Town&Gown OCTOBER 2016
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Renaissance Honoree of the Year Penn State’s Rod Kirsch has demonstrated servant leadership throughout his professional life
Inside: Halloween houses • Former Lions take to the air
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2016 October T&G - 1
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features 32 / Renaissance Honoree of the Year Penn State’s Rod Kirsch has demonstrated servant leadership throughout his professional life • by T. Wayne Waters
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42 / Former Lions Take to the Air With their playing days over, several former Penn State athletes have stayed connected to sports and earned a reputation for their work in front of national television cameras • by Rich Scarcela
56 / Halloween Houses Come trick-or-treat night, some local families go all-out in turning their homes into a visual treat with plenty of tricks for visitors • by Jenna Spinelle
42 62 / Happy Valley’s Halloween Tradition The annual costume parade in State College celebrates its 70th edition • by David Pencek
56 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: How to navigate through the stagnant times in your life • by Meghan Fritz 22 Health: Taking the fright out of food allergies this Halloween • by Maggie Ellis, PA-C 24 About Town: Art Alliance comes downtown • by Nadine Kofman 28 On Center: Roomful of Teeth octet transcends vocal borders to produce “pure joy” • by John Mark Rafacz 30 Penn State Diary: The “Strong and Great” who contributed to the school’s founding and development • by Lee Stout
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69 66 This Month on WPSU 69
What’s Happening: Day of Caring, Homecoming, Rascal Flatts, Pumpkin Festival, Nat King Cole tribute, Halloween, and more highlight October’s events
82 On Tap: Saluting those who helped bring about the craft-beer revolution • by Sam Komlenic 86 Taste of the Month/Dining Out: Revival Kitchen works with local farmers to create mouthwatering dishes • by Vilma Shu Danz 98 Lunch with Mimi: Pink Zone’s director looks to expand the effort against breast cancer 106 State College Photo Club’s Winning Photos 108 Snapshot: Head of Penn State’s musical theater program brings new works to stage • by Samantha Chavanic
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Town&Gown October
A State College & Penn State tradition since 1966.
Publisher Rob Schmidt Founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith Editorial Director David Pencek Creative Director Tiara Snare Operations Manager/Assistant Editor Vilma Shu Danz Art Director/Photographer Darren Weimert
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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.
Facebook.com/townandgownsc @TownGownSC townandgown.com 8 - T&G October 2016
T& G
letter from the editor
Be Aware The importance of having an “awareness” month You’ll undoubtedly be seeing a lot of the color pink during October. It’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so everything from NFL teams to small businesses will be wearing or showcasing pink items to demonstrate their support. This month’s issue of Town&Gown even has an interview in our “Lunch with Mimi” column with Erin Tench, the new executive director of the Pennsylvania Pink Zone. However, October also is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, SIDS Awareness Month, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and, even, National Cyber Security Awareness Month (which seems to be even more important during this election year), to name a few. You’ve likely noticed that each month of the year has at least a few causes that are recognized for “awareness” or “prevention” during that month, which may cause some to wonder why having an “awareness” month is needed to help a cause. We know breast cancer, for example, affects people 365 days a year. Do the 31 days in October set aside for Breast Cancer Awareness Month really make a difference? From a financial aspect, my guess is having an “awareness” month makes a big difference. Organizations affiliated with whatever “awareness” month it is probably receive their largest donations during that month. Maybe more importantly, though, an “awareness” month serves as a reminder to everyone that there is — breast cancer, domestic violence, people who have Down syndrome, families coping with pregnancy loss, etc. While we know these, and most of the other causes that are recognized with an “awareness” or “prevention”
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month, exist, designating a month to recognize some of these issues allows — and, maybe in some cases, forces — us to talk more openly, look more closely, and gain a better understanding of these issues. No one wants to talk about domestic violence, but during Domestic Violence Awareness Month this month there are more opportunities set aside to have this important issue out in the forefront in the form of events. One event this month, on October 17, is a screening and discussion of the WPSU documentary, Telling Amy’s Story, about Amy McGee of State College, who was killed in 2001 and her husband was found guilty of the murder. Then there are active ways to help causes. October 15 is the annual Centre Region Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk. It is the organization’s biggest fund-raiser and promotes “understanding and acceptance of individuals with Down syndrome.” You can read more about it in our Q&A with Raquel Ross, president of the society. No matter what month it is, there are issues we should always be aware of and maybe find ways to help people who are affected by them. It doesn’t hurt to have about 30 days out of a year when that awareness is sharpened even more. David Pencek Editorial Director dpenc@barashmedia.com
CONGRATULATIONS TO DON LEITZELL! J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. is proud to announce the selection of Mr. Donald Leitzell, CFP®, President of Diversified Asset Planners in State College, Pennsylvania as the honored recipient of the 2015 J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. “Advisor of the Year Insurance Division” award. The award goes beyond recognizing Mr. Leitzell for his successful business; it also signifies Mr. Leitzell’s commitment to ensuring that families and individuals have given the proper consideration to the use of insurance as a wealth transfer and estate planning tool in addition to the more traditional use as a protection for income. J.W. Cole continues to rely upon Mr. Leitzell’s leadership and forward looking ideas for improvement upon the delivery of financial services. Mr. Leitzell is a motivational influence throughout his own organization and ours and we are privileged to call him our partner.
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•The Advisor did not pay a fee to be considered for the award. •The award is not indicative of the Advisor’s future performance. Working with the “Advisor of the Year” is not a guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee the selected Advisor will be awarded this accomplishment by J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. in the future. •The inclusion of the Advisor in the nomination for the award should not be construed as an endorsement of the Advisor’s investment management skills by J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. or any of its affiliates. •The Advisor may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may or may not manage their client’s assets. •The award selection committee is not acting in the capacity of an Investment Adviser and therefore the reference to this award should not be considered financial advice. •J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. has approximately 374 Advisors eligible for consideration of the award and only one Advisor per year is selected. •For more information on the methodology behind the selection committee’s nominations, please contact the Chief Compliance Officer at J.W. Cole Financial, Inc. at (813) 935-6776.
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starting off
The List What to know about October October is a big awareness month. It includes Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Check out the “What’s Happening” calendar for several events that help bring, well, awareness, to those causes and more.
It’s a day of service as the Centre County United Way holds its annual Day of Caring October 6.
Welcome to the “New World!” Columbus Day is October 10. A good way to celebrate is to visit the Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum in Boalsburg. The chapel holds a mass at 10 a.m. on Columbus Day.
Of course, we’re a month away from Election Day, so that means it’s debate season! On October 15, Representative Glenn Thompson of the 5th Congressional District debates challenger Kerith Strano Taylor at the WPSU Studio. National Boss's Day is October 16, which is a Sunday this year. So if you don’t usually see your boss on a Sunday, you may not have a chance to tell them how you really feel about him or her!
Navy Day is October 27 (the date was selected because it’s Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday, and he was an avid supporter of the Navy), and on October 28, the Navy League of Central Pennsylvania will hold a benefit banquet for the Penn State Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps Student Scholarship Fund.
Welcome back Penn State alumni! The annual Homecoming Parade is October 7, with the homecoming game October 8 when the Nittany Lions host Maryland.
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Frankenstein Friday is October 29. The day honors the famed horror character and its creator Mary Shelley.
Tricks? Treats? It’s Halloween on October 31, so get the costumes and candy ready! T&G
People in the Community On October 28, the Navy League of Central Pennsylvania will honor Tom Cali with the LT Michael P. Murphy Distinguished Citizen Award. The award is given to a nonactive duty person whose “character, distinguished military, or civilian service and stature draw wholesome comparison to the qualities of which the Central Pennsylvania Council of the Navy League strives and that LT Murphy embodied.” According to a press release, Cali is being honored for his longstanding involvement and support of a number of projects, initiatives, and events, both at Penn State and in the community. Among his community service, he is an active supporter of the Centre County United Way, the PA Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, Team Ream, Coaches vs. Cancer, Nittany Valley Running Club, and the Central PA Festival of the Arts. He recently completed two terms of board membership for the Centre County Women’s Resource Center.
Murphy was a 1998 Penn State graduate. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat June 27-28, 2005, while leading a reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan. SCASD/Nabil K. Mark
Tom Cali
Bethany Irwin
In late August, Bethany Irwin announced she was retiring as the State High girls’ basketball head coach. She had led the Little Lions for 23 seasons, going 399-187 during that time. Her overall career record, including three seasons at Bellefonte, is 433-216. At State High, Irwin led the program to eight District 6 titles and two appearances in the PIAA semifinals. More than 30 of her players went on to play college basketball. “It was probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in quite a long time,” Irwin said about her retirement to the Centre Daily Times. “It was hard because I enjoyed what I did for so long.”
Xiangyou “Sharon” Shen
Global Connections hired Xiangyou “Sharon” Shen as its new executive director. She replaces Marc McCann, who accepted a position as internship director in Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development’s human development and family studies department. Born in China, Shen earned a doctorate in health and human development from Penn State and has been a long-time resident of Central Pennsylvania. She is the founder and principal researcher of InnoSolution Research LLC and a guest researcher for the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. She has taught at universities, conducted cross-cultural research, procured funding from government, universities, companies, and nongovernmental organizations, and provided consulting services in program evaluation and international development of education programs. She says, “I am thrilled at this opportunity to work with the dedicated Global Connections’ staff and volunteers to promote intercultural interactions and understanding and to build a strong community across diverse cultures.” T&G
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Q&A with Raquel Ross, president of Centre Region Down Syndrome Society By David Pencek October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and since 2009, the Centre Region Down Syndrome Society (CRDSS) has held its Buddy Walk to raise money and promote awareness. This year’s walk is October 15 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. In January 2015, Raquel Ross of State College became president of CRDSS. Two years earlier, she and her husband, Stephen, welcomed their daughter, Isabel, into the world. On the day Isabel was born, doctors informed Raquel and Stephen that she had Down syndrome. Ever since, Raquel has taken a leadership role not only locally but also nationally in advocating for individuals who have and families impacted by Down syndrome. Ross took time to talk about her work and the struggles families face when they have a child with Down syndrome. T&G: Can you discuss how Isabel’s having Down syndrome inspired you to help others? Ross: When Isabel was around 9 months old, I had a realization: I had been so focused on her medical concerns, early intervention, and development that I had forgotten to let her be a baby and me be a mom. I made it my priority to not only remember who she is but to make sure the world knows it too. In 2014, I joined the Centre Region Down Syndrome Society board of directors as vice president. Last year, I expanded my advocacy work beyond Centre County, becoming an ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society to promote awareness and legislative advocacy for individuals with Down syndrome to the United States Congress. And this year, I joined the newly formed Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition as policy advisor to promote legislative advocacy for individuals with Down syndrome in Pennsylvania to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. T&G: How does this area do when it comes to providing services/help for people and families with Down syndrome? Ross: Thankfully, Centre County provides excellent services for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. One of the goals of the CRDSS is to help new 16 - T&G October 2016
parents reach service providers in the Centre Region. T&G: What does the Buddy Walk mean to the people who participate in it and to the society? Ross: The Buddy Walk is an opportunity for anyone who participates to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month and to promote understanding and acceptance of individuals with Down syndrome by participation in the walk. For CRDSS, the Buddy Walk is not only its biggest annual event but its biggest annual fund-raiser. T&G: What are the biggest struggles for families with someone who has Down syndrome? Ross: Families who have individuals with Down syndrome in Pennsylvania currently struggle with the following issues: education that is inclusive; access to quality medical care that is comprehensive and addresses the needs of the individual with Down syndrome; access to employment that is competitive and meaningful; and education and training for public safety and emergency-service providers on how to interact with individuals with Down syndrome. The Centre Region Down Syndrome Society and the Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition, along with other advocacy groups in Pennsylvania, are working together to alleviate this struggle. T&G The Centre Region Down Syndrome Society’s Buddy Walk is October 15 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. For more information, visit centrecountydownsyndrome.org. To read about some myths and truths about Down syndrome, visit townandgown.com.
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This Monthtownandgown.com On
• In 5 Questions, Michael Berkman, director of Penn State’s McCourtney Institute for Democracy, talks about this year’s presidential race. • The Nittany Valley Society looks at the “Penn State-Wisconsin Rivalry That Never Was” and how a few things might have finally given Penn State its first true conference “rival.” • Myths and truths about Down syndrome. • “Memories of the Town Where I Spent My Youth,” a tribute poem by Shelly Evans, State High Class of 1974. • A special recipe for flourless chocolate beet cake from Revival Kitchen. • Order your copy of Town&Gown’s 2016 Penn State Football Annual. Michael Berkman And more!
Visit our Facebook site for the latest happenings and opportunities to win free tickets to concerts and events! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @TownGownSC.
18 - T&G October 2016
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living well
Growing Pains How to navigate through the stagnant times in your life By Meghan Fritz
One of the main reasons individuals seek out therapy is they feel stuck with their lives. Oftentimes, it’s not that something life shattering has occurred but that there is a feeling of detachment and overall discontent with everyday life. A feeling where you are not ever very happy, but not necessarily sad either. It’s what I call “the blahs.” When you feel like this, it’s usually a sign from your internal GPS system that you have stopped growing in some way and that you are stagnant. Think of a stagnant pond that has no fresh flow of water. Over time it begins to look murky and smell — there is no fresh life force pumping through the water. This is what happens to us when we stop growing emotionally and spiritually. Oftentimes, we become so focused on reaching our goals that we forget to stop and really think about what we want. One of the main patterns I see in my practice is adults who have met their milestone goals of creating the career they want, getting married, having children, and owning a home. It’s almost like watching horses race at the racetrack — the starting gates are opened and everyone races to reach these cookie-cutter goals that we think we have to reach to attain true happiness in life. In the early stages of the race you are not stopping to think about what you really want or to enjoy the beautiful view — you are focused on the finish line and checking 20 - T&G October 2016
off the boxes you think you need to be a productive and respected member of society, your social circle, or your family. You work tirelessly to accomplish the goals you’ve been given by society, your parents, or your religion, and then something unsettling happens. You find yourself looking at the spouse you picked, the home you built, and the children you are raising who are on their way to becoming adults, and you think, “Is this it? What now? Do I really want any of this? What would make me truly happy?” You may find that in an effort to keep that nagging blah feeling away you start going out more with your friends or taking up a hobby that you love, such as running or spin class. This newfound independence gives you energy, and you find that you like the new people you are meeting and you aren’t as bored. Maybe you even find yourself flirting with others and going to places where you run into attractive, interesting people who make you feel like you aren’t dead. None of these feelings are abnormal. What gets you into trouble is when you skip the process of really checking in with yourself and asking yourself what you are feeling. Most people become lost and create a crisis in their life when they attempt to fill the empty void with distractions such as a new relationship or a new hot sports car or harmless flirting that eventually leads to something more intense. Before you blow up your life, recognize that growth is a necessary part of our evolution as humans. When we stop growing we start to decay — think of that stagnant pond, murky and lifeless. Growth is usually very uncomfortable, which is why we call them “growing pains,” not “growing comfortably and easily.”
