Local Light: With a new book, Frank Pizzoli caps a lifetime of LGBTQ+ activism

June 27, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

Frank Pizzoli

When a Pride Festival protester told Frank Pizzoli, “I think homosexuality is wrong,” Pizzoli responded with, “Then don’t be a homosexual. Doesn’t sound like a good idea for you.”

The police officer on the scene laughed, but Pizzoli’s point was serious.

“You don’t get to decide that for everybody on the planet,” Pizzoli said. “You didn’t decide to be whoever you are. Even if it was that way, why are we stuck on this?”

In a career blending human service and journalism, Pizzoli has supported local people with HIV, and he published The Central Voice, the onetime newspaper that served as a sounding board for Central PA’s LGBTQ and straight communities.

Now, he has published “Passionate Outlier: Gay Writers and Allies on Their Work.” The book compiles some of Pizzoli’s interviews with literary icons—Salman Rushdie, Andrew Holleran, Lesbian Avenger co-founder Anne-christine d’Adesky and others.

The Way Back

Pizzoli arrived in Harrisburg in 1974, a recent college graduate launching a career in human services with a prison-alternative program.

Leaving and then returning to Harrisburg in 1982, he realized that the health crisis gripping the gay communities of New York and other big cities was on its way.

He connected with a Casey-administration Health Department official, joining forces by merging their similar discussion groups that were trying to grapple with the murky, early world of AIDS. Conversations led to creation of a buddy program to support HIV patients as they became sicker and needed help with their medical and daily living needs.

When researchers announced, around 1996, that three antiviral agents could control the virus, Pizzoli realized that the work of AIDS service organizations “was going to drastically change—for good reasons.”

“They had a history—and they had a venerable, honorable history—of helping individuals, couples, and families prepare for death,” he said. “And now, people are not going to die, and they’re going to have to reconstruct their lives.”

He had seen AIDS patients, knowing the end was near, stop worrying about quitting smoking or getting a job. Now, he felt a pull to lead the way back into living, especially as HIV patients continued to face discrimination in employment and insurance.

With that mission, he founded the nonprofit Positive Opportunities. From 1997 to 2017, he traveled the region, counseling HIV-positive health center patients and state and county prisoners. He interviewed clients about their wants and needs—medications, jobs, housing.

“What do we need to do, not to make you whole, but to give you the tools and the enablement that you need to have your own agency with this?” he said.

Focal Point

Pizzoli grew up in Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region, in a family of readers and a storytelling culture.

“If you could pull a tale together, give it a punchline, a little bit of personality, you are respected,” he said. “You were enjoyed as an individual, and I just remember many, many wonderful hours of sitting on porches and in kitchens with elders telling stories and everybody pounding the table and laughing.”

From college onward, he applied those skills in human services and writing. When he came to Harrisburg, he recalls, he was the guy “in the little organizations saying, ‘What do you need? A newsletter? I can do a newsletter. I know how to call the radio station and schedule a story.’”

For the 2003 Harrisburg Pride Festival, Pizzoli launched The Central Voice. He wanted a focal point for the LGBTQ community, “one place where we could talk to each other, but we could also address the larger community.”

Before COVID killed the award-winning newspaper, it succeeded “because the local market had matured enough to know that you don’t have to like everybody to whom you sell advertising, that there can be peaceful coexistence.”

Readership included LGBTQ and straight people looking for international, national, state and local news.

“It was music to my ears when people would say to me, ‘It’s a good read,’” Pizzoli said.

And, he added with a bit of awe in his voice, “The Pennsylvania State Library and the archives have collected almost every single issue of Central Voice, and they archived it. I didn’t ask them to do that.”

Passionate Outlier

Pizzoli got a regular gig writing profiles for the Village Voice after sending in three of his pieces and hearing back from an editor, “We think your interviews are insightful. What would you like to write about?”

As a freelance writer contributing to local and national publications, he would apply the old saying, “Write the book you want to read,” to his interviews. He asked the questions he wanted answers to, and over time, his body of work included Q&A interviews with prominent LGBTQ writers.

Some of those interviews were compiled into “Passionate Outlier,” published by Rebel Satori Press in February. He feels obligated to let readers draw their own conclusions, but first, they have to know what happened, and that makes his book a history.

“You need to know that life is not static,” he said. “If you’re involved in creating and maintaining and nurturing your own agency, you need to know what happened before you engaged, and hopefully people will follow and know what your contributions were.”

In one timely anecdote, Salman Rushdie shares India’s history of decriminalizing homosexuality and then, suddenly, recriminalizing it. Pizzoli said that he could not have anticipated that his book release would coincide with the return to power, in the United States, of gay-rights opponents.

Problems once solved, he said, are problems again. He remembers, as a child, living “the old yarn” of looking up “homosexual” in the dictionary. Today’s youth continue to look it up, he said, but now, once-available information “is being erased.”

“When we were doing our search, it was nowhere,” he said. “Where do we find this? There wasn’t anything that was taken away. It was just never put there to begin with.”

Pizzoli, who lives in Harrisburg with his husband and their adorable Lhasa apso, Sherlock, said he has been encouraged to write a memoir, and he thinks he will. He has won recognitions—a Points of Light Foundation award for Positive Opportunities, a Harrisburg Living Legend in conjunction with the city’s 2010 sesquicentennial—but he prefers viewing his impact as proof that anyone can help others, because “if you’re sincere, then people will follow, and things will happen.”

“Even though you might be shoulders hunched over, and head down, involved in the work you think is important, rest assured there are people watching,” he said. “That’s not why you do the work you do, and I have been blessed to receive many different recognitions from many different avenues. I would encourage people to think about what it is they can contribute, whatever that means for them.”

