Inside: Special “Parenting” Section • How to make every day Valentine’s Day
FEBRUARY 2015
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Four Diamonds child Noah Benner of Bellefonte has shown strength and determination following three surgeries to remove tumors from his brain
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26 / 50 Years of Town&Gown: Population
The Changing Look of Centre County: Community and campus populations have gradually become more diverse over the past 50 years • by Tracey M. Dooms
Features 32
32 / Embrace the Wonders of Winter
While cold temperatures and snow during this time of year keep some indoors, the region has plenty of outdoor offerings for those who don’t mind the wintery weather • by Kerry Royer
38 / A Diamond Among Us
Three surgeries to remove tumors in his brain have made one Bellefonte and Four Diamonds Diamonds child only stronger and more determined to beat his disease and reclaim his childhood • by David Pencek
44 / In the Trenches Against Cancer
The daughter of former Nittany Lion Devon Still has captured the nation’s heart with her fight and strength • by Frank Bodani
80 / Finding a Start, Finding a Home
Young professionals in Centre County are discovering — and creating — opportunities and experiences that are keeping more of them here • by Lori Wilson
Special Section
47 / Parenting
Town&Gown’s special section looks at some of the current issues parents deal with, including figuring out which camps and programs are best for their kids, bullying, talking with their children about difficult subjects, the importance of family dinners, and more
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Cover Photo: Darren Weimert Town&Gown is published monthly by Barash Publications, 403 South Allen Street, State College, PA 16801. Advertising is subject to approval of the publisher. COPYRIGHT 2015 by Barash Media. All rights reserved. Send address changes to Town&Gown, 403 S. Allen St., State College, PA 16801. No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any process except with written authorization from Town&Gown or its publisher. Phone: 800-326-9584, 814-238-5051. FAX: 814-238-3415. Printed by Gazette Printers, Indiana, PA. 20,000 copies published this month, available FREE in retail stores, restaurants, hotels and motels & travel depots. SUBSCRIPTIONS and SINGLE COPIES: $45/1yr; current issue by 1st-class mail, $10; back copy, $15 mailed, $12 picked up at the T&G office. townandgown.com
5 - Town&Gown February 2015
Town&Gown February
A State College & Penn State tradition since 1966.
Publisher Rob Schmidt
102
Founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith Editorial Director David Pencek Creative Director/Photographer John Hovenstine
Departments
Operations Manager/Assistant Editor Vilma Shu Danz
8 Letter From The Editor 10 Starting Off: The List, People in the Community, Q&A 18 Living Well: Making every day Valentine’s Day 20 About Town: Despite recent passings, the Next Stage continues to present “thoughtful” plays 22 On Center: Time for Three merges conservatory training and popular songs in February concert 24 Penn State Diary: Changes in students’ attire have mirrored changes in society 89 This Month on WPSU 91 What’s Happening: For the Love of Art and Chocolate, “Bright Side of the Road,” THON, and more highlight February’s events 98 On Tap: Brewers and beer lovers continue to be enamored with IPA 102 Taste of the Month/Dining Out: Hublersburg Inn offers old-time charm with modern menu 114 Lunch with Mimi: Fraser Centre developers are finally seeing work done at the downtown State College site as their grand plans begin to take shape 122 State College Photo Club’s Winning Photos 124 Snapshot: THON director continues her desire to keep helping
Photographer/Graphic Designer Darren Weimert Graphic Designer Tiara Snare Account Executives Kathy George, Debbie Markel Business Manager Aimee Aiello Administrative Assistant Kristin Blades Interns Christopher Dornblaser, Caroline Kingscott (editorial) Distribution Handy Delivery, Tom Neff
To contact us: Mail: 403 S. Allen St., State College, PA 16801 Phone: (814) 238-5051, (800) 326-9584 Fax: (814) 238-3415 dpenc@barashmedia.com (Editorial) rschmidt@barashmedia.com (Advertising) We welcome letters to the editor that include a phone number for verification. Back issues of Town&Gown are available on microfilm at Penn State’s Pattee Library.
townandgown.com Facebook.com/townandgownsc Twitter: @TownGownSC
6 - Town&Gown February 2015
letter from the editor
Learning on the Job Parenthood means plenty of figuring things out as you go along I can’t recall if I read this somewhere or someone told me, but I believe it’s a great point. It’s the fact that we go to school, take classes, become interns, and basically do whatever we can to prepare us for whatever career each of us wants to Despite their dad’s pursue, yet, there’s really learning on the job nothing that helps prepare of being a father, us for the most important Ryan (left) and job many will have — being Nathan Pencek a parent. have turned out Read all the books you okay so far. want, watch Dr. Phil, listen to other parents — even your own — give advice, none of that really sticks when you bring home that bundle, or bundles, of joy. It’s just learn as you go. I remember when my wife and I brought our first son home from the hospital, and there was that moment when I truly felt that I had no idea on how to do this “dad” thing. But, more than five years later, I think he’s has turned out pretty well so far, and his younger brother is doing okay, too. A few other members of the Town&Gown staff became parents just in the past few years or are about to become one this year, so we’re
dealing with many of the same concerns all young parents in the region are dealing with when it comes to making the best decisions for our families and our children. This month’s issue includes our special “Parenting” section that delves into some of the issues parents face today — everything from daycares to bullying, and family dinners to family travel — and how some local parents handle those certain situations. In addition, this issue includes stories on some inspiring parents and children. This month, of course, is when THON happens at Penn State, and “A Diamond Among Us” spotlights Noah Benner, a Four Diamonds child from Bellefonte, while “In the Trenches Against Cancer” looks at how the daughter of former Penn State football player Devon Still is inspiring people across the country with her fight against cancer. If there are few things that can help you become a parent, there isn’t anything that can prepare you to hear that your child has cancer or another serious illness. But looking at the Benner and Still families, as well as the Four Diamonds families whom all those Penn State students are dancing for February 20-22, it’s those moments when the parental instincts really kick in, and the focus is on where it should be — the child or children. Another instinct that kicks in for any parent is to enjoy the simple moments and memories that are created with your children. From a smile on your child’s face to vacations together, they make this parenting thing the best job — whether you’re prepared for it or not.
David Pencek Editorial Director dpenc@barashmedia.com
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starting off
The List
Highlights from Town&Gown’s first 49 years of publication
1967-1969 July, 1967 — The first Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts takes place the last week in July. The event is sponsored by Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture, the State College Chamber of Commerce, and other civic organizations. Jules Heller, dean of the College of Arts and Architecture, says, “I am extremely pleased that the combined support of the community and the university will serve to bring the arts into proper prominence and perspective during the summer months of vacation and relaxation.” October, 1967 — With police departments across the country being criticized in how they deal with riots, lootings, and violence, a column titled “Police Brutality?” looks at the issue. The author quoted Gunther Rhyne, who said, “Police officers often must make a snap decision in two or three seconds while faced with a life or death crisis. That same decision can be debated for five years or more by the best legal minds and the most vociferous press in the world. Yet, people wonder why it’s so difficult to find good police officers. Would you want to go up against odds like that or have that kind of public second-guessing in your career?” December, 1967 — In their column, publishers Mimi and Sy Barash write about the fight over the location of a branch of the Centre County Hospital in State College. “The wounds over the hospital ‘battle’ will long be remembered and may take many years to heal. The flag may continue to be waved if some among us fail to accept the importance of change and growth adjustments.” June, 1968 — In May, Penn State students staged a “tree-in” to protest the removal of trees along South Atherton Street that would allow the street to be widened. In “Farewell Trees …,” 10 - Town&Gown February 2015
Stephen Schlow wrote, “We have not yet learned how to live with the land. … Mount Nittany is slowly being surrounded and scarred by ugliness.” September, 1968 — In her “Catalyst” column, Mimi Barash writes about Schlow Library’s new rule where a child had to be in third grade and able to write their name in script to be able to take out books. Because of public reaction to the column, the library soon changed its policy. February, 1969 — In the publishers’ column, Sy and Mimi Barash praise Penn State football head coach Joe Paterno for staying at Penn State and not leaving to become head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, which reportedly offered him three times his Penn State salary. October, 1969 — A preview of that year’s Homecoming events include a kickoff bonfire near Beaver Stadium, a horticulture show at the Ice Pavilion, and a Casino Night at the HUB.
This Month’s Highlight List • Super Bowl XLIX is February 1. The New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks at University of Phoenix Stadium. • Punxsutawney Phil makes his annual weather prediction on February 2 — Groundhog Day. • February 6 is National Wear Red Day to draw attention to the impact of heart disease in women. • Penn State takes on cancer with two events — THON, February 20-22, and the Coaches vs. Cancer men’s basketball game between the Nittany Lions and Iowa February 28. T&G
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people in the community Richard Alley
Richard Alley, Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences at Penn State, is the recipient of the 2015 BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the category of Climate Change. Alley is recognized for his “pioneering research” into the “mechanics of ice and its implications for abrupt climate change.” He teaches graduate and undergraduate students at Penn State and is the author of more than 250 peer-reviewed scientific papers, several textbooks, and two books, The Two-Mile Time Machine: Ice Cores, Abrupt Climate Change, and Our Future and Earth — The Operators’ Manuel. He was the host of the three-part series, Earth — The Operators’ Manuel, which aired on PBS. “Richard Alley is the premier ice specialist in the world and has done more than anyone to educate us about changing and moving polar ice,” Susan Brantley, distinguished professor of geoscience and director of Penn State’s Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, said in a press release.
Brett Gravatt
Penn State men’s soccer player Brett Gravatt is recovering from a snowboarding accident that has left him without the use of his lower body. The accident occurred on December 26 in his home state of Virginia. Gravatt, a sophomore defender, fractured a vertebrae in his spinal cord. Since the accident, Gravatt’s family has set up a special Web site, brettgravatt.cmnph.com, where friends, fans, and all those in the Penn State family can receive updates on his condition and overall progress. “Brett has been dealt a challenging situation, and I am sure he will attack it with the same amazing competitive drive he demonstrated this past fall with our team,” Penn State men’s soccer head coach Bob Warming said in a press release. “Our job is to encourage, applaud, and support the effort he is going to put forth.”
Scott Walker
The State College Spikes named Scott Walker as their new general manager. Former GM Jason Dambach, who had been with the Spikes since 2009, accepted a position as executive vice president and general manager of the Frisco RoughRiders, the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Walker, a graduate of Bellefonte Area High School, is the third general manager in 10-year history of the Spikes. Walker, 30, had served as vice president of sales for the Spikes since 2011. Prior to that, he was ticket account executive and director of ticket sales. “Scott Walker was the perfect choice to assume the role of general manager. Scott has grown up in our organization and has been a key leader and contributor to the success of the Spikes,” Chuck Greenberg, chairman and managing partner of the Greenberg Sports Group, which owns the Spikes, said in a press release. The defending New York-Penn League champion Spikes open their 10th season June 19. T&G 12 - Town&Gown February 2015
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Q&A with
Matt Jordan,
Penn State associate professor and president of the board of directors of the College Town Film Festival By David Pencek For the past few years, members of the Penn State and State College communities have looked for ways to end State Patty’s Day, the student-created event centered around drinking, or at least lessen the negative effects of it. This year comes THAW Festival, a sort of Arts Festival in winter. The event, running February 27 and 28 (the same weekend as State Patty’s Day) features live music and other performances. It also will include the College Town Film Festival, which runs February 25 to March 1. Besides being an associate professor in the film/video department at Penn State, Matt Jordan is president of the board of directors of the College Town Film Festival. The festival is in its third year. It is a juried festival whose mission is “to promote independent films to a demographic (college aged) that is not going to see independent films and to draw on the unique mix of expertise that one finds at universities to create conversations around the ideas that the films take on.” Jordan is pleased that this year’s festival will be part of THAW. The festival will show about a dozen feature-length films and 30 short films. T&G: What are your thoughts on the THAW Festival overall and how it could be a positive thing that happens here each year? Jordan: I think that it is exciting the city and the university are taking a positive role in promoting THAW. Instead of merely trying to figure out new ways to say No to St. Patty’s day … THAW is designed to give students something to say Yes to that is a healthier alternative. One of the people at the last meeting of city and university leaders contributing to planning THAW offered that the name should stand for The Healthy Alternative Weekend, and it seems very appropriate to the spirit behind the planning. It has great potential as a value added cultural event that will enrich the local culture. T&G: How would you describe the filmmaking scene at Penn State and the region in general? Jordan: The filmmaking scene is getting stronger here. We have a great film-production program in the College 14 - Town&Gown February 2015
of Communications, and one of the events we put on at the festival, a seminar open to the community called “Everyone’s a Filmmaker,” is designed to engage all the filmmakers we fly in for the festival in a conversation about the importance of visual storytelling as a mode of communication in the twenty-first century. We firmly believe that with the changes in technology for shooting and editing film, we are on the cusp of a cultural shift in which every enterprise will be better served by thinking of what they do in this way. This has been a great conversation at other festivals we have done, and it is extremely rewarding for the audience. T&G: What do you put as your top-three films of all time? Jordan: As someone who teaches film and has seen a lot of great films, it is tough to narrow my favorites down to a list of three, but I can say that my top 10 would have to include Hitchcock’s Rear Window, Kubrick’s 2001, and, just because I cry with joy every time I teach it, George Cukor’s The Philadelphia Story. T&G: Since the Oscars are this month, what were the best films you saw in 2014? Jordan: I really liked Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, and I just recently saw the documentary about Roger Ebert, Life Itself, and it lived up to the hype. I have to say that I was in Amir Bar-Lev’s Happy Valley, which was about our community here and made many of the best films of the year lists. Alas, though it is a terrific documentary, it didn’t make the list of nominees for the Oscars. T&G For the College Town Film Festival schedule, visit collegetownfilmfestival.com.
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This Monthtownandgown.com On • In 5 Questions, Jane Harris of Penn State talks about • In 5 Questions, State College Spikes manager Oliver Marmol this year’s Rube Goldberg Machine Contest. talks about the upcoming season and what it’s like managing players at the Class A level. • The Nittany Valley Society looks at the birth and growth of TEDxPSU, and how the event’s unique town-gown • A special recipe for the Greek Restaurant’s roasted leg of lamb. appeal and local outreach highlight the big and powerful incubating in Happy • Blogs onideas sports, entertainment, andValley. more. • Blogs of onTown&Gown’s sports, entertainment, andsports more.annuals. • Order copies Penn State Oliveryear’s Marmol This Rube Goldberg Machine Contest is February 28 Anthony Clarvoe
• Order your copy of Town&Gown’s 2014-15 Penn State Winter Sports Annual.
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Making Every Day Valentine’s Day Taking your relationships from mediocre to magnificent By Meghan Lemery Fritz One day a year we set aside to flood the ones we love with appreciation, affection, and attention. Flowers, cards, heart-shaped candy boxes, and balloons help remind them that they are loved and adored. While Valentine’s Day is a wonderful day to celebrate and honor love, I have to wonder, what happens the rest of the year when we get into the rut of everyday life and routine. As a couples therapist, one of the biggest complaints I hear is that spouses often feel taken for granted and unappreciated by their partner. By the time most couples seek counseling for their relationship, they have often suffered months, sometimes years, of living in a rut of boredom and living more as roommates than lovers. As we enter a new year, make it habit to implement a few key strategies to take your relationship from mediocre to magnificent. Date your mate Think back to when you first met your spouse. Chances are you talked for hours, laughed, made plans to do activities together, and stared into each other’s eyes listing off all of the things you loved about them. Make it a priority to keep dating your mate long after marriage. Make time daily (notice I did not write “weekly” or “monthly,” rather daily!) to connect with your spouse on a level that nurtures your relationship. Turn off the TVs, the phones, and any other distractions and simply sit next to each other, hold hands, lock eyes, and list off at least one thing you really appreciate about them for that day. You don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant every week or have special romantic evenings to put the spark back into your relationship. Simply start with five minutes of flood18 - Town&Gown February 2015
ing each other with positive praise. You will be amazed at how this can squash tension, renew attraction, and create peace in your home. Be the mate you want A very powerful question to ask yourself often is, “Would I want to be married to me?” If you are often grouchy and let the little stressors of day-to-day life steal your joy, get it together and make a plan to change your attitude. Being around a moody person is an energy zapper. Nothing can cause a fight quicker than having to deal with a moody spouse. Make it a rule that you will speak to your spouse the way you would like to be spoken to. How we treat others is a reflection of how we feel about ourselves. If you are critical and judgmental of others, it’s because you suffer from low selfesteem and never feeling that you are good enough. We often condemn others when we condemn ourselves. Make the decision to deal with your mood swings and negativity so that you can enjoy joyful relationships with your spouse and everyone in your life. Don’t make excuses for your mood swings, rather, take responsibility to make the changes necessary to improve your feelings of self-worth and generate a more positive outlook. Aren’t you worth it? Be creative Why wait until February 14 of every year to shower your spouse with appreciation? Do a little something every day to show your love for your sweetie pie. Leave a note, send a text, or buy a little something that your spouse loves. You don’t have to spend tons of money to be romantic or show your appreciation. A simple text that makes your spouse laugh is a way to show your love and reduce stress in your day-to-day lives. It is often the very simple tokens of appreciation that are the sweetest. Make it priority to be creative in
your relationship daily, not just one day a year! Know what you need How many times have you heard from your spouse, “I’m not a mind reader, just tell me what you want!” This is key to effective communication in your relationship. No one knows what you need and want better than you do. Instead of hoping your spouse will get the smoke signal that you want quality time for the evening, be direct. I can’t tell you enough how this simple strategy will clear up misunderstandings between you and your spouse. Do not say Yes when you mean No, and do not harbor resentment when your spouse can’t channel your thoughts. Oftentimes I hear spouses say, “Well I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so I just didn’t say anything.” When you fail to communicate your feelings and desires in a clear, direct way you are paving the road for confusion, frustration, and chaos in your relationship. If you want roses instead of candy for Valentine’s Day, ask for them! I often say to couples, “You don’t get to be angry for what you didn’t communicate to your spouse clearly and directly.” If you don’t know what you want or need, take the time to figure it out. Stop blaming your spouse for your unhappiness, and learn the skills necessary
to communicate in a clear, direct way that leaves little room for confusion or misunderstanding. Have a strategy You don’t get the job, bank account, or abs you want without a plan. Likewise, you don’t have a healthy, nurturing relationship without a strategy. Take time to sit with your spouse and talk about what you each need on a day-to-day basis to feel loved and appreciated. Make time to review what is working and what isn’t working. If you find your relationship is stuck in a pattern and habit of dysfunction and misery, don’t wait until the 11th hour. Get the help you need to learn the tools and skills that are crucial to a healthy relationship. Once you come up with your strategy for taking your relationship from mediocre to magnificent, write down your strategy and put it in a place where you can refer to it often. This will help remind you of your goals and keep you on your toes. The quality of our relationships is the key to happiness in everyday life. This Valentine’s Day, make it a priority to honor, love, and appreciate your loved ones all year long. You are worth it! T&G Meghan Lemery Fritz is a psychotherapist practicing at Sunpointe Health in State College.
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about town
The Show Goes on Despite recent passings, the Next Stage continues to present “thoughtful” plays
John Hovenstine
By Nadine Kofman New Yorkers who have relocated here laugh when we complain about traffic jams. State College is, after all, only a small city. It’s not such a stretch, then, to picture one of this city’s “Broadways” as a provocative “alley.” The Next Stage — now in its 23rd year, eight at the State Theatre — will present its next play in March. The recent loss of 80-year-old J.D. The Next Stage artistic director and Shuchter has made Mary cofounder Mary Skees is making Skees its sole existing sure the theater company continues founder, yet this “alley” producing quality plays following the loss of cofounder J.D. Shuchter. is still on the map. A Life in the Theatre by David Mament opens Thursday, March 26, at 8 p.m. The previous play, Copenhagen, was the Shuchter/Skees production in October. However, “Jay died a month before it opened,” says Skees, 68. His going wasn’t sudden. “I’ve been kind of eased into it for almost a year,” Skees says. Because of Shuchter’s deteriorating health, the two had been talking about the company’s future under one producing artistic director. Skees was unprepared, though, for the general response to his passing. “The outpouring has been tremendous,” she says. “I had no idea how much people cared about us and this company — how much Jay was loved.” An invited crowd (because of space) came to a memorial celebration (concluding in a standing ovation) at Webster’s Bookstore Café, owned by a Next Stage director/actress Elaine Meder-Wilgus. Sixtyfour came; if made public, the number would have been “twice” that. With minimal scenery, the Next Stage presents three thoughtful — rather than popular — plays a year. A July production by the upstairs underground company will follow the Mamet play. Performances — a Thursday through a Saturday night, plus a Sunday afternoon — are in the intimate performance/reception space at the State Theatre. The Next Stage specializes in award-winning and nominated dra20 - Town&Gown February 2015
mas, works by major playwrights, and/or plays that are hard to find. “Something you’re not likely to see if we don’t do it,” confides Skees. Each one selected, she says, has something important to say to us that is “much bigger than what it’s about.” Sometimes a staged drama is selected in the belief that, as performed, its subject wasn’t explored fully. “Let’s see,” Skees and Shuchter would say, “if we can do it better.” Preceding most seasons have been “scouting” trips to New York City (Skees’s birthplace) and elsewhere to view what’s on stage. As she left for one in December, Skees said, “This is a pleasure for me,” whether she’s accompanied or alone. Although devoted to theater since she was a teenager (“I have a theater habit”), her professional background wasn’t in it. Reared in the Allentown area, she graduated from Moravian College in Spanish, and, after her 1968 graduation, came to graduate school at Penn State. A university lecturer in technical writing, she taught there from 1976 until 2008. She and Shuchter, a theater professional who came to State College in 1978, began their partnership producing plays (1992 to 1998) by Cliff Young, who’s a close friend, Penn State colleague, and playwright. Shuchter, a Cincinnati native whose parents exposed him to all the performing arts, graduated from Harvard in English literature and from the graduate school at California Berkeley in medieval and Renaissance literature. He became an English and drama professor at the University of Colorado
in Boulder, where he founded a theater company and a summer Shakespeare festival, and acted in medieval plays. At Penn State, he was a lecturer in English, first at the Altoona campus. He also taught at Huntingdon State Prison. In 1992, he became a Nittany Valley Shakespeare Company actor and an actor and director with State College Community Theatre. Early on in the presentation of Young’s plays, “We didn’t think of ourselves as a company,” says Skees. But after a few years — in 1996 — the Next Stage was incorporated. The name is partly a pun. “Stage” speaks for itself; “the next stage” bespeaks all the prep work, followed by the actual presentation. In its consistent logo, a new butterfly takes flight; i.e., plays emerge. The actors are usually local amateurs. Helping actors “grow” are acting classes led by professional actor/veteran coach Cary Spear. “We always try to do a play that’s just beyond our reach,” Skees says. “We set the bar high, stretching everybody involved — actors, directors, and audience members.” In addition to its yearly work, something fell to Next Stage recently — the annual New Year’s
Day reading of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood. Susan Riddiford Shedd, who passed away in December from cancer, conceived the idea and often acted in it. She had asked that “this wonderful holiday gift to our community” be continued. “Susan loved this piece,” says Skees, “so [designer Pat Corey and I] agreed to produce it.” Meder-Wilgus directed. An actress locally, regionally, and on Broadway, Shedd had founded the Nittany Valley Shakespeare Company and the Seattle Shakespeare Company. Her undergraduate degree was from Penn State, and her graduate degree from the University of Washington. From 2006 until 2012, she was operations manager of the State Theatre. It was Shedd who gave the upstairs room at the State Theatre its current name, “The Attic.” “It’s a great place to work,” Skees says of the State Theatre. With a smile, she adds, “We never break even because we choose to do plays for thinking people.” T&G Nadine Kofman is a native Centre Countian and historian.
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Beyond Classical Time for Three merges conservatory training and popular songs in February 26 concert By John Mark Rafacz When Time for Three was getting its start, the trio called itself the world’s first classically trained garage band. “The term really was something that we used to use. We try not to use it too much these days,” says Time for Three violinist Nick Kendall. “It was a way to describe who we are. It’s very difficult to Time for Three visits Penn describe what it is that we do State for the first time when in a live concert. Two violins it performs February 26 at and a double bass don’t sound Schwab Auditorium. very exciting, but what we do is so much more than the mere instruments that we are holding and expressing ourselves through. It was a term that referred to the way we put our music together, which was very much a departure from how classical music is put together.” Performing music from Bach to its own arrangements of songs by the Beatles, U2, Kanye West, Coldplay, and Justin Timberlake, the trio, which makes its Penn State concert debut February 26 at Schwab Auditorium, defies classification. “Time for Three is not a classical music group. We have our roots from classical training, but our output is a conduit for us to have a great time with each other …. It’s unexpected concerts that we present,” Kendall says. “The repertoire is different and new. It’s very audience friendly, but it also takes active listening to be at a concert. But we make that happen because the interaction while we’re playing is so visceral. We are ourselves on stage. Between songs we speak to the audience.” The ensemble has performed more than 1,000 concerts at venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall, jazz clubs, European festivals, NFL games, and the Indianapolis 500. Violinists Zach De Pue and Kendall and double bassist Ranaan Meyer played together for fun as students at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music. De Pue and Kendall had a mutual affection for country and bluegrass fiddling. Meyer, who also composes works for the trio, introduced the violinists to his roots in jazz and improvisation. 22 - Town&Gown February 2015
While Time for Three might not qualify as a classical trio, it has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the National and Indianapolis symphonies, and other classical ensembles. The trio’s first commercial album, Three Fervent Travelers, remained in the top 10 on the Billboard crossover chart for almost a year. Time for Three, its first album for Universal Classics, came out in 2014. “Stronger,” the band’s hit YouTube antibullying video, has inspired countless students. In November, the trio performed “Blame” for a tango-dancing couple on ABC-TV’s Dancing with the Stars. “The level of production was just extraordinary,” Kendall says. “It was actually really, really easy. All we had to do was be ourselves and play well. Everything else just sort of happened for us. It was very powerful.” At Schwab, the trio will announce its selections from the stage. “We’re definitely going to play a few things off our latest album,” Kendall says. “But we’re also going to do a couple of these what we call ‘mashups,’ which are blending or putting two distinct songs — one from the classical world and one from the pop world — together.” The concert is likely to include a mashup of music by Katy Perry and Igor Stravinsky, Mumford & Sons’ “Little Lion Man,” and some of the trio’s gypsy repertoire. Kendall says, “It’ll be a nice variety from new, middle, and old of Time for Three’s rep.” T&G Benson and Christine Lichtig and William Rabinowitz sponsor the presentation. WPSU is the media sponsor. For tickets or information, visit cpa.psu.edu or phone (814) 863-0255. John Mark Rafacz is the editorial manager of the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State.
