Cool Jazz, Chill Wines: Jazz and Wine Festival celebrates 10 years of music, fruit and fun.

August 31, 2016 | by Courtney Gontz

In 10 years, a lot can change.

For instance, 10 years ago, the local wine scene around Harrisburg was a ghost of what it is now. Wineries like Broad Mountain Vineyard, Spring Gate Vineyard and the Vineyard at Hershey were mere dreams—maybe not even that.

But, this month, all three will be on hand to help the Dauphin County Jazz and Wine Festival celebrate its 10^th anniversary.

“It is a natural fit,” said Jason Reimer, president of the Vineyard at Hershey. “The best wineries within 30 minutes of Hershey and Harrisburg are coming together in one venue to celebrate music and community.”

In all, eight area wineries will join 11 national acts, 13 bands and two stages for the three-day festival, Sept. 9 to 11, in historic Fort Hunter Park.

This may be the greatest change over the festival’s 10 years. In the beginning, the wine took a backseat to the music. However, with the growth of the local wine scene, the two now share about equal billing.

Best Venue

The festival began in 2006, when the Dauphin County commissioners asked the county Parks and Recreation Department to get more involved in tourism.

Director Carl Dickson and Program Director Lawrence Moore Jr. led a team to “create events that would add quality of life, build diverse audiences with events at moderate admission prices,” Moore said.

From that effort, the Jazz and Wine Festival was born.

Since then, county officials have traveled to jazz festivals all over the region, including to the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, one of the biggest such festivals in the world. They work to build relationships with vendors, promoters and wineries, Moore said.

Wine-wise, the turning point may have been the formation a few years ago of the Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country. Afterwards, the parks department asked the group to become involved in the festival, and all wineries now are local to central PA, Reimer said. Until that time, participating wineries often came from much farther away, from such places as Bucks and Clearfield counties.

“There is no place we would rather be that weekend,” Reimer said.

He believes the success of the festival comes from the combination of internationally acclaimed jazz artists, handcrafted local wines and “one of the best venues to enjoy a day in central PA.”

The music, as always, will be world class, this year featuring such national acts as Dr. Lonnie Smith, Peter White and Spur of the Moment on the mainstage. Local musicians will take to the second stage courtesy of the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz.

An event that was originally created to attract tourism from within the region now brings visitors from all over the country, said Moore, adding that the economic impact from the festival totals almost $1 million.

The Jazz and Wine Festival has been featured in Smooth Jazz Magazine, based out of California, as one of the best events in the country. Over the years, it has attracted guests from as far away as Florida and Colorado, Moore said.

The festival has something for everyone who visits throughout the weekend, said Dauphin County Commissioner George Hartwick

“You don’t need to travel far—or spend a lot of money—to see outstanding live entertainment,” he said.

A weekend pass is $30 in advance and $40 on the day of the festival. There is no entry fee for children age 12 and under. Tickets are available online, at local outlets and through the Parks and Recreation Department.

Visitors may bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets, which will be checked upon entry to ensure that no outside alcohol is brought into the venue. Gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Be warned that the weather can still be plenty warm in early September, so prepare accordingly. Reimer, though, has the perfect solution—a cool glass of his vineyard’s unoaked chardonnay.

“It is the perfect wine to sip on while outside enjoying live music,” he said

The Dauphin County Jazz and Wine Festival takes place Sept. 9 to 11 at Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.dauphincounty.org or call 717-599-5188.

Author: Courtney Gontz

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Circling Back: After a lifetime of career challenges, Gloria Vazquez Merrick has returned to serve the community where she was raised.

August 31, 2016 | by Susan Ryder

A common assumption holds that successful people set specific goals, create plans, and carefully orchestrate their success. For some, this might be true, but, for others, success happens after life places them along a winding path.

Gloria Vázquez Merrick, executive director of the Latino Hispanic American Community Center, was born in a little alley in Harrisburg—Honey Street. Her father immigrated to the United States in 1951 from Puerto Rico after being recruited by a prominent construction company.

“It was common to come [to the United States] to make money and then send for your family,” she said.

The family moved to Market Street, the first Latino family on the street. This would be one of her many firsts.

She worked odd jobs as a Bishop McDevitt High School student—at Rudy’s Market and the St. Francis Roman Catholic Church’s rectory. In her senior year, she received an opportunity that would direct her whole life. The Governor’s Office of Administration sought high school graduates who were not headed directly to college. Vázquez Merrick took a clerical position, which eventually led her to work for the Pennsylvania Commission for Women.

“It empowered me to learn and to obtain a lot of self-help for myself, which actually pivoted me towards my future direction, building my confidence, my positive self- image,” she said.

This growing confidence allowed her to accept an opportunity at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. In her 13 years at PennDOT, she developed an English class for the clerical pool, formed the first foreman academy and created the department’s first new employee orientation program.

Later, she returned to the governor’s office as director of management development. While there, she was invited to participate in the Leadership Development Institute for Women in State Government, a program where she became the director.

“I was never one to be always looking and looking,” she said. “People would find me and call me, and I never said no. I was always up for a new challenge.”

In 2006, after facilitating the Latina Health Summit, she was approached by the Department of Health to work with then-Deputy Secretary of Health Robert Torres.

Vázquez Merrick cites her willingness to take chances as key to her accomplishments.

“You don’t know how many times I went into territory I had never known anything about,” she said.

She had confidence in her ability to perform “because I knew that I had those embedded, transferrable skills that could take me from an executive leadership development arena to now a health arena.”

She left work at the commonwealth in 2007.

“I thought I could just relax and have a nice time and breathe and enjoy life and break out all my cookbooks,” she said. “I wanted to do some traveling and spend some time with my daughter.”

Reciprocity, Growth

As with most of Vázquez Merrick’s transitions, another opportunity soon found her.

She was offered a position on the board of the new Latino Hispanic American Community Center (LHACC). When the executive director took leave in 2011, she assumed the post.

“I thought—I’ve done a full circle back to where I was born, in my community where I grew up,” she said. “And now I’ll take everything that I’ve learned, everything that I did and all those skills, and bring them to fruition by way of working for the Latino Hispanic American community.”