Frank Pizzoli will hold a special Pride Day reading and book signing of “Passionate Outlier” (no books available for purchase due to state rules) at the Pennsylvania State Library, Law Reading Room, July 26, 2 p.m.

The Central PA Pride Festival takes place July 26, starting at 10 a.m. with the Pride Parade through downtown Harrisburg, followed by the festival in Soldier’s Grove, 400 Commonwealth Ave.

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DEI—What’s Next? The term may change but the ideals remain, say area practitioners

June 27, 2025 | by Susan Ryder

A few years ago, DEI became the term for wanting to promote greater fairness in society. Is that now changing?

The acronym, which stands for “diversity, equity and inclusion,” skyrocketed in use following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, but the concept has long existed, with practitioners working towards meeting those needs in society.

“Diversity is the difference between people. Equity is about whether or not people have equitable access to services, goods, and then inclusion brings in how we are bringing people into the fold that are different to ensure that they feel a part of what you are doing,” explained Monica Gould, founder and president of Mechanicsburg-based Strategic Consulting Partners.

For over 30 years, Gould has been addressing these goals for businesses, highlighting the practical reasons for their importance—that well-supported employees are happier and thereby stay longer, work harder and innovate. This was before the acronym.

“DEI was once diversity and inclusion; before that, it was multiculturalism,” said Hattie McCarter, founder and owner of MEND Solutions, LLC, who has worked in the field for over 18 years, seeing the rise and fall of the moniker. “Before that, it was affirmative action and, before that, it was something else.”

Sense of Urgency

Currently, DEI often refers to equity for Black or LGBTQ+ people, McCarter explained. But DEI has 22-plus dimensions to it, and a lot of people have benefited from this work, she said. Differences in age, geographic location, ability and education are all included but often excluded from the conversation, she added.

“I think that DEI, as we’ve known it, has always been attributed to ‘Black’ the same way that welfare has always been attributed to Black poor, or the same way that certain stereotypes have been attached to people,” said Ana White, owner of Way with Words Consulting Services, LLC. “Now, everybody is attributing, ‘Let’s get rid of these DEI programs,’ when what they are saying is, ‘Let’s get rid of all these racially connected programs.’”

White explained that, after George Floyd’s murder, people came out of the woodwork interested in DEI, but also wanted to separate themselves from this injustice with a “It’s them, not us” posture. DEI practitioners, new and veteran, rushed to meet the demand for knowledge, but White feels that the rush lost the nuances of what DEI represented, and that people weren’t always doing it well.

“There was such a sense of urgency to get this right because black and brown bodies specifically, at that time, felt like we don’t have much more time to waste,” White said.

While that type of violence was a revelation to most white Americans, it was common knowledge to Black people. That rush may have caused some of the problems that upended DEI. Then there was the anti-DEI message emanating from some politicians, including the new administration in the White House.

DEI flipped from being a desire for a more understanding and empathetic society to the opposite.

“What I’d really love to see happen, is that we walk away from the blaming and shaming concepts around DEI,” Gould said. “That’s how we got into trouble with DEI in the first place, because we had practitioners that would go in and do blaming and shaming sessions and make people feel bad for being a certain color or a certain ability or a certain gender.”

The Impact

So, is DEI gone? Maybe the acronym, but not the ideals.

“It’s dead in its current form, but it’s still happening,” Gould stated.

Gould said that, if organizations aren’t inclusive, they aren’t going to attract the most diverse and best talent.

“These concepts don’t change,” Gould said. “We’re still doing the work. We may not be calling it one big bundle, but what we’re doing is, we’re really working with organizations to make them healthy.”

Mark Davis, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Advocates and Resources for Autism and Intellectual Disabilities (PAR), said that DEI has been at the core of what they do since the organization’s inception in 1974.

“It’s not so much what you call it, it’s how you implement it,” Davis said. “It’s what impact it has on the ability for communities to accept people with disabilities and different abilities.”

The concern, therefore, is less about the rhetoric around DEI than what it means for specific communities, he said.

McCarter’s focus has always been transformative leadership, of which DEI is just a part.

“I never looked at my work as being a DEI consultant,” McCarter said. “I looked at it as a person who is partnering with your organization to really help you tap into that space of vulnerability, where you can be accountable as a leader, and you can hold your employees accountable. So, that means we’ve got to have these brave conversations.”

DEI’s tenure as a symbol of inclusivity in America may have concluded in a flurry of backlash and executive orders, but its foundations remain.

White said that DEI was ill-equipped to stand the test of time, but that’s OK.

“I don’t think there’s a way to revive this thing,” White said. “I also feel very passionately that we don’t need to revive this thing, that we need to truly break it apart and re-engineer what DEI and those components look like in this new phase of American society.”

Learn more about the organizations mentioned in this story:

Strategic Consulting Partners, www.yourstrategicconsultant.com
MEND Solutions, LLC, www.mendsolutionsllc.org
Way with Words Consulting Services, LLC, [email protected]
PAR, www.par.net

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Horses to Houses: As it turns 175, Upper Allen Township looks back, forward

June 27, 2025 | by Dan Miller

Scenes from Upper Allen TownshipThis year, Upper Allen Township celebrates a big birthday—its 175th—and is using the occasion both for reflection and assessment.

The goal is looking at “where the township was, where we are now, and where we hope to be,” said Timothy Wendling, the township’s assistant manager.

All this year, the township is holding events to mark the occasion, among them a historical speaking series educating residents on how and why Upper Allen came into being, a community art project, a vintage baseball tournament, and—the culmination—a drone light show.

Then to Now

The township’s story starts much earlier than 1850, with Sir Admiral William Penn, father of Pennsylvania founder William Penn.

