Update 7/18: If you clicked from the newsletter and the link didn’t work — sorry about that! Everything’s working now, and we’re so glad you’re here.
👋🏼 Welcome
Well, Snack Town delivered.
And you showed up, Hanover!
Despite the heat, downtown was buzzing with energy, live music, and the mouthwatering smell of fryers doing the Lord’s work. My family did not hold back. We had pulled pork, boardwalk fries (with vinegar, of course), funnel cake, fried Oreos, cream of crab soup, soft pretzels, and enough whoopie pies to qualify as a lifestyle. The carrot cake one? Unreal.
But my favorite part wasn’t the food. It was the vibe. Everyone showed up for the town we love, sweating through our t-shirts and smiling anyway.
If that doesn’t sum up Hanover in July, I don’t know what does.
🌞 Another Year Around The Sun
On birthdays, belonging, and finally learning to follow through
This week, I turn 39.
Which feels… surreal. Not because I’m getting older (though my back likes to remind me of this fact often), but because I’m finally starting to feel like myself again. Or maybe for the first time.
For a long time, I didn’t.
I’ve spent the last 10 years bouncing between creative ideas like a ping-pong ball. Some burned out in the planning phase. Others never even made it past the “read 87 blog posts and 14 books before I’m ready” stage. A few even got decent traction. I have a YouTube channel with 8,000 subs. But even with those results, I didn’t follow through.
It’s not that I didn’t want to. I burned the midnight oil researching topics, writing scripts, and filming videos. But something always stopped me from crossing the “publish video” finish line.
What was stopping me, you might ask? It was me, myself, and I.
Because deep down, I didn’t trust myself.
I didn’t believe I was capable of success. I had something to say — but I didn’t believe I was worthy of saying it, or consistent enough to keep showing up.
Grief didn’t help. I lost loved ones to the opioid epidemic, as have many of us in this area. But it was so many, so fast.
Grief arrived like an unexpected guest in 2015 and refused to leave.
It started with a friend. Then, just weeks later, my sister-in-law. Then my grandfather. After that, every six months — one, two, sometimes three more. An ex-boyfriend. A friend’s girlfriend. My best friend’s brother. Then my best guy friend.
And in June of 2020, the final blow: my high school art teacher and lifelong mentor.
It was too much for my brain to process. I felt my psyche crack, and I felt helpless to it all.
And while it was all happening, I found myself drifting further from community.
Not on purpose, but in that slow, quiet way disconnection tends to sneak in. I ignored phone calls. I rarely replied to text messages. I stopped going to parties and social gatherings because I was so anxious about who I might lose next.
I wasn’t just worried about people who struggled with addiction — I was afraid of losing everyone. I skipped one of my closest friend’s weddings because I couldn’t stop thinking about how much it would hurt to lose her.
I felt like I was on the edge of a cliff, and one more loss might push me over.
So I reasoned: if I didn’t have anyone to lose, I couldn’t fall off that cliff.
So I went silent. Stopped reaching out, until the invitations stopped coming too.
I removed myself from community, and I lost any and all sense of belonging.
I’m one of the few who made it out of the opioid years alive, and for a long time, that felt like pressure. Like I had to earn the right to still be here. I thought “success” would be proof that I deserved my second chance.
But survival isn’t something you earn.
I made good choices to help me get here, but ultimately, I got lucky when many didn’t. It took me years to accept that — and I struggled as a result.
But this year, I finally chose something different.
I don’t know if you’ve heard of Ash Ambirge, but you need to. She’s a New York Times best-selling author, a sharp-as-hell copywriter, and a big reason Heart of Hanover exists at all.
Earlier this year, she moved back to her small hometown in eastern PA and felt this tug to use her business skills to build something that actually made a difference. Her solution? A local newsletter. And she was offering a course to help others do the same.