Program development experience proved integral to her work at LHACC. Youth participate in the newly formed Leadership Institute Star Training Opportunity, while senior citizens have the Sharing Wisdom Program. These programs involve reciprocity. Seniors benefit from the program when youth show them proper use of their cell phone and other technology; youth benefit from the years of wisdom shared by the seniors.

Work at LHACC includes creating a bridge between cultures, embracing diversity.

“The richness of those cultures is very important because you grow as a person, you grow intellectually,” she said. “You grow spiritually by experiencing other cultures.”

Vázquez Merrick also noted that the center offers an opportunity for Hispanics to connect and be informed about their own culture. Not all Hispanic cultures are alike, and she said that Hispanic American Heritage Month offers an opportunity for Latinos to “learn about the diversity in the diversity.”

Running an organization like LHACC is not without its difficulties. Recently, the city denied the center Community Development Block Grant funds, which has made up one-fifth of its budget.

“We are now struggling with how we are going to meet the huge void that we are going to begin to feel come October,” she said.

Vázquez Merrick speaks of her achievements nonchalantly, but she said that, each time she took on a new position, she thought, “What am I doing? I can’t do this.”

She credits her many mentors—whom she describes as the voices in the back of her head—with encouraging and empowering her. So, now she shares this advice to others: “Don’t be afraid to go into the area of the unknown because that’s how you grow.”

The Latino Hispanic American Community Center (LHACC) is located at 1301 Derry St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.lhacc.org.

LHACC’s Hispanic Heritage Kick Off Festival takes place Sept. 10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Derry Street between 13^th & 14^th streets in Harrisburg.

Author: Susan Ryder

Community Corner: Notable September Events

August 31, 2016 | by TheBurg Editor

HBG Flea
Sept. 3: Browse and buy at the HBG Flea outdoor market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St. Enjoy local art among vendors, theater snacks and coffee, microbrews at Zeroday Brewing Co., music, free parking near the market and more. Visit hbgflea.com.

Chili Cookoff
Sept. 3: The annual Keystone Regional International Chili Society Chili Cookoff will be held at Flinchy’s, 1833 Hummel Ave., Camp Hill, 9:30 to 11 p.m., to benefit the Lower Allen Township Youth Programs and Marine Corps Foundation. Visit chilicookoff.com.

Kipona
Sept. 3-5: Celebrate the 100^th anniversary of Kipona along the Harrisburg riverfront and on City Island. This year, the festival boasts several new events, including a beer garden, a Midtown Cinema screening tent and a history wall. And, as always, Kipona will include food vendors, a Native American pow wow, canoe races, music, carnival games, children’s events and more. Visit harrisburgpa.gov/kipona2016.

Civil War Lectures
Sept. 3-24: The National Civil War Museum will host the 2016 Civil War Fall Lecture Series on Saturdays, 1 to 2 p.m. The lecture series is included in the cost of admission and is free to members of the museum. Visit nationalcivilwarmuseum.org.

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

Latte Throwdown
Sept. 8: See and taste the best in latte art as Little Amps Coffee Roasters hosts a Latte Art Throwdown, beginning at 7 p.m. Enjoy some friendly competition, coffee, beer and food at the downtown Harrisburg location, 2^nd and State streets. Visit littleampscoffee.com.

Jazz & Wine Fest
Sept. 9-11: The Dauphin County Jazz & Wine Festival celebrates its 10^th anniversary with great music and wine in Fort Hunter Park, 5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg. Local and national artists will join eight area wineries for the three-day event. Weekend passes are $30 in advance, $40 at the door. For more, visit dauphincounty.org.

Foreign Film Friday
Sept. 9: Enjoy the British import, “Submarine,” at Fredricksen Library in Camp Hill, with showings at 2 and 7 p.m. The movie is a funny, coming-of-age story about a 15-year-old boy dealing with issues of family and growing up. Not recommended for viewers under 17. Visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

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

Local Lunch
Sept. 10: Join Friends of Midtown at its monthly community lunch, location to be determined, noon to 2 p.m. Email [email protected] or visit friendsofmidtown.org.

Diversity Festival
Sept. 10: Experience world music, dance, food and culture at the second annual Unity in Diversity Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Schaffner Park in Hummelstown. To learn more, visit their Facebook page.

LHACC Block Party
Sept. 10: Enjoy food, music, dancing and fun at the annual Hispanic Heritage Kick Off Festival. The event, sponsored by the Latino Hispanic American Community Center, runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. along Derry Street, between 13^th and 14^th streets, in Harrisburg. Visit lhacc.org.

Celtic Music Festival
Sept. 10: Enjoy the best of Celtic song and dance at the inaugural Celtic Craic Music Festival, which starts at 12:30 p.m. at Harrisburg Postal Picnic Grounds, 1500 Roberts Valley Rd., Harrisburg. Campfire Ceilidh immediately follows the last band. Tickets are $15 to $20. Visit celticcraicmusicfest.com.

Night Lights
Sept. 10: Harrisburg University of Science and Technology will host “Night Lights” Band and Food Truck Festival, 4 to 10 p.m., at 326 Market St., between 3rd and 4th streets. Visit harrisburgu.edu.

Rugged Trail Run
Sept. 10: Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, 176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg, will host Tröegs’ Rugged Trail 5k Run for Conservation, 5 p.m. An After Race Party will begin at 5:30 p.m. Visit nedsmithcenter.org.

Gallery Walk
Sept. 11: Two-dozen venues will open their doors for the Art Association of Harrisburg’s 28^th annual Gallery Walk. The event runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the city, including in non-traditional art spaces rarely open to the public. Gallery Walk is free. For a list of venues and more information, visit artassocofhbg.com.

9-11 Observance
Sept. 11: The Pennsylvania National Fire Museum, 1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg, will host a 9-11 anniversary observance. Throughout the morning and afternoon, the museum will hold a series of events commemorating the 15th anniversary of the attack. Visit pnfm.org.

Power of People
Sept. 11: Beth-el Temple, 2637 N. Front St., Harrisburg, will host “Power of People to Overcome Hatred, Bigotry, and Extremism,” 3 p.m. Imam Mohama Basher Arafat will present the keynote speech, which will be followed by a panel discussion on “Building Bridges Among the Faith Communities.” Visit pachurchesadvocacy.org.

