November 23, 2021

MANY THANKS TO PSECU FOR SPONSORSHIP OF THE COMMUNITY CALLER!

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Dear Friends,  Will Wise (pictured center along with me and Chad Littlefield) author, co-founder of We and Me, Inc., father, friend, husband, and teacher, passed away peacefully on November 12. He profoundly impacted my life and the way that I connect with people – and how I’ve encouraged others to connect for the past 5 years. Maybe you met him at a Leadership Harrisburg Area event; or maybe you’ve learned of him through LHA’s use of his book “Ask Powerful Questions” or the "We Connect" card activity we use. Whether you knew him or not, the world has lost a tremendous source of inspiration. In honor of Will, I encourage you to create conversations that matter this holiday season. When gathering with family and friends, go deeper than the standard “how are you?” and “what’s new?” Ask questions that will lead to deeper connections. A few of Will’s favorites include: What brings you joy? What is this moment teaching you right now? What is a crossroads you are at?  If these don’t feel natural for you, create your own. Some of my fallbacks include: “What projects/activities are you really excited about right now?” and “What are you hoping to accomplish this year?” A standard with my children has always been “What was your favorite part of today?” or this week, whatever the case may be. The point is that life is too short for small talk. Asking better questions can lead to meaningful conversations and those conversations lead to deeper connections. Please join me in honoring a great man by giving this a try!   Thank you to Will’s business partner and dear friend, Chad Littlefield, co-author and co-founder of We and Me, Inc., for sharing this reflection on Will’s life. "Perhaps the crossroads that WiLL most commonly encountered was the choice to be driven by fear or living to love. He often faced fear, but rarely—if ever—did he ever choose it. In fact, he chose expansive love. Over and over again. And you can too. He’d like it if you did." Happy Holidays to you and yours. Peace to Will’s family and much love to all.

Una Martone, '07 President & CEO Leadership Harrisburg Area

Listed Alphabetically by Organization

CASA Seeks Board Members Dauphin County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a fresh, new non-profit serving Dauphin County. After a few years of developing as a new program we are seeing great strides and success stories rolling in including sibling group adoption success stories and a IEP implementation success stories, including one in which a child now has a goal to pursue further education, all with the help of their CASA advocate. Dauphin County CASA is a nonprofit which serves children in the foster system and at risk youth by providing court-appointed special advocates to advocate on behalf of these children and their best interests. More information on who we are and what we do can be found on our website dauphincountycasa.org We are now seeking to expand our Board. The Board is a working Board, we meet quarterly on a Tuesday evening with committee meetings in between and ask that each member join a committee. We also ask each member to support Dauphin County CASA by contributing or soliciting funds annually. For additional information, please contact Amy Doherty, Governance Chair at  amyelizabethdoherty@gmail.com.

Board Marketing, Fundraising, Education and all that Jazz A fun-loving, dedicated group of jazz fans is looking for a few folks to join our Board of Directors. If you have skills in marketing, fundraising or education, we would love to talk to you. You don’t need to be a musician…just someone interested in helping a revitalized arts organization reach out to the community. Want to learn more? Check out our website, friendsofjazz.org. Or email us at sheilaross@friendsofjazz.org. Or call Sheila Ross at 717-540-1010.

Join the Fight to End Cystic Fibrosis The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Harrisburg Office is looking for board members to help launch a new advisory board that will represent Central PA. The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives by funding research and drug development, partnering with the CF community, and advancing high-quality, specialized care. We are looking for individuals who can help us advance our mission by leveraging their contacts and their time to support our events and office. Interested individuals should contact Chris Lunden, Associate Executive Director at clunden@cff.org.

Seeking a Board Treasurer Gather in the Spirit for Justice is a non profit focused on community building programs in Allison Hill, and they are in need of a Treasurer for their board. A copy of the position description can be found by clicking here. If you have experience in finance or accounting and have a heart for helping Harrisburg, especially in the Allison Hill area, please do reach out to Clay Lambert at clay.jh.lambert@gmail.com.

Skills in Finance, HR and Technology Needed Mission Central is seeking volunteers to serve on our Board of Directors. Mission Central is a nonprofit located in Mechanicsburg, PA who assisted 3.3 million people with over $10.9 million in resources in 2020. We are seeking Board members who have a variety of skills, including but not limited to finances, human resources and technology. If you would like to be considered for the Mission Central Board, please send a brief summary of your background, work experience and gifts you would bring to the Board. (A formal resume is not required but would be very helpful.) Please email Jim Foster at boardchair@missioncentral.org and Hope Harrison at hharrison@missioncentral.org.

