Town&Gown FEBRUARY 2012
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Joe Paterno 1926-2012
RemembeRing OuR Rich LOcaL histORy
NEWMANSTOWN, POPULATION 1,536, WAS A “CENSUS DESIGNATED PLACE” IN 2000
This Tavern lithograph by “Wizard of Oz” artist W.W. Denslow shows the town a century before it was named a “Place” in this century’s first census. Newmanstown today is proud possessor of a GAR Civil War Monument and a 100-pound Civil War cannon barrel, once part of a Parrott Rifle. An early town luminary was Lawrence J. Ibach, the “Blacksmith Astronomer.” A smithy all his life, he studied the skies after work every day, and provided calculations to almanac publishers worldwide.
Prime Rib Coated with Crushed Peppercorns and Marinated in a Sauce of Garlic, Soy Sauce and Wine. Served with a Pepper Sauce of Beef Broth and Marinade.
Fresh seafood, veal and prime rib are our specialties. Relax among rare and historic Pennsylvania lithographs and memorabilia at The Tavern.
Dinner at the Tavern… A Long-Standing Tradition in State College & Penn State Since 1948. Serving dinner from 5 p.m. seven days a week.
220 E. College Avenue, State College • 814-238-6116 • www.thetavern.com
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Joe Paterno: In His Own Words The beloved former Penn State coach had opinions and could hold conversations on almost any topic — from education to politics to literature … and even some football
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New Chapter Begins Penn State welcomes Bill O’Brien as new head football coach • by David Pencek
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Still Dancing for a Cause While it’s become bigger in nearly every facet every year, THON marks its 40th edition with the same simple goal of helping others • by Jenna Spinelle
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Millheim on the Move The small Penns Valley town is enjoying a resurgence in new businesses and community vibe • by Carolyne Meehan
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Letter From The Editor Starting Off On Center: Spirit of Uganda About Town: Stories, opinions continue to be shared around restaurant table Health & Wellness: Winter workouts This Month on WPSU Penn State Diary: Board of trustees has transformed over the years — and could do so again What’s Happening From the Vine: Wine-and-chocolate pairings Taste of the Month/Dining Out: Sweets of Centre County Lunch with Mimi: Miriam Powell State College Photo Club’s Photos of the Month Snapshot: TJ Bard
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 2012 by Barash Media. All rights reserved. Send address changes to Town&Gown, Box 77, State College, PA 16804. 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. www.townandgown.com
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JOY IS THE ALL-NEW BMW 5 SERIES. Joel Confer BMW 120 E. Clinton Ave., State College 814-237-5713
®
February 12
A State College & Penn State tradition since 1966.
Publisher Rob Schmidt Founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith Editorial Director David Pencek Creative Director/Photographer John Hovenstine Advertising Coordinator/Assistant Editor Vilma Shu Danz Graphic Designer/Photographer Darren Weimert Graphic Designer Amy Schmalz Account Executives Kathy George, Debbie Markel Business Manager Aimee Aiello Administrative Assistant Gigi Rudella Distribution Handy Delivery, Ginny Gilbert, Tom Neff Senior Editorial Consultant Witt Yeagley Interns Samantha Hulings (Editorial) Josh Lamey (Graphic Design)
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.
www.townandgown.com 6 - Town&Gown February 2012
letter from the editor
A Full Life Joe Paterno did everything he set out to do at Penn State One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding Joe Paterno in the past few months was that people in the State College and Penn State communities thought of him in god-like fashion. One network used a photo showing a man kneeling in front of Paterno’s house as “evidence” of that, thinking the man was praying to Paterno and not considering the fact that he was likely praying for Paterno. Far from being god-like, Joe Paterno was beloved like no other coach — and like few people of his stature — not only for his amazing accomplishments but also because he had that “average Joe” aura for someone who obviously wasn’t your average Joe. He lived in a humble house near campus — his address and phone number were listed in phone books for all to see. When he was healthy, he would walk from his home to his office, and could be seen walking around campus, even stopping by the Creamery for an ice cream. He would deliver pizzas to students who slept outside Beaver Stadium prior to home football games — the residents of Paternoville. When he had opportunities early in his career to head to the greener pastures of the NFL, he stayed in State College. Another amazing thing about Joe Paterno is that when many of the Nittany Nation — players (both current and former), fans, alumni — think of him, it’s not really any of his 409 wins or two national titles that initially come to mind. It’s what he stood for and the man he was — a
wonderful husband, father, grandfather, educator, father figure, and coach of football and life. It’s making sure academics came first for his players — according to the NCAA’s 2011 graduation data, 87 percent of Penn State players graduated (the national average was 67). While Paterno produced many players who played in the NFL, he helped many more become exemplary citizens in other walks of life. It’s his and his wife’s giving millions to the university for a new library, a new faith center, and other programs (even giving money after Penn State had fired Joe). It’s also helping the community he lives in — the Paternos gave $1 million to Mount Nittany Medical Center to help with the hospital’s expansion, and they were active in the Special Olympics. It’s just making Penn State and, frankly, this world a better place because of the impact he had — directly and indirectly — on thousands upon thousands of lives — even lives of people who never met him. I suppose that’s what he meant when he said, “They ask me what I’d like written about me when I’m gone. I hope they write I made Penn State a better place, not just that I was a good football coach.” To that end, Joseph Vincent Paterno, I’d also like to write Thank You. David Pencek Editorial Director dpenc@barashmedia.com
David Pencek Editorial Director dpenc@barashmedia.com
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Penn State Department of Public Information
What’s
New
Penn State researchers Sandeep Prabhu (right) and Robert Paulson.
PSU researchers discover possible cure for leukemia
A compound produced from fish oil that appears to target leukemia stem cells could lead to a cure for the disease, according to Penn State researchers. In a released statement, Sandeep Prabhu, associate professor of immunology and molecular toxicology in the Department of Veterinary and Medical Sciences, said that the compound targeted and killed the stem cells of chronic myelogenous leukemia in mice. The compound is produced from an Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and in fish oil. He added that killing the stem cells in leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, is important because stem cells can divide and produce more cancer cells, as well as create more stem cells. The researchers, who applied for a patent, also are preparing to test the compound in human trials.
Arboretum to build Children’s Garden
The Arboretum at Penn State will create and grow the Children’s Garden, an interactive place for children to learn and explore the natural world. The plan for the garden includes the Childhood’s Gate Entryway, where visitors will be greeted with rocks and wind-activated instruments; the Central Valley will celebrate Native American history in the Centre Region and a lawn will serve as an activity area and a glass house will provide space for instruction during winter months; and Mushroom
Artist rendering of the Children’s Garden that will be built at the Arboretum at Penn State.
Hollow will provide families places to sit and relax, and a giant tree stump will allow children to discover insects, decayed wood, and other natural processes. “The Children’s Garden will play a key role in the mission of the Arboretum, and I think it will become one of the most popular features in the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens,” Arboretum director Kim Steiner said in a released statement. “We hope that the Children’s Garden will be a place for children and adults to enjoy themselves in an interesting and educational environment.”
Historical Society hands out awards
The Centre County Historical Society recently gave out its 2011 Preservation Awards, which recognize various individuals and groups for their work in “helping preserve and interpret Centre County’s history.” The Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation went to: Elwood Homan and Family (Bucher Ayres House & Farmstead), John and Catherine Smith (Chicory Lane Farm), Howard T. “Jim” Davy (author of Monument — All Company Towns Ain’t Bad — The Story of a Remote Mountain Community and Its People), Rod and Rhonda Beard (First National Bank Building in Bellefonte), Exhibit Committee of Those Who Came Before: The Archaeology of Centre County’s Native Americans (members Melissa Diamanti, Bob Donaldson, Mary Alice Graetzer, Jackie Melander, Clair Milner, Mary Sorensen, and Kellie Waksminski). Some businesses and organizations were recognized for their contributions to CCHS and its properties through materials, equipment, and labor. The CCHS Service Awards were given to: Glenn O. Hawbaker, Stone Valley Construction, Boy Scouts of America, Troop 367, and Dave Horner & Associates. Six volunteers — Cliff Bastuscheck, Cathy Horner, Beverly Lipski, Gloria Nieweg, Mary Osborn, and Carol Phillips — also were recognized for their contributions. T&G
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743 McKee Street
380 Cogan Circle
MLS # 35022 $574,000
1192 Westerly Parkway
Ne w
SO
Pri
LD
ce
355 Johnson Road
Office Exclusive $729,000
MLS # 33399 $254,000
• 4 bedrooms • 1.73 acres • Central air
• 4 bedroom • 2.5 baths • Renovated
• 4 bedrooms • 2 baths • Finished lower level
122C Alma Mater Court
1604 Woodledge Circle
348 Arbor Way
MLS # 34450 $198,000 • 3 bedrooms • Central Air
512 Belle Avenue
SO
LD
131 W High St
MLS # 34970 $205,000
MLS # 34736 $279,000
• 3 Bedrooms • 2.5 baths • 1 car garage
• 3 bedrooms • Carport • 2839 sq ft
Lot 101 Shoemaker Road
11 James Hill Road
MLS # 33219 $599,900 • 5 bedrooms • 2 baths •.49 acres
MLS # 34783 $189,000 • 4 bedrooms • 3 baths • 2 car garage
2442 Jacksonville Road
113 Sandy Ridge Road
MLS # 34298 $439,900
LD SO
SO
LD
157 Rosehill Dr
MLS # 34866 $269,000
MLS # 32811 $299,900
• 2.77 wooded acres • Close to I-80
• 3 bedrooms • 2.5 baths • 1.09 acres
• 4 bedrooms • 3 baths • Log home
201 Elmwood Street
264 Kathy Street
550 Brittany Drive
Lot 4 Stoney Point Drive
MLS # 34075 $1800/mo
MLS # 33131 $54,900
• 4 bedrooms • 3 baths • 1.3 acre
MLS # 34749 $139,000
MLS # 35198 $339,000
MLS # 24705 $145,000
• Commercial • Retail • Restaurant
• 3 bedroom •1775 sq ft • Wood/coal burner
• 5 bedrooms • 3.5 baths • 3400 sq ft
• Lot 4 is 1.15 acre • Larger lots available
153 Thistle Lane
Lot 6 & 7 - 169 Bible Road
430 Shiloh Road
178 Shadow Hawk Lane
161 Rosehill Dr Sale Pending
Office Exclusive $394,900 • 4 bedrooms • 3 baths • 1.04 acres
1140 Kathryn Street
MLS # 33131 $314,900 • 4 bedrooms • 3 baths • 1st floor master
MLS # 34750 $179,000
MLS # 34146 $70,000
MLS # 32754 $325,000
• 2 acre • Rt 144 • Chose Builder
Commercial Lot • .77 acre
• 3 bedroom • 17 acres • SCASD
292 S Osmond Street
202-212D E College Ave
206 Water Street 529 E Irvin Ave
MLS # 34925 $99,000 • 4 bedroom on Bald Eagle Creek
MLS # 33434 $259,900
MLS # 27644 $239,000
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Tom’s Cell: (814) 574-4345 Ellen’s Cell: (814) 280-2088 Bob’s Cell: (814) 574-0293 Bob Langton Associate to Tom Cali Ellen Kline
cali.kline@gmail.com • www.statecollegeliving.com
People
Zachary Schiffer
State High senior Zachary Schiffer is a semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent Search, a program for Society for Science & the Public. The talent search brings together the best and brightest minds in the United States to compete for $1.25 million in awards. Each semifinalist receives a $1,000 award from the Intel Foundation with an additional $1,000 going to his or her school. Since the summer of his sophomore year, Schiffer has worked with Dr. Barbara Garrison of Penn State’s department of chemistry to simulate argon atoms hitting a benzene crystal. He also presented his research at the annual Mercury Conference on Undergraduate Computation Chemistry at Bucknell University in July 2011. In October, he was selected as one of five individuals in this region for the Siemans Competition, and one of 30 individuals nationally to compete at MIT for a Siemans finalist spot. Schiffer has been accepted to Princeton University for this fall.
in the
Community Felix Aronovich
Wil Hutton
Penn State men’s gymnast Felix Aronovich recently qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He will compete as an individual and represent his home country of Israel. Aronovich, a junior, was the Big Ten CoFreshman of the Year in 2010. Last season, he set career highs in five events and ended the year nationally ranked in the parallel bars, high bar, and still rings. He was recognized as a Gymnast to Watch in the Big Ten this season. The gymnastics competition for the 2012 Olympics takes place July 28 to August 7.
Lee Stout
Lee Stout, Librarian Emeritus at Penn State and regular contributor to Town&Gown with his “Penn State Diary” column, has a new book coming out in early March that looks at PSU alum Barbara Franklin. A Matter of Simple Justice: The Untold Story of Barbara Hackman Franklin and A Few Good Women, shines a light on how Franklin worked with President Richard Nixon’s administration to recruit more women into executive-level positions. She nearly quadrupled the number of women in high-level government jobs and opened the door for advances for women in the private sector. She went on to serve as Secretary of Commerce for President George H.W. Bush. In the second part of the book, Stout looks at other trailblazing women, including Senator Elizabeth Dole, Judge Cynthia Hall, and Ambassador Anne Armstrong. This is Stout’s second book. He also wrote Ice Cream U: The Story of the Nation’s Most Successful Collegiate Creamery. T&G
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José Carreras
Sunday, March 18th • 8pm Tickets Available at the BJC, Eisenhower Auditorium, Downtown Theatre, - Town&Gown February 2012 All Ticketmaster Locations, 13www.bjc.psu.edu or by calling 814-865-5555
Q&A
Q&A with Scott Mitchell, executive director of the YMCA of Centre County By Sarah Harteis
The YMCA of Centre County has a mission to strengthen the foundations of the community through a number of activities for people of all ages, incomes, and abilities. Executive director Scott Mitchell has been working with the YMCA for 13 years. He took the time to share with Town&Gown some of the good things that have already come from the YMCA, as well as what he hopes and plans for in the future. T&G: What is your personal mission for the YMCA? Mitchell: My personal mission is to provide services and opportunities that will have a positive impact on kids, families, and my community. I look forward to reaching more families and individuals by expanding our services into the Philipsburg and Penns Valley areas. T&G: What’s the most exciting thing you’re looking forward to in 2012? Mitchell: We are very excited to have the Philipsburg YMCA become a branch of the YMCA of Centre County, and the potential to have a fourth branch in the Penns Valley area. T&G: What are some other long-term and
short-term goals you’d like to see accomplished in the future? Mitchell: To continue to expand youthdevelopment services, healthy living activities, and services that emphasize social responsibility. The YMCA board will be developing a new strategic plan in April 2012 to develop new goals for the next three to four years. T&G: Why do you think YMCAs are a vital part of communities — and this one in particular? Mitchell: YMCAs have always been responsive to the needs of the community. We particularly recognize the need to be there for kids, individuals, and families in need by turning no one away due to the inability to pay. In 2011, the YMCA provided over $300,000 of assistance through our open-doors program so that members of the community can experience and benefit from the facility, services, and programs offered at the YMCA. T&G: How does the YMCA raise funds? Mitchell: The YMCA of Centre County is a charity. We raise funds from the public to help support our open-doors program and stand by our mission of not turning anyone away for the inability to pay. Without the support of the community we could not make this happen. T&G: What has been a major accomplishment for you since you began working with the YMCA? Mitchell: The growth of the YMCA of Centre County has been incredible over the last 13 years. We have gone from an independent YMCA to having three facilities across the county. To be a part of that growth has been very rewarding. T&G
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Looking Back Centre County history through the pages of Town&Gown
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In “ ‘I Can’t Build You a Swimming Pool!’ ” former Penn State president Eric Walker wrote about the history of Penn State’s McCoy Natatorium. “The ability to swim was a necessary requirement for graduation at Penn State, and while the women had the use of the White Hall pool, men had to cross College Avenue to swim in rented facilities in the Glennland Building,” Walker wrote. “Many times we tried to find a way by which the university could build a pool.”
1998
Town&Gown looked at the increasing popularity of extreme sports in “Maximum Fitness Maximum Fun.” Woodward Camp had attracted names such as in-liner Chris Edwards, skateboarder Mike Frazier, and BMXer Taj Mihelich to its summer staff roster. “It’s incredibly spectacular visually for anyone to watch,” Woodward owner Gary Ream said of the extreme-sports trend. “ When you have something that’s taken off this big, you know it’s going to be here for a while.”
2010
Hire me to walk you through step by step, we will get through one of the most important decisions of your lifetime. CALL ME AT 231-8200 ext. 321 Cell: (814) 933-7106 LisaLRittenhouse@gmail.com www.LisaRittenhouse.com Shannon Stiver, Licensed Sales Coordinator to Lisa Rittenhouse 814-231-8200, ext. 340
“Always a Good Hair Day!” featured the Wigs for Kids program, which helps young children who have lost their hair due to medical treatments, burns, or other circumstances. Through Russell Gutch, owner of Changing Times Hair Designs in State College, Wigs For Kids developed a partnership with THON. “It’s not just about getting a wig and putting it on a child,” Gutch said. “That smile you get [from a child] — that’s it!” T&G
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This Month On townandgown.com • In 5 Questions, chef Pati Jinich talks about her State College connections and looking forward to being the featured chef at WPSU’s 20th annual Connoisseur’s Dinner & Auction. • How guys can create the perfect Valentine’s Day for their significant other. • More What’s Happening listings, and sign up for Town&Gown’s monthly e-newsletter.
And visit our Facebook site for the latest happenings and opportunities to win free tickets to concerts and events!
Taste of the Month
HOME REFLECTIONS
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February 2 – 15 only: From My Heart jewelry box $39 Just in time for Valentine’s Day, this sweetheart of a case! Featured in new Camellia, Rosy Posies, Ellie Blue & Island Blooms Perfect for Gifting that Special Surprise for Your Valentine.
