Celebrate Dad!! Dad
#GirlDad Movement Alive And Well In Harrisburg
b enchmark Media, LLC.
CONTENTS J U NE 2020
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June 2020 • Volume 26 No. 6 PRESIDENT/CEO Darwin Oordt Ext. 1001 doordt@benchmarkmediallc.com
INSIDE 4 "SIMPLY THE BEST"
HOW TO VOTE
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CLASS OF 2020 CHASING DREAMS AT A DISTANCE
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#GIRLDAD MOVEMENT ALIVE AND WELL HAAR’S DRIVE-IN THEATER FACES DUSKY FUTURE VROOM... THE NEED FOR SPEED TASTES OF DISTINCTION BARTENDER'S BEST
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Danielle Carl Ext. 1002 dcarl@harrisburgmagazine.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 Ross Burnett rburnett@harrisburgmagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Charlie Wohlrab Diane White McNaughton Jeff Falk
ON THE COVER
Celebrate Dad!! Dad
#GirlDad Movement Alive And Well In Harrisburg
#GirlDad Movement
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE'S "SIMPLY THE BEST" 2019 CORPORATE SPONSORS:
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THE NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OVER. While thousands were nominated, only THE BEST had enough votes to make it to the next round. HERE'S HOW TO VOTE: 1. If you voted before, you need to find the link 3. For each category, scroll through the list until emailed to you to log in. the bottom to ensure you see all the entrants. Entries are listed alphabetically. Most If you can't find the link, go to the voting categories have between 5 to 10 nominees. page and click on "Already registered" at the A few categories, where competition was top of the ballot. This will resend you the link. tough or votes were tied, may have more than 10. If you haven't voted before, you will need to register. You can do this by entering your 4. Choose the nominee you think is the best, email address when prompted after voting. then click on the green "Vote" button next to Email address must be valid and belong to it. the person casting the vote to be considered 5. If you haven't registered or logged in, it will valid. Invalid votes will not be counted. ask for your email address at this time. Enter 2. To start, navigate to the category by it and complete the registration process. selecting on the group button, then the category from the drop-down menu. 6. If you make a mistake, just click on "Change Vote" to fix it.
THAT'S IT! YOU MAY ONLY VOTE ONE TIME PER CATEGORY.
VOTING ENDS AT 11:59 P.M. ON JUNE 15, 2020. 4 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020 5
Class of 2020
Chasing Dreams At A Distance By Diane White McNaughton • Photos Courtesy of Graduates
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ongratulations, Class of 2020! In the immortal words of a black-capped Reese Witherspoon in “Legally Blonde,” “We did it!” You read the books, wrote the essays, passed the tests, survived the cafeteria specials. But now, at the hands of a sinister-smart virus, your traditional march down a crowded aisle lined with beaming family members and friends (and a few bored siblings) to the tunes of “Pomp and Circumstance” will be replaced with Graduation, The Home Edition. Even during a global pandemic, your academic achievements still reign undiminished, and your family members, teachers, and schools remain undeterred in their efforts to dream up creative, quarantine-friendly ways to salute you in socially-distancing style. They may not be able to overlook an ocean of mortarboard caps, hear random cheers from overly enthusiastic family members, and hug you and your friends like there’s no tomorrow, but most parents, schools and students have risen to the “graduation in quarantine” challenge with a sense of humor, creativity and tech-savvy salutes. “This class is resilient,” says Angie Durantine, mom to Lower Dauphin High School graduate Elijah. “They were born during 9/11 and graduate during COVID-19.” Maria Spizzieri, mother of four, including Angelina, a graduate of Bishop McDevitt High School, says many parents are angry at the loss of so many memories and milestones for their seniors. But as the wife of a cardiologist, she and Angelina, a small but mighty powerlifter, have accepted those things they cannot change. Safety comes first. “We’re all stuck in the same position. Stuck at home,” she says. Her family is taking a “wait-and-see approach” to parties and making the best of a bad situation by going camping, working out in a hastily constructed home gym, and having Zoom link-ups. Melissa Gizzi, mother to college senior Katie from Clemson University, along with an older daughter 6 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
Nichole who earned her master’s degree as a nurse practitioner this year while battling breast cancer, says Clemson made the decision to completely close its campus over spring break. “There were no hugs, no best wishes, no goodbyes,” Gizzi says. “Clemson is committed to bringing the seniors back to campus for an inperson ceremony this fall, but the opportunity to have those goodbyes are likely to be far less.” These devoted parents and schools have decided to write a new chapter alongside the Class of 2020. They have lined the grassy carpet of school campuses and their front lawns with balloons and colorful signs bearing the names of their graduates. They are still snapping photos of graduates in full cap and gown, sharing their pride and joy on Facebook. Some have even accessorized their snapshots with the coveted toilet paper roll and omnipresent surgical mask. “Proms” for two or four have been held in backyards transformed with strings of white lights; parades of honking, decorated cars have crawled by graduates’ homes; media outlets have featured outstanding student-athletes; and video salutes set to nostalgic music have still generated many memories, misty eyes, and tear-stained faces. Like many other schools, the Susquehanna Twp. School District has taken their graduation virtual for the first time ever. According to Outreach Coordinator Takia Colston-Krow, the senior class will walk the stage, decorated with fresh flowers, a banner, and a podium, instead of the typical Farm Show setting. Each senior’s walk in full cap and gown will be photographed and recorded, and these individual videos will be edited to create one virtual procession, to be streamed live in June on the district’s website and Facebook page. Four family members are permitted to view the iconic walk across the stage, but masks and six-feetapart seating are a must. The name of each graduating senior and their