If you find yourself in that stagnant season of your life (and most of us will experience this on some level eventually; it’s a part of growth!), don’t panic or beat yourself up with guilt. Take a step back and begin to take an inventory of what is going on in your life. Is your marriage stagnant because you are both so focused on outer goals that you are neglecting your relationship? Are you dissatisfied because the only role that you have ever known for a while was being a parent, and now your kids are moving toward more independence? Have you experienced the loss of a parent and are feeling orphaned and lost? What is going on and what is making you feel uncomfortable? Do the digging you need to do to find out what your internal GPS is saying to you. When you ignore the command to recalculate you will end up driving your life off of a cliff. If you aren’t really sure what the issue is, seek out some counseling. Work with someone you trust who can help you say the truth of your feelings out loud and guilt-free. If it turns out that the truth is deep down you do not want to stay in your marriage, give yourself the space to say that
out loud without guilt, fear, or panic. Avoidance will only hurt you and the people you love in the long run. If you are feeling dissatisfied in your relationship, think about what you want, what you need, and what’s missing. Tell your spouse the truth of what you are feeling in a way that opens the door for an honest adult discussion. Too often I see people avoid this truth, and they end up bringing a third party into the equation and causing major damage that is the result of their inability to own and speak the truth. We have all heard the quote, “The truth will set you free.” You don’t do anyone any favors when you lie to yourself and the people around you. Don’t be afraid of the process of digging deep to get to the heart of the matter of why you are stagnant. Do the work you need to create the life you want and to honor the people you love with the clarity of your true feelings. You are worth it! T&G Meghan Fritz is a psychotherapist practicing in State College.
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health
Maggie Ellis, PA-C
Tricks for Nonscary Treats Taking the fright out of food allergies this Halloween By Maggie Ellis, PA-C Ghosts and goblins aren’t the only scary things your children might encounter this Halloween. For parents of kids with food allergies, Halloween treats can be equally frightening. Common allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, gluten, milk, and eggs are often ingredients in holiday treats. Some kids may experience a rash or red, itchy skin; vomiting; a stuffy, itchy nose; or diarrhea or stomach cramps if they eat a food to which they are allergic. For children who are severely allergic, a single bite of these foods may cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. It’s also important to note that some nonfood items still contain allergens, so always choose candy-free alternatives carefully. Play-Doh, for example, contains wheat, and some toys are made of latex, which also can cause allergic reactions. An anaphylactic reaction typically affects more than one part of the body and can happen very quickly. Signs of anaphylaxis can include: • A lump in the throat, hoarseness, or throat tightness. • Trouble breathing, wheezing, or chest tightness. • Tingling feeling in the hands, feet, lips, or scalp. • Dizziness. • Confusion. • Shock. If your child experiences any of these symptoms, use your auto-injectable epinephrine and call 911 immediately. Tricks for (alternative) treats Families who have children with food allergies need to take extra precautions when trick-ortreating. All kids should be able to enjoy a festive 22 - T&G October 2016
time without worrying about missing out on what everyone else is doing. When planning your frightful festivities, consider the following: • Enlist the help of others. Talk to neighbors, family, and close friends about your child’s food allergies and safe options they could offer your child on Halloween. You may even wish to purchase the items yourself so these trusted adults can have them on hand for your child. Depending on your child’s age, needs, and your own comfort level, you may want to go trickor-treating only at these prescreened homes. • Trade unsafe treats. If you choose to allow your child to trick-or-treat freely, offer to trade unsafe items for safe treats or a special prize, such as a book or toy. Let your child know that he or she will not be allowed to eat any treats without you checking the label and approving it first. • Have a food-free Halloween. Hand out nonfood treats to trick-or-treaters. You may find that your house is the busiest house in the neighborhood by supplying fun and unusual treats. • Throw your own party. Consider holding a Halloween bash at home and invite your child’s friends. Children can wear their costumes, create handmade crafts, and dance to spooky music. There are many craft ideas available on sites such as Pinterest that are fun, easy to make, and inexpensive. Hosting a party provides you the control to serve only food that is safe for everyone (if you choose to serve food).
The Teal Pumpkin Project While this concept may be new to some readers, the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) organization launched its campaign two years ago in the hopes of keeping kids with food allergies safe and having fun. The movement encourages people to place a teal-painted pumpkin outside their door if they’re offering nonfoods treats, such as small toys, stickers, and crayons. Informational flyers and signs, as well as additional information, can be printed from the organization’s Web site at foodallergy.org. The organization’s mission is not to eliminate traditional treats for those who can have them but rather to provide something for everyone while raising awareness of the dangers of food allergies. As you can see, with a bit of preholiday planning and a little creativity, you can help to make this Halloween a safe and happy one for all! T&G For more information on safe trickor-treating and other children’s health topics, visit kids.mountnittany.org. Maggie Ellis, PA-C, is with Mount Nittany Physician Group Pediatrics.
HELPFUL HALLOWEEN LISTS
EXAMPLES OF NONFOOD TREATS
TRICK-OR-TREATING CHECKLIST
• Glow sticks • Costume that is visible to motorists (add • Glow necklaces, bracelets, and rings reflective tape if needed) and that allows • Bouncing “eye” balls your child to see (no masks) • Spider rings • Flashlight • Halloween-themed stickers, pencils, • Treat bag pens, and erasers • Epinephrine auto-injectors and emergency • Fake vampire teeth care plan • Crazy sunglasses • Comfortable shoes • Headbands with antennas • Cellphone (make sure it’s charged • Whistles, kazoos, and other noisemakers and emergency numbers are in your • Small flashlights contact list) • Halloween key chains • An adult to supervise • Allergen-friendly slime or Silly Putty. • A group of friends to walk with • Wipes for hand-washing on the run. 2016 October T&G - 23
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about town
Art Alliance Comes Downtown Closing of Fraser Street Gallery presents opportunity for Lemont-based organization By Nadine Kofman When a door closes, a window opens, optimists say. Philosophy aside, this could describe a going and coming in downtown State College’s minimall on Fraser Street. After two years, artist/curator Maggie Wolszczan closed her Fraser Street Galley, 123 South Fraser Street in the minimall, to open “a new chapter” in her life back in Puerto Rico. The Lemont-based Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania, after six years of scouting, off and on, for a downtown State College space, took advantage of this window of opportunity. Opened in October 2014, Wolszczan’s Fraser Street Gallery closed August 27. This month, on October 7, the brand new Art Alliance Gallery Downtown opens. As before, the walls are lined with paintings and pieces of sculpture and jewelry. “It’s a perfect fit,” says Marie Doll, executive director of the 48-year-old Art Alliance, a year-round offspring of the annual Central Pennsylva43nia Festival of the Arts. Unsurprisingly, “We’re really excited to have a downtown presence.” (For those unfamiliar with the Fraser Street minimall — located on the east side of the 100-block of South Fraser Street at Calder Way — it’s a veritable chambered-nautilus of businesses. Originally, in hot-metal days, the building was home to the Centre Daily Times. More recently, Nittany Line Hobbies inhabited the gallery space. The exterior windowed wall of the 600-square-foot gallery looks onto the brick plaza, which has been renamed in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and is being reshaped.) Each of the 350 Art Alliance members (mostly from Centre County, but also with Altoona, Lock Haven, and Mifflin County artists) has a chance to exhibit at the new gallery. Artworks will be on display for a month at a time, Wednesdays through Sundays. “I wish them well,” says Douglas Albert, owner/ operator of Douglas Albert Gallery, located blocks away in downtown State College. “I’d like to see 10 galleries downtown. I’d like to see downtown turned into a cultural 24 - T&G October 2016
center. It’s got the potential.” Wolszczan would agree. Before leaving, she observed: “We get so many people in the gallery! You can tell the community craves art.” Douglas Albert Gallery, 107 Centennial Walkway, near The Tavern restaurant, has been a fixture since 1981, making it probably the oldest gallery in State College. However, says Doll, “We were the first!” Enlarging the perspective, the 1968 Lemont gallery in College Township is the oldest in the Centre Region. Since 2002, the Gallery Shop in Lemont — next to the Art Alliance building — has been independent in more ways than one. With the opening of the Art Alliance Gallery Downtown, the Art Alliance will again have a full-time gallery. The organization, widely known for its art classes, has a temporary “gallery” of members’ artworks several times a year. “Our building becomes a gallery when we have a show,” says Doll. In Wolszczan’s two years (“She really did a great job,” says Doll), she was very busy. “I was director, curator, artist — and performed all the duties an intern would. I was very immersed in the daily operation,” she says. From a rough beginning, she got regulars and participated in First Friday (a monthly downtown State College business event). For the latter, she says, she’s grateful for the sponsorship of her appetizers and musicians — allowing for “a multifaceted experience: art and food and music.” She intends, she says, to continue painting and curating in Puerto Rico, her new/old home. Wolszczan (heard as “Vol-shawn”) was born in Poland but grew up in Puerto Rico while her astronomer
Maggie Wolszczan ran Fraser Street Gallery for two years. She closed the galley in August and moved to Puerto Rico.
father worked at the Arecibo Observatory there in the 1980s. “I’ve always wanted to go back,” she says. She was a junior high school student when her parents, Penn State professor Alexander and Ewa Wolszczan, brought her to State College. In 2004 — subsequent to State College Area High School commencement — she graduated from the Ringling School of Arts and Design in Sarasota, Florida. Her work has been exhibited at Zola’s — where she was curator of art and “social media consultant” — in addition to the shows on campus, in Philadelphia, and at Long Beach Island, New Jersey. For the Art Alliance’s part, “We have so many talented artists,” Doll says. Members’ artworks have traveled outside of Central Pennsylvania, mainly in the northeast. And even though the Art Alliance Downtown Gallery is debuting this month, Art Alliance artists have exhibited in the State College area for years, more so in the past five. “We’ve hung so many shows in the area,” says Doll. “We do what we call ‘Outreach
2016 October T&G - 25
Exhibitions.’ We feel it’s important to have work out and to expose [artists], possibly for the first time.” Outreach Exhibitions are a regular feature at the State Theatre, the Village at Penn State, and Juniper Village at Brookline; Foxdale Village Retirement Community has three annual shows, Schlow Centre Region Library has an August exhibit, and there are Outreach Exhibits in bank branches of BB&T (originally Nittany Bank). Wolszczan, who moved away in early September, departed with a bang. Her goodbye “Curtain Call” reception — a heartfelt “show of appreciation” — had crowds both inside and outside her gallery. And, this month, nearly a half century since its founding, the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania can welcome visitors into its own space in downtown State College. T&G Kelsey Rieger is director of the new Art Alliance Gallery Downtown in State College, which opens October 7.
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Nadine Kofman is a native Centre Countian and historian.
T& G
on center
Roomful of Teeth
Eight’s Enough
Roomful of Teeth octet transcends vocal borders to produce “pure joy” By John Mark Rafacz The Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth is out to discover how far human voices can stretch. Through study with masters from traditions the world over, the eight-voice ensemble continually expands its vocabulary of singing techniques, and through an ongoing commissioning process, it forges a new repertoire without borders. The group, which performs November 17 at Penn State’s Schwab Auditorium, has studied Tuvan and Inuit throat singing, yodeling, belting, Korean P’ansori, Georgian singing, Sardinian cantu a tenore, Hindustani music, and Persian classical singing. “Experimentation may be this group’s calling card,” writes a Boston Globe reviewer, “but its essence is pure joy.” Conductor, singer, and composer Brad Wells founded Roomful of Teeth in 2009, but the seed for the ensemble was germinating much earlier. “Back in the 1980s, when I was in college, I started thinking about forming a vocal ensemble dedicated to new music,” says Wells, who directs the choral program at Williams College in Massachusetts. Wells, who doesn’t sing with the octet but sometimes accompanies on percussion, likens the ensemble to an instrumental band. “I think, in some ways, it’s like a jazz band more than a rock band. You think of the saxophone section and the trombones. This group definitely does have its kind of sections. And, yeah, there are parts where there’s improvisation or some freedom, but the scores are also very clear and finely crafted, for the most part,” he says. “The expressiveness and the flexibility comes in the group’s pacing overall in responding to each other, as opposed to somebody doing a drum solo in a band.” A New York Times reviewer calls the group’s eponymously titled 2012 debut album — a Grammy winner for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance — “sensually stunning.” A second album, Render, came out last year. In 2013, octet member Caroline Shaw became the youngest winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music for Partita for 8 Voices, which will be featured in the Schwab concert. Working with professionals, Wells says, means his job is more about guiding vocalists and shaping works than about teaching. 28 - T&G October 2016
“They’re very quick. They figure out things in their own particular ways but with great confidence,” he says. “So it’s more about supporting them and getting the ideas of the piece to cohere and make sure everyone’s on the same page.” Roomful of Teeth works with a variety of composers. “What we do is get the composers to know the singers as well as they can, see what their capabilities are in all these different techniques that we’ve studied. … In some ways it’s similar to what people need to do if they’re writing an orchestral piece,” Wells says. “With the singers in Roomful of Teeth, it’s much more complicated than just a soprano and an alto. It’s a soprano who can yodel all over the place, and she can belt, and she can throat sing, and she can growl, and all these things that she’s uniquely capable of in ways that are different than everybody else in the group. So the composer should know what her strengths and her limitations are, and what those techniques are grounded in.” T&G Eileen Leibowitz sponsors the concert. WPSU is the media sponsor. For information or tickets, visit cpa .psu.edu or phone (814) 863-0255. John Mark Rafacz is the editorial manager of the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State. Heather Longley, Center for the Performing Arts communications specialist, contributed to this article.
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2016 October T&G - 29
Penn State University Archives (3)
T& G
penn state diary
The “Strong and Great” Founders Several contributed to the school’s founding and development By Lee Stout Over the years, “Penn State Diary” topics have usually come from questions I was asked in the University Archives. Since retiring, ideas for columns tend to come more from projects I’m working on or things I’ve read. However, I’m still asked intriguing questions occasionally. For example, a faculty member with an interest in Penn State history recently asked me who Fred Lewis Pattee was talking about when he wrote, “For her founders strong and great,” in the first verse of the “Alma Mater.” The faculty member said Evan Pugh quickly came to mind, but it’s “founders,” plural, so who else? Pattee was writing these lyrics in 1901, almost a halfcentury after the “founding.” The most likely answer was that he meant the people who launched the fledgling school in the 1850s and ’60s. However, it also was possible he was thinking of the notable individuals who kept it going through the intervening years, when it struggled to survive let alone succeed as Pennsylvania’s Land Grant institution. Of the former, who makes the list? First, the leaders of Pennsylvania’s state agricultural society, who pushed the legislature to charter the school and who became the first trustees of the college, especially board president Frederick Watts, Bellefonte trustee Hugh N. McAllister, and Dr. A.L. Elwyn, who performed many important duties, including recommending Pugh for the school’s presidency. Then one also has to consider six Centre Countians who played key roles: James Irvin, who offered the Centre Furnace land on which the college was built; his business partner and brother-in-law, Moses Thompson, who served as treasurer for the school and helped the college in many other ways; and William G. Waring, who lived at the college, overseeing the construction of Old Main, and, as horticulture professor and principal of the faculty, not only laid out the grounds but also helped design the curriculum, hire faculty, and admit students. There also was the Bellefonte banker E.C. Humes, who provided loans to the college to keep it afloat in times of economic hardship; Judge James T. Hale, who 30 - T&G October 2016
Those who helped with the “founding” of Penn State included (clockwise from top) Evan Pugh, Frederick Watts, and Hugh McAllister.
represented the area in the Congress, and helped secure the earliest appropriations for the college; and, of course, Bellefonte’s Andrew Gregg Curtin, who was an ex-officio member of the board as both Secretary of the Commonwealth and then governor, and who was a guarantor of a pledged $10,000 from Centre County citizens which helped bring the college to the county. All in all, Watts, McAllister, and, obviously, President Pugh should be considered the three key figures of that time. However, Pugh died in 1864, McAllister in 1873, and Watts left the board in 1874 to devote his full attention to service as US Commissioner of Agriculture. If we consider a second possible group of “founders” that carried the college through to Pattee’s own time, what additional names could be added?