Now, I’m a sucker for a good online course (and a recovering sucker for the bad ones), and I’d taken Ash’s writing course back in 2020. It was phenomenal. But when I saw this new one, I knew I couldn’t afford it. Still, the idea hit me like lightning: Heart of Hanover. It just made sense. I knew this town needed something warm and connective, something hopeful.
So I did something I’ve never done before: I emailed Ash.
I sent her a full pitch. Brand deck, mission statement, the works.
And to my absolute shock, she emailed back.
Not just with kind words. With an invitation to join the course for free.
That moment, and this newsletter, mark a major shift for me.
For the first time, I didn’t flake on myself.
I didn’t talk myself out of it, spiral into research mode, or tell myself I wasn’t ready.
I trusted the voice in me that said, this matters.
I showed up for the work. For the stories. For the neighbors I hadn’t met yet. And the more I wrote, the more I realized:
This wasn’t just a creative project.
It was my answer to grief. To disconnection.
It was what I did with the pain I didn’t know where to put.
Ash wrote a recent Substack titled Every Time You Flake on Yourself, Your Brain Takes Notes where she explains that every time we break a promise we made to ourselves, we’re essentially telling our brain that we’re not to be trusted.
And, man, is that a visceral truth I know to my core.
The last 10 years were full of guilt, unbearable pressure, unrealistically high expectations, brilliant ideas — and no follow through.
In that same Substack, she wrote something that stopped me cold:
“If you can’t trust yourself, what do you have?
A limp-spined, paralyzed, pathetic mockery of a life.
It’d be like having to ask your husband what he thinks about everything, because you have no idea.
Imagine, just sitting there like a sad, quiet, withdrawn, washed-up, deflated cartoon version of yourself, wishing you had something to care about.”
She could’ve slapped my name on that and called it a character sketch.
I’ve lived like that for years. I know what it feels like to always be waiting for more time, more clarity, more confidence.
But you don’t build trust by waiting.
You build it by acting.
You don’t get results by planning.
You get them by making a decision and sticking with it, even when it’s messy.
And now?
Eight issues in, I’ve never felt more aligned.
Not because Heart of Hanover is flashy. It’s not.
It’s still in its infancy, but I have big, BIG dreams for what you and I will accomplish together.
It’s gentle, and sincere, and a little dorky. Just like the town I love.
But it’s mine. I show up for it. And in return, it’s showing me that I can follow through.
That I can build something that matters.
One story, one neighbor, one tiny joyful act at a time.
So this birthday, I’m not making a big wish.
I’m just making a quiet promise:
To keep choosing connection over perfection.
To keep writing.
To keep trusting the version of me who finally showed up.
The world is hard.
But so are we. We’re built for connection, meaning, and care.
And sometimes the tiniest gesture (a story, a smile, a shared calendar of events) becomes someone’s reminder that they matter.
Thanks, Ash, for helping me remember that.
And thanks to you, dear reader, for being here and for believing in this little love letter to our town.
❤️ Megan
*This post contains affiliate links to Ash’s book. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🤝🏼This Week’s Volunteer Spotlight
Here are three simple ways to help your neighbors this week.
🍽 Restock the Little Free Pantry
📍 133 N Railroad St, behind Hanover Valley Presbyterian Church
In 2022, studies showed that almost 38% of all food in the United States went unsold or uneaten. If you open your pantry right now, I bet you’ll find a few forgotten cans in the back.
Take a few minutes this week to declutter and reorganize using the FIFO method (FIFO = First In, First Out). Move older items to the front so they get used first, and set aside extras to donate.
The Little Free Pantry is open 24/7 and helps feed neighbors in need. Please make sure we are only stocking it with non-perishable items.
The pantry was constructed by two Hanover Valley members, Jason and Liz, after Mercy Coordinator Sarah Trask introduced the idea to Hanover Valley Presbyterian. Sarah made sure the latch is low enough for wheelchair users and even shared a helpful Summer Donation List, which you can view below.
