Harrisburg Magazine February 2020

Dance Like Everyone

Is Watching

Area Couples Share Their Love Stories The Golden Age of Jewelry Simply the Best Nominations Plus. . . Valentine’s Day Recipes, Romantic Getaways and More!

CONTENTS F E BRUARY 2020

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February 2020 • Volume 26 No. 2 PRESIDENT/CEO Darwin Oordt Ext. 1001 doordt@benchmarkmediallc.comw

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DANCE LIKE EVERYONE IS WATCHING HOW TO NOMINATE IN A BUSINESS OR PERSON IN SIMPLY THE BEST 2020 CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY WITH A ROMANTIC GETAWAY THE GOLDEN AGE OF JEWELRY IT’S A LOVE STORY TRANSFERRING DREAMS INTO REALITY IT’S A SNOWY JOB, BUT SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT MOTHER WAS RIGHT: WASH YOUR HANDS EVENTS TASTES OF DISTINCTION BARTENDER'S BEST

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS FINANCE Violetta Chlaifer Ext. 1000 vchlaifer@benchmarkmediallc.com EDITOR Jacqueline G. Goodwin, Ed.D. jgoodwin@harrisburgmagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laura Reich Ext. 1006 lreich@benchmarkmediallc.com DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING Chris Aloia Ext. 1003 caloia@benchmarkmediallc.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jo Ann Shover Ext. 1004 jshover@benchmarkmediallc.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Julian Rosado jrosado@benchmarkmediallc.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Ross Burnett Ext. 1008 rburnett@harrisburgmagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Charlie Wohlrab Jeff Falk Diane White McNaughton Stephanie Kalina-Metzger COVER PHOTO Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet dancers in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® © The George Balanchine Trust © Angela Sterling Photography

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE'S "SIMPLY THE BEST" 2019 CORPORATE SPONSORS:

Photo: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet dancers in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® © The George Balanchine Trust © Angela Sterling Photography Dancers are Kensington MacMillen and Rylan Doty, both local to Carlisle, PA. 2 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

Harrisburg Magazine® is published monthly at 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. Fax: 717.232.6010; harrisburgmagazine.com. Subscriptions, $10.95 per year.

Single copies, $3.75. Back Issues, $4.00 at office or $7.00 by mail (postage and handling included). Send change of address forms to Benchmark Group Media, 3400 N. Sixth St., Harrisburg, PA 17110. This issue or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from Harrisburg Magazine®, Inc. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, photographs and disks if they are to be returned, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited materials. All rights in letters sent to Harrisburg Magazine® will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and as such are subject to a right to edit and comment editorially. Name and contents ©2019, Harrisburg Magazine, Inc. Printed by Freeport Press, Freeport, Oh.

DANCE LIKE EVERYONE IS WATCHING

CPYB Offers First-in-the-Nation Female Training Scholarship

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By Diane White McNaughton • Photos By Joel Thomas Photography

ast year, Vivienne Gaied, 15, sashayed her way across the country, from Portland, Oregon to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to live out a dream.

But unlike Tchaikovsky’s magical sugarplum dreams of “The Nutcracker,” her fantasy can actually come true. She hopes to become a professional ballerina, choreographer and ballet teacher, and is well on her way to checking that item off on her bucket list.

Gaied relocated to the mecca of classical ballet –Carlisle, Pennsylvania--home of the world-renowned Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB), just last year.

Now a ninth-grader at Carlisle High School and a rising star in the world of tight buns, tutus, and twirls, she has been dancing for four years, improving by leaps and bounds in a very short period of time.

Although she tried her hand at diving and piano lessons in her younger years, “I started dancing because it is an art form that includes music, acting, sport, and creativity. It’s a perfect storm!” says Gaied.

She and her family know that this storm can be costly. If she is eligible, she hopes to apply for a new, one-of-a-kind benefit now being offered to promising CPYB students like her: the Female Training Scholarship.

“In the dance world, there are fewer boys than girls, so schools offer more scholarships to boys to encourage them to attend those schools,” says Gaied. “But there are still many very talented female dancers who cannot attend because they don’t have the resources. Offering this type of scholarship to girls as well allows more talent to develop throughout the whole student body.”

4 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

CPYB’s CEO Nicholas Ade is a professional dancer who earned one of those coveted ballet scholarships for males as a young teen, and he applauds the leveling of the playing field to girls studying at CPYB. Ade played baseball, football, and basketball as a child. When he wanted to up his game, he decided to take ballet lessons at the tender age of 10.

It was the hardest thing he had ever done. At first, his fellow teammates were eye-rolling at his ballet classes —until, that is, they saw how much better Ade became in sports. They could not match his agility.

For Ade, the ball-playing soon dropped away, but the ballet stuck with him like pink tights over chiseled muscle.

He started as a guest teacher in CPYB’s summer programs in 2004.

He became a full-time teacher in 2008, ascended to school principal for a year and a half, and then, in 2014, he was promoted to CEO. His rise through the ranks helped him to know every facet of the CPYB organization.

Ade brought impressive credentials to the school and stage. He trained in Los Angeles, where he was born and raised, attending high school for ballet at the prestigious University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

He later joined the San Francisco Ballet and became a professional dancer for 10 years.

Ade said Act One in the tale of the new scholarship began with the iconic woman whose name is synonymous with regional ballet, Marcia Dale Weary. Weary passed away in March 2019, but Ade hopes to keep alive “her vision of changing lives through dance” by creating access for

those who want to study and perform world-class ballet.

CPYB had scholarships before, but this scholarship is unique, he says. This year, they want to be able to create access for ballet students nationwide, he explains, noting that this is the first female training scholarship for girls in the U.S.

From a young age, far more girls than boys are interested in ballet, so much so that girls are estimated to outnumber boys by a ratio of 20-to-1 in ballet classes. About 7 out of 10 donors and audience members are women as well.

Ade says many aspiring ballerinas can apply for scholarships at any ballet school, but those scholarship awards may only be good for a nine-month school year, from September through June. That means, no summer months, and no long-term commitment.

With the new female training scholarship, it now mirrors the male scholarship program started in 2013, says Ade. It is a 24-month scholarship, for a commitment to two years of the best ballet training possible.

It is for 24 full months of tuition for “rigorous” training, plus a housing stipend, to help the many out-of-state ballerinas who are relocating here to study ballet.

CPYB is working with trade magazines, social media, email blasts, and their own website to help spread the word. As of mid-December, the school already had three applications to consider.

Applicants must submit a video consisting of classwork and “variations”—or solo dances—by Feb. 1. An artistic leadership panel will pick the winners. Worth $20,000 each, the scholarship starts in the summer of 2020 and lasts through June of 2022.

6 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

“We are so excited by it,” says Ade. “We are making an investment in the future of the dance world and in someone’s life. We want to change someone’s life with this scholarship.”

CPYB went from 4 to 54 boys with their scholarship in just six years.

“We want to level the playing field” for girls with this scholarship.

Their male ballet students hail from Hawaii, Washington State, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas and beyond.

The prime age for young women-applicants is 14 to 16 years. This is “a crucial time in their training,” says Ade, when “they can improve immensely.”

Ade says that CPYB has been able to raise the barre on its teaching quality because of its curriculum, for one. The syllabus was founded by Marcia Dale Weary and has worked since 1955.

“It’s a proven syllabus that has created hundreds of professional ballet dancers around the world,” he adds.

While some ballet schools have gotten a bad rap as havens for fatshaming and overly harsh discipline, CPYB bends over backwards to “take care of the whole dancer,” says Ade. “We take mentorship seriously. We offer the best training, plus the best support system.”

Currently, 40 percent of students relocated to Carlisle to come to CPYB, from 23 states.

“We take care of them, both as human beings and dancers,” says Ade. “We can make dreams come true. We can create access to come and train with us and take them to the next level of training and change their life.”

Ade was one of those kids. When he was 15, he wanted to move away from his home in California to study ballet at the highest level. His parents balked, citing his young age.

A fellow dancer talked to Ade’s parents, and said, “This is his big chance.”

Ade’s parents said he couldn’t move away unless he got a scholarship. And BOOM! He did. Now he wants to do that for other young dancers.

“If they just had a chance, they could rise up and exceed expectations.”

Central Pennsylvania is a magnet for ballerinas, says Ade. With CPYB as the resident ballet company at Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, “We offer world-class performances here at Whitaker Center and Hershey Theatre,” he adds.

Ade also says their goal is not to bring the Big Apple to central Pennsylvania—“We are already here.

“We have been here for 60 years,” explains Ade. He emphasized that you don’t have to go to New York City to see George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker.” CPYB is the only school licensed to perform the beloved holiday staple because of its excellence as a world-class ballet school and their professionalism.

Ade has a message for residents who are new to ballet. “You might not even like ballet, but many of our patrons come to see our community’s kids performing at such a high level. When you see these kids, how can you not get behind them?”

They begin to understand that this is something “unique and special happening because we want to level the playing field for young women in ballet.

“While the men’s program has been successful for the past six years, I want young women in school to feel just as valued and feel that this school is just as accessible to them as anybody else,” says Ade. Darla Hoover, CPYB’s Artistic Director, is in perfect synch with that idea. Born in Carlisle, Hoover was trained by Dale Weary until the age of 15, when she moved by herself to New York City. She trained at the School of American Ballet. Then the iconic George Balanchine invited her to become part of the New York City Ballet, where she danced for 11 years.

At the pinnacle of the ballet scene, she danced in “The Nutcracker” in New York and in more than 50 other ballets.

When did she return to Pennsylvania? “I never really left central Pennsylvania,” says Hoover. “I always came back to teach with Marcia.

I never really left.

“I am really grateful for (Weary). She trained me how to teach.”

Hoover even taught other students while she was still a student herself.

Hoover says she transitioned from a professional dancer to teacher

so easily because it was an “obvious choice.

“There is no way to deny that Balanchine and his style have been a huge influence on me,” Hoover says. But it is so much broader than that.

“The beauty of CPYB is a training program to direct dancers into any form of ballet,” she says. “It is such a great training program. They come with a clean slate. Dancers can mold themselves into any style they choose.”

Hoover says that the Female Training Scholarship is so “important because we love what we do and we are very good at what we do. We need to provide opportunity for dancers who deserve training but can’t afford to do it.”

“These families sacrifice so much when they have a child pursuing this art form,” says Hoover. “We want to be able to provide a pathway to their dreams. It’s a beautiful mission to help people study ballet the right way. It lets you sleep better at night, knowing you are letting people realize their dreams.”

Hoover says the key attributes they are looking for in a scholarship applicant are the right blend of physicality, the right mentality, and some training. She emphasizes that the training has to be the “right training” because improper training can do more damage than no training at all.

Proper training is like sculpting, she explains—their leg lines, their strength, their turn-out. If a dancer is trained poorly, it is often difficult to undo the bad, especially the older they get.

CPYB wants “malleable bodies and they have to have a hunger and a sense of urgency for good training,” says Hoover. They also want dancers ready to commit to a full two years.

They must also submit applications and videos to be considered.

Hoover admits that some young dancers may have the desire but not the capability to leap to the top of their field.

