Stories

Steve and Renee Ramper: A Homeland Center love story

January 25, 2019

Renee Ramper told her husband, Steve, that she didn’t need anything for Christmas. Their old plans to design an engagement ring had been scuttled back when they learned that she was pregnant. At that point, their wedding and the birth of their son, Jason, took precedence. As Jason’s first Christmas…

Robert and Jenine Lane: Forging a life together

January 24, 2019

They were two young people who happened to attend a dance at the Harrisburg YMCA, but for Robert and Jenine Lane, it was the beginning of a 64-year journey. “She was nice,” says Robert. “He asked me on a date,” says Jenine. That was March of 1954. Just two months…

Enjoying the day with Homeland Center Transportation Coordinator Michael Quinones

December 27, 2018

In the business of transporting retirement-community residents, it pays to keep up with current events. “I’m like a tour guide,” says Homeland Center Transportation Coordinator Michael Quinones. “Residents want to know what buildings are under construction and what’s happening around town.” Michael shares such news as Harrisburg’s new federal courthouse…

Kristallnacht remembrance highlights dangers of intolerance and hatred

December 20, 2018

The woman approached Dr. Mark Glick at a conference for survivors of the Holocaust. She had been left for dead in a mass grave in a Nazi labor camp. Glick’s mother, digging ditches, saw signs of life and returned that night to pull the woman out and share her rations….

Traditions and a few surprises bring joy to Homeland Center holiday party

December 20, 2018

What goes better with Christmas than the song, “I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am”? Actually, many songs go better with Christmas, and they played throughout the gathering spaces of Homeland for its lively holiday party. But the annual event is big enough to accommodate musical tastes of all kinds, so…

Homeland resident Vicki Fox: Making meaningful connections among people

December 20, 2018

The insurance agent called Vicki Fox at Homeland to inquire about her car accident from the previous Friday. The call was a case of mistaken identity, but Vicki had three things to say. First, she didn’t have a car. Second, she had canceled her insurance. “And third, was I hurt,…