By Bernie Ryan
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.
Our Own Version of Camelot
We live next to one of the most respected universities in the country, Penn State. Its influence touches everything: our economy, our education, our culture. But what holds this place together isn’t a world-class institution.
It’s the way we show up for one another.
It’s the neighbor who shovels a sidewalk they don’t walk on. It’s the church that delivers meals when grief knocks. It’s the local business that doesn’t just sell. They serve.
And recently, I witnessed something that captured the true heartbeat of this community.
One Family’s Fight and a Town’s Response
Pennwood Home & Hearth in Pleasant Gap isn’t just a fireplace shop. It’s a place that feels like family. So, when one of their own faced a devastating breast cancer diagnosis, the response was immediate.
Prayers circled. Hugs were shared. But Pennwood went a step further. They planned a BBQ fundraiser to support the family.
When I got the email, I placed my order and offered to help. The next thing I knew, I was shoulder to shoulder with a crew of volunteers. We prepped food, set up tables, and laughed between tasks.
It was that familiar feeling again. The sacred hum of purpose and togetherness.
The Day the Parking Lot Turned Into a Table
On the day of the BBQ, the Pleasant Gap Fire Company helped direct the flow of traffic as car after car arrived.
The smell of slow-cooked ribs wrapped around us like comfort. But it wasn’t just about the food. It was what the food meant.
Neighbors, church families, co-workers, local business owners, and even a few elected officials came not just for a meal, but for each other.
Together, we served more than 500 meals:
- 198 racks of ribs
- 40 whole chickens
- 55 pounds of beef chuck
- 170 pounds of salad
- Over 30 gallons of baked beans
- 500+ cornbread muffins
And countless moments of connection.
By 3:00 p.m., firefighters were still guiding traffic. But what filled the air wasn’t stress. It was pride.
Pride in our people.
Pride in our place.
What Makes Us Sticky
I’ve thought a lot about what makes Happy Valley more than just a dot on the map. Yes, Penn State gives us prestige. But the people give us soul.
We don’t just live here. We love here. We cook. We give. We gather. We stick.
That day, as the last trays of ribs were packed up and the final hugs exchanged, I stood in the shade of a small-town shop and saw something big.
A reminder of who we are.
We are neighbors.
We are friends.
We are a sticky community.
And that’s the strength that will carry us together through whatever comes next.
If you want to see the full interview with Erica Quinn on the Clarity Compass check it out here, and note Berne is interviewed in Episode 1.
One Response
Pennwood Home and Hearth continually gives back to the community. From what I have seen most of their good work is done quietly as it is done for good not sales. This story about them does not surprise me at all.