And even if they are not the lead in a New York City ballet, the training from CPYB reaps rewards that lasts a lifetime.

Hoover cites the focus needed, the high standards, the etiquette, “Everything goes into building a better person.

Ballet will make them a better lawyer, a better doctor, whatever they choose to do."

“Former dancers are always the best workers,” says Hoover emphatically. “They are tenacious, they are not lazy, they are never sloppy, they take instruction well.

Strict standards begin at the age of six for tiny dancers, who learn to rise to those standards.“It’s not okay to be complacent,” she adds.

Hoover laments the fact that many Americans do not understand what “real” ballet is. “They have these horrible images of twirling around with your arms over your head.”

Hoover also knows “the value (ballerinas) bring to humanity is immense.”

When she brings leading businessmen and women in to observe a ballet class, she enjoys watching their mouths drop open. "They often say, ‘I had no idea,’ and ‘They are amazing athletes.’”

“And I always say, ‘They are amazing athletes with hearts of gold.

They know how to bring beauty into the world.’”

Those words are echoed by the high school freshman who is dazzling the dance world already.

“Like soccer or football, ballet strengthens character and teaches hard work and perseverance, but unlike sports, ballet is an art form and the final goal is to create beauty. I think our communities could benefit from young people working together to make art,” says Gaied.

For her, CPYB is about lasting friendships, self-discovery and beauty.

That explains why Gaied’s favorite quote is from “Willy Wonka:” “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” And of course, she is en pointe. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 7

HOW TO NOMINATE A BUSINESS IN SIMPLY THE BEST 2020 Nominations begin January 1, 2020 and end February 21, 2020. You can submit one nomination per category per day.* Please note there are different instructions on how to nominate a person.

1. Go to the voting page at https://harrisburgmagazine.com/simply-the-best-2020/ 2. Find the category you’d like to nominate a business in. Type in the name of the business. Once you start typing, a list of businesses with that name will show up based on your current location. Find the business with the correct address and select it.

Then, type in your email address and click on the green “Continue” button.

3. You will be taken to a new screen where your nomination is grayed out where you will be asked a couple of questions and some additional information. This year we added a question that requires you to confirm that you are using your own email to vote. Casting votes with an email that does not belong to you is against our rules. Those votes will be eliminated and businesses could be penalized or even removed from the competition if caught. When finished, click on the “Nominate” button.

4. If you did everything right, you will get a confirmation message and the ability to move on to the next category. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do this each time (just the first time you register to vote). If you wish to change your vote, you will have that option. (Don’t worry, it doesn’t show the address you selected on this screen.

5. If you are coming back to nominate on another day, you may need to login. To login, you will need to access a link sent to your email. The email will be titled “Login to Simply the Best 2020.” If you can’t find it, you can attempt to login without it and the system will resend it. *We allow you to nominate one business per category per day. This is to allow people to nominate more than one business for the ballot. We reserve the right to select the nominees with the most unique nominations.* 7

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HOW TO NOMINATE A PERSON IN SIMPLY THE BEST 2020 Nominations begin January 1, 2020 and end February 21, 2020.

You can submit one nomination per category per day.

Go to the voting page at https:// harrisburgmagazine.com/simplythe-best-2020/

This year, we are including Simply the Best People categories with our regular ballot. We have over 30 categories where you need to nominate a person and not a business. These categories will state “(Name and Workplace)” in the category heading.

Our people categories will not have a drop-down of names to select as the business categories do. That’s because people are not listed in Google Business, which is how that happens.

To ensure your nomination counts, it is essential that you include the first and last name plus the business where they work. If it is not clear who you are nominated, the nomination will be discarded. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 9

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Romantic Getaway

By Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

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alentine’s Day looms large for many who struggle each year to come up with an idea to surprise and delight the loved ones in their lives. While thoughts often turn to items like jewelry and chocolates, studies reveal that a more thoughtful choice might be a romantic getaway. According to an article printed in the Journal of Consumer Research, experiential gifts foster stronger social relationships. Often a short trip out of town is all that’s needed to recharge the batteries and rekindle the romance.

Bellefonte and Jim Thorpe in Pennsylvania and Havre De Grace in Maryland are three quaint and quiet walkable small towns worthy of a visit. Located less than two hours away, each is tailor made for strolling hand in hand, taking in the sights and being mindful of the love that has blossomed thanks to Cupid’s well-placed arrow.

Romance Thrives in Beautiful Jim Thorpe

Tommy Hinkle and Stefanie Chmiel (Photo courtesy of Stefanie Chmiel)

Harry Packer Mansion in Jim Thorpe (Photo courtesy of the Harry Packer Mansion) 10 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

Stefanie Chmiel and Tommy Hinkle of Wrightsville can attest to the beauty of Jim Thorpe.

The couple visited the area in November. One of their first stops after arriving in town was a visit to Muggles Mug, a Harry-Potter-themed coffeehouse located on Broadway, where they sipped on lattes before stepping out into the cold. Next, they visited the time capsule known as the Asa Packer Mansion situated atop Packer Hill, where they learned more about the man who made his fortune from the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

Just steps from Asa Packer Mansion is the Harry Packer Mansion, which, with its 15-foot ceilings, marble fireplaces and elegantly appointed rooms, is ideal for an overnight stay and is within walking distance of Jim Thorpe’s boutique shops and restaurants. The mansion also hosts Murder Mystery Weekends with a plot revolving around the Packer fortune.

After the one-hour mansion tour, the couple strolled the streets, ducking into the many boutique shops, which carry everything from apparel, to antiques and jewelry. One of those is a shop that Chmiel won’t soon forget. “It was called the ‘Everything Nice’ gift shop and the owner welcomed us with a friendly greeting as we checked out all the unique gifts, figurines, home goods and wall signs,” said Chmiel, who up until then, was unaware of what Hinkle was prepared to do, until she saw him get down on one knee. “While standing in front of all the fun sayings on the wall signs, Tommy read aloud one about being bold and having courage and before I knew it, he was holding out a ring.” Chmiel said it “took her breath away.” Little did she know that he had been carrying around the ring for days, awaiting the right moment to pop the question.

Afterwards, the couple celebrated their future nuptials at the Stone Row Eatery and Pub located on historic Race Street. The business, which operates in a building dating back to the 1880s, features a gluten-free kitchen. “The owner heard our exciting news and sent us home with dessert,” she said.

Historic Race Street in Jim Thorpe (Photo courtesy of Stefanie Chmiel)

Shopping, Antiquing and More in Havre De Grace, Maryland

JoRetro on Washington Street in Havre de Grace is just one of many independent shops in the area.

(Photo by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger)

Seneca Cannery is a sprawling antique mall in Havre de Grace. (Photo by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger)

The porch of the Vandiver Inn (Photo by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger)

Havre De Grace was named by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the top 20 small towns to visit. The scenic area, situated at the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay, is popular as a wedding destination, with many couples choosing to tie the knot at the Vandiver Inn Bed and Breakfast.

The Vandiver Inn dates back to 1886 and is named after Murray Vandiver, who served as secretary and treasurer of Maryland and as Mayor of Havre de Grace. The mansion is within walking distance of John and Washington Streets, which are the main streets in Havre de Grace. There visitors can browse the many boutique shops, grab a bite for lunch or dinner, or go antiquing at a sprawling, repurposed cannery on John Street known as, “Seneca Cannery Antiques.”

Bob Bloom, who retired after spending 31 years in radio in Havre de Grace, is very familiar with the area and recommends The Vineyard Wine Bar on Washington Street. “The food, wine and atmosphere are great,” he said. For a unique southern dining experience, Bloom recommends the Backfin Blues Creole De Graw restaurant on Union Avenue. “They offer authentic New Orleans food with a Bourbon Street feel,” he said. Additional recommendations include a stroll along the promenade on the waterfront. “There couples can view waterfowl and be treated to incredible views of the top of the bay,” said Bloom. And for those content to wait an extra week or so, Havre de Grace hosts its annual Mardi Gras Parade on February 25. “It’s a lot of fun and the restaurants feature live music,” Bloom said.

Love is in the Air in Victorian Belle fonte Bellefonte, otherwise referred to as “Central Pennsylvania’s Victorian Secret” is located 10 miles from Pennsylvania State University and is named after the natural spring located in the center of town.

Visitors can relax with a leisurely self-guided walking tour of the town with the assistance of a map drawn up by the Talleyrand Citizens Committee detailing dozens of structures with a brief explanation of each.

Nancy Noll, owner of The Queen, a Victorian Bed and Breakfast, said many couples enjoy a visit to Big Springs Spirits, located in an old match factory, or any of the unique shops within walking distance.

“Boutique shops offer merchandise ranging from antique, art, collectibles, hand-crafted items and estate jewelry,” she said.

Noll, who has been hosting visitors for 25 years, said that guests who book at two-night weekend stay in February will receive a $50 gift certificate to one of two area restaurants: The Governor’s Pub, or the Blonde Bistro.

Proprietors at The Harry Packer Mansion, the Vandiver and The Queen are more than willing to answer any further questions when you call to book a room. Hopefully these few suggestions will help you on your way to making the most of your Valentine’s Day. 7

Big Spring Spirits in Bellefonte (Photo by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger) 12 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

Exterior picture of The Queen, A Victorian Bed and Breakfast.

(Photo courtesy of The Queen, A Victorian Bed and Breakfast)

The Golden Age Of Jewelry: all the small things

By Diane White McNaughton

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ruth: all that glitters is not gold. That luminous sparkle and shimmer could be a perfect-cut diamond, pure sterling silver, or a color-soaked gemstone.

And there’s no time like Valentine’s Day to bring home some bling for your boo.

Fine jewelry and Valentine’s Day go together like a lonely Lacy Chabert character and the wholesome Ken-doll leads of the Hallmark Channel.

For centuries, diamonds have spoken the language of love. That dialect can take the form of a marquise, circle, pear, oval, or emeraldcut. Like jewel-encrusted crowns, gold chalices, the Hope Diamond and Cleopatra’s amulets, all things bejeweled have also spoken of power, tradition, faith, and culture.

A major jewelry theft in November, 2019, in Dresden, Germany, where the diabolical heist masterminds managed to haul off an estimated $1 billion in royal jewels, was lamented not only for the loss of irreplaceable heirlooms, but of that nation’s innate culture.

Although many Americans assume engagement rings became a “thing” thanks to a shrewd advertiser targeting love-struck women and men eager to please them, the first well-documented use of a diamond ring to signal an engagement took root more than 500 years ago, by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria in the imperial court of Vienna.

In 1477, he sent the love of his life, Mary of Burgundy, a diamond ring, as a symbol of lifelong fidelity, inspiring many men of a higher social class and wealth in the Middle Ages and beyond to give diamond rings to their intended when they popped the question.

The ring was a natural choice, with its circle having no beginning or end, signifying the endless love of a perfect pairing. Plus, we all know “diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”

According to Tonia Ulsh, co14 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

owner of family-owned Mountz Jewelers, Valentine’s Day is probably the second most popular day to get engaged — second to basically the entire month of December. At the holidays, family and friends are together, generosity is in the pine-scented air, and “Will you marry me?” and “Yes!” are the greatest gifts two people in love can give each other.