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penn state diary
Dress to Impress? Changes in students’ attire have mirrored changes in society Penn State University Archives (2)
By Lee Stout
In the 1950s, students wore everything from hunting jackets to Chesterfield overcoats with ties, sport shirts, and sweaters.
“There has never been a sloppier-looking generation than this current crowd,” concluded one school principal. But if you assume the reference is to today’s students who are occasionally seen around campus in pajamas, you’d be wrong. The quotation is from 1957. In fact, you could easily find the same sentiments coming from college administrators in 1917. That’s one of the points Deidre Clemente, a State College native, now professor of history at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, makes in her recent book, Dress Casual, How College Students Redefined American Style. She has made a specialty of “the historical interaction between social change and everyday life.” Her book looks at college students from the World War I era to the 1960s and shows how their dress mirrored fundamental social changes. She makes a convincing argument that students’ desire for comfortable, casual clothes changed the clothing choices of both their parents and their younger siblings. Much of her research was done in the archives of a variety of institutions ranging from Princeton, Radcliffe, and Penn State to Spelman and Morehouse colleges in Atlanta. This doesn’t surprise me; the collections of photos, student publications, and personal archives of letters, diaries, and scrapbooks are full of this kind of information. In discussing student life, I often show a photo of coeds from the 1890s and joke about those formidable-looking women with up-swirled hair and clothing covering everything except their 24 - Town&Gown February 2015
faces and hands — and in those days they might’ve been wearing hats and gloves, as well! The turn of the century, however, was the culmination of formality in both dress and decorum. College men wore suits and ties to class, while young women emulated the “Gibson Girl” look, with long-sleeved blouses and full-length skirts or waist-cinching dresses with hemlines that swept the floor. Avid followers of Downton Abbey will have seen the rapid change from conservative Edwardian-era women’s styles to the short, loose-fitting dresses of the Jazz Age in the 1920s. College campuses led the trend of the gradual departure of formality from both behavior and appearance. For men, the rise of college sports also meant the idealization of the athleticbody image. The “Arrow shirt man” looked like he had just changed out of his football uniform. Young men wore the same knickers, soft-collared oxford shirts, and patterned sweaters around campus that they wore on the golf course. It was the origin of “sportswear,” now for the classroom as well as the playing fields. As time passed into the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s, clothes became even more casual for both sexes. Militaryservice influences gave us khakis, and “war work” made jeans more acceptable for women. Informality made the sweater a fashion choice, not just a source of winter warmth. By the 1950s, students battled for the right to wear shorts on campus, although double-standard rules for women governed where they could wear shorts, while for men, the question was where they could not. While it may seem quaint now, dress codes were a constant battleground between students and deans of men and women. Student government spent inordinate amounts of time negotiating for liberalized clothing rights. Entering Penn State
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While on a bicycle ride, female students in the 1940s wore full-range dresses, skirts, shorts, and pants.
in 1965, shorts and a T-shirt seemed inappropriate to me for class, and a coat and tie were required at Sunday dinners in the dining hall. Women’s clothing rules were even more complex and interwoven with curfews and being with male students in public and private spaces. The frequency of formal dances and similar occasions had greatly diminished by the 1960s, along with ideas of specialized clothes for diverse activities such as dates, classes, and dorm life. Clemente argues students desired both comfort and style in clothing, and this drove the design and marketing of clothes. Fashion-magazine editors and department-store clothes buyers were often as horrified by what students chose to wear as college administrators and parents. Clemente shows quite effectively that clothing fads and fashions varied from elite and private to middle-class and public schools, and from urban to rural, coed to single-sex, and black to white colleges. Even in a single school, what went for upperclassmen might be off-limits to frosh, who had to abandon high school styles and learn to emulate their elders. Nevertheless, the overall trends eventually carried over to the world off campus. Younger students copied the collegiate styles, and adults gradually adopted them as well, even if they hadn’t gone to college. “Casual Friday” in the business office is hardly the only example of the growing preference for informality in everyday life. Clemente’s book concerns more than changing clothing styles. “It is about how, when, where, and why cultural standards are tested and then recast.” Clothing, she writes, is no longer the “steadfast delineator of race, class, gender, and age.” For those of us who experienced college in the late 1960s, individuality and eclectic styles quickly overtook and changed what defined “casual dress.” T&G Lee Stout is librarian emeritus, Special Collections for Penn State.
Christina MacGill: Connecting Students With Jobs This month, when you spot Penn State students dressed in suits, ties, and heels instead of fleece, jeans, and boots, think of Christina MacGill and her team at Career Services. They oversee about 14 career fairs here each year, along with 18 fairs coordinated by various academic colleges, attracting more than 23,000 students. As many as 500 employers reach out to students at the largest fairs. “The goal is, we want the students and the employers to connect,” says MacGill, who is senior associate director for recruiting and outreach programming. In addition to career fairs, her team also coordinates on-campus interviews by large companies and government agencies, as well as career-planning programs. “We try to help students see that you can go in a lot of different directions with your degree.” MacGill’s career took a different direction than originally planned. She earned a bachelor’s in chemistry from Lycoming College with the idea that she would teach science. She started working in alumni relations there, then worked with students while earning her master’s in counselor education at Bucknell University before signing on with Career Services at Penn State, where she is finishing her doctorate in counselor education. A lifelong Lycoming County resident, MacGill loves helping students feel less nervous about their future. “I enjoy talking with them about their dreams and helping them find the right information to make really good choices.” The Penn State Bookstore thanks Christina MacGill and all faculty and staff who carry out the university’s mission every day.
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Years of Town&Gown: Population
The Changing Look of Centre County Community and campus populations have gradually become more diverse over the past 50 years By Tracey M. Dooms 26 - Town&Gown February 2015
In the early 1960s, Philadelphia-area high school student Consuelo Miller narrowed down her college choices to two — Penn State in rural Central Pennsylvania and Howard University, a historically black university in Washington, DC. She chose Penn State so that her parents wouldn’t have to pay as much in tuition. She arrived “in the mountains” in 1961 as one of less than 200 black students out of about 20,000 students on campus, and one of less than 6,000 female students. “It was culture shock,” recalls Miller, now an attorney in Delaware. One year, the parents of her new roommate, who was white, met Miller and then took their daughter out to dinner. When the young woman returned, Miller recalls, “She announced that her parents told her that if she continued to room with me, she would have trouble finding a boyfriend. They had it in their heads that if she had a black roommate, that young men on campus would not associate with her.” The roommate moved out. By 1965, Miller’s senior year, ideas were changing across the country — and at Penn State. “It was an interesting time,” she says. Martin Luther King Jr. was coming to campus with his message of equality and equal opportunity, and as chairman of the Penn State NAACP chapter, Miller was involved with promoting the event. On January 21, King’s speech packed Rec Hall with more than 8,000 people. Fifty years later, 1,802 of 46,606 Penn State’s University Park students are black, 2,618 are Asian, and 21,514 are women. The State College area population overall is much larger. Walking on a downtown State College sidewalk, it’s no surprise to pass people of different races, speaking foreign languages, or wearing clothes more common in other countries. The borough government is led by a woman, and plenty of local businesses are owned by women. Still, Centre County and even State College remain predominantly white, with significantly more male elected officials than female, and several groups are working to increase cultural understanding.
Movement toward more diversity The reason for Centre County’s historically white population goes back much further than 50 years. Beginning in the early 1700s, settlers who moved here had primarily northern European backgrounds, says Gordon De Jong, Penn State distinguished emeritus professor of sociology and demography. “Later, in terms of African Americans, this area was out of the mainstream
Martin Luther King Jr. walks out to a crowd of more than 8,000 at Rec Hall in 1965. He brought his message of equality and equal opportunity.
of the south-north migrations of the early part of the 1900s,” he says, noting that a stream came to Philadelphia but not the rural areas. “The key thing was the demand for labor. There was a surplus of labor already in Central Pennsylvania.” In 1960, Centre County had 78,580 residents, 99 percent of whom were white, according to the US Census Bureau. The largest other group was black, accounting for just 0.8 percent of the population, and 0.2 percent were Asian. Although Penn State would later become the major reason for increases in local diversity, 50 years ago it was just about as white as the county. The number of black students each term averaged less than 200, and Penn State received less than 1,000 applications for admission each year from blacks.
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Penn State University Archives (2)
Penn State’s Women’s Student Association meets in 1965. A year later, students protested restrictions made on female students, including being required to live on campus.
Statewide, a much smaller percentage of blacks than whites went on to college at the time, and those who did often chose institutions close to home. Black high school students often received an inferior education and thus couldn’t meet Penn State’s academic criteria. Plus, with Pennsylvania’s black population concentrated in urban areas, fewer prospective students were interested in Penn State’s strong agricultural programs. From 1965, when Martin Luther King visited, to the late 1960s, protests by black students increased, demanding better representation on campus. Early in 1969, members of the Douglass Association (later that year renamed the Black Student Union) built a brick wall in President Eric Walker’s office to symbolize their dissatisfaction with the university’s recruitment of black students (fewer than 300 at the time) and faculty (less than five). Walker responded by appointing a black recruiter, seeking special state funding to assist economically disadvantaged students in paying for college costs, and charging each college with recruiting low-income minority students. By 1970, about 1,300 blacks were enrolled,
but newly arrived President John Oswald was dismayed to find that many of them were not doing well academically, noting “it was my judgment that we had blacks here for the sake of blacks, for the purpose of counting.” More emphasis was placed on academic achievement, and it wasn’t until the late 1980s that the number of black students at University Park began to climb again.
Balancing gender
A primary reason for limited female enrollment at Penn State 50 years ago was the requirement that all women students live on campus, which had a finite number of dorm rooms. The university was much more protective of “co-eds,” as female students were still called. Women students had strict curfews and couldn’t visit men in off-campus apartments without chaperones. In 1966, student protests against these restrictions came to a head, and the university made changes, including extending women students’ weeknight curfew to 1 a.m. and allowing them unsupervised visitation at offcampus apartments — as long as their parents
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signed an annual consent form. In 1970, residence halls were allowed to determine their own on-campus visitation rules, and most dorms voted for 24-hour visitation by members of either sex in students’ rooms. For the first time, female students of any age were permitted to live off campus after their freshman year. This gave the university room to admit more female students. Still, Penn State was using a ratio of about 2.5 to 1 in admitting men and women to the University Park campus. It wasn’t until 1972
The Black Arts Festival was held on campus in 1969.
when, under threat of lawsuits, Penn State began to accept students with no consideration of sex. Because of that change, and changing societal attitudes toward women in scientific and technical fields, the percentage of female students began to climb toward its current status of 46.2 percent on the University Park campus. Another big change for female students was the addition of women’s intercollegiate sports in 1964. Organizers thought they would start with nine sports but were dismayed to find few other colleges to compete with, so field hockey was the sole entry that first year, followed in 1965 by basketball, fencing, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, rifle, softball, and tennis. By the time Title IX legislation in 1972 forced most colleges and universities to start varsity sports for women, Penn State already had 12 teams in the field. Today, not only does the university field 14 women’s varsity sports but also the head athletic director overseeing both women’s and men’s sports is a woman, Sandy Barbour.
50 years of change
Five decades have brought many changes to Centre County’s residents. The 2010 Census reported that the county’s population had almost doubled, to 153,990. Most of the county’s residents — 89.4 percent of them — were white, but that was still a big change from 99 percent in 1960. Of the remaining 11.6 percent, 5.2 percent were Asian, 3 percent were black or African American, and 2.3 percent of residents checked other boxes for their race, including the “two or more race” category introduced to the census in 2000. Of all county residents, 2.4 percent identified themselves as Hispanic in 2010, another category not included 50 years ago. The most diverse Centre County municipalities also are some of the most populous ones and closest to the Penn State campus. State College Borough and Ferguson and Patton townships all have higher percentages of black and Asian residents than the county average. International students attending Penn State account for much of the Centre Region’s diversity. Last fall, 6,569 students from other countries were enrolled at the University Park campus, an increase of 48 percent since 2010 alone.
Elizabeth Goreham became mayor of State College in 2010.
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Contributed photo
Global Connections holds its annual International Friendship Picnic at Tudek Park. The event brings together internationals and local residents.
Centre County Population by Race & Ethnicity 1960 # 1960 %
Race White Black or African American American Indian Asian
77,772 611 6 119
Total Population
2010 # 2010 % 153,990 100
Race One race White Black or African American American Indian & Alaska Native Asian Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander Some Other Race Two or More Races Ethnicity Hispanic or Latino (of any race) Not Hispanic or Latino
99.0 0.8 0.0 0.2
151,630 98.5 137,625 89.4 4,638
3.0
191 7,986
0.1 5.2
48 1,142 2,360
0.0 0.7 1.5
3,690 2.4 150,300 97.6
Sources: US Census Bureau, Pennsylvania State Data Center
“We’re ranked as one of the top 50 universities in the world, so we attract applications, particularly among graduate students,” De Jong says, pointing to Penn State’s No. 46 spot on the 2014 Center for World Universities Rankings list of global highereducation institutions. Many of the graduate students here come from Asian countries, he notes. Organizations such as Global Connections, a Penn State-affiliated United Way agency, work to build connections between permanent residents and visiting internationals. Executive director Marc McCann explains that the connection works both ways. Local residents help internationals with everything from building English skills to filling out school paperwork for children to learning how local families live. In turn, internationals are invited to speak about their cultures in schools and senior centers, and share customs at international fairs and meals. Two particularly popular events are cultural lunches at Mount Nittany United Methodist Church, where international volunteers plan meals from their countries for up to 100 people, and the Women’s International Night, with activities such as sari draping and Russian doll making.
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“I think it really starts with helping the internationals, and then the internationals strengthen the community,” McCann says. Outside of the Centre Region, Centre County is still primarily white. In 2010, the populations of 21 of the county’s 35 municipalities were at least 98 percent white.
Future growth
Looking to the future, De Jong expects Centre County to continue to see slow, steady growth in overall population of about 1 percent a year. “That’s not roaring growth, but that’s not decline either,” he says, pointing to nearby counties where annual deaths outnumber births. Faster growth, he says, would require “massive growth” in the area’s high-tech industry or marked increases in Penn State enrollment. Still, he says, steady advancements in high-tech companies spurred by university technology transfer should continue to drive increases in the number of Asian professionals who come here to work in that sector or who come to Penn State as graduate students and then stay to develop businesses. The percentage of elderly residents also should continue to grow, De Jong predicts. That’s partly due to aging in place — “When the university started growing after World War II, well, guess how old those folks are now” — and partly due to ongoing construction of and marketing by retirement communities such as the Village at Penn State. Hispanic immigrants have not been attracted to this area because of the lack of laborintensive jobs. “You don’t see a lot of Hispanics in Central Pennsylvania, other than in the cities,” De Jong says. Meanwhile, organizations such as the Community Diversity Group are working to create a welcoming climate for all the people of diverse backgrounds who do work, study, and live in the State College area. Founded in 2002, CDG “encourages people to feel comfortable in this community, no matter what background they have,” says Carol Eicher, chairman.
CDG has presented numerous workshops at area businesses and organizations to teach respect for diversity from a customer-service aspect, such as “don’t stereotype the people who walk into your business,” Eicher says. Recently, there have been culturalempowerment lunches for women from other countries, many of whom are trailing spouses. Topics have included how our legal system works and how parents should interact with their children’s schools. CDG also prepares a monthly newsletter with links to multicultural events and resources. Working with groups outside the State College area often requires additional education, Eicher says. “If people are connected to the State College area, they tend to have a different perspective of diversity than if you go into the broader radius of the community and the population isn’t as diverse,” she says. “We try to open the door and make people aware. We can’t make the change, but if we provide resources and exposure, that’s what’s going to change our community.” Diversity has become a priority for State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham. As the borough’s first female mayor, she says she has experienced firsthand both the growing number of women leading businesses and organizations and the “old boys network” that lingers out of habit. She sees minority and international students — as well as young adults of all backgrounds — bringing new ideas and outlooks to the area. And she has seen a more positive outlook for gay residents — she has performed at least 25 same-sex marriage ceremonies since Pennsylvania legalized gay marriage last May. “We’ve got to be open to the changes that have happened and are happening,” she says. “It’s not easy if you’ve grown up where everybody looks the same. I think the future is leading in a different direction, and we’re being led very gently and positively by the people who come here.” T&G Tracey M. Dooms is a freelance writer in State College and a special-projects editor for Town&Gown.
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Embrace
the Wonders of Winter While cold temperatures and snow during this time of year keep some indoors, the region has plenty of outdoor offerings for those who don’t mind the wintery weather By Kerry Royer 32 - Town&Gown February 2015
Cross country skiing offers fun and a great workout during the winter.
Living in the ridge and valley region of Pennsylvania means watching a steel-gray sky tumble over the mountains in winter. Many days the sky bursts into snowflakes. And in Happy Valley, snow means put on a parka, gloves, and boots because this region has lots to offer cold-weather enthusiasts.
A chorus of school-aged kids agrees that if there’s snow, you have to go sledding. The best place around is Slab Cabin Park in Lemont, says Stacey LeVan, a special-education paraeducator at Park Forest Middle School. She tells her two boys, Alex, 13, and Jake, 10, to bundle up, and the family heads outside for some good old-fashioned sled riding. “Slab Cabin is great because it is an easy place to meet up with friends. It’s wide open and perfect for all levels of sledding — from thrill seekers to basic downhill sled rides,” she says. “When we need a break to warm up, there are pavilions where we can open a thermos of hot chocolate and fuel up for the multiple hikes up the hill.” She and her husband, Kevin, have been enjoying this Centre Region Parks and RecAlex LeVan (left) and his brother, Jake, enjoy ice skating during the winter.
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reation wintertime tradition since their boys were little. “We can go during the day or under the lights in the evening, which is always exciting,” she says. Lights illuminate the slope until 11 p.m., conditions permitting. Centre Region Parks and Recreation also offers the Village Ice Rink at Blue Spring Park in Boalsburg. This is a “natural ice, on-ground rink,” so it all depends on the air and ground temperatures. When open, the ice rink depends on colder weather and the commitment of community volunteers to maintain the ice, according to its Web site. But if the weather outside is frightful, there are other ice skating options. “We have made it a family tradition to go ice skating every Christmas Eve at Pegula Ice Arena on the Penn State campus,” LeVan says. Public sessions are open to all ages and skill levels. Skate rentals and lessons also are available. More information can be found on the Penn State Athletics Web site. When the frigid air pours off of the Allegheny Front
Ben and Sam Baraban build snow forts when the weather is right.
and a storm is ready to release snow over the valley, it’s an exciting time for Park Forest Middle School teacher Howard Pillot, who is a cross country skier. He enjoys the brisk chill of winter. “Getting outside in the fresh air and skiing is a great way to handle winter,” he says “It’s good for your body — a great workout.” He combines the sport, the appreciation for the winter landscape, and his teaching all together when he takes seventh- and eighthgrade students out on skis to learn about environmental aspects of wetlands and headwater streams in winter. His students have skied all around State College on educational trips, including Black Moshannon State Park and Moshannon State Forest. Pillot publishes where his students have been on his Website, crosscountryskipa.com, so that other skiers can easily find the students’ tracks and enjoy the trails the kids have blazed. Pillot, also a member of the cross country ski group Nittany Nordic, says that although making your own trails or skiing in trails made by others is fun, groomed trails make the sport more enjoyable and accessible. It is easier for
Hot chocolate hits the spot during those snowy days.
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beginners to learn in tracks, which can be used for training and enjoyment by the entire community. Circleville Park has a popular “sometimes groomed” trail. The trails are supported by Centre Region Parks and Recreation, Patton Township, and the Haugh Family Preserve Committee, but the acquisition of trail-making equipment, hand-pulled grooming, and maintenance is volunteer. Community members can join Nittany Nordic if they are interested in helping with trail grooming. Those looking for faster speeds on skis can set their sights on the mountain. “We all start to get excited when the temperature drops,” says Aaron Weyman, marketing director at Tussey Mountain in Boalsburg. Even if it’s not snowing in surrounding areas, if it is cold enough, there will be snow on the ski runs — especially this year. “While we enjoy natural snowfall, we have upgraded our snow-making capabilities on the mountain. We have stronger guns, an advanced motor, and we have upgraded and replaced all of the waterlines. The amount of snow we will be capable of producing will be a huge difference this year compared to past winter seasons,” Weyman says. When the humidity is right and temperatures are sustained in the mid-20 degrees, snow
Besides skiing, Tussey Mountain offers 1,000-foot lanes for snow tubing.
will be a guarantee on the slopes. The snowmaking system covers 90 percent of skiable terrain, as does slope lighting. Tussey Mountain offers skiing on 50 acres, with three ski and snowboard lifts and one snow-tube lift. The mountain is typically open for skiing, boarding, and tubing daily through mid- to late March. The snow-tubing park offers more than 100 snow tubes and a specially designed lift to whoosh tubers to the top. Once there, visitors are be launched down one of the 1,000-foot snow-tube lanes. “We also have options for people to come in from the cold,” says Weyman. “Edges Pub, located in the lodge, is one of this area’s best kept secrets, as we offer food and drink specials every night, with live music and entertainment most nights — but during the winter season only.” Snow, however, can create a little havoc in homes, especially when school days are delayed or cancelled. State College Area School District ninth-grade special-education teacher Aylie Baraban sets her notification option to receive the earliest phone call when school is closed due to weather. She hopes to get a chance to catch up on sleep, but snow days
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don’t stop her son, Ben, age 8, from waking up early and gearing up to help with the shoveling. “He’s my little polar bear and will go outside and lay in the fresh snow,” she says. Six-year-old Sam joins for snow-fort construction and snowman building in the backyard. Aylie’s husband, Sean Garthwaite, walks the couple’s sons from their Holmes-Foster home to nearby Community Field for sledding. “A day like this, where we get unexpected time at home, sometimes feels like a gift because we were planning on being at work and school,” Aylie says. Her boys enjoy walking down the bike path to look up at the snow-covered tree branches. A good plan for a snow day is to make sure there are ingredients at home to make hot chocolate or to bake cookies with the kids. Aylie likes to have provisions for pumpkin chocolate chip muffins or big bowls of popcorn. After playing outside, the family builds a fire and brings blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals to the living room and “basically builds a big nest.” Everyone usually has a book they are
reading, so the family relaxes in the quiet time, warming up and lingering over the pages. To take full advantage of the peacefulness of snow, other ideas include winter hiking, looking for animal tracks, or capturing serene images through photography. Trails are available all through the area in parks, bike trails, and state game lands. A favorite pastime for many individuals is putting a bird feeder outside a window to catch a glimpse of the region’s winter bird population that includes cardinals, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, tufted titmice, chickadees, and juncos. When it snows, it is often more difficult for birds to find food, so they will rush to feeders for nourishment. Snow is usually a guarantee in Happy Valley in winter, and many organizations are available to help people make the most of this time of year. Check online, or simply watch the flakes swirl from the comfort of your home! T&G Kerry Royer is a freelance writer and author. She lives in State College with her family.
True Love! Walk-Around Tasting Saturday, February 7th Featuring Brown Dog Catering Music by Laura Boswell, $25 pp Reservations Required
Valentine’s Wine & Chocolate Pairing Saturday, February 14th 12:00 - 5:00, $7.50 pp Reservations Required
Featuring Chocolate From Boalsburg Chocolate Company Reservations Required
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Visit our website for upcoming events! Tues.-Fri. 11-5, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12:30-4 300 Houser Rd., Centre Hall 16828 ( 7 miles east of Penn State )
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A Diamond
Among Us
Three surgeries to remove tumors in his brain have made one Bellefonte and Four Diamonds child only stronger and more determined to beat his disease and reclaim his childhood
By David Pencek 38 - Town&Gown February 2015
Noah Benner (left), who has had three brain surgeries since 2012, enjoys playing with his younger sister, Sydney.