Angelina Spizzieri
Elijah Durantine
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Michael Soule
Katie Gizzi
Jake White 8 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
post-graduate plans will be read during the live procession. In addition, the virtual procession will include pre-recorded messages from school administrators, the superintendent, school board president, valedictorian, salutatorian, and senior class president. Hope still springs eternal. The district is tentatively planning to hold an in-person ceremony this summer, and a junior/senior prom is still on the calendar at the Sheraton Harrisburg/Hershey Hotel. The school also held a curbside celebration. Seniors donned class T-shirts, decorated their cars and drove through the high school parking lot, surrounded with smiles and cheering staff. The traditional academic and athletic awards ceremony was replaced with a much quieter posting of names of award winners on the school website and district Facebook page. Other schools are following suit. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology also went virtual with their graduation, awarding 998 degrees to its largest graduating class. Commencement was livestreamed, which attracted more than 1,900 viewers from more than 18 countries, and was followed by a virtual dance party. While addressing her classmates, Tiffany Smith, student body president, says her class represents “the year of adapting and overcoming what the world has thrown at us.” And because of this, Smith says nothing can stand in the way of the Class of 2020. Mom Angie Durantine says her son Elijah, a competitive swimmer, laments that they left behind their classrooms on March 13, never knowing it would be their last time together, with no face-to-face farewells. “We are planning a virtual party for graduation and hopefully an in-person party before he heads off to college in August,” Durantine says – if she adds, he heads off to college in Hoboken, New Jersey at Stevens Institute of Technology. Jen Barrett, mother of Cedar Cliff High School graduate Jake White, who will attend the University of Pittsburgh in the fall, says, “Losing senior year will take time getting over. I was looking forward to a great lacrosse season and walking the stage at graduation in celebration of 13 years of hard work. “We proudly display our yard signs. He’s also been adopted by two family friends on the ‘Sponsor a Senior 2020: Cedar Cliff and Red Land High School of West Shore’ Facebook page, where they send little encouraging things for him,” Barrett adds. Trinity High School graduate Michael Soule was able to finish his impressive ice hockey season in late winter, but his dad George is committed to making his son’s abruptly ended senior year special. When a two-week school closure morphed into a total cancellation of the school year, “the disappointment is evident everyday as he
misses friends that he has made throughout the last four years,” Soule says. Compounding the sadness: Michael’s mom Kelly succumbed to cancer two years ago, and George finds himself at a loss in the partyplanning department as a single dad. “I’ve done the typical stuff. I bought a school brick on the walkway to the football stadium and a Class of 2020 sign. Graduation has been scheduled for July 31 but who really knows? Michael is supposed to participate in a hockey tournament in Virginia Beach in July. If that happens, he asked if he could bring a friend or two, and that will be our party.” Cedar Cliff Pizza rented a huge video screen and put pictures of the graduates from Cedar Cliff, Trinity, McDevitt and Red Land on it, so he participated in that program as well. The seniors are still carrying on with many traditions, in socially distancing ways. Spizzieri bought a stunning prom gown and will take pictures with her boyfriend in full formal finery in her backyard. Still, she misses her friends and, even as a future pre-med major, the three animal cadaver dissections in her biology class. Angelina’s message reflects a wisdom beyond her years: “As a class, we are strong enough to get through it. We have so many more memories as the class that quarantined but also the class that still graduated and got through it.” Mom and daughter remind themselves: “No one did this to hurt us. Everyone is trying to protect us. It’s for the better.” The Gizzis tried to create a festive atmosphere on the day that would have been Katie’s graduation ceremony. They went to a favorite French pastry shop in Lancaster and dined on chocolate croissants and sipped lattes in the car. They surprised Katie with a giant congratulatory sign hung over their front porch. Later, they sat on opposite sides of an outdoor firepit, popped a bottle of champagne and ate pizza. “We still managed to have a fun day and evening and look forward to a proper celebration when it is safe,” Melissa says. As these graduates start a new chapter, and earn an added degree in Resilience to their resumes, proud parents send a message with a common theme to the quarantined Class of 2020: Stay strong. Stay positive. Handle what comes at you with the same character and class you showed this year. Jen Barrett perhaps sums it best: “Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you respond to that reality.” Spizzieri posted a popular meme on her Facebook page: “As your mother, I promise I will always be in one of three places: in front of you to cheer you on, behind you to have your back, or next to you, so you aren’t walking alone.” Class of 2020, buoyed by the unconditional love of so many supporters, oh, the places you will go….soon. 7
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#GirlDad Movement Alive And Well By Diane White McNaughton