“Valentine’s Day is more a blip than a Bell curve, (compared to December’s popularity),” says Ulsh, who operates jewelry treasure troves in Harrisburg, Camp Hill, and Carlisle with her brother. “But it is the holiday of love so it still ranks right up there,” as a red-letter day for engagements. She also says New Year’s Eve is also a fashionable time to get engaged.

Indeed, a diamond signifies not just a promise to lifelong love and marriage. Diamonds and other gems are clothing, art, emotion, power, a promise.

Consider J-Lo’s engagement ring from Ben Affleck—a 6.1 carat pink diamond designed by Harry Winston in 2002.

And proving that diamonds may be forever but the relationship— not so much—, J-Lo’s later engagement Instagram caused us all to do a collective “Wow.” Alex Rodriguez announced his engagement to Lopez with a picture of an eye-popping emerald-cut diamond, estimated to be between 10 and 15 carats and worth between $1 million and $5 million. The caption: "She said yes."

According to FinancialSamurai.com the current national average cost of an engagement ring is $6,351 for a 1.2 carat center stone diamond ring with a total ring carat count of 1.8. In 2011, the average spent was closer to $5,095, reflecting a 25 percent increase in cost in less than a decade.

Other figures reflect more modest proposals. The DeBeers group lists U.S. engagement ring

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 15

expenditures averaging $3,400 in its latest Diamond Insight Report from 2019.

From gaudy engagement rings to classic must-haves and the latest trends, jewelry always tells a story, brilliantly.

Like hemlines and hairstyles, jewelry fads change like the seasons.

Mercifully, the temperamental mood rings, preppy pearl chokers and Puka shell necklaces of the 80s have yielded to chocolate diamonds, family trees necklaces, high-tech jewelry, and the eternity charms of today.

Bangles and beads can transform a bland outfit or “class-up” a working-class life. Think Julia Roberts’ sapphire and diamond stunner choker from Richard Gere in the “Pretty Woman” Cinderella story.

From Princess Diana’s 12-carat sapphire blue ring surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds, to a signature costume brooch, you can tell a lot about a person by their jewelry. And jewelry is not just for women.

Men often don dog tag necklaces, heavy chain bracelets, thick cross necklaces, stud and hoop earrings, and of course, simple silver and gold wedding rings.

Skiing sensation Lindsay Vonn caused quite an avalanche of interest when she bestowed upon her fiance a male engagement ring. Even FROZEN necklaces and Minnie Mouse earrings are available for the Paw Patrol set.

Pantone’s color of the year for 2020 is classic blue, inspiring many Dynasty-style sapphires. Ulsh notes that this new year marks the 20th anniversary of the Levian chocolate diamond, which is particularly apropos in the region hugging the sweetest place on earth.

But traditional has always been trendy.

“I always tell people to hang on to their vintage pieces because what’s old is always new again,” said Marlyn Schiff, a jewelry store owner in Haverford featured in the December 11, 2019 Philadelphia Inquirer.

Schiff said hoop earrings have endured through the years, and the yellow-gold trend transitioned to white gold and then to rose gold.

Sterling silver never faded away. Jewelry pieces we can personalize 16 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

with charms or that bear a name were in style, then not, and now are the height of jewelry fashion again, Schiff added.

For engagement rings, whether it’s silver or gold, in a rich black velvet box or a trademark Tiffany blue, the ring tells a story, Mountz’s Ulsh says. How the buyer chooses that ring of a lifetime is what makes it special.

Her jewelers are dedicated to building a connection with the prospective buyer to help them “buy something that has meaning for the recipient.”

“This is why our slogan is ‘Trust your special moments to Mountz.’

We help you create a moment that will be in your mind forever.”

“A good piece of jewelry will take you back, like a song you heard,” Ulsh says. “It takes you back to the time when you received it.”

“It’s fun for us to come up with ideas for people. We love to match the proposal to the relationship.” They have been playing jewelry matchmaker for generations.

Because their Carlisle store is based in a military town, and Fort Indiantown Gap is also close, they have frequently played a vital role in many tear-inducing soldier engagements. They have contributed to many long-anticipated military reunions at airports, and tearful, onthe-tarmac engagements. “It’s so heartwarming to be a part of major events,” she says.

Ulsh points to several fashionable trends shining now, such as the perfectly-cut, octahedral Hearts on Fire diamond. Less than one percent of the 1.5 million diamond cutters in the world are qualified to cut Hearts on Fire diamonds. It takes four times longer to cut this type of diamond than a traditional one. The Trinity band also signifies eternal love, and is considered to be among the best of the best.

Ulsh says she and her sales staff have been a cherished part of engagements, then remained in the unfolding life picture, for the wedding ring and the kids.

Whether a couple wants a stadium proposal on the Jumbotron or a very private moment, “everyone has a different dream for how that day will come,” Ulsh adds.

“Our goal is to make it as special as possible.”

Ulsh says yellow gold is making a comeback in engagement rings.

Other style trends include the layering of necklaces --not merely longer ones, but shorter ones. A stylish woman may layer a 15-inch with a 16-inch necklace, or a 30-inch necklace with a 36-inch one. Adjustable necklaces are popular as well, and can be doubled and tripled up.

According to Ulsh, the stacking of bands is very popular, too, as are custom designs.

The round diamond is still the most popular shape, but bands are becoming more unique, she notes.

Ulsh is seeing many wedding bands that are V-shaped, with the engagement band not perfectly “fitting” directly into the wedding band. Ring wearers can sport rings on the upper part of their finger or stack them in shapes.

Hayley Paige, from TV’s “Say Yes to the Dress” fame, has also designed for the “Hearts on Fire” line, which is “very unique and trendy.”

Custom design in their choice of engagement rings is also appealing to young couples. Ulsh says Mountz has computer-customized (CAD) design, enabling sales representatives to show you on a computer screen what your “ring” vision will look like.

But is it really about the price tag? Can’t we signify our love with a bubble-gum-machine ring?

“Costume jewelry is practical and fun, but when you want something to last for generations or to signify a special time in life or a memory you want to create, you want something more generational,” Ulsh says. “Fine jewelry will last a lifetime and can be passed through the generations.” 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 17

IT’S A LOVE STORY

By Diane White McNaughton

M

ichelle (Hollander) Kauffman of Lower Paxton Township. met her future husband, Dan, on a blind date. Almost.

She was supposed to meet him at a popular bar on Sixth Street in Susquehanna Township, but she was late getting there. When she finally arrived, her date was nowhere to be found. She felt terrible.

She called the next day to apologize.

He was forced to admit that he had never shown up. Michelle was livid, and hung up on him. But now he was interested.

Thirty-nine years of marriage later, she and Dan laugh about the series of missed signals and crossed wires that brought them together. Over the years, they endured many major heartaches, including nine miscarriages, a stillborn baby, and a major house fire, but love prevailed.

Whether you met your future spouse at an awkward high school dance in the ‘50s, a rowdy frat party in the 80s, or 2020’s digital version of that—an online dating service—those first close encounters are a memorable part of every love story.

According to ABC News, a full one in three marriages today got their launch via online dating.

But Cupid’s unpredictable arrow can strike anywhere: in a courtroom, a funeral service, a parking lot, an airplane, a war zone –it just takes two.

Here are some heartwarming love stories from local couples who connected in some unconventional ways.

A Blind Date that Opened Her Eyes Michelle and Dan Kauffman After that botched blind date, slated for WINK 104 hang-out J.R’s, Michelle, then a college student working as a nanny, agreed to try again with Dan. On that second date, they were to meet at the G-Man on Derry Street. He was 45 minutes late again, so she left. He came to her house 18 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

and kept ringing the doorbell.

When she first saw him at her door, she thought, “What a big nerd!

Why’d she (her matchmaker-friend) do this to me?”

The first words out of his month were, “You’re shorter to me”— she is 5’ 1” and a Liza Minnelli look-alike. She didn’t appreciate the height comment.

He also told her not to expect a lot. “I date a lot of women, and I don’t have a lot of time,” he warned.

She thought with dismay and a bit of disgust, “Why are you here?”

They later went to the old Cracker Barrel on Route 39 (not the Cracker Barrel chain) for kamikazes.

Michelle said Dan was in more love with his car--a Toyota Celica – than her.

Their first kiss was rough. She joked to him aloud: “My God, Niagara Falls just hit.”

But he kept calling, persisting.

For their next date, he showed up 45 minutes late again. Michelle put curlers in her hair and changed into pajamas, and answered the door that way.

“I’m going to bed,” she said.

But Dan used to tell her she was like Duncan Hines cake. “He always came back for more.”

On a date to the “Little America” train museum, they went to visit his grandmother, and he told her, “I’m falling in love with you.”

Instead of saying those fateful three words back, she replied: “No, you are not! You are in lust.”

Dan’s parents knew Michelle was the one. His mom had even knitted her a holiday stocking for next Christmas. She met his parents at the Union Canal House, then a hockey game He proposed to her in 1979, and they married in 1980. They went to Vail, Colorado for their honeymoon.

Life has not been a bed of roses for them.

Michelle suffered nine miscarriages and a stillborn, and they suffered a devastating house fire when they lost everything in 2013. Well, almost everything.

“We lost everything except each other,” Michelle said.

They just celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary, and have one daughter, Jennifer Baker, and two grandchildren.

“I’m not sure when I fell in love with him, but he became a part of my life,” Michelle said.

They built a spacious house at the peak of the scenic mountain in Forest Hills.

“It was backwards the whole time. That’s how we always were, backwards,” she said.

Still, “He is my rock.”

A partner in Noah’s Ark Veterinary Center for the past 20 years, Michelle just celebrated her 60th birthday. Dan sent her 60 roses.

This time, those roses arrived on time.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road Hunter Murdoch and Alex Bannon Hunter Murdoch met Alex Bannon when he was 10 and she was 6.

Alex played a Munchkin in the Central Dauphin High School musical, the “Wizard of Oz,” and Hunter went to see the production with her dad. Alex was in the Lollipop Guild, which was Hunter’s dad’s favorite part of the musical.

She doesn’t remember this now, but her dad had told her that Alex's family had just moved into the neighborhood. Always the welcoming neighbor, she asked if she could give him flowers.

So Alex and Hunter first met when she brought him flowers after his musical.

“We didn’t really know each other growing up, since a four-year age gap means a lot more when you’re a kid,” Hunter said.

“We re-met as adults at the neighborhood Christmas party. We spent the night talking and getting to know each other better, and I found out months later that he told his parents that night that he was going to marry me some day.”

He called it right. They are getting married October 3, 2020 in Newport, Perry County, at the River Bend Hop Farm and Brewery.

And they’re not in Kansas anymore. Now residents of Susquehanna Twp., Alex is an audiologist in Lewistown and she works as a nurse at Geisinger Holy Spirit Hospital.

“He’s the love of my life,” Hunter said. For them, there’s no place like home.

