Town&Gown JUNE 2016
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A Truly Great Fish Story For 150 years, the PA Fish & Boat Commission has helped make Centre County and the rest of the state one of the best places to fish in America
Inside: All-Star alums from Centre County schools • Special “History: Milestones” section
Since TAV ERN RESTAUR ANT 1948 Stop in for our Award Winning Sunday Brunch Buffet
Congratulations 2016 Tavern Graduates! Front left to right: Molly Shenk, Hannah Kelly, Anne Lorenzo, Kate Perkins, Katie Nguyen, Mindy Bernard, Caitlin Heath, Jack Cardello
Not in photo: Leah Mothersbaugh, Ben Sallade, Jenny Donovan, Andrew Turner
Back left to right: Scott Feldman, Caleb Livingston, Nick Sabol, Chase Garber, Dylan Engle, Derek Baser, Nicole Bortiatynski, Joe Purpura, Emily Brown, Josh Clothiaux
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features 30 / A Great and True Fish Story
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There’s no need to exaggerate the work the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission has done in its 150 years of protecting Pennsylvania waterways. The organization has helped make the state, and especially Centre County, one of the best places to fish in America • by T. Wayne Waters
38 / All-Star Alums Town&Gown’s annual look at alumni from Centre County’s five public school districts includes a mathematics professor, a nationally published author, and an award-winning nurse. Each has made an impact in their respective fields while never losing sight of their Centre County roots • by Jenna Spinelle
84 / The Great Outdoor Music Scene
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Summertime means baseball, grilling, swimming … and listening to some sweet sounds in the warm summer breeze • by Lori Wilson
Special Advertising Section 47 / History: Milestones Town&Gown’s annual “History” section showcases the beginnings, transitions, and successes of area businesses and organizations On the cover: Photo by Darren Andrew Weimert.
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Renowned local fisherman Joe Humphreys casts a line in Spring Creek.
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 2016 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
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departments
10 Letter from The Editor 12 Starting Off: The List, People in the Community, Q&A 20 Living Well: The role of a father • by Meghan Fritz 22 Health: Conquering communication disorders • from Mount Nittany Medical Center 24 About Town: Finding the true meaning behind some Happy Valley places and landmarks • by Nadine Kofman 26 On Center: Montreal circus company returns with a new take on the Old West in Saloon • by John Mark Rafacz
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116 28 Penn State Diary: Pavilion Theatre gives audiences unique experience • by Lee Stout 45 This Month on WPSU 91 What’s Happening: Summer’s Best Music Fest, My Fair Lady, PIAA championships, Bellefonte Cruise, State College Spikes, and more highlight June’s events 100 On Tap: • Local distilleries giving Happy Valley something else to enjoy • by Sam Komlenic 104 Taste of the Month/Dining Out: Little Szechuan offers authentic foods from Chinese province • by Vilma Shu Danz 116 Lunch with Mimi: New alumni association CEO looks to keep large network of alums connected to university 122 State College Photo Club’s Winning Photos 124 Snapshot: Arboretum director maintains fresh approach to the changing gardens • by Madison Lippincott
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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.
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2016 June T&G - 9
T& G
letter from the editor
Dads Can Have Their Day
While not as anticipated as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day has its special moments, too As I write this, it’s about a week following Mother’s Day, and I’m now looking ahead to Father’s Day. Talk about a difference in build up! Mother’s Day is all about planning a special day or weekend. It’s about letting Mom (wife) sleep in or making her breakfast. In the weeks leading up to the day, advertisements appear everywhere to make sure dads (husbands) don’t mess things up — as we’re wont to do. And don’t forget about the cards. As the character Newman in a Seinfeld episode pointed out, Mother’s Day is “the mother of all mail days.” Father’s Day is about … what? Dads do get a little shortchanged when it comes to the hype and spectacle surrounding the two parental holidays. Of course, dads, we have only ourselves to blame for the most part, especially given the history of Father’s Day. You can read a little about it in “The List.” As someone who will be celebrating his seventh Father’s Day as a dad, the holiday serves as a reminder of the joys fatherhood has brought me. I reread the “Letter” I wrote for this space a month after my first son was born in 2009. I described what I had learned a month into being a dad. Safe to say, I’m still learning things — like I have to be extra careful with things I say around the house, lest they get repeated or misunderstood! The job of being a parent is a job where you never stop learning and you enjoy those special moments with your kids each day — whether it’s a holiday or not. And speaking of feeling special, Town&Gown received a couple of awards/honors in May. At the Borough of State College’s ABC (Authorities, Boards, and Commissions) Appreciation Dinner, the magazine was honored to receive the Arnold Addison
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Award, which is given to an individual or group that has promoted the quality of life in the community through towngown relations. Also, Town&Gown earned a Silver Bracket Award for Editorial/ Publication Design for creative director Tiara Snare’s opening design for the story, “Bringing a Hero Home” (April 2015). The Bracket Awards, a competition awarding excellence in advertising, design, and marketing created in Central Pennsylvania, are presented by [CP]2, Central Pennsylvania Creative Professionals. The organization is doing an outstanding job in promoting and bringing together the creative talent that is here in Happy Valley! The honors are not only about the staff at Town&Gown, which works hard to put out a high-quality magazine each month, but also about all of Happy Valley since it’s you who are doing the wonderful work in the region and allow us to share your stories with everyone, and also the businesses and organizations who advertise in the magazine and are the reason why it has been free for more than 50 years now! So thank you Happy Valley!
David Pencek Editorial Director dpenc@barashmedia.com
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starting off
The List What to know about JUNE Enjoy those milks and cheeses from your favorite places. June is National Dairy Month! You also can get an early jump on National Ice Cream Month, which is in July.
High school graduations take place across Happy Valley in June. Congratulations to all the graduates! This month’s story, “All-Star Alums,” is Town&Gown’s annual look at how some members of past graduating classes have made an impact in their fields.
The first Friday in June, which is June 3 this year, can mean only one thing — National Donut Day! The day actually started as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army in Chicago.
Go Fishing Day is June 18. Check out what fishing means to our region in this month’s story, “A Great and True Fish Story.” 12 - T&G June 2016
It’s Old Glory’s big day on June 14. Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States in 1777. The day also is the birthday for the United States Army, which turns 241 years old this year.
The local boys of summer are back as the State College Spikes return to action. Their home opener at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park is June 18. June 19 is Father’s Day. The day to honor dads has a checkered past of sorts as many men didn’t like the holiday at first. According to history.com, one historian wrote that many men “scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products — often paid for by the father himself.”
While Memorial Day is seen as the beginning of summer, the official first day of the favorite season for many is June 20. It’s the longest day of the year, which means, on a bit of a downer note, the days will slowly become shorter following it. T&G
People in the Community Melanie Lynch
Melanie Lynch, a State College Area High School health-education teacher, won the National Health Education Teacher of the Year award from SHAPE America. According to a release from SHAPE America, the Teacher of the Year awards are given in recognition of outstanding teaching performance and the ability to motivate today’s youth to participate in a lifetime of physical activity. According to the school district’s Web site, Lynch’s signature presentation is her “highenergy lesson plan sharing session entitled ‘Let’s Have Fun in Health Class Today.’ It is Melanie’s passion to create and find skills-based lesson plans that will engage students in the classroom in order to enhance their health literacy while also having a darn good time in class.” “I think kids want to be motivated,” says Lynch, who is in her 20th year as a healtheducation specialist for State College Area
School District. “I had a student tell me they love coming to class, they’re no longer tired, they changed their eating habits, and are sleeping more. Change is something that’s really hard. It can be really hard to move the needle with teenagers.”
Max Rohn
Penn State ability athlete Max Rohn won two gold medals at the 2016 Invictus Games in May in Orlando. Rohn, who recently completed his junior year in the College of Engineering, won the gold in the discus with a throw of 171 feet, 10 inches, and the gold in the shot put with a distance of 42 feet, 8 ½ inches. Rohn competes with a prosthetic attached to his right leg, which was amputated below the knee following a grenade blast while he was serving in Iraq. He is looking to compete in the summer Paralympics in Rio. He also is looking to pursue a career dedicated to advancing the technology of prosthetic limbs.
Erin Tench
In April, Erin Tench was named the new executive director for the Pennsylvania Pink Zone. She replaces Miriam Powell, who had been the organization’s first executive director. Tench had been the associate director of special events at Penn State. She also has worked with Meeting Professionals International, Hyland Events, the Hyland Group, the National Association of Broadcasters, and Associated Builders and Contractors. She is a 2000 graduate of Penn State, earning her degree in media studies. “I am thrilled to see Erin take over the helm of Pink Zone,” Penn State women’s basketball head coach Coquese Washington said in a press release. “She has tremendous experience and a background that is ideally suited for our organization.” T&G
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Q&A with Raymond Sage, artistic director of the NU. Musical Theatre Festival and the new S.T.A.T.E. program By David Pencek Penn State Centre Stage returns in July with Broadway on Allen July 1 and July 8 and the NU. Musical Theatre Festival featuring the work Deep Water Ballad July 14-16 at the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center. This year’s Broadway on Allen features students from Penn State’s new S.T.A.T.E. (School of Theatre Artistry and Technical Education) program, which is an intensive two-week musical theater program for high school students entering 10th through 12th grades. Raymond Sage is the artistic director for the program as well as the artistic director for the NU. Musical Theatre Festival, so he is busy this month preparing for what will happen on stage in July. T&G: How did the process go to select the students who will be participating in the S.T.A.T.E. program? Sage: We received almost 100 submissions. The students are asked to submit two contrasting musical theater songs, a monologue, and a short demonstration of their dance abilities. We had students from all over the country apply. Our 24 students that were accepted come from Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, and as far as Texas, South Dakota, and California. T&G: When you work with young people like the ones who will be in the program, what feelings does it give you about the future of musical theater? Sage: Along with being the director of S.T.A.T.E., I also do a great deal of high school recruiting for our musical theater program. Musical theater has become a staple in many high
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schools across the country and very competitive to audition for. The young performers today are getting more and more training in voice, dance, and acting before they ever get to college, so the competition continues to go up and up. It’s the love of the art form from young people that makes me very confident in the success of the art form as a whole. T&G: You also have the NU. Musical Theatre Festival in the middle of July with Deep Water Ballad. What appealed to you about working with this piece? Sage: Deep Water Ballad is the brainchild of Chris Rayis, one of our very talented master students in musical theater direction at Penn State. He has a unique gift in putting an emotional lyric into a song that tells a complete story. T&G: What has happened to some of the pieces that have been at past NU. Musical Theatre Festivals? Sage: Works have gone to wellknown theaters in this country like the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Chicago Musical Theatre Festival, Papermill Theatre in New Jersey, Goodspeed Playhouse in Connecticut, and at the prestigious Finborough Theatre and Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, and off-Broadway at the American Place Theatre. T&G For more information on Penn State Centre Stage, visit theatre.psu.edu.
Amy Hays, M.D. & Jessica Woytowich, PA-C
New Patients Welcome. Visit us at our newest location! Penn State Family Medicine is now offered at 303 Benner Pike, Suite 1. Call 814-272-5660 to make an appointment.
Celebrate the 50th Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts!
Festive Spirits Party Friday, July 15 5pm-7pm The Towers, 403 South Allen Street Sponsored by Big Spring Spirits Food by Catering with Style by Dan Rallis $50 per person donation Tickets (814) 237-3682 • arts-festival.com Proceeds benefit: the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
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This Monthtownandgown.com On
• In 5 Questions, singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter talks about her new album, The Things That We Are Made Of. She brings her tour to the State Theatre June 29. • Nittany Valley Society revisits its work to catalog the archival materials of the CBICC. • Bellefonte Cruise director Pat McCool talks about the growth of the event. • A special offer for 15 percent off your order at Little Szechuan. Mary Chapin Carpenter
And more!
Visit our Facebook site for the latest happenings and opportunities to win free tickets to concerts and events! Follow us on Twitter @TownGownSC.
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T& G
living well
The Role of a Father Dads help provide children with sense of identity Contributed photo
By Meghan Fritz
The author with her father, John Lemery, on her wedding day.
On a recent trip to Denver to visit my brother and his family, I had the opportunity to spend time with my nieces, who are 3 and 5 years old. We spent a lot of time at the playground and playing outside. What struck me in our time together was how important my brother’s approval and attention are to my nieces. It’s not that their mother isn’t equally important, but there is something about a father’s approval that we crave deep in our spirits. This approval and attention shape our self-esteem from the time we are born into the world, and if we don’t get it, we spend our adult lives searching for it in other ways. A father is responsible for teaching us our identity in the world — who we are, what we are good at, and how we leave our fingerprints on the world. Next time you go to a playground, pay attention to the children with their parents. Over and over again you will hear, “Dad, watch me climb!” “Dad, did you see me jump so high!” “Dad, watch how fast I go down the slide!” When a father takes the time to nurture 20 - T&G June 2016
their child’s identity, the result is a strong, confident child who never questions their father’s love and approval. I work with so many individuals daily who are damaged from the inside out because they never received the approval they desperately wanted from their fathers. They grow into adults who constantly seek approval from others or continually attract dysfunctional relationships because deep down they don’t believe they deserve anything better. As we prepare to celebrate Father’s Day this month, I urge all dads and every male who is a role model and mentor to a child or young adult to give the gift of your presence and approval. Take the time to sit with your child and let them know how proud you are of them. Nurture their spirits and help shape them into strong, courageous individuals who can go out into the world and use their gifts and talents to change the world. Take the time to offer words of affirmation, encouragement, love, and approval. Fathers of daughters, how you treat your daughter sets the stage for what kind of romantic relationships she will choose as a young adult. If you fail to spend time with her as a teen, letting her know you value and care for her deeply, she will find the affection and approval she seeks from you elsewhere. Teach your daughter that she is worthy of respect, attention, chivalry, and love. If you treat her mother poorly or speak disrespectfully about her mother, she will learn that this is acceptable behavior and will
either attract someone who puts her down, or be the person that is emotionally and verbally abusive in a relationship. Affirm her strength, beauty, gifts, and talents. You hold the power to teach your daughter to stand tall and demand respect and health in relationships. When you do not take your job as a father seriously, you are setting the stage for future dysfunction, low self-worth, and a lifetime of resentment and anger toward you. Fathers of sons, take the time to raise men. Teach your son to be accountable and treat women with respect and honor. Again, if you disrespect his mother or put her down regularly, you are teaching your son that this is acceptable behavior. Take the time to let your son know you value him. Make it a priority to do an activity together regularly where you can
teach him a skill or craft. Affirm him with approval and the gift of your presence. When boys do not receive consistent approval from their fathers, they tend to struggle finding purpose in their adult lives. As we prepare to honor the men who have shaped our lives on Father’s Day, do not discount the gift of your approval and attention in your child’s life. You hold the keys to your child’s self-worth and identity. Your consistent love and approval deeply impacts your child’s ability to feel a sense of purpose and inner peace. This Father’s Day and every day, watch how your approval and presence strengthens and grows your child from the inside out. T&G Meghan Fritz is a psychotherapist practicing in State College.
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Contributed photo
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health
Conquering Communication Disorders A better understanding of speech and language impairments can lead to effective treatment and prevention From Mount Nittany Medical Center Speech and language disorders affect a person’s ability to talk, understand, read, and write, and the disorders have different causes and may range from a few speech-sound errors to repetitions of sounds or words or a total loss of the ability to use speech to communicate effectively. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) reports that approximately 43 million people in the United States suffer from a speech, voice, language, or hearing impairment. Approximately 10 percent of children have moderate to severe communication impairments, including speech production/articulation, stuttering, and languagelearning difficulties. Children with speech and language impairments are much more likely than their peers to experience other languagelearning disabilities, including significant reading problems, and the majority of these speech disorders have no known causes. Speech and language disorders take many forms, such as speech, articulation, voice, stuttering, aphasia, and oral-language problems. They may be learning-based, acquired, or the result of accidental injury or illness at any age. If a person is unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently, or has problems with his or her voice, then he or she has a speech disorder. Stuttering is the most common type of speech disorder. Disorders of the voice involve problems with pitch, loudness, and quality. Pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound based on the frequency of the sound waves. Loudness is the perceived volume (or amplitude) of the sound, while quality refers to the 22 - T&G June 2016
As a licensed speech-language pathologist at Mount Nittany Medical Center, Janet Pennington works with children and adults with speech and language disorders.
character or distinctive attributes of a sound (e.g., hoarseness and/or breathiness). A language disorder is commonly diagnosed when a person has trouble understanding others (receptive language) or sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings completely (expressive language). Difficulty producing language, struggling to understand language, and laboring with reading and writing are all signs of a language disorder. One of the most common causes of a language disorder is aphasia, which is a disorder that results from damage to portions of the brain that are responsible for language. The disorder impairs the expression and understanding of language as well as reading and writing. Anyone, including children, can acquire aphasia, but most people who have aphasia are middle-aged or older. Aphasia usually occurs suddenly, often as the result of a stroke or head injury, but it also may develop slowly. Janet K. Pennington, MS CCC, licensed outpatient speech-language pathologist at Mount Nittany Medical Center, selects the appropriate intervention for speech and language disorders depending on the nature and severity of the problem, the age of the individual, and the individual’s awareness of the problem. Treatment is based on the highest quality scientific evidence available in order to:
•
Help individuals with articulation disorders learn how to say speech sounds correctly. • Assist individuals with voice disorders in developing proper control of their vocal and respiratory systems for correct voice production. • Assist individuals who stutter in increasing their fluency. • Help children with language disorders to improve language comprehension and production (e.g., grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and storytelling skills). • Assist individuals with aphasia in improving comprehension of speech, reading, and production of spoken and written language. • Help individuals with speech and language disorders, and their communication partners, to understand the disorders to achieve more effective communication in educational, social, and vocational settings. • Advise individuals and the community on how to prevent speech and language disorders. In addition to working with children and adults with speech and language disorders, Pennington also assesses and treats:
Swallowing disorders — the inability to swallow correctly. • Cognitive-communication disorders — the impairment of cognitive processes, including attention, memory, abstract reasoning, awareness, and executive functions (e.g., selfmonitoring, planning, and problem-solving). • Auditory-processing disorders — the inability to understand spoken language in the absence of a hearing problem. • Accent modification for individuals without communication disorders. With early treatment, many of these disorders can be reversed or even prevented. In the case of children, parents should not delay seeking an assessment if they have any questions about their children’s communication skills. T&G •
Sources: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). To schedule an assessment with Janet Pennington, Mount Nittany Health speechlanguage pathologist, call (814) 278-4662 or visit mountnittany.org for more information.