According to Upper Allen resident and historian William Murray, the elder Penn gave lots of money to the king of England so he could maintain his Navy. Penn died before the king could repay, so he settled the debt by granting the son plots of land to sell in what is now southeast Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Besides giving Quakers religious freedom in the new world, Penn wanted to make more money, leading him to expand westward. This led to creation of Lancaster County, from which was later formed Cumberland County.

Over the years, political entities within Cumberland County were made smaller, each time to bring residents closer to their seat of government.

In 1849, residents filed a court petition to divide Allen Township—again so citizens would not have to travel far to do business with their government, for example every time land changed hands. The courts agreed, leading to creation of Upper Allen Township in 1850.

According to Murray, the original Allen Township was named for William Allen, a prominent member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and former mayor of Philadelphia—who never set foot in Cumberland County.

From the start, roads linked Upper Allen to other communities for trade and travel. For the most part, life in Upper Allen in the late 1800s revolved around agriculture, as was the case for the region in general.

Upper Allen in 1850 was home to 1,220 people, according to census research Murray has done. Children attended one of nine one-room schoolhouses in the Mechanicsburg area.

Most of the township was farmland—7,614 improved acres. Today, Upper Allen has 741 acres of farmland, Murray said.

For the first 100 years, the township grew very little. By 1950, Upper Allen was home to just under 1,600 people, only about 400 more than a century before.

But from 1950 to 1960, the population shot up to over 8,000. The nation was experiencing a baby boom as men returned home from World War II. Buying an automobile was within reach of the average person.

These factors combined to begin transforming Upper Allen from mostly farmland to residential—the advent of suburbia—supporting the economic growth of Harrisburg and the surrounding region.

Since then, the continued growth of Upper Allen has been dramatic, consistent with other once-rural townships in south central Pennsylvania like Silver Spring and Lower Paxton.

By 2000, Upper Allen was up to 15,338 people, and by 2010, 18,059, according to census figures. Upper Allen grew another 28.4% from 2010 to 2020, reaching 23,261, according to the 2020 census.

Wendling said that the township’s rapid growth continues, citing demand for new housing and the new businesses, restaurants and convenience stores sprouting up to keep pace with the burgeoning population.

Fit the Bill

Upper Allen has several things going for it to attract people, Wendling said.

The proximity of Route 15 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike make for easy day trips not just to Harrisburg but to Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City and Washington, D.C. Other big selling points are the Mechanicsburg Area School District, and the township’s emphasis on open space and parks.

“While we are continuing to grow with housing and developments and businesses, I think Upper Allen is striking that really good balance between growth and kind of maintaining that rural-ish type of feeling here,” Wendling said.

If that is the present, Steven Leasure and his family are invested in and part of the township’s future.

When Leasure’s company transferred him from Michigan to south central Pennsylvania, a good school district and parks with lots of opportunities for outdoor recreation topped his family’s must-have list for a new home.

Upper Allen Township fit the bill.

“We went back and forth between Derry Township and a couple of other places,” said Leasure, who moved with his wife and two boys—Jude, 10, and Gabe, 7—in January 2023.

“What really made Upper Allen stick out was just the amount of parks in the small area and the equipment they have and just the things you can do,” he said. “The proximity to Mechanicsburg being a nice small little town that you can walk around through. You have Harrisburg International Airport close, the city of Harrisburg. It was just like a good distance from everything we needed.”

So far, life in Upper Allen Township has been everything Leasure and his family hoped for. He’s optimistic that the good vibe will continue.

“Just like any other township, it is going to continue to grow,” he said. “But I would hope that, as we grow as a township, it’s like strategic growth—we’re not just saying you know let’s put more houses for more tax revenue—that we are actually growing the community in the right way and continuing to have open spaces for our kids to play in.”

Upper Allen Township is holding events all year long to celebrate its 175th anniversary. For details, visitwww.uatwp.org/information/175th_anniversary.php.

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Chestnut Hill Charm: Take a weekend to explore Philly’s hidden gem

June 27, 2025 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

Chestnut Hill Hotel

Nestled on the northwestern edge of Philadelphia, Chestnut Hill offers a respite from the everyday hustle and bustle. With its cobblestone streets, cozy cafes, lush gardens, bountiful boutiques and burgeoning arts scene, this walkable neighborhood is tailor made for a weekend getaway from the Harrisburg area.

Germantown Bound

To explore the area on foot, Germantown Avenue is the place to start. The Chestnut Hill Hotel, located at 8229 Germantown Ave., offers a central location and the convenience of a large, free parking lot. It’s an ideal basecamp for daily strolls to the many shops and restaurants in the area.

The Woodmere Art Museum is also on Germantown Avenue. Housed in a historic building that once belonged to avid art collector and founder Charles Knox Smith, the museum touts some 8,000 works, showcasing the talents of the many artists who call Philadelphia home. A highlight with ties to Harrisburg is an exhibit by Violet Oakley, who is known for her 43 murals that festoon the walls of the state Capitol.

Outdoors, visitors can explore the museum’s growing sculpture collection known collectively as Woodmere’s Outdoor Wonder (WOW). Guests can scan QR codes to learn more about each piece.

The Woodmere is among the elite 3% of U.S. museums accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, a recognition of its commitment to excellence. Recently, it announced the acquisition of a nearby building and four additional acres for expanded gallery space and outdoor exhibits with a projected opening by October/November.

Flora & Fauna

Nature lovers will love the Morris Arboretum and Gardens, a 92-acre oasis that’s part of the University of Pennsylvania. The private estate of siblings John and Lydia Morris, the property was transformed from desolate land in the late 1800s into a verdant landscape with plants from around the world. It became a public arboretum in 1933 after Lydia’s passing.