Kick-Starting a Love Match Carly Simpson and Jason Leeper Carly Simpson and Jason Leeper first met on the Metro in Washington, D.C. on the way to a kickball game. That Metro theme later dominated their wedding theme.

In 2002, Carly was a bachelorette working HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 19

Nancy and John Sullivan

Blake and Bryttani Lynch

Carly Simpson and Jason Leeper for a government relations firm in Arlington, Virginia. She joined a kickball team to meet people. Kickball games were usually followed by post-game drinks at a local bar.

In July 2009, she was heading to her game. She hopped on the Metro and saw two other male players by her in their kickball uniforms also.

They kept looking at her. She thought maybe she knew them, so she said, “hi.”

She had a Penn State hat on, so Jason asked, “Did you go there or do you just like the team?”

She told him she went there. She soon learned that he was from the state of Indiana, working for the American Hospital Association.

He came to the bar after the game with his friends. He remembered her name, but she couldn’t remember his. Carly sent one of her male friends over to check him out.

She didn’t get his phone number, but she thought, “We’ll see.”

She then missed several weeks of kickball around the Fourth of July holiday, when she went home to Harrisburg for a visit.

Weeks after that first Metro meeting, both she and Jason played kickball at different times and ball fields. But again, he was at the bar for the post-game celebration. This time, they decided to grab dinner together.

He was super-friendly. He made her laugh.

“It’s hard to find nice guys,” Carly said.

Jason knew how much Carly loved famous D.C. landmarks so they got engaged in June 2011 at the Trump Hotel. The ring was a simple solitaire purchased at a jewelry store in Washington, D.C. She called her parents after he popped the question on bended knee.

She couldn’t reach them.

She turned to Jason and said, “You did ask my dad, right?”

Turns out, he had arranged a cocktail party for friends, and her parents were there.

They got married on August 25, 2012 at a church on Colonial Road in Lower Paxton Township. Their reception was held at the West Shore Country Club.

In a nod to that first encounter, their wedding place cards were Metro cards, artfully arranged along an enlarged Metro map. Each table was a stop on the Metro, and the decorations on the tables were Metro poles.

20 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

One pole still beckons on her bookshelf in her Capitol office.

Even the menu was a map of the Metro. One stop was the first course, and so on.

They now have a one-year-old named Maggie, and are thrilled a chance meeting on public transit led to a lifelong journey.

Love Blossoming Even After Death Nancy and John Sullivan What better match made in heaven than a marriage uniting a funeral director and a florist?

In 1986, Nancy Sullivan worked at Pealer’s Flowers, which was going to be sold, so she transferred to a “Perfect Affair,” a flower shop located in the basement of an Enola church. A month after she started working there, it happened.

She met Sullivan, the owner of Sullivan Funeral Home in Enola.

When John walked in, he had just mowed his lawn. He didn’t look like a funeral director, Nancy said.

“He was tall, dark, and handsome. He looked like Cary Grant.”

“I went weak in the knees,” she said. “I never felt that way before.”

I said, “Who is that?”

But she soon learned, it wasn’t just about appearances. He was her soul mate. “I’ll never meet anyone like him again.”

Both of them were in bad marriages. It took John a year to ask her out.

They dated for six years.

“We clicked,” Nancy said. She always seemed to fill a need for him.

She helped decorate his funeral home. After his hairdresser died, she started cutting his hair.

He was basically a one-man show except for the day of a funeral, so she helped in a million different ways.

The year before they married, his dad died. That traumatic loss propelled him to ask her to marry him. He said he knew he didn’t want to live without her.

They bought a house together in 1992 in Enola, and it is the house where she still lives.

“This house was built out of love,” they would always say. They married in 1993.

Tragically, John suffered a heart attack at the age of 65 and died on a vacation in Florida in 2015. Ironically, the popular funeral director did not want a funeral for himself.

John was devoted to her. In 2007, her intestine burst, and he took care of her. “He was amazing.”

Their Valentine’s Day celebrations were modest—and not full of flowers.

He used to say, “Every day is Valentine’s Day with me.”

They traveled often. Aruba was their favorite place. She hopes to scatter his ashes there someday.

“I would always ask him, ‘Why did you pick me?’ And he would say ‘Why not?’”

Married 22 years, they came to be known as the “Barbie and Ken” of Enola.

One of the things she misses most about John is their frequent walks from Enola to Harrisburg. They could often be spotted crossing the Market Street Bridge and Harvey Taylor Bridge.

“I still miss that.”

From English Class to Life-long Chemistry Blake and Bryttani Lynch Bryttani Anderson and Blake Lynch were in the same English class in 11th grade in Susquehanna Twp. High School He had just transferred to that school, and Bryttani made an extra effort to be nice to the new kid in class.

In their senior year, they had several classes together. He asked her to the prom, and on prom night at the then-Sheraton, he asked her to be his girlfriend.

They were friends first, dating for four years. It was that friendship that almost foiled their relationship. Bryttani at first told Blake she didn’t want to date him because it might ruin that friendship.

They married in 2010, when Blake was 22, she was 23.

They got engaged in “Paris” in Epcot Center, on the bridge overlooking the Disney version of the Eiffel Tower. Thousands of people in Disney World seemed to stop and hold their breath as the scene unfolded.

Blake was so nervous, he forgot to hold out the ring, which made her think he was joking about the proposal.

“The whole bridge froze, so I’m glad she said ‘Yes,’” Blake joked.

Blake picked out the engagement ring himself.

The center diamond is the diamond his dad gave his mom, which is especially meaningful since Blake’s dad passed away when Blake was only 3 years old. Other diamonds are splayed around that sentimental diamond in a gold ring.

“Disney became a big part of our life,” Bryttani said.

This past year, they returned with their two young boys—a five year-old and a 10-month-old—to that spot where they got engaged. Brytanni said the spot looked different than she remembered. It was now dark and the Eiffel Tower seemed farther away before.

“Nothing changed but our perspective,” Blake laughed. “We grew up.” Their kids both matured them and solidified their bond.

On Dec. 11, they celebrated their nineyear anniversary.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 21

Mike Wilson and Amy Zentz

Dr. Jennifer Shannon Pyne and Jim Pyne

“Bryttani is my opposite, which is good. It creates balance,” said Blake, who is the popular Community Relations Director for the Harrisburg Police Department. “I am the person I am because of her. I love her more and more every day.”

Bryttani acknowledges that they are opposites. She is introverted; he is extroverted. Large crowds exhaust her; he loves them. She likes spending the day at home; he is everywhere.

Bryttani works at Herbert, Rowland and Grubic, a major engineering firm, in Human Resources.

Throughout their marriage, they have always asked long-time couples the secret to their success.

On their first Disney vacation in 2017, they met an older couple who advised them to “agree on the big things and the little things don’t really matter.” They live by that mantra.

The couple often shares those insights as relief houseparents at Milton Hershey School.

“It’s an opportunity to give back,” Blake said. They work with older students, where they are not only tending to their basic needs for food and shelter, but the burning questions of life.

“We love it. It allows us to connect.” Bryttani was a preschool teacher at one time, and Blake worked at the Boys Club.

Blake advises many of the younger men he meets, “You’ve gotta play the long game.” He urges them to “look at the big picture.”

He agrees that the little things don’t matter. Whatever Bryttani is saying, “I know she is saying it out of love. I trust her 100 percent.”

On Valentine’s Day, they usually stay home. Blake will cook.

“I will try to create something special,” he said.

Clearly, they have.

all the local Leadership programs; Lebanon was his last one.

She didn’t like him at first, he joked.

Mike said Amy was thinking, “Who is this guy, and why does he want to be everybody’s friend?”

To Mike, he took one look at Amy and “I thought she was absolutely stunning. I felt like I needed to know more about her.”

Sadly, the table where she was sitting was the only table that was full. No insurmountable obstacle there. Mike pulled up a chair from a neighboring table and plopped down by her.

He squeezed in his chair and ‘’appointed myself social ambassador of the total table.”

Later that summer, they began dating. They went to Trevi 5 at Hotel Hershey and sat outside on their first date.

They had much in common, including a competitive spirit, a love of pistachio ice cream, and miniature golf.

“Our skill sets offset each other perfectly,” Mike said.

In Mike’s true larger-than-life fashion, they got engaged on April Fool’s Day in 2016, in a way that attracted a substantial and supportive audience.

That day was like a carefully scripted Hollywood production. He planned a scavenger hunt for Amy, transported in a rented limousine.

They went from stop to stop, with the final stop at Hotel Hershey, the scene of their first date.

Mike said he needed to stop in and see the Food and Beverage Manager for a work-related issue.

Amy, who works for a family-owned manufacturing business, was not surprised or suspicious….

Until they walked outside and discovered a massive 15 foot by 15 foot engagement ring made entirely out of Hershey kisses. Mike had designed it himself, sketching it out on a napkin.

“I wanted to do something that hadn’t been done before,” said the creative mind.

Guests on the second-floor ballroom could see the romantic scene unfolding.

They entered into the giant engagement ring and he popped the question.

The live band in the Iberian Lounge that night had even learned some Hall and Oates songs for the occasion.

“Amy and I were both in previous relationships, and we both learned a lot from that,” Mike said.

He endorses “brutal, open, and honest communication” early in the relationship.

“It’s freeing.”

Mike still has the one-pound Hershey’s kisses in his basement. He

A Chocolate Diamond and a Sweet Spot Mike Wilson and Amy Zentz Known to many as the charismatic “Merlot Mike” from the Vineyard at Hershey and now the Chief Marketing Officer for Members First Federal Credit Union, Mike Wilson wrote to his wife on Facebook on their anniversary: “You are the ‘Hall’ to my ‘Oates.’”

Rare for their age group, they both love that 80s-era pop-music radio staple. But their link goes far beyond “Private Eyes” and “You Make My Dreams Come True.”

Mike’s creative bent and goofball comedy inspired their entire relationship.

They married in December of 2016 in Granada and plan to spend every anniversary and holiday celebrating in some tropical destination like their first one.

They met in the Leadership Lebanon program. Mike had enrolled in 22 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

couldn’t bear to eat them.

At their wedding, there were “Dancing in the Moonlight” was their wedding song.

Their plans for Valentine’s Day are undetermined at this point.

“I’m sure I’ll think of something,” Mike said with anticipation. The wheels in his marketing mind are already turning. Wine and chocolate promise to play a starring role, along with that “kiss on my list.”

Northern Notes and Southern Smiles Dr. Jennifer Shannon Pyne and Jim Pyne Jennifer Shannon and Jim Pyne, now residents of Lower Paxton Twp., were only pre-teens when they met at a religious education class at St. Catherine Laboure School in Swatara Township.

Jen was 12, Jim was 13. One of the boys in the class thought Jennifer was cute, so he sent his friend Jim over to tell her so. Big mistake.

Jen thought Jim was very cute, and the beginning of a long friendship and a string of letters was born.

They attended different schools for high school: Jen went to Harrisburg Academy; Jim went to Bishop McDevitt, so they communicated via notes passed between them by their cousins on the St. Catherine’s school bus.

The letters were not profound, they said.