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Town&Gown ’s Monthly Focus on Food 18 - Town&Gown February 2012
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Chamber Membership Benefits Your Business and Your Community
CBICC to Honor Area Businesses & Individuals The Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC) will hold its annual CBICC Awards Gala presented by SPE Federal Credit Union on Thursday, March 1, from 5:15 to 8:30 p.m. at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. The CBICC will recognize the outstanding contributions of area businesses and individuals within our communities. The evening begins with a cocktail hour sponsored by M&T Bank followed by dinner and the award presentations. Music will be provided by the Rick Hirsch Quintessence Band. The awards to be presented include Community Service Award, Corporate Philanthropy Award, Small Business of the Year Award, Outstanding Technology Company Award, Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award, Quality of Life Award, CBICC Volunteer of the Year, CBICC Spirit Award, and CBICC Ambassador of the Year. The cost to attend is $75 per person, and reservations are required by February 16. Tables of 10 sponsorships along with other sponsorship opportunities also are available. For more information, contact the CBICC at (814) 234-1829 or visit the events calendar at www.cbicc.org.
20 - Town&Gown February 2012
Coaches vs. Cancer Saturday, February 11, 2012 Bryce Jordan Center Game Tipoff – 1:00PM $3.00 from every individual game ticket sold to the February 11th contest will be donated to Coaches vs.Cancer-Penn State!
Vs. Band Together is back! Join your Penn State Nittany Lions, Coaches vs. Cancer-Penn State, the American Cancer Society and cancer survivors and fighters from around the Centre Region as we Band Together to fight cancer when the men’s basketball team takes on the Cornhuskers at the BJC. The Band Together event also features $3 Rally Towels at the door and a Silent Auction of sports memorabilia on the concourse. All proceeds from the auction and Rally Towels benefit CVC-Penn State.
www.cvcpennstate.org
22 - Town&Gown February 2012
Joe Paterno: In His Own Words
The beloved former Penn State coach had opinions and could hold conversations on almost any topic — from education to politics to literature … and even some football
When he came to Penn State and State College in 1950, it seemed as if Joe Paterno had little in common with the “cow college” and middle-of-nowhere town. He had grown up in Brooklyn and played football at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Here, in State College, he was the classic fish out of water — a big-city kid in Ruraltown, USA. More than 60 years later, no one now or, safe to say, ever will be more synonymous with this school and town as Paterno is. While Penn State and State College changed dramatically over the decades with unprecedented growth, thanks in large part to Paterno, JoePa seemed to change little — sticking to what he believed in and helping raise money for causes he believed in. Since 1992, Town&Gown has published its Penn State Football Annual that included an exclusive Q&A with Paterno. Besides looking ahead to upcoming seasons, those interviews covered a variety of topics. The following are excerpts from those 20 interviews.
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1992
On the end of the series with Notre Dame and Pitt due to Penn State ’s joining the Big Ten: “You don’t get anything for nothing in life. The prospect of playing Michigan here and going out to Michigan Stadium maybe offsets what we have with Notre Dame. Playing Ohio State on a yearin, year-out basis might offset what we had with Pitt. Then you stick in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. After six, seven years of playing those people, they will be traditional games. Obviously, the first couple of years we’re going to have withdrawal pains. After that, I think we’re going to be OK.
1993
On leading the fundraising initiative to expand Pattee Library: “I want to do my part because I have a wife who graduated from Penn State, I have four kids who graduated from Penn State, I have two brothers-in-law who graduated from Penn State, I have a nephew and a niece who graduated from Penn State. The better we can make this institution, the better it’s going to be for them and the better for all the football players and athletes we bring in here.”
1994
On whether Penn State has had everything he needed or did he create everything he needed: “It’s a little of both. I’ve always liked it here. I’ve always appreciated the fact that people were good to me. “I saw an opportunity to make this someplace that I hoped would be special, and whether I’ve accomplished that is beside the point. People gave me an opportunity to do it. “… I’m not just a football coach in the eyes of a lot of people. I’ve never been treated that way. I’ve always been treated as somebody who had a contribution to make to this university environment. And I appreciated that. It allowed me to grow.”
around saying they were better than we were. “I’ve always believed that you win on the field, you don’t win simply by talking about it. I think most of the things that have happened since the voting was done would indicate that at the very least we may have had better personnel than Nebraska. “But even if we think we were better than Nebraska, well, there’s nothing we can do about it. So I’m not going to worry about it.”
On his longevity: “I’m really looking forward to coaching for … God knows, I don’t know how long I’m talking five years, but it may be seven or eight, I don’t know … I have absolutely no plans to get out of it, as long as I stay healthy and I think I can do a good job.”
1996
On being a fan of Abraham Lincoln:
“The more you read and learn about Lincoln, the more you’re fascinated by him. How smart he was, how strong he was, how clever he was. “… There are a lot of character traits that Lincoln had that I admire a great deal.”
On the one thing he’s better at than anyone else: “I think that I’ve been consistent in what I believe and what I teach and the way we play football. I don’t get caught up in fads or try to do things just because everyone else seems to be doing them.”
1997
On the lessons in loyalty and productivity in having his assistant coaches remain with him: “Our guys come to work and they don’t have to think about losing their jobs. If the institution is loyal to them, they’re not liable to be looking for other jobs. “It’s a two-way street. The institution has to be loyal and they have to be loyal. And that way, they can be more effective at their job and not always looking over their shoulders.”
On how he juggles all the demands on his time:
1995
On whether Penn State was the best team in the country in 1994: “I don’t know. I do know that no one can go
“There are sacrifices. You can’t afford to play golf like you used to or do certain things. But you can take your kids fishing or for a walk and do two things at once. When I spent time with
24 - Town&Gown February 2012
Steve Tressler
On current pop culture and if he ’s familiar with Seinfeld: “Steinfeld? … A lot of the coaches see it all the time. And they talk about it every once in a while. … I’m not much of a television guy as far as the sit-comedies and those kind of things. I never saw more than two episodes of M*A*S*H. Kids used to talk about Cheers all the time. They go and they come. People enjoy them; I just don’t particularly enjoy them. “Everybody told me I had to go see Titanic, so Sue and I went. It was too long. Too much water.”
1999
On if other things keep him energized for what he does on the field:
Players and Paterno celebrate Paterno’s 300th career win in 1998.
my kids, I tried to make sure that I enjoyed it and they enjoyed it. So it was recreation for us both. But with kids and football, there were a lot of things that I couldn’t do any more. … You decide what’s important and your family’s right up there.”
1998
On his and Sue’s taking a lead role in the development of the spiritual center on campus: “I think we owe it to our students to give them a place where they can have a decent spiritual experience. … We think it’s absolutely vital to where the kids who go to school here now are going to be, and the impact they’re going to have on their children. So, we hope, in the year 2050 we’ll have maybe a little bit less bitterness toward each other and less of this hate stuff. “I think the way we’ve got to start is by bringing people together. And I think an allfaith spiritual center is gesture in the right direction of getting it all done.”
“I don’t think just coaching football would have made me as happy. I wouldn’t feel as good about what’s going on as I do if I didn’t have the opportunity to be involved with other things. If the university had been moving ahead, and I said, ‘I’m sticking to coaching and that’s it,’ it would have bothered me. The fact that I’ve been involved in the fundraising, that I was able to help do some things that are going to make this place better — along with the coaching — is all part of it. That’s part of the reason I stay in coaching.”
2000
On Penn State graduating its players, and having twice the national average of graduating African-American players: “We try to bring kids in who want to get an education, and we try to keep that in the forefront of what their priorities should be. “Personally, as a coach at a university, I think it’s important that these kids get an education. They’re not here to have a good football team, just to entertain people, and make sure the turnout is great. Of course, I think they’re here to play football and enjoy it. But it always must be with the idea that it comes second to your education.”
On Beaver Stadium expanding: “The stadium is a tribute to the fans. The ability to expand a stadium of that size in an area such as this is really amazing. It’s a tribute to the loyalty of our fans. They’ve just been
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great. … It’s fun, it’s exciting, and sometimes it’s a little bit bewildering to see so many people who have that kind of interest.”
2001
On Adam Taliaferro walking again:
“They really thought it would take a miracle, and it was a miracle. … When they see Adam back up and around, our players really are in appreciation of the fact that there has been somebody who literally intervened, who took control of this thing. And that’s not to underplay the hard work Adam has done and how strong his family has been. His mom and dad have been solid as can be, even in the worst part and in the worst of times.”
On having fun in practice by “mixing it up with the kids”: “If I couldn’t do that, if I couldn’t stick my two cents in and horse around with them once in a while and try to block them halfheartedly and those things, I wouldn’t enjoy it. And I don’t think I’d do as good a job. So if I want to do that, I have to
be in decent shape. And that means I have to eat right, I have to get enough sleep, I have to exercise properly. If I get three or four pounds overweight, I know it; I feel it right away.”
2002
On playing 12 games in a season:
“I don’t like 12 games. I get a kick out of the NCAA and the [university] presidents talking about student welfare, yet we keep adding games. I’m disappointed in the direction we’re going — there are more games and more games and more games. Yet we’re being asked to do a better job graduating more kids, doing a better job academically with them, there’s pressure to reduce grants. “It’s disturbing to me that we’re asking 18-, 19-, 20-year-old kids to play that many games in the kind of competition that the fans demand and not expect us to have ‘X’ number of injuries and so forth.”
On his leadership: “I wouldn’t necessarily call what I do leadership. A teacher is not necessarily a leader. A
26 - Town&Gown February 2012
teacher teaches. I think my job is to point the way. “My leadership is getting them back to the core qualities — character, pride, loyalty — all the things that were the same when Alexander the Great conquered the world. It’s those core qualities that stay the same, and you have to remind people of that. So in that sense, I think I am more of a teacher than a leader; I hope I am.”
Paterno with granddaughter Olivia Hort during Christmas 1996.
2003
On completion of Penn State ’s Grand Destiny fundraising campaign that raised $1.365 billion: “From here we’ll go on to better things. We have a lot of people who understand that they have to help us if we want to maintain our position as really one of the fine universities in the country. “I don’t think [fundraising] will ever stop. The future of this institution is going to be in our ability to raise private funds.”
2004
On moral victories: “… there’s no such thing.”
2005
On the divide between mainstream academics and athletics: “I think the faculty itself has to take some of the blame for that. Certainly you can say that athletics is part of the problem. “But if you’re a member of the faculty, if a kid comes to your class you shouldn’t care who he is or if he’s on a team. What should matter is
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that he comes to class like everybody else and is treated like everybody else.”
On the Internet and e-mails: “I got a phone call from someone in the administration a year or so ago, and they talked to one of our secretaries. And this person wanted to know, ‘Why doesn’t Joe answer any of his e-mail?’ I probably had a couple hundred thousand e-mails in there. I said, ‘Geez, I didn’t even know I had an e-mail.’ Everybody at the university has e-mail, right? Well, I don’t pay any attention to it because I can’t do anything about it.”
2006
On ending the Friday night receptions with the media: “I couldn’t trust some of the guys. I just didn’t trust them. I used to have a lot of fun at those things. It got to be where, ‘Hey I just don’t need it.’ I don’t like some of the guys, to be very blunt with you. I won’t mention names. I just don’t trust them. Some of them think they’re smarter than the whole world. They’re so young, they don’t understand. They don’t want to listen. What’s the sense of sitting around and putting up with that crap?”
2007
On considering retirement after he injured his knee at Wisconsin: “I thought about it. When I came out of the operation, I said, ‘Hey, should I be thinking about a different lifestyle?’ My doctor [John Dranov], said to me, ‘Joe, what were you going to do before you got hurt?’ I said, ‘I was thinking three, four, or five years [of coaching]. There’s no timeline.’ He said, ‘Why would you change?’ I said, ‘This thing might set me back.’ He said, ‘Some people are 80 and some people are not 80 organically. Your blood pressure, heart, everything is good. It’s up to you. Whatever you want to do. I wouldn’t let your knee injury affect what you want to do.’ “It’d be nice for me to say, ‘Hey, this is what I want to do three years from now.’ I don’t know what I want to do three years from now. I like coaching. I enjoy it. The challenge is still there for me. I thought coming out of the operation might affect me, but no.”
On the last movie he ’s seen: “I think Titanic was the last one I saw with Sue.”
2008
On picturing what Saturdays in the fall would be like if he wasn’t coaching: “Geez, I don’t even think about that. I haven’t gotten the slightest idea what I would do. … I have very simple tastes. I have a whole bunch of grandkids. They’re getting to the point where they’re human beings and I’m starting to enjoy them.”
On if he thinks he received more enjoyment and satisfaction coaching college football than he would have had practicing law: “I’ve had a lot of satisfaction. I have no regrets. Every once in a while, my dad would say, ‘God darn it, I was training you to be President of the United States.’ When I see this junk every once in a while, I think, ‘Maybe I should have gone to law school.’ It’s been great. It really is. This place has been great. I owe this place an awful lot. I’ve had my ups and downs at times, but they’ve been little downs and big ups.”
On if it would sadden him if there were less of a commitment to football after he left: “I don’t think that would happen. The way they would want to move forward may be different. I wouldn’t expect to be a guy who’s sitting on the sideline expecting a telephone call every time somebody makes a decision. I know one thing — when I get out, I’m not going to stick my two cents into anything.”
2009
On the state of the Bowl Championship Series:
“I think we ought to have a legitimate champion. I don’t know whether somebody could vote and say that Florida’s better than Southern Cal, Texas, or Utah. A few years ago [2004], Auburn won all of their games. I was voting in the coaches’ poll and I voted for the three teams that were undefeated. I got a couple telephone calls saying, ‘You can’t do that. You have to vote for 1 and 2 and 3.’ I said, ‘No, I can’t do that.’ The sports editor of USA Today called me up and said the coaches association had an agreement with them. They took the vote away from me. I’m not going to change my vote. That’s the way I feel. That’s the way it’s
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going to be. I don’t vote anymore. “There were a bunch of kids at Auburn who played a tough schedule and won them all, and somebody says there are two teams better than they are. That’s hard for me because I’ve gone through it. When I look at the kids who played on the ’69 team or who played on the ’94 team, I say to myself, ‘You know what, they should be able to walk around saying they played on a national championship team, or at least had a shot at it.’ ”
Together, Joe and Sue Paterno helped raise millions of dollars for Penn State and other causes.
2010
On if we’ll ever see a coach stay at a university for 20 or 25 years: “It doesn’t look that way. With the kind of money they’re paying some guys. … They have two good years and they’re up to 2 or 3 million bucks [a year]. They’re moving around because people are offering them more money. “Take a guy like [Michigan State men’s basketball coach] Tom Izzo, a guy I admire and respect. I think he’s a great coach. I never thought he would even talk to the pros. I understand even he’s talking to some people (Izzo turned down the Cleveland Cavaliers’ head-coaching job that June). It’s the money and maybe the challenge. I don’t know why they’re moving around. I keep telling guys, ‘If you have a good job, stick around and make it happen. Make your institution better.’ “You see people getting fired who have done a good job. You have a couple good years and all of a sudden someone else comes around with a little better deal and you start thinking, ‘If I stick around here, they’re going to fire me in two years anyway. I might as well move.’ Sometimes I think that’s the mentality out there.”
On if the things that are important to him with regards to coaching are the same things that were important to him 45 years ago: “Absolutely. I came here and I talked about a Grand Experiment. I wanted people who went to school, graduated, and played football the way it should be played. No showboating. Respect your opponent. Play hard. Play as tough as you can. Have discipline. I haven’t changed with that. Thank goodness the NCAA and some people have cracked down on the hot-dogging and waving to the crowd before getting to the end zone. I’m happy to see that.”
On the five people he’d like to meet in heaven: “Ahhhh, I haven’t even thought about that. If I start naming them, there probably would be about 100. I’ve been a very fortunate guy. I’ve had a lot of great friends. I don’t mean good friends. I have so many people who have helped me. I can go back to some of my teachers. I can go back to a couple nuns who had me in grammar school. There are kids who played with me in high school. “I’ve had so many people who have been great to me. I’ve been so lucky. I’ve had so much fun in my life. It would be hard for me to pick five.”
On what he thinks his life has been about: “Just what [my dad] said to me when I told him I wanted to coach. He was disappointed as the dickens. He said, ‘What in God’s name do you want to coach for? Why did you go to college?’ I said, ‘Well, I’ll be good at it. I’m enjoying it. This is a wonderful place.’ ‘Well, damn it, if you’re going to do it, have an impact on that place.’ “I would hope when everything is said and done, when I’m out of here, they’ll go around saying, ‘You know, Paterno made this a better place. And the kids he coached are better for being in the program.’ If I get that out of it, that’s a pretty good legacy.”
2011
On, with three books being planned on him, what hasn’t been written or said about him and his career: “I haven’t gotten the slightest idea what they’re going to do. … I don’t care what they write as long as it’s accurate and they’re not counting on me for quotes.” T&G
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Penn State Athletic Communications
Shortly after being introduced as Penn State’s new head football coach, Bill O’Brien greets fans during a Lady Lions’ basketball game at the Bryce Jordan Center. Wife, Colleen, and their youngest son, Michael, joined him.