Triplet of Skills Choral Board Opportunity The Susquehanna Chorale is seeking an individual who loves choral music and has expertise in marketing, public relations, or IT to serve on the Chorale board. The Susquehanna Chorale is a Harrisburg based, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization widely recognized as one of the outstanding choral ensembles in the United States. The organization also provides an educational outreach program for area students between grades three and twelve. In addition, it sponsors a conducting internship for area college students. Interested: Contact David Blunk at 717-932-4039 or dblunk@epix.net for more information.

Envision Yourself Serving Vision Resources of Central PA, is a 100 year- old non - profit organization with a mission to assist the Blind and Visually Impaired in Central PA by facilitating independence, enriching the quality of life, and empowering individuals who are visually impaired or otherwise disabled through prevention, employment and educational awareness programs. We are looking for interested individuals to serve on our Board of Directors. If you would like to learn more please check out our website or contact Danette Blank, Executive Director dblank@vrocp.org or 717 238-2531.

Listed Chronologically by Event Date

Fundraising Planning Pitfalls & Pointers Join fundraising master trainer, Chad Barger, CFRE, for a FREE webinar on November 30, 2021 at 12:00 PM covering some of the biggest mistakes that nonprofit organizations make when putting together their annual fundraising plan. Processes and tools will be shared which pare the planning process down to its simplest form. Attendees leave with actionable steps that they can take to make their organization’s planning process more effective. Click here to register. Keeping All Those New Donors How to Keep those Donors that you worked so hard to get! Join master trainer, Chad Barger, CFRE, for a FREE webinar on December 16, 2021 at 12:00 PM discussing the importance of donor retention and learning simple, actionable steps that you can take to boost donor retention in your organization. Participants will leave the session with a greater understanding of what they can do to improve donor retention and the start of an improvement plan for their organization. Templates and resources will be provided to help attendees implement the recommendations. Click here to register.

LHA Online Auction Goes LIVE on November 29 Shop for a cause with Leadership Harrisburg Area! The WRAPPED auction is a fundraiser which supports our community outreach efforts including service projects, Team Projects, scholarships, student programming and more. Shop for yourself or find one-of-a-kind experiences and unique gift baskets for family & friends. There’s something for everyone and in every price range. See below for a sneak peek then visit LHA’s Facebook page every day between November 29 and December 3 to place your bids. It’s a WIN for your holiday shopping; a WIN for LHA; and a WIN for the community. All LHA Alumni are automatically registered to participate November 29-December 3. Others, 21 years of age or older, can register as well. Click here to go to the LHA WRAPPED Facebook Album.

Sponsor a Child In Need this Season Join Hands is a contact and support center for Perry County residents, who are seeking assistance with daily living concerns. Annually, since 2000, they have coordinated a Christmas Holiday Network Program designed to help families in need by assisting with holiday gifts and extras for children age 14 and under. Full and Partial sponsorship is available (clothes and/or toys). Full sponsorship entails about $100 to $125 (but please if you are feeling generous, sponsor another child rather than spend more finances on only 1 single child). A family can apply to Join Hands or Toys4Tots, but not both. Donations are due by December 1st, and are coordinated by clicking here to fill out a form. Last year Christmas Gifts were given to 855 children in 332 families residing in Perry County from 351 sponsors, 6 toy drives, and 33 volunteers.

Virtual Game Night As part of our Someone To Tell It To (STTIT)'s Annual Appeal, we’re partnering with our friends at Cozy Juicy Real for a fun virtual game night to benefit.The event will run from 7:00 pm EST to 8:30 pm EST on Thursday, December 2nd and will feature opening remarks from Ben Mathes, the founder of Urban Confessional. The game of Cozy Juicy Real is meant to help players make genuine connections with each other in the ultimate “ice breaker” challenges. This game has been played at fortune 500 companies and teams like Zoom, Volvo, and more to help team members grow closer and feel connected, even while working remotely.

"Situated: Confronting Identity" Exhibition

The Art Association of Harrisburg is pleased to announce their newest exhibition which considers several factors, both internal and external, that make up one's identity. These factors can be physical, cultural, psychological, and even other's superimposed opinions and perceptions. The exhibition is sponsored by David Volkman and features the work of four women artists beginning on Friday, December 3, 2021 through January 6, 2022.

December Progressive Dinner you Won't Want to Miss

The Historic Harrisburg Association invites you to their 30th Annual Elegant Progressions Dinner in partnership with The Kidney Foundation of Central Pennsylvania on Friday, December 3, 2021 and Saturday, December 4, 2021 beginning at 6:30 PM. Elegant Progressions has continued to enjoy its reputation as a premiere social event, seen by many as the unofficial kick-off of the holiday season in Central Pennsylvania. Always hosted on the weekend following Thanksgiving weekend, it continues to offer a choice of progressions on Friday and Saturday evenings. At the properties, they are served hors d’oeuvre and aperitifs, a formal dinner, and a dessert buffet. Live music entertainment is provided. This year the progression will start at the Evans-Hartzler Mansion, then move to the King-Kurowski Mansion. Click here for more information.