Certainly George Atherton, who led the college as president from 1882 to 1906 and is rightly called “the second founder.” But he had a loyal and able partner, General James A. Beaver. A Bellefonte lawyer, Beaver took over a seat on the board from his father-in-law, Hugh McAllister, in 1874. Beaver’s service as governor from 1887 to 1891 brought Penn State its first regular state appropriations and new buildings, and he was president of the board for 24 years until his death in 1914. For other members of this second generation of “founders strong and great” we must turn to the faculty. Many are memorialized in campus building names that trace their significance for Penn State. For example, James Y. McKee, professor of Greek language and literature and vice president, served as acting president four times before Atherton’s arrival. Whitman H. Jordan, the professor of agriculture whose Soil Fertility Plots were the college’s first important scientific research project. Louis Reber was the first dean of the school of engineering. There also was George Pond in chemistry, William Buckhout in botany, William Frear in agricultural chemistry, Anna Redifer in art and design, and Harriet McElwain, who served as Lady Principal and professor of history, among others. Interestingly, the Land Grant Frescoes in Old Main have a panel showing individuals important in the growth of Penn State. Among the “Old Boys” portrayed by Henry Varnum Poor are Pugh, along with Irvin, Thompson, and Waring — but not Watts or McAllister. Atherton is there, but Beaver is missing. From among the faculty, there’s McKee, Buckhout, McElwain, and, perhaps most interesting of all, almost 40 years after he wrote the “Alma Mater,” is Fred Lewis Pattee himself. My answer to the question is that there is no one individual who created Penn State. Her “founders strong and great” must include all of these contributors. T&G
Lee Stout is librarian emeritus, special collections for Penn State.
Get to know...
Keith Jervis: Empowering Students With Disabilities From special technology to extra time, Keith Jervis and his staff deliver resources that help Penn State students with disabilities to succeed. “We collaborate with students to help them problem-solve the issues that they might be experiencing,” says Jervis, director of Student Disability Resources. “We look for barriers to learning and the reasonable accommodations we might make.” A student with a learning disability might borrow an SDR Livescribe pen to take notes that will sync with an audio lecture recording. An English major who breaks his or her dominant arm can use software to convert spoken words to essays, while a math major might find it easier to draw largescale formulas on a whiteboard with the nondominant hand and then take a photo to turn in to a professor. Every day, Jervis and his colleagues facilitate accommodations like these to assist thousands of students. Jervis, who earned his master’s degree from Penn State in counselor education with an emphasis on rehabilitation counseling, says the most common accommodations are note-taking assistance and additional time to complete exams in a low-distraction environment — simple services that can make a big difference. “I really enjoy seeing students progress from not knowing how to self-advocate, to leaving Penn State with a job in hand.” The Penn State Bookstore thanks Keith Jervis and all faculty, staff, and students who carry out the university’s mission every day.
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R
enaissance
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of the
H
onoree
Year
Penn State’s Rod Kirsch has demonstrated servant leadership throughout his professional life
By T. Wayne Waters
2016 October T&G - 33
R When I first spoke with Rod Kirsch, Penn State’s senior vice president of development, he had just come from a half-hour meeting with the 16 interns who had been assisting his department over the summer. “Half just graduated,” explains Kirsch, “half are going into their senior year. I’m telling them how rewarding this work can be in an intangible way — that it’s not all about how much money you earn but how you feel about yourself and about helping others.” That may tell you as much about Rod Kirsch as anything else, and about what kinds of considerations form the foundation of his values and of his professional practices. And it suggests some of the reasons he’s had the kind of success in fund-raising and management that he’s had with Penn State. During his 20-year tenure he has managed two, seven-year, billiondollar-plus campaigns from beginning to end and has helped Penn State raise more money during his first decade as vice president than the university had raised over the previous 140 years of its existence. And consider these highlights, as noted by Penn State’s development administration: • The “For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students,” overseen by Kirsch, garnered more alumni donors than any other public or private university in the history of American higher education.
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• Kirsch was instrumental in securing gifts for the Schreyer Honors College, H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens, Stuckeman School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Weiss Breakthrough Scholars Program, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, and the Presidential Leadership Academy. • He provided oversight of more than $300 million in private fund-raising to support nearly four dozen capital projects, including the Children’s Hospital at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pegula Ice Arena, the Business School Building, Hintz Family Alumni Center, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, Tombros/McWhirter Academic Commons, The Bank of America Career Services Center, and the Huck Life Sciences Building.
Opposite page, Kirsch with his family — (from left) daughters Mackenzie and Kelsey and wife Michele. Top, Kirsch has some fun with the Nittany Lion in a DeLorean as part of the “For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students.” Those who know Kirsch say he’s “a master’s class in how to be a leader.”
And there’s plenty more that could be cited, of course. Jean M. Songer, assistant vice president for development administration, has known Kirsch since 1988 when he interviewed her for a different position. She’s worked with him since 1999 and reported to him in her current capacity for the past eight years. “As a person, Rod cares,” she says. “That’s the simplest way to put it. He cares about what this office does. He cares about students and education and providing scholarships. He cares about Penn State’s mission as a land-grant university. And that’s genuine with him. It comes from the heart. The fact that he cares is why he’s good at everything he does. He’s all-in with whatever he’s doing. He’s here to work, and he works hard. He wants to get things done. He doesn’t stop until they’re done right. That’s what it’s all about for him.” Songer also touched more directly on how all of those qualities and more make him someone she has learned a great deal from. “He leads by example, and he’s a great mentor,” she says. “Somebody described experiencing Rod as taking a master’s class in how to be a leader. I could not agree more. And he’s also the most ethical leader I’ve ever served with. The rules apply to Rod, and he sticks to them by the letter.” Penn State and the Penn State Alumni Association granted Kirsch Honorary Alumnus status in 2014. This year, Kirsch, who is in the middle of retiring, is Penn State’s Renaissance Honoree of the Year, and he will be honored at the 40th annual Renaissance Fund dinner November 10. The fund helps raise money and endow scholarships for academically talented Penn State students who have financial needs. Kathy Kurtz, an associate director with Penn State’s Office of Annual Giving, explains that Kirsch fit the mold for a Renaissance honoree quite well. “The Renaissance board looks for someone who has had an impact on both town and gown in Centre County,” she says. “Rod has had such a strong impact with his fund-raising experience and by inspiring people to make both Penn
2016 October T&G - 35
Kirsch has helped Penn State garner more alumni donors than any other public or private university in the history of American higher education.
State and Centre County stronger. Whether it’s with scholarships or working with [Centre Foundation], he has inspired both communities to be better. That cumulative good work put him on the top this year as our honoree.” She also notes the remarkable historical symmetries of Kirsch’s honorific. “What’s unique about this year is that it’s the 40th anniversary of the Renaissance Fund dinner and we’re celebrating 20 years of Rod’s service to Penn State,” she says. “I can’t think of a better way to honor those two things. And we are creating the Rodney P. Kirsch Renaissance Fund, a scholarship endowment in his name — which is only fitting. Rod has helped raise millions of dollars for scholarship support because he believes in higher education.” As if all that weren’t enough, Kirsch and his wife, Michele, associate dean of student affairs in the Schreyer Honors College, have personally committed nearly $200,000 of their own resources to support Penn State.
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The harvest of a rural Midwestern upbringing
Rod Kirsch grew up on a farm/ranch in rural North Dakota and worked closely with his father from a young age. He remembers the time fondly and believes it was clearly a major factor in the personal and professional path he ended up taking. “I grew up in what most people consider flyover country,” he says. “It was a pretty remote part of the world. I had a great experience growing up on a farm, where we also did ranching. We had dairy and we had range cattle and we had horses, hogs, chickens, and turkeys, and on and on. The biggest thing I remember about growing up was that I spent a lot of time working in the fields. We put up a lot of hay in the summertime for all the cattle. I worked a lot of time side by side with my father. I learned to get up at 5 a.m. in the summer and work until sundown. My mother had a huge vegetable garden, and, in the summertime, everything that was on the kitchen table to eat was something
we had raised. There’s a lot of life lessons and values you pick up when you did that.” Kirsch also got his first taste of fund-raising during his childhood in North Dakota. “The very first fund-raising experience I recall having I was probably 11 or 12 years old and I sold raffle tickets for a snowmobile for my church,” he says. “It happened to be during what to this day was one of the warmest winters ever in North Dakota. So I was in this mall on Saturdays asking them to buy this raffle ticket, and it was 60 degrees outside in the middle of February. Everyone was kind of laughing in my face. I don’t know if it kind of marred me in some way (chuckling) or made me resilient or what, but I still remember that.” Though neither of his parents had gone to college, he notes that education was “just a part of the fabric of our family” and that his folks were intent that he and his older sister would have a higher-education experience. His sister went on to teach high school English and German.
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Renaissance Fund Honorees 2015 — Steve Brown 2014 — Dan Hawbaker 2013 — Kay Kustanbauter 2012 — Ed and Charlene Friedman 2010 — Lance Shaner 2009 — Patricia L. Best 2008 — J. Lloyd and Dorothy Huck 2007 — Jonathan Dranov 2006 — Linda and Blake Gall 2005 — Rene Portland 2004 — Robert W. Potter 2003 — Herschel W. and Eileen Wirtshafter Leibowitz 2002 — Bill Welch 2001 — Martha Lewis Starling 2000 — Ralph J. Papa 1999 — D. Patrick Daugherty 1998 — Patricia Farrell 1997 — David Lee 1996 — Suzanne Pohland Paterno 1995 — Donald W. Hamer 1994 — Charles W. Rohrbeck 1993 — Galen E. Dreibelbis 1992 — Arnold Addison 1991 — Sidney Friedman 1990 — Mimi Barash Coppersmith 1989 — Jonelle and Bryce Jordan 1988 — Milton J. Bergstein 1987 — Eugene Lee 1986 — Marjorie W. Dunaway 1985 — John R. Miller, Jr. 1984 — Joseph V. Paterno 1983 — O.W. Houts 1982 — Barbara R. Palmer 1981 — Roy Wilkinson, Jr. 1980 — Eric A. Walker 1979 — William K. Ulerich 1978 — John H. Light 1977 — Jo Hays 38 - T&G October 2016
“Education was probably the most important value we had,” Kirsch says. “My sister and I were the first generation in my family to be college-educated. My parents did everything they could — mostly hard work and saving money — to make sure that my sister and I could go to college. For them, that represented the possibility of a better life — even though, I think, they appreciated the life they had.” Kirsch’s father has been deceased for about 10 years, but his 91-year-old mother, Pauline, is still living independently in North Dakota. “It was just a neat experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Kirsch says. “That life, all of that grounding, helped me along the way in terms of the world of work at all these universities I worked at. I am grateful for it. It was a great way to grow up.”
University days
Kirsch’s first exposure to more serious fund-raising was when he worked for his University of North Dakota college fraternity’s headquarters in Indianapolis after graduating with an undergraduate degree in English. He was one of several hired by Delta Upsilon as a kind of liaison to all of the fraternity chapters in North America. Within about two years, he visited 85 campuses and was exposed to volunteer boards and fund-raising and became very interested in staying Kirsch will be honored November 10 at the 40th annual Renaissance Fund dinner.
in higher education for work. “If I hadn’t worked in that capacity for my fraternity I might never have ended up in university fund-raising,” he says. After working a couple of years with Delta Upsilon, he enrolled in graduate school at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, initially with an eye toward admissions. But an internship with the Indiana University Alumni Association made the whole idea of university advancement real for him, and he started knocking on doors on campus to gain some experience with development work. In the early 1980s, the development office at the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana was happy to have him volunteer up to 12 hours a week. After graduate school, he applied for fundraising positions and went to work at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, in annual giving and alumni relations. He ended up back at Indiana for almost seven years as the numbertwo person and began to feel that he was ready to step up a level. “I got the [Penn State] job in the fall of 1995 and started in early 1996,” he says. “I was pretty
young for the job at the time — 39 — so they kind of took a chance on me. Dr. Graham Spanier had just become president and he hired me. He was relatively new, I was brand new. We were getting to know each other, we were getting to know the alumni constituency, we had organizational structures to set up, we had staff to hire. It was a lot of work the first nine to 12 months when I came here — a tough stretch. I still enjoyed it, but it was a lot of hard work.”
Penn State development inside and out
“There are lots of interesting aspects to this job,” says Kirsch. “There are about 400 people in our division of Development and Alumni Relations, so there’s a large management piece to it. I really believe in this idea of servant leadership, where you’re serving others to try to help make them as effective and productive as they can be. That’s how I’ve always thought about being a vice president — How can I serve the institution? How can I serve the people who I’m working with in development and alumni relationships to make them as effective as possible? My job managerially is to try to make everyone else
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productive and make their job easier.” There also is, as Kirsch notes, the “outside” aspect of the job that involves dealing with potential benefactors. “The real work of development in this capacity is ‘chief relationship builder’ really,” he says. “I have had the pleasure of working with almost all of the largest Penn State benefactors. I have really deep relationships with them and have worked with them on their philanthropy to the university. So building their trust and confidence and doing the things that create these bridges between an individual and an institution like Penn State is a very important part of what the job is about. We live in an amazing country where philanthropy has been an important part since its founding. There are lots of people out there who want to be generous, and it’s our job to help them achieve what they want to achieve in that part of their life. It may sound a bit corny, but that’s kind of a noble calling — to work with people who are good people and have been successful people, who have wealth and want to make something better.” But Kirsch is quick to note that fund-raising takes a team effort and that he’s been blessed with good, competent people who have worked with him along the way. “Almost all of them could go into the private sector and make more money doing what they’re doing here,” he says. “But they’ve got a passion about their work and being part of a nonprofit organization like the university. I’ve been really lucky to work with some really great people, from the university academic administrative team to the development staff.”
The future
Kirsch (left) receives congratulations from Penn State president Rodney Erickson after it was revealed that the “For the Future” campaign raised $2.158 billion in private support.