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“You feel like a big baby. It was hard not to cry every 45 minutes.” — Craig Benner on first hearing his son, Noah, had a brain tumor his cancer. His determined attitude has contributed to some remarkable recoveries from his surgeries. Where some kids may need a month or two to recover from the types of procedures Noah has had, he’s back to his normal self in a few weeks. “He bounces back pretty quick,” says Craig Benner, who is wearing a shirt reading “Noah Strong.” “His surgeon was amazed that he was begging to go back to school.” According to the National Institutes of Health, CPP is a rare, noncancerous tumor in the brain. It can cause headaches, nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, optic-nerve swelling, visual disturbances, and possible blindness. Because of the tumors, Noah has lost all peripheral vision on his left side. In February 2012, Noah had started
Contributed photos (4)
When Craig and Tiffany Benner of Bellefonte took their son, Noah, to Hershey in 2012 for the first of what has turned out to be three surgeries to remove tumors from his brain, they watched their 7-year-old son skipping down the hallway with the neurosurgeon who would be performing the operation. “We’re crying and sobbing, and this kid is skipping because the surgeon had told him that he was going to have an Xbox in his room,” Tiffany Benner says. “He was amazing — not a whimper, not a complaint. Nothing. He’s so strong.” Noah, now 10, has been strong ever since he was diagnosed with choroid plexus papilloma (CPP) in the spring of 2012. While his strength has helped him, and even his parents, get through the past nearly three years, when it comes to talking about all that he’s been through, he is shy and prefers to stay out of the spotlight. In late December, more than three months after his third surgery, Noah, who is a Four Diamonds child, wanted to play with his 5-year-old sister, Sydney (the two are extremely close), and the family dog, Grim, rather than answer any questions about
The Benner family — from left, Tiffany, Noah, Sydney, and Craig — enjoy a trip to Walt Disney World. 40 - Town&Gown February 2015
Benner attends many Penn State sporting events with his family, including football games at Beaver Stadium.
having migraine-like headaches that caused a lot of pain. He wouldn’t eat and just wanted to sleep. His optometrist examined his eyes and noticed that his optic nerves were swollen and pushed forward toward the front of the eye. That night, the optometrist called the Benners and told them that they needed to take Noah to the hospital immediately for an MRI. The scan found that he had an 8-centimeterby-4-centimeter-by-4-centimeter mass on the right side of his brain, and that his brain was pushed to the left side of his head. “It sucks the life out of you. It’s devastating,” Tiffany says. “I can still picture me sitting there. I can picture him laying there — I can tell you exactly what he had on. I explain it that looking at him and the doctor telling us the news, that the first seven years of his life had flashed in front of me. I was going through everything we had done.
At that point, we weren’t sure what we were dealing with, and I thought This is it. “It was the most heart-wrenching, stomach-sinking thing I’ve ever had to do.” Tiffany spent most of the rest of the night scouring the Internet for any information about Noah’s condition. She says the more she read, the more scared she got. “You feel like a big baby,” Craig says. “It was hard not to cry every 45 minutes.” Noah, who is now a fourth-grade student at Marion Walker Elementary, never cried. Even as he was being prepped for his first surgery and had to be poked several times to get an IV in him, he didn’t cry. “To see him get through it helped us,” Tiffany says. “We kind of fed off each other.” In most cases, one surgery is all that’s needed to remove the tumor and “cure” someone of CPP. However, three months after Noah’s surgery, doctors found another tumor.
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Benner after his third brain surgery last fall.
The first had produced “seedlings,” so a second surgery was needed. Last year, two years after the second surgery, a tumor was found again, and Noah had a third surgery on his brain. In mid-December, an MRI showed no evidence of the disease. His next MRI is scheduled for June, but what’s going on in Noah’s brain is always on the minds of the Benners. “It’s pretty much every hour of every day,” Tiffany says. “You look at him and go, ‘Is he going to be OK?’ We don’t know. It’s hard.” Craig says Noah recently had a cold and started to have headaches. He and Tiffany thought of rushing him to the hospital.
“There were times I didn’t want to breathe, I didn’t want to eat. … Each day, things will get better.” — Tiffany Benner
“Here it was, it was just a sinus infection,” Craig says. Tiffany adds, “It’s never going to be the same again.” That may be why the Benners are always on the go, especially during the summer months. They travel to amusement parks, go camping, and fill their days with memories. “Our whole life perspective has changed,” Tiffany says. “Things that some kids or parents might be like, ‘You can’t do that.’ We’re like, ‘It will be OK.’ ” Even with Noah’s having three brain surgeries, Tiffany says his mental capacity hasn’t been affected. “He has an engineering brain like his dad,” she says. “He gets maybe one B a quarter — everything else is As. He’s very intelligent.” While he has remained strong and smart, Noah has changed a little over the past few years. Craig says he’s gone from a very active boy to an inactive one who “thinks a lot.” He’ll also go into what Tiffany calls “his shell.” “He doesn’t like attention — and he’s had so much attention, sometimes he just says, ‘Don’t talk about about me, talk about someone else,’ ” she says. “The last six months he’s definitely grown up. He does come out of his shell. He will talk to people, it just takes a little time. “Other than that, he’s still the boy I remember when he was 4. The personality is still the same.” Some of the attention Noah has received includes being a Make-A-Wish child in 2013, which helped him and his family visit Walt Disney World. Through the Friends of Jacyln Foundation, which “helps improve the quality of life of children and their families battling pediatric brain tumors” and pairs children with sports teams, Noah has become close with the Penn State men’s basketball and football teams. He has attended practices, and even had some football players come to his house and play video games with him. He also has become the Four Diamonds child for Penn State Lion Scouts, and he’ll be attending his third THON in February. Tiffany, who, along with Craig, grew up in Bellefonte and attended Penn State, says
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Benner has spent a good deal of time with the Penn State football team, including attending practices with head coach James Franklin.
THON is something “we thought we’d never be a part of. … The first time we walked into the Jordan Center and it’s full, it takes your breath away. … It’s the one weekend where we don’t think about what’s going to happen or what has happened. The kids have such a good time.” This includes Sydney, who has been involved with nearly everything Noah has done. While she may not completely understand everything that has happened to her brother, she has been by his side. Tiffany says that when the family checked out of the Ronald McDonald House in Hershey after Noah’s most recent surgery, Sydney grabbed Noah’s hand and had tears in her eyes. “Noah, I’m so happy you’re better,” she said. “I was really worried about you.” The entire family has received support from other family members, friends, and Craig and Tiffany’s places of work. They’ve received gift cards, gas cards, gift baskets, and more. The family also has given back. With proceeds raised through the sales of
the “Noah Strong” T-shirts, Noah has given money to those organizations that have helped him — the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Friends of Jaclyn, and Ronald McDonald House. Besides giving money to those organizations that help families who are going through or may go through what she and her family have gone through, Tiffany has some advice for those families, as well. “Take one moment at a time,” she says. “Have the faith and strength to keep going. You’ll be amazed at what your child can go through. Breathe and don’t give up. There were times I didn’t want to breathe, I didn’t want to eat. … Each day, things will get better.” She has seen that in Noah, and is proud of his relentless fight. “I just think we tried to raise him as best we can and instill the morals,” she says. “That whole keep fighting thing has been a thing for us, and, lately, the ‘Noah Strong’ — that says it all. You just want to show him that no matter how hard things get or how bad it might seem, to push through it. Things will get better. Don’t ever give up!” T&G
43 - Town&Gown February 2015
In the Trenches Against Cancer The daughter of former Nittany Lion Devon Still has captured the nation’s heart with her fight and strength
Contributed photos (2)
By Frank Bodani Former Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still was ready to give up football to be with his 4-year-old daughter, Leah, who was diagnosed with cancer in June.
Devon Still wanted to give up football again. He was ready to walk away in the middle of his NFL career and forego the big salary and his teammates and doing what he loves — all of it. He went through this once before, but that was more about immaturity and impatience. Back then, he was in his second year at Penn State and had not even touched the field yet, couldn’t even practice. Injuries had ruined his first two college seasons before they began. He felt cursed. He was ready to give up and go back home to Delaware, until his parents helped convince him otherwise. He stayed and pushed on and, sure enough, everything played out better than he could have imagined. He dominated during that tumultuous 2011 season and became an AllAmerican defensive tackle. Meanwhile, he also became a father. Ultimately, that’s what led him to debate giving up football again a few months ago. This time, he nearly walked away from being a defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals because his daughter needed him more. Leah Still was diagnosed with stage 4 pediatric cancer this past summer. Still wanted to be with her every day, to be close by in case her condition quickly worsened. Leah would say how she wanted her daddy to “retire.” Still wasn’t afraid to give up football. He had enough money saved and had years ahead to find something else to do that he loved. Plus, injuries seemed to be restricting his career. Then again, he could never hope to replace his NFL medical-insurance package — never would it be more valuable than fighting his daughter’s cancer. So he decided to stay, and the Bengals’ management made sure to protect him. “It’s hard, probably the hardest thing I’ve faced in my life,” he says. “I want to be with my daughter.
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Sometimes there’s nothing to do but to be there to comfort her. I gave that up when I go to [Cincinnati], knowing I’m 10 hours away from my daughter when she’s battling for her life.
Still with his fiancée, Asha Joyce, and daughter, Leah.
“Sometimes when I hang up the phone I break down … I try to explain to her … but she’s only 4 years old. I try to the best of my ability. We just counted down the games.” Only now can he look back and see the stunning connections. Still was a freshman at Penn State during the start of another dance-marathon weekend for THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. Since 1977, it’s raised more than $114 million to fight pediatric cancer, of all things, and raise awareness along the way. Still, along with his teammates, helped out, giving cancer families and others tours of the athletic facilities. He watched the dancers. He saw the kids up close. “I understood the magnitude of THON, but it has a whole different understanding now,” he says. “It definitely means something more because it’s become personal.” Then there’s this: A few years ago, he helped with a Thanksgiving coat drive for the needy. It spurred him to buy toys and Christmas gifts to hand out at a children’s hospital in Delaware. The mountain of a man in his Bengals’ gear quietly delivered three carts of action figures, doll babies, puzzles, and storybooks, room by room. “He didn’t want publicity, he just wanted to do it,” says fiancée, Asha Joyce, 25, who is not Leah’s mother. “What’s great about him is that it just comes out of nowhere. He was really just happy to see the children’s faces. They couldn’t go home
for Christmas. He knew he would be with his daughter at Christmas.” But how could he have known what was rushing toward him? How he and his little girl would be in a hospital, too, with everything seemingly shattered? He could have never known not only that but also this: How the battle he and Leah are fighting keeps growing more meaningful all the time. • • • Leah Sali Still was born before her father’s junior season at Penn State. Instantly, she was his newfound motivation on the field while unlocking a protective, nurturing side of him. “Just hearing my daughter call me ‘Dad’ does more for me …,” he says, his voice drifting away. “Hearing her little voice call me ‘Dad’ — knowing I have someone looking up to me, someone I have to set an example for. She’s watching everything I do.” Their bond strengthened him for what was to come. He and Leah’s mother, Channing Smythe, broke up shortly after he left Penn State, though they continued working closely together to care for their daughter. He balanced his duties while practicing and playing in Cincinnati. Father and daughter shared a trip to Disney World last spring, the little girl mesmerized by the Magic Kingdom’s princess characters. But that also was around the time when fevers and unexplained leg and hip pain began, leading to one medical test after another. It came down to a hospital visit early last June. As Still waited with Smythe, the worst began to overwhelm him. He had been through MRIs with football injuries and knew they shouldn’t take this long. When doctors did finally meet with them, the talk was of neuroblastoma, a progressive cancer with dire circumstances. Everything was a blur: 50/50 survival rates, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation. “The world came crashing down on me,” Still says. “As a father, you always want to protect your children. With this kind of cancer, you’re not protecting them, you’re just trying to keep them comfortable.” Meanwhile, preseason camp and another NFL season approached. He needed football, in a way, to help her. Because Smythe and Leah stayed back in Delaware much of the time, he flew home after most every game to be with his little
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girl. Often, those two- or three-day visits were spent in the hospital with Leah. He often slept on a cot to be nearby. “I don’t take time for granted anymore,” he says. “I automatically assumed that I’d watch [Leah] grow up, watch her go to her first prom — all the things a father would do. Right now, we’re battling to see those things.” It’s a battle with so many unknowns. Still credits Joyce for being his “rock in this whole situation, for the days when I don’t know if I will hold it together.” Phone calls end with Leah asking him to come home when he can’t. He tells her why she’s still beautiful even without her precious hair, which has vanished from chemotherapy and radiation. She misses her friends in school. And yet, sometimes, he admits that he’s just as stunned by how Leah’s fight has impacted so many others. The power of it all, so to speak, only grows. Everything from simple social-media posts, such as the brief car-ride pep-talk video before Leah’s cancer surgery, to the runaway success of selling replicas of Still’s Cincinnati Bengals jersey. Even Bengals’ officials say they are amazed by Still’s campaign to take Leah’s plight public in hopes of helping others struggling with pediatric cancer. They’ve honored him with their annual award for courage. People worldwide have bought about 15,000 of those No. 75 jerseys — who else could sell jerseys of a backup defensive lineman? — raising more than $1.3 million for cancer research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The New England Patriots cheerleaders showed their support by wearing the jersey during a game against the Bengals. Syracuse’s professional ice hockey team wore them during warm-ups for a game. Ellen DeGeneres wore the jersey on her show, then auctioned it off and made a $10,000 donation, all to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Leah receives treatments. The reach continues to extend in ways no one could have predicted. Still has spent time with Lauren Hill, a freshman Division III basketball player at Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, who was given only months to live with an inoperable form of brain cancer. They’ve exchanged game jerseys. “He’s incredibly mature, far beyond his years. Just his passion …,” says Jeff Berding, the Bengals’ director of sales and community affairs. “Normally, [players] will give [fans] five minutes, 10 minutes, a quick hug, a photo op, well-wishes, and leave.”
Still, however, hung out with Hill and her family for more than an hour this past fall. “Certainly, [Leah] is the sun in his solar system. You can tell his world starts with his daughter,” Berding adds. But, “it’s truly become bigger than his daughter.” That does give his daughter’s cancer fight a higher meaning, Still says. He’s trying to make the most of the opportunity, even though he was reluctant to go public with any of this. But, “When you see other people [struggling], you put your struggles aside to try and help them,” says Still’s father, Antonio Still. “Leah gives other people strength. I think they draw strength from each other.” They smile and cry when the 4-year-old girl reminds everyone to hold hands and pray one last time before leaving her hospital room during periodic treatments. Still says he simply tries to learn and grow stronger every day, even in small ways, such as how to brush away things he can’t control. When Smythe publicized an accusation that he was lax in paying child support, he quickly, simply denied it, leaving those who truly know him to judge. He’s overcome obstacles such as a broken elbow and back surgery with a positive energy and peace he never knew. His faith keeps pushing his limits all the time. He recently learned that Leah’s surgery and follow-up treatments, such as a stem-cell replacement procedure, did not remove all of the cancer. He struggled, at first, to update anyone on the setback, but he steadied and reached out and allowed others to lift him up. He vowed to fight back harder than before — he’s learned that from Leah. Take their second trip to Disney World around Christmas. He teared up watching her undergo a “princess makeover,” and drifted away while they shared a dance together — all of it caught by ESPN cameras. Leah’s wide-eyed joy overtook everything else. During an accompanying interview with ESPN, he said, “She’s taught me so much about strength. I didn’t quite understand what strength was. I thought it was about how much you can lift in the weight room, what you can do on the football field. But true strength is really fighting for your life and being able to keep a smile on your face.” T&G Frank Bodani of the York Daily Record has covered Penn State football since 1994.
46 - Town&Gown February 2015
Parenting Town&Gown’s
325 Charter Oak Road, Petersburg, PA 16669 | 814.863.1164 | athletics.psu.edu/stonevalley
In April 2015...
LAKE PEREZ
Head offshore and explore Stone Valley from a different perspective. Discover beautiful views and enjoy calmness unique to being on the waters of Lake Perez. Stone Valley offers paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, rowboats, pontoons and sailboats for rental. Consider spending a portion or all of your day on the lake.
2015 CAMP ADVENTURE DATES AND FEES Residential Camp Registration Deadline: June 11, 2015
Ages 10-15
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2015 SAILING ADVENTURE CAMP DATES AND FEES Day Camp Transportation included from University Park Registration Deadline: June 11, 2015
Ages 10-15
July 20-24 | Aug.10-14 | Aug. 17-21 FEES: $295 per camper, Penn State Faculty/Staff/Student $315 per camper, General Public
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Vertical Adventures
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Penn State Sport Camps help youth: •
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Find out how you can sign up your favorite young person for a great sport camps experience by visiting our website at: www.GoPSUsports.com/camps
Penn State Sport Camps: Baseball (boys) Basketball (boys) Basketball (girls) Cheerleading Cross-Country Dance Diving Fencing Field Hockey (girls)
Football (boys) Golf Gymnastics (boys) Gymnastics (girls) Ice Hockey (boys) Ice Hockey (girls) Lacrosse (boys) Lacrosse (girls) Rugby
Soccer (boys) Soccer (girls) Softball (girls) Swimming Tennis Track and Field Volleyball (boys) Volleyball (girls) Wrestling
For more information on any camp or in reference to registration, contact: Penn State Sport Camps 204 Multi-Sport Facility University Park PA 16802 Phone: 814-865-0561 E-mail: SportCampInfo@athletics.psu.edu In accordance with NCAA guidelines, all Penn State University Sport Camps and Clinics are open to any and all entrants, limited only by specified number, age, grade level and/or gender of its participants.
P arenting Summer Fun and Learning
Organizations and groups offer a wide variety of camps and learning experiences for kids By Kerry Royer For kids longing to experience new activities over the summer, the list of camp opportunities in Centre County offers everything from sports to dance, cooking to caving, academics to art, and Legos as science! The State College Area School District Community Education holds an annual Summer Youth Fair in the winter where vendors from across the county showcase their summer programs. This year’s fair is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. February 21 at Mount Nittany Middle School. “A variety of camp themes are represented and typically include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), art, sports, and cooking,” SCASD Community Education coordinator Shannon Messick says. “While some vendors allow registrations the day of the fair, many parents find it helpful to visit the booths and gather information, then head home to discuss the options. Whether it’s a full-time working family looking to put together an exciting summer for their child or grandparents hoping to find a unique opportunity for a grandchild’s visit, the fair is a one-stop opportunity for families in the Centre Region to discover the broad range of camp offerings. “The Summer Youth Fair is a perfect fit for the community-education department because it helps us accomplish our mission of supporting lifelong learning opportunities and enhancing the quality of life in our community. By bringing together these organizations each year, we are providing families with out-of-school options that can help students understand that
Molly Yoder, 11, enjoyed attending a dance camp last summer.
learning doesn’t end when school is over, and that it can be fun.” The Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania announces themes for its summer camps at the February fair, where parents can sign up schoolaged children for art camps in Lemont. The organization offers morning programs for younger children ages 5 to 8 and afternoon programs for 7to 12-year-olds. Several of the programs include a small presentation for parents at the end of the week. Aspiring teenage artists can participate in a week-long painting and drawing course. “We have had a lot of success with an author and illustrator camp for young campers where kids can write and illustrate their own stories, so we will be offering that again this summer,” says Art Alliance executive director Marie Doll. “We offer weeklong art camps from the week
Penn State
Penn State offers many sports camps, including field hockey.
after school ends until the end of the summer. Each camp has a theme, some based on popular children’s books such as Seussian Adventures or Wonkavision.” Some past themes have been Comics and Cartoons, Amazon Adventures and African Safari, and the popular Magic Tree House book series. Children also can look for a weeklong afternoon clay camp. The Art Alliance also offers art programs on days that the State College
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School District has in-service days. It offers a weekly after-school program during the school year. Parents also can locate camps by searching Web sites of organizations that fit with their children’s particular interests. Penn State offers several interesting choices. Deanna Locke of State College says that the summer day camps offered by Penn State Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center are a favorite among her three kids — Ethan, 13, Brendan, 11, and Anya, 8. Locke and her husband, Ben, have been sending their children the same week of the summer for the past several years. “Often, families choose a certain week and stick with it so that the kids get to camp with the same friends that they meet in the program,” Locke says. She especially likes the Shaver’s Creek camp because she prefers that the kids can enjoy being outside all day in the summer learning about nature and the environment. The activities are varied, and her eldest son participated in one of the camps that took him canoeing in still
For aspiring young artists, Art Alliance offers many camps during the summer.
water, caving, spelunking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and, finally, fast-water canoeing — all in one week. “For that week, camp is their whole world,” she says. Brendan says that the best part of camp for him is the stream exploration day. He also says that he enjoys the annual hike through woods, streams, and meadows from Shaver’s Creek to Whipple Dam. “I’ve done it so many times, I think I could find my way all by myself,” he says. His group then spends time swimming at the state park. Anya, who participates in a camp for a younger age group, has learned every camp song imaginable and has been told by counselors that during a bus ride to an activity, all campers are required to sing because the buses run on song! The week at day camp culminates in an overnight tent-camping experience for the whole family. “It’s a tradition and a highlight of our summer,” says Deanna. “We all get to sit by the campfire and watch the skits that the kids have been
working on all week. The family learns about the Birds of Prey program and takes a night hike through the trails. Of course, it’s not complete without ice cream cones in the evening and then a full pancake breakfast when we wake up.” Sports camps also are big in the summer, especially with the number of camps Penn State offers. Typically, camps are run by the Penn State head coach of each specific sport. In addition to the head coaches, the other coaches and camp counselors include Penn State assistant coaches, college and high school coaches, and current or former Penn State student-athletes and other college athletes who have knowledge and skills relevant to the specific sport. Camps offered include rugby, baseball, lacrosse, volleyball, track, ice hockey, field hockey, football, softball, gymnastics, and soccer. Last summer, Molly Yoder, age 11, met new friends who shared her passion for dance at the Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania dance camp in State College where she concentrated on ballet. “The school offers a variety of programs
Explore. Learn. Discover. Come in and explore your creativity, curiosity and imagination. 112 W. Foster Ave., State College 814.234.0200 MyDiscoverySpace.org
Weekly themed Summer Art Camps from June 22 through August 28 • Morning Sessions: Ages 5-8 • Afternoon Sessions: Ages 7-12 • Teen week for ages 11 and up
for different age levels, and students have the opportunity to focus on themes each week so that they can learn aspects of particular ballets,” says Yoder’s mother, Julie. The week Molly attended, her group explored the history of the Russian ballet by Stravinsky, The Firebird. The students learned the story of the ballet’s magical glowing bird, created costumes, and choreographed three numbers to perform for their families by the end of the week. “It’s wonderful to have the opportunity for students to discover a ballet work in a different depth in the summer,” says Julie. “The school keeps the opportunities fresh by also inviting guest artists to teach summer intensives for dancers in middle and high school.” Camps can be overnight, daylong, or even just part of the day. Finn Royer, age 8, says he enjoyed participating in a Lego Mindstorms robotic building and programming camp at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church for just the morning and then having the rest of day to “run around outside or swim.” Children had the chance to use teacher Ray
Regan’s Lego robotic sets to build robots that would chop boards, race, and move about the room. “Mr. Regan showed us how to program the robots, and then he let us figure out what we wanted to make them do,” Royer says. “We had the best time!” Regan, a science, math, and engineering teacher at Grace Prep High School, runs Way Cool STEM education in the summer. He offers WeDo robotics for grades K to 3 and Mindstorms for grades 3 to 8. More than 600 students have worked with him over the past three years. “The Lego robotics is a wonderful way for kids to learn mechanical systems and computer programming through project-based learning,” he says. With so many different camps offered, parents can line up activities for their children for the entire summer — and the children can explore new skills and even develop new hobbies. T&G Kerry Royer is a freelance writer and author. She lives in State College with her family.
2015 Summer Activities! Summer Day Camps (Ages 3-18) KIDVenture Camps Tees for Tots Theatre Camps Art Camps Kayak & Canoe Camps and many more! 2015 Season Pool Passes & Youth Swimming Lessons Millbrook Marsh Nature Center Birthday Parties Youth & Adult Recreation Programs: Start Smart Sports; Rhythmic Gymnastics; Youth & Adult Tennis Lessons
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P arenting Less Can Be More When it comes to scheduling for kids, fewer extracurricular activities has its benefits By Savita Iyer-Ahrestani If you’re thinking of signing your kids up for the cool new martial arts studio that just opened downtown because they’ve never done martial arts, because you think it would be good for them, and because you can squeeze in a karate class on Saturdays between choir practice and ice skating lessons, think again. Chances are your children, like so many children today, are already involved in a number of different activities, and though they may truly enjoy their extracurriculars — and even excel at a couple of them — the “overscheduling” that can occur from signing kids up for so many activities could prove counterproductive, if not even detrimental, to their well-being. While many parents feel the burden of their children’s packed schedules (let’s face it, driving kids around from class to class isn’t much fun), “they still feel compelled to have their kids in just about everything, believing that the more they do, the more they will socialize and the better they will become at different things,” says Leslie Turner, a social worker and family-based program director at Blair Family Solutions in Altoona.