They just shared facts about themselves – baseball, jobs, homework, and things that happened every day.

Jim’s four siblings (three brothers and one sister) were on the same school bus as Jen’s cousins, so they became miniature emissaries for letters that basically told each other everything. In fact, Jen’s cousin Mark was only in second grade when he informed his school “Guardian Angel” mentor that his cousin liked Jim. How do you say no to a 7-year-old matchmaker?

At Jen and Jim’s wedding in 2010 at the elegant Hotel Hershey, those handwritten squares of loose leaf letters were the running joke.

Virtually everyone had read them before they went from Jen to Jim or Jim to Jen— cousins, brothers, sisters, occasionally parents, and maybe even other kids on the bus.

So it was no surprise to anyone when Jim asked Jen to marry him in Charleston, South Carolina, Jen’s favorite city, and the place where she had attended College of Charleston before enrolling in Temple School of Dentistry.

Her parents suddenly appeared on the streets of Charleston to surprise her after he asked. Her roommates took pictures.

Southern fare, including delicious hush puppies, she-crab soup and other southern touches were part of their large wedding at Hotel Hershey.

The marriage proposal was not a shock for her. She had been looking for the engagement ring for a long time. Jim hid it in his golf bag. ”She’d never look there,” he knew.

He drove all the way to Buffalo to get the ring, and got a speeding ticket on the way back.

Even though Jen and Jim communicated by letter and AOL Instant Messenger throughout high school and part of college, they dated other people—and they talked about those relationships with each other.

After nearly six years of letter-writing, they conducted a long-distance relationship for seven more years.

Finally, after Jen endured a break-up, her roommates said, “Why aren’t you dating Jim?” It seemed so obvious to them. Jim was far away at Villanova.

They finally had their first “date” in 2003, the summer after their freshman year of college.

They went to the movies. They can’t recall the movie, but they remember eating peanut M & Ms. There was never an “ah ha” moment when they realized they were meant for each other.

“We are always so comfortable together,” Jim said. “Our personalities just meshed.”

For Jen, the sudden death of her beloved grandmother was a turning point. Jim was so attentive. He even stocked the refrigerator for them at her parents’ house. She knew he would be a good family man.

They also liked to have fun. Their first years were spent taking spontaneous trips to Philly and State College, going to concerts, football games, wine festivals, and parties.

With daughter Maddie, now 4, and Gavin, 18 months, much of that social life has slowed.

Their love of football—and indeed all Philly sports—and their love of family solidified their union.

“We have always been inclusive,” Jim said. Their relationship was rarely just them. It was always brothers, sisters, friends, and those cousin-carrier pigeons all along. It was a group affair.

Jen now operates her own dental practice at Smiles by Shannon in Susquehanna Township, and Jim is a benefits consultant at Conrad Siegel.

Jim believes the secret to a good relationship is to always be each other’s biggest advocate.

He believes in talking, and Jen adds—“Listening!” And laughter.

“Be with someone who makes you smile and grounds you a little,” Jim said.

They still do date night, and both his parents and hers babysit.

And as daughter Maddie crawled happily all over him and Jen, wearing matching Eagles sweatshirts, they were all wearing big smiles. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 23

Transferring Dreams Into Reality

By Jacqueline G. Goodwin, Ed.D.

U

. S . Army veteran, cosmetologist, medical aesthetician, salon owner, do it yourselfer, community volunteer. . . these are just a few of the roles Desiree Woof treasures.

But at the end of the day, Woof considers herself a change agent.

And while she enjoys transforming clients in her salon and day spa, Woof says it is her diverse life experiences and her upbringing that have molded her into what she is today—a kinder, more hopeful and determined person.

When we are children, we have dreams of what we will be when we grow up. And Woof, owner of SASS Salon and Day Spa, was no different. Born on the bayou in rural Louisiana, she left home at age 17 to join the U.S. Army. “ My Dad died when I was 6 years old and I grew up really poor,” says Woof, who was one of nine children. “My Mother, Darlene Brantley, a strong, independent women for her time, did everything she could to keep us together, making money through little businesses such as flower arranging, and sewing. She was a very creative woman. She sewed little cabbage like dolls and designed hair barettes that she made for money. She definitely taught me to 24 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

not give up. And she lead by example.”

Woof’s Mother went on to remarry and opened up a baseball/ comic book shop. “She and my step Dad also owned their own shrimp boat and became shrimpers until the boat sunk,” says Woof.

“My Mother was a really hard worker,” says Woof. “She now takes care of my brother who is autistic and still runs her own antique shop. She is my role model.”

Like her Mother, Woof always worked. “I babysat when I was 12 years old and then worked at the local hospital as a secretary as part of my business co-op classes during high school. I just wanted to learn as many skills as I could so I could eventually set out on my own and leave the state.”

Woof says her Mother knew of her dream to leave Louisiana and set out on her own. “My Mother knew I wanted to leave Louisiana after I graduated from high school,” says Woof. “So after I received my diploma, I went to my Mother and said, ‘sign these papers.’

I was too young to sign on my own and my Mother knew it was best that I join the U.S. Army. By signing those papers she made it possible for me to get out.”

Woof was sent to Ft. Jackson, South Carolina for basic army training and then to Ft. Benning, Georgia where she received AIT Training in personnel administration.

She eventually was sent to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina where she was stationed, serving as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne.

“During my stint in the Army, I was the first female boxer to represent Ft. Bragg,” Woof says. “I was actually pregnant during my first fight and didn’t even know it,” Woof adds. “I left the Army after three years with the rank of E4 promotable.”

Woof says she arrived in the Harrisburg area after she married her ex-husband and they moved to Pennsylvania to be closer to his family.

“When I got to Harrisburg I decided that I wanted to attend beauty school,” says Woof. “I enrolled in Empire Beauty Schoo,l and got a job as a salon assistant at Sculptured Images.

“Sara Munoz recognized my potential.

Before graduation from beauty school she hired me,” adds Woof. “I worked there for 2 ½ years.” Woof also worked at Kenneth and Company for 2 ½ years.

In 2005, Woof’s dream to own her own salon materialized when she decided to open SASS on Carlisle Pike with a friend, another hair stylist. “One year later I bought her out,” says Woof who eventually opened a beauty clinic and medical spa on the premises.”

Woof says things were going great until August of 2018, when SASS suffered serious damage due to a disastrous electrical fire.

“I lost everything,” says Woof.

Instead of giving up, Woof credits her staff for believing in her to devise a plan to allow them all to continue to work in the beauty business.

“The fire happened at 9 p.m. The next day I called a meeting at my house and told my staff that ‘I felt defeated.’ I also told them that I could go and work somewhere else since I have more than surpassed my goals.

But they didn’t want me to give up. They told me they wanted me to be their leader,” explains Woof.

“That’s when I knew I had to continue. Not only did I do it for me, but I did it for my staff.”

With the help of family, friends, and other stylists, Woof was able to pick up the pieces, find another location and preserve.

“After the fire, the whole community reached out and lent a hand,” says Woof.

“Donna, owner of Kenneth & Company, let my staff and I work at her place until we moved to the new location at 931 Kranzel Drive, Camp Hill. Because of her kindness, I didn’t miss a paycheck.”

“As soon as I found the new location, I hired Dave and R & D, now D & D to do the bulk of the work to refurbish the space so we could open as the new SASS,” says Woof, who also pitched in as much as she could, do some painting and design work when time allowed.

Woof says not only did she create the salt room, she removed and replaced carpeting, helped sound proof walls, and shopped and purchased lighting and furniture among other things. In October 2019, Woof held an open house to showcase what the new location had to offer: a full service beauty clinic.

SASS offers a full menu of beauty services including hair, nails, facials, waxing, and makeup, as well as skin treatments including professional microneedling technology, electrolysis, salt therapy, laser treatments and massage and body treatments. Woof, a medical aesthetician who is certified in laser treatment, says SASS offers a laser and pulsed light treatments including photo dermatology, laser hair removal, and tattoo removal.

“We also offer a weight loss program,” says Woof. “We’ve teamed up with Dr. Edward Lamargue and wife, Jeannie, an RN at Central PA Weight Loss Center, so our clients can benefit from custom weight loss programs.”

Woof believes that sometimes dreams change. “As we begin to grow up, sometimes our dreams change, sometimes because we have changed, or sometimes because the world has told us we need to change our dreams. And sometimes we have no control over what happens,” says Woof.

“But I do know that my diverse life experiences have contributed to the passion and commitment it takes to succeed in what I love to do,” says Woof.

“And what I love to do is excel in the beauty business. It’s great being able to blend my passion with my profession.

“From day one I’ve said ‘yes’ to every opportunity that came my way, and looked at every failure as a teachable moment. But most of all, I’ve stayed true to my values,” she adds. “That’s what I was taught growing up.” 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 25

It’s a Snowy Job, But Somebody Has to Do It

By Jeff Falk • Photos Courtesy of Penn Dot

O

perating a snow plow is one of those jobs. You know the kind.

It’s one of those jobs that no one really wants to do, but that someone has to.

Sure, it might be a thankless undertaking, one that sometimes meets with unfair scrutiny or unwarranted criticism. It’s a task we may take for granted.

But if you really think about, it’s a job that allows us to live the type of lifestyle we’ve become accustomed to.

Piloting a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (Penn Dot) maintenance vehicle is so much more than some burly guy sitting behind the wheel of a big truck. The operators are highly—trained specialists—experts, if you will - performing difficult tasks in the worst possible conditions, with a lot to concern themselves with.

They make it possible for you and I to go home. And all they’re really looking for is the same consideration in return.

“They’re basically people who live in our community,” says Dave Thompson, Penn Dot’s District Eight Press Officer. “I would call them the unsung heroes of Penn Dot. We are talking about people who are out in all hours of the day and night, holidays, in the worst conditions.

You know how crappy some of our Pennsylvania winters can be.

“When the going gets tough, these guys get going,” adds Thompson.

“They keep things going when things are at their worst, weather-wise.

26 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

They’re really a dedicated group. I know some of them personally.

They’re ordinary people, but they do extraordinary things.”

District Eight is one of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s 11 districts and is made up of the counties of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin , Adams, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York Counties. It is home to 5,230 miles of roadways.

At some 40,000 total miles, Pennsylvania boasts one of the largest road networks in the state.

“I would say that we try to maintain a complement of winter service operators to keep the roads safe and passable,” says Thompson. “Penn Dot does not have a bare-roads policy. During a snowstorm, the job is however long it takes to complete the route. Motorists are going to encounter snow. We try to balance the amount of funding with the safety of the motoring public. Our number-one priority is to keep the roads good, safe and passable.

“Our first priorities are interstates and expressways,” Thompson adds. “Then we’ll do the less traveled state roads, and then the secondary roads. We try to treat the interstates and expressways every two hours. If it’s a heavy snow storm, we’ll divert resources to interstates and expressways from smaller, less traveled roadways.”

In Dauphin County alone, Penn Dot employees 60 full-time winter maintenance operators, 21 temporary, seasonal drivers, and six mechanics. Penn Dot supports the team with eight stock piles of winter maintenance materials, ten loaders, two graders, and 42 plow trucks.