T. Wayne Waters has been an independent journalist for more than a decade.
40 - T&G October 2016
As he heads into retirement, Kirsch says he feels good about the future of Penn State philanthropy and giving. “This is a strong community in terms of the university, strong in terms of the State College community,” he says. “And people like to support excellence. This university just gets better and better in terms of its academic excellence, and it gets more recognition every year. That makes fund-raising better. And we have this enormous base — the Penn State Nation — of 645,000 alumni.” He feels good about his own future as well, even though he has no firm plans for after his retirement. “The first thing on my docket after leaving is to go back to North Dakota to spend some time with my mother,” he says. He also mentions he has about 15 books on his coffee table that he’s been trying to find time to read, and he’s been approached about, and is interested in, writing a book about the challenges of development and fund-raising. He’s also been approached by several nonprofits to serve on their boards. “I’ll probably also end up doing some consulting,” he says. “I want to keep my hand in the world of philanthropy, and there are opportunities to do some kind of mentoring with young people. I’d jump at the chance to do that kind of thing.” He and his wife have two daughters — Kelsey, who graduated from Penn State, and Mackenzie, who will graduate from the university next year. “This is really a town-and-gown award in many respects,” he says being of the Renaissance Honoree. “Our daughters were very young when we moved here. So for us kind of growing up as a family in the State College community and for our daughters having the Penn State experience as students, we are really blessed to have had that kind of quality of life in a community like this one. There are maybe a handful of universities in the country that are at the level Penn State is that are sited in a community like this where you have the quality of life, the ease of life that you have here. There has been really great community leadership in State College for a long time and a really great relationship between the university and the community. We feel lucky as a family, and it’s been a really good place to be a professional.” T&G
Rodney P. Kirsch 2016 Renaissance Fund Honoree
The Renaissance Fund will honor Rod Kirsch
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Former Lions Take to the
Air
With their playing days over, several former Penn State athletes have stayed connected to sports and earned a reputation for their work in front of national television cameras
42 - T&G October 2016
By Rich Scarcella 2016 October T&G - 43
Salters (center) joined Mike Tirico (left) and Jon Gruden on Monday Night Football as a sideline reporter in 2012.
As a correspondent for ABC News, Penn State alum Lisa Salters covered some of the biggest stories in the second half of the twentieth century. So when ESPN higher-ups approached her about leaving ABC News and joining the all-sports network, she was incredulous. “People within ESPN knew of me, made contact, and asked me to work for them,” she recalls. “For two years, I said, ‘That’s ridiculous. Why would I do that? I’m a network news correspondent. How dare you suggest that?’ ” Seeing the limited opportunities at ABC News, she eventually gave in to the folks at ESPN and accepted their offer in 2000. She’s had a successful career in sports, serving as the sideline reporter for Monday Night Football and for NBA games for the last several years. “When I look back at it now, it seems funny,” she says. “My sports career has lasted longer than my news career.” Salters is one of several former Penn State athletes who have network jobs in sports broadcasting. They include former football players. Todd Blackledge (ESPN), Michael Robinson and LaVar Arrington (NFL Network), and Matt Millen (Big Ten Network), and former basketball player Jon Crispin (BTN). 44 - T&G October 2016
Salters interviews Houston Texans running back Arian Foster.
Salters played basketball for the Lady Lions and former coach Rene Portland in 1986-87, and, at 5-2, has the distinction of being the shortest player in the program’s history. “I was never a great athlete at Penn State,” she says. “I didn’t play. I wasn’t a starter. I was always a bench player. I still went through the day-to-day grind at practice that everybody else did. It taught me discipline and teamwork.
Salters played one season for the Penn State Lady Lions, and, at 5-2, she is the shortest player in the program’s history.
2016 October T&G - 45
“I was never a great athlete at Penn State. I didn’t play. I wasn’t a starter. I was always a bench player. I still went through the day-to-day grind at practice that everybody else did. It taught me discipline and teamwork.” — Lisa Salters “You see the bigger picture and you’re ready whenever you’re called on. I feel like I’m pretty resilient in front of the camera. Being a former athlete obviously helps.” Salters played basketball and two other sports at Upper Merion High School, but she didn’t dream of being the next Nancy Lieberman. She had an idol that she saw every night in her living room.
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“I always watched (anchorwoman) Lisa Thomas-Laury on WPVI (Channel 6 in Philadelphia),” she says. “I always thought, ‘Wow, she’s awesome! I want to do what she does.’ I didn’t really know what that meant, but I knew that I wanted to be like Lisa Thomas-Laury.” Salters, 50, graduated from Penn State in 1988 with a degree in broadcast journalism. She spent seven years working for WBAL in Baltimore before she moved to Los Angeles to work for ABC in 1995. She wound up covering the Oklahoma City bombing, the crash of TWA Flight 800, and the criminal and civil trials of O.J. Simpson. “News was what I thought you were supposed to do with a degree in journalism,” she says. “Sports never crossed my mind. It really took me a lot to leave ABC News. “At the time, it was unheard of to leave network news to go into sports. I thought, ‘Screw it. I want to try something new. I love sports. I was raised around sports. They
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Millen (right) worked for ESPN from 2009 to 2015.
muscles and keeps them from atrophying,” she says. “That’s what I grew up on. Getting to sink my teeth into interviews and stories like I’m able to do on E:60, that has been a nice mix for me. “If I had to do the hits, runs, and errors every day, I don’t know if I would enjoy my job as much.”
want me, so I might as well give it a try.’ ” Since she’s been at ESPN, she’s made two trips to the Middle East and several to the Olympics. She also serves as a correspondent on E:60, a show that covers meatier topics than balls and strikes. “It allows me to flex my journalism
*** Matt Millen enjoys his job as much as anyone. The former Penn State All-American defensive tackle has an infectious enthusiasm for broadcasting since CBS gave him his first job in 1992, one year after he retired from the NFL. Millen is a genuine article. Watching his games and listening to him is like sitting on a recliner next to a relative or friend.
Join Us Now! The official Men’s Basketball Booster Club with tickets $750 without tickets
2016 October T&G - 47
During his Penn State days, Millen was an All-American defensive tackle.
Stonebridge Senior Apartments Call today to set up your appointment!
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“I want to talk about what teams are doing. Most people don’t know what’s going on out there. A fan knows if a guy plays well or not. They want to know why.” Matt Millen “When I call a game, I want to talk about the game,” he says. “That’s probably a fault of mine. I don’t like all the stuff on the periphery. I could not care less about all the crap that goes on. “I want to talk about what teams are doing. Most people don’t know what’s going on out there. A fan knows if a guy plays well or not. They want to know why.” Millen, 58, majored in finance and marketing at Penn State, where he was a three-year starter on the defensive line (1976 to 1978) before a back injury sidelined him for most of his senior year (1979). He helped the Nittany Lions post back-to-back 11-1 seasons in 1977 and 1978. The Oakland Raiders drafted him in the second round of the 1980 NFL draft, and he went on to play 12 seasons in the league. He won four Super Bowl rings with the Raiders, the San
Bellefonte fall festival Talleyrand Park, Bellefonte, PA Annual Fall Festival and Halloween Parade is Saturday, October 15th, 11am to 4pm
Fall Festival Activities: Fall Festival Activities & Halloween Parade: October 15th,Entertainment, Children’s Activities including Photo Booth, in the park from 11am to 4pm Halloween parade judging and line up at the Bellefonte YMCA at 12:30pm Parade down High Street to Talleyrand Park at 1:30pm for awards and treats Fall Train Rides: Fall Foliage- Oct. 21, 22, & 23 Santa Express- Dec. 16, 17, & 18 Rail Cruise 2017- Check website next year for Rail Cruise 2017. RDC- Coming Fall / Winter 2016!
www.bellefontechamber.org www.visitbellefonte .com 2016 October T&G - 49
Millen was featured on the cover of Penn State’s media guide in 1979.
114 West College Avenue, State College, PA 16801 50 - T&G October 2016
Francisco 49ers, and the Washington Redskins. He had never considered broadcasting until CBS officials asked him to travel to New York after he had retired. “They called me and asked me to do a test in New York,” he says. “I said, ‘A test for what?’ They thought I’d be good. When it came time for the test, I just made stuff up. “When it was over, they were like, ‘You were really prepared.’ I thought to myself, ‘You gotta be kidding me.’ ” CBS called the next week and offered him a full schedule for the 1992 season. He later worked NFL games on FOX, establishing himself as the network’s No. 2 analyst behind John Madden. From 2000 to 2008, he served as president and chief executive officer of the Detroit Lions before he was fired in the wake of one of the worst stretches in franchise history. He returned to television and worked college football games on ESPN before moving to the Big Ten Network last season. “It’s a good group [at BTN],” he says. “I think
814-238 - 4767 ww w. jackharpers.com
“I looked at the Big Ten Network opportunity as a chance to really be showcased. There was pressure. There was expectation. I’ve always felt like I’ve done better that way.” Jon Crispin Kevin Kugler does a really good job on play-byplay. Lisa Byington (sideline reporter) really does her homework. We’re all on the same page.”
Crispin played two seasons for the Lions and helped the team advance to the Sweet 16 in 2001.
*** Jon Crispin also never considered broadcasting until after his playing career. The younger brother of Joe Crispin, the thirdleading scorer in Penn State basketball history, he played two seasons for the Nittany Lions (1999-2000 and 2000-01) before transferring to UCLA. After he had two disappointing seasons with the Bruins, he tried playing basketball overseas. That didn’t last long, so he did what a lot of people do in Los Angeles — he tried acting. He did national spots for Ruby Tuesday and Coca-Cola and one for Nike in Asia. It was about then that Doug Gottlieb, who’s now with CBS, and Andrew Siciliano, who’s with the NFL Network, told him to try radio. “It started with me on the phone as a guest,” Crispin says, “and turned into me coming into the studio for a two-hour segment. Then it turned into me hosting shows. It really opened a lot of doors.” “A tradition of caring and a legacy of service.”
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Crispin (center) has become the top men’s basketball analyst on the Big Ten Network.
2016 October T&G - 53
It was about eight years ago that he took a job on FOX Sports Radio, a national network on more than 200 affiliates. “I wanted to be involved in the game, but I didn’t really have that burning desire to coach,” he says. “That’s when I started doing radio. It went well, and it went well pretty quickly. “My energy and my passion came out first and foremost. That really worked for me. In radio, being passionate and energetic is what sells everything.” Crispin, 35, spent two full seasons as a game analyst for ESPN before he became the No. 1 analyst for the Big Ten Network at the beginning of last season. “I’m not an NBA guy,” he says. “I don’t have a huge name. I really had to work my way up. The plan was to work for as many networks as possible, just do the best job you could, and find a place that really fits. I think I did that with the Big Ten Network.” At Penn State, he averaged 9.3 points a game as a freshman and 7.2 as a sophomore when he scored 26 points in a 73-68 upset win at Kentucky. He helped the Lions reach the Sweet 16 that season.
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Then he transferred to UCLA and averaged less than 3.0 points a game in two seasons there. “I tell people today that I transferred because I needed to find humility,” he says. “Everything to that point had gone right in my life. I never really experienced failure.” He’s returned from Los Angeles to Pitman, New Jersey, his hometown, where he lives close to his brother Joe. He also works in real estate development there and is helping to add onto an existing athletic facility in a project that spans 16 acres. He spends six months a year doing that job and another six covering the Big Ten. “I looked at the Big Ten Network opportunity as a chance to really be showcased,” he says. “There was pressure. There was expectation. I’ve always felt like I’ve done better that way. “Last year was a great season. I loved every bit of it — plus it’s the Big Ten!” T&G Rich Scarcella has covered Penn State football for the Reading Eagle since 1989.
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Halloween Houses By Jenna Spinelle
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Come trick-or-treat night, some local families go all-out in turning their homes into a visual treat with plenty of tricks for visitors
Each Halloween, Estelle and William Rojas of State College enjoy getting into and sharing the spirit of the season with their 2016 October T&G - 57 homemade haunted house in their garage.
So as not to ruin the surprise for trick-or-treaters, the Kerns family waits until after school buses have passed their house to put out Halloween decorations.
While the costumes may change from year to year, Halloween remains basically the same each October: Kids (and some adults) dressed up and carrying bags full of candy while strolling through neighborhoods at dusk. Some local families, however, go above and beyond the normal Halloween activities to create lasting memories for their families, friends, and neighbors. From the latest technology to handmade props and costumes, these Centre Region families remind us why Halloween brings out the kid in many of us. Carnival atmosphere In State College’s Foxpointe neighborhood, there are two very different Halloween attractions within a five-minute walk of each other. Bill Kerns invokes an old-school carnival theme at his home on Autumnwood Drive. He’s always enjoyed making things, and Halloween proved a good excuse to build some props. 58 - T&G October 2016
“I kept saying I was going to make a coffin, and I finally did,” he says. “I just started adding pieces to it, and it’s grown from there.” The Halloween setup now includes multiple tombstones, a guillotine, and a blood fountain. Each tombstone bears the name of a character played by horror movie legend Vincent Price. Unlike others who put out decorations weeks in advance, Kerns has a strict policy of not starting to decorate until after school buses pass his house on trick-or-treat morning so as not to ruin the surprise for anyone who will be coming by that evening. Friends and family chip in to help take the props out of storage and set up in time for the first visitors to arrive around 5 p.m. Kerns estimates that he has about 300 visitors per year. Now more than 10 years in, he says he does not plan on stopping anytime soon. “It’s a lot of the responses from people that keep me going,” he says. “We enjoy it, and it’s a good time for everyone.”
Kerns has always enjoyed making things and has used his skills to create a Halloween scene in front of his house each fall.
2016 October T&G - 59
Left, thanks to a projector and some animation, pumpkins at the Stoner home appear to sing. The Marx house has vans full of kids visit their Halloween scenes each year.
High-tech Halloween While Kerns is decidedly low-tech, Eric Stoner uses the latest in animation technology to create singing pumpkins at his home on Harvest Run Road North. A video of the pumpkins took off on social media last fall, creating a buzz for this year. Stoner purchases regular pumpkins and uses a projector to animate them, creating the effect that they are singing along to popular Halloween-themed songs. For comparison, think of something you might see in a Pixar movie. Stoner, owner of Nittany Entertainment, started the pumpkins as a way to build hype for his annual holiday lights show in December. “My wife’s favorite holiday is Halloween, so I wanted to incorporate something for her,” he says. “I wanted to incorporate these things for the kids — there are lots of them in the neighborhood.” Last year was his first year doing a Halloween display. He hopes to add lights into the mix this year as a way to test out new ideas for Christmas. His Facebook page, “State College Holiday Lights,” has more than 500 fans and will include information about his Halloween and Christmas events. As his events have grown, he says he needs to balance them against his obligations as a father and business owner. “Timing is really the thing, and if we have time to do add more things in, we’ll increase 60 - T&G October 2016
it,” he says. “We do it all for the kids in the neighborhood.” Preparations begin in early October, but Stoner says that researching new lighting techniques and technology is a year-round hobby for him. “Some people like to fish, some like to hunt. I like to play around with lights and mapping animation,” he says. “When I’m stressed I work on that stuff.” Cooking up some scares You may have seen Michael Marx, or Chef Miguel as he’s also known, around town in his World’s Fare Catering food truck. After moving to State College from the Baltimore area five years ago, he and his wife, Jennifer, knew they had the opportunity embrace one of their favorite holidays. “We never had kids when we lived in Maryland, so we kind of got out of being able to do it,” he says. “Now we have van loads of kids [visiting], and it’s something we like to do.” The Marx family takes decorations at their Park Lane home beyond the norm, with Michael manning the outside and Jennifer taking the lead inside. Outside decorations include a fake dead body and skeletons hanging from trees, while inside, picture frames are covered with spider webs and toy spiders are suspended from the ceiling. Michael has gathered Halloween supplies
over the years, often from store-closing sales or secondhand stores. He says he never has a particular theme in mind and is not particularly handy. “I built stuff out of chicken wire from a picture I saw,” he says. “I didn’t really know what I was doing. I built as I went, and it all came together.” He is hoping to take his setup to a new level this year, literally, by suspending wire from the trees in his yard so he can run ghosts between them. He hopes to turn to a friend with a landscaping business for help scaling the trees. “Stuff we have is good, but it’s all stationary,” Marx says. “I’m not a guy who can build a mechanical robot or anything like that, but this will be pretty cool if we can pull it off.” While it might be tempting to turn trick-or-treat night into an event for the World’s Fare food truck, Marx says Halloween is not about making money for him. His children, Gabriel, 14, and Eliza, 12, enjoy posing in the yard and entertaining younger children who come to visit. “It’s fun to see the kids get into it,” he says.