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T& G
about town
What’s in a Name? Finding the true meaning behind some Happy Valley places and landmarks By Nadine Kofman A rendering of how Penn State Hillel will look when it makes its return to Beaver Avenue in a few years.
Before the naming of a campus building I had often passed, I referred to it as the Your Name Here Classroom Building. We’re surrounded by names. They help communication. Occasionally, a name “on the tip of my tongue” won’t budge, and sometimes we miss the mark. For example, after hearing for the first time a telecast by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, I extolled the “Norman Tabernacle Choir.” The following is a look at the names of a few unrelated area places or things. The first begins with another misunderstanding, two benefit from investigation, one is a name in passing, and the last is long gone.
Hillel Foundation
For me and other young people, an assumption was made in the 1950s about Hillel. Then, the campus Jewish center (which also served the community) was an upstairs renter in a downtown State College mercantile building at 133-35 West Beaver Avenue. Down at street level, at 131 West Beaver, was Temple Market. It wasn’t much of a stretch for kids to think they were related. They weren’t. Wood-floored Temple Market — where meat was wrapped in brown paper and tied with string, where shoppers selected produce from baskets and crates out front, where orders placed by phone were boxed up and delivered — was owned by Robert B. Temple. It operated from the mid 1940s to the late 1970s. The market, still missed by those who remember it, passed from the scene. Penn State Hillel, dating to late 1935, didn’t. Benjamin M. Kahn was the rabbi/director at the Beaver Avenue location and during initial years at the subsequent
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224 Locust Lane home, a new temple built alongside an existing house, opened in 1952. He left in 1959 for higher duty — becoming international Hillel director in Washington, DC. His nearly 20 years at Penn State Hillel covered most of its early life. With deterioration of the Locust Lane building, Penn State Hillel moved in 1987 on campus, to Eisenhower Chapel. Since 2003, it has been in the encompassing Pasquerilla Spiritual Center. Around 2019 — after fundraising followed by construction of the extensive future facility — Hillel’s address will be 345 Beaver Avenue. As with the Locust Lane location, Penn State Hillel will be in a building of its own. It also will be back on Beaver Avenue.
Peru
What’s a piece of South America doing in Centre County? It’s not. Describing the tiny hamlet in his 1961 story, “Where to Go and Place Names of Centre County,” Paul M. Dubbs wrote that Peru, in Benner Township, “lies in territory prominently identified with the early history of Centre County.” Our Peru, consisting of “about 15 homes, several trailers” as well as “the steadily expanding nursery of the Rockview Correctional Institution, is … about a mile west of Peasant Gap. The origin of the name is unknown.” Not so, says a shy former resident. It’s an acronym for Prison Employee Residential Units. “When my husband and I moved to Peru (pronounced Pee ru) in 1950, almost everybody worked at the prison” (nearby circa 1915 Rockview). Her husband, previously in the US Navy, was an oddity. He worked with farm animals for Penn State. The couple built a house in Peru, and she
estimates there are 10 more than in Dubbs’s count. Peru’s footprint is pretty much as it was.
Waupelani Drive
The name “Bald Eagle” — as in Bald Eagle Ridge, the Bald Eagle Area School District, etc. — is familiar. That the name also is in State College, is less so. Waupelani means “bald eagle” and, in more ways than one, is unique. This State College roadway is the only one in Centre County with an American Indian name, says Pennsylvania historian/writer Bruce Teeple of Aaronsburg. Waupelani, he says, is a Lenape term. (“Woapalanne,” reads the Pennsylvania historical marker at Milesburg.) In the first half of the 1700s, says Teeple, Chief Bald Eagle led migrating Lenapes from the Delaware Valley. Most of them eventually moved westward. Pennsylvania, he says, has more Native American place names, including the names of towns, than any other state: 200.
JoePaw & FauxPaw
Out front, the New York Public Library has lions;
the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State, paws. That was on the mind of the runner who, around 1990, gave the paws names as he passed the Palmer. Ironically, that 20-year runner, now a biker, was head of the bus company (Centre Area Transportation Authority) from 1984 to 1995. Kevin Abbey of Gatesburg named the resting paw after Joe Paterno and the other one — the one sliding off its perch — as FauxPaw. Not everyone knows that the paws have names; word-of-mouth has given their identities legs.
“Rock a Dry Baby”
Before disposable-diaper companies crossed swords over absorption and cuteness, there was cotton. Changing diapers was a messy business that a few still know. Countering it, diaper services sprang up. One was among the historic parade of businesses at the Hotel State College (a bowling alley, Western Union were two others). You can almost hear the lullaby “Rock a Bye Baby” playing in the background of a radio ad. T&G Nadine Kofman is a native Centre Countian and historian.
“A tradition of caring and a legacy of service.”
Crematory on Premises
Funeral Directors
A grief reaction is loneliness.
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814.237.2712 2401 S. Atherton Street State College, PA 16801 www.kochfuneralhome.com A branch of John B. Brown Funeral Home, Inc., Douglas A. Hallinan, Supervisor 417 Washington Street • Huntingdon, PA 16652 • 814.643.1256
2016 June T&G - 25
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on center
Oh Pioneers!
Montreal circus company returns with a new take on the Old West in Saloon By John Mark Rafacz The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State 2016-17 season begins with a set of café doors swinging open on an exhilarating evening in the mythical Wild West. Cirque Éloize (Cirkopolis, iD, Rain) rustles up a mix of theater, music, acrobatics, and emotion in its new production, Saloon. Co-commissioned by the Center for the Performing Arts, Saloon is the tale of a piano tuner’s adventures in a bar brimming with gold diggers, gamblers, lawmen, snake-oil salesmen, railroad workers, chorus girls, and cowboys. The piano man guides a chaotic, fun-filled journey through a world of comedy, spectacle, dance, music, and whisky fumes. Saloon, on stage September 21 at Eisenhower Auditorium, brings the euphoric energy of live country/ folk music and comedy to the classic drinking halls of the American West. The production features a company of 10 acrobats and musicians on stage. It’s a dazzling ride, one that culminates in a breathtaking finale. Saloon offers an authentic, festive, and fun night out for the whole family. Montreal’s Cirque Éloize has previously appeared at Penn State four times. The Center for the Performing Arts co-commissioned the company’s Cirkopolis, which made its Eisenhower debut in September 2013 and went on to win a 2014 Drama Desk Award for Best Unique Theatrical Experience in New York City. Cirkopolis has toured across North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. This summer, the company is scheduled to perform the show in 18 cities in China, and a European tour of four countries is set for the fall. No matter where Cirkopolis is performed, the Center for the Performing Arts name is associated with it as a co-commissioner. As it did with Cirkopolis, the Center for the Performing Arts is offering the public an opportunity to participate in the commissioning of Saloon at $250 per share. Each investor will receive various benefits, including: 26 - T&G June 2016
Cirque Éloize returns to Penn State September 21 with its new production, Saloon.
• An invitation for two to an exclusive party planned for the evening of September 20. • Recognition in the Saloon performance program. • Recognition in the Center for the Performing Arts 2016-17 annual report. • A commemorative Saloon poster. • Recognition of the investor group from the stage at the Saloon performance. Cirque Éloize, one of today’s leaders in contemporary circus arts, has been creating spectacular performances since 1993. The troupe has won multiple international awards and has toured hundreds of cities around the globe.T&G The Center for the Performing Arts announces its full roster of 2016-17 music, theater, and dance presentations June 23. For information about the season and for Saloon investment details, visit cpa.psu.edu. John Mark Rafacz is the editorial manager of the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State.
T& G
penn state diary
Theater in the Pavilion Performance space gives audiences unique experience Penn State University Archives
By Lee Stout
The Pavilion Theatre as it looked before a 2009 renovation that removed the distinctive front canopy-roof.
In April, I had the chance to rediscover The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde’s delightful and ingenious comedy. This wonderful production by Penn State Centre Stage featured professional and student actors in the unique audience experience of theater-in-the-round. It took place in one of Penn State’s most interesting performance spaces — the Pavilion Theatre. Built as the Stock Judging Pavilion for the School of Agriculture in 1914, the building was renovated in 1962 to become the new home for theater-in-the-round at Penn State. With theatre-in-the-round, also referred to as arena theater or central staging, the audiences at the 300-seat Pavilion surround the actors on all sides, although the west side is sometimes set with a staging backdrop. This “arena” stage provides many different “looks” — the feel of many different spaces for the audience. The stage may be set with a minimal number of props or a good-sized collection of chairs, tables, and other furniture, but usually all low enough for the actors to be seen by the audience from all sides. Of course, having the audience all around the actors is the big difference from traditional proscenium theater, where the crowd is 28 - T&G June 2016
separated from the actors and the action on stage in front of them, as is also usually true of musical and dance performances. With theater-in-the-round, the old rule of actors never turning their backs to the audience is upset, and we see the interaction take place in a room without walls or in an outdoor setting where we watch as though hearing a story told around a campfire. Both the actor and the audience are challenged and involved to a degree not typically experienced, even by the “groundlings” hugging the stage in an old Shakespearean playhouse such as the reconstructed Globe Theatre in London. This kind of presentation traces its history to a variety of sources in the twentieth century, but most theater historians today agree that venues to specifically accommodate theater-in-the-round began to be built in the 1940s. At Penn State, the pioneer in this style of performance was theater professor Kelly Yeaton. A native of Maine with degrees from Tufts and the University of Washington and with Army service during World War II, he was introduced to theater-in-the-round at the Penthouse Theatre in Seattle. After working at the American Theatre Wing in New York City, he taught theater and directed at the New School for Social Research’s Dramatics Workshop. He also had directed at the Civic Theatre in St. Louis and introduced arena staging to Penn State when he joined the faculty in 1948. Penn State’s theater productions had largely consisted of student theater provided by the Penn State Thespians, a student extracurricular group, and the Penn State Players, which produced plays under the guidance of faculty in the arts. In 1958,
this began to change when Laura and M.C. (Matty) Mateer (Class of 1923), donated $10,000 to initiate a theater training and study program. (Their namesake Mateer Building, home to the School of Hospitality Management, includes Café Laura, which honors Laura Mateer) Dr. Walter H. Walters, head of the theater arts department and later dean of the College of Arts and Architecture, used this gift as a foundation to bring professional and student actors together for new productions. Initially, it began as summer theater staged at the Standing Stone Playhouse, a converted barn located about 20 miles from campus. The university moved these productions to campus when the Pavilion was remodeled as a theater in 1962. Three years later, the Playhouse Theatre was added to provide a large proscenium performance space to complement the Pavilion. Yeaton was the man behind the transformation of an agricultural arena into an arena theater. He taught the concepts and directed the plays of this revolutionary form. As he described it, the arena theater provided the playgoers with an unprecedented sense of intimacy with the actors, who were sometimes as close as a foot from the front row of seats. It was a “new medium with new rules, new feelings, and new experiences for the audience.” The Pavilion Theatre provided “better control of light, and sound, and more space,” enabling the theater arts program to better support a professional summer company. The summer program became the Festival Theatre, later the Pennsylvania Centre Stage. Gradually, it became more integrated into the theater department and, as Penn State Centre Stage, presents plays throughout the year with both student and professional actors. Yeaton always felt that true arena theater thrived best in an intimate space of no more than three rows of seats, but recognized that the economics of production required more rows and larger crowds. But with Walters and many more theater arts faculty, he helped Penn State to evolve into one of the premier schools of theater in the country. T&G Lee Stout is librarian emeritus, special collections for Penn State.
Get to know...
Gerardo Edelstein: Music at Penn’s Woods Gerardo Edelstein’s conducting career has taken him from his native Argentina to Israel, the Czech Republic, the Ukraine, Ireland, and France. He led the Richmond Symphony Orchestra in Virginia before coming to Penn State in 2000, attracted by returning to academia. “It was always my strength and my desire to work with students and share with them all I have done,” he says. Currently, Edelstein serves as director of orchestral studies at Penn State as well as conductor of its philharmonic and chamber orchestras. This month, his attention turns to his role as music director of the Music at Penn’s Woods Summer Orchestra Festival, held June 8 to 25 on campus. “It’s incredible music making with very talented musicians from the area.” He notes that the festival is a town-and-gown collaboration, both in terms of financial support and the musicians themselves, with the best professional musicians from around the region performing alongside School of Music faculty, alumni, and exceptional students. “It’s the best thing in terms of music happening here in the summer,” he says. Edelstein has been pleased to see the growth of the School of Music over the past decade and looks forward to taking the orchestral program to the next artistic level. “There’s never an end to what we can do as artists,” he says. “The goals always have to be set very high.” The Penn State Bookstore thanks Gerardo Edelstein and all faculty and staff who carry out the university’s mission every day.
www.psu.bncollege.com 814-863-0205 2016 June T&G - 29
For 150 years, the PA Fish & Boat Commission has helped make Centre County and the rest of the state one of the best places to fish in America 30 - T&G June 2016
thoughtful legislation, public funding, and Pennsylvanians do love to fish! Andrew hard work to bring us to the happy fishing L. Shiels, director of bureau fisheries for the state of affairs now enjoyed in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, which It all started in 1866 with a concerted is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, effort by concerned legislators and citizens to estimates that a total of about 500,000 fishers restore American shad to the Susquehanna are out during Pennsylvania’s opening days of River. This year marks the 150th anniversary trout season, counting both the one for the of the establishment of a state commissioner South Central region and for the rest of the tasked with that mission, which entailed state. Using a population-based formula he suggested, it seems there may be something like efforts to deal with the adverse effects from water pollution 13,000 in Centre County alone. caused primarily It’s not just by, at the time, the Pennsylvanians y 1900s. large-scale logging who love to The hatchery in Bristol in the earl of Pennsylvania’s fish in the forests. Keystone Pennsylvania State, though. has more miles of Fishing streams and rivers, aficionados about 86,000, of from all over any state in the the nation continental and beyond United States, come to the and some 4,000 commonwealth lakes. to fish, In 1866, especially for Governor trout. And all this fishing Andrew Curtin, fanaticism is bringing big-time a Bellefonte bucks into the state, with a big native, signed chunk of them into Centre into law an County, where the PFBC has act that named a regional office in Pleasant James Worrall Gap that will soon be moving For many, the love of fishing Pennsylvania’s to the Penn Eagle Industrial begins at an early age. first Commissioner Park. (A ribbon-cutting of Fisheries. That ceremony and open house makes it the second-oldest fish and wildlife at the new Centre Regional Office, 595 East Rolling Ridge Drive in Bellefonte, is scheduled agency in the nation. “We’re proud of that heritage and we for July 23.) celebrate it,” exclaims Arway. John Arway, executive director of the It would be 1925 before legislation Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC), says the last national survey of fishing, hunting, established the Board of Fish Commissioners and wildlife-associated recreation indicated that and 24 more years until the Pennsylvania Fish Commission was so named, with Charles Pennsylvania had more than a million anglers who spend $1.2 billion in the state every year, a A. French named its first executive director. figure that rivals fruit and vegetable agriculture In the 1970s, reptiles and amphibians were added to the wildlife the fish commission as an industry in the state. was authorized to protect. Boating regulation and recreational opportunities were added 150 and counting into the organization’s purview in 1991 as Fishing wasn’t always so good in Pennsylvania. It took proactive public servants, it became the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat 2016 June T&G - 31
Commission. A history of the PFBC will be published in July. “We’ve evolved from a one-man operation funded solely by the state’s general fund to being funded by license sales, registration fees, and the excise tax on sport fishing equipment,” notes Arway. “We’re very proud to say that we balance our budget every year. We’ve been called the most efficient fish and wildlife agency in the country in the way we spend angler dollars by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee.” Today, a full complement of PFBC personnel numbers about 432, though the current state budget cuts have it down to 380. The organization’s mission is still focused on “protecting, conserving, and enhancing our aquatic resources and providing fishing and boating opportunities.” A 10-member governing board oversees the operation and hires the director. “We have a conservation- and a recreationoriented mission,” says Arway. “We try to conserve the resources so that people can enjoy them and, at the same time, we produce recreation in some waters that can’t otherwise support fish themselves. About 70 percent of our licensed anglers, a little over 700,000, enjoy fishing for trout.”
The commission is helping to ensure the future of fishing in Pennsylvania with programs such as the Mentored Youth Fishing Program.