And though the world is an increasingly competitive place, and getting into college is no easy feat these days, “having our kids running constantly between different activities without sufficient ‘downtime’ is not a good thing,” she says, “and I would argue it can create bigger problems in the future.” Although it’s important for children to have new experiences in their young lives and to remain occupied, Turner believes that many families have pushed the pendulum too far in the other direction. Signing kids up for too many activities — oftentimes, activities parents could not do when they were young — means that families are losing out on valuable time together, she says. And even an exercise as simple as having a meal together becomes a rare occurrence — how many times have your kids gobbled down sandwiches in the car on their way from one activity to another? Taking stock of things and regaining perspective are important, and, rather than burdening their kids, parents need to help them discover a balance in their lives based on their unique personality and abilities, Turner adds. Here are some tips on how to achieve that:
Choice is key
Most children, particularly when they’re young, will never say ‘no’ to doing something new. But Rana Glick, a marriage and family therapist in State College, believes it’s important for parents to say ‘no’ to certain activities, and giving children a choice can greatly help in narrowing down those activities that will prove meaningful. She says parents ought
to start very early with giving their children choices, as deciding on a choice creates internal patterns of thought and behavior. Consequences accompany choices, she says, “and this is where parents and their children establish dialog and create practice opportunities in the art of communication.” If parents overload their kids with activities, they run the risk of getting into serious conflict at some point in time. “Giving children choices and requiring commitment and effort for those choices is the best alternative,” she says.
Communication also is key
“The best parents make the time to be with their kids and listen to their kids,” Glick says, “and if they are listened to, kids feel accepted and they start acquiring a sense of mastery over their lives by first trusting that theirs parents know who they are and, as such, they are more likely to follow their parents’ suggestions.” Communication becomes particularly important in adolescence, says Turner, and that’s also when children really know what they like doing and what they don’t like doing. While it’s important for kids to remain challenged, she believes it’s equally important for parents to listen to their children and allow them to discontinue an activity they don’t like. “I would say that as kids hit sixth or seventh grade, they really need to start narrowing things down,” she says. “School pressure is also increasing at that time, and I also think they need to tone things down in order to focus on their own development.”
Focus on the means, not the end
There are so many interesting things that a kid can learn/do, but what’s important with any activity is to enjoy the experience of doing it, rather than viewing it as a means to a particular end, namely an entry to college. Particularly if you consider, Turner says, the fact that out of the many, many kids who have been pushed to focus excessively on, say, a particular sport, for instance, few go on to obtain an athletic scholarship for college let alone to play a sport professionally. That’s why for parents such as Jennifer
Carroll, a third-grade teacher in Bellefonte and a mother of three, narrowing extracurricular activities down to just one or two choices is very important because “as I have told my children many times, it is not just the end result but the experience during the activity that holds valuable lessons and builds character.”
Embrace the downtime, value the family
Carroll also values family time. “That’s why having [my children] choose one or to two extracurricular activities has worked out well, because we try to set our schedules so that there are at least two days during the school week when we are home together as a family — and this doesn’t include weekends,” she says. Although extracurricular activities are a wonderful way to expose children to a variety of different experiences, “my husband and I do also believe that children need unscheduled free playtime to discover, learn, and grow,” she says. “Time playing outside, listening to and dancing to music, making up games, and just being a kid are a crucial part of childhood, and it is during those times that some of life’s best experiences occur.” If children are overscheduled, they risk losing their ability to be creative, says Turner. Rather than trying to fill up every minute of a child’s day, parents need to leave them to their own devices every so often — and not fear that. Because “by overscheduling our kids, we’re actually stumping their creativity, and I fear that we’ll see the impacts of that in the future because we’re going to have kids growing up not knowing how to handle not being on the run,” she says. “We really need to give kids their downtime, and what we’re missing most by rushing our kids around is the family component. Rather than seeking to fill the space with some other activity, we need to find ways to be together, to be creative together, and to entertain each other.” T&G Savita Iyer-Ahrestani is a freelance journalist who has worked as a full-time business journalist in New York, and, as a freelancer, has reported from both Europe and Asia. Her features on a variety of topics have appeared in many publications including Business Week, Vogue (Mumbai, India edition), and on CNN.com.
P arenting Weighing the Options The choice between having a parent stay at home or having a child cared for by an individual or daycare facility while both parents work can be a difficult one for many families By Aimee Morgan Liz Sheaffer knows what it’s like to be a stayat-home mom and send a child to a daycare. When she had her first child 12 years ago, Sheaffer of State College knew that staying at home with son David would be the best decision. “I wanted to make sure he was taken care of, and decided that being a stay-at-home mom was the right thing to do,” says Sheaffer, who has since had two more sons, Ethan, 9, and Jonathan, 6. She says the bond she has with her children she wouldn’t change for the world. “And I think it’s because they stayed at home with me,” she says. While she stayed home with her two older children, after having her
third son, she decided that she wanted to go back to work. She and her husband, Stephen, thought it would be a great idea for the children to go to daycare. “When deciding on what facility we wanted to use, I also thought it would be rewarding to work and watch over my children, so I decided to apply at the daycare where my children would be placed. I really enjoyed working at the facility,” she says. “It was great seeing all the young children grow and learn while having fun.” Many parents weigh the options of having one parent stay at home or sending their child or children to daycare while both parents work. “Being a stay-at-home mom was great. If you can afford to stay home with your child, definitely do it,” Sheaffer says. “If you can’t afford it, send them to child care after doing research and deciding what would be best for not only your budget but for your child, as well.” Missy Gutkowski, who works full time at Bucknell University, knows that deciding on how to care for your child is a challenge. She says both she and her husband, Andy, knew they would each continue working after daughter Josie was born in 2009. They started researching daycares when Missy was six-months pregnant. “Since we started looking for care early, we had plenty of time to find the right option,” Missy says. “About two months before my due date, we were given the name of an in-home sitter. We set up a time to meet with her, and within five minutes we knew we wanted our child to be with her. We made arrangements with this woman, Marcy, who has become one of the most important people in our children’s lives.” Soon after Missy had their second child, son Viktor, Josie, 3, started part-time at Penn
Contributed photo
Stephen and Liz Sheaffer with their sons (from left) Jonathan, Ethan, and David.
College Learning Center. Andy was working at Penn College at the time, and he and Missy had wanted Josie to have a preschool setting. Josie later transitioned to the Lewisburg Children’s Development Center. Viktor also attends a daycare now that has 10 to 15 children and two teachers every day. Missy explains that when looking at daycares and in-home sitters, parents should not only talk to the administration and teachers but also volunteers and parents. She says to make sure to spend time in the center or home and get a feel for the culture. When comparing general daycare to a babysitter such as Marcy, Missy says there is an advantage as far as structure and socialization with numerous children of the same age and having a consistent schedule. “For example, the few times Marcy was sick or had a family emergency meant that we needed to stay home from work or find alternate care for the kids,” she says. “The daycare is rarely closed, just for holidays, and hardly ever for even snow days. “We see this already with Viktor, who is put-
ting on his own coat and shoes and wants that independence. The independence is also just his personality, which is why daycare works well for him.” For Missy, she knows being a stay-at-home mom would be a challenge for her. “I would not be good at that job,” she says. “It is about the quality you make with the time you have with your children that counts. I see my life with work and family as a flex schedule, not a balancing act, because there are times when things are definitely not balanced.” For Mindy Irwin of Lewisburg, sending her son, Conor, to daycare at age 3 was best for his social skills and educational vigor. “We knew I was going to have to go back to work, so we had to do daycare,” she says. “I researched local providers and talked to friends. We decided with a local in-home provider for infancy/toddlerhood. [Conor’s] social skills improved greatly when he went to general daycare. There was also a lot more educational activities.” While she has a full-time job working as a vocational rehabilitation counselor with the
commonwealth, she wishes she had more time with her son. “I changed my schedule to work a four-day week so Fridays I could get cleaning, errands run, so weekends could be family time,” she says. “I’m lucky to have that opportunity, but it leaves less time in the evenings. With exercising, cooking etc., we don’t have a lot of family time in the evenings. It’s hard.” According to Irwin, it wasn’t possible for she and her husband to stay at home and send Conor to preschool a couple days a week. She believes this is best for socialization and kindergarten prep. “But if both parents have to work full time, I like the way we did it — in-home [care] the first couple years and then to an actual center. He got all the care and love he needed for infancy and then onto a place where he received socialization and educational opportunities,” she says. Knowing they would each continue working after the birth of their son, Cooper, Ryan and Ann-Marie Bruchey had decided that Cooper would have more individualized attention with a nanny and also having Ann-Marie’s mother,
Amelia, watch him twice a week. At first, Ann-Marie, who is a full-time teacher, did not feel as though she had enough time with her son. “But I think that was mom anxiety. I do feel like there is enough time now. I do look forward to the weekends, but there are definitely times when I am looking forward to going to work,” she chuckles. “I feel like it is definitely a balancing act. I think the only times I really sit down are when he goes to bed and nap time. There is always so much to do.” She adds that every family situation is different and thinks moms need to feel comfortable with their decision, since it seems to be harder on them than dads. “l think staying at home is a really hard job and something that I realized I wasn’t cut out for,” she says. “I feel like I am a better parent to Cooper because I work. I think you need to research all of your options and then figure out what works best for your family.” T&G Aimee Morgan is a freelance writer in State College.
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P arenting Getting Tough on Bullying
Parents, schools look for ways to help prevent harassment By Jenna Spinelle Bullying is tough — students feel victimized, parents feel helpless, and school personnel are doing what they can to curb it. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 27 percent of students report being bullied at least once during their K-12 years. The Centre Region is not immune from bullying, but thanks to the efforts of local school districts, Penn State faculty, and others, strides are being made to raise awareness and educate those impacted by it. Bullying is a very real issue for one local family who agreed to share their story with Town&Gown under the condition that their names not be used. Mary has two daughters in a Centre County school district — 12-year-old Jane and 16-yearold Rachel. The girls are involved in numerous activities but have fallen victim to bullying inside and outside of school. “My daughters tell me that their friends get bullied every day,” Mary says. “They say This is just what kids do.”
It all started, Mary says, when her younger daughter had been bullied for being in a wheelchair. Jane’s peers said that she was faking needing to use the wheelchair, and they would move tables in the lunchroom to make it impossible for her to sit somewhere. She also was a victim of negative comments on Facebook. Rachel also had been a victim to bullying after breaking up with a high school boyfriend. Mary says the boy and his friends made sexual comments in school and on the social-media platform Yik Yak. In both cases, Mary had reported the incidents to school administrators, and the alleged bullies were reprimanded. However, she heard that the school could not do anything about the socialmedia comments since they had happened outside of school time and property. She feels she had better success contacting the parents of the bullies directly. She used Yik Yak’s location feature to identify Rachel’s bully and contacted his parents, who made their son write Rachel an apology letter. Mary says situations like the ones her daughters encountered could be mitigated or prevented if schools provided additional counseling resources for students, as well as a mediator that they could go to with issues. “Whenever we would give names to the principal, the kids denied it because they are afraid of what would happen to them,” she says. “There needs to be someone else students trust that they can go to.”
Contributed photos (2)
She had considered moving her daughters into a charter school, but decided to keep them where they are because of their involvement in afterschool activities. She continues to do what she can to educate other parents about bullying. “From what I’ve seen, parents are uneducated, especially when it comes to social media,” she says. “Parents need to keep an eye on their kids and make sure they are taking this stuff seriously.” Penn State faculty member Richard Hazler also had seen bullying firsthand as a school counselor. When he made the transition to college professor in the 1980s, he began to study the behaviors that contributed to bullying. Now a professor of counseling education, he and research partner, JoLynn Carney, have been recognized nationally for their work in this subject. In 2012, they received the American Counseling Association Research Award for their study, “The Relations Between Bullying Exposures in Middle Childhood, Anxiety, and Adrenocortical Activity.” The study examined how levels of exposure to bullying could be related to anxiety and adrenocortical activity in the brain. The researchers explored the pathways
Penn State alum Jeremy Rubenstein created Box Out Bullying to help schools tackle the issue of bullying.
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through which exposures to bullying during middle childhood might be related to individual differences in a stress reaction of the body. After fielding a request for help from a colleague, Hazler quickly found out about the lack of scientific research on bullying. “I gave him some ideas, but we both knew there was very little research on it,” he says. “We developed a article calling for research and did one of the first US studies on the prevalence of bullying. One study led to another and to a book, and, quickly, then I became an expert because there were very few at that time.” In doing his research, he works from a common definition of bullying that encompasses someone being harmed repeatedly by a person using power superiority (physical, social, and/or emotional) in a domineering manner. Hazler and Carney also have studied the effects of bullying on bystanders and how to prevent violence in schools. “Bullying may interfere with children who witness it acquiring a sense of safety and affiliation with others, both of which are crucial human needs,” Hazler said in a 2011 Penn State news story. While Hazler and Carney look at the science
behind bullying, Penn State alum Jeremy Rubenstein spends most of his time tackling the subject head-on at schools around the country. He studied theater and communications at Penn State and had experience teaching in the classroom. He decided to combine all three in 2008 to tackle bullying from a different angle. His Lancaster-based company, Box Out Bullying, performs bullying-related theater shows at schools around the country, visiting more than 100,000 students each year. Programs range from elementary school through junior high, with a high school program currently being piloted. “Students like to be entertained, so we give them a show with special effects, sound equipment, and full-size set,” Rubenstein says. “Bullying is a very serious issue, but we want to make [the shows] a celebration. If we can get children to laugh, we can get them to listen.” In addition to the live production, school contracts with Box Out Bullying also include an activity guide for teachers and follow-up survey to assess the program’s effectiveness. Topics covered in the program include how to identify bullying and how students can report incidents without appearing to be tattletales to their peers.
Rubenstein with kids who participated in his Box Out Bullying program.
“I find that administrators are now coming to me and saying that everything is bullying … someone cut in the lunch line and things like that,” Rubenstein says. “We try to show the difference between bullying and conflict, to give children answers, not just more questions.” Like Mary, Rubenstein agrees that additional support for students will go a long way toward reducing instances of bullying in schools. He says teachers need to create an environment that is fun but structured, and one that provides logical consequences for negative actions. Box Out Bullying has not been presented in any local schools, but districts are taking steps to combat bullying behavior. The State College Area School District holds an antibullying week each November in partnership with Penn State’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service group. The district adopted the Penn State group’s theme of “Be the Change You Want to Be” — literally. Collection bins for loose change are placed throughout the schools, and proceeds are given to the Sue Sheridan Fund. Jeanne Knouse, the district’s director of
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student services, says the scholarship is used to help students with financial need participate in extracurricular activities that require an additional fee. Socioeconomic differences between students can often be a cause of bullying, she says. “Kids call names when they see other kids who don’t have the nicest clothes or nicest shoes, or those who are not able to participate in cheer camp or IM sports because of the fees,” she says. “We want to make sure every child has the chance to participate and stay in school.” That positive learning environment is something Rubenstein tries to achieve in the schools he visits and performs, and something he believes is vital to stop bullying. “What Penn State has is a strong community,” he says. “And it’s that commonality — the things that we can share, that connection — that will make an environment that is joyful and inclusive and fun.” T&G Jenna Spinelle is a freelance writer in State College. She works in Penn State’s Undergraduate Admissions Office and is an adjunct lecturer in the College of Communications.
P arenting Let’s Talk About ...
Parents find ways to discuss important topics with their kids By Chelsey Scott Melanie Lynch has been a health educator at State College Area High School for nearly two decades. Having interacted with hundreds of Centre County teens during that time, she knows too well the pressures they face on a daily basis, from sex and drugs to drinking and stress. These are all topics she confronts in her classes. However, unlike a generation ago, social media, smart phones, and the Internet have increased and worsened these issues, making it difficult for kids to disconnect, whether at school or at home. “As parents and educators, we have an uphill battle,” says Lynch, who in addition to being a selfproclaimed “edu-tainer” also has a 25-year-old son. How then can parents prepare their children to handle these stressors in a way that ensures their well-being?
Open communication early and often is key. Experts such as Lynch agree — it is never too early or too late to begin discussing the following hot topics, and it could be as simple as starting a conversation with “Let’s talk about …”
The Birds and the Bees
This is perhaps one of the most difficult — and awkward — topics for parents to discuss with their children. “Most parents can’t even say the words ‘vagina’ or ‘penis’ without blushing,” says Megan Maas, an expert in health and sex education. “Unfortunately, this leads to either no ‘talk’ or an inadequate ‘talk.’ ” Maas, who is currently pursuing her PhD at Penn State in human development and family studies, says being an approachable parent starts when children are young, noting that parents should not feel like they have to be experts. Many resources exist to assist with these conversations at all ages and stages. “Getting books is a great way to provide accurate information to kids without it being difficult or uncomfortable,” says Maas. “For preschoolers, I recommend Amazing You, which discusses body parts and a little bit about where babies come from, without talking about sex. For
kids ages 5 through 9, It’s Not the Stork, which discusses gender and sex in an age-appropriate way. For kids 10 to 13, It’s So Amazing, which talks about the same topics, again in an age-appropriate way. Finally, for parents, The Sex Wise Parent is a great guide.” In situations where the child displays curiosity about sex before discussing it, it is not too late to start a conversation. “First, apologize to him/her for not preparing them for sex. Kids and teens love it when parents apologize,” says Maas. “Simply stating, ‘I can tell you’re curious about sex, and I’m sorry for not preparing you for your feelings better. Let’s talk and find some good books/Web sites for you to learn more,’ can set the stage for many conversations to come.”
Drugs and alcohol
One key issue young people continue to face is the pressure to indulge in drugs and drinking. This has not changed. But according to Ali Turley, prevention coordinator at the Centre County Youth Service Bureau, what has changed is the
availability of substances. “Young people have access to substances, and different kinds of substances than just tobacco and marijuana and alcohol,” she says. “Now there are prescription drugs and synthetic drugs that kids can buy online.” While children and teens are learning about substance abuse in school, it also is essential for parents to open the lines of communication and to establish house rules. Turley recommends beginning these conversations at a relevant time, such as when the subject comes up in a movie or television show or song on the radio. “It’s scary as a parent to have these conversations,” says Turley, “so keep the conversation light. If you’re watching TV and a teen is drinking alcohol, bring it up then instead of out of the blue. Ask your child if they’ve been to parties where there’s been alcohol, or if they’ve felt pressured to drink with their friends.” She adds that in addition to establishing house rules, families also should discuss their values and expectations, not only about substance use but also about other hot topics.
Technology — social media, smart phones, and the Internet
Another issue on the forefront of parents’ minds today is technology — specifically, how their children use it and how they can do so safely. “Parents need to understand that things are different now than when we were in high school,” Lynch says about technology. “Typically, there was one phone in your house. No one could call without first going through Mom or Dad, so if you had an issue at school, you could go home and get away from it.” That is not the case now. Cell phones and social media, in particular, keep young people connected at all times, for better and for worse. Aside from ensuring their online safety, frequent conversations with your child about these important topics also could develop their communication skills — traits that are quickly diminishing. “I see a huge difference in how kids participate in class because they don’t have the social skills,” says Lynch about the overuse of electronics. Among other issues associated with this constant connectivity, technology opens the door for increased accessibility to sex through such channels of porn, dating apps, and sexting. “I don’t think that sex is more prevalent than it used to be, but access to more sex partners seems easier than it used to be,” says Maas. “Parents should be direct about these apps.”
Stress
Lynch believes there is one overwhelming factor linking all of these issues for young people today: stress. According to her, students report an average of two to four hours of homework each night. This is in addition to sports, clubs, part-time jobs, and time with family and friends. “There has been a big difference in student stress levels over my 19 years as an educator,” she says. “No wonder all they do is communicate via social media — it’s all they have time for!” Because of this, she has tailored some of her curriculum to address stress levels and stress management, and now she encourages parents to do the same. “Young people have no experience with stress management like adults. When the weekend rolls around, they want to relieve that stress, but they do it in ways that aren’t healthy,” she says.
“People think once you’ve had ‘the talk,’ you never talk about it again, but actually, it is so important to have regular conversations about these hot topics.” Kids and teenagers often know when they are stressed but are unable to dissect their stressors and implement management techniques. Parents should help their children analyze the exact causes of their stress, and then assist in identifying how to properly cope with that stress. “It’s hard because parents are stressed, too, but you need to slow down. It’s dangerous to leave your children to their feelings and not really listen to them,” Lynch warns. “You need to teach your children how to make time for themselves and guide them to the discovery that they are in control of their own health.”
Having “The Talk”
“There’s always been jokes about ‘the talk,’ whether that be about sex or drugs or alcohol. People think once you’ve had ‘the talk,’ you never talk about it again,” says Turley. “But actually, it is so important to have regular conversations about these hot topics.” Some of the biggest concerns for parents are that they will not know what to say, what advice to give, or how to fix a situation their child may have. But Turley attests that families who practice open communication often have children who are less likely to indulge in unhealthy behaviors. While having these serious conversations can be awkward or uncomfortable for parents and their children alike, the experts agree that it is the parents’ responsibility to listen and thoughtfully respond, rather than reacting out of anger, fear, or discomfort. “If a young person knows they can go to their parent to help them problem solve and listen, they’re more likely to come back to them,” says Turley. “More importantly, teens need to know that their parents love them and want good things for them and have some sort of idea what’s going on. They want honesty and for their parents to listen and understand how they’re feeling.” T&G Chelsey Scott works at Penn State and is a freelance writer living in Bellefonte with her feline friend, Cleo.
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P arenting Watch How Your Children Eat Recognition of signs and symptoms of an eating disorder can help bring a healthy recovery By Dr. Jennifer Seidenberg, MD, and Phyllis Stackhouse, CRNP Eating disorders are a group of potentially life-threatening conditions that are affecting children and adolescents in increasing numbers. If armed with the appropriate information, parents are in an ideal position to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of an eating disorder in their children. Children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) will lose weight by restricting food intake, overexercising, or both. These children have distorted images of their bodies, in that they see themselves as fat even when they are thin. They are intensely fearful of gaining weight. Common behaviors of anorexics include skipping meals, making excuses for not eating or denying that they are hungry, decreasing portion sizes, layering clothing to stay warm and to hide their weight loss, increasing the duration or frequency of exercise, and withdrawaling from friends and activities. Parents also may notice depression or anxiety, dramatic mood swings, and fatigue. Affected children may develop food rituals, such as hiding food, refusing to eat certain types of foods, or adopting a more restricted diet such as vegetarianism or veganism. Adolescents and young women with AN may have lighter menstrual cycles or lose them altogether. One to 2 percent of adolescents and young adults are anorexic. Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating
disorder characterized by cycles of binge eating large amounts of food and then purging the food, usually by vomiting, exercise, or laxative use. Patients with BN are usually at a normal weight or slightly overweight and are typically very secretive about their behaviors, which can go undetected for long periods of time. Common signs and symptoms of bulimia include disappearing to the bathroom during or immediately after meals, preoccupation with food and eating, secretive eating, missing food, weight fluctuations, excessive or compulsive exercise, discoloration or staining of the teeth, tooth sensitivity, sore throat, broken blood vessels in the eyes, and evidence of vomiting. Those affected also may complain of fatigue, depression, anxiety, headaches, heartburn, abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea. Bulimia is uncommon in younger children, but affects about 4 to 6 percent of teenagers and adults over their lifetime. Binge eating disorder (BED) is similar to BN, but there is no compensation for the binge eating in these patients, and they are often overweight. Those with this disorder will eat large quantities of food in a short period of time, even when they are not hungry, or eat until they are uncomfortable. They will often eat alone or hide food because they are embarrassed by their behavior. Similar to other disorders, people affected by BED may have anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem. A new diagnostic category of eating disorders called ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) has recently emerged. Patients with ARFID do not have the body distortions and fear of gaining weight seen in people with anorexia and bulimia, but instead avoid food for other reasons. Their concerns may include the texture or color of the food, or fear of a possible allergic reaction or choking. However, not every child with
picky eating can be diagnosed with ARFID. This diagnosis requires that the disorder has significantly affected their nutrition or their ability to function in social situations. Some patients do not neatly fit into one of the main eating-disorder categories, yet they clearly have disordered eating habits and a distorted body image. Those individuals may fall into a general diagnosis of an unspecified eating disorder. Up to 4.8 percent of adolescents may be affected by these unspecified eating disorders, which have similar rates of medical complications when compared to anorexia and bulimia. Although females are disproportionately affected by eating disorders, up to 25 percent of those affected are male. Males with eating disorders tend to be more concerned about body size, particularly with building muscle, rather than losing weight. These young men tend to be perfectionists and overachievers, yet struggle with feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing that they have difficulty expressing. A condition called muscle dysmorphia, in which patients
constantly obsess about being too small or underdeveloped, occurs almost exclusively in males. Someone with muscle dysmorphia may miss social events, skip work, and cancel plans in order to work out. They are never satisfied with their muscle mass and tend to eat a high-protein and low-fat diet, use food supplements, and may abuse steroids. Eating disorders can affect every part of the body, and these disorders often coexist with other mental-health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and obsessivecompulsive disorder. The risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts are increased in patients with eating disorders, especially in anorexia. However, the evidence indicates that the early treatment of eating disorders improves overall outcome. This is especially important in children and adolescents, because, in addition to the other medical complications, eating disorders also can irreversibly affect final height and development in a growing child. How can you help someone you suspect
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Dr. Jennifer Seidenberg (left) and Phyllis Stackhouse, CRNP, are part of the adolescent-medicine and eating-disorder clinic at Penn State Hershey Medical Group, Windmere Centre practice site.
has an eating disorder? Most importantly, do not ignore the problem. It is important to speak privately with the person about whom you are concerned when you are not feeling rushed. Try not to be accusatory during the discussion, but instead, calmly list the concerning behaviors. Be supportive and caring, and ask how you can help. Avoid attempting to force the child or adolescent to eat, and do not get into a power struggle over eating. Try not to bring up stressful topics during meals, but do have family dinners, as they are vitally important. Don’t comment on calorie or food intake, or weight and appearance, even in a positive way, as this can be misinterpreted by the child. Above all, do not blame yourself or your child. If the eating disorder behaviors persist, seek professional help. This is usually done initially at the level of the child’s primarycare physician, who can make appropriate referrals to an eating-disorder specialist,
psychotherapist, and/or registered dietician, if needed. Recovery is possible for people with eating disorders, but their treatment is often prolonged and may involve a team approach with multiple providers. However, with effective treatment, these patients can achieve a healthy and productive life. T&G For more information on pediatric specialties located in Centre County, call (814) 689-4980 or visit pennstatehershey.org/statecollege. Dr. Jennifer Seidenberg, MD, a faculty physician in the department of pediatrics with Penn State Hershey Medical Center at the University Park Regional Campus, and Phyllis Stackhouse, CRNP, bring more than 20 years of experience in treating eating disorders to Centre County. Together, they compose the adolescentmedicine and eating-disorder clinic located at the Penn State Hershey Medical Group, Windmere Centre practice site.
