Where Democracy Lives, Art Heals, and Hanover Shows Up

🎨 Meet the artist painting Hanover’s bell for PA’s 250th
💜 Resilience: Domestic Violence Awareness Month Art Exhibit
👑 The No Kings March: Democracy Lives in the Middle
🚔 Give Back Locally: Heroes in Blue Fundraiser
📅 Your week at a glance

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It’s no secret that our nation feels divided. Maybe it’s always been that way, but I only started paying attention to politics about ten years ago. Despite being almost 40, the first time I voted was in 2020.

I’ve shared before that I’ve been in long-term recovery for 17 years. My addiction ended with a prison sentence in 2008, which prevented me from voting for over a decade. I’m not proud of that, but I’m not ashamed of it either. It’s part of my story, which ultimately lead me to where I am today.

I was finally eligible to vote in 2016, but I didn’t. After being denied that right for so long, I had grown indifferent to it.

Then everything changed. I started noticing the divide, not just on TV but in my relationships. Politics stopped being background noise and crept into conversations, friendships, and family dinners. Lines were drawn. Some connections frayed.

That divide is still here. I see it online, in the news, and sometimes right here at home. But I also see people pushing back against it, choosing connection instead of conflict.

That’s why I started Heart of Hanover. I want to help bridge the gap and make space for everyone. My goal has always been to connect people through shared values, not politics. It means sitting with discomfort, having hard conversations, and learning to see the gray between black and white. That’s how we build a better Hanover.

If that resonates with you, you’re in the right place. Together, we can keep choosing connection.

XoXo,
Megan

P.S. As always, thank you to today’s sponsors: 1440 Media and Haus. Interacting with their links is the easiest way to help us keep growing.

This week I met Mary Moores, a local artist whose next project will soon represent Hanover across Pennsylvania.

Mary was chosen to paint Hanover’s bell for Bells Across PA, a statewide art project celebrating America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Each county will feature a hand-painted fiberglass bell, and Mary’s design will tell our story.

“I consider myself a local artist,” she said. “A lot of my art is about this area. Hanover, East Berlin, and all the little corners people overlook but that are really beautiful.”

Her creative path began with pottery. After studying at West Virginia University, Mary built a business making functional ceramics on the wheel. But raising four kids left little time for kilns and cleanup, so she pivoted to pastels.

“They’re easy to start and stop,” she explained. “You have so much control over the pigments and saturation. I just fell in love with it.”

Over the years she’s kept experimenting and learning. A class at the Hanover Area Arts Guild with her oldest daughter inspired her to focus on one medium. “I wanted to pick one thing and really get good at it,” she said. “But it’s a lifelong pursuit. There’s always more to learn.”

For her bell, Mary wanted to capture what makes Hanover special: the people. The design features traced outlines of local residents’ hands layered together, symbolizing the mix of backgrounds, beliefs, and stories that form the heart of this town.

“That’s what makes a community,” she said. “All the people, together.”

The project has stretched her creativity in new ways. It’s her first time painting on fiberglass, her first public art piece, and her first time turning her barn into a workshop.

“It’s definitely out of my element,” she laughed. “But that’s part of the fun. I’ve been sharing updates online because I want people to feel like they’re part of it.”

Her design draws inspiration from Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs, reimagined with bright colors and a modern twist — a perfect reflection of Hanover’s charm and creativity.

Follow along with her progress on social media @MaryMooresFineArt, or visit her website to see some of her stunning pastel work.

📅 Sunday, October 21 | 🕐 1 PM – 2:30 PM
📍 Gallery at the Old Post Office, 141 Broadway

Did you know that every nine seconds, a woman in the U.S. is assaulted or beaten? Or that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience physical abuse from an intimate partner? Every day, domestic violence hotlines field nearly 21,000 calls from people seeking safety.

Those numbers are heartbreaking, but they’re also a reminder of why community and compassion matter so much.

