Sun & Fun & Safety: Summer brings good times, but hazards too.

May 31, 2016 | by Christina J. Persson

For many, thinking about summer conjures familiar, pleasant memories: blue skies, warm sun, white sands, picnic tables, frozen treats, fireworks, campfires and more. But behind those pleasant images lies the reminder that the happiest summers come from practicing prevention and caution.

According to Dr. Cathleen Veach, summer can bring unique hazards to our health and safety.

“In winter, we think of car accidents or slips and falls, but people need to be alert to pests, sun exposure, breathing hazards and the dangers of outdoor activities this time of year,” she said. “Sometimes safety is overlooked because we’re too busy enjoying ourselves.”

Families can focus on four areas that require minimum effort to help keep them happy and healthy this summer, said Veach, chief quality officer of PinnacleHealth Medical Group, Newport Family Care.

Burn Prevention
The rate of burn injuries increases substantially during summer, said Veach.

“Campfires, grills, fireworks and sparklers can be extremely dangerous, particularly to children,” she said. “Parents should be vigilant about preventing roughhousing or sports anywhere near campfires or hot grills.”

She also cautioned that fireworks should always be used in accordance with each product’s directions, away from people and flammable materials, and with all recommended safety and fire prevention equipment at hand.

Sun Protection
“Responsible sun exposure is one of the best disciplines you can practice for lifelong good health,” said Veach.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays cause skin cancer, and sunlight is the main source of UV rays.

“Melanoma is the most dangerous kind of skin cancer,” she said. “When treated early, it is highly curable, but in its later stages, it can spread, be difficult to treat or even be fatal.”

Veach said that skin cancer rates continue to increase. Because sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers, she counsels that the best defense is prevention, like staying out of the sun when its rays are strongest (between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.), using sunscreen and sunglasses and wearing UV-protective clothing when outside.

Air Quality
Most people don’t realize that poor air quality can have serious short-term and long-term effects on health.

Ozone is an invisible air pollutant that is worsened by sunlight and hot weather.

“Ozone and other pollutants can be dangerous for people with many conditions, including asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” said Veach. “Infants and toddlers, the elderly, people who labor outside and others can also be severely impacted by poor air quality.”

Experts recommend checking the air quality index (AQI) for daily ozone and particle pollution conditions in the area.

“People can watch the local weather report and read the newspaper for AQI information,” said Veach. “Depending on the AQI and the source of pollution, different groups are recommended to avoid or limit outdoor activities or exposure.”

The Environmental Protection Agency offers a free app (AIRNow) that can help people protect their health when planning their daily activities.

Outdoor Safety
In addition to sun protection, multiple outdoor activities require extra caution.

According to Veach, ticks and mosquitos are a potential problem for many outdoor activities.

“Insect repellent and protective clothing are the first line of defense in preventing bug-borne illnesses like West Nile virus and Lyme disease,” she said.

Another outdoor activity that requires caution is cycling. Cyclists should obey all traffic laws and wear helmets and clothing that make them highly visible.

“Even for seasoned cyclists, refreshing knowledge on rules and regulations promotes safety, and many communities offer free safety courses for families,” Veach said.

Water safety is also a serious concern.

“When swimming, caution should prevail in every setting—pools, lakes and the ocean,” she said.

Veach said it’s a good idea that all swimmers be reminded to observe posted restrictions and warnings that are related to diving, pollution, rough conditions, riptides and more.

In addition, experts recommend only swimming with someone else, even in pools.

“Accidents can happen any time, and swimming with a capable adult can make the difference between life and death,” said Veach.

She recommends that ocean-goers swim only when supervised by a lifeguard and that every swimmer be trained on what to do when they encounter trouble, like riptides.

“An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure,” said Veach. “Attending community safety courses, changing your schedule to avoid the sun, altering plans to avoid high ozone days, and applying sunscreen or insect repellant are things anyone can do to protect their health.”

No one wants a trip to the ER to be a summer memory.

“Most activities require a small amount of planning or preparation to ensure everyone’s safety,” Veach said.

She added that, too often, she sees the regret people suffer because they didn’t take action to protect their loved ones.

“It’s a terrible feeling knowing that you could have done something and didn’t,” she said. “The best way to have a great summer is to understand risks and plan accordingly. Once that’s out of the way, that feeling of preparedness creates a positive energy that can add to the fun.”

For more information about summer health and wellness, visit www.pinnaclehealth.org.

Water Music: Summer concerts return to Italian Lake.

May 31, 2016 | by Rachael Dymski

Few things say “summer” more than an outdoor picnic with friends, reclining on lawn chairs as the sun goes down and seeing the fireflies come out.

Add some music, and it’s the perfect evening.

This June, July and August, you can make that perfect summer night a reality at one of the most beautiful spots in Harrisburg, as Harrisburg Young Professionals reprises the Italian Lake Summer Concert Series.

“The arts are a great way to build communities and introduce, or re-introduce, ourselves to music in a beautiful setting,” said Derek Whitesel, HYP’s executive director.

Perfect Backdrop

The concert series is a terrific example of the community coming together to ensure that a beloved tradition lives on.

In 2011, the city, which had run the series for nearly 20 years, decided it no longer could organize the event. So, HYP picked up the torch.

