December in Happy Valley: Your Guide to the Best Events of the Season

As the semester winds down, it’s the perfect moment to step outside, connect with friends, and enjoy what’s happening around Happy Valley. From live music and holiday traditions to theatre, sports, and New Year’s celebrations, December is packed with can’t-miss moments that showcase the warmth, creativity, and heartbeat of our region.

Gratitude in Our Blue-White Zone

In our blue-white zone, gratitude is more than a sentiment. It’s a way of life. While Happy Valley is celebrated for its scenic beauty and Penn State pride, the true soul of our community shines through in our everyday expressions of thankfulness and the many ways we practice it together.

A Place Time Might Have Forgotten, Until the Dreamers Moved In

Over the past decade, something remarkable has been happening in Pine Grove Mills. What was once a quiet crossroads of farmland and forests has transformed into one of Centre County’s most inspiring stories of local entrepreneurship, food, and culture. It’s all driven by neighbors serving neighbors. It began in 2013, when the beloved Watkins Dariette […]

The Fountain of Youth Is Hiding in Banana Suits and Smiles

When my son was little, I spent countless hours volunteering at Ferguson Township Elementary. Honestly, I had more fun my second time through grade school than the first. Now, scrolling through Facebook, I notice that half my friends are half my age, and many are from those Ferguson days. It makes me wonder if that’s why I still feel so alive.
Maybe staying young isn’t about chasing youth, but staying close to it.

Teammates for Life: Love, Leadership, and the Classroom Beyond Class

I walked into the “Teammates for Life” Power Hour knowing there would be energy. When Char Morett-Curtiss is involved, there always is. What I didn’t expect was to be so moved by what unfolded in that single hour. It became a living lesson in leadership, resilience, and the power of love over fear.

The Palmer Museum: World-Class Art in Our Own Backyard

The first time I walked into the new Palmer Museum of Art, I was amazed. The attention to detail, and the architectural ingenuity required to protect the art from light while still maintaining a bright, inviting space, was breathtaking.

The Strength of a Sticky Community

A few weeks ago, I was watching an interview on the Clarity Compass with community builder Erica Quinn when a simple phrase grabbed me by the heart and wouldn’t let go:
“Sticky community.”
She wasn’t talking about size or status. She was talking about depth. About what it means to belong to a place where people don’t just live near each other. They hold on to one another. Where neighbors become lifelines and kindness becomes muscle memory.
That phrase stuck with me because, in Happy Valley, I see that kind of community every day.