Arway, a Pitt grad who did his graduateschool studies at Tennessee Tech and is a fisheries biologist by training, started working with PFBC in 1980 and became director in 2010. He lived in State College for 30 years before moving to Harrisburg, and he still has a house along Fishing Creek in Clinton County. An avid fisherman, he considers Spring Creek, Penns Creek, and Little Juniata his While he lives in home waters to fish and Foster Harrisburg, Arway still Joseph Sayers Reservoir at Bald considers the fishing Eagle State Park in Centre in Centre County his County his home lake. “home waters to fish." “The Centre Region is the heart of our fish-culture operation,” he says.
High praise
Lots of fisher folk around these parts no doubt appreciate the work PFBC has done through the years and continues to do. One in particular — a very special one — sure does. “The efforts by the fish commission to improve water quality is so important for fishing,” says legendary local fly fisherman and Pennsylvania fishing ambassador-at-large Joe
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Humphreys. “And John Arway, the executive director, has done a wonderful job with the fish commission. He’s a fly fisherman himself. He understands what we need, and he’s done a heck of a job.” Humphreys, an Oak Hall resident, is now a spry 87 and still as graceful a wristflicker with a rod as ever. Typically wearing a Penn State cap on the water, he has had a legendary fishing life. He directed Penn State’s angling program for 19 years, beginning in the 1970s. His storied career includes starting the State College-based Spring Creek chapter of Trout Unlimited in 1974; writing two classic fly-fishing books; hosting arguably the first national TV program on flyfishing for ESPN during the 1980s; fishing in four world championships as a member of the US Fly Fishing Team; and being sought out as a fishing guide by the likes of former US President Jimmy Carter, former Vice President Dick Cheney, Hollywood star Liam Neeson, and many others. If all that weren’t enough, he is scheduled to compete in the International Sport Fly Fishing Federation Masters World Championships in June in Galway, Ireland, and a former Penn State student of his is currently working with his wife on a documentary of him called Live the Stream. Given his love of trout fishing, it’s no surprise Humphreys is especially appreciative of PFBC’s fish-stocking activities. “The thing I so appreciate about the fish commission is that they stocked [the waterways with fish] for many years once the water quality started to change,” he says. “At one time on Spring Crick (as he pronounces it) there was nothing but brook trout. The water had started to warm up. There was
“We have people coming here to fish from all over the United States because now we have about five great trout streams, like Penns Creek, Fisher Creek, Spring Creek, Big Bald Eagle, and the Little Juniata.” Joe Humphreys 2016 June T&G - 33
In the 1960s, the commission converted a fish-stocking truck so that windows could display fish at various events.
no longer the habitat for the brook trout like there had been, so the fish commission supplemented it with some brown trout and some rainbow trout. The brown trout held and reproduced, so the hatcheries continued to stock, and many streams gave a heck of a lot of people an awful lot of pleasure.”
Fish hatchery finesse
“One of the primary ways PFBC meets both its conservation mandate and its mandate for the promotion of recreational fishing is through the state’s fish hatcheries,” says Shiels. He
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notes that of the state’s 14 hatcheries, eight are totally or mostly trout, and half of those are in or just outside of Centre County. The state fish hatcheries in Centre County include ones in Bellefonte, on Spring Creek by the Fisherman’s Paradise fishing area; Benner Spring; and Pleasant Gap. The Tylersville Hatchery is just north of Centre County in Clinton County. All eight of these hatcheries produce more than 3 million adult trout for stocking each year, according to Shiels. The Pleasant Gap hatchery alone produces about 450,000. Shiels is a Penn State grad who has been
working with the agency for 30 years, as a biologist at first and then in higher managerial positions. He lives in Julian and loves to fish. “Centre County has Spring Creek, one of the top wild trout streams in Pennsylvania,” he says. “That creek gets a lot of use around Bellefonte and State College and still is able to support an incredible wild trout fishery. People come from all over to fish Spring Creek. It’s an example of how water-quality protection and community support can support good wild trout in the midst of a growing community.” He also offers the west branch of the Susquehanna River, close to Clearfield, as a Shiels, a Penn State grad who lives in Julian, says Spring Creek is an great success story that’s example of how “water-quality protection and community support can close to State College support good wild trout in the midst of a growing community." “As recently as a couple of years ago, Flowing into the that part of it that flows through town has become healthy enough to receive stock trout,” he says. future “Areas of the upper west branch Susquehanna Arway says that PFBC recently secured a River, where it’s more like a trout stream you could contract with the Penn State Smeal College jump across, have wild trout in them, and parts as of Business to do a business analysis of you get closer to Clearfield have been cleaned up the agency, even though, as a government such that wild trout are reinhabiting areas where agency, it doesn’t operate like a typical there weren’t trout for more than 100 years.” business enterprise. Part of the business Centre County’s Poe Lake is stocked with analysis PFBC is doing, according to Arway, trout, and the county also is listed as having is to look at trends among anglers and to “best fishing waters” for common carp. PFBC incorporate a new initiative called R3 stocks more than 10 million warm- and cold(Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation). water fish around the state to supplement Another way PFBC is trying to attract even natural fish populations, including walleye, more people to fishing in Pennsylvania is muskie, bass, panfish, and other species. through its Mentored Youth Fishing Program. 2016 June T&G - 35
hope to double the number of participants this year.” With those numbers, it appears as if one of Pennsylvania’s favorite pastimes has a sound future to go with its burgeoning present. “We have people coming here to fish from all over the United States because now we have about five great trout streams, like Penns Creek, Fisher Creek, Spring Creek, Big Bald Eagle, and the Little Juniata,” says Humphreys. “My God! We have such great waters in about a 30-mile radius! People come here, get a room, there’s food, there’s gas, equipment — they’re dropping a lot of cash. It’s big business.” T&G
Jason Detar, chief of the Division of Fisheries Management, displays a brown trout collected during a sampling of Penns Creek.
“We’re really excited about this,” says Arway. “The idea is for youths to take adults fishing, their mentors fishing, on a special day of the year. We started this three years ago, and it’s grown from several thousand kids to over 30,000. We
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T. Wayne Waters is a State Collegebased writer who has been an independent journalist for more than a decade.
Presents:
The Bucket List Auction What is on your “Bucket List”? The Skills Foundation has compiled a list of auction items sure to be on everybody’s list. Some of the items include: • Behind the scenes tour of Beaver Stadium • Sparky Price Fishing Guide on Raystown Lake • Penn State Men’s Hockey tickets • Golf for four at Toftrees, Omni Bedford Springs, or Scotch Valley Country Club • A glider ride • Penguin tickets • Steeler tickets • 2 tickets for the KISS concert at the Bryce Jordan Center • And many more
Auction Begins June 1st and ends June 15th
Auction URL: https://www.biddingforgood.com/skillsbucketlist
The 11th Annual Pat Houser Golf Tournament Monday, July 11th at Toftrees * Shotgun start at 10:00 am Invited Speaker: Joe Battista To register to golf please visit our website: www.skillsofcentralpa.org Questions on either event can be directed to Gwen Auman, Senior Director of Development, 814-238-3245 X 313. Please follow Skills on Facebook & Twitter:
Sk illsofCentralPA
@Sk illsPA
All-Star
ALUMS By Jenna Spinelle With highly rated public schools and a major university nearby, it’s no surprise that many local high school graduates have gone on to successful careers. Town&Gown’s annual look at alumni from Centre County’s five public school districts includes a mathematics professor, a nationally published author, and an award-winning nurse. Each has made an impact in their respective fields while never losing sight of their Centre County roots
Lucille Musser Arking Penns Valley High School, Class of 1953 Occupation: Nurse and administrator (retired) Lucille Musser Arking describes her childhood in Penns Valley as “idyllic” — filled with days of digging wildflowers and walking in the woods — except for a speech impediment that caused her to be teased by other students at school. Rather than letting that get her down, though, she used it as the basis for what would become an established career in nursing. Arking, the fifth of 10 children born to Boyd and Anna Musser, first had the inkling to become a nurse while riding with one to a speech-therapy appointment on Penn State’s campus. “I was transported by the public health nurse, who seemed like she knew everything in the world,” Arking says. “She stopped to interact with clients along the way to Penn State, and I very impressed with her.” After graduating from Penns Valley High 38 - T&G June 2016
School, Arking moved to Philadelphia and attended the Episcopal Hospital School of Nursing and the University of Pennsylvania. She also met her future husband, Bob, who was a graduate student at Penn. The Arkings moved around the country as Bob held faculty positions at various universities. They eventually settled in Troy, Michigan. Lucille earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wayne State University and transitioned from patientfocused nursing into administrative roles at hospitals and nursing-home facilities, focusing on staff development and training. In 2009, she received the Florence Nightingale Award for Nursing Administration, one of the highest honors in the field, for her work training nurses to work with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. “I taught my staff how to handle people with dementia instead of treating them as children or not paying any attention to
Contributed photos (10)
Below, Arking graduated from Penns Valley in 1953, and in 2009, she received the Florence Nightingale Award for Nursing Administration (left) for her work training nurses to work with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
them,” she says. “I was motivated to do that because my mother was in Centre Crest with Alzheimer’s for seven years and I knew that there were other things that could be done with those patients, and that really interested me.” Arking’s work focused on changing the culture of nursing to create a team-oriented atmosphere where nurses could support each other when working with challenging patients. She retired in 2013 and is now active in the Troy community, volunteering at political events and helping to campaign in local races. She also enjoys genealogy and has traced the lineage of each of her four grandparents. She also has embraced social media as a way to keep in touch with friends from Penns Valley and every place she’s lived along the way. “I’m very active on Facebook,” she says. “Anyone from Penns Valley who remembers my name can look me up, and we’ll connect that way!”
Gerald Hoy Bald Eagle Area High School, Class of 2000 Occupation: Service Forester, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry Gerald Hoy’s education allowed him to foster his love of the outdoors. Hoy, now a service forester with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), says his teachers at Bald Eagle Area High School and the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology gave him a firm foundation in environmental science and principles he still uses today. “Over the winter months, we studied wildlife, agronomy, environmental sustainability, and green energy,” he says. “This is where I first learned the concept of sustainable forest management, and today I’m teaching many of those same concepts to students, teachers, and forest landowners alike.” 2016 June T&G - 39
pitcher on the baseball team and pitched a perfect game during his junior year in 1999. He says that baseball also influenced his career path. “When it came to baseball, I learned just as much from my failures as my successes,” he says. “I think it was great preparation for life and a career. Like on the pitcher’s mound, when I fail at something, I really try to analyze why it happen, what I can learn from it, and ‘shrug it off,’ meaning I don’t dwell on failures.” Right, as a pitcher for Bald Eagle, Hoy threw a perfect game in 1999. These days, (above) he’s received honors for his work as a service forester for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
In 2010, Hoy was selected as DCNR’s Service Forester of the Year. He also has been awarded with two DCNR Secretary Awards. His work is split between emergency management and outreach to schools and community organizations. He also has been called to assist in seven other states, including Alaska. “In a typical week, I could visit a private forest-landowner’s woodlot on Monday, be guest lecturer at a high school or college on Tuesday, meet with municipal officials to help resolve street-tree conflicts on Wednesday, be dispatched to fight a wildfire on Thursday, inspect and certify forest-management practices on Friday, and then get dispatched to search for a lost hunter on Saturday,” says Hoy, who lives in Clinton County with his wife and two daughters. While in high school, he was a starting 40 - T&G June 2016
Laurie Nelson Philipsburg-Osceola High School, Class of 1986 Occupation: Physician, Penn State Hershey Medical Group Laurie Nelson’s life has been full of unexpected twists and turns. She graduated first in her class at Philipsburg-Osceola High School and was all set to attend the US Naval Academy when she broke her leg while playing softball, forcing her to consider other options. She ended up enrolling at Penn State. Softball was not her only activity in high school. She also was on the basketball and cross-country teams, a member of student council, and played trumpet in the school band. “I applied to several of the different academies, and it was my brother-in-law that challenged me to do it,” she says. “I had no idea what a military academy was. [It] wasn’t something that a lot of people necessarily do … but I wanted to be an engineer, and the academies are good engineering schools.” Nelson did attend the Naval Academy after completing her bachelor’s degree, and
she served on the Civil Engineering Corps in the Philippines during the Gulf War. She completed the remainder of her service commitment as a government contractor in San Diego, where she had her children, Meghan and Nate. Meghan is following in her mother’s footsteps and will study engeinnering at Penn State starting this fall, and Nate is a rising senior at Middletown Area High School. In 2001, a horrible, unexpected twist happened to Nelson as her husband, Joe, was killed in a car accident. “A few years after the accident, I did a lot of thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. I sold everything I had in California and went to medical school at Penn State,” she says. “It wasn’t very easy being a single mom going through medical school.” Nelson is the youngest of nine children. She says her parents, George and Pat Wood, were skeptical of her career change initially, but ultimately supported her through the transition. She completed her residency at Penn State’s College of Medicine two years ago and now works as an assistant professor of medicine and staff physician for Penn State Hershey. “It’s a nice mix of having commitments to patients and students. I enjoy both parts of that,” she says. “It’s been a long road, but I’ve landed where I want to be and doing exactly what I want to be doing.”
David Vogan Bellefonte Area High School, Class of 1972 Occupation: Norbert Wiener Professor of Mathematics, MIT During a time when the majority of his classmates attended Penn State, David Vogan struck out on his own, eventually landing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, where he’s been since 1979. He is a mathematics professor at MIT and credits high school teacher Leo Lipner with sparking his interest in the field. Lipner began teaching in 1964 at age 54, after running a clothing store in Bellefonte. “I remember that he was really excited about math and the things he had been learning,” Vogan says. “I remember finding his story really inspiring then, and I still do now.” During his tenure at MIT, Vogan has served as department head and chair of the
During her time at Philipsburg-Osceola, Nelson played softball and basketball, ran cross-country, played trumpet, and was on student council. After a career in the military, she’s now a physician with Penn State Hershey.
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Right, even at the age of 4, Vogan seemed destined for something special. He’s now a leading mathematician at MIT.
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graduate committee. He also has served as president of the American Mathematical Society. His research combines mathematics with physics to find new ways to solve equations. “I’ve had a lot of very fantastic students, and it’s just constant delight to watch them doing things, being good at things, and teaching other people,” he says. Vogan, who lives in suburban Boston with his wife, Lois, encourages young people in Happy Valley to move outside of the Centre County bubble, just as he did more than 40 years ago. “There’s a lot of great stuff in Centre County and at Penn State, but it’s a big world and there’s a lot of
great stuff in other places, too, and it’s often worthwhile to take a look and see what else is out there,” he says. Something he enjoys doing with his wife as the two have traveled extensively, including visiting China, Brazil, and Italy. Vogan returns to Centre County a few times each year to visit his father, David Sr., in Pleasant Gap or to collaborate with researchers in the math department at Penn State.
Sunil Yapa State College Area High School, Class of 1998 Occupation: Author Though Sunil Yapa has traveled around the world, he considers State College to be home and the foundation for his career as an author. His first full-length novel, Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist, was released in January. The book is about a young man
named Victor who becomes involved with the 1999 Seattle World Trade Organization protests. The book has received positive reviews, and Yapa appeared on the cover of the January issue of the monthly book review publication BookPage. The character was inspired by Yapa’s interest in geography. Yapa earned a bachelor’s degree in geography from Penn State and studied with his father, Lakshman, who is an emeritus professor in that field. “To grow up in a college town is an incredible experience,” says Yapa, who now lives in Woodstock, New York. “I grew up with an intellectual curiosity, and the idea of being a writer and being an academic is a great way to live your life.” He describes his high school experience as a dichotomy. “I was a National Merit Scholar at State High, so I was definitely in AP classes, but all
2016 June T&G - 43
Right, while he had a high GPA in high school, Sunil says he was a misfit. He’s now a critically acclaimed writer and author.
my friends were stoners, and that’s what I was, too,” he says. “I had a very high GPA, but I was still cutting class my senior year.” He was an active member of the State College Presbyterian Church and says its youth group helped him find focus and balance in high school. The group impacted him so much that he became a leader while attending Penn State. “It was a really positive influence in the community and a place where misfits like me could go and feel welcome and represented,” he says. His interest in writing developed at State High and was further fueled by creative writing instructors at Penn State who thought he might be able to make a career of it. He moved to New York City and earned a MFA in creative writing from Hunter College. His parents were supportive but apprehensive about how their son would make it work financially. “I think, like any parents, they were worried about how I was going to pay the bills and the financial insecurity that comes with writing and being an artist,” he says. “But that went away pretty quickly when it was clear that I had the 44 - T&G June 2016
discipline to do it and I’d found a way to make money and pursue art.” While at Hunter, he received the Alumni Scholarship and Welfare Fund Fellowship, a grant given to one MFA student every three years, and served as a research assistant to novelists Ben Marcus and Zadie Smith. He also worked as a fiction writer for Esquire magazine from 2009 to 2010. In 2010, he won the Hyphen Asian American Short Story Contest for his story, “Pilgrims (What is Lost and You Cannot Regain).” Lakshman Yapa says any doubts he had about his son’s potential as a writer were put to rest the minute he opened Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist. “I think it’s brilliant because it’s almost like a movie,” he says. “There are these flashbacks, and I had to write notes to myself at the end of each chapter. It also reflects his politics and the fact that he grew up in a politically aware household.” Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist took six years to write, so Yapa says he’s not in a hurry to write another book. He held a book signing at the State College Barnes & Noble in February and hopes to have another signing and lecture at Penn State in the fall to tie the novel’s themes to current events. “I started this book before there were any protests in the news, but as it’s been published, we’ve had Ferguson and Baltimore,” he says. “Now with the election, globalization and free trade have become huge issues, and I’m interested in exploring them further.” T&G Jenna Spinelle is a freelance writer and journalism instructor in State College.