“Harrisburg Young Professionals has been fortunate to have had many tremendous leaders over the years,” says Whitesel. “That was the case in 2011 with Ade Bakare and Rebecca Bush chairing the arts committee. They took the endeavor head-on, and we are happy to say that the committee is as passionate today as they were then.”

HYP invests about $4,000 into the series each year. The group also gets financial or promotional support from a few partners, including M&T Bank, Dixon University Center, Dauphin County and TheBurg.

The series kicks off on June 12 followed by concerts in mid-July and August, each running 6 to 8 p.m. Rachel B., a singer and songwriter based out of Pittsburgh, will go first, featuring selections from her first album, “I’m The Boss,” which dropped earlier this year.

On July 10, Harrisburg’s own The Dirty Sweet will take the stage, entertaining the crowd with a mix of funk, soul and R&B. Andy Mowatt’s Steely Jam (described by HYP as a “funk-driven powerhouse”) will wrap things up on Aug. 14.

The size of the audience typically ranges from 150 to 300 people. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and picnic blankets. Concerts are weather-dependent, but HYP said it will do its best to reschedule musicians in case of rain, especially those nasty summer thunderstorms. The organization is looking into alternate rain locations for this year.

Italian Lake, located in Uptown Harrisburg, provides the perfect backdrop for a night of music and friendship, especially when fortified with a picnic. This year, swans have been reintroduced to the lake, making it even more picturesque and the experience more special.

When asked how the concert series benefits the community, Whitesel answered that it brings people together and attracts people into the city.

“We see people drive into Harrisburg from all over the region for the concert series, and they, along with the neighbors of the lake, are able to enjoy a wonderful evening together in the city,” he said.

Italian Lake concerts are free of charge. For more information, visit hyp.org.

The Italian Lake Summer Concert Series

June 12: Rachel B.

July 10: The Dirty Sweet

Aug. 14: Andy Mowatt’s Steely Jam

HBG Is I.T.: Urban vibe drives tech corridor in downtown Harrisburg.

May 31, 2016 | by M. Diane McCormick

WorkXpress in Strawberry Square.
Photo by Anela Selkowitz.

With his computer sciences background and leadership experience as a U.S. Army infantry officer in Afghanistan, Kristian Stennett could have worked almost anywhere. But, after interviewing with an international technology firm, he realized he wanted something different—and better.

“I walked in there and saw the cubicles with a couple heads poking up over top, like they were starving for some kind of distraction, so I wasn’t too inclined to go that route,” says Stennett.

The Colonial Park native rejected prairie-dog employment. Instead, he returned home in 2013, becoming a senior developer for WorkXpress, the growing custom software solutions provider located in Strawberry Square.

It’s a scenario that Harrisburg economic development and business officials hope to institutionalize as they cultivate a downtown technology corridor. Promise quality of life and opportunities in technology. Attract talent. Repeat.

The Bug Light

Downtown Harrisburg has the beginnings of that tech corridor, with 16 companies in analytics, IT, life sciences and other fields, says Harristown Enterprises President and CEO Bradley R. Jones.

The credit, he believes, goes to some combination of emerging city stability, “positive new leadership,” the appearance of an urban scene, low business start-up costs, Harrisburg University tech students and spin-off startups—synergies born when technology businesses settle within shouting distance of each other.

Jeffrey M. Briel is a senior sales director for Sigma Resources, one of the corridor’s 16 firms. The Pittsburgh-based IT consulting firm decided on Harrisburg as its “most likely next stop” when expanding, he says. When he set up shop, he immediately engaged in partnerships that support tech businesses and spread the word to millennials and businesses about Harrisburg-based opportunities in technology.

“It’s telling them that we may have a better way of keeping people in Harrisburg, to show the talents that we have here, to show the jobs that we have here,” Briel says. “We’re even showing high school kids that HU might be an avenue for them and merge the whole thing into a giant talent pool to say, ‘You grew up here. You should stay here.’”

Treff LaPlante, Stennett’s boss, is the founder and CEO of WorkXpress. Strawberry Square visitors can see WorkXpress staffers in their glass-walled office, working collaboratively without a cubicle in sight. Like Stennett, about one-third of them walk to work. Customers can easily access the business by train.

Harrisburg’s technology community bonds over shared economic development interest—in contrast to Silicon Valley’s profit-oriented incubation environment, says LaPlante.

“For early-stage startup companies, the resources available and the people available are quite remarkable,” he says.

Tech businesses go where they can find qualified workers, and HU is “the bug light” that’s attracting and developing talent, says Jones. The school that opened its doors to students in 2005 now educates 3,000 enrollees from Harrisburg and around the world, including international graduate students.

Every HU major requires an internship, plus other experiential learning cultivated through business partnerships, so graduates build academic smarts and work-ready skills, says Kelly Powell Logan, vice president for strategic workforce development and university centers.

“All of our majors have the biggest demand and significant shortages,” she says.

Plus, HU’s “solution incubators” known as centers—the Government Technology Institute, Security Center of Excellence and Analytics Institute—attract “many very smart global thinkers” to offer technology seminars and professional development for locals.

“Keep talent here,” says Briel. “That’s one of the things we’re looking at.”

Plenty of Draw

The talent game includes spotlighting Harrisburg’s quality of life advantages, says Jones.

