A Very Hanover Fourth

Across the country, a lot of folks are feeling discouraged. There’s more noise, more fear, and more division.

Lately, the news feels like a gut punch. Watching politicians describe the same bill in wildly different ways — with vastly different expectations — leaves me feeling confused and unsteady.

It feels like the systems we’re supposed to trust are moving in the wrong direction.
Like they’ve stopped working for the people.
Like division is part of the design.

Because the truth is, we’re strongest when we come together for the common good.
But when is the last time you heard a politician talk about common ground?

I’ve heard more than a few folks say they don’t feel like celebrating the Fourth of July this year.

That makes me sad, but I get it.

It’s hard to wave a flag when you know your neighbors are about to lose access to health care or financial assistance. It’s hard to feel proud when the people in charge seem more interested in arguing than solving problems.

But I want to remind you:
Patriotism doesn’t disappear when things get hard. It shows up.

It volunteers.
It checks in.
It shares resources.
It gathers with purpose and care.
It looks around and asks, What can I do, right here, with what I have?

Because no matter what happens in Washington, our community still matters. And the people in it are still worth showing up for.

You have more power than you think.

You can help build the future you believe in - not by winning arguments, but by taking action.
By connecting with others.
By being of service.
By listening more deeply, and looking for common ground.

It’s okay to disagree. In fact, it’s good to disagree.
That’s how we learn. That’s how we build a world that’s more inclusive for everyone.

So if you’re feeling disillusioned, I hope you’ll stay connected - not just online, but here. With your neighbors. Your local nonprofits. Your schools. Your block.

The work of building something better starts small.
It starts local.
It starts with us.

And what better way to start than by celebrating the 4th of July with your friends and loved ones?
This is the perfect time to reach out and connect with your neighbors.
Turn your family party into a block party.

I believe in you, Hanover.

XoXo — M

Friday, July 4 | 9 AM to 6 PM
📍 Hanover VFW Post 2506, 19 McKinley Ave, Hanover

Celebrate the Fourth with food, friends, and hometown camaraderie at the Hanover VFW. Doors open at 9 AM with limited breakfast available until 11. Stick around for steak and seafood specials, plus the full menu from 11 to 4:45. The kitchen closes at 5, and the bar wraps up at 6.

Friday, July 4 | 10 AM to 2 PM
📍 1155 Carlisle St, Hanover
💵 Vehicle registration is $20 at the gate | Free for spectators

Start your Fourth of July with engines, heart, and hometown spirit. This all-wheels-welcome car show honors the memory of Dillon Myers, with 100% of proceeds supporting scholarships for students pursuing careers in the trades.

Expect classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, tractors, Power Wheels, big rigs, and anything that rolls. Food and snowball trucks will be on site.

Friday, July 4 | 5 PM to 8:30 PM
📍 Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 300 Eisenhower Dr, Hanover
💵 Free and open to the public

Celebrate Independence Day with an evening of games, crafts, and sweet treats at Perkins. It’s their monthly First Friday Kids Night, but with extra sparkle. Stick around after the fun to catch the fireworks nearby at dusk.

Friday, July 4 | 9:30 PM | Rain date: Saturday, July 5 at 9:30 PM.
📍 Behind Lowe’s, Wilson Ave, Hanover
💵 Free

Hanover’s fireworks are a local favorite for good reason. Bring a chair, grab a parking spot, and enjoy the show from nearby shopping centers along Wilson Avenue and Eisenhower Drive. Streets in the area will close during the display, so plan to arrive early.

Saturday, July 12 | 8 AM to 4 PM
📍 Downtown Hanover
💵 Free to attend

Snack Town is back and more delicious than ever.

Hosted by the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce and UTZ Brands, this beloved street fair is now in its fifth year. Expect local vendors, handmade crafts, food trucks, bounce houses, face painting, activities for the kids, and cold drinks and live music in Brewers’ Alley. Even the historic Neas House will be open for free guided tours.

But that’s not all. Snack Town is also your soundtrack to summer.

Two live music stages will keep the party going all day long, featuring everything from Americana and blues to vintage country and rock energy. Whether you’re dancing in Center Square or sipping a beer in Brewers’ Alley, the vibe is pure hometown magic.

Music runs through 4 PM, but the memories will last a whole lot longer. Bring a chair, bring a friend, and come spend the day downtown. You won’t leave hungry - or bored!

🐶 Pets must stay home unless they’re ADA service animals.

📍 Parking: Free parking available in municipal lots. Mobile pay options also available. Visit mainstreethanover.org/park for a full map.

🔗 Learn more at snacktownstreetfair.com

Exciting news! I’m in the process of launching the Heart of Hanover Community Calendar. An extensive list of local happenings you can browse at a glance or sync directly to your phone.

From local classes and fruit festivals to kid-friendly craft days and history tours. If it’s happening in or around Hanover, it’s probably on there.

📆 Add individual events to your personal calendar

📲 Or subscribe to the whole shebang so you never miss a local gem

It’s free to explore for now, but just a heads-up: curating this calendar each week is a real labor of love, and the software isn’t free either. Soon, it will become a members-only perk to help keep this newsletter going strong and community-powered. But, more on that later!

As of right now I’ve built the website and integrated the calendar. The next steps are to migrate my long list of events into the calendar for your viewing pleasure, and I’m hoping to have it up and running later this month.