This Month
on
Special programming made possible by members like you!
Carol Burnett’s Favorite Sketches Friday, June 3, at 9 p.m.
Great Performances: Joan Baez 75th Birthday Celebration Sunday, June 5, at 8 p.m.
Rhythm and Blues 40: A Soul Spectacular Tuesday, June 7, at 9 p.m.
WPSU Kids’ Day at DelGrosso’s Amusement Park
Keystone Crossroads: Rust or Revival
Saturday, June 18, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m
Thursday, June 16, 8–10 p.m
Visit the WPSU tents for games and crafts!
WPSU and three other public media newsrooms across the state collaborate to report in depth on the root causes of Pennsylvania’s urban crisis — and on possible solutions. Explore the urgent challenges facing our cities in four half-hour episodes, including the broadcast premiere of “Old Places, New Faces,” followed by “Changing Spaces,” “Municipalities in Distress,” and “Bridging Our Communities.”
Meet Peg + Cat for a photo! Register to win great prizes! Complete an activity book and receive a free jar of Delgrosso’s pasta sauce! wpsu.org/delgrossokidsday
Our Town: Cresson Friday, March 4, at 8 p.m. Volunteer storytellers from Cresson, Pa. came together for the 88th production in the Our Town series, to capture the essence of their spirited community with video, images, and memories. Watch as they share stories about a love for singing, their schools and libraries, reading and sports programs, ambulance and fire departments, and the joys of train watching. Find out what makes Cresson a GREAT hometown! Out-of-town friends and family can watch the premiere LIVE online at wpsu.org/live.
wpsu.org U.Ed. OUT 16-001616-WPSU-TV-0001
The Nine Months That Made You: The First 8 Weeks Wednesday, June 29, at 10 p.m. In the first of three one-hour episodes, this thrilling new series uses cutting-edge CGI and groundbreaking access to the latest research to capture the story of how we were all made, from the moment of conception to the moment of birth 280 days later. Part of #ThinkWednesday on WPSU! For additional program information visit wpsu.org.
JUNE Photos: Carol Burnett and Aretha Franklin courtesy of TJL Productions, Joan Baez courtesy of Joseph Sinnott/WNET
s e n o t s le i M
Town&Gown’s special “History” section showcases the beginnings, transitions, and successes of area businesses and organizations Special Advertising Section
Milestones BB&T Bank... building on a tradition of excellence in community banking since 1872.
B
y now, you may have seen BB&T signs popping up in many of your neighborhoods. For those who travel through or come from the South, we are familiar, but for others, we’d like to introduce ourselves. With roots and tradition, almost as deep as Penn State University, BB&T is excited to be part of your community! Our humble story begins in North Carolina, shortly after the Civil War with Alpheus Branch and Thomas Jefferson Hadley, joining forces to create a banking institution people could believe in Branch and Hadley. With the new century came expanding opportunities, and in 1913, the name was changed to Branch Banking and Trust (BB&T). WWI saw BB&T engaged in the sale of Liberty Bonds, making loans in a growing economy, and gaining a reputation as one of North Carolina’s Big Banks. However, with the stock market crash of 1929, many banks were in trouble. In 2 years, 131 banks in North Carolina, alone, failed. Customers withdrew funds to deposit at the Post Office in Postal Savings, the only apparent safe investment. What they didn’t know was that postal officials took that same money, and deposited it, with confidence, in BB&T! From 1960 to 1994, BB&T enjoyed unprecedented growth, becoming North Carolina’s 4th largest bank. Rapidly expanding outside the stronghold of the Carolinas, BB&T has grown to have branches in 15 States! In the last 18 months, BB&T has grown to be the 4th largest bank by deposit market share in Pennsylvania!
South Atherton Branch
50 - Special Advertising Section
BB&T Lighthouse Project
Each year, the BB&T Lighthouse Project, “providing warmth and light to those who find themselves in their darkest hours�, gives BB&T an opportunity to provide corporate financial support to local charities, while our associates roll up their sleeves and go to work landscaping, painting, preparing meals and more. Since the Lighthouse Project began in 2009, our associates have contributed more than 385,000 volunteer hours and improved quality of life for more than 11 million people. BB&T believes an investment in your community is one of the best investments one will ever make, and doing so is not an obligation, but a privilege. With more than 3,100 ATMs, 2,100 financial centers and free online banking, BB&T strives to be your neighborhood bank, dedicated to helping our clients achieve their financial goals and providing you with the expertise and personal service you deserve.
South Atherton Branch 125 Southridge Plaza State College, PA 16801-7666 814.231.0580 North Atherton Branch 1705 North Atherton St. State College, PA 16803-1401 814.206.7330 Special Advertising Section - 51
Milestones State College Borough: Building a Community
S
tate College Borough is consistently ranked as a great place to live, to raise children, to retire. Over the past 120 years, much has changed in State College, but one thing has remained the same: The Borough focuses its efforts on building a community where everyone can find a great place to live. Incorporated in 1896, State College Borough has served the needs of both the town and gown communities, providing public works, planning, police, parking and administrative services. In a relatively short time, the area has evolved from a village to a small town to a small city, with concerted growth continuing within the Borough and in the surrounding townships. Surprisingly, State College Atherton Place has continued to maintain its small-town charm despite record development and growing economic pressures. Through dedicated land use planning and strategic public infrastructure projects, the Borough has strived to keep State College affordable for working families, retirees, young professionals, students and many others. In 2011, the State College Borough Council passed an inclusionary housing ordinance meant to encourage the development of workforce housing by requiring developers building projects with five units or more to set aside 10 percent of the units at affordable rates or pay an in-lieu fee. Peter Morris, a Council member at the time, told reporters, “Our job basically is to make the Borough into the sort of place we want it to be. That’s what we were elected to do.” Despite concerns voiced by some Council members that the ordinance might halt developer interest, the opposite has happened. Three large mixed-use Fraser Centre developments are under construction in State College — the Fraser Centre, the Metropolitan, and the RISE, which will provide high-end rental units, workforce housing units and attractive commercial spaces. 52 - Special Advertising Section
SCASD Rendering
With the opening in April of Atherton Place, a mixed-use 12-unit low-income tax credit development, this year marks the completion of the first inclusionary housing project to be developed under the ordinance. The units are in high demand due to their close proximity to the Penn State campus and downtown, public transportation, shopping and high quality local schools. According to Heather Emminger, Property Manager, it is the location that makes this complex so desirable for working families. Many of the families work in the Borough, and seven of the 12 units house families with school-age children. The children living in this development are in close walking distance to Easterly Parkway Elementary and the new State College Area High School that is under construction on Westerly Parkway. The Borough serves the needs of the community, which has shown its support for good schools, community parks, quality streets and sidewalks, public safety, and a clean and aesthetically pleasing environment, all of which add to the high quality of life the community has come to enjoy. Over 100 volunteers serve on authorities, boards, commissions and committees that provide direction to Borough Council and local government staff regarding the community that we create together. Through their active engagement in local government, residents have had a say in how the community has grown and what it will look like in years to come. Together, they and Borough government continue to lay the groundwork for the development of a worldclass city that maintains its small-town charm.
www.statecollegepa.us
Special Advertising Section - 53
Milestones AAUW
Advancing equity for women and girls. www.aauwstatecollege.org
Thank you, AAUW State College Book Donors and Shoppers, for making our 2016 Centennial Year Used Book Sale a tremendous success. Your generosity funds local programs and scholarships that benefit women and girls.
The AAUW State College Used Book Workshop has moved! Book Donations will be accepted starting July 2016. To learn the exact date that book donations resume, call (814) 235-6884 or visit www.aauwstatecollege.org/booksale.html after June 15. Our new Used Book Workshop is located at 176 Technology Drive in Boalsburg. Directions: • Take Business Route 322E from State College to Boalsburg. • Continue on Rte. 322 through the light at Routes 45/322. • In 1/2 mile, turn right on Discovery Drive, then left on Technology Drive. • Book donation bins will be on your right at the first entrance. 54 - Special Advertising Section
Milestones BrightStar Care of Happy Valley
F
or Jason Lieb, health care is about helping people. With hospital stays becoming shorter and medical procedures increasingly being done on an outpatient basis, he realized that more and more people need help at home with health and personal care. This spring he opened BrightStar Care of Happy Valley to provide high-quality care in clients’ homes, where they feel most comfortable. The new company is part of the nationwide BrightStar Care system and will be seeking to join the 95 percent of BrightStar locations that have achieved Joint Commission accreditation. Services include: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Available 24/7 Meal Preparation Transportation Light Housekeeping Guaranteed Compatibility® RN Oversight Bathing and Dressing Medication Reminders Companionship Dementia Care Skilled Nursing Service IV Infusion Care
All care is supervised by the director of nursing, and an emphasis is placed on communication among the client, providers, and family members. BrightStar’s CareTogether program is an online service for scheduling appointments, keeping in touch, and asking for help. A State High and Penn State alumnus, Jason Lieb has deep roots in the local community. Now, through BrightStar, he is focused on providing a higher standard of home care to neighbors throughout Happy Valley.
www.brightstarcare.com 1402 S. Atherton St., Suite 201 814.826.3200 Special Advertising Section - 55
Milestones
Business community
was there at the start of it all The Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County is proud to help the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts celebrate its 50th anniversary year! The festival was founded in 1967 by the State College Chamber of Commerce – the CBICC’s predecessor – and Penn State University’s College of Arts and Architecture. Intended to bring business to downtown State College, the business community was fully engaged in the festival. From the day that former Pennsylvania Gov. Raymond Shafer’s helicopter landed on the Old Main lawn to open the first festival, the nationally recognized celebration of the arts has grown to welcome more than 125,000 visitors each year. Today, the eagerly anticipated juried outdoor art fair has an economic impact of nearly $14 million and has been rated as the top festival in the nation by Sunshine Artist magazine. The CBICC congratulates the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and all that have contributed to its success over the past five decades for reaching this memorable milestone!
Milestones Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts tart your celebration of the 50th Central Pennsylvania S Festival of the Arts this month by heading out on the Festival Poster Trail. Thirty vintage Arts Festival posters
- all designed by Penn State distinguished professor emeritus Lanny Sommese - are on display at locations throughout State College and Bellefonte. Find the posters from June 3 to 24 for your chance to win prizes! Here’s how it works: Pick up your Poster Trail passport at any participating location. Get your passport stamped each time you visit a different vintage poster site. When you have collected ten stamps, you can enter a drawing to win valuable prizes including: • • • • •
CPFA Sidewalk Sale gift certificate 2000 Degrees gift certificate DelGrosso’s Amusement Park gift certificate Tavern Restaurant gift certificate And more!
The Poster Trail is presented by the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County, the successor to the State College Chamber of Commerce, one of the organizations behind the first Festival in 1967!
Visit arts -festival.com for a list of poster locations. Happy trails to you! Children and Youth Day, July 13, 2016 Sidewalk Sale & Exhibition, July 14-17, 2016 arts-festival.com 403 S. Allen St., Suite 205A, State College 814.237.3682 58 - Special Advertising Section
Centre LifeLink EMS
I
n
1941,
Alpha
Fire
Community
Ambulance Club started with one
ambulance and four volunteers. Today, as we celebrate our 75th year, Centre LifeLink operates three stations, seven ambulances, and maintains over 100 paid and volunteer staff. We would like to thank our community for the continued support!
2016
1941
125 Puddintown Road, State College 814 . 237. 8163 www.centrelifelink.com
Centre Volunteers in Medicine Q: How can you support access to health care for everyone in Centre County? A: By participating in THE BATTLE OF THE MINDS on November 9, 2016 or 9 years in a row, this fun notF so-trivial event – co-hosted by the Rotary Club of State College – has helped Centre Volunteers in Medicine provide medical and dental care to qualified uninsured residents of Centre County.
Q: In fiscal year 2015 CVIM provided: A.) 2,407 medical clinic visits B.) 1,923 dental clinic visits C.) 699 case management visits D.) All of the above
A: D, all of the above. Enjoy a great night of trivia and help to provide the gift of health. Contact CVIM to be a part of THE BATTLE OF THE MINDS! www.cvim.net 2520 Green Tech Drive Ste. D State College, PA 16803 814.231.4043 Special Advertising Section - 59
Milestones East Coast Health & Fitness
E
ast Coast Health & Fitness was born in October 1991 out of Roy Walk’s love of fitness. Occupying part of a former grocery store, East Coast has called the Hamilton Square Shopping Center home since. East Coast is such a part of Hamilton Square that the center’s owners purchased the business in February 2000 from Roy although you can still see him in the club most mornings. East Coast has grown from a specialized bodybuilding format, to an overall fitness and wellness facility incorporating old school free weights, cardiovascular & selectorized equipment, aerobic classes, personal training in both group and one-on-one settings, nutritional counseling, tanning, massage and all the products necessary to support wellness. Over the years, the club has been totally remodeled to include new locker rooms with saunas, a massage room, kid’s daycare room, group fitness rooms, functional training room and a separate power-lifting room. The one thing that hasn’t changed in all those years is that Gary Corman still opens the door every morning before the sun rises and East Coast is not about gimmicks or fads, just fitness for all. East Coast is very proud to be celebrating its 25th Anniversary and would like to sincerely thank its current and past members for all of their support!
Our Programs & Facilities include: • • • • • •
One-on-one training Complete with Cardio, Selectorized Equipment, & Free Weights Precor Treadmills and Ellipticals Stairmasters, Bikes, ARC Trainers • Nutrition Counseling Silver Sneakers Massage Therapy • Tanning • Child Care Group Fitness: Yoga, Pilates, HIIT, Spinning, Boot Camp, Zumba and many more.
Group Fitness: Yoga, Pilates, HIIT, Spinning, Boot Camp, Zumba and many more. 250 W. Hamilton Ave., State College, PA 16801 814.234.9400 www.eastcoastfit.com 62 - Special Advertising Section
Milestones Fort Roberdeau: Where History Lives Celebrates 40th Year since Bicentennial Dedication
B
lair County dedicated its bicentennial project (1976) to the reconstruction of Fort Roberdeau. The Fort will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the reconstruction with a ceremony on July 4, 2016. General Washington and his wife Martha will visit and pay a tribute to the Fort’s Revolutionary War Heritage. The first effort to reconstruct Fort Roberdeau, from 1939 to 1941, was initiated by J. Herbert Walker, a member of the Altoona Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee. Mr. Walker believed the Revolutionary War fort would be a tourist attraction for Blair County. Unfortunately, World War II halted this initial effort. The second effort to reconstruct the fort was initiated by the Blair County Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. They approached the Blair County Commissioners in 1973 resulting in the appointment of a Fort Roberdeau Restoration Committee. The end result, a bicentennial dedication on July 5, 1976. Fort Roberdeau provides a Revolutionary Educational Experience for all visitors. The guided tours from May 1 to October 31 attracted 5,258 individuals for tours and special events with visitors and tourist coming from 35 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico along with tourists from sixteen other countries. A tourist attraction indeed! Educational institutions rely on Fort Roberdeau for experiential learning and meeting standards in local American History and Revolutionary War Period. Fort Roberdeau provides school tours both the spring and fall. Thanks to a dedicated core of volunteers 2,253 students from thirty schools in a seven county area enjoyed a living history day during 2015.
For t Roberdeau History: In 1778 it was decided because of a scarcity of lead, General Daniel Roberdeau would lead an expedition to direct the building of a lead mine in Sinking Valley. (Near present day Altoona). The lead procured would be shipped back for the use of the Continental Army to the east. The fort served to protect a lead mining and smelting operation in the Pennsylvania Frontier. The fort provided a safe haven for soldiers and settlers throughout the region. In fact, a few soldiers who served at Fort Roberdeau when it was garrisoned from 1778-1780 became pensioned veterans from their service during the Revolutionary War. The local citizens can be proud of our frontier settler’s participation in establishing an independent country. Visit the Fort’s Star Spangled Fourth to discover where history lives with a blacksmith, a cannon team, a wagon master, and a frontier family living in a cabin. www.Fortroberdeau.org Special Advertising Section - 63
Milestones Hoy Transfer, Inc.
H
oy Transfer is the oldest continuously operating business in State College, having been founded in 1888, eight years before the Borough of State College
was incorporated. Its founder, William Alfred “Billy ” Hoy, started out by delivering chicken coops and furniture. His horse-drawn wagons carried materials for many Penn State building projects and delivered thousands of student steamer trunks to and from the Lemont train station. In 1896, Billy’ s father, Joseph, signed the borough ’ s articles of incorporation, and in 1903 Billy became burgess of State College.
Around 1910, the livery went mechanical with the addition of a Kissel truck,
although Billy preferred horses and was known to yell “whoa ” to the truck he was driving. His vehicles continued to serve as everything from the local hearse to the mover of fraternity furniture to Rec Hall for dances. After Billy ’ s death in 1937, his daughter Mary Kathryn and then her son Dick kept local operations moving. Later they went cross-country through an agreement with Clipper Van Lines.