New Chapter Begins Penn State welcomes Bill O’Brien as new head football coach By David Pencek When he was introduced as the 15th head coach in Penn State football history, Bill O’Brien took the podium at the Nittany Lion Inn knowing that there were some in the Nittany Nation who didn’t approve of his hiring — some even expressed their anger over it through Twitter and statements to the media. The 42-year-old O’Brien, who had been offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots (and remains in that position as the Patriots prepare to play in the Super Bowl), reached out to his detractors and all Penn Staters in a letter he wrote the night before his introduction, and that he read at his first press conference. “We respectfully request the opportunity to earn your trust through communication, and feel that through our abilities, ethics, beliefs, work ethic, and commitment to Penn State, in time we will find that we have more common interests and goals than not,” he said. “We are here now
with you. You should be proud of Penn State’s numerous accomplishments. You should be proud of Penn State’s football program. You should love this school. You are why we want to be here. “We want you to know that you will always be welcome and a part of our program because we are Penn State.” O’Brien enthusiastically and confidently began the new chapter in Nittany Lion football. It’s a chapter that will include continuing to deal with the fallout from the alleged crimes of former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky that led to the firing of head coach Joe Paterno. O’Brien, in another move that likely put some in the Nittany Nation at ease over his hiring, spoke highly of Paterno. “I grew up following the Penn State football program,” he said. “I was the type of person that always loved to watch them because of the helmets, the uniforms, the black cleats,
30 - Town&Gown February 2012
no names on the back of the jerseys, and also because of the man on the sidelines — Coach Paterno. There will never be enough words to say what he did for the program as far as wins, as far as off-the-field graduating kids, graduating student-athletes every single year.” Paterno, who was fired November 9 and died two weeks after O’Brien’s formal introduction, issued a congratulatory statement prior to O’Brien’s first press conference as head coach. “I don’t know Bill, but I respect his coaching record, and I am particularly pleased we share a connection to my alma mater, Brown,” Paterno said. The two reportedly spoke a few days after the hiring. O’Brien graduated from Brown in 1992, more than 40 years after Paterno had graduated. He spent two seasons as a coach for his alma mater before becoming a graduate assistant for head coach George O’Leary at Georgia Tech. His coaching travels then took him to the University of Maryland, Duke, and, finally, the New England Patriots. When asked why he thinks he’s the guy who can take Penn State forward during a time when there’s so much negativity around the program, O’Brien said, “I believe in myself. I believe in Penn State. I believe in the academic diversity of Penn State. I obviously believe in the football traditions here and the past football successes. What is not to sell about Penn State?” For his new staff, O’Brien kept two assistant coaches under Paterno. Larry Johnson remains as defensive-line coach and Ron Vanderlinden continues on as linebackers coach. Throughout his first day and first weeks as the Nittany Lions’ new head coach, O’Brien appeared well aware of this important time in Penn State’s history and his place in it. “It is my responsibility to ensure that this football program represents the highest level of character, respect, and integrity in everything we do,” he said. “We will take very seriously our duty to interact in an exemplary fashion with our great alumni, our students, our faculty, our fans, our media, and members of the community. There is so much pride in Penn State, and we will never, ever take that for granted — ever!” T&G
Meet Bill O’Brien Born: October 23, 1969. Family: Wife, Colleen; sons, Jack (9) and Michael (6). College: Brown (1992). Coaching Experience: 1993 — Brown (tight ends) 1994 — Brown (inside linebackers) 1995-97 — Georgia Tech (offensive graduate assistant) 1998-2000 — Georgia Tech (running backs) 2001 — Georgia Tech (offensive coordinator) 2002 — Georgia Tech (assistant head coach and offensive coordinator) 2003-04 — Maryland (running backs) 2005-06 — Duke (offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach) 2007 — New England Patriots (coaching assistant) 2008 — New England Patriots (wide receivers) 2009-10 — New England Patriots (quarterbacks coach) 2011 — New England Patriots (offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach) 2012 — Penn State (head coach) The Staff Secondary: John Butler Assistant head coach/wide receivers: Stan Hixon Defensive Line: Larry Johnson Running Backs: Charles London Offensive Line: Mac McWhorter Defensive Coordinator: Ted Roof Tight Ends: John Strollo Linebackers: Ron Vanderlinden
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Reynolds Mansion The Reynolds Mansion, located at 101 West Linn Street in Bellefonte, was built in 1885 by the town’s first millionaire, Major William Frederick Reynolds. It is now a luxury seven-bedroom bedand-breakfast run by innkeepers Tricia and Mike Andriaccio. The Andriaccios purchased the Reynolds Mansion and moved to Bellefonte in June 2010. “I retired from the New York police department, and my wife Tricia, who was a music teacher, came up with the idea of running a bed-andbreakfast because we were looking to do something different with the second half of our lives,” explains Mike. The beautifully restored late-Victorian home features an eclectic blend of Gothic, Italianate, and Queen Anne styles. Entering through the lavish marble foyer, guests are encouraged to explore the
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period-specific grand common areas, including the billiards room, dining room, and Snuggery, a room where gentlemen retired to enjoy brandy and cigars. Whether you are staying at the Reynolds Mansion for a football weekend or a romantic getaway, the rooms are spacious, each with a private bath and fireplace. Five of the rooms also have Jacuzzis. There are coffee and tea stations on each floor, so guests can help themselves to complimentary hot beverages before breakfast or at night. “We have a three-course breakfast that is included in the rate and we serve everything from homemade spinach-bacon quiche to gingerbread pancakes to pecan-encrusted French toast,” says Tricia. Mike adds, “We can also accommodate vegetarians and do things by request, so if you would like eggs Benedict for breakfast or have Champagne and rose pedals or chocolates in your room when you get here, we can do that for you.” For more information, call 353-8407 or visit www.reynoldsmansion.com.
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on center
Kid Country
Spirit of Uganda children bring to the stage “that elusive thing called joy” By John Mark Rafacz
Uganda is a nation of children. About half of the country’s more than 33 million people are younger than 14. Texan Alexis Hefley first ventured to the East African nation in 1993. For 18 months she lived and worked with children orphaned because of AIDS. The experience altered the direction of her life. When she returned to the United States, she formed Uganda Children’s Charity Foundation, an organization she led for a decade. In 2006, she created a second nonprofit, Empower African Children, which seeks to help orphaned and vulnerable children reach their potential. Spirit of Uganda, a professional training and touring program that Hefley produces, visits North America every other year, and on March 13 it makes its Penn State debut at Eisenhower Auditorium. The ensemble features 22 performers, ages 8 to 18, who share the music and dance of their lush and diverse homeland. “Whatever these performers do, in whatever different bright attire, they do with discipline, fervor, and joy,” writes a Village Voice reviewer. “The pounding feet and agile bodies, the drums and vibrant human voices all send a message — one of courage and hope.” The young artists, who personify the resilience and promise of Africa’s next generation, serve as ambassadors for Uganda’s 2.4 million orphans and advocates for AIDS awareness and prevention. Spirit of Uganda’s performances raise funds to support the many orphaned and at-risk children served by Empower African Children. Spirit of Uganda celebrates cultural roots and contemporary creations with standing drums, dramatic choreography, layered rhythms, and call-and-response vocals. “An ebullient guide, artistic director Peter Kasule ushers us into the patchwork of ancient kingdoms and ethnic groups that constitutes modern Uganda, combining traditional rhythms with new forms into numbers so dynamic they are
transformative,” observes a Newsday critic. A Spirit of Uganda performance, a New York Times reporter asserts, is all about “invigorating the stage with that elusive thing called joy.” Ugandan children may attend primary school for free. But secondary school and vocational training, which must be paid for privately, are financially out of the reach of most young people in the country. This year an Empower African Children-funded secondary school, with magnet programs in the performing arts, technology, and health care, is scheduled to open on an environmentally green campus in Uganda. The school will accommodate 400 students. It will double as a hub for community involvement, employment, and services. The organization sees the school as a model that could be replicated across Africa. “There is so much grief coming out of Africa,” a Financial Times writer notes, “that it’s good to report something upbeat for a change.” T&G This tour of Spirit of Uganda is made possible by a grant from Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Central Pennsylvania Fans of World Music sponsors the presentation. Artistic Viewpoints, an informal moderated discussion featuring a visiting artist or local expert, is offered in Eisenhower Auditorium one hour before the performance. Seating for Artistic Viewpoints is available on a first-arrival basis. For tickets or information, visit www.cpa.psu.edu or phone (814) 863-0255. John Mark Rafacz is the editorial manager of the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State.
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35 - Town&Gown February 2012
about town
Coffee Talk
Stories, opinions continue to be shared around restaurant table
As a Penn State undergraduate in English in the mid-1960s, I wrote a paper on “The Wife of Bath” for Geoffrey Chaucer scholar/English professor Bob Frank. That was a pivotal point for a burgeoning journalistic scribe. Like the travelers in The Canterbury Tales, everyone has a story or four to tell. Since a local watering hole functions as a sort of pilgrimage stop, it’s a logical place to share stories. Take downtown’s cornerstone, The Corner Room, for instance. The last booth on the East College Avenue side used to be a hangout for celebrated local outdoorsman Don Kepler. A plaque is there, marking his years of meeting with friends. I once interviewed him in that spot, hearing (cringingly) about the wonders of his bear-grease salve. Bill Welch Jr. (my late husband and cocolumnist) used to mention that, when he was young and his parents and siblings ate out at The Corner Room, the family filled the big booth in the passageway. In those days, long before there were cell phones, you provided your comings and goings for reachability. Whenever there was a call from John Harris has been a daily patron at The Corner the hospital for Bill’s dad, a noted town docRoom for about 24 years. tor, a telephone was taken to Dr. Welch’s table and plugged in beside it. Editor and, as a group member, demonstrated While the town has grown since then, regu- for peace on Wednesdays in front of the campus lars are still known at the 1926 Corner Room. gate. One is the very regular John Harris, a downtown There is much on Harris’s philosophical mind, dweller and coffee aficionado who has been a from happenings in our town to such big-picture daily patron for about 24 years. He walks there concerns as the decline of Western civilization. seven afternoons a week (appointments permit- “What,” he ponders, “is the meaning of nihilism ting) from his block-away apartment in Addison haunting the secular West?” Court (named for Arnold Addison, the beloved Those who join him at The Corner Room mayor before Bill). Once there, Harris slides readily disagree with a few of his stands. Two to his slim, over-six-foot self into an accustomed four usually show up; the maximum is 10; when chair on the South Allen Street side, orders his no one else comes, he chats and jokes with his usual — coffee with toast and peanut butter — waitperson. Each time, he stays for only one and greets, or waits for, his small circle of other hour, from about 3 p.m. to about 4 p.m. opinionated State Collegians. Harris, a nearly “I try to come when the restaurant isn’t in68-year-old wordsmith with a radio voice, is a sanely busy — at a time to distract The Corner religious “lefty” who composes (and I do mean Room as little as possible,” he says. composes) Centre Daily Times Letters to the Back in his apartment — which he moved 36 - Town&Gown February 2012
Darren Weimert
By Nadine Kofman
into in 1997 after his rooming-house rates rose — are copious reading materials plus seven of his own works, written the old-fashioned way, by hand. His six unpublished manuscripts prove that Western civilization has collapsed, and his seventh, available on Kindles, examines “Spirit, Soul, and the Direction of the World.” “I’m the best kind of writer — a completely unpublished one,” says noncomputer-owning Harris. The 1967 (Phi Beta Kappa) Penn State graduate in general arts and sciences never finished his linguistics dissertation on “The Passage of Language.” A torn, once-in-a-lifetime romance intervened; then the woman walked out and he became ill and never returned to his dissertation. He went on, and is currently on, Social Security Disability. Because of this area’s full body of services, Harris (Williamsport born and reared — “The horse-chestnut tree I climbed in when I was little is still there”) chose to stay in State College instead of going, as he considered, to New York City. “I can look out the dining-room door and imagine the Algonquin Room, if I want to,” Harris says lightly. He also nixed job opportunities, pursuing in-
stead his own research on language. “One chatters,” he says, “but the obverse is as big as the sky.” When talking openly with someone else, he says, quoting Martin Heidegger, “Language takes you by the hand and leads you to a conclusion neither of you knew you would get to.” After frequenting many of the downtown’s coffee-pouring establishments, he became a Corner Room character in order to continue habitué Colonel Robert O’Brien’s tradition. Early on, Harris had many sips and discussions there with the late Colonel O’Brien, then a retired Penn State political-science professor, known widely as a swimming enthusiast (I privately referred to him as “Swim Man”), and with another professor from Harris’s graduate days, Franklin Krause, who taught Latin and Greek and was, for a time, Classics chairman. Decade after decade, characters frequent downtown State College’s oldest “inn,” leaving behind their used coffee cups, echoes of their stories, and a little of themselves. T&G
Nadine Kofman is a native Centre Countian and historian.
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health & wellness
Winter Workouts Staying fit and healthy during colder months can be a challenge — but it’s one that can be met By Jeanne Drouilhet
The holidays have passed. The stockings have been emptied of their chocolates, the snowman-shaped sugar cookies coated in sprinkles and icing are long gone, and the last of that cheese platter from the New Year’s party has been devoured. Now we’re dealing with the leftovers from all the leftovers: the snugger-fitting jeans, residual poor eating habits, and a homebody attitude. Winter can be the hardest time of year to stay fit and healthy because the cold weather can cut off outdoor exercise options. “Unless you’re a skier, some of those activities are very limited,” says Scott Ludwig, owner and trainer at Ki’netik Fitness in State College, formerly The Fitness Circuit. Because of the weather and limited activities, the winter months provide a slew of excuses for someone to get off track from a regular fitness routine and delve into some unhealthy
food. Workouts can become less of a habit for people during the season, says Ludwig. And there’s also the luxury of having thick and baggy clothes to hide the extra pound or two without much thought. Still, it’s not impossible to stay healthy and fit when the temperatures creep down to freezing levels. The first thing to do on the road to getting fit or staying fit is to set goals, says Ludwig, who before studying nutrition at Penn State served in the Marine Corps. Whether it be a certain weight, or fitting into a certain-sized dress, the more specific the goal the better. Ludwig recommends “that they write that [goal] down and they read it first thing in the morning and they read it before they go to bed, so it’s always in their head and it will dictate their behavior.” He adds that it’s also important to try and make it easy to keep workout commitments, even
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if it’s just 15 minutes a day. “I think consistency with a shorter workout is more important than inconsistency with a longer workout,” he says. Gyms and fitness centers are always a popular choice for many at the start of a new year. But if leaving home in the dead of winter to get to a gym or fitness class isn’t for you, there are several options to do inside the comfort of your own home. Many people are turning to game systems such as Kinect for Xbox 360 and Wii Fit. Rebecca Koons, a senior at Penn State, uses these games especially over semester breaks when she doesn’t have a gym membership and it’s too cold outside to work out. “I like the Kinect a lot more because it’s a whole-body workout,” she says. “It detects your full-body movements and has really great games.” Kinect games range from Zumba and dancing to Wipeout. Wii Fit has balance games, yoga, strength training, and aerobics. The actual physical benefit of video games is still being researched. Studies have shown that these games are actually more beneficial for senior citizens. Researchers at Michigan State University looked at the results of 16 differ-
ent studies to determine if active video games could provide the same cardiovascular benefits as traditional workouts.
“Power cleaning is a great workout, you’re killing two birds with one stone.” While the results showed that the games were helpful, they didn’t take the place or have the overall benefits of regular exercise. In an article by Annabelle Robertson on WebMd.com, Joseph Donnelly, an exercise physiologist and professor of health sport and exercise science at the University of Kansas Center for Physical Activity and Weight Management, offered his skepticism as to video games replacing traditional workouts. “Electronic gimmicks do not appear to be the solution for the physical inactivity problem that we have in this country,” he said. Cedric Bryant, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, told WebMd.com that the hope “is that if we can engage people in
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trying some of these sports through Wii, we can entice them to try the real thing and get some real exercise.” Working out to a video game isn’t the only way to try and stay fit in the home during the winter months. Ludwig suggests climbing the stairs and power cleaning. “Power cleaning is a great workout, you’re killing two birds with one stone,” he says. “Put on some music and clean the heck out of the house, and that can be everyone in the house [participating].” The key is to keep variety in the workouts, to keep them fresh, and everything goes back to goals. When it comes to returning to a healthy eating routine, the goal should be to get the junk food out of the house and focus on portion control, says Hanna Gregor, a lab assistant in the Penn State nutrition lab, and personalnutrition consultant. “When people get cravings, you don’t want to beat yourself up, so if you just taste it … then you’re good,” she says, adding that physiologically and mentally the craving for a certain food can be met even if it’s a small portion.
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There are some ways to almost trick yourself into not continuing the large portion, foodcoma-inducing habits brought on by the holidays that can be so hard to kick. Using smaller plates helps with controlling portions, as does the “split rule.” “Have a buddy who can hold you accountable and split things, just everything,” says Gregor. This allows you to have that cookie you want so badly, but you only have half of it. It helps satisfy the craving without all the extra calories. Another trick is to hydrate really well before eating, says Gregor. Drinking water before you eat and during the day can fill your stomach and tell your brain that you’re full sooner. It’s not about eating only healthy foods and never letting yourself have the things you crave, but having a structured “cheat” day or weekend when you can still have those things you want without totally being thrown off track. “It’s more of making habits for a lifetime,” Gregor says, “and that will keep weight off too.” T&G
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Boalsburg may be best known as the birthplace of Memorial Day, as well as home to the Pennsylvania Military Museum and Tussey Mountain Ski area, but when you think about “treating your sweetie” with unique gifts and romantic dinners this Valentine’s Day, should Historic Boalsburg come to mind? Absolutely! Located just five minutes from Penn State, Boalsburg welcomes locals and visitors alike with an array of boutique and specialty shops, restaurants, museums, and even a winery. This Valentine’s Day, treat your special someone to dinner at Kelly’s Steak and Seafood for a distinctive Pacific Northwest inspired menu, or enjoy traditional Americana cuisine with a “side-of-history” at Duffy’s Tavern. You’ll find several specialty, artisan, jewelry, and gift shops within walking distance of each other. Choose the latest Vera Bradley bag or sentimental Chamilia charm at A Basket Full, or, quirky and inspirational sterling silver jewelry from Far Fetched,
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a “fair trade” offering at Nature’s Hue. Near the “Diamond,” n’V sells fashion, denim, and classic Brighton accessories. A new artisan-gift experience at a familiar address, The Federal House Gift and Garden, introduces the beauty of nature to your decor in unique and clever ways. You’ll find natural materials, personal moss gardens, terrariums, vintage décor, and whimsical gift ideas. And, if edible natural gifts appeal to your Valentine, delicious gift baskets of local food products are available at Tait Farm. For something a little extra special, Mount Nittany Winery has the perfect event for you: Valentine Wine & Chocolate Pairing! Together with Chocolate Madness, this popular event is held at the winery on February 11 and 12. Space is limited, so call early for your reservation. Can’t make it? Create your own “event” and find chocolate delights and Mount Nittany wine at The Boalsburg Chocolate Co. While you’re in the neighborhood, consider the other points of interest like the Boalsburg Apothecary, the Boal Barn Playhouse, and Columbus Chapel & Boal Mansion, perfect for future Boalsbug visits.