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hen a helicopter carrying L.A. Lakers phenom Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven other passengers plummeted to earth in January, the tragedy triggered a national outpouring of grief from basketball fans and families everywhere. It also sparked a viral craze among proud papas who took to social media in force, declaring their pride in being a “girl dad,” like the basketball legend who joyfully embraced his four daughters. The hashtag “girldad” rapidly became the number one trending topic on Twitter, with celebrities, sports figures and other dedicated dads sharing it hundreds of thousands of times. In the spirit of the oft-billed “8th Wonder of the World,” Harrisburg-area dads are also channeling their inner Kobe and coaching their little ladies in sports, sweeping their tresses into ponytails, twirling in their ballet recitals, singing along to “Frozen,” and learning their cheerleader routines. Nashon Walker of Hummelstown celebrates it all. As the father of four girls himself, and the founder of an all-girls skills development school—RISE Academy—Walker’s life and parenting style has been inspired by the NBA great. “Being a native of Philadelphia by way of Williamsport, my teenage life was very close to Kobe's,” Walker says. “He was only one year ahead of me. We played at the same playground in Ardmore, when I would visit my uncle. My high school basketball team competed against him. We knew of Kobe way before he was ‘Black Mamba.’ He was special to us all and played such an inspirational role in our lives not just as an NBA player but as a high school standout from my city.” Walker’s link to Kobe far transcends Bryant’s devastating dunks and signature fadeaway jump shots. “I identify with him so much because we both have four daughters and have a tremendous passion for girls’ basketball and teaching them the fundamentals at a young age,” Walker says. “A year ago, I started the first ‘all-girls’ year-round mentoring and training basketball academy in Central Pennsylvania. One of our main focuses is building confidence in 10 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
young girls and our academy has grown by leaps and bounds.” Popular sports’ fixture Dave Brixius, owner of Explosive Sports Performance with his wife Ashley, and wealth whiz Brad Sanders, CFP, CRPC, of Stonebridge Wealth Management, are also local “girl dads,” par excellence. Research and experience show that fathers are one of the most formative role models in a daughter’s life, giving them confidence and self-esteem that endures throughout their life. Unlike many proud papas from older generations, today’s dads are no longer spectators in their daughters’ lives. They have come off the bench and are eager to run with the ball. They change diapers, give baths, shovel spoonfuls of sweet potatoes into miniature mouths, sip tea from undersized cups at under-sized tables, and calm midnight cries. It’s no wonder the first words out of most babies’ mouths are “Da-da.” According to Professor Michael Austin, editor of Fatherhood – Philosophy for Everyone: The Dao of Daddy, dads have a singular role in shaping a daughter’s self-esteem, self-image, confidence and opinion of men. Just watch an emotional father dancing with his daughter at her wedding reception, and you can literally “see” the bond between bride and dad. Behavioral experts say that the best dads teach and model honesty and integrity, and do not hesitate to apologize for their mistakes. Walker agrees. “Admitting and verbally confessing to your daughter when you’re wrong is extremely important….Our girls thrive off our words of encouragement,” Walker says. Experts say strong girl-dads give sincere verbal encouragement, and are a consistent presence in a girl’s life. They are alert and sensitive to a girl’s feelings, listen to her thoughts, and take an active interest in her hobbies. Our local dads fill that bill.
Team Walker Walker often uses the hashtag “Addictedtoparenting” when he proudly posts photographs of Taja, Mia, Ariana and Amani on his Facebook page. “Our family is a sports family,” Walker says. Besides basketball, the Walker wonders compete in track and gymnastics, and often train together. Taja, a junior at Bishop McDevitt and a Mid-Penn/Pennlive Allstar, has garnered multiple college offers and serves as a role model for her younger sisters. Mia is also a gifted basketball player, a “people person” and a fashion aficionado. At 5'8" as a sixth grader, Walker calls her “our intellectual” who aspires to become both a doctor and a lawyer. Ariana “is the boss of the house,” Walker says. At eight, she has a “mature soul” who serves as “the general” in the family. Amani, the family jokester, also loves movies and playing hide-and-seek with Daddy. Each time Walker and his wife heard “It’s a girl” in the delivery room, it came as a surprise. “Actually, I always envisioned myself having girls since I was in college,” he says. “I was very excited to have my daughters given the fact that I come from a family that was always male-dominated. “My wife (Tiana) and I had the mentality that whatever God gave us would be a blessing.” Beside intense training sessions for basketball, the Walkers share movie nights and plan special one-on-one days. They have fond memories of Disney World, Chocolate World and a tournament in Ocean City, Maryland (yes, they won!). In fact, “really, we do everything together,” he says. He never envisioned himself getting his HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020 11
fingernails painted by his 4-year old, doing hair, and babysitting dolls. “The biggest thing is setting aside my personal aspirations in order to give more attention and focus to the development of my daughters, but absolutely loving the process,” Walker says. “The bond between a dad and a daughter is heavenly. It's so special that words aren't adequate enough to describe. It's just right. Sons may be the pride of their fathers, but daughters are their crown. It's a love so unique and so beautiful,” Walker adds. When he asked his girls what lessons he has taught them, they offered this: “You have to stay teachable, have self-initiative and trust God. Stay focused, don't be afraid to be you and do your best to be as consistent as possible.” His advice to new girl-dads: “Please don't undervalue your daughter just because you didn't have a boy, and don't allow anyone else to do it as well. Our daughters will soon become the mothers, leaders and world changers that we as sons so passionately adore. Our daughters are gifts from above.” Slam dunk.