P arenting Make Dinnertime Family Fun
Gathering at the dinner table has emotional and nutritional benefits By Sarah Harteis It should come as no surprise that spending quality time with your family is one of the most important things you can do. Unfortunately, it also is something that many families today don’t do on a consistent basis. Having regular family dinners is just one way for families to ensure this quality time that allows members to catch up on each other’s lives, laugh together, and simply enjoy each other’s company. Recent studies, however, have found that 40 percent of American families eat dinner together only three or fewer times a week, with 10 percent never eating dinner together at all. With the increase of work hours, hectic schedules, and an all-around decreasing emphasis on the importance of family togetherness, it is no wonder that so many families aren’t eating together the recommended four or more times a week. More families may want to start taking time to eat together since over the past 15 years researchers have found that sharing a family meal is good for the emotional health of all family members. Recent studies also link regular family dinners with many behaviors that parents can only hope for — lower rates of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and depression, as well as higher gradepoint averages and self-esteem. Dr. Neal Hemmelstein, PhD, licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist at Child, Adult, and Family Psychological Center in State College, shares some of his own knowledge and findings on the topic. While recently reading an article on the value and importance of family dinners in regard to bullying, he discovered that there was a direct correlation between the
frequency of family dinners and the mental-health problems developing in children. He explains that all of our behaviors are considered skill sets, and that all skills improve with practice. “Looking at this topic specifically, the higher the number of family-dinner repetitions, the higher the communication skills are and the more opportunity there is for kids and teens to express their problems as they arise,” he explains. “This all contributes to equipping the child to handle his or her world.” Hemmelstein can personally relate to the benefits of regular family dinners. “Growing up, that was our family time,” he says. “My siblings and I would sometimes spend an hour and a half at the dinner table. It was our time to laugh together and be together.” One thing his family did to make dinnertime a fun experience was play the scrambled-letter word game “Jumble” that was found in the daily newspaper. “We all had our participating roles,” he says, “and it was just fun and exciting to be able to do together.” Something else that he believes is helpful is to have everyone take turns identifying the good work they’ve done and the good times they’ve had during the day. “It’s an opportunity to share and to help ourselves and each other know about and focus on the good we do,” he says. Although setting aside this time for family dinners seems simple enough, if a plan isn’t created and agreed upon by all family members, it’s probably safe to assume it won’t last. Details such as a set dinnertime, ideas for dinners, or possible dinner games or conversation topics are a few areas that could be included in the plan. By engaging
children in conversation, you teach them how to listen and provide them with a chance to express their own opinions. This allows children to have an active voice within the family and feel a sense of importance and value within themselves. In addition to Hemmelstein’s ideas, another easy way to begin a discussion among families at dinnertime is to simply go around the table and have each family member say their “high” and “low” of the day. This gives everyone a chance to hear what is going on in each other’s daily lives and to maybe learn something about each other that they wouldn’t otherwise know. This conversation starter allows everyone to speak and creates an opportunity for a more in-depth discussion. Another idea to spark conversation and have fun at the same time is to play a game called “Two Truths and a Lie.” Everyone at the table is asked to say three things about themselves, two of them being true things and one that’s made up. The rest of the table is to guess which is the tall tale. This game makes dinnertime exciting, and is typically suitable for children and adults of all ages. During family dinners, it is important to create an atmosphere that is free of distraction. Turning off
televisions, radios, and cell phones are ways to make sure the whole family is engaged and focused on the time they are sharing together. It is easy in today’s technology-driven society to tune out those around you and tune into your text messages, Instagram, Facebook, and other forms of social media. Freeing yourself of those devices will help to ensure that you are “all there” and present in the moment. Besides the emotional benefits that come from family dinnertime, the opportunity also is created to encourage healthy eating habits and help provide a model for children to carry with them into adulthood. Studies have shown that family dinners help to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables. Families who eat dinners together tend to eat fewer fried foods and drink less soda. With the hectic schedules that seem to consume most of our days, consistent weekly family dinners may seem like an impossible goal. But with a plan in place and a commitment from all family members, it is possible and well worth it to be able to spend an hour together sharing a meal, conversing, and opening up the lines of family communication. As the saying goes, it isn’t about having time, it’s about making time. T&G
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P arenting The Family that Travels Together ... Whether a weekend excursion or a weeklong vacation, taking time to get away with the kids can offer plenty of fun and memories Contributed photos (2)
By Aimee Morgan
Lily (left), Eva, and Max Frank enjoy their vacation at Rehoboth Beach.
The Welch Community Swimming Pool in State College is where you will find 7-year-old Maya Felix and her 5-year-old sister, Norah, splashing around in the summertime. Their mother, Kelly Felix, says her daughters enjoy the pool everywhere they go, especially on vacations. “You can spend all the money in the world, but their favorite place is always the pool,” she says. Felix and her husband, David, moved to State College four years ago and do not have family in the area. She says that traveling has been a part of life since her girls were born. “Maya’s first trip to Chicago was when she was six weeks old, so they are both used to being in the car,” she says.
The Felix family’s traveling adventures go against a recent trend. According to the US Travel Association, fewer adults are traveling with children. Its study found, “In 2012, 26 percent of domestic leisure travelers traveled with children under the age of 18 (408.5 million trips) compared with 2008, when 31 percent of adults traveled with children (466.2 million trips).” But the Felix family and other families in Centre County say vacationing with their kids offers wonderful family time and some great memories. For Kelly Felix, she says her outlook on traveling with kids is “at best, I have these girls for 18 years. I want to show them as much as I can and take them to as many places as I can while I still have them. Even if they are too young to remember, they will have photos of the places they have been and the things that they have done.” The Felix family tries to do at least two weeklong vacations a year, as well as several long weekend trips to cities. “Many of our trips are to visit friends. When someone moves, we look at it as another place to go visit. This keeps things more affordable, as we often have a place to stay,” says Kelly. Their first vacation with both girls was to Niagara Falls, Canada. Norah was four months old and Maya was almost 2. Kelly says the vacation days are planned around naps and meals. “David and I have never been much of a ‘planner’ when it comes to our trips,” she says. “We simply pick where we are going and how we are getting there. From there, we kind of decide what to do when we get there.” She says she looks at these times as a “true vacation,” since in “the real world” where Kelly is a loan officer and David is a forester, they are constantly on the go and on a strict schedule. “When we are away, I want to sleep in, relax, and not feel pressured to do every-
thing — and [do everything] now. You would think some of this would change as a parent traveling with kids, but we’ve learned we are who we are, so that never really changed for us,” Kelly says. She says that before she was a parent she would never allow a television in her car, and would take the travel time as time for the family to spend together. “Well, after I was a parent I realized that my sanity was far more important than I thought. When we are in the car for an extended period of time, the girls watch movies,” she says. To keep the girls entertained when they travel to Illinois a few times a year to visit family, they like to stop halfway on the trip out. “We like to get a hotel with a pool,” Kelly says. “When we wake up, the girls can swim and get some much needed energy out before getting in the car again. On the way back, we can usually drive nonstop as they are worn out from being wherever we were. When we fly, we make sure we have lots of distractions, such as coloring books, games, etc.” Her favorite trip so far was to Sebago Lake, Maine. They went with friends and stayed at a family cottage on the lake. It was about a ninehour drive to get there. “It was quiet, the lake was crystal clear, lobster for dinner, and very little stress,” she says. “The girls loved the water and playing at the lake. Going on trips with other families gives instant friends to play with. David’s favorite trip was to Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. We went with another family on that one, as well. We went to the baseball stadiums and did all of the historical sights.” As far as the most affordable trip, the Felix family went to a lake house in Angola, Indiana, where they met two other families there, since it was a central location for each of them. “We rented one large house. We went grocery shopping and cooked our meals at home. We brought kayaks, fishing poles, and other things to do. When the kids all went to bed, the adults stayed up to relax and catch up on what we have missed over the years,” Kelly says. Maya and Nora’s favorite trips had to do, unsurprisingly, with being at a pool. For Maya, she says she loved Disney World, and her favorite part was being at the pool. For Norah, her favorite vacation was when they went on a weekend trip to Splash Lagoon in Erie. For the Frank family of State College, the first
big trip they took was to Walt Disney World, where their kids, Lily, 5, and 4-year-old twins, Eva, and Max, were excited the moment they approached the Magic Kingdom. “It was all worth it when my daughter screamed in excitement, ‘It’s the castle!’ the first time we approached the Magic Kingdom. I’ll never forget that moment,” says Rich Frank. He adds that he and his wife, Gina, had been to Walt Disney World before as a couple, but it was completely different when they brought the kids. “The biggest difference is that you take on the role of ‘corral keeper,’ ” he says. “You constantly have to make sure everyone is happy, safe, fed, protected, etc. It’s the difference between being agile and doing things on a whim to being in charge of five humans and all of their needs. … Tougher to keep in check, but more rewarding when everyone is giggling and having fun.”
David and Kelly Felix love traveling with their children, Norah (left) and Maya.
During long trips, especially in the car, Frank says they rely on technology to keep their kids entertained. “My wife and I often joke that I have no idea how parents did this before iPads,” he says. According to Frank, planning ahead but also being spontaneous while traveling with kids is the best way to go. “We try to have plans in place for meals, transportation, etc. … the stuff that our kids might not notice … but always be open to fun ideas they have. That way they feel like they are part of the planning and enjoy everything a bit more,” he says. He says he thinks their kids, and most kids in general, really just treasure the uninterrupted time with Mom and Dad the most. “So if you can get away and stay relatively local … but really make the most of your time with them, you’ll create lifelong memories without breaking the bank,” he says.
And, he adds, everything gets exaggerated on vacations with kids. “So the tough parts of parenting are even harder,” he says. “But that also means the fun times are even better, as well. Be loose, keep an open mind, and remember that these trips are the stories they’ll tell forever — create memories.” Leila and Nick Bradaschia of State College agree that when it comes to vacationing with their kids, Olivia, 5, and Lucas, 3, they feel like it is a great learning experience and gift you can give to your kids. “Our parents traveled a lot with us when we were growing up. We think it instilled a love of exploring and learning more about the world,” says Leila. Leila and Nick have taken their kids on many vacations, one of them being Spain and Portugal when Olivia was six months old. “It was surprisingly easy because she could sleep anywhere at that age, so we could be out all day and stay out late and just have her sleep in her stroller,” Leila says. “It gets harder when they have to nap in a quiet place. In fact, finding a place for afternoon naps for toddlers is probably the main difference of vacationing with kids versus a kid-less vacation. … That and not being able to stay out late because of early bedtimes.”
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For entertainment during vacations, the Bradaschia family also likes to play games, draw and color, watch DVDs, and play on the iPad with their kids. It’s hard to pick a favorite vacation — Nick and Leila enjoyed the Bahamas, as well as Vancouver and Seattle. “In the Bahamas, we just played in the pool and at the beach all week. In Seattle, we did all the touristy things and visited a lot of parks,” Leila says. She says a fun and affordable vacation with kids is renting a condo in Rehoboth or Bethany Beach in Delaware. They also enjoy day or overnight trips to New York City and Washington, DC. When asked about tips for parents regarding vacationing with kids, Leila says, “It’s hard to think of tips I have for other parents because kids and families are different, so you have to think about what would work best for your kids and plan from there. “Ours are super flexible and often end up doing things like sleeping on the floor or skipping meals when we are traveling. Also, we love to swim, so we like the beach, lakes, and water parks. One tip that applies to everyone: Don’t forget your camera and take pictures. It’s so fun to look at pictures of our trips together and talk about what we did in each place.” T&G
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Finding a Start,
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Finding a Home Young professionals in Centre County are discovering — and creating — opportunities and experiences that are keeping more of them here By Lori Wilson
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Darren Weimert (5)
It is true that State College carries the traditional “college town” label, with plenty of activity to offer the thousands of students that come and go through Penn State each year. But for young professionals coming from elsewhere in the country who find themselves in the area either for school or for their careers, settling in and discovering what Happy Valley has to offer them looks a little bit different than it does to an incoming freshman. Seeing the need to bring together resources, networks, and activities for those in their 20s and 30s in the area, local professionals have come together to create awareness and a niche for this demographic. The State College Young Professionals (SCYP) is an organization dedicated to enhancing the community by providing an opportunity for professionals to network, volunteer, socialize, and have fun. The group has grown from 15 to 35 members in 2009 to about 200 today, and it has a 13-member board of directors, with Troy Weston (left) and his wife, Melissa Hombosky, own several committees overseeing 3twenty9. Hombosky also is president of State College outreach, social events, sports Young Professionals. and recreation, and new-member In 2014, the group’s volunteering hours engagement. In a town where many young exceeded 650 hours. professionals come and go based on where For Hombosky, who co-owns 3twenty9 their next jobs take them, SCYP recognizes Design, a multimedia and Web-development the need for a group such as theirs. company with her husband, Troy Weston, as “I like that we’re a hub for people to well as friend, Nick Stanko being part of an branch off within the area,” says Melissa organization such as SCYP also has helped Hombosky, a resident of Bellefonte and with business. current president of SCYP. “We offer a lot of “Businesswise, we’ve gotten a lot of contacts opportunities for people to meet others that from SCYP through networking with other they normally wouldn’t have otherwise.” young professionals in the group,” she says. In addition to monthly happy hours, the “It’s been great to meet people that way.” group is involved in a variety of outreach Because of the connection to local initiatives, including fundraisers such as businesses in which the firm serves, she has the YMCA’s Polar Plunge and volunteer seen her business only grow. opportunities through the RSVP Pen Pal “We were going to move away, but program, Centre County Youth Service our business keeps growing so much that Bureau, Special Olympics, and Toys for Tots.
Bartlett has become active with State College Young Professionals since moving to State College from Texas.
it doesn’t make sense to go start over somewhere else since we’ve established so many contacts through living here so long and from groups like SCYP,” she says. For Emily Bartlett, who is the marketing and public relations director for SCYP, the group provided a social outlet outside of work for her and her husband, Paul Robertson, who had moved to State College from Austin, Texas. Both of them are now employed by Penn State. “I Googled ‘State College Young Professionals’ because when we moved here it wasn’t easy to get to know people necessarily through work,” says Bartlett. She explains that the transition to State College was interesting because in a place such as Austin it is so easy to meet people. However, she didn’t find the same sense of community and responsibility that she has experienced since moving to this area. “You meet people in many different capacities [in SCYP], and to me, I feel like
there are more opportunities in an area like this because you’re more likely to meet such a variety of people,” she says. “While we’re hanging out with our peer group, we’re also meeting business leaders in the community, interacting with youth through groups like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the RSVP Pen Pal program. Being rooted and involved may also go a ways toward people staying in the area, whether it’s through SCYP or another organization.” Involvement, she explains, also helped her to find out what there is to do in the area. “I think SCYP introduces people to what’s around,” she says. “You go to more restaurants and other places in town that you maybe wouldn’t have if you weren’t involved.” For Serena Fulton, a recent Penn State graduate and membership director at New Leaf Initiative in downtown State College, going from student to young professional required a little bit of legwork in order to find her niche in the community. “If you really want something, you have to seek it out — it won’t just fall into your lap,” she says. “It’s not the case that you’re going to go to a bar on a Friday night and find you’re surrounded by young professionals. You have to create those experiences for yourself.” A large part of the reason why Fulton, originally from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area, decided to stay in State College following graduation in May 2013 was due to her involvement in New Leaf Initiative, a nonprofit founded in 2010. New Leaf serves as a hub for community constituents such as entrepreneurs, community organizers, businesses, students, local government, and more to work together. Not only does New Leaf offer a physical space for paid members and the public to utilize, but also forums and events designed for members to share ideas and collaborate. Fulton became involved in New Leaf as an intern during her junior year at Penn State. A year earlier, founders and Penn State alumni Steve “Spud” Marshall and Eric Sauder had started the nonprofit with the intent of creating a platform where multiple sectors of the community can connect. Fulton continued on as an intern with
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After interning at New Leaf Initiative while she was a Penn State student, Fulton is now membership director of the organization.
New Leaf through her senior year, energized by the culture and growth of the organization. “Every semester New Leaf was something different,” she says. “We were constantly changing what we were doing. We went from being a kind of incubator for ideas to hosting community forums, and, through that process, learned more about the value of New Leaf and what it could bring to the community.” She says that the organization is focused on the concept of coworking, in which independent freelancers and small startups that are currently working out of home offices share the same space but conduct their own independent activity. “It’s ideal for those who want a professional office space but don’t want to worry about the overhead,” she says. Being a relatively new concept to the area, New Leaf is educating the community about coworking and creating awareness. The initiative also is
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what prompted the organization’s relocation last year to its new office space in the borough building in downtown State College. With private and shared workspaces, meeting rooms, and kitchen area, the new space provides all the amenities of a professional office with an airy, modern look and feel. Groups who utilize the space come from all sectors within the community. New Leaf hosts various student groups from Penn State each semester, as well as local entrepreneurs, independent contractors, companies such as CATA, and also borough staff. Although the space is used by community members of all ages, Fulton says that the retention of young professionals is definitely a topic of discussion among the group. “A lot of people walk in and say they feel like they’re in the Bay area or wherever,” she says. “I think it’s definitely attractive for younger people, but it’s not just young people working out of here. My focus is on creating that intergenerational mix, not just keeping young people here but creating sustainable
“I don’t think retention of young professionals is going to come just from creating jobs, it’s going to come from the culture, so the culture piece is the biggest one for us.”
— Serena Fulton
relationships between young people and older professionals. New Leaf has been a good environment to do that. It shows what a career can look like in a community such as this.” Personally, she sees a lot of benefits to living in the area — the convenience of living downtown and biking to work, being able to go trail running in local state forests, exploring local communities such as Millheim, and playing in a pickup soccer league. She says that being exposed to different activities beyond the college scene
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young professionals, community members, and organizations within the area. “Networking is key,” says Andrea Harman, one of the founding members of the group and former membership services and communications coordinator for the CBICC. “Anyone who needs to network in order to do their job is always trying to find outlets within this region to do this. The chamber is a great place to make contacts, but also to find possible mentors and connect with those who have been in their industries longer.” Harman, who now works as administrative support assistant for the Lunar Lions in the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State, came to State College in 2011 after her husband had been accepted to graduate school at the university. She left behind a job of three years in New Jersey and started working part-time in State College until she found full-time employment through the After moving back to State College, Bradley found a vibrant group of “imaginative, creative, interesting people." chamber. “I joined the chamber at a very interesting time when we were starting to see would go a long way in retaining young young professionals coming to events such professionals. as the Business After Hours,” she says. “The “For [New Leaf], it comes down to how we chamber had a place for young professionals can build those relationships and connections and networking opportunities.” so that people are exposed to a different way It started to become apparent that a forum of seeing this community and thinking about for discussion around topics of importance to living here,” she says. “I don’t think retention young professionals was needed. of young professionals is going to come just “One of the questions I asked myself from creating jobs, it’s going to come from was, ‘Do we need this,’ ” Harman recalls. the culture, so the culture piece is the biggest “We realized that we had a group of people one for us.” interested in creating opportunities for young Serving as somewhat of a think tank for professionals, to not only attract them to this issues surrounding the young-professional area but also retain them.” demographic in Centre County, the Gateway James Bradley, also part of the initial Group is the young-professional arm of the Gateway Group meetings, says that one Chamber of Business and Industry in Centre of the focuses of the group is to figure out County (CBICC). As part of CBICC’s how State College could be a beautiful, mission to bolster the private-sector industry interesting, and compelling place to live. and retain young professionals, the Gateway “I think a lot of it comes down to how do Group looks to establish connections among 86 - Town&Gown February 2015
you build a community that attracts people who have the choice to go to the big cities,” he says. “How do we make a compelling argument for them to stay here?” Bradley grew up in the State College area before moving away not only for college but also to travel. He worked on a ranch in Montana prior to attending college, traveled to Africa, and then moved to Los Angeles to work for Google. “I was always thinking about getting away from here,” says Bradley, who ultimately moved back to be closer to family. “I was kind of pleasantly surprised [when I moved back]. There is somewhat of a small but vibrant group of imaginative, creative, interesting people here — it’s small, but it’s here, and things are moving in the right direction.” He now works in real estate for Keller Williams and also runs a bed and breakfast in Coburn, just 25 miles east of State College. “One of the points we’ve made in the Gateway Group is that young professionals are in an area that needs them,” he says. “The area needs your imagination, needs your
Andrea Harman helped found the CBICC’s Gateway Group, which looks to establish connections among young professionals.
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creativity, and needs your vision.” He also says that he’s happy to be in a place that allows him to strike a good worklife balance. “Whereas friends in the big cities often sacrifice themselves on the altar of work,” he says, “it’s a little bit easier here to strike that balance.” In the upcoming year, the Gateway Group is looking to develop initiatives with groups such as New Leaf Initiative to put together mentoring programs for young professionals. The group also will continue working with Penn State to attend events such as the job fair during the first week of classes, with the goal of introducing students to the different employers and career possibilities in the region. The group also looks to tackle issues such as creating more affordable housing in the area for local young professionals who are just starting out in their careers. “Ultimately, we want to create an economic-development organization that is able to identify with the needs of those in the young-professional category,” says Harman. “We’re interested in what problems they have — affordable housing being one — and what we can do to figure that out.” According to Todd Erdley, president and CEO of Videon and creator of the Centre Region Entrepreneur Network (CREN), encouraging an entrepreneurial spirit is key to driving the kind of economic development that will attract and retain young professionals. “If you have diversity in the economy, then we have some balance between private industry and the big employers in the area,” he says. “And with that balance also comes choices, and it comes with a diversity of people. And with a diversity of people comes a diversity of professional backgrounds.” Linda Feltman, coordinator for Global Entrepreneurship Week and student entrepreneurship business consultant with the Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC), works with small-business owners, both students and those not affiliated with the university, to get started, grow, and prosper. She believes that providing opportunities for small-business owners to
establish themselves in this area is important to the vibrancy of the town. “It’s important to create opportunities and offer more things to do here,” she says. “And the way we do that is that we have young professionals opening up businesses here that are young and trendy. I think it all works together — the more young professionals who stay in this market, the more you will attract young people.” She coordinates Global Entrepreneurship Week, which is an international event that takes place each year during November. Last year’s event brought together more than a dozen Penn State student organizations, 18 academic colleges and programs, and 13 Centre Region partners to more than 60 events designed to inspire people to explore business opportunities and innovation. Through her efforts, Feltman says that the SBDC is slowly but surely getting the word out that Happy Valley is a place where students can settle and not just go to school. “If we don’t show the opportunities available, they’re not going to be aware of them,” she says. “We have to work hard to show them what’s available here. It becomes a circle, but we have to get it started.” Continued support for all of these resources, networks, and endeavors is where community and social responsibility step in. Many agree that without being supportive and aware of one another’s efforts, it will be difficult to create the culture and environment that makes young professionals and business owners want to get their start or stay in the area. “I think it’s really important that we’re all supportive and aware of each other,” says Erdley. “The thing about a group like CREN, it’s not a selling opportunity. It’s an opportunity where you share ideas and you care more about everybody than you care about yourself. If we take that philosophy and apply it to the town, then amazing things are going to happen.” T&G Lori Wilson is a freelance writer and works in marketing for the Penn State Smeal College of Business.
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ThisMonth on OUR TOWN PROJECT ANNOUNCES UPCOMING COMMUNITY VISITS & PROGRAMS FOR 2015!
PROJECT Welcome
The Our Town project will be visiting Everett, Geistown, Somerset, Brockway, and Port Allegany this season. WPSU-TV invites you to participate in the production of the series. Record the people, places, and happenings that make your town a great place to live. Then, WPSU will gather your footage and create a broadcast TV program. No experience necessary, just enthusiasm! Visit wpsu.org/ourtown or call 814-863-6634.
P E N N S TAT E P U B L I C M E D I A
For additional program information visit wpsu.org
MISSISSIPPI REMIXED Sunday, February 15, at 7 p.m. Mississippi ReMixed tells the personal story of Canadian, Myra Ottewell, who returns to her birthplace in Jackson, Mississippi, determined to celebrate the great racial transformations in the state since the 1960s, but discovers that understanding race relations is far more complicated than she bargained for. Mixed with rarely seen archival footage, the controversial documentary explores the state of race relations today, celebrates the transformations occurring, and exposes the struggles and successes Mississippi is having with integration today.
