May 22—"Journal of a Caregiver: A Story of Love and Devotion" by Harry J. Deitz Jr., retired editor of the Reading Eagle, has been published by Masthof Press of Morgantown.

The book is the story of the six years when Deitz was the primary caregiver for his wife, Mary Ellen, as she battled numerous diseases, including Parkinson's, dementia and breast cancer.

The cover of "Journal of a Caregiver," by Harry J. Deitz Jr."I developed the plan for the book a few years after I wrote and published a front-page story in the Reading Eagle newspaper in 2015, several months after she died," Deitz said. "It received hundreds of comments. My hope is that the book will help others who are going through a similar experience as a caregiver."

The book includes extensive excerpts from the journal he kept for four years.

"My journal helped me to monitor and organize her care," he said. "It also provided a place for me to share my thoughts about the most difficult time in my life. It was a journey of mixed emotions — not wanting to lose her, yet many times not knowing how I could continue to care for her. But I did care for her, and I did lose her."

The book is intended for anyone who is or may become a primary caregiver for a loved one or friend who is facing a terminal illness. It is not intended as a medical guide or advice, Deitz said.

"It is simply an account of my personal experience in taking care of my wife for six years," he explains in the book. "The experience of every caregiver is unique, but this book may help them to understand situations that are similar to what I faced. Mainly, it will help them to know that they are not alone."

Deitz retired in 2018 after 10 years as editor of the Eagle.

"Journal of a Caregiver" is available at masthof.com and on Amazon.

Last year Sunbury Press, located near Boiling Springs, released Deitz's first book, "Our Father's Journey: A Path Out of Poverty," the story of his father's life. Sunbury Press plans to publish Deitz's "Covey: A Stone's Throw From a Coal Mine to the Hall of Fame" by early July. It is the life story of Stan Coveleski, a Hall of Fame baseball pitcher from Deitz's hometown of Shamokin.

Art

The Hawk Mountain Arts Tour, featuring more than 30 artists and businesses throughout the Kempton valley plus a satellite location hosted by the Hamburg Area Arts Alliance at Etchberger Memorial Park/Hamburg Community Park, will be held Saturday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Stops include local businesses and studios hosting artists who will display a variety of crafts, including pottery, wood and metal sculptures, and fine art paintings. The free driving tour takes place within a 25-mile radius of scenic Albany Township, and a printable map of the stops can be found at www.hawkmountain.org/artstour or the Arts Tour Facebook page.

"The route is beautiful during this time of year, and the event is the perfect chance to embrace this community and see a wide array of art and local talent," said Gigi Romano, who helps organize the annual event.

The route is numbered, but the tour is self-guided. In addition to the displays, visitors will be able to purchase pieces and products at most stops. Multiple host locations will be open for business or provide refreshments and locally sourced treats.

Music

Opus One: Masterwork Chorus will present the final concert of its 10th season, "A Celebration of Vaughan Williams," which will include the American premiere of the composer's "The Garden of Proserpine," today at 4 p.m. at St. John Baptist de la Salle Catholic Church, 42 Kerrick Road, Shillington. Soprano Maggie Riker will be the featured soloist.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of the English choral composer. "The Garden of Proserpine," which was only recently discovered, is one of his first choral-orchestral works. Written In 1899, it is a 20-minute secular concert piece based on text by Algernon Charles Swinburne from his controversial collection "Poems and Ballads" (1866).

Swinburne's poem details the tragic Eleusinian myth of Persephone and her transient existence between the realm of the gods and the underworld. Tired of life's toil, the soul rejects the eternal paradise promised by Christianity and instead seeks "Only the sleep eternal / In an eternal night."

Other works on the program include "Six Choral Songs To Be Sung in Time of War," "Five Mystical Songs," "The Voice Out of the Whirlwind" and several familiar hymns.

Opus One: Masterwork Chorus will be joined by the Choraliers (Conrad Weiser High School, under the direction of Sarah McGrory) and the Governors (Gov. Mifflin High School, under the direction of Greg Hill). The 80-member chorus will be accompanied by a professional orchestra and organ under the direction of Artistic Director Christopher Hoster.

Tickets will be available at the door and cost $20 for adults and $10 for students. The concert will be offered online from from May 26 through June 12 at opusonechamberchoir.com, with tickets available at the website.

----The Lebanon County Choral Society will present its spring concert, "Awakenings: Songs of Rebirth and Renewal," today at 3 p.m. at Friedens Lutheran Church, 301 W. Washington Ave., Myerstown. Tickets will be available at the door. Masks are required for all audience members and singers.

Founded in 1889, the Lebanon County Choral Society seeks to nurture appreciation of challenging choral music by preparing public performances that combine accessibility with high artistic standards. Rehearsals for the fall season will begin in September, and that performance will take place in December. Singers who may be interested in participating should contact director Sean Hackett at adultchoruslccs@gmail.com or 717-838-1028.