Investing in Kindness Brad Sanders, CFP®, CRPC®, of Susquehanna Township, embraces the girl-dad life with daughters Allie, Caitlin, and Alaina. As a financial advisor at Stonebridge Financial Group in Wormleysburg, his first and best investment lies in his wife Colleen and their three blonde dynamos. “All of them love music,” Sanders says. “I have gotten them into some country and classic rock, but they really like songs from Disney movies, especially the Descendants movies.” They also love playing tag and “tackle,” enjoying Hersheypark as a family with Mom, and making other people laugh. Allie is finishing kindergarten and has a musical heart. Already, she is showing signs of being a competitive runner, like her athletic parents. At six, she often runs laps around her neighborhood with her mom. “Caitlin loves to read,” Sanders jokes, “even though she can’t read yet. She will sit down with a book and make up a long and involved story and eagerly tell it to anyone who will listen (or nobody if she doesn’t have an audience.)” Like Allie, she loves to sing and dance. She is the arbiter of all things fair in the family, and even makes sure that snacks are divided equally. Alaina loves building towers with blocks, eating snacks, and playing on the swings at the playground. “She dislikes being left out and isn’t shy about letting us know how angry she is when she isn’t able to do something that her sisters can do,” Sanders says. For each birth, the Sanders’ knew a girl was on the way. They decided they did not need a surprise in the delivery room, since “We figured we were in for plenty of surprises once they arrived! “Luckily we weren’t aiming for boys because it doesn’t seem like I make them! For Allie and Caitlin, I was very excited with the news, and for Alaina, there was a mix of joy and some relief because I was so used to having little ladies in the house,” Sanders says. Brad and his threesome can often be found singing by their basement karaoke bar, playing outside on the playground, going for walks, watching movies, listening to music, and going swimming. He never envisioned himself bypassing classic rock for singing along to Disney princesses, but he is all in. “I’m sure if you check back in when the girls are approaching teenage years, I’ll be getting into some really unchartered territory,” Sanders says. Sanders works to “be very involved with who they become as people. We want to raise girls who respect others as well as themselves,” Sanders says. “My wife and I try to instill good values in our girls and make sure they know that it is important to always be kind and give their best effort in everything they do.” “It’s an unconditional love that you feel from the first time you hold them. It is amazing to me how much you can tell about their unique personalities from as early as a few months old. When we brought Allie 12 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
home, I thought my heart couldn’t have been fuller, and it got fuller again with Caitlin and then again with Alaina.” When the girls ask him, “Is tomorrow Saturday?” because they know that means a whole glorious day with Dad as their playmate, he knows he is having an impact. His favorite memories with his tow-headed trio are “too many to count, but when they each were able to say ‘I love you’ back to us has been very special to me.” His advice to new “girldads:” “Make sure your girls know they are special and show them through your words and actions that they are loved for who they are. “If you’ve ever heard the song by George Strait, “I Saw God Today”, that pretty much sums up the feeling I’ve been blessed to have three times over,” Sanders says. “Got my face pushed up against the nursery glass She’s sleeping like a rock My name on her wrist Wearing tiny pink socks She’s got my nose She’s got her Mama’s eyes My brand new baby girl She’s a miracle I saw God today.”
Power-Fathering Dave Brixius, the charismatic owner of Explosive Sports Performance in Lower Paxton Township, is not only the force behind some of the area’s most elite athletes: he is a devoted uber-dad to Alexandria and Gabby. As a former trainer for the Harrisburg Heat indoor soccer team, the Messiah College men’s and women’s soccer teams, and the Harrisburg City Islanders, he knows that excellence is all about mind and body. Clearly, despite his toned physique, his heart is his most exercised muscle. “Coach Brix,” says Alexandria likes soccer, running, art, crafts, snuggling, and reading. She is not a fan of her swimming lessons. Gabby loves being creative, being outside, swimming, going to her grandparents’ house, and dislikes being told what to do. He and his wife Ashley didn’t know they were having girls. They waited until each infant was born to discover whether they would be dressing their new arrival in pink or blue. As someone dedicated to making area athletes bigger, stronger, and faster, Brixius says, “I did want a boy with my first daughter, but the main thing I wanted was healthy, vibrant kids when they were born.” He and his little ladies enjoy working out in the gym, tickle fighting, playing football in the back room, reading, hiking, hanging with mom Ashley, and playing outside. Like Walker and Sanders, he never saw himself putting their hair in a tie or doing their hair. Though not a Kobe devotee, he says his goal as a dad was “always
to be the best person I could be for them. Help them when they needed me, be there to listen and also discipline when they need it.” Brixius is taking the long view when he consider his daughters’ lives. “The bond between a dad and daughter should be to show her how she should be treated when she grows up. How a man should treat her with respect and talk with her on the same level. Show her how great she can and should be. That is a dad's job,” says Brixius. “The key lessons are that you can accomplish pretty much whatever you want in life. That they should be leaders and never follow the crowd just because everyone is doing it. They should treat people with respect and also that they should get that respect in return. I also teach them that not everything revolves around them. They need to think of others and help where they can,” he added. His favorite memories of his girls usually have their gym as the backdrop because they are adorable fixtures in their gym, and popular with fellow gym-goers. He remembers them “working out when they were 2-years-old doing box drills and other exercises. My other favorite memories are my daughters reading to me for the first time and going to their first soccer practice.” His advice for new girl-dads is simple: “Just have fun! Nurture them but let them be tough as well. Make sure they can stand up for themselves that they do not need someone always there to take care of them. Let them know that they are loved. “My girls and my wife are my everything. I would not be the man I am today without them. They complete me and have made me a better man, husband, father and person. They are the best,” Brixius says. As Father’s Day is celebrated in new, socially distant ways throughout central Pennsylvania, these devoted dads have found gifts that cannot be ordered on Amazon or wrapped in a box. Their love for their little women hearken back to the words of Kobe Bryant: “My parents are my backbone. Still are. They’re the only group that will support you if you score zero or if you score 40.” And that unconditional love has catapulted so many local “girl-dads” into the Fathering Hall of Fame and into the hearts of their tiny dancers and future champions. 7
