No Sour Grapes: Wine Tour Recap

With my bus co-leader, Heather!

I love teaming up with friends for great causes! On Saturday Heather Masser and I led a winery bus tour to benefit Isaiah 61 homeless ministries. With a group of 20 friends, we traveled in a chartered bus to four Central PA wineries. Although the bus ride was a little toasty (our air-conditioning gave out after the first stop), the vineyards were breathtaking and the wine was delicious! Here's a recap of our day...

Hunters Valley Winery

HUNTERS VALLEY WINERY (Liverpool, PA) - They were our first stop of the day, and were so hospitable! They welcomed us with cheese and crackers, pretzels, and cookies. In a crock-pot they had warm samples of their COUNTRY SPICE wine waiting for us (I couldn't help but start thinking of the holidays)! My favorite wine was MIST IN THE VALLEY - a sparking red! They also generously donated 10% of our purchases to Isaiah 61.

Spyglass Ridge Winery

SPYGLASS RIDGE WINERY (Sunbury, PA) - I always love visiting Spyglass! The owner, Tom, spent a full hour telling us about the winery, the wines, and the fun events they have planned like the annual Celtic Festival and concert series. His passion for the winery is clear, and we learned so much from him. 2015 is going to be a big year for Spyglass as they plan to add a brick oven and begin distilling VODKA. We'll definitely be back to sample both next year!

SKEETER'S BBQ PIT (Shamokin Dam, PA) - Lunch time! We found a great spot overlooking the river that served pulled pork, pulled chicken, and homemade cornbread. A casual mid-day stop with a great view!

Benigna's Creek Winery

BENIGNA'S CREEK WINERY (Klingerstown, PA) - Even though she was sick that day, Jennifer (the events coordinator), was so nice! She took the time to give us a full tour of the winery and explained every step of their winemaking process. It truly made me appreciate the time and labor that it takes to produce a bottle of wine. From handpicking each bunch of grapes to bottling the wine for sale - the process is a lot of work (but the end results are certainly worth it)!

ARMSTRONG VALLEY WINERY (Halifax, PA) - Our final stop was right in my hometown! We started out in the tasting room where we all loved their CHA CHA (a carbonated white) mixed with their CRANBERRY wine. So good! I also picked up a few bottles of my favorite: their semi-dry RUTTER RED. Afterward we took a hayride through the vineyard! Midway through, they stopped the tractor and we were given the opportunity to taste grapes straight off the vine. So flavorful!

And at the end of the day, we had something even sweeter than wine to enjoy... our amazing group raised $275 for ISAIAH 61's homeless ministry. The money will help to provide warm and nutritious meals for many that are homeless in Dauphin County! Let's raise our glasses to that!

Our beautiful group! Thanks for a great day!

Catching Up With Coworkers

Kate showing me the ropes!

Two weeks ago I was sitting with Kate Savidge, Central Penn College's Enrollment Events Specialist (now account executive for Tanner Furniture). It was her last day, and I was getting a crash course on what would soon be my new role at the College!

As we went over event planning processes, student worker schedules, and student store inventory, we put one important date on our calendar - a happy hour to recap on the first few weeks in our new roles!

We met Friday night at Lancaster Brewing Company to fulfill that promise. And we found out it had been a busy two weeks for us both! Kate was getting to know her awesome new team and working with her first official clients. I was having fun getting to know our student workers (who have renamed themselves JARS - Junior Admissions Reps) and prepping for my first big event - Discovery Day.

As Kate and I talked at the bar, I began to notice a few other familiar faces in the room. As it turned out, one of my former employers, JPL Creative, was having a farewell party for Jeannie Kollar-Harvey, who has called JPL her professional home for the past eight years.

A few of my favorite faces from JPL. Jeannie is in the center in pink!

I was only at JPL for a short time, but it still felt great to see the people that made my time there so meaningful. There's nothing like catching up with old friends like Jeannie, WB, Kdog, Laura, Jill, Michael, Zen, AJ, Jason, Katy, and more; seeing updated pictures of kiddos now six years older (and A LOT taller); hearing about engagements, weddings, and milestones; and planning future opportunities to connect (Yep, I'm expecting to see ALL of you in one of my Zumba classes)!

And I thought it was super cool that two very different moments in my life seemed to intersect so randomly. But is life ever really random?