Restaurant Week
Sept. 12-23: Harrisburg’s premier dining event is back. Satisfy your taste buds at dinner time during Harrisburg Restaurant Week. Enjoy three courses for $30 or $40 for a couple, at participating restaurants. Visit HarrisburgRestaurantWeek.com.

Return to the Rails
Sept. 13: National Railway Historical Society, Harrisburg Chapter, will host “Return of Milwaukee Road’s Steam Engine #261 to the Rails,” an illustrated talk with Dr. Joseph Winberry 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].

Flower & Garden Show
Sept. 14: The Linglestown Community Garden Club will hold its annual Flower and Garden Show, 1 to 7 p.m., at the Linglestown Fire Co., 5901 Linglestown Rd. For more details, contact Maria Joel at [email protected].

Business After Hours
Sept. 15: Mingle with business professionals at Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC’s free networking event at David’s Furniture & Interiors, 5078 Jonestown Rd., Harrisburg, 5 to 7 p.m. Visit harrisburgregionalchamber.org.

Film Festival
Sept. 15-18: The Harrisburg-Hershey Film Festival will be held at Midtown Cinema, 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. The festival will include more than 40 feature, short and documentary films, including “Moving On,” an original short film shot and produced in Harrisburg. Visit harrisburghersheyfilmfestival.com.

Planetarium Show
Sept. 16: Join the State Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 North St., Harrisburg, at its planetarium to explore the secrets of our cosmic chemistry and explosive origins. Connect the evolution of life on Earth to the formation of the universe. The show will start at 12:15 p.m.

3rd in The Burg
Sept. 16: 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.

Salvation Army Benefit
Sept. 16: The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick presents “All Jacked Up,” a benefit for the Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Federal Taphouse, 324 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg. This 21-plus event is $25 in advance and $30 at the door and includes food, beer, wine and live music. Visit friendlysonshbg.org.

A Novel Idea 102
Sept. 17: Perry County Council of the Arts will host the follow-up to its yearlong writing workshop, A Novel Idea, every third Saturday through September 2017 at Landis House, 67 N. 4th St., Newport, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Learn about the business of becoming a successful author. Visit perrycountyarts.org.

Autumn Soiree
Sept. 17: Darren and Jennifer Shaw will host the Art Association of Harrisburg’s Autumn Soiree at their home on Trayer Lane, Mechanicsburg, 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is $40 or $45 at the door, which includes refreshments and art, with proceeds benefitting AAH programs. Visit artassocofhbg.com.

Leisure Bike Ride
Sept. 18: Harrisburg Bicycle Club will host the 2016 Three Creek Century at the Penn Township Fire Dept., 1750 Pine Rd., Newville. Ride on lightly traveled roads along and over the Conodoguinet, Yellow Breeches and Big Spring creeks. Visit threecreekcentury.com.

A Day of Hope
Sept. 18: A Day of Hope, Lancaster’s community puppy mill awareness event, will be held at Buchanan Park, 901 Buchanan Ave., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free event includes an appearance by Victoria Stilwell, live music, children’s activities, rescue info, a pet parade and more. Visit puppymillawarenessaap.org.

West Shore Wars
Sept. 18: West Shore Elks Lodge, 108 N. Saint John’s Church Rd., Camp Hill, presents “West Shore Wars,” a wrestling event to support Elks Charitable Causes, 3 p.m. Admission is a $10 donation for adults and $5 for a child 8 years and younger. Visit westshoreelks.org.

Picnic and Golf
Sept. 19: Capital Region Council of Governments will hold the 11th Annual Picnic and Golf Outing at Armitage Golf Club, 800 Orrs Bridge Rd., Mechanicsburg, 12 p.m. Admission of $32 includes greens fees and cart. A New York strip steak dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and is $25 per person. Email [email protected] or call 717-761-6211.

PA Authors Series
Sept. 21: The State Library of Pennsylvania, 321 Forum Building, Harrisburg, will host archaeologist Kurt Carr from 12 to 1 p.m. for a presentation on his book “First Pennsylvanians: The Archaeology of Native Americans in Pennsylvania.” For more information, contact Ellen Shenk at [email protected] or 717-783-5969.

Networking Mixer
Sept. 21: Join the West Shore Chamber of Commerce and other local business professionals at the September networking mixer, 5 to 7 p.m., at F&M Trust, 6375 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg. The event is free and open to chamber members. Visit wschamber.org.

Fall Book Sale
Sept. 22-25: Shop the Friends of Fredricksen Fall Book & Media Sale at Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill. The library will hold a special preview sale on Sept. 22 and a bag sale on Sept. 25. Visit fredricksenlibrary.org.

Foreign Policy
Sept. 22: Shirley Anne Warshaw, a presidential scholar who teaches at Gettysburg College, will speak on “U.S. Foreign Policy in an Election Year,” 7:30 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel Harrisburg, Camp Hill. The talk is free and open to the public. There is a reception and dinner preceding the talk. Visit fpa-harrisburg.org.

Community Cleanup
Sept. 24: Friends of Midtown will host a community cleanup throughout Midtown Harrisburg, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a picnic. Meet at 7th and Harris streets. Contact [email protected] or visit
friendsofmidtown.org.

Woofstock
Sept. 25: Celebrate peace, love and puppies at the 12 annual Woofstock, hosted by the Central PA Animal Alliance. The event runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Riverfront Park in Harrisburg and is the largest adoption event for dogs on the East Coast. Visit cpaawoofstock.com.

Celebrate Wildwood
Sept. 25: Celebrate Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, from 12 to 4 p.m. Enjoy kids’ activities, environmental education, music, food vendors, used nature book sale and a Walk for Wildlife, beginning at 1 p.m. Visit wildwoodlake.org.

Music Over the Mountains
Sept. 25: Help Manada Conservancy celebrate its 20^th anniversary with an evening of bluegrass, barbecue and wine, 4 to 8 p.m. at Wind in the Willows, 35 Webster School Rd., Grantville. Proceeds benefit the conservancy’s mission of land preservation and environmental education. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at manada.org or by contacting [email protected] or 717-566-4122.