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Haar’s Drive-In Theater Faces Dusky Future By Jeff Falk
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hich is more important, future progress or past memories? Which is more important, money or families spending quality time together? Which is more important, the good of the few or the needs of the many? Which is more important, practicality or sentimentality? All four are ideological questions which our society faces on a daily basis. There are no right or wrong answers, just one big area of gray and values and perspectives. For almost 70 years, Haar’s Drive-In in Dillsburg has survived and thrived when other drive-in movie theaters have fallen by the wayside. Now the same societal effects that once felled its sisterbusinesses are putting Haar’s in a similar danger. It may be the ground at 185 Logan Road – or Route 15 North – is worth more than the business it supports. “In 2003, my family sold the ground that the drive-in is located on,” says Vickie Hardy, President of Haar’s Inc. “That’s when we started leasing the ground. In January of this year, we noticed someone put a for-sale sign on the property. We were shocked. We’re doing everything we can to keep the business going as long as we can. We’re not the ones selling it. We have nothing to do with that.” Currently, Hardy, the grand-daughter of Haar’s Drive-In founder Vance Haar, and the rest of the management of the thirdgeneration, family-operated business is preparing for the opening of the summer season, despite the ominous for-sale sign and the uncertainties of the Coronavirus crisis. The family believed they would be given a six-month notice before the property was put on the market. “We’re moving along with the times,” says Hardy. “We’re going to start on-line ticket sales and food orders. We want to keep the Haar’s Drive-In business going as a family unit. We do plan to continue to provide cost-effective family entertainment for as long as we possibly can. “We’ve started the planning process for the upcoming season,” Hardy adds. “We have a whole bunch of guidelines to follow (related to COVID-19). When we do open up, it will be at half-capacity. We may open up extra days to accommodate that. If people aren’t working as much as they once did, they might have an extra weeknight off. But are they going to have the money? I’m still hopeful and confident we’re going to have a good season.” About a 20-minute drive from Harrisburg, Haar’s Drive-In is a left-over from simpler times. During the summer months of June, July and August, Haar’s has become a local destination for families 14 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
seeking wholesome entertainment at a reasonable price. Double features, priced at $8 for adults and $3 for children under 12, are shown on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Concessions are reasonably priced, but the warm evening breeze, ambiance and star-lit skies are free. “There’s nothing at all like it,” says Hardy. “Because we work so much and we don’t get to enjoy it, what we do as a family is we’ll close the theater, we’ll take a night and have a private drive-in night. With the cool breeze blowing across your face, it’s so nice. It’s priceless. “People might be stuck in small confined areas at home,” says Hardy. “If you like to go out, a drive-in movie is a great place to go. There are a lot more confined living spaces now. If you go to an indoor theater, you’re still confined. But it’s not just the movie you’re watching, it’s also the actual experience.” Drive-in movie theaters first appeared on the American landscape in the 1930s, and during their heydays of the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, locally-supported drive-in theaters in and around the Harrisburg Area were plentiful. But in the 1990s, local drive-in theaters began to go away and the spaces they were once situated on were developed. But because of the commitment of the Haar family and the continued support of its local community, Haar’s Drive-In has endured. Currently, Cumberland Drive-In Theater in Newville, Sky Vu Drive-In Theater in Gratz and Mid-Way Drive-In Theater in Mifflintown are still in operation. “There were more that popped up, one in York and one in Mechanicsburg,” says Hardy. “The value of the ground was worth more to develop it. So there was a time when drive-ins died down a little bit. It died off for us as well, but it was still manageable. When we took it over, we ran it seven nights-a-week. That was costeffective then. “My grandfather passed away in 1972, and he left the business to his four children,” adds Hardy. “He did have visions. But his four children didn’t have as many. They didn’t change many things. They were accustomed to the way things were. When we (the third generation) took over in 2003, we made a lot of changes. We installed a new digital system and built a new screen. We’ve taken the approach, ‘We’ll adapt and if we see an opportunity, we’re going to take advantage of it.’” Vance Haar built Haar’s Drive-In Movie Theater in a meadow outside Dillsburg in 1952. A bit of a visionary, Haar understood the value of entertainment and enjoyed making people laugh. “He was a show-man,” says Hardy of her grandfather. “He just
always had different ideas. He was sort of a jokester and a trickster. Prior to building the drive-in, he would take a projector and a screen and travel around and show movies locally. That was before they (drivein theaters) became popular. I think people were looking for entertainment and he wanted to make local entertainment available here. “What I know is that if you get the firstrun movies, then you’re going to have a sell-out crowd,” Hardy adds. “We show family-friendly movies. If it’s a good, familyfriendly movie, we’re going to have a fullcapacity crowd. People like to be outside. They have their own little spaces. You can sit in your car or you can sit in front of your car in your favorite lawn chair. You can enjoy it with your family as an evening out. We try to keep everything at a reasonable price, so we’re catering to families.” Haar’s is a third-generation business that attracts third-generation drive-in movie enthusiasts. It’s a family tradition, all the way around. “People come for the entertainment, and the place is nostalgic,” says Hardy. “They have fond memories, and they want their children to have the same fond memories.