Marketing materials tout new and planned downtown apartments. Harrisburg University GIS students are creating online maps—experiential learning in action—with layers showing the downtown workforce, attractions, restaurants and parking.

“After you’re done spending eight hours building new software products, you throw your kayak over your shoulder and drop it in the river,” says Jones. “All these amenities are right here. You can bike on the Greenbelt. You can go see a professional soccer game or professional baseball game, all within walking distance of your office.”

Stennett, of WorkXpress, embodies Harrisburg livability. There are Harrisburg Senators games, hunting and kayaking with his wife to a debarkation point outside their home. A couple of wineries have even popped up recently.

“Coming back to Harrisburg felt like the best fit,” says Stennett. “It has everything I’m looking for. It’s not built up. It’s not like a huge city. So, it’s not crazy with traveling, but it still has enough that it’s got plenty of draw.”

LaPlante would like to publicize those draws. He says he’d like to see an economic development ad campaign, like the type that Michigan, Ohio and New York “have the gall to come down in our area and advertise.”

“If we had a counteroffensive, people would be surprised to know the things available for early-stage startups,” he says. “We don’t need to win people back from Silicon Valley. There are a whole lot of people who would prefer to raise a family and have a good quality of life.”

Plus, says LaPlante, “companies need to grow here, and they need to stay here.” Attracting the stereotypical startup with dreams of buyout by Apple won’t grow a vibrant technology corridor. After all, jokes the Strawberry Square tenant, Jones “has a lot more square footage he needs us to rent from him.”

“We want to help him out in that regard, but what’s holding us back is people,” LaPlante says. “There is a lot of investment money, but one of the most important things is development of talent.”

The initiative is “on a firm glide path,” says Jones, aligning such partners as Dauphin County, Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau, Temple University, Messiah College, Capital Area School for the Arts Charter School and SciTech High.

“We’ve got a lot to sell here,” he says. “We’re just getting warmed up in trying to put this all together in an updated, more cohesive package.”

Stennett, for one, intends to stick around.

“The company’s done pretty well for me so far,” he says. “We have plans on growing in different areas, so I don’t see any reason to move.”

For more information on these companies, visit www.workxpress.com, www.sigma-resources.com and www.strawberrysquare.com.

Island Wine: Seek out these unique quaffs from off the coast of Italy.

May 31, 2016 | by Steve Juliana

In recent years, Italy has emerged as perhaps the world’s most dynamic wine-producing country.

In this Mediterranean land shaped like a boot, tradition meets innovation with ancient grape varieties and new vineyard techniques that produce amazing wines. This is evident on the two largest Italian islands: Sicily and Sardinia.

Sicily is the biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea and has been a major maritime crossroads for centuries. It also has the distinction as a “bread basket” for many different cultures. A blend of grain, fruit, unique livestock and seafood create an amazing diversity of foods.

The most popular indigenous grape is Nero d’Avola, or “the black from Avola.” This grape creates a rich, dark, spicy wine that is found all over Sicily. Nature deigns that this is the only region where this fruit thrives, as attempts to grow it elsewhere have not been productive. Nero goes well with the rich meats and cheeses of the Sicilian diet and with grilled foods. The wine is great bottled singly, but has the ability to make wonderful blends, most notably with French varieties planted on the island. It’s definitely a quaff to seek.

A popular native white grape is Insolia, which makes a rich, citrusy wine with herbal highlights and a nutty aroma. It matches well with the tuna and swordfish dishes found all over the island. It’s also an important component in the making of Marsala, both sweet and dry.

One of Sicily’s great dessert wines is Zibibbo, which is made from the Moscato di Alexandria, a grape brought from Egypt by the Greeks. A white wine described as eating a golden raisin, it is hard to find but well worth the search.

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean and, compared to much of the rest of Italy, is not overrun by tourists. That’s great for us wine-lovers, since so much of the island is dedicated to agriculture.

The most popular red grape on the island is known as Cannonau. This is the local name for the Grenache grape, famous in the Rhone Valley of France, where it is blended with Syrah and bottled from Côtes du Rhône to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The best are bottled singly or blended with Carignano (also called Carignon), another grape with roots in southern France. It goes well with the local cuisine, which is based on lamb, cheese and a unique flatbread made locally. The ones I have tried deserve a place beside your grill and on your table.

Vermentino is the best white wine of the island and is arguably the finest white wine in all of Italy. It’s a fragrant quaff with great structure and the ability to age.

Notably, Sardinia is an international “blue zone,” where people have a longer-than-normal lifespan—and I like to think their wine consumption has something to do with that. Great wine, great food and a shot at a long life. Doesn’t get much better than that!

Keep sipping, Steve

Capital in Conflict: Civil War Days stresses Harrisburg’s role in the war.

May 31, 2016 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

Camp Curtin

Harrisburg’s relationship to the Civil War is a complicated one.

The city was targeted, but never invaded. It played a vital role as a logistics and training center, but never saw battle itself. Today, Civil War buffs and tourists flock to Gettysburg, but usually bypass Harrisburg.

This month, the city’s story will be in focus during the first annual Civil War Days, a widespread historic celebration touching on many aspects of Harrisburg’s important place in the war, particularly in the Battle of Gettysburg.