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Dancing Cause
Still
for a
While it’s become bigger in nearly every facet every year, THON marks its 40th edition with the same simple goal of helping others By Jenna Spinelle
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What began in 1973 with 78 dancers gathering in the HUB Ballroom has grown to hundreds of students covering the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center. The first event raised a little more than $2,000. The 2011 edition of THON raised more than $9.5 million. Heading into its 40th edition, held February 17-19, the IFC/ Panhellenic Dance Marathon, or THON as it’s come to be known, continues to break fundraising totals each year for the Four Diamonds Fund, which helps families who are battling pediatric cancer. It has become the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, touching the lives of families and Penn State students alike along the way. These are some stories of THON dancers, leaders, and Four Diamonds children throughout the past four decades. For most dancers, memories of the event itself were obscured by sleep deprivation, but the feeling of making a difference in the lives of children with cancer remained long after they left the dance floor. n n n n n n n n
THON started when then-Interfraternity Council president Bill Lear was looking for a way for fraternities to raise money and give back to the community. The first dance event was held February 2, 1973. It lasted 30 hours and raised money for the Butler County Association for Retarded Children. According to THON’s Web site, the planning committee in 1973 wasn’t expecting to raise much more than $20 — the event ended up raising $2,136. The dance marathon expanded to 48 hours the next year and raised more than $10,000 for the Left, the first IFC/Panhellenic American Heart Association. OthDance Marathon took place in 1973 in the HUB Ballroom. er charities to serve as recipients of These days (below), THON early THON funds included the is held in the Bryce Jordan Muscular Dystrophy Association Center.
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The White Building hosted THON from 1979 until 1999 when it moved to Rec Hall.
and Easter Seals. The Four Diamonds Fund, a then-little-known charity benefiting pediatriccancer research, became the sole beneficiary in 1977 and has remained so ever since. THON moved from the HUB to the White Building in 1979, and remained there until 1999 when it moved to Rec Hall. Dancers from the early era recall a small but welcoming environment that slowly became filled with the aroma of sweat and baby powder as the weekend wore on. Trish Hummer danced during her sophomore year at Penn State in 1980. She remembers becoming lost in the labyrinth of the White Building’s hallways while on a bathroom break and dancing around pillars on the gymnasium floor. A State College local, she did not have much difficulty raising the funds necessary to be an independent dancer. “Most of my sponsors were local business owners. I was lucky that I knew so many people here,” she says. “The amount needed to dance then wasn’t nearly what it is today … I think I might have raised $800 or maybe $1,200 at most.” She says the weekend itself is a blur now and it’s difficult to recall the specifics of what songs were played and how exactly she spent her 48 hours on the floor. Hummer, now an employee at Penn State Outreach, has remained connected to THON in the years since she danced. She had fre-
THON dancers have a chance to interact with kids from the Four Diamonds Fund.
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quently attended the event and now watches online no matter where she is during THON weekend. William Cluck also was heavily involved in THON around this time, dancing in 1981, 1982, and 1986. The first two times were as a Penn State student, the third was as a last-minute fill-in while attending law school. He saw the event grow over the years and, as president of Undergraduate Student Government, took the lead in helping to raise money, tallied then in pledges of dollars or cents per hour danced. For his third marathon, he was in his last semester of law school at Temple University when he received the call that a member of the Skull and Bones Honor Society who was scheduled to dance was not able to fulfill the commitment. “I got a call asking if I would like to do the dance marathon,” he says. “Some of my professors thought I was nuts, but I was able to expand the donor database to my law school and law firm where I was about to start working.” Though it’s been a quarter century since he last participated in THON, he enjoys coming back from time to time to support the dancers, including one who is his niece who danced in 2006. He visited in the early hours of Sunday morning, widely considered to be the roughest time for dancers, and lifted her spirits by bringing the T-shirts he had worn as a dancer. Now an attorney in the Harrisburg area, he also donates to the students who frequent the area on weekend canning trips. His proximity to the Penn State Hershey Medical Center also has allowed for interaction with Four Diamonds families.
“You really get to understand what this means to the families, that they don’t have to worry about the stress of financing their treatments,” he says. “A big part of recovery is to be able to keep a positive outlook and this helps them do that. Whatever insurance doesn’t cover, THON does.” With its mission and logistics solidified, THON continued to grow during the 1980s and 1990s. Fundraising broke the $1 million mark in 1992 and has not gone below seven figures since. nnnnnnnn
Nicole Cowley started at Penn State in 1999 and recalls wandering into Rec Hall during THON weekend almost accidentally. It was THON’s first year in Rec Hall, and the new space allowed the event to grow even more. By this time, it had become an institution with multiple committees, canning weekends, and fundraising totals in the millions. “I remember walking past Rec Hall and seeing that it looked like a big party,” Cowley says. “I just kind of walked in, I wasn’t involved. It was just impressive.” While she was impressed with THON’s atmosphere, it wasn’t until her senior year in 2002 that she decided to become involved as a dancer. She raised about $2,000, enough to enter her into the lottery for a spot as an independent dancer. Like Hummer some two decades before, Cowley also used family connections and her personal network, rather than relying on canning trips and anonymous pledges, to raise funds to dance. She did not prepare much for the weekend and faced a setback early on when her partner had to leave five hours in be-
“
A big part of recovery is to be able to keep a positive outlook and this helps them do that. Whatever insurance doesn’t cover, THON does. 47 - Town&Gown February 2012
”
THON participants do what it takes to keep the energy going for the weekend-long event.
cause of a migraine. She persevered, however, thanks to the 50 or so letters of encouragement she received through THON’s dancer-mail program, which delivers handwritten notes to dancers on Saturday evening. “I got mail from people I knew and people I didn’t know personally but had heard of through leadership organizations that I was a part of on campus,” she says. “It was a really poignant moment in the evening. I remember how uplifting it was to read through all of them.” Another important realization she had during the weekend — dancing can actually help with the inevitable foot pain that sets in by the second day. “When you move and you’re shifting your weight from foot to foot, it doesn’t hurt as much,” she says. “Whenever I meet current dancers, I tell them, ‘Don’t forget to dance,’ because it really helps out.” Eric Michielli had a similar path to THON, attending the event during his freshman year in 2002 with a few friends from his residence hall. He spent more time at THON during his sophomore year and decided he wanted to
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“
Whenever I meet current dancers, I tell them, ‘Don’t forget to dance,’ because it really helps out.
”
dance during his junior year in 2004. He was not in any fraternities or other organizations that were involved with THON, but some of his classmates in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State also had expressed interest in participating. A meeting in the fall of 2003 would lead to the creation of a new THON team consisting of students within the college. “I showed up to a meeting and, basically, Jess Scollins and I cofounded the EMS THON committee, which is now the top independent money-raising organization as of last year,” Michielli says. “It started small but now it’s really big, which is pretty cool.” That first year was a learning experience for everyone involved in the group. They took a canning trip to Sharon, Pennsylvania, and asked faculty in the college for donations. Michielli says the experience helped to form a bond between faculty and students and introduce some faculty to THON. Michielli now works at AccuWeather and stays connected with the group he helped found. He attends group meetings and meets individually with executive board members to
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Taylor Bradley (far right) was a Four Diamonds child when she attended THON in 2004. This year (opposite page), she is a member of the morale committee.
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hear their ideas about moving forward. “I’ll hear some of their ideas on what they’re thinking about doing,” he says. “I try to give my feedback but don’t force my opinion on them — I’m as involved as they want me to be.” While Cowley and Michielli were dancing in THON, Taylor Bradley was attending her first event as a Four Diamonds child. Bradley was diagnosed with acute lymphomatic leuke-
mia in 2003 at age 9. She was treated at the Hershey Medical Center and was soon linked with the Four Diamonds Fund and THON. She was paired with the Zeta Alpha Psi sorority and had formed a strong relationship with its members by the time she attended her first THON event in 2004. The sorority members made T-shirts and sweatshirts for her bearing the slogan “We Are Taylor Made.” “I met dancers and fell in love with them … I was obsessed with them and never wanted to leave,” Bradley says. “I would stay on the floor with the dancers, and looking up at the huge section of people in Rec Hall and I remember how amazing it felt to be there.” She made a full recovery from leukemia and wrote letters to herself outlining how much fun she had at THON and how much she loved Penn State. When it came time for her college search, she applied to Penn State but had initially thought she’d end up elsewhere because she spent so much time here as a child. “I honestly didn’t have a dream school, and my senior year, I wasn’t really thinking about THON and I was pretty sure I didn’t want to
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go to Penn State,” she says. “But, once I got accepted, everything clicked and I knew I was coming here.” She is now getting ready to spend her first year as a member of the organization’s morale committee, where she’ll help dancers make it through the grueling 46 hours on their feet. She hopes to offer extra insight having gone through the event as a Four Diamonds child. n n n n n n n n
THON’s most recent venue change was a move to the Bryce Jordan Center in 2007. With a capacity of 15,000, it is nearly double the size of Rec Hall, allowing more space for dancers and spectators. The event also was reduced from 48 hours to 46 to accommodate the Nittany Lion and Lady Lion basketball practice schedule. As THON heads into its 40th event this month, the fundraising total to beat stands at $9.5 million. The event now has more than 15,000 student volunteers and will host more than 700 dancers on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State senior Ashlie Huss helped contribute to the $9.5 million raised in 2011. She had plenty of preparation for dancing in THON — her parents, Eric and Carole, danced as an independent pair in 1985. “I knew that I had to go to Penn State and get involved with THON,” Huss says. “I just fell in love with it … the energy you feel in the room is incredible.” She says she’s confident that THON will continue to surpass its fundraising totals from year to year, thanks to the many ways in which students can raise money and to the dedication of those involved. Looking back on her experience dancing more than three decades ago, Hummer says she is amazed at how far the organization has come. “I’m so unbelievably impressed with how far they’ve taken it and I can’t imagine how much further it will go,” she says. “It’s one of those things you look back and realize you were a part of it at the beginning!” T&G Jenna Spinelle is a freelance writer in State College. She works in Penn State’s Undergraduate Admissions Office and is an adjunct lecturer in the College of Communications. 52 - Town&Gown February 2012
THON’s fundraising through the years 1973 $2,136 1974 $10,825 1975 $12,000 1976 $15,282 1977 $28,685 (first year of THON’s raising money for the Four Diamonds Fund) 1978 $52,800 1979 $72,132 1980 $86,863 1981 $99,600 1982 $95,024 1983 $131,000 1984 $179,280 1985 $226,508 1986 $245,000 1987 $297,311 1988 $324,000 1989 $456,618 1990 $671,572 1991 $785,835 1992 $1,141,145 1993 $1,336,173 1994 $1,210,796 1995 $1,169,698 1996 $1,214,257 1997 $1,528,425 1998 $2,001,832 1999 $2,530,142 2000 $3,076,983 2001 $3,609,830 2002 $3,613,178 2003 $3,600,793 2004 $3,547,715 2005 $4,122,483 2006 $4,214,748 2007 $5,240,385 2008 $6,615,318 2009 $7,490,133 2010 $7,838,054 2011 $9,563,016
Millheim 54 54 -- Town&Gown Town&Gown February January 2012 2012
Millheim artist Elody Gyekis worked with the Penns Valley community to design and install a 30-by-15-foot mural for downtown Millheim.
on the Move The small Penns Valley town is enjoying a resurgence in new businesses and community vibe • By Carolyne Meehan Photos by John Hovenstine 55 - Town&Gown February 2012
Left, a photo of downtown Millheim taken in the early 1900s. Above, Main Street Millheim today.
In the center of Pennsylvania, where farmlands and fishing creeks fill the valleys, there is a renaissance happening in the town of Millheim. What had become a sleepy old mill town is now waking up and becoming hip — embracing art, beer, coffee, the outdoors, and music — key ingredients for a happy and prosperous community. Over the last four years, several new businesses have sprung up along Main Street and more are slated to open in the coming months. Sustainability and health of the community are at the heart of this movement, creating a connectivity that’s bringing life and energy back to downtown.
When talking to the folks who live and work in Millheim, one thing becomes clear — they love where they live. “I could just tell there was something different about out here,” says Tim Bowser, part owner of the Elk Creek Café + Aleworks. He believes Penns Valley is different from most of rural Pennsylvania, and he’s seen a lot of it. He grew up on a farm and worked in agriculture for 25 years. “There’s a creativity, an artistic sensibility, and a tolerance here that doesn’t exist in other places. This town used to rock.” Part of the goal in opening the Elk Creek Café was to bring Main Street Millheim back.
Elk Creek Café + Aleworks head brewer Tim Yarrington (left) and proprietor Tim Bowser.
56 - Town&Gown February 2012
The locals of the older generations are happy to have a hard time finding a parking space again. Russell Stover is one of them. A World War II veteran, he started working for a local bank in Millheim in 1946 and has lived in town ever since. At that time, a hosiery mill and knitting mill were still in operation, each employing roughly 50 to 60 workers. “Things were quite different then,” Stover says, recalling a town with multiple grocery stores, gas stations, and furniture stores — even an upscale clothing and shoe store, D.J. Nieman’s. “People didn’t rush to the mall or drive to Sunbury or State College for their shopping then.” Most people didn’t have cars in fact, and there were places around town to tie horses. The Amish, who started moving into Penns Valley in the late 1940s, still use these horse ties when they come to town. Horses and buggies are a regular site in this one-stop-light town. When the construction of Interstate 80 began in the 1960s, the flow-through traffic greatly reduced. It also made it easier for Millheim residents to head out of town to do their shopStanley Bierly III continues the family tradition at Stanley C. Bierly.
ping. Businesses began to close down and the town grew quiet. Not all businesses were forced to close, however. The Millheim Hotel, which opened in 1794, still houses guests and serves fine foods and drinks today. Stanley C. Bierly’s, now part of the Bierly Group Incorporated, opened in 1925 as a radioand television-repair shop. The company quickly expanded to electrical, plumbing, and heating through requests from its customers. Keeping current with technology and the demand for high-efficiency energy systems, the company now installs sophisticated solar hot-water systems, geothermal heat pumps, and fancy wood stoves. The Penns Valley Meat Market also has been in business for three generations, selling pork, chicken, and Pennsylvania beef. The family business is famous for its homemade ring bologna and “in-house” smoked products. It seems that family has been the key in keeping businesses alive. Susan and Greta Haney and family have been in the business of growing and arranging flowers for 25 years, at Long Lane Farm. Since early 2007, they have operated year-round on Main Street as Long Lane Flower & Garden. The mother-daughter duo continues to grow 57 - Town&Gown February 2012
Greta Haney (left) and her mother, Susan, opened Long Lane Flowers and Garden in 2007.
many of their flowers in-season, in their substantial gardens on-site. They also support other local growers when possible and “order in” from climes south over the winter months. People will tell you that the resurgence of Millheim started with the opening of the Elk Creek Café in 2007, serving cuisine prepared with local ingredients, and beer brewed in-house. Bowser knew that opening a restaurant anywhere was risky, but to do it in a town of roughly 800 people, he and his partner, Gary Gyekis, were thought to be taking a huge risk. Having great food and beer out of the gate was critical in their success. Chef Mark Johnson and brewer Tim Yarrington rose to the challenge. “I just wanted to see the thing succeed in spite of everyone saying it was nuts,” Yarrington says. Becoming a pub brewer was a conscious decision for Yarrington, a strong believer in the power of pub culture. He was growing frustrated and exasperated that, in Amer-
ica, the communal experience seemed to be missing from the pubs and the focus was more on the act of drinking. His goal was simple: he wanted his beer to bring people together. As he says, “If I can put two people together that are very divergent in their viewpoints and thought processes, and get them to agree on one thing first, and that’s that ‘This beer is pretty darn good!’ then the conversation can start and we can find more common ground than uncommon ground.” The Elk Creek is all about community building, supporting the local pool, fire company, and other nonprofit efforts. It’s a place where, as Yarrington had wanted, complete strangers from different walks of life and different economic backgrounds can sit down next to each other at the bar and be equals. And that all starts, in Yarrington’s opinion, upon the agreement that “we like beer.” There are no televisions in the Elk Creek, but there are regular live music performances. “You don’t have to be from Millheim or Penns Valley to be part of the community — all you have to do is walk in the door,” Yarrington says. “Just by being here, you are automatically part of the community.” The pub just celebrated its four-year anniversary this winter and has established itself as the new hub of Millheim. The ideas for other new businesses are born here. Over good food and drinks, Pat and Beverly Owens from Selinsgrove were discussing their idea for a bed-and-breakfast with folks in the café. They learned that a building was for sale just down the street and the owner of the property just happened to be awake and available at 10 that night to show them the space. The deal was made and the Owenses have since opened the Triple Creek Lodge, the IngleBean Coffee House, and the Wine Shop, all along Main Street. The Triple Creek offers three rooms situated saloon style above the coffee house, with the balcony overlooking
58 - Town&Gown February 2012
a giant stone-hearth fireplace and high woodbeamed ceilings hung with antler chandeliers. Beverley Owens, an interior designer by profession, created a warm and rustic space perfect for a weekend “country living” getaway. Guests wake to the smell of coffee and wood smoke, with biking, fishing, hiking, or farm hopping just minutes away. “Every town needs a coffee shop,” believes Martha Hoffman, who runs the IngleBean Coffee House. She fell in love with the valley six years ago when she came for a visit with a friend. She remembers a certain scene from the Equinox Café, a coffee shop that has since closed (the Elk Creek Café now stands in its old space). “There was music playing, people were dancing, everyone was happy, everyone knew each other. It was special.” She was determined to find a way to stay connected to the community — and learned through friends at the Elk Creek that a coffee shop was opening and that the owners were looking for someone to run it. It was a perfect fit for Hoffman. The IngleBean uses local and sustainable sources whenever possible. Its coffee is locally roasted by Standing Stone Coffee Company. It serves lo-
Besides being a bed-and-breakfast, the Triple Creek Lodge also is home to the IngleBean Coffee House.