Recommended Summer Donations
📥 Drop-off is easy. Park nearby, walk to the back of the church, and open the latch on the bottom left-hand side of the pantry. No appointment needed.
🛒 Tip: Many of these items can be picked up affordably at the Dollar Store.
📋 Pantry is located between Guthrie Memorial Library and Royal Farms.
🔗 The Little Free Pantries can be found across the nation. You can even find free resources on their website to build your own!
🚗 Support Open Arms with a Car Wash
Not everyone has extra time or energy to volunteer each week. If that’s you, this is a great way to give back with your wallet and get something useful in return.
Open Arms Recovery Center is selling premium car wash tickets for $10 each. All proceeds go toward supporting the children of their clients.
🎫 $10 (ticket value: $30 Graph-X4 wash)
🗓️ Valid until February 28, 2026
📍 Buy in person at: 300 Frederick St, Suite 3, Hanover
🕐 Monday - Thursday, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM | Friday, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
🧤 Heart of Hanover Trash-Pickup Event
🗓️ Thursday, July 31 (and every last day of the month)
As a kid, I had a habit of picking up trash wherever we went. It drove my mom a little crazy. Now that I’m a mom myself, I get it. I don’t want my sweet boy’s hands smelling like a stinky cigarette butt either. And it’s not always easy to find a trash can nearby (which is probably why it ended up on the ground in the first place).
These days, I come to my walks prepared. I always carry gloves and a bag so I can still clean up…without actually touching the mess.
That’s why our very first community event is something simple and meaningful:
A Town-Wide Trash Pickup Challenge.
Here’s how it works:
Go on a walk anywhere in Hanover
Bring a pair of gloves and a small trash bag
Pick up as much litter as you can
Dispose of it with your household trash
Snap a photo and tag @HeartofHanover or email me at [email protected]
Let’s see how clean we can make our town, one walk at a time.
P.S. Pics or it didn’t happen!
❤️ Local Family in Need After Devastating Fire
A local family recently lost everything in a house fire.
They made it out safely. That’s the good news.
But now they’re starting over from scratch.
If you’re in a position to help, even a little, here’s how you can support them during this incredibly difficult time.
🧺 What You Can Donate
They are in need of basic essentials for three children, as well as clothing and supplies for the adults and their dog.
Urgent Needs:
Size 6 diapers, wipes, juice, and bathing supplies
Blankets, jackets, shoes, socks, and toys
Dog supplies
Kids' Clothing Sizes:
Paisley: 2T–3T
Waylon: 3T–4T
Weston: 4T
Shoe Sizes:
Paisley: Kids size 6
Weston & Waylon: Kids 7.5–8
Mom: Women’s 8–8.5
Ethan: Men’s 13
Adult Clothing Sizes:
Mom: Small–Medium in shirts, jackets, and pants (varies by item)
Ethan: XL–2X shirts, pants 36×34
Drop off:
📍 Jefferson Volunteer Fire Co., 31 Berlin St, Spring Grove
Place donations under the back awning near the double doors
Contact:
Faith Kreiner | 240-446-3322
Grief can feel isolating, but you don’t have to go through it alone.
A new GriefShare session is starting soon at Calvary Bible Church in Hanover. This 14-week support group is open to anyone in the community who has experienced the loss of a loved one and is looking for tools, support, and healing.
📅 Tuesday, July 23 | 🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Calvary Bible Church, 603 Wilson Avenue, Hanover
💵 $20 (covers the cost of the program’s book) | Scholarships available - contact the church
📧 Email: [email protected] | 📞 Phone: 717-632-3954
This group combines video sessions, open discussions, and personal reflection in a welcoming, supportive environment. Whether your grief is recent or lingering, you’re welcome here.
🎡 Is This the End of the Carnival Era?
When I was younger, it felt like there was a carnival every week. I remember going to five, sometimes seven, every summer, especially in high school.