Holiday Happiness at Whitaker Center Add some happy to your holidays by coming over to the Whitaker Center for ticketed showings of The Polar Express 3D at noon on Saturdays from December 4 through December 18. The movie on December 4th is a special Pajama Party themed event complete with milk & cookies! Whitaker Center also invites you to attend their Little Learners program in conjunction with showings of Olaf's Frozen Adventure on Wednesday, December 29th. Click here for more information.

Leadership Speakers Series (In-person) Powered by PNC Join the next event in the Leadership Speakers Series powered by PNC. The topic on Wednesday, December 8 will be We Rise by Lifting Others and will be held a the Penn Harris Hotel from 7:30 - 9:00 AM. Paxton Ministries Executive Director, Jodie Smiley, reflects on her “encore” career as she prepares for retirement…again. For 40 years, Paxton Ministries has been a home for people with limited housing options. Most of the residents have mental and/or intellectual disabilities. Many come from poverty. At Paxton, residents and their families know that they will be cared for very well. IN 2019, Paxton Ministries added Paxton Place, an affordable senior housing complex with 37 brand new apartments. Paxton Place includes supportive services programs in partnership with other nonprofit organizations including Messiah Lifeways, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, UPMC, Harrisburg YMCA and Messiah College. For more information and to register, click here.

The Grinch is Coming to Central Penn College The Grinch is coming! The Grinch is coming! He will be at Central Penn College’s Conference Center on Friday, Dec. 10. “Every Who down in Whoville” (and elsewhere) is invited to Central Penn College for a Grinch-inspired, family-friendly evening. Bring the kids to enjoy free snacks, holiday-themed crafting activities, and photos with the Grinch in the college’s Conference Center, beginning at 5:30 PM. The cuddly Seussian will lead everyone over to the college’s Capital Blue Cross Theatre at 6:30 PM for a showing of the 2018 animated movie, The Grinch.  All kids enjoy free admission. Adults are only $5. Click here to order your tickets.

Join hosts at the Perry County Literacy Council, Chamber board members, Chamber members, and guests for an evening of food, fun, and of course, networking on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at the PCLC Office. Networking events are free and open to all members and prospective members, but please RSVP by clicking here, if you can, so there is an accurate count for the refreshments.

Support a BHA family this Holiday Season Bretheren Housing Association has a need for supporting their mothers and families during the holidays through a Christmas Adopt-A-Family Gifts & Meal box program due by Friday, December 17. Signups are located on a BHA Holiday Time to sign up found by clicking here. If you have any additional questions, please do contact Gillian Sumpter at gsumpter@bha-pa.org or call 717-233-6016.

Emerging Philanthropist Program

What does it mean to be philanthropic? How do I understand the needs of our community? What can I do to make an impact? TFEC and HYP partner together each year to produce the Emerging Philanthropists Program (EPP), which provides resources and educational opportunities for Harrisburg’s developing leaders who wish to be actively engaged in giving back to their community. For more information on EPP, visit www.tfec.org/epp. The program provides a learning experience spread out over 10 months for emerging leaders in the Harrisburg community. Applications are due by January 14, 2022. Please also help spread the word with the program's flyer by clicking here.

Two new Exhibitions to see The Susquehanna Art Museum (SAM) is hosting "Tradition Interrupted" and "Four Seasons and Seven Vices: Old Master Prints in Series" now through January 23, 2022 which explore contemporary ideas with traditional art & craft making thought provoking images and objects and Renaissance & Baroque Era printmaking highlights, respectively. Plan your visit by clicking here.

Listed Alphabetically by Organization

Diverse Community Leaders Needed  Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region is starting a new program called "Youth Rise: Stand Together." The goal of the program is to connect local kids from diverse communities with caring adults who can share their experiences, guidance, and encouragement. Help today’s youth envision tomorrow’s community! For more information, contact Roe Braddy at rbraddy@capbigs.org or (717) 851-8478.

Help Families Experiencing Homelessness Interested in volunteering to help families experiencing homelessness? Brethren Housing Association (BHA) is need of volunteers to support our Adopt-An-Apartment program by cleaning and furnishing an empty apartment before a new family moves in. BHA is also in need of volunteers to donate cleaning and hygiene supplies, and work groups to assist the BHA Property Manager with renovation projects, maintenance needs, painting, and cleaning. These opportunities are great for church and community groups, families, and corporate team building activities. If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at BHA, visit bha-pa.org or contact BHA Program Director, Marilyn Bellesfield, at mbellesfield@bha-pa.org.