Further proof that any job can be accomplished with the right tools.

“These folks are very dedicated,” says Thompson. “I imagine there’s a sense of accomplishment when the job is through. They’re out there during storms and after storms, completing the clean-up operation. It’s just about keeping traffic moving. That said, during extreme weather Penn Dot advises against any unnecessary travel.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 27

www.511pa.com

Click the truck icon in the key at the left of the page.

Click any truck that appears on the page (you can enlarge the map so you can zero in on a specific area or route) and a text bubble will appear that shows the direction of the plow is heading.

Click “view historic route” in the text bubble and a bread crumb trail of where the plow has been will appear. You can click the red crumbs to see what time the truck was at that location.

28 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

“I would say we do recommend against unnecessary travel,” adds Thompson. “I’m sure there are people who still do. That way our people can do their jobs.”

All Penn Dot winter maintenance operators possess CDL driver licenses and a clean driving record, and following an application process, they’re trained in the science of operating a snow plow. They’re also prepared and seasoned, because sometimes experience is the best teacher.

“All of our operators are trained,” says Thompson. “They do dry runs to familiarize themselves with their routes. You’ve got to be certified to operate a snow plow. It’s not a job for the faint of heart. It’s a huge vehicle. There are a lot of blind spots. The world looks different in a snow plow than it does from the seat of a car.

“They’re very large pieces of equipment. Certainly, there are a lot of challenges. Roads are slick, visibility is limited and you’ve got to look out for other motorists. Put that all together and you’re looking at a pretty tough job. There are a lot of things going on in these storm events that these operators have to be aware of.”

These demanding jobs can be taxing, and ultimately the long hours can take their toll on an operator’s stamina. The severity and duration of winter events can demand team work and flexibility.

“With our drivers, we don’t expect them to be out there 24 hours a day,” says Thompson.

“They work in shifts. . .dual shifts where they’re relieving each other. When the roads are clear, their jobs are done.

“With our permanent operators, they’re doing other maintenance activities during the summer months—things like paving, seal coating and shoulder work,” adds Thompson.

“But the reason we’re here is to keep roads safe and passable over the winter months.

Winter services are a top priority for us, keeping the roads open so emergency responders can get to other places.”

Penn Dot keeps a close watch on weather forecasts and road conditions throughout the winter months. A pound of preparation is always worth an ounce of cure.

“I think these folks, especially the experienced ones, have their routes down pat,” says Thompson. “We monitor the weather conditions. Once it looks like a storm is going to happen, we might treat the roads with salt brine. It inhibits snow and ice from forming on roadways. If we know a storm is brewing, we’ll have crews ready to go when the snow starts flying.

“We start getting ready for winter long before it starts,” Thompson adds. “Just making sure our trucks are working, maintained and ready to go. We make sure we have plenty of materials.”

Penn Dot winter maintenance operators make the nature of Pennsylvania’s seasonal weather manageable. But winter storms can sometimes take unpredictable turns, and no two are alike.

“Every winter has its challenges,” says Thompson. “No winter is the same. Sometimes we get heavy snows, but sometimes during less snowy winters, we have more nuisance storms and it requires our operators being out there just as much.

“I guess the message would be that maintenance folks have a very difficult job,” concludes Thompson. “People should slow down, back off and give them plenty of room to operate, so they can get home to their families. They shouldn’t pass them or tailgate.

We want everyone to get home safely. There are also things motorists can do to keep themselves safe. But it’s very important that the traveling public give the operators room to do their work.”

Penn Dot has set up a website to help motorists better manage winter road conditions, and it can be found at https://www.511pa.com/. 7

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MOTHER WAS RIGHT: WASH YOUR HANDS

By Jacqueline G. Goodwin, Ed.D.

A

s we all know, our Mother’s incessant reminder to “go wash your hands with soap and water” before we sat down at the dinner table was great advice after all. We now know that washing our hands is one of the best ways to protect ourselves and our families from getting sick. But it wasn’t always that way.

In the mid-19th Century, the medical profession had a hard time wrapping its head around the notion that invisible entities were the cause of childbed fever. The disease was most often caused by A and B Streptococcus and was the main reason for a staggering amount of mothers and their infants dying postpartum. In fact, many famous women such as Elizabeth of York, Mary Wollstonecraft and Queen Jane Seymour died of puerperal fever shortly after giving birth.

History credits Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian physician who practiced at a hospital in Vienna, Austria as the first doctor to associate the link between hand washing and puerperal fever. It was Dr. Semmelweis who proposed the use of hand washing and chlorine solutions in the Obstetrics Ward.

However, while Dr. Semmelweis is credited for the implementation of washing hands, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes published an article in the New England Quarterly Journal of Medicine and Surgery entitled, “The Contagiousness of Puerperal Fever,” in which he identified doctors as the link between puerperal fever. His theory stemmed from 30 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

seeing his colleagues contract the disease after performing autopsies on the dead. Both doctors knew the importance of good hygiene and Dr. Semmelweis’ findings and practice reduced the rate of puerperal fever in his clinic and as a result, reduced lives. In fact, Dr. Semmelweis demonstrated that childbirth fever was contagious and that its incidence would be reduced from 13 percent to 2 percent or less by enforcing appropriate hand-washing behavior by medical care-givers.

Unfortunately, both Dr. Semmelweis and Dr. Holmes were criticized for their findings. While Dr. Holmes eventually published additional research which became notable on the germ theory of disease, Dr. Semmelweis was rejected by his colleagues and died in 1865, never given the recognition so deserved for his finding on hand washing and the spread of disease. Unfortunately, Semmelweis’s ideas were not accepted by all of his colleagues. Indeed, many were outraged at the suggestion that they were the cause of their patients’ miserable deaths. Consequently, Semmelweis met with enormous resistance and criticism.

It was only 20 years after Dr. Semmelweis’ death, when Louis Pasteur connected the germ theory of disease with Dr. Semmelweis’s research, that hand washing has become the foundation of modern medical practice.

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. The Center says the following five steps will stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community: 1. West your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.

2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.

4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.

5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Use Sand Sanitizer When You Can’t Use Soap and Water While washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations, if soap and water is not available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands; however, the Center emphasizes that: a. Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs. b. Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. c. Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.

How to Use Hand Sanitizer 1. Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand.

2. Rub your hands together.

3. Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.

The best takeaway: To keep disease, especially the flu away, wash your hands with soap and water several times a day.

Germs can live on any surface or two hours or more. If someone in your home, school or office is infected those germs can reside on anything—phones, tables, desks, toys, and books. The best remedy: wash hands with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds while singing the “Happy Birthday” song twice while rubbing.

For more information on handwashing, visit CDC’s Handwashing website at www. cdc.gov/handwashing 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 31

FEBRUARY EVENTS 1 FEBRUARY

THE HBG FLEA AT STRAWBERRY SQUARE Strawberry Square 320 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 10:00 AM More dates to come!

The HBG Flea is once again popping up inside Strawberry Square over the winter season!

We're happy to bring 75+ of the best local makers, artists, and artisan craftsmen to downtown Harrisburg on the first Saturday of each month from November through April.

We believe in shopping our values and supporting our community as a way to vote with our wallets and help each other live our best lives. We give our artists the opportunity to sell directly to their community and shoppers a chance to find unique, sustainable goods.

While you're enjoying the flea, make sure to stop by Freshido, Fresa Bistro, Provisions, AMMA JO Showroom, IDEAS AND OBJECTS, Modern Jewelers, The Midtown Dandy, and all the other great local shops downtown.

DAVID W. BLIGHT: FREDERICK DOUGLASS

Midtown Scholar Bookstore CafĂŠ 1302 N. Third St. Harrisburg, PA 17102 5:00 PM Admission Free Winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in History, the definitive biography of Frederick Douglass, and a powerful portrait of one of the most important American voices of the nineteenth century.

This February, the Midtown Scholar Bookstore is pleased to welcome Pulitzer Prize Winning Historian David W. Blight to Harrisburg as he presents his award-winning biography, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom.

32 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

This event is free and open to the public. Book signing to follow discussion.

About the Book: As a young man Frederick Douglass (1818– 1895) escaped from slavery in Baltimore, Maryland. He was fortunate to have been taught to read by his slave owner mistress, and he would go on to become one of the major literary figures of his time. His very existence gave the lie to slave owners: with dignity and great intelligence he bore witness to the brutality of slavery.

Initially mentored by William Lloyd Garrison, Douglass spoke widely, using his own story to condemn slavery. By the Civil War, Douglass had become the most famed and widely travelled orator in the nation. In his unique and eloquent voice, written and spoken, Douglass was a fierce critic of the United States as well as a radical patriot. After the war he sometimes argued politically with younger African Americans, but he never forsook either the Republican party or the cause of black civil and political rights.

In this “cinematic and deeply engaging” (The New York Times Book Review) biography, David Blight has drawn on new information held in a private collection that few other historian have consulted, as well as recently discovered issues of Douglass’s newspapers.

“Absorbing and even moving…a brilliant book that speaks to our own time as well as Douglass’s” (The Wall Street Journal), Blight’s biography tells the fascinating story of Douglass’s two marriages and his complex extended family. “David Blight has written the definitive biography of Frederick Douglass…a powerful portrait of one of the most important American voices of the nineteenth century” (The Boston Globe).

About the Author: David W. Blight is the Sterling Professor of History and Director of the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition at Yale University. He is the author or editor of a dozen books, including American Oracle: The Civil War in the Civil Rights Era; and Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory; and annotated editions of Douglass’s first two autobiographies. He has worked on Douglass much of his professional life, and been awarded the Bancroft Prize, the Abraham Lincoln Prize, and the Frederick Douglass Prize, among others.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 33

1-9 FEBRUARY

GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOOR SHOW

Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center 2300 N. Cameron St. Harrisburg, PA 17110 Saturday - 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday - 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday through Friday - 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Admission Free & Parking Free, see website for pricing https://www.visithersheyharrisburg.org/ great-american-outdoor-shows The largest outdoor show in the world returns to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg February 1-9, 2020. Find everything you need for your next outdoor adventure. More than 1,000 vendors will be on hand with the latest gear for hunting, fishing, camping and more. Sit in on educational seminars, meet your favorite outdoor celebrities, visit the Eddie Eagle Kids’ Zone or kick up your heels at the NRA Country Concert.

7 FEBRUARY

WHITAKER UNPLUGGED

Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts 222 Market St. Harrisburg, PA 17101 6:00 PM -8:00 PM $5 in advance $8 at the door (717) 724-3880 Join us February 7 in AMP Lobby as local singer songwriters belt out their own original music. As an audience member you not only get the joy of discovering new music, appreciate the art of songwriting, but you are also a judge. Get a sneak peek at the February artists. Listen to Hunter Root, Corina Rose, D-BO, and Carsyn Kinneman.

This is now a BYOB event. Ticket holders may bring their own bottle of wine or 6 pack to enjoy in the lobby area.

Buy tickets in advance online for $5 or at the door for $8. Unplugged season pass is only $28.