Home to 17 “champion” trees—recognized as outstanding specimens in Pennsylvania—the grounds include a rare katsura tree and a grove of dawn redwoods once thought extinct.

Designed with inspiration from English parks and Japanese gardens, the arboretum features a lovely swan pond and scenic overlooks. Morris also hosts educational programs for kids and adults on art, wellness, botany, birding and more.

Another natural retreat is Wissahickon Valley Park, located at 120 Northwestern Ave. With 50 miles of trails, the 1,800-acre park is perfect for picnicking, walking, biking and wildlife watching. On any given day, one is likely to see wildflowers, deer and perhaps the occasional fox.

Shop Talk

Germantown Avenue is home to many boutique shops, each offering something unique.

At the Antique Gallery at 8523 Germantown Ave., you’re likely to meet Gerald Schultz, a man with a passion for the decorative arts. Schultz established the business in the 1980s and enjoys offering information about his many interesting and beautiful pieces. During my visit, he introduced me to a striking, Art Deco-style Longwy service in earthenware cloisonné enamel. I learned that Longwy is a French town known for its enameling techniques.

Art enthusiasts will also enjoy browsing the street’s many galleries—there are at least seven along the avenue. A few works that caught my eye were pieces by Peter Max and Romero Britto displayed at Moondance Farm Studios.

Food & Drink

No trip to Chestnut Hill is complete without a visit to McNally’s Tavern at 8634 Germantown Ave. McNally’s is an institution in the area, dating back to 1921 when Rose O’Brien McNally, wife of a trolley conductor, opened “McNally’s Quick Lunch” in a small steel building across from its current location. It was a respite for Philadelphia Rapid Transit workers and local laborers.

In 1927, the tavern expanded to where it is today, serving spirits and beer after the repeal of Prohibition. The landmark, now run by Anne and Meg McNally, is a testament to their great-grandmother’s legacy. McNally’s is known for its signature Schmitter sandwich made with steak, cheese, fried onions, tomatoes, cooked salami and “Schmitter sauce,” served on a kaiser roll.

Adelinas Restaurant & Bar is another standout located on Germantown Avenue. The Italian eatery opened in 2022 by brothers Antonio and Giuliano Presta and is named after their grandmother. The menu features traditional Italian fare made with locally sourced ingredients. Popular dishes include stuffed focaccia, chicken parmesan and a porterhouse topped with black truffle butter.

After dinner, visitors can enjoy a nightcap at Char & Stave, located at 8441 Germantown Ave. The coffeehouse/cocktail bar hybrid was founded by Jared Adkins, who applied his whisky-making talent to the art of coffee roasting.

Then there’s Wednesday night trivia at the Chestnut Hill Brewing Co. Held in the beer garden, the game allows customers to engage in a friendly competition for a chance to win a gift card.

For breakfast, head to Cake, a place so popular that people queue up early to wait in line for employees to open the place. The bright, airy eatery housed in a converted Victorian greenhouse is known for its baked goods and its brioche French toast with honey butter and spiced pecans. Hearty lunch options include options like Philly cheesesteak marsala.

Whether you’re wandering through fragrant gardens, admiring local art, savoring a Schmitter at a historic tavern or browsing boutique shops, Chestnut Hill offers a blend of culture, history and natural beauty. You may find it to be the perfect weekend escape.

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Bark in Business: After a rough patch, Humane Society made reforms, is rebuilding trust

June 27, 2025 | by M. Diane McCormick

Photos courtesy of Humane Society of Harrisburg Area

The adopted dog seemed excited to leave the shelter but afraid to get in her new family’s car.

Vierria Maisonave, at the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area to adopt a cat, watched as a shelter employee climbed in and coaxed the dog into the backseat.

“They brought out treats,” said Maisonave. “They were very slow. They were very mindful. I saw that and thought, ‘This is definitely the right place to be.’ The fact that a staff member was willing to get in the car and guide her and be slow, instead of forcing her into the car, that really spoke to me.”

After a tumultuous time over the past few years, HSHA is getting a new “leash” on life. With major reforms and affiliation with a progressive shelter, HSHA is seeing adoptions rise and better lives for the animals—dogs, cats, guinea pigs, chinchillas—in its care.

“The focus over the last year has been—what improvements can we make to the facility, what programs can we implement—so that we’re addressing the animals’ needs while they’re with us,” said Director of Operations Aspasia Yeager. “They’re here, waiting for a home. What can we do for them that is medically indicated, so they leave a little bit better? We want to set them up for success.”

Transformation

The 2023 headlines featuring Humane Society of Harrisburg Area were grim.

“Fined by state over poor financial record-keeping.”

“Leader leaves job after series of controversies.”

“Furor over plans to euthanize dog unleashes complaints.”

That was the saga of Pursuit, slated for euthanasia before a volunteer spirited him away from HSHA’s Swatara Township facility. In the aftermath, volunteers complained about the shelter’s treatment of animals and people.

In January 2024, a new headline announced, “Harrisburg Humane Society aims to become a ‘no kill’ shelter.” The goal emerged from a new affiliation with Chester County-based Brandywine Valley SPCA, an open-adoption, no-kill advocate with operations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

HSHA reached its goal with a 94% “live release rate” in 2024, exceeding the 90% rate considered as a no-kill benchmark.

With the affiliation, staff remained largely intact, but major policy and facility upgrades followed. Open adoption. Air conditioning. Systematic animal socialization.

The numbers from 2023 to 2024 mark a dramatic turnaround. That 94% live release rate was a jump from 82%. Placements rose from 1,787 to 3,072. Spay/neuter surgeries for the community and in-shelter animals soared from 949 to 4,685. Wellness visits at HSHA’s Veterinary Resource Center—a low-cost clinic supporting pet ownership in the community—jumped from 3,916 to 4,876.