“A National Civil War Museum was built (in Harrisburg) 15 years ago and a lot of people said, ‘Why?’” noted Joe Benish, a member of the event’s organizing committee, noting the need for public education.

The three-day extravaganza overflows with events, including a Civil War narrative cruise on the Susquehanna, a re-enactors’ encampment at the National Civil War Museum and historic site bus tours.

Civil War Days is the brainchild of Gary Crowell, event chairman and a Civil War history enthusiast since relocating to Harrisburg from California in 1969. Although he initially focused his interest on Gettysburg, he eventually realized that Harrisburg, too, played a significant role in the events that led to the battle on July 1 to 3, 1863.

“I found out that (Confederate Gen. Robert E.) Lee came into Harrisburg three days before Gettysburg,” Crowell said. “Then I thought, we should just dedicate a whole weekend about this for the whole community.”

To publicize the events, organizers have coined the slogan, “Before Gettysburg, Lee headed for Harrisburg. So why don’t you?”

Cooper Wingert, already a prolific author of 10 Civil War books at age 17, said it was an easy choice for him to join the gala’s organizing committee that’s comprised of a dozen local Civil War enthusiasts.

“Gary had the best plan ever,” the East Pennsboro High School senior explained.

Wingert, who begins studies this fall at Dickinson College, said Lee’s initial plan before Gettysburg was to burn and cripple Harrisburg, which was the capital of the second-most populous state in the North.

On June 28, 1863, Gen. Richard S. Ewell and 1,500 Confederates were based in Carlisle in anticipation of a Harrisburg attack. On the same day, Gen. Albert Jenkins and 1,200 members of the Virginia Calvary arrived in Mechanicsburg, ready for a fight.

On June 29, Confederates became engaged in battle with the Union militia at Oyster Point at 31^st and Market streets in Camp Hill. The next day, the Skirmish of Sporting Hill occurred at the Carlisle Pike and Sporting Hill Road in Mechanicsburg, the northernmost town to surrender to Gen. Jenkins’ troops.

The South’s next goal was to overtake Fort Washington, a Union fortification site on Lemoyne’s heights, and Fort Couch, situated about a half-mile west. The Confederates, though, were ordered to leave for Gettysburg due to encroaching Northern troops.

“(The Confederates) were only a couple of minutes away from attacking Fort Washington,” Wingert said, which could have marked a Battle of Harrisburg instead of Gettysburg’s famous fight.

Harrisburg also played a notable part in the Underground Railroad, a network that helped slaves escape from the South, Wingert noted. President Abraham Lincoln was no stranger to Harrisburg, either. In 1861, the president-elect was welcomed with a citywide celebration. In 1865, Lincoln’s funeral train stopped in Harrisburg, as well, and his body lay in state at the Capitol building.

Civil War Days kicks off on Friday, June 17, with “Breakfast with Mr. Lincoln” at the Hilton Harrisburg, followed by a historic Harrisburg bus tour, a bus tour of historic Civil War sites on the West Shore and a Civil War narrative cruise on the Pride of the Susquehanna.

Friday also offers Civil War dance demonstrations, a Civil War social at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center, a Civil War artist and author gathering, and the re-enactor encampment at the National Civil War Museum.

Several panel presentations take place on Saturday, including “Harrisburg’s Black Community,” “Camp Curtin,” “Lee’s Second Invasion of Pennsylvania” and “Abolitionist John Brown—PA and Harrisburg Connections.” A historic Harrisburg walking tour also is available on Saturday, and the re-enactor encampment continues at the museum.

On Sunday, June 19, a Civil War commemorative church service will feature Negro spirituals and other songs of the era, and the re-enactor encampment concludes. A Civil War tour of the historic Harrisburg Cemetery also is available that day.

David Morrison, acting executive director of Historic Harrisburg Association, hopes that the weekend will help people not only understand Civil War-era Harrisburg, but modern-day Harrisburg, as well.

“If people have a stronger understanding of Harrisburg’s history, it leads to a greater understanding of what makes this town tick,” he said.

Civil War Days takes place June 17 to 19 at locations throughout the Harrisburg area. Many events are open to the public at no cost, but some require advance registration and a small fee. More information is available on Facebook: Civil War Days in Harrisburg.

The Right Chord: “Guitar” shares the story, the beauty of the beloved stringed instrument.

May 31, 2016 | by Gina Napoli

Maybe you’re the next Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix.

Or maybe you don’t know an A-chord from an acorn.

No matter. All are invited to rush the stage at “Guitar: The Instrument that Rocked the World,” an exhibit devoted to one of the world’s most popular instruments. Opening this month, the Whitaker Center lineup features more than 60 rare and famous guitars, and more than 100 historical guitar artifacts.

“Find out how guitars are made, listen to the wide range of guitar musical styles and discover the science and technology of vibrating strings and amplifiers,”said Steve Bishop, Whitaker Center’s vice president of science and cinema programs. “Plus, play a 43-foot-long guitar!”

This guitar—the world’s largest functional guitar—spans the length of the floor, weighs 2,000 pounds and only plays in a low frequency. Using six hands, you and your friends can bang out the opening chord of the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night.”