👉 Click here to explore the calendar in it's early stages

(Or forward this to a friend who’s always asking, “Anything fun happening this weekend?”)

If you were born in the United States, you’ve held one of the most powerful privileges in the world since the day you took your first breath: American citizenship.

No paperwork.
No interviews.
No tests.
No risk.

You didn’t have to earn it. You just had it. And if you’re anything like me, you probably never thought much about that.

That kind of luck is easy to overlook.

When something is handed to you at birth, it’s easy to assume it’s normal. It’s easy to forget.

Meanwhile, millions of people are trying desperately to get the thing you’ve always had. Not because America is perfect. But because, for many, it still represents possibility.

A few years ago, I watched a character on Jane the Virgin go through the naturalization process. The premise was that she’d lived in the U.S. for 40 years without papers before starting the naturalization process.

I watched her nervously prepare for her English and civics tests.
She studied like her future depended on it.
Because it did.

It made me wonder about myself.
Would I even pass that test?

So I took a version of the USCIS civics practice test. And...

Let’s just say I passed, but barely.

I scored somewhere between 50–60%.
That was a few years ago. I retook the test while writing this, and I’m happy to report my score has improved…slightly.
This time I landed around 70–80%. (Thanks in large part to my third grader’s social studies homework.)

The civics portion of the test includes 100 potential questions.
Immigrants on the path to citizenship are asked 10.
They must get 6 right to pass.

Sure, I passed the practice test. But any hope I had of passing the civics test went out the window when I looked over the full list of 100 questions.

There was so much I couldn’t answer.
Even more that I should know but didn’t.

Embarrassing? A little.
Eye-opening? Absolutely.
And I’m willing to bet most natural-born citizens would be in the same boat.

How well do you think you would do?

Being born here is not a badge of superiority.
It’s a stroke of luck.

So if you’ve got citizenship? Use it.

Not just to complain.
Not just to post your opinions on Facebook.
But to show up. To pay attention. To give a damn.

Know what you’ve got, and honor it by showing up for your little slice of the country.

You want to love America? Cool. Start local.

Help a neighbor.
Mentor someone.
Vote in the local elections.
Be someone who leaves this place better than you found it.

Citizenship isn’t a status. It’s an invitation.

To participate.
To care.
To show up and speak up - especially when it matters most.

That’s what it means to be a patriot. No fireworks required.

Take the civics test here → uscis.gov/citizenship/civics-practice-test-2008

👀 Spoiler: It’s harder than you think.

P.S. Want a real challenge? Search for the full list of 100 questions. Be prepared to be humbled.

Because no one wants to spend the holiday in urgent care.

The Fourth is all fun and games until someone gets a second-degree burn or food poisoning. Here’s your friendly reminder to celebrate smart and keep the good times rolling without a surprise trip to the ER.

Leave the big stuff to the pros. If you must DIY, keep a bucket of water or hose nearby, light one at a time, and never relight a dud.

They look innocent, but they burn at 1,200°F. Stick to one at a time, keep them away from little fingers, and ditch them in a bucket when done.

Check for gas leaks, keep the grill clean, and never walk away while it’s on. Also: no grilling under porches or near anything flammable. You know who you are.

If it’s been sitting out for more than two hours (or one hour in the heat), it’s time to let it go. Don’t play roulette with potato salad.

Designate a water watcher. Don’t assume someone else is paying attention. If kids are in the water, adults should be too — phones down, eyes up.

TL;DR: Celebrate with joy, not reckless abandon. Your party doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to be safe.

This DIY ice cream experiment is equal parts fun and delicious. It’s a hands-on way to cool down and learn a little kitchen chemistry along the way.

The salt makes the ice melt faster and colder, absorbing heat from the cream mixture and turning it into ice cream magic.

Submitted by Whitney Poole Mauriello

“Shout-out to the gentleman working the South Hanover McDonald’s drive-thru on Monday night! He was genuinely happy, smiling, offered great customer service, and wished us a great night. He even chatted with my boys in their uniforms. ‘Hope you won tonight,’ he said, and you could tell he meant it. It wasn’t your usual drive-thru experience. It was such a pleasant surprise. I keep meaning to contact McDonald’s because he deserves to be recognized!” A kind word and a smile go a long way, especially when they come from the drive-thru window. Thank you for making a regular Monday night feel a little more special.

This week’s Little Letters graphic features the phrase: “Connection is resistance.”

I created it in Canva after sitting with all the emotions stirred up by the news, the division, and the uncertainty so many of us are feeling right now.

For a long time, I felt powerless.

But building this newsletter and this community has changed that.

I don’t feel helpless anymore. I feel like I have a purpose.

And this is it.

Every story we tell, every event we share, every neighbor we celebrate - it all helps stitch something stronger together. A sense of belonging. A sense of care. A reminder that we are not alone.

Heart of Hanover isn’t just about what's happening in town. It’s about who we are when we show up for each other.

Thank you for being part of it.

If this week has left you feeling a little off balance, I hope this newsletter helped bring you back to center. Or, at the very least, closer to your community.

There’s still good happening in Hanover.
Still people who care.
Still reasons to show up and be proud of where we live.

Thanks for being part of that.
Thanks for reading.
And thanks for giving a damn.

Enjoy your Fourth - whatever that looks like for you.
Rest when you need to.
Reach out when you can.

I’ll be back soon with more local stories, events, and heart.

— M