“The most rewarding thing for me is looking outside and seeing families being together and having a good time.” “It’s everyone, from two years- to 90-years-old,” continues Hardy. “There are families. There are couples. There are teenagers on date nights. It’s groups of friends. We have people from out of state travel to come here. We have people from all over, it’s not just our local community. A lot of them don’t have drive-ins where they’re from, or they like the atmosphere. And yes, the local people support us as well.” The future of Haar’s Drive-In Movie Theater remains murky, at best. Its management will continue to control all the aspects of change that it can. “It’s going to make a comeback,” says Hardy, more of the industry than Haar’s itself. “I don’t see a need in our area. But in other states, they’re building new one, and they’re building more than one screen. With two screens, you’re going to have a benefit. If it wouldn’t be a lucrative business, we wouldn’t be doing it.” 7
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Vroom. . .
The Need For Speed By Jeff Falk • Photos Courtesy of The Eastern Museum of Motor Racing
E
ver since Henry Ford invented the Model T, man has wanted to go faster. Added to this fact that humans are, by nature, competitive, and at its most basic level, that’s how car racing began. The Eastern Museum of Motor Racing honors those modest roots and explores our basic need for speed. The museum was built by motorheads for motorheads, but as it has evolved, it’s included something for everyone. Ideal for locals and tourists alike, the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing might be one of the Harrisburg area’s best kept secrets. “Let’s go back to the chariots in Rome,” says Lynn Paxton, museum curator. “What did they do with them? They raced them. Then there was some guy who said, ‘Let’s charge admission for them.’ When the automobile came along, it was just the next step. There’s a competitive nature to it. If you’re going to be competitive, you want to make your vehicle faster. There’s a need for speed. Everybody wants to win. If you lose, you want to learn and you want to get better. “For a hundred years now, we’ve gone from horses to automobiles,” adds Paxton. “The horse gave way to automobiles, and it was just natural we had automobile racing. It’s an evolution, and one I think helped build America.” Located at 100 Baltimore Road, York Springs, just off Route 15 South of Dillsburg and a short drive from Harrisburg, the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing is a must-visit for racing fans and automobile enthusiasts. It bills itself as a living museum, one which is constantly changing its displays and exhibits. Admission is free. 16 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
“Central Pennsylvania has always been a hotbed for racing,” says Paxton, himself a one-time racer. “We’re more or less the historian. I’d say we’re one of the best kept secrets in Adams County. We don’t have money to advertise, so our best advertising is word of mouth. When visitors come in, they don’t know what to expect. My first question is always, ‘How did you find out about us?’ Once we find out what their interest is, we can tailor the tour to them. “It’s gotten bigger over the years,” adds Paxton. “We always try to tell every story we can. There are so many facets of racing in this area. We get people who come in and look at one thing and they end up being amazed at everything.” Upon entering the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing’s front doors, visitors are greeted with an almost overwhelming visual stimulation caused by the sight of high-performance machines, motors, and racing gear. It is at that point that one’s imagination takes over, and if you’re not careful the smell and sounds of racing history will fill the air. The museum pays tribute to the past of every racing classification imaginable – from sprint cars to midgets, from stock cars to drag racers, from Indy cars to motorcycles. “At a lot of museums, you walk from piece to piece. Ours is a little different,” says Paxton. “Everything has historic value and a story to tell. Visitors say our museum is comfortable. It has a flow to it. It seems everybody is pleased. People will say, ‘This is more than I thought it would be.’ Once you’re a racing fan, you’re a racing fan for life. “There are so many different classifications, and there are so many
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"Once you’re a racing fan, you’re a racing fan for life.” ways to be involved,” Paxton continues. “Our place is kid friendly. We have cars you can sit in. We cater to kids, and they all leave with a car. I think that really helps us. I think the key to our being is the education of our kids.” The history of the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing’s evolution is almost as interesting as that of the sport itself. The museum was founded on the site of the former Latimore Valley Fairgrounds in the early 1980s. The Latimore Valley Fairgrounds was the home to a race track and competitions were held there between 1925 and 1940. In 1939, a race track was constructed at nearby Williams Grove. “The Williams Grove Old-Timers was the start of it,” says Paxton. “Jack Dunn was a promoter at Williams Grove, and he wanted to have an event to have people come back. The first one was scheduled in 1975, and it was just a great event. He’d do it as an annual event. “In 1980, Jack passed away from cancer,” continues Paxton. “Four of us got together, because we did not want it to die when Jack died. A group of us went down to the old (Latimore Valley) fairgrounds and looked around, and it was really neat. We put the house on a good foundation, and that’s where it started. It was a pipe dream, but we had the right people. Over the next couple of years, we turned it back into the old fairgrounds. It officially opened in 1985, and we’ve been holding a fair ever since.” Since then, the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing has undergone four different 18 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