In 1995, longtime employee Kevin Briscoe bought the company, which became an
agent for Atlas Van Lines in 2008. He along with his four sons, Pat, Mike, Dan, and Andrew continue to carry on the Hoy family tradition, including transporting equipment for Penn State football — a role that Hoy Transfer has played since 1912, now with newly upgraded trucks. Hoy Transfer is proud to remain committed to the principles of integrity that have kept the company successful for 128 years.
Kissel Truck, 1910
hoytransfer.com 2580 Clyde Ave., State College 814 - 237- 4975 PA PUC A-85095 USDOT 125550 Atlas Van Lines, Inc. 64 - Special Advertising Section
Milestones Nittany Valley Symphony
N
ittany Valley Symphony began playing in 1967 for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. The orchestra was incorporated almost 30 years ago and is governed by a 22-member Board of Directors representing the community and the players. Today, the Symphony is comprised of over 80 professional and volunteer members; Music Director, Michael Jinbo; Executive Director, Roberta Strebel. Maestro Jinbo has been music director of NVS for over 25 years. Nittany Valley Symphony is the Centre region’s only full-sized, community orchestra. We currently perform six concerts each season including four traditional classical concerts, one pops or musical, and a family concert. We have the ability to present large orchestral works that collaborate with other community groups such as the State College Choral Society, Knights and Squires Boy Choir, the Pennsylvania Dance Theatre, Central Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra and Nittany Valley Children’s Choir. Our Speakers Bureau and Symphony ensembles share the Symphony experience with community groups. We also host rehearsal tours and introduce small groups to behind-the-scenes staging of a concert. We participate in Osher Life Long Learning Institute at Penn State (OLLI) and Learning Enrichment through area school districts. We have a program called NOTES – Nittany Valley Symphony Outreaching Traveling Educating Series as well as host the NVS Youth Flute Choir and State College Concert Percussion Academy. We have also participated in First Night State College and the State College Centennial Concert. The Ann Keller Young Soloist Competition, which is sponsored by NVS Guild, provides opportunities for aspiring young high-school-aged musicians from the region to play with NVS and to win cash prizes. Our most recent winner, Juliette Greer, violin, has been featured in and on the cover of Town&Gown magazine, and will pursue a career in violin performance. Programs include Musicians in the Making, which provides opportunities for young musicians to perform to our audience just prior to the start of each concert. NOTES invites students from area schools to experience a concert first-hand and free of charge. Our maestro and/or players visit the school prior to the concert in order to help the students understand and appreciate the concert in a different light. NVS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. This upcoming season NVS will be celebrating our 50th Golden Anniversary. While classical music is truly timeless and beautiful, listening to a live symphonic concert is both exciting and relaxing. It’s a great way to relieve stress! More information about NVS can be found at www.nvs.org or by calling the office, 814-231-8224. Like Us On Your Community in Harmony
Sponsored by Anonymous Donor Special Advertising Section - 65
Milestones The Arboretum at Penn State: Sculptures in Steel Exhibition
O
Photos courtesy of Jeff Epping at Olbrich Botanical Gardens
n Saturday, June 4, the Arboretum invites the community to the opening of
its first seasonal art display—Sculptures in Steel by Robert Anderson—in the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens. Anderson’s large, origamiinspired
sculptures
will
be
a
delightful,
colorful addition to the gardens during the 2016 season. Red Stems Anderson,
creator
of
the
popular
garden
kaleidoscope in the Arboretum’s Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden, will display a collection of his larger works in five venues within the gardens. By turns monumental and playful, Anderson’s sculptures— which include tall red stems, blue chairs, and bright orange seed pods—will be positioned for best effect for visitors strolling through the various gardens. Blue Chairs
To celebrate the exhibition’s opening on June 4,
the Arboretum will offer guided tours of the gardens beginning at 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. From 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. in the children’s garden, visitors are invited to participate in fun, handson activities, including origami-making and magnetic sculpture-building. Admission and activities are free of charge, and tour reservations are not required.
Sculptures in Steel will be on exhibit at the
Arboretum from June 4 through October 23, 2016. Orange Seed Pods
The H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens are located near the intersection of Park Avenue and Bigler Road on Penn State’s University Park campus.
Sponsored by Visit us online at arboretum.psu.edu Email: arboretum@psu.edu Facebook.com/pennstatearboretum Telephone: 814-865-9118 Special Advertising Section - 67
Milestones Penn State HUB Dining
W
hen t he Het zel Un ion B uild ing f ir s t op e ne d in 19 55 , t he Food S e r v ic e De p a r tme nt
p ro udly advertised its s ta te - of - the - a r t Te r r a c e Ro o m , a “caf et eria w ith a d iff e re nc e . ” P a trons p ic ke d up t heir trays, silv e r, a nd na p k ins a s us ua l, b ut then they proceeded to the c ounte r s of the ir c ho ice for salads, rolls, e ntre e s , e tc . , r a the r tha n wo rking t heir way throu gh a s ingle s e r v ing line .
F o r 60 years, “choic e ” ha s re ma ine d the
prim a ry
theme
of
HU B
d ining,
a lthough
the
c ho ice s themselves hav e c ha nge d d r a ma tic a lly o ver the years. Wit h c omp le tion of the la te s t H UB renovation and e xp a ns ion in 2015, the unio n building is now ho me to more tha n a d oze n
1955 dining at the HUB
restauran ts, several of w hic h c a r r y the “ c hoic e ” t he m e e ven f u rther by o ff e r ing “ c re a te y our ow n” op t i o n s f o r bu r r i t o s , s a l a d s , s a n dwi c h e s , a nd m o re.
T he most recen t cons tr uc tion p roje c t re s ulte d i n a c o m pl e t e l y re n o v a t e d f o o d c o u r t .
T he lig ht- f illed atrium op e ns into the c e ntr a lize d f oo d c o u r t a n d d i n i n g a re a s , a l l l i n k e d b y a c o ntemporary st yle des ign. The re v a mp e d f ood c ou r t i n c l u d e s t wo n e w n a t i o n a l br a n de d restauran ts, McAlister’s De li a nd J a mb a J uic e ; ne w in -h o u s e e a t e r i e s l i k e Bl u e Bu r r i t o , So u p & Ga rden , an d Grat e Ch e e ; p lus s uc h longtime f a v or i t e s a s C h i c k -f i l -A, Bu rg e r K i n g , Pa n da E x press, Starbu cks, & Sb a r ro.
S tuden t opin ion h ea v ily inf lue nc e d b oth the re s ta u r a n t s e l e c t i o n s a n d t h e o v e r a l l d e s i g n .
I n the din ing an d at rium a re a s , s e a ting s ty le s v a r y t o a c c o m m o da t e d i ff e re n t pre f e re n c e s a nd ne e ds, f rom bar- h eight ta b le s to tw o- p e r s on ta b les t o m o du l a r, c u s h i o n y f u r n i t u re t h a t i s bo th table and seating. The f ood c our t s e tup ma k e s it e a s y f o r d i n e r s t o c h o o s e t h e i r f a v o r i t e restauran t and then mee t a t a s ingle ta b le to s tud y, c o l l a bo r a t e , o r re l a x .
68 - Special Advertising Section
Milestones RESTORE EYE CARE, P.C. celebrates 10 years, with new partner and new name. Restorative:Â having the ability to make a person feel strong or healthy again
I
n August of 2005, Dr. Sepich opened Sepich Eye Care in the Oakwood Centre, State College, to
bring her specialty and family eye care services to Central Pennsylvania.
Ten years later, we
celebrated the addition of our new partner and renamed the practice. To reflect the expanding scope of our eye care services, Sepich Eye Care, P.C. is now RESTORE EYE CARE, P.C.
In addition to detailed eye exams, contact
lenses, and precise optical products, we at
The Sepich family at the opening of Sepich Eye Care in 2005
Restore Eye Care provide medical eye care services for patients with eye disease, such as Glaucoma and Diabetes, and vision rehabilitative services to the visually impaired, children with learning
related
vision
problems.
and
post-
concussion or non-traumatic brain injury patients. If you have poor vision, we may be able to help restore it with glasses or contact lenses, medications, vision therapy (exercises much like occupational or
physical
therapy),
or
specialized
adaptive
equipment to allow you to function at a high level and
The Restore Eye Care staff celebrate top ratings online in 2016
maintain your desired activities and independence.
Dr. Tracy Sepich and Dr. Christine Zlupko, and staff, work together to provide optical,
medical, and rehabilitation services to patients of all ages.
Allow the professionals at Restore Eye Care to renew your vision and restore your life.
100 Oakwood Avenue, Suite 300, State College, PA, 16803, 814.272.0262 www.restoreeyecare.com 72 - Special Advertising Section
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Milestones
Milestones State of the Art, Inc.
S
tate of the Art, Inc. was founded in 1969 by Don Hamer to provide educational seminars in thick film electronic technology. Manufacturing started in 1972 in a small two-room office on South Allen Street with three employees when a seminar attendee had trouble sourcing a component. We made capacitor and resistor products, supplying high reliability chip resistors for the Voyager spacecraft headed to Saturn and Jupiter. By 1978, we had moved to a larger space on Railroad Avenue. Employing 13 people in a 4,000-square-foot facility, State of the Art, Inc. had become a full-time manufacturer. The resistors portion of our business began to grow. In 1980, we gained qualification to supply military specification chip resistors, strengthening our place in the high reliability chip resistor market. In 1982 we moved to our current facility on Fox Hill Road. In 1985 we introduced two new mil spec products: precision thin film chip resistors and surface mount resistor networks. Two expansions have increased the size of our facility from 10,000 to 41,500 square feet. We currently employ 115 people manufacturing high reliability chip resistors. Our portfolio of products has expanded to include a variety of special application resistor products, including high frequency chip resistors and attenuators. Today, State of the Art, Inc. is a preferred supplier of chip resistors and resistor networks to the aerospace and defense industries. Our mission critical resistors are found in many military systems. Our resistors have traveled extensively in space. Our resistors are aboard many satellites including the Solar Dynamics Observatory that provided images of Mercury’s recent transit between the sun and Earth. Our resistors have been aboard every NASA rover that has driven on the surface of Mars. We are aboard the solar powered Juno spacecraft that will arrive at Jupiter on the fourth of July. And our resistors have traveled beyond our solar system aboard the Voyager 1 spacecraft. Our products know no boundaries.
76 - Special Advertising Section
Milestones Stocker Chevrolet: From One Great, Great Guy to Another
The late Gene Stocker Sr. and son Gene Jr.
I
t was the summer of 1965…The Chevrolet Impala was the best-selling car in America... and Wilbur E. “Gene” Stocker Sr., the original “great, great guy”, moved Stocker Chevrolet from an old Quonset hut in Bellefonte to a brand new building on the Benner Pike. Gene Jr. & Son Cory Stocker Now, 50 years later Gene Stocker, Jr. is driving Stocker Chevrolet-Subaru to new heights with the recent opening of two brand new facilities, while grooming the next generation of the Stockers to continue the family tradition.
A Proud History
Gene Stocker Jr. was just 11 years old when his father, Gene Stocker Sr., and his wife, Geri,
moved their family to Centre County from the Washington, D.C., area. Gene Sr. founded Stocker Chevrolet in 1961.The dealership was franchised to sell Chevrolet cars and trucks until 1982 when he added Subaru. Gene Sr. threw the dealership keys to his son, Gene Jr., in the mid ’80s. He had been working there full-time since the early ’70s. Gene Jr. has been behind the wheel ever since, steering the family-owned dealership through continued growth. Gene is proud to live and work in Centre County. He attended Bellefonte Area High School and Penn State, and married his wife, Kathy Neidigh, in 1976. All four of their children, graduated from State College Area High School and then Penn State. All the Stocker employees are part of the [Gene’s] extended “family,” which now includes more than 100 full and part-time employees.
Community Minded
Who is this great, great guy? He’s one of us — a guy who loves his community!
Just like his father, Gene Jr. gives back as much as he can to the community that has given so much to his family. He is co-founder of the Mount Nittany Medical Center Golf Classic, which has raised more than $2 million for hospital equipment and services. Gene is a big supporter of Centre county PAWS and sponsors an annual fund raiser and adoption event at the Subaru dealership. Gene supports a number of other local charities and focuses on “local”.
The Next Generation
Gene is proud that two of his children are carrying on the family tradition. His son Cory is the
General Manager and actually designed and managed the recent construction projects, while his 78 - Special Advertising Section
daughter Jamie kept pace with the growing HR responsibilities. Both of his children are active in the community. Cory serves on the board of the Youth Service Bureau and helps drive YSB’s “on The Green” Golf Tournament. Jamie volunteers and serves on several committees, including the Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund and WPSU-TV’s Connoisseur’s Dinner. Gene takes pride in knowing that all monies raised from Stocker Chevrolet-Subaru initiatives stay in Centre County. As this great, great guy says, “I love Centre County!” And he loves giving back to a community “that has more giving, caring neighbors than anyplace on the planet”.
Stocker Chevrolet Showroom, Circa 1966
New Subaru Showroom
New Chevrolet Showroom
Stocker Chevrolet-Subaru 701 Benner Pike 814-238-4905 800-473-1498 stockerchevrolet.com
Special Advertising Section - 79
Milestones Lion’s Gate Apartments
I
n
the
1970s,
recognized
the
Stephen potential
Barkin in
the
neglected Whitehall Plaza apartments. He bought the complex, launched into a complete remodeling, and renamed the property Lion’s Gate.
Today, Lion’s Gate is a home away from home for a new generation of Penn State students. The longstanding Lion’s Gate management team members are like family to each other and to the residents. Manager Helen Bannon is the “den mother” for resident students. Maintenance Manager Earl Webster
keeps the 13-acre grounds beautifully landscaped and the 244 large apartments in good condition. Assistant Manager Ruth Gundlach helps students make sure their rent is paid on time.
For four decades, Stephen Barkin and Lion’s Gate Apartments have built an
excellent reputation. The friendly Lion’s Gate family looks forward to serving Penn State students and other tenants for many years to come.
www.lionsgateapts.com 424 Waupelani Drive (814) 238-2600
82 - Special Advertising Section
Get ready for the
2016 season with a copy of Town&Gown’s
2016 Penn State Football Annual!
Giant Leap Forward Saquon Barkley hopes to lead the new fast-paced Nittany Lion offense into Big Ten contention
Coming in JULY
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M 84 - T&G June 2016
The Great
Outdoor Music Scene
Summertime means baseball, grilling, swimming ‌ and listening to some sweet sounds in the warm summer breeze
By Lori Wilson 2016 June T&G - 85
A Darren Andrew Weimert (2)
Any music fan knows that summertime is officially festival season, and you could spend an entire summer caravanning across the country to Bonnaroo, Coachella, and Newport Folk Festival (to name just a few). Outdoor venues across Happy Valley also become pretty festive this time of year. During any given week from June through August, you can find a number of concert series and music festivals that are quickly becoming summer staples. Not only that, but these events also serve to bolster an already solid local music scene and attract nationally recognized artists who can be enjoyed by music lovers of all ages. One of the larger festivals happens in early June in downtown State College with Summer’s Best Music Fest. The festival, produced by the Downtown State College Improvement District (DSCID), is celebrating its 10th anniversary in a big way, expanding to two days (June 3-4). This year’s festival features 10 nationally touring acts, including The Record Company, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds, Doyle Bramhall II, The Stickers, Eric Lindell, and Sierra Hull. Also new this year is the addition of beer gardens, which allows patrons to purchase beer, wine, and malt beverages as they stroll through the designated areas and enjoy music from four of the five festival stages.
“For the past two years, we’ve been looking at how we can expand this festival, draw in more people, national talent, and make it a bigger event for downtown State College,” George Arnold, executive director of DSCID, says, noting that its partnership with Lucky Dog Productions of Johnstown and support from sponsors have helped accomplish this. While the festival still features three stages of free music, tickets need to be purchased to see the national artists on the headliner stages. Summer’s Best also features some of the best talent from Happy Valley, including Pure Cane Sugar, which returns for its ninth year. Band member Kate Twoey is excited about how much Summer’s Best has grown. “It’s always been a great collaboration between local music and downtown establishments,” she says. “This year seems to have exploded with unbelievable national acts, beer gardens, and new stage locations. I think this is the beginning of something huge for State College.” Other regular performers from the area include Jackie Brown and the Gill Street Band, Spider Kelly, Frackwater Jack, and Eric Ian Farmer. “There is an amazing amount of talent packed into this little town,” says Twoey, “and it just pushes
Pure Cane Sugar’s Kate Twoey (left) and Natalie Race are popular at many outdoor venues during the summer, including Summer’s Best Music Fest in State College.
86 - T&G June 2016
Contributed photos (2)
For the past couple seasons, Music at Penn’s Woods has begun its season with Music in the Gardens at the Penn State Arboretum.
Pilot program allows alcohol sales as part of this year’s Summer’s Best Music Fest
everyone to be better and venture outside their comfort zones. It’s an encouraging fellowship of musicians, but we can’t do it without the support and opportunities that the community offers.” Classical music also has returned to the outdoors, albeit in a smaller venue. For several years, Nittany Valley Symphony performed a concert at Tussey Mountain. That ended a few years ago. Summer classical music performances now come courtesy of the Music at Penn’s Woods concert series. Most of the concerts are inside Esber Recital Hall on Penn State’s campus, but its season begins June 8 with Music in the Gardens: Healing the Soul at the Penn State Arboretum. The free event features performances throughout the arboretum, allowing guests to wander around, serenaded by sounds from cellos, flutes, oboes, and more. “We thought maybe we would have 200 people attend that first year,” recalls Russell Bloom, arts manager with the Penn State School of Music and Music at Penn’s Woods. “Five hundred showed up!” Building upon the first year’s success, the event now features a lawn concert following the soloists featured in the gardens. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the concert.