Open Adoption

When Brandywine Valley SPCA CEO Adam Lamb first met HSHA staff, he asked how many of their pets were up to date on vaccinations. Not every hand went up, proving his point. Even the best pet owners are human, and old systems requiring potential adopters to jump through hoops like, well, circus dogs “don’t necessarily equate to a better, more permanent home,” said Yeager.

Today, under open adoption, HSHA counselors talk with adopters, finding their preferences, capabilities and circumstances, on the way to matching the right pet with the right home.

“If they’re walking through the door at the animal shelter, they’re good people,” said Yeager. “They want to do the right thing.”

Vierria Maisonave visited HSHA during a discount adoption day, needing the mental-health pick-me-up of a cat to care for. She saw a sleeping cat named Hedwig, which she would rename Beatrix.

“A toy jiggles, she chirps, and she goes straight to me,” said Maisonave, of Carlisle. “There was this connection.”

Open adoption made it easy. She told an HSHA adoption counselor that she lived with her mom and their guinea pigs.

“They love their animals there,” Maisonave said. “They’re open, but they’re very serious about making sure that their baby is going to be safe with another family.”

Today, Beatrix gives kisses, dresses up for the camera, and cuddles with Cupcake—the new guinea pig that Maisonave’s mom adopted the day Beatrix came home.

“Beatrix is a cutie,” said Maisonave.

Playtime

Pre-Pursuit, HSHA board members justified the lack of air conditioning by claiming that AC units would take space devoted to open-air kennels.

Post-Brandywine affiliation, AC is installed, and so are 5,000 square feet of play space, in three fenced yards accommodating up to 10 dogs each.

“This has been a game changer for the quality of care for the dogs,” Yeager said. “It’s addressing their mental needs while they’re here. For a dog in a kennel, it’s a stressful situation. Here, they can get out and get some fresh air, stretch their legs, play with other dogs.”

Staff recently trained in Dogs Playing for Life, a playgroup approach that matches dogs temperamentally for socialization and exercise. Under the system, sweet Megara—a white mixed breed who was abandoned after having multiple litters of puppies—initially shied from play but, over time, learned that other dogs weren’t scary.

“You could see her confidence building,” said Director of Marketing and Outreach Amanda Brunish. “She’s learning that other dogs are safe. We were all saying, ‘Go, Megara!’”

Cats live in dedicated spaces according to their needs. Sociable cats mingle in the cat condo room. Estrella the calico was recently entranced by fish swimming in the built-in aquarium, visible from adjoining rooms.

On an early June day, a.k.a. “kitten season” in shelter world, staff were preparing to welcome 70 kittens from their foster homes. Their cages are gated on one side and glass-walled on the other, lining a hallway where visitors can soak up all that cavorting cuteness.

In the “critter room,” chinchillas did whatever it is that chinchillas do, while a volunteer lavished attention on a surrendered, lop-eared bunny.

Like a Machine

At some point, a visitor might notice that the HSHA kennels and spaces don’t smell bad. Staff love that compliment. They credit the volunteers devoted to cleaning and caring for the animals.

Stefanie Bevins’ first volunteer gig involved the unglamorous job of washing dishes—“stacks and stacks of dog dishes.”

“At first, I felt, ‘OK, I’m just doing dishes,’” said Bevins of Lower Paxton Township. “But it’s like a machine. Every little part makes it run smoothly. Even those volunteers that don’t have direct animal care, what they’re doing is important.”

Now, Bevins helps with paperwork and the summertime “Critter Camp” for kids. She also walks dogs, having taken a two-hour course in proper leashing techniques, which is “more complicated than it sounds.”

Bevins, owner of an 11-year-old rescue German shepherd, volunteered in January for the chance to do something gratifying. She was surprised by HSHA’s efficient operations.

“They have procedures for everything, which is great, because there’s no guessing what you need to do,” she said. “And the fact that they can do same-day adoptions now, instead of having a whole process, it’s very enticing to the community that wants to adopt a dog or a cat or a rat or a bunny.”

As HSHA removes old barriers, Shelter Skip Days have grown increasingly popular. Whenever the shelter is open, members of the public can take out a dog for a mental health day, perhaps to play at their homes or get a Starbucks Pup Cup.

Tim Delp, a former HSHA volunteer of the year and Pursuit-era critic, now brings Shelter Skip Day dogs to his backyard play area every Saturday. Often, it is a dog so amped up by kennel stress that it’s hard to adopt out.

“We work with them, or if they just want to lay and sleep, we let them do that,” he said. “We build trust with them and get them to feel what it’s like to be out of that stressful environment and be in a family.”

HSHA still has its detractors, Delp said, but he believes the organization has made all the changes demanded by protesters and is investing in the community and in staff training.

“That’s all positive and a plus for the animals,” he said. “That’s what we wanted to see. How do you make it better for the animals first, and right behind that, how do you make it easier and better for the community?”

Delp said he keeps in touch with CEO Adam Lamb and, as an engaged outsider, holds HSHA accountable for its promises.

“We love you and we trust you and we’re behind you, but we’re also watching,” he said. “I don’t think they would want anything other than that.”

It’s a stabilization year at HSHA, said Yeager. No new initiatives, other than a rebranding with Brandywine Valley SPCA, are planned while staff get accustomed to new routines.

As for Maisonave, if there’s “another baby” in her future, it will come from HSHA.

“I would definitely recommend it to others,” she said.

Her mom, Alaiah Livingston, shared that she was a foster child who now has a soft spot for adoptable animals. HSHA, she said, “is not a shelter. It’s their transition home.”

Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, 7790 Grayson Rd., Harrisburg, 717-564-3320. Find adoptable pets at www.humanesocietyhbg.org, but don’t look for sweet, once-shy Megara. She was adopted on June 5.

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Lifting Up: For more than a century, AAUW Harrisburg has helped empower, support women

June 27, 2025 | by Phyllis Zimmerman

2023 grant awardees Alanis Castro Pacheco and Madison Stokes at the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders.

For Kathy Silks, joining the Harrisburg Branch of the American Association of University Women “changed my life.”

In the 46 years since, Silks gained “experience in speaking to people,” becoming the branch’s board president five years after joining. The overall experience also boosted her confidence, eventually landing her employment as vice president of community relations at WITF.

“Our members are from all different backgrounds,” said Kathy Seidl, who joined in 2019. “I like the connections I’ve made here. I’ve made some wonderful friends and connected with continuing education institutions.”

Seidl serves as the Harrisburg branch’s co-president with MaryAnn Daniels. The branch, funded through dues and donations, currently has 90 members.

“It’s a challenge sometimes to get people to step up to the plate in today’s society,” Seidl said. “But the positive is, we have a very dedicated board.”

So, what is AAUW all about?

Its stated mission involves aiding women’s higher education, economic security, inclusion and empowerment.

“Together, we can defend the rights of all women and ensure that education remains a powerful path to equity and opportunity,” according to the organization’s website.

The Harrisburg Branch was founded in 1921, after which followed a series of notable accomplishments through the 21st century, according to Silks, the local branch’s historian.

In the 1920s, AAUW Harrisburg co-founded Harrisburg Community Theatre and established a student college loan fund.
In the 1940s, branch members were active in developing a zoning program for Harrisburg.
In the 1960s, the branch began sponsoring an annual Harrisburg Allied Arts Festival featuring the Harrisburg Choral Society, the Civic Ballet, Harrisburg Community Theatre and the Harrisburg Symphony.
In the 1970s, the branch established student loan funds at Messiah College, University Center, and Penn State’s Capital Campus, as well as a full-tuition scholarship at HACC.

In the 1990s, the branch established the Martha M. Dohner Memorial Scholarship and began offering “Gender Equity Model” presentations to school and community organizations.

For the 2000s, the branch began community outreach work with the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg that included creation of the Betty Sullivan Memorial Library. In the 2010s, AAUW Harrisburg began educational workshops on salary levels.

Each year, AAUW Harrisburg awards scholarships to deserving young women in central Pennsylvania pursuing degrees in the upcoming academic year. The branch’s 2025-26 scholarship winners will be announced at this year’s fall membership meeting. The application deadline is July 31.

Scholarships are open to female residents of Cumberland, Dauphin or Perry counties or Northern York School District attending an accredited Pennsylvania college or university and demonstrating financial need.

The $2,500 Beverly J. Smith Memorial Scholarship is for pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Elizabeth Blymire, a Messiah University biomedical biology major, was the branch’s 2024-25 winner.
The Member Memorial Scholarship comprises two $1,500 awards for attaining an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. A winner last year was Sherlyn Martinez, a Shippensburg University special education and early childhood education major.
The $1,500 Ronald D. and Kathleen A. Krausse STEM Scholarship is for attaining a bachelor’s degree in a STEM major. Camren Boyogueno, a Penn State psychology/neuroscience major, was the 2024-25 winner.
The $1,500 Sally C. Chamberlain Scholarship is for women seeking to resume or renew academic work for credit towards career employment or advancement. The branch’s 2024-25 recipient was Lauren Stroup, a Wilson College nursing major.

AAUW Harrisburg also presents community awards on an annual basis. Bobbi Carmitchell received the branch’s 2025 Gateway to Equity Award for her work educating about women and the women’s movement through music. Jordan Pine received the 2025 Community Woman of the Year Award for her work in combating human trafficking with Greenlight Operation, while branch member Carol Stark was honored as this year’s Outstanding Branch Member.

“It’s a challenge sometimes to get people to step up to the plate in today’s society,” Seidl said. “But the positive is, we have a very dedicated board.”

For information about AAUW Harrisburg Branch and to learn about scholarship opportunities, visit www.harrisburg-pa.aauw.net.

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Team Effort: Downtown Harrisburg needs all players on the field for its rebuild season

June 27, 2025 | by Ryan Unger

Photo by Michael Yatsko

I am a sucker for a sports analogy, quote or story that can relate to work. Whether it’s skating to where the puck is going like Wayne Gretzky, calling an audible when plans shift on the fly, or channeling Michael Jordan’s grit after being cut from his high school varsity team, I have a deep reservoir to pull from.

During a conversation recently with a business leader, I asked what they felt was stopping us from tackling some of the bigger challenges downtown. Their response? Everyone seems to hold back, wait and assume someone else is going to take the lead. Naturally, it reminded me of a sports story.

In 2000, Rick Pitino, coming off a historic run as coach of the Kentucky Wildcats men’s college basketball team, was coaching the struggling Boston Celtics. While this pains me to admit as a Sixers fan, the Celtics are arguably the most storied franchise in NBA history. After yet another disappointing loss, fans and media were clamoring for a return to the franchise’s glory days, longing for legends like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.

In a moment of surprising candor, Pitino said, “Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans. Kevin McHale is not walking through that door, and Robert Parish is not walking through that door.”

The quote is infamous because it revealed what was really holding the Celtics back: paralysis by comparison. Instead of building a new identity and realigning around a recalibrated vision, they were stuck measuring everything they did against their legendary past.

Pitino’s frustrated message was clear: wishing for the “good old days” doesn’t fix the present. Effective leaders deal with reality, not nostalgia.