Like the rest of Whitaker Center, the exhibit is hands-on. If you can’t play a guitar of any size, don’t fret. You can strum, jam, pick, pluck, shred or even play air guitar. And no one will be checking to see if you have enough giant ‘80s hair when you give the whammy bar a try.

Rock Out

The guitar has played an important role in the history of music.

It’s a portable instrument that, centuries ago, allowed strolling minstrels to accompany their storytelling as they travelled about. In more recent years, it’s proven to be highly versatile for changing musical tastes, perfect for everything from simple, three-chord folk songs to complex classical compositions. It’s an instrument both of the street and the conservatory.

The exhibit delves into all aspects of the guitar, complete with explanations on pitch, tone, electromagnetism and amplification. If you wish, you can view the guitars as works of art or as a history lesson or as a technical marvel—or all of the above. One of the displays even features a cross-section of a guitar, all of its inner workings on display to show how the selection of different materials and strings creates distinct styles of guitars and distinct sounds.

One part of the exhibit shows a guitar being made using a 3D printer. 3D technology “prints” a guitar from a stored schematic drawing. Think of an old dot-matrix printer. Each time the print head zoomed across the page, it laid a layer of ink down until the typeface was complete. In 3D printing, the print head lays down a micro-thin layer of material, usually metal or plastic, until the object is fully formed.

“Guitar” has something for your inner showman, too. To inspire the Metallica in you, one display features an instrument that throws flames every time you strike a chord. The level of flame matches the noise level. Much less fiery, but still fun, is the soundstage for the kids to rock out.

Follow the Tour

“Guitar” is the touring exhibit of The National Guitar Museum, a nomadic collection that, much like those who play the instrument, travels from city to city.

HP Newquist, a former editor-in-chief of Guitar magazine, established the museum in 2009 after a friend saw guitars hanging on the walls of his house and commented that it looked like a museum. After some research, Newquist realized such a museum didn’t exist, so he decided to create one.

“Nothing told the history of the single most popular instrument in the world,” Newquist said. “In all its various incarnations, even to this day, past generations look to the guitar as a defining instrument.”

The museum takes its mission seriously. There is no permanent museum for its collection, at least not yet. Newquist hopes to find a home by 2020. Until then, the exhibit strings along from town to town, so fans must follow the tour.

“Whitaker Center represents a fusion of science and the arts,” said Bishop. “The ‘Guitar’ exhibit fits us perfectly for guests of all ages.”

“Guitar: The Instrument that Rocked the World” runs June 4 through Sept. 4 on the lower level of Whitaker Center’s Harsco Science Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg. Whitaker Center members can see the exhibit for free all summer as part of their member benefits. Entry to the exhibit is included with general admission for non-members.

Staying Put: In Harrisburg, seniors increasingly decide to “age in place.”

May 31, 2016 | by Bob Bunty

Joe and Carol Vezendy’s new bathroom.

In America, getting older has long meant moving.

Moving to Florida. Moving to a retirement community. Moving out of state to live with your kids.

But what if you don’t want to leave your home and community? What if you don’t want to abandon your social network, your city, your lifetime of friends?

Count Harrisburg-area residents among the growing number of Americans nationwide giving serious thought to those questions and taking steps to “age in place.”

What exactly does that mean? According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “aging in place” is defined as “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of age, income or ability level.”

For Joe and Carol Vezendy of Lower Paxton Township, it means all of that and more.

“Joe and I were looking for those things we thought you needed in a home when you get older and need to take care of someone, which is often part of aging in place,” said Carol, who, like Joe, was a caregiver for a spouse lost to illness. “We were both married and decided to stay in my house and make it our house.”

According to an American Association of Retired Persons/Harvard University study, the United States faces a critical shortage of affordable housing for its 50-plus population, which will grow to 133 million by 2030—a 70 percent jump since 2000.

The study notes that only 1 percent of all housing stock in the country has recommended universal design features, such as a step-free entry, multiple countertop heights, wide doorways, lever faucets and a curbless shower with a handheld, adjustable showerhead.

About 10,000 people will turn 65 each day for the next 15 years, says the study, and almost 90 percent of them will want to remain in their homes as they get older. So, the issue of where—and how—to spend one’s senior years will only grow in importance.

More Prepared
Jim Mirando Jr., for one, wants to help people adapt their living environments as they age.

Mirando is president of Lemoyne-based Excel Interior Concepts & Construction, which is finding a growing business from baby boomers who wish to stay where they are.

“The idea of aging in place is definitely a trend, stemming from the aging of baby boomers who are getting to the age where they are thinking more about their health and wanting to stay healthy,” said Mirando, who is certified as an Aging-In-Place Specialist by the National Association of Home Builders.

Founded in 1970 by his father, Jim Mirando Sr., Excel began as a home developer, but has, over time, developed an expertise as a remodeler.

“We like to help make homeowners feel more assured that whatever comes in their future, they will be more prepared,” said Mirando Jr. “For others, it’s more about loving where they live, wanting to stay there, and making it nicer for them to live there.”

The Vezendys contracted with Excel for their remodel. Work on the master bathroom began in mid-October 2014. It included removal of a bathtub and small shower, replacing it with a large, walk-in shower with a safety base bench seat, safety grab bar and handheld shower wand fixture.

