A friend invited me to an art exhibit on Pomfret Street in Carlisle, where the works related to 'green' were being displayed by the Carlisle Arts and Learning Center.  While walking through the exhibit on the second floor, I noticed Becky Myers talking to another guest.  Becky was explaining why she named her fabulous three panel painting of a Maryland crab "Old Bay".  Since Becky had been art teacher at Shippensburg High School for both my boys, I was delighted to see that she was painting privately now that she's retired.  Beside her was her husband, Forest N. Myers, Esq., immediate past president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and member at-large of the Franklin County Bar Association's Board of Directors.

          Forest has had an office in Shippensburg, Franklin County, ever since.  He concentrates in general practice, focusing on real property, transaction law, wills and estates.  He candidly admits that some of his Amish clients refuse to acknowledge that he may want to retire.  His office is currently in his home, but Becky has a studio in the back.

          After becoming aware of some flagrant breaches of professionalism, Forest began to pursue the modernization of the unauthorized practice of law, chairing our local committee for years.  This led to statewide involvement.  Forest then took over being one of our delegates to the state Bar Association, and the rest is history.

          Forest admitted to loving travel, biking and swimming.  He and Becky travel frequently to see their daughter and two grandchildren in New Jersey and their son in Virginia.  Best of all, Forest has begun taking piano lessons again, after abandoning that quest long before he began the practice of law.

          Forest tells of being appointed to represent a teen accused of stealing a motorcycle years ago.  Since the teen had no priors and, according to the client, was not the instigator of the crime, just the dope who helped a friend, Forest suggested he seek employment before sentencing so that primarily probation would be imposed.  Forest was relieved to hear that the young man took his advice and was hard at work.  On the morning of sentencing, Forest learned that the young man had been fired.  He had the unenviable task of standing with him in front of Senior Judge John Walker and listening to the young man explain that he was not permitted to take off work for the first two days of deer season, although everyone else seemingly was permitted.  So, the young man naturally just went deer hunting.  The consequence was being fired.  Forest cannot remember Judge Walker's exact wording, but he recalls it was something to the effect that was not an exercise of good judgment.  Fortunately, the young man was placed on probation, having demonstrated that he was not capable of properly planning...

          Sara A. Grove, Esq., tenured professor in the Political Science department at Shippensburg University, is heading a committee for the Franklin County Bar Association to review the Bar's bylaws related to elections.  As our bar has grown now to 180 voting and associate members, we may find it appropriate to modify some rules.

          Sara's originally from Johnstown, finishing high school in 1980.  It only took her three years to secure her bachelor degree from Penn State University in political science.  Sara then headed to University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, to pursue a masters.  She continued for her doctorate in Political Science, working for the North Carolina Bar Association along the way.  Her dissertation was a comparison of the use of judges versus arbitration panels in small civil cases and the best approach to litigants.

          After receiving her doctorate, she began her teaching career at Frostburg.  She was hired by Shippensburg University in 1992.  After securing tenure, Sara headed to Dickinson School of Law, studying full time for the first year and then teaching part time for her last two years.  She was awarded her JD In 1995.  By 2000, Sara was the Department Chair of Political Science.  In 2004, she was asked to serve as interim Dean of the College of Arts and Science.  She's worked with Justice Mike Eakin and by request served as chair of a Pittsburgh committee on Women in Politics.  Sara's currently supervising interns in American Government and heading to the Bahamas as a leader in a study of food, human trafficking, and emergency management with an anthropologist and a geographer and a group of students.  Sara's focus in Shippensburg has also incorporated a study of hunger in Central Pennsylvania.

          Sara's become a runner and has participated in a number of half marathons.  She quickly acknowledged that, should she receive the invitation, she plans to participate in the New York Marathon.

          Sara was asked by colleagues what she dreamed of happening to her.  She replied, before the winter break, that she wanted to be captured by a pirate that definitely resembled Johnny Depp.  She was sure someone had decided to torment her when, at the beginning of one of her classes, in the spring semester, a student walked into her classroom bearing an uncanny resemblance to Johnny Depp....but it was not a set up.

          I called Janice Hawbaker, Esq., for some feedback on her position as chair of the Pro Bono committee for the Franklin County Bar Association.  Janice has served for years as an advocate for the local bar.

          Janice graduated from Hershey High School in June, 1976.  Since that was the year of celebration, Janice said that her class was decked out, the men in blue robes, the women in white and possibly the tassels were red, white and blue.

          Janice headed to Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, as there was a family tradition of women being educated at that college.  She received a degree in English in 1980.  She soon discovered that her degree did not provide entry into too many professions, first being a waitress and then engaging in secretarial work.  After a few months, she took the LSAT and headed to Dickinson School of Law.  Janice received her JD, in 1984. 

          Her career in Franklin County began immediately with employment by the late Dennis Zeger.  After about six years with Dennis, Janice joined the firm of Beck, Patterson, Kaminski, Keller and Kierse.  Janice laughed when she learned that John Sharpe had always referred to that firm as Oil and Sheets [BP and KKK].  At the end of 1993, Kaminski and Hawbaker opened an office in Chambersburg.  The firm became Kaminski, Hawbaker and Salawage in 2005.

          Janice is happily married to Mitch Hawbaker and travels frequently to Baltimore to visit her daughter.  She's a fourteen year survivor and loves to scrap book.  Don't be fooled, though.  Janice practices yoga regularly and participates in a Zumba class.  She reports that she and her daughter are currently watching the recommended films on the 100 Best Movies of all times.  She recently was delighted to discover the joy of silent films and Charlie Chaplin when, for the first time, she saw Gold Rush.

          Janice became a zone delegate to the Pennsylvania Bar Association, taking over for Lynn MacBride, Esq.  Later Phil Cosentino, Esq., replaced her.  Currently, Phil's son, Anthony Cosentino, Esq., holds the position.  Like Forest, though, Janice remains active in the Franklin County Bar Association.