As we look to revitalize downtown Harrisburg, we run the danger of clinging to outdated models or former successes. We need to be living in the present. We should be assessing our capital city’s incredible strengths and identifying the resources necessary to accelerate its growth.

Harrisburg isn’t a blank slate. It’s a capital city with a scenic riverfront, a thriving arts and cultural district, one of the country’s best STEM universities, and a growing community of individuals who believe in its future. These are the building blocks for a renewed downtown Harrisburg—not relics of the past, but an example of what’s possible when energy and vision come together.

I get it. It’s easy to wait. Easy to assume someone else has more influence, more capital or more responsibility. The problem is that when we all wait, nothing happens. What downtown needs now isn’t another savior—it needs coordinated urgency. We need to adopt a shared belief that progress comes not from one person or organization doing everything, but from everyone doing something.

Over the next several months, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC will be working with the mayor and our legislative leadership on bringing together county, state, public and private leaders for a whole of house response to downtown’s current challenges. And when we do that, we aren’t going to hurt our necks by looking back at the glory days. We are going to pivot from nostalgia to the assets we have and the coordinated urgency from the leaders that want to make great things happen.

Larry Bird (or Vance McCormick or T. Morris Chester or Mira Lloyd Dock or Steve Reed) isn’t walking through the door in downtown Harrisburg. That’s OK. Progress doesn’t depend on legends from the past—it depends on the neighbors, entrepreneurs, creatives and leaders who step up today.

The future of our downtown won’t be built by waiting—it’ll be built by showing up, investing and believing in what’s possible. The door is open. The question is: Who’s ready to walk through it with us?

Ryan Unger is president and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. For more information, visit www.harrisburgregionalchamber.org. If you’d like to assist in the downtown Harrisburg revitalization effort, contact [email protected].

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Love & Learning: Davis Dog Farm helps canines unleash their next chapter

June 27, 2025 | by Ashley Andyshak Hayes

Founding executive director Janea Davis and co-executive director Emily Speck with Sebastian, a Shar Pei mix who is available for adoption.

Founding executive director Janea Davis began raising dogs as a child for 4-H and, later, showed dogs in the obedience ring. Inspired by her great-grandmother who was blind, she raised five seeing-eye puppies, and “caught the bug” for training working dogs.

After graduating college, she began fostering rescued dogs, and, in 2021, established her own rescue based at her home in Cornwall.

She quickly found she needed more space, so, in October 2024, moved operations—and her family—to their current location on Sand Beach Road in East Hanover Township. The serene setting on 7.5 acres includes an indoor kennel area, a large pond and plenty of room for dogs to run and play.

The farm has room for up to eight dogs to live on-site, and about 20 volunteers foster other dogs while they wait to be adopted. There are currently about 35 dogs in foster care with volunteers, said co-executive director Emily Speck, which is on the low end of average for the organization.

The farm is open to all dog breeds, and Speck says they receive a half-dozen emails every day about dogs that need homes.

Much of Davis’ experience and training has been with working breeds like the Belgian Malinois, which can have difficulty settling into a typical home as a family pet but thrive when given specialized training to assist law enforcement. The farm works with several organizations, including K-9 Protectors in Allentown, to identify dogs in shelters across the country that could benefit from this type of training, after which they can be placed with local law enforcement partners.

Other breeds simply need some love and basic obedience training before being placed with a new family. Davis said that she is continually learning and keeping up with new developments in the behavioral science of dog training.

“Learning never stops,” she said. “We have a huge arsenal of tools (for training). Every dog is different, so it’s a lifetime of learning.”

The rescue has no paid staff, relying on its team of dedicated volunteers who feed and walk the dogs, clean the kennel areas, plan and assist with fundraising events, post on social media, and do everything else that goes into running a successful dog rescue.

“Volunteers are the ‘beautiful glue’ that brings it all together,” Davis said.

One of those volunteers is Beth Horne-Beachy. She retired from the Pennsylvania General Assembly two years ago to care for her mother, but soon realized she was “failing miserably at retirement” and began looking for volunteer opportunities.

She found Davis Dog Farm on social media, and started out walking dogs, cleaning kennels, and assisting with events. She then became a foster and eventually adopted one of her foster dogs, a Yorkshire terrier named Bentley.

“Janea has put together an amazing rescue that is like very few others,” she said. “Being a volunteer, in any and all capacities, is a gift, because it allows you to be part of something amazing—helping a dog who was abused, abandoned or neglected transform into the happy and well-adjusted pup he or she was meant to be. As volunteers, we get to celebrate each success and to know that we played some small role in making it happen.”

While finding a home for each dog can take time based on their needs and temperament, Davis said that the goal is always the same—to find the most successful placement for each dog that comes through their doors.

Davis Dog Farm is located at 2686 Sand Beach Rd., Grantville. For more information, to volunteer or to donate, or to learn more about the dogs available for adoption, visit www.davisdogfarm.com.

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Fido Friendly? Harrisburg gets mixed marks as a dog-endorsed city

June 27, 2025 | by Alex J. Hayes

Christine Wood of Harrisburg and her schnoodle Allie, age 10, walk along 3rd Street in Harrisburg.

On a hot Wednesday afternoon, Harrisburg—from N. 3rd Street to Front Street and across the Walnut Street Bridge—was full of people and dogs.

Owning a dog in a densely populated area where backyards are scarce presents some challenges, but owners are committed to making accommodations for their four-legged friends.

Christine Wood moved to Harrisburg last July and said that walking her 10-year-old schnoodle, Allie, has been a great way to meet her neighbors. Midtown is welcoming, Wood said, but the riverfront is her and Allie’s favorite place.