RACE TO NOWHERE Sunday, February 22, at 7 and 11 p.m.
MR. CIVIL RIGHTS: THURGOOD MARSHALL AND THE NAACP Sunday, February 1, at 7 and 11:30 p.m. This compelling documentary incorporates rare archival film and extraordinary interviews to chart Thurgood Marshall’s life (19081993) in the years leading up to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. The documentary explores his upbringing in Baltimore, his education at Howard University Law School, his status as a rising star within the NAACP, his skill as an orator and storyteller, his relationship with his mentor Charles H. Houston, and his highprofile segregation cases.
wpsu.org
A concerned mother turned filmmaker aims her camera at the culture of hollow achievement and presure to perform that have invaded America’s schools and are feeding an epidemic of unprepared, disengaged, and unhealthy students. Photo courtesy of Reel Link Films
F E B R U A RY
Coming to Bryce Jordan Center
February 5 Lady Lion Basketball vs. Maryland 7 p.m. 7 Nittany Lion Basketball vs. Nebraska 4 p.m. 8 Nittany Lion Wrestling vs. Iowa 2 p.m. 11 Lady Lion Basketball vs. Michigan State 7 p.m.
Francisco Goya: Los Caprichos February 3–May 10, 2015
Museum Hours Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, noon to 4:00 p.m. Closed Mondays and some holidays
ALWAYS FREE ADMISSION
14 Nittany Lion Basketball vs. Maryland 8:30 p.m. 15 Lady Lion Basketball vs. Minnesota 2 p.m. 18 Nittany Lion Basketball vs. Wisconsin 7 p.m. 20-22 THON 6 p.m. Fri. - 4 p.m. Sun.
814-865-7672 Francisco Goya: Los Caprichos was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions, Los Angeles, in association with Denenberg Fine Art, West Hollywood, California. Above: Francisco Goya, The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, plate 43 from Los Caprichos, 1799, etching and aquatint. Courtesy Landau Traveling Exhibitions. The Palmer Museum of Art receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and other protected groups.
26 Lady Lion Basketball vs. Ohio State 7 p.m. 28 Nittany Lion Basketball vs. Iowa 6 p.m.
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what's happening
February 1
4
2
5
Groundhog Day.
ClearWater Conservancy holds its annual For the Love of Art and Chocolate event at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center.
8
10
The Penn State wrestling team takes on rival Iowa at the Bryce Jordan Center.
The Broadway musical Sister Act comes to Eisenhower Auditorium.
15
19 23 26 Martin
Luther King Jr. Day.
12
19
Penn State Centre Stage opens its production of Avenue Q at the Playhouse Theatre. The show runs through February 28.
24
13
7 The music of Van Morrison is featured at the benefit concert “Bright Side of the Road" at the State Theatre.
14 Valentine’s Day.
18
16
Presidents Day.
22
6
20 THON weekend begins and runs through February 22 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
26
28
Keb’ Mo’ performs at the State Theatre.
The Penn State men’s basketball teams holds its annual Coaches vs. Cancer game when it plays Iowa at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Announcements of general interest to residents of the State College area may be mailed to Town&Gown, 403 S. Allen St., State College, PA 16801; faxed to (814) 238-3415; or e-mailed to dpenc@barashmedia.com. Photos are welcome. 91 - Town&Gown February 2015
Academics 16 – State College Area School District, no school K-12.
Children & Families 1 – Sports Central!, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 2, 9 – Baby & Me Storytime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 2, 9 – Tales for Twos Storytime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 3, 10 – 3s, 4s, 5s Storytime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 3, 10 – Everybody Storytime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 3, 10, 17 – Toddler Learning Centre, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9:15 & 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 4, 11 – Baby & Me Storytime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 4, 11 – Tales for Twos Storytime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 4, 11, 18, 25 – Baby Explorers, Discovery Space of Central PA, SC, 10:15 & 10:45 a.m., mydiscoveryspace.org. 5, 12, 19, 26 – Storytime, Discovery Space of Central PA, SC, 10:30 a.m., mydiscoveryspace.org. 5, 12, 19, 26 – Science Adventures, Discovery Space of Central PA, SC, 11 a.m., mydiscoveryspace.org. 6 – Free Developmental Screenings, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 6 – Homeschool Days, Discovery Space of Central PA, SC, noon, mydiscoveryspace.org. 7 – Block Party, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 7, 14, 21 – World Stories Alive, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 11 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 8 – For the Love of Reading, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 14, 15 – Disney Love Songs Cabaret, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 21 – Young Writers Workshop, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 22 – Madam President Author Visit, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 28 – Good Humor Day, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 11 a.m., schlowlibrary.org.
28 – Rube Goldberg Machine Contest, Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, SC, 1 p.m., engr.psu.edu/RubeGoldberg
Classes & Lectures 3, 10, 17, 24 – Tuning In To Kids – Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, noon, schlowlibrary.org. 3, 17 – “A Joint Venture,” information session on hip or knee replacement, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 11 a.m. Feb. 3, 7 p.m. Feb. 17, 278-4810. 4 – The Art of Poetry: “Malaria Poems," Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 6 – Gallery Talk: Francisco Goya: “Los Caprichos," Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 7 – Gadgets for Grownups: Gadgets for ESL, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 20 – Gallery Talk: “Hidden Mother," Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 21 – Gadgets for Grownups: iCloud Basics, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 26 – Mary E. Rolling Reading Series: Elizabeth Kadetsky, Foster Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m.
Club Events 2, 16 – Knitting Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 5:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 3, 10, 17, 24 – State College Rotary Club, Nittany Lion Inn, SC, 5:30 p.m., statecollegerotary.org. 4, 11, 18, 25 – State College Sunrise Rotary Club mtg., Hotel State College, SC, 7:15 a.m., kfragola@psualum.com. 5, 12, 19, 26 – State College Downtown Rotary mtg., Damon’s Grill & Sports Bar, SC, noon, http://centrecounty.org/rotary/club/. 5, 12, 19, 26 – Comics Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 3:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 7, 14, 21, 28 – Go Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 1:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 7, 14, 21, 28 – Chess Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 10 – Women’s Mid Day Connection Luncheon, Mountain View Club, Boalsburg, 11:45 a.m., 404-3704. 10 – Nittany Valley Writers Network, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 6 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 11 – 148th PA Volunteer Infantry Civil War Reenactment Group mtg., Hoss’s Steak and Sea House, SC, 7:30 p.m., 861-0770.
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11 – Women’s Welcome Club of State College meeting, Oakwood Presbyterian Church (not church affiliated), SC, 7 p.m., womenswelcomeclub.org. 12, 26 – Embroidery Group, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 5:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 16 – Mother/Daughter Book Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 6 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 17 – Women’s Welcome Club of State College Coffee/Tea, Oakwood Presbyterian Church (not church affiliated), SC, 9:30 a.m., womenswelcomeclub.org. 17 – Evening Book Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 6:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 18 – Nittany Mineralogical Society, 116 Earth & Engineering Sciences Bldg., PSU, 7:30 p.m., nittanymineral.org. 19 – Outreach Toastmasters Meeting, The 329 Building, Room 413, PSU, noon, kbs131@ psu.edu. 25 – Afternoon Book Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 25 – Applique Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 6 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 25 – State College Bird Club, Foxdale Village Meeting Room, SC, 7 p.m., scbirdcl.org.
Community Associations & Development 12 – TRIAD: “Self Defense and Personal Safety,” Bellefonte Senior Center, Bellefonte, 10 a.m., 234-7150. 17 – Spring Creek Watershed Association mtg., Patton Township Municipal Building, 7:30 a.m., springcreekwatershed.org. 17 – CBICC Membership Luncheon: 3D Pringint: Innovation and Opportunity, Celebration Hall, SC, 11:30 a.m., cbicc.org. 19 – CBICC Business After Hours: Nissan of State College, 5:30 p.m., cbicc.org. 26 – Patton Township Business Association, Patton Township Municipal Building, noon, 237-2822.
Exhibits Ongoing-February 28 – Landscapes of Central Pennsylvania, Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County, Bellefonte, 1-4:30 p.m. Fri.Sun., bellefontemuseum.org. Ongoing-April 26 – Hidden Mother, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., palmermuseum.psu.edu.
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Ongoing-May 10 – Song of Myself, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 3-May 10 – Francisco Goya: Los Caprichos, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 27 – Paper Views: Space Invaders, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., palmermuseum.psu.edu.
Health Care For schedule of blood drives visit redcross.org or givelife.org. 2 – Cancer Caregiver Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 10:30 a.m., cancersurvive.org. 2 – Breast Cancer Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 5:30 p.m., 231-6870. 5 – Children with Type 1 Diabetes Support group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 6:30 p.m., 231-6870. 6 – Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group, Schlow Centre Region Library SC, 1 p.m., 234-3141. 6, 10 – Juniper Village at Brookline’s Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group, Mount Nittany Dining Room at The Inn, SC, 1 p.m. Fri., 6:30 p.m. Tues., 231-3141. 8 – Ostomy Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 2 p.m., 234-6195. 10 – Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group, Mount Nittany Dining Room at the Inn at Brookline, SC, 6:30 p.m., 234-3141. 11 – Senior Center Diabetes Support Group, Centre Region Senior Center, SC, 10:15 a.m., 231-3076. 11 – The Fertility Issues and Loss Support Group, Choices (2214 N. Atherton St.), SC, 6:30 p.m., heartofcpa.org. 12 – Diabetes Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 6 p.m., 231-7095. 12 – A free parents-to-be class, Mount Nittany Health, Boalsburg, 7 p.m., 466-7921. 16 – Cancer Survivor Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 11:30 a.m., cancersurvive.org. 17 – Multiple Sclerosis Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehab Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 6 p.m., 359-3421. 18 – Alzheimer’s Support Group, Elmcroft Senior Living, SC, 6:30 p.m., 235-7675. 19 – Parents-to-be Orientation, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 6 p.m., 231-3132. 23 – Heart Failure Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehab Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 4 p.m., 359-3421.
French vocalist Cyrille Aimee performs February 12 at Schwab Auditorium. 24 – Stroke Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehab Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 4 p.m., 359-3421.
Music 3 – Zap Mama and Antibalas, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 3 – Yonder Mountain String Band, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 5-6 – Penn State School of Music: African American Music Festival, music.psu.edu. 7 – Penn State School of Music: Essence of Joy and Centre Dimensions Jazz Ensemble present Duke Ellington’s “Sacred Music,” Playhouse Theatre, PSU, 1 p.m., music.psu.edu. 7 – “Bright Side of the Road,” State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 9 – Penn State School of Music: Slide Advantage, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 8 p.m., music.psu.edu. 12 – Cyrille Aimee, Schwab Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 13 – Penn State School of Music: David Stambler, saxophone, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 8 p.m., music.psu.edu. 14 – Penn State School of Music: Centre Dimensions Jazz Ensemble presents “Mardi Gras,” Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 8 p.m., music.psu.edu. 15 – Woodwind Music with bassoonist Daryl Durran, oboists Timothy Hurtz and Robyn Costa, and Friends, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County, SC, 3 p.m. uufcc.com. 17 – The King’s Singers, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu.
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18 – The Art of Music: “A Spanish Song Recital," Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 23 – Penn State School of Music: Percussion Ensemble I and Mallet Ensemble, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 8 p.m., music.psu.edu. 24 – Nittany Valley Symphony presents “Passion Unbounded,” Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., nvs.org. 25 – Penn State School of Music: Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 8 p.m., music.psu.edu. 26 – Time for Three, Schwab Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 26 – Keb’ Mo’, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org.
Special Events 3, 10, 17, 24 – Boalsburg Farmers’ Market, St. John’s United Church of Christ, Boalsburg, 2 p.m., boalsburgfarmersmarket.com. 4 – Global Connections’ Cultural Lunch: Germany, Mount Nittany United Methodist Church, SC, noon, gc-cc.org. 5 – Beer Pairing Dinner, Duffy’s Tavern, Boalsburg, 466-6241. 6 – First Friday, Downtown State College, 5 p.m., firstfridaystatecollege.com.
6 – For the Love of Art and Chocolate, Ramada Inn and Conference Center, SC, 7 p.m., clearwaterconservancy.org. 6, 13, 20, 27 – Downtown State College Farmers’ Market, State College Municipal Building, SC, 11:30 a.m., statecollegefarmers.com. 7 – Boardgaming Meetup – Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 11 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 7 – Teen Reading Lounge – Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 1 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 7, 14, 21, 28 – Millheim Farmers’ Market, Old Gregg Mills Farmers’ Market, Spring Mills, 10 a.m., centralpafarmers.com. 14 – Wine & Chocolate, Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery, Centre Hall, noon, mtnittanywinery.com. 20 – Deadline to Purchase Tickets for Global Connections’ Passport on a Plate Dinner (March 1), Ramada Inn and Conference Center, SC, 5:30 p.m., gc-cc.org. 20-22 – THON, BJC, PSU, 6 p.m., bjc.psu.edu. 27 – Finding Kind, HUB, PSU, 6:30 p.m., studentaffairs.psu.edu/womenscenter.
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Sports For tickets to Penn State sporting events, call (814) 865-5555 or visit gopsusports.com. For area high school sporting events, visit high school Web sites. 1 – PSU/Penn, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 9 a.m. 1 – PSU/James Madison, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 1 p.m. 4 – PSU/Pittsburgh, women’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 4 p.m. 5 – PSU/Maryland, women’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 7 p.m. 6 – PSU/Ohio State, men’s gymnastics, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 6 – PSU/Erskine, men’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 6-7 – PSU/Wisconsin, men’s ice hockey, Pegula Ice Arena, PSU, 6:30 p.m. Fri., 2 p.m. Sat. 6-7 – Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup, track & field, Multi-Sport Facility, PSU, all day. 7 – PSU/Vermont, men’s lacrosse, Holuba Hall, PSU, noon. 7 – PSU/Villanova, women’s lacrosse, Holuba Hall, PSU, 3 p.m. 7 – PSU/Nebraska, men’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 4 p.m. 7 – PSU/Michigan State, women’s gymnastics, Rec Hall, PSU, 4 p.m. 8 – PSU/Iowa, wrestling, BJC, PSU, 1 p.m. 11 – PSU/Michigan State, women’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 7 p.m. 14 – PSU/Georgetown, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, noon. 14 – PSU/Lehigh, women’s lacrosse, Holuba Hall, PSU, 1 p.m. 14 – PSU/Ohio State, men’s gymnastics, Rec Hall, PSU, 4 p.m. 14 – PSU/Cleveland State, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 5 p.m. 14 – PSU/George Mason, men’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 14 – PSU/Maryland, men’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 8:30 p.m. 15 – PSU/Minnesota, women’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 2 p.m. 18 – PSU/Wisconsin, men’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 7 p.m. 18 – PSU/Bucknell, women’s lacrosse, Holuba Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 20 – PSU/Columbia, women’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 4:30 p.m. 20-21 – PSU/Robert Morris, women’s ice hockey, Pegula Ice Arena, PSU, 2 p.m. Fri., noon Sat.
20-21 – PSU/Minnesota, men’s ice hockey, Pegula Ice Arena, PSU, 6:30 p.m. Fri., 5 p.m. Sat. 22 – PSU/VCU, women’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, noon. 22 – PSU/Rider, wrestling, Rec Hall, PSU, 2 p.m. 26 – PSU/Ohio State, women’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 7 p.m. 27 – PSU/Ohio State, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 3 p.m. 27 – PSU/Iowa, men’s gymnastics, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 28 – PSU/Princeton, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, noon. 28 – PSU/Penn, men’s lacrosse, Holuba Hall, PSU, 1 p.m. 28 – PSU/Virginia, women’s lacrosse, Holuba Hall, PSU, 3 p.m. 28 – PSU/Iowa State, Penn & SUNYBrockport, women’s gymnastics, Rec Hall, PSU, 4 p.m. 28 – PSU/Iowa, men’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 6 p.m.
Theater 1 – National Theatre Live presents Treasure Island, State Theatre, SC, 3 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 6 – Frogz, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 10 – Sister Act, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 12-15 – State College Community Theatre presents Annie Get your Gun, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., thestatetheatre.org. 14 – The Metropolitan Live in HD presents Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta I & Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle, State Theatre, SC, 12:30 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 18-28 – Penn State Centre Stage presents Avenue Q, Playhouse Theatre, PSU, 7:30 p.m., theatre.psu.edu. 19, 28 – Mystery Dinner Theatre: Win, Lose, or Draw, Duffy's Tavern, Boalsburg, duffystavernpa.com. 19-22 – Fuse Productions presents 4000 Miles, Penn State Downtown Theatre Center, SC, 7:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., fuseproductions.org. 22 – Bolshoi Ballet presents Swan Lake, State Theatre, SC, 3 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. T&G
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Come Home to The State www.thestatetheatre.org • (814) 272-0606 130 W. College Ave. • Downtown State College
Yonder Mountain String Band February 3rd
Bright Side of the Road February 7th
Bolshoi Ballet Swan Lake February 22nd
An Evening With Keb’ Mo’ February 26th
on tap
The IPA Takeover Brewers and beer lovers continue to be enamored with the hopped-up style By Sam Komlenic
IPAs are now the dominant beer at many bars.
There’s a 500-pound gorilla hanging around wherever and whenever you buy a beer. The oversized primate in the room is India pale ale, better known by its initials: IPA. With roots reaching back to the 1700s, the heavily hopped IPA may be the main reason for the current vigor of craft brewing. The style is not just prolific, it’s also ubiquitous. In the very early days of commercial brewing in England, barley was, in most cases, malted by the brewers themselves. The primitive, erratic methods of early malting produced very dark malts that brewed up murky, heavy ales. Once methods improved, commercial malting became more common, and lighter malts became available and were used to brew a revolutionary new style, the “pale” ale. Though they produced ales of a copper hue, they were significantly lighter to the eye and palate than anything that had come before — and the style swept the British Empire.
As it was indeed an empire, expats on faraway continents clamored for the amenities of their civilized home far away, and chief among those was British ale. Though the brews of the time were shipped far and wide, they didn’t always arrive in pristine condition. Experienced brewers knew that there were two things they could do to improve their ales’ chances of survival. The first was to increase the alcohol content, as alcohol itself aids in preservation. Next, hops had been recognized for some time for their preservative qualities. At some point, an accomplished brewer realized that a stronger ale containing copious amounts of hops had a better chance of making the journey to distant outposts, primarily India, where the crown had posted legions of troops. So a more potent ale with more malts and more hops was brewed — even hops added to the filled barrels themselves, a process now known as “dry hopping” — and preserving beer on ocean voyages of up to a year or more was no longer an issue. Thirsty drinkers half a world away embraced the style, and the rest is history. The conundrum here is that this is not necessarily the brew you’ll experience when you drink an IPA today. What you’ll enjoy is a domesticated version of the style, one generally with more alcohol and hops than even the stoic British would recognize. Our style is the American IPA, a beer that creatively combines the plethora of malts and hops available to the brewing community, resulting in an amazing variety of colors and flavors within a single style. The first contemporary American brew to lean toward an IPA may have been Liberty Ale from Anchor Brewing Company of San Francisco in 1975. Though it does not read “India Pale Ale” on the label, Liberty was the first real “hop bomb” produced by a craft brewer here, and it started the gears turning for so many others who followed. IPAs are available everywhere. I would imagine that there are very few craft brewers who do not have one in their range. Some brewers have succeeded in building nearly their entire portfolio around them. A good example of this would be Stone Brewing of San Diego. It offers no less than 15 different IPAs from a range of about 25 products. The thirst for the style does not come without its downside, however. If IPA is good, more IPA must be better! We now see India pale ales in strange iterations such as black, white, double,
98 - Town&Gown February 2015
Thank you to our Team Ream Day Sponsors for making it a success!
Hops have become the key ingredient for American IPAs.
imperial, session, and more. I liken this to the “martini” craze. Though there is but one martini (gin and dry vermouth), and one traditional offshoot (the vodka martini), there is no end to the silly trend of conveniently naming thousands of totally unrelated drinks as “martinis.” I tend to think that brewers are hanging onto the coattails of the IPA to get more attention for their other hoppy beers, which are not necessarily IPAs. As one local brewer once told me, “They’re all drinking the [IPA] Kool-Aid.” That said, it certainly doesn’t diminish the importance or popularity of the style, one that may have done more to raise the diversity and overall profile of craft beer than any other style. In Centre County alone, you’ll find an amazing diversity of IPAs — Double Rainbow and Hairy John’s at Elk Creek Café, Barnstormer and LeMonster at Happy Valley Brewing Company, Slab Cabin and Double D at Otto’s Pub and Brewery, and Bulls and Longbow at Robin Hood. Get out there, grab a barstool, order up an India pale ale, and experience for yourself the evolution of 300 years of worldbrewing history right here at home.
Local brewing news
• Facebookers may want to check out the recently formed Beer Tasting State College group. It’s already generated active discussion and should be an up-to-date resource for the beer scene here and elsewhere. • As of press time, the Gamble Mill in Bellefonte is closed. We hope this is a temporary situation and that its excellent beers will be available again in the near future.
• Elk Creek Café + Ale Works will be hosting its annual Day of Delicious Darkness on Sunday, February 22, featuring a tap takeover of nearly all dark beers, many from its aging cellar, including porters, stouts, imperial stouts, Scotch ales, and bourbon-barrel aged Prince’s Porter on nitro. Elk Creek will be offering handmade truffles as a companion to these exceptional beers. To quote brewer Tim Yarrington, “This is an event for lovers of rich, traditional, complex brews. Virtually no hops were harmed in the manufacture of these products!” • Otto’s also celebrates the dark side of brewing this month by offering its Arthur’s Porter on cask and a Baltic porter fermented with lager yeast. By the 1970s, the porter style had vanished from its home in England and elsewhere, and the only places on Earth where it was still being brewed were the Baltic countries and right here in PA, where the use of lager yeast by Yuengling and Stegmaier produced what became known as “Pennsylvania porter.” Otto’s version is in respect to both styles. • Chris Schell at Robin Hood just received some new equipment to expand production of its well-received beers. Three new fermenters and a bright tank (where beer is finished, or “brightened”) will increase the brewery’s capacity to 1,200 barrels annually. February will see the release of a schwarzbier, espresso stout, and an imperial red ale. T&G Sam Komlenic, whose dad worked for a Pennsylvania brewery for 35 years, grew up immersed in the brewing business. He has toured scores of breweries, large and small, from coast to coast.
100 - Town&Gown February 2015
February 18–28 • Playhouse Theatre
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36 Volume 6, Issue
ns Faith Centre plaay clothing giveaw
ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT OF
and bring their nings to come explained. children,” Summers By CHRIS MORELLI that FaithCenuntygazette.com Summers said have to abide editor@centreco will tre employees — no the giveaway — For families by the rules of BELLEFONTE meet, make ends exceptions. exceptions struggling to shopping can be “We’re not makingwe expect it back-to-school to the rules because Ta burden. chaotic,” Summers new jeans, to be kind of great opportunity Whether it’s a the cost can said. “But it’s backshirts or hoodies, to get some needed is that quickly. kids for rather up add Our goal the FaithCentre to-school clothes.community feel That’s where children in the confident when comes in. and e, located at comfortable The FaithCentr Bellefonte, is to school.” St. in they go back 110 W. High income guideclothing to students There are no offering free event, Summers n through lines for the welcome. in grades kindergarte is giveaway will said. Everyone that,” Summers 12. The clothing on Monday, to “Nothing like take place beginning much open Friday, Sept. said. “It’s pretty that they’re in 8. It ends on Sept. photo le fi feels e anyone who TIM WEIGHT/Gazett ool clothing.” 12. is open to all crimes need of back-to-sch builds on last The giveaway in alcohol-related police see a rise The free clothes the FaithCenarea students. State football begins, when to Bellefonte. at year’s event, to campus and Penn “It’s not limited come gift certificates As students return welcome to tre gave away the Backpacks, Everyone is TAILGATE TIME: of ,” said Nicole the Blessing and participate at a local church director of both on and off campus. which is held starts. Some Summers, executive . just before schoolgift certificates, the FaithCentre Summers, stutheir children lost According to selected three t-be at the powers-tha to so the dents are invited pants, skirt or decided to change and FaithCentre outfits — top for this year. such as theft, one pair of shoes. of things around common crimes, dress — and it was kind by alcohol, choose the clothing “We thought year as students explained. may be influenced Students can happens every difficult to conin the store with limited,” Summersthe kids who newfound sense GARRETT but this is often from anywhere of the boutique beexplore the By MICHAEL MARTIN comes with “It was only helping ette.com firm. the exception sections. particular event. Chief Tom centrecountygaz first that of freedom that at Police the up for wear correspondent@ College show home State and rustic do our own thing be present to ing away from similar issues, We decided to — The reThe child must The King deals withtely two-thirds of up to the general time. STATE COLLEGE the giveaway. will have a and open it to Penn State with approxima take part in open until 7 p.m. population and “Most students but we enduring the semesis turn of students Centre County ourselves.” be OK, brings many overnight calls Faith Centre on few drinks and who don’t know alcohol as a factor. and Thursdays. for the fall semester take the event ter involving on Tuesdays parents two eveCollege: nervous already begun not to say counter the ones “These School has things to State parents, a sense but Pollack said. hav“We are careful “That gives alcoCentre County, was their limits,” are caused by the may be freshman, proud throughout and who crimes — time these the energy were are the students “We are not makof youthful Summers thought overdoses, or hol,” King said. argument. The the giveaway. ing alcohol a abuse of alcohol. first eight weeks other alcoholright to hold ing a causationnot an excuse for kids to have involved in some is For about the and local poto “We wanted Free use of alcohol in and get used related incident.” that involve alWhat: Back to School crime.” of class, universityalcohol-related week to settle going committing a in They’re still The incidents crimes that King Clothing Event lice see a spike and pervasive. their routine. The common the week after containers, minors cohol are varied alcohol include crimes: open to need clothes said. Where: FaithCentre, roughly 43 percent sees that involve complaints and she inPollack says Bellefonte violations, noise school starts,” they deal with 110 W. High St., of the crimes Sept. 12 6 more. which she admits Drinking, Page Pollack of the When: Sept. 8 through ntre.info 5 volve alcohol, estimate. Other Sgt. Frances Clothing, Page department low www.faithce a be police info: may More Penn State semester spike said this early
ounTy GazeTTe
GAZETTE Supplement to
GAZETTE The CenTre CounTy
August 28, 2014
By BRITTANY SVOBODA
2014 Showcasing Centre County
SVOBODA
By BRITTANY .com bsvoboda@centrecountygazette
to police.