Your Time is a Gift We Need! Your time is a gift! Volunteers at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank produce the equivalent of a meal a minute while helping sort and pack food into boxes for families in need. Individuals or groups up to 30 can safely volunteer in the large, off-site Central Packing Operation with wide space for social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols. Volunteer shifts are available Monday-Saturday and volunteers must be 18 or older. To learn more, and to indicate your interest in volunteering, please visit the Give Time section of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank’s website by Clicking here.

DEE Champions class starting in January Disability Equality Education (DEE) Champions are teachers from across Pennsylvania schools that are selected for a one-on-one mentorship program. The teachers in the program receive professional development before embarking on the program. Then throughout the program there are ongoing monthly mentoring sessions. These mentoring sessions guide the teachers to implement disability in their lessons, events, & conversations with both students and faculty. Champions teach at least one lesson per month from our library of lessons and/or create one of their own with our guidance. Champions actively encourage other teachers in their district to use DEE’s lessons and resources. Interested Pennsylvania teachers should click here to fill out the Google Form.

Short Term Virtual Volunteers Needed We invite you to partner with Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA to deliver our exclusive Becoming Me program, aimed at helping girls develop courage, confidence and character to become their best selves. Have you been wanting to volunteer, but uncertain about your availability or the duration of other volunteer opportunities? Then this is for you! It’s defined and clear. Only 4 hour-long, virtual sessions with girls, and a one hour training. You choose both the training and girl sessions that fit your calendar. Click here for more information.

Mentor HACC Students and Alumni! HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, is excited to announce the launch of a Mentoring Network Program to help students and alumni find mentors for career networking opportunities and gaining first-hand valuable insights for career exploration. For more information and to sign-up as a Mentor Click here! Or, contact Nicole McCartan at nlmccart@hacc.edu.

Your Company can Inspire Local Students! Junior Achievement of South Central PA recently launched a new way to help prepare students for a bright future. JA Inspire Virtual is a virtual career fair targeted to 8th-12th grade students. Students will enter the career fair after completing a career assessment, learning about career clusters and uncovering where they might excel in the working world. This information allows students time to select high school courses that fit within their newly found career interests. Your company can inspire students by sharing cool things about your business and marketing your company to students, educators, parents, and other businesses through JA Inspire. For more information please contact Allison Kierce at akierce@jascpa.org or 717-843-8028.

Volunteer with the Fund for Women & Girls The Fund for Women and Girls was created in 2000 to broaden the awareness of, and respond to, issues affecting women and girls through the power of collective philanthropy. Women and girls around the world are inordinately represented among the poor, uneducated, and abused. Without a focused effort to combat the issues that face them, they will remain among the underserved. The Foundation for Enhancing Community (TFEC's) vision is of a community where they are afforded the right to live in safety, meet their basic needs for living, have the opportunities to pursue their dreams, and are inspired to experience the value of philanthropy. Volunteer opportunities are on the Marketing & Events Committee, Women in Philanthropy Committee, and Fund for Women & Girls Grantmaking Committee. To apply, contact philanthropy@tfec.org. Please also help spread the word with this flyer by clicking here.

Ushers Needed As Live Performance is coming back into full attendance, The Whitaker Center is in need of ushers to help patrons find their seats in the theater for the shows. Watching the show is a (FREE) added perk! To learn more, contact Box Office Manager, Jennifer Paul at 717-724-3849 or jpaul@whitakercenter.org.

You Might be Board Solid, but are you BOARD STRONG? Board Strong is a program of Leadership Harrisburg Area that was made possible through a partnership with The Foundation for Enhancing Communities. This 90 minute video series addresses: the roles & responsibilities of non-profit board members; the financial oversight, fiduciary and compliance responsibilities of non-profit board members; non-profit board members’ role in fundraising; tips for non-profit board member to effectively tell the organization’s story; and tips for engaging high performing board. Anyone who is considering serving on a non-profit board; or who is already serving on a non-profit board will gain valuable insights from the experienced non-profit leaders featured in this video. To begin your certification process, click here.

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The Community Caller is emailed to over 2700 subscribers on a regular schedule every month. The goal of the publication is to match people and resources with service opportunities and missions & programs that benefit the community. Announcements are placed primarily by non profit organizations, educational institutions, and other community organizations. If you would like to include an event or announcement in the next issue, please feel free to contact LHA with detailed information including: Organization Website Contact Name, Phone Number and Email Date of Event Specific Request Description Attach a flyer of the event, if applicable Please send submissions to Leadership Harrisburg Area at LHA@leadershipharrisburg.org or call 717-216-5200. All content is subject to approval by LHA and may be edited for space.

Mission Statement As a resource for businesses, our alumni, and community organizations throughout the Capital Region, Leadership Harrisburg Area teaches servant leadership and effective community service through discussion, demonstration, and experiential practices.  Diversity Statement Leadership Harrisburg Area recognizes and values the diversity inherent in the communities we serve. We commit to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of who we are and what we do.

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