“You’ll have eight kids get out of a van because they heard about us and wanted to come check it out.” Ghoulish garage William Rojas has always loved Halloween, but was limited in decorating options at his apartment in New York City. He and his wife, Estell, moved to State College in 1999, and, since then, have turned their garage on Quail Run Road into a haunted house. He estimates that he had about 140 kids and 300 total people stop by last year. “The first year I had a Frankenstein mask and would come out and scare the kids a little bit,” he says. “Then we started getting 25, 35 kids, and it grew from there.” He chooses a new theme each year and keeps it a surprise until trick-or-treat night. Past themes have included butchers and Ghostbusters, complete with a life-sized Stay Puft Marshmallow Man costume. “We had a 350-pound guy in that costume for three hours shooting a marshmallow gun; it was great!” Rojas says. — continued on page 64
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2016 October T&G - 61
Happy Valley’s Halloween Tradition The annual costume parade in State College celebrates its 70th edition By David Pencek
Lucy Rogers remembers the first time she and her family participated in the annual Centre Region Parks and Recreation Halloween Costume Parade. She had just moved to State College and she and her husband, Gregg, and 8-year-old daughter, Emily, decided to participate in this tradition in their new hometown. Emily came dressed as the Statue of Liberty. Lucy had found patina-colored fabric for her to wear as a toga, and she painted Emily’s face the same color. She made the stone tablet out of a cereal box, and, for the torch, she wrapped oak tag around a flashlight and attached an orange tissue to the top to resemble the flame.
The Centre Region Parks and Recreation Halloween Costume Parade has been a popular family event for decades. 62 - T&G October 2016
Benjamin (left) and Genevieve Rogers enjoy dressing up as circus animals during the 2009 parade.
“I remember it was unseasonably warm, and I couldn’t believe how many people were lined up to participate and the amazing level of costume creation,” says Rogers, who writes Town&Gown’s “From the Vine” column. “Once we started walking, I was astounded to see the number of people lined up to watch the parade. The culmination on Memorial Field, where the kids got to show their costumes to the judges under the bright lights and prizes were awarded, had a wonderful, festive vibe, and everyone seemed so nice! When Emily won second prize in the category, that was just icing on the cake. “It was the first parade we participated in, and I had never seen anything like it.” Since that first parade, the Rogers family, which now also includes Genevieve, who was
born in 2005, and Benjamin, born in 2006, has participated in several more. On October 30, CRPR will hold its 70th annual Halloween Costume Parade, which has brought and continues to bring joy and a sense of community to Happy Valley. According to CRPR recreation supervisor Beth Lee, the parade attracts between 1,500 and 1,800 people who either participate in it or watch it. She adds that the parade began when CRPR was run by the State College Area School District, and Curt Gaylord was the director. “I am not a very creative person, and to see the time and hard work so many people put into their costumes, some just for this event, makes me proud to provide it for the community after so many years,” Lee says. “I also love seeing the smiles that come from the kids whether they win a prize or not.” The parade begins on the Penn State campus, on Burrowes Street. It then heads up College Avenue, in the wrong direction, before taking a right onto South Allen Street and eventually finishing up at Memorial Field.
The State College Lions Club provides all of the cash prizes for the top four winners in each of the 11 categories, as well as goodie bags for everyone. “With this partnership and the help of State College police, the State College Area School District, Penn State, Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, and many volunteers from local organizations, CRPR hopes this longstanding community tradition will continue for years to come,” Lee says. Lucy Rogers adds, “We’ve always loved it. To me, it epitomizes the beauty of State College living. You can be in the parade or you can watch the parade, but it’s such a unique community event that everyone can enjoy!” T&G The 70th annual Centre Region Parks and Recreation Halloween Costume Parade is October 30, with participants lining up at 6:30 p.m. off of College Avenue, on Burrowes Street (beside the Penn State steam plant), and the parade starting at 7 p.m. For more information, visit crpr.org. David Pencek is the editorial director of Town&Gown.
2016 October T&G - 63
The garage at the Rojas home is turned into a haunted house each Halloween.
— continued from page 61 Once word gets around that you have a haunted house, people are happy to give you their unwanted decorations. “People give us all kinds of stuff ... Christmas, Halloween decorations, you name it,” Rojas says. Rojas does not have children and employs friends and family to help set up the haunted house each year. They also take videos that help capture moments they may miss during the craziness of trick-or-treat night. “We stay open a half-hour later after trick-ortreat, for stragglers, then we all sit down inside and watch the video and laugh,” he says. Following the success of Halloween — and an influx of donated Christmas decorations — Rojas decided to host a holiday open house last year. “We dress up as Santa and Mrs. Claus, and it’s a lot of fun,” he says. “One of the kids down the block told his mother that Santa will be at ‘Halloween house!’ ” T&G
Some interesting characters welcome trick-or-treaters to the Marx house.
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There’s family fun to be had across the region on Halloween. Centre Region Trick or Treat Night is from 6 to 8 p.m. October 31. For more information, visit crpr.org or call (814) 231-3071. Jenna Spinelle is freelance writer and journalism instructor in State College.
This Month
on
For additional program information, visit wpsu.org
Conversations Live! Thursday, October 27, 8 p.m.
Congressional 5th District Debate Saturday, October 15, at 7 p.m.
Host Patty Satalia and political analysts discuss the national and state races, Pennsylvania districts, and voting. To join the conversation, email questions to connect@wpsu.org, tweet @WPSU with hashtag #WPSUconversations, or call 1-800-543-8242 during the program.
EVENTAPALOOZA
COSMIC CARNIVAL Glenn 'GT' Thompson
Kerith Strano Taylor
WPSU will broadcast a live political debate simulcast on WPSU-TV and FM, streamed on wpsu.org/live, and with special coverage on Facebook Live. Hear from incumbent Glenn Thompson (R) and challenger Kerith Strano Taylor (D). The debate is open to the public and registration is required. Doors open at 6 p.m. Attend the debate by registering online at wpsu.org/vote16. If you do not have access to register online please call Tamra at 814-863-6635. Deadline to register for the general election is October 11. Find out how to register to vote, learn about offices up for election, and find other valuable voter resources online at wpsu.org/vote16.
OCTOBER
Sunday, October 23, 1–4 p.m. WPSU Studio, Outreach Building in Innovation Park, State College, PA Get ready for some out of this world fun as we turn the WPSU studio into a Cosmic Carnival. • Meet PBS Kids’ Cat in the Hat and Jet Propulsion. • Make an astronomically amazing star globe. • Create an eerie extraterrestrial headpiece. • Pick an earth pumpkin from the planetary patch. • Explore weird science at activity tables. The event is FREE! Sponsored by:
wpsu.org Jet Propulsion courtesy of READY JET GO! © 2015 Wind Dancer Films
ATING OVER R B E CELCADE OF SUCCE A SS DE The Bestwick Foundation & Coaches vs. Cancer Committee
WOU LD LIKE TO EXTEND OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE to all sponsors & ticket buyers for your support of the
11
th
Annual
Reverse Car Drawing All proceeds benefit:
www.bestwickfoundation.com
www.cvcpennstate.org
Please visit these organization’s websites for more information on how you can donate, volunteer and give back to those in need within our community.
Coming to Bryce Jordan Center
OCTOBER 3 Theresa Caputo Live! 7:30 p.m.
5 Disturbed 7 p.m. 7 Rascal Flatts 8:30 p.m.
9 Impractical Jokers 8 p.m.
20 Jeff Dunham 7:30 p.m. 30 Lady Lion Basketball vs. Bloomsburg (exhibition) 2 p.m. 68 - T&G October 2016
T& G
what's happening
October
4-15
9-15
Penn State Centre Stage opens its season with its production of Be More Chill at the Playhouse Theatre.
Penn State Arboretum holds its annual Pumpkin Festival.
22 Time to White Out Beaver Stadium again when Ohio State visits to play Penn State.
12
6 Good deeds are done across the county during Centre County United Way’s annual Day of Caring
Humorist and author David Sedaris visits the State Theatre.
23
Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra opens its season with “Pastoral Scenes” at Schwab Auditorium.
25 6
The Penn State men’s ice hockey team opens its season hosting St. Lawrence at Pegula Ice Arena.
13 Ramsey Lewis (pictured) and John Pizzarelli come together for “Straighten Up and Fly Right: The Nat King Cole Tribute” at Eisenhower Auditorium.
7
13
Popular country act Rascal Flatts return to the Bryce Jordan Center.
Bela Fleck and Victor Wooten perform at the State Theatre.
A live performance of the popular PBS kids series Odd Squad comes to Eisenhower Auditorium.
31 The Centre Region holds its annual Trick-or-Treat Night.
To have an event listed in “What’s Happening," e-mail dpenc@barashmedia.com. 2016 October T&G - 69
Children & Families 1, 8, 15, 22 – Saturday Stories Alive, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 11 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 2 – Fall into Fall, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 3, 17 – Baby & Me Storytime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 3, 17, 18, 25 – Tales for Twos Storytime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 4, 11, 19, 26 – Toddler Learning Centre, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9:15 & 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28 – Music Together free trial class for children 0-5, Oakwood Presbyterian Church, SC, 6 p.m. Tues., 10:45 a.m. Sat., 466-3414. 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29 – Music Together free trial class for children 0-5, Houserville United Methodist Church, SC, 9:30 a.m., 466-3414. 8, 22 – Elementary Explorers, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 16 – Hispanic Heritage Day, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 19, 26 – 3s, 4s, 5s Storytime, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 9:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 20, 21 – Discovery Day, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, noon Thurs., 11 a.m. Fri., schlowlibrary.org. 22 – Kindermusik, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10 & 11 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 23 – Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 27 – Pajama Concert, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 6:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 29 – Dads Do Halloween, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 30 – Spooktacular Sunday!, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org.
Classes & Lectures 1 – Huddle with the Faculty: “The American Skyscraper, from Emerald City of Oz to Glass Towers of the 1950s” by Dr. Craig Zabel, Nittany Lion Inn, PSU, 9 a.m., alumni.psu.edu/events.
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2 – Docent Choice Tour: “Artists Who Didn’t Fit in …” by Gail Gilchrest, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 2 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 4 – “Mysteries of the Gettysburg Cyclorama” by Chris Brenneman, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 7 p.m., pamilmuseum.org. 4, 18 – “A Joint Venture,” information session on hip or knee replacement, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 11 a.m. Oct. 4, 7 p.m. Oct. 18, 278-4810. 5 – The Art of Poetry: Robert Lima, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 5 – Richard Koontz Memorial Lecture Series: “The Development of Modern Rocketry (1900 to 1950s),” PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 7:30 p.m., pamilmuseum.org. 9 – Paper Views Conversation: “Adventures in the Paper Trade” by James and Carol Goodfriend, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 8 – Huddle with the Faculty: “Serious Play: Every Day is a Game Day!” by Deborah Eicher-Catt, Nittany Lion Inn, PSU, 9 a.m., alumni.psu.edu/events. 9 – Docent Choice Tour: “Mary, Mary …” by Katherine Oh Yeaple and Joanne Bennett, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 2 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 10, 18, 29 – Straight Talk: Real Conversations for People Who Care about Kids, Mount Nittany Middle School, Boalsburg, 7 p.m., janamariefoundation.org. 12 – Penn State Forum Speaker Series: “Vanguard Technologies and the ‘Internet of Things’: Newfound Liberation or Digital Feudalism” by Bob Sascha Meinrath, Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, PSU, 11:30 a.m., sites.psu.edu/forum. 15 – Gadgets for Grownups: eBook Basics, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 16 – Docent Choice Tour: “Chinese Ceramics” by Ann Hettmansperger, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 2 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 18 – “Conjure Woman” by Renee Stout, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 4:30 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 19 – “A Geological Tour of California” by Dr. Charles Miller, Earth & Engineering Sciences Building, PSU, 7:45 p.m., nittanymineral.org.
21 – Gallery Talk: Nate Althouse, Penn State All-Sports Museum, PSU, noon, gopsusports.com/museum. 21 – Gallery Talk: “Expanded Practice” by Shannon Goff and Tom Lauerman, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 22 – Huddle with the Faculty: “Impact the World: Enhancing Penn State’s Global Reach” by Michael Adewumi, Nittany Lion Inn, PSU, 9 a.m., alumni.psu.edu/events. 23 – Docent Choice Tour: “Hello Palmer” by Laura Barthmaier, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 2 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 28 – Gallery Talk: “Expanded Practice” by Stephanie Snider and Ann Tarantino, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 29 – Gadgets for Grownups: iCloud Basics, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10:30 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 30 – Docent Choice Tour: “A Glimpse of the Gilded Age” by Mary Ellen Litzinger, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 2 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu.
For more information visit www.nvs.org or call 814-231-8224
Club Events 1 – Boardgame Meetup, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 10 a.m., schlowlibrary.org. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Chess Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Go Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 3, 17 – Knitting Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 5:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 4, 11, 18, 25 – State College Rotary Club, Nittany Lion Inn, SC, 5:30 p.m., statecollegerotary.org. 5, 12, 19, 26 – State College Sunrise Rotary Club, Hotel State College, SC, 7:15 a.m., kfragola@psualum.com. 5, 19 – Outreach Toastmasters, The 329 Building, Room 413, PSU, noon, kbs131@psu.edu. 6, 13, 20, 27 – State College Downtown Rotary, Ramada Inn & Conference Center, SC, noon, centrecounty.org/rotary/club/. 6, 13, 20, 27 – Comics Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 3:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 12 – Women’s Welcome Club of State College, Oakwood Presbyterian Church, SC (not church affiliated), 7 p.m., 237-7341.