expansions and modernizations. A second story was added to the building in 2000, and according to Paxton, ‘Now we’re too small again.’ “You can still see the old race track,” says Paxton. “It was abandoned, but it was never turned into anything else. You can still see the way it was. We saved whatever we could. If you like history, we can show you how it started. We can show you the machines that made it go. The need for speed is alive and well. “People who care about how this started, who care about the pioneers of the sport, those are the people we see all the time,” adds Paxton. “People who care about history are the people we cater to. We can paint them a good picture. You feel good when people walk out and they’ve learned something they didn’t know.” While the focus of the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing is on history, it seems that its future is just as bright. That’s a testament to the passion and commitment of racing fans in central Pennsylvania. “We have to keep adapting and updating,” says Paxton. “We have to tell the story of old stuff, but we also have to keep moving the scale. History isn’t something that happened yesterday. We want to show people the transition. “If you’re going 30 miles-an-hour and then go up to 70 on an open highway, it feels good,” concludes Paxton. “But then you get accustomed to it. Once you do it, it all slows down for you. For some people, speed bothers them. But racing has nothing to do with speed. It’s about how competitive you are.” 7
HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020 19
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Beer-and-Butter Shrimp Foil Pack INGREDIENTS • 1 1/4 pounds of peeled and deveined large shrimp • 1/2 cup of Dad’s favorite lager-style beer • Juice of 1 lemon • 5 smashed garlic cloves • 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in pieces • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning • Kosher salt
Fire Up The Grill to Win Dad’s Heart By Jacqueline G. Goodwin. Ed.D. Sure, ties, golf lessons, cologne, and magazine subscriptions are all fine Father’s Day gifts, but those presents are pretty been-there-done-that, right? This year, give Dad the one thing he never can have enough of: time with the grill and you by his side. Dad will be impressed by your grilling skills and by the delicious flavors you serve him with these salivating recipes. So fire up the grill with these winning recipes to win Dad’s heart on June 20.
DIRECTIONS Preheat a grill to medium high heat. Lay out a large piece of foil and spread out 1 1/4 pounds of peeled and deveined large shrimp in the center of the foil. Pour in 1/2 cup of Dad’s favorite lager-style beer (give him the rest to drink). Add the juice of 1 lemon (throw in the lemon halves, too), 5 smashed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in pieces, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Top with another large piece of foil. Crimp and fold the edges together to seal tightly. Transfer the foil pack to the grill, close the lid and cook until all the shrimp are pink and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes and then (careful of the steam) rip the packet open.
Grilled Bone-In Rib Eye With Grilled Carrots and Butter INGREDIENTS For the Butter • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice • 1/2 bunch fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Mix all ingredients with a whisk or in a mixer. Roll into a log and refrigerate until hardened. For the dry rub: • 2 tablespoons kosher salt • 2 tablespoons paprika • 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder • 1 teaspoon dark chile powder • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano • 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper Combine all dry rub ingredients, mixing evenly. 22 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
For the rib eye and carrots: • 2 bone-in rib eye steaks, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick • 1 dozen baby carrots • Canola oil • Finely chopped parsley Pour some of the dry rub onto a large plate. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon canola oil on each steak and rub it all around to coat. Press each steak down into the rub. Turn the steak over and repeat, making sure that the 2 sides of the steak are completely seasoned by the rub. Grill over a medium flame, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest. Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss the baby carrots in canola oil to coat and sprinkle with the remaining rub. Reserve any leftover dry rub that has not come into contact with the steak in an airtight container for future use. Grill the carrots over low heat, turning frequently, until soft. If desired, slice rib eyes or serve whole. Top with 1 pat of butter per steak, plus parsley and carrots.