Those taking in Summer’s Best Music June 3-4 in downtown State College will notice something new, besides the additional day for the festival. In December, a pilot program was approved by the State College Borough Council to allow alcohol sales at this year ’s Summer’s Best Music Fest. Festivalgoers will be able to purchase and carry beer or malt beverages within the festival’s two outdoor beer pubs, which will include both of the Garner Parking Lot main stages, Calder Alley from Hiester Street to Locust Lane, and the Locust Lane and Locust Lot stages. The Downtown State College Improvement District (DSCID), which produces the festival, began to explore the idea of alcohol sales in an effort to expand the festival and make it more self-sustaining. “ This is a key step in the festival’s evolution and will help the festival continue to grow, ” says DSCID executive director George Arnold. “ We’re grateful to all who helped us with the necessary licensing.” He mentions specific support from borough manager Tom Fontaine and police chief Tom King. All attendees who wish to purchase beer must provide valid photo ID and will be given a wristband at a designated check-in station. Those under 21 or not wishing to purchase alcohol may still enter the beer-garden areas but will not be able to purchase alcohol. No alcohol may enter or leave the fenced-off areas, and Summer’s Best Music Fest reserves the right to deny anyone the purchase of alcohol. In addition, a wide range of food and merchandise vendors will be positioned throughout the festival area. According to Arnold, King said, “If anyone can do it in a way that represents how responsible adults can enjoy alcohol in downtown State College as part of an event, the improvement district can do that.” — Lori Wilson
2016 June T&G - 87
“We set this festival up so it’s truly a town and gown collaboration,” says Bloom. “The majority of funding is provided by community fundraisers and members of the community who have stepped up and said, ‘We think this program is important, we have loved it all these years, and the quality of the orchestra is like none other in Central PA.’ ” While the symphony no longer performs at Tussey Mountain, the venue is still a hotbed for music in the summer thanks to the growth in attendance for Tussey’s annual Jackie Brown and the Gill Street Band’s outdoor stops include WingFest. This year’s series runs Summer’s Best Music Fest, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the each Thursday from July 21 Arts, and Tussey Mountain WingFest. through September 1. Situated at Nestled in the quaint village of Lemont, the Village the bottom of the resort’s ski slopes and overlooking Green features a tented stage area and a lawn where Happy Valley, Tussey’s venue offers a large stage and concertgoers often spread out on picnic blankets or sound, can accommodate a crowd of up to 4,000 lawn chairs to relax and enjoy the music. Children people, and, on a clear evening, is arguably one of can be seen at the front of the stage, dancing and the best spots in the area to catch a summer sunset. blowing bubbles. Aaron Weyman, marketing director of Tussey Organizer Sue Smith, resident and member Mountain, says the event has carved out a niche of the Lemont Village Association, says that the on Thursdays. association tries to promote a relaxed, family“WingFest attendance has really exploded in friendly environment. the past two or three years,” he says. “For some “Because it’s a private park, people can of these bands, these are the biggest crowds they bring a picnic supper and a bottle of wine,” play in front of.” says Smith, noting that concertgoers also While area restaurants compete for wing will be able to purchase dinner from Food for notoriety each week, local and regional bands Thought Food Truck and Catering. “It’s for entertain the audiences with genres including families, and we try not to do really hard rock classic and modern rock, acoustic, alternative, or anything like that. It’s all acoustic.” and country. WingFest regulars include ’80s rock Among this year’s performers are the bluegrass cover band Velveeta, classic rock cover band band Tussey Mountain Moonshiners, folk-rock Hybrid Ice, and some recent additions, including group the Puddintown Roots, pianist and guitarist My Hero Zero. Desert Highway and Bennie & Kenneth Baxter, and Tyne & the Fastlyne, who dub the Jets are two new acts this year, covering hits themselves as a “newgrass-Celtic-folk-rock mélange.” from the Eagles and Elton John, respectively. State College acoustic duo Hops & Vines Weyman says that it’s encouraging to see support also joins the lineup for the third year. Band for the local music scene, and that’s something Tussey members Jonathan McVerry and Christie Clancy Mountain wants to continue to build and attract. appreciate the setting with its backyard-like “There’s so much good music out there,” he atmosphere as a nice change from the bar scene. says. “We hope to build a reputation to attract “The cool thing about Lemont, especially talent, both locally and beyond.” versus the bars, is that it’s this gorgeous little Several concert series that showcase local talent spot,” says McVerry, a resident of Lemont. “It’s can be found in intimate settings across Happy on the mountain, and the sunset peeks over the Valley. Concerts on the Village Green in Lemont trees. Just being outside on a Friday night in the are every Friday evening from June 3 to August 26. 88 - T&G June 2016
Jonathan McVerry (let) and Christie Clancy of Hops & Vines perform at outdoor venues during the summer, including Concerts on the Village Green in Lemont.
summer — it’s awesome! You can’t beat it.” It’s also tough to beat music and wine! Seven Mountains Wine Cellars has its Campfire Friday Nights with seven concerts between June 3 and September 16. Visitors can do a wine tasting, purchase a bottle or two, and relax on their blankets or chairs while listening to performances from regional artists. This year’s performers include Stained Glass Window, Ryne McCormick, and Fools on Stools. Returning to Bellefonte this summer is Summer Sounds from the Gazebo in Talleyrand Park. With musical styles that include folk, pop, rock, and jazz, the series features nine free concerts every Sunday from June 12 to August 21. “It’s just a pleasant venue,” says JoAnn Knupp of the Bellefonte Historical Association and chairperson of the event. “People enjoy the niceness of the park and the music, as long as it’s old-time.” On a given Sunday evening, the park could see as many as 300 people in attendance for the concerts. This year’s lineup features local and regional talent, including the Bellefonte Community Band, rhythm and blues group Urban Fusion, jazz drummer Ron Burrage, and renowned trombone artist Jay Vonada. Also returning on Sunday evenings, from June 5 to August 28, is the South Hills School of Business & Technology Music Picnic Series. Now in its 27th year, the series offers
free jazz and big band performances on the school’s north lawn in State College. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, and a picnic. The school also offers a snack bar, and lemonade is sold for a penny a cup. Jeff Stachowski, community outreach director for South Hills, says the series recaptures a time in State College’s history when a duo once performed variety shows on Sunday evenings in Radio Park. “The whole idea with the series was to provide a venue for local folks in the summer, when things are a little slower, to relax, maybe bring a little picnic, and just enjoy some music,” says Stachowski. “It’s just us reaching out, trying to be a good neighbor. That was really our goal.” For local musicians, the idyllic nature of the area’s outdoor festivals and concert series really showcase what’s best about playing music in Happy Valley. “From a performer’s perspective, there’s nothing better than a gorgeous summer day, performing outside on a stage probably three times larger than the ones in the bars, with a sea of people in front of you who have spent the day with loved ones listening to live music, eating awesome food, and enjoying everything our amazing community has to offer,” says Twoey. “Everyone’s just so happy to be there, and the energy is contagious!” T&G Lori Wilson is a freelance writer living in State College. 2016 June T&G - 89
Coming to Bryce Jordan Center/Medlar Field at Lubrano Park
JUNE
17 PIAA Baseball Championships Medlar Field at Lubrano Park TBA
18 Spikes vs. Williamsport Medlar Field at Lubrano Park 7:05 p.m. 19-21 Spikes vs. Hudson Valley Medlar Field at Lubrano Park 6:05 p.m. Sun., 7:05 p.m. Mon. & Tues. 28-30 Spikes vs. Brooklyn Medlar Field at Lubrano Park 7:05 p.m.
90 - T&G June 2016
T& G
June
what's happening
17-18
9-12, 16-18
The annual Bellefonte Cruise and Sock Hop returns to downtown Bellefonte.
2-4 The Pennsylvania Summer Special Olympics return to the Penn State campus.
Fuse Productions presents My Fair Lady at the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center.
15 The Read It, Watch It Series at the State Theatre begins with Inside Out.
18 The State College Spikes play their home opener against Williamsport at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
3-4
Summer’s Best Music Fest is now a two-day event in downtown State College, with national acts such as Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, Nikki Hill, and Doyle Bramhall II (pictured) performing.
4 Bellefonte Children’s Fair is back at Talleyrand Park.
8
Music at Penn’s Woods begins its season with Music in the Gardens at the Penn State Arboretum.
17 The PIAA Baseball and Softball Championships take place at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park and Beard Field at Nittany Lion Softball Park, respectively.
17 Two ways to enjoy Celtic traditions. Celtic Woman (pictured) performs at Eisenhower Auditorium, and Celtic Fest is at Tussey Mountain.
25 Ani DiFranco performs at the State Theatre.
29 Mary Chapin Carpenter performs at the State Theatre to promote her new album, The Things That We Are Made Of. To have an event listed in “What’s Happening," e-mail dpenc@barashmedia.com. 2016 June T&G - 91
Children & Families
Classes & Lectures
1 – Summer Reading Program begins!, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, schlowlibrary.org. 4 – Summer Reading Kickoff Party, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 11 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 4, 7, 8-11, 14-18, 21-25, 28-30 – Music Together free trial class for children 0-5, Oakwood Presbyterian Church, SC, 9:30 or 10:30 a.m. Tues.-Fri., 9:30 a.m. Sat., 466-3414. 11, 18, 25 – Saturday Stories Alive, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 11 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 13, 20, 27 – Baby/Toddler Playtime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 13-17 – SOS: Save Our Seas (ages 6-8), Discovery Space of Central PA, SC, 9 a.m., mydiscoveryspace.org. 14, 21 – Fun Food Times, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 14, 21, 28 – Discovery Day, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 11 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 15 – Read It, Watch It Series: Inside Out, State Theatre, SC, noon, schlowlibrary.org. 16 – Balloon Magic & Mystery, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 20-24 – CHEMystery (ages 6-10), Discovery Space of Central PA, SC, 9 a.m., mydiscoveryspace.org. 20-24 – Presto, Change-O (ages 3-5), Discovery Space of Central PA, SC, 9 a.m., mydiscoveryspace.org. 22 – Turkish Paper Marbling, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 22 – Read It, Watch It Series: Up, State Theatre, SC, noon, schlowlibrary.org. 22 – Garden Like a Pro!, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 23 – Captain Aesop’s All-Star Galaxy Games Puppet Show, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 27-30 – BE: the Future (ages 6-12), Discovery Space of Central PA, SC, 9 a.m., mydiscoveryspace.org. 29 – Read It, Watch It Series: The Lego Movie, State Theatre, SC, noon, schlowlibrary.org. 29 – Swim Like a Fish, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 30 – Twist, Stretch, and Flow, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org.
1 – Gallery Talk: Wally Richardson, Penn State All-Sports Museum, PSU, noon, gopsusports.com/museum. 1 – Richard Koontz Memorial Lecture Series: “The Polish Uprising in WWII” by Teresa and Andrzej Badzian, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 7:30 p.m., pamilmuseum.org. 5 – Docent Choice Tour: “Heroes at the Palmer” by Gail Gilchrest, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 2 p.m., palmermuseum .psu.edu. 7, 21 – “A Joint Venture,” information session on hip or knee replacement, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 11 a.m. June 7, 7 p.m. June 21, 278-4810. 11 – Lecture/Movie: “The Bear That Inspired Winnie The Pooh,” PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 1:30 p.m., pamilmuseum.org. 11 – Central PA Civil War Round Table: “Fear, Honor and Interest: Thucydides and the Outbreak of the American Civil War,” Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, PSU, 6:30 p.m., 863-5000. 12 – Docent Choice Tour: “The Sculpture of Seymour Lipton” by Karen Litner, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 2 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 12, 26 – Fly-Fishing Instructions for Veterans, Fisherman’s Paradise, Bellefonte, 1 p.m., 951-231-8000. 17 – Gallery Talk: “Still Moving: Photographs by Steve McCurry” by Joyce Robinson and Steven Rubin, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 19 – Docent Choice Tour: “AfricanAmerican Artists at the Palmer” by Maureen Moses, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 2 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 24 – Gallery Talk: “The Prints of Jules Heller” by Patrick McGrady, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 25 – Boot Camp Prep Class, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 10 a.m., pamilmuseum.org. 26 – Docent Choice Tour: “Hello, Palmer” by Laura Barthmaier, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 2 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu.
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Club Events 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – State College Sunrise Rotary Club, Hotel State College, SC, 7:15 a.m., kfragola@psualum.com. 1, 15 – Outreach Toastmasters, The 329 Building, Room 413, PSU, noon, kbs131@psu.edu. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – State College Downtown Rotary, Ramada Inn & Conference Center, SC, noon, centrecounty.org/ rotary/club/. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – Comics Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 3:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 4, 11, 18, 25 – Chess Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 4, 11, 18, 25 – Go Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 6, 20 – Knitting Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 5:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 7, 14, 21, 28 – State College Rotary Club, Nittany Lion Inn, PSU, 5:30 p.m., statecollegerotary.org.
8 – Teen Book Club: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 3:45 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 8 – 148th PA Volunteer Infantry Civil War Reenactment Group, Hoss’s Steak and Sea House, SC, 7:30 p.m., 861-0770. 9, 23 – Embroidery Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 5:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 18 – Lego Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 20 – Parrot Owner’s Group, Perkins, SC, 7 p.m., 237-2722. 21 – Evening Book Club: Excellent Daughters by Katherine Zoepf, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 6:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 22 – Afternoon Book Club: The All Girls Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 22 – Applique Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 6 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 25 – Boardgaming Meetup, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10 a.m., schlowlibrary.org.
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Community Associations & Development 16 – CBICC Business After Hours: Hearthside Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, 5:30 p.m., cbicc.org. 21 – Spring Creek Watershed Association, Patton Township Municipal Building, SC, 7:30 a.m., springcreekwatershed.org. 22 – Patton Township Business Association, Patton Township Municipal Building, SC, noon, 237-2822. 30 – CBICC Business After Hours: Hilton Gardens, 5:30 p.m., cbicc.org.
Exhibits Ongoing – Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum, Boalsburg, 1:30-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun., boalmuseum.com. Ongoing – Underground Railroad: A Journey to Freedom, Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County, Bellefonte, noon4:30 p.m. Fri-Sun., bellefontemuseum.org.
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Ongoing-11 – Pastel Passions and Beyond, State College Framing Company, SC, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon., Fri., & Sat., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tues., Wed., & Thurs., centralpapastel.com. Ongoing-August 7 – American Art in the Shadow of World War I, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon 4 p.m. Sun., palmermuseum.psu.edu. Ongoing-September 11 – Kiana Honarmand, HUB Gallery, PSU, studentaffairs.psu.edu/hub/galleries. Ongoing-September 18 – Art by Vesco, Art Alley, PSU, studentaffairs.psu.edu/hub/ galleries. Ongoing-October 15 – Arts Festival at Fifty: Stories of the Early Years, Centre County Historical Society, SC, 1-4 p.m. Sun., Mon., & Wed., centrehistory.org. 3-26 – Douglas A. Weirauch Jr., Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County, Bellefonte, noon-4:30 p.m. Fri.-Sun., bellefontemuseum.org. 3-July 31 – Gardening in Central Pennsylvania, Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County, Bellefonte, noon-4:30 p.m. Fri.Sun., bellefontemuseum.org.
7-August 14 – The Prints of Jules Heller, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 7-September 7 – Artes Exempli, Robeson Gallery, PSU, studentaffairs.psu.edu/hub/ galleries. 14-September 18 – Still Moving: Photographs by Steve McCurry, 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. 3, 14 – Juniper Village at Brookline’s Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group, Mount Nittany Dining Room at The Inn, SC, 1 p.m. June 3, 6:30 p.m. June 14, 231-3141. 6 – Breast Cancer Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 5:30 p.m., 231-6870. 8 – Fertility Issues and Loss Support Group, Choices, SC, 6 p.m., heartofcpa.org. 9 – Diabetes Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 6 p.m., 231-7095.
12 – Ostomy Support Group of the Central Counties, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 2 p.m., 234-6195. 14 – Brain Injury Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 7 p.m., 359-3421. 15 – Alzheimer’s Support Group, Elmcroft Senior Living, SC, 6:30 p.m., 235-7675. 16 – Better Breathers Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 2 p.m., 842-6026. 16 – Parents-to-be Orientation, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 6:30 p.m., 231-3132. 20 – Cancer Survivors’ Association, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 11:30 a.m., 238-6220. 26 – Neuropathy Support Group of Central PA, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 2 p.m., 531-1024. 27 – Heart Healthy Support Group for Heart Failure, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 4 p.m., 359-3421. 28 – Stroke Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 4 p.m., 359-3421.
2016 June T&G - 95
28 – Multiple Sclerosis Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 6 p.m., 359-3421.
Music 3 – Concerts of the Village Green: The Briggadiers, Lemont Village Green, Lemont, 7:30 p.m., lemontvillage.org. 5 – South Hills Music Picnic Series: Sweet Adelines, South Hills School of Business & Technology, SC, 6 p.m., southhills.edu. 8 – Music at Penn’s Woods: Music in the Gardens, Penn State Arboretum, PSU, 6:30 p.m., mpw.psu.edu. 10 – Concerts of the Village Green: Tussey Mountain Moonshiners, Lemont Village Green, Lemont, 7:30 p.m., lemontvillage.org. 11 – Art After Hours: Hops & Vines, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 7 p.m., palmermuseum .psu.edu. 12 – South Hills Music Picnic Series: Wagner Goldstein Jazz Project, South Hills School of Business & Technology, SC, 6 p.m., southhills.edu.