Sports History Talk
Sept. 26-27: Author Barry Martin will give a presentation on “Bob Davies: Harrisburg’s Greatest Athlete” on Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Historical Society of Dauphin County, 219 S. Front St., Harrisburg. Martin is the author of “Bob Davies: A Basketball Legend.” Martin will sign copies of his book at Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 1302 N. 3^rd St., on Sept. 27, 12-2 p.m.

Voter Registration
Sept. 27-29: The League of Women Voters of the Harrisburg Area will register voters at Harrisburg Area Community College, 1 HACC Dr., on National Voter Registration Day, Sept. 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at the Broad Street Market on Sept. 29, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit lwv.org.

Differences Shared: Festival showcases our area’s growing cultural diversity.

August 31, 2016 | by Valarie Potell

Entering Anju Singh’s snug shop is like entering another world.

Her Hummelstown store is packed floor to ceiling with items like embroidered saris and dresses, brilliantly colored scarves and sparkling jewelry, most imported from her native India.

It’s a sea of cultural diversity in a rather unexpected place—a small, nondescript building on a residential corner in Hummelstown.

Therefore, it may be no surprise that Singh also is the force behind the Second Annual Unity in Diversity Festival, which is slated for this month in Schaffner Park.

Through the event, she hopes to expose people to other cultures through both local vendors and entertainment.

“Our goal is to get the message across that we are all different,” said Singh. “We can choose to use those differences to divide us or to bring us together.”

Singh started the event last year as a way to introduce midstaters to cultures from around the world. She estimates that 200 people came out last year and is hoping to grow each year by getting more nonprofits and cultural communities involved.

“We are all different in a million ways,” said Singh, who also serves as president of the Hummelstown Business and Professionals Association. “We need to love and understand these differences more.”

Visitors can expect vendors to offer everything from food from Passage to India to local, handcrafted jewelry. There will be performances all day, and all of the performers at the Unity in Diversity Festival are volunteers.

“People are more than willing to donate their time with these events because of what they provide the community,” said Toni Petroski, the entertainment coordinator.

Cultures Together

One of the volunteers is Rachita Nambiar, owner of the Rasika School of Dance. Nambiar will conduct a lecture demonstration, and then two of her students will perform an Indian classical dance in the style known as Bharatanatyam.

Nambiar began studying dance when she was 5 years old in Pune, India. As she grew, she continued studying and teaching. After moving to the United States, Nambiar started her own school with a handful of students in 2008.

“I decided to follow my heart and make my passion my business,” she said, adding that she’s now up to 85 students and teaches in Hummelstown, Hershey, Camp Hill and Harrisburg.

Nambiar is happy to be participating in the Unity in Diversity Festival so visitors can glimpse what her culture has to offer.

“It’s important to show the community we live in because there’s so much diversity in a small area,” she said. “This is a neat way to bring different cultures together on one stage.”

Inspired By It

Tammi Hessen is another performer who followed her heart in pursuing her passion.

Hessen is the musical director and lead of the Bumbada! Women Drumming group. She is a drummer and percussionist who studies the West African hand drum tradition of djembe/dununs. She started in a steel drum band in Baltimore and traveled to Guinea about 14 years ago.

“The drum is a very transformative instrument and is very accessible to people,” said Hessen.

This year will be the group’s first performance at the Unity in Diversity Festival, and she expects about 12 women to perform for 20 to 30 minutes.

“When you start to do something like this in the community, it has a place,” said Hessen. “It’s important because people are drawn to it and inspired by it.”

Petroski, the entertainment coordinator, said they learned a lot last year and that this year’s event will have even more to offer visitors.

Other performances, she said, will include classical Chinese dance, ballroom dance and three different styles of belly dancing. One of the musical acts includes a student from Lower Dauphin High School who has started his own band.

Last year, the Lower Dauphin High School Diversity Club put on a fashion show, modeling clothes many teenagers in Hummelstown may not have seen before. Singh said the Diversity Club will be participating again this year and looks forward to having younger people involved as much as possible.

“We’re getting youth involved in the community,” said Singh. “This is something to peel them away from computers, television and phones.”

In the end, the Unity in Diversity Festival is meant to both educate and entertain.

“Come on out, have fun, enjoy the day, and learn what other cultures have to offer,” said Petroski.

The Second Annual Unity in Diversity Festival is scheduled for Sept. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Schaffner Park in Hummelstown. To learn more about the event, visit their Facebook page.

Author: Valarie Potell

Brooklyn to the ‘Burg: Gabriel Olivera has risen through the ranks to become the city’s first Latino police captain.

August 31, 2016 | by Rebecca Oken

On a late Tuesday afternoon on 2^nd Street, Thank Blue, this past July’s event to recognize Harrisburg’s police, was coming to an end. The music and radio DJs rumbled in the distance from where I sat in Café Fresco, waiting for Harrisburg Bureau of Police Capt. Gabriel Olivera.

As he arrived, he stopped for brief, friendly chats with staff at the restaurant. Looking polished in a stylish and modern suit, you’d never know he was a police officer if you passed him on the street.

Olivera came to Harrisburg from Brooklyn in the early ‘90s to provide his three then-young children with an upbringing free of the violence and crime in his lifelong home in New York. His neighborhood was the birthplace of the crack epidemic on the East Coast and saw 300 homicides per year, Olivera said.

“I got to see a lot of violence growing up, either personally or indirectly,” he said. “You learned how to survive.”

When his daughter, in second grade at the time, came home one day and told him one of her classmates’ brothers was killed as though it was no big deal—she’d told him of similar incidents in the past—he knew it was the final straw.

Olivera’s mother had moved to central PA earlier, settling in Selinsgrove, and, although he wanted to be closer to her, he still wanted to be in a city, albeit one very different from the Big Apple.

“To this day, I am still amazed at what’s not available on weekend or late nights or holidays,” Olivera said, traces of a New York accent still in his voice.

Olivera was a plumber in New York, so he applied for similar jobs in this area. He received a letter about taking the police entrance exam but didn’t think anything of it until the incident with his daughter’s classmate.

“I decided that I wanted to do something to make [things] safe for my kids,” Olivera said.

In 1994, he began on the force where all officers do—uniform patrol. For about seven years, he patrolled the streets during the night shift and spent time with his kids during the day when they weren’t in school.