BEST OF BROADWAY Sunday, October 16, 2016 • 4:00pm Mt. Nittany Middle School 656 Brandywine Drive, State College Symphonic Pops Concert Favorite musicals from Broadway’s Golden Age and beyond Tickets: Adults - $22 Students - $5
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12 – 148th PA Volunteer Infantry Civil War Reenactment Group, Hoss’s Steak and Sea House, SC, 7:30 p.m., 861-0770. 15 – Lego Club, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 17 – Parrot Owner’s Group, Perkins, 525 Benner Pike, SC, 7 p.m., 237-2722. 18 – Evening Book Club: American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 6:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 19 – Senior Book Club: The Calligrapher’s Daughter by Eugenia Kim, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 12:15 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 26 – Afternoon Book Club, Displacement by Lucy Knisley, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 2 p.m., schlowlibrary.org.
Community Associations & Development 4 – CBICC Membership Breaksfast: Department of Labor – Overtime Rule, Toftrees Golf Resort, SC, 9:15 a.m., cbicc.org. 6 – CBICC Business After Hours: McQuiade Blasko, 5:30 p.m., cbicc.org. 18 – Spring Creek Watershed Association, Patton Township Municipal Building, SC, 7:30 a.m., springcreekwatershed.org. 26 – Patton Township Business Association, Patton Township Municipal Building, SC, noon, 237-2822.
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-15 – Arts Festival at Fifty: Stories of the Early Years, Centre County Historical Society, SC, 1-4 p.m. Sun., Mon., & Wed., centrehistory.org. Ongoing-30 – Michele Rivera, Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County, Bellefonte, noon4:30 p.m. Fri-Sun., bellefontemuseum.org. Ongoing-November 17 – The Importance of the Unimportant, Robeson Gallery, PSU, studentaffairs.psu.edu/hub/artgalleries. Ongoing-November 27 – One Farm: Multiple Perspectives, Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County, Bellefonte, noon4:30 p.m. Fri-Sun., bellefontemuseum.org. Ongoing-December 4 – Deconstructed Form: An Investigation of Silhouette, Contour, and Shape, HUB Gallery, PSU, studentaffairs.psu.edu/hub/artgalleries. Ongoing-December 18 – Recent Acquisitions: Gifford Beal in Rockport, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. (10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.), noon-4 p.m. Sun., palmermuseum.psu.edu. Ongoing-December 18 – The Gentle Satire of Adolf Dehn, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. (10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.), noon-4 p.m. Sun., palmermuseum.psu.edu.
An untitled piece by Eric Roman is part of the exhibit Expanded Practice that is at the Palmer Museum of Art October 18 to December 11.
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7 – Paper Views Exhibition: Adventures in the Paper Trade, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. October 18-December 11 – Expanded Practice, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. (10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.), noon-4 p.m. Sun., palmermuseum.psu.edu.
Health Care For schedule of blood drives visit redcross.org or givelife.org.
The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD 2016-17 season begins with Tristan & Isolde, which will be shown October 8 at the State Theatre.
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3 – Breast Cancer Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 7 p.m., 231-6870. 5 – Amputee Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 5 p.m., 359-5630. 7, 11 – Juniper Village at Brookline’s Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group, Mount Nittany Dining Room at The Inn, SC, 1 p.m. Fri., 6:30 p.m. Tues., 231-3141. 11 – Brain Injury Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 7 p.m., 359-3421. 12 – The Fertility Issues and Loss Support Group, Choices (2214 N. Atherton St.), SC, 6 p.m., heartofcpa.org.
ntre
13 – Diabetes Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 6 p.m., 231-7095. 17 – Cancer Survivors’ Association, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 11:30 a.m., 238-6220. 19 – Parkinson’s Disease Support Group, Foxdale Village, SC, 1:30 p.m., 867-6212. 19 – Alzheimer’s Support Group, Elmcroft Senior Living, SC, 6:30 p.m., 235-7675. 20 – Cardiopulmonary Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 2 p.m., 359-3421. 20 – Parents-to-be Orientation, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 6:30 p.m., 231-3132. 22 – Neuropathy Support Group of Central PA, Mount Nittany Medical Center, SC, 2 p.m., 531-1024. 25 – Stroke Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 4 p.m., 359-3421. 25 – Multiple County Map Sclerosis Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 6 p.m., 359-3421. The Flute Studio performs October 19 at the Palmer Museum of Art.
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2016 October T&G - 75
Music 3 – Penn State School of Music: Chamber Orchestra, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 7:30 p.m., music.psu.edu. 5 – Disturbed, BJC, PSU, 7 p.m., bjc.psu.edu. 6 – Penn State School of Music: Philharmonic Orchestra, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., music.psu.edu. 6 – Dark Star Orchestra, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 7 – Rascal Flatts, BJC, PSU, 8:30 p.m., bjc.psu.edu. 9 – Penn State School of Music: Essence of Joy, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 2 p.m., music.psu.edu. 9 – Bruce Trinkley’s “Words and Music,” Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County, SC, 3 p.m., uufcc.com. 13 – “Straighten Up and Fly Right: The Nat King Cole Tribute” featuring Ramsey Lewis and John Pizzarelli, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 13 – Bela Fleck and Victor Wooten, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 14 – Jazz in the Attic: Eddie Severn Group, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org.
15 – Penn State School of Music: Choral Collage, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, PSU, 7:30 p.m., music.psu.edu. 15 – Stand Bac and The Idol Kings, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 16 – Nittany Valley Symphony presents “Best of Broadway,” Mount Nittany Middle School, Boalsburg, 4 p.m., nvs.org. 16 – Penn State School of Music: Dimensions in Jazz, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 4 p.m., music.psu.edu. 19 – Art of Music: Birdhouse: Flutes of Many Feathers, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 20 – Thursday Afternoons with The Second Winds, American Ale House & Grill, SC, 3 p.m., 237-9701. 20 – The Travelin’ McCourys and Jeff Austin Band, State Theatre, SC, 8 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 22 – Jud Caswell, Center for Well-Being, Lemont, 7:30 p.m., acousticbrew.org. 23 – Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra presents “Pastoral Scenes,” Schwab Auditorium, PSU, 3 p.m., centreorchestra.org.
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27 – Jazz at the Palmer: School of Music Student Jazz Group, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 7:30 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 27 – Penn State School of Music: Jose Ramon Mendez, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 7:30 p.m., music.psu.edu. 28 – Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 29 – Sankyoku, State Theatre, SC, 4:30 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 29 – Penn State School of Music: Christopher Guzman and Anton Nel, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 7:30 p.m., music.psu.edu.
Special Events 1 – Black Moshannon Monster Hunt, Black Moshannon State Park, Philipsburg, 11:30 a.m. 1-2 – Dutch Fall Festival, Aaronsburg, 10 a.m., aaronsburgcc.org. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Bellefonte Farmers’ Market, Gamble Mill parking lot, 8 a.m., visitpennstate.org. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Millheim Farmers’ Market, Old Gregg Mills Farmers’ Market, Spring Mills, 10 a.m., visitpennstate.org.
1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – North Atherton Farmers’ Market, Home Depot parking lot, SC, 10 a.m., visitpennstate.org. 3 – Theresa Caputo Live, BJC, PSU, 7:30 p.m., bjc.psu.edu. 4, 11, 18, 25 – Tuesdays State College Farmers’ Market, Locust Lane, S.C., 11:30 a.m., visitpennstate.org. 4, 11, 18, 25 – Boalsburg Farmers’ Market, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, PA, 2 p.m., visitpennstate.org. 5 – Entrepreneurial Women’s Expo, Celebration Hall, SC, 7 a.m., ewesc.com. 5, 12, 19, 26 – Lemont Farmers’ Market, Lemont Granary, Lemont, 2 p.m., visitpennstate.org. 6 – Day of Caring, ccunitedway.org. 6 – Oktoberfest, Tussey Mountain, Boalsburg, TBA, tusseymountain.com. 7 – First Friday, Downtown State College, 5 p.m., firstfridaystatecollege.com. 7 – Penn State Homecoming Parade, Downtown State College & Penn State Campus, 6 p.m., homecoming.psu.edu. 7, 14, 21, 28 – Downtown Farmers’ Market, Locust Lane, SC, 11:30 a.m., visitpennstate.org.
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2016 October T&G - 77
8-9 – Penn State Horticulture Show, Snider Agricultural Arena, PSU, 9 a.m., plantscience .psu.edu. 8-9 – Wasson Farm Fall Festival, 2545 Shingletown Road, SC, 10 a.m., 237-2339. 8, 15 – Way Fruit Farm Festival, Way Fruit Farm, Port Matilda, 9 a.m., wayfruitfarm.com. 9 – Impractical Jokers, BJC, PSU, 8 p.m., bjc.psu.edu. 9-15 – Pumpkin Festival, Penn State Arboretum, PSU, arboretum.psu.edu. 10 – An Evening with David Eggers, Schwab Auditorium, PSU, TBA, schlowlibrary.org. 12 – An Evening with David Sedaris, State Theatre, SC, 7:30 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 13 – Date Night, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 7 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 14-15, 28-29 – Fall Flashlight Tours & Haunted Miners Maze, Penn’s Cave, Centre Hall, 6 p.m., pennscave.com. 15 – Centre Region Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, PSU, 9:30 a.m., centrecountydownsyndrome.org. 15 – Fall Festival, Allen Street, SC, 10 a.m., downtownstatecollege.com. 15 – Fall Festival, Krislund Camp & Conference Center, Madisonburg, 10 a.m., krislund.org.
15 – Wellness Forum, State College Friends School, SC, 10 a.m. 15 – Bellefonte Fall Festival, Talleyrand Park, Bellefonte, 11 a.m., bellefonte.com. 15 – Palmer Museum of Art Community Day, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 11 a.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 16 – Fall Foliage Walk, Millbrook Marsh Nature Center, SC, 2 p.m., crpr.org. 16 – The Little Black Dress Goes Pink, Above the Valley Special Event Center, Centre Hall, 3 p.m., papinkzone.org. 16 – AAUW State College Centennial Gala, Mountain View Country Club, Boalsburg, 5 p.m., aauwstatecollege.org. 17 – Lunch & Lit(erature): Firoozeh Dumas, Schlow Centre Region Library, SC, 12:30 p.m., schlowlibrary.org. 17 – Telling Amy’s Story, HUB-Robeson Center, PSU, 6:30 p.m., studentaffairs.psu.edu/ womenscenter. 17-18 – Fall Colors Studio Tour, artalliancepa.org. 19 – The Anatomy of Hate, HUB-Robeson Center, PSU, 6 p.m., studentaffairs.psu.edu/ womenscenter. 20 – Jeff Dunham, BJC, PSU, 7:30 p.m., bjc.psu.edu.
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@TownGownSC
21 – Central PA Country Dance Association presents Contra Dance, State College Friends School, SC, 7:30 p.m., cpcda.org. 22 – Punkin Chunkin’ Festival, Bald Eagle State Park, Howard, 10 a.m., dcnr.state.pa.us.. 23 – Cosmic Carnival, WPSU Studio, PSU, 1 p.m., wpsu.org. 28 – Penn State Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps Student Scholarship Fund Benefit Banquet, Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, PSU, 6 p.m., navyleague-centralpa.org. 29 – United Methodist Women’s Marketplace and Silent Auction, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, SC, 9 a.m. 30 – Tussey Mountainback, Tussey Mountain, Boalsburg, 7 a.m., tusseymountainback.com. 30 – Centre County Heart Walk, Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, PSU, 1 p.m., heart.org. 30 – An Educational Wine Tasting to Benefit Center for Alternatives in Community Justice, Grange Fairgrounds, Centre Hall, 234-1059. 30 – Halloween Costume Parade, N. Burrowes St., SC, 6 p.m., crpr.org. 31 – Trick-or-Treat Night, Centre Region, 6 p.m., crpr.org.
Jud Caswell performs October 22 at the Centre for Well-Being in Lemont.
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Sports For tickets to Penn State sporting events, visit gopsusports.com or call (814) 865-5555. 1 – PSU/Minnesota, football, Beaver Stadium, PSU, 3:30 p.m. 1 – PSU/Michigan, women’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 8 p.m. 2 – PSU/Princeton, field hockey, Penn State Field Hockey Complex, PSU, noon. 2 – PSU/Queen’s (Ontario), men’s ice hockey (exhibition), Pegula Ice Arena, PSU, 1 p.m. 5 – PSU/Minnesota, women’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 6 – PSU/Ohio State, field hockey, Penn State Field Hockey Complex, PSU, 4 p.m. 6 – PSU/Towson, swimming & diving, McCoy Natatorium, PSU, 5 p.m. 6-7 – PSU/St. Lawrence, men’s ice hockey, Pegula Ice Arena, PSU, 7 p.m. 8 – PSU/Maryland, football, Beaver Stadium, PSU, noon. 8 – PSU/Rutgers, women’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 11 – PSU/Pittsburgh, men’s soccer, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 7 p.m. 13 – PSU/Rutgers, women’s soccer, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 7 p.m. 14 – Penn State Open, cross country, Penn State Golf Courses, PSU, 10:30 a.m. 14-15 – PSU/Boston University, women’s ice hockey, Pegula Ice Arena, PSU, 6 p.m. Fri., 2 p.m. Sat. 15 – PSU/Michigan State, men’s soccer, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 7 p.m. 16 – PSU/Purdue, women’s soccer, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 1 p.m. 16 – PSU/Maryland, field hockey, Penn State Field Hockey Complex, PSU, 4 p.m. 18 – PSU/Akron, men’s soccer, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 7 p.m. 19 – PSU/Ohio State, women’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 8 p.m. 21 – PSU/Rutgers, men’s soccer, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 7 p.m. 22 – PSU/Ohio State, football, Beaver Stadium, PSU, 8 p.m. 25 – PSU/Wright State, men’s soccer, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 7 p.m. 26 – PSU/Ohio State, women’s soccer, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 7 p.m. 28 – PSU/Indiana, field hockey, Penn State Field Hockey Complex, PSU, 6 p.m. 28-29 – PSU/Canisius, men’s ice hockey, Pegula Ice Arena, PSU, 7 p.m. 80 - T&G October 2016
Pilobolus presents Shadowland October 11 at Eisenhower Auditorium. 30 – PSU/Bloomsburg, women’s basketball, (exhibition), BJC, PSU, 2 p.m.
Theater 1 – Fuse Productions presents Assassins, Penn State Downtown Theatre Center, SC, 2 & 7:30 p.m., fuseproductions.org 1 – Nittany Theatre at the Barn presents Play Murder!, Boal Barn Playhouse, Boalsburg, 7:30 p.m., nittanytheatre.org. 4-15 – Penn State Centre Stage presents Be More Chill, Playhouse Theatre, PSU, 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. matinee Oct. 15), theatre.psu.edu. 6 – Acting Out!, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 7:30 p.m., palmermuseum.psu.edu. 8 – Metropolitan Opera Live in HD presents Tristan & Isolde, State Theatre, SC, noon, thestatetheatre.org. 9 – National Theatre Live in HD presents 3 Penny Opera, State Theatre, SC, 3 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 11 – Pilobolus presents Shadowland, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 22 – Metropolitan Opera Live in HD presents Don Giovanni, State Theatre, SC, 12:55 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 23 – Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema presents The Golden Age, State Theatre, SC, 3 p.m., thestatetheatre.org. 25 – Odd Squad Live!, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., cpa.psu.edu. 27-30 – Penn State Opera Theatre presents Trouble in Tahiti, Penn State Downtown Theatre Center, SC, 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., music.psu.edu. T&G
T& G
on tap
Pioneers of the Craft Saluting those who helped bring about the craft-beer revolution By Sam Komlenic
Pennsylvania became part of the craft-beer revolution when Stoudts Brewery opened in 1987 in Adamstown.