I walked to my car that night and I realized two things: 

(1.) I have had the opportunity to work with some really cool people! At JPL I was continually inspired by the talent and creativity surrounding me. I had never really considered myself to be a "creative" person, so most of the time I was absolutely awestruck by what they were doing! And although I'm still not a self-identified "creative" person, the team at JPL did help to strengthen that side of me. I'd like to say that a little of that JPL spirit rubbed off on me before I left!

(2.) Those cool people don't stop at the doors of JPL. I've been blessed to work with some amazing talent at Cumulus Media, the American Cancer Society, HACC, and now Central Penn College - and they've helped to teach me, too. At every stop on my professional journey, I've walked away with new skills and experiences to make me better!

As I begin my new job as Enrollment Events Coordinator at Central Penn, I'm excited to think about the new ways I'll learn and grow. Who will I connect with? What challenges will I have? What new strengths will I develop? I can't wait to find out!

To Jeannie: Congratulations!! I'm so glad I could share in your evening, and I wish you the best in your new position! Looking forward to seeing you at Zumba class! :)

To Kate: We are two weeks in! Woo hoo! Thanks for the many ways you have helped me to prepare me for this position. I'm looking forward to our next happy hour recap!

To YOU: What new skills are you learning at your job that you are excited about? Share them in the comments below!

Moving Past Mistakes

Help For The Homeless Dinner 2010
One of my favorite student-led events!

Working in higher ed, I've been blessed to play a small role in the lives of some AMAZING, AWE-INSPIRING STUDENTS. I tell them I need to start an autograph wall to get their signatures now (while I can still afford them)! They are all destined for GREAT THINGS!

As student affairs practitioners, I think we are innately wired to see the limitless potential in our students. No matter where they are, we challenge them to GO FURTHER. And it's very cool to watch them become leaders on their campus (and eventually in their communities).

Recently one of my former students was accused of making a mistake - a BIG one. And I've been reading some pretty awful statements on social media. This particular student definitely was one for the autograph wall - a natural leader, organized, determined. In the short time that I knew him he certainly affected his campus and his community for the better. And then, THE MISTAKE. In an instant, the many positive conversations that were once surrounding this student turned negative.

As humans, we are messy, fallible, and imperfect. We fall short again, and again (and again). And very rarely is it because we are bad people. Nope - it's just not that cut and dry. Think of a mistake that you've made or something you've done that has hurt someone else (and yes, we ALL have something). Now consider why you made the decision you did. How have you changed from that mistake? What have you learned?

Don't get me wrong. We should be held accountable for our mistakes. And if guilty, this student will face the ramifications of his actions for the rest of his life. But I refuse to believe that he is any less than he once was. That limitless potential? IT'S STILL THERE. 

Whether guilty or innocent, I'm still keeping his autograph on my wall. He's still learning. We all are. And that means that THIS STORY ISN'T OVER. For this student, and for all of us: We make mistakes, but mistakes don't make us. Let's not allow our mistakes to define us. Instead let's reach into our limitless potential, turn things around, and get back to doing those GREAT THINGS we are destined for!

To this particular student: I'm still cheering for you.

#studentaffairs #highered #studentlife #potential

Mile 11 and Mary Kay

The difference between try and triumph is a little umph. 

~Author Unknown

On Sunday morning Shawna and I met on City Island to run the Harrisburg Half Marathon, a beautiful 13.1 mile course along the Susquehanna River. I'll be honest - we did NOT train well for this one. Yeah, we would get a long run in most weeks, but our longest distance before the race was just under nine miles. Yet there we were (along with close to 1,000 other runners) heading toward a distant finish line.

We started strong using the time to gab (as normal)! We were excited to see friends and family cheering for us along the route (Thanks Bob, Alex, Chrystal, Vincent, Rebecca, Danielle, Jodi, Nate, and all who came out)! But around mile 11 we hit a long stretch of silent pavement - no homemade signs to distract us, no people cheering - and we began to get TIRED.

Mary Kay Ash, the brilliant entrepreneur behind Mary Kay skincare and cosmetics often quoted E. H. Harriman when she said, "Much good work is lost for the lack of a little more." Could it be that our dreams are within our reach if we only give just a little bit more?

Mary Kay gives the example of height. Let's say you have a man of average height (5'8'). If you take away 10% (a small amount, right?), he is now just over five feet. If you add 10%,  he's (as Mary Kay would say) "A GIANT."

Now let's think of our own lives. What difference would 10% make for us and our goals? What could we accomplish by giving just a little bit more?

When Shawna and I hit mile 11, we couldn't see the finish line. We were tired, and it would have been so easy to congratulate ourselves on what we had done and just stop there. BUT - all we had to do was give a little bit more and we could cross the finish line!

