🎃 Hanover’s Halloween Week Has Arrived!

❤ Subscriber Survey Winner!
💙 Volunteer Opportunities
💜 Federal Shutdown & SNAP Resources
🖤 Hanover Halloween Parade & Trick-or-Treat
💛 Good Neighbor: Dillon’s Big Heart

Congratulations, Carolyn!

Check your inbox for my email. It’s possible that it ended up in under the promotions tab or in the spam folder. I’ll send your gift card as soon as I hear back.

Side note: I learned a valuable lesson running my first giveaway. Apparently, I should’ve asked for last names. Luckily, only one Carolyn entered!

I saw a TikTok this week that made my heart sink and, strangely, also made it soar. It was about a news story not too far from Hanover.

Mechanicsburg, PA held its Halloween Parade last week. It’s a beloved local tradition, much like ours. But unbeknownst to community members, an unwelcome group slipped under the radar: the Women of the KKK.

In 2025, very little shocks me anymore. You’d think the KKK would be a relic of the past. I could maybe see a few bitter old-timers still hanging on, but surely the younger generations have moved beyond that nonsense. But the truth is, the KKK has continued recruiting new members across generations, but they’ve done it behind closed doors. Not because they were ashamed, but because operating in the shadows allowed them to grow without public resistance.

And this year, they were bold enough to walk through the Mechanicsburg Halloween Parade. They didn’t wear those ridiculous white robes, which is why most people didn’t recognize them. But one of them began handing out business cards to recruit potential new members.

The cards included the words “Invisible Empire,” “Family-Country-Liberty,” and “A revival of the American spirit.”

A revival‽!‽ Please don’t ever revive ANYTHING from America’s past.

Well one of those cards ended up in the candy bucket of a 5-year-old child. Understandably, her mother was outraged, and so were the people of Mechanicsburg. They demanded answers from their borough council.

Now this is the part I want you to pay close attention to.

The people of Mechanicsburg showed up. They didn’t just share their anger online. They packed the borough council meeting to voice their outrage, fear, and heartbreak. They came together to ask: What does this say about our town? Are we really as safe as we thought? What can we do to make it clear that Mechanicsburg does not stand for hate or racism?

In that room, they transformed their anger into action. They decided to meet hate with hope and began organizing a rally for peace.

I have nothing against speaking your mind online. When used well, social media can connect us with people we’d never otherwise meet. But for most of us, posting online is like shouting into the void. It might feel good for a moment, but it rarely changes anything.

That’s why I believe the most powerful thing you can do is start local. Even better, start hyper-local. Go to Hanover’s council meetings. Show up for your community. If you can’t find a group that aligns with your values, create your own. That’s exactly why I started Heart of Hanover. I wanted to reclaim my voice and use it to build the kind of community I want to live in.

As for Mechanicsburg, their borough council and mayor made their stance clear. They share their community’s outrage and sorrow, but they’re also bound by the Constitution. They explained that distributing those business cards is protected speech under the First Amendment, and violating that right could expose the borough to legal and financial risk.

Still, they drew an important line in the sand: “We want to state clearly and without reservation that any message or organization promoting racism, intimidation, or discrimination stands in direct opposition to the values of our community.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center reports that five white nationalist groups are currently active in Pennsylvania: Active Club, Antelope Hill Publishing, Gab, New Columbia Movement, and Patriot Front. It’s unclear how many cards were handed out that night. PennLive reporters were unable to reach anyone from the Women of the KKK, though one resident who texted the number on the card was told they only handed cards to adults and candy to kids.

After learning about all of this, I reached out to the Hanover Area Jaycees, who organize our own Halloween Parade. I asked whether they were aware of the situation and if similar safeguards were in place. They assured me, “We have a rule in place that only candy can be handed out unless approved by the Jaycees.”

That means if you see something suspicious next Thursday, say something.

And beyond this incident, I hope it serves as a reminder: your voice matters. You don’t need a platform or a following to make an impact. You just need courage and a voice.

📍 Emmanuel United Church of Christ, 124 Broadway
🔗 Sign up online

This is a volunteer opportunity that truly warms the soul (and the oven)!

Emmanuel United Church of Christ and The Serpent’s Key are teaming up for Neighbors in Knead, a monthly effort to bake fresh bread, prepare homemade meals, and share food with Hanover neighbors in need.

🥖 Bread Baking: Monday 11/3 @ 6 PM
🍴 Meal Prep & Distribution: Tuesday 11/4 @ 11 AM

Can’t make it in person? You can still help by donating supplies or pantry items for the upcoming meals. Make sure you check the expiration dates!

Sign up online to see the full list of needed items and to let organizers know what you’re bringing so others can fill in the gaps.

📆 Saturday, November 1 | 🕘 9 AM
📍 St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 30 W. Chestnut St
🔗 Register or Donate Here

If you’ve never experienced Hanover Against Hunger’s annual Meal Packing Event, it’s one of the most joyful volunteer days of the year. Picture upbeat music, friendly faces, and neighbors of all ages working side by side to pack thousands of meals for families in need.

With less than two weeks to go, Hanover has already raised $23,721 and funded 58,555 meals, but there’s still time to reach the 100,000-meal goal. Every 40¢ donation provides one more meal, and volunteers are still needed to help hit the 600-person target.

The consequences of the federal government shutdown are going to be felt deeply by so many of our neighbors. Now, more than ever, is the time to give. Maybe you’re one of those affected by the shutdown, in which case giving your time is equally as valuable.

Unless Congress ends the federal shutdown soon, nearly two million Pennsylvanians won’t receive their November SNAP benefits. This will include countless families right here in Hanover.

For many, that means facing Thanksgiving without enough to eat. SNAP isn’t extra. It’s survival.

I’ve been there. When my son was a newborn, I worked 12-hour shifts and commuted an hour each way. When my husband got laid off, SNAP kept us afloat. That’s why this news hits hard.

If you receive SNAP, make sure your paperwork and income reports are up to date. New work and education rules start November 1. Once the shutdown ends, benefits will resume if your account is current.

If you don’t receive SNAP, you can still help. You can donate food, money, or time. Check your pantry, sort by expiration, and drop off what you can spare. Every can and every hour counts.

Local Resources:

For immediate help, call 211.

My family’s story is living proof that screenings save lives.

Right before Christmas last year, my mom was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer, and it was found during a routine screening. Because she caught it early, the cancer hadn’t spread beyond the milk duct. She had surgery in January, no lymph node involvement, and today she’s cancer-free.

That diagnosis set my own journey in motion. With almost every woman on my mom’s side having battled breast cancer, I saw an oncologist, completed a Tyrer-Cuzick risk assessment. I confirmed that I, too, am high-risk. This year, I had both my first mammogram and breast MRI. I’m grateful to say everything came back normal.

Please, stay current on your screenings and encourage the people you love to do the same. Early detection really does make all the difference. And remember, men can get breast cancer too.

A few reminders before you go:

Don’t: convince yourself you’re too old for a costume.
Do: buy the costume.
Don’t: cancel on the party because it feels like a lot.
Do: show up — it’s a lot of fun.
Don’t: dance like no one’s watching (unless it’s a phone-free zone).
Do: have a great week, Hanover. You’ve earned it.

Thank you to today’s sponsors, GURU 2025 and 1440 Media. Clicking sponsor links is the simplest way to help Heart of Hanover grow.

See you around town,
Megan 💜