“It was kind of funny because my kids weren’t sure what I did,” he said. “They knew I was a police officer, but I was always home. They would go to sleep at nine in the evening, and I would leave at 10 o’clock at night, and when they got home, I would be there.”

Olivera moved around the force after leaving patrol, first to auto theft investigations. Next, he worked as a school resource officer, where, after four years, he was promoted to corporal to supervise that unit.

Coming full circle, he went back to supervise both the uniform patrol and auto theft units. He moved around to supervise other units and helped start the county gang task force in the early 2000s. Surpassing his career goal of becoming a lieutenant, he was named acting captain in September 2015 and promoted to full rank in January.

Olivera has also been a Dauphin County crisis negotiator since 2004, crediting his brains-over-brawn upbringing and bilingualism (he’s Latino and speaks Spanish) for his success in that position in talking to individuals and getting them to safely surrender.

Over the course of his career, Olivera has evolved with Harrisburg, prioritizing his community-focused approach to try to make it a better place, acknowledging gentrification in some neighborhoods and decline in others.

“You have all the issues—and dynamics of a large urban city but in a big town setting,” Olivera said. “There’s enough happening here that you become a very experienced officer very quickly.”

In light of last month’s police-involved shooting of Earl Pinckney in Harrisburg and other racially charged tensions with police nationally, Olivera emphasized the importance of being involved in the community to address these issues. He also pointed out that the media sometimes presents a generalized picture of police.

“The reality is that our officers have a really good relationship with the community,” he said.

Dealing with fewer personnel—down to 128 people from 186 when he started—and loss of resources, Olivera works closely with his colleagues and friends Chief Thomas Carter and Capt. Deric Moody to continually improve the force.

Keeping his staff informed and motivated is key, especially during times of heightened stress and particularly demanding work. Olivera still goes out on search warrants and gets in uniform from time to time to maintain perspective for what his staff is going through.

Plus, as the first Latino captain in the department, his role as community liaison is more important than ever.

“I think a lot of times the Hispanic community feels that they don’t have a voice,” Olivera said.

He recalled the lasting connections he made with community members when working on Allison Hill and how humbled he felt at the Latino presence during his swearing in as captain.

The presence of community dialogue has been vital in recent weeks for Olivera as the bureau has handled the investigation of Pinckney’s death.

“I think, unlike many other places where they’ve had violence, I think we’ve created room for dialogue,” he said. “I think everyone’s on the same page where we want to see if we can address things. We want to improve things.”

Author: Rebecca Oken

Your Move: At the Game Table Cafe, the pursuit of fun isn’t trivial.

August 31, 2016 | by Valarie Potell

Here’s a Clue: If you want a Monopoly on fun, take a Risk on a new spot on the West Shore. It may not be Candyland, but it does offer some 400 board games, along with great coffee and treats. You won’t be Sorry!

Since April, hundreds of gamers have rolled the dice and moved their thimbles into the Game Table Café, which stocks every board game from A to Z (seriously, from Above & Below to Zooloretto).

“Board games are a really nice way to spend time together as a family,” said Tom Keegan, the café’s owner and “game curator.”

In that role, Keegan makes sure the café has games that are fun to play—both classics and new releases. Board games, says Keegan, have seen a renaissance in recent years, and he credits three key reasons: the improvement of game designs, the cultural connection with games and the need for people to connect with friends and family.

“People put their cell phones aside for an hour and a half or two hours and interact, enjoying each other’s company and doing things in another world,” he said.

Since most people are not well versed in hundreds of games, the Game Table Café has “game gurus” who can teach anyone who’s interested in learning.

The gurus also serve as baristas in the café, where patrons can grab baked goods, snack foods, sandwiches and coffee. One of Keegan’s goals has been to work locally, both with local board game developers and with PA food companies (he uses beans from Lamont Specialty Coffee and Fine Teas, based in West Chester).

Keegan, a self-described “coffee nerd,” said he and his wife acquired a taste for fresh roasted coffee while he served 30 years in the U.S. Army. When he was nearing retirement, he began contemplating the next step and knew that he wanted to open his own business. After visiting the Game Haus Café in southern California, Keegan said to himself, “This is it, we’ve got the vision now.”

He saw a potential for success and a way to turn a passion into a business, as he grew up playing board games with his family and shared that tradition with his own kids.

“It’s amazing what you can learn about someone playing a board game, such as whether they’re a sore loser or whether they can bluff,” Keegan said with a laugh, adding that there are games he can’t play with his own wife because she knows when he’s bluffing.

Keegan said that the Game Table Café has gotten off to a great start, meeting or exceeding his business expectations each month. The café has reached capacity a few times already and hosted several large, corporate team-building events. The café also hosts events for the local Rotary Club, church groups, birthday parties and the like.

While some games are straightforward and easy to learn, others can be intimidating and overwhelming. To ease the learning curve, the café hosts learn-to-play events, which introduce patrons to games. Keegan said the first such group started in June with people learning to play Magic the Gathering, an event that attracted as many as 18 people on some nights.

For anyone interested in visiting The Game Table Café, there is a $5 cover charge if you would like to play games, though you can check out the café and order food without paying the cover. That $5 charge entitles patrons to stay and play as long as they like. There are also membership program options, including an annual membership.

“People have not only enjoyed coming, they’ve enjoyed it enough they want to come back,” Keegan said, adding that they’ve sold about 200 memberships already.

Friday Night is “family night.” Families who come into the café with three or more people and order meals for each person pay no cover charge. Keegan said they are also working on developing other monthly events, including a date night and “single mingle.”

Keegan also has big plans for the fall. To further his goal of working with local businesses and giving back to the community, he said he plans to partner with other local “geek industries” for an upcoming charitable event.

But, mostly, he just wants to bring people together for a few hours, a rare period of time that doesn’t include staring at screens.

“What really gets us excited is when we’re busy, hearing people laugh and seeing families together,” he said.

The Game Table Café is located at 4900 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg. For more information, call 717-695-0836 or visit www.gametablecafe.com or their Facebook page.

Author: Valarie Potell

Musical Notes: Songwriters’ September–A month of diverse approaches to the art of the song.

