jan. 13 to 29: “Plaza Suite”

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

Jan. 22: “Seussical”

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

Jan. 22: “Peter Rabbit Tales”

Midtown Cinema
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-909-6566; midtowncinema.com

Jan. 10: “Unexpected” Grand Slam w/ Untitled: A Storytelling Project

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

Jan. 20: Comedy Night

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

Jan. 13, 14: “Court Street Cabaret”

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

Jan. 27 to Feb. 12: “Murder on the Nile”

Rose Lehrman Arts Center
One HACC Dr., Harrisburg
717-780-2545; hacc.edu/RLAC

Jan. 25: ODC/Dance

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

Jan. 5: Brad Lowery, Nick Cantone
Jan. 13: “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live”
Jan. 19: J. Bliss, Ben Bergman
Jan. 29: “One-Man Star Wars Trilogy” w/Charles Ross

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

Jan. 12 to 22: “The Whipping Man”

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

Jan. 29: Taikoza, Japanese Drums & Dance

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

Jan. 13 to 22: “Girls’ Weekend”

Sharing Care: Health care flows to under-served countries, thanks to Operation Medical.

December 30, 2016 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

For about 25 years, local medical professionals Mukul and Neelima Parikh used vacation time and personal funds to take medical mission trips to developing countries that don’t have the resources that many Americans take for granted.

Three years ago, the Parikhs decided “it was time to expand” on those overseas missions and founded Operation Medical, a charitable organization that provides medical services otherwise unattainable in some countries.

“You always have some interest in doing something like this. Our youngest son was in college, so we had time to do it,” noted Mukul Parikh, director of anesthesia at PinnacleHealth West Shore Hospital and president of the Dauphin County Medical Association.

To the Harrisburg area’s medical community, Mukul and Neelima Parikh are familiar names.

They began practicing anesthesiology at West Shore Anesthesia and Riverside Anesthesia Associates after moving to the area in 1984. Mukul Parikh also has served as chairman of the anesthesia department at PinnacleHealth System and president of Central Penn Anesthesia. Neelima Parikh served as the first female president of the Hindu American Religious Institute and remains on its board of directors.

Somewhere between all of this, the couple began organizing overseas medical missions. They have worked in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, all while raising sons Ankur and Anuj, who are now surgeons also participating in mission work. They founded Operation Medical in 2013.

Based in Harrisburg, Operation Medical is comprised of trained medical professionals “committed to promoting and providing high-quality medical care and education” to under-served communities abroad, according to its website.

In the three years since the organization’s founding, volunteers have undertaken several mission trips to Haiti, India and Malawi. The next planned trip is to Kasturba Hospital in Valsad, India this month, followed by another journey abroad in March.

“We don’t just stabilize patients, we change their lives,” said Diana Davidson, Operation Medical’s president-elect who also works as a certified registered nurse anesthetist at Holy Sprit Hospital.

The most urgent need at the mission sites is generalized healthcare, she said, but some countries also sorely lack surgeons, oncologists and other specialists.

“There are conditions in these countries that you don’t see in the U.S. because they’re usually resolved in the U.S.,” said Mary Jensick, secretary/treasurer and former executive director of Operation Medical.

There’s always been a lot of emphasis put on AIDS in developing countries, but some nations also lack basic medical infrastructure, she said. For instance, in Malawi, an African country of 14 million, the World Health Organization estimates there is one doctor for every 40,000 people

Operation Medical’s goal is to provide surgeons and training for medical staff, as well as treating and educating patients about health issues.

“The biggest bang for the buck would come if you could educate the people about health,” Mukul Parikh said. “There’s also a tremendous need for surgery because there’s not enough surgeons. We do the surgery that no one else wants to do and that changes people’s lives.”

The Parikhs emphasized that Operation Medical is always in need of cash donations to purchase, store and transport medical supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals. In addition, there are other opportunities to volunteer with the organization.

“We just want people to know about us,” Mukul Parikh said. “They can help in our warehouse, donate items from local hospitals, give drug donations or come with us.”

To learn more about and to donate to Operation Medical, visit www.operationmedical.org. Phone donations are accepted at 717-685-9199. The organization also accepts donations of medical supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals from hospitals, nursing homes, doctor’s offices, medical suppliers and pharmaceutical companies.

Ed. Note: Last month, Operation Medical’s Diana Davidson, who was interviewed for this story, passed away suddenly following a tragic accident. TheBurg would like to extend our sympathies to her family, friends and colleagues.

Author: Phyllis Zimmerman

Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers: Christians, Muslims gather to dispel myths, build bonds

December 30, 2016 | by Susan Ryder

Last month, Tree of Life Lutheran Church hosted a unique potluck dinner, one marked by great food, occasional laughter and meaningful conversation.

Alongside the scalloped potatoes and vegetable pizza were tandoori chicken, goat biryani and samosa, a flavorful, potato-filled, flakey pastry. It was the inaugural gathering of the Islamic-Lutheran Taskforce of Central Pennsylvania, and participants eagerly shared their dishes and their traditions inside the church in Susquehanna Township.

The taskforce began after The Muslim Community of Central Pennsylvania invited local church leaders to the “United We Stand Against Hatred & Bigotry” event at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Harrisburg last March. Afterwards, Bishop James Dunlop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod reached out to Muslim leadership and asked how Lutherans and Muslims could collaborate.

“This is the first of what will hopefully be a series of interfaith gatherings to broaden our understanding of our respective faiths and the God we share,” said Rev. Dr. Martin Zimmann, pastor at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mechanicsburg.

The room buzzed with conversation among the 120 attendees, and people leaned in with interest to hear what others were saying.