12 – Summer Sounds at the Gazebo: Bellefonte Community Band, Talleyrand Park, Bellefonte, 7 p.m., bellefontearts.org. 15 – Music at Penn’s Woods: Mozart/ Schuloff/Caplet, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 7:30 p.m., mpw.psu.edu. 16 – Thursday Afternoons with The Second Winds, American Ale House & Grill, SC, 3 p.m., 237-9701. 17 – Celtic Woman, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 17 – Concerts of the Village Green: Steve Van Hook and Jim Colbert, Lemont Village Green, Lemont, 7:30 p.m., lemontvillage.org. 18 – Music at Penn’s Woods: Copland/ Mendelssohn/Bizet, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 7:30 p.m., mpw.psu.edu. 19 – South Hills Music Picnic Series: Deacons of Dixieland, South Hills School of Business & Technology, SC, 6 p.m., southhills.edu. 19 – Summer Sounds at the Gazebo: Urban Fusion, Talleyrand Park, Bellefonte, 7 p.m., bellefontearts.org. 22 – Music at Penn’s Woods: Crumb/ Bartok/Arensky, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 7:30 p.m., mpw.psu.edu.
New home
New memories... June 17-18, 2016 Festivities Include: • Open cruise • Sock hop • All-vehicle show • Parade of cars • Motorcycle games and lots more. Sunday Event: • Make A Wish Ride sponsored by Eagle Riders, all proceeds benefit The Make A Wish Foundation of Centre County. www.bellefontechamber.org
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1kbb.com
1612 N. Atherton St. State College, PA
814.238.8080
2300 S. Atherton St. State College, PA
814. 234.4000
24 – Concerts of the Village Green: Acoustic Artifacts, Lemont Village Green, Lemont, 7:30 p.m., lemontvillage.org. 25 – Music at Penn’s Woods: Schubert/ Mouquet/Lutoslawski, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 7:30 p.m., mpw.psu.edu. 25 – Ani DiFranco, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 26 – South Hills Music Picnic Series: Keystone Society of Swing, South Hills School of Business & Technology, SC, 6 p.m., southhills.edu. 26 – Summer Sounds at the Gazebo: JT Thompson, Talleyrand Park, Bellefonte, 7 p.m., bellefontearts.org. 29 – Mary Chapin Carpenter, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org.
Special Events 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Lemont Farmers’ Market, Lemont Granary, Lemont, 2 p.m., visitpennstate.org. 2-4 – PA Summer Special Olympics, Penn State Campus, specialolympicspa.org. 3 – First Friday, Downtown State College, 5 p.m., firstfridaystatecollege.com.
3-4 – Summer’s Best Music Fest, Downtown State College, summersbestmusicfest.com. 3, 10, 17, 24 – Downtown Farmers’ Market, Locust Lane, SC, 11:30 a.m., visitpennstate.org. 4 – Rothrock Trail Challenge, Tussey Mountain, Boalsburg, TBA, rothrockchallenge.com. 4 –Summer Slam 3v3 Basketball Tournament, YMCA of Centre County, SC, 8 a.m., bpcaf.org. 4 – Exploring the Armor, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 10 a.m., pamilmuseum.org. 4 – Bellefonte Children’s Fair, Talleyrand Park, Bellefonte, 10 a.m., visitbellefonte.com. 4, 11, 18, 25 – Bellefonte Farmers’ Market, Gamble Mill parking lot, 8 a.m., visitpennstate.org. 4, 11, 18, 25 – Millheim Farmers’ Market, Old Gregg Mills Farmers’ Market, Spring Mills, 10 a.m., visitpennstate.org. 4, 11, 18, 25 – North Atherton Farmers’ Market, Home Depot parking lot, SC, 10 a.m., visitpennstate.org. 6 – Adult and Teen Summer Reading KickOff, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 11 a.m., schlowlibrary.org.
BuyHereLiveHere.com 2016 June T&G - 97
7, 14, 21, 28 – Tuesdays State College Farmers’ Market, Locus Lane, S.C., 11:30 a.m., visitpennstate.org. 7, 14, 21, 28 – Boalsburg Farmers’ Market, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, PA, 2 p.m., visitpennstate.org. 11 – Front and Centre Productions presents “New to You” Fundraiser Yard Sale, 213 North Front Street, Philipsburg, 8 a.m., frontandcentre.org. 11 – Lemont Village Strawberry Festival, Lemont Village Green, Lemont, 3 p.m., lemontvillage.org. 11 – Rock for a Cure Festival, Tussey Mountain Ampitheatre, Boalsburg, 5 p.m., tusseymountain.com. 13-19 – Happy Valley Culinary Week, various locations, visitpennstate.org. 14 – State College Elks 2016 Flag Day Ceremony, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 6 p.m., pamilmuseum.org. 15 – Strawberry Festival, Faith United Church of Christ, SC, 5:30 p.m., faithucc.org. 17 – Celtic Fest, Tussey Mountain, Boalsburg, 5:30 p.m., tusseymountain.com. 17 – Wine Walk, On the Diamond, Boalsburg, 5 p.m., 466-6241. 17-18 – Bellefonte Cruise & Sock Hop, Downtown Bellefonte, bellefontecruise.org. 18 – Buzz Cut Saturday, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 10 a.m., pamilmuseum.org. 18 – “Bee Happy” Festival, Tait Farm, Centre Hall, 1 p.m., taitfarmfoods.com. 25 Color Dash 5k Walk/Run, Moshannon Valley YMCA, Philipsburg, 10 a.m., ymcaofcentrecounty.org
Nittany Theatre at the Barn presents 12 Angry Men June 7-25 at the Boal Barn Playhouse in Boalsburg. 17 – PIAA Softball Championships, Beard Field at Nittany Lion Softball Park, PSU, TBA. 18 – Spikes/Williamsport, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, PSU, 7:05 p.m. 19-21 – Spikes/Hudson Valley, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, PSU, 6:05 p.m. Sun., 7:05 p.m. Mon.-Tues. 28-30 – Spikes/Brooklyn, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, PSU, 7:05 p.m.
Theater Try some of the great dishes found in Happy Valley during the fourth annual Happy Valley Culinary Week June 13-19.
Sports For tickets to the State College Spikes, call (814) 272-1711 or visit statecollegespikes.com. 11 – PIAA Boys’ Volleyball Championships, Rec Hall, PSU, TBA. 17 – PIAA Baseball Championships, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, PSU, TBA.
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7-25 – Nittany Theatre at the Barn presents 12 Angry Men, Boal Barn Playhouse, Boalsburg, 7 p.m. Tues.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., nittanytheatre.org. 9-11 – Centre Dance Spring Recital, State Theatre, SC, 6 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., 5 p.m. Sat., thestatetheatre.org. 9-12, 16-18 – Fuse Productions presents My Fair Lady, Penn State Downtown Theatre Center, SC, 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. matinees June 12 & 18), fuseproductions.org. 16-19 – State College Community Theatre presents The Drowsy Chaperone, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun., scctonline.org. T&G
T& G
on tap
That “Other” Beer Local distilleries giving Happy Valley something else to enjoy Darren Andrew Weimert
By Sam Komlenic
Big Spring Spirits opened in 2014 in Bellefonte and now offers 10 products, including whiskey, rum, and vodka.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines brewing as: to make (beer, ale, etc.). OK then, what else could we make by brewing besides those usual suspects (beer and ale)? What could that “etc.” possibly refer to? How about “distiller’s beer,” for making whiskey and other spirits? We usually think of vodka, whiskey, and the like as being distilled, which they are, but first, as with beer, the grains involved need to be cooked with water into a mash to create sugars, then fermented with yeast in order to produce a relatively low amount of alcohol that can be concentrated and clarified by using a still. There are a lot of variations of technique and equipment in distilling among the various countries where it is practiced, but in practical terms there are just two types of stills: pot and column. A pot still is what most people think of when distilling comes to mind — those graceful, tall copper beauties that grace most Scottish distilleries. Column stills — straight, vertical columns of copper — are used most commonly in the US for the production of bourbon and rye whiskeys. Distilling in a pot still is exactly like cooking in a pot 100 - T&G June 2016
on the stove at home. Column distilling involves steam rising through the still between perforated baffles that continuously remove the alcohol from the “beer” as it flows downward through the still. Since alcohol in beer boils at a lower temperature than the water, the steam carries the alcohol upward in either type of still, to be cooled and condensed into liquid spirit that can then be consumed immediately (vodka, gin, rum, etc.) or put into a barrel and aged into whiskey. That’s about as basic a primer as I can include here for our purpose. And what, you might ask, would be that purpose? To discuss the latest trend in local alcohol-beverage production, the craft distiller. Craft beer takes up a lot of space in this column, and for good reasons: fresh, local, sustainable, and tasty, all of which also apply to craft distilling. Right now we have three operating craft distillers in Centre County, all using pot stills to create interesting and unique spirits. Let’s make a visit and see what’s up. First off we have Big Spring Spirits in the American Philatelic Society’s match-factory complex in Bellefonte. Having opened in 2014, it was the first to hit the ground running here and now offers 10 different products at its beautiful tasting room and lounge. Big Spring also has the loftiest aspirations, having the largest product lineup and being available on the shelves of a number of Pennsylvania wine and spirits stores and in many area bars and restaurants. Head distiller Phil Jensen is cooking up an eclectic and engaging mix of spirits: three white whiskeys (corn, wheat, and rye), an aged rye whiskey, white rum (and two flavored variants, plus a barrelaged version), vodka, and a lovely cream liqueur made with neutral
More than d! e s i a r n o i l l i M $2.4 . Cancer ® aches Vs Penn State Co urnament Golf To
Thank you to our top level cash sponsors for your support of the 20th Anniversary Penn State Coaches vs. Cancer ® Golf Tournament
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Barrel 21’s white rye whiskey is made from grain sourced from Bedford County.
corn spirits. Unusually, all of Big Spring’s spirits use a single-grain mashbill, only one grain per product. The tasting room at Big Spring is open for sales by the drink from a menu of inspired cocktails or by the bottle to take home and enjoy anytime. More information can be found at bigspringspirits.com. The next local entrant into the distilling arena is the Griffin Method Distillery of Milesburg. Having started operations near Aaronsburg, a change of ownership in its rented location required a change of venue, and the Griffin family found themselves distilling in the Bald Eagle Valley instead. Distiller and patriarch Dick Griffin is descended from a line of illicit distillers that operated during Prohibition and beyond. He wanted to legitimize the family legacy and acquired a license to begin distilling just one product: Uncle Lum’s Whiskey, an homage to one of the family’s past distillers. Available in both an unaged and a lightly aged version at the distillery, Uncle Lum’s utilizes an undisclosed mashbill to make what Griffin intends to be “the best whiskey in the world.” Using homemade equipment and distilling in very small batches, the Griffin distillery is indeed just a step or two removed from the family’s distilling past, but science and modern methods allow it to make a far superior product than would have been the case in the old days. The distillery has no Web site as yet, but a short drive to the Dollar General building at 517 Dell Street in Milesburg will find you right at its doorstep, where Uncle Lum’s is available for tasting and purchase by the bottle. 102 - T&G June 2016
The latest entrant in the local spirits scene is Barrel 21 Distillery & Dining, an offshoot of the highly popular Otto’s Pub and Brewery in State College. Located right next door to Otto’s, Barrel 21 is Pennsylvania’s first “distillery pub,” a craft distillery combined with a compelling tapas-themed restaurant headed by noted chef Lisa Palermo. Distiller Mike Smith was formerly head brewer at the late, lamented Gamble Mill and is immersed in this new opportunity. Barrel 21 began distilling earlier this year, and the pace of product development has accelerated greatly in that time. Its first offering is an apple eau de vie, an unaged apple brandy made from whole local apples, cores, stems, and all, in the French tradition. Up next came light rum, to be followed by a barrel-aged “Navy Strength” version, bottled at 114 proof, per the British Royal Navy. A white rye whiskey, made from grain sourced from Bedford County, also is on offer, some of which has been barreled for future release. Bourbon also has been distilled and is now in barrels waiting for time to take its course. All of Barrel 21’s spirits are available in creative cocktails in the restaurant or by the bottle from the distillery’s tasting room. Products and menus can be found at barrel21distillery.com. Lest you think these are Centre County’s first distilleries, think again. More than 100 years ago we had Mrs. Maggie Bosch’s Spring Creek distillery in Bellefonte and J.C. Mulfinger’s rye whiskey distillery in Pleasant Gap, among others. Let’s also not forget about the backwoods distillers, like those you’ve seen on TV, some of whom still exist here, feeding the demand for homemade spirits to this day. How about you take the legal route instead and visit the new breed of local distillers paving their own road and making history, right here, right now? I hope to see you there! 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.
2016 Junior Summer Golf Camp Weekly Sessions 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday Drop Off 8:45 a.m. Pick Up 3 p.m. Ages 7-15 • • • •
Low student/instructor ratio Certified instructors Daily lunch and refreshments Tuition $250
Available Weeks July 18-22 August 1-5 August 22-26 Toftrees Golf Club
One Country Club Lane, State College, PA 16803 Phone: 814-238-7600 • Fax: 814-238-4111 www.toftreesgolf.com
COMING
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2016 June T&G - 103
Taste of the Month Big Flavors at Little Szechuan
Restaurant offers authentic foods from Chinese province
By Vilma Shu Danz 104 - T&Gby June 2016 Photos Darren Andrew Weimert
Owners Sharon Ngan and Tao Xu
L
ittle Szechuan, located at 228 West College Avenue in State College, serves up a taste of authentic Szechuan cuisine. The menu, inspired by the food from the Szechuan province in southwestern China, offers customers bold and spicy flavors from the liberal use of garlic and chili peppers. Dishes are made with a balanced combination of seven basic flavors of sour, pungent, hot, sweet, bitter, aromatic, and salty. Although commonly used cuts of pork and beef are a major source of protein in dishes from the Szechuan region, organ meats such as intestine, tongue, and liver also are popular to use as ingredients for specialty dishes such as the beef tongue and tripe salad. Husband and wife Tao Xu and Sharon Ngan opened the restaurant in December 2013 and expanded it in the summer of 2015. Little
House spicy chicken
Shrimp with cashew nuts Szechuan style Szechuan can now seat up to 90 guests. “Tao is the head chef and runs the kitchen, and I run the front of the house,” says Sharon. “He is originally from Chengdu, China, and I am from Malaysia. We met through mutual friends, and after a few years working at other Chinese restaurants in State College, we decided to follow our dream of opening our own restaurant.” Cooking since he was 14 years old, Tao is passionate about serving the best Szechuan food to his customers, and presentation is an important part of that experience. “Tao says that Szechuan food isn’t just about spicy,” Sharon explains. “It’s about different kinds of peppers that create sweetness, a tingly, numbing sensation in the mouth from the Szechuan peppercorn, and different degrees of spiciness.” Szechuan cuisine often contains food preserved through pickling, salting, and drying. 2016 June T&G - 105
Dan Dan warm noodles with minced pork
Preserved dishes are generally served as spicy dishes with heavy application of chili oil. Other commonly used spices are garlic, chili peppers, ginger, and star anise. For lunch at Little Szechuan, you can find your typical Chinese American dishes such as General Tso’s chicken and chicken and broccoli, but in order to have a truly authentic experience, the chef recommends trying the homemade pork dumpling in hot chili, the double-cooked pork, or the shredded pork in garlic sauce. Similar to Chinese restaurants in metropolitan cities, customers can pick their live tilapia or lobster from a fish tank at Little Szechuan to be cooked into dishes such as fresh whole tilapia with green peppercorn, hot and spicy lobster, or golden corn lobster. The restaurant also serves noodle soups and hot pots. Little Szechuan’s chili hot pot is a sweet and spicy stir-fried meat and vegetables, such as cauliflower, lotus root, celery, mushrooms, and tofu skin. Roasted duck with bones and boneless Peking 106 - T&G June 2016
duck with crispy skin served with scallions, pancakes, and hoisin sauce also are available, but customers are told that there is a 15- to 20-minute wait because the duck is freshly prepared. Feature dishes on the board change every three days and on weekends, and look forward to seasonal specials such as crawfish and crabs. On special occasions such as Christmas and Chinese New Year’s Eve, there will be separate menus with dishes such as crispy whole fish, snails, and pork belly. Reservations are recommended for these dinners. T&G For more information on Little Szechuan or to order delivery online, visit littleszechuanstatecollege.com.
For a special offer for 15 percent off your order at Little Szechuan, visit townandgown.com.
T& G
dining out
All restaurants are in State College or on the Penn State campus, and in the 814 area code unless noted.