Penns Valley Outfitters & General Store is one of several new shops that has opened in Millheim.
cal ham, eggs, and cheese for breakfast and makes fresh soups almost daily using seasonal vegetables. Beyond the delicious foods, the shop hosts knitting circles, film screenings, and jam sessions. Over the holidays it showed Christmas movies and provided paper for customers to wrap gifts while sipping their coffee and staying warm by the fire. Just down the street from the IngleBean, Penns Valley Outfitters & General Store recently opened its doors. The store will sell natural and organic dry goods and offer recreational rentals, including bicycles, kayaks, and water tubes. Vitamins, natural cleaners and other ecofriendly health- and family-care items would normally require a long drive to a specialty store. Now, they are available to the community along with gear and other accessories one might need to enjoy the outdoors. The owners, Craig and Maria Shroyer, express a deep gratitude to the Penns Valley community for making their move into town a good one. “There is a notion that when you are an outsider moving into a rural American town you’ll get resistance from the generations-old locals. We are witnessing that the opposite is true in Penns Valley. We’ve had such an outpouring of kind words, support, and appreciation for taking part in Millheim’s revival,” says Maria Shroyer, who also is a Spanish teacher at State College Area High School. Her husband, Craig, hails from Asheville, North Carolina, a town that knows how to use the outdoor lifestyle to boost the local economy.
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Erin and Josh McCracken are another pair of business owners of the younger generation. Their company, Ecovents, offers event planning, consulting, and catering services with a zero-waste mentality, using local foods and flowers for their events. They also are renovating the old Brownies Tavern building, designing a commercial kitchen that will be available for rent to community members canning or cooking in large quantities. Josh McCracken, a woodworker by trade, is using his skills to create a ballroom for cultural dance events, meetings, parties, or celebrations. “We wanted to create a space that was for the community,” says Erin McCracken. She considers Millheim to be the ideal small town. “I never thought a place like this could exist.”
The Green Drake showcases fine arts and crafts, and hosts shows, receptions, and live music performances.
It is an extraordinary place to live, especially if you are an avid trout fisherman like Elk Creek coowner Gyekis. A woodworker by trade, he built his house in Penns Valley and quickly became attached to Millheim. Besides Elk Creek Café, he also co-owns the newly opened Green Drake Gallery & Arts Center. “I wanted to have good food, good beer, good music, and art in the town where I lived,” he says. He put his skills to use renovating the space for the Elk Creek — the bar is a fine example of his handiwork. He turned an old hardware
store into an art gallery in no time, peeling away floor-to-ceiling pegboard, revealing warm brick walls, gorgeous molding, and window alcoves. Artist Karl Leitzel, part owner of the gallery, jokes that the space, “always wanted to be an art gallery.” The gallery attracts art lovers and collectors to Millheim. The Green Drake showcases fine arts and crafts from regional and national artists, hosting shows, receptions, and live music performances. Local artists and musicians also can rent private or semiprivate studio space. The center also offers art classes for learners of all abilities. Resident artist Elody Gyekis is a recent Penn State graduate and the daughter of Gary Gyekis. The “Dreams Take Flight” mural on the wall of McLanahan’s in downtown State College is an example of her work. She directed the project through the Community Arts Collective. She has a huge studio above the gallery overlooking Main Street and the Elk Creek Café, home to the 30-by-15-foot mural she worked with the Penns Valley community to design and install on the side of the building. The words “Pride in the past, love of place, hope for the future” stand out among images of farms, streams, and patchwork quilt squares. The intention of these words can be felt in the energy of the businesses new and old, as each works to give back to the community in its own way. T&G Carolyne Meehan is a writer and educator. She lives in State College with her husband and two young boys.
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ThisMonth on
CONNOISSEUR’S DINNER MILESTONE
¡Bienvenido! Join us as we welcome Chef Pati Jinich, host of WPSU’s 20th Annual Connoisseur’s Dinner to be held at The Nittany Lion Inn on Saturday, February 18. The menu, chosen and graciously presented by Chef Jinich, will reflect the festive traditions of Mexico. Seating is limited — a full menu, auction preview, and online reservations are available at wpsu.org/conndinner.
SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME Premieres February 13 at 9 p.m.
Slavery ended with the Thirteenth Amendment, right? Wrong. Trace the little-known story of “neoslavery,” which sentenced African-Americans in the South to forced labor for violating an array of laws that criminalized their everyday behavior.
CLINTON: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE February 20 and 21
Hear the intimate story of William Jefferson Clinton in the words of the journalists, insiders, and adversaries who know him best. American Experience explores the fascinating story of an American president who rose from a broken childhood in Arkansas to become one of the most successful politicians in modern American history, and one of the most complex and conflicted characters to ever stride across the public stage. It recounts a career full
wpsu.org U.Ed. OUT 12-0486/12-PSPB-TV-0011
Penn State Public broadcaStinG
*For additional program information log on to wpsu.org
of accomplishment and rife with scandal, a marriage that would make history and create controversy, and a presidency that would define the crucial and transformative period between the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11.
GREAT PERFORMANCES “MEMPHIS on Broadway” February 24 at 9 p.m.
Turn the radio dial back to the 1950s for the tale of a black singer, a white DJ, forbidden love, and the birth of rock ‘n’ roll. The original Broadway cast members of Memphis — the 2010 Tony Award-winning Best New Musical — reprise their roles in this roofraising celebration of music.
THE AMISH: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE February 28 at 8 p.m.
The Amish answers many questions that Americans have about this insistently insular religious community, whose intense faith and adherence to 500-year-old traditions have by turns captivated and repelled, awed and irritated, inspired and confused for more than a century. With unprecedented access, built on patience and hard-won trust, the film is the first to penetrate deeply and explore this attention-averse group. In doing so, The Amish paints an intimate portrait of contemporary Amish faith and life.
F E B R U A RY
penn state diary
Precedented Change Board of trustees has transformed over the years — and could do so again Penn State’s board of trustees has changed its composition several times over its 157year history. Most changes resulted in new constituent-group representatives being added to the board, bringing its current membership to 32. Despite all the current controversy, there is no reason to believe it could not change again in the future. When the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society decided in 1853 to create a school to educate the sons of Pennsylvania farmers, it made The Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania a primary goal. On April 13, 1854, an act of incorporation for the school was signed into law; however, a problem At a meeting in Harrisburg in January 1934, Penn State president Ralph Hetzel reports to the board of trustees on quickly became apparent. efforts to face the Depression. The governing board had 60 members, consisting of the president and vice president of co-ed college also had broadened its curriculum the state agricultural society and the presidents of to include engineering, mining, sciences, and each county society. No meeting of the board ever the liberal arts. In response to the changes, reached a quorum, and in the winter of 1855, the the legislature provided funds to help reduce General Assembly repealed the initial measure. A the college’s debts (the first state grants since new act of incorporation was passed, and Governor its founding), but there was as yet no regular appropriation for the school’s maintenance. James Pollock signed it on February 22, 1855. Then in 1875, the charter was changed. It The new act reduced the size of the board to 13. Four were ex-officio (the governor, the reduced the number of agricultural trustees from secretary of the Commonwealth, the president nine to six, and added three trustees elected by of the state agricultural society, and the principal alumni and six to represent the growing economic of the school) and nine additional members were importance of mining and manufacturing interests. named in the charter. All of the latter came from The number of ex-officio trustees also increased the leadership of the state’s agricultural societies. from four to eight, bringing the total number on Those first trustees would serve staggered terms the board from 13 to 23. These changes increased the role of the state in of one, two, or three years. Thereafter, three new trustees would be elected annually to three-year the governance of the college. Three of the four terms by the state society’s executive committee additional ex-officio trustees were government officials: the secretary of internal affairs, the and county-society delegates. The first major change in the structure of the superintendent of public instruction, and the board came about 20 years later, at the beginning adjutant-general. This coincided with Penn State’s of a lengthy period of transformation for the continuing attempts to demonstrate its public institution. In 1874, the trustees changed the character and justify the request for a regular state school’s name from Agricultural College of appropriation (not achieved until 1887). With the growing importance of industrial Pennsylvania to the Pennsylvania State College. They hoped that this would show that the now research, the fourth new ex-officio member of the 62 - Town&Gown February 2012
Penn State University Archives
By Lee Stout
board was the president of Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute, whose board of managers, along with delegates of the county mining and manufacturing societies, elected the six new mining and manufacturing trustees. In 1905, with the college nearing another major transition point, the board expanded again, from 23 to 32, the current number, although the composition has continued to be adjusted up to the present time. Six public trustees appointed by the governor were added, and the number of alumni-elected trustees rose from three to nine. The agricultural and industrial trustees remained at 12. Ex-officio trustees decreased in number and changed as cabinet positions evolved and the agricultural society became defunct. Today, the five ex-officio members are the governor, the secretaries of education, agriculture, and environmental resources, and the university president. Since that time, the primary changes have come in the composition of the agricultural societies and associations that participate in the election of their six trustees, the disappearance of county industrial societies, and the dropping of the Franklin Institute’s role. In 2002, these six trustees were redefined as representatives of business and industry who are elected by the board of trustees itself. Recent criticisms of the board have focused on specific actions, but there also has been concern with the large size of the board and potential concentration of power in a small number of members. Almost all of these compositional changes came through petition by the board to the Centre County Court of Common Pleas, in accordance with the law of corporations. Of course, with Penn State’s original charter granted through a legislative act, the General Assembly also could change the size and composition of the board in the future through legislation if it chose. Whatever its size, the board of trustees continues to support Penn State’s Land Grant mission of education, outreach, and research through its diverse group of government officials and representatives of the institution’s alumni, the state’s agricultural, business, and industrial interests, and the public at large. T&G Lee Stout is Librarian Emeritus, Special Collections for Penn State.
Get to know...
Elaine Tanella: For the Kids As a freshman, Elaine Tanella’s friends urged her to get involved with the Penn State IFC/ Panhellenic Dance Marathon, and she joined Atlas fund-raising. Since then, she’s been a dancer, committee member, communications captain, and — this year — overall chair. “I got drawn in and couldn’t stop myself,” she says. “It’s a way to make a difference.” THON is the world’s largest student-run philanthropy, raising millions for The Four Diamonds Fund benefitting pediatric cancer patients and families at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. After a year spent organizing, planning, delegating, and much more on behalf of 15,000 student volunteers, Tanella looks forward to kicking off the 46hour event Feb. 17. “I really enjoy taking that step back and watching everyone get their first interaction with a family. That’s what really connects them with the cause.” As overall chair, Tanella is entitled to two fourhour naps on a cot during THON. After THON, sleep is the first item on her agenda, followed by choosing next year’s chair. Then the fifthyear bioengineering major and Schreyer Honors student moves on to graduation and a Philadelphia consulting company job. “I’m going to come back for as many events as I can as long as my job will allow. I appreciated the support and positive energy alumni brought, and I would like to do that for others.” The Penn State Bookstore is proud to be a corporate sponsor of THON. We thank Elaine Tanella and everyone involved with this amazing event.
www.psu.bncollege.com 814-863-0205
63 - Town&Gown February 2012
COMING TO THE
1972 2012
Bryce Jordan Center
February 2 Lady Lion Basketball vs. Indiana 7 p.m. 4 Lady Antebellum 7 p.m. 9 Lady Lion Basketball vs. Wisconsin 7 p.m.
Painting the People: Images of American Life from the Maimon Collection Continuing through May 13, 2012
11 Nittany Lion Basketball vs. Nebraska 1 p.m. 16 Nittany Lion Basketball vs. Iowa 8 p.m. 17-19 THON 6 p.m.
Museum Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, noon to 4:00 p.m. Closed Mondays and some holidays 814-865-7672 The Palmer Museum of Art receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Proud to be the Palmer Museum of Art’s Major Corporate Sponsor
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. Above: Kenneth Hayes Miller, Woman with Umbrella, 1930, oil on board. Collection of Lee and Barbara Maimon. ŠZabriskie Gallery. Photo courtesy of the James A. Michener Art Museum.
20 Lady Lion Basketball vs. Ohio State 7 p.m. 25 Nittany Lion Basketball vs. Northwestern 9 p.m. 26 Lady Lion Basketball vs. Minnesota TBA
February
what’s happening
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Lady Antebellum visits the Bryce Jordan Center.
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Penn State’s men’s basketball team hosts Nebraska in its annual Coaches vs. Cancer game.
Umphrey’s McGee performs at the State Theatre for a 9 p.m. show.
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Find out how many millions of dollars PSU students raised for the Four Diamonds Fund as THON weekend concludes at the Bryce Jordan Center.
26 The Lady Lions host their annual Pink Zone game against Minnesota.
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It’s opening night for Penn State Centre Stage’s production of Grand Hotel. The show runs through February 28.
Valentine’s Day.
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Presidents’ Day.
25 Acoustic Brew celebrates its 20th anniversary with a concert featuring Simple Gifts at the WPSU Studio in Innovation Park.
28 American Idiot comes to Eisenhower Auditorium for shows February 28-29.
For more “What’s Happening,” check out townandgown.com. Deadline for submitting events for the April issue is February 28.
Announcements of general interest to residents of the State College area may be mailed to Town&Gown, Box 77, State College, PA 16804-0077; faxed to (814) 238-3415; or e-mailed to dpenc@barashmedia.com. Photos are welcome. 65 - Town&Gown February 2012
Academics 20 – State College Area School District, no school or snow make-up day, grades K-12.
Children & Families 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27 – Music Together free trial class for children 0-5 and a parent, Oakwood Presbyterian Church, S.C., 10:45 a.m. Mon., 9:30 a.m. Tues., 466-3414. 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28 – Music Together free trial class for young children 0-2 and a parent, Houserville United Methodist Church, S.C., 10:45 a.m. Tues., 10:30 a.m. Sat., 466-3414. 4, 11, 18, 25 – World Stories Alive: Tales in Many Tongues, Schlow Centre Region Library, S.C., 11 a.m., www.schlowlibrary.org. 20 – No School Day, Schlow Centre Region Library, S.C., 11 a.m., www.schlowlibrary.org.
Classes & Lectures 1 – Memoirs of a Vietnam Veteran, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 7:30 p.m., www.pamilmuseum.org. 2 – Family Search presented by Keri-Lynn Kendall, Latter-day Saint Church, S.C., 7 p.m., www.centrecountygenealogy.org. 3 – Gallery Talk: Let’s Move: Transportation Imagery in the Maimon Collection, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., www.palmermuseum.psu.edu. 4 – Spring Creek Homesteading Reskilling Workshop: Cooking Winter Soups & Stews, State College Friends Meetinghouse, S.C., 9 a.m., 237-0996. 4 – Spring Creek Homesteading Reskilling Workshop: Making Mittens & Scarves fro Old Wool Sweaters, State College Friends Meetinghouse, S.C., 2 p.m., 237-0996. 4, 18 – Spring Creek Homesteading Reskilling Workshop: Home Beer Brewing, 156 W. Hamilton Ave., S.C., 2 p.m., 237-0996. 5 – Spring Creek Homesteading Reskilling Workshop: Making Yogurt & Granola, State College Friends Meetinghouse, S.C., 2:30 p.m., 237-0996. 7, 21 – “A Joint Venture,” a free class on hip and knee replacements, Mount Nittany Medical Center, S.C., 11 a.m. Feb. 7, 7 p.m. Feb. 21, 278-4810.
9 – African-American Heritage Month Program featuring Lisa Salters of ESPN, 113 Carnegie Building, PSU, 6 p.m. 10 – Gallery Talk: Me, Myself, and the Mirror: Self-Portraits from the Permanent Collection, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., www.palmermuseum.psu.edu. 11 – Spring Creek Homesteading Reskilling Workshop: Making Homemade Lip Balm & Salve, State College Friends Meetinghouse, S.C., 9 a.m., 237-0996. 12 – Spring Creek Homesteading Reskilling Workshop: Building a Cold Frame, 156 W. Hamilton, Ave., S.C., 1 p.m., 237-0996. 12 – For the Union: Centre County Goes to War, 1861-62, Centre Furnace Mansion, S.C., 2 p.m., www.centrecountyhistory.org. 15 – Spring Creek Homesteading Reskilling Workshop: Making Sauerkraut — Vegetable Lactofermentation, State College Friends Meetinghouse, S.C., 6 p.m., 237-0996. 16 –Invisible Wounds of War: Meeting the Psychological Health Needs for Returning Warriors, Mount Nittany Medical Center, 6 p.m., 234-6738. 18 – Spring Creek Homesteading Reskilling Workshop: Worm Composting, State College Friends Meetinghouse, S.C., 9 a.m., 237-0996. 20 – Frauds, Fakes, and Forgeries, HUBRobeson Gallery, PSU, 7 p.m., www.palmermuseum.psu.edu. 21 – Oweida Lecture in Journalism Ethics presented by Jim O’Shea, Kern Auditorium, PSU, 7 p.m. 24 – Gallery Talk: Photography Past and Present, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 12:10 p.m., www.palmermuseum.psu.edu. 25 – Spring Creek Homesteading Reskilling Workshop: Making Homemade Pasta & Authentic Italian Red Sauce, State College Friends Meetinghouse, S.C., 10 a.m., 237-0996.