Though the thirst of American beer drinkers was increasing hand in hand with the production of domestic beer after World War II, we also were seeing a gradual decrease in the number of American brewing companies from then through the 1970s. I remember watching Pennsylvania breweries decline precipitously in the 1970s and thinking, “Someday we won’t have any at all!” By the 1980s, we were left with precious few of the “Old Guard,” those old-line regional brewers who had somehow managed to keep their kettles boiling despite dwindling demand for their products. Then a funny thing happened, something that no country in the modern world had ever experienced before — small, often one-man breweries began to carve out a tenuous hold in a few locales and started brewing beers that had not been seen here for decades. This month’s column is a tribute to those folks who began the craft-brewing revolution that we now take for granted. Credit is due to some degree to Fritz Maytag, a Stanford grad living in San Francisco in the early 1960s and heir to the Maytag appliance fortune, who learned that the “steam beer” (lager beer fermented at warmer temperatures, now a trademarked term) he enjoyed from the tiny Anchor Brewing Company in that city was about to cease production. In 82 - T&G October 2016
1965, he purchased 51 percent of the company for a few thousand dollars, rescuing the brewery from imminent bankruptcy. Using the facilities of his small brewery, he began brewing different, equally creative styles that soon gained traction: porter, barleywine, India pale ale, and an annual Christmas ale. Now under new ownership and in a bigger facility, Anchor remains a popular brand even in today’s crowded marketplace and offers an even broader portfolio of products. Maytag went on to found Anchor Distilling Company in 1993, becoming the first craft brewer to also run a distillery. He essentially created not only what we now know as craft brewing but also was an early and influential pioneer of American craft distilling. The next significant player in the birth of craft brewing was Jack McAuliffe, a Navy man who started home brewing while based in Scotland. He returned to the US and, in 1976, built the country’s first craft brewery from the ground up, New Albion of Sonoma, California. Though it closed by 1983, little New Albion left an indelible mark on craft brewing, enough that Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch honored McAuliffe in 2012 by working with him to brew and release New Albion Ale for the first time in 30 years. Along with Maytag, McAuliffe lobbied the California legislature for the legalization of establishments that created and served alcohol on premise. They also were the fathers of what we now know as brewpubs. The next “pioneer” of early craft brewing was President Jimmy Carter, who in 1978 legalized the home brewing of beer, free from taxation. Soon after, Charlie Papazian founded the American Homebrewers Association and encouraged an
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entirely new generation of amateur brewers who would eventually become the very foundation of the craft-brewing revolution. As the trend moved eastward, Pennsylvania got its first craft brewery in Adamstown, Lancaster County, when the Stoudt Brewing Company opened its doors in 1987. Begun by restaurateurs Ed and Carol Stoudt, they wanted to honor their German heritage by building a brewery adjacent to their well-established restaurant. Due to licensing issues, the businesses had to be separated. Carol assumed proprietorship of the brewery and became the first female brew master in the US. Stoudt’s brewery and restaurant are now part of an Austrian-style village on the same site, which is well worth a visit. Our first brewpubs, much like those in California, had to await legislative approval, which came in 1987. The first two to open came almost simultaneously, in 1989. In Pittsburgh, Tom Pastorius, who had helped effect the landmark legislation, opened the Pennsylvania Brewing Company in buildings that once housed the Eberhardt & Ober brewery on the city’s North Side. Known as “Penn Brewery,” it is still a sizeable concern, focused on traditional Reinheitsgebotinfluenced lagers and accompanying cuisine. In Philadelphia, the Samuel Adams Brewhouse opened above another established restaurant. It was a collaboration between Samuel Adams Brewing Company and the Sansom Street Oyster House, and brewed “extract” beers, meaning that mashing of the grains was not done in-house but relied on malt extracts sourced elsewhere. It continues as Nodding Head and now does all facets of the brewing process on-site. In our region, the Happy Valley Brewing Company (no relation to today’s brewery of the same name) opened on East College Avenue and lasted but one year, closing in 1991. It would be 11 years before we got another. The Bullfrog Brewery in Williamsport opened in 1996, a partnership of the Koch family, who’d once owned a production brewery there, and Charlie Schnable, a future founding partner of our own Otto’s Pub & Brewery. “The Bullfrog” remains a significant cornerstone of the regional brewing scene, offering great food to go along with its eclectic
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beers. If you’ve not had the chance to visit, you’re missing a piece of local brewing history! That same year saw two breweries open their doors in Harrisburg: Appalachian and Tröegs. Appalachian Brewing Company is located in a gorgeous old building on Cameron Street that once held a printing shop that had been burned out, then purchased from the city for $1. It has been transformed into an absolutely beautiful brewpub that contains a production brewery as well. Thick beams speak to the building’s past, while the crowds let you know that the brewery continues to create its own legacy. Tröegs opened as a production brewery with a small tasting room and quickly began expanding to meet demand for its draft and bottled beers. It has since moved to Hershey, very near Hersheypark, and has added a restaurant to its state-of-the-art brewery, essentially becoming a brewpub as an afterthought. Tröegs is a very popular tourist destination and is almost always a beehive of activity. As mentioned, Schnable left Bullfrog Brewery to embark on his own pioneering brewing venture in State College in 2002. Originally slated to be a downtown fixture, resistance from borough officials and a neighboring church made a location change to North Atherton Street necessary. Otto’s Pub & Brewery continues to be a popular destination, due in part to its everchanging, locally sourced menu items and topquality craft-beer offerings. Since it moved to its current location, just a few doors down from the original building, Otto’s has increased its production capacity to enable the bottling and regional distribution of its most popular offerings. The history of the brewing industry refuses to be a static and predictable story, but instead one that is constantly being rewritten by those who care about the craft. We salute all of the pioneers who helped make today’s wealth of great beer possible by raising a cold, tasty, locally brewed beer. Prost! 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.
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300 Houser Rd., Centre Hall, 16828 (7 miles from Penn State) www. mtnittanywinery.com • 814. 466. 6373
SHINE & SHOW CAR SHOW 41 AIRSTRIP DRIVE, MILL HALL, PA 17751 SATURDAY OCT. 15, 2016 • 11AM-3PM CENTRAL PA AUTO AUCTION - CAR AND TRUCK SHOW
$10 All you can eat buffet lunch • $25 Raffle Ticket and Lunch Contact Info: Phone 570.660.1286 - Email: tbleitzell@gmail.com
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED THE 2016 REVERSE CAR DRAWING
2016 October T&G - 85
Taste of the Month Farm-to-Table Renewal
Revival Kitchen works with local farmers to create mouthwatering dishes
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By Vilma Shu Danz Photos by Darren Andrew Weimert
Wine-infused watermelon salad
T
ake a beautiful drive through picturesque rolling hills and rich farmlands to a quaint, casual restaurant in Reedsville and have one of the best farm-to-table meals in Central Pennsylvania. Located at 6 North Main Street in Reedsville, Revival Kitchen, as the name suggests, is resurrecting old cooking methods and taking the concept of farmto-table to a renewed level of excellence in dining. Owners Quintin Wicks and Liz Hoffner create weekly menus based on what they can source directly from local farmers and purveyors. “We met a young Amish farmer named
Halibut over local saffron risotto and heirloom cherry tomatoes
Moses Hostetler, who lives out by Milroy, practices organic, and partnered with him to grow a lot of what we use on our menu, like our heirloom tomatoes, heritage sweet corn, whole smelt wheat, and honey nut squash,” explains Wicks. “The way we plan our menu is on Monday, I go out to Moses Hostetler’s farm, walk through the fields, and see what is available. We also work with Fasta Pasta in Pleasant Gap, Village Acre Farms in Miffintown, Byler Goat Dairy in Belleville, Brummer’s Happy Breeze Farm in Port Royal, just to name a few of our purveyors.” A Lewistown native, Wicks has been cooking since he was 16. After attending culinary school in Pittsburgh, he traveled extensively, working under some of the best chefs at high-end fine dining restaurants in Australia, Alaska, California, Portland, Oregon, and Vail, Colorado, where he met his fiancée, Hoffner, a University of Missouri graduate with a degree in hotel, restaurant management. “After 15 years in Vail, Colorado, during a visit with Quintin’s family in Lewistown in October 2014, a friend of ours mentioned that there was a building in Reedsville with a wine bar operating in the back, but there was no restaurant, even though it was set up for one. So we decided to poke around,” explains Hoffner. “By the end of February 2015, we were talking to the owners of the building, as well as Scott and Mary Ann Bubb, who own Seven Mountains Wine Bar, and when we went back to Colorado, we packed up and were back six weeks later!” Three months of renovations on a tight budget, using repurposed wood from two old barns and tables and chairs purchased at yard sales, and with help from family and friends, Revival Kitchen opened in July 2015. The 2016 October T&G - 87
Flourless beet chocolate cake restaurant only serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. by reservation. Some walk-ins are accepted on weekdays, but to guarantee a seat, call (717) 667-7089 to reserve a table. “We recommend reservations because it helps me judge how much to prepare, and we max out about 100 to 120 diners a night!” says Wicks. Hoffner adds, “Every Wednesday we print a new menu, and we always have a special sheet featuring limited-edition items that, when we run out, we are sold out!” Some unique favorites on the menu include the bone marrow and the hand-rolled potato gnocchi. Wicks says, “My cooking is by no means French, but I use classic French techniques and introduce new-school ways to incorporate flavors together, like our wine-infused watermelon salad. We put watermelon in a vacuum bag with wine and vacuum seal it to concentrate the flavor into the fruit. It’s delicious!” 88 - T&G October 2016
Other menus items include coffee-roasted beets, grilled lamb t-bones, corned pork shank, and ginger-miso-peach-glazed salmon. Hoffner adds, “There is a lot of a braising and cooking tougher cuts of meat, slow and low. It’s simple food, but takes days to make. We take the time to make our own chicken and veal stocks, and I think the food speaks for itself.” On the fall menu, look forward to a squash risotto dish, as well as a honey nut squash dip with local honey, Byler goat cheese, and puffed smelt. There is a kid-friendly menu as well, complete with tomato soup, grilled cheese, and house-made chicken fingers. “If you take a look in our freezer, all you will find is fresh blueberries that we brought 50 pounds at a time when they were in season and local corn that we brought by the buggy loads, and we are saving it for the winter months,” says Wicks. “There are no prefabricated foods made in a factory somewhere.” Revival Kitchen invites diners to bring their own beer and liquor, but wine is available for purchase at Seven Mountains Wine Bar in the back of the dining room. Sign up for the monthly newsletter to keep informed about the Give Back Dinners, where a percentage of the proceeds benefit a local charity or organization, and the once-a-month Sunday Supper Club, a themed, family-style meal. “Our first Give Back Dinner was a Burger Night to benefit the revitalization of the vacant lot across the street, and we didn’t know what to expect. I made 320 burgers, and they were gone in the first hour and a half! We had 500 people show up, so that was incredible!” says Wicks. “Now they are going to turn that vacant lot into a nice green space, and it’s wonderful to help revitalize this little town!” T&G For more information or to sign up for the monthly newsletter, visit revivalkitchen.com. Vilma Shu Danz is operations manager and assistant editor for Town&Gown.
For a special recipe for Revival Kitchen’s Flourless Beet Chocolate Cake, visit townandgown.com.
We Cover What’s Important To You
GAMEDAY Be sure to pick up The Centre County Gazette for GAZETTE GAMEDAY every week during football season. It’s your weekly comprehensive guide to Penn State football — featuring rosters, depth charts, statistics, schedules and standings.
Remember - Make Thursday Your Day to pick up The Centre County Gazette To advertise call 814-525-8867 or contact your Account Executive
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. Barrel offers a unique gastro-distillery dining experience that features our one of a kind spirits and beer which are made on premise. Our menu of rotating seasonal items blends classic dishes with current trends to deliver new and interesting presentations for our guests to enjoy. Sunday brunch is a favorite with made-to-order omelets, Bloody Mary bar, and full buffet, including Irving’s bagels, smoked salmon platter, house-made pastries, and much more. Happy Hour is from 4 to 6 p.m.Tuesday through Friday, featuring half-price Barrel 21 spirits and Otto’s beer. Our tasting room also is open if you would like to take a bottle home with you, and our private dining room is available for your special event. We look forward to seeing you at Barrel 21! 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. The Deli Restaurant, 113 Hiester St., 2375710, 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.
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. 90 - T&G October 2016
Faccia Luna Pizzeria, 1229 S. Atherton St., 234-9000, 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. 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.
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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. 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 Hi-Way! Offering more than 29 varieties of hand-spun pizzas made from scratch offer an endless combination of toppings. Its vodka “flaky” crust and red stuffed pizzas are simply a must have. Hi-Way’s menu rounds out with pasta dishes, calzones, grinders, salads, and other Italian specialties. Eat-in, take-out, or Hi-Way delivery. AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar. Hoss’s Steak & Sea House, 1454 North Atherton Street, State College, 234-4009, www.hosss.com. Since 1983, Hoss’s has been providing considerate service, delicious food, and a pleasant environment that brings family and friends together. We offer a variety of steaks, chicken, seafood, burgers, and sandwiches. Hoss’s showcase is our all-you-can-eat Hosspitality Bars — offering fresh salads, soups, breads, and desserts. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V 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.
NEW $10 Express lunch menu Monday-Friday 11am-2pm Ribs on the Road for every home game starting at 8am
814.237.6300 • lettermans.net • Lettermans 1031 E. College Avenue • State College, PA 2016 October T&G - 93
Inferno Brick Oven & Bar, 340 E. College Ave., 237-5718, InfernoBrickOvenBar.com. With a casual yet sophisticated atmosphere, Inferno is a place to see and be seen. A full-service bar boasts a unique specialty wine, beer, and cocktail menu. Foodies — Inferno offers a contemporary Neapolitan brick-oven experience featuring a focused menu of artisan pizzas and other modern-Italian plates. Lunch and dinner service 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. Liberty Craft House, 346 E. College Ave., 954-4923, LibertyCraftHouse.com. A worthy destination inspired by their passion for knowledge, skill, and small-batch artisan goods. Liberty is a humble neighborhood joint with design cues from the industrial revolution that provides a comfortable post for a few drinks, food, and good times. A one-of-a-kind, worldclass digital-menu-driven draft system features nitro-coffee, craft sodas, cocktails, wine, ales, lagers, and hand-pumped cask ale. Specializing in American whiskey, Liberty boasts a bottled beer, wine, mead, cider, and spirits list that would make your buddy jealous. Hungry? Liberty’s menu focuses on small-batch, local, organic, and artisan food made 100 percent in-house, fresh from scratch. Charcuerie, fromage, and flat breads are at the heart of the menu that is complemented by many other classic gastropub favorites. Open 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m. every day (kitchen ’til midnight). AE, D, MAC, MC, V.
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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. Barrel 21 craft distilled spirits available. AE, D, MC, V. Full bar.