“We didn’t want it to look like a handicapped bathroom, and it does not at all,” Carol said. “It’s a very pretty bathroom, with storage, a higher sink and higher toilet, which is the trend today. Had we not gone through our own experience, I don’t know if I would have thought about those things.”

Where You Belong
Aging in place doesn’t necessarily entail a home remodel. It also can mean downsizing, but staying within your community.

That’s what Bob Hostetter did when he moved into Riverview Manor, a condominium building at Front and Harris streets in Midtown Harrisburg. For 18 years, he lived in a charming house in the historic Shipoke neighborhood, but, as he got older, found that it was becoming too much for him.

“I love Shipoke,” Hostetter said. “It absolutely broke my heart to have to leave it.”

A combination of ongoing maintenance and the need to traverse steep steps leading to the second story of his Colonial-era townhome eventually took their toll. So, two years ago, he moved about two miles up Front Street, to a sixth-floor condo unit where—just like in his Shipoke house—he enjoys breathtaking views of the Susquehanna River every day.

“I am so privileged to have sweeping view of the river,” he said. “So many people see it as something they need to get across and don’t see it as magnificent, beautiful and living, which I do.”

Besides the view, Hostetter, who will be 79 in July, has an architecturally pleasing living space, complete with a refurbished bathroom and a new, walk-in shower, all contained on one level.

Most importantly, he has remained a part of his community, where he is very involved, including as an active member of the Rotary Club of Harrisburg.

“A very real part of one’s decision of where to live is determining what degree do aesthetics—and other overarching factors like people and sense of community—play in deciding to stay here, versus moving to Florida,” he said. “I know so many people and am known by so many people. And that’s important to me and to other people who have invested a great deal in the community where they live—to enhance it and strengthen it.”

As part of his commitment to the community, Hostetter used to open his Shipoke house whenever the neighborhood was featured in Harrisburg Young Professionals’ annual home tour. He now has done the same thing at his new home, letting people tour his condo during Historic Harrisburg Association’s Candlelight House Tour last December.

Through this, he hopes to show the diversity of housing options in Harrisburg and how wonderful living in an urban setting can be.

“Hundreds of people came up to see it,” said Hostetter. “There are so many extenuating factors that go into making a very complete and comfortable decision about where to stay, but, to me, it’s where you feel you belong.”

To learn more about “aging in place,” visit AARP at www.aarp.org or Excel Interior Concepts & Construction at www.excelremodeling.com.

Safety Zone: Safe Families PLUS matches mentors with youth in foster care.

May 31, 2016 | by Olivia Cunningham

George Clements and Stephen Range

George Clements and Stephen Range may seem like an unlikely pair.

Clements is a 71-year-old ex-military retiree and Range is a 23-year-old student with dreams of being a basketball coach. Over the past few years, however, the two have become like father and son.

Clements and Range were brought together by the Safe Families PLUS program, an initiative of Bethany Christian Services. The program pairs young people between the ages of 16 and 21 who are aging out of foster care in Dauphin or Lancaster county with older adults who serve as mentors, providing support and helping them adjust to adulthood.

Range first met Clements through Angel Elicker, outreach coordinator of Safe Families PLUS. Elicker facilitates every aspect of the mentorship—from matching the youth and adults to monitoring the relationship from a distance.

Their relationship was tenuous at first. Range needed time to trust Clements, and Clements and his wife and two daughters had to patiently encourage him.

“He wasn’t very trusting,” Clements explained. “Not that he was dishonest, but just that he’d had such a bad go with life, it was hard for him to trust people.”

Gradually—very gradually—that changed.

“We got relatively close in a standoffish way, because, like I said, that trust thing kept coming up,” Clements said. “We got pretty comfortable, and then he would disappear, and I wouldn’t hear from him for two or three weeks, and then he’d pop back up and text me.”

Life Skills

Since the inception of Safe Families PLUS by Regional Director Mark Unger in 2010, more than 55 young people have been referred to the program.

Five mentor-mentee teams, Elicker said, have been successfully “discharged” and are now in the 18-month tracking period that Bethany implements.

“It definitely has its challenges,” she said. “It’s frustrating when the kids don’t want to even give it a try, or, when they’re starting to build that relationship, they end the relationship instead of really trying to invest some time and energy into it. You have to know, though, coming in, that it’s a tough population, given their life experiences.”

Elicker believes that Safe Families PLUS (the “PLUS” stands for “Providing Lasting Unconditional Support”) is effective because it fills a gap in services. As children age out of the foster care system, they often have a lack of adult support, and this is the only program she knows of that provides needed services.

“These youth have had a lot of losses,” she said. “They’ve gone through relationships that have been disrupted, and so, because of that, they don’t really have the necessary support system to help them learn life skills.”

The youth are more likely to be homeless, incarcerated, or, in the case of the girls, pregnant at a very young age, Elicker said.

“They just have a lot of harder challenges—that’s a tough age to begin with,” she said. “Then you add, you know, having experienced abuse and/or neglect, being moved around a lot, not having that support system. So needless to say, it’s very hard for them.”

Anyone over the age of 24 who can pass the necessary background check is eligible to be a mentor, regardless of their other interests or qualifications.

“We are looking for a wide range of different people, because it’s going to take different people to mentor different youth,” Elicker said.

There for You

For Range and Clements, most aspects of their relationship are everyday activities—getting dinner, watching a football game together.