Club Events 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – S.C. Sunrise Rotary Club mtg., Hotel State College, 7:15 a.m., kfragola@ psualum.com. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – Centre Squares Dance Club, Pleasant Gap Elementary School, 8 p.m., 238-8949. 1, 16 – Outreach Toastmasters Club mtg., room 413 in the 329 Building in Penn State Innovation Park, noon, http://outreach.freetoasthost.us/.
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2 – Central PA Observers mtg., South Hills School of Business & Technology, S.C., 6 p.m., 237-9865. 2 – S.C. Lions Club mtg., Damon’s Sports Bar & Grill, S.C., 6:15 p.m., www.statecollegelions.org. 2, 9, 16, 23 – S.C. Downtown Rotary mtg., Damon’s Sports Bar & Grill, S.C., noon, http://centrecounty.org/rotary/club/. 8 – Women’s Welcome Club of S.C., Oakwood Presbyterian Church, S.C., 7 p.m., www.womenswelcomeclub.org. 14 – Women’s Mid Day Connection Luncheon, Elk’s Country Club, Boalsburg, 11:45 a.m., 355-7615. 17 – Central PA Country Dance Association dance, State College Friends School, 7:30 p.m., www.cpcda.org. 22 – Sate College Bird Club Meeting, Foxdale Village, S.C., 7 p.m.
Community Associations & Development 9 – CBICC Business After Hours, Mike’s Video, TV & Appliance, S.C., 5:30 p.m., 234-1829 or www.cbicc.org. 15 – ChamberU: Getting Unbiased Information, CBICC, S.C., 8:15 a.m., 234-1829 or www.cbicc.org. 21 – CBICC Membership Luncheon: Local Business = Global Business, Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, S.C., 11:45 a.m., 2341829 or www.cbicc.org. 21 – Spring Creek Watershed Association mtg., Patton Township Mun. Bldg., 7:30 a.m., www.springcreekwatershed.org. 22 – Patton Township Business Association mtg., Patton Township Mun. Bldg., noon, www.ptba.org. 22 – CBICC Business After Hours, Blaise Alexander Hyundai Mazda, S.C., 5:30 p.m., 234-1829 or www.cbicc.org. 29 – CBICC Business before Hours — The Economic Benefits of Early Childhood Care and Education, Hoag’s Catering/Celebration Hall, S.C., 8 a.m., 234-1829 or www.cbicc.org.
Exhibits Ongoing-12 – Up Against the Wall: Political Protest Art from the Thomas W. Benson Collection, Pattee Library, PSU, 865-3063. Ongoing-25 – Fine Art and Fine Craft in the Atrium, The Lemont Gallery, Lemont, 10:30 a.m., 867-0442. 14 – Paper Views: Photography Past and Present, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.4:30 p.m., www.palmermuseum.psu.edu. Ongoing-May 13 – Painting the People: Images of American Life from the Maimon Collection, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., www.palmermuseum.psu.edu. Ongoing-26 – Hateful Things, HUB Gallery, PSU, studentaffairs.psu.edu/hub/artgalleries. Ongoing-March 11– Devan Shimoyama, Art Alley in HUB-Robeson Center, PSU, student affairs.psu.edu/hub/artgalleries. 7-May 13 – Hogarth Restored, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., www.palmermuseum.psu.edu. 7-May 27 – Me, Myself, and The Mirror, Palmer Museum of Art, PSU, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., www.palmermuseum.psu.edu.
Health Care For schedule of blood drives visit www.cccredcross.org or www.givelife.org. 2 – Grief Support Group, Centre Crest, Bellefonte, 6 p.m., 548-1140 or amboal@co.centre.pa.us. 6 – Breast Cancer Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, S.C., 4:30 p.m., 234-6175. 9 – The Diabetes Support Group, Mount Nittany Medical Center, S.C., 6 p.m., 231.7095. 14 – The Parent Support of Children with Eating Disorders, Mount Nittany Medical Center, S.C., 7 p.m., 466-7921. 16 – Better Breathers Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehab Hospital, Pleasant Gap, 2 p.m., 359-3421. 16 – The free H.E.I.R. & Parents class and tour of the maternity unit for expectant parents and support people, Mount Nittany Medical Center, S.C., 6:30 & 7:45 p.m., 231-7061. 20 – Cancer Survivor Support Group, Centre County United Way, S.C., 11:30 a.m., www.cancersurvive.org.
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21 – Multiple Sclerosis Support Group, HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehab Hospital, Outpatient Entrance, Pleasant Gap, 6 p.m., 359-3421.
Music 4 – Lady Antebellum, BJC, PSU, 7 p.m., www.bjc.psu.edu. 4 – Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, Schwab Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., www.cpa.psu.edu. 8 – Umphrey’s McGee, State Theatre, S.C., 9 p.m., www.statetickets.org or 272-0606. 12 – State College Municipal Band: Valentine’s Day concert, State College Area High School, 3 p.m., 238-8187. 12 – Central Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra Winter Concert Series, Esber Recital Hall, PSU, 4 p.m., www.pascp.org. 17 – Beatlemania, State Theatre, S.C., 8 p.m., www.statetickets.org or 272-0606. 18 – Nittany Valley Symphony: Beethoven & Shostakovich, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., www.nvs.org. 25 – Acoustic Brew: 20th Anniversary Festival featuring Simple Gifts, WPSU Studios at Innovation Park, PSU, all afternoon, www.acousticbrew.org. 25 – Tea Leaf Green featuring special guest Ha Ha Tonka, State Theatre, S.C., 8 p.m., www.statetickets.org or 272-0606. 26 – Nittany Wind Quintet, Centre County Library Museum, Bellefonte, 2:30 p.m., www.bellefontearts.org. 26 – Mezzo-soprano Amanda Silliker, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, S.C., 3 p.m., 237-7605 or www.uufcc.com. 27 – President’s Concert: A Sneak Preview, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 8 p.m., www.cpa.psu.edu.
Special Events 3, 10, 17, 24 – State College Indoor Farmers’ Market, State College Municipal Building, 11:30 a.m. 4 – Countdown to Kindergarten, Nittany Mall, S.C., 10 a.m., www.smartstartcc.org. 4 – SCASD Summer Youth Fair, Mount Nittany Middle School, S.C., 10 a.m., www.scasd.org. 7, 14, 21, 28 – Boalsburg Farmers’ Market, Boalsburg Fire Hall, 2 p.m., 466-2152. 11 – 6th Annual BatFest, Lincoln Caverns, Huntingdon, 10 a.m., 643-0268. 11 – 64th Annual Mount Nittany Medical Center Charity Ball, Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, S.C., 6:30 p.m., 234-6777 or Foundation.mountnittany.org. 11-12 – Valentine’s Wine & Chocolate Pairing, Mount Nittany Vineyard and Winery, Centre Hall, noon, 466-6373. 17-19 – THON, BJC, PSU, www.thon.org. 18 – WPSU’s 20th Annual Connoisseur’s Dinner, The Nittany Lion Inn, PSU, 6 p.m., wpsu.org 24 – CCAR American Dream Housing Fund Auction, Ramada Inn Conference Center, S.C., 6:30 p.m., 238-7622. 25 – Cabin Fever Film Series: Go Tell the Spartans, PA Military Museum, Boalsburg, 2 p.m., www.pamilmuseum.org.
Sports For tickets to Penn State sporting events, call 865-5555. For information on area high school sporting events, call your local high school. 1 – PSU/Princeton, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 5:30 p.m. 2 – PSU/Indiana, women’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 7 p.m. 3 – PSU/Buffalo, men’s swimming, McCoy Natatorium, PSU, 4 p.m.
Feb. 14~28 • Pavilion Theatre College of Arts and Architecture
814-863-0255 ✹ www.theatre.psu.edu 68 - Town&Gown February 2012
3 – PSU/Mount Olive, men’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 7:30 p.m. 4 – PSU/Lehigh, women’s swimming, McCoy Natatorium, PSU, 11:30 a.m. 4 – PSU/Virginia Tech, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, noon. 4 – PSU/Bloomsburg, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 5 p.m. 4 – PSU/Cal-Baptist, men’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 7:30 p.m. 4 – Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup, Track & Field, Ashenfelter Multi-sport Facility, all day. 5 – PSU/Michigan, wrestling, Rec Hall, PSU, 2 p.m. 7 – PSU/Ohio State, women’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 3 p.m. 9 – PSU/Wisconsin, women’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 7 p.m. 10 – PSU/Rutgers-Newark, men’s Volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 11 – PSU/Buffalo, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 10 a.m. 11 – PSU/Nebraska, men’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 1 p.m. 11 – PSU/Bucknell, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 3 p.m. 11 – PSU/NJIT-Newark, men’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 16 – PSU/Iowa, men’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 8 p.m. 17 – PSU/Pennsylvania, women’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 3 p.m. 18 – PSU/Michigan, men’s lacrosse, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 1 p.m. 18 – PSU/SUNY-Brockport/Illinois, men’s gymnastics, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 19 – PSU/Tulane, women’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 10 a.m. 19 – PSU/Binghamton, men’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, noon. 19 – PSU/Maryland, men’s lacrosse, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 1 p.m. 19 – PSU/Pittsburgh, wrestling, Rec Hall, PSU, 2 p.m.
20 – PSU/Ohio State, women’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 7 p.m. 22 – PSU/Duquesne, women’s lacrosse, Jeffrey Field, PSU, 7 p.m. 24 – PSU/Marshall, women’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, 5 p.m. 24 – PSU/Princeton, men’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 7 p.m. 25 – PSU/George Mason, men’s volleyball, Rec Hall, PSU, 5 p.m. 25 – PSU/Northwestern, men’s basketball, BJC, PSU, 9 p.m. 26 – PSU/Miami (Ohio), women’s tennis, Sarni Tennis Center, PSU, noon. 26 – PSU/Minnesota, women’s basketball, BJC, PSU, TBA.
Theater 3-4 – Bald Eagle Area Middle School Drama Club presents Humpty Dumpty is Missing, Bald Eagle Area School District, 7:30 p.m., 355-4860. 8 – Jin Xing Dance Theatre Shanghai: Shanghai Tango, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., www.cpa.psu.edu. 9 – National Theatre Live 2011-12: Travelling Light, State Theatre, S.C., 7 p.m., www.statetickets.org or 272-0606. 11 – The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD!: Wagner’s Götterdämmerung, State Theatre, S.C., noon, www.statetickets.org or 272-0606. 14-28 – Penn State Centre Stage presents Grand Hotel, Pavilion Theatre, PSU, 7:30 p.m. (2 p.m. matinee Feb. 25), www.theatre.psu.edu. 25 – The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD!: Verdi’s Ernani, State Theatre, S.C., 1 p.m., www.statetickets.org or 272-0606. 28-29 – American Idiot, Eisenhower Auditorium, PSU, 7:30 p.m., www.cpa.psu.edu. T&G
Taste of the Month Town&Gown’s Monthly Focus on Food
69 - Town&Gown February 2012
guide to advertisers
AttrActions, EvEnts, EntErtAinmEnt Bob Perk’s Fund .............................40 Bryce Jordan Center .....................13 Center for the Performing Arts ................... Inside Front Cover Coaches Vs. Cancer ......................21 Palmer Museum of Art ...................64 Penn State Centre Stage ..............68 State Theatre....................................71 Toftrees Resort ................................48
BoAlsBurg A Basket Full ....................................42 Boalsburg Apothecary ..................42 Duffy’s Tavern ..................................42 Kelly’s Steak & Seafood ...............42 Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery ............................................43 Natures Hue .....................................43 N’v........................................................43 Tait Farm Foods...............................42 The Federal House .........................43
AutomotivE Dix Honda .........................................35 Driscoll automotive ....... Back Cover Joel Confer BMW .............................. 6
BusinEss, industry Blair County Chamber Of Commerce ....................................41 CBICC .................................................20
BAnks, FinAnciAl sErvicEs Frost & Conn Insurance .................. 4 M&T Bank .......... Inside Back Cover Penn State Federal Credit Union ..............................................48 State College Federal Credit Union ..............................................74 UFINANCIAL .....................................19
dining Autoport .............................................83 Cozy Thai Bistro ..............................84 Damon’s Grill....................................84 Dantes ................................................82 Faccia Luna ......................................81 Gamble Mill Restaurant.................82 Herwig’s .............................................84 Hotel State College ........................79 India Pavilion ....................................85 Meyer Dairy Store & Ice Cream Parlor ..............................................83 Otto’s Pub .........................................80 PSU Food Services (Hub Dining) .................................85 Tavern Restaurant............................. 1 Wegmans...........................................86 Westside Stadium ...........................85 Whistle Stop Restaurant ...............83 Zola New World Bistro...................82
BEllEFontE sEction Black Walnut Body Works............32 Confer’s Jewelers ...........................33 Jake’s Cards & Games..................33 Mid State Awning & Patio Company .......................................32 Penn State Federal Credit Union ..............................................32 Pure Imagination .............................33 Reynolds Mansion ..........................32
Inside: Ed Tem ple has
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2011
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lodging HFL Corporation (Country Inn & Suites) .............................................. 6 Hospitality Asset Management Company .......................................80 Ingelby Lodge ..................................74 Penn State Hospitality ..................... 4 mEdicAl Ginger Grieco, DDS .......................40 HealthSouth / Nittany Valley Rehab Hospital ..........................................41 Mount Nittany Medical Center ...... 3 The Circulatory Center .................... 2 PhotogrAPhy Vista Pro Studios ............................51 Printing, coPying, mEdiA Penn State Public Broadcasting (WPSU)...........................................61 rEAl EstAtE, housing Cali, Tom-RE/MAX Centre Realty..............................................11 Centre County Association of REALTORS ....................................49 Chambers, Scot ..............................17 Kissinger Bigatel & Brower ..........14 Lions Gate Apartments .................74 Rittenhouse, Lisa – RE/MAX ......16 rEtirEmEnt sErvicEs Foxdale Village ................................19 Presbyterian Senior Living ............. 8
sErvicEs Blair Plastic Surgery ......................26 Centre Elite Gymnastics, Inc .......69 Clean Sweep Professional Cleaning Services ......................16 Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA .....91 Goodall & Yurchak..........................26 Handy Delivery ................................27 Hoag’s Catering ................................ 4 McQuaide Blasko ............................. 7 Mike’s TV & Appliance .................... 9 Owen’s Barbar Shop .....................74 P2P Computer Solutions ..............15 Penn State Alumni Association ...................................53 Red Cross .........................................50 shoPPing, rEtAil America’s Carpet Outlet ...............41 Aurum Jewelers & Goldsmiths ....................................50 Collegiate Pride ...............................18 Degol Carpet ....................................15 Gardners Candies ..........................17 Home Reflections............................18 Moyer Jewelers ...............................35 Penn State Bookstore ...................63 Squire Brown’s ................................39 Tubbies ..............................................37 visitor inFormAtion Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau ..........................................12
Town&Gown We are State College and Happy Valley’s monthly magazine that:
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70 - Town&Gown February 2012
from the vine
Sweet Combinations
Chocolate and wine don’t always go well together, but it’s sure fun finding the right pairings By Lucy Rogers
Much has been written about pairing wine and chocolate. Some say it’s just an okay combination, where others say chocolate should only be paired with port wine, or perhaps not paired with wine at all. Thinking that Valentine’s Day would be an appropriate time to explore the wine-and-chocolate concept, our tasting panel pulled out the stops and sat down for a heck of a tasting to explore what wines — if any — worked with what chocolates. What we discovered first and foremost was that there were definitely wine-and-chocolate combinations that worked well, some very well, and some not at all. But what really struck us was that while it was generally clear that some combinations worked better than others, not everyone preferred the same combinations. The group’s taste and preferences were so varied that the only thing that was definitive was that there are no definite rules to finding the “right” pairing. Having said that, there were some general guidelines that we
loosely agreed upon, and those I am happy to pass on, but would also recommend that if you really want to pursue wine and chocolate, it would be better (and more fun) to set up a tasting of your own to see where your preferences lie. (It is an arduous task, but someone has to do it. Put your head down and muddle through!) So, where does one start for such an endeavor? That depends on just how much you want to taste and explore. For our tasting, we wanted to cover a significant range of chocolates and wines, so we included quite a few of both. In addition to Hershey Bliss White and Milk Chocolate Bites, we had Ritter Alpine Milk Chocolate, a delicious, creamy chocolate bar from Germany that contains 30 percent cocoa; chocolate cupcakes with milk-chocolate icing as well as a few left un-iced; milk chocolate with salted almonds, dark chocolate with dried cherries; dark chocolate with raspberries, dark chocolate with cherries and chilies, dark chocolate with just chili pepper, Emerald Cocoa-dusted Almonds, and Cella’s chocolatecovered cherries. For wines, we tasted Moletto Prosecco NV (PLCB Code 6410, $13.99), Castelo de Molina 2009 Pinot Noir from Chile (not available in Pennsylvania), Sterling Vineyards 2009 Napa Valley Merlot (PLCB Code 6320, $25), La Czar 2007 Dry Creek Valley California Zinfandel (PLCB Code 32334, $14), Vermeil 2009 Frediani Vineyard 1956 Block Zinfandel, Ravenswood 2008 Vintner’s Blend Petite Sirah (PLCB Code 4635, $9.99), Graham’s Six Grapes Port (PLCB Code 8173, $23.79), Warre’s Warrior Port, Lagrima White Port (PLCB Code 18136, $18.49), as well as an interesting white blend from Bonny Doon, 2008 Winferno Orange Muscat made from white Grenache and Roussane from California. We started with the lighter wines and tried to sample multiple chocolates with each wine to see what the pairing could bring to the palate. The first wine up was the Prosecco, a dry sparkling wine from Italy. Traditionally, sparkling wine will pair well with strawberries and only lightly sweetened desserts such as angel food cake, as any
72 - Town&Gown February 2012
time you are pairing wine with dessert, you want to make sure that the dessert is less sweet than the wine or the sweeter dessert runs the risk of making the wine taste sour. Bubbly is so often associated with Valentine’s Day, we knew we had to include it in the tasting, but I did not really expect the wine to go well with any of the chocolates. Interestingly, the chocolate with salted almonds was not a bad pairing, I think partly because of the nuttiness of both the wine and the almonds, but also because the carbonation of the wine worked with the salt. In fact, it was the only wine besides Port that worked with the salty almond chocolate. With the Pinot Noir, the Ritter’s Sport Alpine milk chocolate managed to make the strawberry notes in the wine really come to the palate and paired well with the un-iced chocolate cupcake because of the cake’s light texture and less sweet chocolate flavor. The darker chocolates were too bitter and strong and hindered the lighter-bodied Pinot Noir from really shining, but they made the fuller wines like the Zinfandels really sing. In particular, the chocolate with raspberry just brought so much fresh fruit to the palate, far more than what we could taste when the wine was consumed by itself. Dark chocolates with chili seemed to heighten any spicy notes in the wine, which happened with the Zinfandels just the way the berry-chocolate combo did. In fact, the Ravenswood Petite Sirah was kind of marginal on it own, but when paired with the chile-cherry dark chocolate, the wine came to life. The only red wine that didn’t seem to be impacted (negatively or positively) by the chocolate was the Merlot, which was kind of surprising as Merlot is a fuller-bodied wine and should have been able to handle the dark chocolate and bring out some of the wine’s more subtle nuances. That being said, we had only one Merlot in the tasting, and there’s a chance that a different Merlot would show differently. By the same token, Merlot is not usually known to exhibit cocoa notes, which may explain why it wasn’t enhanced by the chocolate. The white chocolate, which doesn’t actually have any cocoa in it, was not particularly noteworthy when it came to the red wines. But the white blend from Bonny Doon, which would not be characterized as a dessert wine on its own and tasted more like a hard cider, exploded with bright orange flavor when paired with the white chocolate — an incredible combination — and then took on marmalade and maple notes with the chocolate cupcakes. The Port wines, being sweeter
than the earlier varietals we tasted, went well with all the chocolate, although the higher content of cocoa in the dark chocolate is what makes chocolate and wine work, and what makes Port and dark chocolate a classic pairing. The White Port, with its sherry nose and hints of clove and spice, had fruit that just erupted with the dark chocolate, and with the chocolate cupcake took on nutty notes. So what general guidelines did we learn? Milk chocolate is generally not a good pairing for red wine — it just doesn’t enhance the wine’s flavors and, in fact, can make the wine taste thinner. This is a result of milk chocolate’s higher milk content, but also its lower cocoa content. Pinot Noir was the only wine that worked with the milk chocolate, due to the wine’s lighter body and traditional flavor profile of noticeable strawberry notes. Zinfandel — with its cocoa, spice, and jammy berry flavors — is a good choice for dark chocolate options that are infused with dried fruits and/ or chilies. The chocolate brings out any flavor in the wine that is lying just below the surface, as if the chocolate is reaching down and grabbing those flavors from below the surface of the wine and shooting them into your mouth. The cocoa-dusted almonds worked with all the red wines — the cocoa helped to bring out those hidden chocolate notes, and the strong tannins in the almonds tended to soften the tannins of the heartier red varietals, giving the wine a softer mouth feel and silkier texture. Sparkling wine is not particularly enhanced by chocolate, so if bubbly is the option you decide to go with, fresh strawberries should be your accompaniment of choice. Ruby Port is always a surefire match with Stilton cheese, with that salty, rich creamy blue cheese being beautifully complimented by the rich fig and plum sweetness of the wine. Dark chocolate truffles and dark chocolate bars are a great pairing with Ruby Port in particular. If you are looking for something unique to bring to your sweetheart, following these guidelines should help take some of the risk out of putting together a wine with a chocolate. However, it may be even more fun to pick out a few wines and a few chocolates and see what combinations you enjoy the most. T&G Lucy Rogers teaches wine classes and offers private wine tastings through Wines by the Class. She also is the event coordinator for Zola Catering (off-site and at the State College Elks Club).