Lemon Grilled Chicken Thighs and Zucchini with Cardamom Infused Maple and Lemon Sauce INGREDIENTS • 6-8 boneless chicken thighs • 2 medium zucchini, trimmed and sliced thickly • Salt and pepper • Vegetable oil • ¼ cup olive oil • 2 tablespoons Runamok Cardamom Infused Maple Syrup* • Juice from ½ fresh lemon • 1 small red onion, sliced thinly • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes DIRECTIONS Season the chicken thighs and zucchini with salt and pepper and toss with a little vegetable oil. Place on a grill heated to medium-high. Grill until browned on both sides and completely cooked through, about 10 – 15 minutes (maybe less for the zucchini). While the chicken and zucchini are cooking, combine the olive oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, onion and red pepper in a large bowl. When the chicken and zucchini are done, put them in the bowl with the sauce immediately and toss them gently to make sure the sauce covers all of the ingredients. Let it sit for about a half hour and up to an hour, turning occasionally to recoat the meat. 5 minutes before serving, restart the grill and return the chicken and vegetables to it. Sear the meat on high heat for a few minutes. Place the meat and vegetables on a serving platter, pour the sauce from the bowl over the top and serve. *Note: Purchase at www.runamokmaple.com/shop/ and/or on Amazon.7 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020 23
Bartender’s Best By Charlie Wohlrab
Welcome to another month of quarantine. As I was surfing the net the other day, I came across a picture of a cocktail party a friend’s parents attended in the 1950’s. If you are a Boomer like me, these were the parties that our parents and their friends attended and you can relate. If you are not a Boomer I assume you have “binge watched” sitcoms popular in the 1950s and 1960s and chances are you are at least familiar that these parties were popular gatherings during this time. Usually held on Friday or Saturday nights the parties were reserved for adults only. They were held for the purpose of socializing with friends and neighbors after a long week of work and taking care of the house and kids. Hosting the perfect cocktail party meant plentiful amounts of alcohol and food. Fondue pots, cheese plates, cocktail napkins, hors d’oeuvre plates, fancy cocktail glasses, cocktail shakers, jiggers, stirrers, and ice buckets were the norm. Women made it a point to wear their fancy dresses with stylish accessories and men wore their best suits. The cocktail party of the 1950s and 1960s also featured great drink recipes with many creative names that still stick with us. To this end, here are some recipes for cocktails popular in the 1950s and 1960s for your enjoyment.
The Side Car
• 1 & ½ ounces brandy • ¾ ounce triple sec • ¾ ounce lemon juice Directions Fill a shaker glass one-half full with crushed ice, add ingredients, shake, and strain into a cocktail glass. This is an interesting cocktail with many recipe variations. Another recipe, and my favorite is: • 2 ounces cognac • 1 ounce triple sec • 1 ounce lemon juice I believe the “original recipe” called for cognac instead of brandy, and Cointreau instead of triple sec. By definition cognac is a brandy that must be made in the Cognac region of France. There are several “top shelf” brands, including Courvoisier, Remy Martin, and Hennesy VSOP to name a few. These are all very fine brandies. The distillers take care in the production and they must be aged for 24 HARRISBURG MAGAZINE JUNE 2020
two years in French Oak. This extra care produces a quality spirit with a higher price. In order to enjoy this extra care, I recommend that these brandies be sipped straight and not be mixed. Victor Hugo referred to cognac as “liquor of the gods.” However, there are off-label cognacs with reasonable prices, and when I find them I use them in this cocktail. Some recipes suggest to sugar the rim of the glass, (run a lemon wedge around the rim and then roll the rim in sugar), and/or garnish with an orange twist. This is a matter of personal taste, and I usually forgo these steps. I don’t like to waste the sugar left in the plate, and I rarely have an orange twist. However, on occasion I will go the “extra mile” for variation or for a special guest. A lemon twist, if you have one, is a suitable garnish. I usually substitute triple sec in cocktails that call for Cointreau as a matter of economics. You can usually find a reasonably priced triple sec which works just fine in most cocktails. It is obvious the recipe for this cocktail is open to personal preference and can be tailored to meet an individual’s palate. Even the origin of the name has variations. One such is that the drink was made for a patron who would arrive at the bar in a side car or my personal favorite, the remnants in the shaker glass are served in a shot glass “on the side.”
The Dubonnet
• 1 ounce gin • 1 ounce Dubonnet Rouge Directions Fill a shaker glass half-full with crushed ice. Add the Dubonnet and gin, gently shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist, sit back and enjoy. As with many cocktails this recipe has variations. One such variation calls for an ounce and one-half of gin and three-quarter ounce of Dubonnet Rouge. Again, a matter of personal taste. This is an interesting cocktail. It is rumored to be a favorite of Queen Elizabeth; however, her version is two parts Dubonnet to one-part gin. I find it amusing that an English monarch would prefer a cocktail with two parts French aperitif to one-part English gin. Dubonnet is a fortified wine created by Joseph Dubonnet in the 1840s. Joseph Dubonnet was a chemist and wine merchant in Paris. Dubonnet contains herbs, spices and quinine to protect the French soldiers against Malaria in North Africa. Dubonnet is not as popular as it once was so you may have trouble finding it, but this cocktail is worth the effort. I suggest you use a good gin to maximize taste and enjoyment. While these were not the only cocktails served at cocktail parties of the 1950s, they are a good place to start.
Stay Home. Be safe. Enjoy a cocktail! 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