When Range’s car broke down, he called Clements to pick him up. Currently, Range is pursuing a degree in physical education and working six days a week, so his communication with Clements mostly takes place via text message.

While Clements doesn’t like texting, he says that it works best for Range.

“I completely understand where he’s coming from,” he said.

Over the past two years, Range has become the son that Clements never had. His two daughters “look at him as a brother” and ask about him regularly.

“I’ve got three sets of parents,” Range said cheerfully. “I’m fine with that.”

Bethany Christian Services, headquartered in Michigan, provides a variety of other social services, including domestic and international adoption (it is the largest adoption agency in the United States) and pro-life pregnancy counseling.

As Safe Families PLUS continues to grow (an expansion to York County is planned), Elicker is focused on finding more mentors and on fundraising, including events last month with both the Harrisburg Senators and Lancaster Barnstormers.

“We’re also working on, Stephen is joining me, in creating a community impact team,” she said. “We’re really looking to bring in a wide range of people. First, they should have a passion for these youth and a commitment to serving them, but also a wide range of skillsets to help us grow this program.”

In spite of their hesitant start, Clements and Range are both glad that they committed to Safe Families PLUS and foresee a lifelong relationship.

“This is whenever you need a person, or need that family, they’re there for you,” Range said. “They’re there to listen or to contact or whatever.”

To learn more about Bethany Christian Services and Safe Families PLUS, visit www.bethany.org.

Seeds of Success: Master gardeners help turn all-thumbs to green thumbs.

May 31, 2016 | by Don Helin

Each year, you plant some flowers, maybe a tomato plant or two.

That makes you a gardener, right?

Sure, but probably one who still has a lot to learn. That’s where a master gardener steps in.

Master gardeners help to inform and educate average folks about gardening practices, said Annette MaCoy, Penn State Extension coordinator who oversees the Master Gardener program in Pennsylvania. The concept began in 1972 in Seattle and since has spread around the country.

“An extension agent was inundated each spring with requests from home gardeners,” she explained. “It was his idea to train volunteers and utilize their knowledge and skills to assist him in answering those questions.”

In Pennsylvania, 63 counties have Master Gardener programs, totaling more than 3,000 volunteers. Locally, the program began in 1988 in Cumberland County and in 2006 in Perry County, where there are currently 14 active master gardeners.

This month, you can see the fruits of their labors at the 2016 Country Garden & Art Tour, which includes a tour of gardens cultivated by Perry County master gardeners, paired with art from the Perry County Council of the Arts.

Perfect Place
A master gardener is not your garden-variety gardener.

“The program is only for those avid gardeners who are willing to make a long-term commitment to volunteer service,” said MaCoy. “Not all applicants are accepted.”

The process begins with a written application, a test of general gardening knowledge and a personal interview. Those accepted into the program must attend a minimum of 40 hours of training by expert horticulturists.

In the first year following training, aspiring master gardeners are required to complete at least 50 hours of volunteer service at approved activities and demonstration gardens. If all requirements are completed, the trainee becomes a certified Penn State Master Gardener. Each year thereafter, master gardeners must contribute a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer service and obtain at least 10 hours of approved continuing education.

This month’s Country Garden & Art Tour will be the perfect place to see the work of the masters as they show off their personal gardens—and even to meet a few.

There will be six gardens on the tour, including native plant, perennial, vegetable, flower and fruit gardens. The Perry County Extension Demonstration Garden in New Bloomfield also will be open to spread knowledge about herbs, pollinator plants and native perennials. Master gardener docents will be available at each stop for tours and to answer questions about plant varieties and best practices.

To make the tour extra special, PCCA artists will set up at each location, demonstrating their art or craft—painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry making, fiber arts and fine woodworking.

Best Practices
Susan Smith is one of Perry County’s master gardeners and has become a leader in the local farming community.

“I became a member of the Master Gardener program in 2006, having been involved in farming and gardening without any formal training for decades,” she said. “Starting that first year, our small group set up free workshops on a variety of subjects, including soil evaluation, composting and starting and cultivating seeds.”

Smith appreciated the education that the Penn State Extension program provided during her training.

“What I really enjoy is the extensive sharing of information and best practices between master gardeners, as well as discussions around building successful programs,” she said.

Examples of these programs include “How to Extend the Growing Season with Low Tunnels,” “Learning about Invasive Plants” and “Native Bees and Pollinator Habitat.”

“We can also obtain update training by the Internet, so I don’t have to travel to hear programs,” she said.

Are you interested in becoming a master gardener? If so, the basic training will be held in our region beginning in August. Applications for the Cumberland and Perry County program are being accepted through June 16. For more information or to receive an application form and basic training information, contact MaCoy at [email protected] or call 717-240-6500.

GOING THERE

The Country Garden and Art Tour will be held on Sunday, June 12, from 1 to 6 p.m. The tour book is $10 in advance or $12 on the day of the tour.

Tickets may be purchased at a number of places including Ashcombe Farm and Greenhouses, Butcher’s Farm Market in Newport, the Cooperative Extension Office in Carlisle, Dauphin or New Bloomfield, Espresso Yourself Café in Newport, the Perry County Council of the Arts Gallery in Newport and the Rosemary House and Gardens in Mechanicsburg.

