YWCA Observes 
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
The YWCA of Greater Harrisburg will mark Sexual Assault Awareness Month (held in April), with two community events.

On Saturday, April 8, the YWCA will host "Many Voices-One Message-End Sexual Violence" at Reservoir Park in Harrisburg. This community-wide event to raise awareness about sexual violence will be held from noon to 5:00 p.m. and will feature music, children’s activities, a poster contest, a t-shirt art contest, free refreshments, and other various entertainment.

On Thursday, April 27, from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. "Honoring the Many Voices-Ending Sexual Violence" will focus on honoring survivors who are dedicated to putting a stop to sexual violence. Children, teens and adults affected by sexual violence, will share their experiences in an effort to educate the public about this ongoing and tragic plight our community faces everyday.

Both events are free and open to the public. For further information on either event, or if you are interested in lending your support, please contact Judy Tate at 238-7273, ext. 3002.

Smilek Announces
Candidacy For 15th Senatorial District
Democrat D. Ann Smilek has announced her candidacy for the 15th Senatorial District, which covers all of Dauphin County.

Smilek is the East Hanover Township Auditor and served in the Pennsylvania Treasury Department for more than 30 years. Smilek began as a bookkeeper at Treasury and finished her service as General Audit Supervisor.

"My intent is to focus on issues that affect all working families such as tax relief and education," Smilek said. "I understand the district, its constituents and the issues that are most important to them."

Smilek said she supports a plan sponsored by Senate Democrats that would return a portion of the state’s surplus to homeowners in times of economic prosperity. Smilek said the HomeSTAR program would return half of the state’s surplus to the school districts when it is above one percent.

"This provides meaningful tax relief to homeowners and seniors who are getting squeezed already," she said. "It’s a question of fairness to working families."

Smilek also said she supports smaller classes, full-time kindergarten and alternative educational programs for disruptive students.

"Our children need as much one-on-one interaction with teachers as possible," said Smilek. "Smaller classes give our children an opportunity to learn more and receive the proper attention they need to succeed."

Smilek is a member of the Grantville Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary, the Lawton American Legion Auxiliary and the Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary. She is also a former chief steward of AFSCME Local 972.

Smilek attended Messiah College and Harrisburg Area Community College.

"That Having Been Said …" 
Featured at Whitaker Center
Whitaker Center For Science and the Arts announces featured artists for its Visual Arts Show now through April 14. The artists include: Frances Donnelly Wolf, Kurt K. Hermann, Michael P. Seeber, Ellen Slupe, and Otto Tomasch.

The Visual Arts Show titled "That Having Been Said …" is the third exhibit in an ongoing series developed by Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. It is a collection of 23 paintings and drawings with media ranging from oil, acrylic, burlap, rag paper, tar, stones, wood, and nails. The exhibits accent the extensive wall that gently curves through the AMP Grand Lobby in Whitaker Center from Market Street to Strawberry Arcade.

The show ranges from black and white, to a multi-layered palette of colors. Each artist has brought to the public their innermost thoughts and feelings on life and issues. The show is about the artist as an individual, what their true feelings are, and how they choose to express them. No one has told them how to feel, or what to think of when they are doing these pieces. There is no theme, no rules and no guidelines to uphold. This exhibit is about the individual.

The exhibit title, "That Having Been Said …" represents an artist trying to explain the emotions, feelings, symbolism, and questions that are asked about art. They try to explain it, but finish with, "That having been said, go, look at the art, how does it make you feel, what do you see, learn from it, experience it, see what happens.

U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky
Attention poetry lovers: Robert Pinsky, U.S. Poet Laureate, will be at Messiah College’s Hostetter Chapel on Wednesday, April 5, at 8 p.m. for a reading and book signing.

Pinsky was born in Long Branch, NJ in 1940. He earned his B.A. from Rutgers University his Ph.D. from Stanford in 1966. Both poet and critic, he is also a champion of spoken word poetry. He is quoted as saying, "Poetry is a vocal, which is to say a bodily, art." He believes that "the poet feels a need to answer and a promise to respond."

Pinsky is the author of several books of poetry including Sadness and Happiness and The Figured Wheel. He has also authored several books on the modern age of poetry, including The Sounds of Poetry and The Situation of Poetry. In 1994, he published a respected translation of Dante’s Inferno.

Pinsky was named Poet Laureate of the U.S. in 1997 and has served an unprecedented three terms as the highest bard in the land. He now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts and teaches at Boston University.

An Evening With The Rat Pack
On April 15, the city of Harrisburg’s Parks Partnership will bring Sinatra back to life — all in an effort to refurbish the city’s Sunshine Park. To be held at The Civic Club in Harrisburg, funds from the Rat Pack-themed cocktail party will be used to install playground apparatus, a ground cover, and border ties at the Herr Street Park.

In addition to a full open bar and Hors d’oeuvres, the event will feature an evening of great live music from Cathy Chemi and Steve Rudolph and special appearances by North Miami Beach Dean Martin stylist Fred O’Donohue.

An Evening With The Rat Pack will swing into action April 15 from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. at the Civic Club in downtown Harrisburg. Ticket prices are $75 for supporters and $100 for patrons.