And so it is with so many of our goals. We get to a certain point and say "good enough." But let's not stop there! It's that final 10% - that final two miles - that can take us from "good enough" to GREAT. The finish line is right around the corner just waiting for us to arrive! 

What goal are you working toward? Where could an extra 10% take you? 

Yo, Adrienne!: Cunniff Edition

“We'll be Friends Forever, won't we, Pooh?' asked Piglet.

Even longer,' Pooh answered.” 

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Where it all began! Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region. 

When we meet someone new, we don't know where that connection will lead or how our lives might change. It could be the new student in our Zumba class, the person that sits next to us at the staff meeting, or a fellow volunteer. But one thing is certain... we will never be the same from that point forward. 

In 2006 I applied to be a Big Sister through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. I was matched with a very tall 12-year-old "Little" named Vicky (who was probably a foot higher than me since the day I met her)! She was smart, creative, and talented! Together we would throw birthday parties for my dog, make cupcakes for the band's bake sale, and talk about the Harry Potter books (which I read just for her)!

Vicky's sister, Jessica, was also in the program and was matched to a Big named Nicki. Nicki came from Iowa and had endless optimism and a huge heart - she's impossible not to love! As a foursome, we'd take our Littles to corn mazes and bowling outings.

It wasn't long before our Big/Little adventures expanded to include my husband (Shawn) and Nicki's boyfriend (Andrew).  We went to football games at the high school (and later Kutztown U), weekend trips to Lake Raystown, dinners at Chili's, adventures at the Farm Show, and more - We created an extended Big Brothers Big Sisters family!

Celebrating with Mr. and Mrs. Cunniff!

This past weekend, we gathered again for a very special occasion. Nicki and Andrew got married! It's funny how people "randomly" come into your life. Without BBBS, we would have never met Nicki and Andrew. Yet in the few years that we've know them, they have become amazing friends.

On our best days, we shared laughs and snapchats over margaritas. On our worst days, they were cutting the line at Perry's funeral to give us hugs when we needed them most (a gesture I will never forget).

There is an old poem that says that people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. On Saturday we watched two friends become husband and wife. Of course we're claiming the Cunniff's for the "lifetime" category, but we know they've already impacted us for forever.

To the newlyweds: Nicki and Andrew, CONGRATULATIONS! You were made for each other, and it meant so much to share in your best day ever! We are wishing you a beautiful life together (and we can't wait to visit you in New York)!

Who has touched your life in an unexpected way? Share it here - Then share your comment with them! 

Trash Pickup on the Puggy Thoman Highway

Celebrating 34!

On August 28th, I celebrated my 34th birthday! There are definitely a few things that I LOVE about birthdays...

1. BIRTHDAY CAKE. Yep, undeniably my favorite food. And I love that my birthday gives me an(other) excuse to get dessert! My sister-in-law even found the perfect candy (Hello BIRTHDAY CAKE M&M's)! Rita, you know me so well!

2. WISHES. Who needs candles in a cake?  I had to smile when one of my students broke out his Zippo lighter in my office at Central Penn College. He turned it into a pseudo-candle to wish me a happy birthday. Very memorable, Zach!

I also blew out a candle stuck in sticky rice and mango during my birthday dinner at Thai Palace (Thanks Shawn, Kimm and Jason, Blair and Jeremy, and Scott and Diane)! An awesome evening of food, wine, laughter, and stories!

3. GIFTS. Ok - I know that sounds awful, but keep reading! On Thursday night I joined the Halifax Hotties (my incredible rockstar Zumba students) at an AWESOME '80's ZUMBA BIRTHDAY PARTY! We rocked our jelly bracelets and leg warmers and danced to The Donnas, Paula Abdul, and Madonna. And at the end of class, the Hotties gave me an amazing birthday gift - $173 for the ALS Association in memory of my brother-in-law, Perry (who also shares my birthday). I know their generous gift is going to help find a treatment (and eventually a cure) for ALS. I can't think of a better gift than that. 

FAMILY & FRIENDS. Whether at Thai Palace with friends, dancing with my Zumba divas, or watching Ghostbusters (one of my favorite movies) at the theater with Shawn, spending time with friends and family tops my list of things that I LOVE about birthdays. And although I didn't get to see all of you in person, please know that every text, Facebook post, card, treat, or birthday wish made this year truly memorable! Thanks to all of you for making my 34th so special! 

#teamperry #zumbalove #birthdaycakeaddict