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 Citystyle barbecue is smoked daily on-site. AE, D, DC, ID+, MC, V. Full bar. Barrel 21 Distillery & Dining, 2255 N. Atherton St., 308-9522, barrel21distillery.com. A new dining experience brought to you by Otto’s Pub & Brewery, Barrel 21 presents a tapas menu featuring fusion cuisine highlighting our local resources. Menu inspirations will celebrate new culture and cuisine brought to Central PA from around the world. Tapas-style dining from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Sundays, brunch is served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and tapas from 4 to 9 p.m. Closed on Mondays. The distillery is in full operation and the tasting room is now open with our bottled craft spirits available for purchase during the restaurants hours of operation. AE, D, MC, V. Full bar. Carnegie Inn & Spa Restaurant, 100 Cricklewood Drive, 234-2424. An exquisite boutique hotel offering fine dining in a relaxed yet gracious atmosphere. Your dining experience begins with a wide array of appetizers and entrees that compare to the best restaurants of the largest cities in the United States. Additionally, the Carnegie Inn & Spa Restaurant wine list is one of the best in the area and features a wide variety of wines from California, France, and other countries. Reservations suggested. AE, MC, D, 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 and beer) is welcome after 5 p.m. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. 108 - T&G June 2016
The Deli Restaurant, 113 Hiester St., 237-5710, The DeliRestaurant.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 awardwinning 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. 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. Faccia Luna Pizzeria, 1229 S. Atherton St., 237-9000, faccialuna.com. A true neighborhood hangout, famous for authentic New York-style wood-fired 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.
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.
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 special- ties. AE, CB, D, DC, MC, V. Full bar, beer. Gigi’s, W. College Ave, on the corner of Cato Ave., 861-3463, gigisdining.com. Conveniently located 5 minutes from downtown State College, 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.
110 - T&G June 2016
The Greek, 102 E. Clinton Ave., 308-8822, 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 8 years in a row. Eat-in, Take-Out, Catering. Glutenfree 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 HiWay! Offering more than 29 varieties of handspun 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, Take-out, or Hi-Way delivery. AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar.
Taste of the Month
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.
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!
Thai Papaya Salad
INGREDIENT DRIVEN • SEASONAL • NEW AMERICAN CUISINE EXTENSIVE WINE LIST • BY THE BOTTLE & GLASS
814 . 237. 8474
ZOL A KI TCHEN .COM
MON. - THUR. 11: 30 -9PM • FRI. - SAT. 11: 30 -10 PM • SUN. 11: 30 - 8PM
available at
COZY THAI BISTRO 232 S. Allen Street. State College, PA 16801 Tel: 814.237.0139 E-mail: cozythai@gmail.com 2016 June T&G - 111
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 fullservice 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 transi- tions into night as a boutique nightclub with dance- floor 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.
Mario’s Italian Restaurant, 272 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 and is 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-the-art 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, ottospubandbrewery.com. State College’s most awarded craft-beer pub and brewery featuring more than a dozen fresh, house-brewed ales and lagers on tap as well as fine, affordably priced, local American food with vegan and vegetarian offerings, a kids’ menu, weekly features, and seasonal menu. Open for lunch and dinner in a family-friendly, casual atmosphere. AE, D, MC, V. Full bar.
India Pavilion Exotic Indian Cuisine
Open Daily
Lunch Buffet: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Dinner: 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
222 E. Calder Way 237-3400 www.indiapavilion.net 112 - T&G June 2016
Carry Out Available
Delivery Available
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 (members 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.
Zola Kitchen & Wine Bar, 324 W. College Ave., 237-8474. Zola Kitchen & Wine Bar features ingredient-driven, seasonal, new American cuisine paired with an extensive wine list, certified wine professional, and exceptional service. Zola’s also features a new climatecontrolled wine room, premium by-the-glass wine pours, fine liquor, and craft beer at its fullservice bar. Serving lunch and dinner seven days a week. Reservations recommended. Catering. Free parking after 5:30 p.m. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. Full bar.
Good Food Fast Baby’s Burgers & Shakes, 131 S. Garner St., 234-4776, 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.
Award-winning pizza and Italian Cuisine. Homemade… with only the best and freshest ingredients. 1229 S. Atherton St., State College
234-9000
W W W. F A C C I A L U N A . C O M 2016 June T&G - 113
Fiddlehead, 134 W. College Ave., 237-0595, fiddleheadstatecollege.com. Fiddlehead is a soup-and-salad café offering soups made from scratch daily. Create your own salad from more than 40 fresh ingredients.
Irving’s, 110 E. College Ave., 231-0604, irvingsstatecollege.com. Irving’s is State College’s finest bakery café serving awardwinning bagels, espresso, sandwiches, salads, and smoothies.
HUB Dining, HUB-Robeson Center on campus, 865-7623. A Penn State tradition open to all! Enjoy 13 different eateries in the HUB-Robeson Center on campus. 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.
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! T&G
Look for The Guide to the 2016 Happy Valley Culinary Week in The Centre County Gazette on June 2nd!
Sundaes for Dads & Grads at
Meyer Dairy Milk • Ice Cream • Eggs Cheese • Juices Candy • 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
June 13-19, 2016
Duffy’s Tavern It’s a Wine Walk! Est. 1819
Friday, June 17th 5-9 pm On the Diamond in Boalsburg Tickets are $10 available at Duffy’s
We cover what’s important to you!
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A portion of proceeds benefits Boalsburg Village Conservancy. For Reservations 466-6241 www.duffystavernpa.com
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T& G
lunch with mimi
Bringing Penn Staters Together
Darren Andrew Weimert
New alumni association CEO looks to keep large network of alums connected to university
Paul Clifford (left) talks about his plans for the Penn State Alumni Association with Town&Gown founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith at Liberty Craft House in State College.
In January, Paul J. Clifford became the new chief executive officer of the Penn State Alumni Association and associate vice president for alumni relations for the university. Established in 1870, the Penn State Alumni Association serves more than 177,000 members and 645,000 alumni worldwide. Its mission is to connect alumni to the university and to each other, provide valued services to members, and support the university’s mission of teaching, research, and service. He is the alumni association’s 11th chief executive in its 146-year history. Originally from Conyngham, he earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Bloomsburg University in 1996. He and his wife, Jenne, have three children: Aidan, Avery, and Abbey. He comes to Penn State from the University of Oregon, where he had served as associate vice president of advancement and executive director of the University of Oregon Alumni Association. Town&Gown founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith sat down with Clifford at Liberty Craft House in State College to discuss his vision for the Penn State Alumni Association and what he hopes to accomplish in his new role. 116 - T&G June 2016
Mimi: Paul, what are the big plans you have for the Penn State Alumni Association? The best [alumni association] in the world they say. Paul: Absolutely! Thank you for inviting me to lunch. I look at the alumni association in the same way. I get to run the best alumni association in the country, as I’ve talked about it being the Starbucks coffee, the Apple computer, the New York Yankees of alumni associations, and it’s in part because of the folks who have come before me and the great work that they’ve done — from Ridge Riley to Ross Lehman to Peter Weiler to Diane Ryan and Roger Williams — they’ve built a gem of an alumni association here. I’m just delighted to continue my career here at Penn State — a university that means so much to me and to my family, and to really try to sustain the greatness and add on to it. Mimi: So tell me how you’re going to win the World Series. Paul: Is that because I use baseball metaphors!? I don’t normally think of it as winning the World Series, and you listen to folks in sports, especially champions in sports, and they talk about the gratifying parts of the process, not the actual winning of the championship. And that’s what I’m really interested in now is the process of putting a plan together to kind of keep this alumni association wellpositioned to serve the alumni. What the World Series in my world looks like, I’m not exactly sure what that is. Mimi: You’ve come into an organization that over many years has placed high emphasis on membership, and they lead the country in membership. Paul: 177,000 members. Mimi: How do we get to 200,000 in the next few years? Paul: That’s a great question. But let me first address the premise — is membership our most
important metric? My argument to you would be that the Penn State Alumni Association is not a membership organization, that we’re an engagement organization. We should be measured by things other than the number of members we have supporting us. Mimi: But we brag about it all the time! Paul: We do, we do. What I think we should be bragging about is how those members directly support faculty excellence through the faculty awards that we have or through alumni excellence in recognition of the great things alumni are doing with their degrees, like the awards ceremony that we attended, or how we support the student experience or how we impact higher education in Pennsylvania through our grassroots network. I think those are the stories that should be told. Mimi: If you could flash-forward 25 years, what would your legacy be as the leader of the alumni association? Paul: I would like to think that my legacy could be that he transformed a good organization into a truly great organization that had a tangible
impact on Penn State, and that people will be able to point to those things I just mentioned and say, “It was unbelievable what they were able to do with their members’ support!” Mimi: Then let’s talk about a really tough one. We have a situation on the board of trustees where some of the nine elected alumni trustees, I think I could honestly say, have a way of making the board dysfunctional more often than it should be. What do you think we could do to build better trust and teamwork, especially when some good ideas come forward? Paul: I think it’s a long process of rebuilding trust on both sides. I think that our alumni trustees have had their trust and faith in the university wavered and thus inspired them to run for trustees. I think some of the things that have happened over the past four years have had the other trustees on the board maybe lose trust and have their confidence wavered in some of their colleagues on the board. So I think anytime you’re looking to build trust, it’s got to start with small victories here and there. The way I would approach it is let’s find what we have in common.
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Let’s put all of our differences aside and let’s focus on what we have in common and how can we pursue that together. Let’s have some victories around the things that we all agree with and then let’s start to expand that into these other areas once that trust is built. I think until we come together as one Penn State family, that healing is not going to be possible and trust isn’t going to be possible. Right now, I think some look at it as two different families, kind of like the Hatfields and the McCoys, and we need to realize that we’re all one family. Mimi: What’s step one? Paul: I guess step one is identifying some victories that we can win together. Let’s pick things that we have in common, that we’re passionate about. Maybe it’s the student experience. Maybe it’s excellence in a number of areas and a strategic plan that we can all be excited about, and let’s come together and have some early victories on that. I think you then expand from there. But I do reject the premise that anyone is less of a Penn Stater because of how they feel or believe about this institution. I’ve come in with the approach that
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it’s tough for me to take a side on a Penn State issue because if I’m really truly representing the alumni, there’s 12 sides to every issue. So if I choose one side, I’m alienating another piece of that alumni base. But that doesn’t make me think that they’re any less of a Penn Stater. So proper and respectful discourse is the way to move forward. Mimi: “Respectful” is an important word. Paul: It is. Mimi: Some of it has gotten pretty ugly. Paul: Yes it has. Mimi: It’s one university with many issues, but what has pulled us apart is what happened to one of the strongest people that ever worked at this university and committed a lifetime of joy to a lot of us. Paul: I grew up a great admirer of Coach [Joe] Paterno, living in northeast Pennsylvania and growing up in a Penn State household — my dad’s Class of ’72 engineering and a 35-year season-ticket holder. So Coach Paterno and Penn State football have been part of my growing up. To see all of that and how all of this has played out has been heartbreaking. I didn’t even realize
I think it can work. I’m committed to making it work, and I’m also committed to leading the change that evolves and remains current and effective for the alumni that we serve. Mimi: Change is good. Paul: Change is. I totally agree. But at a place like Penn State where tradition and heritage is paramount, we have to pursue change in a way that’s respectful of the heritage of the institution. I came from the University of Oregon, where if you wanted to change something, you just did it in part because nobody cared. It was a fast-moving environment, and it was where innovation, change, and being on the cutting edge were part of the fabric of the culture there. And they almost scoffed at tradition and heritage there. If you were making rapid change, that was seen as being part of the Oregon family. Mimi: But rapid change isn’t easy in a place like this. Paul: No, it’s not, nor should we be rapid about a 161-year-old institution that has stood the test of time. We don’t necessarily want to look to fix something that’s not broken, but just to improve on something that’s already great.
Coach Paterno was this celebrity until I left Pennsylvania. I just thought he was “our guy,” but he’s world famous. Mimi: We’ve tried to make the governance of the trustees better, and the votes aren’t all in yet. And in the process, they were trying to make the alumni association have better governance. How can you govern a place that has how many members of alumni council? Paul: We’ll have 109 members on alumni council. If we just look at this like running a nonprofit, it’s potentially highly inefficient with 109 voices on the council. From alumni interest and from being on a representative board, it’s unbelievable. I mean, we have the most representative board in the country, and when it comes down to making decisions, I think the role of the executive board is even more important now because it needs to take these 109 voices and really boil it down into what’s important to most alumni and how do we position the alumni association. Mimi: Is it working? Paul: I’m new in this role so it’s hard for me to pass judgment on whether it’s working or not.
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Mimi: Switching to a totally different subject. For years, the alumni association has sponsored travel. And I have to guess that there haven’t been a whole of people banging down your door to travel. Have you looked at ways to change that and make it a bit more exciting? Paul: I think as our population changes of alumni that we’re serving, we need to change our thought process around travel. First and foremost, the travel that we offer needs to be different than other travel that you can buy off the street. There needs to be a unique Penn State component and an educational component to it. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t do shorter trips, less expensive trips to engage younger alumni — the kind of trips that we put together around families, younger families traveling with us. That’s where you’re going to see some change in our travel program coming up. Mimi: That’s good to hear. Paul: How do we do family trips to the national parks, for example? There are certainly educational components in there. There’s
certainly a way we can infuse Penn State. One of the ideas I have is that we have one of the world-renowned experts on fly-fishing on our campus. Why don’t we have him lead a flyfishing trip to Montana and spend seven days fly-fishing with the best fly fisherman in the world? It’s those kinds of opportunities that we need to be taking a look at. How can we build trips around the expertise that we have here? Mimi: Good idea. You seem very happy with this job. It comes through loud and clear. Paul: I’m so energized by the opportunity, and it’s the first time I’ve ever worked for people that I know and people that I care about. I’m running my father’s alumni association. My family and friends and just my whole life has been Penn Staters. There are two staff members at the alumni association that went to my high school. So I’m now doing this for people that I care about. Mimi: That’s a good note on which to end. Thanks so much for giving me the time to do this. Paul: I appreciate the opportunity. It’s an honor. 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. The club welcomes individuals from amateurs to professionals. The club also offers bimonthly workshops to improve skills and sponsors a bimonthly competition for its members. Town&Gown is pleased to present the winning images from the club’s competition. Shown this month are the first- and second-place winners in the Open category from the judged March meeting competition.
“Oregano” by Patti Worden
>
March Meeting: Open Category, First Place
“Origanum rotundifolium, otherwise known as Ornamental Oregano, ‘Kent Beauty.’ I liked the form of this and shot it against a window with a long exposure to bring out the details. Shot at f8 with 90mm lens, 8 seconds, ISO 100.”
“Spring Rain” by Ernest Erdeky March Meeting: Open Category, Second Place
>
“Infrared photograph taken from Upper Brush Valley Road near Centre Hall. The camera is a Canon T3i that has been converted to take infrared photographs.”
A copy of many photos taken by the State College Photo Club may be obtained with a $75 contribution to the Salvation Army of Centre County. Contact Captain Charles Niedermeyer at (814) 861-1785 for more information. 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.
Visit statecollegephotoclub.org for more information about how to join. 122 - T&G June 2016
Darren Andrew Weimert
T& G
snapshot
Growing Green Arboretum director maintains fresh approach to the changing gardens By Madison Lippincott Since initial construction of the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens was completed in 2008, the Arboretum at Penn State has been an ever-changing work in progress, with director Kim Steiner there every step of the way. Before becoming involved with the arboretum, however, he came to Penn State to teach in what was the School of Forest Resources. “I’ve been here on faculty since 1974, starting as an assistant professor. I came up very rapidly through the faculty ranks and served as interim director of the School of Forest Resources for a time in the early 1990s. That led, more or less, to my becoming chair of a faculty committee that was promoting the whole idea [of an arboretum] at the university, and I’ve been involved with that project ever since,” he says. While the plan for an arboretum at Penn State didn’t pick up traction until the mid-1990s, the idea to create one has been around for more than a century. “There have actually been plans for an arboretum at Penn State for over 100 years. In fact, there was a committee promoting the idea that was put together back in the early 1970s, and I was appointed as a member by the provost in 1975. The committee was never entirely forgotten; it was simply resurrected with new membership in 1994 to develop a fresh case for an arboretum,” Steiner says. “After the committee produced its white paper in 1995, the administration agreed to fund a proper study, which was completed in 1999 and presented to the president and the president’s council. President [Graham] Spanier agreed that we could go ahead with an arboretum on that space if we could raise a single eight-figure gift. We got that gift from Skip Smith in 2007, and it was that money that we used to build phase one.” The Arboretum at Penn State has undergone many changes since it was built, including the addition of a popular children’s garden in 2014, and more changes are to come. “The next thing we’re trying to raise money for is a pollinator’s garden, which would be a two-acre garden dedicated to pollinator diversity,” Steiner says. “It would be a very attractive place, but the idea would be to educate 124 - T&G June 2016
Kim Steiner
people about pollinators and the importance of pollination. We also have plans for a bird garden dedicated to the bird habitat and a garden that I’m calling the ‘fountain garden,’ which would extend out between the fountain and the boardwalk.” Another change to the arboretum happens June 4 with the opening of the arboretum’s first seasonal art exhibit, featuring pieces by Robert Anderson. “This is the first in what we hope will be an annual series of outdoor art exhibits in the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens,” Steiner says. “We are already collaborating with the Palmer [Museum] on an exhibition for 2017. Public gardens can be a great venue for art, and exhibits like this serve our goal of encouraging visitation. “We have worked hard to make the arboretum an important resource for both campus and community. I think we have been pretty successful. Tripadvisor.com rates the arboretum as number 2 of 23 things to do in State College, behind only the university, and the reviews are flattering. But we are not resting. We want to get bigger and better.” T&G
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