That’s the heart behind Resilience, a new exhibit at the Gallery at the Old Post Office, created in partnership with YWCA Hanover Safe Home in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The show features work from survivors, allies, and local artists. Some stories are too heavy for words, so we tell them through art instead. Each piece explores what it means to rebuild, to heal, and to find beauty after pain. It’s raw, hopeful, and exactly the kind of thing that reminds you what community is for.

The opening reception is Sunday, October 19 from 1 PM to 2:30 PM, and the exhibit runs through November 6. Regular hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 AM to 4:30 PM, with additional open hours to come.

This isn’t just an art show. It’s a gathering of stories that remind us how powerful it is to keep going, and how healing it can be when we do it together.

I’ve been wearing my purple. Have you?

Show your support for survivors every Thursday in October by wearing purple. Tag YWCA Hanover Safe Home with #SafeHomeDVAM2025 and #SafeHomePurpleThursday to spread awareness and stand in solidarity.

📅 Wednesday, October 23 | 💻 Donate Here

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and YWCA Hanover Safe Home is holding its annual Day of Giving on October 23.

When you give, you change lives. Your donation provides safe shelter, legal advocacy, counseling, and hope for a new beginning.

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps create a community where everyone feels safe and supported.

☮ Together, we can build a future free from violence.

📆 Saturday, October 18 | 11 AM – 12 PM
📍 Downtown Hanover

I invite you to read this with an open mind, no matter your political beliefs.

Sharing this event isn’t an endorsement or an invitation. It’s simply an acknowledgment that community means different things to different people, and that we express our love for this country in our own ways. What matters is believing in each other’s right to do so.

Neighbors will gather in downtown Hanover for the No Kings 2.0 March. This is a peaceful event meant to remind us that democracy only works when everyone’s voice matters.

In recent days, posts about the march have been met with ridicule and anger. It’s disheartening to see how quickly people attack or belittle others for exercising their right to peacefully assemble. If we truly want unity, we have to make room for disagreement.

If you feel safe in today’s political climate, I’m happy for you. That’s something to be grateful for, and I wish everyone could experience it. But not everyone does. For some, standing in the square isn’t just about defiance. It’s about visibility, belonging, and a quiet act of courage.

Protest has always been part of America’s story. From the Boston Tea Party to the Civil Rights Movement, ordinary people have stepped forward to demand a more just and equal nation. Questioning power isn’t un-American. In many ways, it’s one of the most patriotic things a citizen can do.

At the end of the day, most of us want the same things: safety, connection, and a community that future generations are proud to call home. Accepting others doesn’t mean abandoning our own boundaries. It means learning to coexist in the gray.

Because democracy lives in the messy, complicated middle. Where people still care enough to show up, listen, and keep trying.

Lt. David Godfrey was released from rehab this week after surviving the York County ambush that claimed the lives of three detectives. He walked out on his own two feet — no wheelchair, no walker. Just grit, heart, and the kind of determination you can’t fake.

Wishing him strength and steady healing as he continues this long road forward. Hanover’s with you, Lt. Godfrey.

Brookmere Winery | Ragged Edges Duo | 6 PM – 9 PM
Eichelberger Performing Arts Center | Bob Marley Stand-Up Comedy | 7 PM
Bair’s Den | Karaoke Night | 7 PM – 11 PM
Church of Satire Comedy Club | John Butera | 8 PM – 9:30 PM
The Avalon Ale House | Big Dogz Karaoke | 8 PM – 11 PM
Dolphin & Anchor Brew Pub | Tate Lehman | 8 PM – 10 PM
Divino Pizzeria | Karaoke Night | 8 PM – 12 AM

David’s Outlook | Annual Halloween Show | 6 PM
Eichelberger Performing Arts Center | Almost Queen | 7 PM
Church of Satire Comedy Club | Abe Mousavi & Friends | 8 PM – 9:30 PM
Dolphin & Anchor Brew Pub | Willeby Hayes | 8 PM – 10 PM
The Circle | Tate Lehman & The Blue Chilis | 8 PM – 11 PM
The Bourbon Mill | Bad Mojo | 8 PM – 11 PM

The Bourbon Mill | Tommy Can’t Count | 1 PM – 4 PM

Church of Satire Comedy Club | Open Mic Night | 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