As soon as my son was old enough for the kiddie rides, we took him to the same carnivals I grew up with. The best part? Almost nothing had changed. The Sizzler, The Zipper, The Ferris Wheel, The Carousel — they were all still there.
It wasn’t just the rides either. The whole experience was like stepping into a time machine. The same sounds, the same smells, the same sights.
Carnivals are magic when you're a kid. But I’m starting to wonder if future generations will even get to experience them.
One by one, Hanover-area carnivals have been canceled or scaled back. Hosting a week-long event with rides, games, dinners, live music, and big crowds is a major undertaking. I’m sure the cost-benefit tradeoff just isn’t what it used to be.
It’s a lovely event to attend, but exhausting to organize. I can’t imagine the work it took from volunteer fire departments and their families to run these events for decades.
🎠 What’s Changed
Delone Carnival returned briefly in 2021 after skipping 2020, but hasn’t come back since.
Parkville Carnival is now the Hanover Spring Fest Carnival, run by Apostolic Ministries next to the fire hall. It’s now a 4-day event in June instead of a full week.
New Oxford Carnival (my personal favorite) is no longer a weeklong July tradition. Instead, United Hook & Ladder will host SummerFest on Saturday, August 3 from 4 to 10 PM. Expect wine tasting, live bands, raffles, bounce houses, and fireworks at 9:30 PM.
I used to walk to the New Oxford Carnival as a kid. It always landed on my birthday week. Every year, Big Wheelie & the White Walls would sing me happy birthday while I bombed the hula hoop competition in Mickey Mouse ears. I never won. My cousin always did. But the band kept cheering me on anyway.
🎆 Upcoming Carnivals
Here’s what’s still on the calendar this summer:
🐐 Jefferson Carnival
📍 Spring Grove
🗓️ Wrapping up Saturday, July 19
Established in 1954, this is one of the longest-running carnivals in the region. Fireworks were delayed due to rain but rescheduled and held on July 17.
🏕️ Pleasant Hill Carnival
📍 Hanover
🗓️ July 21 to 26 | 🕡 5 PM to 11:30 PM
Firefighters' Carnival with rides, games, food, cash bingo, raffles, and nightly dinner specials. The kitchen opens by 5 PM and the rides start around 6 PM.
🎯 York Springs Carnival
📍 York Springs
🗓️ July 23 to 26 | 🕡 4 PM to 10 PM
🔗 More info here
Fireworks on Friday, July 25 at 10 PM (rain date July 26). Expect classic games, rides, live music, raffles, bingo, and a big lineup of food vendors.
🍿 Littlestown Carnival
📍 Alpha Fire Co. Grounds, Maple Ave, Littlestown
🗓️ August 4 to 9 | 🕡 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM
🔗 Learn more here
All your favorites are back. Rides, games, nightly kitchen dinners, bingo, concessions, and DJ Wes Morgan. Ride-all-night passes available with a discount on Wednesday.
🐮 Similar (but Bigger) Regional Fairs
🎟️ York State Fair
🗓️ July 18 to 27, 2025
🔗 See entertainment schedule
🎡 South Mountain Fair (Biglerville)
🗓️ July 22 to 26, 2025
🎟️ $8 admission (infants in rear-facing car seats are free)
🎠 Unlimited rides and entertainment included with entry
🔗 More info here
📆 This Week in Hanover
Looking for something local to love this week?
Here’s your day-by-day guide to events that bring us together. Scroll for the highlights, then peek at the full list at the bottom.
🍦 Friday, July 18
National Ice Cream Mystery Flavor Event
🕛 12 PM to 9 PM | 📍 Ripleigh’s Creamery, Hanover
Kick off National Ice Cream Day weekend with a sweet challenge. Sample Ripleigh’s mystery flavor, write down your best guess, and you could win a prize. It’s a fun, flavorful way to beat the heat and test your taste buds.