August 31, 2016 | by Andrew Dyrli Hermeling

Songwriting is the backbone of contemporary music. While it may seem that many of today’s pop hits are cheaply manufactured rather than expertly crafted, there are still countless musicians creating fabulous music that tells a story and authentically expresses a mood.

Lucky for us, a great selection of songwriters, both local and touring, will make their way through Harrisburg this month. Whether you have fond memories of the confessional songwriting of the mid-‘90s or prefer troubadours that harken back to the Dust Bowl, there is sure to be something to appeal to your particular tastes this month. So, as the kids go back to school and the temperature finally starts to cool, take some time for yourself and make your way to one of our fabulous venues for an equally fabulous show.

VINNIE PAOLIZZI, 9/2, 7PM, MIDTOWN SCHOLAR: Vinnie Paolizzi is a Philadelphian singer-songwriter equally steeped in the sounds of Americana and college jam bands. The result is a confessional approach to songwriting that nonetheless packs a bit of a groove. He is touring in support of his latest EP release, “Waiting on Me.” In the process, he is moving out from the Philly coffeehouses and bars where he uncovered his voice, making his way up and down the East Coast. Though he is early in his career, his music is mature and well rounded. So, don’t show up expecting to see a kid still figuring it out on stage. He is an experienced performer who is sure to be appeal to fans of contemporary pop-rock.

VULCANS, 9/3, 2:30PM, WHITAKER CENTER: These Mechanicsburg roots rockers have started to make a name for themselves. Strong vocals, often arranged in tight harmonies, combined with equally strong songwriting, soar over plucked banjos and rhythmic mandolin strumming. Their latest release, “Semaphore,” is a testament to their maturity and mastery of their genre. They are performing at Whitaker Center as a part of the “Summer Music Series,” which is being offered in conjunction with the summer exhibit, “Guitar—the Instrument that Rocked the World.” This is a family-friendly and free show, so bring the kids and make sure to save time to tour the Harsco Science Center exhibit.

SAM GOODWILL w/BELL LUNGS, 9/10, 7PM, HBG MAKESPACE: Sam Goodwill is a moody performer, creating both angular and somber soundscapes that seem to expand beyond the typical capabilities of his preferred instrumentation. Rich in reverb and evocative lyricism, his latest record, “History,” is a powerful listen, and there is little doubt that he’ll bring the same power to the small confines of HBG Makespace. He will be joined by Scottish multi-instrumentalist Bell Lungs, resulting in “psychedelic folk noise” that will both beautiful and challenging. Together, this should be an incredibly fantastic and artsy show, perfect for those who have more experimental musical tastes.

Mentionables: Marco Benevento, 9/2, Abbey Bar; March Fourth Marching Band, 9/11, Abbey Bar; Blind Scout, 9/23, Little Amps Downtown; Chris Emkey, 9/24, Midtown Scholar; The Wiggles, 9/28, Whitaker Center

Author: Andrew Dyrli Hermeling

Unfriendly Fire: We’ve met the enemy–and he is us.

August 31, 2016 | by J. Alex Hartzler

Photo by Dani Fresh

Pennsylvania is on the national political map in 2016. Many pundits believe that the race for president will be close in PA, and the candidates have been paying attention. The Democrats hosted their convention in Philadelphia in late July, while Donald Trump campaigned in Scranton the same week.

Immediately following the DNC, Hillary Clinton staged one of her first rallies of the general election campaign in Midtown Harrisburg, right in front of the Broad Street Market. Not to be outdone, Donald Trump arrived a few days later for a rally at Cumberland Valley High School.

For a brief moment, it looked like the Harrisburg region had an opportunity to put its best foot forward, as the candidates and the national media turned their spotlight here. But instead of an opportunity for us to shine, things turned ugly quickly when Trump, while campaigning the day after his visit, said that Harrisburg “looked like a war zone” from his plane. Almost immediately, the offhand comment was put up on PennLive as the lead story, and, just as quickly, online trolls came out to vent their sympathetic loathing of Harrisburg in the comments section of the article.

The comments, more than 700 of them, shot the story to the top of the “active discussion” list, where it remained for several days. As expected of a story of such controversy, it generated a significant number of related stories, each with its own angle or opinion on the matter—and each with a new opportunity for anonymous posters to bash Harrisburg.

I happened to be on a cross-country flight when the story broke, so I took time to read through many of these comments. It’s safe to say that anyone from outside the region reading through them would come away with a very bleak view of the people and area where we live and work.

To their credit, columnists John Micek and Nancy Eshelman wrote pieces condemning Trump’s flippant comment and offering more positive and accurate views of the city. Despite these efforts, as Micek’s engagement with the negative posters in the comment section of his own article illustrate, they still couldn’t escape the cycle of negativity and controversy that PennLive, and most of today’s media, is ultimately built upon.

Each and every article that appeared on Trump’s comment, whatever its content, served to sustain the negative headline about our community, generate clicks and provide further forum to all of the cynics and haters about all things Harrisburg, no doubt to the delight and benefit of PennLive’s advertisers and its owners, based in Manhattan, who depend on those advertisers for their income.

How else does one explain the headline, “Was Trump right about the Harrisburg ‘war zone’?” when the answer is so inherently obvious to anyone who lives here? In a sense, it’s not a dissimilar model from the one that Trump employs himself: It doesn’t matter what is said, as long as everyone talks about it, watches it and clicks on it—and the owner of the platform gets paid (in his case, Trump is the platform).

The problem with this model is that real damage is done to a community when the headlines and the anonymous online commentary are repetitively sensational, cynical and destructive. As I’ve often said, when the story we tell about ourselves to ourselves is relentlessly negative and bleak, our beliefs and actions eventually begin to fall into accordance with that view, whatever the reality might be, which is usually orders of magnitude better than what the headlines project. So, people may not buy a home or locate a business or rent an apartment or eat at a restaurant due to relentless and unfair negative media coverage. That community’s real and potential wealth then is destroyed.

But that’s only the half of it. There’s a flip side, and it’s that, while a community’s wealth is being destroyed by unnecessarily sensational and negative headlines, a billion-dollar media corporation’s wealth is being enhanced by the clicks and comments and advertising dollars that those headlines generate. I think it’s not too far of a stretch to state that every time we witness sensationalized and negative news coverage of Harrisburg on PennLive, a transfer of wealth occurs from a relatively low-income community to a billion-dollar corporation in Manhattan. Perhaps it’s indirect, hidden and hard to measure, but it’s no less real and right before our eyes (quite literally) with every headline we read.

