The Millersville Area Historical Society (MAHS) invites the public to a presentation about homefront blackouts during World War II at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13, in Millersville's Municipal Center, 100 Municipal Drive. The speaker will be historian Christine Lurk, also known as Miss Victory. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. and lock at 9:15 a.m.

Lurk's presentation is titled "Dead Serious About Blackouts!" It will launch with the aid of a helper from the audience and then shift to a slideshow, the focus of which will be New York City's Upper Manhattan in 1942. Topics will include why air raid drills were necessary, the do's and don'ts in a blackout, and how knowledge and training gave citizens the confidence to overcome fear. A question-and-answer session will close the meeting.

A Gettysburg-area resident, Lurk grew up in California, earned a degree in criminology out West, and then served the U.S. Army as an MP in Berlin when the Wall was still intact. After raising four children, she worked as a correctional officer for the Adams County Adult Correctional Complex for 10 years before retiring. She now hosts programs on World War II homefront activities to pay tribute to the Greatest Generation.

Lurk first spoke to an MAHS group in July 2019. She traces her fascination with homefront World War II topics to an initial experience at a World War II Weekend in Reading about 13 years ago.

Although admission is free, donations are appreciated. For more details, contact Phil Gerber at 717-872-8837 before 5 p.m. or at pge8507@aol.com.