🎟 Free to participate
📚 Saturday, July 19
Drag Storytime at Little Fox
🕥 10:30 AM | 📍 Little Fox Coffee & Books, 125 Broadway, Hanover
Join two fabulous drag queens for an all-ages storytime filled with books, songs, and sparkles. This cozy event is all about celebrating creativity, imagination, and the joy of reading. It’s also a great chance for parents and caregivers to connect while little ones enjoy the magic of storytime.
☕ Come early to grab a coffee or hot cocoa!
🛍️ Sunday, July 20
Sunday Funday Thrifting & BBQ
🕗 8 AM to 5 PM | 📍 525 York St., Hanover
Spend your Sunday treasure-hunting at this all-day community thrift and BBQ event. Browse deals, discover secondhand gems, and grab some tasty eats while you're at it. Perfect for bargain lovers and grill enthusiasts alike.
🎟 Free to attend
👶 Monday, July 21
Baby Story Time with Miss Kelly
🕥 10:15 AM to 10:45 AM | 📍 Guthrie Memorial Library, Children’s Program Room, Hanover
Join Miss Kelly for a cozy morning of stories, songs, and social time designed just for little ones ages birth to 2. Build early learning skills while connecting with other families in a relaxed, welcoming space.
🎟 Free to attend
📖 Tuesday, July 22
Story Time at Penn Township Community Park
🕙 10 AM to 10:45 AM | 📍 Penn Township Community Park, Hanover
Join Miss Kelly for a morning of stories, songs, and outdoor fun under the pavilion. After story time, families are encouraged to stick around and play at Kids Kingdom. Perfect for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary ages.
🎟 Free to attend
🐾 Wednesday, July 23
Witchcraft Wednesday: Pet Magic & Blessing Ceremony
🕕 6 PM to 7 PM | 📍 The Serpent’s Key, 28 Carlisle St., Hanover
Join The Serpent’s Key for a whimsical evening focused on pet magic and spiritual connection. Bring your well-behaved four-legged friends for a lighthearted discussion and a special pet blessing ceremony.
🎟 Free to attend
🔮 Thursday, July 24
Cards & Coffee at Little Fox
🕕 6 PM to 8 PM | 📍 Little Fox Coffee & Books, 125 Broadway, Hanover
Sip something cozy and get a tarot reading from Hanover’s most notorious fortune teller, Beck Ravenswood of The Serpent’s Key. This laid-back evening offers the “Cosmic Check-In” spread and a pay-what-you-can approach, so everyone is welcome to participate.
🎟 No tickets needed — first come, first served
🌺 Friday, July 25
Teen Night Out: Luau Edition
🕖 7 PM to 9 PM | 📍 YWCA Hanover, 23 W Chestnut St., Hanover
Hosted by YWCA Hanover’s Youth Leadership Council, this free luau-themed event is open to all teens in grades 7 through 12. Expect creative crafts, DIY projects, open gym time, snacks, and thoughtful conversations about healthy relationships and dating safety.
🎟 Free for teens | Register here
📞 Questions? Contact Nanci Mart at 717-637-2125 or [email protected]
✨ Saturday, July 26
Dinner at the Night Court
🕕 6 PM to 9 PM | 📍 The Serpent's Key, 28 Carlisle St., Hanover
Step into the world of A Court of Thorns and Roses for a magical evening inspired by the Night Court. Dress as your favorite Sarah J. Maas character, explore Feyre’s Art Studio, and dance among fae folk under the stars. Dinner is included, with vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available.
🅿️ Park in Lot #4 — it's free after 6 PM
🐢 Sunday, July 27
Turtle Time! at Codorus State Park
🕙 10 AM to 11 AM | 📍 Sailboat Launch, 2600 Smith Station Rd, Hanover
Stop by the Sailboat Launch to meet some of the turtles that call Codorus home. Bring your binoculars, ask questions, and enjoy a quiet morning with these fascinating local reptiles.