One group discussed Islamic prayer and its required discipline of praying five times a day—before sunrise, at noon, before sunset, after sunset and before bedtime. The women, clothed in colorful hijabs, said that, with no public call to prayer, they use phone apps to help them remember the prescribed prayer times. They inquired about Christian prayer practices.

Conversations not only taught one another about differences, but also acknowledged similarities, most notably the group’s Abrahamic roots.

The Five Pillars of Islam (a belief in one God, prayer, charity, fasting and pilgrimage to Mecca) are akin to certain Christian concepts. Monotheistic Christianity encourages regular prayer, tithing and giving to the less fortunate. Catholicism embraces the discipline of fasting and abstaining from meat during Lent. Even the Muslim hijab—widely known as a head covering but that actually includes covering the body with loose-fitting garments—has a parallel in Christianity. Some women in Catholic and Anabaptist traditions wear hair coverings and dress modestly.

“For the most part, churches, mosques, synagogues and temples exist side by side, on the same block without any problems, and that’s a good thing,” said taskforce member Athar Aziz. “But what I have noticed is, despite the fact that we live close to each other, we don’t necessarily know a lot about each other.”

That ignorance, he said, can lead to misinformation, misunderstandings, fear and prejudice.

“In the light of information and understanding, I believe we can develop tolerance and friendship and cooperation,” he said.

Some of the conversation turned to presidential campaign rhetoric, which has caused concern among some Muslims living in the United States, as well as the recent threatening letter received by the Islamic Society of Greater Harrisburg. Despite this, women in the group shared that they have been treated well since the election. In fact, it seems people have gone out of their way to counter anti-Muslim sentiments by being kind to them, smiling, holding doors and even offering hugs, they said.

There was a sense of solidarity in the room, and Zimmann noted that, whatever the future may hold for Muslims in America, they will not stand alone.

Taskforce member Shahul Hemeed said he was happy that this event was happening.

“We can know each other and build a bond,” he said.

He added that Muslims and non-Muslims want the same thing— to work, raise their families and live peacefully.

“It’s important that we meet our neighbors, not just [listen to] the negativity that’s in the recent discourse,” said Joel Kroft of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Shiremanstown. “As Christians, we are called to know and care for our neighbors.”

Folks mingled long after the meal finished. Participants parted with hugs and handshakes and, like all good potlucks, went home with Styrofoam trays full of leftovers.

More importantly, they left with information, a new perspective and a few new friends.

Author: Susan Ryder

Finishing Edge: Dawn Shearer teaches manners for the modern age.

December 30, 2016 | by Gina Napoli

I’ve only seen girls attend “charm school” in old movies.

Victorian boarding school marms sneered through their monocles at girls balancing books on their heads. This ritual somehow taught them lady-like poise and humility.

These days, most of us learn manners from our parents, or, less desirably, from our peers. However, believe it or not, there still are people out there teaching what might be called manners for the modern age—self-improvement, professional etiquette and interviewing, among them.

Dawn Shearer is one of them. Shearer runs a salon in Linglestown—Fashion Mystique Modeling and Photography, where you can also take classes in modeling, acting and pageant preparation. But her real passion, she says, is teaching girls and women (and some boys and men) how to present their best selves.

“Outer beauty, like makeup and a new hairstyle or color, can make you look good,” she said. “But it’s really confidence and a positive attitude that people are attracted to. Those are what make you sexy.”

As a model and pageant title-holder for “Miss Teen of PA—Photogenic,” Shearer has received substantial formal and on-the-job training through more than 20 years in the beauty business. But she emphasized that it takes much more than looks to be successful. People need to have poise and projection, as well as be easy to work with.

Shearer wants to help her students with their overall self-improvement, but her classes go way beyond looking good. She believes that too many people hold themselves back by not understanding how to behave professionally.

Moreover, there is a gap, she believes, between education and professionalism. Schools may teach business theories, along with how to write a paper or take a test. But, she said, they don’t teach professional life skills such as phone manners, conversational social graces or showing up on time.

“You want that job?” she said. “You have to put your best self forward and do whatever is required.”

Shearer said that she finds it especially rewarding to work with teenagers, and former students, such as Eileen Crummel, returned the praise.

“Dawn made us feel like young professionals, and we were not even seniors in high school,” Crummel said.

She added that Shearer helps inspire what so many young people lack—confidence.

“The self-improvement class helped me to pursue my goals, to never be afraid or intimidated in trying new things or feel timid and embarrassed about things that I can’t change about myself,” Crummel said.

Much like any teacher-student relationship, lessons stick best during hands-on exercises. The “Teen Boards” stands as one of Shearer’s most integrated projects. In collaboration with local area malls, Shearer assigned students jobs and roles to carry out to make the event come together. They learned professional skills like project management, advertising and customer service.

Crummel said she found teamwork and acceptance from her experience.

“We made friends and learned to work as a team at a very young, competitive age,” she said. “Dawn gave us values such as learning to appreciate and love the differences amongst ourselves and others.”

Shearer also has created opportunities for students to gain real-world experience in event management.

“Schools don’t teach how to plan an event and pull it off,” she said. “Organizing an event or performing a role in a support capacity, using their brains, learning how to read people. That helps them become more business-savvy than learning it out of a book.”

Shearer’s future plans include creating inner beauty classes, especially for battered women, which would include self-confidence, interviewing poise and any skills they may need to become self-sufficient.

“I have a real heart for these women, and this is how I want to give my talents back to the community,” she said.

Fashion Mystique and Spa is located at 611 N. Mountain Rd., Harrisburg (Linglestown). For more information, call 717-909-4058 or visit www.fashionmystiquespa.com or the Facebook page.

Author: Gina Napoli

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