......... 7 Opinion ................... ......... 8, 9 Health & Wellness
.... 10 Education ................... 12-14 ............... Community
Safety, Page 6 ...... 15-18 Gazette Gameday ...... 19-23 Sports ...................
January 2015
Effectively marketing Centre County and its unique assets is an important component of business recruitment efforts.
the Gazette
........ 26, 27 Group Meetings ......... 28 Puzzles ...................
LifestyLes
provide social
connections
tees or instruct recountygazette.com tors are retired a course. Course instrucSTATE COLLEGE well as subject teachers and professors, as — The importance being physically experts and hobbyists. of “We allow (the of life is much active in your later years instructors) discussed. But within the to choose maintaining timeframe of an active social what about teaching, what what they’re eral area programs lifestyle? Sevgoing to be givingtype of content they’re to do this, through offer a variety of ways and how much need,” Benton time they tion and research. outlets such as educasaid. said, have expressed Many instructors, she Osher Lifelong their gratitude system. Learning Institute for this Penn State, a at nonprofit developed “They start grant given to from a the College of they’re in my teaching and inevitably Human Developme Health and office asking, teach again?’ source for seniors nt in 2007, is a good rebecause they’re‘When can I who are looking she said. “They so excited,” active with an to stay really haven’t educational twist. perience of learners had the exThe organizatio and are engaged. who want to be there bers, according n has about 1,200 memIt’s pretty exciting people who taught tor Sarah Benton.to OLLI executive direcfor Benton stressedfor several years.” in length, from The courses offered vary that both education and socializatio and where they one to 12 sessions, topic n is what drives OLLI. pecially for people panded to areas take place, which has exEswho are new including Bellefonte or might be to the area Philipsburg. struggling and joining an organizatio with retirement “They are all , n such as help get seniors ton said. For for peer enjoyment,” Beninvolved in the OLLI can a nity. commufee, people can $50 annual membership “When they courses offered. participate in any the 350 what happens get connected with OLLI, Course topics is almost exactly pens in high what hapfrom art, music, include subjects ranging school,” she dance, crafts, said. “You’re class and you’re health and fitness cooking and in chatting and THERE ARE A variety to to history, somebody, sitting erature, science, next politics, of social groups and interestingl known as OLLI — for seniors. Osher math and technology litmutual interest y you have majority of courses Valueline is one of the most Lifelong Learning by .A are offered Mondays Institute — otherwise popular in Centre Branching off the class you take.” through Fridays, County. from classes meet monthly 8 a.m. interest are to at 4 special p.m., ety of locations, groups and social as a member’s a variety of places, such including Penn at a varigroups. The special home or a restaurant rooms and facilities, search and outreach State classside of State College. ally an extensioninterest groups are usulocal parks, churches, outassociate at playhouses and ter. “We’re trying In addition to retirement homes to understand the cenhave a writer’s of a class. “Let’s say you area. the way we understand aging, and in the many one- and classes, OLLI also offers to keep meetingclass and the group wants that is multi-day trips ing research. OLLI is able vide an even What we need by conductthat proall inclusive so to discuss that. It has to be more unique they do, Benton to provide the programs are willing to is people who anybody can learning experience. participate said. join,” Benton of volunteers. said, through its hundreds Research opportunit .” For seniors If members The social groups ies include cogniare looking to become more tive studies, research and who want to be a part of include people such involved with meet for local connect with tion, they can the and participatin as receiving brain scans who theater performanc Center for Healthy students, the join one of the organizag in a series are also three es. There tests, Aging 13 commitof as well as physical memory at Penn State meal groups good place to lunch and singles is a — supper, start. activities. “I think there’s supper. These “We have all something for groups depending on everyone that goes on different kinds of research what they’re here,” said Amy willing to do,” Lorek, reOrganizations, Page 24
INSIDE:
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is having a in downtown Bellefonte The FaithCentre from Sept. 8 to 12. DRESS FOR SUCCESS: clothing giveaway 29, 30 ..................... Back to School free
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The CenTre C
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king affects Culture of drin community lege entire State Col
football — As fall and STATE COLLEGE central Pennsylvania, upon celebrate season descend on the area to take on as they many will converge Nittany Lions November. the Penn State rivals through the activion Big Ten and other increase based Kelly Aston “Activity will ,” said officer And ty of the community Police Department. as a home of the State College weekends, such percent of 70 on special event weekend, about way. football game alcohol in some the incidents involveCentre LifeLink reports, to photo ated incie file According and alcohol-rel TIM WEIGHT/Gazett number of calls increase from September celebrate while dents and assaults
Mature auGusT 14-20,
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John Hovenstine (6)
Game Trio — Hublersburg Inn's three
slider burgers: bison with bacon, cheddar jack cheese, and BBQ sauce; elk with caramelized onions and spicy garlic ranch sauce; venison with lettuce, tomato, mayo, and American cheese.
Tasteof the Month 102 - Town&Gown February 2015
Inn with the Old — and New
Hublersburg Inn offers old-time charm with modern menu By Vilma Shu Danz
During the nineteenth century, taverns and inns were an area’s social center. More than just a bar, they contributed to the local economy by serving as gathering places for trade, entertainment, and hotels for traveling merchants on stagecoaches. In addition, visitors to the area also brought news and information from other parts of the country. The Hublersburg Tavern and Hotel was originally built in 1827 and has had more than a dozen owners, but it was most recently bought by Andi Biddle
Calamari Pomodoro — fried Chef Arnold Emeigh (left) and owner Andi Biddle. 103 - Town&Gown February 2015
calamari with a tomato Pomodoro sauce, served with banana peppers and balsamic shallots.
Crab chips — house-fried
potato chips, lump crabmeat, white beans, salsa, cheddar jack cheese, garlic aioli, and guacamole.
in 2007. Known now as the Hublersburg Inn, located at 449 Hublersburg Road in Hublersburg, it is a full-service restaurant, bar, and bed and breakfast. Biddle had worked as a manager at the Gamble Mill in Bellefonte for 18 years, and her parents were former owners of the Reynolds Mansion, so when she saw that the Hublersburg Inn was for sale, she felt comfortable getting into the business. “I was divorced at the time with four kids and I was looking for a job and a house, so this was perfect,” she says. “I fell in love with the building and the location as soon as I came to look at it.” The completely renovated six-room bed and breakfast offers guests a historic experience with modern amenities and views of the surrounding mountains and Amish farmlands. Accommodations include a full breakfast and, perhaps, a paranormal experience, as well. “When I first moved in, I was sleeping in room 11 and
Peanut butter pie
the bed shook. A few weeks later, a friend of mine was staying in that room and she experienced the same thing,” says Biddle. “We had a number of paranormal researchers come and investigate some of the sounds and sightings that our staff has witnessed over the years.” The restaurant seats up to 70 in the dining room, which includes a cozy stone fireplace to warm up near during the winter months. The bar area can accommodate up to 30 guests. During the spring and summer months, the outdoor patio invites up to 35 diners to enjoy the countryside, and live acoustic bands perform on Saturday and Wednesday nights. The most popular items on the menu include crab chips, Ribeye steaks, fish and chips, crab cakes, and the inn’s awardwinning wing sauces. In both 2012 and 2013, the Hublersburg Inn was crowned the Tussey Mountain WingFest Champion. The 104 - Town&Gown February 2015
Pulled-pork nachos restaurant’s signature sauce is the spicy garlic ranch, and it’s so popular, it’s served on house-cut fries and burgers. “Our menu appeals to everyone from a couple out for a nice dinner to people coming in for a drink at the bar and a quick bite to eat — we try to have appetizers and entrées that can satisfy all appetites,” says Biddle. “We also have a lot of local beers on draft such as Elk Creek, Otto’s Pub, and Happy Valley Brewery. We also have wine from Seven Mountains Wine Cellars, as well as vodka and whiskey from Big Springs Spirits.” The desserts are all made in-house, and some of the locals’ favorites include the peanut butter pie and coconut cream pie. The Hublersburg Inn is taking reservations for its special Valentine’s Day Package. For more information about the history of the Hublersburg Inn and the bed and breakfast, visit hublersburginn.com. T&G The Hublersburg Inn has a special offer for Valentine’s weekend. The offer, good only from February 12-15, includes a night’s stay at the inn, a welcoming cheese plate from Goot Essa, a bottle of wine from Seven Mountains Wine Cellars, a $25 gift certificate for dinner at the inn, and the inn’s house-made chocolate-covered strawberries. It’s a $200 value for $150 if you mention this article. Excludes tax and gratuity. For reservations and information, call (814) 360-1347.
> Featured Selections < Restaurant Hours of Operations: Monday-Wednesday: 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Restaurant Features: Wednesday: Wing Night. Thursday: Burger Night. First Friday of every month: Prime Rib Night. For live entertainment schedules and bar and restaurant specials, check out the Hublersburg Inn Facebook page. For restaurant reservations or for off-site catering, call (814) 383-2616. For bed & breakfast information, call (814) 360-1347.
105 - Town&Gown February 2015
dining out Full Course Dining bar bleu, 114. S Garner St., 237-0374, bar-bleu.com. Socializing and sports viewing awaits at bar bleu. Don’t miss a minute of the action on 22 true 1080i HDMI high-definition flat-screen monitors displaying the night’s college and pro matchups. The bar serves up 16 draft beers in addition to crafted cocktails, including the “Fishbowl,” concocted in its own 43-ounce tank! Pub fare featuring authentic Kansas City-style barbecue is smoked daily on-site. AE, D, DC, ID+, MC, V. Full bar. Bella II, 135 S. Allegheny St., Bellefonte, 353-4696. Cozy and charming, yet affordable, Bella II’s specialty is good food! Fresh, classic pasta dishes with homemade sauces, large dinner salads, and in-house, hand-crafted desserts, top the favorites. Plan to try Bella II’s lunch buffet, Tues.-Thurs., featuring pasta, pizza, wraps, and desserts. BYOB welcomed! Take out available. Hours: Sun. 12-9, Tues.-Thurs. 11-9, Fri.Sat. 11-10, Closed Mondays. AE, D, MC, V. Carnegie House, corner of Cricklewood Dr. and Toftrees Ave., 234-2424. An exquisite boutique hotel offering fine dining in a relaxed yet gracious atmosphere. Serving lunch and dinner. Prix Fixe menu and à la carte menu selections now available. AAA Four Diamond Award recipient for lodging and fine dining. Reservations suggested. AE, MC, D, V. Full bar. Clem’s Roadside Bar and Grill, 1405 S. Atherton St., 237-7666, www.clemsbarandgrill.com. Chef/owner Greg Mussi combines forces with infamous griller Clem Pantalone to bring you a mix of classic BBQ and other signature dishes featuring local produce and an extensive wine list. Central’s PA’s unique “whiskey bar” and extensive wine list. Happy hours every day from 5 to 7 p.m. State College’s largest outdoor seating area. Groups welcome. Catering and private events available. Daily specials listed on Facebook. Live music. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. Full bar.
Cozy Thai Bistro, 232 S. Allen St., 237-0139. A true authentic Thai restaurant offering casual and yet “cozy” family-friendly dining experience. Menu features wide selections of exotic Thai cuisine, both lunch and dinner (take-out available). BYO (wines & beer) is welcome after 5 p.m. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V.
Damon’s Grill & Sports Bar, 1031 E. College Ave., 237-6300, damons.com. Just seconds from Beaver Stadium, locally owned and operated, Damon’s is the premiere place to watch sports and enjoy our extensive menu. Ribs, wings, burgers, steaks, apps, salads, and so much more. AE, D, MAC, MC, V, Full bar. The Deli Restaurant, 113 Hiester St., 237-5710, TheDeliRestaurant.com. Since 1973, The Deli has served up New York-style deli favorites on an American menu offering everything from comfort food to pub favorites, all made from scratch. Soups, breads, sauces, and award-winning desserts are homemade here early in the morning folks. Look for its rotating menu of food-themed festivals throughout the year. AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar. The Dining Room at the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Ave., 865-8590. Fine continental cuisine in a relaxed, gracious atmosphere. Casual attire acceptable. Private dining rooms available. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. Full bar. Down Under Steakhouse at Toftrees, One Country Club Lane, 234-8000, www.toftrees.com. A casual restaurant with unique dining featuring hearty appetizers, delicious entrees, fresh sandwiches and salads in a comfortable scenic atmosphere. Outdoor seating available. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. Full bar. Duffy’s Boalsburg Tavern, On the Diamond, Boalsburg, 466-6241. The Boalsburg Tavern offers a fine, intimate setting reminiscent of Colonial times. Dining for all occasions with formal and casual menus, daily dinner features, specials, and plenty of free parking. AE, MC, V. Full bar.
Key
AE ...........................................................American Express CB ..................................................................Carte Blanche D ................................................................ Discover/Novus DC........................................................................Diners Club ID+ ................................................ PSU ID+ card discounts LC ............................................................................ LionCash MAC .......................................................................debit card MC .......................................................................MasterCard V ......................................................................................... Visa .............................................. Handicapped-accessible
To advertise, call Town&Gown account executives Kathy George or Debbie Markel at (814) 238-5051. 106 - Town&Gown February 2015
or
Faccia Luna Pizzeria, 1229 S. Atherton St., 237-9000, www.faccialuna.com. A true neighborhood hangout, famous for authentic New York-style woodfired pizzas and fresh, homemade Italian cuisine. Seafood specialties, sumptuous salads, divine desserts, great service, and full bar. Outside seating available. Sorry, reservations not accepted. Dine-in, Take out. MC/V. Galanga, 454 E. College Ave., 237-1718. Another great addition to Cozy Thai Bistro. Galanga by Cozy Thai offers a unique authentic Thai food featuring Northeastern Thai style cuisine. Vegetarian menu selection available. BYO (wines and beer) is welcome after 5 p.m. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. . The Gardens Restaurant at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, 215 Innovation Blvd., Innovation Park, 863-5090. Dining is a treat for breakfast, lunch and dinner in The Gardens Restaurant, where sumptuous buffets and à la carte dining are our specialties. AE, CB, D, DC, MC, V. Full bar, beer. Gigi’s, West College Ave. on the Corner of Cato Ave., 861-3463, gigisdining.com. Conveniently located 5 minutes from Downtown, Gigi’s is a farm-to-table dining experience inspired by the hottest southern trends. Outdoor Patio. Lunch & Dinner. Full Bar. AE, D, MAC, MC, V.
Fantastic Cuisine, Cuisine, Fantastic Voted “Best” for Exquisite Decor. Most Romantic Voted “Best” i nand Fine Dining Fine Dining
ESCAPE !
Make any night an enjoyable evening at Reservations are suggested. Carnegie Inn & Spa. ESCAPE! Reservations are suggested.
The Greek, 102 E. Clinton Ave., 308-8822, www. thegreekrestaurant.net. Located behind The Original Waffle Shop on North Atherton Street. Visit our Greek tavern and enjoy authentic Greek cuisine. From fresh and abundant vegetables to the most succulent kebabs, each dish has been perfected to showcase genuine Greek flavors. When we say “authentic,” we mean it. Full service, BYOB. D, MC, V. Herwig’s Austrian Bistro, “Where Bacon Is An Herb,” 132 W. College Ave., 272-0738. Located next to the State Theatre. Serving authentic Austrian home cooking in Central PA. Ranked #1 Ethnic Restaurant in State College for 7 years in a row. Eat-in, Take-Out, Catering. Gluten-free options available. Bacon-based dessert. Homemade breads, BYO beer or wine all day. Sense of humor required. D, MAC, MC, V. Hi-Way Pizza, 1688 N. Atherton St., 237-0375, HiWayPizza.com. The State College tradition for nearly 50 years, nobody does it better than Hi-Way! Offering more than 29 varieties of hand-spun pizzas made from scratch offer an endless combination of toppings. Its vodka “flaky” crust and red stuffed pizzas are simply a must have. Hi-Way’s menu rounds out with pasta dishes, calzones, grinders, salads, and other Italian specialties. Eat-in, Takeout, or Hi-Way delivery. AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar.
Pet Many Friendly Choices Hotels
Seasonal Specials and Packages. PSU Did you know that four Parents and Alumni legged friends areby our Discounts offered welcome at four of our six six State College hotels. State College hotels? . Hilton Garden Inn . .Days DaysInn InnPenn PennState State . .Quality Inn Quality Inn . .Nittany NittanyBudget BudgetMotel Motel . .Super 8 Super 8 . Carnegie Inn & Spa
ChicUpscale Southern Metropolitan Hospitality dining Patio Now Open
Celebrate Valentine’s Day... Take her to Featuring Small Plates Gigi’s Friday & Saturday Martini Nights
RESTAURANT RESTAURANT 2080 West College & Cato Ave.
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Corner of Cricklewood Dr. and Toftrees Ave.
814/234-2424
State College
West College & Cato Ave.
814 . 861 . 3463 814 . 861 . 3463 GigisDining.com GigisDining.com
carnegieinnandspa.com www.carnegiehouse.com 108 - Town&Gown February 2015
February - 1/2 Town & Gown Mar 2013 2014 IssueIssue - 1/2 Pg AdPg Ad
India Pavilion, 222 E. Calder Way, 237-3400. Large selection of vegetarian and nonvegetarian dishes from northern India. Lunch buffet offered daily. We offer catering for groups and private parties. AE, D, MC, V. Inferno Brick Oven & Bar, 340 E. College Ave., 237-5718, InfernoBrickOvenBar.com. With a casual yet sophisticated atmosphere, Inferno is a place to see and be seen. A full-service bar boasts a unique specialty wine, beer, and cocktail menu. Foodies — Inferno offers a contemporary Neapolitan brick-oven experience featuring a focused menu of artisan pizzas and other modern-Italian plates. Lunch and dinner service transitions into night as a boutique nightclub with dancefloor lighting, club sound system, and the area’s most talented resident DJs. AE, D, MAC, MC, V. Full bar. Legends Pub at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, 215 Innovation Blvd., Innovation Park, 863-5080. Unwind with beverages and a casual lounge menu. AE, D, MC, V. Full bar.
The Wedding you’ve always dreamed of
- Several wedding packages to choose from with many enhancements available - Catering for on & off site celebrations - Convenient parking at Celebration Hall
CATERING & EVENT RENTALS
814.238.0824
2280 Commercial Blvd. State College hoagscatering.com
109 - Town&Gown February 2015
on Hall
Celebrati AT
Featuring exquisite cakes from Dolce Vita Desserts
Mario’s Italian Restaurant, 1272 N. Atherton St., 234-4273, MariosItalianStateCollege.com. Fresh specialty dishes, pasta, sauces, hand-tossed pizzas, and rotisserie wood-grilled chicken all made from scratch are just a few reasons why Mario’s is authentically Italian! At the heart of it all is a specialty wood-fired pizza oven and rotisserie that imparts rustic flavors that can’t be beat! Mario’s loves wine, honored with six consecutive Wine Spectator awards and a wine list of more than 550 Italian selections. Mario’s even pours 12 rotating specialty bottles on its WineStation® state-of-theart preservation system. Reservations and Walk-Ins welcome. AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar. Otto’s Pub & Brewery, 2235 N. Atherton St., 867-6886, www.ottospubandbrewery.com. Our new location provides plenty of parking, great ales and lagers, full service bar, signature dishes made with local products in a family-friendly, casual atmosphere. AE, D, DC, LC MC, V. Full bar. Philipsburg Elks Lodge & Country Club, 1 Country Club Lane, Philipsburg, 342-0379, philipsburgelks.com. Restaurant open to the public! Monday-Saturday 11-9, Sunday 9-3. Member-only bar. New golf member special, visit our Web site for summer golf special. AE MC, V. Full Bar (member only).
The Tavern Restaurant, 220 E. College Ave., 238-6116. A unique gallery-in-a-restaurant preserving PA’s and Penn State’s past. Dinner at The Tavern is a Penn State tradition. Major credit cards accepted. Full bar. Whiskers at the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Ave., 865-8580. Casual dining featuring soups, salads, sandwiches and University Creamery ice cream. Major credit cards accepted. Full bar.
Good Food Fast Baby’s Burgers & Shakes, 131 South Garner St., 234-4776, www.babysburgers.com. Love poodle skirts, a jukebox playing the oldies, and delicious food cooked to order? Then Baby’s Burgers & Shakes is your kind of restaurant! Bring the entire family and enjoy a “ Whimpy” burger, a Cherry Coke or delicious chocolate shake, and top it off with a “Teeny Weeny Sundae,” in our authentic 1947 Silk City Diner. Check out Baby’s Web site for full menu and daily specials! D, MC, V, MAC, Lion’s Cash.
India Pavilion Exotic Indian Cuisine
Now Open 7 Days a Week Lunch Buffet: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Dinner: 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
ON CAMPUS • HUB ROBESON CENTER
222 E. Calder Way 237-3400 www.indiapavilion.net 110 - Town&Gown February 2015
Carry Out Available
dining out Full Course Dining bar bleu, 114. S Garner St., 237-0374, bar-bleu.com. Socializing and sports viewing awaits at bar bleu. Don’t miss a minute of the action on 22 true 1080i HDMI high-definition flat-screen monitors displaying the night’s college and pro matchups. The bar serves up 16 draft beers in addition to crafted cocktails, including the “Fishbowl,” concocted in its own 43-ounce tank! Pub fare featuring authentic Kansas City-style barbecue is smoked daily on-site. AE, D, DC, ID+, MC, V. Full bar. Bella II, 135 S. Allegheny St., Bellefonte, 353-4696. Cozy and charming, yet affordable, Bella II’s specialty is good food! Fresh, classic pasta dishes with homemade sauces, large dinner salads, and in-house, hand-crafted desserts, top the favorites. Plan to try Bella II’s lunch buffet, Tues.-Thurs., featuring pasta, pizza, wraps, and desserts. BYOB welcomed! Take out available. Hours: Sun. 12-9, Tues.-Thurs. 11-9, Fri.Sat. 11-10, Closed Mondays. AE, D, MC, V. Carnegie House, corner of Cricklewood Dr. and Toftrees Ave., 234-2424. An exquisite boutique hotel offering fine dining in a relaxed yet gracious atmosphere. Serving lunch and dinner. Prix Fixe menu and à la carte menu selections now available. AAA Four Diamond Award recipient for lodging and fine dining. Reservations suggested. AE, MC, D, V. Full bar. Clem’s Roadside Bar and Grill, 1405 S. Atherton St., 237-7666, www.clemsbarandgrill.com. Chef/owner Greg Mussi combines forces with infamous griller Clem Pantalone to bring you a mix of classic BBQ and other signature dishes featuring local produce and an extensive wine list. Central’s PA’s unique “whiskey bar” and extensive wine list. Happy hours every day from 5 to 7 p.m. State College’s largest outdoor seating area. Groups welcome. Catering and private events available. Daily specials listed on Facebook. Live music. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. Full bar.
Cozy Thai Bistro, 232 S. Allen St., 237-0139. A true authentic Thai restaurant offering casual and yet “cozy” family-friendly dining experience. Menu features wide selections of exotic Thai cuisine, both lunch and dinner (take-out available). BYO (wines & beer) is welcome after 5 p.m. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V.
Damon’s Grill & Sports Bar, 1031 E. College Ave., 237-6300, damons.com. Just seconds from Beaver Stadium, locally owned and operated, Damon’s is the premiere place to watch sports and enjoy our extensive menu. Ribs, wings, burgers, steaks, apps, salads, and so much more. AE, D, MAC, MC, V, Full bar. The Deli Restaurant, 113 Hiester St., 237-5710, TheDeliRestaurant.com. Since 1973, The Deli has served up New York-style deli favorites on an American menu offering everything from comfort food to pub favorites, all made from scratch. Soups, breads, sauces, and award-winning desserts are homemade here early in the morning folks. Look for its rotating menu of food-themed festivals throughout the year. AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar. The Dining Room at the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Ave., 865-8590. Fine continental cuisine in a relaxed, gracious atmosphere. Casual attire acceptable. Private dining rooms available. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. Full bar. Down Under Steakhouse at Toftrees, One Country Club Lane, 234-8000, www.toftrees.com. A casual restaurant with unique dining featuring hearty appetizers, delicious entrees, fresh sandwiches and salads in a comfortable scenic atmosphere. Outdoor seating available. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. Full bar. Duffy’s Boalsburg Tavern, On the Diamond, Boalsburg, 466-6241. The Boalsburg Tavern offers a fine, intimate setting reminiscent of Colonial times. Dining for all occasions with formal and casual menus, daily dinner features, specials, and plenty of free parking. AE, MC, V. Full bar.