🎟 Free to attend
👀 Also Happening Around Town
(Still good. Still local.)
🍨 National Ice Cream Day at Half Pint
July 20 • Starts at 8 AM • All Half Pint locations🦎 Gettysburg Reptile Expo
July 19 • 9 AM to 4 PM • Allstar Sports Complex🕯️ Bring Your Own Vessel Candle Day
July 20 • 11 AM to 5 PM • Cultivated Essentials Co.🚐 PA RV SuperShow
July 25 to 27 • Starts at 9 AM • Camping World, Hanover🎄 Christmas in July Craft Fair
July 26 • 9 AM to 2 PM • Ghouls & Grinds, Hanover💆♀️ Chair Massage & Reiki Pop-Up
July 26 • 10 AM to 6 PM • The Serpent’s Key🐶 Dog Adoption Event
July 26 • 11 AM to 1 PM • Nature’s Pet Place, Hanover🌸 Creekside Bloom Festival
July 26 • 10 AM to 3 PM • Creekside Farm Market, East Berlin💎 Wicked Girls Night
July 26 • 4 PM to 8 PM • Wicked Gems Boutique, Hanover🎤 Open Mic Night at Little Fox
July 19 • 5:30 PM to 8 PM • 125 Broadway, Hanover
🎓 Good Neighbor
Submitted by Diane Corbin Dubé
“And of course, there’s Barb Rupp. A stellar member of this community. She may be retired from her role as superintendent, but she is definitely not retired from being an active and engaged presence in Hanover.” We see you, Barb. Your dedication to our town hasn’t skipped a beat, and we’re lucky to have you leading the way — even in retirement.
Is there anyone in your life that deserves a special shout out? Email me at [email protected] and I’ll share your message in an upcoming issue.
💌 Little Letters
This week’s newsletter has me thinking a lot about how invisible grief can be. About how many people we pass in a day who are quietly carrying something heavy. A loss. A fear. A wave of exhaustion that hasn’t let up in weeks.
It reminded me that some of the hardest moments in my life were the ones no one could see. I smiled quietly at work while feeling anything but peaceful or happy. I declined invitations not because I didn’t care, but because I didn’t want anyone to see me. I wasn’t ready to share my heavy emotions with others, and that created distance between me and the people I loved. That distance became just another reminder of how much it would hurt to lose them. The cycle is vicious.
Grief doesn’t wear a name tag. Most of the time, neither does anxiety, loneliness, or depression. But kindness always shows up loud and clear.
So here’s this week’s Little Letter. A note to tuck in your heart and carry with you:
Be gentle with strangers.
Most of us are carrying heartaches no one can see.
Your kindness might be the only softness someone experiences today.
Feel free to save this graphic. Use it as your wallpaper or share it on social media. Whatever works best for you.
Let’s keep making this town a softer place to land.
We never know what someone is carrying.
Kindness might be the only softness they feel today.
💛 Save it. Share it. Let it guide you.
👋🏼Until Next Time…
Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom.
Whether you’re here for the event listings, the stories, the volunteer ideas, or just to feel a little more connected to the town you call home, I’m so glad you’re here.
This newsletter is a labor of love, and it only works because people like you keep showing up, sharing it, and helping it grow.
If something in this issue resonated with you, send it to a friend. Post it in a group chat. Print it out and tape it to a fridge. Real connection happens when we talk to each other about the things that matter. So let’s keep talking.
And as always, if you have an idea for a Little Letter (like a drawing or love letter to Hanover), an upcoming event, or a kind little letter you’d like to share, reply to this email or reach out at [email protected]. I'd love to include it.
Until then, take care of yourself. Take care of each other.
❤️ Megan
P.S. I included affiliate links to Ash Ambirge’s book in this issue. That means if you click and decide to purchase, I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. I only share things I genuinely love and believe in. Ash’s work has deeply influenced me, and I’m grateful to pass it along.