8-9 FEBRUARY

VALENWINE'S DAY CELEBRATION Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country 34 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

February 8-9 & 15-16 12:00 AM - 5:00 PM For more information visit https://www. visithersheyharrisburg.org/event/detail/ valenwine's-day-celebration/4584/ ValenWine's Day: A Celebration of Wine and Chocolate, Feb 8-9 and Feb. 15-16.

Join the Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country for a four-day wine & chocolate experience that will provide guests the opportunity to explore many of the wineries of the Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country. As you travel to each of the wineries, you will enjoy hand-crafted, award-winning wines paired with chocolates from around the world, along with 10% off wine purchases and a complimentary souvenir glass. All guests who visit five or more wineries that weekend will be entered into a drawing for a Wine Country basket!

Below are the wineries you can drive and visit and enjoy this great, fun event.

Participating wineries include: • Armstrong Valley Vineyard & Winery • Broad Mountain Vineyards (Hailfax) • Buddy Boy Vineyard & Winery • Moon Dancer Winery • Mount Hope Winery • Nissley Vineyards • Spring Gate Vineyard • The Vineyard at Grandview • The Vineyard at Hershey • West Hanover Winery • Winery at Hunters Valley

15-16 FEBRUARY MOTORAMA

Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center 2300 N. Cameron St. Harrisburg, PA 17110 Saturday - 9:00 AM-10:00 PM Sunday - 9:00 AM-5:00 PM Admissin Fee & Parking Fee, see website for pricing https://motoramaevents.com/tickets Motorama Events, Feb. 15-16, 2020, in Harrisburg - The Nation's Largest All Indoor Motorsports Event Featured 1 Million Square Feet of Action.

Access to all of the racing events and all exhibition areas are included in your single admission price, but there are no reserved seats in any of the five racing arenas. More than 2,000 racers pilgrimage to the venue each year to participate, along with 800 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 35

exhibition race and show vehicles and more than 150 vendors.

As you walk thru the shows and pit areas, feel free to stop and talk to racers and exhibitors.

Don't forget to support the sponsors and vendors who continue to help make Motorama possible year after year.

21-23 FEBRUARY

NEW WORKS FESTIVAL

Rose Lehrman Art Center One HACC Drive Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg, PA 17110 Admission: $10-15 717-231-7673

2020 HARRISBURG RV AND CAMPING SHOW PA Farm Show Complex and Expo Center 2300 N. Cameron St. Harrisburg, PA 17110

Hours: Friday 10:00 AM - 8:00PM Saturday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM The Harrisburg RV and Camping Show will be held on February 21-23, 2020.

Check out the nation's top manufacturers showcasing their latest makes and models of recreational vehicles. Also avail a variety of services such financing, on the spot loan approvals, special factory rebates and more. The show will also include great entertainment, features, seminars and more.

22 FEBRUARY

CAPITAL REGION HEART BALL

Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey, PA 17033 6:00 PM - 11:30 PM See website for ticket pricing http:// capitalregionpaheartball.heart.org The 2020 Capital Region Heart Ball will bring together our community’s most influential leaders from the corporate,

philanthropic and medical communities to raise funds and promote the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association.

This year’s masquerade gala will be an exciting evening of auctions, cocktails, a heart-healthy dinner, entertainment and dancing the night away.

25 FEBRUARY

EMMA COPLEY EISENBERG: THE THIRD RAINBOW GIRL

Midtown Scholar Bookstore Café 1302 N. Third St. Harrisburg, PA 17102 7:00 PM A stunningly written investigation of the murder of two young women--showing how a violent crime casts a shadow over an entire community.

This February, the Midtown Scholar Bookstore is pleased to welcome author Emma Eisenberg to Harrisburg as she presents and signs copies of her new book, The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia. Eisenberg will be in conversation with co-founder of FEAR NO LIT, Erin Dorney. This event is free and open to the public. Book signing to follow discussion.

About the Book: In the early evening of June 25, 1980 in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, two middle-class outsiders named Vicki Durian, 26, and Nancy Santomero, 19, were murdered in an isolated clearing. They were hitchhiking to a festival known as the Rainbow Gathering but never arrived; they traveled with a third woman however, who lived.

For thirteen years, no one was prosecuted for the "Rainbow Murders," though deep suspicion was cast on a succession of local residents in the community, depicted as poor, dangerous, and backward. In 1993, a local farmer was convicted, only to be released when a known serial killer and diagnosed schizophrenic named Joseph Paul Franklin claimed responsibility. With the passage of time, as the truth seemed to slip away, the investigation itself caused its own traumas-turning neighbor against neighbor and confirming a fear of the violence outsiders have done to this region for centuries.

Emma Copley Eisenberg spent years living in Pocahontas and re-investigating these brutal

36 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

Multi Million Dollar Beauty Industry Welcomes Innersoulhairoil Photo By Rachel Peri

Nasreen Bhatt is one of those women who knows what she wants and knows how to get there. Her products will be a great asset to many for future generations.

Since Bhatt launched Innersoulhairoil in 2019, she’s had nothing but positive feedback from all ethnicities all over the world in how much the product has made a huge difference in their hair texture since they started using it. Numbers don’t lie when companies are eager to talk with her and listen in on her brilliant mind in how she visions the benefits for the natural beauty industry to grow at a more healthier self-care lifestyle improving your mind body and soul.

“Innersoulhairoil allows a person to feel more confident and excited about embracing the beauty of wearing their hair in any style they choose,” says Bhatt. “Innersoulhairoil has benefitted people who suffer from dandruff, psoriasis, dry brittle hair, and has improved the overall texture resulting in softer, healthier hair growth since it has launched.

“To be able to embrace the beauty of being natural is my ultimate goal for future generations, meaning everything that will be added to my InnerSoul brand will help you find your beautiful,” says Bhatt.

All Innersoul brands will give people of all ages all around the world products that will make them feel beautiful and be happy in their own skin. “I am a firm believer that if you are internally happy on the outside it’s a bonus on the inside, and as a result, you’ll radiate energy naturally to the people you connect and meet."

The fierce and unstoppable entrepreneur and business woman is currently working on an all-natural turmeric orange peel mud mask and a rose-hip no scent facial oil suitable for all skin types.

“These two products will be available on her online store I have coming in 2020."

A Delaware Valley University graduate who earned a bachelors degree in science and agriculture, Bhatt says she is able to oversee the proper ingredients for her products resulting in a healthier lifestyle for those that use them.

"I also embrace the home remedies that I have knowledge of and of which my mother, who is all about natural beauty, practices,” says Bhatt. "I honor these values which are close to my heart, and have taken the lead to continue to inspire people to use products which are good for them.”

Innersoulhairoil has changed many lives for a healthier outlook on what natural beauty is all about. Last year Innersoulhairoil made a difference in over 3,000 people, reaching 18 states and three countries with its continued support among so many making them feel more confident in their own skin.

“Innersoulhairoil has given women, men, and children of all cultures, ethnicities and all ages, the confidence to take pride in where they are from,” says Bhatt. "I am so proud to be a woman in business and to take on the leadership role especially as a woman of strength and survival and be that powerful voice for so many to bring back the true essence in the beauty industry that will result in making a difference around the world."

Shop now to start the healthy hair journey at www.Innersoulhairoil.com and keep an eye out for other InnerSoul products coming soon. . 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 37

acts. Using the past and the present, she shows how this mysterious act of violence has loomed over all those affected for generations, shaping their fears, fates, and the stories they tell about themselves. In The Third Rainbow Girl, Eisenberg follows the threads of this crime through the complex history of Appalachia, forming a searing and wideranging portrait of America--its divisions of gender and class, and of its violence.

27 FEBRUARY - 1 MARCH HORSE WORLD EXPO

Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center 2300 N. Cameron St. Harrisburg, PA 17110 For times and tickets visit https://www. horseworldexpo.com/

About the Author: Emma Copley Eisenberg is a writer whose work has appeared in Granta, VQR, McSweeney's, Tin House, The Paris Review online, The New Republic, Salon, Slate, and elsewhere. Her work has been supported by the Millay Colony for the Arts, the Elizabeth George Foundation, Lambda Literary, and the New Economy Coalition. Her reporting has been recognized by GLAAD, the New York Association of Black Journalists, the Deadline Club and Longreads' Best Crime Reporting 2017. Eisenberg lives in Philadelphia, where she co-directs Blue Stoop, a community hub for the literary arts.

The PA Horse World Expo will bring the nation’s leading equestrian clinicians and entertainers to Harrisburg for four days of education, entertainment and shopping.

27-29 FEBRUARY

MILLENNIUM MUSIC CONFERENCE SHOWCASE PERFORMANCES Various Venues

AN EVENING WITH MITCH ALBOM

Beth El Temple Harrisburg 2637 N. Front St. VIP Reception - 5:30 PM Program - 7:00 PM Book signing to follow program Tickets & Sponsorships Available Call 717-233-1618 or visit www.jfsofhbg.org Best selling author of Tuesdays With Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven discusses his newest book, Finding Chicka: A Little Girl, An Earthquake, and the Making of a Family.

The 24th annual Millennium Music Conference & Showcase will celebrate new music and emerging talent on February 27-29 at 30 live music venues in and around Harrisburg, PA. All showcase performances are free and open to the public unless we host established talent.

Many bar and restaurant venues are restricted by age after dining hours by PLCB law. The Conference will be based at the Park Inn by Radisson Harrisburg West but the showcases at night take place all across the area.

Visit https://musicconference.net/showcasemillennium-music-conference/ to see up-todate venues and bands.

38 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

• Educational Seminars • Family Friendly Entertainment • Stallion Avenue • Breed Demonstrations • World-Class Shopping • Consumer Trade Show • Open to the Public • Hundreds of Vendors Selling a Variety of Horse Products • For All Ages and Every Discipline

5 MARCH

HAMILTON HEALTH CENTER GOLDEN GALA

Hershey Lodge & Convention Center In PA 325 University Drive Hershey, PA 17033 For tickets visit https://hhc50th.com/golden-gala/ Join us for an evening of music, food and celebrating the 50 years of healing by the leadership and staff of Hamilton Health Center. 7

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 39

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Celebrate

Valentine’s Day At Home With These Recipes

By Jacqueline G. Goodwin, Ed.D.

T

his year, why not celebrate Valentine’s Day at home with your honey and cook a romantic dinner together? Here’s our recipe suggestions and wine pairings that will result in love at first bite. Use your fanciest tableware, fresh flowers, candles, and a crisp white tablecloth, all guaranteed to set the scene for romance. After all, what says “I love you” more than a romantic candlelit dinner for two?

42 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

SCALLOPS WITH CHESTNUT SAUCE INGREDIENTS • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 thick slice of bacon • 1 leek finely diced • 2 tablespoons Cognac • 1 1/4 cups chicken stock • 1 cup vacuum-packed chestnuts • Salt and freshly ground pepper • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 8 large sea scallops (about 1 pound) • 8 sage leaves DIRECTIONS In a saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until the fat has been rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the Cognac and carefully ignite it. When the flames subside, add the chicken stock and chestnuts and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for 3 minutes.