Philipsburg Elks Lodge & Country Club, 1 Country Club Lane, Philipsburg, 342-0379, philipsburgelks.com. Restaurant open to the public! Monday-Saturday 11-9, Sunday 9-3. Member-only bar. New golf-member special, visit our Web site for summer golf special. AE MC, V. Full Bar (members only).
Mini Golden Cup
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 climate-controlled wine room, premium by-the-glass wine pours, fine liquor, and craft beer at its full-service 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.
available at
COZY THAI BISTRO 232 S. Allen Street. State College, PA 16801 Tel: 814.237.0139 E-mail: cozythai@gmail.com
INGREDIENT DRIVEN • SEASONAL • NEW AMERICAN CUISINE EXTENSIVE WINE LIST • BY THE BOTTLE & GLASS
PHOTOS BY ART MARGAUX
814 . 237. 8474
ZOL A KI TCHEN .COM
MON. - THUR. 11: 30 -9PM • FRI. - SAT. 11: 30 -10 PM • SUN. 11: 30 - 8PM
2016 October T&G - 95
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. Barranquero Café, 324 E. Calder Way, 954-7548, barranquerocafe.com. A locally owned coffee shop specializing in authentic Colombian coffees and specialty drinks. Works closely with its coffee suppliers in Colombia to ensure that it receives only the highest quality coffee beans the region has to offer. Also serves fresh fruit juices, empanadas, and more! Hopes to bring a little piece of Colombia to Happy Valley! Summer Hours: Tues.-Sat. 8a.m.-8p.m., Sun. 10a.m.-5p.m. Closed Monday.
Fiddlehead, 134 W. College Ave., 237-0595, fiddleheadstatecollege.com. Fiddlehead is a soup-andsalad café offering soups made from scratch daily. Create your own salad from more than 40 fresh ingredients. HUB Dining, HUB-Robeson Center on campus, 865-7623. A Penn State tradition open to all! Enjoy 12 different eateries in the HUB-Robeson Center on campus. Jamba Juice, McAlister’s Deli, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Burger King, Grate Chee, Sbarro, Soup & Garden, Diversions, Blue Burrito, Mixed Greens, Panda Express, and Hibachi-San by Panda.V, MC, LC. Irving’s, 110 E. College Ave., 231-0604, irvingsstatecollege.com. Irving’s is State College’s finest bakery café serving award-winning bagels, espresso, sandwiches, salads, and smoothies. Meyer Dairy, 2390 S. Atherton St., 237-1849. A State College Classic! Meyer Dairy is the perfect choice for a quick, homemade lunch with fresh soups and sandwiches or treat yourself to your favorite flavor of ice cream or sundae at our ice cream parlor. Fresh milk from our own dairy cows (we do not inject our cows with BST), eggs, cheese, ice cream cakes, baked goods, and more! Plus, Meyer Dairy is the best place to pick up your Town&Gown magazine each month! T&G
Come try
Meyer Dairy's
Pumpkin Ice Cream !
Serving authentic Colombian coffees
fresh juices, empanadas and more!
Open Daily 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. 2390 S. Atherton St. - (814) 237-1849
Come relax at 324 E. Calder Way, Downtown State College Mon-Sat 7am-8pm, Sunday 10am-8pm
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 96 - T&G October 2016
T& G
lunch with mimi
New Leader in the Fight Pink Zone’s director looks to expand the effort against breast cancer
Town&Gown founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith (left) talks with Pennsylvania Pink Zone executive director Erin Tench at Inferno Brick Oven & Grill in State College.
In May, Erin Tench was hired as the new executive director for the Pennsylvania Pink Zone, taking over for Miriam Powell.The Pennsylvania Pink Zone and Penn State Lady Lion basketball are a unified force in the fight against breast cancer — on the court and off the court. Pink Zone promotes cancer awareness and empowers survivors through year-long efforts to raise funds critical in supporting vital breast-cancer organizations, charities, and facilities that focus on breast-cancer education, research, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Born and raised in Clarks Summit, Tench earned her bachelor of arts degree in media studies with a minor in speech communications from Penn State in 2000. She received her master’s in tourism administration, event management concentration from George Washington University in 2002. She moved to State College in 2009 when her husband, John Kaminski, accepted a faculty position at Penn State. Town&Gown founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith sat down with Tench at Inferno Brick Oven & Grill in State College to talk about how she hopes to grow Pink Zone through events such as the Little Black Dress Goes Pink charity event and the 2017 Pink Zone game, which is February 26 when the Lady Lions host Michigan. 98 - T&G October 2016
Mimi: You have a great job, in my opinion. What made you decide to leave a secure university job to take this on? Erin: When I saw the description of the position, I thought that it really brought together a lot of my skill sets from my previous positions. It has a little of the event planning, volunteer management, working with the board, and, in the end, it really was the cause. It was a perfect fit. It is a cause that is close to me and my husband. Mimi: Tell me why it was close to you. Erin: My grandmother passed away of breast cancer when I was in high school. So I became really passionate about breastcancer charities at that point. And when I started dating my husband, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is a survivor. Mimi: Good for her. How many years? Erin: Seventeen years. And just more recently, about two years ago, my best friend was diagnosed. Mimi: How old is she? Erin: She was 36 when she was diagnosed. She had a double mastectomy. She has two small children. Mimi: Living happily ever after? Erin: She was extremely fortunate because it was caught early. She was a very good advocate herself. She got further testing because she found it first and had a negative mammogram. They told her she was fine, but she didn’t take that answer. She has dense breast tissue, so it wasn’t being shown on the mammogram. So in further testing, they found it.
She is the third generation. On her father’s side, there was some breast cancer, so she decided to have a double mastectomy. Mimi: There is a $10,000 commitment to Hershey in past years designated for the genetic testing. That is very exciting. Erin: Yes, very much so. I look back at my life — when my grandmother was diagnosed when I was in high school, my mother-in-law being diagnosed when I was finishing college, and then my best friend more recently — the advancement of science, the care, the quickness and speed, you know that we are able to treat that. Mimi: When I found a lump in my breast 29 years ago, it was one of those potential death notices, and I have never been so frightened in my life. But I also found it early, and I am here to tell the story. And I am here, just like you, because of my passion about the beneficiaries and about all that we do. … Reading all about you and getting to know you, I couldn’t wait to do this interview. Tell me some of the things you are going to introduce into the total picture
that are going to make us even better. Erin: Obviously we want to grow in fund-raising to be able to support the beneficiaries with more money. And in order to do that, we need to lay strong foundations. So that is one of my first goals, is to make sure that the house is in order and things are working appropriately. Mimi: You have gotten your Web site in order. Is that true? Erin: Yes, we have a new Web site. That was one of my top goals, having a communication and public relations background. It is an important tool for us to use to tell our story and also make it user-friendly so it’s easier for people to donate, which I didn’t think our previous Web site was easy to navigate. Mimi: Is it easy to donate? I have been so frustrated as an active member. Erin: Yes. There is a button prominently displayed on the home page that says, “Donate.” Even when you pull it up on your mobile device, that is the first thing you see — the “Donate” button.
2016 October T&G - 99
doing is trying to meet with all of our existing partners to find out if they feel that there is something that they have not gotten in return on their investment, because all companies have their different interests. Some just give you Each year, thousands come to the Bryce Jordan Center dressed in pink for the money and the annual Pink Zone game. don’t want to be bothered, and some others want to be more Mimi: Do you have some strategies to involved in the organization. Some people look for some sponsors? want their names in the lights, while others Erin: We are working toward that. We want to remain anonymous. So now we are are looking at our packages, making sure working through our existing partnerships that they are covering our costs and that to see if they can grow and make sure we have benefits that our partners are they are happy, so that we can continue. interested in. One thing that I have been
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2016 October T&G - 101
The other thing that I think would help us grow is grant opportunities. We are fortunate that we received a grant from TripAdvisor, through the founder of the Pink Zone student organization. He works there in Boston and helped us get a $25,000 grant from TripAdvisor. So I think there are opportunities out there to help to get money in different ways, and that was not something we looked at before. There are some other larger corporations that might be interested in supporting us through connections from Penn State or through connections of the cause. Mimi: What is the goal for this year? Erin: $250,000. Mimi: You have an upcoming special event. Tell us more about it. Erin: It’s called the Little Black Dress Goes Pink. It will be the fifth year of this event. It’s held Above the Valley, which is a new special event venue owned and operated by Harrison’s, so it will be a beautiful venue. It will be October
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16, so the fall foliage will be beautiful. At the event, we will highlight local survivors through a fashion show where local businesses donate different fashions for the survivors to wear. We also have people to do all the hair and makeup for the models, to make them feel special on that day, and there will be silent auctions and luxury basket raffles. We do a lot of the fund-raising through that. It’s on a Sunday afternoon. People don’t have to worry about having a football game the day before since it will be held on October 16. The registration is open on our Web site. Anyone is welcome. In the past, it has been noted as a “lady’s night out,” but we want to invite everyone to join us, so people can bring their spouses and friends. We just want it to be a really nice time. It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so we celebrate our survivors while fund-raising. Mimi: You are going to have the celebrity butlers? Erin: Yes, the butlers will be there. A few butlers will be auctioned off to be your
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The Official Magazine of the 2016 Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon
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Children & Youth Day, Wednesday, July 13 • Sidewalk Sale & Exhibition, July 14-17
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Breast-cancer survivors are honored each year during halftime of the Pink Zone game.
personal butler for the evening. They would help you to make sure that the bids on the items will be in, or just hang out with you for the evening. It’s very exciting. It will be a great evening at a great venue with great partners. We are all excited.
Don’tt I Miss
Mimi: This event has struggled to make a lot of money in the past. What is your goal for this year? Erin: We don’t have a number per se. We are looking for sponsors. We are hoping that people are willing to spend some money on the silent-auction items, since it’s raising money for a good cause. Mimi: What can we look forward to for the 2017 Pink Zone game? Erin: The hope this year is to get 700 survivors at the Pink Zone game. Our goal is to recognize as many survivors as we can. One of my favorite things about the Pink
CENTRE COUNTY
COMMUNITY SUPER FAIR
Saturday, November 19th from 10AM - 2PM at Mount Nittany Middle School We live in a terrific community with many organizations that provide resources to make our lives better. The Super Fair was created to provide a connection between these organizations and the community.
Look for the Official Guide in
on November 10th
For more info on the Super Fair, visit www.theccchs.org 104 - T&G October 2016
Zone game is when the survivors write down how long they have been a survivor, and you see near decades, days, months, weeks — it’s a wide range. It’s also a great support system for people to interact with other survivors. Everyone who has come before will come again. A portion of the tickets and a portion of the parking will be donated. We also have a silent auction along the concourse to raise additional dollars for the cause, so there are many opportunities to have fun at a great event. Mimi: And continue to invest in the potential cure for breast cancer. I want to thank you. You are in charge of something that is near and dear to my heart. I want you to know that I am in full support of how you are trying to move us to the next level! Erin: I appreciate your support! It means the world to me. Thank you. Mimi: Thank you. T&G For more information on the Pennsylvania Pink Zone, visit papinkzone.org.
Quality handcrafted home furnishings. Amish built bedrooms, dining, occasionals, and accents
814-548 -7199 www. AmishFC.com 2961 Benner Pike, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Many of life’s most special moments are small ones - hearing a child’s first word, sharing a laugh with a friend. Maintaining your ability to hear will help you experience all of them.
12/30/16 • Noise Reduction - hear speech more clearly,even in noisy environments • Wireless technology - connect to TVs,phones,and other media devices • Extreme comfort - firs you comfortably and discreetly
2016 October T&G - 105
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 holds a bimonthly competition. 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 “Theme” category from the August meeting competition. The format for competition has changed from outside voting to member voting, including discussion of each photo submitted at meetings.
“Up, Up and Away” by Kimberly Intorre
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August Meeting Theme “Summer” First Place
“Taken at the 10th annual Chester County Balloon Festival in West Chester, Pennsylvania. I was fortunate enough to have access to the frontlines, allowing me to capture this photo. It was a direct shot into the balloon as the flame took it higher.”
“Summer Melon” by Rebecca Kennedy August Meeting Theme “Summer” Second Place
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“The taste of summer time.”
A copy of many photos taken by members of 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. 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. 106 - T&G October 2016
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snapshot
Cool Theater Head of PSU’s musical theater program brings new works to stage By Samantha Chavanic For John Simpkins, there is a three-column existence to his life as a musical theater educator and director — Penn State; the Sharon Playhouse in Sharon, Connecticut; and freelance professional directing. The three allow him the opportunity to focus on his passion — new musicals. Simpkins, Nagle Family Endowed Chair in Musical Theatre and head of the Penn State School of Theatre’s musical theater program since August 2015, says he loves to work with writers and on musicals that aren’t familiar to many people. He believes new, unproduced musicals are the purest version and most utopian artistic side of musical theater. Though he loves a great revival, he finds the greatest joy in artists who are trying to tell stories in new and different ways. That is one of many reasons the musical theater department commissioned Joe Iconis, a writer Simpkins describes as “one of the hottest, young musical theater writers going right now,” to write a musical specifically for this year’s senior class. To begin the writing process, Iconis visited with the class last year when the students were juniors. Now seniors, the students will complete readings and workshops of the musical during the year as part of their curriculum. Simpkins intends, as a new initiative, to pair different teams of writers with each year’s junior class. He says while other musical theater programs have writers interacting with students, he believes Penn State is the only program to commission a writer to specifically write for its group of musical theater artists. “That’s really cool,” he says, “especially when you are trying to teach young artists how to draw on their own personalities and their own humanity in order to do musical theater.” This interaction and partnership also resulted in the students’ beginning Penn State Centre Stage’s 2016-17 season with the first production to follow the world premiere of Be More Chill, a musical featuring Iconis’s music and lyrics. The musical follows Jeremy Heere, a high school student who isn’t one of the cool kids, but also isn’t nerdy. Everything changes when he discovers a supercomputer that gives him exactly what he wants — popularity — or so he thinks. Be More Chill, which Simpkins directs, runs October 4 to 15 at the Playhouse Theatre. Simpkins says the musical celebrates the “regular” person by 108 - T&G October 2016
John Simpkins
showing Jeremey’s journey of learning that being himself is enough — a simple lesson that seems to elude almost everyone at different stages of life. “It’s a perfect show for our incredibly talented students, and we’re honored to be the first production outside of the world premiere,” he says. “Joe will be working with us throughout the process — and this high-energy show will be like nothing State College has seen before.” Though Simpkins is not shocked by the drive, determination, and creativity of the students who will perform Be More Chill, he was surprised by the number of people he discovered during his first year at Penn State who love and support what the faculty and students are doing in musical theater. “[The program] is this incredible family of artists and supporters and enthusiasts and tacticians and teachers,” he says. “It shows the students that this thing that is one of the hardest things you can ever imagine pursuing in your life has an army of supporters under them as they pursue that.” T&G Penn State Centre Stage’s production of Be More Chill runs October 4-15 at the Playhouse Theatre. For tickets and information, visit theatre.psu.edu. Samantha Chavanic is a freelance writer living in Bellefonte.