73 - Town&Gown February 2012
Continuing the Tradition… After 51 years of serving State College, Owen Herniman, of Owen’s Barber Shop, has retired. Continuing the tradition of professional, men’s haircuts at a reasonable price, is new owner, Becky Trate, along with fellow barber, Bernard Torsell.
T
$10 Men’s Haircuts
his Valentine’s Day, get to the ‘heart’ of
Pennsylvania.
• No Appointments • Walk-Ins Welcome • Free Parking
Ingleby Lodge
Open Tuesday through Friday, Noon to 6:00, Saturday 9:00 to Noon
814-360-5145 Only 25 Minutes East of State College inglebylodge@comcast.net
Owen’s Barber Shop, Colonade Blvd., behind Wegman’s Café • 814 237 4746
www.inglebylodge.com
Better rates. Better terms. Better deals. *Home Banking, VISA, and Debit Cards *Youth and Club Accounts
Personal, F riendly service
422A Westerly Parkway Plaza
*Great location with plenty of parking
State College Federal Credit Union is now on Facebook! State College, PA 16801 814-234-0252 www.statecollegefcu.com
Now Renting for 2012
Free Heat • Free Cooking Gas • Free Parking • Free Basic Cable Furnished or Unfurnished Apts. • On CATA Bus Route R Grocery Shopping Across the Street • 24-hour Maintenance On-Site Laundry & Management Office • Tennis and Basketball
238-2600 • 424 Waupelani Drive Open Mon.-Fri. 9-5, Sat. 10-3 • www.lionsgateapts.com lionsgateapts@lionsgateapts.com 74 - Town&Gown February 2012
of
Month
75 - Town&Gown February 2012
John Hovenstine (4)
Taste the
Sweet Treats of Centre County By Vilma Shu Danz
Chocolates have become the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day. This rich, dark, melt-in-your-mouth sweet treat is not only sinfully delicious, but, also, research shows that it has properties that can trigger happy feelings in the brain. The average American consumes more than 20 pounds of chocolate annually. In addition to heart-shaped packages of chocolates and chocolate-covered strawberries, other Valentine’s Day gifts include candy, flowers, jewelry, and greeting cards. Valentine’s Day has become a celebration of love and romance dating back to ancient times when people paid honor to the Roman God of Fertility. With the rise of Christianity in Europe in the fifth century, February 14 became known as a celebration in honor of Saint Valentine. From handmade chocolates to colorful candy galore, here are some local businesses that specialize in candy and chocolates, so there is no excuse this year not to make your special Valentine smile!
Gardners Candies 2600 Adams Avenue, Tyrone www.gardnerscandies.com
Gardners Candies, headquartered in Tyrone, has been making and selling their confections since 1897. Pike James Gardner started selling roasted peanuts at 18 out of one small store, and the company has now grown to 16 retail stores in Pennsylvania and Maryland, including one in the Nittany Mall in State College. “We make hundreds of chocolate-candy varieties, including choc peanut-butter meltaways, chocolate-drizzled caramel corn, fudge, peanut brittle, chocolate-covered pretzels, and nuts,” says Sam Phillips, president of Gardners Candies. “We use over one million pounds of raw chocolate a year, and so, on an average day, our factory can produce 30,000 candy bars and 2,000 pounds of assorted chocolates. What gives our chocolate its unique flavor is the high-quality ingredients we use in our special blend from the raw chocolate to the very best peanut butter.” Gardners sells 80 percent of their confections during Easter and Christmas. And for Valentine’s Day, Philips says, “If you are going to give a loved one a gift, give the highest-quality chocolates.” 76 - Town&Gown February 2012
Gardners has a wide selection of Valentine’s Day hearts at all price ranges, as well as the traditional boxed chocolates, and all can be beautifully gift-wrapped for your special Valentine. “Our most popular item is the peanut-butter meltaway,” Phillips says. Gardners also gives free candy tours of the factory. For reservations for a tour or to purchase chocolates, visit www.gardnerscandies.com.
Boalsburg Chocolate Company
126 East Main Street, Boalsburg (814) 466-6290
Bill Speakman, owner of the Boalsburg Chocolate Company, learned how to make chocolates more than 40 years ago when he was working for a major department store in Pittsburgh. Retiring in 2005 as a nonprofit consultant, he and his wife, Cheryl, renovated the Springfield House Bed and Breakfast in Boalsburg. As part of the property, there was a space for a retail front, and Speakman decided to go back to his roots and opened the Boalsburg Chocolate Company in 2009. “The idea was to open a chocolate shop. We don’t sell jelly beans or any other candy, just fresh, handmade chocolates,” he says. For $18 a pound, chocoholics can indulge in more than 100 different varieties of chocolates. There are chocolate-covered nuts such as almonds and cashews, meltaways from peanut butter to orange peel, cream-centered raspberry or caramel chews, and, of course, flavored ganache-filled truffles. “Our truffles are very special and you won’t find these in your regular grocery store,” Speakman explains. “You can buy a truffle at the grocery store, but it probably has enough preservatives in it to sit in that store for two years. That is the biggest difference between our chocolates and what most people buy at a grocery store.” Some of the most popular truffle flavors are rum, champagne, and white Russian. For Valentine’s Day, there are heartshaped packages available to custom fill with your favorite decadent chocolates. Also, call to ask about made-to-order chocolate-covered strawberries. 77 - Town&Gown & &Gown February 2012
Campus Candy
346 East College Avenue, State College campuscandy.com
Campus Candy, located at 346 East College Avenue in State College, is more than just your classic candy store. In addition to the 500 varieties lining the walls in clear plastic bins and dispensing tubes featuring gummies, sour candies, peanut-butter cups, chocolate-covered nuts, jawbreakers, and clodhoppers, the store also offers frozen yogurt and cheesecake as well as cupcakes from the Cheesecake Factory. For $2.89 per quarter pound of candy, customers can mix and match to satisfy any sugar cravings. Campus Candy opened its first location in 2010 in Bloomington, Indiana, and has expanded to four other college campus locations — Madison, Wisconsin; Tucson, Arizona; Austin, Texas; and, of course, State College. One of the three owners, Mark Tarnofsky, came up with the idea for a campusarea candy store after his daughter began attending Indiana University and discovered that there were dozens of sub and pizza shops but no candy store. “When people walk in for the first time, their jaws drop,” says Sean Kader, general manager of Campus Candy University Park. “We have candies that you won’t find anywhere else, like your Charleston Chew or the Big Hunk. For Valentine’s Day, there are heart-shaped gift packages ranging in price from $7.99 to $22.99 that customers can mix and match and fill with whatever candies you like as long as the cover fits the container. We will also probably have discounts on pink candy and other specials, so come in and check us out.” T&G
78 - Town&Gown February 2012
Dining Out Full Course Dining Allen Street Grill, corner of Allen Street and College Avenue, 231-GRILL. The food sizzles. The service sparkles. The prices are deliciously frugal. The menu is classic American grill mixed with popular influences from Mexico, Italy, and the Far East. AE, D, MC, V. Alto Italian Restaurant and Bar, 901 Pike St., Lemont; 238-5534. Featuring authentic, traditional Italian cuisine with seasonal menus, handmade pastas, fresh and local ingredients, and exceptional service. Extensive wine list, full bar, catering, private dining. Perfect for a casual or business lunch. Reservations suggested. All credit cards accepted. Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Tues.-Fri. Dinner 5:30-9/10 p.m. The Autoport, 1405 S. Atherton St., 237-7666, www.theautoport.com. The all new Autoport offers exceptional dining featuring local produce and an extensive wine list. Tapas menu and special events every week. Catering and private events available. Live music. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V. Full bar. Bar Bleu & Bar Q, 113 S. Garner St., 237-0374. Authentic Kansas City Barbeque featuring smoked ribs, pork, wings, plus down-home sides and appetizers. Roadhouse & Sports Lounge upstairs. Upscale martini bar downstairs featuring live music 7 nights a week. Open for dinner every night at 5 p.m. AE, D, DC, ID+, MC, V. Full bar. Bill Pickle’s Tap Room,106 S. Allen St., 272-1172. Not for saints…not for sinners. AE, DIS, MAC, MC, V. Full bar.
Carnegie House, corner of Cricklewood Dr. and Toftrees Ave., 234-2424. An exquisite boutique hotel offering fine dining in a relaxed yet gracious atmosphere. Serving lunch and dinner. Prix Fixe menu and à la carte menu selections now available. AAA Four Diamond Award recipient for lodging and fine dining. Reservations suggested. AE, MC, D, V. Full bar. The Corner Room Restaurant, corner of Allen Street and College Avenue, 237-3051. Literally first in hospitality. Since 1855, The Corner Room has served generous breakfasts, lunches, and dinners to the community and its guests. AE, D, MC, V. Cozy Thai Bistro, 232 S. Allen St., 237-0139. A true authentic Thai restaurant offering casual and yet “cozy” family-friendly dining experience. Menu features wide selections of exotic Thai cuisine, both lunch and dinner (take-out available). BYO (wines & beer) is welcome after 5 p.m. AE, D, DC, MAC, MC, V.
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.
79 - Town&Gown February 2012
We love People, Beer & Local Foods Bringing you craft beer and fresh food using local products in a family friendly, casual atmosphere.
Food & Beer TO GO! Bottles • Cases • Kegs • Growlers Visit our Gift Shop to check out our merchandise!
2235 North Atherton Street, State College
814.867.6886
www.ottospubandbrewery.com
Damon’s Grill & Sports Bar, 1031 E. College Ave., 237-6300, damons.com. Just seconds from Beaver Stadium, locally owned and operated, Damon’s is the premiere place to watch sports and enjoy our extensive menu. Ribs, wings, burgers, steaks, apps, salads, and so much more. AE, D, MAC, MC, V, Full bar. The Deli Restaurant, 113 Hiester St., 237-5710. The area’s largest menu! Soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, Mexican, Cajun. Dinners featuring steaks, chicken, seafood and pastas, heart-healthy menu, and award-winning desserts. 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.
80 - Town&Gown February 2012
Faccia Luna Pizzeria, 1229 S. Atherton St., 234-9000, www.faccialuna.com. A true neighborhood hangout, famous for authentic New York-style wood-fired pizzas and fresh, homemade It.alian 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.
Herwig’s Austrian Bistro, where bacon is an herb, 132 W. College Ave., herwigsaus trianbistro.com, 238-0200. Located next to the State Theatre. Austrian Home Cooking. Ranked #1 Ethnic Restaurant 5 years in a row. Eatin, Take-Out, Catering, Franchising. BYO after 5 p.m., D, MC, V.
Gamble Mill Restaurant & Microbrewery, 160 Dunlop St., Bellefonte; 355-7764. A true piece of Americana, dine and enjoy our in-house craft beers in a historic mill. Experience bold American flavors by exploring our casual pub menu or fine dining options. Six to seven beers of our craft beers on tap. Brewers Club, Growlers, outdoor seating, large private functions, catering. Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Dinner 5-9/10 p.m. Mon.-Sat. “Chalk Board Sunday’s” 4-8 p.m. All credit cards accepted.
Hi-Way Pizza, 1688 N. Atherton St., 237-0375. Voted best pizza. Twenty-nine variations of pizza, entire dinner menu and sandwiches, strombolis, salads, spectacular desserts, and beer to go. AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar.
The Gardens Restaurant at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, 215 Innovation Blvd., Innovation Park, 863-5090. Dining is a treat for breakfast, lunch and dinner in The Gardens Restaurant, where sumptuous buffets and à la carte dining are our specialties. AE, CB, D, DC, MC, V. Full bar, beer.
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, (call ahead.) MC, V. Inferno Brick Oven & Bar, 340 E. College Ave., 237-5718, www.infernobrickovenbar.com. Casual but sophisticated atmosphere — a contemporary brick oven experience featuring a lunch and dinner menu of old- world favorites and modern-day revolutions. AE, D, MAC, MC, V. Full bar.
We continue the Luna tradition by using only the freshest ingredients!
1229 S o u t h A t h e r t o n S t r e e t S tAt e C o l l e g e 234-9000 A
true neighborhood hAngout highly
regArded for itS populAr And AuthentiC
n ew y ork - Style
wood - fired pizzA
And Commitment to quAlity .
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We offer wood-fired pizza, fresh homemade pasta, as well as wood-grilled items such as Baby Back BBQ Ribs, homemade meatloaf, various fish and seafood and our soon to be award winning burgers!
www.luna-2.com 2609 E. College Ave. • State College, PA • 234-9009 81 - Town&Gown February 2012
Kelly’s Steak & Seafood, 316 Boal Ave., Boalsburg, 466-6251. Pacific Northwest inspired restaurant. Seasonal menu with rotating fresh sheet. Offering private dining for up to 50 people. Catering available. AE, 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. Luna 2 Woodgrill & Bar, 2609 E. College Ave., 234-9009, www.luna-2.com. Wood-fired pizza, fresh pasta, wood-grilled BBQ ribs, seafood, burgers, and don’t forget to try the homemade meatloaf! Sumptuous salads and desserts. Full bar service. Outside seating. Sorry, no reservations accepted. Dine-In, Take-out. MC/V. Mario & Luigi’s Restaurant, 1272 N. Atherton St., 234-4273. The Italian tradition in State College. Homemade pasta, chicken, seafood specialties, veal, wood-fired pizza, calzones, rotisserie chicken, roasts, salads, and sandwiches, plus cappuccino and espresso! AE, D, DC, LC, MC, V. Full bar.
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The Mt. Nittany Inn, 559 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Centre Hall, 364-9363, mtnittanyinn.com. Perched high above Happy Valley at 1,809 feet, the Mt. Nittany Inn offers homemade soups, steaks, seafood, and pasta. Bar and banquet areas available. AE, CB, D, MAC, MC, V. Full Bar.