“On Saturdays and Sundays, it’s ‘doggiepalooza,’” Pam Auer said of the riverfront.

Auer finds the city a great place to train her 1-year-old cocker spaniel, Shelby. Interacting with other dogs allows Shelby to work on her manners, Auer said.

Auer and Shelby are best friends, so Auer gets frustrated when store employees will not allow the tiny pooch to sit on her mobility scooter while she shops. She credits The Meadow, an artisan shop on 3rd Street, for allowing Shelby to join her.

“The food stores are tough,” Auer said. “I want to support the smaller businesses, but if I am leaving her at home, I might as well get in the car and go to the grocery store.”

Auer also wishes the city would install a dog park on City Island so dog owners from the east and west shores of the Susquehanna River can meet in the middle.

Bree Mullen of Harrisburg and Ally Rosa of Camp Hill would welcome that dog park. The friends often meet on City Island to chat while their dogs interact. Mullen does not find the city’s mainland dog friendly.

“There is no grass. Where are they supposed to use the bathroom?” she asked. “The sidewalks are cracked, and you cannot walk on half of them.”

The city noticeably lacks dog waste stations that include plastic bags for disposal, said several dog-walkers. Most responsible dog owners bring their own bags on a walk, but almost every one can relate to realizing the bag holder is empty while their dog is squatting.

On City Island, baseball fans can enjoy a game with their four-legged friends at FNB Field this summer during the Harrisburg Senators’ “Wet Nose Wednesday.” Owners must sign a waiver stating that their dog has received all required vaccinations and that they are willing to leave if trouble arises.

Several of the city’s restaurants allow dogs on their patios. Brian Riordan, who moved back to the city about six months ago, finds it easy to walk his Tapper Girl through his hometown. Riordan said that one usually can find the pair on the riverfront in the mornings and then in Midtown on afternoons.

“We also eat here eight to 10 times a week,” he said while sipping a martini at Cork & Fork on State Street.

Riordan believes the city is dog-friendly, but he thinks some people could benefit from a dog etiquette class. He lived in New York City for 26 years and people there, he said, socialize their dogs much more than do Harrisburg residents. Not socializing a dog at a young age leads to unfriendly interactions, such as when a dog loudly barked at and attempted to charge at Tapper Girl.

A human takes the lead in guiding their dog’s actions, so proper training is essential. As with any topic, the opinions on what’s best vary but one thing is clear—the dogs don’t seem to have a care in the world.

Dog owners looking for more information on where their four-legged friends are welcome, whether in Harrisburg or other cities, can visit www.bringfido.com.

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Cat Sense: How to better understand the often-misunderstood feline

June 27, 2025 | by Kristen Zellner

Illustration by Aron Rook.

Professionally, I’ve heard a lot of interesting statements and observations about domestic cats over the last 20 years.

I’d like to share some information regarding the most common myths about house cats. Side note: Although their behavior can be frustrating at times, I assure you, cats are not out to get us. It is our lack of understanding about cat behavior that has a negative impact on our relationships with our feline companions.

Though we consider cats our furry children, when we anthropomorphize them, we attach human emotions to our feline friends. Sometimes, it’s cute. However, incorrect assumptions about a cat’s emotional state can cause humans to deal with cat-related issues poorly.

Cats are not just toddlers with sharp teeth and claws that can jump on the counter. Considering them as such leads us to believe the naughty things they do are “on purpose” or perhaps they are “getting back at us” for something. In reality, cats are only behaving according to their instincts based on the type of stimuli they encounter. Because of our inability to understand their language, our expectations are often too high. Sadly, some cat owners may lose patience with unwanted behaviors and react by yelling, chasing, locking the cat in a room, putting them outside or abandoning them.

When people tell me that their cat has begun urinating outside of the litter box, they often attribute this to the cat’s “anger” for them going on vacation or introducing a new person or pet into the home. Maladjusted humans do these things, but pets don’t have the level of brain development to calculate these retaliatory events. Cats are sensitive to even the slightest changes in routine, and they will often express their stress through urine marking. Physical pain or illness can trigger the behavior, as well.

Oftentimes, cats are compared to their canine counterparts, and it is our assumption that they don’t require as much care. For dogs, the sun seems to rise and set on their people. Cats express their adoration of us differently. Even though their need for human interaction isn’t expressed in the same way, cats still crave attention, playtime, petting and snuggles from their humans. If cats don’t get the stimulation from their environment or the attention and interaction they need from humans, they can actually become bored and depressed, leading to undesirable behaviors. It has been said by cat behaviorists that cats learn to adapt to neglect. With that said, cats really do mind being alone.

Destructive or intrusive behaviors are thought to be a result of cats being angry with their humans or just plain mischievous. Scratching furniture, batting items off surfaces, eating and digging in plants, jumping on counters, and drinking from the faucet are just a few of the things that cats do that drive us bonkers. Each of these behaviors actually has a meaning for cats, and they have nothing to do with a cat being angry or bad. Scratching satisfies a cat’s need to exercise their muscles and claws, mark their territory, and alleviate boredom and stress. Batting, digging, and plant-eating behaviors are related to hunting prey, exploring their environment, play and their natural curiosity.

Providing a home that is rich with opportunities for cats to exercise their natural instincts will make for a much happier companion. Scratching posts, window perches, cardboard boxes, water fountains, walks outside on a leash, a variety of toys, and videos made for cats are great additions. Of course, there is nothing better than time spent interacting with their humans and maybe a compatible feline sibling. When a cat has plenty of species-appropriate mental and physical stimulation, attention from their caregivers, and consistency in routine, they are more likely to be satisfied with life and to thrive.

Kristen Zellner is owner of Abrams & Weakley General Store for Pets, 3963 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.abramsandweakley.com.

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