Key
AE ...........................................................American Express CB ..................................................................Carte Blanche D ................................................................ Discover/Novus DC........................................................................Diners Club ID+ ................................................ PSU ID+ card discounts LC ............................................................................ LionCash MAC .......................................................................debit card MC .......................................................................MasterCard V ......................................................................................... Visa .............................................. Handicapped-accessible
To advertise, call Town&Gown account executives Kathy George or Debbie Markel at (814) 238-5051. 106 - Town&Gown February 2015
107 - Town&Gown February 2015
or
Faccia Luna Pizzeria, 1229 S. Atherton St., 237-9000, www.faccialuna.com. A true neighborhood hangout, famous for authentic New York-style woodfired pizzas and fresh, homemade Italian cuisine. Seafood specialties, sumptuous salads, divine desserts, great service, and full bar. Outside seating available. Sorry, reservations not accepted. Dine-in, Take out. MC/V. Galanga, 454 E. College Ave., 237-1718. Another great addition to Cozy Thai Bistro. Galanga by Cozy Thai offers a unique authentic Thai food featuring Northeastern Thai style cuisine. Vegetarian menu selection available. BYO (wines and beer) is welcome after 5 p.m. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. . The Gardens Restaurant at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, 215 Innovation Blvd., Innovation Park, 863-5090. Dining is a treat for breakfast, lunch and dinner in The Gardens Restaurant, where sumptuous buffets and à la carte dining are our specialties. AE, CB, D, DC, MC, V. Full bar, beer. Gigi’s, West College Ave. on the Corner of Cato Ave., 861-3463, gigisdining.com. Conveniently located 5 minutes from Downtown, Gigi’s is a farm-to-table dining experience inspired by the hottest southern trends. Outdoor Patio. Lunch & Dinner. Full Bar. AE, D, MAC, MC, V.
Fantastic Cuisine, Cuisine, Fantastic Voted “Best” for Exquisite Decor. Most Romantic Voted “Best” i nand Fine Dining Fine Dining
ESCAPE !
Make any night an enjoyable evening at Reservations are suggested. Carnegie Inn & Spa. ESCAPE! Reservations are suggested.
The Greek, 102 E. Clinton Ave., 308-8822, www. thegreekrestaurant.net. Located behind The Original Waffle Shop on North Atherton Street. Visit our Greek tavern and enjoy authentic Greek cuisine. From fresh and abundant vegetables to the most succulent kebabs, each dish has been perfected to showcase genuine Greek flavors. When we say “authentic,” we mean it. Full service, BYOB. D, MC, V. Herwig’s Austrian Bistro, “Where Bacon Is An Herb,” 132 W. College Ave., 272-0738. Located next to the State Theatre. Serving authentic Austrian home cooking in Central PA. Ranked #1 Ethnic Restaurant in State College for 7 years in a row. Eat-in, Take-Out, Catering. Gluten-free options available. Bacon-based dessert. Homemade breads, BYO beer or wine all day. Sense of humor required. D, MAC, MC, V. Hi-Way Pizza, 1688 N. Atherton St., 237-0375, HiWayPizza.com. The State College tradition for nearly 50 years, nobody does it better than Hi-Way! Offering more than 29 varieties of hand-spun pizzas made from scratch offer an endless combination of toppings. Its vodka “flaky” crust and red stuffed pizzas are simply a must have. Hi-Way’s menu rounds out with pasta dishes, calzones, grinders, salads, and other Italian specialties. Eat-in, Takeout, or Hi-Way delivery. AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar.
Pet Many Friendly Choices Hotels
Seasonal Specials and Packages. PSU Did you know that four Parents and Alumni legged friends areby our Discounts offered welcome at four of our six six State College hotels. State College hotels? . Hilton Garden Inn . .Days DaysInn InnPenn PennState State . .Quality Inn Quality Inn . .Nittany NittanyBudget BudgetMotel Motel . .Super 8 Super 8 . Carnegie Inn & Spa
ChicUpscale Southern Metropolitan Hospitality dining Patio Now Open
Celebrate Valentine’s Day... Take her to Featuring Small Plates Gigi’s Friday & Saturday Martini Nights
RESTAURANT RESTAURANT 2080 West College & Cato Ave.
.com
Corner of Cricklewood Dr. and Toftrees Ave.
814/234-2424
State College
West College & Cato Ave.
814 . 861 . 3463 814 . 861 . 3463 GigisDining.com GigisDining.com
carnegieinnandspa.com www.carnegiehouse.com 108 - Town&Gown February 2015
February - 1/2 Town & Gown Mar 2013 2014 IssueIssue - 1/2 Pg AdPg Ad
India Pavilion, 222 E. Calder Way, 237-3400. Large selection of vegetarian and nonvegetarian dishes from northern India. Lunch buffet offered daily. We offer catering for groups and private parties. AE, D, MC, V. Inferno Brick Oven & Bar, 340 E. College Ave., 237-5718, InfernoBrickOvenBar.com. With a casual yet sophisticated atmosphere, Inferno is a place to see and be seen. A full-service bar boasts a unique specialty wine, beer, and cocktail menu. Foodies — Inferno offers a contemporary Neapolitan brick-oven experience featuring a focused menu of artisan pizzas and other modern-Italian plates. Lunch and dinner service transitions into night as a boutique nightclub with dancefloor lighting, club sound system, and the area’s most talented resident DJs. AE, D, MAC, MC, V. Full bar. Legends Pub at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, 215 Innovation Blvd., Innovation Park, 863-5080. Unwind with beverages and a casual lounge menu. AE, D, MC, V. Full bar.
The Wedding you’ve always dreamed of
- Several wedding packages to choose from with many enhancements available - Catering for on & off site celebrations - Convenient parking at Celebration Hall
CATERING & EVENT RENTALS
814.238.0824
2280 Commercial Blvd. State College hoagscatering.com
109 - Town&Gown February 2015
on Hall
Celebrati AT
Featuring exquisite cakes from Dolce Vita Desserts
Mario’s Italian Restaurant, 1272 N. Atherton St., 234-4273, MariosItalianStateCollege.com. Fresh specialty dishes, pasta, sauces, hand-tossed pizzas, and rotisserie wood-grilled chicken all made from scratch are just a few reasons why Mario’s is authentically Italian! At the heart of it all is a specialty wood-fired pizza oven and rotisserie that imparts rustic flavors that can’t be beat! Mario’s loves wine, honored with six consecutive Wine Spectator awards and a wine list of more than 550 Italian selections. Mario’s even pours 12 rotating specialty bottles on its WineStation® state-of-theart preservation system. Reservations and Walk-Ins welcome. AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar. Otto’s Pub & Brewery, 2235 N. Atherton St., 867-6886, www.ottospubandbrewery.com. Our new location provides plenty of parking, great ales and lagers, full service bar, signature dishes made with local products in a family-friendly, casual atmosphere. AE, D, DC, LC MC, V. Full bar. Philipsburg Elks Lodge & Country Club, 1 Country Club Lane, Philipsburg, 342-0379, philipsburgelks.com. Restaurant open to the public! Monday-Saturday 11-9, Sunday 9-3. Member-only bar. New golf member special, visit our Web site for summer golf special. AE MC, V. Full Bar (member only).
The Tavern Restaurant, 220 E. College Ave., 238-6116. A unique gallery-in-a-restaurant preserving PA’s and Penn State’s past. Dinner at The Tavern is a Penn State tradition. Major credit cards accepted. Full bar. Whiskers at the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Ave., 865-8580. Casual dining featuring soups, salads, sandwiches and University Creamery ice cream. Major credit cards accepted. Full bar.
Good Food Fast Baby’s Burgers & Shakes, 131 South Garner St., 234-4776, www.babysburgers.com. Love poodle skirts, a jukebox playing the oldies, and delicious food cooked to order? Then Baby’s Burgers & Shakes is your kind of restaurant! Bring the entire family and enjoy a “ Whimpy” burger, a Cherry Coke or delicious chocolate shake, and top it off with a “Teeny Weeny Sundae,” in our authentic 1947 Silk City Diner. Check out Baby’s Web site for full menu and daily specials! D, MC, V, MAC, Lion’s Cash.
India Pavilion Exotic Indian Cuisine
Now Open 7 Days a Week Lunch Buffet: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Dinner: 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
ON CAMPUS • HUB ROBESON CENTER
222 E. Calder Way 237-3400 www.indiapavilion.net 110 - Town&Gown February 2015
Carry Out Available
IRVING’S CATER
Let us to your needs!
From sandwiches & wraps to bagels & sweets, WE DELIVER to PSU Campus & State College area! Call us at 814.231.0604
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Store & Ice Cream Parlor Milk • Ice Cream • Eggs Cheese • Juices Pop's Mexi-Hots • Baked Goods • Sandwiches Ice Cream Cakes & More! Open Daily 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. 2390 S. Atherton St. (814) 237-1849
A true neighborhood hangout highly regarded for its popular and authentic New York-style wood-fired pizza and commitment to quality. Award-winning pizza. and Italian cuisine homemade with only the best and freshest ingredients.
www.faccialuna.com 1229 South Atherton St. • State College • 234-9000
Taste of the Month Each month, Town&Gown highlights a local place to eat and offers a glimpse into the great dining of our community.
If it’s happening in Happy Valley, it’s in Town&Gown! 111 - Town&Gown February 2015
Fiddlehead, 134 W. College Ave., 237-0595, www.fiddleheadstatecollege.com. Fiddlehead is a soup-and-salad café offering soups made from scratch daily. Create your own salad from over 40 fresh ingredients. HUB Dining, HUB-Robeson Center on campus, (814) 865-7623. A Penn State tradition open to all! We will have a total of 13 different eateries. Jamba Juice, McAlister’s Deli, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Burger King, Higher Grounds, Sbarro, Soup & Garden, Diversions, Blue Burrito, Mixed Greens, Panda Express, and Sushi by Panda Express. V, MC, LC. Irving’s, 110 E. College Ave., 231-0604, www.irvingsstatecollege.com. Irving’s is State College’s finest bakery café serving award-winning bagels, espresso, sandwiches, salads, and smoothies.
Meyer Dairy, 2390 S. Atherton St., 237-1849. A State College Classic! Meyer Dairy is the perfect choice for a quick, homemade lunch with fresh soups and sandwiches or treat yourself to your favorite flavor of ice cream or sundae at our ice cream parlor. Fresh milk from our own dairy cows (we do not inject our cows with BST), eggs, cheese, ice cream cakes, baked goods, and more! Plus, Meyer Dairy is the best place to pick up your Town&Gown magazine each month!
Specialty Foods Hoag’s Catering/Celebration Hall, 2280 Commercial Blvd., State College, 238-0824, www.hoagscatering.com. Hoag’s Catering specializes in off-site catering, event rentals, and on-site events at Celebration Hall. We do the work, you use the fork — large and small events. T&G
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Fiddlehead, 134 W. College Ave., 237-0595, www.fiddleheadstatecollege.com. Fiddlehead is a soup-and-salad café offering soups made from scratch daily. Create your own salad from over 40 fresh ingredients. HUB Dining, HUB-Robeson Center on campus, (814) 865-7623. A Penn State tradition open to all! We will have a total of 13 different eateries. Jamba Juice, McAlister’s Deli, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Burger King, Higher Grounds, Sbarro, Soup & Garden, Diversions, Blue Burrito, Mixed Greens, Panda Express, and Sushi by Panda Express. V, MC, LC. Irving’s, 110 E. College Ave., 231-0604, www.irvingsstatecollege.com. Irving’s is State College’s finest bakery café serving award-winning bagels, espresso, sandwiches, salads, and smoothies.
Meyer Dairy, 2390 S. Atherton St., 237-1849. A State College Classic! Meyer Dairy is the perfect choice for a quick, homemade lunch with fresh soups and sandwiches or treat yourself to your favorite flavor of ice cream or sundae at our ice cream parlor. Fresh milk from our own dairy cows (we do not inject our cows with BST), eggs, cheese, ice cream cakes, baked goods, and more! Plus, Meyer Dairy is the best place to pick up your Town&Gown magazine each month!
Specialty Foods Hoag’s Catering/Celebration Hall, 2280 Commercial Blvd., State College, 238-0824, www.hoagscatering.com. Hoag’s Catering specializes in off-site catering, event rentals, and on-site events at Celebration Hall. We do the work, you use the fork — large and small events. T&G
LIPSBURG EL PHLIodge & Country Club KS
s every Fri & Sat night the month of Feb d Special ruary! Seafoo
Restaurant is open to the public! Mon-Sat:11-9 • Sun: 9-9 Country Club Lane, Philipsburg (814) 342-0379 • www.philipsburgelks.com
Visit
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lunch with mimi
Fraser Centre developers are finally seeing work done at the downtown State College site as their grand plans begin to take shape
Darren Weimert
Start of Something Big Gray Brandeis of Real Estate Capital Management (left) and his business partner, Dan Detichman of Brickbox Enterprises, Ltd., talk with Town&Gown founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith at Allen Street Grill in State College.
After more than 10 years of planning, delays, and development changes, the Fraser Centre in State College is finally under construction. The construction team began the project in October 2014 with excavation and belowground work to relocate utilities, lay the building’s foundation, and build the underground parking area. Project developers hope to begin vertical construction by June. Developers and investment partners Gary Brandeis of Real Estate Capital Management and his business partner, Dan Deitchman of Brickbox Enterprises, Ltd., envision 50,000 square feet of retail space, a 165-room Hyatt hotel, and 26 to 32 residential condos, including four elegant penthouse units. The building will stand 155-feet tall from Beaver Avenue, making it the tallest building in State College by about 60 feet. The Fraser Centre plans include three primary retail entrances: on the corner of Beaver Avenue and Fraser Street, at the mid-block point of Fraser Street, and at the corner of Fraser Street and Calder Way. The retail parts of the Fraser Centre are expected to open around September 2016, with the hotel opening later that fall. Residents are anticipated to begin to move into the condos once the majority of the other construction is complete. The hotel and residences will have their primary entrances on Beaver Avenue. Town&Gown founder Mimi Barash Cop-
persmith sat down with Brandeis and Deitchman at the Allen Street Grill in State College to discuss how the project will be funded and what people can expect to see once construction is completed. Mimi: I’m catching you on the run as you prepare for a meeting that is an important piece of what you’re up to! Gary: Yes. In putting together the Fraser Centre project, not only are we constructing a building but we have to finance it, find tenants, and create a business model that works. Part of the financing opportunity is that there is a loan program through the US Department of Immigration called the EB-5 Financing Program. It’s an economic-development program that helps promote jobs creating real estate development. We’re developing retail space and a hotel, so a lot of jobs are created. Mimi: How many? Gary: We estimate over 500, between construction jobs and permanent jobs. Because of that, our project qualifies for the specific EB-5 financing, which is connected to international investors. Mimi: So, it gives you an especially low interest rate? Gary: Yes, but there is more to it. Mimi: What are the perks of it? Gary: It basically gives us secondary financing, which allows it to sit behind senior
114 - Town&Gown February 2015
bank debt and act like equity. We’re investing our own equity, along with the EB-5 financing and traditional bank debt. Generally, the EB-5 investments are made through the Department of Immigration, with international investors creating a pool of capital that invests in the project, and, in addition to their investment, each investor receives a green card that allows them to come to the United States to work. So, in this case, there are over 3,000 Chinese students that currently go to school here at Penn State. We’re talking to a few of those students to introduce the project to them as part of the Penn State community. Mimi: Amazing! Absolutely amazing! This project has been on the drawing board for I think about 10 years, right? Gary: I think it was 2006 when the borough put the property up for sale. Mimi: But the conversations started earlier, and I remember going to a meeting sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, standing up, and telling them that it will never go. I remember saying to them, “You’re looking at somebody that had a great idea,
too, but guess what, it didn’t work.” Little did I know that my prediction would come true! I didn’t wish it, but I wanted them to be aware that the project I did was not quickly absorbed by the market. While I had equity in all the land, I had a huge construction loan for which I privately signed with my then husband. It just didn’t work. The market wasn’t ready to accept it. Describe that to me what the residential piece is going to be like? Gary: Ultimately, we are building a mixed-use development that has retail, hotel, and residential all in one building. Mimi: But not student housing? Gary: Market rate, so it’s for-sale condominiums that are not student-oriented. Mimi: For sale? Gary: For-sale condominiums on the top four floors. The residential units will have unencumbered views of campus and the valley. The units will have high ceilings, modern systems, modern floor plans, lots of glass — something that doesn’t exist in the marketplace right now. Everything that we are doing at the Fraser Centre doesn’t exist in the market — large, modern retail space,
115 - Town&Gown February 2015
a nationally flagged upscale hotel, and the residences. Mimi: How many rooms in the hotel? Gary: Approximately 165. Mimi: How many rooms do you have to fill in the normal months to break even? Gary: We’ve done a lot of market research, and if you look at the market right now, hotels are doing in the high 60s and low 70s for occupancy percentages. We’re also planning a lot of great meeting space in the hotel for events, whether it’s corporate or social events. Mimi: And, the first level will be retail, and then offices above? Gary: No offices anticipated — just retail, hotel, and residential. The commercial space will have ancillary office use, but we have 55,000 square feet of retail space. Now, we’re going to chop that up into smaller spaces, but these large format spaces don’t exist in the current market. You’ve got 15-foot ceilings with glass surrounding the building. These are modern retail spaces for national/international retailers that you find in larger markets that also want to be in college communities
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but require larger format space with lots of glass and natural light. Mimi: Could you give us an idea of the type of retail you’re looking at? Gary: We’re talking to internationalapparel retailers, really unique food and beverage concepts, and convenience retailers, as well. Mimi: But, you’re not naming any names? You’re not willing to do that? Gary: We’re not naming any names yet. As we get further along, we will make the announcements. Mimi: When would you hope to have these? Gary: By the spring. Mimi: What makes you think you can do what other people who were playing with [the site] for multiple years couldn’t do? What’s your formula that will make it work? Gary: Well, I think it’s not so much a formula. Unfortunately, the prior developers ran into a recession. They were dependent on the university to make their project work, and, when the [Jerry Sandusky scandal] came to State College and the university, that deal
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An artist rendering of Fraser Centre, which will include retail space, a hotel, and condominiums.
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didn’t work anymore, so that unraveled. I think we were able to come in at a time where a lot of that is behind us — the economic recession and the height of the crisis. We were able to look beyond that and focus on getting things done. Dan, my business partner, spent his career in construction. He’s an engineer who graduated from Penn State, and construction is second nature to him. The parts that are second nature to me are finance, hotels, franchise agreements, negotiating retail leases, etc. Mimi: So you bring different expertise? Gary: Absolutely. Our experience, our expertise, and our education cover all sides of the spectrum. Mimi: And Dan, you live in Harrisburg? Dan: Yes. Mimi: Tell us a few more specifics about the condominiums. Dan: We have not publicized details yet. There are going to be 26 to 32 units that are one- to four-bedroom varieties. In terms of size, we anticipate approximately 1,000 square feet up to almost 3,000 square feet. And the
market prices will be in the mid-six figures to over seven figures. Mimi: And these units are on the top four floors? Total building is 12 stories? Dan: Yes, the top four floors. Total building height is 12 stories. Mimi: How many per floor? Dan: The current concept is eight units on the lower two floors, and then six, and four. So, eight, eight, six, and four. Mimi: Okay. When do you think this project will be completed? Gary: We expect to deliver the retail space in the summer of 2016, so that the retailers can plan to open for the fall of 2016. And we hope to open the hotel in the fall of 2016, as well. Mimi: What’s your biggest hurdle now? Gary: Finalizing the retail leases. Ultimately, State College as a community and college town needs to continue to develop the downtown. Mimi: Create new reasons to go downtown. What about parking? Gary: The plan is to have one level of
Bellefonte Intervalley area ChamBer volunteer faIr! March 7th 10 AM to 2 PM
American Philatelic Society at the Match Factory in Bellefonte This free event offers the public a way to conveniently speak with many community service organizations that need volunteers - making it easy to see what is available and to find a volunteer opportunity that matches the interests and time available of each person or family.
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belowground parking, which is going to service the residences and the retail spaces. The hotel parking is mostly going to happen in the adjacent garages through the long-term lease agreement we have with the borough and valet services. Mimi: Okay, well they have space! How many cars will the belowground parking hold? Dan: Fifty-seven. Mimi: You think that’s enough? Gary: I do. Mimi: My sense says it isn’t. Dan: Luckily, we’ll have additional parking in the adjacent garages if we need it. Gary: We’re lucky that we have over 800 parking spaces right next to the Fraser Centre site, between the Beaver Avenue garage and the Fraser Street garage. And a lot of the retail customers and guests are going to be walking. Mimi: Well, I want to thank you guys for taking the time to share this exciting stuff with me. Gary: Thank you for having us. Dan: Thank you. T&G
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State College Photo Club’s Winning Photos The State College Photo Club provides photo enthusiasts with the opportunity to share their passion for photography with others and to provide an environment for learning and developing new skills. Town&Gown is pleased to present the winning images from the club’s monthly competition. Shown this month are the first-place winners from the judged November meeting competition.
November Meeting First Place Theme “Furry” “In Or Out” by Kimberly Intorre
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“I took this photo at a friend’s house during a party as people were coming and going with food. I converted the original color photo into a monochrome, adding a little soft focus.”
November Meeting First Place Open Category “Blue Dandelion” by Pat Dolan
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“Beautiful simplicity — as seen through the eyes of my great-grandchildren on a lovely spring day.”
A copy of either of these photos may be obtained with a $75 contribution to the Salvation Army of Centre County. Contact Captain Charles Niedermeyer at (814) 861-1785. You can select any size up to 11 inches wide. The State College Photo Club meets on the third Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at Foxdale Village Auditorium. Guests and new members are always welcome.
Visit statecollegephotoclub.org for more information about how to join. 122 - Town&Gown February 2015
Coaches vs. Cancer Night February 28, 2015 6:00PM Tipoff Penn State vs. Iowa Come out to support CVC and your Penn State Men’s Basketball team! Order your tickets online at www.gopsusports.com
Thank You Sponsors!
Due to the generous donations and tireless efforts of devoted supporters, Coaches vs. Cancer – Penn State raised over $200,000 during the 2013-2014 fiscal year bringing the grand total to more than $2.2 million raised since the organization’s inception. If you’d like more information about CVC or would like to volunteer, please visit:
www.cvcpennstate.org
snapshot
More to Give Back THON director continues her desire to keep helping By Sabrina Evans Penn State senior and THON 2015 director Megan Renaut has an arsenal of fanny packs — and she’s not afraid to use them! THON has been helping children with cancer and their families since 1977, raising more than $114 million for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. As director for this year’s THON, which is February 20-22 at the Bryce Jordan Center, Renaut knows the secret to surviving the annual 46-hour event is preparation — tissues, ChapStick, and portable chargers — because fighting pediatric cancer isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Renaut was first introduced to THON in her hometown of Abbottstown through the Four Diamonds Fund and Mini-THON. However, it wasn’t until she started thinking more seriously about college that she says she learned how “special” the Penn State THON experience is for students and Four Diamonds families. She became hospitality caption for THON 2012, and she and her committee were responsible for gathering all the food and beverage donations for THON events and the weekend itself. Then, during THON 2013, she was introduced to the publicity side of THON, becoming a member of the public-relations committee. The next year, she was hospitality director for THON 2014. Taking on the role as the event’s overall director wasn’t only a logical progression for her but also a decision powered by a desire to embrace THON as a whole. “I felt like I was really passionate about continuing my work as a member of the executive committee and felt like I had more ideas and more passion to give back,” she says. “I just wasn’t done.” Now she starts her days early, usually heading straight to the THON office, which is located in the HUB-Robeson Center. During the day, she conducts meetings with Four Diamonds
and university contacts, leaving her nights open to meet with THON student volunteers. All the while she keeps up with classes. “It’s been difficult to give 110 percent in all those areas, but it’s all about balance,” she Megan Renaut says. It’s switching gears between her different roles that is the biggest challenge she faces as director, she says. Whether she’s studying for exams, maintaining THON’s relationship with its many contacts, or managing the team of 15 directors who make up THON’s executive board, she does it all. But not everything is nose-to-the-grindstone work. “So much of what I do is fun,” she says. “The best part of my position is being able to build relationships with so many of THON’s different stakeholders. I get to work with so many people who are passionate about THON and who love what we do and are supportive of that.” One of her favorite THON memories was standing on the stage of the Bryce Jordan Center during THON 2014 to count down to the moment when all the dancers would stand up. “It was just a really positive moment for me, seeing everyone ready to put on THON weekend and experience it in so many different ways,” she says. “All of us really work hard throughout the year toward that culminating event of THON weekend, and when it actually gets here it’s kind of mind-blowing.” Indeed, it’s the people who come together and fight for a common cause that keeps her grounded in the face of such a larger-than-life event. THON 2015’s theme is “Empower the Dreamers,” and if Renaut achieves her goal of empowering an entire community to dream bigger, then she’s done her job. “I think we really need the world to focus on childhood cancer and give that fight the attention it deserves,” she says. “While we’re here and we’re going to keep going until the battle is won, so to speak, we’re not going to be able to do it alone.” T&G
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