Transfer to a blender and puree. Return the chestnut sauce to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Add the sage leaves to

the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage to a plate.

Add the scallops to the skillet and cook over high heat until starting to brown, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to moderately high and cook the scallops until they are well glazed, about 1 minute. Turn the scallops and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Continue cooking the scallops, basting with the butter, until browned and just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.

Reheat the chestnut sauce and pour it into shallow bowls. Arrange the scallops in the chestnut sauce and garnish with the fried sage leaves. Serve right away.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Chenin Blanc

ROASTED LAMB CHOPS WITH MINT CHIMIHURRI INGREDIENTS • 2 cups mint leaves • 1 small jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped • 1 small shallot, coarsely chopped • 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar • Pinch of sugar • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • Six-rib racks of lamb (about 1 1/2 pounds each) • Freshly ground pepper • 6 ounces snow peas • 1 red Thai chile, seeded and minced • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro • 1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped DIRECTIONS In a blender, puree the mint, jalapeño, shallot, garlic, vinegar, sugar and 1/2 cup of the oil. Season with salt.

Preheat the oven to 450°. In an ovenproof skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Season the lamb with salt and pepper; add to the skillet, fat side down, and brown over high heat, turning once. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 12 minutes, until mediumrare. Transfer the lamb to a carving board; let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Blanch the snow peas, about 1 minute. Drain and pat dry.

In a bowl, mix the Thai chile, cilantro, snow peas, almonds and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil; season with salt.

Carve the racks into chops; set 3 on each plate. Dollop with the mint chimichurri and serve the snow pea salad alongside.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 43

WIENER SCHNITZEL WITH LINGONBERRY PRESERVES INGREDIENTS • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs • 4 thinly pounded veal cutlets • Salt and freshly ground white pepper • Canola oil DIRECTIONS Put the flour, eggs and bread crumbs into 3 shallow bowls. Season the veal with salt and white pepper. Dredge the cutlets in the flour, then dip in the egg and coat with the bread crumbs; press to help the crumbs adhere.

In a very large skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil until shimmering. Add the cutlets and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, for 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve the Wiener Schnitzel with Lingonberry Preserves.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Grüner Veltliner

SHRIMP LINGUINE INGREDIENTS • 1 1/2 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp • 1 (9-oz.) package refrigerated linguine • 1/4 cup butter • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1/4 cup chopped green onions • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 tablespoon dry white wine • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley DIRECTIONS Peel shrimp, leaving tails on, if desired. Devein, if desired.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Melt butter with oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add green onions and garlic, and sauté 4 to 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Add shrimp, wine, and next 3 ingredients.

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in dill and parsley. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon, reserving sauce in skillet. Add hot cooked pasta to sauce in skillet, tossing to coat. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl, and top with shrimp.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Chardonnay 44 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

HONEY-PECAN PORK CHOPS INGREDIENTS • 2 boneless pork loin chops • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon pepper • 2 tablespoons butter • 2 tablespoons honey • 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped pecans DIRECTIONS Pound pork chops with a meat mallet to flatten slightly.

In a shallow bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper. Dip chops in flour mixture to coat both sides; shake off excess. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add pork chops; cook until a thermometer reads 145°, 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Add honey and pecans to same skillet; heat through, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Serve with pork.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Chardonnay

CHICKEN FRANCAISE INGREDIENTS • 1 egg, beaten • 4 slices lemon, for garnish • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour • 5/8 pinch garlic powder • 5/8 pinch paprika • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves • 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon butter • 5/8 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth • 4 slices lemon, for garnish • 4 slices lemon, for garnish • 1-1/4 sprigs fresh parsley, for garnish DIRECTIONS In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the egg and juice of 1/2 lemon. In another shallow dish or bowl mix together the flour, garlic powder and paprika. Dip chicken breasts in egg mixture, then flour mixture.

Heat butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden on each side.

In a medium bowl, mix together broth and juice of 1 lemon, and pour mixture over chicken in skillet. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for about 8 minutes.

Place on serving platter, and garnish with fresh lemon slices and parsley sprigs.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 45

CHICKEN AND ARUGULA CACIO E PEPE INGREDIENTS • 8 ounces bucatini or spaghetti • 2 tablespoons butter • 2 cups grated parmesan • 4 cups baby arugula • 2 cups diced warm rotisserie chicken DIRECTIONS Cook bucatini or spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 1/4 cups cooking water.

Meanwhile, cook 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper in butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup pasta water and bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat to low and stir in hot pasta and grated Parmesan, stirring constantly until cheese is melted (add more pasta water if sauce seems dry).

Fold in baby arugula and warm rotisserie chicken, tossing until arugula is just wilted. Serve immediately topped with additional Parmesan and black pepper.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon 7

46 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

*SPOTLIGHT*

VRAI RESTARUANT Vrai Means Healthy, Delicious Cuisine

There’s no better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than a romantic dinner at Vrai. Pronounced with a long “a” like in “say,” Vrai is French for “true.”

And that is exactly what Vrai has to offer: clean, unprocessed, and mostly organic ingredients, prepared by talented and creative chef, Scott Kemp.

“Our menu features real food. Everything is made from scratch, including sauces, and even our hand cut fries,” says Shelly Page, owner.

“We want our guests to savor a dining experience that aligns the food we eat with our health and the environment,” explains Page. “It’s about the ingredients, how they are grown and then how they are prepared and served to our guests.

“We believe in using free range, grass fed, hormone free animal products. We work with local farms to source much of our eggs, dairy and meats.

We believe every little step you take to eating this way, can contribute to feeling and living better.”

Popular items include Vrai’s house made organic pastas and raviolis, wood fired crab cake, market fish, and Wagyu beef burger. For vegans, Vrai offers vegan ala vodka and wood fired pizzas.

“We also specialize in gluten free and specialty diets,” says Page. “ For Valentine’s Day Vrai will offer a special dinner menu. “And our Valentine’s Day dinners will conclude with a complimentary Belgian chocolate rose or a chocolate covered strawberry,” adds Page.

Vrai is located at 1015 Market Street, Lemoyne, PA. For hours of operation and more information about menu items go to www. vrairestaurant.com.

HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020 47

will stick to the ice. To make a drink that will last longer, and therefore, you as well, make the Martini in a rocks glass with ice and sip slowly. The ice will melt adding volume (not much but some) and it will take a little longer to drink the 3 ounces of Gin. These are very potent drinks and they should be treated with respect. Obviously, the Gin or Vodka is the main component, and you may have to try different ones to find your personal favorite as with the ratio. 6:1 is the traditional but you may like a different ratio.

If you can find cocktail onions you can make a Gibson, which is simply a Martini with a cocktail onion garnish. A particularly nice one can be made with Little Springs Vodka, a local vodka from Heritage Spirits located in Lititz, Pennsylvania. This Vodka has a subtle sweetness which pairs well with the spicy sweetness of a cocktail onion. (I admit, I do like onions so I may be a little biased).

LITTLE SPRINGS VODKA GIBSON • 2 ounces Little Springs Vodka • ½ ounce Dry Vermouth • 2 Cocktail Onions on a spear

Bartender’s Best

By Charlie Wohlrab

T

he Martini is a classic cocktail with a history dating back possibly, to 1860. However, the drink was made with two parts Sweet Vermouth and one part Gin. The Martini as we know it came about in the 1920s. Thanks to the availability of Gin during Prohibition the cocktail became popular. After Prohibition better Gin became available, and the Martini became progressively drier—more Gin less Vermouth, thus, the old saying, the way to make a good Martini is to fill the glass with Gin and whisper “Vermouth” over the glass. While the ratio of Gin to Vermouth is up to the individual, the “official” Martini ratio is 6:1.

When making a Martini, the choice of Gin or Vodka is critical, and because the taste of the sprit is dominant, it's best use a premium or top shelf liquor. I like to stock three Gins and Vodkas in my home bar. For example, a “house brand” for drinks in juices or sweet soda, “premium” for Martinis, and a “local” small batch for variety.

We are lucky to be living in a time when there are local distilleries putting their own touch on traditional spirits to create unique liquors. The choice of premium Gin or Vodka is a matter of personal taste, since there are subtle, and not so subtle, differences in the taste profiles of the premium brands. I like to try the various labels, and as I finish a bottle I may replace it with a different brand.

THE TRADITIONAL MARTINI • 3 ounces Gin • ½ ounce Dry Vermouth • Garnish, Olive or Lemon Twist

DIRECTIONS Add ice to a glass cocktail mixing glass. Add the Gin and then the Vermouth and gently stir, (sorry Mr. Bond, stirred is preferred) and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with 3 olives on a spear or a twist of lemon. Remember you want the oil from the rind and not the actual lemon. Serve with a Soda or water “back.”

A few slight variations. To make a “Dirty Martini” add a bar spoon of the brine from the olive jar. To make an exceptionally “Dry Martini” add the Vermouth first, give the glass a swirl, pour off the excess Vermouth and add the Gin. Theoretically, a hint of Vermouth 48 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

DIRECTIONS In a glass cocktail mixing glass add ice, the Vodka and the Vermouth, give a few gentle stirs and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the onions on a spear, serve with a soda or water back, and sit back and enjoy. Obviously, you can use any Vodka or Gin, but Little Springs seems to work very well. Notice I only use 2 ounces of Vodka, for a 4:1 ratio. I like to taste the hint of Vermouth, and in my house cocktails served at cocktail hour typically have 1 ½ - 2 ounces of alcohol.

Valentine’s Day is February 14 and that calls for chocolate. The following is a simple and easy recipe for a Chocolate Martini.

CHOCOLATE MARTIN

• 2 ounces Vodka • 1 & ½ ounce Crème de Cacao • Hot Cocoa Mix • Hershey’s Kiss DIRECTIONS In a cocktail mixing glass add ice, vodka and Crème de Cacao, in that order. Give a few gentle stirs and set aside. Pour a little Crème de Cacao on a plate. On another plate sprinkle some of the Hot Cocoa mix. Roll the rim of a cocktail glass through the Crème de Cacao and then the Hot Cocoa mix. Strain the Cocktail into the prepared glass and garnish with a Hershey’s Kiss. (Get it? A kiss on Valentine’s Day). You can use any Vodka since the Crème de Cacao will cover any shortcomings of the Vodka. I use Crème de Cacao because I have it on hand, but if you have another chocolate liqueur it would be just fine.

If you don’t have hot cocoa mix I have found single serve packets have more than enough for several drinks. A word of caution: this is a sweet, potent cocktail.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Charlie Wohlrab is a mixologist whose motto, “Drinking. . .more than a hobby” has been topmost in his mind since he first started tending bar while getting his Pharmacy degree. Now retired, when he’s not restoring his older home in New Jersey, he’s made it his goal to elevate the experience of having a daily cocktail from something mundane to something more exciting. He is now Harrisburg Magazine’s official bartender in residence.

My recipes are like my opinions,” says Wohlrab. “They continue to be refined as I try new products and work with old standbys.” Currently working on a book about cocktails, Wolhrab welcomes comments from his readers. He can be contacted at jgoodwin@harrisburgmagazine.com. 7