Whistle Stop Restaurant, Old Train Station Corner, Centre Hall on Rte. 144, 15 minutes east of State College. 364-2544. Traditional dining in an 1884 Victorian railroad station decorated with railroad memorabilia. Chef-created soups, desserts, and daily specials. Lunch and dinner served Wed.-Sun. D, MC, V.
Otto’s Pub & Brewery, 2235 N. Atherton Street, 867-6886, www.ottospubandbrewery.com. Our new location provides plenty of parking, great ales and lagers, full service bar, signature dishes made with local products in a family-friendly, casual atmosphere. AE, D, DC, LC MC, V, Full bar.
Zola New World Bistro, 324 W. College Ave., 237-8474. Zola combines comfortable, modern décor with exceptional service. Innovative, creative cuisine from seasonal menus served for lunch and dinner. Extensive award-winning wine list. Jazz and oysters in the bar on Fridays. Catering. AE, D, MC, V. Full bar.
The Tavern Restaurant, 220 E. College Ave., 238-6116. A unique gallery-in-a-restaurant preserving PA’s and Penn State’s past. Dinner at The Tavern is a Penn State tradition. Major credit cards accepted. Full bar. Whiskers at the Nittany Lion Inn, 200 W. Park Ave., 865-8580. Casual dining featuring soups, salads, sandwiches and University Creamery ice cream. Major credit cards accepted. Full bar.
Good Food Fast HUB Dining, HUB-Robeson Center, on campus, 865-7623. A Penn State tradition open to all! Eleven restaurants stocked with extraordinary variety: Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Higher Grounds, Joegies, Mixed Greens, Burger King, Panda Express, Piccalilli’s, Sbarro, Sushi by Panda, Wild Cactus, and more! V, MC, LC.
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Open Daily 8:00 a.m. - 11 p.m. • 2390 S. ATHERTON STREET • 237-1849
Check out Town&Gown’s Facebook page for more information on what’s happening in Happy Valley, and for chances to win free tickets to concerts and sporting events!
HALF PRICE HAPPIES 5-7
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THE $1.99 BREAKFAST IS BACK! Monday-Friday 7-12 1405 South Atherton Street State College, PA 16801 www.theautoport.com • 814-237-7666 83 - Town&Gown February 2012
Meyer Dairy, 2390 S. Atherton St., 237-1849. Stop and get your favorite flavor at our ice cream parlor. We also sell a variety of delicious cakes, sandwiches, and baked goods. Taco Bell, 322 W. College Ave., 231-8226; Hills Plaza, 238-3335. For all the flavors you love, visit our two locations. Taco Bell, Think Outside the Bun! Westside Stadium Bar and Grill, 1301 W. College Ave., 308-8959, www.westsidestadium barandgrill.com. See what all the buzz is about at Westside Stadium. Opened in September 2010, State College’s newest hangout features mouthwatering onsite smoked pork and brisket sandwiches. Watch your favorite sports on 17 HDTVs. Happy Hour 5-7 p.m. Take-out and bottle shop. Outdoor seating available. D, V, MC. Full Bar. T&G
Herwig’s Austrian Bistro As seen on ESPN’s “Taste of the Town”
Pre-Show Dinner Discounts
Truly Unique Dining Experience Authentic Homestyle Austrian Cuisine Mon-Wed: 11am-8pm (last seating) Thu-Fri: 11am-9pm (last seating) Sat: 11:45am-9pm (last seating) Eat-in, Take-out, Catering and Franchising.
We Now Make Our Own Bread! NOW ACCEPTING CREDIT CARDS!
132 West College Ave, Downtown State College (next door to the State Theatre) • 814-238-0200
Family friendly dining for all the sports enthusiasts.
7 big screens all now in HD, NFL Playoffs, catering tailgate and party packs available. 14 New Craft Beer Selections! Great menu with award winning ribs, wings, thick cut steaks, burgers, pastas, pizzas, grinders, salads and more. Check out our new outdoor patio! 1031 East College Ave. 814-237-6300 • damons.com
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Stop by our daily homemade soups, lunch and dinner specials.
Owner Matt Leitzell
• Take-out and bottle shop • Outdoor seating available 1301 West College Ave. • 814-308-8959 www.westsidestadiumbarandgrill.com
Open Tuesday thru Sunday Closed Monday Lunch Buffet: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Dinner: 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Carry Out Available 222 E. Calder Way
237-3400 www.indiapavilion.net 85 - Town&Gown February 2012
lunch with mimi
Pink Lady The Pink Zone’s first executive director is ready to take the organization’s efforts against breast cancer to new heights
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Darren Weimert
Miriam Powell is the first executive director of Pennsylvania Pink Zone, a nonprofit organization tasked with coordinating the Penn State Lady Lions’ basketball events that raise money to fight breast cancer. Powell has a personal connection with her new job. She began playing basketball as a third-grader, coached a high school girls’ team, and her paternal grandmother and aunt both survived breast cancer. Originally from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Powell moved to Town&Gown founder Mimi Barash Coppersmith (right) talks with Glen Ellyn, Illinois, as a child, and Miriam Powell at the Nittany Lion Inn in State College. then, at age 13, she moved again to Mechanicsburg. me to think about going back to work again, Three years ago, she and her husband, Jim, moved and my husband was very supportive of the to State College. The couple have two children — idea. Once I started to do a little more research into Pink Zone and what it really stood for and Michael (4) and Joseph (2). Town&Gown founder Mimi Barash Copper- all the different organizations that it helps, I smith sat down with Powell to discuss her new role as just thought This is great! Mimi: We’re glad you did! Every time I see executive director of Pink Zone, what the challenges are for the organization, and the goals she has set for you, you have a new pink outfit. You bring a this year’s Pink Zone game on February 26 at the certain excitement to the job. Have you always been that way? Bryce Jordan Center. Miriam: I have been. Sometimes I think Mimi: Well, we’ve been doing a lot of work together in a short period of time. It’s wonderful that’s one of my better qualities. I’m sure sometimes people think it’s one of my annoying to welcome you to our Town&Gown readers. qualities, but I am. I’m a fairly enthusiastic and Miriam: Thank you. Mimi: You have two young children. You’ve optimistic person. I try to bring energy into evbeen a stay-at-home mom for about four years. erything I do. I’m glad that it’s rubbing off and You were the winner of the race for the job as that you notice that because I love my job and the executive director of the Pink Zone. What I think when you can be excited about what motivated you to apply and how’s it working you do and enjoy what you do that just makes it even easier to approach it with that verve out from your point of view? Miriam: Well, I was motivated to apply be- and enthusiasm that it deserves. Mimi: That’s what it’s all about. And I can cause somebody who thought I would be good for the job called me and ask me to consider really identify with all of your prior comments it. So, shortly after that I did see the article because I think that’s the way I would describe in the paper that a search was beginning for myself, particularly as it relates to Pink Zone. an executive director of Pink Zone, which re- What is the most significant challenge you ally excited me. Pink Zone is something that think we have? Miriam: We’ve set some big goals for Pink our family has supported just as spectators, and we have always loved attending the Pink Zone Zone this year with the $250,000 amount to events because we’re Lady Lions’ basketball raise and the 450 survivors and the more than fans anyway. It just seemed like a good time for 12,000 people in the stands, so I think all of
that is a challenge, but I think the one that many of us are feeling is most pressing right now is the dollar amount and the fundraising, but we’re also rising to the occasion of those challenges and looking for new ways to elevate Pink Zone in the community. You know we’re working diligently to get the downtown businesses more involved in bringing some recognition and attention to Pink Zone. Mimi: And do we think that’s going to happen? Miriam: We do. We are in the process of finalizing wonderful proposals from our beneficiaries, who are looking to raise lots of money. The other one that we’re really working hard on and doing well on is getting students more involved in Pink Zone. Mimi: Tell us about how you’re getting the students mobilized. Miriam: We have some wonderful students who have been on board with us, from what I understand, for a couple years now and are doing a superb job this year. Eric Bodner is one of the students who is very active; in fact, he sits on our board of directors as well. He has mobilized a fine troop of students from the business school who have sent out a mass mailing and I have been getting a turnaround from those mailings with nice donations. He’s ready for anything we throw at him. He and his members are a big part of getting organized with the downtown businesses. They went out and presented some information to the Downtown Improvement District on what we would like to do. They also asked some of the downtown businesses in October 2011 to just have jars at their registers to collect money for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Taryn Noll is another student who has done an exceptional job with her Power of Pink group. They’ve been extremely important in our survivor committee this year, recruiting survivors, taking all the registrations off of the phone lines for survivors, seeking donations that go into the bags that survivors get on game day. So, I’ve been extremely impressed and really proud of what the students have done and continue to do. The Power of Pink Girls are also going to be there to help with the registration and everything on game day — greet the survivors as they come in on the buses. The students are phenomenal. We’re looking to continue that tradition. Mimi: Well, the students could take this event to a new level. Miriam: They definitely could. If they embrace
it the way they should and the way they currently are, they definitely can bring this to a new level and increase the “gown” side of Pink Zone. Mimi: It could become a little THON! Miriam: It could! A mini-THON. Mimi: I certainly can’t see it raising $9 million, but then again, I don’t think the people who started THON ever imagined it would grow to the spectacular it has become. It’s interesting to note that the first three years of Pink Zone raised probably an average of $25,000. The last two years — year four netted more than $83,000; year five, $197,800, I believe. And this year, as you mentioned earlier, the goal is $250,000. In your heart, do you think we’re going to get to that new place? Miriam: In my heart I do, but I won’t lie. You have been a big motivator in the success over the last couple of years and you have done a lot of work and continue to do a lot of work for Pink Zone. I hope and pray that Mimi Coppersmith will be a part of this forever! Mimi: Thank you! We probably ought to mention that Penn State is real important to our success. What are some of the things they help with? Miriam: Well, when we look at athletics, they are providing quite a bit toward our Pink Zone budget to help with some of the expenses. Mimi: Because that helps promote Lady Lion basketball. Miriam: Exactly. We do have a good bit of money coming from Lady Lions basketball to support the efforts of Pink Zone and, obviously, for marketing. This is a signature event for the Lady Lions, so we have tremendous help from Penn State there. Penn State has also been receptive to some of the new ideas we’re bringing to the table and working with us to expand Pink Zone not only on the campus but also in the community. If we look at the medical arm of Penn State, the cancer center at Hershey is one of our beneficiaries and they’re working hard this year to increase the money they raise on behalf of the Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute. Mimi: You skipped one big thing. They give us part of every single ticket. Miriam: Yes tickets, and the bookstore gives us money back from every T-shirt that is sold. You’re right! Mimi: The most important thing, though, in addition to what we do for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and, ultimately, a cure of breast cancer, is to remember that we really
88 - Town&Gown February 2012
want to fill that arena this year. We have consistently picked up on fans in the stands and we’re hopeful that more and more people will come to an event that truly is inspiring. Miriam: It’s an amazing event. For readers who have not attended, words really cannot describe the experience of the Pink Zone game. For those who have attended, everyone that I have spoken to loves this event. When we were at the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition Conference in Harrisburg in October, some of the survivors who have come to the game the past couple of years literally plan their family vacation around Pink Zone. We have several people stop at our table and say that they need to know when the game is because this is their yearly family road trip! That was so touching for me to think that people make that sort of an effort to come to State College in frigid February for such a remarkable event. So, we definitely do need more fans in the stand. Certainly nobody’s ever going to regret going to this game, and the other beauty of it is how much the Lady Lions love this event. Mimi: And how much they give to its success. Miriam: Right. There’s a real passion behind this whole thing on so many levels. It is something so deep in so many hearts of the people involved that I can’t wait to see the sea of pink on February 26, and that arena filled to the max with fans and survivors. It will be wonderful! Mimi: One of the most exciting new things that happened last year is Fullington Bus. When we asked, they gave. We asked them to provide free bus service for survivors and their families from areas within a 60- to 90-mile radius of State College. I believe they provided 10 to 13 buses at no cost to the Pink Zone. A member of their family had a long struggle with breast cancer and this was really something they wanted to. It’s given us a whole new dimension. Miriam: It has. I actually just spoke with Lory [Fullington] and some of the staff at Fullington this week to check in and see where we were with buses and numbers of survivors, and we have 81 survivors right now signed up to ride buses on that day. So, this is great news that Fullington was happy to jump on board again this year and provide those buses. I cannot wait to see that caravan pull up in front of the BJC on February 26. That’s another one of those Pink Zone moments where there’s not a
dry eye around when those survivors start to get off the bus, and then again when the survivors come down to the floor at halftime — it’s just the emotions are so raw and it’s just such an occasion! So, for Fullington to be able to help get those survivors there at no cost to us, at no cost to the survivors, it’s remarkable. We can’t thank them enough for that partnership and that gift they provide to us and to the survivors that we honor. Mimi: So, here you are in a new job where you’re meeting lots of new people. You know you have your little circle of friends, but think how your horizons have broadened in this opportunity that you decided to take the challenge on. Miriam: It’s been fun. I feel very grateful for where I am at this time in my life. I’m so lucky to have two very healthy and rambunctious boys and to be able to work primarily from home, so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on time with my children. But you’re right, it’s been a fantastic opportunity to meet wonderful people in the community, to challenge myself in ways that I haven’t been challenged in several years. It’s nice to sort of re-enter the professional world. I’ve always had great respect for any mom. Being a stay-at-home mom I still think is one of the hardest jobs in the world, and now I can fully understand the challenges of being a working mother, too. Mimi: Well, I want to say personally that I think you’re doing a great job. I love working with you. I feel I’ve found a new friend and I wish both of us incredible success in meeting our goals of a minimum of 12,500 fans in the stands, minimum of 450 survivors, which would be a jump over the 364 from last year, and $250,000 net to contribute to five or six different places that will make effective use of that money in the battle to beat breast cancer. Miriam: I think the other thing to add that’s important for people to understand is no amount is too small. Money is money, and we’re happy to have whatever donation people are comfortable making. It’s fun for me as the person who inputs all the donations into the computer, I don’t care what number I’m typing in, I’m just happy that I have to sit down and type more entries into the computer! Mimi: And you’re going to be an important part of the greatness of Pink Zone, not just this year but also going forward. And it’s a pleasure getting to know you. Thank you. T&G
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State College Photo Club’s Photos of the Month Since 1947, the State College Photo Club has provided local 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 and encourages individuals from amateurs to professionals. One of the club’s activities is to hold a monthly competition. Town&Gown is pleased to present the winning images from the club’s competition. Here are the winning photos from the December competition.
Special Category (Spiritual)
>
“Prayer” by Che Hale
“Worshipper at a Buddhist temple in Shanghai China.”
Open Category
>
“Hot Spot” by Annelise Letourneur
“I took this picture in Iceland while we were crossing the country from south to north riding horses. It is a hot-spot source and the place was amazing by the thermic and colorimetric contrast.” A copy of either of these photos may be obtained with a $75 contribution for each photo to the Salvation Army of Centre County. Contact Captain Charles Niedermeyer at 861-1785 and let him know you would like this image. You can select any size up to 14 inches wide. The State College Photo Club meets on the third Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at Foxdale Village Auditorium. Learning sessions on topics of interest are often scheduled at 7 p.m. before the meeting. Guests and new members are always welcome! If you are interested in joining the State College Photo Club, visit www.statecollegephotoclub.org for more information. 90 - Town&Gown February 2012
snapshot
Student Voice UPUA president articulates student concerns and feelings during challenging times By Allison LaTorre
TJ Bard, president of Penn State’s University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), says his mom had always driven him to make the most of every opportunity. That has helped the junior, who hadn’t realized that when he became president he would be the voice for Penn State students during the school’s most difficult time. As the first in his family to attend college, Bard chose Penn State because he loved the sense of pride and community, and by getting involved with several clubs and organizations on campus he could help the community while furthering his education. During his freshman year, he was elected to be one of two freshman representatives out of about 80 students who applied. Afterward, during his sophomore year, he became an off-campus representative and a government-affairs chairman, which allowed him to work with State College Borough Council and community leaders. “That was a phenomenal experience,” he says. “I gained a lot of insight and ability through that and I made a lot of connections that really allowed me to make an effort to run for president at the end of my sophomore year.” Besides being president of UPUA, he has gained other leadership roles, including executive-board member of his fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, alumnirelations director for Penn State Homecoming 2012, and he sits on the Alumni Association’s executive board. Bard, an economics major, gained national attention as he spoke on behalf of Penn State students after the allegations against former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky came out. “I never anticipated when I was elected that I would be propelled into the national spotlight so quickly and for such a heartbreaking reason,” he says. “However, I was proud to do my very best to demonstrate to the world that Penn State, our students, and alumni are defined by more than the actions of a few but, rather, 157 years of tradition and values. “We continue to move forward in hopes of helping to get Penn State moving again.” Bard has a lot of goals for the future. In five years he’d like to be married and have a child. No matter
TJ Bard Hobbies: Relaxing, skiing, and running whenever he gets a chance from his busy life. Dream job: President of the United States or something nationally to give back to the country. Favorite foods: Really picky eater. Loves pickles and hates chocolate, desserts, and sweets. where he is living, he would like to become involved with local government. “I foresee myself giving back, hopefully, always. It’s something I’ve really fallen in love with doing and I really want to continue giving back to whatever community I’m living in,” he says. One of his upcoming projects for improving the State College community is to remind students to be responsible and respectful on State Patty’s Day, which is scheduled for February 25. “I’m going to hopefully launch a campaign in order to prevent a lot of the outside students and visitors coming to the community, because it’s been a huge issue and it’s something that really, really frustrates me,” he says. Beyond improving the community, Bard also is improving himself no matter what he is going through or experiencing, and he will apply that to his future. “I think my experiences at Penn State have really redefined me,” he says. “You really don’t know who you are until you are faced with adversity.” T&G
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