The Avalon Ale House | Dual FX Trivia | 6 PM– 9 PM
Fat Bat Brewing | Trivia Night | 7 PM– 9 PM

Bair’s Den | Music Bingo | 6 PM– 9 PM
Divino Pizzeria | Trivia Night | 6 PM – 9 PM
The Circle | Open Mic / Jam Session with the Walnut Street Band | 8 PM – 11 PM

Dolphin & Anchor Brew Pub | Music Trivia | 7 PM – 9 PM
The Bourbon Mill | Line Dancing Lessons & Open Dance | 7 PM – 10 PM
Church of Satire Comedy Club | Good Karma Comedy Festival | 8 PM – 9:30 PM

Here are this week’s featured events in and around town. If you’d like your event spotlighted, email [email protected].

🔮 The Art History of Tarot
🕕 6 PM – 7:30 PM | 📍 Hanover Area Arts Guild, 32 Carlisle St
💵 $25 (Guild Members: $20 with discount code) | 🎫 Buy Tickets Here

Explore Tarot’s rich symbolism and visual language, see how deck designs evolved, then create your own Tarot-inspired card using watercolor, colored pencils, and mixed media. Materials are included, and you’re welcome to bring favorites.

🎃 Trunk or Treat
🕕 6 PM – 8 PM | 📍 Empower Martial Arts, 1150 Carlisle St.
💵 Free | 🎫 Sign Up Here

Family-friendly Halloween fun with decorated cars, creative themes, and lots of candy in a safe setting. 🍭 Attendees are kindly encouraged to donate a bag of candy to make sure there is more than enough for every little creature and critter.

💜 Resilience: Domestic Violence Awareness Month Art Gallery
🕐 1 PM | 📍 Gallery at the Old Post Office, 141 Broadway
💵 Free

Join YWCA Hanover Safe Home for the opening of Resilience, a community art exhibit honoring Domestic Violence Awareness Month and celebrating stories of strength, healing, and hope.

🎤 Open Mic Night at Church of Satire
🕣 Sign-ups 7:30 PM | Show 8 PM | 📍 Church of Satire, 106 Broadway
💵 Free | 18+ to enter | 21+ BYOB

Think you’re funny? Try a set, or just come for the laughs. Sixteen slots available for brave souls ready to grab the mic.

🎭 Gettysburg Halloween Parade
🕖 7:15 PM | 📍 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg
💵 Free | 🌧 Rain Date: Thursday, October 23

Bring chairs and bundle up for floats, costumes, music, and community spirit. Arrive early for a good spot.

📚 Reader’s Choice Book Club
🕕 6 PM – 8 PM | 📍 Seventh Shelf, 9 Carlisle St
💵 Free

Kick off with Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. After this first meeting, the group will vote together on next month’s pick.

☕ Cards & Coffee
🕕 6 PM – 8 PM | 📍 Little Fox Coffee & Books, 125 Broadway
💵 Pay-What-You-Can

Sip something warm while Beck Ravenswood offers Tarot readings using the Cosmic Check-In spread. First come, first served, and open to everyone, because guidance should never depend on your wallet.

I’m brewing one last pot and calling time. ****The Heart of Hanover reader survey closes Saturday, October 18 at 11:59 PM. Share a few quick thoughts and you’ll be entered to win a $20 Britton Coffee Co. gift card.

It takes less than five minutes, and your feedback directly shapes what shows up here next.

Community isn’t a grand finale. It’s a practice. Showing up for each other in small ways adds up, and this newsletter is one way I try to do that each week. Thanks for showing up with me.

Thank you to today’s sponsors, 1440 Media and Haus. Clicking sponsor links is the simplest way to help Heart of Hanover grow. We are inching toward 1,000 subscribers, and every bit of engagement helps keep this free for the whole community.

I’m grateful for everyone who reads, shares, and supports, and for our 🌱 Founding Supporters who help bridge the gap as we build more local partnerships. You keep the lights on and the stories flowing.

See you next week,
Megan 💜

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