Good and honest people, like the folks, I suspect, who work at PennLive, may try to dispute this reasoning by saying that they only report and write about what happens (they didn’t make Trump’s comment, he did), and that they only publish and promote the stories that people want to read, essentially by “voting with their clicks.”

While perhaps true, it misses the larger truth, where the real and fundamental logic of a privately owned, profit-driven media corporation exists—and that is to make money. However much the journalists and editors on the ground may try to work against this logic, it’s always there, in every sensational headline and every angry comment we read. And if the logic of making money requires sensationalized headlines and negative articles about Harrisburg—because it’s what drives comments and clicks and advertising dollars—then that’s what we’ll continue to see, to our own community’s detriment.

So what to do in response to this state of affairs? Well, perhaps lots of things, but let’s start by stating three.

First, and most immediately as it relates to Trump’s comments—let’s bluntly set the record straight. Harrisburg is not a war zone and doesn’t look like one. The comment is ridiculous on its face. Like so many things Trump has said, it was designed to garner headlines and focus on him, not to be an accurate statement of reality. In contrast, a more nuanced and accurate statement would have gained little attention. Sarcastic or not, the statement achieved exactly what it was intended to do—get people talking about Donald Trump.

Second, as it relates to the comments section on PennLive, it’s clear that the people in our region who habitually hate on Harrisburg have no idea what they’re talking about or what goes on in the city on a daily basis, except for what they may read or watch from the suburban media outlets. Readers of TheBurg know full well what I mean when I say there is a separate reality out there that exists for media outlets that continually report on crime and dysfunction in order to make money and another reality entirely—where 95 percent of daily life unfolds—that is quite different, quite enjoyable and well-worth reporting on.

Third, and on that point, I travel regularly both around the country and internationally, and I have seen many places that offer both more and much less than what Harrisburg has to offer. I’ve come to the conclusion that, whatever its flaws, Harrisburg and its region offer a relatively unique combination of affordability, opportunity, openness and compassion, natural beauty and accessibility to the wider world. We offer values like family, hard work, stability, charity and self-reliance with an important historical past.

Perhaps most importantly, we have a stunning, livable city, along a beautiful, scenic river, with wonderful architecture, thriving businesses and amazing, diverse residents. I love it here, and I know most of you do, too. Because of that, we at TheBurg, thanks to the support of our community publishers and advertisers, look forward to delivering that message and news to you each and every month.

J. Alex Hartzler is publisher of TheBurg.

Corn Meals: In central PA, it’s harvest time. And that means corn.

August 31, 2016 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Every year, around this time, I think the same thing: “How can summer be drawing to a close?”

My mother always talked about “September’s golden light,” the slant of the sun as it sank in the sky during a late summer afternoon. She said September is so lovely because it has all the warmth of summer without the humidity.

And while that is not always true, one thing is certain: Summer lingers at the market stands where the abundance of the garden remains—shiny purple eggplants, red and ripe tomatoes at their very best and fat, red peppers that are perfect for roasting. I bring armfuls of sunflowers, zinnias and gladiolas home to hold on to the brilliance of waning summer days.

And then there is fresh sweet corn. I love it and usually buy more of it than I can use—yellow, white and the luscious milk-and-honey variety. In my house, I look for corn recipes to serve my family other than “corn on the cob” (referred to by one family member as “barnyard food”). So, I have made corn fritters and muffins, rich corn puddings, smoky grilled corn with citrus butters, corn chutney (really), corn succotash and vegetable sautés of all kinds with handfuls of fresh corn thrown in.

But one of my very favorite corn dishes is a corn salad that is much more than a salad. I serve it as a vegetable side dish, a relish spooned over grilled chicken, fish or steak, or with a little cream added as a “sauce” for pasta. You can even stuff whole tomatoes with the mixture, topped with some breadcrumbs and roasted.

The recipe couldn’t be simpler but does require very fresh summer ingredients: corn cut from the cob, very ripe cherry tomatoes and bright green, fresh basil. It is also fun to add some unexpected things like sliced fresh jalapeno or diced red bell peppers. I sometimes vary the taste by sautéing the cut corn in butter rather than grilling it. And, for a little more substance, you can add some cubed cheese like cheddar, Muenster or Havarti (that can be lunch!).

FRESH CORN SALAD
Ingredients

6 ears fresh corn (white, yellow or bi-color), husked and brushed clean of silk
Olive oil for brushing on corn
½ small to medium red onion, cut into small dice
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, and cut into small dice (or ½ red bell pepper diced)
1 pint ripe red cherry tomatoes, halved
A small bunch of fresh basil, leaves stripped from stems and julienned
Extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste to finish the dish

Recipe

Remove the husks and silk from 6 ears of fresh corn. Scrub gently and then dry the ears.
Rub or brush the ears with olive oil to cover all surfaces.
Grill the ears on your gas or charcoal grill (medium heat is best) until the kernels are softened and the corn is slightly charred in spots. Watch very carefully to avoid burning the corn. Remove the ears when done and let cool thoroughly on a plate.
Wash the cherry tomatoes, remove the stems, and cut them in half.
Dice the peppers you are using and set aside.
Wash the basil, remove the leaves from the stems, and stack the leaves together. Roll the stacked leaves into a little “cigar” and slice it into thin strands.
When the corn is cool, cut the kernels from the cobs into a medium-sized bowl using a sharp knife.
Add the peppers, onion, cherry tomatoes and basil to the corn in the bowl. Add enough olive oil to moisten and salt and pepper to taste. (Sometimes, I add a little white wine vinegar to give it a little “kick.”)
That’s all there is to it. And nothing could be easier!

I made this corn salad recently to accompany grilled rib eye steaks, roasted small white potatoes with rosemary and a simply dressed baby arugula salad. It was a perfect summer meal.

My husband and I have a friend who often says, “Let’s not get carried away,” to a variety of situations. I thought of him when I found a recipe for corn ice cream, served with a cornmeal cake and fresh blueberries. I haven’t gone that far yet, but it could be a corn-lovers dream.