For more information about the tour, visit www.extension.psu.edu/perry or www.perrycountyarts.org or call 717-582-5150.

Don Helin published his first thriller, “Thy Kingdom Come,” in 2009. His second, “Devil’s Den,” was published in 2012. His third, “Secret Assault,” was selected as the best suspense/thriller at the 2015 Indie Book Awards. His most recent thriller, “Angel’s Revenge,” was recently published. Contact Don at www.donhelin.com.

Uncertain Decision: Millions more, yet a new federal courthouse seems as distant as ever.

May 31, 2016 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

There’s an old joke that goes something like this.

A woman goes on vacation and asks her niece to take care of her beloved cat. Shortly afterwards, the cat escapes out the door, is hit by a car and dies. The distraught girl doesn’t know how to break this news without ruining her aunt’s long-awaited trip.

“Here’s what you do,” says a friend. “When she calls you, tell her the cat’s on the roof, and you can’t get it down. So, when you finally break the bad news to her, she’ll be prepared for it.”

She follows this advice, each day telling her aunt that she still can’t get the cat off the roof. By the fourth phone call, she says that the cat fell off the roof and died, and, indeed, the aunt does take it better than expected.

“Oh well,” the aunt says. “Please take the body to the vet and have him send me the bill.”

Before hanging up, she adds, “Oh, by the way, how’s grandma doing?”

The girl pauses a minute, then says, “Grandma’s on the roof, and we can’t get her down.”

This rather dark joke popped into my head recently after I called around trying to find out what—exactly—was happening with the proposed federal courthouse in Harrisburg.

I began making calls after the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recommended that the project receive an additional $29.5 million for more studies and preparation work.

In the press, Sen. Bob Casey Jr., Rep. Lou Barletta and Mayor Eric Papenfuse all praised the funding, and most media dutifully reported that the money was the next step forward in the long-delayed effort to build a new courthouse at N. 6^th and Reily streets.

But was it?

Something kept bothering me, and that something started with wording contained in GSA’s recently released 2016 courthouse plan that discussed the Harrisburg project. Under the headline, “Feasibility Study for Potential Future Project,” the agency states, “GSA will undertake a feasibility study to determine the best housing solution, appropriate future funding request amount and the project schedule.”

Potential future project? Feasibility study? Best housing solution?

Hadn’t all that been settled ages ago?

In 2010, after a search of many years and many locations, the federal government selected a vast grass-and-asphalt site at N. 6^th and Reily streets. It bought the land, cleared it of a few old buildings and designed a 265,000-square-foot courthouse priced at around $161 million.

So, what was left to study and decide?

I posed this question to the major players in this extended saga: GSA, the U.S. Courts and Harrisburg’s congressional delegation. I asked them, specifically—what is to be studied; what is to be decided; and is the government considering alternatives to what everyone around here considers to be a done deal?

No one gave me straight answers to my very clear questions. However, in their vague responses, they each included at least the possibility of other options than a new courthouse at 6^th and Reily.

Said the GSA: “Over the past decade, the U.S. Courts have changed their approach to space planning in order to reduce government real estate costs. As a result of this effort, GSA and the Courts will be working together to update their space requirements for Harrisburg, PA.”

Barletta went further, raising the specter that the plan may change considerably, including constructing an annex to the existing courthouse.

“The judiciary and GSA are still determining the best course of action, which could involve a new courthouse or an annex to the existing facility,” said a statement from his office.

Of the major players, only the spokesman for U.S. Courts, Charles Hall, would have an actual conversation with me as I tried to find out what exactly would be studied and if a change of direction were possible.

The upshot from our chat—a feasibility study doesn’t necessarily indicate a new course—but it could.

He, like the others, praised the $29.5 million funding (in addition to the already $26 million spent on the project) as an important step because it kept the Harrisburg project “alive.” But, beyond that, he couldn’t make any promises, saying that, sometimes, things change.

To emphasize that point, he cited the eight courthouse projects currently in line ahead of Harrisburg, all of which, in the current funding round, would receive enough money for construction. Three of those, he said, were scaled back over the years from new courthouses to courthouse annexes.

“It’s fair to say that, for all the courthouse projects right now, there is an imperative to make them as cost-efficient as possible,” he said. “As a result, things that might have been in the original plan, all of the specifics are being re-examined now to see how we can reduce the cost of these.”

To be clear—the U.S. Courts and the GSA would like a new courthouse at 6^th and Reily. However, they’re subject to the desires, whims and spending restrictions of some future Congress.

In the meantime, they’re focused not on Harrisburg, but on getting the current Congress to sign off on the eight courthouses and annexes that are fully funded, projects that will occupy them for years. After that, who really knows?

Hall did mention that, with nearly $56 million committed to the project, something likely would be built in Harrisburg at some point. But exactly when or where or in what form, he couldn’t say.

Hanging up the phone, I had an uneasy feeling. I felt discomfort as a taxpayer who hates to see his money flushed, as a resident who cares about this city, as someone who has stared longingly at a big, empty field for six years already. I felt that I was being subtly warned that bad news could be ahead and explicitly told that, if anything is built, it will be years away still.

And then I thought—the Harrisburg courthouse is on the roof, and we can’t get it down.

Lawrance Binda is editor-in-chief of TheBurg.

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