Author: Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

Language Barrier: The Spanish-speaking population is surging in the midstate. What’s a company to do?

August 31, 2016 | by M. Diane McCormick

Businesses that want to sell to and serve our area’s growing Latino population find themselves in something of a double bind.

They need to be able to communicate with consumers who frequently feel more comfortable speaking Spanish than English. But, to do so, they first must attract qualified workers who are bilingual, a high-demand skill set often difficult to find.

“Hiring bilingual talent is incredibly important to PNC’s business strategy, especially as our customer and client base becomes increasingly diverse,” affirmed Amanda Snow, vice president, talent acquisition for the Pittsburgh-based financial services company. “Having employees with diverse experiences and skills, including bilingual, can better serve clients and customers throughout our footprint.”

PNC has a great need for English/Spanish speakers across many different lines of business. It employs bilingual employees in customer service, retail banking, investments, wealth management and corporate and institutional banking.

Data show the challenges that companies like PNC face in our area. Dauphin County’s total population rose a scant 1.8 percent from 2010 to 2015, but Latino residents jumped by 25 percent. Today, about 23,400 county residents, 8.6 percent, are of Hispanic origin, according to the U.S. Census.

It’s no surprise then that south-central Pennsylvania’s Latinos wield a hefty buying power of $2.1 billion, according to George Fernandez, CEO of Latino Connection, a marketing and communication firm linking businesses with Latino audiences. But are businesses doing enough to attract Latinos as both customers and employees? While some companies say they’re trying, Fernandez is calling on the business community to do more.

Many companies have “put a certain dollar value” on trying to reach Latino customers and potential hires through advertising, but “that amount is next to nothing,” Fernandez said. “It’s withholding them from success and from attracting more and more multicultural talent moving to the region.”

In the meantime, young Latinos are finding opportunities in other parts of Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia and Berks and Lehigh counties, he said.

Why Diversity?

As with the banking sector, health care companies face similar dual-language barriers.

As in any business, communication assures delivery of quality services, but health care providers must also “make sure patients are receiving the information you’re giving them and complying with the information you’re giving them,” said Tina Nixon, PinnacleHealth vice president, mission effectiveness and chief diversity officer.

In the past, children were often de facto interpreters for non-English speaking parents, but that meant translating medical terms and “information that is really not age-appropriate,” she said.

Today, PinnacleHealth relies on phone and Skype interpretation services to translate many conversations. But, when live translation is needed, the call goes out for a certified healthcare interpreter. At Pinnacle, the staffer responding might be Patient Representative Elisabeth Pérez.

Pérez, who grew up speaking Spanish at home, pursued the rigorous certification because she was often getting calls to interpret but, lacking the authorization to join healthcare conversations, couldn’t intercede. Effective communication assures that patients understand their plan of care, comply with instructions, and “are more compliant in returning for follow-up care,” she said.

“They will return because they know there’s someone to assist them,” she said. “The patient does feel more comfortable in that environment when someone’s there who’s familiar with their language.”

Hiring Challenges

Businesses seeking bilingual employees must understand that language gaps also signal cultural differences, said Fernandez. One client from an elderly-services business got little traction from an ad showing a woman playing cards, because “for some seniors and Latinos that are considered Catholic or Christian, that ad would be offensive,” he said.

Businesses advertising in Spanish to attract Spanish-speaking customers better have bilingual staff and materials to serve them, he added.

“It all boils right back down to recruitment,” Fernandez said. “The common goal is to educate the corporate organizations and help them strategize where they are now, where do they want to be, where do they need to go, and where do they start. That’s the key. Where do you start?”

For PNC, corporate-wide “and in Harrisburg specifically, finding and hiring bilingual employees is a constant challenge for us,” said Regional President Jim Hoehn. “Being bilingual is always a difference-maker when considering employment decisions.”

PNC seeks talent through online posts, working with Latino Connection and other outlets, and partnering with national and local diversity organizations, he said.

That may be a good start, but not enough businesses are on board, said Fernandez. His new membership-based initiative “Hola Harrisburg,” founded to attract Latino professionals by touting the midstate’s quality-of-life advantages, has signed only two members toward the goal of 15.

And yet, Latino audiences are as non-homogenous as any other, demanding specialized outreach, he said. As consumer researcher Nielsen classified them, they may be traditional “Latinistas;” bicultural but preferably Spanish-speaking “Heritage Keepers;” progressive “Savvy Blenders;” or culturally American “Ameri-Fans.” Each group demands different messages and tactics to reach them at their specific phases of life and circumstances, Fernandez said.

Some Solutions

Businesses should become not just bilingual but bicultural, said Fernandez. Bicultural means recognizing the perspectives and values shared by customers and potential hires.

“They need to welcome upper management and executives that are bilingual, that look like the population they are looking to hire, to welcome more than one language being spoken in the business place,” he said.

Immigrants should learn English, he said, but “it does take its time.”

“In order for businesses in southcentral Pennsylvania and all of Pennsylvania to become more successful and to get a return on investment for doing business with the largest-growing minority population in the United States, they must become bicultural businesses,” he said.

At PinnacleHealth, Nixon is revising the certified healthcare interpreter process to train more people more cost-effectively. She also schedules “cultural awareness trainings,” well received by staff accustomed to lifelong learning and intent on communicating in terms their patients understand.

“We have to look at our footprint and the individuals we are serving and educate our medical staff on how to provide those services,” she said. “We did cultural awareness trainings for how to understand our Muslim patients, how to understand our Somali patients, how to understand our Nepali patients, because those are some of the communities that are growing in this area.”

Patient Representative Pérez has been with PinnacleHealth since 1992. In her daily work, she greets former patients who return to express their appreciation, and she gets thank-yous from co-workers thrilled by any aid that bridges language barriers in delivering medical care.

“I can honestly tell you that I love my job,” she said.

That infusion of cultural awareness and language capabilities throughout the system, including executive offices, helps attract and retain bilingual staff, said Nixon.

“If people see that, and they see that dedication, they think, ‘This is great. This is where I want to be,’” she said. “All of it comes from the top.”

For more information on this issue, including how to market to the area’s Latino population, visit Latino Connection at www.thelatinoconnection.net.

Author: M. Diane McCormick

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